Shadows Cast Over the Sunset

Chapters

Act V - Chapter LXXII: Collision
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXI: Wrath
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXII: Ashes
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXIII: Humans
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXIV: Teach
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXV: Mates
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXVI: Sunset Returns
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXVII: Lightning
Act II - Chapter XVI: Mysteries
Act II - Chapter XVII: Cherish
Act II - Chapter XVIII: Avoid
Act II - Chapter XIX: Future
Act II - Chapter XX: Concern
Act II - Chapter XXI: Empathy
Act II - Chapter XXII: Illness
Act II - Chapter XXIII: Gratitude
Act II - Chapter XXIV: Home
Act II - Chapter XXV: Time
Act II - Chapter XXVI: Choices
Act II - Chapter XXVII: Return
Act II - Chapter XXVIII: Wrong
Act II - Chapter XXIX: New Mystery
Intermission II-1: Pursuit
Intermission II-2: Reference
Act III - Chapter XXX: Painful Loss
Act III - Chapter XXXI: Isolation
Act III - Chapter XXXII: Search
Act III - Chapter XXXIII: Training
Act III - Chapter XXXIV: Trust
Act III - Chapter XXXV: Pieces
Act III - Chapter XXXVI: Ghost
Act III - Chapter XXXVII: Conspiracy
Act III - Chapter XXXVIII: Tension
Act III - Chapter XXXIX: Reveal
Act III - Chapter XL: Ploy
Act III - Chapter XLI: Sinister Confrontation
Intermission III-1: Waves
Intermission III-2: Strings
Act IV - Chapter XLII: Needed Justice
Act IV - Chapter XLIII: Concern
Act IV - Chapter XLIV: Seeking
Act IV - Chapter XLV: Rekindle
Act IV - Chapter XLVI: Besties
Act IV - Chapter XLVII: Dinner
Act IV - Chapter XLVIII: Turn
Act IV - Chapter XLIX: Kiss
Act IV - Chapter L: Date
Act IV - Chapter LI: Movie
Act IV - Chapter LII: Lust
Act IV - Chapter LIII: Girlfriend
Act IV - Chapter LIV: Demons
Act IV - Chapter LV: Realization
Act IV - Chapter LVI: Thoughts
Act IV - Chapter LVII: Amend
Act IV - Chapter LVIII: A Promise
Intermission IV-1: Light
Intermission IV-2: Change
Act V - Chapter LIX: Empire's End
Act V - Chapter LX: Heist
Act V - Chapter LXI: Consideration
Act V - Chapter LXII: Forward
Act V - Chapter LXIII: Establish
Act V - Chapter LXIV: Falling
Act V - Chapter LXV: Cold
Act V - Chapter LXVI: Flashbacks
Act V - Chapter LXVII: Biding
Act V - Chapter LXVIII: Children
Act V - Chapter LXIX: Awake
Act V - Chapter LXX: Wedding
Act V - Chapter LXXI: Scheme
Act V - Chapter LXXIII: Mirror
Act V - Chapter LXXXIV: Storm
Act V - Chapter LXXV: Twilight’s Plight
Intermission V-1: Investigation
Intermission V-2: Journey
Intermission V-3: Outcomes
Intermission V-4: Premonition
Act VI - Chapter LXXVI: Age's End
Act VI - Chapter LXXVII: Growth
Act VI - Chapter LXXVIII: Union
Act VI - Chapter LXXIX: Assemble
Act VI - Chapter LXXX: Seeds
Act VI - Chapter LXXXI - Building
Act VI - Chapter LXXXII: Strategize
Act VI - Chapter LXXXIII: Teamwork
Act VI - Chapter LXXXIV: Discord
Act VI - Chapter LXXXV: Airship
Act VI - Chapter LXXXVI: Retain
Act VI - Chapter LXXXVII: Dragons
Act VI - Chapter LXXXVIII: Heat
Act VI - Chapter LXXXIX: Setup
Act VI - Chapter LXL: Cover
Act VI - Chapter LXLI: Aria
Act VI - Chapter LXLII: Manehatten
Act VI - Chapter LXLIII: Funeral
Act VI - Chapter LXLIV: Merciless
Act VI - Chapter LXLV: Horrors
Act VI - Chapter LXLVI: Reality
Act VI - Chapter LXLVII: Restoration
Act VI - Chapter LXLVIII: Serenade’s Symphony
Intermission VI-1: Full
Intermission VI-2: Canterlot
Act VII Part I - Chapter LXLIX - Horizon Rises
Act VII Part I - Chapter C: Resilience
Act VII Part I - Chapter CI: Hand
Act VII Part I - Chapter CII: Blade
Act VII Part I - Chapter CIII: Artist
Act VII Part I - Chapter CIV: Ties
Act VII Part I - Chapter CV: Torch
Act VII Part I - Chapter CVI: Keylime
Act VII Part I - Chapter CVII: Development
Act VII Part I - Chapter CVIII: Claws
Act VII Part I - Chapter CIX: Recruit
Act VII Part I - Chapter CX: Kabuki
Act VII Part I - Chapter CXI: Jade
Act VII Part I - Chapter CXII: Plants
Act VII Part I - Chapter CXIII: Ugliness
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXIV: Deconstructing
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXV: Eclipse
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXVI: Similarities
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXVII: Deals
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXVIII: Mindful
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXIX: Resurgence
Act VII Part II - Chapter CXX: Hellish
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXVIII: Yuna
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXIX: Hidden
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXX: Bolt
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXI: Endurance
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXII: Siblings
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXIII: Pass
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXIV: Professor
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXV: Shadows
Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXVI: Cast
Act VII Part III - Final Chapter: Over the Sunset
Epilogue
Prologue
Act I - Chapter I: Joy
Act I - Chapter II: Ripples
Act I - Chapter III: Curiosity
Act I - Chapter IV: Meeting
Act I - Chapter V: Processing
Act I - Chapter VI: Questions
Act I - Chapter VII: Connection
Act I - Chapter VIII: Secrets
Act I - Chapter IX: Answers
Act I - Chapter X: Experiences
Act I - Chapter XI: Past
Act I - Chapter XII: Reflection
Act I - Chapter XIII: New Dawn
Intermission I: Stealth
Act II - Chapter XIV: New Beginning
Act II - Chapter XV: Bonds

Act V - Chapter LXXII: Collision

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Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXI: Wrath

Chapter CXXI: Wrath

Several Years Ago

Hell was full of underlings that would do the bidding of demons more potent than themselves. If one who was lucky enough not to be a mere mindless husk wished to gain power, their greatest chance was to attach themselves to a demon of greater potential or merit in the hopes that they could be protected long enough to thrive on their own.

Such a demon scurried his way across the obsidian landscape to find his way back to his master. He tripped and stumbled over his skinny feet, but managed to get himself upright as he cleared the distance and finally made it to the feet of his master. He knelt down and groveled as the armored boot on his master’s foot stomped on the ground, shaking everything around them.

Several other demons served at his side while his lowly henchman groveled at his feet. The master’s face was hidden under a sturdy horned helmet, black in color with flames emitting from it. His body was adorned with similar spiked armor, bones protruding from it, it had a fierce look to it, which matched the master himself. He was a ruthless demon, capable of much.

Sitting on his throne made of bone and blade, he looked down at the servant at his foot before kicking him backward. The servant demon toppled over before getting himself oriented and bowing once more.

“Who said that you were permitted in my chamber? Weaklings such as yourself should stick to the duties that I assign, and not bother me… Perhaps you wish to see what happens when a demon dies?” He placed a claw atop a massive claymore that sat beside his massive throne. The hilt of which shined interestingly. It was as black as onyx but had a certain sheen to it. Bones came out of the glassy-looking hilt, giving it a very sinister look. The blade itself was almost as large as the master who sat next to it; a weapon worthy of a king, for sure.

The servant bowed repeatedly as he begged forgiveness. “Forgive me, my lord, I rushed her because there is something that urgently needs your attention!”

“What could be so urgent that you come to bother me with your presence? Bringing your stink into this chamber…” The master barked.

“Someone is heading this way, a demon that is facing the trials, they will surely come to face the contender for the demon lord, yourself….” His minion explained.

The master merely laughed. “So what? Many attempt the trials, but the vast majority fail. Why should I concern myself with a creature that will likely die at the hands of my minions?”

“They have already completed the first trial…” His servant stated.

The master waved his claw dismissively as a female demon placed her arms around him, fawning over his physique. “Who cares? Stronger than the average demon, but they won’t last long, and if they do make it here, I can slice them in half…”

“Sir, with all due respect, I think you should take this girl more seriously…” His servant pleaded.

The master laughed heartily at the information. “A girl!? All the more reason why I should pay no mind to this. Why should I concern myself over some little girl?”

“Sir, that girl is the former contender for the title of demon lord… Serenade Dazzle…” His servant stated.

This information made the master pause. He pushed the female away from himself and leaned in with a serious tone to him. “Are you absolutely certain that it is her?”

His servant nodded. “At first, I did not recognize her because her body has changed, but after some scouting and overhearing her, I am completely confident that it is indeed her.”

Leaning back in his throne, the master nodded. “So… Serenade Dazzle returns then… I shall take great pleasure in crushing her…”

His servant looked up at him with confused eyes. “Sir?”

He gestured with his claw to his servant. “Put every demon under my wing in her path. She is not to be underestimated. I want her weakened as much as possible before she reaches this chamber…”

“Sir, that would just be throwing them into a slaughter, you know what she’s capable of…” His servant frowned.

“Do as I say! You are to serve your lord, not question. Any, who can not defend their king deserve to die on the battlefield. Now go!” The master gestured.

Nodding, his servant left to go inform their army of their master’s new orders. After he departed, the female at the master’s side leaned in with intrigue as she caressed him. “Master, you don’t believe those weaklings will actually kill her do you?”

He shook his head. “No, I merely wish to see if she’s gotten stronger or weaker. They are cannon fodder. I intend to enjoy the killing of Serenade Dazzle myself… She will not leave this throne room once she enters…”

“She can’t defeat you, that’s for sure…” His mistress purred in his ear.

He stared forward in thought as he remembered the name Serenade Dazzle. All she had done to him, and he knew that he would have his moment when she arrived. He would be able to enact the revenge he had waited so long for. When all was said and done, he would get to feel the moment of her death by his claws.

“Serenade Dazzle will die today, that much is certain…” He said quietly.

Several Years Ago

Serenade now had the spine of the beast in hand, and without much effort, she knew she would be able to forge a weapon worthy of a demon lord. Her confidence in her abilities was unrivaled, and she knew that hell had no challenges she couldn’t overcome. She wondered why she was concerned in the first place. With her abilities, she was more than a match for any foe.

The girl had been trained by some of the best masters in the art of combat, and then she had bested her own masters. Her anger was a force that would demolish anything in front of her; nothing would stop her on her quest to be at the top, to make mortals pay for all they had done to her, to make them pay for all they had done to her entire kind, and to the world itself. Mortals were a disease, and she was the cure in her mind.

With pride, she marched onward on the path set for her, as Sven appeared next to her once more in his shadowy form. “Truly, it is remarkable to see the amazing Serenade Dazzle in combat, your triumphs were not exaggerated. Had we met in Dragon Scar, I would have found you worthy to be my queen even if you are not traditionally my type…”

Serenade scoffed at the thought. “Why would I want to be second to someone who is as weak as you?”

He laughed. “Feisty, I like that. I think that in life, I would have gotten along well with you…”

“Then you don’t know me at all…” Serenade scowled.

“I think I’m slowly starting to understand though…” Sven commented.

“You understand nothing, I promise you that…” Serenade hissed.

Changing the subject, Sven coughed. “So, are you sure that you’re prepared to take on the contender for demon lord? He is quite a formidable foe.”

“What do you know about him?” Serenade stopped and asked, her hand resting on her hip.

“I know not of his name, but I hear stories echoed of him…” Sven stated.

“Go on…” Serenade gestured with her hand.

“I hear that in life he was a warrior of amazing prowess, but in death, he is a demon of ruthlessness. He has spent centuries perfecting his ability, aiming to reach the top, and he has killed many demons that have challenged him. There isn’t a fight he hasn’t won, and I hear that he is fearless in battle…” Sven explained.

Serenade shrugged and yawned. “Sounds like a pussy that is compensating for something. Stick around and watch, Sven. I will show you the true power of Serenade Dazzle, you have yet to see anything. I will be standing atop of his corpse in a matter of hours, you’ll see.”

He grinned at her confidence. “I have little doubt, now. Surely, you will be triumphant. The true demon lord stands before me…” Sven bowed in honor of her.

“The demon lord, and the next ruler of Equestria and even the world…” Serenade corrected with a finger raised.

“Pray tell, what drives a creature such as yourself?” Sven tilted his head in curiosity.

“I doubt you would understand my motives, Sven. My hatred for mortals stems back farther than you have been alive. I want nothing more than their complete and total destruction. I want them all to pay for everything they have done. There can be no calmness in this world until all of them and their sympathizers are wiped out…” Serenade was trying her best not to grind her teeth as she spoke. Just the thought of how much she hated them was enough to make her blood boil.

“I suppose there is more to you than I will ever understand, but although I do not understand your motivation, I stand behind your plight. I gain nothing, yet I wish to see you succeed if not only out of spite for my own slaying…” Sven replied.

A small smile came to the siren’s face from his words. “Now you’re starting to understand if not just a little bit. Maybe by the time this is over you will truly comprehend what I am all about…”

He bowed at her. “I shall follow in your shadow and observe. Consider it a student learning from the master.”

“I think I can finally start to enjoy your company now…” Serenade chuckled.

Sven grinned back at her. “I look forward to your conquests, Serenade.”

“Watch and learn, Sven.” She laughed.

Several Years Ago

With her brother by her side, Cinder sat atop of a rock as the two polished their blades. The craftsmanship of their fine swords meant they would never dull, thanks to ancient forging secrets passed down by their clan for generations. There wasn’t a finer sword in Dragon Scar than those carried by her clan, and there were none who could rival their ability to craft them. Forged by a dragon’s fire along with other special techniques, they were the blades of masters, and Cinder had finally earned the right to call herself one.

Her training was behind her, and she now was more than a mere hatchling at the age of fifteen. She had practiced hard and learned much from her brother and her parents. While she was still very different in her way of thinking, she took her family's traditions seriously. There was no doubt in her brother’s mind as he looked at her that she was dedicated to the sword, but he feared her free mind would lead her astray even if unintentionally. Cinder was an inquisitive creature, but there was strength in her heart.

Ash finished polishing his sword and lowered it as he spoke to his sister. “Sister, do you remember where a warrior’s strength comes from?”

She nodded as she kept polishing her fine blade. “Of course, the spirit of a warrior never dies, it returns to us when we are in need of it most. If you call upon the spirits of our fallen brethren, they will come to our aid.”

Ash nodded. “Yes, but don’t forget that they only appear to a warrior worthy of aid. Do you understand what I am saying?”

Blinking Cinder ceased polishing her sword and looked over at him with confusion. “What’s on your mind, brother?”

He sighed and shook his head. “Forget it… We’re running really late anyway, our parents will be displeased if we don’t return soon.”

Coming a stand, Cinder nodded in agreement. As she stood, Ash could see she had grown so much. No longer did she have to carry her sword in both claws, now she could wield it in one. She had come a long way in a short time, Ash wondered if she would even surpass him one day, only time would tell.

“We best get this hunt on the way then, right?” Cinder suggested.

Sheathing his sword, Ash agreed. “Yes, remember this type of beast is not one that will fall easily, you need to stay sharp and not get distracted. We will need to use every resource we have appropriately…”

Cinder patted her side where a belt was wrapped around her waist. On the belt were various pouches and a flask that she knew they would need for their hunt.

“Good, stay focused, and let’s get on with it…” Ash gestured for her to lead.

Nodding, Cinder sprinted forward with Ash behind her. The two traveled a good distance on foot before reaching a plateau above them. While flying was a possibility, Cinder knew that if they started the beast they hunted it would be considerably harder to take down. The speed at which it could fly vastly outmatched a dragon after all.

She signaled with her claw for Ash to stay quiet as she gripped the side of the plateau and began to scale it. Ash followed silently.

With a grip as mighty as theirs, scaling a cliffside was child’s play, even with the equipment they carried with them.

Once they reached the top, Cinder looked at their prey resting atop the plateau. A gorgeous creature it was, shining multiple colors, a metallic sheen to its entire long snake-like body. It was absolutely magnificent, an apex predator, an ethereal sky serpent. A creature with a mighty magical essence, capable of phasing its entire body between two different planes of existence, rendering it impervious to damage when done. Fortunately, Ash and Cinder were more than prepared for this, but they would have to be careful as to not make a single mistake.

Ash quickly circled around the beast and positioned himself on the left side of the creature while Cinder positioned herself on the right side. The size of the beast put them a considerable distance apart from each other, at an impressive 14 meters long.

With her claw reaching into one of her bags, she gripped a glowing chalky orb in her right claw as she aimed her throw. Hurling it through the air, the ball impacted with the creature, and its entire body became solid, parasprite essence mixed with enchanted salt created a unique orb that when it impacts with ethereal creatures gave pause to their ability to turn into ethereal form. It was an old trick for hunting them passed down for generations.

Once the creature was vulnerable it began to wake with a mighty screech, but both the dragons crouched and covered their ears. The screech of the beast could paralyze any attackers for several minutes, but Cinder and Ash were privy to this.

As it attempted to lift off of the ground, both of the dragons acted quickly, retrieving large Hooks from their belts, attached to long chains with metal anchors on the other end.

Twirling the hook in her claw for a second, Cinder hurled it at the beast, striking its side as Ash hit its other side with his own hook. The both of them quickly anchored the other ends of the chains into the ground before drawing their swords.

“Don’t get cocky, the hardest part is about to come!” Ash warned as he readied his blade.

With a nod, Cinder prepared for an attack as the creature took to the air, but was stopped quickly by the chains holding it down. It jerked a few times to try and free itself, but the anchors that the two dragons had put into place were far too strong for it to break. They were specially crafted to withstand thousands of pounds of pressure.

With no way to escape, the creature quickly switched from a mentality of fleeing to a mentality of offense. It looked down at its captors and charged an electric attack from its claws, launching several orbs of lightning in all directions.

Cinder and Ash both reached into their pounces and coated the hilts of their blades in an herbal paste that they had crafted to block electric conduction. Both held their blades up and caught a bolt of lightning with their katanas.

The unique properties of their blades allowed them to store the energy of the lightning within the blade, and as a result, their swords both sparked with electric energy.

When it hurled more energy blasts at them, the two simply swiped their blades at them, sending them back where they came from. Upon impact, the creature fell from the sky, causing the two dragons to roll out of the way as its massive body hit the ground with a thunderous quake that shook everything around them.

Though it was down, it was far from giving up on the fight. With its slithering body, it moved its head at Ash and snapped at him with its massive maw.

Cinder quickly slashed at its midsection to get its attention away from Ash, which worked quite well. The creature screeched and turned around to snap at her, but Cinder leaped toward its mouth when it tried to bite her and found herself inside of its mouth. Quickly, she slashed repeatedly at the roof of its mouth. After eight slashes the creature lifted its head in pain, trying to swallow her.

Thinking quickly, Cinder grabbed one of its fangs from inside its mouth and held on as it tried to swallow her. Putting her blade away, Cinder balled her claw into a fist and began to punch the fang next to the one she held onto repeatedly. After a few hits, the tooth cracked and then shattered, causing the creature to open its mouth and scream in pain. Cinder took the opportunity and jumped out of its mouth, took flight, and landed back on the ground next to her brother.

The dragon drew her sword once more, and she and Ash stood side by side, ready to fight the now incredibly angered beast.

It dived at them with its jaw and the two of them rolled out of the way on opposite sides. Once it locked it’s teeth into the earth, they both hopped atop of its head and impaled both of its eyes with their swords.

It screeched in agony, but Ash responded by hopping in front of it, and stabbing his sword through its bottom jaw, pinning its mouth to the ground. Once the beast was unable to move, he nodded at his sister.

Taking the cue, Cinder slid down the beast’s body, and when she came to its upper mid-section, she slashed twice with her sword, opening it up.

With her free claw, the dug it into the open wound and felt around until she could feel her prize in her claw. With a few tugs, she ripped out her prize, the glowing heart of the beast. It shined with a rainbow sheen, as it beat still in her claw.

Wasting no time, she retrieved the special jar for preserving it and stuffed it inside the resin that would keep it. She sealed the jar and jumped down from its body. Ash retrieved his sword and approached to get a good look at the heart.

He leaned in to see it up close and nodded in approval. “It’s a good one too… hold onto it, you never know when it’ll be useful. It’s power can be extracted for various things…”

Cinder looked at the heart and blinked. “Is it really that powerful?”

He nodded. “A rare resource, but one that has nearly unlimited potential. That thing you’re holding could save your life one day, Cinder. Don’t underestimate it’s potential.”

Looking at the glowing heart longingly, Cinder wondered what would be realized with the potential she held in her claw. She had no idea how important it would truly be though.

Several Years Ago

Serenade had made considerable distance on her path to opening a hell portal, and now the only thing that stood between her and her goal was a massive palace, forged of obsidian and shale, a castle worthy of a demon lord, such as herself. She contemplated if she fancied ruling from it one day, but kept her mind on the task at hand.

The siren looked up at the massive front door as Sven appeared beside her from her shadow and commented. “It seems the would-be demon lord has made himself quite a home here…”

“He better not make himself too comfortable then, because he won’t be staying here for very long…” Serenade threatened.

Sven grinned maliciously. “Today will be the death of the false idol who calls himself the demon lord. Then the blood of Equestria shall rain from the sky.”

“One step at a time, first I have to off this cocksucker…” Serenade hushed him with a raised hand.

“Of course, lead on demon lord.” Sven bowed before vanishing into her shadow once more.

With the distraction of Sven out of the way, Serenade focused on the door that would grant her entry and began to push with all of her might. For a mortal, this task would be nearly impossible, but for a demon of her power, it was child’s play. The door began to creek and grind as she pushed it open slowly.

When the fire from inside the castle illuminated the way forward, she could see hundreds of demons waiting for her on the other side. She blinked as Sven appeared once more.

“Looks like someone was expecting you…” Said Sven.

Serenade readied her claws as she watched the demons that clearly hungered for a fight with her, their maws open with threatening teeth displayed. Demons of every size stood between her and the way forward. She guessed there was likely over a thousand of them, maybe even more beyond what the naked eye could see.

“Good, I can wipe him out and all of his followers at the same time, that’ll save me a lot of work for later…” Serenade grinned.

With glee in her eyes, Serenade charged forward with her claws at the ready. Two demons came at her first which she made quick work of. A single slash with both of them was enough to slice them in half. Serenade could grow to love the armor she was given and this new more human form.

A couple more came close to her vicinity which would be a grave mistake on their part as she impaled one with her right claw and severed their head with the right one. Gripping the skull in her hand, she hurled it at the other, hitting them with such force in the head, that it snapped their neck with the impact of the severed head hitting their own head. “My aim is still incredible…” Serenade complimented herself as another group of demons approached.

The siren jumped and kicked one in the skull, snapping their neck and then used their body as a shield while one of the others launched some kind of fire projectiles at her. Once he was spent, Serenade tossed the body aside and slashed one of the others stomach open. He frantically tried to keep his entrails in to no avail before Serenade slashed up the remainder.

With the last one of the group of eight, she ripped his spine out from his back and held it up triumphantly before tossing it to the ground as she stared down the hundreds of other demons ready for her.

“Who else wants some!? Come get a taste of my power!” Serenade threatened.

Her words only encouraged the demons around her who all charged at the siren at full speed. Unfortunately for them, Serenade was more than prepared to handle them. Without much effort she sliced and diced every demon that came her way. Sven watched from her shadow in marvel. This woman would definitely sit on the throne of the demon lord, he had backed the proper horse in this race, and he was sure of that. Her fighting style combined with her unwillingness to give in would make her the perfect ally to ensure his revenge on Equestria would be certain.

Serenade’s rage was a force that would not be satisfied so long as there stood those in her way, which gave Sven glee as he watched her continue to cut down demon after demon. He stopped counting somewhere after eight hundred demons that fell before the mighty woman.

It was clear by looking at her that he was indeed looking at the future demon lord. Her fury was a storm that would devour all in its way. No one or anything would stand in her way. Setbacks only seemed to drive her to desire victory more. She would cut down any in her path. A part of him was curious how such a creature became this way. He knew nothing of her story, but he imagined it had to really be something to turn her into what she now was. Every demon had a story, but it was clear that none would compare to Serenade’s story.

Without much effort, Serenade had severely crippled the enemy’s numbers. Before long only a handful remained which she made light work of. After hours of fighting, she would stand atop of the corpses that lined the path between her and the only remaining obstacle.

Dropping a severed arm that she had recently ripped off, she laughed as she called out as loudly as her lungs would permit. “YOU CALL YOURSELF A DEMON LORD, YET YOU CAN NOT FACE ME YOURSELF!?”

There was no answer, but she knew that he could hear her.

“IS THIS THE WAY OF A DEMON LORD!? TO LET YOUR REJECT UNDERLINGS DO YOUR FIGHTING FOR YOU!? FACE ME YOURSELF, COWARD!” Serenade challenged.

As she said those words, a large door in the distance began to open as if inviting her inside.

“About time…” Serenade grinned.

A Few Years Ago

The master of the castle had watched the prowess of Serenade Dazzle eagerly from a crystal ball in his throne room. Her combat abilities were certainly what he expected and without much effort, she had wasted the majority of his followers, however, he cared not, followers could be easily replaced.

Her power was vast, but she underestimated him. He still had many tricks up his sleeve and she was about to see one of them.

“Our meeting is destined, and I shall be the one who ends your life, Serenade Dazzle. I have not forgotten what you have done, the evils you have unleashed, and the scars you left behind in your wake…” He spoke to himself.

Tapping his throne with his talon he smirked, revealing his razor-sharp fangs. “I have waited so long for this day…”

Waving his claw in the air, before him his own shadow began to take a different shape before coming to a stand and taking a physical form. A black shadow version of himself stood before him. He gestured for the shadow to leave. “Go fight with our friend, let’s see her abilities up close…”

The shadow took a knee and bowed to its master before standing and marching toward its target.

The master of the throne leaned forward as he contemplated the situation. With Serenade at his doorstep, he could finally exact the revenge he had been craving for so long, his desire to see her die in front of him would finally be realized. It was almost too good to be true, she would deliver herself right to his feet and he would savor every last moment.

“Scourge of the world… Serenade Dazzle… Your name is one I have never forgotten, but today you shall finally be undone by me… I shall have my revenge and you shall beg for mercy before I am done…” He thought out loud.

He knew his shadow would likely only slow the woman down, but he was thankful for that, as he wanted the pleasure of killing her to be his alone.

Several Years Ago

Adagio Dazzle had been beaten, she had lost everything, and after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Sunset Shimmer, she was now a prisoner on her way back to Equestria to stand trial for all she had done. She laughed to herself as she thought of how ponies had considered themselves no longer barbarians because they had trials before they killed their enemies. The justice system was still insanely biased against non-pony kind, it was merely a facade to give the illusion of killing for “the right reasons”.

Though admittedly, she knew that few had been put to death in Equestria in over a century, most of the time they were thrown in prisons with unbearable conditions, which was equally as bad as death in most cases depending on the individual.

Adagio had been put into prisons before, and at most, she had spent a good eight years at one before. Given that in the past whenever she was captured for something, her nature as a siren was never revealed, she was often treated as a normal pony, she considered that luck on her part, but it seemed like her luck had finally run out.

When she had arrived in Equestria, she was escorted originally to a primary holding center where criminals awaiting trial were taken. Once Shining Armor had arrived there with her and his eight guards, she was placed inside. It was standard procedure to put magic dampening rings around a unicorn’s horn, but in Adagio’s case, they didn’t want to take any chances so her shackles on her hooves were left in place, this would make it impossible for her to run even if she did escape.

As a final precaution, a magic based shock collar was placed around her neck. It had been explained to her that if she managed to get out of the jail cell, that it would administer a magic shock the moment she stepped eighty feet away from the facility. This would immobilize her, and thus make her re-capture easy.

It was clear to Adagio that there was no escaping this time around, she would have to wait for her trial and see about how she would get away once her sentence was given, as she was fully aware there was no way she would be found innocent, the trial was merely a formality.

“Welcome to your temporary home, don’t get too comfortable,” Shining said as he gestured into the cell.

Nodding, Adagio stepped inside and looked back at him with a gentle smile. “You know, for law enforcement you’re not a total asshole…”

“Might want to save your banter for later, I have a feeling you’ll need every bit of your wit focused on your upcoming trial…” Shining shook his head as he locked the cage.

Adagio sighed and shook her head. “Figures you don’t have a sense of humor… Guess you are a total asshole after all…”

Shining just rolled his eye while he left her with her new cellmates.

A nearby griffon nodded toward Adagio as she sat down on a nearby bench. As he sat across from her, he looked her up and down with a confused expression. “Not that often a cutie like you ends up in here… Judging by all the extra getup they put on you, you must really be something…”

Adagio gave a raised brow and an annoyed scowl. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“What’re you in for?” He questioned.

“Murder,” Adagio answered plainly.

The griffon blinked in disbelief. “Murder? A little thing like you?”

“Surprises come in all sizes…” Adagio answered.

He nodded in response. “I suppose so… Why’d you do it, if I may ask?”

Adagio sighed and looked away. “I hardly expect an idiot like you to understand…”

“Try me…” The griffon asked.

Adagio looked away and spoke quietly. “I fell in love…”

“Say what?” He blinked.

“Again, I don’t expect you to understand…” Adagio replied.

Several Years Ago

Adagio frantically dialed Sunset’s number once more for the eighth time, with all previous times ending in being hung up on before she could even get a word in. This time however, there was no dial tone, instead it went right to voice mail. “I can’t come to the phone right now, but please-“

Adagio screamed in annoyance and tossed her phone across the room, shattering the screen. She sat down on her bed and placed her hands on her knees, her expensive gold bangles on her wrists clattering as she did.

She was a wreck, her eyeliner had ran down her face from all the crying, and her white blouse had a few stains on it from her makeup.

Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she whimpered. She couldn’t remember the last time she had cried about something before, but she now understood one thing: love was painful. She wanted to return to a time before she knew what it was, but the other part of her just wanted to be with Sunset again like nothing had changed. That teenage girl who at first was only an acquaintance that bought weed off of her who eventually got close enough to lure Adagio into her snare was all the siren could think about.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this, they had talked about their future together and for the first time in her life, Adagio could see a simpler future without magic, without her powers. They would move in together, and Sunset would become a housewife, while Adagio pursued a real career that didn’t involve being a criminal. For the first time ever, that actually sounded like a good way to spend the rest of her days.

She was already imagining what a wedding between the two of them would have been like, but now that was all gone. Everything she had hoped for was now out of her reach. She originally thought that Sunset would calm down and eventually come to her senses but it was now obvious that wasn’t going to happen.

The woman sobbed until her phone rang. She cursed under her breath and walked over to pick up the phone which now sported a shattered screen. “Hello?” She managed to get out.

“God damn, Dagi, you sound like a mess… Still hung up on that girl?” The voice on the other end said.

“I’m not in the mood, Striker…” She muttered.

“Dagi, people break up, it’s called life. I broke up with like eight hoes just this year, you gotta get over it…” Striker said.

“Like I’m gonna take advice from a drug dealer…” Adagio replied while wiping her tears away. The girl retrieved a cigarette from her end table and quickly sparked it up.

“Hey, you’re a drug dealer too, you know?” Striker replied.

Adagio took a long drag. “Not anymore I’m not…”

“What’re you saying, Dagi? You’re just going to quit now? You’re one of the best sellers I have, you could go to the top!” Striker explained.

“I don’t care, I’m out…” Adagio said sternly.

“Dagi…”

“Don’t call me that…” Adagio hissed.

“Alright, Adagio… Listen, things got a little fucked up for a minute there but that’s the nature of the business, you’ll get used to it…” Striker said calmly.

“I don’t give a fuck about that!” Adagio screeched.

“What then, that red-headed piece of ass? There’ll be others, with the kind of paper you’ll be bringing in, you can have your pick.” Striker laughed.

“She’s not a piece of ass…” Adagio hissed.

“Alright look, all I’m saying is don’t throw away all you have over some chick. You have a whole future to think about,” Striker said.

Adagio shook her head before taking a long drag and then answered him. “There is no future without her…”

“Jesus Christ, Adagio, listen to yourself. This isn’t you, you’re a fucking beast, nothing stands in your way, why are you giving up on everything so easily?” Striker asked.

She blinked and lowered the cigarette in her hand. He was right, Adagio Dazzle didn’t give up that easily, there was still time to make things right.

“I have to go,” Adagio said.

“Where are you going?” Striker asked.

“Don’t worry about it, and don’t contact me anymore…” Adagio hung up with those words.

Finishing her cigarette she tossed the butt aside. There was work to do, and she knew she’d have to be patient and focused.

Several Years Ago

Adagio had focused her time on getting out of the drug dealing business and instead, she found a talent in working with computers. At first, she didn’t quite get them, but with all the time she had on her hands, she eventually became quite a competent programmer.

She had made a new career as a freelance software engineer after fabricating some documents to legitimize her existence in the human world. A good year had passed since her break up, but she had picked up the pieces and focused on winning the girl she loved back.

When she felt competent enough, she had begun the process of hacking her ex’s computer servers to siphon any information about magic she had. She originally was only connecting in to try and see what she was up to, but when it became obvious that the girl had been doing research on magic itself, she knew she couldn’t pass up the opportunity. With magic by her side, she would be able to show the girl she was the one for her.

Adagio planned on using magic to further push herself forward. With the ability to manipulate those around her again, she could rise to a higher status and prove to Sunset that she had gone straight, no more dirty work, at least partially. After the girl was in love with her once more, she could finally reveal what she truly was, they could live together forever. Adagio believed with Sunset’s genius, they could find a way to share the life force that kept sirens alive and the two of them could be together for eternity.

What she had never expected though, was Sunset would figure out someone was meddling with her server. Initially, it had caused a panic with Adagio, but luck would work in her favor once more, and it would lead to her ex-girlfriend contacting her directly claiming she suspected someone was tampering with the server trying to hijack her research.

Naturally, the manipulative nature of the siren caused her to play along and act like she had no idea who would do such a thing. Lie after lie would work in her favor as eventually, Sunset would ask for her assistance in tracking down the culprit.

It was the perfect scenario, she would gain access to the teen’s research, all under the guise of trying to catch the person stealing it, when it was her all along. It was a bit slimier than Adagio wanted, but it provided her an in to open communication up again. She had to play it safe though, and keep the conversation strictly business until the time was right.

She had chosen the name “Ghost” for her alter-ego, as she was indeed sending Sunset on a hunt for a phantom that would disappear when it wasn’t needed any longer. Adagio would keep her ruse up for weeks until she felt it time to move into action.

Adagio got into the car she had managed to get for herself and slipped a pair of Oakley sunglasses onto her eyes. She looked in her mirror at herself and admired her own face. She had chosen to wear some peach-colored lipstick this time around, to make herself look just a bit more feminine, but making sure to keep that neutral touch that she knew Sunset loved.

She made a few puckering faces in the mirror before she was satisfied and started her engine.

A short drive later would take her to a familiar mansion where her plan was to wait outside the gate.

Coincidentally, she could see Sunset’s car pull out from the front gate and stop as it met another car. Adagio sat in her car and observed as she rolled the window down slightly to get a listen to what was being said.

Sunset stepped out, her long ponytail cascading behind her as she adjusted her glasses. She was just as beautiful as ever. On the other side of the car, however, someone else stepped out, a girl. This girl was an absolute mess. Brilliant amaranth hair with purple and gray violet streaks was upon her head, but it was an absolute mess.

The girl’s face was sporting a pair of glasses that were held together by tape, and her sweater was several sizes too large as it wouldn’t even stay up on her shoulders. She was the textbook definition of a geek, or a loser as Adagio would describe her.

From the other car, an older woman stepped out to greet the two girls, as Sunset spoke to them.

“Thank you so much, for spending so much time with Moondancer, Ms. Shimmer, I greatly appreciate it, she doesn’t get out much.” The older woman smiled.

“Mom!” Moondancer blushed.

Sunset giggled and shook her head. “It’s no trouble at all, and please call me Shimmer.”

“Of course, well, shall we get going, Moondancer?” Her mother questioned.

Moondancer turned around to face Shimmer with a frown upon her face. “Well, I’ll call you later?” Moondancer asked.

“Not if I call you first.” Shimmer giggled before leaning forward to kiss the girl’s cheek.

Moondancer’s face turned red as she nodded and stepped into her mother’s car. The two waved at Shimmer who stood by her own car and watched them drive away.

Adagio waited a good eight seconds after they were out of sight before she pulled up next to Shimmer’s car and parked.

Glancing at Adagio’s car from the corner of her eye, Shimmer didn’t seem all too surprised, if anything, it seemed like she knew that the woman was there the entire time.

Opening her door, Adagio stepped out and approached Shimmer as casually as she could muster, but said nothing, allowing the redhead to make the first move.

Shimmer grinned. “Spying on me, are you?”

“Maybe I was just being polite…” Adagio suggested.

“That’s not like you, spying is more your thing…” Shimmer said.

Adagio shrugged. “Okay, I was spying… I wasn’t intending to, but I got curious…”

“Why’re you here Adagio? Our arrangement doesn’t require us to meet in person…” Shimmer sighed.

Adagio tried to remain calm, she drew a cigarette from her pocket and lit it. She offered one to Shimmer who declined. After taking a drag, Adagio released the smoke and spoke. “So, you go by Shimmer now?”

“It’s to avoid confusion with my older sister… It’s a long story…” Shimmer sighed.

“I think I don’t need to be told the details… I’m sure I can piece it together myself…” Adagio said.

That is an understatement. Adagio thought to herself. She was already well aware that the other Sunset had made contact with Shimmer and the two were now on a more familiar relationship.

“I am hoping you’re here solely due to our arrangement?” Shimmer asked.

Adagio couldn’t control herself any longer, the curiosity got the better of her. “Who’s the putz?” She gestured toward where the other car had driven away.

“Her name is Moondancer… She’s not a putz…” Shimmer’s tone became more stern.

Adagio scoffed and laughed. “Seems like a real loser to me. Ugly bookworm bitch, what’re you doing hanging out with her?”

“You know nothing about her…” Shimmer rolled her eyes.

“I know she can’t possibly do it for you… That loser? She’s nothing…” Adagio stated.

“What do you want, Adagio?” Shimmer sighed.

“Come on, I’ve changed so much since you last saw me, I’ve gone legit, I swear. No more dealing, I got a real job now.” Adagio said.

Shimmer shook her head. “So what? It’s too late, Adagio. We were over back then, and we’re still over now.”

Adagio tossed her cigarette onto the ground and stamped it out with her expensive shoes. “You don’t mean that…”

Shimmer turned to face her, her expression stern and serious. “I have never meant anything more in my life. I’ve moved on, Adagio, why haven’t you?”

Adagio stepped forward and placed her hand upon Shimmer’s chin, forcing the girl to look up at her as she snaked her other arm around Shimmer’s waist. “You know that no one can make you feel sparks the way I do. We were made for each other, I need you… Without you, I’m nothing…”

Shimmer pushed her away and broke free of her grasp. “You were nothing even when we were together, Adagio Dazzle.”

“So what, you’d rather be with that piece of trash?” Adagio growled in annoyance.

“It’s over, Adagio. It has been for a while now… It’s time to move on…” Shimmer said.

“I know I didn’t say it enough, but I love you… I can’t live without you… Please… Just say that you love me back and things can go back to making sense…” Adagio was trying to hold back tears as she began to realize none of this was going the way she planned.

Shimmer sighed as she stepped forward and placed a hand on Adagio’s cheek. Her voice grew soft and surreal as she spoke the words that would break Adagio even more. “I can’t… Because I don’t even know who you are… And I think a part of you doesn’t either. You can’t figure out who you want to be, and I can’t help you with that… What we had… It was so wonderful while it lasted, but all it was was a dream… And now…” She paused before removing her hand. “Now, we both have to wake up…”

Adagio placed her own hand on her cheek where Shimmer’s had just touched. “Please… Don’t do this…”

“There are so many faces to Adagio Dazzle… But I don’t know which one is the real one, and until you figure that out, you’re always going to be unhappy… In the end, you’ll have to make a decision on who you want to be, maybe then you can find someone to be happy with you…” Shimmer spoke quietly.

“Sunset… Please… I’ll do anything, just name it…” Adagio’s face was now being stained by the tears she could no longer hold in.

Shimmer shook her head as she turned away toward her car. “I’m sorry, Adagio… I can’t fix you…”

With those words, Shimmer entered her own car and started the engine. As the car drove away and the gate closed behind her, Adagio fell to her knees and slumped next to her own car as tears came out. All that time putting herself back together, and just like that, she felt more shattered than she was before.

She knew now she would have to find another way to convince Shimmer to take her back. It was a way, she had hoped to avoid, but now there was no other choice.

Several Years Ago

Adagio went through every bit of research notes she could find to see if there was anything to restore her magic. Her new plan now was to get her magic back and then she could gain her ex’s love once more. If she couldn’t win it back, she could use her magic to force her to love her. After enough time she would see that Adagio was the only logical choice.

While a part of her felt dirty for using her powers on Shimmer, she knew that it would only be temporary. All she needed was for Shimmer to see that Adagio was the one meant for her, then they could be together again.

Everything she found though was meaningless, all the information she found in Shimmer’s research on magic was not helping.

Growling in annoyance, Adagio leaned back in her chair with a cigarette in her mouth. She cursed when she realized there was only one option now. She had assembled the shards of her amulet, and she knew only one way to recharge a siren’s amulet without access to Equestria, she would need the magic of another being.

Looking at the amulet in her possession, she knew it still had a tiny bit of power left in it after she had pieced it back together so she wouldn’t need a full reforge, if that were the case her only option would be to go back to Equestria and have the aid of another siren sacrificing a portion of their power to reforge it.

That meant she had one option at her disposal, she would have to kill another that had magic, if she focused herself after, the escaped magic from their body would go into her amulet. It wouldn’t be a tremendous amount of magic but it would be a start. From there she could use her magic on Shimmer and eventually everything would fall into order.

There was only one person she knew she was willing to kill, the Equestrian Sunset Shimmer. She was the one who had defeated her in the first place, and why she had no magic to begin with. Now she hung around the girl that Adagio coveted, just to add insult to injury.

If she took her out, it would kill two birds with one stone, but that meant she had to do it in a way that Shimmer would never know.

Thinking it over, Adagio realized she would need to make a phone call that she didn’t want.

Sighing, the girl picked up her cracked phone and dialed Striker’s number.

After only eight rings, he picked up. “Dagi? Well it’s been a while since I’ve heard from you, I was wondering if you’d ever return my calls.”

Adagio pinched the bridge of her nose as she spoke. “Listen, I’m not trying to get back into the game.”

“So legit life treating you well then?” Striker laughed. “You can’t possibly say that you’re making as much as you did for me.”

“I’m not interested in money right now, but I need a favor, a big one,” Adagio spoke.

“A favor? Why should I? You bailed on me,” Striker said.

“I also took care of that little incident we had before I left, and I made you a shit load of money, all I’m asking for is this one favor and we’re square after that.” Adagio groaned.

A sigh escaped Striker before he responded. “Alright, against my better judgment I’ll help you, so what is it that you need?”

Several Years Ago

Adagio pulled up to the agreed upon location to meet with Striker. He chose one of the old abandoned buildings they used to do meetings in, probably to try and fill Adagio with a sense of nostalgia in the hopes she’d reconsider and come back to him.

Once she stepped out of her car, she saw Striker pull up in front of her. The woman nonchalantly lit a cigarette and puffed it while he stepped out to greet her. “Dagi! I thought I’d never see you again!”

“I’ve told you a million times, stop calling me that…” Adagio rolled her eyes.

“I remember that hot little redhead would call you Dagi all the time…” He smirked at her.

She looked away with a shade of crimson covering her face. “That’s different…”

“Yeah, yeah, anyway I got exactly what you’re looking for in the trunk.” He gestures behind himself.

Adagio threw her cigarette onto the ground and nodded as she stamped it out. “Let’s see then.”

He laughed and the two circled around to the back of his car where Striker popped open the trunk to show a rather large case. “I swear this is about the last thing I thought you’d ask for after what happened before…”

“I have a very specific need this time…” Adagio said quietly.

“Hey, I don’t ask questions, and as always you know the drill, this entire meeting never happened, I never gave this to you, and I know nothing.” He smirked.

“You don’t know anything anyhow…” Adagio joked.

“Right you are, still full of whit as always.” He laughed as he opened the latches on the case.

“You even know how to use this?” He raised a brow.

“I’ll figure it out…” She said.

“I suppose that’s a good attitude to have, anyway, there she is.” He gestures toward the case.

Inside was a very sophisticated weapon, a rifle with an impressive scope. The rifle was clearly lifted from someone who was quite the gun enthusiast, as Adagio noted that the serial number had been carefully removed, not only scratched off but smoothed down to ensure there was no chance of tracking the weapon.

“And you’re positive it can’t be tracked?” Adagio asked.

Striker held out his hands. “Adagio, come on, who do you think you’re talking to? I wouldn’t give you a piece of faulty equipment. We go too far back, and despite you bailing, you never fucked me over. Consider this a token of gratitude for you to remember if you ever decide to come back to us.”

“Alright, so eight hundred then?” She asked as she reached for her money in her back pocket.

He nodded. “Normally, it’d be more but I gave you a discount.”

She nodded back and handed him a wad of bills which he quickly pocketed. “Pleasure doing business with you, and as I said before, I ain’t gonna ask what you’re gonna use it for, but try not to get yourself killed or something. I’d hate to see you on the news with your brains splattered or something…”

Adagio took the case from the car after closing it and walked it back to her own car as she shook her head. “No, I should be fine, I’m not the one who has to worry…”

He laughed. “Knowing you, whoever is the one who has to worry… They should be shitting their pants if you’re after them.”

“Let’s just say I’m killing two birds with one stone…” Adagio smirked.

Author's Note

Hey, sorry for taking so long with updates! I am trying to get back into writing a little every week, but life is very hectic. I'm sure some of you remember I was going through a divorce, but that has been finalized and I'm now focusing a lot of my time on work and improving my life situation. My current girlfriend has been a big help, and we've been dating for close to 2 years now, but that does eat up a lot of my time. I intend to eventually have kids in my life, so I want to get this done long before then, because I know I'll be super busy from then on.

Also, here is some HUGE news, the story has broken 1 million words! Wow, that's a ton, I never thought I'd actually write this much, but this is definitely the longest thing I've ever written, it's sad to think it'll be over soonish. Maybe when it's done, I'll get some book versions printed to put on my shelf to remind myself of all the work I did.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXII: Ashes

Chapter CXXII: Ashes

Several Years Ago

Serenade shook her head after seeing the visions of her sister in the human world. She held her head as she kneeled in agony at the sudden surge of memory.

“What the fuck was that?” She questioned Sven.

The shadow appeared before her once more and shook his head. “I told you, this place will mess with your head, using the pain of not only your memories but the memories of others to cause you pain and suffering. I’m going to assume that was your sister Adagio?”

“Yes, but why was she in love with a mortal no less? Clearly, this place is playing tricks on me…” Serenade growled.

He shrugged. “It’s possible, but it’s also possible it’s showing you the truth because the truth can sometimes be more painful than a lie.”

Serenade hissed and swatted at him furiously. “Adagio would never break the only sacred rule that all sirens must follow, especially for a lowly mortal girl. She was a proud siren!”

Sven sighed and came up beside her. “What exactly is the rule? I’m not very familiar with sirens…”

Serenade glanced over at him with an annoyed expression. “Mother’s scorn, the curse for all sirens, they can’t ever fall in love, or disaster soon follows.”

“Well, maybe that was her undoing?” Sven suggested.

“Lowly human girl manipulated her…” Serenade hissed, slowly accepting the reality that her sister may have actually given into temptation.

Sven floated in front of her as he spoke. “It doesn’t matter now, there’s nothing we can do about the past, we have to move on, the final challenge awaits you, we can’t stop now, the wannabe demon lord hasn’t bowed before the night of Serenade Dazzle yet!”

Serenade looked down at her armored hand. The red claw protecting her body underneath looked sharp and menacing. She clutched her hand into a fist and lifted herself up from the ground. Once she was standing properly again, she nodded.

“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s kill this shit stain so I can be done with this all…” Serenade nodded.

“Then on we go!” Sven bowed before disappearing into the girl’s shadow once more.

Serenade tried to keep her mind on the task at hand, but she couldn’t help but wonder about this human girl, this “other” Sunset Shimmer that had swindled her sister. The irony was too much for her, one Sunset had undone her as Glitch, and then this other one had enticed her sister into loving her.

In her mind, it was almost as if she was destined to have a hatred toward the entire Shimmer bloodline. She was now more determined than ever to kill every last one of them, leaving none left, no chance that they would come back to cause her problems.

This “human” world seemed so strange to Serenade. A place where magic wasn’t rampant, it was so rare that they saw it as a mystery. What an easy place to conquer, Serenade considered taking over that place too when she was done. Serenade, Queen of all universes, she liked the sound of it. All would bow before her regardless of what world they belonged to, her legacy would stretch further than any ruler in history. She would be like a god to all around her, she could warm up to that idea.

Time Unknown

Stumbling through a door, Midnight gripped her head. She and the girl she had come to know as Sunset had just narrowly made it out of the previous room with their lives. She was disoriented, but now she was coming around, making sense of what was happening.

Sunset adjusted her glasses before sitting on the ground. She was exhausted as well. She spoke up. “What is this place?”

Midnight placed her hand on the wall to hold herself up, as she composed herself. It was at that moment that she realized what was really happening around her. All at once, her memories came rushing back to her. Who she was, how she got to this place, and what they were trying to do there. Blinking a few times she turned her head to Sunset. “Rarity… That’s my name…”

Sunset blinked and looked up at her. “Huh?”

“Before, I didn’t remember anything, but now I wonder how I forgot in the first place… My name is Rarity. My memory suddenly came back, it’s strange…” She rubbed her temple as she spoke.

Sunset still looked confused. “You don’t remember who you are?” Rarity asked.

Sunset shrugged. “I know I’m a doctor, but other than that, not really…”

“No, you’re Sunset Shimmer, don’t you recognize me?” Rarity frowned.

Sunset shook her head. “Nope, I can’t say I’ve ever met you before. Even if I think really hard, your face doesn’t ring any bells to me…”

Rarity sighed as she looked the girl up and down. No, it wasn’t possible, she was too young to be the Sunset she knew, but that only meant one thing. “Shimmer?” She questioned.

Sunset gave her a confused face. “Huh?”

Rarity shook her head. “No that’s not possible either… You’re too old to be her, she died when she was 19…”

Standing up, Sunset gave Rarity a squared brow. “What are you talking about?”

“Just thinking out loud…” Rarity dismissed.

If Shimmer is dead, and this isn’t our Sunset, what is going on here? Is this place just playing tricks on me? Like my memory? Rarity thought.

Crossing her arms, Sunset clearly wasn’t happy about being kept in the dark, but then again Rarity wasn’t sure what to even tell her. This girl was definitely not the Sunset they knew, nor was she Shimmer. Perhaps just an illusion created by the wretched place they were in.

Her chain of thought was broken though as another door in the room opened and through it came Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Upon seeing her wife, Rarity raced toward her and embraced her. Applejack hugged her back, but Rarity noticed a slightly weaker embrace than usual from her normally very giving wife. She appeared distracted.

“Darling? Are you alright?” Rarity asked, trying to make eye contact with Applejack.

“Fine, just a little banged up, no biggie.” Applejack responded before looking over at Sunset. She said nothing but wandered toward the other side of the room inspecting it, checking how safe it was.

As Rarity watched her wife, Rainbow Dash came to Rarity’s side and spoke. “Sunset’s here too?”

“Yes, but it’s not our Sunset, it’s… Someone else… I haven’t quite figured that part out yet…” Rarity frowned.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “This place plays tricks on your eyes and your memories, so best not to dwell on it…”

“So you discovered that as well then?” Rarity smiled.

Rainbow Dash waved her metal hand dismissively. “That part became apparent after a little while.”

“Why do you think she would come to a place like this?” Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Maybe it wasn’t a choice. I saw some weird shit in the army, but this is definitely the weirdest…”

Sunset stood confused as the two talked. “Who are you people?” She asked.

Rainbow and Rarity ignored her question as their focus was on Applejack who was still checking the room around them.

“Something’s bothering Applejack…” Rarity pointed out.

“How’d you figure that out?” Rainbow blinked.

“She can’t hide things very easily, I can tell something is on her mind that she doesn’t want to tell me, which isn’t like her…” Rarity said.

Rainbow crossed her arms and sighed. “Well… A few rooms ago, some kind of vision hit her. I don’t know what she saw but she’s been really quiet since then. Must have shaken her up badly…”

Rarity sighed and walked past Sunset who was still standing confused. Rainbow grinned at the bespectacled woman as she greeted her. “So, what’s your story?”

Rarity placed a hand upon Applejack’s shoulder which caused her to flinch. It wasn’t like her to be startled so easily. She turned to face her wife with a guilty look upon her face. “Applejack, darling… What’s going on? What did you see?”

“Rainbow told ya’, huh?” Applejack frowned.

Rarity nodded. “It’s okay, you can tell me…”

Applejack shook her head. “I don’t rightfully know if I can…”

Rarity caressed the woman’s arm to soothe her. “You can tell me anything, you know that…”

Applejack sighed and tried to avoid eye contact. “What I saw… It sort of made me realize… We can’t win this thing… I think I get what’s goin’ on here… Why we’re here, everything…”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked confused.

Applejack bit her lip. “Rare… When this is over… We need to hope that that demon wins…”

“What? Why? That’s not an option, Applejack! We can’t let them win!” Rarity protested.

Applejack took her wife’s hands and looked into her eyes. “Rarity… If they lose… We all lose. They were tellin’ the truth from the start… We all want the same thing, especially Sunset…”

“Sunset? What about her?” Rarity blinked.

“She has more to lose than the rest of us… We have to ensure that things play out the way that damned monster wants…” Applejack said.

Rarity sighed. “I don’t understand, but I trust you… What exactly is it that has to happen, you still haven’t told me…”

Applejack spoke with a serious tone. “Well, I’m not 100% sure, but I think I got an inkling… We’re close to the top, if we go up a little more, I’m sure I can confirm what I’m thinkin’…”

Rarity smiled. “Alright, then let’s all go together, we can meet up with the others hopefully.”

Applejack nodded.

Several Years Ago

A single demon’s skull laid upon the rocky igneous ground. Old, covered in soot, and fragile, it sat there as a relic, a reminder of a demon who had fallen there. It was a reminder of one forgotten by time, but it would not remind any more who walked past it, as a single heeled foot stepped atop of it, crushing it to dust. The armored boot standing atop of it was attached to the petite Serenade Dazzle, who stood before a large door that would take her to her final challenge.

She noted how it was ornate and decorated with several detailed carvings of mighty demons being slain by a shadow wielding some kind of large sword. Placing a hand upon the carvings, she examined them closely as Sven came from her shadow to explain what she was looking at.

“Make any sense of these?” She asked curiously.

Sven nodded as he looked at the demonic lettering at the top of the carvings. “It tells the story of a mighty demon. He came from the mortal world, a savage warrior, and when he arrived here in hell, he was filled with rage and hatred.” Sven pointed to another part of the carvings as he continued. “He would channel his rage into battle, conquering demon after demon, slaying mightier and mightier foes with a blade he forged here in hell.”

Serenade pointed to the bottom of the carving where she saw more text. “And this?”

Sven caressed the carved letters with intrigue. “Now he waits on his throne to become the demon lord, killing all who challenge him. While he was defeated in life, he swears never to be beaten in death. His throne room decorated with the skulls of his enemies.”

“Sounds like a real lady killer…” Serenade smirked.

“So you have a sense of humor after all…” Sven grinned.

Serenade rolled her eyes. “Whatever, let’s just kill this shit stain so I can get out of here…”

Sven laughed at her confidence. “Surely, I bet on the right horse then… This must be the bravery and fortitude I hear about when I hear the name Serenade Dazzle. Walking into any scenario, unaffected, unafraid…”

“You can get your lips off my ass any time…” Serenade rolled her eyes once more.

He nodded before disappearing into her shadow once more.

With an annoyed sigh, Serenade placed both hands upon the door that stood a good eight times higher than her pygmy height. Pushing forcefully, the door began to move slowly, creaking loudly as it did. The door groaned and scraped against the obsidian floor as it moved, making enough noise to wake even the heaviest of sleepers.

Once the door was fully open, she looked into the chamber it protected, around it was a river of lava, illuminating the dark area. There along the back wall were hundreds of skulls hung from hooks on the wall. Serenade noted they were lined up in rows of eight before turning her attention to a throne in the center of the room, crafted from charred bones, old broken swords, and shale. The room was fitting for one who would call themselves the demon lord.

There upon the throne though, a creature wearing a large decorated black helmet sat. His body clearly reptilian, as Serenade could see talons on his feet, and his body was covered with a black cloak as he sat there, a massive sword sitting behind him that was definitely larger than his own height. The hilt of which, Serenade could see a black shining stone that she knew was the object she was after.

It was impossible to see his face from behind the helmet, but he lifted a claw from under his cloak and waved it gently. And with that a shadow conjured from no where in his likeness, it drew its razor claws and stood ready to fight.

The world around them slowly turned into an empty dark abyss and the throne along with its occupant vanished, leaving only Serenade and the shadow.

She readied her claws and took a battle stance. “Guess our friend likes to play tricks…” Sven spoke as he appeared next to Serenade.

“An apparition then? An illusion?” She asked.

Sven shook his head. “It seems real enough. I think he can make his shadow fight for him, a common power for demons…”

“How pathetic, first his minions fight for him, and now his shadow? What a coward, he can’t face anything on his own…” Serenade shook her head and chuckled.

“Don’t underestimate this shadow though, even if it is only a fraction of his power…” Sven reminded.

“Yeah, yeah…” Serenade groaned.

The shadow quickly rushed her swiping with his powerful claws. Serenade dodged his first attack, observing him as she did. She dodged another before realizing while he was strong, he was fairly slow. His large muscles and height made it difficult for him to keep up with her. She wondered if the real thing was similar in that regard.

Not one to rely too much on defense and dodging, Serenade quickly switched to offense. Swiping at the shadow, she made contact with her left claw, but the shadow managed to keep his momentum up and counter attacked. She ducked under its first swipe, but it quickly made a downward swipe which she stopped by grabbing its wrist.

It retaliated by swinging its other claw which Serenade also grabbed. The two stood in a struggle as he tried to break free. Serenade realized his strength was too much for her to hold back in this fashion so she released him and jumped backward to avoid a followup attack.

“A tough kid isn’t he?” Serenade asked Sven.

“A remarkable warrior, but it takes more than strength to win a fight,” Sven commented.

Serenade nodded as she dodged yet another attack. “Yeah, he’s slower than a retard trying to do math…”

“A crude analogy, but I agree…” Sven chuckled as the two locked hands once again. Serenade struggled for a moment, but she held her ground as the shadow tried to break free.

“You’re about as weak as you are ugly…” Serenade stated.

The shadow of course, didn’t respond and the two broke their lock, but Serenade took advantage of the moment to quickly swipe at it, hitting its chest. She chuckled as she blocked another attempt by it to swipe at her, but she was then taken by surprise as it kicked her with its mighty foot, sending her backward with a grunt. It followed its kick with a swipe at her, scratching her armor.

Bringing herself back to a proper stand, Serenade grunted. “Oh? You got tricks do you? That’s really cute…”

The shadow cracked its knuckles before making a fist from its claw and swung at her. She moved her head out of the way from the first punch, but it followed with a second that connected with her helmet. She stumbled backward but the shadow didn’t relent, it followed its attack with eight more swings, each connecting, the final one placing a crack in the girl’s helmet.

Her head was ringing slightly, but Serenade put some distance between herself and the shadow as she assessed the situation. Her armor had cracked, but being as it was magically conjured, she could conjure some more when she had more energy later, so it was hardly of consequence, but it did give a more accurate depiction of the shadow’s true strength. It could put cracks even in her armor with just its fists.

Regardless, Serenade wasn’t about to admit she had underestimated him, it wasn’t in her to admit her enemies strong points.

She noted that despite its blows being powerful, they too were fairly slow just like its claw swipes. Carefully she planned her counter attack.

When it swung again, she moved her head and delivered a punch to its chest. It didn’t seem to do as much damage to it as its punch did to her, as it didn’t even stumble.

“Sturdy little bastard aren’t you?” She asked.

It took advantage of her failed punch to knock her down once more with a swift kick to her chest. Falling on her bottom, Serenade rolled out of the way from an attempt to stomp on her. “I’m really getting tired of your bullshit, you know that?” Serenade said.

She picked herself up and decided it was better to use her power rather than keep trying to go hand-to-hand with him.

Concentrating, she conjured up a black ball of energy and hurled it at him. To her surprise, he backhanded it, sending it back toward her. She stepped aside to avoid impact as she growled in frustration. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you? Well, let’s see you deflect this…”

This time, Serenade conjured up a black energy spear and hurled it at the shadow. It attempted to block it by crossing its arms, but the spear pierced through its right arm, causing it to groan in pain. It grabbed the energy spear and pulled it out, causing the spear to vanish into thin air, but black smoke continued to exit the wound.

“Didn’t like that, did you?” Serenade chuckled.

The creature ignored its wound and came back at her with its claws drawn, swinging furiously. Serenade noted that it was far sloppier now that it was injured, as it began increasingly easier to dodge it.

She made another spear in her hand and stabbed the creature in the shoulder. It groaned and gripped the wound as more black smoke left its body. Now with its second injury, it moved even slower and its attacks were even less accurate. Serenade now saw this as an easy fight. With a few swipes of her claws, she ripped the shadow apart, eventually causing it to fall to one knee as smoke came out of its entire body before it vanished into a cloud of smoke.

As it vanished, Serenade tapped her helmet, making it vanish to reveal her face. An eyepatch covered her injured eye, but her face was quite beautiful regardless. With a casual flick, her long golden hair with red tips cascaded over her body. Her shining red eye glancing around the emptiness around her. Finally she called out to her foe. “Do you always let your minions weaken up your foes that you’re too afraid to face yourself? What kind of demon lord hides behind all these tricks to avoid his opponents?”

There was a deafening silence.

“Why not fight me yourself, coward? I grow tired of fighting your pathetic minions.” Serenade called out.

As if to answer her question, the darkness around her began to fade away, bringing her back to the room she was previously standing in, the concealed figure still sitting upon his throne. She grinned as she looked in his direction. “Well, looks like you finally decided to grow a pair and face me yourself then?”

His voice was deep and raspy, but also contorted, as if two were speaking at the same time. “I have long since waited for this day…”

Serenade stood silently as he lifted his claw from under his cloak and ripped the entire thing off, revealing that there was a large slice through his abdomen that had been healed with a black leathery material that was obviously demon flesh, tons of small tendrils sticking out of the wound moving gently as they looked to have a mind of their own. Serenade felt nostalgic seeing the wound, remembering it vividly the moment she saw it. The last time she had seen it, he was completely cut in half, but it looked like he had been put back together via demonic power.

Sure enough, he reached up and lifted his helmet, tossing it aside, showing his face, half of which was shrouded in a black energy, the other half looking quite familiar. A scowl on his face, she noted one of his fangs was broken. His body was covered in grey scales, and it was clear he was a dragon, or at least he was in life. In death he had become something else entirely.

Serenade began to chuckle as he revealed his face. “Well, well, well… I didn’t expect to see you again…”

“The opposite is true for myself… I have long waited for you to return…” He spoke.

“You’ve waited in vain.” Serenade grinned.

“Two thousand years… That’s how long I’ve waited…” He continued, ignoring her attempt at insulting him.

“I see you’re even uglier now than you were back then…” She smirked.

“The same can be said about you… I heard of your defeat by Glitch, and I see your outward appearance is starting to match the ugliness inside of you.” He pointed with his claw to her eyepatch.

“Sweetheart, I could still beat you in a beauty contest…” Serenade waved her finger teasingly.

“This moment… I have waited for so long for it… Two thousand years I have trained, I have honed my abilities, I have been patient. I knew if I positioned myself to become the demon lord, you would eventually show yourself again, it was only a matter of time…” He said.

Serenade just yawned at him.

“You… You murdered my entire clan, killed me and left my sister for dead… The hatred I had for you, it spared me from truly dying, it festered as I laid there dying, and turned me into a demon. I swore I would avenge my clan, I would kill Serenade Dazzle…” He said.

Sven appeared next to Serenade with a confused expression. “You two know each other?”

Serenade nodded as a smile came to her face. “Only briefly… He is Ash, at one point known as the blade of Dragon Scar, but that was before I sliced him in half…”

“What my sister ever saw in you, I’ll never know. Cinder was always too curious of a child…” Ash said.

“Curiosity killed the cat or the dragon in this case…” Serenade joked.

“It was a mistake to trust her foolishness. A mistake, I intend to correct today, she may have saw good in you, but I always knew you were rotten to the core. A beast that is only worth being skinned and hung as a trophy…” Ash said.

Serenade laughed and spoke in Draconian. “Sal eta diova, drugen.”

Ash’s face turned more sinister at those words. “You dare taint the native tongue of dragons by speaking it with your lips?”

Sven whistled in admiration. “Calling him a halfling? Quite bold a move there…”

It was well known among dragons that being referred to as a halfling was a deep insult, intended to imply their prowess as a dragon was nothing, that they were merely a dragon in namesake only.

Ash stood up from his throne and placed a claw upon the hilt of his mighty sword. Slowly, he lifted it with a single claw, it was an impressive size, and the fact that he could hold it in only one claw spoke volumes of his strength. He rested the blade upon his shoulder as he stepped down from his throne. “I have waited so long for this chance, I intend to savor every moment of it…”

Serenade laughed as she stepped forward with a grin. “Seldom in life do we get to experience such exquisite pleasures, and even more rare do we get to experience them twice… Killing you was such a pleasure, that I am going to thoroughly enjoy doing it again… I can’t imagine what it must be like to be as pathetic as you are… Waiting over two thousand years… Just to die a second time…”

“You will not leave this chamber, Serenade Dazzle…” Ash spoke loudly.

Ash moved about as slowly as his shadow did. His impressive muscles definitely slowed him down, but his massive blade certainly didn’t help either. He wandered to the other side of the room far away from Serenade and swung at the air. He continued to do this a few times which left Serenade confused. She raised a brow as she circle around him swinging at nothing. Finally she laughed. “Did you forget your glasses back at Dragon Scar when I killed you the first time? You’re not even remotely close to hitting me…”

Ash smirked as he placed his blade back upon his shoulder. “I was merely setting up the playing field…”

Serenade squinted in confusion. Sven appeared next to her to speak. “Something isn’t right, he saw you beat his shadow, and now he’s swinging at nothing, yet he seems confident…”

“Overconfidence means nothing…” Serenade dismissed.

Ash stood ready to fight as he gripped the hilt of his blade tightly. “Then let’s see your power, Serenade… Let’s see if you can beat me this time…”

Rolling her eyes, Serenade rushed toward him, only for him to swing his mighty blade. While it was a slow swing, it still forced her to move out of the way, but to her surprise, a shadow of Ash appeared to where she had moved to, swinging another sword. Quickly, she rolled out of the way and repositioned herself, putting some distance between the two of them.

“Illusions?” She asked Sven.

Sven shook his head. “No, they appear similar to the shadow he sent after you, capable of harming you, but they vanish after and attack… It’s strange…”

Serenade shrugged. “No matter; still just another cheap trick…”

Ash smirked at her words. “You think so?”

Serenade ignored his taunting and rushed toward him only for another shadow to appear, swinging its blade. She jumped backward to avoid it, but yet another shadow appeared, swinging once more. She dodged again, and again only for the process to repeat itself eight times. Something was wrong, he was able to conjure these shadows without any effort, he didn’t even appear to be doing anything to conjure them.

While she was busy dodging the attacks of the shadow, the real Ash brought his sword down toward her, which she only narrowly escaped.

“The echoes of the past are my strength, Serenade. I have never forgotten what you did to my family, and it has fueled me to kill you… I will avenge them, and see your skull upon the wall behind us…” He spoke.

Serenade tried to compose herself and formulate a plan. She needed to understand how his shadows worked, and think of a way to overcome them. While he was slow and likely easy to hit, she would never be able to get close enough if his shadows kept appearing out of nowhere to deflect any attempt she made at attacking him. She watched his body to see if he had any tells that would give some kind of hint toward when the shadows would appear.

While she was concentrating though, another shadow appeared behind her and swung. She ducked and kicked at it only for it to vanish before her foot even made contact. There were no signs of anything done on Ash’s part though. He didn’t appear to be doing anything to make the shadows appear, which meant they weren’t in his control, but acting autonomously. It was quite a unique demon power, but she couldn’t figure out how it worked.

“Quite a neat trick you have there…” Serenade stated as she kept her eyes on him while the two circled each other.

He nodded and smirked. “You haven’t figured out how it works yet, have you? I can tell by the look on your face…”

She sneered at him after dodging another shadow. “Regardless of how it works, it’s just another trick. Pathetic that you can’t face me directly…”

He laughed and shook his head. “A warrior must use all of the abilities at his disposal.”

Serenade had her hands full with three shadows appearing around her, each swiping at her with their blades. She dodged the first two and slashed her claw at the last one, deflecting the attack. While she was occupied, Ash swung his sword, Serenade tried to move out of the way, but the sword made contact with her armor, chipping a piece of it off of her shoulder. She grunted in annoyance as she rebalanced herself.

“Come on now, a warrior can not win by defending alone. If you wish to win, you must attack…” Ash teased.

“You’re just as annoying as you were back then… Though far uglier…” She growled.

“Talk is cheap,” Ash stated as he swung at her.

Serenade’s armor was grazed by the sharp blade, but she sustained no damage to her body. She stepped backward to put some distance between the two, but another shadow appeared swiping at her. It hit her in the back, and she stumbled. When Ash saw her reach the ground, he attempted to stomp on her with his foot. Foreseeing the attack she swiped with her claw and knocked his foot away. She brought herself back to a stand and focused on him.

Serenade squinted as she tried to figure out how his power worked. He seemed to be able to make a shadow appear seemingly anywhere.

“What’s wrong, can’t understand my abilities?” He laughed.

She growled at him taunting her. If she could figure out how it worked, she could make the fight end quickly.

Another shadow appeared behind her which she ducked from its slash. However, when she noticed it only swung at her in a horizontal slash instead of a vertical one which would have been harder for her to dodge, she questioned if the shadows had limitations.

Curiously, she stepped back to the same spot where the shadow had appeared and sure enough, it appeared again, using the exact same attack. It would have been pointless to do the exact same attack twice in a row when she would have seen it coming.

Serenade recalled Ash’s words: The echoes of the past are my strength.

At first, she assumed he was referring to the hardships he went through that had made him stronger, but she wondered if there was a deeper meaning behind it.

Recalling him slashing about pointlessly at the start of the fight, she focused hard and remembered him in some of the positions where the shadows were appearing. Could there be something to that?

I was merely setting up the playing field…

Those words connected in her mind. It all made sense now. She stood up and addressed Ash directly. “I see…”

“So you understand now?” He smirked.

“You leave a trail behind you… You can recall shadows of the past, places you’ve already been…” She explained.

He nodded with a grin. “Exactly. I can recall a shadow of anywhere I’ve been at any time. So I can attack from the past and the present. Meaning, I’m unbeatable.”

Serenade stepped backward as Sven appeared next to her. “He can attack from the past? That’s a tough one… He can fight me from the past, and he can fight me from the present…” “She said.

“Sounds impossible to beat an advantage like that…” Sven commented.

Serenade shook her head before dodging a few more attacks. A plan was already forming in her head after the attacks. She saw one flaw in his abilities, one weakness that she was certain that she could exploit. Looking around the room, she noted the lava around all of the walls. It looked as if it was only ankle-deep, and with her armor, she would be protected from it, and instantly it became a part of her plan.

Following that thought, she peered at the walls and was certain she could utilize them as well.

“We should lure him out of this room into the pathway we came in from,” Sven suggested.

Serenade shook her head as she focused on Ash who was approaching. “No doubt he’s set that area up too. Going there would be pointless…”

“So what’s your plan?” Sven asked.

“He can attack from the past, that means I have to attack thinking toward the future…” Serenade explained as she dodged another shadow’s assault.

“I don’t get it…” Sven said.

“It’s simple, I have to attack him from places he’s never been, or rather… Places he would have had no reason to go…” Serenade smirked.

“Huh?” Sven was naturally confused, but he decided to trust her instincts.

Quickly, Serenade bolted toward the lava in the room and stepped into it. With some distance between her and Ash, she quickly conjured up a dark energy ball and hurled it at him. He was able to deflect it with his blade, but it was clear her thoughts were correct. He lacked ranged attacks without his shadows so he had no choice but to pursue her into the lava. If he stayed at the distance he was, she could just keep throwing ranged attacks at him.

Once he set foot into the lava, he swung his sword, only for Serenade to dodge it. She would have to be quick though, she knew if she allowed him to stay in the lava too long, he eventually would have shadows there that could fight her from all sides. She hated to admit it, but his advice was right: she couldn’t just defend, she needed to attack.

Serenade took advantage of his slow speed and slashed at him, scratching his chest. She quickly followed it up with a second scratch, causing him to stumble backward. He pointed his sword toward her and thrusted it, but Serenade quickly moved and placed her foot atop of the blade, stepping on it before it hit her. He fumbled as Serenade ran up the sword and slashed at his face, scratching it.

He swiped at her with his own claw, but Serenade hopped off of him and pushed herself off from a nearby wall. She came down with both claws and slashed at him, cutting him deeply in the shoulder.

The damage to him was enough to make him drop his blade and grip the wound that was now spurting black ooze. “Fuck!” He hissed.

“Your power is limited to the past, which is funny… Because that’s where you’re always going to stay… You’re old news.” Serenade smirked before kicking some lava into his face.

He growled as he shook his head to clear his vision, but it was too late. Serenade went in low and cut his leg clean off. The dragon groaned in agony before tumbling, landing in the lava, half his body submerged in it as he panted heavily.

Serenade walked around him casually and reached into the lava, lifting his massive sword slowly from it.

Ash spoke between breaths. “Beaten by you again… I can’t believe it…”

Serenade managed to get the heavy sword’s hilt lifted from the ground. “Savor it… You get to be killed by the demon lord…”

“No matter what you do… No matter how many you kill, you’ll always be garbage… Complete garbage. One day another demon will dethrone you… Your life will always be filled with misery and looking over your shoulder… You'll never know peace, Serenade Dazzle, you'll never be able to rest...” Ash stated.

“You bore me…” She said before swinging the giant blade, cutting his head clean off.

The body slowly dissipated into a black smoke like all of the other demons she had killed.

Once the deed was done, Serenade stabbed the sword into the ground and gripped the hilt tightly. With a bit of force, she was able to break the black obsidian hilt off of the weapon and observed it. Her prize for killing Ash, though she would have gladly done so anyway.

“The hilt… The other piece you needed to forge a hell weapon…” Sven commented.

“Victory is its own reward, but new toys don’t hurt, I suppose.” Serenade tapped her helmet making it vanish once more as she examined the hilt.

“Then let’s make the final trek of our journey, I am eager to see the rise of the new demon lord.” Sven nodded.

Several Years Ago

The door to a club opened and the bouncer looked at the unicorn entering up and down. He was disheveled and messy with a medium-length mane that looked as if it hadn’t been brushed in years. His narrow glasses sat upon his face semi-crooked, and they looked smudged. The bouncer instantly recognized him and waved him through.

The Unicorn nodded and smirked as he walked in. Several mares dancing caught a glimpse of him and gave looks of disapproval. In his life, he was always the kind of stallion who didn’t attract the ladies, but he didn’t care. His name was Eight Ball, and he couldn’t care less for the appeals of the female gender or the male gender for that matter. There was only one thrill that did anything for him, the same thrill that he lived for, that he couldn’t live without.

Eight Ball found his way to the bartender and spoke loudly over the music. “I’m trying to get in on the games.”

The bartender nodded and gestured toward the backdoor. “I’ll meet you back there and let you down. Going to take their coin again today, Eight?”

Eight shrugged. “We’ll see…”

The bartender went toward the backdoor and unlocked it, allowing Eight through. Once in the back of the facility, they both walked through the maintenance area of the building until they came to the basement stairwell. Once they reached the stairwell, the bartender nodded to Eight Ball. “Good luck.”

“Luck is always on my side…” Eight Ball grinned as he walked down the staircase.

When he found his way to the basement, he saw quite a few familiar faces, but a few new ones playing at various tables. The basement was used as sort of a game room where gamblers could make high-stakes wagers. Looking around, he saw a large-looking stallion and decided that would be his target. The stallion was at least twice his size, making him the perfect chump. Judging by his jovial laugh and demeanor, he was having quite a good streak of beginner’s luck, which was perfect for Eight Ball; the perfect stooge.

Clearing his throat, he approached the table, and naturally, all of the others moved aside to allow him to sit. He had been there so many times, that everyone knew the drill when Eight Ball showed up to play.

“What’s the deal? Who the hell are you?” The stallion at the table grunted.

Eight Ball adjusted his glasses and smiled wryly. He didn’t even need to speak, as one of the other stallions in the room spoke on his behalf.

“That’s Eight Ball, the master of chance.”

The large stallion blinked a few times before looking over Eight Ball and laughed. “This squirt? You’ve got to be kidding me…”

Eight Ball reached into his saddle bag and retrieved a set of cards. “Don’t let appearances fool you. I see you’re quite a gambler.”

“What of it?” The stallion grunted.

“What’s your name?” Eight Ball asked.

“Bronze Hoof.” He blinked.

“Well, Bronze… How about we play a stallion’s game…” Eight asked.

“What did you have in mind?” Bronze laughed.

Eight placed a deck down and spoke plainly. “Risk or reward, you’re familiar I take it?”

Bronze laughed even louder. “Who isn’t?”

The game used a special deck of 180 cards, where the cards were split evenly between the players. Then the players took turns making plays to try and win all of the cards from the other player. Certain cards beat other cards, and certain cards would be more useful under certain situations. The rules were fairly complex, but the general idea was that playing it safe would take a lot longer to win cards, and riskier moves could have bigger payoffs, thus the name of the game.

“So, you want to play?” Eight asked.

“What’s the wager?” Bronze questioned.

Eight reached into his bag once more and produced a large sack of bits. Placing it on the table, it made a loud clatter making many jaws drop in the room. “80,000, sound good?”

“That’s a lot of money to lose, don’t you think?” Bronze laughed.

“If you’re afraid, just back out now,” Eight said.

Bronze grunted and placed a hoof upon the deck. “Bring it on, squirt. I’ll be more than happy to take your money.”

“We’ll see…” Eight stated as he began dealing out the cards, a plain expression on his face.

From the corner of the room, a cloaked stallion glanced over at the game, catching Eight Ball’s eye for just a moment. He seemed to be more of an observer rather than a player, but Eight tried to pay no mind to him and focused on the game instead.

The first play, Eight Ball put down a fairly weak hand, which was instantly defeated by Bronze. With a grin on his face, Bronze collected his cards, though Eight didn’t seem fazed by it.

The second hand went about the same, Eight throwing down a purposefully weak hand, which goaded Bronze into a sense of superiority.

After three or four losing hands, Bronze laughed loudly. “Maybe you overestimated yourself small fry?”

Eight just gestured for him to make the next move.

Bronze grinned and placed down his cards, but to his shock, Eight placed down a very odd arrangement that ultimately resulted in his victory this hand. He squinted and looked at Eight with intrigue. “That’s a pretty rare hand to pull off…”

“Maybe for someone like you…” Eight stated plainly.

Bronze grunted and the two continued their game. One hand, two hands, three, soon up to eight hands where Eight Ball won each one with relative ease. Bronze looked at his deck realizing it was getting rather small. A small bead of sweat ran down his neck as he realized he was about to lose everything he spent all night winning.

“Come on, play…” Eight yawned.

Bronze realized his only chance of winning was to now play riskier moves. With his deck dwindling down in cards, he needed a big comeback.

His next move was met with a strategic counter by Eight Ball, and the stallion ended up taking eight more of his cards. Another two hands ended the same. Bronze was effectively sweating bullets now.

After a few more hands, Eight controlled the majority of the cards in the game, and bronze was down to only a few cards left in his hand. Looking at them, he noticed something after peering at the table. With the cards Eight had played there was no way he could win, it was physically impossible. He blinked when he realized that Eight had saved his best cards for last.

Laying down his hand Bronze cursed loudly. “FUCK! YOU LITTLE SNAKE! YOU MUST HAVE CHEATED!”

A group of stallions held Bronze back as Eight Ball collected the money with a grin on his face. “No cheats here, Mr. Bronze… I just know how to play the game. If you couldn’t handle the stakes, you shouldn’t have played.”

“I KNOW YOU HAD TO HAVE CHEATED SOMEHOW! NO ONE IS THAT GOOD! YOU LITTLE SHIT!” Bronze growled as the group held him back.

“No, but perhaps you’re merely that bad…” Eight taunted.

Bronze growled in retaliation, but it was no use, the stallions that held him back were too strong for him to overpower on his own.

Once Eight Ball had collected his prize, he nodded to the group. “It was a pleasure taking your money, Bronze. Maybe next time you should practice a little before staking it all on one game?”

He growled in anger as Eight Ball walked out of the room and up the stairs with his bag now twice as heavy as before. He had had a small amount of fun, but it wasn’t the same thrill anymore. Taking money from chumps amused him, sure, but it didn’t give him the same high it once did. He was growing bored of such simple challenges.

Once he was up the stairs, he noticed the strange hooded figure was standing at the top.

Eight Ball looked behind him and pondered how it was possible to have gotten there. Carefully, he approached the hooded figure and stopped in front of him. “Did you want to play too?” He asked.

The figure looked at his saddle bag and spoke plainly. “That’s a lot of money, what do you plan on spending it on?”

Eight Ball shrugged. “Not much. Not like there’s anything worth buying these days…”

“So you play for the thrill of the game then?” The figure asked.

“Something like that… I play because I like the thrill of risking it all, the thrill of putting everything on the line…” Eight Ball said.

The figure nodded at him. “So, you like risks then…”

Eight frowned as he replied. “Yes, but it’s not enough anymore…”

“You want bigger thrills… I can feel it.” The figure stated.

“Yeah…” Eight raised a brow in curiosity.

“How about the thrill of when lives are at stake?” The figure asked.

Eight’s eyes widened at the suggestion. He had never considered it, but hearing it at that moment, nothing sounded more amazing. Lives hanging in the balance from the game? The greatest stakes ever.

“What is it you’re getting at?” Eight Ball asked, wishing he would just get to the point already.

“Tell me… How do you win so easily? Indulge my curiosity.” The figure replied.

Eight Ball shrugged. “It’s not that hard. You goad your target into playing their best up front, then when you start to win, it makes your opponent panic and play sloppy. Strategy is half psychology after all. In games of chance though? I am just really really lucky…”

“A talent like yours is wasted ripping off drunks in a run-down old club…” The figure said.

The stallion nodded. “So, what can you do to make the thrills better?”

Removing their hood, the figure revealed the face of a changeling, one with an eye patch over one of his eyes. “So, so much… You can’t even imagine…”

Several Years Ago

After the defeat of Ash, Serenade headed toward the final approach. She was guided by a black apparition that told her to follow it toward the hell forge. After some time, she approached a large crater filled with lava. There was a large rune above the pool with ancient text that Serenade couldn’t read, and around the cater, it was decorated with skeletons arranged in ominous ways.

“This must be the hell forge…” Sven spoke.

Serenade nodded as she looked into the pool of lava. With the wave of her hand, she recalled the spine and the hilt she had acquired and held one in each hand. She looked over the two and shrugged. She tossed them both into the pool without much thought.

The pool bubbled and boiled before erupting. Serenade shielded her face with her arm, and when the lava subsided, a black spirit floated above the pool looking down at her. It was massive in size and seemed to be made of some kind of black smoke. It opened its massive maw to speak to her. “Serenade Dazzle… One who wishes to sit upon the throne of the demon lord… You have passed the trials of hell, and proven yourself worthy of a weapon forged from the underworld. I present you with Hell’s Lash…”

Floating up from the pool was a whip finely carved from the spine of the beast she had slain, with the obsidian hilt she had taken from Ash. The tip of the whip split into three ends, all of which on fire. Serenade reached forward and took the hilt in her hand, gripping it tightly before giving it a few swings to practice with it. Just holding the weapon, she could feel hell’s power coursing through the weapon. Its power was immense.

“Amazing… A weapon of hell… I never imagined I would actually see one myself. I hear tales of their might, but they are rarely seen,” Sven spoke.

Serenade looked up at the spirit that continued to speak. “Such a weapon can only be wielded by one who has proven their world to the underworld such as yourself. You are one step closer to becoming the demon lord, the supreme master of all demons… The path before you is a difficult one, but with the lash at your side, you have the tools needed to pave it.”

Serenade looked down at the whip and nodded as she flicked it and released her hand, causing it to vanish. She could recall it at any time when she needed it, and she was certain it would prove useful in her eventual fight with Sunset Shimmer.

“I seek a portal to the human world, I wish to exact my revenge on the one who defeated me and knocked me down on my path to greatness,” Serenade said to the spirit.

It nodded. “With that weapon, if you concentrate your power, you may open one here. I will forge the connection between your home world and the human one once the portal is open. Be warned Serenade Dazzle, a majority of your power will be consumed to create such a gateway, and it will open be open temporarily. Decide wisely before you do so…”

Serenade looked back at Sven who floated behind her. “I guess this is goodbye, Sven.”

He nodded and bowed. “It was an honor to see the girl who will eventually be my master. In life, I wanted to be king, but in death, I shall accept serving one stronger than myself. Power is learned through watching those with experience after all.”

“Good to know that I can count on you when I come back here. You’ll make a fine addition to my army.” Serenade smirked.

He laughed as he gave a positive hand gesture with his claw. “Go exact our revenge. First Sunset Shimmer, then Twilight Sparkle will pay for what she has done to both of us. I look forward to the day that she is slain. So long as you do that, I will gladly serve you forever.”

Serenade grinned. “Consider it already done. Twilight Sparkle will pay for all she’s done, I don’t intend to kill her slowly either, I want to watch her suffer… Then after she begs me for death, I’ll draw her suffering out just a little longer while I kill her friends. When I have done all of that, then I will kill her…”

“Spoken exactly like a true demon.” Sven laughed heartily.

She nodded and stepped away before conjuring her new whip into her right hand. She held it tightly and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She inhaled and exhaled as she focused her power. Serenade siphoned as much of her power as she could into her right hand, feeling the energy go into her whip. She breathed and focused as she lifted her arm and flicked the weapon in a circular motion before coming downward.

A trail of energy was left behind where the whip moved, and eventually, a circle was formed before a large flash. When the flash subsided a dark purple portal floated in place where the whip had made the motion. The portal was ready, Serenade stared at it with wonder. This portal would take her to her greatest enemy, it would deliver her to where she needed to be to exact her revenge. After so long in prison, so long waiting for her moment to begin her plans, that it was almost unreal.

Beyond that portal was Sunset Shimmer, somewhere in the human world. Somewhere in that world was the woman who had scarred her body and ruined her conquest of Equestria, and Serenade would find her.

The woman stepped forward and reached her hand toward the portal, she could feel the energy emanating from it; another world trying to pull her in. She couldn’t lie to herself, it excited her, a whole new world to eventually conquer.

With intrigue in her eyes, Serenade stepped through the portal and instantly felt a strong pulling sensation. Around her colors swirled, and the world itself distorted. Her armor faded away, leaving only a naked body as she traveled between worlds. It was clear she was not powerful enough of a demon to use the armor outside of hell, but that didn’t matter, she would wield it again one day. She could see the human world begin to form around her, and sure enough within a good eight seconds, she arrived in the human world, and dropped onto the ground.

Lifting her head up she wiped off her face and looked around her. There were trees everywhere, it was clear she was in a forest. Standing up slowly, her long blonde hair cascaded over her nude form. She peered around her at the world she was now in. She had made it, she was finally in the human world. Now it wouldn’t be long before she would unleash hell upon it.

“I’m coming for you, Sunset Shimmer… You can’t hide forever…” Serenade threatened out loud.

Author's Note

I know, update on a Monday? What gives? So from here on out, chapters are going to be published upon completion regardless of the day they are made. No more Friday exclusive updates. We're approaching Part III of Act VII, which is going to be the finale of the entire story. I hope to have the story finished by the end of this year. We'll see if I can do that.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXIII: Humans

Chapter CXXIII: Humans

Several Years Ago

Serenade looked down at her hands and opened and closed them a few times. Her fingers were hairless and fleshy, something she found odd. Taking her hands, she ran then down her form to get an idea of what the rest of her looked like. She could feel an hourglass figure on herself which was strangely satisfying. Her buttocks seemed firm and round, something that carried over from her Equestrian form. She nodded in satisfaction at that.

Running her hands along her front side, she felt her stomach, flat as expected since she no longer needed to eat. Coming to her chest, she noted she now had breasts upon it. Feeling them she could see they were about a handful each, and under one she could feel the scar where Glitch had pierced her with the Siren’s Bane. She scowled a little just touching the spot, but she composed herself.

Her new human form was somewhat alien to her, though she had some time to get used to it while she was traveling through the underworld. She wondered how long she had been gone, as time moved differently in the underworld than it did in Equestria. She assumed that Arax was occupied gathering minions to do her bidding, and he would arrive through the portal soon. He was a reliable subordinate, as much as Serenade hated to praise mortals.

She was somewhat disappointed at how drab and unappealing the human world was. It didn’t seem all that interesting, or astounding compared to Equestria; if anything, it was far more boring-looking to her.

Serenade closed her eyes and focused her senses. After a good eight seconds, she could tell there wasn’t any magic within miles of her. It was clear that humans lacked magic, which meant charging her powers would be somewhat tricky if she were to use up more of her power. She could regain a lot of her power over time, as her body would produce energy slowly, but it was going to be a time-consuming process.

Humans seemed to live entirely without magic, Serenade wondered how that was possible. Surely they had some kind of substitute for it? Or did humans really live such a drab existence without anything to stride for? In her mind, without the pursuit of power, there was no reason to exist, no reason to push forward. Life was two-fold; acquiring power, and then using that power to destroy your enemies.

As much as she loathed Sunset Shimmer though, she couldn’t deny that the feeling of using the entirety of her power in a battle was exhilarating. She hoped that Sunset Shimmer hadn’t grown too much weaker by the time they finally met in battle once more. She had waited far too long for her revenge, she didn’t want it to be over too quickly. She longed for a battle that would push her to her absolute limits, and Sunset to hers. Only when their powers were on full display, and they had enjoyed a glorious battle, only then would Sunset die. She would beg Serenade for mercy first, and Serenade would spit in her face before killing her.

Revenge was all that mattered, after that, she would focus her efforts on taking over Equestria and then the human world, just for the fun of it. It seemed an easy enough task, after all, the human world lacked magic.

Serenade took a few steps to get her bearings, she felt a cold breeze across her body, and her nipples hardened slightly from the frigid temperature. In Equestria, she had experienced being cold before, but it was rare with her coat of fur. Her body clearly was far weaker than she had anticipated if she could feel the temperature, it had been centuries since she experienced feeling this way.

She wondered how humans managed to survive if they had no natural coats, but surmised they likely had to wear clothing at all times. With an annoyed sigh, she knew that staying in this forest wasn’t a productive use of her time, she would need to get a sense of where she was and a quick understanding of how the human world worked, and more importantly, she would need clothes for the time being.

Casually, the woman wandered through the woods, remembering what direction she was headed so she could return to her origin point later when necessary, after all, Arax would arrive later, hopefully with an entourage of minions for her. He was instructed to recruit more to her cause, then he would bring himself over to the human world after her, and then Lightning Dust was put in charge of bringing their minions over.

While Lightning Dust had abandoned their cause prior, Serenade believed this was an excellent test of her loyalty going forward. If she failed them, Serenade had instructed Shield to kill her and complete her task himself.

After a bit of walking, Serenade came to an asphalt road. She leaned down and touched it with her fingers, feeling the rough texture. Looking down the middle, she could see lines separating one side from the other. She took a few more steps in only for a vehicle to make a loud honking sound at her. Looking up, she saw a large metal contraption on wheels slow to a stop in front of her.

The door opened and a man with scruffy-looking hair stepped out to scold her. “Hey, you’re right in the middle of the…” He paused as Serenade came to a stand.

The petite woman in front of him was completely nude but incredibly beautiful. Flustered, he stumbled on his words. “A-are you alright, miss? What’re you doing out here… Like this?” He asked.

Serenade approached carefully and placed a hand upon the car, feeling the metallic paint job of the yellow vehicle. “Pray-tell, stranger… What is this?”

He looked down at the car before looking back up at her. “My… Car?”

“Car… What magic powers this…?” She asked.

“Gasoline…?” He blinked.

Serenade was starting to piece things together. Humans had found other means to accomplish their daily tasks. Without magic, they relied on other forms of innovation to live their lives productively. “I see…”

“Miss… What happened to your clothing? How did you get out here?” He asked.

Serenade approached him and placed a finger under his chin as she forced his eyes to meet her own. The only clothing she had was her amulet still secured around her neck. “I require your expertise with this… car…” She glanced down at the car.

“Uh… Okay…” He blinked.

A black tendril came out of Serenade’s back and slithered like a snack as it caressed his cheek. She could smell the sweat running down his neck as it touched him. “What the…?” He gulped.

The tendril wrapped around his neck and gripped him gently as Serenade whispered in his ear. “Be a good boy, do what you’re told and I won’t kill you, do you understand?”

“What are you…?” He spoke in a shaky voice.

“Something far beyond your comprehension, boy…” She whispered.

“W-what do you want me to do?” He asked.

Serenade released him and the tendril retreated into her body as she opened the car door for him. “You’re going to take me somewhere…”

He nodded before sitting down in the driver’s seat. He pressed a button and the passenger seat opened for her. Serenade gracefully sat down and closed the door behind her.

The man inhaled and exhaled nervously. “So… Where am I going?”

She kept her eyes straight forward and spoke. “Take me to where I can get clothes…”

He nodded and revved the engine as he sped to the nearest city as fast as he could. Their car ride was fairly silent as he glanced over at the mysterious woman a few times. His mind had so many questions about her, but common sense told him not to ask them. He could tell she was taking extra care to keep her long golden hair in front of her other eye.

There was also the detail of how a naked woman ended up in the woods. His eyes wandered to her figure noting she was quite attractive, though there was a scar above one of her breasts. Serenade caught him looking and spoke in a serious tone. “I suggest you keep your focus on getting us to our destination because I can just kill you all the same…”

He nodded and his face turned red as he locked his eyes on the road. The rest of the journey was silent before they arrived at the nearest city. Serenade looked out the window to take in the sight. A city within the human world was definitely different from what she was used to. Buildings seemed to practically reach the sky, a relatively impressive feat considering humans lacked magic.

Hundreds of cars surrounded them, which gave Serenade the impression that this device was a relatively common mode of transportation for humans. As she saw other humans wandering about, she could see that her hunch was correct: humans wore clothing in lieu of having fur coats. It seemed quite inefficient, these humans were definitely far less evolved than even the mortals of Equestria.

The driver cleared his throat as he spoke nervously. “So… Uh… Where would you prefer clothes from?”

Looking around her, she decided if she had to wear clothes, she wanted the best of the best, anything else wouldn’t be fitting for a siren after all. “Take me somewhere expensive…”

He raised a brow wondering how a woman with no clothing or money was just going to walk into the most expensive boutique in the city and walk out with a wardrobe, but he decided not to question it and instead do as she asked. Taking a right turn, he came to 8th street, and across the street from a little eatery called “Spare Time”, there was the most expensive clothing store in town; Dynasty Fashions.

He stopped the car and Serenade looked the building up and down. It was quite lavish and stood out from the rest of the buildings. Just looking at it, she could tell it was quite expensive. Looking over at the driver, a tendril came out of her back and pointed at him threateningly. “You will wait here until I come back. If you drive away, I will find you and hunt you down…”

He nodded as a bead of sweat ran down his neck. Once Serenade was satisfied that he would not flee, she opened the car door and stepped out, shutting it behind her.

Around her, people instantly started staring at the nude woman. Mothers covered their children’s eyes to hide her nudity from them. Serenade could hear whispers and people chattering about her but paid no mind to it. Walking toward the large glass doors, Serenade let herself into the store and she was instantly met by security.

“Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” One of the guards said.

“That’s quite alright, I’ll only be a few minutes…” Serenade grinned.

He sighed and picked up his radio. “I’m gonna need someone to get ahold of the-“ He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Serenade grabbed his wrist and twisted it. With a loud snap, his hand was broken causing him to drop his radio. He screamed in pain as he dropped to his knees.

Another guard reached for a taser, but Serenade moved quickly and jabbed him in the gut. After he kneeled down, she grabbed his finger and snapped it back, causing him to scream.

Once she was inside, she raised her left hand, causing black tendrils to come out of the ground, blocking the exit. To her good fortune, she had come to the store shortly before closing, so there were no customers, only employees. Several guards inside the store took notice of her and approached only for Serenade to grab the shoulder of one and squeeze hard enough to hear a crack, followed by her summoning tendrils to grab the other few. In about eight seconds she had the entire bottom floor at her mercy, entrapped one way or another.

Looking at the front counter, a young short woman with short black hair and pale skin trembled as Serenade came closer and closer.

Once the siren was only two feet away, her menacing face transformed into a smile, which somehow only made her seem creepier to the sales associate. The woman placed a gentle hand on the counter and smiled. “I’m looking for some clothes.”

Several Years Ago

Ponyville Castle was as busy as ever, Princess Twilight Sparkle received many seeking her audience after the takeover of Equestria, followed by her excursion to Dragon Scar, which resulted in treaties between the two nations; the mare had become quite popular among the citizens, especially for a royal family member. She had become far more than just the face of friendship, and with added popularity came added security.

With the recent boon of magical discovery that came after the war, every royal castle now came with scanners to detect illusion spells (though some of the more advanced mages could still fool them with the right know-how), demon detection equipment, and much more. Furthermore, the royal family had developed bands for all royal guards with unique magical signatures for the purpose of identification and clearance checks which would be assigned throughout restricted areas of the castle.

Needless to say, security was tight, but that wasn’t enough to stop a young griffon who had spent weeks studying the castle. He had never ventured to Ponyville before, but after his arrival, he had kept a low profile while scoping out the castle at night. He had paid close attention to the guards’ patrols and looked everywhere to find some kind of hole in their security.

As luck would have it, he had discovered one. Near a window on the second floor of the castle, there was a patrol route with a security check around the corner of a hallway. At exactly 8:00 PM, a guard would be making his way down that hallway just past the window, and there was a good eight-minute window where he had no one behind him. It was the perfect opportunity.

The griffon flew up to the window silently and peered through it carefully, making sure not to cast a shadow on the hall down below. Right on schedule, the guard he was expecting was making his rounds, and exactly when his back was turned, the griffon popped the window open carefully and silently as he slipped down and crept up behind the stallion. Before the guard had a chance to even tell what was going on, the griffon knocked him as hard as he could on his head, rendering him unconscious.

Tapping him eight times, the griffon was confident that he was out cold, and so he quickly snapped off the bracelet that would grant him clearance to the next area and placed it upon his own wrist. He then began to remove the stallion’s armor and tried to fit it on. The body armor barely fit over his slender frame, but the helmet was far too large, so he abandoned it.

He knew that he would have to move quickly if he hoped to pull this plan off, as he was likely to be discovered if someone came to that hall and discovered the unconscious guard.

He hurriedly trotted past the security checkpoint which had a small light that turned green as he passed. The griffon let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding in.

Cautiously, the creature made his way down the next hall toward his next destination after studying a map of the castle. He was on his way to Starlight Glimmer’s quarters, a necessary stop on his way to his final destination.

Coming up to a nearby turn he was stopped by another guard. “Hey, I don’t recognize you… Are you new?”

The griffon cleared his throat and tried to sound believable. “Uh… Yeah, I started this morning…”

“Let me see your security band…” The guard asked.

Carefully, the griffon showed the band. The guard held his own band close to it and it made a magic projection of his security clearance appear. Nodding, the stallion gestured down the hall. “You’re out of your zone, no one comes past here without level 8 clearance; Starlight Glimmer’s orders. She demanded security to be beefed up since the war.”

“I see…” The griffon said.

“You need to go back to zone 2B, it’s just down that way and you’ll be patrolling from there to the stairwell for the next hour, got it?” The guard instructed.

The griffon nodded and gave a fake salute. “Understood.”

When the stallion turned around to return to his own patrol, the griffon quickly jumped on top of him and gripped his neck. The stallion tried to throw him off but the griffon held on tight and choked him out until he finally gave in and passed out. Once he was down, the griffon moved quickly to Starlight’s quarters.

Brushing himself off, he took a deep breath and exhaled before tapping on the door, trying to appear as official as possible.

A sleepy Starlight Glimmer answered the door, rubbing her eye as she yawned. “What is it? Do you know what hour it is?”

The griffon gave a fake salute as he spoke. “Miss, I was instructed to inspect your quarters, we have reason to believe there may be a terrorist loose in the castle.”

Starlight blinked and tilted her head. “My quarters? Who would give such an order?”

“Ma’am the orders came down directly from Princess Twilight.” The griffon lied.

Starlight scratched her chin curiously. “That’s weird… Twilight usually would inform me if something like that was going on…”

“Ma’am, it’s an evolving situation, I just found out myself. If you would like, you may supervise my inspection.” He stated.

Nodding, Starlight gestured for him to come into the room. He lowered his salute and did as instructed while Starlight followed. She grumbled about how tired she was before the two were inside. Once in the room, the griffon reached into his saddle bag and produced a small blade which he wielded in his right claw before grabbing Starlight with his left and held the knife to her neck.

The mare yelped before she froze not wanting to agitate her attacker. The griffon spoke quietly. “If you cooperate with me, I am not going to hurt you, okay? I just need you to help me run a little errand and you’re free to go…”

Starlight nodded. “Okay… Fine, what do you want?”

“You’re going to take me to Princess Twilight. You’re the only one in this castle who has the authority to take me right there…” The griffon explained.

Starlight sighed. “You think you’re just going to walk into Twilight’s office like this?”

“It’s the only chance I have…” The griffon explained.

Starlight sighed. “And what’s your plan after that? You’re not going to be able to walk out of this castle after that…”

“Let me worry about that, now come on, move.” He held the knife tighter to her neck to encourage her to start walking.

With a sigh, Starlight began moving forward. “I swear, how do I keep ending up in these situations…”

“Unlucky, I suppose…” The griffon replied as the two began to make their way down the hall toward the stairs. A set of guards guarding the stairwell quickly raised their weapons as they saw the two, but the griffon called out to them.

“Drop ‘em!” He demanded.

“Do as he says…” Starlight added.

The two guards laid down their weapons on the floor.

“Good, now face the wall, both of you.” The griffon commanded.

They both did as they were told and Starlight and he ascended the stairs backward, so the griffon could keep his eyes on the guards. Once they were up onto the next floor, the two began to make their way past more guards before ascending to the next floor where Princess Twilight’s office would be. Outside were two guards stationed but the griffon quickly gained control of them using Starlight.

“Stand down… We need to speak to Twilight…” Starlight stated.

“Ma’am with all due respect, we can not allow this terrorist to see the princess…” One of the guards stated.

“I said stand down…” Starlight repeated.

Nodding, the guards stepped back to allow Starlight and her captor to enter the office. Carefully, he shut the door behind them.

Once inside, a disheveled Twilight Sparkle with a short messy mane looked over at the two. She froze before picking up a pair of glasses from the table and planted them on her face.

Starlight gave a sheepish smile. “Hey, Twilight.”

“I see you’ve brought trouble with you…” Twilight replied.

“Such is my nature.” Starlight chuckled nervously.

The griffon grunted. “Can you two catch up later?”

Twilight nodded, she seemed relatively calm about the situation. “Alright then, what’s your name, young one?”

“Galeal,” he said.

Nodding, Twilight leaned in with a smile. “What can I do for you today then, Galeal?”

He kept his knife tight against Starlight’s neck, only for Twilight to give a dismissive hoof gesture. “You can put that down, no one is going to come in here, I promise you that.”

Galeal was about to protest, but somehow he felt like he could trust her words, so he lowered his weapon and released Starlight. “Sorry… I wouldn’t have done any of this if there was an easier way to get in here…”

“Yes, well security measures have been higher for some time now, so I can see how those who request an audience with me are left a bit impatient, though I haven’t had one take one of my assistants, hostage, before though, so that’s definitely one for my journal.” Twilight grinned.

“I never intended to hurt anyone, I'm sorry. I just needed to speak with you, that’s all…” Galeal said.

Twilight chuckled and nodded. “Well, you’re speaking to me now, so I suppose we should make this a productive meeting. What is it that I can do for you, Galeal?”

Galeal reached into a saddlebag he was carrying and retrieved a photograph which he handed to Twilight. The mare took the picture in her hoof and adjusted her reading glasses as she looked it over. A young unicorn looked back at her, his mane a shining white, and he sported a very effeminate face Had she not known any better, she would have assumed him a mare.

She blinked and handed the photo back to Galeal. “Who is this pony?”

“Someone I’m looking for…” Galeal said.

Twilight leaned back in her chair with a smile. “And what makes you think that I would know where they are?”

“I have my reasons, but I know his last known location was here,” Galeal spoke.

“How do you know such a thing?” Twilight asked.

“I have my ways, now… Have you seen him?” Galeal asked.

Twilight frowned and shook her head. “I’m afraid not. His face seems vaguely familiar, but I haven’t seen him, sorry.”

Galeal frowned. “So you haven’t seen Eclipse either, then?”

Another raspy voice could be heard from the other room. “Eclipse?”

All of them in the room turned as a dragon entered. Her pink scales shined in the fluorescent light of the room which she had to duck down to enter. “Did you say his name was Eclipse?” She asked.

“I did, who are you?” Galeal asked with a raised brow.

“Cinder Razorclaw.” She offered her claw to the griffon.

Galeal looked down at her claw for a moment before taking it in his own and shaking it. “Galeal…”

“That’s an interesting name… So Galeal… Why are you looking for Eclipse?” Cinder questioned.

“He’s…” Galeal paused trying to think of how to word it. His face turned a shade of red. “He’s important to me…”

“Ah, young love…” Twilight chimed in.

“It’s not like that!” Galeal blushed.

“No worries, your secret is safe with us.” Cinder giggled.

Galeal rolled his eyes.

“I think you mentioned you were in love once, right Cinder?” Twilight asked.

Cinder nodded. “Yes, but my family believes in mating for life, so after that didn’t work out, it’s just me now…”

“How tragic…” Twilight frowned.

"You don't even know the half of it, Twilight..." Cinder stated.

Galeal coughed. “Not that your love lives aren’t fascinating to me, but can we get back on topic? How do you know Eclipse?”

Cinder blinked and smiled at the young griffon. “Oh, he was a student of mine. He fought alongside us during the war, I trained him to fight. He was quite the dedicated student too.”

“Where is he now?” Galeal asked. He was surprised to hear that the young shy unicorn that he knew was capable of training to be a warrior.

Cinder frowned. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in some time…”

Galeal placed a claw upon his chin. “Is it alright if I take a look around?”

Twilight laughed. “You break in here, you take my assistant hostage, and now you expect me to give you free rein to explore my castle?”

Cinder stepped forward and placed a claw upon Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, please… He’s in love.”

“That’s not true…” Galeal mumbled.

Cinder ignored his denial. “Twilight, people do strange things when they’re in love, and as far as I can see… No one has been seriously hurt. What harm could it do to let him try to find whatever information he is after?”

“Well… It doesn’t exactly help that he won’t tell us how he even knows that the unicorn was even here…” Twilight bit her lip.

“We all have our own secrets that we keep, Twilight.” Cinder reminded.

With a sigh, Twilight nodded. “Alright, I’ll put the word out that you’re allowed to explore, but when you’re done, I expect you to leave.”

He nodded.

“Also, restricted areas are off-limits. Got it?” Twilight stated.

Galeal nodded again. “Thank you…”

Twilight gestured toward the door. “You have an hour, but after that, you will be escorted out, and if you go into any restricted areas, you’ll be escorted out immediately.”

Galeal bowed to show his respect. “Thank you, again.”

“Yes, well, off you go.” Twilight dismissed him.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for, Galeal.” Cinder smiled at him.

Galeal nodded and quickly made his exit, not wanting to waste any time. Truthfully, he already knew where he wanted to go, he just needed the freedom to get to the place where he needed to be. With Twilight telling the guards to stand down and allow him to explore more freely, he could get to where he wanted to be.

Naturally, he had no intention of keeping his promise of staying away from restricted areas, as where he had to go was inside the restricted archives, he was just thankful that Twilight wasn’t wise enough to search him when he entered her chamber, as she would have discovered some items that might have made her question his intentions.

He made his way down a few floors, nodding politely at guards as he passed, though it was clear from a few of the looks he got, that they weren’t exactly thrilled that he was allowed to roam around, and some definitely followed him with their eyes a bit longer than usual. He surmised that word had gotten around about him knocking a few of the guards out.

Once he was down to the floor he wanted to be, he checked around the royal archives and sure enough, two guards blocked the entrance. Galeal cursed under his breath, realizing this was going to be more annoying than he had hoped. He reached into his bag and retrieved a parchment that showed a map of Equestria, and he had stared at the same map so many times in the past few months, and now it showed a small glowing red dot on a certain place within the castle, a place within the archives. He knew that meant Eclipse was there, somehow. It didn’t make much sense, but he knew it meant he was close to finding the unicorn again.

Galeal thought about his options. If he made his entrance into the royal archives too obvious by knocking out the guards, he was certain to not be able to leave the castle; he’d be detained and likely put in some kind of jail. Even if he distracted the guards or convinced them to leave with some kind of lie, eventually they would figure out he only did so to get into the archives, and thus he’d be detained by Twilight in that scenario as well.

He scratched his chin as he thought it over. No option available to him allowed him to enter the archives and also leave the castle.

Then it occurred to him, if Eclipse had pulled it off, there must have been a way to do it. Something in that room was the reason why Eclipse just vanished off of his map.

What he needed to do was find a way inside, getting out wasn’t as much of a priority.

Reaching into his saddlebag, he retrieved a small glass orb, glowing with a green magic aura. He had purchased it from a unicorn prior to making his arrival. It would dispel the magic barrier keeping him out of the archives long enough for him to enter. Given that he was not a unicorn and thus had no magic, he had to rely on such things to gain entry.

He clutched it tightly in his claw as he considered what to do about the guards.

He took a deep breath and after a good eight minutes of thinking, he decided to try and go with a lie.

Clearing his throat, he approached the guards and spoke. “Excuse me, I was just told that Princess Twilight needed all the guards to report to her office on the top floor.” He gestured toward the stairs where he came from as he spoke.

One of the guards raised a suspicious brow. “When did she say that?”

“Just a little bit ago, I was sent down to get the message to you two,” Galeal lied.

“Why would she send you?” He squinted at the griffon.

Galeal maintained his composure as he continued. “She knew you couldn’t leave your post, so she sent someone. Apparently, she needed to discuss new security protocols.”

“That’s not like her to leave the archives unguarded…” The guard rubbed his chin.

“She said that the barrier should be sufficient, and the meeting will only take a few minutes,” Galeal stated.

The guard stood there with a suspicious look, but after looking the griffon up and down, he realized that such a young griffon lacked the resources to enter the archives anyway. “Alright, if that’s what she wants.” He gestured for his fellow guard to follow him and the two made their way down the hall.

Once the two were out of sight, Galeal rolled his eyes at how gullible they were. Twilight really needed to hire more competent staff, clearly.

Quickly cracking the magic orb in his palm, Galeal rushed through the magic barrier and found his way into the archives. There were scrolls and tomes lining virtually every wall, and bookshelves packed together so tightly it wasn’t easy to navigate.

Checking his map, he could see where he was looking for was somewhere on the west side of the room. Wandering to the west side he found what appeared to be some kind of stone door. He checked around it to see if there was some way to open it, but it lacked a handle.

He peered around the room, noticing a book on a nearby shelf that looked far brighter than every other book on the shelf. It was eight spaces away from the wall, and vibrant purple on a row of books that were all dark black, in fact, the entire shelf was filled only with black books.

Approaching carefully, Galeal pulled the book from the shelf and heard a loud clicking noise followed by the door opening. He chuckled at how elaborate Twilight had been to hide this chamber. It was also fitting that the bookworm had hidden the mechanism within a bookshelf.

Wasting no time, the griffon made his way through the door which he noticed closed behind him after eighty seconds from when he opened it. The door must have been on some kind of timer.

When he entered the new room, he found himself standing in front of a large mirror. He reached forward and touched it only to find it rippled at the touch of his talon. He quickly retracted his claw but then stepped closer. Could this be how Eclipse escaped the castle?

Several Years Ago

Twilight had finally gotten back to work and had managed to look over a good eight pages of the paperwork in front of herself, only to once again be interrupted. The door to her office had opened once more and this time a guard had entered. He huffed and puffed as he tried to speak. “Princess… The…” He paused and tried to catch his breath.

“Breathe…” Twilight stated.

He nodded and took a few breaths before speaking again. “Princess, the griffon has broken into the royal archives!”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “I should have known he was going to do something like this… Has the area been secured?”

He nodded. “We’ve got the area closed off waiting for your arrival.”

Twilight removed her glasses and nodded as she stood up and walked around her desk. “Alright, let’s go then.”

The guard bowed respectfully before her and began to lead her down to the archives. As the two ventured down a stairwell, Twilight wondered why Galeal had broken her trust, he didn’t seem like he was the kind of creature who was interested in wealth or power. Would there really be anything in the archives that could help him find his friend, Eclipse?

Upon reaching the archives, Twilight nodded at the two guards as she entered by herself, as even guards were forbidden from entry. Upon her entrance, she saw that they must have contacted Starlight as well, as she was already on the scene.

Twilight smiled at her friend. “Guess they told you too?”

Starlight grinned at Twilight. “It’s been an interesting start to the day for me. First I get taken hostage by a homosexual griffon and now I’m looking through the royal archives for Luna knows what. We really do know how to have fun here at the castle, don’t we?”

Twilight laughed at her ability to ease the tension of a situation. “That we do, though I’m sure the little guy meant no harm. Doesn’t exactly strike me as the terrorist type…”

Starlight nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he barely would touch me with that knife… Seemed hesitant the entire time, I doubt he could hurt a fly. He really must miss his friend…”

A frown came to Twilight as she realized how right Starlight was. “Yeah, sounds like he really loves him…”

“What’re we gonna do when we catch him then?” Starlight questioned.

Twilight tapped her chin in thought. “I guess we can give him a warning, and tell him he’s forbidden from coming to the castle without an escort from now on. Depending on the severity of whatever it is he did in here…”

“Let’s look around then, can’t be that hard to find a griffon, right?” Starlight suggested.

“They would stand out around here for sure.” Twilight laughed.

The two mares split up and began to circle around the archives. Twilight’s meticulous nature and insistence on organizing the archives caused her to notice right away that nothing seemed to truly be disturbed. It didn’t seem like he was too interested in the information available there.

Twilight’s attention was quickly pulled to the other side of the archives though as she heard Starlight’s voice call her. “Hey Twilight, you might wanna see this…”

Running to the other side of the room, Twilight came to Starlight’s side. The unicorn was using a spell to find any kind of prints, and Twilight could see a claw print lit up on a particular book, she knew which one it was too.

Twilight pulled the book and sure enough, a secret chamber opened up revealing a familiar mirror.

Starlight and Twilight stood in silence for a brief moment before Starlight spoke what they both were clearly thinking. “Well, I guess that answers the question of how they both got out of here without being seen…”

“This can’t be good…” Twilight sighed.

Several Years Ago

Twilight was pacing back in forth in Starlight’s office as the two discussed what needed to be done about the mirror situation.

“This can’t keep happening, Starlight…” Twilight sighed.

Starlight tilted her head in confusion. “So a couple of lovers traveled to the other world to be together, I don’t see what harm it’ll do.”

Twilight shook her head and approached Starlight’s desk, placing both hooves atop it. “Starlight, that world has no magic, anomalies like Equestrians going there greatly upsets the balance of that world, it happened before when the sirens were sent there by Starswirl, granted he had no idea what he was doing, and it happened again when Sunset went though, and even me going through there has caused a lot of damage…”

“Wow, sounds like that place has a lot of bad luck…” Starlight attempted to lighten the mood.

“Starlight, I’m serious. A girl was murdered over there because of involvement from our world. I did everything I could to keep order and balance, but if we keep having incidents like this, it could lead to that world becoming aware of our own… And not in a good way…” Twilight explained.

Starlight frowned. “I guess I see your point… But what can we do? Do we send someone after them?”

Twilight shook her head. “Out of the question. We can’t just keep using the portal willy-nilly. I think we need to take somewhat drastic measures going forward…”

“Such as?” Starlight raised a brow.

Letting out a sigh, Twilight stepped away from the desk and rubbed her temple. She then ran her hoof through her short messy mane. “I think we need to put a serious magic lock on the portal, genetic lock even. Making it so the only way it’ll open is with a spell cast by me…”

“Seems reasonable…” Starlight paused, knowing that when it came to Twilight, there was definitely more coming.

“And… A strict one-way policy. We have to also think about our own world… Things that come from there can’t be coming back here either, while it saved our behinds in the past, we can’t just let our worlds interfere with each other… Not yet, neither of our worlds is ready for that yet…” Twilight sighed.

“So those two are…” Starlight was interrupted.

“Gone. No way back, from here on, anyone who goes there has to have my approval and it’s a one-way trip,” Twilight stated firmly.

“Those poor kids… They didn’t know what they were doing though…” Starlight attempted to reason with Twilight.

“It doesn’t matter, we have to think about the bigger picture, Starlight. I was careless to let him wander around here, but it won’t happen again…” Twilight said.

“Let’s hope he can find Eclipse then…” Starlight frowned.

Twilight sighed and nodded. “Yeah… Let’s hope his hunch was right…”

Several Years Ago

Serenade stood with a bra in her hands, examining it up and down. She turned her head trying to figure it out. The store saleswoman stood there awkwardly trying to look away from the girl who had at least managed to figure out how to put the pair of black panties on.

Turning the article upside down, she still couldn’t understand it. Finally, she spoke to the saleswoman. “What the hell is this thing? Why did you give it to me?”

The saleswoman’s face turned a shade of crimson. “That’s… A bra…”

“And its purpose?” Serenade asked.

The clerk blinked. “You’ve… Never seen one?”

Serenade shook her head. “No.”

Where did this woman come from? The saleswoman wondered. “It’s for you…” She paused as she made a gesture toward her own chest.

Serenade looked down at her own breasts. She had noticed that humans covered them up, but she wasn’t aware there was a specific article of clothing for such. The woman placed her hands on her breasts and felt the scar that was given to her by Sunset Shimmer.

“Why though?” Serenade asked.

The store clerk made an awkward face realizing she was about to explain how a bra works to a full-grown adult. “It’s for support, reducing back pain, that kind of thing?”

Serenade shrugged, not sure she understood but then looked at the bra once more.

“How does it work?” She asked.

Sighing, the saleswoman approached and took the bra from Serenade. She positioned it so she could slip it onto her and then fastened it. She then gently and carefully positioned Serenade toward the mirror.

Serenade placed a hand on her waist and turned sideways. She actually found herself enjoying the appearance of the matching black underwear, complementing the curves on her body. She could see the appeal to humans quite easily. Her form was quite feminine, very appropriate for a seductress such as herself.

“I like it, now, pass me the rest.” She gestured to the saleswoman.

Nodding, the saleswoman passed the clothing she had selected out for Serenade after considering her body. As much as she felt frightened by the strange blond woman, she somehow found herself able to conduct her job regardless.

Taking the pile from the saleswoman, Serenade identified a pair of stockings by their shape matching her legs. She knew that back in Equestria sometimes ponies wore socks, so it wasn’t too out of the ordinary for her.

She then took the large dress that had been prepared for her and slipped it over her head. The saleswoman assisted her in getting her arms through the sleeves and adjusted the dress for her. After the adjustments were made, Serenade noticed at the bottom of a pile was the eyepatch she had requested. She lifted her hair and placed it upon herself, letting her hair drop after.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she loved the look of the lacy black lolita dress. It had white and red trimmings, two bows at the waist, revealing a white part underneath. Thanks to the built-in corset, her form was still shown to onlookers who would want to see it.

The girl turned to see the other side and smiled at how it looked. Finally, she looked back at the saleswoman. “What do you think?”

The saleswoman gave a sheepish smile with a thumbs up. “Very sexy.”

“I think so too.” Serenade nodded.

“Put the boots on the finish the outfit and I’ll meet you at the counter?” The saleswoman suggested.

Serenade looked down at the black heeled boots. She nodded as she leaned down to put them on, standing up after. She looked in the mirror and smiled as she noticed the boots added an inch or two to her pygmy height.

Wandering out of the dressing room, the siren approached the counter where the saleswoman stood behind. The saleswoman cleared her throat. “I take it you want to pay with credit…?”

Serenade laughed and leaned in carefully. She placed a finger on the woman’s chin and seductively ran it along her jawline. “Sweetheart… I haven’t held onto money in a long time.”

“How will you be…” The saleswoman stopped realizing what a ridiculous question that was.

Serenade laughed as a black tendril came out of the sleeve of her dress. The tendril caressed the woman’s cheek as Serenade spoke. “You’re just going to look the other way, and if you or anyone in this store say anything to anyone…”

Serenade leaned in closer and whispered into the woman’s ear. “I’ll kill you all.”

Gulping the saleswoman nodded nervously. “Y-yes then… N-no charge…”

Serenade giggled as she leaned back and retracted the tendril. “Have a good one, and be thankful, it’s been a while since I’ve killed someone, the temptation is quite high…”

The saleswoman felt a cold sweat run down her neck as she watched the blond walk away. With the flick of her hand, the tendrils blocking the door retracted and seemed to vanish into thin air. Serenade stepped outside, now donning her new wardrobe, quite pleased with herself. She knew it was only a matter of time before Arax finally arrived.

Sure enough, the man she had threatened to drive her there was waiting patiently for her return. She grinned at what an obedient little servant he was being. If he weren’t such a pathetic weakling, she would have considered making him her slave.

Walking around to the passenger side of the car, Serenade opened the door and smiled as she sat down. “Well, you’ve been a good boy, haven’t you?” She grinned.

He nodded. “Yeah… Just what else do you want from me…?”

“Oooo, so eager to please, I could use more slaves like you, most of the ones I have are so unwilling to please…” She spoke in a seductive tone.

He felt sweat run down his neck as she made the suggestion. “W-where to?” He attempted to change the subject.

“Back to where you found me, and be quick about it.” Serenade gestured toward the road.

“Yes, ma’am…” He nodded as he started the engine.

Leaning back, Serenade looked at herself in the side mirror, admiring her own beauty. That saleswoman was right, she was sexy. She felt like she could make men do whatever she wanted with ease, no need for powers even. She touched her amulet upon her neck. With demon abilities at her disposal, she rarely had to use her siren talents, but it was nice to break them out once in a while. Deep down, she still got thrills from making men do her bidding and teasing them.

As the two drove. Serenade looked over at the human driving her. He wasn’t much to look at, but she studied him to learn all she could about humans.

Once she finished, she leaned back in her seat and grinned. She could get used to being driven around by car. It reminded her of a lot of chariots back in Equestria. The woman recalled being carried wherever she went and onlookers would bow down to her whenever she passed. In Equestria, she was once the supreme ruler, but in this human world, not a soul knew her name. She had to change that.

She had to focus though, her first goal had to remain taking care of Sunset Shimmer, and securing more power for herself, to prevent anyone from overthrowing her in the future. This time, she had to plan ahead. A direct confrontation with Sunset Shimmer at that moment would be suicide. Even if she defeated her, announcing her presence there would draw too much unwanted attention, though she did see the irony in such thought given her dramatic entrance to the clothing store.

Still, even if she killed Sunset Shimmer before executing her entire plan, she would face a myriad of problems. Princess Twilight could potentially come looking for her, and she couldn’t afford that yet. Once her power was restored, sure she could defeat the mare with no problem, but she needed more than that, she needed an ace in the hole, and that is exactly what she had come to find.

She knew a truth that Twilight had kept hidden, even from Sunset Shimmer. It was a truth she had kept hidden from all, but after reading her personal archive, Serenade knew the truth, and she intended to exploit that truth. There was a secret within the human world that Serenade knew she could use to her advantage, she just needed to find it first.

Once her plan was complete, Serenade knew she would be unstoppable this time. She just needed the right things in the right places, and she would hold the keys to victory.

Sunset Shimmer definitely needed to die, but Serenade knew she had to wait. She needed to put herself in an ideal position before she made her strike, otherwise, she ran the risk of being humiliated again.

Serenade cupped her breast, squeezing gently as she remembered the scar there. All her life, she was the symbol of beauty, the symbol of femininity, the symbol of desire, and now her perfection was ruined. It was as if someone had scratched the finest of sculptures. To make matters worse, she had actually convinced Kiz that sirens and mortals could co-exist. Sunset Shimmer had tarnished the legacy of sirens in one fell swoop.

How could Kiz forget how mortals had treated them? How they had sought to undo their kind? How they had slaughtered them when it was convenient for them? The oldest siren alive and yet she had been duped by mortals.

Serenade couldn’t allow it. When she returned she would not spare any mortal sympathizers. She would make them all pay for the damage done to her body.

Ordinarily she would have healed the wound fully, but the Siren’s Bane would not allow such a thing. A wound inflicted on a siren from it would leave a permanent scar. Truthfully, she was lucky to still be alive; any weaker siren would have died from a single hit, and yet Serenade had survived two.

Still, it was fortunate she was in the human world now. The Siren’s Bane drew its power from the sirens of the world; meaning it would be useless in the human world, that meant Sunset’s trump card wasn’t available here.

Serenade’s driver pulled up to the forest by the side of the road and cleared his throat as he stopped the car. It was exactly where the two of them had first met. Serenade smiled lightly as she turned to him. A black tendril came out of the sleeve of her dress that pointed at him. “I should kill you… But that would be a waste of my power which I can’t afford right now…”

He gulped and said nothing as his eyes fixated on the tendril.

“When I step out of this car, you are to drive away and forget everything you saw here today, understand?” She instructed.

He nodded. “Yes ma’am… I didn’t see anything.”

She grinned and retracted the tendril back into her sleeve. “Good. Now run along like a good boy before I change my mind…”

He nodded as she stepped out of the car, and immediately he took off as fast as he could go. Serenade chuckled lightly at how easy it was to manipulate humans.

Carefully she retraced her steps back into the forest, and sure enough, she arrived back at the spot she needed to be for Arax’s arrival. She held her head as she noticed her body was quite fatigued. She had used up so much of her power just getting to the human world, and now she had used a considerable chunk of the supply she had left on that display she had made back at the clothing store.

She focused on her hand and tried to conjure up a shadow ball, but all she could muster was an orb no bigger than a peanut. She cursed in annoyance as she tried again, but no luck. Her power was considerably drained, it would take some time to recharge it.

Could she rely on Arax to take care of things in her absence? He was her most trusted subordinate, but in her weakened state, she wasn’t so sure she could trust anyone. Sure she could kill him whenever she desired, but anyone who wished to usurp her rule could do so in such a weakened state. Arax would have to hide her loss of power from the others until she was strong again. She loathed the idea of relying on him but it was her only option now.

She tried to focus her power to make a shadow ball once more, but this time nothing but black ethereal smoke came from her fingertips.

“Fuck…” She cursed again.

The siren blinked as she noticed a black swirl of energy forming in front of her. It was time.

She forced herself to stand up straight, awaiting Arax’s arrival. She watched as a small portal opened and out of it stepped a medium height man. His hair was long and messy, and black as midnight. His missing eye had been stitched close a long time ago.

Serenade noted he had a lean build, similar to how he was in Equestria. On the eyes, he wasn’t much to look at, but she could see his one piercing red eye staring at her as his nude form stepped forward out of the portal. He lacked any and all grace as he practiced walking, stumbling for the first two steps.

He took a good eight paces toward her, as Serenade watched him carefully.

She felt her head start to spin slightly as he came within a good foot or so of her, but she tried to keep her composure.

Arax stood up straight in front of his master and his deep raspy voice echoed in her ears as he addressed her. “Sorry, I’m late. It’s not easy finding someone to babysit some of our… lesser minions if you know what I mean.”

“I think I know all too well…” Serenade nodded.

Arax nodded back at her. “So, what’s the next part of the plan now that we’re here?”

Serenade nodded and opened her mouth to speak, but instead, she collapsed onto the ground right in front of Arax.

Author's Note

Hey! It's been a while hasn't it? Sorry, it took me so long to return, but I have so much going on. German classes, work, etc. But it's good to be back.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXIV: Teach

Author's Note

WARNING

Ordinarily, these authors' notes are at the bottom, but I put this one at the top for a very important reason. The following chapter contains partial non-consensual or even "rape" depending on how it is interpreted. For those who do not wish to read such a thing, please skip to the first page break. Below is a summary of the first scene for those who do not wish to read it.

Serenade after her tremendous use of power to come to the human world is left in a state where she is unable to do much. She and Arax take refuge in an old cabin in the woods while Arax gives the commands to her subordinates that arrive shortly after his own arrival. None are aware of Serenade's weakened state.

The two hold up there for a few weeks while Serenade regains her power. In her restless state, she goes through a period of self-loathing for how weak she has become and Arax assures her she just needs some rest. Serenade reveals she has not needed to sleep for over two thousand years.

Serenade laments how she knows her minions would love a chance to off her and even suggests that Arax would love to see her dead. He says he couldn't care less, and she insists he only feels that way because he has no choice in the matter.

Arax approaches and pins Serenade to the wall telling her he doesn't care what happens to him at this point. In a strange power move to prove to Serenade that he doesn't care if he lives or dies, he tells her that she is the worst creature he's ever met, and yet he can see inside of her, that he knows there is something in there that he can't seem to despise completely. He knows she actually hates herself deep-down, and he can relate to that.

He says he can't bring himself not to care about her, and she demands he prove it. From there forward, he proceeds to engage in a sexual act with Serenade, where consent is somewhat vague. After he gives Serenade a bath where she reveals to him she has never cried before in her entire life, and he responds that he cried once when his mate died. She died in a fire trying to save mortals.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXIV: Teach

Chapter CXXIV: Teach

Serenade had never felt so humiliated in her life as she had in the past few weeks. Her, a mighty siren, a demon of legendary proportions, and at one point, ruler of Equestria; reduced to a pathetic weakling dependent on the assistance of her underling. She hated it, she couldn’t stand to be like this, more so to have someone actually see her in such a lowly state.

Her power had been drained significantly when she brought her disciples through the portal and then herself. Due to the failsafe on the mirror portal, pure demons normally could not even travel through it, but she burned through a tremendous amount of power to make it possible by opening a portal of her own. At this point, she was weaker than when she first became a demon centuries ago.

Fortunately for her, her demonic powers would be restored over time, and she would be able to absorb energy again once that happened, such was the nature of her abilities, but in the meantime, she was helpless, a worthless creature unworthy of life or even to be called an immortal.

Given that her body was too weak to perform most tasks, she spent most of her time in the past few weeks laying in a bed, barely lifting a finger as she lay there in misery. She didn't sleep, but she just stayed put, loathing herself for ever allowing herself to become this weak.

With a glass of water in his defined hand, Arax sat down in a nearby chair and sipped from the container as he watched her lay there, her face contorted to one of annoyance and anger, though a different softer kind of anger than what he usually expected from the girl.

Arax had been caring for her for weeks now. He had taken over this small cabin in the woods that appeared to be someone’s holiday home to bring his master back to proper health. He wasn’t tremendously concerned about the owners eventually coming back and finding them there because, in this human world, they all had the unfair advantage of magic. Humans were weak, they relied on guns, fists, and blades to cut down their foes. Magic gave them a distinct advantage over them, not to mention the element of surprise.

Unlike Equestrians, humans focused on technology, and without the existence of magic for most of them, they seldom expected anything out of the ordinary. It was why Serenade was able to overpower a good dozen or so humans with only a fraction of her power. She’d be lying to herself, however, if she said she could take on a large group of them in her weakened state. While her demonic tendrils would rise to protect her, they could only do so much without the power to fuel them, and if a horde of humans were to come at her, she likely wouldn’t be able to do too much about them until she returned to full power.

While she regained her power, she lay in a bed, lazed about the cabin, and found it difficult to perform basic tasks during her first days. Now with enough time passed, she was starting to be able to walk around again and even stay upright for a few hours at a time. She could feel her power slowly returning, but she was impatient, restless, and annoyed. Serenade wanted to check up on her minions to see how well they had fared with the tasks she had sent them to do, but Arax forbid it. He had forcibly kept her there against her will and it pissed her off to no end that her underling was even in a position where he had the power to force her to do anything. Ordinarily, she would have killed him for his insubordination, but she wasn’t in a position to do so, without Arax she would be in an even greater bind, and she knew that Arax was merely trying to preserve her.

Serenade turned away from Arax as she remained motionless on the bed, her eyes narrowed as she allowed her discontent with the entire situation to boil over in her mind.

“You know, you can go fuck off somewhere?” Serenade reminded.

Arax took another sip from his glass and scratched his head. His long silky black hair was a mess but in an oddly fitting way. It was a look that suited him. A single red eye watched Serenade while the other remained covered with a black eyepatch that matched her own.

She could feel him watching her, and just knowing his eye was on her annoyed her more. “I said you can piss off.”

“I heard you,” Arax replied with a sip. He leaned forward and placed his hand on his knee and set the glass on a nearby table before resting his other hand on his other knee. His black strapped pants crinkled lightly as they sat loosely around his short legs. For a male, he wasn’t that tall by human standards, but still stood a good head or so higher than Serenade who was about five foot even.

“Then why are you still here bothering me?” Serenade inquired.

“Why don’t you get some rest?” Arax changed the subject.

Serenade turned over and faced him with a serious glare. “I haven’t slept in almost two millennia and I don’t intend to start now. I’ve surpassed the need for such pointless things, I just need to get my fucking power back.”

“Patience,” Arax reminded.

“I AM DONE FUCKING WAITING!” Serenade sat up weakly and growled.

Arax didn’t seem intimidated by her reaction, and instead just sat there calmly. “You lost a lot of power just getting here, it’ll take time for it to regenerate. After you’re strong enough, we’ll go out and-“

She cut him off. “I AM SICK OF WAITING HERE!”

Maybe it was her lack of ability to reprimand him that had made him so bold, or perhaps it was just the fact that he had heard enough of her over the years that Arax was uncaring toward her attitude and submitted to taking the risk and telling her what was on his mind.

“Knock it off, you’re not going to get anywhere by pushing yourself too hard.” Arax grunted.

Serenade squinted. “I’m not getting anywhere just laying here either!”

“You need to relax.” Arax rolled his eyes.

“How can I relax when I am so... so...” She looked away shamefully. “Useless...”

“You’re not useless,” Arax stated, hoping she would recall that she had an entourage of minions who would do whatever she said without question, even lay down and die at her command without so much as a reason.

“Yes, I fucking am!” She looked at the floor with a dejected expression. “I had Equestria right in my grasp, and I was beaten by that stupid fucking cocksucker, Glitch. And now all I can fucking do is laze about here...”

“It’s not that bad,” Arax attempted to coax her, knowing he was likely fighting a losing battle.

“It is that bad, I may as well roll over and fucking die. Nothing is worse than being this weak” Serenade grumbled.

“I’ve never seen you so overly dramatic...” Arax blinked.

Serenade’s thoughts turned to her other subordinates. Every single one of them brought her more negative thoughts the longer she thought about it. “All of my minions probably wouldn’t care less if I died anyway...”

It was odd to see this side of Serenade for Arax. He had known her for years, and despite him knowing there were parts to her that she kept hidden, he never imagined he would see the side of self-loathing that he knew to exist underneath her tough exterior.

“Well that’s to be expected, it’s strictly a business contract you have with all of them, after all. You said yourself that it’s not as if you’re trying to make friends with them,” Arax reminded.

“Oh fuck no! I could give less than half of a shit about all of those worms, but I know each of those backstabbing pieces of shit would love an opportunity to be in charge by offing me...” Serenade explained.

“Whatever, it’s not like that is even going to happen.” Arax shrugged.

“I bet even you’d like me dead so you can be off the hook.” Serenade growled.

“Not really.” He shrugged.

“You’re only saying that because you have no choice.” Serenade barked back.

Arax rose from his seat, standing tall he approached. Serenade found herself instinctively standing herself. He came only inches from her and locked his single eye with her exposed one. His gaze was serious and powerful, even with just one eye. She knew what was under his eye patch, unlike her’s his socket was empty on that side. She had stitched it shut and he kept it covered to prevent awkward looks in his direction. Discretion was of course beneficial to their cause.

Serenade stepped away from the bed and backed up a bit as he came closer, before she knew it, her back was to a wall.

He reached forward and gripped her tiny wrist in his hand and squeezed. She grunted and hissed at him. “GET YOUR FILTHY FUCKING HANDS OFF OF ME, BUG!”

“You make the mistake of assuming that I give a shit what happens to me at this point,” Arax replied.

Serenade blinked and her expression turned to one of surprise. “What?”

“I’ve long since given up on caring about my ultimate fate. If I die tomorrow, it won’t make a difference to me. So if you assume that my loyalty comes from the fear that you’ll kill me, then you’re mistaken...” Arax spoke, his deep voice ringing in Serenade’s ear.

“Y-you liar. Your bullshit reverse psychology doesn’t work on me!” Serenade tried to free her wrist but to no avail. Without her power at full, even that of a lesser impure demon was enough to overpower her. She hated it.

Arax squeezed tighter and narrowed his gaze. “No tricks here. I’m serious. I could kill you now and let you kill me in the process and it wouldn’t make a difference to me. I could care less about your worthless promises now, after all I’ve been through.”

She had a sinking feeling that his words had something to do with that student of Twilight’s, Starlight Glimmer, his personal slave for a good three years as per his request. She had gotten into his head, and Serenade knew it. Starlight was relentless in trying to break him away from her, but in the end, he chose his master over her; though it was clear there were some lasting effects.

“What’re you saying?” Serenade asked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.

He smirked and kept his grip on her as he spoke. “You’re probably the worst creature I’ve ever met. You’re selfish, angry, and have nothing to offer others but pain. Everything you do is to serve yourself...”

Serenade kept quiet as he lectured her, unable to do anything to make him stop.

“I’ve known for a long time that you’re the embodiment of garbage and you have no soul. Everything inside of you is ugly, perhaps the most hideous of anything to ever live...” Arax continued.

“If I’m so horrible, and you don’t care if I kill you, then why the fuck are you still here? What are you hoping to accomplish by serving me?” Serenade asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I know you’re horrible, I know you’re absolute trash, and yet... I can see past that. I can see inside of you...”

“Don’t you dare analyze me!” Serenade grunted.

“Or you’ll do what? Kill me?” He grinned, clearly confident that she could do nothing in her current state.

She just scowled at him as he continued.

“In actuality, you’re full of self-loathing. You know what kind of garbage you are. You know that you’re worthless without your power to make others do as you want. Maybe I feel bad for you? Maybe I just see that you were made this way from centuries of pain that you don’t want to admit to...” He suggested.

“Fuck you...” Serenade muttered.

“Yet, I care about what happens to you. Maybe I’ve lost my mind.” He chuckled.

“You can’t butter me up so easily.” Serenade shook her head, not buying his act.

“It’s the truth.” Arax smiled deviously.

“Prove it then.”

Without wasting a second, he pushed the girl back to the wall and pinned her wrist above her head. She yelped and looked up with a vicious growl, her teeth bared as she watched him. His other hand slammed the wall next to her head as he held her there. His gaze stayed locked on hers as he held her.

A single demonic tendril exited Serenade’s back and pointed at him like a fierce dagger ready to strike.

He was unfazed, instead, he leaned in and touched his forehead to her’s, his expression neutral, his eyes keeping her in his vision as he took a step closer. “W-what’re you doing?” She said.

Standing so short, she could really see the height difference between them as she was this close to her subordinate, though at that moment he certainly was not behaving very much like a subordinate.

“Proving it,” he replied as he took his hand that wasn’t being used to hold her wrist and ran it across her cheek.

“Don’t touch me...” Serenade nearly whispered.

“Try and stop me.” He challenged.

Another tendril came out and pointed at him before he leaned in, closing the distance between the two, and planted a kiss upon her soft lips. Serenade’s eye remained open as she resisted, she tried to shove him off with her free hand, but his strength was too much for her in her weakened form.

She struggled to break free, grunting and trying to move to escape the kiss before something strange happened to her. She could sense a tingling feeling on her lips, something that felt like enjoyment almost. Closing her eye, she allowed herself to be kissed and her arm to fall to her side while Arax caressed her cheek with his thumb while they deepened the kiss.

His mouth opened slightly, his tongue snaking its way into her mouth. She let it happen, powerless to do anything else. Their appendages danced together momentarily, Serenade could feel his fangs on her lip, it was oddly invigorating. The excitement was something she had never experienced before. What she was allowing to happen was forbidden, it was heresy for a siren to partake in, and yet, she didn’t care.

A soft moan escaped her as she felt Arax’s hand slide down her cheek and rested on her neck. He broke from the kiss and bore his fangs before leaning in and tilting her head so he could expose her neck. The long-haired male moved the chain holding her amulet on her aside and bit down into her neck, black blood dripping out of the fresh punctures. She gasped but didn’t resist, her free hand wrapped around his head, and gripped his hair tightly.

He suckled aggressively, not caring how much of her blood dripped out, knowing that even in a state like this, the wound would heal quickly. She let out a few gentle moans as she viciously played with his hair.

What seemed like forever in bliss for her ended as he released her and stood up again, releasing her wrist.

She stared at him with a serious expression before she reached up and felt her neck where the wound was made. Sure enough, the bleeding had stopped almost instantly, but she could feel the mark left behind.

Hands reached for the frilled lacing of her dress, the white lacy top that showed off her moderate cleavage which was held up by laces in the back that were tied into a bow. He gripped the bow in the back and with a simple tug, he undid the bow and loosened her top.

She reached forward and grabbed his hand trying to stop him, but he just looked at her. Their eyes locked for a solid eight seconds before she released his hand.

After her dress was loosened, he undid the straps on her forearms and slipped it off of her, letting it fall to the floor while he stared at her in her tight leggings and heeled short boots. Her top half was completely exposed and while he had seen her for a brief few moments when they first arrived, he had never really looked at her until now.

Her long wild hair draped over her front side, but he reached forward and brushed it behind her to expose her chest to him. He still wasn’t entirely familiar with human biology, but the biological changes that had occurred to all of them when they came to the human world in the first place were definitely kicking in, as he found himself aroused just looking at her.

His eyes and his hands turned to a jagged scar that went from her left armpit down to her breast, stopping a good few inches from where her nipple was. He looked up at her eyes, seeing her turn away in shame. “A mark left by that bastard, Glitch... I don’t know where he got the Siren’s Bane, but there is no way to heal from the wounds it creates...” She explained.

He nodded and placed his large hand over the scar, cupping her breast in his hand. He squeezed with a bit of force, perhaps more than he should have, but after she yelped, she cooed in delight as he fondled it, pulling her close to his body as he did so, locking eyes with her. “It doesn’t make a difference to me,” he spoke in a hushed tone.

She gasped as he gripped her black and white striped leggings, but he gave her a grunt, which made her cease resistance as he pulled them down along with the lacy panties she had liberated from the clothing store in town a few weeks back. She stepped out of her boots voluntarily and let him slip the remaining clothing from her body. Completely naked and exposed she just stared at him for a few seconds, wondering what he would do.

Arax grinned as he gripped the girl’s waist and lifted her off the ground, slamming her against the wall, with great force. She grunted in anger, but he held her there, his muscles twitching as his strength kept her there. He could sense the sweat running down her neck, the nervousness she was going through, a feeling she likely wasn’t that familiar with.

He held her in place as he unzipped himself and unleashed his girth, only inches from her entrance. The threat of his intentions had finally hit her, and both of the demonic tendrils from before came back out and pointed at either side of his head, ready to pierce it should he dare challenge her. Serenade’s eyes were serious, but somehow also filled with fear, something he had never seen in them before.

No words were spoken. Her expression challenged him, suggesting if he tested her, she would kill him there and then. She knew that such a thing was forbidden, that she couldn’t allow this to go any further or she’d be past the point of no return. If he attempted to go further, she would have to kill him.

He eyed her tendril for a brief second before looking back at her with a grunt. Rising to her challenge, he thrusted forward and thrusted himself into her dry, as if to say “go ahead” to her tendrils. She gasped and yelped as she felt his girth expand inside of her, stretching her inner walls. “Fuck!” She yelled.

With a grin, he began to slide back and forth, and after a few seconds, he found himself feeling quite smug as he could feel her body resist less and less, as her vaginal opening began to gain moisture, making each thrust easier, though she was still insanely tight, which was to be expected for a virgin.

“Stop it!” Serenade demanded her tendrils an inch from his temples. “Stop it, now!”

“Go ahead, kill me if you want me to stop...” Arax challenged as he kept thrusting.

Eventually, she began to release moans as he went in and out of her, the tendrils retracting and going back inside of her. What was happening? Was she enjoying it? It wasn’t possible, was it? That’s what she wanted to believe, but each thrust filled her with pleasure, she eventually wrapped her arms around him and dug her nails into his back as he had his way with her. She moaned and screamed in delight as his length penetrated her, forcing her to be pounded against the wall again and again.

“FUCK FUCK FUCK!” She hissed in pure bliss. “That feels... Amazing...” She cooed as he continued.

His mouth opened as he leaned in and planted a kiss upon her lip, which she raised her arms to wrap around his neck as he kissed and fucked her. She wanted more, it was wrong, but she didn’t care at that moment. She had never felt anything so pleasuring in her entire life. It had reminded her of the rush she got from her first-ever kill, but different, this feeling, it was beyond that, something she couldn’t describe, ethereal even.

When their lips parted a small trail of saliva kept the two connected as she moaned while he thrusted into her, keeping his gaze on her eyes as her mouth hung upon while she moaned. “Shit! That... feels... so g-good!”

Serenade’s toes curled as she could feel her inner walls convulse around him, a feeling she had never felt as her body reached a breaking point and she felt a sudden rush of pleasure shoot through her entirety. “FUUUUUUUUUCK!” She screamed at maximum volume as she orgasmed, dripping down his length. Droplets of her excrement dripped onto the floor as he kept pushing into her.

He was far from done, but the high of her orgasm was only making it faster for her to build toward another one. Her nails dug into him as he had his way with her, lust had taken over her mind, and she allowed herself to be controlled, to be dominated, to be used, it didn’t matter at that moment.

Serenade knew little of sex beyond what she had heard from mortals, so she couldn’t gauge whether or not his stamina would be considered excessive or not, but she was thankful for some reason that it wasn’t ending quickly. Shifting, he allowed her legs to touch the floor and turned her around, pressing her front side to the wall while he gripped her rear. Serenade placed her hands on the wall while he thrusted upward back into her from behind this time. A yelp escaped her at first, but she relaxed herself back into it, closing her eyes and allowing herself to enjoy it.

“FUCK, HOW MUCH ENERGY DO YOU HAVE!?” Serenade managed to shout between moans.

Arax didn’t even answer, between grunts and huffing, he was focused entirely on satisfying himself, his hands unconsciously squeezing his prey’s supple cheeks as he slid in and out of her, the moisture of her recent orgasm making it a much easier endeavor, though still far from loose.

“Shit... You’re fucking tight...” He commented as he leaned forward and bit down into her neck.

“No shit...” Serenade panted, feeling her body well up for another orgasm which came quickly, causing her to shout once more as she felt her legs lower and her hands slide down the wall as she tried to stay upright.

Sensing that her legs were about to give out, Arax pulled her away from the wall and threw her back toward the bed she had left. The girl fell onto her stomach with a thud and a minor bounce on the spring mattress before he quickly took position over her, flipping her over to face him. His eye focused on her as he tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Without warning, he split her leg apart and forced himself back inside of her.

She screeched in ecstasy and reached up to grip his backside, her short arms were barely able to wrap all the way around him as he growled and hissed going in and out of her. The siren could sense the delight in him, he was enjoying himself, he was enjoying using her for his pleasure, he was enjoying having this kind of power over her, a feeling he likely had never felt when it came to her, but she allowed it.

His energy didn’t seem to end, he would go in and out of her, increasing in intensity for several minutes, unrelenting as he could feel her reach multiple orgasms again and again.

Serenade was going crazy, she had never felt an orgasm before, let alone five in a row, and with no sign of stopping. Arax clearly was too pent up for a virgin like her to handle, as much as she hated to admit it. It was hard to say if he had had sex prior, while she never considered it before, at that moment she wondered if he had made that slave of his, Starlight quiver like she was at that moment.

“H-how much longer are you g-going to fucking go!?” Serenade managed to get out.

It felt like forever, not that she was complaining, but she was genuinely curious how much longer this boy could last and it definitely made her vocalize her questions about his status with Starlight. “Fuck! Did you do this with that slave of yours!?” Serenade asked between pants and moans.

Arax rolled his eyes before pinning Serenade’s hands down and going at her hard, gripping her wrists, he grunted and growled. She was annoyed that he wouldn’t answer her, but at the same time, she was distracted by his actions. The demon siren was so used to being in control, to having power over others, to being the one who commanded that there was a strange pleasure in being controlled for a change. The vulnerability was not something she had experienced for millenniums.

It wouldn’t take much longer for Serenade to reach yet another orgasm as she twitched and convulsed, screaming louder than she had before. Arax could tell that the girl was likely reaching her limit, and likely wouldn’t be able to take much more. Being merciful, he decided it was time to focus on himself. Getting his rhythm just right, he moved with haste and purpose, growling as he did.

Feeling himself get close to his breaking point, he pulled himself out of her at the last moment and spilled his seed across her stomach, hissing in delight as he did so. He panted lightly and smirked as he saw the girl’s chest rise and fall. She could barely breathe as she looked up at him with an open mouth trying to take in air. Their eyes locked as she took a few seconds to come back down to earth. The high of her afterglow still strongly influencing her thoughts, she just stared at him in silence.

For eight long minutes it stayed like that, neither of them speaking, just panting and staring until finally, Arax broke the silence. “I told you, I’m not going anywhere.”

Serenade grew her usual scowl and swatted at him, but her arms were too weak to do any real damage. “What the fuck have you done?”

He raised a brow. “Made you quiver apparently.”

“Fuck you! Sirens aren’t supposed to...” She bit her lip and looked away with a blush. “Do these kinds of things... Bad shit can happen if we do.”

“Can’t get much worse than it’s already been for the both of us, right?” He asked.

He had a point there. Losing her power, being beaten by Glitch, her body getting scarred permanently, losing her eye and being thrown in a prison cell for four years was all humiliating and debilitating as it was. She had survived and endured all of that, what could possibly be worse? The more that she thought about it, the more she realized there was little that the siren’s curse could do to lower her quality of life at this point.

“I... I didn’t want to do that though...” Serenade responded quietly.

“What’s done is done.” Arax chuckled, making light of the situation.

Looking down, she grumbled. “You got your nasty fucking shit all over me...”

“Deal with it,” he responded.

She blushed and looked away once more. “What now?”

“What do you mean?” Arax asked.

“You don’t want to cuddle or some stupid shit like that?” Serenade grunted.

“With you? Fuck no.” He smirked.

She smirked back and nodded. “Thank the gods for that. I thought you were going to get all fucking weird on me.”

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Arax yawned as he came to a stand and zipped himself back up. Reaching forward, he grabbed her hand and helped her up. She quivered and shook as her legs almost gave out. He caught her and assisted her to the bathroom. “I think a bath is in order for you...”

She blushed and spoke quietly. “Thank you... Arax...”

“What for?” He raised a brow as the two approached the bathroom.

“I don’t like to admit it, but I sort of needed the motivation right now. I’m not used to being weak and powerless, it’s a feeling I’ve spent my whole life avoiding...” She admitted.

“You’ve never cried before, right?” He asked as he got her into the bathroom. Turning the tub on, he sat her down on the toilet.

She shook her head. “No... Never. I don’t intend on starting anytime soon either.”

“What about you?” She asked.

“Once.” He shrugged.

She smirked, amused to think that something could actually make someone as macho and commanding as Arax cry, something she wasn’t even able to do. “Big strong bug boy crying? What got to you?”

Arax adjusted the water and splashed some soap in as he spoke, not facing her. “My mate died.”

She blinked and tilted her head. “I didn’t know you had one.”

“You never asked, and you didn’t seem that particularly interested in my problems either.” He shrugged.

“What happened to her?” She raised a brow.

“Same thing that happened to you and your sister: mortals.”

“What’d they do?” Serenade asked.

He bit his lip, not enjoying the memories that came with the thoughts of his old mate. “After I was exiled, she came with me. At one point she went to save some kids trapped in a fire...”

“Mortals tend to burn everything they touch,” Serenade commented.

He nodded in agreement. “She got them out, but she died in the process. The ponies... They didn’t even bother going in to retrieve her body, to them she was just a bug that got roasted. They couldn’t care less...”

Serenade’s expression turned more serene as she took in his words. He looked over with serious eyes and lifted her up, assisting her into the tub. Her long golden locks dipped into the water and rested around her. The warm water was soothing and relaxing after so much activity. She counted eight orgasms total.

“When I was a child...” She began.

He blinked and looked over at her as he sat next to the tub. “Hm?”

“My mother... They burned her alive. They said she was a monster, that she had manipulated my father into loving her, that they needed to burn her to free him from her snare...” Serenade closed her eyes remembering it like it was yesterday. The image was clear in her mind, she could see the fire rising, the flames glowing as flesh began to ignite. Her mother though, she was strong, strong enough to not give them the satisfaction to even beg them to stop. She allowed herself to be destroyed.

She didn’t even cry then, she held it in. She wanted to be strong like her mother was. What she had become though, what she was now was a creature that was nothing like her mother. She was a demon, but maybe that was okay. Her mother was naive, foolish even to believe that mortals could be trusted when you didn’t have some kind of squeeze over them. With all of her subordinates, she had power over them, a way to control them should they step out of line and that was how she liked it. No one could get the jump on her.

“You’ve held it in all this time...” Arax spoke, his words sounding more like a question though.

She nodded. “I promised I would never let mortals get the better of me... I’ll never cry because of mortals, I’ll never give them the satisfaction of seeing me like that...”

Arax reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder. Serenade turned and looked at him with intrigue. “Maybe we’re more alike than either of us want to admit...”

“So you’re saying you’re garbage too?” She grinned at the chance to return his earlier snark to him.

He nodded. “Definitely, but trash has to stick together, right?”

She chuckled. “That’s true, I suppose. We’ve come this far, we may as well keep going.”

“We’re in it until the end,” he agreed.

“So... Out of curiosity... Did you ever get it on with that Starlight girl?” Serenade changed the subject.

He laughed and rolled his eyes. “That’s my secret.”

“You can’t even tell me after all of that?” She complained.

“Some things are better left a mystery, right?”

“Do you ever cease to be aggravating?” She grumbled.

“Right back at ya.” He winked.

At that moment while she looked at him, his messy dark hair draping over part of his face, his single eye watching her while his other was covered by that white medical eyepatch, she could swear he looked... Handsome? It may have just been the afterglow though.

A Long Time Ago

A young Serenade had made her way all the way to the harsh sands of Dragon Scar. She had wanted a change from Equestria, and was hoping to learn much in the way of combat and fighting from the dragon kind, who were said to be excellent combatants. While they were still mortals, they were more tolerable than ponies, albeit generally more stupid.

She had heard only stories spoken in whisper of ponies who had grown strong enough to slay dragons, she was hoping to add her name to the list of creatures who were capable of such a feat at some point.

Unfortunately for the young siren, most dragons weren’t interested in conversing with anything that wasn’t a dragon, even a siren.

Getting to Dragon Scar back then was far easier than it would eventually become, but it was still a harsh place where the law was limited. Most dragons there didn’t listen to anything spoken in the Dragon Lands, and didn’t even recognize the dragon lord. They were unique breeds, far more vicious, more violent, and more self-interested.

It was a land of lawlessness, low-quality alcohol, and tests of brutish strength.

One such test presented itself to the young siren during a cold evening when she was simply trekking her way to the nearest town to find an inn to sleep in. She hadn’t fed in days, and she was starting to feel the effects of it. She needed to either find food or energy that she could devour or she was going to collapse.

It was almost as if the gods were playing tricks on her, as in her weakened and dazed state, she found herself threatened by two smaller (by dragon standards) dragons. A red one with more points on his body than Serenade could count chuckled as he eyed her up and down, his gold eyes shining as he looked her over. “Not bad, you look absolutely delicious.”

Whether or not his statement was intended to speak his intentions toward his hunger or of a more perverse nature was difficult to tell, but Serenade decided it was wiser to assume the first and he was under the impression that she was on the menu.

“And you look like a fucking moron,” Serenade replied, her voice not even quivering. While she had little experience in dealing with dragons, she was far from afraid of them and given their size, these two were adolescents, so likely not as strong as a full-sized dragon.

“Watch yourself, meat creature.” The other hissed at her. He was a pale green and had what Serenade could only describe as a “lumpy” texture to his skin, along with a chubby physique. She imagined he was even unattractive by dragon standards.

She had heard the term “meat creature” a few times in Dragon Scar. She had come to understand it was a racist term to refer to ponies as. The origins were fairly evident.

“Could you both kindly piss off?” Serenade asked.

“I like ‘em feisty... Gives me a reason to play before I sink my teeth in...” The red one spoke.

“I would criticize, but I too enjoy playing with my food, the only difference is you two are about to go hungry.” Serenade smirked.

Their conversation was soon interrupted by a raspy feminine voice that called in their direction. “Leave her alone.”

The entire group turned to see a pink dragon standing with her claws gripping a blade sheathed on her back. It looked like some kind of katana, but the hilt was well decorated, a single emerald reflected the light as she tightened her grip upon it. Bladed weapons were common among dragons of Dragon Scar. Before a dragon reached full size they needed to learn to defend themselves and the life of a dragon in such a hellish place was difficult. From birth, they were trained to fight, trained to kill or be killed.

This dragon’s orange eyes narrowed as she gripped the sword. She stood about a head or so taller than Serenade, so no doubt she was young. Her wings extended to an impressive wingspan as she bore her fangs.

“Why don’t you stay out of it?” The green one hissed back.

Taking a step forward, they both blinked as they noticed her neck, a thick corded necklace baring a tooth dangled from it. “Yo, she’s a TorXel.”

“That’s right, now which of you wants to die first?” She smirked.

Serenade hadn’t a clue what was going down, but she imagined it was juicy if you were a dragon that was privy to what was happening.

The green lumpy-looking one drew his claw ready to fight, but the red one placed a claw on his shoulder. “Don’t man, I told you, she’s a TorXel...”

The young pink dragon removed her blade from the sheath, demonstrating its black blade with the silver edge by twirling it skillfully in her right claw before holding it at her side, ready to attack the moment it was necessary. “Backing down like a couple of pussies now?”

“What’d you say!?” The green one hissed, but his red friend gripped his shoulder tighter and shook his head.

“Don’t listen to her, man, she’s trying to goad you in, it’s not worth it,” he told his friend.

The pink dragon chuckled and spoke in a language that was foreign to Serenade, she assumed it was Draconian, as it was a common language among older dragons in Dragon Scar. She couldn’t make out most of the words except the last one which she made sure to state with extra clarity compared to the rest. “Drugun.”

That word seemed to piss the two off more as now even the more rational of the two drew his claws. “THE FUCK YOU JUST SAY!?”

She nodded her head lightly. “You heard what I said.”

“Alright, fuck this bitch. She can’t take us both!” The red one hissed.

Without warning, they both charged her, claws drawn to slash at her, but her right claw was far faster. Serenade barely saw her move as she sliced her sword. The red dragon blinked and looked at his claw. All of his talons had been sliced clean off. He wasn’t injured, but he was definitely shocked. The pink dragon stood still as the green one charged her.

The moment he came inches from her though, she knelt down and jabbed him with the hilt of her blade in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. When he kneeled in pain, she jumped and kicked him in the face, sending him onto his back. She didn’t waste the opportunity, as she stepped atop his chest and pointed her blade downward at his groin. “You probably weren’t expecting to lose your balls today, were you?” She asked.

He panicked and shook his head. “P-please! We didn’t mean nothing by it! We’ll leave the meat creature alone! Swear it!”

She removed her sword and put it away before stepping off of him. “Both of you have eight seconds to get out of my sight, or you’ll be leaving this place much lighter than when you arrived.”

The green dragon nodded in understanding as he shambled to his feet. He and his red friend bolted out of sight at lightning speeds. Serenade just watched in amusement. She admitted, she was somewhat impressed by the pink drake’s skill with a blade and her ability to intimidate.

After the two dragons had left, she turned to Serenade and approached carefully before smirking as she offered a claw. “Don’t see too many of your kind out here.”

Serenade just stared at the claw before looking up at the dragon. “I’m not from around here,” Serenade replied.

She kept the extended claw out, determined to get her to accept the gesture. “It ain’t safe to wander around unprotected out here, don’t you know?”

“What was that word you called them?” Serenade changed the subject.

The pink dragon chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Drugun, you mean?”

Serenade nodded.

“It’s a play on the word Draken which means dragon. It’s more or less the equivalent of calling someone a half-breed. Huge insult in Draconian,” she explained.

“I see.” Serenade nodded in understanding. Hurting a foe’s pride was often the key to getting them to get sloppy.

“Now are you going to shake my fucking claw or what? You’re leaving me hanging here.” The girl chuckled.

Looking back at the claw, Serenade reached forward and placed her hoof in it, which the pink dragon squeezed tightly and shook. She had an impressive grip for such a young thing.

“My name is Cinder, Cinder Razorclaw.” She smiled, her fangs on full display as she did.

Serenade studied her face as she replied, “Serenade. Serenade Dazzle.”

“That’s a cute name, don’t see many ponies out here, what brings you to Dragon Scar?” Cinder asked as she released Serenade’s hoof.

Serenade didn’t feel the need to correct her as she shrugged. “I’m looking for training, I want to get stronger.”

Cinder placed her claws upon her waist and smirked, tilting her head to form a confident look about her. “You’re in luck then, you just so happened to have stumbled across probably the most competent dragon to train you in all of Dragon Scar.”

“No offense, but you don’t look that impressive to me.” Serenade raised a brow, doubting the validity of her claims.

Cinder rolled her eyes and laughed before placing a claw upon her necklace. “Proof is right here. I’m a TorXel, like those idiots said.”

“I have no idea what that means,” Serenade responded plainly.

“It means I’m part of one of the oldest and most skilled dragon clans in the country. Most of our bloodline is gone, but our secrets and techniques have been passed down through the clan. Our family is the last of our kind,” Cinder explained.

It didn’t make much sense to Serenade, but all she took away from the conversation was what she needed to: this girl was strong.

“How many of your kind are there left?” Serenade asked.

“Four, including myself. My parents and my brother are the other three, but regardless, the TorXel name is still feared and respected out here. So, you’re looking for a trainer then?” Cinder grinned.

Serenade nodded. “Are you offering?”

Cinder winked. “You get right to the point don’t you?”

“Yes.”

She let out a prominent laugh before reaching forward and patting the mare on the shoulder. “You’re not much of a talker are you?”

“No.”

“Fair enough, and it’d be an honor to train you.” Cinder bowed.

“Just like that?” Serenade raised a suspicious brow at the offer.

“The way I see it, you had the guts to even come this far, so you must be serious about getting stronger.” Cinder nodded.

“Where do we begin then?” Serenade asked.

Cinder grinned and patted the pony again before gesturing to follow her. “Come on little one, I’ll show you everything I know...”

A Long Time Ago

Months of training with Cinder had proven effective for Serenade. She was a fast learner and was able to pick up on techniques quickly. Her grasp on magic made maneuvers simple, and Cinder’s brutal teaching style that held nothing back had pushed her to truly test herself. There was nothing more thrilling than that moment when Cinder gave her all she had, and the two would clash, their spirits challenging each other.

One of the few times where Serenade felt she was truly alive was during the thrill of a fight, the glory of those moments leading to the kill, a feeling she was certain that Cinder could enjoy as well.

Over time, Serenade was to learn the TorXel along with her combat training, as per the tradition of their clan. Most of it was stuff that she wasn’t terribly familiar with, but they focused heavily on honor and bravery. Unlike a lot of the other clans in Dragon Scar, the TorXel clan were far from murdering psychopaths, and instead, they only killed for specific reasons. They believed in preserving displays of power for when it was called for and that flaunting one’s power was a sign of weakness.

After a particularly long eight straight hours of training, Cinder lowered her blade, not even showing a single sign of tiring out as Serenade panted. She was exhausted, she had never been pushed so far in her life. At a little over a hundred years old, she had a good century over the seventeen-year-old dragon, yet Cinder fought with such valor that she could best even a siren.

With her blade still in her claw, she chuckled and cracked her neck. “I think a break might be a good idea.”

“One more go...” Serenade panted, taking a battle stance.

Cinder shook her head and put her sword away. Approaching Serenade, she tapped the mare’s nose. “A true warrior knows when they’re at their limit. If you push yourself too hard, you’ll incapacitate yourself, and then how will you train to get stronger?”

“Just one more...” Serenade spoke again.

“The answer is no, hatchling. It took me eight years to master these arts, you need to pace yourself. You’re a fast learner, but that won’t mean anything if you kill yourself in the process.” Cinder giggled before gesturing for the mare to follow her.

“It’ll take more than that to kill me...” Serenade responded.

“Maybe so, but we’re not risking it, now come on.” She gestured again, this time with her talon.

Sighing, Serenade nodded and followed as the two sat down on a set of rocks that they had fashioned into a pair of benches across from each other. Cinder blew gently and flames ignited from an old campfire that they had made the night before. Her fire breathing was quite skillful and made Serenade contemplate the usefulness of such a talent.

“Alright, hatchling, let’s review.” Cinder narrowed her eyes as she leaned forward.

Serenade hated tests.

“This is stupid...” Serenade looked away.

“No it isn’t, it’s important. Once you understand the ways of the TorXel, you will be stronger than you ever imagined,” Cinder raised a talon as she reminded her of something that she had repeated many times. While Serenade was an excellent combatant she was remarkably stubborn.

“Fine, shoot.” Serenade rolled her eyes.

“What is the way of The TorXel?” Cinder asked.

An easy first question. “To live with honor, and only through discipline can we achieve that.”

“Correct, a dragon without discipline will break when the pressure is on.” Cinder nodded. “Next, what is the Trial of Telfor?”

“An ancient rite of passage that all TorXel warriors must pass. The trial was originally started by Telfor, the founder of the TorXel clan,” Serenade answered.

“Correct, a trial that you will have to pass in order to complete your training. A pony has never passed the trials before, but at the rate, you’re growing... You may be the first.” Cinder smiled. She leaned back and nodded contently. “You’re doing much better now. Discipline of the mind is just as important as that of the body, and you’re starting to get that.”

“Why did you become a warrior, Cinder?” Serenade changed the subject.

Cinder blinked and tilted her head. For the months that they had spent together, Serenade had never really asked much about her and didn’t seem too interested in offering details about herself either. She was definitely a very “strictly business” type, but Cinder didn’t mind.

“Me? What do you mean?” Cinder asked.

Serenade looked off into the distance, observing the red sunset over the red sands. “Your brother Ash is a warrior, meaning you didn’t have to become one too, yet you did. Why? You said yourself he’s better than you in every way.”

Cinder laughed and nodded. “It’s true, Ash is definitely stronger, faster, and more powerful than me, but I became a warrior because I wanted to aspire to be better. Being in Ash’s shadow doesn’t bother me, it means I always have something to aspire to, and that motivates me.”

“I see...” Serenade nodded, not making eye contact.

“What about you, Serenade? Why do you fight?” Cinder asked curiously.

Serenade bit her lip. Thousands of words traveled through her mind, but none of them came to the surface. “I wish I had a good answer to that...”

“Not having a reason to fight won’t end well, you need something that motivates you,” Cinder explained.

Serenade shrugged. “The will to survive?”

“No, I mean like someone to protect, someone you care about.” Cinder raised a talon.

“No one cares about me.” Serenade grunted.

“I do.” Cinder smiled.

“You’re just my teacher...” Serenade replied quietly.

“There is a unique bond between student and master in our clan. It is said that they are fated to dance in combat forever. The simple act of teaching means we will fight together, we will strive for greatness together, we will become greater together.” Cinder’s voice echoed with pride as she recited the philosophy of her kind. It was a touching sentiment, but one that Serenade had a hard time wrapping her head around. The concept of such loyalty was lost upon her.

“You really think our relationship is special like that?” Serenade raised a brow.

“Definitely. I knew the moment I met you that you were special, Serenade. I could tell you’re not like most of your kind.” Cinder grinned.

She at least had a point there.

Serenade found herself smiling at the recognition. “Thank you... Seldom does anyone notice anything about me, to be honest...”

“You need to work on your confidence,” Cinder chuckled.

“Perhaps you’re right...” Serenade nodded.

A Long Time Ago

Remarkably after only two years, Serenade had managed to not only excel at her training, but her study of the ways of the TorXel and even learn Draconian in such a short time. Cinder’s words of motivation over those two years pushed her to greater lengths, to achieve greatness she had never thought imaginable.

After meeting with the dragon’s parents, they were convinced by Cinder (though they resisted) to allow Serenade to partake in the Trial of Telfor, and more remarkably, she had managed to make history as the first non-dragon to ever pass them.

When the trial was over, Cinder had offered to take her to a nearby town to celebrate. The night was filled with drink, dance, and excitement as Cinder showed her how dragons had a good time outside of fighting. For only nineteen, Cinder held her liquor well, though Serenade suspected their kind had a high tolerance.

By the time the night had grown old, Serenade found herself retiring to a room in their inn that they had rented so they didn’t have to travel back to her family’s cave. Serenade found herself in the lavatory brushing her long wild mane as she sang to herself.

It had been so long since she sang that she almost forgot how heavenly her voice sounded. Most of her time was spent training, and on top of that, she seldom had a reason to sing anymore. She would use her voice to lure and feed on unsuspecting dragons and the occasional griffon when Cinder’s back was turned, but for the most part, she avoided singing.

She nearly jumped when she heard a familiar raspy voice call out to her from the bedroom. “I never knew you had such a lovely singing voice.”

Blushing, Serenade stepped out of the bathroom and composed herself as she saw the dragon sitting on the bed dangling her feet on the edge. Inns in Dragon Scar often offered obnoxiously large beds to accommodate their usual clientele which were young dragons. A dragon often would take around four or five thousand years to reach full size, but before then they would grow relatively slowly. Cinder had only grown about two inches in the two years that Serenade knew her, but she still was bigger than the average pony. At full height, she was about twice Serenade’s height, but their size was comparable, even though Serenade was small even by pony standards.

“I didn’t know you had made it back yet...” Serenade looked away.

“Hey, why the embarrassment? Your voice is great!” Cinder winked.

“Sorry, I’m just not used to compliments...” Serenade lied.

Cinder shook her head and patted next to herself as she climbed onto the back and rested her back against the headboard. “Come chill with me.”

Serenade sighed and nodded as she climbed into the bed next to the dragon and rested her head on her hooves. “So, what now? I passed the trial, where do we go from here?”

Cinder grinned and placed a claw around the mare, pulling her in closer. “We’re just getting started. You’re no longer a hatchling, you’re the real deal. I have to admit, I’ve never seen a pony as tough as you, but you continue to surprise me.”

“I thought I was just a meat creature to your kind?” Serenade raised a brow.

“Would you stop the whole stoic and mysterious act for even one night? You should be happy, open up a little.” Cinder nudged the girl.

“Happiness... That’s not something I think I have ever really known... Maybe a long time ago...” Serenade thought out loud.

Blinking, Cinder frowned and moved the mare in front of her between her legs. She let Serenade rest her back against her chest as she placed her arms around the mare. Her wings extended and wrapped around to pull the mare closer. “Listen, you can tell me anything. I’m more than just your mentor, I’m your friend.”

Serenade hadn’t been hugged since she was little. It was an odd feeling, but this dragon actually was warm. She gave in to a moment of weakness and closed her eyes. “You’re warm...” She commented.

Cinder nodded and ran a talon along the mare’s cheek. “Full of fire, that’s sort of how it works.”

“Probably convenient as it’s so fucking cold in Dragon Scar at night...” Serenade commented.

“You could have asked for me to hold you like this if that was the case...” Cinder pointed out.

“I guess...” Serenade responded as she kept her eyes closed.

It didn’t take long before the mare fell asleep laying like that. Cinder smiled as she watched the girl breathe gently. She had opened up to Serenade over the past two years, and while Serenade was a difficult one to get to do the same, there were cracks in her armor showing, and occasionally she let out a detail or two about herself. Cinder had figured out long ago that this mare was running from something, something that she was tired of running from and instead wanted to fight back.

Her determination warmed Cinder’s heart, and she felt good that she was helping this girl that others likely didn’t bother giving a chance. Her parents were resistant at first, but she followed her gut feeling and convinced them to allow her to be trained. Her brother continued to remain a skeptic though.

Over those two years, Serenade was softening up if not just a little bit. The fact that she would allow herself to be embraced right now was proof of that.

Cinder petted her cheek with a talon and stared longingly at the girl. The reality was, that she knew this relationship had gone far past teacher-student a few months ago. She didn’t know the exact moment, but she had found herself developing feelings for Serenade. It was odd, a dragon falling for a pony, something unheard of, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be more than Serenade’s teacher, she wanted to be her protector, and she would wait as long as it took for the girl to open up, for her to tell her of all the demons inside of her.

She wanted to tell her how she felt, but it wasn’t time yet. That would have to wait.

Eight Years Ago

Serenade adjusted her dress and sighed as she opened her eyes. After a bath, she felt much better and surprisingly energized, despite her legs still being shaky. Arax walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to flinch for a second but she relaxed slowly as she turned to face him.

“Fuck, haven’t you had enough!?” Serenade raised a brow.

“I could probably go again, but that’s not what I was trying to do.” He rolled his eyes.

Again!? She gulped.

“Should you really even be standing?” Arax asked.

“I’m fine, and if I’m not then it’s your fucking fault.” She hissed.

He shrugged and looked away rubbing his neck. “Sorry... I guess I got carried away...”

“You’re fucking right you did! Sirens aren’t supposed to...” She paused, not wanting to say it out loud.

“Have sex?” He finished her sentence for her, much to her annoyance.

“Y-yeah...” She blushed.

“What difference does it make? It’s not like you’ve ever followed the rules before...” He pointed out.

He made a strong argument, but she wasn’t sure how she felt about all of this. “You’re lucky I don’t kill you.”

“You could have done so at any moment when I was advancing on you, have you forgotten?” He raised a brow.

“Of course not!” Serenade growled.

“Then why didn’t you?”

That was a question she didn’t want to answer. She hadn’t forgotten that it was easy to kill him. That she didn’t even need her powers to do it, she had told herself originally it was because she needed him while she was weakened, but when he held her down and had his way with her, she should have stopped him right? Was it because she enjoyed it? Because she wanted it? That had to be it, it was the only logical explanation.

“I...” She paused and shook her head, not wanting to say it.

He nodded and stepped forward, wrapping both of his arms around the girl. She flinched again but rested in his grip, her head resting against his chest as he placed his hands around her. “I don’t care anymore...” He began, almost whispering.

Serenade just kept quiet and listened as he spoke, stroking her hair. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, or what I’ve done. It doesn’t matter what happens from here, but...”

Serenade could feel the anxiety building up in her as she waited to hear him finish that sentence.

“I love you, Serenade...” He spoke.

That was a phrase she had only heard a handful of times, but most were by ponies she had manipulated with her powers into saying it. This was different though, there was nothing forcing him to say it, instead, he said it on his own. He actually meant it. Arax was in love with her, despite how rotten she treated him, despite how terrible she was, despite the fact that she was a demon. Was he crazy?

She closed her eyes and nuzzled his chest. “Thank you...” She said. They were the only words that came to mind after all. It didn’t matter anymore, all that mattered was that she was enjoying the moment, and didn’t know when the next enjoyable moment would happen in her life.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXXV: Mates

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Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXVI: Sunset Returns

Part III

Chapter CXXVI: Sunset Returns

“That’s Sunset Shimmer… Horizon’s mom…” Jasper spoke in a nearly whispered tone. He was still in disbelief, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. The woman before him, they were all certain was dead; all the evidence pointed to it after all. There simply was no way that Sunset Shimmer was alive, and yet there she stood, alive and well.

Sunset ran a hand through her lavish locks that nearly touched the ground and smiled at her daughter, Horizon, who stood before her with her usual empty expression. “Horizon… It’s good to see you again, it’s been a long time…” Her smile seemed genuine enough, and she stood examining her daughter from head to toe before continuing. “You’re all grown up now… You look so much like Twilight…”

With a nod, Horizon kept her blank expression. “When time passes, one ages. That is the natural flow of things, after all.”

“Yeah, that definitely sounds like something Twilight would say…” Sunset chuckled before taking a step forward. The woman placed a hand atop Horizon’s head and removed her mask so she could ruffle the girl’s messy hair. Their height difference was drastic, as Sunset stood a good head or so taller than her pygmy daughter.

Horizon took her mask from her mother and nodded. “Thank you for your assistance, but we have to get going.”

Sunset tilted her head in confusion as the young teen stepped away from her and turned to leave. “Come on guys, we have to track down Serenade and figure out her next move,” Horizon instructed.

Jasper blinked as he watched Horizon walk away.

Bolt whistled and looked over at Sunset. “Yeah, safe to say you’re not too popular… That was cold.”

“I surmised as much.” Sunset placed a hand on her hip with a grin on her face.

Bolt gestured for his brother Cloud to follow him, and the two began to head in Horizon’s direction. Nova followed along with Jasper. Before they knew it, the entire group shy of Candy and Yuna had left Sunset there by herself.

Candy approached the older woman with a scowl on her face. Sunset gave her a gentle smile, but it didn’t seem to soften the young girl’s gaze. After clearing her throat, she spoke up to Sunset. “That’s tacky…”

“What is?” Sunset tilted her head.

Candy pointed up to the geode on Sunset’s neck. “Pinning that geode to garbage like that…”

Sunset looked down and touched her neck and quickly got the insult. Candy spit on Sunset’s shoe and left to meet up with her friends. The woman laughed as she looked over at Yuna with a smile. “I guess I had that one coming, huh?”

Yuna calmed herself and approached Sunset. The tall woman tilted her head with interest as Yuna approached. The young girl stood before Sunset in silence with a serious expression. Sunset merely laughed. “What? Are you gonna spit on me too?”

Yuna bowed her head respectfully. “My family owes a great debt to yours…”

Sunset squinted, trying to examine the girl. After eight seconds, she could see a resemblance. “You must be related to Moondancer, right?”

Nodding, Yuna spoke. “Yes, she is my sister… Your sister and she…” Yuna bit her lip, not wanting to finish that sentence.

“They were lovers.” Sunset grinned.

Yuna blushed. “Y-yes… They were…”

“My sister adored Moondancer. She wanted to marry her, and I’m sure Moondancer would have been a wonderful wife to her. She’s a good person, and her heart is strong. You’re lucky to have her in your life.” Sunset nodded.

Yuna couldn’t deny that. Her sister was her best friend and her mentor. Moondancer was someone that Yuna knew she could count on no matter what.

“I’m glad to hear you say that…” Yuna then looked back toward where her friends were headed, she would need to run to catch up with them. Looking up at Sunset, Yuna stood firm. “The others might not be keen on this, but I feel compelled to give this to you…”

Sunset blinked in confusion, as Yuna grabbed Sunset’s left hand, and then tapped her phone to the one on Sunset’s wrist. A gentle chime was heard signifying some kind of data transfer. Releasing Sunset’s hand, Yuna nodded and smiled. “I better get back to my friends…”

Sunset waved. “No worries, I’m sure we’ll meet up again real soon.”

Nodding in agreement, Yuna darted off to catch up with her friends.

Sunset stood there and looked down at her phone on her wrist, unsure of what just happened.

Jasper ran as fast as he could to catch up with Horizon, Bolt and Cloud huffing and puffing to keep up with him, but when the group finally did catch up with her, Jasper took a second to catch his breath before speaking.

“Horizon, are you okay?” He asked.

“I’m fine.” She gave her usual deadpan tone.

Bolt rolled his eyes.

“Listen, it’s okay to be upset, what just happened back there… It was…” Jasper paused as he noticed Horizon’s expression hadn’t changed.

“I told you, I’m fine.” She shrugged. “We really should get going though,” she added before turning around to leave.

Jasper reached forward and grabbed the girl’s wrist to stop her, but he himself froze when he felt it. She was trembling. Her wrist was shaking ever so slightly and Jasper could feel it as he held it. Horizon said nothing, and Jasper let her go. The young teen wandered off after he let her go.

The group was silent for a moment as Candy had just arrived after taking her time to spit on Sunset, an action which she was very proud of, though her mother might have had a thing or two to say about it.

“Wow…” Bolt broke the silence.

“I’ve never seen her so angry…” Jasper thought out loud.

“Angry? That was angry? How can you even tell?” Bolt questioned.

Jasper shook his head. “Y’all don’t know her like I do. She doesn’t let her anger out like we do. Ever since we were kids, she had always contained her emotions, but when I felt her arm… And felt it shaking, it was like… She has reached a limit and some of it is finally seeping out…”

“Is Horizon really that deep though? No offense, but she comes off as oblivious most of the time…” Bolt said.

Nova cleared her throat as she stepped forward and gave her input. “I think I have to agree with my not-so-subtle friend here… Jasper, Horizon is pretty deadpan most of the time, are you sure she was angry? She seems socially… stunted.”

Jasper sighed and shook his head. “Yeah, I know that Horizon isn’t exactly socially conditioned, and I know she comes off as cold and uncaring, but I assure y’all that she has emotions, she just ain’t good at showing them. What I just saw, she is madder than she’s ever been in her entire life.”

“Should we be there to console her then?” Cloud asked.

Bolt nudged his brother. “You saw how she reacted to Jasper trying to do that, and he’s known her for her entire life…”

“I suppose that’s true…” Cloud nodded sheepishly.

Bolt gave a comment to his brother in Japanese, to which Cloud responded in the language. The two began a brief foreign exchange which Jasper wished he could understand what the two were saying, as he surmised that Bolt might have been poking fun at him.

Key Lime stepped between the two and said something in Japanese as well, which caused the two of them to freeze while they stared at her. “You can speak Japanese?” Bolt asked.

She nodded and giggled before tapping Bolt’s nose. “A little, I took a few classes because I was bored.”

“You really do have a long list of random talents don’t you?” Bolt blinked.

The teen leaned in, a smirk on her face as she came inches from his face. Bolt could feel his cheeks heating up as she spoke. “Ara ara…” she gave a low seductive purr to her words.

Bolt felt a shiver go up his spine as he heard her speak. She pulled herself back and began to laugh uncontrollably at Bolt’s expense.

Jasper cleared his throat to get the group’s attention. “Can we please focus on Horizon? She just found out her mother who was supposed to be dead is still alive.”

Bolt and Cloud both frowned. “Sorry.”

Nova sighed and placed her hands on her hips. “Guess things are going to be a little awkward for a while now… I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Sunset Shimmer for sure.”

“I’d say that’s a pretty safe bet…” Jasper frowned.

“Every time we learn something new, it seems like things become eight times more complicated…” Cloud commented.

“I get a feeling that may be the norm for Sunset…” Bolt added.

“You have no idea…” Jasper replied.

Sunset lifted her wrist to check her phone so she could inspect whatever data that Yuna had given her. Once the hologram of her Home Screen had appeared before her, she noticed a new application shaped like a dog bone was there. Casually, she tapped the hologram and opened the new app.

Upon booting, Sunset noted the Sundancer logo that Moondancer had made years ago at the bottom. Yuna must have adopted her sister’s branding.

After a short boot-up, a hologram of a German Shepard standing on two feet stood before her. He bowed before her and gave a smile to the redhead. “Ah, you must be Sunset Shimmer, we meet at last!”

“You know who I am?” Sunset asked curiously.

The dog nodded happily. “Indeed. Miss Yuna has input plenty of data regarding you. It seems as though Miss Horizon and she spent quite a bit of time trying to uncover many mysteries surrounding you.”

“I guess you have a lot of questions then?” Sunset guessed.

“It is in my programming to gather information, after all.”

“What’s your name, fella?” Sunset asked.

Blinking, the dog looked away bashfully for a brief moment. It was amazing to think this was merely an AI, he was able to come off as genuine. “Right, how rude of me, I’m Moon. I was named after a dog of the same name.”

Sunset recalled Shimmer’s dog well. “I’m familiar with him…”

Moon frowned again when he realized how she would know him. “Oh, right. Sorry, I suppose that was redundant information…”

That got a small chuckle out of Sunset.

“You’re quite emotive there, Moon. Are you sure that you’re just an AI?” Sunset asked.

Moon’s ear twitched. He stood up proudly before reaching behind himself and pulling a lab coat seemingly out of nowhere. He donned the coat before placing a pair of large glasses upon his face to complete his scientist look.

“I am. I am an advanced learning AI designed by Miss Yuna. I am able to learn and mimic human behavior with ease.” He sounded so proud of himself.

“And what exactly were you designed to do?” Sunset asked.

Blinking, Moon seemed to be caught off guard. He removed the lab coat and glasses and tossed them aside. The items seemed to simply vanish.

“I was originally designed to assist Miss Horizon in her endeavors with demons. I am able to record battle data, demonic data, and various other functions all related to aiding Miss Horizon. I also can check vital signs and give readouts on enemy energy levels.” He spoke as if he were reading from a manual.

“That all sounds pretty useful… Why would Yuna give a copy of you to me, though?” Sunset wondered out loud.

“Knowing Miss Yuna’s nature, she likely felt indebted to you. You and her sister have quite a bit of history after all,” Moon answered.

That did make sense to Sunset. Moondancer was a good friend, and Sunset had gone out of her way for her, and not only because she was her late sister’s girlfriend. Moondancer was a good person, and she looked past Sunset’s flaws, something even her own friends had trouble doing at times.

“I’m going to guess you never studied a demon directly then, right?” Sunset asked.

Moon shook his head.

“Well, I suppose you’re about to get a lot of data, huh? Tell me, is the data I give you shared with Horizon and Yuna?” Sunset questioned.

Moon nodded. “Yes, all data is shared. I operate in real-time for all of my copies, so it’s as if I’m in two places at once as the saying goes, or in this case… three places at once.”

Sunset nodded. That meant any data she gathered would benefit Horizon. It was clear the teen would never accept Sunset’s help directly, but she would have it anyway. Even if it was only a small service, Sunset could aid her daughter at least in some capacity for the time being.

“We can talk later, okay, Moon?” Sunset stated.

He gave a salute. “I shall eagerly wait on standby for you, Miss Shimmer!”

Sunset rolled her eyes at how formal he was being but decided not to comment. Instead, she closed the app and cleared her head. Wandering toward her motorcycle, she knew she had a few stops to make before she continued her hunt for the demon siren.

Hopping on her motorcycle, Sunset picked up her helmet and sighed. “This is going to be a very awkward stop…”

She revved the engine and took off.

Sunset retrieved a key fob she had and pressed a button to open a familiar gate to her home. She was thankful that Twilight hadn’t changed the locks, which also made her hopeful that her wife might be at least a tad bit happy to see her. She had left on semi-problematic terms, and the length of her departure likely only added fuel to the fire. Sunset had never anticipated being gone this long.

Parking her motorcycle, the woman removed her helmet and looked at her phone. A hologram of Moon had come up again.

“Hey Moon, you wouldn’t happen to have any relationship advice, would you?” Sunset spoke, half-joking.

The dog frowned. “Sorry, Miss Shimmer, I’m afraid that’s not my area of expertise as Miss Yuna wasn’t quite versed in the subject either.”

Sunset chuckled. “Yeah, I’m not exactly great at them either… Well, wish me luck then.”

Moon gave a thumbs-up with his paw. “Best of luck, Miss Shimmer.”

Sunset nodded before closing the app. “Yeah… I’m gonna need it for sure…”

Taking a deep breath, the woman unlocked the front door and entered the mansion before her. Once inside she noticed that Twilight hadn’t redecorated much. Much was still the same as when Sunset left it. She found herself staring at a photo near the door of their wedding. Sunset reached out and touched it, a smile on her face as she remembered the happy times. She had just gotten pregnant with their daughter and was about to marry the love of her life.

Sunset sighed, wishing she could go back to simpler times. Times before Serenade showed up in her life. Times before Adagio reappeared. It was as if there was a force in the universe trying to keep her unhappy.

Sunset’s attention on the picture was broken, however, by a set of footsteps coming from the large stairwell behind her. It was the same stairwell that she had met Shimmer on.

Glancing in that direction, a woman with long purple hair stood a few steps from the bottom and paused there. Her expensive glasses complimented her face so well. She had grown older, but more attractive. Her sense of style had improved too. She was sporting tight black jeans and a form-fitting white sweater with a turtle neck. Her attractive legs were easy to spot in such attire.

Sunset suddenly felt very underdressed for such a reunion.

The two stared at each other in silence.

“Um, hey…” Sunset broke the silence.

“Eight years and all you have to say is that?” Twilight asked.

Sunset rubbed her neck nervously. She never imagined she could feel so uneasy around Twilight of all people. “I’m not as good with saying profound stuff like you are…”

“Many skills seem to elude you.” Twilight pointed out.

Sunset felt a twitch as Twilight said those words. It was clear she had no qualms about giving Sunset a difficult time.

Clearing her throat, Sunset attempted to brush by the comment. “H-how’ve you been?”

“I’m alive,” Twilight responded plainly as she came to the bottom of the stairs, crossing her arms as she examined the redhead.

“You’ve lost weight… You’re not eating enough, are you?” Twilight pointed out.

Sunset touched her own stomach and nodded. “Yeah… Eclipse is always on a diet, and sometimes just dealing with him is such a hassle I forget…”

“Who is Eclipse?” Twilight’s brow shot up at the mention.

“Eh, he’s just an annoying tag-along. Hell-bent on killing Serenade…” Sunset explained.

“Is he now?” Twilight’s tone didn’t sound pleased.

Realizing that her wife might be jealous, Sunset waved her hands defensively. “It’s not like that! He’s just another person who wants her dead, he’s gay anyway!”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “It’s none of my business who you choose to fraternize with…”

“Twilight…” Sunset frowned.

“Don’t start, please…” Twilight pressed the bridge of her nose.

There was silence for a brief moment.

“I uh… I ran into Horizon, she’s grown quite a bit.” Sunset changed the subject.

“Mhm, no thanks to you.” Twilight nodded, a wry smile on her face.

Ouch. Sunset thought, but she couldn’t argue with it. Horizon had grown up almost completely independent of Sunset.

“Okay, I deserved that one…” Sunset sighed.

“Oh, you do? Thank you for giving me permission to pin your own fuck ups on you…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Alright, go ahead, get it all out…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Twilight stepped forward and placed a finger on Sunset’s neck. “You have a lot of nerve coming here… You’re lucky I’m not Applejack, or I’d have punched you in the stomach by now.”

“Twilight, you know I didn’t want to leave…” Sunset attempted to reason with her wife. “My daughter and you are the most important people to me, you know that.”

“My daughter, you mean.” Twilight corrected.

That line struck a chord with Sunset. “Oh I’m sorry, I missed the part where you gave birth to her…”

Twilight gripped Sunset’s shirt by the neckline as she pulled her in to scold her, her voice filled with venom. “You lost any right to call her your daughter when you walked out on her, and like an idiot I forgave you, but you did it again. Our lives go on while you’re gone, Sunset…”

Sunset looked away shamefully.

Twilight released the woman from her grip. “It was better when I could just assume you were dead… It was much easier just being a widow, after all, I’ve lived like one for all this time…”

It was clear to Sunset that Twilight wouldn’t let up.

Sunset turned to leave, realizing that her wife’s pigheadedness wasn’t going to let up any time soon. She would return when the bespectacled woman had calmed down, but just as she stepped a single foot in the direction away from her, words cut through her resolve.

“I want a divorce, Sunset.”

The redhead bit her lip, she tried to hold her indignation in. She centered herself and turned back around, a calming tone in her voice. “Twilight… When this is over, we can…”

“It’ll never be over. I know you, I’ve tried to stop you so many times, but I realize now I can’t…” Twilight's words were filled with pain.

“And what is it that you think you know?” Sunset gritted her teeth.

“You’re on a never-ending quest to destroy yourself, and I won’t have any part of it, nor will my daughter. I won’t let her watch you do this anymore, the last thing she needs is to turn out like you.”

Like me? Sunset thought. Those words rang over and over in her head: the worst thing for her daughter was to turn out just like her.

“I have a responsibility, Twilight, I didn’t choose this!” Sunset raised her voice but to her surprise, Twilight's volume far surpassed her own.

“BULLSHIT!”

Sunset flinched.

“You had a responsibility to that little girl. You failed her, I was there to pick up the pieces. Do you think our lives just pause while you’re off playing hero? We carry on, and I helped that girl grow up. I was the mother that you weren’t.” Twilight hissed.

“I had to…” Sunset muttered.

“Why?”

“BECAUSE I’M NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT HER!” Sunset smashed her fist on a nearby railing, denting it severely.

Sighing, Twilight shook her head. “What she needs protection from is, you. She doesn’t need you popping back into her life and confusing her anymore. Why did you bother coming back?”

Sunset growled and removed the detached sleeve over her arm and the leather glove covering her hand on the same arm. She presented her demonic appendage to her wife. “Do you think I wanted this? That I wanted you to see me like this?”

Twilight glanced at the woman’s corrupted hand and pointed to it. “You chose that, just like you chose to leave. Now, why are you here? It’s better you just get what you came for and leave…”

Sunset realized that Twilight was serious. There was no forgiveness in her heart, she couldn’t bear to carry the weight of continuing to love a woman named Sunset Shimmer, it had finally become too much for her.

“So that’s it then? Those vows we took mean nothing now?” Sunset asked.

“They still mean something to me, and I’ll always carry my vows…” Twilight placed a hand upon her heart.

“How can you say that when you’re talking about divorcing me?” Sunset groaned.

Twilight sighed. “I promised to always love you, that hasn’t changed, but I never promised to watch you kill yourself. I never promised to let you put us through the pain you have… I’ll always love you, and I’ll always wish you could stop… But I never promised to let you destroy me too… If I stay with you… I’ll only keep hurting myself, I can’t keep waiting for you to come home, I can’t keep wondering if tomorrow is the day I will have to stand there at your funeral. When we got married, you promised you’d make sure I was happy… I have to help you honor your promise… by leaving you…”

Sunset had no words. She couldn’t think of a single thing to say that would aid the situation. Twilight had made up her mind.

“I came to get some things… I need to check some stuff to figure out how deep in this, Horizon is…” Sunset spoke.

Twilight nodded. “You’re free to gather anything you need, but please leave after and don’t come back.”

“I won’t… When this is over, we can begin the paperwork.” Sunset had a solemn tone.

“Good, take your time. I’m going to go get some work done… Help yourself to your things, and if Horizon returns, please do not talk to her,” Twilight instructed.

“I doubt she’d want to talk to me anyway…” Sunset said.

Twilight nodded before heading back up the stairs, likely to return to her personal study. Sunset wondered what kind of work she must have been doing, but knew it wasn’t any of her business.

She decided it was best not to linger. Quickly she made her way up to her office and downloaded her old files, and checked if anyone had accessed her files. Sure enough, Horizon had already hit up all the data she had stored there.

Once she was done, Sunset grabbed a gun from a drawer and decided more firepower wouldn’t hurt. She tucked it into her waistband and headed out the door. She looked back one more time before sighing and shutting the large door to the mansion behind her. She sighed before she heard the voice of Moon speak to her. “That certainly wasn’t pleasant…”

Sunset flinched upon hearing his voice before turning her phone to make his hologram appear before her. “Oh… You were listening to all of that…?”

“My apologies, Miss Shimmer. I didn’t mean to intrude…” The dog frowned.

Sunset shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, you’re just doing what you were programmed to do after all… But yeah that definitely could have gone better…”

“May I ask a question, Miss Shimmer?”

“You can call me Sunset, and sure.”

The dog tilted his head. “Why did you leave in the first place?”

Her face contorted to one of discomfort. “It’s just like I said… I didn’t think I was strong enough to protect Twilight and Horizon… To get to me, Serenade wouldn’t be above going for them…”

“I suppose that is a logical decision.” Moon nodded.

The redhead let out a sigh. “Yeah, we’ll logical decisions seem to keep fucking me over, to be honest… The irony is I left to keep Horizon out of this… and I come back to find out she’s knee-deep in this shit.”

“Like mother, like daughter.” Moon grinned mischievously.

“That’s not helping, Moon.” Sunset groaned.

“I’m sorry, Sunset but it really does seem like Horizon shares your inquisitive nature. The girl probably can not simply accept how things are without explanation,” Moon suggested.

“You’re probably right if she’s anything like me though… Then I really need to be looking out for her…” Sunset replied.

“That would likely be wise, I can keep tabs on her as well for you.” Moon bowed.

“That’s good, and Moon… Please keep this conversation between us,” Sunset instructed.

He gave a gesture as if he were zipping his lips. “I shall store it in my protected banks until instructed otherwise.”

Sunset chuckled. “You’re quite the obedient little helper, aren’t you?”

Moon nodded and bowed. “I was designed to serve after all.”

“I feel like we’re going to get along just fine.”

After a brief rundown of what they knew and what they should do next, Horizon and the group decided that heading home was the best course of action for the time being. Jasper insisted on coming home with Horizon to make sure she was alright, but Horizon dismissed him repeatedly until he finally gave up and agreed to go home to his own home. Horizon took her Audi back to the house, sitting in silence as the car drove.

The silence was broken by Moon who decided to check on the teen. “Miss Horizon, are you alright?”

Horizon tilted her head in confusion. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s not every day one’s mother returns from the dead, is it?” Moon questioned.

Horizon shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t say how frequently it happens, but it’s not like Sunset hasn’t reappeared after disappearing before.”

Moon detected a story there. “She’s left before this?”

Horizon nodded and leaned back in her seat, allowing her car’s autopilot to direct her home. “I was about three or four when she came back. She left right after I was born, Twilight almost started to believe she was dead.”

“And what about you, Horizon?” Moon asked.

Horizon stayed quiet for a moment. She didn’t know how to answer that question at first. “I was fine, I suppose. I guess I was able to accept she wasn’t coming back easier than Twilight, but then again I hadn’t met her yet.”

“That must have been hard on Twilight, what did you think after you met her?” Moon asked.

Horizon shrugged. “Maybe it’s me because I’m not exactly that skilled at social interaction, but Sunset is a hard person to know. She doesn’t talk about herself often, she always wants to listen to what you say. I don’t think she told me much about herself during the years she was there, but I was little after all.”

“Maybe she just didn’t know how to open up? Like mother, like daughter after all.” Moon surmised.

Horizon shrugged. “Who knows, Sunset isn’t someone that I can say I understand…”

“Maybe I can assist in some capacity.” Moon gave a smile.

“If you’d be so kind.” Horizon nodded as her car reached her home, pulling into their large garage next to the many other expensive models. When the teen stepped out, she pressed a button on her keychain to lock the car.

The projection of Moon vanished as Horizon entered her home, Twilight was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, her arms wrapped around her legs. She looked as though she had been crying recently. Seeing her daughter though, Twilight wiped her eyes and cleared her throat before standing up. “Horizon, welcome home.”

Horizon merely nodded.

“I heard you saw your mother today… She came by here just a little bit ago…”

“You knew,” Horizon said plainly.

Twilight bit her lip. “I knew she left, she didn’t tell me where she was going…”

“No, you knew she wasn’t human.”

Twilight grimaced at the statement, her face contorted to one of discomfort. “I… Yes… I knew…”

“When were you going to tell me?” Horizon asked.

Twilight sighed. “I wasn’t. You weren’t ever supposed to know.”

“Is it logical to keep the fact that I’m not human from me?” Horizon asked.

Twilight grunted. “You’re still half-human; but yes, you’re half-equestrian like Sunset is… We didn’t want to tell you because this was supposed to stop the last time Sunset left. We were supposed to have a normal life… So much for that.”

“It seems impossible to live a normal life under these conditions.” Horizon pointed out.

“You’re angry with me.” Twilight nodded.

Horizon shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think I have the ability to comprehend any of this…”

Twilight knew that their daughter’s stunted understanding of emotion was partially her own fault; something she wished she had been able to fix.

“So Sunset isn’t a very good person, is she?” Horizon asked.

It pained Twilight to hear Horizon refer to her mother by her first name. A part of her knew that she should have probably been softer on the woman when she had stopped by earlier. “She tries to be, believe me, she tries…”

“Why’d she leave then?”

Twilight stepped forward and put an arm around Horizon’s shoulder before sighing. “It took a lot for me to forgive her the first time, believe me. She didn’t want to talk about it, but your mother had to go home, she had to save her world from a demon named Serenade…”

“So Sunset really did defeat her once before…” Horizon concluded.

Twilight nodded. “She spared her life though, and now she feels responsible for what’s happening now.”

“So now she’s trying to finish what she started?” Horizon guessed.

Twilight nodded once more. “I love your mother, I really do, and if you wish to not forgive her, I don’t blame you, but I do feel compelled to at least say she may be messed up, but she loves us both… The only problem is she hates herself more. She’s very self-destructive, and maybe it’s better she wasn’t around; neither of us wanted you to become like that.”

“Sunset is a demon…” Horizon said.

Twilight sighed. “Yes… she is… I guess it’s just one more way for her to destroy herself… She can’t stop, that’s why I told her not to come back here.”

“I guess I understand, at least I think so…” Horizon was quiet.

Turning her daughter to face her, Twilight gave Horizon a serious look. “I didn’t lie to you to hurt you, Horizon, I just wanted to protect you, as did your mother. She does things in a strange way, but she cares about you. I don’t want you to think I intended to turn you against her, that’s why I never said anything, and I don’t intend to tell you what to do, but I will say… Your mother may end up disappointing you. I’d be remised if I didn’t tell you that…”

“If I’m not human, what does that mean?” Horizon asked, changing the subject again.

Twilight bit her lip, but she found the resolve to continue the discussion deep inside herself. “Again, you’re half-human, but it means you’re special, Horizon.”

Horizon looked down at her hands and focused on them. She recalled how she had summoned light from them, how she had defeated foes with that light, and how it felt the first time she wielded it. She wasn’t completely human, but that didn’t matter. So long as she knew what to do with her abilities.

“I want to stop Serenade.” Horizon spoke plainly.

Twilight frowned, afraid she would say that. “I figured you would… And while I don’t want you going down the same road your mother has… I can’t stop you from following what you want to do…”

“Do you think Sunset would be helpful in that regard?” Horizon tilted her head.

Adjusting her glasses, Twilight pushed back the emotional part of her brain and focused on a logical answer. “I would love to say no, but I know that Sunset is in over her head. She’s going to need your help, Horizon. She can’t do it on her own. So while I’m not keen on you being around her… If you see her, help her if you can.”

“Aren’t you worried that would put me in unnecessary danger?” Horizon asked.

Twilight shook her head and smiled before petting her daughter’s cheek. “No. As much as Sunset has damaged this family, as much as she’s been a lousy mother and wife, I know one thing remains true: she would die to protect you. So long as she’s around, I know you’ll be safe.”

“It sounds like you want to forgive her, Twilight.” Horizon suggested.

“I do, I really do, but I can’t. I can’t keep letting her hurt us. She loves us, and I love her, but she will keep hurting us, it’s just in her nature. She will protect you from anything, but she can’t protect you from herself,” Twilight explained.

“Marriage sounds complicated,” Horizon retorted.

A chuckle escaped Twilight, “Yes, yes it is.”

Sunset had been driving back to the rendezvous point to meet up with Eclipse, but she had to take a detour due to construction being done. She was a good eight minutes past when they agreed to meet, so she was sure she was about to get a few messages from him deriding her for being late.

Her mind was focused on her encounter with her daughter though, and what Twilight had said. Sunset knew she hadn’t been the best mother, but she didn’t see any other way. The irony was that the very thing she wanted to prevent happened regardless. Horizon was following in her footsteps, and her inquisitive nature had caused her to dig up the truth about who Sunset really was. There wasn’t a thing she could do to take anything back now.

With her eyes on the road, she noticed black smoke begin to form up ahead, creating some kind of wall. She pushed on the brakes of her motorcycle and came to a halt. “What the…” she spoke as she removed her helmet and flicked her hair.

A beep came from her phone as Moon appeared before her. “Sunset, I’m detecting a large build-up of demonic energy up ahead!”

“Figures… it’s an ambush, Serenade must have known I was coming this way…” Sunset spoke.

The redhead stepped off her bike and placed the helmet onto the seat as she began to walk forward. She preemptively removed the sleeve over her arm and the glove concealing her demonic appendage, tossing them to the side as she flexed her fingers. The tendrils on her wrist and forearm moved violently as she stepped closer to where the energy was building up. Once she was within range, a group of eight shadowy figures appeared, all taking a fighting stance with claws drawn. Each one of them had razor-sharp teeth and glowing white eyes.

“Apparitions…” Sunset stated.

Moon blinked. “I don’t follow.”

“Serenade can summon them from pieces of dark energy within her… Soulless, mindless drones that can fight for her… You mentioned you collect combat data right?” Sunset said.

Moon nodded. “That is correct.”

A smirk came to Sunset’s face, “get ready to take a lot of data in.”

Sunset readied her demonic claw and swiped at the first demon, slicing its midsection with such force that its body split in two before evaporating into a cloud of smoke. The second came running at her, but Sunset knelt down and pushed her arm into her own shadow on the ground, causing it to come out of the shadow produced by the demon. Coming up behind it she grabbed its leg and pulled it down so it fell flat on its rear. With a quick follow-up attack, she stomped on its face with all her might, crushing its head and causing it too to evaporate into smoke.

The remaining six circled her as she grinned. “Pathetic that this is all Serenade can do, I’d have expected better…”

Two of them lunged at her, their arms turning into blades as they attempted to impale her, but Sunset escaped within her shadow and reappeared in the shadow behind them. Quickly, she mustered up a blade of light in her good hand and diced the two up before they even had a chance to realize she had repositioned herself.

Astounding. She can travel through shadows, quite a useful battle tactic. Moon recorded. Sunset’s ability already had him processing all the unique possibilities it created. He could come up with at least eighty different applications for such a useful technique.

With four remaining, Sunset conjured her bow out of nowhere.

“Incredible! He did you do that?” Moon asked as Sunset drew an arrow and impaled one of the demons between their eyes.

“A little trick I picked up, I call it the abyssal pocket. I can create a pocket of dark space that takes up almost no space in regular space, I can then summon any items I place in it.” Sunset explained as she readied another arrow while two of the remaining demons charged at her.

She jumped out of the way of one and shot the other, eliminating it right away. With the last two, she lunged forward and grabbed one in her demonic claw, crushing its skull as she did, and quickly swiped at the other, cutting its head off with ease. She chuckled at how simple the ordeal was. “What a waste of Serenade’s energy that was…”

Moon reappeared before Sunset with a warning symbol displayed next to him. “Hold on, Sunset. I don’t think that was all of them! I’m detecting at least eighty more energy readings building up all around us. I think this was just a setup to keep us in one place long enough to summon more!”

Sunset scoffed as she saw more demons begin to appear. She wasn’t concerned, she knew a way to take care of all of them quickly. “Moon, you better pay close attention to this next part…” The redhead instructed.

Moon’s scanners began to work overtime as Sunset placed her demonic hand over half of her face, covering one of her eyes. The claw started to emanate visible dark energy as she focused all of her power into it. She spoke calmly as she recited a chant. “My body is yours… Your power is mine… Together, we are one…”

When she removed her claw, the woman’s eyes began to glow with a fierce teal fire. The spines down her claw grew and her other hand began to emit black smoke. Moon was shocked to see that her energy readings had gone up over eight times their normal level, and demonic energy was flaring around her.

Taking a fighting stance, Sunset bolted so quickly forward that her movement was barely visible to the naked eye. She hacked through a good few of the apparitions in her strike, gripping one in her claw that struggled to get free. When the woman spoke her voice had become distorted as if it were two voices combined. “You’ve got a flight to catch.”

With those words, she tossed the demon as if it were nothing, toppling a large group over on impact. She followed up with a jump attack where she pounded the ground with such force, it cracked the pavement, knocking a few more down. The woman growled in anger as she charged into the ones still standing, squaring off with them as she did. With a few slashes, and many successful parries she took out a good dozen.

One of the demons had attempted to sneak up behind her, only for her to duck from its incoming attack which impaled another demon instead. Then when it stumbled, she thrusted her claw right through its abdomen, destroying it in a split second.

After only a minute, Sunset had nearly cleared all the demons out. With only a handful left, she held out her claw and let a large blast of black energy take out the remaining few. A band upon her claw began to beep signaling that eighty seconds had passed. She felt a prick in her wrist, and within a few seconds, she slowly returned to normal, panting lightly as she did. The girl composed herself and retrieved her sleeve and glove, carefully putting them back on.

“That was incredible, Sunset! What a talent!” Moon appeared before the woman.

Sunset smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I call it demon state. It allows me to tap into my demonic power for a great boost in abilities, but it does come with some serious drawbacks…”

Moon nodded. “Yes, I noticed your overall demonic corruption expands when you use it.”

“Yeah, and on top of that, I can’t control it for longer than eighty seconds, that’s what this band is for.” Sunset pulled up her sleeve to show the band on her wrist, it appeared to have a timer on it as well.

Moon observed it with curiosity. “Fascinating, what is it, though?”

Tapping it, Sunset explained. “The timer will start to countdown if it detects I’ve entered demon state. Once the timer hits eighty seconds, it’ll auto-inject me with a serum I made that reduces demonic hold. It’s just enough to pull me out of demon state when needed.”

“Amazing, you’ve managed to harness this power for yourself, most wouldn’t be able to control demonic power… You’ve managed to do just that, Miss Yuna was correct, the Shimmers truly are a family of geniuses.” Moon was in awe.

Blushing, Sunset rejected his sentiment. “Nah, Twilight is the genius, I’m just really resourceful…”

“Modest, I see.” Moon grinned.

“Pride can make one do foolish things, Moon. How do you think I was able to defeat Serenade the first time?” Sunset stated.

“Perhaps you can exploit a similar weakness now?” Moon suggested.

Sunset shook her head. “Nah, Serenade would never fall for the same trick twice. Besides, the first time I literally had an army behind me. An army, a high-tech battle suit, magic, and an ancient enchanted bladed spear that could halt her power…”

“It takes that much to take down one woman?” Moon tilted his head.

“You have no idea…”

“I’ll make a note of it then. Serenade certainly is one tough customer,” Moon said.

“Thus why I worry about Horizon…” Sunset sighed.

“Miss Horizon is quite resourceful herself, as well. I have observed it firsthand, perhaps she inherited such a trait from you?” Moon offered.

Chuckling, Sunset nodded. “I suppose you’re right. Somehow you know exactly what to say…”

Yuna had been analyzing all the data they had collected from their encounter with Serenade when she heard her elder sister’s call from downstairs. “Yuna, your friends are here!”

The girl flinched. She still wasn’t used to anyone coming to see her, but she composed herself and adjusted the pajama bottoms she was wearing before exiting her bedroom and made her way down the stairs to meet them. There standing near the entrance to her home was her older sister, Moondancer, as thin as ever, the girl had probably forgotten to eat again a few times this week. Next to her, Yuna could see Horizon standing there, with their new acquaintance, Thorn.

“Horizon, I thought you went home?” Yuna blinked.

Horizon shrugged, her demeanor ever-unchanging. “I surmised that Thorn would need to be caught up on what happened since she wasn’t present.”

Yuna had a feeling that Horizon wasn’t being entirely truthful, but she decided not to pry. “Right… Did you both want to come upstairs?”

Thorn gave a warm smile. “If Horizon would be so kind as to show me the way.”

Moondancer had been holding a pen in her left hand, likely because she had been doing some work prior to their arrival. She pointed with the pen. “It’s just that way.”

Thorn chuckled. “I’m sorry miss, but I’m blind so I can’t see which direction you’re pointing.”

Moondancer blushed and rubbed her neck sheepishly. “Oh… Sorry, my bad…”

“It’s alright, you couldn’t have known, I’m not carrying my walking stick after all, Horizon said I wouldn’t need it, so it’s in the car.” Thorn’s tone was as chipper as always.

“Well, if you girls need anything, just let me know, alright?” Moondancer stated.

“Of course.” Horizon nodded in agreement.

With those words, Moondancer departed, leaving the three girls to themselves. Horizon took Thorn’s arm and began to guide her up the stairs to Yuna’s room. Once they were inside, Horizon guided the girl to a chair to sit in. Taking a seat, Thorn placed her hands in her lap as she waited patiently for their briefing to be underway.

Horizon sat on Yuna’s bed as the studious Yuna sat back at her desk. She pulled up a hologram of Moon, with a series of charts next to him. “So, here’s what we understand so far. Serenade Dazzle is supposedly a contender for the demon lord. I was able to obtain a lot of data from Sunset.”

“How?” Horizon asked.

“S-sorry… I sort of gave a copy of Moon to her… I felt her information would be valuable to us…” Yuna frowned, she knew she should have just lied, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so to Horizon.

“I suppose that’s true.” Horizon nodded.

Thorn tilted her head. “Sunset? As in, Sunset Shimmer? I thought she was dead?”

“So did we, but we met her after our encounter with Serenade. She’s very much alive, but it appears as though she is part demon or something now. I’m not sure about how or why, but she obviously had demonic powers…” Yuna explained.

“Damn, this entire thing you guys are wrapped up in just gets weirder and weirder… People coming back from the dead now?” Thorn laughed.

“It’s impossible to return from death. Sunset didn’t die in the first place, that’s the only logical explanation.” Horizon corrected.

Yuna bit her lip, knowing the entire conversation was awkward for Horizon. “Yes… Well, given what we’ve seen, it’s hard to say what’s logical and what isn’t anymore… Serenade was supposed to be in a prison back in Equestria, somehow she broke out though… I imagine her supporters aided her.”

Thorn leaned in with interest. “Is she really as messed up as Horizon told me on the way here?”

Yuna nodded regrettably. “Well, if the info I got from Sunset is accurate… She’s far worse than any of us could imagine. Hundreds of thousands are dead because of her. She was a siren in Equestria, and that means her siren abilities are still present here. On top of all of her demon abilities, we have that to contend with… Fortunately, all of your magic should make it harder for her to control you two…”

“A demon siren…” Horizon commented.

“If she weren’t out to kill us, I’d likely be fascinated by her… Regardless, It’s clear she wants the fragments for some purpose… Sunset didn’t upload that information, and I didn’t feel right inquiring from her directly…” Yuna frowned.

Thorn was confused. “Why not?”

Yuna just glanced at Horizon for a second without speaking, then realized that Thorn wouldn’t catch a non-verbal cue. “Err… Let’s just leave it at its awkward…”

“Alright then… So, this Serenade is really strong then, yes? Like super strong?” Thorn asked.

Yuna blinked as they got back on subject. “Oh, very much so. Moon’s readings on her demonic power dwarf that of any other demon we’ve encountered up to this point, and we’re both fairly certain that she’s hiding her true strength. A demon that strong likely wouldn’t want others knowing their true ability.”

“I suppose Sunset wasn’t exaggerating when she said she saved our lives then?” Horizon asked.

Frowning again, Yuna rubbed her neck. “Well… More than likely… Yes… You’ve grown so much stronger in such a short time, Horizon, but I don’t think even everyone teamed up would stand a chance against her at the current moment…”

“So it would be wise to avoid a forward attack then? Focus on taking out her subordinates until we have a more concrete plan of attack?” Thorn suggested with her finger raised.

“That would be the best plan, the only problem is I am not sure how to come up with any kind of attack plan on Serenade herself… She’s just way too strong, and I don’t see how we could beat her, even if everyone gets twice as powerful as they are now…” Yuna admitted. She felt ashamed that she could not be relied on in this regard. The team depended on her to be a problem solver, yet she could not find a solution to their greatest problem.

Thorn cleared her throat. “What if we added Sunset to our ranks?”

There was a short silence.

“I mean… my readings on her aren’t fully detailed yet, but her power… it could give us a fighting chance at least… Not inherently turn the battle in our favor, but it may be enough to at least give us maybe… an eight percent chance of victory?” Yuna adjusted her glasses.

“So it makes the most logical sense to recruit her into our ranks?” Thorn smiled.

Yuna bit her lip once more and glanced over at Horizon. “Well… It’s Horizon’s call, she’s sort of our leader after all…”

Horizon laid down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, her usual blank expression on her face, leaving Yuna in the dark about how she really felt about any of the discussion. She contemplated what was said and then gave her answer after a small pause. “I suppose it does make the most logical sense to recruit Sunset, doesn’t it?”

“It may be our only chance at winning…” Yuna reminded.

Horizon nodded as she looked over at Yuna. “I guess it’s decided then, Yuna I’ll leave that job to you, I’m sure she will listen to you, I mean Moondancer and Sunset are friends after all.”

“Gonna be pretty exciting to see her in action, figuratively speaking, obviously! I mean it sounds like she has some moves, maybe even some stuff we could learn.” Thorn grinned.

Yuna wasn’t too sure. She knew it made sense to team up with Sunset from a tactical standpoint, but she wondered how it might affect Horizon. While she didn’t display any outward disdain toward her mother, the fact that she referred to her only by her first name suggested there definitely was some level of animosity toward the woman. Would it be alright for her mental health to be in close proximity to her mother?

Glancing at Horizon, Yuna could see her usual expression hadn’t ever changed. She had drawn Horizon so many times, and each time she tried to capture her as she was, but not once had she ever seen the girl smile, nor could she imagine what her smile looked like, yet somehow the more she got to know Horizon, the more she fell in love with her. She wanted to see her smile more and more with each passing day. To hear that girl laugh would be everything to Yuna.

Yuna was weak, feeble, and useless, but for Horizon she would do everything she could to be strong, sturdy, and useful. And in this case, that meant she needed to keep a watchful eye on the situation with her mother. She would do that for her, she would be the bridge that brought them together or the wedge that drove Sunset away if she hurt Horizon. That was her role now, and she intended to stay true to it. Nothing would hurt Horizon, not while she was around; she only wished she had the guts to tell the girl how she felt about her, how she longed to be wanted by her.

“With Sunset’s aid, we may be able to understand how demonic powers work a bit better… Her data sent to Moon alone will be a valuable tool in turning the tide of battle in our favor, I’ll have him working around the clock to analyze anything she uploads,” Yuna stated.

“How will you get in contact with her?” Thorn asked.

Moon spoke up, “I can facilitate that. I am linked to Sunset and Miss Yuna’s phone, after all.”

“This is gonna be so cool, I am so pumped for this, there’s so much for us to learn from Sunset!” Thorn squealed excitedly.

Yuna wished she could match the overly positive demeanor of Thorn. For a blind girl, there didn’t seem to be much that got her down. A bit odd for such a gothic girl, but then again their entire group had their oddities. In that respect, Thorn fit in perfectly. The perfect companion to join their group of misfits.

“She may prove to be a valuable ally, but we must never forget she is a demon, so we should be cautious, no matter what,” Horizon chimed in casually.

That was true, Sunset was a demon.

Author's Note

I know it's been a while, I've been working on this chapter for quite a while, but I've been super busy. So as I've stated many times now, Part III is the final part of Act VII, and the end of the story. The only thing after that is the epilogue which is mostly already written. The epilogue will go up pretty much the day after the final chapter goes up.

If you've been here since day one, raise your hand!

P.S. How many people want to see Key Lime saying "ara ara" to Bolt?

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXVII: Lightning

Chapter CXXVII: Lightning

Serenade grunted at Arax to bring her a clean eyepatch. She had gotten hers dirty during her fight with Sunset. The taller man obliged and left the room momentarily while the girl sat atop of an old crate, her legs crossed and her foot gently swaying impatiently while she spoke with another one of her subordinates. The siren cleared her throat before addressing the woman before her.

“You remember when I said that I had high expectations of you when I let you rejoin us?” Serenade began.

The woman before her nodded solemnly. Only a small tuft of her amber hair moved as she did, the rest was styled and sprayed to where it wouldn’t move. Her orange eyes were filled with fear of her master, knowing this second chance was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, failure wasn’t an option.

“Good, then I want you to take care of a little task for me…” Serenade continued.

The woman before her stood up straight and placed her hands behind her back as she stood attentively. She had chosen a full black form-fitting stealth suit for her needs, as she needed to rely on agility and speed, but also she hoped to keep the element of surprise at her disposal. Serenade couldn’t say she agreed with the outfit, but if the woman did her job, it was of little consequence.

Arax returned to the room with a clean leather eyepatch, which Serenade turned around briefly to place on, handing him the soiled one. He took it and placed it in his pocket for cleaning later before taking the demon’s side where he said nothing.

“Sunset will continue to get in my way, but it’s far too soon to fight her head on… My power is strong, but Sunset is cunning, she’s got too many tricks up her sleeve for me to just have a go at right now… I need her out of the way while I deal with those teenagers,” Serenade stated.

The woman before her finally spoke up. “Master, with all due respect, Sunset might team up with those teenagers, I doubt I could take them all on by myself even with the power you’ve given me…”

Serenade rolled her eyes. “I know that, moron. That’s why you need to come up with a way to keep them from joining up. Stall their unification if you will…”

Understanding, the subordinate nodded. “I will do what I can then…”

Serenade grinned. “While I’d love to kill Sunset myself, if you can kill her, that would be acceptable as well…”

The other woman nodded.

“Don’t fuck this up, Lightning Dust… I’m giving you this second chance, and if you fuck it up or desert us again… I will make you wish I killed you. Do we understand each other?” Serenade raised a brow.

Lightning Dust nodded and bowed as she got down on one knee before her master. Serenade offered her hand to the woman, who took it and placed a kiss on the back of it. “I swear that I will not fail you, master. I will do all in my power to eliminate the problem of Sunset Shimmer, and I won’t rest until I prove my usefulness to you and our cause.”

“That’s the kind of talk that I like to hear… You’ve got your orders, now go carry them out.” Serenade instructed.

The woman nodded before coming to a stand. She exited the warehouse they were using as a temporary base of operations hastily to go and carry out that which was expected of her. She would return successfully, or she would not return at all, that much was certain in Lightning’s mind.

Serenade’s eyes followed the girl as she left the room, her trim athletic figure was far from what men would see as “desirable”, but it did give her quite the advantage in a fight. Serenade still preferred looks and style over such things, though. There was little point in being top dog without being beautiful to boot. The queen of the world should also be the most desirable woman after all.

Arax glanced over at the siren before deciding to speak up. “You don’t honestly expect someone like Lightning Dust to accomplish this do you?”

Serenade chuckled and shook her head. “Of course not. I don’t trust her anymore than I trust Sunset herself…”

“If that’s the case, why send her on such an important task? Why let her back in with us at all?” Arax raised a brow.

Serenade looked over at him and smiled deviously. “Something you need to understand about revenge… It’s best done when your enemies don’t see it coming… Lightning Dust abandoned us, she left the cause when we needed all to put in their all. She’s a traitor, and that deserves punishment.”

Arax tilted his head. “Why not just kill her then?”

“That wouldn’t be good enough. No, instead, I’ll let her believe she has a chance at redemption, and get as much use out of her as possible… Then I’ll dispose of her… The look on her face when she realizes that I had been misleading her from the start… That will be far too savory to pass up…” Serenade spoke.

Arax sighed, finding the entire ordeal a bit pedantic. “You know there’s a high chance that Sunset will kill her before you get the chance to?”

Serenade shook her head. “No, Lightning is a coward, she’ll run long before that happens, and Sunset won’t kill her if she runs. She has too much of a heart to kill someone who runs from a fight. She’s not one to strike when one’s back is turned, she’s the pathetic honorable type that prefers to fight you face to face…”

Arax questioned if that assessment was accurate. On one hand, Sunset had spared Serenade’s life despite all around her suggesting it was a poor decision, but now the girl was a demon, and it was hard to say if she would make the same choice again if it were presented before her. On top of that, Sunset stood far more to lose now, in this world her family was here, including her daughter, something that Serenade could exploit, and that could push her into a position of no mercy.

Still, Lightning Dust was far from dependable, even Arax knew that. Serenade was likely right that if push came to shove, she would run once more, hoping that Serenade would fall before Sunset again so she could escape her obligations to her once more, but that was a pipe dream at best. Arax knew that Lightning Dust likely was constantly trying to find a way out once she realized she was in over her head, but Serenade wouldn’t allow it. He would feel bad for her, but at the end of the day, she was a coward that wanted power and when she saw the price of that power, she got cold feet.

“On the off chance that Lightning actually succeeds in killing Sunset?” Arax asked.

Serenade shrugged. “I’ll kill her after. She’ll have served her purpose then. No need to keep her around then.”

“I doubt she’ll be able to anyway,” Serenade added.

“I suppose you’re right…” Arax replied.

It was clear, that there was no path for Lightning to be redeemed. She would fail and die at Sunset’s hands, or she would succeed and die at Serenade’s. The girl’s fate was sealed the moment that Serenade escaped her imprisonment. After that, she made it a point to track down those who had betrayed her. A few other of their subordinates had abandoned the fight in the siege of Canterlot, but all of those they had tracked down and slaughtered. Lightning was a special case, she had been in a position of command, a direct agent to Serenade, therefore it was clear that Serenade felt her punishment needed to be special.

There was nothing that could be done, Lightning Dust’s fate was sealed. She was a dead woman walking, and Arax couldn’t see any way around it. He prayed for her sake that it was Sunset that did her in, that way it would be far quicker, but he doubted she would be so lucky.

“Good luck, Lightning Dust…” Arax spoke to himself out loud.

Serenade nodded. “Though luck won’t be enough.”

Truly, Serenade’s cruelty knew no bounds.

Lightning Dust found herself at a local convenience store. The owner had been giving her the stink eye for some time now as she stood there with a leather jacket over her stealth suit, not exactly the most inconspicuous, so he was concerned she was going to just walk out without paying for sure.

Regardless, Lightning had been examining a set of batteries for a good eight minutes straight. Finally, she spoke up to the owner. “Do you have more of these in stock?”

The owner blinked and nodded. “Uh, yes I think there are some more in the back.”

Lightning nodded back before retrieving a wad of cash from her pocket. “I need eight of them.”

Without hesitation, the owner wandered into the backroom and came back with eight of the batteries she requested. They were fairly large, filling the palm of one’s hand easily. Lightning handed him the wad of bills and bagged the batteries. “Keep the change.”

The owner smiled at her, feeling slightly bad over his previous suspicion. “Yes, thank you, miss.”

Making her way out of the store, Lightning Dust pulled up a hologram on her phone as she made her way into a car. Setting the destination, she examined the hologram, it was a design she had been passed by a tech-savvy friend she had made in the human world. His voice came from her phone as she examined the blueprint.

“So, you got the batteries?” He asked.

“Yeah, I got them. Should power these things for a good few weeks, right?” She asked.

“About eight weeks, yes. Though I’m not sure why you need them to last that long, what are you planning?” He asked.

Lightning looked out her window as she spoke. “I told you, I was tasked with killing Sunset Shimmer.”

“Yeah, and then Serenade will let you off the hook, right?” He asked.

Lightning shook her head. “No. Serenade has no intention of letting me off that easily. There’s little doubt in my mind that she’ll have me killed the moment I give her what she wants.”

“So what do you intend to do then?” He questioned.

Lightning grinned. “I have to have bargaining chips on my side of the table, but for that, I need to tie up some loose ends…”

The voice on the phone got curious. “Loose ends? What do you mean?”

“I can’t risk Serenade figuring out what I’m up to… So I have to get rid of anything that can tip her off… Or anyone…” She said calmly.

“Wait… What?” The voice sounded panicked.

“Nothing personal, kid… But your role is done…” She said plainly.

“Wait! Lightning, I can help you!” His voice was cut off by the sound of gunfire. Lightning hung up the phone shortly after. With his blueprints in her hands, she had no further use for him, and he posed a risk for her plan. If Serenade were to get a hold of him, he would rat her out, and she knew it. She had summoned some mindless demons to take care of him, it only took a small fraction of her power.

She knew the lackeys that worked under her wouldn’t ask enough questions as to why she had ordered them to kill some random human, and even if they did, there was little to connect him to her plan. They were brainless drones, anyway, sucked free of any concept of free thinking. No one would question them, anyway.

Arriving at the old abandoned building she had intended to find, she stepped out of the car and gathered the batteries and a bag of materials. With the hologram of the blueprint still in front of her, she stepped inside and found her way to an old workbench that she had situated.

She looked around the building before setting her supplies down on the table. She thought this building would be perfect for what she had in mind. It had several basement floors, which would be ideal for her plans.

Placing the hologram in front of herself, Lightning began to follow the blueprints and construct the device that she had designed. If all went according to plan, she would have much more leverage. She contemplated what she would do next, but it didn’t matter, so long as she bought herself some time, she could work on a permanent solution to her problem later. Serenade could be dealt with another time.

Yuna composed herself as she held onto the railing of the city bus she found herself on. She was beyond nervous, but she stole herself and took a deep breath. With her eyes on the door, she watched as it opened and allowed her to step off of the bus. When her feet touched the sidewalk she sighed as she pulled up a hologram of a map on her phone.

“She appears to be stationary at the moment. Perhaps she was doing some shopping and now she’s stopped to eat? She is at a cafe according to my readings after all.” Moon’s voice spoke.

Yuna nodded. She glanced over the map one last time before she closed it and began heading in that direction. It would only be an eight-minute walk, but to her good fortune, Sunset was still there when she arrived. The tall redhead sat at a small table for two just outside of a cafe, slurping away at a drink.

Approaching the table, Yuna cleared her throat as she came within range of Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset looked up and removed her sunglasses. Placing them in her jacket pocket, her face lit up with a bright smile. Despite being a demon, and supposedly this vile person who abandoned her daughter, there was a genuine warmth to her. Sunset’s smile made Yuna feel at ease for some reason. She could see a little bit of Horizon in her and wondered if Horizon would look like her more if she ever smiled.

The woman waited patiently for Yuna to state her business.

“M-may I sit here?” Yuna asked.

Sunset gestured with her hand before nodding. Yuna glanced at the leather glove on the woman’s hand before she sat down across from her.

“I had a feeling we’d see each other soon.” Sunset smirked.

“Well, admittedly I didn’t expect it to be this soon…” Yuna blushed.

Sunset just shrugged and took another slurp of her drink. “You’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

Yuna nodded. “So… Where’s Eclipse?”

Sunset rolled her eyes, her expression dipped a little. “Did you really come here to talk about him?”

Rubbing her neck, Yuna shook her head. “I guess not… Just making conversation I suppose, what’s the deal with you two, anyway? Doesn’t sound like you get along…”

Sunset grumbled a bit but answered honestly. “He’s a condescending asshole if I’m honest; never misses a chance to criticize anything I’m doing. Far too uncaring to take beating Serenade seriously, it’s like all he cares about is getting his cock wet…”

“Why do you work with him then?” Yuna blinked, she hadn’t realized how poorly the two got along.

“Unfortunately he’s like a bad cough, it’s next to impossible to shake him, but I’ll admit… one more in the fight can’t hurt… and he can do light magic, so that is a bonus. Oddly enough despite being so lazy, he’s quite skilled with magic, almost like he had a natural talent for it.” Sunset explained.

“A man of strange virtues, I suppose.” Yuna chuckled, feeling the mood lighten slightly.

“If any at all.” Sunset smirked at the thought.

Yuna could tell there was quite a bit of tension between the two, but she decided to say nothing of it.

“Enough about him though, he’s probably off somewhere spreading his seed to whatever man will have it, I’m sure… Why are you here, Yuna?” Sunset’s expression became more relaxed and inviting at those words.

Yuna chewed her thoughts for a brief second, unsure of how to word her thoughts. She sat silently for long enough for Sunset to break it. “Perhaps you need some time to think about it, why don’t you accompany me?”

Blinking, Yuna watched as Sunset stood up and toss her empty drink into a nearby trashcan. She gestured with her finger for Yuna to follow, which she did. Approaching a motorcycle, Yuna flinched at the thought of riding on it. Sunset hopped on without a care, taking the helmet resting on one of the handlebars.

The redhead looked back at Yuna and smirked. “Never ridden on a motorcycle before?”

Yuna shook her head.

“Just hold on tight, I promise I won’t let anything happen to you,” Sunset stated.

Her words filled Yuna with enough confidence to approach and carefully hop onto the back of the bike. Sunset slipped her helmet on and started the engine. She spoke loudly so Yuna could hear her. “Sorry, the other helmet is back at the hotel I stay at.”

Yuna didn’t have it in her to yell back, so she just nodded as she wrapped her arms around Sunset’s midsection. She could feel the older woman’s breasts touching her upper forearm, causing her to blush. Yuna could feel that Sunset was in excellent shape.

As Sunset revved the engine once again, Yuna flinched and gripped tighter. The bike began to move, causing Yuna to close her eyes and hold on tight. Sunset giggled a bit at Yuna’s reaction.

“Just hold on tight,” Sunset stated.

“I can’t believe this! How could you be this stupid!?” Lightning Dust’s father screamed at the eight-year-old filly.

Lightning stood there with her head down, she didn’t dare speak back to her father, though the burning intensity inside of her wanted to scream.

“Your sister doesn’t score like this, why can’t you be more like her? All you ever do is cause trouble in this family, you know that?” Her father scolded.

Lightning gasped as she found herself awake, sweating. She swore under her breath and looked around the desk she fell asleep at. She had been dreaming. The woman put her legs onto the chair and hugged them close to her chest, tears ran down her cheeks as she remembered the pain. It hurt too much to remember, she wished she could forget.

A beeping sound came from, her phone, signaling the arrival of her “guest”. The woman wiped her tears and composed herself. To her surprise, she could see two women pulling up in front of the building. Sighing, Lightning stood up and started gathering her things. The last item was a handgun she had acquired a few days prior, which she placed in a holster around her belt.

“Okay… It’s game time…” Lightning said to herself as she left the room.

Removing her helmet, Sunset ran a hand through her long hair. Yuna watched as she attempted to brush part of it away from her right eye, but to no avail. Sunset was still so incredibly pretty for her age, Yuna thought; good looks ran in the family, obviously.

“What are we doing here?” Yuna asked.

Sunset stepped off of the bike and reached into her jacket and retrieved her 1911. She pulled the clip out and checked it, it was full. Satisfied she placed it back into the weapon and offered it to Yuna. The teen blinked and stared at the gun before looking up at Sunset confused.

“I know you don’t have magic, and it could be dangerous in there,” Sunset stated.

“Why? You still haven’t told me why we’re here.” Yuna blinked.

“I tracked down one of Serenade’s subordinates here, I intend to take her out. One less demon to deal with, remove every advantage that Serenade has.” Sunset grinned.

Yuna pushed the gun back to Sunset. “I’m not a fighter.”

Sunset stuffed the gun back into her jacket and nodded. “You better stay close then, I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“I trust you, Sunset.” Yuna followed closely as they entered the building.

Sunset entered and closed her eyes, trying to sense demonic energy. The place was full of it, there was no doubt, Serenade’s subordinate was definitely there. The stench of demons filled Sunset’s nostrils, she hated it.

Yuna glanced around what appeared to be some kind of office building that had been shut down. Old computers sat atop desks, layers of dust sat atop them, along with office chairs that had been tipped over. Her eyes scanned the room before she saw something move near a hallway.

“Something moved!” Yuna pointed.

Sunset quickly drew her weapon and let off two shots in that direction. She kept her weapon drawn and turned on the attached flashlight. “Stay close, Yuna.”

Yuna gripped Sunset’s arm as the two approached the hallway. Sunset noticed something moved once more down the hallway, which she fired at once more. She called out to whatever was moving down the hall. “Give it up, demon!”

Sunset kept her sight on the target but saw it suddenly vanished out of thin air. “What the hell…?”

She moved her weapon to try and find the target again, noticing what appeared to be a ghostly figure that vanished just as quickly as Sunset saw it, she noted it was heading toward a stairwell heading down.

“That’s new…” Sunset lowered her weapon.

“Do ghosts exist?” Yuna asked.

Sunset shook her head. “In Equestria, there has been extensive research regarding death, no one comes back from it, no matter how much magic they have. The only exception is if they become a demon. Demons can return to the land of the living after they become strong enough, but it’s only temporary, once they die again they’re gone for good.”

“What about everyone else?” Yuna questioned.

Sunset sighed. “Many have tried to answer that question, but even with magic, none have been able to. So many have wasted their whole lives hoping to see those who have already passed…”

“So what happens when we die…?” Yuna asked.

Sunset didn’t answer the question. “We should follow that thing to the basement.”

“Alright, I’ll be right behind you.” Yuna agreed.

“Answer me when I’m talking to you, Lightning Dust!” Her father commanded.

The young filly remained silent. She didn’t dare speak.

Her act of defiance only annoyed him more as he reached out and slapped the girl across her face. She stumbled and fell, but kept quiet. He shook his head in annoyance at her. “I even got you into that private school to help you get better grades, but you screwed that up too. Now you can’t even manage a C average in the public school? What good are you?”

Lightning stayed quiet and still.

Another voice came into the room. “Dad, I’m home!”

Her father’s demeanor changed swiftly. He composed himself and turned around with a smile at the yellow pegasus standing at the entranceway. She was a good eight years Lightning’s senior, with a long orange mane. “Oh hey, Thunder, I didn’t hear you come in. How was school, sweetheart?”

Thunder hugged her father and grinned as he pecked her forehead. “It was good, I made the dean’s list again.”

“That’s fantastic, sweetheart!” Her father spoke with such pride in his voice.

Thunder glanced at Lightning on the ground and tilted her head. “What’s going on here?”

Her father froze for a brief second and glanced over at his younger daughter before speaking. “Oh, uh, Lightning was just trying out a flying move, she still hasn’t quite mastered it yet though.”

“Oh, well maybe next time try it outside?” Thunder smiled.

“Good idea.” Her father chuckled.

Did you ever know, sister? Did you play oblivious? Or did you just trust father so much you couldn’t imagine him being any other way than the way he presented himself to you? Lightning thought to herself as the memory began to fade away.

She hated having to remember it, but it was like a worm in her ear that wouldn’t go away.

Lightning composed herself and reminded herself she needed to focus on the task at hand. She had made her way down to the lower basement level, a good two floors underground; this would be good enough for her plans. Her scans indicated that the teenager with Sunset had no magic capabilities, which was a plus for her plan to work.

She focused and decided it was time to lure her prey to the designated area. She could see the shadow of Sunset coming down the stairwell with a gun drawn, and Yuna at her side.

With remarkable speed, Lightning blazed behind them on the stairs and pushed Sunset down. The woman stumbled with Yuna at her side as they both tumbled down. Upon reaching the bottom Sunset flipped over and faced the top of the stairs with her gun drawn. She fired at Lightning Dust, but the woman moved so quickly that the bullets missed her.

Sunset blinked. She fired again, but as before, Lightning Dust’s body moved quicker than the eye could see. Her speed and reflexes were inhuman.

Helping Yuna up, Sunset kept her weapon drawn, glancing around the room for any sign of the demon. She caught another glimpse and once again fired, but to no avail.

“She’s fast,” Yuna commented.

“Back up, keep our backs to the wall, that way she can only come from so many directions,” Sunset said as the two began to back step until they were in a corner, Sunset aimed her weapon in the hopes of finding a target. “Come on, where are you…? Sunset whispered to herself.

At that moment a high-pitched electronic whine could be heard, causing Sunset and Yuna to both cover their ears. When the whining noise stopped, a pop was heard followed by some kind of force field appearing around them. Sunset blinked as she saw Lightning Dust come into focus. She aimed and unloaded the remainder of her clip on the woman, but the force field stopped the bullets. She quickly reloaded and kept her gun pointed, but Lightning Dust didn’t seem too intimidated.

Realizing it was pointless to fire again, Sunset lowered her weapon. The two locked eyes for an uncomfortable minute. Sunset reached forward toward the barrier only for it to shock her. She retracted her hand quickly and grunted in pain.

Lightning pointed to the barrier. “There’s no point in struggling. This field will lock any living being inside, and it can only be disabled from the outside.” She pointed to a device that had been projecting the barrier. “It has an eight-week battery life, which should be longer than you have…”

“Why? You can’t fight me one-on-one?” Sunset smirked.

Lightning’s expression remained neutral. “I’m not stupid. In a fair fight, I’d stand no chance against you, thus why I devised this plan…”

“So you’ll kill me from behind the safety of your little barrier then?” Sunset asked.

Lightning shook her head. “No, this barrier is meant to preserve you for a while… Having you dead right away won’t serve me…”

“Why would you do that? Serenade wants me dead. Why not just kill me now and report back to your master?” Sunset raised a brow.

“And what purpose would Serenade have for me after that is done?” Lightning replied.

Sunset’s eyes widened as she realized who this woman was now. Her memory quickly returned to her, she had heard stories back in Equestria. “Wait… You’re Lightning Dust, I remember… You ran away like a coward during the final confrontation with Serenade, left her high and dry even…”

“A coward I am, but I’m not foolish. Throwing my life away for Serenade when she was destined to lose is an unnecessary sacrifice…” Lightning explained.

Sunset laughed. “I get it, now you’re in deep with Serenade, you’re hoping for some kind of bargaining power so you need me alive.”

“At least for the time being, mostly I just need you out of the way. If you die in there, it’s not really a concern for me, I just need time is all…” Lightning said.

Sunset smirked and shook her head. “All the time in the world can’t help you now, Lightning Dust. You’re a dead woman walking. You can’t keep me here forever and eventually, Serenade is going to kill you. It’d serve you right too, that’s the price you pay for helping her in the first place, you knew the risks when you got involved.”

“I don’t intend to live beneath Serenade forever, Sunset…” Lightning said.

“Then why not release me? Let me kill Serenade and your problems are over.” Sunset reasoned.

This time Lightning laughed. “You think I’m stupid? Even if you could, you have no reason to spare me. You’ll just kill me as well the moment you get the chance.”

“You’d rather take your chances with Serenade?” Yuna chimed in.

Lightning glared at the teen before speaking. “She’s the evil I at least partially understand…”

“Why delay your death so much? Why not just meet it face to face?” Sunset asked.

Lightning came close to the barrier and spoke in an almost whisper to Sunset. “When this is all over… When I’m free… If you’re not already dead, I’ll come to finish you off, I’m not a monster like her.”

Sunset was quiet as Lightning stepped back and nodded at the two before she began to make her way up the stairs. Sunset cursed as the woman was out of sight. “Shit…”

“Any ideas, Yuna?” Sunset asked.

Yuna already had Moon scanning the barrier but wasn’t coming up with any useful information. “No good, Moon has no reference point for this kind of thing. I think Lightning might be right, the only way to open it is to disable it from the outside…”

“We should call someone then…” Sunset suggested.

Moon’s voice came from Yuna’s phone before a projection of him appeared. “I’m afraid I thought of that already and it’s a no-go. That device seems to be jamming any and all outgoing signals. I can not even connect with Horizon.”

“So we’re trapped then?” Sunset asked.

Moon frowned. “I’m afraid so… Sorry to both of you, I wish I could be of more assistance…”

Yuna gave him a smile, knowing he was trying his best. “It’s alright, Moon. You can’t do much with so little after all.”

Sunset agreed, though begrudgingly. She sighed and sat down on the ground, leaning her back up against the wall. Yuna followed suit and sat down on the floor across from her, sitting atop some kind of storage crate. “So what do we do now?”

“I guess we can just… Wait a little while…” Sunset said before shutting her eyes.

Yuna wanted to be more productive but she couldn’t think of a better plan, so she leaned back and allowed her back and head to rest atop the box she was sitting on and followed Sunset in closing her eyes. She’d think of a way out later, for now, they needed to preserve their strength.

“Your mother is dead because of you! She gave you life and you show your gratitude by being such a pathetic failure!?” Lightning’s father spoke to the now fourteen Lightning Dust.

“You never say that to Thunder…” Lightning commented.

Her father slapped her, but she didn’t fall, she stumbled a bit but stubbornly kept herself standing. She refused to let a tear out or any sign of discomfort, the bastard didn’t deserve it. Instead, she forced a cruel smile on her face.

“Your sister spends her life honoring your mother, doing things that would make her proud, you however can’t seem to stop disappointing anyone can you? I first you kill her with your birth and now you insult her after her death…” He growled.

Lightning felt feisty, she didn’t want to grovel at him anymore. Ever since she had turned thirteen, she promised herself she wouldn’t just stand there and take it anymore. “Maybe because she had someone who believed in her from the start… All I ever got was constantly berating about how I need to be more like her.”

Her father waved a furious hoof at her. “All encouraging you would do is be a waste of breath, your sister was just accepted into Cloudsdale University, something you could never do.”

Fuck you, old man. Lightning thought as she stared at the phone on her wrist. She knew a call from Serenade would come through eventually, but while she sat there trying to figure out what she would say, she found herself lost in memories once again.

Why can’t I just forget? The woman wondered to herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard her phone ring and her wrist vibrate. Sighing she answered. “Yeah, it’s me.”

“Where have you been?” An annoyed Serenade asked from the other side.

Lightning held back a yawn as she spoke. “Looking for Sunset Shimmer like I was instructed.”

“Then why haven’t you given me any kind of update yet? I expected a progress report by now!” Serenade hissed.

Lightning felt her ear twitch from the volume of Serenade’s voice. The woman kept her cool though. “Sorry, I’ve been focused on the task, that’s all.”

Serenade pointed a finger at Lightning. “Don’t forget that you’re already on thin ice. I don’t need to remind you what happens if you displease me, do I?”

“I’m well aware, master. I assure you, I was merely occupied with my task, nothing more.” Lightning lied.

Serenade’s temper cooled slightly at the sight of a subordinate submitting to her. “Very well… However, in the future do not keep me waiting, you’ll find I’m not very patient…”

That much was already evident. Lightning thought to herself.

“When I know something, you’ll know right away. Sunset Shimmer isn’t the easiest person to track down.” Lightning coughed.

Letting out a grumble, Serenade agreed, albeit begrudgingly. “I’m aware. She has many tricks up her sleeve, and she knows how to be elusive. Don’t let your guard down around her, or she’ll kill you with ease.”

“Thanks for the advice.” Lightning feigned gratitude.

“If you can bring her to me alive, but weak enough to not resist, that would be more ideal though…”Serenade smirked.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Lightning shrugged.

“Mhm.” Serenade nodded before ending the call.

Lightning let out a long sigh. It was always taxing to deal with her superior. Fortunately for her, she was able to lie well enough to keep Serenade happy. That alone would buy her another day of life.

Eclipse had taken a walk, deciding he had had enough of Sunset Shimmer for a while and thus needed to clear his head. There was so much now to wrap his head around; Sunset’s daughter, Horizon Shimmer now found herself involved in the mission of destroying Serenade, along with her entourage of friends. Did this mean that Sunset and he would now have to work with these teenagers? Or would they be competing for who got the kill first? Either way was acceptable to Eclipse.

The young man took a long drag from an electric cigarette as he kicked a rock off of the sidewalk. He now found himself wondering how much longer their mission would take. Even if Horizon and her friends found themselves in competition for Serenade’s head, he couldn’t deny that it would still benefit them. With more hunting her and her underlings, they stood a much fairer chance of taking her out, though that chance would certainly be greater if they all teamed up; as much as he wasn’t eager to have to work with a bunch of teenagers (especially Bolt).

Taking another puff, Eclipse checked the phone on his wrist for the time: 4:48 PM. It was getting late, he wondered if he should start heading to the hotel where Sunset and he were staying and wait for her return, however, his attention was caught by an app he had installed having a blinking notification. The young man opened the app and a hologram appeared in front of him with a map. The signal was not far from his location.

He had installed an app that Sunset had built which could track magic energy signatures, but this one, in particular, caught his interest, it was being sent out deliberately, and it didn’t appear to be Unicorn in origin, instead, it read off that it was a synthetic signature. Eclipse knew that simulated magic was possible in Equestria, but it usually required the aid of magic relics or uniquely crafted devices that could hone magic. There were only a good few dozen such objects that he knew of, all of which weren’t in the human world.

His intrigue was peaked, after all, whoever was sending this signal out was doing so in the hopes that someone like him would go and find them.

Wasting no time, he made note of the location and closed the hologram. He took one last drag from his cigarette before pocketing it. With haste, he began to run to get to the location as quickly as possible before the signal went away.

Years of training his body meant he could run for long times without getting tired, and he could do so at remarkable speeds. He zipped down the sidewalk, crossed when necessary, and weaved in and out of alleyways between the many structures in the city. Part of him cursed himself for not bringing the other motorcycle that they kept back at the hotel, but there was no time for hindsight.

Eclipse finally found himself at the location of the signal, directly in front of an apartment complex. It was somewhat cheap looking, but not in disrepair. He composed himself and stepped into the front door. Quickly he checked over the names on the mailboxes, and one, in particular, caused him to freeze.

Cinder Razorclaw

Was it possible? Could there really be a human counterpart to Cinder? If so, why was he drawn to her? Was it a coincidence?

Looking over what floor and apartment she was in, he made his way hastily up the stairs, bolting to her door before stopping in front of it. He froze for a good eight seconds, wondering what he would even say to this counterpart.

Without thinking, his hand reached forward and tapped on the door eight times. It was as if it moved on its own without his input.

From inside, he could hear footsteps, and then the handle turned, causing his heart to race faster and faster in anticipation of what could possibly be behind the door.

When the door swung open, Eclipse instantly recognized the metallic arm of the person standing before him. He had never met anyone with an arm so intricately crafted in his entire life except her. He knew there was no possibility of this being some kind of human counterpart, this was the genuine article.

He blinked a few times in disbelief before the woman tilted her head, speaking in that raspy voice he knew so well. “Yes?”

“It really is you… Master…” Eclipse kneeled down, lowering his head to honor the woman.

Cinder blinked but then his white hair started to look familiar to her. Her eyes widened as she pulled him up and into a hug. He found himself suffocated between her breasts as he squirmed for a second, but ultimately he returned the hug. She stroked his head affectionately as she held him. “You’re still alive… I’m so glad…” she cooed.

Breaking free from the hug, he returned to kneeling before her. “I am, it is good to see you again, master…”

She gestured for him to stand. “On your feet, you needn’t kneel for me, you know that.”

Nodding, Eclipse came to a stand as the woman invited him inside. He followed and sat across from her in her living room. It was a quaint little place without many things decorating it, but he remembered that was how Cinder always was: content with little.

Eclipse recognized her two swords sitting next to her chair and smiled a little.

“Master, what are you doing here? Why are you purposefully letting on a signal to be found?” Eclipse asked.

She gave a toothy grin, her fangs presenting before Eclipse. “I was hoping you’d find me…”

“So it was for me? How did you know I was here?” Eclipse asked.

The dragon woman winked. “You may be quite a student but you have much to learn about covering your tracks. Quite a few know you’re here, Princess Twilight included.”

“Guess the old princess really is a bit more clever than I give her credit for…” Eclipse smirked.

Cinder rolled her eyes. “I know what brought you here, Eclipse…”

The young man became silent.

“Have you told anyone else what you came here for?” Cinder crossed her arms.

“I came here to kill Serenade that’s the only reason…” Eclipse lied.

Cinder shook her head and sighed. “You and I both know that isn’t true.”

Eclipse bit his lip nervously. “Alright, I apologize for lying, Master…”

Cinder sighed. “So you haven’t told her then?”

Eclipse shrugged. “There’s no reason for her to know. It’s better this way…”

“I can’t tell you what to do, but I will say she has a right to know, especially given the circumstances…” Cinder frowned.

The man twitched at those words. “So you know about that, too?”

Cinder grabbed a glass of water nearby and took a sip before she nodded. “I had a feeling after I was informed about the situation. I had seen it before, so unlike those kids, I knew right away…”

Eclipse looked at the floor. “I mean… it’s whatever.”

“Hmmm…” Cinder pondered, not sure of what to make of his response.

“Why did you come here to this place, Master? It couldn’t have just been for me? How are you getting back?” He asked.

Cinder sipped her drink once more. “It’s as I said, I came for you. As for how I’m getting back; I’m not. It’s a one-way trip.”

He frowned. “You came all this way for nothing… I’m not worth you trapping yourself in this hellhole…”

His mentor leaned in with intrigue. “It’s not so bad here, and why do you say that?”

“There’s no reason to keep going for me when this is over. My family is dead, I can’t go back to Equestria… I can’t find any new meaning in existence, the only reason I’m still here is to kill Serenade. When she’s dead, there’s nothing left,” Eclipse explained.

She tilted her head. “Surely your life has some purpose, Eclipse…”

“Yeah, well there’s only so long that getting your dick sucked can make you forget about the burden of existence, Master…”

Cinder found herself chuckling as she covered her mouth. “Quite the playboy then, Eclipse?”

He shrugged. “Look, the reality is it Sunset is a huge disappointment… A self-loathing demon, who spends all of her time abusing herself, neglecting her family, and waiting for the sweet relief of death to absolve her. She’s nothing like I thought she’d be… How does someone so pitiful ever become someone like Glitch was? Glitch was a hero, a leader… Sunset is… a disgrace.”

Cinder shook her head with a frown. “Even as Glitch, she had demons she fought inside. No one is perfect, and I don’t think many envy the position she is in. Most of us never had to make the choices she had before her.”

“We’re all adults, Master. We choose the consequences of our choices and we have to own those consequences…” Eclipse stated plainly.

“So then what? You finish off Serenade and then end yourself? Is that how you see this playing out?” She questioned.

Once again, Eclipse just shrugged as he leaned back in his seat. “I mean if it comes to that… Maybe I’ll get lucky and we’ll both kill each other.”

“Is that how I taught you?” She frowned.

Eclipse’s face became serious. “You taught me how to be a warrior, there is no need for warriors in this world once that monster is dead.”

“I taught you honor.” She corrected.

“Maybe I’m not as great a student then…”

Sighing, Cinder picked up her glass of water once more and finished it off. “No, you were brilliant, I just wasn’t a great teacher. Every failure of my students is my failure as a mentor… I had hoped I gave you purpose… I suppose I didn’t.”

“It wasn’t you… Everything I had faith in kept letting me down. Now, I just want to finish my unfinished business and be done with it all.”

“This is about Galeal isn’t it?” She raised a brow.

Eclipse scoffed. “Why do people keep getting involved in stuff that’s not their business?”

“He hurt you, Eclipse, and you still want a true explanation… But you can’t keep letting what happened with him control you like this…” She reached forward across the table and placed a hand on Eclipse’s knee.

He looked down at her hand and then shook his head. “There’s more going on than just Galeal, that was just the start of the end… I’m not that pathetic you know… So what if Galeal lives in denial? So what if he’s embarrassed to be seen with me? Galeal isn’t my whole life. He helped me through a hard time, but I’m grown up now… I don’t need his approval…”

Cinder was silent.

“Anyway… You’re not going to tell Sunset any of this stuff, right?” He continued.

Cinder shook her head. “I have no reason to. I don’t share the secrets of others… All I can say is I hope you can find more purpose, Eclipse. I’m sorry that I failed you as a mentor… That will weigh heavy on me forever…”

He frowned as he came to a stand. “No, it’s not your fault… I was messed up before we met. I own that.”

“Then I regret not being able to heal you from the burden of your pain…” She said.

Eclipse couldn’t help but smile at those words. Cinder Razorclaw’s personality hadn’t changed at all, once a big sister, always one.

“You’re far too kind, you know that?” He grinned.

“A curse that has cost me much…” She replied quietly.

“I would say it’s worth the price… The world needs more people like you, Master.”

“As it does people like you, Eclipse.”

He wanted to disagree, but seeing her eyes made him bite his lip and nod instead. “Thank you, Master… I appreciate that…”

???

Doctor Sunset Shimmer had just finished up with the last of her patients for the day, a veteran named Rainbow Dash who had suffered a severe nerve injury in the army. She currently was in a wheelchair, seeking potential new treatment that Doctor Shimmer had been working on, that she hoped would one day potentially restore those who were paralyzed.

She had been compiling her notes on the woman’s specific case diligently. She noted that her body had several other battle wounds that could potentially complicate treatment.

Rainbow T. Dash

Age: Thirty-one

Sex: Female

Patient is five feet, seven inches tall, weighing approximately one hundred and thirty-eight kilos. Blood type information is still being acquired, had an issue communicating with her general practitioner, should be resolved by tomorrow.

Ms. Dash seems quite interested in being a candidate for my upcoming study on the reproduction of damaged nerves. While she is certainly a surly patient, I am not completely sure if she is the ideal viable candidate. More testing will need to be conducted. There is also the concern of the military wishing to utilize my work, so I should be conscious of that as well.

I have told her to return to me at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning for further analysis. I should remember to see if I can find any records of her other treatments for wounds she received while in the army so I can do a full assessment, otherwise I’m not even sure I will be able to proceed.

Sighing, the woman saved her file and turned off her computer. She stretched and came to a stand. With a yawn she removed her jacket and left her office, making her way to the showers.

A few of the doctors who recognized her and weren’t buried in their work gave an approving nod as she walked past them, to which she returned.

The doctor found her way to the showers and opened up a locker she had been assigned the day she finished her residency. Carefully she removed her clothing and placed it within before wandering toward the showers.

When she turned the water on, she felt instant relief. She had been there since eight in the morning and now it was well past midnight. Doctor Shimmer was thankful she didn’t have a family at home waiting for her, as they’d likely have grown sick of waiting for her every single night. She had tried to date a few times, but there just wasn’t enough time. She found herself buried in her work as she was on the cusp of groundbreaking discoveries.

A part of her could feel the filth washing off of her as she cooed contentedly.

The sounds of footsteps caused her to glance in the direction of the entryway to the showers, and she blinked as she saw a young girl wearing a white dress wander in. She wasn’t wearing any shoes and her tiny feet walked so casually. For a girl she had a very unladylike posture about her as she entered the shower, water now soaking her hair and dress, causing it to become somewhat transparent. She was short, and her hair was a mess.

Sunset pointed to her dress. “Your dress is getting soaked.”

The teenager looked down at her soaked form and then back up at Sunset. She held her hand up and watched as water dripped from her fingers. “While my form may get wet, I can not feel it. I can’t tell if the water is hot or cold, I can’t feel the sensation on my skin… Nothing.”

“You’re not a doctor here, are you?” Sunset could instantly ascertain.

The teen shook her head. “No.”

“I don’t know how you got here, but I specialize in the nervous system, I could help you.” Sunset smiled at the girl.

Once again, the girl shook her head. “Your abilities can not do anything for me; I’m not sick. My condition merely comes from my physical form being split like this…”

“What? I don’t understand…” Sunset frowned.

“It’s not necessary for you to understand, fortunately… Miss Shimmer, it’s great to finally meet you…” The girl spoke.

Sunset extended her hand but then retracted it when she realized it wasn’t exactly a formal situation when she was naked. “Likewise… Uhh…” she paused not knowing the girl’s name.

“Horizon.” The girl said.

“Horizon then.” Sunset grinned.

“I apologize for not showing myself sooner, I promise I haven’t been avoiding you…” Horizon stated.

Sunset blinked. “I wasn’t aware we were supposed to meet…”

Horizon shrugged at her. “That’s fair… It seems my abilities like light are limited. Light can only appear in so many places, it must come from a source and it takes time to get there… My abilities are limited like that, and they don’t always seem in my own control…”

“I’m not sure I follow…” Sunset rubbed her head, unsure of what was going on.

“It doesn’t matter, when you leave here, you’ll likely only imagine this as some kind of strange dream, it’s not as though others will take you seriously, I mean a strange girl who managed to bypass all hospital security and vanished just as quickly? Who would believe that…” Horizon said.

Sunset Shimmer was silent.

“My role is solely to extract information,” Horizon added.

“What is it that you want to know, Horizon?” Sunset asked.

Horizon paused but then looked up at the older woman. “Dr. Shimmer, what is the value of one’s life?”

The doctor froze, unsure of what to say. She contemplated it and then gave her answer. “I guess that’s something that only each person can decide for themselves.”

Horizon nodded. “I suppose that’s the kind of answer I expected from you at this point…”

“What do you plan to do with this information?” Sunset asked.

When the woman blinked though, Horizon had completely vanished. She wondered if the entire situation was nothing more than an illusion.

Moondancer found herself going over piles of notes she had made, trying to make sense of it all. Something just wasn’t making sense, and she knew it. She had been conducting some personal research for a few days, and the results were now in front of her not making any sense.

The slender woman adjusted her glasses as she began to look over her findings once more. “It doesn’t make sense… These energy signatures… They’re almost identical to the sample that I got from Moon when Yuna gave it to me…”

She scratched her head in confusion until it finally clicked. There was only a single possibility that made everything make sense. She gasped and covered her mouth as the truth revealed itself to her. “That means… Shit! I have to warn Yuna!” The woman reached into her drawer and retrieved a firearm before getting ready to call her sister.

The phone dialed but no one picked up. “Fuck!” Moondancer cursed.

Hearing a rustle behind her, Moondancer turned around with her gun drawn, to see a figure in the shadows pointing one back at her.

“So I was right… It was you…” Moondancer stood her aim unwavering.

“You won’t kill me, Moondancer, you don’t have the guts to do so…” A masculine voice called back to her.

“Is that what you think?” Moondancer asked.

“It’s nothing personal, I just can’t have you blabbing what you found out, it’d be a hindrance to Serenade’s plan, after all…” The figure spoke.

“All of your kind are the same… puppets,” Moondancer growled.

Bang!

Author's Note

Hello, welcome back!

Who doesn't love a good cliffhanger? Also, yes, the return of Lightning Dust, I'm sure most of you predicted her return.

Act II - Chapter XVI: Mysteries

Chapter XVI: Mysteries

Flipping through her notes viciously, Shimmer tried to make sense of what she had gathered in her recently filled composition notebook. The cliff notes version of what she understood about magic was all written in this singular notebook. She had plotted it back as early as her first days of research, taking the most important findings and connecting them together. It was, in essence a timeline of all of her research. Shimmer reviewed her notes in her head and began to read out her findings over the years.

Finding One: Magic seems to be affected by emotion and desire.

This much had been proven beyond any reasonable doubt at this point. If she wasn’t sure before, she was definitely sure now. Her own magic seemed to be triggered by powerful emotion, and Sunset and her friends seemed to follow that pattern.

It was clear that magic got stronger depending on the emotions and desires of the user.

Finding Two: Magic does not show up in DNA tests, or show any kind of abnormalities in tissue samples of a possessor.

Shimmer tapped her pen to her chin as she pondered this one. Initially, she knew this only by testing her own DNA and tissue samples, only to find there was nothing extraordinary about her genetics. She had thought this would be contradicted by Sunset, but the only anomalies in Sunset’s DNA could be explained by her being another species from another dimension.

She recalled her results when taking samples from her other friends and sure enough, they too were like her: unspectacular. It was clear there was nothing linking them genetic-wise, yet they seemed to possess magic.

Finding Three: Magic appears to drain energy from the user.

This one she could attest to first hand. Large bursts of magic drained the person using it and left them exhausted. She theorized that one might even be able to die from overusing it. She picked Princess Twilight’s brain for a bit on the subject but found nothing concrete except that magic does indeed cause fatigue if overused; something she already suspected herself.

Finding Four: Magic seems to take the shape of the desires of the one who uses it, it is unbiased to good or evil. This means that regardless of one's intentions, magic seems to manifest. This creates another form referred to as dark magic, more research is needed on that subject.

Sunset helped her confirm this one. The desires of the person using magic may change the shape that magic will take. Shimmer used it once out of anger and the results were devastating. Sunset had told her that she had twisted desires and magic turned her into a demon before. However, magic also turned her into a creature of light that stopped Midnight Sparkle back at the friendship games.

It was clear that magic was much more malleable than she initially thought, Shimmer was in awe at how much her perspective on the subject had changed in only a few short months.

Finding Five: Magic only forms in specific people.

This finding was the one that had her the most stumped. She didn’t quite understand the specifics, but she was starting to understand the basics. Sunset and she only had magic because Sunset brought it from Equestria; and due to the two of them being counterparts of one another, magic appeared in Shimmer as well. They were linked, and the same happened to Sunset’s friends when they formed close bonds with the Princess. It definitely appeared as though these kinds of "links" were important for magic formation.

It seemed as though magic was almost infectious, but required unique conditions to spread. That was the part that had her the most stumped, she couldn’t find any scenario that replicated said conditions and more or less determined it was almost impossible for magic to simply spawn in one who was not meant to have it.

So why would someone be interested in stealing my research?

Her furry companion approached and placed his muzzle in her lap. Eliciting a gentle pat on the head from his master, his tail wagged as he looked up at her.

“It doesn’t make sense, Moon. The only explanation I can think of as to why someone would want to steal this research is to get magic for themselves, but all of my findings clearly show that isn’t feasible. One simply can’t gain magic from nowhere after all…” Shimmer explained to the dog who merely wagged his tail in response.

"Unless there is something I'm just not getting..." Shimmer froze in thought for a moment, trying to ponder over what she already knew to see if there was something she was missing.

When nothing came to mind Shimmer grunted and leaned back in her chair in annoyance. “I can’t figure this out. Who is doing this and why? What do they hope to gain… not like anyone will believe them that magic exists unless they see it firsthand anyways…”

The dog barked in response, and Shimmer giggled. “You’re right. I’m sure the answer will come to me; I just need to destress about it and stop focusing so hard. I often seem to have my best breakthroughs by accident after all.”

A tap on the door caught Shimmer’s attention as she looked over in that direction and ushered the person to come inside. “It’s unlocked.”

Gently swinging the door open, Sunset stood there with her usual school attire and a backpack saddled over her shoulder. Shimmer found herself smiling as she noticed Sunset was wearing the eyeliner and lip gloss she had given her. Her elder sister was actually a very pretty girl; she just always seemed to fail to show off her features properly.

Shimmer closed the notebook and nodded as Sunset stepped in.

“So I’m heading to school now, and-“ Sunset craned her head and stopped herself mid-sentence to try and get a look at the notebook Shimmer had.

“What’s that?”

Shimmer placed her hand atop of it and pushed it aside. “Just some notes on magic I’m going over. After all, it’s probably better I understand it so as to not accidentally lose control of it again, right?”

Sunset frowned and took a step forward. “Wouldn’t it be better to learn it from using it? I mean we could go somewhere and practice a bit…”

Shimmer shook her head and grew a stern expression. “Absolutely not; magic is dangerous, and I don’t want to risk using it again until I understand it better.”

Wanting to argue it, but unable to find the words, Sunset decided it was best to drop it. She would be late for school anyway. “Alright… well, I’ll see you here after school?”

Shimmer’s face lit up as she grew a smirk. “You have gym today, and knowing you, you’re not going to shower there… So I better prepare a bath after school…”

Rolling her eyes, Sunset sighed at her sister’s obsession with baths. As she did, Shimmer spoke directly to her watch and asked the voice control to set an alarm for four that afternoon.

“Well I better get going,” Sunset said as she gestured her head towards the door, her hand holding her backpack upon her shoulder.

Shimmer came to a stand and brushed off her lab coat as she took a step after her sister and grabbed the hem of Sunset’s jacket. “Hold up…”

Confused, Sunset turned to see pleading eyes upon Shimmer as she opened her arms. With a chuckle, Sunset nodded already realizing what she had “forgotten”. Pivoting to face the younger girl, Sunset took her in for a deep hug and stroked the girl’s long hair before planting a kiss on her forehead and holding her back at arm’s length. Looking to her eyes, Sunset smiled. “Try and not spend all day locked up in this lab okay? It’s not good for you.”

“I promise I’ll go use the gym and possibly the library today.” Shimmer offered her pinkie.

Taking it in her own, Sunset locked tiny fingers with the girl and nodded. “Holding you to it.”

Turning to take her leave, Shimmer waved. “See you tonight, sis!”

The cafeteria at Canterlot High had the scent of country stir fry filling the air. Sunset’s nostrils were flooded with the smell of fresh veggies and the disgusting scent of cooked meat. Applejack’s grandmother must have decided to do her own dishes today instead of following the menu. Ordinarily, the school would have a conniption about it, but Granny Smith’s approval rating from the students with her own dishes was so high that the school let it slide. Morale and students' well-being seemed to always win out with Celestia and Luna as they probably seldom reported deviations from the standardized routines put on them by the state.

Approaching the line, Sunset had arrived a few minutes late, but that appeared to work out to her advantage, as the entire lunch period seemed to have already been ordered and thus there was no one blocking her from sustenance. Eagerly she grabbed a tray and raced to the line giving Granny Smith a smile. The older woman’s wrinkles curled up as she smiled at Sunset, a spatula in her right hand as Sunset offered her tray.

“No meat, right deary?” Her country accent rang in Sunset’s ears.

Sunset gave a gentle nod and the woman obliged before offering the tray now with a bounty of veggies upon it back to Sunset. She took the tray and bowed her head lightly before the old woman commented further.

“My, my, you’re in good spirits lately, missy. New boyfriend?”

Giggles escaped Sunset as she shook her head at the elder woman’s inquiry. “Nah, nothing like that; I just have been in a good mood since I got a sister I guess. It’s strange… I never really knew what family was like until a few weeks ago, and now I don’t know how I’d live without it…”

The old cook smiled and nodded as she set her spatula down. “One of the many joys in the world, dear. I’m happy for ya’, now go see yer’ friends.” She shooed Sunset away.

Gently bowing, Sunset took her tray and swiped a milk carton before scanning the lunchroom for her posse. Locating the group, she approached carefully before taking a seat next to Applejack who seemed to be in a fierce argument with Rainbow. As she sat down, the two were speaking with their mouths half full of food, spraying anyone who dared enter the crossfire. Sunset already felt herself reaching for her napkin.

“I told you, there’s no way that you could actually beat me in a wrestling match. Yeah you may have a lot of farm work on your side, but I’m a natural athlete, I have speed and technique over you!” Rainbow insisted as she gave a very dismissive hand to AJ to signify that Applejack’s argument was more or less hogwash to her.

“Yeah right; ‘Ah could beat the snot outta’ y’all with no effort. Wrestlin’ is all ‘bout strength and technique, both of which ‘Ah got.” Applejack smirked.

“As if! Sunset, what do you think?” Rainbow grunted.

Sunset rolled her eyes before taking a bite out of her food. Enjoying the taste of hot vegetables, Sunset swallowed before answering, “I question how I can turn around and you two are always going at it.”

“Whatever, but which of us do you think would win in a wrestling match? Me or AJ?” Rainbow puffed out her chest with pride, making her average sized breasts stick out.

“I am not playing this game, how do you two even get into these arguments in the first place?” Sunset asked.

Applejack gave a roll of her eyes to Sunset and returned her attention to Rainbow. “See? It’s a draw. Fluttershy voted for y’all, Twilight voted me, Pinkie voted for both of us and Sunset is undecided. A draw.”

Rainbow growled in frustration before banging her fists on the table. “Then we need to settle it legit. Gym class, you and me in the wrestling room! No magic too!”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. ‘Ah don’t need magic to square you off,” Applejack boasted.

Sunset’s eyes turned to Twilight whom had already finished her food and was lost in a book. “Twilight, you seriously participated in this?”

Twilight shrugged, not even looking up. “While Rainbow Dash has speed, logically speaking Applejack’s strength, larger body frame and weight put her at a severe advantage. Scientifically speaking, I had to vote based on logic and Applejack was the most logical choice.”

“See, that’s science on my side.” Applejack smirked before leaning in to flick Rainbow’s nose.

Rainbow rubbed her snout before grumbling. “Yeah yeah, but science has no place in sports like this. Guts, determination and awesomeness determine winners, not some calculations.”

“Why don’t you just get Rarity to break the tie?” Sunset asked.

“That’s true, Rarity would be the tiebreaker that prevents you two from having to actually duke it out in the gym class…” Twilight spoke before removing her glasses to clean them.

“Haven’t seen her all day.” Rainbow shrugged.

“Forget her…” Applejack grunted.

“Look at you, all defensive. Did you piss Rarity off or something?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s none of yer’ business alright? We just had a little fight, it’ll blow over okay?” Applejack crossed her arms.

Sunset could tell the situation would spiral out of control if she didn’t step in, so she decided changing the subject may be the best course of action. “So… Granny Smith’s lunch is pretty good.”

Applejack seemed to almost flip emotions in a second as she heard her grandmother’s name and the praise was given to her. She sat up straight and let her posture scream with pride. “Granny is one of the best cooks ‘Ah know.”

“She said I looked extra chipper lately,” Sunset revealed.

“She ain’t lyin’. Havin’ a sister has done y’all a world of good. You’ve been extra pleasant, more so than usual and that’s sayin’ something. ‘Ah’m happy for ya’.” Applejack reached over the table and placed a hand upon Sunset’s, causing Sunset to look down at the gesture and nod.

“Yeah, it is pretty cool actually… I can finally see why you love having a big family so much.” Sunset smiled.

Patting Sunset’s hand, Applejack nodded and sat back down before retracting her hand. “Eeyup. We have our squabbles, but ‘Ah wouldn’t trade ‘em for anything. ‘Ah’d take a bullet for my little sis. Shoot, Ah’d take several if ‘Ah had to.”

“That’s a pretty strong bond…” Sunset admitted.

Applejack winked and tilted her stetson. “A good sibling would be willin’ to die for their sister.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Sunset chuckled.

Running at top speed was not really something Twilight excelled at. Gym class was always a struggle for her, and in her years at Crystal Prep, she always found any and all excuses to get out of it. While she could perform basic tasks and was by no means a hefty girl, there was no denying it; Twilight was well out of shape. She was living proof that weighing less than one hundred and ten pounds did not mean one was in the best shape.

She had heard constant nagging from her mother, father, and even her brother to put her books down and perhaps go outside for a bit as a child. Almost rebelliously she often responded by heading outside with a book in hand to read at the patio table.

Hoping her legs wouldn’t give out, Twilight bolted down the halls from her last class to possibly catch a glimpse of her friend before she disappeared for the night. Twilight knew the moment Sunset was with Shimmer she likely wouldn’t be available to even respond to a text until probably around midnight when Shimmer had passed out. She had to speak with her before she lost her nerve.

Seeing her friend in the distance close her locker and sling a bag over her shoulder, Twilight came to a halt, nearly tumbling. Placing her hands on her knees, Twilight knelt down panting, trying to catch her breath.

Sunset’s expression turned to one of confusion as she eyed Twilight up and down, taking note of her attire. Her short skirt and sweater vest weren’t exactly suited for running.

“I think the track team has a different uniform requirement, Twilight,” Sunset joked.

“Just… One… Second… Need… Air…” Twilight huffed.

Reaching down, Sunset helped her come to a stand and patted her back. “Breathe. In, out,” Sunset instructed.

Twilight took a few breathes and nodded. Once she had taken in enough oxygen, she tried to speak again.

“I wanted to ask you about something…”

“I’m all ears.” Sunset smiled before nudging Twilight’s shoulder playfully.

“Well…”

At that moment the two could hear the excited yelling of a familiar voice. Their attention turned to that direction, an overly enthusiastic Shimmer approached, racing over in heeled boots. Twilight was almost envious, she could barely run in sneakers, and Shimmer had mastered moving in heeled boots. Clearly, she was a multi-talented girl.

Shimmer caught up to the two with ease and smiled as she pulled her sister into a hug. Sunset chuckled and pet the girl’s head before the two locked arms and looked to Twilight.

Shimmer’s grin was so authentic that Twilight could tell she genuinely loved being around her sister.

“Oh hey, Twilight!” Shimmer smiled.

Twilight nodded. “Hello, Shimmer. It’s always nice to see you; I take it you two have a big night planned?”

“Sure do! Hey, do you wanna come over? My treat!”

Twilight shook her head and placed her arm behind her as she looked to the side slightly. “Nah it’s okay. I should get home and study.”

“Study? You study all the time, are you seriously that worried about midterms?” Sunset raised a brow in suspicion. Something definitely felt off, Twilight was studious, but not that studious. By this point, she would have already gotten her midterm studying in and taken care of. It was easy to tell she was hiding something.

“Yeah well… You can never be too prepared,” Twilight said.

It was obvious she was lying, but Sunset had nothing to press her on.

“Oh, you were going to ask me something?” Sunset decided changing the subject was best.

Twilight shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine. Forget it, I’ll ask you some other time I don’t want to take away from your plans. I’ll call you later or something okay?”

Wasting no time, Twilight excused herself before Sunset could even respond, running off back down the hall almost as quickly as she had arrived. Something was definitely bothering her, but it was impossible to get a read on what went on in Twilight’s head.

Frozen for a moment, Sunset’s mind was brought back to reality when Shimmer nudged her.

“Hey, you okay?”

Sunset nodded, still looking in Twilight’s direction. “Yeah… Fine. Just a little confused that’s all…”

“She’s an odd girl, has she always been this strange?” Shimmer tilted her head looking to Sunset.

Turning to her sister with a smirk, Sunset responded with, “When I met her she turned into a demon trying to absorb all the magic in Equestria.”

“Sounds like you two have a lot in common,” Shimmer teased.

“Yeah, that’s sort of why we’re best friends. We understand each other on a level that my other friends might never. I mean I love them all, but with Twilight and I… it’s different. We have experiences that only we can understand, you know?” Sunset shrugged, not sure if she was making sense to her sister.

“You must worry about her a lot,” Shimmer replied.

Nodding, Sunset turned to the door of the school walking with her sister. “I do.”

“She worries about you too you know? She mentioned it before,” Shimmer stated.

Sunset felt the somber atmosphere drift away at that statement and a smile crept up on her face. “Does she now?”

The two walked arm and arm as Sunset spoke quietly to herself. “Well, that’s good news at least.”

Following Sunset in her car, Shimmer watched as the girl's hand signaled from her motorcycle that she was making a left turn, one that Shimmer didn’t recall being required to make it back to her home, nonetheless, she followed her sister’s lead and turned her Mercedes left with her. After a few more seconds, she saw Sunset park at a local Walmart.

Pulling up beside her, Shimmer rolled down her window and shot her sister a confused brow as she watched her remove her helmet and shake her head, causing the wild hair to fall.

“I wanted to grab some sodas. Mind if I put them in your car?” Sunset asked.

Shimmer shrugged. “You know I have plenty at the house right?”

“I wanted Fanta and you never have that.” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Shimmer gave a faux gag and shuddered. “That’s because Fanta is disgusting.”

With a chuckle, Sunset placed her helmet on the bike and latched it up via a bike cord and retrieved the key for her motorcycle. “Nonetheless, I’ll only be a few minutes; you can come in if you want.”

With a shrug, Shimmer opened her car door and stuffed her keys into her purse. Shutting the door behind her, she brushed her dress off and adjusted her bra before smiling at her sister. “I’ll browse the book section while you do that. Just meet me there when you’re done and we’ll peel out of here.”

“Sounds good.” Sunset offered to take her sister’s hand.

Shimmer obliged and placed her small hand into her sister’s hand. Sunset’s grip was far more firm than her own, but her hands were actually much softer than they appeared. It was interesting to see how much Sunset had softened up in the past few weeks. Shimmer had heard stories of how at one time she was very gruff and standoffish. It was impossible to imagine this was the same girl. While she definitely exuded more of a punk rocker appearance, when Sunset spoke there was genuine concern and kindness in her voice. She was a girl who cared deeply for those close to her.

Walking hand in hand, the two only parted when they actually entered the building. Standing in the entryway, Sunset shivered a bit as she felt the cold AC rip across her skin. Fall was proving to be mild this year, but Sunset got cold very easily. The temperature difference between outside and the air-conditioned innards of the building was enough to bring Sunset discomfort.

Adjusting her jacket, Sunset crossed her arms to keep warm and looked to Shimmer. “I’ll come find you in the book section, okay? Don’t wander?”

“Very well.” Shimmer nodded as she watched her elder sister walk off towards the grocery section of the store.

Shimmer noted how her sister seemed to lack much class in how she walked. She walked almost without purpose. To her, the idea was foreign. She had been raised in a life where she was told to carry herself well and walk with pride. However, her sister seemed to lack any and all purpose to her step. It reminded Shimmer once again that while on the surface they appeared similar, Sunset and her came from two different worlds. In a way it actually made her smile though, knowing that two different people could be brought together.

Returning her attention to finding the book section, Shimmer tried to recall what this Walmart’s layout was like. She recalled only coming to this place once in her entire life as her family seldom had reason to go to places like this; most of their shopping was done in exotic places and via the internet.

Casually wandering towards the back of the store, she kept her eyes upon aisles to try and locate the literature section. The store was obnoxiously large, and she kept her eyes scanning every item in the aisles before she noticed other eyes started scanning her.

From a boy stocking one of the shelves in a blue polo shirt, she heard a whistle echo in her direction. Turning, she could see he was looking directly at her. She gave an awkward smile and wave before continuing her search for the book section.

Finally reaching the back of the store, she saw a set of books on a shelf and bolted to that section. To her luck, she had located the literature section and instantly began scanning for any new releases she hadn’t purchased yet.

Her hands landed on a new book from A. K. Yerling, one surprisingly not in her Daring Do series, but instead a new story entirely. Shimmer flipped through the pages to get an idea of what it was about. The illustrations showed many serious-looking scenes between characters, it definitely felt like it was a shade darker and more serious than Daring Do.

A deeper-toned female voice rang in Shimmer’s ear as she lifted her nose from the book and turned to her right to face a short slender girl. Her frame was absolutely tiny, and her open-neck sweater was at least a size and a half too large as it sat on one of her shoulders. A white undershirt was visible, and it was clear it was not intended for females, but this girl had such small breasts it probably didn’t affect her too much.

Her legs were her best feature though as she had tight skinny jeans covering them and Shimmer could notice she had very curvy legs and a nice rump tightly formed to her jeans, perhaps the most feminine feature about her.

Upon her nose was an old pair of glasses, cracked down the center and held together with tape. They were a size too large and clearly outdated style-wise and only magnified her upper cheeks and showed off her freckles upon her light skin.

The mop upon her head that she likely called hair was a mess; she almost had the look of permanent bedhead as her amaranth hair was clipped to the side in the front the try and tame her poorly maintained fringe. The rest of her hair was long, sloppy, and completely unkempt. Though Shimmer gathered by looking at it would likely be smooth and silky had she tried to maintain it. She wore the look of a girl who had difficult hair to work with and thus didn't bother trying. An aura of untidiness exuded from her but in sort of an adorable way.

“That’s Yerling’s newest work. Nothing like Daring Do, but it was definitely an excellent read. I felt there was a lot of personal emotion from Yerling on those pages, so maybe it was a story she felt needed to be told. At least, that's how I felt about it after reading...” The girl said.

Shimmer blinked and snapped back to reality. “I guess I’ll have to give it a read then, I mean with an endorsement like that, it must be good.”

“If you like Yerling, you may like Hallenworth. He writes in a much darker tone, but his stories often feel like Daring Do on steroids.” The girl replied before pushing her glasses up on her nose.

“I’m actually familiar with him. I’ve read all of his books.” Shimmer found herself grinning.

The girl’s eyes widened as she leaned in to speak. “What did you think of Turmoil? His latest book?”

“I think he’s building up to kill Sparrow off. I don’t see where she can go from the end of that book, I mean her entire family is dead; she’s hated by the city… Unless something happens with that mysterious black mist we saw in chapter two,” Shimmer explained.

The girl seemed to get excited as she clamped her fist on her palm and nodded. “Exactly! I thought the same thing. Sparrow’s character has obviously come to a logical closing point, there’s really nothing else he can do with her, and the chapter prior to the last one made it clear that she has nothing else holding her back from death.”

“Well do remember that in book three she escaped almost certain death, so it’s hard to tell with Hallenworth. I hope the next book explains more…” Shimmer said.

The girl took a step forward, clutching a set of books she clearly wanted to buy against her small chest, and offered her right hand to Shimmer. “Moondancer.”

Shimmer took her hand in her own and shook it with a smile. “Sunset Shimmer, though everyone calls me Shimmer. So as to not confuse me with my older sister who is also named Sunset Shimmer.”

“How did that happen?” Moondancer raised a brow in curiosity.

“Long story,” Shimmer replied, not wanting to get into the details at that moment. She figured explaining the existence of alternate realities was probably not a good conversation to have with someone she had just met.

Releasing the handshake, Moondancer adjusted her sweater and spoke again, “I’ve never met anyone who was familiar with Hallenworth’s work. It’s a pleasant change. What school do you go to?”

“I was homeschooled,” Shimmer responded.

Moondancer grew a frown at that answer, clearly disappointed. “That’s a shame; Crystal Prep could use someone like you.”

“Crystal Prep huh? I’ve heard of it,” Shimmer replied.

“It’d be cool to have someone else there who appreciates fine literature,” Moondancer lamented.

Shimmer definitely agreed. Shimmer found she mostly talked books with Twilight when she got the chance. Twilight would read anything and everything, and while her sister was an avid reader, she mostly read for entertainment and school. Shimmer however just liked learning in general, inside of her was a scientist who was born when she opened her first book back as a child.

“Well, perhaps we’ll run into each other again, Ms. Moondancer.” Shimmer winked and touched her cheek.

Moondancer’s eyes were drawn to the jingling sound of some keys hanging out of Shimmer’s bag as she moved. Her eyes scanned the emblem attached to one of the keys. It had a circle with what appeared to be a tire with three spokes sticking out of it. Narrowing her eyes, she realized she had seen this emblem before.

“You have a Mercedes?” Moondancer raised a brow.

Shimmer looked down at her keys and then back to the girl with a nod. “I have three Mercedes actually, though this is the S-Class one, the other two are E-Class, my father used to use them for work, but this one he used for everything else.”

Moondancer only blinked as she adjusted her glasses, clearly in awe. “What exactly are you doing in a Walmart if you have that kind of money?”

"Thinking of buying the place," Shimmer joked.

She could already see Moondancer's eyes widen from the suggestion to where Shimmer decided to quickly end the fun. "Kidding of course."

Shimmer shrugged. “I told you, my sister is here picking up some stuff, I’m just waiting for her.”

At that moment Shimmer could see out of the corner of her eye her elder sister approaching with a bag in hand. She glanced over at her and then back to Moondancer with a smirk. “Speak of the devil.”

Sunset nudged her sister’s shoulder and smiled warmly at her. “Thanks for not wandering off.”

Her attention quickly turned to Moondancer who was observing the two siblings almost in awe. “Who’s your friend?” Sunset asked.

Turning back to the disheveled bookworm, Shimmer attempted to formulate an answer. “This is Moondancer. We just met, she goes to Crystal Prep and like myself, is a literature connoisseur.”

“Crystal Prep huh…” Sunset blinked.

“Oh leave your rivalry at school, she’s cool,” Shimmer assured before nudging her sister.

Sunset gave a nod and then offered her hand to Moondancer. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Moondancer. I’m Sunset, Shimmer’s older sister.”

Moondancer took the hand and gave it a nice shake, noting that Sunset was a lot stronger than her sister was. “It’s a pleasure. Anyways, I really should be going, if you’re ever near Crystal Prep, don’t be afraid to say hi, Shimmer.” She smiled and nodded before taking her leave.

Sunset placed an arm around her sister’s shoulder and pulled her in closer. “Come on, we have a whole night of fun ahead of us.”

Carefully submerging her nude body into the steaming water, Shimmer winced a bit at the drastic change in temperature, but calmed herself and allowed her muscles to relax as she set her phone aside on a nearby bench while she looked over to her sister in the same bath. Sunset splashed a bit of water at her playfully and whistled at Shimmer.

“Damn girl! Take it all off!” She teased.

“That’s like incest or something.” Shimmer rolled her eyes.

“So that’s not what does it for you?” Sunset smirked.

Shimmer gave another roll of her eyes and leaned back in the tub. Sunset scooted closer and decided to breach the subject a bit deeper. “So what does do it for you?”

Keeping her head rested against the edge, Shimmer spoke quietly, “I have a tendency to get involved with people I have no business being with. Thus why you’re here.” She sat up and returned the splash from earlier at Sunset.

“Ah, into troublemakers are you?” Sunset wiped the water off of her face.

“I guess that’s why we’re connected at the hip then. You’re the biggest troublemaker I know.” Shimmer giggled.

“Cutting deep there,” Sunset replied.

The two had often joked about preferences, interests, and even their sexual orientation. Shimmer was surprised how quickly the two had become comfortable with each other. They had both already shared so many closely guarded secrets with the other, and it had only been a few months.

Shimmer sat up and looked at her sister. “So what does it for you? I’ve asked before, but you never give me a straight answer.”

Sunset blinked and shrugged. “Truthfully, there’s probably no one out there for me. I’ve already accepted that a long time ago.”

Shaking her head, Shimmer crossed her arms in protest. “That’s not true. Also, you’re being wasteful. Look at you!” She pointed to a mirror in the room and approached Sunset. Placing her hands on Sunset’s shoulders she guided her to the mirror and pointed.

“Long luscious locks, gorgeous teal eyes, skin without a single blemish, hell you’ve even got bigger tits than me! You’re going to let that all go to waste!? You’re in your prime!” Shimmer commanded.

Sunset looked down and twiddled her thumbs. “I… Uh… I wouldn’t even know where to begin…”

Shimmer blinked. “Ah right, you’re a virgin.”

“Gee, thanks… You say it like it’s such a bad thing…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“Nah, it’s just hard for anyone else to believe given how cute you are. If you dressed better, I bet you’d have guys eating out of the palm of your hands.” Shimmer stated.

Sunset sighed and submerged herself deeper into the water, bringing her mouth under and blowing small bubbles as she breathed through her nose. Shimmer quickly could tell the conversation had turned awkward and decided to try and console her.

“It’s not a bad thing, being a virgin that is.”

Sunset poked her head out of the water to speak. “Yeah? Are you a virgin?”

Shimmer shook her head. “Nah, though sometimes I wish I was. Lots of stupid decisions back then… But people do weird things when they think they’re in love…”

“Love?” This tidbit definitely caught Sunset’s attention as she pulled herself out of the water more to listen.

“It was a long time ago, Sunset. And it’s a story that I really don’t want to get into. I’ll tell you someday, but not tonight, okay?” Shimmer frowned, clearly wanting to end this subject as quickly as possible.

“We’re having such a good night, we shouldn’t ruin it with this depressing conversation,” She added.

Thinking of nothing more to add than a nod, Sunset leaned her head back and looked for something to change the subject with. To her luck, a text came through to Shimmer which she reached out of the water to grab her phone for.

Pressing her finger to the fingerprint sensor, her iPhone sprung open with a new text. Shimmer read it in her head.

Sunset, I have found something that might be helpful. The name “Ghost” keeps popping up in these files that I am examining. Seems your hacker friend must have left a calling card. Not sure if that name has any significance to you.

Shimmer read it over and tried to think back if she had ever heard the name “Ghost” before. She couldn’t remember a single instance that such a name came up. She definitely would have remembered such a distinctive name. Sadly nothing came to mind, and it didn’t leave many clues as to their motivation for trying to steal her research.

Quickly responding, Shimmer typed up a reply.

The mystery thickens. Can’t say that name has any pertinence, but as expected you’re already finding clues for me. Your deductive skills haven’t declined that’s for certain. I’ll look over things on my end and see if that name solves any questions. Keep up the good work, we’ll talk about it soon.

Sunset could tell something was bothering Shimmer as she raised a brow. “Hey… Are you okay?”

Shimmer placed her phone back on the bench and shook her head. “It’s nothing, just someone asking about some stuff for the institute. You know how it goes…”

“If you say so… You know if anything is bothering you that you can tell me right?” Sunset asked.

Leaning in, Shimmer pulled Sunset into a tight hug before looking up at her. “Of course I know that. I wouldn’t turn to anyone else, promise.”

With a laugh, Sunset ruffled the girl’s hair. “You better not.”

Author's Note

Wow another amazing week! I am like super blown away by Applety's illustration for this week! I really really love how well Moondancer turned out. Guys, seriously go give her some love. Also as an added bonus she helped edit this chapter too (along with leave some funny comments). She's working on some stories of her own so go check her out!

Sorry for only one illustration for the past two weeks, but I promise this not becoming "the norm". Chapters will still have two sometimes, (and even three if the chapter calls for it). These past two I felt these were the only scenes that warranted illustrations.

Behind the scenes: Moondancer's design was actually completely changed today. Originally she was going to sport a ponytail and bangs, but Applety redesigned her and thus her description in the story changed. She kind of resembles a lovable bookworm to me. How can you not love that face? Seriously.

Act II - Chapter XVII: Cherish

Chapter XVII: Cherish

Coming out of a bathroom stall, Twilight poked her head about to see if the locker room was completely vacated. She sniffed about and could smell the remnants of sweat, and recently used soap from the showers. It was evident that the other girls had already showered and washed up after a vigorous gym class.

Twilight’s ritual was the same almost every gym period, she would hide away in the bathroom until most of the other girls left and she’d shower when the place was empty. She had purposely set it up so that her class after gym fell upon one of the most relaxed teachers who didn’t mind Twilight being a few minutes late. It was the perfect setup to ensure she wouldn’t have to stand awkwardly with a bunch of other girls fully exposed.

At Crystal Prep, Twilight had always found excuses to get out of gym class as often as possible, though sometimes she would fail to do so and be forced to run track or do cardio on a treadmill. Twilight was out of shape, and she knew it, but changing that wasn’t on her immediate list of priorities, even here at Canterlot High.

Tip-toeing out of the stall, she made her way to the shower with a towel upon her arm. As expected it was completely empty, though the floor was still wet with suds from the previous users.

Taking a seat on the bench in front of some lockers, Twilight began to untie her Converse sneakers and set them aside. Pulling the band out of her hair, she unleashed the wild locks from her ponytail and removed her glasses. Placing everything in a neat pile, she stood up and stretched, trying to remove the cramps caused by extraneous physical activity. Her body ached a bit as today they were playing Soccer, and due to Twilight’s poor performance (and Rainbow’s overcompetitiveness), her entire gym wardrobe was covered in grass stains. She must have fallen down at least eight times, though, to her good fortune, Rainbow always offered to help her back up.

Preparing to remove her shirt, she heard the door to the locker room open and close gently, as if someone was making sure not to cause a big thud with the door. Twilight released her shirt and allowed it to fall back down and cover her stomach. The clack of heels echoed through the locker room as Twilight held still looking down the aisle of lockers for the owner of said sounds.

Nearly holding her breath, she waited only to hear them grow closer and closer, then suddenly stop.

She sighed as she shook her head and realized she must be imagining things. She returned to trying to lift her shirt as she turned towards the shower and came face to face with a long-haired girl leaning up against the locket next to her. She had snuck around the lockers and came up from behind Twilight.

Twilight nearly jumped at the surprise as she came face to face with a familiar face, hidden partially by fiery red messy hair. Twilight had noticed over the past few weeks she had started wearing eyeliner and mascara sometimes, and even lip gloss. Her attention was drawn to the girl’s small lips which seemed to shine in the fluorescent lighting of the locker room.

Her signature leather jacket draped over her as she leaned against the locker with a smirk, crossing her arms. “Hey, Twilight.” She spoke very softly, a bit of mischief in her voice, not unlike her.

“Sunset… You scared me half to death…” Twilight placed a hand on her chest as she breathed heavily, trying to compose herself after such a shock.

“Sorry, what’re you up to?” Sunset asked, still smirking at Twilight.

“Well, I was going to take a shower…” Twilight fidgeted a bit, trying to give Sunset the signal she’d like some privacy.

“Don’t let me stop you,” Sunset replied as she sat down on the bench, her eyes not leaving Twilight.

Clearly, the message wasn’t clear enough.

“I kind of you know… wanted to do that… alone…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’ll watch from over here, won't even know I'm here,” Sunset assured.

Watch!?

Twilight blushed and shook her head. “W-what? Are you okay? You’re acting funny.”

Sunset stood up and smashed her hand just to the left of Twilight’s head onto the locker behind her as she cornered her against the metal wall. Her voice grew very tender, lusty, and in a hushed whisper. Her other hand formed into a curious finger that ran down Twilight’s jawline, landing upon her chin, forcing her to look up at the taller girl.

With a powerful stare, Sunset looked into Twilight’s eyes. Twilight was completely immobilized, she couldn’t move an inch shy of her legs shaking. Sunset's vibrant eyes locked Twilight in place, she was unable to do anything.

“Maybe you wanted me to wash you? Is that it?” Sunset spoke, her voice filled with invitation with a touch of mischief.

“I-I…” Twilight couldn’t even form a proper sentence.

“Isn’t that what you want?” Sunset asked with an almost innocent-sounding voice. She leaned in and gave a gentle breath on Twilight’s ear before whispering to her. “I’ve seen how you look at me…”

Twilight blushed and turned her head away. “That’s… W-we shouldn’t…”

Attempting to move away, Twilight felt her wrist get grabbed and pinned to the locker. She looked up to see Sunset’s grip. Sunset pushed the bench out of the way and pressed her body closer, locking Twilight in place. “Did I say you could leave?” She added a bit of command to her voice.

Twilight whimpered.

Sunset playfully used her free hand to slide her fingertips down Twilight’s gym outfit, over the grass stains and slowly down her form landing atop of her left breast. Gentle fingers swirled around it before an entire palm cupped it, eliciting a gasp from Twilight who couldn’t escape if she wanted to, Sunset had a strong grip.

Leaning in, she whispered again into Twilight’s ear. “You’re cute when you pretend you don’t want it… Just relax, Sparkle… let me do all the work, alright?”

Twilight remained silent; her breathing had sped up, causing her to be unable to form any kind of proper response.

Sunset took her silence as invitation and leaned in, biting down hard on her neck, almost enough to puncture the skin, but just under; not too rough, but not too gentle. With a yelp, Twilight only resisted for a second before using her free hand to wrap her fingers into Sunset’s wild hair, pulling her closer as she gnawed viciously. Twilight could feel a bruise forming, but the pain actually excited her more than she thought it would. Her legs squirmed as she felt herself getting hotter.

The hand of her “attacker” slowly trailed down, down her stomach. The voice of Sunset spoke between gnaws, “You’re mine now…”

Twilight blushed as the hand slid its fingertips into her shorts, even under the waistline of her panties. It moved further down, all the way until-

With a gasp, Twilight rose from her pillow and sat upright. Panting, she could feel her back was covered in sweat, her entire body was tense. More importantly, she could feel a certain discomfort somewhere else. Reaching below her sheets, she slid her fingers below her now damp pajama’s waistband and then-

She blushed as she could feel a moisture she had not expected to find when she awoke.

Spike grumbled and looked up from his small dog bed at her. “Bad dream?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah… bad dream… sorry… I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Nodding, Spike twirled around his bed to find the best sleeping position and plopped back down with a grunt.

Poking her head in the door, Twilight could see the face of her mother, partially illuminated by the hallway light. Her earrings seemed to sparkle in the correct light. She blinked and gave a concerned expression to her daughter.

“Are you alright, Twilight? I heard noises from this room.”

Twilight nodded nervously, had her mother heard her in her sleep? Had she been talking in her sleep? She hoped she hadn’t.

“Y-yes… I’m fine mother, just a bad dream.” Twilight was thankful that the darkness of the room concealed her blush.

Her mother gave a suspicious eyebrow raise before answering. “Well… alright… try and get some more sleep though, darling.”

“I will, thank you, mother,” Twilight replied.

With a nod, her mother closed the door to her daughter’s room, a smirk plastered on her face. She made her way back to the dining room where her husband sat at the table reading a book. Failing to contain her giggles, she sat across from him and picked her cup of coffee back up, taking a long sip as she sat in front of a laptop, working on her latest novel. She had managed to get to page 88, despite various distractions.

“What were those noises?” Her husband asked, not looking away from his book.

His wife gave an expression that screamed she was just waiting for him to ask that very question.

“I think our daughter just had a wet dream.”

He lowered his book and snorted. “They grow up so fast.”

“Well, Shiny started having them when he was twelve, remember?” She responded.

“Better a late bloomer than never, right?” He smiled.

She nodded. “Our little girl is growing up.”

Opening her eyes for the first time for the day, Sunset could already feel the grogginess of her morning cast over her. Instantly she could feel the craving for coffee scream at her. However this morning she felt something else that was unusual. Taking a sniff she could only return the sound of mucus build up, unable to retrieve any air from her nostrils. Trying again in vain, she found herself unable to breathe through her nose.

Sitting upright, she tried to see if changing her position would make it easier. No luck. Shrugging it off, she placed her feet on the floor, when she didn’t feel the same cheap carpet she was used to; she quickly remembered she had spent the weekend at Shimmer’s lavish estate. Instead of crappy carpet in need of replacement, she was standing atop mahogany floorboards, expertly crafted and constructed to make a magnificent-looking guest room, worthy of royalty. Shimmer really had it made.

Hobbling her way to the mirror, she took a glance at herself. Her eyes seemed fine; it appeared to be just a stuffy nose and a minor headache.

Shrugging she shuffled herself over to the door to try and locate the nearest bathroom, knowing it was likely in Shimmer’s bedroom across the hall. She didn’t want to wake her, but looking at the clock and determining it was exactly 8:08 in the morning, she was certain Shimmer was likely already awake and doing her morning beauty routine, as Shimmer was definitely an early riser.

Gently opening her bedroom door, she grumbled and crossed the hall, opening the door with Shimmer’s name plastered on the front. Inside she was met with the instant smell of expensive perfume, and steam coming from the open shower. Shimmer was wrapped in a towel as she sat in front of the vanity mirror blow drying her long hair. She could catch Sunset out of the corner of her eye and smiled at her sister.

“Morning, sleepy head,” Shimmer chirped.

Sunset grunted and gave a single word response, “coffee.”

Shimmer giggled and nodded. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll make some. How’d you sleep?”

“Alright…” Sunset managed to get out after a few sniffs.

A frown formed on Shimmer’s reflection in the mirror that Sunset could see. “You don’t sound so good, are you alright?”

“Just a little stuffy nose and a minor headache, I’ll be fine…” Sunset yawned.

“You should stay home from school today. You don’t want to get the other girls sick,” Shimmer stated.

Sunset shook her head and wandered into the room before sitting on Shimmer’s bed. “I’ll be fine.”

“I insist. I’ll take care of you. I can’t have you going around and getting yourself sicker, what kind of sister would I be?” Shimmer responded.

She wanted to object, but it was too early, she lacked coffee and her minor illness fatigued her ability to rebuttal. Instead, she shrugged and nodded before falling back onto the bed.

“It’s settled then, I’ll look after you. You’ll be better in no time, promise. I know a great chicken soup recipe.” Shimmer giggled.

Sunset raised a finger to object, but Shimmer quickly addressed her concern before she could even voice it. “Sans chicken, obviously.”

A smile appeared on Sunset’s face as she nodded.

Five Months Ago

While most of the school had gotten over what had happened at the Friendship Games, and Twilight Sparkle had managed to gain a group of six amazing friends, walking through the halls of Canterlot High still made her uneasy. She knew that while people had forgiven her for what had happened, many likely hadn’t exactly forgotten just yet. Now and then she’d catch the stare or glance of onlookers, knowing they were wondering if and when she’d turn back into Midnight Sparkle, the monster hell-bent on ripping the fabric of space and time apart for her own gain of knowledge.

Twilight hated what she had become, and it was a nightmare she spent a lot of time reliving. It was something she couldn’t bring herself to talk to her friends about, but it made her feel isolated in her own world.

On weekends like this one, Twilight found herself alone in her bedroom, trapped with her thoughts. She would try to study, get ahead on school work or anything that would occupy her mind and distract her from the negative thoughts. She had acquired so much since she left Crystal Prep and the thought of Midnight Sparkle returning threatened to take all of that away.

Tapping a pencil at a notebook, the studious bookworm had been blasting away at future math assignments when she heard a series of eight taps upon her door.

Looking to the direction of the noise from her desk Twilight gave the okay. “Come in.”

Poking their head in was a middle-aged woman with a bright smile on her face. She looked positively giddy, ready to share some obviously interesting news.

“What’s up, mom?” Twilight asked, clearly knowing her mother was waiting for her to inquire.

“You have a visitor, Twilight,” her mother spoke with an ever-growing smirk plastered across her lips.

Blinking, Twilight looked at the time via a digital clock in the shape of a molecule upon her study desk. The time was exactly 4:08 PM, she hadn’t received any kind of texts that notified her of a visitor, and it was a Saturday. Who could possibly be visiting her? Did her friends even know her address?

“Oh… Ummm… Let them in I suppose?” Twilight’s tone made it clear to her mother that she had little clue as to what to do with a visitor.

With a nod and a giggle, her mother retreated from the door and vanished into the hallway. Only a few seconds later, the door creaked and into the room came the familiar face of a girl with long wild red and yellow hair. She smiled at Twilight as she placed her hands behind her back and stood, unsure of what to do with herself in someone else’s bedroom.

“Hey,” she said warmly.

Twilight removed her glasses and rubbed them, trying to adjust her vision to make sure she was seeing correctly and Sunset Shimmer was indeed standing in her room. Once she had confirmed she was not imagining things she returned the greeting. “Hello.”

“I thought you could use some company. I noticed none of the other girls have really hung out with you on the weekend yet, so I imagined you were likely pretty lonely over here,” Sunset explained before sitting down on top of Twilight’s bed on the other side of the room.

“What gave you that impression?” Though Sunset was probably spot on, Twilight didn’t want to admit that outright for some reason. She felt shameful admitting that she felt alone.

Sunset gave a shrug before speaking, “well when I first made friends it was difficult to deal with being apart at first. I know what it’s like to feel alone in the world, trust me. You’re lucky that you have your parents here at least, they seem like nice people.”

Twilight nodded. “They are; I’m definitely lucky in that department.”

“Well, I just wanted you to know if you ever feel alone, or you just want someone by to just share or chat with, I’m always a phone call away. You can call me anytime and I’ll be there, okay?” Sunset said.

The sincerity in her voice was almost surreal. This girl clearly had a lot of empathy for Twilight, even though really all she had ever done to her at this point was almost destroy her school and potentially harm her friends. Sunset definitely was a forgiving person.

“I… I’ll be sure to call you if I ever need someone.” Twilight managed to get out, a bit choked up by the whole ordeal.

Taking notice of her difficulty speaking, Sunset responded, “whoa, whoa. No reason to get all worked up. It’s what friends do. I’ve got your back, Twilight… So long as you got mine?”

Twilight found herself pausing before smile appeared on her face as she nodded. “Yeah, of course, I do. We’re friends, after all, right?”

“The best of!” Sunset winked.

Twilight could feel her face get hot with a rose tint splattering upon it.

Sunset quickly pointed in her direction with a mocking tone in her voice, “ha! Made ya blush!”

Turning away quickly to hide her face, Twilight instantly denied it, “did not!”

“Uh-huh, then why are you turning away?” Sunset mocked.

“S-something in my eye!” Twilight lied.

Bursting into a fit of uncontrollable giggles, Sunset leaned back on Twilight’s bed, trying to placate her giggling fit. There was something adorable about her laughter to Twilight who found herself growing another smile as she listened.

Wiping tears from her eyes, Sunset sat back up and caught her breath before speaking, “Oh man, you’re a riot, Twilight. I’m glad we met, I can already tell we’re going to be very close.”

“How can you tell that?” Twilight raised a brow.

Sunset shrugged. “Dunno. There’s something inside me that’s telling me that, I can’t explain it, but I can feel that you and I are going to be really great friends. It’s in my gut.” Sunset gently punched her own stomach as she said those words.

“I hope your gut can tell you the answers to the math exam coming up, which is what I’m trying to study for before you showed up,” Twilight teased.

Giving a dismissive hand gesture, Sunset blew a raspberry and rolled her eyes. “Please, math is my best subject. I’ll destroy you, Sparkle.”

“Is that a challenge?” Twilight could feel the excitement of competition already filling the air.

“If I get the best score, you have to buy me lunch after, and if you get it, I’ll buy you lunch,” Sunset said.

“Oh, it’s on!” Twilight nodded.

Twilight was starting to feel what Sunset’s gut was apparently saying: this was definitely going to be a great friendship.

Rainbow Dash stood upon the empty soccer field by the bleachers, bouncing a soccer ball off of her ankle, counting how many times she could bounce it. Twilight who was sitting upon the bleachers was counting herself but stopped somewhere after one hundred and thirty-three. Rainbow no doubt was still counting and probably in the three-hundred region by now.

The silence between the two only grew in how awkward it was before Rainbow finally broke it. “So what’d you need to talk about, Twilight?”

Twilight was fidgeting with her phone when the question came; she stumbled a bit and almost dropped it. Catching it, she sighed and placed it into the pocket of her skirt. Trying to find the words to begin seemed to be the hardest part, she placed a finger upon her chin, trying to determine the least awkward way to broach the subject. After a good ten seconds of thinking, she realized that might be completely impossible.

“Well… I wanted to talk to you about… A dream I had… Or rather a few dreams I’ve been having…” Twilight blushed and looked down, hoping her bangs hid her face better from the soccer player.

Rainbow set the ball on the ground and placed her right foot atop of it and leaned in confused. “Dreams? Uh… Okay… I’m not really an expert on this subject, hell I don’t even really know anything about dreams…”

“It’s more of a matter of the contents of the dreams…” Twilight’s face seemed to get hotter and hotter; talking about it aloud was bringing back flashbacks of said dreams.

She could still remember them so vividly; she could almost feel Sunset’s breath upon her neck.

You’re cute when you pretend you don’t want it… Just relax, Sparkle… Let me do all the work, alright?

Twilight could feel her entire body shiver as she remembered Sunset’s lusty dialogue from her dream from this morning. The words were still just as powerful now as when she had the dream, their effect still washing over her, putting her in the girl’s hold, almost enough to-

No. She had to dismiss those thoughts, she was not in the safety of her bedroom with a closed door, she was in public, and she couldn’t afford to deal with such a thing now.

Rainbow could see Twilight spacing out and waved a hand in front of her face. “Hey… Earth to Twilight.”

Blinking and looking up to meet the confused face of the Athlete, Twilight gave out a “huh”, then allowed her eyes to focus on Rainbow as she came back from the fantasy, and into reality.

“You just started spacing out on me for a minute there, what were you thinking about just now?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh right… Yes… My dreams…” Twilight started up again, hoping not to get distracted again this time.

“Yeah… Dreams… Once again I’m not really a dream therapist, Twilight.” Rainbow rubbed her neck awkwardly as she shifted her weight to her left and leaned.

“Yes, I’m aware of that. However, I’m not looking for dream therapy, though I am certain I probably need therapy for the various other ‘quirks’ that I have, no this is different.” Twilight adjusted her glasses as she took a breath.

“Alright, so spill it.” Rainbow opened a water bottle she had left near the benches and took a huge gulp. Twilight was amazed at how much water the girl could down, but it was perhaps an after-effect of how much excellence she exuded on the playing field. Twilight wasn’t one for sports, but even her limited knowledge of them could tell her that Rainbow Dash was an excellent player and she was in superb shape, even for her young age.

“The dreams are of… An… Amorous persuasion?” Twilight blushed slightly as she admitted it.

Her words were lost on Rainbow who simply raised a brow.

“Err… You know… Of the… Passionate variety?” Twilight attempted.

Same effect, Rainbow clearly was going to make her spell it out.

She sighed and decided to try one more time. “Romantic… So to speak?”

That did the trick. “Ah, sex dreams. Got it.” Rainbow nodded.

Twilight’s entire complexion turned red as she looked away in shame. “I wouldn’t have worded it like that… But… Yes…”

“Totally natural, Twilight. I don’t know why you’re coming to me about this; did you want me to give you the talk? See when a boy and a girl… Well not always a boy and a girl, but you get the idea when they like each other-“ Rainbow was cut off.

Twilight waved her hands in protest hoping to stop that train of thought instantly.

“It’s not the sex I am trying to figure out. It’s… The romantic part… How it made me feel… You know…?” Twilight turned back to face her, her face still hot as she tried to dismiss thoughts of thinking about the dreams in detail again, Rainbows birds and bees speech wasn’t helping.

“Romance… Yeah… Why didn’t you like… Go to Rarity for that?” Rainbow shrugged.

“Well… I was going to, but given the err… Subject matter… I felt you were a better candidate…” Twilight responded.

Rainbow laughed and shook her head. “I have no idea how you came to that conclusion. Rarity probably dreams about romance when she’s awake, let alone in her sleep.”

“Yes but… you have experience with… The err… well, the thing in question.” Twilight was surprised at how much more difficult this was to say out loud than she anticipated.

“You know if we want to get anywhere Twilight, you will need to stop speaking in code. Spill it,” Rainbow commanded.

Twilight let out a sigh and looked down. “Very well…” She took a breath before speaking again. “The person in my dream wasn’t a boy… It was… A girl… That’s why I came to you; you’re the only openly well… You know… That I know.”

“Fair enough, but all I can tell you is that you need to be true to yourself. If that’s what you want, then you need to treat it the same way. The rest… well, you really should consult Rarity on, I’m sure she won’t be weirded out or anything,” Rainbow explained.

She had a point. Rarity would likely only see the romance in the situation, and not really concern herself with issues like gender.

“I suppose you’re right… I’ll try and talk to her soon.”

Rainbow sat down next to her and smirked. “So… Who is it?”

“Huh?”

“Your crush. Come on, you dragged me out here and made me give you advice on it, I have the right to know now, it’s in the bro handbook.” Rainbow chuckled.

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone?” Twilight asked.

“Promise.”

Twilight looked away and blushed. “S-Sunset…”

Rainbow spit the water out she was drinking. “Oh man! For real!?”

Twilight nodded bashfully.

“I could definitely see it. She does have a nice rack, I’d hit it.” Rainbow smirked, “though I’d give my left tit to get busy with her sister, that girl is gorgeous.”

“Pervert.” Twilight laughed before nudging, Rainbow’s side.

She was thankful for it though, Rainbow’s nature lightened the mood, and made the entire topic easier to discuss. She was glad she had chosen to open up about it.

Stepping up the stairs with soup in a large mug, Shimmer gently creaked open the door to the room that she prepared for Sunset whenever she was over before poking her head in to see the girl sitting up on her bed, on a laptop. With a smile on her face, Shimmer gently walked inside before gesturing for Sunset to move over on the bed.

Obliging, Sunset shifted herself to the left of the bed, allowing Shimmer to sit down next to her and offer the soup.

“I know you’re used to magic, but this soup is a different kind of magic, it’ll kill cancer cells, I’m sure.” Shimmer bragged.

Taking the cup from her younger sister, Sunset snickered before taking a long sip of the mixture. Her face lit up as she instantly took another sip without even blowing on it. The hot sensation going down her throat felt wondrous, but she decided it was best to not try and go for another sip right away before blowing on it.

“This is amazing…” Sunset commented before blowing gently on the soup to cool it down.

Shimmer’s face lit up as she was filled with pride. “Thanks, my mother taught me how to make it. I’ve modified it over the years though.”

Looking down at the MacBook sitting on Sunset’s lap, Shimmer tilted her head to get a look at what Sunset was doing.

“I see you’re using the MacBook, I loaned you.” Shimmer smiled.

Blowing upon the soup some more, Sunset nodded before answering. “Yeah, though I’m totally lost… Took me twenty minutes to figure out that Safari gets me onto the internet…”

Shaking her head, Shimmer giggled as she scooted closer. “You’re hopeless. We’ll have to teach you about computers properly at some point, surprised that Twilight Sparkle hasn’t given you a crash course.”

“She has a hard time getting past the sighing and cringing at how computer illiterate I am,” Sunset replied.

“I can only imagine… Though you really should learn this stuff, pretty much everything in this world relies on computers, it’s a good skill to have,” Shimmer said.

She had a point. From the moment Sunset arrived in this world, it was evident that technology truly controlled and influenced virtually everything. To humans, this was their form of magic, and just like the magic that had carried over from her home to this place, she didn’t understand it in the slightest. After years she had wrapped her head around the basics, but Twilight’s attempts to educate her further were far too complex, even for a smart girl like Sunset.

“I have some books that might help you learn them better. Instruction manuals, entry-level college books that explain them, perhaps they will offer better help than the sighing of Twilight?” Shimmer offered.

Books were a safe point for Sunset. If it was in a book, she was certain to be able to wrap her head around it. It was an unwritten rule; well perhaps a written one, given the context that books made her understand virtually everything. Though admittedly they weren’t as amusing as watching Twilight get overly excited for a subject she was proficient in and eager to teach someone else.

There was a certain spark that appeared (no pun intended) in Twilight when she got to talk all nerdy; it was cute in a way.

“That would be very helpful,” Sunset admitted.

Shimmer nodded in response before scooting closer to her sister. “No problem. After all, you’re sick and I have to take care of you, right?”

“How did I get so lucky?” Sunset teased playfully.

“Your parents didn’t take care of you when you were sick?” Shimmer asked.

A frown came to Sunset’s face as she recalled her time with her family back in her memories. “I didn’t get sick a lot, but the few times I was… No… They wouldn’t even skip work for me. They would tell me I was a big girl and I could take care of myself. Sometimes they’d even tell me I still had to go to school… My parents were pretty strict about me going to school.”

A matching frown came to Shimmer’s face, making the two almost identical girls look slightly more identical. At that moment if Shimmer had less makeup on, one might even mistake her for Sunset.

“So no one ever took care of you when you weren’t feeling well?” Shimmer asked.

Placing her hand upon her chin in thought, Sunset contemplated that fact. Her mind began flipping through her memories like someone trying to find a word within the pages of a dictionary. She focused hoping to find even a single instance that would give her the chance to tell Shimmer that she had been cared for before.

Her mind came up blank.

About ready to admit it out loud, suddenly a specific memory rushed to the front of her mind, screaming to get out.

“There was one time… Just once, but it wasn’t my parents.”

Shimmer leaned in with interest, her voice almost becoming a whisper as if they were sharing a secret and there were others in the room. “Yeah?”

Sunset nodded.

“Who was it?” Shimmer asked.

“Celestia, my mentor at the time. I had gotten a cold and I was trying to go back to school, but she stopped me. She took me in, let me sleep in her bed, cared for me…” Sunset found herself rambling as she got lost in the memory.

She could still smell the soup that Celestia had prepared for her, though that may have just been the soup in front of her that Shimmer had prepared. She could remember Celestia at her bedside, checking her temperature, gently caressing her hoof, even singing to her, something she couldn’t remember her mother ever doing even. Celestia had taken on the role of her mother while she lived at the castle, Sunset never said it out loud, but she knew she was more than a star student back then, she was almost family.

That feeling of belonging had been so long forgotten until the past few weeks. It had finally come back because of Shimmer; ironic that the girl with no family somehow made Sunset feel like she had a family again.

Her mind trailed back to the princess, however.

I wonder what she’s doing right now.

That thought left her mind though as Shimmer realized something was amiss and began to question Sunset’s sudden silence.

“Something wrong?”

Blinking a few times, Sunset looked down to the steaming bowl in front of her. She reached a spoon down and took a large spoonful and allowed the mixture to enter her and fill her body with warmth.

After a second spoon, she shook her head. “Nah, just thinking about my old mentor is all…”

“What about her?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset shrugged. “I guess I still feel like I let her down. I mean I ran away because I was arrogant. I refused to listen to her teachings and told her she was holding me back. I assumed I could learn so much more here than under her wing… Ironically I was right, but I could only learn as much as I have when I listened to the student she sent here to stop me from making a terrible mistake…”

Shimmer spoke the words that echoed Sunset’s next thought. “You’re wondering if she’d be proud of you?”

“Yeah…” Sunset nodded.

Shimmer sighed and nodded.

“You can always go and visit here you know?” Shimmer suggested.

Sunset cringed visibly at the idea. She could already feel a tiny bit of anxiety start to build up in her just at the suggestion.

“I’d rather not…” Sunset admitted.

This caused a confused face to appear upon Shimmer. She had heard Sunset talk about how magical and wonderful her home was, yet whenever the subject of actually going back there came up, she always dismissed it or tried to avoid it.

“Why not? You said yourself that you’re curious; the only way to find out for sure is to actually investigate for yourself,” Shimmer explained.

Her elder sister bit her lip and looked away, trying to focus on anything in the room to avoid eye contact with Shimmer. “I can’t face her… Not yet anyway. I don’t think I can handle it if she’s disappointed in me, you know? What if… After all this time she tells me how I’m a huge letdown?”

Shimmer sighed and leaned closer, placing a hand on her sister’s back. She craned herself to lean a bit over Sunset’s shoulder as she spoke quietly. “Sunset… You can’t spend your life afraid of things that might happen…”

“Look who’s talking…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“Point taken, however, I’m almost an expert on the subject. If anyone knows about not letting stuff control your life it’s me; it has bad results, you can't spend your entire life worried about maybes and could haves. You have to eventually move on, you taught me that,” Shimmer said.

With another sigh, Sunset nodded and looked directly at her sister. Shimmer’s face was filled with the kind of concern that only came from a loving family member. Her eyes were genuine; she looked as though she could cry at any second. Sunset hated worrying her like this.

“I’m sorry… you’re right. It’s just… I’m not ready yet… that’s all…” Sunset blushed.

A smile finally crept up onto her sister’s face as she nodded in approval. “That’s fine. One day you’ll be ready, but you can’t hide forever is my point. I’ll be there for you when you are ready too, we’ll go together, promise.”

Shimmer extended her pinkie which Sunset took in her own, before locking appendages to seal the deal.

“I’m holding you to it.” Sunset giggled.

Author's Note

Man what a crazy week. Applety almost lost her computer as her hard drive randomly decided to stop working only for it to randomly start working again today. I currently am sick, but I'm pushing onwards. In other news, Applety's work just keeps getting better and better!

Behind the scenes: This chapter changed slightly from the original notes. Twilight's "dream" was much less vivid and vague in the original.

Act II - Chapter XVIII: Avoid

Chapter XVIII: Avoid

Pulling a thermometer out of Sunset’s mouth, Shimmer examined the results only to find the girl was still clearly well under the weather. She frowned a bit, thinking her pampering, medication administration, and her soup would have assisted in bringing the girl’s illness down. However, it seemed Sunset’s body was determined to remain in poor health for a bit longer. Shimmer pulled herself out of a sigh and shook her head.

“Are you certain you will be alright here today? I can stay home, it’s no biggie… I can skip this meeting, I mean it…” Shimmer spoke.

Sunset shook her head adamantly against the idea. Part of her already felt bad keeping Shimmer held up in the house to care for her, she could feel that guilt growing just at the thought of making her shirk on her responsibilities for her.

“Nah, I’ll be okay. The school is having an important meeting, and you should be there. You’re the owner of the school after all,” Sunset reminded, hoping if she stressed it enough that Shimmer wouldn’t object.

“Mostly in name though. The school has been run by advisors left by my father for years now, it has managed without me, it’ll be fine…” Shimmer attempted to argue.

Sunset raised a finger and placed it on the girl’s lips. A cough exited her as she tried to muster up her strength to tell Shimmer off. “The students were inspired by your return to the public eye, don’t disappoint them. They need you, I’ll be okay. If I need anything I will call you, promise.”

Shimmer then grimaced and awkwardly contorted her mouth to a face of unease at her elder sister. “You promise?”

Sunset nodded. “Promise.”

She sighed and nodded before squeezing her sister’s hand gently. “Don’t overexert yourself, and try and get some more rest.”

“Okay mom.” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Shimmer leaned down and gingerly planted a kiss on her sister’s forehead before brushing a few strands of her wild unbrushed hair out of her face. She examined her sister’s face before a smile appeared on her own. “Love you, see you tonight.”

Sunset giggled and shooed her away with her hands. “Go on now, go do the important businesswoman stuff.”

Coming to a full stand, Shimmer rolled her eyes and adjusted her glasses before winking as she walked away, her heels clacking on the ground before she exited and closed the door gently.

Sunset found herself admiring how professional Shimmer actually looked in her black skirt suit, she looked so much older than a girl who was about to turn eighteen. The life she led had shaped a woman, a lady and it was evident. Yet underneath that was an innocent girl, a child almost. She was an interesting contradiction.

She had a baby face, but a womanly body, which clearly was accented well in her wardrobe. Sunset wondered if she would have ended up more like Shimmer had her parents actually taken an interest in her life.

Deciding not to go down that path though, she changed her internal dialogue back to the subject of Shimmer and recalled a conversation they had shared regarding her upbringing. Sunset was always fascinated with magic and dedicated much of her young life to studying it. Magic in the human world only fascinated her even further and it was bothersome that it had had such a negative impact on Shimmer’s life. While magic excited her and opened up new doors, for Shimmer it had done the exact opposite; magic had taken her family from her, robbed her of her piece of mind, stole her innocence even. The effects of magic had forced Shimmer to grow up quickly.

Still, Sunset was saddened that Shimmer was still adamantly against the subject of even discussing magic, even in regards to how to repurpose her own. As far as Shimmer made it seem, the only thing she wanted from magic was a method to suppress it; a way to make the magic in her life simply disappear. This made Sunset far more self-conscious about using her own magic around the girl.

It concerned her enough to want to reach out to someone. Reaching around to the end table she picked up her phone and checked the time. It was a little past eight AM, meaning that school wouldn’t start for another hour. That meant Applejack and Rainbow were still sleeping and wouldn’t be available until three minutes before the bus arrived, Rarity would be too busy getting ready, and Fluttershy likely wouldn’t be up for another half hour.

That left only one option, one person she knew that despite the time would already be completely prepared for the day. The one person among their friends who was eager to get to school even on the worst of days. Sunset could almost imagine her sitting at her desk in her bedroom watching a clock that would grant her permission to go to school finally.

Weakly, she navigated to Twilight’s contact card on her phone and hit it. She noted how exhausted her muscles were, it was clear she wasn’t even past the worst of her cold despite her best efforts, and Shimmer's care.

Holding the phone to her ear she leaned back into the pillow and rested her head as she listened to the rhythmic dial tones. After around three, she heard a click and a voice return to her, “Hello, Sunset?”

Sunset smiled just hearing her voice as she responded, “Hey Twilight.”

The girl seemed somewhat awkward in her reply, her tone off.

“Something wrong?” Sunset asked.

“Oh… no… nothing…” she was obviously lying.

“Twilight, what’s wrong?” Sunset repeated herself.

Twilight sighed on her end. “It’s nothing, Sunset just some bad dreams lately that’s all. Nothing you need to worry about, I’m more worried about you. I haven’t seen you in school, I was told you are sick, how have you been?”

Sunset found herself smiling again at the fact that Twilight was concerned for her.

“I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse too. Shimmer is keeping me at her place and in bed. She made me soup the other day, and she is taking good care of me, promise.” Sunset raised her hand, even though Twilight couldn’t see her.

“Where is she now?” Twilight instantly asked.

“She’s out, but she has her phone and she said she’d run home if I needed anything, I promise you, Twilight, I’m okay,” Sunset calmed her, already detecting more concern in her tone.

“Has she been alright? I mean I know she’s still attending therapy and all but…” Twilight seemed to trail on, not sure how to finish that thought, Sunset decided to do so for her.

“She’s fine, but I’m worried about her when it comes to magic…” Sunset admitted.

“Magic? What of it?” Twilight asked.

Sunset adjusted in her seat and put her phone in her other hand so she could reach for some tissues at the side of her bed to wipe her runny nose.

“Well… Magic is definitely a force that we’re not escaping any time soon, that’s pretty clear. Whatever caused us to have magic in the first place is here to stay, and Shimmer likely isn’t an exception to that…” Sunset began explaining.

Twilight gave a gentle “mhm”, followed by, “What’s your point?”

“My point is, she should learn to finally embrace it so it doesn’t leave her in fear forever… I feel it’s the only way she will overcome what happened fully…”

Twilight let out a long sigh and Sunset could feel a long explanation coming from her. “Sunset,” she began, “we tried that already, remember? Magic killed Shimmer’s parents, her own magic at that. I understand how she feels just as I’m sure you do… Magic can turn people into monsters if it’s misused. It took a long time for me to stop worrying that I’d eventually turn back into Midnight Sparkle, and to be honest… The thought still crosses my mind…”

“You still worry about that?” Sunset inquired.

“Not that often, but every now and then the thought comes up,” Twilight admitted.

Sunset was truly surprised, she had thought that Twilight was completely over her fear of the demon she once turned into. She surmised that Twilight had gotten better at suppressing that fear as time passed.

“I would never let that happen to you again, Twilight. You know that,” Sunset spoke.

An innocent laugh came from the phone as Twilight responded, “I know you wouldn’t. I trust you. I’m sure Shimmer does too, but it takes time. You are right that she will eventually need to get past her fear, but small steps.”

“I just worry she may never reach that point, Twilight… She isn’t like you. Magic made her lose her parents… I don’t know how I can help her get past that…” Sunset sighed.

“Give her time, Sunset,” Twilight reassured.

Sunset ran a hand through her messy bedhead and nodded before sighing. Twilight’s analysis was spot on, as much as she didn’t like to admit it. She was never the best at being patient, but she conceded that Twilight had an excellent point, there was no way she could speed the process up.

“I guess you’re right… I’m lucky you’re my friend,” Sunset praised.

She could practically feel her friend blush over the phone. “Oh stop… I’m the lucky one. You saved me from turning into a monster.”

“You’ll never be a monster in my books, Twilight,” Sunset replied.

That time Twilight actually did blush. The bookworm struggled to form a coherent sentence for a solid twenty seconds before finally managing to get out, “Thank you.”

“Anyway, I should probably get some more rest. I’ll try and be back in school as soon as I can, promise. All my effort is focused on getting better.” Sunset held her hand up even though she couldn’t be seen.

“I’ll hold you to it. Get some rest, Sunset.”

“Talk to you later.”

“You too.” Ended the conversation.

With that, the call ended and Sunset placed her phone on the nightstand. She yawned and stretched before placing her aching head down on the pillow, allowing her eyes to gently close and soon the world around her was tuned out as she felt the embrace of slumber take her away.

A Few Weeks Ago

Shimmer kept close to her sister trying to walk through the sludge that they called mud after a fresh rain. She wasn’t sure why they had waited until after it had rained, but perhaps they didn’t anticipate the weather which led Shimmer to believe they had planned to bring her out to these woods weeks back, and that this meeting was premeditated and the weather happened to be a hitch in their plan.

Sunset had insisted she come with her as she had something she wanted to show her out in the woods behind her high school as she put it. Not much for camping or outdoors, Shimmer wasn’t entirely certain what to wear, and instantly regretted not wearing converses instead of the heeled boots she was sporting. Ironically, Sunset appeared to be more skilled at navigating the wilderness in heels than she, despite obviously having more experience, she figured that Sunset’s knowledge of living in the woods must have just naturally made her more skilled at walking through mud, sticks and uneven ground.

Peering around, Shimmer could see the various bugs coming out of their hiding places that had been made damp. Silkworms dangled all around them and Shimmer did her best to avoid them, though she was certain she would find many hidden in the creases of her dress later.

The temperature had begun to cool, and for that, she was thankful she had opted for leggings under her dress on this fall afternoon.

Sunset seemed just fine in only a black tank top and tattered jeans. Shimmer opened her mouth. “How are you not freezing?”

Sunset shrugged. “I used to live out here. I spent a good few years living in the wilderness, so I’m pretty adapted to it. I don’t get cold as easily as a result. Though once I caught a fever from hell out here and had to nurse myself back to health using natural crap I found out here; wasn’t a great Fall that’s for sure.”

“Oh… So this is where you lived? It’s… Quaint…” Shimmer attempted to keep the conversation going, but couldn’t really think of much more to say, clearly realizing that Sunset didn’t even believe that statement was true.

With a nod, Sunset brought that conversation to an abrupt close, obviously not wanting to talk about her past anymore, predictable. The two had beaten the subject to death at that point anyway.

“So what are we doing out here exactly? You haven’t told me yet…” Shimmer finally popped the question she had wanted to ask since she was invited out to this location. It had been scratching at her more so when they entered the woods. Her mind briefly entertained the idea that this seemed like the premise of a horror movie, or several that she had seen. Part of her contemplated bringing this up to Sunset; however, she was almost certain Sunset likely would be unfamiliar with virtually every horror movie ever.

“You’ll see,” Sunset plainly responded.

Not the answer Shimmer was hoping for.

Shrugging, Shimmer realized she had no choice but to be patient and hopefully the answer would come soon enough.

Finally reaching a point further into the heart of the woods, Shimmer spotted a familiar figure; pale skin, long blue hair and a pair of dorky glasses. There was no mistaking it, it was Twilight Sparkle; the awkward, nerdy and somewhat adorable member of their circle of friends.

The bookworm approached and bowed slightly causing Sunset to shake her head in disapproval. Twilight grimaced and coughed before nodding slightly. It was evident that the two had had a discussion prior about formal greetings, a discussion that clearly wasn’t sticking in Twilight’s memory.

“Shimmer, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Twilight smiled warmly.

Shimmer always appreciated Twilight among their friends, probably second to Rarity. Still, she couldn’t help shake how strange it was that these two asked her to meet them in the woods; it almost seemed out of character for them.

Shimmer smirked and gave her response. “Klaatu barada nikto.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and Sunset grew a confused expression, clearly not understanding the reference.

“Really?” Twilight asked cocking her brow.

“I was just checking because you two are acting super strange. So spill it, why are we out here in the middle of nowhere?” Shimmer responded.

Sunset looked to Twilight, who gave another glance back at her before the duo nodded to each other and focused their gaze directly on a confused Shimmer. Shimmer gripped the skirt of her dress tightly, already not liking where she felt this entire ordeal was heading. A knot appeared in her throat, and her hands began to tremble slightly. In her mind, she fought hard to suppress memories that were trying to claw their way to the front.

“Shimmer…” Sunset began, placing a hand on her sibling’s shoulder.

“No… I’m not doing this…” Shimmer shook her head, tightly closing her eyes, wishing that this would all just be a dream.

The other bespectacled woman took a step forward and placed her hand on Shimmer’s other shoulder in comfort as well.

“Shimmer… We understand… Magic turned both of us into monsters at one point… We know what it’s like to be afraid of it… We just want to help you, I promise. If you can get past your fear you can move on from what happened and magic can actually open new doors for you…” Twilight tried to explain.

Tears were already welling up in the girl’s eyes as she stepped backward and swatted the two away. Her heal got caught in a mole hole and causing her to tumble backward landing upon her read in the mud with an audible splash. Twilight and Sunset rushed to help her up only for her to swat them away again, pain in her expression and daggers in her eyes she stared them down as she brought herself to a stand, trying to brush her rear off.

“This isn’t helping me guys! I’m not like you two; I didn’t just turn into some monster and almost hurt people… I killed my own parents. I watched as their blood covered my living room. Fuck… I still have nightmares about it. Neither of you knows what that’s like, I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. Magic may be able to help you two, but all magic has ever done for me is make my life worse,” Shimmer growled as she frantically attempted to clean her expensive dress with her hands to no avail.

“We were just trying to help…” Sunset frowned.

“Well don’t. No good comes from magic; I never want to use it again for as long as I live. I want nothing to do with magic, I wish it would just go back to wherever it came from, and then I could be free of it,” Shimmer’s voice was stern, filled with venom, and a serious look plastered upon her face.

With those words, she turned and began trudging back along the muddy pathway. Twilight sighed and frowned as she placed a hand on Sunset’s back. “Sorry Sunset…”

“I hope she comes around eventually…” Sunset sighed.

Three Years Ago

Flicking a lighter and bringing the flame to a rolled-up marijuana cigarette, a relaxed Shimmer took a long puff and exhaled. She leaned back in her chair and stretched before closing her eyes and began daydreaming. Her mind cleared of her long day of failed scientific experiments and wasted effort. She had hit several dead ends in her research attempts to try and understand the force capable of exiting her body.

Entering the room as she blew another cloud of smoke into the air was a slightly older male with scruffy hair. His V-neck shirt contorting tightly around his muscled body as he sat down across from his girlfriend in the recliner. He reached forward to grab the joint from her, only to have her swat his hand away with an annoyed glance.

Taking his bronzed dark-skinned hand back he rolled his eyes. “Seriously? You can’t share?”

“Hey fuck off; I’ve had a rough day…” She sighed.

“What the hell do you even do in that lab of yours?” He asked with a raised brow before opening a soda.

“Nothing important evidently…” Shimmer responded.

The dark haired boy rolled his eyes and sighed before putting his feet on the coffee table in the room. “Seriously, babe you need to think about other stuff. Why don’t you come hang out with us sometime? We’re going to a concert next weekend, why not come with us?”

“Will there be pot there?” She lifted her head up to meet his brown eyes.

“Probably not.” He shrugged.

“Not interested.” She let her head fall back down.

Her boyfriend leaned in and placed a hand on her arm only for her to pull her arm away, a move he likely should have predicted given her history. Sunset Shimmer was always the kind of girl that avoided any and all affection, they had only been dating a few months, but he felt no closer to her than when they started.

A third of her time was spent getting high and drinking wine; another third spent in her lab for hours on end; the final third was spent being depressed and lying in bed doing nothing of use.

Romantically she was pretty closed off, though she did respond well to compliments. She always appeared to be a fan of her appearance and enjoyed when others noticed it.

“Why are we dating again? Literally, all you ever do is get high and lay around,” he complained.

“It’s because I’m cute.” She smirked before taking another puff.

“I’m serious, Sunset.” He crossed his arms and raised his brow.

Sitting up, Shimmer got a look at his chocolate-colored face and matching eyes. His toned muscles flexing slightly as he stared her down. A part of her licked her lips as she observed his features with a grin.

“It’s because you’re cute too.” She giggled.

“Like you’d notice when you’re not high.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head in annoyance.

“What difference does it make, Fennel?” She groaned in annoyance as she came to a stand and walked over to the counter top to pour herself a glass of wine.

“I’m done with this, Sunset Shimmer,” He replied as he took a stand himself.

She looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes as she picked up the glass and sipped.

“I’m serious. Whatever this is… It’s over. I’m not going to play whatever game you’re playing,” he spoke as he picked up a denim jacket perked on the side of the chair and began to put it over his muscular body.

Shimmer shrugged with apathy. “See you later, then.”

“No, you won’t. I don’t know what your problem is, I don’t know why you’re so closed off to the world, but you’ve definitely inspired me to never pursue internet dating again,” he grumbled.

It wasn’t the first time that one of Shimmer’s relationships fell apart, and it wouldn’t be the last either. Part of her questioned why she even bothered trying to date in the first place, but she surmised it must have been to fill some kind of hole or try to act like the typical teenager she was supposed to be even though she was far from typical. She actually did like Fennel, but it was clear that his patience simply wasn’t enough to handle her.

Shimmer gave a dismissive wave as he stormed out of the room and took his leave. She sat back down and picked up the joint she had rolled back up and took another long drag and exhaled. Chuckling she shook her head. “Too bad, you were going to get lucky tonight cute stuff,” she thought out loud.

Sunset,

I have been doing a bit of digging through your files and a lot of this is how do I say… extremely fascinating. Magic… Who would have guessed? I mean I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it all here; videos, written accounts, photos, the works. This kind of finding could change the world, for better or for worse if it falls into the wrong hands. Your research is incredible; I can’t believe this is what you were working on all that time.

That being said, I figured I would give you a few more bits of information regarding this Ghost that I keep seeing appear within your files after the security breach you experienced.

Whoever he is, he clearly is going above and beyond to cover his tracks. Any attempts to pursue him seem to meet dead ends on my end and I’m imagining you’ll be having the same kind of luck.

Enough shop talk though, I feel compelled to say what’s clearly on both of our minds since these interactions began again… How are you doing?

Sincerely,

You-Know-Who

Shimmer sat back at her desk as she looked over the email she had received via her phone. Part of her didn’t want to talk about this any further, but she knew that she’d just get more messages down the road like this one, poking at the matter until she opened up regarding it.

She shrugged and figured there was no harm in feeding curiosity.

I could have sworn we agreed not to use our real names in these messages from here on out for security purposes. After all someone could be monitoring this channel of communication as you said.

I understand how unbelievable the entire situation is, trust me. Imagine living it rather than just reading about it. You’ve likely read everything by now, so chances are you now know my secret. You know what a hypocrite I am; you know a truth that only a small amount of people actually know. You know why I hid from the world; you know more than any one person ever knew about me…

The cruel irony is… We’re one in the same…

Sincerely,

Shimmer reached forward and grabbed a cup of coffee she had purchased on her way to the school. The meeting she was to attend had ended and she decided to check over her emails and relax a bit before heading back home to care for her ill sister.

It was probably for the best that she got these interactions out of the way before getting home as she wanted to avoid questions from her sister. To her surprise she received a response relatively quickly in the form of a text message this time.

I know we aren’t supposed to message each other in any other way besides email, but I felt the need to talk to you.

Shimmer sighed and made a response.

We’re not very good at being professional are we?

A smile was brought to her face as she got a reply.

Evidently not. So… I guess we’re really talking about that subject you brought up in the email huh?

Shimmer rolled her eyes at how her contact was playing dumb. She hated how much they always beat around the bush, but she couldn’t be entirely mad at them as she recalled that the both of them were always mysterious and cagey with each other in the past. They both acted like they both were having a contest at how mysterious they could be.

That’s the direction you clearly were going with it. Why waste time pretending with the whole “how are you doing” thing? Why not just talk about the thing we both know we want to talk about.

As expected the response was quick.

Very well. I wanted to say if you think we’re both the same in that we’re both murderers, you’re wrong. Accidents happen, we’re both just the unfortunate victims of circumstance, but you didn’t stick around long enough to find that out…

Shimmer sighed and decided to end the conversation so she could get back to finishing up to get home to her ailing sister.

Can we please talk about this some other time? I get it, I suck and I’m a bitch. Right now though, I don’t have time for this. I didn’t contact you to fix me or my totally fucked up life, lord knows it’s likely beyond repair at this point anyway. Many professionals couldn’t fix whatever was wrong with me.

I contacted you because you know your stuff and you’re the fastest learner I know. For now let’s keep this strictly business and less personal, at least for a little while longer. I can’t go through this again. I get that I owe you a lot of explanations and even apologies but like… Not now. Not today.

Silence followed, causing Shimmer to sigh in relief knowing that she placated them. She leaned back in her chair again and took another long sip of her coffee, knowing all she had really done was delay a conversation that would inevitably happen anyway. For now, though, she took solace in knowing that she had at least delayed it temporarily.

Finishing her coffee she closed her laptop and prepared to head home.

A dainty hand reaching into a purse managed to rummage around through used gum wrappers, hair bands, and old receipts to retrieve a ring of keys. Flipping through the arrangement of metallic shards they managed to locate one with Shimmer’s name etched on it.

Twilight had gotten dropped off by her elder brother at Shimmer’s estate. Shimmer had been considerate enough to give Twilight a set of keys to the house and the gate, probably due to her not wanting Twilight to scale the gate and house again. She had commented before how it was clear that nothing would stop Twilight Sparkle from entering a building if she had decided that was what she was going to do. The keys were merely a trophy for her victory. Looking at the set of eight keys, she noted that she had one for every major area of the estate.

The bookworm had been concerned since her close friend had fallen ill in the first place, and while she knew that Shimmer had her likely in the best care available for her, she still knew she wouldn’t be at ease until she saw her for herself.

Turning the key, she managed to get the door open after a hefty push only to hear a bark in the distance, causing the mousy girl to almost jump. Looking down to the ground a familiar giddy canine was wagging his tail with excitement at her arrival.

Twilight reached down and gave the overgrown puppy a good pet before kneeling to his level and rubbing under his chin. The dog responded by lifting his head upright inviting more affection in.

With a giggle, Twilight came to a stop as the dog gave another bark in her direction.

“Hey, Moon. I’m looking for Sunset, can you take me to her? I brought her some tomato soup.” Twilight held up a fogged up container that clearly had freshly made soup within it.

The dog barked again and ran up the staircase, Twilight giving chase as quickly as she could after the speedy canine. With a good flight of stairs behind them and a fairly lengthy run down a long hallway, Twilight was brought to a room with two lavish paintings on either side of the door. The first appeared to be a gorgeous woman with red hair and perfectly done curls. Standing in awe, Twilight could see the artist captures every detail of this woman that he could, her porcelain skin, gentle smile, small lips, and the gentle slant on her eyes. It was clear she was of Asian descent by looking at her.

The dress the woman was sporting was a gorgeous gown of red that had ruffles and laces all the way to the floor. There was no doubt in Twilight’s mind that that dress in the painting cost more than anything she had ever purchased in her life, possibly combined even.

Twilight’s eyes moved down the frame to see a name etched into a metal badge underneath it reading “Sparkle Shimmer”.

That meant that this beautiful creature was Shimmer’s mom and that somewhere in Equestria, there was a counterpart of her that was, in turn, Sunset’s mother. Sunset seldom spoke of her parents, but if Shimmer’s mother looked that beautiful that it was easy to see where Sunset and Shimmer got their looks if Sunset’s mother looked any bit similar.

The thought of Sunset’s beauty made the words of the girl in her dream echo in her ear for a brief moment.

“You’re mine now.”

She blushed and shook her head as she dismissed the memory. A part of her contemplated whether she should tell Sunset about the dream or not, but that part was quickly overcome by embarrassment. No doubt in her mind that Sunset would tease her for such a thing. It was likely just a dream and had little actual meaning, right?

Redirecting her focus she began to gaze at the other painting of a very strapping middle-aged man with a perfectly trimmed beard. There were a few spots of grey and white, but it made him appear distinguished.

His hair was done in a messy style and was dirty blonde in color. He had a sincere face about him and a genuine smile. Teal eyes rivaling Sunset’s own stared back at Twilight.

Like the other painting, this one was adorned in a suit that definitely exceeded anything affordable to Twilight, with a gold chain sticking out of his shirt pocket, likely housing a pocket watch. His right hand tucked into his pants pocket and his left holding a glass of what appeared to be red wine.

Reading the tag below it, her suspicions were confirmed.

“Dusty Shimmer”.

That made this man, Shimmer’s father. Twilight could see the resemblance and smile. They looked like they were a beautiful couple in life. It was a shame that these paintings and the relics inside this house were all that was left of them. Shimmer had never discussed what had happened to them with her or the others, but she assumed that Sunset likely knew the truth.

Moon whimpered, catching Twilight’s attention. She looked down to see the dog was eyeing the soup in her hand. “Oh yeah, the soup, duh…” She blushed at her forgetfulness.

Gently she opened the door between the two paintings and peaked inside to see a sleeping Sunset laying there.

Twilight approached gently and set the soup down on a nearby vanity as she came to Sunset’s bedside, watching her chest rise and fall as she slept.

Sunset’s lips were slightly parted as she breathed, likely due to her nostrils being too stuffy, and her eyelids were slightly puffy, but still, she managed to look beautiful. Twilight’s gaze fixated on her lips before they moved down to Sunset’s chest. She blushed and stopped herself mentally from undressing her friend in her mind any further.

Still, though her eyes returned to Sunset’s face before wandering to her hair. Before she had the chance to fantasize further though, Moon leaped onto the bed, landing on Sunset, causing her to cough and stir.

She came back to life and gasped before she looked over to Twilight with a smile.

“Oh wow… Hey Twilight, when did you get here?” Sunset extended her arms offering to pull the girl into a hug should she step closer.

Twilight nervously rubbed her arm and looked at Sunset unsurely.

“I know I’m sick, but a hug won’t kill you.” Sunset gestured again with her hands for Twilight to come closer and accept the embrace.

With a nod, Twilight finally accepted the invitation and allowed her friend to close her into a tight but comforting embrace. Sunset always gave the perfect hugs she noticed. Not light like what Rainbow Dash gave, but not something that would push all the air out of your body like what Pinkie would give; just right.

Sunset yawned as she released Twilight and reached to fix a falling bra strap. “So, what brings you here?”

Her voice was mostly nasally and it was clear she was having trouble breathing through her nose, but Twilight ignored it and retrieved the soup from the vanity before popping the lid off of the container and offering it to her.

“I made you soup so you’d get better faster. I know Shimmer already gave you some, but I figured more couldn’t hurt…” Twilight blushed and looked away.

Sunset leaned forward and tried to peak into the container. “Tomato?” She guessed.

Twilight nodded. “With basil; I remembered that you don’t eat meat, so I specifically made a vegetarian soup. You like tomato right?”

Sunset blinked and looked up to see that Twilight clearly was nervous that she would screw something as simple as bringing a sick friend soup up. A smile crept up onto her face and with a sniff, she nodded. “I like tomato.”

Twilight’s face grew a similar smile as she pulled up the chair from the vanity and offered the soup. “Well then you better eat up, I brought you a spoon.”

Before she could even say a word, Twilight retrieved a spoon from her bag and smiled. Sunset looked down to the soup and then back to Twilight as the steam rolled off of it. “It’s a little hot…” she commented.

Instinctively, Twilight scooped some up with the spoon and blew on it lightly. She brought the spoon to Sunset’s lips who gently slurped in the soup, her mouth being filled with a burst of flavor. It has never occurred to her that Twilight was actually quite a good cook.

“It’s delicious…”

Twilight nodded and blew on another spoonful. “Thank you, I made it just for you.”

“You’re a good friend.” Sunset managed to get out before accepting another spoonful.

“I had a great teacher,” Twilight replied.

At the door, peeking in was Shimmer, who had just arrived only a few minutes ago. Watching her sister receive spoonful after spoonful of the homemade soup from Twilight, a smile formed on her face before she stepped away and decided to leave the two be.

Author's Note

Ironically I am still sick so this chapter coincidentally comes out around the same time. A lot of the sick Sunset stuff is sort of inspired by how me and Applety are when I'm sick. She often makes me soup, and while you guys can't taste it, it's probably more amazing than the soup Sunset in the chapter is enjoying. You'll have to take my word for it.

Behind the Scenes: Originally I actually had to re-write a big section about the soups because I remembered that Sunset was vegetarian.

Note from Applety: She wants to apologize for what she feels is a lower quality illustration this week. She's been having a rough week and depression was kicking in. She originally intended there to be more sketches for this chapter as well but she didn't want to churn out a few crappy sketches while feeling depressed rather than try to deliver at least one decent one.

The chapter may get an "update" sometime this week to include additional artwork so do peak back over the week to see if that happens.

I'm sure she'll leave a comment in the comments below about it all.

Act II - Chapter XIX: Future

Chapter XIX: Future

Sunset groaned and awoke to feel iller than she was the day prior. She wasn’t surprised that her illness was taking longer than expected to subside, as she was well known for being a slow healer when it came to sickness. Somehow though, when it came to cuts, scrapes, and bruises it was the polar opposite. Her body could repair itself with ease, but fighting off a cold seemed to elude it.

She pulled herself out of her bed and let her feet touch the shivering cold floor of her apartment, sending a chill up her spine.

Shimmer had originally insisted that Sunset stay the night at her home, but she had convinced Shimmer to let her come back to her own apartment. Sunset didn’t want to inconvenience her sister any further with her illness, knowing that she could ride out the remainder of the sickness in her own apartment on her own terms. Given that she had been ill for a few days already, there was no way she would be sick for much longer.

The young woman hobbled over to the bathroom and located the thermometer she kept in the cabinet, placing it in her mouth before sitting down atop of the closed toilet to rest her wobbly legs. Her entire body ached, her joints screamed at her to stop moving, and her head was starting to pound from a severe headache forming.

Removing the thermometer and getting a good look at it, she was satisfied that she was still very sick as her temperature was 108 degrees.

Placing the thermometer next to the sink, she placed a hand upon the sink to balance herself when she came to a stand. Dizziness overcame her quickly, but she placed a hand on the wall and began to step one step at a time, taking a four to five-second break between steps. She would stop, take a breath, release a breath and then begin stepping forward again. She repeated the process until she was back in her own bed, reaching for her phone.

The thought to call Shimmer crossed her mind; however, she decided not to worry her any further. Shimmer had plenty to do with the school as it was without having to babysit her.

That didn’t resolve the problem of needing to contact the school to let them know she wouldn’t be attending again.

Twilight’s name appeared in her head.

With a mental nod, she decided to give Twilight a text.

Hey, I’m still sick. I won’t make it in today, but could you perhaps let Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna know?

Of course, Twilight was up at this hour and replied quickly.

Sure thing! I hope you feel better soon, Sunset. I’ll bring your homework over for you. Are you sure that you shouldn’t go to the hospital or something though?

Sunset rolled her eyes, leave it to Twilight to always be thinking about homework.

And what exactly do I tell them when my tests reveal I’m not human? Not to mention it’s not like I have insurance in this world, medical care here is super expensive. Nah, I’ll just ride it out…

Twilight didn’t respond, clearly, Sunset’s argument was either too flawless to dispute or she simply didn’t want to argue it any further. Either way, it at least brought a smile to her face to know that Twilight had been concerned about her health. She recalled the days when she was alone and had no one who cared what happened to her, and it brought her comfort to know those days were behind her. Sunset now had a plethora of friends and acquaintances that would do much for her and even a sister.

Her life was completely different now, a little over a year later. She thought back to the person she was a year ago and how much she had changed.

She shrugged and figured that today would be an excellent day to get caught up on some books she had borrowed from Twilight but never got around to reading. She would spend her day wrapped in a blanket on her bed, a book in hand and warm memories of her friends in her heart. She didn’t see how anything could be better than this.

Shimmer couldn’t deny that she still found herself concerned over her sister’s health, however, she trusted Sunset enough to know that when Sunset said she was fine, she likely meant it. From all the stories Shimmer had been told about Sunset’s past, it was clear that Sunset was a survivor in many regards, so a good part of her knew it was pointless to worry about her when it was clear that she could and had taken care of herself.

Deep down she knew it was fear that fueled her concern. She had lost enough for one lifetime, and irrationally she knew she always feared losing Sunset as well. Her luck did, in fact, seem to be legendarily horrible.

To take her mind off of the subject, however, she pulled herself out of her abode and forced herself to come down to the bookstore in town. She had remembered Twilight and Sunset mentioning they frequented this place, and swore by it, so a part of her was curious to check it out.

Entering the store, it was certainly a lot smaller than she thought it would be, and nothing like the vast stores she was used to. Instead of high-end mahogany shelves and vast rows of books, there were cramped hallways of old oak shelves possibly in need of repair. No coffee shop in the back, instead there were couches and chairs where many had been sitting, curled up with a book or two. It was such a tiny space that the shop clearly had to be creative regarding the use of said space.

The place felt cozy, it reminded her of a cottage. All it needed was a fireplace and a hot chocolate in her hand and she could at least see herself curling up in a chair and spending several hours in this place.

Wandering over to a nearby shelf to browse the fiction section, it slowly dawned on her that she had a few observers. Two boys approached from seemingly nowhere, one on each side of her. The taller of the two placed his hand on a nearby shelf for support and smiled before adjusting his dorky thick glasses. He ran a hand over of his overly gelled hair that was slicked to the side. His fashion sense was something that Shimmer would only describe as “pressed shirt chic”, or rather he didn’t have a fashion sense at all.

“Why hello there,” the boy said in a voice that he was clearly just putting on in a poor attempt to sound more masculine.

Shimmer raised a brow and placed a hand on her chest. “May I help you?”

“We don’t get a lot of cute girls like you around here, my name’s Booker, this is my friend Recall.” The teenager gestured to the other boy behind her whom at first glance appeared to be a short chubby teenager with an acne problem.

“A pleasure,” she lied.

“And who might you be?” Booker asked.

“Sunset Shimmer, but everyone calls me Shimmer…” she replied a bit annoyed.

Her name lit up something in his head as his eyes widened as he processed this information she had just given him. “Wait… Shimmer… You’re the daughter of the Shimmer family, aren’t you? You were on the news a few months ago right?”

Shimmer’s eyes darted back and forth as she tried to find a way out of the situation, seeing no opening to leave and be done with the conversation.

“I…” She stammered, unsure of what to say.

“How about I take you out sometime? Maybe pick you up at eight tonight?” Booker asked.

“I… Uh… That’s nice of you but…” she found herself stammering more and more as she watched him lean in more.

As if someone could read her mind and brought an answer to her prayers, a female voice croaked in their direction causing Booker to look behind him. There a familiar taller woman was standing there with a raised furry brow. “Will you boys please behave yourselves? We get a new person in here and you two have to act like a couple of horny dogs about it?”

Getting a look at her, Shimmer felt at ease when she recognized her as Moondancer.

The unkempt nerdy girl raised her hand and used her thumb to point behind her. “Back off of her, boys. Seriously.”

The dorky boy frowned and stepped back. “We weren’t doing anything, I swear…”

“Yeah yeah, tell it to someone who cares, you’re creeping her out.” Moondancer rolled her eyes.

Booker sighed and shook his head. “Whatever, come on, let’s go, Recall.” He gestured with his hand and his friend followed with a grunt. Within seconds the two left the tiny store and Shimmer released a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding in.

Moondancer took a step forward and smiled before fixing her mended glasses upon her face and offering her hand to Shimmer. “It’s good to see you again, Shimmer.”

Shimmer looked down and took Moondancer’s hand in her own and shook it. “I’d say I wasn’t expecting to meet you here, but if there was anywhere I was expecting to see you again it would be here.”

The taller girl chuckled and Shimmer could detect a blush upon her. “I spend a lot of time here,” she admitted.

“Where’s the coffee shop in this place?” Shimmer asked.

“There’s one behind the shop, different owners though, I take it you’re used to Barnes and Noble or something?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer nodded as she jerked her head towards the door to signal to her acquaintance. “Care to join me to said shop then?”

Setting down a book in her hand back onto a shelf, Moondancer adjusted the hem of her black wool sweater and nodded.

With a smile, Shimmer offered her left hand in a dainty fashion with her fingers extended. Moondancer looked down at the hand, following her arm until she met her shining eyes. Shimmer’s eyeliner and eyeshadow had been done so expertly and drew attention to her teal eyes.

Shimmer batted her eyes playfully causing Moondancer to take her small hand in her own and step closer. At such a close distance, Shimmer noticed their height difference. Moondancer stood a good few inches taller, but Shimmer’s heels closed the distance slightly.

Stepping with Shimmer’s hand in her own, Moondancer began to lead the girl out of the shop and towards the coffee shop behind the building. They cut through the alleyway in the back only for Shimmer to stop them in said alleyway.

She smiled and took both of Moondancer’s hands and looked up at the girl. “Thank you… For saving me from those guys.”

“You give me too much credit, those two are harmless.” Moondancer dismissed.

Shimmer giggled as she stepped closer and reached behind Moondancer, her hand snaking its way into her new friend’s back pocket of her tight jeans, causing the girl to yelp, but before she got a chance to even ask what Shimmer was doing, she saw her holding her phone in her hand. Holding it up to Moondancer she grinned and put the phone to Moondancer’s face. “Password please.”

“Huh?” Moondancer blinked as she absentmindedly unlocked her own phone for Shimmer who quickly pulled it back after and began to tap away at the screen.

“I’m adding my number, so the next time I need you you’re only a text away.” She giggled.

Finishing up, she handed the phone back to Moondancer who looked at the new contact and then back to Shimmer. “I need a profile picture for you…”

Shimmer nodded and took a step back as she made a pose with her finger placed on her lip as she waited for Moondancer to snap the photo. “Make sure to capture my good side,” she commented.

Moondancer blushed and snapped the photo with a nod.

“So I guess this means I can text you whenever I want?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer giggled and nodded. “Please do.”

After-school routines with Twilight’s friends were finally at a point where she felt they were natural. Previously, she would head right home or stay after school for a bit longer to get more work done. She’d do her homework, read and perhaps play a video game before dinner and then bed. It was a routine she went through day in and day out without much change for years.

Transferring to Canterlot High and gaining friends however changed all of that. Often her friends would want to meet up at the bowling alley, one of their homes (usually Applejack’s due to having the most space) or the ice cream parlor.

This particular time it was Applejack’s house, which meant she’d be picking straw out of her clothing for the rest of the night, as Applejack’s country home seemed to always have some straw hidden where you didn’t even see it.

Sitting in an old recliner, Twilight could smell only what she imagined to be Applejack’s grandmother’s perfume in the dusty old seat.

Her elder brother, Big Mac walked through the room seeing the group of friends and nodded in their direction; Rainbow Dash who was sitting on the couch smiled and nodded back causing Big Mac to smile before he took his leave, clearly not wanting to impede.

Twilight had assumed it was out of his respect for the girl whom she had observed always one of the first to volunteer to help Applejack when the occasion arose. While the two were competitive there was no denying that Rainbow would do anything for Applejack and the two were inseparable as friends, though they were both hard-headed, when they agreed upon something they were an unstoppable force. Twilight imagined that Big Mac thought of her as part of the family at times even if his sister and she butted heads all the time.

Applejack returned to the group with hot cocoa in several mugs upon a tray. She made her rounds offering one to everyone. Fluttershy took hers and huddled it closely to herself to keep warm as she sat on the floor. The girl had almost no meat on her bones, and her vegetarian lifestyle obviously wasn’t much help for that. She sat in front of Rainbow with a smile as she could feel herself warming up from the steaming beverage.

Pinkie wasted no time and dived right into trying to gulp the drink down before recoiling and sticking her tongue out. “Hot! Hot!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Well duh. Try slowing down. Seriously, you don’t need to devour everything sweet in a matter of seconds, it’s amazing you’re not fatter.”

Fluttershy chimed in quietly to remind her friend of her manners. “Rainbow, it’s rude to call people fat…”

Pinkie shrugged, clearly already recovered from the burning of her tongue, then again Twilight imagined if her tongue was ripped off she could still find a way to talk. “It’s all good, it all goes to my butt, see?” She came to a stand and stuck her plump rear out causing Fluttershy to cover her face and Rainbow to stare with a blink. Social etiquette was certainly not Pinkie’s strong suit, but it didn’t look like Rainbow minded as her hand was about to reach forward before Applejack gave a grunt.

Rainbow’s hand returned to her lap and she frowned.

“Pinkie, for the love o’ god put that thing away. Don’t go ‘round just stickin’ your tuckus in the air like that. It’s rude, and I’m pretty sure it’s giving Rainbow a hard-on.” A smirk played Applejack’s lips as she sipped from her mug and directed her eyes to Rainbow who grumbled and looked away in shame.

“Yeah well… Whatever…” Rainbow coughed.

“Awwww what’s wrong Applejack? There’s nothing to be embarrassed by, you have a nice butt too!” Pinkie exclaimed causing Applejack to spray her cocoa out of her mouth in surprise.

“Say what?” Applejack blushed as she tried to wipe herself off.

“I’ve seen it when we had gym together, good stuff. You got the boobs, the butt, total knock out!” Pinkie winked.

Rainbow could not help but chuckle as Pinkie praised Applejack’s body, much to Applejack’s dismay.

“Alright, that’s enough, Pinkie…” Applejack managed to get out as she reached forward and covered her friend’s mouth, a huge blush appearing on her face.

Twilight took a sip of her cocoa before deciding to chime in. “Hey… Where’s Rarity?”

Applejack and Rainbow gave each other a quick look before Rainbow spoke. “She’s… Busy. Couldn’t make it, had some orders to catch up on, right Applejack?”

“Yeah… Right…” Applejack frowned.

Clearly, the two were lying, but Applejack’s demeanor betrayed them. Perhaps the worst liar in the history of mankind was Applejack, but Twilight decided to leave it be.

“Speaking of missing friends… How’s our resident alien magician from another universe doing? We haven’t seen her in days,” Rainbow changed the subject.

Twilight frowned. “Still sick. She is back at her own apartment, but she doesn’t want to worry Shimmer so we should keep quiet around her. Shimmer has enough on her plate as it is, I would say.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “That’s true. Shimmer is only recently becoming less high strung and mellowed out. I’d hate to see her get all bunched up with stress again.”

“Being around you has yet to do it, so I’d say she’s doin’ fine.” Applejack slurped her cocoa as she made a jab at Dash’s expense.

Rainbow raised a hand and gave Applejack her middle finger to observe. The effect seemed to be lost on Applejack whom clearly was so used to Rainbow’s retorts and jabs that she may as well have been immune to them.

“Anyways, keep us updated, Twilight. We all want to see her get better after all,” Applejack spoke.

Twilight nodded before taking another sip of her cocoa. “I’ll be sure to send her everyone’s regards. I do have to say I’m a bit worried since she’s been sick for quite a few days now, but Sunset is pretty resilient right?”

“Yeah, though I’m sure if she is really doin’ bad she’d call one of us. She ain’t stubborn like Rainbow.” Applejack smirked.

Rainbow Dash grunted and raised a brow. “Look who’s talking.”

The girls all burst into a fit of giggles at the banter, Twilight just leaned back in her seat and let her mind fall back onto Sunset.

Reaching her home after being dropped off by Applejack in perhaps the most atrocious-looking pickup truck imaginable, covered in rust and made enough noise to wake the neighborhood. Twilight was just thankful that it wasn’t completely dark yet and therefore her neighbors weren’t going to complain.

Applejack the entire trip there had been in awe at how “fancy” Twilight’s neighborhood was, and going on about how she could never feel comfortable in a place like this.

After finally exiting the vehicle and waving her farmer friend goodbye, Twilight made her way into the house, noting that her father and mother were both not home from whatever activities they were out doing. She recalled that morning they had told her they were going out on a date in the afternoon and to help herself to whatever she wanted for dinner. She rolled her eyes at remembering what lovebirds her parents were, almost embarrassingly so.

Rushing her way down the hall to her bedroom, she closed the door behind her and locked it before she began to unbutton her shirt and with a little effort tossed it aside, exposing her belly and bra with little hearts all over it. She recalled when Rarity had taken her shopping and helped her pick it out.

Removing her skirt and letting it fall to the ground, she picked up the soiled articles and put them neatly into a hamper before she sat down and began to untie her shoes. Neatly she set them next to her bedroom door and removed her socks, putting them into the laundry hamper as well. Her eyes bolted over to her phone, and the desire to check up on her sick friend quickly raced through her mind. Something in her head wanted her to make sure Sunset was okay.

Nodding, she removed her glasses and set them on her computer desk before picking her phone up and dialing her friend’s number.

It didn’t take long before a sickly-sounding girl answered with a cough. “Twilight? What’s up?”

“Hey, Sunset. I just wanted to check up on you and see how you’re doing,” Twilight replied as she placed the phone between her ear and her shoulder.

Her friend hacked and wheezed but gave a friendly-sounding response, “That’s cool of you. I’m okay. Sick as hell, but you know me, I’m a trooper.”

“Do you want me to come over? Once I’m finished with this shower I can run right over if you like…” Twilight said before wandering into her bedroom’s bathroom and turning the nozzle to the hot water on. She reached a hand in to check the temperature, seeing it was just right.

“Wait you’re naked calling me this time? I clearly have done well in inspiring the inner pervert in you.” Twilight could hear the bragging in her tone.

“I’m technically still in my underwear,” Twilight corrected.

“Hot, send pics,” Sunset replied.

“You’re such a horndog…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Eh, not really. I just joke around, I wouldn’t know what to do with it if I had it, you know? Spent my whole life being as appealing as a raw potato…” Sunset’s voice was clearly carried a little sadness, and Twilight was tempted to ask for more details but decided against it.

“Well… anyways… are you sure you don’t want me to come over? I can make some soup for you, and make sure you’re recovering alright.” Twilight smiled, hoping she would accept the offer.

“Nah, I’m sure. I’ve weathered worse back in Equestria. This is nothing, I’ll be better before you know it, promise.”

Twilight frowned but nodded as she replied, “Alright, well get plenty of rest. Hopefully, I’ll see you soon.”

“I’m sure you will, you’ll never truly be rid of me after all.” Sunset chuckled.

“Alright, well talk to you later,” Twilight said.

“You too, and Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for calling; it means a lot to me.”

Twilight’s grin returned as she answered her friend. “Yeah, no problem.”

Shimmer waited patiently at a table in the small coffee shop she had been taken to by Moondancer. Her eyes peeked around from behind her glasses as she examined the rather low-class place. It wasn’t the sort of shop she was used to, but it had a very quaint feeling to it, sort of a humble look. The prices were far lower than she was used to, but she couldn’t help but overhear customers complaining about how much coffee costs these days. It had never occurred to her to ever realistically consider the price tags of anything she bought. She spent so much of her life not having to think about money that she still had a hard time wrapping her head around the idea of five dollars being “a lot” for a cup of coffee.

Being around Sunset though did bring her closer to understanding, as Sunset had virtually no money most of the time. She also was adamant against asking for it, or for financial help even when she needed it.

Moondancer awkwardly walked back to their table balancing two cups atop of saucer dishes as her long legs carried her. Shimmer’s eyes were once again drawn to Moondancer’s best feature before she sat down and passed the cup to Shimmer.

“No sugar, like you asked,” Moondancer said before picking up her own cup and sipping loudly.

She wasn’t very ladylike, but it still made Shimmer smile, more so as she watched her glasses steam up from the coffee.

“Thank you, I’m diabetic,” Shimmer informed as she lifted the cup and gave it a gentle blow to cool it down.

“I’ll make a mental note of that,” Moondancer replied before slurping her own coffee loudly again.

Shimmer studied the girl as she drank before looking back down to her own cup as they sat in silence, finally with Moondancer setting her cup down clearly ready to ask a question she had been holding in.

“So you’re really a millionaire then?” Moondancer asked awkwardly.

Shimmer nodded and set her cup down gently onto the saucer. “Yes, though I’m not a fan of it being pointed out…”

Moondancer shook her head and blinked. “Oh crap… Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you or anything. I suppose we should get a few things out of the way first… For starters sometimes I can come off as a bit rude, but I promise I’m not doing it on purpose…”

Shimmer crossed her hands and interlocked her fingers as she listened, “and the second?” she asked.

“I can honestly say I’m not interested in hanging out with you for money. Since I can likely guess that’s a regular problem for you. I could care less about getting anything out of you, hell I don’t even intend on letting you pay me back for this coffee,” Moondancer explained while pointing to the cup she had just picked back up and begun slurping from once more.

“What are you interested in then?” Shimmer raised a brow, trying to put the girl on the spot.

Moondancer sighed and looked down bashfully. “You’re going to make me say it aren’t you?”

“I like it when people are honest,” Shimmer replied.

The girl leaned back in her seat and looked out the window, avoiding eye contact, but gently peeking with a wandering eye towards Shimmer as she spoke. “I like you. I haven’t really had a friend in a long time, or a connection with another person and I don’t want to screw this up, you know?”

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “I know exactly what you mean.”

That statement caught Moondancer’s attention as she turned back to face Shimmer with a look of surprise, the freckles on her face seemed to be emphasized when she opened her eyes wider.

“Y-you do?”

“Yes…” Shimmer began, “I spent a lot of my childhood alone. Only recently have I made any friends at all, and truthfully… I’m not that good at this friendship thing either. So forgive me if I fumble now and then, alright?”

Moondancer smiled and nodded. “Hey, we can learn together, right?”

A giggle escaped Shimmer as she gently sipped her cup and nodded. “I suppose we can, though I hope you’re not a faster learner than me, otherwise this might get awkward.”

“I’d wager you’re a fast learner too.” Moondancer winked.

“I guess you’ll find out.” Shimmer winked back.

Twilight stepped out of the steaming shower and cooed as she quickly wrapped a towel around herself and began to dry her hair with another towel available to her. After a few minutes of drying by a towel, she reached underneath her sink and retrieved a hair dryer to dry her hair with. Blowing for a few solid minutes she was content and began the process of brushing her long dark blue locks carefully.

Pulling her hair up into a bun, she quickly locked it into place with a hair tie and slipped into the new underwear she had brought in with her.

She paused to look at herself in the mirror and turned to try and observe her features. Twilight was a slender girl, and not amazingly curvy either. She could see she had a rear, but her chest was overwhelmingly average. She had to look closely in the mirror to even see her reflection due to her lack of glasses.

Her mind for a moment fell upon how pretty Shimmer was and how she doubted she could ever match something like that. Sunset’s little sister was so attractive that whenever they took her anywhere most of the stares of people looking their way were focused on her, and sometimes Sunset by extension provided Rarity wasn’t in their group, otherwise, she and Shimmer seemed to compete for the attention of strangers.

Twilight sighed and walked out of the bathroom before picking up a set of pajamas she had laid out upon her bed. She slipped the bottoms on and wrestled into the top as she noticed Spike in his doggie bed gnawing away at some bone that he had been given. This was a clue that her parents must have come home in between the time she had entered the shower and exited.

Wandering to her desk with her hand out to prevent falling, she retrieved her glasses and placed them upon her face so that she would regain her vision.

Blinking a few times, she looked over at her door to see light from the hall seeping in, confirming her suspicion that her parents had arrived home.

Opening the door and stepping into the hallway she stretched and yawned as she made her way down to the kitchen where she saw her father and mother sitting, her father still in scrubs from work and her mother already changed out into more comfortable lounge clothing as she sat in front of a laptop, likely working on her latest novel.

Upon seeing her, Twilight’s mother nudged her father and pointed in Twilight’s direction, causing him to look her way with a smile. It had occurred to her that if her father was still in his scrubs, that the two left for their date immediately after work and didn’t even go home to change, that was just like them.

Her father lifted his cup of coffee acknowledging his daughter and gestured for her to take a few steps forward.

Obeying, Twilight came deeper into the kitchen until she stood at the table with her parents. Her father rummaged through some papers upon the table and offered her a letter that was sitting atop of the pile.

“For you, kiddo.” He grinned.

Taking the paper gracefully, Twilight examined the sender and felt her heart stop for a moment.

Canterlot Institute
88 Court Avenue
Canterlot, Maryland 20858

She gulped as she carefully unsealed the envelope and unfolded the paper inside to examine its contents as she read it aloud.

Dear Ms. Sparkle,

We would like to extend our gratitude for your interest in the Canterlot Institute. We receive hundreds of applications almost every day and we review them religiously to ensure that the best of the best get their chance to attend the Canterlot Institute. We pride ourselves on being a school for the talented with bright futures.

That is why we would like to extend an invitation for you to attend the Canterlot Institute. We’ve reviewed your application and feel you would be a fine addition to our family of students. With your accomplishments, GPA, and recommendations, we also would like to extend the offer of a full scholarship including textbooks and school supplies to our prestigious institute.

If you are interested, please use the enclosed envelop and form to accept our offer. Orientation will begin next fall where the president of our school’s council, Ms. Sunset Shimmer will meet with all students accepted on full scholarships.

We’re excited to have you join our institute, Ms. Sparkle. We eagerly look forward to not only seeing you next September but also what you will accomplish with the help of an education from the Canterlot Institute.

Thank you so much for interest in our school, and we look forward to seeing you during out orientation on September 8th.

Sincerely,

The Canterlot Institute Board of Directors

Twilight blinked, she couldn’t believe it. She had gotten in. She looked at her father with shocked eyes, who was sporting a smile.

“Congrats, kiddo. This calls for a celebration. Hunny, let’s go out to eat,” he commanded.

His wife rolled her eyes. “We just went out, darling.”

“This is a special occasion though! Come on, let’s get dressed again and head out!” he exclaimed with excitement.

His wife sighed and shook her head, but let a smile come upon her face as she looked to Twilight. “We’re very proud of you, sweetie.”

Shimmer’s Mercedes pulled up and parked in front of a rather small apartment building at the side of the road. She looked past her passenger towards the unimpressive complex and tilted her head. Looking back to the girl in her passenger seat was Moondancer who adjusted her glasses and shuffled awkwardly, “err… thank you… for bringing me home that is…”

With a nod, Shimmer opened her car door and stepped out of the car with Moondancer. The girl rubbed her arm awkwardly before tilting her head towards the apartment. “I don’t suppose you… want to come inside?”

Looking back at the building, Shimmer nodded. She remembered that Moondancer stated she attended Crystal Prep Academy, yet her home didn’t reflect someone with the kind of wealth to attend such a prestigious school.

Following the girl inside, she wandered up the stairs with the taller woman watching her retrieve a key from her pocket and open an apartment door. Stepping inside, Shimmer took note of the messy state the living arrangement was. It was a small place, but clearly well loved; larger than Sunset’s apartment, but still perhaps too small for a family to live in.

Thereupon the couch passed out face down was a woman in a work uniform snoring away. Moondancer pointed with her thumb, “my mom.”

Shimmer nodded, not wanting to comment for fear of waking the woman, however, her fears were ill placed as the woman grumbled and pulled herself up anyways, clearly hearing Moondancer’s comment. Rubbing her eyes the redhead yawned and stretched as she looked over at her daughter and Shimmer. Wrinkles were obvious upon her face, and she was clearly middle-aged. She had the marks of a woman who seldom wore makeup and was clearly overworked. She smiled with yellow eyes and despite her look of exhaustion, she had a bright smile.

“Hey, sweetie; welcome home,” the woman stated with a surprisingly chipper tone.

Moondancer nodded and bowed a little before looking to Shimmer.

“Hey, mom. This is my friend, Shimmer.” Moondancer gestured to Shimmer.

Shimmer grabbed the skirt of her dress and curtsied as she nodded her head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” she said.

The woman giggled and shook her head. “So formal. Well, it’s nice to have you, Shimmer. Moondancer doesn’t bring home many friends, so it’s a pleasant surprise. Please help yourself to anything if you’re hungry or thirsty.”

Shimmed nodded. “Thank you, ma’am. I’ll keep that in mind.”

She laughed and waved her hand. “Please, call me Moonlight, and you two just run along and have a good time alright?”

Shimmer contained a giggle and nodded as Moondancer took her hand and lead the two to her bedroom down the hall. The door had all kinds of posters from various book series plastered all over it and when she opened it and let the two inside, she could see piles of books scattered all over the messy room. It was clear she had an obsession with the color maroon and purple given how many items in the room were one or the other.

Moondancer moved some books off of her bed and set them upon the floor and pulled up a chair from her computer desk (where her laptop was buried under various stacks of paper and books) and lifted the books off of the chair and set them onto the overcrowded desk.

She placed the chair in front of the bed and gestured for Shimmer to sit. Shimmer nodded and took a seat, placing her hands on her lap as she crossed her legs looking around the room. It became clear why Moondancer didn’t have all the books on shelves. Around the room, there were eight large bookshelves, and every single one of them was full. Some had a considerable amount of empty soda cans.

“Sorry about the mess,” Moondancer finally said before stretching on her bed.

“It’s alright. I do have to admit, I didn’t expect this to be where you lived…” Shimmer admitted.

Moondancer nodded. “Yeah, I know… A girl who goes to Crystal Prep and yet she lives in a rundown apartment right?”

“I guess…” Shimmer shrugged.

Moondancer sighed. “My dad died when I was a little kid. My mom works overtime for us to stay here. The only reason I got into Crystal Prep is that I worked my ass off to get a scholarship there, and to keep that I have to keep almost a 4.0 GPA…”

Shimmer remained silent.

“Probably why I don’t have a lot of friends… Kids from Crystal Prep don’t really care for people who don’t come from money…” Moondancer frowned.

Shimmer reached forward and placed a gentle hand on Moondancer’s thigh. “Moondancer, I don’t care how much money you have.”

Moondancer smiled and placed her hand atop of Shimmer’s. “Sorry… I just… I always have a hard time making friends, so I figure I get the deal breakers out of the way because… I don’t want to screw this up…”

Shimmer turned her hand and took Moondancer’s hand on her own, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I like you for you, Moondancer. I understand what it’s like having a hard time making friends.”

Moondancer looked at Shimmer and blushed, but nodded.

“Thank you, Shimmer…”

“Don’t mention it.” Shimmer smiled at her new friend.

Author's Note

Technically this chapter is late because it came 2 and a half hours after midnight for me technically making it release on Saturday, but for most of my American audience it's still Friday, so I guess it still counts. Sorry for cutting it so close, but work and everything caught up with us.

Behind the Scenes: Applejack is the curviest of the girls in the story.

Act II - Chapter XX: Concern

Chapter XX: Concern

Tapping away at a keyboard with skill and precision housed only by a seasoned computer veteran, Shimmer was on the verge of finishing a project she had been chipping away at for several hours. She had lost progress a few days back due to a corrupted file; causing her to curse herself for not thinking to back it up like she usually would. She made a mental note to remember to run a backup more periodically, or at the very least set something up that would automate the process.

Regardless, she tapped away at keys indiscriminately with her eyes locked on the screen. Perched upon her nose were her work glasses, designed with the proper blue light reduction to assist in reducing eye strain when working on computers (especially in dark rooms as Shimmer always seemed to have a fondness for). Her hair was locked up in a bun, and it was perhaps the messiest anyone would ever see the sleep-deprived girl if she had gone out looking as such.

Checking the time in the corner of the computer screen she could see it was 8:12 AM, she had been up all night running on sugarless coffee and a few fruits she had brought with her. Converting those things into energy proved successful as she didn’t even feel tired yet, though she longed for a nice hot bath the moment her work was done. Shimmer told herself she wouldn’t stop until she was completely finished with this current project.

Pausing for a brief moment she leaned back and rubbed her temples before giving an audible sigh to no one in particular. Her eyes darted around her private server room seeing little more than computer equipment, poor lighting, and metal walls. While Shimmer enjoyed a nicely decorated home, this was definitely the one room she chose practical over stylish, even her lab had a little Feng Shui to it.

The determination came back to her as she came back forward and locked eyes with the computer screen again, tapping away at lightning speed and scanning over what she was putting into text form to check for any and all errors.

A few more keystrokes, groans, and a yawn finally reaching her, and she was satisfied with what she had created. Hitting the save function for perhaps the twelfth time in ten minutes, she nodded and smirked as she sat back, satisfied with herself for completing such a long project.

She stretched and opened the newly created program and picked up her cup of coffee as she pulled away from her desk and placed the chair back in front of it.

It took a bit of effort, but the end result should, in theory, save her more work in the long run. Going over her data on her private server herself would take weeks if not months to check for any abnormalities caused by the mysterious “Ghost”. Instead, Shimmer decided it was best to let technology do the work for her, and had programmed a new program that would examine all the data for her looking for any traces of this “Ghost” and report back to her. Given the number of high-resolution photos, video logs, and pages upon pages of text within the server, Shimmer was certain the automated process would likely take at minimum a day or two to go through it, even with the processing power available to her.

Scratching her neck she picked up her cell phone from the desk and with a coffee in the other, she opened the door and retreated back to her hallway.

The door and wall concealing her server room closed behind her and she looked down at her phone and flicked it off of airplane mode. As a recent safety precaution, she had decided to not bring any kind of wireless communication into that room.

A short walk and an elevator later and Shimmer was entering her own bedroom, setting her coffee down after a sip onto her vanity while she thumbed her phone.

A part of her realized a status report was in order and she quickly typed up an email.

Hey, it’s me again.

I was up all night creating a program to try and see if it can sniff out any traces of Ghost. Super tired, but it should be worth it if it bears fruit. We’re about to find out how thorough Ghost really is. It should give me a good idea of what level of a hacker we’re dealing with here.

Anyways, the process should take a day or two, so I’ll update you when it’s done to see what I’ve learned. I know you’re not the most computer savvy, and you’re more about noticing fine details, but our Ghost I am wagering is not the most either, and that is what I’m counting on. One way or another we’ll figure out who they are and what they want with my research.

Let me know if anything changes on your end.

Finishing the email, Shimmer tapped send on her iPhone and was about to set it down so she could start a bath when she got a text message. Checking the time again, she saw it was only8:51 AM so that instantly ruled out the possibility of it being someone as lazy as Rainbow Dash whom wouldn’t roll out of bed until later in the day on a weekend.

She smiled as she saw Moondancer’s name upon the text.

Hey, I was hoping we could maybe get a bite together? I know this awesome Asian food place… If you’re into that, that is; I swear I wasn’t assuming anything…

Shimmer giggled and rolled her eyes.

Wait I’m part Asian? Why didn’t anyone tell me!? This changes so much!

Giggling some more at her reply to Moondancer, Shimmer sat down in front of the Vanity staring at her phone waiting for the response.

Yeah well, I didn’t want to like assume or anything. Didn’t want to come off as racist or anything because since it’s out there I thought it was pretty obvious you’re at least part Asian or something…

With a sigh, Shimmer shook her head and typed her reply.

You would be correct. I’m half and half. Anyways no worries, I’m not offended I actually love Asian cuisine.

Shimmer wasn’t being facetious either, during her time over in Japan she had grown a fondness for Asian food, her family used to go to expensive Asian eateries on a regular basis.

Good to know, and awesome. Would you mind swinging over at maybe… 11:30 or so? I’ll try and be ready by then and I’ll guide you to the place.

Taking a peek at the clock that didn’t give her a tremendous amount of prep time. She was hoping to squeeze in a nap before going anywhere after that all-nighter; however, she shrugged and decided she could find a way to make it all work.

Sounds good, I’ll be there at 11:30. I just need to take a small nap and then I’m going to bathe and get ready. See you then!

No sooner had she ended her text did her phone ring with Rarity’s name appearing on the screen accompanied by a photo that Shimmer had taken of her for her profile picture. She was making a rather exaggerated pouty face as she crossed her arms.

Answering, Shimmer found a yawn escaping her.

“Rarity? What’s up?”

The fashionista chuckled lightly at Shimmer’s exhaustion. “My, my someone’s tired.”

“I stayed up all night working on something,” Shimmer admitted.

“Really? You should get some rest then, darling. A girl needs her beauty sleep,” Rarity replied.

Shimmer giggled in agreement. “Yeah, I was just about to take a nap before heading out today. Say have you heard from Sunset today, yet?”

“Yes I have darling, she said she was busy so she couldn’t make it to a little get together that Pinkie is hosting tomorrow.”

Shimmer squinted in suspicion. Sunset seldom had plans that she didn’t inform her younger sister about; could she be covering up for something? She couldn’t possibly still be sick, could she? It had been so long that she should be well into the recovery period. Deciding not to make Rarity the middleman, she dropped the subject, however.

“I was actually calling regarding Pinkie’s get together so to speak…” Rarity continued.

“Oh?”

“Indeed, I was wondering if we would be graced with your presence?” Rarity’s voice came off almost as a pout, clearly ready to protest if Shimmer declined.

Twirling a strand of hair in her finger she sighed. “Yeah, I’ll make it. Is it alright if I possibly bring someone? I mean… I haven’t asked them yet, but if they say yes I’d like to introduce you guys to them…”

“Oh? Who might that be?” Rarity questioned.

“Just a new friend I made. Is it alright?”

Rarity gave a sound that made Shimmer believe she was likely rolling her eyes. “Darling, you don’t need permission to bring a friend. The more the merrier, I can’t wait to meet them!”

“Yeah, we’ll see. I’ll see you then okay? I really need to get this nap on or I’m going to pass out though. I think the energy from the coffee and everything else I drank to stay awake is finally wearing off…” Shimmer admitted.

“Darling, next time don’t stay up all night; it’s bad for your health,” her friend scolded.

“Good advice, I’ll have to remember it.” Shimmer joked before ending the call and quickly opening up her alarm app to set an alarm for the next hour. She’d be running on a little less than an hour of sleep for the day, but she figured she would make up for it by heading to bed early.

Yawning, she placed her phone down and wandered over to her bed, eager to crawl under the covers if not for just a little while. Moon was already fast asleep on the pillow next to her own. Climbing into bed she gave the canine a gentle caress before allowing her head to touch the pillow and meet slumber herself.

The hands of a skilled and seasoned seamstress wrapped a measuring tape around Twilight’s tiny waist, gathering her measurements. Rarity frowned as she realized how small Twilight’s waistline was, though she did note that Twilight’s other features lacked at times. She knew her to be a rather average chested girl and while she had a fairly nice rear, she seldom dressed to show it off. It was safe to say that Twilight had the fashion sense of an old woman rather than a teen currently living in the modern world.

For how up to date she was on gadgets and reading Rarity wondered how she didn’t find time to squeeze in a few searches on the latest fashion, after all, it was always a worthwhile endeavor to present one’s best self to the world; at least to Rarity anyways.

Twilight wiggled and fidgeted as Rarity attempted to get her measurements, struggling to hold still.

“Darling, if you want accurate measurements then you’ll need to hold still,” Rarity complained.

With a nod, Twilight inhaled and kept still as Rarity finished off the measurement. Twilight was definitely small framed, and Rarity made sure to take note of her size within her trusted measurement book. Inside the notebook was a quick sketch of Twilight with many lines pointing to different parts of her body with all of her measurement details filled out. She had a page for all of her friends along with notes about their design tastes.

“Are we done yet?” Twilight complained.

“This would have been a lot faster if you were willing to undress…” Rarity rolled her eyes.

Twilight looked down to the floor bashfully, unable to answer.

“I understand, you’re shy. It’s a nightmare getting Fluttershy out of her clothing for a fitting as well. I have to practically tear it off of her. I don’t see why not, there isn’t anything there that I haven’t seen before…” Rarity rolled her eyes once more remembering the last time she had to struggle with Fluttershy just to get her to remove a T-shirt.

Twilight just nodded in agreement, unsure of how to answer.

Rarity sensing her embarrassment decided to sway the conversation away from Twilight’s shyness regarding nudity.

“Anyway, darling… Looking at your measurements I’ll have to design something that flatters your legs and makes your chest pop a bit more…” Rarity leaned in and turned her head to get a look at Twilight’s profile from the side, “something that pushes your chest up a little will definitely do the trick…”

“Uh…” Twilight raised a finger in objection which Rarity instantly addressed.

“No worries, darling I’ll make sure its comfortable, dress to impress, but a little practicality goes a long way.”

Twilight chuckled as Rarity began to scratch in a few more notes into her notebook.

“When did you get so practical?” Twilight chuckled.

“Darling, I work with Applejack. You know how hard it is to get her to wear… Anything that isn’t plaid, flannel, denim or covered in sweat?” Rarity peaked at Twilight from behind her work glasses.

“Applejack is just not into that stuff I guess…” Twilight shrugged.

“A waste if you ask me. I would have killed for her chest. All those boobs and no desire to even show them of…” Rarity shook her head in disappointment, causing Twilight to giggle.

Deciding to change the subject from Applejack’s sizable breasts, Twilight decided to point out the obvious.

“You do know prom is not for months right? I don’t know why you’re designing these now…”

Rarity rolled her eyes in response before sitting down and crossing her legs as she scribbled some more notes. “I’m well aware darling, but you can never start planning these things too early. By the way, what’s the latest on the situation with Timber?”

Twilight frowned, she knew that subject would come up eventually. With a sigh, she took a seat across from Rarity and shook her head. “Over for good more than likely. It was mutual, it just was impossible to keep a relationship going when we lived so far apart and the spark that started it sort of faded fast. In actuality, we didn’t have a whole lot in common. The heart wants what the heart wants and all, right?”

Rarity nodded. “A shame, but I’m sure you’ll find someone else to take you.”

Twilight raised a brow. “What about you? Any suitors?”

Rarity shrugged and shook her head. “Well… no…”

Blinking, Twilight leaned in with interest. Rarity of all people didn’t even know if she was going to have a date to prom?

“You’re Rarity though? Perhaps the prettiest girl in school? There are boys lined up to ask you…” Twilight reminded.

Rarity rolled her eyes and blushed. “Flattery will get you nowhere, darling.”

“I mean it, how are you unsure of who will take you to the prom?” Twilight tilted her head.

“Well, truthfully yes you’re correct I am a very attractive lady, however, that means a lot of boys are shy about even approaching me… to top that off the situation is more… complicated than that…” she grimaced, clearly getting uneasy about this conversation.

“Is there someone, in particular, you’d prefer asked you?” Twilight spoke, ignoring the awkwardness and trudging onwards without much care.

Rarity tinged for a moment and then gritted her teeth, clearly shutting up entirely on the subject and dismissing it.

“Let’s just focus on you for now, shall we darling?”

Twilight could already tell that was all she was going to get out of the seamstress. Rarity clearly kept some secrets close to her chest.

“Very well… what did you want to talk about?” Twilight tilted her head.

“How about… Sunset?” Rarity’s face contorted to a smirk, and Twilight’s, in turn, grew a deep crimson blush.

“W-what about her?”

Rarity’s expression clearly showed she knew she had gotten the reaction she was hoping for. “Well… I noticed the two of you are awfully close…”

“We’re just friends, there’s nothing going on…” Twilight blushed and looked away.

“That’s not what Rainbow Dash tells me,” Rarity’s voice was almost in a sing-song.

“I sincerely regret telling her anything…” Twilight sighed.

Rarity giggled and nodded. “Rainbow is a bigger gossip than myself.”

“I’ll kill her later,” Twilight joked.

Shimmer had decided to take her Audi out for her planned lunch date today. Checking her watch she could see she was a few minutes early, but she was guessing that Moondancer wasn’t the kind of girl who took too long to get ready.

Parking on the side of the street she reached for her phone in her purse and quickly texted Moondancer to let her know that she had arrived.

Once she had finished and dropped her phone back into the bag she looked up to the mirror to adjust her outfit. She had chosen a long sleeve flowing top that draped over her bottom half but hugged her middle; the shirt was low cut enough though to show off her cleavage, however. She had chosen skull stud earrings today, and some dark leggings with ankle boots to complete the look.

Inspecting her makeup, she noted she had successfully drawn most of the attention to her eyes with her dark eyeliner and eyeshadow. She smiled at the girl with teal eyes staring back at her from the vanity mirror.

Closing it up she looked over at the apartment building to see her friend racing down the steps in some rather new looking converses. As she drew closer Shimmer could tell from the design that they weren’t actually new, but just seldom worn. They were models she knew had ceased production a few years ago, judging from her own collection.

Following her feet upwards, Shimmer saw a pair of tattered skinny jeans and scoop top that hung to one side, though more properly fitting than her sweater that Shimmer had come to know her for. Underneath Shimmer could tell she was wearing a pushup bra, obviously trying to come off as more feminine.

However, it was evident that the girl gave up on trying when she reached her hair which was the same mess that it always was.

Her pale freckled face grew pinkish in the cold air as she approached the car and let herself in, huffing into her cold hands to warm them up.

“You should really invest in some gloves…” Shimmer commented.

“I have some, I just totally forgot them and didn’t want to run back inside and keep you waiting any longer,” Moondancer admitted.

Shimmer rolled her eyes and sighed. “It’s fine. I only just got here.”

Moondancer nodded. “Want me to GPS us to where we have to go?”

Shimmer pulled her phone off of a mount on the dashboard and unlocked it, handing it to Moondancer without a word, providing a clear answer to that question. With a gentle nod, Moondancer delicately took the phone in her hand and gently tapped on the screen until she had set the coordinates for their desired location. She handed it off to Shimmer who placed it back into the mount and tapped the button to begin the navigation.

Revving up the car, Moondancer’s eyes were drawn to the key. “So… this is a really nice car… I’ve only really seen cars like this from afar, I’ve never really been in one before…”

Brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear and placing her hands on the wheel, Shimmer nodded. “This one actually was mine. My parents bought it for me when I was a kid, it was intended to be my first car before they-“ she paused unsure of how to finish that sentence.

“Do you want to talk about something else?” Moondancer asked.

With a sigh, Shimmer shook her head and stopped the car, looking over to Moondancer with a serious expression. “Let’s just get this out of the way so it’s in the open. I don’t really like this subject that much but I’m sure you’re going to find out one way or another so it’s best we discuss it now…”

“O-okay…” Moondancer inched away gently, clearly concerned that the conversation could turn volatile at any moment.

Letting out another big sigh, Shimmer closed her eyes and thought. “My parents were killed. It was kind of a news story back in the day, but I sort of want to move on from it. I don’t really want to answer many questions about it, so I figured it was best to placate any curiosity you may have now.”

Moondancer blinked and shook her head. “I wasn’t going to ask you about that. Look, I know what it’s like. As I said before, my dad died so I know what it’s like to lose a parent, maybe not both but I do know what it’s like…”

Shimmer blinked and frowned. “Were you two close?”

Moondancer shook her head. “Sadly no; my dad was at work all the time so I never really got to see him a lot. There was still a big hole when he died though… what about you?”

Shimmer returned her attention to the road and started the car. Pulling out she finally answered the question with her eyes focused on the road. “Yeah… me and my parents were very close. We were together all the time. When they died it was… a difficult time for me. I lost a lot of connections with the rest of my family due to the money I inherited…”

Moondancer frowned and hesitantly reached her hand over and patted Shimmer’s leg. “Sorry to hear…”

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “It’s alright.”

With an array of different sushi dishes in front of them, Shimmer found the eatery to be quite to her liking. While nothing like the food she had had in her youth back in Japan, it was an earnest attempt at fine Asian dining and that was saying something as Shimmer was normally under the opinion that Asian food in the States was the equivalent of fast food.

“I’m glad I went with the number 8,” Moondancer commented with her mouth full.

Shimmer giggled and offered her a napkin to wipe a spot on her lower lip.

Taking it and dabbing the spot, a small blush of embarrassment came to Moondancer’s face as she realized that Shimmer more than likely took notice of her poor table manners.

“S-sorry…” Moondancer managed to squeak out.

“It’s quite alright,” Shimmer responded.

Moondancer swallowed and composed herself as she smiled at her new friend, glad that she was far easier going than most girls with her kind of money and class.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask; you said it was a long story but how did you and your sister end up with the same name?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer opened her mouth ready to rehearse the lie she had prepared about how Sunset was adopted by another family when she was given away at birth and coincidentally was given the same name, but the moment she saw Moondancer’s purple eyes the desire to even attempt to put on her convincing face and make this story sound believable completely faded. The thought of having to lie to her new friend rubbed her wrong, and before she knew it, the truth was pulled out of her.

“Hey… can you keep a secret?”

Interest in the conversation rose and Moondancer placed her hands on the table and leaned in to hear better.

“Well, I have a flawless track record of keeping them; full disclosure though I’ve never had any secrets shared with me due to not having any friends…” She admitted sheepishly. It was likely true, however.

Shimmer rolled her eyes and took a deep inhale followed by her explanation. “Okay, so I am not exactly expecting you to believe me, first of all…”

Moondancer blinked and leaned in closer. “Go on.”

“My sister is… not normal.” Shimmer bit her lip, unsure of which way to take this or how Moondancer would react.

“Like… not normal as in… she used to be your brother or something?” Moondancer tilted her head.

A snicker escaped Shimmer but the composed herself. “No, not like that… Weirder…”

“Weirder how?”

“My sister… is technically an alien,” Shimmer admitted.

She paused and looked directly at Moondancer to get a read on her reaction. Moondancer’s face predictably was one of confusion.

“Like an illegal alien?”

“No, well… I guess at one point, but I mean like… an alien-like… not human,” Shimmer admitted.

“Like… from the movie the book, ‘Who Goes There?’” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer rubbed her neck, unsure of how to answer that. “Well… the part about her being an alien yes, but not the whole… replicating people and whatnot…”

“Go on…” Moondancer’s brow rose as she listened, slurping some noodles as she watched Shimmer tell her story.

With an exhale Shimmer began, “she came from an alternate universe where she is a magic unicorn and wow I sound completely crazy don’t I?”

Moondancer nodded. “Yeah it sounds ridiculous, but I’m trying to figure out if this is some stupid joke or something… if it is… I don’t see the point in continuing when it’s clear that I am not buying it…”

Shimmer nodded and leaned back in her seat, realizing the futility of the situation. “Well, it’s not a joke. I know it all sounds super mega insane, but it’s the truth. She can do magic and stuff, I don’t really fully understand it myself either. I’ve sort of been researching it in my spare time to make sense of it, but there’s still a ton that I don’t even get…”

Moondancer finished slurping down the noodles in her mouth and placed her chopsticks down on the table. Picking up a napkin she gently patted her lips before speaking. “Let me make sure I got this right… your sister… is actually you or something from an alternate universe and in that universe, she’s like a magical unicorn thing?”

Shimmer nodded. “It sounds like total bullshit doesn’t it?”

With a nod, Moondancer grew a smirk. “I don’t suppose you could provide any proof?”

Shimmer bit her lip but nodded again. “Yeah, I could… but can it wait? All my research is back at my lab. I promise I’ll prove it to you at some point, but you can’t utter a word of this to anyone.”

Moondancer smiled and nodded. “Totally, besides who would believe me anyway?”

“True, it took quite a while for me to believe it…” Shimmer giggled.

Returning to Moondancer’s apartment after their get together, Shimmer parked the car and offered to walk inside with her friend. Staying on her right side, she let her eyes wander getting a good look at the building as they ascended to Moondancer’s floor. Like Moondancer’s own apartment, the rest of the building was relatively unimpressive, as Shimmer expected. Many of the walls looked as though they could do with a fresh coat of paint, and the rugs in the halls definitely looked as though they could use both a good vacuuming and perhaps even a deep clean.

Reaching the apartment, Moondancer retrieved a key from her pocket and unlocked the door. Shimmer took note of how Moondancer stored things in her pockets like a guy rather than opt for a purse. Then again with how many books she liked to bring with her to many places, a backpack or a messenger bag was better suited for such a girl.

Letting them in, the friendly face of her mother greeted them as the older woman finished buttoning up a blouse she had clearly just put on. “Welcome home, Moondancer.”

Her eyes darted over to Shimmer with a smile as she nodded. “And to you as well, Shimmer. It’s nice to see you again.”

“Hey mom, just got back from that Asian cuisine place,” Moondancer said as she reached down and struggled to remove her boots.

Her mother nodded and adjusted a wristwatch.

“How is that place anyway?”

“It was pretty good, though I imagine for Shimmer it wasn’t amazing considering she spent time in Japan eating the real deal,” Moondancer spoke as she finally managed to get her boots off and set them aside.

Shimmer blinked as Moondancer’s mother looked her way. “Really now? That’s pretty interesting. Are you of Japanese descent, Shimmer?”

Brushing a stray hair back Shimmer nodded. “Yes, my mother was part Japanese, my father was European though. He came to America with his father when he was just a boy.”

“How’d they meet?” Moondancer joined the conversation.

“She was his high school sweetheart. She came originally as an exchange student and he mustered up the courage to ask her to the prom. After that… she decided to stay in America and the rest is history,” Shimmer explained, her heart fluttering slightly as she remembered that story, it was always one of her favorites by her mother.

“I would love to meet them sometime.” Moondancer’s mother smiled.

A frown appeared on both Moondancer and Shimmer’s faces.

“Unfortunately they died. It’s just me now.” Shimmer shrugged.

“I’m sorry to hear; well you’re always welcome here!” The woman exclaimed, quickly fixing the dampened mood.

Shimmer nodded.

“Aren’t you going to be late, mom?” Moondancer asked.

The woman blinked and checked her watch. “Oh shoot! You’re right! Alright, gotta run! Love you, kiddo!” She said as she bolted for the door.

“Bye, mom.” Moondancer waved as her mother exited the building.

Shimmer stood awkwardly unsure if she should remove her boots or not. Her mind couldn’t tell her if it was a good idea to stay longer or not.

“Wanna hang out for a bit before you take off?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer was thankful that the girl answered the question for her. She nodded and followed the girl to her bedroom.

Entering, the place was just as messy as she had remembered it from the other day. There was a good chance though that Moondancer didn’t get the chance to clean any time recently. The girl spent a lot of her time studying and doing schoolwork to maintain her requirements to stay on scholarship.

Moondancer sat down on her bed and let her body fall flat with a loud sigh of content. “I ate way too much…” she mumbled.

Shimmer carefully approached and took a seat next to the girl and giggled. “You eat like a guy, you know that?”

“I’ve been told that before; hell I’ve been told I should have been born a guy in general,” Moondancer responded.

Chuckles escaped Shimmer. “It might suit you better.”

“I wouldn’t have to deal with uncomfortable bras or periods that make you pray for the sweet release of death anymore that’s for sure.” Moondancer fantasized about such a world where she was exempt from such things. Many times had she thought about how boys simply had it easier.

“I like you how you are regardless,” Shimmer said.

Moondancer sat up and smirked before nudging Shimmer’s shoulder. “What’re you buttering me up for? You’re the one with money, there’s nothing you could kiss ass to get from me that you can’t get yourself.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Shimmer corrected.

“Oh? What could you possibly try to get out of me?” Moondancer raised a brow.

“This.” Shimmer turned to the taller lanky girl and placed a hand on Moondancer’s small chest. Reaching forward with her other hand, she gripped Moondancer’s shirt and pulled her closer to herself.

The heat from Shimmer’s body magnified the heat from Moondancer’s own as she felt her cheeks light up and her entire body shot a tingling feeling through it. Moondancer’s eyes locked onto the powerful gaze of Shimmer and she found herself frozen in place, unable to move or respond. She allowed herself to go limp and let Shimmer do as she pleased.

Closing the distance between the two, Shimmer’s breath could be felt on Moondancer’s lips as she brought the two’s faces dangerously close.

Moondancer observed as Shimmer’s eyes closed and her lips puckered ever so slightly. Time seemed to move in slow motion and every sense of Moondancer’s was heightened. So much so that she could actually feel beads of sweat running down the back of her neck as she saw Shimmer lean in with her inviting lips.

It was fortunate that Shimmer was the one leading, as Moondancer could only find herself in a position of obedience and not of dominance at that moment.

The nerdy girl allowed her own eyes to close and her head to turn slightly as their lips locked. She could actually taste the mango flavored chapstick that Shimmer had put on earlier. A tingle shot down Moondancer’s spine as she allowed herself to relax and enjoy what was transpiring before her.

Shimmer gripped the girl’s shirt tighter, causing Moondancer to finally come back to reality and her arms flew around Shimmer and wrapped her up, bringing her closer. A single hand trailed its way up Shimmer’s back and locked its fingers into her long hair, holding her as the two kissed.

It didn’t take long before Shimmer recognized that Moondancer was inexperienced. Shimmer would have to show her how to properly kiss a lady.

Opening her mouth slightly and retaking control, Shimmer snaked her short tongue into Moondancer’s mouth causing the girl to release a gentle moan that was almost too adorable for Shimmer not to giggle, however, she miraculously managed to withhold such giggles.

Their tongue danced together before Shimmer nipped Moondancer’s lower lip with passion.

Finally breaking the kiss slowly, a gentle trail of saliva linked the two for a moment as Moondancer leaned forward slightly not wanting the kiss to end, but ultimately allowing Shimmer to call the shots.

Shimmer touched her forehead to Moondancer’s and silently listened to Moondancer’s heavier breathing.

With a smile, Shimmer nearly whispered, “along with a few other things…”

“Yeah… I suppose… you couldn’t do that yourself…” Moondancer managed to get out, her brain not functioning at full capacity after what had just transpired.

With a giggle, Shimmer locked eyes with the girl.

“I like you, Moondancer,” she stated plainly.

“I gathered that much…” Moondancer smiled in reply.

“Oh good, I was hoping I was laying it on thick enough,” Shimmer joked.

“But…” Moondancer partially averted her gaze.

“But?”

She sighed. “You’re like… this almost supermodel level girl with all the money in the world… I’m just…well… I’m different…”

Shimmer moved her head slightly to force Moondancer to meet her eyes again. Once she had the girl’s stare back she smirked.

“I don’t care about that. You don’t need to get me anything; you don’t need to have money. On top of that… I think you’re very sexy;” Shimmer explained.

A blush grew on Moondancer. “R-really?”

“I was checking you out every chance I could get today,” Shimmer admitted.

Moondancer found a laugh leave her throat at the thought. She wasn’t used to being someone whom people looked at, she was more used to being the girl no one gave a second glance. To even imagine someone as beautiful as Shimmer giving her their gaze was something she didn’t even dream of.

“Well… does this mean… I should call you tomorrow?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer nodded and came to a stand.

“Definitely, in fact, I’ll be expecting it.”

Moondancer nodded as she was finally recovering from the daze that the kiss had left her in.

Shimmer winked and looked at her watch. “I really should get going though. I think that’s enough excitement for one night, don’t you?”

Moondancer wanted to say no, she wanted to ask for more, but the logical part of her brain took over and made her say the opposite. “Y-yeah.”

With a wink, Shimmer as herself out, causing Moondancer to watch her as she left, her eyes locked onto the girl’s shapely rear that was complimented so well by her outfit. Her fingers reached up to touch her lips. The tingling sensation was still quite apparent upon her lips and her whole body still was slightly warm.

She had never had any experience with these kinds of things before, but she knew that a kiss like that wasn’t just for fun.

Moondancer sighed with content as she fell back onto her bed smiling; her first kiss, and with such a pretty girl at that. For that brief moment, she felt invincible, that she could conquer any obstacle and overcome any challenge.

Returning to the waking world, Sunset grumbled as she felt her head pound nearly ready to explode. The pain and agony she had felt that morning which she hoped would lessen had only intensified. Her head throbbing was almost unbearable.

Her arms were weak, but she managed to force the comforter off of her body only to feel a rush of cold air wrap around her making her shiver. Moving a leg over the edge of her bed and setting it on the floor she tried to take a stand only to fall to her knees.

The eyes in her head failed to create any kind of images as she peered around the room and instead was given only vague blobs resembling what items were supposed to be.

Sunset attempted to compose herself so she could make her way to the bathroom and retrieve the painkillers she had stashed in the medicine cabinet. That meant she would need to bring herself to a full stand.

Reaching around aimlessly she managed to find the footboard of the bed and grip onto it with a pathetically weak grip. With a deep inhale she pulled herself to a wobbly stand and quickly gripped the footboard with her other hand as well. Exhaling she could already feel dizziness overtake her.

Taking a single step she almost collapsed to the floor again but sustained herself.

Grabbing her phone from her nearby bedside she took another step. After enough heavy breathing and fighting off nausea, she managed to get to the doorframe where she propped herself up against it. Another inhale and exhale she managed to force another few steps out of her weak legs and made it all the way to the bathroom through sheer willpower.

She had to use the sink to hold herself up, but with a free hand she flipped open the medicine cabinet and rooted around aimlessly until she could feel a bottle that felt like the correct container. Locating it quickly she squinted to try and get her vision to focus. It was no use however as her eyes refused to reveal the label of the container to her.Deciding it didn’t much matter, she lifted her other hand from the sink and the moment she did her legs finally gave out.

Going down, Sunset felt the world around her slow down. A few seconds of her body falling felt like a solid twenty minutes before she hit the hard floor, her phone flying out of her pocket.

Her breathing was labored and painful. Every breath sent a sharp pain in her chest.

Sunset looked ahead of herself on the floor to see where her phone had gotten off to. It sat there in front of her on the floor.

Reaching she managed to get it in her hand. She had to bring it as close to her face as possible to actually read what was on the screen, but she could tell there was a large crack in the old Samsung phone from dropping it.

With the little energy she did have, Sunset tapped away at the screen as quickly as she could bringing up Shimmer’s contact card. Sunset typed the only message she could manage to get out and hit send before letting her hand fall flat on the floor and closed her eyes.

Help me.

Author's Note

This chapter caused me great stress a few weeks back. I was stuck on writer's block for a while and this chapter took around two weeks to actually finish. The problem was though that as I was nearing the end of 11 pages of text the file got corrupted and I lost all my progress. The only scene that survived was the middle scene where Shimmer and Moondancer kiss. So this is not the original version of this chapter, that was lost forever.

Behind the Scenes: one of my original ideas was to have Moondancer actually reject Shimmer at first because she didn't know if she was gay or not. I ultimately decided it was kind of a crap idea and felt the two hit it off enough to where their romance felt natural by this point.

Act II - Chapter XXI: Empathy

Chapter XXI: Empathy

Frantically, Shimmer hit redial on her phone for the tenth time in less than an hour. She hadn’t moved much from in front of Moondancer’s apartment when she had gotten the text from her sister asking for her aid; however, when she went to actually call the girl, she had received no answer, despite how many time she attempted to call her.

Her fingers tried dialing Sunset’s number manually, carefully and slowly she watched the numbers appear on the screen to ensure they were right. Her patience running out she pressed “call” and held the phone to her ear awaiting an answer. After several minutes of a dial tone, she could finally hear a familiar message play.

“Hey, this is Sunset. I can’t come to the phone right no-“

Growling with anger, Shimmer hung up and threw her phone into the passenger seat and violently banded the steering wheel of her vehicle screaming an obscenity at the highest volume she could muster at that moment.

“FUCK!”

Leaning forward she placed two fingers on her forehead as she attempted to calm down and compose herself. She knew she was losing her temper, and her mind fell back upon the anger management courses she had been taking. Reaching into her glove compartment she rummaged through the various documents and located a small stress ball she had opted to keep in the car at all times and gave it a few squeezes as she calmed herself.

“Get it together, Shimmer… magic tends to be caused by emotional outburst… control your temper…” she reminded herself out loud.

Shimmer attempted to clear her head, but her mind settled on how Sunset had decided not to tell her what was going on, and the more she thought about that, the more she realized there was a good chance that Twilight knew more. That was right; Twilight spent plenty of time visiting Sunset while Shimmer was distracted with her research, business with the school, and now her time with Moondancer.

Composing herself, she retrieved her phone and began to dial Twilight’s number. She took a few deep breaths as she heard the phone ring in her ear. After a good twenty seconds though, Twilight’s curious voice greeted Shimmer.

“Hello? Shimmer?”

Shimmer leaned back in her seat sneering. “What’s going on with Sunset?”

Twilight paused for a second before answering. “Oh… I take it she messaged you or something?”

“Yes, she messaged me, I got a text just a bit ago just saying ‘Help me’, what’s going on Twilight Sparkle, and tell me the truth,” Shimmer demanded, already feeling the gears in her mind turning again, the steam of her anger making her ears hot again.

“Well… I’ve been visiting her a bit and last I saw she was still sick, but… I kind of assumed she was trying to hide her illness… since she was being kind of dodgy about me going to see her…” Twilight admitted.

“And you decide to relay this information to me now? You didn’t think it was important to tell me this earlier? What kind of friend are you?” Shimmer interrogated.

Twilight clearly was intimidated by Shimmer’s anger as her responses became squeaky and nervous sounding. “I-I didn’t know what to do… I’m still newish to this friendship thing too you know? I figured if Sunset wanted anyone to know she’d have said something… Sunset has always been… kind of secretive, you know?”

Shimmer blinked as she realized in her irrational temper she had been going off on Twilight, who likely knew little. She had a point, Sunset kept a lot of cards close to her chest, and it wasn’t unlikely that she kept Twilight mostly in the dark as well; after all, Twilight was admitting she was mostly guessing regarding Sunset’s state as well.

Taking another breath, Shimmer nodded and answered, “Right… Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell at you, Twilight. It’s not your fault, after all, you have little clue what’s going on either I assume.”

Twilight choked out her response. “Y-yeah… that’s right…”

“I’m worried about her…” Shimmer admitted.

“I am too, are you going to go and see her?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, I’m heading over there right now. It’ll take me a bit as I’m on the other side of town… I think I’m near 8th street…” Shimmer poked her head out of her car window to be buffeted by the cool fall air. Observing around her she could see the sign for 8th street not far from where she was. “Yeah, 8th street…”

“Hey, you’re not too far from where I live, do you think you could pick me up and take me with you to see her?” Twilight asked.

Shimmer smiled at Twilight’s concern. “Yeah, definitely; be outside in maybe five minutes, I’ll pick you up.”

“Can do,” Twilight replied before hanging up.

Setting her phone back into the mount on her dashboard, Shimmer sighed and shook her head as she started the car. “You really are the most stubborn bitch I’ve ever met, Sunset…”

Shimmer’s vehicle arrived in front of Twilight’s home as Twilight stood in the frigid cold regretting that she chose to wear a skirt today. Five minutes didn’t give her a tremendous amount of time to prepare so she had to run out in what she was already wearing but managed to find the time to throw a large grey hoodie over herself that was clearly a size or two too large.

The door to Shimmer’s expensive car opened as Shimmer leaned outward and pushed it open for Twilight. “Come on, hop in.”

Twilight paused for a moment but nodded as she daintily managed to get herself into the car and closed the door. Quickly she fastened her seatbelt and looked over at the serious looking Shimmer. Her friend’s face was filled with annoyance and concern.

Attempting to break the ice she gave a gentle smile to Shimmer. “Why are you all dressed up?”

“Long story, I’d rather not get into it at this exact moment. I’m trying to keep myself from ripping Sunset’s head off… you better call her because I can’t seem to get through to her.”

Not wanting to argue, Twilight reached into the pocket of her hoodie and retrieved her phone. With a few presses on the screen, she heard the dial tone as she held it to her ear.

The next few seconds fell completely silent as both girls waited patiently for an answer. The cold sounds of the cell phone ringing in both of their ears as they waited. Time stood still for what seemed like an hour, but in actuality was only a few seconds.

Silence would soon be replaced by the sound a familiar voice that Shimmer could only barely hear coming from Twilight’s phone.

“T-Twi…?”

Twilight exhaled a breath she didn’t even know she was holding in. “Sunset… you had me worried…”

Shimmer growled and reached over, snatching the phone from Twilight aggressively. Holding it to her ear, she could feel her teeth grinding. “Sunset, what the hell is going on?”

“Shimmer?” Sunset managed to get out.

Shimmer noted that her voice sounded weak.

“Yes, it’s Shimmer. I’m sitting here with Twilight, enough about that though, what the hell is going on? You sound terrible.”

Sunset only coughed in response, unable to truly manage to get an answer out.

“We’re coming over, now,” Shimmer barked.

“You don’t need to do th-“ Sunset was cut off by Shimmer hanging the phone up and handing it to Twilight.

Taking her phone back carefully, Twilight locked concerned eyes with Shimmer who was practically fuming.

Shimmer tilted her head in confusion.

“You’re not blinking…” Twilight pointed out.

Shimmer blushed and looked away as she took another breath. “Sorry… I just… I just… I don’t want to lose her… she makes me so mad when she gets reckless like this… I doubt you’d understand but she’s all I have now. I spent so long with no one that finally having someone in my life… well, I’m reluctant to allow that to slip through my hands so to speak…”

Twilight smiled as she reached over and placed her hand on top of Shimmer’s with a smile. “I know how you feel, trust me.”

With a sigh, Shimmer nodded and allowed her eyes to meet Twilight’s as a smile came to her face. “Let’s go save the day.”

Shimmer’s normally impeccable discipline to follow traffic laws was completely disregarded on this trip to Sunset’s apartment, much to Twilight’s dismay who was certain she would be sick soon if Shimmer didn’t slow down and stop weaving in and out of traffic. Her hand on the gear shifter seemed to move almost mechanically as her eyes focused on the road, dodging every car she could as she tried to make record time getting to Sunset’s abode.

Had Twilight not been a passenger in the speeding luxury car she might have been impressed with Shimmer’s skillful driving.

Seeing the fire in Shimmer’s eyes though, Twilight didn’t dare comment on the lack of safety in her driving.

When the car finally came to a stop, Twilight caught her breath and looked at the clock; 6:18 PM. She released the seat she had been clutching tightly for dear life before her eyes wandered over to Shimmer who was already taking her seatbelt off before even shutting off the car. Finally retrieving her key and letting the car shut down she looked over at the trembling Twilight. Ignoring the girl’s fear she opened her own car door and stepped out as she uttered an order, “Come on.”

Obliging, Twilight stepped out as well and reached the stairwell with Shimmer, who was already racing up it. Twilight paused at the bottom for a moment to watch the girl’s expensive outfit move to the shape of Shimmer’s womanly body as she moved. Shaking her head she ascended with her and managed to get to the floor where Sunset called home.

Tapping the door, Shimmer called out to Sunset as Twilight was approaching.

“Open the door, Sunset, it’s me.”

No answer.

Shimmer grunted as she took a step back and raced forward towards the door with all her strength, throwing her shoulder forward before Twilight had a chance to object.

“Wait don’t do-“

It was too late, with a powerful crash; Shimmer tumbled and rolled across the floor as the door burst open. Clearly, the girl wasn’t the strongest, nothing like her elder sister who was almost the definition of scrappy.

“That…” Twilight finished as she wandered in and offered a hand to Shimmer.

Taking the hand, Shimmer pulled herself up and brushed herself off.

“I was trying to tell you that I had a key on me…” Twilight blushed.

“Oh… Well, I’ll send someone to fix the door then…” Shimmer frowned, a bit embarrassed at her overreaction.

Pushing the door closed, Twilight sighed as she saw it wasn’t going to click shut again.

Shimmer placed her hands on her hips and stomped into the main room of the empty apartment. “Sunset, where are you?”

Blinking she yelped and ran down the hallway that granted access to the bathroom and bedroom.

Twilight flinched at Shimmer’s yelp and peeled around the corner and looked at the floor in the hallway to see what caused the scream. There on the floor, Shimmer was leaned down placing the back of her hand on Sunset’s forehead. Sunset was lying on her back on the floor with her mouth ajar and her eyes closed.

“She’s burning up…” Shimmer informed.

Twilight ran over as quickly as her legs would carry her and knelt down to Sunset and got on the other side. She leaned in and positioned her ear over Sunset’s mouth, listening for any sound. She couldn’t quite catch any noise coming from her. “I can’t tell if she’s breathing.” Twilight gulped.

“Do you know CPR?” Shimmer asked.

“Ummm… yes… I do…” Twilight nodded.

Shimmer gave a gesture to Twilight to go ahead.

Taking a breath Twilight looked down at Sunset and blushed. Her eyes focused on Sunset’s open mouth and found herself hesitating.

“Come on, hurry up, Twilight!” Shimmer scolded.

“R-right…” Twilight composed herself and leaned down ready to perform when she saw Sunset’s eyes open gently.

“Oh thank god, she’s alive…” Shimmer placed her fingers on her chest in relief.

“H-hey guys…” Sunset managed to get out with a smile.

“Well, that’s a good sign…” Twilight replied.

“It’s hot in here…” Sunset mumbled as she closed her eyes again.

“Crap, she’s delirious. Help me get her downstairs and into the car. We’ll take her back to my estate,” Shimmer instructed as she got her arms under Sunset’s and began to strain herself to lift the larger girl. With a groan she managed to get her body halfway off the floor, Twilight assisting in getting the rest up. The two placed one of Sunset’s arms around each of their shoulders and allowed her to float in between them as they took strained steps.

“Alright, down the stairs we go…” Shimmer commanded.

With no objections from Twilight, the two took careful steps down the steps and took their time reaching the bottom before finally reaching the car. Opening the door, Shimmer and Twilight carefully moved Sunset in on her back taking up the entire backseat of the car.

Twilight closed the door as they finished and the two nodded before racing to the front of the car, climbing into the driver and passenger seat respectively.

“Thank god she’s alright…” Twilight said.

Shimmer only nodded as she started the car.

Twilight turned her head in confusion, wondering why Shimmer wasn’t more excited that they had made it in time and Sunset wasn’t dead.

“Let’s just get her to the house before we celebrate…” Shimmer said quietly.

The trip back to the house was uneventful. Shimmer remained silent most of it, with Twilight attempting to start up a conversation only to be met with silence. It was clear that Shimmer was far too shaken up to engage in the small talk that Twilight was trying to start.

When they arrived inside, Shimmer and Twilight would have to use the elevator to get Sunset up to a guest room where they would finally bring her to rest.

After some fever-reducing medicine, water, and forcing her to get some hot soup into her system, the two caretakers sat down at Sunset’s bedside observing the time; 8:01 PM.

Shimmer sighed as she leaned back in her chair next to Sunset’s bedside, Twilight doing the same on the opposite side of the bed.

With enough time and treatment by the two’s combined efforts, Sunset managed to get her eyes open and speak coherently, albeit still weak. “W-where am I…?”

Shimmer sat up and came to a stand before pointing an accusing finger. “You’re at my estate, and you had me worried sick! What were you thinking!? You let it get this bad before you decided to text me!?”

Sunset frowned and looked away. “I… I didn’t want to worry you…”

Shimmer’s hands balled into fists but unclenched just as quickly as she calmed herself, trying to remind herself that Sunset was alright now. Leaning down she placed a hand on Sunset’s cheek and forced her to look into her own eyes. “A lot of good that did; Sunset I was more worried that you were so ill and I wasn’t anywhere around to help. Don’t scare me like that again, okay?”

Sunset remained silent as she stared at her younger sister.

Shimmer leaned in and touched her forehead to Sunset’s. “I can’t lose you…”

“You’re not going to, I promise. Remember? I told you before I’d always be around to protect you.” Sunset offered a weak arm that Shimmer leaned into for a half hug.

The two both grew smiles before Twilight coughed awkwardly. Blinking, Sunset gently moved her head in Twilight’s direction as she released Shimmer from the embrace. “Is that you, Twilight?”

The bookworm nodded quietly.

Sunset smiled and offered her hand which Twilight took. Her grip was weak, and her hand cold as ice. “You had me worried too…”

Sunset smirked and nodded. “I tend to do that it seems… sorry… to both of you…”

With a sigh Shimmer nodded and nudged the girl’s shoulder. “It’s fine… just don’t do it again…”

Sunset nodded gently.

Shimmer began to pace the room and placed fingers to her temple. “Okay… so the hospital is out of the question, so I guess I’ll have to get my private doctor here and pay her a lot more to not ask questions. We can trust her, and more importantly, she can keep a closer eye on you when I’m not here…”

“That’s really not necessary…” Sunset tried to object.

Twilight caught Sunset’s attention with a squeezing of her hand. Sunset’s head turned to Twilight’s direction to see Twilight simply shake her head. “Just let it happen, Sunset…”

With a sigh, Sunset nodded and decided that Twilight was right; not that she had the energy to protest anyway.

Shimmer leaned back and looked to Twilight with a smile. “Come on; let’s let her get some rest. You look like you could use a bath.”

Twilight blinked and pointed to herself, unsure if it was her that Shimmer was addressing.

Shimmer nodded and gave an inviting finger as she headed for the door. “Yes, you; come on it’s good for stress.”

Twilight blushed and followed Shimmer as she gave a quick sniff of herself, realizing she hadn’t showered today.

Leading Twilight to the bathhouse within the estate, Shimmer tapped a cabinet in the steamy room and smiled to the nervous looking Twilight before giggling. “The towels are here and relax I’m not going to join you so if you were worried I was going to see you naked you can rest easy. I have a few things I need to take care of.”

Twilight blushed and nodded as she held her body close together, clearly a bit shy about her potential nudity in front of Shimmer. Mostly out of general shyness, but also out of comparison to Shimmer who was clearly far more gorgeous than herself.

Winking to Twilight, Shimmer made her exit.

As she closed the door to the bathhouse, Shimmer took a few steps away before retrieving her phone seeing a text from Moondancer awaiting her.

Hey, I had a great time.

With the situation with her sister under control, Shimmer found herself able to remember the events of earlier in the day and smile a bit as she texted back.

Oh yeah? What was your favorite part?

It was clear that Moondancer wasn’t good at being put on the spot as her response reeked of social awkwardness and inability to figure out how to respond to such an obvious bait question. Instead of feeding Shimmer a compliment, Moondancer attempted to avoid the obvious.

Uh… I don’t know… what was yours?

Shimmer giggled as the mischievous part of her came out.

Definitely the ramen, though nothing like the places back in Japan…

The reaction was predictable.

Oh… right…

Shimmer made a turn and made her way to her laboratory before sitting down at a desk and tapping away a reply.

I’m only teasing, obviously, it was that kiss.

Shimmer could practically hear the sigh of relief from Moondancer’s reply.

Oh thank god… that was my first time doing that… I was hoping I didn’t fuck it up…

Shimmer’s cheeks lit up with a blush as she remembered the kiss herself.

You’re not bad for a first-timer. You’ll need practice though if you want to kiss a lady and make her toes really curl if you know what I mean.

The reply was bold, bolder than Shimmer was expecting from someone as nervous about the whole ordeal as Moondancer was, perhaps she was rubbing off on her faster than she thought.

Well with you as a partner, I’m sure I’ll get there in time.

Shimmer blushed deeper and snickered.

Oh my, aren’t we bold? Nonetheless, I accept the offer. Your first lesson is you are going to have to kiss me first next time. You have to take a little charge if you want to really make the sparks fly. Slightly different subject but my friend Pinkie is having this little get together and I was wondering if you wanted to come meet my friends? I’d really like to see you again as well.

She knew she was asking a lot out of the socially awkward girl, but fortunately enough the answer came rather quick.

I’d love to. When is it?

Shimmer typed up the details and sent the message before leaning back in her chair and found her mind going back to Sunset’s condition again. With a sigh, she dialed a number on her phone and pressed call as she waited with her breath practically held.

The voice on the other end sounded quite surprised. “Well, I wasn’t expecting you to actually call me. We’ve spoken exclusively through texts up to this point; I was under the impression you wanted to avoid talking to me whenever you could. I fail to see a point in ground rules when you keep breaking them…”

Shimmer grunted in annoyance. “Cut the shit. I figured it would be faster to call you directly; I need your opinion on a matter since you’re the only other person who has seen my notes in excess. You know more about magic, Equestria, and Sunset than anyone…”

“I suppose that’s correct. What’s going on?” The voice spoke back.

Shimmer leaned forward in her seat as she explained her situation. “Sunset’s sick… very sick in fact. I’m having my private doctor look at her, but truthfully… I’m not even sure a human doctor can help her… I can’t bring her to a hospital for obvious reasons, but like… what should I do?”

The voice on the other end sighed. “Honestly? I would say take her back to Equestria to get looked at, but there’s no telling what will happen if you go through the portal with her. I mean according to your notes a lot of magical influx happened here when she came to this world, so who knows what’ll happen if you go there… I’d say save it as a last resort.”

Shimmer sighed afraid that was the answer she was going to get. “Yeah… I agree… alright, I’ll try and avoid it unless the situation comes to it. God knows I don’t need any more magical mishaps in my life.”

“I imagine magic has you stressed out given what I’m seeing in your notes, pretty incredible stuff here,” the voice on the other side of the phone replied.

“Yeah… anyway… thanks. I know this is awkward, but I do appreciate your help,” Shimmer admitted.

“Let’s not get this mixed up; let’s resolve this ordeal with magic first and then we can talk about this friendship or… whatever it is that’s going on here.” The voice responded.

Shimmer nodded in agreement. “Yeah… alright. I’m hanging up now; let me know if you have any updates…”

“Sunset…” the voice halted her before she ended the call.

“Y-yeah?”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

Shimmer smirked. “Come on, I thought you knew me better…”

“I guess, either way, stay safe.”

“You too.” With those words, Shimmer hung up the phone and let out a powerful sigh.

The previous night came and went, and by the time morning had rolled around, Shimmer had managed to get her private doctor into the house to look after Sunset. With a long discussion and explicit instructions that nothing discussed would leave the house and a handsome payment, Shimmer was able to set her mind at ease as she prepared for Pinkie’s little gathering that night. Shimmer had decided to go with a black low cut dress that showed off a bit more of her finer features. The outfit complimented her breasts and made a very alluring cleavage line that she knew would draw Moondancer’s attention.

The dress was short, just barely passing her butt cheeks. She chose thick stockings and a cardigan to throw on in her car in the event that it was too cold. Realistically it wasn’t the best outfit practicality wise for the fall, but she had other intentions in mind. She was far less interested in practical and far more interested in teasing Moondancer.

Arriving at Moondancer’s apartment she honked the horn of her car to get the girl’s attention. Afterwards, she gazed into her vanity mirror to check her lip gloss. Batting her eyes playfully she could also observe that her mascara was flawless. Checking the time she saw she was early and it was only 3:58 PM.

Approaching the car, Shimmer took note of Moondancer’s ensemble. The girl had on a pair of tattered grey skinny jeans, some sporty skater shoes and what appeared to be a light blue plaid long sleeve blouse. Her hair appeared to have had little effort put into it, and was the same mess it always was.

She had just a hint of a masculine look, reminding Shimmer more of an effeminate pretty boy, but not that she minded.

Moondancer entered the car and froze for a second as her eyes met the decorated eyes of Shimmer.

“Hey,” Shimmer said.

“Hey,” Moondancer replied, still staring.

Shimmer giggled at the girl’s awe. “Take a picture, it lasts longer.”

Moondancer quickly dug into her pocket trying to get her phone before Shimmer reached a hand out and stopped her. “It was a joke, sweetie.”

“Oh…” Moondancer blushed at her foolishness and nodded. “Right.”

Starting the car, Shimmer began to guide the two towards Pinkie’s home. There was silence for a few minutes before Moondancer broke it. “You look…”

Shimmer caught her out of the corner of her eye and waited for her to unpause. After a good thirty seconds, it was clear she wasn’t going to without some encouragement. “Go ahead, say it.”

“Stunning...” Moondancer blushed, unable to look at Shimmer as she spoke.

More giggled escaped Shimmer. “Thanks, you’re not bad yourself. That shirt looks freshly ironed; did you iron a shirt just to come out with me?”

“I wanted to leave a good impression on your friends…” Moondancer lied.

“Ah, I see. Well, I wouldn’t worry about that. This bunch is… unique,” Shimmer said.

It wouldn’t take long before the two arrived at Pinkie’s abode. Stepping out of the car, Shimmer came to the other side and stood next to Moondancer, shooting her a smile before the two walked together towards the entrance. Moondancer’s eye behind her glasses constantly peaked down to Shimmer’s delicate hand, contemplating taking it in her own on the walk to the door. Nerves got the better of her though as they reached the door and she had not gotten the courage to even attempt it.

Shimmer rang the doorbell, and Moondancer just gulped in anticipation.

From the other side of the door, they heard a faint “I got it!” before the door flung open.

A very casual Pinkie Pie stood there sizing Moondancer up with vibrant blue eyes. Moondancer stood perfectly still as the girl in an oversized T-shirt and tight leggings sized her up. After a bit of squinting and examining she stood back with her finger upon her chin.

“Hey Pinkie, this is my friend Moondancer,” Shimmer said.

Pinkie nodded with the same expression on her face before breaking into a bright smile. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Moondancer!” She exclaimed before violently shaking Moondancer’s hand. After a good ten seconds of shaking, Moondancer tried to pull away, getting dizzy from the gesture.

Once she had reclaimed her stolen hand, she composed herself and nodded. “A pleasure… Pinkie Pie right?”

“Right-o-roni!” Pinkie beamed, “come on inside you two.” Pinkie gestured for the two to follow as she turned around and swayed her hips while she walked inside. Moondancer took note of her over peppiness, wondering if it was normal or if the girl was on some kind of medication that made her that cheerful. Either way, she felt exhausted just being in the same place as Pinkie.

With a nod, Shimmer wandered into the house, followed by Moondancer. Making their way into the living room, Rainbow and Applejack were violently at war on some video game that the two had gotten so intensely into that they had stood up during play and were delivering the usual banter.

“You are going down, Apple!” Rainbow grunted with a few more presses on her controller.

“In yer’ dreams, Rainbow!” Applejack growled before violently twitching her arm with her controller, clearly seeming to think it’d give her some kind of in-game advantage.

“Uh-oh! There goes your shield! What’re you gonna do?” Rainbow taunted.

Applejack grew quiet and focused but Rainbow appeared to be winning. “Oh wait for it… wait for it… wait for it…” Rainbow paused for a second before mashing a button on her controller. “OH YES! THERE IT IS! DEAD! FUCKING DEAD!” Rainbow cheered as she held her controller in the air. “Oh man here comes the replay!” She pointed to the screen as an on-screen character grabbed Applejack’s character and ripped their skull clean off their head and tossed it into her body. “Oh FUCK YOU!”

“That looks like overkill t’me.” Applejack rolled her eyes.

“You’re just jealous, Apples.” Rainbow smirked as she spun the controller on her finger before setting it down and plopping onto the nearby recliner.

“Jealous of what?” Applejack raised a brow in annoyance.

“Jealous that you are in the presence of a true champion,” Rainbow bragged with the largest grin she could muster.

“Ah’ demand a rematch.” Applejack growled.

Rainbow sat up and smirked but the two were cut off by an annoyed Rarity. “Would you two knock it off? Seriously, you behave like infantile children sometimes.”

Shimmer took note that Rarity was painting her nails with a vibrant red nail polish.

Applejack grumbled but ultimately decided to drop it as she turned her attention to Shimmer and her company.

“Oh, howdy there, apologize fer’ the language.” Applejack blushed, “name’s Applejack.”

“You’ll get used to it, especially when she’s around the ever-so-incorrigible Rainbow Dash over there…” Rarity spoke, her eyes still locked on her nails.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and decided to let it roll off her shoulders.

Fluttershy who had been silent this entire exchange finally squeaked her name as she gave a gentle wave to Moondancer from the spot on the couch next to Rarity. “I’m Fluttershy…”

On a chair on the other side of the room, Twilight raised a hand and waved. “Moondancer right?” Twilight asked.

“How did you know that?” Rainbow asked leaning up.

“I recognize her from when I attended Crystal Prep. You still go there, right Moondancer?” Twilight adjusted her glasses.

Moondancer nodded. “Y-yeah… I remember seeing you on the top of a lot of class lists, Twilight Sparkle right?”

Twilight nodded and giggled. “I’m sure you’ve taken my place now that I’m gone. I recall you being pretty high on those lists too. You placed 8th in the state tests for the entire state didn’t you?”

Moondancer shrugged, not particularly interested in talking about school.

“My name is Rarity,” Rarity chimed in as she finished her nails and met Moondancer with a bright smile.

Before any further commentary could commence, Pinkie burst through the room carrying several stacks of pizza boxes. It was almost unreal how many she was capable of carrying. “Enough talk! PIZZA TIME!”

Several hours into Pinkie’s gathering and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie were already passed out from stuffing themselves with pizza. Halfway through their first slice, they managed to challenge each other to a pizza eating contest and by the time they got through the first half of their second pizza they both regretted the decision. Regardless though, Pinkie ended up being the champion, though it came as a surprise to no one as the girl was more or less a garbage disposal.

Applejack was busy practicing at the game her and Rainbow were playing earlier, obviously preparing for that rematch she demanded, and Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rarity seemed occupied trying to play dress up with Twilight’s dog Spike that she had apparently brought (much to his apparent dismay) with her.

The night was spent with small talk between the girls, and for Moondancer there was a lot of trying to get to know the group. She found herself, however, clinging to Shimmer’s side as much as she could so she could latch onto some level of familiarity.

Shimmer had stepped out onto the balcony in the kitchen by herself, catching a bit of fresh air as she gathered herself. The cool fall air was a bit harsh, but somehow she felt comfortable despite her cardigan behind in her car.

Her mind fell onto her sister’s health. She was contemplating giving her a call and asking the doctor how she was holding up. However before she could even think to run back in to grab her phone, she heard the sliding door open. Shimmer didn’t even need to turn to know who it was, and she just stood silently as her friend approached and placed her scrawny hands onto the railing next to Shimmer as she too began to look out to the distance.

“This house has a pretty good view of the town…” Moondancer commented.

Shimmer nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it reminds me of a house we had in Japan. It was gorgeous, and when you looked out far enough you could see the water…”

Moondancer smiled as she closed her eyes and tried to envision the home. She had read up on Japan and had a general idea of how their houses were structured, and she could paint a picture in her mind of the house in question. A small quaint little town in the distance, a body of water just beyond that, but then there at the doorway Shimmer in a black and orange kimono with her hair pinned up. Her fantasy was broken however when Shimmer let out a sigh.

“Something wrong?” Moondancer leaned closer.

“Just… thinking about my sister…” Shimmer admitted.

“What about her?” Moondancer asked.

“She’s sick at the moment, and I’m worried about her…” Shimmer said.

Moondancer nodded. “I see… I know I don’t know her that well, but I’m sure she’ll be okay.”

Shimmer grew quiet and continued to look to the town lighting up in the night. “I haven’t known what family was like since 2008 when my parents died. Sunset is all I have, so I guess I’m a little paranoid about losing her…”

Moondancer blinked and reached over placing her hand atop of Shimmer’s, causing the girl to look at her. “That’s not entirely true… you have me…”

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “That’s true isn’t it...”

With a turn, Shimmer brought her body closer to Moondancer’s, looking at the slightly taller girl’s eyes. Moondancer gulped and found herself frozen, unsure of what to do. Her eyes darted between Shimmer’s powerful gaze, her easy to see cleavage line and her glossy lips. She kicked herself internally for not reading up more online about romantic etiquette. She found herself in a daze as her eyes seemed to land on Shimmer’s cleavage as she stood in thought with the other girl’s hands locked in her own.

After a good ten seconds, Shimmer chuckled and gave a gentle whistle to catch Moondancer’s attention. “Hey, my eyes are up here.”

Moondancer blushed and reverted her attention to Shimmer’s alluring eyes, trying to think of a way to play it off. “I… uhh… sorry…”

Shimmer giggled playfully. “It’s okay, I’m glad to see this dress caught your attention. Now I know you’re a boob girl.”

Moondancer’s blush only grew deeper as she looked away. “Fuck… sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

Rolling her eyes, Shimmer reached up and forcibly turned Moondancer’s head to face her again. “Hey. I didn’t say I minded, you goofball.”

With a nod, Moondancer gulped again.

Shimmer smirked and swayed her hips playfully as she stood there waiting. Moondancer only tilted her head in confusion.

“This is the part where you would probably want to try and kiss me,” Shimmer said.

Moondancer blinked. “Thanks for the hint.”

“Just a suggestion,” Shimmer teased.

Placing her hand on Shimmer’s small waist, and the other behind her head, Moondancer tried to calm her nerves as she pulled the girl in for the mentioned kiss. Thanks to Shimmer’s heels she didn’t have to lean down, but instead only gently tilt her neck downwards to match Shimmer’s height. She was fortunate that the two of them were both taller girls.

Their lips kept locked as Moondancer tried to recall what Shimmer had done during their last kiss, wanting to try and be a better leader this time, however, she was fighting the lust taking over her brain and making her thoughts disappear.

Quickly she remembered to open her mouth, offering her short tongue against her partner’s, causing Shimmer to giggle playfully but wrap her arms around Moondancer and keep her trapped in the kiss.

It wouldn’t be another few seconds before they finally broke the kiss. Moondancer and Shimmer both found themselves at a shortness of breath. Shimmer nodded contently as she placed her forehead to Moondancer’s. “Now that is how you kiss a girl.”

Author's Note

The full draft for this chapter was actually done in a single night. I was super impressed with myself!

Behind the Scenes: Also the sketches for this were completely changed! The new ones turned out much better than the initial idea. The second one was changed from a kiss between Moondancer and Shimmer to the humorous scene that we got in the end because Applety thought it would be funnier.

Act II - Chapter XXII: Illness

Chapter XXII: Illness

Shimmer sat in her laboratory tapping away on a keyboard while she transcribed some notes regarding her sister’s health. It had dawned upon her that this issue might have originated from magic and as a result, she felt it was necessary to document everything that had happened up to this point; as such she had spent the entire morning writing up everything she understood prior to this point.

A tap on the door made Shimmer’s head turn to the entryway where her young personal doctor stood. Coming to a stand, Shimmer brushed herself off and approached the blonde haired woman.

“What is her diagnosis, doctor?” Shimmer asked.

The women sighed and removed a pair of gloves from her hands and placed them into her back pocket.

“Do you mind telling me what’s going on, Miss Shimmer?” The doctor asked with a raised brow.

“What do you mean?” Shimmer blinked.

The doctor gave an annoyed expression. “Miss Shimmer, I’ve been your personal doctor for a good five years and never asked questions before, but you’re going to have to explain to me how this woman has type Q blood according to the chart you’ve provided.”

Shimmer made an awkward expression, unsure of how to divulge the rest of the information. “Look, I told you before not to ask questions.”

“Yes, I’m well aware. Ordinarily, if I was being told to treat a bullet wound without asking where it came from I’d do exactly that, but we’re not talking about that. Instead, we’re talking about a girl whose heart rate is half that of a normal person’s, type Q blood, and that’s a very odd scar on her back who looks just like you. I know your family tree, and there is no twin sister in it. So if you want me to keep quiet, I suggest you start by telling me what exactly I have fallen into,” the doctor scolded.

Another sigh escaped Shimmer as she realized she was going to need to give more up for the doctor’s help. “Alright… I’ll tell you this much… she’s an alien. I know it sounds messed up, but that’s why I came to you and not the hospital. I can’t risk people poking their noses around here. Thus why I have to ask you leave all notes and anything you need to work here. I’ll replace any equipment personally.”

The doctor chuckled and shook her head. “Money is never a concern, I know you’re good for that, however, I would appreciate it if I was more informed before being brought here.”

“Understood, I apologize…” Shimmer frowned.

The doctor let out another sigh and crossed her arms. “Anyway…” she began, “her condition seems to not be improving. Her ailment is beyond anything I’ve ever seen and it seems that every time you give her drugs to improve her condition, the ailment seems to… adapt to it…”

“What do you mean?” Shimmer leaned in.

“Well… this virus or whatever it is… it’s acting as if it’s alive… it’s adapting to the drugs you give it and fighting against them. I’ve never seen anything like this; it’s perhaps the fastest adapting virus I’ve ever seen,” she responded.

Shimmer sighed and already could predict where this was going. “What do you recommend?”

The doctor sighed and shook her head. “You’re asking me to perform miracles with over the counter level products. She needs to be in a hospital, that’s the short of it.”

“Hospital is out of the question,” Shimmer objected.

“Then you need to take her back where you found her because frankly, I am not certain what I can do with her here,” the doctor rolled her eyes.

Shimmer nodded and sighed. “Thank you for your time anyway, sorry to bring you out here for such odd circumstances.”

The medical professional shrugged and finally offered a smile after such an annoyed exchange. “I am sure where ever she is from, they have the ability to treat this, that or she will just have to ride it out a bit longer until it finally passes.”

“I’ll talk to her about it.” Shimmer nodded.

“Absolutely not!” Sunset managed to say in a relatively loud volume despite her very hoarse voice.

Shimmer frowned and placed her hands on Sunset’s weak arm, gripping tightly at the cold flesh. “Sunset, we don’t even know what you have and there’s no doctor in this world who can help you, maybe going back to Equestria to get looked at is the best thing for you…”

“It’s out of the question, Shimmer…” Sunset turned away.

“Why are you being so stubborn, Sunset? I’m trying to help you!” Shimmer yelled as she stood up.

“I’ll be fine, I just need to rid this out…” Sunset argued, refusing to look at her younger sister after such a ludicrous suggestion.

“Ride it out!? You were passed out on the floor the other day when we found you! You couldn’t walk! You still can’t walk!” Shimmer protested.

Sunset continued to avoid eye contact with the girl, knowing it would be harder to say no if she was met with her sister’s eyes. She had a difficult time saying no to her younger sibling in the short time they had been together. Shimmer was always so doting to her, and it always made it difficult to reject her demands.

“I just can’t, okay…” Sunset spoke quietly.

Shimmer came around the bed to the other side to get Sunset to look at her, but the result was just Sunset turning in the opposite direction to avoid looking towards her.

“I want a real answer,” Shimmer demanded with an extended finger.

Sunset let out a long sigh and closed her eyes before a series of coughs escaped her. Once they subsided, however, she was able to answer the request.

“Celestia…”

“What about her?” Shimmer raised a confused brow.

“If I go back… I’ll have to face her… I’m not really in the mood for that…” Sunset pouted.

“Why not?” Shimmer asked trying to get Sunset to look at her but was met with more resistance.

“Stay out of it, Shimmer. It’s a long complicated thing, the relationship between a star student and her mentor. The point is, I’m not going back to Equestria and that’s final. I’ll be fine, I’ve ridden out worse… I’m alive and that’s what matters,” Sunset complained.

Shimmer wanted to continue arguing, she wanted to try and see if she could wear Sunset down into submission, but she recognized she was treading into dangerous territory for her elder sister. If the matter had to deal with Princess Celestia then it was certain that magic was heavily involved and given her disdain for wanting more magic in her life, Shimmer recognized that she would soon be arguing against her own best interest and not only Sunset’s.

While she couldn’t deny that Equestria may hold the cure for whatever ailed Sunset, her sister had a point: she was still alive and appeared to be coherent now. Whatever it was, perhaps she could just ride it out.

With a sigh and a nod, Shimmer conceded, “alright… fine. However, Twilight and I are going to keep an eye on you until your condition improves.”

A light blush appeared on Sunset’s sickly face as she nodded. “That’s acceptable.”

Balancing a tray with a kettle and two cups, Twilight managed to clumsily make it to the guest bedroom of Shimmer’s estate. She wasn’t the most coordinated girl, and tea was not something she generally partook in, but she knew some tea with a bit of honey was the perfect thing for an ailing girl. She recalled all the years when she was sick and her mother made it for her.

Reaching the bedside, Twilight set the tray on the nightstand and began to pour the hot beverage into a small glass. Watching the steam rise, she kept a good distance to keep it from fogging up her glasses before gently blowing on it and offering the cup to Sunset who was resting in the bed, smirking as she watched Twilight.

She took the cup and kept the expression only to cause Twilight to raise a brow in question as she took a cup for herself.

“What?” Twilight asked.

“Are you going to put on a maid outfit for me?” Sunset teased with a growing smirk on her face. Twilight could already sense the inner pervert in Sunset coming out.

Twilight rolled her eyes at the joke. “Haha, very funny.”

Twilight took a sip of the hot tea and Sunset did the same before nodding and smirking again. “Well, I’m sure there’s one somewhere in this house, I figured you could dust the room and give me a little show?”

“Is there no illness that makes the pervert in you go away?” Twilight asked while taking another sip.

Sunset chuckled and shook her head. “If I wasn’t a pervert you’d think I was dying or something. It’s the nature of our friendship.”

“Yeah, but sometimes you make it awkward, like that time you purposefully left a pair of your panties on my bedroom doorknob when you came over…” Twilight snarled, looking at Sunset with squinted eyes.

Through coughs and labored breathing, Sunset let out a series of jovial laughs, holding her stomach as she did. “S-stop! I can’t breathe!”

“It’s not funny! My brother came over that day!”

That comment only made Sunset laugh harder.

“My mom went and bought me birth control and gave it to me in front of him!” Twilight protested.

Sunset’s laughter continued to grow. “Stop! No more!”

“Oh, and explaining they were yours did not help at all…” Twilight pouted.

“Oh man! I didn’t expect that to go so spectacularly. I’m too much for even myself…” Sunset finally allowed her laughter to subside; it dwindled down to a few chuckles before stopping entirely as the girl caught her breath.

“I am so going to get you back…” Twilight responded from behind her teacup with vengeful eyes.

“Waiting on it, Sparkle.” Sunset winked playfully, clearly not intimidated in the slightest by the empty threat.

“You really are a pain sometimes…” Twilight grumbled.

Sunset merely nodded in agreement as she sipped her tea. Twilight, however, frowned and realized the two of them were avoiding a conversation they knew was waiting to pop up. Realizing that Sunset was not going to bring it up herself, Twilight decided to be the one to say it aloud.

“You really should go back to Equestria for this, Sunset…”

Sunset sighed and set her teacup back into the saucer and rolled her eyes. “Why is everyone so interested in my business? None of you guys have ever been to Equestria you don’t know-“

“It’s because of your mentor right?” Twilight cut her off.

Sighing again Sunset looked away. “I… I don’t want her to see me as a failure… I promised I wouldn’t face her until I felt I redeemed myself… and I don't feel like I've done that just yet...”

“There’s no certainty that you’d run into her, I’m sure Princess Twilight would be discrete…” Twilight reminded.

Sunset shook her head. “Equestria has nothing but painful memories to me; I wouldn’t expect you or Shimmer to understand that.”

“Maybe we would if you’d talk to us about it…” Twilight protested.

“Another topic for another day, Twilight,” Sunset said, and with that, she had managed to put a cap on that conversation. Twilight conceded recognizing that there was no way she was going to get the teen to budge on the topic and decided it was best to let sleeping dogs lay.

Sunset’s health was definitely still at the forefront of her mind, but Shimmer had decided she needed to keep her thoughts off of that subject for the night. She had been invited to Moondancer’s apartment for dinner, promised that her mother would not be home that night. Moondancer mentioned she had a late shift and was going to spend the night at a friend’s due to having an early shift in the morning to where coming home was simply a waste of time.

Moondancer obviously decided it was a good chance for her and Shimmer to have the place to themselves, though arguably going to Shimmer’s estate would have granted them far more accommodations. To Shimmer it was clear that Moondancer wanted to play the role of the pursuer, which she definitely didn’t mind, it was exhilarating to be chased, even if Moondancer wasn’t as aggressive about it as she was used to.

In the past, Shimmer was used to her romantic suitors to be far more pushing and straightforward. Moondancer, however, was far too shy for that. She clearly wanted to chase Shimmer but didn’t have quite the confidence needed to go all the way in that chase. In a way, it was cute.

Shimmer stepped out of her car and adjusted her bra, pulling it up slightly as she flipped open a hand mirror from her purse to get a good look at herself. Her hair was expertly done, she had just stopped at the salon that day to ensure it would be perfect for this evening. Her traditional ponytail had been held back with a hair tie with a skull ornament upon it, and her earrings sported small bats dangling from her tiny ears.

She had decided to go with lip gloss again since she was certain that Moondancer needed the encouragement just to kiss her, and of course, she had chosen another low cut dress to perhaps further entice her.

Closing the mirror and placing it back into her bag she nodded with confidence as she walked up the stairs to Moondancer’s apartment.

Ringing the door, she waited patiently as a set of footsteps approached the door.

When the door opened and the light shined out of the apartment she saw Moondancer had actually opted to wear another button-up, this one was simple, black and short sleeved. It was tight enough that her usually small breasts were fairly more noticeable. Looking down she could see she had gone with a pair of grey skinny jeans, obviously with her shirt not tucked into them. It was sort of a more formal, but somewhat casual look, Shimmer appreciated it.

The biggest shock, however, came from her hair which looked brushed, and with an honest attempt to put it into a neat ponytail.

Shimmer giggled as she looked up at the girl’s hair.

“You don’t like it?” Moondancer frowned.

Shimmer shook her head and reached for the hair tie in Moondancer’s hair. With a gentle tug, she pulled it out and ruffled the top of her head. “It isn’t you. I don’t want you to be something you’re not for me.”

Moondancer blushed and nodded. “Yeah… that makes sense I suppose… come on in.”

With careful steps in her heels, she stepped inside to notice the apartment was recently cleaned. Carpets clearly had been vacuumed and deep cleaned only hours ago, and all of the various bits and bobs that previously littered the place were put away. Moondancer must have been preparing all day for this event.

Shimmer followed the taller girl to the kitchen area where a dining table had been cleared off of old newspapers and pizza boxes and instead sported an actual tablecloth with candles lit sitting atop of it.

Moondancer smiled and pulled out a seat for Shimmer and nodded. “Miss,” she commented.

Shimmer giggled and took Moondancer’s hand as she was led into her seat. Moondancer nodded and moved around the table and sat across from the girl, pulling her chair in loudly as she gestured for Shimmer to remove the cover over the plate in front of her. Shimmer looked down and contained her giggles when she saw what was clearly an attempt at trying to impress Shimmer with utensil etiquette; however, she had gotten it completely wrong.

Shimmer assumed that she placed Shimmer’s knife on the left due to remembering she was left-handed, as she noticed Moondancer’s own knife was on her right side. While it didn’t bother her, it definitely made her want to laugh, but she contained herself as she reached and lifted the lid and set it aside.

She looked in awe at a fabulous roast, little carrots, potatoes, an entire feast for the light girl. It was obviously slow cooked, meaning Moondancer had been preparing this all day. The smell was divine; Shimmer had opted to not eat much prior due to knowing Moondancer had a dinner planned. Her constant weight watching got the better of her and she only managed to take a bite of an apple before coming over.

“This is amazing…” Shimmer spoke in awe as she picked up a knife in her left hand, ready to saw off a piece to give it a taste.

“I had to look up a recipe, I hope you like it,” Moondancer spoke.

The first bite was amazing, full of flavor, moist, juicy. The thought for a brief moment occurred that perhaps Moondancer was a natural housewife. She dismissed the idea from her head realizing that the two of them were just eighteen and she shouldn’t be thinking about such things.

“It’s marvelous…” Shimmer complimented before taking another eager bite.

Shimmer had never had anyone cook for her before, and as she thought of that she looked across the table at Moondancer trying to attack her food with no level of grace. She stared while Moondancer didn’t notice and remembered how the girl was such a massive contrast to everyone she had been with in the past. This girl wasn’t a troublemaker, she wasn’t an aggressive brute, and she wasn’t someone who would cause problems for Shimmer. This girl wasn’t just another sexual deviant wanting to sweep Shimmer away and wrap around her in passion; she was… normal.

Shimmer had never actually allowed herself to chase after normal people before. It was a drastic change of scenery for her.

Moondancer looked up and blinked with a mouth half full of food she spoke, “something wrong?”

Shimmer shook her head. “No, everything’s perfect. That’s why I am trying to take it all in.”

The other girl adjusted her broken glasses and swallowed. “I’m glad you think so, I mean what kind of girlfriend would I be if I couldn’t even make a perfect date?”

And there it was. The motive of this entire dinner, the reality behind this clever ruse; it was clear that Moondancer was waiting for a subtle way to bring up the age-old “what exactly are we?” question. Her delivery was subtle enough, but Shimmer couldn’t help but want to burst out into giggles at the question.

An awkward silence filled the room for a good twenty seconds, which likely was causing Moondancer to panic a little in fear that she had said the wrong thing.

Fortunately for the girl, Shimmer broke the silence with a sugary smile in Moondancer’s direction. “Girlfriend? You’re more like a boyfriend than anything else.”

Moondancer seemed to allow a mini sigh of relief to escape her followed by a roll of her eyes. “True, but I assure you I’m female.”

Shimmer sipped her drink and nodded playfully giving off a sarcastic sounding “mhm.”

Moondancer took a bite, chewed and swallowed before speaking again, “so… we’re a thing then?”

With a sigh, Shimmer found herself rolling her eyes now. “Why not just ask me the question you're trying to actually ask?”

Nodding, Moondancer wiped her face with a napkin and pushed her chair out. Coming to a stand, the tall girl approached Shimmer and took Shimmer’s hands in her own. The two locked gazes for a brief few seconds before Moondancer finally managed to get the question out. “Shimmer, would you like to be my girlfriend?”

Bringing herself to a stand, Shimmer giggled and wrapped her arms around Moondancer’s neck, rubbing her nose against the other girl’s. “I thought I already was.”

Before Moondancer had a chance to reply, Shimmer pulled her in for a kiss.

Shimmer had been out for quite some time with Moondancer, leaving Twilight in charge of Sunset’s care until she returned. The good doctor had left for the evening and given Twilight a list of instructions to follow in the event that Sunset experienced any more severe symptoms. Most of the papers that were left for Twilight, however, were of scribbled down medical notes in handwriting that Twilight could barely read. It always perplexed her how doctors seemed to always have the worst handwriting imaginable.

Looking over the scratches on paper, she could at least decipher that it was time to give Sunset some fever reducers that had been provided.

Sitting at Sunset’s bedside, Twilight offered a cup of water along with the pills. Sunset took them gently and swallowed them with a quick sip before offering the cup back to Twilight, whom took it and set it upon the table.

She reached over and felt Sunset’s forehead, she was far hotter than usual. Twilight responded by picking up a thermometer from the end table and offering to Sunset. Sunset opened her mouth invitingly and Twilight placed the end in, watching Sunset’s mouth clasp around it.

Trying to reduce her heat, Twilight pulled down Sunset’s blanket slightly and looked at the button up pajama top she was wearing. Sunset smirked and looked down towards her own chest and then back to Twilight.

“Aren’t you going to unbutton me?” She giggled with the thermometer still in her mouth.

Twilight sighed and looked up at her with a serious face. “So long as we can be mature about this.”

Sunset nodded.

Reaching down, Twilight undid two of Sunset’s buttons exposing a bit of her sizable cleavage, and taking note of her black bra poking out. Sunset just watched and the smirk on her face grew three sizes larger.

“So… you doing anything after this?”

Twilight halted and turned towards Sunset with an incredulous expression of annoyance. “Really?”

Sunset giggled. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

Letting out a sigh, Twilight shook her head.

“So are you a boob girl or an ass girl?” Sunset continued to tease.

“I really can’t wait until we give you the sleeping medication…” Twilight responded as she retrieved the thermometer.

Twilight gasped as she looked at the temperature. “Whoa! There’s no way this can be right! 108.8!?”

Sunset blinked and tilted her head in confusion.

“Sunset at this level you shouldn’t even be alive!” Twilight explained.

“Oh right, human biology. Yeah, see us Equestrians are different…” Sunset began.

“Even horses would be dead at this level!” Twilight huffed.

Sunset rolled her eyes in annoyance at the interruption. “I know that, but remember we’re not just horses. Our bodies are adapted differently that the ponies of this world. Unicorns especially…”

Twilight leaned in with intrigue, the opportunity to learn something new always bringing out the inner child in her.

“Magic sort of makes the body run hot so to speak. As a result, your body has to be resistant to heat internally or you’d die. The better you get with magic the more you can withstand such heat. A unicorn usually is considered normal at around 106. So 108.8 isn’t really that bad of a fever where I’m from if that makes any sense…” Sunset rubbed her neck, unsure if what she had just explained made any logical sense. She was trying to apply science to magic after all.

“I think I get it…” Twilight nodded in understanding.

Twilight sighed and placed a hand on of Sunset’s own hand, causing Sunset to look at the girl with confusion. “I hope you get better soon though…”

Sunset nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure I’ll be better in no time…”

Silence filled the room before Sunset decided to cut through the otherwise sappy moment with another bit of humor.

“So are you a boob girl or an ass girl?”

Dinner with Moondancer had gone well, their meal was cooked to perfection and Shimmer could definitely appreciate Moondancer’s ability to learn cooking so quickly. She humored the idea of hiring the teen as a maid at her estate to cook for her, and the thought went as far as imagining what Moondancer would look like in a maid outfit.

The two exchanged pleasant small talk as they continued their journey of getting to know each other better, and continued to find more and more common ground.

After dinner, Moondancer suggest that the two of them hang out in her bedroom before her mother got back in a few hours.

Laying on the bed next to each other, music played through the room from Moondancer’s radio that she had turned on to disturb the silence.

Sunset caught a hint of some kind of body spray that Moondancer was wearing, and it somehow made her feel calmer. She closed her eyes and listened to the music playing, her own breathing becoming softer as she enjoyed herself.

Moondancer looked over to Shimmer, studying the girl’s features as she laid there with her eyes closed. Disbelief still overcame Moondancer as she recognized she was playing far out of her league with a girl as cute as Shimmer.

Looking down to Shimmer’s small hands, she reached her boney hand over and took Shimmer’s right hand in her left hand, causing Shimmer to open her eyes and look over to Moondancer. The two laid there on their backs staring at each other, a smile catching fire between the two of them before Shimmer leaned in slightly, puckering her lips. It didn’t take long for Moondancer to catch the signal as she leaned in and planted a kiss on her new girlfriend’s lips.

Shimmer frowned disappointedly when Moondancer broke the kiss. “Lame…” she said.

Moondancer raised a brow in confusion.

“I was expecting you to take charge a little…” Shimmer pouted.

Moondancer blinked and blushed. “Oh… could I possibly have a do-over? I’m not so great at this stuff…”

Shimmer giggled and nodded. “I suppose I’ll let you use the virgin excuse. Yes, you may have a do-over.”

With those words, Moondancer shifted to her side and took her free hand and placed it on Shimmer’s cheek as she pulled herself in for another kiss. This one however far more passionate, deeper, wetter, longer. Moondancer could hear the smacking of their lips and before she knew it, her tongue was rubbing against Shimmer’s with excitement.

Emboldened by the passion, she kept the kiss going as she moved and climbed over top of Shimmer, straddling her as she intensified their kiss. Her hand left Shimmer’s own hand and trailed its way into her girlfriend’s hair, giving a tight grip causing an audible moan to escape Shimmer.

Moondancer could feel herself salivating more as the entire ordeal filled the room with arousal.

The other hand upon Shimmer’s cheek trailed down and touched the strap of her dress, lowering it slightly along with her bra strap. She reached to the other side to lower the other one only for a hand to reach forward and grab her wrist, halting her.

Breaking the kiss, cold sweat ran down her neck in fear.

“Shit… sorry… I didn’t mean to… I’m reading this all wrong aren’t I?” Moondancer spoke in a panicked voice.

To her surprise, Shimmer didn’t appear angry; instead, she just smiled and shook her head. “No, you’re not doing anything wrong, I promise.”

“Oh…” Moondancer replied, a bit relieved, but now confused as to why she was stopped.

“I would love to do all the things you’re probably thinking, don’t get me wrong, especially if it’s with you. So I’m not stopping you because I don’t want to…” Shimmer said.

“But?” Moondancer asked.

“But…” Shimmer sighed, “every relationship I’ve ever been in I always involve myself with people who are trouble. People I have no business being with and it quickly becomes sexual. I think I just lust after people and that causes me to make stupid decisions. I don’t want that with you, I like what we have and I don’t want it to be screwed up by rushing into that level of intimacy so quickly…”

Moondancer nodded in understanding.

Shimmer continued, “I spent so long chasing people I really should have avoided that this is the first time I’ve gone after someone who is…” she paused trying to think of a way to word it so it didn’t sound offensive.

“Boring?” Moondancer raised a brow.

“I was going to say, normal,” Shimmer giggled and poked the girl’s nose, “it’s a good thing, I like you for you, not because I’m chasing thrills.

Moondancer lowered her guard and accepted that answer with a nod.

“You’re not mad are you?” Shimmer frowned.

Moondancer shook her head. “No way. Truthfully, while I am eager I also… am still kind of nervous myself… I’ve never done this before, especially with a girl… I do kind of worry that I’ll disappoint you…”

Shimmer shook her head and reached up placing a hand on Moondancer’s cheek. “So long as it’s with you, I’ll never be disappointed.”

“Have you done this before?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer nodded. “Quite a few times, though it’s been a while now…”

“With a girl too?” Moondancer asked.

“Only once…” Shimmer grew quiet with that response, Moondancer detected she was entering delicate territory and decided to leave that subject alone.

With a chuckle, Moondancer nodded. “Well, this at least gives me more time to look stuff up on the internet so I am at least somewhat able to pull this off when it does happen.”

"So the reclusive Moondancer looks at porn?" Shimmer smirked.

"W-what!? No, I meant for educational purposes!" Moondancer shook her hands in protest.

"I was only teasing." Shimmer giggled.

Moondancer sighed and nodded as she responded, "I have no idea what I'm doing..."

“I can teach you,” Shimmer replied.

With her hands on the steering wheel, Shimmer pulled out of the parking space in front of Moondancer’s apartment. With their date wrapped up, she felt content with how everything went, albeit even if a part of her wanted things to go much further. She had been without proper sexual release for a good while at this point and missed the sensation, however, unlike her previous relationships, this one wasn’t a result of her being in a bad place in life. She had finally accepted her parents being gone, she had moved past it and found strength in new friends and even a sister.

It was the happiest she had ever been in her entire life, it felt like a dream that she didn’t want to wake up from. It all just seemed too good to be true, and perhaps a small part of her old self shined through as it told her to be cautious and assume the worst. That was why she had decided to take things slower with Moondancer.

Getting the car started, she tapped her phone to allow her messages to play. She noticed two that were left for her, the first played back in Twilight’s voice.

“Hey Shimmer, it’s Twilight. Sunset is on and off today, I gave her the medication and she’s spent a good half the day taking random naps, but she’s responsive. The doctor came by earlier and had a look at her, I don’t know what she said or did though, she told me it was between her and you. You may want to give her a call. Thanks.”

The beep to alert her to another message was heard followed by the second albeit longer message from the doctor that Twilight had told her to call.

“Ms. Shimmer, it’s your doctor. I’m calling to give you an update on Sunset. As I mentioned before I am not an alien biologist, and this entire case is extremely out of the ordinary for me. The girl’s prognosis is nearly impossible to determine. I am not familiar with her species vitals so I cannot tell what is considered normal and what constitutes an unhealthy… whatever she is. I don’t see how you can expect me to work under these circumstances, I studied human biology and human medicine, I’m not qualified to handle aliens.”

There was a long sigh before she continued.

“That being said, her condition is… unique. The virus appears to be… evolving at an alarming rate. The medications we are giving her even the prescription strength stuff… it’s slowly losing effect. Whatever is inside of her can’t be destroyed by human means. I am advising you not only as a doctor but as someone who cares about you: if you care at all about this girl’s well being you will take her back to where she is from. They are far more qualified to help her than I am. I can’t save someone’s life when I don’t even understand how their body works. It goes without saying but I am washing my hands of this and leaving the rest up to you, I’ve done all I can do. Please consider what I said, Shimmer.”

Shimmer sighed and pressed the delete button on her phone before tossing it into the passenger seat behind her. The last thing she wanted to hear was more suggestions of taking Sunset back to Equestria, a trip that both of them didn’t really want to make. If what Twilight said was true then Sunset should be slowly coming around anyway.

She cleared her mind of the phone call and used her memories of her time with Moondancer to empty her head. She could still feel the tingling upon her lips of Moondancer’s kiss.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were at it again in their competitive streak with video games as they mashed away at buttons. The two bore looks of pure concentration as Twilight and Fluttershy sat on the couch in Rainbow Dash’s house.

Fluttershy sitting in her pajamas was knitting herself a scarf for the coming winter, while Twilight was simply checking her phone to the sound of punches being thrown in Applejack and Rainbow’s game.

Raising her head up slightly, but keeping her eyes glued to the TV screen, Rainbow decided to probe Twilight for information regarding Sunset’s health.

“Hey Twilight, how’s Sunset doing? We haven’t been able to see her for a good few weeks now, what’s going on over that at Shimmer’s place? She didn’t seem to want to talk about Sunset when she came to our little get-together,” Rainbow said before sticking her tongue out in frustration as she watched the screen.

Twilight frowned, hoping to not have to talk about that subject, but since it was brought out she couldn’t think of a way out of it.

“Oh well…” She rubbed her neck nervously, unsure of how the others would react.

Applejack hit the pause button and gestured for Rainbow to look over to Twilight with her. “Everything alright, sug’?”

“Well… yes and no…” Twilight sighed.

“What’s going on?” Fluttershy looked spooked from the ominous nature of Twilight’s response.

Another sigh escaped Twilight as she recognized that she wasn’t going to escape it. “Sunset is… not well…”

“She’s still sick?” Rainbow asked with a blink.

“Yes, and she doesn’t appear to be getting any better… the doctor that Shimmer brought in can’t figure out what’s wrong with her either, her condition seems to adapt to drugs very quickly. Needless to say, I’m very concerned, but Sunset is too stubborn to go back to Equestria to get looked at…” Twilight frowned.

“Sheesh, that girl is the most stubborn person ‘Ah know,” Applejack said.

Rainbow chuckled. “That’s saying something because you know yourself.”

Applejack gave a swift jab at Rainbow’s shoulder causing her to flinch and rub the spot. “Dude, you have super strength careful with that!”

“You’re fine,” Applejack teased.

“On the subject of Sunset though, give it to us straight, Twilight… do you think Sunset could die?” Rainbow asked after she recovered from the slight pain.

Twilight froze for a moment. That was the very thought she was trying to avoid thinking about, the potential that Sunset could actually die from her illness. She was unsure of how likely it was, but she knew it couldn’t be good for her to stay sick this long. She wanted to say there was no chance, but the scientist in her didn’t allow it if she wasn’t entirely sure.

She choked on the words, but managed to get them out, “I… I don’t know… it’s definitely… a possibility…”

Applejack shook her head trying to calm everyone as she could see Fluttershy already covering her face ready to burst into tears.

“Ain’t nobody dying, alright? It’d take bullets to bring that girl down and that’s the truth. Sunset’s always been resilient and we all know that. Not to mention Shimmer is carin’ for her. Shimmer ain’t gonna let that happen and y’all know that. She has access to the best medical care in the world,” Applejack reminded the group.

“That may be so, but Sunset isn’t human like us… what she has may be beyond what our medical science is capable of treating… I’d feel a lot better if she would just go back to Equestria to get looked at,” Twilight admitted.

Applejack sighed and nodded as she rubbed her neck. “Yeah… even ‘Ah can’t deny that would be a good idea. Hopefully, if push comes to shove, Shimmer will wear her down and convince her she needs to go back.”

“Sunset has always been very stubborn…” Twilight frowned.

“She has a point there; Sunset has been on about redeeming herself for a long time. She’s always the first into the fray because she seems to think she hasn’t atoned for her past yet,” Rainbow said.

“I’m just hoping this will be the time she breaks her stubborn streak…” Twilight frowned, knowing that it was unlikely.

“We all do, sug’,” Applejack replied with a nod.

“Worst case scenario, we’ll gang up on her, pin her down and drag here there ourselves!” Rainbow raised a triumphant fist into the air at the sound of her own plan, causing the entire group of girls to burst out into giggles.

Author's Note

Things are getting intense! I would say we are officially past the "chill" zone of the story. From here on pretty much everything gets intense. The remainder of Act II will be 7 chapters and then we get another Intermission, followed by Act III right away.

Thinking of how far we've come and how much farther we still have to go... There is so much that has yet to happen, but it's going to be crazy.

Behind the Scenes: After the first revision, Act II was going to be the end of the story.

Act II - Chapter XXIII: Gratitude

Chapter XXIII: Gratitude

Sunset’s body proved to be quite heavy as Shimmer held her arm around her own shoulder and helped the sickly girl walk. While Sunset was far from fat and out of shape, she was definitely at least a dozen pounds heavier than Shimmer was, and it made it difficult to move her from the bedroom upstairs all the way to the living room without strain.

She had managed to get the girl into the elevator to bring her down to the ground level floor, as she recognized getting her down the stairs simply was out of the question. From there it was a matter of helping her drag herself down the long hallway and getting her to the couch.

Finally reaching the living room with a grunt, she angled Sunset over the couch, only for the girl to fall out of her arms and land directly on her back on the floor. With a grumble, Sunset managed to pull herself onto the couch that was right next to her; Shimmer assisting her as much as she could despite being exhausted and sweaty from the trip downstairs.

“Christ… now please stay here, alright? I’ll get you something to eat and some tea okay?” Shimmer managed to get out between pants.

Sunset’s voice was hoarse and weak as she responded with a weak shake of her head. “Y-you could have left me upstairs…”

Shimmer stamped her foot onto the floor and shook her head in disapproval. “You’re not getting more than a room or two away from me. Last night you were out cold for eight hours before I got you back! You’re going to stay close to me or Twilight at all times until you’ve healed.”

Sunset grumbled in protest, but quickly realized she wasn’t in a position to do much about the situation that was forced upon her. Instead, she just nodded in silent approval, recognizing her choices were limited.

With a nod, Shimmer sighed and pet the girl’s cheek. “Now try and relax, I’ll go get you some food and tea alright?”

Sunset merely nodded and forced a smile.

With that action, Shimmer gently stepped toward a few rooms over to the large bottom floor kitchen. It was one of three in her estate, the other being on the top floor which her father had installed so that he could be served without forcing the maids to run up and down stairs or deliver via an elevator. The third was in the old servant quarters for the servants to utilize in their days off; it was long since abandoned at this point as Shimmer had not had a maid live at the house in years.

It briefly occurred to her that there were rooms in her home that she had not visited in years. There was a good chance that the servant quarters was likely covered in a layer of dust at this point, and the old shooting range in the basement that her father used to use had likely been left exactly the way it was the day before his death when he last used it.

The thoughts started to creep her out, so she dismissed them and focused on trying to get Sunset the sustenance she needed.

When Shimmer took over the house, she had learned to cook and take care of herself, so she let most of the staff go, only opting to have them come in once a week to clean the building. The result had made Shimmer into a competent chef.

Grabbing a frilled apron from the wall, she tied it behind herself and adjusted it for comfort.

She had gone with a more casual look this day and thus had pockets with which to carry her phone in. It began to ring, causing her to jump slightly at the surprise.

Reaching for it, she answered without even looking to see who was calling.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Shimmer, how’s it going?” Came the soft voice of Moondancer.

Hearing the girl’s voice brought a smile to Shimmer’s face. “Oh hey, sweetie. How are you?”

“S-sweetie?” Moondancer seemed to stumble at the pet name.

Shimmer giggled as she grabbed a kettle and began to fill it with water, holding the phone between her cheek and her shoulder. “Well, you did ask me to be your girlfriend didn’t you?”

“I-I suppose I did… right…” Moondancer stuttered.

Shimmer couldn’t contain her laughter, it was too adorable how easily flustered Moondancer was.

“You’re so cute, you know that?” Shimmer teased.

“Thanks… I think…” Moondancer replied.

“You know you can give me a pet name too, right?” Shimmer reminded.

There was a pause before Moondancer answered, clearly she was taking a moment to take it all in. “Oh… yeah… I guess that makes sense… what should I uh… call you?”

With a roll of her eyes, Shimmer sighed. “I’m not supposed to tell you that, you’re supposed to come up with one.”

“Oh ummm… does hun work?” Moondancer asked.

“How original…” Shimmer rolled her eyes again, “I sound like an old housewife that way…”

“And that’s… bad right?” Moondancer sounded genuine in her voice.

“Yes, I’m almost eighteen not forty…” Shimmer sighed.

Moondancer paused for a moment and thought it over and finally came to an answer “how about… babe? I mean I know it’s not as original…”

Shimmer nodded in approval despite not being seen. “I like it, a bit bold for you, makes you sound a little more dominant, I’m down with that.”

“Alright then… babe…” Moondancer hesitated but it was clear she enjoyed the name too.

“Oh definitely, I approve.” Shimmer practically shivered in delight at the sound of the pet name. It had taken a little time but she was making a more assertive Moondancer slowly but surely.

“So what are you up to?” Moondancer changed the subject.

“Just making tea for Sunset,” Shimmer replied as she began boiling the kettle on the stove while she thought over what to make for food, she was feeling a bit hungry herself.

“She still sick?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer sighed as a response.

“I see… I hope she gets better soon… I want to see you again…” Moondancer admitted.

Shimmer’s demeanor became lighter at that admission. “Eager are we? Well, I suppose I could give Twilight a call to keep an eye on the situation while I slip out?”

“I don’t want to take you if Sunset needs you…” Moondancer spoke meekly.

Shimmer blew a dismissing raspberry and replied, “it’s fine. It’s not like either of us being here is going to change much anyway. At this point, it’s a matter of waiting…”

“Oh… alright then… we can meet at my place then?” Moondancer said.

“I’ll see you at 8:00 okay?” Shimmer replied.

“Sounds good, babe,” Moondancer managed to get out.

There was a light blush appearing on Shimmer’s face. Moondancer had managed to get it out feeling mostly natural, she said it with a level of confidence that only made Shimmer ooze with delight. She felt the same warm feeling of protection and belonging she had in the past.

“See you soon, sweetie.” With those words, Shimmer hung up her phone and returned to the task of making Sunset’s tea which now had been brought to a total boil.

Shimmer sat in her laboratory in front of her video log with a series of notes transcribed onto various papers in front of her. She had donned her usual lab coat and tried to think of what to say for her current log.

She leaned back in her chair and sighed and shook her head before speaking.

“Subject, Sunset Shimmer… err… my sister that is… continues to exhibit signs of poor health. After careful monitoring of temperatures, and other vitals her condition does not seem to be improving.” She spoke before adjusting her glasses.

Shifting through some papers, she tapped on some notes to plant them into her brain before looking back to the webcam.

“This… virus, whatever it is appears to be mutating as my doctor stated. It’s doing so however at a rate that is not normal. Drugs or other treatment administered seems effective for a good few hours only to stop working entirely. I’ve never seen a virus that could literally adapt to medicine in such short periods of time. I don’t quite understand what is causing this…” Shimmer frowned.

The girl hung her head low as she voiced the one thought that had been going through her mind for a few days now.

“I have considered… trying to utilize magic to heal her. Magic is not completely understood yet, however, I am confident in its abilities to achieve things beyond normal science. There is a good possibility that magic may be able to heal her if I just try and hone its power and…” she stopped herself and shook her head at how ridiculous the idea sounded.

“No… that’s absurd. I have no evidence of magic being used to heal wounds let alone disease… not to mention honing my ability to use magic might simply cause more trouble, or at the very least be suicide. In the past magic has only hurt people I cared about, and I doubt it would be much different now… I have to accept I have no idea what I’m doing and should leave magic to the experts…” Shimmer admitted.

Another long sigh escaped her as she realized her ultimate predicament. “That means the only sensible option is to see if perhaps Princess Twilight can make a difference. I will need to see about contacting her and seeing if she will come here.”

Looking at the clock, she noted the time was 7:08 PM. Her eyes turned back to the webcam and nodded. “Alright, this is Sunset Shimmer, end log.”

She hit the stop button and stood up taking her coat off, putting it back on the hanger before brushing herself off.

She made her way out of the lab and locked the door with her keyring before stuffing it into her purse. On her way down the hall, she poked her head into a nearby bathroom to gaze at herself in the mirror. Her hair had been groomed recently, and she had chosen to wear something more practical due to the cold temperature of fall getting worse over the past few days.

She had chosen a short cut leather jacket over an M83 band T-shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans with some tall combat boots to match. It was perhaps the most casual she had dressed in a while, but part of her wanted to tone it down a little so that Moondancer could feel more at ease, it was clear that she still was having a hard time adjusting to a wealthy girl like Shimmer being in her life, so she hoped to mitigate that a little.

Content with her appearance, Shimmer nodded and headed downstairs, the black choker with little skulls dangling from it rattling as she ran down the stairwell, checking her watch.

She made a turn to cut through the living room so she could check on Sunset. There on the couch she laid sleeping, Twilight in a chair pulled up next to her with a hand upon her forehead. She had made her way over when Shimmer texted her earlier saying she was heading out. If there was anyone she could count on to keep Sunset safe it was Twilight.

Twilight turned to see Shimmer standing there and smiled. “You look good.”

Shimmer nodded. “Thanks, how is she?”

Twilight’s expression did a complete flip as she sighed. “Not bad, but not better either. She’s kind of in limbo at the moment. I think we may need to contact the princess over this…”

Shimmer nodded as she stepped forward and placed a hand atop of Twilight’s on Sunset’s forehead. Twilight blushed and looked up at Shimmer’s serious face. “Please make sure she’s okay while I’m gone?”

Twilight nodded before stuttering. “W-why the seriousness all of a sudden?”

“I can’t lose someone else, Twilight. I’d die before I let something happen to her, and I mean that. I’m not going to let anyone else die on my watch, not as long as I still draw breath,” Shimmer spoke.

With another nod, Twilight felt Shimmer’s hand leave her own. “I understand… I promise I’ll do all I can and if anything changes I will call you right away.”

Shimmer nodded. “I’ll leave my phone on.”

Almost Two Years Ago

Sunset sat in a relatively new car looking out the frosty window, watching her breath form as she huddled in her new winter jacket. While the car was new, the heat didn’t exactly start up that quickly.

She looked over to the driver to see a woman who looked far younger than her true age of thirty or so years as the driver. Her hair bearing a striking resemblance to her old mentor, but with a far more serious face. Celestia may have been a princess in Equestria, but for some reason, Principal Celestia was far more intimidating at times. It was difficult to get a good read on what she was thinking most of the time due to keeping relatively quiet.

When she wasn’t being mysterious though, she was actually quite kind, even to a previous bad seed like Sunset.

“Sorry about the heat, I have to get that checked out, it’s supposed to get warmer a lot faster, it’s been on my to-do list but I’ve been so busy with work…” Celestia spoke, her eyes not leaving the road.

Sunset nodded meekly. “Y-yeah, it’s okay…”

Celestia didn’t respond, instead, she kept her eyes focused on the road for a good few minutes before Sunset broke the silence again.

“Where are we going?” Sunset asked.

“You’ll see.”

Sunset sighed and frowned, realizing that when the principal didn’t want to divulge information, she usually stuck to her guns. She was far more secretive than her pony counterpart.

The car came to a stop and Celestia pulled the parking brake on and unbuckled her seatbelt before looking to Sunset to do the same. Following in Celestia’s footsteps, Sunset unfastened the buckled and placed her hand upon the car door, looking to her principal for answers; the only one she got was a simple “we’re here.”

Stepping out of the car, Sunset noticed that Vice Principal Luna was standing outside as well, leaned up against a black sedan parked behind Celestia. Sunset was surprised she hadn’t noticed her before, but that was the thing about Luna, she was always sneaky. Often times she would catch students misbehaving just because no one even noticed when she entered the room, as a result, it made her an excellent disciplinarian. She earned the nickname “The Shadow of CHS” pretty easily. Some students even joked that she must have been a vampire or something.

She cleared her throat and stepped forward, her hands stuffed into a black hoodie with the hood thrown up. Sunset took note of how she wore more casual attire outside of school, even sporting skinny jeans. It was clear she was younger than her sister by a few years, but it had never occurred to Sunset that Luna was actually in her late twenties as opposed to Celestia who was clearly in her early thirties.

“Sup?” She stated with the tilt of her head.

Celestia rolled her eyes as she took Sunset’s hand in her own. “You know you’re going to creep people out like that?”

Luna shrugged before taking her hood down and shaking her head to free her long locks. “Meh.”

Celestia sighed and shook her head.

Sunset had never imagined that outside of school that the two sisters actually behaved much differently, Luna’s entire demeanor was more laid back and lazy appearing rather than the forceful and serious woman who disciplined children at school. She surmised it must have taken a lot of willpower to become the person she was at school if this was how she was outside of school.

Craning her neck, Sunset noted various McDonald's cups and bags littering the inside of her car, confirming her suspicion that Luna had a much messier demeanor outside of school.

“We got a minute?” Luna yawned, before reaching into her pocket retrieving a beat up package of cigarettes and drawing one from the pack with her lips.

“Luna! There’s a student present!” Celestia scolded.

“Relax we’re not on the clock, besides I’m sure it’s not the worst thing she’s seen an adult do…” Luna rolled her eyes before lighting the cigarette and taking a drag. She smiled at Sunset and wagged her finger. “Do as I say, not as I do. Smoking is bad for you.”

“I’ll take your word for it…” Sunset replied.

Luna took another long drag before peeking over at Celestia who was still giving her disapproving glances.

“I didn’t know you smoked…” Sunset admitted.

With a sigh, Luna tossed the cigarette still half unsmoked to the ground and stamped it out with her converses. “I’m trying to quit.”

“Evidently a very promising endeavor…” Celestia smirked, causing Sunset to giggle.

“Hey, I don’t want to hear it Ms. Work-a-holic! Need I remind you who it was who had to call in sick for you when we were younger? If it weren’t for me you’d have dropped dead from exhaustion by now!” Luna growled.

Celestia rolled her eyes clearly tired of an age-old argument. “I needed to work two jobs, with your appetite? It costs more than most people’s homes to feed you. You should see how much this woman can eat.” Celestia gestured toward Luna as she looked to Sunset who was trying to contain snickers.

Luna stuck her tongue out and crossed her arms.

“Ummm, not to interrupt or anything but why exactly are we here?” Sunset asked as she surveyed their surroundings to see tons of buildings she didn’t recognize.

Blinking and snapping back to Reality Celestia gestured for the entire group to follow as she approached one of the buildings and took them all up a stairwell to an entrance. Retrieving a key from her pocket she opened the door and let the group inside, out of the cold.

The inside wasn’t much warmer due to the heat clearly not being on, but it was at least out of the cold wind of the outside.

Inside there was a relatively empty apartment, not a single bit of furniture, but a few kitchen appliances such as a stove and a microwave sat in the room.

“Quaint…” Luna commented unenthusiastically.

“Oh, will you hush?” Celestia grumbled.

Sunset had to contain her giggles at the two sisters bickering.

“What do you think, Sunset?” Celestia turned to the young teen.

Sunset blinked and looked around the room. “It’s not bad, better than where I live.”

Celestia smiled and nodded, “excellent then I’ll send Luna to go get your things…”

“Why do I have to-“ Luna attempted to protest.

“Because I came here this morning to get the paperwork while you were still sleeping,” Celestia retorted in a matter-of-a-fact tone.

“Fine…” Luna sighed before sitting atop of the counter in the kitchen.

“Ummm… what’s going on?” Sunset blinked.

Celestia reached into her pocket and passed the key she had used to enter the place off to Sunset. Looking down to the key, Sunset became even more confused. “Doesn’t answer my question…”

“This place is yours now,” Luna said plainly.

Sunset turned to the younger woman and tilted her head. “I thought you guys weren’t being serious about all of this…” Sunset blinked.

“Why would we lie?” Luna asked with a raised brow.

“I… I don’t know… No one has ever really done anything like this for me before… most principals would just call child protective services on me…” Sunset frowned as she gripped the key in her hand.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Celestia replied.

“Why though?”

“We know what it’s like to go through that…” Luna replied quietly, “it’s not the best outcome for a teenage girl. We don’t want you to go through what we did…”

Sunset wanted to ask more, clearly knowing there was a story to tell but kept her mouth shut and nodded as she accepted the situation.

“Well then… thank you… I appreciate all of this.” Sunset smiled.

“Just remember if you have trouble paying the rent to contact us, we’ll do what we can,” Celestia spoke.

“I will, I promise!” Sunset nodded happily.

Shimmer checking her watch saw she was right on time, it was 8:00 PM on the dot before she tapped on the door to Moondancer’s apartment. She stood checking her painted nails while she heard footsteps approach and the lock on the door click. Before she knew it, Moondancer’s familiar dark purple eyes looking her up and down giving a pleasant whistle. She leaned against the doorframe with an elbow and smiled at Shimmer.

“Hey babe, what’s a cute thing like you doing here?” She smirked, clearly she had practiced being a bit bolder, much to Shimmer’s pleasure.

Deciding to test Moondancer’s fortitude, she leaned in and moved her arms so as to bring her breasts closer together and create a more impressive cleavage line while she moved in. “Well I was looking for someone to give me the best orgasm of my life,” she teased.

Moondancer blushed and coughed before leaning back. “W-wha?”

A fit of giggles escaped Shimmer before she poked the girl’s nose and walked past her into the apartment. “Gotcha. Honestly, if you’re going to act boldly you need to be prepared for me to do it back, or else it simply doesn’t work.”

“N-no fair! I was not expecting that…” Moondancer pouted as she adjusted her sweater.

Shimmer took note that she was not that dressed up this time around, but instead in legging and her oversized sweater. ”I see you didn’t get dressed up for me?”

Moondancer looked down at herself and frowned. “Yeah… time got away from me… I was reading this new book called Circlet of Feydra and I sort of lost track of time…”

Shimmer giggled and shook her head. “I think it’s a good thing that you’re comfortable enough around me for me to see you in your lounge clothes.”

“Maybe I’ll see you in yours at some point?” Moondancer smiled.

Shimmer gave a dismissing hand gesture as she wandered into the apartment. “I don’t have lounge clothes. Though sometimes during sleepovers with my sister there I’ll hang out with her in my lingerie.”

Moondancer felt a blush appear on her face as she imagined Shimmer in her lingerie. She could see it so vividly in her head, an almost nude Shimmer in some silky lingerie that complimented her form perfectly, perhaps a little bow on her panties.

Her mind began to wander to what color suited her. She settled on the mental image being of some black and orange accented lingerie with silk draping over Shimmer’s body. There in her mind, she could almost see the girl with her hair down posing for her. She was practically drooling at the idea.

The Shimmer in her mind would stand with her back to her, looking back asking Moondancer what she thought as her eyes ran down her profile, that cute innocent face with her hair draping over most of her backside, the side view of her large breasts, that view of her full rear covered only by a small amount of fabric. She was perfect, absolutely gorgeous.

She blinked however when she heard a snap of two fingers and looked in Shimmer’s direction.

“Huh?”

“I was talking to you, did you zone out?” Shimmer tilted her head.

“Oh yeah… sorry…” Moondancer rubbed her neck.

Shimmer smirked and stepped forward bringing her face inches from Moondancer’s. “And what were you just thinking about?”

“N-nothing! Honest!” Moondancer waved her hands frantically.

“Are you sure it wasn’t me in my lingerie?” Shimmer giggled.

“N-no way!” Moondancer denied.

A false frown came to Shimmer’s face as she opened her eyes in a pouty face. “Really? Not even a little?”

Moondancer looked away and rubbed her neck again awkwardly. “Well… maybe a little…”

Shimmer giggled and took the girl’s hands and placed them on her own hips as she lifted a foot off the floor and placed her own hand upon Moondancer’s chest while she leaned in. “You’re such a pervert…” she nearly whispered.

She didn’t give Moondancer a chance to answer before planting a kiss on her lips. Moondancer responded instantly by gripping Shimmer’s hips tighter and pulling her deeper into the kiss, taking control as she snaked her tongue into Shimmer’s mouth. Moondancer moved a hand behind Shimmer into the arch of her back as she leaned forward pushing the girl back, holding her in the air with her arm.

A moan escaped Shimmer as she felt Moondancer take charge. She gripped the girl’s shirt and tugged as she took a step backward, not allowed her lips to break contact as the two began to step toward Moondancer’s room.

Shimmer managed to get words to escape between lip-smacking. “I… don’t want… your mom to walk in… and see us… like this…” It was all she could get out before returning to the intense kissing.

Managing to get into the bedroom, Moondancer closed the door behind them and kept her lips locked onto Shimmer’s before the two sat down on the bed, finally stopping to catch their breath. Shimmer and Moondancer both panted gently as their eyes locked. “W-wow… you’re getting good at that…” Shimmer commented.

“I… have a great partner…” Moondancer replied with a small smile.

Shimmer nodded as she crawled up onto the bed and rested her back against the headboard. She patted in front of her before moving some books sprawled out on the bed out of the way. Moondancer blinked as she stared.

“A good partner deserves a good reward, come over here.” Shimmer patted the spot yet again expectantly.

Blushing, Moondancer nodded and obeyed before crawling in front of Shimmer who instructed her to turn around and let her back face her. She did as she was told before she felt Shimmer’s hands grab the end of her sweater and began to lift. “W-wha?”

“Relax, trust me okay?” Shimmer reassured with a tender voice.

Her sweet voice alone was enough to convince Moondancer. Taking a deep breath, Moondancer nodded and allowed Shimmer to remove her sweater leaving her in just the undershirt she wore underneath. With the crack of her knuckles, Shimmer reached up and began to rub Moondancer’s tense shoulders, causing the girl to sink gently into the bed, her eyes half closed as she relaxed.

Gentle coos of delight escaped Moondancer as Shimmer massaged her shoulders. “Mmmmm… that feels good…”

“So what is this book you’re reading about?” Shimmer spoke trying to make light conversation.

In between gentle moans of delight, Moondancer answered, “it’s a fantasy book. These girls go on a quest to find some artifact… there’s a lot of political turmoil going on as well…”

“I’ll have to borrow it when you’re done reading it,” Shimmer said she continued to rub the girl’s shoulders.

Hitting a particularly tense spot she heard a moan escape Moondancer.

“I thought you’d like it, you seem so tense…” Shimmer said.

“How can I not be? A girl as gorgeous as you around teasing me like you do?” Moondancer remarked.

“Yeah, but you like it…” Shimmer smirked devilishly.

“Yeah… I do…” Moondancer blushed, trying not to look over her shoulder so as to not give Shimmer the satisfaction of knowing her face was about as red as a tomato.

Shimmer gently moved the girl’s hair to one side, exposing her slender neck. She looked at it hungrily and then smirked again. “Bet you’ll like this too…”

Moondancer didn’t get a chance to even ask before she felt Shimmer’s teeth sink into her soft neck, causing a yelp to escape her. Before she could protest tingles shot up her spine at Shimmer’s gnawing. “W-whoa…”

Shimmer ran a hand through Moondancer’s messy hair, gripping gently as she gnawed on her exposed flesh, causing light moans to escape Moondancer.

Moondancer’s body began to tingle, her legs shuffling as she felt her arousal grow with every nibble. Shimmer’s other hand reaching in front of Moondancer, gripping her right breast tightly. The sensation coupled with the hair tugging, the neck biting, it was all too much. Moondancer let out an audible moan this time along with a curse. “F-fuccck!”

A giggle escaped Shimmer at how much she was exciting her partner.

Moondancer allowed her hands to grip the sheets as she pressed her legs together tightly trying to keep herself contained. She had to bite her lip to keep herself from getting any louder for fear that the neighbors would hear her.

She shivered in delight as she felt the biting stop and Shimmer’s tongue ran along the bite mark. Shimmer admired her work as she saw a gentle bruise appear on Moondancer’s neck. She planted a few kisses up and down the girl’s neck before Moondancer finally spoke again.

“I love you.”

It slipped out so plainly and the entire room froze before Moondancer slapped her hands over her mouth, hoping she had just imagined what she said and didn’t actually say it out loud.

Shimmer’s hand leaving her breast and her mouth leaving her neck, however, told her that she did indeed utter that sentence aloud.

“Shit… sorry… I didn’t mean to…” Moondancer tried to fix the situation as quickly as possible before Shimmer shook her head and turned the girl around placing her finger on Moondancer’s lips.

“I’m flattered.” She smiled.

“B-but…?” Moondancer frowned, already feeling her heart-shattering.

“I’m not saying I don’t back okay? I’m just… not ready for that yet okay?” Shimmer explained.

“R-right… sorry…” Moondancer frowned, though Shimmer could tell she wasn’t crushed, just disappointed.

Shimmer shook her head and giggled. “You’re sorry that you love me?”

“Huh? No… well… uh…” Moondancer wasn’t sure how to respond to such an inquiry. What she said was true and honest.

“I like you a lot, sweetie. I’m not shooting you down, I just need a little more time before I’m ready to say that, is that all okay?” Shimmer placed her hands on Moondancer’s cheeks.

Moondancer nodded in complete understanding. “I get it, honest. I sort of… moved a little quick there, I don’t mean to put you on the spot.”

Shimmer nodded back and kissed the girl’s forehead. “Guess you get very honest when you get aroused huh?”

“To be fair I was never a good liar in the first place,” Moondancer replied.

“So cute though.” Shimmer giggled.

Moondancer rolled her eyes before replying, “say it when you’re ready okay?”

Shimmer nodded and kissed the girl’s forehead.

Returning home, Shimmer had relieved Twilight of her duty as caretaker over Sunset. She had brought the girl some tea not too long ago and was in the kitchen now trying to think of an email to send via her laptop, however, she seemed to get stuck every eight words or so. Finally, after such a long delay she managed to finish it and began to look it over.

Hey,

I don’t really understand what’s going on anymore. I’ll try and consolidate what I know and see if I can explain my theories as best I can, so here it goes.

Sunset’s illness seems to be persistent. Nothing appears to be making it subside which is leading me to believe it is likely a condition previously only available in her homeworld. The problem is how did she catch it, and what can I do to stop it?

I find it oddly coincidental that Ghost appears now right around the time this happens, though it could just be coincidence, however, I can’t rule out the possibility that Ghost had something to do with this. If Ghost has any information from my server then he already knows about Equestria and it’s not implausible to suggest that he has gone there himself and came back with this virus or whatever it is. If that is the case that means whoever we’re dealing with has transcended worlds.

Granted this is all a theory at this point and I have no actual evidence, but I’m starting to suspect all of this is connected, you know? I am at least 80% sure that this is connected to Equestria at the very least, but the connection to Ghost is… difficult to say. It’s at least clear that whatever Ghosts intentions are that no amount of studying their breach in my security will reveal it. This person clearly knows how to cover his tracks, that or me spending so much time analyzing him is exactly what he wanted me to do. It’s very possible that all of this so far has just been a distraction, I can’t rule that out. If so I can at least build a profile for Ghost to find out what kind of person he is.

Either way I know I have to be careful here. I have no idea what Ghost is capable of and for all, I know I could be gambling with my life or Sunset’s life here. I can’t take that risk. If Ghost is watching me, he’d know that now while Sunset is sick is the best time to strike, I can’t afford to let my guard down now.

I have never shot a gun before, but there are some weapons in the shooting range in the basement, perhaps it’s time I learned to use them. I can’t go to the police, they’d never believe me and it’s clear this is bigger than them. Ghost isn’t after my life; he’s after something far bigger: power. I have determined the most likely scenario is that Ghost wants magic for himself and is determined to find a way to use it.

If it comes to it, I’ll kill him. I’ll try to avoid that scenario at all costs, but at this time I’m recognizing that being prepared may be my smartest option. I’m not a fan of guns or killing, but I have to think about Sunset too…

I have to find the connection, Sunset, magic, Equestria, Ghost… I know one exists, I know there is something I’m missing, I just need to connect the dots. Maybe there is a piece that I am missing? I’m going to figure this out though, mark my words. This all will come to light, I’m sure of it.

Sincerely,

She sat there reading over the email eight times before she was satisfied with it and hit send. She closed the laptop and sighed as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes wandering up to the ceiling. It was true what she said in her email, she had never fired a gun before, but with the circumstances heating up, now might be a good time to learn how; there was no telling what Ghost would do or how far they would go, and if they attempted to break into the house, she would need to be prepared.

Shimmer let out a long sigh before shaking her head trying to dismiss such thoughts. Here she was thinking about guns, self-defense, and home invasions while Sunset was sick. She knew it wasn’t productive and the chances of Ghost actually coming to the house was unlikely. If anything was certain it was clear he liked to hide in the shadows, so showing himself wasn’t part of his game.

Still, she contemplated if she’d feel better carrying her father’s pistol around.

Her thoughts were cut short at the sound of a loud thud from the living room. She pushed herself out of her chair and bolted in that direction, the very same room that Sunset was staying in.

Rushing out as quickly as she could, her eyes scanned the area looking for any sign of Sunset, only to be drawn to the floor where Sunset laid face down on the ground. Shimmer approached with delicate steps, as if she were walking on thin sheets of glass, her heart pounding loudly, so much that she could hear it in her ears.

Inching closer and closer she was practically holding her breath, she eventually would come only a little more than a foot away from Sunset’s body on the floor. Looking down in horror she could feel the shortness of breath take over her.

Sunset wasn’t moving.

Author's Note

Hmmmm I'm wondering if anyone has noticed a recurring thing that's been happening in this story up to this point that has slowly become more prominent in the past few weeks. No one's pointed it out yet, so I guess not. Maybe they will after a few more chapters.

Also wow! Applety's drawing turned out amazing. Easily one of her best. And it's clear she was having fun with it because she went above and beyond this week. Stellar.

Behind the scenes: Moondancer actually wasn't even in the original draft for the story, but I am so glad I decided to put her in.

Act II - Chapter XXIV: Home

Chapter XXIV: Home

Shimmer knelt down and rolled Sunset’s still body over, she couldn’t see her chest rising of falling, only spreading more fear and panic into her. She took a deep breath to calm herself as she crawled over top of Sunset and placed her ear up to Sunset’s open mouth. She could still feel air, that meant she was still breathing, but barely. Shimmer regretted not taking a CPR class briefly before she contemplated what to do. She needed to take serious action, this was getting out of her control.

Her eyes wandered to a bag of Sunset’s things that they had brought over for her at her request when she was still feeling well enough to form thoughts. Shimmer came to a stand and raced to the bag digging through it. Eventually, she found a journal with an odd emblem on the front. It looks old and definitely worn.

Flipping through the pages she saw tons of text that looked like Sunset’s handwriting and the handwriting of someone else, she assumed Princess Twilight. There was no doubt, this was the book used to communicate between the two worlds that Sunset often utilized. She had heard her talk about it, but never actually seen it. Questions started to fill her brain of things to ask the princess when she had a better time, however now all she could think of is what to say.

She had to make a decision, and within seconds her mind was made up. Sunset’s opinion on the matter had to be overruled. Taking a pen out of the bag, Shimmer began to write in the journal.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I hope this works for more people than just Sunset. Either way, I hope you can see this, and I apologize if this is sort of last minute but the circumstances call for it. This is Shimmer, Sunset’s counterpart or sister in this world. Something has gone terribly wrong, Sunset is not well in the slightest.

I need to come to Equestria she can’t be taken care of here and she can’t make it on her own. I don’t know if there are some kinds of laws about humans coming to your world, but this is an emergency, please respond ASAP.

Sincerely,

Shimmer

She sighed as she waited tapping her foot, hoping Twilight got the message. She had recalled something about a portal needing to be opened to go to Equestria, so she knew that if Twilight didn’t open it then they were stuck here.

Her patience paid off as she saw text from the princess begin to appear on the adjacent page, she watched in awe as the magic book revealed a sliver of its power before her.

Shimmer,

I was starting to get worried that she hadn’t written me in so long. I just assumed she had a busy life going on over there, given the last few months have been pretty crazy. I’m sorry to hear that she is not doing well, and I offer you all the help I have at my disposal. Ordinarily, there probably would be some red tape about humans coming here, but I’ll write some letters to explain it away. I’m opening the portal momentarily, please proceed to the statue in front of Canterlot High, if my theory is correct, then anyone who has magic should be able to enter the portal, yourself included.

Do remember though that most of my world doesn’t know about your world or the portal, so please keep quiet about where you are really from. I’ll arrange for your arrival in the next few minutes, I’ll see you shortly. Please be very careful, and make sure Sunset makes it here in one piece.

I’m sorry that you get to see our world for the first time is under these circumstances. When we fix this problem, I promise to show you around properly.

Good luck, Shimmer.

With Regards,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

Nodding, she closed the book and stuffed it under her arm while she approached Sunset. She was given the go-ahead by the princess, now she just needed to figure out the rest of the plan. Regardless she knew the first step was getting Sunset into her car. She’d never make it to Canterlot High on foot, not while carrying her sister anyway.

Reaching down she placed an arm under Sunset and lifted her with a groan. Sunset didn’t even respond, her body simply lay there, not even fazed by Shimmer’s touch.

“Shit…” Shimmer cursed before she realizing that if she wanted to get Sunset into her car, she was going to need to drag her. She was thankful she stayed on the ground floor and that the entrance to the building wasn’t far, however, she would need to go to the carport instead.

With a heave she pulled Sunset along the floor, groaning as she dragged the nearly lifeless girl across the living room. Each step she felt like Sunset seemed to get heavier and heavier, more and more difficult to move, but it was likely just her strength giving out. Somehow though she managed to find the adrenaline to keep moving.

It took a few minutes but she managed to make it all the way to the carport door. Unlocking it from a set of keys, Shimmer stuffed them back into her jeans pocket and continued the drag. Looking around she realized that the car would likely be parked at Canterlot High for a long period of time, so she needed one that she wasn’t too worried about.

Ultimately she decided on the Camaro, she never really did like that vehicle that much anyway. Bringing Sunset to the back door she ran around the other side of the car and opened both doors. Climbing inside and over the seats, she pulled Sunset into the back seat of the car before closing both doors and rushing to the driver’s seat.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone typing up a text to Twilight.

Hey, gonna be away for a bit with Sunset. I need you to watch after Moon for a little while for me. I’ll text you when I get back.

Despite it being 11:08 PM, she still got a reply from Twilight, who she guessed was either up all night studying or was such a light sleeper that the text woke her up.

What’s going on? Where can you possibly be going with Sunset when she’s so sick?

Shimmer sighed and shook her head as she replied and turned her phone off.

Don’t worry about it.

With those words, she revved up the car engine and looked back to Sunset. She was still breathing thankfully.

“Sorry Sunset, we tried your way, now we’re going to do it my way…” Shimmer spoke.

Twilight frantically tried to dial Shimmer’s number, growling in annoyance at the dial tone only to hear her voicemail alert her that she couldn’t come to the phone. “Fuck!” Twilight threw her phone onto her bed.

Where could Shimmer be going? There was only one place: Equestria. She recalled how Sunset was against going, but nonetheless, it was the only feasible option. Who knew if Sunset would even be allowed to return?

There was only one option for Twilight: she needed to get there first.

She composed herself and threw on a hoodie over her pajamas and slipped her bottoms off and grabbed the nearest pair of jeans, struggling and fighting to get them on. With a groan, she managed to get them zipped and buttoned before running to her bed to scoop her phone back up.

Glancing at Spike in his doggie bed, she decided to allow him to continue his slumber. If she was lucky she wouldn’t be too long.

Racing down the stairs, Twilight ran to the entryway to the living room and poked her head in. There on the couch were her parents snuggled up in front of the TV. If she weren’t in such a hurry she might have commented how the two are still very much like lovesick teenagers.

“Dad?” She asked.

Her father looked over at her with a concerned expression, seeing how obviously frantic she was.

“Everything alright, pumpkin?”

“Yeah, well sort of… I need to borrow your car. It’s super important,” Twilight said.

He tilted his head and looked at his watch. “At this hour?”

“I don’t have time to explain, it’s about Sunset…” Twilight frowned.

Her parents knew a bit about Sunset’s situation, but she left out the really complicated parts. Apparently, though that was enough of an explanation as her father nodded and pointed toward the door.

“In that case, you’ll want to take the Impala, the minivan is low on gas,” he instructed.

Twilight blinked, her father never let anyone drive his car. However, deciding not to question it she nodded and ran toward the door and snagged the keys before racing toward the garage.

Reaching the car, she hopped inside, fastened the seatbelt and adjusted the mirror quickly. Looking to her phone she decided to give Shimmer one last call.

Sure enough, she was met with voicemail. She growled but decided to leave a message for the teen.

“Shimmer, it’s Twilight. I know what you’re trying to do and I am telling you it’s a bad idea. I’ll get there first, I live closer, you won’t beat me. We have to think this through. I’ll meet you there.”

With those words, she hung up and threw her phone into the passenger seat and revved up the car. After the garage door opened she peeled out of the driveway at top speed, trying to keep control of the fast car. Twilight wasn’t the most experienced driver, but at this point, she was running on pure adrenaline. She was determined to get there before Shimmer did.

Picking up her phone again she quickly sent out a text to Sunset.

Shimmer kept her eyes focused on the road as she weaved in and out of traffic. She knew the city quite well so she knew how to avoid some of the most congested traffic areas. Canterlot High wasn’t too far away.

Her concentration was interrupted by a vibration from Sunset’s pocket. Coincidentally pulling up to a stoplight Shimmer took advantage of the opportunity to reach back and shuffle through Sunset’s pocket to retrieve her phone. She read the screen with frustrated eyes.

Sunset, I’m coming.

Shimmer dropped the phone and picked her own up and turned it back on. Sure enough, she had a voicemail from Twilight.

She pressed play to hear the message repeated to her.

She blinked and dropped her phone. Twilight thought she could get there before she did?

“Fat chance, Sparkle,” Shimmer thought out loud.

The moment the light turned green she floored the gas pedal. She would need to drive faster and take advantage of every shortcut to beat Twilight there. Twilight meant well, but she didn’t understand the scope of the situation. She couldn’t risk losing precious seconds trying to argue with Twilight that this was the best thing for Sunset. She needed to get there first.

Picking her phone back up as she kept her eyes on the road she called Twilight back.

The phone didn’t even get a chance to ring once before Twilight answered.

“Shimmer, think about what you’re doing…”

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” Shimmer replied.

“If Sunset doesn’t want to go back to Equestria there might be good reasons for that,” Twilight said.

“I don’t care. I’ve decided already, we’re going,” Shimmer replied plainly.

“Please let’s talk about this and if you still feel the same way then we’ll go together…” Twilight attempted to coax.

“It’s not negotiable, Twilight. We’re going and I’ll beat you there.” Shimmer hung up with those words and kept moving.

Twilight growled at Shimmer’s dismissal of her opinion on the matter but calmed herself quickly as she placed her phone back down and tried to remember if she knew any shortcuts to get to the school. She cursed herself for not driving more often.

Part of her knew that going to Equestria might be a good thing for Sunset, but she also knew there were a number of other possibilities. What if what she had was contagious there and she was quarantined the moment she arrived? What if Shimmer got in trouble for traveling there? She wasn’t familiar with the laws in Equestria, but she imagined it wasn’t a good thing for random strangers from alternate universes going there.

Her mind came back to when she and Sunset first met, and then to all the time they had spent together. Her heart tinged in pain at the thought of her staying in Equestria, unable to see her ever again.

While she got under her skin sometimes, Sunset was her best friend, and it was only because of her that she even had any friends at all.

Almost One Year Ago

Twilight gathered her books from her newly appointed locker. She had just transferred to Canterlot High only a few days ago, and it was taking a bit longer to get her paperwork through, she had just gotten a locker today. Principal Celestia had pulled some strings for her and made a lot of it go through much faster.

Closing the locker two male students stood there next to her with an annoyed expression. She noted the band T-Shirts on them from bands she didn’t recognize. One of them placed a hand on the locker next to her and leaned in staring her down.

She turned around to try and leave only for the other one to get behind her and do the same on the locker behind her.

Trembling she shrunk down. “C-can I help you?”

“You can start by getting the hell out of here,” the taller of the two said.

“W-what?” Twilight shook, her weak legs wobbling in fear.

“We don’t need any more magic freaks at this school. That stupid Sunset girl and her retarded friends are enough…” the other one explained.

Twilight trembled and started frantically darting her eyes back and forth looking for any possible opening to escape the two boys closing in on her. She wanted to just shrink and disappear.

“Hey!” A familiar voice rang through the air.

Twilight who had been sitting on the ground at this point as the two boys towered over her peaked between their legs to see a pair of heeled boots and impressive legs standing only a few feet away from the group.

“What do you want, She-demon?” One of the boys growled in the direction of the voice.

“Watch out or I’ll show you what a She-demon can do,” the girl replied.

“This doesn’t concern you…” the other boy stated.

“Really? It looks like you’re harassing my friend, so you just made it my business,” she growled.

The two boys laughed and stepped away from Twilight with fists raised. Looking in that direction she could see her savior was Sunset Shimmer standing tall at the ready as the two boys approached in a fighting stance.

“What’re you gonna do? There’s two of us and one of you? We’re way stronger than you. Without your weird magic you can’t do shit,” the taller male said as he took a fighting stance.

Sunset smirked and reached into her pocket retrieving a hairband. She tied her long locks behind her and removed her jacket tossing it aside as she readied herself. “Tell you what… take one step closer and I’ll show you.”

“She’s bluffing!” the shorter boy said as he jerked his head in her direction.

“Who wants to be the one to find out?” Sunset smirked as she stood with her hands positioned in front of her in a unique fighting stance.

With a hiss, the taller one stepped forward and took a swing only for Sunset to move quickly and slap his hand down with her palm. Swiftly she lifted her leg into the air and hopped doing a full spin kick hitting him in the face. He stumbled backward as she thrust forward with her other leg getting him in the gut.

The other boy tried to take advantage of her focus on his friend, but Sunset grabbed his arm and twisted before she jabbed him in the throat. He coughed before Sunset pulled him closer and thrust her knee into his groin. He released a high pitched groan before falling to his knees.

The taller one regained his composure and took another step at her only for her to duck and grab him from the leg. With a bit of work, she managed to flip him over her shoulder and throw him behind her on his back.

A loud thud echoed as the two groaned in pain, Sunset merely scooping her jacket back up and slung it over her shoulder as she approached Twilight with a smile. She extended a hand and helped her up.

Twilight merely stared in awe at Sunset.

“You okay?” Sunset smiled.

Twilight nodded silently, her mouth still half open.

“You get used to it. Most of the kids have forgotten about what happened, but you always have a few holdouts…” Sunset explained still smiling at Twilight.

“T-that was… amazing…” Twilight spoke finally in total awe.

Sunset blinked and looked back at the two boys on the ground. “Oh, right. Yeah, I learned Krav Maga a while back; I sort of needed to learn to defend myself. When I first got here, I had… well, let’s just say I wasn’t in the best place…”

Before Twilight could comment further she heard the stern voice of the Vice Principal call both of the girl’s names. Her voice was loud and booming and made Twilight shrink slightly in intimidation. Vice Principal Luna was far scarier than her older sister somehow, and it only made Twilight more nervous that she had just potentially seen the whole ordeal.

Turning to face her, Twilight could see a serious expression on the woman’s face who stood there with crossed arms tapping her foot. She extended her arm and pointed as she spoke. “Sunset Shimmer, I believe my sister would like a word with you regarding this violence in school.”

Sunset decided not to object and instead just nodded and did as she was told while she began her walk toward the Principal’s office.

Luna gestured Twilight to follow her, which made the girl gulp, but she nodded and followed behind the woman closely.

The principal and vice principal’s offices were both stationed on separate ends of the hallway, likely because the two sisters liked to have a little distance between each other.

Luna opened her office and entered with Twilight meekly following behind into the poorly lit room. She wondered to herself why Luna preferred to sit in the dark, but decided not to voice the question.

“Please sit,” Luna instructed as she sat at her own desk and gestured to the chair in front of it.

Twilight nodded and sat down and the moment her rear touched the chair she found herself rambling. “Please Vice Principal Luna, Sunset was just defending me, those guys were-“

She was cut off by Luna’s raised hand.

“Please Twilight, save it,” Luna said as she began to scribble down some notes.

“But I don’t want Sunset to get in trouble because of-“

“She’ll be fine. I only sent her to my sister as a formality. I saw the whole thing, what she did was admirable. I just can’t have other students seeing me letting her off so easily for fighting. She’s not in any trouble; we’ll give her a slap on the wrist and call it a day… I understand the circumstances of the situation, but those boys parents might not so it’s best to cover all our bases wouldn’t you agree?” Luna finally smiled.

Twilight blinked in shock. “I… I don’t understand… you’re letting her off easy…?”

“Well, so long as she doesn’t go and make a habit of fighting other students obviously…” Luna coughed and nodded.

“That’s awfully nice of you…” Twilight replied quietly.

Luna tidied up her messy desk a little and looked at Twilight sternly. “Miss Sparkle, I know you’re new here and fitting in isn’t difficult but I do have some advice for you…”

“What would that be?” Twilight leaned in with interest.

“Stay close to Sunset. She knows what it’s like to have to earn everyone’s forgiveness, I’m not sure if you’ve heard about the fall formal yet…” Luna raised a brow in anticipation only for Twilight to shake her head, “well, I’m sure you will soon. Either way, Sunset clearly is looking out for you and I would be thankful for that… she reminds me a bit of myself when I was her age…”

“Ma’am?” Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

“I wasn’t always the disciplinarian you see before you, truth be told I was a bit of a troublemaker myself, I found redemption just like Sunset has. Like I said, stay close to her, there’s no doubt in my mind she will help you with anything you need.” Luna smiled at Twilight.

Twilight nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

Luna gestured for Twilight to leave. “Alright then, you’re dismissed and Twilight, do stay safe. Try not to let the other students get to you.”

Coming to a stand, Twilight nodded. “I won’t ma’am, thank you.”

Twilight’s memory of Sunset faded as she came back to reality and pressed her foot down hard on the brakes of the car, the vehicle screeching to a halt as she looked in front of her to see a line of cars.

Grumbling she rolled her window down and poked her head out to see what the holdup was.

There at the traffic light was an accident with two people yelling at each other standing outside their destroyed vehicles. Police and the fire department were already on the scene slowly directing traffic.

Twilight pulled back into her car and looked behind her to see if perhaps there was a chance she could turn around and take another path; however by the time she turned around she already saw a line of cars behind her, preventing her from leaving.

She banged on her steering wheel in frustration at her terrible luck. “Fuck!”

She blushed for a moment at her own cursing which wasn’t like her, but retrieved her phone from the seat and tried to dial Shimmer one more time.

To no surprise, there was no answer.

In frustration, she gave the horn a few honks before finally accepting she would have to wait it out and hope she got directed out of the traffic jam quick enough to still beat Shimmer to Canterlot High, or hope that Shimmer would get stuck in similar traffic.

Weaving through the final stretch of traffic, Shimmer pulled into the school parking lot which was fortunately not that populated at this time of night. With a smirk, she looked around and saw no Twilight to be seen.

Parking her car, she stuffed her phone into her purse and paused for a moment thinking it over. Would she really need her phone? Was it even possible to bring any of her belongings to Equestria? She had never bothered to ask how any of this portal business worked, but she did know one item that she could bring.

She reached over the seat and onto the floor in front of Sunset and picked up the journal before exiting the car and coming around to the back side where Sunset laid. Quickly though she realized that the journal likely would be better left behind, so she stuffed it under Sunset's seat, before reaching to Sunset.

Shimmer shook her to see if she could get a response, but Sunset barely moved. Leaning down she gave another listen to her mouth to make sure she was still breathing. Shimmer almost skipped a breath herself when she heard air leave Sunset’s mouth.

With that, she began to haul the girl out of the car and pulled her up. Being only able to partially lift her, Sunset’s legs dragged on the ground, leaving dirt stains on her pajamas. Shimmer accepted she may need to buy the girl new ones and trudged onward, stepping back toward the direction of the statue in front of the school. She recalled it being broken before, but the school must have had it replaced; Shimmer returned her mind to the task at hand though. The parking lot was a good distance away, so it wasn’t going to be an easy trip and she needed to hurry before Twilight arrived.

With a deep breath, she gave a few tugs and managed to travel a few feet before needing to stop and take a breath or two. Sunset wasn’t the heaviest person in the world, but Shimmer’s body clearly was designed more for looking attractive and less for manual labor. Her entire life she had never really known what it felt like to do manual labor, and for this brief moment, she regretted it. She prayed that even a fraction of Sunset’s strength would rub off on her as she dragged her sister further and further, slowly approaching the statue.

She looked over her shoulder to see she was only a good forty or so paces away, she just needed to make it to that statue and she was home free, after that she didn’t need to worry about anything else.

After another short break, she took another good ten steps only to stop again.

Gritting her teeth she decided to try and power through the last stretch and sure enough, she took a good twenty or so steps and found herself directly in front of the statue.

She released Sunset for a moment and wiped her sweaty forehead.

Shimmer lifted Sunset back up and looked over her shoulder at the statue. She could see ripples in the mirror-like marble behind her as she nodded. “Sorry, Twilight but I am doing this for her own good…” Shimmer stated.

With those words, she pulled backward and fell into the mirror, Sunset’s body following after her.

Twilight had managed to finally escape the traffic jam and sped through the remainder of the town to try and make up for lost time. She checked her phone to see she had lost a good eight minutes sitting there. There was no telling how much of a lead that gave Shimmer, but she was determined to still beat her there.

Only a few more turns and she would be arriving at the school. Sure enough, when the school came into view she couldn’t see anyone standing in front of it.

A cold sweat ran down her neck as she pulled into the parking lot.

There parked in the parking lot was a recognizable car. She had seen Shimmer’s Camaro once before and there was no mistaking it. To confirm she parked the Impala next to it and stepped out, looking into the window of the expensive Camaro. She could see Shimmer’s rose gold iPhone sitting on the seat, and a purse that was undoubtedly Shimmer’s.

“Damn it…” she thought out loud.

Shimmer had beaten her there, but that didn’t mean she had won just yet. There was still time.

Twilight raced as fast as her weak legs would carry her all the way to the statue in front of the school.

The nerdy girl stared at the large horse and then down to the base with awe. This was supposedly the portal between the two worlds, the place where Sunset first arrived at the human world, and where the princess had traveled from many times now.

She was always fascinated by this portal and wished she had more time or the opportunity to study it more and understand how it worked or why it was even there in the first place. It was perhaps the one mystery that made the least sense; why did the portal exist at all?

It was a mystery for another day however as Twilight composed herself and approached cautiously.

Twilight reached a careful hand forward and closed her eyes, not sure what she was expecting as she inched closer and closer.

Her hand touched the marble and she winced for a moment only to open her eyes and blink.

Nothing happened.

She placed her other hand on the marble only to feel hard rock.

“W-what!? No!” She panicked, trying to pat the rock all over, hoping for something to happen.

It couldn’t be; Shimmer anticipated Twilight’s arrival and she had the portal closed behind her.

Twilight banged her fists against the rock in frustration and growled. “Shimmer! Open this portal!” she howled.

She waited only a few seconds to realize she wasn’t answering and likely couldn’t even hear her.

“Shimmer you bitch! You have no idea what you’re doing!” Twilight yelled at top volume.

She looked over to the sidewalk in front of the school to see a man walking his dog staring at her awkwardly.

Twilight composed herself and pulled her phone out of her pocket and held it up. “S-sorry… bad phone call…” she lied.

The stranger shrugged and kept walking as Twilight sunk down and let her bottom sit on the cold concrete in front of the statue. Not knowing what else to do, she closed her eyes and decided to wait.

Portal travel was definitely the oddest experience that Shimmer had felt thus far in her life. Magic was one thing, but this was on a whole other level. Moving between worlds made her body feel like it was being stretched and tugged in all directions. There was a small period of weightlessness and then the sensation of falling before finally tumbling out of the portal on the other side.

She could feel pain as she tumbled backward and rolled, crashing into a wall, Sunset flying right behind her and landing in front of her on her stomach.

Shimmer groaned and composed herself as she reached to find her glasses that had fallen off. She tried to move her fingers only to find nothing happened. She reached her right hand over to her left hand to feel it up as she squinted to see it better.

It didn’t feel like a hand at all, but instead some kind of flat surface.

Frantically feeling around she managed to locate what felt like her glasses. She curled her odd new appendage around them and lifted them awkwardly to her face. A little fumbling and she was able to secure them onto herself before looking down at the rest of herself.

She blushed and covered herself with her… hooves when she realized she wasn’t wearing any clothing. Then she recalled Sunset mentioning clothing was optional in their world and calmed herself.

Looking at Sunset in front of her, she examined the creature. She was definitely a pony, but not much like the ones she had seen in her homeworld.

Shimmer assumed she was much of the same given she had figured out that she had hooves now.

She took a few awkward steps to try and gain her balance before finally nodding as she felt comfortable.

The girl wouldn’t get much extra time to learn about her new form as through the doorway to the room she was in came a purple mare with a familiar looking haircut. The mare extended her wings and smiled as she looked at Shimmer. There was no mistaking it, this was Princess Twilight in her true form.

Shimmer gazed in awe at how gorgeous her wings were. She took note of the girl’s horn as well and remembered that Sunset had mentioned she was a unicorn in this world.

The Princess extended a hoof to Shimmer. “So, we finally meet in my world. I have to admit it’s a bit surreal.”

Shimmer shook the Princess’ hoof awkwardly and nodded.

“I suppose I should have expected you’d be a unicorn her too… though a bit odd that you have a different cutie mark than Sunset…” Twilight pointed to Shimmer’s backside.

Shimmer blinked and turned to see the back of her body. Looking above her hind leg she saw an emblem that appeared to be some kind of shining Sun over a horizon. She peered back to Sunset to see that her sister was sporting a yellow, red and orange shining Sun logo. This must have been what a cutie mark was, Shimmer imagined.

The Princess approached Sunset with a frown and placed a hoof on the girl’s neck. She waited and then leaned in to hear her breathing.

“Oh no… she’s barely breathing. Spike, get the doctor and the nurses in here!” She called out.

Shimmer blinked, unsure of what was going on. The Princess nudged Shimmer to step aside as a small dragon entered the room with a few other ponies all sporting various pieces of medical garb, the one leading the charge being a female with a stethoscope around her neck.

“Nurse Redheart, I need you over here, bring the cart!” the doctor stated.

“Doctor Healer, I have the serums over here!” another nurse called out as she dragged a cart behind her.

The group gathered around Sunset as the doctor levitated the stethoscope to the mare’s chest. She listened for only a moment before she gestured to the other nurse. “I need a vital monitoring spell, right now!”

The nurse nodded and placed a hoof upon Sunset before her horn glowed a vibrant yellow as she closed her eyes in concentration. “Vitals are dropping, doctor…”

“Alright, I need serum 422, Nurse Redheart,” Doctor Healer commanded.

The nurse nodded and handed off a syringe that the doctor quickly injected into Sunset and emptied the contents.

“Vitals continuing to fall, doctor…” the other nurse warned.

The doctor leaned in and placed the stethoscope back on Sunset’s chest and lifted her eyelids to look into her eyes. “What’s her name?” the doctor asked out loud.

“Sunset…” The princess choked out.

Shimmer watched with her hooves covering her mouth, unable to even breathe.

“Sunset? Can you hear me, Sunset? I need you to stay with me…” The doctor ordered.

At those words Sunset’s entire body began to convulse violently, causing the doctor and Nurse Redheart to hold her down. “She’s going into arrest, she needs air!” Nurse Redheart cried.

Nodding the doctor held Sunset’s head down and opened her jaw before placing her lips to Sunset’s and blowing heavily. After a few breaths, Sunset’s body stopped moving entirely. “Doctor she’s flatlining,” The other nurse spoke.

“I need a defib, now!” Doctor Healer barked.

With a nod, Redheart retrieved a defibrillator from the cart she had brought into the room. Levitating the paddles the doctor took a deep breath herself and yelled before placing them down on Sunset’s stomach. “Clear!”

A loud zap was heard through the room before the other nurse spoke again. “Vitals returned, but she’s dropping fast.”

“Okay… I need…” the doctor froze in thought. “I need…”

“She’s going to code, doctor!” Nurse Redheart rushed her.

“Okay, judgment call here, I need serum 88 and 89!” Doctor Healer instructed.

“Doctor that’s a big risk…” the nurse warned.

“We’re out of options! Give them to me, now!” she yelled.

Nurse Redheart obeyed and handed off the two syringes. Shimmer and Twilight looked on with wide eyes in silence as the doctor took a deep breath once more and jabbed the two needles into Sunset. She spoke quietly as she injected her. “Come on… work… stay with me, Sunset… please…”

The entire room fell silent for a moment, and it seemed like time stopped entirely. The silence was ultimately broken by Sunset inhaling loudly, causing everyone in the room to release a breath they didn’t even know they were holding in.

“Vitals returning… stabilizing… and… stabilized…” the other nurse sighed before ending her spell.

“You did it, Doctor…” Nurse Redheart patted Doctor Healer’s shoulder.

“We did it, Miss Redheart… please… take her back to the hospital, we’re not out of the woods yet…” the doctor instructed.

Nodding, the two nurses ran out of the room and returned with a stretcher which they proceeded to use to lift Sunset up and carry her out of the room.

The doctor sighed and placed a hoof to her temple as she sat down. Twilight and Shimmer approached cautiously, Shimmer speaking softly, “T-thank you, doctor…”

“And who are you?” the doctor raised an annoyed brow.

Twilight placed a hoof on Shimmer’s shoulder with a smile. “Doctor Healer, this is Shimmer, Sunset’s younger sister…”

“If there’s anything I can do-“ Shimmer began but was cut off by the doctor with an annoyed expression.

“You can start by being more responsible! What were you thinking!? This girl should have been in the hospital long ago! I’m a doctor, not a miracle worker; you’ve made my job a lot harder now!” she scolded.

Shimmer blushed and sunk her head down as she stuttered. “I-I… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

“Doctor, the circumstances were… unique…” Princess Twilight attempted to explain.

“I don’t care. I’m not a therapist, and I don’t care about your circumstances, that’s not part of my job. You should have known better, Princess. Now if you two excuse me, I have to get to the hospital if I have any hope of saving this girl. I suggest you two wait there…” Doctor Healer said before stepping out into the hallway.

Shimmer couldn’t even find words to describe how she felt at that moment. All she knew was she was praying inside that she wasn’t too late.

Author's Note

I actually had to stop a few times writing this chapter because it got a little too intense for me.

Behind the scenes: I actually didn't give Applety any specific scenes to draw this time, she literally just chose them herself.

Act II - Chapter XXV: Time

Chapter XXV: Time

Eyes opened to gaze at a familiar building through foggy glasses. Twilight grumbled as a yawn escaped her. Her back ached and she didn’t even remember falling asleep. Wrapped around her was a blanket she had retrieved from her father’s car when she arrived last night. It was cold and she wanted to avoid catching any ailments as she waited.

Part of her knew going home was the better idea, but she decided instead to simply wait, not wanting to miss Sunset’s return if she did come back through the now closed portal.

It had occurred to her though that something had woken her up. A gentle tap on the shoulder, which caused her to look up to see the blurry face of a woman in her early thirties looking down at her with a raised brow.

“Principal Celestia?” Twilight asked.

The good principal knelt down to Twilight’s level and looked the girl in the face. “Twilight Sparkle? What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for Sunset…” Twilight replied as she shifted in her blanket.

“Sunset? You mean Sunset Shimmer?”

Twilight nodded.

Celestia sighed and shook her head. “Have you been here all night?”

Twilight frowned and looked away with a blush, though it was hard to see as her cold face was mostly red already. “I… I don’t know…”

“Oh dear… Come on, let’s get you inside, you’ll catch a cold out here…” Celestia took Twilight’s hand only for the girl to remain seated. Celestia looked back with confusion at Twilight’s protest.

“No! I have to stay here… I have to make sure Sunset’s okay…” Twilight replied.

Celestia sighed again and gave another tug on the girl’s hand, only for Twilight to defiantly stay seated.

“Twilight, I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re not going to be any good to Sunset if you catch a cold out here. Now please, come inside with me and we’ll get you warmed up and we can talk about this, alright?” The principal requested.

Twilight looked up at her and instantly felt her armor peel away. There was something about the principal that was always soothing. She was definitely in the correct career field as she was excellent at getting teenagers to listen to her, even when they wanted to be defiant. Perhaps she had an aura that made one not want to disappoint her which made her such a good disciplinarian. Often times Twilight heard of students turning themselves in out of fear of Celestia’s disapproval rather than fear of getting caught.

The teen came to a stand and used her free hand to keep her blanket wrapped around herself as she followed Celestia inside.

Reaching the front door, Twilight saw her retrieve a set of keys from her pocket and unlock the front door. It dawned on her that she was going to experience the school before hours which was something she always was curious about; what teachers did before all the students arrived.

Entering the atrium of the school, Twilight could see that most of the lights weren’t on yet, and a very frazzled and busy looking Ms. Cheerilee waved to Celestia before catching up with her.

“Principal Celestia! And… Twilight Sparkle?” She tilted her head in confusion as she focused on Twilight.

Twilight gave a gentle wave only for Celestia to explain her away to the frantic teacher. “It’s a long story, what do you need Ms. Cheerilee?”

The teacher coughed and adjusted herself. “Oh, just running a bit late and wondering if you could make an announcement that my early morning tutor sessions are canceled. I had some car trouble earlier and-“

The Principal held out a hand to cut her off and simply nodded. “That will be fine, Ms. Cheerilee. Please, go get yourself some coffee and relax.”

“Relax… yes… of course…” She nodded before brushing her messy hair with her hands and wandered off.

“She’s a lot less… peppy in the morning…” Twilight stated.

“She’s better after a cup of coffee, trust me.” The principal chuckled.

“I guess so…” Twilight remarked.

“She’s a busy woman, that’s all. I know what that’s like…” Celestia grew quiet for a moment before shaking her head and smiling at Twilight as she gestured for the two to continue to her office.

Twilight nodded and continued their walk until they crossed paths with a familiar Vice-Principal with bags under her eyes. The young woman yawned and stretched as she nodded at her sister quietly.

“Up late again?” Celestia asked.

Luna shrugged. “Insomnia, you know how it goes…”

Celestia sighed and shook her head. “Go get yourself some coffee…”

“Waaaay ahead of you…” her younger sibling replied before lifting a McDonald’s cup.

“How many of those have you had by chance?” Celestia asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

“Only four…” Luna rolled her tired eyes.

“Four lattes!?” Celestia groaned in annoyance.

Luna paused and rubbed her ear. “Five counting this one…”

“You really do take after dad…” Celestia smirked.

Luna chuckled and nodded before taking a long sip from her to-go cup. “What’s with Twilight? No offense dear, we love having you here, but I’m more used to you being here during school hours…”

“You know, when she’s human,” Celestia teased as she nudged Twilight’s shoulder, causing the girl to giggle.

“Man does picking on me ever get old?” Luna complained.

“Not likely.” Celestia snickered.

“Still haven’t answered my question…” Luna spoke in an annoyed tone, clearly, the two were used to bickering like this in the morning, but Luna grew tired of it very quickly.

Celestia composed herself and adjusted her jacket. “I found her outside sitting in front of the statue…”

“I see…” Luna blinked before leaning down to Twilight’s level, her face only an inch away from Twilight’s. Twilight could smell the mixture of chocolate and coffee on her breath as she smiled. “Late night trips to Equestria?”

Celestia pushed her sister’s face back gently and forced the woman to stand upright before brushing Luna’s shirt. “Luna, why not go rest a bit in your office, I’ll handle this.”

With another yawn escaping the haggard, sleep-deprived disciplinarian, Luna nodded and decided it was for the best to allow her older sister take care of the situation. “Alright… if you need me, I’m going to be trying to nap on my couch, try not to wake me until the first bell rings though… maybe I can manage to read that manga I’ve been sitting on…” as the woman walked away she began to ramble to herself almost incoherently.

Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes. “I swear she reads so much of that trash. When we were kids all she’d do is read that stuff and watch those animes of hers’…”

Looking back to Twilight, Celestia let her positive face come back to her and lead the remainder of the way to her office. Once the two managed to get inside, Celestia walked over to a coffee maker in the room. Twilight assumed that the two sisters drank enough to where they needed their own private machine. She took note that it was clearly a more expensive model with a timed brewer on it, so it was likely that Celestia set her coffee maker on a timer so she’d have fresh coffee the moment she walked in the door.

Part of her wondered how often Luna’s coffee maker ran.

“Coffee?” Celestia asked.

Twilight shook her head.

Nodding, Celestia poured herself a cup and threw two sugar cubes into it. With the gentle twirl of a nearby spoon, she took a short sip and smiled before returning to her chair.

“So… tell me again why you were sitting in front of the school in your pajamas and a blanket?” The Principal asked from behind her cup.

“And a hoodie,” Twilight corrected.

“Twilight,” Celestia scolded.

“Right… well, it’s a long story but… I think… Shimmer took Sunset back to Equestria…” Twilight frowned as she started to feel the memories of the previous night resurface. Those feelings of defeat tried to overtake her again and she could feel her hands ball into little fists just thinking about it.

“Why would she do something like that?” Celestia asked with a raised brow.

“Sunset is sick… she’s been sick for a while…” Twilight explained.

With a nod, Celestia clearly understood. “I see, I know she’s been absent with an illness, but I had no idea it was so bad…”

“I’m just worried because what if they quarantine her there or something?” Twilight asked.

Celestia chuckled and set her cup down. “Relax, Twilight. I doubt anything like that will happen. Shimmer cares about Sunset; she wouldn’t do something like this unless she thought it was the best thing for her. That girl comes her personally to pick up and drop off Sunset’s homework. I can see it in her eyes; Sunset is the world to her.”

Twilight didn’t consider that perspective before. Maybe Shimmer knew what she was doing, it was possible after all that everything would work out, still, she wished she could see Sunset.

“I’m sure Sunset will be fine,” Celestia reassured.

Twilight nodded finally and found herself trying to agree with that statement. “Right… I mean… you’re probably right… still is it possible you could continue to make an excuse for Sunset? I don’t want her to get in trouble for truancy or anything…”

The principal nodded and smiled. “I have it under control. Believe it or not, Twilight, but I know what it’s like to deal with mischief and very odd circumstances…”

“Y-you do?” Twilight leaned in with awe. She could never imagine Celestia as a troublemaker.

The woman chuckled and gave a hand gesture suggesting she wanted Twilight to calm down. “Another story for another day, Twilight. For now, why don’t you just get some rest on the couch before school begins? Do your parents know you’re here?” Celestia asked.

Twilight shook her head. “I mean… they knew I took the Impala last night to get here, but I imagine they expected me to come back…”

Celestia nodded and stood up. “I’ll call them for you. Please go ahead and use the couch, you’ve had a long night and you should rest up.”

Twilight nodded and found herself wandering over to the red couch in the room with a yawn. She was far more tired than she imagined. The moment her head touched the pillow she was already feeling her eyelids grow heavy, but the only thought on her mind was wondering if Sunset was okay and praying for her to have a safe return.

It was difficult for Shimmer to tell how much time had passed due to her and the Princess spending the past few hours in the waiting room of the Ponyville hospital. Shimmer also contemplated if time moved at the same speed in this world, or if time in her world was parallel to it. Give how long she had to think about such questions by the time what she assumed to be morning had come she had a long list of question to ask the Princess when she returned home.

Princess Twilight was leaned against a wall as she sat in a chair awkwardly, snoring. For a princess, she wasn’t the most dainty, but then again Shimmer didn’t quite know what that was for her species.

Shimmer must have counted the tiles on the ceiling at least a dozen times at this point to keep her mind clear of thoughts of how long it had been. Not a word from the doctors, and it worried her.

Relief finally came to her as she saw the Doctor Healer step out through a set of double doors holding a clipboard in her hoof. Shimmer noted how tired and dishelved the mare looked. Given how tired the mare looked, Shimmer had guessed they had been sitting around for many hours at this point, she guessed at least eight.

She gave Twilight a shake, causing the princess to grumble and utter “18 boxes please…” as she was still half dreaming.

“Twilight, wake up, the doctor is here!” Shimmer shook the tired mare more viciously causing Twilight to grumble more.

Finally getting up with a long yawn, Twilight pulled herself out of her seat with Shimmer, as the two approached the doctor; Shimmer with a more concerned face, Twilight with one of annoyance, clearly still tired.

“How is she, doctor? Is she alright? What can we do?” Shimmer pleaded.

The doctor grumbled and covered her ear. “One question at a time, please…”

“Right… sorry” Shimmer blushed.

“You said you’re her sister, right?” the doctor asked, answering Shimmer’s question with another question.

“Y-yes…?” Shimmer could feel her heart leap into her throat.

“Please, let’s have a seat.” Doctor Healer gestured back to the chairs.

Shimmer nodded and Twilight followed as the group sat down. The doctor levitated the clipboard in front of her eyes, giving her glasses a slight adjustment. “Well it’s 1:28 PM, so I’ll be clocking out soon, but I put my nurses and another doctor on the job.”

“Sorry to keep you, doctor…” Twilight attempted to apologize only for the doctor to raise a hoof.

“Save it. Next time, I can’t help but stress how important it is to get to us sooner, had you two arrived even a minute later, we wouldn’t have even gotten her to the hospital…” the doctor complained.

“S-sorry…” Shimmer choked on her words.

Doctor Healer took a long inhale and then released the breath as she leaned back in the chair looking over the chart, her silky brown mane covering part of her face, to where she brushed it out of the way.

“That being said… her condition is… not good…” she admitted.

“What’s wrong with her?” Shimmer spoke.

“She has Magicolius, It’s a magic-based virus common in adolescents, most are vaccinated for it when they are in their early preteen years, I’m surprised she wasn’t as well be honest, it's very rare that a foal is not immunized…” the doctor explained.

“S-so there’s a cure then!?” Shimmer leaned in excitedly.

The doctor covered her ear again and inched away from Shimmer. “I said there was a vaccine, not a cure. Anyway, she is far too weak to give the vaccine now.”

Shimmer frowned and pulled away from the doctor nodding. “R-right…”

The princess yawned again and composed herself. “Give it to us straight, doctor… how is she?”

Doctor Healer closed her eyes and sighed. “Not well… her vitals are poor, we had to monitor her all last night… there aren’t any signs of her improving either. I have my best nurses watching her but…”

“But…?” Twilight asked.

“I… I would plan for the worst-case scenario… it’ll be a miracle if she survives the night.” The doctor frowned and paused before adding, "I'm sorry..."

Shimmer felt tears welling up in her eyes as she turned and buried her face into Twilight’s chest. The princess wrapped a hoof around her.

“She’s a tough girl, but she’ll be fighting for her life from here on out. Whether she makes it or not will be determined by how badly she wants to live…” The doctor explained.

“Thank you, doctor…” Twilight replied.

Doctor Healer stood up and placed a hoof on Shimmer’s shoulder, causing the girl to look to the tired doctor with wet eyes. “I had a sister myself… I lost her when I was young, it was the whole reason I became a doctor, so I understand what you’re going through.”

Shimmer nodded as she wiped her tears.

“She needs you to be strong right now, I have the best nurses and doctors I know on the job.” The doctor smiled.

Shimmer was surprised to see the grumpy doctor actually smile for a change, but she found a smile coming to her own face as she nodded. “T-thank you, doctor.”

Doctor Healer nodded and raised a hoof as she stepped away. “Now, I will be in my office sleeping. I’m not leaving this building until this girl is no longer in my care.”

As she trotted away Twilight smiled and pet Shimmer’s head. “At least she is dedicated…”

Twilight waved to her father as he drove off, dropping her off at the gate to Applejack’s farm home on the edge of town. Her eyes were drawn to the old rusty pickup truck parked haphazardly in front of the house and took note of how it contrasted with the nicely kept house. The house was clearly painted recently and while Applejack and her family clearly didn’t care much for having a presentable vehicle, they did seem to care deeply about having a nice home.

The place reminded her of the kind of nice country home you’d see in postcards. She remembered Applejack briefly mentioning they used to live on a farm down south before they moved to Maryland, she couldn’t remember all the details though.

Adjusting the bag saddled on her back, Twilight opened the front gate and began the slow walk toward Applejack’s abode. It had been a few days since her friends had seen her. After her race with Shimmer to the portal only to be met with defeat, Twilight spent the morning sleeping in Celestia’s office.

As predicted though, she developed a small cold, and the Principal drove her home and had her father come to pick up his car. While her parents were deeply worried about her, they didn’t seem too upset regarding her actions after she explained them. She was blessed to have such understanding parents, though they did tell her to bring a jacket next time and to come home sooner.

She would then spend the next few days at home recovering, constantly checking her phone hoping to get a message from Shimmer, but no such luck. Eight days had passed since Shimmer left and there was no word on when she would return, if ever. It was all that was on Twilight’s mind; what could possibly be going on there? Was Shimmer arrested for illegally going through the portal? Was that a thing over there? Was Sunset quarantined?

She couldn’t seem to get the thoughts out of her head, as she worried more and more. There was a dreading fear that things had taken a turn for the worse.

As she stepped along the path she looked up to the sky, realizing that it would start snowing soon. Winter was going to be in full swing in a few weeks. She wondered if Sunset would even be home for Christmas.

Twilight’s weak frigid finger reached forward and rang the doorbell before stuffing her hand back into her jacket pocket for warmth. Not to much surprise, Applejack answered the door and a big grin appeared on her face before the country girl grabbed Twilight and pulled her into the structure with a tight hug. “Y’all gave us quite the scare there, sug.”

Twilight gasped for breath remembering now that Applejack didn’t know her own strength when hugging people and almost gave more violent hugs than Pinkie, but Pinkie still rated the most over the top for hugs, unsurprisingly. Twilight once recalled wondering if she would survive a hug from Pinkie when they first met.

One major difference between Applejack and Pinkie, however, was that Applejack knew when to stop, whereas Pinkie seemed to take struggling for air as a challenge to squeeze harder.

Realizing Twilight was gasping for dear life, Applejack loosened her grip and ultimately allowed her to escape the embrace, before placing both of her hands on each of Twilight’s upper arms as she held the girl at a distance with a chuckle. “Heh, sorry. Don’t know my own strength sometimes…” Applejack admitted, a blush crossing her freckled cheeks.

Twilight seldom stood this close to Applejack, but she noticed that she actually had a very feminine face up close. She tried to hide it with her mannerisms and refusing to adopt makeup into her wardrobe, but underneath that stetson of hers was the cute face of a young woman, actually Twilight almost felt a bit jealous of how naturally cute Applejack was up close, but she decided it wasn’t the topic of conversation she wanted to spark up at the moment. She composed herself and snapped back to reality quickly.

“It’s alright, also I’m sorry for worrying you…” Twilight smiled meekly.

Applejack pulled her arm as she stepped backward to drag Twilight into the house more. Nearly falling forward, Twilight followed as Applejack closed the door behind her. “Let’s get in here, we’re lettin’ all the warm out,” she instructed.

“R-right!” Twilight stuttered as she regained her balance.

Twilight cautiously walked deeper into the house to find herself standing in the living room where the other girls all sat. Twilight wanted to giggle as she watched Rainbow Dash sit with a blush and an annoyed expression as Fluttershy braided her long hair. “I swear I am going to cut my hair so people are not tempted to try and braid it or do frilly girly crap with me…”

Fluttershy giggled and continued as she shook her head. “You wouldn’t do that, you like your hair.”

“Mark my words! I will become a butchy lesbian just to stop this nonsense!” Rainbow objected.

“Would you really?” Rarity sitting on the couch raised a brow as she sat with her legs and arms crossed.

“N-no… but still…” Rainbow grumbled.

Rarity smirked and nodded, content with herself. “As I thought, the tough and oh so anti-feminine Rainbow Dash has a womanly side that she is afraid to admit she enjoys…”

“Shut up! I do not!” Rainbow growled.

“Defensive, I see?” Rarity teased.

“Girls, please…” Fluttershy intervened a few strands of Rainbow’s long multi-colored hair still in her hands.

Her words were effective as the two ceased and looked away from each other in annoyance. Twilight giggled, but she knew that Rarity had somewhat of a point. They had caught Rainbow doing “girly” things in secret before, and she was certain they would again at some point.

“Twilight, dear! It’s good to see you!” Rarity changed the subject and patted the seat next to herself. Applejack gestured to go ahead as she sat down on the other side of the same couch. It appeared as though whatever they were going through the two of them patched up. Twilight surmised it was just another squabble due to the two of them having personalities that but heads regularly.

She took the invitation and sat down between the two of them and leaned back into the comfortable couch. Applejack’s family seemed to have the most comfortable furniture she ever sat in, the only one that came to a close second was Rarity’s home, though Rarity clearly sacrificed a small amount of said comfort for style and appeal.

“You had us all worried you know?” Rainbow spoke up, her arms crossed looking at Twilight.

A blush appeared on Twilight’s face as she sunk deeper into the couch. “S-sorry… sort of a last minute thing, I didn’t have time to really think it through…”

“Next time please call one of us, we could at least have brought you some more blankets and stayed with you…” Fluttershy frowned. Her face gave the signal that she was more disappointed that Twilight didn’t trust her enough to give her a call while she waited by that old statue all night. She instead of having someone to talk to spent the night wondering when the school had the broken horse statue replaced and how she hadn’t noticed, she ultimately chalked it up to just being too distracted lately.

“I promise next time I’ll call someone… it wasn’t because I don’t trust any of you or anything, it was entirely because I just wasn’t thinking…” Twilight frowned.

“No need to explain, darling.” Rarity smirked before placing an arm around Twilight’s shoulder and winking. “We know you were just worried about Sunset.”

“Speaking of which… how is she…?” Applejack spoke with a bit of hesitation in her voice, clearly worried about the answer.

Twilight sighed and shook her head, causing the entire group to droop a little. “No idea… I haven’t heard anything… I was hoping you guys would…”

“Nope, not a text, phone call or nothin’,” Applejack stated before crossing her legs and leaning back.

“I see…” Twilight frowned. “Hopefully she’s okay…”

“Sunset? Please, it would take a dozen trucks hitting her to take her out!” Rainbow reassured with a fist in front of her.

“She is a tough girl that’s for sure…” Fluttershy added.

“If Shimmer took her, then you know she’s getting the best care; Shimmer doesn’t do anything halfway…” Rarity reminded.

Twilight nodded, her friends were right, she had little to worry about with her being in the care of both Shimmer and the Princess; still she wished she could see her and find out what’s going on.

Sunset looked around what appeared to be a big empty space. For miles, she could see nothing but emptiness. She couldn’t remember how long she had been in this place, or when she arrived, but she blinked as she saw Twilight appear before her instantly. She blinked and she popped into existence. Sunset took a step backward as she gazed at her.

“T-Twilight?”

The nerdy girl nodded and smiled. “It’s been a while, Sunset… I miss you…”

Sunset rubbed her neck and nodded back. “Y-yeah… I miss you too… where are we?”

Another voice called to her from behind, causing Sunset to jump as she turned and saw Rarity standing there. The girl walked in a half circle around her before she was standing next to Twilight. “Where do you think we are, darling?”

Sunset squinted in thought. “Last thing I remember… is passing out…”

A third voice with a southern accent echoed through the seemingly endless room before she saw blonde hair and a freckled face poke out from behind Rarity. Just like the others, Sunset never saw her enter this place.

“Right, so that means…?” The voice of Applejack rang.

Looking the country girl up and down, Sunset thought it over. “I… I don’t know…?”

With a giggle and a snort, Pinkie Pie came into light, stepping out of the darkness from seemingly nowhere just like the rest of them. She contained her giggles for a moment to speak. “Come on, Sunset; think harder…”

Sunset blinked and her eyes widened in horror. “A-am I… dead?”

This time Rainbow Dash’s voice came from behind her as a hand was placed on her shoulder. Looking over her shoulder she saw Rainbow standing there with a smirk. “Is that such a bad thing? Being dead that is?”

Sunset didn’t answer, instead, she looked down at the ground with a frown.

A hand reached up and touched her chin, forcing her to look up. There she was met with the soft face of Fluttershy. “You can stay here with all of us, Sunset. We won’t leave you…”

Her frown slowly changed into a smile. “I… I would like that…”

The group lined up in front of Sunset as Twilight extended her hand to her. “Take my hand, Sunset.”

Gently Sunset reached forward only for the loud booming voice of another woman to echo through the air. “ENOUGH!”

Sunset turned away for only a second, but when she turned back, Twilight and her friends had already vanished. She blinked in confusion before she saw a taller, elegant woman step in front of her. She looked a lot like her vice principal, but far more elegant, adorning a dress that looked like it would cost a small fortune rather than the attire that the vice principal wore.

It only took her a moment to figure out who this woman was. “Princess… Luna?”

She nodded and a smile appeared on her face.

“Sunset Shimmer… we meet at last… I have heard much about you, but this is our first time actually meeting…” Her loud voice grew softer as she stepped forward and placed her pale hand on Sunset’s shoulder.

“I heard from Princess Twilight that you returned a while after I left…” Sunset said.

Luna nodded. “Twilight restored me after a thousand year banishment. That, however, is a story for another day, child.”

“I thought you were a pony…” Sunset raised a brow.

Luna chuckled and nodded again. “I have taken this form as it is one you have grown more accustomed to at this point.”

“I suppose that makes sense…” Sunset nodded back.

It was true too, she had spent so long in the human world that she actually had forgotten most of how she did anything in Equestria. She couldn’t even remember directions to get to her old family home in Canterlot.

“So… what are you doing here?” Sunset blinked.

The princess removed her hand and placed both of her arms behind her back as she wandered about speaking to Sunset. “You have probably figured out that this is all a dream, haven’t you?”

Sunset frowned and nodded in agreement. “Yeah… so that means you’re not really here are you?”

The princess of the night looked over at Sunset with a smirk. “I didn’t say that. You see my abilities allow me to enter the domain of dreams. I have come to speak to you about this particular dream you’re having.”

“That’s kind of cool actually… but what about this dream do you take interest in?” Sunset blinked.

Luna frowned as she came back to standing in front of Sunset, this time placing both hands on her shoulders and looking down at her. Her intense eyes met Sunset’s causing the girl to become frozen in her gaze. “Sunset Shimmer, this dream of yours, it must not go any further.”

Sunset blinked and tilted her head, her eyes still locked on Luna’s. “What are you going to do then?”

“I’m here to make you wake up, Sunset. You still have much you need to do, you cannot afford to sleep forever just yet.” Luna said.

She leaned in and whispered into Sunset’s ear. “We will meet again, good luck Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset watched as Luna reached up and tapped Sunset’s forehead.

Shimmer had spent every moment either in Sunset’s hospital room or in the waiting room, determined not to leave until she could do so with her elder sister. Every moment inside the hospital only made her feel more and more guilty that she had not acted sooner.

With the roller coaster that was this trip to Equestria, Shimmer wasn’t sure if she’d ever want to come back to this place, even on better terms. It would be difficult to not allow any future endeavors to Equestria to remind her of the past few days.

Every interaction with the doctors always made her more upset. Always telling her that Sunset was barely holding on, that her condition was declining and they weren’t sure how long she’d hold out. Shimmer probably only managed to get two hours of sleep each night.

Twilight would always stop by for a good three or so hours when the evening would roll around, but she had to leave shortly after to be in bed to be ready to attend to her duties in the morning. For a busy princess, she certainly always knew how to make time for her friends, which was admirable. Shimmer was almost in awe of her impeccable scheduling abilities (though she attributed most of that to Spike assisting her on that matter).

Shimmer had gotten somewhat used to carrying things using her hooves, though magic was still useless, and she wasn’t too interested in learning how to use it in this world. She had been told that unicorns all can utilize magic, but she would need practice and training to do so.

She had returned from a drinking fountain with a paper cup in hoof as she sat back down in a familiar chair in the waiting room.

The disgruntled but kind face of Doctor Healer made an entrance through the double doors leading out of the room, causing Shimmer to stand and meet her.

“How is she, doctor? I apologize for asking every time I see you, I just-“

The doctor held a hoof out to cut her off. Shimmer frowned, but then raised a brow in confusion as she saw the doctor smile.

“I have good news,” she began.

“Yes?” Shimmer leaned in.

“Her vitals are improving and her condition is stabilizing. The serums and medications are helping her fight this off; she’ll soon be strong enough for us to give her the vaccine,” she finished.

“You mean…” Shimmer placed her hoof over her mouth almost holding her breath.

“She’s going to pull through. She’s a very lucky girl, it’s almost a one in a million chance. She’s a fighter for sure,” the doctor explained.

Shimmer bounced forward and pulled the doctor into a tight hug which she was surprised to feel the doctor returned. “Congratulations, Shimmer.”

“Thank you so much…” Shimmer responded only squeezing her tighter as tears ran down her cheeks.

“I told you before, I became a doctor to help ponies,” Doctor Healer said.

It was clear that behind her grumpy exterior, Doctor Healer truly had a heart of gold.

Groggily, Sunset opened her eyes yet again, this time she was certain she was in the waking world and not in another dream. Had Luna truly visited her in her sleep, or had she imagined it? She supposed that was more or less the mystery of Luna’s ability, to not know if you were actually experiencing it at all. That was after all the convenient part about dreams; they always felt real while you experienced them.

Her eyes adjusted only to see a bright light. She squinted and shielded them with her hands only to realize she was lacking hands entirely.

She focused and was able to see hooves in front of her. She darted up and found herself sitting upright as she peered around a room. It wasn’t a place she recognized, but only seconds after rising a disheveled mare with a side swept red mane trotted in levitating a clipboard in front of her. Her body was covered in a white coat that looked a size or two too large for such a small mare.

The doctor looked tired and cranky, but she gave a genuine enough looking smile Sunset’s way as she noticed her.

“Ah, Miss Shimmer, glad to see you’re awake. You gave us quite a scare,” they explained.

“Where am I?” Sunset asked.

“You’re at Canterlot Hospital,” they said.

“And who are you?” Sunset raised a brow.

“I’m Doctor Healer; I’ve been overseeing your case since you arrived. You had Magicolius, to be honest, you’re lucky to be alive. When you arrived you were in grave condition and your chances of survival were low… somehow you miraculously pulled through. We administered the vaccine and you should be clear to leave in a day or two,” she explained.

Sunset leaned back and allowed her head to rest back on the pillow. That was right; she only could remember fainting back in Shimmer’s living room. The rest was all a blur. New questions surfaced, however.

“How did I get here?”

The doctor gave her a confused expression. “Your sister brought you here…”

Sunset’s eyes grew. “My sister is here!?”

The doctor only seemed to be even more confused. “Yes? Why wouldn’t she be? She’s in the waiting room right now; I’ll go fetch her in a moment. She’s been here since you arrived; she has yet to leave the building. Poor thing slept in the waiting room and I have to say those chairs are not the most comfortable thing out there…”

Nodding Sunset tried to relax. “Right… send her in then…”

Doctor Healer nodded and smiled. “It’s good to see you’re doing better though.”

With those words, the doctor made her exit to go and bring her younger sister to the room. Sunset spent the time alone thinking, trying to imagine how Shimmer even managed to get the both of them there. She surmised the scheme had to have involved Princess Twilight in some capacity as she controlled the portal.

Sunset’s thoughts were cut short as a unicorn looking similar to herself bolted into the room at top speed and grabbed Sunset into a tight hug. Sunset gasped for air, causing the girl to release her and wipe her eyes as she fought tears.

“Sunset… You’re alive…”

Sunset nodded as she reached forward and ruffled the girl’s mane. “Thanks to you… I owe you one…”

Shimmer shook her head. “I did what I had to do…”

“This will make one hell of a story to tell the girls, right?” Sunset chuckled.

Shimmer frowned and looked at the floor.

“What’s wrong?” Sunset asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion.

“No… It won’t….”

“It won’t? Why not?” Sunset squinted, unsure of where this was going.

Shimmer looked up with serious eyes from behind her glasses, her face stern and commanding. “Because you’re not going back, you’re staying here.”

Author's Note

Phew! Drama! Cliffhangers! Excitement!

Behind the Scenes: this was a difficult chapter to write, I had to stop a few times because I needed to compose myself, making sure it didn't get TOO emotional.

Act II - Chapter XXVI: Choices

Chapter XXVI: Choices

Sunset blinked in confusion. She had been out for some time, but she was trying to figure out if she was still woozy from medication or if she had heard Shimmer correctly when she told her that she would be staying here in Equestria. Sunset reached a weak hoof up, a little surprised to feel a hoof there before remembering where she was. The mare rubbed her ear and blinked a few more times to try and get her eyes to adjust.

When they finally seemed to show her the world in front of her with clarity, she could see Shimmer standing there as a unicorn looking similar to herself. She took note that Shimmer’s mane looked longer and her cutie mark was slightly different being that of an actual sunset like her namesake rather than just a sun.

Perched on her muzzle was a pair of glasses that looked rather cute on her face. Sunset wanted to smile at how adorable her sister was in this form.

She could tell from looking at her that she was a bit smaller than Sunset was.

Her mind refocused on the comment she had just made however and she shook her head to clear the cobwebs from her brain. “I beg your pardon?”

Shimmer narrowed her eyes and stepped forward. “You heard me, you’re staying here…”

Sunset giggled and shook her head. “Yeah, no thanks… the moment I am well enough, I’m going home…”

“It’s not negotiable…” Shimmer replied quietly, her face turning more and more serious. “Get used to it, this place is your home now…”

“Hey, I didn’t even want to come here in the first place!” Sunset barked, only to find herself coughing after shouting.

“Tough shit! I had to make an executive decision with or without your consent. If I didn’t bring you here…” Shimmer paused and looked away, not wanting to say it, “let’s just say I had no choice… you should be thanking me…”

Sunset frowned and nodded, recognizing that Shimmer was probably right. Her stubbornness was clouding her judgment and she likely would have continued to resist coming back home even if she was at death’s door. Her mind quickly flashed to her dream with Luna, causing her to grip her head in her hoof. She still questioned if it was real or not.

“Yeah… sorry… I didn’t mean to worry you… but I can’t stay here, Shimmer… you know that…” Sunset frowned.

Shimmer shook her head. “Too bad, my mind is made up, you’re staying here.”

“It’s not your choice…” Sunset sneered, getting annoyed all over again.

Shimmer stepped away from the bed that Sunset rested on and shook her head. “You don’t get a say.”

“And how do you propose to keep me here?” Sunset raised a brow.

“I’ve already talked to Princess Twilight. When I leave here this afternoon, the portal will be locked with a spell that only she will be able to undo. It’s over, Sunset… you’re staying right here…” Shimmer’s voice was filled with a dark tone, the voice of a girl who knew the consequences of what she was doing.

Sunset leaned up weakly and banged her hoof on the edge of her bed. “You can’t do that!”

“I just did.” Shimmer replied solemnly.

Sunset attempted to pull herself out of the bed, but failed and resigned to simply yelling from the bed.

“Who are you to decide what happens with my life!? What gives you the right to affect my life like this!?” Sunset growled.

“What gave you the right to come into my world and change my life forever!?” Shimmer retorted as she stormed forward. “You came to my world like a bat out of hell and changed everything I understood…”

Sunset grew quiet. Shimmer had a point, she was definitely feeling a bit like a hypocrite now.

“Regardless…” Shimmer calmed herself, gently brushing a strand of her mane out of her face. “This is what I have decided… your place is here, Sunset…”

Sunset sat in silence as a response causing Shimmer to frown. “Do you hate me now, Sunset?”

The elder sister turned away, not wanting to meet Shimmer’s eyes. Shimmer moved her head to attempt to see Sunset’s face only for Sunset to move away again.

“Go ahead, say it! Say how much you hate me for stealing you from your friends in the human world. Tell me how it’s not fair that I am deciding your life for you, I can take it… it doesn’t matter if you hate me… I’ll carry that hatred…” Shimmer’s eyes were growing misty, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

“I… I don’t know…” Sunset finally managed to get out, fighting back tears of her own.

“That’s fine… I can handle it… I can take it… I’m strong enough now, thanks to you…” Shimmer forced a smile on her wet face causing Sunset to face her and tilt her head.

“I am doing the only thing I know to protect you, Sunset…” Shimmer choked out.

“What do you mean…?” Sunset asked.

Shimmer placed her hooves on the bedside and held herself up as she closed her eyes, tears falling freely from her ducts, dripping down the length of her face and landing on the bed sheets.

“Sunset… you’ve been out for eight days… for the first three, they told me you would die… that first night alone you flat lined almost a dozen times… I spent the past eight days in that lobby wondering if you’d ever wake up…” Shimmer was visibly shaking as she recounted her memories of the previous week.

Sunset remained silent and allowed Shimmer to finish. The girl wiped her eyes and adjusted her glasses. “You would have died if I didn’t bring you here… I almost didn’t even make it in time… I can’t let that happen again. I couldn’t do anything to help you, I was powerless… I never want to feel that way again… so go ahead and hate me, at least if you’re here I know you’re safe…”

Sunset sighed and placed a hoof atop of Shimmer’s and met her eyes with her younger sister’s. “I promise you… I’ll be okay… you don’t need to do this…” Sunset spoke softly.

Shimmer shook her head. “It’s too late, the decision has been made and you can’t change my mind now…”

“Will we ever see each other again?” Sunset asked.

“The princess will keep the other journal so you can write to me…” Shimmer forced another smile on her face.

Sunset sighed and nodded. “While I don’t agree with this choice… I’m in a position where I have no choice but to accept it, aren’t I? You hold all the cards and I am powerless to stop you. While I wish you’d reconsider, I… I will miss you, Shimmer… I can’t hate you… Not even for this…”

Shimmer’s eyes only began to leak more at those words. “Why not? I’m stealing your life from you…”

Sunset chuckled and kissed the girl’s forehead. “You did all you could to save my life… that’s what sisters do. We do things even if it hurts to protect each other… in your own way you’re doing just that…”

Climbing up, Shimmer pulled the mare into an embrace, squeezing her tightly. Sunset gasped at first but relaxed, pulling her hooves around her sister to enhance the embrace further, squeezing her tightly for a moment. After a few seconds, she could feel tears soaking her shoulder as she pet the back of Shimmer’s head. “It’s going to be okay…” Sunset reassured her.

“I love you, Sunset…” Shimmer spoke, muffled by her face being buried in Sunset’s fur.

“I love you too, little sis…” Sunset replied quietly into Shimmer’s ear.

Breaking the hug, Shimmer took a deep breath and nodded as she looked Sunset in the eyes. “I… I guess this is goodbye?”

“It would seem so…” Sunset nodded.

“Take care of yourself…” Shimmer said.

Sunset giggled and ruffled Shimmer’s mane. “You do the same little sis; go take care of our friends, they will need you now more than ever.”

Nodding, Shimmer pulled herself off the bed and walked toward the door slowly. Reaching the frame she turned around and looked back to Sunset with eyes full of regret. Sunset merely shook her head and gestured for her to go ahead, but Shimmer could see her eyes growing misty.

Sighing, Shimmer did exactly that and exited the hospital room, leaving her elder sister behind.

A good day had passed since Shimmer returned home. She returned and fumbled her tired body back to her car, making sure to come back when it was night time so she wouldn’t run into any of Sunset’s friends on the way back.

She drove right home took a long bath and spent the next twelve hours catching up on sleep. When she finally had come around, she got in touch with Moondancer, not quite wanting to face the girls yet, or answer to the dozen or so texts from Twilight asking about Sunset or what was going on.

Her girlfriend and she had arranged a get together that night when Moondancer’s mother would be out working and sure enough, when she showed up tapping on the door, Moondancer answered in a split second, swinging the door open to meet her girlfriend. Quickly she pulled Shimmer into the room in a big embrace. Shimmer almost lost her footing but kept herself upright as she returned the hug. Moondancer pet her long ponytailed hair and whispered to her. “Are you alright?”

She had divulged most of what happened to Moondancer through text earlier. Shimmer nodded and pulled away from the hug with a soft smile. “I’m getting better… I did the right thing… I think anyway…”

Moondancer nodded. “You did what you felt was right, that’s all that matters.”

Shimmer nodded, feeling better after Moondancer’s reassurance.

“If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know okay?” Moondancer said trying to meet Shimmer’s eyes.

Shimmer looked up and allowed her eyes to lock with Moondancer’s. She reached forward and touched the girl’s glasses, gently removing them and setting them on the table near the door. Moondancer squinted and blinked as Shimmer came closer, removing her own glasses and setting them with Moondancer’s, she placed a finger on Moondancer’s chin and trailed it down her shirt, undoing the first button. “I can… think of something…”

Moondancer blinked and blushed as Shimmer began to gently push the collar of Moondancer’s shirt back to expose her neck, planting gentle kisses along her neckline and down to her semi-exposed shoulder. Moondancer could feel tingles travel through her body as she attempted to resist.

“B-but…” She stammered.

“The whole ordeal reminded me I don’t have all the time in the world to spend with someone, this is how I want to spend the time I have with you…” Shimmer responded, already sensing what her objection would be.

Moondancer nodded and allowed it to happen as she wrapped her arms around Shimmer and pulled the girl closer. Shimmer took the motion as an invitation and bit down on Moondancer’s neck, causing an audible moan from her.

She trailed bites up her lover’s neck and slowly transformed them into kisses up her jawline before locking lips with her, fiercely and hungrily lapping at Moondancer’s tongue.

All of the lessons from Shimmer and research online finally gave Moondancer the confidence to take control as she gripped Shimmer’s hips and stepped backward, trying to lead the two toward her bedroom. Shimmer giggled with her lips still contorted with Moondancer’s as smacking sounds and moans filled the air.

Shimmer took Moondancer’s hands and moved them down to her rear and gave them a gentle squeeze to encourage her. Taking the hint, Moondancer gripped Shimmer’s soft behind in her small hands, blushing at the feeling. Even through her tight jeans, she could sense how soft and pleasant to the touch Shimmer’s rear was.

The two managed to make it through Moondancer’s bedroom door with Shimmer slamming it shut behind them, she pivoted the two so that Moondancer was in the lead, and Shimmer backed herself toward the bed, finally breaking their lusty battle of tongues, both girls panting slightly from the excitement. Shimmer noticed how red Moondancer’s face was, and smiled. “Aren’t you going to undress me?”

The shade of red on the girl’s freckled cheeks only seemed to get redder at that question. Hesitant hands reached forward and paused for a moment, looking into Shimmer’s eyes for approval. Shimmer nodded and looked to Moondancer with longing eyes.

Managing to stop her hands from trembling, Moondancer reached forward and grabbed the hem of Shimmer’s long sleeve scoop top and lifted gently. Moondancer’s eyes slowly studying the exposed flesh, unconsciously comparing it to fantasy as she saw the girl’s slender stomach before reaching her chest. Shimmer lifted her arms in anticipation of the top’s removal and with another swift motion, she stood there in a black lacy bra and her tight jeans.

Shimmer giggled and placed her hands behind herself and wiggled a tad as she watched Moondancer stare. “Well?”

Moondancer gulped before looking back to Shimmer’s eyes.

Another pleasant giggle escaped Shimmer as she winked. “It’s okay; you’re allowed to stare this time.”

With a nod, Moondancer placed her hands upon Shimmer’s shoulders and pulled her prize in, returning the previous gesture and planting a trail of kisses down the half nude girl’s neck. Shimmer cooed in pleasure as she locked her fingers into Moondancer’s untamed hair and gripped tighter the more pleasure she felt.

Curious hands trailed down Shimmer's arms and then crossed over to her flat stomach. Moondancer ran her fingers gently up the girl’s form, taking note of how she could feel the muscles of a girl who kept in great shape.

Her hands eventually reached the fabric of Shimmer’s bra while she bit down on her lover’s neck. The two hands trailed behind Shimmer and reached for the hooks keeping the cloth wrapped around her. Thankfully Moondancer had enough practice with her own bras that she could unfasten it with relative ease.

There was a light click as the hooks snapped away and the bra became loose. She reached upward to Shimmer’s shoulders and slid the straps down, allowing the article to tumble to the floor. Her teeth continued to gnaw on her girlfriend’s neck while her eager hands raced around to her front side and cupped Shimmer’s breasts. Her small hands made holding the large bosoms quite a challenge, but she managed as she gave them a gentle squeeze, causing a light moan to escape her sexual prey.

Shimmer’s hand tugged at Moondancer’s hair and her other trailed down her back as she threw her head back and let out a pleased moan. “That’s it… I love it more when you’re just yourself… don’t hold back okay sweetie?”

Moondancer nodded as she let go of Shimmer’s neck and wiped her wet lips. “You got it, babe.”

Shimmer blushed as she caught Moondancer’s eyes trail down and stare at her chest. With a breast in each hand (barely), Moondancer knelt down and clasped her mouth around one of Shimmer’s nipples, playfully swirling her tongue. Shimmer gasped and moaned as she bit her lip from the sensation.

“I knew you were a boob girl…” Shimmer teased between moans.

Releasing the teat from her grasp, Moondancer looked up with serious and lustful eyes. “I’m a you, girl.”

Shimmer giggled as she looked down at her. “And what does that mean?”

Moondancer kept fierce eye contact as she pushed Shimmer back, and forced her to sit on the edge of the bed while she crawled to her on her knees. “It means you are what turns me on, not tits.”

“Probably helps that you like my tits though, huh?” Shimmer poked Moondancer’s nose.

Moondancer rolled her eyes as she reached for the button on Shimmer’s jeans. As she unclasped the button, Shimmer reached forward and began to undo the buttons on Moondancer’s shirt, managing to get them all undone in less than ten seconds. Sighing, Moondancer removed her shirt and tossed it aside, she covered most of her stomach with her arm and looked away bashfully.

“Oh, what’s wrong sweetie? Still shy?” Shimmer batted her eyes as she leaned in.

“Sort of… that and… well… you’re kind of like… this supermodel level of hot and I’m kind of just like… an unattractive board…” Moondancer blushed.

Sighing, Shimmer lifted her rear just barely from the bed and wiggled her jeans down enough past ger supple buttcheeks to where she could gesture for Moondancer to remove them. Coming back from her moment of insecurity, Moondancer blinked and helped Shimmer finish the job, pulling off her jeans from each leg, and staring forward at her cute black panties.

“Had I known I was getting laid today I’d have worn something sexier…” Shimmer blushed and looked away with a smirk.

Moondancer shook her head and took a leg in each hand as she spread Shimmer’s lower half apart, kissing up her thigh tenderly. “You’re perfect…”

Shimmer watched Moondancer deliver kisses up her thigh with the occasional nip of her teeth. “You’re just saying that…”

Moondancer placed her fingers under the frill of Shimmer’s panties, carefully pulling the fabric upward, slowly. She took her time watching the article peel off, her eyes glued to where they had been for her reward.

Glancing upward Moondancer could see Shimmer looking away in embarrassment at her exposed nether region. Moondancer looked back down at the expertly shaved area and smiled before leaning down and planting a gentle kiss above her opening, her eyes looking up, catching Shimmer’s attention again.

Moondancer’s voice grew quiet and sultry, “you’re really cute down here…”

Shimmer blushed and nodded before she felt her confidence return, causing a grin to appear on her face. “You’re pretty cute down there…”

“Heh… thanks…” Moondancer blushed as she looked down, placing a hand on Shimmer’s thigh and took her other and trailed her fingers over the small slit.

“Do you need guidance?” Shimmer asked genuinely.

With a shake of her head, Moondancer lowered herself to position her mouth in front of her target with eagerness. “Nah, I’ve been watching a lot of stuff on the internet lately to study up… I got this…”

Not even giving Shimmer a chance to respond, Moondancer stuck out her tongue and ran it along the entire length of Shimmer’s opening, then back down the other way, this time digging it deeper between her folds.

She stuck her tongue as deep as it could go into Shimmer’s womanhood, looking up with fierce eye contact as she did. The effect was almost instant, as Shimmer leaned back slightly with her right arm holding her up and her left jutting forward grabbing Moondancer’s hair, holding her in place. “F-fucccck… that feels good… you naughty girl… what have you been watching on the internet…?”

Moondancer chuckled and spoke between licks. “A lot of videos on how to eat pussy…” she admitted as she lapped at Shimmer’s exposed clitoris, running the tip of her tongue around it in circles. Loud moans released from Shimmer as she looked up in ecstasy. Her body was tingling, her hands clenched at the sheets and Moondancer’s hair while she worked.

“I-I-I’ll say… y-you learned w-eeell!” Shimmer bit down on her own lip as she felt a finger slip inside of her. “Oh, fuck!”

Moondancer giggled mischievously before sliding her finger in and out slowly. “I have been wanting to do this for a while now…”

Shimmer had to allow her arm holding her up to move as she laid back on her back, covering her mouth with that hand to keep herself from screaming. It was proving partially ineffective so she bit down on her own finger while Moondancer salivated over her sweet taste, she could feel the drool dripping through her from Moondancer’s mouth, it was clear that her girlfriend wanted her badly. All that teasing was going to pay off.

With the careful flick of her tongue, Moondancer gave the clit a few playful flicks before placing her lips over it and sucking gently, her teeth lightly grazing it. The volume of Shimmer’s contained moans only increased and then some more still when Moondancer returned her fingers to the mix.

With her two fingers sliding in and out of Shimmer, Moondancer could feel her inner walls constrict ever so slightly. Her other hand reached into her own pants feeling her underwear, and as expected it was already soaked.

Moondancer’s fingers began to gently massage her own sweet spot while she worked Shimmer’s with her mouth and her other hand. Every second was pure bliss for both of them. Shimmer was at the point where she threw caution to the wind and removed her hand from her mouth and just began to moan as loudly as she liked, cursing and cooing in wonderful pleasure.

“Fuck! That feels amazing!”

For Moondancer, every lick, every taste only turned her on more. Shimmer’s flavor was not only intoxicating; it made her possessive of it. She never wanted anyone else to experience this flavor again, she wanted it all for herself.

She licked and slobbered on her lover’s folds with greed, watching as Shimmer’s back began to arch and her mouth open, barely able to form words. “F-fuckkkk! I’m gonna…”

Moondancer looked up at her and spoke between laps at her clitoris. “Mmm… go ahead… cum for me babe…”

Almost as if on command, Shimmer’s entire body began to twitch slightly, her inner walls squeezed around Moondancer’s fingers and her head fell back as she yelled loud enough to echo through the whole apartment. “Fuuuuuuuuuuck!”

Moondancer giggled as she slowed down her licking, coming to a gentle swirl around Shimmer’s clit, causing twitch after twitch out of her lover before pulling her fingers out to the sound of a gasp from the glowing Shimmer.

Shimmer panted and looked down at Moondancer with heavy breaths before removing her hand from the girl’s hair and resting it at her side. “F-fuck… that was incredible, sweetie… I could get used to that…”

Moondancer smiled. “I have a good partner.”

Shimmer nodded before pulling herself upright and exhaling. “That was really hot…” she nearly whispered as she pulled Moondancer up by her cheeks and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Thanks…” Moondancer blushed as she made eye contact.

“We’re not done yet though…” Shimmer smirked, a hint of mischief in her tender voice.

“W-we’re not?” Moondancer stuttered.

Shimmer shook her head and came to a stand, pulled Moondancer up with her. Fiercely she planted a kiss on her lips before pushing the girl backward onto the bed, allowing her to sit before breaking the kiss. “Now… it’s your turn…”

Moondancer looked away nervously. “R-really that’s not necessary…”

Shimmer’s eyes grew as her mouth formed a small kissy face with pouty lips as she batted her eyes a few times. “Really? Are you sure?”

That face was too much, Moondancer gulped and shook her head. “G-go ahead… I just… I’m a little self-conscious about myself is all…”

Shimmer sighed and reached behind the scrawny girl and undid her bra, allowing it to fall to the floor. Moondancer resisted the urge to cover her chest, and instead allowed Shimmer to stare at her rather small breasts. She frowned as she watched Shimmer. “Yeah see… I’m all flat chested and what not…”

Shaking her head, Shimmer leaned forward and kissed Moondancer’s left breast, sticking her tongue out and flicking her nipple. “I like them just like this…” Shimmer admitted.

“R-really?” Moondancer blushed as she watched.

Shimmer only nodded before taking the nipple into her mouth, moaning as she sucked on it, causing Moondancer to coo as her hands buried themselves in Shimmer’s long hair. “I-I’m glad… you like them…”

Pleased moans escaped Shimmer causing Moondancer to quickly realize she seemed to really love giving rather than receiving, though it could have just been the post orgasm high that made her more eager.

Shimmer gently gnawed on the breast with her teeth, cupping the other breast in her hand and squeezing, moan after moan escaping her. “Mmmm, your skin tastes delicious…” she spoke between bites.

Moondancer found herself moaning at this point and nodded. “T-thank you… Fuck that feels good…”

Quickly, Shimmer moved over to the other side and switched to having the other breast in her mouth, cupping and fondling the previous one with her other hand this time. “Mmmm… ever had a girl do this to you?”

Moondancer shook her head as more light moans came out of her. “N-no… I’ve never done this… with anyone… what about you?”

Shimmer pulled back and allowed Moondancer’s nipple to escape her mouth with an audible pop, causing the girl to gasp. “Plenty of times… but I think I’m going to remember this one for a long time to come…”

Trailing kisses down Moondancer’s stomach, she grabbed the button on her pants and hastily unfastened it and started tugging down her pants with greedy hands. Moondancer didn’t even have a chance to object before Shimmer had managed to yank her tight pants off of her without much effort. It was clear that Shimmer wanted what was hidden under them badly enough to where she didn’t care about coming off as ladylike for a change.

The only thing that stood in her way now was a pair of maroon panties. Shimmer licked her lips and gripped them; looking up as she noticed Moondancer was looking away. Sensing Moondancer’s embarrassment, Shimmer slowed down and slid them off slowly, gently setting them aside as she looked onto what lay beneath.

She smiled and looked up at Moondancer. “Relax, the worst part is behind you… you have a very cute pussy…” Shimmer commented, planting a kiss above it.

“Y-yeah well… whatever…” Moondancer choked on the words, refusing to make eye contact.

Deciding to be a bit playful, Shimmer kissed Moondancer’s thigh and smirked. “Aren’t you going to tell me what to do?”

Blinking and blushing, Moondancer gulped. “D-don’t you… know what to do?”

“I need you to tell me…” Shimmer said quietly.

Moondancer nodded and gave a wave of her hand. “G-go ahead…”

“Go ahead and what…?” Shimmer smirked.

“Do your thing?” Moondancer gulped.

“And what would that be?” Shimmer asked, loving how easy it was to tease Moondancer.

Moondancer paused, unsure of how to word it.

“I want to hear you say it…” Shimmer added with a lusty tone.

“E-eat my… pussy?” Moondancer squeaked.

“Was that a question?” Shimmer replied.

Moondancer took a deep breath and composed herself, but no words came out of her mouth. She should have expected a lesson in dominance now of all times, but somehow she still wasn’t prepared. She inhaled and exhaled again, but still struggled to say anything.

Shimmer reached up and tapped the girl’s chin getting her to look directly at the wild girl between her legs. Shimmer’s eyes were serious and powerful as she locked Moondancer in a stare, a serious expression on her face.

“Look me in the eyes and tell me what you want me to do…” Shimmer instructed.

Moondancer sighed and closed her eyes, it took a few more seconds of building up the strength, but she finally reopened them and looked down with a more convincing serious face than she imagined she was capable of giving and spoke.

“Make me cum…”

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “That’s it… that’s what I wanted to hear…” Shimmer cooed before lowering down and planting another kiss on Moondancer’s crotch, causing her to flinch slightly at the sudden attention.

“J-just don’t like… show me up or anything, okay?” Moondancer blushed.

Shimmer giggled and nodded before placing another soft kiss with her velvet lips onto Moondancer’s groin, gently brushing her soft muscles against the clit as she looked up with her commanding vibrant eyes. “Just relax, sweetie… I’ll make this a night you won’t forget…”

“I already won’t forget it,” Moondancer replied with a smile.

“No one’s ever given you an orgasm before?” Shimmer asked with innocent eyes.

Moondancer shook her head. “Never.”

“Then you’re in for a treat, sweetie…” She stuck her tongue out and leaned down, allowing it to slide along Moondancer’s genitals and flick her clit. The reaction was a long gasp and shudder from Moondancer. Shimmer giggled at Moondancer's excitement, the girl was such a virgin, but it was insanely arousing to Shimmer to know that she was exploring where no one else had ever been.

“H-how do I…?” Moondancer looked away, still quite bashful, only causing Shimmer to chuckle before kissing her clit, looking up at her lover.

“You taste fine, sweetie. Don’t worry so much, relax and enjoy it… have fun, take control…” Shimmer instructed.

“Y-you sure?” Moondancer blushed, as she peeked down at the girl between her legs.

Shimmer nodded. “I want you to. I want you to enjoy it and make me do it how you like it, okay?”

“R-right… okay…” Moondancer nodded.

A smirk returned to Shimmer’s face. “That didn’t sound too convincing, come on, like you mean it…”

With those words, Moondancer reached her hand down and gripped Shimmer’s hair and pushed her forward into her folds. She could feel Shimmer’s nose poke her own clitoris while her lips were pressed into Moondancer’s own “lips”. Shimmer responded with a delighted moan as her tongue found its way inside, slithering about in Moondancer affectionately.

With a gentle tug, Moondancer experimented with holding her girlfriend’s hair only to note that Shimmer appeared to enjoy it.

The arousal emboldened the otherwise reserved girl who then leaned back a bit and held Shimmer in place, moaning as she felt her tongue work. It was like nothing she ever felt before. She had masturbated a time or two, but it didn’t even come close to this feeling. “F-fucck…, that’s good babe…”

Shimmer only responded with an “mhm” before moving her jaw up to get at Moondancer’s clit, running her tongue forcibly along it, massaging it roughly with her tongue.

Moondancer groaned pleasantly, still holding Shimmer’s hair, using it as a sort of reign of command. Shimmer looked up at her with innocent eyes and lifted a finger to her lips and licked it until it was slick before sliding it inside, causing Moondancer to yelp in delight. She could feel it sliding in and out as Shimmer looked up and spoke gently. “Do you like how I eat your pussy, sweetie?”

Dirty talk, the one part Moondancer hadn’t really effectively studied for. She had read up and watched videos on the techniques of sex between two women, but it never occurred to her that a girl as cultured and refined as Shimmer would implore such language in the bedroom. Despite that though, it remained unbelievably sexy, albeit catching Moondancer off guard.

“Y-yeah, babe…” she managed to get out, silently hitting herself internally at how lame she sounded.

“I want to see you cum for me then…” Shimmer begged with a few bats of her lashes.

The finger inside of Moondancer quickly turned into two, and Shimmer’s tongue returned to working on her clitoris, eyes looked up with hunger and anticipation. Moondancer couldn’t stop screaming in pleasure or look away from Shimmer’s powerful gaze. Her free hand gripping her small left breast as her back arched.

The combined feeling of it all finally proved too much as Moondancer gasped for air and released a breathy loud moan as her body climaxed. She could feel a flow of juices leak out of her, down Shimmer’s face. She blushed as she felt Shimmer slow down and lap gently at her clit before removing her finger and ending the slowing of her licks with a gentle kiss before looking up and wiping her jaw off with the back of her hand.

Shimmer rested her head against Moondancer’s thigh and looked up with an innocent smile.

“How was that?”

Taking a few seconds to catch her breath, Moondancer nodded. “Amazing…”

The smile on Shimmer’s face only grew as she spoke. “I’m glad… I was out of practice.”

“Didn’t show at all…” Moondancer pet the girl’s cheek, causing her to lean into the petting.

“Would you mind if I stayed here tonight? We can snuggle or something…” Shimmer asked.

Moondancer nodded. “I’d be insulted if you didn’t.”

A smile was on Shimmer’s face as she found herself driving home after a night of passion with her girlfriend. Convincing Moondancer to allow her to leave was the true challenge. She was concerned it would seem awkward when her mother came home and Shimmer was still there, however to her surprise, Moondancer’s mother seemed pretty accepting of the situation. Shimmer already guessed she knew what had happened between them when her eyes landed on the hickey on Shimmer’s neck.

She giggled at the thought and was glad that Moondancer’s mother understood that the two were teens in love, and both above the legal age, so there were no qualms.

Sleeping next to the girl she was intimate with made her feel different, it made her feel safe. With all that was going on in her life, safe was a feeling that had slowly become almost alien. Without her elder sister, she never imagined she would feel safe again, not with this “Ghost” poking their nose around, and certainly not from the wrath of Sunset’s friends who no doubt would be furious with her.

A little courage however sunk into her and rooted itself beneath her skin from the previous night and she had gone to do what she knew had to be done. She was returning to her estate, knowing that a certain someone would be there waiting for her, expecting answers.

Shimmer pulled into the parkway and left her car there in front of the building as she took a deep breath and stepped out, snagging her bag along with the journal.

Clutching the book close to her chest, she approached the large double doors and pushed them open to hear the sounds of small footsteps approach with great speed. Before she could even blink, Moon sat at her feet wagging his tail violently. Shimmer smiled and reached down to pet the canine. “Mommy’s boy was good, was he?”

“Very good…” A familiar voice echoed through the living room before a very tired and annoyed Twilight entered the scene. The girl’s hair was a mess and left down. It was clear she had slept on the couch for many nights, possibly even skipping school which was far unlike her.

“Twilight… it’s… good to see you again…” Shimmer bowed lightly.

Twilight held up a hand and stepped forward before lowering it. Shimmer could smell that she had not showered in some time.

“Where is Sunset?” She asked, looking around hoping her friend would jump out to surprise her.

“Twilight… you’re exhausted… why not take a shower and get some rest and we’ll talk about this later?” Shimmer suggested.

Twilight shook her head. “I’m fine. I’ve been waiting here for a week and a half; I want to know what’s going on… I’ve been patient enough.”

Shimmer froze, all the courage she had mustered suddenly exiting her as she looked away. Twilight leaned in with a concerned tone. “Where is she? Where is Sunset?”

Shimmer’s voice grew quiet as she replied, “back in Equestria…”

“When will she be returning?” Twilight asked curiously.

“She won’t…” Shimmer replied before stepping away from the corner that Twilight had unconsciously backed her into.

“What? I don’t understand…” Twilight tilted her head.

“It means she’s not coming back here, I decided she is staying in Equestria, that’s all there is to it, no mystery…” Shimmer replied.

“What!? You can’t do that!” Twilight stomped her foot as she approached.

“It’s already done!” Shimmer shouted.

Silence filled the air for a moment as Twilight stood there looking incredulous. Shimmer broke the silence with an almost whisper tone. “I had the Princess lock the portal; she’s not coming back…”

Twilight growled and stepped forward. “How dare you…” Her tone was filled with anger.

“Do you hate me, Twilight?” Shimmer asked innocently.

The lack of anger in Shimmer’s response confused Twilight as she paused at that statement.

“It’s okay if you do… I knew doing this was going to make a lot of people hate me… I know what you’re thinking… everything was fine until you showed up… so just go away, right?” Shimmer asked.

Twilight remained silent.

“I don’t regret what I did either…” Shimmer said.

Twilight stepped forward again, her anger returning. “What gives you the right!?” She shouted.

“You can hate me all you like, Twilight…” Shimmer replied meekly but felt Twilight’s hand grab her arm. Despite how weak Twilight was, she still managed to slam Shimmer against the wall with a thud as she cornered her.

“Answer me! What gives you the right to decide what happens with her life!?”

To Twilight’s surprise, tears started falling down Shimmer’s cheeks. “I had no choice!”

Loosening her grip, Twilight stepped back, realizing she had allowed anger to control her. “I-I’m sorry…”

“She could have died… it was the only way I knew to protect her…” Shimmer sobbed, eventually sinking to the floor.

Twilight merely stood in silence as Shimmer bawled her eyes out, realizing that nothing she said was going to change the situation for the better.

Author's Note

Well that was... a Chapter wasn't it? I know some of you were probably waiting for that payoff for weeks now.

Behind the Scenes: I was debating on whether or not Shimmer and Moondancer were going to have sex, but I decided ultimately to put it in and it funny enough ended up being over 7 pages. So... for those who have been waiting for this payoff... you're welcome!

Act II - Chapter XXVII: Return

Chapter XXVII: Return

Sunset’s recovery was going swimmingly. Within a few days, she was able to get out of bed and stretch her feet, or hooves rather. It felt awkward walking on four legs again, but with a few hours of practice, she was back into old habits without much trouble, though instinctually she still occasionally reached for something with her hoof instead of magic, clear evidence that she had spent a long time in the human world.

She spent the majority of the first few days trying to read up on the local news and what had happened in Equestria since her departure. It was a lot to catch up on, as apparently when Twilight and her friends entered the picture, Equestria had seen a lot of rapid changes. She was impressed at how much she had accomplished in such a short time. It felt far longer than half a decade since she had been home.

She had yet to face Celestia, and Princess Twilight had agreed to keep her stay in her own castle a secret from the two royal sisters, for the time being, figuring she needed more time to recover before such a potentially stressful meeting from royalty and her old mentor.

The most awkward event she experienced thus far though was when the hospital looked up her records and asked if she would prefer to be released to her parents. She adamantly declined, having no interest in seeing the two who had more or less abandoned her. Admittedly she had to control her temper for a moment at the mere suggestion of being asked to see those two again.

After all, was said and done, Twilight tapped on the door to the room Sunset was residing in. The door was already open, but the princess seemed to have quite a bit more manners than most when entering another mare’s room.

“Come on in,” Sunset stated, waving a hoof toward herself to gesture it was alright to enter, her nose buried in a book, a common position that Princess Twilight found her in since she arrived at the castle, much to her delight.

Nodding, Princess Twilight stepped in; Sunset peeked over the top of her book to see she was adorning a rather regal looking outfit along with her signature crown. “Someone is fancy today,” Sunset added.

Princess Twilight blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Royal ceremony, I was required to attend. I like pretty outfits and all, but not when they make me the center of attention… guess I’m still not great at this princess thing yet.”

Sunset smirked and nodded. “Yeah, but that’s okay. I’ll take the real you over some snobby princess act any day, though I will say you probably attract the attention of all the boys when you wear that…”

Sunset managed to get a blush out of the bashful princess, but she took it less awkwardly than the other Twilight, who seemed to get instantly flustered. Sunset surmised that the princess was used to advances like that, given her status likely made her an object of admiration by many and she likely had a legion of fans.

Princess Twilight giggled and nodded as she approached. “I take it the other Twilight doesn’t come off as very regal either?”

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “Oh sweet lord, no. That girl trips on her shoelaces still. One time, I caught her talking to a stuffed animal. She’s as ditzy as they come.”

The princess giggled enough for a snort to escape her, before covering her mouth and clearing her throat, despite being a princess she wasn’t always the most proper lady around. “Yes well… what’re you reading there?”

Smiling, Sunset held up the book to show Twilight a familiar emblem. “Oh wow! Our friendship journal… I’m glad you’re reading that we all worked very hard on it, it takes me back just looking at it...”

Setting the book down, Sunset nodded. “It’s funny… I’ve learned more from this journal than I thought I would. Guess it goes to show you that I still have a lot to learn about friendship…”

“So do I, that’s why the book exists,” The Princess reminded.

“Yeah but you’re the Princess of Friendship, you’re practically a master already!” Sunset poked the girl’s nose playfully.

Twilight frowned and shook her head. “One of the first things I learned is to never assume you’re the master at anything. Sometimes though there are things one must do that will harm their friendships with others… as a princess, I have to accept that responsibility… I try to avoid such situations, but sometimes you are forced to put your friends aside for a greater good.”

“Sounds rough…” Sunset frowned, not knowing how that felt. It never dawned on her that Twilight’s responsibilities could put her in such awkward positions.

“It is similar to what I had to do with you…” Princess Twilight stated plainly.

“Yeah… I figured as much… you were probably scared that I would be mad at you?” Sunset asked.

“It was a possibility I had to accept,” Princess Twilight replied.

Sunset nodded and hopped off of her bed and smiled. “Well… perhaps you can just let me go back? I’m fine now and with that vaccine this problem won’t happen again-“

The Princess cut her off, holding her hoof out and shaking her head. “I made Shimmer a promise that I’d protect you here. The portal is sealed and the spell can only be broken by myself… this is where you’re staying, Sunset. I’m sorry… be angry with me if you like, but I have no power over the human world. It’s bad enough we’ve both meddled as much as we have…”

“I didn’t meddle…” Sunset frowned, already preparing to protest, but Princess Twilight cut her off before she had the chance.

“Maybe not intentionally, but because of the both of us, the fate of their world was changed forever. Perhaps it’s best if both of us remained here…” The Princess said.

Sunset internally admitted she had a point, but she still wanted to protest the decision. Realizing however it was a futile effort she decided that conceding may be the best outcome to keep her stay at this castle from being made more awkward than it already was. After all, she was already here more or less as a guest as a favor from a friend.

“Yes… alright… I mean I guess neither of us thought of it as meddling…” Sunset nodded.

Twilight forced a smile onto her face as she placed a hoof on Sunset’s shoulder. “You may stay here as long as you like. We’ll get you back on your hooves and weave you back into Equestrian society, it’ll take some time as a lot has changed in the few years that you were away but, you have me at your side, and I will gladly help you. You’re always welcome in my home.”

Sunset nodded and returned the smile, making Twilight’s start to look more genuine. “Thank you, Princess Twilight… It is nice to know I have a friend here at least, that makes this all a little easier.”

Twilight chuckled and winked. “If you need any other accommodations, please don’t hesitate to ask, alright?”

“You have my word.” Sunset saluted as Twilight began to leave the room.

Shimmer had spent the night curled up on her bed, unable to find rest, her encounter with Twilight the previous night still fresh in her memory. She knew she did what she felt was best for Sunset, but Twilight certainly knew how to cast doubt on her decision.

She couldn’t stop thinking about what Sunset was probably going through, but she was too nervous to write her so soon, she didn’t want to remind her of the life she would be locked out of this early after the decision had been made. Still, she needed some kind of comfort about it all, and after a night of staying up, she decided to contact one of her friends.

Dialing, she punched in Applejack’s number on her phone and waited to hear her voice. After a few moments, all she received, however, was a voice mailbox. Deciding not to bother, she hung up and look at the time. At 5:08 PM, there was no doubt in her mind that the group was well out of school. She knew Rainbow Dash didn’t have much in the way of sports after five, so she decided to give her a try next.

Her phone rang a few times, but she was met with the same thing, a voicemail box.

Curiously, she thought for a moment and then decided to try Twilight. This time however it rang a few times and the call ended as if someone picked up and hung up.

Suspicion flooded her head as she tried Rarity. This time, however, the call managed to go through and an answer came to her. “Hello?”

“Rarity? It’s Shimmer,” Shimmer replied.

There was an awkward pause. “Oh… ummm hello…”

Shimmer instantly detected the awkwardness in her voice. “Something wrong?”

Another pause came before Rarity answered, “Shimmer…” she began, already telling Shimmer that there was bad news about to follow, “I… I don’t know how to say this but…”

“Just say it…” Shimmer spoke, her hand on her chest as she could feel it become hard to swallow, already sensing where this was going and knowing she would not enjoy it.

“I’m not supposed to talk to you…” Rarity stated quietly, her voice implying she was speaking words that she didn’t wish to utter but had no choice but to relay.

“I figured as much… I take it Twilight spoke to all of you?” Shimmer asked.

Rarity sighed. “Please… don’t make this any more awkward than it needs to be, alright? I’m just being loyal to my friend, I’m sorry…”

“I thought I was your friend?” Shimmer questioned instantly.

She could feel Rarity struggle to answer as she was put on the spot. “S-Shimmer, I… look it’s not a simple situation… please understand…”

Sighing, Shimmer nodded. “Yeah, I get it. You knew them far longer than me. It’s fine… I understand I’m used to being a social recluse anyway…”

“Shimmer…” Rarity nearly choked on her words.

“It’s fine, enjoy your life Rarity… I guess Sunset really was the glue holding all of this together, so without her, there’s no reason for any of us to be friends is there? I’m just the lone puppy dog she brought home one day after all…” Shimmer’s eyes leaked as she spoke those words.

Another long silence filled the air followed by Rarity uttering, “I’m sorry…”

Closing her eyes, Shimmer nodded. “Yeah, I am too… I thought you guys were different… I guess I was wrong… it never occurs to anyone how this is affecting me… Sunset and you guys just sweep into my life and turn everything upside down and then suddenly all of that changes and I’m just supposed to go back to how things were? You all get to be upset with me and move on, but me? I am supposed to just sit here and be sad…”

“Shimmer, I…” Rarity tried to speak, only for the anger in Shimmer to sneak out and cut her off.

“It’s okay like I said…” Shimmer stated, fighting tears.

“Shimmer…” Rarity started again, but paused once more, clearly fumbling about her words, trying to find a way out of the situation.

“Actually know what? It’s not okay. Fuck you, Rarity. I guess I know why you’re into fashion now, it’s easier to hide what a two-faced bitch you are behind makeup isn’t it?” Shimmer growled viciously.

Rarity struggled to speak, stammering at the insult. “I-I…”

“None of you ever consider how this kind of bullshit makes me feel, do you?” Shimmer asked, not exactly expecting an answer.

Rarity stammered again, unable to form a reply.

“You weren’t there, Rarity. You didn’t see what I saw… you didn’t watch the girl flat line numerous times like I did. You didn’t sit there wondering if she’d live or die like I did. You didn’t get told that someone you care deeply about was going to die and that you should prepare for a worst-case scenario. You just got to sit there at home in blissful ignorance.” Shimmer growled.

Rarity fell silent, not really knowing what to say at this point. Shimmer was far from wrong; she did get to enjoy ignorance to the situation and was only recently finding out what happened after it was all over. She didn’t have to experience it during the time of.

“Go eat shit, Rarity.” Shimmer hissed before hanging up the phone and dropping it to the floor.

Sitting up on her bed, she hugged her knees close and felt more tears escape her. She truly was alone now.

Sunset stood awkwardly with her arm across her front side, gripping her other arm while her bare legs stood awkwardly. The girl wasn’t used to swimwear and felt strange standing in a bikini as she looked toward the pool in front of her with intrigue. Sunset blushed as she checked around to see if anyone was watching, knowing that the chances of anyone able to see her or her sister in her sister’s indoor pool were slim to none, but she was still conscious.

“Come on it!” The voice of her younger sister called from the water.

Sunset’s eyes darted toward Shimmer who was splashing toward the edge of the pool and gripped the side, looking up at her. Her wet hair down, her eyes filled with cheer and joy, and her body could be seen through the clear water, covered only by a small black bikini.

“Sorry, it’s just… awkward is all…” Sunset stated, still shuffling in the spot where she stood, unsure of herself.

“What is?” Shimmer blinked and tilted her head as she climbed over the edge, coming to a stand water dripped off of her pale skin and her body seemed to shine in the low lighting of the building.

“I just… I guess I still don’t feel comfortable in this thing…” Sunset blushed, looking away, but her eyes trailing down to the nice red swimsuit Shimmer had bought her. A cute little half skirt covered part of her bottom half, and the top was a simple red bikini tied in the front.

Shimmer blinked. “Why? You look great? You’re a knockout, sis! A guy would bend over backward for a night with you!”

Sunset’s eyes trailed over her own shoulder toward her back. “Well…”

Shimmer frowned and shook her head, bringing her sister closer, and touching her forehead to Sunset’s. “Listen to me, sis… that scar is always going to be there. You can’t spend your life hiding from it or trying to hide it. You may as well embrace it, because honestly… I don’t think it affects your beauty at all. If anything it’s a badge of honor, showing that you’re a survivor.”

Sunset felt a weak smile form on her face. “Y-you think so?”

“I know so.” Shimmer nodded.

With a sigh, Sunset nodded as well and stepped toward the edge, slowly sticking her feet in the water, and eventually climbed entirely into the pool, Shimmer following shortly after and giving Sunset a splash. “See, what’d I tell you? If we were at the beach right now, all the guys would be checking us out, undressing us with their eyes,” Shimmer commented.

Sunset wiped the water off of her face and giggled. “And what kind of things would they be thinking?” Sunset played along.

“Probably stuff like ‘man I’d love to two time me some twins’.” Shimmer made a false male voice, trying to make her tone sound deeper when she spoke, the effect was more humorous than anything else.

Sunset chuckled and nudged her sister’s breast. “Probably thinking it would have something to do with these.”

Shimmer nodded and chuckled. “Probably imagining how great it’d feel to have them in their face.”

“Boys are weird…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“To be fair, tits are pretty nice…” Shimmer nodded in thought.

Sunset only rolled her eyes again and splashed her sister. “How does everything think that I’m the pervert?” Sunset asked.

“I’m better at hiding it than you.” Shimmer winked.

Sunset nodded and leaned up against the wall of the pool, looking back at her sister. “So this is it then?”

Shimmer blinked in confusion. “What is it?”

“Us; you and I? It’s really over isn’t it?” Sunset asked with a plain expression.

A frown came to Shimmer, not wanting to discuss this subject. “Sunset… you knew I had no choice…”

“Are you sure you didn’t? I mean I told you before that I can take care of myself, I did for years before you got here…” Sunset reminded her younger sister.

“Equestria is where you belong though…” Shimmer defended.

“Oh yeah, I have a lot of great prospects there… I’m a dropout, my parents don’t care if I’m alive or dead, and I have not a friend in the world to speak of except Princess Twilight. I’m also out of touch by almost half a decade. Yeah, lots going on there for me. Maybe I’ll just start a business and marry some pretty supermodel or something, we can then take our business on the road and live happily ever after. Oh and then I'll write an album and it'll go platinum.” Sunset chuckled as she made the sarcastic remark.

Shimmer opened her mouth to retort, but then closed it, unsure of how to mount her defense. Sunset had some valid points there. “I… I didn’t think about that…”

“Maybe you need to start thinking about all of that then?” Sunset said.

Shimmer nodded. “Is it sad that even in a dream I imagine you just as snarky as ever?”

A smile came to Sunset. “Nah, that just shows how well you know me. Even if right now you’re technically talking to yourself.”

“Even in a dream, you’re one of a kind.” Shimmer giggled.

“True, but eventually you’re going to wake up, Shimmer, and I won’t be there. You can’t stay in this dream forever, and you will have to face reality sooner or later…” Sunset explained.

“I… I know…” Shimmer frowned, already being aware of the truth, but hoping she could exist in the fantasy of a dream for a little longer.

“You can’t let me become what your parents were to you, Shimmer. You know that, right?” Sunset asked.

Shimmer’s inside churned at that statement. The last thing she wanted was to endure what she had endured for the past several years all over again. She had finally moved on from what happened to her parents after all, but it was because of Sunset.

Shimmer turned away and sighed. “I… I hope that doesn’t happen… I don’t want to be that person again… however, if things keep going the way they are… I may have no choice… You were the one who helped me get past what happened after all…”

“You have a choice, Shimmer, you always did, and I wasn’t the one who helped you, you finally helped yourself, I just reminded you of what you already knew,” Sunset said.

She didn’t understand it at the time, but Sunset was right. Shimmer had more options than she knew.

The dream had only made Shimmer more emotional about the ordeal. Now sadness, anger, and confusion had doubt mixed in for a cocktail of misery. She couldn’t force herself to smile, or anything. She was a wreck and had the worst night of sleep perhaps in her entire life. She sprung up many times thinking she should write to Sunset to see if she’s okay.

Eventually, it was 6:18 AM and Shimmer was in her car, driving slightly faster than the speed limit to reach Moondancer’s apartment before she went off to school. If she was quick enough she’d catch her still getting ready, provided she didn’t get pulled over for speeding.

Luck was on Shimmer’s side, as she managed to avoid all traffic and reach the place on time. Shimmer parked her expensive car by the side of the road and retrieved the keys. She adjusted her cardigan and raced outside into the cold, wrapping her arms in front of her to retain as much body heat as possible. Finally making it up the stairs she rang the doorbell.

Answered as Moondancer’s mother who yawned and smiled at Shimmer. “Shimmer? Come on in!”

“Thank you…” Shimmer bowed gently before stepping inside.

“I-is Moondancer here?” Shimmer rubbed her neck awkwardly, realizing how strange it was to ask your girlfriend’s mom where your girlfriend was at such an early hour. She still had no clue if her mother had figured out the two of them had had sex yet.

She nodded and pointed. “She’s in her room right now getting ready.”

Shimmer nodded and fast walked in that direction before turning the knob and letting herself in, shutting the door behind her.

Moondancer jumped in surprise, just finishing putting her bra on. She stood there with just the skirt of her uniform on and a bra catching her breath. “Y-you scared me…” Moondancer panted. Had the occasion been different, Shimmer likely would have found herself whistling perversely, however her current mood prevented that.

Shimmer ignored her plights and stepped forward, grabbing the girl into a deep hug, squeezing tightly.

Confused, Moondancer pet the girl’s hair and blinked. She certainly wasn’t complaining, but she definitely would enjoy some answers as to why her girlfriend had come to her home at such an early hour and now was holding her.

“Y-you okay?” Moondancer asked.

Shimmer shook her head as tears streamed down her face. “No… I need you…”

Moondancer sighed and nodded. She pushed Shimmer off of her gently and smiled. “Let me just tell my mom I’m staying here okay?”

“I don’t want you to miss school because of me…” Shimmer frowned.

Moondancer shook her head. “It’s cool. You’re more important right now, you’ve been through a lot.”

Shimmer found herself merely nodding as she sat down on the bed. Moondancer opened her bedroom door and called out to her mother. “Mom, I am going to miss today. Shimmer’s really upset, sort of a family tragedy.”

Her mother called back loud enough for Shimmer to hear. “Alright dear, tell her I said I hope she feels better. I’m heading to work in a few, want me to pick up dinner for you two?”

“That would be cool. See you around eight tonight?” Moondancer called back.

“You got it, kiddo!”

Moondancer nodded and shut the door, locking it as she did, figuring Shimmer would prefer to not be interrupted again. She sat back down on the bed and crawled up to the headboard, patting next to her for Shimmer to take a seat. Nodding, Shimmer crawled up and rested her head in Moondancer’s lap, sighing as she did.

“Everyone’s mad at me, sweetie…” Shimmer started.

A hand reached down and pet the girl’s hair delicately. “That’s not true, I’m not mad at you.”

“You’re the only one…” Shimmer sighed.

“I take it the others didn’t respond so well to you taking Sunset back?” Moondancer asked with a frown on her face.

“No, not in the slightest… I thought I understood this friendship thing better… aren’t friends supposed to have your back during hard times?” Shimmer asked.

Moondancer shrugged and continued petting. “Beats me, I don’t have any friends, remember? I’m just the loser who someone managed to make it happen with an insanely hot girl. In years from now people will look at me with intrigue and wonder, or they’ll wonder if your glasses are working.”

Shimmer giggled and rolled her eyes. “I’m not that hot.”

“Modest too, I see…” Moondancer smirked.

“Rarity’s very pretty too, you know?” Shimmer pointed out.

“Eh, true… but she’s not my type…” Moondancer shrugged.

“More into alternative girls are you?” Shimmer smirked deviously.

Moondancer chuckled and nodded before turning Shimmer’s head on her lap to make the girl face her. “Guilty.”

“And when did you figure that out?” Shimmer smirked again.

Moondancer rubbed her neck and looked up in thought. “Probably… when you came into the picture?”

“Really? You mean you weren’t into girls before I came around?” Shimmer blinked.

“I mean like… I noticed girls, but remember I wasn’t really into anyone because I had convinced myself that the chances of anyone wanting to get with me were pretty low. So this is all kind of a point of discovery for me,” Moondancer explained.

Shimmer nodded, sighed and locked eyes with her lover. “I’m lucky I have you at least…”

“I’d say I’m the lucky one…” Moondancer smiled back at her.

“How do you figure?” Shimmer blinked, unsure of what she meant.

“To hell with what those guys think, to me you’re the best thing to happen to me. If you weren’t here I’d still be alone in my room all the time. You’ve made my life so much better just by knowing you, Shimmer… I am glad we met…” Moondancer blushed, still keeping her eyes on the girl in front of her.

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “I feel the same way. If it weren’t for you, I don’t even know how I’d weather this all…”

“Resourceful girl like you? I’m sure you’d find a way. There’s a line of people ready to be on your pillow.” Moondancer winked as she pet the girl’s cheek.

“Not as many as you’d think. Remember, I’m a depressing wreck to be around for most, and I like to overcomplicate things, not exactly the most attractive quality,” Shimmer reminded.

“Never bothered me.” Moondancer shrugged and continued to pet Shimmer’s cheek.

Shimmer leaned into the hand against her and nuzzled it slightly. “Even so, I’m glad I don’t have to do this alone.”

“You’ll never be alone when I’m around, promise,” Moondancer pledged.

“I know, sweetie. I trust you on that too,” Shimmer replied happily. While these were trying times for Shimmer, she knew that with her girlfriend by her side she could endure, she could eventually move forward and maybe even find peace with the entire ordeal.

With her mood lifting slight, Shimmer smirked. “You know I never got to see you in your uniform before…”

Moondancer rolled her eyes. “Technically this is only half of it…”

“I know, and I think I like it better that way…” Shimmer winked.

“And you call me a pervert?” Moondancer chuckled.

“You’re certainly not a lady,” Shimmer teased.

“Nothing ladylike about what you did the other night.” Moondancer smirked deviously.

“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.” Shimmer sat up and feigned ignorance with an innocent smile.

“Perhaps this will refresh your memory,” Moondancer spoke as she pulled the girl backward and held her up, leaning down with Shimmer in her arms; Moondancer planted a kiss on Shimmer’s lips, feeling an arm come up around Moondancer and grip the back of her head, tugging at her hair to pull her closer.

Rarity hadn’t exactly had the best phone call with Shimmer and it still resonated in her mind as she pulled her Mazda up to Applejack’s house to go meet with their friends. Overwhelming guilt was taking over her mind, and she couldn’t find it in her to think about anything else. On her way over to Applejack’s abode, she attempted to use music to drown out her thoughts, with little to no success. The guilt screamed too loudly in her brain for her to ignore.

She stepped out of her car and sighed as she rang the doorbell. After a brief few seconds, Twilight answered and smiled, ushering the fashionista into the house. Rarity bowed lightly and entered the living room where the remainder of her friends were awaiting her arrival. Applejack and Rainbow were already locked in a fierce video game battle that stole their attention; the two hardly even noticed she entered. She saw the same determined expression on Rainbow that she had always seen when she gets into a competition.

Pinkie and Fluttershy appeared to be taking turns painting each other’s nails, and Twilight sat down on the couch patting next to her for Rarity to join.

Rarity nodded awkwardly and planted her firm rear on the seat next to Twilight. She wiggled into the couch and sighed as she relaxed her body.

“Something wrong, Rarity?” Twilight asked with a concerned tone.

Rarity nodded and let out a long sigh that she had been holding in for hours at that point. “Yes… I… had a very awkward phone call…”

“From Shimmer?” Fluttershy guessed, looking over at her friend with concern. It was impeccable how observant Fluttershy was sometimes, considering most of the time she was the most oblivious, shy of Pinkie Pie.

Rarity nodded. “Y-yes… from Shimmer… she was… very upset with me…”

“Understandable, I mean we kind of totally shut her out, so I’d be pretty mad too, part of the whole point was to piss her off, so I guess mission accomplished,” Rainbow replied, her eyes stuck on the TV screen as she waved her arms about with a controller in them, trying to defeat Applejack.

Rarity leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs as she looked up in thought. “I just… keep thinking about what she said…”

“And what would that be?” Twilight asked, leaning in with interest.

Rarity bit her lip for a moment before speaking quietly. “She… called me a…” she paused before speaking the phrase, “two-faced bitch…”

“What!?” Applejack shouted, pausing her game and dropping the controller. She came to a stand and growled. “Ah’ll show her!”

“She also told me to go eat shit, but that’s not the point…” Rarity sighed and shook her head at Applejack’s anger, but noticed she had only made it worse. Applejack was far too predictable at times, almost laughably so. Rarity, however, took comfort in knowing that she always knew what to expect from the girl, however.

“Fuck her! Ah’ll kill that bitch!” Applejack hissed, venom dripping from her voice. She was practically already seething.

“Applejack calm down!” Rarity barked in return, trying to keep Applejack in check.

“No one calls-“ Applejack was cut off by Rarity’s increase in volume.

“She’s right, Applejack!” Rarity shouted.

Applejack paused and shook her head with a dumbfounded expression. “What? Nah. Y’all ain’t-“

“It’s true Applejack. I mean I at least feel like a two-faced bitch about all of this… how can I possibly be angry at her saying something that feels like it legitimately applies to me?” Rarity asked with a raised brow.

“Rares…” Applejack paused, unsure of how to answer. She could argue it wasn’t true, but she couldn’t argue against feelings so instead she crossed her arms and huffed in annoyance.

“Why do you think it’s true?” Twilight asked curiously.

Rarity stood up and looked around the room with a frown. “Look at us! I mean we’re all still here acting like nothing has happened, but something has happened! And we’re all just trying to carry on with our lives!”

“To be fair, we agreed to cut her off because she decided to basically decide what happened with Sunset’s life without her consent…” Rainbow reminded as she set her controller down and turned around with an extended finger.

Rarity’s eyes pierced Rainbow like daggers as she objected. “We weren’t there, Rainbow.”

“So what?” Rainbow raised a brow.

“So, we didn’t have to see what Shimmer saw. Something like seeing your friend almost die several times like that would affect any of our judgment don’t you think? On the phone, she sounded like she was a wreck… it sounded awful what she was forced to witness… I don’t think I could stand to see Sunset like that either; could any of you?” Rarity asked the group collectively. All of them lowered their heads, afraid to admit that the answer was “yes”.

Applejack shook her head and tried to cut through the excuses. “Either way, she still should have let Sunset make the choice herself.”

Applejack’s attempt proved ineffective, as Rarity just shook her head and wagged her finger.

“People make mistakes, Applejack. I don’t recall you being perfect.” Rarity growled.

Applejack fell silent, gulping a bit as she heard Rarity emphasize her name, but Rainbow stepped in to defend the group decision. “Look this is a loyalty issue, so it’s my expertise. We are showing our loyalty to Sunset by showing we don’t agree with her being given no say in all of this.”

“And how do we know how Sunset feels about any of this? How do we know she would not want us to stand by Shimmer?” Rarity asked with a raised brow. “Has anyone talked to Sunset since this all began? Anyone at all?”

As the room fell silent, Rainbow could not find an answer to the challenging question. “Well… uh… I guess you got me there…”

“If anything, we’re demonstrating what poor friends we are… right now Shimmer is alone, while we at least have each other. We never bothered to get her side of the story… she needs us now more than ever, imagine what she’s going through. We may have lost a friend, but she lost all of hers in a single day and her sister to top it off…” Rarity explained.

The room remained silent as Rarity added to her statement, “how would any of us feel?”

Twilight was the first to chime in. “I guess… pretty terrible… I suppose maybe I overreacted a little to her telling me Sunset wasn’t coming back… I never considered how she or even Sunset felt about it…”

Rarity nodded and a small smile appeared on her face knowing that she was convincing at least one of them.

“I agree… she must feel awful right now and we only made it worse…” Fluttershy chimed in quietly.

“’Ah suppose… y’all have a point…” Applejack crossed her arms and looked away, still not one for admitting she was wrong, “but ‘Ah don’t appreciate her callin’ you a bitch.”

“Yeah, only we’re allowed to do that!” Rainbow smirked, causing Applejack to punch her shoulder, causing Rainbow to grunt and rub the spot that was just hit.

“I can’t believe I’d let anger blind me so badly that I would allow myself to hurt a friend like this…” Twilight admitted.

Rarity stepped forward and placed a hand on Twilight’s cheek. “There’s still time to make it right.”

Twilight nodded and smiled back at her friend.

“I say we try to reach Shimmer and make this right, who’s with me?” Rarity raised a hand triumphantly in the air only to see all of her friends do the same.

“Glad to see we’re all on the same page, now… does anyone know how to get a hold of Shimmer?” Rarity asked.

“We could call her?” Twilight suggested.

“I doubt she will want to accept a call from any of us at this point if what Rarity said was true… She’d likely deny the call before we got the chance to even speak to her…” Rainbow frowned.

“I guess we will have to go to her house…” Twilight suggested.

Applejack blinked and shook her head. “If she ain’t gonna let us call her, what makes ya’ think she’ll let us into her home?”

There was a pause followed by Twilight sighing. “If it comes to it, I’ll climb the wall again. I did it once before, I can do it again.”

Applejack chuckled and ruffled Twilight’s hair affectionately. “Nothing stops you, ‘eh Twilight? Should call you Unstoppable Sparkle.”

“Just a concerned friend is all…” Twilight brushed her hair back into place with her hands.

“Either way it sounds like we have somewhat of a plan formed. Twilight, we’ll bring you there, you storm the gates if it comes to it and we’ll get her to talk to us, sound like a plan?” Rainbow asked, looking around the room for any objections.

After hearing no objections, she nodded and gave a thumbs up. “It’s settled then, tomorrow we go there and make this happen. How does after school sound?”

“Works for me.” Twilight nodded.

The rest of the group gave a resounding “mhm” with a nod as well and with that, the plan was approved. Twilight only hoped she would be able to convince Shimmer to give them all a second chance, all her friends were counting on her after all.

Author's Note

Naturally you can imagine Shimmer is not off the hook so easily, but I promise you the finale that is coming up in 2 chapters is... Well it's big. I can't spoil anything, but I can say that it is going to be bigger than Act I's finale, it's going to be a game changer even so to speak. To everyone who has stuck with me, thank you. I've been listening to your feedback as we go along and making minor changes. I know a lot of people were upset over Shimmer in the last chapter, but I promise her behavior is going to be addressed and everything will be shown very soon. Next chapter deals with a lot of that, I promise! I have been listening!

Instead of a behind the scenes this week however, I'd like to take a moment to talk about Applety who does all the artwork for the story. This woman sits down every week to draw the scenes of this story and helped craft a lot of the story. She is super busy outside of that, so it really is a privilege that we all get to enjoy her illustrations that depict the scenes played out. I want to thank her for all she's done, because she's been doing many sketches a week literally for free so that we all can enjoy them.

Speaking of being busy, she is working on a big story that hopefully will come out in the coming months, and I am going to be sitting down with her sometime in the next few weeks to help her. I am hoping that you all keep an eye on her and when it does come out, you'll give her some support. She really does work hard, and I appreciate all she's done. She's a wonderful person and the love of my life. Without her, Shadows may have never even gotten off the ground. Her encouragement, artwork, brainstorming sessions and pre-reading has proven a godsend.

Act II - Chapter XXVIII: Wrong

Chapter XXVIII: Wrong

A young purple dragon with green spines carefully entered the room, with a tray in claw. His balance was impeccable for such a little thing; Sunset surmised he regularly was performing chores which made him so efficient. After all, Princess Twilight had only just sent him away a moment or so ago to retrieve tea for the two of them and sure enough in less than five minutes, he had returned hastily.

Setting the tray on the table, he smiled at Sunset, who returned the smile. A blush appeared on his cheeks causing Sunset to tilt her head and let out a “hm?”

The dragon averted his gaze and kept the smile on his face as he spoke. “It’s nothing…”

Sunset leaned down to be closer to eye level with the dragon. “What is it, Spike?”

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. “It’s dumb…”

“You can tell me.” Sunset reached forward with a hoof and turned his gaze toward her.

“It’s just… I never saw you as a pony before…” He chuckled softly.

“Oh? What of it?” Sunset blinked.

“You’re really pretty is all…” He looked away again before winking and bowing to Twilight before making for the exit.

Before Sunset could even comment, he stood in the doorway and bowed again. “I’ll leave you two alone for a while.”

After he had vacated the room, Princess Twilight levitated a teacup from the tray to her lips with a few snickers. “My my, aren’t all the boys chasing you?” She teased.

Sunset reached forward and grabbed a cup with her hoof before blinking and recalling her magic. She focused and was able to make an aura appear around the cup and make it levitate toward her lips. Blowing lightly on the hot beverage, she managed to down a sip and let an expression of delight cover her face. She had forgotten what Canterlot tea tasted like, but that single sip brought all the memories of drinking it at school back. It was far more potent than the tea that humans were used to which was the equivalent of leaf water.

Most of her friends back in the human world were into cold tea, shy of Rarity, something that Sunset never really got into. She could drink it, but it wasn’t her thing; hot tea was her nectar.

After another short sip, Sunset closed her eyes and set the cup down, wrapping her hooves around it. “He’s a kid, what do you expect?”

Twilight giggled. “Am I about to have a daughter in law?”

Sunset opened her eyes and rolled them. “Har har, aren’t you funny. Spike’s a sweetheart, but he’s not my type…”

“He really is something else for sure. So how have you been feeling? It’s been a few days since you were bedridden; I wanted to make sure you’re adjusting alright, coming back to Equestria after such a long time isn't easy,” Princess Twilight asked with a raised brow.

Sunset sat there and looked down to her cup, feeling the warmth of the hot drink be absorbed into her hooves. “I’m doing alright, I mean it’s still a bit of a culture shock to be back here for sure, but otherwise I’m doing okay.”

The princess nodded contently as she took another sip and then set her cup down. “I have been thinking about your future here, I’m curious if you’ve considered it yourself?”

Sunset rubbed her neck awkwardly. “The thought crossed my mind once or twice…”

Princess Twilight seemed to grow eager and giddy as she leaned in. “I am glad you said that see I’ve been contemplating what you could do around here. I know you’ve been away for a while and finding a job out here isn’t entirely easy when you’ve been away so long, so I gave it some thought…” Twilight’s smile seemed to grow as she paused.

“And?” Sunset raised a curious brow, unsure of where this was going.

“What if… you worked for me?” Twilight asked.

Sunset took a long sip of her tea before speaking again. “Come again?”

“I mean I’d pay you of course, but you could be a royal magic advisor for me! Your knowledge of magic combined with what you’ve learned in the human world? You’d be excellent; you could practice up and eventually come with me to meetings, all that stuff! You could stay here with Spike and me, it’d be great… I mean… if you want to that is…” Twilight coughed and adjusted herself, realizing she perhaps came off as an excited teenager for a moment there.

Sunset nodded. “I’ll think about it, I have a lot on my mind at the moment…”

“Would Shimmer be one of those subjects that you’re contemplating?” Twilight asked.

Sunset smiled sheepishly, it was that obvious. After all, she had mixed feelings about all of this. “On one hand… I feel sort of betrayed that Shimmer would just decide something like this for me without asking… on the other hand, I recognize she panicked and probably was having flashbacks to what happened to her parents. She couldn’t stand the idea of having to see me potentially die… Not to mention, I fully recognize that I sort of… decided a lot of stuff for her life without even realizing it myself by selfishly going to her world in the first place… It's hard to determine which one of us is really more in the wrong...” Sunset frowned, unsure of which feeling was stronger for her.

Twilight merely nodded in agreement before finishing off her tea, slurping the last few drops before blushing and wiping her lips. “Honestly, neither one of you is completely guilt free, to be honest. I don’t think Shimmer meant any malice though, Sunset. Yes, she overstepped perhaps, but she did so because she knows how stubborn you are. She knows if this happened again that you would make her repeat all these steps, I mean you fought her about coming here in the first place she told me, thus why you arrived in such dire condition. You’re lucky to even be alive right now… That and you are correct, the human world isn't our playground, we can not simply go there whenever we feel like it and decide to stay...”

Sunset couldn’t deny that Twilight had a point, albeit one she hadn’t fully considered. It was difficult for her to gauge her own stubbornness until others pointed it out.

“I suppose so… I guess it doesn’t matter now, does it? I mean I have a shot at a real life here, don’t I?” Sunset shrugged.

Twilight stood up and walked over to Sunset, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “I’ll do the best I can to give you all you need to be comfortable here, that is my gift to you.”

“Thank you, Twilight, you being here at least makes this an easier pill to swallow,” Sunset admitted.

“What’re friends for?” Twilight winked.

Sunset scanned the lines of a book speedily, trying to absorb the information as quickly as possible. She had spent most of her time since her return reading, part of her wondered if she was going to end up looking like the unkempt mess that Moondancer was if she kept it up.

She had been reading up on the more recent discoveries on magic, and occasionally looking into a few of Twilight’s own breakthroughs. Spike sat next to her with his reptilian eyes locked in a different book. She had brought him along as sort of a study buddy and as a reference for when she had questions for a first-hand witness to most of Twilight’s endeavors.

“Wow, so you guys really beat Tirek huh?” Sunset commented as she read over an entry.

Spike chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, but to be fair, Twilight was given the other three Alicorn’s magic to do so, that made it semi-easier.”

Sunset blinked. “You can do that?!”

Spike shrugged. “I thought the same thing, but turns out there is magic that the royal family keeps hidden so that they can use it in case of emergencies like that.”

Nodding, Sunset smiled in awe. “Maybe one day I can learn something like that… that’d be cool…”

“You’re starting to sound like Twilight…” Spike rolled his eyes.

Sunset giggled and covered her mouth with her hoof. “Is that a bad thing?”

“The world only needs one Twilight…” Spike grunted.

Sunset let that statement sink in for a moment before replying slowly and thoughtfully. “And the world only needs one Sunset…” Her tone was almost robotic as she said those words, her eyes empty as her mind was elsewhere.

“What?” Spike tilted his head in confusion at her sudden change in demeanor.

Sunset shook her head and snapped back to reality. “It’s nothing, say why don’t we take a small break?”

“Finally!” Spike cheered, closing his book quickly and hopped off of his chair to stretch his legs.

Sunset giggled at his eagerness and gingerly set her book aside as she stepped down herself. “Not much of a reader, Spike?”

“When you’re around Twilight all the time, it gets old. She gets me several books for my birthday, and Hearth’s Warming, once she got me one for Hearts and Hooves day as sort of a ‘sorry you’re alone’ present…” Spike grumbled.

Sunset giggled and covered her mouth again to contain her laughter. When it subsided she spoke again. “She just cares about you, Spike. I mean she’s more or less your mother.”

“I wish that care would show itself in other ways,” Spike grunted.

Sunset gestured for him to follow as they made their way to the kitchen. She was feeling quite puckish, and since she arrived she hadn’t eaten too much. She was so used to human food that going back to Equestrian food still felt somewhat alien. She didn’t want to lose all the weight she had finally managed to gain after Shimmer’s help, but the moment she looked in a cupboard she was reminded of how much she felt like an alien in her homeworld as well.

Nothing stuck out to her, and she kept scanning her eyes along looking for human brand names that she knew weren’t going to appear there.

Spike approached and tapped her shoulder to snap her out of her trance.

“Huh? What?” She blinked a few times.

“You okay? You were staring into space there for a minute.” Spike pointed out.

Sunset nodded and fetched some gems from the top shelf, offering them to Spike. He took them graciously and hopped onto a chair as he stuck a claw into the bowl and shoved a handful into his mouth, crunching loudly as he snacked.

After seeing nothing look appetizing to her, Sunset sat across from him with a sigh.

“You sure you’re alright?” Spike spoke with his mouth full.

“Yeah, I just… I don’t know… I feel like I am confused…” Sunset replied.

Spike shoveled another handful in as he tilted his head. “Confused? About what?”

“Where I belong…” Sunset responded.

“Ah, I see.” Spike nodded.

“It’s like… I feel alien here and I felt alien at times in the human world. I feel like I don’t fit in anywhere, but I felt more at home back there… I mean I don’t blame Shimmer I guess now that I really think about it… I sort of fucked up her entire life. If I had just stayed here in Equestria her parents would be alive and she might be a happy girl… Sure I tried my best to make it right, but realistically there would be nothing to make right had I just stayed here. I mean I had no right to even be there…” Sunset frowned as she thought it over, realizing a lot of this truly was her own fault. She knew the consequences of her actions would catch up to her eventually.

Spike shook his head and swallowed; he set the bowl down and leaned in. “Listen, you can’t focus on the past. What’s done is done and you can never change that. Maybe you staying here in the first place would have improved things, maybe not. You’ll never know so you shouldn’t waste your time thinking about it. If you care about Shimmer, that’s all that matters right?”

Sunset blinked but a smile came to her face as she nodded. “You’re right, Spike. Twilight’s lucky to have such a good friend.”

“I’m your friend too.” He winked.

Sunset chuckled and nodded. “Yes, I haven’t forgotten.”

Applejack’s truck pulled up to the front gate of Shimmer’s estate, Rarity in the driver’s seat with Rainbow in between her and Applejack, while the rest of their friends sat in the back, listening to Rarity complain about the vehicle the entire way there.

Parking the truck, Rarity grumbled. “Why didn’t we take my car, again?”

“Because your car don’t got room for six people?” Applejack reminded.

“Well, at least it isn’t big and ugly!” Rarity groaned.

“Will you two knock it off? If I have to hear another complaint out of either of you, I swear I am going to knock both of your heads in!” Rainbow hissed to silence the two girls.

Applejack and Rarity both crossed their arms and gave an annoyed grumble as Rainbow reached behind herself and opened the window to the back. Peaking through the Window she saw Twilight huddled with Fluttershy and Pinkie all in winter attire. Pinkie wearing surprisingly little, but Rainbow surmised that Pinkie just wasn’t like normal humans and that temperature didn’t seem to bother her as she sat there in the cold with just a sweater and a scarf, humming to herself happily.

“Alright, Twilight, you’re up. Make us proud, girl.” Rainbow gave a thumbs up through the window.

Twilight nodded and brought herself to a stand as she jumped over the edge of the truck and landed. She adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat as she went to ring the bell and speak to the intercom.

Pressing the button, Twilight spoke, “Shimmer? It’s me, Twilight.”

A voice came back to her. “Go eat shit, Sparkle.”

Twilight sighed and held the button again. “Listen, I want to talk…”

“Go away or I’m calling the police.” Shimmer replied through the intercom.

Twilight groaned. “Shimmer, don’t make me do this again. I will climb these walls just like last time and I will come in there by force if I need to.”

There was a pause followed by a sigh on the intercom. “Fine, I’ll open the gate; don’t make me regret this, Twilight…”

“Thank you…” Twilight replied before climbing back into the back of the truck, thankful she would not need to brush off her limited athletic abilities this day.

As she managed to get into the truck, the gate opened and Rarity started the engine back up after a few tries. Applejack was about to comment only for Rainbow to give her a death glare, which made her mouth close right away.

A short drive brought them inside and half a mile would bring them to the front door. Rarity parked and gestured for Twilight to go ahead. “We’ll wait in here until you’ve given us the okay. It’ll probably be more productive if there weren’t so many people trying to talk over each other.”

Twilight nodded and hopped back down and made her way to the front door, remembering she still had the key that Shimmer had given her. Fishing into her pocket she retrieved it and opened the door and gave the heavy door a sturdy push to bring herself inside. She allowed the door to shut behind her before stuffing the key back into her pocket and taking a few steps inside.

She came to the stairwell and shouted up it. “Shimmer? It’s me, Twilight.”

A voice called back to her. “Come upstairs, I’m in my office.”

Twilight sighed and made her way up the long stairwell, only to be panting slightly as she reached the top. She really needed to try harder in gym class, because she was far too easily winded.

Making her way down the hallway, Twilight recalled that Shimmer’s office was the third down to the left. She knocked briefly only to find the door swing open granting her entry.

The walls were lined with plenty of books, much to Twilight’s delight, but there in the chair at the desk was a very unkempt Shimmer. Twilight had never seen her with her hair being such a mess, and no makeup, yet there she was, Shimmer as completely natural as she could be. She was sporting only a black scoop T-shirt and skinny jeans as she sat at the desk looking exhausted.

Twilight stepped into the room to feel something tap her foot. She looked down to see an empty wine bottle and then noticed tons of said bottles were tossed around the room.

It was clear that Shimmer had been drinking; Twilight only hoped she was sobered up enough by now to talk.

“Shimmer…” Twilight began.

Shimmer sighed and came to a stand. She yawned and stretched as she approached.

“Twilight Sparkle…” Shimmer responded.

“Listen… I wanted to say-“ Twilight began, but Shimmer cut her off.

“No, you listen… look, I know I fucked up. I panicked, but you guys don’t know what it’s like… After my parents died, my other relatives tried to rob me of my family’s fortune and a ton of other crap that I don’t even want to get into happened… The point is I’m so used to losing stuff that I can be a bit selfish sometimes…” Shimmer frowned.

Twilight remained silent letting her finish.

“I don’t try to be, but it happens… I did what I did because I thought… I thought I was protecting Sunset this way… I could tolerate her not being here, but I didn’t want to lose her… Even if there is a world separating the two of us, as long as I had the journal to contact her with, and I knew she was safe… that was enough for me…” Shimmer admitted.

“And what about us? We are her friends too, Shimmer…” Twilight reminded.

Shimmer nodded and sighed. “Truthfully… I didn’t think about you guys. I should have, but I didn’t… There’s no excuse for it, and I totally understand why you’re all mad at me, hell I would be too.”

Twilight shook her head and carefully reached forward taking Shimmer’s hands. “That may be so… but I overreacted too… I shouldn’t have gone and made everyone shut you out… we could have talked about this…”

Shimmer looked down at Twilight’s small hands holding her own and then back to her face. “Well… there’s still time to talk about it now…”

Blinking, Twilight tilted her head, unsure of where this was going. “What do you mean?”

Shimmer released Twilight’s hands and walked back over to the desk. “Well, I thought about it and you guys were right… Sunset deserves to make her own choices right?”

“That’s generally what we all agreed upon, but what difference does it make now? What’s done is done.” Twilight frowned.

Shimmer shook her head. “I still have the journal. I could probably write to the princess and ask her to meet with me so I can tell her I made a mistake. I could undo all of this… that is… if everyone is still willing to help me after all I did…” Shimmer frowned at the thought, realizing she may have burned some bridges via her phone call with Rarity.

Chuckling, Twilight offered her hand. “They’re all waiting outside for you.”

Opening the drawer of her desk, Shimmer retrieved the journal and kept it close to her chest as she reached forward and took Twilight’s hand with a smile. “Let’s not keep them waiting then!”

“You may want a jacket.” Twilight giggled, remembering Applejack’s mode of transportation.

After a bit of conversation, a lot of apologies and plenty of hugs (especially from Pinkie Pie), Shimmer and her gaggle of friends were reunited and found their way back to Applejack’s abode. It was clear that things wouldn't be perfect, nor would operations simply resume as before, but the path to healing fractured relationships was paved.

Rarity snickered at Shimmer’s appearance. “I swear, I’ve never seen you without makeup on!”

Shimmer rubbed her neck awkwardly. “I’ve been preoccupied, and yes I recognize that this is the most casual that anyone has ever seen me, but let’s not forget we’re here for a purpose. So I think we’re all in agreement now that I should write to Princess Twilight, and see if she’s willing to reconsider what I originally pushed for, sound about right?”

The group all nodded, as Shimmer rested on the couch with the journal in hand. “Shouldn’t someone else write it? I mean the rest of you are closer to Princess Twilight than I am…”

“True, darling, however, you have a deep connection with Sunset, so she’s more likely to listen to you, especially since you were the one who originally set this course of events into motion. You know more than the rest of us.” Rarity pointed out.

“Rarity’s right, it has to be you, Shimmer,” Applejack agreed while nodding.

Rainbow hung over the top of the couch and smiled as she looked down at Shimmer. “You got this, Shimmer. Whatever happens, though we’re all still friends, agreed?”

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “I should have come to all of you in the first place, I’m sorry… I’m really bad at this friendship thing…”

“We all were at one point,” Fluttershy chimed in, reminding all the girls of their previous mishaps, ironically caused by Sunset’s hand.

Shimmer nodded and took a deep breath as she opened the journal and ran her hand across a blank page. After taking a second to think, she placed a pen on the paper.

Dear Princess Twilight,

It’s me, Shimmer; granted considering no one else has access to this journal, I’m sure you figured that out. I’m hoping you still have the journal and haven’t handed it over to Sunset just yet so you get this message.

I made a grave mistake, and I am hoping this letter finds you in time to fix it. Sunset deserves a choice in all of this; I had no right to deprive her of that. Please respond ASAP so we can discuss this matter.

Sincerely,

Shimmer

Shimmer sighed as she closed the book and looked around her at her friends. “Hopefully we made it in time and there’s still time to undo all of this…”

“I don’t think we have anything to worry about, Princess Twilight is a very reasonable person, I’m sure she’ll at least hear us out, after all, you said yourself that you had to convince her to close the portal in the first place.” Rarity pointed out.

“So?” Shimmer shrugged.

“So, that means she wasn’t fully on board with the idea in the first place which means getting her to go back shouldn’t be impossible,” Rarity explained.

It was true too; the initial conversation with Princess Twilight was long-winded and tedious, to the point where it almost became exhausting even. It took a good few hours to convince Twilight to see her way of thinking and even then it only appeared as though she agreed out of lack of a convincing counter-argument from lack of knowledge of the human world. Shimmer managed to win by default more or less.

Shimmer had definitely taken advantage of Twilight’s lack of understanding of the human world to get what she wanted, and just thinking about it made her sick. Regardless of her reasons being noble in her head, she knew she shouldn’t have tried to con Twilight into being in on her plan, which only made undoing the damage that much more pressing.

Her mind raced back to what Sunset likely endured in Equestria the first time. She never talked about her home, and Shimmer knew from her friends and various things that she had said, that Sunset didn’t have much in the way of family or friends to go back to. It only hurt worse when Shimmer thought about the fact that she was sitting there at that moment surrounded by friends and in her time back she had enjoyed a night of lovemaking with her girlfriend while she left Sunset by herself when she likely needed her friends the most. She had to undo this, she had to make this right.

Her thoughts were interrupted however when the journal began to shake, causing Shimmer to pop it back open and scan the new entry that had appeared. The other girls all leaned in to try and read it themselves as well.

Dear Shimmer,

I was not expecting to hear from you so soon, especially regarding the subject matter. It was you after all that convinced me why Sunset needs to stay here, I mean you said it yourself, she’s stubborn and who knows what would have happened if she had been left to decide to come here on her own accord the first time, this conversation we’re having now would be a far graver one for sure. Not to mention all the damage that meddling in the human world has caused.

So what I don’t understand is what changed your mind? You were previously all for this arrangement stating it was and is the only sensible solution, now you’re suddenly saying the exact opposite.

I’m not opposed to making this open for discussion, but you’ll have to indulge me on why what you previously were so adamant on, suddenly you are retracting.

Sincerely,

Princess Twilight

Shimmer looked around confirming everyone had read the page before taking in a breath and exhaling. Her hand went back to the paper on the next page ready to write her reply.

Princess Twilight,

Please understand that while I know I made a big convincing argument, I’m not some kind of ambassador for the human race or this world. I am not saying that we should simply bring Sunset back and pretend nothing happened, I am saying that we should give her a choice in the matter. If she decides to stay there then I won’t stop her, but I think she at least deserves to make the choice herself.

I only ask that you allow me to come there one more time and meet her face to face so she can make a decision if that is acceptable. I’m sorry for this whole ordeal, I wish I didn’t act so rashly in the first place, I hope you can forgive me.

Sincerely,

Shimmer

Shimmer’s friends all reached forward and each placed a hand on her shoulders and nodded. “Y’all got this, Shimmer.” Applejack smiled.

Shimmer nodded in agreement as she sighed and waited. The wait wasn’t long as it was clear she had Princess Twilight’s full attention at this point.

Shimmer,

Honestly I feel the same way, I just had to be sure you were certain on this decision. I’d be delighted to let you come back here to talk to Sunset directly regarding this matter. I think it will give all parties involved some much-needed closure on the matter. If she should return to the human world, I’m sure we can work out something to where she can return here in the event she needed to. I didn’t want to suggest it before because you did have a point that we were meddling in human affairs a bit too much, but now that I see you are willing to discuss the matter, I see no harm in bringing it up as a suggestion.

I will open the portal in one hour, please be ready to travel through, I advise you to come alone as while I’m sure your friends would love to see Sunset again, I don’t want them getting too attached in the event she decides to stay here. I’m sure you understand.

Looking forward to seeing you,

Princess Twilight

“Staying there? You don’t think Sunset would actually want to stay in Equestria, do you?” Fluttershy covered her mouth in awe at the idea, something none of them had considered.

“Dunno, I mean she’s had some time there now to adjust, what has it been, eight days right?” Shimmer asked Rainbow nodded to answer her question, “anyway, that means she’s had time to readjust to life in Equestria… It’s entirely possible that she prefers it there to here, especially since she was under the impression that this would be a permanent arrangement… It's not farfetched to believe she has accepted this arrangement now...”

“What are we going to do if she does want to stay?” Pinkie chimed in.

Shimmer sighed and shrugged. “What can we do? It’ll be her choice… Home is where Sunset decides it is for her, and we have to respect that.”

With Applejack’s truck pulling to a stop, she whistled for everyone to exit. This time, Rainbow was forced into the back so that Shimmer could sit between Rarity and Applejack. She blinked as everyone exited the vehicle and adjusted her jacket before stepping out herself. She looked around to see the broken horse statue that she had somehow ventured through some time ago. It amazed her that a portal to another world was hidden in such plain sight, though she wondered how it got there in the first place.

The other six girls formed a half circle around the portal as Shimmer came to their congregation and looked around to get a series of approving nods.

“So, this is it, huh?” Shimmer asked.

Twilight nodded. “We believe in you, try and not take too long though, it is cold out. Keep it under an hour if possible.”

Shimmer nodded and looked back at the girls and smiled. “Thank you… all of you for being so forgiving and understanding… I’m lucky to have friends like all of you…”

“You can thank us when you get back,” Rainbow smirked giving her a wave to go through the portal.

Shimmer nodded and turned away from all of them and faced the marble statue. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, throwing herself through the portal.

A familiar feeling of being pulled in every direction overtook her as she felt weightless for a moment as she was pulled through the portal, her body changing rapidly as she neared the other side. It was a sensation she wasn’t sure she could ever get used to, but before she had time to contemplate it anymore it was already over.

This time around she knew enough to brace her hooves in front of her and land right side up, skidding slightly to a halt as the momentum from being thrown through the portal was stunted. She exhaled and reached up to feel her glasses had managed to stay on her face this time around. For a brief second, she was actually somewhat proud of herself for such an accomplishment.

Standing next to the portal and stepping forward was a familiar pony princess. Shimmer turned around to face her and bowed lightly, to which Princess Twilight frowned and shook her head. “That’s unnecessary, we’re friends after all, that and you’re technically not one of my subjects.”

Shimmer nodded and rose. “Sorry, still not familiar with the customs here…”

“That makes us about even as I still struggle to understand a lot of things in your world.” Twilight nudged the girl’s shoulder playfully.

Twilight cleared her throat and stood tall. “So you’re sure about this? When you left you gave me an earful about how you were making the right call… I was skeptical, but I went with it because I recognized what all of the meddlings in the human world had done for your life. I felt it was only fair that you got to decide because of that… of all the people involved you were hurt the most… and yet now you’re here wanting to go back on that choice?”

Shimmer nodded. “I chose out of emotion… I let my fear control me, I need to at least try and do what’s right. I’ve been… a bitch for way too long. It’s time I did something right…”

“Are you sure you’re not just wanting to do this because you want Sunset back?” Twilight asked with a raised brow.

“Positive. While I do want her back, I am fully prepared for the possibility that even if she comes back she may want nothing to do with me. I’m ready to start owning my role in things…” Shimmer spoke.

With a nod, Twilight gestured forward and began walking, leading Shimmer to where Sunset was staying. Twilight gestured for her to go ahead, and Shimmer nodded before stepping into the room, seeing Sunset glued to a book, with Spike at her side reading a comic book. Spike looked up to see Shimmer and coughed poking Sunset’s side. Sunset’s eyes met Shimmer’s and she tapped Spike. “Leave us,” she said.

Spike stood and walked past Shimmer and before they knew it the two were alone.

“So,” Shimmer began.

“So,” Sunset replied.

Shimmer sighed and stepped closer. “Listen…”

“No, please… let me go first…” Sunset asked, gesturing for her to sit down.

Shimmer nodded and took a seat on the floor.

Sunset took a breath and ran a hoof through her mane. “It’s been a crazy few days… I spent eight days here torn between how I feel about what happened. At the time I was accepting it because I realized I had no choice, but I’ve had some time to reflect on it and I realize I only didn’t have a choice because you decided for me. You made me feel bad for you, so I sort of let it happen…” Sunset shook her head.

“I don’t know how to feel about you at this moment…” Sunset added.

“May I?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset gestured for her to proceed.

Shimmer cleared her throat and spoke, “alright, I know I fucked up. Trust me, half of my life is a series of fuck-ups and regrets, probably even more than half. I get involved with bullshit that I know will bite me in the ass and then I act like I’m so unlucky… I’m just so used to things being taken from me that I closed myself down to friends or feelings… It’s hard for me to show how I genuinely feel about anything and thus why I feel like I’m so manipulative at times…”

“You are, sadly…” Sunset agreed with a nod.

Shimmer nodded back and frowned. “Yeah… I know. I don’t try to be, I just… I clearly have more wrong with me than just anger problems, I have a really stupid control issue. I’m not saying it’s right, and I’m not saying that saying I’m sorry will fix everything, but I would be remised if I didn’t at least try to make this right. The reality is I did wrong by you, Sunset and I want to try and do right… So I’ve come here to offer you a choice. You can go back to the human world or stay here if you want.”

Sunset let out a long sigh and took a few steps forward shaking her head. “And then what? I’m supposed to act like nothing happened?”

Shimmer shook her head. “No… I am doing this knowing it could mean that even if you come back… we won’t have anything to do with each other…” tears began to appear on her face.

“Sounds manipulative to me…” Sunset frowned.

“No… these are not tears of begging for sympathy… I don’t want you to base your choice on me, I am just sad because I am regretting what I’ve done to you… I know what betrayal feels like, and I'm ashamed I made you feel what I felt before...” Shimmer choked on her words.

Sunset sighed again and shook her head placing a hoof on Shimmer’s shoulder. “No… It’s not just you… It’s me too. I mean I came to your world and I didn’t even care what happened… two people died as a result of the magic I made awaken in you. Two people who were close to you. I can’t pretend that didn’t play a role. We fucked each other up, the reality is we’re both fucked up people…”

Wiping her tears, Shimmer nodded. “Yeah… I guess we are… I know I’ve got a long road to prove myself to you, but-“

Sunset cut her off by placing a hoof over her mouth. “I’ve been here for a while now, talking with the Princess and Spike… I could have a life made here again… The princess is offering me a job as her advisor on magic, I could be something.”

Shimmer could feel her heart sink as Sunset explained.

“However… I know it took guts to come here and face me again and do this. You’ve got problems, Shimmer but I can always look past them because unlike everyone else I can feel how hurt you’ve been in the past. There is a connection between us, remember? I don’t know all the details, but I know you haven’t had an easy life and nothing has remained consistent… I want to be that constant.”

Shimmer blinked and blushed. “E-even if I did something like this?”

Sunset nodded. “I would be a terrible sister if I allowed you to push me away. You’ve got flaws, but I know you did what you did because you cared… after all, you saved my life.”

“I… I didn’t want to think about losing you… I thought if you were here, then at least you’d be safe…” Shimmer admitted.

"I know you did, Shimmer... but I have to decide if I want to be safe myself, you know? It's sort of my choice," Sunset responded.

Shimmer held back tears from the difficult discussion but continued to listen. "Besides... I miss my friends... I care for Princess Twilight dearly, but I also care about the friends I made back in the human world a lot... after all they taught me a lot about friendship when the princess was here. They were the only family I knew before you..." Sunset added.

Shimmer smiled and wiped her eyes. "Well, they all miss you as well, and they want to see you again."

Sunset nodded.

“Let’s go home, little sister.” Sunset smiled.

Author's Note

One more chapter until the end of Act II! The suspense, the drama!

I know Shimmer has been an insufferable bitch the past few chapters, but the ending of Act II will be a big game changer! I can't promise it'll "redeem her" for all of you, but it's going to be huge.

Act II - Chapter XXIX: New Mystery

Chapter XXIX: New Mystery

Princess Twilight smiled at the two reunited sisters and approached. The two had already discussed their departure with the princess and how Sunset wished to return home. Twilight sighed as she watched them stand in the same room as the portal, but her smile didn’t fade.

“You’re sure about this, Sunset?” Twilight asked.

Sunset nodded. “Positive.”

“You’re positive that I can’t convince you to stay? I would greatly benefit with you as my advisor,” Twilight asked.

Sunset shook her head. “Sorry, Twilight but my place is back there with my friends.”

With a nod, Twilight chuckled. “I wouldn’t want to stand between you and that, however, if you ever change your mind the offer is on the table whenever you should return if you ever do.”

Sunset smiled back at her, a little giddy at the fact that she had more options on the table should she ever need them. “Thanks, Twilight. I appreciate all you’ve done for me and I intend to repay the favor if you ever need my help, just come find me, you know how.”

Twilight giggled and winked. “Don’t be surprised if and when I pop up then.”

Shimmer stepped toward Twilight and rubbed her neck nervously. “Princess Twilight… I uh… well thanks for putting up with me. I know it’s been a crazy few weeks, and I’m sorry that I’ve been so crappy…”

Reaching forward, Twilight patted the girl’s shoulder and shook her head. “On the path to friendship we often hit many roadblocks. Your journey is only beginning, Shimmer. You’re always welcome to come visit along with Sunset as well. Hopefully next time it’ll be on better terms.”

Shimmer grinned and nodded. “I promise next time we meet, it’ll be under far better circumstances.”

Twilight giggled and gestured toward the portal. “You two better go, it’s already eight o’ clock, I’m sure your friends are waiting.”

Sunset stepped closer to the portal offering her hoof to Shimmer, who looked down and took it before looking back at Twilight with a smile. “Thanks for everything, princess!”

Twilight nodded and waved. “Go on you two, and good luck!”

With those words they both hopped into the mirror and felt that same pull that Shimmer had felt earlier. For Sunset it was a relaxing feeling, the feeling of knowing before long she would be home again.

It only lasted a few seconds before the two could feel themselves standing on two legs again and pulling themselves through the marble statue where a group of six familiar girls waited for them. Shimmer released Sunset’s hand and smiled at the group.

Before Sunset could even react, Twilight leaped forward and pulled the girl into a tight hug, squeezing her so hard she could barely breathe. Her hug was rivaling Pinkie’s at that moment. “I missed you too…” Sunset managed to squeak out patting the girl’s head.

Shimmer stepped forward to the group and smiled sheepishly. “I uh… thanks girls… for putting up with me that is…”

“You’re not completely off the hook…” Rarity pointed out.

Shimmer nodded. “I understand. I overreacted and sort of betrayed all of your trust. I promise I’ll work hard to rebuild it though. I’ll do what it takes!”

“Ah’d say y’all already made the first step then.” Applejack winked.

Shimmer nodded and looked around as the girls all came in closer exchanging hugs with both Sunset and herself. While there was clearly plenty that would need to be worked out, at least for that moment everything felt like it was the way it was supposed to be, or at the very last back on the path to such a thing.

“Alright, so what you need to do is focus your energy, try and keep your mind clear of anything else, imagine what you want to happen and make it so…” Sunset instructed, placing both of her hands on Shimmer’s shoulders standing behind her.

Shimmer nodded an inhaled then exhaled. “Imagine what I want to happen… got it…”

Sunset watched closed as her sister closed her eyes for a moment and held out her hands. She concentrated as hard as she could, pushing everything else out of her mind. She allowed herself to become one with her thoughts and opened her eyes. Her left hand started to shine slightly, and before long, like a fire, it came to her right hand as well. Before she knew it a teal aura was surrounding both of her hands and in front of her, one of two pots began to lift in the air.

“Wow! I’m doing it!” Shimmer exclaimed before shakily setting the pot back down.

Sunset nodded and ruffled her sister’s hair slightly. “You’re a natural. See, I told you magic can do wonderful things if you are trained. It’s better to train your magic than to run from it. These training sessions over the past few days have been pretty helpful haven’t they?”

Shimmer leaped forward and hugged her sister in glee.

It had been a good two weeks since Sunset’s return, and while things were far from how they were before, Shimmer had been making her best effort to try and approach things differently. Magic was a subject that she and her sister had discussed before, but Shimmer was always closed off to the idea. Now with Sunset’s help though the two had engaged in training sessions for a few days now.

“Thanks for showing me, sis.” Shimmer replied finally releasing Sunset from the hug.

Sunset giggled and nodded, petting the girl’s head. “Let’s see if you can move them without levitating them.”

“You mean like teleportation?” Shimmer blinked.

Sunset shook her head. “Teleporting something to somewhere else is a very advanced spell, only powerful mages can do that. What we’re doing is a simple replacement, switching two items if you will.”

“How does it work?” Shimmer blinked.

“Well, first you need to understand the conditions of a replacement spell. Since it is a far weaker spell you need to be able to see both of the objects you want to switch. If you can’t see them it won’t work, sort of like how you need to know exactly where you would want to teleport or you could end up stuck in a wall.” Sunset explained with a finger raised.

“And the second condition?” Shimmer tilted her head.

“The distance between the objects equates to how much energy it takes to perform the switch. So these two plant pots we have which are only a few feet apart wouldn’t take much, but something that is half a mile away… that would be tricky.” Sunset stated.

Shimmer squinted. “What about the size of the objects?”

A smile came to Sunset’s face as she nodded. “That’s the inquisitive nature I like to see when it comes to magic. A curious mind makes the best mage. Fortunately, the size of the objects is relatively irrelevant until their size becomes massive like a tree or a building. Even something as big as a person can be switched without much effort, granted for you it may take a bit since you are still training, but it would be entirely doable to swap two people so long as you can see both of them.”

Shimmer nodded, but Sunset extended a finger and spoke again, “I almost forgot, the two objects have to be roughly around the same size and mass as well.”

“Why’s that?” Shimmer raised a brow.

“Like teleporting when you are moving one object to the direct location of another, if the object is too big to fit it could end up stuck in a wall or something, you have a little wiggle room, but swapping two objects of different mass and sizes could cause a lot of problems, so proceed with caution,” Sunset explained.

Looking forward, Sunset placed a hand on Shimmer’s shoulder and pointed to the two pots they were working with. “Now, focus on one, and then bring your focus to the other as you imagine what you want to happen. Timing is key here, it requires you to split your thinking almost flawlessly, give it a shot.”

Taking a deep breath, Shimmer concentrated and attempted to follow the instructions, but found herself only able to make one of the pots levitate in the air temporarily before falling.

Sunset shook her head and extended her right hand. “Like me, alright?”

Shimmer watched patiently as Sunset closed her eyes for a moment and opened them with an exhale. Her eyes focused entirely on a single pot and then quickly darted to the other, and right before Shimmer’s eyes the two items disappeared for a brief second and reappeared in opposite spaces. Her mouth formed an O as she watched in awe.

Sunset cracked her knuckles and gestured toward the pots. “Now try again, this time focus.”

With a small step forward, Shimmer copied what her sister did. She closed her eyes and took a second to clear her mind. She took in a deep breath and let it out as her eyes sprung open; choosing her left hand instead of her right, Shimmer pointed in the direction of the first pot and concentrated on it, examining its shape, it’s size, every detail about it, taking it into memory.

As she envisioned what she willed to happen her eyes moved to the second pot, and sure enough the two items vanished briefly before reappearing in opposing positions. Shimmer blinked and looked to her left hand in amazement. “I… I did it…”

Sunset nodded and ruffled her sister’s hair playfully. “Not bad, before you know it you’ll be taking trips to Equestria to practice.”

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous for us to use magic so freely in the human world?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset shrugged. “Whether we like it or not, magic is here and it’s likely here to stay. That means we have to learn how to master it as best we can to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, and if that should happen we need to be ready to deal with it, wouldn’t you say?”

Shimmer grew quiet as she thought over that statement. “Is there someone that you think would abuse magic, Sunset?”

That comment had a similar effect on Sunset, as she too grew quiet and looked away, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the pots in front of them. “I can think of a few. Plenty of ponies and other creatures in Equestria alone have tried to use magic for their own selfish needs, and this place is no different…”

Shimmer stepped forward only to see Sunset turn back to her with a smile now. “That’s a story for another day though. Hey, how about we go out for a day on the town? Just the two of us,” Sunset asked.

“You can’t go out and about in that plain old get up,” Shimmer commented, placing her hands on her hips as she examined Sunset’s plain outfit of just a pair of gym shorts and a white undershirt that barely kept her chest hidden. The two had been training in Shimmer’s home all day, so their wardrobe hadn’t been on Sunset’s mind.

She chuckled and nodded. “How about I let you pick a more fitting outfit for me?”

Shimmer beamed and stepped forward with excitement, her hands at her chest. “You mean it!?”

“Sure, why not? We can wear matching outfits, it’ll be fun.” Sunset laughed at her sister’s enthusiasm.

“You won’t regret it! I have just the outfits for the occasion!” Shimmer winked.

“Now you’re sounding like Rarity.” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“Twilight, your brother’s come over for a visit and he brought your sister-in-law with him!” Twilight’s mother called down the hall to Twilight who was clacking away at her keyboard when she heard the news.

She frowned as she recognized she was only a few sentences away from finishing the homework for the end of the month. Despite being far ahead, she had a huge gripe about leaving things unfinished. Pulling herself back to her computer she tapped away a few more times and with a couple dozen keystrokes she was satisfied and hit save before pushing her rolling chair away from the computer and running to the door.

“Coming mom! I just need to make myself presentable!” She called through the crack of the door.

She could vaguely hear her mother call back with, “don’t take too long, dear!”

Nodding, Twilight quickly threw her hair into a ponytail and grabbed a nearby hair scrunchie, wrapping it around her hair twice to hold it in place. Peering into the large mirror on her door, she realized that she had been sitting in her room all day with her shirt buttoned wrong. Grumbling, she readjusted the buttons on her shirt to align them properly and smiled at herself in the mirror.

Twilight swung the door open and raced down the hallway to see her elder brother sitting at the dining table with a steaming mug in hand. His hair was the usual mess with poor attempts to tame it evident, and he was sporting a five o’ clock shadow, hinting that he had been busy lately. If he shaved, however, he still had an older looking face, not in that he looked like an elder but he looked wiser and more mature. He had what Twilight referred to as a reverse baby face.

His wife who sat next to him smiled and waved at Twilight upon seeing her enter. Twilight bowed in response. “Dean Cadance!”

The woman giggled and shook her head. “I’m not your dean anymore, remember? You don’t go to Crystal Prep, besides we’re family now. You may call me Cadance.”

Twilight nodded and corrected herself. “R-right, Cadance…”

“Besides it’s Principal Cadance now.” Shining wiggled his eyebrow and winked before taking a sip of his coffee.

Blinking Twilight looked over to Cadance for confirmation. She smiled and nodded as she sipped from her own mug. “It’s true, I got a promotion after Principal Cinch resigned.”

“That’s incredible!” Twilight exclaimed as she sat down across from them. Her mother poured a cup of coffee for herself and sat in the empty seat.

“So, Twilight your friend Sunset came back a few days ago, how’s that going?” Her mother changed the subject.

Twilight gave an awkward glance over at her mother and frowned. “Mom…” Twilight’s eyes darted over to Shining and then back to her.

“Shining is already informed on most of her unique circumstances, his lips are sealed.” Her mother giggled.

Twilight looked over at him in his suit and tie and raised a brow. “R-really?”

Shining rolled his eyes at his little sister. “Just because I’m with law enforcement doesn’t mean I am going to say anything. I know about your friend and don’t worry I’m going to keep it under my hat, promise.”

“Yeah but… you’re a cop… you’re supposed to uphold the law…” Twilight frowned at the conflict of interest he was presenting.

“Detective now,” Cadance corrected.

Twilight’s mother blinked this time and looked to Twilight and then both women looked at him in amazement. “Really now? When did that happen?” Twilight’s mother asked.

“The paperwork went through about a month ago. I’m working homicide now,” Shining stated.

“Homicide? That’s pretty cool! I sort of wondered about what it’d be like to be a forensic scientist…” Twilight leaned in with interest.

Shining chuckled and nodded. “Keep studying and maybe we can work together, Twily. We’ll catch the bad guys together.”

“Back on the subject of your friend, Sunset…” Her mother butted back in causing Twilight to look in her direction.

“You should invite her over more, I’m sure she could use some company. It’s awfully lonely living by yourself with only a sister to visit on occasion, she’s always welcome with this family,” Her mother stated.

Shining raised his mug in agreement. “Agreed, in fact, you should find out what she’s doing right now and make sure she’s okay. She’s been through a lot.”

Twilight nodded and whipped out her phone and wrote up a quick text to her best friend.

Hey, was wondering what you were doing, was wondering if we could hang out today? I mean it’s a Saturday and I don’t have anything to do.

It only took a minute or so for Sunset to reply.

Yeah that’d be cool. Shimmer is getting us dressed up to see a movie in a bit, you should meet us at the small parking lot in front of the theater in town, the one across from the Italian place. We’ll be there at like 4:30 or so after the movie lets out. Shimmer can head home and you and I can catch up, I’m assuming you wanted it to be just us.

Twilight smiled at the thought. Truthfully, while she was at the point where she was alright with Shimmer, she did indeed want some time with Sunset to herself.

“She said she’s going to be at the theater in town at around 4:30, the one across from the Italian place,” Twilight explained.

Looking at his watch, Shining smiled. “That’s in about two hours or so, get showered and changed and I’ll drive you there. I wanted to stop at the comic store nearby anyway.”

Shining’s wife rolled her eyes but smiled as her husband exposed his inner nerd.

“Thanks, I’ll go get ready!” Twilight nodded before excusing herself to run upstairs.

Shimmer stood in front of Sunset kneeling with a makeup brush gripped in her left hand hitting a few spots as she concentrated. She held Sunset’s face still while she worked on her eyes.

Sunset remained still allowing Shimmer to work her magic before finally smiling and stepping back. “There! All done! Check it out.” Shimmer gestured to the mirror.

Coming to a stand from her chair Sunset stood next to her little sister and looked in the mirror to see herself in expertly done makeup. Her sister truly was almost professional level at times, rivaled only by Rarity.

Her outfit was practical but stylish and fitting for her. She turned to get a better look at her profile with a smile. She had a black designer scoop T-Shirt, and a red long plaid button-up thrown over her and left open, the tail of the shirt rested nicely on her rear. It was a simple alternative look, but it worked for her, a bit more on the casual side, but she was sure that Sunset could appreciate it.

Standing next to her, her twin sister sported the same wardrobe. Shimmer smiled as she too looked at their reflection. “I thought it’d be fun to sort of… be each other you know?”

Sunset nodded as Shimmer stepped behind her. “One more thing,” Shimmer stated as she reached into her pocket and retrieved a hair tie.

Pulling Sunset’s long wavy hair back, Shimmer snapped it into the hair tie with ease and gave it a few brushes with her fingers before stepping back in front of the mirror.

Shimmer and Sunset stood there for a few moments appreciating what they saw. “All the boys are going to see us and think ‘man I wanna bag me some twins’,” Shimmer spoke, doing a poor impression of a male with that last bit, causing Sunset to chuckle.

“I have to admit… I do feel hot…” Sunset blushed.

Shimmer nudged her shoulder. “You are hot, you dummy.”

Chuckling, Sunset nodded. “So you are.”

“Well, I didn’t want to say anything…” Shimmer waved a hand and feigned modesty, only for Sunset to laugh some more.

“I’m glad we’re together again…” Sunset commented.

The room fell silent for a brief moment followed by Shimmer leaning in and resting her head on Sunset’s shoulder. “Me too, big sis… I’m really sorry about before…”

Sunset pet the girl’s cheek and shook her head. “It’s behind us now, let’s focus on the future, alright?”

Shimmer nodded and smiled. “Agreed, the future looks bright!”

Seeing her sister so happy only made Sunset smile too.

Finishing up getting ready Twilight took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. She had gone with a nice button-up blouse, and leggings with her skirt to keep warm. The bookworm reached up and snapped a hairpin into her long locks and smiled at herself in the mirror.

Her eyes had just a light bit of makeup work done, and she smiled as she looked at the girl in the mirror and could honestly tell herself that she looked somewhat pretty, in a nerdy kind of way at least. She pointed to herself in the mirror and began talking to her reflection.

“Today is the day. The timing is right, things are normal again… we have a good chance at this…” Twilight spoke.

She paused as if she was waiting for her reflection to answer before she realized it wouldn’t and began to ramble at herself again.

“You’re not going to stop having these dreams until you talk to her directly about it. It’s time to tell her how you feel… Stop being such a coward...” Twilight scolded herself.

She had been struggling with her emotions on the subject for a while now, but after talking it over with Rainbow Dash and Rarity, it was obvious that she was in denial for a long time. She didn’t even know she was into women, but it was obvious after all this time, she had a crush on her best friend. It clearly had snuck up on her when she wasn’t noticing it. The entire time she was with Timber she always felt like something was wrong, and whenever Sunset was hurting she was the first to react.

The distaste she had for Shimmer initially wasn’t out of dislike for the girl, but out of jealousy. She got to spend time with Sunset that Twilight couldn’t, and she was just so naturally pretty. It was difficult for Twilight to even imagine an attractive girl like Sunset ever being with someone like her.

Twilight looked her reflection over and a lot of that confidence started to fade. She didn’t have a very large bust, maybe average at best, and she wasn’t the most proportionate either. She was taller but lanky.

Turning around Twilight looked down and smiled as she noticed her own rear end, feeling good about that area at least. She knew she somehow had a nice ass, a lot of guys would comment on it when they thought she couldn’t hear.

She took another breath and faced the mirror again. “Stop psyching yourself out! You can do this! You are good enough! You’re smart, you’re funny and damn it you’re sexy!”

A voice from down the hall, muffled by her door came her way. “Who are you talking to, Twilight, dear?”

Twilight’s entire face turned red. “No one! Sorry, mom!”

Sighing, Twilight shook her head and spoke to the reflection once more. “Just… be cool… for once… and do not ramble about Star Trek…”

Satisfied with her pep talk, she adjusted herself and walked out the door and headed for the front door. There in the driveway, Shining waved at her from his car. “Hey, someone’s dressed up, are you sure this isn’t a date?” Shining chuckled.

Twilight huffed and walked over to the passenger side and let herself in the car. Carefully placing the seatbelt over her, she looked away. “It’s not a date…”

Shining rolled his eyes and started the car. “You know it’s not an issue if it is…”

“Please, you used to freak out if boys even talked to me…” Twilight commented with her eyes looking out the window as the car began to move.

“Yeah but this one’s a girl.” Shining winked as he focused on the road as he pulled out.

“Very funny…” Twilight sighed.

Shining reached over and nudged the girl’s cheek with his fist. “Hey, you’re old enough now to where I know you wouldn’t do anything unsafe or with anyone that wasn’t going to treat you right. That Sunset friend of yours sounds like a good catch…”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I love how everyone just assumes I’m into women now… I had a boyfriend, you know?”

“Nothing wrong with it, Twilight,” Shining added.

“And why are we talking about this?” Twilight groaned.

Stopping at a stoplight, Shining chuckled. “Mom mentioned she might have heard you having some dreams… you may have uttered a name that she recognized…”

“Damn it, mom…” Twilight blushed fiercely, not expecting her brother to know about her wet dreams about her best friend.

“This is majorly awkward…” Twilight admitted.

“It doesn’t have to be. You’re almost an adult, what you do is your business, Twilight. I just ask that you be safe and smart, okay? I trust you.” Shining smiled as he looked over at her.

Twilight smiled back and nodded. “Thanks, Shiny… that means a lot to me.”

“No problem, Twily.” He grinned as he focused back on the road.

“So… What’s this Sunset look like? I’ve never met her, maybe I’ll just briefly say hi before you two run off?” Shining suggested.

Twilight internally was struggling with if she thought that was a good or bad idea. “You’re not going to flash your badge and give the whole ‘my brother is a cop so if you mess with my sister’ act, are you?”

“Nah, promise. I just would like to know this person that you may be spending your life with,” Shining joked.

“What!? I don’t even know if she likes girls! Please don’t say something like that!” Twilight waved her hands defensively.

“Relax, I’m joking. So, do you have a picture of her or not?” Shining asked.

Twilight nodded and pulled out her phone, flipping through her photos she found one of Sunset and her together. She smiled as she saw it, the two had spent the entire day at the mall and Twilight had dragged Sunset to the new Star Trek movie, naturally Twilight enjoyed it far more than Sunset did, but she remembered how much fun the two had just spent time together.

Sunset stood there in the photo with her arm around Twilight smiling as she held up Twilight’s phone to take a selfie of both of them.

She turned her phone to Shining who glanced over before putting his eyes back on traffic. “Damn, not bad. Look at you, batting in the big leagues, just like your big bro.”

“Cadance is an insanely beautiful woman for sure…” Twilight admitted.

Shining nodded. “I know right? Half the time I am expecting her to wake up and realize she’s gorgeous yet married to me.”

Twilight only giggled at that comment.

“That’s our family, in a nutshell, we aim high. You definitely picked a cutie, Twilight. When are you going to tell her how you feel?” He asked.

“I was hoping… today…” Twilight gulped.

“Oh wow, so today really is a big day for you, well…” He paused and gestured to the pocket of his jacket. “There’s about two hundred dollars in that pocket for you then.”

Twilight reached in and retrieved it with a curious look. “What is this for? I have some money already… Mom gave me her card…”

“It’s for if you need to buy something that you don’t want on mom’s statement…” Shining hinted.

Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

Realizing he’d have to spell it out for her, he sighed. “Like a hotel room?”

Twilight’s face turned bright red at the thought. “W-what!? Oh no… I couldn’t… not on…”

He laughed. “It’s just a precaution. If you use it, we don’t have to talk about it. I was your age once, I know what hormones do…”

Twilight sighed and nodded. “Thanks, Shiny… I… appreciate it. Truthfully though, I’ll be lucky if I can get out how I feel today, let alone anything like… that.”

“You never know.” Shining winked.

"What happened with you and Cadance when you asked her out?" Twilight asked.

Shining winked again and chuckled. "That's my secret."

Coming out of the theater, Sunset stepped along with her little sister at her side and smiled. “Wow that was a pretty great movie, I loved the part where the group of them was trapped by that trickster and forced to solve those puzzle rooms in teams.”

Shimmer nodded and grabbed Sunset’s arm as she giggled. “And that part with the giant cow, right?”

“Totally, great movie.” Sunset gave a thumbs up as she stepped with her sister.

“Did you see that group of boys on our way in? They were totally checking us out.” Shimmer winked.

“And that one that came and asked for your number, that was painful when you told him you have a girlfriend,” Sunset pointed out.

“Moondancer is cuter than he was anyway.” Shimmer gave a dismissing wave.

“How is she by the way?” Sunset asked.

“Good, more than before after we uh… well…” Shimmer blushed and looked away.

Sunset stopped in her tracks and turned to face her. “Wait… no way!”

Shimmer only responded by reaching up and running a hand through her hair as she kept looking away bashfully. Despite being bold at the moment, she wasn’t as bold talking about it with her sister ironically.

“You dog!” Sunset reached forward and nudged her shoulder.

“It wasn’t like that, it was… passionate…” Shimmer blushed and rubbed her shoulder from Sunset’s surprisingly strong nudge.

“How was it!? Did you… you know?” Sunset gave a gentle eyebrow wiggle before making her fingers into a V shape and placed them in front of her lips, sticking her tongue through them.

Shimmer rolled her eyes and sighed. “You’re such a pig sometimes…”

“Come on! I’m a virgin, give me the details!” Sunset begged.

Another sigh escaped Shimmer before she stepped closer and lowered her tone. “If you must know, then… yes…”

“Nice nice, did she uh… perform on you so to speak?” Sunset smirked.

Shimmer nodded. “Let’s just say she definitely did her research…”

“And what about you?” Sunset leaned in to better hear the juicy gossip.

Shimmer looked around to make sure no one was looking before whispering into Sunset’s ear. “Let’s just say I made that girl quiver for more…”

Sunset whistled and smirked. “Damn girl! You lock me away in Equestria and you come back here and get laid? I am so jealous now!”

“Sorry about that. That wasn’t my initial plan to be fair…” Shimmer rubbed her neck awkwardly.

Sunset shook her head and blew a dismissing raspberry. “It’s cool if I had stayed long enough Spike was probably going to try and hit me up anyway. I doubt I’d have done it though…”

“You’ll meet someone, I’m sure of it,” Shimmer encouraged.

With a sheepish smile, Sunset looked back at her sister. “You really think so?”

“Sunset… You’re hot. Have you not noticed? Those guys were undressing you with their eyes back there. You could have anyone you wanted if you put your mind to it. I mean that you’re funny and talented… you’re a catch, big sis,” Shimmer stated.

Nodding, Sunset looked toward the exit of the theater as the two approached. “I guess so, I guess I’m just too picky because my situation is so complicated… it’s not easy to break to someone that you’re an alien from another world with weird magic powers, you know?”

“Maybe some people are into that?” Shimmer shrugged.

“Get real…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Exiting the building Shimmer shook her head. “No, I mean it, sort of like how some guys are into other races and whatnot? You’re exotic that way, you know?”

“I’m not sure it’s the same…” Sunset chuckled.

“Think positive.” Shimmer winked.

Coming to the sidewalk, Sunset looked back to the parking lot and then turned to her sister. “I promised I’d meet Twilight here, so I’ll see you later, okay?”

Shimmer opened her arms for a hug, which Sunset accepted and squeezed her little sister tightly. After the two released each other from the embrace, Shimmer reached into her pocket for her phone. “It’s alright, I have to call Moondancer anyway.”

Sunset nodded and stood up straight. “To be continued then.”

With an approving glance, Sunset started to head toward the parking lot, a good hundred or so feet away. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Shimmer dialed Moondancer’s number and within seconds heard her girlfriend’s voice.

“Hey, babe. What’re you up to?” Moondancer asked.

“Thinking about you, obviously.” Shimmer giggled.

“In that case… whatcha’ wearin’?” Moondancer replied playfully.

“I’m in public, we can’t play this game,” Shimmer responded, equally playful.

She could hear light laughter on the other side as Moondancer answered. “Fair enough, so we still on for later? You told me you were going to tell me more about this Ghost thing you’ve been researching, right?”

Shimmer’s eyes darted over to Sunset walking but were drawn to a small spot on the ground behind her that began to move. A red dot, moving along the ground and eventually finding it’s way to the back of Sunset’s shirt. It was difficult to see as her shirt was also red, but a darker red. Shimmer paused and her hand wrapped around her cell phone opened, allowing the device to fall to the ground.

Everything around her grew quiet, the sound of the iPhone shattering on the pavement didn’t even register to her.

She didn’t think, she only reacted. In the few seconds it took to follow that red dot, she had already calculated that running to her was not going to make it in time, calling her name would only likely panic the one aiming in her direction, but there was one option she knew she had.

Her mind concentrated on their session from earlier. If two objects could be swapped, so could two people. Shimmer focused her mind and steadied her body. Darting her eyes over to Sunset, she felt a fierce pulling sensation and her entire body clenched and unclenched as she could feel herself move.

Within a blink she went from where she stood to where Sunset stood, swapping places with her. She had chosen the perfect time to master the spell.

After that brief two seconds, she had only then registered what she had done. Her eyes widened as she realized the reality of her situation now, but it was too late.

A sharp pain shot through her back and came out her front side in her lower stomach. Before she could even grip the wound, another just under her shoulder ripped through her, followed by a third through her back and out her upper stomach and then a fourth hitting through her upper neck, grazing the side but there on the ground she could see bullet holes of where the shots had exited her body.

She groaned and collapsed face first. Her breathing became heavy and loud, she could barely hear anything else except her labored breaths. Sunset’s voice barely echoed in her ear as she heard her name get called, but she could do little. In those few seconds, she looked forward to see a car nearby. If she could make it under the protection of the vehicle than just maybe…

Placing an arm in front of her, she began to drag herself, feeling pain as her wounds rubbed against the asphalt. It was a struggle to get one arm in front of the other, then repeat over and over.

She would only manage to make it a few feet before four more shots hit her body, causing her to growl in pain.

Instead of fighting, she laid her head on the pavement, everything getting blurry.

She couldn’t tell how long she laid there before she could see a figure that resembled Sunset scoop her up and brush her hair out of her face as she held her head in her lap. “Fuck! Shimmer! Speak to me!” Sunset demanded.

Shimmer grew a weak grin on her face as she chuckled and coughed. “Finally… I did something good with magic…”

“What were you thinking!? Fuck…” Sunset looked around and yelled at the nearby people starting to crowd around. “Someone call an ambulance!”

Shimmer laughed and reached a weak hand up, placing the bloody hand on Sunset’s cheek. “Sunset… Listen…”

Sunset shook her head. “Don’t talk, help is on the way…”

Shimmer shook her head. “It won’t… matter…” She let out a series of coughs. “I need you… to hear this…”

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Sunset nodded. “Yeah… okay…”

“This… it’s bigger than you and I know… I need you… to look into my research, find Ghost. I wish… I had time to explain, but it’s up to you now… to figure it out. I’m counting on you, Sunset…” Shimmer hacked up a large amount of blood as she looked up at Sunset.

Shaking her head, Sunset’s voice cracked and grew strained. “No… you can do that yourself when you get better…”

Shimmer sighed and smiled again. “Do me a favor?”

Sunset leaned in to listen. “Tell Moondancer… I love her… I never got the chance to… I want her to know that…”

“Like I said, you can tell her yourself…” Sunset choked on her words.

Shimmer’s eyes locked on Sunset, her face missing her glasses as they fell off during her fall. “Hey… I love you, big sis… You made me enjoy the last few months of my life… I haven’t felt this happy in a long time… Thank you…”

“I love you too…” Sunset replied quietly.

With those words, Shimmer closed her eyes only for Sunset to shake her violently. “Shimmer? Shimmer!? SHIMMER! WAKE UP!”

It was no use though, the girl’s breathing had stopped and she became still. Sunset leaned down and held the girl closer. The only word she was able to get out between sobs was a simple, “why?”

Lowering their Remmington Model R-25 GII rifle, a hooded figure looked out an abandoned apartment complex window down at the street. They were more in shock than anything else, amazed they actually pulled it off, that this plan worked.

Adjusting their face mask, they looked down at the weapon and realized instantly it was too cumbersome to take with them. They sighed and tossed it on top of the carrying case and began their escape down the hallway as they headed for the stairwell.

Author's Note

Yup.

That happened.

Bet a ton of you never saw that coming. If you did, kudos to you for catching the early hints and foreshadowing!

Thus concludes Act II! Stay tuned for Intermission II and Intermission II-2 followed by Act III. Don't worry, this story is about to get juicier. For those who have been with me since the start, thanks for hanging around and I hope you all enjoy Act III: Ghost.

Intermission II-1: Pursuit

Twilight had been close by ready to go meet Sunset when she saw the scene unfold. Her eyes widened as she realized that Shimmer had been shot. Yelling back to her brother who was still parked, she raced over to Sunset who was holding Shimmer in her lap.

Shining blinked and reacted as he swung open the car door and raced over pushing his way through the gathering crowd. “Everyone back up! CPD!” He retrieved his badge from his pocket and flashed it around, causing tons of the group to step a foot or so backward.

Quickly he retrieved his phone from his pocket and dialed back to the station. “Hello, HQ? This is Shining badge number 88B44, I have a shooting on the left side of Park and Straightway, in front of the parking lot near the theater, victim has been shot multiple times, I need a team down here and…” his eyes looked up to a nearby building to see a figure in the window drop something and start running.

“I think I have a suspect for the shooter, I’m going in pursuit.” He hung up and placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

Before she had a chance to respond, he bolted in the direction of the old abandoned building as fast as his legs would carry him. Running inside he looked up the stairwell to see if he could see them coming.

“Shit!” He growled as he realized they likely took the fire escape in the back as no one would be dumb enough to try and leave through the front entrance.

Racing back outside, he came to the back to see a young looking person in a hoodie with a facemask concealing most of their face jumping off the last set of stairs on the old rusty fire escape in the back. They looked at him for just a moment and paused.

Shining flashed his badge in their direction. “CPD! Freeze!”

Those words had the opposite effect as the person bolted in the opposite direction, Shining sighing and shook his head as he gave chase. They never wanted to go the easy way it seemed.

“Give yourself up!” He commanded loudly.

They didn’t answer but kept running, Shining tried to pick up the pace, but it was clear that whoever this person was they were in excellent shape, their speed was remarkable. While Shining himself was in great shape, it still proved a challenge to keep up with such an agile individual.

Turning he realized they had gone into a dead end alleyway. A smirk appeared on his face as he turned after then and looked around to find the mysterious figure. There was no one in the alleyway which confused him until he looked up to see them climbing the brick wall of the building. “What the hell…?” He tilted his head.

The grooves between those bricks couldn’t be more than an inch deep, but they were somehow able to keep a tight enough grip to scale it with ease. Shining looked around and saw a nearby drainpipe which he latched onto and began climbing up as quickly as he could, not nearly as fast as his suspect scaled the wall, but fast enough to get onto the rooftop to follow them.

After a few seconds of running on the rooftop, Shining managed to catch up to them and found himself gaining on them. “This’ll go a lot easier if you just go quietly!” He suggested.

At those words the figure reached into their front hoodie pocket and pulled out a pistol and shot in his direction, causing him to pause for a second and duck to avoid the shot. To his good fortune, they didn't hit anywhere near him, perhaps intentionally. With the gun still in hand, they continued to run.

“Alright… have it your way…” He grumbled.

He retrieved his own firearm from inside his jacket and aimed. “Stop or I’ll shoot!”

Naturally, they didn’t listen.

Shining let off three shots in their direction, all missing, but it did cause them to change direction and lead themselves to the edge of the roof.

Following behind them, Shining smirked as he knew he had them cornered. The only way to go was down, as the next building over was far too far to jump to, and being much taller they would need to scale the side of the building to be able to make any kind of escape.

He pulled out his gun and aimed only to be surprised by the fact that the person actually jumped across the gap and managed to grip the edge of the other building and began to climb. “No one told me I’d be chasing down Spiderman…” Shining commented.

Seeing another drainpipe he gripped it and slid down to ground level, already concocting a plan.

Racing to the entrance of the building that the hooded suspect was scaling he flashed his badge to the apartment owner at the front counter and began running up the stairs. If he was fast enough he could beat them to the top.

Stairway after stairway he worried that he wouldn’t make it in time or that his suspect would catch on to his plan too early.

Reaching the top floor, he kicked open the roof access with his weapon extended. There standing in front of the door was the hooded figure who stopped in their tracks and raised their hands.

“Where’d you learn those moves, huh? Who sent you?” Shining asked as he stepped forward.

The figure only stepped backward as Shining approached. “So, here’s what’s gonna happen. You and I are going to go downtown and you’re going to answer a few questions, how does that sound? I'll even give you a ride there...”

They only took another step back and said nothing.

“Pleading the fifth huh? That’s fine, even if you lawyer up we got you at the scene, and I’m sure we can trace that weapon back to you. You can either come clean and maybe have some leniency or fry, the choice is yours,” Shining threatened.

Continuing to back up, they stopped and looked behind them as they realized they were already at the edge and down was a good eighty feet or so.

“Looks like you’re out of places to go.” Shining smirked.

Turning their back to Shining they looked over the edge and then down to the ground.

“Hey, hold up…” Shining called to them.

Raising their hand in his direction, a middle finger stuck up and they took the leap, jumping off the edge of the building.

Shining raced to the edge and looked down, amazed as he saw them grab onto a nearby streetlight and then slide down it. A feat of agility that looked near impossible for the average person, but it was clear that this person wasn’t an average person.

Rain began to fall, causing Shining to curse himself for not bringing his winter jacket. The weather today had been too warm to snow, but to his surprise the rain came down in a downpour, serving as a brief distraction.

He looked back down to the figure running and aimed taking a shot of faith. To his surprise, he scored a hit as the figure stopped for a second and limped for a few steps, then continued to run. He had definitely hit them in the leg, but it would take far more clearly to stop them.

Within a few minutes, he managed to get all the way down to the bottom floor of the building and headed off in the direction of the suspect, hoping their injury would slow them down enough to where he could spot them.

He reached the shopping district and lowered his gun as he looked at the large crowd of people in umbrellas. Finding them in such a large crowd would be impossible. He sighed as he pulled his phone back out and spoke after dialing again. “Headquarters, this is Shining again… Badge 88B44, the suspect has escaped on foot, be advised they appear to be a young male in a grey hoodie and baggy blue jeans, they sustained a gunshot injury to their leg, be on the lookout.”

“Copy that, Shining. Get back to the station, the chief wants you to interrogate the witness.”

Shining nodded and sighed. “I’m on my way.”

He ended the call and stuffed the phone back in his pocket. “I just had this suit dry cleaned too…” He complained as he walked back through the pouring rain, trying to get to his car.

Author's Note

Shining clearly needs to work out some more.

Hey everyone! Yeah, I know intermissions are not that long, but this one was longer than last time and the next one is even longer than this. I released this early because the intermissions don't always have illustrations, so I figured to try an early morning release this time. Don't get used to it obviously, but consider it an early treat.

Begin forming theories now!

Intermission II-2: Reference

My name is Sunset Shimmer, or better known as simply Shimmer due to more recent events. A lot has transpired in such a short time, and there is definitely mystery afoot. I’ll try to get to all the important details, and explain what I understand and my recounts of what happened, leading up to this. I regret not being completely up front about a lot of this, but truthfully I didn’t want anyone else involved.

What I’m about to divulge to you… Well, some of it is personal, so I ask you to not take it lightly.

It’s my hope that you can understand what happened, perhaps the key is piecing together my accounts with others. It’s too late for me to be able to do anything about all of this, but this is my story nonetheless.

To understand that story though, we will need to go back, back to a memory that I would have preferred to erase, a memory that I didn’t want to think about any more than I had to…

Six Years Ago

Blood. That’s all I could remember seeing, just blood everywhere. The entire room covered in blood, my hands, my clothes, everything. It would haunt my dreams for years to come. At the time of, I hid inside a nearby cupboard, trying to make time go backward, trying to undo what had just been done, and apologizing over and over and over. I must have said “I’m sorry” over eight hundred times that afternoon.

When the police finally found me, I had slept inside that old cupboard for days, not wanting to come out and see what my hands had done. I didn’t even understand how it was even possible to do something like… that.

They wrapped me in a blanket and fetched clean clothes for me to change into. When we went down to the station, they allowed me a shower and some time to collect myself so they could hear what happened.

I remember sitting in a detective’s office trying to explain my plight to him.

“Tell me again what happened…” He sighed.

“I told you already… We were arguing and this… flash came out of my hands…” I looked down to my small hands and closed them into fists, hoping that the action might reveal the mystery to me, but no such luck. I looked back up at him and finished. “The next thing I knew they were…” I paused, and looked to the floor. “Blown apart..”

The detective sighed and shook his head. “Sunset, that’s just not possible. You must have imagined it, you’re probably traumatized so your imagination made that up to help you cope with it, but I need you to try and remember if anyone came into the house…”

“I told you before, I am not lying! I didn’t imagine it! This big explosion thing came out of my hands! I know what I saw!” I yelled, coming to a stand and banging my hands on the desk.

He gestured for me to sit down with a pencil in his hand before returning to scribbling into a notebook. “Ms. Shimmer, I’m assuring you that it’s impossible for you to simply make an explosion appear out of nowhere. You clearly blame yourself for what happened, but I’m here to tell you that it’s not your fault. The evidence points to some kind of bomb being used, now do you know how to construct a bomb?”

“Most of the materials to build a pipe bomb can be acquired a hardware store and Radio Shack… Sir.” I huffed in annoyance, trying to show him that just because I was a child didn’t mean I was stupid.

“Impressive, you’re a smart little girl, but this was far more advanced than a pipe bomb, and I doubt you would be able to construct such a thing without raising suspicion.” He chuckled. “Though it sounds like you may have a promising career down the road in detective work.”

“Why so I can sit at a desk like you and not believe witnesses?” I raised an annoyed brow.

He laughed and stood up and came around to my side of the desk, placing his hands on my shoulders he knelt down on one knee and met me at eye level. “Shimmer, I promise you… We’re going to catch this guy and get to the bottom of this. I need you to help me though, is there anyone who would want to hurt your parents?”

It was clear by the way he interrogated me that he wasn’t the best with children, looking back. He clearly lacked any and all tact.

I shrugged. “Half of our family doesn’t like us because my parents got rich and they were trying to get our money.”

He nodded and came to a stand. “We’ll see about finding somewhere for you to stay for the time being.”

Four Years Ago

I spent a lot of the next two years jumping from relative to relative. I had been written to inherit my parent’s fortune when I turned eighteen, however it created much in the way of conflict for the remainder of my family. The only home I remember outside of the house I grew up in where I felt comfortable was that of my grandparents, however, they both passed away before any of this happened. I would ultimately end up in my Aunt Lilly’s care.

At the age of fourteen, I had forgotten what home felt like. For two years I spent time in places alien to me, with relatives who cared little about myself, but entirely about the fortune attached to me. Aunt Lilly at first seemed different, but it wasn’t until the option of adoption came about that she revealed her true colors like the rest.

I remember the last night there so vividly. It is a memory that I doubt I'd ever lose.

I had walked to the post office to pick up a package and returned home during the day while my aunt was away. My social worker had set up a card in my name that I had access to some of my fortune to be used for personal expenses, and I had made a large purchase on Amazon.

Sneaking the box back to my aunt’s house, I remember unwrapping it and smiling at the shiny new laptop inside. I had wanted my own personal machine for research purposes, as I didn’t enjoy sharing the family computer with my aunt and her two sons. What I had in mind they could not know about, no one could.

I was determined to get to the bottom of what happened two years ago, to figure out what exactly caused that explosion. To do that, research was necessary, simulations, contacting some people who may understand the strange phenomenon.

Leaning back on my old bed, I sat with the laptop on my lap and began clacking away, writing up a reply to an email chain that I had started in the library with a professor regarding paranormal sensations. The discussion had turned interesting when I got to the topic of people having abnormal powers. He had much to say on the subject, but my work would be interrupted by the sound of idiotic chuckles and what could only be described as “grab assery” as I could hear the two boys get home from school. I scoffed and rolled my eyes as I set the laptop aside and stood up to go and shut my door.

Before I was able to though, one placed his hand on the door and smirked as he looked in. “Hey, Sunset…” He grinned.

“Go away, Chance, I’m not in the mood…” I rolled my eyes at the brute.

“Awww, what’s wrong nerd girl? Don’t like us?” He gave a fake pouty face.

“Oh good, you figured it out. I guess you really aren’t a Neanderthal. Well, there goes that theory…” I snapped my fingers in a mocking manner before placing my hand on the door to try and push him out, but his brother stepped behind him and assisted in pushing the door open.

“Get out of here, you two!” I commanded.

The older of the two frowned as he forced the door open. “You know it’s not very nice to be so hostile to people who allow you to live in their home…”

“I wasn’t aware you paid the mortgage…” I rolled my eyes.

The older one, named Cliff grunted and stepped into the room with his brother. He was at least sixteen and his brother fifteen, but they both looked far older, like two cavemen almost. Perhaps the ugliest children I ever met.

“You know you should show a bit more appreciation…” He stated as he towered over me.

“Yeah, I’m super appreciative that I catch your little brother trying to spy on me changing…” I grunted.

Cliff chuckled. “He’s just admiring a lady.”

“Well with how you two are? I’m sure you’ll be doing a lot of that admiring from far away.” I smirked.

He reached forward and gripped my arm. “Maybe I can do a bit of admiring up close.”

“Let go of me!” I growled.

“Maybe you want to put on a little show for me?” He suggested as he held on tight and wrecked me over to the bed.

“Get off!” I yelled.

His hand reached forward to my shirt, only for me to reach toward my end table and grip a nearby pen and thrust it as harshly as I could into his arm holding me down. He hissed in pain and recoiled backward gripping the spot, trying to pull the pen out of his flesh.

While he was distracted, I dug through my drawer and retrieved a pocket knife that I had bought and hid in the room and extended the blade.

“You bitch!” He growled.

“Back the fuck up!” I hissed, swinging the blade which caused both to step backward.

“What’re you gonna do? Kill me? Where will you live then?” He asked, finally ripping the pen out of his arm with a groan. He gripped the spot to stop the blood.

“What is going on in here?” The familiar voice of an older woman rang through the hallway.

Standing there in the doorway was the grouchy face of a middle-aged woman, my mother’s sister, but not even a fraction of my mother’s beauty shined on this woman. She looked of misery and discontent and had the worst resting bitch face I had ever seen, only complimented by the fact that she actually was a bitch.

“Cliff, Chance please leave us…” She stated, gesturing for her two sons to vacate.

The two boys were about to object, but she gave them both a glance that caused them to shrink and scurry out of the room like dogs with tails between their legs.

After they were gone, Aunt Lilly began her scolding. “I bring you into my home… And you have the nerve to stab and threaten my son…”

“Your son was trying to rape me!” I defended.

“Nonsense,” she replied.

“I can’t believe this bullshit! He pinned me to that bed and tried to take my shirt off, I had to stab him with a pen to get him to let go of me!” I responded.

“Enough! I won’t such accusations in my home!” She hissed.

Realizing I was wasting my time trying to make this she-demon feel sympathy, I just closed my mouth and lowered my head.

Her eyes trailed to the bed and noticed the laptop sitting there. “Where did you get that?”

“I ordered it off of Amazon; I have my own money you know…” I grumbled.

“Unbelievable… I let you stay here rent free…”

I cut her off and corrected her. “The state requires you do that. You can’t make a minor pay rent because they can’t legally contract, read a fucking book for a change.”

“You live here taking up space and resources, you eat my food and you pay for nothing around here! You complain anytime I give you a chore-“ She started rattling off her complaints.

“The chores you give me are insane! I am in the bathroom scrubbing a toilet and cleaning hair out of a drain while your two sons sit in their room with literal garbage surrounding them! One of them sleeps with trash on his fucking bed! This is fucking slavery!” I protested.

She acted as though she didn’t even hear my defense. “And yet you can go out and buy yourself a laptop when you know the roof needs repairs? When you know we are behind on the electric? You couldn’t show some gratitude by helping us keep this home afloat?”

My eyes narrowed as I replied, full of venom. “Maybe if you had asked nicely… Maybe if you showed you were people who deserved the help, but honestly… There is being poor and making the best of it and trying to compensate by being a decent person, and then there is being poor and deserving it… You people are the latter. You’re poor because you spread nothing but misery to others, jealousy and envy. You spend your lives grubbing for anything you can get…”

“You ungrateful little…” She began, but I cut her off again.

“You were always envious of my mother. You hated how beautiful she was, and how she married a man who became wealthy while you only got uglier and poorer.” I smirked.

She reached forward and slapped my face, but I didn’t stop talking.

“She worked for her beauty and used it to raise others up, they donated much of their good fortune and used what they had to give scholarships to children in need, donate to hospitals, and they were rewarded for their goodwill, you’re just a greedy little bitch who wanted everything handed to her. You weren’t as pretty as her because you never tried. You ended up marrying a deadbeat drunk loser because you’re a self-fulfilling prophecy, losers generally only hang out with losers after all,” I continued.

She slapped me again and she had completely stopped blinking at this point. The vein on her forehead looked as though it could burst at any moment.

“Your mother was a harlot!” She spat.

“My mother was a saint, you’re the harlot. You never came to her for anything but money, you’re the same miserable greedy old crow that you were then.” I replied.

“That fortune should be mine…” She stated.

I smirked and shook my head. “And yet it isn’t, it’s mine. There’s no way you’re going to get it either, I’ll never agree to this adoption, and even if you kill me, the entire thing is willed to charity. You won’t ever see a cent.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Maybe you need some time to think about this…” She opened the door and gestured out it.

“Come back when you can appreciate what you have here until then go enjoy the streets.” She smirked.

I reached down and scooped up the laptop and stuffed the knife into my jean pocket. “Fine, the comfort of a bridge in the rain beats this shithole.”

She just nodded and allowed me to walk out the door. Making my way to the back door of the house, and getting outside I whistled. “Moon! Come on, boy!”

Running out of the doghouse, my familiar companion raced to my side and barked. Reaching down, I rubbed behind his ears. “Good boy, come on I know a place we can stay.”

Opening the gate I could see the two boys staring at me in the backyard. I smirked and raised my hand to display a middle finger to the two of them before exiting. It was a long walk that night, but I had made it back to my family’s estate and retrieved the key from my pocket. Walking the long driveway and into the house, I smiled as I saw it was still being taken care of. The state hired people to maintain the house for when I would eventually inherit it.

Reaching down, I lifted Moon into my arms and carried him up the stairs. Finally coming to the one place that I would consider my sanctuary, I opened a door and allowed us both in. I set him down on the bed and laid next to him with a sigh. “Don’t worry, Moon… I’m not going to let us go back there… I’ll go to the department of social services tomorrow, I’ll get us a lawyer… We’ll get out of that place ASAP.” The dog woofed contently.

I sighed as I leaned back and rested my head on the pillow as I laid there in my parents' old bedroom. For a brief moment, I could almost feel them there with me.

That was the last night I ever had to spend with my aunt, the next day I would spend a few weeks at a foster home before finally the state had me evaluated and determined I was eligible for legal emancipation. Within a month or so I was permitted to accept my inheritance and move back into my own home.

One Year Ago

Sitting there sipping on some decaf tea, I listened to the sound of my phone ringing over and over. Staring at the screen I saw the label of “Babe <3” on the screen and just stared as it rang and rang, not daring to answer it.

Thinking back, maybe I acted rashly to them, but then again given the circumstances, I think anyone would.

When the ringing stopped, I sighed as I looked at the text message they chose to leave due to me not answering.

Look, I get this is super fucked up, but I swear it was an accident. I didn’t want any of this to happen, but it just sort of did… You have to understand I’d never do that on purpose. I need you to trust me on this, Sunset...

I sighed and typed up a response.

Trust you? I can barely trust anyone as it is. You knew that going into this. What you did is beyond fucked up. I could get in trouble just for knowing about it, alright? There is no other way to slice it… You did something beyond messed up, and tried to make me an accomplice to it. How can I trust you when it’s clear you don’t have any moral compass? This is over, plain and simple.

There was only a brief pause before the response.

I thought you different, Sunset. But it turns out you’re just like the rest, the moment things get a bit too scary, you turn your tail and run. Ignorance and fear blind you, and that’s how you like it. Thanks for leaving me high and dry. Thanks for showing me that I can't count on anyone. I hope you are in trouble one day and need help so you can see what it feels like to be left high and dry by someone you care about...

I didn’t even bother justifying it with a response before turning my phone off. At one point, I loved them, but they had harmed my trust. It wouldn’t be until later that I would enlist their help in hunting down Ghost.

It is clear that whatever is happening is beyond normal. Ghost is connected to Sunset or myself, or possibly both, that much I know for certain. That is the link that connects it all, they may have even been involved in what happened six years ago, it’s a possibility anyway. I know that this all sounds crazy, but it has to be connected somehow.

Either way, it’s up to Sunset to figure this all out now. I wish I could help her, I wish I could be there by her side, but the circumstances clearly are not permitting.

Good luck, Sunset.

Act III - Chapter XXX: Painful Loss

Act III: Ghost

Chapter XXX: Painful Loss

Twilight adjusted her dress and stepped out of her brother’s car to see her friends gathered all in black attire, even Applejack had sported a black dress with a jacket thrown over it, Rarity smiling at Twilight as she saw her approaching. Rainbow Dash had even decided on wearing something almost entirely feminine as she stood there in a dark dress with gloved hands. She imagined that she didn’t own anything appropriate for the occasion and had to settle on what Rarity had to offer that fit her, which likely wasn’t much. Rarity was good, but not good enough to whip up a dress like that so quickly.

Twilight’s eyes looked at her phone to see it was approaching noon, and then back to her brother who smiled as he waved from his car. “Call me when you need me to pick you up.” He stated.

Twilight merely nodded as he started the engine and drove off.

Approaching the familiar faces, she smiled weakly at her group of friends who pulled her into a group hug before breaking and forming a small circle to converse.

“Sorry, I’m late… had a bit of trouble finding the place…” Twilight admitted, rubbing her neck nervously.

Applejack shook her head and offered a reassuring smile. “The important thing is that ya’ came.”

Twilight smiled a little as well, but it soon faded as she remembered where they were. The atmosphere was awkward, to say the least.

“Has anyone talked to Sunset yet?” Twilight asked curiously, hoping someone would say yes.

The group collectively shook their head. “Nah, she’s made it a point to avoid everyone and only talk to the pastor; can’t get anywhere close to her, but I imagine she’s taking this pretty hard…” Rainbow Dash spoke on behalf of the group.

“How could anyone do something like this? Shimmer was so nice… I mean she had problems and made mistakes, but nothing worthy of… this…” Fluttershy squeaking, fighting back tears as she leaned into Rainbow who wrapped her arms around the girl who started to allow tears to leak from her face.

“She was murdered…” Rarity spoke.

“Rarity!” Applejack nudged her new girlfriend to try and get her to realize what she was saying.

Rarity just shook her head. “No, we need to hear it out loud. We need to accept it and let it sink into our heads… It’s better for us to not pretend… Shimmer was murdered. That means that somewhere out there is a killer, a killer with her blood on their hands. We should all be far more careful from here on out… If they killed her, they may be interested in harming people close to her…”

Applejack frowned and looked away. “’Ah… never considered that…”

“We better start considering it,” Rarity stated.

“Maybe we can talk about this later?” Twilight suggested.

Rarity nodded. “Yes… of course… sorry, I just have been thinking about this for a few days now…”

Applejack reached forward and took Rarity’s hand with a smile. “Ah’ll protect ya’, Rares. Y’all know that.”

Rarity smiled back at the girl and nodded as she kissed her cheek. “I know you will, darling. Still, we should be on our guard…”

Rainbow Dash smirked and chuckled. “Finally you two are together, man that was a train wreck getting here…”

“Perhaps not the best time for this conversation?” Rarity rolled her eyes and gestured toward the rows of chairs lined up sitting on the lightly frosted grass. They had chosen to do the event outside despite being winter, but they had had a very warm day comparatively and decided to go with an outdoor funeral.

Sitting next to Applejack and holding her hand in her own, Rarity inhaled and exhaled before Applejack stroked the top of her hand affectionately as the rest of their friends took their seats, seeing the pastor step out in lavish robes. He cleared his throat as he stood at the podium in front of the closed casket. Applejack’s eyes wandered around the area to see that it was a rather empty funeral, not many to speak of.

Shimmer’s remaining family was her aunt and their family, and some uncle on her father’s side that lived in Europe who couldn’t make it.

On the right side sat Shimmer’s friends and their accompanying family and on the left by themselves sat her Aunt, her husband, and their two sons, all of which looked very unhappy and not the most pleasant of people to Applejack.

Behind them sat Moondancer and her mother, who looked like she hadn’t stopped crying since she arrived and the latter patting her daughter’s head and holding her.

The pastor smiled to the audience and began to speak in a friendly tone. Applejack wondered how someone who dealt with funerals so often could sound so cheery, but she imagined it came from being at peace with the concept of death in general.

“Friends, family, and loved ones… We come here today on an occasion of great sadness. One of God’s children has left us, and her time on this earth was short. A reminder though, that our Lord sometimes has purposes for us that require we come to him sooner. Miss Sunset Shimmer is in the Lord's hands now, looking down at us,” he began.

Applejack could hear the tears among the audience grow before turning her attention to Rarity who was leaning into Applejack, resting her head on her chest, tears smearing her mascara. Applejack ran a hand through her hair soothingly.

“I performed the services for her father and mother, and while it is tragic that this young girl is taken from us so soon, she is finally reunited with her parents. Ready to feel their embrace once more,” He continued.

Twilight was having a hard time paying attention to what he was actually saying as her mind wandered to how Sunset must be feeling as she saw her come out and stand next to the pastor with papers in her hands. She had never seen Sunset look so dead looking, so empty, so lacking of any real expression.

After a few more minutes of his speech, the pastor cleared his throat again and moved his arm over to Sunset and smiled. “Sunset, Miss Shimmer’s surviving sister who was recently reunited with her long-lost twin has prepared something she wishes to say, I ask everyone to listen…”

Sunset nodded and took the podium before shaking the pastor’s hand and looking down at the papers she had prepared and cleared her throat.

“Thank you, father, and thank you to everyone who has come here today.” Sunset looked around at all the faces in the audience and then back to her paper. “We are here today to honor this woman who shares my name, but most of us knew her as Shimmer. Shimmer was someone whom I grew close to in the past few months… She left an impact on my life and it’ll never be the same again, as I’m sure it is with most of you here. She was a quiet girl mostly, keeping to herself, but through all of us, she came out of her shell. We all got to see her grow a little, each of us playing a hand in that…” Sunset paused for a moment and then sighed.

“Her life, however, was cut short… Someone took her life from her, and I shall not remain silent about that… They stole her chance at living, and that is unforgivable. Shimmer was far from perfect, she made mistakes like any one of us, but she deserved a lot better than this… She deserved a chance to live, a chance to love, to marry, to have her own children, to be someone… She was robbed of that chance…” Sunset found herself gripping the podium before calming herself for a moment and continuing.

“Whoever did this… whoever is responsible… they will meet justice. This girl behind me…” Sunset pointed to the casket behind her, “We will honor her by making sure whoever robbed her of her life will never have the chance to do so with anyone else. They will face the consequences for what they have done.” Sunset bowed as she concluded, sobs echoed through the audience as a group of men behind her began to lower the casket into a hole.

People began to stand and meet with one another, as Moondancer approached Sunset, wiping her eyes with a tissue she had stuffed in her pocket. She lacked a proper dress so she chose to wear black slacks and a black blouse to match.

Sunset smiled lightly at the girl. “Thank you for coming…”

Moondancer nodded and let more tears stream down her face. “She’s really gone…”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah… she is…”

“I don’t even know what to do…” Moondancer sobbed.

Sunset reached forward and placed both of her hands on Moondancer’s shoulders, causing the girl to lock eyes with her. “Listen, what you need to do is keep living. This isn’t over yet, somewhere out there is a killer, someone who ended Shimmer’s life… This isn’t over until they meet justice, understand?”

Moondancer nodded. “Okay… I just… I miss her…”

“I do too…” Sunset frowned as she pulled the girl in for a tight hug. She could feel Moondancer squeeze her back with all her might (which wasn’t much), and Sunset pet the girl’s head to comfort her. It was clear this entire ordeal hit her harder than even Sunset. After all, she and Shimmer were intimate prior to this. Shimmer was on the phone with her only seconds before it all happened.

The two broke the hug as Sunset could feel a tap on her shoulder.

She blinked and turned around to see Twilight standing there. “Hey… not to interrupt but is it possible if I can chat with you for just a second?”

Sunset nodded and looked back to Moondancer, “excuse us.”

Moondancer nodded and placed her hands close to her chest as she watched Sunset walk away from her.

Stepping away from the crowd and a bit deeper into the cemetery out of earshot of everyone else, Twilight sighed and spoke up. “I was trying to reach you for a while. You weren’t answering your phone…”

“I was occupied…” Sunset shrugged.

“You’ve been occupied for days then…” Twilight frowned.

“I had a lot to think about…” Sunset sneered.

“I’m worried about you is all…” Twilight admitted.

“Why’s that?” Sunset tilted her head.

“You’re avoiding us… it’s okay to be sad… we’re here for you to have shoulders to cry on…” Twilight frowned.

Sunset shook her head. “It’s fine… I’m not sad… not anymore…”

“Then-“ Twilight was cut off.

“I’m angry,” Sunset responded plainly.

Twilight blinked.

“Whoever did this… they murdered Shimmer. I’m not going to rest until I find out who they are and make them pay…” Sunset replied, her tone extremely serious.

“Even if-“ Twilight got cut off once again.

“Even if that means I have to take matters into my own hands…” Sunset answered the question she knew she’d be asked.

“Sunset…” Twilight frowned, reaching forward in an attempt to grab her friend.

Her friend however just shook her head and patted Twilight on the shoulder. “Thanks for coming, Twilight. If you excuse me… I have some things to think about…”

Twilight sighed and watched as her friend walked away, only feeling more concerned than she had before the conversation.

Sunset stepped into a room lined with books on one wall and various degrees, certificates and framed awards on the other. A long table occupied by a few people was there. On the right was a woman with graying hair, that she vaguely recognized as Shimmer’s aunt from the funeral. She didn’t know much about her, as Shimmer didn’t talk about her too much. Sitting next to her was a chubby looking man with a major receding hairline. He reeked of alcohol, and by the look on his face, he likely had been drinking only a few hours ago if not minutes. His dress shirt was barely tucked in, and he definitely was in need of a shave.

Next to him were two rather fat children, one looking to be older than Sunset, the other looking perhaps a few years her junior. Both had messy haircuts and patchy beards to match their supposed father. The older looking one of the two had a stain on his grey button-up shirt that looked like it had been attempted to be cleaned but to no avail.

Sunset gathered they were a rather messy and unkempt family who didn’t care too much about their appearance to others, and she had already heard that they were less than savory from Shimmer at least once; though she seldom talked about them. She knew the woman’s name was Lilly, but she blanked on the rest.

She sat down a seat away from them, but the contrast between her well-dressed self and them was drastic. Sunset had worn a proper dress and had brushed her hair at least a dozen times that day to make sure she was presentable for this meeting; she had even worn heels.

At the end of the table was a face Sunset had never seen before, Shimmer’s family attorney, who sat there with papers in his hands and a neutral expression.

On the other side of the table sat Moondancer and her mother, who looked a bit shaken, trying to keep herself together. Her mother holding her hand and petting it gently. Her usual messy hair looked like she had made attempts to clean it up, but it was still rather disheveled, but in a rather cute sort of way. Sunset could see how Shimmer appreciated such a trait on her, she was the kind of girl where her imperfections only made her more adorable.

Clearing his throat, Shimmer’s attorney tapped his stack of papers on the table and raised a pair of glasses to his face, adjusting them so he could read.

“I thank you all for coming this morning, I know this is not a very happy occasion…” He began.

Shimmer’s aunt chuckled and smirked. “It’s about to get a lot happier…”

Sunset raised a brow and spoke up. “Hey, a little respect perhaps? Someone just died… Someone that was family to you.”

The woman scowled at Sunset and her face only became that much more unpleasant. “I don’t recall ever hearing about my sister having another child…”

“Look up the paperwork then, it’s all there. Now if you could please keep your mouth shut?” Sunset growled.

The woman scoffed and turned her head back to the attorney who cleared his throat and attempted to continue.

“As you all know, Miss Shimmer has left behind a very large fortune and plenty of assets. As it is advised with anyone who has the kind of assets she has, she was instructed to prepare a will as soon as possible. She was legally declared an adult at a young age, so she was able to declare her will as such…” He continued.

Sunset sighed at all this talk of Shimmer in past tense, not truly wanting to hear it, but her ears perked at the next part.

“However, recently there were some changes to her will…”

The entire group leaned in with interest.

“In the final months of her life, Miss Shimmer made quite a few lengthy changes to her will, and it reads as follows.” He cleared his throat as he began to read.

“I, Sunset Shimmer being of sound state and mind do hereby give my last will and testament. It is my desire that my assets be delivered as followed…” He looked over at Moondancer and her mother and continued. “To Moondancer, I love you dearly, I wanted us to have a future together, I loved you dearly and if we are not married by the time this is read…”

Moondancer placed her hands over her mouth in shock, tears running down her cheeks. “M-married!?”

Her mother held the girl closer and Sunset smiled at her and spoke. “She loved you, Moondancer. She told me that, it was one of the last things she said to me…”

The attorney continued despite the conversation. “I will thirty million dollars to yourself and your mother, this is to be split into ten million in cash and twenty million in stocks and shares. Furthermore, I am willing a financial advisor to assist you in fostering this money into economic prosperity so that you both may live comfortably from here on… It is my wish that your mother finally be able to quit her jobs and get the rest she deserves.”

Moondancer’s mother was the one covering her mouth in awe this time, both of the girls hugging each other tightly, tears flowing freely at the news. Sunset found a small smile coming to her face.

“You two deserve it… Please use the money wisely… Shimmer wanted you both to be happy…” Sunset said.

Moondancer nodded back to her, fighting more tears. “It can never replace her… But I am grateful… I promise to use this to help as many other people as I can…”

Sunset reached forward and took the girl’s hand and gave it a squeeze with an affirming nod. “I know you will. Shimmer cared deeply about you for a reason, and I know you’ll do amazing things, Moondancer…”

A cough caused the attention in the room to shift and for Sunset to release Moondancer’s hand and sit back down looking in the direction of the sound which came from Shimmer’s aunt. “Can we please continue?” She complained.

Sunset rolled her eyes, just eager to be done with ordeal so she could be away from this nasty woman. It sickened her to think she might actually get even a fraction of Shimmer’s fortune.

“Ahem… while they are not present, I would like Sunset Shimmer, my elder sister who shares my name to distribute one hundred thousand dollars to Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy Shy, Applejack Apple, and Rarity Belle in the form of an educational scholarship.” The attorney read.

Sunset blinked, a bit surprised by that order, but nodded. “I… I promise I’ll make sure it reaches them…”

The attorney nodded and looked to Shimmer’s aunt and her family. “To my Aunt Lilly…”

The woman leaned in with a nasty smirk as she greedily awaited her reward for winning the genetic lottery and sharing the same blood as Shimmer.

“Who let me into her home…” He continued slowly.

The woman nodded; the grin on her face only growing bigger and bigger as greed overtook her more and more with each passing second. “Yes, yes…”

“You provided me no safety, no shelter. Your home was nothing more than a prison to me…” He continued.

The woman paused and blinked in shock as he kept reading, her jaw slowly opening until it was hanging there.

“You showed me cruelty when I needed compassion, you showed me greed when I needed love, and you only saw me as nothing more than a means to an end. You attempted to steal all I had for yourself and treated me as nothing more than a nuisance. Some of the worst memories I hold are the ones where I was forced to live in your home… I invited you to this hearing so that you could not only hear that I leave you with absolutely nothing but to witness all you clawed to get be given elsewhere, in my hope that you take this as a lesson in humility; rewards go to those who earn them, not vindictive witches who try to take them…” He finished and set the paper down looking to the now fuming Aunt Lilly.

“That little cretin! We took her in! We cared for her! And this is the thanks we get!?” She hissed.

Sunset couldn’t help but giggle at her anger.

“Come on, we’re leaving!” The woman growled as she grabbed her two children’s arms and tugged them out of their seats violently, her husband bumbling after them as they made their exit.

“You won’t be missed…” Sunset commented under her breath.

The attorney blinked and pulled up the final page of the paper and cleared his throat once more before speaking again.

“Lastly… to Sunset Shimmer, my elder sister…”

Sunset gulped and looked forward with full attention; her heart was already pounding from the entire meeting, but it somehow found a way to go faster still right now. The entire room fell silent as eyes moved toward Sunset with anticipation.

“You have shown me what family and friendship are when I had thought I’d forgotten. You lit the way for me in my darkest time and showed me compassion that I had long since forgotten. You’ve lived up to the definition of not only a sister, but a friend. The time I have spent with you has been remarkable, and I am glad we were able to meet,” he stated, Sunset looked over to Moondancer who was crying, but smiling as she heard the praise to Sunset sang, nodding gently in agreement.

“It is because of all you’ve done that I have found any level of happiness in my life again, and while I hope you never have to hear this letter, in the event that you do, I want you to know that I don’t regret a second of the time we have spent together…” He smiled as he looked to Sunset, clearly moved by the bond the two girls shared before continuing, “that is why I have decided that the remainder of my fortune, estate, and assets all be given to you, Sunset Shimmer. Valued at three hundred and fifty million dollars, everything I own goes to you. I have several financial staff who shall assist you in handling this fortune… I love you sister, and I’m sorry.”

As he set the paper down, Sunset’s eyes grew as she looked at the floor in shock. It was a lot to take in. She had never even considered inheriting Shimmer’s fortune. All the time they had spent together, she had never once thought about getting anything out of Shimmer beyond her affection and admiration. Shimmer’s fortune reminded Sunset of how little she had at times, but she seldom wasted a thought on owning it for herself.

The attorney smiled and nodded. “There is one more thing… I was instructed to give you this video to play on your own. Shimmer had met with me only two weeks prior to her death and had prepared this. She said it was for your eyes only, and in the event of her death to pass it along to you.”

He reached under the tape and handed off a flash drive to Sunset, who took it and held it firmly in her hand. It looked ordinary, nothing out of place about it.

“Congratulations though, Miss Shimmer…” He stated, causing Sunset to turn her head in confusion. “You’re now the richest woman in Canterlot.”

After a good eight hours of signing papers, listening to tons of legal talk, and going through the transfer of assets, Sunset was finally handed the keys to the estate she was now the legal owner of. She was told that the paperwork would take some time, but she could move in right away thanks to most of the groundwork being taken care of.

By the end of all the meetings and talks, she wanted nothing more than to go to the house and crash for the night.

A car from the legal office had taken Sunset from their firm all the way through the front gates of the late Shimmer’s estate all the way up to the front door. The car stopped and the attorney from the meeting earlier regarding Shimmer’s will smiled at her as he looked to the house. “This is where I leave you, Miss Shimmer…”

Sunset blinked and nodded as she looked back at him.

“You know, I knew your sister a little prior to all of this… she was a sweet girl, nothing will ever replace her…” He commented.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah… it’s a shame… She was a great person…”

He nodded like her and closed his eyes with a sigh. “Yes, she was, but we can’t change the past, you know?”

Sunset’s expression remained empty and blank at that comment; a bleak reminder that this was how things were going to stay from now on.

“Try and look on the bright side, she left you with the resources to make a life for yourself, not many eighteen-year-olds get this kind of opportunity, you can turn her untimely death into something… Clearly, she cared deeply about you, Sunset,” he suggested.

Sunset unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. She shut the door and looked in through the open window as the attorney stared at her glowing vibrant eyes, contrasting with the black leather jacket she wore. “I’ve already got something in mind…” she said.

He opened his mouth to question further, but Sunset stood tall and waved. “Goodbye.”

Sighing, he nodded and focused back on the driveway as he put his hands on the wheel of his Mazda. “Goodbye, and if you need anything or have any questions, just call.”

With one final nod from Sunset, he started his engine and took off down the long driveway, leaving Sunset standing there for a moment. The cold air of winter brushed along her torn up black skinny jeans, and the icy wind ripped through her long red and blonde locks, but she could barely feel the pain of the low temperature. Her brain had numbed her to most of these feelings for days, and her entire body pivoted around to face the large door to a house she was only slightly familiar with.

It had dawned on her that she actually had not seen much of Shimmer’s house when she reached forward with a key she had taken out of her pocket to open the door. Letting herself inside she looked to the stairwell in the atrium, and allowed memories of the past replay in her head.

It was there only a few months ago that she had met Shimmer and saw her walk down those very same stairs questioning who she was.

Sunset found herself stationary, unable to move as she waited, hoping to hear footsteps in heeled shoes come down those lavish steps one more time, but no such luck as the halls remained silent and empty.

She sighed as she took a few steps forward on the marble floor hearing her heeled boots clack against the material.

Eyes looked down the east wing on the bottom floor, realizing she had never gone down that way but decided that now was not the time for exploration. She was exhausted and looking to an old beat up backpack in her left hand that she had dragged in, she remembered she had a task to complete before doing anything else.

She needed to find a computer and utilize the flash drive she was given. She at least knew where Shimmer kept a few of her computers in the house and began to make her way upstairs.

Counting doors on the third floor she managed to find the lab that Shimmer spent a lot of time in, and stepped inside. She paused and looked at the lab coat on the wall. With a nod, Sunset reached for it and threw it over her clothing, Shimmer may have been gone, but she could still honor her little traditions.

Making her way to the computer in the center of the room, Sunset pulled the chair out and sat down.

She tapped the power button and after only a few seconds, the machine started up. To her good fortune, there was no password required.

Plugging the flash drive into a USB hub that had been placed on the desk she looked at the screen to see a password prompt appear on the screen. She cursed lightly and saw a little spot that said “HINT”. Clicking on that with hope, a small bit of text appeared reading “With myself and my friends we are…”

Sunset squinted as she thought if over. Looking at how many letters it allowed her to input she saw it was only five letters.

It took her a moment but then she had it. Carefully she typed in the password: EIGHT.

A smile came to her face as the drive opened revealing a folder with a single file on it. Sunset took a deep breath and clicked on it as she sat back and allowed a video to come up on screen and play.

In the video, Shimmer was sitting in the very same room that Sunset was in now. She looked at the date in the corner and noted that it was several weeks back, far before she had gotten ill and needed to be rushed to Equestria. That meant that Shimmer had expected her own death as at least a minor possibility back then.

Sitting in her lab coat, Shimmer cleared her throat and adjusted the camera before sitting back in her chair and speaking.

“If you are watching this video then chances are that you’re Sunset Shimmer, my elder sister so to speak… If you’re not Sunset Shimmer, then that means either this file has fallen into the wrong hands or the unthinkable has happened and Sunset Shimmer has died and I am now dead as well… I pray that is not the case…” she began.

Sunset’s spine stiffened at the thought. Shimmer had even considered the possibility that both of them would die?

“I’m going to continue as if I am talking to you, Sunset. After all, this video isn’t intended for anyone else…” Shimmer stated.

Sunset crossed her arms as she listened intently to the video, not enjoying where it was going already.

“There are a lot of questions that likely require answering, but in the off chance this file has been intercepted, I can’t tell you anything that I don’t want to be known to my… enemies so to speak. I apologize for what seems like being unnecessarily cryptic, but I can’t be too careful. I hope you understand.” Shimmer’s face formed a frown as she spoke those words, but she continued nonetheless with an adjustment to her glasses.

“If you’re watching this, I’m dead. If that is the case it is more than likely connected to Ghost. A few days ago my server was hacked into and the hacker who goes by the alias of ‘Ghost’ was rooting around in my research. I have since taken all of my work off these main computers including my video logs and moved them to a secure location. Due to the risk of this file being intercepted, I cannot tell you where that is, but you will need to find it on your own. The only clue I can give you is that my family will light the way for you…” Shimmer paused and smirked for a moment.

Sunset was already trying to decipher what that could possibly mean as she kept her eyes glued to the screen.

“Ghost is after something, and I am certain there is more at work here than I could imagine. I suspect Ghost is part of a group, possibly even an organization. If you-know-what is involved and they are after it… it’s safe to assume that they will not stop with my death…” Shimmer stated.

Sunset instantly guessed that “you-know-what” referred to magic, spoken about so vaguely so as to confuse anyone who had no clue what they were talking about.

“Ghost is out there, and it’s up to you to figure out what he wants, and who he is. If he is indeed responsible for my death, then I would automatically assume that you are the next target, Sunset. My suggestion is to tread carefully from here on out. There are some things in the east wing that I think you should check out and familiarize yourself with. I’d also get familiar with the home security system if I were you…” Shimmer said before sighing and shaking her head.

“I’m sorry… I wish I didn’t have to put all of this on you, but it looks like I’m exceptionally good at finding ways to cause problems for you even after death… I pray that this video never has to be viewed, but if it does… there is one last thing I need to tell you…” Shimmer looked directly at the camera. “Don’t trust the police. In the past, they never believed me when it came to matters that involved you-know-what and I am not one hundred percent convinced that Ghost doesn’t have moles in law enforcement or ways to steal information from them…”

Sunset grimaced at the thought but was thankful that she already had a relatively awkward relationship with law enforcement already due to her previous status of being an illegal in the human world.

“Sunset… I’m sorry that this happened, I’m sorry about… well a lot of stuff, but I want you to be safe… please, stop Ghost. If you don’t… there’s no telling how many people he could hurt if he actually manages to get his hands on… well, you know… I love you, sis…” Shimmer reached forward and ended the video.

Sunset sighed and looked down as she felt something brush against her leg. There on the floor was a rather pathetic looking dog with ears drooped and a soft whine as he looked up at her expectantly. Frowning, Sunset turned her chair and rested her hands on her knees as she kneeled down and looked at the dog.

“Looking for your mom, huh?” Sunset asked with a frown on her face.

The canine only whimpered in response.

“I’m sorry little guy… she’s not coming home…” Sunset spoke quietly.

The dog appeared to understand as it whimpered again and rested his head on her lap. Sunset reached down and pet the dog’s head with another sigh. “It’s okay little guy… I know how you feel… now you’re a lot like me… alone.”

The dog closed his eyes and leaned into her petting. “I promise though, whoever did this… they’re going to pay… now’s not the time to be sad, now is the time to be determined. We’re going to find Ghost, and we’re going to make him pay, one way or another. I don’t care what it takes, even if I have to strangle him with my bare hands. Ghost will pay for this, mark my words…” Sunset growled.

Coming to a stand, Sunset looked over at the clock to see the time, 11:08 PM. She yawned and stretched as she approached the front of the room, the dog following, quickly becoming her shadow. Sunset placed the lab coat back on the rack and almost made her way out the door before looking back at the computer and returning to it to pull the flash drive out. She now understood that she couldn’t be too careful and placed the drive in her pocket before going back out the door.

Closing the lab door behind her, Sunset contemplated going to the guest room she usually stayed in when she came over, but then decided instead that she wanted to be closer to Shimmer and made her way to Shimmer’s bedroom.

Arriving at the door, the moment she opened it, she was instantly met with the familiar smell of Shimmer’s scent of perfumes and expensive aromas. Stepping inside she laid down on the canopy bed as Moon followed and hopped on next to her, curling up on the other pillow. Sunset looked over at the end table and saw a framed photo of Shimmer and herself smiling.

She picked it up and allowed the memories of that day fill her head. She held the photo close and let tears soak her face as Moon crawled closer and rested his head against Sunset.

“I’m sorry, Shimmer… I couldn’t protect you… I’m so sorry…” Sunset whispered to herself.

Author's Note

Hey! Welcome back to the main story now that we had 2 weeks of intermissions. Special thanks again to Applety who enjoyed two weeks off from drawing, but it's good to see she hasn't lost her edge!

I think it goes without saying now that Shimmer is indeed 100% confirmed dead now. For those hoping she would somehow turn out not dead after the end of Act II, sorry.

The story is far from over though, Shimmer is going to play an integral role to everything that unfolds from here on out. Stay tuned!

Act III - Chapter XXXI: Isolation

Chapter XXXI: Isolation

The middle aged school principal was performing the same ritual she would almost every other day on her way home for the past two months. She would pull up to the enormous estate of Sunset Shimmer and park in front of the house for a few moments to drop off textbooks, homework, and whatever was needed for the reclusive older teen. She and her sister Luna would alternate between the two, occasionally being forced to stay a bit longer to administer tests as mandated by the school.

Luna had offered to go in Celestia’s stead, but she declined stating she wanted to make sure Sunset was doing okay.

It had been like this for the past few months, this had just become part of her daily routine, checking up on the shut in teenager that was once her student.

Celestia adjusted herself and tightened her winter jacket as she knocked on the gigantic door. In only a few seconds, the door swung open and standing there behind it was an exhausted looking Sunset, her hair a rugged mess, her eyes carrying half a dozen bags, and only wrapped up in a black and white bathrobe.

She gestured for Celestia to enter with only a grunt, to which the woman nodded and stepped inside the lavish home.

Celestia stood awkwardly with books and papers to her chest as she observed a dog run up to sniff her then darted over to Sunset with an eager tail wagging. Reaching down, Sunset gave him an approving pat on the head and then looked back to Celestia with a blank expression. “Want some coffee?”

Celestia nodded causing Sunset to nod in return. “Meet me in the living room,” Sunset instructed plainly. With a sigh, Celestia marched over to the living room and found an armchair to sit herself in.

Once she had sat down she placed the books and papers on the coffee table and waited the few minutes it took for Sunset to return with two mugs. She offered one to Celestia who took it and sipped. It was perfect, the two of them had been through this routine enough times to where Sunset had memorized exactly how Celestia preferred her coffee, she guessed that she likely did the same with her sister Luna as well.

Sunset let out a long yawn before sitting down on the couch herself with a mug in hand. Moon raced over and hopped up next to her before resting his head in her lap, causing a light smile to form on her face as she rubbed behind his ear. The smile subsided just as quickly however as Sunset sipped from her steaming mug, her eyes moved toward Celestia carefully.

“Ahem…” Celestia began as she lowered her cup.

“Welcome… sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I’m just waking up…” Sunset apologized for her demeanor. Truthfully though, this was far from abnormal at this point. Whenever Celestia or Luna would come over, she was always exhausted, and seldom had much to say. There had been times where they showed up and she was still in her underwear or a bathrobe after finally bathing after neglecting it for days on end. Though she never admitted it, there were days where she forgot to eat.

“Yes… well… I brought you your schoolwork… I hope you’re studying for final exams in a few months… The midterms just passed, and I know you did well but I am worried that not being in class for refreshers may make the final exams difficult…” Celestia spoke her concern.

Sunset shrugged. “I’m not worried about it…”

“Yes, but I’m worried about you…” Celestia replied as she took another long sip of her coffee from the mug.

Her concern only caused Sunset to roll her eyes in annoyance, clearly not moved. “I’m cool, promise,” Sunset responded with a bored tone, already tired of this conversation.

Celestia’s worry only grew. “Sunset, it’s not healthy for a girl to lock herself up like this away from her friends and peers… Isolation can make the mind very unstable…”

“Are you saying I’m unstable?” Sunset smirked, a hint of deviousness on her face.

“I haven’t figured that part out yet to be perfectly honest, but your current state isn’t instilling a lot of hope in me if I’m frank…” Celestia admitted.

“What you call unstable, I call…” Sunset paused before sipping her coffee. She finished the sip and smirked with narrowed eyes at Celestia and a face the reeked of smugness before finishing that sentence, “focused…”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Maybe you should focus on school rather than… whatever it is you’re doing here for hours on end when I’m gone? Which apparently has you so focused that you're losing sleep?”

Sunset shrugged and gulped down a large portion of the coffee now that it had cooled off a little. Celestia merely watched as she watched the girl chug the bitter beverage and set the cup down on the coffee table. Celestia’s eyes moved toward the cup to see that it was almost completely empty after that gesture, somewhat impressed by the teen’s coffee drinking skills. She for a brief moment wondered when teenagers became such avid coffee drinkers.

“You know your friends are asking about you? They want to know why they don’t hear from you or if you’re going to be attending the senior ball?” Celestia asked.

Sunset shrugged. “Dunno. I’m preoccupied at the moment, so I can’t tell you what the future holds…”

“Maybe you should call your friends sometime so you'd have a better idea?” Celestia suggested.

“Will that be all, Principal Celestia?” Sunset asked, making sure to emphasize her title as her voice grew more annoyed.

Celestia stood and nodded with a sigh. “Yes… well, I really should be going… Thank you for the coffee.”

Nodding Sunset stood with her and walked alongside her to the front door as Celestia opened it and paused as she stared outside to her car. She looked over her shoulder back at Sunset and spoke. “There is something else…”

Sunset blinked and tilted her head in confusion. “I know Shimmer’s death has you really shaken up… hell, it’s made all of your friends a bit strange in the past few months, but locking yourself away isn’t the answer, Sunset…” Celestia spoke quietly.

With a hushed voice, Sunset replied, “I intend to find my own answers…”

“Be that as it may, I hope you’ll get out some. You’re looking absolutely pale, Sunset. Some sun and fresh air would do you a world of good…” Celestia suggested.

Sunset shrugged. “I’ll think about it…”

Sighing, Celestia nodded as she realized she was fighting a losing battle. “If you need anything give me a call, alright? You know you can trust me.” A smile appeared on her face.

Sunset just nodded and Celestia made her way out the door and closed it behind her. Hearing the sound of her engine start and the car she arrived in move from the driveway, Sunset stared at the closed door. She stood there with an empty expression as she stared into space. “Right now…” she thought out loud, “I can’t trust anyone…”

The sun was already setting as Celestia kept her eyes on the road on her drive home. Looking at the time, it was already 5:28 PM, and she had been up since four that morning. Part of her regretted not sticking around at Sunset’s home to have more of that coffee that she left behind, as she was running on little sleep herself.

Sitting in the passenger seat, her phone began to vibrate. She sighed and picked it up, making sure to keep her eyes on the road as she put it on speakerphone and began to talk.

“Let me guess, you forgot something in your office and you want me to swing back by the school to pick it up for you again?” Celestia spoke annoyance in her voice.

Expecting her younger sister, she was surprised when a softer more nervous sounding voice answered instead. “H-huh?”

Celestia blinked and blushed a bit at the embarrassment caused by the mix-up. “Oh, Twilight… sorry, I thought you were my younger sister…”

“It’s alright, how are you?” Twilight answered.

“Been better, but also been worse, I suppose. How about yourself?” Celestia asked.

“Eh, you know… keeping busy I guess…” Twilight replied plainly.

Celestia smirked as she could sense the awkwardness in the air. “Weird to be calling your principal after school hours?” Celestia guessed.

“A little… Ever since we’ve met, I’ve always known you by your title, so I don’t really know what to call you outside of school…” Twilight admitted awkwardly.

Celestia giggled and shook her head as she pulled up to a stoplight. “You can just call me Celestia outside of school.”

“W-what? But it’s rude to refer to an adult by-“ Twilight was cut off.

“You’re eighteen now, you are an adult,” Celestia reminded.

There was a brief pause followed by Twilight replying very quietly. “That’s true… I suppose…”

Silence fell over the two of them as Celestia sat there waiting for Twilight to address the reason for her call. “Twilight…” Celestia decided to breach the subject for her, “I’m guessing you didn’t call to talk about how to refer to a school faculty member outside of school did you?”

“Well… no, but it is useful information regardless…” Twilight said quietly.

“What do you need, Twilight?” Celestia asked.

She could hear the girl take a deep breath then exhale. “Could you… possibly meet up with me? I know it’s highly unusual but I’d prefer to talk in person, you know?”

Celestia sighed and took another moment to regret not drinking more coffee some more. It looked like it would take some time before she could get home and get some rest. Silently she cursed herself for being so caring about the welfare of her students.

“Yeah, sure. Where are you located?”

“I was walking home from the library, but there’s a McDonalds just down the road from there, I’ll meet you there,” Twilight answered.

Celestia was familiar with the area and nodded to herself as she mentally prepared the directions. “Alright, I’m heading that way now. I’m not far away, so I’ll be there in less than two minutes.”

“Sounds good, see you then,” Twilight responded before a beep could be heard, representing Twilight ending the call.

Making a right turn at the next intersection, Celestia made her way to Twilight’s location as promised. Her home was in the opposite direction, but it was only adding a small detour to her trip home. She promised herself when she got home she’d just skip dinner and go right to bed, knowing she likely would break that promise. Part of her wished she were more like her sister who was more of a night owl, but then again Luna was also a terrible procrastinator and somehow always managed to get everything done at the very last second. Celestia couldn’t live such a life of chance.

Looking up, Celestia could see a familiar set of golden arches and pulled in. She had actually been to this McDonald’s a few times to fetch coffee for her sister, who practically lived on it. Celestia surmised that Luna often substituted sleep for more caffeine, but always wondered why she swore by McDonald’s coffee when there was a Dunkin Donuts only a few blocks from the school itself. Whenever she asked, Luna gave her a long lecture about how it’s about quality not ease of access. Celestia could hardly consider McDonald’s coffee quality though.

Parking, she stepped into the cold and raced inside to get out of the low temperature as quickly as she could.

Her eyes darted around looking for a familiar face before spotting Twilight in a large hoodie from a game that she actually recognized. She recalled Luna went on about it once, but the name escaped her. Over-something, but the hoodie was white and gold with a few accents of black with the word “Mercy” on it.

Walking over casually, Celestia sat down across from Twilight who was sipping on a soda.

“Nice to see you, Twilight.” Celestia smiled.

Twilight returned the smile and nodded. “Likewise.”

An awkward silence filled the air followed by Celestia breaking the ice. “So, have you been studying for finals?”

Twilight nodded and Celestia could see excitement overtake her. “I’ve been studying on a really nifty schedule, every night I have one class, in particular, I study for and then-“

Celestia cut her off and chuckled. “That’s good to hear, Twilight…”

Another silence filled the room requiring Celestia to think of yet another icebreaker. “I like your hoodie.”

“Oh, thanks! I didn’t take you for an Overwatch player though…” Twilight tilted her head.

“Oh I’m not, my sister is…” Celestia shrugged.

“Luna plays Overwatch? No way! What league is she in? I just got Diamond in the last season, myself!” Twilight leaned forward with excitement once more.

Celestia sat back a little and rolled her eyes. “I haven’t the slightest clue what any of that means…”

“Oh right… sorry…” Twilight laughed nervously, realizing she was rambling.

“Twilight… do you mind telling me why we’re here?” Celestia asked curiously.

With a long sigh, Twilight took a sip of her soda and then locked eyes with the principal. “I’m worried about Sunset. She doesn’t answer her phone and when I do get a text from her it’s usually some excuse for why she can’t talk right now or come hang out… We used to be really close, but ever since Shimmer’s death she basically has locked herself away…”

“She took it very hard, Twilight. Shimmer and she had a unique connection clearly, it was the closest thing she had to family here in our world…” Celestia reminded.

Twilight nodded with a frustrated expression. “Yeah I know but… at her funeral… she said something that concerned me…”

“And what would that be?” Celestia raised a curious brow.

Twilight leaned in and spoke quietly. “She said… she would find out who did this… I’m worried that all that time alone is making her obsessed… Solitude does… scary things…”

Celestia nodded in agreement. “You definitely have that right…”

“What’s going on in that house? You’ve been there, you’ve seen her, how is she doing?” Twilight asked.

Celestia let out a big sigh and leaned back. “Unfortunately I’m not entirely sure. She keeps our meetings exceptionally brief, and she seldom disclosing what she’s been up to and she always seems to be in a hurry to get me out of the house. Most of the time she appears as though she hasn’t slept in days… Sadly nothing I say seems to affect her…”

“I’m worried… “ Twilight said.

With another nod, Celestia smiled and leaned forward. “That’s normal. Sunset is just taking a long time to grieve though…”

Twilight shook her head. “No, it’s…” She paused and closed her eyes.

“What is it?” Celestia blinked.

Tears were streaming down Twilight’s face. “I heard about the Fall Formal… forever ago… What happened to her…”

Celestia tilted her head in confusion as to how this related to the current conversation.

“Darkness or dark magic… whatever you want to call it… She gave into once…” Twilight explained.

“What of it?” Celestia asked, remembering the Fall Formal event all too well.

Twilight’s face grew far more serious and somber. Her expression reeked of pain and fear. “I did too once… That little voice in your head… Once you give in, once you let it control you… the fear of it returning is always there… There are still days where I fear I’ll become Midnight Sparkle again…”

Celestia reached forward and placed a hand atop of Twilight's and shook her head. “That will never happen.”

“I’m not so sure… Sunset and I share the fact that we’ve both tasted darkness, I know the kind of feelings it creates, the lure it holds… In moments of extreme weakness like this… It becomes much harder to resist that lure. The darkness can promise things that to someone who is as vulnerable as Sunset is right now… can be too tempting to resist…” Twilight blushed as she thought about it, partially reflecting on her own fears of herself.

“I don’t really understand much about this magic stuff, but I can say that we all saw the darkness leave Sunset’s body, just like your own, right?” Celestia smiled as she reminded Twilight.

Twilight shook her head. “No… I mean yes the darkness left our bodies, but… there is always a small fraction of it left… A tiny part that never truly goes away. I spoke with the Princess regarding it when she came here once. I got the chance to talk to her while she came over to visit. After relaying that I wanted to meet and discuss magic, she sat down with me and we had a relatively lengthy chat, and what she told me… has me more worried now…”

Celestia leaned in with intrigue. “What did she say?”

Looking to Twilight’s hands, Celestia could see she was visibly shaking. “When it comes to dark magic… Once darkness touches you, once you let it inside you… it’s always there. There is no known way to completely remove it. The potential to succumb to it again will always be there. She told me that I have to be strong from now on, but… I don’t know about Sunset anymore… by the way, she’s acting… I fear she’ll give into it again… if I’m not there to protect her from herself…”

Celestia finally understood and placed another hand atop of the one holding Twilight’s. “You’re a good friend, Twilight. However, you’ll just have to wait for Sunset to come around. She’ll call on you if she really needs help and I know you’ll be there…” Celestia smiled.

Twilight nodded and used her free hand to wipe her eyes. “I hope she never gives in… I don’t want to lose her, not like that…”

“I’m sure you’re worried about nothing.” Celestia winked.

“Promise though that if you hear anything important from her, you’ll tell me okay?” Twilight leaned in with serious eyes.

Celestia was tempted to tell her she was worried for no reason, but upon seeing her eyes, she sighed and nodded. “I promise, Twilight.”

A Few Months Ago

Sunset had finally managed to stop shaking as she held the hot coffee in her cold hands. In her head, she saw the horrific events play over and over. She couldn’t erase the image of all the blood from her mind. Her clothing had been ruined, and she was a mess.

The police had brought her down to the station for questioning, and after telling her it would be a while, they allowed her to take a shower there and fetched a change of clothing for her. They had gone to her apartment and retrieved her signature biker jacket, an orange t-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans for her.

Now, hours later she was washed up and changed, and just waiting for the police to finally talk to her and tell her what was going on, or at the very least what they knew. It had been over eight hours since Shimmer had been shot, and Sunset was just praying for some kind of news that they were able to revive her at the hospital and that she’d be okay, or at the very least that they caught the person who shot her. She was starting to grow impatient when they finally told her to wait in an interrogation room for an officer to speak with her. Agreeing, she found herself in another half hour or so of waiting. She looked at the clock to see it was already late. She knew she would hardly sleep tonight.

Finally, she heard the door open and her eyes slowly moved to the entrance as a man in a nice suit with blue hair entered. He looked to her and gave a quick smile as he shut the door behind him and walked over to the seat across from her and laid a file he had carried in on the desk. “How’re you?” He began.

“Very confused, what’s going on?” Sunset asked with an annoyed tone.

“Sorry for the wait… We wanted to make sure we gathered all we could before speaking with you.” He smiled.

Sunset didn’t return the smile, instead, she sat there staring at him.

Clearly, he caught that she would rather cut right to the chase and nodded. “My name is Detective Armor. You can refer to me as Shining if you like. I believe my sister and you know each other?”

“Sister?” Sunset tilted her head.

“Twilight Sparkle.” He gestured.

Twilight had mentioned her elder brother was in law enforcement, but she never imagined that this was how they would meet.

“I see… My name is…” She began but he finished her sentence.

“Sunset Shimmer. I’m familiar with your name, sorry I had to do some poking around before we spoke, protocol. I hope you don’t mind.” He smiled yet again.

He seemed friendly enough, so Sunset shrugged, unsure of how to feel.

“I’m sorry we have to meet under these circumstances, Sunset…” A frown came to his face.

“It’s fine… Now please tell me what’s going on? Where is Shimmer? Is she alright?” Sunset pleaded.

Shining just shook his head and sighed. “I’m sorry… She’s dead. They rushed her to the ER, but she was pronounced dead on arrival…”

Sunset’s eyes widened as she looked down at the table, her hands clenched into fists as the news sunk in. She knew the odds of her surviving a series of gunshots like that were low, but she was holding out hope for some kind of miracle, that somehow something would keep her alive. She had even spent the last few hours thinking this all was a dream, but it now was painfully obvious, this was real. Shimmer truly was dead.

“I can’t believe it…” Sunset muttered.

Shining nodded. “I’m sorry…”

Sunset looked up at him to see genuine sadness on his face.

“What happened? Who did this?” Sunset asked.

“Well, she was shot with a Remmington Model R-25 GII rifle. The weapon had been equipped with a scope and the shooter shot her from the top of an abandoned apartment complex,” Shining explained as he looked down at the file reading from notes he had taken.

“Can you trace the weapon?” Sunset asked curiously.

He shook his head. “No need, the killer left the weapon at the scene. My guess is it was too cumbersome to make their getaway. We already ran it for prints, no such luck. Looks like the killer wore gloves.”

Sunset frowned. “Did you catch him?”

Shining let out a long sigh and shook his head once more. “Sadly… no. I chased the guy down on foot, but he managed to get away… Do you know anyone that would do this? Someone who would want to cause your sister harm?”

Rolling her eyes, Sunset sat back in her seat. “Half of her family probably… Her parents got rich and a lot of them got jealous and tried to get in on their money. Most of the extended family was cut off for that reason…”

“I see…” He nodded and scribbled in some more notes.

“Well… there is her Aunt Lily, she wanted Shimmer’s money more than anyone else, Shimmer lived with her for a short period of time even and-“ Shining cut her off.

“Not likely.”

“Huh, why not?” Sunset leaned in.

He closed the folder and met her eyes. “Sunset… I chased down this killer. Their speed, their agility… this person… he wasn’t just an ordinary person. He was too quick, he knew to wear gloves, and his agility… it was unreal.”

“So what?” Sunset tilted her head.

“This person was clearly a trained killer. No person can run or jump like that without years of training. We’re looking at someone who is clearly a professional…” Shining explained.

Sunset blinked.

“Do you know anyone who would be like that?” Shining asked.

One name did come to mind, one person she now was aware of that she would put her money on if she had any. It was obviously Ghost, but that name didn’t leave her mouth. She wanted to look at Shimmer’s notes and information before getting the police involved. If there was a chance it related to magic, she knew getting law enforcement involved wasn’t a good idea.

“No one… I’m sorry…” Sunset frowned.

Shining nodded and smiled. “Do you need a place to stay tonight?”

Sunset shook her head. “I have an apartment.”

“Alright, I’ll give you a ride there, okay?” He stood up and offered his hand.

Sunset hesitated for a moment but took it and nodded.

A Few Months Ago

Pulling up to her apartment location, Shining stopped his car and smiled at Sunset. The entire car ride was silent and awkward, but it looked as though he didn’t mind that much. He rested his hands on his lap and spoke.

“You know, my sister talks about you a lot,” he said.

That wasn’t much of a surprise, but it did make Sunset curious. “What kind of things does she say about me?”

He looked up in thought as he placed a hand on his chin thinking it over. “Well… she says you’re an interesting person that’s for sure.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, that did sound like something Twilight would say, she could even imagine the dorky bookworm saying it in her mind.

“She also told me that you’re not from here…” He grew quiet in his tone.

Sunset felt her heart stop for a fraction of a second as a cold sweat ran down her neck. “W-what do you mean?” She gulped, hoping the conversation wasn’t going where she thought it was going.

“That you’re some kind of alien from another world… I have to admit I didn’t believe it at first, but I’m definitely convinced now…” He replied rather plainly for such a reveal.

Sunset already felt herself panicking. Her heart was beating ten times faster, and suddenly she was having a hard time remembering to breathe.

“It’s true then?” He raised a brow as he observed her obvious expression.

“Please…” Sunset began only for him to wave a hand at her.

“Relax; I’m not going to tell anyone. It’s part of why I insisted on working on this case myself. I knew if anyone else poked their nose around enough it might cause problems for you. I intend to keep your secret under wraps, promise. No one has to know.” He placed his hand on his heart to show his sincerity.

Sunset let out a sigh of relief and nodded. “T-thank you…”

Truthfully, Sunset wasn’t sure what she would do if Shining decided he wanted to press the matter, but she imagined she would have to disappear after that. She was thankful he was understanding though.

“Twilight cares about you, that means I have to do what I can to protect you, right? Either way… this killer, since I don’t know their motives yet, I would play it safe. Are you sure you don’t want an officer staked out here looking out for you? I can stay if you want?” He asked with a genuine smile on his face.

Sunset shook her head. “I think I’m safe here…”

Shining shrugged and reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved a business card, offering it to her. “If you need me, I’m just a phone call away. Also if you remember anything important even if you don’t think it will help, give me a call.”

Taking the card, Sunset looked it over and then nodded before stuffing it into her pocket.

She opened the car door to step out only to hear Shining’s voice once more. “One last thing…”

She turned as she stepped out of the car to look back in at him.

“I’m going to find who did this, Sunset. I promise you that. They won’t get away with this.”

Sunset smiled and nodded. “Thank you…”

He nodded back and gave a thumbs up before she closed the door and he started his engine. Rolling away, Sunset watched the car leave and sighed. She liked him, and she wanted to trust him, but she knew that it was unlikely that she would be able to confide in a police officer. Even though she genuinely liked Shining, and it seemed like he wanted to help, If Shimmer was correct and this truly was bigger than both of them, there was no way that the police would be able to stop it. She knew the real outcome. This wouldn’t be over until she personally figured out who Ghost was or what he wanted.

Most importantly, she wanted to make him talk herself. She wanted to know why Shimmer was killed, and she wasn’t going to let anyone stand in her way. Clenching her fists tightly, Sunset thought out loud.

“It’s just you and I, Ghost… And I am not going to give up until I find you…”

Several Months Ago

Twilight had sat down with her princess counterpart in a coffee shop only a small walking distance from the portal in front of the school. The young teen looked across the table at the Princess who smiled back at her and rocked lightly in her seat. Twilight looking her over was always amazed at how not regal the Princess was. Then again she had never seen Equestria and theorized that perhaps its political structure was vastly different.

“So…” The Princess began.

“So,” Twilight replied as she too leaned back.

“Any particular reason you called me here? Something you wanted to talk about specifically?” The Princess asked.

Twilight let out a long sigh and adjusted her glasses and leaned in to speak in a hushed tone, worried that others may hear them. “Magic.”

“How did I know?” The princess rolled her eyes as she too leaned in.

“Not just magic though… specifically… dark magic…” Twilight stated.

The Princess nodded in understanding. “Ah yes, dark magic. Darkness is a powerful force, but it is one that easily can destroy someone.”

“C-can it?” Twilight stuttered and gulped.

The Princess nodded. “Darkness is like a shark in a way, you have to keep feeding it or it gets hungry. Those who give into dark magic are forced to keep feeding it or it devours them. It’s both a powerful force and a weak force at the same time. Those who harness the power of darkness seldom hold it for long.”

“W-what happens when one gives into dark magic?” Twilight asked.

The Princess shrugged. “From my research, which is limited as the subject isn’t very widely discussed in Equestria… Most eventually die, or become slaves to their own power.”

“B-but only certain people can fall to that… right?” Twilight gulped yet again.

The Princess shook her head and sighed. “The truth is, Twilight… anyone with magic can fall to it. Anyone’s power can be manipulated against them. The right motivation and anyone could fall to darkness. It works by exploiting your greatest weaknesses. Take Applejack for example… with her strength, her destructive power… well if she even let her anger control her enough, she too could fall to such temptations… if that happened… I doubt we’d be able to bring her back.”

“The darkness that left me though… is that gone for good?” Twilight was practically holding back tears.

The Princess sighed again and reached forward, taking Twilight’s hand. She gently pet the top of Twilight’s hand and leaned forward with her face growing very serious. “Twilight, listen to me… this isn’t easy to say…”

Twilight already didn’t like where this was going, but she took a breath and listened to the Princess.

“Darkness… when it enters someone… it never truly leaves. That’s why that fear of Midnight Sparkle stuck with you because sadly a part of her will always be with you. When darkness takes a hold of you, it always leaves a bit of itself, in the years of studying dark energy there has never been anyone who successfully removed all of it…” The Princess stated with a plain expression.

“So that means Sunset… too?” Twilight choked on those words.

The Princess nodded slowly. “Yes, I’m afraid. While she pushed most of it out of her, a tiny fragment always exists. It’s like a virus almost. What turned her into the demon that she was… it will always be there…”

Twilight wanted to just curl up and cry, but the Princess leaned in and placed a hand on Twilight’s cheek forcing her to meet her eyes. “Listen to me, Twilight.”

Taking another breath, Twilight nodded and allowed the Princess to finish.

“Darkness can only hurt you if you give into it. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to give in. So long as your heart remains strong enough, you will never have anything to fear. As long as you have a reason to be strong, you know? You have your friends, and Sunset has you. So long as you both stay strong you’ll never have to fear darkness.” The Princess smiled.

Twilight nodded and found a smile forming on her own face. “T-thank you, Princess… that makes me feel… a little better at least…”

“Hey… Midnight Sparkle is never taking you over again, I’m certain of that. You’re stronger than you realize, Twilight.” The Princess winked.

Twilight could only nod in response. She knew so long as she had Sunset and the rest of her friends, she would be okay.

In the basement of the Shimmer estate is where Sunset spent a lot of time these days. Prior to Shimmer’s passing, she didn’t even know what was down there, but in the first few days of being the new owner of the estate, Sunset had gone exploring. Downstairs she had found a plethora of rooms, many of which appeared abandoned such as the staff living quarters. It was clear that Shimmer had opted for cleaning staff to come in on their own time rather than live at the estate. She theorized that this was likely due to her paranoia with magic.

However, she had also located a shooting range that Shimmer’s father used to utilize to practice for hunting and even an armory with several weapons he used for the sport.

Most importantly, however, she had found a gym where Sunset spent much of her time. The entire West wing was filled with mysteries waiting to be discovered.

Sunset when she first discovered the gym downstairs realized it was the only room down there that Shimmer used clearly as it was one of the only rooms not covered with dust. She was more shocked that the television in the room was still running when she found it.

Ever since she would come down for hours on end during the day and exercise. Many days she would get up and head down and by the time she was done, it would be dark outside, only stopping to take a small eating break. To save time, she stocked the mini fridge in the room with some sustenance along with plenty of water.

Sunset pulled herself up on a pull-up bar, counting her reps out loud. “thirty-nine, forty, forty-one…”

The sound of a vibration caught her attention as her eyes darted over to her phone sitting on a table. She hopped off of the bar and walked over to it. She had switched to an iPhone after finding one of Shimmer’s old ones laying around. After fooling around with it for a bit, she became familiar enough to go get one for herself.

Looking at the number she decided to let it keep ringing. Finally, it went to voicemail. Sunset stood there silently waiting for the message to finish recording, then she reached down and played it back.

“Sunset? It’s Twilight. I just wanted to see how you were doing… I’m worried about you… Please call me back when you can… It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you…”

Sunset set the phone back down and sighed before returning to her exercise routine. Her mind was elsewhere, and she couldn’t make herself break focus even to go spend a moment with Twilight. Not to mention, she knew that where she was heading, she couldn’t get anyone else involved. She had to do this alone, even if it killed her.

Author's Note

Another week passed, another update on Sunset's ongoing adventure. Act III is pretty serious stuff, but I promise the mood does lighten up a bit in Act IV. The story will go through serious points, sad points, happy point and much more, so keep in mind with something this long it's kind of intended as sort of a roller coaster or rather imagine a road trip across the world. You will see some places of beautiful splendor, and some of terrible tragedy. Shadows Cast Over the Sunset is intended as a journey for the reader too, you're coming along with Sunset on her journey and what it holds.

Behind the scenes: Ah yes! I finally get to talk about this! The intricacy of dark magic referred too commonly as "the darkness". The name was actually coined from Legend of Everfree where Rainbow Dash specifically refers to the energy that turns Twilight into Midnight Sparkle as "The darkness". I also felt simplicity is often the best way to go.

So darkness as explained is similar to a parasite. Once one gives into it, they more or less are always "infected" in a way. This explains why Twilight was almost able to turn into Midnight Sparkle again in movie four, but was able to narrowly avoid that outcome.

Naturally though anyone who does not have or has been touched by magic is safe from darkness taking them, though they are not safe from being controlled by it.

Darkness isn't inherently people using their magic for evil or bad deads like for example... Starlight in season five. Darkness usually comes to those who seek power beyond their own abilities and thus open their hearts to the idea of gaining said power by any means. Starlight, for example, acquired her abilities through hard work and practice. Sunset, however, sought to steal a crown to make herself more powerful, etc.

The nature of dark magic and its effects will definitely be explained more in detail as the story goes on though. Thanks for reading this obnoxiously long author's note!

Act III - Chapter XXXII: Search

Chapter XXXII: Search

With a proper night of sleep under her belt for a change, Sunset felt enough motivation to take a much-needed relaxing bath, resting her exhausted body. The aches of the previous few days of working out finally being soothed by the warm water of the large bath. She sunk down and laid against the tiling behind her and reached to the edge to retrieve an iPad in a waterproof case.

Unlocking the device, Sunset began to shift through notes she had taken, reviewing all she currently understood. Her mind focused on Shimmer’s clue she had left for Sunset months ago on the video she had given her months back. She had searched all of Shimmer’s computers for any and all research on magic or Ghost only to come up empty. Her phone had been broken when she was shot, and nowhere was a single file regarding either magic or Ghost.

She knew that Shimmer hid her work somewhere, but the only hint she had was the one that was left for her in that video. She had uploaded the video onto the iPad she was holding and decided to play it back one more time, specifically the part with the hint.

The only clue I can give you is that my family will light the way for you.

Sunset paid close attention to Shimmer’s body language in the video, hoping that something she did would make the clue slightly less mysterious, but no such luck. She had stared at the same video numerous times at this point over the past few months, but no matter how many times she looked upon it, it refused to share its secrets with the teen.

“What could you be hinting at…” Sunset thought out loud in frustration at the clue that was left for her. She had been stuck on it for months now, unsure of what Shimmer was getting at. She wished it wasn’t so cryptic.

She growled in annoyance before setting the device down next to the bath and laying her head back. Her vibrant eyes looked to the ceiling as she thought everything over. She was annoyed at how little progress she had managed to make in trying to uncover the mystery of Ghost and Shimmer’s death.

She knew that Ghost clearly was linked to something to do with Shimmer’s magic research and for whatever reason either had successfully acquired it or was attempting to acquire it. That meant Shimmer was forced to hide it somewhere where she believed Ghost could not acquire it. In Sunset’s mind she linked that to mean she had to have hidden her research somewhere in this house, however despite months of searching, nothing came up.

Part of her knew even if she found this digital archive somewhere that it would be relatively impossible for her basic computer skills to allow her access. There was little doubt in her mind that Shimmer had put other methods of protection in place beyond just hiding the machine.

Finishing with her bath, Sunset came to a stand and stretched before wrapping a nearby towel around her body and scooping the iPad from the floor up.

The girl grabbed a second towel and began to rub it viciously against her wet hair as she stepped out into the hallway, allowing the towel to just drape over her head as she made her way back to her bedroom.

Inside her room, Moon was gnawing on a bone she had given him a few hours ago as he sat on her bed, his tail wagging with pure excitement. Sunset smirked briefly imagining how it would be to be so easily amused. At times she felt that Moon had the best life and what she’d do to just be a dog.

Sunset noticed her phone that had been sitting on the end table was lit up displaying a missed call. Stepping closer, she eyed the screen to see specific contact lit up.

Detective Shining Armor

She sighed and threw the towel off of her head and onto the floor before picking up the phone and redialing Shining’s cell phone.

The phone only rang for a few seconds before an answer could be heard. “Hello? Detective Armor?” Sunset spoke.

“Sunset! And I told you, you can call me Shining,” he replied in a pleasant tone, clearly trying to be friendly.

“Right… Shining… Anyway, you called?” Sunset decided to skip the pleasantries and get right to the point of why they were currently communicating with each other.

“I did, I was wondering if you could answer a question for me that would be very helpful to the investigation…” Shining spoke.

Sunset sat down in front of her vanity Mirror and stared at herself as she held the phone to her ear. “Yeah, what is it?”

“Would you happen to know if Shimmer was connected to any kind of… criminal activity? Possibly even a crime ring maybe?” Shining asked.

That was not the kind of question that Sunset was expecting. In her entire time knowing Shimmer she seemed far from the criminal type, the girl came off as too uptight for a life of crime. Not to mention she didn’t exactly have any friends before Sunset arrived. Shimmer mostly kept to herself, after all.

“Not that I know of… I spent a lot of time with her and never once noticed her talk about anything illegal or something like that… why do you ask?” Sunset blinked.

There was a sigh on his end before his answer. “We picked up a guy named Slip on another charge. Your name came up, but he didn’t say much else. The guy is known to be connected to a pretty big crime ring in the city. I figured you might know something. Can’t say if this is connected of if the guy is just out of his mind…”

Sunset spoke quietly, but her voice was filled with interest. “What else did he say?”

Shining chuckled. “Well, he kept saying this stuff about some kind of ghost. Wouldn’t say too much about it, but he seemed really fixated on a ghost… I think he might be loopy.”

“What did he say about the ghost?” Sunset asked sternly.

There was a short pause, but Shining answered. “Why does it matter? You can’t honestly think a ghost is involved can you?”

“I’m just… exhausting all possibilities…” Sunset lied.

“Well… he didn’t say much. He just kept repeating the word ‘Ghost’ over and over. After we put him in a cell he hasn’t said a word and refuses to talk with us any further. It’s pretty odd, but the guy does have a history of mental illness, so he’s probably just lost it… Still, he said Sunset Shimmer before that and as clear as day…” Shining explained.

“I see…” Sunset grew quiet.

“Does the word ‘ghost’ mean anything to you?” Shining asked.

There was a pause, Sunset had to force herself not to speak anything that might reveal too much regarding Ghost. She calmed herself and played it cool.

“No… nothing…” Sunset replied plainly.

She heard Shining make an approving noise, her performance obviously satisfactory. “Well… regardless, I’ll keep on searching on my end. How’re you holding up?”

“I’m fine…” Sunset lied.

“You don’t seem fine. My sister says she hasn’t heard from you in a while and your friends say they haven’t seen you in months…” Shining inquired.

Sunset narrowed her eyes and grew annoyed. She didn’t appreciate Shining trying to play the role of father to her.

“I said I’m fine, Detective.” Sunset growled, hoping he’d get the message.

Shining sighed, realizing he was hitting a wall. “Well, anyway… as always I’m doing all I can to find Shimmer’s killer. I told you before, and I’ll tell you again, I’m going to find this guy; I promise.”

“Thanks for calling, Shining…” Sunset stated before hanging up the phone and setting it on the vanity.

Sunset brushed her damp hair out of her face and looked at the tired looking girl in the mirror staring back at her. Her eyes were bloodshot and clearly lacking sleep. Sunset frowned as she realized how much she had let herself go in the past few months. Her body was in tip-top shape from all the exercise, but her appearance was not. Her hair clearly needed a salon trip, her nails definitely needed a lot of work, and she could use about a few days of just rest to go along with it all.

Her mind returned back to her phone call with Shining. She stared at her phone as she thought out loud. “Ghost… better hope you catch him first… because if I do…” she paused, “I’ll make him regret everything…”

Almost One Year Ago

Sunset and Twilight had spent the last night at Camp Everfree by the dock together, reminiscing about the time they had had together. After many setbacks and the dock being destroyed multiple times (and once even by Pinkie’s over-exuberance), it was finally finished and hopefully for good this time around.

Twilight dangled her feet above the water below and looked up to the sky, the corner of her eye, catching a glimpse of her best friend sitting next to her, her eyes drawn to the new geode attached to her neck.

Sunset caught Twilight’s gaze and turned her head to look at her friend with a bright smile, causing Twilight to blush slightly. Sunset always had one of the best smiles, or rather some of the best facial expressions in general. Twilight knew her to be an emotive girl, and she always had relatively strong body language. While there was a saying about people wearing hearts on their sleeves, Sunset wore her emotions on her face. Twilight had only had the pleasure of seeing Sunset get excited about something a few times, but it was always a treat to see her light up.

“So…” Sunset began, a smirk creeping onto her face.

Twilight already could sense some teasing in her future.

“So…” Twilight replied.

“Timber huh?” Sunset stated.

Somehow Twilight predicted the conversation would go there, but she nodded regardless and decided to see how this would play out.

“Y-yeah…” Twilight nodded.

Sunset nodded back and looked to the sky, a smile still on her face. “You’re a lucky girl. He seems like a really great guy…”

“I guess so… I just hope this doesn’t make things awkward for everyone…” Twilight rubbed her neck and looked at the water at her own reflection.

Sunset tilted her head, her long hair falling to one side. “Why would it make things awkward?”

“Well because now I’m the only one of our friends who has a boyfriend…” Twilight explained.

Sunset nodded in understanding but smiled again regardless. “Eh, it’s whatever. I’m sure the others will find significant others eventually… I’m sure when it happens with Rainbow Dash we will never hear the end of it. Though it’ll be a nice change of pace to hear about that instead of all the girls she’s put her fingers inside…” Sunset rolled her eyes as she recalled the many stories by Rainbow Dash that she was forced to endure.

Snickering, Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I guess so…”

Sunset looked down to her fingers and then back at Twilight. “I hope she washes her hands all the time…”

Twilight just snorted at the inquiry. She hoped the same, but at the same time didn’t want to ask for fear of the answer. Part of her wondered how Rainbow managed to attract so many girls, but she chalked it up to sheer persistence. She didn’t know Rainbow to be the kind of person who gave up that easily.

“Still… Everything changes, right?” Twilight asked.

“So long as you don’t start changing on us, I’m sure everything will be cool.” Sunset winked.

Twilight shrugged. “I mean… I might wear some makeup more often or something like that?”

Giggling, Sunset leaned back and used her hands to hold herself up, her tight T-shirt accenting her bust quite pleasantly, causing another blush on Twilight’s face.

“You know you could do with some too, you know?” Twilight suggested.

Sunset shrugged. “Too expensive, can’t afford that stuff. Besides, who am I trying to impress? I’m a romantic retard, remember?”

“Yeah but you’re incredibly naturally pretty… Some eyeliner, maybe some lip gloss and you’d have guys eating out of your hand.” Twilight huffed in jealousy.

Sunset blinked and tilted her head. “You think so?”

Twilight nodded. “Are you kidding? You’ve got nice legs, your butt looks good in virtually any jeans, very soft face, thick long hair… and what cup size are you currently wearing?”

Sunset looked down at her chest and then blushed. “Oh… I’m a D-cup, I guess…”

“Exactly my point!” Twilight waved a finger. “I even hear Rarity complain about how naturally well put together you are. You could basically get any guy you want!”

Sunset thought it over and shrugged. “Yeah, but she says that about Applejack too. She’s curvier than me even.”

“Yeah and we never hear the end of how Applejack is ‘wasting her potential’ from Rarity, do we?” Twilight cocked a brow with a smirk on her face.

Sunset found herself giggling at Twilight’s impression of Rarity. It wasn’t quite as spot on as Rainbow’s impersonation, but it was amusing nonetheless. Rainbow often made fun of her when she wasn’t around, once she did a whole routine where she pretended to make a dress as Rarity and it caused everyone to burst out laughing until the actual Rarity showed up that was and smacked her across the head.

“Either way, it’s not like I’d even know what to do… I have no idea how to ask someone out, and the only boyfriend I have ever had… It really wasn’t that intimate… I was more like a lost puppy that had just seen the world for the first time, mesmerized by the first person who took me in…” Sunset admitted.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “You just need a few lessons in confidence…”

Sunset nodded and chuckled. “Yeah, like… I don’t even know how I’d kiss someone. I’ve seen it in movies, on the internet and I know how it’s done but like… I don’t know how to tell when the moment is right you know? I’d probably just freeze up and do nothing… Such is my life.”

“On the internet...?” Twilight blinked.

Sunset leaned in and gestured for Twilight to get closer so she could whisper. Twilight did as instructed and listened.

“I watch a lot of porn…” Sunset admitted quietly, causing Twilight to blush and both girls to lean back.

After a moment of silence, Twilight chuckled which only caused Sunset to do the same. Before they knew it they both fell into a fit of laughter and when the laughter subsided, the two merely looked at each other. Twilight examined Sunset’s eyes, realizing that at that time of night, they truly shined. The cyan color made them really stand out.

Her eyes were drawn to her slightly open mouth, her lips looking somewhat inviting. A part of her wanted to lean in, she wanted to close the distance, but as the two sat there staring at each other, Sunset broke the gaze by pulling herself up to a stand and stretching. “Well… I think I’m going to head to bed, you coming?”

“Y-yeah… just a minute…” Twilight blushed and ran a hand across her face to brush a stray strand of hair away.

Nodding, Sunset winked and made her way back to the tent. Twilight found her eyes glued to her friend as she made the short journey, only able to break the spell Sunset had over her when she finally vanished into the fold of the tent.

Twilight blushed and sat there in confusion. Had she really just desired to kiss her best friend just then? She shook her head and decided it was just a heat of the moment thing; she was just caught up in the intensity of the conversation prior and let her imagination run wild. She had never been kissed before, and her close encounter with Timber was still fresh on her mind.

I’m not even into girls, right?

Twilight was typing away at her computer, working on her latest school assignment with gusto, really feeling the flow as she chipped away at this large project. She had already gotten a significant head start weeks ago, but it paled in comparison to how much she was able to get done now. The bookworm loved large assignments as she would set up little challenges for herself to see how much faster she could get them done over the previous time. Twilight was a firm believer in challenge making education more entertaining, and successful. When she attended Crystal Prep she made it a mission to be the best student in every class.

She must have added an additional five thousand words to her paper in that night alone before she heard a call from downstairs. “Twilight, dear, come down for dinner! Your brother and sister-in-law are here!”

Blinking, Twilight peaked at the clock to see it was already 7:48 PM. She must have lost track of time again (a common problem for her), she thought before hitting the save button and racing down the hall excitedly to meet her brother and his lovely wife.

Reaching the kitchen she saw her brother standing there in his usual work attire, though he had hung his jacket on the back of his seat so he was sitting there in just a dress shirt and tie, a holster under his arm for his firearm.

The moment their eyes met he opened his arms expectantly, and sure enough, Twilight raced into them, allowing them to close around her in a tight embrace. Her brother always gave some of the most comforting hugs she knew. Cooing in delight she let go of him and looked over to Cadance who offered the same to Twilight.

Accepting her offer, Twilight pulled herself into a tight hug with her sister-in-law and smiled up at her. While not as strong at hugging as her brother, Cadance’s hugs always offered a sort of calming effect, creating a feeling of safety and comfort.

Breaking the embrace, Twilight was gestured toward the table where she took a seat across from her brother, and next to Cadance. Her father grinned as he saw Twilight’s mother bring a veritable feast before them. Salivating, Twilight licked her lips as she gazed upon her mother’s finest roasted duck. Somehow her mother was always able to make every meal look like artwork.

“A damn fine looking bird! See, this is why your mother can still fill a room, kids; I love this woman!” Twilight’s father teased, a bit of pride in his voice as if he himself made the meal.

Her mother rolled her eyes and sat down. “If I didn’t come into the picture, your father would still be heating up cup noodles in a microwave…”

“True that!” Her father agreed, not even the slightest bit embarrassed to admit his ignorance when it came to cooking. Twilight knew him to be the kind of person who would burn water if he had to make dinner.

The entire table chuckled at the honesty of the couple before reaching forward to help themselves to some food. Twilight filled her plate after she realized she had forgotten to eat all day, and her brother chuckled as he watched her stack her plate.

“Sheesh, Twily, slow down.”

“Oh… sorry… I forgot to eat today…” Twilight blushed.

“How am I not surprised? Studying too hard?” Shining teased.

Twilight merely nodded in response before changing the subject. “So… Shiny… What’s the latest on Sunset’s case?”

Shining sighed and set his fork down shaking his head. “You know I can’t discuss that with you, Twilight. It’s confidential and I don’t need you involved in a murder investigation…”

Twilight frowned and pouted, hoping to put a crack in his defense. “Not even a little info…?”

“No, Twilight…” He stayed firm on his stance, causing Twilight to accept defeat on that subject.

“Alright well… can you at least tell me how Sunset’s doing? As a concerned friend…?” Twilight tried to give the best puppy dog eyes she could.

Proving effective this time, Shining sighed and nodded as he leaned in. “Well… I can honestly say… she’s still pretty shaken up. The few times I have been over to talk to her or heard from her on the phone she sounded tired and distracted. It’s clear she’s not taking care of herself, she doesn’t go out and she definitely has the guise of someone who is very broken at the moment…”

Twilight frowned at the news. She knew Sunset was likely not doing well, but she had hoped that Shining would affirm otherwise and erase her fears.

“I wish she would talk to me…” Twilight replied.

Shining shrugged. “She’s still grieving, Twilight. Some people take a long time; don’t forget that she never knew what family was until a little while ago. To have it taken from her so soon… it must be devastating. Combine that with the realization that she watched her sister die. Hell, to make matters worse Shimmer was technically Sunset from this world, so you can’t even tell me that something like that wouldn’t mess with your head…”

Shining had a point, Twilight had never considered the point that Shimmer was technically just an alternate universe version of Sunset, whom Sunset watched die, thus, in theory, watched herself die. Just thinking about it was already giving Twilight a headache.

“I’m worried about her… I wish things could just go back to the way they were…” Twilight admitted.

“Twilight… when someone close to someone is murdered… sometimes it changes people. Maybe Sunset will go back to her old self, maybe she won’t. It’s the sad reality of murder, the effects are forever. All you can really do is try and support your friend when she’s ready to open up,” Shining explained.

Twilight knew he was right, she knew that she had to give this entire ordeal more time, but she hated waiting. She had waited for months now in the hopes that Sunset would leave her home and come approach her or their friends, but she was remaining stubborn on staying locked up in that big estate and not reaching out to anyone. All that solitude only made Twilight question what was going on in Sunset’s head. She wasn’t entirely sure if being alone was the best thing for her at that moment, but she had no foundation to argue against it.

All she knew was that her best friend was hurting and she wanted to do something to end that pain, but there was nothing in her arsenal to make that happen.

“I wish I could help her…” Twilight admitted.

Shining nodded. “I know you do, Twily. She has to come around on her own though, don’t worry. She will come around, I’m sure. She may not be the same, but she’ll be far better than she is now, that much I’m confident of.”

Twilight nodded and forced a smile on her face. “Thanks, Shiny. I think I needed to hear that right now.”

He shrugged. “Hey, that’s my future sister-in-law right? I gotta look out for her.”

Twilight’s face turned beat red. “W-wha!?”

“It’ll be a cute wedding! I want to help design it! I’ve already got some colors picked out!” Cadance chimed in.

“C-Cadance!” Twilight slammed her palms onto the table in protest with little to no effect.

“Do you think we should invite Sunset over here for dinner again? We should get to know our daughter’s future wife better,” Twilight’s mother asked.

“M-mom, not you too!” Twilight groaned.

The entire table burst into a fit of giggles at Twilight’s expense who just placed her head down in embarrassment. If anyone knew how to push her buttons it was her family.

Spitting into the sink, Shining looked at himself in the mirror as he stood there in an undershirt and his boxers. He had finished brushing his teeth and was satisfied as he stretched and marched his way to the bedroom where Cadance was sitting up with a book in her hand. He briefly caught the cover image to see it was another one of her cheesy romance novels. Cadance seemed to be all about those kinds of books.

For a minute, Shining stood there examining her, her long vibrant hair draping over her as she sat there in a simple pair of pink lingerie with a blanket over her bottom half. He loved everything about her, from the way her hair looked when it was messy to the way she licked her thumb to flick to the next page of a smutty book.

Yawning, Shining climbed into bed next to her and turned toward his alarm clock to set the time to far earlier than he normally did. Normally he’d be up by eight, but he decided he would need to come in at six nowadays.

Catching what he was doing out of the corner of her eye, Cadance raised a brow. “Going to work early tomorrow?”

He nodded and grumbled just thinking about it. Shining wasn’t a terrible morning person, but six AM was close to his limit.

“Yeah… I wanted to get a head start on looking into some notes, examining some leads I got…” He sighed, already not looking forward to the long day ahead of him tomorrow.

Cadance lowered her book and frowned. “Shining, don’t overwork yourself. I know murder is not an easy thing to solve, but working yourself to exhaustion won’t solve it any faster…”

Shining pulled himself up and sat up looking at her. “Hun… I love you, but this whole thing is… well, it’s important to Twilight. Sunset is her best friend and I got lucky enough to be the one working on this case… I just… I can’t let her down, you know?”

Cadance nodded. “I understand, but you have to think about yourself too, you’re only one person. You can’t solve anything if you’re exhausted and worn out. You’ll need to take it easy some days…”

“I know, but I am forewarning you that I may start working longer hours to get this done. This case is… somewhat personal. You understand, right?” Shining frowned, knowing he likely was upsetting his wife. All those nights when he was a patrol cop, he knew she would stay up later than usual; worrying about his safety, fearing that night he didn’t come home.

Cadance let out a long sigh before resting her book on her dark nightstand and turning back to him with a gentle smile. “I understand. You have to catch the bad guys, that’s what you do. Hell, it’s what you’ve always done… I shouldn’t expect any different. Ever since we met you always had a strong sense of justice.”

Shining chuckled as he thought about it. “Remember when you caught me picking a fight with that huge eighth-grader because he stole my friend’s lunch money?”

Giggling, Cadance nodded. “I remember. You were only in fifth grade and he beat the snot out of you. I had to carry you to the nurse’s office and the entire time you kept begging me to let you go back out there and fight. You were such a stubborn weakling, it’s amazing you managed to live long enough for me to get into the picture.”

“Hey! I had heart at least!” Shining crossed his arms in protest.

“Unfortunately, heart didn’t win you that fight.” Cadance teased.

“Sheesh, I thought this marriage thing was you were supposed to support me and stuff…” Shining pouted.

“We weren’t married then.” She raised a finger.

“You should have been a lawyer if you can find loopholes that easily.” Shining smirked.

Cadance giggled and crawled over to him and kissed his cheek before snuggling up and resting her head on his shoulder. Shining responded by wrapping his arm around his wife and pulling her closer.

“Just promise you’ll stay safe on this case, okay?” Cadance asked with pleading eyes.

Pausing, Shining stared at her for a moment. Her innocent eyes always lured him in, and with a few bats of those lashes, he would move mountains for his wife. His hand stroked her cheek as he observed how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to even share a bedroom with such a maiden.

Shining nodded. “You know I will. After all… I have you and our little one to think about…”

Cadance smiled and placed a hand on her lower stomach. “It’s exciting, isn’t it? There’s a whole person forming inside of me…”

Shining smiled and kissed her forehead. “I can’t wait until we can meet them…”

“When do you plan on telling our families about the upcoming addition?” Cadance asked.

Shining sighed. “Soon, but maybe after things wind down a bit. This thing with work has a lot of us all stressed out.”

Cadance nodded and looked down at her stomach. “They’re going to be a lucky child… their dad’s a hero.”

With a laugh, Shining rolled his eyes. “Let’s wait until I catch the bad guy before we start telling them that…”

Smirking, Cadance looked up at him with a look of lust and desire. “Well… I’ve been a very bad girl…”

He grinned and nodded. “Ah yes you have…”

With faux innocent eyes, Cadance made her best guilty sounding voice. “What are you going to do officer?”

“I suppose I could let you off with a warning… on one condition…” Shining smirked.

“Anything, officer…” Cadance pleaded with an insincere tone in her voice.

He chuckled and pushed her down onto her back before climbing on top of her, both of them giggling profusely.

After much digging through Shimmer’s old files, Sunset managed to find a few that mentioned her research and Ghost that Shimmer likely had missed, either due to being in a hurry or forgetting they were there. One of them was merely a word document regarding her notes on what she understood about magic thus far, it didn’t have much in the way of relevant information or information that was new to Sunset, but she went over it regardless.

The second was a physical item, a photograph was taken of the portal to Equestria with various notes scribbled on it, most of which looking like reminders of things to look into regarding the portal, but one note stuck out in particular, at the bottom of the photograph, there was a single word written that left Sunset perplexed and certain that this photo may be some kind of clue. There at the bottom in red ink in merely read “Ghost?”

Could Shimmer be implying that Ghost came through the portal? Or that Ghost’s end goal had something to do with the portal? It was difficult to say, but she knew the possibility of Ghost at least knowing about Equestria was there, that however was good news to Sunset in a way. She surmised that if Ghost knew about Equestria and knew that Magic came from another world, that they would be very careful about who their confidantes were. Knowing that this was untapped power and that it was not from this world meant that anyone he kept as part of his plan he had to keep at an arm’s length. There was little doubt in Sunset’s mind that any minions working for him were kept in the dark.

Given the information from Shining, Sunset was now aware that Ghost at least had allies of some kind. The fact that anyone whispered her own name and Ghost’s showed that there was a connection of some kind.

Sunset had managed to find one last piece of evidence that she had been examining over and over on her computer screen. A rough draft of an email that Shimmer either was going to send or already sent to some contact that she was not familiar with. Unfortunately, Shimmer had not attached the outgoing address on this draft, meaning finding out where it went was impossible. She likely was the kind of person who put the outgoing address on something last.

Leaning back in her chair, Sunset read over the email for perhaps the fifth time.

Hey,

I know these communications are not the easiest thing for either of us, given the circumstances, but I do greatly appreciate your help on all of this. I knew I was right to bank on you, as you’re the fastest learner that I know. If anyone can figure out magic quickly from my notes, it’s you. I promise after this is over though, if you don’t want anything to do with me, that is more than acceptable.

When we’re done, I’ll pay you on the agreed upon amount of eight million dollars and then we can part ways. You can go do whatever it is you plan to do, and I’ll do whatever I plan to do.

Regardless of your methods and your… history, I still have a tremendous amount of faith in you, more than any other person regarding this, anyway.

So I guess that brings us to the obvious discussion that we have yet to really go into: what happens to Ghost after we catch him? I mean we can’t exactly go to the police, what will we tell them? Some mysterious hacker stole tons of information of this energy from another universe? No, I think… maybe we may need to employ other methods to take care of this problem.

If it comes to that, I am counting on you. You’re better at that kind of thing, anyway. I’m useless in a fight…

Sincerely,

Sunset thought it over and realized that the two were likely talking about killing Ghost. Granted at this point, Sunset knew that the necessity to do so now was even greater than it was then, but she could understand Shimmer’s desire to kill Ghost. Given the circumstances, Shimmer was correct, the police would be useless, and Ghost likely was too smart to be caught by them. Prior to Shimmer’s death there was no crime they could report him for that wouldn’t backfire on themselves.

Sunset guessed that this was intentional, and that Ghost knew police involvement would be minimal, which was likely why he was confident enough to kill Shimmer. That meant he likely was banking on Sunset herself getting involved and that Sunset would keep the police out of it as much as she could.

If all of this was true, Ghost was remarkably clever, possibly a genius even. Sunset knew she couldn’t underestimate him.

Her mind turned back to the email and questioned who Shimmer’s mysterious contact was, and how they helped with Ghost. Perhaps if she could find their identity they could ask them for information about the entire ordeal. However, it was clear that Sunset and this person communicated in secret and went to great lengths to hide what little info they did relay to each other.

The teen leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath as she stared at the ceiling in thought. All of this was far more than she expected. She had to keep her mind sharp, her focus unbroken. Every little distraction had to be put aside for Ghost’s game. It was the most dangerous game she had ever played as the wager was her life. One mistake, one wrong move and she knew she could meet the same fate as Shimmer. If that happened, it was likely that Ghost would never be caught, or worse, he would kill all of her friends.

Sunset squinted her eyes and clenched her fists. She couldn’t let that happen, not as long as she was still around. As long as she drew breath, she knew she had to be the one to stop this all before it was too late.

Despite what little she did know, she did know one thing for certain: the aim of this game was to figure out who Ghost was. The moment she did that, she won.

Author's Note

Sunset loves porn. Go figure. Then again who doesn't. This chapter managed to still happen despite my computer attempting to stop it by ceasing function tonight. Woo!

Behind the Scenes: Originally I was going to have Twilight be the porn addict, but I ended up finding it made more sense with Sunset.

Act III - Chapter XXXIII: Training

Chapter XXXIII: Training

Checking her watch, Applejack tapped her foot as she waited. She had gone through the effort of picking out a nice button up blouse, and more appropriate footwear, even braiding her hair and not wearing her stetson for this occasion and grumbled at the fact that the least the girl she was waiting for could do was be on time. That was the nature of her though, Rarity was always late to virtually every occasion due to how long it took her to get ready. Applejack had suggested multiple times that the girl start a lot earlier, but no matter how early Rarity appeared to start, it seldom seemed to matter. Applejack could count the amount of times Rarity arrived at an event early on two hands.

Still, she knew that despite that, she was always worth the wait. Every time she showed up, Applejack had a hard time not admitting that she was a knockout; regardless though it still annoyed her that Rarity was almost always late.

Grumbling, Applejack reached into her denim skirt pocket to retrieve her phone to see if Rarity had sent her a message alerting her of her tardiness.

Checking her screen for texts she noted the time was 8:38 PM, almost a good ten minutes past when she was supposed to be meeting Rarity.

Almost as if reading her mind, she noticed a Mazda pull up to the restaurant and park carefully in the parking lot. Turning to face the parked car, Applejack paid attention to the elegant woman stepping out. Porcelain colored skin, gorgeous hourglass figure, and a beautiful ensemble to match. Rarity was sporting a very elegant (though far from practical) top with short sleeves that draped over her body, flaring out toward the bottom, with large belt strapped around her small stomach. The skirt she wore under it was rather form fitting and left little to the imagination as it accented her defined buttocks for Applejack to see.

As Rarity stepped closer in her heels, Applejack stuffed her hands in her pockets with a smile on her face as she watched. The beauty offered her hand to Applejack and gave a few bats of her gorgeous lashes, making her blue eyes really stand out as Applejack observed the wonderful makeup job she had administered.

Taking her hand out of her pocket, Applejack took the woman’s hand and knelt down kissing it lightly, causing Rarity to giggle.

Coming to a full stand again, Applejack smirked at Rarity. “Sug, perhaps y’all shoulda’ worn a jacket? Jus’ a thought…”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “It didn’t go well with this outfit, and you know me, I dress to impress.”

“Guess Ah’ll haveta’ keep ya’ warm,” Applejack replied slyly as she pulled the girl in close and wrapped an arm around the divot in her back, keeping the girl hugged up tight against her body. Rarity’s face turned red as she looked up at the tall farmer, blushing as she did.

“A-Applejack…” She stuttered.

Applejack playfully took her other hand and placed it on Rarity’s cheek, stroking her upper cheekbone with her thumb as she did. “Yer’ late…” Applejack stated.

“I… I wanted to look my best…” Rarity replied, her blue eyes locked on Applejack’s green ones, only deviating slightly from the gaze to examine the freckles on Applejack’s face up close.

“Y’all always do…” Applejack replied, bringing her face closer, Rarity practically putty in her hands as she brought their lips only half an inch away.

Rarity’s eyes closed gently as she tried to resist, but her voice failed to sound uninviting to the farm girl. “A-Applejack… we’re in public…” Rarity almost whispered.

“Ain’t no one watchin’…” Applejack replied before planting a soft kiss on the girl’s lips.

Despite Rarity’s attempt at resistance, she found herself wrapping her arms around Applejack’s neck, pulling her into the kiss for a few more seconds before releasing and resting her forehead with Applejack’s, gently breathing as she stared into her eyes. “Sorry, I’m late…” Rarity stated.

“Was only teasin’, Ah’m used to it,” Applejack replied.

Rarity smirked. “You just wanted an excuse to kiss me…”

“Guilty, always lookin’ ‘fer an excuse ‘fer that,” Applejack admitted.

Giggling, Rarity patted the girl’s collarbone as she released Applejack from her embrace and stepped backward with a smile. “Down, lover girl. We haven’t even gotten inside yet, and it is starting to get cold out here…”

“Shoulda’ worn a jacket…” Applejack rolled her eyes as she spoke in an almost mock tone.

“Pffft, as if you didn’t want to stare at all the skin I’m showing.” Rarity winked as she walked in front of Applejack, swaying her hips gently as she walked toward the entrance. Applejack found herself staring for a brief moment before coming back to reality and shaking her head.

She gave chase and caught up to Rarity and offered her arm to the girl. Rarity smiled and nodded as she wrapped her arm around Applejack’s and stepped alongside her. Their height difference wasn’t enormous, though Applejack had definitely gained an inch or two in the past few months, but Rarity’s heels helped close the difference slightly, making it easier to walk alongside her new girlfriend.

Applejack kept her eyes forward as they approached the entrance, catching a gentle whiff of Rarity’s perfume in the air. “Y’all smell good…” Applejack commented.

Rarity giggled and nodded. “Two hundred dollars a bottle for this perfume, I’d hope it smelled divine…”

“Ya’… that’s what I meant… just not as good with words as y’all…” Applejack stumbled over her words.

Rolling her eyes, Rarity snickered. “Relax, I’m not expecting you to be extremely cultured all of a sudden, just be yourself, alright?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, y’all are right, sorry.”

They reached the entrance and stepped inside the vestibule. A greeter smiled at the couple and looked down to a book in front of him. “Name?” He stated.

“Applejack Apple, Ah’ reserved a table ‘fer two?” Applejack stated.

Rarity blinked as she watched the man look down to the book and nod before gesturing for the two to head in the direction he was pointing. Reaching their destination near a window, he gestured for the two to have a seat. Applejack stepped forward and lead Rarity by the hand to her seat, making the girl blush, but also impressing her at how romantic Applejack could be when she put an effort forward.

Applejack smirked and found the seat across from her girlfriend and the two took the offered menus from the server. “Someone will be right with you,” he stated as he wandered off.

Rarity and Applejack both lifted their menus and began to scan over them. Applejack already looking for something simple and that she could pronounce.

Rarity smirked as she lowered her menu slightly to peak at Applejack who was staring at the paper in front of her with frustration.

“You reserved a table?” Rarity asked.

Applejack looked up from the menu and nodded. “Yeah, why?”

“Nothing, I’m just… surprised is all. I didn’t think you’d ever been to a place where you had to reserve a table before…” Rarity smiled.

Applejack shrugged. “Y’all would be right there, but ‘Ah asked Big Mac on howta’ do it. He’d done it once or twice…”

“Well, I am impressed, regardless.” Rarity winked.

Applejack chuckled and nodded. “Ya’ know, I’m not that stupid.”

Rarity frowned that Applejack took her comment as an insult. “I never said you were, I wasn’t trying to imply that if that’s what you thought I meant. I was merely surprised that you knew how to get a reservation at a place like this due to the fact that you said yourself that this kind of eatery is normally out of your comfort zone… that’s all…”

Applejack chuckled and smiled to show the girl she took no legitimate offense. “Relax, Rares. You’re right though, ‘Ah ain’t never been to a place like this.”

Reaching across the table, Rarity offered her hand, which Applejack looked down and took in her own, gently stroking the back of Rarity’s hand with her thumb. Rarity could feel the calluses on Applejack’s palm as she lightly squeezed the girl’s hand.

“I love you…” Rarity spoke quietly, causing Applejack to perk up and look straight ahead to Rarity’s now serious eyes.

“’Ah love you too…” Applejack replied with a smile, “any reason y’all are sayin’ that now?”

Rarity looked down and frowned. “I… I feel like I waited too long to say it, you know?”

Applejack shrugged as she released Rarity’s hand and leaned back in her seat. “Better late than never, right?”

“I just… keep thinking about Shimmer…” Rarity stated.

Taking a deep breath, Applejack already knew this was a heavy subject. She attempted to play it cool as she stayed leaned back in the booth she sat in with her arms draping over the back. “What about her?”

“In a way… I owe her… if it weren’t for what happened… I might not have finally spoken how I felt… well a combination of that and Rainbow’s little talk with me… I guess I should be thankful then?” Rarity shrugged.

Applejack found herself nodding. “So what’s there to be upset ‘bout?”

“I keep thinking about… what if what happened to Shimmer happened to one of us instead?” Rarity said.

Sighing, Applejack was already tired of the conversation. They had discussed such a scenario before, but it was clear that Rarity was having trouble letting it go.

Applejack leaned forward and placed her hands on the table as she met Rarity’s eyes with her own. “Rares…”

Rarity continued regardless of Applejack’s attempt to intervene. “I keep thinking about how if one of us died… I would have missed the chance for us to be together at all… I suppose Shimmer’s death hit a little close to home for me…”

Applejack let out another heavy sigh before reaching forward over the table and taking Rarity’s hand in both of her own. She clasped it in between her palms and gave Rarity a serious look with her green eyes. “Rare, ‘Ah promise ‘Ah’ll protect you.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about… It’s you.”

Applejack rolled her eyes at the comment and released Rarity’s hand to sit back down. “’Ah ain’t like Sunset, alright? As much as ‘Ah want justice fer’ Shimmer, ‘Ah ain’t about to lock myself up doin’ lord knows what like she is…”

“Yes, but you’re reckless, Applejack. With this killer on the loose…” Rarity frowned.

“Ain’t nothin’ gonna happen to me, promise.” Applejack placed a hand on her heart to show she was sincere.

“I just keep worrying that this person is going to kill all of us… myself I can handle, just the thought of losing you or the others…” Rarity closed her eyes, not wanting to think about it.

Applejack smiled and looked at Rarity with pride. “’Ah promise, ‘Ah’ll never die.”

“You can’t promise that, Applejack…” Rarity rolled her eyes.

“Well, so long as ‘Ah don’t die first y’all will never know…” Applejack smirked.

Snickering, Rarity rolled her eyes again. “You’re terrible…”

Applejack chuckled and winked. “Part of my charm.”

“You are charming, that’s for sure…” Rarity replied.

Nodding, Applejack set her menu down, noting that Rarity did the same. The two had decided on what they wanted before Rarity spoke up again.

“I am worried about Sunset to be fair…” Rarity said quietly.

“We all are, ain’t healthy fer’ a girl to lock herself away like she’s done… She don’t answer my texts or calls either…” Applejack crossed her arms in frustration.

Applejack and Rarity both had attempted to reach Sunset, but with no luck. The only person she only slightly responded to was Twilight and even then she didn’t say much or reveal what was going on in that mansion of hers.

“She’s stubborn,” Applejack added.

Rarity giggled. “She’s stubborn? Look who’s talking…”

“’Ah ain’t that stubborn!” Applejack protested.

More giggles escaped Rarity. “Applejack, the only reason we’re even sitting here at this table together is because you’re that stubborn. So fear not, even if Sunset is stubborn, I doubt she’ll beat your streak of nearly a decade.”

Applejack huffed and looked away. “Either way… she has to come around eventually…”

Rarity nodded. “Agreed, now let’s talk about something else; this is a night about us, after all.”

With a measuring tape in hand, Rarity ran it along Twilight’s waist and observed the numbers before scribbling something in her notebook at her side. She frowned a bit at how Twilight had clearly lost some weight since they last saw each other. She wished she had the metabolism of the scrawny bookworm, but instead she had to constantly diet and exercise, and never dared look at a cake unless she had a full day work out planned the next day; being friends with Pinkie Pie proved challenging for this very reason.

Rarity sighed as she continued to take Twilight’s measurements. As always, Twilight was very fidgety and shy when it came to people touching her, and to no surprise, the moment Rarity wrapped the tape around Twilight’s upper leg, Twilight flinched and looked up, blushing. Rarity snickered and looked up at Twilight.

“What’s wrong? Never had a pretty girl get this close?” Rarity teased.

Twilight’s face turned bright red. “Let’s not make this any more awkward…”

Rarity giggled playfully before removing the tape and taking note of the measurement. “It doesn’t have to be. Though to be fair, you’re so extremely shy even about taking your clothes off for me, that you make modeling very challenging.” Rarity pouted.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Are there people who are eager to get undressed for you?”

Rarity sighed and grimaced at the thought. “Rainbow Dash…”

Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle at that statement.

“That’s probably the only part of the whole ordeal she actually enjoys when she gets to get undressed and flex her muscles around this place. That’s why I try and do these fittings in this backroom, but once Rainbow decided to walk around the shop when I was in the lavatory and… well… my sister came to visit…” Rarity placed her face in her palm and shook her head as she remembered the awkward encounter. Her sister somehow took it surprisingly well, though she thought Rarity and Rainbow were an item for a good week.

Twilight had to cover her mouth to contain her giggles, but it was no use, they were slipping through regardless.

Shaking her head, Rarity smiled again. “Applejack was always shy about getting undressed in here as well… though to be fair, I now understand that was for other reasons… I guess the thought of getting naked in front of me was too much for her to bear at times.”

“You two make a cute couple.” Twilight smiled.

Rarity returned the gesture and nodded. “Yes, and an insanely stubborn one too. It hasn’t been easy to admit, but Applejack and I have a lot more in common than one would imagine.”

“That’s a good thing though,” Twilight reminded.

“True, but try getting two stubborn women to agree on a point that both are firm on their stance upon…” Rarity smirked.

“I suppose you have me there…” Twilight frowned, originally thinking she had made a good point.

Rarity giggled as she lightened the mood and returned to her notes. “Anyway, Twilight I am positive that your dress for prom will be astounding. I’m going to make sure you’re a total knockout.”

Nodding, Twilight found herself blushing just at the thought. Rarity could truly bring out the beauty in anything.

“I take it you’re hoping Sunset will take you?” Rarity smirked.

Blushing Twilight gave a protesting hand gesture. “W-wha? Why do you think that?”

“It’s written all over your face. Come on, have you forgotten that you told me about your little crush on her? I know I’m not one to talk, but maybe you should just ask her?” Rarity encouraged.

Twilight frowned and shook her head, already knowing that was likely impossible at the moment. “Maybe if I could… However, Sunset has been locked up for some time now. She barely responds to any texts I send her, and when she does it’s more or less either a short reply or some excuse as to why she can’t come out. I’m fairly confident that she wouldn’t give me enough time to even tell her how I feel… I may as well forget it and try to not think about Sunset and I as a thing… It’ll never happen…”

Twilight felt a quick slap on her rear, causing her to flinch in pain and look down at Rarity with confused eyes. Looking back up at her, Rarity’s expression was incredulous. She had the appearance of an annoyed woman.

“Twilight Sparkle, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s not like you to just give up so easily,” Rarity scolded.

“S-sorry… it’s just… I don’t realistically see a way to get Sunset to speak with me or any of us for that matter…” Twilight frowned.

“Then you continue to try and don’t give up. Sunset is stubborn, but even the most stubborn of people eventually let their armor chip away with enough time. Eventually, she’ll see that none of us are giving up, and she’ll come around again. Our friend is just shaken by Shimmer’s death still, is all.” Rarity nodded.

Pausing, Twilight swallowed before asking a question she knew would lead to awkward conversation. “Rarity…”

“Hm?” Rarity perked up and looked up at the girl standing in front of her.

Twilight stepped off of the pedestal that she had been standing on and came down to Rarity’s level, taking a seat next to her and locking eyes with her. “What about you? Aren’t you scared too?”

Sighing, Rarity closed her eyes and smiled. “Of course I’m scared. I’d have to be insane not to be, however, there is a difference between being scared and allowing fear to control me. I’m at the point where I am far more logical with my fear in that I know changing my entire life to accommodate my new fear might be exactly what this mysterious killer wants me to do. I may be afraid, but I refuse to allow fear to stop me from living. I’m careful, but far from reckless.”

“I’m afraid too… but less for myself and more for Sunset…” Twilight admitted.

Rarity blinked and tilted her head. She expected Twilight of all people, the most paranoid in their circle of friends to be thinking of every worst-case scenario for herself, but then it dawned on Rarity; Twilight had more than a crush, she was in love. Rarity recognized the serious expression on Twilight’s face, it was the same expression that Applejack made when it came to her own well being. Twilight had eyes only for Sunset, and at this point, the only thing she cared about was Sunset’s safety.

She could only imagine Twilight’s internal struggle; feelings for a girl who had shut the entire world out, love for a girl who wasn’t even human. She could only imagine the myriad of emotions that were whizzing through Twilight’s active mind. Rarity assumed her complex situation with Applejack was over the top, but Twilight was on a whole other level.

“I know you must be concerned for her…” Rarity began before reaching forward and placing a hand on Twilight’s leg to comfort the girl. Twilight looked down to Rarity’s hand and then met her face. “I know what that’s like, Sunset is tough though, she has it under control, I’m sure…”

Twilight looked down at the floor in defeat, that was the answer she wasn’t hoping to hear. “I’m not so sure… I mean I don’t doubt her abilities, but…” Twilight bit her tongue briefly before finishing that sentence. “Sunset lacks confidence in herself at times…”

“She always seems pretty confident to me…” Rarity blinked.

Twilight shook her head. “Yeah, she puts on a brave face, but when it comes to certain things… Sunset has some serious confidence issues. She never thinks she’s good enough or ready for anything. That causes her to push herself beyond her limits…”

“How are you so sure?” Rarity asked.

Twilight smiled as she thought about the question, her mind traveled back in time to when she and Sunset met, all the fond memories they shared.

“She is the first best friend I ever had… Since we met, she’s been looking out for me, she tells me a lot about herself, including a lot of her weaknesses,” Twilight explained.

“Do you know why she is so lacking in confidence?” Rarity blinked.

Twilight shook her head and frowned. “There are some secrets she keeps even from me, I’m afraid. Sunset is a pretty layered girl… She hides a lot of the past pains she’s felt behind many masks. It takes a long time and lots of patience to chip her armor away…”

Rarity smirked and nudged Twilight’s shoulder gently. “Well, it’s a good thing that you’re just the girl for that job.”

A Little Over a Year Ago

Sunset honked her horn for Twilight to hurry up. She checked her phone to see that they were running a few minutes late, eight to be exact. She grumbled and laid her head back, marveled at how Twilight seemed to take as long to get ready as Rarity did at times. Her nerdy friend was usually more punctual, but when it came to gathering or non-professional settings she clearly let her usual schedule-based self slip a little, much to Sunset’s annoyance. The things she was obligated to do were the things she wouldn’t mind being late to, but recreational things were what she preferred to not only be on time for but actually early.

The teen looked at her phone again, watching time tick by as she finally could see a figure leaving the front door of Twilight’s house. Sunset smiled as she saw the girl in more casual wear approach her old beat up car. It was rare to see Twilight less high strung, but it suited her.

Twilight leaned down and opened the car door, stepping inside and sitting down. She smiled at Sunset nervously. “Heh… sorry, I lost track of time. I was working on a research project and I didn’t realize how much time had already passed… You know how it goes…”

Sunset rolled her eyes and started the engine, wasting no time to pull out of the driveway. “Twilight Sparkle actually late for something, I better write it on my calendar.”

Twilight frowned. “Sorry again… I’m normally better about this kind of thing.”

“Relax, I’m only teasing.” Sunset waved.

Calming herself, Twilight nodded and focused her attention out the window as the two drove to their destination. She had actually been looking forward to this get together all week when Sunset first suggested it.

The other girls had been approaching her and offering to do things with her left and right, but Sunset always seemed to be first in line, always the one to offer the most activities and always the one who responded to texts almost instantly, even in the dead of night. While the others were sweet to her, Twilight recognized that Sunset went further out of her way for her. She was the kind of girl where you could call upon her for a favor at any time and she’d say yes. She didn’t know too much about her, but she knew that she cared, and that was enough.

Twilight smiled as she thought about how close she had gotten to her new friends already in such a short time before she felt the car come to a stop and pull into a parking spot. Sunset smiled at Twilight as she undid her seatbelt. “So, you ready to get stomped?”

Twilight blinked. “Are you that good?”

With a smirked, Sunset stepped out of the car with Twilight, placing her arms on top of it as she leaned over it to look at Twilight, her long hair draping over her, and her colorful eyes shining through her thick locks. “Let’s just say I have a lot of free time on my hands.”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight walked alongside her friend, observing Sunset’s heeled boots as the two walked. She was taken back by the contrast between the two of them, one of them a nerdy bookworm who you seldom found outside of a library, the other an alternative girl with a heart of gold that probably belonged at a Hot Topic or something. Briefly for a moment, Twilight imagined what Sunset might look like with tattoos or wild piercings.

Sunset approached the counter in the facility and smiled at Twilight. “Shoe size?” She asked.

Twilight blinked, not registering for a moment and tilted her head. “Huh?”

Gesturing back at the counter with her thumb, Sunset giggled. “For your bowling shoes, dummy.”

“O-oh… f-five…” Twilight blushed.

“Dainty feet, I see.” Sunset winked.

Sunset passed some money up to the clerk and retrieved two pairs of shoes, offering one to Twilight as she sat down and began unstrapping her boots and setting them aside to slip on the tacky looking shoes. Twilight observed Sunset as she did the same for herself.

Sunset tilted her head at Twilight. “Something wrong?”

“No, it’s just…” Twilight paused.

“Hm?” Sunset asked.

“You dress with so much confidence… you’re not afraid to show off your body… I wish I was that secure…” Twilight frowned.

A laugh escaped Sunset as she shrugged. “More like I have no idea what I’m supposed to be hiding. Perhaps I should remind you that I’m not human? A lot of my wardrobe was stuff I decided on before I realized what I was supposed to be embarrassed by, so after I figured that out, I was already used to this.”

Twilight nodded, that made sense to her. Sunset apparently was from a world where they didn’t even wear clothes that often she recalled, so Twilight imagined she wouldn’t feel very ashamed of her body. It didn’t help though that Sunset had natural beauty waiting to be refined though.

Sunset came to a stand and reached to her toes in a stretch to limber up. Once she had finished she gave a thumbs up and approached the bowling lane and lifted a ball. Twilight followed and sat down in front of the lane and began to enter their names in the small computer in front of them. Once she had finished she gave the okay for Sunset to throw her ball.

With a smirk on her face, Sunset tossed the ball with all her strength, it rolled and sped across the lane before smashing into the pins, knocking every single one down with no effort. Sunset turned around and casually walked back to the chairs near the lane and sat down smirking at Twilight. “Beat that, Sparkle.”

Twilight blinked and came to a stand, adjusting her glasses carefully. She chose a smaller ball and approached the long lane with a deep breath. Hurling the ball forward, she watched with fingers crossed as it managed to only knock down half of the pins. She frowned and allowed her shoulders to droop as she picked the ball up again and focused.

She flinched and almost dropped the ball as she felt hands rest on her shoulders. She turned her head to see Sunset looking over her shoulder forward at the lane. “Hey, concentrate. Don’t think about hitting the pins, just relax and focus on aiming; roll and release when you’ve cleared your head,” Sunset instructed.

Nodding, Twilight took another breath and closed her eyes for a brief moment. When she opened them she rolled the ball, knocking down the remainder of the pins.

“W-wow!” Twilight exclaimed.

Sunset sat back down as Twilight did the same. “See, all you needed to do was clear your head.”

“Thanks… I appreciate it,” Twilight replied.

Leaning back in her seat, Sunset smiled as she closed her eyes. “It’s nothing, I mean, after all, I don’t want to beat you unless you’re at your best after all…”

“I don’t mean that…” Twilight stated.

Sunset opened an eye to see Twilight sitting there with a serious look on her face. She sat back up and leaned forward to face Twilight, both eyes open now. “Then… what?”

“For everything… You’ve gone out of your way to spend time with me… to make sure I fit in…” Twilight smiled thinking about it.

Sunset nodded and smiled back. “Hey, I know what it’s like to be given a second chance and have no idea where to start. It’s not an easy feeling, but people reached out to me, and I wanted to do the same for you, Twilight.”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Sunset. You’re a great person, don’t ever change, alright?”

Sunset laughed and leaned back. “I can’t promise I’ll never change after all changing is why I’m even here in the first place, but I can promise I’ll do my best to never let you down.”

Reaching forward with an extended pinkie finger, Twilight looked to Sunset with content eyes. Sunset paused but leaned forward and offered her own pinkie. “It’s a promise then?” Twilight asked.

Taking Twilight’s finger and wrapping it with her own, she nodded. “It’s a promise. I’ll do my best, Twilight.”

A Few Months Ago

Sunset sat in front of the complex looking computer that Shimmer had kept in her lab tilting her head as she tried to understand what she was doing. She had come into this room to try and look up anything Shimmer had saved on her research or Ghost, but it had occurred to her that she was completely clueless about how to even begin looking. So instead, she stared blankly at an empty screen thinking over how to figure this out.

She knew the basics of how to open a web browser, how to google something, but ultimately she didn’t quite understand the inner workings of a computer beyond extremely basic use. Sighing, she pushed herself away from the monitor and came to a stand, deciding to take a break and get herself a drink.

Retreating to the kitchen, Sunset opened the oversized refrigerator, grumbling that most of the sodas were diet. She had briefly forgotten that her younger sibling was a diabetic, but every time she came to the fridge she told herself she would replace a lot of the drinks, but whenever it came time to actually do that, she found herself unable to remove anything that Shimmer had kept there.

Grabbing a bottle of water she paused as she recalled the feelings she had only a few weeks ago when Shimmer had died and she was given the key to this house in the first place. All those days of thinking not to mess with anything for when Shimmer came back. She would repeat it to herself over and over, but now she found herself repeating a different tune, one that she had to once again say out loud.

“Shimmer isn’t coming back…” She thought aloud.

Closing her eyes and closing the door to the fridge, she sighed as she unscrewed the cap to the bottle and began her slow walk back to the lab.

It had taken her a few weeks, but she had finally begun to accept the reality of the situation, Shimmer was murdered and murdered meant she was gone for good. She wasn’t going to return and that meant there was little reason to keep sodas for her in the fridge. That also meant she needed to stop referring to the building as Shimmer’s home, because the reality was, it was her home now.

Catching Sunset in his gaze, Moon who had been laying down on a carpet near the top of the stairs stood up and began to follow Sunset, stopping at the door to the lab when Sunset entered. She looked back at the dog and smirked. “Oh… that’s right… Shimmer didn’t let you in the lab a lot did she?”

The dog merely sat there wagging his tail with an expectant look on his face. “Come on in, the rules are changing around here.” Sunset waved for the dog to enter, but he remained.

Sighing, Sunset stepped toward him and tugged his collar gently, which finally made the dog listen and come into the room, albeit with very careful and gentle steps, his ears drooped and his tail hung low, causing Sunset to giggle a bit as she sat at the office chair. “You really listened to her to a T, didn’t you?”

The dog stood perfectly still before Sunset reached forward and patted the side of his head. “It’s alright, you’re still a good boy.”

That comment seemed to create a change in the dog’s demeanor as his ears perked back up and his tail began to wag again. Letting out a confident bark, he came forward and rested his head in her lap, causing Sunset to casually pet him as she stared back at the computer she had been trying to navigate prior to leaving the room.

Sunset frowned as she realized that the small break she had taken did not shed any light on the mysteries of computers.

The girl reached down and rubbed behind the dog’s ears as she spoke directly to him. “I guess one thing is certain… I’m going to need to get a much better understanding of computers if I want to solve this mystery…”

Her canine friend merely barked in response.

About a Month and a Half Ago

Shining parked his car in front of the enormous Shimmer estate. He had seen houses this large only in pictures and sometimes from far away, but seldom did he ever get to see the inside of them. He remembered first seeing this house up close and thinking it was far too much for a single person or even a family of three, and despite how much time had passed, his opinion had not changed. He knew a place like this offered the wrong kind of solitude, the kind of solitude that drives a person mad.

Sighing, he turned off his car and stepped out grabbing a bag of items and approached the door, ringing the doorbell next to it. Waiting a moment, he heard Sunset’s voice leave the speaker and instruct him. “I’m in the base floor living room; make your way there and please shut the door behind you.”

Nodding, Shining stepped inside and wiped his expensive shoes on the mat at the door. He noted how he recalled buying the shoes he was wearing to prepare for his new job and his wife insisting that he get himself a “nice” pair of shoes for a change despite his protest. At the time he thought spending two hundred dollars on shoes was insane, but after spending some time at the estate he was at now, he now could see that a two hundred dollar pair of shoes was a minor luxury. He recalled Sunset once mentioning that Shimmer owned handbags that she inherited that were worth more than her car.

Shining could never understand the appeal of overpriced accessories to a lady, but he knew that even his wife had a weakness for them.

Running to him was a familiar canine, who gave a very friendly bark and sat in front of Shining waiting to be petted. Shining reached down and fulfilled the request and gave the dog a good few pats on the head. “You remembered not to jump up on me this time… good, I just had this suit dry cleaned, sorry. Nothing against dogs, but I have to look professional.”

The dog just barked happily as his tail continued to wag, unclear if he even understood what Shining was even talking about.

Carefully navigating the building, he made his way directly left and walked past a few oversized paintings on the wall, one of which caught his eye. Despite being in the house a few times before, he never noticed most of the artwork. The one that caught his eye though was a rather detailed painting of a rose. It looked so real that he would have mistaken it for a photograph had he not stared at it longer.

There at the bottom, he could see a name signed with a memo.

Spark Shimmer

To my lovely daughter.

He frowned slightly as he realized that this was, in fact, a painting made by a loving mother to her only daughter, both now gone from this world, both with lives cut drastically short.

It amazed him how talented Shimmer’s mother was to create something so immaculate. The only solace he took was knowing that the two were at least together now after such a long time separated. He knew little about the accident that took Shimmer’s parents away from her, but he did know that it was his responsibility to find out what happened to Shimmer herself and bring whoever ended her life to justice.

Coming back to reality he continued his journey to the living room to find a rather casually dressed Sunset sitting on the floor surrounded by various computer parts with a book in her hand. She sat there in just a tank top and basketball shorts as her eyes scanned the pages in front of her carefully before reaching down and picking up a part and turning it to get a better look at it, nodding in understanding as she pulled a pen out from behind her ear and scribbled in the book.

Her usually flowing long hair was tied up in a messy bun and she appeared as though she hadn’t slept in some time.

She barely noticed Shining entered until Moon followed behind him and barked, causing Sunset to casually turn her head in his direction and offer a very brief smile. “Hello, Detective Armor.”

He sighed and approached. “I told you, you can call me Shining.”

Sunset shrugged and returned her gaze to her book.

“I assume there is a reason for your visit?” She stated plainly.

He nodded and lifted a bag he was carrying in his right hand that he had brought in from the car. “I know I’m not supposed to, but I brought you something from Twilight. Unethical, but she wouldn’t stop until I took it.”

Sunset waved her hand. “Set it down on the couch.”

He blinked and did as instructed, deciding to tell her what it was. “It’s cookies, she made them this morning.”

Sunset nodded. “I’m not hungry right now, but thank you…”

Her voice suggested her disinterest in the token, causing Shining to frown and sigh. “Sunset… listen… As a friend, I think I have an obligation to tell you that perhaps you should be a bit more attentive to your social life? In these harsh times being surrounded by people who care about you can be very good for you…”

Sunset shook her head and continued examining the computer parts in front of her, not even turning to face him. “Can’t at the moment…”

“And why’s that?”

Setting down a part in her hand, Sunset turned to face Shining finally with serious eyes. Her expression screamed of anger and annoyance. “Because there is a killer on the loose; someone who murdered the only family I have in this world, and I have yet to determine their motives. If I was the actual target then they would not be against harming my friends to get to me. Shimmer switched places with me and that day we were both wearing the same outfit. Since she was also hit from behind either one of us could have been the intended target, so until I know for sure, I can’t put my friends in harm's way.”

Shining sighed again and nodded. “I understand that, but how long do you intend to stay like this? Locked up in this house?”

“As long as necessary. I’ll go back outside when I’m prepared and not a moment sooner, Shining.” Sunset growled.

He wanted to protest, but he could tell by the look on her face that it would be pointless. Sunset’s mind was clearly made up.

“Is there anything else, Detective?” Sunset asked.

Shining shook his head. “No… nothing at all…”

A few muffled cracks echoed through the air as Sunset aimed at a target in the distance. Gripped tightly in her hands was a Ruger SR1911 handgun. Lowering the weapon she set it down on a shelf in front of herself and picked up another weapon in a set sitting in front of her.

This time she had opted for the Glock G29 and let off a few shots. Lowering this weapon as well she took a look at it and nodded to herself. The Glock proved to be far lighter and despite its cheap feeling material that constructed the weapon she couldn’t argue that it packed quite a punch and was a far more versatile weapon for carrying around.

Sunset removed the earmuffs she was wearing and hit a button to return the target she was firing at toward herself. Slowly it approached until it was only a good two feet in front of her. She smirked as she observed the holes she had placed in it, most of which hit the vital spots.

She picked up the 1911 in her free hand and looked at both before placing the Glock back down. While she definitely felt the Glock was more practical, she couldn’t deny that the 1911 felt better to use, and definitely looked more intimidating.

Carrying the gun out of the shooting range she walked out the door toward the armory that she had discovered in the house. Shimmer’s father kept a practice range down in the basement for his hobby of hunting and had a decent sized arsenal of weapons that he kept within it. From shotguns to rifles, there was a little bit of everything within legal restrictions.

She involuntarily was about to step foot in the armory to place the weapon back when she heard her phone in her back jean pocket ring.

Sighing, Sunset grabbed it with her free hand and answered it, placing it to her ear.

“Hello?” Sunset asked.

The familiar voice of her principal answered on the other end. “Sunset, nice of you to pick up, I’ve been trying to call you for over an hour…”

Sunset blinked and realized she must not have noticed her phone vibrating due to how focused she was at the range.

“Sorry… I was… occupied…” Sunset coughed.

“Well, I’m calling to tell you that some of your state tests are coming up, and I can’t administer them at your home. It would behoove you to come in and attend a few classes for review and then take the tests…” Celestia informed.

Sunset had a feeling this conversation would happen sooner or later. She had spent a good three months locked up in her home, searching for anything about Ghost that might crack the mystery right open with little to no luck.

With her mind wandering, she fell silent causing Celestia to try and get her attention.

“Sunset… You can’t stay locked up in your home forever, you will need to come to school eventually…”

Sunset smiled and shook her head as she came back out of her thoughts. “Don’t worry, I was planning on coming in actually… You’ll see me tomorrow.”

“R-really?” Celestia stuttered.

“Yeah, I think I’m ready… I’ll see you tomorrow, Principal Celestia,” Sunset replied.

“I look forward to it,” Celestia said before hanging up.

Sunset placed the phone back in her pocket as she made her way upstairs, eventually reaching the foyer and ascending to her bedroom. When she managed to get in she checked the time to see that it was already 11:58 PM, meaning if she wanted to get to school on time the next day she would need to prepare a little bit tonight.

Opening her wardrobe she began to pick out her outfit for the next day. Once she was satisfied with what she’d wear, she pulled her backpack from out of a nearby closet and shook it off to remove some of the dust. Opening it she began to stuff various items she’d need for school inside, her MacBook, phone charger, an extra shirt just in case, but her eyes gravitated to a vanity that she had passed on the way in.

Setting the bag down she marched over to the vanity and observed the handgun she had brought up with her and set down as she entered the room. She had mistakenly brought it all the way upstairs with her as she was distracted by her call with Celestia.

Reaching down and taking it carefully in her hand she observed it and then looked back at her bag. Nodding she walked over to the bag and placed the gun inside.

Author's Note

Hey another week, another chapter. Those are perhaps some of the best hands that Applety has ever drawn, HANDS DOWN.

Behind the scenes: Ironically I work at a bowling alley, but the scene was not modeled after the one I work at.

Act III - Chapter XXXIV: Trust

Chapter XXXIV: Trust

Twilight raced down the halls at top speed, poking her head around every corner before seeing faces she recognized standing at their lockers chatting away. Applejack and Rainbow Dash always seemed to have their lockers placed next to each other since elementary school apparently as Twilight had heard, it was no wonder the two were so close.

Finally catching up with them Twilight kneeled down panting, lifting a finger to tell the two girls to hold up for her while she caught her breath.

Applejack and Rainbow looked at each other with confusion before looking back to Twilight who was starting to be able to breathe again as she pulled herself up and composed herself. She was slightly embarrassed at how out of shape she was, but at the moment her mind was in other places.

“I just heard from someone that Sunset is coming back to school? Have you guys heard anything?” Twilight asked.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash both nodded.

“Sure have. Me an’ Rainbow just saw her meetin’ with Principal Celestia; didn’t get a chance to talk to her though…” Applejack crossed her arms.

Twilight’s eyes lit up as she leaned in with interest. “Do you think she’s going to be attending classes again?”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, we flagged down Celestia and squeezed her for info. She wouldn’t tell us much, but she said Sunset would start attending classes again today. She said Sunset had to run for a bit, but she’d be back by third period. Guess Celestia finally pressured her to come back.”

Twilight felt a huge grin on her face from the news. It had been months since she saw her best friend in person. She looked down at herself, internally cursing that she didn’t wear something more flattering than a large knit sweater with grey leggings.

“’Ah will say… Sunset has… changed a bit since she’s been away…” Applejack stated quietly.

“Changed?” Twilight tilted her head.

Rainbow smirked. “Oh yeah, the getup she was wearing. Hardcore alternative stuff, sexy as hell. Guess she had some of Shimmer’s outfits modified to fit her, but damn she looked good. I would not mind getting down on my knees and-”

Applejack punched Rainbow’s shoulder. “’Ah swear can we go a whole day without y’all bein’ a pig?”

“Well oink oink, excuse me for thinking our friend is super attractive.” Rainbow growled as she rubbed her now hurt shoulder.

Applejack rolled her eyes at her friend and sighed. “’Ah don’t know ‘bout that. Maybe it’s jus’ not my thing-“

Rainbow cut her off with a smirk. “Oh please, your thing is Rarity, Rarity, Rarity.”

“Hey, shut it!” Applejack’s face turned a slight rosy color.

“Dude, you have only ever shown interest in Rarity. Convinced that you’re not even gay, you’re just a Raritysexual,” Rainbow teased.

Rolling her eyes, Applejack looked away. “Whatever… Point is that such drastic changes ain’t always good.”

Twilight shrugged, unsure of what to make of this change. It was too early for her to determine if it was good or bad especially since she hadn’t seen it yet. “I’m just glad she’s back. Hopefully, I get a chance to talk to her…”
Applejack smiled and nudged Rainbow’s arm. “Rainbow shares third period with her. Maybe she can see what’s up before lunch?”

Nodding, Rainbow bowed. “Leave it to me!”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Rainbow.”

“What’re friends for?” Rainbow snickered.

“In ‘yer case? Bustin’ on me for having a thing with Rarity…” Applejack sighed.

“Oh please, it’s all in good fun. I’m happy for both of you, really. I’m just amazed that it took the great Applejack so long to court her.” Rainbow smirked.

“Like farm work, love is all about patience…” Applejack replied.

The smirk on Rainbow’s face grew as she made an obscene hand gesture to accompany her next question. “So… have you two…? You know?”

Applejack raised a brow. “Know what?”

“Gone to pound town?” Rainbow giggled.

“’Ah ain’t tellin’ y’all that.” Applejack sighed.

“Oh come on! I’m your friend, details!” Rainbow pleaded.

Twilight found herself giggling as she watched the two girls bicker back and forth. She hoped that Sunset would soon be able to enjoy their friends again after all this time. A part of her wished things could just go back to how they were before any of this happened, but she knew that was unlikely.

Sitting bored in English class, Rainbow sighed as her eyes scanned across the room looking for Sunset who didn’t appear to be there. Class was already underway for a good ten minutes and there was no sign of her partially long-lost friend. She was starting to worry a bit that what she heard from Celestia was either untrue or that Sunset bailed on school at the last minute. A part of her wanted to congratulate her for her rebellion, but at the same time, she would need to actually be able to talk to her for that to happen.

The class was halfway over when finally the door to the classroom open and in walked Sunset in her attractive outfit. Chains rattled as she walked in her heels as she gently approached the teacher who stopped talking and waited for her to hand him a slip of paper. He looked it over briefly and nodded before gesturing to the class.

“Students, I’m sure many of you remember your old classmate Ms. Sunset Shimmer. She apparently will be rejoining us today, so I’d like you all to make her feel welcome and comfortable.” He smiled before gesturing toward the chairs. “Please, take a seat, Sunset.”

Nodding, Sunset gave a gentle bow before walking with her hands in front of her. Locating her old desk she carefully positioned herself in it and crossed her legs as she paid attention to the board.

Rainbow was a good four seats away but she could finally get a better look at her even if it was from behind. She could see a set of pentagram earrings on the girl and smiled as she observed her. Sunset had changed wardrobes for sure, but somehow it suited her. Even since they met she always noticed how the longer they knew her, the more alternative Sunset became, this only felt like a natural progression.

Returning to the boring lecture, Rainbow couldn’t help but stare at her friend who hadn’t turned around once to face her and made no attempt to communicate. Instead, she was scribbling in a notebook in what she presumed were notes for the class they were in.

Looking down to her own notebook Rainbow saw tons of crude sketches of comic book heroes and Daring Do fanfiction ideas. She chuckled internally as she realized she likely could take some advice on note-taking from Sunset.

She found herself having a difficult time paying attention as she kept looking up toward Sunset, trying to think of what to say to her when the moment came. She knew eventually the bell would let them both out and that would be her opportunity to finally speak with the girl that had shut all of them out for the past few months, but now that the moment was actually coming, she was struggling to figure out what she even wanted to say to the girl.

Planning it out she decided the best thing to do was see if they could talk somewhere alone given that the two likely would be unable to avoid the discussion of Shimmer’s murder and possibly even magic.

When the bell finally rang, Rainbow came to a stand and scooped her things into her bag as she watched Sunset load her books into a purse. She squinted wondering when Sunset started carrying a purse but shrugged it off. The purse didn’t quite suit her, but she could see the practicality of it being easy to pull things out of quickly.

Slowly following her out of the classroom, Rainbow followed the girl unsure of how to get her attention without making the situation awkward. She would follow Sunset all the way to the bathroom and smiled a bit as it worked out perfectly for her plan. Once she peeked around to see the two were alone she came up behind Sunset and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing the girl to turn to face Rainbow slowly and quietly.

Part of Rainbow was surprised that she didn’t jump or flinch but instead seemed almost uncaring.

There was a brief moment of silence followed by Rainbow breaking it with a simple, “hey.”

“Hey,” Sunset replied.

Rainbow cursed herself internally at how pathetic that introduction was. After a good half hour of planning on how she would execute this encounter the best she could muster was a simple “hey” and then stand there awkwardly.

“It’s been a long time…” Sunset smiled.

Something about her smile seemed off like she wasn’t all there or that her mind was somewhere else.

“Yeah… It’s cool to see you again… what brings you back exactly?” Rainbow crossed her arms and leaned against the door of a bathroom stall.

Sunset shrugged. “Finally got tired of being at home. Doctors told me that fresh air is good for me, so I’m trying it out.”

Rainbow could tell the teen was joking with her, but it had that irksome feeling to it like she was using it as a shield to hide what was truly bothering her. Without any evidence to prod further though, Rainbow let it go.

“You never responded to any of my texts…” Rainbow raised a questioning brow.

Nodding, Sunset just stood there silently.

Deciding to lighten the mood, Rainbow grew a smile and decided to laugh it off was the best option. “Anyone else might have been offended.”

“You’re far from anyone else, though,” Sunset reminded.

As if lighting a match under her ego, Rainbow smirked and nodded while she pointed to herself with her thumb. “Damn straight, I’m Rainbow fucking Dash and regardless it’s good to see you again.”

Sunset nodded with a gentle smile. “Likewise, now if you excuse me, I have another class I have to get to soon…”

Rainbow stepped out of her way but not before Sunset caught the edge of her shoe and stumbled, falling down to her hands and knees, dropping her bag and the contents pouring out. Rainbow blinked and knelt down to help her up. “Shit, I’m sorry, are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine… Just not used to walking in heels yet…” Sunset explained before scrambling over to her bag to reload it with her things.

Feeling guilty still, Rainbow rushed over to assist her only to pause as she noticed an object sitting under a textbook. The metal of the device shined in the harsh light of the bathroom and the shape was unmistakable. Sunset noticed what Rainbow was staring at and scooped it up along with her other belongings and stuffed them into her bag before coming to a stand and brushing herself off, pretending like nothing happened.

“Well, I have to get going…”

Rainbow blocked the door. “Is that what I think it is?” She pointed to Sunset’s purse.

“It doesn’t matter, please get out of my way…” Sunset tried to get around Rainbow only to be stopped.

“Un-fucking-believable… You really brought that here? Where did you even get that?” Rainbow questioned.

“Not that it’s anyone’s business but there happens to be an armory in my basement, now please I’m going to be late.” Sunset growled.

“Are you out of your fucking mind!? You brought a gun to school!?” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Step aside, Rainbow and mind your own business.” Sunset growled before pushing the athlete out of the way and forcing her way out the door.

Rainbow just stood there silently watching the girl walk away. She knew she had to inform the others as soon as possible. Sunset may have finally gone off the deep end. She pulled out her phone and quickly began texting Applejack.

Twilight patiently waited through all of math class to see if Sunset would enter the classroom. Sadly the entire lecture came and went and her best friend never showed herself, despite Twilight being told prior that Sunset would be coming to school today and that Rainbow Dash just had a class with her.

For the first time in her life, Twilight actually couldn’t wait for a class to be over as she wanted to get out into the halls to try and flag down Sunset and find out why she skipped math. It was her favorite subject after all and if there was any class she would skip it wouldn’t be math.

When that bell rang, Twilight scooped up her books as quickly as possible and rushed out into the hall to try and find Sunset. Her eyes scanned around and tried to find the appearance of a girl that matched the description that Rainbow has given.

Looking through the crowd one girl, in particular, stood out. A long shredded looking skirt with belts draped more to one side covered her legs that were in black stockings with dog bones on them, a pair she recognized Shimmer wearing once. The skirt was purposefully designed to go at a slant and go down to her knee on one side and only just below her thigh on the other. Complimenting her nice legs while her feet were covered in black heels with little skulls decorating the strap that held them on.

Over her top, she wore a corset that showed off perhaps a little more of her cleavage line than was allowed in school, but Twilight suspected that the principal looked the other way, just happy she had come to school at all. With the elegant laces and black with white trimming it looks fabulous on her. She bore detached sleeves held on by belts with flared cuffs. Twilight could see fingerless arm stockings dark grey in color covering her hands.

With her hair the same wild mess it always was, it was complemented by the dark eyeshadow and mascara she was wearing, and just a hint of lip gloss.

On her ears were a set of pentagram earrings that matched a necklace she had chosen to wear which sat so cutely on top of her cleavage line.

Twilight was practically drooling as she stared. Sunset looked incredible, sexier than she had ever seen her. This was clearly what Sunset was capable of looking like when she put effort into it, and suddenly Twilight felt small and inferior. To convince a girl as cute as her to give her a chance? It was unthinkable.

As she approached the girl who was conversing with a teacher she couldn’t help but notice several boys (and a girl or two) turning their head to get a look at Sunset.

Finally reaching her, Sunset blinked and turned to Twilight with a smile. “Oh, hey Twilight.”

The teacher nodded and bowed his head lightly. “I’ll leave you to converse with your friends, I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do.”

Sunset nodded and looked back to Twilight. “Been a while, stranger.”

Twilight nodded unable to form any words as she found herself staring.

“Something wrong?” Sunset tilted her head in confusion.

Twilight stuttered as she managed to form a sentence. “Y-you look…”

“Different? I know, I guess I was feeling that I needed to show the world how much I’m not conforming today…” Sunset giggled.

“Amazing…” Twilight finished.

A light blush came to Sunset’s face. “Heh, you think so?”

Twilight nodded. “You’re…” she paused before getting the word out, “Hot.”

Giggling, Sunset winked at Twilight. “I was worried that I was showing off too much of my tits, but I’m glad to hear at least the effect is working.”

Twilight shook her head trying to get her mind out of the gutter, but it was proving difficult. Sunset’s outfit was driving her crazy and she was already stuck on having impure thoughts, all the things she’d like to see, such as Sunset slipping out of that thing or perhaps even keeping it on while she had her way with Twilight.

“No your tits look great…” Twilight blurted out before covering her mouth with her whole face turning red.

Sunset let out a jovial laugh and held her ribcage as it grew into a full-blown chuckle explosion. “W-wow! You are just too much, Sparkle!”

Twilight shook her head and looked away. “F-forget I said that… I’m not…”

“Not what? Gay?” Sunset giggled before wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes.

“Oh man, it’s been a long time since I laughed like that…” She added.

“Well…” Twilight looked away.

Sunset rolled her eyes and placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “It’s cool. You being bi doesn’t bother me. If I was bothered by homosexuality then Rainbow Dash would have made me puke by now.”

Twilight nodded and sighed. “So… Why’d you miss math class?”

Sunset crossed her arms and looked up thoughtfully trying to think of a good answer. “I have an excuse to get me out of it… I had some business to take care of, you know? Now that I am the head of the Shimmer family and the only member I have to oversee the school that they own. Every now and then it requires my attention…”

“A lot of responsibility at just eighteen…” Twilight frowned.

Sunset shrugged. “Eh, I was making my own meals at eight. This is the norm for me at this point.”

“So… are we…” Twilight rubbed her neck not sure how to ask.

“You’re going to ask if you’re going to see me more now?” Sunset smirked.

Twilight nodded. “More or less…”

With a smile, Sunset nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be coming to school more often now. So you can stare at my tits all the time from now on.”

Twilight blushed and covered her face. “I feel like such an idiot for saying that…”

Sunset giggled and came closer, leaning in to whisper in Twilight’s ear. “It’s okay, I like girls too.”

Twilight blinked and froze as Sunset pulled away, she could still feel her breath on her ear as Sunset stood back and winked, patting Twilight’s shoulder. “See you around, Sparkle.”

As Sunset left Twilight looked over her shoulder to watch her hips sway gently as she walked, her backside just as pleasing as her front. She was amazed she managed to make such a fool of herself in front of Sunset.

Her mind lingered on the fact that it felt like Sunset was keeping secrets, but she tried to push that fact out of her mind for the time being. Sunset always kept secrets, so Twilight didn’t know why she had expected that to change after a long absence.

Sighing she remembered she had received a text message in class that she never opened. On principle Twilight never looked at her phone when in class.

Unlocking her phone she stared down at the screen to see a single sentence from Rainbow Dash on the screen.

Twilight, Sunset has a gun.

“What are we gonna do ‘bout this, Rainbow?” Applejack asked as she crossed her arms leaning against a bathroom stall door.

“Chill for a second, we need to think this through, alright?” Rainbow replied as she stepped out of the stall and walked over to the sink. She adjusted her pants and turned the sink one to begin washing her hands.

Applejack grumbled and stepped toward the sink next to Rainbow and rested her hands on the sink itself as she leaned over it, looking in the mirror as Rainbow washed up.

“Y’all are certain it was a gun?” Applejack raised a brow.

Rainbow nodded. “Definitely. I know what guns look like, and it was a 1911, a pretty tough handgun…” She stated as she turned the sink off and grabbed a paper towel from a dispenser on the wall.

“’Ah didn’t take y’all ‘fer someone who knew guns…” Applejack blinked.

“Yeah well… My dad was in the army and when I was a kid he used to take me out hunting. I know my way around a gun or two, but that’s not the point…” Rainbow sighed, clearly wanting to drop the subject.

This was the first Applejack had heard of Rainbow’s father being in the army before, she guessed it wasn’t something she enjoyed talking about.

“We have to tell Celestia…” Applejack suggested.

Instantly Rainbow shook her head and voiced her disagreement with that proposal. “No way! We can’t do that!”

“Rainbow, she has a gun in school. If she gets caught, she’ll be in bigger trouble…” Applejack sighed hoping that Rainbow would see her perspective.

“I don’t care! I’m not snitching on our friend, I have loyalty…” Rainbow growled.

Applejack wished for a moment that loyalty wasn’t her best friend’s greatest virtue at that time.

“Rainbow…” Applejack began but was cut off.

“Relax, she’s not going to kill anyone here. I’m sure there is an explanation, but we can’t just jump to conclusions. We have to address the situation delicately, no one is hurt yet.” Rainbow explained as she faced Applejack with serious eyes. “If we tell Celestia, Sunset is going to get expelled, and that is not going to help anyone. She just came out of her house after months, you want to send her back? That kind of solitude can drive someone nuts, we can’t take that risk.”

Applejack sighed when she met Rainbow’s eyes. She knew that once Rainbow was set on something and those eyes grew as serious as they did that there was no changing her mind. Rainbow often joked about how Applejack and Rarity had stubbornness in common, but Rainbow wasn’t much different. When it came to loyalty to her friends, Rainbow seldom faltered.

“Alright… What do we do then?” Applejack asked with a small smile on her face.

“We handle it in-house so to speak. Keep the situation contained, we both keep an eye on her, make sure she never pulls that thing out and that no one sees it,” Rainbow stated her plan.

“Ain’t possible when she goes to the classes that neither of us got…” Applejack said, poking a hole in Rainbow’s plan.

“We enlist Twilight then. Between the three of us, there is never a moment where she isn’t being watched by one of us.” Rainbow smirked.

Applejack let out another sigh and nodded. “Alright, let’s do this.”

After her class with Twilight, Sunset noticed that Applejack didn’t stray too far from her when she went to her next class. The entire time she noticed every time she looked Applejack’s way that Applejack would avert her gaze, doing a very poor job of hiding the fact that she was watching her.

She tested her theory and excused herself to go to the bathroom during class and sure enough, Applejack did the same only seconds later.

Sitting in the bathroom stall, Sunset paid attention to the floor to see Applejack’s feet enter the stall next to her. She was now confident that Applejack was watching her. Her eyes were drawn to her own purse as she peeked inside to see the item that likely started this ordeal. It was clear to her that Rainbow Dash told Applejack, and now Applejack was watching her like a hawk. Sunset semi-guessed that Rainbow would not heed her words and keep the incident between the two of them; she told Applejack everything after all.

She gathered quickly that Rainbow would be her other pursuer, the two of them obviously working together to ensure she never left their sight.

Deciding to play oblivious she stood up and exited the stall to wash her hands, noting that Applejack did the same.

Sunset looked over at her friend and gave a gentle smile. “Hello, Applejack…”

Applejack nodded and gave an obviously forced smile. “Howdy.”

Sunset raised a brow. “That’s it?”

“What y’all mean?” Applejack blinked as she finished washing her hands and took some paper towels to dry them.

“Well, you haven’t seen or heard from me in months and the best you have to say is ‘howdy’? I would have imagined you’d have much more to say…” Sunset inquired.

She knew Applejack to be someone who seldom held in what she was thinking, so her behavior was strange, to say the least.

Applejack shrugged and tossed the ball of wet towels into the trash can before rubbing her neck. “’Ah guess… still, a bit overwhelmed by it all, y’know? Shock or whatever…”

That much was likely true.

“Well, I suppose we should get back…” Sunset ended the conversation and made her way back to the classroom, Applejack following trying to act casual with her hands in her jean pockets. It was obvious now, Applejack definitely knew about the incident from earlier, her behavior was a dead giveaway.

Continuing her oblivious act, Sunset sat back down in the classroom and within only a short few minutes the bell that would dismiss them to lunch rang. Sunset noted the actual clock in the classroom was a few minutes fast reading 12:08 rather than twelve o’ clock sharp. Standing up to head for lunch, Sunset paid attention to Applejack’s movements, wondering if she and Rainbow would do a trade-off at lunchtime to try and make their actions less obvious or they would foolishly have Applejack tail her all day.

Rainbow was certainly far better at being sneaky than Applejack, it amazed Sunset that she always incorporated Applejack into her plans.

Sunset decided to walk straight to the cafeteria not paying much mind to Applejack stayed a good ten feet away.

Finally making it to the large room, she carefully made her way into line. She relaxed a bit as she saw Twilight get into line behind her. She smiled at the girl who smiled back.

“Hello, Twilight.”

Twilight nodded, but her face soon contorted to one of concern.

“Hey…”

Sunset already had a suspicion where the conversation was going. She couldn’t believe Rainbow would involve Twilight as well.

“What’s up?” Sunset asked, already knowing the answer.

“So… I talked to Rainbow today…” Twilight began.

Sunset continued to feign ignorance. “What about?”

“You actually… She mentioned you have a…” Twilight leaned in to whisper the next part, “gun.”

Closing her eyes Sunset leaned back a bit and let out a breath. “I see…”

“Is it true?” Twilight asked.

“It doesn’t matter; it’s not anyone’s business…” Sunset defended.

The two came to the end of the line and Twilight followed Sunset to an empty table setting her tray down next to her. Her demeanor changed to one of sheer annoyance. “Are you fucking stupid!?” She growled under her breath, trying to keep her voice down.

“If you get caught with that, you’re on a one-way ticket to being expelled.”

“I don’t care.” Sunset hissed back.

“What!? Are you serious!? You are a straight-A student, you love school!” Twilight pointed out.

“I love being alive a lot more, Twilight. In case you haven’t fucking noticed there is a murderer on the loose who just murdered my sister. I’m not going to be stupid and walk around unprotected.” Sunset banged her hand on the table.

“You’re going to fuck up your life for that? And then what? What will happen if you should have to use that thing?” Twilight asked.

“Then I’ll do what I have to and hope everyone minds their own damn business. Get real, Twilight. This isn’t like Camp Everfree. We can’t just sing some songs, talk about friendship and make this all go away… not this time. This person is beyond saving, they chose to end someone’s life… I don’t know about you but I don’t want mine to be the next one they end…” Sunset explained.

Twilight frowned. “You know… you and I had to go through redemption before…”

“There’s only one way to redeem someone like this, and I’m carrying it in my purse.” Sunset growled before standing up.

“I’ve lost my appetite… I’m gonna go…”

Twilight sighed and said nothing, but stared at her tray as Sunset stormed out of the cafeteria, her anger obviously flaring. Twilight closed her eyes and allowed tears to stream down her cheeks.

Ghost is untouchable, face it.

Sunset sighed as she concentrated, her eyes closed as she listened to the voice that called out to her. When she opened her eyes she could see she was standing in a black empty abyss, yet somehow able to see her hand in front of her face perfectly despite there not being a shred of light. She looked around her looking for the origin of the voice but saw nothing.

“Who are you?” She asked out loud, but could not hear her own voice. She covered her mouth and blinked as she listened for a response.

It doesn’t matter. You know Ghost will escape, so why are you even bothering to try?

She noticed the voice rang in her head as if it were coming from someone standing next to her, whispering in her ear.

“I will find them…” Sunset mouthed to the abyss.

And then what? Even if you manage to hunt down Ghost, what makes you think that you’ll be enough to stop them?

Sunset contorted her face into an annoyed scowl as she responded. “What makes you so certain that I can’t?”

Simple, Ghost is ruthless, able to kill to accomplish his goals, you, however, are too weak to make such a decision.

Sunset smirked and crossed her arms as she listened to the voice that echoed in her mind. “And what do you propose?”

There was an exceptionally long silence only broken by a simple sentence.

Embrace Darkness, Sunset.

Sunset had been sitting atop of an old vent atop of the school looking past the railing that was intended to prevent one from falling off of the roof. The entire area was a maintenance access created for janitors or staff members to access the roof and air conditioning units of the school if they needed to. She had managed to filch a set of keys from a janitor without being noticed sometime earlier that morning, knowing she’d need a place of solitude. She knew that no one would look for her here.

The day was coming to an end as she watched the Sun dip deeper and deeper into the ocean that was the horizon. Soon it would be sunset and she would be back at her home ready to get back to work on trying to find Ghost.

Part of her contemplated if coming back to school was indeed a waste of time, she had hoped that a change of pace would help her relieve stress and clear her head, but it seemed to be having the opposite effect. She was more stressed than ever after interacting with her friends and was given more to think about than before.

The dreams she had been having up to this point were beginning to become regular, now even when she was meditating here on the roof she would slip into the dream world and speak once again with that voice.

Every time it seemed to keep its distance, and in the beginning, she could barely understand what it was trying to say, but as if it was slowly getting stronger she was now able to fully understand it even if she couldn’t see it.

She knew however that the wisest thing to do was never to give into it and instead deny it entry into her mind whenever she could, however, she only humored it in the dreams out of curiosity, or rather that was at least what she told herself. Still, giving into darkness was out of the question, she knew all too well what happened last time she had done that, or when Twilight had.

Instead, she knew that the dreams were testing her fortitude, tempting her with an option to find and stop Ghost that was almost irresistible. The thought of being able to end Ghost with ease had its appeals, however, Sunset knew the risks and that any change made by returning to darkness would likely be permanent and she couldn’t take that risk.

She knew that regular magic might be more than enough. She had an advantage over Ghost, she had magic and Ghost did not. Even if Ghost had stolen information on magic and wanted it, there was no way he could just acquire it. With magic up her sleeve, she had a trump card against Ghost, even if Ghost knew she had it.

Sunset looked down toward the ground below at the statue in front of the school, the hidden portal to her homeworld. It was hard to believe that Shimmer had dragged her through said portal and remained with her for eight days before bringing the both of them back to the human world.

A part of her considered enlisting Princess Twilight’s help, but she had dismissed it early on due to the desire to not involve anyone else in her troubles.

Her mind fixated back on the idea of Shimmer, curious as to who would want her dead or why. She knew her family such as her aunt wanted her money, but they didn’t seem the murdering type. They were weak and pathetic, but not brave enough to make the plunge into murder, let alone do such a good job of keeping it under wraps for so long. They were sloppy people, and Ghost clearly wasn’t sloppy. Ghost had clearly planned all of this out, every angle she could attack the problem was thought of before she could get there, and that was why there were no tracks to follow.

Sunset’s train of thought was broken when her cell phone began to ring. Blinking she reached into her purse and retrieved it checking the number to see it was a blocked call.

Cautiously she answered it. “Hello?”

“Hello, Sunset Shimmer,” an unfamiliar voice spoke.

Sunset froze but did her best not to show fear as she spoke. “Who are you? Ghost?”

“Afraid not, but I work for Ghost. The boss is… well, they’re a meticulous type who plans things out before revealing their winning hand,” The voice said, “I’m Ghost’s assistant so to speak… Name’s Speedy.”

Sunset kept her composure as she stood up while talking on the phone. “What exactly do you want, Speedy? Can I talk to Ghost?”

There was a short laugh. “Relax I just called to give you a little hint… And no, Ghost isn’t interested in talking to you right now. In fact, they’re shaking their head right now.”

Sunset’s eyes widened, this man was in the same room as Ghost that meant. If she could find where he was, then maybe she could locate Ghost.

“Anyway… I called to tell you that the police got nothing. They ain’t even remotely close, we know everything they know, and they are never going to help you find us…” He smugly stated.

Sunset tried to keep calm as she answered, “What do you want? What can I do to make you stop?”

“Just wait a while…” He said before hanging up.

Sunset growled in annoyance and shoved her phone into her bag with anger. Now Ghost was toying with her, trying to get into her head. Still, the comment about the police did worry her a little, but she did her best not to show it to her enemy.

She placed a hand on her forehead as she closed her eyes trying to calm herself, knowing that if she got angrier that she would not think clearly. At that moment she noticed the door leading to the stairwell to get back into the school started to make a noise, the knob slowly turned as the door began to creak.

Cautiously, Sunset reached into her bag and retrieved her firearm, carefully pointing it at the door, ready to fire if necessary. No one knew she was up here, that narrowed down the possibilities. Could Ghost have been watching her during that entire call?

Her breathing sped up as she focused, the barrel of her gun pointed directly at the door as it swung open.

There was a gentle yelp from the door as Sunset’s eyes revealed Twilight standing there with her hands in front of her face, taking a defensive stance. “It’s just me!” She called out.

Letting out a deep sigh, Sunset lowered her weapon and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. “Fuck… you scared me half to death, Twilight…” Sunset stated.

“Me? What the hell are you doing waving that thing around!?” Twilight scolded as she approached.

“Sorry… I thought you were… someone else…” Sunset rubbed her neck before putting the gun back into her purse.

“Sunset, this is going too far, what if I was a teacher, or the janitor wondering why you’re up here? You could have gotten in huge trouble, or worse accidentally killed someone!” Twilight crossed her arms.

Twilight was right, Sunset’s fear could have caused her to do the unthinkable, but she needed to tell herself not to be afraid from here on out. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to frighten you… I’m glad you’re not hurt, but how did you find me?”

“Applejack and Rainbow told me to tail you, I figured this was the only place I didn’t check and I know how resourceful you are, so I figured you may have a way to get up here…” Twilight smiled lightly.

Nodding, Sunset returned the smile. “Well, don’t worry about me. I’m just a little jumpy, that’s all. Nerves and whatnot…”

“I’m jumpy, and I don’t pull guns out on people when they startle me…” Twilight frowned.

Sunset just shrugged, unsure of how to respond to that claim. “I’ll be fine, Twilight, promise.”

“I wouldn’t count pointing guns at your friends as fine…” Twilight protested, crossing her arms and trying to block Sunset’s path.

Sunset attempted to step around her only for Twilight to block the way again, stepping with Sunset to prevent her from advancing. Finally, Sunset let out a sigh and took a breath. “Twilight, I promise we’ll talk about this later, but right now I have some stuff I have to take care of. It’s relatively important, so I’d appreciate it if you let me leave…”

“Promise me that you’ll let me help if you’re in trouble…” Twilight stated extending a hand with a pinkie finger extended.

Looking down at the hand then up at Twilight’s concerned face, Sunset tried to step around her again only to be blocked once more. Twilight thrusted her pinkie forward and held her ground, “promise me, Sunset.”

With a sigh, Sunset took Twilight’s pinkie in her own and locked fingers with her. “I promise if I am in serious trouble, I’ll rely on you for help, okay?”

Twilight smiled and nodded as the two released their hand gesture and she stepped aside. “Is it alright if I call you later? Just… to catch up?”

Sunset nodded as she stepped past Twilight, “yeah, that’s fine. I’d like that actually… It’s been too long.”

Nodding, Twilight watched as the teen approached the door and exited, making her way down from the roof. While she was still partially worried, Sunset’s promise put her somewhat more at ease. Sunset seldom broke promises.

Reaching her home, Sunset moved directly to her bedroom where she sat in the chair at the vanity mirror to remove her footwear. Tossing her boots aside she leaned back in the chair and sighed as she heard the pitter patter of Moon run down the hall and into the room, quickly coming to her side for attention.

With a gentle giggle, Sunset reached down and pet the canine before setting her bag down. “Well it looks like you had a good day; I wish I could say the same. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rainbow and Applejack are standing outside my window stalking me at home,” she joked, though partially believing it may be true.

The dog just sighed contently as she rubbed behind his ear. “What I wouldn’t give to live in your world sometimes… far less complicated…”

At that moment her bag began to vibrate. She reached a free hand in and scooped her phone out of it and checked the number to see that Shining was calling her.

“Speaking of complicated…” She rolled her eyes as she answered the phone.

“Detective Armor, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you today, to what do I owe the pleasure?” She asked.

“Someone sounds sarcastic, and I told you to call me Shining…” He responded.

“Right, sorry… Just a stressful day is all, I recently went back to school and it’s a bit overwhelming…” Sunset admitted.

She decided to leave the part about Rainbow, Applejack, and Twilight finding out she brought a gun out. The last thing she needed was Shining snitching on her to Celestia, though part of her believed he wouldn’t considering he already was bending the rules a little on her account. If she was honest with herself, she felt somewhat bad about making Shining lie to his superiors for her.

“You’ve spent months in solitude, that’s normal. If you want I can arrange for a therapist to meet with you…” He suggested.

Shining truly was sweet. Sunset smiled for a moment thinking about how he must treat his wife, she must have been a very lucky lady. “That’s alright, I’ll manage. Growing up I had all kinds of problems but my parents never sent me to therapy.”

“Didn’t believe in it?” Shining asked.

“More like they didn’t give a damn.” Sunset chuckled.

“I’m sorry to hear, but I do give a damn thus why I’m checking up on you all the time…” He responded.

Sunset felt a blush on her face as she heard those words. Shining clearly took his job seriously, but more so it was evident that he cared about her on a personal level. Now she realized that she too was lucky to have such a person watching over her.

“Have you found anything out that might help the investigation?” Shining changed the subject.

Sunset almost mentioned the phone call, but then remembered what was discussed.

We know everything they know, and they are never going to help you find us.

She grew quiet and replied with a simple, “no.”

“Alright, well if you find anything out, give me a call, and Sunset…” He paused.

“Yeah?”

“Take care of yourself, please.”

Sunset sighed, “Yeah, thanks…”

She hung up and set the phone down on the end table. As much as she wanted to, she knew now more than ever that she couldn’t rely on the police, and that included Detective Armor.

Author's Note

Man a lot of this chapter's finalization came up at the very last second, but thankfully we pulled it off!

Thank god that Twilight didn't get shot amirite? Some of you probably had a small heart attack if you saw the illustration before you read the text, I bet. Sorry about that!

Act III - Chapter XXXV: Pieces

Chapter XXXV: Pieces

A Few Weeks Ago

Lighting a cigar, a successful crime boss sat in a tattered chair as him and his consorts met in an abandoned warehouse. They chose different locations for every meeting and this one happened to be one of the old locations that he and his boys didn’t frequent anymore. They had abandoned the spot when it got hot and the police started poking their heads around a bit more than he would like. However, after a good three years, they had given up on that lead and left the spot alone, making it the ideal place to meet, after all, who would suspect they would return to a previously investigated area.

Taking a long drag of his fat stick of cancer, her looked around at his team sitting around the makeshift table they had set up. His eyes darted around the room as he noticed they were short a member.

Growling, he removed the cigar from his lips and glared at the others. “Where the fuck is Slip? I can never keep a good eye on that fucking rat, but he was supposed to be here…”

One of the larger men sitting on the right side of the table leaned in to speak, “Sir, no one has seen him since last night…”

“Stupid piece of shit probably got drunk and is sleeping under a bridge somewhere. Someone remind me when this is over to fire that asshole, I’ll give one of you $500 to kill that little puke stain.” Their leader scolded.

One of the men on the left side, a slender looking man with a serious face raised his hand. “Would be happy to sir, hell I’ll do it for free, that asshole has always pissed me off.”

The leader of the group smiled and nodded. “That’s why I like you, Streak; you’re quick to get violent, a valuable asset to this… company…”

“Thank you, sir.” Streak bowed his head, showing respect for their leader.

“Alright, well we’ll start without the little fuck up. How goes our business with East Canterlot, and Shaky, you better be giving me good news, I was very unhappy with your progress last month…” The leader leaned back in his chair letting out a plethora of smoke. “You know what happens when I get unhappy…”

The man named Shaky nodded and swallowed as sweat dripped down his neck, fear spreading through his body as his hairs stood on end. “W-well sir…”

“You nervous, Shaky?” The leader asked with a smirk.

“Well sir, I don’t know how to say this but… all of our pushers on that side have…” He gulped not wanting to finish that sentence.

The leader of the group leaned in and interlocked his fingers as he stared down the nervous criminal. His fierce eyes glowing practically in the poor lighting. “They’ve what, Shaky?”

“Well, they have all just… gone AWOL. They’re not responding to any phone calls, texts, nothing…” He frowned.

Leaning back in his chair and shaking his head the leader of the group sighed as he reached into his expensive jacket. “You disappoint me, Shaky. Clearly, they’ve left because your leadership sucks…”

“Sir, I swear it had nothing to do with me!” The man defended as he came to a stand.

“No more excuses, I’m putting Flint on your position…” The leader spoke.

“Sir, Mr. Black, please reconsider!” Shaky pushed his chair out and took a step back.

“Don’t worry so much, Shaky… You’re just retiring early, that’s all…” Mr. Black smirked before taking a long drag of his cigar. As he exhaled, he retrieved the item he was reaching for in his jacket and wielded it, pointing it in Shaky’s direction.

Shaky froze as he saw the gun in Mr. Black’s hand and instinctually put his hands up. “Was a pleasure working with you, Mr. Shaky.” Mr. Black stated plainly.

“Please, sir-“ Shaky was cut off by a loud crack through the air.

Blood splattered backward as a new opening was made in Shaky’s head, and his body fell backward onto the floor, blood oozing from his open wound. The weapon in Mr. Blacks hand still smoking as he lowered it and sighed. He placed the gun on the table, still in his grip. “I swear, you can’t find reliable help these days…”

“Sir, no disrespect, but what Shaky says is the truth…” Another man stated.

“What do you mean?” Mr. Black raised a brow, his patience already wearing thin again.

“We have lost contact with some of our guys too, they just started… disappearing, not responding to any messages, no amount of threats making them listen. We checked their homes and places we normally knew them to frequent but none are going there, it’s as if they just dropped off the face of the earth…” Mr. Black’s associate explained.

Mr. Black shook his head and put the cigar out in a nearby ash tray. “How do drug dealers just vanish like that? More importantly, how do you guys lose track of so many of them? They have to be going somewhere…”

A familiar voice entered the room from the main doorway causing Mr. Black to look in that direction. “Sir, I think I have an answer to that…”

Looking at the scrawny man standing there, there was no mistaking him, his ginger hair, his stupid freckles, and that dumb look plastered permanently on his face. “Slip, how fucking nice of you to join us, glad you decided you could fucking find the time to pay us a visit…” Mr. Black stated as he waved his gun around.

“I had a reason for not coming on time…” Slip frowned.

“Oh really? Got a fucking dentist appointment? No cavities, I hope?” Mr. Black taunted.

Slip shook his head. “It is about our missing guys, I know where they went…”

“Oh? Enlighten us, this should be good…” Mr. Black chuckled and crossed his arms.

“Well, it would seem they have a business proposal…” Slip grew quiet.

Laughter filled the room from all the men except Slip. “Business proposal!? Oh boy, this should be fucking rich, what’s their proposal?”

“Why not ask them…” Slip said as he stepped aside.

Within seconds the room was flooded with men carrying weapons, mostly automatics, but a few were even wearing Kevlar. Every single one of them pointed their guns at the table before any of them could respond.

“You fucking traitors! What’s the meaning of this!?” Mr. Black hissed.

Another voice entered the room from the doorway, muffled and distorted by some kind of voice modifier. “You haven’t heard our proposal…”

The sound of gentle footsteps echoed in the air as the person of interest stepped out of the hallway and through the door. Their steps were slow and calm, their hands casually at their sides as they came into view. Stepping out of the dark Mr. Black could see tall belted combat boots covering their small feet, and a black spandex body suit covering their entire figure.

As his eyes followed them up he could see just the hint of a feminine waistline and finally breasts on the smaller side accented by the tightness of her suit. A long high collared trench coat that had been left open draped over them and their hands too were covered in black leather gloves.

The most unusual part of their attire, however, was the odd modified gas mask they wore over their head, covering not only their face but the back of their head too, it served as some kind of helmet.

Whoever they were, they didn’t want anyone else to know, but that didn’t stop Mr. Black from asking.

“Who the fuck are you? This is a private meeting and you weren’t invited.”

“You may refer to me as Ghost…” the synthesized voice from the mask replied.

“Oh well then please make yourself fucking at home!” Mr. Black sarcastically remarked.

“I am to assume you are Mr. Black, the leader of this operation?” Ghost asked.

“That’s right, and what the fuck do you want?” He retorted.

Ghost extended her hands and opened them in a welcoming gesture. “I told you, a proposal… for new management…”

Mr. Black laughed and shook his head. “You think this works like the fucking stock exchange where if you just buy enough shares you get the company? Afraid not…”

Ghost shook her head and stepped forward, gently walking past everyone sitting at the table and coming to Mr. Black’s side as she stared him down from behind her mask. “I’m afraid you misunderstand me…” She grabbed his chair and pulled it back quickly, causing Mr. Black to fall to the ground. “This is not a negotiable offer…”

She quickly thrust punched him in the head causing his body to fall backward before she grabbed his open mouth and pulled a gun from her coat out and placed it inside. “You work for me now.” She threatened.

He gagged on her gun but managed to speak with it in his mouth. “You got noffin’ you can’t kill me. My brothers will-“

“Taken care of already, they already work for me.” Ghost reported before throwing him to the ground.

“What!? Impossible!” Mr. Black crawled backward to put more distance between Ghost and himself.

“Your days as leader are over, you’re all about to be a part of something greater than you’ve ever been a part of… Something far beyond your comprehension. You may join me, or die, the choice is yours…” Ghost threatened as she pointed her gun in his direction.

Mr. Black nodded in response. “Alright, alright… I’m in… You’re the boss…”

Ghost nodded and put her gun away before pulling up the chair that Mr. Black was previously sitting in and sat down. She pulled herself up to the table and placed her hands on of the old piece of furniture before speaking to everyone else sitting around it.

“Greetings, gentlemen. Your days pushing drugs and wares are over, now that I’m in charge we will be changing the direction of this…” She paused thinking of the best word, “Organization…”

The next day at school was far more uneventful for Sunset. Rainbow and Applejack had, of course, continued their silent stalking of her, but she decided to pay little to no mind to it and instead to focus on her schoolwork to get through the day. She chose to keep conversations with her friends to a minimum, and this time to further avoid such conversations she had brought her lunch from home and retreated to her sanctuary on the roof to eat.

Finishing her meal, she looked at the overhanging edge of the building down to the back parking lot, spotting her car she had brought sitting there. It was odd to think she now drove a car that cost more than some people’s homes, especially when she had gone from living on a tiny budget to now the lifestyle of a wealthy woman.

Still, she didn’t feel that wealthy, in fact, she seldom bought much of anything beyond the bare necessities such as food. Everything else she could need and more was already readily available in the house. Sunset had never truly cared much about material things, and the little that she did have, she often cherished and took care of. Her guitar was still stored safely in a case in her bedroom, despite having the money now to buy something used by an actual rock star.

The entire change of her way of living bothered in a way; she felt isolated from her friends despite them never making a big deal about the money. She could feel a divide knowing that she would never have to worry about having a future again, something that only a few months ago she sat up at night fearing. Her friends, however, had to work for theirs, they had to go to college or start businesses and take risks to get their lives moving. She even noticed the kids at school were treating her differently, and not just because she had just experienced a recent death in her “family”.

Girls that previously didn’t notice her at all were now all asking to hang out all the time, people who previously rejected her alternative style were suddenly insanely interested in it even though she had gone to more extremes now with it than before.

She wondered if this was how Shimmer felt, unsure if anyone was really genuine. Unlike Shimmer though, Sunset knew her friends were, even if things were a little awkward.

She closed her eyes and sat down, deciding some meditation would clear her head. When her thoughts began to dispel like being washed away into an ocean she found herself in pure silence. In her mind, she stood there at the warm beach, the image so vivid she could almost feel the water at her feet as she stood there in a bikini with no shame, the scar on her back available for all to see, but she didn’t care.

She sat down in the sand and laid back as she smiled at the place her mind had created. There in the nice Summer sun, in her red bikini, all was right with the world. Looking to her right there next to her was her sister, Shimmer in an equally attractive black bikini and stylish Oakley sunglasses on her face. She sat up gently and turned to Sunset with a big smile.

“I see you’re enjoying yourself, sis…” Shimmer said.

Sunset nodded, sitting up with her sister. “We never got to go to the beach together…”

Shimmer giggled and nodded. “You were always afraid of people seeing your scar.”

Frowning, Sunset looked away. “Yeah… I know…”

Shrugging, Shimmer looked back toward the water, her eyes hidden behind the glasses. “We would have turned heads at the beach, you know?”

Sunset chuckled and rolled her eyes. “You kept saying that…”

“It’s true! Guys would have been undressing us with their eyes, hoping to score with some hot twins… Would have been fun…” Shimmer giggled.

Frowning, Sunset realized what she was doing to herself by envisioning all of this. “Yeah… but we didn’t… and now we can’t…”

Shimmer nodded silently.

“I wasted our time together… I didn’t think I’d be saying goodbye so soon… so I didn’t think too much about any of this until now when I can’t do anything about it…” Sunset sighed.

Shimmer’s voice grew serious as she responded. “You can’t change the past… You can, however, find peace and justice.”

Tilting her head, Sunset leaned in to listen better. “How do you figure?”

Shimmer turned to Sunset and removed her glasses slowly; beneath them were eyes black as charcoal with piercing glowing green irises, a black mist emanating from her eyes. As Sunset looked to the rest of her, she noticed bullet holes appeared in the same spots she remembered the day of Shimmer’s murder.

Her voice grew dark and cold as she spoke to Sunset, “you can find who did this… You can make them pay for what they’ve done…”

“I don’t know how…” Sunset frowned.

“You will soon enough…” Shimmer spoke before Sunset blinked and was back in the waking world with a hand on her shoulder. Turning quickly in the direction of the hand and looking up she saw the friendly face of Twilight looking down at her on the ground.

“T-Twilight… hey…” Sunset blushed.

Twilight smiled and sat down next to her. “I knew I’d find you up here…”

“Sorry… about yesterday… pulling a gun on you and all?”

Twilight gave a dismissing hand gesture. “You’re in shock from being back after so long, I understand.”

Sunset rubbed the back of her neck and shrugged. “Nerves got the better of me… I’ve been on edge for a while, I shouldn’t have taken it out on you…”

Twilight shook her head and continued her smile. “It’s no trouble, I was wondering if you wanted to get together with us at the ice cream parlor after school? It’s been a long time since we’ve had you there and it’d be like old times, you know?”

Sunset paused, unsure for a moment but then decided that anything was better than being left with her thoughts. “Yeah… sure. Want me to pick you up after class? I can drive us there.”

Twilight nodded and offered her pinkie. “Promise?”

Sighing, Sunset nodded back and took Twilight’s pinkie in her own. “Alright, it’s a promise. I’ll see you after class, alright?”

Shining sat at his desk with a tired expression as he sipped from a mug of reheated coffee. He had pulled an all night shift organizing his findings and work on Shimmer’s murder, and of course, spent the remainder of his time trying to connect some dots.

His former partner when he was a mere patrol cop entered the room and smiled at him as he removed his hat. Shining blinked and stood up approaching the man with a grin on his face.

“So, Shining Armor, homicide detective, has a nice ring to it,” the man stated as he offered his hand.

Shining chuckled and grabbed his hand in his own and gave it a firm squeeze as he pulled the man in for a quick hug before releasing him. “Steel, damn good to see you again, what brings you into this neck of the woods?”

Steel smirked and placed his hat back atop of his head. “I wanted to see how a hero of Canterlot lives, by the look of it… on not so much sleep…”

Shining looked himself over and realized his hair was a mess, his face had grown scruffy and his tie was poorly fastened. He hadn’t realized how obvious his lack of sleep truly was to the casual observer but shrugged as he took another swig of the vile old coffee, wincing slightly at the flavor, thinking he may have heated it again for too long, causing it to burn slightly.

“Eh, been working on the Shimmer case…” Shining admitted.

Steel tilted his head, a bit surprised. “Really, find anything out?”

Shining sighed and retreated to his desk before sitting down and setting his mug down. “Surprisingly, nothing. Amazing really, someone who is in the top ten richest people in this city is murdered in broad daylight, has virtually no one who liked her, and yet not a single suspect or anyone who saw anything useful. I’ve retraced that area at least eight times now…” Shining sighed as he placed his head in his hands. “I feel like this case is going cold way too quickly for my liking…”

His former partner shrugged as he pulled up a chair across from Shining and sat in it backward. “What about her sister? I mean she stood the most to gain from Shimmer’s death, right?”

Shining shook his head. “We looked into it, there is nothing suggesting Sunset is responsible for Shimmer’s death… She had no motive, she didn’t even know about Shimmer’s will until she went to the hearing. So while she did benefit the most money wise, she had no idea that would be the outcome. Not to mention she seems to still be grieving if she was acting it’s an act she’s been putting on for a long time…”

“So you actually did look into the sister then?” Steel laughed.

Shining glared at him. “Standard procedure, but I was pretty certain she had no involvement if anything she may be a potential second victim… All I know about the perp is that they definitely seemed like a trained killer… So it’s hard to say what they are planning now…”

“I’m sure something will come up that busts the case wide open… I know you, you’re Shining Armor, you don’t let anything stop you…” Steel snickered.

Shining sat up and puffed his chest out with pride as a wide smug grin appeared on his face. “That’s partially why Cadance is with me… This old dork managed to get the head cheerleader by sheer persistence.”

“Or maybe out of pity…” Steel joked.

Shining shrugged. “I’ll take what I can get, once she said ‘I do’ she was stuck with me, anyway.”

“You will never change.” Steel shook his head.

Shining and he both let out a jovial series of laughs as they recalled this type of conversation happening a lot together when they both ran patrol. It felt like only yesterday, but it had already been a few months since he had been switched to homicide. He remembered how much he bragged about the waves he was going to make in the department, but now was struggling to solve even his first case. It didn’t help that he chose to take on a case where he himself would have to purposely keep details secret even from his colleagues.

His former partner sensed the negative feeling in the air and reached forward placing a hand on Shining’s shoulder. “Hey… You’ll get ‘em, that’s what you do. You’re Shining, you always get the bad guys.”

“You sound like my wife now…” Shining rolled his eyes.

“Oh good, then you’re the same at home as you are at work,” Steel joked.

Shining smirked but his frown soon returned as he was finding it difficult to regain confidence in these trying times. It was difficult to admit he had nothing, but he wasn’t quite ready to give up.

“I’m just hoping something comes up soon that changes this investigation quickly…” Shining admitted.

“Who knows, maybe it’ll walk through that door and right into your office,” Steel replied with a shrug before looking into the black tar that Shining had been drinking. “Could probably do with some fresher coffee, by the way…”

About to respond at that moment another detective entering Shining’s open door and tapped on the doorframe to get Shining’s attention. Shining looked up at the man in his late forties with a raised brow in question. “Yes?”

“Shining, we got a guy in custody… He was tailing your girl, I figured you may want to have a chat with him, you know? Mentioned something about some ghost or something?” The older detective asked.

Shining smiled and stood up and looked down at Steel. “Well, looks like luck is on my side after all… Thanks for the pep-talk, Steel… I owe you lunch sometime…” Shining stated as he ran around his desk and patted Steel on the shoulder while he made his way to the door before his former partner could respond.

Stepping up to the older officer, and walking with him down the hall to the interrogation room, Shining had a grin the entire way. Despite being so tired, it felt rewarding to say he actually had a potential lead on the case.

Looking through the window he saw the man in question sitting there with an empty look on his face as he stared forward with his hands in his lap. He didn’t look like much, but just getting a look at the disheveled man, Shining could tell he had a drug problem and likely only worked in the criminal industry to feed said addiction, in other words, he was a squealer.

Shining smirked and patted the fellow officer on the shoulder. “Thanks, I’ll take it from here. This guy will be talking in no time.”

The other officer chuckled and gestured toward the door, impressed by Shining’s gusto. “Well have at it then, detective.”

Confidence coming back to him, Shining nodded snagged the file on the guy as he pushed his way into the room and casually sat across from the man as he eyed his file to learn all he could in the next few seconds. He had only scanned the file for a good eight seconds before he closed it and set it on the table and looked up at the man across from him.

“So, Mr. Flood, says you used to work in dam construction before this? How’d you end up out here in Canterlot then? There are no dams out here…” Shining asked as he leaned back and crossed his arms.

The man sat in silence staring forward.

“Hey, you can plead the fifth, but I can make your life very difficult from here on out if you don’t cooperate. See, let me tell you what you’ve walked into…” Shining smirked before leaning in over the table making his tone more serious, “the girl you were tailing we suspect is a target for a murderer, a murderer we believe to be one in the same as the person you mentioned… this… Ghost person…” Shining smirked, hoping the revelation would spark some kind of reaction out of him.

Sadly, nothing appeared to happen and the man sat quietly.

Sighing, Shining shook his head. “You probably think you’re really smart. Probably have the law memorized thinking you know all the loopholes, that I can only hold you seventy-two hours and then I have to let you go if I can’t find anything, right?”

A smirk came to Shining’s face as he leaned back. “Well, if I file the paperwork correctly we can hold you for each individual crime… trespassing, stalking, and of course, obstructing an ongoing investigation. Not all of them will stick, but we can hold you for considerably longer and get court orders to keep tabs on you which will make conducting your… business very difficult. How’s that sound? Still not interested in talking?”

Unexpectedly, the man remained silent causing Shining to squint and lean forward. He raised a hand in front of the man and waved it, noting his eyes didn’t even follow. “Hey… Can you hear me?”

The man’s silence was unwavering as he sat there.

Shining snapped his fingers and noted that there was no change.

He looked to the glass window where he knew the other officer was standing and spoke to the glass that could only be seen through one way. “Are you seeing this guy?”

Sighing, Shining shook his head and stood up and exited the room, shutting the door behind him. He looked at the other officer and shrugged. “Put him in a cell, maybe holding him for a while will make him talk…”

“You think maybe he’s having some kind of withdrawal?” The other officer asked.

“Nah… This is… something different, I’ve never seen it before…” Shining admitted.

“Could just be a loon?” The officer suggested.

Shining shrugged. “Maybe… Maybe…”

Shining started walking away with his head now racing with thoughts, the most prominent is what kind of case he had actually walked into.

Standing there outside of the school in the back parking lot, Twilight held her bag in her arms as she waited for Sunset, noting the cold weather. Checking her watch it was 3:08 PM, but her eyes were drawn up to the sound of a powerful engine revving as an expensive Mercedes pulled up in front of her and the tinted windows rolled down showing Sunset in a pair of stylish shades.

“Hop in,” Sunset gestured.

Twilight paused for a moment but nodded as she stepped forward and opened the back door, setting her bag inside before approaching the front and sitting down in the passenger seat. The fine leather squished under her and she could already feel the heated seats begin to warm her.

Sunset smiled at her from behind her sunglasses as she turned her attention back to the road. Twilight could hear the sound of what appeared to be some kind of heavy metal music coming out of her stereo system, which likely had been turned down heavily when Twilight entered the vehicle.

“You uh… listen to heavy metal?” Twilight asked, trying to make conversation as Sunset pulled out of the parking lot, waving at Celestia who caught a glimpse of her.

“Totally, rock, metal, I even like rap too, no shame.” Sunset shrugged as she turned the wheel.

“It’s weird because in the band you guys mostly play like… pop and rock stuff…” Twilight shrugged.

“I still like those genres too; I just have a relatively wide taste. I’ve grown to love music here in the human world, so I listen to a lot of it. I didn’t have a computer or video games or anything for a long time here so this was all I had for a while,” Sunset replied.

It had dawned on Twilight yet again that Sunset was indirectly reminding her that she wasn’t human. Twilight didn’t even know how she could live without the internet or computers, but to hear that for a while there, all Sunset had was music was a bit sad to hear, but the sadness disappeared as she remembered that now Sunset had all she could ever want, proven by the fact that they were sitting in a car that was likely more expensive than anything she’d ever own.

The odd part though was that Sunset didn’t seem to care too much about having all this wealth. She utilized it, but Sunset didn’t appear too keen on trying to show off, she just used what she had or what was practical. Twilight noted the fact that she was still sporting an older iPhone that she likely found at the estate rather than go out and buy the latest one.

Twilight’s eyes were drawn to the geode choker that Sunset wore around her neck, it had been modified slightly to be a bit more gothic, but it still suited her so well.

Sunset was gently humming and tapping the wheel to the music when she finally spoke up. “Sorry I’ve been so distant…”

Twilight blinked and looked her way with a shrug. “It happens… if what happened to you happened to me… I have no idea how I’d behave…”

“You behaving oddly though is far from abnormal,” Sunset teased.

Twilight rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat, allowing herself to relax. Sunset engaging in their old banter was a good sign to her, a sign that she hadn’t gone off the deep end like she, Rainbow and Applejack had feared.

Part of her wanted to ask more about the gun situation from the other day, but she decided not to soil the pleasant conversation with such a nasty topic.

“I’m glad you came back to school… I missed you…” Twilight admitted.

Sunset shrugged. “Were you guys expecting me not to come back?”

Twilight wiggled in her seat awkwardly as she looked down. “Well… yeah… sort of anyway…”

Smirking, Sunset reached over and nudged Twilight’s shoulder. “Come on, Sparkle… You can’t get rid of me that easily. If I’m gone, who’s gonna rip on you?”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight crossed her arms. “Gee, I have no idea how I’d live without that.”

“You love me and you know it, that’s why you’re my best friend,” Sunset giggled.

Twilight heard those words and opened her mouth, wanting to tell her there was more truth to that statement than she knew, but she closed it promptly and realized she was unsure of herself. She was so bold and ready to tell her friend how she felt months ago, but now she wasn’t so sure. Actually being next to her and all she had gone through, Twilight couldn’t think of a way to say it, hell she wasn’t sure if she wanted to say it. Everything Sunset had been through, she didn’t want to add more stress to that.

It was true she worried about what it would do to their tight friendship, but at the same time, she also worried about the fact that Sunset had too much going on in her life for romance at the moment, maybe ever.

Fortunately for Twilight though, she wouldn’t have too long to ponder these ideas as the two would eventually arrive at their destination. Sunset pulled the car into a parking space and turned the music off. She looked over at Twilight with a big grin.

“We’re here, Ms. Sparkle,” Sunset stated as she removed her sunglasses and placed them into a compartment in the vehicle.

“So we are…” Twilight nodded.

Stepping out of the vehicle, Sunset pressed a button on her keychain and the car beeped and Twilight could hear the doors lock as she offered her hand to Twilight. “Shall I guide a lady to the establishment?” Sunset spoke in a faux posh voice.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight took Sunset’s hand and allowed Sunset to lead her into the building where their friends awaited. As soon as the doors opened and Sunset managed to get the two inside, however, she let go of Twilight’s hand which left a small feeling of sadness and longing in Twilight, wanting to hold her friend’s hand for a little longer. Accepting it was not meant to be, however, she sighed and made her way toward the familiar group she could see sitting in the booth.

Rainbow and Fluttershy appeared to be openly chatting, and much to no one’s surprise, Rarity was seated atop of Applejack’s lap, with her arms around the strong woman’s neck as the two conversed. It was odd at first seeing the two of them together like that, but as time had passed, Twilight got used to it. She imagined that it was awkward for Sunset though whom had just been exposed to it yesterday.

The group peaked over in the two entering girl’s direction and various smiles and waves came from them as Twilight and Sunset took a seat made by Pinkie who scooted over to make room for the two girls.

Sunset adjusted herself in her seat and smiled at the group. “How’s it going, everyone?”

Rarity smiled at Sunset. “It’s nice to see you again, and in such… style. Well, alternative isn’t inherently my thing but you do look fabulous!”

Sunset chuckled and nodded, guessing by Rarity’s demeanor that Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow had not told anyone else about the incident that happened at school yesterday. She guessed Twilight’s handiwork likely convinced them to keep it under wraps for now.

“I can finally afford a nice wardrobe, but I guess it helps a little that most of Shimmer’s old clothes are close to my size, so with a little modifying most of them fit me pretty easily.” Sunset shrugged.

“Shimmer did have impeccable taste!” Rarity nodded in agreement before covering her mouth realizing what she had said. “Oh… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s fine,” Sunset dismissed.

“Really I didn’t-“

“It’s fine, Rarity. Look let’s try not to let this get more awkward than it needs to… Shimmer is dead, yes it’s hard for me, but I’d prefer everyone not tip toe around me and act like you have to hold your tongue…” Sunset sighed.

Applejack frowned and tilted her hat. “We didn’t want to bring up anything hard for y’all…”

Sunset shrugged yet again. “At this point, I was figuring you all would be more interested in talking about how I’ve been a super shitty friend who shut you all out and has been impossible to get a hold of for months…”

Pinkie shook her head and her usual goofy grin seemed to shine through even during these most awkward of conversations. “Nope-a-roni!”

“We all grieve in different ways…” Fluttershy decided to chime in and add her two cents.

“That may be true, but I need to stop trying to be so tough sometimes, I guess… I keep acting like I can handle everything myself because I’m afraid of other people getting hurt because I wasn’t strong enough to protect them… I guess Shimmer’s death did that to me…” Sunset looked down at the table and her hands which she found herself clenching into fists.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Rainbow pointed out.

Closing her eyes, Sunset continued to speak. “I promised her… That I’d protect her… I promised I wouldn’t let anything happen to her… Only hours before it happened… I promised that and I failed…”

“Sometimes y’all can’t keep a promise…” Applejack reminded.

Rarity smirked and nodded in agreement. “Trust me, darling. Applejack here knows all about that.”

Applejack merely rolled her eyes and refocused her attention on Sunset who had grown silent as she stared at the table top. Shaking her head she finally looked back up with a smile on her face. “Look, let’s talk about something else, alright? I don’t want our first time together again to be so… pessimistic.”

Rainbow nodded and put a hand on the table. “Yeah like let’s talk about how Applejack and Rarity won’t give the details on the goods!”

Rarity’s face turned red both with anger and embarrassment. “Rainbow!”

“Yeah tell us the details! Did you guys do the hanky panky yet!?” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Not you too, Pinkie!” Rarity sighed and shook her head.

“We’re dying to know!” Rainbow smirked as she leaned in with interest.

“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell!” Rarity protested.

Shrugging, Rainbow moved her gaze over to Applejack. “Alright, we’ll ask Applejack then!”

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity screamed.

Sunset had arrived at home with a content sigh as she allowed the newly made memories of her time at the ice cream parlor with her friends to roam around in her head, forgetting all the negative and difficult things from before the event even for just a few hours. After the initial awkwardness, it seemed as though things were almost how they were before.

She longed to return to those times, the times where she was just happy all the time and didn’t have so much to worry about, frowning as she knew those times would not return until Ghost was stopped, even then she wasn’t certain if she was even capable of returning to how she was before. A part of her wondered if she would ever be the same after Shimmer’s death, or if she would continue to be the horrendously emotionally damaged girl she was now. It only took a second for her to remind herself that she was emotionally damaged before Shimmer’s death as well.

It was difficult to admit, especially out loud, but the fact was the Sunset knew she was far from emotionally sound. Her friends made it easy to smile and act like she was okay but that was merely because she was forgetting about the past, trying to push it away, pretend it wasn’t there. She had learned from her mistakes, but she pushed out the parts that weren’t her mistakes, but rather mistakes that others made which had negative effects on her. She couldn’t remember the names of half the foals back in Equestria that used to pick on her, or half of the names she used to vividly remember them calling her. She couldn’t even remember what a single one of them looked like, perhaps for the better though.

Her thought train was broken as her phone vibrated. Without even thinking or looking at it she answered it. “Hello?”

“Sunset?” A male voice came through the phone.

“Flash? Is that you?” Sunset asked.

“Heh, yeah… I didn’t think you’d answer…” He replied.

Walking toward the stairwell, Sunset smirked as she spoke to him through the phone. “I guess I’m almost over the whole lock myself away from the world thing…”

“Yeah… I heard about Shimmer… I’m sorry…” His voice suggested he clearly wasn’t even sure how to address that subject as there was a hint of nervousness about him, clearly worried he would upset her.

“So am I, but I’m assuming that’s not what you wanted to talk about? You haven’t tried to call me in months…” Sunset stated as she reached the top of the stairs.

“Heh, yeah well… I can never really think of a good time to try or what to say…” Flash admitted.

“When we were together you mostly did all the talking, so I find that hard to believe,” Sunset retorted.

A chuckle escaped Flash.

“You were like a lost puppy back then… You didn’t know much of anything… now I know partially why… I mean, I don’t know too much, but I know you came from another world and all that…” Flash rambled.

“Flash, not that I’m not flattered that you remember all of this, what is your point?” Sunset decided it was better to cut directly to the chase and stop beating around the bush.

The line grew silent for a few moments before Flash replied. “Sunset… Are you… in trouble by chance?”

Sunset blinked and thought it over. She knew the possibility that Ghost was targeting her next existed, but she never truly considered the danger. On one hand, she considered that Ghost clearly wasn’t above hiring trained killers to take her out, on the other, she knew that she had magic on her side which gave her a huge advantage.

The amount of danger Ghost posed was not certain, but it was clear that her life was at moderate risk.

“I… Well…” Sunset struggled to answer.

“Sunset… I just want to tell you that if you are in trouble like your life is in danger or something… Please don’t do anything risky… I know how you are from when we went out and I can’t imagine that part of you has changed… You like to let yourself be consumed by things, sometimes to where you don’t like letting other people inside…” Flash said.

Sunset knew he was right, but ironically decided she didn’t want to have such a deep conversation with him.

“Flash, I promise I’ll be okay.”

“You’re sure?” Flash asked.

Before Sunset could answer she stepped forward and her foot caught a spot on the carpet that was pulled up slightly, causing her to tumble. With a yelp, she reached to grab anything to catch herself. What she happened to grab was a light on the wall and while it held her up, it turned as she pulled it down with her body weight, causing a door to open.

Blinking Sunset looked at the wall, realizing it was designed to hide this door. As she looked next to the door, she noted a painting of Shimmer’s mother then allowed her eyes to focus back on the light before her eyes widened and it all clicked in her head.

“Flash, I have to call you back sometime, sorry…” Sunset said before hanging up, not even giving him a proper chance to respond.

Her mouth opened in awe as she realized it was the answer to Shimmer’s riddle.

Author's Note

Hey, you're probably wondering why this chapter is so many hours later than normal? That's because Windows 10 was created by the devil and should not be sold for a profit as it's an unfinished terrible pile. Literally randomly decided to lock me out of my computer for no reason and despite numerous troubleshooting attempts I am actually STILL locked out of it. Basically I am currently having to type this and edit and publish this week's chapter via my wife's computer. I really want to replace my computer, but I am still a few months off of getting the machine I want, so this definitely will create a challenge for me. Sorry for the delay, I hate Windows, I hate Microsoft and I intend on switching to Macs by the end of this year as I've put up with this nonsense from them for long enough.

Enough about that though, sorry about the rant, super frustrated as you can tell.

Behind the scenes: Ghost's design was sort of a combination of Zero from the Nonary Games, Joker from Persona 5 and real life gas masks. You can kind of see it in her illustration.

And yes, Ghost is a woman, surprise.

Act III - Chapter XXXVI: Ghost

Chapter XXXVI: Ghost

Heaving a heavy box down a flight of stairs, two men reached the bottom and set it down, taking a rest. The taller one who went by the name, Ace chose to take a seat and light up a cigarette as he took a break. The other, named Flight sat down next to him and sighed as he lit up a cancer stick of his own. The two men relaxed after a long afternoon of hauling crates.

“Fuck man… Normally the grunts do this shit, why isn’t Ghost making them do it?” Flight asked.

Ace shrugged and looked up in thought. “Beats me, to be fair, the grunts have all been acting pretty strange lately… Whatever Ghost has been telling them is keeping them in line, they’re scared to death of that woman… They won’t even sneeze if she says not to…”

Flight looked over at Ace and removed the cigarette from his own mouth, exhaling smoke. “When we worked for Black he often killed guys to show others what happens when you betray the cause, Ghost is probably doing the same thing…”

Ace shook his head. “Nah, I haven’t noticed anyone going missing… Everyone is still here, all accounted for… Yet they are all insanely obedient… Whatever Ghost is doing behind closed doors must be some scary ass shit…”

A familiar distorted voice echoed through the air, accompanied by gentle footsteps. “Gossiping about me, are we?”

Turning Ace and Flight’s faces grew pale as they gazed upon the familiar gas mask covering the woman’s face. Flight felt cold sweat run down his neck as he instantly took to apologizing. “W-what? No way!”

Ghost took a single step forward, her arms still crossed behind her back. “Deceive me, and you have proven to be in compromise of my trust… Is that truly a position you wish to take?”

Flight shook his head. “No way! Sorry! We didn’t mean to-“

Ace cut him off, “Yeah actually…”

Flight looked over at his colleague with wide eyes. “Ace, what the fuck are you doing?”

Taking a long drag from his cigarette he exhaled and tossed the remains forward, hitting Ghost and bouncing off of her form, leaving a small bit of ashes on her otherwise clean tight body suit. Her head moved gently to look down at the ash and then back up at Ace who had hopped off the box he was sitting atop of and approached Ghost.

Up close, Ace remember he was a good head or so taller than her, a woman of above average height, but nothing compared to a man who towered at six feet, five inches. He could see she had toned muscles, but nothing that he would consider body builder levels, or even intimidating. Her personality was clearly her biggest weapon.

He stared her down as she looked up to see him, her arms still crossed behind her back. Coming only inches from her, he spoke in a serious and lethal tone. “Why should I take orders from you? You may scare the others, but you don’t scare me…”

Ghost spoke up. “You do not experience fear, then?”

“No, nothing scares me…” Ace’s tone became more threatening as he looked down at his opponent. While she had some tone to her, up close Ghost didn’t look like anything that threatening. Her body mass was low, very little if any fat on her.

“Then you are a weakling…” Ghost stated, a sigh heard from her before her hand came out in front of her and jabbed Ace in the gut at lightning speed. Ace grunted and fell to his knees where Ghost kneed him directly in the jaw, knocking a tooth out, and leaving a bloody lip on his face.

Ace covered his face and tried to apply pressure to stop the bleeding as Ghost gripped his shoulder in her hand. She began to slowly squeeze, progressively adding more and more pressure, causing the man to groan in pain as he could feel her grip getting tighter and tighter. He couldn’t believe that a woman possessed such unspeakable strength, her grip felt tighter than a vice, her fingers barely feeling like they were trying.

“Without fear, you will never know power… To be strong one must first understand what it is to be weak… to be completely helpless… Only then, when you are completely and utterly powerless can you begin to understand what strength is… How can you hope to understand power if you do not understand what it is to be weak? You must understand why it is that you need power first...” Ghost lectured as she gripped tighter and tighter, Flight watched in horror as he heard the snapping of bones from Ghost’s grip.

“I shall not kill you, so that you may learn this lesson and perhaps know what true strength is… Until then, you follow my command, my lead, everything I tell you. You don’t even shit unless I say it’s okay, understand?” She commanded.

Ace screamed in agony and nodded. “Y-yeah…”

“I can’t hear you…” Ghost’s tone became more sinister as her grip tightened causing more yelps of pain out of Ace.

“Yes! I will do whatever you say!” He screamed in agony.

Releasing him, Ghost nodded. “Good, I’d rather not waste time making you like one of the grunts as you call them… I believe there is potential for you to be a powerful asset… If you do as I say, you may live to see that day… If not… you will surely die long before then…”

Placing a hand on his now injured shoulder Ace looked up at Ghost who had turned away. “What is the point though? Why are we chasing this girl? What is the point? At least tell me that…”

Ghost remained silent for a good few seconds before her distorted and synthesized voice echoed in the air. “If you pay attention close enough… you’ll soon see she means everything… Everything that ever mattered. Pay close attention and I’ll show you…”

He didn’t dare question it any further, it was clear that Ghost had her own objectives and wasn’t going to reveal them that easily to a lowly peon.

Ghost stepped toward the exit and looked back once more. “You will see what true power can do soon enough…”

Almost Two Years Ago

Shimmer stood in her lab nervously as she took a deep breath and released it. The experiment she was prepared to conduct, she still had reservations about due to the unknown safety factor. She had been experimenting with the force that had allowed her to create the explosion that killed her parents for some time now. Every experiment, however, was always little things like observing her body for abnormalities, sampling her DNA for analysis and virtually harmless endeavors.

This, however, would mark the first time she actually performed an experiment trying to utilize the force itself, to actually attempt to harness it and do something with it. Needless to say, she was concerned.

There was no telling what would happen, thus she had taken precautions. Her body was covered in a flame retardant suit, and all living things had been removed from the lab. Further caution was added as the experiment area was cleared of all equipment and anything that could break as a result of the experiment.

Standing a good distance away from the test area was a camera on a tripod recording everything. Shimmer looked at the camera and began to speak. “Experiment number twenty-eight, I will now for the first time attempt to harness this force and use it on command. This is highly dangerous, so I have taken precautions. The first thing I shall try to do is emulate the original scenario but on a smaller scale. If I am correct, I should be able to control fire to an extent and make something burst into flames without physical contact…”

Adjusting her glasses, Shimmer gulped as she looked to the test area to see a piece of paper held up on a small metal stand by a clip holding it in place. “I shall now attempt to ignite this piece of paper from this distance without any source of fire…”

Gulping, Shimmer focused her mind and put her hand in front of her. She extended her finger and opened her hand as she closed her eyes and opened them again, her eyes concentrating on the scrap of paper, envisioning the fire that she desired, it took a few seconds, but soon a red aura began to surround her hand and the paper began to smoke before igniting into flames. Shock filled Shimmer’s expression as she watched it turn to ashes in a matter of seconds as the fire fizzled out.

She looked at her hand and then back at the ashes in amazement. “The… experiment seems to be a success thus far…” She spoke for the camera before repositioning herself.

“Let us see what else we can do, or if this power is limited to fire only…” She smiled, a bit excited now that she had a grip on how to command this ability of hers.

Looking to a rock kept in a display unit she looked at her hand and then back to it. “Let us see if I can move that rock…”

She repeated the process from before, closing her eyes and then opening them, but this time focusing on moving the object in question rather than making it ignite. It took a few seconds and she could feel her head start to ache a bit, but the rock began to move ever so slightly, first a wiggle, then a gentle jolt forward before finally levitating in the air before her.

Shimmer laughed with excitement as she watched the marvel before her. “Incredible!”

“This is unprecedented, I can’t wait to report-“ She stopped mid-sentence as the aura around her hand grew, sparks bursting from it and small flames bouncing off of her hand before landing on a nearby table, casting it in flames.

She attempted to halt the ability only for more flames to burst from her hand, causing a yelp from the scared scientist. “Please stop!” She screamed at her body out loud, hoping it would obey.

Her hand continued to glow, and fire now surrounded it. She wasn’t burning, but she could feel a tremendous heat around her appendage. In a panic she raced to a nearby beaker and dunked her entire hand in, causing smoke to rise up, hitting the smoke alarm. Within seconds the sprinklers were set off, causing all the fire set to be extinguished.

Panting, Shimmer looked to the rock to see that it had fallen to the floor and cracked in half. Hesitantly she pulled her hand out of the beaker and looked at it. It had ceased glowing, but smoke was fuming from it as she slogged back to the camera. She checked it over to see if the sprinklers had damaged it, but to her surprise, it was still running.

Clearing her throat, and taking a breath, Shimmer looked directly into the lens. “Well… that certainly proved that this power is far too dangerous to test by conventional means… I have no way of controlling it… It seems that when I use it, it goes crazy… For my best interests, I will not try to utilize it in the future for any further research, the side effects are far too dangerous… I shall continue my work to try and conduct some kind of antidote to remove or disable this ability… This is Sunset Shimmer… End log…”

Sunset stood in awe at the room she had discovered from moving the light fixture out in the hallway. It was exceptionally impressive, computers left and right, what appeared to be a server based upon the limited computer knowledge that Sunset held, sat in the corner of the room and there in the middle was a desk that Shimmer likely sat in.

The teenager was amazed at how well hidden the room was. She reached and tapped the metal walls and blinked realizing the room was likely soundproof as well. There wasn’t much light, but the glow of the computers illuminated it enough to navigate.

Sunset approached the computer and sat down noticing a VCR connected to an old TV was on the same desk. By the look of it, however, it was only put in the room recently, judging by the sloppy set up compared to everything else that was so neatly organized.

Looking down, Sunset noted a tape sitting atop of the VCR with the words “Sunset, play me” written on it. Shrugging, she picked up the tape and pushed it into the VCR as she turned on the television set.

Not to much surprise, Shimmer’s image appeared on screen as she adjusted the camera. Judging by the background she had recorded the tape in this very room some time ago.

Shimmer cleared her throat on the tape and sat up straight as she spoke. “Sunset, if you’re watching this then I am either dead or something has happened to me that has caused me to disappear. Whichever the circumstance you likely have found this room via the clues I left for you.” Shimmer cleared her throat and continued. “The room you’re sitting in is my private server room, it was constructed privately some years ago and it does not even appear in the blueprints for the house… There are actually a few rooms like this, which I think you should familiarize yourself with now…”

Sunset leaned in with interest. Shimmer clearly had back up plans for her back up plans, she only wished that her younger sister were there to help her in planning for catching Ghost.

“In the drawer of the desk you’re sitting at should be a blueprint of the house where I’ve marked secret locations. There are a few paths that lead outside the house or to other rooms in secret, you may need to know them if my suspicions are true… Ghost is attempting to steal my research, thus why I moved it here, there is only one computer in this room that connects to the internet and it is hard wired and does not connect to the server itself for data safety reasons,” Shimmer explained.

Reaching into the drawer, Sunset retrieved the blueprints right from where they were said to be and looked back to the screen to allow Shimmer’s tape to finish.

“I am certain the data in this room may help you, and I am under the impression that Ghost will do anything to get it, so you must not let them find this room or those blueprints that mark it. In a worst-case scenario… the keychain in that drawer contains a small device that looks sort of like a calculator…” Sunset blinked and looked back in the drawer to see that the tape was correct and the device in question was indeed inside the drawer. She reached down and picked up it, examining it. She noted that there was a USB port on the other side, making it look like some kind of bulky flash drive.

“That device is the key to getting on the server in this room… I have set the passcode to 8888, punch that in before plugging it in, it is very important you put the code in correctly, and make sure it’s plugged in… I have set the server to completely wipe itself if that key is not inserted correctly. A bit drastic, but a safety protocol in the event that Ghost manages to get into this house and find this room…” Shimmer continued.

Gripping the device in her hand, Sunset made a mental note to add it to her car keys. It was slightly less safe to have it out in the open, but leaving it unattended felt far less wise; besides, so long as Ghost didn’t know the code the key was useless.

“I don’t think I need to tell you that you should destroy this tape after you leave this room, and from here on out exercise extreme caution… I don’t know what kind of person Ghost is, but I suspect if you’re watching this, then there is the chance I’m dead. If that’s the case, assume Ghost will try and kill you as well… I’m sorry I can’t be there to help, Sunset. I love you and good luck…” The tape finished with those words causing Sunset to close her eyes and sigh. If there were ever a time where she wished Shimmer were present, it would be now.

Shrugging, she decided to try the key out at that moment, punching the code in, she inserted the USB drive into the machine, noting it turned on without any further interaction.

Sunset leaned in to view the screen better as she saw a plethora of files come up on screen. One, in particular, caught her attention labeled “Ghost”. Without hesitation, she clicked on it and began to read its contents.

Ghost AKA The Mystery Man

This mysterious figure still eludes me, but seems to have taken an interest in my research. Despite all of my findings stating that magic cannot simply manifest in another person without a cause or a “trigger” if you will. In my case, that trigger was Sunset, having something to do with us being connected through being alternate universe versions of each other.

What is stranger is that Ghost appears to have some kind of fixation on myself and Sunset as well. I have a feeling that whoever they are, they have reason to cause us harm. I’m not entirely sure what they’re capable of, but they are certainly a skilled hacker at the very least.

Several searches have turned up nothing on this man (or woman), and I’m exhausting every possibility, but I can’t seem to figure out who they are. I’m hoping more information will come to light at a later point.

Update: A few hours ago I was sent an encrypted message, I attempted to trace where it originated but it is hidden beyond excessive layers of security. The message didn’t say much, but it confirmed my suspicion that Ghost is indeed hostile. What follows is the message.

“Sunset… Revenge is a bitch, isn’t it?”

Sunset blinked as she read over the text. As expected there wasn’t much info on Ghost, but she did have a new clue, Ghost was seeking revenge on Shimmer, but what for? Besides her own family, Sunset couldn’t think of anyone else that wanted her dead, or she had hurt enough to want to kill her. Then again she knew little about Shimmer’s life before she came into the picture, but it looked like she would need to find out a lot more about Shimmer before she arrived to get the story behind Ghost.

She decided her next course of action was to study the blueprints, she would need every advantage she could get in this battle, and she knew there was the chance that Ghost would bring it to her home; the least she could do was get a home playing field advantage.

Popping the tab of a Fanta soda open, Sunset quickly began to chug the beverage as she stepped out of the bathroom attached to Twilight’s bedroom. She found it odd that Twilight’s home had two master bedrooms with bathroom attachments, but she surmised that her mother and she often had issues getting to the shower at the same time.

She yawned and stretched as she plopped down on Twilight’s bed leaning up against the pillows against the headboard. She sipped her soda and smiled at Twilight who sat next to her flipping through a book.

Twilight stopped her reading and peaked over at Sunset from behind her glasses and smiled. “A body as impressive as yours and you still wear those unflattering pajamas to bed? I would have imagined you would sleep in sexy lingerie or something by now,” Twilight commented.

“Are you calling me sexy, Sparkle?” Sunset smirked.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “So predictable…”

Sunset chuckled a bit before taking another long swig of her soda. “I guess I still don’t have that kind of confidence… It’s funny… when I was driven by hate and desire I felt confident enough to do anything, now though… “ She paused as she thought it over, for a brief moment getting lost in her thoughts before shaking her head and snapping back to reality, “I guess there are some perks to being evil, huh?”

Twilight frowned, not liking what she was hearing. “I doubt it; yeah you were more confident but you were horrendously overconfident and look what that ended up doing…”

Sunset conceded that Twilight was right; still, she couldn’t help but wish she had some of that confidence at this point in her life where she felt almost powerless. It took her months to finally be able to get out of the house and accept Shimmer’s death.

The sleepover the two of them were partaking in was planned a few days ago, Twilight was eager to get caught up and relive “old times” with her best friend, and Sunset had a difficult time saying no when Twilight made her pouty face, even if she felt said face looked adorable laughable at times. She knew that her time would be more productively spent at home, but when she realized a key fact, it made it that much more in Sunset’s interest to agree.

Twilight’s room felt alien to Sunset, despite spending so much time in it in the past, after the ordeals she had been through, it felt like an eternity since she last stepped foot in it. Shimmer’s death, however, made her question how real anything felt anymore, however. For weeks she had a hard time shaking the idea that Shimmer was truly dead, her perception of reality had been warped for a brief period of time, but now there was no question, Dead was Shimmer, and that was how it was to stay.

She had put so much distance between herself and her friends she was amazed to find they still cared about her when she finally did make her return, Twilight being one of the first ones waiting for her, never seeming to have given up on her in the first place. She smiled internally as she thought of how loyal her best friend truly was. Years ago she had no one to even say she had more than an acquaintance with, now she had a girl at her side that would wait months just to see her again. She only wished Princess Twilight could see her at that moment, for that brief second she felt like a success, rather than someone who always let others down.

Blinking, Twilight leaned in, “You alright? You look like you have something on your mind?”

Shrugging, Sunset waved it off. “It’s nothing, just the usual crap clouding my head, you know how it is, nothing to worry over.”

Sunset finished off her soda and set the can on the nightstand. “So, rock, paper, scissors for the bed?”

Twilight blushed and turned away slightly. “Well… I was thinking… I mean… It’s a queen sized bed, no sense in one of us hogging it to ourselves…”

“Yeah, but isn’t it kind of wasteful for both of us to sleep on the floor just so that one of us isn’t feeling left out?” Sunset tilted her head in confusion.

“Well… No… I was thinking…” She paused, clearly struggling with her own words.

“Yeah?” Sunset raised a brow.

“We could… share it?” Twilight asked with an audible gulp.

Why is she so nervous? Sunset thought, but then quickly proposed a few solutions, the reality was Twilight was likely having a hard time admitting she was scared, scared for Sunset, and more scared that she would scare her friend away again.

When Sunset didn’t answer right away, Twilight shook her head. “Forget it… it’s stupid…”

Sunset grinned and shook her head as she rested it on a pillow. “No takesies backsies,” she teased.

Twilight blinked before nodding and allowing herself to lay down as well next to Sunset. “So long as you don’t go bragging that you slept with me, Sparkle.” Sunset smirked.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m already thinking of the ways I will brag about it tomorrow. If you trade PJ bottoms with me I will brag about getting into your pants too.”

“Eh, I’ve already seen what’s in yours.” Sunset winked.

Twilight’s face turned red. “W-wha!? When!?”

“I may have noticed you changing into your PJ bottoms in the bathroom, cute striped panties, by the way…” Sunset smirked.

“You are such a pervert!” Twilight moaned.

Sunset shrugged and winked. “That’s why I’m your best friend, I can tell you though that you have a nice butt, guys will be lined up once you learn how to talk to them without stumbling every eight seconds…”

Twilight rolled her eyes again. “I’ll take that as an awkward offhand compliment coming from you… You’re not exactly the best person at talking to guys either…”

“True, I never know what to say; at least I don’t bumble around like an idiot though. I remember once when Timber called you up and you just blurted out ‘I LIKE SPORTS!’ as if that was supposed to be something that impressed him.” Sunset placed a hand over her own mouth to contain her snickers.

“Yeah… I remember him laughing at how ridiculous I sounded… Thanks for reminding me…” Twilight sighed.

“It comes with being your best friend, I’m supposed to remind you of all the time you looked or sounded dumb, as I expect you to do with me.” Sunset winked at her friend.

Yawning, Twilight removed her glasses and set them on the other end table on the other side of her bed before laying on her side and looking toward Sunset with a smile. She scooted up on her bed and adjusted her position to get more comfortable as she found the perfect spot to sleep in.

“Good night, Sunset…” Twilight said with a yawn.

Sunset followed suit and nodded before laying on her back and closing her eyes. Twilight watched the girl fall asleep for a good few minutes. She observed her form as Sunset began to breathe lightly and clearly had fallen into REM sleep after a good ten minutes. Twilight smiled as she looked at her friend, how many nights she longed to have her in bed next to her, it was breathtaking in a way to see it as a reality, though not entirely under the circumstances she wished for, it was at the very least something.

Despite all the trouble Sunset had been through, all she had endured, Twilight couldn’t help but notice how peaceful she looked in her sleep.

Turning slightly, Sunset’s lengthy hair shifted with her and draped over the pillows adorably as Twilight observed her face. Her eyes became fixated on Sunset’s lips, the thought of leaning in and planting a kiss on them was tempting, overwhelming even, but she stopped herself before that idea became action. It wasn’t how she wanted a kiss between them to happen. She preferred to do so when she was awake and Sunset wanted Twilight to kiss her. She knew the chances of that happening were low, but she simply could not bring herself to kiss someone who didn’t want her to.

Sunset had mentioned before she had never been kissed, so the last thing Twilight wanted to do was steal her first kiss in such a terrible way.

She sighed as she took her mind off the subject and allowed herself to close her own eyes and drift into a slumber of her own. Her mind clearing as she felt the pleasant feeling of sleep overtake her.

Within a few more minutes, the entire room fell silent, shy of the sound of Spike snoring in his dog bed. A new sound was added to the fray however as Sunset’s Apple watch vibrated. She blinked herself awake and looked down to the vibrating alarm. She had purposefully set it to not make any noise but to vibrate on her wrist to wake her up. She didn’t quite understand the attraction of smartwatches, but she wore it as sort of a memory toward Shimmer; to her good fortune, she had found a practical use of the device.

Grumbling at her interrupted sleep, it took her a moment to remember why she had set the device to wake her before she finally came to and gently pulled herself out of the bed. She looked back at Twilight who was out like a log. She smirked as she recalled what a heavy sleeper Twilight was. Tiptoeing out of the room, Sunset made her way down the hall.

She headed toward the guest bedroom and checked to see if it was locked, and to her good fortune, it was not. Peaking inside she could see Twilight’s elder brother, Detective Shining Armor snoring away as he laid there. Sunset had discovered he was coming to visit Twilight after work and would spend the night there. To Sunset that proposed a unique opportunity, he would be there without his wife and coming home from work he likely would have his work computer with him.

Sunset couldn’t pass up the opportunity to find out what Shining and the police knew for herself to aid her own investigation. She felt bad for having ulterior motives for coming to visit Twilight, but she actually did want to see her friend so she only felt half deceptive.

Gently pushing her way into the room and carefully stepping about, she noted his bag sitting on a chair in front of a desk in the room. Carefully and quietly she unzipped it slowly, keeping her eyes on the snoring older man in the room to make sure she was ready to make a break for it if she caught wind of him waking up.

Once she had the bag open she could see a laptop sitting there on top of all his other various things. With a smile, she lifted it and opened it to see it was still powered on. However, to Sunset’s dismay, it was asking to insert an ID card. She silently cursed before she could see Shining’s work pants laid across the floor.

With the laptop in one hand, she gently snuck over only a good few feet from the sleeping man and searched his pockets until she acquired his wallet. Digging through it she found tons of photos of Shining and his wife Cadance, many of which of the two of them acting insanely ridiculous. Had the circumstances been different she would have complimented him on how in love the two seem to be.

Finally locating his work ID, she slid it out and popped it into the card slot on the laptop. Sure enough, the lock screen vanished and granted her access. She made a silent celebratory fist raise in the air before she decided to go through the contents as quickly as she could to find anything of key value.

It took her a good eighty seconds or so of navigating before she located a file that Shining was keeping on “recent leads”. Most of it seemed to be repeating what Sunset already knew, but near the bottom, she saw a note that interested her.

Place of Interest:

981 Ocher Street

Slip and a few others that we know he used to work for were known to congregate there from time to time. Place used to be an old warehouse, but I’m going to go check it out with a warrant in a few days, might be nothing, but maybe I can catch them off guard and find something out. It’s hard to say if Slip’s crew had anything to do with the murder because they are usually a drug pushing bunch, but I know that they are definitely not above Murder, that’s for sure.

Sunset quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the screen before closing the document and returning everyone on the computer back to the way it was. This info was perfect, up to this point she had no idea where to even look for Ghost, but she now at least had an address that Ghost may have visited at some point, or even could still be residing at.

Pulling the ID card out of the computer she carefully placed it back in the wallet and stuffed it back into Shining’s pants pocket and returned them to their haphazard manner laying across the floor. Once she was satisfied, she returned the laptop to the bag and zipped it shut.

With more quiet footwork, she made her way to the door and froze for a second as she heard him grumble, but sighed a sigh of relief when she saw he hadn’t woken up.

After freezing for a moment, she heard him talk in his sleep, barely a mumble, but enough to keep her attention. "I'll protect you, Sunset..." He said.

Sunset felt her heart sink for a moment. She looked to the floor in shame as she realized what she was doing. Shining may have been someone she didn't want to get hurt, but she realized then that she wasn't giving him enough credit. He wasn't like Twilight or the others, he was a police officer. While he wasn't trained to deal with magic or Equestria, he was trained to handle danger, and here she was treating him like the enemy; she felt rotten.

She sighed and nodded as she agreed to herself that she would tell him the truth soon. Sunset knew in her heart that she could trust Shining. It didn't matter if Ghost could learn what the police knew, she would just have to inform him of that and the two would agree to commit important information only to memory.

While she didn't want Twilight or the others getting hurt, she knew that Shining could handle himself and maybe even hold his own better than Sunset could. She would visit this place to follow his lead and then she would call him and tell him everything she knew.

Gently and quietly she shut the door and slowly made her way back to Twilight’s bedroom.

Opening the door, and slipping back in, Twilight turned and yawned as she noticed Sunset re-entering the bed. “Sunset? Where were you?”

Thinking quickly, Sunset came up with an excuse. “Oh, I went to get a glass of water.”

Nodding Twilight yawned and allowed Sunset to re-enter the bed before the room fell silent again. Sunset’s mind already racing with ideas of how to plan her visit to the potential place where Ghost might reside.

Her thoughts were interrupted by more sleepy words of Twilight, “Hey, Sunset…?”

Sunset blinked and kept her gaze on the ceiling as she answered. “Hm?”

“I know this might sound dumb but like… can we… snuggle?” Twilight asked.

That caught her attention. Sunset turned her head to face Twilight with a look of confusion. “Why?”

Twilight frowned. “It’s dumb… Forget I mentioned it…”

“No, tell me…” Sunset pleaded.

Sighing, Twilight closed her eyes. “It’s just… I missed you… for so long you were distant and I keep feeling like… I’m going to lose you again, you know? You’re the yin to my yang when you’re around I know what to do… I just… I keep worrying you’re going to get yourself hurt over this thing with Shimmer’s killer…”

Blinking, Sunset scooted closer and pulled Twilight in and allowed her to rest her head on her right breast. Twilight blushed slightly and wrapped her arms around Sunset as Sunset stroked the girl’s hair. “I’m your best friend… I’m going to be fine though, I promise…”

“I just keep thinking… Of hearing about you die or something…” Twilight kept her eyes closed.

“I promise no matter what happens, I won’t die. I screwed up when I promised to protect Shimmer, so I won’t screw up this time…” Sunset explained.

“I believe you…” Twilight smiled, “I know you have to do this and you won’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise, but at least be as careful as you can, okay?”

“Promise,” Sunset shushed the girl and continued to pet her head as the two of them allowed themselves to fall back asleep. While she laid there with Twilight, she had completely forgotten everything about Ghost for that night, but she knew that a time would come where Twilight would need to know what was going on, thankfully it could wait for another day.

School the next day was an experiment in dealing with anxiety for Sunset. All she could think about was her plan to take a visit to Ghost’s potential hideout, she had difficulty focusing in class. She sat there in her final class tapping her pen as she stared at the clock.

When the bell finally rang she quickly scooped up her things and threw them into her bag as she made her way down the hall, walking right past her locker. She didn’t have time to worry about bringing home textbooks to study from, all she could think about was trying to get to Ghost before the police attempted to. She knew by the time Shining had gotten that warrant, Ghost would have already wised up and moved on.

She made her way to the back of the school, through the parking lot when her eyes fell not only on the Mercedes sitting there, but the girl standing next to it with a textbook clenched in her hands. Sunset silently cursed as she saw Twilight standing there. She didn’t have time to try to think of convincing lies to tell her, but she also didn’t want her getting suspicious.

Sunset approached casually and smiled. “Hey, Twilight…”

“Hey… I uh… had fun last night…” Twilight began awkwardly.

Sunset nodded in agreement. “I mostly snuggle with a teddy bear.”

Twilight rubbed her neck and looked away. “I was more referring to just hanging out, but I do hope I was a good substitute.”

Chuckling, Sunset nodded. “You were fine, Sparkle.”

A moment of silence came between them before Twilight looked up. “So I was wondering if you wanted to… hang out again tonight?”

Sunset frowned and shook her head. “Sorry, Twilight… I have plans…”

“What kind of plans?” Twilight raised a brow.

It was then that Sunset could tell Twilight was suspicious. “Just… Plans…” Sunset stated as she went around Twilight and got into the driver’s side of her car, closing the door only for Twilight to tap on the window.

With a sigh, Sunset rolled the window down and looked at Twilight as she placed sunglasses on her face.

“Sunset… If you’re doing something… Something dangerous…” Twilight frowned.

“What makes you think that?” Sunset asked.

“Your demeanor today… Everything, you’ve been off…” Twilight stated.

“Off? Me? Nah.” Sunset dismissed.

Twilight’s face grew more serious. “A girl doesn’t start dressing at gothic as you have and then today show up in jeans and a grey hoodie. That’s a pretty drastic change of style… I’m no Rarity, but I’d say that means something…”

Sunset blinked as she realized perhaps she may have been too obvious. She chose something more practical today to wear for her plans after school. There was no telling what she’d encounter, so she felt that her normal attire simply was only going to get in the way.

“I was just running late this morning when I ran home from your place in the morning. No biggie,” Sunset dismissed.

Sighing, Twilight nodded and stepped away from the car. “Just… Be safe, okay?”

With a smile, Sunset nodded back and gave a thumbs up. “You know me.”

With those words, she pulled out of her parking spot and sped off, confident that she had eased Twilight’s suspicion.

Twilight merely stood there with a sigh. “Yes… Unfortunately, I do…”

Sunset cursed herself for not telling Twilight the truth. She knew it was probably time to tell her, but she fell into the habit she had formed of keeping silent so easily. She reminded herself to have a difficult conversation with her later and tell her what was really going on.

Sunset pulled up to the address and decided to park across the street. Realizing how run down this part of town was, she cursed herself for not thinking to bring a more inconspicuous car, rather than a Mercedes on a part of town that likely didn’t see them that often. Shrugging it off, she stepped out of the car and reached into the back seat to retrieve a few items.

First and foremost she retrieved her phone and stuffed it into her pocket. She realized she may need to take some photos, so she wanted to be prepared, next she pulled out the handgun she had grown accustomed to carrying. She stared at it for a good few minutes before realizing she may actually have to use it on another person today. Mentally preparing herself for that possibility she took a breath in and placed the weapon in her waistband and covered it with her hoodie.

She exhaled before looking at the old run down warehouse and grabbed a crowbar from her bag. Making her way to the side entrance in an alleyway she checked to make sure no one was around. Thankfully this part of town was mostly abandoned and few came this way.

Jamming the bar into the door, she quickly heaved it open and dropped the metal device on the ground, not really interested in taking more weight with her.

Carefully she stepped inside and kept her eyes wide open for any sign of other people.

Coming to the center of the empty warehouse she noticed something on the ground. Leaning down she got closer to a red stain on the floor, it was dry but there was no mistaking it, it was blood. Now she was definitely certain that Ghost was here, as otherwise there would be no signs of people in this old place.

Her mind began to race with questions of where the blood came from or what kind of operation Ghost was running before a distorted voice came from behind her. The voice sounded almost computer generated. “Well, it looks like we have a visitor…”

Sunset’s entire body went cold, she could feel the sweat run down her neck when she heard the voice. Coming to a slow stand, she daringly turned to face the stranger.

There standing about her own height was a face covered by a gas mask, impossible to see the person behind it. Sunset surmised they had some kind of voice changer behind their mask. Their entire lean and well-trained body was covered in tight black spandex, it reminded her of some kind of stealth suit she would see in movies.

Black combat boots with belts hanging off of them, and covering her body was a large open trench coat that her hands were stuffed into. Could this really be Ghost?

“If you’re wondering about the mess, one of our own managed to cut himself pretty deep when clearing the area… It is hard to find competent help these days…” The stranger spoke.

Standing next to them were a group of four large brutish looking men who all stood at attention in silence.

“Who are you?” Sunset questioned.

“When one wears a mask, that is almost certainly the first question they will be asked, isn’t it? You may refer to me as Ghost… But you already knew that didn’t you, Sunset Shimmer?” They replied.

Sunset blinked and held a fighting stance, ready to go at a moment’s notice. “You’re a woman?”

“Man… Woman… These are merely words to me… And to you… they hold little consequence… You shouldn’t concern yourself with who I am, but more what I am going to do… Would you not agree?” Ghost asked as she gave a gesture for the four of her henchmen to stand back. Obliging they took a step back as Ghost put her hands back in her pockets and began to walk around Sunset in a circle from a good distance, Sunset keeping her eyes on the masked stranger as she walked.

“And what are you going to do?” Sunset asked.

A gentle laugh escaped from behind Ghost’s mask. “Patience is the key to the best revenge… Wouldn’t you say?”

“What’re you talking about?” Sunset asked, one of her hands reaching to be ready to retrieve her gun if needed.

“You have been eagerly waiting to meet me, haven’t you? Ready to end my life with that gun you have tucked behind your back, right?” Ghost asked.

Sunset blinked and froze for a second. How did she know?

“Unfortunately for you… You won’t get to use it today-“ Ghost cut off her own sentence and moved quickly her hand forming a small fist and jabbing Sunset in the throat at full speed. The impact of the blow caused instant effects as Sunset felt the wind knocked out of her and choked as she held her neck in agony.

She coughed and managed to get out a “fuck” before Ghost delivered a follow-up attack and quickly whirled her foot up high and knocked Sunset on the side of the face. That hit while just as powerful gave Sunset enough time to retrieve the gun from behind her only for Ghost to reach forward and quickly grab Sunset’s wrist and twist it.

The strain of her twisted joint caused her to groan in pain and drop the gun. Trying to take advantage of the distraction, Sunset came at Ghost with her right hand only for the woman to block it with her free hand and squeeze it until Sunset’s fingers cracked. “AHHH!” Sunset howled in pain as she could feel her fingers dislocate.

“Patience, child…” Ghost taunted before kneeing Sunset in the gut, causing the girl to fumble backward and fall to her knees, gripping her stomach.

“I see you’ve attempted to prepare for my arrival, however, your preparations are nothing compared to what I have endured. I was preparing for this for far longer… My motivation is greater than yours…” Ghost explained before reaching forward and gripping Sunset’s hair, pulling up.

Sunset responded with a yelp of pain as she tried to reach toward Ghost’s hands and make her let go, only for Ghost to pull harder. Ghost managed to pull Sunset into a stand and guided her toward a wall by the hair. “A weakling like you? You have no hope of defeating me… All the training and preparation will not allow you the strength necessary to beat me…” Ghost instructed before thrusting Sunset toward the wall and smashing her head into it.

A trickle of blood ran down Sunset’s head as Ghost chuckled lightly before smashing her head against the wall again, and again and again. After a good eight or so times, Ghost released her. Sunset tumbled backward and fell on her rear. Everything was getting hazy, she was having a difficult time even collecting herself, the pain was overwhelming.

While she sat there trying to recoup herself, Ghost gave her a swift kick in the side, causing her to fall over. Quickly taking advantage of the moment, Ghost climbed over top of her and began punching Sunset repeatedly in the stomach. Each hit feeling harder than the last, Sunset found herself unable to even breathe as the hits continued to land one after another. Finally, Ghost reached into her jacket and retrieved a switchblade knife that she promptly stabbed into Sunset’s shoulder.

The blade sunk in with ease as Sunset growled in agony. She had never been stabbed before, but the pain was something she wouldn’t soon forget. The cold steel piercing her body, pushing deeper until the entire blade was inside her.

As if that pain was not enough, the feeling of the blade exiting her caused her to groan a second time as she quickly gripped her shoulder.

Ghost climbed off of her and flicked the knife to try and get some of the blood off of it before coming to a full stand with her fists at her sides in an intimidating pose. “Now run little one… Run so that I can chase you…”

Sunset looked up at the menacing figure, realizing that Ghost’s advice may be her only option. She pulled herself up as quickly as she could and limped her way to the door she came in from, noticing that none of the group tried to follow her. Making it out the door, she looked at her car and prayed they wouldn’t follow her.

To her good luck, Ghost’s overconfidence shined through as Sunset managed to make it to the car without any followers.

Standing there with her four henchmen, Ghost merely stared in the direction of the door. The largest of the group leaned in and spoke. “Ma’am, why not go after her now? She’s weak, easily beaten now?”

Ghost raised a hand signifying him to remain quiet. “Patience, revenge must be savored, not rushed. Striking fear into your enemies is an essential part of these operations; it allows her potential allies to know what they would be dealing with. We don’t want any other interlopers to interfere before the grand finale. I want her death to be special, to truly send a message out to her friends…”

The man shrugged at his leader, not quite understanding why all the theatrics, but he wasn’t in a position to question her. “She isn’t skipping town or anything, I’m certain of that… So I wouldn’t worry about it… She has too much invested in trying to kill me, she won’t just run from that… She’ll go lick her wounds and then she’ll come right back to me, like a moth to a flame…” Ghost explained.

Stepping forward Ghost placed her hands back in her pockets. “This is about to get interesting…”

Author's Note

This chapter went through some revisions, some minor changes and some major which will really affect the next chapter more. Taking reader feedback into account for sure.

THAT SUNSET AND TWILIGHT SNUGGLE PIC. <3

Act III - Chapter XXXVII: Conspiracy

Chapter XXXVII: Conspiracy

Making it back to her home, Sunset groaned in agony as she quickly put a grip on her bleeding shoulder. She cursed as she realized she’d need the inside of her car cleaned and silently apologized to Shimmer for ruining her nice leather seats. The pain was so much she could hardly get herself to move from the car, but with enough willpower she eventually pushed herself to open the door and tumble out onto the pavement. With a hiss, she gripped her bleeding shoulder again and struggled her way to her feet.

Limping into the house, she managed to get inside and make her way to the nearest bathroom where she stocked first aid supplies. She cursed and swore with each step, causing Moon to come running to her aid, but following her helplessly whimpering as the dog realized there was little he could do to cease his new master’s suffering.

Stumbling into the bathroom, she gripped a first aid kit that she kept under the sink and sat herself down on the toilet panting heavily.

Her eyes turned to her fingers that were twisted in unnatural ways. She took a breath and closed her eyes before she gripped one and snapped it back into place. She let out an extreme yelp before bracing herself to do the next one. Panting heavily she screamed as she pulled down and snapped the second finger back into place.

Her eyes focused on her third finger as she whimpered in agony. Concentrating she motivated herself to endure the pain once more as a loud crack rang through the air and her third and final finger fell back into place. Breathing heavily, she gave her hand a few flexes to see how it performed. Once she was satisfied, she nodded and turned her attention to the wound in her shoulder. To her good fortune, the pain from her finger snapping had made her temporarily forget about the pain in her shoulder, but not for long.

She tried to remove her hoodie but found herself unable to lift her other shoulder. Reaching into the first aid kit she grabbed a pair of sheers and began to cut the fabric off slowly. Once she had exposed the wound, she tapped it with her fingers to determine how sore it still was. The mere touch of her fingers caused her to hiss in pain.

She knew she needed to stop the bleeding, but knew that wrapping her shoulder up herself with only one arm would be a challenge. Sunset closed her eyes for a moment and contemplated just stitching it closed, but then her mind turned to another thought.

Magic.

Was it possible? Could magic be used to heal her wounds? There was only one way to know for certain.

Taking a deep breath, Sunset focused and placed her two fingers above the wound and concentrated. She had enough understanding of magic in the human world to know that like in Equestria, willpower made it work, but also knowing what to focus on.

Her mind focused on the concept of water, she calmed herself thinking of an ocean and how soothing water could be. That focus she could feel move through her body all the way down to her fingertips as they began to glow. Within seconds she could feel the pain being lifted and as she opened her eyes she watched as the open skin began to slowly graft back together, weaving itself fresh as the wound began to close.

The longer she held the spell though, the more energy she could feel drain from herself, the more her head began to hurt. Growling in agony from the tremendous headache she finally ceased and looked down. The hole in her had turned into little more than a cut and was at least mostly healed. She sighed in relief as she reached into the first aid kit to retrieve a bandage to put over the now smaller wound.

Now Sunset knew she could not delay things any further. She had to tell Shining what was happening, or at least convey to him that the two of them needed to talk. Since Ghost made it clear that they possibly were monitoring the police, it was safest to talk in person.

Retrieving her phone, she quickly dialed out to Shining's number and sighed as she heard him pick up.

"Sunset? What's up?" He said.

"Detective Armor... Err... I mean... Shining..." She corrected herself.

"What's wrong, Sunset? You sound exhausted..." He replied.

That was an understatement.

"Shining... I haven't been entirely honest regarding my knowledge of the case... There's actually... a lot more that I haven't told you about..." Sunset stated.

There was a short pause followed by Sunset speaking again. "Still there?"

"Yeah..." His voice was quiet. "Why have you been keeping information from me?"

A sigh escaped Sunset, knowing he was likely going to be offended. "It's... Well it's complicated but the short version is I didn't think I could trust the police..."

"Right now I'm not a police officer, I'm your friend and you can trust you friends, can't you?" Shining asked.

Sunset bit her lip. "I... I didn't want anyone to get hurt... That's all..."

"Do you trust me now?" Shining asked.

"Of course, I never distrusted you... It wasn't about that... Look... We need to talk, but not here. We need to meet in person at some point so we can go over everything I know alright?" Sunset stated.

He seemed to quickly get over the offense as his tone perked up. "Sounds good, when do you want to do this?"

"Well... right now isn't the best time, but how about in a few days? I need to heal up, get some rest... long story, I promise we'll talk about it when we meet though, alright?"

"Sounds good... partner," Shining replied.

A smile came to Sunset's face as she nodded. "Yeah... partner... I could use some allies in this fight after all..."

"I'll see you soon, okay?" Shining said.

"Yeah, I'll call you in a few days when I'm feeling better, okay?" Sunset responded. The two said their goodbyes and she hung up with a smile on her face. She knew she had done the right thing, and with Shining by her side, she at least had one more person in the fight with her. Her attention however returned to her role in this all.

She was glad she had figured out how to use magic for healing but took note of how much energy it took to even heal a single wound. The rest of her was still a bit banged up, and bruises were starting to appear. Sunset knew though that if she waited a while to regain her energy she could heal up much faster and be ready to face Ghost again when necessary.

It was clear to her now though that whatever preparations she had done to get ready to meet Ghost, Ghost had done far more. The woman had anticipated meeting Sunset and even prepared herself for the possibility that Sunset had been training.

Next time she knew she had to bring a whole different level of fighting with her. She had trained her body and honed weapon skills, but now she needed to master her only true advantage over Ghost, Magic.

Sitting down at their usual table, Applejack set her tray in front of herself and smiled at Rarity whom she sat next to. Rarity offered a gentle brush of Applejack’s thigh as she sat and leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek, which despite a small gesture already had Pinkie Pie gushing and ready to shower the two with compliments of how adorable they were as a couple. Truthfully, Applejack wasn’t much of a fan of all the attention, but she knew that Rarity was likely soaking it all up.

Pinkie smiled at her friends and destroyed the pile of mashed potatoes in front of her in record times. Rarity once suggested they enter her in an eating contest and bet everything on her.

“You two are sooooooooooo cute!” Pinkie exclaimed after swallowing a bite of food.

Rolling her eyes, Applejack nodded. “Yeah, yeah… y’all told us already…”

“That doesn’t mean we don’t like hearing it.” Rarity wagged a finger at Applejack as she winked, causing her girlfriend to sigh and shake her head. There were times where Applejack realized that Rarity’s ego was almost as big as Rainbow’s.

“Anyhoo, how y’all been?” Applejack changed the subject.

Twilight who had been silent for the entire lunch period poked at her food with a fork uninterested before Applejack noticed how detached she was behaving. “Hey, Twi…?”

Twilight blinked and looked up. “Huh, what?”

“Y’all spacin’ out on us?” Applejack asked.

“Oh… Sorry…” Twilight shrugged before her gaze returned to her food, still only prodding it without much interest in actually eating it.

Deciding to see if she could find the reason for Twilight’s demeanor, Applejack sighed as she prepared to broach the difficult subject. “Y’all hear from Sunset, lately?”

Twilight frowned, knowing that she clearly wore her problems on her sleeve. She cursed herself for being too obvious around Applejack, who was known for being unable to leave well enough alone when she sensed someone had a problem.

“Sadly… No… I haven’t heard from her in two days and she’s skipped school without a warning… I’m worried she’s returning back to how she was…” Twilight admitted.

“Worried about her relapsin’?” Applejack tilted her head.

Twilight only nodded.

Rarity smiled and offered her advice on the matter. “Twilight, darling, I’m sure everything is fine, maybe she just got sick? You should talk to Principal Celestia or something before assuming.”

“She hasn’t answered my calls or texts either…” Twilight explained.

“That does sound bad…” Pinkie threw in her two cents, causing glares from Applejack and Rarity. Pinkie shrugged, unsure of why the two seemed to be angry with her, “what? I’m just sayin’ is all…”

“Whatever the case is… I’m sure everything is fine, Twilight. Have a chat with the principal, and I’m sure she’ll put your mind at ease. The past few weeks of Sunset coming back to school has shown that she’s become a lot more like her old self again, albeit slowly; I doubt she’d regress so quickly without warning…” Rarity offered.

Sighing, Twilight nodded, knowing that she was probably overreacting, but she couldn’t shake the feeling. “Still… I’ll see if I can talk to Principal Celestia before I can rest easy…”

“I’m sure Celestia knows the answer,” Rarity smiled.

Twilight nodded again, forcing a smile. “I hope you’re right…”

Tapping on the office door, Twilight gulped nervously. She was hoping Celestia could put her mind at ease, but a part of her said that she wouldn’t get such a luxury today. There was something inside of her that told her that things were not okay with Sunset and she had every reason to be panicking at this very moment. Try as she might, she couldn’t shake the feeling.

Hearing the knock, Celestia looked up from her paperwork and called out to the door. “Come on in.”

Taking a breath, Twilight sighed and opened the door, taking a few cautious steps into the principal’s office.

“Ah, Twilight. How are you?” The woman asked.

Twilight swallowed and managed to get herself to form words. “H-hello Principal Celestia…”

Quickly detecting Twilight’s nervous demeanor, Celestia tilted her head in confusion. “Something bothering you?”

“Ma’am… It’s Sunset…” Twilight admitted.

Celestia chuckled and sighed before setting down her pen and crossing her arms with a smug grin plastered on her face. “You know… You care an awful lot about your friend Sunset…”

“S-she’s my best friend!” Twilight defended.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed and the grin remained on her face. “Have you told her that you have feelings for her yet?”

Twilight sighed as she realized how obvious she was. She was so obvious that she wondered if even Sunset had figured out how she felt. She did her best to hide it, but truthfully she knew she wore her problems on her sleeve and wouldn’t be the least bit shocked if Sunset already knew about her little crush.

“I… I haven’t exactly figured out how yet…” Twilight admitted.

Celestia nodded and closed her eyes. “Love is a difficult thing, Twilight. Even us adults struggle with it…”

“You, Principal Celestia?” Twilight blinked.

Celestia kept her eyes closed and nodded again. “Indeed…”

“With all due respect ma’am… You’re beautiful… I can’t imagine it would be difficult for you to find someone…” Twilight stated, hoping she wasn’t being disrespectful.

Chuckling, Celestia shook her head. “I have a tendency to overcomplicate these things. Another story for another day, however… Back on the subject of Sunset, however, I did notice she was absent for two days without warning, and when I attempted to drop things off at her home she never even opened the gate… I just assumed she was out…”

“She isn’t answering her phone either…” Twilight stated.

Celestia put a hand to her chin and thought it over. “I would definitely recommend investigating… This is certainly odd behavior…”

Twilight nodded and gave a salute to the principal. “You can count on me!”

Sunset began to think over the events of a few days ago while she stood there in the target range in the basement of her home. She understood so little, but she needed to make sure she had what she did comprehend down. Her and Shining were to meet very soon and she'd explain everything to him, she needed to make sure she didn't miss out on any details.

The first and most important thing was that Ghost unlike her previous assumption was a woman and not a man. Though that could too be a ruse as she was wearing a mask, so it was clear she didn’t want her identity revealed to Sunset.

The second thing was that she was working with some kind of criminal organization to accomplish her goals. What those were, were not certain, but Sunset knew she wasn’t above violence to get what she wanted, and she was most definitely Shimmer’s killer, there was little doubt about that in Sunset’s mind.

The third and final thing was that she was unbelievably strong and agile. Her kicks and punches hurt like being hit by a brick wall, and there was no telling what other kinds of moves that Ghost had at her disposal. She clearly practiced and trained for this encounter between them and even anticipated Sunset preparing herself as well. In her current state, even with her training, she wasn’t going to be enough to take on Ghost in a head to head fight.

Her only chance at victory was to master magic. A few days ago, a simple healing spell to heal only a tiny stab wound drained nearly all of her energy. Granted healing was perhaps the most potent magic she knew of back in Equestria, naturally requiring high energy reserves, but she still knew she would need to vastly expand her talent with magic. Ghost may have had fighting moves and even knives, but magic she did not have.

Sunset knew that she would need to almost double her abilities with it however if she wished to pose even a minor threat to Ghost. If Ghost did, in fact, get her hands on any of Shimmer’s research she likely was already working on if not completed ways to counter magic attacks.

For the past two days, while healing her wounds, Sunset had focused on practicing her magic abilities and how to use them to her advantage. While her geode granted her the base power to feel people’s emotions and read their thoughts, it was hardly useful in combat as it was.

The more she practiced though, the more she discovered. In only two short days she had learned how to tap into people’s thoughts from a small distance rather than by touching them physically. This meant that if used properly she could utilize it to predict what Ghost was going to do and counter appropriately.

It was far from the only trick she had learned though.

Concentrating and closing her eyes, Sunset inhaled and thrust her hands forward blasting small fireballs into the distance at targets she had set up with each exhale. Fire magic was tricky to master due to its inherent nature. Many elemental based mages in Equestria avoided fire as their first focus of study due to how challenging it was to master. It relied entirely on proper breathing and self-control. A unicorn that improperly handled fire was sure to get burned.

Every unicorn had a certain element that they were born under that they were naturally more gifted with, Sunset’s was fire.

That wasn’t to say that mastering the other elements was impossible, but it meant that their affinity element was the one that they would have the most ease with. Even so, fire was still a challenge for any to take control of due to how quickly it spread and how easy it was to lose control of it.

Looking at the target in the distance, Sunset frowned as she saw how small her fireballs truly were, nowhere near enough to pose a threat to Ghost.

She closed her eyes and listened as a familiar distorted voice spoke to her.

You need to get stronger… I can help you…

Opening her eyes, Sunset peered around the room, looking for any possible place for the voice to originate from. Not to much surprise though she was alone in this room. She paused for a moment before speaking aloud, seeing if the voice would respond. “Hello? Who are you?” Sunset asked.

It doesn’t matter… I can help you…

Sunset paused, unsure of how to feel about voices coming from seemingly nowhere in her home. While she was interested in any help she could get in defeating Ghost, she wasn’t expecting said help to come from a strange disembodied voice.

“Where are you?” Sunset demanded.

I’m inside of you…

Sunset blinked and placed two fingers atop of her heart as she looked down. It was true, she could feel something inside of her, something that had been growing in the past few weeks, something that felt like it hungered. The more she tried to push it back though, the more it seemed to try and get out.

“What are you…?” Sunset closed her eyes as she asked.

There was a long pause before it answered.

Your true self.

Sunset opened her eyes and shook her head. “That’s not possible, I’m the only me there is, there’s no way you could be who I really am. I know myself better than anyone else, and that’s for sure.”

Are you sure about that?

Sunset nodded. “Positive!”

There was a time where you thirsted for power, a time where you were willing to do anything to accomplish your goals… Have you forgotten?

Growling, Sunset answered. “I’m at peace with who I was! I’m not that person now!”

A shame, that person you were had the power to defeat Ghost…

“What’re you talking about?” Sunset crossed her arms.

Ghost is not like other foes you’ve faced. A lesson about friendship will not stop her. She is a killer, one who is capable of going farther than you could ever imagine. To achieve the kind of power she has, you need to become stronger, and the only way to do that is to give in to the darkness inside of you. That small flame that never truly went out… It’s the key to winning this fight…

Pausing, Sunset thought it over. “H-how do I use it?”

Surrender yourself to me…

A smirk came to Sunset’s face as she shook her head. “Sorry, no deal. Not in a million years… I’m not falling for your tricks.”

You’re making a grave mistake.

“I’ll take my chances…” Sunset replied.

At that moment, Sunset flinched as she felt her pocket begin to vibrate. Sighing, she retrieved her phone from the pocket and checked the screen. Twilight’s name appeared on screen, but Sunset shook her head and pressed the reject call button, not quite ready to face that difficult conversation yet.

Twilight looked down at her phone as she heard the sound of a rejected call. Confirming her suspicion, she could see the words “Call Rejected” on screen. She sighed and shook her head as she looked back at her friends with a frown.

“Looks like Sunset isn’t answering… It’s just as I thought…” Twilight stated.

“Principal Celestia didn’t know what she was up to, and now she won’t even answer Twilight? Yeah, something is definitely wrong… So what do we do?” Rainbow Dash asked as she crossed her legs sitting atop of the staircase in front of the school.

The group of friends had decided to gather out in front of the school and see if they could get a hold of Sunset after not seeing her for so long. They figured if she saw a call from Twilight that she’s come running, but no such luck.

“Maybe she just needs space…?” Fluttershy meekly suggested.

Growling, Rainbow shook her head. “Nah, we can’t take that risk… not anymore… Now that she’s brought a gun to school, we have to assume Sunset is losing it. She shouldn’t be left alone any longer…”

“We have to respect her privacy, Rainbow…” Twilight argued.

Applejack shook her head and crossed her arms, defending Rainbow’s argument immediately, “Nope, the rules have changed. Sunset is unstable, ‘Ah can see it in ‘er. She’s bound t’do somethin’ stupid if she ain’t watched. Right now she needs someone lookin’ out fer’ her. That girl is a tickin’ time bomb…”

Twilight sighed and looked at Pinkie. “What do you think?”

Pinkie shrugged. “She does seem to be acting strange…” Pinkie nodded.

“That’s saying something coming from her…” Rainbow smirked.

Letting out another sigh, Twilight shrunk down as she sat down on the bottom step. “Well… I suppose one of us could go to her estate… I happen to have a set of keys just in case…”

Rarity came to a stand and walked to the bottom of the stairs, her tight leggings showing off her lower half (much to Applejack’s pleasure) as she reached the bottom and stood in front of Twilight. Meeting the girl with serious eyes, she extended a hand to Twilight.

“Give me the keys, I’ll go and speak with her…” Rarity said.

Blinking, Twilight tilted her head. “You actually are siding with them, Rarity?”

Rarity nodded. “Call it a sixth sense, but I just can’t help but feel that Sunset needs us right now. I can’t ignore that. I’ll go and bring her back here so we can talk…”

“Why should you be the one to go?” Rainbow questioned.

Rarity turned and gave Rainbow a powerful glare, one that could probably make a man drop dead if locked onto them long enough. “Because I’m tired of sitting around and being useless… I want to be more proactive in helping our friend.”

Twilight blinked and nodded before reaching into her pocket and shuffling about. When she located the small key ring she cautiously offered it to Rarity before dropping it in her open hand and watching her close her perfectly painted nails around it, the same serious face she had still there. “Thank you…” She said quietly.

Rarity turned and started heading toward the parking lot before Applejack stood and chased after her, stopping her by placing a hand on her shoulder. “Rare… Are y’all alright?”

Rarity nodded and looked down at the key in her hand before looking back over her shoulder at Applejack. “I can’t sit around and do nothing anymore… Sunset needs to realize that she needs her friends, she’s facing whatever she is dealing with alone and I’m not going to stand by idly as she continues to walk head first into danger for all we know…”

“Y’all will be in danger too, y’know?” Applejack frowned.

Smirking, Rarity winked. “Don’t worry… I’ll bring the danger back here for you to deal with… After all, you promised you’d protect me, right?”

Blushing, Applejack rubbed her neck and nodded. “Y-yeah… ‘Ah guess so…”

Turning to face Applejack Rarity placed her hands behind her back and stared with a small smile on her face. Applejack blinked and blushed deeper. “Uh… Somethin’ y’all need?”

“I’m waiting…” Rarity coyly spoke.

“For?” Applejack raised a brow.

“My kiss goodbye…” Rarity snickered.

Applejack coughed and rubbed her neck as she looked over her shoulder at the other girls still watching the two. She looked back at Rarity and sighed as she realized the girl wasn’t going to back down. Applejack still wasn’t that used to public affection especially with a girl as cute as Rarity, but she closed her eyes and stepped forward, placing her hands on the girl’s hips.

As she pulled her girlfriend forward, Rarity leaned upward to close the small height difference between the two and wrapping her arms around Applejack’s neck she puckered her lips and allowed Applejack to pull her in for a loving embrace.

Locking Lips with her girlfriend, Rarity giggled lightly as she tasted Applejack. After a brief few seconds, Applejack parted their lips and smiled at Rarity. “We’ll be waitin’ right here, alright?”

Rarity nodded as she removed her arms from Applejack’s neck. “I’ll only be gone for an hour, promise.”

Applejack nodded back as she watched Rarity break into a run toward her Mazda, a smile on her face and her mind filled with pleasant thoughts. She was so occupied that she didn’t even notice the rest of her friends sneak up behind her. Pinkie’s hand placed on her shoulder caused Applejack to snap back to reality and look behind herself to see Pinkie standing there, rocking back and forth on the balls of the back of her feet.

“SOOOOOO ADORABLEEEEE!”

Applejack merely rolled her eyes while Pinkie seemed to wiggle in place out of sheer excitement. Applejack soon looked back in Rarity’s direction when she heard the car engine startup. She sighed as she watched the girl pull out of the parking lot, a strange feeling of concern overcoming her. She knew that Rarity could take care of herself, but something was still bugging her.

Moondancer submerged herself in a bathtub and sighed. The hot water was soothing, but it hardly proved effective at distracting her. She hadn’t bathed in days, which wasn’t uncommon for her lately. She once forgot to eat and bathe for a solid three days. Running on such little sleep she almost passed out, thankfully she avoided that situation.

She looked around at the much larger bathroom that they had now. It had been a few months since Moondancer and her mother had moved out of their tiny apartment and into a slightly larger one thanks to the money that Shimmer had left behind. Despite the sum of cash being far larger than anything they had ever had, they took the advice of the financial advisor that Shimmer had provided for them and decided not to live too well above their means. They were so used to the bare necessities, however, that upgrading to only slightly above that was an easy accommodation for them.

They didn’t have a sports car in the parking lot but instead replaced their ten-year-old car with a new economy model fresh off the lot. Nothing too fancy, but not cheap garbage either.

They didn’t have personal chefs or maids either, instead, Moondancer’s mother simply switched from working full time to being a mom and housewife (sans husband) full time. Despite still keeping busy she seemed far happier and was able to take a rest when she needed it. Moondancer could notice a change in her mother, genuine happiness radiated from the woman. Moondancer knew that raising her was the most important thing to her mother, and she was thankful she finally had the freedom to pursue what she liked.

She owed Shimmer so much for giving her mother that freedom, but she knew she owed her for more than just that. She could never forget the feelings that Shimmer allowed her to experience, her, a simple social outcast who didn’t know how to even talk to other people was able to experience a feeling of belonging, feelings of friendship and most importantly feelings of love.

Her mind could still vividly paint the picture of Shimmer in her head, every little curve, every little detail. She recalled their first night together making love. Moondancer shivered and wrapped her arms around herself under the warm water. What she would do to feel Shimmer’s embrace just once more; she’d give anything for it.

Sighing, she shook her head and pulled the drain to the tub and rose out of the water. Coming to a stand she meandered her way over to the sink and grabbed a towel she hung off of it and began to rub her hair dry. She blinked as she looked at the melancholy girl staring back at her. Her eyes were bloodshot with dark rings around them, a clear symptom of being tired all the time.

She looked down at her chest to see she hadn’t grown too much. She was still at the tail end of an A cup, but somehow she was happy with herself. She remembered Shimmer liked her smaller chest and that brought a small smile to her face temporarily. Before Shimmer, Moondancer never imagined herself as attractive.

Wrapping the towel around herself, she exited the bathroom and made her way down the hall with a yawn.

“Moondancer? Is that you?” Her mother’s voice called from down the hall.

Another yawn escaped her before she responded. “Yeah, mom, just taking a bath…”

“You sound exhausted you should really get some sleep, sweetie! Final exams will be upon you before you know it!” Her mother lectured.

Moondancer nodded and placed a hand on her bedroom door. “Don’t worry mom, I am going to get some studying done then it’s right to bed, okay?”

“That’s my girl!” Her mother called back.

Nodding, Moondancer turned the knob and entered her bedroom, locking the door behind her. She looked at the walls to see all of the various notes, newspaper clippings, and photos she had hung up. Her entire bedroom has been transformed into an investigation center. There was not a section of wall available for anything that wasn’t related to Shimmer’s death.

Dropping the towel on the ground, the nude girl approached a computer at her desk. Sitting down she stretched and yawned before logging in.

Her mother wasn’t even slightly wise to what went on in Moondancer’s room as the woman had a strict policy of respecting her daughter’s privacy.

Moondancer looked at the time to see it was 5:08 PM. She knew she’d have to squeeze some actual studying in that night at some point. She had to maintain a delicate balance of studying and her investigation into Shimmer’s death. She couldn’t allow herself to start slipping in class or she’d risk losing her scholarship to Crystal Prep and that might get her mother to get more involved, which would make her investigation difficult from then on.

Sadly to accomplish all she needed to be done, that meant sacrificing sleep, which had turned Moondancer into a coffee addict. She looked to the three empty mugs sitting next to her desk and chuckled for a moment before looking back to her computer screen at the recent notes she had been taking before her bath.

Leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs she closed her eyes in thought. Everything she understood up to this point suggested that this “Ghost” person that she was chasing was setting their plan into motion soon. She knew that there was a recent change in Sunset’s activity and that she stopped going to school. Moondancer’s only explanation was that Ghost and Sunset had met. This meant she would need to keep a closer eye on Sunset if she hoped to catch Ghost.

She had hacked into the security system in Sunset’s estate, but sadly the security only covered the outside perimeter and gave her no look inside. Sunset had slipped inside looking relatively injured a few days ago and hadn’t come out. Part of Moondancer for a moment wondered if Sunset was dead, but ruled it out, knowing that if that had been the case, Ghost surely would have known about it by now.

Magic, that was the key behind it all, whatever Ghost wanted had some kind of connection to magic, perhaps the same magic that Shimmer was capable of, the only missing clue was what Ghost hoped to accomplish using said magic. Was it possible that Ghost found a way for normal humans to unlock the powers of magic beyond what Sunset’s friends were capable of? It made sense that currently, the only way to utilize magic was to be connected to someone who already did, that explained Sunset’s friends, but regular humans? It simply didn’t make sense.

Moondancer contemplated going to Equestria to find out, but she didn’t imagine that a human randomly entering their world would be met well. She needed to play it safe.

She yawned and was ready to go and turn in for bed when her eyes focused on something on the screen. Blinking, she reached over the desk and retrieved her glasses. Placing the new frames on her face she leaned in to watch the video feed of the late Shimmer’s estate. There in the driveway, a Mazda pulled in followed by a well-dressed girl that she could make out as Rarity stepping out of the car to approach the gate.

Moondancer cracked her knuckles and leaned in watching, knowing she was already approaching a long night.

Rarity arrived at Sunset’s estate rather quickly after Twilight had handed her the keys. Determination rang through her as she stepped out of her car and looked up at the gates to the entrance. The family name was etched skillfully into a metal plaque that hung from the gate near the top. The gothic design was a bit much for Rarity, but she definitely appreciated the craftsmanship. It was clear that these gates were custom-made and she recalled something about Shimmer stating that her entire home was designed as a gift to her mother.

A smile came to Rarity’s face as she dug the key out of her purse as she wondered if Applejack would ever do something so special for her. She knew designing a mansion after her may be out of the question as the chances of Applejack having that kind of money were slim, hell she doubted she herself could even gain the kind of wealth that the Shimmer family had. She came from some money, but nothing like the Shimmer family.

Her life was spent dreaming of the high-class life, but since being around Applejack almost her entire life and growing closer and closer to her, she had slowly begun to mature out of that mindset and instead desired a more comfortable middle class (possibly upper middle class) existence with the girl she had fallen in love with over the past few months.

As she turned the key she pushed the gates open and continued to push until they snapped into some holders that kept them open. She noticed that the gates were controlled electronically normally, but she doubted Sunset would simply let her in, so she didn’t bother ringing the bell.

Looking up she saw a camera looking at her from the wall next to the gate. She wondered if Sunset was keeping her eye on the security of the place. She smiled and waved at the camera and spoke. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m coming in whether you like it or not, Sunset!”

Realizing she wouldn’t receive an answer, she shrugged and wandered back to her car carefully and stepped inside. Starting her engine back up she drove past the open gate and told herself she would make sure to close it on her way out. She doubted anyone would simply drive right into such a lavish estate so boldly.

On her way inside, she drove slowly and took note of all the security cameras on the outside perimeter. By her count, she could see eight on each side; eight on the west side, and eight on the east side. She never recalled seeing any cameras inside the building, but with her limited knowledge of computers from Twilight, Rarity surmised she likely was worried about someone hacking into them or something which naturally would create some serious privacy concerns. With how much the media loved to pester Shimmer, Rarity guessed that they wouldn’t be above trying to sneak a photo of her in her unmentionables from her own security cameras.

Rarity shuddered in disgust at the thought and slowed down, eventually coming to a full stop at the front door. She noted that the large garage to the right side of the house was closed, meaning that there was the possibility that Sunset wasn’t home.

Sighing she exited her car and approached the large door at the front of the house. She craned her neck to get another good look at it and marvel in such an impressive structure. She recalled there were five stories to this home and three basement floors, making for a total of eight floors. She had never seen most of them, but she imagined that Sunset hadn’t either; there was even the possibility that Shimmer had not seen most of her own home.

After inserting the key and turning it, Rarity pushed the door open and peered around. She was instantly met with a warmth which made her expensive boots and leg warmers feel like a bit much. She had opted to wear jeans due to the decreasing temperature and complimented them with a knitted white scoop neck sweater over her top.

Closing the door behind her, she called out Sunset’s name. “Sunset!? Where are you!?”

There was no response.

Sighing she shook her head realizing that she may have to search the house to find her friend, who could be in any number of rooms at this point. Twilight was slightly more familiar with the house, but Rarity had only been there a few times and barely knew where Sunset’s bedroom was.

Thinking it over she dialed Sunset’s phone to see if she could hear it ring in the house. After a few seconds, she heard nothing come from the house and naturally, Sunset didn’t answer the call either.

Rarity groaned over not having a map but decided the next best course of action was to wander about and see if she could find Sunset that way. She lacked a better plan so she shrugged and began heading down a nearby hall that was poorly lit. She took note that this side of the house didn’t appear to be frequented often, but as she walked she saw a gum wrapper on the floor that looked relatively new. She nodded to herself as she figured Sunset must have come this way and began to follow the hall looking for any other clues.

It wouldn’t take long before she noticed a stairwell going down. Blinking she looked down the stairs and heard footsteps.

She leaned over the balcony of the stairwell and called out. “Sunset!?”

A voice traveled back up the stairs as Sunset came into view at the bottom looking up at Rarity. “Rarity? What are you doing here? How’d you get in?”

Sunset raced up the stairs and came to the top to meet Rarity. She was wearing some kind of athletic garb with her large breasts covered only by a sports bra and her lower half sporting a pair of workout shorts. Her hair was tied back and she looked absolutely sweaty and exhausted, Rarity dreaded even thinking about touching her. Over her form she had thrown on a plain white hoodie that was left unzipped with the sleeves rolled up.

Rarity noticed that Sunset was far more toned and muscular than she remembered. While she was far from looking extremely masculine in her muscular form she was looking closer to Rainbow Dash and Applejack’s physique which was saying something.

“You’re in good shape…” Rarity commented.

Sunset rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Yeah, I work out a lot, but that’s not what we’re talking about, we’re talking about why you’re here and how you got into my house…”

Rarity frowned at how standoffish Sunset was behaving, knowing that she was technically intruding she decided it was best to tread lightly on the subject. “I apologize… I acquired the key from Twilight. We were worried about you because you hadn’t answered your phone or shown up for school in days… I volunteered to come check on you to make sure that you’re alright…”

Sunset growled and looked away as she huffed. “Well, now you see that I’m fine… You should go home… I'm going out in a few to meet with Shining about something...”

Rarity raised a brow in suspicion as she took a defiant step forward. “Excuse me, that’s no way to talk to a friend, Sunset…”

Seeing Rarity’s advance, Sunset stepped backward and kept her arms crossed as she refused to make eye contact with Rarity. “I’m serious, Rarity… I want you to go home… You can’t be here…”

“And why not!?” Rarity mimicked Sunset and crossed her own arms as she tapped her foot waiting for a valid explanation as to why her presence was problematic.

“Because it’s not safe…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“What exactly isn’t safe?” Rarity asked.

Sunset opened her mouth to answer only to close it as she focused her hearing. Outside she could hear cars pulling up. She raced toward one of the windows in the hallway and peeked outside. Sure enough, several cars she didn’t recognize were pulling up to the house and several men wearing ski masks began to exit the cars. Sunset observed for a few more seconds to see many of them started pulling various firearms out of the cars.

“Shit!” Sunset cursed as she looked at Rarity.

“Rarity, follow me and do not leave my sight, got it!?” Sunset reached over and grabbed Rarity by the shoulders.

“W-wha!?” Rarity began only for Sunset to crouch and pull Rarity down with her.

“Get down!” She commanded Rarity.

Glass soon flung into the room from the windows along with the sound of shattering windows and bullets hitting the side of the house. Sunset kept low, holding Rarity’s arm as she guided her along trying to avoid any bullets heading their way.

“Shit!” Sunset said as Rarity was starting to compose herself and realize what was going on.

“Who is shooting at us!?” Rarity asked.

“I don’t know, but stay down. Follow me and don’t stick your head out!” Sunset commanded as she brought Rarity to a nearby wall and hugged it until they managed to find their way into a small bathroom, the sound of bullets still screaming through the air. Once inside, Sunset reached up for a light fixture on the wall and pulled it. To Rarity’s surprise, the wall opened revealing a small passageway.

Sunset ushered her inside and closed the passage from behind. Rarity almost screamed when she saw a spider web along with its owner in front of herself but covered her mouth and contained it.

Raising a finger to her lips, Sunset gestured for Rarity to keep quiet but to follow her. Rarity nodded as she kept low and kept behind Sunset. She could still hear gunshots outside and soon the sounds of footsteps of dozens of men entering the house.

“What is this place…?” Rarity whispered.

“Old escape route, there are tons in the house. Dusty Shimmer had them built in case of emergencies so that they could slip around the house and escape if intruders came about… There’s also a few panic rooms as well. I memorized where every secret passage in the house is over the past few months…” Sunset whispered back as they approached a ladder heading downward just up ahead.

Climbing down, the duo kept silent until they approached another ladder heading up. “What’s going on, Sunset?” Rarity finally asked.

“I can’t explain right now, we need to get out of here first; so when we get up there… I need you to keep close and do exactly as I say…” Sunset stated as she placed a hand on the ladder.

Rarity merely nodded and followed Sunset as they made the climb. At the top of the ladder, Sunset lifted open a hatch to a small dark enclosure. She poked her head up and pushed a small door in front of her to peek outside.

The ladder let out into a cupboard at floor level in the bottom floor kitchen. She could see the coast was clear as she looked down at Rarity and nodded her head approvingly. Gently she and Rarity slipped out of the passageway and out of the cupboard into the kitchen proper.

Hearing footsteps, Sunset ushered Rarity and herself behind an island in the center of the room and peeked around the corner to see two men enter the room. Fortunately for Sunset and Rarity they were completely hidden behind the island so long as the two men didn’t come and check the other side.

One of them began speaking to the other. “Where the fuck is she!?” He hissed.

“Someone else is here too, there was another car in the driveway…” The other man replied.

“I’ll look this way, you go back with the others and search that wing, we’ll find the bitch… You heard Ghosts orders, she doesn’t need to be alive by much so don’t worry about roughing her up a bit, but don’t overdo it…” The first man said.

The other nodded and made his exit out the way he came in. Sunset kept watch on the man who remained in the room and peeked over the top of the island to see that he had turned around. She came to a slow stand and grabbed a frying pan that was sitting atop of the island and lowered back down to Rarity’s level and held the cooking utensil firmly in her grip.

Rarity blinked as she stared at Sunset with the frying pan. Sunset kept her voice nearly inaudible as she spoke to Rarity. “Whatever happens… stay out of sight…”

With those words and before Rarity could even object, Sunset snuck out from behind the island, keeping herself semi-crouched as she slowly approached the man standing there and raised her frying pan. He turned slowly and caught a glimpse of her, but before he could react she swung her weapon with as much force as she could muster letting a clang ring in the air as he went down. Once he hit the ground groaning she whipped him again with the pan knocking him out cold.

She set the pan down quietly and called out to Rarity quietly. “Coast is clear, come on.”

Rarity stepped out into the open, still crouching while Sunset searched the unconscious man. Rarity gulped as she looked at the blood on the back of the frying pan. “Is he…?” Rarity dreaded the possible answer.

Sunset looked at the pan that Rarity was looking at and shook her head before returning to searching the man’s person. “No, he’s just knocked out. He’ll live…”

Finding what she was looking for Sunset retrieved a pistol from the man’s waistband and checked it to find it was fully loaded. Nodding, Sunset retrieved any extra clips he had and stuffed them in her hoodie pockets.

Blinking, Rarity watched as Sunset wielded the weapon. “What are you going to do with that!?”

“Whatever I have to, now come on…” Sunset began to make her way out of the kitchen still keeping low to the ground with Rarity following.

The two made their way into the living room when the sound of a shot came in their direction. Rarity yelped in pain as she gripped her shoulder, causing Sunset to react and pull the two behind a low wall in the room. Before they knew it gunshots were coming their way. “Fuck!” Sunset said.

Through the sounds of gunshots, Sunset could hear a voice call out to her. “You’re outnumbered! Why not surrender little girl!?”

Growling she looked to the bleeding Rarity and took in a breath. “Rarity… I need you to make a barrier for me and put it above this low hanging wall…”

“What for!?” Rarity asked.

“Please don’t question me, just do it!” Sunset ordered.

Nodding, Rarity decided that there was no time to argue and did as instructed. Focusing with her free hand she conjured up a barrier of diamonds in front of the wall and Sunset popped up and stood behind it. Bullets flew in her direction but were all stopped by the barrier. Admittedly she was taking a gamble as she wasn’t sure if Rarity’s ability could deflect bullets, but she felt fortunate that her plan had somehow worked.

Once one of the men stopped to reload, Sunset poked out from behind the barrier and let off a shot into the man’s leg causing him to tumble down. She quickly adjusted her aim onto another target and hit another one of the masked men in the foot causing him to drop his weapon and grip the new wound in pain.

Getting back behind the barrier she commanded Rarity. “Okay, I need a moving barrier, we’re going to advance!”

“Alright…” Rarity whimpered as she conjured up another barrier. The strain of both magic and the pain of her arm starting to get to her, the only thing keeping her going was pure adrenaline.

When the barrier came up, Sunset grabbed Rarity’s other arm and guided her forward while bullets flew in their direction. She quickly got the two up to another exit for the living room and raised a hand causing a fire to ignite in the room, blocking the other men from following as she began to run, pulling Rarity along with her.

Finally letting her barrier down, Rarity panted as Sunset tugged her along into what appeared to be a storage closet. Sunset grunted as she moved a box up against a wall out of the way and opened yet another passage hidden in the small room. She shoved Rarity inside and followed after, closing the door behind them.

Rarity kept a tight grip on her wound while Sunset moved the two down a long narrow hallway that appeared to go between the walls. After a few minutes of what seemed like an eternity of running, the two came to a doorway at the end which Sunset forced open by bashing into it with her shoulder.

As the door swung open, a pile of boxes that were stacked in front of it tumbled and when Rarity came out from behind Sunset she saw the two were in the garage.

Sunset looked to the wall and grabbed a spare key to one of the many cars in the room and pulled Rarity to one of the Mercedes parked there. Opening the door, she assisted Rarity inside before running to the driver’s side and putting the key in. Before turning it, she looked to Rarity with a serious expression.

“Duck, and do not look up no matter what happens until I say so…” Sunset stated.

Rarity only nodded and did as she was told while Sunset hit a button on the keychain causing the garage door to begin to lift. In a single motion, she popped the key into the car and started the engine. Once the door was open just enough for the car to get through she revved the engine and pulled out at top speed.

She swerved to avoid the other cars parked outside. To her good fortune, it looked like all of the men entered the house, leaving the outside unguarded.

Sunset pushed forward until she eventually came out of the open gate in front of the estate. Once she had put a good distance between herself and the estate she let out a sigh of relief. “Alright… you can get up now…”

Rarity sat up and exhaled. “What was that about!?” Rarity demanded.

“We’ll talk about it in a bit…”

“Where are we going!?” Rarity growled.

“Just trust me, alright!?” Sunset yelled.

"What about your meeting with Shining?" Rarity asked.

"It'll have to be delayed for a few extra minutes, now please just be quiet for me!" Sunset hissed.

Rarity could tell that Sunset was agitated, and given the circumstances, she didn’t have the energy to badger the girl any further. Instead, Rarity sighed and leaned back in her seat and kept the pressure on her wound while the two drove in silence.

Author's Note

Pinkie's polka dot sweater is amazing and you know you want one.

Act III - Chapter XXXVIII: Tension

Chapter XXXVIII: Tension

The duo of Sunset and Rarity had remained quiet the entirety of their car ride. Sunset’s eyes fiercely focused on the road as she was lost in other thoughts and Rarity peeking over to her to try and get a read on her indecipherable expression. Whatever secrets Sunset was keeping, she wasn’t going to give them away with body language for sure. Rarity considered speaking up a few times, but after being shut up the first time she doubted that Sunset was going to budge on her position.

Eventually, the car came to a stop and Sunset placed it in park before looking over to Rarity. “Let me help you out.”

Rarity merely nodded and allowed Sunset to exit the car and come around to her side. Sunset reached forward to assist Rarity which agitated her arm. Sunset pulled her up and kept a hand on her back while she led the woman into the building nearby.

Looking up, Rarity noticed it was her boutique that she worked at. Her boss wouldn’t be on the scene until tomorrow, but she knew she had a key that was kept under a stone near the entrance.

“Know how to get in?” Sunset asked as they stopped at the door.

With her injured arm, Rarity pointed to a stone. “Lift that…”

Nodding, Sunset did as she was instructed and sure enough was able to acquire the key that would grant the two girls entrance. Planting the key inside, Sunset let the two of them inside before sitting Rarity down on a nearby stool and kneeling to get a better look at her arm. “Let me see.”

Wincing, Rarity removed her hand from the wound and looked away. Examining it in silence, Sunset made Rarity gulp in anticipation of the damage report. After a few seconds, Sunset smiled. “Well there isn’t a lot of blood and it looks like it just grazed you… I’m going to stitch this up and you should be okay, alright?”

Rarity nodded and pointed to a nearby set of needles on the counter. “There should be some alcohol in the back… There’s a first aid kit with rubbing alcohol…”

Sunset nodded and wandered into the back room. After only a few minutes she returned with a bottle in hand that she began to shake. Carefully she lifted the needles and began to soak them over the sink before returning.

Rarity watched carefully as Sunset threaded the needle with precision. She knew that Sunset wasn’t much of a seamstress, but her skill with a needle thus far was impeccable. “I didn’t know you could sew…”

Positioning the needle to the flesh, Sunset smirked at Rarity. “I learned for first aid purposes, AKA what I’m doing right now…” She paused as she aimed the needle. “This will sting for a second…” She warned.

Nodding, Rarity gritted her teeth as she felt the needle pierce her skin and the thread pull through it. She hissed as she felt it come back around to do so again. “Sorry…” Sunset replied.

“It’s fine…” Rarity winced.

“I’d use magic to heal it, but even a small wound like this takes a lot of magic to heal… I can’t afford to drain myself right now either, I promise when I have the energy I’ll heal it properly later…” Sunset assured.

“Drain…? I don’t understand… Do you need to keep all of your magic for some reason?” Rarity raised a curious brow.

Continuing with her needlework, Sunset nodded and gave a simple “mmm” as a response, clearly not wanting to answer the question beyond that.

“You intend on trying to fight those men don’t you?” Rarity asked.

“If it comes to it… They’re not who I’m interested in though… If they stand in my way, absolutely, otherwise I’ll avoid them to conserve my strength…” Sunset stated.

“Sunset, what is going on… This is dangerous, you should call the police…” Rarity pleaded.

Sunset shook her head as she focused on her needlework. “The police can’t help me now… The situation is far beyond what they are capable of handling. No one else needs to get hurt, they’re after me, which means that so long as I am the only one to engage them, they shouldn’t hurt anyone else… I'll tell Shining, but that's it.”

“Sunset, take me with you!” Rarity protested.

“No way. You already got hurt this time, next time you might not be so lucky, one of those bullets could have hit you in the head, or blown your arm off…” Sunset lectured.

“And what about you? You could be killed…” Rarity pleaded.

Silence filled the room as Sunset finished with the last stitch and came to a slow stand. She placed the needle on the counter and turned to the door. “Don’t follow me, Rarity…”

“That will be easy considering you left my car back at your estate…” Rarity sighed.

“I can’t have anyone else dying because of me… I already failed to protect Shimmer, I’m not going to do the same with you guys… Just stay far away… I can handle this on my own…” Sunset clenched her fists.

Rarity smirked and looked away. “No… You really can’t… But I know you think you have to… So what can I possibly say to change your mind? I see it in you… The fire, I’ve seen it in myself from time to time and even in Applejack, and I know from experience… When the fire is lit, it will burn everything in its path to get to where it needs to go…”

Sunset didn’t turn to face her and stood there in silence while she spoke. Her hands still clenched into fists that she held tightly. She could feel her nails digging into the flesh of her palms as she tried to calm herself.

“You don’t have to burn out though, and you don’t have to do this alone…” Rarity finished.

Sunset said nothing still.

“A fire burns everything in its path… It doesn’t know friend or foe, it simply destroys until eventually… It burns out to nothing, thus destroying itself…” Rarity stated.

Sunset knew that Rarity’s involvement had already gotten her hurt. A few more inches and she may have even lost her arm or be dead. The thought disgusted her, it made her hate herself for allowing it to happen. The only solace she had was knowing that she was there to prevent Rarity from being harmed further and that she had the power to stop it from happening again. She wouldn’t allow Rarity to become another Shimmer.

A sigh escaped Sunset as she headed toward the door. “Goodbye, Rarity. Stay safe, please.”

Sipping from a cup of overly sweet coffee, Moondancer crossed her legs as she leaned back in her office chair. She stared at her computer screen in thought while she observed the camera feeds of Sunset’s home.

She had taken several pictures of the men invading and caught a glimpse of Sunset making her escape. Previously she considered trying to intervene but assumed Sunset had the situation under control, which she ended up being correct about; Sunset was a resourceful girl after all.

Moondancer scratched her head and stood up and looked over to the mirror in her dark bedroom. Staring back at her was a girl in nothing more than a pair of basketball shorts and a plain white tank top that was far too large for her. She had opted to get dressed a few minutes ago after the room became too cold for her liking.

“What to do…” She thought out loud as she stared at the mirror and then turned her attention to her bed.

Wandering over she fell backward and landed on the soft mattress and stared up at the ceiling.

“Sunset definitely has Ghost’s attention now, so I know she’ll draw her out…” Moondancer said to no one.

She turned to her side and closed her eyes. “However, I know that Ghost won’t play their entire hand just yet… It may be wiser to wait until Ghost slips up and reveals her hideout… The closer she gets to Sunset, the sloppier she seems to get…”

She opened her eyes and sat up after thinking it over. “However… Sunset isn’t nearly as strong as Ghost no doubt, and that means the longer Sunset is left to float around on her own, the greater the risk of her being killed is… And it’s pretty clear that Ghost’s end goal doesn’t seem to care if Sunset is kept alive…”

Rubbing her chin, Moondancer wandered over to the wall of notes she had scribbled about Ghost and stared at it. “Why though…? What does Sunset have to do with…”

Moondancer blinked and her eyes widened as she looked at everything she had gathered. Suddenly after all this time, it became clear to her. Who Ghost was, what she wanted, why she was after Sunset. It all made perfect sense, everything she had been trying to understand for months finally became clear.

At first, doubting her conclusion, she ran over to her desk and began to flip through a notebook she had made and compared her conclusion to her findings before looking back to the wall and gasping. “It… It fits… It all makes sense… I know who you are, Ghost…”

The only thing that still was a mystery, however, was her motivation to kill Shimmer. She could see no angle for that. If her theory was correct and she was almost positive it was, then Ghost had no reason to kill Shimmer. So while she had figured out the puzzle, she was annoyed at how new questions arose.

Shaking her head she picked up a knife sitting next to her computer and stabbed it into the wall where she kept her notes on Ghost in a web, trying to connect the dots.

“Either way… I know your secret, Ghost… You won’t escape now… I hold the winning hand, now it’s just a matter of knowing when to play it…” Moondancer smirked. Their entire game of cat and mouse just became far more interesting.

Sunset’s eyes kept darting back to her rearview mirror, hoping that no one was following her. She didn’t see Ghost anywhere at her estate which led her to believe that she likely was elsewhere trying to anticipate Sunset’s moves. She needed to go somewhere where Ghost wouldn’t expect her, somewhere she hadn’t been in a long time.

When she thought of that, a few places came to mind, but one that she knew she had instant access to, her old apartment.

It was still rented out and paid for, as Sunset had decided to continue paying for it even after inheriting Shimmer’s estate. After Shimmer’s murder she figured it would make a great safe house if things got too out of her control, she considered now to be that point where things were well out of her control.

As she concentrated on the road, she could see the old complex in the distance. A sigh of relief escaped her as she pulled into the parking lot and stopped her car. She took a moment or two to catch her breath and compose herself. She had never really let the fear of bullets flying at her actually set in, so she knew she needed a minute to collect herself.

Once she was okay again, she exited the car and made her way to the apartment. She had made sure to make several spare keys that she attached to every set of car keys she had just in case. Not to mention she knew the location of another spare key close by just in case. She had become quite the planner, setting up back up plans for everything and then back up plans for her back up plans. In a way she felt a little like Twilight, being so overly organized.

Making her way up the stairs she turned the key and stepped into the tiny apartment. Her mind was flooded with memories at just smelling the air in the room. Despite it not being much and not having much in it, Sunset had spent many nights in this tiny abode. It was a gift from Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, and while it was simplistic, she treasured it. Perhaps that was the real reason she didn’t want to let it go.

It actually housed much more now as she had placed a few things in storage in the place to be properly used as a safe house and had made some modifications to it.

The windows now had rolled down shutters to block anyone outside from looking in and the kitchen was stocked with dry goods with exceptionally long shelf lives. She had installed a larger fridge for storage in the event she had to stay there for a long time.

The living room she had at least outfitted with a TV and a simple couch now as well versus the small table with stacks of books and the folding chair that were there before.

The place wasn’t glamorous, but it was far more inhabitable now than it was before. For the time being, it might have to be home once again to Sunset, until she was certain it was safe to return to her estate.

She looked down at herself and realized she was still in her workout attire and decided that a shower was in order. She had placed some clothing in a wardrobe in the bedroom of the apartment, she could clean up, get changed and prepare for more research on Ghost.

Remembering something, she recalled that she had stored a few guns in the closet that might come in handy. Opening the closet in the hallway, Sunset pulled out a case and popped it open. There staring back at her was an impressive handgun with at least five spare clips. She picked it up and decided to take it with her to the shower and leave it just within arm’s reach. She didn’t want to be caught off guard when she was her most vulnerable after all.

Rarity knew that Sunset wasn’t going to simply answer her phone now and that without her car and her injury she was in no position or condition to give chase to Sunset and try to track her down. She needed to inform the others though of what had just happened. She couldn’t simply just forget about it and pretend it never happened, not when people were shooting at Sunset and her.

Coming to a stand, Rarity grabbed a bandage from the first aid kit and decided to cover up her stitches first. She quickly sprayed some antiseptic on the wound and began to wrap gauss around her arm carefully. One she had covered it, she reminded herself to change her shirt and keep it covered but decided the next order of business would have to be giving Twilight a call.

She pulled the corded phone off the hook and began to dial Twilight’s number on the facility’s phone, she knew her manager likely wouldn’t mind, given the circumstances.

After a few seconds of ringing, she could hear Twilight pick up, albeit barely as the old phone had very poor audio. Rarity had nagged her manager to replace it many times to no avail.

“Hello?” Twilight’s voice came through the phone.

“Twilight, it’s Rarity,” Rarity stated.

“Oh hey Rarity, what’s u-“ Twilight was cut off.

“Twilight, Sunset is in trouble… Big trouble…” Rarity said.

There was a pause followed by Twilight gulping. “What kind of trouble?”

“People came to her estate and started shooting at us when I got there. At least a dozen or so of these men in masks…” Rarity explained.

“Are you guys alright!?” Twilight exclaimed.

Rarity sighed and nodded despite not being seen. “Yes, we’re fine, darling. I got grazed a little, but I’ll be alright, Sunset took care of it…”

“Where is she now?” Twilight asked.

“That’s why I’m calling you, she more or less stitched my wound up and then fled telling me not to follow her… She sounded like she was going to try and go after the people who did this…” Rarity explained.

Twilight froze and kept quiet.

“Twilight, you need to find her and stop her… These men… They were ready to put bullets in her, they’re not joking around… If Sunset tries to take them on, there’s no telling what they will do to her. I can’t do anything from here because she left my car back at her estate, and I don’t have a clue where she went, I figured if anyone could find her it would be you…”

Keeping quiet for a moment longer, Rarity could hear Twilight take in a breath and then release it slowly. “Leave it to me… I’m on it…”

Twilight quickly decided to start by dialing Sunset’s phone seeing if she could get the girl to answer. Maybe she would answer accidentally out of habit and Twilight could get through to her. It was worth a shot.

Twilight punched in Sunset’s number and crossed her finger. Every single ring made Twilight’s heart beat faster and faster until she could feel it suddenly stop for a split second when she heard Sunset’s voice.

“Hello?”

“Sunset! It’s Twilight!” Twilight almost yelled.

She could hear a sigh on Sunset’s end. “Lemme guess… You talked to Rarity?”

“What’s going on!?” Twilight asked ignoring the question.

“I can’t tell you, sorry Twilight,” Sunset answered plainly.

Twilight growled in annoyance as she paced in circles in her bedroom, coming to a desk and placing her palm on it. “Why not?”

“I don’t want you involved, Twilight…”

“I’m your friend!” Twilight protested.

“That’s exactly why I don’t want you involved, you could get hurt, I can handle this myself, just stay out of it and let me take care of things… Shining is already looking out for me, that’s more than enough…” Sunset said.

“Where are you!?” Twilight demanded.

“I can’t tell you that either, now goodbye, Twilight…” Sunset said and hung up abruptly without giving Twiight a chance to object further.

Hearing nothing but a dead beeping sound, Twilight hissed and banged the table with her palm. “DAMN IT!”

She calmed herself and tried to think. She needed to gather up all the logic she could and determine what the best way to figure out where Sunset was or what she was trying to accomplish. She had been pretty tight-lipped on the entire ordeal, but she knew it had to do with Shimmer’s murder.

Twilight placed a hand on her chin in thought. She needed information, lots of it and quickly, but where could she-

Shining.

Shining’s laptop was likely still in his room as he had the day off. He had taken Cadance out for dinner and mentioned he had to meet with someone after. He was still staying with their parents for a while to be closer to the office. She could likely break into his computer with ease and find everything he knew about the case. She would technically be breaking the law, but she put that thought aside and considered it a necessary evil to help her friend. Shining would understand… hopefully.

Tiptoeing out of her room, she poked her head out into the hall to see that her parents were nowhere to be seen.

Certain that she was safe, Twilight quickly bolted toward Shining’s room, keeping her footsteps light and careful as she crept inside and groaned at the loud creaking of the door. To her luck, her mother didn’t seem to hear much of the sounds and Twilight was able to sneak in without much difficulty.

She looked around and noted Shining’s work bag sitting on top of a small dresser which likely contained her brother’s work computer. Knowing there was usually more to it and that while she was sure she could hack into it with enough effort, she wished to avoid that scenario if possible and decided to search around the room for his work ID which would grant her access.

Sure enough, her brother’s laziness and untidiness paid off as she located his wallet in the pocket of a pair of his work pants. Flipping through it, just behind a photo of herself, Twilight found the ID card and slid it out.

She popped it into the side of the computer and opened it up. Her mind focusing on what she might find.

To her luck, Shining kept a folder on the desktop literally titled “Shimmer Case”, which Twilight figured was promising enough. Double-clicking on the folder, Twilight set the computer on top of the desk in the room and began to go through the files in search of anything of value. All those years with her nose in books would pay off as Twilight was exceptional at skimming over text to pop out the most important bits.

She would eventually come to a file on someone named “Ghost” that she read into.

Ghost

Suspect/Person of Interest

At this current time, this “Ghost” remains my best lead. Their name has appeared all over during interrogations with his henchmen. What appears to be odd is that these criminals are people whom I have some records on and most of them are grunts, cheap labor for drug peddlers; yet despite this, they refuse to budge on any information. Most of them seem to be perfectly silent and offer unwavering loyalty for hired help. It’s odd, even the best of criminal ringleaders often have trouble keeping their peons’ mouths shut, but this Ghost has managed to brainwash them in a way that I have not seen before. They stay dead silent, not saying a word, they won’t even eat when we put them in a cell, they just stare blankly, as if there is nothing going on in their heads.

What’s further odd is that Ghost appears to learn about any information that I report to the station, which is why I am keeping everything from here on out secured on this laptop which will remain unconnected to the internet.

Information on Ghost is limited, but I can surmise that he is a skilled hacker if he is able to acquire data directly from police servers, furthermore he has moles everywhere, even in the police. It’s hard to say how far his reach is, but it’s clear that he must be one tough customer if he can convince other criminals to sway to his side with such ease. Tons of known drug circles that were previously being investigated are disappearing left and right and then having low-level henchmen caught and showing some kind of ties to Ghost. It’s clear that he is able to take over entire rings without much effort, so clearly he must have something at his disposal that is scaring the leaders of these rings away or into submission.

Sadly, I lack an artist sketch of the guy due to no one seeing him and none of his goons talking, but we picked up a guy who was heading to an abandoned factory on the west side of town, the old steel factory on Angel Street. I plan on checking it out soon, but because the place is still owned I need a warrant. The last few places I checked sadly seemed to have been cleaned out before I got there. I guess Ghost is an appropriate name for the guy because he can simply vanish into thin air the moment anyone gets too close to him.

I haven’t exactly established a motive for the murder of Shimmer, but I have reason to believe he is after Sunset as well. I just have to keep my eye on her and make sure he doesn’t get her too. I hate thinking of her as the lure that will eventually bring Ghost out of hiding, so I have been trying to lure the guy out myself… I don’t want to put her in any danger. Twilight clearly loves this girl, and I’ll do all I can to protect her.

Here’s hoping that I find something of value at that old factory because my current problem now is that even if I catch Ghost, there’s little linking him to the murder. No prints on the weapon, nothing… Clearly, he’s a professional.

Twilight blinked as she read over the document. She didn’t know her brother was this close to catching Shimmer’s killer, but she could feel the frustration in his text. If he waited for a warrant it might be too late, and for some reason, Twilight was sure that Sunset likely knew everything this document was saying and that meant there was a chance she had gone to find Ghost herself.

Gulping, Twilight decided to do perhaps the dumbest thing she had ever done. She rushed downstairs and slipped past her father who was sleeping on the couch. She reached into a bowl next to the front door and fished out the car keys.

Sneaking out the door and shutting it quietly she took a deep breath as she looked at the keys in her hand and then at the car parked in the driveway; there was no going back now.

Sunset yawned as stood in the shower letting the warm water soothe her tired body. The adrenaline from earlier finally wearing off and her body starting to feel exhausted from that and the combined work out from earlier. She was somewhat annoyed that Ghost had conveniently decided to launch an assault right after she had just finished with intensive magic training, meaning her body was far from ready to unleash much magic.

Part of her wondered if Ghost had actually planned to catch her only minutes after a training routine so she would be drained and at her weakest, unable to conjure much in the way of magic, then again even a simple set of spells would give her an edge on Ghost.

She knew she needed to meet with Shining soon, she’d have to call him and explain what was happening after she stepped out of the shower. She promised herself that she would try and trust the man, and she intended to keep that promise. Shining cared about her wellbeing after all.

Sunset felt the hot water run over her and she cooed in delight as she ran her hands through her thick red hair massaging the shampoo into her scalp. It was somewhat nostalgic to shower in her old apartment, and it was accompanied by a feeling of safety. No one would think to find her here.

She had gotten lucky, the scrape that Rarity and she had been through could have killed her, but she managed to come out without a scratch, Rarity, on the other hand, would likely have a scar from their encounter. Her mood dipped as she realized that. Rarity got hurt on her watch, and while she was still very much alive, Sunset had almost failed to protect her friends again. She couldn’t have that, she needed to rest up, to regain her strength so she could defeat Ghost once and for all.

Defeat.

Her mind rested on that word. What would that entail? Ghost certainly didn’t seem to be the type that would stop just because she got a thrashing, but did that mean she had to kill her if she wanted her to stop? Sure she could get Shining to arrest her, but how would he cover up all the stuff about magic? It would surely lead to some odd questions in her direction later. She narrowed her eyes as she contemplated the matter.

She could allow Shining to kill her, he was a police officer, after all, he likely had killed suspects before, it was part of his job after all. Shining had more training doing it than Sunset ever could, right?

You could just kill her yourself.

Sunset growled at the voice and shook her head dismissing it. She didn’t even want to humor it with an answer. Whatever was to happen with Ghost, she would figure that part out later, she knew she had to avoid killing her though unless it absolutely came down to no other choice.

Why resist? Ghost killed Shimmer, what’s wrong with killing her in return? You’d be doing the world a favor, removing a murderer…

Unable to contain herself any longer, Sunset shook her head and spoke an answer as she turned off the shower. “Enough, I’m not doing it!”

Sunset stepped out of the steamy shower and wrapped a towel around her form before making her way to the bedroom. She quickly ran the towel over her body to dry herself off and rubbed her hair violently with it, knowing it would likely still be wet for hours.

What is Shining going to do? He can’t just put a bullet in her, the police have rules they have to follow, rules that restrict them from justice…

“Shining can catch her…” Sunset replied as she slipped a pair of panties up her legs and over her private area. She adjusted them around her buttocks and snatched a bra from the wardrobe in the room that she began to snap on. She decided to go with black for both of them.

Even if he catches her, what can he do? Soon the police will come poking around you, Ghost can speak of magic and soon there will be an investigation your way, before you know it you’ll be an experiment by these humans you trust so much… Face it, you’re scared, you know that you have to kill Ghost before Shining catches her. Humans can’t be trusted, you know that… A human killed Shimmer, and humans will kill you too if you give them the opportunity…

Sighing, Sunset slipped a pair of jeans up her legs and reached down to pull her boots that she had come into the apartment with over her pant legs. “Humans haven’t caused me as much trouble as Equestrians have… Humans befriended me and treated me as an equal…”

Humans are always after their own ambitions. Your so-called friends have gained power and magic by being around you, who is to say their desires aren’t motivated by more power?

Sunset hissed and punched the wardrobe. “Shut up! Stop talking! I don’t want to hear anything you have to say anymore! Just shut the hell up!”

You fear the truth…

“SHUT UP!” Sunset hissed as she threw a black V-neck T-shirt over herself and turned in the room looking for the source of the voice. “WHERE ARE YOU!?”

I’m right here…

“WHERE IS HERE!? SHOW YOURSELF!”

Look in the mirror.

Blinking, Sunset turned to the only mirror in the room sitting atop of a small vanity she had placed in the room. Staring back at her was a familiar face, one she knew all too well, one she had hoped to forget, but no matter how often she tried, still haunted her.

Eyes black as night with shining green irises stared back at her, snarling sharp fangs, skin red and leathery, pointed ears and fingers to match. The demon that she had become at one point, the demon still inside of her somewhere, at one point buried deep, but here it was clawing at the surface ready to get out. Ready to take control again when the moment was right.

Sunset found herself unable to breathe, she was frozen in place, she couldn’t make her body move. “Y-you…” She managed to get out.

“Yes… Me…” The reflection spoke. “Correction… Us…”

“No! You’re not me!” Sunset replied, swiping her hand dismissively.

“You keep telling yourself that, and yet here we are… You crave strength, you crave power, you crave the fortitude you need to avenge Shimmer… I am here because you lack what it takes, I am here to help you avenge her…” The demon spoke.

Sunset paused and blinked as she stood there. She did remember how strong she felt when she transformed into that form before, she felt like she could do anything, and there was no telling to what lengths Ghost would go.

Am I truly considering this? Sunset asked herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock at the door. She reacted instantly and ran away from the conversation she was having with the reflection and headed toward the door. Shuffling to the counter of the kitchen, she retrieved the gun she had examined earlier and pointed it at the door as she began to approach it slowly with the weapon extended forward.

Carefully she made step after step toward the entrance, ready to let off an entire clip of rounds at whoever entered. She could hear the lock begin to rattle, the sound of someone attempting to pick the lock. Sunset took a breath and steadied herself.

She took another careful step forward now only inches from the door ready to peak through the peephole to see who was on the other side.

As she leaned in the door burst open with a mighty kick by the person on the other side. The door broke off its hinges and whacked Sunset directly in the face. She fell backward with the door atop of her only for the intruder to leap forward and push the door off of her.

There standing over her in a threatening pose with balled fists was the ominous form of Ghost, gas mask and all. She stood with great confidence as Sunset shuffled backward and pulled herself to a stand aiming her gun.

Ghost rushed forward and swatted the weapon out of Sunset’s hand and chuckled as Sunset took a few steps back with her hands raised in a fighting stance, ready to counter-attack at Ghost’s next move.

The distorted voice of the masked woman filled the room as she spoke. “Guns take the thrill of the kill away wouldn’t you say? Such an impersonal way of ending your prey… I prefer to savor the taste, savor the feeling, not that I’d expect you to understand…”

Ghost took a swing only for Sunset to move out of the way just in time to avoid the hit. Ghost decided to take a fighting stance of her own as she and Sunset stared each other down. “What do you want? Why are you trying to kill me? Why did you kill Shimmer?” Sunset asked.

“You’re not in a position to force answers out of me, it would benefit you to take your opponent down or demonstrate that you have the upper hand before you start making demands…” Ghost laughed as she stood her ground.

Sunset growled in annoyance.

“Why not just give up? I’ll kill you a little quicker if you do…” Ghost said.

“I don’t listen to people in masks.” Sunset smirked as she lunged forward to make an attack. Ghost, however, proved too quick and ducked, jabbing Sunset in the gut, causing her to fall back and grip her stomach.

“Your kind are all the same… Worthless… You don’t know when to give up…” Ghost shook her head as she casually stepped forward.

In an effort to keep the distance between the two of them, Sunset raised her hand and made a wall of flame emerge between the two, blocking Ghost from getting to her, but also blocking herself from the exit to get away. At the very least it bought her some time.

Ghost stood in front of the flames and looked about to admire them. “Ah… Magic… Your ace in the hole so to speak…” She began as she stood there staring Sunset down. “A very unique and powerful ability in the hands of one who knows how to use it…”

With a chuckle, Ghost pushed her open hand through the flames and water materialized out of nowhere and splashed Sunset. The water put the entire wall of flames out and soaked Sunset. As she rubbed the water out of her eyes, Ghost leaped forward and gripped Sunset’s neck, lifting her from the floor. “However…” Ghost gripped tighter causing Sunset to squirm and wiggle, attempting to break free in any way she could. “In the hands of a novice, it’s useless…”

With those words, electricity shot up Ghost’s arm and before Sunset could even react her entire body felt like it was on fire. Pain pulsed through everything, all of her nerve endings screamed in agony as she felt the electricity shoot through her. She twitched and shook violently trying to make the pain stop or break free of Ghost’s grip.

With enough kicking and squirming, Ghost eventually dropped her and chuckled. “What a weakling… Magic is wasted on a being like you…”

Sunset panted heavily as she tried to crawl away, Ghost merely stood there laughing as she witnessed Sunset’s helplessness. “There was a time where I was as pathetic as you… a time where I had to sit there and watch as I was powerless to do anything to stop something from happening…”

Reaching the windowsill, Sunset pulled herself to a stand and managed to catch her breath. “Okay… Who are you? How are you able to do magic?”

Ghost stood still as she replied. “Jealous? My abilities far exceed anything you could ever understand, magic comes far more naturally to me than someone like you…”

“As far as I know magic is only supposed to manifest in those with strong ties to Equestria or under very unique circumstances…” Sunset lectured.

“My circumstances…” Ghost paused and then tilted her head upward. “Are very unique.”

Sunset weighed out her options, she needed to get away somehow. It was clear that her one true advantage was now lost. If Ghost had magic, and worse a better handle on it than Sunset, then she knew she had no chance of winning this fight.

Her mind turned now to the window she was standing in front of. Quickly Sunset raised another wall of fire, knowing it wouldn’t stop Ghost, but halt her for long enough.

When Ghost conjured her water spell to extinguish the flames, Sunset leaped through the window, shattering it as she made it to the fire escape outside. With haste, she quickly descended the stairs and raced to the bottom before Ghost even knew what was happening.

Seconds after realizing that Sunset had made an exit, Ghost poked her head out the window to see Sunset at the bottom of the stairs. She hissed in annoyance as she reached into her jacket and retrieved a pistol. Ghost open fired in Sunset’s direction but missed all three shots taken as Sunset made her way back to the front of the building.

Ghost growled and punched a wall as she realized that Sunset was going to get away. “You are like a cockroach that just refuses to die…” Ghost complained.

Composing herself, Ghost reached into her jacket and retrieved a phone. She noticed a text message was waiting for her.

Hey boss, you’ll want to see this.

Texting in one hand and driving with the other, Sunset tried to keep her attention mostly on the road as she sped down the street. She was trying to send a message out to Rarity to gather their friends as a specific address. If Ghost knew where Sunset’s old apartment was, there was little doubt in her mind that she knew where Sunset’s friends lived and she didn’t seem to be the type that was above using them as bait to lure Sunset out. She needed them all gathered somewhere safe so she could plan her next move.

Sending the message out to Rarity, Sunset sighed in relief as she continued closer and closer to her newest safe house. During her time searching for answers to Shimmer’s murder she knew the possibility of danger was there, and the longer she continued her investigation the more paranoid of danger she had become, thus prompting her to set up several safety measures to protect herself and her friends if needed.

She pulled her car up to a storage shed complex and got out in front of one of the lockers. Stepping over to the keypad she punched in her four-digit code: 8844. The shed opened and revealed itself to be empty. Nodding, Sunset ran back to her car and carefully drove it inside. Once she was in, she closed the shed with the car inside and stood outside as she watched Applejack’s truck pull up.

In the back of the truck, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sat while Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie rode in the front. Sunset stepped up to another storage shed and punched in another combination revealing another empty shed. She gestured for Applejack to park inside. Rainbow and Fluttershy climbed out of the back and Applejack turned the truck around and backed it into the shed before Rarity, Pinkie and herself exited.

Once the vehicle was secure, Sunset closed the shed and sighed. She looked at the group and gestured them to follow her.

All of them caught up and walked alongside her as she approached yet another shed and began to tap away at the keypad.

“What’s going on, Sunset?” Rainbow finally asked the question that everyone there was wondering.

“It’s a long story, I’ll explain inside…” Sunset answered.

“How many of these storage sheds do you own…?” Fluttershy asked.

“I rented out the whole lot… Just in case…” Sunset replied as she finished entering the combination.

“Just in case of what…?” Rarity blinked as the shed opened revealing a small living quarters inside, a bed, shelves of food, a heater in the corner, and a desk with a working computer. There was a small couch on the other side of the room and the walls were outfitted with hooks where eight firearms were hanging.

Gulping, Fluttershy stepped inside followed by the others. “W-what is this place?” She asked.

“A safe house that I made some time ago…” Sunset stated as she shut the door behind them.

The room was poorly lit, but there was enough light to see. Rarity gently walked up to the computer and placed a hand on the desk feeling the dust. “You must have set this up some time ago…?”

With a nod, Sunset sat down in the chair in front of the computer before logging in. “Yeah, in case something like what happened at my house happened…”

“What happened at her house?” Applejack raised a brow.

“Oh… It’s…” Rarity paused, unsure of how to word it without Applejack getting upset.

“It’s under control…” Sunset finished Rarity’s sentence for her.

“What happened!?” Applejack demanded.

Rarity whimpered and looked away. “It’s… Just a scratch, alright?” Rarity stated.

Applejack blinked and stepped forward, gripping Rarity’s arm she lifted her sleeve to reveal the bandage there. “What the hell…?”

“It’s fine, Sunset took care of it, I will be fine…” Rarity pulled her arm free of Applejack’s grip.

“Sunset, what the hell is goin’ on!? Rarity getting’ hurt because of you? ‘Ah ain’t a fan, so tell us why we’re here…” Applejack demanded, crossing her arms as she did so.

With a sigh, Sunset swiveled in her chair and faced the group. “Well… it’s like this… I have been chasing down the person who killed Shimmer. I’ve pinpointed it to this girl who goes by the name of Ghost…”

“Ghost? Sounds spooky…” Pinkie suggested.

“Yeah well, it turns out this Ghost girl… She’s… Pretty strong and capable of powerful magic…” Sunset frowned.

“How can she do magic? I thought only Equestrians and like certain humans can do magic?” Rainbow asked.

Sunset shrugged. “Dunno, what I do know is she wants me dead, and she will stop at nothing to do it. She’s already tried to kill me a few times, but fortunately for me… I’m resourceful, resourceful enough to avoid getting caught anyway… Though I am sorry about your arm, Rarity. It won’t happen again, not on my watch…”

“So what happened to her arm?” Applejack grumbled.

“Ghost sent her goons to my place, they were opening fire on us, Rarity got grazed in the arm… Again… I’m sorry…” Sunset frowned.

“WHAT!?” Applejack yelled only for Rarity to grip the woman’s hips and look up to her eyes.

“Darling, I’m alright, I promise… It wasn’tSunset’s fault, she was trying to protect me…”

Applejack groaned and composed herself. “Still… This wouldn’t have happened if y’all just went to the police…”

“I understand that I promised Shining I would tell him everything today, but then this happened… Now I have to find a safe way to meet him in person so we can discuss it… Until then… I want everyone to stay here…” Sunset instructed.

“What? No way!” Rainbow growled.

“As long as Ghost is out there she could try to kill all of you to get to me. So until we stop her, if any of you are out of my sight, you’re in this room, got-“ Sunset paused as she looked at all of her friends.

She began to count them standing there and blinked as she only counted five. She did a recount and came to the same conclusion. “Uh… Where is Twilight…?”

The group shrugged. “I texted her to meet us at this place, but she never responded,” Rainbow said.

“Shit!” Sunset growled.

Twilight stepped out of her father’s car as she looked down to the address she had saved in her phone. She was certain this was the place, but from the outside, it didn’t exactly appear as though much was going on at the old rundown building. There didn’t appear to be any lights on or human activity inside.

Shrugging she kept low and pulled the hood of her hoodie up to conceal herself as she snuck around to the backside of the building. Regardless of how the place looked, she wasn’t about to be foolish enough to actually go in from the front and risk being seen. She had one goal in mind, to get a photo of this “Ghost” and bring it back to Shining, maybe seeing their face would make them easier to hunt down.

When she made it to the back entrance she carefully poked her head up to peak in the window on the door. Inside she could see the place was completely empty, shy of eight old barrels just sitting out in the open and a few old machines that looked like they hadn’t been turned on in years. Twilight reached for the door and unexpectedly, it was unlocked. She opened it and slipped inside, still keeping her head down as she crept behind a machine and peaked around the corner to see if anyone was there.

After a few takes, she realized the entire place was deserted. Blinking she came to a stand and walked out into the open, wondering if Shining’s intel was wrong.

A few steps later she felt an object under her foot that caused her to look down and lift her shoe. There on the ground was what appeared to be the casing to a bullet laying there, a few of them actually. Blinking she knelt down and picked it up between her fingers and examined it. It definitely seemed newer than everything else in the building, so it had to be recent. Could there have been some kind of shootout here?

Twilight blinked as a hand landed on her shoulder. She froze and felt a cold sweat down her neck. She didn’t even want to look up to see the face of the person who had placed their hand on her shoulder, but she could feel them squeeze gently as a deep male voice spoke. “Well hello, little girl…”

Gulping Twilight remained still as she felt an object poke the back of her head. “Stand up, and move where I tell you, or you die, understand?”

Twilight only nodded as she slowly came to a stand with her hands raised. It didn’t take long for her to discern that the object being pointed at her was a gun.

With a grunt, her captor tapped her back with the weapon and she began to move forward with him. She hadn’t a clue where he snuck up on her from but surmised he must have been patrolling another part of the building that she didn’t see when she entered and thus noticed her while she was occupied examining the bullet casings, which she could guess now where they may have come from.

“Where are we going?” Twilight asked.

“Shut the fuck up!” He hissed as he jabbed her with his gun. Twilight yelped and stumbled but continued to follow as he led the two down a staircase into the basement of the facility. Twilight gulped as the two came to a door at the very bottom of the stairs. “Open it,” her captor instructed.

Nodding, Twilight twisted the nod and gently pushed the door open. With another poke of the firearm behind her, she took a few steps in to see a group of men gathered around a table in a rather large room. There was a tremendous amount of open space in this large room for such a tiny amount of people, but Twilight guessed that this may be the place where they usually held larger meetings.

There at the end of the table Twilight could see a figure standing with her gloved hands placed on the table. Her body was covered in a tight body suit, and an open trench coat covered her form. Atop of her head though was some kind of hooded gas mask that concealed her entire head.

“Twilight Sparkle…” Their distorted voice filled the air, “how nice of you to join us…”

Author's Note

The original version actually was like 2,000 words longer, but I cut some of it because the chapter was dragging. I left in only the important bits now.

Act III - Chapter XXXIX: Reveal

Chapter XXXIX: Reveal

Rarity and Fluttershy sat atop of the back of the couch in the cramped storage locker with Rarity painting Fluttershy’s nails to pass the time. Applejack and Rainbow had opted to play cards with Pinkie Pie who seemed to be completely decimating the two at the game with almost impossible luck. Her ability to win at games always amazed the group and they often blamed it on her being some kind of idiot savant with unnatural powers.

Sunset stared at her computer screen going over her notes as she frustratingly continued to send periodic text messages to Twilight to try and find her whereabouts. She began to fear the worst but tried to keep a level head despite all of that. She knew that Twilight was resourceful enough to get out of most situations, but Ghost clearly had demonstrated that she was ruthless enough to take it far enough to kill Twilight if necessary. Sunset wanted to avoid that situation, but she knew that if Ghost harmed Twilight she would not be able to control what she’d do to Ghost the next time she saw her.

She had gone over her notes on Ghost multiple times hoping for some kind of hint as to what happened to Twilight.

“I’m sure Twilight is fine, darling…” Rarity spoke from the couch. “She’s probably on her way here right now…” Rarity suggested.

Sunset shook her head. “No, I can feel it… Something is wrong, she’d have called or something by now…”

“Maybe she is on the road so she can’t answer, you know Twilight, she doesn’t text and drive,” Fluttershy reminded. It was true, Twilight was always one for following all the rules and laws to a T.

Preparing to reply, Sunset opened her mouth until she heard a tone from her phone that signified she had just received a text message. Blinking she looked down at the device and scooped it up in her hand to read it.

Sunset, meet me at the steel factory on Angel Street.

Looking down at the number, Sunset could see it wasn’t Twilight’s number. A cold sweat ran down her neck as she considered who it might actually be.

“Who is it?” Applejack asked.

“I think… It’s Ghost…” Sunset replied.

The entire group fell silent and all eyes moved over to Sunset. Rainbow was the one who broke the silence, “what’s it say?”

“She wants me to meet her…” Sunset said.

“Is she stupid? Why would she think you’d walk into such an obvious trap?” Pinkie asked with her head tilted.

Sunset sighed and closed her eyes as she felt her phone vibrate. She didn’t want to open them, she didn’t want to see the message and she didn’t want to know who was calling, but she knew that trying to avoid it wouldn’t change it. Opening her eyes, she quickly saw the answer to Pinkie’s question.

If you don’t show up, Twilight Sparkle dies. The choice is yours.

“FUCK! SHE HAS TWILIGHT!” Sunset growled as she snatched her car keys from the table and raced to the door only to be stopped by Applejack and Rainbow combined.

“Whoa there, partner. Y’all are not goin’ out there alone, we are goin’ with ya’,” Applejack asserted as she crossed her arms defensively.

“Applejack, I don’t have time to argue this, more of us going makes it easier to take us out, I can slip in and get Twilight out much easier by myself than with a group,” Sunset explained.

“Don’t think so…” Applejack shook her head.

“Applejack just fucking listen to me! I trained for this! I pushed myself to my limits to be able to do this, and I am not going to let Twilight or anyone else die because of me, now get the fuck out of my way!” Sunset growled as she shoved Applejack and Rainbow aside, making her way outside and into the storage locker that housed her car. After opening it and hopping into the car she sped off faster than Applejack could assemble the others to get to her truck, only realizing seconds after the entire group was outside that Sunset never gave them the keypad combination.

“Shit!” Rainbow cursed as she kicked the door to the steel wall that prevented them from getting to Applejack’s truck.

“Applejack could break the door down?” Pinkie suggested.

Rarity shook her head. “Pointless at this point, Sunset didn’t tell us where she is going and she has already sped off, the chances of finding her are low now…”

“Damn that girl…” Applejack sighed.

Stretching, Moondancer adjusted her jacket and zipped it up. The temperature outside had reached a low of 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and given how easily Moondancer became ill, she wasn’t taking any chances. Reaching down to her feet, she adjusted the leg warmers she had put on and then peered at herself in the mirror.

It was odd to see such a determined woman looking back at her. For a brief moment she could have sworn she saw Shimmer’s bodily form behind him, placing a hand on her shoulder, or perhaps that was only what she wanted to see.

Stuffing a laptop into a bag she zipped it up and slumped it over her shoulder. She knew it was time, she had to act soon, and it would take some time to set her plan into motion. She knew that time was of the essence, if she didn’t move now she’d miss her opportunity. Everything was lining up, Sunset was getting on Ghost’s trail and that meant that her role would come into play very soon, she needed to give Sunset every advantage she could.

Moondancer sighed as she remembered that unlike Sunset and her friends, she couldn’t do magic which meant she would be useless in a magical confrontation, but she could at least even the odds for Shimmer’s friends.

Opening her bedroom door she walked quietly down the hall only for her mother to call out her name.

“Going somewhere, sweetie?” The soothing voice of her mother echoed in Moondancer's ears.

Moondancer paused and took a breath as she turned to her mother with a false smile. “Oh, I’m just going out for a bit, have some stuff to take care of…”

Her mother nodded and placed the book she was reading down, her middle-aged face filled with genuine happiness as she spoke. Since they moved there, Moondancer could have sworn her mother looked just a little bit younger, like years had been lifted off of her face.

“Will you be home tonight?” She asked.

Moondancer shook her head. “I’m going to spend some time with my old friends… I figured… It was time to start going out again and seeing people ever since…” She paused and looked down, not wanting to say it out loud.

Her mother’s smile didn’t seem to fade as she came to a stand and walked casually over to the girl. She placed a finger under Moondancer’s chin and made her look up to see her. Her mother’s face was filled with warmth, the kind of warmth that made a girl feel soothed and able to move forward another day.

“I know it’s been hard on you… I could tell you loved her…” Moondancer’s mother said.

Moondancer nodded in agreement. “S-she… said we would have gotten married…”

Her mother nodded back and giggled. “You’d have made a great wife to her, I know that.”

“Thanks, mom…” Moondancer finally allowed a smile break through her demeanor.

"I think you're very brave to have the strength to move foward..." Her mother complimented.

Moondancer blushed and looked away awkwardly.

“Go have fun with your friends, call me when you’re coming home though, alright?” Her mother winked.

“Sure thing, mom.” Moondancer chuckled as her mother turned to leave the room. Moondancer watched slowly as her mother left before deciding it was time to leave herself, she had a bus to catch and much to do.

Opening the door to her apartment and stepping out into the world, she knew that now was the moment of truth for her. By the end of this day, she knew that either Sunset or Ghost would be the victor, and Moondancer hoped to influence which one that was.

Twilight stood before the hooded figure that referred to themselves as Ghost with her arms at her sides, stiff as could be. She didn’t dare move unless told to. Behind her, one of Ghost’s henchmen continued to hold his gun to her back and four other large men stared her down as Ghost stood with her arms crossed.

The tension in the room was overwhelming at Twilight felt the sweat run down her neck. She didn’t know what to expect, or what Ghost was capable of, but the masked woman’s next move surprised her.

“Leave us,” Ghost instructed with the wave of her hand.

All of the men obliged and nodded, even the one behind Twilight who lowered his gun and left with the others, shutting and locking the door behind them.

Once all of them were gone, Ghost and Twilight stood alone in silence.

Ghost tilted her head and decided to be the one to break the silence. “So… You must be Sunset’s squeeze. You’ll make a fine hostage for sure…”

“You’re going to kill me though, aren’t you?” Twilight asked, trying to keep calm.

Ghost nodded. “Yes, once I lure Sunset here, I have no reason to keep you alive. Don’t worry though, I don’t intend on killing you before her, so you at least have until Sunset is dead to make your peace with the world…”

“How generous of you…” Twilight replied snarkily.

Ghost turned and stretched, seeming quite bored of the situation. “Truthfully… You’re not the Twilight I would rather see dead, but you’ll have to do for now… Until I can get back to Equestria and find the Princess…”

Those words caused a spark in Twilight’s brain. “So… You’re Equestrian then?”

“Perceptive. Yes, I am,” Ghost answered plainly.

Twilight was starting to piece it all together, but she wasn’t quite there yet. It was beginning to make some sense, but she needed more information. She kept still and continued her questioning while Ghost felt generous enough to give answers.

“So why are you doing all of this?” Twilight asked.

Ghost let out a chuckle and began pacing the room, looking at the floor as she did, clearly confident that Twilight wasn’t going to try and make an escape on her watch. “I don’t expect a mortal to comprehend my motives… I have been alive for millennia, experienced much, and seen incredible things in my time. I was alive when Celestia took the throne in Equestria, and I was alive when the three tribes unified…”

There was a short pause before Ghost continued. “Mortals… Mortals like yourself are… Deplorable creatures…”

“What’s your point? You haven’t answered my question; or are you just doing this because you just hate mortals?” Twilight’s expression grew more serious.

The girl laughed and shook her head. “No… I just… I wanted something back… That’s all… My plan was so simple… So easy… Unfortunately, there has been a change of plans and now I am going to plan B…”

“What’s plan B?” Twilight raised a brow.

The woman stopped her pacing and faced Twilight. She reached her hands up and gripped the mask upon her face. Slowly, she lifted it and pulled it off entirely, tossing it to the side.

Underneath was the face of a young woman, looking no older than Twilight herself. Gentle soft looking skin, flawless and immaculate, a sharp nose and piercing raspberry eyes stared Twilight down. The young woman had perhaps the most deadly gaze Twilight had ever witnessed. They had an unnatural allure to them, a feeling of being unable to look away. Decorated so perfectly with mascara, her eyes were almost as flawless as her face.

Combined with the attractive curves of her body, it was safe to say she was a seductive creature that could make even the toughest of men bend over backward for her.

Her neck sported a choker with a shining red gem upon it, glowing ever so slightly in the poor light of the room.

Atop of her head was a mess of vivid orange hair, cut at neck length, but wild and full. She had it tied back, but it looked like keeping such wild hair under control was far from easy.

The woman flicked her head and her gorgeous hair flowed with the movement of her head attractively as she stuffed her hands in her pockets.

“W-who are you…?” Twilight asked.

“It was the other Twilight that defeated me almost two years ago now with Sunset's help. So much has changed between now and then, but I don’t exactly have a lot of time to explain right now, I am expecting your friend Sunset very soon…” She said as she gripped Twilight’s face in her powerful hand. She held the girl’s cheeks tightly and spoke again. “My name is Adagio, Adagio Dazzle… As for what I am… I am a siren…”

Sitting on the bus, Moondancer stared at a photo on her phone. She had gotten a new phone since her time with Shimmer, but she had transferred all the photographs from it to her new phone. One photo in particular still caught her eye, and that was the photo that Shimmer had insisted on being taken to use as her contact photo on Moondancer’s phone.

It was hard to believe that it was months ago that Shimmer had been murdered and that that photograph was the last one taken of the girl by Moondancer, possibly ever. It pained Moondancer to know that they didn’t take any photos together, then again she didn’t know their time together would be so short.

The girl in the photo had a happy smile, a person that seemed to radiate joy, though anyone who knew her knew that wasn’t always the case. Shimmer had only become a happy person relatively recently, but that happiness was cut short.

She had such a photogenic face, very adorable and soft features, a proper feminine girl with a strong presence. She was the type of girl who turned heads anywhere she went, and she knew it. In Moondancer’s eyes she was almost like a forbidden fruit, a girl way too pretty to be talking to such a plain thing like her, a girl she had no business being with let alone intimate with. Still, she treasured those few memories she had.

Shimmer’s outfit that she wore the day they exchanged numbers after the run in at the bookstore could only be described as perfect for her. Her fashion sense was always so spot on.

Moondancer recalled when she attended the reading of Shimmer’s will where the girl had said she intended to marry her, it made her close her eyes and allow silent tears to stream down her face as she gripped the bag on her lap tighter with her other hand.

A man looked over her shoulder and smiled at the photo. “She’s pretty,” he commented.

Moondancer nodded as she locked her phone and stuffed it into her pocket. “She was…” She replied.

The remainder of the ride was silent, and Moondancer looked up when her stop came. She hopped off the bus and looked toward an abandoned steel factory on Angel Street. She checked her watch and noted the time was 5:08 PM. She took notice of a Mercedes pulling up to the building with a smirk on her face. “Guess the show is about to start, Adagio.”

A Few Weeks Ago

Moondancer had stolen a page from Sunset’s book quite literally. The magic item was used to communicate between the world of Equestria and their world and Moondancer knew if she wanted answers she was going to have to talk to the one they referred to as “Princess Twilight.”

She had little understanding of magic or how it worked, but she knew that the book was the link between the worlds. She had guessed that a single page would still work even removed from the book and guessed correctly. To her good fortune, the pages seemed to operate even separated from the book, this must have meant that the entire item was enchanted and not just the binding. Had she not been focused on her current work she would have found it fascinating.

It had been months since Shimmer had died, and Moondancer was investigating virtually anything and everything connected to both Shimmer and Sunset to try and find the answer to who killed her and why. She had however hit a few snags when it came to some of the events that happened at Canterlot High since Sunset’s arrival. Most of the students she talked to remained fairly tight-lipped, and Moondancer didn’t want to have to endure the awkwardness of asking Sunset directly about most of it.

She swiped the page when Sunset was at school after she foolishly left her car unlocked, a mistake that Moondancer almost felt like scolding her for when there was a murderer on the loose, but decided to leave it alone.

Moondancer had used the page to contact the Princess and after receiving correspondence the two agreed to meet directly in front of the portal that sat in front of Canterlot High at 8:00 PM. By meeting after hours they ensured that no one would bother them.

Checking her watch for perhaps the eighth time, Moondancer was growing impatient as the approached when the two were supposed to meet. She had been standing there for a good twenty minutes as the clock hit 7:58 PM.

No sooner than when the minute slot on her watch switched from fifty-seven to fifty-eight did the portal begin to show ripples and only a few seconds later a girl resembling Sunset’s friend Twilight stepped out. It was uncanny how similar the two looked, but this one appeared to sport a slightly different hairstyle that was more well kept and lacked the glasses of her human counterpart. She had a more prim and proper feeling to her.

More noticeably than that, this Twilight seemed to emit more presence than the human one. She stood with conviction, determination, and composure. The aura of a woman full of wisdom radiated from the girl, and Moondancer surmised that it fit her, given how much more worldly experience she held over the other Twilight.

With some grace, she ran a hand through her long silky hair and flicked it aside as she adjusted herself and offered her hand.

“Moondancer, I presume?” She asked.

Moondancer nodded and reached down to take the girl’s hand. She noted how stern her grip was, how confidence seemed to ooze from her.

“Correct…” Moondancer stated as she let go of the handshake and adjusted her glasses.

“You look similar to the Moondancer from my world, but with a better fashion sense…” She smirked, clearly trying to make a joke, though Moondancer couldn’t tell if it was intended as an ironic one or not.

“What’s the Moondancer of your world like?” She asked.

Twilight shrugged. “Eh, a bookworm like me, but to a greater extreme… She forgets to eat a lot, and if you want to hang out with her you basically have to do all the world setting it up… But she’s quirky.”

Moondancer nodded in response. “Sounds a lot like me, or at least how I was before Shimmer showed up…”

“Well it’s good you were inspired to take better care of yourself regardless of the reason.” Twilight grinned.

Shrugging, Moondancer quickly changed the subject, “so, I called you here because I had some questions…”

The Princess blinked and kept her carefree demeanor as she responded. “What kind of questions?”

“I’ve been investigating Shimmer’s murder and I’ve hit a roadblock, I was hoping you could tell me about the Battle of the Bands back at Canterlot High…” Moondancer crossed her arms.

Twilight raised a hand to her lip in shock. “Do you believe the two events are related?”

“Maybe, maybe not. I haven’t figured it out yet, I’m just gathering information, hoping to find some kind of connection. Whatever is going on clearly has a possible link to Sunset Shimmer, so I want to gather as much information about her as I can…” Moondancer stated.

Princess Twilight nodded and stepped forward. She came to a step in front of the school and sat down as she prepared for a long story. “The school was being controlled by a group of sirens…” Twilight began.

“Sirens? What’s a siren?” Moondancer tilted her head.

Twilight smiled and patted the spot next to her, inviting Moondancer to take a seat. Obliging, Moondancer rested next to Twilight and kept her eyes locked on the girl as she told her tale.

“A magical beast from Equestria… In your world, they took the shape of three human teenagers… They are capable of very powerful magic and controlling others with their voice… Legends say when a siren is strong enough they don’t even need to sing to control a person… However, no one has seen a siren that strong for thousands of years…” Twilight explained.

Moondancer was intrigued. “And three of them made it to this world? How is that?”

“Starswirl the Bearded, a gifted mage sent them here in the past… His magic was new and experimental, so they ended up being sent to your world thousands of years in the future, arriving sometime shortly after Sunset arrived. They lived in secret until about two years ago when they made their plight to try and steal the magic from Sunset and her friends…” Twilight continued.

Moondancer leaned down and rested her hands on her knees as she stared at the ground, trying to take all of this in. “So, how did you defeat them?”

“We destroyed their amulets… The source of their power. Sirens have to channel their magic through an amulet that they are given sometime after they are born… I’m not exactly sure about the specifics as their culture is very old and mysterious… In ancient times they were more abundant but now they are exceptionally rare… The only sirens left are old ones, very old. They can live virtually forever so long as they have a power source,” Twilight spoke as if she were reading some kind of bedtime story, a twinkle in her eyes as she recalled the pages of books she had read on the subject many moons ago.

“What were their names?” Moondancer asked.

“Adagio Dazzle, Sonata Dusk and Aria Blaze…” Twilight answered.

Moondancer nodded and came to a stand. “Is there any way I can contact you again if I need to?”

The Princess smirked and came to a stand as well, reaching into the bag she had with her. “I thought you’d ask that, so I came prepared…”

“Your reputation precedes you.” Moondancer giggled.

“Naturally,” Twilight replied before offering a book to Moondancer.

Taking it in her hand, Moondancer looked down to the item. It radiated a powerful force, she could almost smell the magical aura it gave off.

“It’s just like Sunset’s, if you write in it I will get your message. We’ll stay in touch.” Twilight winked.

Tucking the book under her arm, Moondancer nodded. “I think this may become my favorite book very quickly.”

Moondancer made her way around the building, making sure not to be seen as she came around to an old security office. With her head down she peeked inside to see one guard standing watch. His expression was troubling, emotionless, tireless as if he was in some kind of trance. It all made sense though, Adagio could control people with her power, that was why all her subordinates were so obedient; they had no choice but to obey. Adagio could be confident that they would never betray her.

Taking a breath, Moondancer realized she would only have one chance and if she messed it up, he would definitely warn the others. With her exhale, she bolted into the room and took the guard by surprise, quickly retrieving a taser from her pocket and jabbing it into the man.

He convulsed in pain and fell over. Quickly, Moondancer removed her bag and pulled out some duct tape she had brought for the occasion. While he was stunned, she began to strap the tape around him generously until she was certain he couldn’t move. One final measure, she covered his mouth and sighed. “That was close…” She admitted aloud.

Looking at the security terminal, she picked her bag up and retrieved her laptop.

“I think I get it… Adagio… I would never have suspected her before because I didn’t see the connection, but now it makes sense… Her magic is the only thing that could have caused all of this…” Moondancer thought out loud.

She groaned as she closed her eyes. “But the part that I still don’t get… Why kill Shimmer? What did you hope to gain by doing that? What was your objective…?”

Moondancer shook her head as she refocused herself. “Well… I guess I’ll know soon enough… Time to get started…”

Sunset parked her car directly in front of the abandoned factory and hopped out of the car after pulling a spare gun she kept in the glove compartment out. Stuffing the weapon in her waistband she took a breath as she stared down the building. Somewhere inside of this old factory was Ghost, waiting for Sunset to show up so she could strike her down, and worse yet she had Twilight as her hostage. There was little doubt in Sunset’s mind that Ghost had no reason to keep Twilight alive for very long, only long enough to lure Sunset out. It pained her to know she was so predictable, but she couldn’t risk Twilight’s life even a second too long. The reality was that so long as Sunset had people that Ghost could harm, she was at her mercy.

She growled in anger as she heard a familiar voice echo in her mind.

Let’s kill her.

“Stay out of it…” She hissed at the voice.

Why are you carrying that gun if you have no intentions of killing her?

“In case things get out of hand… I want it as a last resort…” Sunset answered.

Admit it, you want to kill her. You’ve wanted it since she put those holes in Shimmer… Your only family in this world and Ghost murdered her… You can’t tell me you don’t want her dead after that.

Sunset balled her hands into fists as she felt herself shaking with anger. “I would like nothing more than to end her, but I’m not about to give into you to do that… I will do this my way… The right way…”

And what will you do? If she lives, it’s not as though you can just hand her over to the police.

“Shut up! That’s enough! I’m doing this my way and that’s that!” Sunset yelled before bolting toward the building at full speed.

She reached for the handle to enter to find it unlocked. Blinking she cautiously entered and looked around, noting that no one was there.

Taking notice of the security cameras positioned in the building, Sunset smirked as she snuck about, staying out of their line of sight.

On the dirty ground, she noted a set of footprints that looks similar to some shoes she knew Twilight owned followed by a much larger pair behind them. She surmised that they lead to wherever Twilight was taken and that the larger pair was the person who took her hostage.

Following the path, Sunset came to a door at the basement level and stood in front of it in thought. She knew the moment she opened the door she would be walking into a trap set by Ghost. However, she had little in the way of options. Thinking it over she stood silently before looking up as a large click was heard. All the lights in the building suddenly went out, casting darkness everywhere.

Sunset grinned. “Perfect.”

With that, she opened the door.

Twilight stood there with Adagio’s hand on her chin, not daring to move an inch in the event that the siren decided she didn’t approve of Twilight attempting to escape. Instead Twilight figured that keeping the woman talking was the better idea.

“Why are you doing this?” Twilight asked.

“It doesn’t concern you,” Adagio replied plainly as she reached into her coat to retrieve a switchblade knife. Wielding the weapon skillfully, Adagio brought it inches from Twilight’s face.

A bead of nervous sweat ran down Twilight’s neck as she gulped and stood perfectly still, her eyes locked on Adagio’s as she tried to look away from the knife. The siren held a very powerful and commanding stare.

“Is killing me necessary for your plan?” Twilight spoke, ignoring that Adagio didn’t bother to answer her first question.

A smirk appeared on the girl’s face. “Not really, but it’ll piss Sunset off, so it’s a bonus for sure…”

“Was that why you killed Shimmer?” Twilight raised a brow.

Growling Adagio released Twilight’s jaw and used the newly freed hand to slap her across the face. A loud thwack rang in the room as Twilight kneeled down from the pain of the impact. Tears welled up in her eyes but she held them back, not wanting to show fear or pain to the siren. Coming back to a stand, she met Adagio’s gaze again.

Fire burned in Adagio’s eyes. “That’s none of your fucking business.”

“Forgive me, I don’t know much about sirens, so I’m trying to understand your motivation here…” Twilight stated as she adjusted her glasses that had almost flown off her face from the slap.

Adagio rolled her eyes and gripped Twilight’s face tightly again, slowly backing her up into a wall as she took the other hand with the blade and stuck it into Twilight’s mouth, touching the inside of her cheek with the steel edge. “We sirens can live a very long time… Forever if we have the proper sustenance, so I have been alive for a good few thousand years… Your friend Sunset however destroyed my amulet, thus leaving me for dead… Without my power, I will age and die just like you humans…” A smile came to Adagio’s face as she held the blade tighter to Twilight’s cheek, ready to slice her mouth open at any moment.

“So you became mortal without your amulet?” Twilight managed to get out despite the blade in her mouth.

“Correct, and if there’s one thing I hate… It’s mortals.” Adagio hissed.

“Why though?” Twilight asked.

Adagio shook her head. “It’s not something you’d understand unless you’ve been through what I have… You, mortals, make me sick, every single one of you. If I had my way I'd put every last one of you down...”

“Is there no way we can talk this out? You don’t have to kill more people…” Twilight attempted to negotiate, but Adagio growled and shut down any attempt at negotiations.

“I’ve answered enough questions, it’s not like the answers you received here will be helpful to you anyway, as you’re going to be dead in a few minutes…” Adagio pointed out.

Before Adagio could act, the lights suddenly went out turning the entire room black. She blinked and turned her head to see if someone had flicked the light switch behind her, but to no avail as it was simply too dark to even see one’s hand in front of their face.

Growling she stood perfectly still and listened. It was only a few seconds later that the lights would return. Adagio turned forward to where Twilight was only to see she was no longer there, but instead, Sunset stood in her place. Trying to take advantage of the element of surprise, Sunset took a swing at Adagio only for the siren to block it and deflect her attack and step backward. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Twilight had retreated to the corner of the room to give the two of them space.

“So… It’s you… Adagio… I have to say, I knew you were trash but I thought you at least were above murder…” Sunset spoke as she kept her fighting stance; her eyes locked on Adagio, matching her step for step as the two moved slowly, looking for an opening on each other.

“Don’t act like you know me, Sunset. More importantly, don’t act like you’re better than me, I bet there is some murderous intent in you too…” Adagio smirked before thrusting forward swinging her blade.

Sunset saw it coming just quick enough to get out of the way and caught her own fall with her hand before springing back up and swinging her leg in an upward half circle, trying to make a connection with Adagio’s face, only for the siren to grip her incoming foot and push. The shove caused Sunset to tumble, but quickly she brought herself upright again.

Adagio sighed and shook her head. “I swear you’re hopeless… You don’t stand a chance against me and yet you clearly want to try and fight anyway?”

“At least I am fighting for the right reasons…” Sunset argued.

Adagio let out a chuckle and pointed behind Sunset. “Unfortunately for you, those reasons are why you’re going to lose this fight and die.”

Sunset turned her head behind herself. Her eyes widened as she realized what Adagio was pointing out. She jerked her head back in Adagio’s direction after she had realized that Adagio had done a complete reversal and now Sunset was on the other side of the room, and Twilight was knelt in a corner behind Adagio now.

Laughing, Adagio approached Twilight and placed a hand atop of Twilight’s head, causing the girl to flinch.

“I’m the one you want! Leave her out of this!” Sunset hissed.

Adagio ran her hand down Twilight’s cheek and seductively ran two fingers down her neck and landed on her chin. “You should worry more about yourself…” With those words Adagio made Twilight look up to her. When the two met eyes, Twilight could see a gentle glow in Adagio’s eyes. “Twilight Sparkle… You are now my slave, do you understand?”

An uncontrollable urge to obey every order the siren gave overtook Twilight. A feeling of pure desire controlled her every move, she would do anything for Adagio, even lay down her life if necessary. Everything she knew suddenly became second priority, appeasing her new master took precedent.

“Y-yes… Master…” Twilight spoke in a monotone voice.

“Don’t listen to her, Twilight!” Sunset shouted.

Sunset’s plea, however, fell on deaf ears.

“Now, do your master a favor…” Adagio’s hand tapped Twilight’s chin, making the girl stand up. “And kill Sunset Shimmer.”

Twilight nodded as Adagio placed the switchblade in Twilight’s hand. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

Nodding again, Twilight took a fighting stance. “Yes, master…”

“Shit! That’s fighting dirty, Adagio! She had nothing to do with this!” Sunset protested, taking a step back.

“Life’s a bitch, isn’t it? Sometimes you have to play unfair if you want to get ahead, after all, the thing we call ‘life’ is rigged against us anyway…” Adagio shrugged before casually walking toward the exit. “I’ll leave you two to it.”

Sunset reached in Adagio’s direction but quickly retracted her hand as she caught sight of Twilight bolting in her direction, swinging her newly brandished blade furiously. Sunset had to focus her attention entirely on Twilight now, unable to do anything to stop Adagio’s escape. Twilight’s swings were mighty and unnatural, far more than what the girl was likely capable of on her own. It was clear that Adagio’s magic had grown strong enough to give her mind slaves a bit of a power boost.

Moving as quickly as she could and dodging swing after swing, Sunset had to think of some kind of plan to get herself out of this situation. Fighting back meant risking injury to Twilight, but not doing so meant she would eventually tire out and be taken down. As much as she hated Adagio at that moment, she couldn’t deny that she clearly knew how to work odds in her favor.

Twilight’s body moved with precision and skill that Sunset knew Twilight didn’t possess naturally. She had seen her friend in gym class and knew that Twilight was not much to behold when it came to athletics.

“Twilight, it’s me!” Sunset yelled as she moved out of the way of yet another swing.

Ignoring the statement, Twilight thrusted the knife forward and managed to jab Sunset in the thigh. “Fuck!” Sunset hissed in pain as she leaped back gripping the new wound. “Twilight, stop! I don’t want to hurt you…”

With a mighty growl, Twilight leaped forward and knocked Sunset down. Climbing on top of her she placed both hands on the blade and thrust down to Sunset’s neck only for Sunset to grip Twilight’s wrists and hold the knife back. Using all her strength to resist, Sunset attempted to get through to Twilight once more. “Twilight! You have to fight it! She’s controlling you!”

Sunset could feel her strength fading as the knife started to inch closer to her neck, she couldn’t hold it back forever.

“Alright, fine… You want to play rough…” Sunset replied with a strained voice.

Quickly kneeing upward, she punted Twilight in her lower region causing her to release the knife in her hand and grip herself as she tried to calm the pain. Shoving Twilight off of her, Sunset took note of the fact that Adagio’s slaves were still susceptible to pain. It bothered her however that she seemed able to control people now without singing.

Twilight recovered from the damage and scooped the knife back up and held it firmly before taking a fighting stance yet again. This time, however, Sunset took an offensive stance and focused herself. “Alright, let’s dance, Twilight…”

Coming forward with her arm, Twilight stabbed toward Sunset only for Sunset to avoid the blade and grip Twilight’s wrist. Pulling down on Twilight’s arm, Sunset made her lean forward and connected a fist into her gut, knocking the wind out of her.

Wheezing, Twilight fell to her knees and tried to catch her breath only for Sunset to swing her foot in a half circle and connect the side of it with Twilight’s cheek. Twilight grunted in agony before toppling over.

Not wasting the opportunity, Sunset climbed on top of Twilight and gripped her forehead in her hand. Sunset’s geode necklace glowed as she focused her power on Twilight, hoping to not only read her thoughts but perhaps influence them.

A pulling sensation overtook Sunset as she felt herself enter Twilight’s mind, a feeling that was still a bit overwhelming to her.

In the mind of her friend, she couldn’t see much, hazy fog everywhere and the whispers of Adagio commanding Twilight inside her own head. Sunset screamed as loud as she could to try and get Twilight’s attention. “Twilight!”

The same pulling sensation that she felt entering, she felt again as she was forced out of Twilight’s head. A shockwave threw Sunset off of Twilight as she landed on her back.

Twilight’s eyes opened as she looked around the room. Seeing Sunset on her back she pulled herself to a stand and rushed to her best friend’s side. “Sunset? Are you alright!? What happened?”

Groaning, Sunset sat up and looked at Twilight, the two friends met eyes and a smile came to Sunset’s face. “You’re back… I’m relieved…”

Twilight tilted her head in confusion. “Did I… Go somewhere?”

Pulled herself up, Sunset stood up and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now, we have to get out of here… Stay close to me and follow my lead, okay?”

Nodding, Twilight had no reason to object. She came close to Sunset as the two made their way to the door. Opening it, Sunset pulled Twilight down so the two would keep low. As she suspected, Adagio wasn’t about to let the two of them leave so easily. Before they knew it the sounds of gunfire began to ring in the air as a group of Adagio’s minions began to open fire in their direction. Sunset focused her energy into her right hand and conjured a fireball.

Peaking up from the stairwell the two were standing on, Sunset hurled the fire over the top and ignited a wall of flame in front of their attackers. Once they were blocked by fire, Sunset pulled Twilight up the stairs with her and made a break for it. The two girls raced off and hid behind one of the many pieces of large machinery in the room. Sunset raised a finger to her lips and hushed Twilight as she peeked around the other side.

The fire had subsided and Adagio’s henchmen were already on the prowl looking for the two. Sunset signaled to Twilight to follow her, causing a nod from her friend. Keeping quiet, Sunset focused on listening for the sound of footsteps, trying to determine the location of the armed men.

Adagio’s voice rang through the air as she scolded her minions. “What do you mean you lost them!? One of them was under my control!”

The voice of a young sounding man answered her. “We’re sorry, master…”

“Don’t apologize! No more games, find them! Bring Sunset to me alive, kill the other one, I don’t care!” Adagio screamed.

Sunset took in a breath and calmed herself as she held onto Twilight’s hand. Taking a chance, Sunset hurled another fireball over the machine they hid behind and made a break for the door. Bullets began to fly in their direction through the newly created wall of fire, but Sunset made the two crouch while they headed back through the door where she entered through. Once outside she could see her car was still there.

“Come on!” Sunset yelled out as she raced to her vehicle with Twilight’s hand in her own, tugging the girl along with her. Opening the car door, she shoved Twilight inside and rolled over the hood of the car to swing into the driver’s side.

Sunset started the engine and pulled out as quickly as she could, looking over her shoulder behind her to check if they were being followed. She let out a sigh as she realized they were safe before looking over to Twilight. “Are you injured?”

Twilight shook her head and looked down to Sunset’s pants which had been stained with blood “What about you? You’re bleeding.”

“Yeah, that’s where you stabbed me, but I should be alright, I can patch that up when we get to the safe house…” Sunset shrugged.

With widened eyes, Twilight coughed. “S-stabbed? Oh crap! I’m sorry!”

“Don’t worry about it, you were under Adagio’s control, I’m not mad at you. Let’s just get back to the others, I’m sure they are worried sick about us, then we can call Shining and tell him what’s happening,” Sunset stated.

Twilight merely nodded in response before leaning back in her seat and relaxing, the worst was behind them… She hoped.

“I can’t believe you morons lost them… Two teenage girls managed to outwit all of you, and you call yourselves criminals?” Adagio scolding a small group of her men as they stood near the open street. Shaking her head, she cracked her knuckles and focused on the operation that two of her minions were performing, placing a sign in the middle of the road to block it.

“Sorry boss…” One of them frowned and looked down.

Lifting her mask back to her head, Adagio shook her head. “I’ll deal with your incompetence later, right now I have to pick up the pieces and fix the mess you all created.”

“Why exactly are we doing this, boss?” Another asked.

Adjusting her mask over her face, Adagio retrieved a gun from her coat as she saw an oncoming school bus halting to a stop when it saw the roadblock. Adagio turned to her men and barked her orders. “Stay here, and back me up when I come out… I don’t need you all fucking this up too…”

They nodded and stood at attention as Adagio stepped onto the school bus. She looked around to see a good dozen or so children staring at her with intrigue. Her odd costume and mask definitely made her a sight to behold. The bus driver raised a brow as Adagio stepped on, prepared to ask what the roadblock was for until his eyes caught a glimpse of the gun in her hand.

Pointing it directly at his head, Adagio spoke through her mask. “So… Who’s ready for a field trip?”

Author's Note

Yup!

You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this reveal! Adagio's appearance was basically being hinted at since Act II. For those who figured it out before this, congrats! For those who didn't... Surprise!

Oh man, when you find out more about her and what she's been up to since we saw her in Rainbow Rocks... I'm sure it'll be equally surprising.

Thanks to Applety for her work as usual, but also thanks to all the people who kept trying to guess who Ghost was! I had a bit of fun teasing you guys, but it was all harmless fun!

Act III - Chapter XL: Ploy

Chapter XL: Ploy

Twilight kept peaking over at Sunset while the two sat in the car silently. She didn’t dare break the silence for a good fifteen minutes or so. Anxiety began to set in after a while as there was nothing to distract her from the awkwardness of their situation, not even the radio. Twilight peered down at the clock in the car to see that nightfall approached them hastily. Looking out to the horizon, Twilight could see the sun beginning to reach the ground, she wondered how much longer until night would be upon them.

She hadn’t a clue where the supposed safe house was, and since Adagio had stolen her phone, she didn’t receive the text message from the others telling her to meet them their either, but she started to get a familiar feeling inside of her as Sunset approached a street. She couldn’t place her finger on when she had been down that way before, but she was starting to feel déjà vu, in an unpleasant way, like this place held bad memories for her.

Looking over at Sunset, Twilight finally decided to ask the question that was on her mind. “Where’s this safe house exactly?”

Sunset’s eyes remained locked on the road as she answered. “A few miles back that way, but we’re not going there yet…”

“Where are we going then…?” Twilight tilted her head.

“There’s a place I need to stop at first, something I need to take care of… Then we’ll head back to the safe house with the others while I figure out what we should do…” Sunset replied.

Twilight was about to ask where this place that needed her attention was, but then seeing the look in Sunset’s eyes, she realized that it was unlikely she’d get an answer until they arrived. So instead, Twilight just nodded and rested back in her seat, trying to keep her head clear.

Sirens. She had thought. She knew about them from stories their friends told about the Battle of the Bands a little over a year or so ago, but she had never seen one before. Twilight was a little surprised they looked just like humans, but then again she figured it may have been a disguise, a shape they took to fool them. Or it might be similar to how Sunset changed shape when she entered the human world, she didn’t understand too much about how anatomy or shape-shifting worked in Equestria.

Briefly, Twilight internally giggled at the thought of how Sunset must have looked as a pony, but then returned her thoughts to Adagio after she imagined her with a bag of oats on her face.

It was starting to make sense, Sunset and their friends had defeated the Sirens in the Battle of the Bands some time ago, and now they were out for revenge for some reason, but that didn’t explain how Adagio got her magic back. Deciding to prod, Twilight looked at Sunset and spoke. “You said the sirens needed those amulets to use their magic, right?”

Sunset nodded. “The amulet houses their magic; sirens are odd in that their bodies themselves do not hold magic very well. I’m not sure why, I’m not exactly an expert in siren anatomy, but it’s likely there is something about their bodies that make housing magic difficult. A siren can only house a tiny bit of magic inside them, it’s strange but no one really understands why. Princess Twilight referred to their type as channelers, one who can’t do much internal magic but is excellent at manipulating magical objects.”

“You said that you guys destroyed those amulets before, right? That was at the battle of the bands.” Twilight raised a brow.

“Yeah, I saw them shatter that day…” Sunset answered.

Twilight thought it over. If Sunset and the others destroyed their amulets that meant that they somehow knew how to fix them, or get new ones. Was such a thing possible? Twilight knew she was still harnessing power from her amulet as she saw it around Adagio’s neck, but it didn’t appear broken to her.

“How do you think she fixed it?” Twilight asked.

Sunset shrugged. “Dunno, like I said, I don’t know much about sirens, hell no one does. Their history and culture are pretty mysterious. When I was a student under Celestia I had only really heard of them in a few books, they’re a fairly rare creature and they seldom show themselves. I don’t even understand how they are born really… Many even think they are mythical, that’s how rare they are. The only sirens we know of are old ones…”

Blinking Twilight took in this new information. “How old?”

Sunset shrugged. “I know that Starswirl sent them here over a thousand years ago, but I guess his magic sent them forward in time to this time period. So at the very least I know they are at least a thousand years old, maybe older…”

Twilight frowned, she was hoping that Sunset had more information to offer than that. “Was she always that strong?”

Sunset shook her head. “No. In the past, they were powerful in magic sure, but not the physical strength that Adagio has… It’s clear she has spent her time training her body for this… On top of that, her magic feels… Stronger than before, much so… I guess she was preparing for this day like I have been…”

Twilight noticed a hint of reluctance in Sunset’s voice. She leaned in to speak to her friend. “Something else?”

Biting her lip, Sunset grew a face of someone who didn’t want to answer the question. “Yeah actually…”

“What is it? It might be helpful…” Twilight prodded.

“It’s just…” Sunset paused, clearly not comfortable with discussing it.

“What?” Twilight pleaded.

Letting out a sigh, Sunset finally answered the question. “Something about her magic… There is like… A familiar aura to it, you know? Like I’ve felt it before… It’s weird, magic is sort of like a fingerprint in a way, we unicorns when we are versed enough in it can start to sense the familiarity of someone’s magic that we have seen before… Kind of like when Princess Twilight uses magic, I can tell it was her doing because I was around her enough so I am familiar with her aura… We unicorns can sense each other after a while…”

Twilight blinked and nodded, truly fascinated by this new information. “Interesting, but it makes sense… Scientifically anyway… Or rather as scientific as one can be when it comes to magic…”

“Right…” Sunset chuckled at Twilight’s attempt to try and equate magic to science.

“So only unicorns can sense this aura?” Twilight asked.

Sunset shook her head. “No, earth ponies seem to be able to sense magic in general, but not specific auras, I think it has to do with how in tune they are with nature, the more in tune they are with nature the better their ability to detect magic in general, get it?”

“I think so…” Twilight rubbed her temple trying to make sense of it all. Magic in Equestria certainly was a complex and confusing subject.

“So her aura is familiar? Like you’ve felt it before?” Twilight asked.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, but like… I can’t place my finger on it… I’ve felt it before but it clearly was an aura I’m not too familiar with, but I must have vaguely sensed in passing…”

“Is it possible that her amulet is someone else’s?” Twilight asked.

Shrugging, Sunset responded, “It’s possible, but that means that someone else I knew with magic was a siren and I didn’t even realize it…”

“Well… It is possible… I mean an amulet can be hidden fairly easily, it’s actually a pretty good survival advantage for sirens if you think about it… They can hide their powers or even get rid of them if they need to, making them pretty hard to track in that regard… They could also disguise their gems as something else and no one would be any wiser…” Twilight pointed out.

Sunset blinked as she realized Twilight had a point. She didn’t know much about sirens but all of what Twilight was saying was very possible. Anyone could be one and she wouldn’t know. Adagio could have allies hidden in plain sight, and her ability to control people against their will meant that she could enlist an army of slaves to keep her secrets hidden.

Was it possible that someone else she knew was a siren and she didn’t realize it? How else could she explain the familiar aura that Adagio was suddenly giving off unless there was another angle she wasn’t seeing yet. Still, it troubled her.

“Well, the possibility of someone else being a siren is a good theory… One I never considered, but I’ll keep it in mind from here on out, we have to be extra aware after all, there’s no telling what Adagio will do from here on out, as I doubt she’s given up her desire to kill me…” Sunset said.

Twilight nodded and looked back to the road seeing that they had pulled into a cemetery, it was obvious to her then what Sunset was taking them to do. She looked at Sunset as the car was parked and shut off. Sunset looked back to Twilight and smiled. “I wanted to pay my respects before we go any further, you know? I’m accepting the possibility that Adagio could succeed in killing me, so I might not get another chance…”

A frown came to Twilight’s face as Sunset said those words. The last thing she wanted to think about was Adagio succeeding her in her plans. “Don’t talk like that…”

“I’m just being realistic, something I think you of all people should understand…” Sunset smirked.

Twilight nodded but then shook her head. “Yeah… but… not about this… I just… Don’t want to think about that…”

Sunset smiled and reached a hand over, placing it atop of Twilight’s shoulder. Twilight looked at the hand and then met Sunset’s bright eyes with her own. She had such a calming face, one that Twilight knew every time she saw it she was set at ease. Despite Sunset's tendency to get too tense at times, she somehow knew how to set her friends at ease when she needed to.

“I am not planning on dying today, but I need to prepare for the possibility, you know?” Sunset stated.

Deciding that not arguing was the fastest path to ending the awkward conversation, Twilight merely nodded.

Satisfied by her reaction, Sunset removed her hand and opened the car door. “Come on, it’s a short walk.”

Hopping out of the car with Sunset, Twilight kept close and followed. The closer the two came to the grave in question, the more Twilight could sense Sunset getting more uncomfortable. Looking at Sunset’s hand, Twilight reached forward and grabbed it. Sunset paused and looked down at her hand and then at Twilight’s face. She had a look of sincerity and compassion on her face. Sunset smiled and gave her hand a squeeze and decided to continue walking with Twilight’s hand in her own.

Making it to the grave, Sunset finally released Twilight’s hand and frowned. “Can I…”

She didn’t even need to say it, Twilight knew she wanted to be alone for a moment. “Go ahead, I’ll stand back here, okay?”

A smile came to Sunset’s face as she nodded. “Thanks.”

Making it to the grave, Sunset placed her hands in front of herself and closed her eyes. She began to speak. “Shimmer… I know I haven’t come to visit that often, I just…” She paused and took a breath in. “I just don’t like thinking about you like this… I’m sorry… I’ll be better about that… I just am having a hard time is all…”

Twilight stayed quiet as she watched.

“I don’t know if you can see me now, but if you can then surely you realize that things have gotten out of control. I am trying everything I can… I am trying to stop your killer from hurting anyone else but… I just… I don’t know if I’m strong enough…” Sunset wiped at her face as she felt her eyes get misty. “Look at me… Falling apart now… When I need to be strong… Sorry…”

Twilight’s eyes wandered over to two strangers entering the cemetery and heading their direction. One of them with arctic blue hair tied into a ponytail with dark blue highlights. She had an innocent looking face, with expertly done eye makeup. Her lashes were thick and feminine, which complimented her seductive body.

Her posture was far from elegant however, she walked somewhat goofy and carefree, a direct contrast to her companion who seemed to have a permanent scowl plastered on her face. Her step exuded a standoffish aura, and her figure was far slimmer than the other one. She sported pigtails of a vibrant purple with aquamarine highlights.

Twilight could help but notice that both of them were heading their way and she took a step forward to Sunset and tapped her shoulder. “Uh… Sunset… I think we have visitors…”

Blinking, Sunset turned to face the two approaching strangers. Her eyes met the eyes of one of them and all three grew wide eyes as they stood in shock. Silence overcame all of them before Sunset’s face became overcome by anger, her face turned into a scowl as she balled her hands into fists. “You! How dare you have the audacity to show your faces here!”

Kill them. The voice in Sunset’s head commanded.

Rushing in their direction, the goofy looking one held her hands up defensively before Sunset leaped onto her and jammed her fist into her face. Her fists began to connect with the woman’s face over and over, the other one rushed to her defense to try and pull Sunset off only for Sunset to reach into her waistband and retrieve her firearm and point it at the scowling woman.

She raised her hands in the air and stepped backward. Sunset began to speak. “Aria Blaze… And Sonata Dusk…”

“I don’t understand…” Twilight spoke as she stepped forward cautiously.

“These two… Are also sirens, they’re Adagio’s entourage… Her allies…” Sunset explained before placing the gun to a whimpering Sonata’s head. “But you both made a terrible mistake coming here… now…” She jabbed Sonata’s temple with the gun. “Open your mouth…”

“Sunset…” Twilight tried to intervene.

“Shut up!” Sunset called out.

Sonata continued to sob and whimper as Sunset jammed the barrel of her weapon into her cheek. “Fitting that both of you get to die next to Shimmer after you helped Adagio murder her… Or maybe one of you did it? Which one of you pulled the trigger?”

“Sunset you can’t do this!” Twilight called out.

Sunset was about to respond to Twilight before she heard Sonata burst into tears and try to speak. “We didn’t know!”

Blinking, Sunset tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean, you didn’t know?”

“Adagio never told us this was part of the plan… We didn’t know we’d be killing people, she snapped and killed her… We didn’t have anything to do with it, I swear! We were just trying to get our magic back, Adagio went off the deep end though… She never told us that killing was a part of the plan…” Sonata pleaded.

Sunset kept her guard up and kept her weapon pointed at Sonata. “What is she planning?”

“We don’t know! She kept us in the dark! We left the moment we found out she killed your friend and haven’t spoken to her since, honest!” Sonata waved her hands in front of her face.

“Sounds like a trick to me…” Sunset growled.

“It’s the truth!” Aria finally stepped forward, her hands still raised in a defensive position.

“Then why are the two of you here?” Sunset raised a brow.

Aria reached down on the ground behind her and picked up an object that she had been carrying before Sunset pulled her gun out and presented it to Sunset. It was a lavish looking bouquet of flowers, lilies, daisies, and various other assortments all arranged expertly into a nice bundle.

“We came to pay our respects… We never intended this to happen, Adagio has gone off the deep end… We’re trying to atone and make things right…” Aria explained.

Sunset sighed and looked over at Twilight for her opinion.

Twilight looked at Aria, examining her face, then at the sniveling Sonata on the ground. Releasing a sigh, Twilight nodded. “I think they’re telling the truth…” She could see it in the two of them, there was a level of sincerity and if they had come to cause trouble they likely would have done so by now for sure. "Check them, your magic, remember?" Twilight gestured to the geode fastened around Sunset's neck.

Sunset looked down to it and nodded. She placed a hand on Sonata's forehead. The girl trembled in fear, but Sunset could at least feel her fear was genuine, however after a few seconds she could hear a familiar voice in her own head.

Kill her! Kill her now!

Sunset pulled her hand back and stared at it. Sonata's head was protected, shielded from being fully read by Sunset's magic at its current level, but she could sense her emotion still and it felt legitimate somehow.

With another sigh, Sunset stepped off of Sonata and offered a hand to help her up. Sonata hesitated at first, but ultimately took Sunset’s offer and pulled herself off the ground with Sunset’s help. “I still don’t trust you two, but if you are serious then you can help us…”

“Anything, name it!” Sonata pleaded.

“You’re going to help us stop Adagio…” Sunset instructed.

Aria nodded and let a small smile come to her face. “Done, Adagio has lost her mind… There’s no telling what she’s capable of doing now…”

“Why is she doing this?” Twilight asked.

Aria shrugged. “She kept a lot of the details secret, all she said is this all had to do with getting our magic back… I think she’s lost her mind over…” Aria bit her lip but then shook her head not wanting to discuss the matter with Twilight and Sunset, “forget it…”

“No, tell us…” Sunset commanded as she pointed her gun at Aria.

Sighing, Aria shook her head once more. “Alright if this alliance is going to work, you need to stop waving that thing at us…”

Sunset looked to Twilight who nodded. Obeying Twilight’s wishes, Sunset lowered her weapon and placed it back in her waistband. “Fair enough, now tell us…”

“I doubt you guys would understand, but it’s something called the Siren’s Curse, otherwise known as ‘Mother’s Scorn’, it’s a very ancient and old legend among our kind…” Aria rubbed her neck.

“What is it exactly?” Sunset tilted her head.

Aria looked a bit uncomfortable as she answered. “It’s… Well, it’s not important what it is… It’s sort of a subject that most of our kind don’t like to talk about, really old stuff from ancient times. The short version is that even if its origins are myth or not, it seems to be something that does legitimately affect sirens. Adagio may be feeling the effects of it and that’s why she’s acting like this… I’m not saying it’s right, but it may be at least a partial explanation as to why she’s snapped…”

Sunset wanted to pry for more information such as what this “Siren’s Curse” was, but it was clear from Aria’s expression that this small bit of info was all she was going to get out of her. While it was clear that her loyalty to Adagio was fading (though Sunset suspected it wasn’t too strong, to begin with given how she had seen the three interact in the past) she wasn’t going to give up precious secrets about her kind so easily, especially when it was clear that she didn’t exactly view Sunset as a friend.

“Fine…” Sunset stated plainly.

Twilight turned her head as she saw Sunset walking back toward the car. “Come on, our car is over here, you two are coming with us…”

Aria and Sonata looked at each other and then back at Sunset. With a nod, the two ran to catch up with her and Twilight, knowing that the next few hours would change their lives forever. There was a chance that they would have to aid in ending Adagio’s life, but it was a possibility they were prepared to accept.

The group arrived back at Sunset’s safe house after a few minutes of driving in silence. Sunset had handed Twilight her gun and told her that if the two sirens tried anything to shoot them. It took a good eighteen minutes of convincing her just to hold the thing, but eventually Twilight accepted that if she didn’t oblige that they would stay where they were and not move an inch. Sunset clearly wasn’t ready to openly trust the two new additions to their group so easily, and it was obvious that she expected the two to prove their loyalty before she’d take her watchful suspicious eye off of them. To their luck though, the two sirens seemed not to mind, almost as if they expected such treatment.

Parking the car, Sunset reached over to Twilight with an open hand. Twilight already could figure out what she was trying to get and nodded as she handed Sunset the gun. Taking it and offering Twilight a smile in return, she turned to the two sirens in the back seat and pointed the gun at them. “Alright, so when we get inside you two are going to help us in any way I see fit. I’m not fucking around here, and while I don’t want to hurt anyone, if you do anything to harm our friends I won’t hesitate to incapacitate you… And if it comes to it… I will kill you both. So just remember you’re on thin ice, and we should get along fine…”

Aria rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Whatever, we already said we’d help.”

Sunset nodded and lowered her weapon. “Alright, let’s get inside then.”

The entire group exited the car except for Sunset. Twilight approached one of the lockers and inputted the code that Sunset had told her and opened it. Sunset carefully backed the car into the locker and stepped out. The group closed it behind her and made their way to the locker that their friends were waiting at.

Once that door opened they were greeted by a series of smiles that quickly turned to looks of shock as they saw the two sirens standing with Sunset.

“What are they doin’ here!” Applejack barked as she pointed an accusing finger at the two sirens that had now joined them in their safe haven, making it feel significantly less safe.

“Relax, they’re on our side… sort of any way…” Twilight attempted to explain, as she rubbed her neck nervously, the tension in the room clearly getting to her.

Ignoring Applejack’s inquiry, Sunset waved her gun at the sirens. “Come on, get inside you two.”

Aria and Sonata both sighed and did as they were told. The moment they enter though, the rest of the group took a few steps back to create some distance between them. Aria just stood with her familiar scowl and Sonata placed her hands behind her back and peered around awkwardly.

Twilight and Sunset followed after them and closed the door. “What the hell is goin’ on?” Applejack raised a brow, not enjoying being left in the dark.

“It’s complicated, but the short version is that Ghost is Adagio…” Sunset stated.

“Wait, wait, wait… You mean Adagio is the one who killed Shimmer?” Rainbow Dash spoke up, crossing her arms as she looked at the two new guests. “And that explains how we’re letting Adagio’s minions into our safe house… How?”

“I was getting to that…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Aria sighed and rolled her eyes as she watched the girls bicker as they did. She wondered if friendship was always supposed to be this annoying.

“Anyway… they claim they had nothing to do with Adagio’s plans, or rather they ditched her shortly after she killed Shimmer, and they have agreed to help us take Adagio down, however they’re going to be on tight leashes until then…” Sunset explained. “First order of business, search them for siren crystals,” Sunset ordered.

Applejack and Rainbow stepped up to administer the search. With a groan and a sigh, Aria lifted her arms up to be patted down by Rainbow Dash who checked as thoroughly as she could to try and see if the two were holding out on them. Much to Rainbow Dash’s surprise, Aria didn’t have anything on her, not even a cellphone or a wallet.

Sonata was about the same, though Applejack did find a few coupons to Taco Bell on her. Stepping back Applejack nodded. “They’re clean.”

Sunset smiled and sat down in the revolving chair she had placed in front of the only computer in the room. She crossed her legs and let her hand holding her gun lay carelessly across her lap as she stared down the two sirens. “So… You two…”

Aria didn’t enjoy the look in Sunset’s eye. She could tell the girl was scheming something, she had seen a similar look in Adagio’s eyes before and hated it equally as much.

“You’re going to tell me Adagio’s weakness… It’s pretty clear that friendship magic isn’t going to be as useful this time around given that she’s become far more powerful, so tell me… How can we defeat her?” Sunset raised a brow.

It was obvious that their loyalty would be questioned based upon their answer. The two sirens looked to each other and contemplated if they should trust Sunset. She had the eyes of a mad woman, but they also recognized she had been put through much by Adagio. It was almost certain that Adagio may end up dead if they cooperated by they contemplated if they cared or not anymore.

Morality won out in the end. “You’re not going to kill her are you?” Sonata asked.

Sunset shrugged. “I… I don’t know… You’re accepting this deal between us knowing it’s a possibility though…”

Sonata bit her lip and then looked at Aria for answers.

Aria sighed after she weighed out their options. If they refused there was a good chance that Sunset would kill them, or at the very least make their lives extremely difficult. With that in mind, she decided that Adagio had already made her choice. She played with fire, and that meant she was already accepting the possibility of getting burned long ago. She knew she would face the potential of being killed when she pulled the trigger on Shimmer.

“Her crystal still houses her power… Destroy it and she becomes powerless just like before… Alternatively, you can take it from her… If you destroy it completely she won’t be able to make another one, she clearly made this one from the remains of the first… Siren crystals can only be forged from scratch back in Equestria, so destroy it completely and she can’t get another one without going back to Equestria, and I’m sure your Princess Twilight would be waiting for her there…” Aria explained.

Sunset nodded in understanding. “Excellent… You’ve almost proven your loyalty…”

“Hey, what gives!? We told you what you want to know!” Aria hissed.

“Yes, and now you’re going to aid in our acquisition of that crystal. You two will be coming with me when we take Adagio down ultimately…” Sunset waved her gun in their direction to demonstrate that she was serious.

“We cool with these conditions?” She raised a brow.

Aria sighed but nodded in agreement, unsure of what else to even say. She knew that it was best to bite her tongue and merely go along with whatever was being offered. Her and Sonata both knew that a better offer wasn’t coming along.

Sunset after being satisfied with Aria’s response reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone.

“Who are you calling?” Applejack asked with a raised brow.

“Shining, it’s about time I told him what’s going on, I could use his back up, we’ll need all the help we can get…”

The phone call with Shining was long and tedious, meticulously going over every single detail that Sunset understood, making sure not to skip anything no matter how insignificant it seemed. Shining was a detective and perhaps could put together things she was missing.

He remained relatively quiet as she explained over the next twenty-eight minutes before Sunset wrapped it up. “So that’s everything… I think anyway…”

“A siren, huh? With Equestrian magic… Sounds dangerous…” Shining replied over the phone after being told what a siren was and why one was after Sunset, along with a brief rundown of Adagio and Sunset’s history at the Battle of the Bands a little over a year or so ago.

“Yes, but we have some tricks up our sleeves, right now I’m sitting in front of the other two sirens and they agreed to help us… I know where her hideout is, so we can plan our next move…” Sunset replied.

“How are you sure she won’t move locations?” Shining asked.

“She’s overconfident, she will try to lure me there, but we can wait, bide our time and formulate a plan… I need you to do something though and I need you to do it as quick as possible… I’m not sure how much time Adagio is going to give us…” Sunset stated.

Shining sounded concerned. “What is it?”

“I need you… To go to Equestria and get Princess Twilight…” Sunset said.

Confusion filled the entire room as Shining waited for an explanation. “Look… Adagio can’t be dealt with here, it’s too dangerous… Twilight may know how to contain her and bring her back to Equestria where they have the facilities to keep a magical being like her locked up. She’s too crafty and resourceful; she will never face justice in this world. Not to mention we have a bunch of other problems such as explaining to the rest of the police how a magic siren from another world got here. I’m sure it’ll come up when they go to add her DNA to the criminal DNA database and see she isn’t human…”

Shining clearly understood her concerns, and they were similar to his own since he started the case, “I understand… I’ll get right on it, but please don’t do anything without me, alright?” Shining said.

“I’ll try…” Sunset responded before hanging up.

“Do you think Princess Twilight can really do anything about her?” Rainbow Dash asked after Sunset had stuffed her phone in her pocket.

Sunset shrugged. Truthfully she didn’t have much in the way of a plan yet, but she knew that strengthening her numbers definitely wouldn’t hurt. Adagio was strong, but with enough allies, Sunset might be able to overpower her, maybe even detain her.

“It can’t hurt…” Sunset replied.

The room fell silent as the phone in Sunset’s pocket began to ring. She blinked and pulled it back out to see a video call incoming from Twilight’s phone. She looked over at Twilight to see she was standing there with no phone in hand. It then dawned on her where Twilight’s phone was, Adagio had it. They had never retrieved it when they went to her hideout, and she was certain that was who was calling her now.

Gulping Sunset looked at the group. “It’s Adagio…” She said.

The group quickly huddled around her as she placed the phone in front of her face and positioned it so the other girls could see the screen with her. Hesitantly, she pressed answer. She didn’t know what Adagio wanted to discuss but she knew it couldn’t be good.

There on the screen was her familiar smug face staring back at them. Her bright red tinted eyes shining in the poor lighting. “Sunset Shimmer, thanks for answering my call, but do hurry up and answer sooner next time… A girl can get… Impatient…”

“What do you want, Adagio?” Sunset raised a brow, not enjoying how calm Adagio was being.

“I want you to come over and play, that’s all…” Adagio smirked.

“Oh is that all? Lemme grab my swimsuit we’ll hit the pool…” Sunset joked.

“Funny… Though you can wear whatever you like to our little get together, so long as you’re okay being buried in it…” Adagio chuckled.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t contain herself anymore and chimed in. “And what makes you think she’s just going to show up? Anyone with half a brain can tell you are just planning a trap over there.”

“Brilliant question and I assumed you were the dumb one of your group… Gold star for you…” Adagio patronized before she turned the camera on the phone around to reveal a large group of children all blindfolded and gagged, along with what appeared to be a teacher duct taped repeatedly around a support beam of a building.

“Say hello everyone!” Adagio’s hand could be seen waving to the squirming group.

“You’re sick!” Sunset hissed with anger in her voice.

“I’m flattered, truly I am, now here is how this is going to work…” Adagio began before bringing a handgun into the shot and pointing it directly at one of the children’s heads. Their squirms became more frantic and vicious the moment the cold steel touched their forehead. “In the next hour… One of them is going to die… Followed by another for every hour until you show up, and when they are done… I’ll get some more…”

“So that’s your master plan? Kill random people until I give myself to you?” Sunset smirked.

“Oh, I’m certain you’ll show up… I know you can’t just stand by and wait for people to die… You, mortals, are predictable in that regard… You have to stop the killing of good people and administer the killing of bad people… So I know you’ll show up…” She pulled her gun away from the child and stroked their hair before turning the phone back to her own face. “Like I said, one hour… See you soon.”

Adagio waved before hanging up causing Sunset to throw her phone in anger. “FUCK!” She screamed. She knew that Adagio was low, scum even, but she didn’t know she’d resort to killing innocents indiscriminately to get what she wanted. Sure she half expected her to try and use her friends as bargaining chips to get Sunset to give in, but not random strangers.

“Sunset calm down…” Fluttershy stepped forward with her hands raised defensively.

“I… I have to go…” Sunset said quietly.

“Sunset it’s obviously a trap…” Applejack attempted to reason.

“YOU THINK I DON’T FUCKING KNOW THAT!?” Sunset growled. “She has hostages! I can’t fucking stay here and wait for more people to die! I am not going to be responsible for that… I’ll get there… and stall her until Shining shows up…”

She could already start seeing a plan formulating in her head. Princess Twilight’s magic, that should have been enough to stop Adagio… Right?

“And what are you going to do if she uses magic again?” Twilight asked with a raised brow. “She is too strong for you to take on your own, and you know that…”

Not if you let me handle her… The voice in the back of Sunset’s mind called out. She wanted to scream for it to shut up, but at the moment she had so many other things on her mind that she couldn’t focus on it.

“I’ll… figure it out…” Sunset huffed and looked away.

We’ll kill her and resolve this problem with ease… With my power, you can take her…

Sunset shook her head trying to silence the voice.

“We’re going with you…” Twilight spoke up, placing her hand on her chest. Sweat ran down her temple, but she had a look of determination despite her obvious nervousness.

“W-we are?” Fluttershy whimpered with a terrified tone in her voice.

Applejack immediately agreed. “We can’t let y’all go alone, we’re comin’ too…”

“Girls… This is serious, you could get badly hurt or…” Sunset paused but Rarity finished her sentence for her.

“Dead? We’re aware of that possibility but what about you? The same could happen to you and I for one couldn’t live with myself if I stood by and did nothing while you risked your life… We’re your friends and we’re in this together…” Rarity smiled.

“Are you sure you’re-“ Applejack attempted to convince Rarity to stay behind but one look at the scowl she was given for even thinking such a thing and Applejack shook her head and dismissed the idea. While Rarity’s injury frightened her, she knew that when Rarity’s mind was made up it was impossible to get her to budge, one of the traits Applejack admittedly enjoyed about her girlfriend.

Sunset sighed but a smile found its way to her face. She was foolish to not rely on them in the first place, but she spent so long fearing them being hurt that she never realized that they were all the safest when they were by her side. There was strength in numbers and together there was little they couldn’t do.

“I guess I’m an idiot for not asking for you all to help months ago… I tried to go at it by myself to avoid anyone else getting hurt…” Sunset admitted.

“Yeah you are an idiot, but that’s okay… That’s why we love ya’.” Rainbow teased as she nudged Sunset’s shoulder. “Let’s go save the day.” Rainbow winked.

Coming to a stand, Sunset looked at all of her friends who placed their hands into a circle, waiting for Sunset to join them. With a grin as wide as she could make, she placed her hand into the circle and nodded. “Let’s finish this.”

“It’s all or nothing!” Rainbow Dash said.

“We’re in it together!” Twilight added.

“Yeah… I guess we are…” Sunset replied contently.

Sitting down, Adagio crossed her legs and retrieved a package of cigarettes from her jacket and drew one. Throwing her trench coat to the side, she leaned back and lifted a finger to make a small flame appear at the tip of it which she used to light the cancer stick.

One of her henchmen bowed and sat down in front of her as he studied his master carefully. Adagio didn’t need to mind control all of her minions and it served her to have a few with free will of their own as they could think more outside of the box that way. They posed little threat to her however as she was confident she could take any of them.

“Ghost- er… Adagio…” He corrected himself now learning the true name and face of the one he served.

“Adagio will do, however, if you prefer to call me master, that’s acceptable as well…” She smirked.

He nodded and continued. “Adagio… I don’t understand… What is going on here? Why are we doing all of this?”

She grinned and took a long drag from the cigarette before exhaling smoke into the room, creating a visible cloud.

“I don’t expect a mortal like you to get it, Smoke. However, if you pay attention you may begin to understand how pathetic you mortals really are… Chasing money, chasing drugs, chasing control… You seek such small prizes… Such pathetic rewards for your efforts…” Adagio began.

“Ma’am?” He tilted his head.

“I am going to show you that there are bigger rewards to be had… I have lived for thousands of years, endured much and it has made me stronger… I’m about to show you what true strength can accomplish… Soon you’ll be able to see what having bigger ambitions can net you… Maybe you’ll learn something…” She smiled.

“Thousands… of years?” He blinked, not truly believing what he was hearing.

Adagio nodded in response. “I can live forever if I so choose… Sirens like me… We don’t ever have to die if we don’t choose to. So long as there is energy for me to feed on, I can stay like this forever… Alive and young…”

“So… Your kind are immortal?” He asked curiously.

Adagio nodded. “Thus why I don’t have to worry about dying of old age, however, a common misconception is we can’t die at all… Either way, once we have Sunset I can begin the next part of my plan…”

“And what would that be?” Smoke raised a brow.

A smirk came to Adagio’s face. “Once we finish off Sunset and her friends we can move onto Equestria… I can exact my revenge on those worthless ponies and then you’ll see the true extent of my power…” Finishing the cigarette she tossed the butt onto the ground and stomped on it with her slightly heeled boots. “You haven’t even seen the beginning of what I’m capable of…”

Moondancer knew that after she had overheard Adagio contacting Sunset that she wouldn’t have much time to execute her operations. There was no doubt in Moondancer’s mind that Sunset would walk right into Adagio’s trap, and that meant she needed to prepare much quicker.

Typing away on her laptop she just finished up what she had been working on and checked to see how long it estimated it would take. She cursed as she saw it would take a good eight minutes for the program running to finish and wished she had bought a faster model. Nonetheless, she left it there and scooped up her bag as she made her exit from the room, making sure to keep low.

Adagio murdered Shimmer, and now she was trying to end Sunset and her friends, but Moondancer couldn’t simply accept that she killed Shimmer just to anger Sunset. It didn’t seem to fit, but she couldn’t make the connection as to why Shimmer was killed as well for Adagio’s plan. Why was Shimmer dying necessary? It just didn’t make sense, but Moondancer intended to find out.

All Moondancer really knew is that Sunset would be there soon and then either Adagio would meet her end or she would triumph over Sunset and begin the next phase of her plan. Moondancer wasn’t entirely sure of the details of that aspect, but she knew that if Adagio was successful that it may mean the end of everything. She had to be stopped at all costs.

It wouldn’t be long now before Sunset and her friends arrived.

Moondancer sighed and shook her head. “It all is riding on you, Sunset… You’re my trump card… Let’s finish this… Let’s avenge Shimmer.”

Author's Note

The big finale is upon us! Next chapter we will see the payoff of Act III! To those who have been with us since the start, thank you so much!

Applety's hands are starting to look amazing.

Act III - Chapter XLI: Sinister Confrontation

Chapter XVL: Sinister Confrontation

Sunset had gone over the plan numerous times at this point with her friends. She didn’t have a lot of time to study the building that Adagio was using as a fortress but she did take some mental notes of its exterior and interior when she originally visited along with getting a few photos of the place from Google Street View. Twilight and she were to go and shut down the mechanism that locks the doors. Sunset noticed a terminal station on her way in that she assumed handled the security of the building. They were to sneak Twilight in so she could hack their way in, possibly even disable the camera system so that Adagio couldn’t get the jump on them.

The others were to go in from a metal door Sunset saw on the other side so that they were heading in through two directions, from there they were to split up into groups of three and four so they could increase their odds of having the element of surprise. In the high stakes game that Adagio was playing, they would need every single advantage they could get if they wanted to win this fight. Adagio was strong, far stronger than she was the first time they met, and it was clear that she had been honing her skills and her body, her abilities far surpassed anything that Sunset could imagine. She wasn’t about to be so easily defeated by Sunset and her friends without a fight, and even then the odds were in Adagio's favor. They would need to not only bring their best fight to the table, but they'd need all the wit they could muster and every ounce of luck they could get.

The group only had enough time to go over their plan once, but Sunset hoped they were all able to commit it to memory, considering Aria barely looked like she was paying attention. Sunset questioned if not keeping her in her own care was a wise idea, but figured that if she made her mad enough, Applejack would give her the thrashing of a lifetime.

Sunset drove quietly and parked a good distance away from the facility so their car wouldn’t be seen too easily. The car was placed inside another run down old building across the street and then turned off. She sighed and looked at Twilight who was sitting in the passenger seat. Twilight gave her friend a comforting nod of approval before unfastening her seatbelt. Sunset reached into the storage on the door and retrieved her handgun before checking it for ammunition. She had a full clip, enough to get them out of a tight spot if it came to it.

Her eyes turned to Twilight who was giving her a disapproving look as she watched Sunset hold the gun. Sunset smiled and lowered the weapon to stuff into her waistband. “Last resort, I promise…” Sunset held out her pinkie finger.

Taking it and locking it with her own, Twilight nodded. “It… Better be… We… We can’t stoop to her level, you know that right? Killing her won't solve anything, right?” Twilight asked.

Releasing Twilight’s finger, Sunset crossed her arms and chewed her lip in thought. She knew what Twilight said was true, but did she know herself enough to have the self-control to adhere to those words, that was the question.

“I… I’ll try…” Sunset sighed.

“Sunset, I need you to promise!” Twilight protested.

“I can’t promise that, Twilight. Adagio murdered the only family I have in this world, one of the few people who understood me even a little… I can’t let that go so easily…” Sunset frowned and looked away, knowing if she met Twilight’s eyes it would be impossible to not make her cry.

“I know all of that, Sunset but you can’t just kill her…” Twilight attempted to meet Sunset’s face only for the girl to look out the window.

“Why not?” Sunset grumbled.

Twilight reached forward and touched Sunset’s chin. With a gentle hand, she guided her to meet her face and locked her purple eyes with Sunset’s. “Because it will make you like her… Killing will not make you better than her, it’ll just turn you into what she is… You have to be better than that…”

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “Let’s just… Get this over with, alright?”

Shoving her way out of the car, Sunset knew if she stayed inside that Twilight would continue to badger her about the subject and she may have to face the disappointed that Sunset might not be capable of what she was asking out of her. She wanted to avoid killing Adagio, sure but she didn’t know if she had it in her to meet her face to face and not end her. Adagio had taken everything from her, and the voice in her head that screamed to get her back for that was only getting louder and louder.

This is it, let’s end Adagio… Kill her… Destroy her… Make her pay for all she has done! Why even pretend you don't want to!?

Sunset calmed herself with a breath and tried to ignore the voice before meeting Twilight in front of the car. She reached forward and placed a hand upon Twilight’s shoulder. “I… I appreciate you doing this with me…”

With a blink, Twilight nodded. “Don’t mention it.”

Sunset rubbed her neck nervously as she approached her friend. “Hey… It’s not too late… to back out. I can handle this with the others… If you’re scared that is…”

Twilight shook her head and stepped forward. “Admittedly… I’m terrified, I have no idea what’s going to happen in there… Hell, Adagio could kill us all and then take over the world after because no one was able to stop her magic…” Twilight placed her hand on her chest and touched her geode that she had around her neck and a smile came to her face. “So long as I have you and our friends though… That threat isn’t enough to stop me. We can do this… Together.”

“You never cease to amaze me, Sparkle.” Sunset chuckled as she gestured toward the building.

“In that case, let’s move!”

Applejack and her company had arrived in her beat up old truck, Rarity of course sitting in the front as she refused to sit in the back where it was “filthy” by her own words. Applejack parked a good distance away and ushered everyone out. Aria and Sonata were the first two to exit, and Applejack found her eyes locking onto the two, keeping a watchful eye on their new siren “accomplices”. She, like Sunset, didn’t trust them too much, but the feeling in the air made her understand that the feeling was mutual. Applejack didn’t trust them as far as she could throw them, figuratively speaking of course as she was certain she could hurl them pretty far.

Rainbow Dash hopped out after them and jabbed Aria with an accusing finger. Aria pivoted on her foot and caught a face full of Rainbow Dash’s gaze. She raised a brow in confusion causing Rainbow to speak. “No funny business.”

Aria scoffed and crossed her arms and turned back to Applejack who was helping Rarity out of the front of the truck. The remainder of their entourage assembled and Applejack sighed as she went over their plan again quickly.

“Alright, there is suppose’ t’be some kind of backdoor here that we’re suppose’ to find and open… We sneak in through the back, Sunset and Twi go in through the front… We get the jump on ol’ Adagio, mission successful.” Applejack placed her fist into her hand triumphantly as she recited the plan, a bit proud of herself for remembering all of it and delivering it so efficiently. “Any questions?”

Pinkie raised her hand. With a sigh, Applejack pointed to her. “Yes, Pinkie?”

“Can we go to the bathroom first?” Pinkie blinked.

A long exasperated sigh escaped the entire group causing Pinkie to shrug. “‘Ah told ya’ to go before we left… Just hold it for now…”

Pinkie frowned and nodded, slouching a bit in disappointment as she grumbled in annoyance.

Applejack let out a breath and composed herself. “Alright, from here on this is the point of no return… Everyone… please… stay safe, alright?”

The group collectively nodded in agreement.

With those words Applejack lead them toward their goal, approaching the side of the building cautiously. When they reached the fence surrounding the building they all hugged the wall and allowed Rarity to peak around the corner. To her surprise she could see the door that Sunset was talking about it was unguarded. The only issue was it appeared to be made of steel and locked with a padlock.

“What do you see, Rarity?” Rainbow asked.

She looked back at the group and nodded. “I see the door, it’s unguarded-“ She didn’t get a chance to finish as the entire team bolted over to the door only to stop dead in their tracks when they saw the padlock.

Clearing her throat, Rarity stepped forward. “I was going to tell you that it was locked…”

“Great… Now, what do we do?” Sonata whined.

Rainbow sighed and held a hand out to Fluttershy. Fluttershy looked down to her hand and then back up to Rainbow’s face and blinked. “Hairpin please.”

Nodding with a blush, Fluttershy reached into her lavish silky hair and retrieved a hairpin and offered it to Rainbow. With the pin in hand, Rainbow got on a knee and began the process of picking the lock.

“Where did you learn to do that?” Fluttershy blinked as she watched in awe at Rainbow's ability.

“My dad, I was taught quite a few survival skills in my house, it never dawned on you why I’m so good at camping?” Rainbow smirked.

Fluttershy shrugged. “I didn’t think much of it… I guess his time in the army taught him quite a bit…”

“Sure did, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… So I pick stuff up pretty quick.” Rainbow winked.

“Enough chit-chattin’, hurry up Rainbow, Sunset might already be inside by now…” Applejack complained.

Rainbow attempted to ignore her and kept working for a good eighty seconds or so, licking her lips as she tried to focus the best she could under the pressure.

“Come on! We ain’t got all day!” Applejack grumbled.

“Hey! This is a delicate process, you can’t rush it…” Rainbow darted her gaze over at Applejack with an incredulous look.

“Well yer’ ‘delicate process’ is takin’ too damn long!” Applejack crossed her arms.

“Oh, and what are you doing to help might I ask?” Rainbow tilted her head, thinking she had rendered Applejack speechless with that comeback as the girl said nothing.

Applejack, however, took a step forward and shoved Rainbow out of the way while muttering, “this is takin’ too long…”

The farm girl pulled her fist backward and then thrust it forward into the door causing a considerable dent and a loud ring. She pulled back for another and this time the punch knocked the door clean off, lock and all. It tumbled and slid across the floor inside making considerable noise and clatter.

The entire group blinked and fell silent for a moment before Applejack turned around and dusted off her palms. “There… Problem solved…”

“Yeah, and you probably alerted every goon in this place that we’re here! Way to go, idiot!” Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“‘Ah got us in here faster than you did!” Applejack defended.

“Girls, girls, now isn’t the time. We need to get moving before Adagio’s minions show up, let’s follow the plan and split up, Me, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie will head this way,” Rarity pointed to the right after she had split up the argument, “and Rainbow, Aria, and Sonata will go that way.” Rarity then pointed in the opposite direction.

The entire group nodded and before they broke off, Applejack stopped Rainbow with a hand on her shoulder. Rainbow halted and looked at Applejack to see a serious and stern expression. “What’s up?” Rainbow asked with a raised brow.

“Rainbow, keep an eye on those sirens… For all we know they are in on Adagio’s plan and they are leading us into a trap… Don’t let ‘em do anything strange, got it?” Applejack commanded.

A smirk came to Rainbow’s arrogant face as she gave a thumbs up. “Was thinking the same thing, I guess great minds think alike.”

Confident in Rainbow’s ability to handle the situation, Applejack returned the smirk to her and patted her shoulder to send her off. She watched for a brief moment as Rainbow and the sirens ran in the other direction before Applejack decided it was high time she went to lead her group.

She caught up with the others and they would soon begin their search for Adagio, knowing this entire confrontation could end far worse than they ever imagined.

Adagio sat lazily on a chair as she smoked a cigarette. The most irritating part of any plan for her was waiting. She wasn’t the most patient person, but the past few months of training had at least made her competent at waiting for the correct moment. She didn’t want to strike too soon or too late, she needed Sunset to come to her, she would have the advantage then. Adagio had no intention of fighting fair, and she’d use everything in her arsenal to ensure her victory. Sunset had only caught a glimpse of a fraction of her total ability.

Finishing her cigarette she tossed it to the ground and hopped off of the table she was sitting on to stamp it out. One of her henchmen looked at her with curiosity before she barked a command his way. “Hey, check the security feed, I haven’t heard a report from our guy out there in some time…”

He gave a quick salute before running out of the room to do as he was told. Adagio wanted to keep her eyes open and foresee any attack coming her way. The chance that Sunset would bring her friends existed and was quite high. While her power and skill was vast, taking all of them on at the same time would at least prove a challenge to her; not to say that she couldn’t do it, but it would definitely exhaust more effort than she’d like. She needed to conserve her power for the next part of her plan.

“Soon… I’ll be able to set the world the way it’s supposed to be… I just need more power… I’ll start with these girls… Then I’ll work my way through Equestria… Before anyone knows it I’ll be the most powerful creature to ever live and then… I can fix this broken world…” She smiled, a bit of warmth coming to her heart as she thought out loud. The idea of this all finally being over soothed her.

“I won’t fall to the Siren’s Curse… I’ll break the curse… I know I will…” Adagio sighed.

Her thoughts were interrupted as her minion returned giving a salute before speaking. “M-ma’am you should come look at this…”

Adagio sighed and shook her head as she stepped in his direction. “I swear if this is a waste of my time…”

Following her subordinate, the two came to a room with several monitors all of them which previously showed various security feeds now had some kind of odd symbol that looked much like a half sun and half moon. Under the symbol was simply the word “Sundancer”.

“What the hell? Get these things back online!” Adagio barked.

“Ma’am I tried, the entire system is locked out!”

Adagio growled and shoved him to the side as she attempted to work the computer, she clacked away viciously but nothing happened. The entire system was locked out, someone must have hacked their way in. “Damn it! Who the fuck is Sundancer? Find them and kill them! Now!” She hissed.

Nervously, her subordinate gave another salute and ran off.

Adagio pounded the keyboard and sighed. “So… You’re all trying to get the jump on me, huh? No matter… I don’t scare that easily… You’re still playing right into my hand…”

Twilight blinked as Sunset and she entered the security office. She began to examine the computers with confusion. She paused and stood there like a deer in headlights before Sunset gave her a gentle shake. “Hey, snap out of it, what’s wrong?”

Twilight adjusted her glasses. “Well… It’s just… Someone was already here… All of the cameras and the entire security system has already been shut down and locked out…”

“What!? How’s that possible!?” Sunset blinked.

Twilight shrugged. “I guess we have more allies on our side than we originally thought… Maybe one of Adagio’s men turned on her?”

Sunset shook her head in disbelief. “That’s not possible she has total control of them, remember?”

Twilight placed a hand to her chin in thought, she recognized that Sunset had a point in that Adagio’s minions lacked the ability to disobey shy of maybe the few who retained free will, but was it possible that one of them turned on her? Why though? She couldn’t think of a single benefit to turning on Adagio.

“I don’t know… Whoever it was… It works to our advantage, right?” Twilight shrugged.

Sunset nodded reluctantly. She would take every advantage she could get, but she wasn’t comfortable not knowing who else had it out to get Adagio, sure it could work for her, but they could also be competing with her to bring Adagio down and perhaps even stand in their way to get to Adagio first.

Regardless it was a problem that they would have to handle at a later point as they didn’t have time to contemplate it.

“Well, either way, let’s get moving, we don’t want to wait here too long or Adagio might realize the security system is down and come snooping this way…” Sunset replied.

Twilight nodded in agreement and gestured toward the exit. “Let’s get going then, we should enter through the side entrance.”

Sunset agreed and began to lead the way as the two made their way into the building, unsure of what awaited them.

Rainbow and the two sirens made their way down an old hallway searching for any clues to Adagio’s whereabouts, finding little everywhere they turned. They managed to find old documents from when the facility was still in operation, old time cards, but nothing truly remarkable.

Searching an old storeroom, Rainbow sat atop of a set of crates that time had forgotten and yawned. “This place is huge… There’s no way Adagio has enough men to cover this entire place, probably why shy of those two guards we gave the slip we haven’t seen anyone yet…”

“Or perhaps Adagio is keeping her minions guarding her and her hostages, have you ever considered that?” Aria raised a brow as she and Sonata began to search the room for anything useful that might aid them.

“True… Now that you put it that way… That does sound like the best plan in her position…” Rainbow placed a hand on her chin in thought. “So… Can you tell me what this is all about? Why is Adagio doing this? I mean besides her being an evil siren that is…”

Aria growled but Sonata answered for her, “Sirens aren’t evil…”

“Seem evil to me… I mean you two would probably take a crack at destroying us too if you got your magic back.” Rainbow shrugged.

“That isn’t true, in fact, we turned down the chance to get our magic back…” Sonata defended.

Rainbow blinked and looked at Aria who looked away with a blush. “Really?” Rainbow asked.

“Y-yeah…” Aria replied, refusing to look Rainbow in the eyes.

“Why though?” Rainbow raised a brow, a bit suspicious of them.

“It’s complicated, but one of the reasons is we weren’t willing to go to the lengths that Adagio is… We weren’t…” She paused and chewed her lip for a moment before finishing her sentence. “We weren’t willing to kill people…”

“You’re willing to enslave people and steal their energy, but killing is where you draw the line?” Rainbow chuckled and shook her head.

“I wouldn’t expect a mortal like you to understand, but we sirens…” Aria closed her eyes as memories came rolling back to her. “We know what happens when people kill… It never stops… It just keeps going until nothing or no one is left… Our kind have been ruthlessly murdered by mortals since the dawn of time, so I think we know a thing or two about what killing does…”

Rainbow blinked, a bit surprised at what she was hearing. “Shit… I’m sorry… I didn’t know that…”

Aria shrugged. “Why would you? No one does and no one cares. Taking control of mortals is the only way we can survive since they don’t let us live among them peacefully. Our powers scare them and when mortals are scared they get violent, it’s how it’s always been and probably how it will always be…”

“I-I’m sorry… I guess I just assumed…” Rainbow frowned.

“As does everyone. Regardless I wish I could explain Adagio’s actions, she didn’t exactly divulge the full plan to us, she kept us mostly in the dark, probably because a part of her didn’t trust us fully either… Adagio has always been hard at trusting people, but ever since what happened after the Battle of the Bands she…” Aria stopped herself.

“After the Battle of the Bands? Did something happen to you guys?” Rainbow hopped off the box and stepped closer to inquire.

Aria shook her head. “I… I shouldn’t talk about it… It’s Adagio’s business, not mine… Besides I don’t know much about it, we only found out closer to the tail end of it…”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Rainbow growled as she took another step closer.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” A familiar voice rang through the room causing silence to the entire team inside of it.

There standing at the door with crossed arms was a face that Rainbow hadn’t seen since the Battle of the Bands, though her hair was cut much shorter, Rainbow could never forget her raspberry eyes which seemed to retain the serious look they always had. Adagio’s expression was emotionless and calculating.

The tight body suit she was sporting showed off her features quite well and it complimented the strapped combat boots she wore along with her long trench coat. Had she not been their enemy, Rainbow might have made a flirtatious whistle at the attractive girl.

“Adagio!” Rainbow hissed as she took a fighting stance, ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Adagio didn’t even react, instead, her eyes darted over to the other two sirens. “So, you two are working for them now, huh? About to share all of my secrets, were you?”

“It’s not like that!” Sonata defended.

“Silence, I have no use for traitors… If you want to help them, then you can share their fate,” Adagio stated plainly.

“So you really will kill us then?” Aria asked.

“I told you before it was a possibility if you stood in my way and it seems you’ve chosen to do exactly that… You chose your own fates.” Adagio shrugged.

“Adagio… You don’t have to do this…” Aria stated, refusing to take a defensive stance, “I don’t want to fight you… We were a team at one point…”

Adagio readied herself and cracked her knuckles. She looked at her own hand and saw a small surge of electricity course through her palm before she took a fighting stance against the group. “You just know you can’t beat me…” She smirked.

Aria sighed and nodded. “You’re right… I know if I fight you… I’ll definitely die… However, I am trying to help you, Adagio… I don’t want you to get killed; we can resolve this another way.”

“It’s too late for that, I’ve crossed the point of no return. I crossed it when I pulled that trigger…” Adagio hissed.

“Then what will it be, Adagio? Will you add us all to your list of victims? You’ll have to kill us to stop us…” Aria threatened.

Rainbow nodded in agreement with the siren, as did Sonata.

Adagio chuckled. “You chose it, not me.”

Moving with incredible speed, Adagio bolted forward and jabbed Sonata in the throat before anyone could even react. Sonata felt the impact instantly and gripped her throat as she coughed. Taking advantage of the moment, Adagio grabbed Sonata’s arm and pulled it over her own should and hurled the girl’s body through the air and brought it down to the hard ground with a thud. Aria attempted to intervene only for Adagio to pushed her hand into Aria’s chest and send a series of electric shocks through it.

Aria twitched and convulsed in pain from the sensation before finally taking a step back. Breathing heavy she composed herself and instantly took her stance again. She looked at Rainbow and gestured her head toward the door. “Run, we can handle her…”

Rainbow growled and shook her head defiantly. “No way, I am not leaving you guys…”

Adagio smirked. “How adorable, you three are all friends… You can share a grave together.”

With those words Adagio charged her hand with a ball of electricity, bright and pulsing, she tossed it in Rainbow’s direction who reacted fast enough to get out of the way. Sonata tried to take advantage of Adagio’s distraction to grab her leg from the ground, but the action was only rewarded with a kick to the gut from Adagio’s other foot.

“Why are you risking yourself for us?” Aria asked Rainbow as the two regrouped and kept their eyes on Adagio who didn’t even seem to be taking the entire fight that seriously.

“It’s a little thing called loyalty, you guys swore you’d help us, I’m honor bound to do the same. I’d never abandon my friends…” She gave a wink to Aria who for the first time since Rainbow had known her showed some signs of genuine happiness as a small smile came to her lips.

Adagio interrupted their moment by hurling another ball of pure electric energy in their direction. The two dispersed and dodged the attack. “So… Back to the problem at hand… I hope you have a plan…” Aria said.

Rainbow nodded. “We need to get closer to Sonata.”

Aria nodded back. “That much I think we can do…”

Making a dash toward Adagio, Aria dodged bolt after bolt of electricity that Adagio tossed in her direction. Ducking and sliding, she managed to reach Sonata on the ground. Almost as instantly as she had touched the other siren’s shoulder she felt a pulling sensation move the both of them. In a blink, she noted that the group were in a different room entirely. “W-what happened?” She blinked a few times to make sure her eyes weren’t fooling her before she looked up to see Rainbow standing over them stretching her legs.

“I used my super speed; turns out anyone I touch can move with me easily. Now come on, we have to go warn the others that Adagio will be looking for them… I’m sure Sunset wants a piece of her too.” Rainbow offered her hand.

Aria stared at the hand for a moment but took it. When she was pulled up the two both reached down and helped Sonata up. Once they composed themselves they ran to go and find the others.

Applejack took a mighty swing and knocked one of the many mindless slaves of Adagio down. Another came in her direction and she ducked and jabbed that one in the gut, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

Another came in her direction from behind but was blocked by a wall of diamond created by Rarity. Applejack blinked and looked over at her girlfriend who was smirked before she gestured for Applejack to raise her fists. Looking down at her fists, Applejack nodded and raised them. Rarity flicked her wrist and Applejack’s mighty fists were now encased in diamond. “Fashionable, and practical.” Rarity complimented herself.

“Damn tootin’.” Applejack agreed.

With that, she swung through Rarity’s barrier and shattered it into pieces, knocking the man behind it clear on his rear.

Another came in Rarity’s direction only for her to flick her wrist and knock him over with her magic. She took a step back and before she knew it, she and Applejack were back to back against what seemed to be an armada of mindless minions. “It figures… Everywhere I go with you ends up being a bunch of roughhousing and ruining of my hair…” Rarity complained.

Applejack smirked and nodded. “‘Ah guess Ah’m just unlucky is all…”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that…” Rarity stated as she placed a forcefield around the two, blocking the attacks of a few of their enemies, some firing guns in their direction.

“How ya’ figure?” Applejack raised a brow.

“Well, you have me…” Rarity winked.

“Ain’t that the truth.” Applejack laughed before kicking a part of the barrier, shattering a piece of the diamond around them and sending it flying outward into a crowd of enemies. “‘Ah sure hope the others are farin’ well…”

A series of small explosions came into their direction causing Rarity and Applejack to look up on top of a set of crates. There crouching, resembling a cat was Pinkie with a handful of sprinkles. “This party is crazy!” She squealed.

“Figures… Our lives are in danger and she’s treatin’ it like a joke…” Applejack sighed.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way!” Rarity giggled.

“Same…” Applejack chuckled before the two returned to battle, Fluttershy coming in behind Pinkie, trying to keep her distance from most of the fighting, she brought her thoughts to Sunset, wondering how she and Twilight were faring.

Twilight and Sunset were making their way down a long catwalk, Sunset was drawing from her memory of visiting this place and the video call with Adagio to try and find the room where she was keeping her hostages. If they could free them, then they would hold a small advantage over Adagio. The catwalk looked down on the entire facility, Twilight looked down below to see their friends fighting.

“Sunset! Look!” Twilight pointed.

Sunset halted in her steps and peered over the edge, watching Applejack and her group taking on a hoard of Adagio’s henchmen, and on the other side, she could see Aria, Sonata, and Rainbow taking on a group of their own. Sunset felt her heart skip a beat or two when she could see that they were all alright. Each side was taking on a good eight men at once, and Sunset looked forward to see a door at the end of the catwalk numbered 88.

“I think that’s it…” Sunset said to Twilight.

The two nodded and made a run for the door only to hear a voice come from behind them. “Going so soon?”

The duo stopped and turned to face the owner of the voice. There triumphantly standing was Adagio, her arms crossed across her average chest and a sinister smile on her face. Just looking at her made Sunset fill with anger, she could hear the voice in her head beckoning her to rip Adagio apart, to tear her into pieces and leave her unrecognizable.

Kill her! Let’s do it together!

“So, Sunset Shimmer, you decided to finally show up… I knew you would…” Adagio smirked.

Sunset took a breath and gently nudged Twilight to the side. “Twilight… Stay behind me… If something happens to me… You’ll need to finish her off… I’ll try and stop her…”

Twilight blinked. “What are you saying!?”

“Just trust me, okay?” Sunset smiled and gave a thumbs up to her best friend.

Wanting to object, Twilight opened her mouth but when she saw Sunset’s eyes she knew that nothing she said would change her mind. Right now the best person to take on Adagio was her. Truthfully, Twilight internally acknowledged that she’d likely just get in the way. She didn’t have the fighting experience that Sunset did, and she definitely wasn’t training like she was. She had magic, but she was still a novice at utilizing it, especially against someone as strong as Adagio was.

“A-alright… Be careful though…” Twilight frowned.

Nodding, Sunset stepped forward. “You know I will.”

Adagio didn’t even flinch or move when she saw sunset rise to her challenge. “So, you’re going to try and fight me? One on one then?”

Sunset cracked her knuckles and took a stance. “Are those conditions alright with you?”

Adagio laughed and nodded as she took a stance of her own. “It makes no difference to me, you’re still far too weak to do anything. You both could come at me and I’d still win, I can sense your magic… It’s still weak, very weak in comparison to mine… You could never defeat me with such a pathetic level of magic.”

“Maybe… Maybe not… Magic alone doesn’t win a fight, and you should know that,” Sunset replied.

“Let’s find out then!” Adagio yelled before moving forward for the first attack. Her leg came forward and attempted to connect with Sunset’s body only for Sunset to block it with her forearm, what she hadn’t expected however was a follow-up. Adagio connected her fist into the right side of Sunset’s head, causing her to fumble backward a few steps.

No sooner than Sunset was able to regain her composure was another series of punches and kicks heading her way from Adagio. Trying to keep up, Sunset attempted to block them all, but a few managed to get through.

Adagio chuckled and charged her hands with electricity, sparks flew from her fingertips as she stood there waiting for a moment to strike. Sunset decided to conjure up a bit of magic of her own as well as try to take the offensive. She swung her legs into a few high kicks trying to hit Adagio’s face, flames being left in their trail as she took shot after shot.

Each kick missed its target over and over as Adagio moved out of the way and eventually grabbed Sunset’s leg and set voltage up it and through her body.

Yelping in pain Sunset fumbled backward and took in a few breaths as she recovered from the attack.

“As I said… Your magic is weak… Your skills are weaker. You’re not determined enough to beat me…” Adagio mocked.

“What could a creature like you possibly be fighting for that gives you such motivation?” Sunset asked between breaths.

Adagio placed a hand on her amulet and closed her eyes for a moment. “I don’t expect mortals like you to even begin to understand… I fight for something you mortals take for granted…”

“And what is that?” Sunset asked.

Adagio opened her eyes and threw a few energy blasts of electricity in Sunset’s direction, one of which connecting with her and causing her tremendous pain as it passed through her body. Adagio’s power was massive, far greater than Sunset ever imagined, every nerve in her body was screaming at her to stop, but she managed to stay standing.

Adrenaline took over and Sunset darted at Adagio like a mad woman, throwing punch after punch and kick after kick trying to land even a single hit only for every single one to be stopped by Adagio in one manner or another. Finally, Adagio saw her own opening and punched Sunset directly in the stomach with great force.

Sunset wheezed as the wind was knocked out of her and Adagio delivered a series of follow up punches all connecting in the same spot causing Sunset to grunt repeatedly as she tried to pull air back into her body.

She staggered backward and tried to catch her breath only for Adagio to knock her in the head, hitting directly in her forehead. That hit, however, caused Sunset to finally tumble and land on her back. She groaned for a moment as she rolled over, Adagio standing next to her waiting patiently for what she was going to do.

“Stay down, Sunset!” Twilight called out.

Sunset didn’t listen, truthfully she could barely even hear Twilight. Her body was screaming in pain far too loudly for her to hear anything, but one voice, in particular, rang in her head.

She’s too strong for you to beat on your own.

Pulling herself up, Sunset took a few steps back to put some distance between Adagio and herself. She put her fists up to show she was still eager to continue their battle.

“A stubborn old mule, aren’t you? It’s too bad that spirit of yours doesn’t translate into actual ability isn’t it?” Adagio smirked, clearly not threatened by Sunset’s determination.

“You plan on killing me… That’s fine, but leave my friends alone…” Sunset stated.

Adagio stepped to the right and kept her eyes locked on Sunset. “I can’t do that, they will share your fate, I can’t spare them; you’re not in a position to be bargaining with me anyway.”

Sunset’s body was weak at this point if they continued to fight, there was no way she could win. Adagio didn’t even appear to be breaking a sweat. She needed to buy herself time until the others could come and help or she could devise a plan. “Just answer me this…” Sunset began.

“Hm?” Adagio raised a brow, still keeping her distance and in a fighting stance.

“Why did you kill Shimmer? She wasn’t the one who defeated you at the Battle of the Bands, she had nothing to do with any of this…” Sunset asked.

Adagio chuckled and shook her head. “Battle of the Bands? You think I’m that simplistic? That I’m trying to kill you over defeating me? No, this is far more complicated than that… Sure, I hate you and the Battle of the Bands definitely makes me glad that I will get to end you, but I have… Other goals in mind, or rather I did… the plan has changed slightly now, but the reason is all the same…”

“And what reason is that?” Sunset raised a brow. If Adagio wasn’t doing this because of the Battle of the Bands, then Sunset didn’t have a clue why else she would.

“None of your business… As for why I killed Shimmer…” She paused, “It was a mistake… She wasn’t the intended target, you were… But I’m sure you figured that out by now and you just wanted me to say it out loud…”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, but why? If this isn’t revenge… Then what?”

“I needed you dead so I could recharge my amulet…” Adagio stated.

Sunset’s eyes widened with interest. “Your amulet? But we destroyed those things…”

Adagio shook her head. “I went back and salvaged the pieces of mine… I put it back together, but it had no charge… See a siren’s amulet is actually very difficult to forge, I won’t go into the secrets of it, but let’s just say fixing a broken one is easier than making a whole new one from scratch.”

“So how does Shimmer or I tie into that?” Sunset raised a brow as she stepped in motion with Adagio, waiting for a surprise attack.

Adagio stopped moving and held still. “Once the amulet is fixed, I needed magic to recharge it… A sacrifice with magical energy… If I killed one with the amulet on me and ready to receive that magic, I could charge it… When Shimmer got in the way, it just so happened that she had magic too, so that part of the plan still worked in my favor…”

Sunset’s eyes widened further upon hearing this. “In your favor!?”

Kill her, Sunset.

“You mean to tell me she died for no fucking reason!?” Sunset growled.

Adagio chose not to answer, but her silence spoke volumes.

“That was my only family in this world!” Sunset’s voice grew deeper as she could feel the anger growing inside of her. She couldn’t control it anymore, she didn’t want to. She had hated the person who killed Shimmer for months and struggled with the thought of what to do if she ever met them face to face.

A dark mist began to form around Sunset as the white in her eyes turned black and she could feel her hands start to form into claws.

Let’s kill her, give in, let your anger out!

The black mist eventually formed a cloud the swallowed Sunset up.

Twilight upon seeing the turn of events ran toward the newly formed cloud of darkness screaming Sunset’s name. “Sunset! Don’t!”

Opening her eyes, Sunset found herself in an endless expanse of nothing but blackness. No objects or walls in sight, just infinite space that stretched on for what seemed like an eternity. Standing before her was a familiar face, the face of something she once was, and a face she had a hard time forgetting. Pointed ears, red skin, a sinister smile with a snaggletooth fang protruding from her mouth, she was just as ugly as Sunset remembered her to be.

“Sunset… it’s time for us to unite, together we can finish this…” The demon said.

Sunset looked down in frustration. “I… I don’t know…”

“Come on, if you don’t join with me, then Adagio will win. Face it, you don’t have what it takes to beat her on your own; Adagio is strong, she is trained to kill, you aren’t, but I can get you there…” The demon coaxed as it extended its hand in an offer to Sunset.

“I…” Sunset bit her lip, unsure of what to say or do.

“You want to avenge Shimmer, don’t you? You want to make her pay for what she’s done, right? I can help you,” The demon said, “together, we will be unstoppable…”

Sunset thought it over for a moment, with this power inside of her, this power of darkness she might actually stand a chance against Adagio. She remembered how strong she felt when she first transformed, but she vowed she would never let herself turn into that thing again. Now, however, the circumstances were different. She needed more power, and this time she was fighting for something right.

That makes it okay, right?

She slowly reached her hand forward to take the offer before she could hear the faintest echo of another voice ring through the empty space.

“Sunset…”

Blinking she looked all over to try and find its origin but to no luck. She shrugged it off before hearing it again.

“Sunset…”

This time she was certain it was coming from behind her. She turned around and a small rip in the black void appeared and a dainty and scrawny arm protruded from the hole. Before she knew it and entire head and torso popped out sharing the appearance of Twilight Sparkle. She looked like she was struggling just to get inside of this space they all stood in.

“Sunset! Don’t listen to her!” Twilight pleaded.

Sunset blinked and looked back at the demon whose hand was still extended, their claws twitching with anticipation for Sunset to take their deal.

“I… I’m not strong enough to beat Adagio on my own…” Sunset admitted to Twilight.

“Then don’t do it alone! I’m here with you, you can borrow my strength, all of our friend’s strength! You don’t need her to win, you have us!” Twilight stated and gave her hand a gentle shake to try and coax Sunset into taking it.

“I…” Sunset closed her eyes, unsure of what to do.

“Sunset, I always trusted you. When I needed help, I knew I could count on you to be there and give me the strength I needed to make it through, and now I want to return the favor by showing you that you can count on me and when you need it, I’ll lend you my strength!” Twilight called out.

Hearing those words, Sunset looked Twilight in the eyes. “Please, Sunset… You have to do this the right way… We’ll do it together…”

With a sigh, Sunset took a step toward Twilight. “Thank you, Twilight… I had almost forgotten what was important… You’re right though…” Sunset smirked as she took Twilight’s hand in her own. “We’ll do this… Together.”

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Aria and Sonata all looked up to the catwalk where Sunset and Adagio were doing battle. They had just witnessed Sunset become encased in a dark energy, and now were witnessing the energy dissipate and a bright light began to shine from where it once was. All of the girls noted that their geodes were shining as the light from the catwalk grew larger.

Twilight could still feel Sunset’s hand in her own as she could sense Sunset was being raised off of the ground. When the light vanished, she was levitating off of the ground, a familiar friendly smile on her face, and an appearance that was almost regal.

A beautiful stylish dress with plenty of exposed skin, winged boots, and her hair seemed to float and defy the laws of gravity itself as she hovered a few inches off of the ground. Twilight had only seen this form once before, and that was when she had turned into Midnight Sparkle, she recalled that the group had named it “Daydream Shimmer”.

Sunset released Twilight’s hand and smiled. “Thank you, Twilight… I had almost given in, it’s good to know that I can count on you when I am really in a jam.”

“Don’t mention it, now… Please be careful, okay?” Twilight pleaded.

Sunset nodded as she looked over her shoulder at Adagio with a smirk. “I think I’ll manage…”

Turning her entire body to face Adagio, she held her hands out to her sides and summoned two beams of light that quickly formed into swords of light. “I’m going to give you one more chance to surrender, Adagio… Please, we don’t have to end this violently, there is a chance to resolve this peacefully.”

Adagio scoffed and shook her head. “You won’t get me with that friendship crap. I know the truth, I know exactly what your kind brings, wait until my back is turned then stab me in it… No way, I won’t fall for that trick.”

“Then you give me no choice…” Sunset sighed as she readied herself.

Adagio wasted no time in hurling a few balls of energy at Sunset, only for Sunset to wave her hand and summon the two blades to block the attacks, hitting one of them back at Adagio, who jumped and dodged the attack.

The siren could sense a new surge of powerful magic within Sunset, it was a huge increase in power, but it didn’t mean she was certain to win just yet, Adagio still had a few moves of her own that she hadn’t pulled out yet.

“That’s a cute transformation, but power is worthless if you don’t know how to use it!” Adagio hissed before taking a few swings at Sunset, all charged with electric energy. Sunset blocked every single one and caught Adagio’s fist in her palm. Adagio blinked as she noted that the electricity didn’t even phase Sunset.

“You fight with anger and hatred… You’ll never be truly strong that way…” Sunset lectured.

“Shut up!” Adagio growled as she took another swing only to be blocked. One of the two blades of light swiped at Adagio and made a clear impact, causing her to stumble backward. No cuts appeared, but the pain from the hit was tremendous. Before she even had a chance to compose herself, the two blades came swinging again making another two hits followed by a series of consecutive hits, Adagio counted eight before she was pushed back enough to be out of their range. She gripped her gut and gasped, as she looked up at Sunset with anger in her eyes. “It’s… Not possible… You can’t beat me…”

Adagio reached for her gun in her jacket only to be stopped by a voice that rang in her ears.

Stop.

She gasped and froze in place, unable to move. The voice paralyzing her ability to even think at that moment.

Sunset focused on the palm of her own hand as she held it in front of her. “This is your end, Adagio…”

Quickly she charged an energy beam and blasted it at Adagio, hitting her with maximum strength. Adagio growled in agony as she tried to resist the beam, but was failing miserably. It was too much power for her to block, she could feel her body weakening as the beam made contact with her. Screaming in agony as she heard a sound she had only heard once before: a shatter.

Adagio’s eyes looked directly in front of her as she watched shards of red float in front of herself and fall slowly. Her eyes wide with fear as she could hear nothing but her own thoughts.

This isn’t how it was supposed to be… I was supposed to win… How could I be defeated by this mortal… Again…

Sunset wasted no time and closed the distance between the two delivering a series of punches and kicks on the freshly weakened Adagio, each one landing, causing her to stumble until she finally fell backward. In almost a split second, Sunset reverted back to her normal self and stood over Adagio, retrieving her gun from her waistband and pointed it directly at Adagio’s head.

The two fell silent as Sunset stood there with the gun ready to fire in a split second. Adagio never took her eyes off of Sunset but remained silent for another moment before speaking up. “I… I don’t get it… I broke you… You’re a weakling, how did you…?”

“You underestimated my friends, so long as they are with me… I’ll always be able to overcome… It took me some time to remember that, but I should thank you for making me realize it again…” Sunset smirked.

Adagio fell silent and closed her eyes, realizing there was no escape from this. Before they knew it, the rest of the girls had gathered and made their way over to Twilight on the other side of Sunset. “Y’all alright?” Applejack asked.

“I’m okay, but…” Twilight looked over at Sunset holding the gun.

Sunset smiled and lowered her weapon and tossed it aside. “Don’t worry… I’m not going to kill you… If I did… I’d only become what you are…”

A sigh of relief escaped the girls.

“I’m not a killer like you are…” Sunset replied as she stepped off of Adagio.

“I am though…” Another voice called out to them.

The entire group looked over to see Moondancer standing there, holding the gun that Sunset had just discarded tightly in her grip. She was shaking, but stepping forward slowly with the weapon pointed at Adagio.

“Step aside, Sunset…” Moondancer stated.

“Moondancer, darling let’s just calm do-“ Rarity began but was cut off by a gunshot in her direction. The bullet missed but came too close for comfort. It was obvious that Moondancer intended to miss, but it didn’t lessen how frightening it was.

Applejack huffed in annoyance. “Okay can we please stop shooting at my girlfriend!?”

“Stay away, all of you!” Moondancer commanded.

“Moondancer… Let’s talk about this…” Sunset offered.

“There’s nothing to talk about… I’m going to put this monster down… I’m going to make her pay for what she did to Shimmer…” Moondancer stated as she took another step forward.

“Monster…” Adagio raised a brow. “You think that I’m the monster? You mortals are all the same, you don’t even realize what ugly is when it’s staring you in the face. If you want a monster, you need only to look in a mirror…”

“Shut up!” Moondancer hissed as she waved her gun. “This is for Shimmer…”

Adagio blinked. “Why though?”

“I loved her…” Moondancer growled.

“Did you? Do you even know what that word means?” Adagio asked, Sunset blinked, unsure of what was going on.

“Of course I do!” Moondancer replied.

“What was her favorite color?” Adagio smirked.

Moondancer paused and thought for a moment. She had never bothered to ask, come to think of it, Shimmer was always so secretive that the two didn’t discuss much beyond books, and small talk. When they weren’t doing that, they were usually making out.

“You don’t even know… Face it, what you mortals call love is nothing more than infatuation, you don’t even know the girl that you’re so upset over…” Adagio taunted.

“Shut your fucking mouth!” Moondancer hissed.

“Kill me then, you don’t have what it takes…” Adagio met Moondancer’s eyes with her own and the two began a powerful stare down which would have likely lasted longer if Sunset didn’t step in.

“Moondancer… You don’t want to do this…” Sunset pleaded.

“Yes, I do…” Moondancer responded, her eyes still locked on Adagio who hadn’t moved.

Sunset took a chance and made a step forward. “No… You don’t… If you do this, you’ll be a murderer just like her… This isn’t what Shimmer would have wanted…”

“So she gets to go free!? Why should she get to live!? Shimmer didn’t get that chance!” Moondancer protested.

“It’s not up for us to decide, Moondancer. We have to be better than this… Killing her will not make you happier… It won’t undo what’s done… It won’t bring Shimmer back…” Sunset attempted to reason, gaining slightly more ground as she came closer and closer to Moondancer ever so slowly.

“Why are you protecting her!?” Moondancer growled.

“I’m not… I’m protecting you… I’m trying to save you from making a mistake that you’ll regret for the rest of your life… Please, we have to show her we’re better than this… You haven’t hurt anyone yet…” Sunset spoke quietly.

“Speak fer’ yerself!” Applejack called out.

Rainbow punched Applejack’s shoulder. “She’s fine!” Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“Moondancer… Please… Give me the gun…” Sunset held out her hand expectantly for Moondancer, hoping she would see it her way.

There was silence and hesitation on Moondancer’s part. She kept the weapon firm in her grip but stole a few glances at Sunset’s hand.

“Please, Moondancer… Let me help you, okay?” Sunset smiled.

A tear made its way down Moondancer’s face as she shakily lower the gun and within the minute, placed it in Sunset’s hand who tossed it off of the catwalk and opened her arms to the teen. Moondancer jumped into Sunset’s embrace and allowed herself to be held as she sobbed. “It’s not fair!”

Sunset nodded and stroked her messy hair. “I know it isn’t… It’s going to be okay though, you made the right choice…”

Adagio scoffed and looked away her hand went to touch the remains of her amulet, it was beyond destroyed, far worse than the last time, the chances of repairing it were slim to none, and now that these mortals around her knew that she could repair it, they weren’t about to allow her to simply pick the shards back up and begin such a process.

She cursed herself internally, where had she gone wrong? Her plan was nearly flawless, Sunset was weakened by emotion, she had trained her own body to far surpass that of which Sunset could have been capable of, and yet she was still sitting on the ground, defeated by mortals yet again. It didn’t make sense to her.

Sunset and the group heard the catwalk they were all standing on rattle as a few new people joined them, one of them that took the front lead and immediately drew their weapon and pointed it directly at Adagio was a face that Twilight and Sunset were both exceptionally glad to see. “Shining!” Sunset and Twilight said in unison.

He nodded and approached Adagio as two brutish looking men came up behind him and got on both sides of Adagio.

“Adagio Dazzle… So, we meet again at last…” Shining smirked.

Adagio rolled her eyes and looked away. “And who are you supposed to be?” Her words a farce, as she already knew who he was.

“Detective Shining Armor CPD, and you are under arrest for the murder of Sunset Shimmer,” He stated, his voice not carrying the usual friendliness it always held, but instead it came off as overly professional.

Adagio chuckled as she was pulled to a stand by the two men that Shining had brought with him. “And what are you going to do? I’m sure you’ve figured it out, but I’m an alien from another dimension, you take me down and they will come breathing down Sunset’s neck too, it won’t be long before she’s in a laboratory being treated like a guinea pig like me…”

Sunset frowned and looked down, realizing that was the truth, there was little they could actually do to punish Adagio beyond ending her life, and that ship had already sailed. Perhaps Adagio had won after all.

Shining, however, didn’t seem phased by her threat and let out a laugh of his own. “That’s why I met up with someone… Someone I’m sure who is eager to see you again…” He gestured to the door that he entered through and there came a face that everyone was relieved to see.

With her dorky blunt bangs, and terrible fashion sense came Princess Twilight Sparkle, causing the face of every person in the room (except Adagio) to light up. “It’s a good thing Moondancer sent for me, she must have assumed this was going to get out of control, nonetheless… It’s great to see everyone.” She bowed.

“Likewise, you’re a bit late to the fight though…” Sunset remarked.

The Princess nodded but stepped forward regardless and met Adagio face to face. “So, it is true… You really did go off the deep end…”

“You’re lucky they stopped me when they did, you would have suffered greatly had they not stopped me… “Adagio responded, venom filling her voice.

The Princess nodded. “Yes, I would assume as much… I guess I got lucky that these girls were here, and you got unlucky. Anyway… I have come here to bring you back to Equestria where you’ll be awaiting trial…”

Adagio blinked. “Trial?”

Princess Twilight smirked and nodded yet again. “Indeed, we intend to do this the correct way, but rest assured, you will be punished accordingly for what you’ve done.”

She turned her head to the rest of the group. “If all of you would be so kind as to accompany us, we’ll need to gather your statements and have you speak at the trial. You’re all welcome to stay with me at the castle while we sort this out.”

“C-castle!?” Rarity nearly squealed, causing Applejack to place a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down.

The other Twilight made her way through the crowd and came up to Sunset and grabbed her hand, causing Sunset to look down and then up to meet Twilight’s happy face. The smile of her friend told her that she had done the right thing. No matter how bad the situation got, as long as she could see Twilight smiling, Sunset knew things would somehow work themselves out. “It got pretty crazy there for a minute, huh?” Sunset said.

Twilight nodded and gave Sunset’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Yeah, but I knew you’d make it through for us, you always do.”

“I’m just mega lucky is all…” Sunset rubbed her neck with her free hand. It was partially true, she wasn’t sure how she was always able to make the seemingly impossible happen for her and her friends.

Twilight shook her head. “No, you’re just better than you realize. You just always sell yourself short.”

Sunset chuckled and sighed. “I guess there’s no point in arguing…”

“Nope!” Twilight winked.

“Thanks…” Sunset smiled back at her friend happily.

“Don’t mention it… So… What happens now? I mean we caught Adagio…” Twilight asked, her eyes wandering over to Adagio.

Sunset took a long look at the siren as she was being forced to move along with the two large men. Shining stood behind her keeping his weapon locked onto her, and the Princess was meeting with their friends briefly, probably catching up with them and sharing the latest happenings in Equestria.

Sunset let out a long sigh as she realized she had actually come out victorious. Somehow she was able to defeat the siren and make it out with all of her friends still alive. She may have failed to keep Shimmer safe, but this time… This time she succeeded.

“Let’s hope…” Sunset paused and closed her eyes. “Let’s hope this is the end of it…”

End of Act III

Author's Note

Wow! Long ass chapter, literally the longest chapter in the story thus far by a significant margin! It was a big finale with a lot going on and a lot of characters though.

So yeah! Who saw this being the conclusion?

So Needless to say... Act III I know was tough on some people, but I'm glad for those of you that stuck with it.

Stay tuned for the upcoming intermissions and then Act IV!

Intermission III-1: Waves

Now you understand how this unfolds a little, don’t you? It’s really quite extraordinary, isn’t it? A siren who found determination so strong she was able to almost bring a girl as strong-willed as Sunset to her knees for a brief moment. It almost makes you admire the girl in a way, doesn’t it?

There is more to know though, and so much left for you to see and understand before you can say you’ve witnessed all that you need to witness. For now what you see is a siren who looked for revenge out of bitterness and hatred, but is that really what is happening? Is the hero really the hero and is the villain truly the villain? Information is always key to unraveling these things, and to act without information is to act foolishly. After all, it was only eight days that you became privy to all that surrounded you.

Choices, decisions, that is what it all boils down to really. One small change can cause an echo heard for centuries, and one choice can change the lives of everyone around you so drastically.

What if Shimmer had not switched places with Sunset? Would Adagio be hunting down a clever scientist with a fear of magic then? What if Shining had managed to hit a vital spot on her during their first encounter? Would the following investigation lead to Sunset being detained as a dangerous alien? Every single thing has a reaction that it can cause. You have come to understand this in our time together, but you need to understand it more before you can say you’re truly prepared.

What lies ahead for Sunset is far from the end, however as soon she will face even more choices that will determine her fate.

Let us look backward, and understand a bit more.

Several Months Ago

Adagio grunted as she entered her small rented house on the other side of town. The place was hardly inhabitable, and by most would qualify as a hovel, but to her, it was a small sanctuary, a place away from the world outside and how harsh and cruel it was.

She grumbled as she stumbled into the place, the effects of cheap whiskey and bourbon still weight heavy on her. Despite her age, she still found it challenging to consume large amounts of alcohol thanks to her humanized body. She attributed it to the fact that her body had gone through a slight biological change when she entered the human world.

A sigh escaped her as she fell onto the old beat up couch in the living room, the television set still on from days ago when Aria and Sonata were there. In her drunken stupor, Adagio could vaguely remember the group of them having the biggest blowout she had ever known between them. Aria had taken Sonata with her and they vowed to stay far away from Adagio. Half of her didn’t care as she wasn’t exactly keen on their company anyway, and loneliness was not a feeling she previously ever gave into until recently that is.

In the past few months, she had begun to remember that feeling all too well. One that she had suppressed for a good few hundred years, a feeling she had hoped would cease to exist in her mind.

Aria’s words still rang in Adagio’s head.

You’re going to get us all killed.

Killed. That was a word that Adagio previously never really thought about. It was a word she tried to avoid thinking about. Mortals had killed her kind for centuries, millenniums even, but it was rare for a siren to kill a mortal, their mothers always taught them not to. Mortals could be controlled with magic, but they went into a blind rage when you killed another mortal. Through sheer numbers, they had the advantage. Sirens were advised against killing to protect the rest of their kind. They were intended to live in the shadows and feed on small groups of mortals without drawing too much attention to themselves. A siren was not meant to be ambitious.

Adagio scoffed and tried to take Aria and her words out of her mind, she tried to tune it out by lazily reaching around for the remote for the television on the couch. When she found it, she managed to flick the TV through a few channels before giving up and letting it rest on some news station that she wasn't particularly interested in. At this point she just needed noise to drown out her thoughts.

Through hazy and blurry vision, Adagio could make out the date. It was her birthday, and she had gone out to have a few drinks by herself to celebrate, Aria and Sonata be damned. She didn’t look a day older than eighteen in this world, but she knew a few places in the underbelly of the city that didn’t mind, not to mention she had a somewhat recognized name and face in the seedy parts of town. Selling drugs had its benefits as well as risks after all.

It was hard to believe she was turning another year older, though how old specifically she couldn’t say. She had stopped counting her birthdays around when she turned 2,288. She knew she was older than most, and of her small clique of sirens, she was the oldest by a decent margin. Aria was somewhere around 2,000 and Sonata had mentioned before she was turning 2,100 at some point soon, though the exact numbers escaped her. Truthfully, it wasn’t a subject that any of them talked about often, including each other’s past. Adagio intended to keep it that way if she ever saw the other two again.

Truthfully though, Adagio struggled to find a reason to celebrate growing another year older in this hellhole, at the lowest point in her life. There was no mistaking it, this was the worst she had felt in a long time, she could only think of a handful of other times that even compared in her long existence.

It was only made worse by the reminder that she would eventually age, grow old and die now that she was stranded here in the human world with no means to restore her powers. Without the ability to feed off of the energy of others, her eternal life would eventually end and she would join the many sirens who have tasted death. It was difficult to know how many sirens had met their end thanks to mortals, their kind never truly had established cities or civilizations and thus record keeping wasn’t something they did. Living in secrecy for centuries definitely didn’t help.

The truth was, Adagio hadn’t a clue if she was one of the handful remaining of a dying race or there were sirens swarming all over back in Equestria but knew how to stay better hidden than she.

She laughed internally at that second thought, knowing that it was likely untrue. It took too long for sirens to be born, so she knew there couldn’t be many out there.

For a brief second, she wondered what Aria and Sonata were doing.

Fuck them.

She nodded and reached to the coffee table to retrieve a pack of cigarettes. She lit one and stuffed it between her lips as she leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes while taking an inhale. She wondered if she was cursed to live like this from now on, to struggle and cheat the system to survive. To grow old, grow ugly and eventually die a sick disgusting hag that no one will even bother sprinkling dirt over. If she died in this very room it might be months before anyone even notices. No one would identify her, she’d just be a Jane Doe to the police and they’d throw her in a grave marked just the same, that is unless their autopsy revealed she was not from this world, in which case she’d be opened up and anyone who knew anything about her would be sworn to secrecy.

Better than Equestria though.

Was it though? She questioned her own thought. Her mind wandered as she laid there with the cigarette in her mouth, gently sucking in and puffing out smoke.

Several Months Ago

Adagio’s eyes opened as she heard her phone ringing. She groaned and fumbled about trying to find it. Once she had located it, she put it up to her ear and answered. “Hello?”

“Dagi? Fuck, I’ve been calling you for hours, why the fuck weren’t you picking up?” The voice on the other side asked.

“Sorry… I was drinking, I must have passed out… Was having a little birthday celebration, you know?” She slurred her speech slightly as she answered.

“Really? No fucking way! How old are you anyway? I know it’s rude to ask but you always looked young as fuck to me…” The male voice on the phone asked.

Adagio chuckled and shook her head. “Too fucking old; now can we cut to the chase and you tell me what you really want Skip, I’m sort of not in the mood for small talk…”

“When are you ever?” He asked.

“Cute, now get to the point…” She yawned.

“It’s uh… It’s Pacer…” Skip said.

Adagio shrugged, not really particularly interested in what their boss had to say at this exact moment. “What about him? Did he get us hooked up with new supply chains? I told him I am taking some time off, I’m exhausted…”

“He’s dead, Dagi…” Skip replied.

Adagio opened her eyes again and sat up. “Say what? How?”

Skip sighed over the phone. “Was trying to gain some new territory, and they popped him in the head. The guys just buried him.”

She couldn’t believe it, the man who had helped her actually fund her life after the Battle of the Bands, the man who treated her as a partner in crime, an equal almost after seeing her work ethic was now dead, tossed into an unmarked hole for the sake of keeping a drug enterprise going.

“Dagi? You there?” Skip asked.

Adagio hung up, not interested in talking further. She brought herself to a stand and shook her head. She wiped cigarette ashes off of her shirt and her hand brushed a broken amulet around her neck, all the pieces glued together and ready to be reforged.

She had lost everything now, there was nothing left.

“Now I get it…” Adagio thought out loud. “There is never a world for sirens… That’s why…” She looked into a broken mirror hanging on Sonata’s old bedroom door. “We always have to make one for ourselves…”

A Little Over a Year Ago

Adagio took a puff from a cigarette as she looked out a car window, her other arm hanging out and allowing the cool night air to hit her and soothe her nerves.

The driver of the car looked over at her and gently nudged her shoulder. “Hey, Dagi, you awake over there?”

Adagio took another drag of the cigarette and nodded. “Yeah, yeah…”

He chuckled and returned his attention to the road. “You’re not really much of a talker, I noticed…”

Adagio shrugged. “I guess I’m just so used to people not caring what I have to say…”

“Hey, I do. Apparently, you don’t need to say much because you’re still my top earner.” He laughed.

With a sigh, Adagio nodded. “Yeah… Whatever, Pacer…”

“Hey, you know why people buy from you?” He asked, his voice having a serious tone to it.

“If you say it’s because I have a great ass, I swear…” Adagio glared in his direction.

Pacer let out a hearty laugh before stopping the car as they reached their destination. He turned to her with a serious face, his dark eyes somehow shining in the night. “Nah, though I have seen it and it’s quite impressive. The reason why is because you’re cool, Dagi. You ooze that edgy thing that you got going on. People want to be as cool as you.”

“Yeah, if they actually knew me, they probably wouldn’t want to be like me…” Adagio rolled her eyes.

Pacer smiled. “Hey, I think you’re cool too, but for different reasons. Keep up the good work and you’re going to be my right hand.”

Adagio blinked and turned to face Pacer. “T-thanks… I… Well… No one’s ever really recognized anything I’ve done.”

“Don’t mention it, now this is where you get off, I believe.” He winked.

Adagio nodded and stepped out of the car, closing the car door behind her. Her boss drove off into the night, Adagio just watching. Looking around it looked like it was going to be a slow night, very little foot traffic in the area, which meant whoever she did sell to she would need to capitalize on.

She looked down at her expensive watch and noted the time was 8:08 PM. The night was young and she had money to make.

The gold bangles on her right wrist clattered together as she walked down the sidewalk and leaned against a signpost next to a bus stop. Her eyes looked down at her expensive heeled boots and a small smile came to her face. Adagio had grown some expensive tastes since she had acquired this gig, and due to her performance, she was able to satisfy them. Every piece of expensive jewelry was just a night or two of work away, every designer pair of boots was a drop in the bucket for her.

She had finally found something in her life that she managed to do well outside of stealing energy from mortals. What was stranger was that she was actually recognized and noticed for it. Pacer actually respected her, saw her as an equal. She wondered if she could get used to this life permanently.

Her eyes were drawn to an expensive Mercedes that pulled up next to the bus stop and came to a stop. The car looked far too rich for this part of town, Adagio raised an eyebrow as she approached the window as it rolled down.

There sitting in the driver’s seat was fiery red hair with golden streaks, mascara applied expertly, a pair of designer glasses and a somewhat gothic dress and a face that Adagio could never forget. Sunset Shimmer.

“Hey, how much for a few bags?” She said.

Adagio froze, she didn’t know what to say. There in front of her was Sunset Shimmer.

Author's Note

Are you confused now? :3

Yeeeeeah, Shimmer and Adagio met before. ;)

Intermission III-2: Strings

Eyes belonging to a young girl opened in a dark room only to see nothing except unnatural looking darkness. They could feel themself surrounded by water. Grumbling and tugging the owner of the eyes managed to pull themselves out of the water and come up for air. Gasping as they took a breath they examined the room they were in. The lighting was poor, but it was possible to make out a series of old machines in the room, it appeared to be some kind of abandoned basement of some kind of factory. Looking down, they could see the water was filling some kind of vat, previously probably used for storing something else.

Rubbing their temple they examined their hands, noting painted fingernails that had chipped polish. Feeling their chest, they grabbed onto soft and rather large breasts. It was unmistakable that they were female.

She pulled herself out of the water and climbed out of the vat and brushed her long wild red hair out of her face. Her attire appeared to be some kind of gothic dress, though soaked now. She tried to think of how she got here in the first place, but nothing came to mind. This entire place seemed foreign and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall anything prior to waking up in this room. She wasn’t in pain, so it was safe to say she hadn’t been kidnapped as an involuntary organ donor, however she did have a headache.

“How did I… Get here…?” She asked out loud. “Where is here, anyway?”

Her question fell on deaf ears, causing her to sigh.

Closing her eyes, she tried to focus, perhaps centering her mind would give her much desired answers.

Her concentration was interrupted when splashing noises came from the other side of the room. She opened her eyes to see another vat on the other side of the room seemed to be showing signs of someone else in the room with her. She took a defensive stance and prepared herself for anything as the sounds of someone coming up for air filled the room.

It was difficult to see in the dark, but a body sprung up and draped over the side of the vat and tumbled out onto the ground, groaning in pain as they hit the ground. They gasped for air and coughed up water as they came back to the waking world. It was safe to assume they too had been unconscious until only just now. They pulled themselves up, using the edge of the vat for support so they could come to a stand, hacking and coughing.

“Damn…” They managed to get out in a strained voice.

The new member of the room glanced about spotting the redhead standing there. This person’s blue eyes shined in the darkness, but their long black hair seemed to be almost invisible with how poor the light was. Their hair reached past their knees as they stood at full height. She was a somewhat taller woman, but nowhere near what one would call a giant or an Amazon, perhaps only slightly above average.

“Who’s there?” The black-haired woman asked.

The redhead remained still and silent.

“I can see you, answer me!” The other shouted.

The redhead gulped and tried to speak up. “I… I… I just woke up here, like you did…”
The black-haired woman looked around the room trying to make sense of this place. “Do you… Recognize this place?” She asked the redhead.

The redhead shook her head as she too peered around the room.

“What’s your name?” The black haired woman inquired.

The redhead stopped and thought it over for a moment. What was her name? She didn’t know. It was information that should have been at the forefront of her mind, but it wasn’t. Something so simple such as a name, yet it eluded her. Closing her eyes, she concentrated, trying to think of anything, something that might trigger a recollection of her name.

After a few seconds, only one word popped into her head. A tiny memory fragment that slipped through the cracks and gave her a name.

Sunset.

“Sunset… I… I think anyway…” She shrugged.

“You think?” The other woman asked with a raised brow as she stepped closer to get a better look at her.

“I… I don’t remember really… I don’t remember a lot of anything… Like I can feel stuff in my head but it feels like… My memories are all mixed up, you know?” Sunset said with a shrug.

The other woman placed a hand on her own forehead and concentrated before looking back at Sunset with a nod. “Yeah… Mine too…”

“What’s your name then?” Sunset asked.

“I… I don’t remember… Something strange going on in my head, like everything feels… Not right, like I’m remembering things wrong…” She replied.

Sunset crossed her arms and thought it over, trying to see if anything about this woman struck her as unique. Some kind of quality that might trigger her memory enough to pin a name to her, perhaps they knew each other.

Nothing came to mind.

“Well… How about we give you a name while we figure it out? That way we have a system for communicating at least…” Sunset suggested.

The woman nodded. “Very well, that sounds ideal.”

“How about… Midnight, because your hair kind of reminds me of the night time…” Sunset proposed.

The other nodded in approval. “Midnight it is, at least until I remember my actual name…”

“So, any chance you have a light or something?” Sunset asked.

Midnight raised a brow and gave a look that suggested she thought Sunset not that bright. “Sweetie, the both of us just woke up in vats of water. Even if I had a light on me wouldn’t it be wet and thus ineffective right now?”

Sunset blushed and looked away. “R-right… I guess I didn’t think of that… Maybe there is a light somewhere in this room then?”

Midnight nodded. “Well, it looks like there is machinery in here, so it would be safe to assume that there was electricity at one point. That and machinery usually requires maintenance, and so I doubt they would perform such in a room with absolutely no lights whatsoever.”

Her logic was sound, Sunset concurred. “Alright, well, let’s see if we can find a switch or something, alright?”

“Sounds like a swell idea, let’s split up, meet back here if you find something. Be careful this room seems pretty large…” Midnight warned.

Sunset nodded and began to feel her way around. Midnight wasn’t kidding when she said the room was large, it was massive. The poor light made her stub her toe at least once or twice while they felt around. Around them were pipes, old disabled equipment and dirt all over the place. The entire facility was filthy; when Sunset ran her hand along a pipe, she could feel years of dirt caked on. This place must not have been used for decades.

“Find anything over there?” Midnight called out.

“Nothing, what about you?” Sunset asked, unable to see her on the other side of the room.

“I think I found a light switch, hang on…” Midnight replied loudly.

Pressing the switch, the lights in the room came to life slowly, first with a few flickers, but eventually, they would light up the entire room. Sunset and Moonlight both covered their eyes as they tried to adjust from total darkness to blinding light.

When their eyes had finally settled, they lowered their arms to get a better look at each other. Sunset realized she was right in calling her new acquaintance Midnight, as her hair was about as black as one could get. It somehow went well with her shining crystal blue eyes.

She had some kind of white button-up blouse which while soaked made her black lacy bra underneath shine through with ease. Complimenting the outfit was a tight skirt, black in color with a gold belt.

Sunset noted that she was wearing pumps that appeared rather expensive. She was an extremely attractive woman, who clearly had some years to her.

Midnight was an older woman, clearly somewhere in her 30s, possibly 40s if she carried her age well.

She peered at Sunset and smirked. “So… We finally get a better look at each other’s faces…” Midnight said.

Sunset nodded and stepped forward as the two came to the middle of the room to meet. “Maybe… My face sparks some of your memories?”

Midnight shrugged. “Don’t know, what about mine?”

Sunset shook her head in defeat. “Sadly, no… Still a blank. I have no idea who you are… However that could just mean we haven't spoken for very long...”

“That makes two of us…” Midnight smirked before looking around, her eyes stopping on something on the other side of the room. “Quick question… Do you know her?” Midnight pointed to something on the other side of the room.

Sunset blinked and turned her head and froze for a second as she saw a body laying on the floor, face down, but a bullet wound through the back of their skull.

Midnight hummed as she casually walked over to the corpse and examined it.

“I… I don’t know…” Sunset stated as she followed cautiously.

“Hmmm… Yellow hair… Seems young, probably were a gorgeous creature when they were alive…” Midnight surmised as she turned the body over to reveal it was already well past early decomposition.

“You seem… A little too comfortable…” Sunset pointed out.

Midnight shrugged. “Somehow… I think I remember seeing dead bodies before… I think… I don’t know… Still pretty hazy…”

“Maybe you were a coroner?” Sunset suggested.

Midnight just shrugged again. “Her face ringing any bells?”

Sunset studied the face that at this point was mostly a skeleton. “Not… Really…”

Midnight nodded and placed a hand to her chin. “She didn’t die here…”

“How do you figure that?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Do you see any dried blood under her, because I don’t. Someone put her here after they killed her… Why though…?” Midnight thought out loud.

“I guess that proposes a new question then…” Sunset stated as she crossed her arms.

Midnight tilted her head with intrigue. “Oh? And what is that?”

“Why are we here? If someone killed her, it’s safe to say they could have killed us too, but they chose not to, so why have we been spared?” Sunset asked.

“Assuming they are one in the same…” Midnight corrected.

She had a point, at this point they couldn’t assume that a murder that happened clearly years ago had anything to do with them being there. However, it was a possibility that the two were linked.

“Well… I think I saw a door on the other side of the room, we should check it out, maybe we can get out of here?” Sunset gestured behind herself where she had seen the door while they were searching for the light switch.

“Sounds like a good idea, no sense in staying here and wasting away, right?” Midnight smiled.

Sunset concurred and began leading the two toward the door. When they reached it, Midnight squinted, a bit skeptical as Sunset reached for the handle. Midnight reached out and grabbed Sunset’s wrist. “Wait…”

Tilting her head, Sunset looked at Midnight with confusion.

“Don’t you think it’s odd?” Midnight asked, still keeping a firm grip on Sunset’s wrist.

“What is?”

Midnight looked at the door with skepticism. “Someone brings us here, drops us with a dead body, we have no memory of how we got here or even who we are, and yet they left a convenient door for us to escape through?”

Sunset lowered her hand from the door handle and thought it over. It did sound strange, but she wasn’t sure if she was in a position to question it. The door was their only way out, and even if it was a trap, whoever put the two of them there clearly knew they would determine that they would have no choice but to spring it regardless. It was almost as if someone had predicted everything they would or could do and had already prepared a countermeasure.

Was it possible that someone was toying with them?

Sunset shrugged. “It’s not like we have a choice…”

Midnight nodded reluctantly, knowing that Sunset was right. She gently pushed Sunset out of the way and gave the door a mighty kick. The force of her foot caused the door the burst open and a light shined out of it, blinding them.

A woman in her thirties stood staring out a window looking down at the city below her. It was hard to believe she had been away from her family estate for so long, nearly a decade now. She had gone to college, graduated and now practiced medicine at Canterlot City Hospital. She recalled the day she received her medical doctorate, her mother and father were ecstatic.

She let out a sigh as she checked her watch and noticed how late she was. Making her way out of her apartment door, she stopped and snagged her glasses from the countertop and propped them up over her nose and gave them a gentle adjustment. Running a hand through her long red hair, she ran her way to the elevator and tapped the button impatiently. When the door opened she could see the face of a neighbor on the floor below her. He smiled warmly and did a quick adjustment of his messy hair, clearly hoping to impress her with a more put together appearance.

“Oh, Sunset! It’s great to see you!” He said happily.

Sunset brushed her scrubs off and nodded as she stepped in next to him and stood still while she watched the door close.

“On your way to work, I see…” The young man stated.

Sunset gave a nod.

“So… Any plans after?” He whistled innocently.

“Are you asking me on a date, Code?” Sunset raised a brow.

His face turned crimson as he tried to look away, clearly still too shy to ask outright despite him flirting with her for months.

“Well… I don’t know… Maybe?” He shrugged, clearly not wanting to say yes or no to the question, but his intentions were obvious.

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “Sorry, Code… I’m at work all the time…”

“Well you can take some time off, I mean there are other doctors you know?” He pointed out.

“Maybe… Some other time, alright?” Sunset gave a weak smile that seemed to satisfy him as he returned it.

“Yeah… Okay… Some other time…” Code nodded.

The elevator dinged to alert the two that they had reached the bottom floor, and Sunset bowed slightly to him and gave an approving nod before making her exit. A part of her wondered why she was so against even giving the man a chance. He seemed nice enough, and he wasn’t terrible looking. Sure he had a boring IT job, but he made great money. Sunset thought back to the last time she had even been on a date.

She was homeschooled for most of her life, so she didn’t go out and socialize much. By the time she reached college, she was indifferent toward other people. She only recalled when she was eight and tried to go to private schooling and a boy said he had a crush on her, that was perhaps the only romantic experience she had had shy of about two dates she took after she began working.

Both were uneventful and she was home by eight o’ clock and didn’t bother inviting either of them into her apartment. Despite all of her accomplishments, her inability to connect with people socially left her a virgin at thirty-one. She never really knew if the moment was right, or even to tell if a guy liked her, unless they were painfully obvious about it like Code was.

She remembered her social ineptitude began at childhood and just seemed to carry on. Her parents kept her at home for school when she couldn’t fit in and she spent the rest of her time away from other kids. She wondered if that had damaged her social abilities.

Either way, she put her mind back on work as she wandered out to her Audi and fished the key from her pocket. It was an impressive car, one that made even the people of this rich part of town look with envy. A present from her father to celebrate her thirtieth birthday last year. A small smile came to her face as she remembered.

She got inside and started the engine before snapping her seatbelt on. When she got on the road, she checked the time, 8:08 AM, she was going to be later than she had originally thought, she had been distracted with her thoughts this morning and as a result, she didn’t pay attention to the ticking clock.

Picking up the pace, she pressed down on the peddle harder to try and make up for lost time.

She managed to get herself there within eighteen minutes of speeding, and nearly getting caught twice by speed traps, but Sunset parked her car in the hospital parking lot and stepped out, brushing off her scrubs and composing herself.

The woman tried to make herself seem small as she walked through the door unseen, but of course, their desk clerk spotted her right away. After all, she was the only redhead there, so it was easy to see her.

“Oh, Dr. Shimmer, there you are! There’s a patient here to see you, I told her she had to wait in this waiting room but she proved to be… Quite… Insistent…” The clerk rubbed her neck nervously.

Sunset raised an annoyed brow. “Where is she then?”

“She’s… In your office…” The clerk sunk in her seat, preparing to be scolded.

“And why didn’t you stop her?” Sunset asked.

“She… was… Quite strong, Doctor… She pushed her way through security.” The clerk admitted a bit embarrassed sounding.

Sunset blinked and shook her head, wondering what a person who could shove their way through the entire security staff would look like. Regardless, she knew she’d have no choice but to deal with such a person soon, as if they were in her office on the eighth floor, she would have no choice but to deal with them.

She found herself walking silently, ignoring the world around her as she made her way to the elevator. Fortunate for her, she was alone when she entered, meaning no awkward office conversation with people she didn’t really care much for.

By the time she had made it to her floor, she realized her stomach was growling hungrily at her, scolding her for not eating prior to coming to work. She had forgotten to eat again, not an uncommon thing for her, but an annoying endeavor. Sunset made a mental note to stop at the cafeteria at some point in the day but knew there was an 80% chance she would forget again and just go hungry.

Approaching her door, she took a deep breath before entering.

There sitting in the chair in front of her desk was a woman probably thirty years of age, blonde hair tied at the end down to her back, and a button up plaid shirt that did a poor job of containing her large breasts. Sunset could relate to the difficulty of finding clothing that could fit comfortably over large breasts, being rather busty herself.

The woman’s face was dotted with freckles along her cheeks, but she also had the most adorable green eyes.

Sunset forced a smile and walked around her to her desk, offering her hand. “Hello, I’m Dr. Sunset Shimmer.”

They took her hand and squeezed it a bit more firmly than Sunset would have liked. She had a tight and powerful grip, one that certainly could make a woman cry in pain. Sunset was starting to understand how a single woman overpowered the entire security team.

“Applejack Apple, a pleasure to meet ya’,” the woman replied.

“Ms. Apple…” Sunset began only for Applejack to cut her off.

“Jus’ Applejack is fine, or AJ if y’all prefer.”

Sunset blinked and adjusted her glasses before clearing her throat. “Applejack, then… What brings you to my office exactly?”

Applejack smirked. “Well, ‘Ah hear y’all are the best there is.”

“I’m assuming you mean in my practice. If so, I assure you there are likely people better than myself, but that is why medicine is a science, we’re always striving for improvements…” Sunset replied, unsure of where this was going.

Applejack nodded understandingly, but it was likely that she wasn’t really paying attention. “Sure, sure… But ‘Ah know y’all are the best in the city, so I was wondering if you could take a look at me, the misses keeps tellin’ me I need to see someone about the pain ‘Ah keep feelin’, she don’t take hard day’s work as an excuse, y’know?”

Sunset sighed and pressed her fingers to her temple. “You know you should really have made an appointment, I’m a fairly busy person. You can’t just walk in here and demand my time.”

Applejack crossed her legs and arms and stared Sunset down, clearly not ready to concede so easily. It was clear by looking at her that this was a woman who didn’t let things like “rules” and “regulations” stop her from getting where she needed to be. There was a warrior’s spirit in this woman and she’d be damned if she was going to let a little bit of paperwork stop her.

Realizing that Applejack was forcing her hand, Sunset sighed and nodded. “Yes… Alright… Please take your shirt off and I’ll examine you alright?”

Applejack smirked and gave an approving pointing finger. “See, now we’re on the same page.”

Sunset nodded as she came to a stand with Applejack who began to unbutton her shirt and tossed it aside. Sunset noted that Applejack had numerous scars on her body, little cuts, and scrapes that had likely accumulated over the decades. There was a large laceration across her left shoulder that seemed larger than the rest, but the front side of her was relatively free of damage, though Sunset already wondered if her large breast size could contribute to back problems.

Reaching into her desk, Sunset retrieved a small device that she used for quick examinations. In the past few years, medical science had seen tremendous breakthroughs, X-rays no longer required a huge machine to perform, but a small wand that could fit in one’s pocket. Cancer was on the brink of extinction shy of a few stragglers, and visits to the doctor became considerably shorter thanks to all of the improvements.

The good doctor ran the wand in front of Applejack and then gestured for her to turn around. Applejack did as told and the wand got ran in front of her one more time. Once the data was collected, Sunset tapped a small button on the device and set it down on the table. She came around back to her chair and took a seat while a holographic screen came up from the device.

Applejack scooped her shirt back up and began to hastily fasten it back on while she sat back down with the doctor waiting for any news.

“So we’re cool?” Applejack raised a brow. “‘Ah can tell her she’s worried fer’ nothin’?”

Sunset coughed and adjusted her glasses while she frowned. “Hardly, Miss Applejack… Honestly, you have some nerve damage going on here… Clearly, you’re pushing yourself too hard, what is it that you do?”

“Orchard farmin’, mostly anyway.” Applejack shrugged.

“Perhaps it’s time to hire some farmhands?” Sunset smirked.

Applejack gave a dismissive hand gesture.

“Nonetheless… I can prescribe some drugs that will assist in repairing the damage, you’ll need to undergo a small surgery as well after a few weeks, but be thankful you listened to your wife and came in now. This damage is reversible, but if you waited too long it might have been much worse, you should really learn to take better care of yourself,” Sunset scolded.

Applejack chuckled and nodded, seeming to take this all very well. Then again she seemed like a fairly realistic and down to earth person overall.

“Alright doc, you win. ‘Ah’ll take it easy for a few… Guess ‘Ah can give the kids a few more chores, lord knows they won’t mind anyway,” Applejack replied.

Coming to a stand and offering her hand to the doctor, Applejack’s face sported a wide grin. “Thanks ‘fer yer’ help, doc.”

Finishing up on writing a prescription and handing to Applejack, she used her other hand to take Applejack’s hand in her own. Applejack had a firm grip, but something about it felt… familiar.

Sunset blinked and looked down the calloused hand then back up at Applejack’s freckled face. “Say… This may sound strange but…”

Applejack tilted her head. “Hm?”

“Have we… Met before?” Sunset asked.

“Can’t say we have… ‘Ah’d remember a pretty face like yours…” Applejack nodded.

A blush crept onto the doctor’s face as she released Applejack’s hand. “Yes well… I guess I’m just experiencing some kind of deja vu…”

“Happens to the best of us!” Applejack joked.

“Yes well… I’ll see you in a few weeks, Miss Apple…” Sunset nodded.

Applejack wandered toward the entrance with her hands stuffed in her pocket. She pulled one out and gave a thumb’s up. At that second she swore she had met this farmer before, but couldn’t place her finger on it.

Midnight and Sunset fumbled into the next room, both of them placing a hand to their throbbing skulls. Sunset gasped in agony as she leaned up against a wall and sat on the floor, trying to compose herself. That memory that came back to her felt… unnatural, odd. Something about it didn’t feel right.

For starters, she definitely appeared much younger than the person she was remembering, was it possible she was seeing the future? No, such a thing was absurd, people couldn’t see the future.

Midnight seemed to be in the same pain, so Sunset wondered if she recalled something too. “H-hey… You alright?” Sunset asked.

Midnight groaned as she pulled herself up to a stand, clearly not feeling very well, but shrugging it off anyway. “Never better…”

“Did you… by chance… remember something too?” Sunset asked as she began to use the wall to help herself up to a stand.

Midnight nodded but kept the same serious face she had when she entered. “I’m not sure though…”

“What do you mean?” Sunset raised a brow.

“I’m not convinced that was… My memory… Something feels not right like my thoughts are all mixed up…” Midnight replied.

“Same… Like I’m not sure what’s real or not…” Sunset admitted.

Midnight nodded as she began to examine the new room they had entered. “I hope my kids are doing okay…” Midnight spoke.

Sunset perked up and leaned in with interest. “Kids? So you remember you have children?”

Midnight nodded and tilted her head. “Yeah, what of it?”

“When did you remember that?” Sunset asked.

“Sometime before we came into this room, just small things coming back to me, but it’s not clear whether I am remembering correctly or not…” Midnight sighed.

“What’re their names? Maybe they might trigger something for me!” Sunset stepped forward.

Midnight took a defensive stance and shook her head. “I’m not telling you anything.”

“Huh? Why?” Sunset tilted her head in confusion.

Crossing her arms, Midnight kept her distance. “Neither of us knows how we got here and both of us are having issues with our memories. I don’t know you and you don’t even know who you are, so that’s reason enough not to trust you fully. If I told you who my kids were then you may use them against me, or someone else could be watching us that could harm them if they haven’t already. So the less you know about me, the better…”

Sunset frowned at how distrusting she was, in the previous room she seemed fine, so whatever memory she had acquired must have shaken her up badly. It made Sunset curious, but she doubted she’d get any answers or explanations. Midnight’s logic was sound after all, how could Sunset expect to be trusted when she didn’t even know who she was? Only a few minutes ago Midnight seemed very trusting, but suddenly she had become very standoffish.

One detail concerned her though. “You think someone might be watching us…?”

Midnight shrugged. “Well we were brought here alive and we’re not being hindered by locked doors even, so clearly someone wanted us to escape…”

Sunset nodded as she found herself agreeing.

“So we’re in agreement then? We keep each other in the dark except on a need to know basis, got it?” Midnight stated.

“I guess I have no choice…” Sunset sighed, realizing that this was how it was going to be.

I think you’re starting to understand that things are not always as they seem to be. These two souls brought together to explore mysterious pasts… Or maybe not? Truth is all relative, and it will be up to you to determine what that truth is.

You’re starting to get it, it’s slowly coming together for you, it won’t be much longer until you understand everything, but for now, there is so much more for you to see.

Author's Note

Confused yet? You should be.

Act IV - Chapter XLII: Needed Justice

Act IV: Love

Chapter XLII: Needed Justice

Princess Twilight adjusted in her seat next to her mentor, Princess Celestia. She looked to her idol with concerned eyes, wondering if she was doing a fair enough job leading such an important trial, but was left at ease when the fair princess gave her a reassuring smile. Up to this point, things had gone fairly one-sided, but she was trying her best to be fair to the accused and the accusers.

This trial was perhaps the most important ordeal that Princess Twilight had been a participant of, and who would have guessed her first royal trial as a princess would involve not only some of her friends but an alternate dimension entirely. She wasn’t even entirely sure if things fell under their jurisdiction, and it was certainly a most unusual trial, but they tried to treat it as standard as they possibly could. Princess Twilight wondered for a moment why such odd and bizarre circumstances always seemed to befall her.

There with her, was her brother, Prince Shining Armor, looking as serious as always. His poker face always impressed Princess Twilight, though her own was getting better and better as the years passed. Next to him was his doting wife Cadence who bore a look of remorse and sympathy, not unlike her.

This trial had gone on for a good few hours and Princess Twilight had just given the order for the accuser’s party to give a final statement and sum up their argument, along with the defense. Adagio Dazzle, the defense was on trial for murder, the murder of the human girl known simply as “Shimmer” among her friends. Murder was not a common crime in Equestria, though not unheard of, in the old days it was far more common than it was presently. Princess Twilight looked at Luna next to Celestia and recalled she had mentioned that Equestria experiences maybe a single murder every decade these days.

Princess Twilight cleared her throat and raised her hoof to gesture for Adagio to stand.

Adagio Dazzle had taken a simple unicorn form, chains cuffed her hooves together and rattled as she stood. “Ms. Dazzle, you may give your closing argument…”

Adagio shrugged and looked into the pews sitting around the courtroom, her eyes met with Sunset Shimmer whore bore daggers with her sight. It was probably a wise move that she allowed Twilight and her brother Officer Shining speak on her behalf, she would have been far too full of anger to make a sensible argument.

With a sigh, Adagio looked back at the royal council sitting before her. “It’s pretty simple really… I needed to kill that girl to get my magic back, but she wasn’t the intended target. I’m a victim of circumstance, you all don’t know what it’s like to be a siren, magic was…” She paused trying to think of the best way to put it. “It was… My only chance at a better life… I did what I had to do, by the time I pulled that trigger, it was too late. I panicked, it all happened so quickly… I’m not asking you to forgive me or to say I didn’t do it… I’m just asking to understand my circumstances…”

Adagio looked into the audience and then back to the royal council. “I was desperate, I wasn’t thinking properly…”

“Bullshit!” A call from the audience screamed.

The entire court froze and all eyes were drawn to the outburst to see Sunset Shimmer standing and pointing an accusing hoof. “That’s a load of bullshit and you know it! You could have fucking stopped! You didn’t have to kill her! There were other ways, you just didn’t give a shit! You killed her and you don’t even feel remotely bad about it!” Sunset yelled only for Applejack to awkwardly reach up with her hooves and pull her down. Fluttershy hushed Sunset and stroked her hoof affectionately, trying to get her to settle down.

“We’re sorry…” Applejack frowned.

Princess Twilight nodded. “I ask all of our human guests to please try and contain their outbursts, I know this is a difficult ordeal, but I must hear all sides of this story properly…”

“Yes, Princess… I’m sorry…” Sunset blushed and closed her eyes tightly, trying to keep herself from breaking down.

“Ms. Dazzle, you may continue…” Princess Twilight gestured to the siren.

Sunset could hardly believe that the Princess was capable of being so calm about the situation, but then again she knew that she was in a position where it was expected of her.

Adagio cleared her throat and continued. “Look, I would do anything to take back what I did, I mean that… I didn’t intend for Shimmer to die… It wasn’t my intention… I know that no one here believes me but…” She looked around noting that not a single sympathetic eye was looking in her direction. She sighed and shook her head. “But whatever…”

With those words, Adagio sat down, only semi-confident in her defense. At this point she knew it was proven beyond any doubt that she pulled the trigger, that she committed the act, her hope was not to escape that, but to at least have the sympathy of knowing she was put in a situation where she had little to no choice.

Princess Twilight gave a nod as Adagio sat and then pointed to the bespectacled pony sitting across from her, with her scruffy looking brother. “Ms. Sparkle, you have the floor, let us hear your closing argument please.”

Twilight nodded and adjusted her glasses as she looked up at the princess counterpart of herself. It was odd being in Equestria, moving as a pony, and even just standing, but she was slowly getting used to it. She gestured for Shining to follow her. He lifted a few large photos and placed them on a stand before the court while Twilight cleared her throat and gave her glasses one last adjustment.

“Ladies and Gentlemen… Err… I mean… Ponies of the court…” Twilight began.

“Ms. Dazzle’s assertion is that she panicked and could not undo what was initiated and that she acted as a victim of circumstance. It is clear that she would desire leniency from the county under the pretense that she had regret for what she did, and that had she been given more time she would have stopped what was set into motion…” Twilight added before gesturing to Shining.

Shining pulled the white paper in front of the photos down and Twilight gestured to the photograph presented. It was a diagram of the crime scene showing where the body had been found and where the bullet holes in the pavement had been found.

“There are two major points of contention which are the crux of my case against the defendant. The first being this…” Twilight paused and looked at Sunset in the audience. Sunset gave her an approving nod before she continued. “The body was found a good eight feet away from where the shots were fired. She was shot eight times in succession, all in the back.”

Twilight approached Adagio and looked her in the eye as she sat behind the defense bench. “She dragged herself, she tried to take cover under a nearby car, she pulled her body as far away from you as she could. She was trying to get away from you… But that brings me to my second point…” She gave another gesture to Shining, but kept her powerful eyes locked on Adagio.

“This weapon… It holds four rounds… Not eight…” Twilight pointed out.

Princess Celestia tilted her head in confusion. “Most of us are not versed in human weaponry, what does that mean exactly?”

Twilight smirked and looked back at the royal council. “It takes about eight seconds to load a clip into this weapon if you are skilled enough… That means… That Ms. Dazzle unloaded a full clip… Stopped… And reloaded… Just to fire again. You wanted to make sure she was dead, didn’t you? There was no regret, you wanted to finish what you started, there was no hesitation, no wishing you could take it back…” Twilight approached and banged her hooves on the table in front of Adagio, who met her with a cold uncaring stare.

“You wanted her dead… You didn’t care what happened…”

The Princess Twilight banged a gavel onto the podium in front of her and cleared her throat. “That is enough, Ms. Sparkle… Please control yourself.”

Twilight nodded and stepped away from the defense desk. “Yes… I’m sorry… That rests my case.”

A resounding sigh flooded the entire courtroom as everyone let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding in. Princess Twilight looked left and right at the other royal family members who all met her with their eyes. “We ask that all stay here while we go and deliberate the facts presented before us. We shall return with a verdict as quickly as we can, but we do not intend to take any of this lightly, our decision will be made with care and thought. After all, we are dealing with a serious matter after all…”

There was silence in the entire room before Princess Twilight gave another nod and banged her gavel once more. “Court is in recess.”

Reaching a room that Twilight had been told before was the old war room the group met back up and took their seats. Twilight wondered why Equestria would need such a room, however, she knew that in the past that war was not unheard of and Celestia and Luna had both dealt with some less than ideal conflicts in the past. However war had not broken out for nearly eight hundred years at this point, and such a place felt like a relic of the past, more so when Twilight brushed some dust off of her seat as she looked around the room at the rest of the royal family who had taken their seats around her.

There was silence in the room, not a single pony dared to speak, they all waited on Twilight’s words before they began.

She cleared her throat and adjusted the crown on her head with her hoof. “Alright… So we are here to discuss the verdict of the case against Adagio Dazzle… How do we proceed? I’ve read up on royal cases like this, but this is actually my first one…” Twilight admitted sheepishly.

Celestia gave an approving nod. “You may lead, Twilight. This is your case after all, and you clearly understand more about the human world than any of us.”

Twilight nodded and took in a deep breath as she began to go over the details. “Very well… Well for starters we know that the accused did indeed commit this murder, there is no denying that, even Adagio herself admits that guilt, what is being contested is if she felt remorseful or wanted to stop midway through the killing…”

Princess Twilight’s brother cleared his throat and spoke up. “I believe the… Prosecution, I suppose… Well, I believe they made it very clear that she had every opportunity to stop, but didn’t… If I am understanding this correctly…”

Cadence chimed in to explain the details to both her husband and any who may still be confused. “Yes, I believe the human Twilight explained that this… weapon would require reloading to attack her the eight times that she did correct?”

Princess Twilight nodded. “Yes, I’m not tremendously familiar with human weaponry, but guns, as they are called, require ammunition and they can only hold a certain amount at any given time. This particular model only held four rounds, meaning they would have had to reload it to use it eight times…”

“I think it’s clear that Adagio had no remorse when she pulled that trigger, while she did not hit her intended target, she believed it was the other Sunset and so she continued to fire hoping to end her life. She doesn’t regret killing, only that she killed the wrong girl, but chose to continue to use it to her advantage…” Princess Luna spoke up.

“How old was she?” Celestia asked with a raised brow.

Twilight frowned and looked down. “E-eighteen…”

Celestia’s face matched Twilight’s as a frown of her own appeared on it. “So young, what a waste…”

“Her mother and father had already passed away a few years back, but she was just starting to come out of her shell finally… She had made friends and was trying to learn about friendship…” Twilight explained.

“An entire lineage, ended then…” Luna added with a raised hoof.

The rest of the group hung their heads down at the news, it was far worse than they had originally imagined.

“So… I guess the only real question is… What do we do about it? I mean we got lucky here in that the issue was able to be handled by our own kind and that we had a few humans who were willing to help us out and keep this under wraps, but had someone else stumbled upon this… This could have been an interdimensional incident… It may have even sparked a war between our worlds…” Shining pointed out.

Twilight had considered that possibility. She levitated a folder onto the table and flipped it open while she went through Adagio’s known records. In the early days, history regarding sirens was seldom recorded and most of it was old myths and legends, but in the past couple hundred years, they started keeping records.

According to her files, Adagio had been in and out of different prisons and endured many different punishments over the years. She at one point spent eighty years locked away, only to escape during a prison riot. At another, she had been ordered to do hard labor for half a decade, but managed to get away when no one was looking. She was a crafty creature, one who was always able to patiently wait out her sentence until the opportunity to escape presented itself. This ordeal in the human world was no exception.

Her banishment to the human world was supposed to make her harmless, send her to a place where there was no magic for her to manipulate or control, but Twilight hung her head in shame at her own idol who neglected to think about the damage that the monster he had sent away could cause to the world where he imprisoned her.

Adagio had a long list of crimes, but murder was a new one. Ponies had died because of sirens before, but never because the siren used their hooves (or hands in this case) to end that pony’s life.

“We could banish her to Tartarus?” Cadence shrugged, clearly not very sure herself what to do with the murderous siren.

“She would just escape…” Shining sighed.

“She has no magic any more, no amulet even…” Cadence reminded.

“Doesn’t matter, she’s escaped before with less on her side. It’s clear she’s far too crafty and manipulative to trust. We need to send her somewhere where the chances of escape are literally impossible…” Shining spoke.

Luna cleared her throat and placed a hoof on the table to try and get the two to stop arguing. “I think… It should be Twilight’s decision… After all, she was the one who helped capture this creature and has dealt with her recently, she has a better understanding of what this siren is capable of than any of us, so I say it’s wisest to leave the choice in her capable hooves.”

Twilight blinked and shook her head. “W-wait! You want me to decide?”

Celestia’s face grew warm with a smile crossing her lips. “I actually agree, I think you are ready to make a big decision like this, Twilight. I know you will do what you feel is right.”

Hoping for some kind of objection, Twilight looked over at Shining and Cadence who both just grew smiles on their faces as well. “I concur, we trust your judgment, Twilight,” Cadence said.

Shining raised an approving hoof and nodded. “You got this, little sis.”

Sighing, Twilight sunk in her seat as she rested her head against the back of her tall chair. “Very well… I need… A moment to consider this…”

“Take all the time you need,” Celestia encouraged.

Twilight closed her eyes and thought it all over. Without her magic, Adagio was far from immortal now. She would eventually start to age (albeit at a slower rate) and die like any mortal. Sirens were one of the few creatures that actually could live forever if they kept on top of their diet.

However, Twilight knew that Adagio clearly was clever, even without magic she knew how to weasel her way out of tight situations, and even without eternal life, she had a long life ahead of her, and that meant she had plenty of time to plot her escape from whatever hell hole they threw her in. Even locking her in a cage so small she couldn’t even stand didn’t sound like a great idea, because there was always the chance she could manipulate the guards to let her go, that and it sounded absolutely cruel.

She didn’t want to set the precedent for her first trial to be that she condoned such unusual and immoral punishments. She didn’t feel that torturing Adagio would resolve anything, but she knew that Sunset was furious, she counted on Princess Twilight to deliver a punishment that was fitting for the loss of her “sister”, Shimmer.

Princess Twilight wished the decision was easier, but after enough internal deliberating she knew there was only one thing she could do, only one choice that made logical sense given all the information she was given in the past few hours. This entire ordeal had been going on for the past eight hours, and from the start, she didn’t know what to expect, but the royal family giving her the go-ahead to decide the outcome of this entire trial was certainly not something she even expected in the realm of possibilities.

Twilight leaned back forward and opened her eyes as the answer came to her. “Right… I think I know what to do now… If everypony here really does trust my judgment on the matter?” She looked around the room.

“Definitely, we are behind you, 100%,” Shining stated.

The rest of the group nodded in approval.

Sighing, Twilight nodded herself and came to a stand. “Alright, then let’s not keep them waiting, it’s time to finish this trial…”

The royal council began to fill the room again and take their seats as they looked down at the courtroom, the human Twilight just packing up her things and heading to the pews to meet with her friends when she saw her princess counterpart entering the room with the rest of the royal family. She decided to hold still and wait for them to speak.

Princess Twilight sat down in the center and stared down at the courtroom below with serious eyes. Everyone fell dead silent, the tension in the room could not be measured by any scale imaginable.

She cleared her throat and spoke loud enough for all to hear. “This court has reached a verdict…” She paused before raising a hoof toward Adagio, gesturing for her to stand. “Ms. Dazzle… If you would please stand for this…”

Adagio nodded nonchalantly and brought herself up. She knew that the chances of being found innocent were next to impossible. There was no way that Princess Twilight would be naive enough to think she could be reformed so easily, no she knew she’d be spending some time in prison or in banishment, she had already been mentally preparing herself.

“Adagio Dazzle… After much deliberation, and a lengthy trial, we have decided to find you…” Twilight paused but continued only a second later, “guilty of murder in the first degree. It is our opinion that this murder was premeditated and carried out without remorse.”

Adagio sighed and hung her head for a moment. She knew they wouldn’t believe her, but it was hardly to be unexpected at this point.

Shrugging, she looked back up at the Princess with cold, uncaring eyes as she let Twilight continue.

“Your punishment…” Twilight began.

Adagio smirked. “What’re you going to do? Throw me in another prison? Banish me? You know I’ll just get out, I’ll find a way, I always do. I can outlive all of you, meaning that you’ll never truly be able to stop me, I’ll be back before you even know it… Do your worst!”

“Is death…” Twilight finished.

The entire room fell silent, and Adagio’s smug expression quickly turned south. That was not the outcome she was expecting, she didn’t even think that Princess Twilight was bold enough to make such a call.

“W-wha!?” Adagio managed to get out.

Princess Twilight sighed. “After reviewing the evidence and your record I have determined that you are likely to kill again and that previous attempts to correct your behavior in the past have failed, so I believe this is the only suitable punishment…”

“Wait! Maybe we can work something out!” Adagio pleaded.

Twilight shook her head. “Because of you, a girl is dead. She was still a child too, she’ll never get to grow up, live her dreams, have children, anything… You ended her life, and you have to pay the price for that. Furthermore, your actions could have even sparked a war between Equestria and the human world should anyone else gotten involved.”

“Listen to me! I would do anything to take it back, I swear it!” Adagio placed a hoof on her heart, hoping the Princess would feel her sincerity.

Princess Twilight sighed and shook her head. “My mind is made up…”

Adagio was shaking, she couldn’t believe it. She was prepared for anything, but not for this. This was definitely an outcome that she had not anticipated.

“Adagio Dazzle, you shall be put to death twenty-four hours from this time. I suggest you use that time to make peace with whatever gods you have… Tomorrow you’ll be meeting them…” Twilight spoke as she raised her gavel with her magic once more and banged it on her podium. “Court is adjourned.”

The Princess made eye contact with Celestia, who seemed to give her a reassuring nod, trying to non-verbally inform her that she had made the right decision. With no objection, Princess Twilight found herself calm after such a tough call. She didn’t find it exceptionally cruel, in actuality she found this to be the most direct and non-cruel punishment she could think of.

She turned and began to make her way out the door with the other royal family members as a group of about eight guards came into the court to take Adagio back to the dungeon where she would be held awaiting her punishment. She would be switched from awaiting trial to awaiting her death. The siren didn’t even resist as the guards all began to take her away, she was still in shock.

Sunset was a bit surprised herself, she never imagined that Princess Twilight would employ such a punishment. The other Twilight looked at Sunset and could see and feel the concern on her face, but she had detected a slight bit of uncertainty from the Princess as well.

Twilight came to a stand and hopped over the pews and ran as fast as she could to get into the hallway where her pony counterpart had gone, hoping to catch up to her.

Almost out of breath, she called out to the Princess. “Princess Twilight!”

The Princess stopped and looked back to see a slightly smaller version of herself wearing glasses standing there. No wings to speak of, and a cutie mark of a beaker with sparkles around it. She looked back at the other royal family members who nodded and continued on ahead, giving the two Twilight’s some privacy.

“Twilight, it’s nice to see you again, to what do I owe the occasion?” The Princess smiled, her expression carrying the same warmness it usually did as if she had not just sentenced a person to their death only moments ago. It was clear that as time went on, the Princess was slowly becoming more and more used to her role as a ruler and as a result, she could switch hats without much effort and assume the next role she needed to be without much of a transition. It was somewhat fascinating, and Twilight wondered if she ever would be as calm and collected as the Princess was.

Catching her breath, Twilight approached slowly. “Princess… I’m grateful that you intend to punish Adagio… I mean the pain she’s caused… Is…”

“Unthinkable, I know. Murder is not that common here in Equestria…” The Princess frowned.

“Right, but…” Twilight bit her lip, unsure if questioning the decisions of the princess was a good idea.

“You fear I’ve gone too far?” Princess Twilight spoke, it was as if she could read Twilight’s mind.

Twilight rubbed her neck and looked away, not wanting to make eye contact as she criticized the Princess’ decisions. “Y-yeah… Sort of any way… I just…”

“Go ahead,” Princess Twilight gestured for her to finish, her voice didn’t have even a hint of being offended in it.

Twilight took in a breath and tried to quell her nervousness but to no luck. She felt her lip shaking as she tried to speak out but somehow managed to form words that would slowly become the sentences she needed them to become. “Well, it’s just… I never imagined you like this…”

The Princess sighed and nodded. “You aren’t the only one, but I assure you that I am not making this decision lightly. Death is a very rare punishment in Equestria, it hasn’t been used much since ancient times, as we firmly believe that rehabilitation is entirely possible given enough time, however, I have to consider justice… Justice for this young girl who lost her life, you know?”

Twilight nodded. “It’s just… I don’t know if this will help Sunset…”

Princess Twilight tilted her head. “Sunset?”

“Yeah… She has been torn up about all of this, and I’m not entirely sure putting Adagio to death will be the closure she needs…” Twilight admitted.

The Princess stepped forward as she spoke. “I am sure that Sunset will be fine, time heals all wounds and eventually she will be able to move on from this… If I may ask though, why are you so concerned for her well being? I understand you two are friends, but no one else came to approach me but you… You even had the courage to question me…”

“Well… I…” Twilight fidgeted and looked away, her face turning a shade of pink.

The Princess nodded and smiled. “I see… Have you told her that you love her yet?”

Twilight squeaked. “W-what!? No! What gave you that idea!?”

“It’s written all over your face…” The Princess sniggered.

“Am I… that obvious…?” Twilight frowned and shrunk down, trying to make herself small.

The Princess nodded. “A little… Sorry…” She paused and decided to move forward with the conversation through the awkwardness. “So… When do you plan on telling her?”

Twilight shrugged. “I… I don’t know how… I feel like I won’t ever work up the courage, I thought I was going to before but then… Shimmer died and I lost my nerve… I didn’t feel it was appropriate…”

Princess Twilight nodded and smiled once more. “Don’t wait too long, opportunities come and go, but you will miss them if you are always waiting for the appropriate moment.”

“I just worry because…” Twilight couldn’t make herself finish the sentence, but the Princess clearly understood her worries.

The Princess stepped forward and placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Love is a complicated thing…”

“I take it you speak from experience?” Twilight asked curiously.

The Princess grimaced for a moment and nodded. “Let’s just say… I have a tendency to overcomplicate things…”

Twilight blinked, wanting to ask more. The thought of gossiping about the Princess’ love life seemed almost too juicy to resist, but miraculously she managed to keep her mouth shut and end that subject before they took it further.

“Either way, tell her when you’re ready, but don’t wait too long, lest you miss your opportunity after all…” The Princess smiled. She turned to take her leave but turned her head back. “The execution is tomorrow, you’re not obligated to partake, but I’m confident that Sunset will be there, I think it would be wise for you to attend to be there with her…”

Twilight nodded. She wasn’t exactly keen on watching someone’s life end, but she knew that Sunset needed to see Adagio die to get it into her head that this was all finally over. That she had finished in avenging Shimmer.

All she knew is that tomorrow would be a long day.

A few Hours Later

The rattling of steel rang through the whole dungeon. Screams and violent banging noises shook the building and the guards tried to tune it out for the past few hours, hoping that it would subside, but to no luck. The siren they had imprisoned only eight hours ago was causing quite the commotion, unwilling to sleep, unwilling to eat and unwilling to be silent.

“BRING ME TWILIGHT SPARKLE! I WANT TO SPEAK WITH THE PRINCESS!” She screamed before banging on the bars again.

It had gone on like this for the past eight hours, and finally, the Guard Captain of the dungeon had heard enough. If it meant saving his men’s hearing, he would take the risk and try to see if the Princess was willing to meet with the prisoner so she would shut up.

“Stay here, I’ll go see if I can find her…” The Captain stated to his subordinate.

“Sir!” His follower stated and gave a proud salute.

Sighing, the Captain made his way upstairs and groaned. “Why do I always get stuck guarding the weirdos?” He complained out loud.

After ascending the stairs, he found his way to one of the royal guest rooms, often where Princess Twilight would stay when she came to visit Canterlot. With a sigh, he tapped on the door and waited. Realizing that the Princess was a heavy sleeper, he knocked a bit louder and this time he could hear stirring on the other side.

Grumbling noises could be heard as a messy and unkempt Princess Twilight answered the door, her mane a disaster compared to her usual very well kept appearance. “Captain… It’s 12:08 AM… Why are you knocking on my door?”

The Captain bowed respectfully. “Your majesty, I apologize… The prisoner that you have ordered us to hold… She has been… Unruly…”

“Most are, this required waking me, why?” Twilight grumbled.

“Ma’am, she has not stopped banging the walls, screaming or just causing noise in general since she went in… She continues to demand an audience with you, and my men are at the point where their eardrums are about to pop…” The Captain admitted.

The Princess sighed and levitated a hairbrush from inside the room toward herself and began to quickly fix her disheveled mane. Once she was finished, the set the brush down and stretched. “Alright, let’s go see her then… Lead the way…” Princess Twilight gestured.

“Yes, your majesty!” He bowed as he began to guide her through the castle. Eventually taking her down to the dungeon, a place that Princess Twilight seldom saw. Her duties didn’t really often deal with prisoners and she wasn’t particularly interested in punishing people.

The dungeon was far darker than she imagined, kept lit up only by torches that seemed to barely produce any light at all.

Making their way toward the cell in question, Twilight could hear the noise being caused by Adagio. She tapped one of her own ears, hoping to get the ringing caused by the noise to stop.

Finally coming into view of Adagio, the siren made eye contact with Twilight and ceased. She placed both of her front hooves on the ground and stared the Princess down. “Princess Twilight Sparkle… You came at last… I wanted to speak with you…”

“And what makes you think I have any interest in talking to you? Especially after you ripped me out of bed…” Princess Twilight replied with a raised brow.

“There’s a lot that I need to tell you…” Adagio said.

Princess Twilight sighed and looked at one of the guards. “Open the cage…”

“Ma’am-“ The guard attempted to dissuade her.

“It’s alright, I’ll be fine, open it…” Twilight assured.

He nodded and did as he was told and the gate creaked as it was opened and Twilight stepped inside. She sat down across from Adagio in front of the small table in the cell where food had been left, not a single bite taken.

“Alright, you have my attention… What do you want?” Princess Twilight asked.

“Make them go away…” She gestured to the guards.

The Princess nodded. “Shoo, I have it under control…”

“But ma’am!” The Captain protested.

“That’s an order, Captain.” Twilight glared.

Sighing, he realized she wasn’t going to budge and he gave a salute before escorting himself and his men away from the cell to give the two some privacy.

“Alright, so talk…” Twilight said.

“This will take a little while, you may want to make yourself comfortable…” Adagio said.

“I guess I’m pulling an all-nighter tonight… We’ve got a few hours to talk it over…” Twilight smirked.

The next day came faster than anyone could have imagined. Sunset didn’t feel like she had gotten even a wink of sleep that night, she was kept awake with anticipation and anxiety. She knew she wouldn’t sleep easy again until she knew that Adagio was in no position to cause damage to her or her friends ever again.

She had woken up early to get down to the royal chamber where the event was scheduled. It was odd thinking about an execution as an “event”, but Sunset tried to clear her mind and normalize it to herself. This was a rare occasion and it was justice being carried out on a wrongdoer, nothing more, right? She didn’t know why she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling she was getting over the entire ordeal.

Making her way to the throne room she noticed a set of chained lined up in a star shape and ending in the center of the room. Five chains leading outward and three in the center that were strapped to the floor, making eight total. Sunset raised a brow, unsure of their purpose.

Her eyes wandered to observe Celestia, Luna, Shining and Cadence all ending the room, her friends all slowly gathering around her after them. Twilight raced toward Sunset and offered her a tight hug. Sunset gave into the embrace and then smiled at her friend lightly. “I’m here for you, alright?” Twilight stated.

Sunset nodded as she looked over at the remainder of her friends, noting that Fluttershy was already covering her eyes. She looks even more bashful as a pony than she did as a human. She wondered if the Equestrian Fluttershy was equally as timid.

“Just let me know when it’s over…” Fluttershy said.

“Sure…” Rainbow responded, placing a hoof on her shoulder. She didn’t give her usual snark, instead, she kept herself serious and collected; it was obvious that she knew this was a difficult ordeal for Fluttershy.

Princess Twilight finally made her entrance, she looked exhausted, bloodshot eyes, unkempt mane, and an expression that suggested she didn’t want to be there. Sunset wondered what was troubling her, but didn’t get the chance to engage her as she walked by. The Princess took a stand in front of one of the chains, while the rest of the royal family each stood in front of another.

From the entrance, a group of guards marched in, keeping their hooves tightly wrapped around chains that held Adagio Dazzle while they marched in. Adagio stepped in time with the guards and her expression was bleak. Her eyes had lost any luster they may have once had, and her entire being looked devoid of any and all life. It was clear that the siren that stood before them was a broken mare now; a creature that had realized its fate was death, and there was no chance of escape.

Sunset couldn’t help but feel anger the moment she saw the siren, but she tried to keep herself calm so as to not have another outburst.

The guards brought Adagio to the center of the chains and began to strap her in with the three attached to the floor. The remaining five were then fastened each to a limb and then one around her neck. When all were locked into place, the five chains leading to each member of the royal family were levitated and a cuff at the end of the other side was placed on each of their horns shy of Twilight’s who left hers on the ground.

The purple alicorn spoke loudly so the entire room could hear her voice echoing. “Adagio Dazzle…” She began.

Adagio remained silent, but she looked up at Twilight with intrigue. She watched and waited patiently for Princess Twilight’s words.

“You have been found guilty of murder in the first degree… It has been decided by the royal court that your punishment… Is death…” Twilight continued.

Adagio remained quiet.

“Do you have anything to say before this punishment is carried out today?” Twilight asked.

A small whimper finally escaped Adagio. “I-I… I’m sorry…” She managed to get out, as tears began to stream down her cheek, her emotionless facade finally breaking. The Princess could feel it, Adagio was scared.

Sunset growled. How dare she cry now? She didn’t deserve sympathy, her tears were nothing more than manipulation, one last attempt to try and weasel out of the retribution that awaited her. She was merely hoping to play the Princess in hopes of escape, that is what Sunset believed.

Princess Twilight sighed and stepped forward. Gentle steps brought her inches from Adagio. She raised a hoof and touched Adagio’s chin, making her meet Princess Twilight’s gentle purple eyes. The Princess smiled at the siren and wiped her tears with her hoof. What happened next confused the entire room.

Princess Twilight leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Adagio’s lips. There was a short pause, but Adagio closed her eyes and allowed it to happen, uncertain of why it was happening. The Princess broke the kiss and gently pet the siren’s cheek. “It’s going to be alright, I promise… It’ll be over quickly, alright?”

Adagio blinked, still a little confused by the kiss, but she nodded. “Y-yeah… Right…”

“We all have to pay the price for our misdeeds, this is yours… The path to redemption starts with owning your mistakes… In another life, you can walk that path once the road is started in this one…” Twilight lectured.

Adagio wasn’t certain what she meant, but something about Princess Twilight’s voice was soothing, calming even. For a moment she had forgotten where she was, or what was about to transpire. Adagio almost felt like she could trust the Princess and that everything really would be okay; even if she knew that to not be the case.

Walking back, Twilight lifted the final chain and placed it around her horn. At that point, Sunset had figured out what was going on. Metal was a surprisingly good magic conductor, thus why most anti-magic armors made of metal needed to be enchanted to be of any effect. They were going to use the chains to conduct their magic directly to Adagio’s body. The effect would be amplified and Adagio would be taking the full brunt of five royal family member’s magic.

Princess Twilight spoke once more. “In the next few moments, magic energy will be pushed through your body until you are dead. In Equestria, we consider this the most respectful way to end one’s life. It is a practice that has not been employed for some time…”

Adagio closed her eyes, ready for the pain, ready for the suffering that would follow, only praying it would end quickly.

Sunset spent a moment wondering why they used five ponies to administer the execution, but it dawned on her only seconds after she asked. Her eyes moved toward Cadence who was trembling to gain her answer. It was so that none of them would know who delivered the killing blow. All of them would send their magic out, but none of them would know who actually ended Adagio’s life.

There was silence for a solid eight seconds before the room lit up with a magical glow. Every chain vibrated and glowed as the magic channeling from each caster traveled up the chains and reached Adagio. Her body lit up and convulsed as the magic was pushed outward. Sunset could only watch what must have been tremendous pain. Her body twitched and vibrated violently, her mouth open, saliva dripping from her foaming mouth as her eyes looked up and rolled into the back of her head.

The sound of electric shocks going through her echoed through the room as a few in the audience whimpered, looking away. Fluttershy had already seen enough and she cowered into Rainbow Dash’s shoulder, who held her there, stroking her hair. Rainbow, however, continued to watch, she continued to keep her eyes locked on the display, unable to look away, just like Sunset.

It wouldn’t take long before the light would stop and Adagio fell to the floor motionless. Princess Twilight removed the chain from her own horn and stepped forward. She approached Adagio’s body calmly and touched her neck with her hoof, waiting to see if she could feel a pulse. She nodded to Celestia, who nodded back.

“Adagio Dazzle is dead…” Princess Twilight spoke.

The other Twilight reached out and grabbed Sunset’s hoof and smiled. “At least… It’s finally over… Right?”

Sunset could not take her eyes off of Adagio’s corpse. “Yeah… I guess it is…”

Author's Note

Act IV begins with a pretty big bang huh?

Say, are you interested in what Adagio told Princess Twilight? Well it was too long to fit here, but you can read about it in the upcoming side story "Silence of a Siren" where we get to hear the entire story. No ETA on when that will happen, but you'll get to see some stuff that is going on in the Shadowverse long before Sunset and Shimmer met.

Also, I promise the rest of the act isn't going to be like this, this was sort of a tying up a loose end with Adagio and giving the payoff from Act III.

Surprised by the kiss? You should be. It'll have more relevance later.

Act IV - Chapter XLIII: Concern

Chapter XLIII: Concern

The bus from the inner city had been traveling at the maximum allowed speed through the city limits, eventually coming around to Twilight’s home district. She had forgotten how big Canterlot City was. When she was a child, she seldom saw most of the city, due to living such an isolated life with little social interaction, but now that she was nineteen approaching twenty, she was starting to realize how big the world was outside of the books she had her head always in. She spent so much time reading that she often missed out on what was going on in the real world.

Her eyes traveled to the window as she watched the buildings speed by while the bus moved them. She recognized the area, her home was only a good mile or so away, the place where she’d be staying now that it was Summer vacation. Naturally, she had already gotten her Summer assignments finished before vacation had even begun, and of course she was already in the top ten at the Institute.

Twilight’s studious nature continued well into college, and she hoped that this meant she could acquire scholarships for even higher education in the future. A part of her dreamed of being on magazine covers for her scientific discoveries, being recognized for her work, and being able to meet some of her idols.

Truthfully though, her mind was not on school at the moment and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t finish her work early so that she’d have more time to catch up with her friends, but one in particular.

Sunset Shimmer.

It had been too long. Twilight tried to stay in contact with her, but it became increasingly difficult when she got wrapped up with school work. Then when she’d finish it was always late.

The worst of it, however, was the awkwardness in the air. Sunset would always give little short answers in text and when she did answer the phone she had little to say. In the past semester though, Twilight and she hadn’t messaged each other a single time. Twilight had considered breaking the silence between the two, but school had her so exhausted that she often just went right to bed when she was done studying.

There was another reason though, one she had been dreading, her feelings for Sunset. Twilight had tried to surprise them, she had tried to ignore them and even move on, but no matter what, she always found herself thinking about the girl with the red hair that always looked out for her, that came to her rescue when things went south, and that she was always ready to jump off the edge for when Sunset had gone and gotten herself in too deep.

Her crush on the complex alternative girl had left her in an awkward state throughout college. So many nights she would wake up panting from a wet dream where Sunset was the primary focus. Twilight had become more aroused in general, her body finally seeming to catch up with her mind. She wasn’t a late bloomer but when it came to sexual urges, they hadn’t really started until she started developing feelings for Sunset.

She had thought about Timber naked once or twice, but it was more of a causal thought, more of a “what if” scenario to amuse herself. She seldom thought much of it. However, when she thought of Sunset, her mind often trailed off to dirty, unthinkable places. How many times she had undressed Sunset with her mind? She had lost count.

The change was troublesome, and lead her to become more active in pleasuring herself. Prior to this year, she had only recalled touching herself once or twice, but now she found it to be a weekly ritual, one that at first was awkward and unnatural feeling, but had become routine for her now. Just like everything else in her life, she had developed a system and so long as she stuck to it, it kept things from getting too strange.

Porn had been added to her list of activities she would partake in on the weekends, and while it surprised herself at first, she had grown so accustomed to it that she didn’t even think about it anymore. She recalled Sunset had told her that she watched porn all the time, and Twilight was curious what kind. It had never even occurred to her that she wasn’t even sure if Sunset was that into girls or not. It was a subject that always remained mysterious and up in the air. She had mentioned she was into girls before, but Twilight wasn't sure if she was just pulling her leg or if she was being serious, she also never mentioned to what degree. Would she go for someone like Twilight?

Twilight’s mind was made up though, this Summer she was free of schoolwork, free of responsibility and she would be back in town; she had set her mind on finally telling Sunset how she felt. No more excuses, no more holding back and no more trying to avoid it. She knew that if she didn’t say something soon, she was going to explode. She couldn’t carry this crush forever and do nothing about it, she needed to take the chance. For a long time she told herself that Sunset would never be interested in a girl like her, that she would not be good enough, but after weeks of pep talking herself, she knew she could at least approach her and ask. She just needed the right opportunity.

She knew the odds weren’t in her favor, but she was at least determined to try. She had passed the point where she was thinking about rejection, but now she was at the point of the nervousness of how to broach the subject.

A part of her wondered if maybe she could ask Applejack and Rarity when she got off the bus.

That was where she was heading, to meet up with Applejack and Rarity at the ice cream parlor that they frequented throughout high school. It was hard to imagine that they had all grown so much, that high school was over and Twilight was now in a prestigious college, Applejack was starting her own farm down the road from her family, and Rarity and she had been married. Twilight giggled internally at the thought. She knew that Rarity was a hopeless romantic, and when the two got together they all joked that they’d rush to get married, and they ended up being right. At the young age of nineteen, they were wedded.

To everyone’s surprise, they had opted for a small ceremony (perhaps a little of Applejack was rubbing off on Rarity), but it was likely due to Applejack insisting on paying for the wedding and coming from modest money that didn’t mean much. Twilight remember attending it and watching Rarity and Applejack smash cake in each other’s faces. She recalled Applejack having more fun than she should have, the one time where she could get away with rubbing food into Rarity’s hair and makeup and not get in trouble for it, and damned if she didn’t abuse that privilege.

It was an adorable ceremony, and Twilight even recalled Sunset attending, though she didn’t say much, and Twilight remembered trying to initiate conversation with her only to give up a few times. Her dress, however, was gorgeous. Sunset had gone slightly more gothic and alternative since Shimmer and she met. Sunset always had a little alternative flair, but it had certainly increased in such a short time, but somehow it suited her. Twilight never originally imagined herself being much into someone like that, but now she couldn’t imagine herself being with anyone else. Her mother always told her that opposites attract, after all, and Twilight was starting to firmly believe that.

She remembered being so happy for Applejack and Rarity though. They weren’t wasting any time chasing their dreams, and Twilight found that endearing. They would go far, and she knew it.

The bus finally came up to her stop, and Twilight shuffled through a crowd to try and get to the front to exit. After some navigating, she managed to escape and step onto the sidewalk of familiarity. Her memory kicked in and she remembered virtually every crack and imperfection on this sidewalk. A few steps and she found herself standing in front of her high school hang out, and there with a wide smile on her face was Rarity, accompanied by her wife, Applejack.

Rarity opened her arms draped in her shoulder-less top made of light material as she pulled Twilight into a tight embrace. “Twilight Sparkle! It’s been too long!”

“A few months anyway, but yes it's definitely been far too long…” Twilight managed to get out after getting some air. Rarity always gave tight hugs, but she was nothing compared to what Pinkie could do. Pinkie could kill a man with her one of embraces; Twilight imagined even bodybuilders would die if hugged too hard by Pinkie Pie.

Applejack came in when Twilight was released and brought her into a hug as well, though much softer ironically. Applejack tended to be more careful since she didn’t know her own strength.

Stepping back, Twilight noted that Applejack was sporting what seemed to be a silk button up and what appeared to be skinny jeans. She guessed that Rarity was now choosing her wardrobe or at the very least had influence over it. She still had on a pair of cowboy boots, but it all worked together somehow.

Rarity gestured Twilight to come inside with them. “Come come!”

Twilight nodded and followed into the building. Rarity and Applejack had already reserved a table for them, and Applejack pulled out a chair for Rarity who sat down gracefully and looked up at her wife with a smile and eyes that looked like they were about to cry. Applejack being romantic and sweet was definitely new, but despite their spats, Applejack and Rarity clearly were deeply in love.

“Thank you, darling…” Rarity batted her eyes.

Applejack took the girl’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “Don’t mention it…”

“Are you trying to flirt with me, Miss Apple?” Rarity giggled.

“Is it workin’?” Applejack smirked.

“Maybe you’ll find out later…” Rarity winked.

Twilight rolled her eyes and sat down across from them when Applejack took her seat next to her wife.

“So, it’s been a while… How have things been over here?” Twilight asked.

“Well, Applejack started her own farm, and I moved in with her,” Rarity began.

“Really? I never pegged you for a farm life, doesn’t that get in the way of doing your fashion stuff?” Twilight blinked.

Rarity gave a hand gesture that suggested it was no big deal. “The shop is only a short drive away, and I have a few assistants now. Coco Pommel does a fantastic job and she’s an excellent listener, she’s like a little me almost… That and I actually have a workshop at the house too, so I can get a lot done from home.”

Twilight giggled for a moment thinking about Rarity doing fashion from a farmhouse. Stranger things had happened, but it still was amusing.

“I heard you two went on a honeymoon to Hawaii?” Twilight asked.

Rarity beamed up and nodded. “Oh, it was fantastic, darling! The beaches were astounding, though I doubt Applejack remembers most of them…” Rarity smirked as she glanced over at her wife.

Applejack looked away, a bit flustered but said nothing.

“Why’s that?” Twilight’s brow rose.

A content giggle escaped Rarity as she answered. “She spent the majority of her time staring at me in a bikini…”

Applejack coughed, trying to see if they could change the subject, but Twilight and Rarity both broke out into laughter at Applejack’s expense.

When the laughter subsided, Twilight adjusted her glasses and decided it was best to ask about how the others were doing.

“So… What about everyone else? How are they doing?” Twilight asked.

“Well, Rainbow spent some time in college, but found out it wasn’t fer’ her…” Applejack rubbed her neck. “She an’ Fluttershy ended up gettin’ together and they sort of uh… eloped…”

Twilight blinked. “W-what? Really? How come? I didn’t even know they were a thing…”

“Oh those two have had tension for a while, but when they actually started dating they got married eight months later…” Rarity smiled.

“Why though? What was the rush?” Twilight asked.

“They had to if they wanted to stay together…” Applejack said quietly.

“Why’s that?” Twilight was more confused than before.

“Rainbow Dash joined the army… She finished basic training and I think she went into some kind of specialist training after that… I’m not entirely certain, the details escape me. They both were moved to Japan a month or so ago, Rainbow couldn’t say much about it, but they both seemed very happy together, sorry you missed it, but they didn’t want to make a big deal about it…” Rarity frowned.

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Rainbow Dash had joined the military and four of her friends were married already.

“What about Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

Applejack and Rarity both shrugged. “She went off to college and she’s been extremely busy. With our work schedule too, we haven’t had time to catch up…” Rarity admitted.

Twilight tried to imagine Pinkie at college, and the thought of a college party and putting alcohol into Pinkie intrigued her. To see such a bubbly and energetic girl get turned up to the extreme would definitely be entertaining to see.

“Well, it sounds like everyone is doing great at least…” Twilight smiled.

“Yeah… For the most part…” Applejack said quietly.

Twilight knew that everyone, including herself, was waiting for her to ask about a specific person. Someone she tried to avoid asking about before she got the formalities out of the way. Not that she wasn’t interested in what her friends were doing, but her mind couldn’t get off of Sunset. She fidgeted her fingers under the table as she tried to think of how to broach the subject.

“So… What about… Sunset? How’s she doing?” Twilight asked.

It had been a whole year since Adagio’s death, and closer to a year and a half since Shimmer died.

Rarity frowned and looked down at the table. “Sunset has been… Somewhat distant to say the least…”

“Really?” Twilight asked though she had already guessed that part.

Applejack nodded. “She said that she hoped seein’ Adagio die would bring her peace, but instead she just felt empty after it all…”

“She has been struggling with trying to pick herself back up… I think she had bet everything on Adagio dying, hoping that would fix everything and when it didn’t she just… Shut down… She’s been held up in her estate for months now, we haven’t seen or heard from her in a good few months ourselves… I think she’s extremely depressed…” Rarity frowned.

Depression was a natural stage of grieving, but Shimmer had died so long ago at this point that Sunset should have moved on by now, however she did have to deal with the distraction of finding Adagio, so perhaps she never gave herself the time to properly grieve. Either way, it sounded like she needed a friend now more than ever.

About a Year Ago

Princess Twilight was busy in her chamber at the Canterlot castle filling out paperwork for the execution the next day. Most of the records of the ceremony would be classified, but she still believed in keeping proper documentation of everything she did as a princess. She hoped to set examples for those who came after her.

She had been at it for an hour. The trial had just ended and she had already calmed the nerves of her human counterpart when a knock came at her door. She looked up from her stack of papers and called to the door. “Come in.”

Gently pushing the door open, a timid looking girl stood there awkwardly. She appeared to be having trouble adjusting to walking on hooves, and her mane was a slavish mess amaranth. The Princess recognized her as Moondancer. She had come with the other humans to see the trial, Princess Twilight recalled that Shimmer and she were a couple at one point prior to her death. Moondancer and she had met before.

“Ah, Moondancer, come on in.” Princess Twilight gestured with her hoof.

A gentle nod came from Moondancer as she stepped into the room awkwardly and stood a good foot or two from Twilight. She paused for eight seconds before speaking. “Princess Twilight…”

“Must be strange to see each other in my world this time, huh?” Twilight asked.

Moondancer shrugged, unsure of what to make of all of this. Equestria was definitely different, but she didn’t know if that was a bad thing or not. Magic was fascinating, but she remembered that magic was the reason that Shimmer was killed. Adagio’s thirst for more of it had driven her to become a killer, still, Moondancer recognized it had its uses.

“That was… Some trial today…” Moondancer changed the subject.

Curious to see what direction this was heading, Twilight merely nodded as she continued to levitate a pen to scribble away some more notes.

“So… You guys are really going to use magic to end Adagio, huh?” Moondancer continued.

“At this point, it is the best scenario. Rehabilitation has failed on her in the past, and it’s clear to me that she poses a legitimate threat… I try not to be so… practical when it comes to things like this, but I’m confident that I’m making the right decision here…” Twilight answered.

“Do you think… Magic could… Be used to do… The opposite?” Moondancer asked.

Twilight paused and put her pen down. She turned her head to Moondancer and raised a brow. “What’re you suggesting?”

“Do you think Magic could… Bring someone back to life?” Moondancer asked plainly as if it was a child asking a very simple question.

Twilight sighed and stepped away from her desk. She approached Moondancer carefully and placed a hoof on her shoulder, pushing gently to signal to the girl to sit down. When she did, Twilight too fell back on her haunches and met Moondancer’s innocent eyes with her own.

“Moondancer, I’m going to tell you an important story about a pony named Clockwork… He was a unicorn that built clocks and other mechanisms by trade…” Twilight began.

“What does this-“ Moondancer attempted to ask, but Twilight shushed her.

“Just listen, I promise it’ll make sense…” Twilight said. When Moondancer nodded, she continued. “He fell in love one day with a beautiful mare, gorgeous, beyond his wildest imagination. He never thought he had a chance with her, but to his surprise when he asked her to be with him, she said yes…”

Twilight took a breath before continuing. “The two were very happy together and had a son, Gear Turn. One day, however, Clockwork’s wife became very ill, she died and he was devastated… He then turned his mind onto trying to find a way to bring her back… He spent his entire life looking for a way to return the dead to the living, but on his deathbed, he realized that he had neglected his son, and turned away from his family… The irony… He wasn’t a step closer than the day he began. He had traded his entire life to chase something that was… Impossible…”

Moondancer choked a little as she heard those words. She was hoping this story would shed some light on how to make such a thing possible.

“Many have attempted to use magic to bring the dead back to life, but it has never worked. Even if a corpse is reanimated the owner of the body is not in there anymore… Death is…” Twilight frowned and shook her head. “Death is forever, Moondancer. Once the consciousness leaves this world… It doesn’t come back… Many ponies have wasted their lives trying but all have failed… Do not become involved in such a mad quest…”

“So Shimmer is…” Moondancer struggled to get the words out, not wanting to admit out loud what she feared was true. She had spent a little time leading up to this point considering the possibility of magic being used to return Shimmer to the world of the living, clinging to that as a final hope.

The Princess nodded. “She’s gone, Moondancer. The best thing for you to do is to move on and honor her memory by being happy. Death cannot be changed, but that is why it’s so important for all of us to treat life preciously.”

“It… It’s not fair…” Moondancer closed her eyes and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

Twilight sighed and lifted the girl’s glasses off her face with her magic and began to wipe her tears with a tissue from her desk. When she made Moondancer compose herself she placed both hooves on the girl’s shoulders. “Moondancer, death may be forever, but so are your memories. What you felt for her… Nothing can take that from you, you’ll carry that forever. Your memories of her are going to always be with you as well.”

Sniffling, Moondancer nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly. “Will I… Ever see her again…?”

Twilight sighed and closed her eyes, unsure of how to handle that subject. “It’s… Difficult to say… There are many theories about what happens to ponies when they die here in Equestria. I’m not familiar with how humans see it but…”

Moondancer nodded for the Princess to continue.

“In Equestria, it is believed that when a pony dies their consciousness crosses to another plane of existence, a place of no return. A place we refer to as ‘Yul’, it’s old ponish for ‘Other’, the final resting place of all ponies…” Twilight explained.

“How does it work…?” Moondancer raised a brow.

“When you die, you simply go there…” Twilight shrugged.

“Where do bad ponies go?” Moondancer asked.

“The same place… Regardless of what kind of pony you were in life, all ponies supposedly go to the same place… Death doesn’t really care much about what kind of pony you were, history and the living are what will remember that…” Twilight explained.

Moondancer frowned. “So… You think… Adagio will be in the same place as Shimmer come tomorrow…?”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “I… I don’t know. To be honest with you, I don’t know much about the afterlife, or if I even believe one exists at all… I try not to spend any amount of time thinking about what happens when I or anypony I care about dies.” Twilight paused and then met Moondancer’s eyes with her own. “Know this though, most believe that death cleanses us all, so even if Adagio and Shimmer end up in the same place, it’ll be after all the misdeeds that Adagio has done are washed away, she’ll be a different person, maybe the two of them could even be friends… Death is an odd thing…”

Twilight rubbed her neck with her hoof, unsure if she was helping, truthfully she had never had to console someone before about death.

“I understand… Thank you though… At least I feel somewhat better knowing that Shimmer may at least be in a place where she’ll have plenty of friends…” Moondancer smiled.

Twilight smiled back and nodded. “I’m sure she will never forget about you, wherever she is.”

Almost Two Years Ago

Twilight had been hurrying to get to her locker to change into her regular school clothing. Gym class was always an awkward time for her, being someone who didn’t like changing in front of other people for various reasons, so she always waited until class was well over and everyone had cleared out. It ran the risk of being late to her next class, but that was why Twilight always prepared by making sure her next class was a study hall where her tardiness didn’t matter. It was difficult accepting being tardy to any school function, but sometimes it couldn’t be avoided.

Once she was sure that the gym had cleared out, Twilight snuck in and began to lift her shirt when she heard a voice echo through the locker room. “So, the Crystal Prep loser finally shows up…”

She blinked and pulled her shirt back down while her eyes traveled to the origin of the voice. There standing next to a locker was a taller girl with white silky short cut hair, and next to her was a blonde with wild curls. Twilight had met them before, their names were Vanilla and Spice; they had given Twilight a hard time before and regularly showed up to harass her.

“Oh… Hey girls… I thought no one else was in here…” Twilight spoke quietly, hoping that her non-threatening tone would convince them to leave her be.

“Exactly, no one here but us…” Vanilla smirked, her friend Spice added to her smirk with one of her own.

Twilight didn’t like where this was going.

“I… I don’t want any trouble…” Twilight took a step back.

“Maybe you should have stayed at Crystal Prep then? You can’t just come here like Little Miss Perfect, become top of every class and expect people to not notice… You don’t belong here, why not go back to Crystal Prep with the other losers?” Vanilla stepped forward and crossed her arms.

Twilight didn’t know what to say or do, she felt small. She felt powerless, however, her heart almost skipped a beat when another voice filled the room.

“What’s wrong Vanilla, your mom forget to pack you a lunch today?”

Vanilla turned around and standing there was Sunset Shimmer, arms crossed and a big grin plastered on her face. “Drunks tend to do that…” She added.

“Fuck off, Sunset. This isn’t your business…” Vanilla hissed.

“Like hell it isn’t, that’s my friend. So why not back off or I’ll give you something to really be upset about…” Sunset continued grinning, clearly not even remotely intimidated by Vanilla or her grunt, Spice.

“Make one more crack about my mom… I dare you…” Vanilla growled.

“Or you’ll do what?” Sunset laughed.

“I bet your mom is a worthless whore…” Vanilla retorted.

Sunset shrugged. “Maybe, dunno. Never thought about it. She could be anything really.”

Frustrated, Vanilla threw her arms up and stepped past Sunset along with Spice. When it was clear that Sunset wasn’t going to be intimidated the two realized that a confrontation with her wasn’t going to end well. Sunset and she had been in a fight or two before, and Sunset was always far stronger than she looked; not to mention Vanilla was well aware that the girl knew martial arts.

When the two were gone, Sunset stepped forward and reached her hand out to Twilight. Whimpering, Twilight took her friend’s hand and let a smile creep up on her face.

“It feels like… You’re always coming to my rescue…” Twilight admitted bashfully.

Sunset shrugged as she pulled her friend in closer. “That’s what friends do, right? I help you out of a jam because I knew if I ever need you to come and rescue me, you’ll be there…”

“What could possibly put Sunset Shimmer in danger…?” Twilight asked. Up to this point, she thought her friend to be near invincible. Nothing seemed to scare Sunset, and her ability to overcome seemed limitless. Twilight couldn’t imagine many scenarios where Sunset would count on her.

Sunset winked. “Stick around, maybe you’ll find out. I’m far from invincible, Twilight.”

“Doesn’t seem like it…” Twilight squeaked out.

Sunset giggled and shook her head. “Well, when I am in trouble, I’ll be counting on you to come and bail me out, okay?”

Twilight nodded and decided she would meet the challenge. If there was ever a time when her friend needed her help, she would drop everything and be there for her, regardless of the circumstances. That was her promise. If Sunset Shimmer needed someone to come up to bat for her, Twilight Sparkle would be the first person in line and that was a promise.

After coming home to her family, Twilight was poking disinterestedly at her dinner. Her parents had barraged her with questions about school, finals and any new friends she had made, but Twilight was so unfocused she couldn’t think of anything besides Sunset and the situation the both of them were in.

She wanted to tell Sunset how she felt, but at the same time, she didn’t think the time was right with her being in such a depressive state. She needed to find a way to break the ice again and make an excuse to come and cheer her up somehow.

Twilight’s mother sensed something was amiss in the air and cleared her throat after swallowing a bite of food. “So… Twilight… Something bothering you?”

“It’s just… Sunset…” Twilight frowned, surprised that she admitted it so openly to her mother.

“Ah, your friend that you have a crush on right?” Her father chimed in.

Twilight blushed and looked up at him. She quickly became flustered. “W-wha!? No! She’s just a friend, honest!”

Her father laughed and took a sip from a cup in front of him. “Alright, alright… I’m only teasing… What’s bothering you about her?”

Twilight frowned. “She apparently has been pretty distant with our other friends while I was gone, she locked herself away in her house and hasn’t come out very often. I heard that she’s really depressed right now, and I was kind of thinking that I wanted to try and use this break to cheer her up… I have two months off from school, and I was hoping that I could make her feel better…”

Twilight’s mother smiled and looked over at her father who smiled back at his doting wife, clearly seeing the young love in their daughter that reminded them so much of themselves. Finally, her mother looked back at Twilight and spoke. “I think that’s a swell idea, she’s welcome here any time.”

“The hard part now… is how do I break the ice? I let silence between us remain for so long now that it’s kind of awkward…” Twilight placed her chin on the table in defeat.

“Hello, usually works.” Her mother winked.

“Oh come on, I can’t just go from total radio silence to ‘hey, how’s it going?’, it’d look weird,” Twilight groaned.

“Always worked for me…” Twilight’s mother winked.

Twilight wanted to argue it, but she knew her mother was probably right. Sometimes the best solution was, in fact, the simplest of ones, Occam’s razor and all. The scientist in her had to agree with that, it was the basis of all problem solving, that often the simplest solution was the correct one, and then you worked from there. She had forgotten how logical her mother was at times.

Mulling it over, it made sense, she could start small by simply saying hello, asking to catch up and then proceed from there. After all, she was making assumptions about Sunset’s state based upon things said by their mutual friends, for all she knew they could be far off.

Thinking about that actually cheered Twilight up a little, the possibility that things were better than they seemed definitely lifted a bit of weight off of her shoulders, and made contacting Sunset not seem like such a daunting challenge.

“You know what… You’re right, mother… I guess I really was just overthinking it…” Twilight admitted sheepishly.

Her mother nodded and raised a glass to her lips, taking a gentle sip. “You tend to do that, dear. That’s why we’re here if someone wasn’t there to balance you, you’d be a wreck.”

“Hey! That’s not true!” Twilight pouted, crossing her arms.

“It kind of is,” her father agreed with her, a bit too enthusiastically for Twilight's liking..

“Not you too, dad!” Twilight moaned.

“Sorry sweetie, but I’m always inclined to agree with your mother.” He winked.

The entire table broke into a laughter, Twilight included. Despite what the future brought and despite what trying to talk to Sunset would do, at that moment she was at least thankful to be home, surrounded by the loving parents. It was going to be a strange Summer vacation for sure, but Twilight hoped it would be an eventful one.

With Sunset being so reclusive, she had her challenges ahead of her, she only wondered what was going on over at the Shimmer estate. Only time would tell.

Twilight had finished showering after dinner and had changed into a set of pajamas early as she sat in her room. She was typing away on her computer when she noticed a loose string on the shirt of her pajamas. Gripping one side so as to not unravel the entire top, she tugged the string until it broke off and tossed it aside.

Her eyes were drawn to a mirror on her bathroom door where she could see herself sitting in her chair. She rolled it out and approached the mirror to examine herself. Wet hair draped down that she left untied to dry quicker. She turned slightly to get a better look at her own features and frowned at what was in the mirror. Twilight was by no means an unattractive girl, but she definitely had features she wished were better.

She had always felt like her legs weren’t much to look at, but she knew she at least had a nice behind. She reached up and grabbed her breasts and held them gently as she stared in the mirror, wishing she could get up to a C-cup at least. She was glad she was at least a B, but she was jealous of Applejack and Sunset who sported well into the D and double D range. Pinkie was easily a D herself, and the only ones she felt like she was either on par with or even surpassing were Rainbow and Fluttershy.

Fluttershy may have been lacking in bust like Twilight, but she had so many other desirable features going for her, nice legs, nearly perfect skin, silky gorgeous hair, an hourglass figure that Twilight wished she had.

Noting her pajamas Twilight sighed mostly at the fact that she was realizing that she didn’t dress quite that daring. Sunset had a far better sense of fashion than she did and clearly was able to go bold when needed. Twilight, on the other hand, had simple sweatpants and a rather boring T-shirt. Sunset probably could rock some attractive nighties with no effort.

Twilight contemplated what she’d look like in some lacy lingerie. Briefly, the thought of what would Sunset think about that came to her mind. She dismissed the idea quickly knowing that she didn’t have the courage to wear something like that. Twilight knew she’d be too shy just trying to buy it, let alone put it on and model it in front of another person. Just thinking about it turned her cheeks red.

Rarity made it look so easy to be brave and show off so much skin. Twilight still had a hard time adjusting to short skirts. She felt pathetic in a way.

Twilight nearly jumped as she heard a gentle tap on the open bedroom door. When she turned she noticed her mother standing there smiling as she stood next to the door. “What’re you up to, sweetie?”

Twilight blushed and composed herself, hoping her mother didn’t just witness her checking herself out.

“Oh… Just… Writing up some emails… Getting in touch with people…” Twilight half-lied.

Her mother seemed to already see through the pathetic attempt. Twilight was probably the second worst liar she knew in her group, Applejack being the only one worse at it than herself. A lie by Applejack was almost painful to watch.

“Does your mirror have an email function now? I might have to get one of those…” Her mother asked with a raised brow and a smirk on her face.

Twilight sighed, realizing that she had already failed and decided to come clean. “Mom…” Twilight bit her lip for a brief second. “This is… Awkward to ask but…”

Twilight’s mother remained silent, allowing Twilight to finish.

“Do you think I’m… Sexy? Like… Would someone else think I was desirable…? Not that I’m planning on having sex or anything like that!” Twilight waved her hands frantically in front of herself as she realized what she was saying and who she was saying it to.

Her mother instead of getting awkward about it all though just stepped forward and placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. Twilight looked over at the hand and then met her mother’s sincere eyes. “Twilight Sparkle, you’re a very pretty girl. You don’t always think it, but you are. Hell, you’re cuter than I was when I was your age…”

“R-really?” Twilight blinked, a bit surprised to hear that. She had heard stories from her father about how her mother was way out of his league and he had no business even talking to a girl as cute as her. In her middle-age, one could still see that beauty quite well. She dressed more modest now and didn’t wear a tremendous amount of makeup, but there was no mistaking that Twilight’s mother was a beautiful woman. That or she just knew how to present herself better than Twilight did.

Her mother nodded. “Anyone would be lucky to have a girl as cute as you even give them the time of day. How can you possibly feel insecure? You had that boyfriend only about two years ago…”

Looking away, Twilight blushed. “Yeah but… Sunset is…”

Her mother sighed. “So you’re admitting you like her now?”

Taking in a breath, Twilight nodded. “Just… Don’t tell dad I admitted it… I don’t want him to rub it in…”

“It’s safe with me.” Her mother winked. “Now, go on…”

Twilight released the breath she had taken in and closed her eyes. “It’s just… Sunset is like… Gorgeous… Insanely naturally beautiful, she has everything… The butt, the boobs, the figure, and I’m just…”

Her mother squeezed her shoulder, causing her to look up at her. “Twilight Sparkle, do you think that Sunset thinks everything about herself is flawless? It’s pretty likely she doesn’t think she is as good looking as she wishes she could be too. We’re all our own greatest critics and the only way that you will look flawless is through someone else’s eyes.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. Her mother had a point, she was a biased source since she had a huge crush on Sunset. Naturally, she thought she was a perfect ten.

“I guess that makes sense… Thanks, mom…” Twilight smiled, trying to make light of the situation, despite how awkward it was.

The older woman nudged Twilight’s cheek affectionately. “Hey, we’ll get you some cute underwear to impress her alright? I’m thinking purple or black will work well with you…”

Twilight’s entire face turned cherry red. “M-mom… It’s not like that… I mean… I doubt we’ll be… Doing anything to where she’d see them any time soon…”

For a brief second her mind turned to a dream she had had about Sunset and her where they both were in some attractive underwear. She shook her head to dismiss the idea, however, not wanting to get so worked up with her mother in the room.

Her mother chuckled and nodded. “Yes, yes, but it’s not just for that. I always felt more confident when I was wearing something sexy, maybe it’ll help you too.”

“I would be too nervous to buy anything like that…” Twilight frowned. Once she attempted to walk into a lingerie store only to freeze at the entrance and stand there awkwardly before leaving without even going inside. She had attracted a lot of awkward stares that day.

The matriarch of the house winked and gave a thumbs up. “I’ll get them for you, don’t worry I will get some help from Cadence, she’ll keep it between us. The last thing I want is your brother Shiny getting all defensive and thinking his baby sister is getting sexy lingerie for someone.”

Twilight blushed at the thought and nodded. “Yeah… Thanks for that, mom… I appreciate how supportive you’re being…” She knew she could trust Cadence to keep it between the three of them, she loved to gossip, but she also kept secrets quite well. She still never told anyone about Twilight’s first kiss with Timber Spruce. If Cadence said her lips were sealed, you’d need a crowbar to pry them open.

Her mother gave one last thumbs up before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. Twilight sighed as she made her way over to her bed and laid down on her back. Spike awoke from his slumber and approached his master, licking her cheek. “So, you gonna finally tell Sunset how you feel?”

“I… I’m going to try at least… First I need to make an excuse for us to hang out or something though…” Twilight said.

Spike shrugged. “You could just say you want to catch up? I mean that’s a normal thing that people do when they haven’t seen each other for a long time, right?”

It was simplistic, but somehow Spike always seemed to wield the best advice despite how simple it was. She lamented in how dogs truly were man’s best friend and felt blessed that hers was able to give advice and talk. Twilight wondered how she got on without his companionship.

“You know what… You’re right… I’ll try giving her a call, if she doesn’t answer, I’ll just leave a message telling her I want to get together!” Twilight said as she scrambled to reach for her phone on the end table.

With the phone in hand, she speedily located Sunset’s contact card and pressed the call button. Patiently she waited for the ringing tones to stop before being met with voice mail. She let out a sigh but decided it wasn’t going to deter her. She took a deep breath and waited for the answering machine message to end.

At the sound of the beep, Twilight spoke. “Hey, Sunset… It’s Twilight. I’m sorry for not trying to get a hold of you sooner, school has been hectic. I’m calling though because I have Summer break right now and I’d love to get together and catch up and maybe hang out. Call me back as soon as you get this message. Talk to you soon!”

Twilight hung up her phone and sighed, hoping she didn’t sound too pushy or eager, but only time would tell now. Despite the anticipation eating away at her, Twilight couldn’t help but go to bed with a smile on her face. She knew she’d likely have more dreams about Sunset, but at that moment she welcomed them; things seemed just too hopeful.

Author's Note

Twilight, you naughty girl, looking at porn.

Also I think this is one of the first chapters in a while where Sunset does not appear in present form at all. Also, I'm pretty sure you all wanted to see Rarity and AJ's wedding. I know these things.

Act IV - Chapter XLIV: Seeking

Chapter XLIV: Seeking

A good eighty minutes had passed on Twilight’s watch since she arrived at the mall with her elder brother, Shining. The two had spent some time window shopping with Shining half heartedly trying to pick something out for his wife Cadence and their new child, Flurry. It had been an interesting thing to see her brother as a father, but Shining was exceptionally affectionate to his new daughter. In a way, he fit every single lame father stereotype that existed, much to Twilight’s delight as she got to pick on him for it, though he hardly seemed to mind.

Shining had always talked about starting a family and getting married, but when they were kids, Twilight never really took him too seriously, given that he was about as dorky as she was and when they were growing up, it wasn’t exactly something that made one popular. Shining was on the chess team, and eventually in the Dungeons and Dragons club, where he quickly became the president. She recalled playing a few games with him back in their childhood.

Times had changed though, being a geek or a nerd had become the “in” thing and suddenly it was socially acceptable to enjoy Lord of the Rings and partake in nerdy board games. Twilight certainly had an easier time in high school than Shining did, though it was clear that as he grew up, he turned out to be far more masculine than she ever gave him credit for.

In his youth, he was a pretty boy (a geeky one at that), and he still was to a small extent, but as he got older he started to gain things in his life that forced him to change. His job made him more concerned about his body and how much in shape he was, so he had become a regular at the gym and filled out quite nicely. His shoulders broadened out and he often sported a five o’ clock shadow, but that was mostly unintentional. Too many nights of staying up late for work would do that to him. Most of the time though he was clean shaken, he just grew facial hair very quickly (something Cadence had commented on once or twice about being very sexy).

Shining after having his daughter though, Shining became much more careful at work and started taking time off more often. He still took on a few cases where he worked in the field, but he tried not to get too involved into anything serious. Chasing serial killers wasn’t in his best interests. His attitude however changed when there was a child murderer involved to where he found himself unable to stay away. The father in him had taken over and become a large part of who he was.

It was different to see him in casual clothing, for this reason, most of the time he was in a suit and tie for work, but today he was in a pair of cargo shorts and a tank top that showed off his impressive muscles. It had the markings of New York City where he and his wife had visited not that long ago while they took a small vacation. The two of them loved to travel when they both weren’t working and had already visited eight different countries. Twilight wasn’t much of a world traveler, but she wouldn’t mind seeing a few different places for sure.

Shining’s casual look had unsurprisingly gotten a few younger girls to look his way, Twilight even caught a comment or two from a few teenagers walking by commenting on the “sexy guy” walking next to her. She giggled internally at how much of a lady magnet her brother had become compared to the dorky teenager he once was. If only those girls knew what a loser he was sometimes, they might sing a different tune. She wondered if they would have found high school age Shining as attractive.

Shining poked his head into a window of a shop they were walking past and eyed up the wares. He was staring at a lavish looking dress, bright red in color and Twilight already guessed he was wondering what it would look like on Cadence as he rubbed his stubbly chin. “Hmmm…” He pondered aloud. “Think Cadence would look good in red?”

Twilight rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Shiny, you know Cadence looks good in everything.”

He chuckled and nodded. “That’s true, she could wear a few post-it notes and people would ask where she got her outfit. Meanwhile, if I don’t groom every morning I look like a hobo.”

“You look like one anyway,” Twilight teased.

“Yeah well hanging out with you does that to me, it takes so much energy putting up with you that by the end of the day I look tired,” He joked as he made fake jabs at his little sister who giggled uncontrollably at the horse play. It felt just like old times for Twilight; Shining would say something and she’d take subtle jabs at him and he’d do it right back. The dynamic of their relationship never changed even after all the years they had been through together.

“So how has college been? I know we haven’t talked in some time, both of us have been busy after all, me with Flurry and work and you with school…” He rubbed his neck.

Twilight nodded as she came back in step beside him while the two explored the mall. “It’s been pretty good actually, I’m learning a lot and excelling at my classes.”

“I’d expect no less.” Shining winked, clearly already knowing the answer to his own question, which made Twilight wonder why he even bothered asking.

Twilight rolled her eyes and adjusted her glasses. “How has work been?”

He shrugged. “Well, I’d say good but it’s hardly ever good when you are dealing with killers is it? We caught a guy we’d been tracking down for years a few days ago, pretty big sicko, killed eight kids after her sexually abused them… I’m just glad a scumbag like that is finally behind bars where he belongs… Sadly there are going to be more like him… A police officer’s work is never truly finished.”

“It really bothers you when people hurt kids doesn’t it…?” Twilight asked curiously.

He nodded. “I think of Flurry and of you whenever I see that stuff… So it gets difficult to not make it personal, you know?”

“I’m not a kid anymore!” Twilight protested.

He chuckled and rubbed her head affectionately as the two came to a stop. “No matter what you do, you’ll always be that little Twily I’ve come to know, love and sometimes am annoyed by.”

“Gee, thanks. You’ll always be that loser oaf of a brother of mine.” Twilight stuck her tongue out teasingly.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, so how about we get a bite to eat? I’m starving.” He pointed to the food court not that far from them.

Twilight nodded after feeling a gurgle in her stomach. She had not eaten all day, and food did sound good at that exact moment, especially if she wasn’t paying for it. She knew how much Shining could eat, and she’d go bankrupt trying to feed him. When they were kids he always went for seconds, sometimes thirds even. He met every stereotype of a “growing boy”.

He gestured for her to follow as the two went to go stand in line. While standing there, Twilight grew quiet until Shining broke the silence, “So… How’s your friend Sunset doing?”

Twilight blinked, a bit surprised by the inquiry, but part of her knew it was on his mind. Ever since Shining found out his little sister had a crush, he was horrendously interested. When she had a boyfriend, she recalled him giving Timber the shakedown of a lifetime. He had taken him to play mini-golf and she recalled Timber returning a bit intimidated by Shining. Twilight wished he would stop being so protective.

“She’s… Well ever since the Adagio incident she’s been…” Twilight began but Shining cut her off.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that…” Shining spoke quietly, clearly a bit cautious about the subject, trying to figure out the best way to approach it.

“About what?” Twilight tilted her head confused.

“Adagio…” Shining answered plainly.

“What about her? You and I both saw it, she was put to death by the Princess, case closed, right?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, but… I sort of… Met her before all of that…” Shining admitted.

“What!? When!?” Twilight exclaimed, causing a few of the other guests in line to look in their direction.

Shining gestured for her to settle down and rubbed his ear before speaking again. “It was a while back, I want to say about a year or so before you and Sunset met. At the time I thought she was just a kid down on her luck, selling small time drugs to get by… I never imagined she was capable of…” He paused and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, it just strikes me as odd is all… The girl I met back then… I didn’t really see murderous intent in her, she was a reserved girl, sure, angry even but she seemed lost. Something changed in her during that time to turn her into the murderer we saw…”

Twilight wondered why he would have kept something like that from her, or why Adagio would pretend she didn't know Shining, then again she didn’t even really know who Adagio was until she met her herself either. She had heard from her friends about the Battle of the Bands where they defeated the sirens but they never really went into detail about them. She didn’t even bother to ask their names because she thought it wasn’t important. She assumed it was old news and nothing she should concern herself over.

She wanted to tell Shining that he had been deceived, but he was seldom wrong about his impression of people. Part of his job was knowing if someone has it in them to kill, and if he said Adagio didn’t previously, Twilight was inclined to believe him, even if it didn’t make sense. Could Shining have been right? Could something really have changed in Adagio?

“What do you think changed in her… In Adagio that is?” Twilight asked.

Twilight already had a good idea, something that the other two sirens mentioned to her, that thing called “Siren’s Curse” no doubt was the culprit. Sadly she had no idea what it was or how it would cause such a change and the other two sirens were not interested in giving up that information. There was no doubt in her mind though that the Siren’s Curse had something to do with all of this.

Shining shrugged as he averted his attention forward toward the front of the line they were standing in. “Not sure, she didn’t talk much, so I didn’t know much about her. I helped her out a few times, tried to steer her onto the right path…”

“You’re a cop though, you’re supposed to apprehend drug dealers… Aren’t you?” Twilight asked curiously.

A smirk appeared on Shining’s face. “You think I agree wholeheartedly with the system?”

“Well, I just thought…” Twilight paused, unsure of how to finish.

“I believe in the system, sure but sometimes I think it has the wrong idea. I don’t always think prison is the best place for someone who breaks the law. When I saw her, I just saw a teenager trying to get by, small-time criminal. A criminal out of necessity… I think throwing someone like that in prison only makes them worse; I think showing them compassion may benefit them a lot more…” Shining said. “I became an officer because I wanted to change the system from the inside, not just to stop the bad people on the streets, but the bad people in the system itself… I wanted to prevent crime before it happened…”

Twilight smiled. “Well, I’d say that’s admirable…”

“Too bad I was wrong this time around… My attempt to be admirable as you put it got a girl killed...” He frowned.

“Don’t blame yourself… Sometimes people just can’t be changed, you know? You tried to do the right thing…” Twilight reached forward and rubbed her brother’s back, trying to calm him.

A sigh escaped him, but he finally nodded in agreement.

“Did you know anything else about her?” Twilight asked.

He shook his head. “Other than that, I just knew where she lived at the time, but the place has been abandoned for some time. After we found out it was her and sent her to the Princess, I came back and checked her place, there wasn’t anything of value there. Just a bunch of clothes and stuff, nothing incriminating or offering any kind of insight into what kind of person she was, outside of having expensive tastes in clothing and jewelry. She was a mysterious girl to say the least… She didn’t open up much and clearly wasn’t interested in making friends… I tried to be an adult role model in her life, but I guess she wouldn’t have me…”

Twilight frowned, she was hoping there would have been more answers, because she couldn’t help but feel Adagio wasn’t lying when she told them that they wouldn’t understand her reasoning. A part of her wondered if it was truly over just because Adagio was dead.

For a brief moment she felt sorry for her brother. Twilight knew that he didn’t like to see young people fall into a life of crime, especially if he could help it. It was clear that he had gone out of his way to try and help Adagio in the hopes that he could prevent her from becoming what she was now, and his failure likely hurt more than Twilight knew.

“Well, to be fair she ended up not being what you thought she was… I mean from what I was told she’s thousands of years old… In her eyes you’re the child,” Twilight pointed out.

“Guess so… Sometimes people end up not being who you thought they were… A damn shame…” Shining spoke.

There was a brief silence between the two.

Shining changed the subject again. “So back on the subject of your friend, Sunset…”

Gulping, Twilight nodded. “W-what about her?”

“Mom told me you were worried about her… Something about her being all held up in her house, not going out to see anyone or answering messages? Sound about right?” Shining asked.

Twilight looked at the floor and nodded despite him not facing her to see. “Y-yeah… I’m fairly concerned to say the least… I think she might be depressed…”

“I’d bet money on that, that’s usually what happens when someone close to someone is murdered. Even after you catch the murderer that doesn’t mean the pain goes away. I wouldn’t worry too much though, eventually she’ll come out and in time she’ll be back to her old self…” Shining reassured.

Twilight hoped he was right.

Twilight held her fingers still while Rarity held her hand firmly in her own, allowing Twilight’s fingers to drape over her palm graciously so she could bring a small brush to the scientist’s nails. Allowing Rarity to paint her nails was a regular activity for Twilight when they were in high school, and it seemed as though Rarity hadn’t lost her love for it, or her edge. Her work on nails was as immaculate as always, Twilight wished she had the time and patience to master such a skill, but so long as she had Rarity for a friend she’d never need to.

Blowing gently on a freshly pained nail, Rarity smiled at her work and began to work on the one next to it. “I really think black would do you wonders, Twilight. A bold look for a bold new you, no?”

Twilight grimaced at the thought. She knew she was attracted to an alternative looking girl and it was true that the look excited her, but she didn’t have the courage to pull such a look off. Starting to paint her nails black was just a step in that direction in her mind.

“Purple is fine for now…” Twilight stated.

Rarity’s eyes were focused through glasses that she wore while working. Her eyes glued to Twilight’s nails as she perfected her craft. “Yes, well I’m sure Sunset would notice a more gothic Twilight, wouldn’t you?”

Twilight bit her lip. “M-maybe… I don’t know though… I don’t feel comfortable trying to be something I’m not just to impress her…”

Rarity nodded as she finished up on yet another nail with precision. She moved on to Twilight’s ring finger as she worked delicately. “I understand, trust me as brutish and rude as she is sometimes, I wouldn’t change Applejack for the world. Even when she’s annoying the living daylights out of me, I always look back and have a small laugh…”

A pause came from Rarity as she looked up from Twilight’s nails and her eyes became serious for a moment. “Don’t tell her, I said that…”

“Don’t worry, wasn’t planning on it…” Twilight blinked.

A sigh escaped Rarity along with a nod as she returned her focus to Twilight’s nails. “Good… If she finds out I actually laugh at some of her immature jokes, I’ll wake up to them every morning… Did you know she once got me in the bathroom by replacing my shampoo with whipped cream? I smelt like it all day after that…”

“You didn’t notice the bottles were different…?” Twilight asked with her head tilted.

“It was early, I hadn’t had my coffee yet. She took advantage of my early morning grogginess… The devil…” Rarity huffed.

Twilight found herself giggling, covering her mouth with her free hand. Rarity finished up the remaining fingers on that hand and gestured for Twilight to give her the other one. Doing as instructed, Twilight switched hands and allowed Rarity to take her unpainted hand into her grip. Rarity reached down and dipped her brush again into some fresh nail polish and got right back to work.

“You should join me at the spa, Twilight…” Rarity suggested.

Twilight shrugged. “Not my kind of place…”

“Oh, so getting pampered isn’t your style, darling?” Rarity teased.

“It’s just… There’s a lot of taking your clothes off there…” Twilight admitted with a blush.

“Afraid of a little nudity?” Rarity winked.

Twilight bit her lip, unsure of where to go with that question. It was true she was shy about her naked body and the bodies of others, but there was more to it than that.

“Sure… Let’s go with that…” Twilight said quietly.

Switching to the next nail, Rarity let out a sigh. “You’re nineteen years old, turning twenty soon and you’re afraid of nudity… How do you propose you’re going to ask Sunset out like that?”

Blushing, Twilight looked away. “W-what do you mean…?”

“Well… Surely you must have figured out that eventually, that means that Sunset and you would have sex if she said yes, and naturally that means you’ll both be naked…” Rarity smirked.

There was silence which allowed Rarity to continue. “Your bodies will intertwine, your hearts will touch, and you’ll feel the kind of connection that only true love can bring… It’ll be magical, to say the least…”

Twilight’s entire face heated up at just the mentioning of such a thing. She knew that was what ultimately would happen if she someone convinced Sunset to say yes, but even thinking about it still made her blush more than a tomato. She could imagine Sunset doing things like that, but she could never imagine herself having the courage to actually make it that far.

“I-I… That is…” Twilight stuttered, causing Rarity only to giggle more.

“Someone’s still a shy virgin, I see…” Rarity teased affectionately.

Twilight closed her eyes and composed herself. She knew Rarity wouldn’t discuss their conversation with anyone, and since the subject was in the air, she decided now was as good a time as any to ask about things she was curious about.

“Hey… Rarity…” Twilight managed to get out.

“Hm?” Rarity tilted her head and looked up at Twilight, her eyes filled with innocence but intrigue as well.

“I mean stupid question since you two are married, but do you and Applejack… Um… Well…” Twilight rubbed her neck and broke eye contact, realizing that asking her friend about her married sex life was more than a little awkward.

“Have sex?” Rarity asked.

Twilight coughed and nodded. “Not a very lady-like way of putting it, but yeah…”

Rarity shrugged. “There’s nothing unlady-like about having sex or discussing it with close friends. Why I’d be remised if I didn’t offer my wisdom to another lady so that she may not disappoint in the bedroom so to speak…”

The conversation didn’t seem to get less awkward, but Twilight trudged through. “I take that as a yes then…?”

Rolling her eyes, Rarity nodded. “Yes, Applejack and I are intimate. It’d be strange to be married and not be. Admittedly we were together… Once before we were married…”

“W-what!? You two slept together before you got married!?” Twilight almost yelled before covering her own mouth.

Rarity chuckled and nodded. “I convinced her, and she was adamantly against the idea. She is such an old-fashioned woman, insisting to wait until marriage, but… I caught her on a night where her willpower was weaker than usual and then something happened…”

“What was that?” Twilight blinked.

A smirk came to Rarity’s face along with a blush. “She got down on one knee and asked me to marry her…”

“Wow…” Twilight spoke in awe, part of her could actually see the image of Applejack on a knee asking Rarity to marry her.

“I told her that if she wanted me to say yes, she’d have to take me to bed and convince me…” Rarity winked.

“Judging by the outcome… I’d say that went well?” Twilight smiled.

Rarity nodded, her blush only growing. “She clearly had done some reading beforehand…”

“That’s a sweet story…” Twilight nodded.

Rarity returned her attention to Twilight’s nails. “Isn’t it though?”

“So… Have you ever been with anyone before Applejack…?” Twilight asked.

Rarity nodded. “Twice, two men.”

“How did you manage to get the courage… Like… Didn’t you feel insecure about your body?” Twilight leaned in with interest.

Rarity stopped and looked back up at Twilight, her face very serious. “We all feel insecure in the moment, it’s difficult to overcome, but if you’re with the right person then you forget all about every little imperfection you have and just let yourself go. If it was meant to be with Sunset and you, then it will happen without a hitch. I’m not saying your first time would be flawless, but you’ll feel at ease.”

Twilight blinked and nodded, feeling much better after Rarity’s words. “Thanks, Rarity… That helps more than you know… Truthfully though, I doubt anything will happen between Sunset and myself… I first need the courage to even tell her how I feel…”

“You’ll find it, it took Applejack a good eight years…” Rarity smirked.

Twilight blinked. She knew that Applejack and Rarity knew each other for a long time, but she had no idea that Applejack’s crush had gone on for so long unnoticed by the rest of them, or rather maybe she was the oblivious one, as she only joined their group in the past few years.

“So you mentioned that the others are off doing their own things?” Twilight changed the subject.

Rarity nodded. “Yes, Pinkie has been really busy with college, no idea what’s going on with that, but you know her. I’m sure we’ll all get a big Christmas card about how great things are going over there. No doubt in my mind that she’s the life of the party over there…”

Twilight smiled at the thought of how much fun her friend must be having. Pinkie was practically born for the college life, though Twilight worried what adding alcohol to the dangerous cocktail that was Pinkie Pie might do.

“And Applejack said that Rainbow joined the army?” Twilight asked.

Another nod came from Rarity. “Yes, she was quite proud of it too. I guess we’re all a little proud of her, she’s showing a great deal of bravery… Fluttershy is managing to put on a strong face as well, but love has a way of helping you overcome difficult things, I suppose…”

Twilight frowned. “But not much word from Sunset then?”

Rarity sighed and shook her head. “Sunset has certainly been the most enigmatic, for sure. It’s always been hard to get a read on her, but lately, she has become more and more reclusive as I mentioned before. I mean she did this before right after Shimmer died and we all came to find out she was preparing to find Adagio herself… Now that Adagio’s dead though… I imagine she’s just having a difficult time accepting that it’s all over… All of us might be to blame too…”

“What do you mean?” Twilight leaned in.

“Shortly after Adagio’s execution she did reach out to some of us, but we all were too busy with life to tend to her… I feel terrible knowing that I may have contributed to her current state…” Rarity frowned and stopped painting for a moment.

“Don’t blame yourself, you have to keep moving forward with your own life. Sometimes that means you won’t be available, that’s just how things go, right?” Twilight smiled, trying to cheer Rarity up.

Nodding, Rarity returned to her work. “Yes, well I am hoping that maybe you can correct my mistake… Sunset cares about you, maybe you can break through her barrier and cheer her up.”

Twilight nodded. “Y-yeah… Maybe… If I stop being so nervous anyway…”

“Twilight Sparkle, there is nothing to be nervous about, Sunset misses you, she’s going to be ecstatic to see you, I know it. There’s no reason to doubt yourself!” Rarity huffed.

Twilight didn’t answer, instead, she sat in silence looking at the ceiling thinking it all over. What could Sunset possibly be going through right now? Could just seeing her old friend be enough to bring Sunset out of whatever she was in? More importantly, what had her so upset in the first place. Twilight had a number of theories, but none of them seemed more likely than the others.

She knew she was only stalling, trying to delay having to muster up the courage to go visit Sunset herself.

Rarity released Twilight’s hand and smiled as she admired her own work. “There we are! Excellent as always, but I’m sure you expected no less from myself.” Rarity winked.

Twilight presented her hand in front of herself and admired Rarity’s immaculate work. The precision of the paint job was remarkable. Not even a drop out of place, so precise that one would think a machine did it for her. Rarity truly was talented when it came to art and fashion.

“Well, don’t leave me waiting, darling! Tell me what you think!” Rarity fluttered her eyes a few times at Twilight, eagerly awaiting a reply. She was an artist always awaiting critique it seemed. Everything Rarity did was art.

A smile came to Twilight’s face as she nodded. “They’re perfect, Rarity.”

“I knew you’d love them.” Rarity winked.

A Few Weeks Ago

Applejack’s old truck wheezed and bellowed through the air as she came to a stop in front of a large steel gate. She cursed and hated admitting it, but Rarity was right, it was time to put the old thing out to pasture. She had become so reliant on the old vehicle and even named it. Gary was a reliable old machine, but it was clear that his years were starting to show. Applejack would be lying if she said she hadn’t been looking at the dealership in town with envy. A nice big new red pick up did sound appealing.

She swore at herself for allowing Rarity to be right but shrugged it off as she turned the vehicle off. Rarity was right more often than not anyway, as much as it pained Applejack to admit. Her wife had a knack for being in the right position to say “I told you so.” What was worse is that she also loved being able to say it, and seldom missed an opportunity.

Ignoring it, Applejack stepped out of the truck and came to the gate. She rang the bell trying to get the resident’s attention. There was no answer, so she rang it again and stuffed her hands into her pants pockets. The farmer craned her neck and looked up at the lettering that decorated the top of the gate. The word “Shimmer” was made with amazing metal craftsmanship. Applejack wondered how much a gate like this would run someone. She recalled hearing that the Shimmer estate was worth somewhere over 300 million dollars, but she had a hard time wrapping her head around that kind of cash.

Applejack had never really been rich, but she knew how to save money. The concept of never having to worry about money again for the rest of one’s life was foreign to her. In a way, she imagined it would be nice, but she questioned if it would destroy her work ethic to never be required to lift a finger. While she was sure that Rarity wouldn’t mind being pampered every eight seconds, she couldn’t imagine herself in that lifestyle. However, the thought of being able to provide for Rarity without much worry was a comforting one.

She was still amazed at herself for making the house the two of them had happen. At the young age of nineteen Applejack had saved money for years to get her own place, and with hard work and getting a job during the day, Applejack was able to make that happen.

During high school in her final years, Applejack had taken a few shop classes and eventually mechanic courses. She began attending trade school during the night so she’d have a backup plan in case her farm didn’t take off right away. By the time she was nineteen, she was an apprentice mechanic. During the day she would head down to the shop and work on cars, and in the morning she would tend to their small farm. It provided her with enough money to afford her and Rarity a decent life, even if Rarity kept saying she worked too hard.

Applejack looked back into her truck, spotting her mechanic jumpsuit sitting on the seat, covered in stains. She then looked back at the door and sighed. It was clear no one was going to answer the bell, so she decided to try the intercom.

Pressing down on the button, Applejack cleared her throat and spoke. “Sunset? It’s me, Applejack…”

Applejack was greeted by silence, much to her frustration.

Letting out a sigh, she shook her head. “Are y’all in there? Listen, ‘Ah came by because we’ve been worried ‘bout ya’. No one’s seen ya’ fer’ weeks…”

Still nothing.

Applejack grumbled annoyedly. “Well… If yer’ listen’, give me a call sometime, alright? Don’t be a stranger…”

She was hoping to get something out of her, but of course, silence continued to remain in the air. Defeated, Applejack sighed and made her way back into her truck. Strapping herself in, she couldn’t help but worry about what their friend must be going through. Adagio’s death clearly wasn’t the end of negative feelings for Sunset, not by a long shot.

Applejack started her truck back up and pulled out, hoping to try again later, or at the very least to get a phone call from Sunset.

Poking at her dinner, Twilight let out a sigh. She wanted to attempt to hide her obvious concern, but she knew that at this point, it was pointless. Her entire family knew she was still worried about how to approach Sunset, and while she was optimistic earlier, the fear of actually having to break the ice after a long silence between her and Sunset was starting to sink in. Twilight wasn’t the best at social situations in general, but awkward ones were even more difficult for her to figure out.

She poked her fork at some broccoli and let out another sigh. Her brother caught it and decided to speak up. “Hey, Twily… Maybe I can take you to Sunset’s place? Who knows, maybe she’ll let you in and you two can catch up?”

Twilight blinked and looked up to see her brother smiling but she shook her head. “Nah, that’d be too awkward… I think the best thing to do is to see if she starts answering my texts first. I don’t want to be all weird and trying to go to her house unannounced when she might have been trying to avoid me or something.”

“Aren’t you overthinking it a little…?” The voice of Cadence came to her from across the table. The woman planted a bite of food into her mouth after speaking.

She knew that Cadence was likely correct, but at that moment, Twilight wasn’t really listening to reason, but instead the little worry wart that had planted itself firmly in her brain. In her mind she wanted everything to be perfect for when the two finally met again.

“I just want to make this as non-awkward as possible, you know?” Twilight stated.

“I think you’re making it more awkward yourself by making it such a big deal…” Shining teased.

He had a point, but Twilight would be damned if she acknowledged it.

“Why not tell us about your other friends, what are they up to?” Cadence butted back in, clearly sensing that Twilight was getting a little anxious from the previous conversation. Cadence was a master at clearing the air and putting everyone at ease it seemed. Twilight almost regretted leaving Crystal Prep simply because she would have loved to have Cadence as a principal.

“Well, Applejack and Rarity got married…” Twilight began.

Twilight’s mother blinked. “You mean the two that were always bickering? That farm girl and the one who wanted to be a seamstress?”

Twilight nodded. “Yup, them.”

“Opposites do attract,” Twilight’s father said.

“Then explain you two?” Shining smirked as he looked over at his parents with a wide grin.

Their father chuckled and shrugged. “What can I say? We were destined to be together.”

“Ain’t that the truth…” Shining whispered to Twilight, causing a giggle to escape the girl.

“That’s fantastic news though, I bet those two make a cute couple.” Twilight’s mother stated, clasping her hands together with a big smile on her face.

Twilight rolled her eyes. Part of the reason that Cadence got along so well with her parents was because her mother and Cadence had so much in common. Both of them were hopeless romantics that were instantly obsessed with every cute thing they saw. If the two were in the same room, and one squealed excitedly about something, you could bet that the other would do the same.

“When’re you going to get married, sweetie?” Twilight’s father asked.

Shining chuckled and shook his head. “Perhaps a bit too early for that…”

A bit of his protective older brother persona slipped out, though he seemed to drop it slightly for Sunset. It was strange, prior to Sunset, no one was good enough for his baby sister, but he seemed to be showing cracks in his resilience.

“True, but don’t make us wait too long for grandchildren! I’m sure Flurry would love a cousin.” Twilight’s mother winked as she sipped from her cup.

Twilight thought for a brief moment what it would be like for her to be a mother, the thought of being pregnant however was enough to stop that train of thought. She didn’t even want to consider what that might have felt like. Still, she definitely wanted to pass on what she knew to a younger generation.

“Maybe someday, mother…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

Twilight began to actually consume her dinner. With the awkwardness that she was trying to avoid talking about now being openly discussed, she somehow felt calmer. Her mind was still focused on how she could possibly approach Sunset, but now she felt positive about it again. She hated how she switched from being optimistic to pessimistic so easily, but such was her nature. She was known for being a go-getter right until the moment of truth where suddenly she chickened out and assumed the worst was about to happen. It was frustrating, to say the least.

Still, she was improving, ever so slowly, but she wished she could gain more confidence quickly. Some of her friends made it look so easy, hell even her brother Shining made it look easy. For a man who was at one point perhaps the biggest nerd in the school, he somehow still thought he what it took to chase the leader of the cheerleading squad, what was more baffling is that he somehow succeeded.

The rest of the evening went a bit less eventful. Regular dinner conversation ensued and Twilight mostly listened and threw in the occasional comment here and there. Shining spent half the night bragging about how adorable and smart his new baby girl was, and the rest of the table seemed to only pet his ego.

After dinner, Cadence offered to clean up, giving Twilight the chance to take a shower that she so desperately needed. As she stood in the warm soothing water, she closed her eyes and thought out loud. “Okay… So I’ll just try and lead it into conversation… We’ll hang out a little, catch up, wait for the right moment and I’ll tell her… Easy… I hope…” Twilight said.

She scrubbed some shampoo into her scalp and continued to think it over out loud. “What will she say though…? What if I ruin our friendship over this…?”

That thought had occurred to her before, but not as prominent as now. There was a chance that Sunset would feel too awkward after such a confession to proceed with being friends. Twilight gulped and shook her head, trying to dispel negative thoughts after she just psyched herself up to go through with this.

“No, that won’t happen… Besides, I will probe first, see if it’s safe… If not then just abort the mission, right?” Twilight justified to herself. If she made sure not to reveal too much, then she would be fine, right?

The plan was sound, she would cautiously approach the subject and see if she could determine Sunset’s feelings on the matter before revealing too much. If things seemed too dangerous, she would back out before any damage was done. It was the perfect plan.

Turning the knob to stop the water, Twilight took in a deep breath and stepped out into the cold bathroom, quickly grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself. She only had to endure the feeling of the cool air hitting her moist skin for a few seconds as she was quick in covering herself.

Taking a second towel and wrapping her hair up, Twilight sighed contently before stepping out of the bathroom, Spike already running up to her with a ball in his mouth. She giggled and grabbed it from him and tossed it. The small dog rushed after it and caught it, bringing it back and sitting in front of her with his tail wagging.

“Not now, Spike I need to put pajamas on.” Twilight rolled her eyes before reaching down and giving him a gentle pat on the head.

“Well hurry up!” The dog commanded as he eagerly waited while Twilight made her way behind the screen set up in her room for changing. She wasn’t sure why but she still wasn’t comfortable changing in front of her dog, the fact that he could talk probably didn’t help; it made him seem even more human than before.

Twilight slipped into her usual pajamas and sighed contently at the feeling of the soft cotton fabric against her skin. There was something refreshing about fresh pajamas after a shower, more so in the winter time and they just came out of the dryer.

Stepping out from behind the screen, she stretched and yawned as she tossed her towels into the hamper in her bedroom. Unlike most teens, Twilight refused to leave clothes lying around, she was insistent on making sure everything was put away and in its place.

Approaching her desk, Twilight sat down and eyed the PlayStation in the room. She considered getting a few matches of Overwatch in before bed but decided it could wait until after she checked her messages. She was eager to start placement matches for the new season, but she knew she had plenty of time over the Summer break to do that.

The teen wiggled her mouse in front of her computer and brought the screen to life. She quickly typed in her password and logged in to check her Facebook. Sure enough, the paint job done on her nails was already all over Rarity’s feed, as the fashionista bragged up a storm about how excellent her work was. Twilight rolled her eyes and decided not to leave a comment and instead allow Rarity to bask in the glory she had set up for herself.

Spike had returned with his ball, and Twilight took it from him and gave it another lazy toss across the room, sure enough, the canine chased after it and fumbled as he tried to grab it. With a little effort, he managed to retrieve it and bring it back to her, ready for another throw right away.

Twilight was about to take it from him when her eyes were then drawn to a post by Sunset made only fifty-eight minutes ago.

Haven’t been on here, sorry. Gonna try and fix that, been crazy for a few weeks.

Twilight nearly forgot to breathe for a moment as she read over the post. Sunset was actually communicating with the outside world for a change. It was a step in the right direction for sure. Sunset was at least coming out of her shell again and reaching out to the outside world. Twilight was already formulating how she could respond to the post, trying not to come off as too try-hard.

At that moment before Twilight could respond her phone sitting on the desk vibrated. She lifted it and unlocked it to see a reply to her previous message to Sunset, and there on the screen as a simple “Hey.”

Author's Note

More of an "informational" chapter than anything else. Sort of setting up for future stuff. Sorry if it comes off as a "filler". Next chapter shit will start moving again, promise! There's a lot of incoming info that sort of needed to be addressed to get things moving due to plot points that are coming later. You'll see what I mean in a few chapters.

Act IV - Chapter XLV: Rekindle

Chapter XLV: Rekindle

Twilight had explained to her friend, Sunset that she was back for Summer vacation in a series of texts that night. She had tried not to overwhelm the girl with too much information but decided to at least divulge that she was home for the Summer and wanted to see her, hoping it didn’t come off as too needy or clingy. To not much surprise, Sunset’s reply was simple; “I’ll think about it.”

Sunset’s lack of instant acceptance of the offer did bother Twilight, but she attributed it to the girl still having a hard time readjusting to a normal life after everything that happened. Sunset was always one to not enjoy burdening others when she didn’t have to. Twilight wanted to tell her that she wasn’t a burden, but she knew that she would probably be crossing some kind of line by doing so. The best thing for her to do was to wait for Sunset to open up naturally and be there at the right moment.

Twilight just hated how she was so impatient in waiting for that to happen. In general, Twilight wasn’t a very patient person, so adding romance to her desire for things to happen faster only made the process feel more grueling.

She had agreed to go with Cadence to get her hair done. She loved spending time with her sister-in-law and she knew she was in need of a small trim for a few weeks. Twilight’s long hair had been growing a bit out of control lately and she didn’t want to go too crazy with her hair.

Pulling the hairband out of her long locks, she freed her hair for the stylist to begin working on. A woman with a rather impressive mohawk sat her down next to Cadence. Twilight looked over at her sister-in-law with worried eyes, wondering if this really was the place for them after a quick look around. Every single stylist seemed to exude a bit of an alternative flair.

Cadence giggled as she clearly read Twilight’s mind. “Trust me, these ladies are the best, I come here all the time.”

“I’m not worried about that…” Twilight blushed.

The stylist working on Twilight grinned as she threw a cover over Twilight’s body and tied it off. She spoke up with a thick British accent. “What’s wrong, love? Afraid you’ll come out lookin’ like me?”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “I… I didn’t mean anything by it…”

The woman chuckled. “Cheers, sweetie; was a joke. Though I can see the inner punk rocker in you…” She stated as she ran her hands through Twilight’s long hair. “We could put some dreads in here, dye ‘em black… Maybe take you to the piercing shop…”

“P-piercing!?” Twilight squeaked at the thought.

She nodded. “Aye, you’d look absolutely sexy with a few earrings and a nose ring…”

“W-why would I want to do that…?” Twilight flinched just as the thought of a needle going through her nose.

“You don’t want all the blokes looking at you?” She asked as she turned Twilight to face the mirror. “You’ve got an adorable face, cute eyes… With a little help, you could take some blokes’ breath away…”

“I…” Twilight blushed.

As if she could read Twilight’s mind, the Stylist smirked. “Ahhhhh, you’re into the sisters then, eh love?”

“W-what!? No, it’s not like that!” Twilight blushed deeper and raised her hands in protest, wanting to stop the conversation from going any further.

It was as if the stylist didn’t even hear her, or maybe she just preferred winding Twilight up. “In that case, better go with a tongue ring…”

“Tongue!?” Twilight exclaimed. “W-why would anyone want that!?”

Twilight already knew though, she had fantasized a few times what it would be like if Sunset had one, but she didn’t want to be thinking such thoughts at the salon with her sister-in-law next to her, who appeared to just be giggling uncontrollably at Twilight’s misfortune.

“You know… For Goin’ down under? Hitting the pleasure spots better?” The Stylist gave a suggestive eyebrow wiggle, making the two piercings on her eyebrow move up and down with it.

“W-what!?” Twilight shook her head trying to dismiss such thoughts.

The stylist giggled and brought a pair of scissors out. “Relax, I’m only teasin’, love. However, I was serious about making you gorgeous… If you ever want to add a little adventure to your look, come to see me, alright?”

Twilight nodded. “I… Well… Do you think it’ll really work…?” Twilight asked.

The stylist nodded as she began to take long strands of hair into her hands and snip gently with precision. “Who’s the girl?”

Blinking, Twilight looked at Cadence who was just leaning back getting her hair trimmed. Her sister-in-law looked back at Twilight and nodded. “Go ahead, you can show her, I’ve been coming here for years, these girls don’t gossip to other people, promise.”

Sighing, Twilight fished her phone out of her pocket and began swiping at the screen to find a good photo of Sunset. She eventually came to her yearbook photo that she had saved. Sunset was wearing a black summer dress held up by thick straps. Her ears were decorated with dangling emblems that matched the Sun emblem she almost always wore.

Twilight had noticed her mascara was done so perfectly despite Shimmer not being around to do it for her, she surmised that Sunset had gotten very competent at doing her own makeup over the past few months. Her shining teal eyes were alluring, irresistible even.

Her long red hair was easily her best feature, Twilight imagined herself locking her hands into it, and playing with it every time she saw the girl.

The stylist looked over Twilight’s shoulder to get a good look and whistled. “Two words, lady boner.”

Cadence giggled at that comment. “Sunset really is a pretty girl isn’t she?” Cadence asked.

“So you’re after a fox like that and you don’t want anything like what I just suggested? I can tell by looking at her, she’d be all over you with a little alt flair, love.” The Stylist said.

“Well… Maybe… Maybe I could get a new piercing…?” Twilight squeaked.

“Now you’re talking my language, love. Baby steps, we’ll work our way up to tattoos.” The Stylist winked.

“T-tattoos!?” Twilight shook her head. “No way!”

“Was a joke, love.” The Stylist giggled, gently petting Twilight’s hair to calm her.

Twilight calmed herself and closed her eyes as she decided to just stop talking and allow her hair to be cut. It was clear that this stylist enjoyed getting a rise out of her, and she wasn’t in the mood to be picked on further. She was however interested in trying something new.

Cadence spoke up. “So do you really want to go to the piercing shop after this?”

Twilight looked over at the Stylist who nodded in approval. “Promise we won’t do anything too crazy, love.”

Sighing, Twilight nodded. “Well… What harm can it do right?”

Cadence nodded and giggled.

Twilight had no idea how she allowed herself to get talked into such a crazy thing. She stood in a place surrounded by different types of body jewelry that she was examining while she and her sister-in-law waited for their turn to be seen. Twilight eyed one of the pieces and then looked at the label below it: nipple ring.

She winced and stepped back, gripping her chest as she could already feel the needle piercing through it. She shuddered at the thought and wondered why anyone would want a needle to go through their nipple. Just thinking about it was almost enough to make her faint.

Cadence came up behind her and eyed the jewelry. “Oh, that’d be cool! I bet your brother would go crazy if I got that done!”

“Y-you can’t be serious!” Twilight shook her head.

“Yeah, you’re right… Probably not a good idea while I’m still breastfeeding, huh?” Cadence brought a hand to her chin, the gold bangles on her wrist clattering as she did so.

“Or a good idea ever! Why would anyone put a needle through there!?” Twilight shook her head.

A burly man behind the counter answered her. “More people than you know get them. Increases sensitivity there, good for the sexually adventurous…”

Twilight caught a glimpse of the man who was covered from head to toe in tattoos, his body was clearly a canvas, a canvas that had been filled by many artists. He sported a large nostril ring and an impressive beard. He was perhaps the most masculine figure Twilight had ever seen.

“People actually voluntarily put needles through their nipples?” Twilight asked.

“That’s nothing, I just did like eight vaginal piercings today…” He shrugged.

“V-vaginal!?” Twilight’s face went white at the thought. She didn’t even want to imagine such a thing.

“Where would people get a vaginal piercing…?” Cadence asked, her hand still on her chin.

“Well some people get the clitoral hood pierced, and some people pierce their clitoris itself…” The owner of the shop answered.

Twilight’s face only turned more white, which she didn’t think was possible. She was crossing her legs and trembling as she thought about the pain that would cause. “T-their clitoris!?”

He nodded. “Yeah, makes sex wild after that.”

“No, no, no, no, I don’t want to hear anymore!” Twilight covered her ears in protest, shaking her head violently to try and get the thought out of her brain, wishing it was never there in the first place.

“I take it that’s not what you’re here to do then?” He asked with a raised brow.

Cadence chuckled and stepped forward. “We were at the salon down the road and one of the stylists suggested she get something done, so we’re a little curious as to what would look good.”

He blinked and nodded. “Ah, you met Quick Cuts, yeah she’s always sending business this way. You came to the right place, so you’re the one who wants something done right, shivers?” He spoke giving the mocking nickname to Twilight.

Reluctantly, Twilight nodded. “Y-yeah… What do you think would be a good idea…”

He paused for a moment and brought his powerful looking hand to his chin in thought as he stepped out from behind the counter and then approached Twilight. With a few large strides, he was right in front of her, placing a hand on her chin as he turned her head a few times getting a good look at both sides.

He nodded after he had clearly seen all he needed to see. “I’d say go with an industrial, they look good on just about everyone and it’s not too out there since I’m detecting you’re extremely nervous about this whole thing.”

“What was your first clue?” Cadence joked, clearly enjoying Twilight's disdain. Inside, Cadance had a prankster in her, one that did enjoy ruffling people's feathers when she got the chance.

“Industrial?” Twilight asked with a tilted head, ignoring Cadence’s joke.

The man reached into a drawer and withdrew a long bar with two balls screwed on the end. “Yeah, we take this and push it through the cartilage at the top of your ear. It goes in sort of at a diagonal.”

“Wait!? It goes through twice!?” Twilight gulped, not liking the sound of that, going through once already sounded bad enough.

He laughed and nodded. “Relax, it won’t be that bad, I promise.”

Twilight looked at Cadence to get her input. Cadence nodded in approval. “I think it’d look cool! I bet Sunset would to…” She nudged Twilight’s side affectionately.

Sighing, Twilight nodded and stepped forward. “W-will it hurt…?”

The man chuckled and gestured for her to follow him. Doing as she was told, Twilight came to an area in the back where the man pulled some gloves over his large hands. Twilight was surprised that they even made gloves big enough to cover such colossal hands.

“It’ll hurt for a few seconds, and it’ll be sore for a while, but it’s not as bad as you’d think,” He assured.

What she thought was likely ten times worse than reality. Twilight hated pain, and even the smallest amount of anticipated pain made her quiver in fear. She easily had the lowest pain tolerance of her entire group of friends, possibly worse than anyone she knew.

“Do people get these all the time?” She asked as she watched him begin to prepare a needle.

“Oh yeah, definitely. One of the more common ones out there. It’s going to look good on you, promise.” He offered a smile to her.

Twilight found herself smiling back at him.

He reached forward and gripped her ear. “Alright, you’re going to feel some pressure, so brace yourself okay?”

Nodding, Twilight gripped her seat with both hands and no sooner than she did that did she feel a sharp pinch at her ear. She winced in pain only to feel a second one go through. Her entire body was screaming at her to stop, but she was already almost there.

Ironically the needle wasn’t the most painful part, but the bar going into the freshly made holes and being screwed on. Twilight’s legs shook uncontrollably as she endured the pain.

However, it appeared as though the large piercer was being truthful when he said it would only hurt for a few seconds. She let out a breath and it was already over. She panted a few times before she opened her eyes again and saw the piercer dabbing her ear with a paper towel.

He smiled at her. “Well you clearly don’t handle pain well, but at least you’re not much of a bleeder.”

She smiled and nodded. “Well… That’s good news I suppose…”

Removing the towel, he tossed it into the trash and removed his gloves and put them in with the towel. “All done, want to see?”

Twilight nodded.

He retrieved a mirror and offered it to her. Twilight turned her head and smiled at the new addition to her ear. Somehow she felt slightly more confident at that moment. She actually did something that put herself way out of her normal comfort zone and succeeded. Not to mention she was starting to see the appeal, it actually did look good on her.

“I… Like it… Surprisingly…” Twilight admitted. She was actually being honest too, it actually seemed fitting on her ear. She felt just a little bit more adventurous as well like she stepped outside of her comfort zone and had a permanent reminder of it.

The piercer laughed and nodded as he began to lead her out to the front of the shop. Cadence was practically dancing with excitement. “Lemme see!”

Twilight turned her head to show off the new jewelry. Cadence let out an excited squee. “It’s super cute! I kind of want one now!”

Twilight chuckled and nodded. “T-thanks…”

The piercer offered Twilight a bag and smiled at her. “Wash it daily with this spray and be careful. There’s a pamphlet in there that explains more.”

Taking the bag, Twilight nodded graciously. “Thank you…”

After going through all she did, Twilight could now tell up close that this man was nothing more than a big teddy bear. She smiled at him and he returned it. “You look good too,” he added.

Twilight blushed and looked away bashfully. “T-thanks…”

Cadence turned back to the piercer and smiled. “So… About those vaginal piercings… What do you have in stock?”

“You can’t be serious!” Twilight blurted out, hoping that Cadence had forgotten about them.

Cadence shrugged. “Hey, doesn’t hurt to be adventurous! I bet Shining would go crazy if I came home with one! He wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off of me!”

“Cadence that’s insane! Putting a needle anywhere near there!” Twilight reprimanded.

“Party pooper…” Cadence crossed her arms and sported a pouty face. “No harm in just looking…”

Twilight hardly wanted to even think about how her brother would respond to a vaginal piercing from Cadence. She hardly wanted to think of what getting a piercing down there would feel like at all. However, she did know that Shining would give Cadence quite the talking to if she allowed Twilight to get one.

“I could get a tattoo then!” Cadence placed her fist in her palm as she thought out loud.

“Cute lady like you? I bet you’d look great decorated in some body art.” The piercer smiled at the suggestion, clearly admiring Cadence’s natural beauty. Twilight could hardly disagree that Cadence would look stunning with the appropriate body art.

“How about we get one together, Twilight!?” Cadence clapped her hands together, clearly already sold on the idea.

Twilight was about to say something else when she felt her phone vibrate, she let out a sigh of relief at the easy out she was given; one needle was enough for one day, or even one month for her. She reached into the pocket of her shorts and retrieved her phone, checking the message. To her surprise, it was from Sunset.

I’m free tonight at around seven if you want to catch up, meet me at the mall?

Twilight stood in front of a mirror in her bedroom holding two outfits in front of herself. One with a blue striped blouse and the other being a simple purple dress. She wondered if a dress may be a bit too much. She scurried over to her closet and retrieved a thin transparent black cardigan and a red blouse.

She looked over at Spike for his opinion. “Spike, what do you think? Is this too much? Like do you think it says I’m trying too hard or that I’m not trying hard enough…?”

Yawning, the dog looked up at the outfit and tilted his head. “I mean… It shows off a little more but why does it matter? You’re just going to meet Sunset, right?”

Twilight nodded and sighed. “Alright, let’s just get this admitted out loud so we can move past it since everyone already has it figured out and won't stop giving me a hard time until I admit it out loud… Yes, I have a crush on Sunset, yes I am hoping to impress her, so we can all stop the facade now and talk about this with a level of legitimacy instead of pretending you don’t know what I’m talking about…”

Smirking, Spike nodded, clearly just wanting to make Twilight admit it out loud. “And now that that is out of the way… Go with the red blouse and see-through cardigan, it’s cuter.”

Twilight nodded and tossed the two items onto her bed and opened her mouth to ask about something else, but Spike already reading her mind spoke up. “Short shorts, the ones that hug your rear.”

Tilting her head, Twilight raised a brow. “Why those?”

Spike chuckled. “Don’t you remember what Rarity once said? You have a nice butt, you have to show it off. You want Sunset to see the best of you, right?”

Twilight nodded but then paused after she realized what Spike had actually said. “Wait… Why were you and Rarity discussing my butt!?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “She is just trying to help, Twilight. She may have made a few comments about how to improve your look… Just roll with it.”

Twilight stared in his direction with severe eyes. Spike remained unfazed however and just looked at the outfit she was holding with half-closed eyes, clearly ready to fall back asleep the moment Twilight was finished fussing over what she should wear to go and meet up with Sunset again.

Spike yawned and laid down, closing his eyes as he dictated. “Wear those, ankle socks and your Vans… Leave your blouse slightly unbuttoned to show off the goods…”

Taking a mental note of his advice, Twilight realized that her dog was better at fashion than she was, though he spent a lot of time around Rarity who dog sat quite a bit, so he likely picked up a trick or two from the fashionista. Rarity likely slipped a few fashion tips his way to try and get him to assist her in influencing Twilight’s wardrobe.

Preparing her outfit, Twilight began to wonder if she should carefully choose her underwear. Then only seconds after that wondered if such a thing really mattered, it wasn’t as if Sunset was going to know what she was wearing under her clothes.

Her eyes glanced over at her mirror and she jumped and yelped when she saw someone standing in her room behind her. They were covered in a clean white cloak, their face completely obscured. They were probably average height for a woman and Twilight could see pale skin from under their hood.

She didn’t get a very good look at them before she turned around to see no one was standing there.

Spike, hearing her surprise poked his head up and blinked. “W-what happened?”

“There was… Someone in here!” Twilight pointed in the direction where the figure was.

Spike looked in that direction and raised a brow. “Twilight, there’s no one in here but us two…”

Twilight quickly glanced back at the mirror to see that the figure had vanished completely without a trace of ever being there in the first place. “Did I… Imagine it…?” Twilight blinked, approaching the mirror and touching it with her hand. She didn’t understand how someone could appear and disappear so quickly, even with magic she figured she would have seen some kind of sign that they were there.

She couldn’t have imagined it, she recalled far too much detail for it to be a figment of her imagination.

“You probably did imagine it…” Spike suggested.

Twilight took a double take to see if maybe the figure would reappear in the mirror, but to her dismay, nothing happened.

Calming herself, she decided she was merely seeing things and that she was letting her anxiety over her situation with Sunset get the better of her.

“You’re… Sure you didn’t see anyone…?” She asked one last time to Spike.

The dog nodded. “Pretty sure; you haven’t been getting enough sleep, you’re just seeing things, probably. You’re just stressed out about this whole Sunset thing…”

Twilight nodded in agreement, lacking a better explanation. “Must be it…” She was almost certain she saw someone standing there, but without any way to prove it, she knew it wasn’t wise to dwell on it.

“Anyway, you are sure that you’re going to be okay going to see Sunset? Like what do you plan on telling her? You’re not going to confess right away are you?” Spike asked.

Twilight’s face turned red at just the thought. “Of course not! I plan on just using this time to reconnect, slowly get back to where we are talking more regularly… Then I’ll probe and see if confessing is a good idea…”

“Always so overly tactical…” Spike rolled his eyes before laying back down.

“It’s better than being tactless…” Twilight huffed.

“Dunno, seems to get Applejack pretty far…” Spike reminded with a smug tone in his voice.

He wasn’t wrong, but going into things with no tact just wasn’t Twilight’s style unless it was unintentional. She had to approach the situation with Sunset delicately if she wanted to preserve their friendship. At that moment, the only thing she was concerned about was how Sunset was faring.

She recalled the last time the two had seen each other in person.

About a Year Ago

Twilight tapped on Sunset’s front door as she crossed her arms and held on firmly to a textbook she had been tasked with delivering to Sunset. The end of the school year was upon them and Sunset had once again gone back to skipping regularly.

The door opened and a rather haggard looking Sunset gave Twilight an approving head nod before stepping inside, gesturing for Twilight to follow. The bookworm wiped her feet on the welcome mat before slowly making her way into the large manor, following closely behind her disheveled looking friend. Sunset clearly hadn’t been sleeping properly, which was to be expected.

“I just made coffee, want some?” Sunset asked as she lead Twilight into a nearby kitchen.

Sunset gently walked behind the counter and took a cup in her hand and sipped from it. She had clearly just prepared it before Twilight arrived.

“I’m alright…” Twilight said before setting the book down on the counter.

Sunset’s eyes wandered over to the book and then back to Twilight. “I take it Principal Celestia is concerned about me again?”

Twilight nodded as she stood there awkwardly. “She just wants you to graduate on time… Finals are coming up, and you’re slacking a lot. You skipped prom too…”

Sunset only responded with a shrug as she downed a large gulp of her caffeinated drink. She knew she probably should have been more concerned about these things, but she found herself unable to care. Lately, she found it difficult to care about virtually anything if she was being honest. Some days she didn’t even get out of bed.

“Meh…” Sunset replied.

“Not, meh. Sunset, I thought this would stop when we caught Adagio…” Twilight reminded.

With their valiant efforts combined, Adagio had met justice, she had assumed her fate and the group had watched her be put to death. Sunset remembered not turning away for even a second, not wanting to miss even an ounce of Adagio’s suffering as her life came to an end. She remembered telling herself over and over that this was justice, that retribution finally came to pay this monster a visit.

“Yeah… I thought so too…” Sunset closed her eyes.

“Then what is the problem? Why are you acting like this…?” Twilight pleaded.

Sunset considered telling Twilight the entire truth but decided to settle on just part of it, knowing that she likely wouldn’t want to hear the rest. “It’s just…” She paused and looked down at her cup.

“Talk to me…” Twilight stepped forward and placed her hand gently on the counter as she closed some of the distance between Sunset and herself.

“I thought seeing Adagio die would make me feel better, you know? Like I thought that it would just make everything slowly return to normal or something… That things could slowly go back to the way they were… At least how they were before Shimmer came into my life…” Sunset explained, taking another long swig from her mug.

Twilight leaned in with interest. “So… What happened then?”

“Nothing…” Sunset sighed in defeat.

“Nothing?” Twilight tilted her head, confused.

“Yes, nothing. That’s the problem… Her death didn’t…” She paused and set the cup down, letting out another long sigh. “It didn’t make me feel anything… It didn’t make me feel better or worse… I just feel… Empty… Maybe I just need more time or something…”

“That could be it,” Twilight replied with a smile on her face. “It’s still sinking in that it’s all over after all! Adagio was put to death only eight weeks ago, you’re having a hard time adjusting that’s all.”

Sunset nodded and looked back at her mug, questions racing through her head, but the lack of answers frustrating her. Adagio’s passing should have brought even a semblance of returning to normalcy in her life, yet it didn’t seem to affect her at all.

“Either way… I can hardly find the energy to care much about history right now…” Sunset pointed to the textbook with a small smirk on her face.

Twilight was happy just to see even a semblance of a smile on her best friend’s face again.

“Well, keep the book and study when you’re feeling more up to it, and you can always call me to study with, alright?” Twilight suggested.

Sunset nodded in approval. “I’ll keep that in mind then, Twilight.”

Twilight sighed and stepped forward. She took Sunset’s hands in her own, causing the redhead to look down to her hands and then back up at Twilight’s serious eyes. The girl had an expression that suggested she was far more worried than she was letting on. “Sunset… Promise me you won’t do anything stupid…”

“Stupid…?” Sunset raised a brow, unsure of what Twilight was saying.

“Just promise me!” Twilight demanded, gripping Sunset’s hands tighter.

Sunset’s eyes were drawn back to Twilight’s hands. She closed her eyes and nodded. “Alright…”

“Say it…” Twilight commanded.

Taking a breath, Sunset spoke again. “I promise, Twilight. I won’t do anything stupid and if I do somehow manage to do something stupid, you’ll be the first to know about it.”

Twilight nodded and gave Sunset’s hands another squeeze before pulling the teen into a tight embrace. Sunset was taken by surprise but gently began patting Twilight’s back as the girl held her tighter. Realizing that Twilight wasn’t going to let go, Sunset wrapped both of her own arms around Twilight and rested her head in the crook of her neck.

Sunset stood a few inches taller than Twilight, and the height difference allowed her to gently caress the bookworm’s head and take a gentle inhale of her hair. She could smell mango scented shampoo on her. The scent was somehow comforting. Sunset closed her eyes and decided to just enjoy the moment without question it.

With a yawn, Sunset reached an arm out of her bed and fumbled about looking for the clock on her end table. When she located an object large enough to be the clock, she pulled it forward and turned slightly so that an eye peaked from out of her pillow. It took a few seconds of adjustment, but she could read the time as 5:08 PM.

She groaned and grumbled as she forced herself to get up, rolling out of bed to one side and placing her feet on the floor lazily. She kept her upper body on the bed as she stood there with her feet on the ground, trying to find the motivation to do anything else.

The dog in her bed sensed her movements and crawled over, and began to relentless lick her face. Trying to escape the barrage of dog kisses, Sunset turned back and forth hoping to get him to stop but was unsuccessful. Moon was determined to show his master affection even if she wasn’t in the mood at that exact moment.

“Okay, okay… I’m getting up…” She stated as she finally used her arms to push her upper body up and come to a proper stand. Sunset wiped her face off and smirked at the dog. “You know, it takes guts to wake a lady with that many kisses, and you my friend are quite the ladies’ man.”

Moon sat there wagging his tail and barked at his master.

“Alright, alright… Come on, I’ll let you out but mommy needs to get ready after that…” Sunset checked the time again and swore under her breath. “Shit… I promised Twilight I’d be there by six…”

Sunset sighed and shook her head, annoyed at herself for sleeping in so much. “Guess I might be a little late…”

Making her way out of the bedroom, she stretched as she made it into the bathroom. She examined herself standing there in nothing but black lacy underwear and frowned. She looked tired, which meant she’d need to get extra creative with her makeup to cover that fact up.

Opening the cabinet in front of her, she pulled out a stock of mascaras, blushes, eyeliners and more, setting them on the counter. Nodding in approval at her selection, she made her way to the shower. She gently turned the nozzle and checked the temperature before slipping out of her panties and easily unclipping her bra to toss aside.

The redhead stepped into the warm water and closed her eyes while it washed away the sleepy feeling that still lingered. The sensation was palpable, she cooed lightly at the amazing feeling of the water gently massaging her tired skin. While Shimmer had always preferred baths, Sunset couldn’t deny that a good shower was incredible when one was feeling groggy. Though she could at least admit the bathes that Shimmer prepared were always incredible as well. She at least could concede that if the bath was in a bathhouse style like the one in the Shimmer estate that it was indeed superior to a shower, but that was as far as she’d go in the baths vs. showers debate.

She hadn’t gotten much sleep from last night, she kept waking up and turning, though staying up until eight in the morning probably didn’t help her. Staying up late had become routine for her, and her coffee maker was working overtime just to keep the girl standing.

She began to lather shampoo into her hair as she considered her night with Twilight. It would be refreshing to catch up with her, even if the two didn’t talk as much as they used to. Sunset blamed herself for the silence as she wasn’t exactly being stellar in the past few months at keeping a conversation going. She clearly was way too distracted to talk most of the time.

Sunset promised herself that she would spend tonight trying to reconnect with Twilight and not complaining about her problems. Twilight was back from school and she wanted to see her old friend, not a moping Sunset who didn’t even really understand why she was depressed or upset. Not a Sunset that was worried over trivial things.

Everything should have been fine, after all. Adagio was dead, Shimmer was at peace, and the day was saved. Yet Sunset didn’t want to admit out loud that she didn’t think it was over. It felt too easy, too convenient, like everything cleaned up far too nicely. The worrywart in her made her constantly consider the possibility that Adagio’s death wasn’t the end of it, that there was more to come; more waiting to happen.

She didn’t want to think about it, but she always did. At the back of her mind, regularly coming up to the surface was that lingering feeling that none of this was over and that it was only beginning. Rational or not, Sunset couldn’t shake those feelings. She couldn’t get her head to stop considering every worst-case scenario.

There was a good chance she was simply worried over nothing, but she couldn’t shake the feeling; that sensation that something more sinister was around the corner even though she knew that wasn’t possible. Adagio was dead, and death was forever, that is what she kept telling herself. Once you’re dead, you can’t come back, and that meant that Adagio was gone for good.

But what if there are other sirens like her out there? Sunset thought.

No, it wasn’t likely, she knew that sirens were rare and three being in the human world was already an oddity. The reality was she was dancing around these issues, to try and avoid another one in the back of her mind, one that had been bothering her since her fight with Adagio, and that only compounded her concern even more.

I almost gave into the darkness… She thought to herself, a cold sweat starting to appear on her neck as she repeated those words in her head.

It was true if Twilight hadn’t have been there Sunset’s life could be very different at this point. She would be a demon, maybe not even able to come back at all. She got lucky the first time in that the Princess and her friends pulled her back, but she wasn’t sure if she could be saved a second time.

The darkness lingering inside of her, she knew it could never truly go away, and the temptation to give into it would return one day. That thought alone terrified her. Originally she wore the scar on her back with at least a semblance of dignity, seeing it as a reminder of what she once was, but would never be again. She saw it as something behind her which represented how her darker side was in the past. Now though, it had a different meaning for her. Now she merely saw it to mean that there is a darkness always waiting behind her, ready to take her when she least expected it.

Twilight had saved her, pulled her back to the light, but Twilight couldn’t be there all the time, and that is what bothered her. The thought that she could slip right back into darkness. The monster she became almost three years ago was still inside of her, waiting for a moment of weakness to return.

Rinsing her hair out, Sunset sighed and shook her head as she began to pep talk herself out loud, “Come on, Sunset… You have to get this crap out of your head… Tonight isn’t about all of that…”

She picked up a bar of soap and began to lather herself as she continued talking. “Twilight doesn’t want to hear about your nonsense worries… Adagio is dead, this thing is over, No demons are going to take over you, it’s time to start going back to normal…”

Not to much surprise, no one answered her as she began to rinse off the soap. Once she was content with her cleaning, she turned the water off and reached out onto a wall rack and retrieved a towel.

She wrapped it around herself and stepped out to look in the mirror. Given the amount of time she had, she realized she’d need to blow-dry her hair if she wanted to make it even close to being on time. She looked herself over in the mirror and was already deciding on what makeup to wear.

With a sigh, she began to get to work.

Checking her watch, Twilight sighed. The time was 6:48 PM and Sunset was exceptionally late. It wasn’t a terribly uncommon thing for her to be a good five or six minutes late without announcing it, but seldom nearly an hour. If she was running that late, she usually would at least have the courtesy to send out a text to let people know why she was taking so long.

Still, despite that, Twilight waited patiently as she sat on the bench across from a GameStop, the spot where the two had agreed to meet. Often when they would meet at the mall they got into the habit of meeting up at this particular spot because Twilight always wanted to check the latest PlayStation releases before they made their way to the bookstore and then finally wherever Sunset wanted to go after that (usually Hot Topic) and then ultimately to grab something to eat.

In the old days they always stopped at the food court, but after Sunset inherited Shimmer’s estate she preferred to go to actual restaurants now. That wasn’t to say that Sunset suddenly began living high on the hog, but she was at least slightly less frugal than she used to be.

She only carried a single credit card though, and most of the time paid with debit, though she was starting to understand how Apple Pay worked and occasionally would use her watch to pay, followed by complimenting how technology was like magic. She often relied on Twilight’s help to understand it, but she was far more competent than she was when she originally arrived in the human world, where using a cell phone was a challenge.

When she would eat, she always tipped, perhaps a little too much at times, Twilight recalled once she tipped a waitress eighty dollars for a meal that didn’t even cost twenty.

The thing that struck Twilight as so interesting though is how Sunset allowed others to keep their dignity despite her money. She offered to pay for things now and then but allowed others to pay for themselves if it was clear they weren’t comfortable with her paying all the time. Applejack was always adamant about not letting Sunset pick up any of her costs, and that resulted in Applejack always paying her own share in everything the group did together.

After Prom, Sunset eventually went to school again and began to hang out with Twilight and her friends once more. For those last few months, she seemed mostly fine albeit a bit distant on some subjects, but once that Summer after graduation ended that is when she fell off of the earth a little. It was gradual at first, but eventually, everyone stopped hearing from her much shy of a facebook status update or two. When everyone went off to go and take the next steps in their lives, Sunset just locked herself away once more.

Twilight frowned, realizing that Sunset likely was battling demons inside of her that entire time but not saying anything about it. She allowed herself to appear happy but suffered in silence. Maybe she didn’t know how to approach the subject? Or maybe she just didn’t want to be a burden and act like everything was about her. After all, she had been the subject of concern for a good few months prior to that. Sunset clearly always hated being the center of attention. She didn’t want the pity of others, which was probably her worst trait; her relentless stubbornness to lean on her friends. She preached it quite often and would do so sometimes, but it was clear she didn’t enjoy doing it; albeit she was always thankful when she needed to. One wouldn’t find a more grateful friend than Sunset.

Letting out another sigh, Twilight crossed her legs and checked her watch. It was now 6:58 PM, much to Twilight’s dismay. She felt defeated as she began to accept the reality that Sunset wasn’t coming. A part of her wanted to be angry with her because she had gotten all dressed up and wasted all that effort along with getting a new piercing, but she couldn’t bring herself to be angry with her best friend.

Twilight came to a stand and adjusted her shorts as she took a step away from the bench, realizing that waiting any longer would just be a big waste of time and that Sunset wasn’t going to show up.

No sooner than she had taken a single step did she hear a voice call out to her from the distance. “Twilight!”

Twilight blinked and turned to the direction of the familiar voice.

There standing with her hands crossed in front of her and a very subtle smile on her lips was her best friend, Sunset Shimmer.

“Sorry, I’m late…” Sunset said.

Author's Note

For some reason, this chapter was kicking my ass when writing it. I managed to get through it though!

Twilight got an industrial, but will Cadence ever get that vaginal piercing? We may never know...

Act IV - Chapter XLVI: Besties

Chapter XLVI: Besties

Sunset’s legs had filled out more appropriately, becoming more womanly and alluring. She had always had long legs that connected to a shapely rear, but her poor nourishment in the past prevented them from reaching their true potential, now, however, they were nearly flawless, decorated by stockings bearing pentagrams.

Draping over her gentle hourglass figure was a black dress held up by two leather straps over her shoulders. It was asymmetrical in design with the skirt being longer on the right than it was on the left, and sporting a torn appearance at the skirt to make it look old and beat up, only drawing more attention to her legs.

Twilight found her eyes drawn to the neckline which came down just enough to give a hint of Sunset’s cleavage. She envied her for having such large breasts, but at that moment she found herself just staring at them out of pleasure rather than envy.

On her left hand, an expensive Apple Watch sat just above a rubber Armstrong band which sported a logo for the television show “Supernatural”, which Twilight wasn’t even aware Sunset was a fan of. On the right side, she had a spiked leather cuff around her wrist and a series of rings around her middle, ring and pinkie fingers. Just below the rings, Twilight spotted black painted nails with a glossy finish.

Twilight noted that she had chosen to wear some gothic tall boots with chains on them, that gave a gentle rattle any time she moved her feet. Interestingly enough she had chosen to go with heeled boots, making her height slightly more impressive, only rivaled by Applejack.

On her face Twilight could see brilliantly done mascara decorating her eyes with a tiny pinch of glitter making her lovely eyes radiate just a little more. Moving over to her ears, a pair of moon shaped earrings dangled from her ears.

All of it, however, was nothing compared to her lavish long red hair that seemed to bounce when she moved. Her usual wavy hair had grown a little since they had last seen each other and she had more of a disheveled look to it, with a cowlick or two sticking out, but in somewhat of an adorable way.

And there, strapped tightly to her neck was a black choker bearing a familiar emblem. Her magic geode had been fashioned into a black ribbon choker. Twilight noticed that Sunset seldom wore it before this, probably because the power of being able to see the emotions of others would only add stress to her already stressful routine. Twilight knew that her power had reached a point where it had to be consciously activated, so there wasn’t much risk of Sunset randomly detecting how Twilight felt about her, but she still made a note of herself to be careful. She doubted Sunset would use her power to violate her friend’s privacy though.

The group had been able to use magic without the geodes, but such instances were always limited and required all of them to work together. However on an individual level, without the geodes, they were all just regular girls, Sunset being no exception. Twilight wondered why Sunset had chosen to start wearing her own again; after camp Everfree Twilight noticed her wearing it less and less until the Adagio incident came up. She surmised it had to do with not wanting to feel more like an outsider than she already did. Sunset always aimed to be as normal as possible, despite the fact that always seemed impossible given the circumstances she always seemed to find herself in.

Still, it looked good on her, regardless. Every accessory that Sunset wore always seemed to increase her sex appeal just a little more. The thought of her with a tongue ring resurfaced in Twilight’s mind for a brief second before Twilight dismissed the idea once more, not wanting to get herself too worked up.

There was a designer purse hanging off her shoulder, and her left arm gripped the strap of the bag while she gave Twilight a very simple smile. Despite her attractive appearance, her smile seemed to lack presence, it wasn’t quite as powerful as Twilight had remembered in the past. With half-closed eyes, Sunset seemed to be forcing a smile as she approached. The forced smile, however, didn’t seem to last long as she came within a few steps from Twilight; her face returned to a more neutral one.

“Hey… Like I said, sorry I’m late… I had trouble getting out of bed…” Sunset stated.

Twilight was speechless for a moment. She was still trying to take in how great Sunset looked, she was practically drooling. If she had more confidence, she’d had stepped forward and grabbed the girl and kissed her.

“Something wrong?” Sunset tilted her head.

“Huh? N-no, it’s fine…” Twilight blushed.

“Heh, yeah well it took a while to get here because all of this doesn’t just happen, you know?” Sunset smirked lightly as she gestured toward the rest of her body.

Twilight nodded silently as her eyes never left Sunset.

“How do I look, by the way?” Sunset asked.

Amazing, take me home and have your way with me… Was the only thought on Twilight’s mind but she resisted with everything she had from saying those words out loud.

“You look great…” Twilight undersold.

I would let you do unspeakable things to me…

Sunset turned around and looked behind herself. “You don’t think it makes my butt look too big?”

There is a place in hell for teases like you… Twilight’s eye twitched as she contained herself.

“Nah, you look fantastic. I wish I was bold enough to wear something like that…” Twilight frowned.

Sunset squinted and stepped closer. She turned Twilight’s head and observed a piercing she had not seen before on the girl. “Well… That’s new…”

“Oh… Yeah… Cadence and the hair stylist talked me into it, it was sort of a spur of the moment thing…” Twilight rubbed her neck nervously.

She noticed!

Sunset nodded and stepped back. “It’s cute. I like it.”

Pinch me, I’m dreaming.

“I never imagined you for being adventurous enough to get a piercing like that… I’m proud of you,” Sunset said.

Twilight nodded and tried to act confident. “Well… It didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would, and it’s a little sore from healing, but it’s not that bad. Maybe I’ll get something else done…”

“I kind of want to get my tongue done,” Sunset admitted.

For the love of god, please do. Was all Twilight wanted to say. She wanted to scream it to the heavens.

“Wouldn’t that hurt?” Twilight winced from the thought of that pain.

“You haven’t heard where else I want done.” Sunset winked.

Twilight wanted to hear more, oh how she wanted to hear more but decided to leave that subject floating in the air to drift away so they could focus on other things. If she indulged in that subject it likely would be all she could think about for the rest of the night. She cursed her hormones internally.

Sunset frowned and eyed Twilight up and down before standing with her arms crossed a pouty face decorating her as she looked at Twilight. Twilight turned her head confused.

“You haven’t offered me a hug or anything yet…” Sunset pouted.

Twilight nodded and stepped forward awkwardly. Sighing, Sunset shook her head and decided she needed to take charge. She came forward and grabbed Twilight, pulling the slightly shorter girl in for a tight embrace. Twilight relaxed and allowed herself to be held, she nuzzled gently into Sunset’s neck as Sunset gently pet her hair.

Despite all the changes that Sunset had gone through, despite how her appearance had changed (or improved in Twilight’s eyes) she still gave amazing hugs. It wasn’t like Pinkie who put a ton of energy into them, but instead, there was a lot of subtle things, little things she did that made every hug more affectionate. Sunset was always awkward about affection, but when she did give it, she always went all out.

Twilight didn’t want the embrace to end, but sadly it did. As she slowly parted from Sunset, her eyes were drawn to the girl’s moist lips. What she would do for the confidence necessary to go ahead and kiss the alternative redhead in front of her, but she knew that she lacked that level of courage, it would remain only a dream instead. Instead, she allowed Sunset to end the affection and gesture to the right of her. “So… Shall we get dinner?”

All Twilight could do was nod in approval, as words didn’t seem to come to her.

“I’ll pay to make up for being so late, sound fair?” Sunset asked.

Twilight only nodded once more, still stunned by the entire experience.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset reached forward and grabbed Twilight’s hand and started to tug her along.

As they walked, Twilight found herself only focusing on the warmness of Sunset’s hand in her own, the only thought in her mind being how her hand just felt like it was where it belonged. Twilight never wanted to let go.

Sunset had chosen a rather nice restaurant in the mall, not too high class but not too low class either. Despite now being technically a millionaire, Twilight seldom saw Sunset as someone who went to buy overpriced food. Fine dining wasn’t exactly her cup of tea (nor was tea for that matter), and money didn’t seem to change her much in that regard.

Twilight placed an order for a chicken dish while Sunset stuck to vegetarian. She had almost forgotten that Sunset didn’t eat meat, but she supposed it made sense since most animals in her universe were sentient, and she herself was an herbivore creature back home. Twilight surmised that ponies of Equestria never ate meat, and Sunset wasn’t intending to be the exception despite the fact that she was in the human world now. They had talked about it before, but Twilight recalled dropping the subject because it became too awkward.

Poking at her food, Twilight tried to think of ways to start conversation. “So… How have you been?”

“Fine…” Sunset replied plainly.

Twilight knew it was likely a lie, but she had nothing to press it with, so she decided to leave it in the air.

“Have you heard much from the others?” Twilight asked.

“Not lately, no…” Sunset stated.

The entire night, Twilight had sensed something off about her, from the moment they met back up and she saw that halfhearted smile on her face, she could sense an almost melancholy mood radiating from Sunset; a mood that she was clearly trying to mask.

Sighing, Sunset spoke up again. “I… Sort of haven’t really been trying that hard to get back in contact with everyone… Too much going on, you know?

Twilight nodded, knowing it was a fib, but was rolling with it. “Is running the Institute a difficult job?”

“Yeah… Sometimes… I mean I have advisors, but I still have to attend board meetings from time to time and show up to impress investors… Mostly I just read off of index cards they make for me and keep quiet…” Sunset explained, her eyes on her food.

“Oh so they give you index cards and you read off of them, but when I do it to prepare you for a test, suddenly it’s excessive?” Twilight teased.

Looking up from her food, Sunset let a snarky grin appear on her face. “That’s because they hand me like three… not eighty…”

“It wasn’t eighty!” Twilight protested.

“Sorry… Eighty-eight.” Sunset’s smirk only grew.

While it was at her expense, Twilight was glad just to see the girl smile again, this one feeling far more genuine.

“Hey, you passed that test did you not?” Twilight asked.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “You forget that I’m mostly a straight-A student just like you… I retain information pretty easily… Obviously not as well as you, but you get the idea…”

“Few can match up with the walking encyclopedia that is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight boasted.

A giggle escaped Sunset, who nodded in agreement. “You’re a smart cookie, that’s for sure. Socially inept as hell, but smart.”

“Hey!” Twilight pouted.

“Relax, I sort of like you that way, you know? You wouldn’t be Twilight Sparkle unless you were a spaz sometimes in social situations,” Sunset offered.

Twilight wasn’t exactly sure how that made the statement more complimenting as it felt more insulting, but she knew Sunset meant well. She always did when it came to Twilight.

“Why are we only focused on me, I could be pointing out your flaws too, you know!” Twilight huffed.

Sunset nodded and placed an elbow on the table which she used to prop her head up, looking off into the distance. “Where to even start there…?”

Twilight blinked, not entirely sure she wanted the conversation to go this direction.

“I’m stubborn, and I let every setback destroy me… In a way, Adagio wasn’t really the worst part of all of what happened to Shimmer… I was… I always let self hatred destroy me… I fuck myself up more than someone like Adagio ever could…” Sunset rambled.

Twilight shook her head and reached across the table, gripping Sunset’s hand. “Listen, I do the same thing! I let setbacks mess me up too, but every time that happens you’re always there to bring me back down to earth!”

Sunset blinked and looked down at Twilight’s hand and then back up at her eyes. Those purple eyes filled with fire staring back at her. A small smile came to Sunset’s lips, and like that the somber atmosphere was lifted.

“Thanks… I needed to hear that, I think…”

Twilight nodded and gave Sunset’s hand a squeeze. “Just like you’re always there for me, I’m always going to be there for you…”

Sunset nodded. “Thank you, Twilight.”

Twilight smiled back at Sunset and the two remained silent for a moment. Sunset was the one to break the silence. “Twilight…”

“Yeah?” Twilight asked.

“I’m going to need my hand back…” Sunset looked down at the two hands locked together.

With a blush Twilight quickly released Sunset’s hand and nodded as she stuttered. “S-sorry…”

Sunset smiled and took a bite of her food, swallowing quickly.

Twilight returned to her meal as well and after a few minutes the two found themselves engaged in small talk, it felt so much like old times, like for a few minutes that everything had returned to how it was before Shimmer’s death.

“So, college huh? That sounds pretty fun…” Sunset said after swallowing a bite of food.

“Yeah, it’s pretty busy though, I have a lot of homework and I’m in a few clubs…” Twilight admitted.

“So no college booty calls?” Sunset asked.

Twilight shook her head. “Nope… Still a virgin…”

“Same…” Sunset shrugged.

“I guess I couldn’t tell if someone was flirting with me anyway… I am socially inept as you put it after all.” Twilight winked.

“That you are, but I’m sure even you would catch on if someone was flirting with you…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“Oh how I missed hanging out with you… How would I ever survive without you always busting my chops?” Twilight asked.

Sunset paused but then her face lit up with another smile. “I missed hanging out with you too, Twilight. I’m sorry for being so distant… We should change that… How about we go do something together tonight while everything is still open, what do you say?”

Twilight blinked but found herself accepting immediately. “Absolutely.”

The two engaged in idle chit-chat catching up a little on what was going on in Twilight’s life, but Sunset keeping her own relatively quiet. After a good twenty minutes or so, Sunset raised a hand to call for a check.

Sunset had taken the two to the arcade in the lower section of the mall, a place where she and Twilight used to frequent all the time. Sunset had grown a small appreciation for video games, but was still somewhat mystified by them at times. While she was far from what Twilight would consider “skilled”, she at least had become competent at them.

Twilight blinked as the two entered the arcade and a group of teens took note of them. One of them made an inappropriate whistle as they came by and leaned against one of the arcade machines looking Sunset over. “Hey girl… What say you and me get out of here?”

“I just got here…” Sunset pointed out.

“Sunset, I believe he’s attempting to insinuate he wishes for you to leave with him for a sexual rendezvous…” Twilight replied, holding up a finger.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “I know what he was implying, Twilight, I was being snarky…”

“Oh… Right… I knew that…” Twilight blushed. Admittedly, she didn’t actually know.

“So how about it, sweetheart?” The young man smiled, a brow raised as he ran a hand through his spiky dark purple hair. His chin appeared to be sporting a rather immature looking goatee that didn’t appear to be growing in very well. It was likely he was still at that awkward age for males where their facial hair grew in all patchy.

Sunset looked him up and down and gave a smirk of her own. “I don’t think you’d be able to handle someone like me…”

“Yeah, but I’d try all night long…” He responded with a wiggle of his eyebrow, his friends cheering him on with a long “oooooooo.”

Sunset looked around the room and then at a nearby machine that was unoccupied. “Tell you what… How about we make a little wager?”

“Sunset what are you doing…?” Twilight asked.

Sunset gave her a dismissing hand gesture to her friend. “I got this, Twilight…”

The boy looked back at his friends with a smirk and then back to Sunset and nodded. “I’m listening, keep talking.”

“I beat you, then you leave me and my friend alone,” Sunset suggested.

“And what if I win, baby?” He leaned in with interest.

“I’ll go on a date with you.” Sunset replied plainly.

“What!? You can’t be serious!” Twilight protested.

Already in her mind, Twilight was imagining every worst-case scenario, the idea of this creep defiling Sunset already making her blood boil and her fists starting to clench.

“Relax, I got this…” Sunset calmed Twilight as she stepped forward. “So, how about DDR?” She pointed over to the vacant machine and tossed a pair of quarters in the boy’s direction.

He caught them and nodded. “No one ever beats Combo Masher, you’re on, girl.”

Sunset removed her purse and handed it to Twilight. “Hold this for me?” She asked with fluttering eyes.

Twilight groaned in protest once more. “Sunset you shouldn’t do this… What if you actually lose and have to go on a date with this creep? Who knows what he’ll do!”

Sunset giggled and shook her head. “Relax, Twilight… I already have it under control. Rest assured, this guy isn’t going to touch me.”

Twilight blinked, unsure of what Sunset was planning, but she knew that Sunset seldom got that confident unless she had a trick or two (or even three) up her sleeve. Twilight lowered her guard and just nodded in approval as Sunset stepped away.

“Wish me luck.” Sunset winked.

Before Twilight could say anything else, Sunset stepped up onto the dance pad and smirked at Combo. “Ready to lose?” She asked.

“I’ll have you know, I want you to wear that for our date… Provided it’s easy to get out of…” He winked.

“I guess you’ll never know…” Sunset smirked.

“Never say never,” he replied.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset selected the song as she tried to ignore his pathetic attempt at flirting. Once the game began, Sunset took a breath and released it as she began to move her legs.

To Twilight’s surprise, Sunset’s footwork was far more impressive than she would have guessed. She moved with such dexterity, such grace. Rapidly she was tapping the notes on the floor with ease, hitting every single one, missing maybe only one or two, Twilight never anticipated that Sunset would actually be skilled at the game.

Combo wasn’t terrible himself, but it was clear he was struggling to keep up with her. Twilight watched as Sunset clearly was barely even concerning herself over winning as she appeared to be having genuine fun dancing, her body moving and swaying so wonderfully as she rocked her legs and hips; the skirt of her dress coming up just a tiny bit for Twilight to catch a glimpse of her black underwear, making a blush appear on her face.

It was a sight to behold, watching this girl dance, but Twilight shouldn’t have been too surprised as Sunset showed much interest in music, with the ability to sing and play guitar it was no wonder she could dance too.

Within a few minutes, the game had ended and the game displayed their scores, Sunset’s completely dwarfing what Combo had achieved. He looked down in shame and shook his head. The two stepped off of the dance pads, but Sunset offered a hand to the boy.

He looked up at her confused.

“You played well, we should play again sometime…” Sunset stated.

A smile came to his face as he took her hand in his own and offered a tight handshake. “Alright, but next time you will be going on a date with me.”

“Keep dreaming.” Sunset rolled her eyes.

He released her hand and his friends gathered around him. He gave a wink and a thumbs up in Sunset’s direction. “You’re pretty cool, we’ll see you around…” He paused.

“Sunset, Sunset Shimmer, and this is my best friend, Twilight Sparkle,” Sunset stated. “And in the future, you should ask a girl her name first.”

He chuckled and nodded. “Alright… I’ll remember, anyway see you ladies around.”

As he left, Sunset waved and turned back to Twilight, crossing her arms and growing a smug look. “And you thought I couldn’t do it…”

“How though? You have never really been that great at video games…” Twilight inquired.

Sunset nodded in agreement. “You are correct there, and I still suck at a good majority of them, but I happen to have that game at home and I use it a lot to exercise, it’s excellent for cardio.”

“I guess that explains why your legs look so good…” Twilight commented.

Taking her bag back from Twilight, Sunset nodded with pride. “Damn straight, also didn’t know you were checking out my legs, Twilight…”

Before the two could speak further, a familiar southern drawl rang in both of their ears causing them both to turn toward the entrance to see a familiar pair of green eyes staring in their direction.

“Well, howdy there… If it ain’t Sunset Shimmer, the ghost of Christmas past…” Applejack chuckled.

There at her side with both arms wrapped around Applejack’s toned arm was Rarity, as per usual she was perfectly groomed and her wardrobe drew a rather extreme contrast to Applejack’s short sleeve flannel shirt that seemed to be struggling to contain her bust.

Sunset stared back for a moment before nodding. “Applejack, Rarity… It’s good to see you two…”

“Likewise, we haven’t seen y’all in some time… We were startin’ to think ya’ might have died in that house or somethin’, or maybe got teleported to some alternate dimension…” Applejack teased.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset shook her head. “Nah not this time, just… Enjoying a little solitude… Though perhaps enjoying isn’t the best word for it, is it?”

“Regardless, it’s nice to see you out and about again, darling… We were concerned…” Rarity admitted.

Sunset rubbed her neck and nodded awkwardly. “Yeah… Well… I had things under control… Mostly anyway… Don’t worry about it too much, looks like Twilight came to save the day again and forced me outside…”

“Another victory to put under the belt of Twilight Sparkle,” Applejack commented with a wink in Twilight’s direction, causing the girl to blush slightly.

“You two seem to be doing well, how’s the married life treating you both?” Sunset asked, clearly wanting to change the subject from herself.

Rarity grew a large grin as she prepared to boast about it, but Applejack was the one to speak, likely because she didn’t want everyone to be sucked into a long detailed lecture about how marriage is all she ever dreamed of and then go on to compare it to every romance novel she had ever read.

“Pretty well, lovin’ it so far,” Applejack answered.

Rarity pouted and looked away. “I was going to answer…”

“Y’all would have spent the next twenty minutes or so comparin’ it to yer’ smutty novels…” Applejack rolled her eyes.

“Oh? You mean the ones that you read as well, darling?” Rarity smirked.

Applejack’s face turned red. “We promised that y’all wouldn’t mention that to anyone…”

“I don’t recall such a promise…” Rarity spoke with faux innocence, fluttering her eyes affectionately, implying she was fully aware of what she was doing and of such a conversation where she promised she wouldn’t tell anyone about Applejack’s enjoyment of lewd literature.

“‘Ah swear t’ god, Rare…” Applejack’s face only grew redder, she was starting to resemble the Apple that was her namesake.

“Applejack reading smutty novels?” Sunset giggled.

“To be fair she only reads them for… How was it that she put it? ‘The good bits’, as she refers to them as…” Rarity winked in Sunset’s direction, clearly taking a little pleasure from tormenting her wife.

“So the sexy parts… Good to know…” Sunset nodded.

“Don’t you dare tell anyone about that!” Applejack commanded, pointing a finger in Sunset’s direction.

Whistling innocently, Sunset turned away. “I’ll save it for when I need you one day…”

“Blackmail? How scandalous, Sunset!” Rarity giggled.

Stepping forward Applejack offered a hand, which Sunset cautiously took only for Applejack to pull the girl into a full embrace. With a light grunt, Sunset patted Applejack’s back as she listened to the girl.

“It’s good t’ see ya’ regardless…” Applejack said after releasing her.

“Likewise, AJ…” Sunset gave a light smile to her old friend before taking note of Rarity coming in for a hug to which Sunset opened her arms and allowed Rarity to get in on the reunion affection.

She caught a nose full of Rarity’s perfume, but Rarity gently sniffed the air to catch a bit of Sunset’s. She stepped back and smiled. “Are you using Coloratura’s newest fragrance?” Rarity asked.

“Uh… Yeah?” Sunset shrugged.

“Ooooo, you have such good tastes, darling. It smells divine, the boys are going to eat you up.” Rarity winked.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Again, I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I got one…”

“Necessity is the mother of all invention, you’ll figure it out…” Rarity giggled.

Twilight frowned slightly at the comment, not really wanting to think about Sunset getting swept off her feet by some random boy. She hid her frustration with the thought, but she knew Rarity’s aim was to make her jealous, after all, Rarity was fully aware of Twilight’s crush, and it was clear that this was her form of motivation for Twilight to step up and say something. She’d be disappointed, as Twilight only stood there and waited for the awkwardness to pass.

“So, it’s great to see y’all and all, but Rare and I were on our way to dinner and saw you two, figured we’d say hi. Don’t be strangers, come to see us some time,” Applejack encouraged.

Sunset nodded and took a more relaxed pose. “I’ll try and be better about that.”

“If’n ya’ don’t, ‘Imma come to yer’ estate and drag ya’ out.” Applejack gave a pointing finger in her direction with a wink.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset nodded. “Promise, it was nice seeing both of you though.”

“Likewise, darling. We’ll let you get caught up some more with Twilight, I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about…” Rarity looked at Twilight and wiggled her eyebrow, causing Twilight to look away slightly and blush.

Checking her watch, Rarity blinked. “Oh dear, it’s already eight o’ clock! We best be off! Bye Sunset! Bye Twilight!” She waved as she tugged at Applejack’s arm to get her to move faster as the two exited.

Once they were out the door, Twilight stared in their direction. “Hard to believe they got married…”

“They really are in love…” Sunset stated quietly.

“Huh?” Twilight asked.

Sunset smirked. “I used my powers on both of them when they hugged me…”

“Sunset!” Twilight scolded.

“Relax, I just wanted to see for myself…” Sunset said.

“See… What?” Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

There was a short pause before Sunset answered. “What it feels like…”

“What what feels like?” Twilight stepped closer.

“To be so in love with someone and for them to be so in love with you back… I… I’ve never really known how that feels… To feel like someone loves you so much…” Sunset replied quietly.

Twilight wanted to say something, she wanted to tell her friend how she felt, how there was someone who loved her, but she found herself instead biting her tongue and internally telling herself it’s far too soon. She could tell that Sunset was referencing old wounds, likely from long before Twilight’s time of knowing her. Instead, Twilight just stood there in silence.

Sunset had offered Twilight a ride home, which the bespectacled young woman accepted. Sunset had opted to take the Audi that day, and Twilight remembered thinking once again that the cars that Shimmer owned were far nicer than anything she would ever hope to own in her lifetime.

The two engaged in more idle chit-chat as they drove home. Twilight still hanging on the words that Sunset said back at the arcade. Finally, after a short period of silence, she decided to try and broach that subject, even though it was likely an emotional minefield that she was stepping into.

“Hey, Sunset,” Twilight asked.

“Hm?” Sunset replied, her eyes still locked on the road.

“About what you said at the arcade…” Twilight began.

“About never knowing what it feels like for someone to love you so much?” Sunset practically read Twilight’s mind.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah… What did you mean by that… Sorry if it’s a sore subject…”

Sunset shrugged. “My whole life… As I’ve told you before… I wasn’t exactly a boy magnet in Equestria… I was seen as a weird kid… While I had a short thing with Flash here in this world, it didn’t really go anywhere… I’ve never really known what it was like for someone to love me…”

“Your friends love you…” Twilight pointed out.

“Yeah, I know, but that’s different. Like I’ve never known what it’s like to feel like… love-love if you know what I mean?” Sunset tried to explain it.

“What about from your parents?” Twilight asked. She knew that Sunset didn’t say much about her own parents, and the subject seldom came up.

Frowning, Sunset shook her head. “My mother and father were…” she paused but continued, “neglectful, to say the least. They weren’t around a lot, most of the time they were at work, chasing improving their careers. I spent most of my time studying, and as a result, I didn’t get to have much of a childhood. They sent me to boarding school eventually and I seldom saw them…”

“Were they abusive to you…? Did they ever... hit you?” Twilight asked cautiously, knowing she was walking into a minefield of emotions.

Sunset shook her head. “Nah, nothing like that… They just… Ignored me. I guess they just weren’t good parents… When I went missing they never even filed a report… I guess at the end of the day they must have regretted having me or something, maybe I was just a big mistake to them that they were always looking for a way to get rid of… I’ll probably never know how they really felt…”

Twilight reached over and grabbed Sunset’s arm in comfort. “You could go and see them… Maybe get some answers as to why they were like that?”

Sunset shook her head. “That ship has sailed for me. At this point I don’t really want to know, I’m afraid the answer may be exactly what I fear. I’m better off not knowing and there still being a chance that I’m wrong rather than confirming I’m right… I don’t need them, I’m here now and here is where I plan to stay…”

Twilight blinked. “So you never want to go back to Equestria?”

Sunset shook her head. “Maybe to visit the Princess, but other than that… There’s nothing for me there, my home is here now.”

“I… I’m sorry Sunset…” Twilight said quietly, unsure of how to erase the awkward air she had created. Twilight felt guilty knowing she was going home to two loving (sometimes over loving) parents while Sunset had no actual family to speak of. Shimmer really was all she had, and she was taken from her after such a short time.

Sunset continued as though she didn’t even hear the apology. “I used to stay up wondering why they didn’t care about me… Why I was unwanted by my parents… Now though… I’ve had so much else to worry about that the thought hasn’t crossed my mind in ages…”

“I care about you…” Twilight frowned.

A small smile came to Sunset’s face as the two reached Twilight’s home. Sunset stopped and nodded, knowing that Twilight spoke the truth. “Yeah… I know you do… Thanks…”

“A-any time…” Twilight stuttered.

Sunset looked at Twilight face and offered to take Twilight’s hand. “M’lady.” Sunset joked.

Twilight rolled her eyes and allowed Sunset to take her hand, which she held between her index finger and thumb pulling it closer to herself. She planted a small kill on Twilight’s knuckles, causing the girl to blush. “Sheesh, no need to act like those creepy neckbeards… It’s bad enough I had to deal with them at the mall.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“I figured it’d get a rise out of you and cut through the strange atmosphere that was created a few minutes ago. Plus shouldn’t you be happy that guys were approaching you at all?” Sunset winked as she let go of Twilight’s hand who snatched it back, blushing deeper.

“Why weren’t they going after you? You’re prettier…” Twilight pointed out, looking away.

Sunset shrugged. “Maybe the whole gothic thing makes me intimidating…”

“Hasn’t scared me away yet,” Twilight replied, a little snark in her voice.

“Well, then you are truly courageous.” Sunset smirked.

Twilight merely rolled her eyes in response.

“Shall I escort the lady to the door?” Sunset said keeping the ruse going.

“No, you shall not… Not if you’re going to act like that…” Twilight rolled her eyes but smirked so Sunset could at least tell she was being somewhat facetious.

“I missed hanging out with you…” Sunset admitted.

Twilight paused and looked over at her friend’s face. Her eyes were filled with what appeared to be remorse, some kind of guilt for avoiding Twilight. Twilight could hardly blame her though, with what had happened in the past few months, it was a miracle that Sunset wasn’t in the psych ward by now.

“I missed hanging out with you too,” Twilight replied with a smile on her face.

“So… want to set up some more plans while you’re in town? My treat?” Sunset leaned back in her seat and gave an innocent face.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight replied, “ever since you got money you suddenly want to pay for everything for me…”

“Nah, it’s not like that. Consider it repayment for being so crappy of a friend.” Sunset winked.

Sighing, Twilight nodded as she opened her car door. “Alright… You’ll text me right?”

“Nothing can stop me from it.” Sunset gave an affirming nod.

Satisfied with her answer, Twilight closed the door and waved to the girl who waved back before taking off. Twilight found herself at least a little more at ease. While Sunset was far from doing excellent, she was doing quite well given the circumstances.

Only a few feet did the car move before it stopped again and the windows rolled down. Sunset peaked out and spoke loud enough for Twilight to hear. “By the way, you’re plenty pretty.”

Twilight blushed as she saw Sunset smirk and roll the window back up and drive away.

After finding her way home, Sunset walked through the front door and looked up at the stairwell in the main hall. Every time she entered this building, she was always overwhelmed by how large it was, a place of this size always made her feel lonely, if it weren’t for Moon being around, she didn’t know how she’d survive in such a place.

Moon’s ability to navigate these halls always astounded her. It seemed as though no matter where she was the dog was able to locate her even if she was so far away that no one could even hear one scream. The house was large enough to explore for a few days without seeing all there was to see, and it was easy to get lost. Sunset had spent some time familiarizing herself with the place after she inherited it, for that first month she couldn’t even navigate without a map.

She had spent some time with Moondancer to learn more about computers and technology, so she was able to create a digital map of the place on her phone. The two still regularly communicated via text or FaceTime on her phone. They’d rendezvous for Sunset to learn more about the technology of this world on a regular basis now. Moondancer was probably just as skilled as Twilight with them if not more.

Checking the time, Sunset groaned as she realized it was 11:28 PM. She had gotten home later than she expected, but she had to make a stop after dropping Twilight off.

With a bag in her hand, she began to walk down the west wing until a bark came her way. She turned around to see Moon sitting at the stairs wagging his tail as he waited expectantly.

Smirking, Sunset reached into the bag. “I didn’t forget you…”

Retrieving a dog treat from the bag she tossed it in his direction. The canine managed to catch it with ease in his mouth and began to gnaw away at the tasty morsel. Sunset only giggled as she watched. “Stay there, mommy has some stuff to take care of…”

With the dog distracted, she continued her trek down the west wing, eventually reaching the stairwell that lead to the basement floors.

Sunset found herself thinking about her day with Twilight as she made her way downstairs, wondering what the two could do the next time they met up.

When she reached the bottom, she made a left and followed the hall down to the armory and the shooting range. Poking her head into the armory, she picked up a familiar handgun and checked to see if it was loaded. Confirming she had left rounds in it, she carried the gun in her free hand and walked the remaining distance to the shooting range.

Sunset set her bag down and turned it over to dump out the contents. Newly purchased rounds in boxes spilled out along with a new laser sight attachment which she picked up and began to attach to the weapon carefully.

She had made a stop at the gun store in town to pick up plenty of rounds to practice with and the sight; ordinarily, they’d be closed to customers but Sunset knew the owner and was a regular with him. Often times he made exceptions when she came around. Once it was attached she grabbed the pair of earmuffs and placed them onto her head as she tested out the weapon. Seeing the sight come on, she nodded and let off a few shots at targets in the distance.

Content with the precision it offered her she set the weapon down and removed the earmuffs. She told herself she could come back and practice at the range after the rest of her routine was done. Truthfully she only wanted to check to make sure it was working properly first.

Cracking her knuckles, Sunset left all of her belongings in the room and left to head to the training hall she had modified. Once inside, she quickly stripped off her dress and accessories, putting them in a pile in the corner of the large barren room sporting only a small chest to store clothing in. She opened the chest and removed a set of gym clothes which she quickly slipped on and did a few light stretches to limber herself up.

Once she was finished warming up, Sunset closed her eyes and focused. With her hand in front of her, she took deep breaths and exhaled slowly. Her mind cleared as she centered herself and concentrated solely on the will that would make and control magic. In Equestria it was so easy, a part of your body housed magic, making it possible to utilize it without much thought once you had learned it.

The human world, however, was different, her power came from a geode outside of her body and she lacked the same biology to utilize it the same way. Magic within the human world took concentration, discipline, and practice. While it was true that it was far more accessible when the girls were together, thus using each other as amplifiers, using magic on one’s own was still quite an undertaking.

Sunset had learned that she had quite a natural grip on fire magic, which made sense. She suspected the other girls likely had an elemental affinity as well which they could perform with more ease than other elements if they practiced at it. It was clear that her powers would only get stronger as she trained, and more abilities awaited her.

She needed to keep herself disciplined, trained and prepared.

Opening her eyes, Sunset could see a flame that she held in her hand. Concentrating she changed its shape into a long thin worm that came to a point at the end. She closed her palm around one end of it and could feel the heat as she held the freshly made whip of flames.

With a few calculated swings, she was able to slash it left and right with power in her swings. The whip seemed to move fluently as if it were made of leather as Sunset cracked it to her command.

She knew only one thing, if there was more after Adagio, if this all truly wasn’t over, she would be ready this time. She would be strong enough even without the darkness, she would be able to protect her friends; that much, she was certain of.

Author's Note

Thus begins what I call the "recovery arc" basically the point where Sunset stops being such a brat and starts to improve significantly. She starts to open up about problems as you see, face her demons and starts using her powers to PROTECT her friends, rather than distance herself from them to keep them safe. Naturally she has to cut through a lot of initial awkwardness of being gone from their lives for so long, and her journey won't be without bumps, but I wanted Sunset to sort of start healing after how hard Act III hit her.

What happened with Adagio obviously left scars on her, but she is hoping to recover from those scars. She wants to be ready for something to happen again, but not to the point where she cuts her friends off and pushes them out of her life to keep them out of harm's way.

A few little references in this chapter to real life things too.

I was going to end the author's note there but I feel I should talk about the struggles of getting this chapter out!

For those who are in the EU like myself you'll notice this chapter TECHNICALLY arrived on Saturday at 1AM, but for those in the states it's still on Friday, but far later than usual. This is because we had intended on finishing the sketch for it and publishing it in the morning, but at our job a large piece of equipment broke and they called us in 3 hours early. So we had a 12 hour shift at work and thus were unable to do anything regarding the story until we got home around Midnight.

So I apologize for this chapter being late!

Act IV - Chapter XLVII: Dinner

Chapter XLVII: Dinner

With a long yawn, Sunset found herself waking up far earlier than she usually did. Prior to her meeting with Twilight the other day, Sunset would often stay up late either practicing her skills with computers, hitting the shooting range or just meditating to improve her magic depending on what day it was. However since she had promised Twilight that she would try and spend time with her while she was back in town, Sunset would have to move her morning routine around which usually consisted of waking up around 1:00 PM and having a tough exercise regime.

Since she now had to be up much earlier to get all of her daily tasks done with enough time to spare, she now was out of bed at 8:00 AM, a rarity for her, and one she certainly wasn’t thrilled with. Even before she met Shimmer, Sunset was never great at getting up in the morning. She was an excellent student back then, but not because of how punctual or ready to go she was in the morning, but more from applying herself and be naturally gifted at learning; being early to things wasn’t exactly a quality that Sunset excelled at.

Exercise in the morning didn’t sound that appealing, but she told herself that she could have a nice cup of coffee when she was done to truly wake up for the remainder of the day.

Checking her schedule, Sunset still had to meet up with Moondancer later at 4:00 PM, so she’d need to make sure she was done before that point.

It didn’t take long for her to make her way down to the gym and switch into her gym clothes, of which she kept a few sets in the gym itself. It was actually astounding how complete of a gym Shimmer had on the basement level, it was definitely large enough to accommodate a good five to eight people. She imagined that her family must have all tried to stay in shape; maybe it was a family activity.

After a few stretches, Sunset decided to start with cardio. She hopped onto a nearby treadmill and increased the incline and resistance before she began running. Over the past few months, she had started to develop the cuts and figure of an athlete, maybe even rivaling Rainbow Dash or Applejack. While she was still built more like a feminine sex object, she could see her arms and legs were toned now. Sunset questioned how she got so lucky in the human world to have such a great figure but wondered if magic played a role. She didn’t quite understand how the portal decided what shape to give someone yet.

In the pony world, while she had a cute face, she was nothing to write home about. Sunset saw prettier ponies all the time back at school. Maybe she just was a late bloomer.

Either way, when she started this routine she could only take a good half hour on the treadmill under the current conditions, now she could take a good two hours if not more and still have the energy to do the rest of her routine. Cardio was a big focus for her as she knew she needed more speed. Strength and power would mean nothing if she didn’t get the chance to use it due to poor speed and agility. She needed to be faster than her enemies, stronger than her enemies, and smarter than her enemies. Who those enemies were, however, remained a mystery.

Before, her legs felt like they full of battery acid when she’d finish running, but now she only felt the motivation to keep going. Her eyes were glued to the only TV in the room, paying attention to the news. If she didn’t get up and watch the news every morning, she would have lost touch with what was going on outside long ago. These past few months of almost pure isolation weren’t treating her mental health well, and she knew that going out with Twilight and her weekly meetings with Moondancer were keeping her from losing her mind, also Moon helped a little.

Her ears made her head face the television as she listened. They were running some story about how hologram projections were going to be the way of the future and how one team in Germany had made new break-throughs in the technology. They predicted that within the next decade or so hologram projection would be the next big thing, being utilized in computers, cell phones and even home entertainment centers.

Technology was strange to Sunset. It seemed like it was advancing so quickly, faster than magic in Equestria did even. Equestria seldom got new inventions due to the simplicity of most lifestyles, but humans always seemed to be looking for a better way to do everything. A coffee maker that made coffee instantly wasn’t enough, they needed it to be automatic, then they needed it to connect to their phone, then they needed it to have a built-in radio. Humans were always trying to find ways to improve every invention they made and Sunset had a hard time keeping up with it all due to it all moving so quickly.

The past few years in the human world alone were overwhelming for her on the technology front as they were entering a new technology boom, massive improvements to everything were coming all at once and if she didn’t have Moondancer around she wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Sunset looked at the tray in front of the treadmill and picked up her phone, still running at a brisk pace. Quickly she typed up a text to Moondancer.

I Just saw that hologram projections are apparently making a huge breakthrough on TV. Know anything about that?

She kept her phone in her hand for a moment before realizing that Moondancer was not a morning person and that the chances of her being up at this hour were slim to none. Changing her schedule had her all out of whack. Sunset set her phone down and concentrated on her exercise.

After a good two hours of cardio, Sunset stepped off the treadmill and took a long drink from a water bottle in the room and wiped her face before checking her phone again. She had received a reply from Moondancer.

Hologram projection is supposed to be the future, but there’s no telling what it’ll be applied to. We can discuss it when we meet up.

Sunset nodded and place the phone in her pocket before she cracked her knuckles and reached for a nearby pull-up bar. Gripping it tightly she began to lift herself and then lower herself over and over. She began counting as she went up and down. By the time she got to one hundred, she let go and decided it was time for a break.

The redhead sat down and wiped her forehead as she leaned against the wall, sitting on the floor. Her long wild hair tied back in a ponytail as she sipped on some water just sitting there in thought. She had made amazing progress in only a year. When she fought Adagio, she barely had a grip on her fire magic, but now she has reached a point where it was almost second nature.

Back then her body wasn’t nearly as strong as it was now. She had to keep going, making sure her magic was efficient, her body was ready and her mind stayed sharp. It was a full-time job just maintaining it all, but given that she had nothing else to do, she always found the time. Twilight coming back couldn’t disrupt that, if she was to spend time with Twilight that only meant she had to move things around and make time to squeeze that in too without sacrificing any of her training.

Last time, Twilight almost got hurt by Adagio. Sunset swore she’d never let that happen again. She swore she would never give into the darkness inside of her again and she swore she would never be so weak as to be defeated by a siren again.

She closed her eyes and could still see the memory of that night replaying in her head. Those brief seconds of feeling dark power course through her, her hands slowly becoming claws, her eyes filled with heat and her veins pulsing with raw power. Opening her eyes, she let out a long sigh as she leaned back. There was no mistaking it, there was a monster inside of her, and if she wasn’t vigilant, it might still get out one day.

“I won’t become that again…” She thought out loud.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, causing her to break her train of thought and retrieve the device. To her surprise it was Twilight.

Hey, I know it’s weird since like we just hung out and I don’t want to seem like overbearing or anything, but I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner tonight? I have nothing else to do and my family always makes a lot…

A smile came to Sunset’s face as she read the message. Twilight was always so awkward about asking anything, but Sunset did like the sound of getting out of the house for a change.

I can be there by eight, I have some stuff I have to take care of before then.

The reply, naturally, was instant.

Great! I’ll see you then!

“Mom, if you have ever done anything for me, I need you to make sure this dinner goes smoothly…” Twilight pleaded with her mother who was standing at the counter preparing lasagna while consulting a cookbook. She had opted to modify her recipe after hearing that Sunset was a vegetarian, hoping that she could learn how to make vegetarian dishes in a single night. She came from a family of carnivores and not including meat with a meal was a rarity for her.

“Sweetie, you’re worrying too much, what could possibly go wrong?” Twilight’s mother asked with her eyes still glued to a cookbook.

“Mom… I really like this girl and I don’t want to scare her away… I’m hoping to sort of…” Twilight paused, not certain if she wanted to reveal much more to her mother.

With that motherly instinct though, Twilight’s mother set her utensils down and turned to Twilight with a sugary smile on her face. “You want to confess to her eventually, huh?”

A blush came to Twilight’s face but she nodded. “I… I don’t want to screw this up…”

Her mother snickered and nodded back. “I promise that your father and me embarrassing you won’t hurt your chances. Everyone has embarrassing parents, it’s sort of how we are. If we’re not embarrassing you then we’re not doing our job.”

“Sunset doesn’t have embarrassing parents…” Twilight frowned.

Twilight’s mother paused and thought about that statement for a moment. “That’s right… You mentioned that her parents are not really involved in her life?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah… They sort of stopped caring about her some time ago. They don’t even know she’s here. She hasn’t talked to them in almost six years now…”

Her mother frowned and sat down beckoning Twilight to sit across from her. Her daughter did as instructed and both of her hands were taken and clasped into her mother’s tightly. Velvet, her mother, looked Twilight in the eyes and gave her the most serious expression she had ever given. Her mother was a happy-go-lucky prankster most of the time, already ready to deliver a snide comment or a witty remark, but at that moment Twilight saw her more serious than she ever had in her entire life.

“Twilight, I promise… We will make this girl feel like family, alright?” Velvet said.

Twilight believed her mother, she knew that when Velvet said she’d do something, she always delivered. Nodding, Twilight smiled at her mother. “I know you will, mom.”

Velvet nodded back and came to a stand. “Now… Come over here and help me taste test this lasagna because I am certain it’s missing something…”

Sitting down at a desk next to Moondancer, Sunset studied a series of notes scribbled down by the girl as she tried to make heads or tails of it all. Moondancer always had more of a Sherlock Holmes way of doing things, in other words, a way that only made sense to herself and often required an extensive explanation for anyone else to get it.

Over the past few months though, she was starting to learn Moondancer’s methods, starting to understand the way the girl did things. She did notice slight hints of Shimmer’s mannerisms had rubbed off onto the girl. She recognized things that Shimmer did in Moondancer’s notes from all the old notebooks that Shimmer left laying around the lab. Sunset occasionally flipped through them to remember exactly how brilliant Shimmer truly was.

“So you think that holograms will achieve a point where there is digital matter than can be directly interacted with?” Sunset raised a brow as she tried to make sense of Moondancer’s notes.

Moondancer nodded. “Yes, though we have already achieved this on some levels. It should be only a matter of time before all of this becomes consumer level stuff.”

“Sounds like we’re living in the future… If Equestria had any of this stuff then we basically wouldn’t ever even need magic…” Sunset joked.

“Yeah well… Magic has its uses…” Moondancer rubbed her neck awkwardly.

“Yeah… but it can definitely be abused…” Sunset reminded.

Moondancer nodded silently and kept her eyes focused on her notes. Sunset and she reached to turn the page at the same time, lightly brushing fingers before pulling away. Moondancer struggled but ended up looking in Sunset’s direction, observing her face from her side profile. For a brief moment, she could almost see Shimmer.

Sunset caught Moondancer staring and turned to her with serious eyes. “Something wrong?” Sunset asked.

“It’s nothing…” Moondancer looked away.

Sighing, Sunset used her hand to turn Moondancer back to facing her. “Listen… I get it… You haven’t said anything because you don’t want to be a bother but I can already tell what you’re thinking…”

“Y-you can…?” Moondancer gulped.

Nodding, Sunset replied, “I look just like Shimmer. When you look at me you’re reminded of her, and it’s painful seeing me all the time because you know that I’m not her. I carry her face, but it’s confusing to see her face and know it’s not her…”

Moondancer sighed and looked down. “I… Well…”

“I admire your bravery in even agreeing to meet with me in the first place, it takes a lot to face that kind of thing…” Sunset smiled.

“Thanks… What about you though…?” Moondancer asked with a raised brow, reaching up to adjust her stylish frames. They were a vast improvement over the taped up cheap glasses she wore before.

Sunset sighed and leaned back in her chair as she looked up at the ceiling. “Trust me… Just facing you was a challenge. Anything that reminds me of Shimmer has taken some time to get used to without feeling like utter shit… I keep thinking about all the things she’ll never do because of me… You're just another thing that she left unfinished because of my meddling. If I hadn't have come here and brought magic...”

“It wasn’t your fault, Sunset…” Moondancer reminded very quickly.

“Isn’t it? If I wasn’t here she would still be alive… I’m the one who helped defeat Adagio at the battle of the bands, thus Adagio came after me and killed her by mistake as a result… Adagio would have never even noticed magic in this world unless Princess Twilight hadn't needed to use it to knock some sense into me at the Fall Formal,” Sunset pointed out, “that’s not even pointing out the fact that me coming to this world killed her parents…”

“You can’t keep blaming yourself for that…” Moondancer frowned.

Sunset shook her head. “At first, I didn’t, but now it’s sort of hard not to… I am living in her house, and my bullshit almost got the rest of my friends hurt too…”

“You saved me though…” Moondancer reminded, “had you not been there, I might have made a terrible mistake…”

“If I wasn’t around you wouldn’t have been in a position to make that mistake in the first place…” Sunset pointed out.

“I also wouldn’t have met Shimmer…” Moondancer retorted.

Sunset just scoffed and looked away, unsure of how to argue with that.

Moondancer reached forward and grabbed Sunset’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “Sunset, there are people you can talk to for this stuff… Clearly, you need help…”

“Yeah, and what do I tell them? That I’m an alien from another world? That magic fucked up my life and killed my adoptive sister?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Maybe you could see a therapist in Equestria? Do they have that over there?” Moondancer suggested.

Sunset shook her head. “I know you don’t get it, but there’s a lot of painful memories for me in Equestria, so I’m not exactly in a hurry to go back there… The possibility of running into my old mentor or my parents exists there.”

“So? I thought you and her saw each other at the trial?” Moondancer raised a curious brow.

Sunset shook her head. “We saw each other, but I avoided eye contact the entire time and we didn’t speak once.”

“Maybe it’s time to talk to each other?” Moondancer suggested.

Sunset sighed. “The last time I spoke to my mentor I basically abandoned her teachings and fled here and my parents basically could care less if I was alive or dead, so not a lot of love there… Equestria has no place for Sunset Shimmer.”

“Sunset, you have to handle this one way or another…” Moondancer frowned.

Sunset just shrugged.

Moondancer sighed and let go of Sunset’s hand, realizing she wasn’t getting through to her. Sunset was far too stubborn, though she did have a point in that this wasn’t the kind of thing you could tell most people in the human world; any doctor would think she’s insane.

Sunset let off a sigh and closed her eyes. “I have no fucking family to speak of, and I’m completely and utterly damaged…”

A small smile came to Moondancer’s face. “You have me…” Moondancer pointed out.

Sunset shared in her smile and nudged the girl’s shoulder. “That’s true…”

“In a way, we’ve become like sisters, haven’t we?” Moondancer asked.

The past few months with Moondancer for their little meetups did feel a lot like when she spent time with Shimmer. Though they maintained boundaries due to Sunset looking identical to Shimmer, they had definitely formed a bond. While Sunset found herself avoiding her friends, she couldn’t avoid Moondancer. A part of her had to know that the person that Shimmer cared about most was still okay. That compelled her to check up on the girl periodically.

Their initial meetings were awkward at first, but as time passed they grew to care for one another. Sunset was not easy to get to open up, but Moondancer didn’t seem to mind, she was a patient girl.

“Yeah… We are…” Sunset nodded.

“Just no trying to give me beauty advice alright?” Moondancer joked.

Sunset laughed and nudged the girl again. “You? What’re you talking about, you’re adorable the way you are.” Sunset reached forward and lightly pinched Moondancer’s cheek, causing the girl to swat her hand away.

“So you’re into disheveled bookworms then?” Moondancer smirked.

“More like I enjoy a difficult project…” Sunset slyly replied.

“Ouch, cutting deep there…” Moondancer rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t say it was a big project…” Sunset winked.

The two girls broke out into a fit of laughter before calming down and Sunset wiping the tears from her eyes, Moondancer lifting her glasses to do the same.

After she had settled her fit of giggles, Moondancer offered her extended pinkie. “So if we’re sisters now, you have to make a pinkie promise on it.”

Sunset chuckled as the gesture reminded her much of her friend, Pinkie Pie who forced everyone into pinkie promises any time something happened. “Alright, what am I promising?”

“Two things…” Moondancer smiled.

“Which are?” Sunset raised a suspicious brow.

“The first is that we’ll always watch out for each other and tell each other anything important,” Moondancer stated.

“Sounds easy enough, and the second?” Sunset asked, though admittedly she wanted to point out that she didn’t exactly have a great track record when it came to watching out for siblings, but decided to leave that detail alone.

“That you’ll do whatever it takes to be happy…” Moondancer’s tone grew more serious.

Sunset wanted to tell her it wasn’t that simple, she wanted to say that her life was complicated, but looking at that girl, Sunset couldn’t bring herself to do so. Instead, she reached forward and took Moondancer’s pinkie in her own and locked them together. They gave a firm shake of their hands and Sunset smiled.

“I promise.”

Sunset held up an outfit in the mirror and considered it on herself for a few moments before looking over at Moon. “What do you think, Moon? Too revealing? I don’t want Twilight’s parents to think I’ve become some kind of whore…”

The dog just barked in her direction.

Sunset nodded as if she could actually understand him. “Yeah, you’re right they’re usually cool people so they recognize that young people dress differently than back in the day. A little cleavage never hurts anyone anyway.” Sunset smirked as she began to slip the dress on.

She sat down on a nearby stool that was in front of the vanity mirror to try and put her boots on when Moon waddled his way over and placed his head in her lap. Sunset ceased trying to tie her boots and looked down at the dog as she set her foot on the floor. “Oh, what’s wrong?”

The dog just stared up at her with a dopey face, his ears drooping as he watched his master.

“I guess it’s true that dogs can sense emotion… You and I are similar in that regard, though it seems as though that aspect of my power is not reliable when I’m an emotional wreck myself… I noticed I can’t really tap into that aspect of my power unless I have a relatively clear head.” Sunset explained pointlessly to the dog.

Moon just continued to stare at her.

With a sigh, Sunset reached down and pet him affectionately. “I know… I’ve been a miserable cunt lately… I’m aware… I’m going to take what Moondancer said seriously though, I’m going to try my best to be happy again… It starts with this dinner, I’m not going to fuck this up…”

Moon stared, clearly unconvinced by Sunset’s words, or at the very least he had the appearance that he wasn’t.

“Alright, I promise I won’t fuck this up. No need to wear me down like that…” Sunset rolled her eyes at the dog, realizing internally that she was actually only wearing herself down.

She reached back down and continued petting the dog. “Things can start going back to normal soon, I promise… Whatever constitutes as normal for the mess that I call a life, anyway; not exactly easy to be normal when you’re an alien from another universe, but regardless, I’m going to do my best, you’ll see…”

Sunset looking at the dress she had chosen decided it might actually be too much, instead she opted for some black leggings, a red plaid skirt that stopped above her knees and a short sleeve gray blouse decorated with an anarchy symbol on the back. The boots she felt could stay though, after all, Sunset knew she always looks great in boots.

For a moment she considered wearing a ponytail, but decided against it, she enjoyed her naturally wavy curls, and figured now was as good a time as any to show them off. Twilight had said she was always envious of Sunset’s hair, though Sunset always found it to be frustrating to have thick hair. That was something she always noticed about humans; people with thin hair always wished they had thick hair and people with thick hair always wished for thinner hair.

Sunset found her own hair to be quite a nightmare to maintain, but the end result always looked great when she put the work in.

Her mind returned back to Twilight and their upcoming dinner together.

The thought of spending the evening with Twilight and her parents did bring Sunset some genuine joy and just like when she hung out with Twilight, thoughts of her best friend brought a smile to her face.

When she thought about Twilight, all the dark thoughts in her mind just dissipated. She knew that so long as Twilight was around, things would be okay. She didn’t know how she knew, but she did.

The time was upon her, and Sunset found herself somewhat nervous. She had had dinner at Twilight’s abode before with her parents, but for some odd reason, she was exceptionally more nervous about it this night. Maybe it was the awkwardness of not seeing each other for so long and the fear that Twilight’s parents may be a little upset with her for being such a crappy friend. The possibilities of what could go wrong started to flood Sunset’s head as she sat there in her car having a minor panic attack.

What if she said something stupid? What if she ruined her and Twilight’s friendship? What if-

Her mind was cleared when she heard a light tap on her window. Blinking she turned to see Twilight standing there leaning down a bit to tap on the window. Her striped blouse had the first button undone and Sunset caught an eyeful of Twilight’s cleavage and somehow that managed to calm her down. The opportunity to bust on Twilight always seemed to put her at ease.

Sunset rolled down the window from the console on her door and Twilight leaned into the car through the window, resting on her arms.

“So, are you coming inside or are you just going to sit in this car all day?” Twilight asked.

Smirking, Sunset eyed the girl up and down. “Well, I’m getting a pretty good view of your tits, so I figured I’d stay and enjoy that for a bit…”

Twilight blushed and looked down to her shirt and then squeaked as she covered up her chest. “P-pervert!” She bemoaned.

“Hey, purple bras are cute, it suits you… I’m more of a black girl myself…” Sunset replied, gesturing to herself.

Twilight’s blush grew as she found herself imagining Sunset in her underwear before shaking her head to clear the image out. The last thing she needed was to be aroused at dinner.

“What size are you? Those things definitely look at least B to me…” Sunset smirked.

Trying to regain her composure, Twilight rolled her eyes before crossing her arms. “I’ll have you know I am a B cup, but not that it’s any of your business…” Twilight humphed.

Nodding, Sunset opened her car door and stepped out. She leaned over the top of the car and looked at Twilight on the other side. “Nice, I’m a D myself, it feels like these things never stop growing, I can only imagine how bad Applejack has it…”

Twilight blinked. “How big is…”

“Triple D, poor girl, or maybe lucky girl depending on how you look at it… Maybe Rarity is a boob lady?” Sunset suggested.

“Not that this isn’t enthralling conversation, but can we perhaps not talk about breasts before we go and have dinner with my parents?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Shit, there goes half of my dinner conversation cards…” Sunset joked.

“Har, har, seriously though, breasts… Not a subject I want to talk about at dinner…” Twilight crossed her arms.

Chuckling, Sunset nodded. “I promise I won’t talk about tits at dinner… Though you said at dinner, so I’m assuming the subject is not off the table for other settings?”

“Sunset!” Twilight huffed.

“Kidding…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

The two girls fell silent for a moment before Sunset cleared her throat. “Ahem… I believe it is customary for you to walk me inside since I am the guest at your home?”

Blinking, Twilight realized she had a point and extended a hand to take Sunset’s in her own, only for her palms to heat up almost instantly. That feeling that everything felt perfect and right in the world came rushing back to Twilight as she held her friend’s hand. It felt like it belonged like she was exactly where she should be. So long as that woman held her hand, Twilight could conquer anything, she felt as though she could slay a dragon or take on a heavyweight champion.

Coming back to reality though, Twilight began her gentle walk toward her home, taking her time so she could savor every single moment that her hand was clasped by the gorgeous Sunset Shimmer. Her heart beating began to fill her ears more and more with every step. All she could hear was the pounding in her chest as the two made it to the front door.

Reaching for the door, Twilight couldn’t hear a word Sunset may have been saying, she only prayed that the girl didn’t notice how sweaty her palms were getting.

When Twilight reached for the knob, it turned on its own and the door swung open. Standing at the entrance was the familiar grinning face of Twilight’s mother, who had to step up her usual “mom” wardrobe and decided to dress a bit younger. She was wearing a light blue button up that hung down and to Twilight’s surprise, she wore some form-fitting jeans, which reminded her that her mother still had a good figure for her age.

There behind her, her father stood with his around wrapped around her mother’s waist, a beard had been growing on him for the past few weeks, which Twilight assumed meant he was going to be trying out the facial hair look.

Twilight’s mother offered a hand to Sunset. “Sunny! It’s so good to see you again! It’s been far too long!”

Chuckling, Sunset released Twilight’s hand (much to Twilight’s chagrin) and took the older woman’s hand in her own, giving it a firm grip and shake. “It’s a pleasure, Ma’am.”

“Ma’am!? Please, sweetie, call me Velvet!” She insisted as she gave Sunset a dismissive gesture.

Sunset nodded and giggled a bit internally at how the woman was in slight denial of her age. She looked over at her husband and bowed slightly to him, which he nodded his head in approval.

“I’m going to assume you want me to call you Night then?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Or you can just call me dad.” He winked.

At that comment, his wife nudged his stomach causing him to grunt a little. “Hunny, too forward…” She tried to whisper.

“Night is good…” He grinned.

Twilight rolled her eyes, her parents were already off to an embarrassing start, but she was hardly surprised at that point. Twilight’s parents were often a little too forward, and it was clear to Twilight that now that they were very aware of her crush they were going to continue pushing it until Twilight either caved and told Sunset how she felt or until she lost her mind, whichever came first.

“Well don’t just stand there, let’s all get inside, dinner is waiting!” Velvet ushered them all in as she stepped backward to make room for Twilight and Sunset to enter the home.

Nodding and doing as she was told, Sunset walked with Twilight and observed the house. Most of it was exactly as she remembered it the last time she had been to Twilight’s home, she used to remember wishing she could live in a house as nice as this one; now she lived in one several dozen times the size of it and worth perhaps eighty times the price. Regardless, seeing Twilight’s home reminded Sunset of her roots, and how important it was to never forget where she came from.

When she first arrived in the human world, she lived in a cave with little more than a pocket knife and a lantern. She had moved to a small quaint apartment after that, and now she lived in a mansion, though all of those things were merely by luck which made Sunset feel a tad guilty. Sunset never anticipated that Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna would get her an apartment, or that Shimmer would leave her estate to her; hell she didn’t even anticipate that Shimmer would die.

Still, seeing Twilight’s house felt somewhat nostalgic. She recalled all the times she had spent the night, all the many nights that Twilight and she watched movies, or played PlayStation (though most of that time was Twilight explaining how a game worked), and she felt a smile come to her face.

As the group approached the dining room, an aroma of fresh red sauce and a piquant cheese filled the air. Sunset sniffed lightly and the closer she got the less the scent merely brushed her nostrils and instead reached into them and pulled her by the nose to the delectable smelling aroma.

At her estate, she often cooked for herself, but she did have people who came by and stocked the place. She opted out of having a personal chef, as she didn’t want her ability to cook food to disappear.

“It smells delicious, Velvet,” Sunset complimented.

Velvet turned and winked as she waved her hand at the chairs in the dining room, suggesting they all sit down.

Sunset decided that sitting across from Twilight made the most sense. The ends of the table were reserved for the owners of the house, that much she knew.

Gently scooting her chair in, Sunset gave a gentle smile to Twilight who had been adjusting herself in her seat. A goofy grin appeared on Twilight’s face as her eyes met with Sunset’s and for that moment the two merely stared at each other.

Twilight found herself unable to look away from her best friend’s gorgeous eyes. Her gaze was always strong and at that moment, Twilight was practically caught in their tractor beam.

Sunset was a bit lost in thought herself as she observed Twilight and realized after staring long enough and studying Twilight’s face that Twilight actually had a very cute face. She had always known this, but never really appreciated it until now. She had a small nose, and small lips to match, but big adorable eyes.

Sunset wished she could use her power to find out what Twilight was thinking at that moment, but she was not within range to touch Twilight and do so, on top of that it would be too obvious that she was trying to read her friend’s mind and that might have been seen as rude. Sunset vowed that she would never use her powers to violate her friends, and she intended to stick to that.

The eye contact was broken when Velvet re-entered the room with several dishes in hand. “I hope you like it, Sunny, sweetie. We spent a good portion of the day trying to figure out how to make vegetarian lasagna…” Velvet spoke as she set down a delectable looking meal in the center of the table.

Twilight’s mouth was already watering, she hadn’t eaten much that day, and was being tortured with the smell of food the entire evening. While she normally preferred meat in her Italian dishes, at this point Twilight could eat anything.

Sunset blushed at the gesture. “Oh… You didn’t have to go through all of that trouble just for me…”

Velvet shook her head. “Nonsense! You’re the guest!”

Not knowing what else to say, Sunset looked over at Twilight who smiled at her and nodded in approval. Sighing, Sunset nodded back and decided it was best to simply accept the hospitality.

There sitting around the table, enjoying delicious food, it was perhaps one of the most perfect evenings that Sunset had enjoyed for a long time, perhaps years even. Life after Shimmer’s death had been a roller coaster, but she felt like maybe she was coming down to the other side, that everything would become smooth sailing from here. She was starting to finally get past it all. Her friends didn’t hate her for being so distant, Twilight’s family still treated her exactly the same (maybe even better than before), she could move on now.

After dinner, the entire group met in the living room to share various stories, crack jokes and just enjoy each other’s company for idle conversation.

Sunset got to hear all about Twilight’s time in college and how things were going for her, along with a few embarrassing stories about Twilight’s past until the conversation turned onto her.

“So Sunset, we know you came from this place called Equestria, what was it like?” Velvet asked as she sipped some tea.

Blinking, Sunset wasn’t sure how to answer that question right away. She took a moment and thought about it. She closed her eyes to try and envision what Equestria looked like outside of the time she had recently spent in Princess Twilight’s castle but realized she didn’t remember too much about it.

“T-to be honest… I spent most of my time there in school… I was a gifted unicorn so I was sent to a lot of prestigious schools, eventually landing in Princess Celestia’s program for gifted students… I was exceptional at magic from a young age,” Sunset stated.

“That sounds amazing! You must have been a great student then!” Velvet exclaimed.

Twilight frowned, already knowing where this story was heading and it wasn’t to a happy place.

“Not really… I eventually sort of… abandoned the program because I wasn’t getting the results I wanted, I came here for selfish reasons… I would eventually try and take over the school so that I could go back to Equestria and sort of seek revenge… It took me quite a while to get out of that dark place and I sort of still struggle with those memories…” Sunset frowned.

“Oh, I see…” Velvet grew quiet.

Night, realizing that his wife had made an awkward air attempted to cheer Sunset up, but didn’t realize how badly his attempt would fall flat on its face. “Well, surely your parents miss you?”

Sunset’s frown only grew as she shook her head. “My parents…” She paused and bit her lip, “they don’t even know if I’m dead or alive and I imagine they don’t care. Most of my childhood was spent in school and when I had a hard time getting along with the other kids they just sent me to boarding school… They weren’t really involved for most of my life, they were so enthralled with work… The only family I really had that cared about me was Shimmer, and she technically was just an alternate universe version of myself, but she treated me like her genuine older sister…”

Velvet sighed and offered Sunset a smile. “Well… I’m sure they love you still, Sunny, in their own way… Just like Shimmer did.”

Sunset just shrugged. She had more or less written her parents off at this point in her life, and Shimmer she was still getting over.

“Well, I can say this, you’re always welcome here and to us, you’re family.” Night smiled at her.

Sunset blinked and nodded back. “T-thank you…” she stuttered.

“Say, did we ever tell you about the time we caught Twilight practicing kissing with the mirror in her bedroom!?” Velvet exclaimed, her voice filled with all kinds of excitement. The excitement of a mother about to have a few cheap laughs at her daughter’s expense.

Sunset had always heard that part of being a parent was embarrassing your children, but she seldom got to experience it in action, Twilight’s family, however, seemed to do it on a regular basis. He older brother Shining came off as almost immune to it, either because he was too old to be bothered by it anymore or he legitimately was proud of every story they told about him.

Those words made Twilight jump into action. “Oh no! Mom!”

“Oh, this is a cute story! Twilight was about twelve or thirteen…” Velvet began.

“STOP! DO NOT TELL HER ABOUT THAT!” Twilight stood up and tried to cover her mother’s mouth, only for the older woman to hold her back with ease.

“But it’s a great story! It’s adorable!” Velvet protested.

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Twilight continued to attempt to fight, even if her efforts were in vain. She wasn’t about to give in so easily and allow her mother to embarrass her further.

“So Twilight had the weekend off-“ Velvet attempted to start again.

“I SWEAR I WILL PUT YOU IN A HOME WHEN YOU’RE OLDER!” Twilight threatened.

Night found himself laughing at the entire ordeal. “Oh come on, Twilight, it is a very cute story…”

“Dad! Whose side are you on!?” Twilight growled.

Night chuckled and shrugged. “Hey, I’m just enjoying the free entertainment here, as I’m sure Sunset is.”

Sunset smirked and leaned back in her seat on the couch. “I actually kind of want to hear this story…”

“Not you too!” Twilight groaned, knowing that if Sunset managed to hear the entire story that she would proceed to tease Twilight about it probably for the next few years like she did with every other embarrassing moment that Twilight had the misfortune of Sunset learning about.

“What can I say, I’m a sucker for a good story about you doing something dumb…” Sunset winked.

“I swear everyone is out to just demolish my self-esteem…” Twilight humphed before rolling her eyes and sitting down with her arms crossed defensively.

The entire group broke into a fit of giggles, knowing it was all just in good fun; eventually Twilight would even join them when she got over her pouting. For that moment though, Sunset remembered how much Twilight’s family accepted her, how much she fit in there.

For that night, she understood once more what it meant to be a part of a family. A feeling that she had only experienced fleetingly over her life, but it was one that she longed for. It was a pleasant feeling, and one she didn’t ever want to stop.

Author's Note

I think all of us would stare at Twilight's tits, don't you?

Work has been brutal lately. I've been trying to get ahead in writing for this story but it isn't easy with how often I'm at work. Usually, I'm only about 2 chapters ahead, but I am trying to get more done, but that requires completing two chapters a week. Not as easy as it sounds either.

Act IV - Chapter XLVIII: Turn

Chapter XLVIII: Turn

Falling gracefully down on her bed, Twilight sighed contently. Her low body weight made it so that her impact barely moved the sheets as she laid there with a grin on her face, her mood heightened as high as it possibly could. Despite her mother and father being somewhat embarrassing, her dinner with Sunset had gone well, if her parents weren’t around she would have called it a date.

Sunset had enjoyed the evening and when it came time for her to head home, she seemed to be in an exceptionally chipper mood. She had told Twilight she had a lovely time and that they should definitely do it again very soon. Twilight was ecstatic, she wanted to kiss the girl goodnight, but her nerves got the better of her and she chickened out. That was eight different occasions that she counted where she could have planted a kiss on Sunset’s lips that she managed to miss, but Twilight was certain there would be many more.

She wanted so badly to tell her to stay, to tell her that she could sleep in her room and that she missed the two of them snuggling like she remembered so vividly from the time Sunset came over after Shimmer’s death. The feeling of being in Sunset’s arms was one that lingered in her memory since that day. If Twilight closed her eyes and focused, she could still hear the soft beating of Sunset’s heart as she rested her head against her breast. The feeling was so peaceful, so wonderful, it was almost other worldly how calming it was.

Naturally, she knew that asking Sunset to stay just so they could snuggle later would have been awkward and likely been met with lots of difficult to answer questions, so she decided against it.

Before the night was over, Twilight had loaned her Overwatch hoodie to Sunset, stating it was getting cold out and she didn’t feel that she would be kept warm in a short sleeve shirt. Sunset protested at first stating she was only going to her car to drive home, but Twilight pushed the matter until she inevitably had her way.

Twilight didn’t want to admit it, but she was secretly hoping that the article of clothing would return to her with Sunset’s scent stuck to it.

Spike hopped onto the bed and looked at Twilight with a grin on his face. “Someone’s happy…”

She didn’t even bother rolling her eyes, instead, she reached over and pet the dog’s head and began to scratch under his chin. “Go ahead and pick on me, because nothing can get me down right now, this night went so perfect… Well almost anyway…”

“What could have gone better?” Spike asked as he relaxed himself and leaned into her chin scratching, clearly enjoying himself as his back leg began to kick.

“Well, working up the nerve to confess or at least put myself in a better position to do so anyway…” Twilight shrugged.

She ceased petting Spike, much to his dismay, but he came to her side and laid down with a yawn. “You think she likes you back like that?”

Twilight blinked and shrugged. “I don’t know, she’s difficult to read sometimes, but if she does, she’s certainly not giving anything away. I mean, I hope so, or at the very least she’s open to the idea. I mean… Why not, right? Mom’s right, I’m a pretty girl… Right?”

Spike laughed and nodded. “I mean, I’m not the best judge when it comes to people, but I think so.”

“And Sunset and I get along, so she definitely likes my personality and we have stuff in common… So… There’s no reason it can’t work, right?” Twilight asked, knowing that her question was rhetorical, but still hoped for an answer regardless, preferably one that reaffirmed what she wanted to hear.

Spike obliged and nodded again. “I think so. I mean you two are perfect for each other, you have such good banter and it never seems awkward with her around. She fits in with your family, she laughs at your jokes and she clearly cares deeply about you…”

“She’s always there to bail me out of trouble…” Twilight added.

“She saved your life from Adagio, too,” Spike pointed out, raising a paw.

“And she’s incredibly pretty…” Twilight thought out loud. “Even if she doesn’t always realize it…”

“I guess you and your brother are more similar than you realize…” Spike smirked.

Twilight blinked and tilted her head. “How do you figure?”

“He chases after the hot girls too…” Spike winked.

Twilight rolled her eyes but thought it over. “I mean… You’re not wrong… Even if I don’t know what I’d do even if Sunset offered, she is incredibly sexy… That butt of her’s… Those breasts…”

“I bet she’d look amazing in a bikini.” Spike smirked, noting that Twilight’s imagination was running wild, and deciding to get a little fun out of it.

Twilight clearly hadn’t caught on, as she closed her eyes and began to imagine exactly what Spike had said. There standing by the beach was Sunset in a very revealing bikini, her rear facing Twilight as Sunset looked off into the horizon, her butt cheeks barely contained by the thin piece of fabric.

“What color do you think she’d wear…?” Twilight asked.

“Probably black…” Spike replied.

Twilight’s mental image adjusted, the fabric of Sunset’s swimwear turning black as the girl looked over at Twilight.

“Oh and remember she’d be soaking wet too…” Spike crawled close to Twilight’s ear whispering as a devilish grin came over his face.

“Mmmm…” Twilight cooed.

In her mind, she could see Sunset’s long red hair made slightly longer as it was wet, the girl stepping out of the water shaking her head to dry her hair slightly. Her swimsuit leaving little to the imagination.

“And then she starts to take it all off…” Spike whispered, trying to influence Twilight’s mental image with great success.

With those words, Sunset reached behind herself and began to untie the top of her bikini before Twilight’s eyes shot open when she realized what Spike was doing. “H-hey!”

The dog burst into a fit of laughter as he rolled onto his back, his legs kicking in the air. “Oh man! I can’t believe you fell for that!”

Twilight grumbled and turned away from the dog with a blush on her face. “Thanks, that’s going to make sleeping awkward tonight…”

Regardless, her mind returned to thoughts of Sunset, and even with the possibility of now having a wet dream, Twilight’s mood couldn’t be dampened. Everything at that moment was too perfect.

Another afternoon with Moondancer had turned into an entire day at her place. Initially, Sunset had gone over to get taught on technology as always, but the two found themselves slacking off and enjoying each other’s company instead. Two hours quickly became eight and before they knew it, it was already eight o’ clock.

Sunset sat backward in her chair as she watched Moondancer on her bed, just laying there as she told a story. “So, I am sitting there in class and this guy is staring at me the entire time. I am sitting there thinking that he must think I’m cute or something…”

“A logical conclusion…” Sunset shrugged.

Moondancer rolled her eyes. “Hardly, it turns out he wanted to know if I would pass his number along to some girl I had math with…”

Sunset gritted her teeth and took in air as she feigned the expression one would take if they were in pain. “Ouch…”

Moondancer shrugged. “Eh, he wasn’t my type anyway…”

“Oh?” Sunset asked.

Moondancer nodded as she grew quiet. “Plus it’s… It’s still too soon for me… I know it’s dumb, but I was in love with Shimmer, I actually started to picture our life together before… Well… You know…”

Sunset nodded. “Eventually you’ll find someone else, I’m sure of it.”

Moondancer sighed and nodded, knowing that Sunset was likely right, but not really wanting to think about being with anyone who wasn’t Shimmer. In her mind, the girl was irreplaceable. They may have been a ton of firsts, but Moondancer felt right when she was with Shimmer. She felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

“Hard to imagine myself with a different girl that isn’t Shimmer though…” Moondancer admitted out loud.

Sunset’s eyes narrowed as she considered that statement. She chewed it for a moment and decided to pry. “Say, have you always been interested in girls?”

Moondancer blushed and looked over at Sunset to see a curious face. “Ummm, I guess I wouldn’t say interested, but I guess I’ve been curious for a while… I didn’t really think I was into anything until Shimmer came around… I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything for a boy if that’s what you’re asking…”

Not quite understanding, Sunset just shrugged, realizing that it was likely something she wouldn’t understand anyway.

“I see…” Was all she said.

Moondancer sat up and smiled at Sunset. “What about you? What do you like?”

Sunset shrugged. “I don’t really know anymore. When I was a kid I always liked boys because I didn’t really think about it, but as I got older I started to notice girls too… Now… I guess I’d be okay with anyone who’d have me, provided I enjoyed their company. I mean sure I can admit that I find people attractive, but I guess the idea of an actual relationship doesn’t appeal to me unless I really cared about the person…”

Moondancer leaned in as she absorbed the juicy gossip, desperately craving more to feast on. “So that means you’re a…”

Tilting her head, Sunset raised a brow. “A what?”

“A virgin?” Moondancer asked.

Sunset merely nodded.

“Wow… I mean no offense but like… You’re hot… It’s hard to imagine that I’ve had sex and you haven’t…” Moondancer rubbed her neck.

Sunset blushed and rolled her eyes. “I guess I’m good looking but I’m also a handful, so that may keep people away… Wait… You and Shimmer…”

Moondancer looked away, her face turning cherry red. “Y-yeah… A few times… Granted she was experienced so it was… a learning experience for sure…”

Sunset giggled and nodded. “That’s cute…”

“I’m sure your first time will be special too!” Moondancer stated.

Sunset laughed and leaned back in her seat, gripping the back to keep herself from falling off as she thought about it. When she dated Flash the two never even kissed, she had never been physical with another person her entire life. For a long time, she felt it was awkward due to being from another world, but she had grown to like and appreciate the human aesthetic.

“I just don’t know who’d be willing to put up with me…” Sunset admitted.

“What about one of your friends? A couple of them are still single,” Moondancer pointed out.

Chuckling, Sunset shrugged. “Maybe… I mean I haven’t heard from Pinkie in a while and Twilight is…” She paused as she considered the notion of her and Twilight. Sure she liked Twilight a lot, and they were close, but would she consider them capable of a romantic endeavor? Would Twilight even go for that?

Shaking her head, Sunset decided to push the idea out of her mind and instead focus on getting back on track. “Anyway, we really should get back to why I came here in the first place shouldn’t we?”

Moondancer giggled and nodded. “Awww… You don’t want to talk about cute girls and sex then?”

Sunset rolled her eyes but found herself laughing as well. One good thing to come out of the entire Shimmer ordeal was she had found a new friend in Moondancer, one she had already grown fairly close to.

“If I ever do go picking up girls, you can be my wing-girl or something.” Sunset smirked.

“Someone as pretty as you? You don’t need any help, trust me…” Moondancer winked.

“You’d be surprised at how quickly I can screw things up, I’d mostly want you there to prevent me from saying anything stupid…” Sunset replied.

Moondancer rolled her eyes and sat up. “Hey, I say stupid stuff all the time and Shimmer somehow still fell for me… And that’s saying something because I am definitely not much to look at…”

“Oh please, you’re adorable, we’ve been over this…” Sunset reached forward and ruffled Moondancer’s hair.

The girl swatted Sunset’s hand away and rolled her eyes. “Please, I’m an A cup, I’m scrawny and my hair is always a mess…”

“Yeah, but you’re cute in a scruffy dog kind of way…” Sunset suggested.

“Did you just compare me to a dog…?” Moondancer raised a brow and crossed her arms, an annoyed expression coating her face as she stared Sunset down.

“Hey, dogs are great,” Sunset pointed out.

Sighing, Moondancer nodded as she allowed some of her annoyance to fade. “I… Suppose that’s true…”

“It’s getting late, I should be heading home soon…” Sunset admitted.

Moondancer frowned but nodded in agreement. “True, it’s already gotten dark, we can meet up again sometime this weekend or something…”

Coming to a stand, Sunset smiled and winked at her nerdy friend. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

After her night with Moondancer, Sunset found herself back at her abode texting with Twilight back and forth. Somehow the sound of her phone making those familiar dings back and forth with her friend brought her a level of comfort. She missed those nights of just sitting on her bed in maybe a bathrobe as she texted Twilight back and forth discussing everything from music to food.

Tonight she sat there in just her panties and an oversized T-shirt sporting characters from the television show “Adventure Time” on it with her legs scrunched up to her chest while she sat there. Twilight was texting her about some game called “Okami” that she apparently was enthralled in and giving Sunset a history lesson about the various Asian mythologies that came into play in the course of the game.

After Sunset had basically endured an explanation of the entire game, the subject had changed somehow to what Sunset used to do for fun back in Equestria.

Pretty much the same as I did here when I arrived and still do now, read.

Twilight naturally loved that answer.

Oh! What are you reading currently?

Sunset rolled her eyes and typed up a reply.

Moondancer recommended this book called The Circlet of Feydra, it’s pretty interesting so far.

And of course to no surprise, Twilight apparently was familiar with the book, as it seemed to be with every book that was ever mentioned in a conversation to her.

Who is your favorite character so far?

Rolling her eyes, Sunset replied.

I like the knight enchanter girl. She’s pretty cool.

Twilight’s response was instant.

You would like her, you two are so alike it’s not even funny. Like she seems to really enjoy teasing her best friend too.

Sunset giggled, but she didn’t want to acknowledge the similarities that Twilight had pointed out for she didn’t want to give a chance for Twilight to gloat about something. Instead her mind turned toward their dinner together with her family the other night. Sunset recalled how peaceful it was, how pleasant it felt to enjoy a meal with the Sparkle family.

She wanted to ask Twilight if it would be alright for her to come over again for another dinner, but she wasn’t sure if she would be asking too soon after their last dinner together.

The redhead looked over at Moon for his guidance. “What do you think, Moon, should I ask Twilight if I can come over for dinner again?”

The dog only let out a snore as he laid there, clearly exhausted after a long day of running around the house and playing catch with Sunset when she got home. Shimmer always told her that her parents didn’t let her play fetch with the dog inside, but after their death she totally started doing so, Sunset was no different. Outside was hot and humid, while the inside was pleasantly air-conditioned.

Moon had quite a bit of energy in him for being a slightly older dog, but he was a German Shepard after all, which are known to be energetic breeds. That made seeing him sleep so much more adorable for Sunset.

“Sheesh, you’re no help…” Sunset commented, rolling her eyes at how useless Moon was being, not that she expected him to actually answer.

Moon grumbled in response, but didn’t move.

Sunset thought it over and decided it was best to probe first.

So, what are you doing tomorrow night?

Twilight took a moment to reply but her response was worth the wait as it made Sunset giggle.

I saw your sentence being with “So,” and the first thing I thought you were going to ask was “whatcha’ wearing?”

Sunset sniggered and decided to play along, her face lighting up as the joy of tormenting Twilight came about.

I suppose we can get that subject out of the way first… Whatcha’ wearing?

To Sunset’s surprise, Twilight actually played along.

Nothing special. I am wearing a spaghetti strap top and some booty shorts because it’s almost time to go to sleep and it has been hot lately. Even with the A/C on in this room, it’s still a billion degrees…

Sunset chuckled and replied.

Damn was hoping for just your underwear or naked. Dreams crushed…

Twilight had almost grown immune to Sunset’s teasing over the years, but occasionally Sunset would still catch her off guard, this wasn’t one of those occasions though.

If it makes you feel better I’m wearing a blue bra and panties with stars on them?

Giggling uncontrollably Sunset continued.

Pics or it didn’t happen.

That seemed to be the limit for Twilight, who decided it was time to shut Sunset’s fun down.

You’re a pervert.

Sighing, Sunset decided it was for the best as the two should really get back on subject anyway.

As I was saying… What’re you doing tomorrow night?

The answer Sunset hoped for came.

Not much, just spending the day at home.

Sunset took in a deep breathe and decided to simply ask for what she wanted.

I was thinking that maybe I could come over for dinner again, maybe spend some time there with you and your family again? That is, if I’m not impeding.

Counting the seconds, Sunset could feel her heart pause while she waited for a reply from Twilight. Every second felt like a decade as she stared at the bright screen of her iPhone.

I’d love to see you again. Forewarning though, my brother and my sister-in-law are coming over, so it’d be a pretty full house but I am sure my parents would love to add you to the mix. They enjoy a big get together, and they said you’re welcome any time. Cadence loves you too, she is always talking about how cute you are and how you have such a great fashion sense now.

A good year or so ago, Sunset would say her fashion choices were average at best, but after a few lessons from Shimmer and an increased interest leading her to seek Rarity’s advice as well, Sunset had become quite the fashion-forward woman. Her tastes were mostly alternative, but it was good to see that Cadence could appreciate that, that was just the kind of woman she was.

Cadence is fun, so how about… 6:00 PM? I’ll bring the motorcycle so I have room to park.

Twilight seemed to find that plan more than acceptable.

6:00 PM it is! I’ll let my mom know now so she knows to make something vegetarian appropriate!

Sunset sighed contently and set her phone down as she laid back in her bed, looking over at Moon who had been her little silent encourager. With a smile plastered on her face, she pet the dog. Tomorrow would be an interesting night for sure.

The next day came and went quite quickly before Sunset knew it, it was already 4:08 PM and she was standing in front of a mirror with two dresses in hand trying to pick which one to go with. As she stood there in short shorts and a tank top she turned her head to try and see if maybe changing the angle that she was approaching the problem would help make one of the outfits speak to her more.

“I kind of want to go with the lacy one with the fake spider webs, but I’m wondering if that may be a too risqué for a dinner with Twilight’s family…” Sunset stated.

Sitting on her bed was Moondancer, thumbing her phone, occasionally sneaking glances over at Sunset.

Looking up once more at the girl, Moondancer shrugged. “I’d say go for it, it is a cute outfit and Twilight’s family knows how you dress already, no point in trying to hide it, right?”

Sunset nodded, though she wasn’t entirely sure why she was even concerned over this ordeal in the first place. Did Twilight’s family’s opinion really matter that much to her? She had already met most of them a few times before, so why was she so concerned about how they would perceive her now.

“I guess you’re right, plus I really want to wear this one too…” Sunset admitted.

“Well go put it on, girl. Stop stalling!” Moondancer ushered, waving her hand toward the bathroom attached to the bedroom.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset grabbed a jewelry box in front of her vanity and set down the other dress she had decided against over the back of the chair. Quickly trotting away into the bathroom, Sunset shut the door behind her and stripped down so she could change into it.

After a few moments of dressing and accessorizing she began to work on her makeup in the mirror. She had already recently painted her nails so she knew she could rest assured that that was one less job she had to be concerned over.

She had opted for simplicity, going with just some mascara and eyeliner to compliment her eyes.

After a good eight minutes of work, she stepped out of the bathroom and twirled in the dress as she took a pose for Moondancer. “What do you think?”

Her dress was another asymmetrical design where the skirt hung toward one side and much of the lace of the dress was designed to look like spider webs. Sunset’s cleavage was only covered by a thin piece of translucent fabric as such. Her hands were covered by fingerless arm stockings with a similar design that went up to her elbows.

She had gone with a few gold bangles on her right hand and her watch on her left. The pink Apple Watch was perhaps the only shade of color the girl had in the black outfit besides her pale skin and vibrant red hair which seemed to flow flawlessly.

Her affinity for boots was prevalent as she had chosen a pair of belted combat boots to go with the look.

Moondancer was at a loss for words. She paused and choked for a moment as she managed to speak. “I… It… Well…”

“Don’t like it?” Sunset frowned.

“It’s too much isn’t it?” Sunset panicked.

“You look just like Shimmer…” Moondancer stated.

Blinking, Sunset looked over in the vanity mirror. There sitting on the table she saw a pair of Shimmer’s old glasses. Cautiously, Sunset approached and reached out to take them. Hesitantly she lifted them and placed them on her face and gazed at herself in the mirror. While she had to peak around the glasses to see herself properly, she couldn’t deny that Moondancer was right. Shimmer and she had become almost mirror images in appearance.

She knew they always looked alike, but at the moment, Sunset almost mistook herself for her younger sister, and for a brief second it felt like she was in the room with them. She could hear her almost.

If she focused hard enough she could almost see Shimmer standing beside her with a hand on her shoulder.

Instead of being upset, however, Sunset found a smile come to her face. “It’s like she’s right here with us…”

Moondancer surprisingly smiled as well. “Yeah… It is…”

“Probably a good thing, I could really use her guidance right now…” Sunset laughed.

“Funny, she always said you were the one guiding her,” Moondancer stated.

“Sisters lean on each other…” Sunset pointed out in a matter-of-a-fact tone.

Moondancer nodded, unable to argue with that statement. “I wish she was here…”

Sunset stepped forward and placed a hand on Moondancer’s shoulder. “She is here… She’s in us. So long as we don’t forget her, she’s always here…”

At that moment, Sunset swore she could hear Shimmer’s laugh ringing quietly in her ear; a laugh that brought a smile to her face.

For Twilight Sparkle, tonight was an important night, if not the most important night of her life, it was the night where Sunset would come over again with her entire family present, but it was also the night she intended to finally let Sunset know how she felt about her. The night where she would try and cross the bridge of friendship into something more. While her initial plan was to probe safely and see if Sunset was into the idea of romance, she recognized now that she simply lacked the tact and subtlety for such a thing. Twilight knew she just wasn’t subtle enough to not make herself obvious and she was once told to play into her strengths.

The one thing Twilight Sparkle was good at was being blunt and making a fool of herself, and that was how she intended to tell Sunset. She had practiced over and over in front of a mirror (making sure her parents couldn’t hear her so as to prevent future teasing) how she would say it.

Sunset, we’ve been friends for a long time and over the years I’ve just grown more and more fond of you…

She had an entire speech memorized in her head, she just needed the evening to go perfectly and then get a chance to be alone with her friend to recite it and see if she was pursuing something she could actually achieve or if she was wasting her time chasing a dream that was never meant to be a reality. All she needed was the right opportunity, and tonight she intended to create such an opportunity.

Staring herself in the mirror Twilight pointed at herself and spoke commands. “Alright, you’re going to do this… You’re going to let her know how you feel… You can do this…”

Spike chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Great pep talk for yourself there, Twilight.”

Twilight rolled her eyes back at him and placed her hands on her hips as she looked in his direction. “Come on, Spike, this is serious…”

“I know, I know… just having some fun…” the dog laughed.

Sighing, Twilight looked back in the mirror at herself. Her signature ponytail was well tamed, her face properly cleaned and her outfit carefully picked. Twilight had chosen a short skirt and a button up blouse, leaving the top button undone for a little “invitation” for Sunset to peak.

Taking a few deep breaths, Twilight composed herself. That composure, however, was instantly lost when she heard the doorbell ring. Nearly jumping from the sound, Twilight scrambled frantically to the door, calling down the hallway. “I’ll get it!”

Racing down the stairs, she twirled around the end of the staircase and bolted for the front door. Brushing herself off, she stood up straight and opened the door, already greeting her friend. “Sunset, welcom-“

Twilight paused as she saw Shining and Cadence standing there instead. “Oh… Shining… Cadence…”

Shining chuckled as he placed a hand on his little sister’s shoulder. “Sorry to make you waste your clearly pre-prepared entrance on us.”

Twilight grumbled and rolled her eyes. “You always knew how to ruin everything didn’t you?”

“Hey, you should be thanking us…” Shining smirked.

“Thanking you? What for?” Twilight raised a brow and tilted her head.

“For this…” Shining smirked once more and stepped out of the way. Behind him, Sunset was standing there looking as ravishing as ever. Her outfit was absolutely to die for. The cobweb lace was both attractive and left a lot to be explored. No matter how much Twilight tried to do herself up, Sunset always seemed to know how to outdo her.

Sunset’s outfit was alluring and cute at the same time. She clearly had learned a lot in her time with Shimmer on how to dress, which when one combined that with the personality of Sunset which Twilight was already attracted to, it was a deadly combination.

Cadence turned around and grabbed Sunset’s hands in her own and put on a fake persona as she spoke with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Why Sunset, this girl asks your hand in marriage!”

A smile came to Sunset’s face as she made a different reference in response to the joke. “Mawage… Mawage is what brings us togetha’ today.”

The two broke into a fit of giggles as Cadence released Sunset’s hands and held her sides. Twilight merely rolled her eyes at the display but found herself smiling a little too at how not only Sunset, but her sister-in-law had such a fun-loving side. It brought Twilight a bit of joy to know that Cadence and Sunset got along so well, but they both did have a love of teasing Twilight after all, so it was hardly much of a surprise.

“I see someone has recently watched The Princess Bride…?” Twilight raised a brow as she crossed her arms, looking in Sunset’s direction.

The young woman grinned and nodded. “I’ve seen that movie like four times, it’s one of my favorites.”

“I take it you found a copy in Shimmer’s theater?” Twilight asked.

“Among other things…” Sunset nodded.

Stepping into the house after Cadence, Sunset opened her arms offering a hug to Twilight. Twilight paused at first, but stepped forward and embraced her friend tightly, catching a sniff of Sunset’s long hair which smelled of mangos at that moment. Twilight surmised she must have had some kind of fruity shampoo.

Twilight held on tight as her hands rested around Sunset’s waste. The hug went on for a bit longer than Sunset had anticipated, so she found herself gently rubbing Twilight’s back. “Sheesh, we haven’t been apart that long, you just saw me the other day…” Sunset commented.

Blushing, Twilight abruptly ended the hug when she realizing that she may be making herself far too obvious. A blush came to her face as she nodded. “R-right… My bad…”

Sunset leaned in and gently pinched Twilight’s cheek. “Guess you just miss me that much, huh?”

“Something like that…” Twilight rolled her eyes, a blush still visible on her face.

From between Twilight’s legs, a familiar canine companion slid through and jumped as high as his small legs would allow. Sunset leaned down and caught the dog and gave him a quick hug as he lapped at her face repeatedly. “Hey, Spike!” Sunset giggled as she tried to get the dog to stop.

“Lookin’ good, Sunset!” He winked as she set him down.

Doing a small twirl, Sunset giggled. “Thanks, Spike. I was feeling very fun today, so I decided to wear something equally as fun.”

Take me upstairs and have “fun” with me. Was the only thought on Twilight’s mind. It wasn’t even dinner time yet, and Twilight was already undressing Sunset with her eyes. She could already see that outfit sliding off so carefully, maybe slowly at first, after all what was the point if there wasn’t a good show.

She could see Sunset sliding her panties off from under her dress, but being careful to not expose anything to her onlooker. What a tease!

“Earth to Twilight?” Sunset waved her hand in front of her bespectacled friend.

Coming back to reality and out of her dirty fantasy, Twilight coughed. “H-huh?”

“I said your mother was calling us all to dinner, airhead. Come on, she said she wanted help setting the table,” Sunset explained.

“R-right… Be right there…” Twilight nodded as she watched Sunset gently sway from side to side as she walked out of the room to go and help Twilight’s mother. Her eyes fixated in Sunset’s direction; so much so that she didn’t even notice her brother slip next to her and place an arm around her shoulder.

Twilight twitched for a moment but then looked over at Shining who was grinned widely at his little sister. “Can’t take your mind off of her can you?”

Blushing, Twilight looked away. “How on earth did you muster up the courage to tell Cadence how you felt?”

Shining laughed and pulled his sister in close. “There comes a point where the desire eats at you so much that you just throw caution to the wind and say ‘fuck it’, then you go in for the kill… When that moment comes, you’ll be ready.”

“Somehow I doubt it went that smooth…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Well, it did take eight tries before I finally worked up the courage to even say hi to her…” Shining laughed.

“Amazing how many people think my brother is actually a cool guy when you’re such a dork…” Twilight sighed.

“Takes one to know one.” He winked.

Dinner had been so much easier now that Velvet had been reading up on vegetarian dishes and how to make them. She had been a part of such a carnivorous family for so long that the concept of not using meat in any dishes was still a difficult one for her to adjust to, but she was finally starting to understand the appeal to vegetarian dishes, albeit they were far from her favorite still.

They all sat around the table enjoying food and drink along with a few stories about their family history.

“Sunset, how is life at the estate?” Shining decided to ask to make the conversation less about the Sparkle family for a brief moment and let Sunset perhaps share a story or two of her own.

Setting down the cup she was sipping from, Sunset smiled lightly and looked down at her plate. “It’s… It’s getting better…”

“I know it must be lonely over there… I only ask because I wanted to make sure you were holding up alright…” Shining stated as he began to cut at his food.

Sunset nodded. “It is, but I have Moon there, and Moondancer comes to visit all the time. I go and see her sometimes too…”

Moondancer? Twilight blinked at the thought. She hadn’t seen much of the girl since Adagio’s capture. While Twilight knew Moondancer was a nice girl, she didn’t exactly like the idea of Sunset hanging out with someone who had a thing for Shimmer who was almost identical to Sunset.

“Isn’t that… Awkward…?” Twilight blurted out before covering her mouth and internally cursing herself for having such a poor filter.

Sunset didn’t appear offended though, instead, she seemed lost in thought. “At first it was… However, Moondancer and I agreed to take this friendship slow and keep distance. I get that she was in love with Shimmer and that seeing me can probably be strange since we share a similar appearance… However, I think we’ve both established at this point that I’m not Shimmer, and Moondancer knows that…”

“Probably for the best, after all, you wouldn’t want Moondancer using you as just a replacement for Shimmer…” Shining pointed out as he pointed at her with his fork, only for Cadence to forcibly lower it and give him a look that suggested she was scolding him for his poor table manners.

It was as if Shining was reading Twilight’s thoughts and projecting them out loud. That was precisely what Twilight feared.

Shaking her head gently, Sunset chuckled. “Nah, Moondancer isn’t like that. She’s very observant. She can easily tell that Shimmer and I are different people, she always noticed those little nuances that Shimmer had, ones that I clearly lack. If anything… We’re more like sisters than anything else. It’s nice though… Having someone I can call a sister again, that is.”

“If it helps, you can call me big brother?” Shining smirked as his eyes moved over to Twilight.

Twilight rolled her eyes and reminded herself to hit him when she got the chance but kept her focus on Sunset.

“Thanks, to all of you actually… I’ve never felt this accepted by a family before… It’s a pleasant feeling,” Sunset admitted.

Velvet set her fork down and nodded. “Of course, sweetie! You’re an honorary Sparkle!”

“Run while you can…” Shining joked.

“We’re not that bad!” Velvet pouted.

“Don’t worry, I find your family endearing, Velvet.” Sunset raised a glass in approval as she nodded to the matriarch of the household.

Velvet practically beamed at hearing her name. “You remembered to call me Velvet!”

Sunset giggled and nodded.

“Twilight, your friend is such a sweetheart, you’re lucky to have her!” Velvet winked in Twilight’s direction.

Twilight found herself staring in Sunset’s direction, both of them smiling at the other one in silence for a moment. Twilight found herself staring deep into Sunset’s lovely eyes.

“Yeah… I really am…” Twilight replied.

“We should do Karaoke!” Cadence squealed as she stood up and ran into another room to retrieve a microphone.

“It would be something fun to do while we waited for this pie to bake… I really wish I had remembered to throw it in before dinner, but fortunately, it’s given us all a chance to talk some more!” Velvet clapped her hands together and grinned as she looked over at the group sitting on the couch.

Cadence returned with a microphone in hand and grinned as she ran over to start up the karaoke machine in the living room. Sunset was a little perplexed by why the Sparkle family owned a Karaoke machine, but surmised that it either was a common activity among the family or Cadence had insisted they acquire one. Judging by Cadence’s excitement, the latter appeared to be the more likely scenario.

“Who is going to sing first!?” Cadence practically was bouncing with excitement.

“Count me out, I sound dreadful…” Shining crossed his arms.

“Nonsense! You’re super cute when you sing in the shower!” Cadence protested.

“I do not sing in the shower…” Shining grumbled as he denied the accusation.

“Yes, you do! I recorded it on my phone, hold on everyone, I’ll show you!” Cadence quickly dug her hand into her pocket trying to fish out her phone only for Shining to grab her wrist and stop her.

“Show that video and I will lock you out of the Netflix account!” Shining threatened, waving his finger in her direction.

Cadence gasped and covered her mouth in horror. “You wouldn’t dare stoop so low! I am still finishing up American Horror Story!”

“Try me…” Shining narrowed his eyes and grinned.

The two were locked in a stare down until Cadence finally broke it and looked over at Sunset before tossing the microphone in her direction. Caught by surprise, Sunset barely caught the device but managed to prevent it from hitting the floor.

“Sunset should sing…” Cadence winked in the redhead’s direction.

Velvet nodded in agreement. “I agree, I recall she was in a band wasn’t she?”

Twilight nodded, wanting nothing more than to hear Sunset’s voice ring through the air. She loved hearing Sunset sing in the past, and Twilight hadn’t heard her sing in so long.

“Go ahead, Sunset…” Twilight gave her friend an approving glance and a nod.

Sunset blinked and looked down at the microphone and then back up at Twilight before finally nodding. She hadn’t sung in a while, but she remembered all the joy she had when she sung with her friends.

The young woman came to a stand and gently navigated herself over to the karaoke machine. Twilight stole a glance at Sunset’s backside as she passed and began the process of selecting a song.

Within a few moments, Sunset had music going and was clearing her throat. She began to release her skilled voice into the air as she followed along a rather upbeat and lively song. Before they knew it, all eyes were on Sunset as she found herself getting into it more and more, her voice filled with passion for the music, and her body swaying and dancing with it.

Twilight was hypnotized as Sunset looked directly at her, singing, a hand reaching forward and ran along Twilight’s cheek and ending at her chin, making her face up as Sunset serenaded her with music; the gentle touch of Sunset’s hand exciting Twilight so.

At that moment, Twilight couldn’t hear any of the cheering or chatter from her family, she could see nothing but Sunset before her, dancing, singing and calling her up to join her. In her mind, this was a tender moment shared between the two of them, and onlookers be damned. This moment belonged to Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer.

Hesitantly, Twilight came to a stand with her friend and allowed Sunset to pull her close so they could sing together. Their bodies heated up as they were held tight together, Twilight could feel Sunset’s hot breath so close to her, she couldn’t look away from Sunset’s alluring eyes as words formed into melodies from her mouth, Twilight following along with her, the two in perfect harmony.

Their voices complemented each other so flawlessly, so beautifully, as the song came to an abrupt close on a powerful note.

At that moment Twilight couldn’t control herself. The world fell silent as she stood there at the end of the song with her friend holding her. The moment took over her and before Twilight knew what was happening, she leaned in forcibly and grabbed the fabric of Sunset’s dress and pulled the redhead in, forcing their lips to connect before Sunset had any idea what was happening.

Author's Note

Damn Shining, you hardcore. Locking her out of the Netflix account? Why not just send her to prison you monster?

Oh yeah and they kissed finally.

Act IV - Chapter XLIX: Kiss

Chapter XLIX: Kiss

Time stood still for that moment when Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer’s lips met. Everything paused, and everyone present fell silent. No one dared move or attempted to speak. Sunset stood frozen with her hands at her side as she was caught by surprise, afraid to both embrace or attempt to stop the action, and Twilight’s grip remained tight as she held Sunset into the kiss for those brief eight seconds.

That was all it was, eight seconds. However, to Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer and everyone present in that room those eight seconds may as well have been eight hours as the air quickly filled with questions, excitement, intrigue and even a bit of shock from Twilight’s actions.

A part of Twilight wished that time had actually frozen for real so she wouldn’t have to deal with the repercussions of what came next. When Twilight’s brain switched back on, and she realized what she was doing, everything started to process slow at first, but then she was hit with a large wave of information. Everything that had happened in the past few seconds slamming into her brain at light speed, overwhelming her with emotions and thoughts.

For one last second, Twilight remained there with Sunset pressed against her, their lips locked in an awkward kiss.

Time began to return to normal speed, and Twilight felt herself slowly pulling away from the pressing of lips and with every centimeter, she put between her and Sunset, she could feel her heart beat at least one time faster.

Her eyes widened as she realized what she had done and quickly she released Sunset from her grip and clenched her hands against her own chest with a deep blush across her face. Her mouth opened to form words or excuses, but nothing came out. Instead, she stood there awkwardly trying to force words to exit her throat.

Say something damn it! You just kissed Sunset so suddenly! In front of your entire family! For the love of god say something! Don't just stand there like an idiot!

Her eyes were drawn back to Sunset who stood there with a blank look on her face, one that was impossible to read. One that didn’t make Twilight feel any better about what she had just done. One that made a cold sweat trickle down her neck and chill her spine.

Say something! Anything! Look at her! She’s completely shocked!

Night Light was the first to end the long silence as he cleared his throat. “We better go check on that pie, right honey?”

Velvet’s eyes were glued to the scene before her, and an expression of wonder and intrigue was stuck on her face as she waved her husband away. “Yeah, let me know how it’s doing…”

Shaking his head, he grabbed her forearm and pulled her into a stand. “Come on, dear… You’re the baking expert after all!”

She resisted for a moment, but her husband’s strength won out in the end as he managed to start tugging her toward the kitchen. She continued to resist the entire way but it clearly was a futile effort.

Shining stood as well and coughed. “I think we should help them…” he stated.

Crossing her legs, Cadence leaned in to observe Twilight and Sunset. “Uh-huh, have fun with that…”

“Now, Cadence…” Shining commanded.

Cadence put on a pouty face and groaned. “But-“

“Now!” He barked as he grabbed her ear and pulled her off of the couch, using the leverage of her ear to get her to obey his orders.

“Ow, ow, ow! No fair! You guys are such killjoys! I’m missing it!” Cadence protested the entire way to the kitchen until the entire group had vacated the room, leaving only an embarrassed Twilight that wanted to hide behind the couch and die, and a Sunset who looked as though she was still processing what had just happened.

The silence from before resumed once all the others had left the room, causing Twilight to curse herself internally.

Finally Twilight managed to get words to leave her mouth.

“S-sorry… I was… I was caught in the moment, you know? It was the music, and the singing and…” Twilight stopped talking as she noticed Sunset’s mouth had closed, but her expression remained neutral, not a single emotion detectable on the girl.

Panicking, Twilight reached a hand forward and spoke again. “Sunset, I didn’t mean to-“

Sunset finally spoke, and her voice caused Twilight to freeze. Twilight’s ears tuned out everything that wasn’t her friend’s voice. “Perhaps… We should go somewhere more private to talk about this?”

Is she mad? Twilight couldn’t tell from Sunset’s voice. She wasn’t giving anything away.

“O-oh?” Twilight stuttered.

Sunset gestured her head toward the kitchen. “I am pretty sure that your mom and Cadence are still peaking in from the kitchen…”

“We just wanted to inform you of the progress of the pie! Still cooking by the way!” Cadence’s voice came yelling from the kitchen.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. Cadence and her mother certainly were enjoying this new bit of drama that had just unfolded right before them. For once, her brother was the one to hide her embarrassment instead of taunting her, she reminded herself that she’d have to thank him later for his break in normal behavior for him.

“Let’s go up to your room to talk about this, shall we?” Sunset said as she stepped past Twilight and began the trek upstairs.

Gulping, Twilight nodded and followed behind slowly. Looking up that staircase, Twilight could have sworn that the journey up to the top was longer than she remembered. Each step felt like a year had passed, and by the time Twilight reached the top and saw Sunset standing in front of Twilight’s door with her arms crossed, Twilight was certain she was going to die of a panic attack.

Sunset stood there impatiently, tapping her foot as she raised a brow, clearly curious as to what was taking Twilight so long.

Twilight didn’t want to take another step. She didn’t want to enter that room and find out the gravity of the consequences of what she had just done. In her mind, she was already playing out the numerous different ways that Sunset was going to reject her and tell her that their friendship was over.

Realizing that she could not delay the inevitable forever, Twilight took in a breath and let out a sigh as she took those remaining few steps that would place her feet squarely in front of her own bedroom door. Sunset looked at her and gestured into the room, signaling that she wanted Twilight to go first.

With a sigh, Twilight did as she was instructed and entered the room, her mind already mentally preparing herself for the stress that was about to follow.

Sunset stepped in after her, and Twilight faced the door as she watched Sunset close it, to ensure they would have privacy for this conversation.

Thinking quickly, Twilight got the idea in her head that perhaps she could cushion the blow by talking first. Maybe if Sunset heard more of her explanation, she wouldn’t be as upset with her.

“Sunset, I-“

Sunset raised a hand in a stop sign before letting it fall to her side as she took a single powerful, intimidating step forward. Twilight could feel her heart begin to thump faster in her chest, her hands began to shake slightly as she waited to find out how this would unfold, to find out how badly she had just fractured her relationship with her best friend over a stupid mishandling of emotion.

“So… You got caught up in the moment? That’s what you said?” Sunset asked.

Twilight nodded. “Y-yeah, that’s it! I overreacted! I do that sometimes… I mean you know that… right?”

It was a believable excuse. Twilight Sparkle did have a tendency to overreact to situations and even read them incorrectly. Twilight crossed her metaphorical fingers in the hope that Sunset would buy such a lie.

“And that’s the story you’re sticking to?” Sunset raised a brow as she took another step forward, causing Twilight to step back.

“Y-yeah… Sorry… I didn’t mean to…” Twilight gulped as she noticed that Sunset wasn’t ceasing her advance. Every second that passed, Sunset grew closer and closer with a serious expression on her face. It became clearer to Twilight that her lie wasn’t working. She wished she could go back in time and undo it all.

“So you just kiss people when you get all excited from singing or something?” Sunset asked.

Twilight backed up just a few steps more and fell backward as she realized she had backed herself into her own bed. She tried to crawl backward as she now found herself sitting on her bed, Sunset still getting closer.

“N-no… That’s not…” Twilight looked away but found herself looking right back at Sunset as the girl stood at the foot of the bed and leaned down, placing a hand beside Twilight’s thigh as she met Twilight at eye level.

“Oh? What is it then?” Sunset asked, her voice monotone and plain, emotion hidden, be it fear, shock or surprise.

“I…” Twilight crawled backward, but Sunset crawled over top of her onto the bed, eventually taking her left hand and pressing it against Twilight’s shoulder, pinning her down to the bed firmly.

Sunset looked over Twilight, strands of her long hair dangling down and caressing Twilight’s body. Twilight could feel her entire body lock up as her temperature rose. Sunset had her pinned down, locking eyes with her.

“So… You didn’t want to kiss me then?” Sunset asked, her voice growing quiet.

“N-no… Of course… not…” Twilight lied, trying not to make eye contact with Sunset.

“Then you’re going to hate this…” Sunset said softly.

She leaned in and closed the distance between the two, pinning Twilight down, she locked her lips with the other girl’s. She opened her mouth to command Twilight to do the same, which the girl obliged and allowed Sunset to do as she pleased. Twilight’s heart was beating at least eight times faster as she felt their bodies connect in a way that Twilight had never experienced before.

With their lips smacking as they opened and closed their mouths a few times, Sunset snaked her tongue around Twilight’s causing a gentle moan to leave the bookworm. Twilight couldn’t resist, her hands reaching up and grabbing greedily onto Sunset, resting around her neck as she locked her arms around her.

The passion intensified as Sunset made the kiss more powerful, more vicious as she tried to entice more little moans from Twilight; her endeavors were of course, quite fruitful as Twilight let out soft sounds of pleasure as she allowed herself to be used however Sunset pleased. She didn’t care about the consequences anymore, she just wanted to continue kissing Sunset, she wanted Sunset to never stop.

Twilight tried to pull Sunset closer, but she lacked the strength to try and control Sunset. The redhead instead punished her by pressing down harder on Twilight’s lips, gently nipping her lower lip, causing an audible yelp of delight.

Sunset giggled gently before breaking the kiss, a small trail of saliva lingering between the two’s lips. Twilight could only feel her lips tingling and nothing else. Sunset’s mission a huge success.

Her voice had gone from serious to tender as she spoke again. “You’re a terrible liar, Twilight Sparkle…”

Twilight’s entire brain had gone to mush. Every book she had ever read vanished from memory, every part of the English language was forgotten as she laid there stunned, completely at the mercy of Sunset’s power over her. She couldn’t resist if she wanted to, she couldn’t protest if she wanted to. Twilight Sparkle would have no choice but to go along with whatever Sunset wanted to do.

Sunset lifted her hand from Twilight’s pinned shoulder and ran the backside of it against Twilight’s cheek as she whispered. Her hand felt so tender against Twilight’s soft pale flesh. Twilight’s eyes panned over to the hand, noting how the two of them had similar skin tones, both pale but Sunset’s just a tiny bit yellowed.

Twilight found herself looking up to Sunset’s face, her moist lips slightly ajar as Twilight’s eyes found Sunset’s. Sunset definitely had the prettiest eyes that Twilight had the pleasure of gazing into.

“I…” Sunset paused.

Twilight just stared at her with a dazed look, unable to say or do anything. If Sunset wanted to hold her down and have her way with Twilight, there was nary a thing that Twilight could do to stop it. At that moment, she was completely as Sunset’s mercy.

“I should really get going…” Sunset whispered softly.

Climbing off of Twilight, Sunset winked as she looked back at her friend once she reached the door. “I’ll call you later, promise.”

Sitting up, Twilight nodded as she sat there absentmindedly. She could hear Sunset giggle as she exited the room.

Sunset made her way back downstairs to see Cadence and Velvet standing at the staircase and pathetically trying to act natural when they saw Sunset coming down. She decided not to tease them, and just pretend she didn’t see them attempting to see if they could hear any of Twilight and Sunset’s conversation.

“I really have to get going everyone, thank you for having me.” Sunset bowed.

Cadence, as flustered as she was, frowned. “It was no trouble! You should come next Friday, we’re eating out…” Cadence paused and thought for a moment before deciding to correct herself. “A-at a restaurant that is! We’re eating out at a restaurant not… well never mind…”

Sunset chuckled and nodded. “I’ll think about it. Good night everyone.”

The redhead bowed before making her way to the exit, leaving Twilight upstairs still stunned and the rest of the family on the edge of their seat awaiting some kind of explanation. A part of Sunset felt satisfied knowing that was the state she had left things, after all, teasing Twilight was definitely her favorite past time.

Cadence was silently helping Velvet clean the dishes after their dinner was over and Sunset had left. In actuality though, the both of them were just putting on the facade of being even remotely interested in housework so that when Twilight finally emerged from her room they could pretend they were acting naturally the entire time. In actuality, their inner gossip gremlins were bursting to get out and find out what transpired.

“Do you think they…” Cadence gave a suggestive eyebrow wiggle to Velvet to signify what she meant as she talked quietly, regularly checking the doorway to make sure that Twilight wasn’t there.

Velvet checked the door herself and then leaned toward Cadence to whisper. “Probably not, Sunset was only in there for a minute or two…”

Cadence nodded in agreement. “True, but how about that kiss though?”

Both of the girls squealed quietly. “It was so cuteeeeee!” Velvet exclaimed.

“I know!” Cadence nodded furiously.

“Our little Twilight is growing up…” Velvet sighed contently.

“They really would make a cute couple wouldn’t they?” Cadence asked.

Velvet nodded. “Absolutely, no doubt in my mind. Plus that Sunset is good to Twilight, she used to come over when the kids at school picked on Twilight. Twilight would be up in her room crying and Sunset would show up in eight minutes. She took the bus to get down here even.”

Cadence clasped her hands together as she listened. “That’s so cute…”

“She’s a good girl, that Sunset. She’ll treat Twilight like a princess, I know that for sure.” Velvet winked.

Cadence couldn’t agree more. She had seen how Sunset treated Twilight when they were together, and it was obvious that Sunset put Twilight’s well being above even her own. They had so much in common, and Sunset appreciated Twilight exactly as she was.

A little of their relationship reminded her of how Shining and she had fallen in love.

“Young love is so cute…” Cadence remarked.

“Brings me back to my high school days!” Velvet smiled as she scrubbed a dish clean while she reminisced about times long past. About her high school days where she had her fair share of boys chasing her.

The two fell silent as they heard footsteps coming from the staircase just outside of the kitchen. They hushed themselves and listened excitedly as the shadow of Twilight could be seen from the doorway, which was soon replaced by the actual woman.

There was a dazed look on Twilight’s face and she was touching her lip which was tingling as she stood at the bottom of the staircase absentmindedly. She was clearly still recovering from the excitement of it all.

Trying to stifle her giggles (very poorly) Velvet attempted to address Twilight. “Things go alright, sweetie?”

“Huh?” Twilight turned toward her mother with an empty stare. Her eyes were half closed and her mouth held slightly open as she stared at the matriarch of her family. She failed to form words, and instead opted to just stand there dumbfounded, not really processing what was happening.

“With you and Sunset?” Her mother reminded, recognizing that her daughter was obviously in a daze, clearly a bit mesmerized by her kiss with Sunset.

Blinking, Twilight looked forward and then back at her mother and shrugged. “I… I guess… Things are cool… At least… I’m pretty sure they are…”

Giggling, her mother gestured upstairs. “Why not go take a cold shower, sweetie. We’ll clean up, you just get some rest.”

Nodding, Twilight walked out of the kitchen and waved lazily at her sister-in-law. “Hey Cadence…”

Waving back, Cadence covered her mouth to keep the giggles in until Twilight had made her way up the stairs. Once the girl’s bedroom door was heard closing, Cadence and Velvet both broke out into laughter. “Oh man… Are you sure she didn’t get laid in there? She’s acting goofier than normal,” Cadence asked.

Velvet nodded. “Yeah, she was goofy, but if she hooked up with Sunset… She’d be glowing far more than that…”

“Still, that was adorable! We should have recorded it and put it on Youtube!” Cadence suggested.

“Now why didn’t I think of that!?” Velvet groaned.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure there will be plenty of cute moments to snap photos of, we can put some in the Christmas card this year!” Cadence raised a finger in suggestion.

Velvet released an audible gasp. “Why, Mi Amore Cadenza that may be… The greatest plan ever… I am honored to call you my daughter-in-law…”

“Initiate mother-daughter hug sequence?” Cadence grinned.

Velvet nodded. “Yes, initiate.”

The two ran toward each other and when their bodies met they embraced each other with the tightest squeeze they could muster, laughing and giggling as they did so.

Jotting down some workout statistics into a notebook, Sunset finished up yet another one of her long workout sessions and placed the book back into a slot on the wall. She had decided to keep detailed records of when she worked out, what she did, and all of the statistics she could think of to track her progress some time ago.

When she started, she could probably do eighty sit-ups, now she could do closer to three hundred, if not more. Her most recent count was 308, impressive but not the highest she had ever done.

With a yawn, she stretched and wiped her sweaty neck with a towel before tossing it into a waste bin. She reminded herself she would need to call the house cleaners to come in and take care of a lot of cleaning very soon as she was slowly running low on places to unlaundered clothing items. She usually called them twice a month to do a clean of the entire building and if she recalled it usually ran her about $2,500 every time, pocket change for her fortune. While she lived more lavishly than most, for a millionaire, Sunset lived exceptionally cheap by their standards.

Exiting the gym, she began her trek upstairs and into the main foyer where she heard the barking of Moon echo through the halls. Chuckling, she called his name to bring him toward her. “Moon? Where are you, boy?”

Answering to his master’s call, Moon sprinted down the stairs, meeting Sunset and sitting at her feet, his tail wagging wildly. Sunset reached down and gave the animal a pat on the head before yawning again and making her way up the stairwell. After staring in her direction for a brief moment, the dog barked and gave chase to Sunset, staying as close as her shadow as he stayed by his master’s side.

Sunset made her way back up to her bedroom and quickly disrobed to prepare for a shower. Setting her phone in front of the vanity, she entered the bathroom attached to the bedroom and got the water running before coming back to the bedroom to grab a towel from the drawer. She had forgotten to lay fresh towel on the rods in the bathroom itself.

Sunset noted that her phone screen had lit up in the brief few seconds from when she had set the device down. Curious as to who was texting her, she stepped closer and picked up the device as she stood there in just her underwear.

Sure enough it was Twilight.

Hey, had a good time. Would you wanna maybe… Hang out or something tomorrow?

Sunset giggled at how casual Twilight was attempting to make the situation. That was so like her though.

So we’re just going to pretend that we didn’t just swap major saliva?

Naturally, Twilight responded about how Sunset expected.

Oh, so we are talking about that? I wasn’t sure what the proper etiquette is when you kiss someone because you get caught up in the heat of the moment, and then they kiss you back. I’m still new to all of this…

Sunset sighed and shook her head.

You’re hopeless, Sparkle. Though to be fair, I’m not entirely sure what one is supposed to do either…

Sunset looked over at Moon who just sat there wagging his tail, causing her to roll her eyes. “What, you think I should take her on a proper date after kissing her like that?”

Moon just stared at Sunset in response.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date though… That and I’m not usually the one who plans them, I’ve always been taken on dates in the past…” Sunset admitted as her eyes returned back to the screen of her phone.

Where would she take a girl like Twilight? Did a date between two people who have been friends for long constitute that they change their usual routine and do something “special”? All questions that Sunset was asking, but she quickly realized that it was probably best to discuss them more directly rather than through text.

With a sigh, Sunset dialed Twilight’s number and held the device to her ear. After only eight seconds of ringing, Twilight answered, her voice reaching Sunset’s ear with perfect clarity.

“Hey,” Sunset said.

“Hey,” was the answer that the redhead received.

“So…” Sunset started.

“So… Not to cut you off, but I want to ask this before my steel nerves wear off…” Twilight began.

Sunset leaned back and rested against the wall as she listened, knowing this was going to be quite an interesting conversation.

“I was wondering if like… maybe you wanted to go out to eat tomorrow night? Maybe let me pay or something like that?” Twilight rambled.

Sunset rolled her eyes, even with more courage than usual, Twilight seemed to always fail at being as direct as she would like to be. It was clear she would need a little push in the right direction to admit what she really wanted.

“Twilight Sparkle, are you asking me on a date?” Sunset asked coyly, her voice filled with snark.

“What? No! I mean… Unless that’s okay… Is that okay? I really hope that’s okay… I mean it’s not weird, right? After we… Well you know? It’s probably not weird… Is it?” Sunset could practically see Twilight panicking on the other side of the phone. Her little freakouts were absolutely adorable. Sunset could listen to her panic over nothing for hours.

Sunset only found the ability to laugh as she heard Twilight lose herself.

“Oh crap… It is weird, isn’t it? I shouldn’t have asked that should I? I take it back, pretend I didn’t say anything… Say, how about that weather!? Sure has been hot lately!” Twilight replied.

Once her laughter had subsided, Sunset wiped her eyes. “Twilight… Just ask me outright…”

“Outright… Right…” Twilight replied. “S-Sunset…?”

“Yes, Twilight?” Sunset’s voice became very tender, almost too much for Twilight to go through with it, but somehow she found the strength.

“Will you… go on a date with me… tomorrow?” Twilight said.

There was a long pause followed by Sunset humming. “Hmmm… I’ll have to check my schedule…”

“Don’t tease me…” Twilight complained.

Gentle laughter exited Sunset. “I’d love to, Twilight. How about eight, tomorrow? I’ll pick you up and we can go to this Asian place that I know of…”

“Awesome…” Twilight replied.

An awkward silence filled the air followed by Sunset deciding to address what was on both of their minds. “So… About that kiss…”

“It was incredible,” Twilight quickly retorted. The kiss had clearly given her a bit more courage than usual, as the Twilight that Sunset knew would never have admitted so quickly to that.

Giggling, Sunset nodded. “I agree… I enjoyed it, I’m glad you feel the same…”

“I’ve never…” Twilight paused.

“Me either.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

There was another short pause followed by Twilight speaking again. “Well… I am just glad you didn’t like want to stop being friends or something…”

“Why would I do something like that?” Sunset blinked.

“I don’t know… Because it’s awkward, I guess?” Twilight suggested.

“Everything about you is awkward, if being awkward was a reason to stop being friends, I would have ditched you a long time ago,” Sunset reminded.

“Heh, yeah, I guess so…” Twilight responded, not even attempting to fight the accusations of awkwardness.

Sunset smiled. “While I’m not the best judge… You felt like a good kisser to me, Twilight…”

“I… may have been practicing…” Twilight admitted.

“It paid off…” Sunset giggled.

“Thanks,” Twilight said, “I’m uh… glad my first was with you…”

That statement made the smile on Sunset’s face grow just a little bit more. Part of her was glad that her first kiss was with Twilight as well.

“Well, I should go shower, I have the water running…” Sunset said.

“W-wait… Are you talking to me naked again?” Twilight asked curiously.

A smirk came to Sunset’s face. “Nah, I’m in my underwear though, maybe if you ask nicely enough I’ll send you a picture…”

“W-wha!?” Twilight stuttered.

Giggling, Sunset shook her head. “Just kidding…”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Twilight…” Sunset said before Twilight could process what had just happened properly.

“Y-yeah… You too… Sleep well, Sunset,” Twilight responded.

“Mhm, you too.”

Hanging up the phone, Sunset set it back down on the vanity and looked over at Moon with a smirk. “There, I did it, happy now? You’re so bossy, you know that?”

The dog barked contently. Sunset swore that Moon had his own way of understanding Sunset and that he somehow was able to read her mind.

Shaking her head, Sunset stepped into the bathroom to go and take the shower that she had started. Tomorrow was definitely going to be a very interesting day for sure.

Sunset’s shower was a calming one, though not one empty of thought. She spent much time in the hot water contemplating the night. She had never kissed anyone before, though she couldn’t say she had never had an interest in doing so. She’d be lying if she said that the thought of kissing Twilight never crossed her mind, but she just thought of it as random hormones telling her to attempt crazy and outlandish things, never did she imagine she’d actually do it.

To be fair to herself, she rationalized that Twilight technically kissed her first, so she was merely returning the favor, albeit far more intense than Twilight.

Admittedly, Sunset knew she was a bit pent up. Her daily routine had prevented her from observing her usual porn commitment and thus she had been through many weeks of surprising sexual desire.

Was it really fair to kiss Twilight while she was feeling so sexually repressed? Wasn’t that exploitation? Then again, Sunset rationalized that Twilight was the initiator, and clearly didn’t mind the action and neither did Sunset.

Did I kiss Twilight because she kissed me, or did I do it because I wanted to? Sunset asked herself as the hot water ran down her nude body, the effect being rather soothing. She loved a hot shower after a long day.

She thought about it for a moment and then thought about how she felt about Twilight. Could she call what they had love? Then again, she didn’t quite understand what love was. She definitely cared for Twilight, more than anyone else in the human world, and she even risked her life to save her a few times.

Turning the water off, Sunset sighed, realizing that she likely wasn’t going to get the whole answer so easily. Still, she at least could tell herself that she knew she wanted to kiss Twilight and that she definitely felt Twilight was an attractive girl so that meant that it was okay to go on a date with her, right?

Sunset stepped out of the shower and wrapped a dry towel around herself after drying off her hair with a second towel. She allowed her loose damp hair to hang and air dry as she contemplated her situation. She never considered that her kiss with Twilight would leave her confused, though it undoubtedly had Twilight in a state of panic seconds before it happened.

Her eyes were drawn to a familiar tome sitting on the end table of her bed. On the cover, the emblem of Celestia shined in the light of the nearby lamp. It was the journal that Princess Twilight and she used often to communicate. It had been some time since her last report to the Princess, however.

A smile came to Sunset’s face as she decided it might be a good idea to consult the Princess and give her a small update at the same time.

Scrambling over to the bed and flipping the book open, she placed a pen in her right hand and hovered it above the page, trying to determine the best way to start.

It had dawned on her at that moment that it might be slightly awkward to write to the Princess about kissing her human counterpart. Would that be strange? Would is weird Princess Twilight out?

Sunset squinted as she thought and determined that Princess Twilight likely had heard and dealt with far stranger things than something like this, and thus it would be fine. Taking a deep breath, Sunset began to write.

Dear Princess Twilight,

Hey, it’s been a while since I last wrote, sorry. I’m pretty bad at staying in touch you’ll find, but I’m working on it, I promise! I’m trying my best to get better. Consider it a work in progress, just like… Don’t grade me on it, that’s all.

Anyway, I wanted to ask you about something… Something kind of strange to talk about, but I figured the best way to broach the subject is to just lay it all out on the table, no holds bar and just say it, so here it goes, hope this isn’t too strange or weird:

I had my first kiss. That’s not the weird part, I promise. I had it… With Twilight… the other Twilight that is. I guess I’m having some conflicting feelings about it. Like I am trying to figure out if it was alright for me to kiss her or not… I guess I might be overthinking things, which happens all the time… What do you think? Am I going crazy? Or am I just overthinking things?

One thing that Sunset loved about Princess Twilight was how punctual she was and how quick she was to answer a letter the moment she had the time to do so. Like clockwork, a reply to Sunset’s letter began to appear in the book in the Princess’ hoofwriting.

Sunset Shimmer,

It’s wonderful to hear from you again. I’ve actually been fairly busy myself with royal matters, so it was probably for the best. Nonetheless, I would love to hear from you more! I wish I could visit more often, but traveling through time and space is all still a bit taboo. Celestia and I are considering setting up some regulations on it since we don’t really fully understand the adverse effects it could have on both worlds involved. Still, I miss you and our friends considerably, just know that I send my love from Equestria to you and all of them.

Now regarding your inquiry… That certainly is a strange situation, but certainly not the most peculiar that I’ve encountered in my time as Princess. Once I had to deal with my sister-in-law being replaced by a changeling, but that’s a story for another day.

I guess the most important thing is to ask yourself… How do you feel about Twilight? When you think of her, what do you think of? Obviously, I’m not the best person to ask regarding romance, since I haven’t exactly been on a lot of dates myself and I’m still too shy and awkward to ask anyone out.

Sunset rolled her eyes and envisioned Princess Twilight Sparkle trying to ask a stallion on a date, but the scenario just continued to make her giggle over and over every time she played it in her head. No scenario that she could craft in her mind would make the Princess less awkward around other people.

Sunset considered her response, how did she actually feel about Twilight? What came to mind when she thought about her friend?

How do I feel about Twilight? I guess when I think of her, I feel a lot better about things. I feel like I can trust her, I mean she’s my best friend after all, but I guess… After that kiss… I feel differently about her like I sort of… Want to kiss her again, is that bad?

Despite not being a love guru, it seemed as though the Princess already held the answer, or at the very least, the best answer she could muster on the subject.

That’s not bad, Sunset. It sounds like you love her. There’s nothing wrong with that, you should just embrace how you feel. There’s no reason to hide it, after all. If Twilight is your friend, then you will have nothing to worry about.

Releasing a sigh of relief, Sunset nodded as she realized that the Princess was right (a common occurrence).

Thanks, Princess.

I guess I just needed to hear it from someone else to wrap my head around it. I’m still not very great at this romance thing… I really like Twilight, I don’t know where this whole thing will go, but I am hoping it doesn’t ruin things between us… I mean it’s obvious that she has feelings for me, but I just worry about disappointing her is all.

You mentioned a lot of stuff going on in Equestria? Royal duties? What’s that all about?

The Princess replied relatively quickly, which was to be expected given her love of reading and writing.

I wouldn’t call myself a master at it either, but I know a thing or two. Rarity has tons of romance novels, and I’ve been involved in a few… Awkward romantic situations, but those are stories for another day, another time.

Yes, we have had quite a few attacks on Equestria lately, we’ve had to up defenses substantially at the capital. Just last week, we ironically had to deal with a siren. Of course, we resolved the matter pretty quickly, but not before she had mind controlled a third of Canterlot’s population. It was pretty out of control, but we managed to resolve the matter. You’d be amazed at how resourceful Luna can be in a pinch.

Sunset froze for a moment at the mention of a siren. She knew there were other sirens out there besides Adagio, Sonata, and Aria, but was it possible for any of them to come to the human world again? Her spine shivered at the thought of another creature like that making it to Equestria and having to deal with it again. Truthfully, it took everything she had just to defeat Adagio, and even then she still managed to kill Shimmer before them.

Sunset set the journal down, not wanting to talk about sirens as she felt her heart racing faster just at the idea. Taking a few deep breaths, Sunset tried to clear her head.

The young woman found her way to her closet where she retrieved some fresh underwear to slip on. Once she had slid on some panties and clasped a bra on in the back, she made her way back to the bed and laid down facing the ceiling.

Closing her eyes, Sunset decided it was best to just get some sleep, tomorrow was going to be a very busy and interesting day.

Sunset found herself on her way to Twilight’s house once more. After their kiss, she found herself excited to meet back up for their planned date. She could hardly contain her excitement, but her mind focused on trying to stay composed. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself, Twilight and she were still figuring this all out, and that meant she should approach the situation with extreme caution. Twilight wasn’t the best at handling things moving too quickly and thus losing control.

She closed her eyes and sighed contently as she rang the doorbell to Twilight’s home. She adjusted her pants and stood there with a hand on her hip and another on her bag.

After a good eight seconds passed, Sunset checked her watch, wondering what was taking them so long to even answer the door.

Sighing, she rang the bell a second time.

Waiting another eight seconds, she rang the bell again.

After a good few more seconds, she squinted as she became slightly suspicious. It wasn’t normal for Twilight’s family to simply not answer the door. Craning her neck so she could look around the bend of the house, Sunset observed that both cars were still parked in the driveway, so they couldn’t have gone anywhere.

She checked her watch to make sure that she was on time, and sure enough it was 7:08 PM.

Curious, Sunset reached forward carefully and turned the knob. The door swung open slowly. Given that it was unlocked, Sunset surmised they were home, so why wouldn’t they hear the doorbell. Could all of them be in the shower?

“Hello?” Sunset called into the house.

There was no answer.

Sighing, she stepped inside and shut the door behind her. She noted how she couldn’t hear any running water, which crushed her shower theory, though she admitted it would be strange for the entire Sparkle family to be using the showers in the house all at once, it was also out of character for Twilight to be showering so close to Sunset’s arrival.

“Hello? Twilight?” Sunset called through the house as she casually walked through the hallway and into the living room.

To her surprise, the television was still on, but there was no one there watching it. She blinked and looked toward the kitchen.

“Velvet? Night?” She yelled louder, hoping to get some kind of answer.

The redhead poked her head into the kitchen and to little surprise found nothing of interest, though there was a cutting board on the counter with vegetables partially cut. It was as if someone had stopped cutting them abruptly.

“Odd…” Sunset thought out loud before looking up at the staircase.

She made her way upstairs carefully detecting a very strange and ominous feeling. She reached her hand up and gripped the geode around her neck tightly, fearing she may have to use it. Something was amiss in the Sparkle household, something that felt incredibly unnatural.

Gulping, Sunset reached the top step and looked down a dark hallway. The hall itself seemed to stretch for miles in the dark.

Fumbling about on the wall next to her, she flicked on a light.

There standing in the newly illuminated room was the figure of someone she had hoped she’d never see again, someone she had prayed would stay dead and buried. Someone that Sunset feared more than she was willing to admit.

Orange tinted hair that had been cut to a shoulder length, tied back with a headband sporting spikes.

Her wardrobe a familiar tight stealth suit opened slightly to expose her small cleavage. The jacket, gloves and sinister mask of her wardrobe appeared to be missing, but her exposed hands were covered in a deep red, a red that seemed to sink down under her fingernails even.

As she turned, the face of the siren looked at Sunset with a twisted smirk, blood dripping from her teeth, coating her chin as her red eyes glared at Sunset.

“Welcome home… I hope you enjoy the party…” Adagio spoke, her voice distorted and wicked.

At her feet laid the bloodied bodies of Velvet and Night, their stomachs ripped open, no doubt by Adagio’s vicious teeth.

Sunset’s attention was drawn to the woman’s hand which gripped a lifeless Twilight whose throat had been ripped open, blood and innards leaking out as Adagio gripped her by her shirt.

“Hope you like your meat rare…” Adagio grinned.

With those words, Sunset opened her eyes with a scream as she found herself transported back into her bedroom, covered in sweat as she sat upright panting.

Checking her body quickly with her hands, she realized she had been dreaming. Falling backward with a sigh of relief, Sunset wiped her forehead. “Fuck…”

The woman turned her head slightly and through groggy eyes, she could see someone standing in her room. A figure covered in a white cloak, their face concealed.

Was she still dreaming? She couldn’t tell.

The figure began to move its mouth but Sunset, in a barely awake state could hardly hear the words it was trying to convey. She tried to squint and get a better look at it, and with enough focus, she could make out the words it was mouthing.

“Ev-er-free For-rest…” Sunset repeated aloud.

It ceased speaking and nodded.

The moment Sunset blinked, it was gone, vanished from existence.

Taking a few breaths, Sunset decided the best thing to do, dream or not, was to try and get some more sleep. She didn’t want to be tired for her date with Twilight.

Author's Note

I bet some people were worried that Sunset was going to reject Twilight after that kiss. And here I am being an ass and making you all wait a week to find out Sunset's reaction.

Also more art of Sunset and Twilight kissing. Why? GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT, that's why.

Act IV - Chapter L: Date

Chapter L: Date

That next morning, Sunset had decided to give some of her old friends a call for advice on her date with Twilight, however as she learned from Twilight Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had eloped and joined the military. So she was unable to see them in person, but after getting dressed properly, Sunset sat herself in front of her MacBook and adjusted herself before setting up a video call via Discord.

She waited a few seconds for Rainbow and Fluttershy to pick up, but sure enough, before Sunset knew it, there on her screen was a familiar looking wild multi-color haired woman in an army uniform sitting next to a timid looking woman with her hands placed in her lap. Both waved at Sunset with smiles on their faces.

“Well, I’ll be damned, Sunset Shimmer lives…” Rainbow stated, a smug look appearing on her face.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset tried to not let Rainbow see how much the comment affected her. “You’re looking well, green suits you.”

Rainbow laughed and nodded. “Yeah, army life is pretty interesting. Definitely a great way to keep in shape, though judging by your arms… I’d say you are having no issue with that…”

“I keep a regular work out routine…” Sunset shrugged.

“Also really digging the new look for you. It’s more gothic, but it suits you.” Rainbow gave a thumbs up to show her approval.

Fluttershy gave a nod as well. “You definitely look pretty…”

Chuckling, Sunset nodded. “Thanks guys. I appreciate that.”

“So besides joining the army and eloping… What’s new in your world?” Sunset asked.

Rainbow chuckled. “Wish I could tell you, but a lot of my job is classified and I really should disclose too much. However, Fluttershy here is getting her veterinarian degree, right, babe?”

Fluttershy nodded modestly. “Yes, well… It’s not that big of a deal…”

“She’s just being timid and modest, it’s actually pretty impressive, she got accepted into the best veterinarian school in the country.” Rainbow winked as she nudged her wife affectionately.

Sunset was actually legitimately impressed. Fluttershy was neither the best nor worst student in high school, so to hear that she was accepted into such a prestigious school meant that she definitely applied herself harder than usual.

“That’s fantastic news, Fluttershy. I’ll be sure to visit you any time I’m having any trouble with Moon.” Sunset winked back.

Fluttershy blushed and nodded. “How is the little darling?”

Sunset chuckled at the thought. “Moon? He’s as loyal as ever, he’s kind of like my babysitter in a way. He keeps his eye on me to make sure I don’t do anything stupid, that’s for sure. You can definitely count on him in a tough situation.”

“What a good little boy…” Fluttershy clasped her hands together as she gushed at her love of animals.

“Good thing too, babysitting you is a full-time job,” Rainbow joked.

“Har har, well it’s good to hear from you both anyway…” Sunset stated.

“Likewise, but I’m assuming there is a reason you called us?” Rainbow raised a curious brow, clearly already catching on that Sunset seldom did things without hidden intentions.

“Am I that easy to read?” Sunset blushed.

“Well, I can’t say that you’ve always been actually for the most part you’re pretty complicated to even understand sometimes…” Rainbow explained quietly.

Sunset frowned as she was informed that she apparently was difficult to deal with sometimes. It certainly wasn’t something she did intentionally.

“Well… I apologize… It’s never my intention to be so… difficult…” Sunset looked away shamefully.

Rainbow shook her head and waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it, a little mystery isn’t inherently a bad thing.”

“Anyway, back to what I was asking about… There is another reason for you calling us, right Sunset?” Rainbow changed the subject back to the initial topic.

“Oh… Well… Yes… Sort of anyway…” Sunset blushed once more as she struggled to maintain eye contact. “I have a… Well… I have a date…”

“Oooooo, now this is interesting, Sunset Shimmer has a boyfriend finally?” Rainbow grinned as she leaned in closer with intrigue. “Details, details!”

Rolling her eyes, she realized she should have expected such a reaction from Rainbow. As much as she tried to convince people otherwise, she was in fact, a bigger gossip than Rarity.

“It’s… Not a boy…” Sunset sighed.

“Playing for the winning team then? I’m proud, girl!” Rainbow placed a hand on her chin and nodded approvingly, causing Fluttershy to sigh and shake her head at how embarrassing her wife was being.

“It’s not like that…” Sunset shook her head.

“So you’re not a lesbian then?” Rainbow tilted her head.

“What? No… I’m… I don’t really know what I am, but all I do know is that I can find things attractive in many different people…” Sunset explained.

Shrugging, Rainbow seemed to not quite understand, but she decided to keep the conversation moving regardless, not wanting to get hung up on such a small detail. “So who is the date with?”

“Twilight,” Sunset replied.

Fluttershy gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh my!”

“We were wondering when you two would hook up!” Rainbow grinned.

Sunset’s eye twitched slightly as she now became aware that her friends had secretly been hoping Twilight and she got together. A part of her wanted to ask how long this had been going on, but she thought better of it and kept that as unexplored territory.

“R-right… Anyway…” Sunset began to speak again but was cut off by Rainbow.

“So you two finally did the nasty huh?” Rainbow smirked.

“W-what!?” Sunset exclaimed.

“Oh you ruined her for boys forever didn’t you? You dog! I’m proud of you!” Rainbow chuckled.

“I di-“ Sunset didn’t get a chance to finish that sentence.

“I bet you put that pussy in a coma, didn’t you!?” Rainbow asked before making an obscene hand gesture where she stuck her tongue between her index and middle finger, making a few quick lapping motions with it.

When she finished with her hand gesture, she clapped her hands together and laughed. “Oh, you stud!”

“Rainbow!” Sunset growled.

Silence filled the room as Rainbow’s laughter ceased abruptly and looked directly at the screen to see Sunset. She took note of the serious demeanor on the girl’s face.

“It’s not like that, I said. Twilight and I haven’t done anything like that… We kissed, sure but this date is sort of a… See where things go thing, I suppose?” Sunset explained.

Frowning, Rainbow took a pouting stance. “Well, that’s lame… Did you at least slip her the tongue?”

Fluttershy nudged Rainbow’s shoulder. “Rainbow…”

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow sighed. “Alright, alright, I’ll back off…”

“I swear, you are like the biggest horn dog that I know…” Sunset rolled her eyes back at the soldier.

“When I’m surrounded by such beautiful ladies, how can I not be?” Rainbow grinned.

“You’ve got me there…” Sunset chuckled.

“So what about your date with Twilight did you want to talk about?” Fluttershy interrupted before their conversation could devolve back into more smut talk.

Sunset fidgeted with the hem of her top as she tried to think of the best way to word her concerns.

“Well like… I’ve only really been on dates with Flash, and that was some time ago… On top of that, he kind of controlled it all, so I didn’t have to do much… I was hoping for… Maybe some advice…?” Sunset smiled sheepishly.

Fluttershy leaned back and looked up in thought. After a few seconds of thinking, she shrugged. “I guess… Just be yourself?”

“Fluttershy is right… As lame of advice as that is, it’s very very true. I can’t say I know much about how one would go about a date with Twilight, but my general advice is if it ends with a kiss and plans for another date then you did alright…” Rainbow added.

“Well, that helps me if I don’t fuck everything up, but how do I go about not fucking everything up…” Sunset raised a brow.

“I don’t know… I guess just to avoid awkward conversation topics or something? My mom always said don’t talk about politics or work, but I’m going to take a wild guess and say you don’t have a lot to say on those subjects, huh?” Rainbow asked.

Sunset merely shook her head.

“Thought so… I guess everything should be fine so long as you don’t like… Call your waitress a cunt or something…?” Rainbow shrugged.

Fluttershy rolled her eyes at her wife and looked away with a playful smile. The contrast between the two was astounding. One was a vulgar, rude horndog, and the other was a shy, timid, well-mannered lady almost. It really was true: opposites really do attract. Somehow it was cute though. Sunset just hoped that Fluttershy’s patience would hold out.

“We’re actually happy that you’re just trying to reconnect with people, Sunset…” Rainbow stated, her tone turning more serious. “It’s been a while since Shimmer died, and I know it’s been rocky for you for some time… We wanted to be there to help you, but you kind of closed us out and we sort of had our own things going on, so we had to leave… It’s great to hear from you again, and better to find out that you’re okay.”

Sunset blinked and grew silent.

“Not gonna lie, we thought you may have killed yourself or something…” Rainbow frowned as the topic became somewhat gruesome.

Sunset couldn’t find the words to speak. She didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Don’t be a stranger,” Rainbow commanded.

Blinking, Sunset looked back at the screen and nodded. “R-right… I promise I’ll try harder.”

“Please take care of yourself, Sunset…” Fluttershy reminded, a sugary smile coming to her face.

Seeing Fluttershy smile put Sunset a little more at ease. She nodded and smiled back. “Right, I’m doing my best, but I I’ll keep doing all I can to take the best care of myself that I can.”

“That’s what I like to hear…” Fluttershy nodded approvingly.

“Well, good luck with your date with Twilight, and if you score, let me know! I’ll buy you a beer when we come back to the states to celebrate!” Rainbow winked.

Rolling her eyes once more, Sunset nodded and waved as she ended the call with her friends.

She sighed contently as she took in their advice. While it wasn’t the most helpful in the world, it at least brought her some peace knowing that her friends supported her. Perhaps that was enough.

Twilight had found herself once again at the abode of Rarity and Applejack to seek advice for her date with Sunset. Since Rarity was the fashion expert of the group, Twilight felt it was only fitting to consult her about what to wear on a date, also given that she was the romance expert of the group, it was probably also fitting to seek her counsel on what to do to make sure her evening with Sunset goes smoothly.

Applejack sat with a chair backward watching Rarity go through various outfits, trying to pick out something that would not only look great on Twilight, but would also turn Sunset’s head.

“Hmmm, something that makes that butt of yours really stand out…” Rarity thought out loud.

Twilight blushed and covered her rear with her hands, trying to make it less noticeable. “I-is it really that noticeable…?”

Rarity nodded. “It’s a good thing, it’s an asset, Twilight. My recommendation is also to wear a bra that crosses in the back to create a bit more cleavage. Every little bit counts when increasing one’s sex appeal.”

“B-but… I’m not trying to… Do that…” Twilight’s blush had grown, causing Applejack to chuckle.

“Shucks, Twilight. Yer’ face is about as red as a red delicious.” Applejack snickered.

Applejack’s commentary definitely wasn’t helping Twilight feel more at ease about the situation, or less embarrassed.

“Twilight, you’ve had feelings for Sunset for some time, there’s no shame in jumping right to the passionate side of things as it were. You’re both adults, and I am more than happy to loan you some reading material if it will help, and some lingerie if that will assist in getting your prey into the bedroom, so to speak,” Rarity lectured.

Twilight wasn’t even sure if she was mentally prepared for a sexual encounter, even with Sunset. While it was true that she’d have a hard time saying no if the offer was presented, she personally felt like she’d lock up the moment things got too steamy. Even in Twilight’s dreams, she wasn’t that bold.

“I… I don’t know if I’m ready for that…” Twilight admitted bashfully.

Rarity sighed and continued to finger through hangers to find that perfect ensemble for her nerdy friend. “Nonsense, you’re out of high school and in college now. You’re more than ready, you just need to have the right outfit so you feel confident. Trust me on this, when you feel sexy, you begin to ooze confidence.”

“Must be why Rare is confident all the damn time…” Applejack smirked as she watched Rarity work, her eyes drawn to the woman’s butt.

“You better believe it, and don’t think I haven’t caught you staring at my ass, Applejack Apple.” Rarity squinted and glared at Applejack from the corner of her eye.

“What can ‘Ah say? Y’all got some great stuff goin’ on there…” Applejack replied with an even larger grin.

“Darling, we have a guest. Do I need to spray you off?” Rarity reminded.

Applejack only chuckled at her wife’s banter and continued observing her (or staring at her butt).

“I just want this date with Sunset to go well, that’s all. Whatever happens, well it happens, but I’m more concerned about if I’m making the right choice here…” Twilight frowned as she admitted it, her eyes focused on the floor in front of her.

She had felt somewhat strange about having a crush on her best friend for some time. A part of her originally felt guilty for thinking of Sunset in such inappropriate ways, but another part of her wanted to make those fantasies into a reality, but she struggled to admit it to herself. She wondered if Sunset was even ready for anything like this, given her state in the past two years.

Sunset had been in a downward slump for some time, only recently coming out of it. Was it fair of Twilight to take advantage of that and try to seduce her? Was Sunset even emotionally stable enough to handle romance at this point?

“Twilight, you followed your heart, there’s nothing to be ashamed of with that, and I don’t see why you’re being so defeatist here. You kissed Sunset and she didn’t stop you, she actually kissed you back. What’s more is that she agreed to go on a date with you, why can’t you just enjoy what you have acquired rather than worry about how it can all go wrong, darling?” Rarity pointed out as she lifted a shirt off of the rack, examined it for a few seconds, adjusted her glasses and then shook her head and promptly returned it to the rack as she continued her search.

“Well, it’s just… Shimmer’s death really shook Sunset up. It caused her a lot of turmoil and I’m not entirely sure if she’s over that completely… I know she misses her and she’s just trying to put on a strong face, but I worry that she hasn’t really opened up to anyone about how she feels about that…” Twilight frowned.

Pausing, Rarity looked over at Applejack, who nodded at her wife before coming to a full stand. The tall girl towering over Twilight as she approached and crouched down to her knees to be at Twilight’s level as the bookworm sat on a chair. Applejack’s adorable freckled face only inches from Twilight’s.

The farmer reached forward and placed both of her hands on Twilight’s shoulders as she locked eyes with Twilight. Twilight grew quiet and nearly held her breath as she waited on Applejack’s words.

“Then be that person, let her open up to you,” Applejack said plainly.

Twilight blinked but then grinned as she took in Applejack’s words. “Of course…” She began, “leave it to Applejack to find a way to make it all so simple and obvious…”

Applejack nodded and released Twilight as she stood up. “Ain’t it the truth. Y’all would be lost without me!”

“Or maybe we’d be able to get more work done…” Rarity smirked as she looked at Twilight with a wink.

“Hey!” Applejack protested.

“Kidding, darling, you know I love you.” Rarity shot Applejack a sincere smile, which seemed to calm her quite quickly.

“You two make a cute couple…” Twilight complimented.

“Like a beast and the beauty kinda’ way?” Applejack chuckled.

“Applejack, you are not a beast!” Rarity huffed.

“Who said ‘Ah was the beast?” Applejack smirked.

“Well, I never!” Rarity turned away and pointed her nose upward with a “hmph!”

“Kiddin’.” Applejack chuckled.

Twilight found herself giggled at the two of them. It was so clear that they were obviously madly in love. Applejack would do anything for Rarity, and Rarity for Applejack. They were so comfortable around each other that they could engage in this kind of banter even in front of guests and not be shy about it. Applejack could appreciate what Rarity did for a living even if it wasn’t something that Applejack herself took any interest at all in.

It was the kind of relationship she had hoped for with Sunset.

“So… you really think there’s even a chance that Sunset and I will…” Twilight paused, trying to think of the best way to word it, “hook up?”

“It’s always possible, that is why you must always be prepared!” Rarity nodded.

“Well… I guess… I guess some lingerie wouldn’t hurt…” Twilight blushed.

“Say no more! You will look absolutely ravishing when I am done with you! You’ll turn heads and catch Sunset’s eyes,” Rarity exclaimed.

Twilight nodded, even though she was a bit nervous about things going to that level, a part of her was excited. So much was riding on this date.

The evening had finally come, and Sunset had prepared herself in an outfit that she would call “classic”. She had decided to go with a familiar light green top with lacy sleeves and her leather jacket. Despite being Summer, in the evening it was cool enough to wear jeans, so Sunset found herself wearing a pair of black shredded jeans, that were exceptionally form complimenting, given Sunset’s exercise routine, they hugged her behind quite nicely. She knew she’d be getting no complaints from Twilight.

Her car pulled up to Twilight’s house and Sunset checked her makeup in the mirror. Her mascara seemed to be fine, and after another second or so of examination, she flipped the vanity mirror back up and honked the horn of her Audi to get Twilight’s attention.

No sooner than eight seconds after Sunset honked the horn did Twilight come out of the house wearing something that Sunset could only describe as, interesting. A white dress with a black belt around her waistline, thin straps in its design and gladiator sandals on her dainty feet. She walked somewhat awkwardly in them, clearly not used to them, but they definitely looked appealing on her.

Sunset noted the purple bra straps that were easily visible, internally smirking at how Twilight continued to wear purple bras after Sunset’s comment, though she was curious if she had the panties to match.

She devoured the girl with her eyes as Twilight opened the car door and sat down, resting her hands in her lap.

“Hello,” she said.

“Hey, good lookin’, what’s cookin’?” Sunset grinned.

Twilight blushed and played with a strand of loose hair. “Is it… Too much?”

Sunset shook her head. “Nah, you look great. Really cute. For once I’m not the one overdressed…”

“You look great…” Twilight said.

Sunset grinned. “Thanks, I decided to just try and be somewhat casual, you know? I didn’t want to make this a really pressuring thing… Just… keep it as normal as possible, see what happens, you know? Clearly though by looking at you, I should have dolled up.”

“I’ll be honest… I’m still not very good at this… date thing… I went on my fair share with Timber, but I never really knew what to do or say…” Twilight admitted.

“Me either, Flash and I were kind of a platonic relationship really…” Sunset shrugged.

“Then… Would it be… Too bold if I asked to kiss you?” Twilight’s face turned red as she fidgeted with her fingers.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset leaned closer. “Bold would be if you didn’t ask…”

“Oh…” Twilight nodded.

“And… I suppose… That’d be cool, I mean it’s not like we haven’t before, right? Plus like… I liked kissing you,” Sunset said.

Twilight nodded and looked over at Sunset, her gorgeous eyes staring right at her, everything Twilight ever wanted from the girl right in front of her. All of Sunset’s attention and focus was on her, and there she was wanting to kiss her, Twilight Sparkle! It was almost too good to be true. Twilight hoped that if she was dreaming she wouldn’t wake up.

Nervously leaning in, Twilight closed her eyes and puckered her lips, inching ever so close to the alternative girl. Before they knew it, their lips touched, and like magnets, they pulled closer to get more out of the kiss, as if both of them had been waiting the entire time they got into the car to engage in such an activity.

Twilight relaxed her body and allowed Sunset to lead, not really the dominating type herself. Sunset ran a hand down Twilight’s cheek and rested it on her neck as she pulled the girl in, their lips smacking violently as their tongues wrestled and thrashed about.

All Twilight could do was moan gently and let Sunset have her fill. She wanted the girl to take all she wanted, she wanted to give her all she needed. Twilight wanted to be enough to fill Sunset’s desires, enough to please her.

Twilight scooted a bit closer to the edge of her seat to get closer to Sunset. Sunset detected what she wanted and undid her own seatbelt so she could pull Twilight closer.

“Maybe… We should… Get going…?” Sunset tried to say between lip-smacking.

“Mmm-mmm… Just… A little more… I’ve waited for this… Forever…” Twilight admitted as she managed to get out of her seat and climb onto Sunset’s lap, running her hands through her wild red hair. It was soft to the touch, proper hair maintenance was clearly something that Sunset partook in. It was unsurprisingly thick and full.

Sunset decided not to complain, but instead to enjoy it as her hands found their way onto Twilight’s hips as she held the girl there on her lap. Their kiss still ongoing, the passion only intensifying.

“You’re… A great kisser… Sunset…” Twilight managed to get out.

Sunset’s hands ran up Twilight’s back and rested there as the kiss finally broke. Both girls panted softly as they stared into each other’s eyes. Sunset was the one to break the silence. “Maybe we should… Go to the restaurant… Before we get all hot and bothered…”

“R-right…” Twilight blushed as she climbed off of Sunset and back into her seat. She blushed deeper when she realized that her panties were slightly wet. The excitement from their little make-out session clearly having more of an effect than she had hoped. If they had hoped to get to the restaurant without being “hot and bothered”, it was a bit too late for that, at least on Twilight’s part.

“I… Guess we were both kind of pent-up, huh?” Sunset asked as she started the car and reattached her seatbelt.

“Y-yeah…” Twilight nodded.

“I have to admit… You look good on my lap though…” Sunset smirked.

“You’re such a pervert…” Twilight looked out the window, trying to hide her extremely flushed face.

“All jokes aside… That actually was pretty fun…” Sunset admitted as she kept her eyes on the road.

“Oh?” Twilight asked, looking in Sunset’s direction.

“Yeah, hell I’m still shocked anyone would want to kiss me…” Sunset chuckled.

“Why’s that? You’re beautiful, Sunset… A lot of people think you’re hot…” Twilight pointed out.

Sunset laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I know but they are either too afraid to approach me or think I’m weird. Having millions of dollars certainly hasn’t helped. People get really awkward when they know I have money, thus why I try to keep a low profile in public. Though sometimes I splurge a little…”

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while… Long before you got money even,” Twilight admitted.

“Well, I’m glad you finally did then.” Sunset winked.

“So, this whole date thing… It’s not weird is it?” Twilight changed the subject, though she definitely felt that she could go on for hours about kissing Sunset.

Sunset raised a curious brow. “Weird? Why would it be weird?”

“Well, we’ve been best friends for a long time, a change in dynamic is often very vexing on relationships between people. When people become used to something, and that something changes it can often cause psychological disparity…” Twilight explained.

Sunset giggled at Twilight’s textbook explanation. “I love it when you talk nerdy…”

Twilight blushed and looked down at her lap.

“Anyway, to me I just see it as a natural progression, you know? We were friends for a long time, and now we’re trying out something different.” Sunset shrugged.

Twilight was at least relieved that Sunset didn’t find the situation odd or awkward, that fact alone her mind at some ease.

“So I guess you wanted to pay for all of this?” Sunset asked, trying to keep the conversation moving.

“Oh… Yes. If you don’t mind, I don’t want you to get the impression that I am going to let you pay for everything or that I just want to take advantage of all of your money or something…” Twilight blushed.

Sunset nodded. “I understand, but if in time I get more comfortable spending money on you, I only ask that you let it happen and not fight me on it? I promise if I give you something, it’s because it’s a gift, not because I have any intentions of you paying me back, alright?”

Twilight wanted to object, knowing that Sunset could easily buy her things well beyond what she could give the girl in return, but decided to keep her mouth shut so as to not start an argument on their first date.

“I… I guess, but please nothing too extravagant, okay? Nothing that I wouldn’t be able to give you in return, alright?” Twilight pleaded.

Sunset had expected an answer like that, and she nodded in agreement. “Sounds fair. So, what exactly are the boundaries here? Anything we’re just not supposed to do?”

Twilight blinked and shrugged. “Let’s just… Do what feels natural and tell each other if something feels like an overstep, alright?”

Simplicity, Sunset preferred that, albeit it was a bit out of the ordinary for Twilight Sparkle to strive for simplicity. In her years of knowing Twilight, she was the master of overcomplicating matters.

“Sounds good to me, probably for the best anyway.” Sunset smiled but kept her eyes on the road.

Before much more time passed, the two arrived at the eatery, Sunset parking her expensive car and looking over at Twilight smiling before stepping out of her car and coming around to Twilight’s door, opening it carefully and offering her hand.

Twilight blinked and stared at Sunset’s soft looking hand for a few moments. She noted how soft the girl’s skin looked, she must have had some impressive lotion at her home.

Coming back to reality, Twilight reached forward and took the girl’s hand and felt herself pulled up and out of the car carefully as Sunset assisted her in exiting the vehicle. The redhead closed the door behind her as she snaked an arm around Twilight’s back and lead them inside slowly.

Twilight could not contain her blushing, her entire face was likely cherry red at this point, and Sunset being so nonchalant about it all and not even uttering a word certainly wasn’t helping.

When they reached the door, they were seated relatively quickly despite the place looking fairly busy. They had chosen a middle of the road restaurant specializing in soul food, but with a nice mixture of vegetarian options. Twilight imagined it was going to be a continuing challenge to find places that had serviceable vegetarian menus when she herself ate meat like it were candy. Since she was born, her mother had raised their family on a tremendous amount of meat and joked that they were all carnivores. Adjusting to Sunset’s vegetarian lifestyle was definitely going to take some time.

Picking up their menus, Sunset and she made their orders. Sunset decided to go with a garden salad to start, and some kind of vegan pasta dish, while Twilight had opted for a big serving of southern style chicken fried steak.

Giving their menus back to the waitress, the two looked across the table at each other and they both knew that the other had much on their mind.

“So…” Twilight began.

“So,” Sunset replied with a gentle smile.

“I uh… Couldn’t help but notice your arms are pretty toned…” Twilight blushed and glanced away, but continued to steal peaks in Sunset’s direction.

“When did you…” Sunset blinked. “Oh, right… When we…”

“Yeah… I mean it’s nice, I like it… I take it you’re keeping in good shape then?” Twilight asked.

Grinning, Sunset pulled her jacket off and set it on the back of the chair she was sitting in. She flexed her arm and showed off some rather impressive muscles. They weren’t on the same level as Applejack or Rainbow, and certainly not that noticeable unless she was purposefully trying to show them off, but Sunset clearly had some nice tone to her body. She was definitely in great shape.

“I exercise every day, lots of cardio, lots of sit-ups, that kind of thing. The vegetarian diet obviously means that I have almost no body fat when combined with the exercise that I do…” Sunset grinned, quite proud of herself and her accomplishments.

“You look great, I’m impressed.” Twilight nodded approving, her eyes returning to Sunset’s toned arms, already fantasizing about how those could be useful to her in the future. Sunset pulling on the book worm’s hair came to mind.

“Thanks…” Sunset smiled.

Their appetizers arrived and Sunset began to sample her own, making an approving nod when she tasted the salad. She retrieved a bottle of ranch dressing from a waitress causing Twilight to make a gagging sound. “Ranch is gross…”

“What? No way!” Sunset shook her head in disagreement.

“It’s such an overrated dressing.” Twilight stuck her tongue out.

“If you say so.” Sunset rolled her eyes.

There was silence again, followed by Sunset asking a question that Twilight had known would appear eventually, a question she knew she would have to be prepared to answer some time ago if she ever pursued Sunset. How she actually ended up chasing her was nothing like she imagined of course.

“So… When did you start to like me?” Sunset asked.

There was an exceptionally long pause between the two dinner goers, Twilight swallowed some food in her mouth and decided to just attack the beast head on. She borrowed a page from Applejack’s book and went with honesty.

“I… Well… Maybe… A while back.” Twilight shrugged.

“How far back is a while?” Sunset raised a brow.

“I think I started to like during Camp Everfree… I don’t think I realized it at the time, but I started noticing you more and more, paying closer attention to the things you did and said… Along with…” Twilight blushed and looked away.

“Go on…” Sunset gestured with her hand for Twilight to continue.

“Along with… noticing your body…” Twilight admitted sheepishly.

Sunset tilted her head. “My body?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I started to notice how attractive you were… I think by the time we went back to school I was having some… graphic dreams about you… Sorry if that’s too weird…”

Blinking, Sunset leaned back in her chair and smiled. “I’m flattered actually… No one has ever told me they thought about me like that.”

“Yeah well… After that, I sort of… I knew that I liked you. I wanted to tell you so many times, but well… You know how I am… I’m a big coward when it comes to this stuff…” Twilight frowned and looked down.

“Why though?” Sunset asked.

Twilight perked up and tilted her head and squared her eye. “Are you serious? Why? Look at you! You’re like… Hot, I’m just… I’m just some plain old bookworm…”

Sunset leaned in and extended an arm across the table, placing her hand atop of Twilight’s. Twilight looked down at the hand and then her eyes met Sunset’s.

“Twilight… You’re attractive too… I think you’re more than enough.” Sunset smiled.

Twilight could only nod as she stared into Sunset’s eyes.

“Plus, I may or may not have noticed your cute butt from time to time.” Sunset giggled.

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. “According to Rarity and apparently everyone and their grandmother, I have a nice ass…”

“Definitely do, I wouldn’t mind gripping it if you know what I mean…” Sunset wiggled her eyebrow suggestively.

Twilight leaned back and felt her face get hot. The kind of ideas that began to rush into her head, were not exactly the ones that made appropriate dinner conversation. “Maybe… We should tone it down a little…”

Shrugged, Sunset leaned back into her seat and withdrew her hand from Twilight’s. “Suit yourself, either way, I won’t have this talk of not being attractive anymore. You’re pretty, Twilight. You’re plenty attractive, and I won’t hear otherwise.”

“Fine… But no snapping photos of my butt…” Twilight grumbled.

“I make no promises.” Sunset winked.

The two broke out into a fit of laughter for a few moments. Once it subsided, Sunset sighed and grew a serious expression.

“So… You’re sure about all of this?”

Blinking, Twilight tilted her head. “What do you mean? Sure about what?”

“About us, pursuing me… Are you certain it was a wise idea?” Sunset asked.

“I don’t know… Why wouldn’t it be?” Twilight asked.

“Let’s not beat around the bush, Twilight… After what happened with Shimmer and then Adagio… It’s pretty obvious that people around me get hurt. I guess I’m also just a little scared myself…” Sunset admitted.

“Scared? Of what?” Twilight leaned in with interest.

Sighing, Sunset shook her head. “Everyone in my life either dies or ditches me… I guess a part of me is still scared that will happen again. That’s probably why I have avoided dating for so long…”

Twilight reached forward and snagged both of Sunset’s hands in her own, gripping them tightly. Her eyes grew serious as she locked them with the vibrant eyes of Sunset and made her vow.

“I promise, I’m not going to be like that. I won’t leave unless you tell me to go, and I mean that…” Twilight said with conviction in her voice.

Sunset sighed and squeezed Twilight’s hands back. “Y-you… You can’t make that promise…”

“Yes, I can,” Twilight assured.

“Shimmer made a similar promise…” Sunset frowned.

“I’m not Shimmer,” Twilight reminded.

Sighing again, Sunset conceded and gave Twilight a nod. “Alright, I’ll trust you, Twilight… I just can’t promise I’m going to be easy to deal with…”

“When were you ever?” Twilight smirked.

“You’re no walk in the park yourself,” Sunset replied with a grin.

“Well, at least I’m a great kisser according to a certain redhead…” Twilight smirked and turned her head, peaking at Sunset from the corner of her eye.

“Uh uh, I shouldn’t have told you that, looks like I may have created a monster out of your ego.” Sunset grinned.

“Keep talking like that and I won’t kiss you again any time soon…” Twilight replied with a faux sounding voice.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop picking on you.” Sunset giggled.

The two smiled at each other and sat there just looking into the other one’s eyes. Silently enjoying their meal together. Whatever happened from there would be unknown to either of them, but they at least knew one thing for certain: they wanted to endure it all together.

The evening went as perfectly as both of them had hoped for. They enjoyed idle small talk after they had devoured their meals and chatted about old times and what was new in their lives during their time apart. When it was over, Sunset drove Twilight home and parked next to the sidewalk in front of the house.

Putting the parking brake on, Sunset sighed and looked over at Twilight with a smile. “Sorry for keeping you out well past two in the morning… I guess we both just lost track of time…”

“Maybe that stop at the park wasn’t the brightest idea for either of us, but it’s not like I have anywhere to go tomorrow right?” Twilight shrugged.

“Oh right, Summer break…” Sunset nodded.

The two grew quiet for a moment, not wanting their lovely evening together to come to an end.

“I had a really great time…” Sunset stated, breaking their silence.

A smile came to Twilight, who nodded in response. “Yes, I agree, it was probably the most perfect first date ever.”

“Not like we have much to compare it to,” Sunset reminded.

Rolling her eyes, the bookworm blinked at Sunset and her voice grew quiet. “Would it be… Too much to ask… For a kiss goodnight?”

Sunset paused and watched the girl’s eyes flitter a few times before Sunset smirked at her. “If I say yes, am I agreeing to a kiss or a full make-out session like last time?”

“I would say just a kiss… But I think we both know that if I’m given the chance, I likely won’t be able to control myself…” Twilight blushed and began to play with a strand of her hair, unable to keep eye contact with Sunset when she said such embarrassing things.

Sighing, Sunset shook her head and unbuckled her seatbelt. She leaned back in her seat and gestured with her finger for Twilight to come over.

Wasting not even a second of time, Twilight unhooked her seatbelt with record speed and climbed over to the driver’s seat and positioned herself over Sunset, straddling her as she did, looking down into her eyes.

“You’re the best…” Twilight smiled.

“You’re only saying that because I am letting you make out with me…” Sunset smirked.

Twilight shook her head and placed a hand on the redhead’s cheek, gently stroking her cheekbone with her thumb as she stared longingly into Sunset’s eyes.

“No… I just… I’ve liked you for a long time… I never thought I even had a chance with someone as beautiful as you… With someone as great as you…” Twilight blushed as she admitted her thoughts.

Sunset smiled and placed both of her hands on Twilight’s hips. “I’m the lucky one… To have a girl like you wait so patiently to get a chance at me? To be by my side when I needed you most, even when I was being so shitty to everyone? Twilight, you are actually the best, and that’s why you deserve the best.”

Smiling, Twilight giggled and touched her forehead to Sunset’s. “Figures that you know how to sweet talk me too…”

“One of my many talents…” Sunset grinned.

At those words, their lips locked.

Sunset’s hands ran up and down Twilight’s back, and eventually found their way to her sides, where they slid down her figure as the two kissed. Her hands reached Twilight’s rear and stopped abruptly, not wanting to violate her position of power.

Twilight between lip smacks spoke. “It’s… Okay… Do whatever feels natural… Remember?”

Sunset nodded but reminded herself not to go too far. As her tongue fought with Twilight’s, her hands gently lifted the skirt of Twilight’s dress up and rested on her impressive buttocks, giving a few gentle squeezes. She had been curious about how well Twilight’s rear would feel in her hands, and now she had an answer. It was amazing, supple, yet firm, round, yet not too large.

Twilight let out a soft moan as she felt Sunset’s hands grip her. She found herself enjoying Sunset being adventurous and not waiting for permission to act.

“You like?” Twilight managed to get out during a brief pause between kisses.

Nodding, Sunset leaned back in and gave Twilight’s lip a playful nip. “Very much so…”

“It’s okay to do whatever you want to me, alright?” Twilight stated, serious eyes looking at Sunset.

“Anything?” Sunset raised a brow.

Twilight nodded. “I… I like it when you’re assertive… I kind of have a thing for being told what to do and my partner just taking control…”

Grinning, Sunset nodded, happy to oblige she moved her hands upward and slowly up Twilight’s body until they both cupped her breasts and began to gently massage them. Twilight blushed and leaned into the groping, giving Sunset ample opportunity to crane her neck and gentle gnaw on Twilight’s exposed neck.

The soft flesh between Sunset’s teeth was calming as she gnawed and groped. The soft moans of Twilight adding to the soothing feeling being created. Despite the temptation to go so much further though, Sunset released Twilight and gave her neck a gentle kiss where she had bitten.

She looked up at the girl as her hand rested back on Twilight’s hips. Her body warm from all the excitement. Twilight was panting lightly after such adult activities. A year ago, neither imagined they’d be doing such a thing with the other.

The two girls smiled at each other, both of them never wanting that moment to end.

Author's Note

Touch the butt.

I promise the rest of the story won't just be Sunset and Twilight making out and groping each other. I swear.

Act IV - Chapter LI: Movie

Chapter LI: Movie

Sunset found herself grumbling as she felt a hand try to wake her. She turned in her sleep, trying to ignore the person trying to force her out of bed, hoping that if she continued to ignore their presence that they would allow her the benefit of sleeping just a little longer. She couldn’t remember why she stayed up so late last night, but she knew her body simply wasn’t ready to greet the waking world just yet.

“Five more minutes…” Sunset groaned. Not realizing for that moment that it didn’t really make much sense for anyone to be trying to wake her up.

When her mind clicked with reality for a moment and then thought about the appendage touching her shoulder. It was far too large to be Moon pawing at her, and it definitely was a person.

A smile came to her face as she considered the only person who had a key to her estate. The only person who would think to come to her house and wake her up in the morning. The only person she’d be excited to see at such an ungodly hour.

“Twilight?” Sunset grinned as she rolled over in her bed. Adjusting her eyes, a blurry figure slowly became clearer and there standing at the side of the bed was not Twilight.

Instead, it was a taller, slender woman, sporting a tight spandex suit wrapping around her body and accenting her smaller breasts. As Sunset’s eyes followed the body up to the head, there at the top was familiar piercing red eyes, and wild orange hair staring her down.

“Sorry, not Twilight…” They grinned.

Sunset shuffled backward on her bed and rolled off onto the other side. Standing up and reaching in her drawer, she retrieved a gun from her end table drawer and pointed it at the siren standing there. It was none other than Adagio.

Adagio just smirked. “Go ahead, shoot…”

Growling, Sunset didn’t even hesitate to follow that command. She pulled the trigger eight times, with every shot pointed directly at Adagio’s head, all of them hitting and connecting. The shots caused the siren’s head to lean backward but soon she leaned back forward as if it were nothing.

Bullets lined her face and fresh holes bled a deep red as she stood there unfazed by the damage that was done to her.

“Did you really think that was going to work?” Adagio asked plainly.

“What the fuck are you?” Sunset hissed, weapon still pointed in her direction.

“I’m already dead, remember? You took care of that, or have you forgotten that little execution that you and the Princess did?” Adagio tilted her head as she reminded Sunset, “bullets won’t hurt me now, because you can’t kill what isn’t alive…”

“Why are you here?” Sunset asked.

Adagio grinned and stepped forward, causing Sunset to flinch. “You think you’ve seen the last of me… You don’t even know the beginning of my power, you don’t know what resources I have available to me… For all you know, I could be back to life already, preparing to kill you… Or better yet… Maybe I’ll kill that little Twilight of yours…”

“You stay the fuck away from her!” Sunset yelled, thrusting the gun in Adagio’s direction.

“Or you’ll do what? Kill me?” Adagio chuckled.

She took in a breath and the bullets in her face all fell out and onto the floor. Before Sunset knew it, the wounds she had created healed up instantly, leaving the woman looking clean and youthful once more. She approached Sunset and used her hand to lower the gun in Sunset’s hand. Adagio’s free hand came upward and rested on Sunset’s cheek.

“When you mess with darkness… It always has a way to follow you… Doesn’t it, Sunset?” Adagio’s voice grew quiet and sinister sounding.

“I’m not that person anymore…” Sunset shook her head.

“Aren’t you? Seems like you were pretty quick to try and kill me… Maybe… You’re not as in control as you think you are? In fact, maybe Twilight should be more afraid of you…” Adagio grinned.

“I’d never hurt her!” Sunset protested.

“Maybe… But you don’t know what the other you is capable of do you?” Adagio chuckled playfully.

“You should shut up about things you don’t understand…” Sunset growled, her patience wearing thinner and thinner by the second.

“I understand you gave into her once… And you almost gave into her again when you were fighting me, it’s only a matter of time, Sunset. The lure is too strong, and you know it… Either way, you know this isn’t over… One day, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow… But one day… You’ll have to face the consequences of you coming to this world, you can’t just stay here forever…” Adagio lectured.

“You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do…” Sunset reminded.

Adagio nodded and laughed. “You’re right…”

Suddenly Sunset felt a sharp pain in her gut. She looked down and through hazy vision could see Adagio’s hand pushed into her stomach, ripping out the back of her. Blood spewed out of the fresh wound and Adagio looked up to Sunset and grinned.

“Darkness is always right around the corner, Sunset Shimmer…” Adagio whispered, "and it's waiting for you to give in..."

Another sharp pain overcame Sunset as Adagio’s hand ripped out of her. As she collapsed to the floor, feeling life itself leave her, she closed her eyes.

When Sunset’s eyes reopened she was sleeping in the same bedroom. She looked around and noted there was no blood anywhere or any sign of a siren standing in her room. She lifted the sheets off of herself and looked down at her exposed stomach. She was still completely intact.

Sighing, the redhead fell back onto her pillow and shook her head. “Fuck… Another nightmare… How much longer are these going to go on…?”

She calmed herself and closed her eyes. “It’s just a dream… Don’t worry about it, Sunset…” She told herself.

Still, she felt a nagging in her mind, a nagging that she knew she would need to quell. She had to know that Adagio couldn’t come back, that sirens stayed dead. That meant she needed to talk to two people that she had hoped never to see again. If she wanted the piece of mind that she was safe from Adagio, she needed to talk to Aria and Sonata.

Being out and about with Rarity for a day of shopping proved exhausting, as it always was when one gave Rarity the chance to indulge one of her favorite past times. The woman had too much energy when it came to shopping or fashion, however as Twilight knew, when going to someone for improving her wardrobe to impress Sunset, Rarity was the best bet. Now that her date with the girl had gone well, she wanted to improve her entire ensemble to be more alluring.

Twilight was starting to find a newfound confidence to dress a little more complimentary toward her figure and to “show off” a little more of what she had to work with, as Rarity would put it.

The duo had been through at least eight stores already, and Rarity had a handful of bags filled with clothing for Twilight to wear, after forcing her to try on nearly the entire store selection of each store. Twilight, of course, was the one expected to carry said bags.

Huffing and puffing from exhaustion, Twilight kneeled slightly and tried to catch her breath after the two had gone up a flight of stairs. “Hey… Rarity… Maybe we could… Take a break… Get lunch or something?” Twilight asked.

Rarity frowned and put on a pouty face. “Awwww… But we have yet to go to Hot Topic! I was thinking maybe we could try an alternative look for you on some days… I know Sunset is into that, and I bet the whole dark look would be very cute on you…”

“Maybe… After lunch…?” Twilight raised a brow.

Sighing, Rarity nodded. “Oh… Alright… I’ll pay for us, my treat for humor me for so long…”

“Long” was an understatement, the two had been there since the mall opened.

Twilight frowned. “You don’t have to do that… I have money…”

Rarity shook her head. “It’s fine, I make money from my sales and Applejack works at the auto shop during the day, we’re actually doing quite well. Though… That’s mostly because she works a good fifty hours a week…”

Twilight blinked. “Wait, Applejack works that much and then comes home and does farm work!?”

Rarity frowned and nodded. “Sadly… Yes… Applejack wants to try and give me the life she thinks I deserve and despite me always telling her to stop pushing herself so far, she doesn’t listen. She’s exceptionally stubborn… But, as a result, we are financially secure.”

A part of Twilight’s heart seemed to light up as she heard Rarity’s appreciation for her wife. She longed for a relationship like that with someone, where every extra mile you took was always recognized, and Twilight could see that the concern on Rarity’s face was genuine. The bookworm could already imagine the kinds of conversations the two of them would have regarding Applejack’s health and how working so hard was not the best thing for her. Hearing that Applejack was that stubborn though came as no surprise.

“You really care about her, huh?” Twilight asked.

Rarity nodded and placed her hands on her heart. “I do… Applejack is precious to me. I gave up very much for us to be together and she knows that, which is why she always tries twice as hard for me… I wish she wouldn’t though, I wish she’d understand that I don’t mind giving things up if means I can be with her. You know how she is though, darling… In Applejack’s mind, I deserve her and everything else…”

“She loves you, that’s all, Rarity,” Twilight reminded.

“There was never any doubt.” Rarity winked.

The two found some seats at the food court at the mall and sat down while they contemplated what to eat.

Rarity smirked as she leaned in over the table, her chin resting in her hands as she propped herself up via her elbows over the table. Her long lashes fluttered as she looked at Twilight. “So…”

“So?” Twilight raised a confused brow.

“You and Sunset… How did your little date go? You haven’t told me yet…” Rarity grinned.

“I knew this was coming…” Twilight sighed.

Rarity giggled and nodded. “Well, certainly you knew that my curiosity would not be kept at bay forever. I’m dying to know the details… What happened between the two of you?”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight sighed and leaned in to speak. “It was… Well, the date was fun, and it wasn’t awkward or anything. I definitely felt the chemistry between us…”

“And…?” Rarity’s brow rose expectantly, knowing Twilight was omitting the juiciest of details, making Rarity beg for the most interesting gossip.

“We… Made out…” Twilight blushed.

“Ooooooo! Now that is adorable! Were you nervous?” Rarity leaned in excitedly as her feet kicked rapidly under the table for a brief moment.

Twilight was unsurprised by Rarity’s interest in the subject and knew that there was a good chance she would be expected to divulge the details to her at some point, it was Rarity after all.

“Very…” Twilight admitted.

“How was it though?” Rarity nodded.

“Amazing… Probably the most excitement I’ve felt in my entire life… I probably would have willingly given myself to her if she allowed it… Am I too eager?” Twilight tilted her head in wonder.

Rarity giggled and shook her head. “Twilight, you’re a virgin at your age… It’s natural to want to cut to the chase, so to speak… You are still a virgin, right?”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t go that far.”

“Just checking… When you do finally… Well… Get intimate, you must tell me!” Rarity squealed.

Twilight rubbed her neck nervously, unsure of what to say to that statement. “Well… I… I’m not really even sure what I would do if I was in that scenario…”

“I can loan you a few books on the subject…” Rarity winked.

“Books are good, I prefer to learn things from books…” Twilight nodded.

Giggling, Rarity nodded back. “I know you do, Twilight.”

Sunset had decided that meeting with the two remaining sirens in the human world would be too dangerous alone. While she knew that they had no magic left and even helped her take down Adagio, she still wanted to be cautious around them. As a backup, she decided to take Moondancer along with her.

Looking over the address texted to her, Sunset stood at the sidewalk hopping out of her car with Moondancer following closely. Sunset squinted and caught a glimpse of Moondancer’s tank top and shorts combo before returning her attention to the address of the apartment building the two were standing at. She looked up at the building from her phone and blinked.

“Not much to look at…” Moondancer spoke, practically reading Sunset’s mind.

Sunset reached to her neck and touched her choker, gently running her finger along her magic geode, ready to dispense some powerful spells if the situation called for it.

“I guess it doesn’t pay much to be a siren with no powers in the human world, does it?” Sunset suggested, though clearly more as a joke.

“I wonder what these girls do even to afford living here…” Moondancer placed a hand on her chin as she contemplated the thought.

Sunset nodded in agreement. “I’m curious myself…”

“Well, what did you do when you were an undocumented alien from another universe with no means to support yourself?” Moondancer raised a brow.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset gave a curt reply, “I collected cans and caught fish to sell to farmers down at the farmer’s market…”

Moondancer began giggling until she noted that Sunset’s expression didn’t change. “Oh… Wait… You’re serious?”

“Why would I lie about that?” Sunset crossed her arms and put on an annoyed expression.

Sensing the newly created tension, Moondancer waved her hands frantically. “Well… You’re going great now!”

Sunset rolled her eyes and decided to let it go, there wasn’t much sense in dwelling on the past, after all, not to mention Moondancer meant no harm.

The two returned their attention to the apartment complex in front of them. “So… the other two sirens really live there, huh?”

Sunset merely nodded in response.

Taking a few steps forward, Sunset felt Moondancer’s hand on her shoulder, stopping her. She turned to face the bespectacled woman with her eyebrow raised in confusion.

“Sunset… Are you sure it’s safe? I mean their friend murdered Shimmer and almost killed you… Even with the two of us and your magic… I don’t know if it’s a good idea to lock ourselves in with them…” Moondancer frowned.

Sunset smiled at her friend and shook her head. “Don’t worry, if worse comes to worse…” Sunset reached into her bag to reveal a powerful looking firearm tucked away in her purse. Moondancer’s eyes widened at the sight of such a weapon. She cringed lightly; memories of the last time she held a gun already pouring back into her head. She was thankful that she didn’t use it to kill anyone, but she had hoped that would be the last time she held one.

“That’s…” Moondancer shook her head, unable to finish that sentence.

“A last resort… I promise…” Sunset smiled as she stuffed the weapon back into her purse.

“Alright… I trust you…” Moondancer frowned.

“Let’s get this over with…” Sunset sighed as the two approached the building.

After a good few seconds of walking, the two came to a stairwell and made their way up to the second floor. After reaching the desired door numbered B-8, Moondancer and Sunset looked at each other before Sunset tapped on the door lightly.

A voice called from inside, muffled slightly by the door. “Come in.”

Obeying, Sunset turned the knob and allowed Moondancer and herself to enter the room. Stepping inside, they noted how small the place was, probably no bigger than Sunset’s old apartment, if not smaller. Sitting on the couch was a rather bored looking Sonata flipping through a magazine.

On the old beat up recliner sat Aria, a work uniform sporting the logo of Taco Bell on her and a cigarette burning between her fingers. “Oh, it’s you… I didn’t say you could bring a friend…” Aria pointed with her cigarette to Moondancer.

“I figured it’d be more appropriate if it was two people meeting two other people…” Sunset explained.

Aria chuckled. “Funny, you think I actually believe that you see us as people?”

There was silence after that statement. Sunset merely stood still, not wanting to answer that question one way or another. Finally, after realizing that Sunset wasn’t going to budge, Aria gestured toward the couch next to Sonata. “Sit,” she instructed.

Moondancer hesitated as she eyed Sonata, who didn’t seem to even notice the two were in the room as she continued to flip through her magazine. Her mind was clearly elsewhere as the two women stood in their apartment. Eventually, both Sunset and Moondancer realized that Aria wasn’t going to talk until the two of them took a seat.

Sunset decided since she had the weapon she would put herself between Moondancer and Sonata, to ensure that Moondancer would be the furthest away from danger if the situation turned sour. Sunset kept a hand on her purse at all times, ready to draw her weapon if she needed it in a pinch.

Moondancer just sat there with her hands in her lap, leaning forward awkwardly as she waited for the conversation to begin.

There was tense silence only interrupted by the sounds of Aria exhaling smoke.

“So… How have you all been?” Sunset began.

“Sunset Shimmer, why are we pretending that you give a shit about us? Seriously, you came here to ask us some questions, and I’m pretty sure this wasn’t so we could become good friends… I am well aware that you have some negative feelings regarding our kind, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t waste my fucking time…” Aria sneered.

Sunset sighed and nodded, realizing that putting up a pleasant facade was simply a waste of time. “Alright, then let’s cut right to the chase. I need answers to some very important questions…”

“Go ahead… I’m listening…” Aria nodded, taking another drag of her cigarette.

In her head, her first question sounded incredibly stupid, but she needed to know for sure. “Is there any way for a siren to come back to life?”

“Planning on killing us or something?” Aria chuckled.

Moondancer decided to speak on Sunset’s behalf. “She is wondering if there might be some way that Adagio could come back from the dead?”

“Back from the dead? Why are you worried about something like that?” Aria’s brow rose.

The subject seemed to even have attracted Sonata’s attention, who had lowered her magazine and looked in the group’s general direction as she listened. “Can that happen, Aria? Can sirens come back to life after death…?”

“Of course not, stupid…” Aria rolled her eyes, already exhausted with Sonata and her stupidity.

“You’re sure?” Sunset asked.

“Yes, I’m fucking sure. Not a siren in history has ever done it, we’re no different than you mortals; dead is forever. You’re brown bread, you don’t come back…” Aria answered, still a bit confused as to why this was even a subject of interest to Sunset.

“What about… Lasting effects of siren powers? Nightmares specifically?” Sunset asked.

Aria put out her cigarette in an ashtray and leaned forward. “Look, as far as I know, sirens can only control you while they are alive. I’ve never heard of a siren able to affect someone’s dreams after they die. Then again, I don’t meet many sirens. That being said, whatever shit is going on in your head is likely your own paranoia.” Aria had put two and two together and figured out partially why Sunset might ask such questions.

“Relax, Adagio is dead; she can’t come back to get you…” Aria reassured.

Sonata nodded in agreement, not having much to add.

“See, Sunset? Nothing to worry about.” Moondancer smiled at her friend, hoping this would put the matter to rest for Sunset.

Sunset wasn’t entirely satisfied however, she still had more questions for the two creatures. “You mentioned something about a Siren’s Curse?”

Sonata’s face turned pale at the mention of the curse. She looked over at Aria with a nervous expression and shook her head disapprovingly. Aria nodded in silent agreement before shaking her head at Sunset and Moondancer. “Sorry, I can’t tell you anything about that…”

Squinting, Sunset leaned in. “And why not?”

“Some things are taboo for our kind to tell mortals. Some things are kept secret for a reason…” Aria explained.

“What difference does it make now? Adagio is dead…” Sunset reminded.

Aria grunted and looked away. “Be that as it may… I am not going to trust a mortal with that kind of information. I don’t care if we’re not enemies, the fact remains that you still fucked us over, Sunset Shimmer… You destroyed our amulets and thus cursed us to be stuck here until we eventually age and die a slow death like mortals. I don’t trust you any further than I can throw you, so you won’t get shit out of me…” Aria hissed.

“Same here!” Sonata agreed as she nodded, though likely just echoing whatever it was Aria was thinking. Without Adagio, it looked like Aria had stepped up to be the leader of the two.

Sunset couldn’t blame them, after all, Aria had a point. Were it not for Sunset and her friends, the sirens would still have their magic. Still, the fact that Aria was so adamant about not answering only made Sunset more suspicious.

“I don’t see what the big deal is…” Sunset blinked.

Aria scoffed and looked away. “Look… All you need to know is that the Mother’s Scorn is something that affects all of us sirens should we…” She blinked and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, the point is that I’m not allowed to tell you about it…”

“Mother’s Scorn? I thought you said it was called The Siren’s Curse?” Moondancer interjected.

“It’s called both, but The Siren’s Curse is the more common name for it,” Sonata pointed out.

“Shut up, Sonata! Don’t tell them anything more!” Aria scolded.

Sonata frowned and sunk down in her seat.

Sunset came to a stand and gestured for Moondancer to do the same. She had determined that they had acquired all the information out of the pair that they were going to give up without things turning ugly. Sunset was curious about Mother’s Scorn, but as long as she knew that Adagio wasn’t able to come back to life, that was good enough for her.

“Come on, Moondancer…” Sunset said, her eyes locked with Aria’s.

“And for what it’s worth… Dooming you all to a mortal existence was never our intention… We were obligated to protect the people of this world from being enslaved by your powers… It wasn’t anything personal…” Sunset said.

“A day will come where you will have to prove that, Sunset Shimmer, prove to us that you have no prejudice, for your sake, you better hope that I believe it.” Aria sneered.

Sunset nodded and walked toward the door with Moondancer only to be stopped by Aria’s arm in the way. “Hey… For what it’s worth… I am sorry about your friend Shimmer… We didn’t have any hand in that, but if I could go back, I’d have stopped Adagio before it was too late…”

Sunset smiled and nodded. “I know… You went to her grave to drop off flowers, after all.”

Aria couldn’t think of anything to say in response. Instead, she moved her arm and allowed the two girls to leave. On her way out of the door, Sunset said nothing, but she knew that one day she might learn the sirens’ secrets, one day they may actually be able to move past their differences and maybe even be friends.

The reminder that Aria delivered flowers to Shimmer’s grave and that the two sirens didn’t condone what Adagio did at least brought Sunset hope that not all sirens were monsters perhaps.

At least she had the closure she needed in knowing that Adagio would not come back to haunt her. That was one demon at least that she could put to rest, though she knew she had quite a few more.

Sunset’s routine target practice felt much more stressful than usual. Despite her earlier relief in knowing that Adagio was dead, a new omen loomed over her. Sunset knew that Adagio couldn’t come back now, beyond any reasonable doubt but somehow she still felt anxious.

She found herself unable to focus, unable to concentrate and as a result, her shooting was far off her usual level of marksmanship. Sunset knew she was distracted, but she couldn’t take her mind off of a certain subject.

Adagio was dead, but so was Shimmer. Adagio not coming back meant… No. Sunset didn’t want to even think the words. The reality that Adagio was dead for good had reminded Sunset that Shimmer also was dead for good. Both girls shared the same fate, and she was recalling how she felt right after Adagio had been put to death, she felt nothing; Sunset felt empty. The death of the siren had done nothing to heal her pain, instead, Sunset turned to other means.

For those first few weeks, she had thought that if Adagio’s life ending didn’t stop her pain then she needed to join Shimmer. They were easily the darkest weeks of her life. It was a challenge every day not to put one of the many guns in the house in her mouth, or drive her car at full speed into a tree. She even recalled at one point staring at a bottle of rat poison for several hours, somehow finding the resolve to not partake in any of those ideas though, she had survived. She had survived and she was lying to herself if she said it didn’t still bother her.

The harsh reality was that Shimmer died in her place. She gave her life to keep Sunset alive, to protect her. Sunset wanted to feel grateful, she wanted to feel happiness that someone would care so much about her, but she was struggling to not feel anything more than guilt. That guilt in turn only made her feel more guilty for not being able to be completely happy.

In the past few weeks, talking to Twilight again and her friends had made her forget, made her move past those dark thoughts, but it wasn’t enough at times. Moments of weakness like this one still crept up on her.

Sunset shook her head and looked down to the gun in her hand, noticing her fingers trembling. Nervously, she placed the gun down and decided it was best to leave it there. She couldn’t trust herself when she was in such a state, and she knew that. She had to do something to get herself under control.

She stepped backward, her eyes locked on the gun, but she stole herself in her determination and managed to back her way out of the room. Closing the door behind her, Sunset let out a long sigh before sinking down to the floor, her back against the wall as her legs arched up and allowed her to rest her arms on her knees as she sat there trembling.

“Fuck…” She said quietly, her voice shaking.

Sunset knew she couldn’t fall back into the same traps. She needed to speak up about what she was going through.

Reaching for her phone, she contemplated calling Twilight, but decided that perhaps her difficult personal problems were a bit too much for their early relationship. Twilight deserved to see her at her best at that time, and she wanted to better herself for Twilight.

Going with the next obvious choice, she dialed Moondancer’s number and held the phone tightly to her ear.

It was only a moment or two before Moondancer answered. “Sunset? What’s up? How you been since our trip to the sirens’ place yesterday?”

“I…” Sunset paused before answering, “not good…”

“What’s wrong?” Moondancer asked.

“I just…” Sunset could already feel tears streaming down her face, her eyelids became heavy as she closed them tight trying not to make it too obvious that she was crying, but failing tremendously. Her voice cracked as she tried to speak through sobs. “I can’t stop thinking… about Shimmer…”

Moondancer was quiet in her response. “Me neither… I still think about her all the time…”

“If I wasn’t here… If I didn’t come to this place… She’d still be alive…” Sunset sobbed.

“Sunset… You can’t blame yourself… What happened was a mistake… A mistake that you didn’t have any role in…” Moondancer reminded.

“I’ve dreamed so often about switching places with her… I’d do anything to go back and do that…” Sunset admitted.

There was a sigh on Moondancer’s part. “Sunset, you’ve been thinking those dark thoughts from before again haven’t you?”

Nodding, Sunset answered verbally over the phone. “Y-yeah… It’s… It’s not easy…”

Another sigh came from Moondancer. “Sunset, you’re too easy to relapse. You can’t keep letting this come back to haunt you… Maybe it’s time to see a professional?”

Sunset didn’t want to admit that Moondancer was right, but she knew it was true. Even if she couldn’t divulge the aspects of magic or being from another world to someone, she could still confide in a professional psychiatrist to help her through her feelings. She needed to face these demons or she might give into them.

“Y-you’re right…” Sunset admitted.

“I am…?” Moondancer sounded astounded at the admission.

“You’re not going to fight me this time?” Moondancer asked.

Wiping her eyes, Sunset took in a few breaths before responding. “N-no… It’s pretty clear that I have some kind of PTSD from all of this… I need help… I want to live… I want to be there for Twilight… I want my life back… I can’t be left alone right now… I can’t trust myself…”

Moondancer was silent as she heard Sunset start to sob on the other end.

“I feel so stupid…” Sunset let out.

“You’re not stupid. It takes a lot to admit you have a problem. I went to therapy for a while too, and I still go on occasion, there’s nothing shameful about it, Sunset,” Moondancer stated.

“I feel so weak…” Sunset sniffled.

“You’re not weak. You’re strong. You were strong enough to take down such a powerful siren without the help of dark magic, and you are strong enough to want to make it through this,” Moondancer assured her.

A small smile came to Sunset’s face as she nodded in agreement. Somehow despite her worldly experience, Moondancer seemed to say exactly what one needed to hear on occasion.

“Thanks, Moondancer…” Sunset managed to get out.

“No problem, promise me that you’ll go talk to a professional this week?” Moondancer pestered.

Nodding, Sunset agreed. “Yeah… I promise.”

Sunset felt her phone vibrate against her ear and pulled it away for a moment to check the screen. Sure enough, a photo she had taken of Twilight had come up on screen, and Sunset found herself smiling.

When she placed the device back up to her ear, her tone had changed to a more light-hearted one. “Hey, Moondancer, can I call you back? Twilight is trying to call me.”

“Sure, try and take care of yourself, okay?” Moondancer instructed.

“Yeah, I will,” Sunset answered before hanging up and picking up the second call.

“Hey, Twilight,” Sunset said.

“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Twilight asked.

“You? You’re never interrupting, babe.” Sunset smiled.

There was a short pause from Twilight. “B-babe…?”

“You don’t like it?” Sunset asked.

“No! I love it! I just… I’ve never had an affectionate pet name before…” Twilight admitted.

“So it’s okay if I call you ‘babe’ then?” Sunset giggled.

“Absolutely,” Twilight replied.

Both of the girls broke out into a fit of giggles, and the moment of joy had washed over Sunset and made her forget about the stress and negative feelings from just a few moments ago. It was amazing how Twilight was able to calm Sunset so easily.

“So, I was wondering… If you wanted to catch a movie tonight? Maybe… Around eight?” Twilight asked, trying her best to sound nonchalant.

“A date then?” Sunset smirked.

“Alright… A date…” Twilight replied.

Sunset chuckled. “How much of the movie are we actually going to see?”

“W-what’re you implying!?” Twilight gasped.

“Maybe you’ll find out… So… eight then?” Sunset giggled.

“A-alright… eight it is,” Twilight agreed.

“See you then, babe.” Sunset hung up with those words and sighed contently. Things were starting to look up for her.

Sitting at an immaculate new mahogany desk, a young colt rested his head on his hoof as he let out a sigh, wallowing in his extensive boredom. A middle-aged Pegasus went over the founding of Equestria for probably the eighth time that school year and he was finding it difficult to focus.

With a hum of magic from his horn, the young unicorn twirled a strand of his long white mane. The end of his long silky mane coming to gentle curls naturally. His purple eyes struggled to stay open as he listened to what he believed to be a meaningless recap lecture.

“Eclipse!” The teacher boomed in his direction, causing the colt to flinch and jolt his attention forward. “Since you’re so enthralled over there, perhaps you’d like to tell the class the name the place where the first unification meeting was held?”

Eclipse yawned and shrugged. “Sorry, Ms. Ruler...”

Ms. Ruler nodded as she pointed a hoof in his direction. “Please pay attention, Eclipse.”

He shrugged but nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Before she had the chance to reprimand him any further, however, another pony entered the classroom with a note floating in front of her, held in place by a magic aura from the older mare’s horn. The teacher took it from her in her wing and began to run her eyes across the contents. Nodding at the other mare, Ms. Ruler set the note down on the table and watched as the door swung open.

Entering the room was a young griffon, his feathers draping over his left eye, white with a grey tint toward their tips. His claw sported a grey banded bracelet and his coat was a very dark brown, looking almost black, but his face was a light off-white.

As he looked toward the class, Eclipse caught sight of the griffon's soft pink eyes, which were contrasting to his rough exterior.

Around the creature’s neck was a pendant shaped like some kind of long crystal. He and Eclipse made eye contact for a brief intense moment before the griffon looked toward the rest of the class.

Ms. Ruler cleared her throat. “Class, this is Galeal Drift. His parents just moved here from Cloudsdale and I’d like you all to make him feel welcome.”

The class gave off a murmur of hellos, most of which sounded barely even half-hearted.

“Galeal, why not tell the class about yourself?” Ms. Ruler suggested as she smiled in his direction.

He shrugged and then looked at the class. “Dunno... Like... I like flying... I guess...”

Sensing that Galeal clearly wasn’t the talkative type, Ms. Ruler decided it might be best to move forward. “We were actually about to talk about the science fair coming up, why don’t I partner you up with someone so you can get caught up to speed quickly?”

Galeal just shrugged. “Whatever...”

Ms. Ruler scanned the room for potential candidates. While it was tempting to place the new student with a student she already was certain would produce great results, the educator in her locked her eyes on Eclipse. A small smile came to her face as she thought it over. A partner may finally make the boy focus.

“How about Eclipse over there.” Ms. Ruler pointed to the unicorn in the back of the room.

Eclipse snapped out of his trance and looked at his teacher with empty eyes, unsure of how to respond to the suggestion.

“I trust this won’t be a problem, will it Eclipse?” Ms. Ruler raised her brow.

Eclipse looked back at Galeal, noting that the griffon was now staring directly at him. The two held eye contact for some time before Eclipse spoke, still not breaking their stare off as Eclipse caught an eye full of Galeal's lazy expression, eyes half closed, yet somehow still powerful. Eclipse noted how uninterested the griffon looked.. “No, it’s fine...” Eclipse said.

Ms. Ruler smiled contently. “Excellent! Galeal why don’t you sit here in the front row?”

The griffon finally broke intense eye contact with Eclipse and nodded. He took his seat and slouched backward as the teacher returned to her lecture. Eclipse however found himself unable to hear a word she was saying, his mind remained focused on the new addition to the class.

Sunset arrived on time for her date with Twilight. She stood in the parking lot of the theatre after stepping off of her motorcycle. She removed her helmet and placed it onto the seat, attaching a safety chain to it before scanning the parking lot to find Twilight not even eighty paces away.

The girl approached and looked at Sunset’s motorcycle with concern and intrigue. She wondered how safe such a contraption really was, but held her tongue.

“Hey…” Twilight gave an awkward wave.

“Hey, babe.” Sunset smirked.

Twilight shuffled awkwardly as a blush crossed her face, unsure of how to handle the affectionate pet name calling.

“Hey… S-sweetie…?” Twilight attempted to sound convincing back at Sunset, but there was an aura of nervousness in her voice, causing Sunset to merely chuckle.

“That’s adorable…” Sunset giggled.

A frown came to Twilight. “You don’t like it?”

“No, no, it’s fine. You can call me whatever pet name you like, I just thought it was adorable how hard it is for you,” Sunset pointed out.

Twilight nodded before offering her hand and looking away. “Did you… Want to walk me into the theatre?”

Sunset grinned before taking Twilight’s hand and using her other hand to grab Twilight’s waist, pulling the bookworm in close, their bodies touching. “I haven’t even had a kiss yet…”

Looking up into Sunset’s eyes, Twilight was mesmerized. She could only nod gently in agreement and allow Sunset to take whatever she liked from her. Sunset, of course, indulged herself to her heart’s content, leaning in and connecting lips with Twilight affectionately, gripping her waist and keeping her balanced as Twilight reached up and gripped Sunset’s shirt while they kissed.

Holding each other for a brief moment longer, their lips disconnected, and Sunset rested her forehead on Twilight’s. “I’m glad you practiced on the mirror…”

“Oh shut up… Why did you have to bring that story back up…?” Twilight rolled her eyes, a blush on her face.

Sunset reached down and placed her hand on Twilight’s cheek as they locked eyes. “It’s a cute story… and clearly, it worked because you’re a great kisser…”

“You have nothing to compare my kisses to…” Twilight pointed out, the scientist in her shining through.

Giggling, Sunset nodded. “True, but perception is reality, right?”

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t dream about kissing you…” Twilight admitted.

“Better than the dream?” Sunset asked.

Twilight nodded confidently. “Definitely.”

Placing her arm behind Twilight and resting her hand on the girl’s waist, Sunset lead the two toward the theater, the two exchanging little looks at each other and nuzzles as they bought their tickets and headed inside.

The movie remained predictably mostly unseen as the two young women had become distracted by the prospect of making out. At first, they both tried to resist, but after the second or third kiss they gave into their desires and took advantage of the dark theatre.

When the film ended, Sunset and Twilight walked back out into the parking lot holding hands. “Man, I can’t believe how much like the book it was,” Twilight commented.

“To be fair any inaccuracies we may not have noticed due to not really seeing most of it...” Sunset pointed out.

Twilight’s face flushed red but she nodded. “Well, we can always see it again... I mean the book was great so I don’t mind seeing it again.”

“Yeah, The Circlet of Feydra was a great novel, glad they stayed true to it in the film.” Sunset smiled.

Reaching Sunset’s motorcycle, Twilight checked her phone. “Well, I should call my ride...”

Sunset blinked and placed her hands on Twilight’s hips, gently swaying the girl left and right as she stared into her eyes. “Awwww, come on, come home with me. We can have a little wine, have a good time...”

Twilight’s eyes were drawn toward the motorcycle, and gulped nervously at the contraption. “O-on that thing…?”

The redhead looked over at her bike and then back to Twilight with a smile. “Just hold on really tight to me, you’ll be fine.”

Somehow those words didn’t bring Twilight any further comfort. However, she gritted her teeth and nodded in agreement.

The ride home was mostly uneventful, shy of Twilight yelping and screaming for her life every time they so much as hit a crack in the road. Sunset was a fast driver, and clearly enjoyed the thrills that a motorcycle offered, Twilight… Not so much.

By the time they had reached Sunset’s home, Twilight looked up at the impressive estate, reminded of how lavish the house that Sunset lived in truly was.

Stepped off of her bike and removing her helmet, Sunset gestured for Twilight to follow her as she opened the front door. “Come on, the wine isn’t going to drink itself.”

Nodding, Twilight followed close behind before the two arrived in the living room. Sunset grinned and kissed Twilight on the forehead before telling her to stay put. “I’ll go get some, I’ll be right back.”

“Alright…” Twilight smiled sheepishly. Truthfully she wasn’t much of a drinker and given that both of them were underage, that made sense, however, she mostly just wanted an excuse to spend time alone with Sunset in her home. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t wish something would happen between them, but she knew the chances were unlikely.

As Sunset exited the room, Twilight began to wander and noticed something sitting on a bookshelf in the back of the room. She approached gently and found herself trembling as she reached down and touched the object sitting there.

A long silver barrel, with a revolving chamber, it was perhaps one of the finest looking revolvers that Twilight had ever seen. Most of the ones she saw were in movies, but sometimes she caught a glimpse of the weapons that Shining used for work. Gulping, Twilight picked it up and opened the chamber to see if it had been fired.

Strangely there was only a single bullet left, the other five had been fired. Twilight wondered who Sunset was shooting at, but decided to put the weapon back before Sunset returned and saw her examining it. She scurried back over to the couch where she sat down and awaited Sunset’s return, her mind fresh with questions about the gun in the room.

Sunset returned eventually with wine and glasses in tow. She offered one to Twilight, who took it gracefully. Sunset cracked open the bottle and smiled at her friend as she began pouring. “Say when.”

Twilight admittedly didn’t drink much, she had tried a beer or two while she was attending the university, but truthfully she didn’t get invited to many parties and she wasn’t very big on alcohol. However, she didn’t want to seem too much light a lightweight to Sunset so she allowed the redhead to pour a relatively full glass before cutting her off.

Sunset nodded when she finished pouring and proceeded to fill her own glass to the brim, causing Twilight’s eye to twitch ever so slightly to see how much Sunset could handle.

Setting the bottle down, Sunset lifted her glass and winked at Twilight before taking a large sip, bringing the contents down at least a full inch.

Not to be outdone, Twilight forced down a sip and noted how sweet the wine was. Sunset seemed satisfied with her facade and giggled before taking another sip herself.

“Look at us… Sitting in a mansion, drinking wine… Making out at movies… I never would have imagined this would be my life when I arrived here years ago.” Sunset giggled.

“You arrived eight years ago now, right?” Twilight asked.

“That sounds about right…” Sunset looked up in thought as she contemplated it. It truly had been nearly a decade since she first arrived.

Twilight grew quiet as she asked her next question. “So your parents haven’t seen you in almost eight years?”

“Actually… It’s closer to twelve for them…” Sunset stated plainly.

Raising a brow, Twilight forced down another sip of her drink, starting to become accustomed to the taste. “Twelve? How do you figure that?”

Sunset gulped down more of her drink, putting the glass at only a quarter full. “You’ll probably be fascinated by the scientific part of it, but when I came here, I arrived through an unstable portal. Similar to the sirens, and with similar effects. The only difference, however, was that I was only displaced in time a small amount comparably…”

“If I recall when they arrived via Starswirl’s spell, they were sent a good few centuries into the future?” Twilight recalled the Princess’ lecture on the semantics of it all.

Sunset nodded as she swirled her wine glass in her hand. “Yes, a similar principle, but I was only pushed ahead a good four years or so…”

Twilight squinted, as she already found a hole in that theory. “But you went back to Equestria after the Fall Formal, remember? You said your parents hadn’t filed a missing per- err… pony report on you?”

Sunset nodded. “Yes, that is true, and at the time I thought only five years had passed, which in the human world they had, but I never bothered to check any calendars or dates since I was only there for a few hours. With Princess Twi’s help, I have pieced it all together more recently. I have been away from Equestria for a good twelve years or so…”

Twilight would be lying if she didn’t find it all fascinating. “But wait… What about when you write to the Princess with the journal? Or when she comes here?”

A smirk grew on Sunset’s face. “Remember, the journal is a more stable source of magic, and the portal was stabilized based on the journal. Everything going through the new portal or written in the journal happens in real time, one for one.”

“I suppose that makes sense… Still crazy how magic works… I’d love to study it someday…” Twilight thought out loud.

The two grew silent, and Twilight found herself unable to keep her mind off of the question she truly wanted to ask. The question that she knew she would not be able to ignore until it was asked.

The girl took a breath and sighed. “Sunset…”

“Hmm?” The redhead said as she finished off her glass.

“There’s… a gun on the bookshelf over there… Only one round remaining…” Twilight began.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah… Target practice. I must have left it there, sorry. Pay no mind to it, okay?”

Twilight wanted to comment further, she wanted to call out Sunset’s bluff but they were having such a pleasant evening that she didn’t want to ruin it. Instead, she pushed it out of her mind and returned to the pleasant conversation with the girl she had grown to admire more and more.

Author's Note

A lot going on in this chapter, I know!

We also finally get to meet Eclipse! Who is he? Why should we care? Who's Galeal? Tune in next time to find out. Same bat time, same bat channel.

No, but seriously, we are finally getting to the "juicy" part of this story. This is sort of where you are going to start learning a lot of stuff happening in the background that is major important.

Oh, and Galeal is the first ever griffon that Applety has ever drawn! He's such a cutie too, isn't he? His name is pronounced "Gah-Leel" for those wondering.

Sorry for the late post, the laptop that has the scanner hooked up is a Windows machine still and decided it needed to do an unannounced update and we were on our way out the door so we had to delay the chapter until we got home. My wife, Applety actually recently got an iPad Pro to sort of "replace" her broken laptop, so my household is almost completely on Apple now. Lol.

Also, are you reading Silence of a Siren? You really should be reading Silence of a Siren. It's a side story set in the Shadowsverse. It tells the tale of Adagio and what happened prior to the events of the story. So if you want to devour more of this universe's backstory, I recommend you give that a read! New chapters for it every Thursday before Shadows!

Act IV - Chapter LII: Lust

Chapter LII: Lust

A group of young boys, no older than twenty or so sat at a table, waiting for their finely dressed waitress to approach so that they may satisfy their growing appetites. While their parents offered large enough allowances while they were away at college to afford much higher class places, they found themselves returning here all the time to this little diner on the outskirts of Sacramento on a regular basis.

The blonde of the group cleared his throat and lifted a menu, brushing his long skater hair out of his face. “Hey, Roll, how come we always come here again?”

Roll, a darker-skinned man with long curly black hair smirked and looked around the group, eyeing up the waitresses in cute maid outfits, accenting their features so flawlessly. “Come on, Clip… You know why…”

A third member of their group spoke up, poking his lime green hair up from behind a menu. “To check out the hot waitresses!”

“Right you are, Blade, some of Sacramento’s finest…” Roll grinned pervertedly, causing the other two boys to chuckle.

The fourth member of their group adjusted his knitted cap and rolled his eyes. His light brown hair sticking out slightly from under his hat, he quickly ran his hand through it to make sure it stayed up. Out of the four, he was certainly the least perverted, and often that made him the butt of jokes.

“Come on guys, let’s be cool here…” He rolled his eyes.

“Uh-oh, looks like Chase is being the fun police again…” Clip groaned as he rolled his eyes at his friend.

The rest of the group collectively groaned with Clip as Roll shook his head. “Man, don’t you ever get tired of being a boner killer, Chase?”

“I know why Chase is trying to kill the mood… He’s still hoping to talk to that waitress he has the hots for here…” Blade smirked.

Chase found a blush coming to his face as he sunk down and tried to hide how obvious he was being. “W-what? No way…”

“Dude, when are you just going to ask her out? She’s totally hot, get in there man!” Roll nudged Chase’s shoulder in encouragement.

“Knock it off guys…” Chase complained.

“Speak of the devil and she shall appear…” Clip stated as he pointed.

The rest of the group followed where Clip’s large finger lead them and sure enough, a familiar waitress approached them. Chase found himself staring.

Shoulder length wavy blue hair tied into two pigtails, shining gorgeous eyes, porcelain white skin, and a set of triple cartilage piercings on her left ear. Combined with the sexy maid outfit that she wore for work, she was a knockout, the kind of girl that would definitely be classified as “out of your league” to a guy like Chase. Part of him wondered how many guys asked her out on a regular basis here at her place of work. He imagined it was in the dozens, given how attractive she was.

“Hey guys, I take it classes are done for the day?” She asked with a genuine smile.

Chase loved her smiles, there was something about them that seemed so full, so energetic.

“Hey, Angel… So did Chase tell you that he got tickets to the big rock concert coming up?” Roll asked.

Chase blinked, already sensing where Roll was taking this, and a quick look around the table, the others were clearly ready to join in.

“Oh? That’s pretty cool, is Falling in Reverse going to be there? They’re my favorite!” Angel grinned.

“Definitely… You should see if you can convince him to part with a ticket, bet he'd love to take you…” Roll stated and gave a wiggle of his eyebrow at Chase as he peaked in his direction.

Chase wanted to punch him so badly at that moment. He wanted to strangle all of them.

“So… How would I go about getting said ticket from you, Chase?” Angel asked curiously, her hips wiggling as she placed her hands behind her back and shot him an innocent eye flutter.

The innocent way she asked made Chase’s heart beat faster. Angel Song was always cuter when she acted so nonchalant and innocent. It was part of the reason that he couldn’t ask her out, he got too nervous and then backed out.

“Well… Maybe like… We should hang out sometime?” He asked with a shrug, trying his best to be nonchalant, though internally cursing himself for being so horribly lame and pathetic at it.

His pathetic demeanor only made Clip facepalm and Blade shake his head in shame at his lack of metaphorical "game".

Angel placed a finger to her chin and thought it over. “Well… I get off in like twenty minutes… If you want we can hang out when I get out of work and change, sound okay?”

Chase couldn’t even believe what he was hearing. He was certain that this pathetic attempt would fall flat on its face, but it sounded like he was actually convincing her to spend time with him, and not out of pity at that.

Not wasting a second, and not giving her a chance to change her mind, he nodded. “Yeah, sounds cool. I’ll wait for you right here after we’re done, okay?”

Angel gave him a wink and a nod. “See you soon then. First though… Can I take your orders?”

With Rarity at her side as her trusted shopping expert (or addict depending on how one looked at it), Sunset had taken a trip to the Canterlot mall. Most of the time there was spent by Rarity complimenting Sunset’s immaculate sense of style that had been learned from Shimmer, and informing her that her makeup jobs were starting to become top-notch, followed by Sunset returning the compliment. The contest of flattery was par the course for any day out with the fashionista.

“I will say though… Applejack came home late the other night in a half-buttoned plaid shirt, her hair was an absolute mess, and while I’m definitely opposed to being filthy-“ Rarity was cut off by a snicker from Sunset.

“You? Opposing being dirty? That doesn’t sound like you at all… Are you sure you're feeling alright?” Sunset teased, the sarcasm in her tone obvious.

“Very funny… Anyway… I have to admit… The whole rugged thing… Really works for her… And for me obviously…” Rarity blushed as she walked at Sunset’s right side.

“Lemme guess… You tore her clothes off and had your way with her?” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Rarity touched her collarbone and gave a false offended look. “A lady does not kiss and tell but… Yes… She was so tired after that she didn’t even eat dinner, and that woman can truly eat by the way. A country style cooking childhood along with the insane amount of physical activity she does means feeding her is like feeding five men… She probably eats more than all of my ex-boyfriends combined...”

“Yeah, but AJ burns it off so fast and what she doesn’t burn off seems to go toward her tits and ass…” Sunset snickered.

Rarity frowned and nodded. “I knoooooow! It’s not fair! I so much as look at a cupcake and my stomach starts to extend, but she eats a dozen of them and all she gets is a more curvy rear and bigger boobs!”

Rarity’s constant jealousy over Applejack’s luscious figure always made Sunset giggle. Applejack had filled out pretty early in high school apparently, according to Rarity and her boobs seemed to only get bigger and bigger when she got older. The irony was that Applejack almost tried to hide how curvy she was, but had reached a point where it had become impossible. Applejack simply had to accept that she had a very impressive womanly figure, but she certainly wasn't going to do so without a fight.

It was amusing to think that someone who had such a feminine figure hated being so feminine, but that was Applejack. In reality, as much as they sometimes poked fun at her for being a “simpleton”, Applejack was far more complex than they gave her credit for. While she was honest to a fault, Applejack kept some cards close to her chest.

“You look good too, Rarity…” Sunset reminded.

Rarity smiled and nodded. “Thank you, darling, that means a lot but still… It’s easy for you to say because like Applejack you too have a nice behind and big boobs…”

“Rarity, your behind is definitely nicer than mine… I mean you have me on the boobs thing, but to be fair… it’s easier for you to find cute bras than me… I am forced to custom order just about everything… Why do you think I buy most of my lingerie from you? It's hard to find anything to cover your chest when it's this big.” Sunset grinned.

Fluttering her eyes appreciatively, Rarity flicked her impressive curled hair. “I just assumed you wanted the best of the best…”

“That is also true.” Sunset winked at her friend.

“Oh, you flatter me, Sunset Shimmer. Why a girl simply wouldn’t know what to do with all the praise you and our friends throw my way… Luckily, I’m a lady so I can handle it,” Rarity boasted.

She would have made a crack about being relatively conceited at that moment, but it wasn’t as if the praise Rarity received was unwarranted. Rarity truly was fabulous looking, and her work spoke for itself. She gave so much away for free and offered discount after discount to many of her friends and clients. Sunset recalled she ran a charity event where she made over one hundred different immaculate outfits to give to homeless people.

Recently she had taken in a woman named Coco Pommel who had always dreamed of entering the fashion world, but her family was far too poor to send her to design school. Rarity began to train her personally and then convinced the nearby Fashion Institute of Canterlot to open up a scholarship for the girl.

Truly, there wasn’t a single word of praise that came to Rarity that was without merit.

“You’ve accomplished so much in such a short time… It is pretty impressive…” Sunset smiled.

Rarity nudged her friend’s shoulder. “And what about you? You’re the richest woman in Canterlot now!”

Sunset frowned. “Yeah… But I didn’t really achieve that… It just sort of fell into my lap… And definitely not by the best circumstances…”

“Don’t let that bring you down though. You still have so much in the way of opportunity just waiting to happen. You can use your position to do amazing things, Sunset,” Rarity reminded.

Part of why Sunset enjoyed Rarity’s company was her uncanny ability to make one feel better about themselves. She was the kind of person that wanted to bring out people’s best qualities and make them see them.

“Thanks…” Sunset replied with a casual smile before noticing a store that they were about to pass.

“Oh shit, can we stop here for a second? I need to get something real quick…” Sunset stated before turning to enter the heavenly scented store.

Rarity turned and looked up, reading the logo above the store. It read “Yankee Candle”. Her brow raised as she followed slowly behind Sunset, gears in her head turning.

“Candles? What do you need those for…?” Rarity asked, “I mean not that I don’t love them, but it seems like an odd thing to suddenly-“

Rarity paused as something in her brain clicked, a devilish grin coming to her face. “Why Sunset… You sly thing!”

A blush quickly formed on Sunset’s face as she tried to avoid looking in Rarity’s direction, already knowing what she was being accused of. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“Do you really intend to try and convince me that you’re not planning on becoming intimate with Twilight tonight? Come on, Sunset, you should know better than trying to fool me in this area… I’m insulted you would try to keep such juicy gossip from me…” Rarity extended her lip in a pout as she crossed her arms.

Sighing, Sunset realized there was zero point in denial when Rarity had clearly already figured it out. “Alright… I’ll admit it… I kind of wanted to sort of… set the mood, I guess? I mean I am not even certain it’s going to happen and knowing me I’ll fuck it up somehow, but I wanted to be… prepared I guess?”

Rarity nodded in understanding as she pranced about the store looking at the options available to them. “In that case… I recommend a few of these… and a few of those to go with them…” Rarity began to point out some options to Sunset.

The two would end up spending far longer in the store than Sunset had anticipated, but Rarity’s insistence that Twilight deserved “the very best” kept Sunset there. She didn’t know if her plans would fall through that night, but she did know that she was prepared to take their relationship to that next step, and she hoped Twilight felt the same.

Angel Song found her way back to her apartment with a yawn and a sigh as she heaved her heavy backpack over her shoulder. She had changed out of her work uniform nearly eight hours ago and spent some time with Chase, one of her regular customers. It was pretty obvious that he had a huge crush on her, and while she enjoyed his company, the evening didn’t go quite as planned. She was ready to retire for the night and catch some much-needed rest.

Fidgeting with the keys in her pocket, Angel managed to locate the appropriate one and opened the door to her apartment, tossing her bag aside as she noted a familiar face sitting inside. Her persian blue eyes looked at Angel as she sat on the couch reading a book. Her eyeliner had been so expertly done that one would mistake her for an Instagram model if they didn’t know any better.

With crossed legs which were decorated with a pair of tight leggings, she peeked from behind her book and removed her legs from the coffee table.

Stepping more into the apartment, Angel could see that the girl’s purple hair had been tied into a messy bun while she read.

“Hey! You didn’t come right home! Where were you?” She asked.

Angel smiled at her roommate before approached and allowing herself to be pulled into a quick hug. “Sorry to worry you, Starlight. I just went to hang out with that guy who keeps flirting with me… Chase, I believe his name was?”

“No way! You finally gave him a chance!? Details girl!” Starlight tossed her book aside and pulled her feet onto the couch as she hugged her knees and leaned forward with excitement, eager to find out what happened between the two.

Angel shrugged. “Nothing really… He tried to kiss me but… I don’t know, I just sort of pulled away. It didn’t feel right to me… I can’t explain it…”

Starlight stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry. “Boooooo! I was expecting you to finally get laid!”

“Sorry to disappoint.” Angel grinned as she wandered toward the kitchen, ready to brew herself some coffee.

Not satisfied with her answer, Starlight followed and leaned against the entryway to the kitchen as she watched her friend. “What’s the problem? Chase is cute, and I’ve seen how he looks at you. What is holding you back this time?”

Angel sighed and shook her head. “The same thing that does every time, Starlight… You know this…”

Starlight mimicked Angel’s sigh and stepped into the room, pulling up a chair to sit at the small table in their little kitchen. Finding an apartment with a full sized kitchen wasn’t that easy in their area.

“I get that you got all this crap going on, but like… you can’t just hold out until the answers to all of your bullshit falls into your lap… There are at least a few million cute guys in Sacramento, one of them is bound to be understanding of your weird bull crap.” Starlight assured.

Angel shook her head. “It’s… More than that, Starlight… A lot more…”

“Enlighten me then…” Starlight raised a brow.

Standing in front of a mirror, Twilight held up two outfits, one a Summer dress, the other a blouse and shirt combo. She looked back and forth between the two trying to make a decision, however, after eight minutes of staring at herself in the mirror holding both sets of clothing, she was finding that the answer wasn’t coming to her by merely looking.

To her good fortune, however, her mother passed by her bedroom, noting the open door. Velvet poked her head into the room to see Twilight in her pajamas staring at a mirror with two outfits in hand. A smile came to her face as she stepped into the room.

“Knock, knock. Everything alright, sweetie?” Velvet asked.

Twilight blinked and turned to her mother with a quizzical look on her face. “Hey… mother… which of these do you think looks better?”

Velvet stepped closer and took both of the options in her own hands. She held the dress up to Twilight and examined it for a moment, trying to get a mental picture of how her daughter would look in it. After she was satisfied after only eight seconds of observation she held the other outfit up, trying to envision it as well.

With the second one, Velvet took her time thinking it over before eventually nodding her head and setting the dress down. “Go with the blouse and skirt, it accents you better, and it’s not too formal.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. She had a thought or two about the formality of the dress prior to asking her mother’s opinion, but she was at least glad to hear a confirmation. Not being too overdressed would be a good idea for her time with Sunset that night. She didn’t want to make herself come off as too eager, or too willing to impress after all.

“I guess that makes sense… Then I’ll go with that…” Twilight nodded in approval as she placed the hanger on her bed.

“Do you think… I need makeup…?” Twilight asked curiously, approaching a mirror as she did so and leaned in to get a better look at her face.

Velvet merely shook her head. “You look perfect without it. You’re not really a makeup kind of girl, anyway. Just be yourself.”

“Myself is lame…” Twilight frowned, keeping her eyes on the mirror.

“Apparently not to Sunset…” Velvet smirked.

“Yeah but like… I don’t want Sunset to think I’m just Twilight Sparkle, you know?” Twilight replied.

Velvet raised a curious brow. “And what would you prefer she think?”

“I don’t know… That I’m cool or something…” Twilight shrugged.

Velvet giggled and nodded. “I think she probably is indifferent toward that subject.”

Sighing, Twilight stepped away from the mirror and nodded. “Yeah… I guess you’re right… So I guess that brings me to my next question…” She reached into a drawer and retrieved a handful of bras of various appearances. “Hypothetically… Which one of these makes me look… sexier?”

Twilight’s mother stepped forward and took the bras in her hand, quickly flipping through them before settling on a light blue on and offering it to Twilight. “This should do the job, why though?”

Taking the bra from her mother, Twilight set the other ones back into the dresser drawer. “Oh… was just curious is all…” Twilight lied.

It didn’t take more than eight seconds for Velvet to connect the dots. A wide devilish grin came to her face as she leaned in excitedly. “Ooooooooh! I get it!”

“It’s not like that…” Twilight blushed.

“Cadence! Come quick!” Velvet poked her head out of the door and yelled down the hallway.

“Mom, wait-“ Twilight reached forward to try and stop her mother, but it was too late. She could already hear feet stomping down the hallway headed toward her room.

Twilight’s embarrassment levels were already skyrocketing and shot through the roof when Cadence had marched down the hall and entered her bedroom. “What’s going on, Velvet?”

“You’ll never guess what’s happening!” Velvet was practically bouncing from the excitement.

“It’s nothing! Just carry on!” Twilight shook her hands in front of herself, hoping to get Cadence to leave before her mother said anything more.

Twilight’s efforts were ineffective as Cadence only leaned in with interest. “What is it?”

“Little Twilight… Is going to get intimate with Sunset!” Velvet giggled gleefully.

“I didn’t say that!” Twilight protested.

Almost like watching a mirror reflect Velvet, Cadence began to dance in place and squeal equally as loud. “Oooooooh! That is sooooo cute!”

“This can’t get any worse…” Twilight thought out loud before facepalming.

As if the gods above disagreed with her, her brother poked his head into the room, causing Twilight’s heart to stop for a brief second. She internally cursed herself for challenging the heavens to such a pissing contest.

“Shiny! You’ll never guess what!” Cadence giggled.

“Don’t listen to them!” Twilight commanded as she gave an accusatory finger toward her mother and sister-in-law.

“What?” Shining ignored Twilight’s demand and raised a brow at his wife.

“Little Twilight is going to have sex!” Cadence clasped her hands together affectionately. “Isn’t that cute!”

“Ewww… Gross…” Shining stuck his tongue out. “I mean you’re old enough to make your own choices, Twilight but no offense… You’re my sister…”

“Oh stop being such a perv about it! It’s a magical experience, our little Twily is growing up!” Cadence giggled.

“I seriously wish I could be adopted by another family right now…” Twilight deadpanned.

Shining sighed and shook his head. “Twilight, are you actually considering this?”

Sighing, she decided since the topic was in the air and that everyone was interested, she could use the interest to her advantage. “Well… it has… crossed my mind… I suppose?”

Shining nodded and smiled at his little sister before stepping into the room. He approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking down at the girl with an approving grin. Something about Shining always put Twilight at ease; her older brother was always able to calm her down regardless of the situation.

“If you’re ready then go for it… But only if you’re ready. Don’t do anything that you’re not comfortable with doing and if Sunset cares about you… She’ll respect that…” Shining smiled at his younger sister.

Twilight blinked but nodded at his advice. “T-thanks, Shining… I trust her… I know she won’t force me into anything that I don’t want…”

“Then I trust her too.” Shining winked.

With that, unexpectedly, Twilight somehow had her family’s blessing, even if she had never wanted it.

Eclipse didn’t expect too much out of this meeting with his new lab partner. In actuality, he didn’t know what to think when he met the griffon. Galeal had sort of an uncaring aura about him and seemed disinterested in just about everything.

Eclipse spent the previous school day paying close attention to the griffon who would be his new partner for the foreseeable future, and he noted that he didn’t seem particularly talkative or interactive with class. When he was called on, he often shrugged or simply said he didn’t know the answer to the question that was being asked. It was clear that he simply didn’t enjoy school, at least that was what was clear from watching him from afar.

Up close, Eclipse could tell he was emotionally distant with most, often hiding his interior, not willing to open up to many.

Today, however, he had been told by his instructor that the two were to meet in the library after school and get to know each other before being stuck together for their project.

Sitting there waiting for the griffon in the empty library, Eclipse checked the clock, noting it was well past 4:00 PM, and actually was teetering closer to 4:15. He sighed and shook his head, making a mental note that he likely couldn’t expect Galeal to be punctual from here on out.

Just when the unicorn was ready to give up and simply head home, he heard the doors to the large school library swing open, and then standing at the entrance was that same uncaring face. Galeal’s beak opened and closed slightly as he chewed some gum. Walking past a trash can, he spit it out into the can and made his way toward Eclipse.

He lazily sat down across the table from Eclipse and blew gently on the feathers obscuring part of his face to get them out of the way (to little avail). There was a strong silence between the two before Galeal spoke, Eclipse had almost forgotten what his voice sounded like, he spoke so little. “So… Eclipse is it…?”

The griffon had an oddly perfectly masculine voice with just a hint of a feminine touch. There was something about it that felt unique. It was a stark contrast to Eclipse’s very effeminate voice. He always got picked on for sounding like a girl, his voice never really going through the male voice drop that puberty often brought about.

He nodded. “Yeah, that’s me… So Galeal then?”

“Yup, and before you ask, please don’t call me Gale… That’s my mom…” He rolled his eyes, already anticipating Eclipse’s next question.

“Alright… So I guess we’re stuck together on this project then?” Eclipse raised a brow.

Galeal nodded, not really showing any change of emotion on his face.

“I take it you don’t like school much?” Eclipse asked with a raised brow of his own.

Galeal just shrugged. “Not really… School’s dumb. Then again… A lot of crap is dumb…”

“Probably think that our class is dumb too?” Eclipse asked.

A gentle smirk appeared on the griffon’s face, the first that Eclipse had ever seen on him. “Definitely… Most of them are probably annoying and dumb…”

Pausing, Eclipse wondered if he should even ask his next question, however braving the storm, he sat up a bit straighter and spoke. “What about me? You think I’m dumb too, right?”

To Eclipse’s surprise, the smirk faded from Galeal’s face and instead he took on a more serious look. He paused momentarily before answering. “Dunno yet… I haven’t quite decided. So far you’re the only one who has been up front with me and hasn’t wasted my time asking me stupid questions pretending you give a crap trying to get to know me…”

“So you don’t like fake stuff then?” Eclipse surmised out loud.

He nodded in reply. “Now, you’re getting it… So what about you, Eclipse…? Are you fake?”

“Aren’t we all? I mean we all have to put on a stupid show for everyone around us… Pretending we’re interested in crap that we aren’t, right?” Eclipse shrugged.

Blinking, Galeal sat up a bit and his eyes opened slightly. “T-that’s right… Actually…”

“It gets a little tiring… Having to always put on a show, huh?” Eclipse asked.

Galeal’s smile returned, this time, however, it wasn’t a smirk, but a gentle genuine look of approval. “That’s why I don’t bother anymore… I just tell it to people straight… If I don’t like you, I just say it up front…”

“No complaints from me then…” Eclipse shrugged. “I’d rather someone told me I was being stupid than let me go on making a fool of myself…”

Galeal nodded slowly and his smile only grew. “I think we’re going to get along just fine, Eclipse…”

The evening came about almost like clockwork. Twilight was picked up by a driver, taken directly to the Shimmer estate where a fresh meal awaited the two ladies. The entire ride over, it had dawned on Twilight that she was being courted by a rich woman who could shower her with these kinds of luxuries. While Twilight wasn’t one for lavishness, she admitted internally that she could grow to like these kinds of gestures.

A private driver to take her to a private estate? She couldn’t deny it was appealing. While she had been inside the Shimmer estate plenty of times now, it still felt so massive, and she doubted she would ever see every room it had to offer. The building simply was too much, it was easy to be overwhelmed by it. She wondered if Sunset ever got lost in her own home. She did recall her mentioning that there were rooms that she herself had not even been in.

Reaching the driveway, Twilight looked out her window at the impressive garden. It was obvious that people came and tended to it on a weekly basis, as there was no way that Sunset was caring for such a large garden, especially given that Twilight didn’t recall her having much of a green thumb.

When the car made it to the front door, the driver parked and stepped out. The rather uptight looking man came around Twilight’s door and opened it for her, gesturing gracefully toward the front door with a bow. “The mistress awaits, Ms. Sparkle…”

Twilight found herself blushing from all the formality, but she nodded thankfully before stepping forward. Suddenly she felt horrendously underdressed in just a blouse and a short pleated skirt.

With a gulp she pushed the massive front door open and stepped inside, only to find herself greeted by a familiar canine companion who barked when he saw Twilight. The sudden sound surprised her and made her jump just a little.

Moon sat there wagging his tail affectionately as Twilight approached, giving him a gentle pat on the head. “Hey, boy, where’s your mommy?”

Moon barked in response and came to a stand. He turned around and walked slowly, clearly wanting Twilight to follow him. Twilight did as she reveled in how impressively trained he was. Shimmer clearly had sent him to some kind of training school when he was a puppy.

When Moon reached their destination he sat down and allowed Twilight to enter the dining room. Twilight noticed that a smaller table had been brought in next to the larger one, one that would allow them to sit across from each other without needing to be half a mile apart.

On the table was a delicious smelling meal of vegetables, starches, and proteins (with no meat of course) just waiting to be devoured. Twilight only at that moment remembered she hadn’t eaten all day as she wanted to be hungry for their dinner together. This thus far had been the most formal date the two had been on, and she wanted it to be as perfect as possible.

Two candles were lit on the table, and a bottle of wine sat in the center, causing Twilight to roll her eyes. She should have guessed that a little underage drinking was part of Sunset’s plan for the evening.

As if on cue, Sunset stepped out from an entryway on the other side of the room and smiled at her new guest.

Twilight was a bit shocked at what she had chosen to wear. A long sleeveless duster top that extended down to her knees in a half skirt around her backside, leaving her front relatively exposed as it cut off above her belly button which was on full display, showing her impressive figure. The top was some kind of button up, but it only covered the top half of her torso and was midnight black in color.

On her arms were a pair of detached sleeves held on by some kind of belts, fraying at the wrists, but her fingertips were still visible in all of their black laced arm stocking glory.

Twilight noted how much skin she was showing off, and Twilight was practically drooling just looking at her.

Her eyes had their usual mascara and eyeliner, and her legs were sporting a pair of black torn skinny jeans and tall healed leather boots.

“You look cute…” Sunset commented as she stepped forward, closing the gap between her and Twilight.

Twilight fumbled with her words, unable to speak as she tried to muster a reply up, finding it harder and harder the closer Sunset got to her.

“You look…” Twilight paused as the slightly taller girl placed a thumb and finger on Twilight’s chin, forcing her to look up at Sunset.

“Too much?” Sunset asked softly.

“No… You look breathtaking…” Twilight replied as her eyes relaxed, her body following suit. She was putty in Sunset’s hands and she knew it. Sunset could do anything to her, and she wouldn’t be able to stop it.

Nodding, Sunset planted a gentle kiss on Twilight’s forehead before resting it against her own. “Thank you… I wanted to look good for you…”

“You… Succeeded…” Twilight spoke, her eyes drawn to Sunset’s.

Giggling, Sunset took a step back, putting some distance between the two again. Her arm gestured toward the set table. “Shall we? I had the cooks come in and make us quite the dinner… It’d be a shame if we let it go to waste because we were too busy fawning over each other, right?”

Internally Twilight sighed, wanting to be close to the girl she had grown so attached to, but she knew it was probably for the best to slow things down a little.

When they both took their seat, Sunset looked across the table and smiled at Twilight, trying to keep the mood somewhat casual.

The evening went by rather calmly. The shared stories, reminisced over times together in high school, told a joke or two, and ultimately, neither of them wanted it to end. Everything was going to flawlessly that both of the girls wished time would stand still if not just for a few more hours so they could enjoy each other’s company just a little longer.

With their meal eaten, wine consumed and time passed, Twilight checked a nearby clock. “Wow… It’s 10:08 already? I guess… I really should be heading home, huh?”

Sunset bit her lip and paused as she chewed her thoughts. “Actually…” She began, trying to think of a way to approach what was on her mind casually. “I wanted to show you something…”

Sunset’s eyes glanced over to the exit of the dining room into the direction of the stairwell. “It’s upstairs… If you’d be so kind as to join me?”

Gulping, Twilight found herself getting increasingly nervous. “Ummmm… Yeah, sure…” Coming to a stand, she watched Sunset do the same. “Lead the way…”

The redhead gave her a nod as she began to casually walk out of the room with Twilight following. Whatever was going on in her head, Twilight couldn’t tell. Sunset continued to be a master at hiding her emotions when she needed to, and that always made her hard to read.

Twilight didn’t dare speak the entire way up the stairs or even down the hallway before Sunset approached a door and turned the knob, inviting Twilight in.

Twilight froze for a brief second. She knew the possibilities of what laid beyond that door, of what could happen the moment she stepped through it. She knew that there was a chance something was going to happen, but she found herself panicking. Instead, she stood next to the door and tried to calm herself down.

“Sunset… I… have to confess…” Twilight spoke.

Sunset poked her head back out of the room and blinked. “I… Well…” Twilight stammered.

Sunset smiled and took Twilight’s hands in her own. “You can tell me,” Sunset reassured.

“I… I am really nervous about messing this all up, you know?” Twilight admitted sheepishly, drooping a bit as she stood.

Sunset giggled and nodded. “I know, trust me… So am I… You’re in good hands though, I trust you’ll never overstep your bounds.”

A blush came to Twilight’s face at that thought. “Can you believe my whole family thought I was coming over here to have sex?”

Sunset grinned and pulled the girl close before taking a few steps back, guiding her into the room by her hands. She spoke soft and tenderly as Twilight was pulled inside slowly. “So long as they’re thinking it…”

Twilight blushed as she noted all the lit candles surrounding the entire room. It was definitely enough to be a fire hazard, but Sunset in her practical thinking made sure not to set them anywhere where they had a chance of being knocked over, which was smart, given how clumsy Twilight could be.

“Is this alright?” Sunset asked curiously.

Twilight nodded. “Let’s just… Be real, okay? Just do what we both want to do. It’s better to just get what we like on the table, right?”

A small smile came to Sunset as she nodded in agreement. “I agree…”

Before either of them knew it, Sunset pulled Twilight closer and locked lips with the girl, her hand snaking down Twilight’s back, contouring her figure as their tongues danced, Sunset clearly owning supremacy over Twilight, who just let her do as she pleased.

Sunset’s hand gripped Twilight’s firm butt cheek, giving it a soft squeeze as they deepened their passionate exchange together, Twilight letting out a few soft moans as Sunset did as she pleased.

Once they broke the kiss, a small trail of saliva connected both of their lips while Twilight looked up at her partner. “You kiss… so amazingly…”

“I practice on the best kisser I know…” Sunset winked.

Twilight found herself with a bit of newfound confidence as she unbuttoned the top button on her blouse only for Sunset to reach forward and grab her hand, halting her undressing. At first, Twilight assumed she had misread everything and that Sunset was not interested in such a thing, but she watched as Sunset reached into her jean pocket and retrieved something.

Spinning playfully around Sunset’s finger was a black strap of leather, a shining silver buckle on it. Twilight had seen plenty of them on dogs, it was a collar.

“I didn’t say you could do that yet, did I, Sparkle?” Sunset smirked offering Twilight the collar.

Twilight’s eyes locked onto it and then looked up at Sunset. She could sense that Sunset was taking a risk at that moment, that she was risking potentially having such an idea be rejected by Twilight. After all, they had never discussed doing anything fetishy before. For once, Sunset was easy to read: she was nervous.

Twilight chose not to answer, not to meet her words with anything. Instead, she found herself getting down on her knees and looking up at Sunset. She reached a hand forward and took the collar from her and began to fasten it around her neck.

Sunset could feel her minor lapse of confidence dissipate as she watched the bookworm place the collar around her neck and then look up at her with innocent eyes. Twilight clearly understood what it was she was trying to accomplish and the words she said next only confirmed it.

“Tell me what to do, m-master…” Twilight stuttered out.

Her nervousness was only making the entire ordeal cuter to Sunset. Her confidence was starting to swell up, she could feel herself getting bolder.

“Put on a little show for your master…” Sunset grinned as she leaned against a wall and watched playfully.

Twilight blushed as she came to a stand, nervously shifting, “Y-yes, m-master…”

Twilight’s nervousness only served to please Sunset more as she smirked and watched the girl. Sunset twirled her finger to signal for the young bookworm to turn around. Gulping, Twilight did as she was instructed and showed her backside to Sunset.

“Bend over,” Sunset commanded, her voice filled with confidence and command as she ordered the girl.

Nodding, Twilight leaned forward and her small skirt lifted slightly over her rear exposing a pair of soft purple panties. Sunset grinned and reached forward and placed a hand on Twilight’s bottom, running it along the firm rump and gently tracing her inner thigh before forcefully running two fingers along the outline of Twilight’s tender womanhood.

Twilight let out a gentle sigh of pleasure as she felt Sunset’s touch, her legs quivering slightly before she felt the hand cup one of her butt cheeks and squeeze. “You’ve got a nice ass, slave…” Sunset grinned.

“T-thank you, master…” Twilight smiled sheepishly.

Taking her arm, Sunset swiveled Twilight to face her and roughly grabbed her neck, forcing her to look up. “You’re very sexy…” Sunset complimented.

Twilight found a smile on her face, the master-slave talk surprisingly doing it for her. She had never considered such a thing before, even though she always loved the idea of being dominated.

“Thank you… Master is sexy too…” Twilight managed to get out, finding herself getting more and more comfortable with her new role.

Sunset’s eyes moved down Twilight’s body and then met her eyes again as she gave her instructions. “Take your skirt off…”

Without even a second of hesitation, Twilight unbuttoned her skirt and slid it off skillfully, pushing it to the side with her foot as she stood there. Taking it a step further, she reached down and undid her shoes and removed her sock, putting them aside as well. There she stood in just her shirt and panties.

Not even waiting for instruction she began to unbutton her top and exposed her bra and stomach to her new master. “D-do you like it, master…?”

The redhead’s hands reached forward and cupped one of Twilight’s breast and massaged. “You’re perfect…” Sunset whispered into Twilight’s ear.

“Maybe… Master wants to undress too?” Twilight cooed as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the treatment.

Sunset bit her lip and nodded, gesturing for Twilight to go ahead. Twilight took the cue and reached forward, unbuttoning Sunset’s duster top and exposing the rest of her front side, a cute lacy black bra hiding her supple female mounds as Twilight slid the top off of her shoulders and undid her belted detached sleeves, allowing them to fall to the floor as well.

With a smile, Twilight reached around Sunset and pulled her into a hug, noting how stiff the girl became when she was embraced. Confused, Twilight tried to figure out why Sunset’s normally warm and affectionate hugs had turned into something so cold all of a sudden, especially during such an intimate time.

Her hand went up Sunset’s back and stopped as she felt something peculiar. Some kind of divot in Sunset’s back, a gentle imperfection in her normally flawless skin. Stepping back from Sunset, Twilight looked up to her eyes and saw she was looking away shamefully.

She turned Sunset around to get a look at her back, and her eyes were drawn to a large scar across her middle back. A dark jagged series of connected lacerations covered the middle of her back. Twilight ran her hand along the scar and then allowed Sunset to turn back around, trying to avoid eye contact with Twilight, not wanting to let her see her shame.

“I…” Sunset began but stopped, unsure of how to even finish that sentence.

Twilight reached forward and placed a finger over Sunset’s lips, stopping her from speaking further. She stepped back and slid her own shirt off of her shoulders and allowed it to fall to the floor. Twilight smiled at Sunset and turned around showing her exposed back to Sunset.

Sunset’s eyes widened at what she saw, a similar scar decorating Twilight’s back. All of the time that Sunset had carried her scar, it had never occurred to her that Twilight would have one as well. It made sense that she would, but the thought to even ask never came to Sunset’s mind.

Twilight looked over her shoulder and smiled at the redhead. “We were marked to be together, I’d say… Wouldn’t you?”

Those words made Sunset’s eyes well up for a brief second, but putting on the mask of bravado, she nodded and wiped her eyes. “I guess so…” A smile came to her face before she approached Twilight gripping her from behind and using her free hand to run down her cheek. The back of her fingers lightly caressing her body until she reached her breast.

Skillfully, Sunset unclasped Twilight’s bra and slid it off of her form, smiling as she looked down at her prize, Twilight’s exposed chest. Sunset circled around Twilight and cupped one of them from behind, sliding her other arm down Sunset’s body and into the waistband of her panties. Slithering down gently, Sunset found her fingers placed right atop of Twilight’s sweet spot.

Twilight’s body grew perfectly still, tense and aware as Sunset held her there, ready to make her move. Snaking in, Sunset nibbled on Twilight’s neck. “Tell your master what you want…” She whispered in Twilight’s ear.

“P-please…” Twilight trembled.

Sunset wiggled her fingers slightly, pressing her index finger on what she assumed was Twilight’s clitoris, causing a visible flinch from the girl. “Please what…?”

“Please… Have your way with me… master…” Twilight squeaked out, her legs shaking in anticipation.

A giggle left Sunset as she nodded. “What a good little slave you are…” She smirked before biting down on Twilight’s neck viciously and sliding her now moist fingers into Twilight’s soft opening, gently thrusting them in and out as she stood there biting her neck and groping her chest from behind.

Twilight felt her body want to buckle, she could barely stand from all the excitement. Sensing her inability to keep upright, Sunset stepped backward with the girl, guiding her to the bed where she sat down with Twilight in front of her sitting as well, not letting up for even a second on Twilight’s precious place, sliding her fingers in and out, slowly picking up speed and increasing the intensity every second that passed.

Twilight was nothing more than a mess of moans and begging. She couldn’t control herself any longer, she was willing to do whatever Sunset wanted, whatever she pleased, and she didn’t care how embarrassing it was. She moaned loud enough that if there were neighbors they’d have come knocking on the door thinking a murder was taking place. She moaned loud enough to where she wasn’t even certain that people ten miles away couldn’t hear her.

“F-fuuuuuuuuck!” She yelped as she felt Sunset’s fingers.

“My my… What a naughty slave you are… Loving this so much…” Sunset teased, finally releasing the girl’s neck, blushing as she noted that there would definitely be a mark tomorrow.

“M-master…” Twilight yelped in delight.

Giggling, Sunset picked up her speed and turned Twilight’s head to face her, fiercely pressing a kiss on her lips as she could feel the girl’s inner walls convulse and constrict around her fingers, ready to reach a climax, eager to reach a conclusion should Sunset be so benevolent to deliver one.

Releasing Twilight from the kiss, the bookworm bit her lip and tried to contain herself, only for Sunset to be more forceful with her handwork, squeezing her breast harder with one hand and working her fingers around Twilight’s clitoris violently. “Come on… Don’t hold back… I want to hear you finish…”

“I…” Twilight winced, her eyes half closed as her back arched and her mouth opened. “C-cummming!” She screamed loud enough to make the dog claw at the door to the bedroom thinking something was happening.

The feeling was incredible. Twilight had had some orgasms that were self-induced, but nothing like that. The thrill was nearly ten times what she was used to.

Panting, she turned and looked at Sunset with a gentle smile. “I love you…” She said.

There was a brief pause before Twilight gulped, realizing what she had just said. The two of them had never spoken those dreaded three words. In the heat of the moment, Twilight was always prone to being too honest, to saying more than she should.

Before she could apologize though, Sunset delivered a smile to Twilight that made her heart return to normal speeds in a matter of seconds. “I love you too, Twilight.”

Author's Note

Man, it was difficult writing this one. I kept intending to get work done on it for many days but crap kept coming up. Like poor nights of sleep, something at work draining me, and then I had a really bad back pain that I need to see the doctor about. However, nothing was going to stop me from writing the sex chapter that I know many were waiting for!

Also sorry for the late upload today. I totally spaced and forgot to edit the chapter this morning before work. Speaking of work, it was brutal, beyond brutal.

And yes, Sunset is into some kinky stuff.

Act IV - Chapter LIII: Girlfriend

Chapter LIII: Girlfriend

“I’m going to show you something, but you have to promise me not to freak out okay?” Angel Song spoke to her friend Starlight who just nodded as she adjusted her jacket. Starlight had lived in California her entire life, though she moved from Ventura to Sacramento a few years back, and as a result, she had a poor tolerance of cold weather, even of the minor variety. California was usually always warm especially at that time in the Summer, but for some odd reason, the temperature had dropped to a somewhat chilling sixty-eight degrees, causing her to wear a hoodie.

“How are you not fucking cold?” Starlight asked as she rubbed her arms for warmth.

Angel shrugged. The truth was the cold never really bothered her. “I… I don’t know… Guess I just run hot or something? Beats me.”

Starlight rolled her eyes and followed her friend into the empty alleyway that she was leading the two girls to. “Alright, so you wanted to show me something, but why are we in some kind of dirty old back alley like some kind of horror movie? You’re not going to pull out a coat hanger and disembowel me, are you? Because if you are, like warn me first.”

Angel Song rolled her eyes at her friend’s sarcasm. “That’s gross…” Angel shuddered at the thought. “Plus don’t even joke about that stuff… You know I don’t like those kinds of movies…”

Starlight smirked and nodded. “That’s right… You were always a wimp when it came to horror films… Hell, I can’t even get you to play a Resident Evil game…”

“That’s because video games are stupid, first of all…” Angel pointed out with an extended finger. “Second of all, I’m just easily scared, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Video games are alright, you’re just mad that you suck at them…” Starlight crossed her arms defensively.

“I watched you last weekend get murdered at least a dozen times in Overwatch… And you want to tell me about who sucks at video games? Half the guys on your team were calling you absolute trash,” Angel pointed out.

“Yeah yeah, so let’s see what you brought me out in the middle of bumfuck nowhere to show me…” Starlight moved her hands in a rolling motion to signify she wished to get on with it and thus get out of the cold.

Angel nodded as she rolled up the long sleeves of her scoop cut shirt. She paused and looked back at Starlight. “I need you to not scream or anything… I need to concentrate or it won’t work…”

“Alright, alright, just get on with it… I’m freezing my tits off out here… If I lose these then how am I supposed to get a date for next Friday night?” Starlight joked as she placed a hand atop of her breast.

Angel rolled her eyes at the thought. “You could always charm them with your personality.”

“So now you’re saying I’m ugly?” Starlight crossed her arms.

“I didn’t say that…” Angel sighed.

“Only ugly girls need their personality to win guys over…” Starlight groaned.

“Just be quiet, okay?” Angel pleaded.

Deciding that the faster she complied, the faster the entire ordeal could be over and she could get back inside to warm up; Starlight nodded and waited patiently.

Angel let out a breath and closed her bright eyes. Opening her hands, she concentrated on a nearby empty can of soda sitting atop of a trash can in the alleyway. The blue haired girl opened her eyes slightly and found herself focusing as a certain energy built up inside of her. At first, she could feel a deep strain on herself, but after a few more seconds of fighting through the strain of it, a familiar sensation crept up her body and started to pulse in her arms.

It wouldn’t take much more now, she would focus on the energy and push it toward her hands, willing it to obey her mind as she strained herself, a bead of sweat trickling down her neck as she licked her full lips and kept her composure.

“Come on…” She stressed out loud as her hand began to glow with a powerful glowing white aura.

Her long pigtailed wavy blue hair began to float in the air, defying gravity itself as the power began to surge through her hands and her entire body and with one last push she was able to make the can levitate in thin air.

Starlight watched in both shock and awe before Angel could sustain the action no longer. Eventually, her hair began to obey the laws of gravity again, and her body slumped slightly as the aura disappeared, leaving Angel in an exhausted state.

Stumbling, Starlight rushed forward and caught her. Angel looked up at her friend with a genuine smile about her. “Heh… Surprise…”

“Did I ever mention how awesome it is being friends with you…?” Starlight smirked.

“I have a feeling you’re about to remind me…” Angel panted.

Twilight’s eyes started to open, though it took a few blinks to get them to register the light in the exquisite bedroom she was in. After a good eight blinks, she was starting to make out the details of the room she had fallen asleep in.

It didn’t take long for her to realize that she was laying in a four-poster bed that was very much different from her own. Looking under the blood red sheets, Twilight noted she was still in just a bra and panties.

There was a moment of confusion which subsided when she recalled she had spent the night after an intimate night with Sunset. The details were starting to come back to her slowly, causing her to shiver in delight. Sunset clearly had done her homework on how to pleasure a woman, and it definitely had paid off for Twilight. She swore she could still feel a slight tingle between her legs, though it may have just been caused by having a vivid imagination of the night prior.

Looking next to her she saw a mess of red hair sprawled about the pillow with a head turned sideways. Sunset laid there on her back, quietly inhaling and exhaling. The blankets only covered her stomach downward as she rested. Twilight could still see her lacy black bra covering her impressive chest (making Twilight a bit jealous).

Sunset was gorgeous, even when sleeping. Twilight wondered how she appeared when she slept but submitted that she likely looked ridiculous and goofy, though Sunset was hardly the person to mind.

Looking over to the end table, Twilight noted the black collar from the other night was sitting there, causing her to blush at its mere sight. She’d likely have to hide her face every time she saw or touched a collar from now on.

She had never really considered what Sunset was into sexually, but somehow despite being kinkier than Twilight would have imagined… It worked for her. She enjoyed being controlled, Sunset merely took it to another level. There was something about that vulnerability that excited Twilight, that made her crave more and more, and Sunset’s personality worked so well at being as commanding as Twilight needed to fully enjoy herself.

Looking back at her lover, Twilight recalled that she confessed her feelings for Sunset officially last night. The sense of dread she had held for those few seconds while she waited for a response felt like a good hour, but to her luck, Sunset felt the same way and everything worked in her favor. Twilight was beginning to think she must have found some kind of good luck charm, as her luck was seldom this great.

Leaning over, Twilight kissed Sunset’s cheek. There was no effect. Twilight climbed over and hugged the girl, and still, she slept. It became clear very quickly to Twilight that Sunset was quite a heavy sleeper.

“It figures that you sleep like a rock…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

After enough time had passed, she finally decided to shake her lover to wake her up. With a few powerful shakes, the girl began stirring with a grumble or two. She complained and turned her head to see Twilight, her eyes only slightly open, still not adjusted to the high amount of light in the room.

“Morning,” Twilight said plainly.

“I pray for the sweet embrace of death…” Sunset replied before turning away from Twilight and trying to pull the blanket back over herself, blocking the light from the room from touching her.

Twilight stood as an obstacle between her and going back to sleep, as the bookworm grabbed the blanket and pulled it off of the girl, eliciting more complaints out of her. “You’re the devil…” Sunset replied.

“Oh come on, it’s time to get up, it’s already 11:08…” Twilight giggled before kissing the girl’s cheek.

“That means I still have three hours to sleep!” Sunset groaned in protest.

“Oh come on, let’s not lay in bed all day…” Twilight frowned and pouted.

“Why not? Last night you were content with being in this bed? We could do that again! Tell you what, we stay in bed and later I’ll make you quiver again, how about that? That sounds like an awesome way to spend the day!” Sunset grinned.

Twilight rolled her eyes at the proposal, despite a blush appearing on her face. A part of her still couldn’t believe that she was able to do such things the night prior. She could still imagine Sunset’s fingers inside her, the sensation she felt when the girl bit down on her neck (which she knew she’d need to get creative to hide the marks from which).

“Come on… It’s morning, time to get up and greet the day.” Twilight shook Sunset once more.

“My name is Sunset Shimmer, meaning I’m not a morning person, you shouldn’t be either Twilight Sparkle…” Sunset groaned.

“Oh please, our names don’t mean we can’t enjoy the morning!” Twilight insisted.

“At some point in my life, someone once said, ‘Sunset, you’re going to great things’,” Sunset paused before finishing that statement. “Just not in the morning, so good night.” With those words, she attempted to pull a pillow back over her head and drown Twilight out, only for the other girl to retrieve her glasses from the end table and roll her eyes.

Quickly, Twilight lifted the pillow off of Sunset and forced her to accept that she wasn’t going to get Twilight to let up so easily.

“You can’t even wake up if it’s for me?” Twilight pleaded with the most innocent sounding voice she could muster.

Meeting Twilight’s eyes, Sunset grinned and sighed in defeat, Twilight knew exactly what to say to get her way. “Well… I will admit… I could get used to waking up like this… With you there, that is… Not at this ungodly hour, mind you.”

Twilight grinned and nodded before snuggling up closer to her lover and kissing her cheek. “I love you, Sunset…”

“So we’re still saying that even when the heat of the moment is gone?” Sunset asked curiously.

Twilight blinked and stared into Sunset’s eyes. “Were we supposed to stop?”

“Nah, I was just worried you got caught up in the moment like you tend to do something and that those feelings would go away when we woke up the next morning… I kind of was like… Scared of that all night…” Sunset blushed as she admitted and looked away bashfully.

Twilight reached over and forced Sunset to look into her eyes once more. “I promise, I meant it… I still mean it too…”

A small smile came to Sunset’s face as she nodded lightly. “Yeah… I did too… Part of why I was worried…”

Twilight giggled and gave Sunset a peck on her forehead. “There’s no need to worry with me around, I promise…”

“It’s not you that I worry for…” Sunset smirked.

“You are too harsh on yourself…” Twilight frowned.

Sunset sighed and nodded. “I just don’t want to screw something else up, you know? Like I did with Shimmer… If I had just stayed away like you told me to then…”

Twilight reached forward and placed a finger on her lover’s lips, hushing her. “Stop… Don’t finish that sentence okay? It’s in the past now…”

Another sigh escaped Sunset, but she knew that Twilight was right. She had to move forward, regardless of how difficult that would be.

Starlight found herself pacing in circles in her apartment as Angel rested on the couch with a cup of coffee in her mitts. Her eyes followed Starlight as she watched her roommate process all that she had learned in the past hour or so. Pacing frantically in the room, Starlight stopped and looked over at her friend on the couch, sitting there so innocently.

“So like… You have superpowers?” Starlight began, deciding that was the best place to start, albeit, in her head, she envisioned herself broaching the subject a bit more tactfully.

Angel shook her head and ran a hand through her blue hair that she had let down, no longer confined to two pigtails. The girl’s hair cascaded down her back slightly and stopped shy of her shoulder blades. “No… I don’t know what they are… Some kind of telekinesis I guess? I’m not really sure…”

Starlight nodded and began pacing again as she thought it over. She stopped as she had another thought she felt like sharing. “So, that wasn’t just some kind of trick? You could actually do that?”

Angel nodded. “You know I wouldn’t lie about that… I don’t lie about anything…” She sunk in her seat bashfully.

She had a point. As far as Starlight could remember in the eight months that they had been roommates, Angel never lied about anything. She’d turn herself in for drinking the last of the milk. She was far too innocent to ever be a convincing liar, and there was no benefit to lying or pulling that entire stunt as some kind of way to trick Starlight.

The more Starlight thought about it, the more she realized the only explanation was that she was being legitimate.

“Okay, so you have some kind of psychic abilities or something… What else can you do?” Starlight asked curiously.

Angel shrugged. “Not much… It takes a great amount of concentration just to do what I showed you… I haven’t really explored anything further…”

“Girl, you could be like a superhero or something!” Starlight explained as she stepped closer.

The timid girl on the couch flinched at Starlight’s sudden approach before shaking her head. “No way… That sounds way too dangerous… I’m not cut out for that kind of stuff…”

“Hey, Peter Parker was a total nerd before he got his powers and then he became Spider-Man!” Starlight pointed out.

“Peter Parker was also a genius who knew how to invent gadgets that allowed him to make the most of his powers which by the point I am at in my life, he had mastered…” Angel reminded.

Starlight growled and rolled her eyes. “You are such a nerd sometimes…”

“Oh please, I saw you reading Fruits Basket in the bathroom…” Angel giggled.

A blush came to Starlight’s face as she looked away. “Manga is a guilty pleasure of mine…”

There was a short pause followed by Starlight shaking her head, not allowing the subject to change. “How long have you had this power?”

Angel shrugged once more. “I only began to notice it maybe two months ago? I don’t really know when it began… It’s like something triggered it or something… I don’t really understand it, but it’s kind of scary… Right now, you’re the only person who knows about it besides myself, obviously…”

“I wonder if there are other people out there that can do this… We have to find out…” Starlight insisted.

“How though? It’s not exactly something you can just ask random strangers… If you could, then I’m sure you’d hear about this sort of thing all the time,” Angel reminded.

Starlight placed a hand on her chin and her other hand on her hip as she contemplated Angel’s words. She was right, of course. They couldn’t just go up to strangers and ask if they had strange psychic powers; furthermore, they couldn’t risk anyone who didn’t already know about them finding out. They would need to be tactful, something that Starlight struggled with herself.

“Well, I’m your friend, so I’m going to help investigate this with you. We’ll be discrete, but I am sure we can uncover why you have these abilities, maybe even find someone who has more info,” Starlight suggested.

Angel smiled and nodded, happy that her friend looked out for her so much. “T-thanks, Starlight, I’d be lost without you…”

“Don’t mention it, from now on, we’ll stick together!” Starlight offered a thumbs up to Angel.

Some weeks had passed since Sunset and Twilight had shared that night of passion together and revealed their love for one another. For the next few weeks, Twilight was elated, feeling high on life itself, not wanting to ever come down. Eventually Sunset would refer to Twilight as her “girlfriend” in conversation, which at first caused shock, but eventually would elicit smiles and giggles among their friends (and Twilight of course).

Being the romantic partner of Sunset Shimmer was definitely a unique experience. Twilight had to remind herself that she was now dating a millionaire, a woman of prestige and potential power down the road in Canterlot. Sunset’s wealth and influence over the prestigious institute meant that new doors might open for Twilight simply by being associated with the girl.

Eventually though, she knew she would return to college and they’d have to discuss how to move forward, what kind of arrangements would be necessary to continue their romance, but until that point, she didn’t even want to think about it, instead she wanted to continue creating the wondrous memories that they were weaving together over this Summer break.

Dates became more unique and thoughtful as Sunset tried her best to continue swooning the bookworm. Instead of just dinner or a movie, Sunset would take Twilight stargazing, or to the library that the school owned, and sometimes just somewhere random like a tea house on the other side of town that she had heard of from a magazine.

Eventually, Sunset began to play a major role in virtually every aspect of Twilight’s life, even her wardrobe.

Not wanting to look so plain anymore, Twilight requested Sunset’s assistance. She opted for her over Rarity, because she already knew asking Rarity to update her appearance would have been a complete overhaul, the fashionista would not have allowed her to settle for anything less than the absolute best; which usually was too over the top for Twilight’s liking.

Instead, she had opted to add jeans and leggings to her wardrobe and a few more form-fitting tops. Babydoll Ts became a new part of her regular getup, and she had switched to converse sneakers for her day to day footwear. Part of the change was being a little less modest with her body and more willing to show it off, so she was definitely showing a bit more skin than she once did.

Oddly enough, what used to make her feel awkward and uncomfortable was beginning to make her feel far more confident in herself. Sunset had convinced her that she owned her new look, and she’d be damned if she didn’t feel sexy.

Standing downstairs in the basement, Twilight stretched as she tried to break in a new pair of dark grey skinny jeans that she had bought on a recent shopping trip. She had to admit while she felt sexier with this new style, a lot of the clothes that complimented one’s attractive features often took some time to break in and get physically comfortable moving around in.

Twilight added some detergent to the washing machine she had come down to use and put the machine on medium before reaching into her pocket to check her phone.

She nearly jumped at a tapping sound on the stairwell next to her. Looking upward, she could see Cadence standing there with a smile on her face. She was wearing perhaps one of the most gorgeous light blue summer dresses that Twilight had ever seen. Or rather, perhaps it only looked more gorgeous being on her; Cadence had such an enviable figure, after all.

“Hey, Twilight.” She waved as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Doing some laundry, huh?” She asked as she noted the basket.

“Yeah, just washing some of my new clothes…” She blushed as she noticed Cadence trot over to another basket and lift a pair of lacy purple panties up and smirk.

“Well… These are certainly interesting…” Cadence commented.

Blushing, Twilight played with a loose strand of hair and nodded. “Oh… Yeah… I just wanted to update my wardrobe… A little…”

Cadence smirked and leaned in with interest. “Oooooh, I get it… Our little Twilight is sexually active isn’t she?”

Twilight’s entire face turned red. She wanted to deny it, but she knew that Cadence could read her better than that, that she would instantly figure out that Twilight was lying.

“Well, I…” She giggled and blushed.

“Oh my…” Cadence grinned before hopping on top of the dryer and patting the washer next to her for Twilight to sit.

Shrugging, Twilight decided that she could be open with Cadence about her sex life, that and her relationship with Sunset had brought her more confidence, enough to even resist the teasing that Cadence normally enjoyed at her expense. She hopped up on the washer and felt it hum and whir under her while Cadence giggled and looked over at her younger sister-in-law.

“So… How was it?” Cadence grinned.

“It was amazing…” Twilight admitted, a grin coming to her face as she recalled the details.

“So anything you wanted to ask?” Cadence leaned in with interest.

Twilight blushed and looked away. “Well… We’ve been intimate a few times, but I’m kind of unsure of how to…” She paused, her face turning another shade redder than before.

“Go on…” Cadence smirked.

“Well… For lack of a better term… Perform oral…” Twilight almost squeaked those last words out.

Cadence only giggled more and shook her head. “Shining had that problem at first, but I sent him some links to a few sites that helped. I could send them your way?”

Twilight nodded furiously. “That would be great! Reading material is always helpful.”

Cadence snorted and sighed contently. “I take it you love her, don’t you, Twilight?”

Pausing, Twilight closed her eyes and thought about Sunset. Her face vivid in her memory. It was true, she had fallen in love with Sunset, she wanted to please her, she wanted to be enough for the girl.

“Yeah… I really do…” Twilight smiled.

Galeal leaned back on his bed flipping through a comic book as Eclipse sat at a nearby desk in the room examining a book half-heartedly. Eclipse couldn’t find enough energy in him to even comprehend what he was reading or remembering much more than a few sentences at a time. Truthfully he couldn’t even remember what was going on in the book he was reading at all.

Turning to look at Galeal lounging on his bed, he decided to speak up, and perhaps break the monotony. “Your parents don’t really check up on you, do they?”

Not even taking his eyes off of his comic book, Galeal nodded. “My dad and mom broke up some time ago… I live here with my mom, and she is sort of always busy… So I’m sort of by myself a lot… It’s what ever…”

Eclipse nodded in agreement. “I see… So… Going to take a stab in the dark and assume you’re not really interested in working on that project at all?”

Lowering his comic book, Galael shot Eclipse a baffled look. “You’re joking, right? That project sounds lame as hell… Of course, I’m not going to really work on it, why do you think I said for us to come here? So we could goof off and not work on that waste of time…”

Standing, Eclipse approached the bed and eventually was standing at its side as he spoke. “Ms. Ruler is going to be pissed…”

“Good, fuck that bitch…” Galeal yawned.

A gentle smirk came to Eclipse’s mouth as he hopped into the bed next to Galeal, laying on his back with he head on the pillow he looked at the comic that his friend was reading. The two had spent the past few weeks in a similar routine. They would come back to Galeal’s home after school and laze about, occasionally swap stories, and from time to time they’d chip away at schoolwork, albeit slowly and sparingly.

“Whatcha’ readin’?” Eclipse asked.

Galeal shrugged. “Some horse shit… It was good but then it got all stupid when the badass sword wielder started getting lame google eyes for some stupid chick…”

“I see…” Eclipse commented as his eyes wandered toward the art on the page.

“Yeah, I mean it totally sucks when they ruin a good story with some stupid romance bull shit, doesn’t it?” Galeal ranted.

Eclipse had never seen Galeal legitimately show enough annoyance to rant about something before. He sat and listened, not wanting to interrupt the griffon.

“I mean that stuff seems lame in general, don’t you think?” Galeal asked.

Eclipse paused for a moment, unsure of what to say regarding that comment. After some thought, he merely shrugged. “Dunno… Never been interested in the romance stuff, but I’m assuming there’s a reason why everyone wants to make out and stuff…”

Galeal nodded. “Yeah, I guess… I mean I don’t know much about it myself truthfully… Kissing and crap…”

There was a short pause before Eclipse spoke up. “I kind of wanted to try it at some point…”

Galeal sighed and rolled his eyes. “You would, you loser.”

Eclipse frowned at the insult and looked away embarrassed before hearing Galeal’s words ring in his ear. “Alright, let’s go.”

Blinking, Eclipse turned to face Galeal with confusion. “H-huh?”

Galeal rolled his eyes once more. “You said you wanted to try it, so let’s get it out of the way…”

“Y-you can’t be serious…” Eclipse gulped.

The griffon shrugged, showing no strong emotions one way or the other. “It’s better to get it out of the way to see how stupid it is, right?”

“I-I guess…” Eclipse blushed, trying to avoid eye contact.

There was a short pause followed by a sigh from Galeal. “Jeez, you’re such a coward… Come here…” He realized that Eclipse was far too shy to make the move himself, so taking charge, Galeal rolled over and before he knew it, he was leaning over top of Eclipse, his claws planted on both sides of the unicorn’s head holding himself up.

Looking down at Eclipse, Galeal noted just how effeminate he looked laying there with his long mane sprawled out on the pillow. He smirked and spoke, “you look like a girl, you know that?”

Eclipse rolled his eyes. “Do you feel less gay by imagining me as one?”

Not giving him the satisfaction of a response, Galeal leaned in slowly and opened his beak, connecting his mouth with Eclipse’s he closed his eyes and allowed the event to progress naturally. Before he knew it, he found his sharp tongue dancing with the other male’s, a gentle moan escaping Eclipse before breaking the kiss and opening his eyes.

The two stared at each other for a long silent moment before Eclipse broke the silence. “That was… nice… actually…”

Galeal looked away bashfully. “Yeah… I guess so…”

Eclipse grinned and tapped Galeal’s beak with his hoof. “Fag,” he teased.

“You’re a bigger one…” Galeal grinned in response, clearly trying to hide his embarrassment. It was the first time that Eclipse had ever seen anything ruffle his feathers so much, but it was a look that he felt suited Galeal.

Rolling off of him, Galeal returned to his side of the bed and avoided eye contact. “Anyway, I guess we better work on that project before Ms. Ruler wrings us both out, huh, homo?”

Eclipse grinned and crawled over to the griffon and laid his head on the pillow next to him. He noted that Galeal occasionally stole a glance or two at the unicorn. After a few seconds of silence, he extended his claw and pulled Eclipse closer, letting him rest his head in the crook of Galeal’s neck.

Eclipse merely grinned and whispered. “You’re so gay…”

“Takes a homo to know a homo…” Galeal defended, the blush on his face getting bigger.

Sunset found herself waking with a scream as she frantically looked around her bedroom. She could feel her entire body covered in sweat from the stressful night of sleep. Sitting up, she let out a few breaths as she started to come down, realizing she had just had another nightmare.

Another haunting dream about how Adagio killed Shimmer and shook her entire world. It dawned on Sunset how much she was suppressing how much she actually missed her younger sister. A part of her always felt dirty when she was reminded that Shimmer was gone and Sunset was merely living in her house, wearing her clothes and driving her car as if nothing had happened. When these dreams reared their ugly heads though, it only reminded her more.

Climbing out of bed, Sunset threw on a robe hanging off of the back of the bedroom door and made her way down the hall. With a short walk, she entered a room that at one point were merely a spare room used for storage. However now it had been fashioned into an old Japanese style shrine. There sitting in the center was a framed photo of Shimmer, though it was missing the urn that usually was present as Shimmer had not been cremated, still, the room brought Sunset some comfort.

She had recalled Shimmer mentioning she was half Japanese, so she felt it was fitting to give her such a shrine.

During her darkest time right after Shimmer’s death and right after stopping Adagio, Sunset spent a lot of time in this very room. She swore she could almost feel Shimmer’s presence in this room and that feeling got her through some difficult times. While those times were over, Sunset still had a difficult time overcoming some of her insecurities.

Sunset spoke up as if she were speaking directly to Shimmer. “H-hey… It’s been a little while… I haven’t forgotten you or anything though…” She rubbed her neck, not sure what she was expecting in response to that statement. Deciding to leave it be, she continued talking.

“It’s been a nice past few months… Twilight and I… Well Twilight has sort of distracted me from how much I miss you, I guess…” Sunset stated.

“Well… That’s not 100% true, I mean at least 80% of the time, I still think about you, but I guess I’m just not as hung up on it until I have another one of those nightmares… And then I ask myself… What am I doing?” Sunset closed her eyes and tried to hold back tears as she contemplated her thoughts out loud. “Being involved with me is what got you killed… I may not have pulled the trigger, but I put the gun in Adagio’s hand… If I had just stayed in Equestria…”

Sunset blinked and her eyes shot open as she recited those words. It had occurred to her that there was something she was overlooking, something she had been refusing to think about until now. She was Equestrian, meaning that she didn’t belong in this world. Knowing this, she suddenly felt even more selfish and guilty. Twilight had fallen for her, and she had fallen for Twilight, but how could she promise Twilight a normal life if she wasn’t even human? She was asking Twilight to love someone who will likely always require her to lie about how they met, to lie about what she was, to try and hide their potential children from being discovered as non-humans. Was it fair of her to expect that of Twilight? Was it fair of her to allow Twilight to accept it?

What was worse is that she wasn’t even sure if Adagio would be the only one of her enemies to show up again in her life. There was little stopping virtually anyone she had wronged from stepping through the portal and targeting Twilight to get to her. Was it right of Sunset to drag Twilight into such a life? There was no way they could avoid magical mishaps forever, Sunset knew even if she sealed her own magic away, it would find its way back to her one way or another, as the universe always seemed to have a way to employ the help of Sunset Shimmer and friends.

She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head. What did she want? What was the right thing to do? She didn’t know. She wanted to be with Twilight for sure, but was that too selfish of a thing to expect? Did she deserve Twilight? Did she deserve to be with anyone of this world?

Coming to a stand, Sunset made her way to the bedroom she had left and looked about for her phone. Once she had located the device, she picked it up and gave Twilight a call, figuring it was better than texting her a cancellation.

“Sunset? Hey.” Twilight’s voice rang from the other end once she picked up.

“Hey… Listen, Twilight… I have to cancel for today… I have some stuff I have to take care of, but I’ll call you back sometime tonight and we’ll set up something for the end of the week okay?” Sunset explained, hoping her lie was believable enough.

The sound of Twilight’s slightly disappointed voice was enough to almost make her consider telling Twilight she was only joking and that they were still on, but she held firm. “Oh… Okay… Well I hope you get it all done, I love you, Sunset.”

“I…” Sunset paused for a brief second, “I love you too…”

With those words she hung up the phone and found herself sitting on her bed letting out a sigh. She could already tell that things were only going to get more difficult from here.

“So you’re sure about helping me understand these powers, Starlight? I mean… It could be dangerous, you know?” Angel spoke sheepishly as she carried a stack of books that Starlight had retrieved from the public library.

Starlight nodded as she approached a table and set a stack of her own down, then offered to take the stack from Angel, which she happily obliged before her arms gave out. Angel was never really a very strong girl, as far as Starlight remembered.

The two girls sat down at the table and began flipping through some old texts. “Absolutely, you’re my best friend, and furthermore you are now also the coolest friend ever because you have like super powers!”

Angel rolled her eyes. “I would hardly consider them ‘super’ at this point. I could barely lift a tin can, remember?”

Starlight blew a gentle raspberry and waved her hand dismissively. “You just need training, that’s all.”

“And where does one go to receive training for abnormal powers? Is there a school for that?” Angel raised a brow with a smirk on her face.

“There might be! I mean it could be like Harry Potter where like… you know, muggles can’t ever know about it or know where to go to find Hogwarts?” Starlight proposed.

Angel found herself rolling her eyes once more. “So you’re suggesting that I’m like a witch and I need to find some magic entrance to a school somewhere in London by running into a brick wall at a train station?”

“I see you’re familiar with the series…” Starlight grinned, happy that her friend had read the same books.

“You own the whole set, so I’ve read them from time to time when I was bored and you weren’t home. Odd considering you weren’t much for books…” Angel commented.

Starlight shrugged as she flipped through the pages of an old history book in front of her, that was old enough itself to be history. “I only read stuff that catches my interest, but I’m more of an active learner. I learn better by doing things than reading about them, you know?”

“Is that how you learned to be a pain in the ass? By doing it first hand?” Angel snickered and teased.

“Yup, tons of practice too. I’m an expert at getting under people’s skin… Is it working?” She grinned at her friend.

Angel chuckled and shook her head. “Keep trying.”

“You are quite a challenge…” Starlight winked before returning her eyes to her book.

The two girls sat in silence shy of the random odd comment here and there as they looked over the books in front of them, trying to find anything of use.

“Hey, are you familiar with the Salem Witch Trials?” Starlight asked after a good eight hours of research.

Angel perked up and looked over at her curiously. “Vaguely, I guess? I mean I’ve heard of them, but I don’t know much about them…”

Starlight nodded and tapped the book she was reading. “Well, most of it was just a bunch of hokum. A bunch of people accusing others of being witches, so they burned them at the stake… Only later to find out that pretty much all of them were innocent…”

“Not that this isn’t a great story… But what is the point of you telling me about this really gruesome story?” Angel asked, cringing a bit at the thought of someone being burned alive.

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Just listen… Most of it was bullshit, but a few instances happened where some people insisted they were witches and those people were involved in strange phenomenon that still haven’t been explained to this day. Making things levitate, setting things on fire spontaneously… That sort of thing and they all insisted it was magic that allowed them to do so…”

“So… You’re suggesting that these things were real and that these people actually used magic to do this?” Angel asked.

Starlight nodded. “It’s just a theory… But what if… People have been able to do this for a long time? What if this… Magic has been something that people have had for a long time and have been forced to hide it due to stuff like the witch trials?”

“I guess that could explain why I am the only person I’ve met that can do it…” Angel suggested.

“What if… There are people that keep this sort of thing secret? But for some reason when your parents died, they didn’t know you had magic, or they never got the chance to tell you? What if that prevented those who control these things from finding you and thus why you’re able to tell me about it?” Starlight theorized.

“Sounds like the illuminati… Are you suggesting that my parents were part of some kind of cult?” Angel giggled at how ridiculous the idea sounded.

“Yeah… I guess… Still… I think we’re not entirely wrong with this whole ‘magic’ line of thinking…” Starlight said.

Angel shrugged. “I guess that makes about as much sense as anything else…”

“I wonder if we can find anything regarding magic happening in more modern times… I bet if we could find someone who also has access to it, we could learn a lot more…” Starlight said.

Angel squinted as she thought about that, realizing the dangers of such a thing. “Yeah, but if it’s meant to be a big secret… Won’t they be really resistant to telling us? I mean if your whole little illuminati theory is true, won’t they try to like kill or something if we stumbled onto their little secret?”

Starlight shrugged, an unsure look plastered on her face. “We won’t know until we try, right?”

“So what you’re saying is we should look into if anything out of the ordinary has happened in other places that could be explained as magic?” Angel asked, a brow raised.

Starlight pointed her finger in her friend’s direction with a nod. “Exactly, though we should be discrete at first, I mean if this is like… Some kind of big secret then we shouldn’t let people know what we know, get it?”

“You realize that paranormal stuff happens all the time… We’d be chasing stories from virtually every little redneck town across America, don’t you think?” Angel shook her head.

“We’ll only go after the ones that sound legit… We’ll research in our free time and only follow a lead if we are certain it’ll take us somewhere…” Starlight proposed.

Angel leaned back in her chair and wondered why her life was becoming so strange. A part of her wished she had never discovered these powers of hers, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious, or felt compelled to explore them. There were so many questions in her head that were unanswered.

The young girl let out a small laugh as she looked over at an eager Starlight flipping through books. “We’re starting to sound like that TV show… What’s it called… Supernatural.”

Starlight smirked. “I get to be Dean then.”

“So… Where do we begin with this crap? I mean there’s probably tons of strange phenomenon all over the country… How do we pinpoint what we’re looking for?” Angel asked.

Starlight grinned and pulled out her phone. “Let’s start with looking for things more recent, shall we? After all, recent means that the people involved are still alive for us to talk to if need be, right?”

“Sounds like a solid start at least…” Angel sighed before leaning back over the table and adjusting her button up shirt. “Let’s see what we can dig up then…”

Author's Note

The illuminati did not help in the making of this story, honest.

Act IV - Chapter LIV: Demons

Chapter LIV: Demons

Twilight had noticed that her dates with Sunset over the next two weeks had become very different than when they started their relationship. Before she was ecstatic and lively, now she had become distant and aloof. There was something off about her that Twilight couldn’t pinpoint, but clearly, there was something plaguing her. She had even declined to get physical with Twilight a good eight times at this point. While Twilight felt rejected, Sunset insisted it was merely she was not in the right mindset to perform.

After enough time had passed, Twilight was starting to get concerned. Their relationship was so fresh that she feared speaking up would damage it. She feared pestering Sunset on the subject might cause a rift that such a fledgling relationship couldn’t survive. Instead, she held her tongue and hoped that it would pass, she prayed that what ever Sunset was facing would be temporary and they could go on before the Summer break ended and discuss where their future was heading.

With the Summer break ending in only two weeks, Twilight could feel the matter becoming more and more urgent, and tonight was no exception, the tension was clearly in the air between the two girls as they sat at a restaurant that was needlessly crowded.

“It’s a bit packed in here don’t you think?” Twilight spoke loudly over the noise.

“Hm?” Sunset asked as she peeked over in Twilight’s direction for a moment, her chin resting in the palm of her hand as she stared out the window.

“Don’t you think we should have booked somewhere else!? Maybe somewhere less crowded!?” Twilight was practically shouting over the ridiculous level of noise. She could barely hear herself think, as loud as her thoughts were currently being.

“It’s okay… I can tune the noise out…” Sunset spoke up just enough for Twilight to hear her over the chatter of other conversations being carried on around them.

Twilight was definitely suspicious. All of their previous dates, Sunset preferred a quiet setting so that the two could share stories and bond, but now she seemed to prefer a place where a conversation was literally impossible. Twilight suspected that Sunset had become privy to the fact that Twilight knew something was amiss. It made logical sense that she would bring Twilight somewhere that was full of people to prevent her from wanting to make a scene. Sadly as much as Twilight hated being right, she knew that she didn’t have it in her to try and broach such a delicate subject in a place where she would need to scream at the top of her lungs just for Sunset to even hear her.

On the way over, Twilight had recalled Sunset being exceptionally quiet, and a hint of wine on her breath when she offered the girl a kiss, which Sunset lazily accepted. Her kiss lacked the same oomph that Twilight had grown to crave, instead, it felt like one of a girl going through the motions.

Twilight feared losing Sunset more than anything, and she couldn’t take her mind off of Sunset’s behavior. Her thoughts returned to the revolver that she found on Sunset’s bookshelf, the same revolver housing only a single bullet. She couldn’t accept the matter as coincidence. She knew that something was up with her, but she didn’t know what to do.

Galeal yawned as he leaned back onto the grass, stretching his wings as he did so, Eclipse by his side, taking the opportunity to snuggle up closer in the griffon’s embrace. Noting Eclipse’s new closer proximity, Galeal closed a single wing around the unicorn and grinned.

“You know, I’m not a fucking blanket,” Galeal half-complained.

“Stop being so warm then.” Eclipse smirked.

“Stop being so gay and wanting to cuddle all the damn time. That sounds better, don’t you think?” Galeal rolled his eyes.

Eclipse smirked and sat up, meeting Galeal’s eyes with his own. “Even if I shat out a rainbow right now, I wouldn’t be gayer than you…”

Grinning, Galeal sat up with Eclipse and met him with a stare down as he spoke. “You’re so gay that when you were born, they handed your mother an interior design brochure.”

Enjoying the banter, Eclipse nodded before retorting. “Well if I’m that gay, then how gay are you for being gay with me?”

“You’re such a faggot, you know that?” Galeal hissed.

“Kiss me then, queer.” Eclipse smirked.

With another roll of his eyes, Galeal leaned in and closed the distance between the two, wrapped a claw around Eclipse’s head, holding him there as their tongues explored the other’s mouth. Eclipse couldn’t believe that they had been like this for the past few weeks since the first time they had kissed.

The nature of their relationship was odd, it usually involved tormenting the other one, and never really acknowledging what they were, or defining the terms of their strange romance. It was odd to think that only a few weeks ago, this griffon was nothing more than a new student who thought everyone and everything was stupid, and now he shared a spot next to Eclipse, willingly making out with him; though still thinking everyone and everything was stupid.

Much of the two’s free time was spent reading comic books, reading books together and long make out sessions when they got bored of those. Sometimes they found themselves kissing for hours, then snuggling up afterward. Not really saying much, or even acknowledging what they were doing. Most of their time together was in silence, but somehow it appeased both of them.

Even when he was intimate, Galeal never seemed to shave off his “tough guy” persona. Eclipse surmised that it was a permanent fixture to the griffon and that it likely would never fade away.

Neither of them wanted the kiss to end, but when they both broke it to take a breath, Eclipse smiled. “Would it be gay of me to say you’re a good kisser?”

“Extremely gay.” Galeal looked away, a blush on his face. “But thanks…”

Eclipse sighed and rested his head on Galeal’s soft chest, smiling as he looked to the sky. “So… You think your parents will get mad that we’re still out here? I mean it’s gotta be past midnight or something by now…”

Galeal shrugged. “We’ve been out here for a good eight hours… If they were mad, they’d have come looking for us, now. My dad is kind of a firm believer in letting me sort of do my own thing, you know? Very claws off…”

A chuckle escaped Eclipse. “Yeah… I can relate. So basically you get to do what you want?”

Galeal nodded. “Yeah, I guess that includes hanging out with queers like you.”

“You wouldn’t have it any other way though, and I already know it…” Eclipse giggled.

“You’re probably right…” Galeal sighed.

Eclipse closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the soft feeling of laying on his friend’s chest. Galeal’s feathers offered a certain warmth and feeling that could not be imitated by anything else.

The two merely sat in silence, just enjoying each other’s silent company. All was right with the world, if not only for a short while for the two young males.

Shining Armor had come by to visit his younger sister for the night, and had opted to assist her in some of her household chores throughout the day. With her mind on Sunset during most of her free time, Shining’s company proved an effective distraction as he assisted her.

The two stood in front of the washer and dryer, folding various clothing articles. Twilight had expertly remembered to wash all of her underwear and bras prior so that she didn’t need to have another awkward conversation with her brother about her newly active sex life with Sunset.

Shining lifted a pair of jeans and blinked as he looked them over. “Man… girls jeans are getting tighter and tighter it seems…”

Twilight blushed at his comment. “They’re meant to show off err… Well… You know…”

Shining nodded as he flipped them over. “Yeah, but do they really need to charge so much for jeans that are already beat up and tattered? I mean when I was a kid we used to just do this ourselves! Either through going outside and wrecking our jeans, or we’d put them in the dryer with pumice rocks… Now you guys are paying top dollar for them…”

“You’re only like eight years older than me…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, and a lot apparently changed in eight years. Seriously, how much does a pair of jeans like this cost?” Shining spoke as he folded them up and placed them into a basket with several other pairs of various leg wear.

Twilight shrugged. “I think those were like… eighty or something?”

“Eighty dollars!? You have to be kidding!” Shining blinked with astonishment. Though now he was starting to understand why the shopping bill was always so high when Cadence went clothes shopping.

“The amazing part is that they have no actual pockets… All fake pockets… I feel like that is some kind of gimmick with women’s clothing to sell purses or something… They actually advertised having fake pockets as a selling point…” Twilight shrugged.

“I never thought I’d see the day where you would wear things that were less practical, and more stylish…” Shining chuckled as he reached into the dryer to pull out more clothing to fold, passing a share of them to Twilight.

Twilight accepted part of the laundry before she spoke again. “Well… I didn’t want to look so out of style next to Sunset. She always dresses so… so… hot. And I am over there looking so plain that I sort of needed to even the playing field a little… That’s all…”

Shining grinned and nodded. “Well, they always say love brings out the best in people, and it’s good that you are not dressing like an old lady anymore…”

“Gee… Thanks…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“I’m teasing, still… I’m glad that you’ve gotten more comfortable with yourself, sounds like Sunset is having a good effect on you… I figured you’d be in good hands… Ever since I met that girl, I was confident that she would take good care of you.” Shining reached forward and ruffled his younger sister’s hair, much to her dismay as she swatted him away and began to fix the mess he had created on her head.

“And what would you have done if she didn’t?” Twilight raised a brow after being content with her hair once more.

“Eh, probably given her the biggest cold shoulder you’ve ever seen…” He shrugged. “I don’t know, I didn’t think that far ahead… I usually trust your judgment of people, Twilight.”

Twilight blinked, a bit surprised by that admittance. “R-really?”

Shining set the clothing in his hands down and gave Twilight a serious look. “Of course. You may be a little naive sometimes, Twilight, but you always seem to be able to spot good people. I don’t know why, considering you’ve never really had the best social skills, but you’ve always been able to know when people are good at heart… It’s something I’ve always admired about you, baby sis. Sometimes I wish I had such an ability, it would help me a ton in my line of work.”

Twilight rolled her eyes at her brother. “Figures, you find a way to make everything about work…”

Shining chuckled and shrugged. “My job is pretty important, Twilight. I bring a lot of people closure on their lost loved ones, and stop other people from getting hurt.”

She couldn’t deny that, Shining definitely was a person of importance when it came to the police force. She still felt a little guilty that because of her and Sunset, he was forced to file a false report to protect Sunset. He insisted that some things are best handled outside of the law, and while she admired his sense of right and wrong, she still felt bad that he had risked his job for them.

Shining always told her that sometimes people merely aren’t ready to handle some things, and that meant having to do things under the table. Shining was always a firm believer in doing the right thing, even if it meant putting himself in a worse position.

Twilight smiled as she thought that over. “I’m sure Flurry will look up to you one day…”

He grinned and nodded. “Yeah… Cadence already says that I’m her hero, so I guess it’s only natural that Flurry will too. I love that little girl so much, being a dad is still my greatest achievement…”

Twilight giggled and nodded. “Me too, so you mentioned before that you were curious about the portal to Equestria after the whole Adagio ordeal?” Twilight said, changing the subject.

Shining paused and looked over at his sister with a serious expression. “To be frank, Twilight… I’m sort of worried about that thing…”

“Why’s that?” Twilight asked as she folded a shirt and placed it into a laundry bin.

Shining stared at the dryer, chewing his thoughts before speaking up. “I think… At some point… We will need to close the portal…”

Twilight shrugged. “Probably, so what?”

He looked over at Twilight, his eyes serious and complex. “Twilight… Part of you has to know that Sunset may be an obstacle if we ever tried to close it.”

“Huh? Why would she?” Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

“Twilight… Even if she doesn’t have a lot left for her back there, that place is her home. I don’t think she’d be so keen on closing off her only way to get back home… She’d be trapped here, I think a part of her always feels safer knowing she has that escape route back to Equestria.” Shining explained.

Twilight looked down and narrowed her eyes. She had never considered such a thing. She knew that Sunset didn’t have much waiting for her back in Equestria, but would she really stand in the way of closing the portal to Equestria? Going back home to Equestria wasn’t something that Sunset talked about, but would she ever want to just bail on her human life and go back to where she was born? Could Twilight even blame her?

“Sunset is…” Twilight paused as she thought out loud, “She’s… not human…”

Blinking, Shining looked over at his little sister as he stopped folding clothes. “Well… Yeah… I thought you understood that when you started dating her… She’s some kind of alien from another world…”

Twilight nodded. “I did… I just… I guess I never really thought that deeply about it.”

Stepping forward, Shining placed his hands on Twilight’s shoulder, causing her to look up at her older brother. “As long as you love her, it won’t matter… Right?”

“Yeah… I guess… I just… I guess I am just remembering that the Sunset I know isn’t even her true form… What will I do if she ever wants to go back to Equestria? What if we’re forced to close the portal?” Twilight whimpered just at the thought.

Shining gave her a small shake. “Twilight, control yourself… Listen… Whatever happens, you’ll cross that bridge when you get to it, but know that you love her and she loves you. You’ll be able to overcome all of that if that’s true. Sure, your relationship is far from typical, but it’ll be worth it in the long run and overcoming obstacles is normal for romance, albeit usually different obstacles.”

“T-thanks, Shiny… I appreciate that… I need all the confidence I can get sometimes…” Twilight smiled sheepishly.

“Don’t mention it.” He nudged her shoulder before returning to folding laundry. Lifting a pair of jeans he squinted. “Hey… these seem a bit… big for you…” Shining pointed out.

Twilight took a look at the pair of black tattered jeans and sighed, realizing the implications that being in possession of this article of clothing was going to have on Shining. “Oh… Those… They’re… Sunset’s…”

He blinked and looked them over before whistling. “Yeah, she definitely has a nice ass then…” He grinned before blinking again. “Wait… That means…”

“Please… Can we not talk about it?” Twilight blushed and looked away.

Shining chuckled and snickered. “Oo-la-la, Twilight…”

“And… We’re talking about it…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Alright, alright, I won’t tease you that much about it…” He said before folding the pants. “It might behoove you to not leave her clothing laying around though… Unless you would prefer the same commentary to mom and dad.”

“In the heat of the moment, you lose track of that kind of stuff…” Twilight blushed.

“I can relate… One time I ended up having to explain how a pair of Cadence’s panties ended up on the front lawn the neighbors.” Shining chuckled.

Twilight blinked as her eyes opened wider. “What kind of kinky stuff are you two doing…?”

Shining winked at his younger sister. “You may never know.”

“I’m not sure I want to…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

Some Time in the Past

Sunset yawned as she sat in the bath house with her younger sister. Placing a cloth over her face, she allowed herself to relax while she let the hot water soothe her muscles. Her sister doing much of the same as she cooed delightfully upon stepping into the tub and letting the water pull her body in. “Oooooo, that feels nice…”

“Yeah… definitely after a long day, I can’t deny this is super nice…” Sunset admitted.

“So, you’re finally ready to accept defeat on the baths versus showers debate?” Shimmer grinned excitedly.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset shook her head. “The battle continues… I still believe that a nice hot shower is perfect for waking one up and greeting the day. A bath relaxes you too much to where you are almost lulled into another slumber.”

“When did you become so poetic?” Shimmer chuckled, giving her sister a playful space of the water. The hot liquid rolled off the girl’s pale skin.

Sunset returned the splash with a smirk of her own. “Hey, showers are important. Being all wet makes me think better…”

“Well, that’s going to make someone very happy one day…” Shimmer gave a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrow at Sunset’s words.

Once the teen realized the perverted interpretation of what she had just uttered, her face turned a shade of crimson.

“Like I’d ever get anyone hot and bothered…” Sunset sighed.

“Why not?” Shimmer blinked.

Sunset shrugged. “Well, what about you? Are you… Experienced?”

“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell…” Shimmer winked at her elder sister, her voice sounding insanely false as she spoke those words.

Sunset crossed her arms and raised her brow suspiciously, causing Shimmer to snicker. “Alright, sorry, I couldn’t resist acting like Rarity for a minute. To answer your question though, yes. I’ve had a few boyfriends and girlfriends… As I mentioned before, and yes we’ve had sex, a few times actually. I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but I definitely know my way around the human anatomy so to speak…”

“Lucky… I feel like I’d just choke if I ever got to the moment…” Sunset admitted.

Shimmer placed and arm around her sister’s shoulder and pulled her closer. “We all do, the important thing is to just be yourself. You can’t go wrong with that.”

“No offense, but myself is lame…” Sunset deadpanned at the incredibly cliched advice her younger sister was giving her. In a way, she felt a tad ashamed to seek sexual advice from her younger sibling, even if that sibling was just her from another universe.

“Lame is all in the eye of the beholder. You’re a cool girl, Sunset.” Shimmer reminded.

“You’re obligated to say that because you’re both my sister and an alternate reality version of myself… Saying that I’m uncool would be like admitting you were uncool…” Sunset squinted at the younger girl.

Shimmer giggled and sunk down into the water, allowing herself to relax for a moment before answering. “That may be so, but your friends talk about you with such intrigue that it’s pretty clear to me that you’re cooler than you give yourself credit for.”

Blushing, Sunset looked away bashfully. “Well… They are some of the best friends a girl could ask for… I’m glad they think so highly of me…”

“They’re not the only ones…” Shimmer reminded.

Turning back to face her younger sibling, Sunset saw a genuine smile on the girl’s face. Shimmer somehow managed to look even cuter with her glasses off. While the two shared extremely similar bodies, there were all the little subtle differences that only Sunset and she noticed about each other. Shimmer had a far softer smile than Sunset did, it was subtle but endearing. The kind that made you want to reach out and pull her into a hug.

“Thanks, Shimmer…” Sunset smiled back.

“Also, I’m sure you’ll find someone who will put up with you. After all… You’re a very attractive woman, I mean how can you not be? You have a very similar figure as me.” Shimmer sat up a bit, puffing her chest out with pride. It was seldom to see even a shred of arrogance come from Shimmer, but it was always an amusing sight to see.

“Easy there, if your ego shows anymore, we may have to pop it with a balloon…” Sunset smirked.

Shimmer reached over and gently punched her sister’s shoulder. “I’m serious though, you’re going to find someone, I promise. You’re a good looking girl and anyone would be lucky to have you.”

“I hope you’re right… Tell me about some of your boyfriends and girlfriends though?” Sunset leaned back, attempting to change the subject.

Shimmer, however, looked into the water as she appeared in deep thought. Her mind became flooded with old memories, most of which recent. “Let’s just say… I’m really bad at romance. I have a tendency to fuck things up or get involved with fucked up people. We’ll leave it at that for now…”

“Oh come on…” Sunset frowned.

Shimmer shook her head. “Another set of stories for another day, promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that…” Sunset grinned.

“Do me a favor though?” Shimmer asked, her voice becoming tense.

“Sure?” Sunset blinked, wondering why she was getting so serious all of a sudden.

“If you do find someone that makes you happy… Do everything you can to take good care of them okay? They deserve to see the best of Sunset Shimmer as often as possible…” Shimmer smiled.

Blinking, Sunset took a moment to respond. She was always taken back by how wise Shimmer could be on some subjects. These moments of role reversal always had her questioning who was really teaching who about friendship, but it made her happy just to think that Shimmer had come so far along.

“I promise.”

Over the next few weeks, Starlight and Angel had become perhaps the most sleepless pair in all of Sacramento. By day they would work at their waitressing jobs, by the evening they would hit the library and by night they would review their notes and practice a bit with Angel’s magic.

It was astounding what two weeks of practice could do for magic. Before she struggled to lift a tin can, now she could lift an object as large as a basketball and whirl it about like child’s play.

Sitting on Starlight’s bed, Angel practiced flipping the pages of a book on the desk a good few feet away from her. Without much effort, she could turn to a specific page and then turn back without much thought. Waving her glowing hand about, she smiled as she watched her own work. “This really is amazing…” Angel spoke.

Starlight nodded as she opened an energy drink. “Yeah, I kind of wish I had magic too…”

“Maybe you do… Maybe magic can be learned?” Angel proposed.

Starlight shook her head. “Nah, none of our findings suggest that. I think these kinds of powers have to be inherited somehow.”

“By the way, how did that lead with Leaf, go? Did she know anything?” Angel asked curiously.

Starlight had gone to investigate a story of a kid who claimed her brother was capable of supernatural powers in the next town over after work. She had spent her entire night commuting there and back, by the time she arrived at home, she had to wake Angel up.

“Nah, was a bust, turns out there was a logical explanation for it all. She just happened to see her brother get angry at the same time that that lightning struck the schoolyard bully dead. No magical murder there, just a story of a very oddly convenient coincidence…” Starlight shrugged before taking a long sip of the Pepsi clenched in her hand. She had forgotten how thirsty she was.

“So we’re back to square one, once again…” Angel sighed as she ceased playing with her magic.

“Yeah, but at least we can cross off another lead, you know?” Starlight shrugged. “It wasn’t all a total waste though! A cute guy on the bus was checking me out…” A small grin appeared on Starlight’s face.

“You have a one track mind sometimes…” Angel sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Oh come on, I’m only human. You should actually try getting laid sometime, Angel. Come on, I’ll hook you up. What kind of guys are you into? Surfers? Skaters? Pretty boys?” Starlight quizzed.

Angel leaned back and allowed her head to rest on the bed while staring up at the ceiling. “I don’t know…”

“Maybe it’s girls that do it for you then?” Starlight grinned playfully.

Angel sat up with a raised brow. “And what are you implying?”

“Well, you did turn down Chase, and he’s pretty cute…” Starlight continued smirking as she spoke, believing she was onto something.

“That was totally different and you know it…” Angel rolled her eyes.

Starlight downed the remainder of her soda and crushed the can in her hands. She tossed the remains into a waste basket near her desk. “All I’m saying is that I’ve never seen you with a guy or bring home a guy… Maybe you swing the other way?”

“I don’t think I swing any kind of way…” Angel replied dryly. It was true though, for as long as she could remember, romance wasn’t exactly something on the front of her mind. She was able to appreciate when people found her attractive, but nothing more than that most of the time.

“Well maybe that’s why you’re so serious all the time, you need to pick a side and go for it!” Starlight suggested.

“I’ll pass…” Angel sighed as she shook her head, not particularly interested in the idea.

“Oh come on, what’s holding you back? You’re a cute girl! It’s going to go to waste if you aren’t sharing your bed with someone.” Starlight protested, crossing her arms as she approached Angel.

“These powers of mine… They’re probably dangerous, Starlight… I can’t really involve anyone else in my life until I understand them more. I sort of worry that I could hurt someone or they could hurt me… What if I lost control of them? What if the reason I have them is something more sinister? What if using them causes me problems?” Angel admitted with a frown.

Starlight paused, not sure of why she didn’t think of that herself. “I see…”

The room became filled with awkward silence before Starlight smiled and sat down next to her friend, placing an arm around her. Angel leaned into the embrace as Starlight spoke in a quiet tone. “Hey… We’ll find the answers, okay? It may take us a while, but we’ll figure this out. Somewhere out there, there has to be an explanation for why you can use these powers… I’ll stay with you until we both find out.”

Angel smiled and nodded, feeling a bit more confident with her best friend at her side. “Thanks, Starlight… I know you will.”

Shining sat in his office in thought. His conversation with Twilight about Adagio and the portal to Equestria weighing heavy on his mind. He found the entire thing strange. He had met Adagio in the past, and putting it on the known timeline in his head, it would have had to have been sometime after the Battle of the Bands that Twilight mentioned, where Sunset and her friends stripped the siren of her powers. If that were the case, that meant when Shining met her, she was a mere mortal, no magic to speak of.

He recalled Sunset’s explanation that she somehow was able to siphon Shimmer’s powers into her restored amulet and that she likely reforged it by finding all the pieces and using Shimmer’s magic to do so.

Something still bothered him though, between when he met her and when she finally snapped, he didn’t get that kind of aura from her. Sure he had been wrong in the past, but usually, he was spot on when it came to reading people like Adagio. He didn’t sense an ounce of murderous intent in her when he met her in the past if anything she seemed scared. He could definitely detect animosity in her, but not enough to drive her to murder. Something simply didn’t add up, he was missing something between those two points, and it was bothering him.

The detective leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the table as he thought it over. The more he thought about it, the stranger it got, for example, Adagio pretending she had no idea who he was. What was she trying to hide? Had he seen something that she hoped pretending to not know him would keep hidden?

More importantly, he wondered if he had made the right call.

Putting his feet down, he stood up to head over to his filing cabinet. Thumbing through a few files until he found the one regarding Shimmer’s murder he opened it and placed it on his desk.

His eyes studied the crime scene photos once more. He recalled all the emotions he had experienced the first time he saw these photos and they were all coming back quickly.

Such a beautiful young woman filled with bullet holes. He remembered how angry it made him, how for a brief moment he questioned what if this girl had been his child? Admittedly he was very emotional on his first murder case, but he had to temper himself.

Studying the pictures in front of him, he recalled what Twilight had mentioned at the trial held in Equestria about how Adagio unloaded a whole clip on this girl and then reloaded to empty another on her. Adagio didn’t hesitate when she thought it was Sunset. She wanted Sunset dead, that much was for sure. Was trying to regain her magic that important? If that were the case, why did she not pursue such a thing prior to killing Shimmer? As far as he could recall, the girl was nothing more than a drug pusher living day to day when he met her. There wasn’t anything sinister about her in his mind that he could pinpoint.

Was it possible that there was something he was missing? Something that simply wasn’t connecting?

“What’s the missing puzzle piece…” He asked himself aloud.

For some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that until he knew the entire picture of what happened to Adagio Dazzle, he wouldn’t be able to rest easy. Something was definitely not right, and he was determined to figure out what.

Twilight had spent the entire day trying to get a hold of Sunset to no avail. After enough annoyance in trying to get her girlfriend to answer the phone, she decided to consult Moondancer about the matter. Moondancer had informed her that Sunset was likely at her home today, but wouldn’t divulge any more information. It was odd to see how close Sunset and she had gotten, but it was also relaxing to know that both of them had another close friend that they could go to if things got out of control, which seemed to happen often in their circle of friends.

For a brief moment, Twilight wished she had Sunset’s powers of being able to read people’s emotions, as limited as they were to figure out what was going on in that alternative girl’s head.

Sitting in her car with Spike in the passenger’s seat, she focused on the road as her canine friend spoke to her. “You know, Twilight… Maybe Sunset just needs space?”

“I wish I could believe that, but the last time she needed space, she more or less locked herself away for months… She isn’t exactly someone that uses solitude for self-improvement sadly, so she needs to be forced to step outside now and then when she’s feeling down…” Twilight reminded, her eyes still locked on the road as she navigated.

Spike sat there for a moment, considering her words. She was right, Sunset didn’t exactly have the best history when it came to solitude. “Good point, I suppose you’ve thought about this more than I have…”

“I wish I had a way to talk to the Princess…” Twilight admitted with a frown.

Spike’s brow rose at that remark. “Really? Why?”

Twilight sighed and shook her head in defeat. “She knows this kind of stuff better than I do… Friendship anyway… She also understands a part of Sunset that I likely never will…”

“What part is that?” Spike asked.

“The unicorn part…” Twilight spoke quietly, her words not even wanting to leave her mouth, but she forced herself to continue, “whether I like it or not… Sunset isn’t human. She’s a unicorn from another world, a place that I’m only vaguely familiar with… I’ve only seen her true form once at this point, and I don’t even understand the basics of unicorn culture or Equestria for that matter…”

Spike remained silent, letting Twilight continue her little rant. “I can’t relate to a lot of what she’s been through either… The reality is… Sunset has been left behind by so many people, be it by death or simply not caring… I may not have had friends for a long time, but I always had my family and you by my side…”

“That’s true… I imagine Sunset had a pretty lonely life…” Spike suggested.

She already knew he was right. Sunset was too keen on people viewing her as mentally strong to admit it, but she definitely lived a lonely life. Her attachment to Shimmer was evidence of that loneliness. She longed to have people care about her, and based on what she had said about her parents, she lived a life of neglect.

Thinking about that made tears well up in Twilight’s eyes. She could only imagine a young pony Sunset, struggling to gain any kind of approval or affection from even her own parents. Twilight couldn’t wrap her head around how that must have felt, but she imagined it was enough to make one feel unwanted, to feel like no one even cared if they were alive.

When the others had told her what a bully Sunset once was, Twilight didn’t think less of her, especially now that she knew what she did. She knew that the tough girl persona she had put on was to hide the pain, the pain she had been carrying almost her entire life. That same pain had been blocked out even when she made friends, the reality was that Sunset never truly let out her demons. She never confided fully in anyone what was ailing her. She spent most of her life unable to trust anyone.

The more she thought about it, the more she pressed her foot down on the gas pedal, trying to rush to get to Sunset’s estate to be there for her. She wanted to hold her and tell her to let it all out, to tell her girlfriend she could tell Twilight anything and she’d listen.

For a long time, she was jealous of Shimmer, and in a way she still was; Shimmer got to get close to Sunset, to get her to open up, and because of that, Sunset almost worshiped the ground that Shimmer walked on. She spent almost every waking moment with her younger sister, and it made Twilight upset. Upset that she was so petty as to be unhappy because Sunset was spending time with someone else, and also unhappy because when Shimmer died, it left Sunset in a worse position than when she started. A part of her wondered if she should have been more stern in telling Sunset to stay away from Shimmer in the first place. Sometimes she would ask herself “what if” when it came to Shimmer. What if she had convinced Sunset to stay away? Then she would be able to have gotten Sunset to open up about her problems a lot sooner.

The reality was that Shimmer caused a lot more damage to Sunset, even if she also offered some good to her. Sunset spent so much time blaming herself for what happened with Shimmer, and Twilight felt she was to blame for that. She wished she was more insistent in trying to get the two to never meet. Instead, she almost gave Sunset her blessing by being too “whatever you want to do” about it when in her heart she knew it was a bad idea from the start.

The more she thought about Shimmer though, the more she felt guilty for thinking so negatively of the deceased. Shimmer didn’t do anything to hurt Sunset, and it wasn’t Shimmer’s fault that Sunset got hurt. If anything, Twilight knew she should be thanking Shimmer for saving Sunset’s life, even at the cost of her own. Still, she hated having so many mixed emotions about the girl.

Spike noted how deep in thought Twilight appeared and decided to keep himself quiet, as he curled up on the seat and laid down, closing his eyes while Twilight approached Sunset’s estate.

The lavish gates were closed, but Twilight now was aware of the passcode to get them to open.

Stepping out of her car, she approached the gates and positioned herself in front of a keypad next to them. Tapping away, she mashed in eight digits: 88888888.

She chuckled momentarily at how simple the code was, and how no one had ever guessed it. Sunset stated that she preferred to keep it so simple that no one would guess it because they would have felt it was far too easy. Though to be fair to Sunset, Twilight surmised that if she had made it more challenging she may not be able to remember it herself.

Once the gate was opened, Twilight found her way back into her car and continued the drive down Sunset’s long driveway. As she drove, she wondered why rich people always felt the need to put their homes so far away from the entrance. In theory, she could have put the house up front and the swimming pool, tennis court, and other various outdoor things behind said house. Though admittedly, even she felt that would look just a slight bit tacky.

Arriving at the front door, Twilight put the car in park and looked over at Spike with a smile. “Stay.”

“Real clever… Dog humor…” Spike rolled his eyes.

Twilight snickered and nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I’m just going to be a few minutes. I’m going to go talk to her and see if she is willing to come out of the house. I just kind of need to figure out what’s going on with her…”

“Good luck.” Spike raised a paw in support as he watched his master exit the car and reach into her pockets to retrieve a key to the front door.

Once she had passed the barrier that was the front door, she looked around the foyer to see a familiar canine friend sitting there patiently wagging his tail. Twilight figured that Moon must have heard her coming and decided to wait for her. She leaned down and offered her hand to the dog, who in turn gave it a few friendly licks and then an excited bark.

Giggling, she pet the dog on the head before giving him instruction. “Hey boy, take me to Sunset, okay?”

Moon barked again before standing up and leading the way. Twilight noted her was taking them down a wing she normally didn’t go down. Sunset kept that side of the house relatively unexplored to her friends, but figuring there was no harm in looking, she followed the dog until they reached a staircase that would bring them down into the basement.

The basement of the house was something to behold. The Shimmer family clearly planned for everything, there was a staff living quarters which appeared to have been unused for years. Twilight remembered that she instead opted to switch her staff to part time to come in once a week to do cleaning and yard work rather than keeping them on site at all times. It was a far cheaper solution but definitely left the house extremely empty.

Further down the hall, Twilight poked her head into an open door, noting there was an armory in the house. She recalled briefly that Shimmer’s father enjoyed hunting, but the weapon collection he had acquired had certainly surpassed “hobbyist” by a long shot. Guns upon guns lining the walls, many of which Twilight questioned the legality of.

Only a few steps further down the hall and Moon stopped at a closed door. Twilight stepped forward and pointed toward the door. “In there?”

Moon only stared at her wagging his tail. Nodding, Twilight stepped forward and peeked through the window of what appeared to be a soundproof door.

There standing at a range was Sunset shimmer, letting off round after round in some kind of handgun. Twilight wasn’t too familiar with weapons, shy of the research she was forced to do for Shimmer’s trial, but it definitely looked powerful.

She watched as Sunset continued to fire, a certain look in her eye that was somewhat worrying to Twilight. Sighing she shook her head and turned around. Knowing that she would have to address this at some point, but that now simply wasn’t the right time. Her plan was to get Sunset’s mind off of this kind of thing, and she knew walking in that door right then and there would only result in a fight. She needed to be tactful.

Author's Note

Hey, another chapter arriving late in the day, I can explain why.

I am sort of a bit behind on writing because I've been sick the past few days, as well as Applety getting over being sick herself. Work has us there for 42-44 hours a week these days, so I basically have to get up early to squeeze time in for writing. On top of working on Silence of a Siren, I am doing a new project entirely, but that one I am going to do at my leisure rather than set myself to a schedule.

I sort of write this story for people's enjoyment. It's been a long journey for me already, and I'm thankful that so many people have read it. This is easily the longest thing I've ever written and I am hoping to one day see the completed version.

Every Act I have been trying to raise the stakes a little bit, and I know when I finally reach Act VII it's going to get wild. I hope people will really enjoy what's being built up to and how it plays out. I have most of the story planned out in a notebook for Acts 1-6, Act 7 will require its own notebook, that's how big and epic it's going to be. Here's hoping I make it, I'm trying to stay determined to keep moving forward! I believe we should be finishing Act IV this year.

Act IV - Chapter LV: Realization

Chapter LV: Realization

Sunset stood perfectly still as she waited for her arm to steady itself. Her weapon pointed forward at a target, trying to hit it directly at the center of the bullseye. She had practiced for so long that she had reached a point where she could score a direct hit at the center without even trying most of the time, but she was feeling extra tense today.

Breathing in and out, she let off the round and noted she scored the hit she was aiming for with a nod. Rubbing her forehead, she sighed only for a muffled voice to be heard behind her. Nearly jumping, she removed the earmuffs she had on and turned around with the gun in her hands pointed in the direction of the voice. There leaning against the wall was the familiar face of a familiar siren. A bored expression across her shining eyes as she stood there filing her nails.

“You startle easy…” Adagio spoke, her voice showing little sign of emotion.

Sunset lowered her gun and sighed. “I do, I shouldn’t though because you’re just a figment of my imagination…”

“Am I now?” Adagio asked, her eyes not being taken off of her filing job. The siren wiggled her digits in front of her eyes to inspect them before returning to her work on her nails.

Nodding, Sunset took a triumphant step forward. “I’ve been seeing therapists, you’re nothing more than a manifestation of my own insecurities…”

“Is that so?” Adagio asked a smirk on her face, unfazed by the statement.

“It is, you’re dead Adagio… I made sure of that,” Sunset spoke sternly. “I went to the trial, I saw your execution, you only exist as a figment of my imagination at this point…”

“Then why am I still here, Sunset? I guess your little therapy isn’t working… I’m still in your head. You still sleep with a pistol under your pillow, you still have thoughts about me, and you still would never let Sonata or Aria near you unless you kept your eyes on them… Face it, you’re not over it, Sunset Shimmer,” Adagio taunted.

“I still have a ways to go, I suppose…” Sunset sighed.

Adagio dropped her nail file and locked eyes with Sunset, her fierce gaze making Sunset flinch just a tad. “You know why? Because you are trying to run from the truth…”

“No way.” Sunset shook her head.

Adagio took a step toward the redhead as she spoke, her voice getting darker and filled with venom. “The reality is, if you hadn’t gotten involved, Shimmer wouldn’t be dead.”

“That’s not true…” Sunset denied.

“It is true…” Adagio smirked as she closed the distance between the two, eventually getting only inches from Sunset’s face as she spoke.

“Had you just kept your nose out of other people’s business or maybe not come to the human world at all, she’d still be alive, and you know it. You’re the reason she’s dead… You came to this world and intervened with all of its workings, and you’re just now realizing that there is a price to pay for all of that…” Adagio grinned devilishly.

“I didn’t pull the trigger, you did!” Sunset defended.

“And who do you think put the gun in my hand?” Adagio asked.

There was a pause, Sunset didn’t want to answer that question, however Adagio decided to do so for her.

“You were the target, she died trying to save you… The reason why you can’t get me out of your head… The reason why you still have a hard time sleeping at night is because you know that it should have been you at that execution as well…” Adagio nearly whispered as she came close to Sunset’s ear, her hot breath feeling very real. “You can’t escape the fact that you know that you were the intended target… Had you not come to this world, Shimmer would be alive, her parents would be alive… And they’d be living together happily…”

Sunset froze, unable to say or do anything.

A small chuckle escaped Adagio as she spoke her next words. “There’s still a way to make it right though…”

“What’s that?” Sunset asked, her voice trembling.

“You can die…” Adagio said, her words were abrupt as Sunset felt a sharp pain in her stomach, looking down to see Adagio’s hand pressed through her gut, blood dripping out of Sunset and down Adagio’s arm. Everything faded, Sunset felt light headed until she started to close her eyes.

Sunset’s eyes shot open as she found herself back in her bedroom, she pulled the pistol from under her pillow out and pointed it around the room looking for any intruders. Once she was sure that she was alone she lowered the weapon and rested her head back on the pillow.

Tears began to well up in her eyes, and slowly streak down her face. What am I doing? She asked herself. It was clear that she was struggling to move past what had happened with Shimmer. Therapy was helping, as was opening up about it, but she knew that she’d never be normal again, despite how much she wanted to be. Her thoughts eventually fell onto Twilight and how unfair she was being to the girl.

Twilight deserves to not have to deal with the emotionally damaged person that is myself… Sunset thought. She felt pained to know that Twilight would have to keep putting up with her when she was like this, that Twilight would have to find excuses to let Sunset’s behavior pass without comment. Her options weren’t exactly great, she could either continue to hide how she was feeling from Twilight or turn the girl into a crutch who regularly listened to Sunset complain about her problems, without nary a thing she could do to fix them.

Sunset wanted to get better, she wanted to defeat the demons inside of her, but she was struggling. She didn’t know how long that would take, or if Twilight could wait that long. She deserved to be happy now, and so long as she was with Sunset, that may not have been possible in Sunset’s mind. She loved Twilight, she knew that they clicked so well and that they both were perfect together when Sunset was at her best, but Sunset didn’t know how often her best would come out.

She was determined though. Wiping her tears, Sunset sat up realizing that if she wanted Twilight, she needed to fight harder. If therapy wasn’t working, she needed to push herself harder, she needed to try as hard as she could to let her better side come out and put the past behind her.

There was an ocean of doubts in her mind, but at that moment, she was ready to push past them and try to make things work. She hoped she would succeed.

Scribbling away at the various pieces of parchment at her desk, a busy Princess Twilight Sparkle yawned and stretched as she noted she was nearing the halfway mark of her work. A small smile came to the mare’s face as she realized she could break for lunch shortly. Her mind was already gravitating to thoughts of a nice salad and perhaps a sandwich to go with it, if she was feeling extra peckish, she’d probably make a stop at the ice cream parlor at Sugar Cube Corner. Princess or not, Twilight couldn’t resist the delectable treat, and Pinkie Pie certainly made the best around.

The thought of lunch filling her mind as she zipped through paperwork prevented her from even hearing the door to her study open. A young unicorn approached the Princess and stood in front of Twilight’s crystal desk, just watching the former librarian complete paperwork in record time. She always admired how studious the Princess was, but today she seemed to have a certain fire about her that made her work even more efficiently than usual.

The unicorn sitting in front of Twilight’s desk cleared her through, catching Twilight’s attention. “Oh, Starlight… I didn’t see you come in…”

Starlight nodded and bowed respectfully. “I apologize, I guess you’re too busy…”

“Nonsense, I was just getting a little too caught up in all this paperwork, I was about to break for lunch anyway, as I’m well ahead of schedule, did you come to join me?” Twilight smiled.

Starlight had been her first “official” student in Equestria, and Twilight couldn’t be prouder of her. She shined in all the right ways, and sometimes even taught Twilight a thing or two. Starlight was brilliant, gifted and a great listener. While Spike was still her number one assistant, Starlight had become her right hoof, an advisor that worked directly for her. A part of Twilight wished she could have interested Sunset in such a role, then she would have double the brilliance on her side, however, it wasn’t meant to be.

“I’d love to join you for lunch, but that’s not why I came in here… I mean I’ll still go have lunch with you, but I actually wanted to ask you about something…” Starlight spoke, a hint of nervousness on her voice, nervousness that Twilight caught right away.

“Something wrong?” Twilight asked with a raised brow.

“It’s about the Adagio case…” Starlight lowered her head.

Twilight set her quill down and leaned in from her desk. “What of it?”

“Well, I haven’t seen the letters myself, since Spike is the one that handles the journal, but he has said that Sunset’s recent letters have been… Concerning…” Starlight spoke.

Twilight’s expression remained neutral. “Concerning how?”

“Sunset is convinced that the ordeal with Adagio isn’t over, even though she’s dead… Is there perhaps some way that Adagio’s power could still be influencing people after death? She said she spoke with the other two sirens and they claimed they never knew anything like that…” Starlight explained.

Shrugging, Twilight leaned back in her seat. “Then there you have it.”

“Only thing is… Can we really trust the word of two sirens? I mean if I were a siren I wouldn’t want to give away all the secrets to my power… Especially to creatures that I saw as potential enemies,” Starlight proposed.

Twilight placed a hoof on her chin, unable to deny that argument. She was nothing if she wasn’t logical. “I suppose that makes sense… Truthfully, we don’t know much about sirens… For a long time, we thought them extinct, but it’s possible that there are more mysteries to their powers that we don’t even know about…”

“Should we be concerned then?” Starlight asked.

“Probably not, it sounds like Sunset is just being overly paranoid again…” Twilight shrugged before stepped down from her chair and coming around to meet Starlight face to face.

Starlight blinked at that explanation. “Is that… A common occurrence then?”

Twilight smirked. “Yeah, all the time. She’s a little like me but to a bigger extreme. Sunset has a tendency to be a huge worry wart…”

“I never got the chance to meet her at the trial… What is she like?” Starlight asked as the two began to walk toward the door together.

“Sunset? She’s… She’s something else, that’s for sure…” Twilight chuckled.

Twilight was clacking away at her keyboard, trying to get a head start on some emails that her professors had sent her. She had requested a copy of the class schedules early so that she might get a head start on some of her work. Despite enjoying her time off, Twilight often felt listless if she wasn’t learning something new or studying. Too much time off drove her mad, she recalled a kid that she often took summer courses just to occupy her time. The last few summers were the only times she had even opted to simply do nothing.

Her concern was on Sunset, however, the entire time she was typing. She had hoped focusing her mind on something else would take her mind off of the girl, but it certainly seemed to have the opposite effect.

So focused on what she was doing, Twilight didn’t even hear the door open and her mother walk inside. She nearly flicked when Velvet’s hand rested on her shoulder. Looking up from her seat, she saw her mother standing there smiling. “Hello, dear. What’re you up to?”

“Oh hello, mother. I’m just emailing some teachers before class begins, you know? I have a week or so, but it never hurts to get a head start…” Twilight grinned.

“Well, that’s not inherently true… The early bird may get the worm, but the worm that sleeps in gets to live…” Velvet smirked.

Twilight shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You always know how to ruin something, don’t you, mom?”

“That’s what mothers are for.” Velvet winked.

“So how has Sunset been?” Velvet changed the subject.

Twilight bit her lip for a moment, wanting to be truthful in that she was concerned for her girlfriend, but at the same time, Sunset had never officially shared that there was any kind of problem, so Twilight would effectively be blabbing about Sunset’s business to other people.

Instead, she decided to play it cool. “She’s good…”

Velvet grabbed a nearby chair to Twilight’s other desk and pulled it up. She sat in it backward and rested her arms on the back of the chair. The more Twilight looked at her mother the more she realized there was an inner child in her that always seemed to find its way out.

“So, what’s that mansion like? I’ve never been inside it…” Velvet asked curiously.

Twilight let out a laugh. “Oh man, the house is huge. I haven’t been in at least 80% of the rooms.”

“I’m assuming she has multiple bathrooms?” Velvet asked.

“And a Japanese style bathhouse!” Twilight exclaimed with excitement.

“What!? No way!” Velvet covered her mouth.

Nodding, Twilight grinned. “Yup, apparently Shimmer was part Japanese so there are a few Japanese themed things in the house.”

“So lucky… I hear those bathhouses are divine… That and I sort of figured that Shimmer was Eurasian, she’s so beautiful, just like Sunset. They get all the best genetics…” Velvet sounded almost as if she was pouting in jealousy as she spoke.

She was far from wrong though. Twilight always noted that while pale, Sunset had a great complexion, her skin seemed nearly flawless shy of the scar on her back. She had somehow inherited thick hair though, but she wore it so lusciously. From every angle that Twilight looked at her, Sunset was drop dead gorgeous.

A part of her felt a small sense of pride knowing that she got to call such a girl her girlfriend and that others looked with envy. Twilight was seldom one for gloating, but she couldn’t lie and say that she didn’t feel great knowing that people looked at her with envy for being with such an attractive woman.

“She really is…” Twilight agreed.

Velvet sighed and looked around the room. “Say, this room is a bit messier than usual… Are you catching some bad habits from your new girlfriend?” Velvet grew a sinister smirk as she spoke, clearly enjoying the teasing of her daughter.

“Huh? Oh no, I just haven’t been home a lot, and distracted. I will clean this place up over the next few days, promise,” Twilight spoke.

Velvet came to a stand and stared at the room for a good eight seconds before wandering toward Twilight’s bed. Twilight merely watched as the woman lifted a pair of jeans from the bed and grinned. With the jeans in hand, Velvet looked back at Twilight. “So… I take it you got into Sunset’s pants then?”

Twilight blushed and cursed herself for leaving those there. She had hoped her mother would just assume they were her own jeans and leave them be. However, she had forgotten that her mother knew her exact sizes and that the jeans on the bed were far from Twilight’s size.

While Twilight did have a nice rear, Sunset had far wider hips and more defined legs. That required a few sizes larger than Twilight.

“I… Uh…” Twilight’s blush only continued to grow as she attempted to think of a believable excuse for the article to be laying on her bed.

“She… borrowed a pair of my pajamas…” Twilight lied.

Velvet grinned. “That’s odd… Because all of your pajamas have been in that hamper over there for a good week…”

Shit. Twilight cursed in her mind.

Sighing, Twilight realized she was caught. “Okay… those are probably let after we snuggled… She was originally going to spend the night anyway, but after we got… Intimate, I wanted to snuggle, so when we woke up the next day she just changed into the change of clothes she brought and said she may as well leave those here so I had them in case she forgot a change of clothes the next time she came over…”

Velvet grinned. “My my, already having her clothing over for when she spends the night? You’re practically a step away from moving in together…”

Twilight blinked at that suggestion. “Huh? No… We’re taking things at a nice pace… No need to rush to stuff like that…”

“I’m only teasing, Twilight.” Velvet giggled before folding the pants in her hands.

At that moment an object fell out of Sunset’s pocket. Setting the pants down onto Twilight’s bed, Velvet reached down and scooped up the object. It was about the size of her palm, and in the shape of a sort of a long silver rectangle with fins on one side. “What’s this?” She asked.

Twilight looked over at the object and came to a stand to come closer to examine it. She had never seen it before, but she had a vague idea of what it was. Taking the item from Velvet, Twilight gripped it between her fingers and inspected it for some kind of button. Sure enough, she located one on the side and pressed it, causing a blade to extrude from the device at alarming speeds. Both Twilight and Velvet flinched backward as the item revealed itself to be a switchblade knife.

“Well then… Aren’t those illegal?” Velvet asked.

Twilight remained silent as she stared at the blade.

“I take it you two are into some really kinky stuff then?” Velvet grinned devilishly.

Coming back to reality, Twilight blinked and shook her head. “Huh? No… It’s not like that…”

Velvet giggled and placed a finger over Twilight’s lips. “My lips are sealed. You two are consenting adults, whatever you’re into is your own business. Just… Try and be safe…”

Twilight found her eyes looking back at the blade, staring as she was mesmerized by the shining silver knife. Her mother assumed it was sexual play, but Twilight knew the truth. She knew that this blade signified something else, and to her, it was more of a reason to be concerned about Sunset. It was clear now that she still lived in fear.

Sitting down for lunch with her former student, Princess Twilight placed her hooves on the table after they ordered. Starlight running a hoof through her long mane as she spoke.

“So, this ordeal about sirens magic having lasting effects… You said you think it’s a possibility?” Starlight asked.

Sighing, Princess Twilight realized she wasn’t going to avoid talking shop so long as there were things on Starlight’s mind. Caving, she decided to entertain her thoughts. “Well, I mean it’s not like anyone’s done extensive research on the creatures… Clover the Clever did a few articles about them, but most of their findings were inconclusive.”

“What about Starswirl? I mean he defeated them and sent them to the human world, he must have known quite a bit about them! I’ve read most of his work, but I’m only recently getting to the royal archived stuff… Given that prior to meeting you, it was off limits to anyone not connected to the royal family…” Starlight cleared her throat, hoping she was at least showing her gratefulness.

Twilight nodded and grinned. “I’ve read everything in that archive and I regret to inform you that Starswirl knew very little. All he knew is that their voices granted them power and that they had to be stopped. His spell was a crude version of the mirror, and when he utilized it, it actually sent the sirens forward in time to another universe. The mirror used to displace time a little bit itself, but since we’ve stabilized it, it now sends the user to the exact time on both sides…”

“Are you sur-“ Starlight was cut off.

“I have read everything and anything by Starswirl and memorized it… Trust me, if I say it’s not there… You can take that to the bank…” Twilight stated.

Unable to argue with that, Starlight rubbed her chin in thought. “Well… Let’s go over what we already know based upon common knowledge and the trial…”

Another sigh escaped Twilight. “Sure, why not… I had hoped for a work-free lunch, but let’s talk about dangerous magical beings instead… Because I don’t get to hear about that subject enough in my line of work…”

“Sorry, just hear me out okay?” Starlight frowned and apologized. She hated stealing what precious little free time Twilight did have from work, but the situation was nagging her something fierce, fierce enough that she knew she wouldn’t be able to think straight until she talked about it.

It was difficult to stay mad at Starlight for being so studious, a trait that Twilight herself had instilled in her.

“Alright, go on.” Twilight gestured with her hoof.

Nodding, Starlight levitated a paper out of her bag and began writing down notes with a quill she magicked out of the same bag. Creating a list of bullet points. “So the first thing we know is that sirens are immortal, right?”

“All of our research points to that, sirens cannot die by old age, and they don’t get deathly ill… So long as no one tries to kill them, and they continue to feed they can live forever…” Twilight explained.

Starlight nodded in agreement as she made a note. “We also know that they get their powers from their amulets…”

“Their bodies are not good at holding magic, meaning that if an amulet is destroyed then a siren becomes powerless…” Twilight reminded.

“Right, however in Adagio’s case, she was able to restore her amulet with the magic of another,” Starlight reminded.

Twilight sighed and looked off into the distance. “Well… You’re half right…”

“Huh?” Starlight blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Shimmer’s magic was only half of what she needed…” Twilight explained.

“I don’t follow…” Starlight tilted her head.

“Before the execution of Adagio, she and I spent the last several hours of her life in her cell with her telling me quite a great deal about her life and what she had been through leading up to her being captured… and eventually executed…” Twilight explained.

Starlight blinked, this was the first she had heard of this. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“The meeting was spur of the moment, and I didn’t feel it was necessary to tell anyone…” Twilight stated, her tone very melancholy.

“I’m going to assume that has something to do with that kiss?” Starlight raised a brow.

Sighing, Twilight finally looked back at her friend with a raised brow. “You’re still hung up on that, aren’t you?”

“Wouldn’t you be? I mean you kissed a murderer before putting her to death yourself… Not to mention this murderer and you didn’t exactly have the best history together…” Starlight crossed her hooves.

“Jealous, are we?” Twilight asked a hint of playfulness on her voice.

“I’m not jealous!” Starlight defended, her face turning a hint of crimson.

“Relax, it’s not my first kiss anyway…” Twilight giggled.

“R-really? Who else have you kissed?” Starlight leaned in with interest.

She winked at her friend. “As Rarity says… A lady doesn’t kiss and tell…”

“Ha ha… But back to you and Adagio…” Starlight said, realizing that she was unlikely to pry much more out of Twilight regarding her past romantic encounters. Though she certainly was curious as Twilight didn’t strike her as the dating type; she was far too much of a workaholic for that.

Deciding to not take her teasing any further, Twilight shrugged. “I did it because after hearing what I did… I felt the girl needed some compassion in her final moments… That she deserved to be shown some affection… You have no idea what that girl went through… Murderer or not, the horrors she endured, if someone had shown her compassion a long time ago, she probably would have never become such a thing… I just wanted her to know in her final moments that we’re not all like what she envisions…”

Starlight sunk down in her seat, a bit uncomfortable at how defensive she had just gotten. Twilight made Adagio sound so sympathetic.

“If you felt bad for her, why did you still execute her?” Starlight asked.

“Crime is crime, it can’t go unpunished. The reality is… I was too late to save her, she had done so much wrong that there was nothing I could say that would change her… Not to mention the outrage of Equestria when they found out that I allowed a murderer to walk… Her punishment was already set into motion, she chose to share her story after that fact, and to a private party and not the courtroom,” Twilight explained.

“That… Must have been hard on you…” Starlight frowned.

“One of the hardest things, I’ve ever done as a Princess…” Twilight admitted.

“Did you learn anything from her story?” Starlight asked, trying to turn the conversation back into being productive again.

“Plenty, but the only bit that I’m sharing is about the amulet…” Twilight said, her tone became very standoffish.

Starlight blinked and tilted her head once more. “Why?”

“I was told this all in confidence, what kind of Princess would I be if I simply blabbed the secrets of others?” Twilight smirked.

Starlight had no choice but to agree. “Alright, so what about the amulet? You mentioned I was only half right about how to restore them?”

Twilight nodded. “Yup, it takes one more thing…”

“Which is?” Starlight leaned in curiously.

“Lifeforce. Restoring an amulet requires the life force of another, in other words… Someone has to die to restore an amulet to power… That’s part of why sirens protect them so much, they are difficult to repair, but even more difficult to forge a new one…” Twilight stated.

“So that’s why…” Starlight pieced it all together in her mind. She wanted to ask more about the process to create a new amulet, but she assumed that if it was indeed a problem, Twilight would have mentioned it by now.

Twilight nodded. “Sadly, I don’t know if there are any lasting effects of siren’s magic, however, I can at least say that the amulet won’t be restored…”

“How are you so confident of that?” Starlight asked, her brow raised.

“When the amulet broke, the pieces that we could find were gathered, I took one of the pieces and hid it here… That way they aren’t even in the same world. Even if someone could assemble the pieces in the human world, they’d have a hard time getting the last one… The rest have either been lost before we returned to the scene, or in the possession of Detective Shining Armor…” Twilight explained.

“The human counterpart of your brother, right?” Starlight asked, recalling seeing him at the trial, though she didn’t get a chance to talk to him. She was mostly popping in and out that day and didn’t get a chance to meet anyone directly.

Nodding, Twilight grinned. “Yup, safe to say that the chances of anyone reassembling it are slim to none. However, since we have a shard… We could study it to see if we can find any evidence that siren’s powers could leave lasting effects?”

“That sounds like a research project…” Starlight smirked.

“Indeed it does, and who better to assist me than my favorite lab assistant?” Twilight returned the smirk.

“I’d be honored.” Starlight giggled.

“You should be, not many get to see me in action,” Twilight replied.

“Sounds great, but first… it looks like our lunch is here.” Starlight pointed.

Parking her car, Twilight let out a deep sigh as she realized how stressful the situation she was about to enter truly was. She had convinced Sunset to allow her to spend the night with her, and have a small little date at her estate, but she had ulterior motives. She couldn’t get her mind off of the switchblade that she found in the woman’s pants pocket, and she intended to confront her girlfriend regarding the matter. Enough was enough, she needed to tackle Sunset’s problem head-on. There was a chance that it could not only create awkward conversation but some resentment toward Twilight for even bringing it up. She was mentally preparing herself for such an outcome.

The girl took a deep breath and then exhaled as she leaned back in her seat, preparing for the worst in the event that bringing up the topic made Sunset angry or annoyed. However, Twilight knew that their relationship couldn’t last if she didn’t force Sunset to open up about this kind of thing. Twilight needed to not be kept in the dark, and if that meant getting Sunset a little upset with her, then so be it.

Twilight looked at herself in the vanity mirror of her parent’s car. Pointing to her reflection, she lectured herself. “You can do this, Twilight. Just go in there and bring the subject up… It doesn’t have to be a big fight… Let her know you are concerned and that you care about her…”

After the small pep talk, Twilight flipped the mirror back up and nodded before stepping out of her car. She approached the door to the house and took another breath before ringing the bell.

It wasn’t even eight seconds before she heard a buzzer that signified the door was unlocked. Nodding, Twilight stepped inside to see a simple dressed Sunset in the foyer, standing on the staircase looking down at Twilight. Her shining eyes looking down at Twilight, as Twilight sized her up as she stood there in her torn skinny jeans and scoop top, a familiar magical geode dangling from her neck.

Even in such simple attire, Sunset’s assets always looked stunning. It made Twilight a bit jealous of how she always looked sexy.

Taking a few steps forward, Sunset found her way off of the stairs and took Twilight’s hand in her own, a smile on her face. She seemed in a far better mood than the days prior, which set Twilight at ease.

Twilight accepted her hand being taken before Sunset used it to reel the girl in and snake an arm around her back, holding Twilight close to her body, a smile on her face. Sunset’s confidence seemed far higher today than the previous few days. “I missed you…” Sunset stated plainly.

“Missed you too…” Twilight smiled lightly, enjoying the feeling of being held by her lover.

“Sorry I’ve been acting so crappy lately…” Sunset apologized, using a free hand to stroke Twilight’s cheek with the back of her fingers.

Twilight practically melted in the girl’s touch. “Yeah… It’s alright though… I understand… I think anyway…”

“You’re too forgiving…” Sunset smirked as she placed her fingers on Twilight’s chin, forcing the girl to look up at her.

When Twilight met Sunset’s eyes, Sunset slowly allowed her eyelids to close as she closed the distance between the two, planting a tender kiss with her velvet lips on Twilight’s own. Twilight found herself relaxing, her body just allowing Sunset to hold her in place while she accepted the more dominant woman’s kiss. There was no denying that Sunset held power over Twilight, but somehow it excited Twilight. She loved the fact that Sunset could control her in all the right ways.

The kiss broke but left Twilight’s lips tingling as she opened her eyes to stare at Sunset.

“I was thinking we could order a dinner? Watch a movie or something, then see where it goes?” Sunset asked.

“See where it goes? Are you planning on undressing me and having your way with me again?” Twilight raised a brow, feeling a bit emboldened from the kiss, enough to make such a statement anyway. The longer she spent around Sunset, the more she began to appreciate the girl’s flirting, and became more capable of doing it back.

Sunset grinned, a small blush on her face. “Well… I was going to be a bit more subtle about it, but let’s see what happens before I commit to that?”

Nodding, Twilight allowed Sunset’s grip on her to loosen up as the redhead gestured toward the living room. Twilight followed for what was sure to be a very interesting night.

The bulk her the night was filled with snuggling on the couch watching a series of films, most of which neither of the two girls had ever seen. Occasionally the two would make out in between watching the television and scarfing down slices of pizza. Somewhere in between, Moon showed up to get some snuggling in with the two girls, which both happily obliged.

Before they knew it, it had turned to sometime past midnight, specifically 12:08. Sunset looked at her Apple Watch and stretched as she came to a stand. “I think that’s enough movies for one night… Wanna head to the bedroom?”

“Subtle…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Hey, I could have just said, ‘let’s fuck’, but I didn’t, did I?” Sunset smirked.

Twilight could only roll her eyes again as a response, unable to think of a retort to such a ridiculous statement.

Noting her girlfriend’s eye roll, Sunset sighed and shook her head. “Alright, how about… Wanna come upstairs to the bedroom and potentially fuck?”

“More to the point, but some subtlety wouldn’t kill you…” Twilight responded as she took an offered hand and came to a stand with Sunset.

“So is that a no?” Sunset asked, her face reeking of false innocence.

“You know I can’t say no to you…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“I wonder why… It’s my tits, isn’t it?” Sunset asked.

“W-wha?” Twilight blushed and looked away.

“I noticed, you’re a tits girl, I’ve been paying attention…” Sunset teased.

“It’s actually all of you… But if you must know… They definitely don’t hurt…” Twilight admitted, unable to make eye contact as she admitted something so perverted.

Sunset giggled and nodded. “Maybe I’ll get your name tattooed on them for you.”

Twilight blushed and decided to leave that one alone as she began to follow her girlfriend upstairs. The way up was mostly uneventful shy of Twilight noticing the scenery in the hallways. She was slowly becoming more and more familiar with the house and many rooms had become familiar to her, especially the room that Sunset would call her own.

Opening the door to her bedroom, Twilight noted that the room remained as tidy as ever, which was odd because prior to becoming a millionaire, Twilight didn’t recall Sunset to be the most well-kept person. Often she left things relatively untidy at her old apartment. Twilight wondered if gaining money had instilled some kind of new manners in her.

Sunset closed the door behind them before swinging around and pinning Twilight to the back of the door with an audible thud. Twilight let out a yelp but was silenced as Sunset pinned her wrist to the wall above her head and forced her into a powerful kiss.

At first, Twilight was taken by shock, but she eased up and allowed herself to be controlled as she moaned lightly into the gesture. Sunset’s kisses were like drugs, getting just one only made Twilight want more.

Once Sunset had established dominance, she allowed her tongue to swirl around Twilight’s, the other girl not even putting up a fight for control as Sunset did as she pleased. Playfully, Sunset nipped Twilight’s lip causing a light yelp from her lover before breaking the kiss and pressing her forehead to Twilight’s.

“I love you…” Sunset nearly whispered.

“I love you too…” Twilight replied breathily as the two stared into each other’s eyes.

“Do you want me?” Sunset asked.

Twilight froze, still a bit shy at being asked such a bold question. “Y-yeah…” She managed to stutter out.

“You didn’t convince me…” Sunset teased.

Twilight managed to say it again without stuttering. “Yes…”

“Then say it…” Sunset commanded.

Turning back to face her lover, Twilight locked eyes with Sunset and spoke lustily. “I want you…”

“That’s my girl…” Sunset cooed as she reached a hand forward and pet Twilight’s cheek. “You’re learning…”

“Yes… Master…” Twilight smiled lightly as Sunset released her from being pinned to the door and allowed her to explore the room.

Twilight wandered about until she stood in the empty space next to the bed and giggled as she gestured for Sunset to come to her with her index finger. A smirk on her face, Sunset obliged and made a rapid approach, grabbing Twilight playfully, eliciting a giggle out of her girlfriend.

“You’re really into this, huh?” Twilight asked.

“Porn gives one a lot of fantasies…” Sunset admitted as she stroked Twilight’s long silky hair.

“I’ve gotten a few of my own from it too…” Twilight nearly whispered.

“Maybe I can make some of them come true?” Sunset chuckled lightly.

“I was hoping you’d say that…” Twilight spoke before stepped backward and finding the nearest surface, in this case, a vanity and clearing it off before hopping onto it, letting her rump sit on top of the surface. She was giggling playfully until she saw Sunset’s expression take a complete 180.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.

Sunset rushed forward and gestured for Twilight to get down. “That was Shimmer’s…” Sunset uttered as she frantically scrambled to put everything back atop of the vanity, trying to match how it was prior, fidgeting with a light to get it back to the exact position, eventually finishing the work with a pair of spare glasses that Shimmer had left behind.

“Sunset… I…” Twilight began, but she was cut off instantly.

“Don’t ever mess with her stuff, got it?” Sunset’s tone had become very stern suddenly.

“I didn’t know…” Twilight frowned.

“Well, now you do… Fuck…” Sunset shook her head.

For some reason Sunset’s attitude about it set something off in Twilight, it ignited a fuse that Twilight had been keeping from the flame for some time. As she felt her anger and annoyance flare up, Twilight reached over to the Vanity and pushed the entire thing over, knocking it to the ground and all the contents to the floor with it. Sunset looked over at Twilight with a mixture of horror, confusion, and anger, unsure which was going to come out first. Confusion seemed to win out.

“What are you doing?” Sunset asked.

“I’ve had it with this bullshit!” Twilight yelled.

Sunset remained silent, allowing Twilight to finish.

“Shimmer is dead, Sunset! She isn’t coming back! You need to fucking let go! You think keeping this stuff exactly the way it was is going to make you feel better!? She’s dead! Dead! Dead! DEAD!” Twilight screamed as loud as she could, fed up with the behavior Sunset had been exhibiting in the past few weeks.

Sunset’s voice grew cold and low as Twilight was certain she could see tears running down the girl’s face as she knelt down to the fallen Vanity. A low pitched command exited her throat. “Get out…”

“Fine, but if I leave this house… I know I’ll never see you again…” Twilight stated as she crossed her arms looking down at her girlfriend.

“Oh?” Sunset responded, still focused on the fallen vanity.

“I know you, Sunset. You’re on a path of self-destruction, and you won’t stop until you succeed at destroying yourself. If I walk out that door, I’m positive the next time I’ll see you is in a coffin…” Twilight felt tears of her own rolled down her face, but she remained stern in her tone.

“What makes you so sure of that…” Sunset asked defensively. Her tone already saying it all to Twilight.

“I found this in your pocket at my house…” Twilight reached into her pocket and retrieved the switchblade and tossed it onto the floor. “I also still remember the revolver in the living room… I’m pretty sure that single bullet wasn’t for target practice…”

Sunset remained silent, not wanting to speak.

“I love you, Sunset… But you are too hellbent on destroying yourself… I… I can’t deal with that… You need help… I’m not the person to give it to you though…” Twilight started to stammer with her words as she spoke a truth she had known for months now.

There was no answer from Sunset. She remained still, quiet and unreadable.

Twilight reached into her wallet and retrieved a card and tossed it on the floor next to Sunset. “Give these people a call… I wanted to talk to you about all of this in another way… They’re expecting to hear from you… I don’t know what goes on in your head, but I can say this… You’re alive, Sunset… You’re alive for a reason, and destroying yourself is not a good way to repay Shimmer for keeping you alive…”

Sunset continued to give Twilight no words until the girl nodded and took her leave. “Goodbye, Sunset…”

Twilight was probably more terrified than Sunset was. At that moment, she didn’t know if she’d ever see the girl she had fallen madly in love with again.

Sunset looked over at the card and took it in her hand to examine it.

Dr. Red Cross
Psychiatrist

78 Crab Street
888-192-0013

Author's Note

Can anyone blame Twilight for being all about those tits? I mean seriously.

Act IV - Chapter LVI: Thoughts

Chapter LVI: Thoughts

Twilight found herself somewhat aloof later that night. When she stormed out of Sunset’s estate, tears in her eyes, Twilight was convinced that she may never see her love again. She knew that perhaps pushing the vanity over and screaming was a bit of an overreaction, but she also knew that Sunset responded better to extremes. Either way, Twilight wasn’t stupid, far from it, she knew that Sunset had been struggling with ending herself, all the signs pointed to it after all. There was no telling what would put her over the edge, but Twilight knew she needed help and she wasn’t sure that she was the one who could save Sunset from herself.

The entire drive home was spent letting the tears just empty from her eyes. She wanted to get it all out before she got home early and made excuses for why she was not having that dinner with her girlfriend that she had told her parents she was having.

As the tears came down her face, Twilight wasn’t entirely sure why they were soaking her cheeks. Part of her felt they were tears of anger, another felt they were tears of sadness and a third felt they were tears of concern for Sunset. The most likely answer is they were a mixture of all three.

Twilight was hurt, but at the same time, she was more worried over Sunset’s well being. She was scared that she’d get a news report the next day that Sunset had been found dead in her home. Everything in her body screamed to turn around and go apologize up and down, to beg Sunset at the gate to her home to let Twilight in so she can make it up to the redhead. She wanted to do that, but she kept on driving back to her parents' house instead, almost as if in a trance.

She was mulling over her thoughts, recognizing that even if she returned to Sunset, this wouldn’t be the last time they fought. It also wouldn’t be the last time she worried about her either. Given that magic surrounded Sunset, danger was always just around the corner, there was no telling what tomorrow would bring for the girl who was an alien to this world. That was the real reality though, Sunset Shimmer was an alien and Twilight Sparkle was human. Her girlfriend looked human, acted human and even shared a lot of similarities in biology, but the fact remained that she was an alien.

Twilight told herself originally that such a thing wouldn’t get to her, and while it didn’t bother her, it did remind her that Sunset would occasionally face problems that Twilight was incapable of resolving. For a moment, she understood why Shimmer almost left Sunset back in Equestria to remain. At least in Equestria, Sunset was safe, she was among her own kind as well, creatures that understood her. In Equestria, she could do magic to her heart’s content, and the weight of the world wouldn’t be on her shoulders. She wouldn’t feel obligated to take action against magical mayhem caused by super-powered freaks all because she was one of the few people on the planet who had access to abilities that could stop them.

The more she thought about it, the more Twilight wondered if she was holding Sunset back if their relationship was destined to fail from the start. Was it possible that she and Sunset were never meant to be together?

Try as she might, Twilight couldn’t squash the thoughts of self-doubt and sadness. The rest of her evening was spent quietly alone with her thoughts until dinner time where she was forced to sit at the table with her parents, just poking at her food, barely touching it (though she had had a few slices of pizza earlier, she was far from full). The broccoli on her plate only reminding her of how Sunset is a vegetarian and that her mother had gotten exceptionally better at cooking vegetarian dishes just for her.

Her family really liked Sunset, and Twilight remembered being so thankful and grateful for that. It was almost as if her girlfriend had already become a part of the family.

Noticing Twilight’s lack of appetite, her mother spoke up from across the table. “Twilight, what’s wrong? You’re not hungry?”

Looking up lazily from her food, Twilight blinked and shrugged. “Oh… I guess not… Sorry…”

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Her father chimed in, showing just as much concern as her mother.

Twilight was thankful that her parents cared so much about what was going on in her life, though sometimes it forced her to speak about problems she was having before she wanted to.

“It’s nothing…” She lied.

“It’s definitely something, you’re looking more upset than that time you got a B- on that math quiz…” Velvet stated.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight spoke up. “First of all, I actually got an A+, I wasn’t mad at about the grade, I was mad that I was forced to explain the answer to the teacher and correct his mistake.” Clearing her throat, Twilight decided it was best to get it out in the open. “Second… I guess I’m just a little upset over what went down at Sunset’s house…”

“Did you two have a fight?” Velvet blinked, her voice hinting at her concern.

Twilight bit her lip and thought of how to word it. She didn’t want to tell her mother that she lost her temper and knocked over a vanity and then screamed at Sunset. “Yeah… I guess you could say that…”

“Fights happen, sweetie. I’m sure you’ll both move past it eventually.” Night smiled at his daughter.

Twilight was always amazed at how simple her father could make things sound, even if they were usually far more complicated than he made them out to be.

“I don’t know… We’re not exactly on speaking terms right now… I think I really messed this one up…” Twilight frowned, sinking a bit in her seat as she ran over the events of the night in her head one more time. She could still hear the echoes of herself shouting. She knew that Sunset had a problem, but she had wished she had approached it better.

“So you two are broken up then?” Her mother asked with a raised brow.

A slight tinge came to Twilight at those words. She had never formally said anything of the sort, and she had avoided thoughts of that subject, but it had occurred to her that this could indeed mean that Sunset and she were no longer an item. She didn’t want it to be over, but she knew that such a thing was on the table when she stormed out of that door.

“I… I don’t know… I don’t want to be, but I’m not sure if I get a choice now…” Twilight frowned, her eyes focusing on her plate to avoid eye contact with her parents.

“Well, maybe you can apologize…” Velvet suggested.

“I’m not sure an apology can fix all of this… The reality is… Sunset has… Problems… Serious ones…” Twilight explained.

“Everyone has problems, sweetie,” Night reminded.

“Not like this… Sunset’s problems are in a whole different league.” Twilight shook her head.

“Sure, Sunset may not be a typical girl, and her problems may be unique, but problems can be worked through, Twilight.” Velvet raised a finger as she spoke with a matter-of-a-fact tone.

“I don’t know if it’s possible with the stuff she’s dealing with…” Twilight frowned.

“You’d be amazed at what people can work through. Give it time, she may come around.” Velvet smiled.

Twilight let out a sigh and nodded, realizing that even if she agreed or disagreed with her mother, her only option at this point was to sit and wait. Whatever Sunset was going to do was going to be completely out of her control, and Twilight had already resigned to that.

Twilight’s words had hit Sunset hard, she knew there was some truth to them, but at the same time, she didn’t want to consider that aspect. Shimmer’s belongings were all Sunset had left to remember the girl who would call Sunset her sister, and she would be damned if she allowed Twilight to disrespect that, regardless of the circumstances. Twilight simply didn’t understand, she had a family, people she could go home to, people who cared about her, Sunset had nothing. The only person in the world that she could even call family was taken from her, robbed of a chance to live even half of a full life, all because of someone wanting some petty revenge.

Sunset found herself going through a few of Shimmer’s old things in various boxes, things that she had put away either due to not having a use for them, or simply just not knowing what to do with them.

To Sunset’s surprise, outside of Shimmer’s video logs that she recorded almost daily, Shimmer didn’t keep a lot of records of herself. Sunset had watched every one of the girl’s video diaries at this point and memorized a few, however, Shimmer didn’t keep many journals or photos of her past around. This was likely due to the fact that she didn’t have many friends or people that she interacted with for a long time, so she had no reason to try and preserve memories.

Most of the photographs of Shimmer that Sunset found were either of Shimmer’s family long before Sunset arrived in the human world or of their group of friends and them together.

When Shimmer had first passed away she went through all of her photos to try and find some of the best ones to make copies of to give to Moondancer. She felt bad that the girl had little to remember her deceased girlfriend from, so she had made it a mission to ensure that Moondancer had a few keepsakes. It didn’t fix the hole in her heart, but it at least helped mend the girl slightly.

Sunset was trying to take her fight with Twilight out of her mind, and thus she buried herself in memories of Shimmer, in the hopes that she’d forget about the entire ordeal.

Eventually, though, she found a camera that looked fairly recent in a box. Flipping it over to the display on the back she tried to turn it on, only to find the battery was dead. She rummaged through the box it came in to see if a charger was anywhere nearby, but of course, no such charger was present. Examining the charge port revealed it was one of those proprietary ones, so no generic charger would work.

Thinking for a moment, Sunset recalled that these types of cameras usually stored their photos on a removable memory card. It took her a moment to recall they were called “SD cards”, but she thanked Moondancer silently in her mind for her lessons on technology.

Finding a side of the camera that opened, Sunset removed the SD card and examined it, noticing there was a heart drawn on it, along with a date that predated when Sunset and Shimmer met, clearly Shimmer’s work. Curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to take it to a computer where she could examine the contents.

After her pep talk with her parents, Twilight was feeling slightly better, but still rather defeated when it came to the subject of Sunset. A part of her wanted to believe things would work out, but at least 80% of her was accepting that their relationship was likely over and she should simply try to start moving forward. Either way, she knew a shower could help her clear her head.

On her way up to her room, Twilight let Spike into the bedroom and shut the door behind her before stripping down to her bra and panties. Her eyes were drawn to her computer desktop which displayed a photo of her and Sunset together, Sunset planting an affectionate kiss on her cheek. Twilight smiled as she remembered when that moment happened.

Walking over to the desk, Twilight decided to check her phone that she had left upstairs when she went down for dinner. A part of her was hoping a text message or a missed call from Sunset would be waiting for her, but naturally, when she opened her phone, no such thing happened. A sigh escaped her as she sat down in the chair in front of the desk and began to thumb through old conversations between Sunset and her.

Sunset: Hey, did I leave my bra there?
Twilight: Nope.
Sunset: Shit, where the hell did I put that thing? These tits are out of control and I need to tie them down!
Twilight: Did you only bring this up so you could send me perverted messages like that?
Sunset: What? You gotta be TIT-ing me! I would never do such a thing!
Twilight: And send me bad puns…?
Sunset: I’d never do such a thing. After all, I am a model TIT-izen.
Twilight: You can’t see it but I am cringing super hard right now.
Sunset: Oh you love (t)it!
Twilight: Why am I dating you?
Sunset: Maybe it’s because of my (tits) personality?
Twilight: Stop.
Sunset: Alright, I think I reached the limit of this joke.
Twilight: Oh so NOW you’ve reached the limit?
Sunset: What can I say? Even I have my lim-TIT.
Twilight: … I can’t believe you right now…
Sunset: ;D You’re still my girlfriend right…?
Twilight: … Begrudgingly… But yes.
Sunset: Okay cool, because there’s probably at least like 800,000,000 more bad puns that await you in the future should you choose to stay with me.
Twilight: We’re going to have to draw out an agreement where you agree to only two puns a day maximum.
Sunset: No fair!
Twilight: Take it or leave it.
Sunset: Fine, but we’re going to both have to like… Live a lot longer so I can get all 800,000,000 of those puns out before we die if I’m limited to two a day.

Twilight giggled as she read over the old messages, albeit she would have never admitted back then that Sunset’s messages made her laugh. Her girlfriend always had a crude sense of humor, but it was one of the traits that Twilight found endearing about her. Sunset was unapologetically herself, and as much as Twilight pretended to be annoyed by it, she would be lying if she said she wished it would stop.

Twilight found herself reading another conversation between the two of them not long after.

Twilight: So what kind of girls were you into back in Equestria?
Sunset: Attractive ones.
Twilight: Haha, could you be more vague?
Sunset: Ones that exist.
Twilight: …That was rhetorical…
Sunset: Just being a smart ass, as usual.
Twilight: Better than being a dumb ass, right?
Sunset: Now you’re getting it!
Twilight: In all seriousness though, what kind of girls did you like back home?
Sunset: In all honesty… I don’t know… I wasn’t really into romance back home, so I never gave it much thought. However, if it’ll appease your ego, I’m heavily attracted to you.
Twilight: I do not have an ego.
Sunset: Oh please, I bet you’re looking at yourself in the mirror making poses right now since I said that.
Twilight: You wish.
Sunset: A girl can dream, right?
Twilight: Keep on dreaming.
Sunset: Every night.
Twilight: So long as you’re dreaming of me, I suppose that’s alright by me.
Sunset: I always dream about you.

For a brief moment, she considered calling Sunset. What would she say though? How could she simply play off their big fight like nothing happened? Was Sunset still mad? The constant questions that lead to self-doubt ultimately made Twilight decide that calling the girl was definitely a no-go. She needed time to think, she needed time to consider if it was even worth calling her at all.

Setting her phone back down, Twilight lazily found her way to the bathroom in her bedroom and yawned as she made it into the shower. The exhaustion of the night was finally hitting her as she allowed warm water to stream down her body after stripping off the remainder of her clothing.

As she stood there in the shower she thought about how her night should have gone. She should have enjoyed a nice meal with her girlfriend and by now the two should have been finishing up a night of sexual exploration and enjoying a bath together, or possibly snuggling in Sunset’s lavish bed, completely nude.

The thought of such an activity made Twilight blush as she stood there in the shower, and before she knew it, she was imagining Sunset there with her, helping her wash, being her usual flirty self, and feeling the warmth of Twilight’s body on her own. Twilight’s imagination was so vivid she could feel Sunset’s breath on her neck, and the slight tingle in her buttocks that she got when the girl groped her.

The more she imagined it, the more real it became. Her fingers began to run down her own body as she imagined being held in the shower and eventually pressed up against the wall.

Blinking Twilight realized what she was doing and quickly switched the water over to cold.

Finally getting down to the laboratory, Sunset was in the closest room with a computer in it that she could locate. She had forgotten where she set her MacBook down, so this room would have to do.

Sitting down in front of the desktop that was stationed in the center, Sunset looked at the SD card in her hand and then at the tower. Shrugging, she slotted the card into the reader on the front and began to navigate to it on the provided screen. Sure enough, on the computer, the card was labeled “Babe”, which only sparked Sunset’s curiosity more.

A message appeared on the screen asking if she wanted to play the media on the device via the media player. Shrugging, Sunset clicked “yes” and sat back in her chair waiting to see what would unfold in front of her.

A video started to play showing someone holding the camera very shakily, Shimmer in the shot of what was being filmed. Shimmer smiled at the camera and giggled. “You aren’t in the shot, babe…” She called out toward the person holding the camera who couldn’t be seen.

A voice that Sunset swore she recognized called back to Shimmer from the camera holder. “Someone has to hold this thing…”

“Well, that’s no fun, I wanted a video of us together, something to remember today by…” Shimmer frowned.

“Why would you want a video to commemorate just a random day? Do you make videos to commemorate sandwiches you make or other random useless crap?” The voice asked as they tried to keep Shimmer in focus, albeit doing a poor job.

Still, Sunset could make out that Shimmer was wearing a more casual outfit of a scoop cut T-shirt and some ripped shorts, her hair naturally tied in her signature ponytail, and her designer glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. She looked as cute as ever.

Judging by the octave of the voice, Sunset could determine the voice was female, and it began to sound more and more familiar the longer they spoke.

“I don’t know, we just had a good time, so I want something to remember it by! Now get in the shot!” Shimmer protested, crossing her arms and putting on a pouty face.

Sunset found herself smiling as she watched her little sister pout. It was interesting to think that this video was a time before Sunset was a part of her life. It was refreshing to see that there were other times when the girl was happy at the very least, and seeing footage of her that she had never seen before felt almost like she was in the room with her.

“I’m not really big on pictures and shit, you know that, babe…” The voice replied.

“Oh for heaven’s sake…” Shimmer rolled her eyes before approaching. There was a minor scuffling, followed by the camera being moved all about before refocusing on an image that caused Sunset’s heart to nearly stop and her body to run cold.

Shimmer adjusted the camera into a selfie style cinematography as she brought the person holding it into the shot with her, as she pressed up close against them, their cheeks touching with the other girl being a good few inches taller than Shimmer.

Sunset recognized her anywhere, long wild curly orange hair, piercing red tinted eyes, and a perfectly chiseled face. She even wore her spiked hairband that tied back her obnoxious amount of hair.

As she came more into the shot, Sunset could see she was wearing a white button up blouse and a confused expression as Shimmer smiled.

Sunset was speechless.

“Okay, so smile for the camera, Dagi!” Shimmer instructed.

“You are really strange, you know that?” The other girl stated from behind the camera.

“Oh come on, Adagio, you always look like such a grump in all our photos, for once I’d like to see you not look like you want to murder someone…” Shimmer complained.

Sunset’s eye twitched at the sight before her, she found herself unable to look away, though. She wanted to smash the computer screen, she wanted to rip it right out of the outlet and toss it out the window. Instead, however, she sat there and watched, only feeling her anger grow and grow with each passing second.

“Fine…” Adagio rolled her eyes.

Shimmer smiled and turned Adagio to face her, pressing her forehead to Adagio’s; the two locked eyes affectionately for a solid eight seconds or so, “I love you, babe…” Shimmer said.

Adagio was sporting a mild blush as she nearly whispered her reply. “I love you too… Sunset…”

In horror, Sunset watched as their lips closed in and the two shared a passionate kiss. Their lips smacked and their tongues began to dance before Sunset couldn’t take anymore. She paused the video and looked away from the screen. She wanted to throw up, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing, it had to be a mistake, it simply had to be.

There was no way it was possible. Looking back at the screen, Sunset flipped through the rest of the files on the SD card, all relatively similar, photographs of Adagio and Shimmer together, some of just Adagio, and some of just Shimmer, but all of it pointed in the same direction.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, but the evidence was overwhelming; Shimmer and Adagio were an item at one point, they were intimate, possibly even sexual. At that moment, everything Sunset understood about the situation with Shimmer’s murder collapsed. She thought she understood everything, but now she was left in complete confusion. The person that had ended Shimmer’s life had at one point been someone that Shimmer apparently felt was important enough to preserve videos and photos of.

Anger welled up in her as she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her with a thud.

Some Time Ago

With her fingers on a cigarette, Adagio leaned back in an expensive recliner and closed her eyes. Everything around her faded as she relaxed after an inhale. Letting the smoke exit her mouth, Adagio let out a content sigh. Normally she’d be stressed out about something, but at that moment, everything felt right. She could forget about the stress of money, the stress of her two siren subordinates and even the stress of life in general.

Somehow when she spent time at Shimmer’s estate, she was content. Ever since her defeat at the battle of the bands, she found it difficult to find peace, but somehow Shimmer changed all of that.

Shimmer returned from the kitchen with a bottle of wine in hand and a smile on her face. She giggled and approached Adagio and climbed onto the girl’s lap, sitting on top of the girl, forcing her to meet Shimmer’s eyes.

Adagio raised a brow as she noted the compromising position that Shimmer had placed herself in and gave a “hm?” as she puffed on her cigarette.

“I brought us some wine…” Shimmer playfully whispered. “It’s some of the good stuff too,” she added.

“Fuck, you’re already high, you want to be drunk too?” Adagio asked with a raised brow.

“We get high all the time, drunk is a change of pace!” Shimmer explained.

“No kidding, you’re either high or about to get high every time I’m here…” Adagio rolled her eyes.

Shimmer giggled and nodded. “It’s because you’re such a good dealer, that’s why!”

“You’re just saying that because I fuck you after, aren’t you?” Adagio asked.

“That’s definitely a perk…” Shimmer winked.

Looking away, Adagio sighed. “Gee, thanks…”

“I didn’t say you were bad at it. By no means are you just a fuck to me, Adagio Dazzle…” Shimmer stated, grabbing Adagio’s chin and forcing her to face her. Shimmer’s face always seemed to put Adagio at ease for some odd reason. There was something calming about staring at her gentle face, in an ironic sort of way, given that Shimmer shared a face with one of Adagio’s mortal enemies.

Adagio stared for a moment before removing her cigarette. She held it between her two fingers as she looked at the girl on her lap. “Yeah… I know… I also look good in guy’s clothes right?”

“Then stop teasing me…” Shimmer giggled. “Though yes, you do… You’re like that perfect blend of masculine and feminine… I’m sort of jealous… You can look cute in guy’s clothing, but still, dead sexy in women’s clothing…”

“You’re an easy target, what can I say?” Adagio shrugged, ignoring Shimmer’s comment regarding her gender conformity being a bit mixed.

“So… Tell me something about yourself that you’ve never told anyone…” Shimmer changed the subject.

Adagio merely shrugged as she lifted the hand with the cigarette back up to her lips. “I’m an award-winning tennis player; played with some of the best players in the whole world.”

“Really!?” Shimmer blinked in astonishment.

“Nah, I’m just an award-winning liar…” Adagio smirked playfully, as she usually did.

Shimmer lightly smacked the girl’s shoulder as she scolded her. “Come on, tell me something… Something you’ve never told anyone before…”

Adagio thought for a moment and then looked up to Shimmer’s eyes as she spoke. “I… Actually… I’ve never really trusted anyone before…”

“Really?” Shimmer asked with curious eyes, though not entirely surprised given the nature of Adagio’s line of work.

Adagio rubbed her neck. “Yeah… I mean… Until you that is…”

Shimmer smiled and nodded before kissing Adagio’s forehead. “I trust you too, Dagi.”

Dagi. A nickname that Adagio usually hated, but for some reason, coming out of Shimmer’s mouth it sounded almost… Sweet. Adagio could almost feel herself actually enjoying the nickname when it came from her lips. When her boss said it, she rolled her eyes, when Sonata said it, she wanted to punch her, but when Shimmer said it… It was like music.

There was a silence as Shimmer leaned in to be held, Adagio wrapping her arms around the girl, keeping her warm with her body. Shimmer closed her eyes and lost herself in the feeling as she thought. “Hey… Dagi…”

“Hm?” Adagio responded as she continued to hold the girl.

“Have you ever… Done something that you regret?” Shimmer asked quietly.

A million different memories raced through Adagio’s mind at that exact moment. “Yeah… tons of shit…”

“I mean like something… seriously bad…” Shimmer’s voice was soft and concerned sounding.

“Yeah… A few things actually… Stuff that I still live with to this day…” Adagio replied, gently stroking the girl’s long thick hair.

Adagio caught a full whiff of Shimmer’s scent as she held her and the two fell into silence as they sat there in an embrace.

Finally breaking the hug, Shimmer climbed off of her girlfriend and stood in front of her with her arms behind her back, her simple zip up dress complimenting her gorgeous figure. “Well… I guess that’s why we should try and live in the moment whenever we can, right?”

Adagio shrugged. “I guess…”

The sound of a zipper could be heard before Shimmer’s dress fell to the floor, exposing most of her body. She stood there in her panties and giggled as she climbed back on top of Adagio.

“Then let’s not waste any time, right?” Shimmer cooed.

Adagio grinned and sucked down the remainder of her cigarette, tossing the butt into a nearby ashtray on the coffee table in the room before grabbing Shimmer’s waist with both of her hands. “You don’t have to tell me twice…”

The next few hours would be spent in the wine cellar by Sunset. She was dumbfounded, confused, angry and just an emotional wreck all at the same time. Her relationship with Twilight likely was over for good, her sister was dead, and to top it all off, she was sleeping with the person who murdered her. Sunset felt like the universe was laughing at her, or in some way punishing her.

She had finished off a bottle she had indiscriminately grabbed on her way down and used it to drown her thoughts out. Unfortunately for her, no amount of alcohol seemed to make her brain stay quiet. Everything that was happening around her just kept playing in her head, it was like a ringing in her ear that wouldn’t stop. Nothing brought the young woman peace.

After she had finished her bottle, she dropped it onto the floor and grabbed another random bottle from one of the racks and slumped down to the floor with a grunt. Sunset put her back against the wall and sighed as she struggled to open the bottle for a moment.

Eight seconds of struggling later, Sunset managed to use the corkscrew she had snagged on her way down to get the cork out of the bottle and wasted no time. She chugged the sweet liquid as quickly as she could and let out a belch after she stopped to get some air.

The effects stacked on top of what she had already drank were starting to kick in; the room around her blurred, the ceiling seemed to move around in circles as Sunset stared upward with a frown on her face. Alcohol completed the moment, she was perfectly miserable.

Sipping from the bottle again, Sunset closed her eyes and felt a tear run down her face and drip onto her hand.

As she lifted the bottle for another sip of the liquid, she heard something that sounded like a muffled voice in her ear. Blinking she rubbed her ear and squinted around the poorly lit cellar, looking for the owner of such a voice. The more she focused, the more the voice started to sound familiar.

“H-hello?” Sunset slurred out.

“I said, what a lovely evening to be completely shit face drunk…” The familiar voice spoke.

Blinking a few times, Sunset could see a figure start to appear before her, a figure that she recognized. Long red hair, with golden streaks, a cute face with shining teal eyes and a gorgeous blue and orange trimmed dress stood across from Sunset.

Adjusting their glasses, the figure gracefully sat down on the floor across from Sunset with a smile on her face. “Well, good to see you’ve been taking care of yourself…”

“You’re dead…” Sunset stated though she wasn’t certain if she had said that for her own sake or to inform Shimmer of her status among the living.

Shimmer nodded. “Very astute of you. I see your observation skills haven’t changed. I imagine your sense of humor likely is exactly the same as I remember it as well…”

“Great… Now I’m talking to an imaginary version of my dead younger sister who is also an alternate reality version of myself… Today couldn’t get any more fucked up…” Sunset grumbled.

“Am I imaginary?” Shimmer asked, tilting her head.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Ummm, yeah? You died, remember? I was there, I held you… I had never seen someone die before…”

Shimmer shrugged and leaned back against the wall, her expression remaining relatively neutral. “Maybe so… However, I’m here now…”

“So you’re a ghost?” Sunset chuckled.

“If you want me to be, I am. Either way, I’m here… What difference does it make if I’m real or not, right?” Shimmer asked with a raised brow.

“Tons… If you’re real then I can take what you say to mean you’re helping me from the great beyond… If you’re not, then you’re just a figment of my imagination and I’m just talking to myself, which is one of the first signs of being completely batshit insane… So if you are a ghost, then I probably need years and years of therapy…” Sunset answered before taking another swig of the bottle.

“To be fair, I don’t think either of us had far to go to qualify as ‘batshit insane’ for this world. While your antics are commonplace in Equestria, in this world being able to conjure fire from your hands, defeat evil magic controlling villains and claiming to be from other worlds would land one in the mental ward here, or at the very least on some government operating table…” Shimmer pointed out.

“Then why didn’t they lock you up when you spouted all that shit to the police about accidentally killing your parents with an explosion from your hand?” Sunset raised a brow. Ordinarily, she would have dressed that statement up when talking to Shimmer, but given that she was under the impression that this Shimmer wasn’t really here, she saw no point to try and avoid offending the girl, and thus opted to not bother mincing her words.

“When I told them, I was a child who had just experienced a traumatic event, so they just assumed I was making the whole magic explosion thing up to cope with what really happened…” Shimmer explained.

Sunset sighed and shook her head before downing a good portion of the liquid in the bottle. “This is fucking mental… I’m having an argument with myself…”

“Again, that’s all up to your perspective… For all you know, your first assumption could be correct and I could very much be a ghost… Back from the great beyond to give you advice,” Shimmer reminded.

A laugh escaped Sunset as she considered that possibility. “If I need advice from the afterlife, then clearly I’m not doing so hot.”

Shimmer smirked. “Or maybe that means you’re special enough for denizens of the afterlife to come and offer you their wisdom.”

Sunset shook her head and took another drink, releasing a belch as she finished. “Either way… who cares?”

Shimmer shook her head and gave a disapproving “tsk” before looking at the empty bottle next to Sunset. “You’re drunk…” She pointed out.

“You pointed that out already, but only a little…” Sunset smirked at that comment.

“Let’s see… You’re around 160 pounds-“ Shimmer began her calculation only for Sunset to cut her off.

“148 pounds, thank you very much…” Sunset corrected, an offended look on her face.

Shimmer rolled her eyes. “We have close to the same body weight you know… So if I were insulting you, I’d be insulting myself too…”

“What’s your point?” Sunset raised a brow and gave a gesture with her hand rolling in a circle to suggest she’d like the girl to speed up her explanation.

“My point is given your weight, age, sex, how much you’ve consumed and how strong that wine is… I’d say you’re most likely pretty drunk right now…” Shimmer nodded approvingly as she figured it out. “And that’s factoring in the pizza you ate earlier…”

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “I’m assuming you’re here for a reason?”

“Right to the point, aren’t you?” Shimmer asked.

“I’d rather not have delusions longer than necessary if that’s alright… My life is totally fucked up as it is without more craziness…” Sunset smirked, taking another sip from the bottle, getting close to polishing off the second bottle in a single night. It had only been a few hours since Twilight left, but for Sunset time felt like it was moving in slow motion.

Shimmer sighed and nodded. “Alright, we’ll cut right to the chase then… I think you made a serious mistake screaming at Twilight like that…”

“Who cares? It’s probably over between us, it’s pretty clear that I’m too damaged to love someone… Or for someone to love me for that matter. Twilight is better off without me weighing her down…” Sunset frowned as she admitted it out loud. She had thought it before, but never out loud. It was hard to hear it from her own voice, but a part of her knew it was true. Twilight would face hardship after hardship so long as she was the girlfriend of Sunset Shimmer.

“She loves you, Sunset…” Shimmer’s tone grew very quiet and serious. There was conviction in her voice.

“Man, what the fuck do you know about love? You fucked the person who ended up murdering you! You fell in love with a fucking life sucking monster!” Sunset hissed. “I don’t think advice on romance from you means much…”

“Maybe you don’t know the whole story?” Shimmer raised a brow and crossed her arms defensively.

The fact that Shimmer would even defend Adagio made Sunset’s blood boil, even if this Shimmer was merely an illusion created by wine and Sunset’s guilty conscious. Seeing words leave Shimmer’s mouth that painted Adagio in any light that wasn’t overwhelmingly negative felt completely wrong. It disgusted Sunset more to think that her brain might have been the thing suggesting such a thing, and making her see those words leave Shimmer’s throat.

“What’s there to know? How did you meet her? What did she tell you to trick you into being with her? She probably only wanted your magic, anyway,” Sunset questioned since they were on the subject anyway.

Shimmer shrugged. “According to you, I’m just a figment of your imagination, so I would only know things that you know if that were the case, how would I even answer a question like that? If you don’t know, then I shouldn’t know either, right?”

Sunset sighed as she submitted to that logic. The odds of Shimmer actually being in front of her were practically zero, so there was little doubt that she was merely talking to herself, personifying it as Shimmer in her drunken stupor. It pissed her off a little to know that she was basically potentially sitting on the floor talking as if someone were actually there, but she was too drunk to truly care.

“I guess that makes sense… Still… I just don’t understand why you’d want to be with… with her… She’s a murderer, a monster from another world…” Sunset closed her eyes as she tried to block out memories of Adagio.

Shimmer held onto her serious expression as she shrugged. “Maybe there’s another side of her that you didn’t know… After all… there was another side to you wasn’t there?”

Sunset bit her lip. “That’s…” she paused. “That’s different…”

“Is it?” Shimmer raised a brow. “Everyone deserves another chance, Sunset. Yourself included… You have to move forward though…”

“It’s difficult…” Sunset closed her eyes, trying to fight back tears.

“I know it is… The reality though is… I’m dead. You can’t bring me back, and throwing away every chance at happiness that’s offered to you isn’t going to make things any better…” Shimmer frowned.

There was a short silence between the two before Sunset opened her mouth to speak again. “What should I do then?”

Shimmer sighed and shook her head. “I think that part is painfully obvious, Sunset… You need to go to her, tell her how you feel, don’t let her walk away… If you let her go, it might be too late to get her back… She might change her mind and find someone else while you sit around here feeling sorry for yourself… Twilight loves you for who you are, even with all the baggage you have… She just wants to see you happy…”

Sunset continued to let tears wet her cheeks as she listened to Shimmer’s words. “What if… What if I screw up again? What if being around me gets Twilight hurt?”

“You can’t spend your whole life worried about what might happen… Take it from the dead girl… You may not get another chance to experience something like love… You should learn from me and just try to live every day like it’s going to be your last. If Twilight loves you, then she will come around,” Shimmer explained.

Thinking over Shimmer’s words, Sunset wiped her eyes and nodded. “You know… You’re right… I can’t just sit here… I love Twilight… Sure we might not be a very conventional couple and it’s definitely going to be challenging trying to make what we have work, but I need to try regardless… The harder parts well… We can cross those bridges when we come to them, right?”

Shimmer nodded, a smile returning to her face. “That’s the Sunset I know, now go to her.”

“R-right now?” Sunset blinked.

“Before the alcohol wears off and you lose your nerve.” Shimmer nodded, gesturing with her hands for Sunset to come to a stand, taking one of her own.

“Yeah… Good idea…” Sunset stated as she tried to pick herself up, only to find the world around her start to shake. Her vision blurred and when she looked back over where Shimmer was standing, there was no one. Sunset was once again alone in the wine cellar, but she found herself filled with all new determination as she slowly hobbled her way toward the staircase, gripping every wall on her way out.

“Twilight… I’m coming…” She stated out loud, trying to keep herself motivated.

Author's Note

Surprise.

Yeah.

Act IV - Chapter LVII: Amend

Chapter LVII: Amend

With keys in her hand, Sunset found her way out the front door of her home, stumbling every step of the way. At one point she tripped over the bottom step and almost landed on the pavement, however, she caught herself just in time and made a recovery as she headed toward the large garage attached to the estate, realizing a moment later that she could have simply gone through the interior to reach the cars. There was no time to consider that now though, she knew she had to go and see Twilight, and it had to be right away, there wasn’t a second to lose. Every wasted second could have meant the difference between losing Twilight and winning her back, at least that is what her brain told her.

Reaching the side of the garage Sunset lazily punched in a combination of buttons and belched as she heard the keypad accept her code before beginning the process of opening the garage door for her. She held herself up as she squinted to scan the available cars. There were too many to choose from, but she ultimately decided to take one of the Mercedes, she didn’t care too much for them anyway, and if they got wrecked, she wouldn’t be as upset as if she had destroyed Shimmer’s Audi or the motorcycle that her sister had gotten her as a present.

With a nod, she stumbled about and pressed a button on the key to get the door to unlock. Once the car let her inside, she positioned herself in the driver’s seat realizing at that moment that she may have had a bit too much to drink. “I’m too drunk for this…” She thought out loud. Sunset paused for a moment, hoping the answer of what she should do would come to her before repeating herself. “I am way too drunk to do this…”

The thought didn’t exactly translate in a stopping of her actions, as she inserted the key and pressed the ignition button. The engine purred as the car came to life, and Sunset closed her eyes and took in a few breaths. She knew she probably should have sobered up first, but she knew she had to go and see Twilight before her nerves wore off, or before she talked herself out of it. The alcohol had given her the determination to make sure the job got done, for better or for worse.

With a few more seconds and about eight more breaths, she opened her eyes and focused on the road. She would need to concentrate more than ever before, but she knew she could make the drive so long as she remained as vigilant as she could.

Placing her foot on the gas pedal, she gently pulled out, testing her abilities first, before finally accelerating to a more comfortable speed. As she reached the front gate, she found it difficult to see much that was further than twenty feet in front of her, but if she took the backroads and slow routes, she could make it to Twilight’s home safely, without being around other cars that much or possibly get caught by the police. The last thing she needed was to spend the night in jail for drunk driving.

Remembering a back road to Twilight’s house, Sunset began the path toward Twilight, keeping her mind focused on seeing her girlfriend, and possibly what she was going to say when she finally did see her again.

“Hey Twilight, how’s it going?” She practiced before shaking her head.

“No… That’s stupid…” She slurred her words as she made a turn.

“Hey, Twilight, I was just in the neighborhood and…” She shook her head and then banged it lightly against the steering wheel. “No! That’s even dumber… Fuck me running…”

The voice of Shimmer rang in her ear, causing Sunset to look over at the passenger seat briefly, noting the familiar face staring at the road.

“Fuck… Are you going to follow me all night?” Sunset complained as she flinched at the sudden appearance of her dead younger sister in her passenger seat. She had to admit, it was starting to get a bit creepy to keep seeing her.

Shimmer shrugged. “Again, according to you, I’m just a figment of your imagination so you could, in theory, get rid of me literally at any moment that you so desired.”

“Yeah well… I’m kind of busy right now…” Sunset grumbled, trying to keep her car on the road and in her own lane.

“Nearly getting yourself killed? I can see that. You know when I said to go to Twilight right now, I meant like… to take a taxi or something, not get a DWI and potentially crash and kill yourself… It won’t exactly serve your purpose if you die before you reach Twilight.” Shimmer rolled her eyes.

Sunset tried her best to focus on the road, swerving slightly to miss a cat. “You didn’t clarify at the time! So I went with the fastest option!”

Shimmer sighed and leaned back in her seat. “I thought it was obvious that I meant to not break the law in the process of winning Twilight back.”

“You should have known I was drunk when you told me to do that! I was prone to making unwise decisions!” Sunset yelled.

“You do that even when you’re sober…” Shimmer rolled her eyes.

“Man, for a figment of my imagination, you are quite the smart ass…” Sunset rolled her eyes back at the girl.

Shimmer smirked. “If I’m a figment of your imagination, then that means I’m about as much of a smart ass as you are.”

“I pick the best times to have arguments with myself, don’t I?” Sunset sighed.

“Well, only you would do such a thing during such a dangerous moment…” Shimmer smirked.

“Right…” Sunset sighed, unsure of what to say to the girl who she wasn’t even sure was really there. Instead, she kept her eyes on the road, trying her best to focus, hoping she could make it to Twilight’s house in one piece.

The trip to Twilight’s home resulted in a few mailboxes being nearly hit, but somehow Sunset managed to deliver no damage to the car (or the neighborhood) as she drove through the entire neighborhood, getting lost once or twice due to missing a turn or two, but ultimately finding the place after enough trial and error.

It was late, but Twilight heard the swerving of a car in her front lawn and peeked out her window. She had already switched into pajamas and was about to lay down for bed when her brow rose as she saw a Mercedes pull up onto her lawn with little to no tact. The car screeched to a halt, and within a moment, Twilight already knew who it was. She cursed as she raced downstairs to meet the woman before she caused an entire scene.

Scurrying down the stairs at full speed, Twilight slipped her converses on, although they didn’t go well with her outfit consisting of booty shorts and a tank top that she was about to wear to bed.

Making it to the front door, Twilight rushed it open and made her way to the front steps as she watched the door of the car swing open, revealing a rather slovenly looking redhead who grunted as she stepped out of the car, leaving the door open. She hiccuped and burped before taking a few sloppy steps in Twilight’s direction, her arms flailing about trying to find something to hold onto so she could stand, with no such luck.

Sunset stumbled and caught her footing before taking another few steps, causing Twilight to shake her head disapprovingly and sigh.

Sunset slurred her words but managed to say Twilight’s name as she wandered around aimlessly before making it a few steps closer to her girlfriend. “T-Twilight…” She managed to get out.

Twilight sighed and crossed her arms as she watched the pathetic display being put on by Sunset. There was no denying it, Sunset was making an ass of herself, and Twilight wished she could understand that at this exact moment. A part of her though was furious that she actually came over in a car after drinking.

“You’re drunk…” Twilight commented, not moving from her position.

“Only a little…” Sunset replied before making it only a few steps toward Twilight and falling to her hands and knees, where she pointed her face to the ground and gagged. Before she knew it, Sunset was sputtering out vomit onto Twilight’s front lawn, apologizing in between gags, and covering her front side in the aforementioned vomit.

“Fucking hell…” Twilight exclaimed as she stepped forward. Kneeling down, she gripped Sunset’s left shoulder and tried to get her to stand. “Why did you drink so much? You could have gotten yourself killed!” Twilight scolded, though she was certain that Sunset was way too far gone to actually respond to that statement.

“Shimmer told me to come here…” Sunset spat out, trying to wipe some of the vomit off of her chin, but failing.

“First of all, Shimmer’s dead… Second of all, you shouldn’t have come here in a car if you had been drinking…” Twilight reminded.

Sunset didn’t respond, instead, she looked down and let out another heave of vomit onto the law, causing Twilight to cringe visibly for a moment, but she stuck by the sick Sunset and rubbed her back.

“Fuck…” Twilight said before yelling back toward the house. “Mother! I need your help!”

As if on cue, Velvet Sparkle appeared in the doorway ready to assist. She looked to the lawn with confusion as she stared at Twilight and Sunset, one girl on her hands and knees, the other merely squatting down to rub Sunset’s back.

“I need help getting her inside…” Twilight said.

Wasting no time, Velvet nodded and darted over to assist the two women, she got on the other side of Sunset and lifted the girl up. Sunset mumbled as the two women positioned her upright, Sunset’s feet merely dragged as the two stepped with her, trying to bring her into the house and out of the elements. “She needs a change of clothes and something to sober up too…” Twilight spoke between groans from the weight of carrying Sunset. Her girlfriend was far from fat, but lifting another person was definitely not an easy task for such a scrawny scientist like Twilight, even with the assistance of her mother.

Velvet nodded as she heard Sunset speak. “I threw up all over myself…”

“Yes, sweetie, we know. We’ll have you cleaned up in no time when we get you inside…” Velvet smiled as the three managed to make it through the front door.

Twilight’s father had rushed downstairs to find out what was going down, only to blink when he saw his daughter and his wife carrying a vomit covered Sunset through his front door. Meeting his eyes, Velvet explained quickly. “She’s had a bit too much to drink, sweetie would you mind seeing if we have one of Shiny’s old shirts in his room? I think that will fit her… I’m going to take her to the bathroom to clean her up, alright?”

Nodding, Night ran up the staircase to try and find the item he was asked to locate while his wife helped Sunset hobble toward the bathroom with Twilight. The two managed to get Sunset’s top off and lean her over the tub, where Velvet detached the shower head and turned it on, allowing it to get warm before instructing Twilight. “Hold her hair back, I’m just going to get her face, alright?”

Twilight did as she was told and grabbed as much of Sunset’s lavish hair into her hand as she could, holding it back and keeping her propped up while Velvet lightly rinsed the girl’s face off, grabbing a washcloth with some soap to aid in the job further. She smiled as she began to see the girl’s face clean once more. While she was there, she began to wipe off Sunset’s running makeup from her eyes. “My my, Sunset… You’re a mess, sweetie…”

“I’ve been worse…” Sunset admitted, her words barely intelligible.

Velvet nodded. “I’m sure you have, but you shouldn’t push yourself so much…”

Sunset gestured toward her back with her thumb before speaking again. “I got a reminder of harder times…”

Blinking, Velvet turned the water off and looked at the girl’s back. There she noticed a scar similar to that which was on her daughter. She touched it gingerly and then looked at Twilight with a smile. “I think I understand why she’s taught you so much now… You two have a very special bond… You’ve both been through something so difficult and came out on top…”

Twilight nodded as her father came to the door with a long sleeve button up. “Will this work?” He asked, trying not to look, even though Sunset was still wearing pants and a bra, her father was far too polite.

Velvet nodded. “Yes, toss it here.” Velvet held up a hand to attempt to catch the shirt.

Doing as he was instructed, Velvet caught the shirt and began to get it onto the drunken woman next to her. With a little effort, she was able to button it up and smile as she helped Sunset stand. The shirt was at least three sizes too large, forcing Velvet to roll the sleeves up. It draped over Sunset’s body almost like a dress as the neck hole was large enough for the shirt to slouch to one side.

Twilight blushed at how cute she looked like that but kept silent. “Alright, I’m going to make you an old family remedy and you’re going straight to bed, sweetie.” Velvet instructed as she guided Sunset.

“Is it alright if she sleeps in your room, Twilight? The guest room sheets are in the wash, and I wasn’t expecting company.” Velvet asked.

Twilight merely shrugged. “Yeah, I guess that’s okay… I can sleep on the couch anyway.”

Nodding, Velvet stayed behind Sunset the entire way up the stairs and into Twilight’s bedroom. She smiled as she looked at Twilight and nodded again. “Alright, I’ll leave the rest to you, Twilight. I’m going to go work on that remedy, it should help her sober up just a little…”

With those words, Velvet left Twilight and Sunset, causing the bookworm to sigh. “Alright, let's get you out of these jeans…” She instructed.

Twilight assisted Sunset in sitting on the bed as she got down and began to remove the girl’s boots, setting them aside neatly before instructing her to take her pants off.

Sunset fidgeted with the button on her jeans, struggling to undo them before Twilight rolled her eyes and jumped in to do it for her. Getting the button undone and unzipping the girl’s pants, Twilight helped the drunk wiggle out of her jeans, revealing a pair of black laced panties. She blushed as she realized they were likely intended for her had their night gone better.

Twilight shook her head as she lifted her bed covers and got Sunset into the bed, draping them over her and setting her jeans aside. She wagged her finger in the half conscious girl’s face. “Stay here, alright?”

Sunset murmured but didn’t manage to articulate any actual intelligible words.

Before the two knew it, Velvet had returned with a cup on her hand. Making her way over to Sunset, she gestured for Twilight to hold the girl’s head up. Doing as her mother told, Twilight assisted in keeping the girl propped up while Velvet leaned down to make her drink the concoction. “This will make you feel better a lot faster, sweetie…” Velvet told as she helped Sunset drink the yellow liquid.

Slowly, she made Sunset drink the entire cup. Once she had finished, Velvet came to a stand and smiled. “Alright, now we should give her some rest and check up on her in a few hours…”

Twilight nodded as she stretched. “What a screwed up night…”

Velvet giggled and walked out the door with Twilight. Twilight stopped and looked back into the room at Sunset, who was already out cold. She sighed and flicked the light switch off, deciding it was best to leave her there and worry about the rest later. After all, they had plenty of time to talk about the night now.

Hours had passed since Twilight and her mother assisted a drunken Sunset into the house and cleaned her up. Twilight had mixed feelings about the girl being in her bed during such s difficult time in their relationship, but she couldn’t bring herself to take Sunset home. She had meant what she said about Sunset being too dangerous to leave on her own, she was at least partially grateful that Sunset had come to her, so that she could ensure that she would see her again, however, Twilight knew that if she took Sunset back home, she might not survive the night.

Twilight had not managed to get much sleep, and instead, she found herself wide awake staring at her living room ceiling. She wasn’t sure how long had passed, but the urge to go check up on her girlfriend was there, and she had attempted to quell that urge for hours. After enough time staring at the ceiling though, Twilight had given in and decided to pull herself up and go see how Sunset was doing, for if she didn’t, she knew she wouldn’t sleep.

The moment her feet touched the floor, Twilight was ready. In her mind, she was certain that Sunset would be asleep, so there were no risks. She would pop in, make sure the girl was alright and then head back down to the couch so she could get some rest for the no doubt difficult conversations that awaited in the morning.

Twilight made her way upstairs carefully before stopping in front of her door. She froze there for a brief moment considering what would happen if Sunset were still awake. What would Twilight say? What would she do? Mentally she wasn’t ready to talk about who was right and who was wrong just yet, and she lacked the energy to defend herself. Drunk Sunset May have been very eager to see her, but sober Sunset might have been a different story.

Twilight took a deep breath and exhaled only when she opened the door and stepped inside. With the limited light created by the hallway, it was difficult to make out if Sunset was awake or asleep, but her lack of reaction to the door opening and pouring light into the room pointed more toward her being asleep.

Sighing, Twilight approached carefully before she could see the girl’s arm hanging off the side of the bed and her chest rising and falling as she laid there on her back. Nodding, Twilight came closer and observed the woman. It was difficult to imagine that when Sunset was awake she was such a stressful person to deal with sometimes, and yet she was perhaps the most innocent looking sleepers that Twilight knew.

Reaching over, Twilight moved a bit of Sunset’s long wild hair out of her face and smiled as she watched her sleep.

Turning to step away, Twilight felt something from her palm. She turned around to see Sunset’s hand gripping her own. It was the same hand that previously had been hanging off the side of the bed. Following the arm, Twilight met Sunset’s face, which had slightly opened eyes, squinting at Twilight. “Twilight? Is that you?” She asked.

“Just go back to sleep, Sunset...” Twilight instructed, hoping those words alone would be enough to make Sunset follow the command.

As she tried to walk away again, she could feel Sunset’s grip on her hand tighten. Twilight looked down to see concerned eyes on the woman. “You alright?” Twilight asked.

Sunset shook her head. “Twilight... I’m sorry...”

Relaxing that escaping had become impossible, Twilight decided to address the topic. “Sunset... I shouldn’t have pushed over that vanity...”

Sunset shook her head once more. “No, you were right to... I need to get past this thing with Shimmer. You were right, she is dead and I can’t bring her back, so I shouldn’t waste my life constantly feeling guilty over her... I should have seen that earlier...”

“Yeah well... I still should have addressed the matter in a more appropriate manner… Rather than destroying your stuff…” Twilight admitted sheepishly, a bit embarrassed that she actually lost her temper like that.

“It’s me we’re talking about... Extremes are all that seem to work... You were just doing what you felt would get through to me...” Sunset allowed a small smile to come to her face.

There was no answer from Twilight, so Sunset kept talking. “Look... You were right, about me being self-destructive... I’ve never said it out loud, but here’s the truth: I’ve struggled with thoughts of suicide for some time now, it’s not something I like talking about but...”

Twilight gripped Sunset’s hand harder and leaned over her. “I didn’t want to say anything until you were ready to tell me, but I’ve known for some time...”

Sunset sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I figured as much, you’re too smart to hide stuff from. I just... I don’t want to be like this anymore, Twilight... I want to get better.

Twilight smiled and gave the girl’s hand a squeeze.

There was a short silence followed by Sunset speaking once more. “So... Do you want to break up?”

Twilight bit her lip. “I... I don’t know... I want to still be with you but... I don’t know if I can help you...”

Sunset shook her head. “I need to help myself, but if you’re there I think it’ll be a little easier. I promise tomorrow morning I’ll call that doctor and get better... I just want to be a better girlfriend for you...”

Twilight sighed and smiled lightly. “When you’re trying... You’re already the best.”

“So you’ll stay with me then?” Sunset asked pleadingly.

Twilight nodded, she was surprised that she didn’t even need to think it over. “Yeah... I mean, I’ve already accepted that magical mishaps will be a part of our lives even if we don’t want them to be and that Equestria is going to be a part of you, this is just like... One more obstacle to overcome, you know?”

Sunset let her face light up with a smile as she reached up and touched Twilight’s face with her free hand. “How’d you ever get so wise?”

Twilight shrugged. “I was just told by a really good teacher that friends never give up on each other.”

Smiling at her friend, Sunset nodded approvingly. “Sounds like you had a good mentor…”

“She is… Just right now she needs to take her own advice and let people help her…” Twilight frowned.

Sighing, Sunset nodded in agreement. “I agree… I promise, Twilight… I’m going to make it through this dark time…”

Twilight nodded happily. “I’m glad…”

“It’d be a lot easier with you by my side though… That is… If you still want to be my girlfriend that is…” Sunset stated, looking away bashfully as she said that last part. It sounded mostly like a question to Twilight.

Leaning in, Twilight kissed Sunset’s forehead before resting her forehead against Sunset’s. “I’d love to be…”

Smiling, Sunset laid there staring into Twilight’s beautiful eyes. She hated herself for not taking more time to appreciate how lovely Twilight’s eyes really were, and she silently promised she’d take the time from then on to make sure that Twilight knew how gorgeous she really was. “That’s good… I don’t know how I’d do any of this without you.”

“Get some sleep though, okay, babe?” Twilight instructed as she pulled the blanket up to cover Sunset better. “You need your rest…”

As she turned to leave, Sunset’s voice called out to her once more. “H-hey Twilight…” Her voice was soft and tender, a hint of worry in it, almost sounding like fear to Twilight.

Twilight paused and looked back at the girl in the bed with a “hm?”

“Could you…” Sunset bit her lip before finishing. “Maybe… Sleep with me? I’d feel a lot better if you were in bed with me, you know?”

She stood still for a moment before a smile came to her face as she nodded. “Yeah… I sort of was hoping you’d ask…”

Sunset lifted the blanket to invite Twilight into the bed. Twilight quickly snuggled herself in as she cuddled up to Sunset, wrapping her around across the girl and resting her head in the crook of Sunset’s neck. Returning to Sunset’s warm body as she slept felt natural like she was returning home from a long trip. Her bed felt lonely without Sunset there to occupy half of it, and now that she was back, Twilight never wanted to let go. She wanted to lay there with her love forever.

From the hallway, Velvet had gotten up originally to get a glass of water but noticed that Twilight’s door had been opened a crack. She gently creaked it open and peeked inside. She smiled as she saw her daughter and Sunset in a loving embrace as they slumbered. Velvet shut the door quietly and made her way back to her own bedroom with a smile.

“I told you things would work out, Twilight…” Velvet thought out loud, metaphorically patting herself on the back.

Some Time Ago

Shimmer fell back on her pillow after her back had just spent the past few moments arching while her body was in pure bliss. Once she had come down from the high of orgasm, she panted lightly as she watched a nude Adagio crawl up to the headboard of the bed they were in and prop her back up. She pulled the blanket over her bottom half, leaving her smaller breasts exposed while she reached to the side of the bed and retrieved a pack of cigarettes from the end table.

Flicking a lighter that she retrieved from inside the half smoked pack, she lit the cancer stick and inhaled before setting the pack and lighter back down where she had retrieved it from.

Exhaling smoke, Adagio sat there quietly in thought.

Shimmer smiled as she looked over at her girlfriend sitting there smoking. Adagio was an odd type of beautiful. She was skinny with perhaps a flat stomach that made most women envious, but she didn’t exactly have an hourglass figure either.

The woman’s breasts were small but properly proportioned. As Shimmer had always noticed and even commented on, Adagio had a perfectly chiseled face that went well with her long wild hair, which at the moment was a total mess.

There was a hint of masculinity about her that Shimmer just couldn’t place her finger on, but it suited her so well.

As the tall young looking woman worked on her cigarette, Shimmer spoke. “We should get high.”

Adagio rolled her eyes and continued with her cigarette. “Babe… You need to do something more than get high and have sex with me, alright? You spend 80% of your time doing one of those two things… Or both at once…” Memories of attempting to do both activities at once quickly raced through Adagio’s head, causing her to blush ever so faintly.

“I don’t hear you complaining when it’s happening?” Shimmer giggled.

“Making you moan is one of the few pleasures of my day,” Adagio replied.

“I’ve heard quite a few out of you as well…” Shimmer reminded with a smirk.

Adagio rolled her eyes once more but sat there as Shimmer decide to change the subject to something a little more serious than their usual banter.

“Hey… Dagi… Quick question…”

“Hm?” Adagio raised a brow, not even looking in Shimmer’s direction as she reached the halfway mark on her cigarette.

“How old are you?” Shimmer asked.

Blinking, Adagio turned to her and removed the cigarette from her mouth. “Old enough…”

“That doesn’t answer my question…” Shimmer frowned.

“Too old. That better?” Adagio grunted, clearly wanting to drop the subject of her age.

“Too old for what?” Shimmer raised a brow.

“Too old to be messing around with you, for sure…” Adagio said.

Shimmer sighed and shook her head as she sat up next to Adagio, propping her own back against the headboard as she held up the blanket to cover her large chest. “I’m legal age, I’ll have you know…”

“I didn’t mean it like that… I meant that someone my mental age… I should probably only be hanging around ancient fuckers at this point…” Adagio sighed. She had hoped that calling it “mental age” would hide the fact that she actually meant she was old enough to be Shimmer’s great-grandmother ten times over.

Shimmer giggled and snuggled up closer to Adagio with a smile on her face, pulling the blanket over the two of them. “You’re so secretive, you know that? You won’t tell me anything about yourself without being insanely cryptic…”

“I thought that’s why you loved me?” Adagio smirked.

“Yeah, but I’d like to get to know you better…” Shimmer pouted.

“Why? Who cares?” Adagio raised a brow.

“I do! It’ll be helpful for our future together, you know?” Shimmer teased.

“Future… Heh… I’ve never really thought of that word in a positive light…” Adagio admitted. It was true as well, all of Adagio’s life she had always looked at what the future held with contempt. The only times she had ever been hopeful for her own future was when she was hatching a plot, but now that she had no magic, she was out of plots, out of plans on how to get some revenge, or magic, or anything really. She instead had resigned to simply trying to exist.

“Oh?” Shimmer asked.

Adagio nodded as she finished her cigarette and put it out in an ashtray that Shimmer had begun providing when she came over, knowing Adagio’s tendency to have a cigarette after sex.

“Yeah… The future statistically was always something that I tried not to think about… Something that I didn’t want to focus too much on…” Adagio admitted.

“Sounds like you’ve had a hard life, babe…” Shimmer frowned as she reached over and placed a hand on Adagio’s back.

The woman leaned forward and gripped her knees as she remembered the parts of her life that had caused her so much pain, the worst moments of her existence replaying in her brain as she sat there with the girl she loved. Love, that was something she still had a hard time wrapping her head around. Here she sat with a mortal girl who had become intimate with the siren, and she didn’t even know what Adagio truly was. She didn’t use magic to entice her or steal what she had for herself, no, Adagio instead found herself in this situation by completely natural circumstances.

There was no denying it, Shimmer loved her, and for some completely messed up reason, Adagio loved her back. Had she gone crazy? It was hard to tell, all she knew is that thinking about Shimmer made her oddly happy, it made the pain she had experienced lessen if not just a little bit. She could endure so much if it meant she could see Shimmer smile.

Her eyes met with her girlfriend and smiled at her. “Yeah… I guess so… But maybe… Maybe it’ll be getting better from here on… Maybe this is the true turning point of my life…”

Tilting her head, Shimmer leaned in with curiosity, it was strange to see Adagio actually speak positively for a change. “Why’s that?”

“Because while I’ve never thought about my future before this… One thing is certain… I can’t imagine a future that doesn’t have you in it…” Adagio smiled.

Shimmer blushed and reached up, cupping the girl’s face in her hands as she pulled her into a deep kiss, locking their lips in a dance of passion as she allowed Adagio to take control and kiss her back with equal love and enthusiasm.

Once the kiss broke, Shimmer smiled and locked eyes with her love. “I’m thinking the same thing…”

That next morning made Twilight wake with a yawn and stretch. She blinked a few times as she felt around the bed with her arms, shocked to find herself back in her actual bed. She thought for a moment and wondered how she had gotten off the couch. Once the events of the night prior replayed in her head, she slowly remembered that Sunset and she had snuggled up together after deciding to try and make things work. Sunset agreed to get help, and Twilight spent the night once again entangled with the love of her life.

Feeling around the bed with her hand, she noted that the warm body of Sunset which she had spent the past few hours snuggling had vanished and in her place was nothing more than a pillow and a disturbed blanket. Twilight wondered for a brief second if she had dreamed the entire thing and Sunset never actually came over. She shook her head however and dispelled that thought as she recalled how vivid the memory was, there was no way she had imagined it.

The question then remained, however, where Sunset went. She couldn’t have gotten far.

Pulling herself out of bed, Twilight wandered over to her window and lifted the purple curtains to see if Sunset’s car was still parked outside. She let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding in as she saw Sunset’s Mercedes Benz still parked poorly on her lawn. She didn’t leave in her own car if she did leave, that was at least true.

Finding her way to the door, Twilight located her glasses on a nearby desk and positioned them on her face as she began to try and solve the mystery of the missing Sunset Shimmer. Stretching, Twilight opened her door and wandered out into the hall, noting that she could smell the sweet smell of pancakes through the house. Had her mother made breakfast earlier?

She sniffed the air again and noted that the smell was relatively fresh, possibly still cooking even.

Twilight peered at a clock in the hallway noting it was only a little past 8:00 AM, meaning she had gotten up relatively early. Grumbling, she began to make her way toward the staircase, noting the that smell became more potent as she neared the kitchen, and as she got closer she could smell strawberries and other various fruits as well. She guessed a fruit parfait or smoothie had been prepared, possibly as another one of her mother’s “hangover” cures for Sunset.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she remembered all the various “ancient Sparkle family secrets” that her mother always went on about. Half of them were based on absolutely no science, so Twilight found it difficult to believe in them, but she often just humored her mother and allowed her to believe in the legitimacy of some remedy that she likely learned from her grandmother or something.

As Twilight approached the kitchen, the smell grew stronger, more potent, filling her nostrils with delight as she peeked into the kitchen, blushing as she saw a familiar buttocks standing in front of the stove. Sunset was there in her kitchen in just her panties and the old white button up shirt that her mother had loaned her. Once belonging to her brother it was oversized, but Sunset had the sleeves rolled up so that her hands were free to do as they like.

Twilight blushed as she watched the girl cook, her eyes gravitating again and again to her butt that was easily visible with that outfit.

Instead of make her presence known, Twilight took a moment to admire what was happening. Her girlfriend was making her breakfast in her own home, in her panties. To top that off, her girlfriend was insanely attractive, probably out of Twilight’s league even.

She smiled as she saw Sunset’s messy red hair, internally wondering why she had such a love of redheads.

The girl was practically dancing as she happily made breakfast, swaying her hips as she hummed a song or two.

Deciding that she was starting to teeter close toward being creepy, Twilight coughed to get Sunset’s attention.

The giddy girl blinked and turned her head over her shoulder to get a peek at Twilight. Once she saw her nerdy girlfriend standing there in her pajamas, Sunset smiled genuinely at her. “Hey, sweetheart… Did you sleep alright?”

“Better with you there… I see the same applies for you?” Twilight asked as she approached the breakfast table, sitting down and crossing her arms on the table as she watched Sunset.

Sunset nodded with another smile. “I think your mom’s miracle cure actually worked. Maybe your mom has access to magic too?” Sunset giggled.

“Perish the thought… I could only imagine the damage that my mother would cause if she had access to magic…” Twilight shuddered as she imagined it, the only thing worse being if her father had it. In her mind, she could already see a world being overrun with bad dad jokes and terrible puns.

Finishing with her pan, Sunset set some pancakes onto a plate and placed one in front of Twilight and another in front of herself.

“I take it you sent my parents away so we could be alone?” Twilight raised a brow, noticing that it would have been odd for Sunset to be making breakfast without pants on otherwise.

Sunset nodded. “I gave them both $80 and told them to go out to eat this morning so I could have some time to talk to you…”

Twilight rolled her eyes at Sunset’s admitted bribery. It wasn’t like her to throw money a problem to get rid of it, so she must have truly been desperate.

Pulling up a chair, Sunset sat across from Twilight, causing Twilight to notice that the top few buttons of her shirt was left unbuttoned, giving a full view of her cleavage. Twilight couldn’t think of a better way to start her day than with food and a good look at her girlfriend’s chest as a smirk came to her face.

Twilight looked down at her plate to see that her pancakes had strawberry jam over the top. She grabbed the nearby fork and took an approving bite, smiling at how delicious it was. “These are… fantastic…”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, albeit I mostly learned basic stuff, I learned how to cook when I first got here since I needed to take care of myself just to survive. Though I did learn a little when I was Celestia’s student, our dorms had small kitchens. Realistically, I had forgotten to eat a lot…”

“You’re just like me in that regard… So focused on studying…” Twilight blushed.

Sunset reached down and gripped her own stomach. “Yeah, but I’ve put on a few now…”

“More like you’re at a normal weight now… You were so skinny when we met…” Twilight frowned.

“I was malnourished… that’s what the doctor said. He tried to get me to go on a diet that was higher in fats, but I don’t eat meat, so that made it complicated for him…” Sunset sighed as she remembered that trip to the doctor.

“You’re lucky to be alive…” Twilight reminded.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, in more ways than one…”

Twilight frowned as she realized they were trying to avoid the difficult subject but decided it was best to attack it head on. “So… While we’re on the subject of being lucky to be alive…”

Sunset bit her lip, knowing this conversation was going to come. “Here we go…”

“I want to be as sensitive about this subject as I can be, alright?” Twilight said calmly.

Sunset nodded and released her lip from her bite as she waited to hear Twilight’s words.

“I recognize that thoughts of suicide are not easy to deal with, and it’s a mental thing… I’m not discrediting any of that and I’m not going to give you this utterance of ‘you have plenty to live for’ because I know that doesn’t help… On top of that, I’m not going to tell you that the pain you are feeling is wrong either…” Twilight said, exhaling after she spoke.

Sunset could tell that Twilight had been doing some research in preparation for this very conversation.

“Thank you…” Sunset smiled and nodded.

“What I can say though, is that regardless of what happened with Shimmer… Dying won’t fix it. You need to find a way to fix it while you’re still here, okay?” Twilight asked as she reached over and took Sunset’s hands in her own.

Sunset looked down at Twilight’s hands and then back at her eyes, staring into them before nodding. “It’s been… A difficult few years for sure… Even before Shimmer, I struggled with this kind of thing… I’ve always felt like I was useless like I wasn’t wanted by anyone…”

“I want you…” Twilight reminded.

A smile came to Sunset’s face once more as she nodded. “Yeah… I know you do… Hell, you’re one of the few people that I know there is no doubt about that… You’re there for me when I need it, Twilight and I promise that I’m going to try my best to be there for you when you need me whenever I can…”

“That’s all I ask. If it helps, I’ll go to therapy with you, I’ll drive you there… We can do this together, I don’t mind. I just want you to be okay… I want you to be happy, and I’m willing to do what it takes to achieve that…” Twilight leaned forward with pleading eyes.

Pausing, Sunset examined her girlfriend’s face, but finally, she nodded. “Yeah… Thank you… I’m going to do what it takes too… I promise. This is a new chapter for both of us…”

“And it’s a chapter that I look forward to…” Twilight grinned.

“You and me both,” Sunset replied before leaning in to plant a kiss on her lover’s face.

Author's Note

A lot of fanservice this time around huh?

Act IV - Chapter LVIII: A Promise

Chapter LVIII: A Promise

Twilight stood there assisting her mother in placing dishes away into the correct cupboards as she conversed with the matriarch of her household. Velvet handed the girl a wine glass before Twilight began speaking again. “I mean… it looks like things are going to work out for now… We made up, but that’s not to say there won’t be problems down the road…”

Velvet nodded as she passed Twilight a stack of dishes, which her daughter took carefully and began to move toward the other side of the kitchen to put them away. “All relationships have problems, sweetie. You end up working through them…”

“Yeah, but me going back to college soon might put a strain on things…” Twilight admitted. “I’ll be so busy after all…”

“Sunset has her own cars and can visit whenever she likes, I’m sure you’ll be fine in that regard, sweetie,” Velvet pointed out.

Twilight couldn’t deny that. Sunset had vehicles, and access to more or less an unlimited amount of free time thanks to her financial situation, that meant that keeping in touch wouldn’t be much of an issue as they could capitalize on Twilight’s free time without much effort on Sunset’s part. That was at least one of their bases covered, but there still existed another problem. A problem that even Twilight knew would be a challenge to ignore.

“What about the fact that Sunset isn’t human?” Twilight asked quietly.

Her mother paused upon hearing those words and stopped what she was doing to turn and face her daughter. “Is she human enough for you?”

Twilight bit her lip and nodded. “Yeah… I mean it’s never been me that she had to convince… I just worry about other people, you know? It might be challenging hiding that she’s Equestrian from people, also what if we like… Got married and had…” She paused, realizing what she was about to say to her mother.

Her mother, however, had already figured out how that sentence was to end. “Children? There are harder things for children to face in this world, trust me. So long as they have you and Sunset there to guide them, I’m sure they would be fine.”

“Yeah, but they’d be different… Really different… Different from the rest of the world…” Twilight frowned at the thought. She was accepting that her children might not even be human. Could she deal with that? How much harder would being a mother be down the road for her? Was having a family even possible for someone in her position?

“We’re all different, Twilight. Sure, Sunset is different in that she isn’t human, but if anything she at times has proven she’s more human than most people. She’s selfless enough to go out of her way to help you and her friends, and she genuinely cares about the well being of others… I’d say those traits make her more human than most…” Velvet reminded.

Twilight smiled as she realized her mother was right. While Sunset didn’t share the DNA of being human, she certainly displayed the spirit and qualities. Maybe, that was enough. Maybe simply caring about Twilight and their friends was all Sunset needed to do to prove to the world that she was human enough. The rest of the problem could be dealt with whenever it arose. Being with Sunset was worth the effort, it was worth the trials and challenges that laid ahead of the two.

Nodding with confidence Twilight approached her mother. “Maybe… You’re right… I mean Sunset and I have always been a team, and even if our relationship is a series of challenges down the road, we were always better facing challenges together anyway… Together we can overcome anything.”

Velvet nodded and offered her daughter a hug, which she accepted. Twilight moved forward and embraced her mother. After a good eight seconds or so, the two broke their tight embrace only for Twilight’s mother to pet her daughter’s cheek affectionately. “And if Sunset loves you, she will be there for you through all of college. You two will find a way to make it work, your father and I did after all…”

Twilight nodded. “Thanks, Mom… I don’t know what I’d do without you sometimes…”

Velvet winked as she passed the girl another set of dishes. “Well, you’d certainly have a hard time focusing.”

“I could say the same for you…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Where do you think you get it from?” Velvet smirked.

After sending a message about eighty minutes ago, Sunset was waiting in front of the portal to Equestria expecting her rendezvous with the Princess of Friendship. Princess Twilight had always proven relatively easy to get a hold of, however, it seemed like the process of opening the portal always had to be an event. Sunset recognized, however, that the portal was not something that Equestria understood too well, and truthfully she didn’t either, so it made sense that the Princess wanted to reserve its use strictly for important matter and limit access only to those who were familiar with it.

As a result, Sunset only opted to utilize it when conversing with the princess about matters that she felt would be better suited in person.

Impatiently waiting, Sunset listened to her own foot tapping while she checked her watch repeatedly, waiting for some kind of indicator that the portal was ready to have her.

She closed her eyes and began to go over the things she needed to ask Princess Twilight about. It would be a fairly lengthy conversation, but it was better suited back in Equestria where the mare would have access to any notes or research she had conducted should Sunset’s questions surpass what she could recount from memory; not that the Princess had poor memory though.

If anything, Princess Twilight could recite the entire history of Equestria word for word from various textbooks, a skill that Sunset was certain could be used to bore even the most patient and studious of bookworms into submission. A part of Sunset always wondered how poor Spike was able to keep up with his mother.

A few more moments of standing next to her motorcycle and Sunset noticed that the portal began to whir and make a ripple effect on the fine marble of the statue in front of the school. Stepping forward, Sunset gulped before taking in a deep breath as she placed her hands on the portal, ready to be transported to the place of her origin.

With a confident leap, she felt the same pulling sensation drag her from world to world, her body shifting and contorting as she felt herself change. The experience was alien, but within seconds she felt familiar with herself once more, though she adjusted herself to walking on all fours instead of two feet again.

“No matter how many times I do that… That’s always going to be strange…” Sunset stated aloud.

“Yes, inter portal travel can be disorienting…” The voice of the Princess rang in Sunset’s ear, causing it to twitch.

She turned her head and there standing at the entrance to the room of what appeared to be a library was Princess Twilight Sparkle, looking a bit exhausted and overworked. It figured that she would place the mirror in a library, Sunset couldn’t imagine her putting it anywhere else.

The redhead bowed to the mare as she approached, only causing Twilight to dismiss her gesture and motion for her to come to a stand. “Please… Don’t bow to me… We’re friends, it’s too weird… I’d prefer you acted as though I were any other mare…”

Nodding, Sunset returned to being completely upright. “Right… Sorry… Anyway… You look… Terrible…” Sunset frowned as she commented.

Twilight chuckled and nodded. “It’s been a long couple of weeks, lots going on around here, projects of varying types, you know how it goes… A Princess is never done, and royal duties never seem to be willing to take a break… So I’ve been running all over the place…”

“I can see that… Maybe you should relax… Had I known you were overworked I wouldn’t have messaged you…” Sunset frowned, guilt already taking her over.

Twilight shook her head and waved her hoof dismissively as she ran another hoof through her ragged mane before sitting down in a beanbag chair in front of a shelf of books, motioning for Sunset to join her.

Sunset approached carefully and placed herself in the adjacent chair from Twilight and kept quiet as the mare levitated a book from a stack on a nearby table into her lap. “I actually was about to begin some leisure actually… I was going to curl up with a good book, lock that door over there and hope no one found me for a few hours…”

“Sounds about like you…” Sunset smirked.

“We all have our vices, don’t we?” Twilight giggled as she leaned back in her chair resting.

“I guess that’s true… I’ll try not to take up too much of your time then… Since you’re trying to relax…” Sunset said.

Twilight shook her head. “Take as much time as you need, I’d rather help you fully than leave a job half finished. Tell me all that’s on your mind and I’ll see what I can do to help…”

“You’re too good of a friend for me…” Sunset admitted.

Twilight giggled as she rolled her eyes. “Hey, you helped me save the world a few times, I’d say if anything we’re on equal footing.”

“I don’t know if I’d say equal footing, but I guess we can say that we both owe each other a few favors don’t we?” Sunset suggested.

Twilight chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Fair enough, though you always clearly insist that you owe me more than I owe you…”

“And I’m sticking with that, were it not for you, then I wouldn’t have any friends and I’d probably be in a far worse place right now…” Sunset reminded.

“Alright, alright…” Twilight sighed before giving her friend a smile. “So, why did you come to see me, Sunset?”

Sunset bit her lip and sighed. “Well… There’s been some stuff I’ve been meaning to ask… About a few subjects actually, but I guess we’ll start with the most relevant to you…”

“I’m listening…” Twilight yawned as she rested in her seat.

“I’m under the understanding that you spent Adagio’s last night in her cell with her?” Sunset asked.

Twilight’s expression didn’t even change, she didn’t sound surprised that Sunset knew when she spoke. “How’d you find out about that?”

“One of the guards in the castle was dismissed from guard duty over her cell when you came down… It wasn’t long before that news hit me… I asked around a bit after the execution…” Sunset explained.

Twilight nodded, not saying a word.

“So you don’t deny it?” Sunset raised a brow.

A shrug came from Twilight. “What’s there to deny? It’s clear you already know, not to mention it wasn’t a secret anyway…”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this directly then?” Sunset grunted, a bit annoyed that Twilight withheld information from her, especially information regarding the girl who tried to kill her, and the girl who murdered Shimmer.

Princess Twilight shrugged once more. “You never asked, and it wasn’t really relevant…”

“What did you two talk about?” Sunset asked. “If it’s not really relevant, then you won’t mind telling me?”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Maybe another day, Sunset. What that girl and I spoke of is… Well… It’s something that I’m not sure you’re ready to understand just yet…”

“Did it by chance happen to do with the fact that Shimmer and she were intimate?” Sunset crossed her front hooves and stared Twilight down, trying to see if she could observe any kinds of change in her demeanor.

Somehow, Twilight was doing a superb job at keeping her cool though. “How’d you find out about that?”

“An SD card in an old camera that I found among Shimmer’s things had some photographs of her and Adagio… Kissing…” Sunset said quietly.

Princess Twilight let out another sigh and looked away from Sunset, a small smile on her face. “You’re a regular detective, you know that?”

“Stop avoiding the question, Twilight… If you’re my friend, you’ll trust me to know the truth…” Sunset demanded.

Princess Twilight turned back to face Sunset and nodded. “Alright… Yes, it’s true. Shimmer and Adagio were in a very deep relationship…”

“So she tricked Shimmer into falling for her then?” Sunset questioned.

Twilight shook her head. “No… It wasn’t like that… Adagio…” She paused and closed her eyes. “Adagio loved her…”

“Bullshit! That’s not possible!” Sunset hissed, leaning forward.

“All things are possible, Sunset, you just need to piece things together to make sense of it all… The reality is that Adagio was in love with that girl, she’d have done anything for her, that much I am certain of…” Twilight opened her eyes showing a serious expression on her face.

Sunset didn’t want to believe it, but Princess Twilight’s conviction was too strong to ignore.

“You’re that certain…?” Sunset asked hesitantly.

“Positive,” Twilight replied plainly.

“How can you be so sure…?” Sunset asked.

“If you knew what I knew… There’d be no doubt, trust me…” Twilight insisted.

Sunset didn’t exactly like that answer, but she knew that when Twilight was determined to keep information to herself, it was pointless to try and pry it out of her. Whatever she knew regarding Adagio and Shimmer’s romance was likely going to stay in her mind, at least for the time being.

“Alright… Well did you learn anything else of importance?” Sunset asked with a raised brow.

Twilight nodded happily, a smile coming to her face, a smile that perplexed Sunset. “Oh, plenty… In fact eventually, I think it all might become very useful…”

“Care to share?” Sunset asked.

“Sorry, Sunset… It’s… It’s not stuff that I’m at the liberty to say at this time… Maybe in due time…” Twilight said.

Sunset grunted and looked away. “I really am not liking this new cryptic version of you…”

“I apologize, Sunset… Sadly my position requires me to keep some secrets… I hope you’ll understand…” Twilight frowned.

Looking over at the mare that shared such a resemblance to her girlfriend, Sunset found it difficult to stay mad. Princess Twilight was, after all, a princess, and that meant that some knowledge she held would be reserved for the royal family, which as much as Sunset wished otherwise, she was not a part of. There would be secrets that Princess Twilight would only share with Celestia.

It annoyed her, but then Sunset remembered that there likely would be secrets she’d have to keep from Princess Twilight as well. Fair was fair, and sometimes friendship meant respecting when a friend could not share something.

Deciding to let it go, Sunset changed the subject.

“So… As you probably know by now… I struck up a thing with Twilight…” Sunset rubbed her neck awkwardly. It was a bit strange now that she thought about it, telling the Equestrian counterpart of her girlfriend that she was in love with more or less her from another universe.

In typical Twilight fashion though, she seemed to pay no mind to the strangeness of the situation. “Yup, how are things going with her, by the way?”

“You aren’t the slightest bit weirded out by this?” Sunset asked.

Princess Twilight let out a hearty laugh. “One of my best friends is Pinkie Pie, and strange things happen to me on an almost daily basis. If you falling in love with a human counterpart of myself was the weirdest thing to happen to me… I’d be lucky.”

She had a solid point there, a point that Sunset had never considered, but it was true. Life in Equestria could definitely be strange sometimes, and for someone in Twilight’s position, it was likely stranger.

“Fair enough… Anyway… Things hit a minor snag the other day, but I think we’ve moved past it… I’m getting some much-needed therapy and I think in time I can finally move forward…” Sunset sighed.

The Princess clapped her hooves together with a smile. “That is wonderful news, I’m sure you two will be very happy together in the long run. If you ever need help, you can always come to me.”

“Actually… That’s sort of why I’m here now…” Sunset admitted.

“Hm?” The Princess leaned in with interest. “What’s wrong, Sunset?”

“It’s just…” Sunset paused and closed her eyes. “I wonder sometimes… If it’s fair…”

“Fair?” Twilight tilted her head.

“Yeah… You know… Fair of me to be with Twilight… I mean… Is it even ethical? I’m an alien from another world to her… Being with me will cause her a lot of problems down the road… I can’t even promise her a normal life, or even a relatively normal life at that… Do you think… I’m holding her back…?” Sunset frowned as she let it all out. It was something that had been scratching at her for a while. She could overcome their differences, she could move past obstacles, but she had such a hard time shaking this nagging feeling that she was not what was best for Twilight.

Princess Twilight sighed and then smiled. “Sunset… while it’s true that your position may cause Twilight great pain, you also are in a position to give her a tremendous amount of happiness… While you will face hardships, you also will experience great joy together…”

“But what if-“ Sunset was cut off by the Princess.

“So long as you two love each other, that’s all that matters. Love will carry you both, that’s some advice I got once… I think it holds true… So long as you follow it,” Twilight spoke.

There was a hint of personal experience on Twilight’s lips, but Sunset didn’t dare to ask. The last thing she wanted to do was dig up the Princess’ past and make her uncomfortable.

At the very least, Princess Twilight’s words brought her comfort, even if they were just repeating what everyone else was telling her. Somehow, coming from the Princess they felt like they had a bit more meaning.

Some Time Ago

Adagio stayed motionless in bed with her eyes closed as she felt Shimmer pull herself closer to Adagio’s body, taking in her warmth as she laid in bed with her lover. Shimmer nuzzled Adagio’s shoulder as she caught the scent of the siren’s hair, likely enjoying that it was the scent of her own shampoo, a sign that Adagio had become such an essential part of Shimmer’s life that she now shared a shower with her from time to time.

While Adagio hadn’t moved in, she spent a lot of time with her girlfriend now, every moment that wasn’t spent at her apartment or dealing with business, she was with the millionaire that called Adagio her girlfriend. It was quite an odd arrangement, one that Adagio was starting to feel more and more comfortable with.

Shimmer mumbled, causing Adagio to give a simple “hm?” To get the girl to repeat herself.

“I said this is nice…” Shimmer cooed.

Adagio reached over and stroked the girl’s head, pulling her closer as the two laid there in their pajamas.

“Yeah… I guess so…” Adagio spoke quietly.

Shimmer giggled at her girlfriend’s bravado. “You know, you don’t always have to act all tough and cool…”

“Who’s acting?” Adagio smirked.

“Oh stop it, you…” Shimmer nudged Adagio’s shoulder lightly as she snuggled with her.

There was a silence between the two before Shimmer spoke up once more. “Hey… Dagi…”

“Yeah?” Adagio yawned.

“Have you given much more thought… To what I said before?” Shimmer asked, her voice hinting at a tiny bit of concern.

“What you said about what?” Adagio asked.

“About… Our future?” Shimmer blushed.

The siren’s eyes opened up as she looked over at Shimmer who was staring at Adagio with pleading eyes, eyes that showed a bit of fear, a bit of worry and possibly just a hint of sadness. Shimmer had clearly been thinking about that conversation for a while, while Adagio was spending time trying to work it out.

“Yeah… I thought about it…” Adagio said.

It was the truth as well, she actually couldn’t stop thinking about it. Shimmer had asked her what she felt their future together held, and at the time Adagio had told her that she needed some time to process it all and that she didn’t want to make a decision so hastily. She remembered the sad expression on Shimmer’s face, an expression that she never wanted to see again.

In Adagio’s entire life, it had never caused her so much pain to make someone sad since her sister, but here was this random mortal girl, who had someone made Adagio care enough to actually never want to see her frown or heaven forbid, cry.

“What did you… Come up with?” Shimmer sounded as though she almost didn’t want to hear the answer.

Adagio smirked. “I was wondering which one of us will make the better wife?”

Shimmer blinked before a blush crossed her face. “I think you’d be more of the husband…”

“Fair enough… I mean I’d say I bring home the bacon but by the look of your house… I’d say my earnings are meager in comparison… But… I’ll admit… I suck at cooking, cleaning and virtually anything that a housewife is expected to do…” Adagio frowned.

Shimmer giggled. “I think you’ll make a great husband.”

“And you’ll make a fantastic wife…” Adagio spoke quietly, smiling at her love.

“I guess we’ll see…” Shimmer giggled.

The entire ordeal seemed so surreal. A siren marrying a mortal, Adagio had only seen it once before and that was with her mother, and she recalled how badly that ended for her. Yet here she was, considering marrying this mortal girl, a human mortal girl from another world at that like it was no big deal.

Despite all of that though, she didn’t care. She was happy, it was a weird feeling but somehow without magic, without power, and without having thousands adore her, Adagio Dazzle was happy, and it was the greatest feeling in the entire world.

“I suppose we will…” Adagio smiled back at the girl she loved.

Twilight turned off her car and looked out the window, watching as her girlfriend stepped out of a magical portal to Equestria and back into the human world. No matter how many times she saw it happen, it still came off as strange to Twilight, it was basically another reminder that her girlfriend was an alien from another world.

Sunset adjusted her long hair before composing herself and moving her legs for a moment as she adjusted to standing on two feet once more before looking in Twilight’s direction. Noting her girlfriend standing there, she stuffed her hands in her jeans pockets and decided to play it cool while she watched Twilight step out of her car.

With the keys in her hand, Twilight walked over to Sunset, remaining silent the entire time until she reached the redhead standing there with her hands in her pockets. “So…” She began.

“So…” Sunset said plainly.

“How was your talk with the Princess?” Twilight asked curiously.

Sunset shrugged. “She’s been pretty cryptic lately, but it was… Helpful at the very least. I feel a lot better now that I’ve talked to her about Adagio and… other things…”

Twilight wanted to pry regarding these “other things”, but decided it was best to leave that one alone. The Princess often seemed to be cryptic and mysterious these days, despite Sunset insisting that she was a very simple and straightforward person prior to the Adagio trial; ever since then though, the Princess was more or less an enigma and needlessly mystical. “So… She didn’t tell you much about Adagio?”

Sunset shook her head. “Whatever she knows… She isn’t telling, but she was aware than Shimmer and Adagio were a couple…”

“So it looks like there’s more to that mystery…” Twilight shrugged.

Sunset nodded and sighed. “Yeah… I guess so… I wish I understood it more… I mean… Adagio and Shimmer? That’s just like… So messed up and I don’t even like thinking about them like that… But the facts point to it being reality…”

Twilight nodded in agreement. “I can’t say that I like the idea myself, but it looks like we’re not going to understand it any time soon, but perhaps… There was a side to Adagio we didn’t know?”

“Or maybe Shimmer was naive…” Sunset suggested.

Twilight only shrugged. “Maybe we’ll never know…”

“Yeah… Possibly…” Sunset sighed.

The two stood there awkwardly in silence before Sunset coughed and spoke up. “So…”

“So…” Twilight smiled, mimicking her girlfriend.

“So, I guess we’re going to try and make this work from here, huh?” Sunset asked, rubbing her neck.

Twilight sensed uncertainty in her voice. “Did you not want to?”

“No, I absolutely want to!” Sunset raised her hands defensively, waving them frantically at the suggestion. “I just… I just worry that’s all… I don’t like causing you pain, Twilight… I don’t want you to get hurt because of me…”

“Well… in my mind… the pain is worth it for all the joy we both get, right? The truth is… I love being around you, Sunset Shimmer… I love being next to you… I love holding your hand…” Twilight approached taking both of Sunset’s hands in her own as she continued. “I love when you kiss me… I love you more than anything in the world, Sunset… If that means I have to deal with a little hardship… Then it’s worth it…”

“Even if that means magical mishaps will be commonplace?” Sunset asked with a guilty expression, her mind already thinking of all the random magical adventures they were already forced upon, including the most recent with Adagio that almost got both of them killed.

“Even then.” Twilight nodded confidently.

“Even if Equestria plays a huge part in our lives?” Sunset questioned.

“Even then,” Twilight assured.

“Even if-“ Sunset was cut off this time by Twilight reaching forward, placing a finger over Sunset’s lips.

“Even if anything… I want to be with you, plain and simple… Why overcomplicate it?” Twilight grinned.

“Look who’s talking… The queen of over complications…” Sunset teased.

Twilight shrugged. “Maybe I’ve learned to let go and let the dice fall where they may? I’ve learned a lot in the past few weeks after all…”

“Couldn’t have learned that from me… The only thing I taught you was how to undress the way I like it…” Sunset replied.

“Shut up and kiss me…” Twilight smirked.

Following the command, Sunset leaned in and closed the remaining distance between the two, making their lips meet. The moment their lips touched, Twilight reached forward and wrapped her arms around Sunset, causing her to do the same. As they held each other in a lip-lock in front of the portal, Sunset and Twilight both felt elated, no matter what happened, they would do everything they could to make what they had work. Whatever challenges were ahead of them, they could face them together.

A few more days had passed, and the big day was upon Twilight, her family and Sunset. The day she would return to college. It was one hell of a Summer vacation, and while it didn’t go exactly as Twilight had planned, she was content with how everything turned out in the end.

She stood there at the front door of her home hugging her mother tightly, feeling her squeeze just a bit harder back. “Make sure to call us, Twilight!” She instructed.

Once she was released from the hug, Twilight nodded at her mother with a smile on her face. “I will mother, I promise.”

“You said that last time, but I had to keep calling you…” She wagged her finger at her daughter.

“Yeah… I get caught up in my studies…” Twilight rubbed her neck.

“We’ll just have to make sure Sunset reminds you then.” Velvet winked.

Twilight rolled her eyes and looked over at her father who gave an approving nod. “Well… You’re going back to school… Soon you’ll be old enough to drink even… Our little girl is growing up…” Night wiped his eyes as he placed his hands on his daughter’s shoulders.

Twilight looked at his hands and then met his face with a smile. “I promise when I turn twenty-one, I’m not going to turn into some party animal…”

“We all go a little crazy in college, sweetie…” He reminded.

Twilight shook her head and placed a hand atop of his. “You raised me better than that, father. Don’t worry, I’m going to school to learn, so that’s what I’ll be doing most of the time.”

“Just promise me that if you do drink it’ll be with Sunset there so that you have someone watching out for you? You’re not exactly the most… Coordinated even when you’re sober…” Night said, clearly trying to find a more elegant way to tell Twilight she was clumsy.

Twilight merely rolled her eyes and took a step down the steps in front of her home where Shining and Cadence were waiting for her. Cadence quickly pulled Twilight into a bear hug so tight she could hardly breathe.

“I promise we’ll come to visit you! Flurry will definitely miss her favorite aunt!” Cadence spoke, tears already welling up in her eyes. She never was the best when it came to goodbyes or farewells.

“I look forward to it…” Twilight smiled after she coughed when Cadence allowed her to try and get air once more.

Her brother opened his arms for yet another hug, though this one wasn’t as forceful. Instead, he was careful to watch his strength as he held his little sister in his muscular arms, rubbing the back of her head lightly and swaying with her before releasing her and holding her shoulders while he looked down to see her. She had forgotten how tall Shining was.

“If you’re ever in trouble… You know where to find me, alright?” He smiled.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah… Thanks, Shiny…”

“No need to thank me, you’re my baby sister, it’s my job to make sure that you’re safe… But by the look of it… I won’t be alone in that job anymore…” His eyes gravitated over toward a car waiting in the driveway and the driver who was sitting on the hood in her fashionable boots and leg warmers. She had opted for a fur-lined jacket (likely faux-fur) and a beanie atop her head, though her wild red hair still completely draped over her form.

Fall was approaching and they all could feel it.

“Well… I leave her in your capable hands, Sunset… See to it that she gets there safely.” Shining smiled and waved at Sunset as he released his sister.

Stepping off the hood of her Audi, Sunset nodded and gave a salute. “I’ll be sure that Ms. Sparkle makes it to her campus unscathed.”

Chuckling, Shining nodded as he watched his sister approach the car. Sunset walked around the back and came to the passenger side to open the door for her lover and gestured for her to enter. “After you, miss.”

Giggling, Twilight stepped inside. “Why thank you, miss.”

“Don’t mention it, babe.” Sunset winked before going back to the driver’s side and starting the car. She rolled down her window and looked out of it at Twilight’s family. She gave an approving nod before giving a thumbs up and rolling the window back up.

Before they knew it, the car had pulled out of the driveway and taken to the road.

Most of the trip, Twilight spent examining Sunset. While she enjoyed her more “gothic” look that she had been sporting the past few weeks, it was nice to see that she had sort of toned it down a bit, and gone back to being more of just an alternative kind of girl, reserving the more “intense” outfits for when she was trying to seduce Twilight. Twilight suspected that it was likely something she was doing before to feel closer to Shimmer.

After being on the road for a good while, the two eventually would come to the campus where Twilight attended. Sunset made sure to pull up to the dorm building so that Twilight didn’t have to walk far. Once they arrived, Sunset parked the car and turned it off and looked over at her girlfriend.

“So…” She began.

“So…” Twilight mimicked.

“This is it, huh? You go back to school… I go back home… We aren’t seeing each other every day anymore…” Sunset frowned.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You make it sound so dramatic. We’ll see each other on the weekends, promise.”

“A whole week without seeing each other in person? You’re going to be a horny mess by the time I come to see you…” Sunset smirked.

Sighing, Twilight gave Sunset’s shoulder a playful punch. “Look who’s talking! You watch porn like every day!”

“It’s called practicing for the big game!” Sunset defended, rubbing her shoulder.

“I think you’ll be the one who has the hardest time waiting until the end of the week!” Twilight stuck her tongue out.

“Not if I send you some naughty pictures throughout the week… You forget I have an entire closet of lingerie that you haven’t even seen yet… I have an arsenal of weapons at my disposal...” Sunset smirked.

“I bet you are begging for the weekend first…” Twilight teased.

“Alright… You’re on, I bet you are first…” Sunset offered her hand.

Twilight shook the redhead’s hand and nodded. “Loser has to write the other one a sappy poem.”

“Sounds fair, I hope you don’t compare me to a Sunset on a Summer’s day though…” Sunset grinned with confidence.

“Don’t be saying my eyes sparkle like the stars in the twilight…” Twilight replied.

The two sat there after a quick chuckle before silence filled the car. Sunset rubbed her neck awkwardly as they sat there. “So… This bet… It can start tomorrow, right?”

“Oh fuck yes it can…” Twilight leaned in and pulled her girlfriend’s jacket to get her into position for a passionate kiss.

In between lip-smacking, Sunset grinned and spoke. “Your dorm?”

“You know it…” Twilight nodded as she quickly got out of the car, Sunset following not far behind as the two girls made their way toward Twilight’s dormitory. Happiness filling their hearts.

Meanwhile in Equestria

The halls of Canterlot Castle were relatively quiet in the night. With Princess Luna attending to her nightly duties, and security-focused around the important sectors of the castle along with the entrances, most of the regular halls were left with relatively relaxed security.

A hooded figure made their way through these mostly unguarded hallways quickly taking cover behind a stairwell as two guards approached. They listened in on their conversations.

“I don’t know Prism, I mean in my honest opinion I think Luna is definitely the hottest of the royal family…” An older guard spoke.

Prism, the guard he was referring to rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I guess if you’re into the whole brooding and sort of dark and edgy sort of thing she’s alright… But you can’t deny that Cadence has a flank that’ll blow your mind away, Bright.”

Bright shook his head dismissively. “No way! I’ve seen Luna’s behind at least a million times and it’s way better!”

“What!? Heresy!” Prism protested, shaking his head.

“Pffft, whatever, I don’t even know why we’re friends… You clearly have inferior tastes, first, you say you prefer strawberry over cherry and now this…” Bright spoke as he walked forward, pausing in the hallway.

“Hey… did you hear something?” Bright asked as he peered around.

Prism shrugged as he approached trying to listen for any disturbances. “No… Why?”

“I could have sworn I just heard hoof steps that aren’t ours…” Bright stated as he peered around the room again with suspicion.

Prism grew quiet as he listened once more, not hearing anything of the sort. “Nah, you must be imagining things. I mean clearly your eyes are going, so maybe your ears are too.”

“You youngins’ just don’t know a good mare when you see one…” Bright retorted as the two returned to their duties, wandering down the hallway as they made their rounds.

The hooded figure could hear one last reply from the guard known as “Prism” before they were gone, something about how he wanted to know the guard’s opinion on Princess Twilight and that she had that “sexy librarian” thing going on, she just needed a pair of glasses.

Once the two were out of earshot and out of sight, the hooded pony stepped out from behind the stairwell and made their way stealthily down the hallway, toward the royal archives. As expected the gate in front of them was locked, but fortunately for them, they had pilfered a key from another guard when they weren’t looking.

Taking the key in hoof, the pony unlocked the gate and let themselves in, gently opening the gate and closing it just as gently behind them so not to raise any suspicion while they searched; making sure not to make too much noise as the gate shut.

So far, everything had gone according to plan, it was almost too good to be true, but that was the very reason why it was important not to start getting cocky. The last thing they needed was to get in over their head and then get busted in the royal archives.

Reaching into a saddlebag that the stranger had tucked under their cloak they retrieved a glowing gem, an artifact with a spell cast upon it, one to help illuminate the dark but the illumination could only be seen by the one holding it. A convenient little trick for one that wished to snoop through old scrolls, books, and texts without being seen.

They began their search for information in the section regarding mythical creatures, only to turn up nothing of interest, shy of a factoid or two about how there actually was indeed no abominable snowman, but instead, the entire story was merely made up by a mountain village to the north some eight hundred years ago. A folk tale that simply refused to die.

The search went through many various articles regarding spells, missing ponies, and even the list of disasters recorded by the Princesses. Sadly, nothing was returning the results that the stranger wanted until a hunch hit them, a hunch to check the criminal records.

Grabbing a rather sizable tome from the back of the room and placing it on the table, the cloaked figure began to flip through the past several entries to find anything of value until they landed on one in particular from around a year or so ago.

Adagio Dazzle
Age: Unknown
Sex: Female
Race: Siren
Conviction: Murder

It is with conflicted emotions that I, Princess Twilight Sparkle write this entry. This technically was not a public trial and most of the information regarding it will be classified and kept out of the public eye, but I feel it is my duty to document every crime and punishment administered; especially in a case like this.

The facts of the case were fairly easy to determine, however, I’ll briefly document them here. According to the argument proposed by my human counterpart from the human world, after the accused was sent to the human world by Starswirl the Bearded, she would come into contact with one Sunset Shimmer, referred to as “Shimmer” by her friends due to the fact that another Sunset Shimmer existed in their world as a runaway from Equestria some years ago.

By a bizarre series of coincidences, Adagio came into contact with Shimmer and Sunset at the same time with the intention to end the life of Sunset. She fired four rounds from a high powered “rifle” and reloaded to fire another four, shooting the girl in the back a total of eight times before fleeing the scene. It is my understanding that a “rifle” is some kind of human weapon that launches projectiles are alarmingly fast speeds.

The victim died within a matter of minutes from extreme blood loss. She was a mere eighteen years old at the time.

The accused never denied the crime but insisted it was a necessity to gain her magic back. Thus the crime was motivated by the desire to regain her magic. She insisted she was merely a victim of circumstance.

The accused failing to provide an adequate defense that would make myself or Princess Celestia feel sympathetic toward her plight. It was agreed upon by the royal council that there was only one punishment for a crime so heinous, death.

Death sentences are exceptionally rare here in Equestria, the last one being administered over a hundred years ago, but it was the opinion of the royal council that if given the opportunity, Adagio Dazzle would kill again. Her punishment was carried out twenty-four hours after her conviction, and she was put to death via magic.

I pray that I will never have to make the choice to put another pony to death for as long as I serve as princess. I do not believe I could endure such a thing again, guilty or not. Let us put this matter to rest.

The hooded figure could hardly believe what they were reading, an execution in Equestria? Such things hadn’t been done in centuries, even those who would seek to overthrow Equestria itself were seldom given such an extreme punishment.

Quickly, they tore the page out of the book and stuffed it into the saddlebag under their cloak. They had come to the castle unsure of what they would find on their search, or if it would even bear fruit at all, but this was something most unexpected. Nonetheless, the gears in their head began turning as they spoke their thoughts out loud.

“So… This is how Equestria is then, is it? Well… Not for long…” A smirk appeared on their lips.

Author's Note

And with that Act IV is done! Crazy that it's been going on for so long!

The good news is there was far less dramatic events that resulted in death or near death.

Get ready for Act V! It's coming after two intermissions. And that last scene in this act obviously is leading into what's happening next.

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has stuck around this long!

Intermission IV-1: Light

Angel groaned as she woke, not feeling the soft bed she fell asleep on anymore, instead, she found herself on the floor of her apartment. She looked over at her bed wondering how she ended up falling off the comfortable mattress. Pulling herself to a stand she gripped her head as she felt a light tinge at her temple. Once the pain stopped she shook her head and ran a hand through her blue hair.

“That’s strange… I don’t remember getting dressed…” She thought out loud as she noted that she was sporting a full outfit instead of her pajamas. She had on a plaid flannel shirt that was perhaps a size too large and a pair of flared jeans. She noted that she was wearing converse sneakers as well, which would have been an odd choice to sleep in.

“Did I… Crash from the night before…?” Angel asked herself, trying to make sense of how she ended up this way.

All she could remember was coming home from work, staying up with Starlight to watch a movie and then retiring early. She definitely recalled putting her clothes in the hamper and switching into pajamas as she took a shower before bed.

Better go talk to Starlight. She thought as she reached for her doorknob.

Turning it, she entered the area outside of her room noting that there were no signs of anyone being home, everything felt like it was frozen in time. Wandering over to Starlight’s room, she knocked on the door. “Starlight? Open up.”

No response.

Angel squinted and tried again. “Are you sleeping? It’s me.”

Still, no response. Shrugging, Angel opened the door and noticed that Starlight’s window was open, a cold wind blowing into the dark room. She shivered as she approached to close it, but when she looked outside she could see nothing but an empty black abyss that stretched on for miles. Any view of the city was completely obscured by some kind of thick black fog. “Creepy…” She announced as she stepped back to get away from the window.

“Starlight!? Where are you!?” Angel called out.

As before, there wasn’t an answer. She gulped as she retreated toward the door and opened it.

When she came back into the common area, she noticed that the lights were now out as well. In a mild panic she reached for the front door and tried to turn the knob, but was unsuccessful, the door wouldn’t budge an inch. Angel tried to see if she could see through the peephole, but sadly there was nothing but pitch black darkness outside the door as well.

“What the hell…?” She asked no one in particular as she made her way toward the living room. Looking down the hallway that led to the bathroom she could see what appeared to be a corridor of pure blackness.

Curiosity overtook her, and Angel felt drawn to the area. Her feet began to move without being commanded, and before she knew it, she was descending into the darkness itself, an entirely new place opening up as she ventured deeper and deeper, eventually unable to see the apartment she had left behind.

“Where am I…?” She asked aloud as she came to a large empty black room with poor illumination.

“Angel…” A voice whispered.

Angel swatted her ear; she felt like the voice came from right next to her, like a fly buzzing in her ear. “Hello!? Who’s there!?”

There was no reply.

“Okay this is totally weird…” Angel shook her head as she ventured into the room, but froze as she saw a person appear out of thin air. This person had multi-colored hair and a sporty looking outfit, toned muscles, and the body of an athlete. Before Angel could adjust, five more appeared, one with vibrant pink hair and an obnoxious grin, one with a perfectly modeled face and the fashion sense of a goddess, one with a dark blue ponytail, one with long silky pink hair, and the last looked like a cowgirl wearing a stetson.

The six women stood frozen in time, not seeming to notice Angel standing there. Hesitantly, she approached and reached out, trying to touch the group, her hand phasing right through them, much to her own surprise. "Okay, that is creepy..." She commented.

“Angel… These six girls will become very important on your journey…” The voice from before spoke, this time sounding like they were speaking over a loudspeaker.

“Journey? What journey?” Angel asked.

“You wish to understand your powers, you wish for answers… Why your parents never told you about your abilities… Why you have them in the first place… Right?” The voice asked in reply.

Angel paused and thought about it for a moment. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t curious. “Alright… Tell me… What do I have to do?”

“The power you have is called magic, and it is a mighty force in the right hands… However, without guidance…” As the voice spoke, Angel could feel the floor around her vanish leaving her standing on the edge of a cliff that seemed to have no bottom. “You run the risk of falling to darkness… Those who give into dark magic will know the kind of pain that is brought with such wicked power… It is a pain without end… To give in is to become a demon...”

Angel gulped as she looked down but then turned her attention upward as the voice spoke once more. “There is, however, another way… You needn’t give in to darker desires… Should you choose to walk a different path…”

With those words, a bridge made of shining light appeared before Angel. She blinked as she questioned if it was even possible to stand on such a thing.

“To walk this path though… You will be tested… Your mind will be tested, your body will be tested and your heart will be tested… Should you have the resolve, you’ll find the ultimate reward on the other side…” The voice beckoned.

Angel stood there, not daring to move as the voice spoke again. “Do you have the resolve necessary to make this journey? This will be the most difficult trial you have ever endured… You will be pushed to your limits...”

Closing her eyes, Angel thought it over for a moment before nodding. “Yes…” She spoke quietly.

“Very well… Your path is set… Move forward and learn what awaits…” The voice commanded.

Following the instructions, Angel stepped onto the bridge of light, a bit surprised that it actually could hold her. As she moved forward she blinked as the same six girls appeared off in the distance floating in mid-air to the left of the bridge.

“These six, they will be very important on your journey… They too hold magic like yourself, how they will impact your journey, however… Has yet to be determined…” The voice said.

“Who are they?” Angel asked as she watched the six girls vanish into thin air.

“In due time, you’ll come to know them. There is still so much to understand… However, our time together is limited… We shall speak again… Until then, be wary of the darkness, Angel Song... Don't stray from your path...” The voice echoed.

With those words, Angel could feel a strange pulling sensation before she closed her eyes and opened them once more to find herself sleeping in her own bed. She sat up and examined herself. She was in her pajamas this time, and it looked as though the darkness around her apartment had vanished.

She blinked before sitting up. “Was it… All a dream…?”

Author's Note

Mysterious.

I promise these intermissions will all make sense by the end of the story! You just haven't gotten far enough for them to make sense yet is all.

Hopefully, this makes it clear that Angel Song is of importance down the road.

Intermission IV-2: Change

Starlight watched as her mentor was burying herself in paperwork and books to read, concern starting to fill her mind. It had been like this for a few days now, Princess Twilight had drowned herself in work and seldom exited her chambers. Her friends had come by many times in the past week asking if she was available only for Starlight to shoo them away stating that the Princess was busy, but before being Starlight’s mentor, Twilight Sparkle was also her friend, a friend she was beginning to worry about.

Stepping into Twilight’s office, Starlight cleared her throat. “Ahem… Ma’am…?”

Twilight didn’t even look up from the book she was glued to, an empty look in her eye. “Hm?”

“Err… Twilight that is…” Starlight corrected herself, not wanting to sound too formal.

“What is it, Starlight?” She asked, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

Starlight inhaled and exhaled as she stepped forward. “Twilight, I know your job is super important, but you’ve been working yourself to death lately…”

“Your concern is ill-placed, Starlight. I’m quite alright.” Twilight looked up and smiled weakly at the girl.

Rolling her eyes, Starlight stepped forward. “Spike told me that he caught you up until eight in the morning the other day trying to get ahead on paperwork?”

“Damn… I was hoping he’d keep quiet about that…” She blushed and played with a strand of her long mane.

Starlight rolled her eyes once more. “Twilight… Perhaps its time for a day off?”

“I can’t.” Twilight shook her head and looked right back down at her books.

Starlight was flabbergasted at how quickly the princess shot that idea down. Something was definitely into her that she was trying to keep from her assistants, but the question was what?

Not taking no for an answer, however, Starlight shoved forward and moved the book out of in front of Twilight with some magic and cleared off her desk, gently sorting all the papers into bins and the books neatly stacked on a table on the other side of the room. “I thought you’d say that… That’s why I brought this…” Starlight smirked as she levitated a scroll in front of Twilight.

“And what is this?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Give it a read.” Starlight grinned.

Sighing, Twilight took the scroll and unrolled it, glancing over its contents.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

It has come to my attention that you have been most productive over the past week. While I applaud your diligence, dedication, and studiousness, do not forget that you are the Princess of Friendship, and skipping out to spend time with your friends for a solid week is simply not becoming behavior for one with such a title.

That is why it is my decree that on the day of receiving this letter, you Twilight Sparkle are to take the day off and spend it with Starlight. Sorry, Twilight, but I knew that without a royal decree it might have taken weeks to get you to stop once you’re in motion. Please don’t be too angry! Try and enjoy your day off!

Yours Truly,

Princess Celestia

Twilight blinked and grunted. “Clever… Using my mentor against me… I give you credit, Starlight… You’ve learned well…”

The grin on Starlight’s face grew larger. “I learned from the best. Come on, I have plans for us…”

“What kind of plans?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Well for starters… You’re a mess, Twilight… I think we need to get you cleaned up… You haven’t brushed your mane in days…” Starlight pointed out.

Twilight thought about it, wondering when the last time she bathed was, concluding that she couldn’t remember. Day and night had blended together when she was lost in her sea of paperwork.

“I suppose… You have a point there…” Twilight admitted rubbing her neck nervously. “So… What do you have in mind?”

Slowly, Twilight’s body descended into a tub of hot water, she cooed delightfully as she closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the tub, her friend Starlight relaxing across from her. “Mmmmm… You were right, Starlight… I definitely needed this…”

“I got the idea from Rarity… When she heard what had become of your mane, she paid for the trip…” Starlight explained.

Twilight let out a chuckle, she could imagine Rarity doing exactly that, it was, after all, the kind of thing that Rarity did. If there was an issue with one’s mane or personal grooming, she was the first to the rescue.

“Remind me to thank her next time I see her…” Twilight stated as she found herself in a very relaxed state, unable to move.

“I will… By the way… I sort of wanted to ask you about all this extra work you’ve been doing…” Starlight began.

Twilight let out a sigh, a part of her suspected this entire trip was merely a ruse to lure her to a place where Starlight could probe her for information; after all, Starlight had grown increasingly curious regarding the secrecy of some of Twilight’s work as of late.

The question to Twilight was merely if Starlight could keep quiet about what she was doing.

“Let me ask you something, Starlight… Do you remember why I put the records for Adagio’s case in the royal archives?” Twilight asked.

Starlight blinked but shrugged as she unwrapped her mane from the towel it was in and allowed it to soak in the water. “Sure, you wanted to keep a record of what happened even if it was kept from the public eye.”

“And do you know why I wanted it out of the public eye?” Twilight followed up with.

“To keep public opinions from overtaking Equestria. You wanted to contain the matter until you thought deeper about it…” Starlight raised a brow, trying to figure out where this was going.

“Do you think I did the right thing…?” Twilight asked.

Her friend nodded. “Absolutely… I mean we don’t know much about sirens or Adagio for that matter. It was probably wisest to not cause public hysteria by revealing a murder plot by a siren, it could lead to witch hunts across Equestria.”

“Very good… I suppose… If you share my view… I can tell you more…” Twilight sighed.

Starlight scooted across the bath and put herself next to Twilight. “Well… I have been wondering about this all… What’s going on, Twilight?”

“I’ve been trying to see if I can learn more about sirens based upon the information that Adagio gave me when I spoke with her in her prison cell… It’s not much, but I am looking into potentially getting rights for sirens in Equestria…” Twilight nearly whispered.

Starlight blinked and shook her head. “I don’t think I heard you correctly… Did you just say you wanted to gain rights for sirens in Equestria?”

Twilight nodded. “You heard correctly…”

“That’s insane, Twilight! Have you forgotten what sirens have done every time they have been discovered here? They terrorize the place!” Starlight protested.

“We just don’t understand them, Starlight… Adagio didn’t want to become a murderer she… Well… She was sort of molded into that role by the way Equestria treated her kind… We’re sort of at fault… She may have pulled the trigger, but we put the weapon in her hooves… Err… Hands…” Twilight rubbed her neck as she sat up.

“True as that may be… You know the ponies of Equestria will resist such a move, Twilight…” Starlight frowned.

“I’m aware… That’s why I need more time… I want to try and see if I can find and meet with the council of sirens… Perhaps I can convince them to work with me? Maybe if I can gather enough research and convince them to come speak, we can warm ponies up to the idea…” Twilight grinned sheepishly.

Starlight shook her head in disapproval. “This has bad idea written all over it, Twilight…”

“Starlight… Please… I believe this is the right thing to do… I think this is the best path to prevent another Adagio incident…” Twilight frowned.

Starlight found herself locking eyes with her friend, seeing those sad orbs made her give in. She sighed and nodded. “Alright… If it means that much to you, Twilight… And you believe in it… I’ll get behind you. We’ll do it together…”

“Thank you, Starlight. I know this will be the best option, you’ll see!”

“I hope you’re right…” Starlight smiled.

Author's Note

Next week is Act V. Get ready. It's coming.

Also, we broke 400,000 words. Yay!

Act V - Chapter LIX: Empire's End

Act V: Turmoil

Chapter LIX: Empire’s End

On the outskirts of Equestria in a small town that was known by the name Hoof’s Rock, there sat a prison protected by members of the royal guard. Hoof’s Rock was small in size, but an ideal location for keeping prisoners due to its convenient location on a plateau and the heat making it somewhere that saps ponies of energy; perfect for would-be escape artists.

Placing a prison so far out in such a small town though proved difficult as there were few that could serve as guards, so the orders from Canterlot were to send royal guards out that way as sort of contracted help. The situation worked out well for both sides, Hoof’s Rock didn’t need to worry about the prison being protected by inadequate guards, and Canterlot got to send newer guards out to a low-risk job that would provide excellent experience and training for when they received promotions. Arrangements like this were the cornerstone of how Celestia was known as an economic ruler who could stretch budgets far and wide without the need to tax the citizens more, all while maintaining the standards she had set forth.

The prison at Hoof’s Rock was known as Dusty Gate by the people, though its proper name was “Correctional Facility #8”, but such a name didn’t roll off the tongue so well. It had earned its name from the never-ending dust storms that often left the bars looking worn and dusty.

The fortification was key to a great prison, and Dusty Gate was no exception, as two young guards looked up to the towers that looked down at the facility, all stationed with many powerful unicorns ready to act in the event that anyone dared tried to climb the walls, from the inside or the outside.

The first guard yawned as he approached the front gate, showing his badge to the guard pony who gave a salute. “Morning, Private Sword Swipe!”

The guard looked over at the pony with Sword Swipe and grinned at the other young stallion at his side. “I see you’ve had quite the night, Private Steel Clash…”

“Don’t remind me…” Steel rolled his eyes as he gripped his head.

“A youngin’ like you clearly lacks the experience necessary to handle that much liquor. Take my advice, try and go a little softer next time… At least until you’re older kid…” The guard winked as the two stallions walked by and entered the facility, ready to begin their shift.

Once they were out of earshot of the front guard, Steel opened his mouth to complain, something he did often. “That old bastard is such a pain… Thinks he’s so smart just because he’s been around the block…”

Sword rolled his eyes as he prepared himself mentally for another day of listening to his partner bitch and complain about how the generation before them all look down on the younger generation and how one day he’ll be in charge and things would be different. “To be fair… You did kind of overdo it…”

“Hey! You’re supposed to be on my side! Besides, you saw that bartender… She was all over me! I had to keep going, I wanted to impress her!” Steel defended as he pointed an accusing hoof.

Sword grew a smirk as he replied. “Yeah, but you ended up not impressing her at all… Instead, all you accomplished was vomiting on the poor girl and making her call you a big disgusting drunk.”

“Don’t remind me… I haven’t had any tail in months…” Steel frowned as the two entered the main building.

Sword shot his friend a sympathetic look as he offered what he believed to be level-headed advice. “Have you possibly considered not trying to show off for a change? Seems like most of the mares you flex your wings for and then brag about being a royal guard to are usually repulsed by you within a few minutes… The longest I’ve seen it take was like… eight minutes…”

Steel grunted and ran a hoof through his short white mane as he shook his head. “And what about you, Mr. Lady Killer? I don’t see you with a marefriend right now either!”

Sword merely shrugged. “No, but I can at least say I’ve had sex within the last two weeks… Something that you can’t say…”

“So what’s your secret then?” His partner asked with a raised brow.

“There isn’t one… I just act like myself…” Sword replied with yet another shrug.

Grumbling, Steel looked forward and checked the message board posted in the employee break room that the two had traveled to. It was a common stop when they began their shift, as they both enjoyed grabbing a cup of coffee before beginning their rounds.

“Let’s see what’s the latest for today…” Steel said as his eyes were caught by a specific memo, “Check it out.” Steel pointed.

Sword’s eyes gravitated to the same memo.

To All Royal Guards

As many of you know, Princess Twilight Sparkle’s leave of absence from royal duties is continuing. There is still no estimate on how long she will be off duty, but for the time being, her duties shall be handled by her star student and royal advisor, the honorable Starlight Glimmer. All guards are to treat her as they would the Princess herself.

She will be making rounds across the prison systems of Equestria over the next month, doing the routine inspections. Ordinarily, this is a job handled by Luna, but by order of the royal family, this job shall now be conducted by Starlight Glimmer; again, she is to be treated as if the princess herself were carrying out this job.

Officer promotions have been put on hold until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and ask for your understanding at this time.

Thank you,

Captain of the Royal Guard,

Prince Shining Armor

Steel blew a raspberry after he finished reading. “Man, this is horse manure… How much longer is Twilight Sparkle going to shirk on her duties? Wish I could be a princess, must be easy letting everyone else do all the work...”

“I heard she was studying magic or something… At the Royal Training Ground…” Sword stated as the two wandered over to the pot of coffee that had been calling their name.

“What the hell for? The Princess is already a fantastic mage… Feels redundant to have her go off to some secret training area…” Steel rolled his eyes as he reached for the pot and began to pour himself a cup of hot liquid, only throwing in a cube or two of sugar.

Sword followed suit and poured himself a steaming cup of coffee, internally thanking the guards before them that had brewed a fresh pot. Unlike his colleague, however, he added a generous amount of creamer, to the point where half of the coffee was just creamer.

“I have no idea how you can drink that… It’s not even coffee anymore!” Steel shuddered as he watched his partner and friend prepare the cup of sacrilege.

“There’s no wrong way to make coffee…” Sword rolled his eyes as he levitated the cup with magic in front of himself and took a sip. Steel only waved a wing at him.

“Except that way… Seriously, I can’t believe your teeth don’t just rot out from how much of that shit you put in there! That stuff is overly sweet!” Steel exclaimed.

Taking a seat to enjoy their coffee, Sword changed the subject. “Say… Ever wonder why the Royal Training Ground is such a closely guarded secret? Or why it requires top secret clearance just to know where it is?”

Steel shrugged as he sipped. “Not really… Probably just has tons of texts on advanced magic techniques that if they fell into the wrong hooves would cause all kinds of hell… It’s probably better that it’s a secret so the guard doesn’t have to clean up more magical messes than we already do.”

Sword looked down at the nearly white liquid in his cup that only had a hint of brown. “I guess I just worry that something bad is going to happen… I mean it’s not like Princess Twilight to just… Disappear for so long… This has been going on for weeks now…”

“What’re you saying? You think she’s dead or something and they are trying to cover it up?” Steel chuckled at the absurd proposal.

“Well that’s one possibility, I guess…” Sword looked up and squinted in thought. He hadn’t thought about that specific scenario, but it could have happened, and it would explain the Princess’ extended absence.

Steel waved a wing dismissively at his friend. “That’s conspiracy level shit. That’s like that one play… That kind of shit would never happen in real life, it’d be too impossible to keep it all a secret; you know that.”

“I guess you’re right…” Sword agreed with a nod. After further thought, he realized that it did sound ridiculous, though he was still curious as to what the Princess was up to. It was very unusual for her to vanish from the public eye for so long, and Celestia was keeping what she was doing extra secret, even to the royal guards. He had heard around that even some of the higher-ups were not being told what was going on.

A part of Sword suspected that only the royal family was privy to what was going on with Princess Twilight, but that only made him wonder why even more. It wasn’t customary in Equestria to keep even the royal guards out of the loop for so long. Was something in their home of Equestria amiss?

“Say… You have a thing for Princess Twilight… Right?” Steel asked, changing the subject.

Blinking, a blush came to Sword’s face as he rubbed behind his neck nervously. “Well… Uh…”

“I’ve seen you stare at her when she came by that one time… You were checking out her flank the moment she turned around…” Steel grinned.

Sword blushed deeper but decided there was no point in denying it. “She is pretty hot, isn’t she? Like she’s at least an eight on the scale.”

“I’d fuck her, I mean I don’t think she’s the hottest of the princesses, but I would still do nasty things to her if I were permitted… I’d make her beg for more… She’d come crawling back when I was done…” Steel smirked as he thought about the kind of lewd and reprehensible things he’d do if he were given a chance at the princess.

“I think I’d break out the leash…” Sword nodded in approval at his partner’s proposal.

“You dog. We could tag team her… Man, that’d be great, wouldn’t it? I bet she is super tight! A workaholic like her? She probably doesn’t get much action so that thing is probably fresh and unused… Meaning it’s probably in perfect condition if you know what I mean…” Steel was practically drooling into his coffee as he spoke.

“Maybe one day…” Sword sighed contently. His mind filled with equally perverse and impure things that he wished he could do with the princess.

“Luna is a possibility too… I mean a thousand years away from Equestria? She’s probably pretty starved… Bet she’d be down to try just about anything…” Steel suggested.

“I could think of a few moves I’d like to try on her…” Sword smirked.

The two friends broke out into jovial laughter, chuckling and guffawing for several minutes before their laughter subsided.

Shaking his head, Steel smiled at his friend. “I guess we should probably get to work, huh? If we’re tardy again, the CO is going to kick our asses. Last time we got mop duty… I don’t think I could feel my wing for a good week.”

“Unfortunately…” Sword frowned as he came to a stand, his memories of the last time the two were punished for tardiness motivating him far faster. “So, who do you like for the buckball game this weekend?”

The two made their way out of the break room and began heading toward their designated patrol route as they continued to converse about sports. “I’m going to have to go with the Iron Wings, their form has been pretty good this year, they got that new guy on their team from Trottingham that can whack a ball at least 70 to 80 yards… Plus they got those hot cheerleaders that I like, so naturally, I have to root for them. Hot mares always get my vote.”

“Hot cheerleaders are always a plus… I especially like it when they put them in those cute outfits with the socks…” Sword winked and chuckled as he walked next to his co-worker, the two coming to a fork in the hallway.

“Alright, I’ll take left, you take right, we’ll rendezvous at the courtyard entrance in about eight minutes, sound good?” Steel asked.

Sword nodded as he turned his body to the right. “Sounds fine to me, see you in a few.”

“Ditto. Let’s hope today passes by quick, I can’t wait until we get stationed somewhere else, nothing ever happens at this place…” Steel complained as he seemed to do every day.

Sword nodded in agreement as the two parted ways, leaving Sword to head down the right hall on his own. He could hear the sounds of prisoners out in the courtyard in the center. The two hallways looped around it on both sides with a single entrance to the courtyard proper at the northern end where both hallways reconnected. Sword had memorized the blueprints for the prison at least a dozen times, each time wondering why he bothered, though he already knew it was mostly because night shifts seldom had much to do except sit at a desk and count ceiling tiles.

His thoughts returned to what Steel said about not being able to wait until they were stationed somewhere else. He couldn’t agree more. Sword had been a member of the royal guard for a good year now, and his orders extended for another eight months at Dusty Gate before he would be transferred into a “real job”. The rest of the guard referred to prison patrol duty as “trainee work”, with the exception of the commanding officers of those teams, who were often older guards who were on their way toward retirement.

Sword got annoyed just thinking about some old bird sitting at a desk barking orders while he and the others went out and did the real work. It boiled his blood to think that those old bags probably got paid at least eight times what he made as well.

As he wandered down the hallway with nothing eventful happening shy of walking past another co-worker and giving a gentle head nod of acknowledgment. To say his job was dull was an understatement.

It wasn’t long until his brain had been wandering again, falling back onto his conversation about Princess Twilight. What could she be up to? He wondered when she’d be back or when he’d be seeing Starlight Glimmer in her stead.

He rolled his eyes at the thought of the Princess’ star student. Starlight was an odd one to him, she was a blunt pony with hoof-in-mouth syndrome it seemed, and she came across as socially awkward at times. Despite all of that, she was difficult to read when it came to her assessments. He recalled once she filled in for Twilight and that entire time he couldn’t make heads or tails if she was pleased or displeased with how the prison was being run.

His attention was then drawn to something up ahead in the hallway. A pony wearing a cloak and a hood to conceal their face. He cleared his throat and spoke up to the pony. “Excuse me, no hoods, masks or any items that conceal one’s face, it’s the facility policy, rookie.”

Sword had guessed it was a newbie, unaware of the rules, however, when the pony didn’t adhere to his advice, he stepped closer and spoke a bit more sternly. “That’s not negotiable, rookie… Remove your hood, now.”

The figure held their ground but didn’t even lift the hood. Instead, they stood staring in Sword’s direction. There was something off about this pony, something that gave him the chills, so he paused his advance and squinted at them as he examined them carefully.

Upon further inspection, he noted that the cloak looked old and tattered, shreds decorated it as the pony underneath stood there protected by the secrecy it offered. Something seemed amiss to Sword, so he kept his distance.

“Where are you supposed to be, newbie?” Sword asked suspiciously.

“I’m right where I want to be…” They responded in a gentle emotionless voice.

Sword tilted his head in confusion before noticing the pony dart forward at alarming speed. He dodged an attack and turned around to face the pony that was now behind him. Sword opened his mouth to scream for back up, but the pony tossed something in his direction, a large heavy rock that hit him in the head, staggering him.

The guard gripped his skull feeling blood trickle down his forehead as he cursed under his breath, trying to regain his composure.

Taking advantage of the situation, the hooded figure jumped forward and delivered a second blow to Sword’s head, this time with their hoof. Before Sword had a chance to retaliate, the hooded pony swiveled around and delivered a mighty buck to his skull with their hind hooves, knocking Sword into the air and then landing onto his back.

Sword grumbled for a few seconds before the pony delivered another swift kick to his head.

He could feel everything around him start to fade as he slipped out of consciousness. Once he was out could the hooded figured gripped his body and began to drag him away, needing his unconscious form to be long gone in order to continue his operations in the prison. Part one of his plan was now complete and it was time to spring part two into motion.

Steel had made his way back to the rendezvous point where he and Sword had agreed to meet. The stallion peered around realizing that his co-worker was running late. A sigh escaped him as he leaned against the wall and fell to his haunches, deciding it was best to simply wait for him to arrive.

A good few minutes passed and by the time he had become nearly fifteen minutes wait, Steel groaned as he came to a stand. “Fuck, Sword… We’re going to get in trouble again… Please don’t tell me you stopped to flirt with that girl down at Sector C…” He thought out loud.

Steel made his way down the hallway where his friend was supposed to be monitoring, noting that he didn’t see him anywhere. “That’s odd… He’s supposed to be here somewhere…”

As he spoke, two other guards were making their way down the hall, prompting Steel to straighten up and clear his throat to get their attention. “Excuse me, guys?”

The taller of the two guards raised a brow. “What is it, Steel?”

“Have either of you seen, Sword? He was supposed to be making his rounds down this hallway, and we were supposed to meet at the intersection on the other side, but he seems to have vanished…” Steel explained.

The taller guard shrugged and looked at his unicorn companion. “Dunno… Did you see them, Lock?”

Lock shook his head. “Nah… Are you sure he didn’t go off to flirt with that hot girl in Sector C?”

“That was my first thought as well…” Steel grinned.

Lock grinned back at Steel and nodded. “Yeah, can’t say I blame him… That girl is fine…”

“Oh, you mean the one with the dyed mane right?” The taller guard chimed in.

“That’s the one!” Lock nodded and pointed a hoof at his partner.

“Oh man, she had her mane down today too! Did you see that?” The tall one said.

“What!? Oh man, I gotta get a look at that… We should make a detour through that sector and say hi to her… Maybe one of us can ask her out…” Lock wiggled his eyebrow suggestively.

The taller guard laughed. “You couldn’t ask her out if your life depended on it.”

“Can so! I bet you eighty bits that I will!” Lock growled.

The tall guard grinned delightedly. “Let’s make it interesting… Eighty if you do it… A hundred if she says yes…”

“I’ll take that action! You’re on!” Lock offered his hoof which his friend shook, sealing their little wager.

Steel, however, rolled his eyes and cleared his throat once more. “That’s all fine and good, but where the fuck is Sword? We should go looking for him, if we miss mid-shift headcount we’re going to get another citation.”

“Yikes… That would probably mean bathroom duty…” Lock shuddered at the thought.

The taller stallion nodded in agreement. “Alright, we’ll find him, he couldn’t have gone far.”

“Who couldn’t have gone far?” A familiar voice rang in all of their ears.

The trio turned their heads and there standing next to them coming from another hallway was Sword, a plain look on his face.

“Sword? Where were you? We were worried sick. Did you run off to go flirt with that girl in Sector C again? You gotta tell me before you just vanish like that, we could get in trouble again! You know, our fates are tied together when it comes to getting in trouble. If you get busted, then I get in trouble just for not stopping you.” Steel raised a brow as he questioned and scolding his partner.

Sword shook his head, his expression remaining unchanged, emotionless and empty “I got a call… I need to go speak with the CO about something now…”

“The CO…? About what?” Steel blinked.

“It doesn’t concern any of you… Please, continue your rounds without me, I’ll be back later, I promise.” Sword bowed gracefully as he walked off.

Once he was at the end of the hall and out of earshot, Lock spoke up. “Well, mystery solved…”

“Not quite…” Steel squinted as he watched his friend go around a corner at the end of the hallway.

“How so?” The tall guard asked in confusion, not seeing anything out of place.

“Something about that seemed odd… For starters… I’ve never seen Sword bow to anyone but superiors, actually, he’s gone on record saying he hates bowing to ponies in general… So it’s strange that he would bow to us… Secondly, the CO put out an order that he wouldn’t be seeing anypony today due to needing to make preparations for Starlight Glimmer’s visit… Third… Didn’t he seem… Off to you all?” Steel responded.

“So what? Maybe he had a run in with that ugly broad from the other block? I know I’d be looking like that if I had to look at her, she’s a fucking cow.” Lock asked.

Steel stood in silence for a moment as he mulled it over. “It’s… Probably nothing… But… I just don’t know… I have a bad feeling, that’s all…”

“Yeah well… Let’s all get back to work before the CO calls all of us into his office… To give us mop duty!” Lock suggested.

“I second that idea, mop duty sucks ass… Last time I was given that, I was here from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM the next day!” The taller guard gulped at just the thought of having to repeat that shift over again.

Sighing, Steel couldn’t think of a better idea, so he nodded and turned around to go back to his duties, the other two guards making a turn to go about their business as well toward the cells. The entire way toward his next checkpoint, Steel couldn’t shake the feeling that his partner had been acting strangely. A part of him wondered if he should have turned around and followed the stallion to the CO’s office. Another part wondered if there was something going on that was bigger than he realized.

Officer Cage Keeper wasn’t exactly having the best day. He had just been informed that the inspection being conducted by Starlight Glimmer would be moved a few days earlier, and that meant he had to make sure all of his ducks were in a row. If they found a single violation, he could likely kiss his promotion goodbye. His dream was to make it to understudy of the guard captain, serving next to Shining Armor himself, ready to take on the role of Captain of the Guards when Shining retired.

It was a dream that he had been chasing since he was a foal, and he was so close, too close to allow his subordinates to screw it up. He had ordered all safety inspectors to do triple checks today, all patrols to be on extra guard, and to confiscate three times as much contraband as they normally did. He was determined to make sure that this prison was running at optimal efficiency when Starlight arrived to inspect it. If she returned a great report back to Celestia, his promotion was assured.

His day after barking orders to his second-in-command now consisted mostly of going through various forms and checking on the state of things that he had ordered. Currently, he was checking over the recent mental health evaluations of some of the more violent criminals that they detained at Dusty Gate. Most were unremarkable, reporting the same extremely vicious and volatile behavior that had become to be expected from them.

He chuckled a bit at one he read about a stallion who tried to get up and stab the psychiatrist with a pen but was instantly hit with a shock spell by a nearby guard. The report suggested that he vomited after the fact.

It wasn’t normal for criminals to be held so tightly in Equestria, in fact, the prison was reserved strictly for those who committed serious offenses such as robbery on a massive scale, or molesting a child.

The majority of prisons in Equestria were more or less reformation centers that seldom held onto ponies for longer than two years at a time with an incredible amount of programs to help their population make it on the outside once they were released. The royal family believed heavily in reformation over permanent punishment, which made murder and other more serious crimes very rare in Equestria.

Naturally though, bad seeds usually always existed, and Dusty Gate was one of three prisons intended for those who were likely never to get out. The kind that simply refused to adhere to societal norms or stop their life of crime. The only places with more security were places like where the infamous Tirek was held, specially crafted holding cells intended for the worst of the worst.

By Officer Keeper’s count, there were exactly 808 prisoners at Dusty Gate, and while murder and molestation were not common in Equestria, decades or even centuries ago they were slightly more commonplace than they were now. Because of that, most ponies locked away in Dusty Gate were older. Keeper recalled their oldest resident was a unicorn approaching 309 years of age.

It wasn’t uncommon for unicorns to live to be around 400 or so, and more powerful ones were known to reach as high as 800. Pegasi and earth ponies however usually lived to be around 250 to 350; scientists believed this had something to do with magic slowing down the aging process.

Most of the ponies who resided in Dusty Gate hadn’t seen the outside world for at least a good 80 years or so. New inmates were rare, due to the improvement of reform programs, preventative measures set in place by law enforcement, and ever-improving education and economy. Celestia’s changes over the past hundred years or so certainly had made huge impacts.

As Keeper finished a few sheets of paperwork, he sighed and leaned back in his chair, wondering if being higher up on the scale would make doing paperwork obsolete.

Rubbing his head, he yawned and when he heard a noise from the door to his office, his ears perked up as he focused his attention in that direction. “Who’s there?”

A face that the leader of the prison guards had only seen a few times stepped into the room. He glanced at the name tag pinned to his chest plate and squinted as he attempted to read it. It was difficult to keep track of what ponies worked for him, and thus name tags had become essential to identifying personal in the prison. There simply weren’t enough hours in the day to get to know every guard on a personal level.

“Private Sword Swipe… I hope you have a good reason for disturbing me… I could have sworn I gave a strict order to all guards that I’m not to be disturbed. Ms. Starlight Glimmer will be here in the next few days and if this prison isn’t in perfect order she’s going to have my ass…” Officer Keeper grunted as he stood up from his desk and came around to the front of it, his tall stature allowing him to look down at the stallion approaching.

“Yes, sir…” Sword nodded with not a shred of emotion on his face.

“And if that happens, I’m going to have your ass, private. So tell me… What is so damn important that you decided it was a good idea to leave your post and come to bother me in my office…” Keeper got really close to the stallion, breathing directly on his face as he put himself in an optimal position for delivering a whack to the low ranking guard’s head should his answer not be sufficient.

“I came to deliver an important message, sir…” Sword spoke quietly.

“Well let’s hear it, son…” Keeper hissed, his patience running thin.

Sword nodded before speaking slowly. “I need your keys.”

“Huh?” Keeper asked.

Before he knew it, the young guard head-butted him straight in the chest, knocking him back into the wall. Before Keeper could even get back up, the stallion moved so quickly he was in front of Keeper again, pinning him to the wall delivering blow after blow to his skull with his free hoof until finally, Keeper fell unconscious.

Once Officer Keeper was out cold, the young guard reached down and grabbed a keyring in his hoof, eyeing the keys with a smile. “Thanks, chief…” He replied before stepping over the unconscious leader of the prison guards and made his way out the door toward the cells. The next step of his plan proving an equally big success.

Cutter Edge, perhaps the most well-known criminal in Dusty Gate sat in the courtyard with his group of satellites all watching over him while he eyed another stallion from across the way. His eyes filled with hatred and fire as he watched the likes of Dice Roller.

Dice was known for being one of the biggest con-artists in all of Equestria. A good ninety years ago, he swindled an eighth of the population of Canterlot out of their life savings, every pony he knew he had a plan on how to rip off. It was said that he even swiped his own grandmother’s retirement savings, took everything he had taken and bought himself a zeppelin ride down to Los Pegasus where he ate, drank and bought all the mares he could handle for months.

His scam went on for years, every few months it was a new city and he’d go under a new name. It had taken a good five years before they caught him.

Sure enough, on the inside, he was the local smuggler, the most resourceful one in all of Dusty Gate at that. Dice could probably sneak in a few spears and wine stolen from the Princess’ royal wine cellar if the price was right. Naturally, his markups were notoriously high, but if you wanted something bad enough, he was the stallion for the job.

Cutter loathed him.

Cutter, on the other hoof, was serving time for something far worse; murder. Back in his youth, his mother and he had a bit of a disagreement. Didn’t take long before he stabbed her with a kitchen knife. When his father came home, he disemboweled him as well and left the two to bleed on his kitchen floor while he had a big bowl of cereal. Cutter was only thirteen when that happened, and now he was almost a hundred.

“Look at that smug little shit stain over there…” Cutter cursed under his breath as he stared at the stallion that he would call his arch nemesis on the inside. He didn’t know why he hated him so much, but every time he saw that stupid teal coat of his and that stupid gold tooth that was in his mouth, Cutter wanted to knock him out. He wanted to drown the little shit stain in a toilet when the guards weren’t looking. Given the chance, he’d shove a coat hanger up the guy’s rectum.

“Thinks he’s a big shot because he gets a little contraband in… Big fucking deal… Bet he can’t get some pussy in here!” One of Cutter’s minions laughed.

“What’re you talking about? He is a pussy, look at him.” Another chuckled.

“One day… I’ll break that fucker’s jaw… I’ll slit his throat and watch him bleed in front of me… Man, that’ll be sweet…” Cutter closed his eyes and envisioned, the thought of ending his nemesis bringing him great pleasure.

“I bet he’ll beg for mercy…” The first one of Cutter’s goons said.

Noticing the group staring in his direction, Dice raised a brow and called out across the yard. “Hey sweetie, see something you like?”

Cutter licked his upper lip and hopped off the table he was sitting on as he took a powerful step forward. “I don’t know yet… Depends what color your guts are…”

“Big talk coming from you…” Roll grinned.

One of the royal guards standing watch coughed and gave disapproving looks to both of them.

They both grumbled and returned to their prior engagements, Cutter complaining as he sat back down. “What I wouldn’t give to be out of this fucking hell hole… The kind of damage I could do on the outside… The world would regret ever fucking with me…”

“Yeah… Outside… Away from the pigs… We could do anything we wanted then!” One of the ponies at Cutter’s table agreed.

Cutter shook his head and sighed. “Yeah, well sadly dreaming isn’t going to get us anywhere… We’re in here, and that’s how it’s going to stay it looks like… I’ve been staring at these fucking walls almost my whole life at this point… Who even knows what the outside world is like now… Probably gone to shit anyway…”

With those words, sirens began to go off causing every stallion in the prison to look up. “Well… Looks like we got another runner…” Cutter chuckled.

“Shit…” One of the two guards said as they came to a stand and made toward the door. Peeking inside the facility, he gestured for his co-worker to follow him. “Lock the door behind you! We have an emergency, we need all hooves on deck it looks like!”

Both guards vacated the courtyard and locked the door behind them, trapping all the inmates inside.

The moment they were alone, Cutter and Dice both came to a stand and approached each other, Cutter smirking as they came within inches of each other. “So… Alone at last… Any last words?”

“Yeah, your mom’s pussy was delicious…” Dice hissed back at him.

The two began to trot in a circle around each other, never breaking eye contact as Cutter spoke again. “It must be my lucky day… The pigs are distracted long enough for me to end you…”

“I’ve learned in my line of work that you shouldn’t count the cash before you’ve made the sale, twinkle toes…” Dice replied.

“Good thing I’m not in your line of business and you’re as good as dead…” Cutter growled.

The crowd of stallions around them had begun to whoop and cheer, chanting for a fight to go down, eager to see some bloodshed between the two enemies.

Cutter raised a hoof, but all fell silent as the door to the courtyard opened. There standing with a ring of keys in his hoof was the guard captain. He cleared his throat and stepped out of the way of the door and gestured toward it. “Congratulations… You’re all free…”

“What?” Cutter raised a brow.

“Yeah, what gives?” Dice asked.

Officer Keeper smirked and looked at the open door. “The door to freedom is open… All you need to do is walk through… I’ve opened every cell in the facility… A riot is going on now, and the guards are overrun. If you go now… You might actually get out of this place…”

“What’s the catch?” Cutter stood his ground.

“The catch is… You can leave if you like, but if you wish to be a part of something greater… To have a chance at getting back at these ponies who shunned you… You can join something bigger than yourself…” Officer Keeper stated.

Dice squinted. “I don’t trust pigs…”

Keeper tilted his head and smiled at the group. His body shifting and his form changing into something else entirely. Before they all knew it, there stood a creature with hooves filled with holes, piercing red eyes and wings like an insect. His body was decorated with a yellow cloak with blue trimmings. It looked new and fresh, decorated with an emblem that no one there recognized.

“I assure you all… I am no pig…” The creature responded.

“A changeling…” Dice gasped.

“That’s right, and this changeling has a proposal… All who are interested should step forward…” The changeling grinned. “What I have in store will blow your minds…”

With that, phase three was a-go.

Starlight Glimmer wasn’t exactly having the best of days already, but now having to meet with the Princess to discuss such troubling news was only going to make it worse. In a way, she felt a bit like a failure for not being able to prevent the prison break, but she reminded herself that while she had agreed to take on Twilight’s duties in her absence, she couldn’t be everywhere at once. Still, it did feel a bit awkward to make a report directly to Celestia to more or less inform her that the prison she was on her way to inspect in the next few days just had one of the largest prison breaks in Equestrian history.

The mare gulped before tapping on the door to Celestia’s study. “Y-your Highness?”

The soft motherly voice of Celestia called to Starlight through the door. “Come in, the door is unlocked.”

Taking a deep breath, Starlight composed herself before trotting in with the scrolls and notes she had strapped to her via a saddlebag.

There sitting at a desk, Celestia was reading a book. She looked so peaceful. Starlight hardly wanted to disturb her, however, she braced herself to do exactly that.

Looking up from her text, Celestia smiled at Starlight. “Starlight! It’s good to see you, what brings you here? I thought you were doing inspections of the prisons for the next few weeks and that I wouldn’t be seeing you until you completed your report.”

Sighing, Starlight stepped forward. “Yes… About that… There has been… An incident…”

“Incident?” Celestia raised a brow.

Starlight nodded before retrieving scrolls from her bag and placing them on the table. “I’ll cut right to the chase… There’s been a prison break, pretty much eighty percent of the population has escaped. We haven’t been able to track a single one down, but we’re on the biggest pony hunt imaginable…”

Celestia blinked and simply stared at the documents. She spoke quietly. “Who was the guard in charge?”

“That would be Officer Cage Keeper, why?” Starlight asked.

“What is his explanation? How did all of these prisoners escape on his watch?” Celestia asked.

“He said that one of his subordinates came into his office and knocked him out. He said the guard was Private Sword Swipe… We detained Swipe, but he doesn’t remember ever going to the CO’s office. He claims he was unconscious in a broom closet the entire time… We looked into it and his story checks out as well…” Starlight frowned, not being a big fan of delivering bad news to the princess.

Celestia nodded and came to a stand, making her way toward the window in her study. She looked outside and smiled at the view of the city she had. It all seemed so peaceful, the thought of someone disrupting that peace made her stomach churn.

“It sounds like we have a changeling among us then…” Celestia frowned.

“A changeling?” Starlight raised a brow in confusion.

Celestia turned back to Starlight and nodded. “Indeed, it’s clear he took the form of Private Sword Swipe, and tricked the CO in charge… That also explains why no one saw him leave…”

Starlight nodded in agreement, Celestia’s logic made perfect sense there.

“How many casualties were there?” Celestia asked.

“T-two, ma’am… eight injured… The other two were beaten pretty badly…” Starlight frowned.

Closing her eyes, Celestia took in a breath. “Well, we can safely assume that whoever is doing this is not the merciful type…”

“I also came to report that Princess Twilight has entered the next stage of her training… She should be entering the most difficult part at this point…” Starlight informed.

Celestia’s expression quickly shifted into a smile as she heard about her former student. “That’s good to hear… Twilight is a resilient mage and a gifted one at that… If anyone can complete such training at such a young age it’s her…”

“It sounds dangerous though… What will happen if she can’t-“ Starlight was cut off.

“I don’t dare think about that, Starlight…” Celestia dismissed.

Starlight decided it was best to leave the matter alone. She nodded and stood there awkwardly before Celestia began to speak once more. “Starlight…”

“Y-yes ma’am?” Starlight straightened up her posture as she stood.

“We’ll be increasing security heavily around the two remaining maximum security prisons… We can’t take any chances with this changeling… I’m also putting changeling detection experts at both as well… We’ll sniff him out…” Celestia informed.

Starlight bowed and then nodded. “Consider it done! I’ll get to work on that right away!”

Before Celestia even had a chance to thank her, Starlight had made her exit and ran off to start her newly assigned duties. Celestia chuckled as she marveled at how despite Twilight’s student being significantly different than she was, she took her duties just as seriously.

Her happy thoughts dampened though when Celestia turned her attention back to her problem. Even with changeling detection experts on the scene, that would only go so far if there were multiple changelings. Nothing stopped them from replicating all the experts and then sneaking in that way.

The only other question she had was “why”? What was this changeling hoping to gain by freeing a bunch of criminals? Perhaps he was merely a sympathizer? No, that didn’t make sense, no one would go through such effort just to be sympathetic toward a criminal’s plight. The entire prison break was clean, thorough and calculated; there had to be an end goal in sight for him.

Whatever he was after had to be big if he was willing to risk it all on a bunch that was possibly the most untrustworthy type in all of Equestria.

It had occurred to Celestia that perhaps the reason he was so confident that they posed no threat to him was because he had some kind of leverage, something that put him in a position where they’d have no choice but to give him their obedience. The question now, was what could that possibly be? What could a changeling have that kept the worst criminals in Equestria in line?

Her head was spinning with ideas, but one thought came to the surface, Twilight. She missed her former star student, but more importantly, she was concerned. While she had confidence and faith in Twilight, and she would never show her worry to others, Celestia found herself worried that the training that Twilight was undergoing could possibly be too much for her. She recalled a time long ago where she allowed a student to attempt it way before they were ready, and the results were disastrous. The thought of the same thing happening to Twilight crushed her, and those worries only increased when Celestia remembered that Twilight's training was even more unique and thus more strenuous.

She shook her head and calmed herself. She needed to stay positive, Starlight was right if anyone could complete that training it was Twilight. Furthermore, Twilight could likely do it in record time. She was ready, Celestia knew that. Twilight had what it took, Celestia just needed to believe.

Celestia closed her eyes and calmed herself. “Please Twilight… I hope this matter is resolved before your return… And that this training is unnecessary… But if not… Please come back prepared…”

Author's Note

The stereotype of all the royal guards spending most of their time having lewd conversations about what they'd do to princesses exists because... They do spend most of their free time having lewd conversations about what they'd do to princesses.

Sometimes stereotypes are absolutely correct.

We also see that unanimously, almost every guard despises cleaning shifts. That's likely why it's used as a punishment.

Wow, it has just occurred to me that by the time people are reading this author's note, they will not have seen Sunset in this story for nearly a month! Crazy to think about, a story so focused on her and there is such a long period in the story where she does not appear at all.

Let's also talk about pony life spans. Since the show is always vague about the idea, I sort of created my own headcanon here. I know someone out there is going to naysay and point out some random obscure evidence from the show that suggests my theory about lifespans is totally wrong but like... It's just a story, bro.

Act V - Chapter LX: Heist

Chapter LX: Heist

Some Time Ago

The Royal Training Ground, a place reserved only for the royal family or those with great connections with them. It was at this place that many of the greatest mages in all of Equestrian history trained and became the legends that they were today. Starswirl himself trained at this place when he was a young stallion, though back then it wasn’t in possession of the royal family.

Nowadays, very few came to this place, though Luna had a brief visit when she returned from her moon imprisonment to refine her skills after being gone so long. Other than that, the training ground was kept closed off, used only when given the authority from the royal family to do so.

From the observation deck in the higher rung, Starlight looked down at the center of the main training area. A small field decorated immaculately, frozen in a state of perpetual spring. It was hard to imagine that everything she was seeing was nothing more than a projection of the inside of the mare's mind. Ordinarily, the inside of the room was nothing more than empty white space. A blank white room with nothing of interest except a door to enter and leave.

There, sitting in the center was Twilight Sparkle, sitting in meditation, centering herself, trying her best to maintain the environment she was projecting around her through vigorous concentration.

It had been eight days since she entered, and as expected, Twilight hadn’t come out once for a break. She was determined to complete this training within record time, stressing the urgency of finishing as early as possible.

Standing next to Starlight on the observation deck was a familiar purple reptilian assistant to the princess, staring past the glass with eyes of concern as he watched the mare that he would call mother focus.

“She’s been at it for days…” He commented.

Starlight nodded in agreement. “Yeah… I guess she was serious about going all out…”

“Won’t she starve in there?” Spike asked.

Starlight shook her head. “Nope, this place was uniquely enchanted. Inside of here, time stays still… Well not exactly anyway… Time still advances but our bodies remain in a state where they are more or less frozen in time kind of… Only partially though. In other words, no matter how long any of us stay here, we won’t get hungry or thirsty. Hunger and thirst and even the need to sleep are given pause in this place.”

“That’s… Pretty nifty… Who designed this place?” Spike asked.

Starlight chuckled at the fact that she was taking on Twilight’s role and giving Spike a history lesson. “The building itself was commissioned by Celestia, but no one really knows where this training ground originated from. It’s been here long before the royal family and its magical properties have been documented long before that… It’s possible that it simply existed in nature like this, or that another severely powerful pony created in like this…”

“Strange… Couldn’t we just reverse engineer the magic cast on this place to find out?” Spike asked.

Starlight shook her head. “It’s been attempted, hundreds of times actually, all resulting in failure. Whatever secrets this place has… It’s not about to reveal them to us so easily…”

“Sounds crazy… So why is Twilight training here? I don’t get it…” Spike frowned.

A sigh escaped Starlight as she looked back down at Twilight and shook her head. “I… I don’t know… Twilight has been acting strangely for some time now, and she just sort of came here without an explanation. She insisted that she needed to drastically improve her abilities, but she won’t tell me why…”

“She definitely has been acting strange for a while now…” Spike agreed.

“Sometimes I wish I could tell what was going on in her head, but she always keeps me in the dark about this kind of stuff…” Starlight frowned.

Spike looked over to the girl, sensing how hurt she was for being kept out of the loop. He approached and placed a claw on her shoulder. “It’s okay… You’re not the only one being kept on the outside after all…”

She smiled and nodded at the dragon, thankful for his support. “Thank you, Spike. Still, I wish we knew what was going on… Why this sudden desire to train so intensely? Why the need to push herself so hard?”

“You know how Twilight is, once she’s set on doing something, she always gives it 110%,” Spike reminded.

That much was true. Seldom did Twilight half-ass anything. It was perhaps one of the mare’s most admirable traits, her inability to not leave anything up to chance if she could have a role in determining the outcome and her inability to leave things partially completed. Some would call it obsessive compulsive, but Starlight would call it very “Twilight”.

She recalled how her mentor never gave up on her, how she saw something in Starlight, that Starlight didn’t even see in herself. She could have just left her to her own devices, she could have thrown Starlight in a correctional facility and let her be the state’s problem for two years or so, but she didn’t. Starlight recalled asking her why, and she remembered her mentor’s answer so vividly.

Some things are better handled personally. When I see something that I know I can do something about, I always get involved personally rather than pan it off onto someone else. That’s what being a princess is about, that’s what being a good friend is about too.

Starlight found herself smiling at the memory before coming back to reality, looking over at Spike who was staring at her with confusion, perhaps wondering where she just spaced out to.

“Do you think Twilight knows something we don’t?” Spike asked.

“To be honest… I don’t think it… I’m certain of it…” Starlight stated.

Spike looked back through the glass at his mother sitting there in meditation with a frown. “Isn’t it great how she keeps us in the dark all the time?”

Starlight grinned and nudged the dragon’s shoulder. “It’s better than throwing us headfirst into danger all the time, isn’t it?”

“You got me there…” Spike grinned back.

The two chuckled but their laughter subsided quickly as Spike looked back into the glass, Starlight doing the same. After another short pause, he spoke again. “Hey… Do you think something bad is going to happen, Starlight? I sort of feel like something bad is going to happen…”

She would be lying if she said she didn’t. There was a certain negative aura that seemed to follow them around lately, and Twilight’s behavior certainly wasn’t helping. She chose straightforward honesty with the dragon.

“Maybe… Though one thing is certain…” Starlight said.

“What’s that?” Spike raised a brow as he looked in her direction, his claw still on the glass.

Starlight’s eyes squinted as she observed Twilight down below. “Whatever is going to happen, be it good or bad… With Twilight on our side, we’ll come out on top… I know it…”

Spike smiled and nodded in agreement. “Damn right.”

After the prison break at Dusty Gate, many of the convicts that had chosen to side with the mysterious changeling who had granted them freedom via his very tactful plan. They had agreed to not only follow him but do virtually everything he instructed them to do. At this point, he had led them to an underground keep, an old transport system used in the old days by villages to move important ponies out of war zones without being seen. Now, however, it remained abandoned and virtually unknown.

Cutter, a convict who had been sprung from Dusty Gate only a few days prior was starting to grow impatient with their new changeling “leader”. He seldom spoke, and he seldom gave orders either. On top of this, he wouldn’t even tell anyone that was present his name and chose instead to be frustratingly mysterious and cryptic. Two qualities that Cutter wasn’t a fan of, then again virtually every stallion in the room wasn’t a fan of such antics.

The group had grown restless over the past few days, the anticipation of what they were to do in order to get revenge on the kingdom that had imprisoned them was growing. To say that the room was filled with murderous rage and over excitement was an understatement.

“You think this changeling is being legit? I mean he hasn’t had us do anything since he sprung us free… I think he’s just pulling our hooves, he ain’t got no plan to get back at Equestria… Otherwise, he'd have set it into motion by now...” One of the stallions in the room stated as he leaned up against the stone wall in the dimly lit place.

“Yeah, I bet that sack of shit was just winging it the whole time… Should have known, never trust a bug!” Another chimed in.

“What difference does it make?” Cutter grinned, causing attention to come his way. Both of the conversing criminals looked Cutter over and shot him looks with raised eyebrows and confusion.

“How do you figure?” The bigger one of the two asked.

Cutter merely shrugged and smirked. “It won’t make a difference if he has one or not, we’re free… And if he ends up being a pathetic waste of time… We can squash him like the bug he is, right?”

The other criminal blinked but ended up nodding in agreement. “That’s a fair point… He got us out, so I guess it doesn’t matter what happens from here… I’m only sticking around to see what his so-called master plan is… Some revenge on Equestria sounds good… I want to bend that Princess Celestia over a table and fuck her stupid while she begs me to stop!”

“You and me both!” Another one chimed in.

Before they knew it, they had an uproar on their hooves, criminals left and right cheering with delight, but eventually the cheers turned into chaos and tension was starting to rise in the room. The combination of these types of ponies not exactly being the most agreeable, and the long period of sitting around doing nothing was starting to bring things to a boil.

Finally, a hoof stomp from the south side of the room came. Every single stallion in the room turned to face the face of the changeling that had granted them their freedom in the first place.

He stood there in his fine yellow and blue cloak with a mighty stance despite his small size. He was probably a few hairs shorter than the average stallion, and certainly shorter than virtually every buff and in shape stallion that stood before him. Despite this though, he had conviction about him, confidence, though it might have simply been arrogance depending on who you asked.

The changeling cleared his throat and decided that now was the time to inform his unruly mob of what they would be doing next.

“If you’re standing in this room… It’s because you chose to serve a greater cause… For that… Congratulations… You’re about to be a part of something far bigger than yourself…” The changeling began.

The room remained silent as everyone hung on every word he said.

“That being said… for us to achieve our goals, our numbers must grow still… At this moment, we are nothing more than a fledgling uprising… A rebellion attempt ready to be thwarted by the royal guard, the moment we make our move…” He continued.

The audience stayed still as they listened, clearly wanting to know where he was going with this.

“That is why we must initiate phase two of our plan…”

Murmurs and whispers began to flood the room as ponies wondered aloud what he was referring to.

“We are going to do another prison break!” The changeling commanded.

This decision was met with instant approval, as hooves rose into the air, cheering and whooping as he spoke their language. The idea of breaking even more out of the prisons was an almost universally approved concept for the room full of convicts.

“Of the Canterlot Royal Prison…” He finished.

The cheers quickly turned to hushed whispers of concern and mockery before a few of them began flat out laughing. Cutter deciding to be the spokesperson for the heckling group. “You’re joking, right? No one can break into Canterlot Royal Prison! It’s a fortress!”

“I was able to break into Dusty gate with only myself and my whits…” The changeling squinted and sneered in Cutter’s direction as he reminded him.

Cutter shrugged. “Big deal, that’s different. Canterlot Royal Prison is protected far more hardcore! You can’t even do magic in there, and I’m pretty sure your little transformation trick counts as that… So what are you going to do, Mr. Bigshot?”

The changeling stared in Cutter’s direction as he repeated himself in a plain tone, not a shred of emotion. “We’re going to break into Canterlot Royal Prison…”

“And how are you going to do that?” Cutter grinned.

“Leave those details to me and my master… They have a plan, one fitting of a genius such as themselves…” The changeling assured.

Cutter shook his head in disapproval. “So you have a master? I thought you were pulling the strings around here?”

The changeling shook his head. “No, I never said nor implied such. My master is the one running things around here…”

“Oh yeah? Where are they then?” Cutter asked.

Yawning, the changeling shook his head once more at the stallion. “You’re wasting my time… My master will show themselves when the time is right… For now, they need to test your loyalty. This… Organization only has room for those who are one hundred percent dedicated.”

“So we’re just supposed to go along with some nameless faceless master of yours!? We don’t even get to know who they are or what they are doing? This is bullshit! We're the ones that are going to be risking our lives!” Cutter yelled.

His outburst was met with approval from the entire room as soon tons of criminals were chanting along with him for this mysterious “master” to reveal himself.

The changeling that had been delivering his master’s will up to this point merely shrugged. “Anypony who has objections with our arrangement may leave now… We have no use for disloyal subjects in this operation. Our plan is to break into Canterlot Royal Prison, anypony who is not on board with that should leave immediately.”

Silence fell over the room as he said those words. “I don’t need anypony who isn’t committed slowing us down.” He added.

Even Cutter thought it over, despite not seeing the face of this mysterious “master”, one thing was certain, they broke him out of prison and wanted to stick it to Equestria. So while he could barely trust the fact that he couldn’t see their face, he could at least take some comfort in knowing their goals were the same.

Cutter then decided to be the voice for the crowd. “Alright, bug. We’re with you… What’s your plan?”

The changeling grinned and nodded. “I’m glad you asked… Here’s what we’re going to do…”

Some Time Ago

Twilight had finally chosen to leave the Royal Training Ground after days of being locked inside meditating. Starlight was eager to speak with her, but she was forced to wait as Twilight stated the importance of going right to Princess Celestia to speak of an important matter.

A full day had passed and after long periods of waiting, Twilight had returned to the Royal Training Ground where Starlight and Spike awaited. The moment Twilight set hoof back into the observation deck, Spike and Starlight quickly crowded the alicorn badgering her with questions.

“What did Celestia say?” Starlight asked.

“Why have you been training so much?” Spike quickly tossed in a question before Twilight was even able to answer the first one.

“What’s happening, Twilight?” Starlight asked.

Twilight took a step back and held up a hoof to silence the two of them. Her gesture proved effective as both of them stopped talking, took a quick glance at each other and then back at Twilight. There was silence for a brief moment before Starlight cleared her throat and decided to take it one question at a time.

“So… What is going on, Twilight?” Starlight tilted her head slightly.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Something big… Something very big…”

“What do you mean?” Spike chimed in.

Twilight looked out the window onto the training field and closed her eyes. “The past few weeks have been troubling to me…”

“Why’s that?” Starlight raised a brow.

“I’ve been having nightmares… Very… Specific nightmares…” Twilight began.

Spike shrugged. “We all have those…”

“It’s different for me, Spike. At first, I thought they were just merely dreams created from my self-doubts, but it came to my attention that my abilities as an Alicorn occasionally will grant me an acute sense with nature and the world… I can sometimes sense things before they happen… Vaguely anyway… Celestia and Luna are the same…” Twilight replied.

Starlight bit her lip, not wanting to bring it up, but she decided it was worth mentioning. “Yeah… If that’s the case how come Celestia and Luna seldom manage to predict disaster before it happens?”

Twilight glanced over at her and smiled. “Sometimes the predictions are so vague that you don’t even realize they are predictions… Sometimes it fails to happen at all… But most of the time it’s something that seems to be connected to darkness… We princesses are bastions of light in Equestria. As a result, we can detect when great amounts of darkness are nearby…”

“Darkness?” Spike tilted his head.

Twilight nodded as she gestured for the two to sit down for a lesson in magic. “It’s time I told you two about another type of magic… A type that is seldom spoken of… A forbidden magic…”

“Dark magic? I’ve only heard of it a few times… Not many books on the subject exist…” Starlight replied.

A grin came to Twilight’s face as she marveling in knowing something that others did not. “Yes, that is because all research on dark magic was forbidden centuries ago. It is a powerful force, one that could level entire cities in the wrong hooves. It does not work like regular magic, and it slowly consumes the one who uses it until…” Twilight paused.

“Until what?” Spike asked.

“Until they become a demon,” Twilight stated.

“A demon?” Starlight blinked.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Essentially demons are those who have been corrupted by dark magic. Usually, it transforms them into… Something else entirely…”

Starlight squinted and remembered something she was told regarding the Crystal Empire. “So Sombra would be considered a demon?”

Twilight nodded, thankful that her student was as quick as she was, that meant less time explaining simple concepts to her. “Yes, however demons come in two classes, pure and impure.”

“What’s the difference?” Spike asked.

Closing her eyes, Twilight tried to recall all the various texts she had read on the subject, most of them were restricted to the royal family only. “Pure demons are those who allow darkness to envelop their heart completely. They embrace darkness fully, and they maintain cognizance for a period of time… Eventually, they will, however, turn into Specters…”

“Specters?” Starlight tilted her head, trying to follow all of this.

“Indeed, though Specter is merely the name we’ve given them. Technically they have no proper name. Eventually, the dark energy in a demon will devour them and they will become puppets that do as the darkness inside them tells them to do.” Twilight explained.

“What about impure demons then?” Spike asked.

Twilight shook her head. “We don’t know much about them really. They’re harder to come by, but essentially they are demons that more or less don’t allow darkness into their hearts, but borrowed the power of darkness. Since we rarely see them, we don’t really know much more than that.”

“So what you’re saying is you believe one of these pure demons is coming to Equestria?” Starlight asked, hoping she was piecing this together correctly.

Nodded. “Precisely.”

“And that’s why you've been training up? To face it when it comes?” Spike asked.

Twilight shook her head. “Not exactly, Spike… See on top of pure and impure demons, there are many varieties of demons… I have no idea what type of demon would be coming to Equestria, or if one is even coming at all and I’m just being paranoid… As a result, I can’t take any chances…”

“I don’t like where this is going…” Spike admitted.

“I am going to undergo a very rare and prestigious magical training, ascension…” Twilight said.

“Ascension… Isn’t that like… Something that is normally only reserved for mages who have had nearly a century of magic study?” Starlight raised a brow, only vaguely familiar with the practice. It was a subject that was only briefly covered in magic school, and only a hoofful of ponies actually succeeded at it.

“Yes.” Twilight nodded.

Spike stepped forward and raised his concern. “So… Doesn’t that mean it’s extremely dangerous to attempt?”

“Probably, yes…” Twilight bit her lip and looked away while she rubbed her neck awkwardly.

“This is insane then! You’re not ready for something like that!” Spike protested, crossing his arms.

While Twilight admired how concerned he was for her well being, she couldn’t allow Spike’s protectiveness stand in her way. She had a duty as a princess to fulfill and if this training would make a difference in the long run, she knew she needed to do it.

“I’m sorry, Spike, but this is important, the fate of Equestria could be at stake…” Twilight dismissed his concern, but the dragon refused to back down.

“I won’t allow this! You’re going to get yourself killed!” Spike growled.

“If I may interject?” A deep familiar voice rang in Spike, Twilight and Starlight’s ears. A voice that they all had come to know and resent just a little bit.

Before them, a creature without any rhyme or reason appeared. The head of a horse, the foot of a lizard on one left, a hooved foot on the other. His wings were far too small for his body to be lifted by gravity, but that didn’t stop him from floating about without much effort.

His taloned left hand wrapped itself around Twilight’s shoulder as his long snakelike body hovered around her, almost as if trying to ensnare her as he spoke. His single fang protruding from his jaw moving quite interestingly as he talked.

“She’ll be in good hands… With me that is…” He said.

“Discord? What are you talking about? And how did you get here?” Starlight asked, stomping her foot in annoyance at the draconequus.

He raised his lion’s paw defensively. “Twilight invited me, it was necessary… For her training that is.”

“Necessary? I don’t follow?” Starlight asked.

“You see… Ascension can be a great way to amplify a pony’s natural abilities… However, Celestia saw it fitting to add… a little flair to the idea…” Discord explained.

Starlight shook her head. “I am definitely not liking where this is going…”

“I swear you ponies are always so suspicious of me…” Discord sighed.

“Probably because you’re usually up to something?” Spike chimed in and pointed out.

Even Twilight had to internally admit that Discord was usually up to no good, even when he seemed helpful. His help usually came at the price of being a major annoyance to everyone who was involved with him.

“Well, I assure you that this time you have nothing to worry about. I am legitimate.” Discord placed his paw on his heart, or at least where the others thought his heart would be.

“What exactly are you going to be doing?” Spike asked with a raised brow, refusing to uncross his arms.

“It’s simple… See, I am going to teach Twilight chaos magic before she ascends. It will give her a very… Unique edge,” Discord spoke with a bit of passion in his voice like he was talking about creating the finest sculpture that Equestria had ever seen. It was to be expected, however, his love of creating disorder was very well known.

“No way! You’re trying to make Twilight like you!” Spike protested.

“It’s alright, Spike…” Twilight replied on Discord’s behalf.

“Twilight! You can’t be serious! This guy is just trying to-“ Spike got cut off as Twilight placed a hoof over his mouth.

“He’s trying to help potentially save Equestria… Discord offered to do this as a way to teach me to think outside the box when it comes to magic… It may be just what I need to go beyond what ascension alone could teach me…” Twilight explained.

Once she removed her hoof from Spike’s mouth, the dragon finally allowed his arms to fall to his sides, but his expression of concern did not seem to falter. “Y-you’re sure about this then?”

Twilight nodded. “It’s been decided already… Discord will go in with me, and I’ll begin the training…”

“How long will this take?” Spike asked.

Starlight stepped forward with a raised hoof. “The process can take several months, all the way up to eight years.”

“Eight years!?” Spike exclaimed. “You’re kidding!”

Starlight shook her head and frowned. “I’m afraid not… The fastest anypony has recorded ever completing this training is around… three years…”

“Twilight… Are you sure about this?” Spike whimpered.

Twilight smiled and reached forward, petting the dragon’s head. “Don’t worry, Spike. I intend to be as efficient as possible. I intend to complete the entire thing… In a matter of months…”

“That’s a bold claim…” Starlight responded.

Discord slithered out from around Twilight and floated proudly in front of Spike and Starlight, puffing his chest out. “Fear not! For I shall make sure that Twilight is able to push herself as much as she can to finish in record time!”

“Not exactly reassuring coming from you…” Spike grumbled.

Discord chuckled and reached down, pinching Spike’s cheek, only for the dragon to swat him away.

“This is a dangerous move that you’re making, Twilight…” Starlight said, “there’s no way to even be sure that you will be finished in time for this demon to arrive…”

Twilight nodded. “I know, that’s why I intend to train as fast as I can. I might not be there when they arrive, but I intend to be ready in time to turn the tide of the fight if necessary…”

“Do you really believe this demon is that strong?” Starlight questioned.

She had her doubts. A creature that strong? Simply ignoring Equestria until now? Why would it wait so long to attack if it had the kind of power that even made Twilight Sparkle nervous?

Twilight looked back toward the training area down below through the window. “I… I don’t know… I sense… The amount of evil in them… It’s greater than anything we’ve ever faced before… Greater than Sombra, greater than Chrysalis… This creature… It’s pure evil.”

“Why hasn’t it attacked until now then?” Spike asked curiously.

Twilight shrugged. “Maybe it never had the motivation to do so until now…”

Starlight squinted as she analyzed those words. “What could be motivating it now?”

“I don’t know… What I do know though is that it’s up to us to stop it. To do that, we’ll need to be ready to fight it.” Twilight insisted.

Sighing, Spike looked over at Starlight then back at Discord and Twilight. “Alright… I’m not going to like this plan though…”

“Don’t worry, Spike… I’ll be done before you know it… As I said, I’ll work as quickly as I can, it’s going to be up to you two to make sure I don’t get interrupted and to make sure this training ground stays safe while I’m in there…” Twilight informed. “Oh on top of taking care of some of my regular duties that is… Celestia already agreed to take over a hoofful of them.”

“So this is it then…?” Starlight asked curiously.

Twilight nodded. “I think so… Let’s pray this works…”

“We’re rooting for you, Twilight,” Spike reassured.

She reached forward and hugged the dragon, knowing that there was a possibility it could be the last time if she didn’t make it out in time. Twilight had no idea what this demon was, what it wanted, or how powerful it was, but she knew that it couldn’t be coming to Equestria for any good reason.

Looking over at Starlight, Twilight smiled and reached out to hug the girl as well. Starlight accepted her hug and spoke quietly into Twilight’s ear. “Good luck, Twilight…”

“I’ll be fine…” Twilight reassured as she strokes Starlight’s mane.

Breaking the hug she took a few steps back and stood there with Discord. She smiled at her two friends and nodded in their direction. Regardless of what happened, Twilight knew she was truly blessed to have two friends who cared so much about her. Equestria was in good hooves, and claws in this case. She gave one last salute in their direction before Discord led the two down the stairwell.

After a few moments, Spike and Starlight looked through the windows in the observation deck only to see the entire room turn orange. Discord cast some kind of spell that put an orange bubble around Twilight and him, blocking any chance of viewing them.

Spike frowned as he discovered they would not be able to watch Twilight train. Starlight placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Maybe Celestia preferred to keep this kind of training a secret? In case anypony actually stumbles onto this place, you know?”

Spike sighed and nodded, figuring that was a good enough excuse. “I suppose that makes sense…”

“You’re worried about her…” Starlight stated.

Spike nodded. “Yeah… Very…”

“Twilight knows what she’s doing… If anyone can do this in record time, it’s Twilight Sparkle. She’s about as efficient as they come.” Starlight reminded.

Spike chuckled and nodded in agreement. “You got me there… I just hope she can tolerate being stuck with Discord for so long. Worst case scenario she’ll come out like a miniature version of him.”

“I doubt that’ll happen… No one can really be Discord but Discord. His personality is… Unique…” Starlight giggled.

“That’s an interesting way to say annoying.” Spike grinned.

The two friends broke into a fit of laughter, laughter that was used to suppress their concern for what was going on below. It was hard to say what would happen, but they both knew they would have to be strong for Twilight’s sake.

Celestia marched through Canterlot Royal Prison after receiving intel that it would be the next target for a prison break. At first, she thought it was a mere prank as no pony would be foolish enough to try and break into the most protected prison in all of Equestria. Canterlot Royal Prison served as a place for the lowest of the low, prisoners that Celestia felt that the royal family should keep a personal eye upon. While it wasn’t exactly the fullest of prisons, housing less than 50 inmates, it was essential that it remained safeguarded.

Originally she would have thought they would seek out the other of the three major prisons after breaking into Dusty Gate, but whoever was leading their charge was bold enough to head straight for the crown jewel if her intel was to be believed. A part of her was a bit concerned at how confident they must have been, but another part rationalized that they were likely merely overconfident, as was the case with most criminals that the princess had encountered in her time.

“There’s no way they’re getting in here…” Celestia thought out loud as she marched through the halls barking orders.

“Alright, listen up everypony… Supposedly the same group that broke into Dusty Gate has set their sights on this prison to spring as many inmates as they can. As you all know, we never caught the mastermind behind Dusty Gate, but be on your guard for anyone suspicious. This mastermind is clever, cunning and clearly knows the ins and outs of our prison system. I want everyone to be on high alert!” Celestia commanded.

Every guard in the hallway with her gave a salute before Celestia nodded to dismiss them. “I want guards on every cell from here on out. Not a single cell is without a guard. I also want the entrance protected as well.”

“Ma’am, yes ma’am!” Another group of guards chanted as they raised their hooves in a salute.

“With the magic jammer here, only I should be able to use magic… That means our culprit will need to rely on whit and cunningness,” Celestia thought out loud once more.

“Alright, break! Everyone to your posts!” Celestia commanded.

With those words, the entire group sped off toward their assigned stations to follow the orders they had been given.

At first, she was a tad concerned, but the more time that passed, the more she found herself at ease. She had the best security team in the world; the Canterlot Royal Guard were the finest that Equestria had to offer, and with her there personally, it would likely scare off any would-be prison breakers, or at the very least they would be giving themselves right to her.

Celestia decided it was time to go speak with the pony in charge of the prison. Making her way down several halls and then finally up a flight or two of stairs, she came to an office with a name etched on the door: Warden Shift Lockup.

Nodding, Celestia pushed the door open to go and meet with the warden. The middle-aged mare peeked from the corner of her eye to see the Princess enter, but their attention remained out the window of their office, looking down at their guards working their rounds down below.

Warden Shift Lockup was always known for being a stern pony, one who lacked much in the way of manners or people skills, but she had a strong sense of justice and extreme diligence which made her the perfect candidate to lead the most secure prison in all of Equestria. Celestia often found herself feeling awkward whenever the two did have to meet, but she knew that Shift always meant well. What she lacked in social etiquette she made up for in results.

“Your majesty,” Shift responded, not even turning to face the Princess.

Celestia examined the mare’s grey coat and shining yellow mane tied up in a messy bun with a set of pencils held in it. It was difficult to tell how old Shift actually was, due to her job putting much stress on her, she looked far older. If Celestia had to guess she’d say she was in her 80s or so, which was a moderately considerable age for a pegasus.

“Ms. Lockup, it’s a pleasure as always.” Celestia bowed.

The mare waved a dismissive hoof. “Please, it’s Warden here. No offense, your highness, but I need my men to all see me as the warden even with you here, so I insist that everyone call me Warden.”

Celestia blinked, she had forgotten how “all business”, Shift was.

“Right… Of course…”

“I apologize if I come off as disrespectful… Politeness was never my forte…” Shift stated, finally turning to face the princess with a smile on her face.

Celestia nodded as her eyes were drawn to the small scar on the mare’s lower lip. It was a tiny cut that she had obtained sometime back in her days as a royal guard. Celestia recalled she mentioned that the one who gave it to her got far worse. After that, she was always too nervous to ask any further. Despite being just a pegasus, Shift Lockup was scary even to an alicorn like Celestia.

“It’s alright… You’re married to your work, I know… Though it may not kill you to get a coltfriend…” Celestia chuckled.

Shift’s expression returned to one of seriousness. “Are you assigning me one, ma’am?”

Celestia blinked. “Huh? Oh… No… Of course not…”

Shift nodded in approval. “Should you decide that is in my mission plan, I will gladly accept.”

“You’re free to choose your own coltfriend, Warden.” Celestia giggled.

The Warden nodded. “Thank you, truthfully, I wouldn’t even know what to do with one anyway…”

“Evidently…” Celestia smirked.

“So, preparations have been made. The prison is secure, there isn’t a criminal in Equestria dumb enough to try and break into here… I would say you can return to your duties in the castle, your majesty,” Shift informed as she sat down at her desk.

Celestia bit her lip and shook her head. “No, I shall be staying here until we catch the culprit… There is… A unique possibility that I have to know for sure…”

“Unique possibility?” Shift raised a brow and leaned in with intrigue. “Go on…”

Letting out a sigh, Celestia decided it was best to let the warden in on what she knew. “Yes… Well… There is apparently a possibility that this mastermind behind the first prison break… Is working for a demon…”

“A demon, you say? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in person…” The Warden admitted.

Celestia shook her head. “And pray that you don’t. They’re awful creatures, capable of mass destruction wherever they go, and very difficult to defeat… If it really is a demon… You’re going to need me here…”

“The magic suppression field should make their powers useless…” The Warden countered.

“I’m afraid not, Warden. Demons use dark magic, which isn’t affected by our suppression field. They will be able to march right in…” Celestia informed.

“I guess that just means we’ll have to be extra cautious… Not that I’m not all the time anyway that is…” Shift grinned, taking pride in her extreme paranoia.

Celestia rolled her eyes but breathed a few times to try and calm herself. If a demon truly was among their midst, she needed to be on her guard. She had only encountered demons a few times, technically her sister was one at one point, but they were able to push most of the darkness out of her. Sadly though, once one let darkness into them, there was no known way to completely erase it.

Fortunately, Celestia knew that so long as one never gave back into the dark energy in them, they would be fine, however, she understood it was a powerful lure.

The entire matter was complex, and most of it even she didn’t understand, but she knew that demons were dangerous.

“Your highness… What exactly can a demon do? I think it would be wise to tell me so that I know what to prepare my men for…” The Warden cleared her throat.

A frown came to Celestia’s face as she shook her head. “Unfortunately… I don’t know… All demons are different and there are many varieties… Predicting what kind of abilities they have is… Next to impossible. The study of dark magic was outlawed long ago due to the risks involved. Many magic scientists began to become obsessed with dark magic when they studied it, to the point where many were considering trying to harness its power for themselves…”

“The fiends…” Shift shook her head in disgust.

Celestia nodded in agreement. “For the sake of Equestria, we put an outlaw on all study of dark magic and it has remained in effect since then… I had hoped the reduced exposure to it would limit its spread…”

“An admirable effort, your majesty. However, what should we do if this demon proves too strong for even you?” The Warden asked, raising the question that both of them wanted the answer to.

Gulping, Celestia shook her head. “I doubt they will be that strong, but if they are… As we speak, I am preparing for that possible scenario… I can’t tell you, or anypony for that matter, but rest assured… I have a backup plan.”

The Warden smiled and came to a stand. “If the words are leaving your mouth, I have no fear. You have always been a fine tactician, your majesty. I am confident that with you leading us, we will be more than okay.”

“Thank you for the vote of confidence, Warden… I think I needed it right now… I’m feeling… a bit worried, that’s all…” Celestia admitted.

Shift shook her head and smiled. “You needn’t worry your majesty, the best of the best are on the job.”

Almost as if on cue, a banging on the Warden’s door began, causing Shift’s expression to quickly return to her “all business” demeanor. “Come in!” She commanded.

The door opened and a young guard stood there frantically panting before raising his hoof in a salute which the Warden returned. “Ma’am, we have a situation… Eight of the prisoners have escaped!”

“What!? That’s impossible! Where are they?” The Warden cursed as she marched in his direction.

The guard shook his head. “We don’t know ma’am, they vanished from their cells when I came to make my run. The guards watching them were still standing there!”

“How do eight prisoners just randomly disappear with guards watching their every move? I want those guards brought to this office right now!” Shift commanded with a stomp of her front hoof.

The guard frowned and looked away with a sheepish look on his face. “Well… That is to say…”

“Spit it out, soldier!” She grunted as she came inches from him.

“Ma’am… When I came back around after looking for the escaped inmates… The guards that were supposed to be watching them were gone too… Nopony has been able to find them either…” He informed.

“Damn it!” Shift cursed before looking back at the Princess bowing. “My apologies for using such language…”

“It’s fine… So we have a situation then?” Celestia asked.

“It would appear so…” Shift admitted.

“Well there’s no time to waste then, I’ll get down to the ground level and help sniff out what’s going on.” Celestia stood up.

Shift nodded in agreement. “I couldn’t agree more… Let’s both get down there and find those missing guard and inmates, and maybe find our demon…”

Celestia chuckled as she followed Shift out of the office. “It sounds like you’re excited…” She admitted.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen action, but a part of you never truly dies even when you get into a desk job like me…” She grinned.

“Let’s hope for the demon’s sake you don’t find them before I do…” Celestia smirked.

“There won’t be anything left to find if that happens…” The Warden informed.

Celestia and Warden Shift Lockup managed to make it down to the cells where criminals were held in the basement floor with relative ease. The prison had been designed so that even if criminals managed to get out, they would still have to ascend upward to get out, making escape nearly impossible unless they could overpower every guard that would be waiting for them on the way up.

Somehow though, those who were once caged managed to make it out without so much as a trace, and the guards that were supposed to be guarding them were nowhere to be found.

Reaching the cells, Celestia blinked and paused as she noticed something odd. “Warden… Where are your men?”

The warden blinked as she noticed that every single guard she had placed down in the cells was missing, there wasn’t a soul in the room guarding the prisoners. “That’s not the only problem… All of the inmates are gone…” The Warden pointed out.

It was true, every single cell was open, and the only ponies down in the basement were Celestia and the Warden.

Celestia trotted up to one of the cages and examined it closely. “That’s odd…” She blinked.

“What?” The Warden asked with a puzzled look as she too stepped closer.

“These cells… They’ve been opened… And not by force… Somepony just put the key in and unlocked them…” Celestia explained.

“A mutiny then!” The Warden hissed. “How dare they! They will regret double crossing Shift Lockup!” She growled.

“Come on! We can probably still catch them if we hurry!” She gestured up to the staircase as she bolted ahead of Celestia, racing up the stairs in record time.

Following behind at a slower pace, Celestia paused at the top step of the stairs, thinking for a moment before her brain clicked with what might be going on. Hastily she ran up and shouted after the Warden. “Warden! Stop it might be a-“

There at the top of the steps was Warden Shift Lockup standing with glowing red eyes, an empty expression on her face as the rest of the guards started to surround the staircase that Celestia was standing on, each of them having the same blank expression, the same glowing red eyes.

Celestia blinked and peered around until a cloaked pony stepped out from the crowd, the group moving out of the way to allow them to stand before Celestia. The pony was perhaps only a hair shorter than average height, but their white hooves reached up and removed their hood to reveal golden yellow wild curly mane. It was so long that it draped on the floor when her hood was removed.

The mane had reddened tips and was perhaps the most full and thick mane she had ever seen. With that mane was a pair of vivid amaranth eyes shining back at the Princess.

She had a soft face, one that was youthful and attractive that went along well with the glowing red amulet around her neck.

Celestia blinked as she realized what she was. “Y-you’re… A siren…”

The girl nodded. “Very good, but that’s not all I am…” She grinned as black shadowy tendrils extended from her shadow on the floor, looming over Celestia until they wrapped around her body and held her in place. Struggle as she might, it was no use.

“You’re a demon too…” She managed to get out between grunts.

The young mare nodded once more. “Very good… You’re on fire today… My name is Serenade Dazzle… You killed my sister… And now I’ve come to repay you all for that…”

Author's Note

Say hello to our big bad.

Act V - Chapter LXI: Consideration

Chapter LXI: Consideration

Sunset sighed as she picked up a pen to write to Princess Twilight once more. She hadn’t heard back from her the eight other times she had written her, and it was beginning to concern her. She knew the Princess was busy, but it wasn’t like her to simply ignore her replies for so long.

Despite the effort feeling futile, Sunset put the pen to her magic journal and began to write her letter to the princess of friendship.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I’m writing again to give you an update on what’s been going on in my life over here in the human world. You haven’t responded to any of my other letters, but that’s okay, I guess you’re fairly busy, or you’ve misplaced this journal in an ocean of books, which doesn’t sound too unlike you. It’s my hope that perhaps Spike stumbles across it and reminds you not to lose it again. Unless of course you actually are not responded because you’re too busy, in which case disregard all of that. I’m trying not to presume too much after all.

Anyway, I guess I should start with another recap of what’s been going on since you likely haven’t gotten any of my other letters (this thing really needs a read receipt option like on phones), or you’ve probably forgotten what many of them said. Either way, here’s what’s happening:

Life has been surprisingly pretty dull in terms of weird adventures, well shy of Rarity finding Applejack’s parents after all these years, but I don’t really know much of the details on that, and she isn’t really keen on talking about it, besides there was no magic involved in that, but Rarity is a total badass apparently! Again, you’ll have to ask her because I don’t know too much. For me though, things have been pretty calm, no magical mishaps, no mega super-powered villains hellbent on revenge or conquering the world, nothing, just… a normal life. Okay, as normal as my life can get anyway, probably should point that out.

Fortunately the investments (and people who manage those investments) and money that Shimmer left behind have meant that I haven’t really needed to do anything to support myself which is good because I’m still trying to figure out what to do with myself in this world. In Equestria my calling was magic, and while I have magic here too, there isn’t exactly a big job market for it (considering most people don't even know it exists). So without that, I’m a little lost on what to do with myself. I never realized how much easier our lives are when we are told what our special talent in life is; humans have to figure everything out themselves the slow way. Which, I can't tell how I feel about that...

My life for the past year or so has basically been all about Twilight. She’s doing great in college, and I’ve been visiting her or texting here whenever we get the time. It’s tough maintaining a relationship while one of you is away at school for six hours a day and then has to study at night, but we manage. I can honestly say that I am in love with her, I want to be with her forever. I’ve never been so sure about anything.

A part of me wants to take our relationship to the next level, but I still worry about being able to give her a normal life. I go to therapy sessions to help me get past my paranoia and fear, but sometimes it still doesn’t feel like it’s enough when it comes to the subject of my girlfriend. I always worry that she could be better off with someone who isn’t deeply connected to a mystical magic alternate universe, you know?

I know she loves me, and I know she wants us to be together, but I guess I still struggle with worrying that I’m going to cause her nothing but trouble down the road. It’s probably just my paranoia talking though, that seems to happen a lot.

I want to be with this girl forever, I want to get married, have kids together with her, all of that, but I guess I really just don’t know what I’m doing. Frankly, I’ve been winging it this entire time anyway.

It all goes back to my parents, I suppose. They never really talked to me about love or relationships… Or rearing children for that matter (not that they would know!), so I am sort of lost. I wish they had been more involved so that maybe I wouldn’t have turned out such an idiot at these things. I don’t know if you know much about this subject, but if you do or at least know someone that does, advice would be most appreciated. I’ve been reading relationship books, for the time being, hoping that will suffice, you did always say that if I am unsure about something to start in a book.

I hate feeling paranoid over the dumbest things, but it’s a bad habit that isn’t easy to shake. It’s like, you know everything is fine and the chances of something bad happening are extremely low and yet you worry for no reason. Do you ever get that? What am I saying? Of course, you get like that, I've seen it first hand!

I miss having your advice at times like these. Somehow you always knew what to say, but I guess that comes with the territory of being the Princess of Friendship and having Celestia as a mentor. I hope you’re doing alright, Princess, and I hope things are okay over there in Equestria. I mean, not that I’m doubting your abilities to keep things in order that is.

Anyway, try not to be a stranger, I’d love to hear back from you, maybe know what’s going on over there? You don’t have to respond right away, but just something to let me know you’re okay. If you’re working hard, that’s fine, but try not to work yourself to death. Spike told me you have a bad habit of overworking yourself, you should really listen to him more, he cares deeply about you.

Well, I won’t eat up any more of your time. If and when you get this letter, please write me back as soon as you can.

Sincerely,

Sunset Shimmer

The girl sighed as she sat there for a moment staring at the book, hoping some kind of response would appear within the next few moments, but after staring at blank pages for some time, it was evident that there was not going to be a response any time soon. While it was par the course at this point for her letters to Equestria, she would be lying if she said she wasn’t just a little disappointed. Somewhere in her, she was hoping that Twilight would just respond saying she had missed all of her letters, or she was just so busy that she had lost track of time.

Sadly, no such thing happened, which was partially to be expected.

Sighing, Sunset closed the book and decided it was best to focus on getting on with her regular routine and not obsessing over what was going on with Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight found herself sipping from a glass of wine, taking her time to savor the flavor, thankful that it wasn’t stronger as she couldn’t handle much in the way of alcohol. Only a few months shy of twenty-one, and thus technically in violation of the law, Twilight looked over at Rarity sitting across from her.

The two were situated on the patio outside of Applejack’s home, a quaint little place just outside of the Canterlot city limits with a small farm in the back that Applejack was presently tending to while Rarity and Twilight sat and sipped from their glasses.

Twilight looked up from the cup at the fashionista sitting across from her, noting she had changed her hairstyle from the tamed curls she had to wild curls instead, likely to keep in trend with what was considered “the look of the now” as Rarity always put it. It was odd to see Rarity in her twenties, Twilight’s entire time knowing her she was a teenager, but now here she was almost a full grown woman, it was a surreal experience.

Taking another sip, Twilight sighed. “Are you sure it’s alright for me to even be drinking this? I mean I’m not twenty-one yet… It’s technically illegal…”

Rarity waved her hand dismissively. “A little wine never hurt anyone, besides you’re among friends, darling. It’s not like I’ll tell anyone.”

"But you're not even drinking wine, yours is grape juice!" Twilight complained.

Rarity winked. "Someone has to keep an eye on you in case you get too tipsy, first-timer."

Twilight shook her head, realizing that Rarity likely had a way to rationalize giving an underage woman alcohol already prepared before she even poured Twilight a glass. She decided not to press the matter and instead changed the subject.

“This house is very nice…” Twilight commented as she looked up at the finely crafted home.

Rarity nodded with a smile. “Yes, it’s not exactly the mansion I always envisioned myself in, but… This house is far more special than that to me then any mansion would be…”

“Why’s that?” Twilight raised a brow before taking another sip.

Rarity’s smile seemed to grow just a bit more as a blush started to paint her cheeks. “Applejack built this house with her bare hands… She worked very hard for us and saved up a good deal of money at her day job as a mechanic. Before I knew it, she was getting approved for a loan for the building materials, and with the help of her older brother, and her father we had this place built in a matter of weeks.”

The mention of Applejack’s father piqued Twilight’s interest. “I was away when it happened… But I’m still amazed that you managed to find Applejack’s parents… What exactly happened, I was never told…”

Rarity shrugged and dismissed Twilight with another hand gesture. “It’s a long story, one I’m sure you’re not interested in hearing…”

Twilight shook her head. “I think I’m definitely interested in it… What happened?”

Rarity sighed realizing she would have to sum it up for Twilight or she’d only keep asking. “The short version is they were lost on that mountain where Applejack and Big Mac left them to go find help… They had been trapped by some people on the mountain for years… I came by and… liberated them…” Rarity coughed at that last part.

“I heard that you were a regular warrior…” Twilight blinked.

Rarity chuckled and shook her head. “Nothing like that… I simply knew the possibility of danger was high when I went so I spent some time beforehand preparing… Sorry again for handcuffing Sunset to that heater… I just needed to borrow some of the weapons she had in her armory without her standing in the way…”

Twilight nodded. “No harm done, though I know she was a little miffed that you lost that rifle.”

“It was cumbersome, I was lucky I made it back with everything I did have…” Rarity frowned.

Twilight recalled what she had been told about the incident. Rarity had come back early the next morning after going out that way with Applejack’s parents in the back of her car. It had been years since they had seen anything off of that mountain, and Rarity came back exhausted.

From what Applejack had mentioned, the young woman managed to get out of her winter attire, and the body armor that she had taken from Sunset’s home and collapsed in front of the shower. The doctor’s had stated she had a puncture wound through her left stomach area and she was lucky to be alive.

She underwent a few weeks of recovery, but the only thing she had left to show for the entire adventure was a small scar on her stomach, which she didn’t even bother to cover up. She would say that she felt the scar showed strength which made it beautiful. Twilight surmised that the beauty she spoke of had more to do with Rarity’s confidence regarding it.

“So how are Bright Mac and Pear Butter?” Twilight asked.

Rarity’s demeanor returned to being a bit happier. “They’re fine. They still go to therapy regularly, and they have a long road ahead of them, but they are just thankful to be home… I can only imagine what they went through being held as prisoners for so many years…”

Twilight didn’t even want to think about it.

“You sure did a lot for Applejack…” Twilight admitted.

“I’d do anything for my family…” Rarity replied with a serious face.

“I guess it’s still surreal seeing you with Applejack… I would have never guessed the two of you would end up together of all people, you seem so different…” Twilight rubbed her neck before returning to her wine.

Rarity giggled before sipping from her own glass, setting it down before she spoke again. “I actually would have never guessed we’d end up together either… She’s no Prince Charming, but Applejack… She has her own way of being romantic… I guess that’s what I like about her… She is unique. You are always in for a surprise with that woman on the prowl.”

“I guess I just never considered the two of you together…” Twilight chuckled.

“I could say the same about Sunset and you… However, once I was certain that you liked her… I couldn’t see you with anyone else… You two just needed a little push was all…” Rarity teased.

“It hasn’t been easy… Being with Sunset definitely is a lot of work… She’s got some issues that we’ve had to work past, but somehow we’re making it work…” Twilight smiled.

“Love is always worth the effort, darling… Always…” Rarity’s eyes focused on the field where her wife was slaving away to try and produce the best harvest she could. Rarity, however, found herself staring at her wife’s behind while she worked, a perverted grin on her face.

Dinner that night was exquisite. Sunset’s cooking skills were improving more and more, and she even was willing to cook meat for Twilight, knowing what a carnivore she was. It truly showed how much Sunset cared in that she was willing to prepare two separate meals just for Twilight’s sake.

Twilight stuck her fork into a piece of chicken and placed it on her tongue, savoring the flavor for just a moment before chewing it up and swallowing the delectable morsel. It was incredible what Sunset could do despite not even being able to taste her own food.

Across from her, Sunset sat carefully eating a salad. When she noticed Twilight looking her way, she smiled at the girl.

Twilight felt a bit awkward just sitting there, so she decided to make conversation. “So…”

“So…” Sunset replied.

“I visited Rarity and Applejack today, they’re doing well…” Twilight said.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, they’ve been very good to us as well… Always checking up on me, making sure I’m doing okay, it’s great actually. Especially since Rainbow and Fluttershy are away with the army and Pinkie is off at university.”

“It’s weird how all of our friends have moved away…” Twilight frowned.

Sunset smiled and shook her head. “It’s all only temporary after all. Rainbow will come back once she’s done with the army, and she’ll bring Fluttershy with her. Pinkie… Well, I doubt she’ll go too far from this place when she graduates. That’s all part of getting older though, it gets harder and harder to maintain friendships, I suppose.”

“Definitely seems that way…” Twilight frowned. “Speaking of, have you managed to get a hold of Princess Twilight yet? I know you were concerned before because she wasn’t answering any of your letters…”

Sunset paused and put her fork down, sighing as she did so. The redhead wiped her lip and looked up at Twilight. “No… I haven’t…”

“Oh… I see…” Twilight shrunk down in her seat slightly, feeling a bit awkward that she had even brought it up.

“It’s odd actually…” Sunset stated.

“What is?” Twilight tilted her head.

“Princess Twilight had gone completely silent for weeks now… I haven’t been able to get a single response from her no matter how many times I write to her. It’s almost like she doesn’t even want to talk to me…” Sunset looked down.

Considering that possibility definitely dampened Sunset’s mood. Had she done something to anger Princess Twilight? Was the Princess merely tired of dealing with her nonsense problems when there were real issues in Equestria that required her attention? All the possibilities were swirling in the young woman’s head.

“I doubt that… Princess Twilight is your friend and the Princess of Friendship at that; I doubt she would just decide to ditch you without so much as an explanation…” Twilight reminded.

Sunset blinked as she heard her girlfriend’s words. She was right, Twilight was far from unreasonable, she wouldn’t merely ditch her friends without so much as a warning. There had to be a logical explanation.

“I guess you’re right about that… Still, I would like some kind of explanation of what happened, you know?” Sunset shrugged.

“I suppose you could go to Equestria to try and find out…?” Twilight proposed, a fork sticking out of her mouth as she put another bite of food into her gob.

There was a short awkward silence.

“Problem is, if I can’t contact her to open the mirror, I’d have to wait for it to open the natural way…” Sunset pointed out.

“That’s true…” Twilight admitted, not really thinking about that part. Up to this point, they were reliant on messaging Princess Twilight to open the mirror for them whenever they needed to head to Equestria. On the human side of the mirror, there was no way to control it except to wait for its natural cycle to come along which often took years. A part of her felt guilty for taking the Princess for granted like that.

“Even if I wanted to… I don’t think I would though…” Sunset stated.

That statement caught Twilight off guard. The bookworm blinked and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she replied. “Why not? You care about the Princess, and Equestria is your home… Why wouldn’t you want to go and see it?”

“It was my home, Twilight… At this point… I’m more familiar with this world than there… This place is my home now… Equestria beyond Princess Twilight holds nothing but sad or painful memories for me… There’s nothing there for me…” Sunset frowned and looked down into her half-eaten salad in front of her.

Twilight was starting to feel more guilty for even bringing it up, but she decided to try and cheer her girlfriend up.

“Yeah, but a day with the Princess could be good for you! You two haven’t had a chance to just have a good time and hang out in a long time!” Twilight reminded, trying to think of the last time the two had actually gotten together to simply hang out. She believed their last meet up was to share some tea.

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “Maybe that’s for the better… Maybe it’s time I stopped communicating with Equestria, with Princess Twilight…”

“What’re you saying?” Twilight blinked, feeling like her girlfriend was speaking like she was delusional.

“Maybe it’s time I focused entirely on my life here and not my past in Equestria? Contacting the Princess is sort of like trying to live in both worlds a little, but I don’t live there anymore… I live here… So I should focus my energy entirely on this world, I think…” Sunset stated plainly.

Now Twilight knew her girlfriend was being a bit overly dramatic. “Baby, you can keep Equestria in your life if you want to… I know it’s a part of you, and I got into this relationship knowing that I would have to accept that if I wanted us to work. I’m willing to take you and Equestria…”

Sunset shook her head. “It’s not just that… It’s also the fact that I need to stop pretending that I have any business with Equestria. The reality is that I chose to come here, and just staying in this world alone is beyond selfish since I’m technically not even authorized to be here… But going back and forth between here and Equestria… It just feels… rotten. Like I should just pick one place and stick with it, you know?”

Twilight sighed but nodded. “I understand how you feel, but only do this if it’s what you really want, Sunset… Don’t give up Equestria and Princess Twilight for my sake or some twisted notion that you’re trying even harder to give me a ‘normal’ life, okay?”

“I would defend myself and say I’m not one for rash decisions, but you already know that’s bullshit, so I’ll just say that I’ll take some time to think it over…” Sunset smiled.

Twilight smiled back at her, content that at the very least her girlfriend had made enough progress in her therapy to know when she needed to slow down and think about something. Prior to this, she had a very bad habit of simply acting and then feeling guilty for acting.

Still, it bothered Twilight slightly that Sunset was even considering abandoning Equestria entirely. She knew that despite the fact that her parents didn’t do much for her, despite the fact that she had a hard time making friends there, and despite the fact that there wasn’t anywhere to call “home” there, Equestria was important to Sunset. It was where she grew up, it was where she learned how to use magic, and it was where her friend, Princess Twilight Sparkle lived. Allowing Sunset to give all of that up so easily simply didn’t feel right to Twilight.

“That’s all I ask, baby. I’m glad you’re trying to approach it rationally though, I’m proud of you.” Twilight stated as she pointed with her fork before placing the bite of food in her mouth.

Sunset shed off some of her gloomy demeanor and tried to return to being a bit more chipper. “Yeah, thanks… I’ve been trying really hard, and the therapy sessions are working really well… I’m starting to recognize that I can’t just beat myself up over everything, you know?”

Twilight nodded happily. “As you shouldn’t. Sometimes bad things happen, Sunset and they’re not your fault, but you have to deal with them…”

Sunset smiled, finding herself returned to a state of calmness thanks to the wise words of her girlfriend. Twilight had no idea how wise she truly was sometimes, but Sunset was thankful for it.

“Thanks, babe… That helps…” Sunset said quietly, truly appreciating Twilight’s wise words. There were more times than she could count on both hands that Twilight’s words alone were enough to calm her down and make her think clearly.

“Also, totally irrelevant but this chicken is fabulous…” Twilight complimented as she held a piece on her fork toward Sunset and then stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it slowly and then swallowing it.

The redhead blushed and rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t know, I don’t eat meat…”

“I know, I know… and I appreciate your cooking it for me even though you’re a vegetarian…” Twilight smiled sheepishly, feeling just a tiny bit guilty for insisting on eating meat even though Sunset was a vegetarian.

“You could show some serious appreciation after dinner if you know what I mean…” Sunset gave Twilight a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

Chuckling, Twilight nodded. “Alright, but let me take a shower first…”

“No need… We can just do it in the shower…” Sunset smirked.

“You are such a horndog…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“That’s why you love me.” Sunset winked.

“More and more every day…” Twilight replied.

Several Years Ago

A young Sunset Shimmer stood in line to get lunch at her school. She had transferred to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns some time ago, and while she loved being in a program that challenged her more, she found herself equally as aloof as she was when she attended public school and boarding school. She didn’t know what to do with herself most of the time, and making friends like before proved nearly impossible for the socially awkward filly.

She took some reprieve, however, in lunchtime, a time of day where she could clear her head and refuel herself. She had been studying all day on this Saturday and felt that after eight hours of studying since the early morning, some lunch was exactly what she needed to reignite her passion for learning once more.

Licking her lips, she approached the counter of the massive cafeteria in the school as she cleared her throat. “I’ll take the daisy casserole please,” she managed to get out, albeit still sounding considerably shy.

The middle-aged lunch mare smiled at her and levitated a plate in Sunset’s direction who took it gracefully with her magic. She bowed politely before standing once more. “Thank you, very much.”

“Aren’t you a sweet thing… What’s your name?” The lunch mare asked.

“S-Sunset… Sunset Shimmer…” She blushed, trying not to make direct eye contact.

She smiled and nodded levitating a pudding cup in Sunset’s direction, placing it on her tray. “Here’s something special for a little filly who is so polite. It’s nice to see such a nice filly around here.”

Sunset nodded and bowed once more. “Thank you, miss…”

The lunch mare nodded back and gave her a gesture to keep moving. “Run along little one.”

A smile came to Sunset’s face as she bowed and took her leave, making her way to the outside courtyard with a tray levitating above her. She preferred outdoors when it came to eating, as she detested sitting in the cafeteria with some of the other students who were seldom nice to her. Often she was picked on for just about everything she could imagine.

At first, they made fun of her red mane, so she tried to cover it up with a hat, but then they said she had freaky blinding eyes, so she started wearing sunglasses. Eventually, they just said her name was stupid, and at that point, she gave up and decided it was smarter to simply avoid them all together.

She shook her head, not wanting to even think about them. With a saddle bag on her side and her tray above her, Sunset eventually found the courtyard and the small picnic table sitting out in front of a flower bed. She gently placed her tray down and levitated a book out of her bag, flipping it open to the page she left off on. She was beginning her lessons on advanced levitation and she wanted to get a head start on the material before classes on Monday.

When it came to magic, Sunset was probably the best there was at school, and it all stemmed from the fact that she loved magic. She couldn’t get enough of it, she was always discovering something new, something exciting just waiting to be attempted.

It didn’t matter what kind of magic it was, Sunset Shimmer wanted to understand all of it. She was a sponge for magical knowledge.

With her eyes glued on the text, she levitated a bite of food into her mouth, not even noticing the three stallions who made their way into the courtyard, eyeing up the young filly sitting at the picnic table.

The oldest of the group chuckling as he stepped forward, levitating the book in front of Sunset out of the way. “H-hey!” She cried out as she turned around seeing the three young stallions standing there. They were all about two years ahead of Sunset, and some of her regular bullies that she had to deal with. There was Barbed Tips, the oldest of the group, then his two idiot goons Dim Lit and Dull Blade.

“Give that back Barbed…” She commanded as best she could, her voice a bit shaky due to the nervousness.

“Oh, I’m sorry; does the super nerd need her book back?” Barbed taunted as he dangled it in front of her with his magic.

Sunset groaned and tried to make a jump for the book, only to come short, though her action elicited plenty of laughter from the three boys.

“You’re going to have to jump higher than that to get it…” He smirked.

“Just give it back!” Sunset pouted.

“You’re a weirdo, you know that? All you do is study all day… Think you’re better than the rest of us, don’t you?” Barbed asked.

“Yeah, I bet you think you’re really smart!” Dim nodded in agreement, his voice showing his name was fitting.

The three of them were at the bottom of their class as far as Sunset recalled, and with good reason too. Not a single one of them applied themselves anymore. They were satisfied with meeting the minimum requirements to stay in the school rather than excelling in any capacity to stay ahead of the rest of their class. Still given that they attended Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, they were still somehow, despite their stupidity and laziness, quite excellent at magic, nowhere near as good as Sunset though.

“I don’t want any trouble, just give it back…” Sunset stomped her hoof, trying to come off as intimidating as she could in the hopes that it may make them reconsider and give her book back out of fear that she might snap. Naturally, though, she was about as intimidating as a kitten.

“Ooooo, I’m so scared… Or you’ll do what?” Barbed smirked as he leaned in to be at Sunset’s level as he asked.

“Look, I just want to be left alone…” Sunset pleaded, not wanting to take the situation to another level.

“Well if you get down and beg maybe we’ll consider it…” Barbed grinned as he kept the book out of Sunset’s pathetic reach.

Growling, Sunset made another jump for the book only to fall short.

“Come on, clearly you don’t want it bad enough…” Barbed taunted.

Just as Sunset was about to respond, another voice came from behind the group, a majestic and regal one, a voice that Sunset had come to know and admire. “What is going on here?”

The entire group of children turned to see the image of regality standing before them. The tall mare alicorn with a golden crown sitting atop of her head had a look of annoyance as she looked toward the students. Barbed blinked a few times as he realized he had been caught by Princess Celestia herself.

“Y-your majesty… We were just playing…” He attempted to defend.

“Barbed Tips if I recall? I suggest you return that book to this filly and apologize,” Celestia commanded.

Nodding profusely, he lowered the book and offered it back to Sunset. “My apologies… We didn’t mean nothin’ by it…”

Sunset could already tell his apology was about as insincere as they got, but she shrugged it off realizing that she wasn’t going to get anything sincere out of a pathetic brute like Barbed Tips anyway, so she decided to merely allow it to pass as she nodded.

Celestia gave the entire group of boys another disapproving look as she scolded them once more. “Honestly, this is not behavior that I expect out of students of mine. You all should be ashamed of yourselves, you’ve brought dishonor to your school… I’m assigning each of you a week’s detention.”

“A week!? Just for playing keep away with her!?” Dim Lit chimed in.

“Want to make it two?” Celestia narrowed her eyes to show she wasn’t bluffing.

Not having the guts to challenge her ruling, they all shook their heads and bowed before making a hasty leave.

Celestia turned her attention to the young red-maned filly in front of her. She offered the child a smile before stepping forward and kneeling down to be at the same level as Sunset. “Sorry about that, sweetie… You’re Sunset Shimmer, correct?”

Sunset nodded. “Y-yes, ma’am…”

Celestia giggled and shook her head. “No need to be so formal. Please, you may call me Celestia…”

Sunset blinked before trying the name out. “Yes… Princess Celestia…”

Sighing, the princess resigned herself to accepting that the young filly would always be somewhat formal with her, given her position. The princess eyed her textbook and blinked as she noticed the bookmark in the book. With a small glow of her horn, the book flipped open to the marked page which Celestia examined.

“This is… Pretty advanced stuff for such a young filly… Can you actually do this?” Celestia asked with a raised brow.

Sunset was still in awe, but she nodded. “Y-yes, Princess Celestia…”

Celestia smiled at the girl before standing up and wrapping a hoof around her. “You are very talented then, Sunset… How would you like to be my star student?”

“R-really!?” Sunset gasped as she looked up at the image of beauty in front of her. “You mean it!?”

Giggling, the Princess nodded. “I do.”

“But I’m just a little filly…” Sunset frowned.

Celestia used her hoof to tap the girl’s chin to force her to look up at her. Sunset met the Princess’ eyes curiously as the Princess spoke to her. “Yes, but I can see unlimited potential in you… If you continue to study hard, I am confident you’ll go down in history as one of the greatest mages that Equestria has ever seen…”

“Wow! Me!?” Sunset gestured toward herself.

“With the right guidance… I think so… That is… If you want to.” Celestia raised a brow as she asked.

“I do! I do!” Sunset stepped forward pleading.

Celestia giggled once again before petting the girl’s mane. “From now on, you’re my star student then. I’ll teach you personally and if you practice and study hard enough, I will show you some things with magic that most will never see in their entire life.”

“Thank you so much!” Sunset exclaimed as she leaped into the alicorn’s leg and hugged it tightly.

“The honor of being able to teach one of Equestria’s future greatest mages is thanks enough…” Celestia chuckled.

“I won’t let you down, Princess!” Sunset nodded with confidence.

Some Time Ago

Adagio had just finished a rather steamy evening with her girlfriend, Shimmer before she stood up from the bed and grumbled something about needing a shower. Shimmer, of course, was still going through enough afterglow to where the only response she got out of her was a gentle hum of approval.

Deciding not to wait for any further response, Adagio made her way into the shower of Shimmer’s bedroom. She looked in the mirror prior to entering, noting her wild hair was a worse mess than when she would wake up in the morning. She smirked and chalked it up to Shimmer’s hands being tangled in it while she went down on her.

She already decided that she needed an after sex cigarette, but her urge for a shower was far greater.

Getting the water started, Adagio stretched and peeked at her naked form in the mirror, admiring herself for a brief moment before stepping into the shower proper.

The water hit her skin and soothed her. While she wasn’t much for swimming in the human world, she did miss being able to breathe underwater and go through the sea in her true form. A part of her wondered if she could even access it anymore. Then again, she knew that part of her life was over. Or was it? Was she really considering just settling for being mortal?

She shook her head and cleared her mind with hot water down her body. Yes, this was how it had to be now. Adagio knew that reforging her amulet would be arduous, difficult, and likely impossible. She would need a tremendous source of magic to reforge it back together and then imbue it with power. She didn’t see a discernible way to go back to how she was.

Maybe that’s not so bad. She thought for a moment.

She was surprising herself more and more with each passing day, but the idea of never getting her magic back wasn’t entirely a bad one at this point. She had Shimmer, that was making her current existence tolerable, actually if anything, it was making her life worth living. She was in love, something that was forbidden among her kind. She had sacrificed so much for that love as well.

The other sirens had abandoned her, saying she was crazy, they told her she was digging her own grave. They told her that they didn’t want anything to do with her if she was going to do something so insane as to love a mortal.

She knew what she was doing came with risks. The Siren’s Curse, or Mother’s Scorn as it was known in the old times was no laughing matter. Despite no one knowing if it was a real curse or not, the fact remained that what it was said to do always rang true. Adagio recalled the story in her mind.

Long ago, an original siren was created. No one truly knew when or why she was born, but it was said she was the most beautiful mare who ever lived. She fell in love with a mortal and they bore four children, all sirens just like her.

The children grew envious of their mother’s love, envious that her lover loved her for who she was, hating that they could not find the same acceptance. Out of jealousy, they killed him.

They were punished by their mother who put a curse on all sirens. Should a siren ever fall in love with a mortal, nothing but misery and despair would befall the both of them. This eventually spawned the laws of the sirens, ancient rules put in place by elders which were only lightly enforced. Should a siren break the laws, they were considered dead to the rest of their kind; no one would ever come to their aid, regardless of the circumstances. Adagio recited the laws in her mind.

A siren shall never harbor feelings for a mortal.
A siren shall never indulge in the pleasures of the flesh.

Their entire race was governed by those two laws, and here she was, breaking both. She knew it was bad for her, but she couldn’t resist. Sex was strictly forbidden, but it was too late, there was no going back now. Even if she could return to Equestria, there would be no point, she would be dead to all other sirens, no one would assist her in reforging her amulet or getting her magic back. She was on her own now.

Adagio closed her eyes and sighed. At least I have Sunset Shimmer. That was right, so long as she had her girlfriend, things seemed a bit less terrible. Sonata and Aria may have bailed on her, but Adagio didn’t need them, she was oddly content.

Having a life with Shimmer seemed more than enough for her. She may not have had magic, but she was happy, well happy enough anyway, happier than she had ever been. Thinking about that girl made her genuinely smile, and being around Adagio seemed to make Shimmer happy as well. Who cared what some stupid laws said?

Adagio lathered her hair with shampoo as she stood there in thought, wondering about Shimmer’s suggestions from before. The girl talked about the two of them getting married, having a life together, potentially children. Was such a thing wise? If they adopted at least that meant their kids would never know she was a siren, right? They wouldn’t be cursed to be sirens themselves either.

That thought, however, brought another one. Familiar words that Aria had said to her only a few weeks back.

If you think she loves you, then why haven’t you told her what you are? Why haven’t you told her that you’re a siren?

She cringed a bit at that thought.

Because you know how she’ll react. You know that she’ll see you as the same monster that everyone else always sees you as… If not prove me wrong, tell her the truth, tell her what you really are…

Those words stuck with her, despite how much she tried to forget them. She wanted Aria to be wrong, but somehow she still lacked the heart to tell Shimmer the truth of what she was. It wasn’t exactly an easy conversation to bring up either.

Hey, guess what, babe. I’m not human! Yeah, I’m actually this magical siren thing from another universe and I was banished here by some unicorn! Adagio shook her head at how stupid that sounded. However, if she wanted to truly have a life with this girl, she would need to tell her eventually, right? She couldn’t go on forever making her believe she was human when she wasn’t. Eventually being cryptic and mysterious about her past would not be enough, and Shimmer would want proper answers.

She had no choice, if she wanted her happiness with Shimmer to last, she needed to tell her the truth. The question now though was when to bring it up, and how. Adagio knew she couldn’t wait until they were married, and she couldn’t marry Shimmer without telling her first either, she deserved the chance to walk away if-

Her mind froze. She had never considered what would happen if Shimmer did not want anything to do with her after she was informed that she had been dating a few-thousand-year-old siren this entire time. Would Shimmer reject her? Was it possible? No. It wasn’t. Shimmer would accept her how she was, her personality and demeanor up to this point suggested that. She loved Adagio, and a little factor like being a siren wasn’t going to change that, right?

The woman finished with her hair and began to rinse it out as she prepared a generous amount of conditioner to help tame her massive amount of hair. If Adagio didn’t use conditioner, it made her hair a nightmare to brush.

She needed to take her mind off of the subject it was currently stuck on. She needed to focus on better things. She had a lot to be thankful for right now, a girl who loved her, a chance at a real future that wasn’t just selling drugs, and place she might be able to really call home.

Finishing with the conditioner, Adagio rinsed her hair once more before applying body soap. After a few more minutes of washing and scrubbing, she was satisfied with the state she was in and turned the water off.

The siren wrung her hair out first before stepping out and grabbing a towel to dry herself. She wrapped it around her slender form and picked up the blow dryer to make her hair less damp. She would spend about eight minutes with the device before hanging it up and shaking her head to remove as much excess water as she could.

She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, she felt sexy. Dropping the towel on the floor, she made her way back into the room and picked up her bra and panties, slipping on the purple articles before climbing back onto her side of the bed and digging around for her pack of cigarettes.

Once she located the box, she retrieved one and lit it. She then felt a hand grab her thigh. She looked down and then behind her to see a smiling Shimmer gripping her thigh. “Hey…” Shimmer said.

“Hey…” Adagio replied before returning her attention to her cigarette, trying to avoid eye contact, but a small blush was still appearing on her cheeks.

“That was incredible…” Shimmer commented as she crawled up and nuzzled her cheek against Adagio’s side.

“You weren’t bad yourself…” Adagio smirked as she took another puff.

“I love you, Dagi…” Shimmer cooed as Adagio reached down to pet her head.

“I love you too…” Adagio smiled, glancing down at the girl affectionately rubbing against her side.

“We should get married…” Shimmer purred.

Adagio froze but remained calm. “You keep saying that…”

“I mean it this time…” Shimmer giggled playfully.

“Marriage that’s… Well, it’s a huge step, I guess…” Adagio kept her gaze forward as she considered the girl’s words.

“Think about it… You could quit being a dealer, we could live here together… We could be so happy…” Shimmer spoke as she was fantasizing about it.

“Are you sure you’re not just letting the orgasm high talk for you?” Adagio raised a brow.

Shimmer shook her head. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before…”

“Me either…” Adagio replied.

“Then we should get married…” Shimmer giggled.

“I… I’ll think about it, okay? I’m not saying no, I just… I need some time to think about some crap… Tie up some loose ends, you know?” Adagio said.

Shimmer sighed but nodded. “Always mysterious, aren’t you?”

Adagio took a long drag and exhaled before she answered. “I promise… After this… I won’t keep any more secrets from you. I’ll tell you everything, okay?”

Shimmer reached forward and offered a pinkie. “You have to promise.”

Rolling her eyes, Adagio nodded and took Shimmer’s pinkie in her own. “I promise, I’m going to open up a lot more to you.”

“I’ll hold you to it, Adagio Dazzle.” Shimmer winked.

Author's Note

Hey, Sunset's back!

I know, it's weird having such a long stretch with her not appearing in the story at all isn't it? Special thanks to you guys for keeping me motivated to keep going!

Act V - Chapter LXII: Forward

Chapter LXII: Forward

Sitting in an empty room, Sunset remained still with her eyes closed. She was in the dining room of her own home, concentrating as she wondered how she was going to deal with what sat right in front of her. Her eyes opened and there sitting in the seat directly across from her at the table was a familiar red tinted image. Eyes that were black and cyan stared back at her.

She took a moment to examine the pointed ears and claws resting on the table as the image of a person she once was stared back at her. The two remained silent for several minutes before Sunset decided to speak up.

“You don’t belong here…” Sunset said, crossing her arms.

The demonic version of herself smirked and tapped a talon on one of her claws on the table as she sat unfazed by Sunset’s remark.

“Why don’t you just go then?” Sunset raised a brow.

The creature did nothing, instead, it sat there patiently, as if taunting Sunset. Pissing her off as it did. “Fuck! What is your problem!? Why won’t you leave me alone!?” She finally burst out with, standing up and banging her hands on the table.

Her demon self looked at the floor and then back at Sunset, that same obnoxious grin on her face.

“There’s nowhere for me to go… I’m right where I belong…” It spoke slowly as it tried to get under Sunset’s skin.

“You don’t belong in me… I’m through with you… I’ll never turn to you for help again… Why not just get out of my head and we can be done with each other?” Sunset growled.

The creature came to a confident stance and placed its claws behind its back as it began to pace the room, still wearing it’s overly confident grin. “You just don’t get it, do you, Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset stood her ground and tapped her foot impatiently. “What’s not to get? You’re just some dark energy that still lingers inside me… I almost gave into you when I fought Adagio, but I’ve decided I don’t need you anymore. Why don’t you get lost? I’ll never be turning to you for help ever again, so staying inside my head is useless…”

The demon just chuckled as it shook its head. “I see… You really don’t get it then…”

“What’re you talking about…?” Sunset raised a brow, a bead of sweat running down her neck as she spoke.

It stepped closer and its sinister grin only widened as it watched Sunset take a step back to try and avoid it, but it continued its advance. “Dark energy… That’s just how it starts… You’ve reached the point where I exist now… I’m not just dark energy subconsciously influencing you… I am you.”

“That’s a lie!” Sunset retorted.

“Oh no, it’s very much the truth. I wasn’t just summoned from the depths of the underworld to control you… I was created by you. Your anger, your fear, your hatred, it all was used in making me. I’m a product of your own doing… You created me. You forged me piece by piece over the years.” It replied very coyly.

Sunset shook her head. “I would never make something like you!”

“Maybe not on the surface, but deep down… There was and still is a part of you that thirsts for greater things… The kind of things you didn’t think you could achieve on your own, that’s where I come into play…” It lectured as it began to circle around Sunset.

Sunset kept her eyes on the demon as it walked around her.

“We’re two pieces to a puzzle, Sunset. Eventually, you’ll have to accept me. I’m a part of you, and I always will be… We’re meant to be together… We complete each other… You just don’t realize it yet, that’s all…” It explained.

Sunset recrossed her arms as she replied, “That’s a cute story, but I’m afraid you don’t seem to realize that your chapter of it is done. We are never going to be joined again, for as long as I live…”

“And what if something should happen to Twilight again? What then?” It questioned.

“That’s my concern. I’ll take care of it.” Sunset growled, not appreciating the comment which sounded almost as a threat on Twilight.

“Last time you were barely able to do anything… Adagio kicked your ass many times before you beat her and even then you had help from your friends… What if they aren’t there? What if their help isn’t enough? You won’t be able to protect her on your own, and that is when you’ll need me…” The demon grinned.

Sunset hated even thinking about what it was suggesting. She had vowed to try and end magical mishaps and shenanigans as best she could so that Twilight would never be in that kind of danger again. Magic may have been a part of her life in Equestria, but it didn’t have to be a major part of it in the human world.

Deep down, she knew she would always be the safeguard for magic, but that didn’t mean her life had to revolve around it. She could escape it if she wanted.

“I promise… As long as I live… I will never call on you again…” Sunset shook her head.

The demon let out a few more chuckles as it nodded its head. “Keep telling yourself that… When the chips are down… I am expecting a call from you. I know you, Sunset… Because I am you. When the situation calls for it… You’ll bet on the horse you think has the greatest chance of winning… You’re not one to gamble on small chances… You always bet on the contender with the best odds…”

“Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do then…” Sunset smirked back at it.

“We’ll see about that…” The demon nodded.

Sunset closed her eyes and reopened them seconds later, not to much surprise she was sitting in her dining room by herself. The entire conversation with the demon was only in her head. She sighed and shook her head as she cleared her thoughts.

She was firm on her statement though. She knew she would not give into that monster ever again, no matter the odds stacked against her, she would rely on her own personal strength first and foremost. She couldn’t let the words of a demon get to her, she knew they were only trying to mess with her head.

Sitting there on the table under a laptop was the journal that Sunset used on occasion to write to Princess Twilight. She hadn’t heard a response from her in weeks, but she kept it by her side in case the Princess found the time to write her back, she didn’t want to be too far away so she could reply.

Feeling compelled, she slid the laptop off of the top of the book and pulled it in front of herself and flipped it open to a blank page.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I know it’s weird to keep writing you over and over when you’re not responding, and frankly, I’m starting to get a little worried that you might be avoiding me or something. I hope I’m just being paranoid, but I’d love to hear back from you soon.

Anyway, the reason I’m writing is I was hoping you had some reading material regarding demons… I know it’s an odd request, but I want to look into if there is a way to possibly remove the demon inside of me. I know it has never been done in the past, but maybe there is something in research material regarding them and dark magic that I could figure out. I’d gladly share the breakthrough with Equestria if I found it.

I get that I am technically asking permission to do something illegal in Equestria, as research on dark magic and demons is forbidden, but I was hoping that maybe since I am out of legal jurisdiction that you’d make an exception? It’s for a good cause after all, and if I find something, maybe you can utilize it in Equestria as well. Just think it over.

I just… I don’t want my life with Twilight to get messed up by something like that. The peace of mind of knowing that the darkness in me is completely extinguished would do me a world of good. I love magic, but I just want to live a normal life here in the human world. This is my home now, and I want to act and live like a human as much as I can. I want a simple and normal life with my girlfriend.

I promised myself that I’d never give into the demon inside of me ever again, but I would still feel better knowing that it’s out of me.

Consider it, please.

Again, I’d really love to hear back from you soon, I can only imagine how busy you are though.

Yours truly,

Sunset Shimmer

She sighed as she finished her letter waiting a few minutes, wondering if she would get a reply, then frowning when she did not. A part of her knew it was wishful thinking to assume that Princess Twilight at that exact moment would suddenly find the time to reply after weeks of silence, but it didn’t stop her from hoping.

Setting the book aside, Sunset came to a stand and decided it was best to get some rest before she went to her therapy session in a few hours.

A trip to Applejack’s home originally was just intended as a chance to talk and get a lot of negative feelings off of Sunset’s chest, but what it turned into was a long afternoon of hard labor that she wasn’t exactly dressed for. Fortunately for her after digging through both Rarity and Applejack’s old clothing she was able to find a pair of pants from Rarity that fit her, and a top from Applejack that fit her which she was able to change into.

While Rarity’s selection was far nicer, her bust was closer to Applejack’s which meant she had no choice but to go with something more simple. A button-up green plaid shirt which she rolled the sleeves up as it was still a size too large, and a pair of old torn up denim shorts from Rarity.

After finding a clothing selection it was tons of labor on the farm in the beating hot sun. They had spent all day tending to the trees, pulling out roots and checking the vegetable patches. Fortunately for Sunset though, Applejack didn’t have the time anymore to tend to a full orchard so she settled for four trees and a vegetable patch about eight by eight feet, but the amount of love and care she put into both was extraordinary. Sunset could only imagine what kind of work she’d be able to get done if she lacked a day job.

Finally sticking a shovel into the ground and wiping her brow, Sunset smiled as she observed the finished work that the two girls had accomplished together. Applejack stood at the edge of the garden and stared before giving an approving nod herself as she turned and smiled at her redheaded friend.

“I’ll be damned… The last time I invited y’all to help me out y’all were winded after eight minutes… Now… Ya’ barely look like ya’ were sweatin’.” Applejack whistled as she observed Sunset with admiration. “I’m impressed.”

Sunset shrugged. “When I was preparing to fight Adagio I had to get in top physical shape. I was running on the treadmill for an hour a day, doing eight hundred sit-ups, weight lifting, the works… After it was over, I toned it down a little but I still exercise all the time. At least an hour or so a day at least…”

“Really now… What kinda’ exercise equipment y’all got in that big ol' house?” Applejack asked.

Sunset shrugged. “There’s a full gym in the basement actually.”

“I suppose bein’ rich does have some perks…” Applejack nodded.

“I couldn’t see you being rich, AJ… No offense…” Sunset rubbed her neck hoping that comment didn’t come off as rude.

Applejack shook her head and her hand. “None taken. I think I’d lose my mind if I had no work to do ever… I’d spend all my time tryin’ to find work to do…”

“That sounds about right… I couldn't imagine you any other way.” Sunset giggled.

The familiar voice of Applejack’s wife called the girls over to the house. “Girls! I made iced tea!”

“Right on schedule…” Applejack nodded. “Y’all could set yer’ clock by her, I swear.”

“Does she make drinks when you finish working all the time?” Sunset asked with a raised brow.

Applejack let out a hearty laugh. “Yeah, after she’s done oglin’ me…”

“What do you mean?” Sunset replied.

A few snickers came out of Applejack. “Eh, she watches me work from the windows sometimes… Checkin’ me out and all and then she makes tea when she realizes I’m about to be done. She thinks I don’t know about it, but I’m totally keen to it.”

“She still finds you sexy, I suppose.” Sunset winked.

“I would hope so… She married me, so she’s stuck with me now…” Applejack smirked.

The two girls let out a few laughs as they made their way back to the porch where Rarity poured them both a glass and sat down at the small patio table with them. Applejack and Sunset both took a glass and raised it. Applejack gave the toast.

“To a job well done!”

All three clacked glasses before all of them took a long well deserved sip. Applejack emitting a sound of content as she finished. “Well, that always hits the spot…”

“You haven’t had what I am making for dinner yet…” Rarity grinned.

“This woman is tryin’ to fatten me up, Sunset… Her home cookin’ I’m pretty sure has crack in it!” Applejack faux-protested.

Rarity rolled her eyes and waved her hand. “Oh psssh-ah, darling. I just love to treat you, that’s all. Besides you burn off so many calories with work and then you forget to eat… I’m just making up for that.”

“Y’all got me there…” Applejack chuckled sheepishly.

“You two are too much…” Sunset smiled as she marveled at how in love her two friends were. In a way, it made her hopeful for her and Twilight.

Applejack took another long sip from her drink before setting the glass down and covering her mouth as she let out a small belch, much to Rarity’s chagrin as she gave her a dirty look which Applejack ignored.

“Say… You came over here originally to talk ‘bout somethin’, right Sunset?” Applejack asked.

Blinking, Sunset had to take a second to remember why she came in the first place. She got so into helping Applejack with her farm work that she had completely forgotten why she came for a few seconds, but then it came back to her.

“Oh! Right… That…” Sunset frowned as she remembered what it was.

“Is something troubling you, darling?” Rarity asked with concern in her voice.

“Yeah… I just… I still worry about the darkness inside me… I know it’s dumb to worry about it, and I know I will never give into it again, but I just sort of wish there was a way to get rid of it… I want to live a normal life with Twilight, but it’s hard with that looming over me, you know?” She admitted.

“What does Princess Twilight say?” Applejack asked before finishing off her glass and setting it down on the table.

Sunset bit her lip. “That’s just it… I haven’t been able to get a hold of her for weeks now… She’s gone completely radio silent… I’m sort of worried about her too…”

“She’s probably just attending some extended trip somewhere on official royal duties, you know what the royal life is like, always in demand.” Rarity reassured.

Sunset realized that she hadn’t thought of that. There was a good chance that Twilight was merely handling a problem that was far larger than normal for the royal family and that required extended time away. It wasn’t uncommon for Princess Celestia to go somewhere for weeks at a time to settle an ordeal.

“I guess that makes sense…” Sunset nodded. The more she thought about it, the more that conclusion seemed exceptionally logical.

“I bet she’ll write y’all back the moment she is available and she’s gonna guilt trip herself into oblivion for missin’ all yer’ letters,” Applejack added in.

Sunset let out a giggle as she realized that Applejack might have been more right than she realized. “I can already imagine her doing just that… She’s so predictable sometimes, isn’t she?”

“Yes, but we love her just as she is.” Rarity smiled.

“Very much so.” Sunset nodded in agreement. Princess Twilight was strange and quirky, much like her own Twilight, but she was lovable and you knew her heart was always in the right place, even if her methods were odd at times.

“Still… That leaves the subject of the darkness in me a bit harder to deal with… Princess Twilight is the only one who really has any hardcore knowledge on that kind of stuff and how to deal with it, and she is… For all intents and purposes incapacitated at the moment… So what am I supposed to do?” Sunset asked curiously.

Applejack sighed and reached across the table placing a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Listen, Sunset… Y’all got to stop letting that kind of thing haunt you. Sure it may be inside you, but as ya’ said, ya’ ain’t gonna give into it. So long as you know that, it can’t do nothin’ to ya’.”

Sunset opened her mouth to retort. “But-“

“Applejack is right, darling. You already have the situation under control. Nothing is stopping you from living a normal life with Twilight.” Rarity quickly added before Sunset even had a chance to object.

“I guess I’m still a little afraid is all… I almost gave into it when I fought Adagio…” Sunset frowned.

Squeezing Sunset’s shoulder tighter, Applejack shook her head. “Y’all can’t spend yer’ life in fear, Sunset.”

Sunset knew that Applejack had a point. While it was going to be difficult to get past her fears, Sunset could overcome them. Applejack was right, the only thing that was stopping her from having a normal life with the girl she was madly in love with was fear, and that fear was created from Sunset’s own paranoia.

She could overcome it, she had to, for Twilight and her future’s sake.

Dinner that evening with Twilight was a bit tenser than Sunset would have liked, naturally the thoughts of conversations from earlier lingering on her mind, and wondering how to break the ice on such an important night all combined for poking at each other’s food while sitting across from each other at the dining room table awkwardly.

Sunset bit her lip before opening her mouth to speak and internally scolded herself. Holy shit, Sunset. Just fucking say something, she’s your girlfriend she’s not going to scream at you.

“So…” Sunset began.

Twilight looked up from her plate suddenly and blinked. “So?”

“I uh… Went and talked to AJ and Rarity today… About… Well, some important stuff…” Sunset rubbed her neck, not exactly thrilled with how pathetic her attempt to start a conversation was going.

“How are they doing?” Twilight smiled.

“AJ and Rarity? Same as always. Two lovebirds who are head over heels for each other, it’s really cute actually…” Sunset smiled.

Twilight nodded with a chuckle. “Funny, Rarity said the same thing about us.”

“We’re not that affectionate in front of other people are we?” Sunset blushed and averted her eyes from Twilight’s gaze, but found herself looking right back at her in only seconds.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she took another bite of food and then swallowed before speaking. “You open doors for me, you never let go of my hand… I mean you are pretty over the top sometimes… That’s not even counting what goes on in this house…”

“I just like to treat you is all, I mean it’s not like buying you nice things will work because there isn’t the merit of working hard for them because I have all this money, so I have to prove myself in other ways…” Sunset smirked.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Sunset, you don’t have to prove yourself at all to me. I love you how you are.”

“I know, I know, but it makes me feel good to take care of you, you know?” Sunset smiled.

The bookworm actually did understand. Sunset always wanted Twilight to feel special anywhere they went and no matter what they did. It was the icing on the cake knowing that not only was she the only one to do such intimate things with Sunset, but also the only one who Sunset went out of her way for. At times, Twilight couldn’t even believe she managed to end up with such an attractive woman, someone who realistically should have been out of the league of a socially awkward bookworm.

Sunset was madly in love with Twilight, and Twilight could feel it every time they were together, in fact, it felt like the more time they spent together, the more they fell deeper in love with each other. They were perfect for each other, they seldom fought, and they had so much in common.

Sunset was smart, independent and more than capable of being leaned on when Twilight needed it. She stood up for Twilight, but knew when Twilight could take care of herself.

Twilight was intelligent, adorable and in tune with how Sunset felt. If anyone could tell what was bothering Sunset, it was Twilight. Sunset may have had powers that allowed her to sense the emotions of others, but the only one who seemed to be able to sense what Sunset was feeling was Twilight.

“There was… Something else I wanted to talk about actually…” Sunset began slowly.

Twilight blinked, sensing a difficult conversation heading her way. She braced herself and nodded. “Alright, what is it?”

“Well… I was thinking… About our future, you know?” Sunset said quietly.

“What about it?” Twilight asked, trying to sound as innocent as she possibly could.

“Well… I came to realize that Applejack and Rarity are right… I spend too much time being paranoid about what could happen that I should just do stuff and just let the chips fall where they may… I have to get out of my habit of trying to keep situations under control for no reason, you know? I have to stop letting my paranoia dictate what I do with my life…” Sunset rambled.

Twilight blinked and tilted her head. “Babe, is this going anywhere?”

“I want us to get married…” Sunset blurted out. In her head, she had planned this out so much more elegantly, but when the moment came, Sunset couldn’t think of a better way than just being straightforward.

Twilight’s face turned a bright red at such an outburst, but Sunset didn’t back down or shy away. Instead, she faced her lover with a serious expression of confidence. Sunset wasn’t kidding.

“W-wha?” Twilight stuttered.

“I’m not afraid anymore… I want us to have a real life… Get married, have a family together… I want us to have a semi-normal life…” Sunset said sternly.

Twilight’s face felt like it was on fire. “Sunset… I’m still in college…”

“That’s fine. I could drive you to class every day, you can move here and we’ll live together. We can have a wedding as big as you want, we can travel the world, whatever you want, babe…” Sunset stated.

Twilight paused and examined Sunset’s expression; it was unwavering.

“You’re serious…” Twilight said. The statement was more of an observation and not a question.

The redhead nodded. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my entire life… I want us to be together forever…”

Twilight remained silent as she saw Sunset stand up and push her chair out. Her heart started racing as the attractive woman came to the other side of the table at Twilight’s side and got down on a knee. Twilight could barely hear anything else over the sound of her heart thumping louder than it had ever thumped in her life.

This was it, it was really happening. The moment that Twilight knew was going to come sooner or later, and despite her mental preparation, Twilight still somehow found herself completely blindsided by it.

“Twilight… I can’t promise an entirely normal life… But I can promise I will do everything I can to make you happy…” Sunset smiled as she took Twilight’s hand in her own.

Reaching into her pocket, Sunset retrieved a box that fit nicely in the palm of her hand and opened it, offering the immaculate object Twilight.

Twilight couldn’t even breathe when she saw the ring inside. Gemstones lining half of it, small but the right size for Twilight’s hand. Close examination of the metal told Twilight it was likely made of platinum, and on the edge on both sides, Twilight’s signature emblem was etched. It was gorgeous. It was singlehandedly the most wonderful piece of jewelry that Twilight had ever gazed upon. While she wasn’t much for accessories as say, Rarity was, Twilight was beyond stunned.

“Sunset.. I…” Twilight froze, not sure of how to word her response.

“Let’s make it official…” Sunset smiled. “Twilight Radiant Sparkle… Will you marry me?”

Twilight closed her eyes and took a breath or two before opening them to reply. “Sunset… I know a life with you will be far from normal… But to be honest… I’m ready for it. Whatever it takes… We’ll make it work, I promise…”

“May I?” Sunset asked as she retrieved the ring from the box.

Twilight nodded as tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn’t even believe she was crying at that moment, but her eyes would not stop leaking. “You may…”

Sunset gently lifted Twilight’s hand and extended her ring finger, carefully and slowly sliding the ring onto it and planting a kiss on the back of her hand.

Twilight felt a tear run down her cheek as she looked at the ring and how perfect it looked on her finger. She could see Sunset and her together for a long time just by looking at the ring, knowing it took everything Sunset had just to get the courage to ask her.

Twilight closed her eyes and smiled at how happy she was. In a single motion, Sunset had brought her to tears, but this time, they were tears of joy. Tears that were hopeful for the wonderful future the two of them were going to share.

“Let’s begin the first step to starting a family…” Sunset stated quietly.

Twilight wiped her eyes and nodded in agreement. “Yes… Let’s…”

A visit to Shining Armor’s home would prove to be a relaxing and exciting outing for Twilight Sparkle who was eager to discuss the events of the previous night with her favorite sister-in-law. Gossiping with Cadence was sort of a bonding experience for the two women.

Twilight brushed herself off and took a deep breath before straightening up and ringing the doorbell. She waited patiently for a few seconds before a familiar set of faces were standing at the newly opened door waiting for her. Shining’s lighting up just upon seeing Twilight. “Twily!” He exclaimed bringing her into a hug.

Cadence quickly joined in and squeezed the both of them. “We missed you, Twilight!”

“I missed you guys too! Sorry, it took so long to come out here, I still don’t have my own car…” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck.

Shining raised a brow and pointed to the expensive convertible parked in his driveway. “Then… What’s that?”

“Oh… That’s Sunset’s… She let me borrow it for the week because she knew I had a lot of running around to do and she had some stuff to take care of at the university that she owns, so she couldn’t be readily available to drive me around…” Twilight blushed.

“Damn… Those wheels probably cost more than this house…” He admitted as he whistled looking over the attractive car.

“Heh… Well… You know…” Twilight chuckled.

It occasionally dawned on her just how rich Sunset was compared to “normal” people. It was something that Twilight often forgot about because she was never really someone who cared too much about money or expensive gifts.

“Come on inside,” Cadence ushered.

Twilight nodded and followed the two into the house, eventually into the kitchen where Cadence had left her young child who was approaching two at this point. The young Flurry waved at Twilight from her height chair and made incomprehensible noises to greet her. Twilight merely waved back as Cadence walked over and began to try and clean the child’s messy face. Twilight surmised that it must have just been lunchtime for Flurry.

“It’s a pleasant surprise to see you here, Twily.” Shining grinned at his sister.

“That’s not the only surprise…” Twilight grinned as she extended her right hand displaying the fabulous ring that Sunset had given her.

Cadence screamed loud enough to rattle the house as she bolted over in excitement and grabbed Twilight’s hand, pushing Shining out of the way before he even had a chance to figure out what was even going on.

“OH MY GOD!” Cadence squealed excitedly.

“You’re… Engaged…?” Shining blinked.

“THIS IS SO CUTE!” Cadence yelled, pulling Twilight into a tight bear hug.

Twilight squirmed to get free but soon realized her efforts were a waste as Cadence had too strong of a grip. Finally, she released the girl and re-examined the ring.

“This ring is so unique! I love it! It must have cost a fortune!” Cadence rambled.

Shining managed to get close enough to look the ring over and whistle at how prestigious it looked. “That’s… Quite a set of rocks, Twilight…”

“So you two really are going to get married then!?” Cadence was practically begging for details.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, we actually intended on doing it as soon as possible…”

“Really? What’s the rush? You’re both really young… Are you sure it’s a good idea to rush into it? I mean I know you’ve been dating for a little over a year, but being married is… a big step…” Shining frowned.

Twilight shrugged. “With how much money Sunset has, I can finish school without worrying about struggling financially, and she already has a house… We sort of spent all of last night talking it over. We both sort of want to make the most of it right away because… We want to start a family together…”

Shining was dumbfounded as he stood there not knowing what to say as his baby sister blushed. His entire life he spent thinking he would be ready to fight any guy who tried to sleep with his sister, but here she was telling him that she wanted to get married and have children and he couldn’t think of a word to say.

“Isn’t that… A bit drastic?” Shining asked.

Twilight shook her head. “Most people want to wait until they are financially stable or own a house or whatever, but we don’t have to worry about any of that. I love Sunset, and I want to have a family with her… I want to be Mrs. Twilight Shimmer… I’d really appreciate your blessing…”

Cadence grinned and spoke for the both of them. “Of course, Twilight! You only live once and Sunset and you are both in a great position to get started on a family right away! If you don’t want to wait, you shouldn’t!”

Shining wanted to argue on the having children part, but he couldn’t think of a counter-argument against it. Twilight had a point, Sunset and she were going to be well off, and any help they needed they could hire.

“What about you, Shiny?” Twilight asked with pleading eyes.

Shining blinked, but said nothing.

“Do I have your blessing?” She asked.

He could never say no to her pleading eyes. His heart warmed and his face turned into a smile. “Sunset Shimmer has been the best thing that ever happened to you… She’s treated you so well and taken such great care of you… I can’t think of anyone who would make a better wife for you…”

Twilight grinned and nodded as she leaped forward into Shining’s embrace, squeezing him tightly. “Thank you, Shiny! I’m so glad you guys approve!”

“Have you told mom and dad yet?” Shining asked.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she let go of her brother. “Yeah, I told them this morning.”

“What’d they say?” Shining raised a brow.

Twilight blushed and looked away. “The just said… ‘Finally’,” Twilight replied.

Shining and Cadence couldn’t help but break into a fit of giggles.

The moment that Sunset revealed she was getting married to Rarity, the girl squeezed her so hard that she thought her eyes were going to pop out of the socket. It took a few seconds for her to catch her breath again, but Sunset adjusted herself and smiled at her friend.

“I’m sorry happy for you two! I always knew this day would come and I couldn’t be more excited. Twilight and you are made for each other…” Rarity nodded with excitement as she took a seat at the table the two were standing at.

They were out on the patio of Rarity’s house, sitting in front of an assortment of snacks that were laid out for the two of them. Rarity already helping herself to a few cookies and crackers.

“So have you picked a date yet?” Rarity asked.

Sunset shook her head as she placed her hands in her lap and just sat there watching her friend eat.

“We’re still trying to iron out the details, but I am thinking it’ll be several months before the actual wedding happens, you know?” Sunset explained.

Rarity swallowed the food in her mouth and nodded. “Well, let me know when you decide, darling! I’d love to design your outfits and please tell me it’s going to be a big wedding!”

Sunset rolled her eyes, expecting such an inquiry from her fashion-forward friend. “It’ll probably be expensive, but a small number of people, since we really only have our friends and Twilight’s family… Mine… Naturally isn’t going to show up, nor do I think they even care that I’m getting married…”

Rarity frowned and looked up at Sunset with a cracker in her hand. “Darling, I’m sorry… I’m sure in their own way, they care about you…”

Sunset just shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. They don’t care about me, so I’m not going to waste too much of my time being concerned over them… You win some, you lose some. In the case of my parents… I got duds, so it’s whatever.”

“Still… Maybe you should go and contact them to at least let them know what’s been going on in your life… Tell them you’re getting married…” Rarity suggested.

Shaking her head, Sunset sighed. “Even if I wanted to do that, which I don’t, it’s not possible. The mirror only opens naturally once every 30 moons, and Princess Twilight hasn’t responded to a single one of my letters, so I can’t get her to open it from the other side either. This is simply how it’s going to have to be…”

“It is a bit strange that the Princess has not responded in so long… I am a bit worried myself… Even if she is busy, she would usually have an assistant or someone contact you, right?” Rarity raised a brow.

Sunset nodded as she picked up a glass and poured herself a cup of tea. “Yeah… I usually talk to Spike or her student, Starlight Glimmer. Neither has been responding, so it’s hard to say what’s happening…”

Rarity nodded as she devoured more food. “So, you naturally haven’t told Princess Twilight about getting married then?”

Sunset sipped from her glass before answering. “I’ve messaged her about wanting to, but since she hadn’t responded to that, or seen it for that matter, I haven’t felt the need to tell her I actually went through with it…”

Rarity swallowed again and nodded. “I’m sure you’ll hear back from her soon, it’s not like her to leave her duties unattended after all.”

Sunset agreed, but there wasn’t much she could do. She would have to wait for Princess Twilight to respond and tell her what was going on and she’d be required to wait until that happened.

“You should focus on your wedding anyway, darling. You’re getting married! Why bother worrying about whatever it is Princess Twilight is up to? You’ve got more important things going on,” Rarity reminded.

She had a point.

“Thanks, Rarity. And I’m sure Twilight would be more than happy to have you design our outfits…” Sunset smiled.

Rarity grinned before picking up a small sandwich. “I may or may not have had plans on designing outfits for the two of you to get married in for some time…”

Rolling her eyes, Sunset sighed. “Of course you have…”

Rarity got a bit defensive at that statement. “Hey! You two have had love written on your faces for some time! I was just rooting for the both of you to work out!”

“I know… Thank you for that… It’s good to know that someone has always believed in us.” Sunset smiled.

Rarity only nodded as she shoved more and more food into her mouth, eventually causing Sunset to start taking some alarm. She had never seen Rarity devour so much food at one time, hell the girl barely ate in general, but her appetite had gone up substantially it seemed.

“Are you… Alright?” Sunset asked.

Rarity blinked before swallowing a bite of food. “Yes? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s just… I’ve never seen you eat this much before…” Sunset remarked.

Picking up a napkin to wipe her lip, Rarity sat up straight and adjusted herself before clearing her throat. “Well… I suppose it’s alright to tell you… Since it’s going to be obvious pretty soon anyway…”

“Tell me what?” Sunset tilted her head in confusion.

Rarity smiled brightly and ran a hand through her recently short cut hair. “I’m pregnant.”

“W-what!?” Sunset blinked and shook her head. “Really!?”

Rarity blushed but nodded as she looked away bashfully. “Yes… Applejack and I decided to start a family. We got a donor and well… We’re expecting a child in the coming months…”

“How pregnant are you?” Sunset asked.

“A little over four months… Close to five…” She explained.

“You’ve been pregnant for months and you haven’t told us?” Sunset raised a brow.

Rarity sighed and shook her head. “We didn’t want anyone to know until we were certain that the baby was healthy. Then we sort of didn’t know the best way to break the news, but I promise it wasn’t meant to be some kind of secret.”

Sunset knew that Rarity was being honest, especially if Applejack would back her up, the most honest person she knew.

“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl yet?” Sunset asked.

Rarity shook her head. “We are going to wait and be surprised.”

Sunset smiled and reached across the table to take Rarity’s hand. “I’m happy for both of you… You’re going to make a great mom, Rarity…”

Rarity blushed and nodded. “Thank you, Sunset… That means a lot to me.”

At that moment the only thing that came to Sunset’s mind was what kind of parent she would be. Twilight and she had talked about having children, starting a family and spending their future together. Would Sunset be ready to handle the kind of problems that a child with a mother from another universe would face?

Her eyes turned back to Rarity, seeing how happy she was, seeing how excited she was to be a mother. Just seeing that image in front of her, made all of Sunset’s doubt’s dissipate if not for just a few minutes. She could only hope she’d be as happy as Rarity was right now to be a parent.

The events of the past never really seemed to escape Sunset. She found herself standing there in the same parking lot she was a few years ago now. Time moved slowly, everything around her felt frozen as she turned her head after being teleported. There standing in the distance, the spitting image of herself, only wearing glasses stood.

Sunset attempted to scream in her direction, knowing what was to come, but no words came out of her mouth. She tried to move but found her body going slower than usual, her legs moved at a snail’s pace, and she could see ghosting of her arms as she tried to run. Everything moving slower than it should, and sure enough without fail, a bullet zipped through the air and pierced through Shimmer.

Pushing her body to go faster, Sunset attempted to get over to her sister in time, but another rang through the air, breaking the silence, then another and another until four shots had hit her in rapid succession.

She couldn’t do anything to stop it, she couldn’t get over to her fast enough, she was helpless. Shimmer crawled, dragging herself to try and get to safety, but just like before, four more shots for a total of eight impacted on the girl and pierced through her body with ease.

Sunset screamed, but could hear nothing out of her mouth as she watched Shimmer try to crawl once more only to give up and lay her head down on the pavement.

Finally, she was able to make it over to the bloody asphalt and lift the girl up. Flipping her over, Sunset blinked and felt her heart stop as she came face to face with what should have been her sister. Instead, long blue hair with blunt cut bangs looked back at her. Sunset trembled as she looked into the purple-tinted eyes of the girl who struggled to speak, getting out only her name. “Sun…set… I… love… you…”

“No… Twilight…” Sunset could feel tears streaming down her cheeks.

Twilight smiled and reached up, touching the young woman’s face as she spoke once more. “You… failed… to protect… me…”

Those words triggered something in Sunset’s brain, she gasped and found herself sitting up in her own bed. She quickly ran her hands across her body, feeling pajamas on her, now soaked in sweat. She panted as she sat up and hugged her own legs while she closed her eyes.

Another nightmare. It was hard to tell if it was from her own guilt and conscious or simply the darkness inside of her playing tricks on her. She thought for a moment that maybe she was in over her head in asking Twilight to marry her. She didn’t have what it took to protect her from the kinds of things that would want to do those who can use magic harm, right?

No. Sunset quickly thought. A while back she would have simply said all of these kinds of dreams were caused by her own thinking, her own lack of confidence, but just now she accepted the possibility that it was merely darkness inside of her trying to lure her back in. That was something she wouldn’t have even considered weeks ago. If she even humored the idea now, she was giving into it, giving it power over her.

Her therapy was working. The evil inside of her knew that, and it feared it. It knew if Sunset really kept trying she would eventually push the darkness into a place in her mind where it would never get out. She had the keep going, there was no time to doubt herself now, not when she was to marry the love of her life soon. She needed to be stronger than ever, she needed to keep on the path she was walking, there was no room for error, no room for detours.

Checking her phone she quickly opened a text conversation between her and her doctor and decided to send them a message letting them know she wanted to meet with them again tomorrow.

Once the message was sent, Sunset smiled and nodded as she set her phone down on the nightstand, proud of herself for not caving that easily. The path she was walking would lead her to being free from the darkness in her. She promised she was never going back, and she intended to keep that promise. Twilight deserved her at her best and nothing short of it.

Thinking about Twilight and their future gave her the strength to overcome. It gave her the strength to move mountains if she needed to, and she wasn’t about to let some darkness inside of her from a time when she was in a terrible place ruin the good place she now found herself in.

“Nothing is going to stop us from being together… Nothing…” Sunset smiled.

Author's Note

A lot of back and forth in this act, but surprise! Rarity is going to be a mom!

Also, Sunset popped the question.

Also pre-emptively: Merry Christmas to you all! It's strange to think this is the second Christmas that has passed since this story started, but thank you to everyone who reads this every week.

Act V - Chapter LXIII: Establish

Chapter LXIII: Establish

Celestia walked carefully as the rattling of chains echoed through the halls of her own castle. Chains that were now attached to her own hooves, chains that were limiting her mobility as she was marched along with a group of eight royal guards, unable to hear or obey a word she commanded. She had tried to persuade them to listen to her and release her, but it was no use; the demon siren’s influence over them was far too strong.

Serenade Dazzle had placed a magic jamming ring upon Celestia’s horn and ordered the guards under her control to hold her in a cell in the basement of the castle until she sent for them after they broke all of the inmates out of the prison. They were able to take over the castle in only a matter of minutes after that. Celestia would spend the next eight hours locked in that very cell until another guard appeared with orders directly from Serenade to bring her to the throne room, and to make sure she was guarded on all sides.

Celestia looked around the group around her seeing if there was some kind of opening where she could make a break for it. Even without magic, she was still more than a match for a few guards. One of them looked over at her and shook his head as they walked, clearly already figuring out what she was planning.

“I wouldn’t even try that if I were you…” He stated.

“Try what?” Celestia feigned innocence.

The guard grew a sinister look on his face. “Our orders were if you make a break for it or try anything funny, or you do not make it to the throne room in the next for minutes to kill everyone in this castle.”

Celestia blinked. “Leave them alone! It’s me you want, leave them all out of it!”

“Orders are orders, Master Serenade demands we do it, and we will obey…” He replied, his tone reeking of brainwashing.

Celestia ordinarily would have called the bluff, but she had dealt with demons before. They often were not the best to test as they usually held true to their threats. Mass murder was not beneath them, and they weren’t exactly the best at getting an upper hoof in negotiations with. Their threats being retracted usually came at a great price, and there was little doubt in Celestia’s mind that that was what Serenade wished to speak with her in the throne room about.

Of all the ponies in Equestria, Celestia knew the most about demons, but Twilight Sparkle knew more about sirens due to her first hoof experience with them. The problem with demons, however, was there were so many types of them. It was difficult to tell what type of demon Serenade even was, so Celestia had no way to know what she was up against.

Dark magic manifested in every creature differently. It usually reflected what their inner most desires were, or rather what negative quality usually made them become a demon in the first place, so it was hard to tell what kind of demon or powers Serenade would have.

The walk to the throne room felt like it took eons, Every step rattled the chains on Celestia’s hooves, every step made anxiety in her build up. Eventually, they came to the doors that normally would bring her to her throne room, but this time, upon opening them, Celestia would see golden curly mane with red tips and a pristine white coat sitting in her normal spot, piercing amaranth eyes staring at Celestia from across the room.

The mare cleared her throat and gestured with her head to the guards. “Come closer…”

They saluted her and began the trek down the carpet of the throne room, eventually stopping and bowing before the mare seated in the elegant looking throne. For Celestia, it felt like she was being violated, watching this demon sit in her throne. She refused to bow, she stood in defiance.

“So, you refuse to bow to me then?” Serenade raised a brow, her scowl still harsh on her face as she did so.

“I’d never bow to the likes of you…” Celestia responded.

“Defiant… Admirable, but… Mistaken…” Serenade smirked before a black shadowy tendril came out of her back, reaching forward and grabbing Celestia by the throat, lifting her off the ground.

The chains on her hooves prevented her from being able to remove the tendril which held her there and squeezed her windpipe. The Princess gasped and kicked as she struggled to breathe before the tendril dropped her onto the floor where she began a coughing fit.

“My advice to you… Don’t anger me… My mind is full of ideas… Ideas that would be far worse fates than death itself… Care to try one?” Serenade tilted her head.

When Celestia composed herself, she could sense something from when the tendril and her body made contact. She could sense just how much anger and hatred this mare possessed. If anything, she knew that she was not one to bluff by that motion alone.

“Perish the thought… What brings a siren to my kingdom?” Celestia asked.

“Straight to business then? Very well… As I said… I am the sister of Adagio Dazzle, a siren that your kind murdered.” She hissed and stressed that last word to make sure the point came across.

Celestia shook her head. “Murdered? I’m afraid there has been some kind of mistake… She was executed for murder…”

“The murder of a mortal, right?” Serenade asked.

“Yes…?” Celestia raised a brow wondering how she knew about any of this.

“I read the entire file that your Princess Twilight Sparkle prepared… In great detail too, I might add… There is no murder here…” Serenade shook her head in disagreement.

“How do you figure that?” Celestia asked.

Serenade grinned a sinister grin. “The life of a mortal is worthless. Taking their life is no loss of value, naturally…”

“So you think it’s okay to kill anypony then?” Celestia asked, a bit of tenseness in her voice.

Serenade nodded as she stood up. “I already have. When I came to take this castle, I gave your guards a choice… Willfully submit to my power… Or die… The good majority of them chose death…”

“You didn’t!” Celestia shook her head.

“They’re being loaded into a pile to be cremated right now… I have no use for those weaklings anyway…” Serenade shrugged.

“You’re a monster!” Celestia hissed.

Serenade stood from her throne and thrust forward with lightning speed, her tendrils grew out of nowhere from her back and tangled Celestia’s body in their mighty grip, squeezing tightly. “Call me that again… And you shall join them… Do we understand each other?”

“Drop dead…” Celestia replied, “you don’t scare me.”

“I don’t?” Serenade asked curiously.

“Not one bit…” Celestia spoke.

Serenade nodded and let the mare down onto the ground. “That’s good… It’ll make breaking you more fun…”

The siren slowly trotted back to the throne and lifted herself up via her tendrils which all then began to recede back into her body and vanished from sight. It was actually relatively remarkable. When she wasn’t using them, there wasn’t even a sign that they were there. The appendages appeared to be made out of pure shadow itself, translucent, but somehow capable of touching and holding things. Were they not turned against her, Celestia would be fascinated and she knew that Celestia would have a field day studying them, granted dark magic study was forbidden.

“What is your end goal with this, Serenade? You know you can’t get away with this…” Celestia informed.

Serenade chuckled and shook her head. “Actually… I probably will. I have a plan after all…”

“And what is that plan?” Celestia raised a brow.

“Like I’d tell you all the details, I’m far from that stupid, but the end goal is to take over Equestria…” She smirked.

“It’ll never work… What do you hope to gain by taking control of Equestria?” Celestia growled.

Serenade shook her head. “So many questions… For a Princess, you’re not that smart. See, I plan on establishing a new world order. A world where mortals finally pay for their crimes… Where mortals finally get the punishments they so deserve for all the chaos and destruction they’ve wrought. As for me… I will be the one who delivers that justice…”

“Why though?” Celestia asked.

“You didn’t think your time would be forever, did you? That you could lord over the world and treat those of us who are different like we’re nothing but trash to be thrown away for all time? No… Sorry, but the world is changing… I am bringing about that change…” Serenade explained confidently.

Celestia chuckled at her mad quest, shaking her head.

“And what is so funny?” Serenade asked.

“You may have been able to overpower me and take me by surprise, but you’ll never defeat the other Princesses…” Celestia mocked.

Serenade came to a stand and gestured with her hoof for the guards to disperse. Bowing their heads, they did as they were instructed as quickly as they could comply while Serenade approached Celestia, he expression turning darker and more sinister than before. She had a look in her eye that screamed of pure contempt, like just looking at Celestia made the anger in her boil hotter than before. There was no doubt about it, this mare despised mortals.

“That is where you’re wrong…” Serenade spoke in an almost whisper tone as she came to Celestia’s ear.

“And how do you plan on doing that?” Celestia mocked.

“With your magic…” Serenade grinned.

“You’ll never be able to control me…” Celestia shook her head as she grew a confident grin.

“I don’t need to…” Serenade whispered as she stepped backward and a tendril came out of her back.

“W-what!?” Celestia blinked.

Serenade stood as the tendril reached over and gripped Celestia’s horn tightly. She could feel it squeezing down on the appendage tightly. There was a certain feeling of being violated that came with being touched by the dark magic that emitted from the thing, a feeling of wrongness just from it being so close to one’s body. She could sense its sinister intent, she could sense how much worse damage it wished it was permitted to do like the thing had a life of its own and was only obeying its master.

“You see… I’m not just any demon… I’m an absorber. Meaning… I can take magic from anyone I so choose… Including you,” Serenade explained.

“Serenade… You’re sick… Very sick… Please, let us help you…” Celestia tried to coax the girl.

Serenade growled and shook her head. “I don’t accept help from disgusting mortals… Besides, you’re the one who looks like they’re in dire need of help right now…”

After she said those words a sharp pain went through Celestia’s body as she could feel the energy being sucked out of her. The experience was both exhausting and painful, causing her to scream in agony as the magic exited through her horn and was sucked into Serenade’s body through her dark tendril.

“Ahhhhh!” Celestia screamed as the final bit was pulled out of her, collapsing as she was finished being drained.

Serenade laughed as she returned to her throne. “I feel stronger already… Once I have the other Princesses’ magic… I can begin draining all of Equestria… Soon there won’t be an ounce of magic that doesn’t belong to me… I will gain all the magic in Equestria, and then I shall use it to make mortals pay…”

Celestia coughed and struggled to stand, but found herself surrounded by guards. “But don’t worry, Celestia… I don’t intend to leave any loose ends… You’re going to be kept in a place where no one can find you. A place where you won’t be able to help anyone… I would kill you, but you may serve some use to me alive, therefore I won’t kill you for now… Guards… Take her away!” Serenade commanded with a stomp of her hoof.

They saluted and began to follow the order, pulling Celestia up, despite her body’s protest. She looked back at the mare who had stolen her throne. Only one thought going through her mind.

Twilight… I pray you finish your training soon…

A meeting with Starlight Glimmer was arranged on Twilight’s behalf by Princess Luna. The two were to meet at Twilight’s Castle in Ponyville in the war room. Luna had returned from a trip to Fillydalphia where she was away seeing to royal matters while Celestia spent her time protecting the Royal Canterlot Prison. To everyone’s surprise, however, that plan didn’t exactly go as well as they had hoped.

The news that her sister had been kidnapped by some kind of demon siren reached Luna the next morning, and right away she called for a meeting with Starlight Glimmer to discuss the situation. She also gave the order to send Starlight all the information they had available at the time so she was up to speed.

A quick flight and eight hours later, the two were walking through the halls of Twilight’s castle, making their way to the war room, sitting down with each other as they looked across the table, Starlight organizing some papers she had brought with her.

“I appreciate you meeting me on such short notice, Starlight Glimmer… I understand these are trying times indeed…” Luna began.

Starlight raised a hoof and shook it. “Don’t mention it. The moment I heard what had happened, I dropped everything I was doing and came right here. You caught me before I left to attend to a matter if Trottingham, so you got lucky.”

“I wouldn’t consider anything regarding our current situation, lucky, Ms. Glimmer…” Luna frowned.

Starlight slumped a bit in her seat and nodded. “Yes… Of course… I was just trying to…”

“Count our blessings where they may be.” Luna finished her sentence for her, “admirable quality, Ms. Glimmer. One that my sister is very fond of as well…”

That statement perked Starlight back up just a little.

“So, let’s get down to business then, shall we?” Starlight smiled.

Luna nodded in agreement as she placed her hooves on the table. “Yes, let’s.”

“So, I spent the last few hours gathering intel and looking over what we already knew. I had a few ponies over in Canterlot who managed to get some additional information for me without being caught. It turns out our siren friend is named Serenade Dazzle…” Starlight began.

Luna blinked in disbelief. “You mean…”

Starlight nodded. “Yes, the sister of Adagio Dazzle… I would put my money on that she isn’t exactly very happy that her sister was put to death either…”

“Who would have ever guessed she would show her face…” Luna looked away, a bit ashamed of herself for not considering the possibility when the trial went down. At the time, they never considered anyone would want to avenge a siren.

“Unfortunately, as suspected… This siren is also a demon… A powerful one at that…” Starlight informed.

Luna turned back to face Starlight. “What kind of abilities does this creature have?”

Starlight flipped through some notes in front of her and looked for the information being asked of her before reciting something written in her notes. “According to this… She can absorb magic, and drain it right from a pony at will…”

“It’s like a siren on steroids then…” Luna shook her head.

“I have a good suspicion that Celestia has likely already been drained then…” Starlight said before blushing and correcting her wording. “I mean… I’m sorry… I shouldn’t talk like that regarding your sister…”

Luna dismissed her with the wave of her hoof. “The situation is dire, there is no need to dress things up in pleasantries and tip-toe around one’s feelings. We must address the matter as leaders, others will be looking toward us for guidance from here on out, and they expect sternness from us.”

Starlight had to admit, she was a bit jealous of how Luna could manage to keep her cool when she knew that her sister could be in a dungeon somewhere, suffering at the hooves on Serenade. Then again, she could merely be the type who bottles all her emotions up so as to not break the illusion of the strong princess that ponies had come to expect from her.

“Yes… Of course…” Starlight nodded. “We don’t know much about demons, and unfortunately that means we are unsure of what kind of tools Serenade has at her disposal… Not to mention with Celestia as a hostage, that makes the matter far more complicated…”

“I doubt she would stay in Canterlot anyway…” Luna said.

Starlight tilted her head in confusion. “Huh? Why not? Wouldn’t she want to protect her hostage, thus her leverage from being taken back?”

Luna shook her head. “If she already has Celestia’s magic, she isn’t useful to her as a hostage anymore… Not to mention if you had that kind of power at your disposal, you are not going to let your henchmen do all the work for you… You will begin a frontal assault yourself…”

“You think so?” Starlight blinked.

“In war, one who does not care about casualties or damage would be best served to use their deadliest weapons as early and as frequently as possible… Given the report showing how many were killed in her attack… Serenade doesn’t care if she has to kill half the population to get what she wants…” Luna sighed.

That sadly made sense. Starlight recalled how many of the royal guards at the palace were killed, along with reports that others under Serenade’s control burned their bodies out in the open. After that, it was only a matter of hours before she controlled all of Canterlot.

Once she had established control over the city, she put up a barrier and a strict no one in, no one out policy. They had tried to shut down the barrier, but there was nothing that could tamper with its demonic energy. From that point onward, all intel ceased, and there was no information on what was happening to the citizens, though Starlight could hazard a few guesses, all unpleasant.

“Unfortunately, Serenade doesn’t have to play by the rules… And that gives her a distinct advantage… She doesn’t have to worry about things like morale, or casualties… She can force any to serve her if she wants…” Luna shook her head.

“She doesn’t have a large army though, Equestria does. We still outnumber her!” Starlight stated.

Luna sighed and closed her eyes. “For now…”

“What do you mean?” Starlight raised a brow.

Luna chuckled as she shook her head. “It’s obvious what Serenade’s plan is… She intends to get all the power of all the Princesses and likely all of Equestria… With Celestia’s power already in her hooves, her influence will only grow. As we speak she is likely turning more to her will… We can not simply attack them either, they are citizens being controlled against their will… She knows this, and she knows we wouldn’t slaughter our own innocent civilians…”

“She intends to defeat us using our morals…?” Starlight questioned.

Luna nodded. “Indeed. If it comes to it, we will defend ourselves, but the decision to kill citizens that are not even serving Serenade of their own free will won’t be a popular one…”

Starlight sighed and nodded. “So we’re on the defense then?”

“Yes, but maybe we can get lucky here…” Luna placed a hoof on her chin and rubbed as a plan started brewing in her mind.

“Ma’am?” Starlight asked.

Luna allowed the idea to stew for a moment before the details all started to become clear to her. She could feel it start to make sense in her mind, and when she had it, she nodded and began to explain.

“If we can anticipate her next move… We can catch her ourselves… If we can ensnare her then…”

“Then we can avoid killing the majority under her control!” Starlight followed with a nod.

Luna nodded back at her friend. “Exactly… Cut the head off and the body will fall too… If we can stop Serenade then we can break the control over her minions… Assuming this plan works…”

“It has to work!” Starlight banged her hooves on the table.

Luna gestured for her to settle down. “The problem is… With as many as the population of Canterlot under her control… Serenade already has a sizable army at her disposal. While I know she will keep many back to protect her stronghold in Canterlot, she still has many who she can send elsewhere… If she manages to take control of another city… She will slowly begin to break up our military forces… She can also smash morale… Words are already traveling about an immortal demon siren through Equestria… It won’t be long before many are too afraid to serve… Some may even begin to follow Serenade willingly…”

“No one would ever do that!” Starlight defended, wanting to believe the ponies of Equestria were better than that; that they would never serve such a monster willingly.

Luna shook her head. “Fear can do many things. When ponies wish for the safety of themselves and their loved ones… They will side with whoever they feel the victor will be… That is why we must clean this mess up as quickly as possible.”

“And if we don’t?” Starlight gulped, not really wanting to hear the answer.

Luna shook her head. “I pray we don’t have to consider that possibility… We must keep our heads up high and keep focused. We can overcome this if we are diligent… Our strength will come from our unwavering passion for victory… Serenade will see that.”

Her determination was admirable to Starlight. With Luna on their side, Starlight knew they stood a formidable chance against even a demon siren. She was strong willed and calculating. While Celestia was always stern when she needed to be, Luna was clearly the expert when it came to tactics and protecting Equestria. Celestia was the face of Equestria, and Luna was the sword and shield.

That meant that Starlight had to do her part as well.

“By the way… Twilight Sparkle… Where is she in her training? I mean… How far along is she that is?” Luna changed the subject.

Starlight blinked. “Oh… Well, she started about eight weeks ago, but I imagine it’s progressing along just fine… No signs of anything going wrong yet… So all is going according to plan thus far…”

“Who is observing her training area right now?” Luna raised a brow.

“That matter is on Spike at the moment. Only a select few know where the training ground is, and thus we can’t exactly put guards there. We’ve kept it secret mostly by letting as few as possible know about it. While some documents in the Castle mention it, it is never spoken where its actual location is, that information is passed only by word of mouth, naturally… But you already knew that…” Starlight blushed as she realized she was reciting royal secrets to a member of royalty that was already privy to them.

Luna nodded. “I am tasking the both of you with keeping her safe… We will need Twilight in the coming days more than likely… Her newfound abilities would certainly prove useful in this upcoming fight. I pray we won’t need her, but we may need every advantage at our disposal now… This demon looks like she is not going to rest until she has taken all of Equestria… Her power is tremendous, and therefore we can’t take any chances…”

“Twilight won’t let us down… I know she won’t…” Starlight smiled, confident in her mentor’s abilities. When Twilight said she was going to do something, she gave it her all. There wasn’t anything in the world that Twilight only gave 80% on.

Luna smiled back and nodded. “She is not known for letting others down, that is for sure…”

Coming to a stand, Luna adjusted herself and bowed. “I shall take my leave then…”

“Where are you going?” Starlight blinked.

“The Crystal Empire… I shall meet with Cadence and Shining Armor and then I am off to Manehatten…” She explained.

“Manehatten? Why?” Starlight asked.

“Serenade wants to build an army, she will attack the most populated areas first as they hold more ponies to ‘recruit’ so to speak. I intend to make it difficult for her… Plus we will need a new stronghold now that Canterlot has fallen to her influence…” Luna explained.

It was about what Starlight expected from a tactician such as Luna. She stood and bowed. “Good luck, your highness.”

Luna nodded. “Thank you, I am certain I’ll need all the luck I can get… Let us hope that Twilight comes back to us soon…”

“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure her training goes uninterrupted.” Starlight bowed again.

“See to it that you do, Starlight Glimmer,” Luna replied. “For all of our sakes…”

Sitting on her throne, Serenade flipped through some books she had stolen from the Canterlot Royal Archives, learning all she could before she made her next move. She knew that she would need to be clever, and prepared for anything that the rest of the royal family would throw at her. She needed to know how much of her powers they understood and what counter-measures they had put in place. Not to mention, she was taking some time to savor the fact that she could now do whatever she pleased and she wasn’t restricted by the fact she was a siren.

She felt empowered, bold, and fierce as she sat there in Princess Celestia’s throne, which now belonged to her. Though the more she looked at it, the more she felt it was not a throne befitting a queen such as herself. She made a mental note that when she was finished with her plan that she would have the entire castle redecorated to her liking. After all, a queen did not serve with hand-me-downs from the previous ruler.

Looking around the room, she could already see herself in stained glass windows that at the moment were tacky and decorated with portraits of the other princesses and the supposed “elements of harmony”. All of it would have to go.

Much to her pleasure, it looked like there wasn’t much research being done on dark magic or demons thanks to it being outlawed some time ago. Apparently, Equestria feared the temptation that researching dark magic would bring, which meant that the defenses for it likely were minimal. They were only prepared to fight demons in their infancy stages, or ones who were foolhardy enough to fall for obvious tricks.

Serenade, however, she was far more powerful than that. She had spent decades harnessing her powers, and after 80 years, she was confident that she was more than a match for most unicorns. With Celestia’s power on her side now though, she knew she was even stronger than before. The odds of even the other princesses being able to take her were slim to none.

Still, the entire matter required proper planning, tact, and clever thinking. Celestia may have walked right into her trap, but Serenade wasn’t foolish enough to believe that the other princesses would do the same so easily. She needed their magic, and it was likely that by now they were all aware of this fact, so they were taking extra precautions to prevent her from advancing from her current position.

She smiled as she thought of it all as just one big game of chess. She had taken down a powerful piece, but she had many more to topple over before she could assume her victory. It was far too early to get cocky. She knew what happened to sirens who got too greedy too quickly, and Serenade was not about to end up like them. She knew she would need to be on her guard at all times and assume everything that came to her too easily was not by accident.

Her eyes focused back on the documents before her as she continued to examine them. Interestingly enough, she found an entry from Clover the Clever that piqued her interest, one regarding demons.

Demon Theory and Final Research Notes

Recently a ban on demonic research and all research of dark magic has come into effect. However, I believe this will be Equestria’s undoing. While a few have fallen victim to the temptation of dark magic and had to be taken care of, I believe this is merely a knee-jerk reaction to ban all research on the subject. I had met with the royal family many times and proposed a different solution: a vetting process and strict guidelines for handling and researching dark magic and demons. Sadly, my proposal has been met with denial many times over, but I remain hopeful that they will eventually see how important this research is for Equestria. If not… I am forced to comply with their ruling.

I am going to put the basics of my finding in this document along with my old research notes in the hopes that eventually they will see the importance of this work and need to go back to it.

Dark Magic appears to hold some kind of power over those who give into it. It creates two base classes of demons, pure and impure. Pure demons are those who welcome darkness directly into their heart, they give in fully and completely. Interestingly enough they seem to retain their original shape for the most part, albeit they often can change the shape of their body using their newfound powers. I’ve never gotten the opportunity to study one for very long, so I am uncertain of what the longterm effects of being a pure demon are.

As far as I can tell, they are impervious to most forms of conventional attacks, they can not age, nor can they die of disease or illness. Their body seems to be revitalized by darkness, giving them extended life, though I am not sure if this makes them completely immortal or just long-lived.

These creatures seem to be capable of feats that would ordinarily be impossible by conventional magic, and they seem to be able to do them with ease. Teleportation, for example, is normally a type of magic that would take nearly a decade of practice and training to achieve, yet some demons apparently can travel instantaneously without any effort at all, though not all of them as their abilities seem to vary from demon to demon.

Then there is impure demons. As far as I know, it is possible to become a demon without fully accepting darkness into one’s heart. This results in an impure demon being formed, and while I have not had any first-hoof experience with this kind of demonification, I have interviewed many who claim to have witnessed it. I am not even entirely sure it’s a real thing as I have no documented evidence of it that proves it, only accounts with bits of information. No photographs, no live specimens, nothing. I suppose it becomes somewhat a matter of faith… How much does one believe these old accounts?

All I can be certain of with impure demons is there is no real way to know what kind of powers they have or what they are capable of in comparison to pure demons. Their origins remain a mystery, along with their abilities. I am not even confident that their lifespans are extended as all evidence that I have been able to find on them would suggest the exact opposite. They remain elusive creatures, but I suspect they live among us in secret. It is very possible that they have learned ways to hide their powers and for whatever reason regret their transformation so they suppress their abilities and try to continue to live normal lives; it’s a theory, anyway.

If the order of the royal family is to cease all research, then I pray that this note and these records survive. My mentor, Starswirl, he has been gone for many decades now, and I too have grown old. As I write this, I am approaching death’s door, so it’s not as if I would have the time to continue this research on my own anyway. I leave this along with the remainder of my research, all I have accomplished in my life so that maybe one day it could serve to benefit the ponies of Equestria. I hope my efforts are not in vain. I hope that Equestria will reconsider if that is the case. Don’t let this dying pony’s wish be lost in the sands of time.

Starswirl… If I ever see you again… If you ever read this, I’m sorry. I did my best to continue our work. I did all I could to dedicate the remainder of my life to advancing magic and understanding the universe… I hope it was enough. I hope it has some benefit to the world.

Clover the Clever

Serenade rolled her eyes at how sappy the last two paragraphs came off, but did find interest in flipping through the notes attached. While Clover’s documentation was detailed and lengthy, it seemed as though, as Serenade expected, he didn’t know much about demons. It was all rudimentary stuff, certainly nothing that would give Equestria any kind of edge over her.

She smiled and set the notes aside with a grin as she ran a hoof through her mane and brushed it against her horn. Her unicorn form had been fitting for her takeover of Equestria, it made it far easier to slip around without being detected, and truthfully she had come to prefer this form as time went on, after all, she spent a majority of her time in this form.

Clearing her throat, she yelled loudly through the halls. “ARAX!? WHERE ARE YOU!?”

Like clockwork, a young cloaked changeling ran down the halls to stand before her. Upon seeing her, he bowed as she offered her hoof. He took it in his own and planted a kiss upon it before looking up at her.

“Yes, master?” He asked with a plain expression, waiting for his master’s instructions.

For as long as Serenade knew him, Arax was far from the most emotive changeling she had ever met.

“Have you prepared all the prisoners in the dungeon to be drained of their magic, Arax?” She asked with a raised brow.

He nodded. “Yes, every magic user in Canterlot has been rounded up and placed in the dungeon down below. It took some time to find all the stragglers, but I’m confident we got every single one… They are ready to be drained whenever you are ready, ma’am.”

Serenade’s expression returned to one of eagerness and delight. “Excellent work… I knew I made the right choice in making you my right hoof. As always, I am impressed by your diligence… Keep it up and you will certainly be the first to reap the ultimate reward… In fact, your actions bring us just a small step closer to it being in all of our grasps…”

He bowed respectfully at his master. “Thank you, ma’am. It is an honor to hear you say that. Shall I take you to the ponies in the dungeon to be drained of their magic right away then?”

She nodded and offered her hoof. “You read my mind; lead the way.”

Arax took the mare’s hoof carefully and gently guided her down the halls, striking up a conversation as he did. “So, what is the point of draining these weak ponies? None of them are on a level with the princesses…”

“It’s called strategy, Arax… Pay attention long enough and you may learn it, in war, one must make sure they stack the deck in their favor as much as possible, even when the odds are already in your favor,” Serenade replied plainly as they walked.

“I’m… Not sure I follow…” He admitted.

Serenade sighed, realizing she would have to explain everything to her henchmen. “It’s simple really… I’m killing two birds with one stone…”

“Ma’am?” Arax asked.

“I will have an even bigger competitive edge over the other princesses this way. They assume I will only be coming with my own power and Celestia’s… When in reality I’m adding the entire population of Canterlot into that mixture…” Serenade explained.

“And the second benefit?” Arax raised a brow.

She shook her head. “You really need to focus, Arax. Think about it… With all the magic in the city drained… I’m ensuring that no one is going to challenge me, no one would be so foolish after this. Once all the magic in the whole world is mine…”

“You’ll be unstoppable, master.” Arax smiled.

“Precisely… Now you’re catching on, my pet…” She reached over and ran a hoof along his jawline. Arax simply nodded in agreement as he continued to lead his master to the basement where magic was ready for gathering.

Rainbow Dash stood with Spike and Starlight looking own at the Royal Training area, putting her face up to the glass, trying to see through the thick black fog down below, but to no avail.

“So there’s no way we can even get in there?” Rainbow asked, still trying in vain to see what was happening.

Starlight shook her head. “No. The door is sealed by magic, and even if we could get in there, it’d probably be dangerous… Right now Twilight is undergoing one of the most precise and dangerous training methods known to our kind. It’s a delicate procedure and if she messed up she would have to either start all over again, or…”

“Or what?” Rainbow raised a brow, finally taking her face off of the thick glass.

“She could die…” Starlight finished that sentence with a frown.

Unfazed, Rainbow nodded and looked back through the window.

“I can’t believe she’s down there with Discord of all people… I mean she’s spent over two months in there with him… I’d go crazy after fifteen minutes with the guy…” Rainbow shook her head.

“Twilight knows what she’s doing, and training with Discord could give her a bit of an edge. Serenade is a calculating and manipulative creature… She is counting on exploiting every weakness we have to conquer Equestria… We have to throw her a curve-ball, and that means Twilight will need a few lessons in… Unpredictability…” Starlight nodded as she recalled what Twilight had told her.

Rainbow paused and looked back at Starlight and Spike. “Hey… Is it true… That she turned all of Canterlot into her slaves…?”

Spike frowned as he joined in the conversation. “We don’t know for sure but… It’s a safe bet… There’s a good possibility that a lot of ponies were killed in the process too…”

“What a piece of shit…” Rainbow scoffed. “Killing innocent ponies like that… That’s a coward’s move…”

“Or a good tactician…” Starlight replied.

Rainbow blinked and stepped forward, standing tall as to intimidate Starlight. “You’re not actually praising this lunatic are you!?”

“Calm down, Rainbow… I’m merely assessing the situation like Twilight taught me… If we are to defeat something we have to acknowledge its strengths… The reality is… Serenade is an excellent tactician… She planned a flawless ambush that nabbed her not only a princess but an entire city to enslave. Within a matter of hours, she had herself an army that would follow her every command… An army that we can not just blatantly fight back against because they are our own ponies… It’s actually an extremely clever move…” Starlight placed a hoof on her chin, a part of her was still trying to figure out how they would get past that.

“Basically… We’re screwed then… We can’t fight back…” Rainbow had an annoyed look on her face.

“For the time being… There might be a way to break her hold on them though… We just have to focus and think our way out of our current situation…” Starlight explained.

“Right…” Rainbow nodded. “So… You think Twilight’s training is going to make a big difference then?”

Starlight nodded. “I’m confident that it will. Twilight is bringing something new and unpredictable to the table, exactly what we need to defeat Serenade. She needs to be met with something she isn’t prepared for.”

“It has to work…” Spike added. “It might be our last card that we can play…”

Starlight nodded in agreement with the dragon. “Sadly… He could be right… If Serenade gains too much ground, Twilight may be the ace up our sleeve here… That’s why it’s important that nothing interrupts this training… At all costs…”

“So… if Twilight manages to finish this training, we stand a good chance of beating Serenade then?” Rainbow asked curiously.

Starlight wanted so badly to simply say “yes” and to tell Rainbow that their odds would be over the top in taking down the demon siren, but in reality, she knew she couldn’t do that. As much as they wanted to surprise Serenade, Serenade had already surprised them. They never anticipated she would be able to take the magic of a princess, let alone conquer all of Canterlot and potentially drain it of its magic.

Serenade already had a sizable army of ponies who would serve blindly without so much as a question, and to boot, they were Equestrian citizens, innocents that they couldn’t even justify attacking outside of defending themselves. Serenade had them on the ropes, they were sitting ducks just waiting for Serenade to launch an attack so they could try and counter it. Her barrier over Canterlot made things more complicated still, as that meant infiltration was out of the question as well.

“I… I hope…” Starlight spoke quietly.

Rainbow blinked and stepped forward. “What do you mean ‘you hope’? We’re in a really bad bind here, we need more faith than that…”

Starlight shook her head. “I don’t doubt Twilight for a second, but the reality is… I’m not sure how much stronger it will make her, or if it’ll be enough. Serenade is already far stronger than we imagined and she likely will only continue to grow in power in the coming weeks… The more magic she gains access to, the stronger she is going to become…”

Rainbow stood tall, defending her friend. “Twilight can beat her! I know she can!”

Starlight sighed and looked away. “If she finishes in time…”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow squinted.

“This process… It can take years to complete sometimes…” Starlight admitted.

“Years!? How many!?” Rainbow blinked.

Starlight winced away as Rainbow’s voice raised and she came closer. “Possibly… up to eight?”

“EIGHT YEARS!? We don’t have that long to wait!” Rainbow stomped forward.

“Rainbow Dash, Twilight is working as quickly as she can, but it’s a process that she can’t rush if she’s not ready… She could die if she tries to push herself too much too soon…” Starlight explained.

That was a fact that Starlight herself was hung up on. The idea that Twilight could die from this training. It was a possibility she didn’t even want to entertain, but being a realist forced her to calculate it in. If Twilight did die from the process, they could kiss their advantage over Serenade goodbye, that and everyone would be devastated. They wouldn’t even have time to mourn though, as the hit to the morale would be just the opening that Serenade would need to make a big push.

Shaking her head, Starlight tried to keep her mind clear of such negative thinking. She had to believe that Twilight was going to be okay. It was Twilight, after all, her mentor, and one of the best mages that Starlight knew. She would come out of this training unscathed, and Starlight had to force herself to be reminded of that.

“Shit though… That would be bad if either of those scenarios played out… Taking eight years or… Twilight…” Rainbow stopped, not wanting to even finish that thought as she closed her eyes.

Stepping forward, Starlight placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder. “Don’t worry… That’s not going to happen… Twilight will live, and if anyone can finish this kind of training early… It’s Twilight Sparkle…”

Rainbow chuckled and nodded. “Yeah… You got that right… Now the only question is… How early…?”

“We’ll have to wait patiently and see…” Starlight smiled.

“I’m sure we’ll be seeing her again very soon…” Rainbow assured.

“I’m sure you’re right.” Starlight giggled.

The clock was ticking. They needed Twilight Sparkle’s guidance, but only time would tell if they would receive it with enough time to make a difference. With Serenade’s plot to conquer Equestria moving forward, they had to remain hopeful, hopeful that Twilight would show up in just the nick of time to change the tide of the fight.

No matter what though, Starlight knew she couldn’t lose hope. She had to remain strong in Twilight’s absence.

Twilight, please hurry… She thought.

Author's Note

The plot of Serenade unfolds.

Act V - Chapter LXIV: Falling

Chapter LXIV: Falling

Standing at the top of a hill, looking down, Serenade stood proudly with a large group of ponies, all clad in armor that she had pillaged from the royal armory. Blades at the ready for most, other various weapons in the hooves of others. She had massed an army large enough to challenge the prize down below, the Crystal Empire.

By the look of the city limits, from where she stood, she knew they were prepared to meet her. Serenade stood with a smile as Arax arrived at her side, in a custom suit of armor she had tailored to him, Serenade wearing her own, and perched atop of her golden mane was a familiar crown, the crown of Princess Celestia.

Arax bowed as he came to his master’s side. “Master… Everything is prepared…” He stated, as he reached forward and took her hoof to plant a kiss upon it.

Serenade didn’t even bother looking in his direction, her focus entirely on the empire before her that she would soon claim as her own. “Thank you, Arax… Tell me… How many warriors do we have at our disposal?”

Arax came to a stand and nodded. “80,000 lives, ma’am.”

Serenade grew a smile and nodded. “You’ve done excellent work then…”

Arax adjusted himself and spoke again. “By my calculations, we shall have the city taken by nightfall…”

“And the magic of Cadence and her husband shall be mine…” Serenade said, practically drooling at the thought.

“What is the plan, master?” Arax asked.

“Two flanks… One from the west… One from the east…” Serenade instructed, her eyes not leaving her desired prize as she gave her orders.

“Ma’am… That sounds like it would take heavy casualties…” Arax inquired.

She waved her hoof dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. By the end of tonight… We shall have plenty of new soldiers to replace them… Besides, it’s merely a distraction for my true plan…”

“Which is?” Arax raised a brow.

Serenade looked over at him and smiled, reaching forward and rubbing under his chin with her hoof. “Patience, my pet… You’ll know soon enough. You’re going to learn very much today about tactics… The most important rule of battle… always be several steps ahead of your enemies…”

“I’ll do my best to learn from you, master…” He bowed.

“That’s a good pet… Now… Let’s begin, shall we?” Serenade nodded.

He nodded back at her and stood up tall giving a salute. Turning toward the army before him, he cleared his throat. “Alright! Listen up! Half of you will attack from the west, the other half from the east! Your top priority is to make as much headway as you can… Casualties are a minimal concern.”

The entire group standing behind Serenade and Arax all raised their hooves and gave a salute in unison. They had no control over their actions, they would serve blindly and do as they were told without question, for Arax and Serenade it was a beautiful sight to behold, to anyone else, it would be a nightmare come true.

“Move out!” Serenade stomped her hoof.

With that command the entire group burst out from the hill at full speed, coming down to begin their assault.

Serenade stayed behind with Arax and smiled. “Today… Is going to be a historical day, Arax… Today… Is the next chapter in how I conquered Equestria…”

Shining Armor was walking down the halls of his castle barking orders left and right to guards that came for direction on what to do and where they should be during this battle. At their gates, Serenade’s army had already arrived, fighting ruthlessly and without a care of life or death. It wouldn’t be long before morale fell too low to sustain a victory, Shining knew he had to expunge the problem as quickly as he could.

“Sir, the east and west entrances are being hit hard! We’re holding strong on the west side, but we don’t know how much more we can take!” A guard huffed as he ran up to Shining.

Shining shook his head. “Fortify with extras from the castle. Any non-essential guard should be at the west entrance.”

“Sir! Yes, sir!” The guard saluted as he ran off to give the message.

Sure enough, just as soon as one problem was solved, another came about. Another guard arrived and gave a quick salute before raining down more bad news. “Sir, the east entrance has fallen. We moved back to keep them from advancing any further into the city, but at this rate, they will break our formation… The citizens are in danger…”

Shining bit his lip, trying to think of a good plan. Realizing his options were limited, he shook his head and begrudgingly gave his command. “Move all citizens closer to the center of the city… Anypony willing to fight with us… Give them a suit of armor and a weapon and have them help push the enemy back…”

“Sir! That’s… Unprecedented!” The guard shook his head.

Shining turned away. “Pressing times call for drastic measures. We must hold them off long enough for Serenade to show herself… We take her out, and this madness stops… I’m willing to wager her patience is low and that means if we continue to hold out, she will grow impatient and show up herself.”

“Yes, sir…” The guard nodded slowly.

“You have your orders, now go carry them out!” Shining growled.

With those words, the guard saluted and ran off. Shining sighed and shook his head as he moved toward the throne room to see his wife. The barrier she had erected to keep the invaders out had fallen, and she was exhausted. So much of her strength had been used to buy them more time, but Shining ordered a group of eight guards to keep protection over her while she recovered.

It had been a good hour since this fight began, and Shining was confident that there was no way it could continue on like this. Serenade may have had brainwashed slaves to do her fighting, but even she would run out of bodies eventually.

It pained him to think that innocent ponies were being massacred by his guards, but he reminded himself that if they did nothing, then the situation would be far worse. The entire empire would be mass slaughtered as they stood there doing nothing to stop it. He hated the position he was in, but it was part of the many burdens that came with being the captain of the Royal Guard. This was exactly what he signed up for.

Shining sat down on a bench in a hallway and removed his helmet, setting it aside as he wiped his brow.

The news of Celestia’s defeat had come quickly to the Crystal Empire, and as expected, panic began to sweep the streets. Ponies everywhere were beginning to worry that the protection offered by the royal family would be inadequate to keep them safe from the coming dangers of an army of brainwashed warriors controlled by an all-powerful demon.

It had been told to Shining that the demon managed to get Celestia’s power as her own, and thus her magic ability and battle fortitude would naturally be increased tenfold. This meant she went from being a dangerous demon siren to an extremely dangerous demon siren, and she now had her sights set on the Crystal Empire.

He couldn’t let her succeed, he needed a way to slow down her advance and come up with a plan. At the rate things were going, the Crystal Empire would belong to Serenade by the next morning. He couldn’t just keep throwing fighters out there to stall, as Serenade would eventually break through, he knew he needed a bigger master plan than to just stall Serenade as long as he could, for that though, he would need a moment to breathe.

Looking out the nearby window of the castle, he could see the battle taking place just a few miles from where he sat. The view from the castle was enough to see the entire kingdom, and normally he relished that fact, but today he was met with nothing but a tinge in his heart as he watched the bloodshed take place down below. How he wished he could be down on the battlefield, aiding his guards, but he knew that was out of the question. His top priority was to command and keep his wife and child safe. The days of him being on the front lines were long gone.

While he had become a leader, Shining still missed the days of being a follower, that feeling of doing something noble and risking everything for it. Truthfully, he wasn’t much for the fact that he now sent ponies out to do the fighting for him, especially knowing that there was always the chance that they would never come back. He had attended so many funerals for his fallen comrades that he had almost grown numb to it, but such was the duty of the captain and of the Prince of the Crystal Empire. Every pony down below looked to him for guidance and he couldn’t let them down.

Taking one last breath and look at the city-state down below, he stood up and decided it was time to face his wife to see how she was faring.

Wandering toward her bedroom, he braced himself for the likely sight of a very haggard mare, exhausted from repeatedly trying to keep the barrier protecting the empire from Serenade’s army, eventually giving in and being unable to continue. Instead, she retreated to her bedroom to watch their child, ready to protect her if necessary.

Opening the door, he saw Cadence leaning over the crib of a crying baby, trying everything she could to calm the child, to no avail. The sounds of fighting outside were muffled by the castle walls, but still easy to hear, and they clearly were disturbing a young Flurry Heart.

The mare herself looked sleep deprived, her mane a colossal mess, and her eyes bloodshot. Her usual shining coat seemed to lack its usual luster today, and she looked about ready to collapse. Noticing her husband enter the room she turned slowly and gave the most gentle smile that Shining had ever seen as she gave him a nod of acknowledgment before slumping to the floor on her haunches.

“Oh… Hello, dear…” She managed to get out after a yawn.

Shaking his head, Shining approached the mare and used his hoof to help her up, aiding her over to the bed in the room for her to sit upon. “Sweetie… Maybe you need some rest… Flurry will be fine…”

“Nonsense… No one else is resting… So I can’t either…” Cadence disagreed.

Shining sighed at his wife’s stubbornness. In a way she was reminding him of his own sister, the two had more in common than he realized at times. “Sweetie… You’re no good to anyone if you burn yourself out. Take a small nap, leave the rest to us… I’m working on a plan to stop Serenade as we speak.”

“What plan would that be?” Cadence asked.

Biting his lip and blushing, Shining averted his eyes. “I… I’ll let you know when I think of it…”

Cadence rubbed her eyes and then spoke up. “I’ve been thinking… It may be possible… To reverse Serenade’s spell over the ponies she controls…”

“You think? How so?” Shining asked.

“Well… If I can regain my strength… We can lure her into a trap, and I can use my magic to do a counterspell, this will make all that she controls to turn on her instead. Sort of like making her own magic work in reverse, you know?” Cadence suggested.

Shining blinked, before reaching forward with his front hooves and grabbing his wife’s cheeks pulling her into a quick kiss before leaning back with a grin on his face. “That’s brilliant! We just need to get you rested up and then we can lure her out! With this many ponies against her, even with her power, she will be outnumbered!”

“That sounds like a great plan!” Another unfamiliar voice filled the room.

Shining felt the blood leave his face as he turned in horror to see a mare standing at the doorway. The first thing that he noticed was the shining red pendant on her neck, followed by her luscious yellow hair with red tips as she stepped forward.

“There’s only one tiny problem with it…” She said.

With those words, a black tendril came out of her body and snagged Shining, pinning him to the wall with a thud. Despite his struggles though, he couldn’t break free, the siren’s hold on him was far too strong for him to break from. Quickly he tried casting a spell only for Serenade to shake her head, causing another black tendril to jut out of her and grip his horn, blocking him from doing any magic.

“That problem, of course, is that you won’t have the time necessary to execute such a plan… Besides, I doubt it would have worked anyway…” Serenade chuckled as she set her eyes on Cadence who was retreating backward on her bed to try and put as much distance between Serenade and herself, even if that distance was minimal.

“Why so frightened?” Serenade asked. “You’re about to be a part of history…”

“Why’re you doing this?” Cadence asked.

“So you think understanding my motivation will give you some kind of leverage over me do you?” Serenade chuckled.

“You’re murdering my subjects… The least you could do is tell me why…” Cadence pleaded.

Serenade stood silent for a brief moment before nodding. “Alright… I’ll tell you… Your kind disgusts me… You mortals sitting on your little throne over the world acting as you own it… Like the entire world is just your plaything. You’ve lived so high and mighty for so long and left those you deemed undesirable to dine in the dirt… Surely you didn't think it would last forever, did you?”

Her voice slowly became filled with more and more malice as she continued speaking. “I loathe every last one of you… Consider this… Retribution. The age of mortals is going to come to an end… This will be my kingdom soon enough…”

“Even if you get the kingdom… It won’t make you happy… I promise that… No happiness can be obtained by murdering innocent lives…” Cadence attempted to reason.

Serenade chuckled and shook her head. “That’s where you’re wrong… When I killed my first mortal… The rush I felt… The energy… It was…” She paused and took in an excited breath. “Unreal…”

“That feeling will wear off… Evil is like a drug, eventually, you’ll need higher and higher doses to get the same feeling you once had… Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you can’t go any higher…” Cadence warned.

“I didn’t come for a lecture… I came for your magic… Now… Hand it over…” Serenade smirked as another tendril came out of her and reached toward Cadence.

Thinking quickly, Cadence cast a spell swatting the tendril away. “Stay back!” She commanded.

Serenade nodded and stood her ground. “So, you still have a little fight left in you… That’s good… Too bad it won’t help you now…”

The siren’s eyes moved around the room until she noticed the crib sitting there. Looking back at Cadence, Serenade’s smile grew and showed the dark intent in her. Cadence’s eyes widened as she reached in that direction, but her efforts were far too late. A long black tendril slithered around the crib and gripped it tightly, pulling it just out of Cadence’s reach.

The Princess of the Crystal Empire gasped along with her husband who shouted from his pinned down position from the wall. “DON’T YOU DARE HURT OUR BABY!”

Serenade chuckled. “That is up to you… I suggest you cooperate or I can’t promise this baby will be returned to you safely…”

Cadence bit her lip but lowered her head in defeat. “Fine… You can have my magic… Just… Leave my baby alone… Please…”

Another long tendril came out of Serenade’s back and levitated over Cadence, looking much like a viper ready to sting its prey. “Wise choice, Princess…”

The tendril zipped at her with cat-like reflexes and gripped her horn. Cadence could feel the energy leaving her body and traveling through the tendril toward Serenade. Within a matter of seconds, the princess was completely drained, falling onto her back as she panted, unable to get up after the ordeal.

“Excellent… Now, what should I do with this baby?” Serenade tapped her chin with her hoof as the baby from the crib was picked up by the tendril and held in an air-tight grip.

“You promised you’d leave her alone!” Cadence panted as she pulled herself up.

“I did no such thing… I merely said I could not promise she would be returned unharmed if you didn’t cooperate… However, I can sense this baby has exceptional power… To leave that at your disposal would be foolish of me, wouldn’t you say? I think it’s probably best if I take this power for myself as well while I’m here…” Serenade nodded.

Cadence was too weak to do anything, she couldn’t stop the siren even if she wanted to. Instead, she watched in horror as the tendril performed the same thing on her child that had been done to her. Energy leaving the baby’s body and entering Serenade quite visibly as the tendril lit up while it absorbed Flurry Heart’s power.

“You know… I should kill this child… Just to send you a message… However, I can think of a far better torment for you… You shall spend your days in a dungeon… Far away from her, not knowing if she’s alive or dead…” Serenade grinned.

Cadence collapsed, defeated and outmatched she found herself pleading quietly with her face in her sheets. “P-please… Don’t… hurt her…”

“Do you think anypony would have adhered to the same pleas when it came to my sister?” Serenade asked as she got close to Cadence.

The princess was unable to answer, instead, she just laid there, completely exhausted.

“I didn’t think so… Now… For your husband…” Serenade turned her attention to Shining who was still pinned against the wall struggling to get free but failing miserably.

Shining locked eyes with the siren and stared at her for a solid moment before she took a triumphant step forward, her voice filling his ears as she spoke. “You didn’t think I’d forget you, did you?”

Shining gave the mare a smirk. “I’d be insulted if you did… Are you sure you even have room for dessert after that two course meal you just had?”

Enjoying the playful banter, Serenade took another step forward and nodded. “Don’t worry… There’s room in me for all the magic I’ll need…”

“Serenade… I am sorry about your sister… However, I promise you that what happened to her wasn’t because she was a siren…” Shining began.

Another tendril came out of Serenade and slapped him across the face, silencing him quickly before he could finish that thought. “I don’t want to hear it… I’ve heard your mortal sob stories before… Nothing but lies intended to deceive those who are foolish enough to believe them. You won’t be fooling me, however…”

“No tricks, I promise…” Shining shook his head.

“Promises from mortals mean nothing…” Serenade chuckled as she came within a foot or two of Shining, her tendril ready to drain him for all the magic he had.

“Maybe we can negotiate? There might be a way to make things right… What is it that you want?” Shining asked.

“What I want?” Serenade laughed. “It’s funny that no one cared what I wanted until I held Equestria in my hoof… Now suddenly everyone is interested in what I want. No one gave a damn when I was weak and powerless… But now… They are listening quite adamantly aren’t they?” She came inches from Shining’s face. “I want my mother and my sister back… But you can’t do that, can you… When your kind killed my sister, I felt a great pain… That pain brought me back to Equestria to investigate, and that is when I found the truth in your royal archives… Your kind had her put to death…”

“Maybe there’s something else we can do?” Shining asked.

Serenade nodded. “Yes… You can all die… See… The only thing I want now… Is for mortals to become extinct…”

“You do that and there won’t be anything for you to rule…” Shining pointed out.

Serenade laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you all alive for a time… After all, I need ponies to build my empire. You’ll be my slaves until I am done with you, then… I will bring in all the immortals such as sirens like myself and Equestria will belong to us… Just imagine… a true paradise free of the scorn of mortals…”

“Sounds more like a nightmare to me…” Shining looked away.

“That’s typical for your kind… You lack vision… Perhaps you will learn it when you’re serving me…” Serenade laughed.

Not wasting another second, the tendril around Shining’s horn began to glow as it sucked all the magic out of his body. The process was exhausting and painful, causing him to clench in agony until it was done. Finally, after only a few seconds, she dropped him to the floor, freeing him of the tendril’s grasp. He gasped for air and struggled to stand, ultimately giving up and choosing to lay on the floor panting instead.

“Y-you…” He began, huffing as he tried to get the words out of his throat. “You’re… a monster…”

Serenade scoffed and kicked him in the chest, causing him to grip himself to try and soothe the pain. “When this is over… You all can take a long look in the mirror… Then you’ll know who the real monsters are…”

Shining was panting, but he managed to get a few more words out. “Your plan… it will… never succeed… Luna will… stop you…”

She laughed and shook her head mockingly. “One princess is supposed to stop me? I have the power of two, a prince and a child princess on my side, combined with my own power… She is no match… Instead of wasting her time on fruitless dreams such as defeating me, she should enjoy her freedom while she has it…”

Looking over at Cadence, Serenade grinned as she marveled at the three prizes she had managed to steal if she counted the baby. Already she had ideas of what to do with the lot of them, each idea popping into her head more sinister and evil than the last. “As for the two of you… Your freedom has already come to an end… Welcome to hell…”

The siege of the Crystal Empire was not a very long one. After Serenade had infiltrated the castle and taken Shining and Cadence’s magic from them, she made mincemeat out of the remainder of the city, attacking from the inside directly. Within a matter of minutes those who were not killed surrendered to the siren. The Crystal Empire then became the next jewel in Serenade’s crown.

Wasting no time she had set her sights on Manehatten where Princess Luna was said to be holding out, hoping to fortify her defenses enough to keep even a demon as powerful as Serenade out.

Serenade would spend the next few days marveling at the spoils of her successful conquest of the Crystal Empire, and of course, adding new slaves to her army to do her bidding. With the conquering of the Crystal Empire she would have fresh bodies ready to lay down their lives at her word, ready to die when she saw it appropriate, and of course, at some point later down the road, construct monuments dedicated to her against their will.

They would spend some time planning and then they would initiate their big assault on Manehatten. Arax was trusted to make sure the finer details of her plan fell correctly into place, and as a result, he often spoke on her behalf to her underlings when his master lacked the time or patience to do so.

He was sitting down in the former war room of the Crystal Empire, now under their control as he looked over a scroll with various instructions from his master on it.

Sitting across from him was an orange unicorn was fiery red spiky mane. His golden eyes shined even in the brilliant lighting of the castle. Naturally, he was sporting a cloak that matched Arax’s own as he was recently accepted as the newest member of their order.

“So, Blaze Snap is it?” Arax asked as he looked up from his scroll.

The unicorn nodded. “Sure is, totally stoked to light some fires too! By the way, when do I get demon powers?”

“Patience, Master Serenade must achieve her ultimate power first, and then we all shall ascend to demons…” Arax explained.

Blaze blew a raspberry and looked away with a pouting face. “Why doesn’t she just give us the powers now? Sounds like we’re going to get screwed on this deal…”

Arax banged his hoof on the table creating a loud thud. Blaze jumped and looked down the hole filled hoof on the table and then back up the angry face of the changeling that it belonged to. “The first rule of this order is to never question the master… You must display unquestioning, unbreakable loyalty newbie…”

Blinking, Blaze nodded. “Yeah… Okay… Still though, it just seems like…”

“Enough! Your lack of faith is already getting on my nerves… You should be spending your thoughts on preparing for your first true test…” Arax stated.

“T-test? What for?” Blaze tilted his head.

A smirk came to Arax as he unrolled another scroll. “You didn’t think you’d simply be let in without a challenge, did you? This order is only interested in the strong, weaklings will be weeded out quickly… You are going to need to prove your strength to us… While I found your abilities with fire to be impressive… The master will need more convincing…”

“This is bullshit!” Blaze growled as he stomped his hoof.

Arax just shrugged at the gesture. “If this is not to your liking, I suppose you could be turned into one of those puppets if that is more preferable?”

Blaze twitched and took a step back. “No way! Alright, alright… I’ll do it… What do I need to do exactly?”

Nodding, Arax looked back at the scroll before giving his newest recruit their orders. “You are to gain control over the town of Haybale. You may bring a handful of minions with you to get the job done… Succeed and you will gain an audience with the master, fail… Well… Let’s leave that one to the imagination, shall we?”

Blaze blinked as his memory recalled where Haybale was. He squinted as it dawned upon him. “Haybale? That’s a little hick town out in the desert… There can’t be more than eight hundred ponies that live there. Why the hell does Master Serenade want to conquer a place like that?”

Arax raised a brow. “What did I just tell you about questioning the master?”

Bowing his head, Blaze looked to the ground. “Right… Sorry…”

“Anyway… If you must know, it’s a strategic setup. That location is far out there and thus most ponies would consider it likely not a target… By crushing even a small town like that, it will strike fear into citizens across Equestria that nowhere is safe… Eventually, this will cripple morale and give us a significant advantage in battle…” Arax explained.

Blaze stuck his tongue out. “Bleh, psychological warfare is so lame… I’ll leave that crap to you… So long as I get to burn some stuff… I’ll be happy…”

“I’m sure there is plenty for a fool to destroy out that way…” Arax rolled his eyes.

“So I’m authorized to kill whoever I want?” Blaze blinked.

Arax sighed and nodded. “You may use whatever means necessary to get the job done, now get out of my face before I tell the master you’d be better suited as a puppet…”

Blaze held up a hoof and shook his head. “Hey, no need for threats, I’m game. Consider it done. I’ll go wipe that little town off the map for you, just don’t turn me into one of those things…”

Arax grunted in response, which Blaze took as an order to get moving. Without any more hesitation, the unicorn saluted and made his way out the door, ready to go carry out his new task.

Looking down at the scrolls in front of him, Arax sighed and shook his head. “Soon, it will all come together…”

Serenade trotted through one of her holding cells where Princess Cadence had been transported to. Stepping up to the cage that the freshly drained princess was taken to and chained down, Serenade smiled and decided to remove the blindfold she had been given.

A tendril appeared out of her back and reached between the bars of the cell and removed the black blindfold off of Cadence and dropped it on the floor before the appendage retreated into Serenade’s body.

Cadence looked around and then down at her hooves noting she was chained to the floor, then she looked back up to see Serenade standing there smiling. “Isn’t it a bit redundant to chain me up if I’m already in a cell?”

“It’s called not taking any chances… Those chains are enchanted, they won’t open without my magic… So I’d get comfortable if I were you, as you’re going to be wearing them for a long time… Don’t worry though, they look fabulous on you…” Serenade smirked as she tormented the mare from outside of the cage.

“Where are we?” Cadence asked with a raised brow.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? Sorry, but I can’t tell you that. Your location is a secret, after all, I want to reduce any and all chances of you escaping, that’s why your husband and your little brat are being kept somewhere else…” Serenade explained.

Cadence attempted to thrust forward but was stopped by her chains. She hissed and spit through her teeth as she kept trying to jerk her body in Serenade’s direction. “DON’T YOU LAY A HOOF ON HER!”

Serenade rolled her eyes. “You should be more worried about yourself… And your precious kingdom… Soon it won’t be yours at all, but mine.”

“Please… Don’t hurt her…” Cadence calmed herself, her words now dripping with sadness.

Serenade stared at the girl before scoffing and looking away. “Don’t look so weak… You think what you’re going through now is so difficult? You haven’t even seen what I have gone through…”

“I can’t see what somepony would have to go through to become as wicked as you…” Cadence spat.

Blinking, Serenade took a step closer to the cell, a long tendril reaching back through the bars and gripped Cadence’s forehead. “Maybe… I should show you…”

Some Time Ago

Most of the memories that Serenade projected into Cadence’s mind were painful memories of her childhood, growing up, how difficult it was just to survive in a world that loathed your very existence, but the hardest part was the constant asking of “why?” The constant longing for a reason for why the world despised you so much and never being given an answer.

That longing eventually turned to hatred. That hatred grew and grew inside of her, opening her heart to become the demon she was today. The more she hated, the stronger she became, it was a dangerous combination.

Cadence saw through a little girl’s eyes Serenade’s own mother burned at the stake, being called a monster as she suffered.

It all came at her in vivid detail until the final memory came, one from only a short while ago, sometime before Serenade returned to Equestria.

She had traveled to the borderlands decades ago, hoping to find a life away from the discrimination that Equestria had offered. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the world outside of Equestria and its allies was far from civilized. The basic building blocks of society existed, but that was it. Mostly, the outer countries were lawless and justice was determined by how well you could take what you wanted and defend what you had taken. No such place was a better example than Dragon Scar.

Dragon Scar had existed since long ago and was considered a nopony’s land eons ago. Very few even traveled there, and even less ever returned. It was given its name by the dragons who ruled over it, though no central government was known. Dragon Scar was said to be a wasteland, but through Serenade’s eyes, Cadence could see just how much the stories were actually underselling how harsh it was.

The land around Serenade was a red desert. The sky red and darkened by the amount of ash in the air. Dragon Scar seldom received proper sunlight, and when it did, the temperature only rose. It was a cold desert, and the winter times were beyond brutal. It wasn’t uncommon to find travelers frozen in place during the winter, dead by frostbite, still hiking their way to the next encampment.

What Dragon Scar qualified as “towns” were nothing more than a group of ragtags who settled in a central area under the agreement not to kill each other unless they had a good reason. What constituted as a good reason was always up for debate, but certainly very flexible.

Serenade covered in a cloak and face cover walked through the windy desert toward the nearest town, a place known as Claw Town where she made her way to the entrance looking up at the guards posted at the gate.

One of them looked down at her, a rather unimpressive looking griffon that gave her a once-over before nodding and opening the gate. When she was let inside, she was met with the same piles of trash that were stuck together for form what could pass as “buildings” in Dragon Scar. Most of which were made out of scrap metal and held together very poorly, but long-term structural integrity wasn’t exactly a high priority of most builders out in Dragon Scar.

As she walked through the streets she could see various griffons, young dragons, wolves and other various species either conducting trades, sharing stories or just gossiping about.

Ponies were scarce out this way, and while Serenade had the appearance of one, she was, in fact, a siren. That, however, did not stop those who would assume she was a pony.

On her way to her destination, a griffon whistled as she walked by causing her to stop and glare in his direction with angry eyes.

“Fiesty, huh? Who’s your owner? I’d pay top scraps for you…” He smirked.

“I have no owner, and even if I did… You wouldn’t survive a night with me…” Serenade commented, her eyes maintaining the same fire.

He laughed and shook his head. “A female pony and she has no owner? You must be a runaway whore then… I wonder what kind of bounty I’d get for bringing you back… That is of course after I have a little fun with you…”

A black tendril reached from under Serenade’s cloak and grabbed the griffon by the neck causing a small crowd to gather as they gasped and whispered while she held him there. “I assure you… I am no whore, and I am no pony… Do not let appearances deceive you…”

“Fuck… A demon? Out here?” The griffon struggled to get out as he tried to pry the tendril off of him.

Serenade released him and dropped him on the ground, causing him to go into a coughing fit. “Fuck… Rough, aren’t you?”

“I don’t have time to waste with a simpleton such as yourself… So it would be wise to leave me alone… You wouldn’t want to make me angry…” She stated as she began to walk away.

The crowd gathered around her all stared for a few more minutes until she flared a series of tendrils from her body to frighten them. The effect was instant as they all dispersed and averted their eyes from the demon siren. Chuckling, Serenade made her way toward a familiar bar that she frequented often, The Broken Talon.

Entering the run down establishment, a group of young dragons only a foot or two taller than Serenade grunted and nodded their heads as she entered. They clearly recognized her from her many visits to this place. Behind the bar though was a face that she had come to know quite often, the bartender and “owner” of this “establishment” whom everyone just referred to as “Scar”, due to the impressive laceration across his face, even going into his beak.

He was blind in his left eye, likely from the wound, but that didn’t stop the griffon from being perhaps one of the most intimidating creatures around. Serenade couldn’t say that she “liked” him, but she at the very least found his company more bearable than some.

With his claw on a tattered old tankard, he raised a brow as he saw Serenade sit down.

“What’s your pleasure, Siren girl?” His gruff voice asked.

“Give me my usual…” Serenade shrugged as she hoisted herself onto the stool.

While she was smaller than most ponies and in the room she found herself in, certainly smaller than the majority of the occupants, anyone who was a regular at The Broken Talon knew that of everyone in the building, Serenade Dazzle was the last creature that anyone wanted to fuck with.

“Two shots Dragon Vodka and a Harsh Hops then?” He raised a brow.

“Yeah…” Serenade nodded.

The griffon wasted no time and expertly poured her drinks, looking at the table expectantly as he passed them to her.

She blinked and levitated some small pieces of metal onto the table as payment. He looked at it and counted it up. “Kid, the price has gone up, it’s now four scraps a shot…”

Serenade blinked and looked at the sign where the drink prices were posted and then back at Scar. “You’re a real bastard, you know that?”

“Times is hard for everyone… You got the scraps, I got your pleasure, but I can’t work for free… We’ve been slow lately and the caravans that head this way have dwindled after the recent attack on the town, so business is not picking up… Besides, didn’t you come to turn in a job?” He raised a brow.

She grunted and nodded. “Yeah… I dropped off the bastard’s slave for him. Tell him he can leave the scraps here and I’ll pick them up next week when I come back through this way…”

Scar nodded and smiled, his scratched beak looking somewhat odd when he smiled. “You’re a pretty hardcore gal, you know that?”

“I’ve been told…” Serenade rolled her eyes as she downed the two shots and began to nurse the beer provided to her.

“Slave retrieval ain’t easy… A lot of those slaves usually are willing to die before going back… How do you manage to get them to cooperate the whole way back? A runaway slave usually will slit their own throat before returning to their master…” Scar leaned in with interest.

Serenade shrugged as she took another sip. “I show them a fate worse than slavery… Worse than death itself…”

Scar laughed jovially at her statement. “I like you, kid… Maybe if I were a bit younger, I could see us going well together…”

“I’m definitely older than you…” Serenade rolled her eyes.

“Just how old can sirens get?” He raised a brow.

“Old enough… The short version though is that I’m at least twenty times your age…” Serenade explained.

“A cougar then?” He laughed.

“Are you quite done, Scar? I don’t come here for your pathetic casual flirting… Trust me, I get enough of that… Besides, sirens don’t ‘go’ with anyone…” She rolled her eyes as she looked away.

“Must be a lonely existence…” He frowned.

“Lonely would imply that I actually care for the companionship of worthless mortals…” She rolled her eyes once more.

“Everyone needs someone…” Scar replied.

“Not me. Not now, not ever… The only other creature in this world that I care for is gone… Long gone…” Serenade looked down at her drink before levitating it to her lips and taking a long sip.

At that exact moment, she froze and gasped as a sharp pain shot through her body. It felt like her heart had stopped as bitter agony rocketed through her veins, shooting to every part of her body. The pain was so unbearable she dropped her mug onto the floor, hearing it shatter as she fell backward off of her stool.

Scar quickly hopped over the bar counter to come to her aid as heads started to turn in her direction to see what was up. Serenade couldn’t even get back up, the pain was so unbearable, she could feel something familiar with it though, something that lingered for a brief second before the pain stopped.

She panted and looked over at Scar before looking up at the ceiling.

“Are you alright, kid?” He asked with concern in his voice.

Serenade paused for a moment before the words left her lips. “S-she’s… here… She’s back in Equestria… I felt her…”

“Felt who?” Scar raised a brow.

Serenade looked over at him and spoke calmly. “I need a dragon to take me out of Dragon Scar…”

“Ha, good joke… You know that they don’t usually help anyone out here… Getting in and out of Dragon Scar is impossible for that very reason…” He laughed.

Serenade had a tendril come out of her back and grip Scar’s shoulder tightly. “I said… I need a dragon to get me out of Dragon Scar… Point me to the nearest dragon and I’ll convince him to get me out of this place…”

“Alright, no need to get your claws out…” Scar sighed.

Serenade brought herself to a stand and gave a nasty look to all of her onlookers, making them all avert their eyes and return to what they were doing prior to her fall. She lifted the stool back up and grinned.

“My sister… She has returned…”

Sitting in his new office of operations in the Crystal Empire, Arax was going through file after file, scroll after scroll of various information they had intercepted from The Crystal Empire’s archives. He was tasked with locating anything hidden behind closed doors that could possibly assist Serenade in her conquest. Any secret that could give them even a slight advantage was appreciated by his master because, despite her tremendous growing power, she still was trying to take on the strongest empire in the world, and they were not going to simply let her have it so easily.

Scanning over documents, he heard a tap at his door. “Come in…” Arax grumbled.

When the door swung open, a familiar unicorn stood there, light cyan blue mane dangling down his form, clearly far too long for a stallion, but he was a bit on the effeminate side anyway. This unicorn had a slender figure which was accented with muscle tone and shining orange eyes.

Over his body was, of course, the same style cloak that Arax himself wore, though Arax’s was slightly more decorated, establishing his rank as Serenade’s second-in-command.

Arax nodded at the unicorn before returning to his work, not even making eye contact. “Shield Strong… What brings you here today?”

Shield bowed gently before speaking up. “Sir, I have just received word that Haybale was razed… Burned to a crisp…”

“Are there any survivors?” Arax asked, still not giving Shield his full attention.

“A few, the remaining group of eight civilians all surrendered, and have agreed to assist Master Serenade willingly…” Shield informed.

Arax nodded. “Excellent, then I suppose Blaze has passed his first of many tests…”

“But eight is not that much of a gain for us… He could have left more alive…” Shield argued.

Arax sighed and shook his head while he shifted his attention to a new scroll. “Unnecessary… The point of his mission was to establish fear, leaving only a few survivors works well in doing that… Remember we don’t want to simply cripple Equestria’s military, we have to break their spirit too…”

Shield grumbled and shuffled his feet.

“What was that?” Arax asked.

Sighing, Shield shook his head. “Sir… If I may be so bold… Blaze is a loose cannon. He’s a wildfire… No pun intended… But he’ll burn everything in his path… Can we really trust someone like that?”

Arax didn’t seem even the slightest bit concerned on the matter, his eyes still scanned over documents. “Blaze is nothing more than our lapdog… So long as the one holding his lease can handle him, he will do as he’s told… And the one holding the leash is the Master…”

“What if-“ Shield began but was interrupted as Arax finally looked up and met his eyes with his own.

“If he should become unpleasant we can dispose of him. He’s not your concern, though you have little to worry about… The little pyromaniac is harmless… Let him have his fun, so long as he’s having it within the confines we have set for him… If he ever crosses a line, we will turn him into a puppet like the rest and use his power as we see fit…” Arax explained.

Shield sighed and nodded. “Yes sir…”

“Now if you excuse me, Shield… I have a lot of work to do… As do you…” Arax gestured with his hoof for the unicorn to leave him in peace.

Bowing, Shield obeyed.

Starlight bowed to Princess Luna who instantly ushered her to stand. “Starlight Glimmer, now is not the time for formalities. At this moment, I would consider us equals, would you not?”

Starlight blinked and shrugged as she abandoned her formal behavior and spoke to Luna directly. “Yes… Sorry… I came to deliver the new myself, that’s why I rushed here…”

“What troubles you, Starlight?” Luna raised a brow.

Starlight had traveled within a day at top speed the moment a letter had reached her regarding the Crystal Empire. Luna’s fortifications in Manehatten had been so concrete that she had created a nothing in, nothing out system. Only high profile ponies such as Starlight herself were allowed to enter, and the mail system was shut down.

Luna believed at this point that information was critical and any information that could have been intercepted and used against them would be devastating. Her order now was to only have secure information traveling, thus why Starlight had to arrive in person to deliver the news.

The young mare looked down with guilt. “Well… The Crystal Empire… It has fallen…”

Luna blinked in disbelief. “What of Shining Armor and Cadence?”

Starlight shook her head, not wanting to think about their fate. “Serenade has taken them too…”

“This is most terrible… With this much power at her disposal, there is no doubt in my mind that Serenade will come here eventually…” Luna looked out the window of her new base of operations.

“What will we do?” Starlight asked.

Luna wandered over to the only desk in the room and sat down in front of it. She placed her hooves on top of it and leaned in. “The only thing we can do, Starlight… We will put every bit of fortification we can onto this city. All reserve military forces will be moved here… We can’t afford to lose this place too if that were to happen… Serenade would have Equestria… Our shining empire would be lost to a mad mare…”

“We can’t let that happen…” Starlight agreed.

Luna sighed. “What of Twilight Sparkle? How is her training going?”

Starlight bit her lip. “I… I don’t know. Hopefully well…”

Luna sighed and shook her head. “Starlight… I don’t want to admit this, but with the situation becoming as it is… We may need Twilight’s abilities now more than ever. They may even be the key we need to turn the tide of this battle. It is important that you see her training to its completion… From here on out, I am assigning Spike and you to watch over her full time… You are not to leave the Royal Training Ground until you can do so with Twilight Sparkle…”

“Ma’am… Aren’t I more use out here?” Starlight argued.

Luna just shook her head at the mare, a solemn look on her face. “Your new job is to wait for Twilight… And pray she finishes with enough time for us to make a difference… I shall focus on holding out as long as I can… So long as Serenade does not have my magic, she will not be satisfied… It’s clear that her plan requires her to make sure she covers up any and all loose ends. To our advantage… This means she will continue trying to get to me… So so long as she doesn’t have my magic, she will focus all of her efforts on gaining it…”

Starlight nodded. “I pray for your safety then, Princess…”

Luna smiled at the young mare. “Fear not… Twilight Sparkle will not let us down… It’s not in her blood to do so… I have known her for some time, and Twilight does not quit even when the odds are against her.”

Author's Note

The Crystal Empire has fallen, Serenade's conquest continues. Will they be able to stop her?

Fun fact: Serenade's design took a while to finalize.

Act V - Chapter LXV: Cold

Chapter LXV: Cold

Sunset could feel Twilight’s soft hands going up her back as they gripped onto her shirt. She shuddered for a brief second as she felt the girlish hands run over the scar across her back, but relaxed as she remembered who the hands belonged to. Twilight had captured her in an embrace as the two locked lips passionately.

Neither could remember when this make out session had started, but both knew that neither wanted it to stop. Their tongues danced, their hearts raced and their thoughts became more and more lust filled as they held each other closely, keeping the passionate exchange going for what felt like hours.

Breaking the kiss to come up for air, the two locked eyes. Without her glasses on, Twilight was squinting just to see Sunset, but it was alright. One of her biggest annoyance with her glasses was how they always seemed to get in the way when it came to sex or lovemaking. There had been many times where Twilight simply chose to leave them on the entire time they were having sex, just to avoid embarrassing mishaps, such as tripping over herself (which had happened a few times already).

Sunset smiled as she tucked a strand of Twilight’s loose hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek, causing the girl to smile.

Twilight leaned in and began planting butterfly kisses along Sunset’s jawline until she came to her neck and began going down that as well, gently nipping as she did. The effect caused Sunset to gently grip the back of Twilight’s head as she worked her way down and unbuttoned the first few buttons of Sunset’s shirt and exposed the girl’s shoulders as she gave a few kisses along them as well.

The sensation was incredible, but the redhead kept hearing her own thoughts as Twilight worked.

One day this girl will be your wife.

What was wrong with that? Sunset thought. She welcomed the idea of Twilight as her wife, she wanted them to spend their entire lives together, she wanted to take care of her and in turn, be taken care of by the bookworm.

Opening her eyes slightly, Sunset saw someone in the room with them. A woman standing a decent height, long red hair with golden streaks and crossed arms. She stood there with a solemn look on her face. This time it wasn’t Shimmer, but herself. It was like looking into a mirror.

For that moment, it was as if Twilight was invisible. She was facing away from the other Sunset, so there was no way to see her, but then Sunset rationalized that she probably wasn’t really there anyway, but instead a figment of her imagination.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing, Sunset?” The other Sunset asked with a raised brow.

Sunset remained silent, unsure how to answer, or if Twilight would hear her answer, instead she just allowed the scene to play out.

The other Sunset shook her head. “Twilight Sparkle… You want to marry her, but is that really fair to her? She says she’s okay with it all but is it fair of you to subject this human girl to the pain and hardship that will come with being with an Equestrian like yourself?”

Sunset blinked and stared as the other her spoke some more. “Think about it… You’ll have to spend the rest of your life hiding what you are to the world… Twilight will become a part of that lie… You were not meant to be in this world, and yet you continue to tangle yourself deeper and deeper into its affairs… What gives you the right?”

Sunset couldn’t think of a thing to respond with. The other her had a point, but it wasn’t one she wanted to acknowledge. Sure, she knew the possibility of something like what happened with Shimmer was far lower now, she had convinced herself of that, but the more she thought about it the more she realized the challenges that the two of them would face. Equestria was going to play a role in their lives whether either of them liked it or not.

On top of that, Sunset had to hide what she was to the outside world. Could she really keep the charade going forever? Every day pretending she was human? Having to go to special doctors who would remain discrete, having to forge paperwork and documents just to keep people from sniffing around her. Was it fair of her to bring Twilight into the same life?

No, it didn’t matter. She loved Twilight, and she was determined to make it work, but she started to wonder if maybe she had been too hasty. She should have given Twilight more time with her before asking the girl to marry her. Twilight deserved enough time to see what being with Sunset in the long term would be like so she had the ability to say no if she wanted to.

After blinking, Sunset noticed the apparition of herself vanished from the room and all attention came back to the girl planting kisses along her shoulder.

Twilight looked up and tilted her head as she sensed an off feeling about her fiancé. “Is… Everything alright?”

“Huh? Yeah? Why wouldn’t it be?” Sunset asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Twilight frowned. “You seem… Distracted…”

“Oh… Yeah… Sorry… I was just thinking about some stuff to myself… Don’t worry about it…” Sunset frowned back at her, but then looked away.

“Is this… A bad time?” Twilight asked shakily.

“Probably… Sorry…” Sunset sighed.

Sitting up, Twilight reached over to the end table from the bed they were sitting upon and retrieved her glasses. Once they were perched on her face she let out a sigh as well. “What’s going on, Sunset? I know you. You will overthink things until they cause you to do stupid things…”

“I guess… I was just thinking…” Sunset bit her lip, not wanting to say it.

“Spit it out…” Twilight instructed.

Letting go of her lip, Sunset spoke the question she didn’t really want an answer to. “Do you… Really want to marry me?”

Twilight blinked and looked down at the ring on her finger before holding it up to show Sunset. “I’m wearing the ring, am I not?”

“No, I mean… Are you sure… It’s a good idea?” Sunset looked away, shame in her eyes as she did.

Twilight sighed and slumped a bit as she shook her head. “Are we seriously doing this shit again, Sunset?”

Sunset sighed and kept her eyes from looking at Twilight. “Look, I’m just… Having some self doubts right now… I mean you said yes so quickly that I didn’t really think hard about what I was asking…”

“I knew what you were asking, Sunset…” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“No, you knew I wanted to marry you, but you didn’t consider what that entailed. If you marry me, you’re getting all the bullshit that comes with me…” Sunset explained.

Twilight felt a bit exasperated at how much of a worry wart Sunset could be, more so than herself even. “Sunset Shimmer, I am fully aware of that…”

“Are you? The fact that you’ll have to lie all the time about where I’m from? The fact that I can’t go to a normal doctor? That magic is going to circle around your life?” Sunset started shooting questions at Twilight so quickly that it was near impossible for the girl to even respond.

Once she saw a chance to get a word in, Twilight shook her head. “Sunset, none of that matters to me… I want to be with you, I don’t care what we have to do to make it work… I was prepared to do that from the start…”

“I’m different, Twilight…” Sunset frowned, finally looking in her lover’s direction.

Twilight nodded and sighed before leaning in and planting a soft kiss on the girl’s velvet lips. She touched her forehead to Sunset’s and nodded. “I know… That’s part of why I love you… You are different… I know it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m prepared to face it… I was prepared the day we got together, and I was more prepared the day you put this ring on my finger…” Twilight gestured to her hand.

“I just… Worry that you may be getting into something that you end up realizing you can’t handle…” Sunset sighed.

“What can I say to make you see that I’m not? Whatever happens, we’ll face it together…” Twilight frowned.

Sunset bit her lip. She didn’t have an answer. She knew she wanted to marry Twilight Sparkle, that much was certain. There was a block in her mind trying to sabotage her before she even made it down the aisle though, something always nagging at her that she was making all the wrong moves and saying all the wrong things. Sunset wanted to marry her, but her brain always assumed the worst.

“I… I don’t know… I wish I did…” Sunset looked away.

“Do you not want to marry me?” Twilight asked with a raised brow. “It’s okay if you don’t…”

Sunset quickly turned back to her and shook her head. “No! I absolutely want to marry you! I’ve never been more sure about anything! I want us to be together forever, Twilight… I just… I get nervous when I think about it… I know we’ll be happy but I worry about backing down because I fear hurting you… A life with me… Hell, a life just being around me always seems to get people hurt…”

Twilight reached forward and took both of Sunset’s hands in her own, gently caressing the back of Sunset’s palms with her thumbs. Her soft skin felt nice, and her delicate little hands fit so perfectly in Sunset’s own, almost like they were made to be held by Sunset.

“If there is anything I can do to help put you at ease… Let me know, please… I want you to go into this with confidence, Sunset… I want you to know from the moment we say ‘I do’, that everything will be okay… That you won’t get cold feet on me… What can I do?” Twilight asked, her voice tender and sincere. She wasn’t asking out of fear that Sunset would back out, but more out of concern. That was what Sunset loved about Twilight, she had reached a point where she could know that sometimes what Sunset said was merely her brain working against her. She was able to tell that Sunset was completely sincere when she said that she wanted to marry her. Twilight Sparkle “got” her, in a way that no one else did.

The two girls fit together so perfectly, their relationship was a dream come true, and shy of minor tiffs and disagreements, they got along so well. They complimented each other and built each other up. They overcame their weaknesses together, but one such weakness still persisted with Sunset, her fear of making things difficult on others. No matter how much time passed, it was still her greatest weakness, her inability to allow others to be burdened by her or because of her.

“I wish I had an answer, Twilight… I… I think I need time to think about it… If that’s okay… Don’t mistake me, I still totally want to marry you…” Sunset frowned.

She was a bit surprised to see a smile form on Twilight’s face as she nodded. “Yes… I know you do, Sunset…”

There wasn’t even a hint of doubt in Twilight’s voice; she genuinely believed the girl.

“Thanks… I’m sorry…” Sunset rubbed the side of her nose awkwardly as she avoided looking into Twilight’s eyes.

“For what?” Twilight blinked.

“For… Being like this… For being so frustrating at times…” Sunset sighed.

Twilight giggled and kissed the girl’s nose. “You take as long as you need, alright? Whatever will help you feel better about all of this, just let me know… We’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen, alright?”

Sunset nodded and felt herself blushing as a small smile crept onto her face. “Thanks, Twilight… For understanding that is…”

“I wouldn’t be a good fiancé if I wasn’t at the very least, understanding.” Twilight winked.

“Nah, you’d be a good one regardless… Maybe even better than I deserve…” Sunset replied.

“You stop that, you deserve the very best and I won’t hear another word about it.” Twilight tapped the redhead’s nose.

Laughing, Sunset nodded. “Yes, ma’am…”

Twilight was spending the weekend at her brother’s home to spend some time with her niece while she had a few days off from school. She had completed most of her assignments, and she was far ahead of the curriculum so she had some time to kill. It was a perfect opportunity to get some quality time with Flurry in and see her brother and sister-in-law.

Yawning, she stretched out in her pajamas and fumbled around her end table in the guest bedroom to find her glasses. Once she had located them, she planted them on her face and gave them a quick few adjustments. When she was satisfied with the results she wiggled her nose and blinked a few times to get her eyes adjusted to the morning light that was seeping into the room from the window.

She looked over at the clock, noting it was only 8:30 AM. Pulling the comforter off of her slender body, Twilight allowed her feet to touch the floor as she yawned once more and forced herself to a stand. She wobbled a tad, but after a few seconds, Twilight was properly upright as she wandered toward the door and opened it.

Making her way downstairs she could already smell the scent of freshly brewed coffee filling the air, a steeple of Shining’s home as he was always up relatively early to get ready for work. She remembered when he was in high school he used to drink coffee all night to stay up playing video games or when he was playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. It was weird to see him shift from being such a night owl to a proper morning person, though she suspected it likely took a lot of frustration to get to that point.

Twilight found herself amused at the idea of Cadence trying to train her husband to get up early for work. When he was starting out as a patrolman, he was so used to the late shift that it definitely was a very odd adjustment period for the both of them. Now though, with their daughter, the two of them had to focus on being home at night. With Cadence taking over as the principal of Crystal Prep and Shining working homicide, it definitely was difficult.

Fortunately, the two of them seemed to make it all happen regardless of the challenges that it created. Shining was always a resourceful guy, after all, when they were kids, he somehow always found a way to make things happen even if they seemed impossible and even if it seemed he procrastinated too much.

When she reached the dining room, sure enough, Shining was sitting there with an iPad in front of him, flipping through news stories as he sipped a dark brew from a steaming cup, giving the occasional contented sigh as he did.

He had the day off from work today, so he was instead sitting there in an old T-shirt decorated with images of Monty Python and the Holy Grail rather than his usual suit and tie combination. Strangely though, he no longer wore sweatpants around the house when he had time off like he did when they were kids, instead he had actual jeans on, likely because Cadence wasn’t a big fan of them walking around looking “too sloppy” when guests were over, even when those guests were Shining’s younger sister. There was little doubt in Twilight’s mind though that if she was not there, that they would be in nothing more than a tank top and sweatpants, both of them. Part of her even bet they walked around in their underwear.

Shining looked up from his iPad to see his younger sister, nodding at her as he watched her pull a chair out and sit down across from him. “Morning, sleep alright, Twily?”

Twilight nodded and cracked her neck. “Yeah, I’m definitely well rested… So already ready to enjoy your weekend, I take it?” Twilight asked.

He smirked and nodded. “You know it, already have plans to sit down and play Uncharted 4, I picked it up a while back but I never get enough time to play games anymore…”

“Maybe that’s a good thing?” Twilight giggled.

“Oh shush you.” Shining rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure Cadence doesn’t mind the fact that you spend more time with her and Flurry…” Twilight smiled.

Shining sighed and nodded. “Yeah… You got me there, sadly…”

“You’re still a nerd deep down it seems…” Twilight grinned.

“Guilty, though Cadence thinks I’m cool, so that’s all that counts.” Shining winked.

Twilight found herself rolling her eyes as she usually did when her brother did or said something lame, though the feeling and expression was mutual a lot of the time as Twilight was caught doing her share of “uncool” things on a regular basis as well.

“She would…” Twilight shook her head.

“Say… How’re things going with Sunset? I’m surprised you’re here and not spending every waking moment over there…” Shining pointed out.

Twilight bit her lip and tried to think of a believable excuse, but the only words that came out of her mouth betrayed her. “She needed some space…”

“Having a fight, I take it?” Shining raised a brow.

“I wouldn’t call it a fight… I mean we didn’t yell at each other and she’s not mad at me, and I’m not mad at her… Technically she didn’t even tell me to leave and I’m here voluntarily…” Twilight explained, rubbing her neck as she realized she was probably making absolutely no sense.

“Is that how women fight? Man, maybe I was born the wrong gender…” Shining set his iPad down and placed a hand on his chin, briefly imagining himself as a woman.

“I told you, it’s not like that…” Twilight shook her head.

Shining’s brow rose. “What is it like then?”

“I guess… I’m just frustrated is all…” Twilight shrugged.

“Sexually?” Shining blinked.

A blush quickly found its way to Twilight’s cheeks. “N-no! Not like that! Jeez!”

“Was gonna say… Maybe I’m not the best person to go to that with…” Shining laughed nervously.

“No, our sex life is fine…” Twilight blinked and covered her mouth when she realized what she had just said.

A grin appeared on Shining’s face as wide as a highway. “Is it now? So you two are having a good time then? My little Twily, growing up…”

“Please stop…” Twilight frowned and shook her head.

Shining waved his hand and nodded. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop picking on you. Still, if it’s not sex, what exactly is the problem?”

Twilight sighed and debated for a brief second if she really wanted to disclose a frustrating aspect of her relationship with her brother. While it was a reoccurring problem, she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea, as it had died down significantly and at the moment it wasn’t as terrible as it was when it began.

She decided ultimately to not keep him in the dark. “It’s just… Sunset clearly has a problem with long term commitment…”

“She asked you to marry her though, didn’t she?” Shining raised a brow.

“She did… But she’s sort of… Struggling to go through with it…” Twilight grimaced.

“She is calling it off?” Shining blinked.

Twilight shook her head. “No, it’s not like that. She wants to do it, she wants to go through with it, but she’s worried her brain will talk her out of it because of her paranoia. She’s thinking about all the difficulties we’ll face if we get married… She doesn’t want to put me through hardship… I mean you saw what you had to do just to get the situation with Adagio to go away, she’s worried that stuff like that will be a regular occurrence for us…”

Shining sighed and nodded in understanding at what his sister was saying. “Well… I guess the big question is… Does any of that stuff bother you?”

Twilight shook her head once more. She was surprised at how quickly she could answer that question. “No. I love her and I’ll do what it takes… I don’t care if our life isn’t normal, I just want us to be together…”

A smile came back to her brother’s face as he listened to her. “Then you’ve already made the most important step. So long as you feel that way, it’ll work out.”

“I just need a way to convince her that…” Twilight frowned.

“You’ll think of something, you’re resourceful, Twilight. I know you are.” Shining winked.

“Thanks, Shiny… I just hope I’m as resourceful as you think I am…” Twilight chuckled.

“You’ve amazed me in the past, so I’m sure this will be no different,” Shining replied.

Some Time Ago

Sometime after Shimmer’s funeral and Adagio’s defeat, Sunset had found herself in a funk, unable to be motivated to call her friends, go outside, or even get out of bed some days. For the longest time, she thought her misery would never end. The pestering of Twilight wasn’t enough to get her out of bed all the time, but it was enough to make her wish she could break the negative spell on her. She had managed to start contacting her friends again after their help in taking down Adagio, and even show her face, but still, she struggled to get back to her normal life. Every day was a battle.

Today was one of those battles, another day of lazing about feeling sorry for herself, mixed in with some self-pity. She was going to therapy, but it was taking some time to get past the guilt. At this point, she had at least accepted that what happened to Shimmer wasn’t her fault and that there was nothing she could have done. The reality was that Shimmer chose to sacrifice herself to save Sunset. It wasn’t a choice she was happy with, but it was Shimmer’s decision, her final one.

She knew she needed to get past all of this if she wanted Shimmer’s sacrifice to not be in vain.

Her mind was racing, and she decided that a shower might be able to quell the nagging part of her brain.

Pulling herself out of her bed lazily, she allowed her feet to dangle over the edge for a brief moment before a yawn exited her and she came to a proper stand. Grumbling to herself, she could feel the furry tail of a familiar canine at her feet, causing her to look down and see Moon sitting there with a tail wagging and a face that screamed: “pet me!”

Smiling lightly, Sunset reached down and gave the dog what he wanted and rubbed his head lightly and gave his neck a pat or two before getting up properly. Looking over at the clock it was 8:00 PM. She had slept all day and when she wasn’t sleeping she was laying in bed waiting to go back to sleep. In all fairness though, her fight with Adagio had drained her. She was still feeling exhaustion from how much magic she utilized in her battle.

She had been running on zero magical reserves by the time the fight was over, and her body had been pushed to the limit. It was taking some time to recover. She remembered for the first week she had a hard time staying awake. She had drunk nearly a gallon of coffee just to stay awake at Adagio’s trial, though the adrenaline was likely a factor as well.

Making her way to the bathroom, Sunset groaned as her body ached from laying in bed.

She had been sleeping in her bra and panties, so slipping out of her attire to get ready for a shower at least wasn’t much of a hassle. She was completely nude in a matter of eight seconds as she found her way to the mirror.

Sunset took a glance at herself and noted how tired she still looked. No amount of sleep seemed to stave away the bags under her eyes.

Yawning, the girl fumbled around until she made it into the shower proper and got the hot water started.

When the water hit her body, it somehow didn’t seem to have any effect in shaking the grogginess away. Her long hair soaked and cascaded down her form, and she closed her eyes trying to empty her mind.

When her efforts to clear her head failed she looked down at her stomach noting how despite her muscle tone, she was losing weight. She had been very poor on remembering to eat in the past few months, something she had only recently begun correcting. Sunset was always bad about maintaining a healthy weight, she found herself struggling to gain weight, and a mostly vegan diet didn’t help.

She made a mental note to get with a nutritionist at some point in the week to discuss her issues with her weight.

She wondered if her friends had such problems with weight gain. Rarity naturally probably didn’t as she was always dieting, so that pointed to the opposite being true. Pinkie was a definite though, as much as that girl ate she should have been a good eighty pounds heavier, but she wasn’t. She was a little curvy, but far from fat.

Returning her thoughts to the shower she was taking, Sunset decided that she’d take it easy with the exercise today, no sense in getting all sweaty if she just showered. While her exercise routine was odd and sporadic, she tended to go a bit on the overboard side when she did train.

Taking a deep breath, Sunset tried to clear her head once more, this time a bit more successful, but again not completely so. Images of Shimmer’s death were at least pushed out of her brain, but they were replaced with the images of a possible death for Twilight which almost happened due to her negligence. Adagio had taken her friend hostage and if Sunset hadn’t shown up in time, there was a distinct possibility that Twilight would be six feet under right now. She shuddered just thinking about it.

Quickly scrubbing her hair with Shampoo and then rinsing it, Sunset moved on to washing the rest of her body with haste. After she was finished, she shut the water off and pulled out a towel to wrap around herself and another to wrap around her long hair. She noted that she hadn’t had a haircut in some time, but somehow she was liking how it was looking getting longer, that and she didn’t exactly care enough to do much about it.

Once she was dry enough, she came back to her bedroom and sat down on her bed, looking over at her phone seeing she had a missed call. Blinking, she shrugged and picked up the phone.

Without even looking at the name, the redhead hit redial and held the iPhone to her ear. To her surprise, a voice she hadn’t heard in some time came through the speaker.

“Hey, Sunset… Long time, no talk…” The masculine voice spoke.

Sunset blinked. “Flash? Is that you?”

“Heh, yeah, it’s me. I just called to check up on you. You kind of went radio silent for a while there so I wanted to make sure you’re alright from the last time we talked you sounded like you were in trouble… Is everything cool now?” Flash asked his voice filled with legitimate concern.

It made Sunset smile to think that even though they broke up on such terrible terms and even though she was a raging bitch when they were together that Flash still cared enough about her to check up on her. She felt a little guilty though knowing that he was far too good to be wasting his time on someone who treated him so rotten, even if she had changed.

“Well… The situation has winded down, but I wouldn’t call myself ‘fine’ at this moment in time…” Sunset replied honestly.

“What exactly happened?” Flash asked.

“Well… It’s a long story, but the short version is those sirens came back… Turns out that one of them was responsible for murdering Shimmer…” Sunset explained.

“What!? No way! What happened to her! Did they catch her?” Flash gasped.

It had just occurred to Sunset that while Flash was familiar with some magic elements and that Sunset herself was from another world like a lot of their fellow classmates, he didn’t know much about the ordeal that went down. Most people at the school had sworn to secrecy and agreed to never talk about magic and what it caused, not that many would believe them anyway.

This, in turn, meant that flash knew very little about the sirens or Equestria for that matter. “Well… It’s a bit more complicated than that, Flash… See we brought her back to Equestria where she was put on trial…”

“What are trials in Equestria like?” Flash asked.

“I don’t know, it was the first one I had ever been to… But they sentenced her to death…” Sunset replied. Court in Equestria was definitely different from the human world, but Sunset lacked much experience with it.

He remained quiet for a few seconds before his shaky voice responded. “D-death? Is that a common thing in Equestria?”

“No. In fact, it is rarely used, but Princess Twilight felt it was necessary…” Sunset said.

A part of her felt bad in showing him a side of his former crush that he likely didn’t want to know about.

“Sounds nuts… So… She’s gone now?” Flash asked.

“Yeah, pretty much… Princess Twilight took care of the matter, now I’m just trying to get back to normal, but it’s rough…” Sunset said.

“Sounds like it… I don’t know what I’d do in that situation, but it’s okay if it takes you a while to get back to normal, you know? You’ve been through a lot it sounds like…” Flash reassured.

His words brought Sunset a small amount of comfort. “Thank you, Flash… I appreciate it… I guess I’m just a little shaken up by the fact that had I slipped up other people might have died too as a result… I’m still having a hard time getting over that…”

“Just remember, you have your friends to count on… You’re a tough girl, Sunset… Hell, you helped defeat three sirens, save the school from Midnight Sparkle and even save Camp Everfree… Yet somehow you find the time to be saving the world again from a murderous siren hellbent on revenge… That’s pretty damn awesome in my book…” Flash complimented.

Blinking, Sunset took a moment to process that statement. What he was saying was true, she had really done quite a bit in her short time in the human world. She had saved the world more times than she could count by now, and it was because her friends believed in her.

“What did I ever do to deserve a friend like you?” Sunset smiled as she spoke into her phone.

“Just being yourself… I know we’re not together anymore, but I’m still really glad to see that I was right about you… You were just a shy girl waiting to come out of your shell… I knew when you did… You’d do amazing things…” Flash spoke.

A small tear ran down Sunset’s face as she nodded. “Thanks, Flash…”

“You just have to do what you told me about Twilight…” Flash said.

“What’s that?” Sunset asked.

“You just gotta move forward,” He encouraged.

Starlight closed the door to her apartment behind her as she noticed her roommate, Angel, passed out on the couch. She was too cute for words in her white strapless dress and sandals as her chest rose and fell rhythmically while her long curly blue hair draped over the side of the couch, tied in her signature two pigtails. Her hair was characteristically messy, but it suited her so well. Starlight couldn’t even imagine the girl with straight hair, her wild curls were part of who she was.

Starlight was a bit jealous of how much hair she had, and how impossibly cute she looked in just about anything, but she was happy for her. Angel was the center of attention whenever boys were around, and while she was a virgin, it was absolutely satisfying to watch her struggle with the interactions and try to find a way out of the situation. Sometimes Starlight would take her somewhere where she knew that guys would hit on her just to tease her. It always brought a never-ending stream of amusement for Starlight, even if it was at her best friend’s expense. One day Angel would make someone a great girlfriend, but that day was definitely some time off.

She thought for a moment about what had been happening in Angel’s life. Angel had discovered she had some kind of magical abilities a few years ago now and the two of them spent a lot of their free time searching for some kind of explanation. Sadly, there was little in the way of results and once they had reached the point where both of them were sure that the trail had run cold, they had put the search on the back burner until something new happened that would give them a clue.

Angel claimed she had some kind of vision that told her she needed to look into six girls, but she didn’t know their names or where to even begin looking to find them. For the first week after the vision, Angel was checking every website to see if she could find some kind of picture with those girls in it. She found it was difficult to track down only a face based upon just a vague description, and without their names, she would have a difficult time finding her mysterious girls.

That didn’t discourage the girl, though she did spend more time taking care of herself and living her life, she never gave up hope that she would one day find these girls and all would become understood to her. Her fortitude was admirable. Where others would usually give up, Angel Song trudged forward with unstoppable resolve.

Stepping more into the room, Starlight noted the book in Angel’s hand. She chuckled as she saw the title, “Circlet of Feydra”. A popular fiction book from a few years back. She remembered it had been made into a movie not that long ago, she had seen it once or twice. It was an excellent piece, and the original author had helped adapt the screenplay. She was particularly fond of the young mage who traveled with the book smart mage and her friend, she felt oddly relatable to Starlight.

Angel must have finally taken the time to read the book after a recommendation from their co-workers. Angel wasn’t much for reading or video games for that matter, she usually liked TV shows, but truthfully, she didn’t really do a lot for fun in general. She was a simple girl with simple pleasures. Starlight had gotten her an Xbox for her birthday but she rarely touched the thing, she couldn’t even figure out how to work the controller. Eventually, she just got a TV remote for the game console and used it as a glorified blu-ray player.

Starlight realized that she knew more about Angel Song than most did. Due to her shy nature, Angel seldom made other friends outside of work and even those there were not people she shared too much about herself with. Angel was a rather private person and difficult to get close to, it took Starlight a good few months after they moved in together to get her to start opening up at all. It took at least eight days just for Angel to say more than “hello”, to Starlight.

Placing a hand on her chin, Starlight tried to recall everything she knew about Angel. She was an avid carnivore, able to eat several steaks without gaining a pound. She also had a great talent for singing in the shower, though she would never admit to it or sing in front of other people. Her voice was heavenly when she felt she was alone in the apartment and Starlight would come home early and hear her voice fill the entire apartment with sweet music. Though, she’d deny it if she was ever caught.

On top of that, she was an avid hater of Apple products saying they were overpriced and unnecessary. Similarly, she hated the fruit as well, though she loved raspberries. Anything tart and sour was the key to winning her affection.

Speaking of affection, she recalled that Angel wasn’t a very affectionate type. While she was a very thankful person and never let anyone walk away without a proper thank you when they did something nice for her, she didn’t exactly like holding people’s hands, kissing, or even snuggling. Starlight recalled how awkward it was at first to get the girl to hug her. After enough time though, she eventually grew comfortable with that at least with her.

Her parents had died when she was a teenager, sometime before Starlight and her met, and as a result, she had been on her own since she was eighteen. She had no brothers or sisters, and she had spent most of her life here in Sacramento. She was far from what most would stereotypically call a “California girl”, but it indeed was what she was through and through.

On top of all that, Angel Song was Starlight’s best friend, a friend she could count on. No matter what the occasion, no matter how much it might make her feel awkward, Angel Song was always ready to go on one of Starlight’s adventures. She would muster up all the courage and self-confidence she could and she’d tag along with a bright smile on her face. She was the most dependable person that Starlight knew.

Walking over to her sleeping friend, Starlight grabbed the blanket draped over the back of the couch and placed it over Angel’s body carefully, making sure not to disturb her, for she was an exceptionally light sleeper.

Blinking Starlight heard the girl mutter something in her sleep. She leaned in to hear her better.

“A-App… le… jack…” She uttered between light breaths.

Starlight blinked before she noticed Angel’s eyes pop open and she sat up quickly, causing Starlight to yelp and hop backward.

“Applejack!” Angel repeated.

“The cereal?” Starlight tilted her head. Images of an orange and green breakfast cereal came to mind as a few commercials for the cinnamon based product replayed in her head.

“No! One of the girls from my vision! Her name is Applejack!” Angel replied looking over at Starlight.

“How do you know?” Starlight asked as she calmed herself down after her small heart attack caused by Angel surprising her.

“I… I don’t know… It came to me… I’m sure of it though! We just have to look for an Applejack and I bet the rest of them will be a cinch!” Angel smiled brightly, a newfound sense of determination about her.

“Well… What’re we waiting for then? Let’s get moving!” Starlight grinned back at her friend and roommate.

Coming to a stand, Angel placed her hands on her stomach and then gave Starlight a sheepish look as a growling noise emitted from the small girl’s innards. “Maybe… After we eat first? I think I forgot to eat today…”

Chuckling, Starlight nodded and pulled her phone out of her pocket. “I’ll order us some Chinese then.”

“Oh! Make sure you get extra peanut sauce!” Angel ordered.

“I swear if you ever developed a peanut allergy…” Starlight rolled her eyes as she began to dial.

“I’d just voluntarily die.” Angel snickered.

“You’re an odd one, Angel… But I’m glad you’re my friend because I like them odd…” Starlight smirked.

Sitting in her home’s personal bathhouse, Sunset allowed her body to submerge under the steaming water just up to her chin. A long sigh of relief exited her as she felt her muscles begin to soothe and calm themselves.

Just sitting in the bath reminded her of all the times she had spent with Shimmer in this very bathhouse and how they had debated on baths vs. showers (Sunset still submitted that showers were superior, though she still admitted that a bathhouse had a nice appeal when you needed to relax a bit more).

All those memories seemed so far away now like it had been so long since the two of them sat together like this. It dawned on her though that Shimmer had died years ago now. Time had leaped forward and Sunset was still being stuck in the past, albeit unintentionally.

She cleared her head of thoughts of Shimmer and spoke out loud to get the notion to stick in her brain. “Shimmer is dead… You need to move on… She would want you to move on… You need to focus on Twilight.”

Twilight. The thought of her fiancé triggered a new thought in her head. She had been trying to get her mind off of marrying Twilight and how she was struggling with cold feet, not because she didn’t want to marry Twilight, but because she had an internal struggle with not letting Twilight marry her. She had to shake it, she needed to push herself to do this because she knew she’d regret it if she didn’t.

How could she though? What could she do to force herself to go through with this marriage and not chicken out?

She needed something that made it so there was no going back, some way to ensure she wouldn’t give up once the process was started, something that would-

It came to her. Her eyes widened at the thought. It was so drastic, so extreme… So… Perfect. It was the best plan she had ever come up with. It was something she knew would work, it would force her to get past her doubts and focus on making things work out. The only question though was if Twilight would agree to something so out there? She had to, she needed to. Sunset would simply explain this was how she was going to overcome her trepidation and that she was sure that she wanted to get married, she just needed a push.

She closed her eyes and laughed as she played out her idea once more in her head, marveling at how absolutely crazy she sounded. It didn’t matter though, it would ensure that Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer got married, and that was all that mattered.

Sunset came to a stand in the bath and peered around for a towel. Once she located one, she wrapped it around her form and stretched as she felt a new sense of freshness about her. Her entire body felt rejuvenated and she was ready to tackle any obstacle that came her way.

Stepping out of the bath, she made her way to the door and eventually down the hallway toward her bedroom. Once inside she picked up her phone and quickly began typing a text message to Twilight.

Hey, Twilight, I have an insane idea. Hear me out on this, because I think I have the solution to our problems, a way that I can-

She stopped and then shook her head before deleting the message. No, she couldn’t send this kind of thing in a text message. She needed to talk to her fiancé face to face for something like this. This wasn’t something that could be conveyed by simple text.

Sunset straightened herself up and decided to request a meeting between the two of them to discuss the matter.

Twilight, I love you more than anything in the whole world. I want to marry you, I want us to stay together forever and that’s why I’ve come up with a way to make this work; a way to get myself over my paranoia.

As if Twilight was waiting on her message, she replied almost instantly.

What is it?

Smiling, Sunset couldn’t help but feel somewhat excited over her idea as she replied.

It’s something we should talk about in person. How about you come by my place tomorrow, I’ll text you in the morning a good time to come over and we can discuss it then.

Naturally, Twilight was fast to reply.

I’ll see you then.

Author's Note

A lot of bath/shower moments. I just noticed that now. Odd, but unintentional, I promise!

Act V - Chapter LXVI: Flashbacks

Chapter LXVI: Flashbacks

Some Time Ago

Sunset leaned up against a locker and silently watched as her boyfriend at the time, Flash Sentry talked to a group of guys about various subjects. Checking the time, she had noticed it had been going on for a good eight minutes, and she merely stood to the side in silence, unable and unwilling to participate in the conversations being partaken.

Flash Sentry was a pretty sociable guy, a far stretch from his rather introverted girlfriend, Sunset Shimmer. Few even knew they were dating she remained so quiet about the fact. Their relationship hadn’t exactly gone too far yet either, due to Sunset’s inability to get close to people, it made it so even holding his hand was a challenge for her. Underneath her quiet and standoffish demeanor was a girl who was difficult to approach for most. Flash somehow bridged the gap and managed to get through to her when others would have given up.

Standing there, Sunset studied Flash, he was a handsome boy, albeit a bit tall for his age. While he was far from an athlete, he was in excellent shape. His exercise routine at home must have been impressive, that or he simply had a great diet, Sunset didn’t pay enough attention to figure out which. She did see a treadmill and weight set in his garage when his band practiced, but that could have been his dad’s; Sunset never bothered asking.

His fashion sense while not terrible screamed 90s, but Sunset found herself okay with it, she wasn’t exactly the most fashion conscious for her age either.

The conversation of her being a magic unicorn from another dimension hadn’t exactly happened yet, and part of her knew that it was going to be a challenge for this relationship to go much further until he was made aware of what she really was. The problem though was how to inform him of such. It wasn’t the type of topic that you could just spring on anyone, and if any amount of study of this human world was evidence, humans likely would freak out over something like that.

The truth was, this world was boring to Sunset. There wasn’t any magic here, and that meant the one thing she was truly good at was worthless here. She would have to rely on her other talents if she knew what any of those were.

As she watched her boyfriend laugh and chuckle with his friends, she wondered why a guy like him even put up with someone as boring and bland as she was. Sure, she had been told she was good to look at, but she was far from interesting to talk to. Most guys saw her as nothing more than eye candy, but a weirdo beyond that.

She avoided public speaking and tried her best to simply blend in with the background. One thing she learned back at school in Equestria was the best solution for a girl like her was to make yourself invisible, don’t do anything to stand out or draw attention to yourself.

Flash laughed and smiled at his friends in a way that almost made Sunset smile just seeing him. She loved it when his face lit up like that when you could see compassion in his expression, and joy in his eyes. Flash had an amazing smile, one that Sunset was somewhat envious of, on top of other qualities, such as being good with people.

While Sunset had gotten better at asserting herself, she still was very poor at making friends. She managed to get crowned as the Fall Formal Princess with a few well places threats and rigging the system, but truthfully she was still a very shy girl. Most of her worst deeds were kept under wraps or just rumors spoke in passing.

For as long as Sunset could remember she was exceptionally bad at communicating with others, even Princess Celestia was a challenge to talk to sometimes.

As she remembered the Princess, her mind turned to thoughts of what she must be doing right now, or if she missed Sunset. It had been some time since she left Equestria, was it possible that the Princess sent a search party to find her here in the human world? No, that wasn’t a possibility, the mirror portal only opened once in a great while, that meant that following her here would have to wait quite a long while. She was completely on her own now.

The redhead wondered if she’d ever even see Equestria again. It hadn’t really occurred to her too deeply that this may be a one-way trip. Sure, she realized that possibility at the time of jumping through the portal, but the gravity of it all didn’t really hit her until far later when she was already through that she may indefinitely be stuck in this new strange world.

Being a human was a lot different than being a pony, you had to use your hands to pick things up, there was no magic, and humans relied on complicated technology to fill the hole left by magic. Humans had tons of strange customs to make up for lacking magic, actually. Being a human sucked.

Flash gave a wave to his small entourage of friends as they all split off and made their way down the hall in the opposite direction of Sunset and him. She watched as her boyfriend came back over and smiled at her.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to take so long.” He grinned.

Sunset shrugged. “It’s alright…”

“You know, you didn’t have to wait over here, you could have come over and joined us, I’m sure the guys wouldn’t have minded,” Flash pointed out.

Sunset bit her lip and glanced away for a second. “I… Uh… That’s okay…”

His smile quickly converted to a frown at her words. “Sunset, you’re not going to make friends if you don’t talk to people…”

“Maybe I don’t want to make friends…” Sunset replied, avoiding eye contact.

He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Sunset… What’s wrong? Be honest with me.”

She found herself unable to look away, and when her eyes met his, she felt her fortitude crack just a tad as she decided to tell him the truth. “I… I’m afraid of opening up to people…”

He nodded. “That’s evident, but why though?”

“It’s complicated… The short version is I have a long history of people judging me unfairly… I just… I’ve just learned to avoid the situation all together now…” Sunset explained.

Flash sighed once more and leaned down to be closer to Sunset’s eye level. At this point in her life, Sunset wasn’t very tall, nor was she finished growing, so Flash had a significant height difference over her. “Sunset, if you’re afraid to open up, you’re never going to be happy…”

Sunset winced internally at that comment which brought back memories of Celestia telling her something similar time and time again. So often under her mentor’s tutelage, she would be told such a thing, but she always tuned it out. At that moment she could see it all replay in her head.

A majestic looking alicorn standing beside her as she had her head buried in yet another dusty old tome, absorbing knowledge of the past only for the Princess to levitate the book away from her.

She’d look up and stare at the Princess of Equestria standing there smiling at her young student. She’d flip through the pages of the book and then look back at Sunset and tell her to take a break and go try and have some fun with the other children. Sunset, of course, would make up a myriad of excuses until the Princess gave up on trying and would hand her book back to her with a disappointed sigh.

That sigh was perhaps the single most painful sound that Sunset had heard in her entire life up to that point. That sigh that acknowledged that she was letting the pony she looked up to the most down.

That same sigh was now coming out of the mouth of Flash Sentry.

“I… I…” Sunset stuttered, a bit stunned by that memory coming back to her.

“I can’t force you, but you really should make a bigger effort…” Flash instructed.

“I… I can’t…” Sunset looked away.

“Why not?” Flash asked.

“I’m… I’m afraid… That’s all…” Sunset closed her eyes, trying her best not to start crying, even though all the painful memories of being picked on started to resurface.

“Afraid? Afraid of what?” Flash raised a brow curiously.

“Of being hurt… Or of hurting other people… I don’t exactly have a great history with this kind of thing… I never really told you this before but… At my old school… I got picked on all the time… Hell, I’m pretty sure that you’re the only friend I’ve ever made…” Sunset admitted.

His frown turned a bit more into a smile as he heard those words. “Well it’s an honor to be your first friend, and boyfriend at that, however, this should show you that people aren’t all bad and that you can trust people… I mean, I’m you’re friend and you took a chance on me… I haven’t hurt you, have I?”

“Maybe this is one of those scenarios where I end up hurting you?” Sunset proposed.

He chuckled and rubbed her hair lightly in a playful manner. “You have an over-active imagination sometimes. You worry too much about things that are uncertain… You need to just live and let things happen, you know?”

Wiser words had never been spoken to her up to that point.

Some Time Ago

Locked away in her private study at Crystal Prep Academy, an overworked and sleepless Twilight Sparkle clacked away at a keyboard as she buried herself in schoolwork. The science fair had come and gone and naturally, she had once again taken home first place, and she was already beginning work on what she was going to do for her next year’s project. It was never too early to begin getting a head start, that was Twilight’s motto.

Her faithful canine companion napped at her feet after a good few hours of running around in circles and occasionally being thrown a ball from Twilight in between fierce typing sessions. She had stopped only once in her eight hour stint to use the bathroom, and she couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten something, though she vaguely believed it was a granola bar sometime around breakfast, however, she may have been remembering another day.

While most students went home on a Friday where the school was closed (unless they lived in the dormitories), Twilight was given exclusive access to her private research room due to her outstanding academic performance. Principal Cinch wasn’t exactly the nicest or most generous person out there, but she did recognize brilliance when she saw it and went out of her way to accommodate those who were overachievers. If there was one thing Cinch loved, it was those who made her look good; and Twilight made her look great.

The girl was on top of every class, she had the best grades on every test, and her entrance exam for the academy went down in history as one of the highest scores ever. Twilight didn’t even need to be reminded of how brilliant she was, every day was a constant reminder when she walked past the trophy cabinet and saw a plethora of trophies given to the school because of her achievements.

These achievements, of course, afforded her certain luxuries that other students could not get, though they came with a caveat of students not exactly liking Twilight that much. They saw her as a know-it-all and a show-off, even though she always tried to downplay her genius when others were around. Twilight wasn’t one for bragging, and her social awkwardness helped in that regard. Bragging meant the attention of others after all.

Sadly the students at Crystal Prep cared not, in their mind, Twilight Sparkle was a good-for-nothing over-achiever that made anyone near her look bad. It was rough at Crystal Prep for sure, but the classes made up for it.

Twilight came from a family with a decent amount of money, that meant going to a private school like this was something they could make happen with relative ease. While they were far from rich, they were comfortably upper middle class. Some of the students at Crystal Prep came from millionaire families, but there were few that were actually poor, maybe less than 8% of the student population by Twilight’s calculations.

The only poor student that Twilight was familiar with was ironically someone who was just under her in academics. She had gone up from eighth to third in her class in only a single semester. Her name was Moondancer and she was quickly starting a lot of buzz from her attendance at Crystal Prep.

The rumor mill had it that she came from poverty, her mother was a waitress, and she managed to get into Crystal Prep on some kind of scholarship. She took the public bus to get to school and she lived in the poorer section of the city. Supposedly she was some kind of child prodigy, similar to Twilight, however, most just focused on the fact that she didn’t have money and thus “didn’t belong” at Crystal Prep.

Twilight had heard her fair share of negative comments in the hallways as she passed by about the girl.

What’s someone like her doing here? This isn’t a place for commoners.

I wonder if her mom had to blow the school board to get that scholarship.

What a total loser. I heard she spends all her free time in the library because she has no friends.

That last one resonated with Twilight, she could relate. Teenagers were cruel.

She had never met the girl, but she had seen her in the hallway from time to time. She was a rather slovenly girl with messy hair that looked like it was seldom brushed. She kept it out of her face by means of a hair clip.

Her face was cute, dotted with freckles and light skin, though she was far from the most feminine person Twilight had ever seen. While she had a girly face, she lacked much of a girly figure. Perhaps she hadn’t filled out yet, but she was nearly flat chested and built sort of like a beanpole. She hid it by ordering her uniform a size larger so it was somewhat baggy on her.

She wasn’t the most talkative person that Twilight had ever met, then again, Twilight wasn’t either.

Still, she felt sorry for the girl and wondered what she was doing at this moment.

It was her sophomore year, and tonight at this very moment there was a school dance happening at the gymnasium, and no doubt Twilight and Moondancer both shared the same fate: they weren’t going.

Instead, Twilight had buried herself in her work, she had opted to keep herself occupied and avoided listening to the gentle echo and vibration of music coming from the gym. She hated gym class anyway, so any reason to avoid that room was a good one in her mind.

Her work was going well, she was making rapid progress, confident that she’d win the science fair again next year with the results she was producing. Her goal was to win all four years that she was in high school there at Crystal Prep.

A tap on the door went unheard by Twilight until it was followed with the sounds of the lock on the door being undone and then opened. She blinked and looked over the back of her office chair at the figure entering the room. She sighed as she noticed the vibrant hair that was made up of a mixture of purple, pink and beige. “Oh… Dean Cadence… Hello.” Twilight waved before returning her eyes to her screen.

Walking in awkwardly, Cadence nodded as she placed her hands in front of herself, afraid to touch anything in the room for fear that it was connected to another one of Twilight’s many ongoing scientific experiments. She had been given strict orders by Principal Cinch not to interfere with Twilight’s work whenever possible.

While the principal was far from the most likable person, she did have a way of motivating students.

“I uh… Came to check up on you…” Cadence said.

Twilight nodded but didn’t even bother to turn and face the older woman.

“Twilight… Why aren’t you at the dance?” Cadence asked curiously.

Blinking, Twilight realized she hadn’t come up with a rational excuse for not attending. She just assumed that no one would ask and thus needing some kind of explanation seemed like a waste of time.

“Oh… Well… You know how it is… A scientist’s work is never done… How can I be going to some pointless dance when there is work to do? The universe is not going to simply reveal its secrets to all of us, someone has to be ready to explore and do the research to find the answers!” Twilight explained, believing that her justification seemed more than sufficient.

Cadence sighed and shook her head. “Twilight, you can’t spend all of your time working… Maybe you should go get changed and go. There’s still a few hours of it left if you hurry you can make it home in time to-“

“I’m not going!” Twilight barked.

Flinched at the sudden outburst, Cadence took a step closer. “Twilight, why not?”

“There’s no point in going… I don’t like dances…” Twilight retorted, starting to get a bit defensive.

“You could do with some time out of this room, aren’t you lonely in here?” Cadence asked.

“No…” Twilight lied.

“Twilight…” Cadence reached forward and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. The moment that hand touched her, Twilight could feel her defenses starting to peel away. Cadence had allowed her the ability to be open.

“Okay… Yeah… A little, I guess…” Twilight admitted.

“Then why not go? You’ll have a good time…” Cadence suggested as she turned the chair around so that Twilight was facing her.

“Why bother?” Twilight asked.

“What do you mean?” Cadence raised a brow.

“I don’t have anyone to go with…”

Cadence nodded and sighed as she stepped closer, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Twilight… It’s okay to be lonely, we all get that way sometimes. It’s a natural part of being human…”

“I just… I guess it just kind of hurt enough that I didn’t even get invited by anyone that the thought of not going didn’t bother me so much at first because I figured no one really wanted me to go, but… It did kind of sting a little to know that no one wanted to take me…” Twilight admitted. “That’s why I decided it was better to bury myself in work rather than sit there and feel bad for myself…”

Pulling the teen into a hug, Cadence spoke in a soft soothing voice as Twilight wrapped her arms around the dean and allowed her to stroke her hair gently and deliver calming words.

“Don’t think for a minute that this means you’re unwanted, Twilight Sparkle…” Cadence said softly.

“Yeah, my family enjoys me, right?” Twilight replied sarcastically as she pre-preemptively rolled her eyes while she tried to predict the woman’s response.

Cadence laughed and shook her head as she held the girl away from her at an arm’s length but kept both of her hands planted on Twilight’s shoulder’s. “I wasn’t going to say that… Look, I know being a teenager sucks, I was one too…”

“Yeah, but you were popular… Everyone loved you… I bet you got asked to tons of dances…” Twilight held up a finger as she pointed it out.

Shaking her head once more Cadence smiled at Twilight as she spoke. “Not quite… While it’s true that I was popular and a lot of people showed affection toward me… I actually rarely got asked out or even to dances.”

“How come?” Twilight blinked in disbelief.

“A lot of people thought because I was so attractive and popular that I always already had a date, or they were far too nervous to even ask me. So I ended up going alone a lot of the time… Even some of the school superstars and jocks didn’t have the guts to ask me to a dance… I went up to my junior year without anyone asking me to go to a single dance…” Cadence explained.

“That’s… Sad… I’m sorry, Dean Cadence…” Twilight frowned, feeling bad for complaining now.

Cadence reached forward and tapped Twilight’s chin to force her to look up at the older woman, who surprisingly, despite the nature of her story was still wearing a smile. “Then… On the day of my junior prom… I got asked by someone… The least likely person… He was a total nerd… Captain of the chess team and a proud member of the Dungeons and Dragons club… Shining Armor…”

There was a slight bit of awe in Cadence’s voice as she recollected of a time long past.

“My brother…” Twilight giggled.

Cadence nodded. “And let me tell you… That dance nearly killed him. He couldn’t dance at all, but he spent weeks practicing hoping to impress me. He also tripped on virtually everything and landed face first in the punch bowl. Despite all of that though… It was the most special date I ever had, because he had the courage to go so far to impress me…”

“That is a nice story…” Twilight nodded contently.

Reaching back down, Cadence leaned to be more at Twilight’s height. “My point is… Some day someone will go through those kinds of lengths for you, Twilight. And when that happens… You’ll realize that all those missed dances and times you didn’t get asked out… They won’t mean anything to you anymore because you’ll have that person…”

“I hope they’re half as good as Shining… Though less dorky…” Twilight grinned.

“I’m sure they will be… And probably even dorkier.” Cadence winked.

Some Time Ago

Moondancer had been helping Sunset understand the technology of the human world for some time now, and that meant many late night sessions going over how various things worked. Tonight was no exception, Sunset leaned back in her chair and stretched as she felt her joints pop and crack, content that she had completed so much in such a short time.

“Wow… We’ve really made some rapid progress…” Sunset commented as she checked the clock, noting that it was after 2 AM.

Sipping from a cup of coffee, Moondancer nodded at her with half closed eyes. “Yes, you’re really getting the hang of this stuff quickly. I’m amazed at how quickly you’ve picked up computers in general.”

“Once I have my head wrapped around the basics, the rest starts falling into place… I was always a fast learner back home in Equestria…” Sunset shrugged.

“A regular prodigy…” Moondancer nodded approvingly.

Awkwardly, Sunset rubbed her neck, not sure how to take the praise. “Thanks… Though I’m nowhere as smart as you, Moondancer…”

“Admittedly, I seldom meet people who can talk with me on the same intellectual level… Except for Shimmer of course… She was a genius...” Moondancer sighed.

Realizing that she had reminded her of an awkward subject, Sunset was tempted to change the topic of conversation but ultimately didn’t. “So… You might know more than me… How smart was Shimmer? I mean we seldom talked science…”

“Shimmer?” Moondancer perked up and adjusted herself to sit up straight. “She was brilliant… Probably would have a Nobel Prize by now if she were still around…”

“It’s weird, isn’t it? Realizing that she’s been gone for a few years now…?” Sunset asked.

Moondancer nodded and looked back at her cup, taking a peek at the brown liquid inside, focusing on it. If she looked hard enough she could see her former lover’s silhouette in the coffee smiling back at her. She shook her head though to clear her mind of the obvious fantasy.

“I guess… I miss her… And it still hurts sometimes, but I’ve more or less moved on…” Moondancer replied.

“I still struggle with it myself… So you’re not alone…” Sunset smiled reassuringly.

Moondancer nodded as she tried to act strong. “Thank you, Sunset… That means a lot…”

Sunset nodded and slid her hoodie off, tossing it aside. “Would it be cool if I crashed here? It’s late and I’m probably way too tired to drive…”

Moondancer shrugged. “I guess… I think I have an air mattress in the closet…” The bookworm pointed to an untidy closet door.

Making her way over, Sunset lifted a bra off of the handle and held it up with a raised brow as she looked at Moondancer. “Always leaving your unmentionables for the world to see?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t exactly been scoring nightly since Shimmer’s death… I have nothing to hide because no one comes here but you…” Moondancer rolled her eyes.

Sunset admitted that was true, but grinned as she undid the top two buttons of her shirt showing her lacy black bra. “Mine’s cuter anyway…”

Moondancer couldn’t help but stare at the girl’s impressive cleavage, her mind going blank as she watched Sunset move and dig through the closet retrieving the air mattress. Watching her attractive rear move was making thoughts race through Moondancer’s head. She could see in her mind, Sunset turning back around, undoing a few more of those buttons and then-

She paused and stopped herself and shook her head when she realized what she was doing. For the brief moment, she had mistaken this girl who looked identical to her for Shimmer. She saw a pair of glasses on Sunset’s face and let the two of them become one entity in her mind for a moment, something she swore she would never allow.

“Actually… Sunset… Could you please button back up?” Moondancer asked.

Blinking Sunset looked down to her blouse and nodded before redoing her buttons.

“And… Maybe it’s better you don’t stay over…” Moondancer frowned.

Sunset blinked and looked down at herself and then back to Moondancer. Within a few seconds, it had clicked what was going on. “Shit… I made it weird didn’t I?”

Moondancer looked away blushing. “K-kind of… Sorry… It’s just…”

“No… I get it… I forgot that we sort of need boundaries in this relationship we have… I look just like her…” Sunset frowned and looked down, a bit ashamed of herself.

“Yeah… And I’m trying to not see you as merely a replacement for her, so I have to constantly remind myself that you’re a different person…” Moondancer stated.

“I understand, Moondancer… Trust me, I do… I didn’t mean to…” Sunset couldn’t even finish her sentence.

Turning to face Sunset, Moondancer kept a serious face. “Look… It’s not your fault. You can’t help how you look, and you’re just being yourself… This is my problem. I know Shimmer’s dead, I know she isn’t coming back, but when I look at you… I don’t know, I get confused sometimes, but I always come back to reality.”

“We're still friends then?” Sunset blinked.

“Definitely.” Moondancer smiled. “She would have wanted it that way. She also wouldn’t have wanted me avoiding you just because I’m having a difficult time separating the two of you… It was much easier when you both were alive… I knew that no one was like Shimmer… Now that she’s gone though… I guess my brain is trying to cling to the one who at least looks like her… To maintain some semblance of her being here… Pretty stupid…”

Sunset shook her head and approached the girl, placing a hand on her shoulder, causing Moondancer to look up at Sunset with a raised brow.

“It’s not stupid… You miss her… I do too… Trust me, having Shimmer around made me feel like… I had a family here, like I mattered so much to someone, but then… When Adagio killed her… I was crushed, like a part of me died…” Sunset explained.

Moondancer nodded. “I guess neither of us realized how much we relied on her…”

“I guess not, but at least that means she isn’t going to be forgotten…” Sunset smiled.

Moondancer shot her a similar smile. “Not in a million years.”

"And we'll both get better at this friendship between us, I'm sure," Sunset added.

"Seems like we already are..." Moondancer replied.

Some Time Ago

A young filly Sunset Shimmer stood in front of a mirror adjusting herself. She had opted to play a red ribbon clip in her mane and a simple light blue dress over her form that she had bought with some of the money her parents sent her to live off of while she was attending school. For as long as Sunset could remember she was forced to pay for things and budget herself, which on the plus side made her exceptional with money and living cheap.

Her parents had some money but were far from millionaires. They spent so much time at work though that Sunset rarely saw them. Instead, she had learned to cook, clean, and pay for things all by herself. A typical night at home was checking the counter for a bag of bits and a note that rattled off how they “cared very deeply” for her and that they would be home late and to order some food if she needed it. Once in a great while, there would be leftovers in the fridge for her to heat up.

Sunset had reached the point where she didn’t even really read the notes anymore, she just assumed they were the same old nonsense, she wouldn’t be surprised if they just copied the same message every single time at this point.

Still, being at school at least made her feel a little better, she didn’t have to deal with that when she lived at the dorms during the school year, and that meant she could focus on something she actually loved doing: reading. When she wasn’t studying, Sunset was reading for fun. Most of her nights were spent alone in her dorm with a dimly lit room only illuminated by a bedside lamp with a book in her hooves and a smile on her face as she lost herself in the magic of the written word. At one point in her life, she considered being an author even.

Tonight, however, was something different, something magical. She actually was going to the school dance. She had been invited via a letter left in her locker, telling her that they thought she was one of the most beautiful girls in school.

The young unicorn wasn’t used to hearing compliments about herself, hell she seldom got complimented at all, so she was elated to find out that someone felt so fondly of her.

That was why she was going through so much effort to look her best for this dance. She wanted the image of herself to be that which her admirer had envisioned. She needed to present the best version of herself so they wouldn’t be disappointed. A part of her wondered if it was a boy or a girl. Given the hoofwriting, she wagered it was a boy, it had that sloppy kind of writing you’d expect from an eleven to twelve-year-old boy.

She wondered what he looked like, though she hoped he was cute. A smile crept up on her face as she found herself fantasizing about how her night would go. Would she kiss him? She didn’t know. She felt she’d be far too nervous to do something like that, but she might peck him on the cheek if he was sweet enough, that shouldn’t be too hard, right?

As she checked herself over once more she frowned realizing her face was rather plain. Sunset didn’t know a thing about applying makeup, and thus she didn’t own any. She was kicking herself over that fact, realizing that some makeup might make her face stand out a bit more.

Shrugging, she decided she simply would have to allow herself to impress him via other means. She hoped he enjoyed reading, as it was one of the few subjects she was actually competent to talk about.

This date had to go perfect, she wanted to potentially get a boyfriend. She felt as though maybe the other kids would stop giving her such a hard time if they saw that she had someone in her life that cared about her. That or he would become the subject of their ridicule by her side. Still, so long as she wasn’t in it alone, she felt it was a little more bearable.

Making the final adjustments on her dress, she took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror before speaking to herself. “Alright, Sunset… You can do this… No big deal… Just go meet him… Say hello, and act casual…”

She closed her eyes as she let her self motivational speech sink in. She knew she could do this, she knew she had the ability, she just needed to keep her confidence up.

Opening her eyes, she tried her best to maintain a neutral expression but found a smile coming to her face as she exited her dorm room and locked it behind herself.

She sighed contently as she made her way down the hallway of the dormitory and headed toward the gymnasium where the dance was being held. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she trotted along happily toward the event. Her heart felt like it was skipping beat after beat, but she carried on until she arrived outside and then eventually at the entrance to the gym.

Taking a breath, Sunset tried to calm herself and then lifted her head up high as she opened the door entering a room full of younger ponies chatting, dancing and enjoying a refreshment or two on the side. Along them were a few adults supervising the entire event, making sure things didn’t get too out of hoof, but overall it looked as though every soul in the room was enjoying themselves. It was a sight to behold.

Sunset had never attended a dance before, so she didn’t exactly know what to expect or what to do. Standing there awkwardly at the entrance it had occurred to her that she never bothered to know what her date looked like. He could be anypony in the crowd before her, and she didn’t even know where to begin looking.

Blinking, she felt a bit overwhelmed with this many ponies in the room.

Awkwardly shuffling in place, she began to look about frantically for her date. Where could he be? Who could he be? All questions she wanted answered, but didn’t see anything that would do so for her nearby.

Finally, she noted a boy approaching her. At first, she thought that maybe he was simply heading in her direction and she was being overly hopeful, but when he came closer and his eyes remained facing her, Sunset took a few breaths and composed herself. With a proud trot forward she bowed her head and smiled at the boy. “A-are you the one who sent me that note?”

She scolded herself internally for not having something suaver to say.

He nodded and gestured silently with his head to follow him. Her heart was racing, he wanted to dance, with her no less! She did her best to keep her cool as she followed him across the dance floor, oddly not stopping until they were standing in front of another group of boys who began snickering. “I can’t believe she actually fell for it…” One of them managed to get out between trying to contain his fit of giggles.

“Fell for… What?” Sunset blinked.

One of the other boys grinned and stepped forward. “That fake note… Did you actually think that anypony would want to go to the dance with you?”

“But I…” Sunset was at a loss for words. Could it be true? Was this entire night that she had gotten so excited for just a clever trick being played upon her.

“Why though?” She asked trying to fight back tears.

“You’re a freak! A weirdo! No one likes you, why would you ever think differently? I can’t believe you were dumb enough to show up… Maybe you’re not as smart as you think you are…” He mocked.

Sunset shook her head. “Shut up!”

“Why don’t you go back to your room and cry? Freak.” He smirked.

She wanted to push him, she wanted to hit him with all the magic she could muster, she wanted to hear him cry in agony because of her, but instead, she found what she actually ended up doing to betray what she wanted.

Turning toward the door, she ran, tears streaking down her face as she could hear the group of boys laughing at her expense.

How could she be so stupid? To actually believe that someone would have invited her? To believe that someone actually liked her? She was so desperate to be wanted by someone she walked right into an obvious trick and made a fool of herself.

As much as it pained her to allow those boys to be right, she did exactly what they predicted she would do. She ran all the way back to her dorm room and slammed the door behind herself.

As expected, tears continued to run down her face, she bawled until she couldn’t anymore. The young unicorn laid on her bed, face down in a pillow until she could only hear herself whimper. Then when it was finally over, she turned to her side and thought. She thought about how this always happened when she gave ponies a chance when she allowed herself to open up, all ponies ever did was take advantage of it and use it as another way to kick her when she was done.

No more. She told herself. She’d never trust another for as long as she lived. She’d stick true to that for years to come, until that fateful day where she met six girls who would change her life and her perspective on everything.

Some Time Ago

Adagio Dazzle spent some time at the beach with her stunning young girlfriend, Shimmer. A stunning young girlfriend who only looked more stunning in her attractive black bikini with little dog bone prints on it. She found herself practically drooling as she ogled Shimmer’s impressive breasts concealed by only a tiny bit of fabric. If they weren’t afraid of someone driving by and seeing them, she’d have offered to have her way with her right there and then.

Shimmer stepped out of the ocean water and flicked her wet hair out of her face. She smiled at Adagio who was sitting in the sand on a towel soaking up some sun as she smiled at Shimmer from behind her designer sunglasses.

Approaching, Shimmer leaned down so that her cleavage line was right in Adagio’s line of sight. “Whatcha’ doin’ cutie?”

Adagio tilted her glasses down as her eyes focused on the exposed area. “Right now? Staring at some nice tits.”

Shimmer rolled her eyes. “And you say that I’m the horn dog?”

“To be fair, they’re right in my field of view, it’s sort of hard to ignore them, plus they're awesome so...” Adagio defended.

“You must have been a man in another life…” Shimmer rolled her eyes.

“Maybe I’m one in this life?” Adagio grinned.

“Yeah… Okay…” Shimmer giggled as she sat down next to her girlfriend.

“You didn’t notice the dick the entire time we were fucking the other day?” Adagio smirked.

Shimmer rolled her eyes once more. “That was a strap on.”

“Or so you believe…” Adagio winked.

“I’d still love you even if you were a guy…” Shimmer leaned in and pecked the girl on the cheek.

“Thanks… I think… I guess being a guy would be kind of cool… Pee standing up, plus I’d stand out with my hair as a guy…” Adagio contemplated the thought for a moment.

“You’d definitely be just as viral…” Shimmer reached over and ran a finger along the girl’s stomach playfully.

“Either way, I guess it doesn’t matter, so long as I have you,” Adagio replied as she took Shimmer’s hand in her own.

Shimmer giggled once more and crawled closer, resting her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “It’s good to see you not trying to be ‘cool’ for a change and just saying how you feel…”

“I spent a lot of my life not telling anyone how I feel…” Adagio admitted.

“You’ve had such a rough life it sounds like…” Shimmer replied.

That was an understatement. There was so much that Shimmer didn’t know, so much that she would have to know if they planned to continue this relationship. Adagio knew that she couldn’t keep all of these secrets forever. One day she would have to tell Shimmer everything, she would have to tell her that she was a siren, that her life started in an alternate universe and that their romance was technically forbidden by her kind.

She wondered which part she would take the worst, though it hardly seemed to matter, given that telling her any of that all seemed like a bad idea. She didn’t want to admit that Aria was right, but the truth was, she was; Adagio was scared to tell Shimmer the truth. She was half sure that the girl would abandon her the moment she became aware of what she was. The only thought that was worse than that was the possibility that she would turn Adagio over to the government for research or something.

There was so much risk involved. To be completely honest with Shimmer, and thus keep their romance going, Adagio would need to risk everything. She loved this girl, and she trusted her, but did she trust her enough to risk her safety and freedom with her? Adagio made it a point to never put her well being in the hands of others, but was she willing to break that mentality for this one girl? Was love a powerful enough force to get her to do the unthinkable?

She had already broken so many of the ways she knew were in place to protect her, but would she break this final one? This last rule that she had put up as a barrier to protect her from mortals? It was difficult enough to deal with citizens of Equestria when they found out what she was, but in this world, it was eight times more extreme. Being discovered here could mean a fate far worse than being chased out of town or even death.

The only thing that pushed her in a different direction was the reality of realizing that eventually there was the chance that the other Sunset could find out the two were dating. Shimmer had a lot of money and it was only a matter of time before Sunset noticed there was another version of herself in Canterlot. If Sunset told Shimmer before Adagio could, it would look bad. It would appear as though Adagio was deceiving the girl. The thought certainly forced Adagio’s hand.

It was clear, she had to tell her and soon.

“You know Adagio… We’re both kind of different aren’t we?” Shimmer said.

Blinking, Adagio turned to face her girlfriend and got out of her thoughts. “What do you mean?”

“The two of us… We’re kind of different from normal people aren’t we?” Shimmer smiled.

“Yeah… I guess…” Adagio replied trying to see where she was going with this line of questioning.

“So like I said before… We should get married…” Shimmer glanced over at her with a serious face, it was obvious that she wasn’t trying to rile Adagio up, but actually expected a serious reply. Adagio had agreed to it before, but it was always in a joking sort of way, while she had already agreed to it, she had never shown any signs of true commitment.

“Sunset… I…” Adagio closed her eyes for a moment but then nodded. “Yeah… You’re right… And I agreed before, but I guess I haven’t really shown I’m serious yet have I?”

“Not really, no…” Shimmer replied honestly.

Looking over at her girlfriend and placing a hand on her thigh, Adagio locked eyes with her. “There’s some stuff I have to take care of first… Over the next few days, and once that’s said and done… I’m going to tell you a lot of stuff… Some stuff that I’ve been keeping to myself… If you really want to get married there’s a lot about me you’re going to have to know…”

Shimmer blinked but nodded. “I understand… We should start such a relationship based upon honesty, right?”

Adagio nodded. “I want to be completely open and honest with someone for the first time in my life… Especially if I’m going to spend my life with that someone…”

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “It’s an honor to be that person…”

“I wouldn’t have anyone else…” Adagio spoke before she leaned in and planted a kiss on the girl’s lips.

For that moment, all was fine, even if she knew that the future might hold some hard conversations between the two.

Author's Note

Yeah, Shimmer and Adagio wanted to get married... Too bad that never happened!

Act V - Chapter LXVII: Biding

Chapter LXVII: Biding

Serenade and her changeling consort arrived a good mile or so outside of the walls that had been magically erected around Manehatten, the new crown jewel of Equestria, Luna’s final stronghold, the last bastion of hope that Equestria had. If she could take down Luna and claim Manehatten then she would shake the morale of all of Equestria. The entire population would begin to see how pointless it was to resist. It wasn’t going to be an easy task though, on top of her walls, Luna had put up a magical barrier, specifically engineered to lock out dark magic. That meant that Serenade herself or any of her disciples could not enter. It didn’t, however, prevent her controlled army whose dark energy was so low that they would be able to slip through the barrier with ease, a compromise that Luna had to make to keep the most dangerous threats out.

Still, that left the wall to contend with, and the top of the wall was protected heavily by both pegasi in the sky, and earth ponies on the wall itself ready to take out any trying to chip away at its foundation. Serenade’s plan of attack would need to be cunning and complex enough to outwit her foe. Luna was strong, years of paranoia had made her into a worthy foe, but with the power of Celestia, Shining Armor, Cadence and every other unicorn she had drained, Luna was no match.

Serenade could already feel the power that would soon belong to her. She could already sense the abilities that would become available to her once she acquired Luna’s magic to add to her collection. She was strong, but Luna was not tireless, eventually, she would crack. Serenade merely had to wear her down, and with an army of slaves that did exactly as she said without question and did not require sleep, she could put enough pressure on the Princess of the Night to make her slip up.

Arax stood next to his master as the two were silent, the only sound was wind blowing their cloaks along.

He knew that Serenade could take Luna, he knew that their plan was nearing completion, it just needed a bit more pushing to get Luna to give in, then they could finish the task of conquering Equestria. With that under their belt, they were well on their way to achieving their ultimate goals.

“Arax… What do you see?” Serenade asked as she continued to stare into the distance, her eyes locked on Manehatten’s walls in the distance.

Blinking, first, he looked at his master but then in the direction she was facing. His eyes squinted as he observed. “I see… Manehatten… The last stronghold we need to conquer before Equestria will belong to us…”

“Wrong…” Serenade replied quietly.

Blinking, he looked back at her with confusion. “Ma’am?”

“I see a new future… A future where mortals bow down to the immortals… Where their disgusting reign on this planet has come to an end… Where the glorious age of immortals has begun… What a world it will be…” She smiled as she savored the thought. She could almost taste it.

“I see… So how are we going to do it, master? How shall Luna fall?” Arax grinned.

“Patience… Luna will fall before the day is over, I am certain…” Serenade smiled as she looked over at the horizon, watching the sun rise slowly. “Luna’s powers are weaker in the day… Meaning that if we attack before nightfall we will have the upperhoof.”

“Clever… How do we deal with the walls though?” Arax asked curiously.

She reached over and placed a hoof on his head, petting him gently. “You leave that part to me, my pet. I have yet to give you any reason to doubt my abilities, haven’t I?”

He shook his head vehemently. “No master, never.”

“Then trust your master… She will lead you to glory…” Serenade smiled before looking back at Manehatten. It all seemed so surreal, her goal was so close, it was within her reach, she only had a few minor obstacles now, and one of them was Princess Luna.

“She’s just a bug… Waiting to be squashed…” Serenade said to herself before turning back to Arax.

“Prepare our troops… We will go the moment the Sun is completely in the sky!” Serenade commanded.

Arax bowed his head and made a hasty run toward the encampment where they had left all of Serenade’s mind slaves.

Once her subordinate was gone, Serenade looked back at the city that she wished to make her own. She had remembered this city from her past, it was a place of high society, but a creature like Serenade? She was expected to beg for money or food. She refused to reduce herself to such, instead, she stole and manipulated her way through life during the years she lived there.

She had seen it when it was just a fledgling town on a map, to see it all grown up now almost made her feel gleeful. Gleeful to know that the city that once shunned her would now bow before her and beg her for mercy. Would she show it to them though? Undoubtably not. She would start by draining every last bit of magic from the city, and then she would turn it into a work colony where she would send slaves to go and do the heavy lifting that her empire would require to become great. She’d work them to exhaustion, she’d work them until they collapsed, she’d work them until they were dead.

It was all part of her great vision. She would convert Equestria into the image she felt was more fitting of it. Where mortals paid the price for their previous actions and finally met atonement. In a way she was doing these creatures a favor, she was cleansing them of their past, making them work for the salvation of their ancestors. In the end, they would see that they were wrong, that what their kind had done was unforgivable. They would beg her to show them the error of their ways.

Of course, that would be after many many years of servitude. She’d figure out what to do from there. One thing was positive though, Serenade intended to rule over her new empire for all eternity and no one was going to stop that.

Smirking, she spoke her thoughts aloud. “Rest while you can, Luna… You will soon be mine…”

Canterlot had become a completely different place almost overnight. What once was a city dedicated to nobles, aristocrats, upper, and middle-class families had been turned into a colony dedicated to the new overlord, Serenade Dazzle. The first order of business for the demon siren was to drain every unicorn of their magic. The second order was to find those who were the most fit for her army. Anyone left after that was nothing more than a work force to do the various tasks she needed done to build the foundation of her empire.

Eclipse was now an adolescent approaching adulthood, trying to live his relatively average life in Canterlot when Serenade attacked. Her might allowed her to capture the city so swiftly that most of the citizens didn’t even know what was happening.

Within hours of waking up, he was told that the city now belonged to Serenade Dazzle and he was to have his magic drained by the demon. As much as he tried to resist, his ability was far too little at his young age to pose any real threat to Serenade’s guards who forced him to comply.

The siren had come personally to force his hoof, and in her ruthlessness to send a message to the pony, she made him watch as she impaled his parents with a black tendril that came out of her body. It pierced through their heads, splattering blood in every direction. She waved them about violently like rag dolls before dropping the corpses haphazardly onto the ground and smirked at the teen.

He could only watch in horror as he saw blood drip out of the bodies of his parents and then meet Serenade’s face. He would never forget her words. “Are you scared, little boy?”

That was eight days ago now, and Eclipse had not forgotten. That image was still burned into his memory, he doubted he would ever forget it. It was a vision that would haunt him for years to come, without a doubt.

Now, he had been meeting with Galeal to try and calm his nerves. The griffon wasn’t exactly the best as consoling, but Eclipse could at least feel some amount of effort coming from him, even if Galeal wasn’t good at subjects that involved emotions or feelings.

“That bites, man…” Galeal stated.

“Yeah… I couldn’t do shit about it… I’m too weak… Weaker now that Serenade took my magic away…” Eclipse replied, closing his eyes to think.

He felt a wing wrap around him causing him to open his eyes and look over at the griffin who was avoiding eye contact, but a blush was present on his face. “Look… I uh… I’m not good at this shit so like…”

Eclipse nodded. “It’s cool, I get it…”

“Yeah…” Galeal nodded back.

“What do you think is going to happen now that Serenade is in charge of the city?” Eclipse asked, trying to change the subject.

Galeal shrugged. “Dunno… Probably bad shit no doubt… I think I overheard someone talking about how ponies are being shipped out to campsites outside of the city limits or within the city itself to work on shit… Sounds like Serenade is putting together workforces to build monuments to her or something…”

Eclipse closed his eyes once more as he realized their situation was grim. “With Celestia defeated… It’s only a matter of time before she conquers the rest of Equestria…”

“Probably…” Galeal replied solemnly.

While Galeal’s lack of tact might make other ponies feel more depressed about the current situation, Eclipse appreciated the brutal honesty. Part of the griffon’s charm was that he didn’t waste your time feeding you bullshit, instead, he just told it like it was and you were forced to accept the current situation.

“I know one thing… I’m going to kill her one day… I don’t know how… But I’m going to… She murdered my parents right in front of me… Just for fun…” Eclipse growled.

Galeal reached over and placed a claw on the pony’s shoulder. “I know you will, dude. You’re…” He paused before delivering the compliment, looking away awkwardly and blushing. “The toughest guy, I know…”

“So long as you don’t count yourself right?” Eclipse smirked as he looked over at his friend.

“Well… Yeah… I’m definitely tougher than you…” Galeal grinned from the corner of his mouth.

“Prove it,” Eclipse encouraged.

Turning to face the unicorn, Galeal raised a brow. “How?”

“Wrestle, right now. First to get pinned loses, fair?” Eclipse proposed.

Another shrug came from the griffon before he stood up and stretched his arms and prepared himself. Seeing him rise to the challenge caused Eclipse to stand and do the same as the two young men prepared for this battle for supremacy.

“Fair enough… So what do I win when I cream you?” Galeal asked, confidence ringing in his voice.

“If you win, I’ll make out with you…” Eclipse replied.

Galeal rolled his eyes. “That’s fucking gay.”

“You’ll accept it anyway…” Eclipse smirked.

The griffon sighed and shook his head in disapproval. “I’m only doing this on the principle that I enjoy reminding you which of us is stronger…”

“We’ll see…” Eclipse replied as he focused on Galeal, trying to predict his movement. Galeal had size over him, sure, but he wasn’t very fast despite being a griffon, Eclipse could use that to his advantage.

The two circled each other until one of them dared strike. Galeal made the first move and darted toward the unicorn who only narrowly dodged the attack, however, Galeal had anticipated that move and already pivoted on his hind foot and prepared a second attack in which Eclipse tried to block with his hooves only for the two to lock both hoof and claw in a struggle.

Eclipse groaned as he tried to hold the powerful griffon back, but Galeal chuckled under his breath as he could feel Eclipse’s strength start to give out.

Once Galeal had the upper-hand he easily pulled the unicorn down and pinned him, his claws holding both of his front hooves down as he looked down at the stallion. “You are so weak…” He smirked.

“Maybe I let you win…” Eclipse looked away bashfully.

“Yeah right, you’re just a wuss, admit it…” Galeal replied.

“Fine… I guess you should collect your reward then?” Eclipse looked back at the griffon who stood there dumbfounded.

“Oh come on, you weren’t serious about that shit were you?” Galeal raised a brow.

“Just shut up and kiss me.” Eclipse chuckled.

Shrugging, Galeal closed his eyes and leaned in, allowing their mouths to lock. They didn’t know what the future held for them, and under Serenade’s rule over Canterlot, it was safe to say that things were looking somewhat grim, but as long as they had each other they could face it. At least, they hoped.

The halls of Manehatten’s underground shelter were busy with unicorns and pegasi running back and forth at the orders of Princess Luna. Fortifying the city was a twenty-four hour a day job and making sure this fortress that they had established underground stayed safe was their second top priority. Nothing could go wrong, everything had to be flawless, the risks for mistakes were just too high.

With the state of the world and the fabric that held their civilization together about to shatter, Luna was beyond stressed. Everything rested on her shoulders, she needed to protect the last known stronghold in Equestria and prevent the power hungry demon siren from taking what was left, on top of that she needed to devise a plan to take her out for good as she couldn’t win if she only defended. Without her sister’s guidance though, Luna was lost.

She was usually excellent at strategies, but mostly because her sister was there to back her up in the off chance that something had gone wrong, and at this current moment, everything was wrong, hell she was certain that at this point nothing had gone right.

Luna was a walking ball of stress, she found it difficult to even sleep. Periodically she would wake up in the night anyway to reapply the barrier around the city. It was the only thing keeping Serenade from storming the gates herself. She could handle her minions, but not the demon herself in a head on fight.

She had picked up a trick or two for fighting dark magic in her time, and this barrier was one of the said tricks. Potent enough to block the strongest of dark energies, but it would still allow weaker ones through, it was a necessary drawback.

The Princess of the Night needed a plan, but she was far too drained to think of one, not to mention she didn’t see any feasible way to defeat such an overpowered foe. Serenade was strong, beyond strong. Her powers were almost at the level of Demi-god, she could crush Luna in a matter of seconds in a direct confrontation.

The mare sighed as she made her way to her quarters and sat down at the desk she had been given. Looking at the mess of scrolls she had in front of her, she could see many of her half finished ideas jotted down. Most of them seemed pretty rudimentary and not a single one stood out to her as a feasible way to overcome the current predicament. She’d have to return to the drawing board if she wanted a plan worthy of stopping Serenade Dazzle.

She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them to notice a photo on her desk. It was a simple one of her and her sister together. They had taken it during a celebration for Luna’s return to Equestria after being banished for a thousand years. While the memory of being gone for so long still stung, that celebration brought her joy. Her sister was not mad at her in the slightest, she was ready to forgive and forget and she held to her word. Celestia was the type to not throw suspicion in Luna’s direction even if her past warranted it.

That was part of why what she was going through right now was so difficult; her sister was counting on her and she sat there feeling like she was letting her down.

Taking a pen with her magic, she began to jot down a few ideas, starting with going over what she knew.

Serenade had taken Canterlot and many of the neighboring towns. Within a few short weeks, she had managed to conquer eighty percent of all known established towns and cities in Equestria. Fillydalphia had fallen just a day or so ago, and Los Pegasus just that morning. While Luna was strong, she couldn’t be everywhere at once, her efforts had to be centralized, even if that meant more cities would fall before it was all over, she simply couldn’t spare the ponies needed to protect those areas. As much as it pained her, most of Equestria was on their own, she only prayed they would forgive her.

With Serenade’s army growing, it was only a matter of time before she would eventually take Manehatten as well. Luna could only stall while she contemplated how to turn the tables. She needed some kind of secret weapon, something that even Serenade would not expect.

With her mind twisted around the current situation, Luna didn’t even hear the door to her quarters open. Into the room trotted two familiar unicorns, one with a shining off-white coat and elegant purple curls in her mane, and the other with persian blue eyes and a concerned smile upon her face.

The two wandered inside and examined the room before them. A bed was fashioned in the corner of the room where Luna spent a good chunk of the day trying to get any kind of rest that she could to keep her strength up whenever she could, but it clearly looked very lightly used. Luna had not been taking very good care of herself.

Once Luna noticed the two mares, she blinked and faced them and gave a weak smile. “Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, it is good to see you two again, what brings you here?” Luna asked with a raised brow.

Rarity froze for a moment unsure of how to word the reason for their arrival, but Starlight seemed to step in right away. “Princess Luna, we’re concerned about your well being… You can’t keep this barrier up for much longer in your condition… You’ll exhaust yourself…”

Luna laughed and shook her head. “As if I had a choice in the matter? Serenade grows stronger every day… This barrier is all that keeps her from storming the gates and wiping out our way of life. If I must suffer to keep such an important piece of protection in place, so be it… I will gladly serve that role…”

Starlight sighed. “Princess…” She began.

Rarity stepped forward and chimed in quickly. “Princess Luna, the situation would not be well served if you were to collapse and find yourself unable to get back up…”

Luna came to a stand. “That won’t happen…”

“Princess, with all due respect… Even you have your limits… You can’t push yourself so hard that you burn out…” Starlight frowned.

She wanted to argue with the mare, she wanted to tell her that she could take whatever was thrown at her, but there was some truth to what Starlight was saying. Luna could feel herself slipping, if she didn’t get some proper rest soon the barrier might fall.

“What do you two propose then?” Luna asked curiously.

Starlight and Rarity looked at each other and smiled before looking back at the elegant Princess of the Night. “The two of us can take over maintaining the barrier in the daytime. With our combined magic, it should be enough to keep it active during the day while you sleep… Since your power is stronger at night you can keep it up when you’re at your strongest. That should buy us some time,” Starlight explained.

Luna had her doubts. While she knew both of them were potent with magic, it was quite a task to keep a barrier the size of a city active. Sure it required less energy to keep the barrier going than it did to conjure a new one, but it was still a daunting task for two ordinary unicorns to handle. However, Starlight and Rarity were far from ordinary in many respects.

Deciding it was best to merely agree to the plan, Luna nodded and smiled. “Alright, well that at least takes care of that problem, but what are we to do about our problem of defeating Serenade? This plan will only buy us time, but it won’t buy us a strategy for defeating the demon once and for all…”

Starlight sighed and spoke the only plan she had at that moment. “We wait for Twilight…”

“Twilight Sparkle? Her training could take years to finish…” Luna pointed out.

“I’m confident that Twilight will finish early… She’s dedicated enough…” Starlight stated.

Nodding, Luna sat back down. “Yes… I suppose you’re correct there… Twilight Sparkle is extraordinary… If there is a pony alive that could complete that training in a short time it would be her…”

“I have faith in Twilight as well, she’s never let us down in the past…” Rarity reminded.

Through all of the things that they had been through, Twilight always saw to it that they were equipped to handle them. She was always there watching over every situation, ensuring that success was within their grasp. Twilight always refused to give in even when the odds were stacked against them and when they needed a trump card, she always had one ready to go. Rarity and Starlight were both confident that this situation would be no different. Defeating Serenade Dazzle was perhaps the biggest challenge they had ever faced, bigger than Tirek, bigger than Discord, bigger than Nightmare Moon, but they knew that Twilight was just the mare for the job.

“Twilight may be the ace in the hole that we need… Let us pray she finishes her training before it’s too late for her to make a difference…” Luna spoke quietly.

Starlight took a triumphant step toward Luna’s desk and placed her hooves upon the table. “We will hold out as long as it takes… Together we can keep the city safe while Twilight is training… We’ll be here in time for her to come out.”

Luna nodded, hoping that they were right.

Within the coming days, Eclipse found himself rounded up into a group of other ponies waiting to be told what was heading their way. Serenade’s minions had made light work of gathering large groups together for some kind of special assignment, Eclipse being one of those ponies gathered. Everypony had been given a standard dark grey jumpsuit to wear which suggested there likely was going to be some kind of work involved.

Eclipse, approaching adulthood wasn’t exactly the most experienced worker, nor was he much to look at. He was a scrawny effeminate boy with little to no work experience. If anything his school work wasn’t even that impressive.

He glanced around the crowd looking for one face, in particular, he scanned what seemed to be a good mile of ponies, griffons, and other creatures, seeing nothing but the unfamiliar in an ocean of the unknown.

Deciding to take initiative, he began to move and sift through the crowd, excusing himself lightly as he moved and gently shoved others aside all of which were just as confused as he was. There was no word on what was happening, but on his way through the crowd, Eclipse could hear whispers of theories of why they were gathered.

I heard we are going to be sent to some kind of underground lair where we’ll be subjected to unspeakable horrors.

Well I heard they are going to turn a bunch of us into super soldiers for Serenade’s army.

I heard that we’re all going to be turned into demons.

There was so much chatter that it was difficult to drown it out or even hear himself think as Eclipse tried to focus on the task at hand. He needed to find Galeal, he didn’t want the two of them to get separated, and he had a feeling he was in this crowd somewhere.

Moving frantically, he could still hear whisper after whisper about the reasons they were all there.

I heard that she was bringing all the males back to her castle to service her and all the women to be her slaves.

It was all bullshit. None of it mattered anyway, not until he found Galeal, they needed to stay together, no matter the costs.

It almost felt hopeless until he heard a faint sound that seemed somewhat familiar.

“Eclipse…”

Blinking, he tried to sharpen his senses through mental concentration. If he could focus on the origin of the sound. He opened his mouth and called out as loud as his effeminate voice could carry. “Galeal!?”

He stopped for a second to hear again and heard the voice get louder this time. “Eclipse!”

Heading in the direction of the call, he could see a claw in the air and quickly bolted through the crowd to get to the griffon. Once he was in sight, Eclipse let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding in. The two stood there awkwardly and examined the jumpsuit of the other one.

“You look fucking stupid…” Galeal commented.

“You don’t look much better…” Eclipse rolled his eyes.

“At least I don’t look like a queer…” Galeal looked away with a small smirk.

Eclipse sighed and shook his head. “Seem pretty fucking queer to me…”

“You would know, after all, you’re an expert on being a fag…” Galeal retorted.

There was a short silence before Galeal glanced over at his friend with an empty expression, clearly trying to suppress his true feelings. “So… Any idea what any of this is about?”

Eclipse shrugged. “I’ve heard at least a dozen things, but all of them sound like bullshit to me… Stuff like Serenade turning us into demons and shit like that…”

Galeal chuckled lightly at that thought as he shook his head. “Yeah right… Cuntface won’t give us any kind of power we could use against her… If anything we were rounded up here to scope out who will be her best new minions… Let’s hope you’re girly enough to be too wimpy for her liking…”

“Then you better act like me to get the same treatment…” Eclipse replied sarcastically.

“Good one…” Galeal said as his eyes focused on a stage that was before the crowd. If he had to guess, he would have wagered there were about eight thousand lives standing there in the crowd surrounded by numerous armed guards to keep all of them in place.

“Still, this feels like a bit of overkill don’t you think?” Galeal asked.

“Yeah… It’s weird…” Eclipse commented.

As if to answer all of their questions the echoing voice of a changeling from the stage called out to the crowd. “SILENCE! EVERYONE LISTEN UP!”

The murmurs and chatter of the crowd quickly turned to a whisper and then eventually to perfect silence as everyone in the crowd looked up at the decorated changeling, eager to hear why they were all gathered there. The changeling’s nice silk cloak fluttered in the light wind as he cleared his throat and spoke.

“Hello to all of you, my name is Arax… I am Serenade’s right hoof… Orders from me come directly from her… In other words, I am in charge of you shit stains while Serenade is not present…” He began as he wandered back and forth on the stage. “As we speak, Master Serenade is fighting to conquer Manehatten; she hopes to take the city by nightfall.”

There were whispers of worry and concern echoing through the audience until Arax banged his hoof onto the stage. “SILENCE!”

As he yelled, his wish was granted instantly as every soul standing out there fell quiet. Eclipse rolled his eyes and brushed his long mane out of his face.

“Soon Master Serenade will rule all of Equestria… To commemorate this occasion, you are all being split into work groups where you will be sent to nearby towns to assist in building monuments in her likeness. Any who refuse will be put to death… There is no room for disloyalty in Serenade’s kingdom…” Arax announced.

Naturally, this all resulted in more murmurs and whispers to which Arax banged once again on the stage. “I trust this arrangement is agreeable to everyone here?”

Not a soul dared to speak against the changeling.

Nodding, Arax smiled. “Excellent, split up into four groups and we will begin the process of sending you out…”

Galeal grabbed Eclipse’s hoof with his claw causing the unicorn to look over at him. “Let’s stick together, okay?”

Eclipse nodded. “Yeah…”

The battle at Manehatten had drawn on longer than Serenade had anticipated. The barrier which she expected to weaken by the end of the day had held strong, stronger than it should have. Something was wrong, there was something that they had not anticipated going on.

Growling she looked onto the city from the hill in the distance with a few of her subordinates. “Shield! Get over here!” She commanded.

The unicorn blinked and came to a stand as he left a series of scrolls that he was examining to strategize their battle. Approaching his master he bowed. “Yes, Master Serenade?”

Serenade grabbed him and pulled him closer. “Tell me, Shield… Why am I still looking at a Manehatten that does not belong to me despite it being nightfall?”

Shield blinked and looked over their battle plans once more and then back at his master. “It seems that Luna was able to hold the barrier up longer than we anticipated…”

She released him from her grip and grunted. “Something is wrong… She was supposed to be weak by now… The city should have fallen hours ago…”

As if on cue, a young member of her following was racing up the hill to greet the group. The young mare gave a sloppy salute before catching her breath. “M-ma’am…” She began.

“Out with it, my time is valuable…” Serenade grunted.

She bowed and came back to a proper stand. “I understand ma’am, this will only take a second… It seems as though Luna has enlisted some help to keep the barrier up… Two young unicorns, one a student of Princess Twilight Sparkle and the other an element of harmony…”

“I see… So They are using these backup ponies to keep their precious barrier active while Luna regains her strength… Clever…” Serenade nodded in understanding. “Excellent work, scout. See what else you can find out for me and then report back right away…”

Shield gulped as he sensed this news was not beneficial to their cause and that was viable to make his master angry. “Master…?” He asked.

Serenade giggled and ran a hoof through her long mane. “It’s no matter…”

“Ma’am?” He blinked in confusion.

“A temporary set back… After all, how much of a difference can two ponies make in the long term?” Serenade asked.

Gulping once more, Shield decided it was wise to speak up. “Ma’am, I don’t mean to alarm you, but if Luna can rest for half of the day her powers will remain sufficient for some time… They can keep the process of cycling between the group to keep the barrier up… Even with as many soldiers as we have, we won’t break that wall any time soon…”

“I said it was no matter, Shield. Take a hint on when to shut the fuck up, alright?” Serenade barked.

Shield silenced himself and waited for her to explain.

“This strategy will only buy them time, but it’s not as if they can do anything while they’re doing it, right?” Serenade grinned.

“I… Suppose not?” Shield stated.

Nodding, Serenade chuckled. “That means while they are occupied with this project, I can focus on just keeping the pressure on them while I complete the dark magic amplifier that that lab rat designed…”

Shield recalled the very invention in question. Doctor Chem Spill had come up with the idea some time ago but the resources necessary to build such a thing were said to take some time. It would still need testing after that as well. They estimated it would take months before such a device was operational, but the results would be devastating to any foes of Serenade. It could take her dark energies, focus them and amplify their power eight times over.

“You mean…” Shield blinked.

Serenade nodded once more. “Yes, with that kind of power my abilities would be more than enough to crack that barrier…”

“Ma’am that could take months…” Shield pointed out.

She shrugged in response. “Who cares? It’s not like we have anything better to do. Our prey is trapped, all it can do is defend… We have the time, plus new toys are always fun… Tell Chem that he can have his research team and we will build his device… Just make sure he knows what will happen if he fails me…”

Shield blinked at the suggestion. “Ma’am… Are we sure we can trust him with such a big task? He’s not exactly the most mentally stable…”

“That’s my order, Shield… See to it that it is carried out. I want Chem working full time on my amplifier and I want it finished as soon as possible.” Serenade barked.

Realizing he had no choice but to comply, Shield bowed his head in respect. “I shall see to it that it is done, Master.”

“Good, after all, if you can’t follow orders or feel the need to question my judgment then I am sure I can find others who will gladly fill your position… Just don’t forget that I make the rules around here and what I say is law…” Serenade reminded.

“Of course, master…” He nodded.

The demon siren giggled and winked at him as she took her leave. “As always update me if anything… Interesting happens…”

The first few days at the construction site of Serenade’s new monument went relatively uneventful. Ponies and creatures alike were dropped off at the site which was protected by armed guards to begin the process. Those who had experience in building were given priority and turned into master builders, those who did not were given training for their task.

Eclipse got lucky in that his physique was pathetic and scrawny so he was given a task of measuring pieces and helping convey how scaffolding would need to go. He had gotten even luckier in that Galeal managed to fake how weak he was and received an equally cushy job right beside him as his assistant. Eclipse was thanking himself that he had actually paid attention in a few classes now, otherwise, he would be out mining stone or moving heavy pieces.

With magic, they were to forge pieces together, but the process would still take a few months before the monument was finished as Serenade wanted it as large as a skyscraper, she wanted ponies to be able to see it for miles, potentially outer space (not that ponies had even achieved space travel).

Eclipse jotted down a few revisions to his template and wiped his brow as he looked outside of the tent that he and Galeal shared. “Think this will help speed the process along? I extended the top layer scaffolding a good eight feet. I figure this should allow more ponies on it to chisel at the rock at the same time…”

Galeal squinted but then tapped the bars holding the scaffolding up on the diagram. “The only problem is that these bars do have a weight limit… So we’d need to double up on those if we want your idea to work, we’d need to reinforce them…”

Blinking, Eclipse realized he was right and nodded before jotting down a note regarding that problem.

“Good eye,” he added.

“I’m part eagle, what can I say?” Galeal grinned.

“And all cute…” Eclipse winked.

Galeal blushed and looked away. “D-don’t say stuff like that…”

“I have never met someone in such denial of their feminine side… It’s adorable when you pretend you’re not a raging homo…” Eclipse giggled.

“A-am not…” Galeal stammered.

Eclipse decided that was enough teasing for one morning. They both had a long day ahead of them submitting their designs to the master builders who were supervising the entire project.

Outside the two heard a familiar sound, the sound of somepony collapsing in the dirt and then not getting back up. They turned to that direction and watched as the pony laying there simply stopped moving, only breathing lightly as they refused to get back up.

That was the eighth one this week. Ponies would occasionally collapse from exhaustion, unable to get back up after a few days out in the sun. Some of them would get a drink of water from another and find themselves back to work just as quickly, others would lay there until they were nothing more than a memory and the guards would come and drag the corpse away.

Now and then a few were selected to bury the corpses to get rid of the smell. Serenade’s Equestria was a nightmarish one. It was an Equestria with no concern for who lived and who died and not a single concern over treating the dead with any modicum of respect. Corpses were treated as little more than inconveniences as they were thrown into unmarked holes, not even qualifying as graves.

Food was given out sparingly and everyone in the fields received two meals a day.

Serenade would call these little sites “work camps”, but Eclipse knew the truth after seeing them, they were death camps. There was no end in sight. These ponies would be forced to work until they all dropped dead. When this project was finished, another would begin and so on and so forth.

“You think Serenade will be defeated eventually?” Galeal asked as he watched the pony in the dirt struggle to breathe.

Eclipse wanted to say yes. He wanted to say a miracle would happen, but he had reached the point where he didn’t believe in miracles anymore. “I think we’re looking at our immediate future right now… I’d love to slit that cunt’s throat, but sadly… I’m here and she’s out there somewhere and that’s how it’s going to stay for the time being…”

“Time being?” Galeal blinked and raised a brow. “Do you expect this scenario to change?”

“I don’t know how… I don’t even know when… But I’m going to kill Serenade… It’s the reason I’m still alive… It’s the reason why I will endure all of this… I’ll survive long enough to put a blade through her…” Eclipse explained.

“Bold words, but they won’t do us much good out here… You should get your mind back on this work… Less we both get in trouble…” Galeal reminded.

Nodding, Eclipse averted his eyes from the pony in the dirt struggling to hang onto dear life and returned his attention back to the work that the two were engaged in. His anger toward Serenade still burned inside of him, but it was anger he would have to contain for now. For now he had no means to do anything, but eventually, he would have a solution.

Serenade Dazzle would die eventually… And he promised he would be a part of that death.

Sneaking out of Manehatten was far from easy, but Starlight needed to check on Twilight and her progress. She needed to know her mentor and friend were still alright, she needed to know that the pony they were betting so much on was making out okay. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Discord (though she definitely wasn’t the fondest of him) it was more that she was unsure of how much time they had left. While her assistance in keeping the barrier over Manehatten would buy them time, she knew it was only a temporary plan; Twilight was the permanent plan.

The journey back to the Royal Training Grounds was a difficult one as she had to make sure she did so without being seen. She knew that her trips to this place would have to be limited from here on, she simply couldn’t risk Serenade discovering this place. Spike would have to watch over it for the time being, as much as it pained her to put that responsibility on the young dragon.

Making her way up the stairwell she saw a familiar purple dragon sleeping in a chair in the observation deck. She smiled and approached, stopping first to look down at the training area. As expected she could still see nothing. She wondered what kind of things Twilight and Discord were doing down there. It was difficult to say, but Starlight was hopeful that what he was teaching was helpful to her and hopefully all of Equestria.

“I hope you’re doing okay, Twilight…” Starlight commented as she placed a hoof on the glass. “We really need you right now…”

The sound of a stirring dragon came from behind Starlight, causing her to turn around and see Spike starting to rise with a yawn. Once he noticed Starlight he came to a stand. “Starlight! When’d you get here?”

Starlight smiled at the dragon. “Just a little bit ago… I’ve been busy at Manehatten, so it was difficult for me to get out here…”

“What’s the situation going on there?” Spike asked.

A frown came to Starlight. “The situation is not good for sure… Manehatten is the last stronghold holding out against Serenade… Luna is struggling to keep the barrier that keeps the demon out up, but Rarity and I are helping, that should buy us some more time…”

“But?” Spike asked with a gulp, clearly sensing bad news coming.

“But… The barrier won’t hold out forever… It’s only a temporary solution…” Starlight replied.

“So the barrier will eventually fall?” Spike asked.

Deciding to give it to him straight, Starlight faced him and nodded. “Yes… The barrier will fall eventually and Manehatten will belong to Serenade within a few hours after that… I don’t know how long it’ll take, but it will happen…”

“So what do we do?” Spike blinked.

Starlight looked back through the glass and sighed. “Our entire future may be in Twilight’s hooves. She may be our last hope…”

A part of her felt guilty putting that kind of pressure on Twilight, but she knew that it was part of her duty as a princess to take on difficult situations like this. Her guilt subsided slightly when she remembered that if she could count on anyone it was Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship.

“Twilight is our ace in the hole then?” Spike asked as he stepped forward to look through the glass with his friend.

“Seems that way…” Starlight said.

She closed her eyes and remembered everything that Twilight had taught her about friendship, a few lessons, in particular, came to mind.

Friends have to remain strong for each other. When your friend is in a tight spot they will count on your strength to help pull them through, so long as you believe in each other anything is possible.

She could almost hear it in Twilight’s voice in her mind. It felt like a lifetime ago when she heard Twilight’s voice. She hoped she would hear it again soon.

“So this is it then… We wait until Twilight comes out of there and hope it’s in time?” Spike asked.

Starlight nodded. “It seems that may be our only choice… We wait until we have Twilight on our side again and hope she can make a plan that can defeat this demon…”

Spike bit his lip but spoke. “Have you… Seen this demon yourself?”

Starlight shook her head. “No… I’ve heard stories, but I have yet to meet her face to face… I hear she has a young face, a beautiful one… But with eyes of evil and hatred… Eyes that bear into one’s soul… I heard that you can feel her hatred when she looks at you… She is a creature of pure anger.”

“She sounds horrible…” Spike frowned.

“She is… She’s already taking ponies that she has captured and sending them to work camps to build monuments to her vanity… Working them to death…” Starlight closed her eyes, not even wanting to think about it.

“Twilight… You can’t finish soon enough…” Spike replied.

That was an understatement.

Author's Note

It's all coming together.

Also, Galeal is so gay.

Act V - Chapter LXVIII: Children

Chapter LXVIII: Children

Taking a few deep breaths Sunset turned her car off. Today was the day, the day of truth, the day where everything in her life would change. Marrying Twilight Sparkle was the first major step, but now she was ready to do something far more insane, far more drastic, but she needed to if she wanted her relationship with the bookworm to survive.

She hadn’t felt this nervous in a long time, probably since the time she had accidentally turned the frogs in her science class into living jello monsters. It was an accident, but she remembered being sent out of class and told to go see Princess Celestia. She would sit in front of the mare’s study waiting for her wondering what kind of dastardly punishment awaited her for her misdeed. She contemplated what it would be like to be banished or thrown into a dungeon somewhere.

Ironically the thing she was most worried about at that time though was Celestia being disappointed in her.

Luckily for her, none of that happened. She told her plight to the Princess and all that happened was a series of giggles and chuckles. Celestia told her to be more careful from now on and sent the young unicorn on her way.

Remembering that story brought Sunset some level of confidence. A scenario she thought was going to go extremely south ended up working in her favor, so it was a reason to stay positive even now.

Looking around, Sunset observed the school that Twilight attended. It was lavish to say the least. Sunset wondered how big the library must have been, probably large enough to keep Twilight inside most of her time. A school that large had to have an amazing selection of reading material for a read-a-holic like Twilight.

For a brief moment Sunset was reminded of high school, all the fun memories she and her friends shared, all the hijinks they got into and all the fun she had. It seemed like so long ago now, it was hard to believe that they would never be going back. All of those times together were now just memories and Sunset was all grown up.

It was true, Sunset was now twenty-one years old, old enough to drive, old enough to drink and old enough to get married. The child that first appeared in the human world all those years ago was gone and replaced by this grown woman.

Walking across the campus, Sunset stopped and looked at herself in a squeaky clean window, observing her reflection.

She had changed quite a bit since her first arrival. She had filled out in all the right places, and her hair had gotten far longer. Turning slightly she could see it went past her behind now, she liked it though and thus she would continue to let it grow. She couldn’t imagine herself with short hair ever again, long hair was her thing, even though it did tend to get in the way. She couldn’t deny that Twilight tugging on it during certain intimate moments was definitely a plus though.

She smiled at herself and noticed her smile was genuine. Sunset was happy, she was content with her life. She loved a woman enough to make that woman her wife and she loved herself enough to take care of herself. The darkest chapters of her life were behind her now, she could move forward without concern.

She had accepted that Shimmer was gone, accepted that her younger sister was never to return, but that meant she had to try twice as hard now to be happy for her sake; she needed to live for the both of them. Shimmer sacrificed herself so that Sunset could live and she couldn’t allow herself to forget that. In her last moments, she didn’t even blame Sunset. Sunset had heard her last words, talking about how this was all part of something bigger, and it certainly was. Adagio's plot extended far beyond anything Sunset had ever imagined.

With the help of her friends, they were able to bring her killer to justice and save the day. Everything had worked out; at least as much as it could work out, given the circumstances.

“This is it, Sunset…” She told her reflection.

Looking away from the glass she continued down the path heading toward Twilight’s dormitory. She had walked it so many times that she had it memorized.

Twilight had one of the more expensive private dorms to herself. Which was convenient because half of the time when Sunset came over to fetch the girl, she was so sexually starved she would insist they get a round in before they went back to Sunset’s place to do pretty much more of the same thing.

The irony of Twilight’s lack of sexual experience prior to them getting together was she became like a drug addict. Once she had a taste she had to keep coming back for more. Fine by Sunset, she enjoyed their intimate time. They were more compatible than they even realized at first. One of the best parts about their romance was a lot of the time words didn’t even need to be spoken, they could just do what they wanted to do and the other would go with it; it was a rare type of relationship, one that most would envy. They had no reason to hide or be ashamed of their fantasies, the other would act accordingly.

Sunset’s mind wandered to the first time she had visited this campus. Twilight had pulled her into her dorm room and locked the door, not agreeing to leave until they had a bit of satisfying “fun”. She recalled they didn’t get back home until sometime after midnight that night. At that point plans for dinner had to be canceled because they were both exhausted, but they spent the rest of the night snuggling.

The small dorms reminded Sunset of the tiny apartment she once owned, it felt like an eternity ago that she was poor and had not even a one hundred dollar bill to her name. It was hard to imagine she was worth in the hundreds of millions now. Still, the redhead hadn’t forgotten where she came from and regularly made donations to charity and other causes. She didn’t want to become one of those rich snobs who hordes everything to herself and looks down on the lower class. Truthfully, she didn’t really need her money, most of the things she owned were just inherited from Shimmer, much of which she didn’t use, but kept around in honor of Shimmer’s legacy; she didn’t feel right giving away her things.

She couldn’t deny though that there were some luxuries that the rich got to enjoy that had definitely become a part of her, such as owning her own gym at home.

Looking down at her Apple watch, Sunset was reminded to check her activity meters for the day. She had burned a good 800 calories already and she was way ahead of schedule for her fitness goals. Taking a second to feel proud of herself she smiled before letting her arm fall back to her side as she approached Twilight’s dorm building.

The school had about eight dorm buildings and Twilight resided in building number eight, the most recent expansion. This meant that she was in a freshly renovated part of the school (it also meant top dollar, but Sunset wasn’t too concerned about that).

Reaching the door to her fiancé’s room, Sunset stretched and tapped on the door gently. She crossed her arms and waited outside patiently. Within a few seconds, stirring from inside could be heard and after a small wait longer, Twilight opened the door to great her redheaded lover. She smiled politely before reaching forward and pulled Sunset into a tight embrace followed by a quick peck on the lips.

Sunset responded by placing her arm in the crook in Twilight’s back and held the girl there, looking into her eyes. “I missed you…” Sunset said.

“Likewise…” Twilight nodded.

The two stood there just locking eyes for a moment before Sunset decided to speak up. “Hey… I have something I want to sort of talk about… It’s not bad, I promise.”

“Oh, alright… What’s up?” Twilight blinked.

“Maybe I should come in? We can sit down and talk it over.” Sunset smiled.

Twilight gave an awkward face followed by the raising of her brow. “Can’t it wait until we get home?”

“I’d rather get it out of the way if that’s alright… It’s sort of something that I think we should discuss ASAP so it’s kind of out there… While I still have my nerves that is…” Sunset gave a weak smile.

Twilight could tell that whatever she had to talk about was going to be a difficult subject for her, but she decided to just nod and roll with it. Sunset knew herself quite well and if she said she needed to get something off of her chest before she lost her nerve, that was probably for the best.

“Alright… Come on in.” Twilight grinned as she released Sunset and stepped aside, gesturing with her hands for the woman to step into her home away from home.

Obliging, Sunset noted how neat Twilight’s things were kept, there wasn’t a book out of place or a piece of furniture that looked like it had been moved. Twilight prided herself on organization when it came to an area where she read or studied, so it wasn’t that shocking to see her dorm as always was kept neat and tidy. Truthfully, most times when Sunset came over she never really noticed the state of the dorm. They usually were occupied with sex, after all.

Twilight’s dorm was cozy, albeit a bit small. She had a desk with her laptop sitting atop of it, another with a pile of books and a good three bookcases all filled to the brim with novels, textbooks and other various reads for the girl. Sunset suspected that most of them were for entertainment purposes and not educational.

In the center of the room, a single dark purple loveseat sat in front of a television set just next to the entrance. Sunset surmised that this was the place where Twilight kept up on her various shows via Netflix. Twilight was a binge watcher by nature, and Sunset was a bit envious of how the girl always seemed to find the time to fit everything she wanted to do in a day into a schedule. It was remarkable really, Twilight Sparkle could pull time out of nowhere to get tasks done.

Seeing the television and thinking of the shows that Twilight watched on Netflix reminded Sunset that she was behind a season on Supernatural and she needed to make a mental note to pencil that in. The Winchester boys had a unique place in her heart, and she was eager to see how the plotline of the newest season would turn out, even if the show had gotten more convoluted as time went on.

Twilight took a seat on the loveseat and Sunset followed suit by taking the spot next to her. She reached forward and took Twilight’s hand in her own and gave it a few gentle strokes with her other hand as she met the girl’s purple eyes.

“So…” Sunset said.

“So.” Twilight nodded.

Sunset took a breath and composed herself.

“As you know, I was sort of having some issues with cold feet…” Sunset began.

“I haven’t forgotten…” Twilight’s tone was quiet, implying she was a bit concerned about where this was going.

This wasn’t exactly off to the start that Sunset was hoping for, but she rolled with it. “I said it before and I’ll say it again; I still want to get married, I want to do all of that but I’ve decided that I need to push myself so I can avoid talking myself out of it. I know I’m doing the right thing, but my paranoia tricks me sometimes… So I was thinking we should do something that proves I am completely committed, so there’s no doubt, you know?”

“And what might that be?” Twilight blinked.

Sunset took in another breath and then exhaled. This was it. In her head, this plan sounded a lot less ridiculous and she envisioned it coming out so much smoother, but when the real moment came she found herself struggling to speak for a few seconds and feeling quite self-conscious of what Twilight might have to say about this plan.

She braced herself and straightened up as she gave Twilight’s hand a gentle squeeze. Sunset put on her serious face and cleared her throat. “Twilight… I love you more than anything…”

“I love you too, Sunset…” Twilight responded, her face remaining what Sunset would describe as “cautiously optimistic”.

“That’s why I think we should have a child together…” Sunset let out.

It felt good to finally say it out loud like a weight was taken off of Sunset’s shoulders.

Twilight blinked several times in disbelief. “Come again?”

“A child, as in I want to have a baby with you…” Sunset smiled.

“That’s… A huge step… I mean we’re not even married yet…” Twilight blushed.

“I know, but I figure this way I have something that I know I have a responsibility toward something so I can get my head in the right place, you know? I know it sounds crazy but-“ Sunset was cut off as she tried to justify her line of thinking.

“You know how much work that’ll be?” Twilight asked with a raised brow.

Sunset nodded. “Yes. I’m prepared for it…”

Twilight paused for a moment before continuing her line of questioning. “And you’re certain that you want to do this?”

“Positive. I figure we can get married before the baby is born and then we’ll be ready. I’ll do most of the work while you’re in college and then when you graduate we can work together…” Sunset stated.

“Do you know anything about babies?” Twilight asked.

“I bought eight books yesterday and I’m halfway through the first one… I’m going to do this right, Twilight…” Sunset pleaded.

Twilight had to admit she was impressed. It always made her all warm inside to see Sunset do research on a subject.

Taking a breath or two, Twilight thought it over. Sunset was asking a lot out of her, but seeing how much work she had already put in at least made Twilight confident that she meant what she said about not backing down if they went through with this.

“A child… That’s… Just wow… Me… a parent…” Twilight rambled before raising a hand to her forehead to compose herself.

“You’ll do fine, and I’ll be there to help you…” Sunset smiled.

Turning to face the girl, Twilight noted Sunset’s face. “You’re serious then?”

“More than I’ve ever been…” Sunset nodded.

Twilight found the smile on Sunset’s face contagious as one quickly came to her own. “How can I say no? I mean it’ll be difficult at first, and we’ll have to plan this all out, but I’d be honored, Sunset…”

“You mean it!?” Sunset exclaimed, squeezing Twilight’s small hand harder.

Twilight winced at her sudden increase in grip but nodded. “Yes… I wanted to have a family with you anyway, this just… Makes it happen a lot faster, I suppose.”

Sunset nodded. “I love you, and I promise I’m going to be the best parent I can be! I’ll study really hard! We’re going to provide our child with so much happiness, I know it!”

Leaning forward, Twilight rested her head against her fiancé’s. “I know we will…”

While it wasn’t exactly the way that Sunset expected her relationship with Twilight would unfold, she found herself extremely excited about their future. There was no more doubt, no more confusion, she was going to do this, she was going to marry Twilight Sparkle and they would start a family together.

She had spent so much time thinking this over, realizing that she was more or less giving up so much to pursue this, but she didn’t care. She was happy, happier than she had ever been in her entire life. Nothing could spoil that feeling.

Starlight Glimmer yawned and collapsed on the couch without even taking her shoes off as she groaned from the aching feeling in her feet and legs after such a long shift on her feet. “I can’t believe we actually survived that double shift… What the hell were we thinking in agreeing to that? Veil owes us big time…”

Wandering in behind her was an equally exhausted Angel Song. The girl stumbled in and managed to get her shoes off and set them aside. She leaned her face against the wall and allowed her bouncy curly hair to cushion her. Her long blue locks were a wild mess after so much running around and sweating.

“On the busiest night of the year, no less…” Angel replied slowly, trying her best not to just collapse on the floor and pass out right there and then.

“At least we had each other…” Starlight commented as she lifted her head up to view Angel and shot her friend a thumbs up.

Angel returned the gesture groggily.

“Work is always better when you have a friend…” Angel nodded lightly.

“Ain’t that the truth!” Starlight agreed.

“Still, Veil calling out on such a busy night was a big pain in the ass… I am willing to bet she knew in advance that it was going to be crazy tonight and that’s why she called out… It just seems too coincidental to me…” Starlight proposed.

Angel considered it, after all, Veil was known for calling out of work for the simplest of reasons ranging from hurting her foot to her kid got into some kind of altercation at school over some kind of nonsense. Her excuses were often concise and lacked detail, likely conjured with just enough vagueness so that they were not too fantastical to be believed. Veil had a habit of spinning stories at work which most of her co-workers knew were untrue. "A professional bullshitter" is what Starlight called her.

Thinking back, Angel tried to recall a single time that one of Veil’s long stories sounded even remotely believable, but could not think of a single instance. The fact that the girl kept her excuses short and sweet was likely an indicator that she knew her stories were difficult to be believed and thus wanted to avoid something similar when it came to excuses as to why she couldn’t work.

Starlight pointed toward the fridge. “Get me a beer, would you? I think I could use a stiff drink after tonight…”

“You have one almost every night…” Angel rolled her eyes as she wandered toward the fridge, fetching something to appease her roommate.

“Yes, but this isn’t that beer for tonight, this is a different beer… I’ll have my usual one after. Not to mention I used the term 'stiff' sarcastically here as I wouldn't really constitute a beer as a stiff drink.” Starlight winked.

Angel rolled her eyes once more. “So you’re drinking two tonight, basically?”

Starlight nodded as Angel wandered back over and handed her the bottle. Starlight sat up and reached into her pocket and retrieved her keys. On her key ring was a familiar bottle opener that Angel had gifted her. She snapped the top off of the alcoholic beverage with ease and began to suck on the top of the bottle, downing a good portion of the liquid in a few seconds.

“You should drink with me, Angel,” Starlight offered.

Shaking her head and her hands Angel declined. “I don’t really like the taste of alcohol, you know that…”

“Yeah, but you do like spending time with your best friend and roommate don’t you?” Starlight wiggled her eyebrow at Angel.

“I do, but I can do that without inebriating myself.” Angel giggled as she sat down next to Starlight.

A frown came to her friend’s face as she took another sip before speaking. “You’re such a killjoy sometimes…”

“Sorry, Starlight… I just don’t really like drinking that much…” Angel smiled.

It was difficult to be legitimately mad at her when you saw that smile. Starlight found herself quickly forgiving the girl’s lack of taste for alcohol when she saw Angel Song smile at her. Her friend had a smile that no one else had, one that would make even the iciest of hearts melt.

Looking over Angel, Starlight noted that she dressed so innocently like she was completely unaware that everyone thought she was adorable. While she lacked much in the way of a chest and Starlight wouldn’t exactly call her curvy, she was somehow very cute. Her small chest and slightly above average behind somehow worked together. Starlight surmised it must have been her hair and face that did it.

She had a very well made face, one with virtually no blemishes or scars. Not a freckle in sight, and no acne to speak of. She was a rare type of girl who didn’t need much makeup, she had a natural beauty and a youthful look about her. No one would guess that she was twenty-three, many mistook her for a teenager. Often times she was accused of having a fake ID when she went to buy alcohol on Starlight’s behalf.

The thing that Starlight was most envious of though was the girl’s small feet for her height. Angel was a slightly taller girl, just like Starlight, but was at least two shoe sizes smaller than her.

What always caught Starlight off guard was just how innocent Angel Song was at times. The girl had no sexual experience, and she had never even masturbated in her life (unlike Starlight who found herself getting busy with herself one every day at minimum, sometimes two or more if she was fantasizing about a really hot guy she had met).

Angel had admitted she had never even kissed a guy before and found herself far too shy to even consider such a thing. Starlight made it sort of a mission in trying to get the girl laid, but it always ended up failing for one reason or another.

Despite all of that, Angel was natural leader material. At work, she often was the most organized and was able to direct others down the path to success with relative ease.

“It’s fine…” Starlight replied with the shake of her hand. “Drinking alone just makes me feel pathetic is all…” Starlight remarked.

“I thought striking out with guys made you feel pathetic?” Angel blinked in genuine confusion.

“That too… Thanks for reminding me by the way…” Starlight rolled her eyes before taking another sip and leaning back, not quite amused at being reminded of her poor dating prowess. Starlight definitely knew she was an attractive girl, but she often found she said the wrong things which made dates go sour very quickly. She had a bad case of foot-in-mouth syndrome when it came to boys.

Starlight’s chest rose and fell as she sat there breathing. Her breasts were rather easy to notice behind her hooded sweatshirt that she had slipped on before leaving work. She was far from what most would call busty, but she displayed a far more impressive bust than her friend, Angel. Starlight remembered struggling with breast size in high school where she was at the tail end of an A cup, but by the time she graduated she had made it to a respectable C, which she was content with.

The difference between her and Angel though was that Angel somehow always got lucky in what she wore. She seemed to be able to always find that perfect outfit that made her look cuter than usual without even trying; whereas Starlight felt like she often had to make sacrifices to gods just to find something that looked cute on her.

Angel despite her cuteness though made a terrible wingman (or wingwoman as it were). Her adorable nature often distracted guys from even noticing Starlight when they went out. It was like bringing a puppy, but the puppy was far too cute for anyone to even notice the owner.

Still, she was great company and an even better listener. For every minor negative quality one could find about Angel Song there were at least a dozen great qualities worthy of praise.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Angel drooped.

Starlight glanced over at her and shrugged. “It’s fine… Though I really do need to get laid… It’s been like… two months… I’m going to start humping the walls if this dry spell does not stop…”

“Is sex really that important to you?” Angel blinked.

“I wouldn’t say that… I would just say… It’s like if you go without sweets for too long, eventually you just get a serious craving and it doesn’t go away until you finally just engorge yourself with as much as you can get your hands on!” Starlight explained.

“And then hate yourself and run on the treadmill for hours?” Angel snickered as she recalled Starlight doing exactly that the moment she felt she had eaten even a little too much cake.

“Sure… Why not…” Starlight rolled her eyes.

Her friend clearly knew her too well.

“Maybe it’s a good thing that I haven’t had sex then…” Angel smiled.

Starlight couldn’t deny that entirely. Sex was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that it felt amazing, a curse in that once you got even a taste, you wanted more. Starlight had spent most of her adult life since she was seventeen craving sex after going without it for so long. She was far from a horn dog, but she had regular needs. Fortunately for her, masturbating was enough to keep them at bay most of the time.

She remembered they had a co-worker who was obsessed with sex. The girl literally got a little at least twice a day, sometimes she snuck out of work early to go give a hand job or two to her boyfriend at the time (which she went through quickly). There wasn’t a conversation she had which didn’t go back to sex within a matter of minutes.

The girl didn’t last long and frankly, Starlight was glad to be rid of her. She wasn’t dependable and she could not focus to save her life.

Finding a good waitress was an exceptional pain in the ass.

“Probably… Blue balls suck…” Starlight nodded.

“I can only imagine…” Angel giggled.

Deciding it was best to change the subject, Starlight cleared her throat and spoke. “So… Any more strange dreams?”

Angel shook her head. “Sadly, no. And no leads on this Applejack either. There must be thousands of people with that name, so it’s not like Google is much help… I don’t even have a picture of her to reverse search since I saw it in a dream…”

“I guess we need more clues then…” Starlight placed a hand on her chin, keeping the other hand firmly gripped on her beer.

“It would seem that way…” Angel frowned.

Angel’s dreams or visions as they sometimes referred to them as were a common topic of discussion when the two were at home. Her friend had unique magical powers and supposedly some kind of vision came before her about some girls who would hold the answer as to why or how she got such abilities.

Sadly their search hit dead ends fairly often, but that didn’t stop them from trying to dig up just about anything they could find on their days off.

Once they spent an entire weekend following a girl named Applejack only to find that she was actually a he, and Applejack was merely the name they used to do drag. During the day he was Cotton Flower, a businessman of forty-eight and father of two children living a secret life that his wife was oblivious to where he dressed and presented as a woman to have sex with men for pleasure.

While it brought them no closer to an end to their quest, they felt somewhat satisfied in uncovering some kind of mystery.

Together, Angel and Starlight were a regular sleuthing duo, the kind that they wrote books about and got TV series made depicting their adventures. Still, the mystery of Angel Song’s magic powers still eluded them, but they remained determined.

“Applejack… And you said she looked like a country girl right?” Starlight looked over at Angel for confirmation.

Angel nodded. “Mhm, she had long blonde hair, somewhat damaged, I suppose and it was tied at the end in sort of a ponytail… A stetson hat and a red plaid shirt on…”

“Green eyes, right?” Starlight asked.

Angel nodded once more.

A sigh escaped Starlight. “Great… There must be a bazillion blonde hair, green-eyed girls in the world. All of which prettier than me I might add…”

Angel giggled. “I’m sure you’re prettier than plenty of them…”

“Still… We really need to think of more to go off of…” Starlight stated.

Angel closed her eyes and tried to remember something, anything that could help them. She could see the other nameless girls standing around Applejack, she could make out their faces and details somewhat vividly, though her memory was foggy at times. There the blonde girl stood, tall and busty.

Next to her were her friends, all of varying shapes and sizes, but she tried to think of anything that discerned them from anyone else. Her thoughts came to necklaces that they all wore.

That was right, she hadn’t noticed it before, but all of these girls wore some kind of medallion around their neck, similar but all with different emblems on them and different colors. They shined unnaturally and seemed almost unreal in their appearance.

Opening her eyes, Angel blinked before speaking. “They all were wearing… Some kind of medallions…”

“Medallions?” Starlight raised a brow but leaned in with growing interest

Angel nodded. “Yeah, they each had one… They were little circles that looked like they were made out of some kind of gemstone… They all had different emblems but they looked like they were part of a set, each one of them had one… I’m surprised I didn’t notice that before…”

This definitely was an important clue. Starlight stood up and stretched. “If I were to get someone to draw them for you… Would you be able to describe them?”

Angel nodded once more. “Definitely, my memory of them is pretty vivid. I’m confident that I could explain to someone what they looked like…”

Starlight grinned and lifted her beer to her lips, downing the remainder of it quickly and set the bottle on the coffee table. “We can go talk to Quick Sketch… He’s always hanging out at the cafe across the street where we work and I’ll bet he’s there right now.”

Angel blinked. “Right this second?”

“Might as well while it’s fresh in your memory…” Starlight winked.

She had a point.

“What about your second beer?” Angel teased.

Starlight waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll need to keep my mind sharp, we’re back on the hunt. This may be an important clue… While we’re at it, you can have him draw the faces of those girls.”

Angel couldn’t deny that this all sounded like an excellent plan, much like most of the plans that Starlight made. Coming to a stand with her, Angel nodded and grabbed her jacket from the coat rack. “Let’s get going then.”

A good few months had passed since Sunset and Twilight had decided to have a family together. Both were excited but there were weeks of planning before finalizing everything. They needed to decide on the wedding, and of course, they wanted to wait until Twilight was twenty-one so she could drink at her own reception.

The two were going over some wedding planning when Sunset decided to bring up some exciting news. “So, I’m sure you’ve heard, but Rarity is going to give birth soon!”

“Rarity as a mom… It’s weird to think about… But I can… Sort of see it, you know?” Twilight smiled at the thought.

Someone as generous and caring as Rarity would make an excellent mother, the only person she could imagine being better would be Fluttershy, who was already sort of like the mom of their group.

“It’s exciting for sure… I wonder what they’ll be like…” Sunset placed a hand on her chin.

“With Applejack as a parent? Probably hard headed and stubborn?” Twilight suggested.

Sunset let out a laugh which Twilight joined her in. “You’re probably right… Imagine if she had kids with Rainbow Dash? That would be a nightmare…”

Twilight blinked at the thought. “I actually heard Rainbow tell me that the two of them kissed once, but Applejack seemed so flustered and embarrassed that Rainbow couldn’t tell me much more… I tried texting her about it later, but she said it was best left alone.”

Sunset recalled hearing something about that story. It came from middle school days with the two, back when Rainbow had the nickname “Blue Phoenix”. She was called that because she was said to soar above the competition with relative ease or something. In her yearbook, someone had even signed it "to the rising Blue Phoenix, hope you keep kicking ass!" It was a sports thing, so Sunset knew little about it. The name sort of vanished after she entered high school where she got more of a reputation for being the class lesbian.

Still, Sunset tried to picture a phoenix in Equestria clad in blue instead of red, rising into the sky. It was a magnificent image, but likely one that didn’t exist.

“Maybe one day we’ll hear the rest of that story…” Sunset giggled.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah… Maybe…”

There was a short pause between the two girls before Twilight let out a sigh and looked over at her betrothed. “Sunset…”

Sunset gulped. She knew that tone of voice, it was usually followed by difficult conversation.

“Yeah?” Sunset managed to get out without sounding too nervous.

“We still haven’t decided… Which one of us is going to have the baby…” Twilight pointed out.

Sunset shrugged. “I was hoping you’d pitch me a suggestion…”

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. “I think… You should be the one to do it…”

Sunset blinked. She was not expecting that. “Come again?”

“Sunset… I can’t get any kind of donor from your family… The child wouldn’t have any of your DNA… On top of that… You’re the last of your family here, it would be wrong of me to not allow you to carry on your lineage, especially for Shimmer’s sake…” Twilight reached forward and cupped Sunset’s hand in her own.

Sunset winced but tried to stay calm. It wasn’t the thought of being pregnant or giving birth that scared her, it was all the things after that. “Twilight… What if…”

“Our kid is half Equestrian?” Twilight asked with a raised brow.

Sunset only nodded.

Twilight shrugged in response. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. The wedding is two months away, we should be preparing now… We can begin the process right before the wedding if that’s alright with you…”

Sunset paused. How did she feel about all of this? Being a mother? Her? She knew nothing about child rearing and while she was reading books upon books, actually having the baby was another thing entirely. Her parents didn’t teach her much and she didn’t exactly have many adult role models growing up. She’d be winging the entire thing.

Her mind wandered to Twilight’s family who had been so supportive of her since she came into Twilight’s life. They approved of their relationship, their marriage, and they said they would help the two whenever they needed it. Cadence and Shining both had experience with children and they likely had plenty of wisdom to offer the Equestrian; shy of anything related to Equestria or magic that was.

The more Sunset thought about it, the more it seemed right. She could make this work, she could be the mother that her mother was not.

Holding Twilight’s hand tightly, Sunset nodded. “Twilight… I’d be honored… With you by my side, I know I’ll make a fantastic mother… Whatever problems arise from my heritage… As you said, we’ll face them together and cross those bridges when they come.”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “I wouldn’t have it any other way…”

The road ahead may have been complicated or even had the odds stacked against them, but Sunset knew that they could handle anything thrown at them. Marriage, bringing children into the world, this was what normal people did, and Sunset wanted to give Twilight the most normal life that she had the ability to give. While there would be magical mishaps on the way, she promised herself she would try and live a quiet existence, one where they could raise their family without mishaps.

It was a tall order, and while Sunset found their magical adventures exciting, she knew those days were behind her. She wasn’t a kid anymore, she was over twenty-one, a full grown adult by both Equestrian and human standards. She would hold onto to magic now for one purpose and one purpose alone: to protect her family. She would use it only to keep them safe from now on.

The visit to Rarity and Applejack’s abode was an exciting one indeed. Rarity had finally gotten out of the hospital after giving birth and within a few days, she was already hard at work to lose her gained baby fat (which she didn’t really have that much of, to begin with).

After a good two weeks, Rarity and Applejack were both prepared to share the newest member of the Apple family with the world.

Sunset and Twilight both followed Applejack into their adorable country house and quietly made their way toward a nursery that Applejack herself had built. Her handiwork was as impressive as always, with so much attention to detail. The paintings on the walls of little red apples and clouds she had commented that she had paid an artist to make them, and it showed, they were quite intricately designed and the entire room’s theme matched (likely due to Rarity doing the interior decorating).

There, sitting in a rocking chair was a smiling Rarity holding a creature wrapped up in a blanket with a smile on her face.

Just seeing that smile on her told everything that one needed to know about how she was feeling at that moment. She looked so peaceful, and so content. Pride was another word to describe how she looked, as she looked down at the bundle in front of her with so much love. Sunset had never seen her give a look like that to anyone besides Applejack, yet there as she lived and breathed, Sunset could see her giving it to a child in front of her.

Applejack approached first and kneeled down next to the rocking chair, resting a hand on Rarity’s forearm. The fashionista didn’t even look in Applejack’s direction, instead, her eyes were locked on her baby.

Sunset and Twilight stood at the doorway, afraid to interrupt their little moment together until Applejack gestured for them to enter the room. Nodding, the two women came forward and tried to get a closer look.

Rarity finally looked up at the two and smiled at her friends. “Sunset… Twilight… I’d like you to meet our son… Jasper Apple…”

Twilight leaned in to get a better look and could see right away that the baby had Rarity’s beautiful big blue eyes, but Applejack’s golden blonde hair and rounded nose. He looked up at Twilight with awe in his eyes as Twilight examined his freckled face. He was a very interesting mixture of the two girls in a single person.

“He’s adorable…” Twilight found herself grinning as she stared at the baby.

Sunset came forward and found herself frozen as the child and she locked eyes. Jasper stared at the redhead intensely, studying everything about her face.

The silence between the two was broken by Rarity. “Would you like to hold him, Sunset?”

“I… I don’t know…” Sunset made an awkward face.

Rarity shook her head. “I insist…”

Sunset already knew that it was pointless to argue with Rarity after all she had been through. When Rarity wanted you to do something, you did it, especially after she had just been through the pain of childbirth not that long ago.

Reaching forward, Sunset took the baby in her arms and was surprised at how light he was. She had never held a baby before, but she had no idea they were so lightweight. She cradled his head in her hand and balanced him in her arm and looked down at him, gently rocking the small creature.

She went to brush a strand of hair out of his face only for little Jasper to grab her finger.

Sunset blinked as the baby held on, a smile on his face as he did so.

“I think he likes you, Sunset…” Rarity giggled.

Sunset didn’t know what to say or do. This baby in her arms was so delicate, so precious and so innocent. Despite all she had been through, despite all the times she had done the wrong thing or all the times she had screwed up, this small innocent creature could see the good in her. It didn’t judge her, it didn’t believe she was making all the wrong moves in life and it had no comprehension of all the times she had given into the dark part of herself.

All it saw was a woman, not an Equestrian, but a human woman.

Holding the child brought even more confidence to Sunset. She was already prepared to do what she needed to carry Twilight’s baby, but after holding Jasper and seeing how that child looked at her, she found herself more excited to see how her own child would see her. Would they look up to their mother? Only time would tell, but Sunset imagined that at that moment, Rarity felt about how Sunset was feeling right then.

If this was what being a mother felt like, she was more than ready.

“Thanks, little guy… Just brought into this world and you’re already doing so much good… Just like your mother… She should be proud…” Sunset whispered to the baby who stared up at her, his mouth forming an “o” shape.

Offering the baby back to Rarity, Sunset continued to smile.

Rarity took her son back into her arms and giggled as she looked at the redhead. “I didn’t think holding him would make you so happy, Sunset…”

“It sort of… Makes me think that I have what it takes to be a mom too… I mean… if it means I get to see a child look at me like that… I’m more than ready…” Sunset nodded.

Rarity nodded back. “I think you’ll do wonderful…”

“We already know that you will, Rarity,” Twilight chimed back in.

“I’ve much to learn, but with Applejack here to help me… I am sure that our little Jasper will have two excellent teachers… And of course two more in you two, it takes a village after all…” Rarity winked at the couple.

Sunset found herself blushing at that comment.

The moment of truth was before Sunset. Never in her life did she think such a thing as waiting for lines to appear would be the most nerve-wracking thing she had ever experienced. She had saved the world a few times and battled against enemies that could have turned her and her friends into dust multiple times, but nothing compared to this.

Here she was, two weeks before her wedding and facing the point of no return. She knew if this test came back positive that she had locked herself in for the course that her life would take from then on. From this moment, her life would be Twilight and her family. That was exactly what she wanted though. Normalcy was something she craved now. Magic battles, monsters from other worlds, evil villains hellbent on revenge? She was past all of that, now she just wanted this.

It was hard to believe that Rarity had already been a mother for a good two to three months, but seeing her with Jasper gave Sunset hope, hope that she too would be a great mother.

She closed her eyes to try and make time go faster, but she knew that time moved for no one, not even Celestia herself tampered with such a thing. She could still hear her mentor’s words ringing in her ear.

Good things come to those who wait, and all the best things take time.

It was odd that despite not seeing the mare’s face in so long, Sunset could still picture it so vividly. She had the kind of face that few could forget though to be fair.

Opening her eyes again, Sunset stared at the test eagerly watching as the first line appeared, and then after enough time had passed, a second.

She froze, blinking as she stared at it. It had happened, everything that Twilight and she had wanted all right there on a stick in her hand.

She burst out of the bathroom and approached Twilight sitting on the bed with her arms crossed, clearly trying to contain herself.

“So…?” Twilight asked, her voice was almost trembling like she was afraid of the answer.

Sunset smiled and turned the test so that Twilight could see it.

Twilight blinked a few times before adjusting her glasses to get a better look at the test. Once it had clicked in her head that the results were favorable her eyes moved up to meet Sunset. “That means…”

Sunset nodded.

“Then we’re…” Twilight stammered.

“Going to be parents…” Sunset finished her sentence for her.

Twilight nodded and hopped forward, grabbing Sunset into a tight embrace. She squeezed her so tight that Sunset struggled to breathe for a brief moment, but she patted the girl on the head and held Twilight close.

“I’m… So happy…” Twilight said, tears running down her face, staining her glasses.

“I am too…” Sunset nodded as she spoke in an almost whisper to her fiancé.

“I’ll do everything I can to help, I promise! Once I finish school we’ll be together 24/7, promise!” Twilight stated.

Sunset chuckled and pet her lover’s cheek. “It’s fine… I have it under control, okay?”

“Are you sure? I can drop out of school if you want-“ Twilight was cut off by Sunset’s finger pressed to her lips.

The redhead shook her head in disapproval. “Nonsense. You need to finish school, you almost have your BA, and you’ve worked so hard. I’ll take care of things while you’re in school and when you are home you can take over for me, okay? We’ll do this together. I’m not going to let you throw away your dreams… I have enough resources to where you can follow your dreams and we can still have our family…”

Twilight nodded. “T-thank you… Sunset…”

Sunset giggled. “Your family would kill me if I stopped you from becoming one of the world’s leading scientists.”

“Is it weird that I’m more excited to be a parent?” Twilight asked sheepishly.

Sunset shook her head. “Not at all, because I am too…”

“You’re going to make a great mom, Sunset. I know you will,” Twilight assured.

At this point, Sunset’s self-doubt was all but expunged. She believed those words, but she knew she was going to do more than be a great mom, she was going to do everything she could to be the best mom.

“Do you mind if I write to the Princess really quick, babe?” Sunset asked.

Twilight shook her head. “Not at all, she deserves to hear the good news.”

“Even if she isn’t answering…” Sunset made an awkward face.

“I’m sure she will eventually,” Twilight stated.

Sunset shrugged but released her fiancé as she dug through the drawer on the end table of her bed. Retrieving the journal she used to chat back and forth with Twilight Sunset began jotting down her letter to the princess.

Dear Princess Twilight,

It’s been some time since we’ve talked. I miss you, but I’m sure you’re off doing very important royal duties. Assisting in ruling Equestria probably is really difficult at times, not that I’d know. I hope this letter finds you well and when you get a breather from all that you have to do.

Anyway, I know you are probably sick of these little “updates” by now, but I figured this one was warranted, it’s kind of a big one. I know I already told you that Twilight and I are getting married, but that ironically is not the biggest thing that is happening to me.

I’m going to be a mom. I’m more excited than I’ve ever been in my entire life, however, this sort of comes with a caveat; something I knew was going to need to happen for some time now.

With my child and my soon-to-be wife… I think it’s time I gave Equestria up. While I will always write to you and tell you about my wonderful time here in the human world, I realized that my child will need a normal life, one without the interference of magic and other worlds. I want them to feel… normal. Like I never got to. I’ve made my choice, I want to live here with this girl that I love and this child we are to have together. I can’t do that if I am trying to live between worlds.

Your friendship means a lot to me, Princess, but I need to do what is right for my family. So while we can always be penpals, consider my trips to Equestria… Officially over.

Yours Truly,

Sunset Shimmer

She sighed as she finished her letter and stared at the page next to it, hoping to get some kind of reply. Naturally, there was none.

Author's Note

You may have noticed that the chapters are getting longer. This is because as we get closer and closer to the end of the story, the amount of stuff going on is going to increase. We have a few new characters to meet and a few to learn more about.

And yes! They are going to have a baby! The Shimmer family is about to get a little bigger.

Oh, and say hello to Jasper Apple! The newest Apple family member!

Thanks to everyone who reads this every week, I hope this story makes you smile.

Act V - Chapter LXIX: Awake

Chapter LXIX: Awake

How long had it been? Twilight couldn’t tell. The concept of time eluded her in this space. It felt like she had only been there for a few days, but she knew it must have been at least a few weeks. Being stuck inside this training area with a draconequus or pure chaos magic was perhaps the oddest thing she had ever volunteered for, even for her.

Training with Discord and working on ascension at the same time was not an easy task. Twilight had pushed her body to its limits and beyond, and her mind had been trained to think outside the box. She had learned when it was appropriate to abandon her studiousness and overly organized mannerisms and embrace chaos. She hoped this new insight would give her the advantage she needed, the edge necessary to perform her duties as princess and protect her nation from the oncoming invasion, she only prayed it wasn’t too late.

This training session with Discord was par the norm for the two of them. They sat in silence, eyes closed, but locked in a fierce battle of minds. To the untrained eye it appeared as though they were only meditating, but in reality, the two were having a magic duel of the highest caliber.

The battlefield: their minds.

Inside their connected thoughts, the two were engaged in a duel like no other. Twilight had zapped at Discord with a potent magic beam only for him to dodge without much effort. He hurled a fireball in her direction in retaliation which she flipped out of the way of.

Discord nodded but then cast two beams from his hands, green in color swiping them about like sabers trying to hit Twilight who kept jumping and dodging to avoid them while she charged up an explosion spell of significant magnitude. It would take a few seconds but if she could land it then she could win this fight.

She concentrated while dodging Discord’s attacks, focusing her magic into a small ball just floating above her horn. The more she focused the more the ball of energy began to glow until it finally stabilized, ready to be hurled toward her opponent for maximum damage. She smirked as she felt victory in her grasp but paused when she noticed Discord had a smirk of his own. Blinking, Twilight looked over her shoulder to see the fireball he had hurled earlier had made a return.

Not reacting quickly enough, Twilight was hit by the blast sending her backward. While she was staggered, Discord zapped her with both of his beams sending her in the other direction and eventually off the black disk that the two of them fought upon. As she ringed out, Twilight tried to flap her wings to break her long fall to the drop below.

To her surprise, her wings wouldn’t move. Discord must have cast a spell to stop them from working. She needed a plan, and fast if she wanted to avoid losing yet another match to the creature. Even with her ascended magic, Discord still proved troublesome in a fight.

Closing her eyes, she cleared her mind. She remembered what she was taught about thinking outside of the normal constraints that she was used to. She abandoned logic, she abandoned reason, she abandoned the fear of consequence.

When her head was clear she asked herself an important question.

How can I get back up there?

The answer came to her. It was something she would have never thought to do prior to this training, but she knew how to win now.

She still had her explosion spell. Looking down toward the approaching ground, Twilight hurled the spell downward right underneath herself. Sure enough, within seconds the spell burst causing a massive explosion which caught Twilight in its edges. It was painful, but the shockwave sent her up, high up.

She landed back inside the ring with a tumble, her feathers a mess, and her mane a disaster zone that would make Rarity shriek. Panting she brought herself to a stand and braced herself. Part two of her plan was about to come into effect.

Discord smiled as he hurled another few fireballs at Twilight. Instead of moving or blocking them, Twilight took them head-on, allowing each to hit her. She groaned in agony, the pain growing with each hit, but she stood still. She refused to budge, despite how many fireballs the draconequus pelted her with.

Discord didn’t quite understand her strategy, but it seemed like another easy victory was in his grasp, so he kept wailing on her with all he had, not letting up in the slightest to the alicorn, pelting her with fireball after fireball.

Twilight grinned as her horn began to glow. With a smirk growing on her face, Discord watched in horror as he realized what was actually going on. He had been duped; Twilight had actually managed to outsmart him.

With one mighty blast, Twilight hit him with a beam so powerful that he felt his skin rip off of his body. He felt his very being be ripped apart, split atom by atom until there was nothing left. He wailed in pain before the both of them opened their eyes and returned back to the world outside of their minds.

Discord blinked a few times, impressed by her actions.

“Well… I never thought I’d see the day… That was… Quite a clever combination of strategies there, Princess…” Discord commented.

Twilight was a bit disoriented. While their mental magic duels did not cause them harm, the more strenuous the battles, the weaker they felt when they awoke.

“You used your own explosion on yourself… Damaging yourself just to get back into the fight… And then you took advantage of your opponent’s overconfidence by casting a magic reflection spell on yourself… However, you were clever enough to set the counter spell to build over time rather than deflect everything right away… So by taking great personal damage to yourself, you were able to hit me back tenfold…” Discord summarized the outcome of their fight.

“That is… Very cunning…” Discord smirked.

Twilight rubbed her head and nodded. “Thank you… I think?”

Discord came to a stand and offered his claw which Twilight took before coming to a stand herself.

“You’ve done it, Twilight Sparkle… You’ve learned how to think chaotically… In the harshest of fights, you may sometimes need to confuse your foe with tactics that they would never anticipate… Combine this with what you’ve learned about chaos magic and your ascension that you’ve completed and I’d say… You’ve completed our training together… You may now be the deadliest mare to ever walk Equestria.” Discord smiled.

Twilight couldn’t believe it. When they started their training together she first focused on ascending. Once she had achieved that, she was told that her training would only be complete if she could best Discord in an all out fight.

She was given as many attempts as she needed to get the job done and it had taken hundreds of tries before she finally had beaten him. The old draconequus was clever, slick and difficult to predict. In the past, she relied on her friends and the elements of harmony to defeat him, but in this place all she had was herself. She never realized how much more difficult defeating Discord would have been without those elements.

“So you’re saying…” Twilight blinked in disbelief.

Discord nodded. “You’re ready… Your training is officially complete, there is nothing more I can teach you…”

Those words felt unreal.

With the snap of his claw, the white space around them dissipated and the two were left standing in a gorgeous field with a few trees scattered about it. Looking toward the south, a door that allowed them to escape the room where they had spent considerable time together was ready to finally be opened.

Looking up at her new mentor, Twilight gestured toward the door with her hoof. “Let’s go then. I’m sure our friends are eager to see us again.”

Discord chuckled and nodded as he floated toward the exit. “It will be nice to finally be able to stretch outside of this container. I was starting to feel a little cramped in here…”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight pushed the door open and stepped outside.

A stairwell waited for them, and the two made their way up slowly. Sure enough at the top of the steps, there was a face that Twilight expected to be there ready to greet her. It was the face of Starlight Glimmer, her most trusted and faithful student.

“Twilight! Discord! I can’t believe it! You’re actually out!” Starlight exclaimed before bolting forward and gripping Twilight in a hug.

Twilight returned the embrace before letting Starlight go, who gave Discord an awkward hug which he seemed to not really enjoy before the two split it up.

“Sorry for worrying you…” Twilight frowned.

Starlight shook her head. “I’m just glad you made it out okay! There was always the possibility that you could have… Well… It’s not important anymore… What is important is that you’re here!”

Twilight giggled at her friend’s giddiness and was glad to have such a welcome party from her.

Twilight peered around the room. “Where are the others?” Twilight asked.

Starlight blinked and then rubbed her neck. “They’re sort of off doing various duties… A lot has changed since you’ve been in there, but don’t worry I can gather them all tonight and we can bring you up to speed as quickly as we can!”

Twilight didn’t want to ask what came to her mind next, but she knew that it would be far too important to know to simply ignore it. “Starlight… How long… Have we been in there?”

Starlight blinked. “How long? You mean you don’t know?”

Twilight shook her head. “Time feels odd in there… It felt like maybe a few days… Perhaps two weeks?”

Starlight sighed and sat down. “Twilight… You’ve been in there for eight months…”

“Eight months!?” Twilight gasped.

She knew there was no way she had completed such a difficult training in only one-hundredth of the time it took others far greater than her, but she had hoped she could have cut down how long she was in there to under two months. It was a long shot, but she couldn’t afford to be gone that long.

Starlight grimaced before giving a sheepish smile. “Hey… Eight months is a new record at least?”

She had a point there. Twilight shook her head and dismissed the problem, realizing that there was nothing she could do about it now.

“I guess we have no choice but to move forward then…” Twilight sighed.

Starlight perked up and nodded. “Right… There’s a lot you need to know, Twilight… I’ll bring you up to speed…”

After a short briefing, Twilight was brought up to speed on what had transpired in her absence.

“And so that’s the story…” Starlight finished explaining from across a table sitting next to Spike.

Twilight couldn’t believe all she had heard. She knew that her absence would have resulted in some change and that an omen was looming over Equestria, but she never anticipated anything like this. Serenade Dazzle, the demon sister of Adagio Dazzle seeking revenge? No one could have seen that coming. She was kicking herself for knowing that Adagio had a sister but thinking little of it.

This demon was unlike anything she had heard of before, her power unprecedented. While she was familiar with a creature like Tirek that could drain magic from others, this was a completely different scenario. She had to consider the other capabilities that Serenade possessed. Not only could she drain her prey entirely of their magic, but she also had the ability to control them and infest them with dark energies, thus bending anyone to her will. To top that off, she had dark magic of her own to utilize.

According to Starlight’s explanation, the mare had some kind of black tendrils that she could use as weapons as well, which apparently protected her from incoming attacks and reports suggested they acted as an early warning threat detection as well.

She was a formidable foe, one that wouldn’t go down so easily without a fight, that was for sure.

Twilight had heard of her conquest of the Crystal Empire, of her swift defeat of Celestia, and now her siege on Manehatten. Rarity and Starlight alternated between assisting in keeping the anti-dark energy barrier up during the day and Luna took over at night, but their strategy couldn’t hold forever, they would need to eventually get on the attack, but the question was how.

“Thank you for informing me, Starlight… I’m sorry that I took so long… I tried to work as quickly as I could…” Twilight informed.

Starlight shook her head and gave a dismissing hoof. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to push yourself beyond your limits. You could have died if you pushed too far, but the fact that you finished so quickly at all is truly remarkable… How did you even do it?”

Twilight blushed and looked away, not expecting such praise. “It wasn’t easy… I had to think in ways that I had never thought before… Imagine possibilities that I previously would have never entertained… Discord showed me much, and I intend to use that knowledge to make a difference out here…”

“What do you plan to do?” Starlight blinked, curious as to how Twilight planned to proceed from here.

The mare stood up and began pacing back and forth to clear her mind. She needed a plan, not just any plan either, the greatest plan she had ever concocted in her entire life. She needed something that would defeat Serenade, eliminate any need to kill the innocents that she mind controlled and do so without risking losing her magic to the demon. Just one of those feats would have been a tall order, but all three? It sounded next to impossible.

She paused in her tracks and closed her eyes, focusing.

The lessons of Discord began to ring in her ears.

Think outside the box.

Attacking her head on would be suicide. Traditionally she would power herself up with her friends and go head-to-head. With Serenade’s magic draining ability, that wasn’t an option. Using the elements was out of the question too, as there was no doubt that Serenade would merely absorb the blast and gain more strength.

She needed something that the demon siren couldn’t anticipate, something that would trip her up.

Twilight had mastered chaos magic, but it still was magic nonetheless; if she tried to utilize it in a fight, Serenade would only drain her, adding a new deadly weapon to her already impressive repitoire.

Unless she set a trap.

What kind of trap would trick a demon siren? A trap made of dark magic, of course. It all began to come together in her head. A spell Discord had taught her would allow her to disguise her magical aura as that of dark magic. Serenade wouldn’t even notice it, it wouldn’t fall on her radar as she focused herself on tracking down the magic of ponies so she could drain it.

It was possible that she could create a magic trap and hide its energy with a fake dark magic aura. Then all she would need to do is trick Serenade into springing the trap.

It seemed possible in theory, but Twilight would need time, plenty of it too.

“Starlight… I think I have a plan…” Twilight stated as she opened her eyes and placed a hoof on her chin.

The unicorn in front of her perked up and blinked in shock. “Really? What’s the plan?”

“It’s going to be tricky and complicated, so I need you to pay attention and do exactly as I say from here on, okay?” Twilight instructed as she paced back and forth, still piecing together the final bits of her plan in her head.

“Alright…” Starlight nodded.

“I’m going to utilize a spell that Discord taught me which should hide my magical aura and make it appear as one of dark magical energy,” Twilight began.

Starlight tilted her head in confusion. “Why do something like that?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Because Serenade is not tracking dark magic, she’s searching for regular magic. Dark magic will fall off of her radar because she has surrounded herself with so much of it that she would be able to tell if it’s just her own magic bouncing back at her.”

Starlight’s eyes lit up as the pieces of Twilight’s plan began to click together. “Ohhhhh! So you’ll hide the trap in plain sight by cloaking it with dark magic! I see now!”

Twilight nodded with a smile on her face, proud of her student. “Yes, then I will set a trap that will immobilize her. After that, we can use a reverse magic drain spell on her, weaken her enough to contain her and then we’ll take her away. With all of our magic back we should be able to break the hold she has over ponies with relative ease.”

Starlight liked this plan, it was the exact kind of thing that she could always rely on her mentor to come up with.

“It sounds like a great plan!” Starlight exclaimed.

Twilight frowned at those words. “One problem though…”

There was always a caveat.

“What is it?” Starlight asked.

The alicorn returned to pacing back and forth as she thought out loud. “This kind of spell will take weeks to prepare. I’ll need as much time as you can give me to pull this off… So you, Rarity and Luna need to keep Serenade occupied with Manehatten long enough for me to do this…”

Starlight came to a firm stance and gave a salute with her hoof. “Consider it done, Twilight.”

Twilight smiled and approached the girl, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “I knew I could count on you…”

“I can’t promise we can hold her forever, but we’ll do our best to keep her at bay. I’ll buy you all the time I can spare,” Starlight promised with a nod.

“That’s all I can ask of you, Starlight… You best get going though, it’ll be nightfall soon, and you should be resting at Manehatten so you’re ready to take over when daylight comes…” Twilight informed.

Starlight nodded and gave the girl a quick hug, which Twilight returned. “Good luck, Twilight.”

“Thank you… I’m probably going to need all the luck I can get…” Twilight laughed.

As she stepped away and toward the exit, Starlight shook her head. “I know you… Luck never has anything to do with your victories.”

Twilight laughed and nodded, glad that she had raised such a wonderful student.

Days of laboring away at Serenade’s statue had left most of the camp tired. Galeal and Eclipse no exception. When they weren’t working on building schematics, they were out assisting with the actual labor element of the job. Though their positions granted them a slightly more cushy setup, they were not completely immune to the suffering that all were forced to endure.

Sitting in their tent together, most were annoyed that they would have to share a cramped tent space with another, but not Galeal and Eclipse whom both were snuggled up close to each other, Galeal wrapping a wing around the young unicorn and keeping his head rested on his chest.

Eclipse listened to the griffon’s heartbeat as they laid there on the somewhat uncomfortable cot that was provided for them quietly. Labor wasn’t exactly in Eclipse’s list of skills, but Galeal recognized that and worked twice as hard to make up for him while they were in the quarry or at the construction site.

It wasn’t all bad, Eclipse at least got some amusement by watching the griffon flex his muscles, something that brought him great joy. Their flirtatious behavior, however, was kept to a minimum so that no others would see. If the guards caught wind of the fact that the two actually were enjoying each other’s company a little too much then they would likely separate them. Instead, they kept every intimate interaction restricted to when they were back in their tent when no one was looking. It wasn’t too out of the ordinary for them, given that the nature of their relationship had been kept private since they met.

Eclipse tried to think of how long it had been since they had found each other, it seemed like an eternity, but he knew it couldn’t possibly be that long. When they met they were but young teens who slowly became infatuated, but now they were approaching the end of their teenage years, qualifying for adults by Equestrian standards. Soon they would be old enough to get their first jobs and purchase their first homes.

Eclipse had gotten his cutie mark some time ago before Serenade took over Equestria. His mark was of a sun being covered by a moon, representative of his namesake. He had learned a long time ago that he excelled at magic revolving around light and light manipulation. He was confident that he wanted to go into astronomy when he was done with high school, and Galeal said he would join the royal military for Equestria in Canterlot so that they could be close to each other when Eclipse accepted a position at the Observation Center of Canterlot.

Their future was already planned out, and it seemed like only yesterday that they were discussing it, but now it all seemed like a lifetime ago. Serenade taking over Equestria thwarted everything they had plotted together, and now they would be lucky if there even was a future for either of them that didn’t involve being worked to death like some of the others in this forsaken camp.

The concept of death, however, was lost on Eclipse. Did he care if he died? Not really. Life had always been rather empty for him anyway. On top of that, the only things he really felt was affection toward Galeal and anger or hatred toward Serenade. He remembered his parents were put to death directly in front of him, how she laughed and smiled as she ended them, how she enjoyed their suffering. After an event like that, the only thing that Eclipse could feel was hatred, his positive emotions, and energy reserved exclusively for Galeal.

That creature was more than a demon, more than a siren, she was a heartless monster, a creature that deserved nothing but a swift death. He knew he would at least push himself to live long enough to end her, after that, he didn’t know. He had to survive though, so it was a good thing that he was paired with Galeal. Galeal would keep him going, prevent him from giving in before it was his time; he couldn’t afford to die until he finished this. He wouldn't allow himself to end until he was certain that Serenade breathed no more.

Serenade’s power was vast, her abilities almost god-like. Eclipse hadn’t a clue how he, a lowly unicorn now with no magic was going to bring her to her doom. It was a work in progress, to say the least, but he was determined that it could be done somehow, he just needed a plan, and luckily his situation afforded him plenty of time, and with that time he would formulate his revenge.

Stirring in his sleep, Galeal grumbled and opened an eye seeing the stallion resting on him was wide awake. In his usual aloof behavior, he yawned and questioned the pony.

“What’s up?”

Eclipse shrugged. “Just thinking…”

“Do I dare ask about what?” Galeal sighed, clearly not wanting a long story or explanation.

“Just… If we’ll ever get out of this situation… That’s all…” Eclipse lamented.

As predicted, Galeal just shrugged and seemed indifferent toward it all. “Dunno… Probably not… I mean that demon cunt is super strong. Bitch could split cities in half without even trying… I don’t see her going down… We're pretty much beyond fucked.”

“What about Luna? I heard that she is still fighting, and there’s Princess Twilight out there somewhere…” Eclipse reminded.

Galeal gave a dismissive claw wave. “They’re wasting their time. Serenade can’t be beaten… She’ll mop them up like they were nothing… It’s better to just accept that this is Equestria now… We're toast.”

“You’re pretty defeatist…” Eclipse frowned.

The griffon just shrugged once more. “No reason to be optimistic for me… The world sucks, all that’s different now is there’s a different creature making it suck.”

“If you could do something about it… Would you?” Eclipse asked.

Galeal paused for a moment, not sure of how to answer that question, not sure what his honest answer even was. Did he have it in him to do anything about someone like Serenade? Probably not. He was tough, but Serenade would rip him apart in a matter of seconds in a one-on-one fight, hell even in a ten-on-one fight.

“I don’t know… Hard to say… No point in fantasizing about it though because the facts remain that we won’t be in a position to do something about it… She’s an all-powerful almost Demi-god level demon and we’re… Just some griffon and a faggot pony…” Galeal pointed out.

Eclipse rolled his eyes. “You know… You’re a fag too…”

“Me? No way. The only queer here is you.” Galeal shook his head.

“And yet you’re the one always making out with me…” Eclipse chuckled.

“Keep that up and that’ll stop…” Galeal grumbled.

Shaking his head, Eclipse crawled over the griffon and planted a kiss on his beak. The two locked mouths for a moment before breaking the kiss. “As long as we have each other, this doesn’t bite so much…” Eclipse said.

Galeal blushed and looked away. “Yeah… I guess…”

Twilight had spent a few days preparing herself for what was to come, her mind was filled with all the ways that all of this could go wrong and blow up in her face. What if her trap wasn’t powerful enough? What if Serenade didn’t fall for it? What if she couldn’t finish it in time to be used against the demon?

Her old mistress of self-doubt had returned full throttle and she had brought with her, her close friend: anxiety. Twilight was worked up, she needed this plan to succeed, but she wasn’t completely confident that it would.

Sitting at a desk, she began to scribble down notes. Since it was the one place where they knew that Serenade could not find, Starlight, Twilight, and their friends had agreed that the Royal Training Grounds would be their base of operations. The area was large enough to house a few thousand ponies and was out of the way and easily hidden within a large forest on the edge of the country. An illusion spell prevented outsiders from entering who would only see woods and get lost in said woods.

To the trained eye though, they could be granted passage and in turn grant others passage as well. It was the perfect kind of place for their new headquarters.

Twilight looked over her notes, her designs, seeing her spell come together brought her a semblance of joy. She could see the fruits of her labor starting to blossom.

As she magicked a quill against parchment, a familiar giggle rang in her ears causing her to sigh.

“What is it, Discord?” Twilight asked aloud.

On cue, the draconequus appeared before her and bowed politely before coming to a full stand. “Brilliant deduction… How did you know it was me?”

Twilight didn’t even look up from her work. “I spent many months locked in a room with you. I can recognize virtually any and all sounds you make at this point.”

“Always observant, I see.” Discord smirked before floating in her direction, wrapping his long body around the mare in her chair. His long scaly tail flicked at the mare and the tuft at the end brushed under her chin.

His mismatched paw came about and landed on Twilight’s cheek as he floated behind her. She swiped it off of her before returning to her work.

“And just as much of a killjoy as ever…” Discord sighed.

“You may have taught me to think outside of the box, but that didn’t kill my work ethic… This isn’t a time for playing around, the entire nation of Equestria is counting on me to make this spell work…” Twilight explained.

Discord blinked and snapped his finger. With a poof, he appeared in front of Twilight laying across her desk, shrunk in size to about an eighth of his normal mass. “Twilight, are you stressing yourself out again?”

“No, being stuck in a room with you for eight months stresses me out… This? This is a cakewalk…” Twilight smirked in response before gesturing for him to get up.

He poofed himself off of her desk and now was standing at her side with an arm around her back. “Twilight, if anypony can pull this spell off, it’s you. I’m sure your friends have complete confidence in you…”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Sadly, there have been a few times where I wasn’t able to deliver, Discord. I’m smart, sure and I’m definitely talented at magic, hell after my training, I’d dare even suggest that I could go head-to-head with some of the best, but that doesn’t mean I am invincible or infallible. This Serenade Dazzle… She sounds really strong… I’m trying not to underestimate her, but to be honest… I’m not entirely confident that I can beat her…”

“That’s loser talk and we all know how I feel about losers…” Discord stuck his tongue out and shook his head. “From now on we’re only going to talk like winners over here.”

With those words, he poofed a big foam finger reading “Twilight #1” onto his claw and a baseball cap that matched it.

Twilight sighed but found herself smiling at his gesture. Discord was an odd one, but he meant well in his own strange way. Twilight realized that she had plenty of support on her side and that at least instilled a little confidence in her, but she hoped it would be enough to make a difference.

Twilight looked over at the Draconequus and allowed her expression to soften. “Hey, Discord…”

He blinked and looked over at her face, noting how serious it had become. “Yeah?”

“If… We don’t make it… If Serenade wins… It was… an honor learning from you…” Twilight grinned.

Discord froze for a moment before his response. “Consider it repayment… For all you’ve taught me…”

Serenade grinned as she looked over the reports of how swiftly research was being completed on the item necessary to complete her capture of Manehatten. Luna was a tough hold out, and while Serenade didn’t know how she was keeping her strength up enough to keep the barrier that kept her out up, she knew it would hardly matter in the long run. Eventually, her amplifier would be complete and she could neutralize the problem in a matter of seconds then, provided that stupid doctor hurried up.

She peered out her window from her study in the Canterlot Castle. Down in the streets, she saw her guards policing the population, ponies wearing the appropriate jumpsuits that she had provided them with, and orderly conduct left and right. Canterlot was running under her hoof and she made every call on what was and what wasn’t okay to do. Mortals obeyed her, and if they were defiant enough to try and do otherwise, they would become mind slaves just as quickly.

It was all happening right before her eyes, she was the new ruler of Equestria, she was the all-powerful one. She just needed a few more pieces on the board and she would own it all. There was nothing that could stop her now, her conquest was so close to completion.

A tap on her door interrupted her gloating, causing her to grumble in annoyance. “Come in…” She barked.

Opening the door and taking a gentle bow was the face of Shield, one of her trusted subordinates. “Shield… I am assuming there is a good reason for why you’ve interrupted me?”

He nodded and removed the hood of his cloak. “Master, our scouts have searched high and low for Princess Twilight Sparkle…”

“And?” Serenade raised a brow.

“She is nowhere, master. Gone from Equestria, we’ve searched every inch…” He smiled.

She blinked. “And this is good news, how?”

He came to a proper stand. “Master, she has abandoned Equestria, she doesn’t dare threaten your power. She is not even an obstacle.”

Serenade growled and stomped her foot. “I want her found!”

Shield had not expected that reply. “But Master… Why?”

Serenade’s tendrils shot out of her back and stopped only inches from Shield’s face. The siren walked closer to him slowly, each step with purpose. “I won’t leave anything to chance… Not found means she could still try and pull a fast one on me when I’m not looking…”

“Master… With your powers…” Siren was cut off by a tendril tapping his chin, Serenade dangerously close to his face.

“I’m not taking that chance… You will find her… You will capture her… And you will bring her to me… Do I make myself clear?” Serenade growled.

He nodded and saluted. “Crystal, ma’am.”

“Good… Now get out of my face…” Serenade hissed.

Bowing, he obeyed and vanished from his master’s presence quicker than he appeared. There wasn’t a subordinate of Serenade’s that didn’t know that when the master barked, you obeyed and you obeyed the first time without question. There was only one acceptable speed for Serenade and that was “right away”. If she had a chance to tell you a second time, you were already in violation.

She definitely was a stern master, one who ruled with an iron hoof, but she praised success and the more success you brought to her, the easier your interactions with the siren would be. Her tolerance for failure and questions were perhaps as low as one could get.

Once the siren was alone again, she sighed and shook her head lamenting at how difficult it was to find competent minions that didn’t ask stupid questions. While she didn’t see Twilight’s abilities as any kind of threat, she did acknowledge that she had heard time and time again that the mare was crafty. Tales of Twilight’s exploits were well documented in the archives that Serenade now possessed. She had saved Equestria numerous times with those friends of hers, against odds stacked heavily against her no less.

Serenade’s power was far greater than anything Twilight had likely faced in the past, that was almost certain, but that didn’t mean the girl’s wits would cause no problems. Serenade was strong, but not arrogant enough to believe she could leave a princess with such a high magic reserve to just wander about and do as she pleased, even if she was outmatched.

Twilight would need to be dealt with and swiftly. It was merely a matter of how to proceed.

Serenade closed her eyes and tried to see if she could latch onto any magical energies larger than normal. A pony like Twilight certainly had a high amount of magic, easier to track than a common unicorn.

No matter how much she tried though, Serenade felt nothing that could be strong enough to be considered Twilight. Was she dead? Not likely. Could she have discovered some kind of way to hide her power? Was such a thing possible? Not even Celestia and Luna were capable of such a mastery, but then again Twilight was more motivated than those two according to the stories.

It bothered Serenade that the mare had not appeared at all yet either. Why was she stalling? What had taken her so long to show herself? There was no way that she had planned for Equestria to be half destroyed or conquered before she would intervene. Was Twilight enough of a utilitarian to allow her own mentor to be kidnapped and drained along with her brother, her niece and her sister-in-law just to lure Serenade into a false sense of security? No. It wasn’t possible. Everything that Serenade had read suggested that Twilight Sparkle was goody-two-shoes who gave long speeches about the importance of caring and not abandoning your friends. There was no way that somepony like that would allow her loved ones to be kidnapped all for a plan.

There had to be something that was preventing Twilight from being able to act. Could she have actually been waiting due to knowing how strong Serenade was and not being able to take her in a one-on-one fight? That was definitely in the realm of possibilities.

It was more likely though that she was up to something. Serenade could smell a plan hatching, and while she couldn’t pinpoint what that plan entailed she knew she had to foil it somehow.

Serenade would need to split her focus. While Manehatten was still her primary target, Twilight Sparkle’s plans needed to be on her radar. She needed to be vigilant and sniffing about for any kind of hint at what Twilight was up to.

She found herself sitting back down in her chair and pondering some more. Twilight may have had her guessing, but that didn’t mean she had bested her.

“Twilight Sparkle… Whatever you’re planning… It’s not going to work…” Serenade thought out loud.

Some Time Ago

Twilight sat with her mentor speaking of her dreams of a dark omen looming over Equestria, visions of a darker tomorrow on the horizon for their kingdom. She bore everything to the Princess she looked up to, every last detail. If there was trouble afoot in the kingdom, Celestia deserved to know first and foremost.

“What does it all mean?” Twilight asked.

Celestia sighed and trotted closer to the balcony in her bedroom, standing there and looking up at the sky wondering how her sister was faring this night. While Celestia prepared for bed, Luna would watch over the night and the land of dreams. It was a difficult balance for the two sisters to maintain, but a necessary one for the good of all of Equestria.

In the past, Celestia had to handle the raising of the Sun and the Moon, but she was thankful that her sister had returned from darkness to her side. She was more thankful that she was reluctant to give into the darkness that was inside of her, turning her only into an impure demon instead of a pure one, had the latter happened… She would likely have never returned.

Night always reminded her of that fateful night where her sister lost control, where she turned into a demon right in front of her, where she was forced to use the elements of harmony to banish her. Celestia hated herself for not seeing the warning signs, for failing to adhere to the omens being shown to her, she vowed she wouldn’t ever make the same mistake. Twilight’s dreams were to be treated as premonitions.

“Twilight… I sense you may be right… I fear there is something waiting for us all… Something sinister…” Celestia began, her eyes locked on the stars.

Twilight blinked and came out to the balcony herself and looked up, trying to see what her mentor saw, but instead, all she saw were balls of gas in the sky millions of miles away twinkling back at them.

“How bad are we talking?” Twilight asked.

Celestia bit her lip and kept her focus upward. It was difficult to say exactly. While she was sensing something evil coming, she could not measure how terrible it was. All she knew was that it should not be underestimated.

“It’s hard to say… However, I would say we should prepare for the worst…” Celestia sighed.

Twilight released a similar sigh herself. “Then… I would like to request your permission to head to the Royal Training Grounds, your majesty…”

Celestia blinked as she turned to see Twilight bowing her head respectfully as she made that request. “The training grounds? What for?”

“If it is as you say, then I will need to prepare myself… In my current state, I might not be strong enough to stand at your side and protect our nation… However, if I were to reach ascension…” Twilight began.

Celestia frowned but nodded. “You do know the risks involved don’t you?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, but I am prepared to do anything necessary to protect Equestria. I knew that when I agreed to be a princess.”

That statement brought a smile to Celestia’s face but a pain in her heart. The thought of losing Twilight was too much to bear, but her unwavering loyalty made Celestia feel proud as a teacher.

“If we are playing this smart, however, you will need more than mere ascension…” Celestia explained.

Twilight blinked and looked up at her teacher with confusion. “What do you mean?”

Celestia sighed and looked back over the balcony, down at the city. A few ponies were still walking the streets in the low light of the streetlights, and night shift workers were beginning to move about while the ponies of the day tucked into their beds and prepared for slumbers until the next day was upon them.

“I’m proposing… You take Discord with you into the Royal Training Ground…” Celestia stated.

That statement only confused Twilight more. “Discord?”

Celestia nodded. “I think you will need more than just power, you will need a strategy. While you are already absolutely brilliant, to face true evil… Evil beyond our greatest fears… You will need to imagine. Think outside the box… Discord may be just the creature to teach you that… Something that I can not.”

“I’m not sure I’m too keen on being locked away with him for prolonged periods of time with nopony else…” Twilight grimaced just at that thought of being trapped in a room with Discord. A part of her could already hear his annoying accordion playing.

“If there were better ways to accomplish these things, I would say to do so, Twilight… However, the reality is that we may not have the luxury of time on our side… With each moment we do not even know how much closer the threat to Equestria gets. We must do whatever we can to stack the deck in our favor…” Celestia explained.

Was Twilight truly prepared to do this? Sure, she said she would do anything for Equestria, but was being trapped for possibly years in a room with no company but Discord one of those things?

She shook her head and erased any doubt. Even if Discord was not exactly her first choice for company, she couldn’t have any doubt. She would do it for Equestria, no questions asked.

Princess Twilight Sparkle bowed to her mentor and smiled. “If that is what you believe is necessary, then I am prepared to do so, Princess…”

Celestia smiled but felt a slight pain in her heart. While it pleased her to see Twilight owning her responsibility as a Princess, it pained her to know that she was putting the mare into a situation that had she not had the loyalty and sense of duty that she had, she would have gladly declined. Twilight was Twilight, but that meant she was easy to read to those who knew her. The Princess of the Sun chose to say nothing about her concern, however, lest she allow Twilight to go into this training with guilt on her mind; Twilight didn’t handle having a busy head too well in times of stress.

When Twilight came back to a proper stand, Celestia nodded at her. “Your service to our nation is most appreciated…”

Twilight shook her head. “Thanks are not necessary, I would do anything for Equestria…”

Celestia sighed and nodded.

There was a short silence between the two before Twilight turned to take her leave only for Celestia to call out to her. “Twilight…”

Twilight blinked and stopped in her tracks, she turned to face her mentor with a raised brow and a “hm?”

Celestia stepped forward and came close to her former student. Examining her up close, Celestia sat on her haunches and lifted both of her hooves to take Twilight’s face in it, holding her cheeks as she stared at the mare. Twilight was mesmerized, unsure of what was going on, unsure of why the Princess was staring at her.

The regal mare examined every detail of the studious pony. She wanted to take in her appearance as much as she could recognizing that there was a chance it could be the last time she would ever see it. “Twilight… There is… a small chance…”

“Hm?” Twilight raised a brow once more.

Celestia gulped and closed her eyes. “A small chance… That you will not survive the training… Those who push themselves too far too quickly…”

Twilight nodded. “I’m aware… I’ve read up on the process…”

“Please… Don’t push yourself too hard… Come back alive…” Celestia pleaded.

Twilight sat there staring at the Princess. As she looked into the alicorn’s eyes she could see… Sadness. Not just any sadness though, the kind of sadness that came with old painful memories.

“Have you lost someone due to the ascension training, Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked. After asking she instantly was internally scolding herself for not using more tact on such a subject.

Celestia nodded. “I have had many star students, Twilight… Some achieved greatness… Others fell from grace and a few… Never got to realize their potential…”

Twilight blinked but kept quiet.

“One of my first students… He was a very inquisitive unicorn, much like yourself, but bolder I would say…” Celestia grinned as memories of this pony came back to her. “His name was Astral Sky, they say he always had stars in his eyes, and if you met him… You’d agree… He dreamed of achieving space travel, he was a brilliant astronomer and destined to become one of the greatest star mages this land had ever seen…”

Twilight kept her tone quiet as she replied. “Sounds brilliant… I would have loved to see his work…”

“His contributions to magic were limited, but they were astounding. His power was his imagination…” Celestia grinned.

“That was eight hundred years ago though…” She frowned as she was remembering the rest of the story.

Twilight almost didn’t want to ask, but she had a feeling that Celestia was waiting for her to do exactly that. “What… Happened to him?” Twilight’s voice was trembling.

Celestia looked up at the stars in the sky. She was reminded of him every time she did. The stars held many memories, those of her sister and those of Astral Sky, two painful reminders of times where she had failed.

“He tried to ascend like you’re doing… He wasn’t ready though… I could see that, but I didn’t want to break his spirit… He was so determined that I didn’t have the heart to tell him he needed more time…” She closed her eyes as a single tear dripped down her face and fell from her chin. “He did not survive… The training destroyed him… He would have been the Prince of Friendship were I not so careless…”

Twilight could barely believe what she was hearing. This stallion would have held the title she now held. He would have essentially been what Twilight was.

The sadness in Celestia’s voice made Twilight speak up. “It sounds like… You loved him…”

Celestia bit her lip but decided to say the words that she had been keeping held in for hundreds of years. “Yes… I did… I never told him, but I really should have… There is nothing I can do now though. He is gone and I am still here… I won’t make the same mistake…”

Composing herself, Celestia stood up straight and placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight… No matter what happens… You’re like a daughter to me… I have confidence in you, but please do not push yourself too hard… I want you to come back…”

Twilight looked at her mentor and for that moment she could feel her pain. The pain of losing somepony that you loved. The pain of having to carry that pain for centuries.

“You’ll see me again real soon…” Twilight smiled.

Author's Note

What a shitty week!

Some drama at work and my internet “upgrade” turned into a total disaster. Making it a miracle that I am able to get this out on time. Unless of course something went wrong that caused me not to and thus this message is now a reminded of my failure.

Act V - Chapter LXX: Wedding

Chapter LXX: Wedding

Today was the day, the day that Sunset Shimmer would officially be joined with another person for better or for worse for the rest of her life. She was giddy, she was nervous, she was sick, she was excited, she was everything all at once. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and her hands remained sweaty throughout the entire morning. This was it, the biggest moment of her life up to this point and when she placed her hands on her stomach she realized it would be followed soon by the next biggest moment of her life.

She could hardly believe that inside of her body was a child growing, a living, breathing creature. Something created entirely by two tiny cells uniting and her body growing them. Sunset never considered herself “remarkable” until she thought about how her body could grow an entire being, a unique person and bring them into the world. The ability to create life, that was something truly remarkable, even for a girl who could wield magic fire in her hands and dance with the dangers of evil sirens from alternate universes. Nothing compared to the excitement of this moment.

Within the next few hours, she would be someone’s wife, and someone would be her wife, and they were to have a family together. It all seemed very daunting at first, but Sunset was excited to see the direction her life would go after this.

Looking in the mirror of the dressing room she was in, she smiled at the short style dress she wore. It wasn’t very typical for a wedding, but Twilight and she both decided to wear a dress, but Twilight was to wear a more traditional bridal dress while Sunset would wear one that went down to her knees. She wanted to be more comfortable at her wedding, especially given that she was now pregnant. It was far from traditional, but then again nothing about their romance was.

From the moment the two girls got together they had been on a wild adventure, the ride of a lifetime. They had defeated the darkness within themselves together, they had saved Camp Everfree together, and they had even stopped a murderous siren together. Now, they were to be married and have a child together. While Sunset craved normality, she couldn’t deny that the hardships they had endured had made them closer.

She ran a hand along her stomach again and stopped as she thought out loud. “What kind of person will you be? Will you be like Twilight? Or me? Lord help us if you’re like me…” She stood in silence for a moment remembering the trouble she eventually caused when she came to be a teenager, vowing that she would protect her child from going down the same path.

“I guess a natural question is… Will you be a boy… Or a girl?” Sunset sat down in a chair that had been placed in the room for her as she asked.

It had never really occurred to her that the sex of her child would be one of two options until now. She didn’t really know what she was expecting. While a girl would be easier to go along with since she was one and therefore knew enough about them, she couldn’t deny that a boy would definitely change things up, though she knew next to nothing about boys.

Resting for a few moments, the woman sighed and grabbed a glass of water that she had left out on a nearby table and took a long sip. Holding the cup between both of her hands she leaned forward and sat there, her mind focusing on the wedding that was about to begin soon.

From now on she had to take care of Twilight. She had to make sure the girl had everything she needed and that she could want for nothing. With the money she had available to her that shouldn’t be too difficult at least for material things, however, that meant she needed to be emotionally put together for her new wife. In the past Twilight relied on her as a mentor, someone to show her the way. Now she would rely on her as a lover, someone to hold her hand as they walked the way together.

Sunset smiled at how far she had come. Her self confidence had grown so much in the past few years and it was thanks to people like Twilight who refused to give up on her. It was thanks to her friends who encouraged her to go as far as she could, to do what she never dreamed of doing. The thought of them all in the crowd waiting to watch her get married brought a tear to her eye which she wiped away promptly (though it could have just been hormones making her emotional).

Standing up, Sunset wandered over to the door and cracked it open, peeking out into the large crowd. All of her friends were scattered across the various pews. Rainbow Dash actually stuck out from the middle actually wearing a tuxedo that she was straightening the sleeves of as her wife, Fluttershy leaned over her to adjust her tie. She had tied her long hair back and even combed it to be as neat and tidy as she could while her wife was just as elegant as always.

Fluttershy had the advantage of looking adorable in just about anything she wore, a trait that many (especially Rarity) were especially envious of.

They made such a cute couple, even if they weren’t exactly the kind of people you’d imagine together. Rainbow was a super tough army girl, and Fluttershy a timid creature that was unable to hurt a fly, but Rainbow showed the same protective bravado in protecting Fluttershy as she did with anything else. It was endearing, and the two were clearly meant for each other. From their childhood beginnings, they were destined to end up a family.

Of course, right there in the front row was a pair who needed no introduction. A warm loving mother cradled a baby in her arms, rocking it back and forth gently as she sang lightly to the delicate creature. Long curled purple hair had been tied up into an elegant display that likely took hours and a can of hair spray to produce as lovely blue eyes (decorated with the most expensive and stylish makeup of course) looked down at her offspring with eyes of love and admiration.

Rarity had taken to motherhood naturally (as most knew she would), something that made Sunset hopeful toward her own prospects as a mom. Rarity was a natural, maybe she could be too.

Next to her in a tuxedo just like Rainbow Dash was a farmer that was seldom seen without her familiar stetson, but not only was she without it, her hair was braided nicely and looked to be neatly brushed and combed. It was perhaps the most put together that Sunset had ever seen their friend Applejack. Her green eyes focusing on her son and her wife, whom she only had eyes for. Just like Rainbow and Fluttershy, they were made for each other.

Pinkie of course was spotted near the back trying to locate any kind of food she could acquire. While her appetite would make one think she would be significantly heavier by now, her energy burned a lot of it off. She was a bit thicker than average, but she carried it so well that she was given a very nice figure, one that was curvy and seductive. Pinkie filled out in all the right places, and people definitely seemed to notice when she bent over to pick up something that she had dropped.

A group of men who were standing nearby all turned and watched in awe as she bent down, her dress accenting her bottom in just the right way to allow the imagination to run wild. Each of them leaving their mouths agape to form a perfect “o” shape.

Sunset rolled her eyes. Boys would be boys, and Pinkie would be Pinkie. She had gone off to university and thus left Canterlot some time ago, but she came back the moment she was sent an invitation. It was nice to see that even being away did not change Pinkie’s golden rule: never miss a party.

Retreating back to her seat, Sunset calmed herself and closed her eyes as she tried to keep her mind in the right place. She was making a big change, something that was going to do so much for her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a creaking in the door. She blinked her eyes open and looked toward the entrance to see a taller man in a tuxedo standing there with a smile. His large hand clasped around the door and a shining wedding ring on his finger.

He brushed a hand through his blue hair and smiled at Sunset as he entered the room properly and closed the door behind himself. “Hey, wanted to see how you were doing.”

Sunset blinked as she realized that this man would be her brother-in-law after today. She had never had a sibling before, let alone an older brother. Would Shining eventually become to her what he was to Twilight? Would he show the same level of protection and dedication? He had already shown how far he was willing to go to help Sunset before, but now they would be family.

“I’m doing alright… A little tired, but the pregnancy will do that…” She smiled.

Shining nodded. “I understand… You’ve been through a lot in the past few years, so I guess this normal life stuff must all be hitting you at once?”

She nodded back at him. “Yeah, I’m used to magic, adventures, fighting creatures who want to take over the world… But I have to say… Being married and becoming a mom is probably scarier than all of that… As cliched as that sounds...”

He gave a dismissive hand gesture as he pulled up a chair and sat in it backward, resting his arms over the back of the chair. “You got this. Being a parent gets easier as time goes on. You learn the tricks, you figure out what works, all that jazz.”

“I hope so… Thanks again for the donation…” Sunset smiled.

He chuckled. “Hey, you’re family now. I’ll do anything for you, Cadence as well. Don’t hesitate to ask, we want you to feel welcome.”

“You all have done so much for me… I don’t know what I do to deserve it, but I will try my best to prove that I am not taking any of it for granted…” Sunset gave a meek smile.

Reaching forward, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “You can do that by taking care of Twilight, and this baby. I did my part, so now you just have to do yours.” He pointed to her stomach with that last part.

Sunset looked down at her own stomach and then back to Shining with a nod. “I’ll do my best…”

“Have you thought of any names yet?” Shining replied, changing the subject.

She shook her head. “Twilight and I decided we would do that when they were born, we wanted to go with what felt natural, you know?”

“Makes sense, we picked out Flurry’s name a good week or so before she was born, so I can’t say that I was prepared months in advance either…” He chuckled.

Shining was such a dad. He loved that little girl more than anything, he was always bragging about her and ready to share a story about his adorable daughter whenever the opportunity arose. Sunset hoped that she would be able to be that proud of her own daughter or son.

“You’re such a good father…” Sunset replied.

Shining gave a wink. “Cadence makes me that way. A dad is only as good as the mother that is backing him up and patching up his mistakes.”

It was adorable how Shining still saw Cadence as so much even after all these years. The nerdy chess club captain somehow bagged the head cheerleader and he was still in disbelief all these years later. Sunset hoped she would be as amazed down the road at her acquisition of Twilight, or at the very least that Twilight would be excited to be with Sunset down the road.

She felt his hand on her shoulder give a gentle squeeze. “You’re going to be an amazing mom, I know it. The things you’ve done just to protect Twilight and your friends… I know greatness when I see it…”

“As long as Twilight’s by my side… I’m sure you’re right…” Sunset smiled.

Shining nodded as he released her. “I’m sure she will be for many years to come. Marriage is a big step on the road to happiness, take it from a guy who has found so much happiness in such a short time.”

“Am I expected to start calling you my brother now?” Sunset smirked.

He laughed and shook his head. “Nah, I wouldn’t expect that out of you. We’re family, but we don’t have to make it awkward like that.”

There was a short pause between the two before Shining came to a stand and stretched. He adjusted his tie and smiled at his soon-to-be sister-in-law. “Well… I really should get back out there… Someone has to be the guy to hold the ring you’re giving to my sister, right?”

As he made a step toward the door, Sunset reached out and called back to him. “Shining…”

He turned and raised a brow. “Hm?”

“Thank you…” Sunset spoke softly.

He shrugged. “I get it, you couldn’t choose between your friends and went with the most logical choice for best man.”

“No… Not that…” Sunset shook her head.

“For what then?” He asked.

“For…” She bit her lip but managed to get her thought out. “You lied on my behalf… You falsified a police report to keep people from poking their nose in my direction…”

Shining paused, not knowing what to say at first. He knew what he had done was technically illegal, but he had made sure to make his report so believable that no one would poke their nose in it. Even if they did, there was nothing to find. Adagio’s remains were disposed of in another universe, there was no way for anyone to uncover them. Anyone who did uncover anything would just be labeled as a crazy conspiracy theorist. There wasn’t any way that people would believe a magical being from another universe came to their world to commit murder and then mysteriously vanished all the same.

“You could have gotten in huge trouble if you got caught… You could have lost your job... Or even went to prison.” Sunset reminded.

That much was true, but for some reason, Shining didn’t care. “It doesn’t matter… The trouble I would be in would be negligible compared to how much trouble it would have caused you had I put the truth down…”

“Why though?” Sunset asked.

He smiled back at her. “Sometimes… What is right and what is the truth do not always line up. I believe more in doing what’s right, even if that means the truth must be hidden from people for a time. A day will come when the world can learn what you are, but that day isn’t today.”

“Thank you, Shining… If it weren’t for you… I’d be in some kind of government lab by now…” Sunset replied.

“Don’t mention it… Now… I think you have to finish getting ready…” Shining winked before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Sunset didn’t know what it was like to have a brother, but she knew that Twilight was lucky to have her’s. If anything, Shining had shown that she could count on him as family.

A Long Time Ago

A young Sunset Shimmer sat at her desk in her bedroom flipping through a book that was required reading for school. She had zipped through the other scheduled readings with relative ease and as a result, always found herself ahead of the class, but her parents always pressured her to excel even further.

The book was about a couple of young ponies whom despite their hardships decide to get married at a young age after one of them became pregnant. As a child, she didn’t quite understand the appeal, but the book more or less was preaching about how it’s important to try and do the right thing when a situation like that arose. Technically speaking the book may have been a few grades ahead of her, but she was that kind of student; one that was ready even for the next grade.

The story was relatively boring and didn’t particularly interest the filly, due to its nature. Romance wasn’t exactly the type of story that could keep a child ignorant to puberty connected for very long and Sunset Shimmer was no exception. She much preferred the kinds of stories where super intelligent heroes outwitted villains with superior cunningness and finesse.

Setting the book down, she leaned back in her chair and checked the clock in her bedroom, it was only 8:30 PM. She had gotten started right after she finished school and usually one Tuesdays it was a study night where she would go until 9:30 and then head to bed. Her parents stressed the importance of having one day a week where one did nothing but learn and work; Sunset didn’t quite understand it, but she went along with it, considering every other night of the week so long as her schoolwork was done, she could do whatever she pleased.

Many nights were spent going to the theatre before dark or hitting up the library to get some books that she actually enjoyed reading (over boring school mandated ones). Every now and then though she’d go to the ice cream parlor that was a few blocks from her house and indulge herself with one of her favorite treats. Even as a child she had a sweet tooth, but not exactly the biggest appetite.

Looking around her bedroom, Sunset noted the various bookshelves. Her parents gave her a decent allowance every week and often had no qualms with buying whatever she liked. It so happened that Sunset liked books, and thus two of the four walls in her bedroom were lined with nothing but books. She estimated that she read around eight hundred books in her lifetime already and the walls of her room had well over eight hundred lining them. There wasn’t a book in her bedroom that she hadn’t read at least once, if not a dozen times for a few.

Picking up a book from the shelf she smiled at it as she recalled it being written by one of her favorite authors, Tea Apples. An excellent writer who knew how to add just the right amount of humor to keep a story interesting while maintaining a serious atmosphere. A bit advanced for a girl as young as Sunset, but an excellent high fantasy author.

She flipped through the book happily, remembering her fond memories of when she had read it twice. After she had cleared her head of the novel she was currently reading for school, she sighed contently and slipped it back onto the shelf. Why couldn’t all school reading be that interesting? She recalled when she had to endure a reading program a few years back where she was simply too advanced of a reader to enjoy it. Her parents had assisted her in being opted out of it.

Her mind returned back to the book on her desk and she decided it was best to go and consult with someone who had more worldly experience, someone who likely understood the subject matter more. Coming to a stand, Sunset realized it was time to consult her mother.

Opening her bedroom door and exiting, the young filly gently trotted toward the kitchen where her mother was standing at a stove with a kettle trying to boil some water. Her attire was a bit more casual than her work outfit, but she was still adorned with a beautiful pearl necklace and matching pearl earrings that her father had bought for her. Long gorgeous mane draped over her, accenting her beauty further.

Sunset coughed to try and get her attention, which didn’t work at first so she had to do it a second time, causing the mare to flinch before looking down at her daughter. “Oh, Sunset, sweetie… What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be studying.”

Sunset nodded. “I am… I came to ask you a question actually…”

“Mommy is very busy, sweetie… What is it?” Her mother asked, not really paying too much attention as her eyes returned to her kettle, the mare was clearly more eager to drink some tea than to assist her daughter’s studies. A typical scenario for the Shimmer household.

“I was wondering… Why do ponies get married?” Sunset asked curiously.

The mare paused and then turned back to her daughter with a raised brow. “Married? Why do you ask?”

“This book, it’s basically about these two ponies that get married because one of them gets pregnant… We have to read it eventually for school and I wanted to know why ponies get married…” Sunset explained her plight.

Sunset’s mother stood there with a hoof on her chin as she tried to think of the best way to broach the subject to such a young girl who clearly would not understand a more complex answer. “Well… Sweetie…”

Sunset sat patiently waiting for her reply.

“When two ponies… Love each other very much… They decide to get married because it’s sort of like announcing that love to the world, or something like that. I’m not exactly sure to be perfectly honest… Many ponies get married for many different reasons…” She shrugged.

“Why did you and daddy get married?” Sunset asked.

Another difficult question. “I love your father. Marriage was just… Something we decided made sense…”

It wasn’t a lie. She did truly love her husband, even if they were at work all the time it seemed.

“Why do ponies have kids then?” Sunset asked.

Her mother chuckled and shook her head. “My my, aren’t we full of questions today…?”

“Well?” Sunset asked.

She had to come up with an answer quickly and that made sense to a little girl. “Well… Ponies have kids… To keep the species going. If we all stopped then having children there wouldn’t be any more ponies, right?”

“I… Guess so…” Sunset blinked, not expecting such a logical answer.

Her mother nodded and smiled before standing up straight. “Now… I think that’s enough quizzes for one day, don’t you? Why not go on back to your studies, alright?”

Sunset nodded and came to a stand herself before retreating back to her room where her studies awaited.

It was going to be a long evening, Sunset was certain of that. Peaking out of the room she was waiting in, she could see the crowd in the pews had grown significantly to the point where almost all of Twilight’s extended family, and their friends along with their friends’ families were there.

Sunset listened for whispers of conversations being had among the audience. Placing a hand on her geode, she closed her eyes and concentrated to see if she could use her powers to hear what was being said better. With a bit of clarity of the mind and concentration, thoughts and conversations amplified to the point of being able to be heard even from where she was standing.

A conversation from the front row came to her.

“What kind of woman is this Sunset Shimmer? I’ve never met her,” one said.

Another gave a reply. “I heard she was some kind of millionaire. Imagine that! Little Twilight Sparkle marrying into such a family! It’s like she’s a princess or something!”

Another part of the conversation came to her after. “Millionaire? That’s really something. I’m glad Twilight found someone who will take care of her, at least with money they won’t have to struggle.”

For once, Sunset actually wasn’t as uncomfortable with the amount of money she had acquired. Someone actually saw it as a good thing and believed it meant she might be in a better position to care for her soon-to-be wife. It brought her a little joy to know that fact.

“I heard she is an orphan. The sole survivor of some rich estate after her long lost twin sister and their parents were all murdered…”

That part stung a little. She missed Shimmer, and wished she were here to see her get married. Hell, she wished she could have lived long enough to marry Moondancer so that Sunset could be there when she did.

The old saying, however, rang true. Speak of the devil and he shall soon appear.

Coming in front of the door where Sunset stood, familiar eyes shielded by glasses appeared before Sunset blinked and took a step back so that the girl could enter. She had almost surprised Sunset from her sudden appearance, but Sunset calmed herself as the woman walked in.

Her hair was tidied up from its usual mess, and she was sporting a tuxedo. Odd for such a petite girl, but it somehow suited her. Moondancer was as usual as cute as a button and her freckled face had a bright smile, one that Sunset was glad to see. She hated all those times when she had to witness Moondancer being sad. Over the past year or so though, she had really picked herself up and turned it all around.

There was no doubt that the girl still missed Shimmer immensely, but she was put together again, she was in one piece and ready to push forward with her life. Maybe one day she would even find love again, but for now, she clearly was more focused on what was happening in the here and now in her life.

“It’s nice to see you again, Sunset.” She bowed gently.

“Likewise.” Sunset nodded.

After Moondancer completed her bow, she looked Sunset over, admiring her adorable dress. “You look amazing.”

Sunset laughed. “Thanks, you’re not too bad yourself. You’re like a proper gentleman!”

There was a short silence after Sunset’s laugh followed by Moondancer rolling her eyes. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to imply that you’re not a woman or anything…”

Moondancer didn’t seem offended in the slightest as a smile crept back onto her face and she dismissed the comment with the wave of her hand. “Eh, Shimmer always joked that I should have been born a guy, so it’s fine. I probably should have actually… It doesn’t matter though. Today is about you!”

Sunset wasn’t normally fond of becoming the center of attention, but given the circumstances, she knew she’d have no choice but to allow it.

“Fair enough… So, came to wish me luck?” Sunset asked.

Moondancer nodded. “Yeah, considering I figured you’d be nervous…”

Sunset nodded. “Thanks… In all honesty… I feel like this should be your wedding… Kind of feels weird that you and Shimmer didn’t get to… Well, you know… Yet I am…”

Moondancer nodded, her expression surprisingly didn’t turn south either. She remained her normal self and didn’t allow such a somber subject to dip her mood. “Yeah, I get what you mean. I mean… I’m glad that Shimmer wanted to marry me, I’m thankful that I meant so much to her because she meant so much to me as well… So I consider this sort of like honoring her by making sure you go through with this and it brings you all the happiness in the world.”

Sunset smiled at the sentiment. Moondancer clearly was a very selfless girl at times. “Thanks…”

“It is weird though… Knowing that she was with Adagio…” Moondancer pointed out.

That definitely was a subject that still perplexed Sunset to this day. Adagio and Shimmer, an item. It didn’t make sense and it annoyed her to no extent. How could Shimmer fall for a girl like that? A monster, no less.

“It definitely came as a shock to me, that’s for sure… Imagine my face when I found those photos and videos… The two apparently were very close at one point…” Sunset frowned.

Moondancer kept an expression of curiosity rather than anger. “Do you think they talked about getting married too?”

Sunset blinked. She had never considered that truthfully she never wanted to consider it. What were the odds that Adagio and Shimmer could have ended up a married couple? How drastically would that have changed the world they live in right now?

“I don’t know… I would say that I hope not, but… It’s not an easy thing to make assumptions about… I mean we all know that Adagio is a monster, a murderer and a heartless beast, but Shimmer… Probably legitimately felt like she was in love, she never saw the manipulator that Adagio was… I’m kind of torn on how I feel about that… Her feelings were probably legitimate, but Adagio no doubt was up to something the whole time… The thought of Shimmer getting used like that though… I don’t even want to think about it…” Sunset shook her head, dismissing all thoughts of the two together.

“Do you ever think… Maybe we’re wrong?” Moondancer asked.

That was something she was not expecting from Moondancer of all people. Her hatred for Adagio was greater than most, so to hear her question if they made the right choice in putting her down was something that perplexed Sunset.

“What do you mean?” Sunset asked.

“Well, I mean… What if… She wasn’t up to anything? What if her feelings for Shimmer were genuine?” Moondancer proposed.

Originally that thought had crossed Sunset’s mind, but then she remembered that ultimately, Adagio was willing to murder Sunset to get her magic back which ultimately is what lead to Shimmer’s death. It was clear that her plan all along was to find a way to get her magic back, and there was little doubt in Sunset’s mind that Shimmer was to play some kind of role in that plan in the long term. Shimmer must have merely wised up long before that happened.

Unfortunately, both girls were dead and thus it was impossible to ask either. In a way it was sort of a tragic tale, both lovers meeting their end. At least it would be tragic if it weren’t for the fact that Adagio was a murderer who didn’t deserve Sunset’s sympathy.

“I thought about that, but don’t forget: her entire plan was to try and steal my magic from me… There’s no doubt that she was just using Shimmer…” Sunset reminded.

Moondancer frowned, not certain of how to feel about such a revelation, but shrugged nonetheless. “Either way… I hope Shimmer was at least happy when they were together… I hope Adagio didn’t hurt her…”

“Same… It’s bad enough that she killed her…” Sunset replied.

Moondancer shook her head and brought her smile back. “Look at us… This isn’t the time or place to talk about such things… It’s your wedding and we should be focused on happier conversation than this, right?”

Sunset concurred and dismissed all negative thoughts regarding Adagio from her mind. Instead, she focused on what Shimmer might be saying at a time like this. Knowing her, she probably would be crying to be at Sunset’s wedding, she was always a bit more emotional than Sunset and not just with anger either.

Moondancer smiled and offered a hug to Sunset which she came to a stand and took. After their quick embrace, Moondancer straightened herself out and gestured her head toward the door. “Well… I should get going… You have a woman to marry and I think I have a seat to take. Good luck, Sunset, not that you’ll need it.”

Sunset nodded as she watched the scrawny woman make her exit, noting how nice she looked in a tuxedo. Once she had made her complete exit, Sunset poked her head out the door once more and imagined Shimmer sitting there in the front row, a smile on her face as she watched her older sister get married.

Sunset’s imagination was even able to paint the dress the girl would have likely worn onto her. A long lavish gown of black silk and gold trimmings. Not inherently the most traditional thing for a wedding, but it suited her so well.

The girl’s long hair that was usually ponytailed was instead left down, draping over her beautifully as she sat with her hands in her lap and a tear in her eye as her sister was sworn to a life with Twilight Sparkle.

It seemed like such a real thing, like Shimmer was right there with them, but sadly she was not. If she was watching, it wasn’t in any kind of physical form. Shimmer was with Sunset in spirit and that is what mattered. She owed it to her little sister to make sure this was the best wedding ever.

Composing herself, she shut the door and took a deep breath. Checking her watch, she noticed she was due to be where she was needed within the next eight minutes. Grabbing a water bottle that had been left for her, she downed half of it, set it back down and straightened her dress. Once she was sure she was completely ready, she opened the door and stepped out, ready to take her spot in the ceremony.

Work had been extremely stressful that night, and despite normally not frequenting such places, Angel Song had found herself at a bar due to Starlight’s insistence. She stressed that it was important for the two to unwind, so there she sat with her friend who was sipping down a Long Island ice tea, while Angel had a much weaker drink in front of her that she hadn’t even touched yet.

Starlight took a long swig of her extremely potent beverage before eyeing her friend sitting there doing a lot of nothing. “Come on, drink up.”

“I… Don’t really do alcohol…” Angel admitted.

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Live a little.”

Angel sighed and picked up the glass and looked into it before taking a light sip of the beverage. It tasted more of coke than it did of alcohol, but she assumed it was intended that way.

“See, I’m making you grow up a little!” Starlight bragged proudly.

“Or maybe you’re just a bad influence…” Angel grinned.

Starlight rolled her eyes once more. “You have no sense of adventure sometimes… For a girl with magic powers, you’re boring at times.”

“Boring isn’t bad… Boring is safe…” Angel reminded with the glass still in her hand as she debated taking another sip or not.

“True… So, I did some digging around…” Starlight changed the subject.

“Oh?” Angel asked.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure there have been reports of people claiming to have seen stuff related to magic on the east coast… Nothing major, but some people I saw posting online mentioned a few things that seemed worth checking out…” Starlight said.

Angel blinked but sat up. “That… Does sound promising… But how are we going to get to the east coast? We’re a couple of California waitresses… There’s no way we could save that kind of money…”

“Slow process, but I figure we could get second jobs since it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea anyway… What do you say?” Starlight asked curiously.

While the pay for her job was low, Angel enjoyed her work. Doubling up with another job did sound stressful and thus meant she would need to be working twice as hard, but it would only be temporary, at least until they could figure out more about her powers.

She nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I guess we could do that… It would still be a while before we could afford to head to the east coast…”

Starlight nodded. “Yeah, I figured as much, but there is definitely reason to head out there. I’m sure the magical stuff isn’t going anywhere. We’ll make it into a little vacation when we head out.”

The concept of turning this “quest” into a vacation with her best friend did sound far more appealing to Angel, it might even be fun.

“Starlight… Do you think we’ll find an answer to all of this? To why I have these powers? To why I can do any of this?” Angel asked.

Starlight paused but then sipped from her glass and nodded. “Definitely. I think before all of this is over, we’ll understand why you have these powers and where they came from.”

Angel kept quiet for another second before looking down at her drink. She took another sip and closed her eyes for a moment. “What if… I can’t handle the answer as to why? I mean I’m not really the kind of person who can go about and save the world or something… Maybe I was given these powers by mistake…”

Starlight reached over and placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Nonsense. You got this, Angel. I believe in you. Even if you’re expected to save the world or something… I know you can do it, and with me by your side cheering you on… You’ll be able to do anything.”

Angel smiled at her friend. “Thanks, Starlight, you’re the best.”

“It’s what friends are for, right?” Starlight winked.

Twilight took in a few breaths as Cadence helped her adjust her dress. “There we go… That should be good…” Cadence smiled.

Twilight nodded and smiled at herself in the mirror, realizing the effect had made her chest look impressively larger, though still no match to Sunset (or Applejack for that matter). Still, it was an improvement, she wanted to feel more feminine since she was the one in the traditional bride’s dress and Sunset had opted for something different. She hadn’t seen what her lover would look like just yet, but she knew that they had agreed to both wear dresses.

Cadence stood back and looked Twilight over before nodding. “You look amazing… Just as beautiful as I did at my wedding…”

Twilight actually still remembered her wedding, and she somewhat disagreed with that statement. Cadence was so radiant in her dress that Shining almost forgot how to talk at the altar when they asked him to repeat his vows. She could recall giggling at how flabbergasted he was upon seeing his bride.

“I wouldn’t go that far…” Twilight blushed.

Cadence shook her head in disagreement. “Nonsense, you’re gorgeous, Twilight. Sunset is very lucky. I know she’ll be as speechless as Shining was when we got married.”

While Twilight was having a hard time agreeing, she at least felt a small surge of confidence come from Cadence’s words. Sunset seemed to always be impressed by Twilight, even when Twilight was seldom impressed with herself.

“I still can’t believe we’re doing this… Getting married… Having a kid together… It’s so… Surreal…” Twilight commented.

Standing behind her and placing her hands on Twilight’s petite shoulders, Cadence looked at the two of them in the mirror in the room from behind Twilight. “It’s going to be daunting at first, but you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Before you know it, you won’t be able to imagine your life any other way, trust me.”

Twilight was finding it difficult to doubt that already, as so far ever since she and Sunset became a couple, she could not imagine them not being together. She had gotten insanely nervous when it seemed like Sunset was getting cold feet, but found herself calming down when she saw how far the woman was willing to go to stay dedicated.

The thought of her soon-to-be-wife being an alien from another universe was pushed into the far back of her mind, locked away as something she didn’t even want to think about. Sunset may have not been human in a technical sense, but she was just as human as anyone else when she lived in this world.

Twilight remembered how Sunset said she was giving up Equestria to stay faithful to the world the two of them lived in. She was dedicating her life from here on out to Twilight as her wife and their unborn child. At first, Twilight felt the girl may have been just being overly dramatic to prove a point, but the more time that passed, it became clear that Sunset was dead serious, Twilight could see it in her eyes. While their child was not born yet, it was clear that Sunset would do anything for it.

It had occurred to Twilight that she was very lucky. Someone like Sunset wasn’t easy to find for most people, and what was more amazing is that with her unique powers and abilities she could protect Twilight and their new family more than an ordinary person. Instead of being nervous about marrying an alien from another world, Twilight was excited. She was excited about what this would mean for her life.

“I’m really happy that this all came together… I am so glad to be with Sunset…” Twilight smiled.

Cadence nodded as she released Twilight from her grip. “You two are going to be amazing together, I just know it. When you walk down that aisle and say ‘I do’, it’s going to change your life forever…”

With her sister-in-law’s reassurance, Twilight was ready. She was ready to begin the first day of the rest of her life. She was ready to go on the biggest life-changing journey she had ever embarked on. College had felt daunting at first, and a relationship had felt overwhelming when she had first gotten into it, and even the idea of being a parent seemed so far out of her comfort zone, but Twilight somehow was ready. Against all odds, Twilight Sparkle was ready to become Twilight Shimmer.

She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at the person looking back at her. She was young and pretty, and Twilight could actually see that for a change. She could see the person that Sunset saw when the redhead looked at her. She could see the beautiful woman that she had become despite her awkwardness and negative self-image. It was her wedding day and she couldn’t see a thing out of place. Tonight was going to be perfect.

Standing at the altar, Sunset took a deep breath and opened her eyes. There she was, waiting for the most important ceremony of her entire life to begin. There she stood in her short dress coming just above her knees, white in color to match her bride-to-be’s but not as exuberant as to not take attention away from Twilight. While she had offered to wear a tuxedo, Twilight insisted that Sunset looked too good in a dress to pass up on one. Their compromise definitely left a lot of people confused, but it was their wedding after all.

Sunset heard the gentle whisper of Shining Armor come from near her causing her to turn to his direction. He gave her a thumbs up to reassure her, causing her to nod and stand up straight as she waited for the music to begin.

All the chatter in the building stopped as the sound of wedding music began and everyone adjusted in their seats preparing for the event to begin, many with tissues at the ready (such as Rarity) and others with their minds likely on the day they got married themselves.

The moment that music began to play, Sunset found her eyes glued to the entrance to the room as soft footsteps accompanied by larger ones could be heard. There, at the entranceway, a middle-aged man stood with his daughter, arms looped as he walked her toward the aisle that had been set up for her.

Twilight looked absolutely radiant, immaculate and stunning. Her long dress was definitely out of the ordinary for her, but her femininity shined brightly as she stood in such an impressive gown (that Rarity had assisted heavily in creating, after much insistence). Rarity’s craftsmanship showed as it accented every feature about Twilight so wonderfully.

Her hands were dressed in lacy fingerless white sleeves that went up to her elbow and her eyes with the appropriate makeup practically sparkled from behind the thin veil over her face.

Her hair had been done up in a very tidy and unique bun, held together with two sticks which reminded Sunset of when they first met and Twilight insisted on keeping her hair in a bun.

Her father walked along with her making each step meticulous and slow as they approached Sunset where her father released his daughter and gave a nod to Sunset before turning to the pews to join his own wife.

Twilight straightened her stance as she smiled at Sunset. “How do I look?” She whispered.

Sunset smiled back at her. “Better than ever…”

“You’re not so bad yourself…” Twilight replied with a blush before they both fell silent as the minister cleared his throat to get the ceremony started.

“Ahem!” He began.

The entire room fell silent and the music came to an abrupt end. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of these two women in holy matrimony.”

Sunset kept quiet and stared into Twilight’s eyes as she took the girl’s small hands into her own. The entire experience felt surreal.

“If there is anyone here who has a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace…” The minister continued, his voice speaking from many ceremonies of experience under his belt.

As expected, the room remained silent, though a part of Sunset suspected someone would have spoken up. He rambled on for a few moments about the beauty of marriage and how it was a wonderful thing.

The minister cleared his throat once again. “Now then… Do you, Sunset Rise Shimmer, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and hold dear, till death do you part?”

Sunset blushed as she looked at Twilight and nodded as she spoke in a soft tone. “I do…”

The minister nodded as well and looked back down to the book in his hands as he recited the next part of the ceremony.

“Do you, Twilight Star Sparkle, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and hold dear, till death do you part?” He asked.

Twilight didn’t even hesitate as tears welled up in her eyes. “I do.”

Nodding, the minister looked over to Shining Armor who stood at Sunset’s side. “The ring, please?” The minister asked.

Shining perked up and nodded and turned to Sunset, presenting the ring. Sunset opened the box and stared for a moment at the white gold ring before removing it gently and taking Twilight’s hand waiting to be instructed. After she was told what to say, she nodded and looked into Twilight’s eyes as she repeated it.

“This ring, like my love for you has no end… With it, I declare my love for you and take you as my wife, my partner and my soulmate…” Sunset repeated.

Twilight could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks now as she felt the ring slide onto her finger flawlessly. Sunset held the girl’s hand for a few extra seconds before allowing it to fall gently in front of Twilight.

The minister cleared his throat once more. “Twilight has said she wishes to say something on her own behalf before we go any further.”

Sunset blinked, this was certainly unexpected.

“Twilight, you may speak.” The minister bowed gently.

Twilight nodded and reached into the sleeve of her glove to retrieve a piece of paper that had been folded up neatly. Sunset just stared in confusion, not sure of what was about to transpire.

Once the bookworm unfolded the paper, she cleared her throat and began to speak up so all could hear her. “Sunset…” She began.

Sunset braced herself.

“We have been through so much together… You have done so much for me and risked so much for us to be together. I know that you are far from a typical person and you always fear that our differences will drive us apart…” Twilight read.

Sunset felt a bit guilty at that line, but kept quiet.

“Those differences, however, are what brought us together. From the day we met, I knew you were special… I know you're something out of the ordinary, and it only made me want to be with you more and more with each passing day… And now, we are about to embark on our biggest journey yet… Starting a family together…” Twilight paused as she wiped her eyes.

“However, as always… With you by my side, I’m not scared. I’m actually excited… Excited to see what rewards our journey will net… However, part of me feels like… The best part is already here…” She smiled as she tossed the note aside and looked at her lover.

Sunset mouthed an “I love you” as she held back tears of her own.

The minister smiled himself and gestured with his hands. “By the power invested in me by the state of Maryland, I now pronounce you wife and wife. You may now, of course, kiss the bride.”

“I thought you’d never ask…” Sunset nodded as she reached forward and removed the veil protecting Twilight’s face. Without a moment’s hesitation, she cupped an arm around Twilight’s back and planted a kiss on her lips, sealing the deal.

Author's Note

It finally happened! 70 chapters leading up to this!

Also, I know the minister's words are a mixture of multiple different wedding ceremonies, but I wanted it to be a non-religious wedding for them and I could barely remember the exact words said at my own wedding.

Marriage in stories is often more romantic than it is in real life these days anyway. I got married at a civil ceremony, but I didn't have boatloads of cash like Sunset does. She probably has those folded napkins and whatnot at her reception.

Also, you been bamboozled by Moon and Spike.

Act V - Chapter LXXI: Scheme

Author's Note

Author’s note at the top this time, I know it’s weird isn’t it!

I wanted to take this moment to warn people that Serenade uses some... Graphic language. While the story is rated M, I just wanted to give a bit of extra warning to people. There is going to be a bit of graphic content in a few chapters, nothing "extreme" but it was necessary for the sake of the story.

Act V - Chapter LXXI: Scheme

Chapter LXXI: Scheme

Weeks had passed and Twilight’s plan was nearing completion. Within a short time, she would soon be able to execute her trap and ensnare the demon that was destroying Equestria in it. It was a risky move, and there was a chance that it wouldn’t work, but she needed to keep faith in herself. She needed this plan to go smoothly, or Equestria was going to be in a far worse spot than it already was. All around, ponies were suffering, some in slave labor camps, others in prisons. Then there were the few unfortunate few who were under the mind control of the demon siren herself, forced to fight and die for her mad quest for power and domination. It made Twilight sick just thinking about it.

These ponies were her subjects. They counted on her to protect them and she had let them down. Sure, she was training to get strong enough to take on the threat, but it wasn’t an excuse for not being strong enough to stop it before it began. She had grown careless, and it wasn’t something she was about to forgive herself so easily for. Twilight Sparkle would only forgive herself when the job was done and Serenade was no more.

Serenade was like nothing that Twilight had ever faced before, she was unrealistically powerful, and her power was only growing with every day. Furthermore, she was unpredictable. While she had fought the likes of Tirek, a powerful magic absorber before, he paled in comparison to this creature.

Serenade was a demon, and that meant the scope of her abilities hadn’t been realized yet. There was no telling how strong she could inevitably become, and unlike many of Twilight’s previous foes, she was willing to murder anyone who stood in her way. There was no such thing as honor to a creature like that.

While Twilight’s newfound abilities would certainly change the game a little, they were playing by Serenade’s rules now, a creature that operated only in extremes. Serenade was willing to kill to get what she wanted. Was Twilight prepared to put Serenade down? Was she prepared to end the siren’s life just like her sister’s? Surely, there wasn’t going to be another choice. Serenade’s crimes were too great, she had to be ended, but then again, ending the life of the other siren is what had caused all of this in the first place. It was a conundrum for Twilight Sparkle.

The mare allowed her fur to soak in the hot water of the bathtub while her head rested on the edge, staring at the ceiling in contemplation.

“The irony… I’ve made my own greatest enemy now…” Twilight thought out loud.

Leaning over the edge of the tub, she sighed. “I wonder what Rainbow Dash would do in a situation like this?”

She chuckled as she envisioned her friend’s voice ringing through her ear with that smug, oh-so-lovable look on her face. “I’d go in there and kick some flank!” Twilight imitated in her best impression of the tomcolt.

Giggling, the mare sighed and returned her gaze to the ceiling. How foolish she had been.

She needed to get thoughts of her stupid crush on Rainbow Dash out of her mind. It wasn’t meant to be, and that was that. Twilight hated how she had a bad habit of falling for whom she could not have, or sometimes shouldn’t have. Rainbow Dash was merely another pony in a line of forgotten conquests. Romance escaped Princess Twilight Sparkle, and it was bound to continue.

She recalled her brief crush on Flash Sentry, but knew that had to be called off due to existing in different universes. She couldn’t just abandon her responsibilities in Equestria to go run off with some boy that she admittedly hardly knew. Even if he was sweet to her, and clearly liked her back.

Twilight recognized that when she became a princess that meant that certain things were going to be off the table for her. Her responsibilities as Princess of Friendship came first and they also meant that she would be put into situations that forced her to do things which would make her unpopular.

The mare silently blew bubbles under the water as she contemplated what she was to do about the current situation. Her plan was progressing smoothly thus far, but it felt almost too smooth like something was bound to go wrong. Admittedly that may have just been the skeptic in her mind talking and not how she actually felt.

The consequences of what could happen if she screwed this one up were weighing down heavy on the alicorn. In the past, if she failed she had her friends to fall back on, but here if she screwed up, there might not even be an Equestria after that. Serenade would kill anypony who stood in her way, and that meant that Twilight was putting herself in harm’s way to even execute this plan. If Serenade managed to kill her, then there was a good chance she would make light work of Twilight’s friends. As tough as her group was, they were no match against a creature like Serenade, they didn’t feel the evil emanating from her as Twilight did.

From that siren, Twilight could sense tremendous power, a power that had yet to even be tapped into. The reality was they were only seeing a fraction of the mare’s true strength thus far, and Twilight knew that. She could sense a great power and a great hatred within Serenade.

Sighing, Twilight wished for the old days where the possibility of reforming someone was on the table. A talk about friendship, an offering of forgiveness and they would be on the right path in no time, but not with Serenade. Serenade had already crossed lines that one could not be forgiven for. She had enslaved and murdered, she had watched others suffer while she took pleasure. To top all of that off, Twilight could feel her hatred. For whatever reason, this siren hated their kind and nothing was going to convince her otherwise.

“Someone’s feeling blue…” A familiar deep male voice echoed in the room. Twilight looked about to notice a small rubber duck that previously was not present in her bath. She sighed as the duck turned into a miniature version of a familiar annoying draconequus.

“Hello, Discord… I guess the concept of bathroom etiquette is lost on you, isn’t it?” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Nonsense! I know that you scrub behind your ears! Which by the way, have you been doing? You seem a bit past due in that department.” Discord faked a wince as he made his comment.

“I’m not in the mood, Discord…” Twilight sighed.

The creature snapped his finger and was returned to his normal size as he floated above the tub with a curious look on his snaggletoothed face. “What’s got you down? If anything you should be ecstatic! You’re now the Princess in charge! The big cheese, the regal leader, the all mighty ruler!”

Twilight just rolled her eyes. “There’s a lot more to being princess than being in charge, Discord…”

“Ah yes, pesky responsibilities… How I loathe them…” He grew a frown and a scowl at just the thought of being forced to partake in things that he didn’t care for.

There were times that Twilight wished she could be as carefree as he was. While he had shared the secret to his magic with her, she had yet to figure out the secret to his odd personality, that must have been something that just took a tremendous amount of time to understand. More time than Twilight had, and more than she was willing to commit.

“I can’t argue with you there, I’m not exactly a fan of them myself… Especially in these trying times…” Twilight frowned.

“What’s bothering you?” Discord asked, poofing in a chair to sit on, and a pair of glasses onto his face with a clipboard in his paw while he played the role of a therapist.

Ordinarily, she would criticize his theatrics, but Twilight lacked the mental energy. Instead, she decided there was no harm in merely going along with his little charade. “Everypony is counting on me…” Twilight admitted.

“I see… Go on…” Discord nodded thoughtfully as he made scribbles on his clipboard.

“I mean in the past, I knew that I needed to deliver or things would go bad, but I always knew that even if I messed up… My friends could bail me out… Now though… If this plan doesn’t work… I’m not so sure… We could all die because of me…” Twilight frowned.

Discord nodded before tossing the clipboard and glasses aside, offering a paw to Twilight that he placed on her shoulder as he leaned over the tub. “Consider this: Luna is still fighting hard. You’re not alone right now, so even if you falter, Luna is there to help pick up the pieces…”

Twilight grimaced at the way he worded that statement. She didn’t like the thought of being told there was even a chance that Luna would have to swoop in to save her, but then again she never knew Discord to be a very comforting friend who told her what she wanted to hear.

“Gee… Thanks…” Twilight frowned.

“I’m a realist, however, I will say… Your plan… Is quite genius…” Discord smirked.

Twilight blinked, not expecting to hear such a thing from him. “Really? You think so?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. I’ve definitely taught you to think outside of the box. I mean using your enemies flaws against her… That’s pretty underhanded… I taught you well, and the intricacy of the spell you’re preparing? That’s very bold stuff, I’d imagine even Starswirl himself would be proud of such resourcefulness.”

Twilight blinked once more at what constituted high praise from the spirit of chaos. “T-thank you… Discord… That’s actually… Very thoughtful of you to say…”

He nodded and grinned. “We’re in this together, if you fail then I have failed as a mentor and that is completely unacceptable. We shall overcome. This demon won’t even know what hit her.”

“I’m glad you’re with me then… I definitely need all the motivation that I can get my hooves on… It’s going to take every bit of my ability to defeat Serenade… Even if my trap works, I’m still going to need just as much whit, charisma, and skill to pull off defeating her… I will need to focus everything I have…” Twilight closed her eyes.

Discord playfully splashed the bathwater at Twilight causing her eyes to shoot open with an annoyed expression plastered to her face. “You and focus are clearly best friends. It shouldn’t be even a minor problem for a mare such as you. You’re exceptional at focusing too much on things, after all. If I had an award for overthinking things, you'd be the reigning champion.”

Twilight chuckled as she admitted the truth in his words. “I suppose that you’re correct there… Still… It feels like an insane challenge doesn’t it? Beating a demon siren?”

Discord shrugged. “You’ve faced off against worse, you should be used to this kind of thing by now…”

He had a point. “Yeah but… In the past… Seldom did my enemies aim to kill us… Serenade looks like she will kill anyone that gets in her way… What if… One of my friends gets killed and I’m not there to save them? What if I am the cause of it? Serenade isn’t above using them as hostages to get to me, obviously… What if…”

Discord reached forward and slapped her with his claw, causing Twilight to cough before turning to face him with shocked eyes. His expression turned more serious than usual as he brushed off his claw. “Sorry, you needed a reality check… Twilight Sparkle, we’re not going to allow anything bad to happen. We’re going to defeat this demon, restore order to Equestria, as much as I hate order, and then you’re going to have a big celebration after and go on about the nonsense of friendship. That is what you do.”

It was strange to see Discord believing so much in her, but Twilight supposed that he didn’t want to even consider the possibility that his first and so far only student would miss the mark after all the time they spent training. He had faith in her, and Twilight needed to carry the same faith in herself. She had grown so much in the past few months; become so much stronger than she had ever been, but she also had her greatest test before her.

This upcoming test had stakes that Twilight could not afford to lose on. Everything was residing on her shoulders, she had to come through for Equestria, she had to make sure everything worked out. Failure wasn’t an option.

“Thank you, Discord… I guess I really did need a reality check… This is bigger than the two of us, and I can’t lose faith in myself now… I’m glad you’re here, thank you for training me, I’ll make sure to put what I’ve learned to good use.” She smiled at the creature.

Discord nodded and smirked. “And if we lose, I suppose we have promising careers as demons, right?”

“I could only imagine…” Twilight rolled her eyes. Even in the most trying of times, Discord found an excuse to be inappropriate, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. His oddities were a sign that he was confident in both of them.

The road ahead was definitely unknown. Would the Princess of Friendship save all of Equestria? Or would the demon conquer the remains? Only time would tell.

With her eyes set on their prize, Twilight met with Starlight, her most trusted student to go over the specifics of her plan. It would take a good few hours to go over it all with her, and she then became aware of the nitty gritty details of how exactly Princess Twilight Sparkle intended to get one over on the crafty Serenade.

Twilight’s plan was complex to a degree but simple at the same time. She intended to exploit Serenade’s arrogance to her advantage.

Starlight blinked as Twilight finished the final details waiting and waited for Starlight’s questions. Sure enough, she had plenty, as she had been taught to always clear up any uncertainties. Twilight was proud of herself for teaching the mare so well.

“So, how exactly do you intend to lure her in though? You haven’t made that part clear...” Starlight asked curiously.

Twilight smirked at her own brilliance. “That’s the best part... I’m merely going to issue her a challenge using the radio towers...”

Starlight blinked, half expecting a far more elaborate plan. She was a bit disappointed that what she was being pitched was far less exciting than her own expectations. A part of her was hoping for something that was really thinking outside the box. This plan, however, made Starlight question if Twilight’s time with Discord was truly well spent.

“A challenge? Isn’t that a bit... Obvious?” Starlight spoke, pausing for a second to choose the correct wording.

Twilight nodded. “Yup, and that’s exactly what I want.”

“I don’t follow...” Starlight tilted her head in confusion.

Twilight sighed as she realized she would have to explain it to her companion. “It’s quite simple really... Serenade will think I’m being arrogant by challenging her. By getting her thinking that way, I can get her to ignore her own arrogance. Serenade will think I’m being overconfident so it’ll never occur to her that she’s actually the one who is allowing her ego to sabotage her.”

Starlight opened her mouth forming an “o” as she nodded. Her face contorted to a smile as it all came together. “Ahhhh, I get it, the old reverse psychology...”

Twilight grinned as her student was beginning to understand. “Exactly, we get her by letting her get herself.”

“Then all we have to do is get her in the right place at the right time...” Starlight finished Twilight’s thought.

“Precisely. From there it’s a matter of just springing our trap and ensnaring her in it!” Twilight explained.

Starlight nodded once more but could sense there was another reason why she was telling all of this to her, a reason that Starlight partially did not want to hear. Regardless though, she gritted herself and asked the true question on her mind. “I’m assuming there is a reason you’re telling me before the others, Twilight?”

It was as if Starlight had said the secret password and unlocked something. Twilight’s face contorted to a more unappealing one and her time became far more serious as she responded. Starlight could see the strain in the mare, the fear of what was to come that she was suppressing. There was determination masking it, but the seed of fear could not be truly covered up.

“In the event that this does not work...” Twilight began.

“Yeah?” Starlight could feel a bead of sweat roll down her neck, the tension in the room far too much for the mare to handle.

“I will need you to take my place... and kill Serenade,” Twilight responded.

The two mares locked stares for several uncomfortable seconds as blue eyes tried to study a lavender mare standing before her. After several more seconds, Starlight spoke up. “Kill? Are you sure?”

The alicorn princess nodded. “It must be done, Serenade cannot be reformed... This isn’t the same as other situations of the past, this creature has given into darkness, there is no coming back from being the kind of demon she is. She has done too much to be forgiven anyway.”

Starlight frowned, not liking this side of Twilight. “Wasn’t killing Adagio what caused all of this to begin with?”

Striking a chord, Twilight stomped her hoof on the ground in anger, her temper flaring up as her volume rose. “THAT WAS-“

She cut herself off and blushed as she calmed herself down. “That was... a different scenario...”

Starlight had been suspicious for some time regarding Twilight’s conversations with Adagio Dazzle. Every time the subject came up, Twilight was always so secretive and dismissive of the subject. She wouldn’t share what she had learned to anypony, even if it didn’t really matter.

“Twilight... What exactly happened between you and Adagio? You’ve been acting strange since that night.” Starlight pointed out.

Again it was as if Starlight had said the words necessary to activate a personality change in Twilight. The mare shifted and stood up, trotting over to the window that overlooked the training area. She stared through the glass at the small garden down below with thoughtful eyes as she carefully planned her words, chewing her thoughts, not wanting to say too much.

“Something very complicated, Starlight... However, it doesn’t concern you, or anypony else for that matter. It’s my cross to bear now...” Twilight’s tone was hushed and reeked of disappointment. There obviously was more to be discovered on the subject, if Starlight could just pry it out of the alicorn.

“It doesn’t have to be... You can tell me, Twilight...” Starlight stepped forward trying to reassure the mare.

Starlight’s attempts, of course, were a waste as Twilight did not give an inch. Her stance remained firm and unwavering. “It’s not something we should be talking about, Starlight.” Her tone suggested she was warning her friend to back off, however, it didn’t seem to work as Starlight pushed the issue further.

“What was up with that kiss, Twilight?” Starlight asked.

“Drop it, Starlight...” Twilight warned.

Starlight stepped forward with a grunt. “Tell me what’s going on, Twilight! Why did you kiss her?”

Twilight squinted and looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it, Starlight, it’s in the past now. It’s my burden to carry...”

“You spent an entire night in a cell alone with her... She told you things, I know she did, and then at her execution, you kissed her... Tell me what’s going on, Twilight... If you know something that could help us here, you should tell me...” Starlight calmed her tone down, hoping it would convince Twilight to give something up, but the alicorn held strong in her stance.

Twilight stomped a hoof on the ground once more and shouted at the highest decibel level she could muster, her voice booming through the entire facility. “I SAID LEAVE IT THE FUCK ALONE, STARLIGHT!”

A blush came to Twilight as she cleared her throat and shook her head. After adjusting herself she approached cautiously, as Starlight winced away at Twilight’s first step.

“Look... I’m sorry for yelling at you... it’s just... it’s a very long story and I really don’t want to get into it at the moment... I’d rather leave it there for now... I promise though... When this is all done and when the time is right... I’ll tell you everything, but right now I need you to focus on the matter at hoof, okay?” Twilight smiled sheepishly as she came closer to her friend. Starlight allowed the advance and eventually allowed Twilight’s hoof to rest on her shoulder.

She looked at Twilight’s hoof and then met her innocent eyes. Whatever secrets she had regarding Adagio Dazzle could wait. They had a demon to defeat, and that had to take priority.

“Alright, Twilight... You can count on me...” Starlight returned the smile.

Twilight nodded and gestured for the mare to go. “I have some things I need to take care of, I’ll meet you at the briefing before we execute this plan...”

Starlight frowned as she met her mentor with concerned eyes. “Are you positive that you’ll be okay?”

The alicorn bit her lip but gave a convincing enough nod. “I’ll be fine. I just need some time alone... Like I said, soon I’ll tell you everything.”

While not fully at ease, Starlight was appeased by Twilight’s reply. She turned and made haste to leave the mare be. After her exit, Twilight stood in thought.

Adagio...

Her thoughts were interrupted almost immediately however, as a male voice rang in her ear. “Twilight... What did happen with Adagio?”

She turned her head and there at the entrance to the small dining area where Twilight was standing was a purple drake with a concerned expression. His brow was raised, and his reptilian eyes were wide.

Sighing, Twilight shook her head as she approached. “How much of that did you hear?”

“Nearly all of it,” Spike admitted.

Nodding, Twilight came up to him and sat down on the floor before him. She raised her front hooves and placed them on his small shoulders. “Spike... Adagio was...”

She paused, chewing her words before finishing that sentence. “She wasn’t like you or I... There were things that happened that I can’t talk about. Secrets that I can’t really tell you about... Hell, I can’t tell anyone about them... Not yet anyway... Either way... Adagio is in the past... She’s dead now and we all need to move on. Focusing on her won’t stop Serenade.”

“I understand, but... You can tell me, Twilight...” Spike frowned once more.

Twilight shook her head. “Let’s focus on what’s going on now, Spike. I need to keep my head in the game...” Twilight said.

What choice did the drake have? While he didn’t enjoy seeing her suffer, he couldn’t get her to open up if she didn’t want to. He nodded and decided it was best to focus on the present.

“Alright, then let’s get ready for your briefing with the others in a few hours...” Spike smiled weakly.

Twilight returned his smile, glad that the subject was finally dropped.

“Good idea.”

Rainbow Dash tried to find her seat in the oddly small room that she and her friends had been summoned to. The table looked like it was designed to only fit about two ponies, not the eight members currently present at it.

She found her seat next to Applejack, squeezing in, causing the farmer to grunt in annoyance as she shoved her way in. “Hey, watch it...” Applejack complained.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “It’s not my fault! This room is freakin’ tiny!”

Applejack returned the eye roll as she tried to scoot over as much as she could giving the pegasus as much room as she could. Her movement, however, only brought her closer to Rarity seated next to her, who grumbled slightly at her personal space being invaded. Applejack turned to her with an apologetic expression. “Sorry, sugar cube.”

Rarity nodded before trying to give herself some breathing room. “Yes, well I’d prefer a larger meeting room myself, but these are the accommodations we’ve been granted, so let’s try and make them as comfortable as we can, shall we, darling?”

The farmer found herself blushing as she agreed. “R-right... Sorry. Anyhoo, Ah’m hopin’ Twilight’s plan really is the whole kit’n kaboodle.”

Across the table on the other side scrunched up uncomfortably close to Spike was a characteristically excited Pinkie Pie. “Should be a doozie! Twilight’s all supercharged now! She’s been trained by Discord and she’s all extra powerful now!”

“Overconfidence is the first step toward defeat, darling…” Rarity kindly reminded.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No way! Twilight is pretty much invincible! After this training she’s probably at least ten times more badass than before, you’ll see!”

“She’s been back for some time now and we haven’t seen her do anything out of the ordinary…” Fluttershy reminded.

Rainbow grumbled. “Are you suggesting that Twilight is not totally all supercharged and badass?”

The meek pegasus shrunk in her seat and shook her head. “O-of course not… It’s just… I don’t think we should get too ahead of ourselves is all…”

“Fluttershy does make an excellent point, darling… Since Twilight’s return she hasn’t really shown her face much, nor done much in the way of mounting a counterattack on Serenade and it’s been months since her return… I don’t know how much longer Starlight, Luna and I can keep Manehatten protected…” Rarity reminded.

Rainbow crossed her hooves and sat back in her seat, not enjoying the negative atmosphere but unable to make a counterpoint against the naysayers. It was true, Twilight hadn’t really done too much since she had returned and she had made herself exceptionally scarce with the exception of meeting with Starlight now and then.

“Starlight has been the only one who really has talked to her much…” Fluttershy pointed out.

“Speak of the devil…” Applejack pointed toward the entrance to the room where a rather organized Starlight entered, bowing her head slightly as she levitated a clipboard with her and circled the table, giving a nod toward her friends before standing next to the head chair which was still empty.

“Thank you all for coming here…” Starlight stated.

“Why so formal?” Applejack raised a confused brow.

Starlight shrugged in response. “Just trying to keep things official for when Twilight arrives… She has a lot to go over, so we should all listen carefully…”

“Where is she though?” Rainbow asked, sitting up a bit and placing both of her hooves onto the table.

“I’m already here…” A voice echoed through the entire room.

Every pony present looked around to try and find the origin of Twilight’s disembodied voice, but could not see anything that resembled the mare. Rarity finally noticed a tapestry that hung on the wall behind the vacant chair and pointed with her hoof. “Look!”

The design on the tapestry which bore the mark of Twilight’s cutie mark shifted shapes until the face of the mare herself appeared on it and carefully pulled out of the fabric before an entire body was formed and snaked down to the empty chair. In a matter of seconds, it would take on the familiar lean body shape of the Princess of Friendship, though she had clearly lost some weight from her training.

Her training with Discord was evident, but her new appearance startled the group.

Twilight’s hooves were adorned with onyx cuffs and plated horseshoes with white trimmings, jagged in shape, but it matched the rest of her ensemble. Her body was strapped with a similar armor with points and spikes sticking out of it, covering her back and the upper part of her stomach, leaving her soft belly exposed.

Around her neck was an amulet bearing an emblem which resembled a circle with arrows pointing out of it in eight different directions. Rarity recognized it as the symbol that represented chaos and assumed it was representative of her recent teacher, Discord.

The biggest change, however, was her mane which had been clipped down to a messy boy cut. Gone were her blunt bangs, replaced with asymmetrical locks that hung freely without much to style them. Her tail seemed to share a similar look as it had been clipped down as well. It was a "messy" look for sure but seemed to suit her.

The entire room was silent as they all took in her new appearance.

Clearing her throat, Twilight gave a quick smile before her face returned to a serious expression. “Sorry for keeping you all…”

Pinkie Pie blinked and then rubbed her eyes, wondering if they were playing tricks on her, an action that Rarity copied. Once both mares were certain that was was before them was indeed the real deal they looked at each other, stared for a brief second before looking back at Twilight. “Darling… What’s with the… Err… makeover?” Rarity spoke, carefully choosing her words.

Twilight smirked from the corner of her mouth. “Practicality. I may have to fight Serenade, so my mane could have gotten in the way, on top of that, this new armor should help me deflect some of her dark magic. Discord had it crafted for me.”

“Are you sure it’ll work then? Discord ain’t exactly the most trustworthy…” Applejack frowned, not liking the idea of putting her faith in the draconequus.

Twilight shook her head, dismissing the doubt cast by the farm mare. “Discord is on our side, I’d know; I spent months locked in a room with him. He’s already proven his dedication to me.”

Applejack opened her mouth to object but couldn’t find any words to argue with such sound logic. In their entire time knowing Discord, this was the furthest he had gone for Equestria, the most he had ever done. Admittedly some expressed concern that he had ulterior motives, but when Twilight emerged with newfound power, it was obvious that the creature had held true to his word in teaching her.

“Discord means well…” Fluttershy defended.

Deciding it was best to leave the subject alone, Applejack nodded. “Fair enough, so why did y’all gather us here? I’m assumin’ there’s a point?”

Twilight nodded before raising her head, causing her horn to glow with a brilliant aura, far more vibrant and powerful feeling than her usual one (which was already quite potent). Unicorns in the room could sense her newfound abilities in just her aura, it was eerie almost to see how strong Twilight had become in such a short time. Starlight contemplated what a few months in the same training facility would do for her before clearing her mind to listen to Twilight.

Before the group was a magical projection of a piece of landscape. Rarity leaned in and recognized it instantly. “Hey, that is outside of Manehatten, it’s a small valley that leads to the city. I’ve gone through it a few times on my way there.”

Twilight grinned at her friend’s memory. “Correct, this will be the centerpiece to our plan. The valley is low and narrow, meaning it’s the perfect place to snare our prey.”

“Now this is the part I like! How do we get her, Twilight!?” Rainbow leaned over the table excitedly, shoving Applejack out of the way and into Rarity, causing a grunt and grumble from the farmer before Rarity scooted over to make room for her friend.

“It won’t be easy… With the kind of power that Serenade has, everything has to be carefully planned out…” Twilight frowned.

“How can we fight something so strong? I’ve only heard stories about Serenade’s power, but it sounds absolutely dreadful…” Rarity shuddered at the mere thought of having to face Serenade head on. The kind of power that Serenade possessed could split a mare in half with just the flick of one of her hooves.

Twilight shook her head. “A head-on fight with her would be suicide… So we have to be a bit more tactful…” She pointed to the center of the projection in front of them, into the valley itself. “We are going to have to lure her into this valley where I have prepared a very powerful snare spell…”

On the map before them, a small purple shining ball appeared and floated to the spot in question. “It is comprised of concentrated magic that I have harnessed over the past few months and stored in this magic crystal. A spell this powerful took a tremendous amount of time and energy to create… It should turn her dark magic against her.”

“Whoa! You can do that!?” Rainbow blinked in amazement.

Twilight blushed and nodded. “Yeah… But it’s not exactly an easy thing to do… As I said, it took months to create this spell, at least in a powerful enough form to go against somepony as powerful as Serenade.”

Rainbow was beyond impressed as she nodded. “I knew we could count on you, Twilight!”

Clearing her throat, Twilight pointed back at the map. “There’s only one problem… We need to get Serenade into this valley. It’s going to take all of us to do it. Each of us will lure her down. A calculated effort to bring her down to this point will be necessary to get her.”

“Tell us where you want us!” Applejack grinned.

Twilight pointed once more. “Applejack, you and Rarity will be at the forefront. At the top of the hill, you two will pull her down. Fluttershy and Rainbow will fly in and keep her heading in that direction as well, they can swoop in and pick the both of you up and carry you out of the valley before Serenade arrives.” Twilight then gestured toward Starlight. “Pinkie and Starlight will then run toward where I’ll be waiting to trap her, Starlight, you will need to teleport Pinkie out before it’s too late, then I’ll trigger the spell.”

Applejack paused and rubbed her chin. “Wait jus’ a minute… How are we suppose’t get her to go that way? Ain’t like she’ll be interested in chasin’ us.”

Grinning, Twilight chuckled. “That’s why we use bait.”

“What kind of bait would lure a demon siren our way?” Rarity asked curiously.

Twilight stood up from her seat and stood proud. “You’re looking at it.”

“Y-yourself?” Rarity blinked.

Twilight nodded as she placed a hoof on the table. “The lure of my magic should be enough for Serenade. She craves the power of all of Equestria, especially the Princesses, so my newfound power should be far too difficult for the demon to resist.”

“True, but isn’t it dangerous to put yourself so close to the enemy?” Rarity pointed out.

Twilight shrugged. “I have to try. The risk may be high, but if we don’t do anything the situation is going to get far worse.”

Rainbow chimed in instantly. “That’s my girl! Twilight Danger Sparkle!”

“Ah’ll admit… It’s a sound plan… But pretty bold… If’n we slip up even the slightest, Serenade could get ‘yer magic and that could be a problem…” Applejack added.

“She could get all of our magic… All of the remaining unicorns outside of Manehatten will all be in one place… Starlight, Twilight and myself…” Rarity replied.

She had a point. While this plan did create a lure that was too great for even Serenade to resist, it also put every one of them in a vulnerable position. Serenade could swipe all of their magic in a single move if she played her cards right. Everything fell on the dependability of Twilight’s plan, and how much faith everyone had in it.

“It’s a risk, I’ll admit… However, it’s the only option we have, if we can’t lure her out, then our chances of stopping her are slim to none… We have to take some risks to make this happen…” Twilight explained.

“‘Ah don’t know how ‘Ah feel ‘bout that, but Ah’ll put mah’ faith in y’all, Twilight,” Applejack replied, a small smile forming on her face.

Applejack’s nod of confidence gave Twilight a small smile in return before nodding to the group. “I want everypony to focus so that we can execute this plan, I need everypony to have their mind in the right place when we go out there… One slip up could ruin everything… You may have noticed that at this place we don’t need to eat or sleep, so there’s plenty of time to focus yourselves.”

The Royal Training Ground had some unique properties to it, but it worked to their advantage. Time still flowed, but the effects of time were partially nullified to an extent.

There was silence after those words, no one dared question those words. Twilight nodded before dismissing the group. “You may all go then… I have to check on the progress of the spell, see how it’s coming along…”

The entire group nodded as they all began to leave the cramped room, many of them chitchatting with each other as they exited, leaving Twilight by herself with a sigh as she ran a hoof through her short mane. A raspy voice startled her, causing her to turn around.

“Hey, Twilight.”

Standing there before here was a prismatically maned pegasus with a vibrant grin across her face. Twilight blinked and adjusted herself before bowing her head gently before her friend who had decided to stay behind to converse with her.

“Rainbow, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion. “Why so formal? We’re friends.”

Twilight rubbed her neck nervously as she averted her eyes, blushing with a tinge of embarrassment. “Yeah, right. Sorry, I’ve been away for so long that I’ve grown used to no social etiquette. Discord isn’t exactly one for conversation or manners, so I guess I’m still readjusting to the outside world.”

Rainbow sat down in front of Twilight and raised a hoof curiously. “I can’t believe you managed to spend so many months locked up with him, that’s insane. I’d have lost my mind.”

Twilight just shrugged. “He’s not so bad when you get used to him. Given the circumstances, I had plenty of time to get used to him.”

Nodding, Rainbow reached forward and placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Hey, not to change the subject but I like the new look… You look like a badass.”

The blush on Twilight’s cheeks only grew at those words “Y-you think so?”

“Totally,” Rainbow responded.

“Yes, well… Thank you.” Twilight nodded, trying to not seem so flustered.

“Hey, I get that you’re nervous; we all are. This whole thing has everyone twisted up, even Applejack, though she’ll never admit it. We aren’t just playing around here, our entire home is at stake. I get that you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, but just know that I believe in you, Twilight. You’ve never lead us wrong,” Rainbow explained.

It was all true. The pressure to succeed was overwhelming. The fate of Equestria itself was in Twilight’s hooves and a part of her wondered what would happen if she failed. She calculated her odds at victory at 80% should her plan work, but what would happen if she happened to be in that 20%? Was there anyone left to take Serenade down? Discord, perhaps, but would he be able to?

“Thank you, Rainbow. I appreciate it…” Twilight said quietly.

Patting Twilight’s shoulder, Rainbow nodded and winked. “Anyway, I better get caught up with the others. Try and not stress too much, Twilight.”

“I won’t,” Twilight replied with a nod.

When Rainbow made her way out of the room, Twilight sighed and sat down in a chair and closed her eyes. Everything was going to be on the line soon, she needed to be at the top of her game.

Twilight’s meeting had left a lot on Rarity’s mind, but somehow she was able to make it back to her room without much effort, but once inside, she closed the door behind herself and sighed. The idea of Serenade was terrifying to her; an all-powerful demon that half the fate of Equestria in her hoof without any concern for the lives of any around them. One wrong move and they could all end up dead.

She leaned against the door and tried to take Twilight’s advice to heart, not allowing the situation to stress her out too much. Truthfully, Rarity was a fashion designer, not a world guardian. While she and her friends had defeated evil many times before, each time felt more taxing than the last and each time she feared the next opponent would be worse than the previous one; sure enough, she was right once more. Serenade was a monster like they had never seen before, and the sad part was that Rarity hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the siren. She was told that she was gorgeous in appearance, but had the face of one who cared little about the well being of others.

Serenade was on the verge of becoming the most powerful creature to walk Equestria shy of the old legends that spoke of the Goddesses walking the earth with mortals. Could Serenade become stronger than a goddess though? It was certainly within the realm of possibility now.

She loved Twilight as a friend, but she had to admit she wished for simpler times, times where her day consisted of constructing new outfits rather than saving the world. She wasn’t built for combat, and as a lady, she wasn’t suited for fighting demons.

Rarity allowed herself to touch the floor as she exhaled and tried to center herself. She wondered how this place made it so that ponies did not need to eat or sleep. Ordinarily, under these circumstances, she would be exhausted by now just thinking about it.

Her eyes popped open the moment she heard a set of hooves in the same room as her. Blinking, she called out to the other side of her room which lacked a bed for obvious reasons. “A-Applejack? Is that you?”

There was no response.

Standing up, she began to wander toward the back of the room, looking toward the small storage room connected to the room. “Applejack? You know it’s not good manners to enter a lady’s room without knocking?”

Finding her way to the room, there standing with their back turned to Rarity was a pony with long orange golden mane. Her coat was a proper yellow, and her body was covered in some kind of belted stealth suit.

Rarity took a gentle step backward as the pony turned their head and faced Rarity. Their vibrant red tinted eyes shined as they met Rarity, causing her to flinch. From their body, a black aura radiated from them, with minor purple tints thrown in. Turning around completely, the creature smirked as it took a step closer.

“Who are you?” Rarity asked hesitantly.

“Everything you’re doing is futile…” The pony who appeared to be female said in a distorted voice.

“What?” Rarity squinted.

“Darkness will envelop the world… You won’t stop Serenade…” They replied.

“Are you a demon too?” Rarity asked.

“I am an echo of the past… A fragment of what once was…” They responded before lunging forward, causing Rarity to scream.

Rarity jumped out of the way of the attack, and after a few seconds, the door to her room burst open, Twilight at the ready, blasting the pony with her horn, causing her to disintegrate into a black and purple mist that faded out of existence in a matter of seconds.

Stepping forward, Twilight bowed and smiled to her friend. “Are you alright, Rarity?”

Rarity caught her breath and nodded. “I’m fine darling… What was that?”

Twilight frowned as she looked to where the creature once was. “They’re starting to become more rampant…”

“What are? Fill me in, Twilight, dear.” Rarity blinked.

Looking back at Rarity with a frown, Twilight offered her hoof to help the mare up. Rarity accepted and came to a proper stand.

“They’re called Adagio shades. They’re an after effect of destroying Adagio. I’m not sure why they were created, but they started appearing before me after her execution,” Twilight explained.

Rarity put a hoof to her chin. “Then why are they appearing before me?”

Twilight thought it over for a moment before arriving at a conclusion. “I think they start appearing before anyone connected to Adagio, and then sort of spread to anypony capable of magic; they haven’t appeared to Spike, but they have appeared to Starlight before. They must have something to do with magic, that’s why they’re only appearing to unicorns.”

The theory made sense, but Twilight wasn’t entirely sure. At that moment though, it was all she had to go on though.

“So anypony who is associated with you and now Starlight can see them?” Rarity asked, blinking.

Twilight nodded. “And now you, I suppose… These things are spreading like a virus almost… I don’t really know why, but so far they’ve been more or less harmless… I’d advise you to keep it to yourself, alright?”

Rarity didn’t like the idea of keeping such an encounter to herself, but her trust in Twilight won out as she nodded. “Alright… We’ll keep this between us… Do you think these things will stop when you defeat Serenade?”

Twilight shrugged, she wished she had a proper answer to that question. “Only time will tell… I hope, but it’s difficult to say, I don’t know too much about these things.”

Nodding, Rarity placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “I suppose we really do have our work cut out for us, don’t we?”

Serenade marched down the halls of her repurposed castle at the center of Canterlot at the behest of her most trusted subordinate, Arax. He had insisted she come to see this specific thing directly in person rather than have the information relayed.

Making her way down to the mentioned area next to her second-in-command, she grumbled as they came closer and closer. “This better be important, Arax; I’m not a fan of wasting my time on matters that can be handled by underlings.”

Arax nodded as he walked at his master’s side, certain that he was correct in contacting her directly to handle this matter. “Yes, ma’am, I’m certain you will want to see this yourself.”

Arriving at the main hall near the entrance to the castle, a group of ponies were gathered around a spherical object in the center of the room. It shined like a giant pearl and seemed to be glass-like in appearance. Serenade raised a curious brow as she approached and tried to make sense of the object. “What is it?” She asked.

Arax cleared his throat as he answered his master. “It’s a comm orb. It’s used to send messages over long distances via magic. It was sent here with your name attached to it. There’s likely a message to be relayed to you...”

Nodding, Serenade tapped her hoof onto the marble floor. “Play it then.”

Gulping, Arax took a step back and closed his eyes, focusing his magic to his changeling horn and channeling it to eventually reach the sphere. Once his magic made contact and unlocked the spell holding the message in, the sphere began to glow and levitate into the air.

Within seconds, a projection of a gruff looking purple alicorn adorned in some kind of battle armor appeared before the group. The entire room fell silent as that projected mare began to speak directly to Serenade.

“Serenade Dazzle, I had hoped our first communication would have been face to face, but that will come soon enough.” The projection said.

Serenade squinted as she eyed up the mare. “Twilight Sparkle...” the siren nearly whispered.

“You’ve caused quite a bit of destruction in such a short time. I apologize for not being around to stop you earlier, but I was indisposed with training.” Twilight’s shade spoke.

The demon growled at the fake mare before her. “Arrogant, aren’t you?”

“My training is complete now, however. With the kind of power I have acquired, I’m more than a match for the likes of you,” Twilight continued.

Those words made Serenade’s eye twitch with annoyance. Who did this princess think she was fooling? There was no way that simply training for a few months had put her even close to being on par with Serenade’s might, and the siren knew that. Twilight was bluffing, but she spoke with enough conviction that one would almost believe she was being sincere.

“Then why aren’t you here yourself, Twilight Sparkle?” Serenade chuckled as she composed herself. “Why are you sending a threatening message rather than simply storming my front door?”

“You likely are wondering why I am bothering to message you first,” the pre-recorded message suggested.

It was as if she had anticipated exactly what Serenade would say, which pissed her off slightly. Grinding her teeth, Serenade listened.

“I wanted to give you a chance to surrender before I destroyed you,” Twilight said so plainly.

Serenade laughed at the obvious lie. “Cute,” she responded and rolled her eyes.

“Just like I destroyed your sister...” Twilight’s face contorted to a grin.

Blinking, Serenade leaned in and stepped closer. “What did you say?”

Twilight just went on. “I was the one who sentenced your sister to death, and I was there helping deliver the magic that was necessary for her execution. I witnessed her final moments, and I participated in ending her life.”

Growling Serenade stomped her hoof hard into the marble floor, cracking it under the pressure. “Shut up!”

Naturally, Serenade’s words didn’t do anything to the message. “I watched her draw her last breaths, I watched her suffer as she died, I got to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing her reign of evil ended at my hooves.”

Twilight’s voice was filled with satisfaction and smugness as she rattled off about Serenade’s deceased sister. Every single word only made Serenade’s anger bubble up more and more, her temper flaring as she listened to Twilight disgrace her dead sibling. It frustrated her more that she couldn’t do anything about it either. “SHUT UP, I SAID!”

The smug look on Twilight’s face only continued. “It’s a feeling that I am expecting to experience again when I watch you die.”

“OH!? YOU THINK YOU CAN MANAGE THAT, CUNT!? I’LL FUCKING RIP YOUR THROAT OUT! I’LL MAKE YOUR FUCKING FAMILY WATCH AS I PULL YOUR ENTRAILS OUT AND STRANGLE YOU WITH THEM YOU FUCKING SHIT STAIN! I’LL MAKE YOU BEG FOR DEATH WHEN I AM THROUGH WITH YOU!” Serenade shouted at the maximum volume that her voice could muster. The entire group in the room stepped backward, including Arax. Not a soul present wanted to be in the path of the angry demon’s wrath.

Serenade’s body pulsed as the black demonic tendrils that she was known for protruded outward and lifted her from the ground. Floating there watching the projection of Twilight, she continued her rant of fury.

“WHEN I CATCH YOU, TWILIGHT SPARKLE, I WILL LET EVERY ONE OF MY PUPPETS RAVAGE THAT CUNT OF YOURS UNTIL YOU ARE BLEEDING! YOU WILL DIE LOOKING ME IN THE EYE AS YOU CHOKE TO DEATH ON YOUR OWN VOMIT YOU FUCKING WHORE!” Serenade’s voice became distorted as her eyes started to glow.

Twilight’s magical hologram just stood there before speaking once more. “Attached to this orb is a letter with a date. On that date, I shall be waiting for you at the location marked on it. If you are brave enough to face me, then I shall fight you there. You will have your chance to avenge your dead sister if you are brave enough to show up.”

Serenade hissed as one of her tendrils involuntarily swatted at the transparent alicorn princess before her. “FUCK YOU!”

“Show me your strength, Serenade. I’ll be waiting for you...” Twilight said before her projection vanished in time for Serenade to swat at the orb itself, knocking it to the floor with a shattering noise.

Growling and panting, the siren came slowly to the ground as she calmed herself down slightly, her eyes eventually ceasing to glow.

Arax carefully stepped forward and tried to get his master to control herself. He could see that she was seething with anger as the tendrils on her body whipped and flailed about wildly, without purpose. “Ma’am?”

Serenade hissed but didn’t turn to face him. “Arax, you’re in charge around here for the time being.”

“Ma’am?” He raised a brow.

“I am going hunting for Twilight Sparkle,” Serenade replied.

He decided it was best not to say anything to those words.

Breathing harshly through her teeth, Serenade stared at the shattered orb on the ground. “My sister will be avenged soon. Twilight Sparkle will die soon, and her power will be mine.”

“Ma’am, if I may-“ Arax tried to step forward only for Serenade’s tendril to whip his hoof away, scratching it in the process.

With fire filled eyes, she turned to face him and growled. “Don’t you dare fucking question me on this. Defy me and I will kill you, Arax. Don’t forget that even if you are my preferred servant, you are still just a servant.”

The changeling nodded and stepped backward before bowing his head. “Yes, of course, master.” Arax knew better than to question the girl when she was this angry; she couldn’t be reasoned with while in this state, he once saw her kill a pony just for looking at her funny when she was this filled with that level of rage; ripped them in half and watched their blood drip out of their carcass while she seethed.

“This cunt will regret ever fucking with me...” Serenade hissed.

Arax wished he could interject, but there wasn’t a thing he could do. Serenade would walk into whatever trap Twilight Sparkle was planning and she wouldn’t hear a word otherwise. He at least was comforted in knowing that the boost of power she received via her temper made her more than a match for Twilight Sparkle. In a way, Arax almost felt bad for the mare; knowing the retribution that was about to rain down upon her.

As Serenade stormed off, her temper not cooling even a single degree, Arax grinned as he thought out loud. “Good luck, Princess Twilight... Your last day is coming up soon...”

The day of Twilight’s grand scheme was upon them, and Twilight had become confident in her abilities. All the training she had done, all the preparations, everything had lead up to this moment.

All the pieces were in place, Serenade was to arrive very soon, and Twilight was waiting for her. Everything was about to go down, every detail of her plan had been meticulously plotted for this exact moment. Today, Serenade Dazzle would go down, and her reign over Equestria would come to an abrupt, unceremonious end.

Standing in a deep valley between some sizable rock formations, Twilight paced back and forth as she examined the sedimentary rocks around her. Soon her challenge to Serenade would be met.

Approaching the mare was, of course, her most trusted student, her greatest ally and perhaps her closest friend after all they had been through together, Starlight Glimmer.

Starlight stopped only a few feet before Twilight and gave her a reassuring smile. “So, this is it, huh?”

Nodding in response, Twilight continued her pacing. “Everything is playing out how I wanted. Now I just need her to show up on time and then the spell will be ready.”

Tilting her head in confusion, Starlight blinked. “How are you so certain that Serenade will fall for this? I mean no offense but this seems like an obvious trap...”

Grinning, Twilight had hoped that Starlight would question the brilliance of her plan. “A combination of arrogance and blind fury.”

“I don’t follow.” Starlight deadpanned.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight turned to face her friend properly. “It’s simple really. Serenade doesn’t believe anypony has the power to fight her. She doesn’t believe I’m capable of any kind of trick that could cause her harm. On top of this, she knows I was the one who sentenced her sister to death. That means she’s going to allow that to blind her into doing anything to get close enough to kill me.”

“I suppose she does seem to have a temper... Though to be fair, few of us have ever actually seen her, only heard stories,” Starlight pointed out.

Twilight nodded. “Either way, once she’s trapped we can figure out how to undo the damage she’s done.”

“Agreed.” Starlight smiled at her mentor.

Before the two ponies could discuss the matter any further, however, a whistle could be heard in the distance, a familiar whistle that Twilight had ordered be executed when Serenade was spotted.

“Shit... She’s early...” Starlight stated as she looked to the sun in the sky.

“I guess we’ll just have to stall her long enough for the spell to be ready. Get yourself to safety, Starlight,” Twilight commanded.

Starlight shook her head and stamped her hoof in the dirt. “What about you? If she gets here before that spell is ready then-“

Twilight cut her off. “I can hold her off if need be. Now get out of here!”

Sighing, Starlight realized there wasn’t much time to argue and it was likely pointless. Twilight had made up her mind, and Starlight, as strong as she was, was outclassed.

“Kick her ass, Twilight.” Starlight raised a hoof in support before making a dash to get out of the enclosed area, leaving a lone Twilight Sparkle to stand there in her lonesome.

Twilight chuckled as she looked to the black crystal that had been placed in the wall of the canyon, the same crystal that had been charging her spell all this time. It was only a short time away from completion, but even a few seconds could make a drastic difference in a fight with Serenade. Twilight had no idea how strong the mare truly was, but she was ready.

Bracing herself and taking a deep breath, Twilight took a stance and awaited her foe. “Alright, Serenade, let’s see how strong you really are.”

Act V - Chapter LXXIII: Mirror

Chapter LXXIII: Mirror

Starlight watched in horror as Twilight was being drained by Serenade. There was nothing she could do. Even if she teleported in to try and pry Twilight out, her magic wasn’t potent enough to break such a powerful hold. It didn’t take much to sense the Serenade’s might was far too much for even Starlight.

In only a few minutes, all of Twilight’s magic would belong to Serenade unless Starlight could think of something, some way to stop what was transpiring before her.

It was as if her thoughts had traveled into the ethos and reached someone who could answer her prayers, as Discord moved from the spot where he had held Serenade distracted only seconds prior and slithered in between the tendril and Twilight, gripping it in his paw and pulling with all his might. His impressive level of magic allowed him to rip it free of Twilight, but soon found another one heading directly toward himself. He couldn’t block it while he held the first one at bay.

When the draconequus freed Twilight of Serenade’s grasp, Starlight acted almost autonomously. She teleported into the arena that the three superpowers had chosen to clash and grabbed Twilight. When the tendril ensnared Discord, he groaned as he could feel his own magic begin to be sucked out of his body. Looking back at the two he nodded. “Get Twilight out of here!” He commanded.

Starlight didn’t give Twilight a chance to protest as she teleported the two. Twilight could only catch a glimpse of Discord giving himself up to save her. She mouthed a simple “I’ll come back for you” before Starlight brought the two away.

Once they were teleported out of the canyon, Starlight helped Twilight walk before poofing them as far as she could, bringing them back to their rendezvous point at the Royal Training Ground, their new safe haven away from the demon that had bested them all.

Twilight was barely conscious, she could hardly even stand upright. Her body was weak and drained, but her pride was the thing that hurt the most. Serenade was far more clever than she anticipated, she never imagined that she’d find a way to turn her own spell back on her, and what was worse was that Serenade had managed to take most of Twilight’s magic in the process, leaving her with a fraction of her original power.

“We have to go back…” Twilight tried to instruct, but Starlight shook her head and forced the mare to walk with her.

“No way, you’re lucky to be alive after that. We need to regroup and devise a new plan, Twilight,” Starlight said.

Twilight’s star student was right. They needed to buy themselves some time so that Twilight could lick her wounds and find a new course of action. Defeating a demon as powerful as Serenade was proving harder than Twilight originally anticipated. Serenade was strong, but not arrogant enough to fall for traps, that would make the entire ordeal far more difficult. Twilight would need to rely on outsmarting the monster.

Starlight helped Twilight up a set of stairs to the foyer of the building, sitting her down on a couch that was there for guests. The mare let out a sigh of discomfort before closing her eyes to relax.

“I failed Discord...” Twilight complained.

Starlight blinked and looked over in the mare’s direction. “How so?”

“He was drained and captured because of me. I failed my mentor...” Twilight frowned.

Shaking her head, Starlight sat down next to Twilight. “You did all you could, Twilight. I’m sure he isn’t mad at you, he chose to save you after all.”

Twilight kept her eyes closed as she thought out loud. “He was counting on me, and I couldn’t defeat Serenade, worse yet, he was taken as her prisoner as a result.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, nopony could have predicted how strong Serenade would be, Twilight. We should wait here for the others to arrive, and you should take some time to recover, a nice hot bath might help you, I’ll run one for you.” Starlight smiled as she gestured for the mare to stand up and follow her.

Though she felt rotten, Twilight knew she had to try and be a little more optimistic, after all, Starlight had managed to help her salvage even a fraction of her power which was more than enough to begin plotting her back up plan.

A bath did indeed sound soothing, something to calm the mare’s nerves and put her at ease. “Yes, a bath does sound lovely...” Twilight replied.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, and out of that armor...” Starlight spoke softly as she held the mare’s hoof to lead her to the bathroom. It was odd that this place had a bath at all, but Starlight supposed that whoever built it must have also liked the soothing calmness that a good bath brought.

It would be a good few hours before the others made it back to the makeshift headquarters. By that point, Twilight had bathed, cleaned her armor and placed it back on (against Starlight’s insistence) as she waited for her friends to arrive. Those few hours were spent re-examining her plans and looking for anything she may have missed, also factoring in the new information she had learned about Serenade’s power.

When the group arrived, Twilight kept good on her word from before and went to check on the unconscious Applejack who had been brought in and placed in a room to be monitored. The group agreed that they would take turns watching her while she was out.

Getting up close, Twilight walked with Starlight by her side to keep her from falling over, Starlight’s hoof in her own. Standing over Applejack, Twilight closed her eyes and gripped her student’s hoof tighter as she focused on Applejack. Her magic reserves were low, and at this point, it was precious power, but it was worth spending to ensure that Applejack was alright.

While Twilight’s knowledge of medical spells was nowhere near that of a doctor’s, she knew enough to check for basic injuries and internal ones. To her good fortune, Applejack seemed to be in good physical health. She let out a sigh she didn’t even know she was holding in before turning back to her friends who had been waiting with bated breath on Applejack’s prognosis.

“She doesn’t appear to have any internal injuries, vitals are fine as well...” Twilight stated.

“Meaning?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head.

“Meaning she is going to be okay, she’s just out for now. She should wake up eventually...” Starlight finished Twilight’s thought, sensing the mare was getting exhausted.

“That’s a relief!” Rarity waved her hoof in a dramatic fashion before placing it to her forehead.

“She’s pretty brave to stand up to Serenade like that... Brave or stupid,” Rainbow suggested.

Twilight chuckled as she knew the answer was likely a little of both.”Either way, Applejack is going to be alright, she just will need some time to recover, that’s all.”

“What do we do now?” Rainbow asked curiously.

Twilight turned toward the group, stumbling a bit, but Starlight caught her and kept the mare upright. “I have to begin planning our next attack on Serenade.”

Rarity frowned at the suggestion. “Twilight, darling, you can barely stand and Applejack is out cold, for the time being, perhaps we should take this time to rest and plan a less... Assault-heavy plan?”

Twilight shook her head as she shoved Starlight away to stand on her own. “Serenade isn’t going to wait. We can’t win by being on the defensive forever. You have to attack if you want to win, so we have to do just that. Give me some time to think and I’ll have a plan ready soon.”

The others didn’t even bother arguing with her, they could see that Twilight was too determined to be talked out of it. She was prepared to go all the way, to push her body until she collapsed and was unable to get back up. Twilight took being the Princess of Friendship more serious than anything she knew. She had a duty to her subjects, and at that moment she was failing them. She needed to bounce back, she needed to come out on top. Serenade may have won the battle, but not the war.

Twilight after a good day or so of being locked away in her quarters at her desk had at least a pile of notes that she had scribbled. Fortunately, the facility made it so that sleep was not necessary, so Twilight was able to go through the night and just jot down note after note. At this point, she had completely lost track of time.

Leaning back in her chair, she retrieved a bottle from her desk and set it on top of it along with a set of glasses that came with it. The bottle was decorated with golden engraved wyverns and bones. Discord had given her the bottle of questionable alcohol some time ago, saying that they would drink together to celebrate their victory, or they would have a drink to mark the end of Equestria if they lost.

She sighed as she remembered his fate, likely locked away somewhere because of her own incompetence, her inability to use her power accordingly.

“I’m sorry, Discord... I really screwed this one up, didn’t I?” Twilight asked out loud to no one in particular.

From the door to her room came a rattling noise that turned out to be the handle turning.

Perking up from her desk, Twilight watched the entrance where a dejected Starlight entered with her head down. “Sorry to disturb you, Twilight...”

Twilight gestured for the mare to enter the room. “Come on in, Starlight.”

Nodding, the light pinkish unicorn stepped into Twilight’s domain carefully, trotting with trepidation as she approached Twilight’s desk. She eyed the bottle of alcohol before looking over at Twilight sitting across from her.

Twilight’s own eyes peered at the bottle before meeting Starlight’s. “A gift from Discord,” she explained.

Starlight nodded before taking a deep breath and exhaling. “Twilight... I have some bad news.”

“The one thing I have more than enough of,” Twilight retorted before turning away from Starlight, choosing instead to focus on the decorations on the wall of her room.

“Twilight, I don’t know how to say this...” Starlight was choking on her words.

“Just give it to me, Starlight,” Twilight said plainly. She had no interest in beating around the bush anymore. She was tired, exhausted, and mentally drained.

Starlight bit her lip but ultimately found the will to speak. “Luna has been defeated. Manehatten has fallen.”

Twilight fell silent. She closed her eyes and allowed the room to grow quiet for a moment.

“That’s it then... The end of Equestria. Serenade now controls pretty much everywhere and she has the magic of all of the princesses now; she’s unstoppable.” Starlight frowned as she admitted this fact out loud.

Exhaling, Twilight opened her eyes and looked over at the bottle and gripped it in her hoof pouring two full glasses. Starlight raised a brow at the gesture to which Twilight smiled. “I can think of no better time than now to take a drink.”

Starlight opened her mouth the protest, but Twilight shoved the drink in the mare’s direction as she took her own in hoof. Closing her mouth, Starlight wrapped her hoof around the glass and nodded as she held it. Twilight raised her glass and Starlight followed suit as Twilight toasted them. “To Discord, who let himself get captured to save my sorry ass.”

Grimacing lightly, Starlight nodded before the two both placed the glass to their lips and began to down the strong liquor. Starlight was a bit shocked at how strong the drink was, but continued to force it down before both of them had finished off their glass, setting them down on the counter. “Wow, that stuff is rough...” Starlight coughed.

Twilight let out a cough of her own and nodded. “Yeah, I suspected it would be. He’s sort of cheeky like that, isn’t he?”

Starlight wiped her mouth and then covered it until her coughing was done. “Yeah, no kidding. Where the hell did he even get this stuff?”

Twilight glanced the bottle over and chuckled. “Looks like it came from a stash he had saved before he was turned to stone according to the date on it. Ironic, he gave me a bottle that was a relic of when his reign of Equestria ended...”

It really was interesting to Twilight how Discord always seemed to have another trick or surprise up his sleeve. There was no end to the surprises that the draconequus possessed it seemed. Years ago, Twilight could never imagine herself spending any amount of time voluntarily with the annoying creature, but here she stood, a student of his teaching and holding him as a dear friend who had proven his loyalty to Twilight. She hated how ironic it was, but at the same time she couldn’t help but smile a bit internally at how much she had misjudged him over the years.

Starlight blinked as she noticed that Twilight was lost in thought as the alicorn stared at the bottle with a gentle smile on her face. “Twilight?”

The purple alicorn sighed and looked up at Starlight from the bottle. “When Applejack wakes up, I want everyone gathered to share my next plan.”

“Next plan? Twilight, it’s over. Serenade has won, there’s barely any magic left in you, and mine isn’t going to be enough to stop her either...” Starlight frowned as she tried to remind Twilight of how dire their situation had become.

Twilight shook her head. “I’m down, but I’m not out yet. I still have cards in my hoof that I can play, and I intend to play them until I have nothing left.”

“What could you possibly-?” Starlight was cut off by a hoof gesture from Twilight signaling for the girl to cease speaking.

“Leave me be, I need to prepare. Alert me when Applejack wakes up, until then, I need time to rejuvenate,” Twilight instructed.

Worry crossed Starlight’s face, but she was in no position to argue with Twilight. She bowed her head respectfully and took her leave, allowing the princess to sit in thought.

Once Starlight had left, Twilight let out a big sigh and thought out loud. “I can’t believe it’s come to this...”

After a few days in the hospital regaining her strength, Sunset was ready to go home, eager to get out of hospital garb and eventually get back to exercising to lose the bit of baby fat she was retaining. She had the good fortune of not retaining much, but that likely was affected by her vegetarian diet.

Speaking of diet, she was craving something that wasn’t hospital food. Sitting in the car with her new bundle of joy in her arms, Sunset gently rocked the child while Twilight drove the two home. It was odd having Twilight drive her around as it was usually the other way around, but it was a pleasant change and it gave Sunset a chance to hold her baby for a bit longer.

The ride home had been a simple one, but Sunset had managed to breastfeed Horizon, converse with her wife, and plan out how the rest of her week would go. With Twilight having school, it meant that Sunset would need to get over the exhaustion of being a new mom quickly, as the baby would require her attention while Twilight attended classes, but the two had agreed to switch care-taking roles when Twilight arrived at home. The plan was simple, Sunset would take care of her during the morning and early afternoon, then they both would do so when Twilight got home for a good two hours, and then Twilight would take the reigns for the rest of the night to give Sunset some time off.

Sunset felt it was important for both of them to have time where both of them were actively involved with Horizon rather than just taking turns, and Twilight agreed.

Staring down at the sleeping baby, Sunset wore a content smile on her face which Twilight noticed from the driver’s seat after peaking over at her redheaded wife.

“You seem happy; excited to almost be home?” Twilight asked, keeping her eyes mostly on the road while stealing peeks at Sunset.

Stroking the baby’s cheek, Sunset nodded gently. “It’s funny, I had so many doubts about what kind of mother I would be, so many thoughts on if I was making a mistake but now as I hold her, I don’t ever want to let go.”

Reaching over and placing a hand on Sunset’s thigh, Twilight shot her a smile from the corner of her mouth. “She’s beautiful, just like you,” Twilight said.

Sunset laughed lightly and placed her own hand atop of Twilight’s. “Better be careful when she gets older then, she might end up chasing after socially awkward bookworms then.”

“Assuming she doesn’t become one, herself.” Twilight pointed out as she took her hand back after a gentle squeeze of her wife’s thigh.

Sunset concurred as the two pulled up to the Shimmer estate. As the gates opened allowing the Mercedes to roll in, Sunset lowered her head to rub her nose to the baby’s forehead. “This is your home, sweetie. I know it seems like a lot, but it’s going to feel a lot more full with you around.”

The car came to a stop in front of the large decorated entrance to the mansion before Twilight turned it off and stepped out. She came around to Sunset’s side and offered her assistance getting the redhead with the child out of the car. Accepting, Sunset took Twilight’s hand and kept her other arm tightly wrapped around the baby as she was assisted.

With her hand in Twilight’s Sunset was guided up the steps and through the front door to her home. She let out a sigh of relief to see something other than the hospital. Having her baby at her own home felt surreal, like what was happening wasn’t just a blissful dream, but her actual reality.

A bark was heard from a hallway to the left of the foyer which was soon revealed to be the duo of Spike and Moon rushing to meet the two women. Twilight and Sunset both kneeled to the dogs’ level and carefully showed the two the newest member of the household. “Hey boys, this is Horizon. She’s our newest family member, so we’re counting on you boys to take care of her and protect her, okay?” Sunset said.

Moon gave an affirming bark before giving the child a gentle lick causing a curious stare to place itself on Horizon’s face. No sounds came from the child, but instead a look of wonder and intrigue.

Spike craned his neck to get a better look and smiled at the child. “She has your nose, Sunset.” He said.

Sunset laughed and nodded as she pulled herself back to a proper stand which Twilight did as well. “I suppose so, I wonder what she’ll look like as she gets older though...” Sunset replied.

“Hopefully not all awkward like me.” Twilight chuckled.

Sunset shook her head and planted a kiss on her wife’s cheek. “Nonsense, you’re absolutely adorable.”

“You’re obligated to say that since we’re married,” Twilight retorted.

“I could take the compliment back if you like?” Sunset teased.

“Ouch.” Twilight frowned.

“It was a joke, babe. Anyway, I’m exhausted... Would you mind taking Horizon for a while so that I can take a much overdo bath and rest up a bit more?” Sunset asked.

Twilight nodded and offered her arms to take the baby which Sunset reluctantly gave up to the other parent. It took a good few seconds of hesitation before Sunset released the child, but eventually, Horizon was rested in Twilight’s capable arms. With a nod and another kiss, she winked at her wife and made her way upstairs, leaving Twilight alone with the dogs and the baby.

With her new child safely in her grasp, Twilight found her way toward the living room before sitting down on the couch and looked down at the baby who stared back at her with cerise eyes. The woman adjusted her glasses and smiled at the baby. “You have no idea how long we waited for you.”

The baby naturally didn’t respond, instead, she just stared. Twilight was a bit impressed at how easy of a baby she had been thus far, very little crying and fussing.

“Horizon... What kind of person will you become? It’s hard to tell, but I do know this: you’re going to be special beyond your own comprehension, maybe even my own.” Twilight thought out loud.

Dear Princess Twilight,

It’s been a long time since we’ve talked and again, I know you haven’t answered any of my previous letters, but I assume you’ve been busy. Being a Princess must be rough, though I wouldn’t know. Either way, I hope you’ve been doing well and I hope when you do get the time to read these that they bring a smile to your face.

I’ve been thinking a lot about where I was going in life and where I’ve been. While I don’t regret my decision to leave Equestria behind, I still miss you dearly as a friend. You were my first friend, Princess and I appreciate everything you’ve done.

It’s because of what you’ve taught me that I was able to welcome the newest member of my family, my daughter Horizon Shimmer. She’s absolutely adorable, very well behaved too for a baby! I never really saw myself as a mother before, but over the years I’ve built up confidence, trust in my friends and in my wife thanks to all you’ve taught me.

I don’t know how to thank you, Princess. I wish there was more I could say that wouldn’t just sound cliched and lame, but it’s because of you that I have this amazing life. I hope you’re doing well, and I get to hear from you soon.

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer

The alicorn Princess of Friendship let out a long sigh as she read over the last letter sent to her from her student back in the human world. Twilight hadn’t had a chance to read or reply to any of the pony-turned-human’s letters due to her attention being focused on more pressing matters.

She shook her head and closed her eyes before closing the magical tome that allowed the two to communicate between worlds. And set it aside before sinking down to her nose in a hot bath of water.

Reading in the bathtub was a common practice by Twilight, but she was finding it a tad more difficult when she could not use her magic to hold the book. Instead, she had the book placed on an easel near a table next to the tub.

She was glad to have at least caught up on what Sunset had been doing for nearly a year. In that time, she had gotten married, had a child and lived a life free of any and all magical mishaps. In a way, Twilight was envious of her, such a simple and easy life by choosing to leave Equestria behind. There were a few times that she considered the same, perhaps pursue a similar life as Sunset had, but the rational part of herself usually won out when those discussions carried on in her head. She would remind herself that she had responsibilities in Equestria.

Twilight was proud of all of her students, but always in a different way. Starlight had excelled so quickly and had become a beloved friend in her circle, and Sunset, while she had clearly taken time to find herself, she had grown into a woman of respect and intelligence. Sunset had turned into a leader, but not without hitches along the way.

Blowing a few bubbles in the soapy water, Twilight tried to calm her mind before the sound of the door creaking open disturbed her. The mare lifted her head out, her soaked mane draping her head inelegantly.

“Twilight?” The voice of Starlight rang.

Twilight cleared her throat before speaking. “Starlight, come on in.”

Carefully, Starlight entered and blinked as she saw Twilight in the tub. “Taking a bath to clear your head?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, however, I suppose it’s had the opposite effect...” She admitted as new thoughts of what she had been thinking about prior to getting distracted by the journal filled her mind.

“How so?” Starlight blinked and tilted her head.

“I have been doing some thinking of how I’m going to fix a lot of what’s going on, and I’ve realized that I’m going to have to do something so horrible...” Twilight frowned, her eyes losing the normal shining luster they usually had as she laid her head on the ridge of the tub, meeting Starlight with a depressed expression. “It’s going to be pretty bad, and I’ll likely hate myself after...”

“Why would you be so hard on yourself?” Starlight asked, Twilight’s demeanor worrying her.

Twilight didn’t even properly answer the question, instead, tears streamed down her face as she spoke in a hushed tone. “I’ll have to hide my pain, I know that much, but promise me, Starlight... Promise me that you’ll keep me from doing anything stupid...”

“What are you even talking about?” Starlight only grew more confused.

“Please, just promise me that you’ll watch out for me?” Twilight asked.

Biting her lip and nodding, Starlight tried to compose herself, despite the awkward situation.

“Alright, I promise, Twilight. No matter what happens, I’ll be there for you.” Starlight nodded.

Twilight reached up and wiped the tears from her face and nodded as she returned to staring at the ceiling while she wallowed in melancholy. “Good... Leave me be for now then, I have a lot to think about...”

Bowing her head, Starlight made her leave.

Arax trotted contently next to his master as the two explored the Manehatten stronghold that had been fashioned out of an old building which was once a cathedral, now long since retired, but with many signs of being lived in since Princess Luna and her entourage that protected her had taken refuge at this place prior.

Now, however, the only inhabitants were the mind slaves that Serenade had enlisted, who were roaming about looking for anything that might be deemed as useful to Serenade.

Arax peeked over at the demon siren that walked with him and she seemed to have a neutral expression, despite their success. “Master, why so glum? We’ve conquered Manehatten, Equestria is yours.”

To his surprised, Serenade didn’t seem too annoyed by questions today. Instead, her face remained very neutral as she responded. “Arax, I’ll show you something very important, a lesson I learned a long time ago.”

“What do you mean?” He blinked.

Gesturing with her hoof as the two came to a stairwell that led into the basement. She turned toward him with serious eyes. “It’s called not counting your chickens before they hatch, my student.”

This sentence only confused the changeling more. “Ma’am, with all due respect, you’ve won. You control everything.”

Sighing, she shook her head and began going down the many steps. “Let’s hope I can teach you a thing or two in the next few minutes.”

The two fell silent as they descended down the stairs, eventually reaching the bottom where they came to a poorly lit room with a steel cage in it. Inside the cage was a face that Arax had only seen in photos, murals and artwork, the face of the Princess of the Night, Luna.

The mare was far more attractive in person than she was in photos, but Arax didn’t exactly have the time to appreciate it at that point. He blinked as the mare sat on her haunches and gripped the strong metal bares angrily in her hooves, growling at Serenade viciously.

“Serenade Dazzle!” Luna exclaimed.

Serenade chuckled as she stepped forward, “watch and learn, Arax.”

Once she was only a good eight inches from the cage, Serenade gave Luna her best smug grin, a grin that clearly just pissed Luna off far more. The mare tried to squeeze her hooves through the bars but was unsuccessful. There was no doubt in Arax’s mind that Serenade was far too much of a strategist to put herself in a situation where Luna would actually be able to cause harm to her.

“Hello, Princess Luna, a lovely day we’re having isn’t it?” Serenade taunted, not even meeting the mare’s gaze as she poofed a hoof-file in front of herself and began to manicure her front right hoof.

“To Tartarus with you, demon!” Luna spat.

“You’re far more feisty than your sister, I almost like it,” Serenade replied.

“You interest me not, demon spawn...” Luna looked away..

“You don’t even have a clue on what you’re messing with here, Princess. You have yet to even see a fraction of what I could do to you.” Serenade leaned in, coming only a tiny inch from the princess’ face.

“You don’t scare me...” Luna replied harshly.

A devilish grin came to Serenade’s lips. “Let’s see if you don’t change your mind when I send you to your imprisonment.”

“I suppose you’re not too smart if you can’t clearly see that I’m already imprisoned,” Luna retorted.

Serenade let out a hearty laugh. “You think this is where I’m going to keep you? Sorry, but no. This was merely a holding cell while I attended to other things.”

“So what?” Luna raised a brow.

Serenade stepped away from the cage and began trotting in a circle as she explained herself. “You see, Luna, you at one point became a demon, an impure one, but a demon, nonetheless.”

“What of it? I have moved forward with my life.” Luna huffed.

Nodding, Serenade looked back at the mare. “I’m well aware, but the reality is that at one point you became a demon. So long as the potential to turn back into one exists, I can’t take any chances...”

“What are you even talking about?” Luna blinked.

Serenade laughed and shook her head. “I wouldn’t put it past you to give in to dark magic again to give yourself the strength to defeat me.”

“I would never do that again!” Luna protested, offended at the notion that she would even consider becoming the very thing she resented most a second time.

“You say that, but desperation can cause a lot of ponies to do things that they never dreamed of... As a result, though, your prison will have to be different from the others. I could kill you, but it would be a waste, after all, it’s more beneficial to keep you alive to periodically drain you again for more energy. It also has the added bonus of luring out that pesky Twilight Sparkle...” Serenade lectured.

The sound of Twilight’s name struck a chord with Luna as she jumped forward again and gripped the bars. “What are you going to do to her!?”

A smirk crossed Serenade’s lips. “I wouldn’t worry about her when what’s going to happen to you is going to be far worse...”

Luna blinked before she witnessed a black mist surround Serenade, it appeared to be emanating from her body until it filled the entire room. Before she knew it, Luna was surrounded by blackness, a never-ending void that stretched to infinity. “Welcome to your new home, Princess Luna...” Serenade mocked.

“W-where are we?” Luna looked around, trying to find anything to latch onto.

“A realm of pure darkness. In this place there is nothing, time will move at such a slow pace that every minute will feel like a week has passed. There is no way out, either.” Serenade explained.

Luna looked over at the demon with horrified eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

Serenade squinted. “It’s been a long time coming, enjoy your stay here, Princess Luna...”

“Wait!” Luna called out before the mare vanished from sight.

Panicking, she did a full turn trying to see if perhaps the siren had lied and there was a way out. After several seconds and about eight double takes, Luna quickly realized it was true, this place was inescapable.

Falling to her haunches she bowed her head in defeat. How could she have failed her sister?

“Twilight Sparkle, it’s up to you now.”

A Long Time Ago

The streets of Ponthia were as busy as usual. Merchants pedaling goods (some of which likely looted from the hooves of dead travelers), guards doing their patrols through the marketplace, and of course, whores dancing to lure in clients for the brothels that they belonged to. It was what most would define as a typical day in the unicorn city.

Walking through the streets, decorated in fine linens that they had acquired from deceit and manipulation were two young sirens disguised as unicorns.

One, a pristine white coat with a short neck length yellow mane with red tipped ends and a scowl affixed to her face. The ever impossible to please, Serenade Dazzle.

At her side, her consort, and fellow siren, Angelic Duet, or Duet for short. She was a smaller framed mare than even the petite Serenade, with a muted light blue coat that could almost pass as grey, gorgeous white curled locks that were full and luscious and purple shining eyes that often attracted the attention of many stallions.

Angelic Duet was probably the only creature of interest that Serenade knew. She was witty, manipulative, and saw mortals as nothing more than pawns to accomplish her own goals with. She wasn’t one to turn down a chance to pit two stallions against each other for her affection.

During their travels together, she had gotten herself into more trouble than one could possibly imagine. Their recent trip to the Earth Pony land had left her bored and she managed to convince at least eight stallions to leave their wives for her, only to disappear into thin air when they did.

“I definitely prefer the Unicorn Kingdom for sure...” Duet grinned as she eyed up some street performing stallions lifting weights.

“Anything is better than that dirt country,” Serenade responded.

Duet chuckled. “You really didn’t like those earth ponies huh?”

“A bunch of uncivilized dirt farmers. How could anyone live like that? They reeked as well, baths were clearly a luxury to those inbreds.” Serenade scoffed.

Duet nodded and laughed at Serenade’s sentiments. In her entire time of knowing the siren, Duet had never seen a time where Serenade praised anything. To say she was a complainer was an understatement, a good majority of her personality was obviously delivering complaint after complaint and seldom being pleased. The best one could hope for with her was for her to be neutral toward a situation.

The two had known each other and traveled together for a good eight years, and during that time, Duet got to know little about her companion beyond the fact that they were close to the same age and that Serenade despised mortals.

There wasn’t a nice word that left Serenade’s mouth that was attached to mortals, though seldom did nice words leave her mouth anyway.

“You need to relax. We can get some ale if you want?” Duet offered.

Serenade rolled her eyes at the suggestion. “You’re always trying to get me drunk.”

“Drunk Serenade is less of a she-demon than sober Serenade,” Duet informed.

“I assure you, the two are equally annoyed at most given times,” Serenade replied.

“If they had an award for the angriest creature to walk this earth, I think you’d be the running champion several times over.” Duet rolled her eyes.

“Rather that than the dumbest...” Serenade replied.

“So, how about those drinks, huh?” Duet asked.

“Sure, whatever,” Serenade shrugged. Alcohol did sound good at that moment, it would at least allow her to forget about how annoying it was to be forced to interact with these annoying ponies.

“Time to break out the old charm!” Duet winked before the two females made their way to the nearest place to acquire ale and spirits in the poorer part of the city, the brothel. Drink and pleasure were a common combination for those lacking in coin, and as such, the two were often sold together.

Trotting up, a powerful looking stallion squared a brow at the two mares sporting rather elegant looking togas with gold leaf trimmings, a sign of slightly more class than that part of the city was used to. He squinted with suspicion before speaking. “What do you two want?”

“We’re trying to get inside if you’d be so kind?” Duet fluttered her lashes a few times, a trick that often made stallions putty in her hoof.

“What possesses upper-class mares to come here to the slums for sex when you could be frequenting better places in the inner city?” He raised a brow.

“No whores, drinks.” Duet winked.

“You two have any money?” He crossed his hooves, clearly not moved by Duet’s performance.

“We don’t need money, right, Serenade?” Duet looked over at her companion, hoping she would help in swooning the stallion to their favor.

Blinking and coming back from being lost in thought, Serenade shrugged but stepped forward as she spoke awkwardly. “Yeah, sure, what she said.”

He shook his head. “No coin, no entry.”

With a sigh, Duet rolled her eyes before reaching into a small coin pouch that she kept inside of her toga to retrieve a single coin. Offering the token to the pony blocking their way, he examined it for a brief second before signaling for the two to enter. As they passed the guard and into the brothel they were met with the sound of exotic music, customers cheering and enjoying some rather lewd dancing.

The two sirens navigated through the building until they arrived at a bar where Duet tapped the counter to get service.

Serenade pulled herself up to the seat next to Duet and decided to provide her commentary now that they were well out of earshot of the stallion. “Some brilliant negotiating there, I can see why you’re a seductress. You really had him eating out of your hoof.” Serenade taunted.

Duet rolled her eyes and scoffed. “To Tartarus with you, maybe I could have made something happen if you were useful for a change. Instead, you stood there like a complete invalid stammering like you didn’t know which way was up. What kind of seductress are you?”

“The kind stuck with an annoying useless whore,” Serenade replied plainly before the waitress finally came to attend to their needs.

“I’ll have a big mug of your finest spirits!” Duet requested.

The waitress nodded before looking at Serenade. “And for you, maiden?”

“Something bitter and strong,” Serenade instructed.

With another nod, the waitress vanished for a few seconds before returning with the two drinks in some beat up old tankards. The two sirens took the containers and placed some coin on the counter before nodding to each other and took a big sip each.

Serenade was a bit surprised at how bitter her drink actually was. It tasted a bit off, but she suspected that it was likely because the poor ponies of this district likely couldn’t afford the quality stuff. It disgusted her to think she was drinking like some kind of peasant at that moment.

“So, Serenade, we’ve known each other for what... Almost a decade now?” Duet asked before taking another sip.

“Eight years, so what?” Serenade asked.

“You never told me what your thing is,” Duet said.

“My thing?” Serenade raised a brow.

“Yeah, you know, the whole ‘I hate everyone and everything’ thing that you’ve got going on?” Duet asked.

Serenade scolded herself internally for not seeing the conversation head this way. While they were in a public place, most around them were drunk and the music was loud, so it was somewhat safe to discuss their status as sirens so long as some discretion was used.

“I don’t have a thing.” Serenade looked away with more annoyance.

“So you’re just a miserable hag because you were born that way?” Duet chuckled as she leaned over the bar.

“Mortals are the scum of the earth, we’d all be better if they simply stopped existing...” Serenade scoffed, the thought of mortals making her not even want to finish her drink.

“Why do you hate them so much, Serenade? You’ve never told me, I mean sure I can understand why our kind, in general, don’t like them, but you seem to especially hate them.” Duet pointed out as she took a long swig from her tankard that she clutched in her hoof.

“What do you care?” Serenade quizzed.

“Well, we are a pair, and there is strength in unity. I’d like to get to know you better, maybe then you wouldn’t be such an exasperating piece of trash to be around then.” Duet’s tone suggested she was only half serious with the comment.

“You really are annoying, you know that?” Serenade asked, obviously speaking with sarcasm.

“I’m just trying to make our arrangement more comfortable and less awkward.” Duet huffed.

“Well, don’t. I’m comfortable with how it is now. I don’t tell you much about me, and we aren’t required to waste our time talking about stupid nonsense; it’s such a good setup, why are you trying to ruin this perfectly good thing we have going on between us?” Serenade replied.

Duet rolled her eyes and downed half of her drink in a single gulp before shaking her head. “You are the definition of needing to ease up.”

“I’m just not interested in sharing, alright? Mortals are a blight on the world and that’s how I feel. If you were hoping for an explanation, you aren’t getting one.” Serenade crossed her front hooves.

“You’re a heartless harpie, you know that?” Duet stuck her tongue out.

Serenade grunted and looked away. She concentrated on her surroundings before her eyes stopped on a mare in some exotic looking attire performing for a stallion. Serenade couldn’t believe that ponies would deface their own bodies just to please stallions for a little bit of money. Serenade could never see herself doing anything to appease a stallion beyond manipulating one.

The silence was beginning to scream in Serenade’s head before she chose to speak up. “Mortals murdered my mother...”

“What’re you talking about? So what?” Duet blinked.

Among sirens, one’s “mother” was just their birth giver. Sirens mostly raised their number by transferring the power to become a siren to a mare or stallion and they, in turn, would give birth to a baby siren that would one day use its powers to drain the ponies in question.

“I meant my real mother...” Serenade said.

“Real mother? What are you talking about?” Duet asked curiously.

“My mother…” Serenade bit her lip, hushing her tone as she replied. “Slept with a mortal…”

Duet spit out her drink as she leaned in with interest. “WHAT!?”

“Keep it down, would you?” Serenade grumbled, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

Nodding, Duet hushed her tone as she came closer. “I can’t believe it. Your mother did the unthinkable? We’re not supposed to be sleeping with anybody.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Serenade hissed. “It doesn’t matter anyway, she paid the price for it.”

“What happened to her?” Duet blinked.

“Exactly what happens to every siren who foolishly falls in love… Pain, misery, and despair. She was burned alive while my father did nothing, he cowered and lied that she had been controlling him just to save himself…” Serenade responded, a hint of fury in her voice.

Leaning back in her chair, Duet nodded in agreement. “Typical of mortals, isn’t it? No decency, no testicles.”

“It’s fine…” Serenade replied.

“How so? I’d be pretty upset too if I were you!” Duet smirked, leaning forward and placing a hoof around Serenade’s neck.

“I already got my revenge…” Serenade said.

Duet blinked, unsure of what her consort meant. “What do you mean?”

“Years later, I killed him…” Serenade spoke plainly as if she had just talked about squashing an insect.

Duet pulled back and gulped. “K-killed? You’re joking, right?”

Serenade turned to face her companion siren, her eyes full of fire, a serious scowl plastered on her face. One could feel the sincerity of her words just by looking at her. “Do I ever joke about anything? I came back, I slit his throat and I watched him bleed…”

“Serenade, we can’t just go around killing mortals,” Duet whispered.

“I don’t care, I killed him and I liked it. The satisfaction of watching him bleed out was palpable…” Serenade grew a small grin, reliving the moment in her mind.

It frightened Duet to know that the only time she had ever now seen Serenade smile was when talking about murdering her own father and watching him writhe and suffer moments before he died.

“You’re screwed up, Serenade…” Duet commented.

“Am I? Or am I just the only siren seeing the world for what it is? Why should we be restricted to all these rules just to survive? Ponies don’t follow them. We’re stronger than them.” Serenade grinned.

“They vastly outnumber us, Serenade. You start something with mortals, they will destroy us. They’ll hunt us down and kill every last one of us; even with our powers we can’t stop armies upon armies of ponies…” Duet reminded.

Serenade grunted and looked away. “Maybe not yet… But one day…”

“What are you mumbling about?” Duet asked.

“Don’t worry about it…” Serenade shook her head.

Tossing and turning, Applejack’s unconsciousness had eventually just turned into an unsettling slumber before her eyes shot open and she found herself jerking upright with a gasp. She was surprised to have found a bed was prepared for her which she had been tucked into.

She reached up with a hoof to feel her face. It was all still perfectly fine, unblemished. Her heart was racing, but she took a few breaths and tried to calm herself.

It was all just a dream.

She sighed and closed her eyes.

It felt so real though.

The things she had witnessed, they were almost too much to bear. Serenade turning her into a demon, watching herself destroy Canterlot with her bare hooves. She looked down at her hooves wondering if such a destructive power truly existed within them.

The door to the room she was in creaked open and a gasp came Applejack’s way. The farm mare looked over to see elegant purple curls standing at the doorway with sapphire blue eyes watching her. “Applejack! You’re awake!”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah… How long was ‘Ah out?”

“It’s been around eight days, darling.” Rarity rubbed her neck awkwardly.

Applejack turned and looked forward before chuckling. “Guess that old demon siren did a number on me?”

“We were worried sick… Don’t scare us like that, again…” Rarity frowned.

Applejack nodded before coming to the edge of the bed and setting her hooves on the floor. “Didn’t mean to frighten ya’ none. Honest.”

Sighing in relief, Rarity nodded. “Come along then, Twilight wanted to speak with all of us the moment you woke up.”

Also sighing, Applejack nodded and followed, not even bothering to grab her hat which had been hung up on one of the bedposts, her mane not even tied up in the usual ponytail she kept as she followed the fashion-forward mare.

“So, what happened with the fight? Did we beat Serenade?” Applejack asked curiously.

Rarity bit her lip and frowned before shaking her head. “Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well. Twilight’s spell backfired and caught her in it. Discord saved her but got himself captured and drained. Most of Twilight’s magic was lost in the process as well I’m afraid to say.”

Applejack blinked in astonishment. Twilight had seemed so sure of herself, confident that the plan would work.

“Sheesh, that’s rough…” Applejack frowned.

“It gets worse, darling,” Rarity spoke.

“It always does, don’t it?” Applejack sighed once more.

“Luna has been defeated as well. Serenade is now stronger than ever; Twilight arranged this meeting to discuss what to do next…” Rarity replied.

Applejack twitched at the thought. Serenade? More powerful? She was already strong enough in Applejack’s mind. After seeing just a fraction of what the demon’s power could do, she wasn’t eager to see what an even stronger Serenade was capable of.

Rarity spotted Rainbow standing in the hallway and nodded to her, giving her the signal gather the others now that Applejack was awake. Rainbow stood up straight and gave a silent salute before running off to bring the group together in the agreed upon meeting area.

“What could Twilight possibly have planned to beat her, now? She ain’t got much magic left, y’all said?” Applejack asked.

Rarity shrugged. Twilight was keeping most of her cards very close to her chest, so it was a mystery what her plan was.

“Who knows,” Rarity responded.

The two trotted together in silence before arriving at the meeting room, where Rainbow Dash had successfully gathered the rest of the group, Twilight sitting at the head of the table nodding as Rarity and Applejack entered.

“Applejack, it’s good to see you awake again.” Twilight smiled lightly.

“Good to be awake… So, what’s this all about then?” Applejack blinked.

Twilight nodded and grinned more at Applejack’s eagerness. “Right, straight to the point then… As all of you know, Serenade got the better of me last time, I’m not exactly thrilled to admit that, but it’s the reality we live in. So the question is… Where do we go from here?”

“Understatement of the century.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

Coughing, Twilight regained control of the room. “This next plan is going to be even riskier than the first, I’m not going to lie…”

Applejack already didn’t like the sound of that.

“Primarily it involves all of us sneaking back into my old castle. We will need to retrieve something from there if we hope to make this plan work…” Twilight began.

Rainbow shook her head and blinked. “Wait… Serenade is likely in that castle right now since she’s no doubt trying to figure out how to finish you off. Not to mention it’s going to be swarming with guards!”

“Yes, I know…” Twilight sighed.

“Count me out,” Applejack spoke up.

The entire group turned to Applejack’s direction with shock and surprise. She was the last pony they expected to utter such a statement.

“Say what?” Rainbow asked.

“If’n y’all wanna go on a suicide mission, ‘Ah ain’t interested.” Applejack shook her head.

“Applejack, what are you saying!?” Rainbow gasped.

“Sorry, but Twilight hasn’t exactly proven her plans work in this scenario. ‘Ah warned ya’ about relying on Discord and this cockamamy idea…” Applejack turned away, not wanting to admit the truth.

“Discord saved Twilight!” Fluttershy defended.

“Yeah, and his training didn’t do diddly for her when it came to Serenade! Count me out, ‘Ah ain’t foolish enough to walk right into her hooves. Y’all wanna get yourselves killed, ‘yer more than welcome.” Applejack growled before turning to take a leave.

“Applejack wait!” Fluttershy called out.

Twilight raised a hoof to silence her friend. “Let her go.”

Everyone blinked and turned to Twilight as Applejack left the room. “What?” Fluttershy asked.

“If she has doubts, then it’s better she go her own path. The risks will be high, and I don’t want any pony to have regrets…” Twilight sighed before closing her eyes and re-opening them. “Now… Here’s what is going to happen…”

Author's Note

Wow, this chapter was very difficult to get out in time due to a rather busy week for me. Normally I have them written well in advance, but a few busy weeks have caught up to me to where that just wasn't feasible. Going to try and get back on track to having them written in advance.

A lot of what was planned for this chapter had to be cut out though because it was getting to be too much. I don't want to reach a point where every chapter is well over 10,000 words all the time.

Also, a little more history with Serenade.

Now would be a good time to also bring up that the finale to Act V is coming soonish.

Act V - Chapter LXXXIV: Storm

Chapter LXXIV: Storm

After Applejack’s departure, Twilight cleared her throat to speak with the rest of her friends who had chosen to stay in the room with her. “So, the fact that you all have stayed and not left like her tells me that you’re all committed to this then?” Twilight asked with a raised brow, not really doubting her friend’s loyalty, but merely confirming out loud what she already suspected.

“We’re with you, Twilight, but shouldn’t we go after her?” Pinkie replied first, her usually bounciness seemed to have subsided a bit, likely due to the circumstances that they found themselves in. These dark and trying times gave little reason to be as exuberant as she normally was.

Twilight shook her head. “There’s no need. If Applejack has her doubts, I can’t blame her for that, after all, my incompetence is what brought us here. I have failed all of you, and I’m deeply regretful of that...”

The princess lowered her head in shame. It was painful for her to admit her failures out loud, but she knew that the path to redemption started with admittance and acceptance of her mistakes.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, darling. You did your best, none of us could have predicted that Serenade would anticipate your move, shoot, she’s been far more clever than any of us gave her credit for,” Rarity chimed in with her two cents.

While it was nice to know that Rarity still had faith in Twilight, the princess herself know that she needed to do better this time around. She needed to truly execute a plan that would throw Serenade for the kind of loop that she’d never expect, the kind of plan that would really get them all back on track.

“I appreciate your kind words, but let’s save them for when we beat Serenade and take back Equestria.” Twilight looked up, trying to grow her confidence back.

“Take back Equestria? Twilight, no offense but how are we going to do that? Serenade now is stronger than Tirek even probably, and he was hard enough to defeat. How do you propose we beat a demon siren that strong with the limited magic we have left?” Starlight asked.

“As I said before, I am down, but I am not out just yet. I still have a little magic at my disposal which means I just have to use it more strategically. I have to make every move that I make count, but I do have a plan,” Twilight responded conviction in her voice and sincerity in her eyes. Starlight could tell that the mare was serious about what she was about to divulge.

“That’s our girl! Always ready! What’s the plan, Twilight? How do we give it to that demon?” Rainbow whooped as she stood up from her seat, excitement making it difficult for her to sit still.

Twilight admired her enthusiasm and nodded in her direction before turning back to the center of the table to face the entire group. “So, this next plan will be very risky.”

“I don’t really like risky...” Starlight admitted with a gulp.

“Scared money don’t make no money,” Twilight spoke with an awkward deeper voice, clearly quoting someone.

“Huh?” Rarity raised a curious brow, trying to figure out who was puppeteering Twilight.

Twilight coughed and cleared her throat. “Something that Discord always said. The point is that to get big rewards, we have to take big risks.”

“Makes sense to me.” Rainbow shrugged, already following the logic.

“I suppose so...” Rarity frowned, not particularly liking this line of thinking, but choosing to go along with it to see where it was going before speaking any kind of discontent.

“So what exactly are we risking, Twilight?” Starlight asked, a bit of trepidation in her voice.

“Ourselves. My plan will require us all to be in close proximity of Serenade as I mentioned before,” Twilight reminded.

“You mentioned sneaking back into your castle to retrieve something, right?” Rarity asked, trying to determine if she had been paying adequate attention.

Shifting her focus to the sapphire blue eyes of the fashionista, Twilight nodded. “Yes, thus why I said it will be far riskier. Remember, Serenade is likely going to be watching over the place looking for any and all kinds of clues there that she can find to help her locate me or any other secrets I may be keeping that she can exploit. Serenade is too paranoid to leave even my small bit of magic to chance, she will hunt for a way to detain me.”

“So shouldn’t you be staying back then?” Rarity blinked.

Twilight shook her head. “No, I will need to use the little magic I have left to retrieve what we need.”

“Why not get Starlight to do it? She still has magic left...” Rainbow pointed out.

“She needs to stay behind...” Twilight replied.

“What? Why? She’s currently the strongest in terms of magic in this room, Twilight!” Rarity protested, placing a delicate alabaster hoof on the table.

“I’m well aware, that’s exactly why she needs to stay here...” Twilight crossed her front hooves and closed her eyes as she sat in thought.

“That makes no logical sense, shouldn’t we have her with us? We need all the advantages we can get!” Rarity stated.

Starlight stared in Twilight’s direction when the princess didn’t answer. Starlight could already read what was on Twilight’s mind; she sighed and decided she was going to have to speak up on Twilight’s behalf. “Twilight is thinking of what happens if this plan fails...”

The entire room minus Twilight all turned their attention to the unicorn, who blushed at the sudden attention of all of her friends. “Twilight wants me here to continue where she left off in the event that she gets captured by Serenade...”

“She can’t possibly be planning for such a thing... Can she?” Rarity asked, her eyes trailing over toward the mare clad in pointed armor that sat at the head of the table.

Twilight remained there with her hooves crossed and her eyes closed for at least eight more seconds before responding to Rarity’s inquiry. “I have to plan for every scenario. Serenade is, and so must I. I may not be stronger than her, but I can definitely be smarter. I have to always be thinking eight steps ahead if I want to beat her.”

Rainbow had never seen Twilight so focused before, it almost worried her that the girl would have an aneurysm or something from pushing her mind too far. She then wondered if that was a thing that could even happen.

“So what exactly are we trying to get from the castle?” Rainbow asked curiously.

“The mirror portal,” Twilight responded plainly.

Rarity squared her eyebrow, unsure of what help such a thing would be in their predicament.

“What, pray tell is the mirror going to do for us? No offense, darling, but I don’t exactly see it as useful for us at this time...” Rarity admitted.

Twilight shook her head. “There is untapped power that Serenade has yet to be aware of. On top of this, we have to get that mirror before she discovers what it can do and what it is capable of.”

“Why?” Rainbow blinked, not quite following.

“Are you afraid she’ll go to the human world to cause trouble there too?” Fluttershy finally spoke up, meekly albeit.

“Well, that and there is another reality that no one wants to consider...” Twilight frowned.

“Which is?” Rainbow leaned in with the rest of the girls, clearly intrigued by whatever Twilight was proposing.

“The reality is that I saw quite extensively in Adagio’s trial what the human weapon known as a ‘gun’ was capable of. It ripped holes in that poor girl like nothing, At the rate that some of them launch projectiles, I’m not even confident magic would be sufficient in defending against them...” Twilight grimaced as she remembered the gory details of the trial. Pictures of Shimmer’s body still haunting her slightly. The fact that the girl had dragged herself so far after being hit was remarkable.

“Yeah, so?” Rainbow shrugged, not sure how this detail connected.

“So, if Serenade figures out that the portal goes to the human world, she could come back with many of those things...” Twilight informed.

Rarity blinked and shuddered. “Oh... I suppose I see your point now, that would be bad.”

Twilight nodded. “The worse part is that apparently, humans have far worse weapons than that. I did some research the last time I visited after the trial...”

“Why did you go back after the trial?” Rainbow asked.

“To pay my respects to Shimmer, I visited her gravesite,” Twilight explained.

Satisfied with that explanation, Rainbow silenced herself.

“Anyway, humans have bombs that can blow up large areas with little effort, poisonous gas that can choke you to death, machines that throw flames in every direction, and something called a nuclear warhead.” Twilight placed a hoof on her chin hoping she was remembering how to pronounce the name correctly.

“What’s a nu-cle-air warhard?” Pinkie stumbled on her wording and spit a bit trying to pronounce the name.

“Nuclear warhead, Pinkie; and it’s apparently referred to as a weapon of mass destruction. A weapon that unleashes devastating radiation, fire, and death. Their destructive force is measured in something called ‘megatons’, it’s all very complicated though...” Twilight rubbed her neck, not really prepared for an impromptu physics lesson on human weaponry.

“If Serenade were to get her hooves on something like that, what kind of damage would we...” Rarity trailed off, clearly not wanting to finish her own sentence.

Letting out a sigh, Twilight shook her head and looked at the table in front of her. “Just one of those things dropped on Canterlot... Would level the entire city. Everything, gone, likely no survivors either.”

“Sweet Luna...” Rainbow was practically breathless.

Twilight nodded. “We can’t allow that to happen.”

“No kidding, so what’s the plan, Twilight?” Rainbow nodded.

Clearing her throat, Twilight re-composed herself. “Right, so as I was saying, there’s going to be some risks involved here. We will need all hooves on deck to infiltrate the castle. We’ll break into teams to get past certain checkpoints but also to watch each other’s backs.”

“Where is the mirror located?” Rarity asked.

“I have it locked in a place in the basement, somewhere where Serenade likely won’t think to look, it’s a special passage that requires knowledge of how to open it. She wouldn’t see it in her naked vision.” Twilight grinned, a bit grateful that she had the sense to hide the portal in the event that something like this happened, and Spike had the audacity to imply she was being overly paranoid.

“So we’ll need everypony to help distract the guards and potentially Serenade so I can get the mirror, teleport it to a safe location and then we rendezvous and I can teleport us all out.” Twilight explained.

Rainbow Dash blinked, a bit unsure about that plan. “Are you sure you have enough magic left to teleport us all and the mirror?”

Twilight nodded. “During my training with Discord, I mastered how to reduce the cost of spells on my magic reserves and body. Spells such as teleporting are still a challenge over long distances, but if I set a relay spell here prior to going it will make the cost of energy on myself far lower.”

“That’s brilliant!” Rarity praised.

“Thank you, now, I should warn you all again; this plan is going to be dangerous, we may not all come back from this...” Twilight frowned.

Rainbow shook her head and offered her hoof in the center of the table as she flapped her mighty wings to life her body off the ground. “All for one, and one for all, right?”

Not being outdone, Rarity leaned in over the table and placed her hoof atop of Rainbow’s. “If we don’t stop Serenade, it will be very bad for the fashion industry. Jumpsuits are totally not in.”

Pinkie hopped on top of the table itself and copied the gesture of her friends, shoving a pink hoof on top of the pile with perhaps a little too much energy. “Let’s kick some siren booty!”

Fluttershy gently flew in and offered her canary hoof with a nod. “We can’t let her go unchallenged, right?”

Seeing the resolve and determination of her friends gave Twilight hope that she might be able to pull this plan off. With a smile, she nodded and reached forward placing her own hoof atop of the pile. “Then we’re in it together.”

“For Equestria!” They all yelled in unison before lifting their hooves and returning to their seats.

Chuckles and laughter filled the room for a brief few moments. Once it had subsided, Twilight cleared her throat to speak again. “Alright, let’s go over the floor plans a few times so we can plot our entry points.”

It took a good hour or so before Twilight’s briefing ended, though it felt like much longer for Rarity, who wanted to go meet up with Applejack before she left. The mare had set out to leave the group but was taking her time before her complete departure. Rarity was hoping to make an excuse to rush out to go and speak with the farmer prior but could find no time to break away to do so. Still, she had to know what was going on and if the mare was heading to a safe place.

Catching her breath after running down the large stairwell in the facility, Rarity composed herself and tried to look as ladylike as Applejack knew her to be before engaging the farm-mare standing at the entrance with a square eyebrow of pure confusion.

Rarity cleared her throat and trotted over daintily, trying to keep her composure as she did so. Once reaching Applejack, she shot her a concerned smile. “Applejack, darling, are you certain you want to do this?”

Applejack nodded and tilted her hat with her hoof. “Pretty darn sure. ‘Ah ain’t interested in a suicide mission. Look, clearly Twilight has lost her edge, ‘Ah mean ‘Ah never really liked the idea of bettin’ on Discord and look how that ended up?”

“You can hardly blame the failure of Twilight’s plan on Discord, darling...” Rarity frowned, hoping that Applejack would listen to reason and for once that stubbornness in the mare would not cloud her judgment.

The orange coated mare just shook her head. “Don’t matter. Twilight learned how t’be cocky from him.”

“That’s not what happened and you know it, Applejack. Twilight was more than careful, and she went out of her way to try and avoid a direct confrontation with Serenade. If she were cocky, she’d have suggested a head-on fight with the monster!” Rarity pointed out.

In Rarity’s mind, her logic was sound, but clearly, that isn’t what it came off as to the stubborn farmer. “And antagonizin’ her by sending her messages mocking her dead sister ain’t cocky?”

“Twilight is far from cocky!” Rainbow Dash’s voice could be heard from up the stairwell interrupting their conversation.

Rarity sighed, hoping she could address the issue with Applejack by herself, but it apparently couldn’t be helped. Rainbow Dash raced down at top speed and hovered there flapping her wings lightly as she crossed her hooves and gave Applejack the stink eye for daring to suggest that Twilight had overstepped.

Applejack just sneered at the mare and scoffed. “Then explain how she lost.”

“Serenade is extra crafty, but Twilight has a backup plan!” Rainbow defended her friend.

“Yeah, and what is stoppin’ that plan from goin’ the same as the first? This ain’t a rodeo, this is real life. If this plan fails, we could all end up Serenade’s personal slaves, or dead, or worse...” Applejack shuddered at those last words, her memory still pulling her back to the horrifying visions that Serenade had shown her.

Was it possible? Could she be turned into a demon so easily by the demon siren? Applejack didn’t want to find out. She didn’t want to even be close to the possibility of that ever happening. The last thing she wanted was to even consider such a thing.

“Applejack, dear, Twilight wouldn’t suggest such a risky plan if she didn’t have the situation under control...” Rarity frowned, though she knew from Twilight’s words back in the briefing that she wasn’t completely confident that her new strategy would conquer the siren, but at that moment, Applejack needed to hear reassurance and not more doubt.

It was odd to Rarity to hear Applejack so filled with doubt, especially of their friend. In the past, Applejack had bet on Twilight over and over with almost blind faith, and yet now she behaved as someone whose faith had been horribly shaken. Sure, Twilight’s plan didn’t work out, but Twilight had failed in the past and Applejack hadn’t merely given up on her.

The more Rarity thought about it, the stranger the entire ordeal seemed. Applejack was behaving almost out of character for herself; there had to be more to what was going on than what appeared.

“Applejack, you have to give Twilight a chance...” Rarity offered her friend a smile.

Applejack just shot her back an annoyed expression. “Already gave her one, she blew it. Now ‘Ah have to go my own path, rather than bet on crazy plans of putting myself directly in front of enemy’s line o’ fire.”

“Where will you even go?” Rarity blinked.

“Probably Appleloosa. ‘Ah’m sure my cousin out that way could use my help more than this place does...” She smiled as thoughts of her cousin filled her mind.

Rarity could hardly believe what she was hearing. “That’s crazy, Applejack, we need you here!”

“Twilight said if ‘Ah ain’t committed then it’s better that ‘Ah leave...” Applejack shrugged.

“She only said that so you wouldn’t feel bad about leaving!” Rarity protested, stamping a hoof on the ground, a bit embarrassed about how annoyed she herself was getting at Applejack’s demeanor.

Rainbow just floated next to the two observing, not quite sure of what to make of all of this.

“Applejack, this is crazy!” Rarity stated.

“Crazy is bettin’ everything on a stupid mirror,” Applejack retorted with a snarl.

“You know that’s not what’s happening, Applejack!” Rarity said.

“Don’t care. ‘Ah’m outta here anyway. If ya’ need me, or y’all come to your senses, you’ll know where to find me.” Applejack tipped her hat before leaving through the entryway, leaving the two mares standing in shock and confusion.

Rainbow coughed as Applejack left and looked over at Rarity with an annoyed expression. “Man, her loyalty clearly just disappeared, didn’t it?”

Rarity’s eyes were focused, however, on the doorway where Applejack once stood as she just processed what had happened before them. It wasn’t like Applejack to be so standoffish with her, Rainbow Dash, sure, but not her.

Blinking, Rarity tried to piece it all together.

Applejack had been in a coma for some time after Serenade’s attack on her, and after waking up, she hadn’t exactly been herself; Rarity was starting to get a clearer picture.

“Right, Rarity?” Rainbow repeated, hoping to get a response from her friend that appeared lost in space.

Barely hearing her, Rarity shook her head as she continued to stare at the doorway, the details starting to paint a picture to her.

“I don’t think that’s it at all, darling.” Rarity’s voice came off as rather distant and empty, like she was barely all there, but it was mostly because she was still processing thoughts as she answered.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow lowered herself to hear Rarity better.

“I think she’s scared.”

“Applejack? Scared? Scared of what?” Rainbow chuckled. “Nothing scares Applejack, and you know that.”

“Clearly something did. She wouldn’t act like that otherwise. I think something that Serenade did made Applejack realize how real this all is, and she can’t handle it.” Rarity frowned.

“What do you think she saw when she was put in that coma?” Rainbow questioned.

Truthfully, Rarity didn’t want to know, she didn’t even want to think about it. She was content with being blissfully ignorant to whatever troubled Applejack, but at the same time, she was beyond curious.

“I don’t know, Rainbow Dash, but whatever it was, it was more than likely, absolutely horrifying if it has even Applejack running scared...” Rarity said, not daring to try and imagine what unspeakable horrors Serenade could subject somepony to.

Twilight let out a heavy sigh as she looked over some notes sprawled out on her desk regarding her castle’s layout. She needed to study virtually every single passageway, every route to every room; the mare needed to know the place inside and out to the point where the chance of Serenade being more informed on her castle than her was at absolute zero. The risks of her plan required her not to make any mistakes; she needed to factor in everything that could possibly happen or her friends could wind up seriously hurt.

She had studied these maps at least eight times in the past hour alone, making various notes on the scrolls about possible plans of action that she could take.

A tap on her door caused her to grunt a response to signal entry to who stood there.

Sure enough, Rarity was waiting to greet the princess as the door opened and closed behind her. The off-white unicorn stepped gracefully into Twilight’s lair, smiling softly at her friend who was clearly hard at work.

“Twilight, darling... I wanted to talk to you about Applejack.” Rarity forced the words out.

Twilight didn’t even look up from her maps. “There’s nothing to discuss. Applejack doesn’t feel completely committed to this, and I have no qualms with that. She needs to do what makes sense to her, and I hold no ill will toward her for it.”

“That... Wasn’t what I wanted to discuss...” Rarity bit her lip.

Rarity’s trepidation wasn’t enough to distract Twilight fully from her work as she multitasked. “What’s troubling, you, Rarity?” She asked as she scribbled another note on her maps.

“It’s just... I’ve known Applejack for years...” Rarity was cut off by Twilight.

“As have all of us. I still remember when I met her, I never ate so much pie in a single sitting in my entire life.” Twilight smiled lightly as the memory of her first encounter with the apple orchard worker filled her mind. She recalled not being able to say no to the soft puppy dog eyes of her adorable younger sibling and ended up forcing herself to eat more than her fair share of confectionary delights.

Spike, given his large appetite, however, was more than content to chow down.

Twilight thought about it for a brief moment when she was on the topic of food and realized she had lost some weight. All the stress, training, and poor personal care had left her a good ten or twenty pounds lighter. She mentally reminded herself that she needed to get back on top of eating properly and taking care of herself.

“Yes, well in my entire time knowing her, I’ve never known Applejack to be...” Rarity paused, placing a hoof to her chin trying to think of the word.

“Scared?” Twilight replied, still distracted by her notes.

“Yes... How did you know?” Rarity blinked, a bit astonished that anypony had picked up on it beside her.

Placing her quill down on the table, Twilight finally met the mare’s eyes. “I know what fear feels like, Rarity. I could sense it on Applejack too. Do you think I’m not scared to face Serenade? Discord sacrificed himself to save me, and I’m terrified that I won’t be able to rescue him and repay the favor...”

“Discord and you really have a unique bond now, don’t you?” Rarity asked with intrigue.

Twilight closed her eyes trying to think of how to word the relationship that she and her new mentor had. It wasn’t like what she had with Celestia, it was different, something she couldn’t even put into words. He was frustrating, cheeky and all around a trouble maker, but she could always sense that he was concerned for her even if he didn’t show it. They had the sort of connection that didn’t require them to speak their thoughts, she knew what he was thinking and he likely knew what she was thinking.

She missed his guidance, she had come to rely on it in the past few months in place of Celestia’s.

“He... Well, I don’t know. I wish I could explain it, but he pushed me to achieve something I never thought possible, and I’m very grateful to him. He’s definitely an oddball and a trouble maker, but his heart is in the right place...” Twilight said, hoping her explanation was enough.

A warm smile crossed Rarity’s face as she nodded. “Well then we can’t just sit here while he’s being held by that monster can we?”

Twilight nodded but felt it necessary to speak up about something that was bothering her. “Rarity... I have to confess... I’m not completely sure that we can come out of this unscathed...”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “I’m going to do my best, but I fear that... Serenade might just be too strong and crafty. We have one shot at this, and if it doesn’t work, it may be up to Starlight to clean up my mistakes...”

Stepping forward, Rarity came around Twilight’s desk and grabbed the mare in her front hooves, forcing her to face her. “Twilight Sparkle, you’re the Princess of Friendship, you’ve overcome so much in such a short time. We’re going to stop Serenade, rescue Discord and the others and we’re going to do it with your help.”

Twilight sighed and found herself chuckling at Rarity’s confidence. “Whenever I doubt myself, it’s at least comforting to know that my friends are there to quell my fears...”

“It’s what friends are for, darling.” Rarity winked.

Serenade sat bored on her throne in the former Princess of Friendship’s castle. It was rewarding to know that she had conquered so much that now she had multiple castles to choose from to take a load off and relax. It was the gem of her victory over Twilight, though there was still work to be done, Twilight was still out there with some magic left, and Serenade needed to change that fact.

Looking over a book she had taken from Twilight’s personal library, she scoffed and snarled at the words she was reading.

As if on cue, Arax, her most trusted servant arrived bowing his head before the mare sitting at her throne, a tiara sitting atop of her head that was poorly aligned, clearly she had only been trying it on to add insult to injury toward Twilight Sparkle.

Approaching his master, she waved a dismissive hoof. “Master,” he began.

“At ease, Arax...” She yawned.

Arax perked up and gave a half-hearted smile that made the fangs hanging from her upper jaw present in an awkward manner that only worked to make the changeling seem more sinister.

“Master-“ he tried to start again but was interrupted by the siren.

“Can you believe this nonsense? Listen to this: ‘Dear Princess Celestia, I learned that sometimes friendship means compromise and not always getting your way’, what a load of manure...” Serenade mocked.

Arax blinked, unsure of what book she was reading. “What is that?” He asked.

“Some kind of friendship journal that Twilight Sparkle kept with her annoying little friends, honestly it’s more or less a guide on how to be a pathetic weakling and rely on others who will likely stab you in the back the moment it tickles their fancy.” Serenade tossed the book aside haphazardly.

“Sounds useless.” Arax shrugged.

“Indeed, though that’s why I trust you, Arax. You understand the need for efficiency and keeping relationships strictly mutually beneficial. Friends are just leeches, parasites that bring the strong down so that they can feed off of them because they lack the power to do anything for themselves...” Serenade lectured.

The changeling blinked, a bit surprised to hear such words from even Serenade. It sounded like she was speaking from personal experience, and he was tempted to press the matter to find out more, but better judgment won out in the end and he chose to leave that door closed.

“Master, not to interject, but sadly we have not been able to locate where Twilight Sparkle or her entourage is hiding. She’s managed to elude us somehow, we suspect she’s located somewhere that we can’t track, though of course with her lowered magic levels, it will be harder to flag down her magic emissions,” Arax explained.

Serenade scoffed, not particularly good at handling bad news that came her way. “Well, you’ll just have to keep trying until we find her, I’m not leaving that bitch out there completely unchecked. I want her found, and then brought to me.” Serenade scowled.

“Master, just curious... What do you plan on doing when you have all of the magic in Equestria?” Arax rose a brow.

“An excellent question; for once I’m not being bombarded with useless nonsense!” Serenade laughed as she came to a stand and flicked her hoof, making a projection of the planet appear before them.

“With that much magic, I can achieve the kind of status that a Goddess would have, and then all of the mortals in the world will bow down to me, they will submit to me and beg for mercy...” Serenade was practically drooling thinking about it, “Only, I won’t be offering mercy... Once I have all of that power, I’ll make them all suffer, we will forge a new world where the weak pathetic mortals are only kept as slaves and servants to the immortals, and all of my followers shall be rewarded for their loyalty by becoming immortals themselves.”

Arax smirked lightly at that last bit. His one goal, the reason why he followed everything that Serenade said and did, even if he didn’t always agree with her attitude was to achieve that promise of immortality. Serenade had the means to get it, and he had a desire for it, and that meant that the two would need to work together. He swore his loyalty to the siren some time ago for that reason.

“I wouldn’t worry about Twilight Sparkle, master. Eventually, she will be forced to come out of hiding, and then the remainder of her power will belong to you as well.” Arax reassured.

Serenade rolled her eyes and waved her hoof. “There’s no doubt of that. Twilight has only bought herself a small amount of time, nothing that will save her in the long run for sure...”

Some Time Ago

Mental training was only part of Twilight’s time with Discord, there was also a physical aspect, requiring her to push her body to the very limits of what it could do. Ascension had opened new doors for her, she finally understood how to maximize the potential of her magic through mastering her horn, but Discord hoped to show her how to maximize more through mastering her body.

The test he had prepared this time around was one that Twilight had attempted at least eight times now, but each time ended in failure.

The structure of the test was simple, the objection: do not get burned. On a basic level, it sounded and appeared exceptionally easy, but the complicated part came when Discord revealed where the fire would be, on her body itself.

Magic flames would ignite her and try to burn her, but her only protection was a full body casing made out of water. The only two catches were that she had to produce the water from the air itself, and she had to concentrate to hold the protection on herself as long as possible as the fire surrounded her.

It sounded easy at first, but Twilight had come to learn how difficult it truly was. The task required perfect concentration on every single part of her body, it required discipline that even she lacked.

The mare was determined to pull it off this time, to set a new record, eight minutes without getting burned.

Twilight’s mind remained clear even as Discord offered numerous distractions in the way of noises, flailing his hands about, trying to strike up a conversation and even making lewd suggestions at the mare. He was completely relentless, as he always was in trying everything he could to break her concentration, and given his title as the Spirit of Chaos, he needed no help in being extremely distracting.

“The other day I was going through your things at your childhood home, and did you know that your mother keeps inappropriate photos of herself locked in her dresser drawer?” Discord asked as he poofed some photos with their backs to Twilight.

She blushed but kept her mind focused on the water shield around her. She couldn’t allow herself to fall for the obvious trick.

“This one is particularly saucy... I think your mother would make an excellent exotic dancer, you know that? I think many thirsty stallions would pay big money to see her saunter on over to shake that thing she calls a rear in their face... This is good stuff...” Discord teased as he thumbed through photos.

It was too much, Twilight blinked and looked over trying to get a look at the photos and sure enough, the spell failed, causing the fire to singe her fur lightly before it disappeared. She yelped in light pain and tumbled backward onto her haunches, catching herself before completely falling over. “Where did you get those!?”

Discord turned the photos around to reveal that in his paw were actually pictures of himself wearing a wig that resembled her mother’s haircut making ridiculous poses that Twilight assumed were supposed to be “erotic”, but he was doing such a bad joke it was hard to imagine them as such.

“You scared me half to death...” Twilight blushed and looked away.

“What’s wrong? Afraid that I am scoping peaks at your mother’s private garden so to speak?” Discord smirked as he teased the mare.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t put it past you...”

Discord placed his claw on his chest and made a mock offended expression. “Me? I would never do anything so... Perverted. I am an upstanding and model citizen, I’ll have you know! I am president of the PTA on my block!”

“First of all, you live in an alternate dimension of complete chaos with no neighbors, secondly you need kids to be a member of the PTA...” Twilight raised a brow as she called out his bluff.

He grumbled and shrugged as she busted him in his obvious lie, though admittedly, he wasn’t trying that hard to fool the princess before him. They were forced to be together for some time now and it was likely months longer before they would be released from the training area, so he tried to get his fun in where he could.

Twilight frowned as she put her mind back on her training, frustrated that she still struggled with this particular test. “Why can’t I get this one?”

Discord sighed and shook his head. “If you have to ask, then you’re asking the wrong questions...”

“I don’t get it.” Twilight tilted her head.

“Oh my nerdy friend, it’s clear that you still need to spend more time with Uncle Discord. It’ll become clear soon enough if you do that.” He winked mischievously.

“We don’t have all the time in the world, Discord. Who knows what’s going on out there...” Twilight reminded.

Poofing a sponge and a bucket of soapy water into his mitts, Discord floated down to Twilight’s level and rolled his eyes as he dipped it into the water, offering to clean the soot that now covered Twilight. She flinched away at first but decided to let it happen, as it would be some time before she got a proper bath.

As the draconequus scrubbed the dirty fur, he laughed lightly to himself.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked, peeking over her shoulder at him.

“Seeing you struggle to understand magic I suppose is a bit ironic to me...” Discord commented.

Twilight looked forward again and frowned. She was a tad ashamed of the fact that she was struggling to understand what he was trying to teach her. “I guess I’ve had it so easy for so long that this is foreign to me. I’m used to just understanding magic with ease, sure I always practiced and worked at it, but I’ve always been a fast learner, so when I come across something that I can’t get right out of the gate, it frustrates me...”

“And that frustration causes you to do poorly and thus you don’t get it even more, and thus the perfectly self-fulfilling prophecy is met.” Discord summarized.

She hated it when he could tie things up so easily and elegantly, especially when it meant that he had her figured out.

“I suppose that’s one way to look at it...” Twilight sighed.

“You needn’t worry, Princess. No matter what you accomplish or don’t accomplish in here, you have an armada of friends out there who will ensure you are not left high and dry,” he replied.

Twilight smirked, seeing an opportunity to be cheeky with him for a change. “Does that include you?”

The draconequus let out a long exasperated sigh before setting the sponge aside and examining her work before stepping back with a content nod. “If you are expecting me to say something sappy and vomit inducing, then you are clearly mistaking me for Spike.”

Twilight chuckled and shook her head before turning around and facing her teacher. “Either way, I suppose we should take a break and then get back to work?”

“Sounds like a marvelous idea.” He grinned.

Trotting through the dark under tunnels of Twilight’s Castle, Rainbow Dash tried to focus on where they were going as she shined the light on her helmet ahead, though it was getting more and more difficult with Rarity’s constant complaining behind her. She had to turn around over and over reminding Rarity that they need to be quiet if they didn’t want to get caught, but she seemed to be constantly forgetting that part.

“Why couldn’t they get someone else to go through these tunnels? They smell like swamp water down here!” Rarity whined.

Rainbow stopped in her tracked and turned around to face the unicorn. Rarity’s mane was starting to lose some of its normal bounce after being exposed to the damp air, and the sweat that was building up on her from carrying the saddlebag she had wasn’t helping. Rainbow had a similar one with supplies that Twilight had provided.

“You’re the most observant of all of us thanks to your eye for gems, so if anypony can spot guards before they see us it’s you. Now, please try and keep quiet or Serenade won’t even have time to catch you because I’ll strangle you long before then!” Rainbow growled in annoyance before turning back ahead to continue their journey, her eyes glued to a map in her hooves that Twilight had made notes upon.

Rarity didn’t press it, but instead kept a steady trot behind her floating friend and giving a snarky “no need to be so brutish about it...”

Checking her map, Rainbow looked ahead seeing a ladder that led up. Landing on the ground, Rainbow studied the map. She traced where they had entered with her hoof all the way to where they currently stood. Nodding with content, Rainbow rolled up the map and stuffed it into her saddlebag. “I am pretty sure this is the place.”

“So the security room of Twilight’s castle where the guards use the scrying orbs to keep watch of the halls has a secret entrance from down here?” Rarity blinked.

Rainbow shrugged. “To be fair, Twilight didn’t build the castle, but this was probably put in place as some kind of escape route for them in the event that things ever went bad inside the castle.”

Rarity decided that the logic being presented to her made some sense, so there was no need to question it further.

“So, we go in, and take out the guards and before they have a chance to alert Serenade that we’re here, right?” Rarity asked, hoping she remembered the entire plan.

Rainbow facehoofed before rubbing her face and rolling her eyes. “And then we break that first set of clay tablets that Twilight gave us. They are supposed to send a magical alert to Pinkie and Fluttershy who then will make their move. We wait exactly eight minutes and then we head to the rendezvous point.”

“And if we get caught or spotted, we break the other tablet that lets Twilight know we’ve been compromised, right?” Rarity asked, the rest of the plan starting to come back to her.

Truthfully, the mare was still distracted with thoughts of Applejack. She wondered if the farmer was okay and if she had made it to Appleloosa alright.

“Right, now let’s do this, okay?” Rainbow smirked before heading toward the ladder.

Rarity followed behind her as Rainbow made her way up. Rainbow peaked through the grate that was covered by a large floor tile that she lifted gently. Scrying about the room with her eyes, she could see two stallions keeping a close watch on several magical orbs in the room, orbs being used to monitor the entire castle.

Rainbow stared for a few minutes to confirm that there was in fact only two guards present.

The pegasus looked down at Rarity and tapped her own forehead twice, using the previously agreed upon signal to tell Rarity that two guards were present. Rarity nodded in understanding before watching Rainbow open the hatch and silently slip into the room.

Rarity followed soon after and the two carefully approached a guard on either side from behind. Once both of them were synchronized, the nodded to each other and gave a mighty crack on the skull to the two guards, staggering both and making them tumble to the ground. Reaching into their bags, both retrieved some strong industrial strength tape that was intended to bind and detain them now unconscious guards.

Rainbow got a little excessive with the table, making her guard look more like a mummy when she was done, causing a bit of a chuckle from Rarity.

“That was easier than I thought...” Rainbow laughed.

“Let’s not get cocky...” Rarity reminded.

“Yeah, yeah, just break the tablet...” Rainbow rolled her eyes.

Nodding back at the boastful pegasus, Rarity reached into her bag and retrieved the tablet, cracking it on the ground, hoping that everything else went as smoothly for the others.

Pinkie Pie bounced along, as usual, however, she was being slightly lighter in her step than normal as she and Fluttershy carefully made their way through the holes in the security plan for the castle. While Serenade may have had countless guards patrolling, what she didn’t know about was all the numerous passages in the castle that would allow one to go about unseen or noticed.

Twilight had drawn the two of them a map that would take them through many of the secret hallways and doors in the castle to bring them as close as possible to the mirror chamber. While no particular tunnel led directly to it, the closer they could place Twilight to that place, the better.

“Do you think that Twilight can beat Serenade if she runs into her again?” Pinkie asked curiously.

Fluttershy grimaced at that thought, not wanting to answer or even think about that scenario, but she mustered up enough willpower to give a poor and unconvincing lie to Pinkie Pie. “I’m sure Twilight would be fine...”

It was hard to tell if Pinkie believed it or not, but she seemed content enough to carry on as if nothing had happened.

Both mares stop for a moment as they feel a vibration in their bags. Each reaching inside, they locate the source, a set of square clay tablets with immaculate looking rubies in the center that were now shining and vibrating. “That’s the signal, Rainbow and Rarity got the security down, that’s good...” Fluttershy smiled lightly.

Pinkie blew a raspberry and waved a hoof. “I knew they would, those two are amazing and they’d never let us down!”

Fluttershy could hardly argue with that point.

Fluttershy gave another once over of the map and noted that their next point would require them to exit the secret tunnel and cross the open halls and make a break for another tunnel hidden in a closet.

Gulping, Fluttershy came to a part of the wall that showed a window that was obviously some kind of one way mirror where you could only see through it on the side they were on. She surveyed the halls and noted that not a single guard was in sight. She nodded at Pinkie before the two made a break for the exit.

At top speed, the two galloped across the hallway to an old closet and shut the door behind themselves as Fluttershy panted, Pinkie, however, seemed completely unchanged by the entire ordeal.

“That was fun!” Pinkie giggled.

“I disagree...” Fluttershy frowned.

Pinkie reached into her bag and retrieved the teleport tablet that Twilight had prepared. Placing the tablet on the ground, the two stood back and waited.

Sure enough, right on cue, Twilight Sparkle herself appeared where the tablet was. She grinned at her friends and nodded. Her plan of using pre-prepared tablets to teleport from A to B was working flawlessly thus far. Teleporting via using magically infused tablets was far less draining on magic as the determined place to teleport to was more definitive than just a mental concept.

Twilight thanked herself for paying attention in her classes as a filly to where she was able to put the knowledge to good use. Magic had many unique ways of being manipulated through physical objects and enchantments, it was merely a matter of how clever the pony utilizing them was.

Fluttershy and Pinkie gave a salute (albeit weak on Fluttershy’s part) before Twilight waved her hoof at them. “Nice work, girls. Now, go rendezvous with Rainbow and Rarity at the agreed point. Starlight can focus a teleport spell to get all of you out of here.”

Unfortunately for Twilight, relaying a teleport of many ponies at once was still fairly complex, but could be done so long as they were all close together, had a teleport tablet and a unicorn somewhere else had a matching tablet to focus their spell with. It was a bit more complex than teleporting one’s self though, so Twilight needed to rely on Starlight to do it.

“Good luck, Twilight...” Fluttershy nodded before the two girls ran off, heading back toward the passageway that they had just left.

With hasty hoofwork, the two girls trailed back down the path they arrived through, coming to a large opening inside the winding passageways only to stop dead in their tracks when they noticed on three sides of the intersection that the two ponies had come to were guards waiting for them, all of which staring directly at them.

They both turned around and sure enough, another two guards were now standing behind them. They backed up into the center of the intersection completely surrounded.

In a panic, Fluttershy stuck her wing into her saddlebag, pulled their panic tablet out and smashed it onto the ground, hoping the distress call would be answered soon enough by Rainbow and Rarity.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity were a good few meters back into the secret underground passage that brought them into the castle when they felt their bags vibrate. Both looked inside and thanks to the lights that they carried on their heads could see that the tablet with Fluttershy and Pinkie’s cutie mark was vibrating and flashing.

“Shit! They got Fluttershy and Pinkie! We have to go get them!” Rainbow turned around and started toward the ladder that they had just left behind before Rarity grabbed her tail to stop her.

“Rainbow, they’ll just get us too if we go back! Twilight can handle it!” Rarity insisted.

Pulling herself, free, Rainbow scoffed. “I don’t know about you, but I have too much loyalty to my friends, and I’m not abandoning them!”

“You’re not abandoning them, Twilight will take care of it, we can count on her...” Rarity frowned at Rainbow’s insistence.

“Look, for all we know, Twilight needs our help too! We have to go back and help our friends!” Rainbow demanded.

Rarity realized there was no reasoning with her, so instead, she sighed and nodded in agreement. “Alright, but let’s hurry.”

The two mares raced as fast as their hooves would carry them, all the way back to the ladder, quickly they scaled it, opened the grate to the security room and when they looked up, what they saw standing there made the both of them break into a cold sweat.

Long black tendrils flailed about with a life of their own, long wavy blonde mane hung from a gorgeous young face while vicious looking eyes stared the two down. The siren’s amulet around her neck shined in the low light of the room. “Hey there, I’m afraid this is a no trespassing zone...” Serenade smirked.

“Fucking shit...” Rainbow simply said.

Author's Note

I swear to god, I am not writing them as shippy intentionally!

Also, next week in the finale for Act V!

Act V - Chapter LXXV: Twilight’s Plight

Chapter LXXV: Twilight’s Plight

Galeal stirred in his sleep as he tried to get comfortable again, though it was proving difficult as the effeminate stallion wrapped around him slept like a rock and was difficult to shift around, despite his low weight. Ultimately, this resulted in Galeal waking up and looking down at the stallion laying atop of him. He blinked as he examined him, noting that despite the time that had passed since they had met, Eclipse didn’t seem to become anymore masculine as he aged, instead he remained the soft effeminate male that was often mistaken for a mare that he was.

Expectedly, his figure remained slender and gentle, but that was likely due to the poor rations they were given at the camp. Galeal could scarf his poor excuse for food down with little worry, but Eclipse was always fussy about eating them and keeping them down.

His long white mane draped over Galeal as they laid there together. Eclipse had always brushed his mane to one side and tied the very end of it together with a small red ribbon, though Galeal never really knew why. As they got older, he added a small braid to the hair.

No longer were they kids, but teenagers approaching early adulthood, and yet they were stuck spending their youth slaving away for Serenade’s vanity.

Looking at Eclipse, internally, Galeal admitted that he was beautiful. He had such attractive features about him; his small dainty frame, his cute little ears, and his demeanor which came across as hopelessly innocent, yet very aloof, similar to Galeal’s own demeanor.

The two of them seldom seemed to care about the thoughts of others or other ponies and creatures in general.

What the two boys had together was unique, it was magical almost and Galeal wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Reaching down, he ran a claw along Eclipse’s face and traced the stallion’s jawline with a smile on his face. He wondered what kind of things his partner dreamed about, what kind of things he hoped to see if and when they broke free of Serenade’s grasp. He thought “when” but in reality, it was becoming more and more difficult for Galeal to imagine a world where they ever got free of Serenade’s tyranny. The demon had so much power that he didn’t see her ever getting defeated.

As he laid there stroking Eclipse’s cheek, he thought of his home back in Griffonstone, wondering how they were faring compared to their current location. He wondered if he’d ever see his home again.

As he laid there in thought, the flap to the tent opened allowing the piercing morning light to blind him temporarily. He shielded his eyes as he felt Eclipse begin to move and wake up with a “huh?”

Standing there were a set of guards clad in armor pointing to the two. “Alright butt fucks, get your asses up.”

Galeal groaned and rose to a stand with a yawn. “What’s the issue? I thought work didn’t start until eight?”

The taller of the two guards pointed to Eclipse with a grunt. “For this shit nugget, maybe. However, you are being reassigned, griffon.”

“Say what?” Galeal rose a confused brow.

“Do I need to spell it out for you, fuckface? You’re getting moved to another site. We have a new camp in Griffonstone, and Serenade wants all griffons sent there, so it’s your lucky day shit-for-brains, you’re going to be with your own kind again.” The other guard smirked, clearly enjoying his job a little too much.

Eclipse blinked and shook his head in disbelief while Galeal backed into the corner as the guards approached. “I don’t wanna go, fuck that.”

“It’s not negotiable. Now you best get stepping before we break your legs and drag you there.” The taller guard grunted, it seemed as though his patience had worn out very quickly and he wasn’t in the mood to argue with Galeal.

“Your kind are all the same… Worthless pigs. What did Serenade offer you two to make you give up your balls?” Galeal taunted.

Retrieving a baton from a belt around his waist, the shorter of the two guards gripped the weapon in his hoof and cracked Galeal across the jaw with it. “Talk out of turn again and it’ll be worse for you, now I suggest you shut your fucking cock hole and come with us without the sass…”

“Fuck you…” Galeal spat as he rubbed his jaw.

That retort earned him a second smack with the baton which caused the teenager to tumble to the ground. As he groaned and tried to get himself back up, Eclipse gasped in horror, stepping forward to try and help him only for the taller of the two guards to retrieve his own baton and point it at Eclipse.

“Go ahead, girly boy. Give me a reason to destroy that fucking face of yours. I’m not in the mood for games today, so I suggest you stay out of it…” He threatened.

Eclipse gulped but held still, not daring to move before Galeal spoke up. “It’s okay, Eclipse… Don’t get hurt on my account. These assholes just like to feel tough because they can’t satisfy their wives anymore…” Eclipse smirked.

The shorter stallion kicked him in his gut causing him to cough before demanding he rise. “Get your ass up, faggot. I got better things to do today than deal with a couple of queers giving me sass. If I’m late to roll call today, I am beating the shit out of you the entire way to Griffonstone.”

“I’m going, I’m going…” Galeal grumbled before coming to a shaky stand.

Eclipse lifted a hoof to step toward his lover but Galeal shook his head. “Stay here, Eclipse… Don’t give them a reason to hurt you.”

“Galeal…” Eclipse winced, trying to hold back tears.

He smiled at the stallion and winked. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll be meeting back up real soon…”

“Please, don’t take him…” Eclipse begged.

The taller guard grunted and waved his baton again. “What did I just say, faggot?”

Galeal reached around his neck and pulled his signature pendant off. He tossed it over the guard and Eclipse stepped backward to catch it. Looking down at it and then back to Galeal who was being ushered out of the tent, the griffon nodded. “We’re always together so long as you have that!”

Eclipse fought back the sniffles and nodded before placing the pendant around his own neck.

Sunset was peacefully rocking her baby to sleep as she sat in her living room on the bottom floor in a comfortable white armchair, gently singing to the child in her toned, but careful arms. Having the baby definitely made her day to day routine change, but she managed to find time to eat, exercise and take care of the dogs.

It had burned through her entire day easily, however, and before she knew it, it was already nearly 4:00 PM, meaning that Twilight would be home from class very soon. Sunset recalled sending her on her way that morning in one of the Benz, though Twilight had nagged her before that she’d prefer a car that didn’t attract so much attention to her when she went to class.

Sunset only giggled at the notion, because she liked others to know that she had the ability to spoil her wife. Fortunately for her, Twilight was a self-conscious girl, so no amount of spoiling would make her materialistic or fat. Sunset had seen Twilight actually say no to bacon that she had been drooling over all because she “felt” like she was getting fat, despite not gaining a single pound. If anything, the girl was still very lanky and scrawny, but still very cute with an attractive rear.

Twilight jogged a little, but for the most part, she wasn’t an exercise addict like Sunset had become over the years.

Looking down at her daughter, Sunset wondered what kind of personality Horizon would develop. Would she be a studious bookworm with a heart of gold like Twilight? Or perhaps she’d be more of a sporty girl like Rainbow Dash? Maybe she would be a strong leader?

It excited Sunset to think of all the wonderful memories she was going to build with her infant child and what kind of person they’d turn into. She would be there, watching her grow, watching her turn into a woman, and she’d play an active role. Somehow, it felt like the most important thing that Sunset would ever do with herself, more so than defeating evil villains bent on taking over the world even.

“You’re going to live an interesting life, I’m sure...” Sunset whispered to the baby who had fallen asleep in her hold.

As if on cue, the sound of the front door opening caused Sunset to turn in that direction and smile at her wife who was entering the building and made her way hastily toward the living room where Sunset had texted her she would be when she got home.

The young woman set her bag down on the floor and walked over with a bright grin on her face, never feeling so excited to be home. She wandered over to her wife and newly born daughter and sat on the arm of the chair that Sunset was seated on, looking down and planting a passionate kiss on her wife’s lips.

The two women leaned into each other, enjoying the savory kiss before allowing it to break, much to both of their dismay. Twilight licked her lip, enjoying the feeling of Sunset’s velvet lips on her own, not wanting that feeling to go away so quickly.

“Still a great kisser...” Sunset commented.

As per usual, that comment solicited a blush from Twilight, causing Sunset to chuckle lightly with pleasure. “So, how was school today?”

“Boring.” Twilight shrugged.

“School? Boring? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?” Sunset raised a suspicious brow.

Twilight shook her head and reached down to the baby in Sunset’s arms, caressing her cheek lightly. “I love school, but when you have something at home that you love more, it definitely makes it feel like it’s dragging.”

“You’re just trying to butter me up for sex...” Sunset smirked.

Twilight’s blush grew but found the courage to tease her wife back. “Is it working?”

“Tell you what, after we put Horizon to bed for the night, I’ll give you the best time of your life,” Sunset replied.

“I’ll hold you to it.” Twilight winked before both of them looked down to their daughter.

The child gently inhaled and exhaled as she laid there in her mother’s embrace. The two women stared at their daughter with smiles on their faces. Twilight reached over and gripped Sunset’s shoulder as she rested her head on the other one with a content sigh. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy in my entire life...” She cooed.

Sunset nodded in agreement. “Me either, I wouldn’t trade this for anything.”

Eclipse yawned as he was summoned for a meeting with all the workers. Since Galeal’s departure, two things happened to him: he never let Galeal’s pendant leave his sight, and he couldn’t find enough peace to fall asleep properly. He hadn’t realized how much he relied on Galeal for comfort. The barely serviceable cots that they called “beds” were difficult to sleep on, and without the warmth of the griffon, Eclipse couldn’t find any respite from the discomfort.

He was tired and emotionally drained, but he continued to work, trying to bury his mind in work so he wouldn’t have to think about what happened from there.

Rubbing his eyes, Eclipse was gathered into a crowd of other workers as he yawned once more waiting for the announcement, which was more than likely going to be reprimands for poor work ethic or something of that nature, as these meeting usually were.

Eclipse could hear chatter all around him speculating the nature of the meeting, most assuming the same as he did, that they were about to get yelled at for something or other that they weren’t doing well enough.

I heard they want to tear the statue down and start over from scratch.

Where did you hear that?

From my bunk mate!

Eclipse almost chuckled at how ridiculous such a thing sounded. Serenade was vain, but he doubted she was dumb enough to waste so much time and then just start over without much warning, especially when they were so close to finishing. The idea just seemed preposterous to him.

A mare near Eclipse blinked as she examined him. She spoke in a hushed tone. “Hey, aren’t you that pony who was bunked with that gruff looking griffon?”

Eclipse blinked at the mention of Galeal and nodded his head. “Yeah? What of it?” Eclipse asked.

“I saw him getting hauled off the other day...” She frowned.

Eclipse stepped forward and got in the mare’s face. “What did he say? Was he okay?”

The mare winced at how close he was getting but shrugged. “A little banged up, but he was alright. They mentioned they were taking him to Griffonstone.”

Sighing, Eclipse pulled back, a bit sad that he couldn’t learn any new details, though he wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting. Even if he somehow knew exactly where Galeal was being taken in Griffonstone, it wasn’t like he was going to be able to follow him. Security around them was far too tight and Serenade’s guards were far too watchful for something to slip past them.

The sound of a horn ringing through the air and painfully making Eclipse’s ears ring (along with many others in the crowd) brought attention forward to a stallion clad in a familiar cloak that bore the symbol of Serenade upon it. It seemed as though her higher ups were given such cloaks to signify their loyalty to the demon.

Rubbing his ear, Eclipse focused on the young stallion at the podium who spoke with a booming voice to the entire crowd.

“As many of you know, we have been working hard to build a monument to our new overlord; Serenade Dazzle!” He called out.

Eclipse scoffed at her name.

“This has been a long process, but I am pleased to announce that we are nearing completion, and Master Serenade has seen it fit to release you all to different cities until a new work project demands your attention!” He continued.

Those words sparked murmurs among the crowd, ponies were questioning the validity of what he had just said and if this meant they could seriously leave the work camp. Eclipse, however, already knew there would be a catch.

“Please see the roster over to my left with the guard to find out where you will be heading. A small team shall remain here to finish this job and then also be released. Once you know where you are going, we are expecting you to meet up with your escort group by 8:00 PM tonight!” He commanded, his voice growing more stern with every bit of information he gave out.

Eclipse thought it might actually have been a good chance to make an escape until the next thing he was to relay came out of the cloaked stallion’s mouth. “Anypony who attempts to escape, flee or otherwise cause disruption will be killed on sight, no questions asked.”

The young stallion’s heart dropped as he heard those words, and chatter was all around him at the shock of the threat. Truthfully, Eclipse half expected such a thing, but to actually hear it only discouraged him more.

“Please proceed to the guards to my left and you shall find out where you are to be sent by tonight!” He commanded once more.

Sighing, Eclipse pulled himself together and decided it was best to comply. Mustering up enough determination, he made his way toward one of the guards, finding himself stuck in a line for a period of time while he waited to check the roster.

Standing behind a young mare close to his age, Eclipse sighed once more as he reached up and gripped the pendant that Galeal had given him. It was far from unique, but the simple crystal pendant seemed to stand out around his neck, more-so than Galeal’s even. He was curious about its origin and why Galeal wore it, but he supposed it would be some time before he could ask.

The mare in front of him peeked over her shoulder hearing him sigh and smiled at him. “Hey, cool pendant!”

Eclipse blinked and turned to face her. “Oh, thanks...”

The young mare shot him another smile, emphasizing the monroe piercing on her lower lip. It seemed to match well with her double eyebrow piercing. She had a fair face, one that Eclipse was sure could get more of the boys begging for her attention.

“I used to have a boyfriend who had one like that, but he was kind of a douchebag...” The mare stated.

Eclipse wasn’t particularly interested in the discussion, but feigned interest in the spirit of not coming off as rude. “I’m sorry to hear.”

The young unicorn eyed him up and down. “You’re far cuter too...” She added.

A blush came to his face as he nodded and turned his eyes away from her. “T-thanks...”

Running a hoof along her red mane, she offered it to him. “Name’s Rose Inkscape, and you are?”

Looking at her hoof for a moment, he reached down daintily and took it in his own. “It’s Eclipse...”

She nodded with another reassuring smile in his direction. “That’s a good name, I like it. Maybe we’ll get sent to the same place, Eclipse. Would be beneficial to have someone you know there, right?”

He nodded in return. “Yeah, considering I don’t really know anyone...”

“Oh? What about your parents?” She asked curiously with a raised brow.

“Dead.” He frowned.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear...” She returned the frown.

Eclipse just shrugged, unsure of what else to say. “Serenade killed them... Right in front of me...”

“Now that is beyond fucked up...” She growled.

“I can still hear the sound of them screaming sometimes when I sleep...” He admitted.

Rose reached forward and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s gonna be alright, okay? They’re gone, but you’re still here. You’re gonna make it.”

He blushed at her touch but nodded. “Thanks... I appreciate it...”

She winked at him as she pulled her hoof back. “Any time, cute stuff.”

He was about to respond when the two of them realized their conversation had passed enough time to bring both of them to the front of the line. She turned forward and rushed to check her name on the list. After a few seconds, she nodded and winked at Eclipse before trotting off, spouting a simple “later”, before disappearing.

Gulping, the young stallion stepped forward and cleared his throat as he approached one of the guards holding a clipboard in their hooves.

“Name?” The guard asked.

“Eclipse?” He replied meekly.

The guard lowered his muzzle and scanned the list over with his eyes before looking back up. “You’re heading to Canterlot. I suggest you get your ass toward the escort group leaving from the southeast entrance by 8:00 or you’re going to get the ass whooping of a lifetime.”

Eclipse nodded before taking his leave, finding some irony in being sent back to the exact place he was ripped away from. Canterlot was his home, the only difference is that now he wouldn’t have a home to go back to when he returned.

The young stallion prayed that everything was going better for Galeal.

Twilight was running as quickly as her hooves would carry her, breath exiting her lungs at such an incredible rate that she could barely keep breathing. Never in her life had she been running on almost pure adrenaline for such an extended period of time. Her entire body was in hyper-mode.

There was only just a little bit of distance left before she would come to the chamber where she kept the mirror.

She halted however, when her bag began to vibrate.

Quickly, she turned it upside down and dumped the contents. With horror-filled eyes, she could see every single distress tablet she had given the others had been set off. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, even Rarity, all of them had come face to face with one of Serenade’s henchmen and that meant there was a good chance that all of them had been captured.

Twilight swore under her breath as the urge to go back and try to rescue them clouded her judgement. The alicorn pushed such thoughts out of her mind, though, knowing that at this point it would only be playing into exactly what Serenade would want. The demon siren would use her friends as bargaining chips to get to Twilight, and without the mirror in her grasp, Twilight couldn’t risk leaving the castle or becoming one of Serenade’s captives. Everything relied on her, she needed to get the mirror at all costs now, there was no turning back.

Scooping the contents of her bag back up and fastening it back to her side, Twilight galloped down the hallway, eventually coming to a stairwell which would take her to the appropriate floor. She was almost in the clear, she would just need to wind down the stairs, head straight ahead, turn into the chamber and activate the secret passage hidden via a lantern on the wall.

Making it to the stairs, Twilight hastily trotted down the steps, trying to keep as quiet as possible, only to halt in her tracks at what was waiting for her at the bottom.

There, in a familiar cloak stared shining red eyes attached to an insect-like face. Toothy fangs staring back at her, causing her to hold perfectly still.

“Well, you must be Twilight Sparkle then?” He spoke with a masculine voice.

“Who are you?” She asked.

He chuckled as he kept his eyes locked upon the alicorn. “My name is Arax, I’m Serenade’s second-in-command.”

Twilight had read about him when she went over her notes regarding Serenade. She found it odd that she had chosen a changeling as her right-hoof, but then again nothing about Serenade came off as “ordinary”.

“So you’re another one of Serenade’s puppets then?” Twilight asked, remaining perfectly still.

“Don’t confuse me with the cannon fodder. I assure you that I have more than enough abilities at my disposal to take care of a weakened alicorn princess such as yourself. Serenade only chooses the very best to serve her directly, after all...” He smirked.

“Then how did a reject like you make the cut?” Twilight asked.

He hissed with annoyance. “Feisty, huh? Unfortunately trickery isn’t going to work on me.”

“Are you sure about that? You don’t look tremendously smart to me...” Twilight taunted with a smirk.

“You’re the one who’s more or less walked right into our custody, so you tell me who the dumb one is. Surely you didn’t think I was going to let you leave this place, did you?” Arax replied.

“Well asking nicely was my first plan,” Twilight responded, still enjoying messing with him.

“You’re funny, too bad you won’t be so funny when we’re done with you...” He grinned.

Twilight took a step backward, trying to put a little extra distance between the two of them as she concocted a plan. If this changeling managed to grab her then all hope was lost. Everything would fall on Starlight, and while Twilight believed in her student, she knew the deck was already too stacked against her. If Serenade ever discovered what the mirror did, not even Starlight could stop her.

The mare needed to act quickly, she needed something that could turn the situation in her favor.

“So tell me, why exactly were you stupid enough to come here? What did you hope to accomplish?” Arax questioned.

Twilight saw this as the perfect opportunity; talking with him could stall for time to think. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“While I am curious, I’m not really tremendously so, so if you’re not interested in telling me, I’m sure Master Serenade can squeeze the answer out of you... You’ll find she’s quite good at that...” He smirked.

Realizing that the changeling wasn’t interested in talking, Twilight took a stance, ready to fight if need be. While her magic was limited, she could still get him with general physical attacks if she plotted them correctly. At that moment, she wished she had Applejack’s hind hooves attached to her, but while she lacked Applejack’s strength, she could still deliver a considerable kick after all the months of training. Exercise was a big part of Discord’s routine for her.

Seeing her take a battle stance, Arax rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Do you really believe you have what it takes to beat me? I know all about your magic, it was drained significantly by Master Serenade, you don’t stand a chance against me without it.”

“Maybe I don’t need magic to beat you...” Twilight suggested, keeping her stance.

“Arrogance will be your downfall, but I suppose Master Serenade won’t mind if I bring you to her a little banged up, even though I’m sure she’d like to do that herself... I suppose you’ll just have to get two beatings...” Arax stated, as he took a stance of his own, his curved horn glowing an ominous royal purple aura.

Twilight had seen her fair share of dark magic, but every time she encountered it, she was always in for a new surprise, something else she hadn’t expected. There was no telling what kind of powers Arax possessed, and without most of her own magic, Twilight couldn’t sense if he too was a demon or not. If he was, he was keeping it close to his chest; a wise strategy. Something told Twilight that he was far smarter than he looked, she needed proceed with caution.

Taking a gentle step to her left, Twilight paid close mind to Arax to see what he’d do. Sure enough, the changeling didn’t budge, which told Twilight that he was confident she could not get past him. This either meant he had something up his sleeve or he was overconfident. It was a gamble to find out which; a gamble that Twilight had to take.

Charging to his right side, Twilight turned her body backward and attempted to deliver a back kick, bucking strongly with her hind hooves, hoping for a hit. Her hoof collided with something that felt sturdy. Looking back, she blinked as her mouth hung open at what she saw. The changeling had fallen to his haunches and used his front two hooves to catch her kick between them. He held her hoof there tightly with a sinister grin on his fanged face. With little effort, he flung her upward from her hoof, sending Twilight twirling into the air.

The mare gracefully caught herself before she tumbled to the ground, and positioned herself upright once more, facing the insect-like creature. His strength was far more than the average changeling, that much was certain, but it wasn’t clear if it was become of Serenade’s power of his own doing. She cursed herself for not studying changelings more in depth, but she didn’t believe it would be helpful information.

“You’re pretty tough... For a bug...” Twilight taunted.

“Ironic, because you’re the one that’s about to get squashed, Twilight Sparkle. You can’t beat me, just accept it,” Arax stated.

He may have been right, but Twilight wasn’t about to reveal that to him. There had to be something she could do to get past him, something that would ensure she could make it to the mirror and utilize her pre-made teleportation spell. If she could just do that, she would be able to execute the rest of her plan and maybe, just maybe have a shot at saving Equestria from being ruled by an evil demon siren for all eternity. Everything hinged on this plan, but Twilight saw no way around the changeling.

With a grin, Arax held his right hoof outward. “Let’s make this fun...” he said.

The two apparently had different ideas of fun. While Twilight enjoyed a good book on the couch, Arax’s idea of fun likely involved the violent torturing of those weaker than him.

While his horn glowed, a shining energy formed a blade around his hoof. The magical weapon buzzed and sparkled as energy sparked off of it. Just looking at it, Twilight could tell that such a magical attack could be devastating. It was pretty advanced magic for a changeling, so there was no doubt in her mind now that he was far from an ordinary changeling.

As if she didn’t have enough problems to deal with, this new development meant that even getting close to the creature was a huge risk. That blade could cut her to shreds if she wasn’t careful.

Okay Twilight, you have a supercharged changeling with an energy blade blocking your path and you need to get around him to get to that mirror. If you fail here, then all of Equestria is likely doomed... No pressure then. Twilight thought to herself.

Trying to step to her right, Twilight realized that Arax clearly was right side dominate like herself, so if she focused her efforts on his left side, it might be enough to get past him. She didn’t need to beat him, just get around him and then hopefully outrun him.

Making a break for his left side, Twilight rushed him only to hear the sound of a blade slicing through the air, followed by a mild flash of red.

Falling back, she reached a hoof up and felt her left cheek. Sure enough, blood dripped from it. It was a small wound, but the sting was very real. The weapon created some kind of burning sensation just under her flesh. She gripped the wound, but withheld any obvious signs of pain. She didn’t want to give the bastard any kind of satisfaction from her suffering.

“Damn, I missed...” Arax stated as he held the blade up. “I was hoping to cut your horn off. It would be pretty amusing to stop you from ever doing magic again, don’t you think?”

“You’re twisted...” Twilight replied as she wiped the blood off of her face, certain that the wound would become a scar later.

“Am I? Maybe I am, but then again, maybe like Master Serenade... I just see the world for what it truly is?” Arax proposed.

“Seeing the world through your eyes would be the same as being blind,” Twilight responded, not showing any fear.

“Well, aren’t you a fucking philosopher?” Arax chuckled, blade still ready to strike if she dared to step closer.

It was useless, there was no way around him. With his new weapon, his reach was too great in the narrow hallway for Twilight to get past him. She needed something, anything to give him the slip.

As if someone had heard her thoughts and prayers, a bright light appeared in front of her, slowly taking a shape, until it was equine in appearance. Quickly, it changed hues until it was a pale pinkish purple, and resembled a familiar unicorn. Inevitably it became that very unicorn, causing Twilight to blink in surprise when her student was now standing in front of her.

She looked back at Twilight and nodded with a smile on her face before turning back to Arax with a determined look.

“Starlight? How did you get here!?” Twilight blinked.

Starlight smirked as she recited her own genius. “I sort of reverse engineered your teleport tablet spell and figured out how to use a live creature as a relay. In this case... You. I placed the spell on you before you left, so if you were in trouble I could show up.”

“While I’m impressed with your genius, Starlight, I explicitly told you to wait back at the base while I took care of this.” Twilight scolded.

Starlight shrugged. “I couldn’t just leave you here to get captured, hurt or killed. There is no telling what Serenade will do to you if that happens. Sorry, Twilight but everything you taught me tells me that I can’t abandon you now, even if it’s what you’re telling me to do. Sorry, I don’t mean to disobey you, but I can’t in good faith allow this to happen...”

Twilight sighed, she wanted to be upset with her, but how could she when Starlight had demonstrated that she had taken her lessons with Twilight seriously. She was a shining example of one of Twilight’s many successes.

“Alright, since you put it that way... What’s the plan?” Twilight grinned as the two girls faced Arax.

“Give me the short version of what’s going on?” Starlight asked, keeping her eyes on Arax.

“The others were captured, he’s all that stands in my way now. If I can get past him we can finish the mission...” Twilight explained.

“Then it sounds like I have just the plan...” Starlight whispered.

“Which is?” Twilight raised a brow.

“You go, I’ll distract him,” Starlight stated.

Twilight blinked. “I don’t know about that... Starlight, I have no idea how strong he really is, and that magic blade of his is pretty lethal.”

“We don’t have another option, Twilight. You have to go now if you want to make it to the mirror...” Starlight insisted.

Realizing there was no point (or time) to argue with her, Twilight nodded and accepted this new course of action.

Starlight gave her opponent a confident grin as she stared him down and addressed him. “How’s it going, bug boy?”

Arax raised a brow in confusion. “I suppose that’s supposed to insult me?”

“More like warning you... You think you can handle me, hot stuff?” Starlight replied.

“You’ll find that I have a way with women...” Arax sarcastically responded to her inquiry.

Enjoying the sarcastic conversation perhaps a little too much, Starlight gave him her own sarcastic reply. “Good, because when I win, you’re paying for dinner, got it?”

“And what if I win?” Arax asked.

She shrugged. “What do all guys want? Tell you what, you win, when we get to the bedroom you can do whatever you want.”

Twilight facehoofed at the ridiculous banter the two were having, hoping that Starlight would just get on with it, but it was in her nature to have fun, even when the situation was dire, perhaps it was a coping mechanism.

“I don’t know about any bedrooms, but tying you up definitely is on my to-do list... You’ll make a fine slave, for sure.” Arax grinned.

Starlight stamped her hoof in the ground as her horn glowed, ready to throw down with the powerful changeling. “I guess then if you win, I’ll be calling you ‘Master’ then?”

Arax laughed and nodded. “I’d like that actually, let’s see if I don’t break you first.”

Starlight nodded to Twilight, which was the silent signal to make a run for it the moment the fight started. Twilight got the idea and nodded back as Starlight took a fighting stance, her magic at the ready, conjuring a floating shield in front of herself. While she was not on the levels of a creature like Serenade, Starlight was far beyond what the “average” unicorn was capable of.

“I’ll give you the first strike, ladies first after all...” Arax gestured with his free hoof.

Starlight nodded to him with a grin. “Such a gentlecolt, I’m hoping that will continue when you buy me dinner.”

Arax found himself enjoying the taunting and fake flirting and was keeping in step with it. “Sweetie, I plan on treating you like trash the entire night.”

Starlight chuckled and leaped forward. Arax readied himself to swing at her but blinked and she had vanished in thin air, getting behind him with a teleport spell. Taking advantage of the surprise relocation, she shot a simple blast at him from her horn, which he turned in time to slash out of the way with his mighty blade.

“Not bad, a pretty quick strike for a pony...” He replied as he took a swing at her, slicing up only to be blocked by the floating shield that Starlight had conjured.

“I’m a fast learner!” Starlight responded as she made a sword of her own appear, though her’s was not hoof mounted and instead was a simple magic blade that levitated in the air in front of her. She took a few swipes at the changeling only for him to block each one with his blade.

The two clashed with their weapons and were brought only inches from the other’s face. Arax grunted and stared into the mare’s eyes. “You’re pretty tough for a girl... I like that...”

“Then why do you hang around weaklings like Serenade?” Starlight asked.

Arax used his strength to push Starlight back, and the two stood once again ready to strike when the other moved, weapons at the ready.

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew her... Serenade is way stronger than you can imagine, you haven’t even seen a fraction of her power...” Arax explained.

“Maybe we’re not meant for each other then.” Starlight frowned. “I prefer a stallion who relies on his own power.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed when I keep you as my pet.” Arax laughed.

“Should I meow or bark for you then?” Starlight asked, preparing for another assault.

The two jumped forward meeting blades in the air before coming down to the ground and swapping a few blows. Once their sword clashing ended, he grinned at her, his fangs really making his smile much more sinister. “Sweetheart, you can do whatever you want.”

“How generous of you.” Starlight nodded.

With a flash, Starlight conjured a wall of fire between the two of them. While Arax was trying to figure out how to dispense the wall, Starlight leaped through the flames at him, taking him by surprise, but it was a wasted effort, as Arax reacted fast enough and swatted her out of the way, causing her to tumble. Not wasting his opportunity, he jumped on top of her and placed the blade to her neck.

He didn’t want to take anymore chances with the crafty mare so he quickly cast a binding spell that held her down while he kept the blade pointed at her. “Well, my darling... That was quite a fight.”

“An amazing distraction you mean.” Starlight corrected.

His brow shot up at that remark.

“You forgot all about your other prize. You know? The one that Serenade was actually interested in?” Starlight taunted.

Arax looked behind himself and noted that Twilight Sparkle was gone. He figured that this mare’s plan was merely a distraction, but he had intended to keep an eye on Princess Twilight while he fought. He had allowed Starlight’s banter to get the better of him though, and lost focus.

“It’s not like she’ll make it out of this castle...” Arax stated.

Starlight smirked up at him as she was held down. “So... I guess I’m paying for that first date, huh?”

Arax looked back at her with a serious face. “Sweetie, you’re going to be doing more than that...”

“Oh good, you move fast too, huh? I hate when they take forever just to get to second base, don’t you?” Starlight continued to joke.

Making his blade disappear, Arax’s expression remained serious. “Don’t worry, I won’t make you wait. We’re going to Serenade right now actually...”

“Already taking me to meet your parents, huh?” Starlight teased.

Arax could already tell she was going to be an annoying prisoner.

Angel Song yawned as she looked at her cup of overly sweet coffee, in the to-go cup and sighed. It was tepid at this point, but she was always a slow coffee drinker. Her tongue was far too sensitive to drink hot things too quickly. For as long as she could remember she always had a sensitive tongue, which of course caused many blowjob jokes from her friend Starlight.

Sitting in the driver’s seat slurping down her second cup was Starlight who cooed in content at the warm beverage. “I swear I don’t know how the east coast survives without a Starbucks everywhere...”

Angel shrugged. “I think they are all about Dunkin Donuts?”

Starlight rolled her eyes at the thought. Her friend just giggled as she lifted her hand to her lips, the two gold bangles on her right wrist clacking as she did. “You’re an addict, you know that?”

“Yeah yeah, I’m a basic bitch, I know. I’ve heard it all before.” Starlight replied.

“Well, at least you’re not a basic white bitch?” Angel suggested.

Starlight sighed and shook her head. “I’m pretty sure that the amount of basic shit that I do pretty much has like pushed the Asian out of my body to where now I am 80%, white girl.”

“Your light complexion doesn’t help,” Angel pointed out.

“Thanks for that, you’re a true friend...” Starlight rolled her eyes.

“Relax, I think you look great.” Angel chuckled.

Starlight kept her eyes on the road as she replied. “Thanks, unfortunately, you’re not a guy so that means almost nothing to me, no offense.”

“You are so averse to being a lesbian aren’t you?” Angel asked.

Starlight winced at the question. “I have nothing against them, I just know that I like dick and that’s how it’s gonna stay.”

“Fair enough... So are we almost there?” Angel asked.

Starlight peeked at her phone before returning her attention to the road. “Yeah, we’re here. Lemme find somewhere to park.”

After a moment or two of searching, the girl pulled her car over and parked it. Turning it off she took a deep breath and looked over at her friend in the passenger seat. “Alright, so let’s go over the mission again?”

It had been some time ago that the girls had continued digging on their mysterious Applejack. Rooting around online they were able to locate an article about a rodeo with a woman holding a child that resembled the girl, Angel had grown confident that the little girl in the picture and the one from her vision were one in the same. It was the only clue they had sadly, so it was all they had to go on.

Digging around they had discovered she was from a small town in West Virginia, so that is where they had traveled to from Sacramento. It had taken them some time to get the time off of work and the money together to make the trip, but they were determined to find answers.

“So we’re looking for this woman.” Angel produced the photo of the person in question on her phone.

“So the plan is, we ask around, gather any info we can find and then go from there?” Starlight asked.

“Sounds about right,” Angel responded with a nod.

“Alright, let’s stop to use the bathroom at this gas station first, I’ve had to go for hours,” Starlight stated.

Sighing, Angel nodded as the two stepped out of the car, and were instantly hit with a gust of cold wind. Starlight scrunched her arms together in her hoodie. “Holy shit, it’s fucking cold out here... How do these people live here?”

In her short sleeves, Angel regretted not bringing a hoodie as well. “Yeah, it’s pretty chilly out here...”

The two girls rubbing their arms stepped into the gas station to where Starlight rushed to the bathroom, leaving Angel to wander and browse the store herself. Finding her way to a poster on the wall, she examined it with intrigue.

Open Mic Night

Join us in our annual open mic singing competition! Every year we gather the best voices in town to compete for a chance to win $8,000 and the honor of being known as the greatest voice in West Virginia!

Do you have what it takes? Entry fee is only $8.00, ask any shop owner with one of these flyers for details on how to enter!

Angel’s train of thought was interrupted by a lower pitched voice from behind the counter of the register. “Thinkin’ about enterin’ young lady?”

Almost jumping from surprise, Angel turned to see the middle-aged woman from behind the counter giving her a genuine smile. She had a little bit of grey in her hair and a wrinkle or two on her face, but she was still decent in the appearance department. If Angel had to guess, she’d have said she was in her late thirties.

Looking at her, Angel blinked before answering. “Me? Oh no, I... I’m no good at singing...” She frowned.

The voice of Starlight came from behind her as she stood there, she yelped as she felt her hand placed upon her shoulder suddenly. “Don’t let her fool you, I hear her sing in the bathroom all the time! She’s got an amazing voice!”

Angel blushed and shrunk down a bit. “Well... I don’t know about that...”

The shopkeeper laughed at the two. “I take it you two came here together?”

“Yes, ma’am. We’re a decent way away from home actually,” Starlight admitted with a grin.

“I could tell, with y’all bundled up like that. It ain’t even that cold.” She laughed at the two, causing them both to examine their attire. Angel questioned if her scarf was perhaps a bit much.

“We came here from Sacramento,” Angel explained.

The woman’s mouth opened in awe. “What are two California girls doing out in a place like this then?”

“We actually are sort of looking for someone,” Starlight replied before pulling her phone out with the photo, offering it to the shopkeeper. “Have you ever seen this woman?”

She leaned in and adjusted her glasses to get a better look. “Can’t say I have, however, you may want to check with old Haybale at the supply store. He’s been here so long he practically knows anyone who came through these parts, plus I am sure he’d be more than happy to help two young ladies if you know what I mean?” She winked at that last bit.

Angel blushed and looked away bashfully, but Starlight just rolled her eyes. “Awesome, the only time I’ll get a man’s attention and he’ll likely be old enough to be my grandfather...”

“Tell him that Bell sent you, I’m sure he’ll be helpful.” The woman said with a nod.

The two girls bowed lightly to Bell and stood up with a smile. “Thank you, ma’am. We really appreciate it.”

“Good luck.” She laughed as she watched the two leave.

Serenade sat bored on her throne, her head resting on her hoof. She groaned and snarled as she waited for virtually anything of interest to happen.

She had gone over as many of Twilight’s notes and tome as she had the motivation for already, and now she was growing tired of it. Every single one seemed to utter the same nonsense about how friendship was the key to happiness, and that one should depend upon the ponies they care about if they want to get far in life. It was absolute rubbish and it was making her sick just to read it.

Being as strong as she was at this point did create a new problem for the siren: there was no amusement anymore. Without a challenge for her power, she was growing aloof. She took no pleasure in anything that wasn’t tormenting her enemies in some way.

With her power reaching the level it was currently at, she had transcended the need for many activities; eating, drinking, and of course sleeping. Without the need for sleep that created a good additional eight hour of the day to fill, which was tiresome ironically.

“Gah! I am so fucking bored!” Serenade screeched in annoyance.

The door to her Ponyville throne room shot open with an armored guard standing there bowing his head. “Master!” He called out.

Serenade growled at him as she stared him down. “How many times have I told you to knock before entering this chamber!?”

He shrank down and his ears flipped back as he took his scolding. “Master, I am sorry... However, I bring urgent news...”

“What news could be so urgent that it mandates you disobey the strict orders I have given you?” Serenade hissed.

Keeping low, and his voice doing the same, he meekly responded. “Ma’am, we have spotted Twilight Sparkle in the castle!”

Serenade came to a stand and blinked. She knew about Twilight’s friends breaking in and trying to nose their way around, and had already taken them prisoner, but to think that Twilight herself would be foolish enough to walk right into her domain. She grinned and stepped off of her throne.

“It’s as if my prayers have been heard...” Serenade spoke quietly.

“Ma’am?” The guard trembled.

A long black tendril reached out and touched his shoulder, causing him to shudder. Serenade came close and met his eye with her own. “Take me to our friend, Twilight. We shouldn’t keep her waiting after all...”

Twilight’s plan wasn’t going entirely smoothly, but everything had been falling into place somehow, regardless. Starlight’s arrival wasn’t calculated into her original design, but her interruption proved more than helpful given the circumstances. With their friends captured, Starlight was essential to finishing what they started. When she distracted Arax, Twilight made a break for the mirror chamber.

She just needed to clear a small distance to get to the chamber where the mirror was hidden and pull on a nearby light fixture and she would be able to use her teleportation tablet to bring it back to the Royal Training Ground where it would be far out of Serenade’s clutches. Just thinking about the demon’s long dangling tendrils sent chills down Twilight’s spine.

Her armor had been fitted not to rattle as she ran, which was a plus for this situation. She bolted toward the known location of the hidden passage to get to the mirror and turned to enter, trying to catch her breath as she did so. Fortunately for her, she was in far better shape than she had been a few months back, so it wasn’t a difficult task. Discord had pushed her to strengthen her body with her mind, and that was proving to be extra helpful at that moment. Had she still been the out of shape librarian that she once was, the entire ordeal may have been more of a challenge to her.

With her mind on the prize, Twilight spotted the light fixture and practically jumped to grab it in her hoof and pulled it down. The sound of rumbling and creaking filled the room as a wall began to move aside to make way for a small chamber.

There in the room no bigger than a broom closet was the pristine mirror, shining at Twilight elegantly. At that moment, it was more than a mirror, it was her chance at saving Equestria.

Approaching it slowly, Twilight let out a sigh of relief. “Hello, old friend...” Twilight spoke to the object.

“Hello indeed...” A familiar effeminate voice responded from behind the alicorn.

Twilight flinched and carefully turned her head to see a face she was hoping she wouldn’t have to see. Long golden locks with red tips, a pristine and perfectly clean white coat, and of course, black tendrils flailing about like they had a life of their own (though Twilight suspected that they did).

“Isn’t this a surprise? Twilight Sparkle delivering herself to my custody... Quite generous of you, I might add...” Serenade smirked.

Stepping backward, Twilight gulped but held strong. “Don’t get too overconfident, Serenade...” Twilight warned.

“You have nothing to threaten me with, Twilight Sparkle. I hold all the cards now, your friends, your mentors, you family, everything is in my hoof, and you’re going to have to beg me for mercy when I’m done...” Serenade taunted.

Taking a few more careful steps back toward the mirror, Twilight kept the conversation going. “You’re nothing more than a leach.”

“Is that what you said to my sister before you murdered her?” Serenade asked, her tone incredibly serious.

“You’ll never know what your sister and I discussed.” Twilight shook her head, head back hoof touching the mirror’s base now.

“That’s big talk, considering there’s nowhere for you to run to now. I wonder if you’ll be so tight-lipped when I bring you to my little home away from home to torture you... I wonder how long it’ll take for you to tell me all you know...” Serenade mused.

Twilight grinned as she quickly reached into her bag, retrieving the clay tablet and preparing to break it on the ground. “I guess you’ll never know.” She stated.

“Huh?” Serenade raised a brow.

Before she knew it, the tablet struck the floor and dissolved into dust, but with it, Twilight and the mirror vanished into thin air, leaving nothing but dust behind.

Serenade growled but remained as calm as she could, knowing that tormenting her was all part of how Twilight Sparkle was attempting to get the better of her, and she was determined to make sure it didn’t work.

“You may be able to delay the inevitable, Twilight Sparkle... But you can’t hide from me forever...” Serenade spoke to herself.

Deciding not to take the car such a short distance, Angel and Starlight made a short walk to the mentioned supply store, looking up at the old beaten sign to read the words “Haybale’s Tractor Supply”. Starlight chuckled at how rustic it looked and gave a simple “quaint” comment before the two young girls walked inside.

Noting that there wasn’t a soul inside, Starlight cleared her throat and yelled for assistance. “Hello?”

The sound of rustling and clanking could be heard from underneath one of the many massive tractors inside, and sure enough, a man well in his eighties more than likely popped out from under. Squinting from behind his glasses, he smiled at the two girls as he offered a hand. “Mind helping an old timer up?”

Starlight and Angel both shrugged and took both sides of his hand and team lifted him into an upright position. He groaned as he ached, but overall he seemed to be alright as he nodded, brushing a lock of his thinning grey hair out of his face. “Howdy, what brings you, young ladies, here?”

Starlight could already feel the flirtatious nature within him. She mentally took back what she had said about him being old enough to be her grandfather, he was clearly old enough to be her great grandfather.

“Hello there, my name is Starlight and this is my friend, Angel.” Starlight gestured with her thumb to the timid girl standing behind her who stood awkwardly with her hands dangling in front of herself.

He nodded. “Pleasure to meet ya’. Where y’all from?”

“Sacramento.” Angel peeked from behind Starlight, keeping her distance from the odd older gentleman, feeling his thirsty eyes undressing her and Starlight. While he seemed far from dangerous, in front of him, somehow Angel felt naked. Starlight clearly possessed more confidence than her friend, as she seemed to be indifferent toward Haybale’s scanning of her figure.

In the current scenario, Starlight was thankful that she chose to go with the grey skinny jeans which showed off her legs and shapely behind, as it was definitely working wonders on this old man and his cooperation.

“Sacra-where?” His furry eyebrow shot up.

“California,” Starlight replied plainly.

“Ya’ don’t say. What’re y’all doing out this way then? Yer’ a long ways away from California here.” He chuckled before reaching to a nearby counter to grab a dirty old rag to wipe his hands. The rag was so outdated and used, however, that it didn’t do much to free his hands of the black oil coating them, oil that Starlight and Angel now had on their own, both consciously trying to avoid touching their clothing. The rag looked like it might have been as old as he was.

“We’re sort of looking for someone, we were wondering if you had seen this girl...” Starlight asked as she retrieved her phone, once again displaying the picture of the orange haired woman with curly locks.

Looking over the photo, he squinted and made odd faces as he examined it, nodding at the two girls. “Sure have, name’s Pear Butter. Pretty little thing, her family used to own the old ranch over yonder, but since her pa’ passed it remains abandoned now.”

“What about her then?” Angel asked.

He shrugged. “No one knows. Went on a campin’ trip with the family some years back, probably close to a decade now, I reckon. Anyhoo, their car quit on ‘em up in the mountain pass a few dozen miles from here.”

“So?” Starlight raised a brow, wondering how that was relevant.

“Supposedly they got outta’ the car to go lookin’ fer’ help, left their two kids back in the car till they returned,” he explained, “car eventually came back with the oldest drivin’ it. Tyke was maybe thirteen or somethin’, got out carryin’ an old huntin’ rifle askin’ fer’ help.”

“What about Pear Butter?” Angel curiously asked, admittedly she was intrigued by the story.

He shook his head. “Never came back. Sent a search party up to the mountains to look fer’ her an’ her husband.”

“And?” Starlight crossed her arms, getting a bit impatient with the story.

He shrugged. “Never found her. Dunno what happened to her or her husband, only the two kids came back.”

“Do you remember if her daughter’s name was Applejack?” Angel questioned, trying to hold back the sadness she was feeling after being told such a depressing story.

Again, old Haybale shrugged. “Dunno, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen them. Y’all might find more answers back at the old ranch. Place ain’t been occupied fer’ at least half a decade now, ‘spose there ain’t any harm in y’all pokin’ around in there, right?”

“Can you give us directions?” Starlight requested.

“Pretty little things like y’all? Sure can.” He winked before snagging one of many tourist maps on the counter, scribbling on it and circling an area before handing the dirty map to her.

Starlight grimaced but faked a smile as she took the map from him, bowing lightly. “Thanks, we really appreciate it.”

“What’re y’all interested in this old news fer’ anyway? Y’all some kinda’ reporters?” He questioned.

Looking behind her, Starlight and Angel met eyes, trying to figure out a good excuse. Both of the taller girls froze for a brief second before they turned back to him. “We’re... Sort of trying to solve a mystery, I guess you could say?”

“Mystery? What for?” He seemed even more suspicious than before.

“We’re writers!” Angel lied.

Blinking, Starlight looked behind herself at Angel and raised a brow to give her a “really?” Face. Deciding to go with it now that the lie was out there, she returned to looking at Haybale and nodded in agreement with Angel’s fabrication. “Yeah, it’s for a book we’re working on about missing people out in rural places. The kind of stuff you don’t hear about often, you know?”

“What would a bunch o’ city folk wanna read any of that for?” He asked.

“You’d be surprised. Most people in the city like to hear about places they don’t frequent, we figured out here was a good place to start,” Starlight lied.

He chuckled and nodded, seeming to buy their bullshit story. “Well, y’all just be careful not to get yourselves into trouble, ya’ hear?”

“Yes, sir.” Angel bowed her head.

“Anyhoo, good luck.” He nodded as the two girls bowed lightly before turning to head toward the door, both confident that he was staring at their asses on their way out.

Once they were outside and out of earshot, they began their trek back to the car, with Starlight being the first to break their silence. “Writing a book? At first, I thought it sounded dumb, but I have to admit... You’re pretty smooth, Angel.”

“Thanks, but it really was just the first thing that I could think of, to be honest.” Angel frowned.

“You get better at thinking on your toes the more you’re around me it seems, now come on, let’s go check out this ranch.” Starlight offered her hand, which Angel took.

Twilight’s spell had worked, she had actually managed to get the mirror back to their makeshift base of operations in one piece, and herself with it. She caught her breath for a moment as she reveled at how amazed she was that her plan actually worked.

Sitting down next to the mirror, she let out a sigh, thankful that dealing with Serenade directly was over for now, though the uncomfortable part of her plan was far from over.

The princess didn’t get much reprieve, however, as the voice of a young drake startled her. “Twilight? You’re back already?”

Looking up, she saw Spike standing there with a confused expression. The dragon who looked up to her, who saw her as his mother and teacher. It pained her to know she was about to tell him much of her failures and terrible doings.

“Hey, Spike. Yes, I made it back... The mirror is safe.”

He looked around the room, noting how empty it was. “Where is everypony else?”

Frowning and sighing, Twilight stood up. “Gone...”

“You mean...?” Spike’s eyes filled with horror.

She nodded. “Serenade captured all of them... Starlight showed up at the last minute to save me. I managed to escape with the mirror just in time before Serenade grabbed me too...”

“What is going to happen to them?” Spike gulped.

“Nothing good, for sure,” Twilight guessed.

“We have to rescue them!” Spike spoke getting ready to turn and run out to go after their friends.

Twilight reached forward and placed a hoof on his shoulder, stopping the eager lad from leaving. “Not yet, we have to prepare or we’d be walking into another trap...”

“But-“ Spike tried to respond but Twilight cut him off.

“Serenade won’t kill them, not yet anyway. No doubt in my mind that she knows they are the elements of harmony, and if she were to kill them, the elements would be reborn somewhere else, meaning she’d have to track them down again, giving me a chance to find them before she does. She’ll keep them alive for that reason...” Twilight explained.

Spike couldn’t argue with that logic, but it bothered him to think of what kind of torment their friends would endure from Serenade while they were powerless to stop it.

“What now then?” Spike questioned.

“I have enough power to open the portal a few times, but there are some things we need to get from the human world... I need you to stay here and watch this place while I’m gone though...” Twilight spoke, placing her other hoof on his other shoulder and looking the boy in the eyes.

“No way, I’m tired of waiting! I’m coming with you!”

Twilight hissed at him. “Listen to me, Spike. Don’t be like Starlight! You need to stay here in case I somehow don’t come back. Everything could rely on you then, please do what I say.”

He wanted to object and tell her she was crazy if she thought she was going to go without him, but he could see it in her eyes, Twilight was genuinely worried she may actually need a fall back plan this time around. Letting out a sigh, he nodded. “Yeah, okay, I’ll stay behind...”

“Good.” Twilight smiled as she released him.

Turning to the mirror she closed her eyes and focused a portion of the small amount of magic she had left. She was approaching the end of her reserves and with Serenade’s touch still in effect on her body, her horn was not generating more. She had to make every little bit count now.

Grabbing a saddlebag she had prepared prior, Twilight hoisted it over and onto her body.

The mirror whirred and echoed until it activated, its surface rippling like a puddle ready to be dived into. Stepping toward the mirror, Twilight looked back at Spike with a nod. “Wish me luck.”

He gave her a thumbs up. “I’ll see you soon.”

Nodding again to him, she stepped into the portal proper.

After she vanished, Spike frowned. “Hopefully...”

Sunset’s young wife had gone off to bed some time ago and was out cold at this point. After a long day with their daughter, the two women were exhausted but filled with joy and content. Both of them had never felt so fulfilled in their lives, and Sunset was proud of the small baby wrapped up and rested in her new crib.

Looking down at the sleeping child, Sunset lingered for a few more seconds before whispering to her. “Mommy loves you so much, Horizon... However, I guess it’s time for me to go to sleep as well. I’ll see you in the morning, little one.”

Stepping away from the crib and leaving the door open in case the baby woke up, she crept into the hallway and back toward her office with a yawn. Sunset wanted to check her emails one last time before bed, so she meandered toward her office and sat down in the revolving chair there.

Grabbing the computer mouse to wake her screen, she found herself scrolling through emails in no time, most of which were junk or things she could ignore until tomorrow.

When she was certain there was nothing that required her immediate attention, she tapped the button to turn the screen off and stood up to leave.

The sound of rumbling caught her attention, however. She turned back around and looked at the computer to see if it had woken back up, and sure enough, it remained off.

Sunset squinted as she peered around the room for the source of what sounded like vibrations. Reaching down to her jeans, she pulled out her phone and checked it. Nothing. The noise wasn’t coming from her phone.

Looking around, she noticed it was coming from a bag in the corner of the room. Carefully, she approached and unzipped the book bag and reached inside to find the source of the vibrating noise. Her hands felt a semi-heavy and solid object that she pulled out of the bag and blinked as she realized what it was: her journal that Twilight and she utilized to communicate between worlds.

It was glowing and vibrating signifying an incoming message. She blinked once more before flipping it open to read the message.

Sunset,

Sorry that I haven’t been responding to your messages, I got a little caught up in some stuff, but I don’t have time to get into it now. Listen, I need a huge favor from you, the biggest favor I’ve ever asked anyone for in my entire life.

An emergency situation is happening, and I need to meet with you tonight as soon as possible. Meet me at the portal, and please hurry, it’s very urgent. I apologize in advance for the inconvenience.

Princess Twilight

Sunset closed the book and sighed as she realized it was going to be a bit longer before she got some sleep. It wasn’t like Princess Twilight to skip all of the formalities and even use poor letter writing etiquette; something was most definitely wrong.

Racing to her bedroom, Sunset peeked inside to see her wife was still asleep. She tip-toed in and leaned down, planting a kiss on her lover’s forehead causing her to stir and coo in her sleep. Sunset smiled at the response before heading to the door, “sleep well, babe...” She whispered, knowing that she likely couldn’t hear her.

Before Sunset knew it, she was down the stairwell and grabbed her jacket to go and meet with the Princess.

Princess Twilight had made it to the human world a good two hours ago at this point and in that time she had managed to locate the other two sirens that had belonged to Adagio’s entourage and convince them to accompany her back to Equestria. Twilight wanted to add a little irony to the fight, but also felt that these girls might know a thing or two about sirens that could assist her fight against Serenade.

It didn’t take too much convincing to get them to join her. Despite besting them in the battle of the bands forever ago, and taking their power from them, the two girls seemed all too eager to prove that they had been on a path of reformation. While she was curious as to the reasoning, Twilight didn’t have the luxury of time, so she opted not to inquire any further. She took their agreement at face value and now the three girls were waiting for the last person to show up.

Sonata and Aria stood with their arms crossed looking back and forth at each other while sneaking a peek or two at Twilight, unsure of what they should be feeling at that moment.

An expensive looking car pulled up and stopped. There was a long eight seconds until the driver’s side door opened and a long toned leg covered by tight black leggings stepped out. The rest of the woman was wearing a rather casual tank top covered by a leather jacket that didn’t really go too well with her outfit. The Princess surmised that she had just been about to head to bed, given the time.

Sunset’s red hair was a mess, but at that moment she really didn’t care. Stepping closer to the group there was a short pause before she noticed Aria and Sonata standing there, causing her to squint in disapproval. Her disdain for the two caused her to not even notice Twilight’s new haircut or the healing cut on her face.

“What are these two doing here?” Sunset asked sternly, her voice suggesting she was ready to have a go at them at the drop of a hat.

Twilight waved her hands dismissively. “They’re on our side, I promise.”

“Debatable...” Sunset scoffed.

“Nonetheless, I called upon them for help...” Twilight explained.

Sunset blinked, curious as to what situation would be dire enough for Twilight to call upon sirens for help. Sirens that they both had defeated before no-less.

“Help with what exactly? Why are we here, Twilight?” Sunset asked.

Twilight took a deep breath and exhaled before answering. “Sunset... I hate to do this, but I need your help...”

“With what?” Sunset asked, her heart starting to beat a little faster with the feeling that something she didn’t want to hear was about to be presented to her.

“Sunset... Equestria has been taken over... Completely conquered...” Twilight frowned.

“What!?” Sunset blinked in astonishment. This was hardly the news she was expecting.

Twilight nodded. “A demon siren came in and completely conquered virtually everywhere. All of my friends have been captured by her, she’s holding them hostage...”

Sunset leaned in with interest. “How though? How could a siren get that strong?”

“A demon siren,” Twilight corrected.

Aria chimed in. “Twilight told us all about it, apparently this siren has reached a level that not even we’ve ever seen before. She’s basically almost a god if her power is to be believed.”

“No way...” Sunset shook her head in disbelief.

“Way, she stole most of Twilight’s magic even...” Sonata added.

Sunset looked at the Princess with concerned eyes, placing her hands on her shoulders. “Is it true?”

Twilight nodded with a frown. “I only have a small amount left, enough to bring me here, and maybe hold the mirror open for a small amount of time. I’d say three months at best... And that’s pushing it.”

Sunset couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What kind of demon is this?”

“Serenade Dazzle.” Aria waved her hand.

Dazzle. The name clicked in Sunset’s mind.

“You mean...” She didn’t even need to finish the sentence as Sonata finished it for her.

“Adagio’s little sister.”

“She had a sister!?” Sunset exclaimed.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, and now she’s taken over Equestria, it’s why I’ve come here for your help.”

“What do you need me to do? What can I do even!?” Sunset was floored, she had no clue how she’d be of any use in a situation like this.

“Sunset... I hate to do this... But you are the only one left who has any bit of magic now. You also have experience fighting sirens, I want you to come back to Equestria with us and help us fight Serenade.” Twilight pleaded, her hands clasped together in a begging stance.

Sunset was still processing everything when she replied. “A creature like that... I doubt I’d be able to stop something that’s that strong...”

“I won’t lie to you, Sunset. There is a chance you could die. There is a chance that all of us could die, and I can’t promise when you’ll be able to go home. Sending people through the mirror back and forth would drain a lot of my remaining power, and the mirror is linked to my magic currently, and the process of changing it over would require a lot of magic on my part, magic that I don’t have...” Twilight frowned.

Already knowing where this was going, Sunset sighed and closed her eyes. “So what you’re saying is...”

“It’s a one-way trip currently. Until we defeat Serenade and get my magic back... You’d likely be stuck there. I can keep the portal open for a little while, but only enough to send someone back once after we go through. So until we get my magic back, we’d be stranded...” Twilight explained.

Sunset felt a mixture of emotions, anger, sadness, regret, guilt, and confusion. This was all too much for her, especially given what had been happening in her life up to this point. This morning when she woke up, she was certain that she had finally achieved a “normal” life finally. No more magic, no more big adventures, no more supervillains, but within eighteen hours from that time, she was back to square one.

“Twilight... Do you realize what you’re asking of me?” Sunset kept her eyes closed and her voice low.

“I do. I wouldn’t ask if I had any other options, Sunset,” she assured.

“My daughter was just born, Twilight.” Sunset growled.

“Please, Sunset... If you don’t do this... It’s the end of our world... I need you...” Twilight pleaded.

She wanted to say no. She wanted to tell the Princess that that life was behind her now and she had to deal with her own problems. She wanted to tell her to piss off and not try to strip her from her new life. Somehow a kinder way of saying it came out of her mouth.

“I... I can’t, Twilight... I get that this is serious and that you are in trouble, but I can’t just abandon my family here... I promised I was giving Equestria up, and I meant it. I need to stick to that...” Sunset kept her eyes closed as she replied, trying to fight back tears.

Twilight wasn’t satisfied with her answer. She didn’t want to resort to forcing Sunset’s hand, but given the circumstances, she had little in the way of options.

“So that’s it then? You are just going to let Equestria suffer? Let us all die when Serenade is done using us for her own sick twisted pleasure?” Twilight spoke.

She felt guilty and disgusted with herself for resorting to manipulating Sunset the way she was, but desperation required her to do so. She had a duty to the ponies of Equestria and that meant she had to risk making Sunset hate her if it meant she could get a chance at saving them.

“Don’t put this on me, Twilight! I didn’t put them in this situation!” Sunset’s eyes opened and she barked at the princess.

“Yet you had something to do with it,” Twilight responded plainly. At this point, Twilight had turned off her emotions, she had chosen to ignore the voice in her head telling her that she was risking hurting Sunset. Her mouth and body were now operating solely on logic; one logical ideal specifically: do whatever it took to get Sunset on her side.

“That’s bullshit and you know it!” Sunset barked.

Seeing her anger flare up, Twilight knew she was hitting a soft spot. “Is it? You’re not from this world, Sunset. You came here with no right to stay. I allowed you to do that, I prevented intervention that would have forced you back to Equestria. Technically speaking, you being here posed risks for us all. I allowed it after we figured out how to open the mirror manually. There was a time when the royal council considered pulling you back to avoid mishaps in the human world, I spoke in your favor. I’m the reason you even get to have you little life here...”

“So now you’re threatening me?” Sunset blinked in complete shock. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Twilight shrugged, her expression remaining neutral. “You being here is why we used that spell to stop you when you turned evil in the first place. That same spell that caused Adagio and the others to approach you, and thus resulted in the events that ultimately got Shimmer killed and then Adagio... That sparked what is happening now in Equestria, so in a way, yes this is partially your fault.”

Sunset gripped the girl’s shirt and pulled her close, baring her teeth as she reeled back a fist ready to punch her. With her this close, it was only now that Sunset noticed the small cut on her cheek.

“The blood is on your hands if you choose to do nothing, Sunset,” Twilight said, not really concerned if she got punched or not. “You know what’s happening now, and you’re still choosing to do nothing about it.”

Sunset’s fist trembled for a few seconds before she released the girl and sighed, trying to calm herself down. She had realized at that moment that she never really had a choice. “Fine... I’ll go with you...”

“I’m sorry it had to be this way, Sunset...” Twilight attempted to apologize.

Sunset held up her hand and shook her head. “Save it... After this... We’re even though.”

Author's Note

Wow! This one was a challenge to write because there was so much going on! It actually took me up to the very last minute to finish it on time! This literally was the longest chapter in the entire story so far and the longest finale of an act to date.

So, that concludes Act V! Stay tuned for Act VI as we get closer to the final part of the story.

Intermission V-1: Investigation

Angel and Starlight opened the respective door on both sides of the car and stepped out, shutting them and turning around to the trunk. Starlight flipped it open and retrieved a set of flashlights that she had decided to bring with her for the trip. Starlight prided herself on always being prepared regardless of the circumstance, and thus kept a set of flashlights, rope, duct tape, a fire blanket, jumper cables and even a spare gas can in the back of her car. Her friends often saw her as paranoid when they saw the snow pants though, wondering why she would need them in California. She always just reminded them you never know where you’d end up.

Angel didn’t nag her though, Angel was always cool with everything Starlight did, part of why she was glad to have her as a best friend. She was as agreeable as she was dependable, a true companion in any situation.

Snatching one of the flashlights, Starlight checked to make sure if it worked and nodded before passing it to Angel. She took one for herself and nodded before closing the trunk. Looking at her friend, she sighed. “Okay, so we dig around a bit, find anything we can and we get out of here. This place is giving me the creeps.”

Nodding in agreement, Angel clutched the flashlight close to her small chest. “I agree, something about this old ranch is kind of eerie…”

“To be fair, our apartment would look this creepy if we weren’t attending to it for a few years as well, wouldn’t it?” Starlight mused.

“Probably, but that doesn’t mean I want to spend any extra time here…” Angel frowned.

Starlight couldn’t argue with that sentiment and nodded once more as both girls approached the old ranch. It had only been abandoned for a few years now, but it was definitely showing signs of needing repairs after likely being buffeted by numerous harsh seasons. The snow hitting the area for the past few years likely did a number on it for sure.

They approached the gate and Starlight hoisted herself over it, offering her hand to Angel to assist her friend over as well. Angel took Starlight’s small hand and was pulled over the top. Angel was far from athletic, thus relying a lot on Starlight’s help when it came to physical activity.

Once they were on the other side, they approached the farmhouse, taking note of the fields that had old trees still growing fruit even after all these years. It was interesting to think that the farm continued long past the owners’ lives. The old man that owned the place probably would be proud to know his trees were still giving it 100% even after he wasn’t there to tend to them, though the quality of their fruit was likely questionable at this point.

“I’m not a farmer, but I’d say that’s a pretty good harvest right there.” Starlight pointed.

Angel just nodded as the two girls reached the entrance to the house. Rattling the door, Starlight cursed when it didn’t open. “Fuck.”

“I guess we should have anticipated it was locked…” Angel frowned.

Starlight turned to face her friend. “Should we knock it down?”

“Let’s look for a key first? Just because the owner passed away doesn’t mean we should go around breaking the place, right?” Angel proposed.

Starlight sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right…”

“Check under the mat maybe?” Angel suggested.

Snapping her fingers and giving her friend a smile, Starlight gave her an approving nod, appreciating her line of thinking. “Good idea.”

Stepping back to lift the mat, Starlight inspected it, and sadly there was no key to be found. “Damn…”

Angel peered across the ground, noting odd rock formations in the small dead garden in front of the door. Leaning down, she tried to move each large rock she found until one of them seemed rather light given its size. Lifting it up, she flipped it upside down and sure enough, there was a compartment on the bottom. The blue-haired girl snapped it open and retrieved a key marked “Farmhouse” on it.

She presented the key to her best friend with a grin.

“You’re awesome, know that? If we were a mystery solving duo, I’m sure you’d be Sherlock Holmes.” Starlight winked before taking the key.

“So long as I get to be British…” Angel giggled as Starlight opened the door, allowing the two women to enter.

Opening the door, they were met with a very dusty foyer. It wasn’t a particularly big house, but it was filled with furniture and tidy living arrangements. Whoever lived here, certainly didn’t keep a messy home. It was as if they all had just gone to bed that night and never woke up. The place was relatively pristine for being uncared for, despite the dust.

“Alright, I guess it’s time to start looking around…” Starlight suggested as she flicked on her light.

Angel did likewise and nodded.

Splitting up to explore the living room, Starlight wandered over to an old hutch. Dusting off the mantle, she examined an old photograph of a woman who appeared to be a teenager with vibrant orange curly hair. She was a pretty thing, pale as all could be, but she had a southern rustic kind of cuteness to her. Starlight imagined she was the kind of daughter that a father would need to keep his eye on. The kind of daughter that her father thought he had.

There was no mistaking it, however, this young teen was obviously Pear Butter, and this was definitely her home, they had found it.

Looking through the pictures available, Starlight opened the hutch to find an old photo album. “Jackpot…” She whispered to herself.

Opening the old book, she blew some of the dust off and began to scan through the photos. Fortunately for her, the album was organized and labeled, and an entire section was dedicated to Pear Butter, and it was evident from the said section that the girl’s father absolutely adored her; there were photos from the day she was born, documenting virtually every aspect of her life that her father witnessed. Her first birthday, her first time working the fields, her first lost tooth, everything.

Flipping through the album, however, Starlight noticed that after the girl’s sixteenth birthday, there wasn’t a thing left.

She thumbed through it again to make sure she wasn’t mistaken, and sure enough, she wasn’t. After age sixteen, everything on this girl in the album seemed to disappear.

Setting the book down, she retrieved her phone and pulled up the photo they had of her. Noting the age listed on the photo, she squinted. The photo clipped from a newspaper had her listed as being in her mid-twenties. Looking back at the album, Starlight thought this fact over, also noticing that nothing in the album suggested that her father had any photos of the woman’s daughter.

There was obviously some kind of family disconnect after Pear had turned sixteen or so, one that likely would require more investigation. A gut feeling in Starlight suggested that the answers were somewhere in the house.

Calling out to Angel, with the album tucked under her arm, Starlight shined her flashlight toward the other side of the house. “Angel? Where are you? Did you find anything?”

Angel blinked and turned her light toward her friend and smiled before covering her red-tinted eyes from the bright light. Her blue hair looking more vibrant than ever in the poor lighting. Apologizing, Starlight lowered her light letting the girl recover from the blinding effect. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright; what have you got there?” Angel pointed to the album tucked under Starlight’s arm.

Looking down at the album, Starlight offered it to Angel. “Take a look.”

Flipping through it casually, Angel tried to absorb as much of the photos as she could, trying to make sense of what was in the book. After a good eighty seconds or so of flipping through it, she looked back up at Starlight hoping for some explanation or clarity.

“This is definitely the right house,” Starlight stated.

Angel nodded, though the photos had made that quite obvious.

Starlight pointed to the book in Angel’s hands and voiced her further thoughts. “Something must have happened between the family that caused Pear Butter to leave when she was a teenager. There are no more photos of her past the age of sixteen, and I don’t see anything else here that suggests she was here past that age…”

Scanning over the photos, Angel noted how Pear’s father appeared to have been a very loving and doting father figure to his daughter. It would have taken something extreme to have changed that. “Some kind of fight in the family, I guess?”

“Maybe…” Starlight scratched her neck in thought.

Angel tilted her flashlight to the other side of the house. “I found something that leads to a cellar, I’m going to go check it out, okay?”

“Haven’t you seen horror movies? We’re not supposed to split up!” Starlight teased.

“I don’t watch that trash, and this isn’t a horror movie, Starlight, this is real life…” Angel rolled her eyes before turning to head toward the cellar. “Keep exploring up here,” Angel added.

“Yes, mother.” Starlight chuckled before wandering off once again to a staircase that brought her to the top floor.

The old stairs creaked and groaned as she ascended them, and met with a long hallway of eight doors; four on the left and four on the right. She sighed as she realized she would likely need to try them all.

The first door on the right seemed to open up to a bathroom. Poking her head and light inside, she rummaged around in the medicine cabinet, noting a distinct lack of feminine products, further proving her point that no woman had lived her in some time.

It didn’t take long before Starlight realized there was nothing she could learn from examining old toiletry and left, checking the next door on the right to find an old linen closet with dusty old sheets. She moved them around to find very little of interest, shy of a few dead spiders. She grimaced as she put the sheets back and shut the closet.

So far her search had been uneventful, but she remained hopeful she’d find something of value.

The third and fourth doors on the right were both locked, making it pointless to check them, and since she didn’t want to go around breaking down doors, she just told herself that there was likely nothing of value in any of them anyway.

As she stood at the end of the hallway in front of the last door, her eyes were drawn behind her to the left door directly across from it, the door that was furthest to the end of the hallway on the left side.

There was a sign hanging on the door that caught her attention.

Pear Butter’s Room

Starlight crossed her fingers as she reached for the door and closed her eyes as she turned it. Success! The doorknob turned and the old door creaked open revealing a relatively modest-looking room. Pear Butter’s things hadn’t been touched since she left, and as Starlight stepped inside she took note of the red and white checkered bed sheets that remained perfectly in place, ready for a sleeper to enter them.

A few country acoustic guitars sat in a corner neatly, and two shelves worth of books lined the northern wall, showing that Pear was an avid reader. Browsing the titles, it appeared as though she was a big romance fan, books that Starlight herself could hardly get into if there wasn’t a lot of sex going on. She listened to herself and realized for a second that Angel may have been right about her being a horn dog.

Shaking her head to dismiss the thought, she wandered over to a drawer and tried to open it. It refused to budge for the young woman and instead rattled with the sound of denied entry.

“Fuck…” Starlight sighed.

“Going through others belongings is rather rude, you know?” A distorted voice echoed through the room, sending a tremor up Starlight's spine that caused her to flinch.

The voice was one that sounded robotic, non-human, almost like it was conjured by a machine.

The alien voice was accompanied by the sound of the door closing.

Quickly turning to face the owner of the voice, Starlight was surprised to see a taller slender womanly figure wearing a tight form fitting stealth suit, black in color. Her hands were covered with black leather gloves as well, matching her leather belted combat boots.

Her face, however, was covered completely by a gas mask with glowing red eyes. She stood with her hands at her sides, ready to make a quick movement if necessary.

“Who are you!?” Starlight asked, stepping backward. “We didn’t mean to trespass, honest!”

The figure chuckled before wandering over to the bookshelf, running a delicate finger along the books, wiping the dust off them, and examining her hand where the dust had migrated to. “Who? That is a rather meaningless question to me. I’m more of a what at this point.”

“Alright… What are you?” Starlight held her hand close to her chest as she kept her flashlight shining on the woman.

“What I am, is similar to everything in this room… A relic of the past, a monument of a time forgotten, a phantom. Who I was, well let’s just say you can refer to me as Ghost…” She nodded, placing a hand to her mask’s chin.

“You’re not making any sense…” Starlight shook her head.

Holding her palm open, the figure made sparks appear in her hand, causing Starlight to flinch. She opened her hand wider before closing it, causing the sparks to shoot down her arm and dissolve into the thin air by the time they hit her shoulder. She took a step forward with the same hand extended to Starlight. “I exist now only as a shade, a memory floating between minds, the only reason we can see each other now is because of your connection to the other you.”

“Other me?” Starlight blinked.

“I can only be seen by those who have come into contact with the ones who interacted with me when I was still alive. You’re a special case because the connection you share with the other you is why you can see me...” Ghost explained.

“So you’re...” Starlight tried to speak but Ghost finished her thought.

“Long gone. Just a memory now.”

“What do you mean by the other me though?” Starlight asked, her nerves still getting the better of her, causing her to grip her flashlight tightly.

“The first question of many on your path, yours is a unique journey, Starlight Glimmer... Sadly, I can not help you with information, as I’ve only come to do two things...” Ghost replied.

Starlight couldn’t deny that she was a bit annoyed at how cryptic this woman was being, even refusing to show her face.

“Which are?”

“The first is to tell you that your fate is intertwined with Angel’s. Her journey will be yours as well; see her safely to wherever she goes, or you may find yourself in quite a bind...” Ghost explained.

“That sounds like a threat...” Starlight frowned.

“Consider it a warning.” Ghost shrugged.

“What was the second thing then?” Starlight curiously asked.

Ghost stood up straight and her hand glowed red, she took a few steps forward only for Starlight to step back. Starlight continued to retreat backward until her back was to the wall. Gulping as Ghost closed the distance between the two carefully, her glowing hand approaching Starlight’s forehead, causing the girl to panic.

“To awaken the magic potential in you...” Ghost said.

“Magic... Potential?” Starlight blinked as the hand clasped her forehead and squeezed lightly.

A sharp pain ran through Starlight’s body before Ghost released her. She tumbled backward and landed on her rear, rubbing her forehead. When the woman opened her eyes, she could definitely feel something was different about her, new knowledge had been placed into her brain that wasn’t there before. Suddenly, the concept of magic seemed to make complete sense to her, and she knew how to conjure it if she wanted.

She gasped and looked down to her hands in shock, wondering how a person could simply go from not knowing to knowing something in a matter of seconds with no memory of having learned it.

“You’ve had your power awakened... Now...” Ghost stood back and adjusted her stance into a fighting one. Starlight only blinked as she helped herself up. “Let’s see you use it...”

“Huh?” Starlight asked.

Without getting an answer, Ghost took a swing at Starlight, her mighty fist connecting with the girl’s cheek, knocking her to the side. Starlight caught herself on the nightstand in the room and pulled herself back to a stand. Ghost took another swing, but this time, Starlight moved back just getting out of the way and swirling around the woman to get behind her.

Ghost responded quickly by turning around and throwing another punch which Starlight blocked with her hand. The strike on her palm caused her pain, but Ghost’s hands began to course electricity, shocking Starlight, and forcing her to let go of the blocked fist and step backward.

Chuckling, Ghost casually walked toward the door of the room as Starlight stood back, trying to go into defensive mode in her mind.

Opening the door, Ghost reached into the hall and retrieved a long object before shutting the door. That object appeared to be a shovel that she must have brought in from outside while Starlight was exploring the second floor. “You’ve got to be shitting me...” Starlight blinked as she saw the masked lady wield the shovel, balancing it over her shoulder.

Without warning, the woman swung the metal took at Starlight, who jumped out of the way. “You’re fucking crazy!” Starlight shouted.

“Come on, fight me!” Ghost commanded as she took another swing.

This time, Starlight saw nowhere to run, no time to stop the weapon from hitting her. She closed her eyes and held her breath, holding out her hands as she willed for it to stop. She could feel magic coursing through her entire body as her breath was held and sure enough, the shovel stopped.

Starlight opened her eyes with her breath still held, amazed at what she saw. Everything in the entire room had frozen, held perfectly still. She had done it! She had stopped time itself.

A few more seconds passed, however, and Starlight released her held breath, causing time to continue moving. Ghost’s mighty shovel came crashing down, hitting the floor. From Ghost’s perspective, Starlight would have appeared to have teleported from one spot in the room to another.

“Not bad, but I do have to know... Can you dig this!?” Ghost asked taking another swing at her.

Once again taking and holding a breath Starlight paused time to get out of the way before breathing again to resume time, and missing the shovel.

Ghost laughed as she swung once more toward her, and Starlight repeated the process. This time, though, once she had taken a breath again, Ghost was already coming right at her before she could take another breath. With her booted foot, she kicked Starlight in the chest, knocking her backward and onto the ground. She held up her shovel looking down at the girl with the bladed end pointing at Starlight. “You’ll never win a fight acting defensively.”

Starlight took in a breath and used the temporary pause to get out from under the potentially life-threatening attack and scramble to safety.

Noticing that her prey escaped, Ghost hoisted the shovel up and rested it over her shoulder. “To win, one must strike. Your power is limited, especially now.”

Ghost took another swipe with the shovel at Starlight, again she used her newfound power to avoid the attack, but was starting to notice a shortness of breath in herself, and a headache coming on.

“Eight seconds at a time is all you can manage to use to manipulate time... You also may have noticed it doesn’t work if you’re not holding your breath...” Ghost explained as she tried a downward slice with the shovel, Starlight repeating the same routine, and the tool instead came down hitting the bed in the room and bouncing back.

Ghost didn’t seem the slightest bit annoyed, nor did she seem upset over Starlight’s constant dodging, instead she chose to mock her. “At your novice level and such a potent power, you are not being very wise. The more you use your power, the more strain it puts on your mind and body, that’s why you’re getting a headache now.”

The woman was right, Starlight’s head was throbbing, and the pain only seemed to grow every time she used her power, but it was all she had to avoid becoming a mess on the floor.

Another swing of the shovel and Starlight paused time once more to get out of the way, but fell backward, gripping her head as she did.

“You’re not being smart about how you use your power. How is one supposed to win if they don’t strike? Waste all your time on the defensive and you’ll burn through your power before you have a chance to do anything,” Ghost lectured.

Starlight tried to fight through the pain, she peered around the room for anything she could use to help herself, anything at all. Her eyes landed on a screwdriver sitting on an old chair on the other side of the room. She would need to reposition herself, grab it and come at Ghost with one more time stop to deliver a killing blow.

Standing, though with a wobble at first, Starlight readied for another attack. This time when the shovel came at her, she jumped out of the way and rolled to the other side of the room. Snapping up the screwdriver in her right hand, she quickly held her breath and lunged forward, piercing the sharp end through Ghost’s abdomen. The weapon pushed through the soft flesh with ease, causing Starlight to release her breath and fall backward with an unspeakable headache.

Ghost looked down at the wound and gripped the screwdriver in her left hand. With a quick tug, she released herself from it, not a drop of blood on her. She laughed and nodded. “Not bad, though you can’t kill what’s not there, can you? Still, I admire your effort... Learn to use your power properly and you may live long enough to see what the journey that you and Angel are about to embark on has in store for you.”

Starlight panted as she sat there on the ground, her head aching more than it ever had in her entire life. “W-what is all of this for?” Starlight panted.

Ghost leaned down to the girl’s level, she placed a hand upon her shoulder. “Patience, kid. It’ll all make sense in the end, for now, you should get some rest... We’ll meet again, I’m sure.”

With those words, Starlight closed her eyes and drifted off, eager to recover from exerting herself too much. In the back of her mind, the only thought she had was hoping that Angel was alright.

Author's Note

We are approaching Act VI, which should kick off sometime after the final season of MLP airs.

There will be a few intermissions this time before Act VI starts though, as there's some set up before we get to the next part of this epic. Can you believe we're almost to the final act?

Intermission V-2: Journey

The old dusty staircase to the cellar was admittedly a bit ominous to Angel Song. While she had told Starlight she didn’t watch “horror movie trash”, she was still familiar with how their general premise went and admitted that her current situation definitely could be seen as the start of one of the said movies. The basement was pitch black and predictably covered in spiders and their webbing. She waved her hand in front of herself to dismantle a cobweb in her way at the bottom of the stairs and then wiped her hand on a nearby wall to remove the residue left behind, making a grimacing face as she did so. Angel wasn’t afraid of spiders, but she was not too fond of them.

Shining her light across the room, she could see that old furniture, knick-knacks and things that Grandpear didn’t want to throw away were stored down in this room, causing a big amount of clutter toward the back wall.

The center of the room was relatively empty, with tons of open space. She surmised this was to make it easier to reach things stored in the back, a sound idea for keeping the room accessible.

Taking a breath, she stepped deeper into the room and shined her light. Approaching the back, Angel approached an old box sat atop of a dusty chair. Opening it up, she took a peek inside to see tons of things that looked like they had belonged to a woman. Picture frames in pink, jewelry boxes, and a teddy bear or two. It was obvious that someone had moved these items down here to put them out of sight, yet they couldn’t bear to part with them.

Curiously, Angel continued to dig, looking for anything of interest when she discovered a few envelopes.

Flipping through them, they all seemed to be some kinds of Christmas cards, likely with sentimental value, one envelope, however, drew her attention more than the rest. She blinked as she took note of the handwritten address, and the name was written where the return address was supposed to go. Pear Butter.

The return address was somewhere in Maryland that Angel had never heard of.

This was likely the kind of clue they had been looking for. Ever so curiously, Angel opened the letter and pulled out its contents to read it.

Dear Father,

I know it’s been a long time since we’ve spoken, and I accept that there is a possibility that you haven’t forgiven me yet, but enough time has passed to where I feel I should reach out and try to get ahold of you once again.

I know you don’t approve of Bright Mac, and the Apple family, but I was hoping you could put this stupid feud behind you for my sake. The Apple family has been so good to me, and Bright Mac has treated me better than anyone I’ve met in my entire life. I think if you gave him a chance, you’d come to love him as much as I do, father. He’s eager to get the chance to know you, and we want to share our kids with you, father.

Big Mac is eight now, and little Applejack is just turning four. Please, they want to know their grandfather, they deserve to have you be a part of their life. If you can’t do it for me, or for Bright Mac, do it for them. I miss you, and while I know running off to get married without your approval hurt you, you have no idea how much it hurt me. I am not upset though, I don’t care that you forced me to choose between you and Bright Mac all those years ago, I just want us to be a family again. I want us to be together.

It’s never too later to make things right, and you know that’s been my motto for a long time. It’s part of why I fell for Bright in the first place. When he accidentally hit our house with that baseball and shattered our window, and while it took him a few days to get the courage to come say something, he approached you and offered to pay and fix it himself. Do you remember, father? You made him stand out there in the frigid fall weather repairing it, but he never complained, he never gave up. When I asked him why he didn’t just. Continue to pretend it wasn’t him, he just told me that honesty was the best policy and while he was afraid to say something at first, he never thought it was too late to do the right thing.

I guess that’s when it all began, but I still believe there is so much truth in that statement. I always want to try and be true to myself and do the right thing. I want our kids to see that too. It would mean so much to them if you did the same. If you want to make it up to me, then please write me back, your grandchildren are ready to meet you, Bright Mac is ready to get to know you, and I’m ready to have my father back.

I love you, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Pear Butter

Angel frowned at the sad tone the letter presented. It sounded like a real rift was placed between the two, enough to make them not speak with one another for what appeared to be close to a decade.

The picture was becoming clear to Angel; Pear Butter had run off to marry this Bright Mac, and her father didn’t approve of him. This caused him to force her to choose between her family or her husband, and she picked her husband. It was a tragic tale, one that she wondered if the poor girl ever got closure on.

Continuing to dig through the letters, she found another stuffed behind the first one, this one written, but the envelope had no address written on it, no stamp. It had never been sent.

Opening it, she decided she had already been nosy enough to read the first one, that she may as well read the second as well.

Dear Pear Butter,

I feel rotten for how horrible I have treated you all this time. To receive your letter and see that you still care so deeply about the senile old man that treated you so badly... It breaks my heart. The years have rolled by and I have missed you dearly, but I refused to budge, I refused to speak, and I refused to offer forgiveness. I was stubborn for so long, and I can’t even fathom a reason why. Maybe that’s just a part of being old, you refuse to let go of the past.

Maybe one day when you’re old, you’ll understand, or maybe you’ll be better than me about it; who knows.

This letter is long past due, and I would understand if it upsets you that it took so long to write back that you don’t even bother reading this, but I wanted to say I am sorry. I’m sorry for being so stubborn and blind to how you felt, for being so stuck in my ways that I would turn away the last thing that was important to me. After your mother died, I promised I’d take care of you, I promised I’d make sure you were safe, happy and taken care of.

I was so focused on that that when I heard you were with that Apple boy... I just got tunnel vision, I guess. I wanted you to end up with someone who could take care of you, not just another poor farm boy, not another rough country boy like myself. However, because of that I never considered what would make you happy.

I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry for taking so long, and if you’ll still have me, I’d love to get to know my grand-children now.

I’m ready to accept the life you’ve chosen, I just regret that I missed out on so much of it because of my own stubbornness.

With Love,

Your Father

Angel rubbed her eyes as she read. It was truly a sad letter, not just because of the contents, but because it was clear that he had never gotten to send it, and now that he had passed, he never would. She wondered if Pear Butter ever knew how her father truly felt, or if she still didn’t to this day.

Angel tucked the letter into her bra, deciding that she had a moral obligation to deliver the letter if they ever found the woman. Pear Butter deserved closure, she deserved to know how her father really felt. While she felt guilty violating his belongings, she told herself it was for a good cause as she nodded.

Once the letter was safely tucked away, Angel smiled to herself before a voice called out to her from the other side of the room. “Quite a noble deed, you’ve decided to embark upon.”

Gasping, she flashed her light in that direction, noting that it did not appear to illuminate anything. Instead, it appeared to be pitch black and darkness that refused to be shined upon. Turning back around, she noticed the room she was in had been completely surrounded by darkness itself. When she returned to looking where she was for the voice, she noted that there in front of her was a marble looking floor, pristine and white in color; she was standing on it.

In front of the young woman was a cliff, a cliff that lead to a hole that appeared endless. She gulped and held her flashlight close to her chest, trying to figure out how she had arrived at this place. Was it another dream?

The same voice echoed through her ears.

Angel Song... The path ahead of you may lead you to ruin... With your magic, there is a temptation, the path to darkness you will find is easy to be duped into following... Where you stand now represents that, you’re on the edge of darkness, one more step and you could fall to it, give into it, and there would be no going back... Many have already given into that same darkness...

Angel remained perfectly still, her hands kept clenched against her chest in fear. She didn’t dare answer. The voice seemed to come from her mind itself, it didn’t sound like it was coming from anywhere around her.

It continued not bothering to wait for an answer from the young girl.

Is this your fate, Angel? Is this the destiny you see yourself following?

Angel shook her head.

Then another path awaits you.

As those words rang in her ears, a long stairwell appeared behind her, leading up for what seemed like miles. She craned her neck to try and see the top, but it was no use, it was impossible to see that far into the distance. She wondered if such a trip of a flight of stairs would take days to reach the top.

She remained still as the voice continued to explain.

Before you is the path to light. If you walk this path, you too will be enveloped in light.

Angel blinked as she eyed the stairwell up and down, her eyes still trying to process such a long flight of stairs.

Be warned though, many demons have tried to walk this path as well. Being on the path alone is not enough to save one from becoming a demon. Know this, Angel, if you choose to walk this path, you will experience great pain. Your body will be tested, your mind will be tested, your heart will be tested, however, if you can overcome all of this, if you can pass those tests, then the ultimate reward awaits you.

Angel remained quiet and looked down to the first step in front of herself.

If your resolve is enough, this challenge will seem easy to you. Is your resolve enough to overcome this challenge, Angel?

Angel nodded.

Then take that first step.

She hesitated for a brief second, but placed a foot atop of the step, watching the entire staircase light up, the light bursting from where her foot rested. With a second step, the light radiated a second time, and then a third, each following the movement of her feet as she ascended the stairs. The girl knew it would be a while before she reached the top, so she decided it was best to run.

Moving as swiftly as her feet would carry, Angel bolted up the steps as fast as she could, eager to reach the top.

Angel’s legs were practically on fire, her muscles were pumping lactic acid so much that she could hardly breathe, but she pushed herself further and further, running up the stairs for what felt like forever. The concept of time was lost upon her until she finally saw the last few steps in sight.

Huffing and wheezing, she managed to make it to that coveted top step finding herself on a new platform where a cloaked figure stood draping over themselves with a black hood and their body concealed, a mask hiding their face.

“Congratulations for making it here, the first small step on your journey is now behind you,” the figure spoke.

Huffing and puffing, Angel tried to catch her breath before she answered. “W-who are you?”

“A question for another time... Right now, all that matters is that you understand the importance of your powers. You’ve been practicing, I know, but I shall show you a new ability that you will need on your journey...” The cloaked woman stated.

Angel blinked and forced herself into a proper stand as she watched a gloved hand reach forward with the palm open. The woman’s hand glowed for a brief second and Angel stepped back, holding her own hand in front of herself defensively, noting that a blade made of light had appeared in said hand.

Examining the new weapon, Angel blinked in astonishment, somewhat impressed in herself for being able to control such an amazing technique. Giving the blade a few swings, she got a feel for it, before the figure in front of her extended both of their hands, making two identical blades appear in her hands.

“One day, you may be able to handle two, but for now, a single blade will be all you can control...” They stated.

Angel nodded and looked at her hand and then paid attention as the cloaked woman held both of her blades at her sides, ready to strike. “Now, let us test how well you can handle your new ability...”

“Huh?” Angel asked.

Without warning, the cloaked woman lunged at her, slicing with both of her swords in rapid succession. Angel managed to dodge the first few swings, and by swing number eight she had actually managed to deflect one with her own, but the cloaked woman quickly retaliated with another swing from the unblocked blade.

Placing her two blades in a scissor formation, she came from the outside out with a slash, that Angel stuck her own blade between to stop the assault. The effect caused both swords to go off to the side, and cause her no damage.

The hooded woman swiped at Angel, but she ducked and swung back at the girl’s knees, but the cloaked woman was clearly too clever to fall for such a simple trick as she hopped back, out of harm’s way. Angel silently complained, thinking she almost had her. She wasn’t that skilled at fighting others, even though she had been practicing in the past few months; knowing that her magic would come in handy at some point.

The next few moments were spent repeating a lot of what had already transpired. An attack would come her way, and she would either block it or get out of the way, occasionally making a failed swipe of her own at the cloaked woman.

After perhaps the eighth failure or so, the figure stepped back and shook her head. “Don’t get tunnel vision. It’s important to chain together abilities that you have had prior to create new techniques.”

Angel had never thought of it that way. If she connected abilities, it would unleash devastating results if done correctly. Two relatively weak abilities could be amplified to create a more potent one.

Focusing her power, Angel lit her light blade on fire, creating a weapon of light and ember now. Impressed with herself, she held the blade pointed at her foe, hoping to intimidate her, even just a little.

Her efforts were fruitless, as the figure didn’t seem even remotely afraid of the new advancement. She stood ready to deliver as Angel swung her freshly crafted weapon, only to be blocked repeatedly. Whoever this woman was, she was far more skilled with magic than Angel was, which likely wasn’t too difficult if other magic users existed in the world somewhere.

After getting knocked back repeatedly, Angel panted and knelt down, feeling exhaustion take over her once more. She didn’t really have any proper time to recover from the walk up the stairs to even reach the platform, and now she was expected to fight full force with what seemed to be a tireless being.

The cloaked woman lowered her blades and stood still as she spoke. “It seems you still have much to learn, Angel...” With those words she removed her hood, her face was still covered by that odd looking black mask, but it was enough for Angel to see one feature, red hair.

“Your power will guide you, but will it guide you to prosperity... Or oblivion? That is up for you to decide. Now I’ll give you one more piece of the puzzle...” Her opponent spoke.

“A woman awaits you, a woman named Twilight. She is unlike anyone you’ve met before...” With those words, a vision of a woman with long blue hair sporting a pink and purple stripe through it, with blunt bangs appeared before Angel. She stared in awe at the slender figure before her.

“She will be very important to you... Seek her out, and more answers will come. Go now, your journey is only just beginning...” The woman spoke.

With those words, somehow Angel felt very tired. She collapsed onto the floor and closed her eyes, drifting away peacefully.

Author's Note

Spooky.

Is everyone preparing themselves for Act VI?

Also, Silence of a Siren should start back up again this month!

Intermission V-3: Outcomes

Golden was an inquisitive student, one who took her recently appointed position seriously. While she was older than most, she was still the newcomer on their council. A creature of studious nature, and as a result she was more of a listener than a talker. She didn’t wish to risk saying anything that could cause ire to be directed toward her. Her motto was that the newest member of any group should spend the majority of their time listening and taking notes rather than speaking and causing ripples. Instead, she left that to the more serious members.

Trotting gracefully to the Hall of Declaration, a room designated for council meetings, she stretched and worked the kinks out of her neck. Hours of reading scroll after scroll had made her somewhat stiff.

She knew she should have taken a break, but the history of their country was too precious to ignore. Golden had become somewhat of a scholar when it came to the history of the glorious land of Ectra. They existed far outside of most of the world, an ocean away, far past the dragon lands and west of the frozen north where few dared to tread. As a result, their small island nation was protected from most of the world, shy of the news they got in from dragons who would occasionally show up to do trade with them. Most of them were dumb beasts, but every now and then they would have something of value.

Dragons drove a hard bargain, but it wasn’t uncommon for Ectranians to get the better end of the deal on them. Often they didn’t even know what they had. Still, they maintained a peaceful relationship with the creatures, and the dragons exchanged their help and trade with the promise of keeping outsiders out of the country. That was exactly as the council liked it, complete isolation, no nonsense from the rest of the world.

Golden was fortunate to have been born in Ectra, as most were, only the elders had seen anything beyond the island, and they seldom spoke of such experiences. Golden was curious, however, what the world outside was like, outside of the small number of texts pertaining to it.

Her mind was wandering before she realized she would need to pick up her step or she’d be late. Huffing and puffing, she sped up her trot as fast as her hooves would take her until she arrived at the elegant door that lead to her scheduled location. She took a deep breath and opened it, stepping inside the massive room. She had only seen the inside twice at this point, but it never ceased being amazing. Eight rows of pews surrounding the outside walls of the circular room and there in the center a throne with only a few seats next to it.

Golden navigated the crowd that was showing up and found her assigned seat before sitting down and looking up at the throne which currently was empty.

In the center of the room, a familiar face was staring at the crowd with her familiar scowl. Abyss, she was a rather stern mare with a bit of a temper problem, but she was always calculating and specific. She hated overlooking details and had a bad habit of assuming the worst of others. Her coat had been recently cleaned by the look of her, as she had a shimmer about her that looked fresh. Golden liked it actually.

Abyss cleared her throat loudly to silence the room. As per usual, her efforts were extremely effective, and the entire room quieted down to where not even the sound of idle chatter could be heard.

“Alright, I have spoken with the advisors to her excellency, and I bring grave news, news that may affect all of us...” Abyss began.

Chatter naturally followed her words, only causing her to shout once more. “I SAID SILENCE!”

“This news...” She tried to start again but became distracted as a young mare came out from behind red curtains from behind the throne. The mare in question had lavish, luscious green mane in wild curls that had been decorated with blue and red gemstones, fashioned into a messy ponytail. She was sporting partial dreads, partial free-flowing curls, and a thin braid that hung down the side of her face.

The mare’s ears adorned four hoop earrings a piece, making a total of eight, and one cuff that connected the top of her ear and the bottom with a chain on her left ear.

Her front right hoof had an assortment of gold and silver bangles and her left had a beaded bracelet that seemed to compliment her off-yellow coat.

Lavender eyes decorated expertly with eyeliner and makeup opened and closed carefully before the mare took a seat at the throne. Two other ponies came to her side.

Abyss bowed her head gently, her white mane draping down before she lifted herself back up to continue speaking. “This news... Is very shocking even to us... The nation of Equestria... Has fallen.”

Chatter resumed, but the mare at the throne raised a hoof, saying nothing, but somehow her impact was instant, as the crowd quieted down, allowing Abyss to continue speaking after the mare gestured to her.

Abyss sighed and shook her head. “Our dragon allies have informed us of this news, I assure you that it is legitimate.”

Another mare in the pews stood and asked the question that all wished to know. “How could any creature conquer Equestria?”

Abyss grumbled at the fact that she had not given anyone permission to speak but answered the question regardless. “We have it on good authority that this creature...” She paused not sure if she should say it, but decided that the truth was going to come out sooner or later, “is a siren.”

That definitely caused the crowd to stir more, the chatter was echoing through the large hall, all around them, Golden could hear nothing but bickering and worry spreading across the room.

Abyss in a futile effort attempted to calm the crowd but found it near impossible. She raised her voice to speak. “This siren is no ordinary siren! She is a demon, a demon known as Serenade Dazzle. She has used her demonic powers to control others to do her bidding, in a few short months she had conquered all of the Pony Kingdom.”

The murmurs and chatter continued, growing in volume. Golden noted how the pony sitting on the throne leaned into one of her cohorts that had arrived with her, her lips came to that mare’s ear, and she whispered something, causing the mare to nod and come forward, standing tall and proud as she echoed her voice on behalf of the ruler of Ectra.

“Her Excellency wishes me to relay her orders! So silence to all!” The mare shouted.

As expected, no one dared defy the orders of their ruler, they all sat quietly as the mare cleared her throat and spoke on her excellency’s behalf. “She has stated that she has a plan but requests Abyss and another to meet with her in private to discuss the matter. The rest of you are dismissed!”

There were sounds of disdain and disapproval, but the advisor grunted and the entire room started to clear out. As Golden stood to leave, a mare gripped her shoulder, causing her to turn around. Golden blinked as she eyed the pony. Draped in a cloak, the mare tilted her head and gestured for Golden to follow. “Her Excellency requests you to meet with her.”

“Me? There has to be some kind of mistake...” Golden shook her head, disbelief filling her.

The mare shook her head and gestured with her hoof to follow. “Come, now.”

“I’m new to this council, there’s no way that the ruler of Ectra has any interest in me...” Golden informed.

The mare scowled and adjusted her hood. “I don’t make mistakes. It was you specifically that she requested, now come with me or there will be consequences. I don’t have time to argue with you.”

Sighing, Golden decided it was pointless to try and convince her otherwise. It was clear that she was convinced she wasn’t mistaken, and that she would have to endure the embarrassment that the mare was about to go through for getting the wrong girl. Trotting behind her gently, Golden decided to pass the time by asking a few questions.

“Her excellency asked for me then?” Golden blinked.

“That’s what I said isn’t it?” The cloaked mare replied, her eyes keeping forward as they walked.

“So you heard her speak?” Golden asked curiously.

Rolling her eyes, the mare groaned. “Don’t be stupid, you know that no one hears her excellency speak beyond her direct advisors.”

Golden frowned, hoping to get a chance to learn more about their enigmatic ruler. She had so many questions that were becoming of a scholar, but they were often seen as heretical questions by others. Truthfully she only joined the council to gain access to scrolls that were off-limits to the general public. Their small island had a population of only 80,000, yet only about 800 of which were permitted access to the protected library. Even less had access to the vault.

The vault, her dream prize. One day she hoped to view its contents and learn all of the secrets and mysteries of the origin of their blessed country. It was said to hold scrolls and records from the oldest of times, documenting the founding of Ectra, a subject that only the most prestigious of scholars were permitted to study. Golden, however, was a knowledge hound, she wished to know everything she could.

The ruler of Ectra, however, was a very odd individual. No one had ever heard her voice shy of her two advisors who always followed her wherever she went. There were stories on what her voice might have sounded like.

“So, her excellency asked for me? But why?” Golden questioned.

The cloaked mare was only growing more annoyed. “I don’t know. I was never given such details, but if you want, you can ask her yourself when you meet her. Just don’t count on an answer.”

Golden remained silent while she was escorted the remainder of the way, eventually being brought to the door of what she was told was the place where her excellency would meet with her. The hooded pony remained still and gestured for her to open the door. “This is far as I go, good luck, kid.”

Before Golden even had a chance to respond, the mare had turned around and made a few quick paces to get away from the scholar. The hooded mare didn’t even wave goodbye as she hoofed it out of there. Golden assumed that she likely was intimidated by the ruler of Ectra.

Inhaling and exhaling, Golden stepped inside, and sure enough, the same mare that she had seen at the council meeting sat on a pillowed chair with her head rested on an elegant hoof, a gentle smile stuck on her face. Her eyes opened and closed carefully, and her gorgeous lashes fluttered as she blinked slowly. Golden could not tell if she was studying her, or if this was how she looked all the time. Truthfully, many did not see her excellency very often, and those who did seldom partook in activities that would put them among the general public of Ectra.

Bowing her head, Golden gulped before speaking. “I apologize for this mistake... I attempted to explain to the one that you sent for me that they certainly had the wrong mare...”

One of the two mares standing at their ruler’s side raised and objecting hoof. “Silence, no mistake has been made. You have been chosen for this task.”

“Me? Why? With all due respect... I’m a freshman council member and a simple scholar...” Golden objected.

The other mare standing next to her majesty spoke up. “It was her excellency’s request. You are to be appointed for this journey.”

“Journey!? To where!?” Golden blinked.

“To Equestria, of course.” The first advisor spoke, standing proudly.

“What for!?” Golden shook her head.

“Enough questions!” The second one growled. “Her excellency sees the issues with this demon siren, and she has decided that waiting and watching is not enough during these trying times. Make no mistake, this demon will eventually come here, and we will all pay the price if that is to happen. Her Excellency has decided that intervention will be necessary, that is why you will accompany her along with Abyss on her journey to Equestria.”

“Accompany her!? As in we’re going together!?” Golden blinked and stared at the regal ruler whom just winked at her, saying nothing.

“And she is... certain of this?” Golden gulped.

The two advisors nodded. “It has already been ordered. You will prepare right away, there is a dragon waiting down in the foyer along with some things you will need to bring with you. Also, you’ll need to make a stop at the vault as per her excellency’s request.”

“The vault!?” Golden gasped.

“Silence!” The two advisors spoke in unison.

“Now, you are to follow us to the vault, immediately, Abyss will meet us along the way, as she will be accompanying you on this journey,” the first advisor spoke.

Golden didn’t dare question it, instead she followed along as the four of them left the room to head toward the vault. Who knew what secrets waited inside the vault. It was said that the founding of Ectra was documented there. They knew that their country likely was formed with the assistance of dragons, but much of its actual founding was unknown. A lot of the inner workings of how Ectra worked were kept secret, known only to the crown or her elite advisors.

Despite all of that, Golden was curious. She wanted to know more about her home, as much as she was permitted to understand.

When they arrived in front of the vault, Abyss was waiting for the group. She bowed respectfully to the ruler of Ectra and nodded at her advisors before raising a brow at Golden, not daring to show the same respect to a freshman council member. “And who, pray tell is that?”

“This is Golden, she will be going with the two of you on your journey.” The second advisor said.

“Why?” Abyss asked, sizing Golden up and down.

Golden could tell that Abyss was clearly older than her, and a lot less trusting at that. The mare had a sort of annoyed expression that originally Golden assumed was only reserved for the council meetings to get her point across, but seeing her outside of the meeting affirmed that she merely wore such a scowl at all times.

“Her Excellency requested it, therefore she is coming with you. Do you have a problem with that?” The first advisor grunted.

Abyss looked over at Golden once more and shrugged. “Whatever, try not to get yourself killed... You seem like the scholar type to me...”

Golden nodded. “You’d be correct. I’ve studied Ectra’s history and myths for most of my life.”

“Great, a useless brainchild, I’m sure she’ll be exceptionally helpful if we get into trouble...” Abyss sarcastically remarked.

“So we’re going into the vault then?” Golden asked curiously, trying to hide her excitement.

Abyss shrugged, not sure of most of the details. Her excellency’s advisors didn’t tell her much either, and she was probably as clueless as Golden was; though she didn’t want to admit it out loud.

“Guess so...” Abyss said.

The ruler of Ectra stepped forward and placed a hoof upon the entrance to the Vault and like magic the door turned and swiveled opening up for her with a loud creaking noise. Golden had never seen anything like it, the door must have been assigned to her magical presence or something to open on command as such, likely an advanced security technique.

As the mare stepped inside, Abyss and Golden followed, again with Golden trying to contain her excitement.

The entire room was crafted from solid gold, shining and glittering as they walked in. Golden looked to the walls upon walls of scrolls lined up, eager to reach out and start reading every single one of them that was there, but she didn’t dare step out of line or touch anything while the ruler of their country was there watching her. There was no telling what such an act would be considered in her watchful eyes. While she came off as somewhat aloof, there was no doubt that her Majesty didn’t miss anything. She was far keener than she let on for sure.

The two mares behind the leader of the island nation stood in silence as the mare approached the back of the room to a crystalline chest, decorated with rubies. It looked old, ancient even, and neither mare dared ask what was inside.

The beautiful mare reached forward and placed a gentle hoof along the chest, running it along its design until she came to the unique circular lock. The other two could see no keyhole, but instead, the hoof ran along it in a circular motion back and forth almost as if inputting some kind of invisible combination.

Like clockwork, the lock clicked and the chest opened slowly. The other two mares stood in awe at what was produced from inside, a shining bladed spear. It had a long golden hilt with a spike at one end and at the top the part right before the blade stuck out was a design that looked similar to an angel’s wing with a blue gemstone in it. Above the wing was a blade, about a foot or so in length that was sharp on one side, and came to a curved point.

The blade was particularly odd, as the sharpened bit seemed to be blue instead of silver like the rest of the blade, likely some kind of gemstone dust.

“What the hell is that thing?” Abyss raised a brow.

Her Excellency didn’t answer. She raised the weapon out of the chest and examined it with a smile and a nod before levitating it to her back and fastening it there via a magic spell. She nodded to the other two girls and gestured for them to leave the vault.

While Golden wanted to stay and read, she didn’t dare question her ruler. Despite that though, she had far more questions about the bladed spear; such as what it was, and why they were taking it with them.

Even though she wasn’t being told much, Golden could already tell that this was going to be an interesting journey. What transpired in Equestria after their arrival would likely change the course of history. For a scholar, it was the most exciting thing in the world, instead of reading about history, she'd be making it.

Author's Note

We're almost there.

Act VI is coming very soon. Get ready. Once we are through Act VI, we enter the final act! I am excited. Are you excited?

Intermission V-4: Premonition

With her eyes downcast to the floor below her, a young unicorn groaned and moved her head at the sound of hoofsteps. Dangling from a large set of chains that held her hooves in place as she was held in suspension had made her tired. Blood had run down in her body, and after hours of being subjected to such treatment, she could barely feel her upper limbs.

She tried to remember how long it had been since she was first chained up by Serenade. The demon had drained her magic swiftly and left her in this state of anguish for what felt like weeks but was likely closer to only eight hours. Her mind was drifting, she was attempting to keep it off of how much her front hooves hurt from being used to hold her entire body up. She was thankful that she had kept her weight down as she promised herself she would do.

The mare opened and closed her eyes as she tried to keep herself from losing her sanity.

The sounds of the hoofsteps came back to her mind as she heard them once more. None had come to see her since her imprisonment and Serenade had taken her magic from her. Was it possible that Twilight managed to find a way to break her out already? She was a resourceful mare after all.

Her wishful thinking was stomped out, however, when the door to her room opened and there standing in the doorway with a bag at his side was a cloaked changeling, one she remembered well. He was the same changeling that had bested her in battle, the same that had turned her into Serenade, and the same that had assisted in putting her in the current predicament she found herself in. Somehow though, she was only filled with fascination when he arrived rather than annoyance.

He approached casually with the bag and set it down before looking up at her with a toothy grin. “How’s it hanging?” He asked.

The mare smirked at him, though her grin lacked its usual sheen. “You have quite the idea of foreplay, but I think after all these hours, I’m warmed up now.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Chains aren’t my thing. Master Serenade insists on them, but they aren’t my style.”

“Not into the kinky stuff, huh?” She teased.

He found himself smirking back at her. “I didn’t say that.”

“What do you want, Arax?” She finally asked.

He appreciated that she wanted to cut to the chase, but truthfully he had started to grow fond of their little back and forth banter. “Well, Starlight, I did some deliberating with Master Serenade...”

“I’m so happy for you, what does that have to do with me?” Starlight asked with a raised brow.

He smirked and reached into the bag retrieving an object. With his horn glowing, he levitated the object in front of her. She could see it was some kind of collar, except she could see no way for it to snap on as it was a perfect disk shape with no clasp. On the font was some kind of black gem that appeared to have roots coming out of it. Under that, however, was a metal tag with her name etched into it.

“I’ve convinced Master Serenade to allow me to make good on my threat,” he explained.

Watching carefully, Starlight felt a strange sensation as the collar appeared around her neck, tightening enough to turn more into a choker than anything else. She couldn’t see a way to get it off, but she looked back at him with confused eyes.

“Remember what I said? You were going to be my pet from now on; It’s only fitting that a pet is given a proper collar.” He grinned.

Starlight found herself remaining as overconfident as always even with the odds so horrendously out of her favor. “Now you’re giving me jewelry? You really are trying to butter me up, aren’t you?”

He shrugged as he cast a spell that unlocked her chains abruptly, causing Starlight to crash to the floor with an audible THUD. She grunted and slowly picked herself up before meeting his eyes.

“You will do every little thing that pops into my head and without complaint, do you understand?” He pointed with his hoof at her.

“And if I don’t?” She raised a brow.

He grinned and pointed to the collar. “That’s no ordinary stone. It’s a demon onyx. At any time, under any circumstance, if I will it to do so, it will strangle you until you die. It only takes my thoughts to do so. There is no distance you can run to escape it either, and you can’t take it off.”

She reached up and touched the collar before looking back at him. “I guess you are into kinky stuff after all!”

He chuckled. “Only the best for you, my pet, now let’s get going. From this day on, you belong to me.”

“So, is this what you wanted? Is this the world you envisioned, Twilight Sparkle?” Serenade spoke as she took a triumphant step forward. “Is this the way you expected your end to come? The way you expected to die?”

Twilight groaned in agony as she laid helpless, unable to do anything as Serenade stepped over several fresh dead bodies to reach the mare, taking her time, savoring the moment, savoring the victory that she had so longed for. With everything else out of the way, she could claim her prize that she had wanted for so long, the prize that had eluded her. Twilight had cheated her so many times. Originally, all she wanted was her power, but now that wasn’t good enough, this mare had to pay for humiliating her, for wasting her time and taunting her.

Saying nothing, Twilight gripped her side, a fresh wound dripping blood, she gripped it tightly to stop the bleeding. Her magic was limited, she contemplated using it to sear the wound and close it, but that wouldn’t help her get away in time from Serenade.

Taking another confident step forward, Serenade chuckled and found herself only a few feet away from Twilight. “I never would have imagined your arrogance would make you believe you actually could walk into an obvious trap thinking you could overcome it... I never imagined you’d just deliver yourself to me.”

Trying to pull herself away, Twilight crawled carefully before realizing it was moot. Serenade could easily do whatever she needed to close the distance between the two, and Twilight was in no position to get away. She couldn’t fly, she couldn’t teleport, she was a sitting duck, completely at Serenade’s mercy.

“It’s funny how these things work out, isn’t it? No one can save you now. Your friends all belong to me now, and there isn’t a soul alive who would dare challenge my power now... You, mortals, are always so pathetic, clinging desperately to life, even though you’re all destined to die... Your only purpose in this world is to meet death, and yet you resist it so much.” Serenade laughed.

“You’re pure evil...” Twilight commented between pants.

A tendril reached forward and touched Twilight’s nose, caressing it gently. Twilight remained perfectly still.

“Is it evil to believe that the vermin of the world who have conquered it don’t deserve their throne? That rats shouldn’t rule the planet? Or is your idea of evil just anyone who doesn’t conform to your views? Anyone who sees the world differently than the pile of trash your kind have created?” Serenade questioned.

Twilight didn’t answer, she didn't even want to give the siren the satisfaction of a response.

“No, child. I am just the reckoning. I am your destiny, but I’ve come early. Why wait for your kind to die off or wipe itself out? Since death is your ultimate fate... I may as well end your misery now, right? Get it out of the way. After all, you’re all going to die regardless of what I do, it’s the fate of mortals!” Serenade explained.

“There is a difference between waiting for death and running from it... a difference that I’m pretty sure you don’t understand, given that you’re just another creature. You don't know what it's like to face death and walk willing toward it, to do something so noble... Have you ever done a noble thing in your pathetic life?” Twilight groaned.

Serenade shook her head. “I am merely the reaper, carrying out the job that needs to be done. For a new shining empire to be built, the trash must be cleared out of the way first. The strong conquer and the weak get tossed aside, that’s how the world works...”

“You’re wrong... In our world, we protect the weak...” Twilight managed to get out.

“Such a waste of time and power.” Serenade shook her head.

“The only waste of time and power here is you,” Twilight retorted.

Serenade squinted in annoyance at her words. “You talk a big talk, but no one can save you now, Twilight Sparkle. You die right here, right now.”

Author's Note

Final intermission before Act VI.

Next chapter begins the sixth act. Sorry for such a short intermission, but next week we get back to the main story. Get ready for a roller coaster.

Act VI - Chapter LXXVI: Age's End

Act VI: Revenge

Chapter LXXVI: Age’s End

Twilight looked across the table at her wife with a smile as she watched her meticulously sip from a coffee cup and thumb her phone placed on the table in front of her. She had gone out and got the larger model to make it easier to flip through the news when she sat at the breakfast table. Sunset had endured the regular size iPhone for long enough and felt it just made more sense to go with the Plus model for her own convenience. The two had talked about it for eons, but always put it off.

That week though, they had gone to the Apple Store and Sunset had finally made the plunge, and it seemed to be paying off. No longer was she squinting and leaning down to the table to see what she was reading, and Twilight couldn’t help but feel a bit giddy in knowing she had finally convinced her beloved to just get it over with already. There was a certain satisfaction in being able to tell stubborn-as-a-mule-Sunset-Shimmer “I told you so.” This was likely because Twilight got to do it all the time.

Sunset kept her eyes on her phone for a few more seconds before she caught a glimpse of Twilight staring at her. At first, she ignored it, but after about eight glimpses up, noticing she was still being observed, Sunset raised a curious brow.

“What?” She asked, her hand raising with her “#1 Mom” coffee mug to her lips.

Twilight noted how her hair was still a wild mess from the night before, she giggled internally thinking of how they had made love so viciously, and the effects of it were still visible on the girl, a hickey could still be seen on her collar bone as her robe drooped. She was only wearing a lacy black bra and panties underneath her bathrobe, which Twilight was enjoying sneaking peaks at. She was always astounded when morning came around at how she managed to acquire such an attractive woman as a wife.

She herself had gone through some changes and definitely upped her own sex appeal, but Sunset just seemed naturally attractive, like she didn’t even need to try to cause arousal.

“Just... Admiring you...” Twilight sighed contently as she rested her head on her hands, staring at her wife.

A small blush crossed Sunset’s face as she rolled her eyes. “I’m a mess, Twilight.”

“A hot mess,” Twilight corrected.

“You can’t possibly still be horny after last night...” Sunset deadpanned.

“I can’t help it around you!” Twilight pouted.

Sunset giggled and rolled her eyes once more. “How did you go from being a shy timid girl to this sex fiend? It’s truly remarkable.”

“You have had adverse effects on me! I blame you!” Twilight teased.

“So it’s my fault?” Sunset smirked.

“That’s right, you should go up to our room and think about what you’ve done!” Twilight fake scolded.

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “At least you’re in a good mood. So what’s on the agenda for today?”

Twilight blinked and tried to rub out the perverted thoughts in her mind and refocus on what to do for the day. “Well, I figured, I’d get Horizon up in a few minutes, we can feed her, then spend some time with her before I have to go to school?”

It sounded like such an ordinary plan to most, but to Twilight, it was perhaps the most exciting thing she had ever done. The reality that she and Sunset had started a family together was still breathtaking. She could hardly imagine herself in this same position years ago.

Sunset’s face turned into a bright smile as she nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like a great idea actually... Wanna go get her up together?”

Twilight nodded and came to a stand, pushing her seat out offering her hand to her wife. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Sunset took the offered hand and allowed herself to be assisted up. Once she was in a proper stand, she adjusted her bathrobe to better conceal herself, much to Twilight’s disappointment, but the bookworm chose not to comment as the two made their way out of the breakfast nook and toward their child’s nursery. The trip up the flight of stairs was made with laughter, giggles and a few playful kisses.

When they made it to the top of the steps, Twilight took Sunset’s hands in her own and smiled as she looked into her wife’s eyes. “You make me so happy, you know that?”

Sunset blushed and looked away bashfully. “Come on... Why so sappy this early in the morning? You know I’m not good at this stuff...”

“You liar! You’re flirting all the time!” Twilight giggled and tapped the redhead’s nose.

“Yeah, flirting, that’s different than being sappy,” Sunset pointed out.

“You wrote me that cute letter once, remember?” Twilight reminded.

Sunset’s blush only grew as she rubbed her neck. “I... had Rarity help me...”

Twilight covered her mouth and gasped. “You actually were willing to say all of those gushy things in front of Rarity? That was brave of you! I’m even more impressed.”

Sunset chuckled and looked away. “Yeah, well... She teased me for it for like a month after that. You will not believe the kinds of texts I got. Then she started acting like we were in some kind of cutesy sharing club where we shared adorable things our spouses did... I was getting texts from her every day.”

Twilight remembered Sunset getting a lot of texts when they had just gotten married, she now was privy to what was transpiring.

“Oh wow... That’s... kind of cute though.” Twilight fawned.

Shrugging, Sunset squeezed her wife’s hands. “You will not believe how many little romantic gestures Applejack does. She picks flowers for that girl almost weekly, and the amount of cheesy letters I’ve read that Rarity sent me with squealing emojis. For a farm girl, that Applejack is... prolific.”

“That’s so sweet, I would have never imagined Applejack of all people would be so romantic.” Twilight grinned.

“I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate that I’m keen to most of her gushy love letters to Rarity though...” Sunset giggled.

“You should write to me more!” Twilight suggested happily.

Sighing, Sunset nodded. “Alright, I’ll try, but I’m not very good at that stuff.”

“It’s the thought that counts, sweetie,” Twilight reminded.

As Twilight led the two of them down the hall, Sunset laughed noticing the bounce in her step. “Wow, babe, you’re in a good mood.”

Babe. It still brought a smile to Twilight’s face when she heard it. It was more than just a term of endearment or an appreciation of Twilight. It was her word. The term that Sunset reserved only for her. Every time she heard it, she was reminded of this fact. Twilight had somehow fallen onto “sweetie” for Sunset, though she had tried a few before settling on that one. Though she jokingly tried “pookie” once to annoy Sunset. It didn’t seem to bother her tremendously, but there was a visible cringe. Though her greatest effort which actually got a very “stop” from Sunset was the most ridiculous of pet names that Twilight could think of. A name that she couldn’t even finish getting out of her mouth now without Sunset covering her mouth to cease her from speaking.

It had become an inside joke between the two women, but one that Twilight could always giggle at just thinking about it. Even now, she was trying to withhold her laughter as she thought about it. Snookie Wookie Snuggle-Wuggle Bear.

Making their way to the front of the nursery, they noticed two dogs eagerly wagging their tails that sat next to the door. Twilight giggled as she reached down to pet Spike, and then Moon shortly after. Both of the canines leaned into her petting and yipped happily.

“Our little protectors keeping watch it seems...” Twilight cooed.

Spike lifted his muzzle proudly. “Moon and I have been extra vigilant!”

Sunset giggled and nodded. “We’re sure you both have. There’s a bone in it for the both of you when we get downstairs, alright?”

Moon barked in appreciation and Spike’s tail wagging sped up to alarming speeds as they both raced downstairs to eagerly await when their masters made it down. Sunset chuckled as she watched them run away. “Our boys really are great, aren’t they?”

“Just a couple of good boys.” Twilight winked.

They both laughed before opening the door to the beautifully decorated nursery. They had chosen to go with pinks, oranges, and yellows, to match the motif for which their daughter was named after.

As expected, when they entered, the girl was still fast asleep, which was unsurprising. Horizon so far had proven to be a very non-fussy baby, which was to the advantage of both of the inexperienced parents. Sunset reached into the cradle and gently retrieved the small girl, holding her gently in her arms rocking her. The small child opened her eyes and looked up at her mother with intrigue.

“What’s up, kiddo? We are gonna get you fed, and then you’re going to spend some time with mommy and Twilight before she has to go to school,” Sunset explained.

As expected, the child didn’t understand her words and instead just looked up at her with a curious face which made Sunset giggle.

Twilight and Sunset both noticed that their daughter was definitely the curious type, which was to be expected given the nature of both of her parents. With DNA from both of their families, it was a predicted outcome.

Stepping forward, Twilight presented her finger to the baby in Sunset’s arms which Horizon grabbed with her tiny appendages, gripping it tightly. “Look at that, strong like her mother.”

“Yet cute like you,” Sunset replied.

A blush came to Twilight. “You’re already getting better at the mushy stuff, I see.”

“Just don’t expect me to become Applejack about it.” Sunset giggled.

Twilight nodded and laughed.

Sunset extended her arms with the child still carefully held in them to Twilight. “Would you hold her for just a second? I need to go get my phone, I left it downstairs and I’m expecting a call from the doctor about setting up her shots in a few months. Wanted to get a head start on all of that, especially after my little incident in high school...”

Twilight hadn’t forgotten the time where Sunset had nearly died from an illness she refused to treat back in their high school days. Had Shimmer not pressed the matter, Sunset and Shimmer may have traded places, and Twilight likely wouldn’t be standing in that mansion holding a daughter in her arms. She shuddered to think of that scenario, but she was curious about what a different world would be like. A world where Shimmer didn’t get shot eight times in the back, and where Sunset actually was not able to make it back to Equestria in time for her life to be saved.

What would have become of her then? What would she have done? A part of her imagined she would have gone through the turmoil that Moondancer did when she lost Shimmer.

She cleared her mind of the thoughts and nodded as she took the baby from her wife, who leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on Twilight’s nose before running a hand along her cheek. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

Twilight nodded as she held Horizon, watching her wife leave the room. She stared at the doorway for a few moments. Time passed, and before she knew it, what was intended as a few seconds had grown into eight long minutes. Something was wrong in Twilight’s mind, and it wasn’t just that Sunset was taking too long.

Contemplating it a bit longer, it finally occurred to Twilight that this entire morning had happened once before. She recalled it from memory now, everything transpiring down to the exact note was a repeat of another morning from her memories. The only problem was that at this point the memory was behaving differently.

Sunset was supposed to have come back only seconds after leaving with a phone in hand, but instead, she was still gone. Was Twilight’s mind playing tricks on her? Did she imagine this entire memory had taken place before? No. It wasn’t possible. She definitely remembered all of it, it wasn’t merely deja vu, but something else.

Carefully, she reached for the doorknob to the room and turned it, cracking the door open to call out to her wife. “Sunset? Where are you, sweetie!?”

There was no response.

Gulping, Twilight pushed the door open carefully, the baby still in her arms as she stepped out of the room, noting that she didn’t recall the hallway extending as far as it appeared to, and after getting a good eight feet away seemed to stretch into a never-ending pit of blackness.

“Sunset!? Where are you!?” Twilight called out.

She was given her answer in the form of silence.

Twilight gulped once more and with the baby still carefully wrapped in her arms, Twilight held the child close as she walked down the hallway. The blackness never seemed to let up no matter how far she got down the hallway, and before she knew it, she couldn’t see anything, she was standing in a void, a void the stretched endlessly. Turning around, Twilight noticed the void had swallowed the pathway back as well.

“Sunset!” Twilight called out but was still given no answer.

She fell to her knees, holding the baby closely as she closed her eyes and whimpered, hoping in vain that something she could do would bring her wife back, that something would make her appear again and tell her that everything was going to be okay.

When she opened her eyes, she could hear an alarm clock. Reaching for her face, she realized she wasn’t wearing her glasses anymore, nor was she carrying Horizon in her arms. Instead, she was wrapped under a quilt in an expensive bed with her morning alarm clock on her phone going off to wake her. It took a few seconds, but Twilight then realized that she had been dreaming, reliving an old memory from when Horizon was only recently born, but the memory getting cut short every time.

She sat up and reached to end the alarm, missing it about eight times before she managed to get it. She noted the time, 8:08 AM. She wasn’t running tremendously late, only a few minutes.

“It keeps happening...” Twilight thought out loud in regards to the dream. She had been having the same nightmare for some time now, and it felt like a good decade had passed since it started, but the reality was she could still remember the first night it had occurred, that was over three years ago.

That morning three years ago still haunted her. She remembered going to bed the night before, happier than she had ever been. She looked forward to another day with her wife and her daughter. She wanted to see about making pancakes for them and had set everything up the night before to surprise the redhead who no doubt would appreciate it after her morning work out. Twilight would sneak a few peeks at Sunset exercising, admiring her physique, and they’d dine together with their baby.

It was all supposed to be perfect, the perfect morning. Everything was going to be flawless, it was going to be a memory that they both would carry forever. Sadly though, those pancakes never got made, Twilight never got to watch her beloved work out that morning, and the memory that was supposed to be formed was instead replaced by a somber one.

When Twilight awoke that morning, she felt a strange emptiness in her bed. She rolled over to snuggle up to her wife only to find she wasn’t there. Instead was just a pillow that she grabbed onto. She frowned at first thinking that perhaps she had gotten up early and thus spoiled her plans. She would search the usual spots for her, the bathroom, her office, her gym, the kitchen, but nowhere she looked did she find the redhead.

Resourceful as she was, Twilight knew enough to check the garage and sure enough, one of the cars was missing. She tried to call her wife asking if she had realized they needed something from the store, but there was no answer.

She wandered back up the stairs and tried calling again, realizing there was a ringing coming from the bedroom. It didn’t take long to realize the ringing was from Sunset’s iPhone which was still left by her bedside. Twilight blinked; Sunset seldom forgot her phone and usually turned around to get it, more so now that they had a child and needed to be ready to receive a message from the other at a moment’s notice.

At first, Twilight chalked it all up to Sunset merely being forgetful, everyone had off days, after all, however, the nagging feeling in her mind only grew as Twilight approached her daughter’s nursery. Horizon was still fast asleep, making Twilight smile, but she noticed something she had not expected taped to the side of her crib, an envelope with her name on it, obviously Sunset’s handwriting.

The first thought in her mind was that it was Sunset trying to be romantic, but when she tore it open, her heart sank.

The letter inside was short, but it got its message across quickly.

Dear Twilight,

I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to understand. I love you so much, and I’m really sorry for what I am doing.

Love,

Sunset

That was three years ago now. And in those three years, Sunset had not returned. That letter was the last communication that Twilight had received from her. She recalled those first few nights waiting for her to come home, but after a good eight days, it had sunk in that she wasn’t returning any time soon.

It was difficult during those first few weeks, Twilight could hardly sleep and she refused to meet with anyone. Many nights were spent just holding her legs close to herself with her phone close by waiting for Sunset to call.

After some time had passed, she eventually found herself keeping busy to keep her mind off of it, but never truly forgetting. The thought always crept its way to the front of her mind, the thought of “what did I do wrong?” She wished she knew, she wished that whatever it was that made Sunset leave she could undo. Had motherhood intimidated her to the point of running?

Three years was a long time, but Twilight had utilized it to bury her emotion on the matter, to keep it hidden, to keep it locked away. She couldn’t afford to be weak anymore, she had a daughter now that counted on her. A little girl who needed a parent to be there while her mother was not. Regardless of what happened to Sunset, regardless of her reasoning, Twilight knew that she had to keep herself together for Horizon’s sake.

Getting out of bed with a yawn, she wandered over to her window and opened the curtains. The line shined in, causing Twilight to shield her eyes. The plaid button up shirt that she had stolen from Sunset’s wardrobe shined in the light. It was a size or two too large for Twilight, but she occasionally wore it as a nightshirt over her underwear.

Meandering out of her room, she found her way to her daughter’s bedroom, and there on the floor stacking some blocks was a girl with muted purple hair, with red tips at the end of her wavy, messy strands. She had already gotten herself dressed in a black spaghetti strap dress from her dresser and was entertaining herself while Twilight woke up. Horizon had somehow developed into a fairly self-sufficient girl without much intervention. She was a fast learner, like Twilight, but she was odd to most. Her personality was very reserved, very laid back, very calm. It was odd that both of her parents were known for over-stressing tiny situations, yet Horizon was virtually stress-free.

Twilight knelt down to the girl’s level and examine’s her as she didn’t even take her eyes off of her blocks. Her freckles were always so adorable to Twilight, and they were even cuter with the pair of glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

“Hey, kiddo,” Twilight spoke softly.

“Hello,” Horizon replied plainly.

“How long have you been up?” Twilight asked.

She just shrugged.

Nodding, Twilight picked up a block and offered it to her, which Horizon accepted and placed atop of her growing tower.

“So, I have school today, so I set up a little play date with Jasper for you, is that okay?” Twilight explained.

“That’s fine,” Horizon said.

Twilight was relieved that Horizon was far from a fussy girl, she wasn’t even a fussy eater as far as Twilight could tell, she’d eat virtually anything offered to her.

“Alright, well I’m going to shower really quick and then we can go okay?” Twilight proposed.

“Okay.” Horizon nodded.

“I love you, Horizon.” Twilight smiled, kissing the girl’s forehead.

Horizon looked up at her with her pink eyes. “I love you too, Twilight.”

She pet the girl’s head before standing up and heading to take the aforementioned shower, by the smell of her armpit, she definitely knew she needed it.

Twilight made her way to the shower, hoping that she could forget about her nightmare and move on with the rest of her day. She didn’t have much time to think about the past, she needed to focus on the future.

Class was tedious, which was an odd admittance for Twilight Sparkle, the girl who loved school, learning and all things education. Her mind was elsewhere though, and she longed to get home to spend time with her young daughter. In her mind, the teacher’s lesson drawled on, and Twilight was finding that it was more and more difficult to stay completely interested in university these days. She pushed through by the encouragement of her family and her desire to finish what she started, but it did annoy her that she had gone from a girl with hopeful dreams of getting her doctorate to a girl who needed motivation just to get out of bed and go to class.

While it troubled her, it didn’t trouble her as much as she would have imagined, which she supposed troubled her more that she wasn’t troubled. What really troubled her though was thoughts of Horizon. Her daughter was obviously a clever child, but not a very emotional one. Horizon was almost purely logical, she was the kind of kid that asked why they were called “black” people when they were actually brown. Smart kid, not the most politically correct though.

Horizon was good with animals, but Twilight worried she might be too understanding of them. She once caught their girl licked herself after she had seen Moon and Spike do it.

Still, regardless of her oddities, Horizon was her daughter, and Twilight took much pride in her.

Her thoughts on her child had distracted her long enough to hear the bell ring. She blinked as she realized she had completely drifted off into space during almost the entirety of her class. Her face turned a bit red at this realization, but she adjusted her checkered button up blouse as she came to a stand.

She had opted to wear a pair of dark grey skinny jeans today, and a rather stylish belt with silver studs upon it. Twilight was starting to feel a bit more proud of her fashion sense which was less like that of a librarian now. Gone were her thick-rimmed, large glasses and in their place squared off smaller ones that had a bit more style to them. She had even started wearing proper eyeliner when she went out.

Checking down at her watch, she smiled when she realized that classes were over and she could head home.

She scooped up her Macbook and textbooks, throwing them into a messenger bag before she turned around and yelped when she came face to face with a tall male. She took a step back and observed the blonde with black tipped hair. He had a genuine smile about him, and with his hand on his hip and his other to his side, he cocked his head at Twilight.

“Oh, Banker... I didn’t see you there... You scared me half to death...” Twilight admitted sheepishly.

He chuckled and shook his head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ll try and be more careful next time.”

Twilight shook her head back at him. “No, it’s my fault. I’m always staring off into space, I’m hardly paying attention to what’s going on around me, you know? I have a very bad habit of doing that...”

“Yet you still manage to be at the top of every class, how does that work?” Banker raised a curious brow, wondering if Twilight would reveal her secrets to him.

She shrugged, not quite sure anymore. Being on top of every class was just the person Twilight Sparkle was. She never stopped to question why the name Twilight Sparkle had to be at the top of every class, she just always knew it to be true.

“I wish I could tell you there was a magic trick to it, but... I don’t really do magic...” She paused at the end of that sentence, thinking it over. She wanted to add “anymore”, but decided it was best not to.

It was true too, since Sunset’s departure, Twilight tried to avoid magic as much as she could. It didn’t feel right using it without her around, nor did she want Horizon to know about it. It was for the best that she kept it a secret that she and her friends used to go around beating up magical villains with superpowers.

She would be lying though if she said that she didn’t miss the feeling that magic gave her. There was a certain exhilaration that came from using magic, a certain elated feeling that only it could give. That feeling was amplified when Sunset and she performed it together.

“Well, you’re quite the girl, Twilight... Beauty and brains...” He nodded, his eyes drifting across her figure suggestively before arriving back at her gentle face.

It was strangely true. Twilight had finally filled out a little, turning into more of an attractive woman. She had acquired a bit of a behind, nothing compared to that of Rarity’s but definitely respectable, and she had started taking care to make her best features shine. Her wardrobe change probably helped tremendously.

“I’m not really that great...” Twilight spoke bashfully.

“Modest too, I see.” He chuckled.

“You flatter me,” Twilight replied.

“I noticed you got a new piercing on your ear, did that hurt?” He gestured to his own ear.

She reached up and touched the new hoop that sat just underneath her industrial piercing and shrugged. “Not any more than normal.”

“It’s kind of odd... You seem more like a timid girl, yet you get piercings like that...” He chuckled.

“Would it shock you to know I got a tattoo done almost three years ago?” Twilight grinned.

“You with a tattoo? Where?” He blinked in astonishment.

She laughed and unbuttoned the first two buttons of her shirt and pulled it down revealing just above her left breast was a symbol that she herself had seen many times before. It was the same emblem that Sunset often wore, the emblem that she understood back in Equestria to be her “mark” so to speak. A shining red and yellow sun.

He blinked and tilted his head. “What is it?”

Buttoning her shirt back up Twilight smiled. “It’s to remind myself that Sunset is always in my heart. She might be gone, but this reminds me of the happy memories we had...”

“Speaking of... I was wondering if maybe you wanted to get something to eat now that class is over? My treat?” He gave her another smile.

She sighed and shook her head. “Sorry, Banker... I just... I’m not really ready for another relationship. It’s not that you’re not a great guy or anything, it’s just... I had just gotten married to this woman, she was the love of my life and then she just...” Twilight closed her eyes and then opened them as she composed herself. “There’s a lot of baggage in my life.”

“How long has she been gone now?” He asked.

“Three years.” Twilight gave a plain reply, she had it almost down to the minute of when Sunset left. A part of her wondered if she’d ever be satisfied unless she knew what happened to the redhead. It wasn’t even entirely that she was gone, it was that Twilight didn’t have a clue of where she went or how to find her.

“Don’t you think it’s time to move on? See other people? When’s the last time you went on a date, Twilight?” He asked. His voice didn’t suggest he was being pushy but concerned instead.

She shook her head. “I haven’t since she left...”

“Maybe it’s time?” He suggested.

Twilight shook her head once more and placed a hand on his shoulder before squeezing by him. “Maybe, but I have to go pick up my daughter. Right now, that’s the only thing I care about, sorry Banker. I hope I’m not coming off as a bitch.”

He didn’t seem too offended with his response. “Not at all, Twilight. You gotta take care of you, after all. The offer is always on the table. I can’t promise I’ll be better than Sunset, but I can promise I’ll do my best to show you a good time if you want to take a chance.”

Twilight found herself smiling at the fact that she was still desirable to someone at least. A part of her wondered though if she’d ever feel as wanted as she did with Sunset around. That woman was head-over-heels for her; Sunset brought her breakfast in bed, she showed her off around town, she bought sexy outfits for her, she had even stopped at sex shops on a weekly basis to bring something “new” to the bedroom to impress Twilight with. Never in her life had she met someone that went through such extended efforts for her.

It made her happy to think that someone loved her so much, but sad at the same time when she realized that that person was gone, and she didn’t know why. She wanted to believe there was a good reason for Sunset’s disappearance, but it was getting harder and harder as time went on. If there was, surely she’d be back by now, right? She’d have come home to her years ago, wouldn’t she?

Time was a terrible burden, and it was one that she had to fill. With nothing filling Twilight’s time, she began to think of all the worst case scenarios, so she had to always find a way to keep herself distracted.

“Thank you, Banker. I don’t know why you put up with me though, I’m pretty confident other girls would be more worth the pursuit than me...” Twilight blushed.

He shrugged. “I guess there is just something about you that makes me want to make you happy. Is that weird?”

She paused as a memory came through her mind.

It had been sometime after Twilight and Sunset had started dating. They had had some big argument about something or other, and Twilight had locked herself in her room upset. She wished she could recall why they were fighting, but she supposed it wasn’t that important if she couldn’t even remember the reasoning.

Sunset had stayed outside her door for nearly eight hours, stopping only to use the bathroom. She didn’t say anything, but Twilight knew she was there. It was a fight so big that she was confident they were going to break up after that. Sunset never gave up on her though.

After those eight hours passed, Twilight finally opened the door and the only words that came out of her mouth still rang in her mind, along with Sunset’s response.

Why do you even bother putting up with me?

There’s just something about you that makes me want to make you happy. Is that weird?

Maybe it is, but I’m glad you said that.

Twilight had frozen again before shaking her head and smiling at Banker. “Maybe it is, but I’m glad you said that...”

He raised a brow, confused as if there was a conversation going on that he was only getting half of. “Huh?”

She shook her head. “Nothing, thank you for being there. I guess I needed to hear that today.”

“Sure, no problem.” He blinked, unsure of what just happened as Twilight took her leave.

A phone was pressed to the ear of the woman who had mothered and raised Moondancer. She was trying to give yet another call to check up on her daughter. The girl’s sleep pattern had gotten completely unpredictable since she left home, and thus it was uncertain when one would be able to get a hold of her.

After the phone rang a good eight times, she was about to give up until she heard someone pick up on the other side. A grumbling noise was heard at first followed by a “hey, sorry.”

“Well, there you are!” Moondancer’s mother stated.

The voice of Moondancer came through the phone between yawns. “Sorry, been up pretty late with this project.”

“When are you coming home?” Her mother asked a question that seemed to get asked nearly every day these days. The answer of course was predictable and the same one she had been used to receiving over and over. She didn’t even fully know why she bothered asking.

“As soon as I can, mother.” Moondancer yawned.

Her mother lamented at how she wished she could get a better answer from her only child but decided to leave it at that. “How are things over there?”

“Pretty good, anything new over there?” Moondancer asked.

“Well, I recently got into training for a marathon that is going to happen next year...” Her mother began.

Moondancer replied immediately. “I’m proud of you, mother.”

“I was hoping you could watch me run...” Her mother finished her thought, her words growing quiet toward the end.

There was a long sigh on Moondancer’s side followed by silence.

Breaking the silence, her mother spoke up. “Moondancer?”

“Yeah, I’m still here. I promise mother, when I get out of here, I’ll watch you run. I won’t miss it for the world,” her daughter stated, confidence filling her voice.

Those words alone were enough to reassure her, she knew her daughter well enough to know she never backed out of a promise. Just like she was raised.

Twilight arrived at Applejack and Rarity’s home in her Range Rover, parking the fine vehicle out front. It was a far cry from the Mazda Rarity drove or the truck that Applejack had. Rarity had a respectable car, but nothing extremely exotic. Still, it made Twilight smile to see that Rarity had enough success to her to be driving something attractive.

Stepping out of the car, Twilight could already see Applejack waving to her from the porch of their cozy farmhouse. She waved back as she approached, stuffing the keys in her pocket.

Passing the small pen of chickens, Twilight giggled as she remembered that Rarity voluntarily stayed at such an uncouth place for Applejack’s sake. She worked mostly out of home, but she had a shop in town where she stopped in a few times a week to check on things. Her name was at the point where all of Canterlot knew of her designs, perfumes, and products. She had just signed a deal with a small shipping company to expand to other towns nearby. Her dream was coming true, even if it wasn’t in the way she imagined. Rarity was always compared to a flower by Applejack, but Twilight imagined her more like a garden weed: stubborn and unable to be fully stopped from blooming.

Once Twilight reached the steps where Applejack stood, the farmer offered a hand and used it when taken to pull Twilight into a tight embrace. Applejack still gave the firm hugs that Twilight remembered from only days ago, though her large breasts at least made them softer.

When Twilight was released she shot her friend a genuine smile. “Thanks for watching Horizon for me... I’d rather she spend the time with you guys and her friend Jasper than with some babysitter.”

Applejack shook her head. “Ain’t no trouble at all! Y’all are like family. Horizon is always welcome here and so are you, Twilight.”

Twilight laughed and nodded.

“Horizon Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle are always welcome in the Apple home.” Applejack winked.

“Technically it’s Twilight Shimmer now...” Twilight corrected.

Applejack rubbed her neck. “Right, I keep forgetin’ y’all changed it. Guess we all go so used to Sparkle that we have a hard time adjustin’.”

“It’s okay, a lot of people still call me Sparkle. I don’t mind.” Twilight giggled.

Applejack opened her front door and gestured for Twilight to enter. “Come on in, ‘Ah think they’re in the livin’ room.”

Nodding, Twilight followed the taller woman inside, stopping as she noticed a young blonde haired boy donning a fake foam sword in one hand and a shield in another. Next to him was Horizon sporting a wizard hat, and a foam staff as the two of them did fake swings with their “weapons” at Rarity who was wearing a ridiculous dragon mask.

Twilight found herself snorting and giggling with Applejack as they both witnessed Rarity making (poorly) sounds that she likely believed sounded like what a dragon would as the two kids tag-teamed on her, taking extra care to not hit her for real.

“My my... What’s happening here?” Twilight asked between snickers.

Jasper looked over and waved with the sword in his hand, his freckles contorting as she smiled at Twilight. “Hello, Miss Twilight! We’re fighting a dragon! I’m the warrior, and Horizon is the wizard!”

“Technically, I’m an arcane mage...” Horizon corrected as she pushed up her glasses, her expression rather neutral on the matter.

Twilight sniggered and nodded. “Well, do hurry up, I have to take Horizon home soon.”

“Got it!” Jasper saluted as he pointed his sword at Rarity triumphantly. “Now beast! With my wizard friend’s magic-“

“Arcane mage,” Horizon corrected once more.

“With my friend the arcane mage’s magic, we shall combine our powers and defeat you, beast!” Jasper roared as he held his sword in the air and made whooshing noises as Horizon pretended to charge up his sword.

Rarity made a fierce growl but then covered her heart and made a pretend dramatic fall as she went down from the “attack”.

Fake wailing noises filled the air as Rarity laid there in defeat. “You have bested me, young heroes! You may take my treasure, but my brothers will avenge meeeeee!”

Jasper placed his hands on his hips and stood proudly. “And so, the day is saved once again, thanks to Jasper and Horizon. The greatest pair of adventurers in the kingdom!”

Applejack rolled her eyes and coughed. “Alright, enough play y’all. Horizon has to go home.”

“Awww... Ma’ can’t she stay fer’ dinner?” Jasper pleaded.

Applejack shook her head. “No can do, kiddo. Miss Twilight has to get home and get her to bed soon, ‘Ah reckon.”

“Awww, shucks.” He frowned before turning to Horizon and smiling. “Until next time then, my arcane mage friend!”

Horizon merely nodded, before turning to Twilight and looking up. She wore that same plain face she always had. No smile, no frown, just a look of complete neutrality. That expression summed up the girl’s personality flawlessly, Horizon was an agreeable girl, who seldom showed much of her emotional thoughts. As a baby, she cried very little, and the older she got, the more Twilight noticed she was merely a child who went with the flow. Not that Twilight minded, she’d much rather have an easy child than a difficult one.

Reaching down, Twilight scooped Horizon up and held her in her arm before looking at Applejack and Rarity. “Thanks again for watching her.”

“Ain’t a problem, as ‘Ah said,” Applejack reminded.

Rarity took the mask off and stood up with a smile to Twilight. “Darling, you and Horizon are both very important to us. There isn’t a moment where you’re both not welcome here. You needn’t thank us all the time.”

“Still, it’s the right thing to do... So thank you.” Twilight nodded.

“You both have been so good to me since...” She paused and looked at Horizon before biting her lip. “Well... you know.”

Rarity nodded, her smile turning somewhat into a frown. She wanted to speak, she wanted to ask about Sunset, but she knew it was a bad idea in front of Horizon. Instead, she just kept nodding, unsure of what else to do.

“Drive safe, Twilight,” Applejack commanded.

Twilight nodded back before turning to the door. “I will, I’ll see the both of you in a few days. It’s on me.”

“We’ll be there.” Applejack gave a thumbs up as the woman left with her daughter.

After the door closed and a few seconds passed, Rarity reached over and gripped Applejack’s shoulder in worry. “That poor woman...” Rarity lamented.

Applejack nodded. “Ain’t never seen anyone hold in how badly they was hurtin’ like Twilight...”

That evening, Twilight was able to get her daughter bathed and dried off. She slipped the girl’s purple pajamas on and smiled as she brushed her hair gently, taking special care not to press too hard with the hair brush. Horizon had thick messy hair, similar to her mother’s. Twilight was having small flashbacks of getting her fingers tangled in Sunset’s hair. She hoped Horizon didn’t plan on having long hair as well, otherwise Twilight would be cleaning out drains in her bathroom for eternity, that or the cleaning staff would.

Finishing with the young girl’s hair, Twilight smiled and turned Horizon to face her. Horizon’s mouth was an O as she looked up at Twilight who offered the girl’s glasses back. Horizon took them in her small hands and placed them back on her face before looking back up at her kneeling guardian.

“You look adorable.” Twilight smiled.

Horizon just nodded. “Twilight...” She began.

Twilight blinked and tilted her head. “Hm?”

“What’s school like?” She asked.

Twilight chuckled and rubbed her head affectionately. “It’s different for everyone, but it’s a place you go to learn.”

“Jasper says his moms finished school years ago,” Horizon pointed out.

It was true too. Applejack finished high school and finished a trade school program early in, and Rarity had taken online courses for some time and finished up her degree quickly to get started on her home business. The two of them were determined.

Twilight, on the other hand, had finished her BA and was working on her Masters at the moment. She had spent her entire life in school at this point, but she never thought much of it. The money left behind by Sunset made it possible to focus on school for half of the time and being a parent the other half, so she had the luxury of not having to struggle.

In her free time, Twilight learned and played the stock market some to make sure money was still rolling in. After some practice, she had hired some people to handle it from there and checked up on them on a monthly basis. They did incredible work, and before she knew it, she had turned Sunset’s fortune of $300 million into $80 million more in only a matter of three years through smart investments.

“Yeah, most people finish when they’re eighteen.” Twilight nodded.

“How come you’re still in school then?” Horizon asked.

Twilight blinked and thought about her answer.

“Well, I am studying for a long time because I want to do something to change the world, to make the world a better place, and that takes a long time,” Twilight explained.

“Is the world bad?” Horizon tilted her head curiously.

Twilight chuckled and shook her head. “No, but some places on it are not that great. I want to use science to make the world a better place for everyone so that everyone gets to have an amazing life.”

“Did mommy want to do that as well?”

Twilight paused. She wasn’t expecting such a question. For a long time, Horizon rarely asked about her mother. She knew that she was gone, but she didn’t really ask much after that. Perhaps she was too young to understand when she was told about a year ago.

She was careful with her answer. “Your mother... She... She couldn’t ignore people being hurt. She would go out of her way to help them.”

“Did she leave to help people?” Horizon asked.

Twilight bit her lip and sighed. “I don’t know, sweetie. I wish I did. All I know is that she loved us both very much, and I’m sure if she could be here, she would. You should have seen the look in her eyes when she held you.”

“Me?” Horizon gestured to herself with her small finger.

Twilight nodded, a tear forming in her eye. “She wouldn’t let you go. She said that you were the greatest thing that ever happened to her in her entire life. She was prepared to do anything for you.”

“Why did she leave then?” Horizon tilted her head.

Shaking her head, Twilight scooped the girl up and wandered toward Horizon’s bedroom. “I think that’s enough stories for one night, don’t you? We can talk about this some other time, alright?”

“Okay.” Horizon nodded.

Again, Twilight was thankful for such an agreeable daughter.

Reaching the bedroom, Twilight placed the girl onto her bed, and pulled the comforter over her and kissed her forehead. “You get some sleep and tomorrow we’ll see about getting a chance to go to the zoo, okay?”

“Okay.” Horizon nodded once more.

Twilight chuckled and nodded as she headed toward the doorway, flicking the light off. “I love you, Horizon.”

“I love you too, Twilight,” she replied.

Nodding, Twilight stepped out of the room and left the door open a crack. She could already see Moon racing to slip in and likely curl up next to the soon-to-be sleeping Horizon, likely to get snuggled up to like a teddy bear. He was so affectionate to the girl that it made Twilight chuckle a bit. If there was anyone who was a father figure to that girl, it was Moon.

Wandering toward the kitchen, Twilight looked at the Ninja coffee maker, and pressed “brew”. She had preemptively set it up the night before so she could just brew and go.

She decided to stand there at the machine when the sound of small paws made her turn her head to the entryway to the kitchen. There with a bow in his maw was a familiar canine companion. Twilight smiled at him and nodded.

Spike dropped his bone and approached with his tail wagging. “Hey, Twilight.”

“Hey, Spike. Just making some coffee.”

“Shouldn’t you be heading to bed soon?” Spike asked.

She shrugged. “I’m not really in the mood to sleep just yet. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?” Spike questioned as he approached his master.

“Horizon might be at that age where she’s going to start asking a lot more questions about Sunset soon,” Twilight said plainly, her voice showing how tired she truly was.

“What are you going to tell her?”

Twilight shrugged. “The truth, I suppose. That I have no idea why she left, where she is or even...” She paused and found herself widening her eyes and refusing to say the last bit. Spike did it for her, instead.

“If she’s even still alive?”

“She has to be alive,” Twilight defended.

Spike frowned. “I’m not trying to be mean, Twilight but there is a possibility that she’s... You know... She hasn’t called, written or even been seen in three years. People don’t just up and vanish, Twilight.”

“She could have gone back to Equestria...” Twilight frowned.

“We went to the portal remember? It’s not working anymore. We tried it many times, and it wouldn’t open,” Spike reminded.

Twilight shook her head. “Can we please not talk about this? I’m stressed out enough.”

Spike sighed and nodded before curling up at her feet. “Yeah, sorry...”

Twilight watched her coffee brew with only one thought in her mind.

Sunset.

Author's Note

Kind of sad to see poor Twilight like this. :c

Let's talk about something more in-depth though. As you all know, we are on Act VI of VII, so we're closing in on the territory of the final part of the story. That being said, there's a lot of elements that have been being "gathered" since earlier points getting ready for their payoffs soon. I'd like to take the time in these sections now to talk about characters and character elements regarding them. We'll start with little Horizon here:

Horizon we can clearly see is a very reserved girl; lacking a lot of the general emotional outbursts that most kids seem to have. She is clearly sporting a more impressive vocabulary than most her age, but then again her mother IS Twilight, so no doubt there was some teaching there.

I never really had a specific for this, but it's very possible that Horizon could be somewhere on the autism spectrum, possibly leaning more toward Aspergers, which would explain her odd behavior. This could also just be poor social conditioning as well. Twilight is a busy parent, juggling school, the money and being the sole parent to this child in a mansion. A lot of the conditions that create the environment Horizon grows up in means that Twilight cannot give her as "normal" of a life as most kids. No matter what she does, the reality is, Horizon is a wealthy child, and that would tend to make one a target for bullying, which Twilight likely shields her from. On top of this, Horizon is awkward, which is painting a bigger target on her.

At its core though, Twilight has always been somewhat poor at socializing and making friends, Sunset was her crutch for that, and without her, she's at a loss on how to teach her daughter to do the same. Fortunately for her, a bond of great connection seems to have formed with Jasper, which I am sure all parties involved are more than thankful for.

All and all, she's clearly the kind of kid who is at least low effort in caring for, a godsend for our stressed and overworked Twilight.

Also yes, the fact that she doesn't call Twilight "Mom" is intentional, but we'll get on that later.

Act VI - Chapter LXXVII: Growth

Chapter LXXVII: Growth

Starlight sat down across from Angel and threw her head back after she returned from the bathroom lamenting at her situation once more. The two girls sat in front of a meat covered pizza at Lucky’s Pizzeria; one of their most coveted pizza parlors in all of Sacramento. It was a relief to be home after all the traveling they had done in the past few weeks, chasing down leads to solve their magical mystery.

“I can’t believe it... I’m getting closer to thirty and I still don’t have a steady boyfriend. How is this my life? I’m attractive enough, aren’t I?” Starlight asked as she looked over at Angel from the corner of her eye, feeling a bit envious.

While Angel was built tall and lanky, she was just naturally cute. The girl didn’t have to put any effort into making herself attractive, it wasn’t fair. Sitting there in her white thin strapped dress with her exposed shoulders and fabric flowers decorating the straps that held the piece up, she was absolutely delectable. Any guy would pay money to have a minute with her.

Starlight guessed she was probably as tight as an eight-year-old down there too, given everything else about her screamed “perfection”. She was small chested, but you could see her curved breasts just fine in her outfits, somehow making her lack of cleavage or large breasts really work for her. Starlight had never seen her friend naked, despite living together for years, but it wasn’t mutual. Starlight was pretty open about her nudity around the apartment, but Angel often just covered her eyes or looked away.

While Starlight was certain she was completely straight, she wasn’t always sure about Angel. The girl never really showed any desire either way for men or women. Perhaps she was one of those “asexuals” that Starlight had heard about from time to time.

Her eyes scanned the girl’s blue hair that draped down her back and if she stood up reached her butt even when it was tied in the two pigtails that she had. Her hair had been growing quite a bit over the years, and this was the longest that Starlight had ever seen it.

Angel giggled and placed a delicate porcelain colored hand to her lips as she did. Even the way she giggled was adorable, it wasn’t fair.

“You’ve still got a decent way to go until thirty, Starlight,” Angel reminded with a finger lifted in the air.

She had a point there, thankfully. Starlight had just turned twenty-four, very much in her youth still and sexual prime, even if she felt that prime was being wasted with long dry spells.

“Yeah, but instead of getting laid on my birthday I’m spending it sitting here with you.” Starlight frowned and rested her head on the table in defeat.

“Is sex really that much better than my company?” Angel asked, her voice not seeming to show any kind of sadness about the comment, but instead genuine curiosity.

Starlight was going to instantly say “yes”, but she considered the question for a bit, and chewed her thoughts. “Well... Not always. I mean you rock, Angel, but orgasms are pretty hard to beat.”

“Why must we always find a way to end up talking about sex?” Angel rolled her eyes.

“Hey, it’s my birthday, so we talk about what I want!” Starlight protested.

Angel conceded that point and just rolled her eyes again, realizing there likely was no real counter-argument that she could make to change the conversation.

“How about we just celebrate that we’ve been friends for so long?” Angel asked.

A smile came to the young half-Asian girl as she sat up and nodded, picking up a cup of soda and holding it out to her fairer-skinned friend. “That is something I can drink to.”

Copying Starlight’s actions, Angel lifted her glass and tapped it to Starlight’s. “To us.” She said.

Starlight nodded in agreement. “To us, the best friends on the face of the planet!”

“Let’s not oversell it.” Angel chuckled.

Sipping from her soda, Starlight mad an audible “ah” before setting the glass down and looked over at her friend once more. “So, any leads on Rainbow Dash? I know it’s been a while since that dream about her...”

Angel’s face turned more serious as she nodded. She had dug up quite a treasure trove of information about the girl since the dream she had had. It took some time, but a good eight days after they had returned from a search in Kentucky for more information had turned up quite a bit.

The search in Kentucky ended up being a bust, but the online research ended up being a solid win.

“I’m pretty sure we’re close. I was able to hunt down Applejack’s facebook, and she was friends with a girl named Rainbow Dash, she looked similar to the girl in the dream, so I’m pretty sure it’s the same one,” Angel explained.

Starlight gave a confident thumbs up. “That’s awesome, so what else did you find out?”

Angel frowned and shook her head. “Her profile was private, so I couldn’t find out much about her, all I could tell was from a comment on a public photo of Applejack’s by her. It’s the only way I could even tell it was her, but going to her profile didn’t seem to get me anywhere.”

Starlight shook her head. “Actually, this is pretty important info, really...”

“How so?” Angel’s brow raised at Starlight’s suggestion.

“Think about it, it’s pretty clear that all of these girls know each other. I’m willing to bet if we study their group, we will find what we’re looking for,” Starlight explained.

Her logic made sense. “There is something else...” Angel added.

“What is it?” Starlight leaned in with intrigue.

“I think... Well, I get this feeling that we are going to reach a point where we have to meet these girls in person, you know?” Angel pointed out.

Starlight bit her lip and sat back. She actually had been considering that herself the longer this went on. At this point, it had been years since this all began, but she, like her friend Angel felt compelled to see it through, though she wasn’t sure why. The fact that both of them could perform magic might have played a role in it. It wasn’t an ability that Starlight could make herself ignore so easily.

“Yeah... You may be right, that’s been on my mind for a while too...” Starlight replied quietly.

“What would we even say to them? We can’t exactly just tell them some weird visions that I’ve had lead me to them, or that magical people who attacked us in an old abandoned house compelled us to seek them out... They’d think we’re crazy...” Angel frowned.

Starlight shook her head in disagreement. “Maybe not.”

“How do you figure?” Angel’s brow raised once more.

“Considering all we know, and all that’s happened... I’m willing to bet that these girls know about magic too, and maybe even about the visions we’ve both had... I mean at first it was just you, but now it’s been happening to me too. One person, sure that’s easily explained as a weird coincidence, but now two? My money is on these girls knowing about magic too.” Starlight placed her fist in her palm as she made her deduction.

Angel couldn’t deny that such a deduction made sense. It all fit together so perfectly. These girls had to have some kind of knowledge about magic, but they needed some kind of proof. Furthermore, they needed a reason to approach them. Angel didn’t want to get too close until she was certain it was safe and that they were going on the right hunches. It would take some time, but it was worth waiting if it meant they could get complete answers to some of their questions.

“I guess that all makes sense, but we should wait until we have more information and finish chasing other leads before we approach them. There’s no telling how much they know, or if it’s even safe for use to get close.” Angel nodded.

Starlight concurred. “True, I mean for all we know they could want to hoard magic all to themselves and take out anyone else who uses it.”

“That seems a little extreme don’t you think?” Angel gasped.

Starlight shrugged as she sipped from her cup and reached for a slice of food. With her mouth full she spoke, swallowing mid-sentence. “Could explain why we don’t see magic users all over the place, right? I mean think about it, if random people like you or me can get magic, why don’t we see it more often? Why is it a big secret? Someone has to be keeping the word from getting out, right? The easiest way would be to take anyone out who had magic, right?”

Angel didn’t like the sound of that. “What if they just removed magic from people instead of killing them?”

Starlight shook her head. “Then how do they keep them from talking?”

“Magic?” Angel shrugged.

Starlight disagreed once more. “Nah, doesn’t make sense. A lot of extra work for no real benefit. Killing them keeps them quiet indefinitely...”

“Assuming what you’re saying is true... Wouldn’t killing people leave behind all kinds of police investigation that would be done? That sort of draws more attention to the situation...” Angel pointed out.

Starlight admitted that it was a hole in her theory. She leaned back and nodded. “Alright, you got me there, I guess it doesn’t make much sense. Still, we shouldn’t really get too close at this point.”

That was a point they both agreed upon.

“We’ll take as long as we need to make sure we do this right, okay?” Starlight said.

Angel nodded and smiled as she offered her delicate hand to her friend. Starlight took it and squeezed with a nod as well. “We’re in this together, now.”

“You got that right.” Angel giggled.

Fluttershy arrived in her living room sporting an elegant green floral print kimono before sitting down across from her wife who was flipping through some documents, a pencil in her maw that she was chewing as she kept her legs tucked under the kotatsu in front of her. She wasn’t exactly dressed very immaculately, sporting a tank top and what appeared to be booty shorts.

Her impressive muscular physique was easy to see with her wardrobe choice and made the fairer of the two maidens blush upon seeing it, taking note of every single tender that moved when Rainbow moved her strong biceps. The army had made Rainbow far tougher and stronger than she had ever been, it had pushed her to her very limit, and now she was a force to be reckoned with. In the past, she was always able to beat Applejack in competitions of speed, but when it came to brute strength, the farmer had always bested her.

Now though, with her newfound muscles, Rainbow Dash could likely go head to head with the farmer in an arm wrestling contest with no worries. Fluttershy couldn’t be certain that she’d win, but she knew she’d give old Applejack a run for her money and a story to tell. It was interesting how seriously Rainbow took her physical fitness even before the army, but now she was a regular exercise addict. Two hours a day without fail, Rainbow was at the gym, and then did her PT at the start of the day.

Anyone who saw her would never have guessed she mothered two twin boys. She didn’t seem the type, but instead of making her more feminine, Rainbow took mothering two kids as a macho bragging right. She would go on and on about how she was so tough she went through the pain twice consecutively. The girl even went so far as to claim she probably could have done them both at the same time, that was how good she was.

Whenever the topic came up, Fluttershy just rolled her eyes and let her wife have her moment. There was no stopping Rainbow when she was on a macho trip.

Watching her examine her documents, Fluttershy noted how her hair had been tied up in a messy bun with another pencil stuck in it.

As Fluttershy sat down, she slid her legs under the tatami with her wife and smiled, causing Rainbow to look up and smile back as she set the paper in her hand down and reached across the table to touch the back of Fluttershy’s palm. “Hey, cute stuff.”

Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her long hair. “Hey...”

“Just got out of the bath, I see?” Rainbow asked.

She nodded.

“I decided to go to the bathhouse to get refreshed. It was quite nice actually, an older woman there told me that I reminded her of a goddess because of how beautiful I was...” Fluttershy blushed deeper.

Truthfully, she was a little shy about her own nudity, but it was not as big a deal in Japan.

The two of them had been stationed there for some time now, and Fluttershy had grown accustomed to it by now. Actually, she rather enjoyed it, the culture was fascinating, and most of the people were fascinated by Americans, and Rainbow and Fluttershy both went out of their way to show their respect for their culture.

Both had taken Japanese classes, and after a good year of classes, they were both conversationally fluent. They could read basic books, carry on conversations, but likely would get lost if they were reading complex instruction manuals or law books.

Fluttershy could hear the sound of video games being played behind Rainbow Dash and peeking around the corner of the wall, she could see their son Bolt sitting in front of a television with a PlayStation controller in his hands jabbing away at buttons. His tongue sticking out slightly, licking his lip as he concentrated hard on what he was playing.

The young boy had put a baseball cap on backward over his messy dark pink hair as he usually did. He was a scrappy young boy and seemed impervious to damage. From when he was just an infant, they always remembered he was resistant to crying when he hurt himself. He was the kind of kid who got cuts and scrapes and tried to hold in his tears (even though sniffles would escape now and then). He absolutely idolized Rainbow, and always said he wanted to be as tough as his mother.

Bolt Dash was almost like Rainbow Dash in a three-year-old’s body. He was pig-headed, reckless, full of energy and competitive. His competitive nature, however, often got him on the receiving end of a loss by his mother. Rainbow had a strict policy of not allowing her kids to win if they wanted to beat “the best” as she put it, they needed to play hard.

Unlike his mother though, Bolt wasn’t too interested in sports with the exception of skateboarding, which he grew very attached to, despite falling down a lot. The two parents agreed they wouldn’t buy him his own until he was at least eight. While he could hold in tears from when he got hurt, that didn’t mean his bones would not break from falling onto the pavement.

He was wearing a hoodie that his mother had given him from a store back on the army base that has the US Army logo on the back. He had grown to love it, and it was his favorite one, even if it was a size or two too large. He was a scrawny kid, but that just meant he had yet to fill out.

His magenta eyes focused on the television without blinking.

Behind him, his brother sat with his feet up on the couch, his arms wrapping around his legs, his hands concealed by a yellow knitted sweater that was definitely too large for him. Cloud Dash was always those awkward “in-between” sizes for clothing, meaning clothes were either too small or too large. He always settled for too large, which was probably for the best as the boy was always cold.

Like his mother, he had rainbow colored hair, though his colors were muted and appeared like they had lost some of their luster, like a shirt that had been washed too many times.

His hair draped down his body and reached his lower back. Unlike his brother with messy locks, Cloud kept his majestic hair brushed and clear of any and all knots. His silky hair was split closer to the left side, creating a cascading bunch of locks that covered part of the right side of his face.

From the moment he was born, both of the women had realized that Cloud was very effeminate, and his mannerisms backed that up.

He often occupied himself by drawing, which he was quite skilled at for his age, and reading children’s books. Cloud was advanced at reading, and Rainbow and Fluttershy had been told they recommended he get put into a program for gifted children upon entering school when he came of age.

Needless to say, both of the women were proud of their fraternal twin boys, and they were glad that the army had afforded them the chance to take them around the world so they could become cultured. Every night, the two would sit down and teach their sons Japanese. Fluttershy insisted that learning a second language was good for children and that it would open many doors for them later in life, Rainbow agreed.

The two were thankful for all they had acquired, and the life that they had grown accustomed to.

Fluttershy looked at her wife curiously as she looked down to all the papers in front of her. She hadn’t seen her that day until now, Rainbow had been held up at work for an unusually long time that day, and when she got home, Fluttershy was at the bathhouse, but now she was sitting across from her examining paperwork. Rainbow’s job with the army was rather complicated, and since she had all kinds of top-secret security clearance, Fluttershy was never entirely sure what she actually did for them, but she knew it involved combat.

“Something wrong?” Fluttershy asked quietly.

Rainbow sighed and glanced over her shoulder at the kids and gave a simple head jerk to Fluttershy, signaling she wanted them to be excused before she would speak about the matter further.

Nodding, Fluttershy raised her voice ever so slightly (though still fairly quiet by most people’s standards). “Boys, do you think you could pause the game and go to your rooms for a bit while your mother and I speak about something?”

Bolt blinked and looked over with a frown. He was about to tell her that he had been prepping for a big boss fight, but the moment he saw Fluttershy’s kind eyes, he just nodded and pressed pause, setting the controller down before standing up and gesturing for his brother to follow. Cloud didn’t need any further instruction as the two boys carefully made their way to their respective bedrooms.

Once they were gone, Rainbow Dash waited a few seconds after hearing their doors close before she stood up and shut the door between the dining room area and the living room.

Fluttershy already could feel her heart sink from that action alone. Whatever was to be discussed, Fluttershy already knew it was a topic she was not going to enjoy. She gulped as she braced herself; her feeble hands trembling already.

Rainbow saw back down and crossed her legs. She placed her hands in her lap as she leaned forward with her eyes closed, trying to think of a way to broach the subject without making it any more painful than it already was. A few painful seconds passed before she submitted that there was no way to talk about what she wanted to discuss without upsetting Fluttershy.

She took a deep breath and exhaled before opening her eyes, her expression serious and anguished. “Fluttershy...” She began.

Fluttershy squeezed her own hands together tightly as she prepared herself mentally. “Y-yes?”

“I hate to tell you this but...” Rainbow closed her eyes once more.

“Just say it, Rainbow...” Fluttershy frowned, trying to fight back tears.

Rainbow exhaled once more. “They want to send me to a mission somewhere in Europe for a few weeks.”

Fluttershy suspected as much, but it didn’t make it any easier.

“When are they going to stop deploying you? You’ve already been deployed twice!” Fluttershy protested.

Rainbow shook her head. “It’s part of my job, Fluttershy. I have to go when they say to go. It’s what I agreed to when I signed up.”

“I understand that, but it feels like they are sending you out there more often than others. I’ve talked to the other spouses on the base, and most of their husbands and wives have not been deployed in several years, but you keep getting sent out!” Fluttershy responded, her voice trembling as she did, not wanting any of this to be true.

“Different jobs, hun. Some get deployed more than others, and I’m not at liberty to explain why. You know how it is, my job doesn’t let me talk about it with anyone, including you...” Rainbow frowned, it pained her to keep secrets from her wife, even if those secrets were a matter of national security.

Fluttershy hated it just as much as Rainbow did. The army was always forcing Rainbow to do things that she clearly didn’t want to do, and keep secrets that she clearly didn’t want to keep, but she was obligated to oblige. Likewise, Fluttershy had no choice in the matter either. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes with a frown.

“When are you leaving?” Fluttershy asked.

“They want me to head out on Friday to a briefing, then I’ll be heading to my mission. It shouldn’t take too long, I should only be gone for a few weeks, then I come right back here, promise.” Rainbow placed a hand on her head to show her sincerity.

Fluttershy sighed and nodded. “A-alright... I don’t like it, but it’s what I have to accept. I knew you wanted to join the army when we got married, and I guess this is part of that deal isn’t it?”

“Unfortunately...” Rainbow nodded back at her, hurting just thinking about how much this entire ordeal was harming her wife.

Fluttershy sighed once more. “You promise me that you’ll try and be as safe as you can? I know it’s unrealistic of me to think you’ll be completely safe, but I can at least hope you won’t take any unnecessary risks, right?”

Rainbow reached forward and gripped her wife’s hand. “You know I can’t promise that, Fluttershy. Any risk I take is going to be completely necessary for my job, but unexpected things happen sometimes...”

The pink haired woman wanted to object, she wanted to tell her not to go, but she knew it wasn’t any good. Rainbow would have to go regardless of how Fluttershy felt about it, so it was better for her to at least go believing that she had her wife’s blessing. Fluttershy gritted her teeth for a moment but then unclenches them. She gave her wife’s hand a squeeze and nodded. “I trust you, Rainbow. Just come home to us, okay? You have a family to think about now.”

A smile came to the multi-color haired maiden as she gave a wink. “Don’t worry, nothing will keep me away from you all. I’d slay a thousand terrorists to come back home to you and the kids. You’re all too important to me.”

Rainbow wasn’t usually one for being sappy, so when she had her weak moments where she gave in and said something heartfelt, it always made Fluttershy smile.

“Sometimes I wish you weren’t a soldier...” Fluttershy admitted.

Rainbow chuckled. “No matter what, you’re always the most important soldier in my army.”

“You’re too sweet...” Fluttershy blushed.

“I only got that way from being around you for so long.” Rainbow caressed her wife’s hand affectionately.

For that moment, everything was fine, even if the future was uncertain.

Twilight smiled at her two friends as she kept her hands on Horizon’s shoulders and looked them both in the eyes. “I appreciate you two looking after Horizon all the time, are you absolutely certain I can’t pay either of you for the trouble?”

Applejack shook her head and grinned. “Shucks, Twilight, she’s such a well behaved kid that it ain’t no trouble; ‘sides we’re family, ain’t we?”

Twilight was tempted to correct her and point out they had no blood, nor marital relation, but thought better of it and just shrugged. “If you say so...”

“We always love having little Horizon over, she and Jasper get along so well.” Rarity wiggled in place, clearly finding it cute how well the two children got along. Horizon had said before that Jasper was her best friend and that he understood her. There was a distinct possibility that he got what went on in the girl’s head more than Twilight did, though to be fair it was easier to understand a child when you were one.

Twilight recalled a lesson from her psychology class that suggested that adults lost a lot of the same thought processes they had as children when they reach maturity, thus making it hard to remember what goes on in the mind of a youngster; though Twilight was still on the fence on if she actually believed such a thing.

The two children had become close over the years, and Twilight was thankful for that. Jasper was a good kid, with good values, thanks to Applejack and Rarity’s teachings. He had a strong sense of honesty and respected his parents deeply. As a result, some of that had bled into Horizon, and she too found herself respecting the authority of her parent.

“You two are such great friends, you know that?” Twilight grinned sheepishly.

Applejack shrugged. “Y’all have been good to us, so we ain’t got no reason to not be good to y’all, right?”

As always, Applejack kept it simple.

“I suppose so... Anyway, I should be heading to class.” Twilight rubbed her neck.

Rarity nodded back and shooed the girl away with her hands. “Go on now then, we wouldn’t want you to be late! We can take it from here!”

Awkwardly, Twilight released Horizon and knelt down to speak with her directly. “Alright, I have to go but you behave for Applejack and Rarity, okay?”

Horizon nodded and opened her arms to offer Twilight a hug, which she accepted. She gave the child a gentle squeeze before releasing her and smiling as she brushed a strand of her wavy hair out of her face. “I’m sure Jasper would love to hear about your trip to the zoo.”

The little girl nodded in agreement as Twilight came to a stand and nodded at Applejack and Rarity. She turned to take her leave as Horizon waved at her. “Bye, Twilight,” the little girl spoke.

Twilight waved back and winked before she exited the house and headed back to her car.

Applejack and Rarity were silent until Twilight’s car started and they could hear her driving away. Rarity reached down to take Horizon’s hand and smiled as she led the girl to the backyard. “Jasper is waiting out here for you, darling. I heard you went to the zoo recently?”

Horizon nodded as she followed Rarity.

“What was your favorite animal there?” Rarity asked.

“Wolves.”

She blinked and raised a brow. “Why’s that?”

“They’re like big wild dogs,” Horizon responded plainly.

“I take it that you like dogs?” Rarity asked.

She nodded. “Dogs are cool.”

Rarity giggled and nodded before reaching the back porch and releasing the girl’s hand. “They sure are, now go play.”

In the distance, Jasper stood under an old apple tree with a book in his hand, waving with his free hand for Horizon to come to join him. Casually, she began to walk over to him, not bothering to run to decrease the time it took to travel to him. What a patient child, thought Rarity.

Applejack sat down at the table on the patio, and Rarity joined her, sitting next to her, the two of them watching as Horizon reached the tree where Jasper was. The two children sat down and Jasper opened his book and began reading aloud to her.

“What a gentleman,” Rarity said.

“We raised him right.” Applejack nodded.

“But of course,” Rarity replied.

“Them kids remind me of me and my older brother...” Applejack commented.

“Oh?” Rarity tilted her head curiously.

Applejack nodded again, her eyes focused on the children in the distance as she spoke. “Yup, he used to read to me as well. Jasper really cares about that girl, ‘Ah can tell.”

“She’s like a sister to him; is that what you’re saying?” Rarity blinked.

A smirk came to Applejack’s face. “Eeyup.”

“She’s such a sweet little girl,” Rarity said, now she too was focusing on the children.

Applejack’s face turned more serious as she leaned in, placing her hands on her thighs. “Sure is, amazin’ considerin’ her mom up and vanished like that... Ya’d think the kid would be actin’ out or somethin’. It’s strange, ain’t it?”

“To be fair, both of her parents are rather strange, aren’t they?” Rarity asked.

A chuckle escaped the blonde haired farmer as she nodded in agreement, looking over at Rarity from the corner of her green eyes that Rarity adored so much. “Got that right. Them two are about as weird as they come. Twilight’s a sweet gal though.”

“And Sunset?” Rarity raised a brow.

The mention of Sunset’s name made Applejack’s chuckles stop abruptly. “Ain’t so sure about that, to be frank.”

“It sure is sad that she disappeared like that...” Rarity frowned.

“Ain’t sad to me.” Applejack shook her head.

“How so?” Rarity blinked, not expecting such an answer.

The two had not spoken much about Sunset’s disappearance since it happened nearly three years ago. There was a silent oath not to comment on it for so long, but it looked like Applejack was prepared to finally break that oath and reveal her true feelings on the matter.

“Selfish to me,” Applejack spoke bluntly.

Rarity should have expected such an answer, but still wanted Applejack to elaborate. “Selfish? How so, darling?”

Applejack’s eyes squinted as she looked back at the two children. Horizon had rested up against the tree close to Jasper as he read to her.

“She got a wife and a daughter and she up and vanishes like that? Runnin’ away from her responsibilities? Left poor Twilight by herself to have a go at parentin’ all by herself? The poor thing don’t know what to do, and she’s holdin’ in all her pain, ‘Ah can tell. The worst of it is that Sunset didn’t even have the decency to tell the poor woman where she was goin’? Twilight deserves an answer to why Sunset abandoned her.” Applejack found herself squeezing her thighs and grinding her teeth. Just thinking about Sunset ditching Twilight like that was enough to get her considerable temper going.

“Applejack, darling, we don’t know for certain that’s what happened. There may be extenuating circumstances that caused her to-“ Rarity got cut off.

“Like what!?” Applejack hissed. “What excuse could she possibly have for not even tellin’ them two girls why she’s leavin’? She’s got a lot of damn nerve!”

Rarity reached over and placed a hand on Applejack’s shoulder to soothe her. She could already see Applejack’s temper getting out of control. “Calm down, darling. It’s not worth getting worked up over.”

Feeling her wife’s touch, Applejack found herself centered just a little bit. Her boiling anger had cooled down and she nodded, submitting to Rarity’s words. She was right, after all, it really wasn’t worth getting angry over, after all, Sunset was not present to direct her anger toward.

“Sorry, ‘Ah guess ‘Ah just get worked up thinkin’ about it,” Applejack apologized.

“It’s because you care, so it’s alright.” Rarity smiled, squeezing Applejack’s shoulder softly.

“That girl don’t know what she’s missin’. Her daughter ain’t gonna be young forever. She’s missin’ out on that kid’s life,” Applejack stated.

Rarity leaned back in her seat and nodded in agreement. “I have to agree there. Horizon is quite a wonderful child, and Sunset is missing out on her childhood, but that also makes me believe we may be jumping the gun here...”

“What do you mean?” Applejack turned to her with a confused look.

Rarity recalled her feelings when their son was born. She remembered how attached she was to him, how she never wanted to leave him alone, how even as he got older it hurt to be away from him. Those maternal instincts were all very real, not just concepts that they put in psychology books. She had a connection with her child, a connection that Applejack likely didn’t even understand. Jasper was created inside of her, he was a part of her, his life and hers were connected in a way that only another mother could understand.

Applejack was a parent, sure, but she didn’t create life from inside her body as Rarity had. It was an experience that was impossible to forget, a bond that was impossible to break.

“Applejack... Don’t forget, I’ve given birth too,” Rarity reminded.

Applejack raised her brow, only becoming more confused by that statement. She leaned in to hear Rarity better. “What’re y’all talking about?”

“There’s a bond between a mother and her child. Strong feelings that are hard to ignore. For Sunset to leave, it must have been extremely difficult. If I even thought about doing something like that, my entire body would scream not to,” Rarity rambled.

Applejack said nothing, instead, she sat and waited for her wife to finish, hoping what she was saying would start making sense.

“It’s a mother’s instinct, Applejack. If Sunset was able to push that away, if she was able to ignore her mind screaming to turn around and go back...” Rarity bit her lip.

“Then what?” Applejack tilted her head and reached forward to coax Rarity to finish her sentence.

“Then whatever was going on must have been pretty bad. It would take a lot to rip me away from Jasper. I’d cut through mountains to get to him, so whatever is keeping Sunset away must be pretty dire.” Rarity closed her eyes in thought.

Was Sunset even alive? It was possible she wasn’t returning because she was no longer of this world. It was a thought that had happened many times in her mind, but she tried to push it away, but there were times where she welcomed it. Sunset seemed so happy when Horizon was born, Rarity had seen it on her face, she had seen it on her facebook where she fawned over her daughter. If she loved her that much, then it was easier to believe that Sunset was deceased. It was far easier to believe that she didn’t leave, but that she was taken. To imagine she had left voluntarily was ironically much harder.

Rarity didn’t know what to believe anymore. She didn’t know what was right or what was wrong when it came to Sunset Shimmer. Her feelings were a cocktail of confusion, annoyance, anger, sadness, hope, and despair. Twilight was hurting, and there wasn’t much that she could do to help her friend aside from looking out for her and Horizon for when Twilight finally decided to open up.

“Either way...” Applejack leaned back and placed her hands back on her thighs. “If ‘Ah ever see that girl again, ‘Ah’ll deck her so hard her ancestors will feel it.”

Rarity chuckled at the thought. “A punch from you? That might kill her.”

Applejack shrugged. “No one can say she didn’t deserve it.”

Rarity laughed and shook her head. “My goodness, darling.”

“Just don’t take too well to folks who abandon their kin,” Applejack stated plainly.

Rarity knew that was an understatement.

Shining Armor had a day off from work and utilized it to visit his mother at her home. His father had gone with Cadance to a play for Flurry Heart, giving Shining and his mother a chance to bond since she was complaining they never spend time together anymore.

Time together ended up being Shining helping her with a lot of housework, much to his chagrin. Naturally, though, he didn’t dare complain, after all, he knew his mother appreciated anything he did.

Their small talk had traveled from various subjects, though avoiding the subject of work since Velvet didn’t like to hear about Shining’s dangerous job. He still remembered when he had become an officer how against it she was. She supported him, but she worried about his safety. He could only imagine the kind of internal conflict she was dealing with. A mother’s place is to support her children, but also to protect them. What did they do when those two interests conflicted with each other? In Velvet’s case, she had decided to go with support and tune her concern out, though she still didn’t like hearing about it.

Any time Shining had gotten shot at, he made sure not to make a single mention of it. To his good fortune, he had managed to avoid ever getting hit by a bullet, but he knew the possibility of one actually connecting with him was always there. He was reminded more just a few weeks ago when he was asked to make sure his will was up to date. He told himself he would do this until retirement and that he would focus on staying at a desk as much as possible, which he managed to do right after Flurry was born. Unfortunately, though, he could not stay in that role forever. Every now and then they’d send him out.

He tried to push thoughts of work out of his mind while he stood next to his mother drying dishes with a hand towel as she passed them to him. She was humming a gentle tune that he recognized from when he was a toddler.

“So, how’s your newest book coming?” Shining asked.

She grinned and nodded at him. “Oh, I’m sure it’s going to be a bestseller. I’ve been planning it for a long time, and I think this is going to be my best one yet.”

“This makes how many that you’ve gotten published?” Shining spoke while focusing on his drying.

“Eight, dear.” Velvet seemed to stand up taller at that proclamation, taking some pride in her work.

His mother always was a good storyteller, it was no wonder that writing was the career path for her.

“That’s pretty impressive. You have more books that I have commendations.” Shining chuckled.

“You’ll get there, dear. Everyone has to earn their stripes after all.” Velvet winked at her son.

There was a long pause after that, but both of them knew what the other was thinking about, Twilight. There was a sigh that escaped Shining as he approached the delicate subject. “Hey, mom...”

“Hm?” She kept her eyes on the dishes.

“About Twilight...”

“What about her, dear?” Velvet asked. Her voice seemed so innocent as if she wasn’t thinking the same thing that he was thinking. His mother was exceptional at hiding her concern sometimes, he was rather jealous.

“I just can’t stop thinking about her situation. Admittedly, it keeps me up at night...” He frowned.

“You’re worried about her, that’s natural.” Velvet nodded.

Shining shook his head. “No, well yeah, but that’s not what keeps me up mostly...”

“What then?” Velvet looked in his direction with a blank face.

“I’m kind of angry on her behalf,” Shining admitted.

“Angry?” Velvet blinked.

He nodded before focusing back on the plate in his hand. His eyes studied it carefully as he gathered his thoughts. “It’s just... It’s really asinine that Sunset basically bailed on her. She has to raise Horizon all on her own while Sunset is fucking off doing whatever.”

“Language.” Velvet wagged a finger covered by a rubber glove.

Shining blushed and nodded. “Sorry.”

“Anyway, it just ticks me off that she basically ditched Twilight and Twilight isn’t doing anything about it.” Shining growled.

Velvet shrugged and returned to the dishes. “It’s none of our business, Shining.”

“Sure it is! She’s our family, right!?”

“Yes, but it’s not our place to get involved where her wife and the mother of her child. This is something that Twilight needs to figure out on her own. We can’t get involved.” Velvet nodded.

He knew his mother was right to a degree, but Shining couldn’t control himself. “Like hell, we can’t! I stuck my neck out for that girl! I filed a false report to save her ass and she turned around and betrayed Twilight like that!? I could have lost my job, I could have gone to prison, hell worse!”

Velvet frowned and kept her eyes on the sink as she replied quietly. “Calm down, Shining...”

“We risked a lot letting her into this family. She’s an alien from another world if she ever got discovered they’d be kicking down our doors too. There’s no telling how much of a risk we’ve put ourselves for her sake...” Shining shook his head.

“Shining...” His mother attempted once more, but her soft voice failed to reach him, instead, he continued to ramble.

“She played us all for a bunch of saps. Now she’s gone and we’re left with the consequences. Twilight’s Daughter is half whatever the fuck she is, how are we ever going to explain that to her? What are we going to do if she ever finds out?” Shining asked rhetorically.

“Shining!” His mother yelled, banging her fists on the edge of the sink, causing all the dry dishes on the rack to rattle. Shining blinked and looked over at her. Her arms were trembling and tears were welled up in her eyes.

“I told you, it’s none of our business. The past can’t be changed, we can’t focus on it, we have to focus on now. These are all Twilight’s decisions, and we have to let her do as she sees fit. It’s not our place to decide, but we have to be ready to support her no matter what she decides.” Velvet paused and closed her eyes for a moment. “Even if those choices lead us all to ruin.”

“That’s bullshit.” Shining grunted.

“No it isn’t bullshit,” His mother retorted.

Shining seldom heard his mother swear, but when it did happen it always caused him to shut up, this was no exception.

“We all knew what Sunset was. We all knew what this could mean for all of us when we welcomed her to our family. We knew the risks, we chose to take them, we can’t blame it all on her now after we accepted the risks.” Velvet glared.

It was now clear to Shining, Velvet was doing everything in her power to stay strong, to keep the face of the mother that Twilight needed to see to keep her sanity.

“So we just wait it out and hope everything works out?” Shining lowered his voice this time, not wanting to evoke more of his mother’s wrath.

She sighed and nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly what we do.”

“And what if things don’t work out?” Shining suggested.

She returned to scrubbing the dishes in front of her with a smile out of the corner of her mouth. “Then we prepare for the storm. That’s all we can do. Twilight wasn’t the only one who chose Sunset Shimmer, we all did. Maybe we were all wrong in our choice, maybe we’re wrong to doubt it, but it’s all we have now. We made our choice and now we have to stick with it.”

It was somber, but Shining recognized his mother had a solid point. All he knew is that if he ever saw Sunset Shimmer again, he had a few choice words for her, most of which he would never repeat in front of his mother.

Horizon being the curious child she was had wandered into her mother’s old study, a room that wasn’t frequented too often these days. Twilight had made a trip or two into the abandoned study from time to time to retrieve a book or two, but for the most part, the room remained unoccupied on a regular basis. Horizon was the first visitor in probably a good few months at this point.

Searching through her mother’s old belongings in the desk there, Horizon opened a drawer that was close to eye level seeing an old tome sitting there staring back at her. Something about it drew her to it. Taking her small hands, she reached into the drawer and retrieved it. She tried to open it only to notice that someone had placed some kind of strap locking it shut upon it. Horizon peeked her eye into the small keyhole on the book but could see no way to open it. With the heavy book between her arms, Horizon looked toward the door when she heard the sound of footsteps.

Twilight had found her way to the room and peered inside, noticing her daughter standing there in front of the opened desk with the old book pressed to her chest; the girl’s black and orange dress being covered partially by the old tome.

“Horizon, I told you not to come in here, this room is...” Twilight paused trying to think of a way to word her next thought. “It’s... Off limits, okay?”

Horizon blinked but said nothing.

Noticing the book in her arms again, Twilight tilted her head. “What do you have there?”

Answering the question with action rather than words, Horizon scurried over to her parent and presented the book to her.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she saw the book. Of all the things for her daughter to find, it had to be that book. Twilight reached down and took it from her and smiled. “It’s just an old journal your mother kept, that’s all.”

“Why is it locked?” Horizon asked.

“It’s a journal, sweetie. It’s where people record their private thoughts,” Twilight explained, patting herself on the back for a logical explanation as to why her daughter was not allowed to look inside.

The lock was not on it previously. Twilight had placed it on the book sometime after Sunset vanished. She didn’t want to risk Horizon seeing inside of it and learning about all of Sunset’s letters to Princess Twilight. The last thing she needed was to have a discussion with her three-year-old child about alternate universes, magic unicorns, and that her mother was an alien from another world, thus partially making her one too. It was a conversation best left for... Never.

“Mommy kept secrets from us?” Horizon asked, her question didn’t sound like she was hurt though, more like she was curious.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, sweetie. A lot of people have secrets, sometimes they’re just not ready to share them yet and I think your mother had her share that she just wasn’t ready to tell us about.”

“What kind of secrets?” Horizon tilted her head.

Twilight knew better than to play the twenty questions game with a three-year-old.

She laughed and reached down, scooping Horizon up into her arms, grunting as she did so. Her daughter was getting bigger every day, and Twilight was starting to have trouble carrying her places. Before she knew it, Horizon would be in school.

“That’s a question best left for another day.” Twilight tapped the child’s nose playfully.

“Can we go see the painting of mommy again?” Horizon asked.

Blinking, Twilight nodded. Without saying another word, she carried her daughter out of the room, with the journal in her free hand. The two came to a hallway where the entire Shimmer family had portraits done, and there to the far left next to her lost sibling was the painting that Twilight had a hard time looking at now.

It had been commissioned shortly after they had gotten married, and Sunset had opted for an immaculate black lacy dress in it. Her makeup was perfectly done, and her hair was expertly tamed (a challenge for Sunset). She was leaning over a chair looking at the viewer with an innocent look in her eye. Her lips gently parted which felt almost seductive to Twilight.

Her daughter just stared at the painting, no words came from either of the girls who stood in the hallway. Instead, they just looked onto the redhead that had left a hole in both of their lives.

Author's Note

A lot of sadness in this act, I apologize. :c

Hey, let's talk about Velvet!

So Velvet I've always enjoyed making her a peppy and playful mom character. It's not even that she's "Twilight's mom" she's sort of "everyone's mom." We can see her being fairly motherly to Sunset as well, and out of Twilight's family seems the most forgiving toward her.

This is mostly because she understands that Twilight has to choose what makes her happy, and even though she can't understand why Sunset would leave, she herself endured similar feelings of resentment for her choice in a significant other. It's not really mentioned in the story, but I had it as her backstory that her parents disapproved of her not marrying a wealthier man.

On top of this, we can see she clearly doesn't like conflict, and she doesn't want to be a helicopter parent, thus she allowed Twilight to make her own decisions.

Part of her personality and her teasing nature is a parody of many fandoms themselves, where she is somewhat of a "shipper" in that she enjoys seeing cute romances between other characters, and often will pressure them to get together (ala Twilight and Sunset). We can see her and her daughter-in-law have this in common.

When Twilight approached high school age, she begged her husband for more children, but obviously, that didn't end up happening.

Act VI - Chapter LXXVIII: Union

Chapter LXXVIII: Union

A tired and exhausted Moondancer yawned as she stretched and found her way out of bed. She threw her legs over the edge of the small twin sized bed in the room, and let them touch the heated floor, bringing a gentle bit of pleasure to her. The entire room had a very controlled temperature, and Moondancer was regularly adjusting it to ensure maximum comfort. Given her low BMI and her bad habit of forgetting to eat, she was cold virtually all the time but found herself overheating as well; a walking contradiction of herself.

This facility wasn’t doing her any favors, but she knew that to survive here, she needed to stay on top of taking care of herself. There wasn’t a soul around to remind her to eat, exercise, bathe or even sleep. She had learned to take care of all of that on her own without reminders over the past few years living inside what she considered a tin can. How long had it been since she arrived? She was sure it was a little over three years now. That sounded about right, but she didn’t really keep much track of time anymore, and given that she didn’t go outside, every day felt like every other day. Moondancer hadn’t seen a season change in years now, so everything felt the same.

This building, this confined space (admittedly still the size of a medium house) had become her entire life over the past three years. She didn’t go outside, she didn’t have friends over, and the only socializing she did was through the internet and on the phone. This place was her everything, her castle, her fortress of solitude.

For food, she had at least a decade’s worth of MREs, freeze dried food, and items with ridiculously long shelf lives to eat. Most of it was disgusting, and at first it was hard to stomach any of it, but she grew used to it, so much so that she wondered if she could ever readjust to “real” food when she got out. Many nights she spent contemplating what kind of food she would eat when she finally got out. There were even times when she googled pictures of food just to look at and drool over.

Life in the facility was all about routine, and Moondancer had her routine down to a schedule. Every morning she woke up at eight, pulled herself out of bed, checked her messages, ran on the treadmill, showered, made breakfast and then sat down to get to work, occasionally reading a book on her iPad as she performed many of these steps. Every week she would go prowling for new books to read on the Kindle store and stock up her library. She probably read a good eight hundred books over the last three years. Fortunately, this gig gave her plenty of opportunities to get caught up on reading. There was a tremendous amount of downtime some days, but she was alright with that; no news was often good news.

Yawning once more, Moondancer forced herself up and scratched just under her butt cheek, reaching under her boxers to do so. The girl pulled her tank top down over her stomach since it had ridden up while she slept, and grumbled. The last thing she wanted to do was exercise that early in the morning, but she knew it was necessary. She would spend the majority of her day sitting at a desk, and that meant the possibility of becoming immobile over time was greater, so she needed to stay on top of physical fitness. She’d run for two hours, let herself cool down and she’d be ready for her job.

Despite this though, she still found it annoying to exercise daily. Nothing would make the bookworm used to the activity it would seem. She cursed herself for not getting that exercise high that she often heard about from others, it certainly would make the entire ordeal easier.

Grumbling she made her way to her phone and picked it up, checking the missed calls, noting only a single one, her mother, sometime last night before she went to bed. Moondancer composed herself and wiped her eye. She located her glasses and place them upon her face before wandering around the room with her phone to her ear.

After a few seconds of dial tone, the deeper voice of her mother exited the speaker. “Moondancer, it’s good to hear from you. I tried to call you last night, but I guess you were busy.”

The girl nodded as she stretched. “Yeah, sorry about that, mother. I’ve been pretty busy with this project.”

“How is London treating you?” She asked.

Moondancer bit her lip at that question. “Oh, you know... The weather sucks, but it’s a nice culture.”

“It feels like you’ve been there for a decade!” Her mother commented.

Moondancer concurred there, more than her mother would ever know. “Yeah, it definitely does, I can’t wait to be done with all of this and head back home. I’m doing some great work out here though, I’m sure Shimmer would be proud of me.”

“I know she would be. She always fawned over how smart you were, sweetie,” Her mother spoke.

Moondancer found herself smiling at the topic of Shimmer, even if she still felt guilty about being deceitful to her mother. “Yeah, she was great. Either way, I hope I can wrap things up soon, I am so over this project at this point. I want to get back home to start on my next big thing, you know?”

“Why not take a break first, sweetie?” Her mother suggested.

“Can’t, busy hands keep the mind sharp, right?” She stated.

She could hear her mother’s familiar chuckle. “I suppose so, but try not to burn yourself out though, alright?”

Moondancer nodded as she approached the treadmill with dread. “Easier said than done, but thanks mother. I’ll do my best.”

“I guess I’ll let you get back to work, sweetie, I love you and I can’t wait for you to come home!” Her mother spoke.

Moondancer paused for a moment, hearing her mother speak to her in such a way. She could not deny that she was beyond homesick, but she had a job to do.

“I love you too, mother. I gotta get going.”

“So long, sweetie.”

“You too.”

After hanging up, Moondancer sighed and set her phone aside, and decided to kill two birds with one stone this morning. At her desk was a series of monitors and a keyboard where she conducted the bulk of her work. A wireless headset sat next to the keyboard which she picked up and placed over her ear. After fastening it, she stepped over to the treadmill on the other side of the room and hopped on, getting it started up.

A few seconds passed and she got herself into a gentle jog before tapping a button on the side of the headset to speak.

“Hey, I’m up and about now, how you been?” Moondancer spoke.

The voice on the other end chuckled at her. “Hey, it’s been a crazy night, you missed out on a lot.”

“We can talk about it after I perform your diagnostics test for the day. Have you experienced any bugs?” Moondancer asked, cutting straight to the chase.

The voice on the other end laughed. “You could say that...”

“Fuck, what’s the nature of the problem?” Moondancer asked curiously, her eyes focused on the distance counter on the treadmill as she approached her first eighth of a mile.

“Are you on the treadmill?” The voice asked.

“Yes, trying to get a head start on today since I know we’re entering crunch time soon.” Moondancer rolled her eyes.

“Whatever works for you, but are you sure you can handle all this? This whole thing could go on for some time...” The voice over the headset informed.

Moondancer chuckled. “It’s no worry, I have enough coffee here to pull a few all-nighters. When this goes down, I’ll be ready for it, no sweat. You're going to have my undivided attention.”

The voice sounded concerned as it replied. “That’s not exactly a good thing, but I guess we both have to do what we have to do.”

“Don’t worry about me, I have the easy part,” Moondancer reminded.

“Yeah, I suppose that’s true... This whole thing is about to get beyond fucked up, I guess. Glad to have you with me though, I don’t think I could pull this off without your help,” the voice praised her.

For all the guilt that Moondancer was feeling for deceiving her mother, her family, her friends, and everyone, that praise alone made it almost worth it. She felt like she was doing something useful like she was contributing to something greater than herself, even if it wasn’t what she told others it was. She just hoped her contributions would be enough to make a difference.

“It’s no sweat, but we can celebrate when this is over, okay? Don’t thank me just yet, there’s no certainty that you’ll even survive this,” Moondancer pointed out.

That was the truth, Moondancer couldn’t guarantee anything. For all she knew, everything would fall apart at the last minute. She prayed that wasn’t going to happen, but it was impossible to tell.

“True, but here’s to hoping,” the voice replied.

Moondancer sighed and shook her head. “So quickly go over what’s wrong before I do the diagnostic later? Might help to pre-emptively know what I'm looking for.”

There was a short pause followed by the voice getting relatively quiet. “Well, there is sort of a... How do I put this...? A hardware compatibility issue?”

“Hardware compatibility? What the hell are you even talking about?” Moondancer asked with a confused expression, her eyes watching as she got close to the quarter-mile mark.

“Let’s just say some new equipment got added and I’m going to need a system check to maximize compatibility. It’s got an energy reading that I wasn’t expecting to encounter and so it is creating some issues with the current setup,” they said.

Moondancer blinked, her confusion only growing. There was no way that new hardware could have been added. She designed the entire system herself, it was custom made and she was positive that no one else could design anything as sophisticated out there. She wasn’t even confident that anyone could figure out how what she had built worked, let alone add modifications to it.

“Okay, you are definitely going to have to fill me in on this.” Moondancer placed a hand to her ear.

“Well, this girl-“

Moondancer cut them off. “After I get out of the shower. I have a feeling this is going to be a long explanation. For now, just take it easy on the system, and wait for me. Do not do anything reckless until I do a full system check and see what you’re talking about so I can give a full software rollout to fix the issue. Should only take me a few hours if I work quickly.”

“Fair enough, I’ll talk to you in a bit then,” they said.

“Moondancer out.”

And with those words, she turned off the headset and sighed. It looked like she was going to be pulling another long day, possibly even skipping lunch. She wasn’t about to complain (not that anyone would hear her do so anyway), but she wasn’t lying to her mother when she said she was eager for this all to be over. The sooner she could be done with this all, the better.

The rest of her exercise time was relatively uneventful, but Moondancer kept her mind on the prize. After her two hours were up, she found her way to the shower near the back of the facility in a small bathroom. Turning it on, she removed the little clothing she had and pulled the clip keeping her hair out of her face off.

The girl checked the water and when she was satisfied with the temperature, she stepped into the shower and sighed. As the hot water hit her, she could feel some of the stress start to wash away. The past three years had weighed down heavy on her. Soon though, everything she had worked for would be tested, everything she had been doing would be pushed to the limit. A part of her feared what would happen if she didn’t succeed.

She recalled the gun that had been left for her on day one and what she was told to do in a worst case scenario. Could she though? Was she strong enough to pull that trigger if the situation called for it? Would she be able to? She didn’t want to think about it, she didn’t even want to humor the idea of the situation getting that bad. Too much was at stake to consider failure.

Her mind instead went back to how this all began three years ago, that fateful night where she was brought to this place, and when she swore herself to this cause. Though it had been so long, and she had grown so much between now and then, Moondancer still remembered that night so vividly.

Three Years Ago

Sunset walked over to the portal where Princess Twilight had come through and placed her hand upon it, feeling it ripple as she did. She sighed and looked back at the group that had assembled. She couldn’t believe what she was doing, she had agreed to leave her newborn child behind and travel back to Equestria to aid the Princess in a fight against a demon siren, a demon siren that was the sister of the one who tried to kill her only a few years ago.

She had no choice now, she couldn’t bring herself to ignore the fate of all of Equestria, or to tell Princess Twilight to go home and deal with it herself. While she would have loved to tell her to piss off and go take care of her own problems, it just wasn’t in her. The reality was that Princess Twilight would not call upon her unless she was desperate, and by the sounds of it, she was beyond desperate. Even so, it didn’t make her okay with how she chose to approach the situation.

Sunset sighed as she stood tall staring at the gateway between their worlds. This portal was where it all began, it was how she had entered this world in the first place, it was how she had been able to start her life away from Equestria. It was a portal that she was hoping she never had to go through again.

She centered herself before speaking to the group standing behind her, her eyes still locked on the gateway. “You said you can only keep the portal open for a short time?”

The Princess of Friendship perked up and nodded, running a hand through her short messy hair. “Yeah, if I preserve my magic, I can give us a little time, but hopping back and forth... Won’t be that doable. Once it closes behind us though, I probably won’t be able to open it back up until I get my magic back.”

“And that can only happen by defeating Serenade, right?” Sunset asked, refusing to face the woman.

“That would be correct. I’m assuming your next question is how long I predict that could take?” Twilight asked.

Sunset gritted her teeth, hating the fact that the princess was predicting her thoughts. “Yeah...”

“I can’t really say, Sunset...” Twilight admitted.

“Guess!” Sunset growled.

Sighing, the princess placed a hand on her chin in thought. “To be honest with you, it could take months, even years. Serenade’s power is immense. There’s no certainty we can even beat her.”

That was not news that Sunset had wanted to hear, but she needed to confirm something more. “Serenade has absorbed Celestia and Luna’s magic?”

Twilight nodded as she crossed her arms. “Yeah, as well as mine, Discord’s, Shining’s, Cadance’s, and Flurry Heart’s. That’s not even counting all the unicorns she’s drained. I don’t think there is any magic left in Equestria besides the tiny bit that I have left. She has the other Elements of Harmony captured as well, shy of Applejack. You’re my only trump card, Sunset.”

All things that she didn’t like, but Sunset now had a full grasp on the situation now, she understood what needed to be done, and a plan was forming in her head. “Then we have a few preparations to take care of first. We can start with this...”

Closing her eyes, Sunset placed both hands upon the frame of the marble block where the portal resided. Her geode around her neck glowed slightly as an aura surrounded the block. After a few seconds, Sunset released it and tested if her spell worked. She tapped the block and nodded when there were no ripples this time.

“What happened to the portal!?” Aria asked, who had decided to stay silent while Twilight and Sunset discussed the situation back and forth, but now she had become slightly concerned that their way back to Equestria seemed to vanish entirely.

Turning around to face the team, Sunset grinned mischievously. “Don’t worry, I didn’t destroy it, I just moved it to a new location. Somewhere where it’ll be safe. We will need it out of reach for what I want to do.”

“So what now?” Aria asked, her fear reducing as she was assured the portal was in a safe place.

“We have to move quickly. I have to make a stop at my house to drop off a letter first though, then we are heading out.” Sunset stepped toward the group and gestured toward her car. “Everyone in,” she added.

No one dared challenge her words as Sonata, Aria, and Princess Twilight entered the vehicle. When Twilight tried to enter the passenger side of the front of the car, Sunset just looked at her with an “are you serious?” Expression. Taking the hint, Twilight didn’t even bother sitting down before switching with Sonata to sit in the back. Once Sunset was satisfied, the group was on the road in no time.

The trip back to Sunset’s house was made in silence, not even the radio played. Sunset stopped the car when they arrived and took a deep breath before looking back at the group. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”

They all nodded as Sunset left the car.

She came to the steps in front of her estate and stopped for a moment. This could be the last time she set foot on these steps for a long time, possibly ever. There was a chance that her wife would hate her forever for what she was about to do, and there was even a chance she wouldn’t come back. Serenade was powerful, there was no telling what she was capable of.

Sighing, Sunset came inside the building, the darkness outside was still fresh, and the night was young, but she knew she would need to hurry.

Coming to the kitchen, Sunset opened a drawer and retrieved an envelope with some paper she kept for writing letters when she needed to. She took a breath and tried to think of something to jot down quickly, not wanting to draw it out for too long, or she would start to try and talk herself out of it all.

Dear Twilight,

I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to understand. I love you so much, and I’m really sorry for what I am doing.

Love,

Sunset

Short, simple, and it didn’t give too much away about what was happening. It was probably better that way. She folded the note up and sealed it in the envelope before grabbing some tape.

The only question now was where to leave it to ensure that her wife would find it. She contemplated leaving it in Twilight’s study, but then remembered that it could end up lost in a mess of books. The bathroom was out of the question because it could end up getting wet somehow and ruined.

She continued to think it over before the perfect location came to mind. She could tape it to Horizon’s crib, Twilight would be certain to find it there; it would be the first place she looked when she woke up tomorrow morning. With a nod, Sunset headed upstairs to the aforementioned room and gently creaked the door open.

The young mother approached the crib of her daughter and placed both hands on the railing to look down at the sleeping girl before her. Reaching down to touch her, she stopped herself only inches from Horizon’s face. She had to use all of her restraint to not place a single hand on her daughter, for she knew if she did it would make all of it that much harder. It was bad enough to think this could be the last time she saw her daughter for a long time, she didn’t want to make it more painful on herself.

Quickly, she ripped off a piece of tape and taped the letter to the crib, fighting back tears; not tears for herself though, but for Twilight. While it was painful for her to do this, Twilight was about to endure so much more pain when she woke up tomorrow a single mother. Sunset prayed the girl could handle it, but she wasn’t entirely sure. There wasn’t time to debate it, however.

Stepping out of the room, she forced herself not to look back. Putting one foot in front of the other, Sunset painfully made her way all the way back down the stairs and to the front door. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in and exited, making her way back to the car where she quickly hopped in and started the engine.

The other three girls in the car remained silent for an awkward for minutes before Princess Twilight broke that silence. “So...”

“What makes you think I want to talk to you right now?” Sunset quickly snapped at her.

The Princess ignored her sass, knowing that she had every reason to be upset. “What did you tell her?”

“Nothing.” Sunset kept her eyes on the road.

“Nothing? What do you mean?” The Princess raised a brow.

“Exactly what it sounds like, I told her nothing. I left a note just saying I was sorry and didn’t tell her where I was going.” Sunset squeezed the steering wheel hard, trying to control her anger.

“You’re just going to leave without telling your wife or daughter where you’re going? Is that wise?” The Princess questioned.

Her questions were already getting annoying to Sunset. “It was the best option available to me.”

“I don’t follow...” The Princess squinted, trying to make heads or tails of Sunset’s logic.

“You’ve never been in love before, have you, Princess?” Sunset asked.

What an odd question.

“I guess not... I don’t know to be honest.” The Princess shrugged.

Sunset kept her eyes on the road as she made a right turn. “The reality is that I might not come back from this trip. There’s a real possibility that Serenade could kill all of us. If that is the case, then it might be better for Twilight to not know where I’m going. I’d rather she be angry with me thinking I’m some kind of trash that abandoned her than her worrying if I’m dead.”

“She believes in you, she would think you’re going to win this fight...” The Princess suggested.

“She’s only human. A part of her will always worry. No matter how strong she thinks I am, she will assume the danger is too much. It’ll always be in the back of her mind. Which will create a new problem...” Sunset explained.

Princess Twilight couldn’t argue with that logic. It was in the nature of people to always assume the worst case scenario and prepare for it, she herself was a testament to that. If there was a storm coming, Princess Twilight Sparkle was the first to start preparing for it, even if everyone was told it wasn’t going to be a big deal.

“Which is?” She dared to ask.

“She’s worried that her wife will try and follow her...” Aria chimed in.

Aria had hit the nail on the head.

“That’s foolish, Sunset could just tell her that it’s too dangerous...” Princess Twilight proposed.

“She won’t listen,” Sunset finished Aria’s statement for her.

“Her feelings and fear for my safety will cloud her judgment. She’ll follow me into oblivion if the option is there, so I have to eliminate the option. In the event that I die at least, she’ll be spared the pain of knowing,” Sunset said bluntly.

The Princess could feel the guilt in her grow, but she suppressed it. She pushed it deep into the recesses of her mind. She couldn’t afford to go soft now, she couldn’t afford to let emotion guide her, she needed to remain logical, tactful and plotting. Her mind was about to be tested, after all.

Still, she could appreciate that Sunset was sacrificing more than Princess Twilight had the right to ask for. After this was all over, there was no doubt that she would despise her. There was no chance that Sunset Shimmer would see the Princess of Friendship as anything more than the person who ripped her family apart and stole her from her daughter. It was cross she was prepared to carry though. A cross she would need to carry.

“Where are we going?” Sonata asked, trying to change the subject.

“There’s someone else’s help we have to enlist before we do this,” Sunset stated.

“Who?” Sonata blinked.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Three Years Ago

The car arrived at an apartment complex that Sunset had grown fairly familiar with over the past few years. It was one she visited as often as she could, and a place she had a lot of fond memories of.

Stopping the car, Sunset looked over at the group and nodded. “Alright, we’re here. Everyone out.”

“You could be a bit nicer about it...” Sonata complained.

Sunset gave her a death glare, which caused her mouth to shut, not daring to voice another complaint. She nodded and stepped out of the car without so much as another word.

Looking back at the other two women, they obeyed her orders and stepped out of the car, shutting the doors to the expensive car on their way out. Sunset followed and removed the keys from the car and stuffed them into her jacket pocket.

The redhead lead the group up the stairwell to the desired apartment where she tapped on the door.

Sunset composed herself and tried to not seem as annoyed. Her emotions were a volatile cocktail at this point, but she knew she needed to control herself. She couldn’t let herself explode, now wasn’t a time for that, now was a time for focusing.

The other three girls stood behind her silently. Aria had her arms crossed as she looked off into the distance while Sonata rocked back and forth on the balls of her heels. Twilight just stood with her hands at her sides, not speaking, and her expression remaining quite neutral. She hadn’t a clue what they were doing, but she wasn’t about to risk Sunset’s wrath.

The door to the apartment opened, and there with her signature, messy hair and dorky glasses was the face of Moondancer. She blinked as she saw Sunset first, about to open her mouth to greet her until she noticed the three women behind her. She wasn’t a huge fan of the two sirens, but when she saw the face of Princess Twilight with them, she became more confused.

“What’s... Going on?” Moondancer gulped.

Sunset looked over her shoulder at her entourage before looking back at the innocent eyes of Moondancer. “May we come inside, Moondancer? There’s some stuff we need to talk with you about...”

“Is this bad news?” Moondancer placed a hand on her chest.

“Well... Why don’t you let us come in and we can talk about it, okay?” Sunset gave a sheepish smile to the girl.

That answer alone already confirmed to Moondancer that she was about to given a bombshell. Deciding it was best not to delay the inevitable, she stepped back and opened the door more, ushering the girls inside. Princess Twilight was the first behind Sunset, followed by Aria, then Sonata (who still seemed to be staring off into space, which was far from out of the ordinary for her).

Once inside, they all sat down, Sunset on the armchair, while Twilight, Sonata and Aria all sat down on the couch. Moondancer decided to lean up against the wall as she listened. “So what’s going on, exactly?”

Twilight looked over at Sunset and then at the two sirens before she sighed and opened her mouth. “I guess it’s time for me to tell a lot of you about things I know that I haven’t said out loud...”

“I’d say that’s a good place to start...” Sunset crossed her arms.

Twilight came to a stand and nodded. “First of all, yes, I think by now a lot of people know that I was with Adagio in her final hours... She requested to speak with me before her execution. I sat in her cell with her for several hours and she told me a good deal about her life, her time in the human world, even her romance with Shimmer...”

Moondancer twitched visibly at the mention of Shimmer and Adagio together but bit her tongue.

“The truth is, I knew she had a sister for a while now, but I thought nothing of it... I had come to find out though that Adagio’s sister, Serenade has spent a long time with her hatred toward ponies and mortals festering...” Twilight frowned.

“That girl had a sister!?” Moondancer covered her mouth in shock.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, and when Serenade found out about Adagio’s death, she came to Equestria to avenge her. I attempted to prepare for her arrival via extensive training, but something I didn’t anticipate came about...”

“Which was?” Moondancer raised a brow.

Sunset finished the thought. “Serenade is a demon. She gave into darkness a long time ago, and because of that, her powers are unpredictable. She’s some kind of absorbing demon, capable of stealing magic and increasing her own power. As a result, she snatched up all the magic in Equestria, including most of Twilight’s save for a small bit.”

Moondancer blinked and shifted her focus back to Twilight. “Is that true?”

Twilight nodded in confirmation, a frown on her face as she admitted her own failures. “Yes, my power is limited now and Serenade has managed to conquer all of Equestria. As we speak, she has taken over, putting ponies into work camps, executing others, and enslaving others to do her bidding. At this time she’s an unstoppable force.”

“That’s... Wow...” Moondancer didn’t even know what to say.

“Twilight has asked me to come back to Equestria to help fight her. I’m the only unicorn left with magic besides the tiny bit she has left,” Sunset spoke.

With those words, Moondancer was mostly up to speed on the important details.

Moondancer was stunned. She never really considered much about what went on in Equestria, or if Adagio’s execution would have any long term effect on their world. She had just assumed that with the death of her, this would all finally be behind them, but it looked like the effects of Adagio Dazzle lingered even after her death. It was almost like taking out a hydra; they would cut off a head but two more would take its place.

Would there be no end to this?

“Not that this is all not incredibly fascinating and I am sorry for what’s going on, but why are you telling me about this?” Moondancer asked.

Twilight shrugged. “It was Sunset’s idea.”

Moondancer’s eyes now shifted over to Sunset. “Well?”

“Moondancer... I’m going to level with you... Serenade’s power sounds incredible. She’s going to be impossible for me to beat even with my magic back in Equestria. I’m good, but I’m nowhere near strong enough to fight her on my own. I’m going to need every advantage I can get over her if we want to stop her,” Sunset explained.

The studious girl adjusted her glasses as she listened. “And I come in, how?”

“I need your help. I think you have the intelligence and know how to build us some technology that could be used in Equestria to give us an advantage over her. She may have magic, but technology is alien to Equestria, we’d have tools that she doesn’t understand at our disposal, and I am confident you could build something like that,” Sunset stated.

The entire idea sounded insane. Sunset was more or less asking her to build weapons to fight some kind of magic sucking demon siren. Moondancer was tempted to pinch herself to make sure this was all real.

“How though? You want me to go to Equestria?” Moondancer tilted her head.

Sunset shook her head. “Only temporarily. Twilight has enough magic to open the portal for you to come, study our world for a bit, build us some stuff and then head back. From this side of the portal, you can communicate with us back in Equestria.”

“And how am I supposed to do that?” Moondancer tapped her foot.

Sunset rubbed her neck nervously. “I figured you could probably make some kind of inter-dimensional way to communicate or something? I know it sounds crazy...”

“It sounds insane.” Moondancer raised a finger in a matter-of-a-fact manner.

“Yeah, it does, but you’re the smartest person I know besides my wife, and you're better with computers and stuff. If anyone can pull it off, it’s you, I know it.” Sunset nodded.

Moondancer closed her eyes and tried to take all of this in. The longer this went on, the more insane it seemed to get. Demons? Inter-dimensional travel? Magic? This was all Nobel Prize kind of stuff if she could ever tell anyone about it, but naturally, she knew that wasn’t possible. Most would just think she were crazy if she tried anyway.

Once she opened her eyes, she started to collect the information she needed. “Princess Twilight, how long could you keep the portal open for me?”

Twilight thought for a moment and then gave her answer. “I estimate about a month, then it would have to close until I got my power back. If you are the only one using it, then it’ll take a lot less power.”

“So let me get this right, you want me to study, learn, and understand Equestrian physics, and then apply it into making not only some kind of combat gear that could fight a demon siren, but also make an inter-dimensional communication system, and you expect me to be able to do this all within the course of a month?” Moondancer removed herself from the wall, but kept her arms crossed as she gave a “really?” Face to the group.

Sunset grinned at the girl. “I intend to give you the best tools for the job. Understand though that if you agree to help us, you likely will not be coming home for some time. We’ll need you somewhere specific after you come back to the human world to cover a few more duties.”

Moondancer didn’t like the sound of that. It sounded like she was about to involve herself in something that if she agreed was going to take over her life for the time being, and it wasn’t something she could back out of if she got cold feet. She knew at that moment that she needed to choose carefully because whatever she decided to do was going to be a permanent choice.

Looking back at the two sirens in the room she gestured with her finger to them. “And what about you two? What’s your role in all of this?”

Aria looked up with serious eyes, her “tough girl” demeanor as prevalent as ever. She just kept her stern face as she gave her answer. “We want to show we’re committed to redeeming ourselves. We didn’t have anything to do with Adagio murdering the girl.”

“But you knew they were together at one point?” Moondancer asked.

Sonata shook her head. “Only a little bit. We didn’t find out until closer to the end of it. We don’t know how they broke up or anything like that. Adagio didn’t ever really tell us about stuff, honest!”

While Moondancer had trouble trusting the two of them they currently had no reason to lie, and she had no real reason to doubt them, after all, they had offered their help before.

She nodded and looked over at Twilight. “Have you seen this Serenade yourself?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah...”

“What’s she like?” Moondancer asked.

“A monster... A creature of pure evil. Ruthless, heartless and cold. She kills without even blinking.” Twilight closed her eyes.

“If she were to ever find the portal... If she came to this world in her current state, what kind of damage could she do here?” Moondancer asked.

Twilight blinked. “Well, the portal has a spell upon it to prevent demons from using it, but at Serenade’s power level she could easily push her way through regardless. If she makes it through the portal to this world... The kind of damage she could cause would likely be...”

The Princess paused and bit her lip.

“Well?” Moondancer goaded.

“Total. Everything wiped out. Serenade would destroy this entire world just for the fun of doing so. With her powers, I’m not sure anyone could stop her. Maybe human weapons could take her by surprise, but there’s no certainty that they could kill her, especially if she got a hold of them herself...” Twilight explained.

Moondancer sighed and closed her eyes, trying to imagine a creature that powerful. Serenade sounded at least eight thousand times worse than her sister, she was the very definition of a monster.

“I’ll do it.” Moondancer opened her eyes.

“You’re certain?” Princess Twilight blinked.

The bookworm adjusted her glasses and nodded. “Yes. Realistically, there isn’t much of a choice here anyway. If what you say is true, and I’m inclined to believe it is, since you have Sunset convinced,” Moondancer gave Sunset a nod before continuing, which Sunset nodded back, “then our world is at stake here too. I can’t walk away and let that happen.”

“Is that the only reason?” Twilight raised a brow.

She shook her head. “Shimmer died because of that... Thing’s sister. I owe Shimmer the decency of helping Sunset in any way I can, especially if it’s to prevent her killer’s sister from getting to this world to kill more.”

“You know that you could die with us, right?” Twilight suggested.

“I don’t care.” Moondancer crossed her arms, her blouse crinkling as she did. Interestingly enough, she was wearing a pink shirt, a color she didn’t wear too often.

“You will likely be separated from your family and friends for the duration of this all, which could take years. Are you prepared for that?” Sunset asked.

Moondancer stomped her foot in annoyance. “I already said I was. I’ll think of something to explain my absence, but I want to do my part to help. If I don’t, I doubt I could live with myself. I’m not going to let you do this alone, and there’s no way I’m going to risk letting Serenade make it to this world.”

Sunset came to a stand, a grin on her face as she approached the girl opening her arms for a hug. Moondancer took the gesture and allowed herself to be embraced by Sunset. The redhead patted Moondancer’s back and smiled. “Thank you, Moondancer... You have no idea how much I appreciate this...”

“It’s no problem, Sunset...” Moondancer blushed.

Sunset shook her head and released the girl, holding her forearms in her hands as she made eye contact with Moondancer. “It is a big deal. You’re putting your life on hold for us, you’re risking everything...”

“I’d do anything for you, Sunset... You’re my friend. You’ve done so much for me, as has your sister.” Moondancer smiled.

Sunset blinked. “I haven’t done that much.”

Moondancer smiled at the woman in front of her. “That’s where you’re wrong. I owe so much to you and your family, Sunset.”

Sunset smiled back and nodded. “Well, then let’s get going. There isn’t much time to waste, we have to work as quickly as we can.”

“Let me just grab some of my things...” Moondancer said as she wandered over to pick up her laptop from a nearby counter. Sunset placed a hand atop of the laptop and prevented the girl from lifting it. She shook her head and smirked.

“I got you covered, all you need to grab is clothing to wear. Go pack a big suitcase with as much as you can, and we’ll head out,” Sunset instructed.

Moondancer blinked but obeyed. She left the laptop there and left to head to her bedroom to begin packing. She focused mostly on comfortable attire as she was certain that formal clothing was not going to be necessary where she was heading. She stuffed a few T-shirts, sweaters, and tank tops in first, followed by a selection of bras and sports bras.

She debated if she would want pajamas or not, but ultimately decided it couldn’t hurt. She threw in a few pairs and before she knew it, Moondancer had packed half of her clothing into a suitcase. She dragged it out of the room and met with the girls standing near the door, ready to leave. Sunset nodded at her and offered to take her bag for her, which Moondancer declined.

Shrugging, Sunset pointed to the door which all the girls followed, Moondancer at the tail.

Once they reached Sunset’s car, Aria and Sonata came around to the truck and relieved Moondancer of her bag which they tossed in the trunk and shut it.

When the doors opened and Aria took the front seat, Moondancer realized she would be required to sit next to Sonata. She paused briefly and stared into the car where Sonata waited in the middle of the back seat, Twilight on her other side.

Sonata noticed Moondancer standing there and smiled at her, patting the space next to her. “I don’t bite.” She insisted.

That might have been debatable to Moondancer, but she realized she didn’t really have many other options. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with sirens still, but she would have to deal with it. Sighing, she sat down next to Sonata and kept her eyes focused on the seat in front of her. Sonata yawned and stretched. “I can’t believe we’re going to be back in Equestria again! This is so exciting!”

“Too bad we’ll be stuck in our pony forms, no magic means we can’t ever access our siren forms again...” Aria groaned.

Moondancer ignored the conversation that Aria and Sonata began and realized she needed to take care of a few loose ends first. She quickly began writing up an email on her phone to her landlord.

Dear Mr. Porter,

I am writing to inform you that I will be leaving for an extended trip. I will send my rent payments for the duration of my time away directly to you. If you could reply and send me your information so that I can make the deposits. I apologize for the inconvenience, the situation was very sudden.

Thank you,

Moondancer

That seemed sufficient enough to her. Moondancer nodded and sighed as she looked up at the group talking.

“So, Twilight... What’s Equestria been like since we’ve been gone?” Aria asked.

Twilight shrugged. “Have you forgotten that when you were sent here, that you were sent forward in time? You all were alive in Equestria long before I was ever born, so I wouldn’t really know much of how it’s changed since you were around. Regardless, at the current moment, it’s changed for the worse...”

“Any plans for beating Serenade?” Sonata asked curiously.

Twilight shook her head and focused on the driver’s seat in front of her, specifically at the red hair she could see. Sunset had remained quiet this entire car ride, but Twilight knew a million ideas were swirling through her head, along with a million emotions.

Sunset, of course, didn’t speak a word about the subject. Plans were definitely brewing in her head, but none of which she felt like sharing just yet, then again, she wasn’t really sure what to do entirely yet. She would need to study Serenade, learn her powers and then come up with a plan, but she had a few rudimentary ideas already.

Twilight wanted to apologize for how she had forced Sunset’s hand; she wished it didn’t have to be this way, but a part of her felt apologies were going to be pointless at this time. Nothing she said could fix the fact that she was ripping Sunset from her family and that was just the brunt of it.

Moondancer blinked as she realized she had no idea what she would tell her mother. “Shit, what do I tell my mother? How exactly do I explain why I’m gone?”

“Call it a research project overseas. She won’t question it so long as you call her from time to time, just don’t tell her where you really are,” Sunset finally spoke up.

Moondancer nodded and checked her phone. It was approaching five in the morning now, but no doubt her mother would prefer a phone call over some kind of text message. Moondancer gritted her teeth and dialed her mother’s number.

It took some time for her mother to answer, but as expected a series of yawns could be heard on the other end. “Moondancer? I know you like to stay up late, but don’t forget that some of us sleep during human hours...”

“Sorry for calling so early, but it was something that couldn’t wait...” Moondancer began.

She knew she would have a hard time lying to her mother, but she was off to a good start.

“What is it, sweetie?” Her mother’s voice rang in her ear.

Moondancer gritted her teeth as she prepared herself. She needed to make it all sound convincing. “I was given a very prestigious offer to go to...” She paused and said the first location that came to mind, “London.”

Sunset grinned as she listened to Moondancer struggle to lie.

“London? What for?” Her mother asked.

With her eyes out the window, Moondancer decided it was best to go with Sunset’s plan. “Well, there is a research group out there, and after reading one of my essays, they want me to be a part of a pretty big top secret project. They think it’ll change the world.”

“Really!? That’s amazing, Moondancer!” Her mother exclaimed.

Guilt instantly hit the woman. Her mother was proud of her, but she knew it was undeserved as she wasn’t actually doing anything of the sort.

“Yeah... It is...” She responded with a frown.

“What are you all researching?” Her mother asked.

“I can’t tell you, it’s classified,” Moondancer replied.

A giggle could be heard from the other end. “Well, I’m sure you’ll do fantastic, sweetie. When are you leaving?”

“That’s why I called you. I’m going there tonight, I’m on my way to the airport right now.” Moondancer closed her eyes.

“Awwww, I won’t even get to see you off?” Her mother pouted.

“Sorry, it was last minute and they want me to get to work right away, there wasn’t any time to deliberate it,” Moondancer explained. At least that much was true.

Her mother didn’t sound upset, instead, she sounded somewhat giddy. “Well, you do your best, sweetie! I’ll. Be rooting for you! Just make sure to mention me when you win that Nobel Prize!”

Moondancer giggled and nodded. “I will, mother. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweet pea, now go make me proud.”

“Can do.”

After hanging up, Moondancer let out a long sigh.

“Never had to lie to your mother before, have you?” Sunset asked, peeking at the girl from her rearview mirror.

She shook her head. “No, have you?”

Sunset laughed. “My mother was an inattentive workaholic. I could have been brewing drugs in my room and I wouldn’t even need to lie about it, because she wouldn’t even know.”

“Sounds rough...” Moondancer frowned.

Sunset shrugged. “My parents put food on the table and a roof over my head, in their minds, their job as parents ended there. I guess I’m not really much different, huh?”

Twilight somehow felt that comment was directed at her, but she kept quiet.

The drive went on for a bit longer before pulling up to an old steel framed warehouse on the other side of town. It was all but abandoned, but Sunset turned from her seat and gazed at all the girls behind her with a smirk. “We’re here, get ready to say hello to your home away from home, Moondancer.”

Moondancer looked at the building, finding it unimpressive, but she had no idea what was in store inside.

Author's Note

There was a minor issue and somehow this chapter got skipped over. So you’re technically getting it late, but I felt it necessary to include it as it sort of includes some foreshadowing and extra details. I’m a bit embarrassed that I somehow didn’t notice that I skipped over it and thus the chapters after were all incorrectly titled and numbered.

I need to be more diligent.

For those who are reading this AFTER the fact... Well I guess it won’t matter to you.

Either way, sorry!

Act VI - Chapter LXXIX: Assemble

Chapter LXXIX: Assemble

About Three Years Ago

Sunset had exited her car and the rest of the group followed. Eager to see what awaited them inside the very unimpressive looking warehouse. Sunset tapped a button on a keypad next to a garage door and entered a PIN number. After a few seconds, the door opened allowing room for the car. She came back around to the driver’s door and got back in. Without much effort, she pulled the car into the tiny garage which Moondancer noted had a tank of gas, a battery charger, and a few other various tools for car maintenance inside, most of which she wasn’t familiar with. Once the car was inside, Sunset turned it off and exited, pressing another button on the keypad to close the door. It shut securely and Sunset nodded before turning back to the group instructing them to follow her to a nearby door.

The door to the facility looked to be made of solid steel and probably was incredibly heavy. There were no windows, just a slat that looked like it opened from the inside. Looking over at Moondancer, Sunset gesture for her to come closer. The girl pointed to herself and Sunset nodded to confirm she did indeed mean her.

With a shrug, Moondancer came up to the door, which she noticed had another keypad. Sunset grinned and pointed to it as she spoke quietly. “You’ll need to remember this possibly, so the combination is 44352617, understand?”

“How will I-“ Moondancer began but Sunset cut her off.

“Just remember the math. Every two numbers add up to eight starting from four, understand? Four plus four is eight, three plus five is eight, two plus six is eight and one plus seven is eight, understand?” Sunset explained.

Moondancer nodded, confident that she could remember such simple math, though she would likely write the numbers down somewhere just to be on the safe side, it never hurt to be extra prepared.

Sunset punched in the combination and the door unlocked, allowing the group to enter into a narrow hallway with another steel door on the other side. To pass the door, Sunset reached into her pocket, producing her wallet. Withdrawing a key card, she inserted it into a nearby slot causing a light to turn green. Once it had, she removed the card and handed it to Moondancer who took it carefully.

“You’ll need that to get past this door and access all the computers and pretty much everything else in here. There is a spare one in the storage area in the deposit box. The combination to that is just one, three, four,” Sunset stated.

“Which also coincidentally adds up to eight, right?” Moondancer grinned, starting to understand the method to Sunset’s madness.

Sunset turned back to her with a smirk. “Very good, you’re clever.”

“Perhaps just good at noticing patterns is all.” Moondancer pressed he glasses up her face.

“Nonetheless, you’re the right girl for the job.” Sunset nodded.

Upon passing this new door, the group found themselves in a facility that made all of them look in awe. On one side of the room facing the east wall was a few expensive looking computers with several monitors hooked up to them, a laptop or two as well. The chair in front of them looked as though it was designed for maximum comfort.

On the opposite side of the room were two doors that appeared to lead to more rooms in the building.

There was a bed, a treadmill, a weight set, and just about anything that a person would need to live in this place as if it were an apartment.

Sunset turned around to face the group and locked her eyes on Moondancer with a grin. “Welcome to your home away from home.”

“Where did this place come from?” Moondancer blinked as she peered around the room.

“I bought it in cash some time ago in my more paranoid days. I figured it didn’t hurt to have a few hideouts that Adagio didn’t know about. This place has pretty much everything you’ll need to stay here, let me give you the tour.” She wagged her finger gesturing for Moondancer to follow, which she did.

Sunset first pointed to the computers in the room. “State of the art, naturally. They should be more than enough to handle the workload you’re throwing at them, and this place has fiber optic, so the connection won’t be an issue, but do be smart about what you post on the internet.”

Moondancer made a mental note to herself to set up a VPN to make herself appear in London to keep the lie she told her mother consistent. She also would need to remember to spoof her phone to do the same when she called her or anyone else for that matter.

Sunset pointed to one of the doors from before. “That one is a shower and bathroom, There’s quite a few bottles of soap, shampoo, and whatnot in the storage closet in there. Should be enough to last for a decade, though hopefully, it won’t come to that...”

Moondancer blinked, it hadn’t occurred to her that there was even a possibility that this endeavor could go on for a decade. She prayed it did not.

“The other one is a pantry and kitchen. Lots of dry food, MREs, you name it. Pretty much anything with a long shelf life is in there, though I will admit they aren’t exactly first choice meals, but you’ll have to make due.” Sunset frowned, remembering the taste of some of those foods herself. “I apologize that most of it is vegan, that’s just my thing, but there are a few meat products in there because I knew that in dire times I might not be able to afford to be picky.”

Moondancer took mental note of this, and submitted herself to potentially being forced to eat vegan for the foreseeable future; not something she was particularly looking forward to.

“I assume this place has plumbing too?” Moondancer asked.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, and years worth of coffee. Perfect for a code monkey like you.”

Moondancer blushed but nodded as she ran her hand along the chair that was seated in front of the desk.

“Whoa!” Sonata pointed.

The entire group looked to the back of the room tucked into a corner and there was the marble statue base from the school which formerly held a horse atop of it. Twilight was the first to approach and place a hand on it, feeling the ripples of the portal as she did. “So this is where you transported it then?”

“Yeah, I figured this way the chances of anyone stumbling upon it on accident or trying to go through it to follow us were low...” Sunset explained.

“A wise decision, but this also means that your wife can’t follow you as well, doesn’t it?” Twilight raised a brow.

Sunset grinned. “That’s a bonus. She won’t be able to find it here, and it’s better that way.”

The Princess once again felt compelled to apologize for the situation she had forced Sunset into, but no words came out of her mouth. Instead, she just stared and left Sunset to her thoughts.

Looking back at Moondancer, Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder. “There’s one last fairly important thing, Moondancer...”

“What is it?” Moondancer asked curiously.

Sunset sighed and stepped past her, opening a drawer in the desk where she retrieved an object that Moondancer had seen before. Sunset held it briefly before placing it in Moondancer’s hand, wrapping her fingers around it. Just holding the steel handle with its wood finish gave the girl chills. She felt more and more uncomfortable with every second that passed.

The item was fairly familiar to the other girls in the room who had come to know how human weaponry operated.

Moondancer didn’t know much about guns, but she did know that what she was currently holding was a pistol. Gulping she looked up at Sunset with confused and anxious eyes.

Sunset gripped the girl’s shoulder tighter as she leaned in. “There is a chance we won’t succeed, Moondancer. A chance that Serenade beats us all and possibly even finds the portal which she can use to get to this world... If that happens... It will be the end of both worlds.”

The bookworm stayed quiet.

“I can’t be certain this gun will even work on her, but there’s a chance it could take her by surprise maybe; either way, if anyone comes through that portal that isn’t us... Shoot them. I don’t care who they are, don’t even give them a chance to explain themselves, you can’t take any chances.” Sunset squeezed her shoulder firmly.

Moondancer looked down at the gun. Painful memories of almost shooting Adagio stung in her mind. “You told me not to be a killer... You stopped me from killing Adagio...”

Sunset shook her head. “This is different. Serenade is nothing like her sister, she will massacre this entire planet and feel nothing.”

Twilight chimed in to back up Sunset’s argument. “I have seen it first hand, Serenade will often kill just for the fun of doing it. I have spoken directly to Adagio, and I can confirm beyond any reasonable doubt the two are nothing alike. Serenade kills without hesitation, she will destroy anyone in her way without a second thought. She must be stopped at all costs.”

“But...” Moondancer choked on the words before Sunset grabbed her other shoulder and looked her directly in the eyes.

“At all costs, Moondancer. If Serenade or anyone that isn’t us comes through that portal, you have to promise me that you’ll shoot them, okay?” Sunset demanded.

Staring into the vibrant eyes of the redhead for a few seconds, Moondancer eventually nodded slowly. “I will.”

Sunset smiled and released the girl’s shoulders. “Let’s pray it doesn’t come to that though. I’m going to try everything in my power to keep that from happening.”

“Fair enough,” Moondancer responded.

Pointing at Twilight, Sunset began an inquiry. “Princess, how long did you say you could keep the portal open again?”

Twilight rubbed her neck. “About a month or so. Provided after we go through, Moondancer is the only one that uses it from then on. Once it closes though, it’ll remain that way until I get my magic back. I’ll have a small amount left, but not enough to open the portal.”

“That gives her about a month to think of what she can build to help us out. Fortunately, plenty of tools are here in this place which she can transport to Equestria to help her do that.” Sunset gestured to the facility around them.

“Sounds good.” Moondancer nodded with a smile, feeling a bit more reassured to know that Sunset had confidence in her.

“What exactly is she building though?” Aria asked, finally ringing in her thoughts.

The entire group found themselves looking at Moondancer after that question which made the woman shrug. “I guess whatever comes to mind after I assess everything. I’ll do my best.”

“That’s all we can ask of you.” Sunset winked.

Moondancer waved her hand. “I have the easy part, building the gear. You guys have the hard part, fighting Serenade.”

“We’re all in this together,” Sunset reminded.

Moondancer realized she was still holding the gun, so she decided to set it back down in the drawer it came out of, and carefully closed it as if she were trying to avoid waking someone up in the middle of the night. She shuddered at the thought of ever being forced to use it, but she understood and acknowledged Sunset’s concerns. If the situation called for it, she hoped she had the will to use it and not hesitate. If she hesitated, she would likely end up dead, and she needed to remind herself that.

The entire group fell silent for a few moments before Princess Twilight spoke up. “I guess that’s everything.”

“Seems that way.” Sunset nodded.

Another long pause filled the air.

“Let’s not waste any time then, we should get right to work,” Twilight insisted.

Looking back at Moondancer, Sunset shot her a concerned expression. “Is that okay, Moondancer?”

Moondancer forced a smile and nodded. “No time like the present, right?”

Sunset chuckled. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” The redhead turned back to the group and cracked her knuckles. “Time to go to work.”

About Three Years Ago

It had been some time since the group had gone through the portal to Equestria, and with the assistance of some laptops, analysis equipment, and the knowledge of Equestria provided by Princess Twilight Sparkle, Moondancer was making serious headway with her projects. Thanks to what she had learned, she understood that magic could be amplified using technology if she understood how. It only took eight days of research before Moondancer had figured out the secret and began to make the designs for the first major breakthrough she would need to get the theoretical ball rolling.

Scribbling with a pencil gripped between the cleft of her hoof, Moondancer had started getting the hang of how ponies did virtually everything with their hooves. A mess of notes was jotted down on a crude drawing that she was sketching on some parchment. She never was a terrific artist, but she was able to get her point across.

Princess Twilight peered over the girl’s shoulder and tilted her head to try and make out what she was creating.

Noticing the royal mare’s presence, Moondancer beamed with excitement. “I finally figured it out! Using the property of Magic Magnitude, I have discovered the secret to-“

“Amplify magic’s power by drawing from alternate energy sources,” Twilight finished her sentence as her mouth formed a perfect “o” as she looked in awe.

Moondancer nodded giddily. “Precisely! So I can create a magic conversion engine, do some testing, and then I can focus on modularizing it so I can get it down to about one-eighth scale. From there I can create a power cell system to run it, likely being fueled by solar energy, but I worry the charge will be far too slow to be practical...”

Twilight rubbed her chin in thought. “Out of curiosity, could you possibly design it to utilize ether energy?”

“Ether energy?” Moondancer blinked and adjusted her large glasses. “I don’t follow.”

Twilight sat down, realizing it may be a good time for another lesson in how magic worked in Equestria. “Ether energy is sort of like a lingering effect of magic when it’s used. Whenever a pony uses some form of magic or energy there is sort of a trail of particles left behind. It’s weak and faint, so we mostly only use it to help track magic, but in theory, a machine like yours may possibly be able to harvest it.”

“It sounds like it would be a pretty low yield...” Moondancer frowned.

“Yes, however, with Serenade using her power, there is likely tons of dark ether energy, which is far more potent,” Twilight pointed out.

Moondancer smacked her hooves together in triumph. “And if I combine that with solar charging, that should be more than enough! It’s genius; using Serenade’s own power against her!”

“A little irony is always good in a fight.” Twilight smiled.

“In this case, Serenade would not expect such a strategy so we’d be getting the drop on her,” Moondancer stated.

Twilight grinned and placed a hoof on the table to look at Moondancer’s schematics. “This looks fairly complicated... What are you intending to use all of these for? Is it necessary to modularize all of them?” Her eyes flipped back and forth between the various designs in front of her, slowly making sense of all of them. It was clear that everything that Moondancer was making was being pushed to one centralized purpose, but Twilight hadn’t figured out what that was yet.

Moondancer winked at the Princess. “It’s all going to make sense soon enough. If I can build it all in time, we should be in a good position to take full advantage of it all when I head back to the human world.”

Sonata leaned forward in awe as she decided to poke her nose in their direction, examining the blueprints that Moondancer had crafted. She “oooo’ed” and “awwwwed” with interest before looking up at Moondancer with her big raspberry eyes. Admittedly, Moondancer found all of the girls rather adorable in their pony forms. They were almost like plushies to her, but Sonata seemed extra adorable due to her personality.

After the initial awkwardness of being forced to deal with a siren that worked with the same siren that murdered Shimmer, Moondancer somehow found herself seeing the other sides of Sonata and Aria. Sides that she never thought she’d ever see.

Aria, of course, was always standoffish, but it was clear that under her tough surface, she cared about Sonata. She tried to put on a tough face, but small cracks in her fortitude allowed for the group to get to see that there was a genuinely sweet side to her, it was just one that she kept under wraps and refused to be picked on about. They all made sure never to draw attention to it when Aria did come out of her shell.

She had talked briefly about her past in that she never really fit in with most sirens, but she mostly had stuck with Adagio because Sonata had so much faith in her. It was sad to think in a way that Sonata had put so much blind faith in Adagio only to be disappointed after possibly centuries of loyalty. For that fact, Moondancer felt bad for Sonata.

Sonata, however, was a different story. She was obviously a whimsical girl, who for the first major portion of her life lived as a pony in disguise, singing and dancing only for fun at first, feeding only when she needed to in secret. In the beginning, she always vowed only to take a small amount of energy from several ponies so that she never truly drained anyone of too much, or caused too much trouble, but an incident that got out of control had forced her and Aria together.

From then on, Aria had convinced her that they needed to take more than just the bare minimum to survive so that they would be strong enough to fend off attackers should they be discovered.

Adagio didn’t come into their story until way later, but the only one who seemed to know too much about her was Twilight. If the other two sirens knew anything, their lips were sealed, and unfortunately, so were Twilight’s. Moondancer had asked about her relationship with Shimmer numerous times already and what Twilight knew about it. Every time though, Twilight would just shake her head and give a very odd smile telling Moondancer that the matter is not hers to divulge. It frustrated Moondancer, but she wasn’t in a position to start demanding answers about a creature from another world, from one of the rulers of said world; she wasn’t that arrogant.

Over the past few days, Sonata had become increasingly interested in the science behind what Moondancer was doing, and found herself sniffing around to get an understanding of what was happening.

“This looks super cool! What does it do, Moondancer!?” Sonata asked her giddiness not really dying down.

Rolling her eyes, but smiling, Moondancer happily answered. “That one is actually an ethereal projector that I am working on. In theory, it should be able to manifest magic energy into physical objects. If I can make it work, it should have many purposes.”

“You can do that!?” Sonata blinked in astonishment, her mouth agape.

Moondancer adjusted her glasses and shrugged. “It’s only in theory. I need to test it, and Sunset needs to volunteer her magic for said purpose, but I think overall, it’s very possible.”

“Wow, you’re super smart, Moondancer!” Sonata praised.

The young nerd rubbed her neck and looked away bashfully. “I guess so... Anyone can become smart though, it’s not tremendously hard. I just studied a lot is all.”

“I didn’t learn to even read until I was like... eighty.” Sonata frowned.

“That sounds like you had a lot of other things going on...” Moondancer said almost in silence.

Sonata shrugged. “I’ve never really been good at learning. Then again, I’ve never had a teacher either...”

Moondancer stepped toward her with a smile. “If you’d like, I can teach you as much as I can about what I’m doing before I leave?”

“You’d do that!?” Sonata bounced in place.

Moondancer nodded. “Absolutely, I mean you’re in this to help us, so I suppose it makes sense to show you how all of this works.”

Sonata gleamed with excitement at the prospect. Moondancer never really took her for a science-focused person, and she didn’t seem that particularly intelligent either, but there was passion within her.

Twilight noticed the two and smiled before deciding to make an excuse to leave them be. “I better go check on Sunset.” She giggled.

Within seconds, the mare left the two alone so that Moondancer could explain various parts of her designs and notes to Sonata. The process was lengthy and took a lot of “breaking down” ideas into basics so that the girl could understand them (albeit, Moondancer was not convinced she understood them still), but the passion in Sonata’s voice as she inquired never seemed to fade. Before the two knew it, hours had passed and Moondancer found herself sitting at a table sharing a coffee with the siren.

Sonata was a talker, but more of a listener than one would realize. She’d offer her input, but she seemed to enjoy being told stories more than telling them.

“So, that’s more or less how Shimmer and I met, and in turn that sort of lead to Sunset and I coming to know each other... I guess you could call it pure luck, really...” Moondancer rubbed her neck, now that she thought about it if Shimmer and Sunset had not gone to that store where she happened to be at that exact moment, a lot of things may have played out differently, and she likely wouldn’t even be sitting in Equestria at that moment conversing with Sonata.

“You sound like you really cared about her from all your stories.” Sonata gave a genuine smile.

“That’s an understatement, she was everything to me, I miss her a lot, but I’ve accepted she isn’t coming back,” Moondancer responded.

The mare leaned back in her seat, a small smile on her face as she remembered her time with her girlfriend. She hadn’t dated since then, but mostly because her life distracted her from romance. She knew that Shimmer would have wanted her to move on, but Moondancer just wasn’t that interested in dating again. Realistically, she wasn’t interested in the first place, but Shimmer had managed to worm her way into the role of girlfriend through sheer determination.

“I really wish there was something I could have done to stop Adagio. Sadly, she would never listen to me; in her mind, I was the one who was given commands to follow, not the other way around.” Sonata frowned.

Moondancer felt a bit guilty for judging her so harshly before now. “It’s not your fault, I mean you said it yourself: if you had known Adagio was going to take things so far, you’d have bailed on her much quicker.”

Sonata perked up at the news that she was finally being believed. She nodded and found the words to continue the conversation. “Yes, though I wish I could have been there to stop her... She almost never listened to me, but maybe that one time she would have...”

Moondancer shook her head and reached across the table, placing a hoof on top of Sonata’s hoof. “You can’t spend your life thinking about what you could have done. Reality is what is, not what could have been. Trust me on this, I’ve had to learn that one the hard way.”

“Thank you. I think I needed to hear that.” Sonata found herself smiling once again, much to Moondancer’s delight.

Moondancer allowed the quiet to press on for a few more seconds before popping a question she had hoped to have anyone give her some information about. “So what is The deal with Adagio and Shimmer? Like you had to have known something about that?”

Sonata’s smile faded quickly as the subject. “Adagio didn’t tell us much of anything, she kept her relationship with Shimmer pretty private, we didn’t even know about it until way later. If you knew Adagio like we did, you’d have known that she is far from an open book.”

“How could you even call someone like that a friend?” Moondancer questioned.

Sonata’s frown only grew worse as she sighed and shook her head. “I doubt she considered us friends if anything she always gave the impression she was annoyed with us. Adagio wasn’t the kind of siren to open up and tell you what was bothering her, but I could always tell she was hurting inside. We only knew a little about her life before us, but it wasn’t good stuff. Her mother was murdered when she was young.”

“Murdered? That happens here in Equestria? Obviously excluding now with Serenade, but I wasn’t aware such crimes happen here?” Moondancer blinked.

Sonata shrugged. “Murder happens anywhere, but it is extremely uncommon in Equestria, but back then it was pretty common for creatures that ponies didn’t understand to be burned alive. Adagio saw them burn her mother and scream she was a monster...”

“Was her sister with her?” Moondancer raised a brow.

Again, Sonata shrugged. “She didn’t talk about her much, but I’d imagine so.”

“That’s probably where her resentment for mortals began,” Moondancer pointed out after recalling all that Twilight had told them about Serenade.

“It’s likely, though a lot of sirens resent them, I’ve just never seen one as bad as Serenade,” Sonata admitted.

Moondancer bit her lip but then decided to ask something that had been on her mind, risking a possibly awkward conversation. “What about you, Sonata? How do you feel about mortals?”

As expected, the siren was taken by surprise. She blinked a few times before looking up in thought, rubbing her chin with her hoof. Her bright eyes returned to Moondancer after some soul searching with an answer. “I don’t know really. It’s true that mortals have given me a hard life for a long time, but I can’t bring myself to hate them, not like Serenade does anyway. I’ve seen there is good in mortals, but that sadly we do still have to approach them with caution.”

“Impressive, what made you come to that conclusion?” Moondancer asked.

“To be honest... Shimmer.” Sonata frowned.

That wasn’t the answer she was expecting.

“How so?” Moondancer blinked.

Sonata sighed. “Even if I didn’t get to talk to her ever, I did at one point get a look at some photos that Adagio and she took together, they seemed so... Happy. I’ve never seen Adagio smile like that in my entire time knowing her. I think she really did fall in love with her, as crazy as that sounds. If a mortal can make someone like Adagio smile... They can’t all be bad, right?”

Moondancer found herself smiling at that statement. Her own memories of Shimmer started to fill her mind. “The reality is, Shimmer wasn’t perfect, but she did bring a lot of joy to those around her. I’ve been suspecting that the feelings between the two of them were legitimate. I didn’t want to believe it at first, probably because I was jealous, but there’s no denying it, Shimmer felt strongly about Adagio and Adagio felt strongly about her.”

“And that’s what ultimately was the problem...” Sonata frowned.

“Problem?” Moondancer leaned in with interest.

Instead of answering her inquiry though, Sonata just shook her head. “It’s not something I should talk about. Sorry, but Aria is right, some things should be kept a secret until the time is right.”

“Well, that’s fair, you’ve opened up a lot to me already,” Moondancer reassured her.

Sonata blinked. “Yeah, I guess I did, didn’t I? It’s weird, I don’t really ever talk about this kind of stuff with anyone.”

“Dare I say... We’re becoming friends?” Moondancer joked.

“I guess Princess Twilight really can make friends out of anyone, can’t she? Brings us here, and friendship is already happening.” Sonata giggled.

It was quite odd, but Moondancer didn’t mind it. A part of her was relieved; relieved that she didn’t have to carry the burden of hatred for this siren. Any doubt she had could be cleared up: Sonata had nothing to do with Shimmer’s death, and given the opportunity, she would have prevented it. It also confirmed another important detail; not all sirens thought the same.

Serenade’s murderous rage was clearly not a universal trait among their kind.

“Maybe we should be thanking Shimmer? It’s because of her that we’re all meeting,” Moondancer suggested.

It was true too, at the end of the day, she felt it was strange how everything connected to Shimmer in a way. If she recounted the facts that she had learned over the years, everything connected to Sunset and Shimmer. Had Sunset not showed up in the human world, Shimmer’s parents would not have died from that magic accident she told Moondancer about.

It also would have meant that the sirens would have never had the Battle of the Bands, or been defeated. Adagio would have never met Shimmer and if that happened Shimmer would be alive. If Shimmer was alive, then Adagio wouldn’t be dead, and Serenade likely wouldn’t be destroying Equestria right now.

Everything boiled down to Shimmer and Sunset. When Moondancer thought about that, she could get a feeling of what Sunset must have felt like at that moment. The entire world had changed, everything was crumbling beneath her, all because of the shadow she cast over the world, but more importantly the shadow she had cast over Shimmer.

It was like a never-ending domino effect, no matter how many things Sunset managed to fix, new problems appeared. She had stopped Shimmer’s killer but now that killer’s sister was out to exact revenge. Who was to say it would even stop with Serenade?

“Shimmer sounds like a great person...” Sonata interrupted Moondancer’s inner thoughts, bringing her back to earth.

“Yeah, she was.” Moondancer nodded.

“Sounds like you loved her,” Sonata stated.

“I did, if I could, I’d have traded places with her. She deserved to live, she was smart, funny, pretty... Everything I’m not. I was still amazed that a great girl like her would give me the time of day...” Moondancer wiped at her eye.

Sonata chuckled. “You’re definitely plenty smart, and humor and beauty are all in the eyes of the beholder. Still, you’re lucky, you got to feel what it was like to be in love and be loved back. We sirens only get to be adored from afar.”

“Sounds like a lonely existence,” Moondancer replied.

Sonata shrugged and looked up in thought, clearly much on her mind. “I suppose so, the reality is that we sirens don’t even know why we exist, maybe it’s just to suffer through the feeling of always being close to love, but never being able to experience it. Our powers let us make people adore us, but their feelings aren’t real and we know it. Maybe we’re just some strange joke by the universe.”

“I’m sure there is a reason.” Moondancer shook her head.

Sonata chuckled and smiled at the girl. “Either way, you’re lucky that you got to feel what it’s like to love and be loved. It’s something I’m a little envious of Adagio for, before she went, she got to love, and part of me wonders if that feeling is worth all she went through.”

Moondancer bit her lip but nodded before releasing it. “Definitely. I can say without a doubt that if Adagio really did feel what it was like to love someone, then I can sort of see how losing that love for whatever reason drove her mad. I can only imagine what it must be like to go hundreds if not thousands of years without love, and then when you finally find it, to lose it.”

Sonata remained quiet but kept a look that suggested she was in deep thought. Something was clearly on the tip of her tongue that she wanted to say, but there was something there preventing her from doing so. Moondancer wanted nothing more than to ask the girl to speak her mind, to tell her to air her concerns, but somehow the words didn’t come out, instead, she just sat there in silence with the siren.

After a few moments passed, Sonata closed her eyes and spoke. “Moondancer...”

“Yeah?” The bespectacled mare asked, adjusting said glasses.

“During this whole thing... You may learn a lot of things about sirens that mortals don’t get to know usually, maybe even things that we sirens don’t know about ourselves. There are secrets that are kept among our kind...” Sonata spoke seriously.

“What of it?” Moondancer tilted her head.

Opening her eyes, Sonata smiled at her. “I’m trusting you not to use said secrets to do anything bad, okay?”

“Anything... Bad?” Moondancer was confused, but she was certain that Sonata had no plans to ease her confusion. Instead, the siren just shook her head and giggled.

“I’m counting on you, Moondancer.”

Sitting across from a small child in glasses was an esteemed professor of Yulington University, a prestigious school for the rich, privileged and gifted. Doctor Information Well, or Doctor Well as he had been accustomed to handled many of the enrollment matters and assisted with placement exams for students applying for the university out of high school.

On top of this, however, he often did consultant work, and this was one of those jobs. He had been commissioned by the Shimmer family to conduct a test at their home, and thus why he was now sitting across from a small child no older than three who was sipping on a juice box looking up at him from behind her glasses and messy hair.

He sighed and shook his head. He was dreadful with children, but the pay was right, so he was willing to deal with it.

Sorting through his notes, he looked over the documents he had brought and cleared his throat, figuring it was best to begin right away.

He ran a hand through his old graying hair, and then another across his goatee before placing that hand upon the table and taking up a pen in the other. His eyes focused on the little girl in front of him who just looked at him with an expression that puzzled him. He could not tell if the girl was curious or just neutral; she had an excellent poker face for a child.

“Can you please tell me your name?” He began.

The girl stopped sipping from her juice box and replied, “Horizon Shimmer.”

“And how old are you, Miss Shimmer?”

The girl took a hand off of her fruity beverage and held up three fingers.

The good doctor jotted down her answers thus far and felt nothing was out of the ordinary thus far.

“How do you spell the word ‘cat’, Horizon?” He asked.

“C-A-T.” Horizon shrugged.

It wasn’t common for three-year-olds to know how to spell, but some had been being taught how at a young age, that was likely the scenario, but to be sure, he felt it necessary to probe a bit more.

“How do you spell your name?”

“H-O-R-I-Z-O-N,” She plainly said.

Another note got scribbled down with a nod. “And can you tell me what your name means?”

“Horizon is what you see when you look into the distance and see where the sky and ground appear to connect, but they’re not really connecting, it’s kind of caused by the earth being round...” Horizon answered.

He blinked, becoming somewhat impressed by her knowledge. “What’s four plus four?”

“Eight,” the little girl shrugged.

“What’s two times three?” He squinted.

“Six.”

These kinds of questions went on for a few more minutes. He was far from asking things such as explaining what is the atomic number of hydrogen, but definitely was asking questions that a three-year-old wouldn’t typically know, and to his surprise, Horizon continued to nail every question.

Normally he would feel the need to conduct a full test and not just one of these preliminary interviews, but after about eight minutes of conversing with the little girl, he felt confident in making a judgment. He nodded and came to a stand, smiling toward the child. “You’ve been an excellent help, Horizon. Please stay here while I go have a chat with Miss Twilight, alright?”

Horizon once again shrugged, appearing indifferent toward it all. The good doctor chuckled and found himself admiring how agreeable the girl was.

After leaving the room, he found his way a few rooms over where Twilight was awaiting his return. Upon seeing him, she looked down at her phone to check the time, certain it had not been an hour yet.

Looking up at him, she gave worried eyes. “Did you forget something, Doctor?”

He shook his head an smiled. “I am ready to give you my assessment.”

“How were you able to conduct an hour-long test in less than ten minutes?” She squinted.

Doctor Well laughed and approached the woman sitting at a table and pulled out some of his notes, placing them on the table in front of Twilight, causing the sapphire blue-haired woman to look down at them.

Wasting no time, he decided to explain them to her. “Ordinarily I only do the pre-interview to determine if I’m even wasting my time doing the test, but honestly, after speaking with her, a test isn’t even necessary.”

“That bad?” Twilight’s brow rose.

He laughed once more. “On the contrary, congratulations, your daughter is gifted.”

“Great,” Twilight replied, the aura of sarcasm in her voice was evident.

The Doctor raised a brow and found himself laughing once more. “Usually people are a bit more excited to hear this kind of news. Your daughter will be able to attend any university she desires, and will likely get there on a full scholarship.”

Twilight shook her head. “That’s all great, but I know what gifted means to the rest of the world: socially awkward. I’m dealing with a lot right now, such as my wife just up and disappearing on me, and now I have a daughter that will likely need special care...”

He blinked, never really thinking about the situation that way. He couldn’t deny there was truth to what she said though, most of the gifted children he had run into often dealt with a lot of bullying and found it difficult to relate to others. “That is... Well, I suppose I see your point there...”

“Just another challenge on my already long list that I have to deal with...” Twilight frowned.

He nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him. “Well, rest assured the payoffs for these things tends to be worth it. Horizon will be the kind of girl who will make you proud, I’m certain of that.”

Twilight smiled and nodded, though the smile was somewhat forced. “Thank you, doctor.”

He patted the shoulder before releasing her. “Don’t mention it, now if you excuse me, I have much work that I need to get back to. Do enjoy your time with your daughter though, Miss.”

As he left, Twilight turned her head back to the stairwell where Horizon was likely waiting in the room where they had left her. “Sunset... If only you could see the mess you left me...”

About Three Years Ago

Moondancer sighed as she sat down at the round table where Sunset, Twilight, Sonata, and Aria eagerly awaited her briefing. All of them were curious about what she had discovered in her time in Equestria, and more importantly what kind of tools they could look forward to using in their conflict against Serenade.

The young scientist looked over her clipboard and then over the two blankets in the back of the room, concealing her creations until the big unveiling.

The four girls in front of her lean in with interest, Sunset especially, who had the most faith in Moondancer’s abilities.

Clearing her throat, Moondancer nodded. Public speaking was hardly her strong suit.

“It’s been a busy few weeks...” Moondancer began.

“You can say that again...” Aria rolled her eyes. Never in her life had she worked so hard as she had in the past few weeks.

Moondancer just nodded in acknowledgment. “I’d like to thank everyone here for their help, I’ve managed to discover a lot in a short time and build a lot in a short time. This has certainly been a significant test of my own capabilities.”

“I knew you were up to the challenge.” Sunset winked.

The confidence that Sunset had forced the girl to smile.

“Yes, well now is the time to go over what I have learned. Magic is a very interesting force that at first I was confident would be difficult to break down to a scientific level, but thanks to the Princess, I have learned that is not the case. The energy works in a similar way to electricity, but with some minor property differences. I won’t get into the technical jargon, as much as I’m sure the scientists of the room would love me to...” Her glare was focused on Twilight and Sunset.

Clearing her throat once more, she continued. “However, I have learned a great deal on amplifying its power and power storing. Both of these will be essential for what we will need as at this moment Sunset is more or less our only source of this energy. The biggest challenge I had to overcome was how to use as little as possible, amplify its effects, and store it for later use. No small order, I assure you.”

Sunset frowned, fearing that bad news was coming.

Moondancer smirked, however, and that caused Sunset’s brow to raise. “However, I was up to the challenge...”

Moondancer pulled one of the blankets down off of a table behind her, revealing a myriad of gadgets she had built. The first she lifted in her hoof and displayed to the group. It was a small cylinder with a few rings around it, appearing to have some kind of glass tube in the center as a base. There was a set of prongs on one side that appeared to be used to connect to something.

Proudly holding the device, Moondancer held it closer to the four girls. “This is Equestria’s very first magitech battery. This little guy can store about eight kilo sparks of magic energy in it.”

Twilight blinked, incredibly impressed by how much could fit in such a tiny battery.

“Eight kilo sparks!? Is that even possible!?” Twilight exclaimed.

“How much is a kilo spark?” Sonata tilted her head, feeling like she was missing something. Aria admittedly didn’t understand either but didn’t want to speak up.

Sunset leaned back in her chair and crossed her hooves. “Magic is measured in sparks. A kilo spark is a thousand sparks. That kind of power would be enough to say... Power an entire house for a week or so? In a general sense, you could likely use it for basic spells like telekinesis for weeks on end without worrying about losing all of your charges, but higher powered spells like teleportation and combat magic would drain it a lot faster. It’s not an unlimited supply, but it’ll give us enough to work with.”

Moondancer pointed at Sunset and nodded. “Excellent explanation, Sunset. Yes, she is correct, for day to day spells, it will be sufficient, however conjuring combat magic will drain it much faster. As I said, even with this stuff on our side, we have to utilize our resources sparingly.”

“One problem though... I don’t exactly have a few hundred kilo sparks of magic in me to charge those things...” Sunset frowned.

Moondancer winked and set the battery down, picking up another device from the table. This one looked somewhat like a funnel with a series of cables hanging off of the other end. “That’s why I made this.”

“What is it?” Sunset blinked.

“A magic drainer. It’s designed to absorb magic from your body and move it into the batteries. It also has a magic amplifier in it that will increase the yield tenfold. In other words, it will put out ten times the magic that is put in. It’s a complicated process, but I won’t get into that. It can charge batteries in your sleep,” Moondancer lectured.

“That utilizes the dark ether energy I mentioned, doesn’t it?” Twilight asked.

Moondancer nodded. “Along with solar charging on the batteries themselves. That’s another thing I forgot to mention, all of the batteries will recharge on their own at a slow rate by converting solar energy into magic. Again, another really complicated process, but it turns out that such a thing is possible, the only drawback is that the conversion rate is very slow, but it should be used as a supplement to charging the standard way.”

“That’s pretty cool!” Sonata beamed.

“Yes, and as such these batteries can be used to power...” Moondancer lifted a blade mounted to a leather band. Quickly fastening it to her hoof, she took a battery and inserted it into a pendant on the table that she placed around her neck. Focusing the blade extended from a sheath as she pointed it at the table. “Stuff like these hoofblades. I also have headlights that can be used, and most importantly... These...”

Without wasting another second she picked up a set of bracelets and tossed one of each to Twilight, Sonata, and Aria who blinked as they looked at them, then back up at Moondancer trying to make sense of the black bands with glowing white lines on them. “What are they?” Twilight asked.

“Vital bands. I took the liberty of making each of you three one. These bands will allow me to monitor everyone’s vital signs and track where you are. It’ll make it easier to keep my eyes on what’s happening out here. They also can administer morphine if necessary, so think of them as a small first aid watch,” Moondancer explained.

After hearing the explanation all three girls quickly slipped them onto their front left hooves.

Sunset found herself looking down to her own bare hoof and then back up at Moondancer with a raised brow. “So I don’t get one?”

Moondancer shook her head. “You won’t need one, you’re going to be sporting the most advanced gadget of them all.”

“Which is?” Sunset blinked.

Pulling another sheet down, Moondancer stood proudly next to what appeared to be some kind of armored suit. The entire body was covered with metal plates, with some kind of leathery material between them for mobility. The head was sporting some kind of helmet that Sunset could not see through, due to the tinted black glass over the face. It glowed with some kind of red trimming and looked like something out of a science fiction film, yet it was standing there in front of her.

“What the hell is that?” Aria asked the question that the entire group was thinking as they stared in awe.

“This is the SD Magitech suit. This is actually the model two, the first one was an early prototype, but after many redesigns, I was able to come up with this.” She grinned, eager for the praise she was getting.

“What does it do?” Sonata asked, her mouth hanging open.

Grinning wider, Moondancer picked up a clipboard. “I’m glad you asked. The SD Magitech suit is designed for magic combat and day-to-day functions. With a built-in battery charger, the suit will amplify and store the user’s energy in reserves. Furthermore, it was designed with a tempered alloy that is easy on mobility, and incredibly resistant to dark magic.”

“In other words, Serenade can’t drain the pony wearing it?” Twilight asked.

Moondancer pointed to her with a smirk. “Precisely. In this suit, Sunset will be protected from Serenade’s power-draining abilities, provided she keeps the suit charged. Its shields do drain magic when they are used, but we’ll go over how all of this works at another time. The important thing to take away here is that this suit should give Sunset a huge advantage against Serenade. There’s no way that she is going to anticipate this coming onto the battlefield, and with its abilities, we stand a fair chance against her.”

“Incredible!” Twilight clapped her hooves together.

“Even with a fancy suit, that won’t be enough to defeat Serenade...” Sunset frowned.

Moondancer sighed and nodded in agreement. “Yes, it will still take some effort on your part, but the suit should be helpful.”

Sunset blinked and nodded. While the odds against them seemed high, at least with Moondancer’s gadgets on their side, they stood a fighting chance against a powerful creature such as Serenade.

“I guess we’ll get started then, won’t we?” Sunset grinned.

Moondancer smiled at her friend and nodded back. “Time to go to work.”

Author's Note

Sorry flat-earthers... Even Horizon knows the earth is round.

The psych of Moondancer was interesting to craft. She’s a troubled girl with a sense of duty that was inherited from Sunset. She’s come out of her shell quite a bit but she still has a bit of reserved nature to her. The more observant will notice she’s also rather gender neutral at times. She doesn’t seem to care how she’s viewed. This makes her ironically similar to Adagio in that regard.

She has only minor feminine touches to her, which appears to be the kind of girl that Shimmer was into. She’s lanky, flat chested and scrawny like Adagio, the only major difference is her personality and that Adagio is taller.

We can also discern that she has a small bit of obsessive compulsive disorder which materializes itself in the form of having organized chaos as her system of memory.

She was a fun character to craft and I’m glad that I found more use for her after Act II. Originally she was added to the story by suggestions from Applety. She never appeared in the original notes.

Act VI - Chapter LXXX: Seeds

Chapter LXXX: Seeds

A Long Time Ago

Serenade couldn’t remember how old she was exactly anymore, she knew it was around eight hundred years, but she had stopped keeping track. For a siren, she was still relatively young, but crafty enough to have survived as long as she had. She kept her wits about her and as a result, stayed alive. Many sirens like her would meet their end from interacting with mortals too much, letting something slip and ultimately being killed by them.

Not Serenade though. Instead, she kept interactions with mortals to a minimum and focused much of her time improving her ability to fight and defend herself. While she could use magic drained from mortals to mount a defense, she needed backup plans. It was always a good idea to have a backup plan, and Serenade had grown fond of maintaining backup plans whenever there was an option to do so. Staying alive was her top priority, followed by her secondary priority of trying to find her lost sister.

Adagio and she had been separated for centuries now. The world was a vast place, and with the both of them likely moving all the time, they had not encountered each other since their separation. It was extra difficult since it wasn’t as if they could advertise where they were or that they were searching for each other since most would not aid a siren, and many would try and kill them if they revealed themselves. To top this off, Serenade knew one thing: mortals couldn’t be trusted. A siren who fell for the trap that was trusting mortals was a siren that didn’t live long.

Her days were mostly split up between looking for trouble to get into, feeding, honing her abilities in combat, and looking for potential leads on finding her elder sister. It had occurred to her some time ago, that she may not even know what her sister currently looked like.

The siren’s search had brought her a small village on the outskirts of a forest region. It wasn’t too densely populated, and the village in question she had heard of from a saloon she spent a good weekend in trying to find a drink strong enough to keep her mind from wandering (unsuccessfully, of course as the poor ponies out that way couldn’t afford anything beyond homemade moonshine).

She had been told of an amulet called the Amulet of Desires. It was a special artifact, blessed long ago and said to be capable of guiding its wearer in the direction of what they desired most. For Serenade, it seemed like the perfect tool to use to finally hunt down her sister.

From the saloon she had heard of the place from, it had taken her eight days of travel time to reach. She adjusted the belt around her waist with its many small bags and compartments as she passed through tree after tree to reach the village in question.

At her sides were chains with hooks at their end rattling as she walked with them holstered. They were one of the many tools she had learned to master when traveling through the wilderness by one’s self. Given that using her siren form to fly made her a target, she had to find other means to achieve vertical mobility. The hooks provided a double purpose in that, as they could achieve that for her, and cause damage to would-be foes.

The mare poked through the final bit of brush to see the village only about eight hundred feet away, but to her surprise, it seemed as though she wasn’t the only one about to give them a hard time that day. Standing just outside the village, a massive dragon stood howling as it cast black flames from its mouth. There was something off about the creature though, part of its body was completely covered in some kind of black substance that moved as if it were alive. Tendrils flared from its body whipping all over without much pattern.

It’s mighty maw opened up once more and blasted out more black flames which Serenade didn’t recognize. She sighed and shook her head before making her approach to the village. She could already tell it was going to be a long day.

It wouldn’t take much time before she found herself in the town square where general panic seemed to overtake the village. Mares were fleeing their homes, some with children at their side and men, of course, were organizing to mount a counterattack against the impressively sized creature.

Serenade could tell by looking at it, that the dragon was at least 1,000 years old, not quite full size yet, but getting close. She had learned a bit about dragons in her time.

The green creature hissed and spat as several villagers were running toward it with various weapons, trying to cause damage to its thick hide. Serenade sighed at the amateur level of fighting they were displaying but shrugged it off as she approached a stallion standing by his him watching the entire ordeal unfold.

“Hey...” Serenade began, grabbing his shoulder in her hoof.

“I haven’t seen you around here before? Are you an adventurer?” He asked, eying her up and down, figuring she matched the general build of such a profession.

“You could say that.” Serenade shrugged.

“You chose a bad place to explore, stranger. That demon is going to burn this entire village down. If you are smart and value your life, you’d run,” He said.

Looking back at the dragon, Serenade brushed her yellow mane back and shook her head. “I don’t care about that. I’m looking for an artifact called the Amulet of Desires, tell me what it is, now.”

“Unfortunately, I’m pretty certain that no one is getting anything with that demon just doing whatever it pleases. I doubt the amulet is going to reach your hooves with that thing around. You’re better off adventuring elsewhere,” he lectured.

Once again, Serenade eyeballed the dragon before turning back to the stallion. “So if I kill that thing for you, you’ll take me directly to the amulet?”

“You say that as if that’s as simple as moving a hay bale...” He chuckled.

Serenade looked the dragon up and down once again and nodded. “Stay here,” she commanded.

He blinked, curious how a single mare as small as this girl was going to take down such a mighty demon, but he said nothing as he watched her approach the fiend in the distance. She was either exceptionally brave or exceptionally stupid, he was better on the latter.

Getting close to the fight zone, Serenade approached a stallion hiding behind a building for cover. The stallion was barking commands at others who were all throwing spears at the beast to no avail. She grunted to get his attention. Once he had noticed her, he looked her over and raised a brow. “What do you want, stranger!? Can’t you see we’re under attack!?”

Serenade looked around at the ragtag team fighting the monster and then back to the stallion. “How much experience do any of you have with killing dragons, let alone demon ones?”

“Can’t say I’ve ever killed one...” He responded.

“Then stand aside and allow an expert with over eight confirmed dragon kills handle this,” Serenade said as she stepped forward and out into the open where the foul beast screeched at her, spit and black sludge flinging in her direction. She stepped out of the way of a huge glob that almost hit her and grunted.

The creature swiped at her with his enormous front claw which she dodged by ducking low. Another swipe caused her to jump over its claw and land atop of its arm. Quickly, it tried to swat at her with its other arm, but the mare backflipped landing on her hind legs. Serenade utilized the momentum to grab one of the chained hooks at her side and with a quick twirl, she hurled it into the arm that swiped at her, latching onto it.

Serenade gripped the chain tightly as the beast pulled her from the ground by lifting its arm high in the sky to raise the mare to level with its face. Hastily she readied her second hook and tossed it at the creature’s jaw, latching onto his lip. It screeched in pain, but couldn’t do a thing. With both its jaw and arm hooked tightly and held together by the mare gripping the chains tightly, he was at her mercy for the moment.

Serenade pulled as hard as she could on both chain, forcing the creature’s arm and mouth to come closer. Once she was close enough, she forced her body upright and landed atop the dragon’s back, abandoning her hooks in the process. It didn’t make much of a difference, as she could recall them with magic when she had need of them again.

On top of the creature’s back, she retrieved a small dagger from her belt and pierced a soft spot between the dragon’s scales between his shoulder blades. It was a weak point that she had learned in her travels that all dragons had, difficult to hit, but it would cripple his ability to take flight again.

The effect was instant, as a howl went through the air chains rattled from the dragon’s face as it struggled.

There wasn’t much time to celebrate, however, as the black substance that radiated from the dragon’s body began to form a series of tendrils that approached Serenade. Acting quickly, she leaped off of the dragon and landed with a slide on the dirt below. The townsfolk looked at her in awe, amazed at her skill and talent in the slaying of dragons, though their beast problem was far from over.

She barked at them with annoyance. “It’s far from dead, throw your spears at its underside if you can, its scales are weaker there. If you’re going to stand there, at least do something useful!”

He blinked and nodded quickly ushering his other fellow villagers to follow the mare’s commands. “You heard her!”

The dragon growled in agony before the long tendrils extended and whipped at Serenade. She dodged most of them, but the last one gripped her hoof, a burning sensation left where it touched as she sliced it away with a small sword she kept in her belt. Her hoof felt like it was being scratched over and over at the spot where it was touched.

She suppressed the pain in her mind and focused on the fight. She didn’t have the luxury to be sweating over small things.

The dragon had recovered from her initial attack and howled at her, saliva sputtering from its mouth as it flew through the air and splattered onto Serenade. She hissed as she wiped a splotch of it from her face. “You are just as disgusting as you are, ugly aren’t you?” She asked, not expecting an answer.

The beast growled and snapped at her with his mighty jaw, only for her to roll out of the way, and piercing the short sword through the bottom of his mouth. The beast moved away the moment the pain of the blade overtook it, but Serenade didn’t let up, instead, she threw the sword, stabbing it again in the underside of its jaw.

With the advantage in the fight, Serenade decided not to let up, and instead tossed a dagger to follow up her sword throw and hit just under where the sword had pierced the creature’s jaw. Following up, she cast a spell, the amulet around her neck glowing brightly as lightning exited her horn and hit the sword sticking out of the underside of the dragon’s jaw. Acting as a conductor, the bolt coursed through the dragon’s body.

While magic was usually only partially effective on a dragon’s scaled body, when it was pierced with a conductor, the effects of magic could hit their innards and thus the effects were usually greater. This time, however, the magic didn’t seem to have much of an effect. The creature only twitched slightly before administering a counter-attack, swiping at her with its claw.

She surmised that demonic powers allowed it to be even more resistant to magic than usual. “A lot tougher than other dragons, aren’t you? Too bad for you, that I’m Serenade Dazzle, and nothing stands in my way, including you, so I hope you’re ready to die today, ugly!”

The creature emitted a chuckling sound from his maw which caused Serenade to raise a brow in confusion.

With a deep inhale, the monster then let out a powerful breath that carried a black mist with it, a mist that quickly surrounded Serenade, making escape impossible. She pivoted on her back hooves, but could only see more black mist. Within seconds, she found herself surrounded by blackness, an ocean of darkness as far as the eye could see. She remained still, unsure of what awaited her.

The sounds of the townsfolk screaming and barking orders had completely vanished, instead, it was dead silence, enough to hear a pin drop. She lowered her hooves and relaxed herself. There was no sense in panicking.

What this place was, was irrelevant to her, she needed to find a way out.

A voice echoed through her ears, deep, distorted and eager. It spoke directly to her, despite her not being able to see where it was coming from.

You who have come to this place, your hatred, it is so... palpable. If you hope to leave this place, you will need to demonstrate your skills to us. Should you fail, you will join the lost souls who have never left this vile place, should you succeed, true power may await you.

There was no certainty she could trust the voice to keep their word, but given the circumstances, she had little choice. She would need to obey if she wanted to escape this place. Sighing, she readied herself, taking a battle stance.

Around her, dozens of pony-esque creatures began to appear. At first, there were maybe twenty, then thirty, then forty. They continued to multiply until they were well in the hundreds.

These creatures stood lopsided, their jaws ajar, and their bodies covered in black leathery skin with tendrils swaying about them. They moved without much purpose, but their glowing red eyes all focused on Serenade. She surmised that these must have been the lost souls that the voice spoke of. With so many before her, she would need to plan her attacks accordingly. Killing that many targets all at once while maintaining her energy would be no small task.

“Come to me...” Serenade beckoned the lifeless creatures who shambled toward her without much concern for their own personal safety.

Drawing another sword from her belt, she gripped it in the cleft of her hoof and held it upright before piercing the skull of one of the shamblers and pulled the sword out. It bled a black sludge before falling to the ground and decomposing just as quickly as it hit.

Another came up from behind her and opened its mouth to expose rows of sharp-fanged teeth as it tried to pierce her neck with its dangerous maw. Serenade held it back and jabbed it in the face with her hoof. After the first hit, she smashed at it another eight times bashing its face in. Once it had stumbled backward, she gripped it and smashed its head into the ground, crushing it.

Taking the sword once more, she sliced around her, slicing two more. She didn’t waste a second as she gripped one with both of her hooves and grabbed the sliced area pulling it apart and ripping the head off of the creature, throwing it at another in the distance. She stomped on the ground and beckoned more toward her. “COME ON! COME GET ME!”

As if following her commands, they all began to shuffle faster toward her. Hundreds, as far as the eye could see all surrounding her, but not a single one intimidating the siren. She would destroy every single one if necessary, leaving nothing but piles upon piles of guts and entrails if necessary.

Time seemed to stand still as she tore into them, slicing, smashing, tearing, and eviscerating any who came within eight inches of her. She stopped counting how many she had killed and just kept dismembering them all. Exhaustion wasn’t even a thought on her mind as she did so, her body was pumping pure adrenaline, her heart racing faster than it ever had in her entire life. A normal creature may have felt horror at what it was being forced to do, maybe even exhaustion, but for Serenade, she had never felt more alive.

Every bit of black sludge she had spilled from those creatures brought her an almost orgasmic pleasure. She had never tasted the pleasures of sex in her life, but she imagined it paled in comparison to the thrill of the kill. She had killed before, but never like this. Just a never-ending slew of victims lining up for her, lambs to the slaughter, a never-ending faucet of blood for her to bathe in. She was loving every second, she couldn’t even feel the pain of her front hoof where the demon had originally touched her.

Before she knew it, she had slain hundreds and saw their numbers begin to dwindle and potter out. The last one that stood in her way appeared before her and she impaled it with her blade and pulled upward, cutting through its skull and slicing it in half. It’s head split down the middle and both halves flapped down to its sides as sludge spurted from the fresh opening. It’s body collapsed and like the others evaporated into nothing.

Serenade was covered in the sludge, black goo dripped from her entire body as she stood panting in excitement. “More...” She grunted. “I want more... Give me more!”

There was silence.

“I SAID MORE, DAMN IT! GIVE ME MORE TO KILL! IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE!? I WANT MORE!” She shouted.

Again, there was no reply.

“I AM NOT DONE YET! I WANT MORE TO KILL RIGHT NOW!” Serenade screeched.

Enough.

She blinked and looked around, trying to find the origin of the voice from before that now echoed in her ear a second time.

Seldom does a creature with as much hatred as you appear. There isn’t an ounce of remorse within you, not a shred of kindness, just pure bitter hatred...

She stood still and raised a brow as it stated the obvious.

With that much hatred, you may become our greatest creation yet...

“What do you want from me?” Serenade asked.

To give you power beyond your wildest imagination. You, Serenade Dazzle, will become a demon worthy of legends. The kind of demon that will be spoken of for generations.

“What do you want in return?” Serenade asked.

Kill, destroy, use your power however you see fit. Accept this gift, and you will be able to do anything you’ve dreamed of.

Serenade blinked. She didn’t even need to think about it, this power they spoke of, she wanted it, no she needed it.

“I accept,” She spoke loudly, her voice echoing into the abyss.

Excellent. Close your eyes and accept this gift.

Serenade did as told, closing her eyes, she took in a breath which was immediately followed by a surge of pain. Pain far greater than anything she had ever experienced up to that point. Her chest ached, throbbed and felt like a thousand needles pierced her heart. She fell to her haunches and groaned in agony, but the pain only grew worse, like something inside of her was constricting her. She could barely breathe.

Her hooves twitched out of her control as she laid on her side trying to find relief from the pain. “FUUUUCK!” She screamed.

Embrace the pain, endure it.

“FUCK FUCK FUCK!” She screeched, it was almost too much to take, but she refused to let a single tear leave her. Serenade never cried before, and she didn’t intend to start at that moment. She could take it, she told herself, she could endure it and then all the power in the world would be her’s.

It only took a few more seconds before the major part of the pain subsided and trickled down to a gentle throb before disappearing entirely as if nothing had happened. She panted and helped herself up.

How does it feel?

“Absolutely incredible...” She looked down to her hoof which had healed from the mark left from before by the demon dragon.

She could feel a dark power coursing through her veins, beating from her heart and through her body. It was unlike anything she had experienced before. All she wanted to do was use it immediately.

Focusing made black tendrils come out of her back that dangled in the air, acting on their own. She grinned as she watched them, content with the new abilities she was now permitted.

With these powers, you shall become the greatest demon that has ever lived. The more you use your powers, the stronger they will become. Right now, you are merely a fledgling, but in enough time, you will rise to become a legend. Go now, Serenade Dazzle, use your power as you see fit.

Behind Serenade, a portal appeared, shining brightly in the dark world she found herself in. With a grin on her face, she stepped through it.

Back in the world of mortals, she appeared exactly where she had vanished, the black mist around her clearing. The dragon was still laying siege upon the village, albeit with some fresh wounds caused by her. Naturally, the townsfolk were useless in causing any real damage to the creature. She grinned at the opportunity to see the ability of her new power.

Teleporting her hooks back to her side, she threw one toward the beast and latched onto his cheek. With a tug, she felt her strength had increased significantly, and even a beast well over eighty tons felt as light as a pebble as she pulled it down, causing its jaw to crash into the ground.

She tugged the chain and jumped, pulling herself on top of its head. With the other hook, she threw it downward and latched onto the creature’s eye. It hissed in pain, but that didn’t stop the new demon from throwing the other hook into the other eye of the creature and pulling up with both hooks. With her newfound strength, she easily tore both eyes from the sockets, black sludge spurted from the holes and the creature roared in pain before its head fell down and landed on the ground, motion slowly halting as it spat out more and more black sludge.

After it ceased moving, the creature’s body began to decompose just as quickly as the creatures she had slain in the other world. Was it even another world? She didn’t know, and personally, she didn’t care either. With the dragon defeated, she grinned as she felt the demon slowly fade into black sludge underneath her. “Out with the old... In with the new,” she said to herself.

Once the beast was completely faded from existence, she stepped forward noting all the townsfolk cheering for her.

One face in the crowd she recognized, it was the same one that had told her of the amulet she sought. Carefully stepping forward, she approached him and spoke up. “The amulet, where is it?”

“I can’t believe it, you killed it! Amazing!” He blinked.

“The amulet, I said,” she demanded.

“Of course, but first we should celebrate! I’ve never seen anything as amazing as what you just did!” He grinned, reaching forward to shake her hoof, a crowd starting to gather around her.

Serenade looked left and right at the group of ponies now surrounding her, she then met his face and swatted his hoof away. “You shouldn’t be celebrating, I have only saved you from a terrible fate...” She paused as fresh new demonic tendrils came out of her back, floating in the air ready to strike. “To deliver you to a far worse one...”

Before anyone could react, two of the tendrils whipped down in front of her slicing the stallion she was speaking to clean in half. Turning to the crowd around her, she grinned as the many tendrils attached to her body began to quickly attack everyone gathered around her. With a few quick gestures, she had managed to decapitate every single pony in the crowd before anyone even had a chance to scream.

The rest of the town was light work for her new powers. It only took a matter of minutes before there wasn’t a single townsfolk left alive.

“This power... This is... Incredible...” She grinned as she examined one of the tendrils that dangled in front of her.

She had forgotten about the amulet when she had made that first kill. The rush of it had only made her want to kill more and more. Was this the power of a demon?

It didn’t matter. She liked it.

Almost Three Years Ago

Sunset lifted an armored hoof and took a few labored steps inside the newest weapon in her arsenal against Serenade. The suit was incredibly advanced, even if it were made in the human world, and made her feel somewhat like a superhero. She recalled a comic book or two that depicted a man in a metal suit, but couldn’t recall the name. Comics wasn’t her area of expertise or one that she was familiar with.

She managed to get a gallop going before she started to understand the system. With her body finally feeling somewhat less stiff in the suit, she managed to jump, using the rocket propulsion in the hooves of the suit to leap over a log that had been set up for her by her newest trainer, Moondancer.

Moondancer holding a pen in her hoof made a quick check on a clipboard she was carrying and nodded as she watched Sunset. “Impressive, you’re getting the hang of it quickly. We have a few more days before I leave, so hopefully, you can have it all down so you can train the others in a pinch.”

“Why would I need to train them?” Sunset raised a brow as she began to perform some pushups in the suit to limber up some more.

Moondancer rolled her eyes. “In case of an emergency, it’s good for them to know how to use it, though they obviously won’t have full functionality without magic like you.”

Sunset nodded in understanding as she continued her pushups.

Moondancer sighed and watched her friend, admiring her fitness that she had maintained over the years, even through childbirth and marriage. Sunset seemed like she was too determined to allow anything to make her waiver from the path of self-care.

Watching her go up and down, she couldn’t even see a bead of sweat on Sunset’s neck, implying that this was barely a workout for the girl. Moondancer wished she was in such great shape, but she often got winded from running up and down the stairs too many times. She supposed she would have plenty of time to get in shape however, given that she was going to have a lot of time at the facility that Sunset had left her.

Speaking up, Moondancer smiled at her friend. “You know, Sunset it’s a pretty brave thing that you’re doing.”

Sunset continued her pushups as she conversed. “Not really, I’m just doing what I have to do. There really wasn’t much choice in the matter, I couldn’t just abandon Equestria to Serenade, and on top of that, if she ever finds the portal to the human world, she would unleash destruction worse than World War III.”

That much was likely true. Moondancer hadn’t seen Serenade’s power, but if it was as bad as the Princess has said, it was more than likely that even a second in the human world would be enough for her to cause the kind of damage that a nuclear warhead caused. She’d set fire to everything around her and stand by and watch it all burn out of control.

Serenade was an odd creature to hear about, and Moondancer wished for even a second that she could look into the girl’s psyche, to see what had turned her into such a being. There was no way that darkness alone had made her as she was, though she supposed it was possible. The only question then would be how would she have given into darkness in the first place then? Twilight said it herself that as a pure demon, that meant she had given her heart entirely to darkness. She wasn’t just corrupted, she was easy to turn.

It was unsettling to keep thinking about, so she shook her head and returned to the conversation at hand. “Still, it’s not an easy undertaking that you’re taking up, Sunset. You should be proud of what you’re doing.”

Straining herself a little, Sunset counted pushup number eighty-eight. “Be proud when we win... If we win that is...”

“So you’re not completely confident in victory?” Moondancer asked.

“Can anyone be?” Sunset responded, “Serenade’s power is massive, she has the combined strength of Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, Discord, and Twilight. It’s pretty clear that she isn’t going to go down that easily. I don’t anticipate an easy victory.”

Moondancer frowned. “Aren’t you worried that you’ll never see Twilight or your daughter again?”

“I’m very worried about that, actually it’s the only thing I’m really worried about. I chose to not tell them where I was going and prevent any chance of them finding me in the event that I don’t make it back. It’s easier to just accept that I disappeared somewhere than that I died, I guess. That and I didn’t want a chance of Twilight chasing after me and getting herself killed too,” Sunset explained.

Moondancer felt bad knowing how much Sunset was risking and knowing she was risking significantly less in comparison. That meant she had to make sure that her suit and gadgets worked to an optimal level to increase Sunset’s chance at victory, and survival.

“I’ll do everything in my power to get you home safely, Sunset. You can count on me.” Moondancer stepped forward.

Stopping her pushups, Sunset looked over at her and smiled. “I know I can, Moondancer. I have complete faith in you, if we fuck this up, it’ll be because of me.”

“Don’t say that...” Moondancer shook her head.

Sunset stood up properly and shrugged. “Either way, we’re going to give this our best effort. No half-assing anything, we go all in.”

Moondancer giggled and nodded. “Agreed! Let’s win this thing!”

Almost Three Years Ago

Starlight sat on a bench awaiting instructions. Several guards who worked for Serenade passed over the past hour, giving her an occasional glance, sometimes muttering a comment. She knew their attention was drawn to the unique collar on her neck which to the untrained eye looked like a simple black choker with a black gemstone in the center. Albeit with a dog tag attached to it, clearly intended to make her out to be some kind of animal.

She could hear a comment at one point about being “Arax’s bitch”, which made her chuckle almost to imagine Arax in such a way. He didn’t strike her as a particularly possessive creature, so the fact that she was considered “his” was a bit amusing.

Finally, Arax himself would arrive after making her wait for hours in this spot. He stood before her, tall and proud looking down at the mare with fierce red eyes. Starlight studied him, noting that he was a hair taller than most changelings she had come to know, though she didn’t know that many and most of what she had seen were from photos.

With his cloak that showed his loyalty to Serenade draped around him, he raised a holed hoof and gestured for her to stand. “Sorry for keeping you waiting, many things require my attention these days.”

She came to a stand and raised a brow, confused by his demeanor. “I don’t think one usually apologizes to a slave.”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t think too hard about it, some of us just have some learned civility. You’re still a slave, and you’re still my property, do you understand that?”

“As much as I can, I suppose.” Starlight shrugged. The gravity of her situation somehow hadn’t set in yet. Arax made it difficult to take his talk of slavery too seriously. Something about him was somewhat off, making it all feel like a dream; that or there was something about his demeanor that just didn’t make it seem real. She imagined if it was Serenade, however, she would have been broken already.

“Get used to it, because that’s how things are going to be from now on, you don’t do a damn thing unless I say so. You eat when I tell you, you sleep when I tell you. You will follow my rules from now on, understand?” He growled.

Starlight just nodded.

“Good, follow me then.” He tilted his head to gesture the direction they were heading. She followed and allowed him to speak along the way.

“A few rules, so I hope you’re paying attention,” he started.

“I’m listening,” Starlight replied plainly.

“First, you are expected to bathe daily. I don’t want a disgusting bitch stinking up my work areas or quarters. You will stay clean at all times, do you understand?” He grunted.

She shrugged. “I guess, I never took you for a germaphobe though.”

“I’m not, but I believe in presentation and organization. That is why the second rule is that you will always wear the outfits provided for you. I don’t want to see you walking around in anything less. You’re my trophy and I expect you to look the part at all times,” he commanded.

“Fair enough, do I call you master from now on?” She smirked.

“Arax, or Master, doesn’t make a difference to me, so long as you answer whenever I call.” He grinned back at her.

She fell silent once more before they came to a door at the end of the hallway in the castle’s living quarters wing. Canterlot castle seemed less familiar to her, despite being fairly familiar with its layout after visiting several times on Twilight’s behalf. It felt wrong to see the entire castle occupied by Serenade’s guards, some who had been turned by her magic, others who chose to follow willingly.

Opening the door, he pushed it open and gesture for her to enter. Doing so, she stepped inside and blinked as she took a look at the room. A four poster bed was in the back corner near the window that opened up to a balcony that looked over the city below. The entire room was immaculate and had plenty of places to keep her things, had she had any of them.

He gestured to the wardrobe in the room. “You may put on a dress from there right away.”

She blinked and stood still for a moment before looking over at him. He grunted and increased his volume as his voice became more commanding. “Now.”

Nodding she approached the wardrobe and opened it. Eight gorgeous and finely crafted dresses looked back at her, each more elegant and attractive than the last. She was stunned at the craftsmanship, finding it hard to even decide. Eventually, she settled on a blue one with black trimmings. It had all the right frills, and a laced up back with a long skirt that draped over her backside.

She slipped it on with ease and tried to find a way to tighten the laces on the back, only to feel an aura pull the strings for her. She peeked over and saw Arax’s horn glowing as they tightened to the perfect setting. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled as she saw herself. “Wow, far better than I was expecting... I sort of imagined I’d be wearing literal rags all over.”

“What is a trophy if it isn’t shining?” Arax proposed.

She never imagined he was so vain as to want to rub his achievements in the face of others, but then again he did work for Serenade, so it should have been to be expected.

“So, what am I supposed to do as your slave, exactly?” Starlight asked.

Stepping forward he placed a hoof under her chin and forced her to look up at him. “Anything I desire. You’ll wait here now until I come to fetch you for dinner. Master Serenade is coming by and I want you looking your best, so you have time to clean yourself up a little.”

Starlight nodded and decided it was best not to question it any further. This meant she would have another chance to see Serenade face-to-face perhaps. It was a chance to study her and maybe locate some kind of weakness in her. It was a long shot, but given her circumstances, all she could do was try.

She prayed that Twilight was making some kind of progress.

Almost Three Years Ago

The day of Moondancer’s departure had arrived. The previous few days were intense on Sunset, but she was confident that she understood the ins and outs of the suit now.

The best part was that the suit would allow for Moondancer to not only communicate with her from the human world but see her even. All kinds of high tech cameras and sensors meant that Moondancer could keep a direct eye on what Sunset could see. It meant that working together was going to be key to success, something that Sunset had no issues with. Having someone as smart as Moondancer watching out for her put her somewhat at ease, even against such terrible odds.

Serenade’s power was unrivaled, that meant that the chances of beating her in a head-on fight were slim. They would need to be crafty and cunning to take down such a foe. The game of chess was on, all they needed to do was take out the Queen and the game was over, the only problem was that said Queen was heavily protected, so it really wasn’t that simple at all.

Moondancer smiled at the group as she stood in front of the mirror, ready to go back home, amazed that so much time had already passed. “Well, I guess this really is it, huh? Training exercises over, time for the real thing.”

Sunset nodded and smiled at her. “No worries, I have you on my side so I’m not worried in the slightest. You’ll be a great support.”

Moondancer blushed and adjusted her glasses. “Yes, well...”

“I’m glad we get the chance to work with you, Moondancer!” Sonata clapped her hooves together excitedly.

Moondancer found herself unable to think of a thing to reply with. It was sweet that Sonata thought so highly of her, even if it was unexpected. The bookworm, however, couldn’t deny how fond she had grown of Sonata in those short few weeks. She would miss her new friend, but there was work to be done.

“Thank you, Sonata, that means a lot to me.” Moondancer placed a hoof on her heart.

“Everything we’ve been through, all the bullshit that Adagio, and now her sister... This is our chance to redeem ourselves. Maybe we can become more than just some sirens...” Aria chimed in.

Princess Twilight smiled and placed a hoof on Aria’s shoulder. “If you two help us pull this off, I’ll personally see to it that we work to change Equestria’s perspective on sirens. You two can prove that there is good that they can do, I know it.”

Moondancer nodded in agreement. “Well, Equestria is in good hands... Errr.... Hooves.” She rubbed her neck as she stepped toward the portal.

Sunset spoke up to her friend. “Moondancer.”

Moondancer turned around and raised a brow. “Hm?”

“Remember, if anyone comes through that portal and it isn’t one of us...” She paused, “kill them.”

Moondancer nodded. “Understood.”

With those words, Moondancer stepped into the portal and returned to the human world, making the beginning of their conquest. From here on out, they were officially done training and preparing, and their attack on Serenade was to begin. Sunset only hoped that she was prepared enough to take on such a powerful creature. She would bide her time and plot her advance, but it would still take a miracle for her to defeat something so powerful. In the end, she knew that a direct confrontation between Serenade and her was unavoidable. Their powers would clash and the stronger, wiser and faster of the two would triumph. The other would likely be tasting death that day. The only question was, which of the two of them would it be? Sunset or Serenade?

Almost Three Years Ago

Serenade adjusted her cloak and trotted confidently toward the dining hall where she had requested to meet with Arax for her weekly status report on the location of Princess Twilight Sparkle. She had hoped he was going to deliver her some kind of news that suggested they were hot on her trail, but she knew better. She knew that her minions simply were too incompetent to catch such a crafty mare that easily. In reality, she knew it was a big waste of time, but she found herself doing it anyway.

She approached the large doors and chuckled as she looked the lavish dining entrance over. She tried to remember the last time she had eaten food. It must have been a good 1,200 years ago at least. With her powers as strong as they were, she had outgrown the need for food, the need to sleep, even the need to use the bathroom. Her body lived off of the energy she absorbed. No food going in meant no waste.

Opening the door with a flick of her horn, she stepped inside to see a red-eyed changeling standing at attention waiting for her. Next to him, was a rather elegant looking mare, one she had only seen once before when she drained her of magic. She was a far cry from the girl she had drained, no longer a haggard mess, but a cleaned up lady almost.

Approaching, Serenade nodded and Arax relaxed as she came a few steps from him. “What do you have to report, Arax?”

“No new updates, sadly, Master. Wherever Twilight Sparkle is hiding, it’s really out there. She can’t hide forever though,” Arax responded.

Serenade’s attention was drawn to Starlight once more. She approached the mare and locked eyes with her. Starlight’s blue eyes didn’t leave Serenade’s watchful gaze. The mare kept herself composed while Serenade stared her down, not wanting to show even an ounce of fear. Starlight had only had a taste of Serenade’s power before, but she knew there was likely more to her.

“Starlight Glimmer...” Serenade spoke, her voice was almost sensual. “You were Twilight Sparkle’s star student, weren’t you?”

Starlight nodded. “I was.”

“How the mighty have fallen, I don’t suppose you will tell me where she is, will you?” Serenade grinned.

“I don’t know where she is. She kept a lot of secrets from all of us in the event that you captured us,” Starlight lied, or at least partially. It was true that Twilight kept some aspects of her plans in the dark, but Starlight knew where she was.

“You’re probably lying,” Serenade responded plainly.

“And if I am? How do you propose to get the truth out of me?” Starlight asked.

Serenade shook her head. “I wouldn’t waste my time. I can already tell that torturing you will yield nothing, you’re stupidly loyal like the rest of Twilight’s dogs.”

“Loyalty is something you wouldn’t understand, I suppose?” Starlight raised a brow.

“Oh, I know loyalty. None of my consorts would dare betray me, like Arax over here,” she gestured to the changeling behind her, “he wouldn’t dream of crossing me.”

“And yet you’re still miserable.” Starlight smirked.

Serenade chuckled and shook her head. “I like your confidence, Arax chose a sassy pet. Don’t forget though, that you’re still alive because of my graciousness to him. To me, you have no practical value. Had he not said he wanted you as his plaything, I would have killed you myself.”

Starlight decided that she wasn’t likely going to get another chance any time soon, so she spoke her mind. “Serenade... You don’t have to take this any further, perhaps we can negotiate a way for this to end peacefully? I can get Twilight to hear you out, we can help you.”

Serenade was about to respond when one of her guards entered the dining hall giving a salute before speaking. “Master Serenade, we have apprehended the ponies you wanted! Shall we bring them in or take them to the cells for you to address them later?”

Serenade glanced back at him and then to Starlight. She kept her eyes locked on Starlight as she answered. “Bring them in.”

Starlight and she shared a powerful glare before Serenade turned around. “Excuse me for a moment.”

The guards dragged in a young blue pegasus in chains. Yanking them to get her to follow their commanded, they smacked her in the back of the head to get her to kneel down before Serenade. Serenade just approached casually and stared down at the mare, her powerful eyes making the mare feel small.

“So, you’re the one who was trying to lead a group to rebel against me, are you?” Serenade asked.

“Fuck you!” The mare hissed.

Serenade laughed. “Feisty, but let’s see if you remain so when your punishment comes...”

“Even if you kill me, there will be others!” The mare barked back.

Shaking her head, a playful smile came across the siren’s face. A smile that made Starlight uneasy, a smile that Arax had seen many times before and knew it to mean that what was to follow would be interesting.

“No, you’re not going to die today...” Serenade replied softly.

Blinking the mare looked as though she was about to question her until a group of more guards came through the door with two small children, one a male earth pony and the other a young female pegasus. The mare’s eyes widened as the two children were brought in. Neither of them looked older than eight to Starlight, who didn’t like where this appeared to be heading.

“We did some digging and we found your children. You may not care about your own life, but what about their’s?” Serenade asked, her voice filled with smugness.

“Please leave them alone! Don’t hurt them!” The mare pleaded.

“Not so tough now, are you? Don’t worry though, I’m not going to decide their fate... You are.” Serenade pointed to the mare as the two children were brought next to her, one on each side. The children trembled as they saw the demon’s tendrils come out. “So, which one will it be? Which of them is more important to you?”

“Please!” The mare pleaded once more.

“Choose. Now.” Serenade barked.

“I don’t want to do this!” Tears started rolling down her face.

“Too bad, pick one or they both die,” Serenade ordered.

“Take me instead!” The mare begged.

“That’s not an option you have. Pick one or the other...” Serenade’s gaze narrowed as she observed the mare pleading with her. A long tendril came out and came inches from the little girl’s face. “Her?” Serenade asked.

“Keep your disgusting claws off of my daughter!” The mare blurted out.

Nodding Serenade’s tendril retracted. She took her hoof and tapped the child forward, gesturing for her to return to her mother. “I guess we have our choice now.”

“Wait no!” The mare reached forward as her daughter came to her side whimpering.

“Too late, you have made your choice, now watch it play out...” Serenade said. A black tendril gripped the child, lifting him into the air.

The pain of being touched by the tendril caused him to scream in agony. “It hurts, mommy! It hurts! Make it stop!”

The child writhed and twitched trying everything he could to escape the demon’s grasp, but it was useless. Serenade’s grip upon him simply was too tight. The pain kept getting worse and worse every second that he was held, the feeling of his skin burning was all he could focus on as the demonic appendages touched him. “Make it stop!”

“Please! Let him go! I won’t do it again, I promise!” His mother begged.

“Face your punishment with some dignity...” Serenade shook her head. “Look at the boy...”

The mare whimpered and sobbed.

“I SAID LOOK AT HIM!” Serenade shouted.

“Please... Let him go... I’ll do anything...” She looked at her son suffering. She was helpless to do anything about it.

“The boy deserves to see the face of the one responsible for his death, doesn’t he?” Serenade asked with a smug grin.

“Please...” The mare spoke again.

Serenade shook her head. “Just remember that you did this to him...”

Without another word, another tendril came out of Serenade and shoved itself directly into the boy’s sobbing mouth, causing him to gag. His mother screamed and Starlight tried to divert her eyes, but couldn’t. With a twisting and tearing noise, the tendril exited the boy’s mouth with a violent jerk dropping a bloody tongue onto the ground as the boy gagged and choked on blood.

Serenade dropped the dying corpse onto the ground as blood spurted out of his mouth, staining her face and cloak.

The mother of the boy had gone hysterical. “YOU FUCKING BITCH! I’LL KILL YOU! YOU’RE A MONSTER!”

Serenade seemed unfazed by her outburst as she gestured to the guards. “That’ll be all.”

One of the guards looked back at the mare and then to his master. “What shall we do with her, Master Serenade?” He asked.

Serenade shrugged. “Take her out back and have your way with her if you like, but get her out of my sight. What you morons do with your free time doesn’t concern me.”

“And the child?” He asked.

“Make sure she lives, I want her to remember which one she chose,” Serenade instructed.

He gave his master a confident salute before gestured to his men to follow her orders. They took the screaming mare and her crying daughter away while another stallion picked up the lifeless body of the child to take it away. Serenade stopped one of them and removed her cloak, offering it to him. “Have this cleaned and brought to my quarters, please.”

He bowed and accepted the cloak before Serenade turned back to Starlight and smiled at her. “Now... What were we talking about?”

“You’re sick.” Starlight snarled.

Serenade chuckled. “What? That? That was just business, Starlight.”

“He was a child...” Starlight retorted.

“We were all children once, but eventually we have to learn about the harsh reality of being an adult, don’t we? I had learned that the world was a harsh unfair place already by the time I was his age.” Serenade rolled her eyes.

“You would murder a helpless child? He didn’t do a damn thing to you!” Starlight growled.

“It was to send a message, Starlight. Sometimes you need to attack your enemy’s mind, not their body. I’ll show you when we capture Twilight Sparkle, you’ll see.” Serenade patted the girl’s shoulder.

Turning around she nodded to Arax. “Enjoy your meal, you two...”

As she left, Starlight watched the mare with the bloodstained coat leave and she was certain she had never hated another creature as much as she hated Serenade. It was obvious that no terms of peace could ever be negotiated with such a heartless creature.

Almost Three Years Ago

After a long intense training session, Sunset wanted to wind down for a bit and relax before she began her briefing with the other girls. She knew that it was soon time to tell them what they would be doing and what her plan of attack on Serenade was, but the redhead felt it was necessary to get just a little more training in before going over the plan. She wanted to be completely certain she was used to the functions of the suit.

With the suit still on, and the helmet over her head, she sighed as she spoke directly to Moondancer. “Quite an impressive piece of equipment you’ve built, Moondancer. I’m insanely impressed. Clearly, your genius knows no limits.”

Moondancer’s face appeared in front of Sunset inside the helmet on some kind of hologram projector that was displaying a live video feed to Moondancer in the human world. The girl rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her comfortable chair and sipped from a water bottle. “You’re giving me too much credit. Princess Twilight’s knowledge proved invaluable and a lot of what I built wasn’t possible without her.”

There was a short pause before Sunset replied. “If you think that I’m praising her, you’re mistaken.”

“Yeah, I figured there was going to be a continued bitterness between the two of you, so that’s fine,” Moondancer responded.

That was an understatement. While Sunset was willing to work with the Princess to do what she needed to do, she still was exceptionally annoyed with her about dragging her into this all and essentially ruining her life possibly. There was no telling how upset her wife and child were, but she couldn’t think about that now.

“Do you think this suit can withstand Serenade’s magic?” Sunset changed the subject.

Moondancer shrugged. “It’s designed to resist dark magic, but no one has ever really seen the full extent of Serenade’s power, so it’s hard to say how much the suit could handle. Still, it’s better than going naked against her, right?”

“Yeah, I agree there.” Sunset chuckled.

Her eyes focused on something that moved behind the curtain of her quarters. While sleep was not necessary at their location, beds and rooms were still provided for some odd reason. Perhaps they were placed before the spell was put on the Royal Training Ground that made time stand still.

“I’ll call you back, Moondancer...” Sunset said before hanging up.

Approaching the curtain, Sunset raised a hoof, ready to utilize her new suit’s diamond blades if necessary.

Moving the curtain, she sighed as she saw nothing there. It had to have been her imagination, she thought.

Those thoughts were dismissed, however, when a familiar voice called out to her. “Nice to see you, Sunset.”

She quickly turned around with the diamond blade drawn as she stared down a physical impossibility: Adagio Dazzle, adorned in a pony version of the stealth suit she once wore as Ghost.

“You’re dead, I saw you die!” Sunset exclaimed.

“Perceptive of you, but that’s irrelevant...” The siren chuckled as she began to approach.

Sunset kept her blade drawn. “How are you here?”

“Going to fight my sister, I see?” Adagio ignored her question.

Before Sunset could answer, however, Princess Twilight burst into the room and sliced at Adagio with a newly crafted hoofblade that Moondancer had built for her. Her cut diced the siren in half and both halves turned to dust almost instantly, fading out of existence and Twilight came to a proper stand. “So they’re affecting you too now...” Twilight spoke.

“What the hell was that?” Sunset raised a brow before tapping her chest and making the helmet of her suit vanish.

“An Adagio Shade. They started appearing a few years ago to me, but lately, they are starting to appear before anyone who I meet with magic capabilities. They’re kind of like a virus,” Twilight explained.

Sunset was more confused than ever. “Adagio Shades? What causes them?”

Twilight just shrugged. “I have no idea. I don’t know much about them, and they’re a very odd phenomenon, but I think they have something to do with the memories of a siren releasing when they are killed or something. It’s just a theory.”

“Great, another thing to worry about...” Sunset sighed.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about them, anyway, are you ready to brief everyone?” Twilight asked.

Sunset sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I suppose it’s time. We begin plotting our rebellion tonight.”

Twilight nodded in agreement as the two headed for the door. She stopped at the frame and looked at Sunset with serious eyes. “Let’s not tell the others about the Adagio Shades for now, okay?”

Shrugging, Sunset agreed. “I have no reason to anyway, let’s focus on the currently alive and dangerous siren, not the dead one.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Twilight grinned.

Almost Three Years Ago

Standing in their briefing room, Aria, Sonata, Twilight, and Sunset all had gathered to discuss Sunset’s battle plan. Every single pony in that room was waiting with bated breath; eager to hear what Sunset had to say.

The redhead collected her thoughts as she looked over the various maps and notes upon the table in front of them before looking up at the group. “So, I’ve been doing all kinds of research to make sure this goes smoothly. This has not been an easy endeavor in the slightest. I’ve had to get myself up to speed on months of events in a small time frame...”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “If anypony can do it, it’s you.”

Sunset didn’t even bother responding to her compliment. “Anyway, the challenge we currently face is that Serenade focused her conquest on hitting high unicorn population areas. She’s absorbed so much magic now that her power is more or less immeasurable. There’s no way to read how strong she really is.”

“So you can’t beat her, even with the suit?” Aria asked.

Sunset shook her head. “The suit alone won’t do it, we’re going to need an army.”

Sonata frowned at that statement, her demeanor appearing a bit saddened by that statement. “Where are we supposed to get an army?”

With a grin on her face and a plan in her head, Sunset levitated a nearby quill and circled a section on the map in front of them before turning it toward the girls, all of which who leaned in to see she had circled a town called “Appleoosa” on the outskirts.

Twilight was all too familiar with the town, as she had visited a few times with Applejack, whom she knew was currently there.

“A cult of outlanders who have been worshiping King Sombra as some kind of God is posing a threat to the village.” Sunset tapped her hoof on the map.

Aria raised a brow in confusion. “So what?”

“So, Serenade doesn’t value that part of her new kingdom that much. She clearly sees it as garbage land and is willing to let the Cult of Sombra slaughter everypony there,” Sunset stated.

“Where do we come in?” Sonata chimed in.

Sunset smirked at that statement. “We go in, defeat the cult and win over the town to our side. The seeds of rebellion have already been planted there, we just need to water them. We might be able to enlist a good chunk of them into joining our cause if we show them that we are serious about taking down Serenade, not to mention showing them what we can do.”

The plan made perfect sense. They could build their army from the ground up, starting small and growing it under Serenade’s nose. Twilight had to admit; it was a good plan.

Speaking up, Twilight added to Sunset’s point. “Applejack is currently residing there, we may be able to convince her to help us.”

Sunset liked the sound of that plan. A pony as strong as Applejack surely was (if her human counterpart was anything to go off of) was likely to be a huge boon in their favor if they could convince her to join them.

“Sounds good, we move out tomorrow everyone,” Sunset commanded.

Author's Note

Wow this chapter ended up super long. It wasn’t intentional, but there is a lot going on in this Act, so it had to be this way. I apologize in advance.

Serenade is obviously our main villain of the story and we’ve been building up to her for some time. Naturally, we’re probably going to delve into her in these authors notes a few times before the story is over as there's a lot to cover when it comes to her character.

Her conception came about sometime around the planning for Act IV. She quickly became the central villain for our story and ultimately the big bad.

At first glance, she may come off as "I am evil because I was born evil", but that's merely to the untrained eye when we are first introduced to her. We can actually start to see some layers to her that are coming into focus slowly, but surely.

We can clearly see from this chapter that Serenade’s mind was not merely “corrupted” by darkness to make her into an evil creature, she had a love of evil long before that point. She had allowed herself to be consumed by anger and hatred for centuries before she achieved demonhood. A pure demon such as herself obviously will have a lot of abilities at her disposal, which we haven’t seen all of yet. For demons, she is very potent and full of potential. For one to become a true demon in this universe is akin to how I had light and dark affinities work, something we'll get into later though, as I'd be spoiling too much to explain it. Act VI and VII will deal a bit more of the "science" behind magic.

Her contempt for all mortals is evident and we can clearly see from her willingness to murder even a child that she lacks any and all sense of empathy. A true villain never sees anything as "sacred", as such things could be seen as weaknesses to exploited by enemies.

She is indeed the very definition of “a villain”. There is no redeemable qualities to speak of with her unless you count the fact that she is portrayed as attractive. You know, if you’re into a murdering lunatics.

Still, this is all only at first glance. We've only gained a small fraction of Serenade's past and what goes on in her head. To summarize what we do know:

She was born to a mortal father with her mother who was a siren who broke one of their sacred covents (this is shown in Silence of Siren briefly).
She was forced out of her childhood home sometime when she was still a toddler, so maybe between 4-6 or so where she watched her mother get burned at the stake.
From there she lived in the shadows with her sister for many years until the two were separated.
Judging from this new information, she spent a good deal of time after that learning how to protect herself, fight and become a mercenary. She descended into demonhood sometime around age 800.
At some point leading up to the events of Act V she resided in Dragon Scar where she spent a lot of her time drinking and doing various odd jobs.

This all points to various personality traits or inferences we can draw up to this point:

Drinking problems are usually evidence of someone with things they wish to forget or bury. Serenade clearly has something in her that she wishes to forget or escape from if she spent so much time at Dragon Scar accomplishing little despite her impressive power.
She obviously has an addictive personality. She became addicted to killing the moment she tasted blood for the first time, and we can see it's what gets her those rushes she desires. This is important because it's part of her driving force.
The only creatures she seems to care about are other immortals which she considers equals. This kind of points less to someone who is all self-important and more to someone with a "racial purity" mentality.

That's probably enough analysis for now.

Act VI - Chapter LXXXI - Building

Chapter LXXXI: Building

Almost Three Years Ago

As the escort group reached its end, a young Eclipse found himself as the last member of the escort being directed to his new living arrangements. He had seen the buildings offered to the others in his group of eight, and while they weren’t tremendously impressive, they were far from hovels since even Canterlot’s slums were far from the worst places to live in the world. For many of those ponies it was likely an upgrade to their usual living arrangements (especially over the tents that they were forced to live in at the work camp) but for Eclipse it was sure to be a downgrade from his upper-middle-class lifestyle.

He didn’t care though, there was hardly anything he cared about anymore except Galeal and trying to find an excuse to get back to him somehow. There was no telling what he was being subjected to back at Griffonstone, and without him at his side, Eclipse was lost. Being separated from Galeal was worse than any punishment they could force him to endure, and because of that, Eclipse was prepared for whatever pathetic excuse of lodging they would have him inhabit.

With his hooves in chains, he walked down the cracked and frayed sidewalks of the slums of Canterlot with three armed guards at his sides, each carrying a chain attached to the young unicorn. All three of them were burly and looked at least eight times stronger than Eclipse (though admittedly he was a rather scrawny pretty boy), so breaking free to make an escape was likely impossible.

He watched the streets as he trotted, hearing the chains rattle as the cuffs rubbed against his hooves, causing discomfort after being forced to wear them for so long.

A line of ponies stood across from him waiting near a group of armed guards as a building behind them passed out food in rations. Children whined that they were still hungry, some of which had their mothers hush them, others just cried. One approached a guard begging for more food, only to be whipped with the stern backside of the guard’s hoof, sending her to the ground, scattering other children nearby.

The further down the street they walked, the more he could see the kind of kingdom that Serenade kept. Children had no toys to play with, the elderly were sickly and dying in the streets, bodies of the recently deceased literally laying about on the side of the road waiting to be cleaned up by the daily cleaning crew like common trash left on the side of the road. Endless suffering for no reason, that was the kind of world that Serenade wanted, the kind of world she saw as “ideal”.

An elderly mare approached the group and fell to her stomach, grabbing one of the guard’s hooves as she pleaded, her voice full of desperation. “Please! My husband is very sick, he needs help! You have to convince Serenade to let him go to a doctor.”

The guard pulled his hoof away and gave her a scowl. “I’m giving you exactly five seconds to get the fuck out of our way, or I’ll give you something to cry about.”

“Please! I will do anything!” She begged, ignoring his warning.

“I won’t warn you again, back the fuck up!” He hissed.

“Please have a heart!” She continued pleading, her eyes leaking as she gripped his hoof again.

Sighing, the guard released his chain wrapped around Eclipse and offered it to one of the other two. “Hold this for me.” He requested.

The other guard nodded and both watched as the guard removed his helmet and set it aside, brushing his long dark navy blue mane to one side. He cracked his neck before approaching the mare.

She sat up a bit and nodded. “Thank you, sir, thank you!”

“I ain’t helping that shit stain, so you shouldn’t be thanking me.” He growled.

Without another word, the guard kicked the elderly mare in the jaw. She fell to the ground gripping her now dislocated jaw as more tears ran down her face. He didn’t let up though, instead, he kicked her a few more times, and eventually, he was stomping on her. “I TOLD YOU TO SHUT THE FUCK UP!” He barked.

She screamed in agony as he beat her, his hoof would come down over and over until eventually the screaming stopped and the mare’s body ceased movement. Even after her body stopped, he continued to hit her a few more times. When he finally stopped, he panted and ran a blood hoof through his mane. Picking his helmet back up, he looked at one of the other guards. “Make sure we send a cleanup team this way tonight to clean this mess up.”

“Sure thing...” The other guard merely nodded, not seeming too affected by it all.

Eclipse just stared at the corpse until the bloody guard gave him a grunt and a nasty look. “What’s wrong, shitface? Got something to say?”

Eclipse shook his head.

“Smart choice, the last thing you want to do is end up like that smear on the sidewalk, right? You're smarter than that, after all.” He smirked at Eclipse.

Eclipse wanted to make a smartass remark but decided better of it. This stallion clearly wasn’t fooling around, and he likely was looking for an excuse to beat someone to death again. Eclipse imagined such a desire was commonly on the forefront of his twisted mind, as it was with many who chose to serve Serenade willingly.

“No, sir,” Eclipse replied.

“Smart kid. Stay smart, you’ll live longer that way.” The guard smirked as he placed his helmet back on and took the chain back.

Within a few more seconds, they were back to heading to Eclipse’s assigned living quarters while he was to stay in Canterlot. Whether or not he would be required to stay in Canterlot indefinitely wasn’t relevant to him, as he had no intention of staying any longer than he had to. A part of him had already decided that he would search for any and all ways to escape the city. While the situation seemed hopeless, he knew that the city was large enough to where there had to be a way out, some kind of hole that Serenade’s security had missed.

A few more blocks and they arrived at a small house that had definitely seen better days but was far from the worst Eclipse had ever seen. It was serviceable, good for perhaps a newlywed couple as a serious DIY project. One of the guards stepped aside and began unlocking the chains on Eclipse’s hooves.

After a few clicks and the other guards following the same pattern, Eclipse was free of all chains restraining him. He looked around at the three guards who all nodded and gestured to the building. “Welcome to your new quarters, shitface. You’re to be here every night after 8:00 PM. Any creature seen out after curfew will be punished. Secondly, you will stay out of restricted zones; if a guard gives you an order, you’re to follow it to a T.”

Eclipse stood silently as he listened.

“Am I clear, shit-for-brains?” The guard grunted.

Eclipse nodded. “Crystal, sir.”

“Good, you so much as step out of line, and you’ll be greeted with a beating that will make what you saw that old broad get look like a fucking spanking.” The guard smirked, clearly giddy at the idea that he might be able to find an excuse to beat Eclipse within an inch of his life. The unicorn, however, had no intentions of giving him the opportunity.

“Now, we have shit to do, so get in and make yourself comfortable...” One of the other two guards stated as he gestured toward the door.

Eclipse shrugged before stepping inside, feeling the door slam shut behind him. Looking around the shabby house, he could tell that the previous owners had likely been rushed out and most of their things had been tossed aside or thrown away. Remnants of past inhabitants were scatted about in the form of broken glass on the floor, dishes left on the counter, and indents on the pathetic excuse of a couch.

The unicorn sighed and stretched before heading toward the bathroom. He wondered if the place even had hot water because a bath or shower would be absolutely heavily at that moment.

Making his way to the bathroom, he flicked a light switch, astounded that it actually worked, albeit very faintly. In the mirror, the stallion got a good look at himself. While he looked a bit tired, his usual appearance shined through. Soft silky messy white mane over a light grey coat. He had a side cut in his mane that caused one side to be short and the other to be long and drooping with a few permanent cowlicks.

He had soft feminine features, and what many considered an effeminate voice to match it. Around his neck was now his most prized possession, the one item that he would never let anyone take from him, no matter what happened: the necklace that Galeal had given him. He would hold onto it until he died if necessary. In his mind, the only thought he had was making sure it got back to the griffon.

Looking at himself, Eclipse tilted his head and ran a hoof through his long mane. He would be lying if he didn’t say he felt like he looked cute. Galeal used to tell him that too, only seconds before saying “in a gay way”. It made him smile just thinking about it. It was their usual banter, that didn’t make sense to anyone but them. Galeal would always play the tough cool guy, and Eclipse would be the uncaring mate.

He had to find him. He couldn’t just sit idly and do nothing, he needed to become proactive.

Not wasting any more time, the unicorn decided to skip the shower and head out. He could ask around, see what ponies in the city knew, find out if anypony had discovered a way out or had heard rumors of places where security was weak. It was a long shot, but with thousands of minds in the city, there was no better resource than to pick every single one he could find. At this point, he had an infinite amount of time to kill, so there was no reason not to use it being productive.

Taking a deep breath, the stallion stepped out of the bathroom and eventually out of the house. Originally he had wondered on if he should fix the place up, but now he had submitted to the idea that he likely wouldn’t even be spending much time here. This building would be only the place where he slept and nothing more.

As he came outside, he peered around to see if there was anything of interest. There were old run down apartments, closed shops, and beggars everywhere the eye could see. However, a good few blocks down from his new home was an establishment that caught his eye, a place that would likely never stop receiving business no matter how hard times got, a bar aptly named “The Scumbag Saloon”. He wondered if that kind of humor was the kind that the slums enjoyed or if the owner legitimately was looking down on the society he belonged to. It didn’t matter.

Shrugging, he made his way there. Along the way passing by the occasional beggar or two hounding him for food, which he politely informed that he had none. While he was far better nourished than these ponies, he had lost some weight from the work camp, and he wasn’t in a position to be giving anything away even if he did have it.

Making his way to the bar, he pushed his way in noting the type of crowd that frequented the place. Lots of burly types with impressive muscular builds. None of which were Eclipse’s type. He liked them with a tiny bit of an effeminate flair along with their strong aura. It was dawning on him that perhaps Galeal was the perfect fit for the stallion.

As he approached the counter, a few of the larger stallions eyeballed him, and a girl or two. He lowered his head as he pulled himself up onto the bar stool in front of the female bartender who smiled at him. “Hey cutie, ain’t you a little young for this place?”

Eclipse shrugged. “Probably, are you checking IDs?”

She shook her head. “Shit, in these pressing times? Ain’t no point. Law of the land has changed anyway. Serenade doesn’t give a fuck if eight-year-olds drink themselves stupid. All that matters is we ration what we have. So you can go nuts for all I care.”

“Do you still take bits or did Serenade switch us to some other currency?” He blinked.

She shook her head. “Ration chips are the new hot ticket item. Food is a commodity around here, so that’s essentially what we trade in now. You can buy food with ration chips distributed by the guards.”

“I’m assuming the costs of better foods are higher than others?” Eclipse guessed.

She nodded and cracked her neck, making her black and red short cut mane bounce a bit. It was clear she was using some kind of hairspray to maintain her side swept look. It was clear she was attracting a lot of attention from bar patrons, but not Eclipse. For as long as he could remember, he had never really had an interest in females. He could admire how cute some would be, but the thought of ever kissing them or getting sexual with them was lost on him.

The only creature he had ever been sexual with was Galeal. He blushed as he remembered those times together with him. They were still young, but in Equestria they were far from underage, at least as far as sex was concerned. They had partaken in many activities, and Eclipse had loved all of them, he would blush just thinking about it.

“You guessed right, cute stuff. A piece of quality broccoli is like eighty fucking chips, so unless you save up then you are going to be stuck eating that processed trash around here, and that’s assuming they even have the stock,” she explained.

Eclipse blinked as he put two and two together. “I’m assuming because of the cost of the low-quality items they run out much quicker?”

She nodded. “See, you’re a smart kid. Maybe if you put that brain to use then you’ll get somewhere around here.”

“Thanks, but unfortunately, I just got here, so I don’t have any chips...” Eclipse shrugged.

She shook her head and grabbed a glass from behind her with her hoof and poured from a cheap looking whiskey bottle, filling the glass halfway. She smiled as she leaned in and passed it to him, flittering her mascara covered eyelids. “This one’s on me.”

“Why?” Eclipse squinted as he took the glass and pulled it toward himself with his hoof, oh how he missed having magic.

“You remind me of my kid, brother.” She grinned.

“Oh?” Eclipse raised a brow.

She nodded and looked up in thought. “Yeah, he’s somewhere out there at one of those work camps.”

“Ironically, I just got released from one...” Eclipse replied.

“Maybe it was fate that we meet today then,” the girl responded.

Eclipse wasn’t even sure if he believed in fate or destiny. It was a concept that he’d rather not be true if he was being honest. To accept that everything happened for a reason would be accepting that his lot in life was pre-determined and that he could do nothing about it. He found more comfort in the idea that he could influence and control the outcome of anything that happened to him.

“I don’t believe in fate...” Eclipse said quietly.

She nodded and gestured to the drink. “Well, regardless, take a drink and make yourself at home, sweetie. You’re among friends here.”

He nodded and picked up the cup, taking a sniff of the whiskey inside. It was strong smelling, but he took a quick swig of it and coughed as it went down his throat. He leaned over the counter hacking and shaking his head as his eyes watered. “Fuck!” He managed to get out.

One of the other bar patrons sitting a few seats down started chuckling and laughing at his expense. “What’s so funny?” Eclipse hacked.

“Kid like you acting tough.” He smirked.

His short mane cut and strong jawline definitely made him seem older, perhaps in his late forties. The stallion’s tufted chin had some graying fur to make his age more apparent.

“I have to be if I want to get out of this hellhole...” Eclipse responded.

The stallion laughed as he scooted a few seats closer and came next to Eclipse, a tall mug of beer in his hoof. “You got spunk, kid, but it takes more than that. Serenade’s goons got this place on lock and key. I’ve seen my fair share of stallions dragged away for breaking her laws.”

“What happened to them?” Eclipse asked.

He shook his head. “No one knows for sure, but I hear talks that they either kill them or worse.”

“What’s worse than execution?” Eclipse raised a brow trying to take another sip of his drink, this time a bit more carefully.

“You don’t wanna know, kid...” He shook his head.

“I do though,” Eclipse insisted.

The stallion looked back and forth to make sure none were listening before he leaned in to talk in a hushed whisper. His raspy old voice sounding a bit odd at that volume, but Eclipse leaned in as well to get a good listen.

“I heard talks that they get turned into those... Things...” The stallion said.

“What things?” Eclipse asked, more confused than before.

“You haven’t seen ‘em yet?” The stallion raised a brow.

“No, I’ve been in a work camp for almost all of Serenade’s takeover.” Eclipse frowned.

“Oh, right. Well if you ever look outside your window at night... You’ll see ‘em... Black as midnight, tendrils all over their bodies, whipping about something mad. Skin that’s black and slimy, oozing with this black shit,” he began to describe.

“What are they?” Eclipse blinked.

He shook his head and shrugged at the young unicorn. “No one knows for sure. We call ‘em reapers though.”

“Why’s that?” Eclipse asked.

“Dunno where the name started, but probably because of what they do. They are the nighttime patrol units to make sure nopony is out after curfew. They wander the streets looking to slaughter any who dare go out at night. They’re relentless hunters, they never seem to tire and they don’t ever give up on a kill.” The stallion shuddered as he described them, clearly he was very familiar with them.

“Sounds bad...” Eclipse gulped.

He nodded. “They’re slow though, which is why they’re usually accompanied by a few maulers.”

“What’s a mauler?” Eclipse blinked.

The stallion shuddered once more. “A true abomination. Small little guys, they jump really high and tear you to shreds. Supposedly they were children at one point that Serenade turned into those things. Fast, agile and devastating in groups. Only the brave and the stupid go out at night for that reason...”

Eclipse could only imagine what would turn a child into such a creature, or what something like that would even look like; he prayed he wouldn’t have to see it. It didn’t make a difference to him though.

“I don’t care, I need to get out of here, I can’t sit around waiting...” Eclipse explained.

The stallion shook his head. “Listen, kid. The reality is, you ain’t tough enough. You’re not cut out for escaping this place, and that’s a fact. Serenade’s goons would snap you in half, and that’s not even considering what Serenade herself would do to you. I hear stories that she can rip a pony’s guts out through their nose, or that she can bleed you through your eyes...”

The bartender overheard their talk and added her own commentary. “I hear talk that she once took a jar of acidic bog water and made a pony drink it, his guts dissolved from the inside out.”

The older stallion nodded. “Yeah, I heard that one too... The point is, that you shouldn’t even think about it.”

Eclipse looked over at his glass and picked it up. He chugged the rest of the vile drink and wiped his lips before letting out a grunt. “Well, you both are right about one thing; I’m not strong enough... Yet...”

It was true too, he knew in order to defeat something like Serenade he would need to become a lot stronger, a lot faster, and develop a lot more technique. He couldn’t afford to be too hasty, that demon would slice him up if he made a move far too early. He would train his body, bide his time and look for the right opportunity. This wasn’t just about escaping the city or finding Galeal anymore, this was about revenge. He needed to wait, he needed to savor it, after all, Serenade wasn’t going anywhere, there was no need to hurry.

“You’re a foolish one, I’ll give you that.” The other stallion laughed.

Eclipse shook his head, his mouth turning to a serious face. “No, for the first time in my life, I’m thinking with complete conviction...”

Almost Three Years Ago

Applejack stood tall with a group of stallions in the local saloon of Appleoosa as they discussed their current situation. They had taken a small recess from the battle outside to discuss their options, all of which looked grim.

The Cult of Sombra was a ruthless group, willing to kill any who stood in the way of their insane beliefs. They were under the impression that through bloodshed they could bring the mad king back. They had traveled across Equestria looking for opportunities to do just that, and they had believed they stumbled across an ancient ritual ground in the desert that would be ripe for such a terrible ritual.

Applejack wasn’t completely certain there was even a shred of merit to this idea, as none of them had been out that way to check on this supposed ritual site, but she surmised that it was likely just a bunch of old folklore wrapped in myths passed down by word of mouth with no real truth to it. Necromancy was an ancient art for sure, but little was known about it except for the fact that the dead never truly returned to the world of the living, not in their original form anyway.

While it was spooky to talk in ghost stories about ponies who could return their dark masters to the world of the living, it was known to be fairy tale even in a land where magic was abundant. Some things, magic could not do, and returning consciousness of a pony back to their body after it passed on was one of them. Applejack didn’t know too much about it, as studying magic wasn’t her field, but she had heard stories from Twilight from time to time about how many ponies had spent their entire lives trying to find ways to cheat death and bring one they love back to the world of the living, none of which successful. It was beyond any reasonable doubt: impossible.

That didn’t stop this cult though, logic and reason were lost upon them, and their hearts were set on Appleloosa, believing it to have unique properties due to it being old buffalo territory where their ancestors performed ancient rituals honoring the dead. Applejack surmised it would be a waste of time to try and explain to them that none of those rituals involved bringing them back, as it was clear it would fall upon deaf ears.

Now though, they found themselves clashing blades and swapping blows with them. While they were primitive and didn’t exactly have the best weaponry available, they had numbers, lots of them.

“What’s our status?” Applejack asked her cousin from across the table, trying to tune out the sounds of fighting outside.

He shook his head. “Not good, we’re surrounded on all sides. They’re gonna git’ in here eventually, it’s a matter o’ time now.”

“What about our stallions on the south entrance? Can’t we move some of ‘em to other areas? ‘Ah know we over fortified it,” Applejack suggested.

Braeburn shook his head. “Not an option, we lost a ton of ‘em already. The south entrance is about ready to give.”

“What about the backup teams within the barricades?” Applejack inquired.

“Already moved ‘em to other areas that needed ‘em.” Braeburn shook his head once more.

“What about-“ Applejack got cut off this time.

“There ain’t nothin’ we can do, cuz. We’re already spread thin and these freaks are whittlin’ away at what we got,” Braeburn explained.

Applejack held her breath, afraid to ask the next question, already knowing the answer was unsavory, but she gritted her teeth and exhaled before speaking again. “So that’s it then? We’re all...”

“Gonna die.” Braeburn nodded, already anticipating her next words.

She sighed and took her hat off and held it to her chest. It wasn’t the way she had imagined she would go, but she was ready to face it. She would be damned if she had to be taken down begging for mercy. Instead, she would give them hell, she’d make them never forget her name.

Raising her hat to her head, she placed it atop of her golden yellow mane and nodded at the group before her. “Well, everypony... It’s been a hell of a fight. We’re goin’ down, but not before we give ‘em hell.”

“Amen, cuz.” Braeburn nodded.

“It’s been a pleasure servin’ with y’all.” Applejack smiled.

Every pony in the room bowed their head in silence before a familiar voice broke that silence. “Dying isn’t an option for all of you.”

Applejack’s sensitive ears twitched and she caught a whiff of a familiar fragrance. A perfume that she knew to belong to a certain former librarian-turned-princess. Squinting she turned around and sure enough, in the same chaotic armor she had donned before was Princess Twilight Sparkle with a big grin on her face like she knew something that they didn’t.

Applejack blinked a few times to make sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her, but sure enough there stood a messy short mane mare now sporting a cut mark on her cheek that had formed into a scar.

“Twilight... How’d y’all get here?” Applejack asked.

“We fought our way in, narrowed their numbers even.” Twilight grinned as she displayed her hoof mounted blade, soiled with blood.

“We?” Applejack squinted once more in disbelief.

“Your backup.” Twilight gestured toward the door.

Through the swinging door, three ponies entered, two wearing full spandex dark grey stealth suits, along with all kinds of odd gadgets mounted to their front hooves and a pair of some kind of vision improving (possibly night vision) googles mounted on their heads. One has a long blue streaked ponytail while the other was sporting pigtails of purple.

The third one, however, was wearing some kind of armor that covered their whole body. It was sturdy looking and had jagged parts around the joints creating somewhat of a “horned” look as they stood tall with their visored helmet.

The equipment this pony was sporting looked cutting edge, far more advanced than anything Applejack had ever seen.

“Who’re y’all?” Applejack asked the three ponies.

Twilight cleared her throat and pointed to them each in order. “That’s Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, and the armored one is...”

The armored pony stepped forward bowing their head before speaking in what sounded like a synthesized voice, clearly not their true one. It was impossible to determine their sex from it either. “You may refer to me as Glitch.”

“Aria, Sonata... And Glitch...” Applejack peered around the room as did the other ponies there, all a bit skeptical of the bunch. “How’d y’all end up teamin’ up with Twilight?”

Aria and Sonata looked at each other, wondering if it was a good idea to inform her that they were sirens, but Twilight ended up answering for her. “Let’s just say, I’m resourceful. Glitch here is going to be our ace in the hole.”

“How do ya’ figure that?” Applejack raised a brow.

Smirking, Twilight gestured toward the armored pony. “Glitch here is the last magic user in Equestria possibly. And thanks to their cool gadgets we have a little access to them ourselves.”

“That’s all fine an’ special an’ all, but why are y’all here?” Applejack finally asked.

Glitch bowed their head and stepped forward. “We’re here to help you win this fight and save the ponies of Appleoosa.”

Braeburn now chimed in. “How exactly do ya’ figure you’re gonna do that?”

“With our superior technology and magic at our disposal, we can make light work of these cultist rejects. We already diced through a large chunk of them on our way in here,” Glitch explained with their hoof lifted.

“And what’s the catch?” Applejack crossed her hooves.

“You and the citizens of this town join us,” Glitch prompted.

“Join ya’ in what?” Applejack questioned.

Glitch stood tall as they declared their intention. “In our resistance. We are going to overthrow Serenade.”

The other stallions in the room began laughing at the proposition. “You’ve got to be joking? Have you seen what that thing can do? Applejack here got a look at that thing and that creature is invincible, she could rip you apart!” One of them stated.

The laughter didn’t seem to faze Glitch who stood still waiting for the laughter to stop. “Wait, you’re serious?” The stallion asked.

“I told you, we intend to overthrow Serenade...” Glitch repeated.

“Y’all are nuts, that creature is invincible as he said...” Braeburn added.

Glitch shook their head. “Powerful, maybe, but not invincible. Everything can be beaten somehow.”

“You’re insane...” Braeburn replied.

Applejack bit her lip and uncrossed her hooves as she eyed up the armored pony. She admitted she wasn’t keen on trusting a masked pony, but if teaming up with them meant she had a chance of saving the ponies of Appleloosa, she didn’t have much of a choice.

Applejack cleared her throat and stepped toward Glitch. “If y’all help us save this town, we’ll go with ya’ to hear ya’ out, deal?”

Glitch just nodded and turned to the door. “We have a town to save then.”

Almost Three Years Ago

Glitch’s initial words seemed like they were too simplistic regarding the matter to Applejack. They were far too nonchalant about the matter, but then Applejack got to see a small taste of what the pony could actually do. Blades danced with precision and purpose, magic flared from their horn burning opposition and they cut down all in their path. Whoever this Glitch was, they had practiced fighting before, many times in fact.

It wasn’t long before they had cut down so many of the cultists (along with Twilight, Aria, Sonata and the townfolks’ help, of course) that the remaining ones began to retreat. The battle was over almost as swiftly as it started. Within eight minutes, Glitch and their allies had managed to push the cult back.

“They’re retreating!” Braeburn whooped as he tore off his hat and twirled it on his hoof. “We did it!”

The crowd cheered and cried for joy as they watched the cult members turning tail and running, a few of the ponies of Appleloosa calling out to them with taunts and war cries. Ordinarily, Twilight would advise people that gloating wasn’t wise, but at that moment, she felt they deserved to celebrate their victory just a little bit. The odds were supposedly unbeatable, yet they survived.

Glitch lowered their blade and stood still as they watched the cultists run for the hills. All she could hear were cheers and whoops from the townsfolk.

Those cheers, however, would come to an abrupt stop when the next figure showed its head. A dark brown pony with golden yellow short mane approached the town with two armored guards by his side. They were several cuts above the cultists, and Twilight instantly recognized the cloak on the one being escorted, it donned the symbol of Serenade herself.

“Great...” Braeburn sarcastically remarked.

“What do they want?” Applejack squinted.

The decorated pony looked around and then shouted to get all of the villagers’ attention. “What is all of this?”

There was silence.

“Who gave any of your permission to organize and arm?” He demanded.

Glitch stepped forward and stood tall. “I did.”

It was a lie, but they didn’t care.

“And who might you be? The caped crusader?” He chuckled.

“It doesn’t matter, we saved this town.” Glitch stood tall.

He laughed and shook his head. “Unfortunately for you, saving this town wasn’t in Master Serenade’s plans.”

“I don’t give a fuck about Serenade’s plans...” Glitch responded.

“Maybe you will when we go back and tell her about you, stranger.” He smirked, his overconfidence showing.

Glitch stepped forward and leaned in, their visor only inches from the pony’s face. “I think you’re making a mistake in assuming that I’m going to let you live long enough to do that...”

“What?” He blinked.

Before he had a chance to respond, Glitch’s retracting blade extended and quickly sliced his two guards, dropping them in seconds before turning to him. He backed up slowly only to see that the townsfolk surrounded him. “You’re making a big mistake! You kill me, you’re making an enemy with Master Serenade!”

“I’ve already made an enemy with her,” Glitch spoke raising their blade.

“Wait, wait! I can help you!” He nodded profusely.

“I have no interest in help from traitors, now stand up and take your death with honor.” Glitch growled.

He continued to plead until Glitch quickly slit his throat and dropped his body to the ground. The crowd was quiet at first, but then Braeburn spoke up. “Y’all stood up to Serenade’s goons... Ya’ must be crazy...”

“I’m not crazy, I just know that Serenade can’t stand for long if we all band together. She may be powerful, but she isn’t invincible. If we band together, we can take her down,” Glitch spoke loud enough for all around to hear. Clearing their throat, they continued. “Who is with me?”

A pony in the crowd stepped forward. “I’m with you, Glitch!”

Another followed suit. “Me too! Death to Serenade!”

Before they knew it, dozens were stepping forward and before long the entire town, save one pony, a certain orange farmer. Glitch looked over at Applejack and tilted their armored head. “What will it be, Applejack? Will you stand with us? Or are you insistent on going your own way?”

Applejack sighed and closed her eyes before nodding. “Alright, Ah’m with ya’ Glitch...”

Glitch nodded. “Let’s get everyone together in about an hour and we’ll head out. I’ll be in the saloon if you need me.”

Applejack nodded but watched as the pony exited. While she didn’t like Serenade, she was a bit uneasy trusting a pony that wouldn’t even show their face as well. What was Glitch hiding and could they really be trusted?

Almost Three Years Ago

Applejack sat with Twilight enjoying a cup of cider, which caused Twilight to look into the cup with a puzzled eye. “Not exactly the best cider I’ve had from you, no offense...”

Applejack laughed and nodded. “None taken. Since the raids, we haven’t been able to get to the good trees for some time. All we got is this low-quality trash.”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “Right, of course, sorry.”

“Yer’ as fidgety as ever, sugarcube.” Applejack smiled, somewhat relieved that Twilight was still Twilight.

“I’m just glad you’re alive. I was legitimately worried for a bit there...” Twilight admitted.

“It takes a lot more than that to kill me, y’all know that, Twilight.” Applejack shook her head as she took a swig from her mug.

“I’ve never seen you run away before though...” Twilight commented.

Applejack knew that statement was coming. She had been expecting it since Twilight showed up at Appleloosa, wondering when she was going to drop that one on her. She couldn’t say she blamed her though, abandoning her friends wasn’t exactly a good look for Applejack, or a common one.

The farm mare sighed and shook her head. She set her mug down and looked away in shame.

“To tell ya’ the truth... ‘Ah was scared...” Applejack closed her eyes, her body filling with shame.

“Fear of death is natural...” Twilight smiled.

Applejack shook her head and opened her eyes. “Nah, ‘Ah ain’t afraid of dyin’. ‘Ah was ready for that the moment ‘Ah went to face that thing head on. Dyin’, it’s just another part of livin’, ‘Ah’ve made peace with that.”

“What then?” Twilight asked.

Applejack bit her lip but decided it was best to tell her friend everything. “Serenade... She has... powers...” Applejack began.

“I’m well aware.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Not like that, I mean she can... Make y’all see things,” Applejack explained.

“What kind of things?” Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

“Listen, that demon was a siren first, right?” Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, what of it?”

“That means somethin’ turned her into a demon, she wasn’t born that way, right?” Applejack asked.

Twilight shrugged. “I guess so, but why does it matter?”

Applejack shifted in her seat uncomfortably. “That means that any of us could be turned into one of those things...”

“Maybe so, but none of us would ever go willingly, pure demons give themselves entirely to-“ Twilight was cut off.

“She showed me, Twilight... She showed me what ‘Ah would be like... How easy it would be t’ turn me...” Applejack’s voice was trembling.

Twilight now completely understood what it was that she saw when Serenade touched her. It was hard to say though if what Serenade showed her was just a lie to get into Applejack’s head or if she showed her something genuine.

“My anger... My temper... It consumed me...” Applejack closed her eyes, not wanting to envision it again.

There was silence between the two before Twilight spoke up again. “Even if it’s a possibility, we can’t live in fear of what could happen, only what we know will happen. Right now, you’re not a demon and you don’t want to become one, so that is enough, isn’t it?”

Applejack sighed and nodded. “Yeah, ‘Ah was a fool to run away.”

Twilight shook her head. “Being scared is natural, Applejack.”

“Well, no more runnin’ away. We’re gonna stand together and beat Serenade this time, right?” Applejack smiled.

Twilight nodded. “Glitch sure seems to think so, and I’m inclined to believe them.”

“This Glitch fellow... Who is he?” Applejack asked.

Twilight looked up from her mug thoughtfully. A small smile played her lips making the scar on her cheek lift up. “Trying times often make extraordinary ponies appear.”

“Y’all are gonna be all cryptic like he is then?” Applejack asked.

“I’m sorry, Applejack, but it’s not my place to say. I can’t speak on his behalf. He’s already doing a lot of favors for me, so I can’t really reveal too much.” Twilight frowned.

Applejack found it odd that there were secrets that Twilight couldn’t share with her, one of her oldest friends. This Glitch was rubbing her wrong for sure.

“Where’d he get that suit?” Applejack questioned.

“That’s...” Twilight began but stopped as a familiar synthesized voice echoed through the room.

“A need-to-know basis, Ms. Applejack, and right now you don’t need to know.” Glitch’s computerized voice echoed through the room.

Applejack stood up and scowled at the pony. “Why’re you being so cryptic and mysterious?”

“Strategy, something you clearly don’t understand,” Glitch retorted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Applejack’s voice rose as she stepped closer to the armored pony.

“It means that you can’t reveal all the cards you’re holding, not even to your own teammates sometimes,” Glitch replied carefully.

“So y’all don’t trust us then? Think you’re better than we are?” Applejack questioned.

“I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth,” Glitch said.

“Y’all better be thankful that words is all ‘Ah’m puttin’ in there. Half of me is tempted to put my hoof in it.” She grunted.

“Anger is not a good trait to have, Applejack. It’s an emotion that Serenade can easily manipulate,” Glitch explained.

Applejack pushed the armored pony back and growled. “Don’t analyze me. Tell me what you meant by what ya’ said.”

Glitch adjusted their stance and shrugged. “What I meant is that if Serenade got to any of you, she could squeeze you for information. She can’t squeeze out what you don’t have. This, in theory, will keep her from learning secrets to defeat me, and in turn, keep you alive as well.”

“How do y’all figure that?” Applejack asked with a squared brow.

Twilight decided to explain it for Glitch. “If Serenade were to capture you, she’d keep you alive until you told her what you knew. So long as there’s no chance that she could get you to talk, she’ll keep you alive indefinitely because she won’t believe you if you say you don’t know.”

It pissed Applejack off that this masked pony had a logical explanation for their secrecy, but she couldn’t dispute it.

“Take off yer’ helmet,” Applejack demanded, ignoring the logic of the situation.

“No.” Glitch shook their head.

“How’re we supposed to trust y’all if we don’t even know who ya’ are?” Applejack hissed.

“Well, I can already tell we’re going to have a strained working relationship anyway,” Glitch joked.

“Don’t get cute with me.” Applejack glared.

Glitch shrugged. “I can’t make you do anything, but give it time and I’ll prove to you that you can trust me.”

Applejack backed off and sat back down, picking up her mug. “Let’s hope y’all are right...”

Glitch could already tell that Applejack was going to be a tough one to work with, but still, they were thankful to have her on their side. Her headstrong attitude would prove useful down the road, no doubt.

Almost Three Years Ago

Serenade found herself enjoying a soak in the finest of crystal bathes in Canterlot Castle. While she had tested the bathes at the other keeps of the places she had conquered, nothing compared to Canterlot. Celestia had imported the finest crystals from not only the Crystal Empire but the Frozen North as well. Unique ice crystals that could not be obtained anywhere else, and they were heavenly on one’s coat.

For an overlord of a new empire, it was a lot of work. Serenade spent eighty percent of her time in Canterlot Castle, but often found herself being forced to travel to many other places on a regular basis. Many matters would require her attention and it was routine to check up on her other cities, if not just to scare the citizens by reminding them that she could still show up at any time, should they get any ideas of resisting her absolute rule. Most weren’t stupid enough to do something like that, but every now and then, a pony that was extra dumb would step forward and rise to the challenge.

She was thankful that she didn’t need to sleep, as it gave her plenty of time to attend to all of her duties and still have time to herself. Relaxing was, of course, an important part of being the overlord, perhaps even the most important part. It definitely was up on the list for Serenade, somewhere around showing all that you ruled with an iron hoof, which was arguably her favorite part.

A good overlord had to make sure ponies knew what happened if they crossed her, and Serenade never wasted an opportunity to do just that.

The siren allowed her long mane to dip into the water as she submerged herself entirely for a moment and then came back up with a delighted “ah” sound.

Resting her hooves on the edge of the large pool, she smiled contently as she lost herself in her relaxation.

Her moment was interrupted though but the sound of a deep male voice that annoyed her. “Ma’am, sorry to interrupt you...” The voice echoed through the bath.

Serenade growled and rubbed her temple. “You know, Shield... I was literally just about to hit maximum relaxation. So whatever bullshit reason you’ve chosen to interrupt that had better be worth it because if it’s not, then you’re going to be down a set of testicles.”

He gulped but stepped forward. “Sorry, ma’am it’s just... Appleloosa...”

“You interrupted my bath to tell me about some sand and a bunch of dirt farmers?” Serenade raised an angry brow.

“Ma’am, the town was under attack by some cultists nearby...” He began.

“And I care, why?” Serenade was getting annoyed with the big waste of time he was presenting to her.

“Master, after we sent one of our advisors there to check on the situation, they never came back, nor the guards with them,” Shield explained.

“So what? They’re incompetent help, what else is new?” Serenade rolled her hoof to suggest to Shield to get to the point where she was supposed to care.

“Master, the entire town is gone now. They all disappeared, not enough bodies to have been slaughtered by the cultists either, they just... Left... We found the advisor dead among the bodies we did find though,” Shield stated.

Serenade blinked and stood up from her bath, water running off of her body as she did. She nodded and smiled. “Finally you bring me something that has a shred of interest to me. Go investigate it, Shield. I want a full report of anything of interest that you find there, understand me?”

He bowed and nodded. “Yes, Master. I will see to it that it is done.”

“Excellent. You never let me down, Shield. I wish I had more like you at my disposal,” Serenade praised.

“It is an honor to hear you say that.” He smiled.

“Indeed, now get moving.” She gestured with her hoof.

Shield didn’t waste a second taking his leave. Serenade looked back at the bath water and sighed. “Now my bath is ruined...”

Almost Three Years Ago

With a granola bar in her mouth, Moondancer tapped away at her keyboard while she ran through some code she was working on as she conversed over her headset with Sunset. “So, the suit seems to have worked out, congratulations on your successful venture with Appleloosa.” Moondancer praised.

As expected, Sunset remained serious and gave her usual “all business” voice. “Yeah, well we gained some support, but I’m pretty sure Applejack doesn’t like me. Guess she isn’t too keen on trusting masked ponies, can’t say I blame her...”

Moondancer sighed and shook her head. “She’ll come around, after all, you saved her little town there, she can’t hate you that much.”

“If she’s anything like her human counterpart... You’re underestimating how remarkably stubborn she can be...” Sunset laughed.

Moondancer couldn’t deny that. While she didn’t know Applejack as well as Sunset did, she did know her to be insanely stubborn. The girl often times did things the hard way just because it was the only way she knew; though sometimes she could be persuaded to attack a problem differently. She was stubborn, but she wasn’t stupid, even the mighty Applejack knew when she was taking on too much.

“A problem for another day, so the suit is fine?” Moondancer changed the subject.

“Tough as nails, though some of the mobility could be improved...” Sunset admitted, recalling many moments where she didn’t feel quite as agile as she was used to.

Moondancer smirked as she was preparing to move the conversation into that direction anyway. She had been hard at work for the past few days preparing for this exact occasion and now she had an excuse to show off what she had been working on.

“I thought you’d have some improvements to suggest, so I actually just finished a diagnostic program. It should return all the combat information of the suit to me, so I can make improvements via software upgrades. I’ll download the data tonight and see if there are any processes I can simplify or redundancies that I can eliminate to improve some of the times of operations,” Moondancer explained.

Sunset’s voice seemed soothed and calmed. “Just when I thought I’d seem the limit of your genius, you surprise me once more, well done, Moondancer.”

“What can I say? I’m the kind of girl who likes to plan ahead after all.” Moondancer boasted.

“That you are, but do you think this suit can handle Serenade?” Sunset asked.

Moondancer bit her lip, her confidence slipping just a hair. “I... I don’t know yet. I’ll need more data, but at least I can make improvements long before you have to fight her to give you the best chance you can get.”

“I have faith in you, Moondancer. I’m in your very capable hands, anyway, I should get going, I have some stuff to take care of.” Sunset signed off with those words.

Moondancer took her headset off and leaned back in her chair with a sigh. She wished she could say she wasn’t stressed out, but that would be an egregious lie. The reality was that she wasn’t completely sure if her suit would make a huge difference against Serenade. While she studied the siren’s powers from a theoretical standpoint, actual practice seemed to always differ vastly.

She prayed her calculations were all correct and that her suit would be enough to give Sunset the edge she needed to win, otherwise, Sunset would die fighting that monster and it would be partially her fault. Moondancer wasn’t sure she could live with that outcome.

She composed herself and pulled away from her computer while the suit’s data was downloading, deciding now was a good time for a shower to clear her head; she already knew it was going to be a long night.

Twilight poured some hot tea into a cup and passed a glass of juice to her daughter who took it with the same plain expression she always had. Twilight had learned to read her daughters emotions carefully, knowing that she seldom showed them upon her face.

The little girl sipped from her cup and placed it onto the table as she gripped it with both of her little hands.

Twilight smiled at her. “So, the professor said that you’re a very special girl, Horizon.”

“How?” Horizon tilted her head.

Twilight giggled and sipped from her cup. “You’re a genius, it means you’re very smart. That should mean that you’re going to learn a lot when you get into school.”

“Is that a good thing?” Horizon asked.

Twilight nodded. “Very good.”

“If I do well, will mommy come home?” Horizon asked.

Twilight bit her lip, not wanting to even touch that question.

“Let’s just focus on getting you ready for school for now, alright?” Twilight smiled sheepishly.

“Okay.” Horizon nodded.

Twilight let out a sigh and as she stared at her daughter, she could only remember all the trouble they had been through in the past three years. It was all coming back to her like it was yesterday.

Author's Note

Eclipse is sort of an “evolving” character. One of his first major growth points was when he met Galeal and now we’re kind of seeing another.

At first glance, he may come off as just another brooding teenager who is trying to look cool and aloof in the face of a very real adult world looming over him, but now we can kind of see that he’s somewhat of a mentally immature guy in a way. He’s still in child mode while the rest of the world is in cold unforgiving adult mode. I think this chapter is when we see he really starts to see what he will have to do to truly grow up.

Unlike many others in the story, Eclipse has virtually no support network. He has to give himself everything he needs and he can’t rely much on others to do it for him. He’s forced to grow or perish and that is going to likely become more evident as he progresses.

The decision to make him gay was a conscious one, which I can’t really divulge much on yet. There is still so much that you don’t know that makes it so I can’t really get into much because you haven’t seen it yet.

Eclipse is a character that took quite a bit of thought to get right, but I think the end result is a lovable guy.

Act VI - Chapter LXXXII: Strategize

Chapter LXXXII: Strategize

Almost Three Years Ago

Twilight took another sip at the now lukewarm coffee that had been presented to her only an hour or so ago. It was far from the best she had, possibly a contender for the worst actually. It only compared to the extra strong swill that Applejack called coffee or the over-sugared candy bomb that was a cup of “Pinkijava”. She shuddered just remembering that drink, and how she felt the need to see a dentist only seconds after consuming it.

The coffee at the police station likely wasn’t the best, and given the low salaries of most officers, it was likely that if employees were expected to contribute to the coffee fund, that they didn’t buy the best brands available. Shining had mentioned that his salary increase when he switched to homicide was a nice bump over his “meager” salary from before.

She had been sitting there for a good eight minutes since the last round of questioning had, and she was eager to just go home at this point.

Internally she was cursing Sunset’s name for the nonsense she had gotten her wrapped up in.

As she sat patiently, trying to keep her cool, a familiar scruffy officer with a dark brown trench coat and messy curly black hair entered. His face was well sculpted, and he looked to be about in his later thirties with a gruff demeanor. His tie looked dirty, but Twilight decided not to comment on it.

Placing his hands upon the table he looked at Twilight and smiled. “So, are you comfortable Miss Shimmer?”

Twilight raised a brow and lifted the cup to sip from. She shrugged at him. “Not particularly, Detective Snatcher.”

He grinned and nodded as he looked her in the eyes. “Well, why don’t we go over what we know once again, shall we?”

Twilight shrugged once again. “Very well, I share your love of redundancies.”

He didn’t particularly like her snarky attitude, but he was confident that he was getting somewhere.

“So, your wife vanishes eight days ago...” He began.

Twilight rolled her eyes, already confident that they were once again just going to run around in circles, but she would humor him once more. She had already given her side of the story and she was sticking to it.

“That’s correct, Detective.” Twilight nodded.

“And you didn’t report her missing?” He raised a brow.

“I’ve said this, yes.” Twilight sighed.

He nodded and placed a hand upon his scruffy chin. “And why is that again?”

“Sunset disappears all the time, it’s not uncommon for her to go somewhere for months at a time, it’s just in her nature. Not to mention she always said she preferred to keep things as family matters and not police matters,” Twilight explained once more. She was getting a bit tired of repeating herself.

“Pretty odd behavior, wouldn’t you say?” He smirked.

Twilight shrugged. “Everything about Sunset is odd. If you had met her, you’d know she did a lot of things that only made sense to her. That’s just the kind of person she is.”

That much was at least true, no exaggerations there.

“And you aren’t worried about her?” He asked.

“Of course I’m worried about her,” Twilight said.

“Then why haven’t you called the police?” He squinted.

“I already told you, Sunset always told me not to get them involved. On top of that, this is not odd behavior for her, she leaves all the time.” Twilight shrugged.

That part was a lie, but she had no choice. The reality was she had no idea where Sunset had gone, but she didn’t want the police sniffing their noses around her.

“That’s all pretty convenient, don’t you think?” He asked.

“How so?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Your wife just up and vanishes and conveniently for you... No one reports her missing and no one has any intention of doing so... Keeps the police out of the matter too, to boot.” He grinned, clearly showing he was going somewhere with this logic.

“You may not like your wife, Detective, but I love mine. I find it inconvenient that she would just vanish on me, but I am respecting her wishes on the matter.” Twilight crossed her arms as she stared him down.

He leaned in and banged his hands upon the table. “She had a daughter recently, didn’t she?”

Twilight didn’t even flinch. She remained calm as she answered him. “Yes, our daughter, Horizon.”

“And yet that wasn’t enough to keep her from leaving?” He asked, his voice hushed and filled with viciousness.

“You haven’t met her, Sunset doesn’t operate like normal people,” Twilight responded.

The detective nodded carefully as the gears in his head were turning. “And somehow that all works out in your favor... See, I find it pretty odd that a new mother would just abandon her daughter and coincidentally it benefits you the most, as now you have complete ownership of her estate. We’re talking hundreds of millions here... Seems pretty convenient to me...”

Twilight leaned back in her seat and smirked. “I take it you’ve never been a single parent before, Detective? If you had, you wouldn’t find the prospect of raising a little girl all by yourself to be a convenient one.”

Detective Snatcher scrunched his face but said nothing.

Continuing, Twilight picked her cup back up and took another slow sip. “Sunset Shimmer is not missing, nor dead. She merely left, and no one is concerned with where she went because we all have faith that she’s fine. No missing person report, no dead person, no body, I believe you have no case, Detective.”

He especially hated her attitude now. He grunted and turned to the door and left, slamming it behind him. Making his way to the other side of the observation room, his chief was standing there tapping his foot. The grumpy old man clearly wasn’t pleased as he had that “you really fucked this one up” look plastered on his face. How this timid looking woman managed to find the one loophole when it came to a missing person was beyond him, but more impressively in that, she had managed to get everyone who knew the girl in on it apparently. She had gotten the jump on him and he hated it.

Before the chief could even say anything, Snatcher began to rattle off his thoughts. “Listen, I know this girl is hiding something, just give me a little longer to grill her, I know she is gonna crack.”

The chief sighed and lifted his glasses, squeezing the bridge of his nose before rubbing his eyes and shaking his head. His grey hair shined oddly in the low lighting of the observation room as he placed a hand upon Snatcher’s shoulder. “You’re a good cop, but the girl is right. Without anyone filing this girl as missing and no body or evidence of foul play, there’s nothing we can do. People leave home all the time, but that doesn't make it a police matter.”

“That’s bullshit! You know this girl is hiding something! I can smell it!” Snatcher swatted the chief’s hand away.

The chief shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, we have no grounds to hold her. The mayor won’t like us harassing the Shimmer family too much either without probable cause. Don’t forget that they are big contributors to a lot of public works in this city. If we don’t have grounds to do anything, it’s best to leave it alone and do as the girl says; let it be a family matter.”

“Sir, with all due respect, I have a feeling about this one!” Snatcher protested.

The chief shook his head. “The decision has been made. Release her within the hour. I’m sorry Snatcher, but everything checks out.”

Snatcher grumbled as he watched the chief walk away. He may have been forced to accept the decision, but that didn’t mean he agreed with it. He could tell there was something off about the entire situation, something about Twilight’s explanation just struck him as too convenient. It was rare that an insanely rich girl just vanished without a trace and no one seemed too concerned about it. There was always something fishy involved in those scenarios, and this one was no different.

He was sure that Twilight Shimmer had her wife killed to take her fortune. He just needed to prove it somehow.

Almost Three Years Ago

Under the mask, the esoteric Glitch was actually the familiar Sunset Shimmer, but familiar only to those privy to her existence. In Equestria, the name Sunset Shimmer meant absolutely nothing, unlike the human world where it was the name of a millionaire, the name of a loving wife, mother, and friend to some of the best people out there. In Equestria, Sunset Shimmer was a nobody, but Glitch was soon to be not only a somebody, but a somebody that few would forget.

Her choice to wear a mask was threefold. She could protect her family in the event that Serenade ever discovered and figured out how to utilize the portal to the human world, and if Serenade didn’t know who she was dealing with, there was no one to chase down or look for people to squeeze to get to.

The second benefit was that it meant as she had told Applejack, was if Serenade did capture any of them to squeeze for information, she would at least keep them alive until they talked, and so long as they didn’t know what she wanted to know, it would keep them safe, maybe even make Serenade avoid taking that path as an option in the first place even.

The last benefit was one she was keeping to herself, but in the event that she died, someone else could take on the role of Glitch, which could be a huge advantage to them. Serenade would never know if she killed the real Glitch or not, and that was something they could exploit.

The rules of being Glitch, however, were strict and Sunset had ordered the small few who knew who was under the mask to follow them.

Rule #1: No one who knew who Glitch really was could ever tell another soul.

Rule #2: Glitch could only reveal themselves to the handful of ponies who already knew who she was.

Rule #3: All need-to-know information was to be kept between Glitch, Twilight, Aria, Sonata and Moondancer, no exceptions.

That last rule was sure to piss off Applejack some more, but Sunset was prepared to ram horns with her many times if she needed, figuratively speaking. That mare was as stubborn as an ox, but Sunset couldn’t deny that it would be helpful to have one their side.

Aria and Sonata stood in front of a war table going over some notes when Glitch entered the room. They both nodded at them before the door shut and was sealed with a spell. Once it was impossible for any to enter the room, Glitch’s helmet came off and warped out of existence revealing long wavy red and yellow mane.

Running hooves through her mane as she sat down and ruffling it, Sunset cracked her neck and placed her armored hooves upon the table.

“Ladies.” She nodded at the two.

Aria and Sonata nodded back.

“A pretty good conquest there in Appleloosa. We kicked those cultists’ asses so hard that they will be feeling it for weeks,” Aria bragged.

Sonata nodded with a grin on her face. “You were amazing, Sunset! Where did you learn to fight like that?”

Sunset frowned and looked away. “When I was training to defeat Adagio.”

Sonata frowned as well and grew quiet. “Oh... Right...”

Sunset shook her head. “It’s not important, what is important is that we won, and now we have a ton of new recruits ready to fight with us. Our army is finally being mounted.”

Aria grinned at Sunset with a confident nod. “I gotta hand it to you, you managed to actually get us an army in only a matter of days. It’s not big, but it’s a good start. We have something to fight back with at least.”

Sunset didn’t want to sit there and take compliments yet though, she didn’t feel comfortable accepting them until they had a lot more headway. Their first plan went well, better than expected even, but the roadblocks ahead would prove significantly more challenging. They were far from out of the woods, but it was indeed a good head start. Serenade wasn’t aware of their presence yet, and that was something that would work in their favor.

“Let’s not celebrate too soon, we still need a way to defeat Serenade when this is all over, any ideas? Perhaps some weaknesses that sirens have that we could utilize?” Sunset raised a brow.

Aria and Sonata both turned to look at each other, giving the other one a “should we tell her?” Kind of look. After deliberating silently for a few seconds they both turned back to Sunset, Aria was the one to speak. “Look, I know I said that I can’t tell you all of our secrets, but the reality is, even if I could, most of the weaknesses that sirens have aren’t really practical anyway. A lot of situations and circumstances that will never be helpful to you.”

Sunset would be lying if she said she wasn’t curious as to what those were, but she knew that Aria wasn’t budging on that subject.

“We could destroy her amulet,” Sonata suggested.

Sunset shook her head. “Problem with that is that the girl’s demon powers are still left to be contended with, and they’re arguably far worse than her siren abilities, hell I’m not even worried about her siren abilities at all at this point, no offense.”

“None taken.” Aria shook her head.

“So we’re back to square one...” Sonata frowned.

Leaning back, Sunset looked up in thought. They needed a way to harm and defeat Serenade despite her having demon powers and a way that would give them a competitive edge over her. She couldn’t think of a thing, but she was at least hopeful that an answer would appear before them eventually.

“For now, we’ll focus on building our forces and seeing what we can learn. I’m wondering if it’s possible to perhaps break the hold on ponies under her control currently, maybe? That might be a good way to weaken her numbers at least,” Sunset said.

Aria and Sonata both agreed instantly as they nodded and pushed the notes they had been examining aside. “Probably the only worthwhile plan we have to look into at the moment anyway. As it stands now, we’ve got nothing.”

“We will need to see her powers in action eventually though, so Moondancer can run some tests on it, and see about updating the suit to be better suited to fight her. I’m sure if we can get a few glimpses of what she’s capable of, Moondancer can solve the rest,” Sunset explained.

The other girls nodded, seeming to have just as much faith in the quirky scientist as Sunset did. While Moondancer wasn’t Sunset’s type appearance wise, she could at least see what Shimmer saw in her personality wise. Moondancer was a girl that gave her all at everything she tried, never half-assed anything, which was good in this case. Thorough was ideal after all.

Before the group could continue a tap on the door was heard. Sunset tapped her chest and her helmet re-appeared before she opened the door.

Once they all saw a dark blue short mane with a pink and purple stripe walk through the door, she sighed and shut it behind Twilight with the flick of her horn and took her helmet back off.

Twilight nodded at the group and placed a clipboard she had been carrying in her hoof onto the table. “I just did a count and this facility now has 808 total ponies, including us.”

Sunset chuckled and looked at the two sirens and smirked. “That means we’re up 804 allies in case you ladies didn’t want to do the math.”

Twilight rolled her eyes at Sunset’s teasing but continued. “We have a sizable amount at our disposal, so what now?”

Sunset cut the jokes and cleared her throat before speaking up. “I think we have a large enough group now to plan our next move.”

“Which is?” Twilight raised a curious brow.

Sunset smirked and winked at her. “Just wait and see, there will be a briefing about it later this week.”

“Understood.” Twilight nodded.

Sunset stood up to take her leave placing her helmet back on by tapping her chest and making it reappear. Before leaving the room, however, she stopped and turned around. “By the way, make sure Applejack is invited to that meeting.”

Twilight blinked, confusion washing over her. “Why? I thought she was making things more complicated for you? You said yourself that she clearly doesn’t trust you, so why invite her?”

Sunset tapped the side of her visor. “Have to start building that trust somewhere. I told her that I would prove she can trust me and it’s time to start doing that. She’s a powerful ally to have on our side, and the ponies of Appleloosa will follow us better if Applejack is leading the charge with us. She’s a stubborn mule, but I’m sure we can win her over.”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “I agree actually.”

“Glad to hear it, now let’s get ready for the briefing later, shall we? Make sure all of our allies are taken care of and see to it that they’re comfortable and given chances to exercise and stretch their hooves a bit. They’re going to need to be as limber as they can get,” Sunset stated.

Almost Three Years Ago

It had been almost a week since Eclipse had been dropped off in Canterlot from the work camp. He had spent those first few days getting himself prepared for what was to come next.

Most of his days were divided between doing pushups, pull-ups and reading up on combat and exercise books that he managed to scavenge from an old abandoned library. Serenade wasn’t much for learning or education, and as a result, the poor district had many texts removed and were not given access to much in the way of literature, which ordinarily would be fine for Eclipse as he wasn’t much of a reader, but during this time, he knew he’d need to start brushing up on his reading skills.

Some of the books he had managed to pilfer were a bit complicated for his reading level, given that he hadn’t even finished high school, but he powered through it and managed to find an old dictionary that he referenced when he came to words he didn’t understand.

In the past week, he had studied harder and pushed his body harder than he ever had in school, or in life for that matter.

He hadn’t even gotten a chance to look at one of those wraiths that the bar patron had told him about, but no doubt existed in Eclipse’s mind that he would have to deal with a few before this was over. There was no telling how strong they were, so he’d need to be in top physical shape.

The plan was starting to formulate in his head. He would train up, escape Canterlot, and eventually, he would go find Galeal. From there, he’d form a plan to kill Serenade. Out loud it all sounded easy, but he was still unsure about how he’d even accomplish the second part. Canterlot was practically a fortress at this point, and walls had been constructed to keep ponies in (and outsiders out), walls that were thick, and guarded by archers. There was no way to dig under them or climb over them.

A series of gates existed but every single one was protected and could only open for those who knew how to open them. There wasn’t even a single second of the day where armed guards didn’t stand at them, so sneaking through was out of the question.

He had considered the idea of masquerading as a guard and then going through, but he knew that they would see through such a charade in seconds. Not to mention, he was confident the doors opened via some kind of dark energy that only the higher-ups of Serenade’s subordinates possessed. The siren didn't exactly strike him as someone who took too many chances.

In a week, Eclipse was at least feeling results with his body. He was stronger than ever, and while his effeminate features always seemed to shine through, he had started to develop a few of the cuts of an athlete, albeit they were hardly noticeable thus far.

After a day of exercise, Eclipse was a bit too exhausted to go and read, so instead he opted for a shower and then headed down to the saloon for some time to relax for a little bit. There was no point in pushing himself to where he would collapse and be unable to get back up after all. He needed to pace himself, Serenade wasn’t going anywhere, and that meant he didn’t have to push himself too much too quickly. He could take his time and build up to her eventual thwarting.

Eclipse walked his way down the street yawning as he did. He nodded to the few ponies who had come to recognize him over the past few days. Though he didn’t talk much to the locals, he had at least remained friendly enough to acknowledge them whenever he went out and about.

One such pony he had at least come to know a bit better, his name was Peddler Deals. Prior to Serenade’s takeover, he was a trader who traveled across the lands dealing in exotic goods. The kind of pony who could fetch the finest silks of Saddle Arabia, or the most refined gold of Taineigh without any questions asked. Eclipse had come to learn of his exploits through his incessant ramblings of the stallion, but he wasn’t sure which were true and which were exaggerations. Truthfully, he wasn’t too interested in finding out either.

Still, Peddler had something that Eclipse wanted: ration chips. Acquiring them wasn’t too easy in the slums, as Serenade’s goons only gave every pony a small allowance and extras had to be acquired by volunteering for work details. Since Eclipse didn’t have the time to dedicate to such details, he had to rely on other means to acquire them.

Peddler did trade and gambling for such chips if you could either find something that caught his eye or outmatch him in a wager. The pony couldn’t resist a good bet, and while Eclipse wasn’t much of a gambler prior to all of this, he had found a book upon the subject and studied it tediously. He had won his first few ration chips from a guessing game and from there, he had taken them to the saloon where he had learned to play cards.

To his good fortune, his soft girly face gave him that look of inexperience that he was hoping for to where he was underestimated. He used it to his advantage to take home a decent sized haul.

The second time he had shown up, he was starting to read up on how to count cards but made sure never to win too many games or take home too large a pot so as to not raise suspicion. There was a fine balance of losing on purpose and winning big to maintain, and Eclipse had already found that balance in a short time. In another life, he might have made a fine hustler.

From there, he would use his chips to buy food products from Peddler when the guards were not distributing.

Eclipse felt fortunate that he didn’t have a very large appetite which meant staying alive was easy for him.

Upon entering the saloon, a few of the stallions he played cards with nodded at him, a sign of respect for a fellow card player. To Eclipse’s surprise, a lot of the ponies in the slums were relatively friendly. Most of them had grown up poor prior to Serenade anyway, so it wasn’t much of a huge change for them, but they showed some respect for a boy who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth actually learning how to survive in a harsher world all on his own. Eclipse felt like he was some kind of pet project to some of them.

Over the past week, he had been bought a drink or two by various bar regulars, and he had accepted them (even though he sucked at keeping liquor down).

While the situation was far from the most ideal, Eclipse was thankful that the ponies of the slums were at the very least respectable.

Sitting at the bar, the bartender smiled at him and nodded. “Just a soda then, sweetie?” She asked.

Eclipse nodded. “Yeah, you can put some rum in it if you want...”

He reached into a bag at his side and tossed a few ration chips onto the counter. The bartender nodded and poured the drink before taking the chips and sliding them into a drawer.

Eclipse downed the drink quickly and set the glass down. He sat in silence for a few minutes just thinking about everything he was going through. A week ago, he felt it was somewhat hopeless despite his determination to find Galeal. Now, only a week later, he was filled with new resolve, confident that he could make this work somehow, maybe even succeed in killing Serenade.

His mind returned to Galeal and he smiled just thinking about the griffon. The way he used to tease him, the way he used to snuggle with him, the way they used to kiss. He missed it all.

His thoughts were interrupted, however, as a glass filled with more drink was placed in front of him. He looked up in confusion at the bartender who smiled at him and answered his mental question. “From the lady.” She pointed and sure enough, a familiar red-maned mare sat a stool or so down from him waving. He recognized her piercings from a mile away.

She stood up and approached sitting down next to him with a grin. He even remembered her name, Rose Inkscape.

“Well hey there, stranger. Fancy seeing you here.” She grinned at him, nudging his shoulder.

Eclipse looked at the drink she had bought for him and then at her with a confused expression. “I guess you got placed in the slums too?”

She nodded before sipping from a martini glass that she had brought with her, though no doubt that martini was of poor quality. “Yup! I’m on the south side!”

“I’m on the west, I live just down the street from here.” Eclipse gestured in the general direction of where he lived.

“Oh wow! Lucky! This is a prime location, I had to walk a good twenty minutes to get here. The bar on the south side is trash, this place is way better, I may start coming here more often, especially if you’re here.” She winked.

What was with this girl? Eclipse couldn’t understand her, but he did enjoy her company. It was pleasant to have someone you knew nearby.

“I stop by maybe once a night?” Eclipse shrugged.

“Well, maybe I’ll hit your place up when I’m in the area? Curfew says we can’t be outside, but I’m sure nopony would notice if I stayed at your place, right?” She grinned, her words having a seductive tone to them.

He shrugged, unsure of what to say. “Sure, I guess.”

She giggled and winked once more at him. “You’re a pretty agreeable guy, aren’t you?”

Eclipse never thought about that, but he supposed he was. “I guess so, I’ve never had a reason to really object to much, I suppose.”

“Going with the flow then? I like that. It’s a good trait to have, especially in these troubling times, right?” She said.

“Definitely.” Eclipse finally smiled back at the mare.

“So, what do you do during the day? Work details?” She asked curiously.

He shook his head. “I don’t have time for that stuff.”

“What could you possibly be doing other than that? It’s not like we have a mall to shop at, or a movie theater to go to.” Rose chuckled.

“Can’t talk about it.” Eclipse looked away.

She frowned and scooted closer. “You don’t trust me?”

Her eyes had grown large, sort of like a puppy that had just been scolded. Eclipse sighed and rolled his eyes, deciding it might be less effort to just let her in on what he was trying to do rather than resist.

“Alright, but you can’t tell anypony, okay?” He spoke in a hushed tone.

She nodded giddily, her mood doing a complete turnaround as she scooted even closer, her coat brushing up against his. He could smell the rose water perfume she was wearing, curious as to where she got it.

Eclipse shifted uncomfortably before speaking. “I’m training.”

“Training for what? You know, I thought you were looking more muscular than before...” She smiled as she eyed him up and down. She reached forward and brushed a lock of his mane out of his face playfully.

“I’m going to escape Canterlot...” Eclipse said.

She blinked in disbelief. “Ooooo, you’re a naughty boy, aren’t you? Serenade’s forbidden anyone to leave the city.”

“I know, I don’t care.” Eclipse shrugged.

“Interesting... Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. You have my support, Eclipse.” She smiled.

“Thanks, I might actually take you up on that.” He nodded.

“I look forward to it.” She winked.

Almost Three Years Ago

It had been months since Sunset had left abruptly, and turned Twilight’s life upside-down. She wished she had some kind of answer or explanation as to where the woman had gone, but she knew she had a better chance of seeing God than that. It didn’t stop her from trying to find out though.

The police were suspicious, but without a missing person report, they couldn’t do much. Twilight wished she could involve them, but she knew it was a bad idea. If they started poking their head around their life, they could discover Sunset’s secret which would be bad not only for her but their daughter as well. Twilight feared the idea of the government coming in and possibly taking the two of them to some lab somewhere to study and examine, maybe even dissect. She had had a few nightmares about that very thing over the years.

Detective Snatcher seemed particularly interested in Sunset’s disappearance, and Twilight knew that being told he had to give it up wasn’t going to be enough for him. He was going to be on her like a hawk, so she had to be careful from then on. He would be following her, and she had to make sure he didn’t find anything that could be used against her. Eventually, he might get bored and move on when he turned up nothing, but Twilight wasn’t entirely certain of that. The man had a very determined look in his eye when he insisted on her guilt.

The police weren’t on his side though, and that was a blessing, it meant he was working alone, thus easier to elude.

Twilight was now conducting her own investigation in the disappearance of her wife, and one of the first places she decided to check was the mother of Moondancer’s residence to question her.

Ringing the doorbell, Twilight adjusted her purple plaid long sleeve shirt and sighed.

The middle-aged mother of her friend Moondancer answered with a smile and a hug to Twilight (a very tight one at that). Twilight accepted the embrace and when she was released she nodded and smiled at Moondancer’s mother. “Twilight Shimmer, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” She grinned.

Twilight nodded. “It’s good to see you as well, ma’am, can I come in by chance?”

“Of course! Come on in! Make yourself at home! Watch out for the cat though, he’s probably scampering around here somewhere, no doubt.” She wiggled her finger as she stepped into her own apartment gesturing for Twilight to follow her.

Nodding, Twilight stepped inside as well and stayed close as they came to a very dark colored living room. The apartment was very modern looking and the paint scheme seemed to be varying shades of dark grey to match the dark grey and black furniture. Twilight sat down on a couch across from the woman who had taken the love seat in front of the coffee table.

The woman picked up a cup of coffee she had been drinking and took a long sip followed by a satisfied “ah”. She looked better than the first time that Twilight had seen her. Gone were the wrinkles and signs of poor sleep schedules and stress. She looked at least a decade younger, which was good, it meant that Shimmer’s donation to her family had paid off, and this woman could finally get some much-needed relaxation.

“So, how have you been?” Twilight asked.

She smiled and nodded. “I’ve been wonderful, Twilight. We’re so thankful to the Shimmer family for all you’ve done for us, it’s really been a huge turn around for this family. I don’t know how we can ever repay you.”

Twilight shook her head. “I had nothing to do with it, it was all before I came into the picture, but I’m sure Shimmer would be happy just knowing that you two are doing so well.”

“She was a very generous girl, wasn’t she?” Moondancer’s mother asked.

Twilight nodded. “She was, from my understanding. After her death, we found all kinds of records of charities she was donating to. Shimmer’s estate may have been around 300 million, but she was actually making somewhere between 8 million a year, and yet she wasn’t getting any net gains.”

Moondancer’s mother’s brows rose. “Really? How so? Where does $8 million disappear to?”

“Charities, all of it. Turns out that Shimmer hadn’t collected a profit on any of her family’s business ventures in years. She covers the operating costs, pays the salaries of her employees and then turns her own cut over to various charities. I found out she was more of a dog lover than I ever imagined, she donated millions to the Humane Society on a yearly basis.” Twilight smiled just thinking about it. Shimmer clearly loved animals, and she was the true definition of a charitable soul. She donated so much without any expectation of recognition; most didn’t even know how much of her fortune she was giving away.

“What a sweet girl, the world really lost a wonderful soul the day she died...” The older woman frowned.

Twilight regretted that she didn’t know the girl too well, but she knew that Shimmer overall was a great person. She had faults and in the end, Twilight and she were at odds for a bit because she felt that Shimmer overstepped her boundaries in trying to make Sunset stay in Equestria, but looking back, Shimmer was only doing what she felt was best. She wanted to protect Sunset, because she loved her. The bond between the two of them really was that of sisters, so much so that Sunset fell into quite a depression after her death, and she no doubt was still affected by it now.

Moondancer was the perfect testament to Shimmer’s good nature. There wasn’t even a shred of doubt that Shimmer loved that girl; she even admitted she wanted to marry her. It was a shame, they would have made a cute pair of newlyweds in Twilight’s mind, but then everything would have played out differently, wouldn’t it?

Had Shimmer lived, she and Moondancer would be living in the mansion that Twilight called home now, and Sunset and she may have been living off of Twilight’s parent’s good graces. Would Sunset not have left then? Who was to say?

“She really was... She’s missed every day,” Twilight agreed.

“I’m assuming you didn’t come to talk about her though?” The older woman asked.

Twilight gulped and nodded. “Y-yes... Sorry, I didn’t want to sound like I only came by to ask for things...”

“It’s fine, dear. What’s on your mind?” The woman asked.

Twilight bit her lip but pushed out her thoughts. “It’s about Sunset...”

“What about her, dear?”

“She... Went missing a little while back. She just up and left...” Twilight frowned.

This caused the woman’s eyes to open wider. “Is she okay? Do you think she was kidnapped or something!?”

Twilight waved her hands in front of herself. “No no! Nothing like that. I’m sure she’s fine, at least I hope so... I was just wondering if maybe she said something to you or Moondancer before she left? Maybe some kind of hint of where she went or what she was doing?”

The woman shook her head. “No, nothing. Why do you ask?”

Twilight bit her lip once more, she was curious as to if this woman knew about Sunset’s true origins, if she was privy to Equestria or that she and her daughter was partially involved with an alien from another world. She wanted to ask, but thought better of it and left the subject alone.

“Maybe Moondancer heard something?” Twilight asked.

“Afraid not, Moondancer’s gone away to a research trip in London. She’s apparently going to be involved in some groundbreaking work, she sounded very excited about it,” Moondancer’s mother replied.

Twilight frowned once more. She knew it was a long shot, but she had to ask, regardless. “Okay... Well thank you, I suppose. I guess wherever she went, she doesn’t want to be found...”

“I’m sure she’ll turn up, Twilight,” The other replied.

“I hope so...”

A Long Time Ago

A young filly danced in the garden of flowers just outside of their home. They lived close to a cliff side, and at the edge was a beautiful array of flowers that bloomed every year with vibrant colors like the eye had never seen. They were always the first thing that Serenade rushed to see when the springtime came about.

She and her sister would wake up early, race outside before their parents were awake after throwing on some simple white dresses that worked so well with the red amulets they wore and dance together in the field of gorgeous hues. It was like clockwork, another year, another set of magnificent flowers to observe, and this year was no different.

Serenade twirled and then collapsed into the grass with a sigh and a smile. “Isn’t it wonderful, sister?” Serenade asked.

Adagio smiled and nodded as she laid next to her, the young filly reaching over and taking her sister’s hoof. “Every year it’s just as amazing as the last.”

“I wish the flowers would bloom all year ‘round.” Serenade frowned.

“Mother says that things are special because they are limited, though,” Adagio pointed out the wise words of their mother.

Neither of them ever doubted her wisdom. Their mother always knew just what to say and how to say it in a way that resonated with them. Her words were almost poetry spoken by the voice of an angel.

Serenade turned her head to look at her sister and spoke seriously for a moment. “Do you think there are flowers are pretty as these ones anywhere else?”

“Oh, I’m sure there is. In fact, I’m positive there is. These can’t be the only ones...” Adagio suggested.

Serenade turned back and looked up at the sky, studying the clouds that floated by, observing their shapes and sizes. “I want to see them one day.”

“One day we will...” Adagio nodded.

“When though?” Serenade asked.

Adagio just shrugged. She was far too young to have an answer to such a deep question. She was around eleven years old, and didn’t have all the answers to the world. Like all children, she relied on the wisdom of her parents to tell her the ways of the world.

“One day, I just don’t know when...” Adagio frowned.

The two laid there quietly for several minutes until the sounds of their parents approaching the field could be heard. Both of the young sirens perked up and lifted their heads to see their mother and father standing together smiling as they gazed upon their two daughters, full of pride.

There was silence for another few seconds before their father spoke up. “I’m heading into town to get us some things...” He began.

Serenade jumped up and landed upon her hooves, approaching with haste to her father. “Let me come with you! I want to see the town!”

He sighed, frowned and shook his head. “No, Serenade. You have to stay here...”

“You always say that! We are always told to stay here! I want to see the town! I want to see other ponies!” Serenade pouted.

“The answer is no. It’s not safe for you,” he commanded.

“Why not!? You always say that but you won’t tell me why!” She pouted.

“It’s not up for discussion, stay here with your mother and your sister and I’ll be back by tonight, alright?” He grunted.

She sat on her haunches and crossed her hooves with a defiant face. “Why though? We’re never allowed to leave this stupid farm! I want to see what the town looks like!”

“That’s an order, Serenade. You are not to leave this farm, do you understand?” He barked.

She grumbled and looked away but nodded. “Yeah, sure...”

Sighing he stepped forward and took his hoof, guiding her to face him. When she did, he spoke much calmer to her. “One day you’ll see beyond this farm, and I promise it’ll be everything you’ve ever dreamed of, but for now, I need you to stay here, alright?”

She sighed as well and nodded. “Okay, daddy... Hurry back though?”

He grinned and ruffled her yellow mane. “You know I will, nothing will keep me from my three girls, and you know that.”

She giggled and nodded before booping his nose with her hoof. “You better!”

“I’ll bring you back some of that sweet bread that you like.” He smirked.

“Now you really better hurry back!” She nodded.

He chuckled and stood up tall before nodding to his wife and then Adagio who had come to a stand. Once he had acknowledged all three of them, he returned to the house to fetch his bag for the trip. The town was a good half a day’s walk from their home, and as a result, they mostly had to keep a self-sustaining farm in order to live up where they did, but it was a nice existence where no one bothered them.

Serenade watched carefully as her father trotted off, down the path that lead away from their home, curious about what was beyond that dirt path.

After her father disappeared over the bottom of the hill, she turned to her mother and pleaded. “Mommy, when can we see the town?”

The beautiful siren ran a hoof along her daughter’s cheek, brushing her silky mane back. The little girl leaned into her mother’s touch before closing her eyes and listening to the soft sound of her angelic voice.

“One day, precious, one day...” She nearly whispered, her voice was so soft.

“When though?” Serenade asked quietly, cooing as her mother pet her head now.

“When the world is ready for you. Right now, ponies just aren’t ready to see how special you and your sister are, but they will see it one day and when that day comes, not only will you be able to go into the town, but ponies from far away lands will come to see you. I know they will know you’re special one day...” She spoke.

Serenade felt a tiny bit at ease by her mother’s words but was still somewhat troubled. “When though?”

The older mare giggled and released her daughter. “I can’t answer that, but we sirens live for a long time, so you’ll have plenty of time to see. Have patience, my precious child.”

Serenade Dazzle wasn’t the most patient of children, so that task may have been impossible, but for her mother’s sake, she would try.

Twilight let out a long sigh as she sipped from the cup of coffee that her brother had prepared her. He sat across from her and frowned as he watched his sister sip from the old Power Ponies mug thoughtfully. He hated seeing her so twisted up, and he knew that she had been holding it all in for so long, but refused to speak of it.

It had been three years since Sunset had vanished on her, and while Shining understood why she didn’t involve the police, he couldn’t understand why his sister stayed so hung up on that redhead. In his mind, if he never saw her again, it would be too soon. He had half a mind to tell Twilight that the girl was trash, but he knew that his sister loved her, and it pained him to know that she clearly still did love her.

The two were quiet, the sounds of only their gentle sips filling the kitchen before finally Shining spoke up, unable to take it any longer.

“So... Have you been going out with friends at all?” Shining asked, hiding his mouth behind his cup as he probed her.

Twilight swirled the sweetened coffee in front of herself and shrugged. “Not much, lately. I’m so busy with school and all...”

“Maybe you should? You know? Maybe go to a bar? Meet someone?” He suggested.

She lifted her hand and gestured to the ring upon it. “I’m married,” she reminded.

Shining sighed and placed his cup down on the table, wrapping his other hand around its warmth as he braced himself. He knew he had to be tactful in how he approached the subject, and the last thing he wanted was for his sister to think of him as abrasive.

“Twilight...” He began.

She didn’t even look up at him.

“Sunset isn’t coming back, haven’t you figured that out yet? She’s gone, little sis...”

Twilight shook her head. “She’s out there somewhere, I know it...”

“It’s possible, but she still isn’t coming back...” Shining frowned.

“We have a daughter together, she cares about us.” Twilight closed her eyes.

“If that were the case, why hasn’t she come back yet? It’s been three years, Twilight. If she hasn’t so much as made a phone call in all this time, she isn’t coming back.” Shining didn’t particularly enjoy telling his sister things she didn’t want to hear, but he knew it was for her own good at this point.

“I... I don’t know...” Twilight squeezed her eyes closed tighter, hoping to end this conversation.

“She’s gone, Twilight and you’re not doing yourself any favors waiting around for her, remember all the trouble she caused you? Hell, remember that detective? You were pretty messed up for a while over that, remember?” Shining reminded her.

Twilight had far from forgotten Detective Snatcher. The royal pain in her ass had caused her more grief than any one person should. It was a difficult situation for the time that she was forced to deal with him, and she still had nightmares about it from time to time.

Twilight couldn’t think of a response to Shining’s suggestion, so instead, she stayed quiet and allowed him to continue talking.

“Go out and meet someone, hell go get laid! When’s the last time you’ve even been with someone?” Shining asked, though feeling a bit awkward to be asking his younger sister such a question.

Shrugging, Twilight shook her head. “Not since Sunset left.”

“You’re kidding? You’ve stayed faithful to her? After all she’s done?” Shining blinked.

“I made vows, Shining. I love her...” Twilight replied, finally looking up to meet his eyes.

Shining’s face was far from angry, instead, it looked hurt and saddened.

“I know you do, but if she loved you, she’d be here. What do you have to lose? Go out, meet someone, hell call up that old ex-boyfriend, Timber! Maybe you two can hang out, see what happens?” Shining picked his cup back up and sipped it before tilting it in Twilight’s direction to suggest his approval.

“I don’t know...” Twilight bit her lip.

Coming in from the living room, Cadance stopped as she passed through the kitchen where the two were and planted a kiss atop of Shining’s head before ruffling his blue hair and looking over at Twilight, sensing serious conversation in the room.

“What’s going on?” She asked.

Shining looked up at his wife and smirked. “I’m telling Twilight to give her old ex-boyfriend a call and see if he wants to hang out. Maybe even get laid.”

Cadance nodded with a giddy grin. “Getting laid is good, trust me on this. A girl can’t stay pent up for too long.”

Twilight raised a brow. “Does that happen to you?”

“Definitely, oh some nights your brother comes home and I-“ She was cut off.

“Please stop before I need therapy for that mental image...” Twilight shuddered at the thought of her brother having sex.

“The point is, Twilight, maybe it’s better for you to get out there again, you know? Nothing serious, just try hanging out with people, see what happens. It can’t hurt.” Shining smiled.

Twilight conceded that she did feel lonely at times and that she missed the feeling of sleeping next to another person. Her head rested atop her gorgeous wife’s chest, listening to her heartbeat. She wanted to go back in time and just stay there when things were good between her and Sunset.

Maybe Shining had a point though. Sunset hadn’t so much as called in three years, there was no telling she was even alive. Maybe going out would be good for her.

“Alright, you’ve twisted my arm, I’ll give him a call, but nothing serious, just casual.” Twilight raised a finger.

Shining nodded as he sipped once more. “That’s all I ask.”

Almost Three Years Ago

Applejack found herself exceptionally confused when she had been summoned to go to the war room. She was under the impression that Glitch wasn’t too fond of her, and the fore wasn’t too interested in letting her in on their plans. The farmer had already resigned herself to being kept on a need-to-know basis, so it was beyond surprising to hear that she had been invited to the next briefing.

Entering the small room, she seated herself between Aria and Sonata. Across from Sonata was Braeburn who apparently had also been invited. Twilight sat next to the head seat which was occupied by the armored pony she had come to doubt.

Glitch nodded, acknowledging Applejack’s entrance before their synthesized voice echoed through the room.

“Good evening, everypony.” They began.

Applejack had completely forgotten that it was evening at this point, due to time in the facility being a relatively vague abstract concept.

Applejack raised her hoof which caused Glitch to gesture toward her and speak. “Yes, Applejack? Also, you needn’t raise your hand in this forum.”

Clearing her throat, Applejack nodded. “Right, sorry. ‘Ah ‘spose ‘Ah was just wonderin’ why ‘Ah’m here?”

“To hear the next stage of our plans,” Glitch responded simply.

“No offense, but ‘Ah thought y’all didn’t like how ‘Ah didn’t trust y’all?” Applejack raised a brow.

“Yes, however, I’m not one to keep running into a wall over and over and then question why it is bearing the same results, so I intend to show you how you can trust us all,” Glitch said.

Applejack had to admit, that alone put her at some ease. It would take a lot to get her to trust a masked stranger completely, but the fact that they were willing to even try made her calmer about it at the very least.

“Sure, ‘Ah’ll bite, what’s goin’ down?” Applejack sat back and crossed her hooves, ready to listen to Glitch’s plans, albeit intending to be a skeptic about them.

Glitch pointed at her and nodded before continuing. “Our operation is growing in size, substantially even. With the numbers we have, and for the next few stages of our operation we need to be more mobile, more versatile as it were...”

“What did you have in mind?” Twilight blinked.

Glitch leaned in and tossed a folder onto the table with all kinds of blueprints on it, most of which didn’t make much sense to Applejack, but she looked them over regardless.

“Trottingham is building some impressive airships, new stuff, pretty advanced too. Their speed and durability could prove useful to us,” Glitch explained.

“That’s all fine and good, but it’s not like they will just sell us one, Glitch. How do you propose we get our hooves on one of those?” Twilight asked.

Glitch stood up from their seat and behind her mask, they all knew a smile was on their face. “We’re going to steal one.”

Author's Note

Applejack as you may notice plays the role of a constant skeptic to Glitch. She’s more of Glitch’s foil if you will. Though her role isn’t antagonistic, she keeps Glitch in check in a way. Her and her human counterpart both have similarities in that they both are creatures of trust building. When they trust you, they trust you fully and will defend you until the end of time, but when their trust is betrayed or they feel like they can’t trust you, they’re a never ending thorn in one’s side.

As you may have noticed, this Applejack is not married to Rarity, and it’s left ambiguous if the two have feelings for each other, but we’ll get to the other Applejack in another chapter, I promise.

I felt her role was fitting her character, as Applejack always strikes me as the one who is wary about trusting those who have reason to be mistrusted. Glitch wears a mask and refuses to take it off, that alone is reason enough to be wary. She likely knows that Twilight knows who they are, and is frustrated that Twilight is keeping secrets.

Also, you may notice that Glitch is given either male or gender neutral pronouns. This stems from the fact that outside of Twilight, Aria and Sonata, no one else knows the sex of the pony under that suit, and you’ll see that Twilight and company roll with even the male pronouns to help keep the mystery going.

Act VI - Chapter LXXXIII: Teamwork

Chapter LXXXIII: Teamwork

Almost Three Years Ago

Glitch’s master plan of stealing an airship sounded impossible to Applejack, but Glitch assured her that it was in fact very doable, and she just needed to go over how they would pull it off. The very next day, they were gathered to do exactly that. Glitch wasn’t wasting time, which was to be expected, as he didn’t exactly strike Applejack as the waiting type, he seemed to want to strike while the iron was hot, which was fine by the farmer; she hated waiting around for something to do.

This time around, Applejack knew what to expect and arrived at the war room early, noticing that Aria and Sonata were sitting down chatting as she entered. Applejack nodded to the two girls but kept herself quiet as she took the same seat she had occupied the last time she had entered this room. Quietly she closed her eyes and resigned herself to just relaxing for the few minutes before Glitch and Twilight would arrive.

Her mind fell back upon Twilight. She wasn’t one to take chances, usually, she was only the type to bet on sure things. Discord clearly had corrupted her slightly, which Applejack had to admit wasn’t inherently a bad thing as much as she didn’t want to accept that. Twilight’s willingness to try something different and “out there” is what produced this Glitch character after all along with their consorts Aria and Sonata.

Applejack blinked and recalled that she hadn’t a clue where these two girls came from either. She paid close attention to the conversation the two mares were conducting, curious if they even remembered she was in the room. Not that it mattered.

“Glitch seems pretty sure of this plan...” Aria crossed her hooves and leaned back in her chair. The latex stealth suit she was sporting scrunched around her form, showing off her tight and slender figure as she did. Applejack briefly wondered how warm those things were.

Sonata shrugged at Aria’s comment. “Aren’t you?”

Aria’s usual face of disdain and doubt seemed unchanged, Applejack was starting to gather part of her personality was having an almost permanent scowl.

“It’s not that, it just seems too out there... Trottingham is a pretty far distance to travel to walk away empty-hooved, you know?” Aria reminded.

That was actually an excellent point. They had no certainty that they could pull off something as extravagant as an airship raid, and if they moved all the way out to Trottingham and failed they would be out in the open, there was no easy way to retreat back to their current location. They were playing with fire really.

Applejack wondered how confident Glitch really was in his plan. Was he confident enough to risk everything they had on it? Then again, she didn’t know what his plan was. He seemed confident enough, but she wondered if he was overconfident.

“Glitch has it under control, you know that, Aria. We can count on them...” Sonata eyed Applejack, which made Applejack curious as to why, but knew that she likely wouldn’t tell.

“I guess, you’re right. Glitch has beaten a siren before, after all.” Aria smirked.

That part definitely caught Applejack’s attention, enough to speak up. “Glitch has beaten sirens before?”

“Smooth, Sonata...” Aria reached over and hit the young mare’s shoulder, causing her to wince and rub the spot.

“Owwie! You didn’t have to hit me!” Sonata frowned, a tear forming in her eye.

“You’re fine, stop complaining.” Aria rolled her eyes.

“So what was that ‘bout Glitch beatin’ sirens before?” Applejack ignored the bickering between the two.

Aria looked over at Applejack, her eyes suggested she was studying the farmer, trying to determine what she thought about her, but opened her mouth to answer. “Yeah, they have.”

“When was that?” Applejack asked.

“None of your business, that’s when.” Aria grunted.

“Beg yer’ pardon?” Applejack leaned in with a hiss.

“I said, mind your own business. We’re not telling you jack shit about Glitch,” Aria replied.

“What’s yer’ problem?” Applejack stood up.

“My problem is you should mind your own business. We’re on strict orders to not tell anypony who isn’t authorized about Glitch, so probing us for info won’t get you anywhere.” Aria shook her head.

“Can’t say that ‘Ah appreciate yer’ attitude...” Applejack said.

Sonata reached over and placed a hoof on Aria’s shoulder, trying to calm the girl. “Calm down, Aria. She’s not our enemy...”

Applejack found herself slightly calmed as well by Sonata’s words. The girl had such a soft voice. “Yeah, listen to her. ‘Ah ain’t against ya’ I’m on yer’ side.”

“I guess so...” Aria sighed and relaxed herself as well.

“Been meanin’ to ask though... Who are you two?” Applejack changed the subject.

The two mares looked at each other and then back at Applejack, pausing for several long uncomfortable seconds before Sonata opened her mouth and closed it. Aria would ultimately be the one to step up and answer.

“We’re... Allies of Glitch’s, that’s all you really need to know,” Aria responded, her voice less hostile this time, implying she wasn’t trying to hide things but that there was something else preventing her from speaking more.

“They’re sirens.” A familiar computerized voice echoed through the room.

All heads turned and there standing at the door was the armored pony, standing tall next to the messy maned Twilight Sparkle. While their armor didn’t match, both of them seemed to be suited for war. Applejack still didn’t much approve of the spiked armor that Twilight wore bearing Discord’s emblems, but she bit her tongue, lest she bring up more sore subjects between the two.

Aria’s eyes widened at Glitch’s statement before she looked back over at Applejack. “You’re just going to tell her that!?” Aria asked.

Applejack finally processed what she had just been told and stood up, pushing herself away from the table. “These two are sirens!? An’ we’re lettin’ ‘em work with us!?”

“Yes, do you have a problem with that?” Glitch asked.

The pony’s computerized voice made it difficult to get a proper read on him, and Applejack wasn’t sure if his question was sarcasm or not, but she pressed on regardless. “Yeah, ‘Ah got a problem with that. We’re fightin’ a siren and y’all got two right here!? What if they betray us for Serenade!?”

“That won’t happen, these two have no powers anymore. Their amulets were destroyed long ago, they’re as mortal as you or I now,” Glitch responded.

Applejack shook her head. “They could turn on us to get Serenade to fix their amulets then!”

“That’s stupid, would you listen to yourself?” Glitch shook their head.

Taking offense, Applejack banged her hoof on the table. “How is it stupid!?”

“Let’s say that they would even think to do such a thing, they would not do it through Serenade.” Glitch laughed.

“Why not?” Applejack squinted.

Glitch gestured at the two sirens. “You think Serenade would have any interest in helping them? If you have studied our foe, you’d realize she is only interested in helping herself. There is no benefit in her assisting two sirens, and I think both Aria and Sonata are smart enough to know that. Serenade would toss them aside the moment she was done with them.”

“Still, they’re sirens like her!” Applejack countered.

Glitch stepped further into the room. “Yes, but our foe is more than a siren, she’s a demon. You’d do wise to remember that.”

Applejack opened her mouth to retort, but Twilight stopped her. “Let it go, Applejack. Glitch knows what they are talking about. We can trust Aria and Sonata, they’ve already proven their loyalty to us.”

Sighing, Applejack conceded and sat back down. “Fine, but ‘Ah’m tired of all the secrets.”

“You’ll know things when it is important for you to know, for now, we need you to listen,” Glitch commanded.

The armored pony’s attitude didn’t sit right with Applejack. She hated even more that Twilight was allowing them to be in charge, but there was nary a thing she could do. Glitch had produced results and that meant that they had more room to give orders than Applejack did. Grumbling, Applejack decided to let it go.

“Fine, so what’s our next move? Y’all said we were stealin’ an airship, how’re we gonna pull that off?” Applejack raised a brow.

Glitch tapped their helmet before nodding. “Now you have your head in the game. The plan is fairly simple but will require proper timing and teamwork.”

“Run us through it, Glitch,” Twilight encouraged as she sat down with a smile. Glitch looked in her direction and there was silence for a moment. Applejack detected some ire between the two; she supposed it meant they weren’t on as perfect terms as they portrayed.

“Trottingham is an old city, it’s been around longer than most cities in Equestria...” Glitch began before retrieving a map from a nearby bag that they had kept in the room. Laying the map on the table, they levitated a quill and circled the city.

“Because of its age, it still has a pretty outdated sewer system, one that spans most of the city, even the airship yard. I’m willing to bet that Serenade’s guard captain there never took the sewer into account, so we should be able to sneak a small team in through the sewer system here.” Glitch circled another spot on the map.

Looking it over, Twilight squinted. “That’s a good 800 meters away though. We’ll never sneak an army through there at a reasonable speed...”

“That’s why we aren’t,” Glitch replied.

“Now you lost me...” Twilight scratched her head.

Shaking their head, Glitch pointed again at the map. “This armor suit has a cloaking device that should camouflage me long enough to sneak in and take out the captain of the S.S. Wyvern. It’s a new airship that should put the rest of their ships to shame. If we time it right, I can do so right during the test flight which means they won’t be any wiser.”

“Then what? You can’t pilot an entire ship yourself!” Twilight shook her head.

Glitch tapped their head once more. “I won’t have to. They will have the engines going full blast already. So long as I kill the captain and take the wheel, I only need to turn the ship slightly to go over this entrance to the sewer.” Glitch tapped the map.

Twilight was starting to understand what they were implying. Slowly she was piecing the plan together in her head. “And then we slip our crew on through a rope ladder quickly and take out the remaining crew...”

Glitch nodded in agreement. “Then we just have to move it out of the city quickly before they realize they’ve been had. If we’re lucky this new ship’s speed should put us out of the city before they notice. It also should take them some time to mobilize, that gives us a good few precious minutes to get out of there before things get too hairy.”

“That’s a bold move, Glitch...” Twilight conceded.

“You don’t win by playing it safe the whole game...” Glitch replied.

Frustratingly true. Applejack thought.

“That ship isn’t scheduled to take off for a good three weeks though, what do we do in the meantime?” Twilight asked.

Glitch placed both of their armored hooves upon the table as they looked across the room. “We wait. Right now that’s our best course of action, so we have to wait for the opportunity to appear to us. In the meantime, it would be wise for everypony to sharpen their skills, practice with some weapons and prepare for combat.”

“Combat?” Applejack asked.

Glitch glared in her direction with a nod. “Surely you don’t think we can win by just being a thorn in Serenade’s side forever? Eventually, we will be forced into a full attack. This is war, after all.”

Applejack knew it was war, but it strange to hear it out loud. Her entire life she knew her homeland to be a peaceful country. While a military existed, it had never dawned on her that they would actually have to draw their blades to end the lives of others.

The farmer wanted to do her part, but she wasn’t sure that she was ready to face Serenade face to face once more. Glitch and Applejack didn’t see eye to eye, but at that point, the old farm mare had no choice but to put her faith in the mysterious masked pony. She prayed she wasn’t making a mistake.

As if sensing Applejack’s hesitation, Glitch spoke up, goading her on. “I know you already backed down once, Applejack...”

Those words quickly caught the blonde mare’s attention. “And what is that supposed t’ mean?”

Glitch remained still, their demeanor remaining stern as they replied. “Twilight told me that you ran away before.”

“Glitch that’s-“ Twilight began but Glitch held out a hoof to silence the princess.

“Y’all best not bring things up that ya’ don’t know anything about...” Applejack stood up, glaring at the armored pony. “What’re ya’ drivin’ at, Glitch?”

“I’m just curious on if you intend to run away again,” Glitch said plainly.

Banging her hooves on the table, Applejack growled. “What’d you say!?”

Glitch shrugged. “I’m just saying that if you intend to run away again, then you can leave now. I don’t need anyone on this operation that will leave us high and dry when the moment is critical. So are you committed, or not?”

Applejack walked around the table and came inches from Glitch, staring the pony’s visor down, wishing that she could see the pony behind it so she could spit in their face at that moment.

As if they knew exactly how to push Applejack’s buttons, Glitch raised a question. “What will you do, Applejack?”

“Bet y’all think ‘Ah’m stupid, don’t ya’?” Applejack asked.

“I haven’t decided on that front yet.” Glitch spoke, though they may have been being sarcastic, Applejack couldn’t tell.

“Well, here’s some words that ‘Ah do know...” She paused for a second before finishing that sentence. “Fuck you.”

Grunting, Applejack turned around and exited the room, slamming the door behind her.

The moment they were all alone, Twilight raised her objection once more. “Glitch that was completely unnecessary!”

Glitch shook their head and waved a dismissive hoof before returning to circling spots on her map. “All a necessary part of the plan, Twilight. Applejack is frightened, she needs the motivation to get back into the fight.”

“All you did was piss her off!” Twilight stomped her hoof.

Glitch ignored Twilight’s annoyance. “Applejack will come around, trust me. Her little rivalry with me is too much for her to give in. She’ll come back if not just to prove me wrong, and if that’s what it takes, so be it. We need her at 100%, Twilight.”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. She couldn’t say that she agreed with Glitch’s methods, but she wasn’t in a position to judge, given how she recruited them in the first place.

With a Diet Coke in her hand, Angel Song sat down across from her best friend, Starlight Glimmer. Starlight had been chowing down on a salad that she had purchased from a nearby McDonalds in the food court of the mall they were seated in. The young half-Asian woman chewed her food carefully as she nodded at Angel to acknowledge her arrival.

“Sup?” Starlight spoke, food still in her mouth.

Angel winced at the gesture and looked away in disgust. “You know this could explain why you still don’t have a boyfriend? Your table manners are atrocious.”

Starlight shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Speaking of which...”

Angel sighed and braced herself for another story from Starlight about how she intended to find a suitable suitor for herself, and likely only end up accomplishing making a fool of herself.

“Let me guess, we’re going to try and pick up a guy here in the mall for you and you want me to try and play wingman again?” Angel asked with a raised brow.

Swallowing the morsel of food, Starlight shook her head once more and grinned. “No no, nothing like that! I actually have some exciting news!”

“Define ‘exciting’ for me?” Angel smirked.

“Haha, just listen, okay?” Starlight rolled her eyes.

Angel shrugged and leaned in with interest.

“I used to go to school with this guy named Sunburst. He lived down the street from me for like ever, and we’ve known each other since we were kids,” Starlight began.

“Okay?” Angel raised a brow, not sure where this was going.

“Well, he moved away to Colorado to a town called Valenter,” Starlight continued.

“Still now seeing why this is relevant yet...” Angel grinned.

“Just shut up and let me finish, okay?” Starlight sighed.

Angel did just that and piped down so that her friend could finish explaining, though she suspected it might still be a huge waste of time.

“Well, I just got a message from him saying he’s moving back here, and he’s gotten super cute!” Starlight practically squealed at that last part.

“And let me guess...” Angel grinned, already knowing where this was going.

“I am going to ask him out.” Starlight nodded, already reading her friend’s mind.

Angel sighed but smiled at the same time. She was genuinely happy for her friend. “Well, at least the groundwork is done for you, right? He already knows you and you’ve known each other long enough to where he should know your... Quirks by now.”

“No risk of me saying anything stupid to scare him away too!” Starlight winked.

“Thus your never-ending foot-in-mouth syndrome won’t screw you over this time...” Angel teased.

“Exactly!” Starlight pointed at Angel with her fork and grinned, showing off her pearly white teeth.

“Well, I’m happy for you, nonetheless. Hopefully, it all goes according to plan...” Angel smiled sheepishly.

“Oh, I intend to make sure it happens. I am going to wear that really cute underwear I got from Victoria’s Secret and you’re going to build me up to him.” Starlight stabbed her salad’s leafy greens with her fork as she instructed.

Angel lifted a brow. “And how am I going to do that?”

“Just like, when he’s around remind him how hot I am, and how I have a great ass, all that stuff.” Starlight took another bite of her meal.

Sighing, Angel found herself rolling her eyes once more. “You realize it’ll look totally weird if I’m complimenting your butt to him, right?”

“Just say you’re a lesbian or something,” Starlight suggested.

“Gee thanks, make me a lesbian... And how long would I have to keep up that charade?” Angel asked, already knowing the answer was likely to be incredibly stupid.

Starlight shrugged and swallowed a bite of her salad. “Dunno, probably until we get married so I’m sure it’s in the bag.”

“I’m not going to pretend to be a lesbian for you...” Angel replied.

“Weak. I’d do it for you!” Starlight complained.

“No you wouldn’t, you won’t even kiss a girl on the cheek...” Angel smirked.

Starlight frowned and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right, strictly cock for this girl. Vaginas are nasty.”

“Thus I am right, you wouldn’t do that for me.” Angel goaded.

Starlight pointed once more with her fork at the slender girl. “Yeah, but you wouldn’t need me to. You got that cute adorable innocent thing going on to where guys flock over you. You wouldn’t have any trouble getting a date if you just said yes to offers.”

Angel blushed and twirled a strand of her long messy hair in her finger. “Yeah, well it’s not like I have the time to date anyway...”

“Just make sure you’re not all cute and adorable when Sunburst is around, I need him to notice how hot I am, alright?” Starlight grinned.

“He’s all yours, I’m not even remotely interested. Now can we please go over our notes? I’d much rather do that than talk about how you’re sexually frustrated some more, I feel we’ve exhausted that topic,” Angel asked.

Sighing, Starlight nodded and reached down next to her chair. Her hand snaked its way into a small messenger bag and produced a blue notebook that the two had been using to keep track of the information they gathered. Periodically, they would transfer the notes to a computer and create backups.

The notebook itself had seen some abuse and was a testament to how poorly Starlight kept her bad. It was battered, beaten and worn, but neither of the two seemed to mind so long as it served its purpose.

Flipping it open, Starlight shuffled through pages until she located one and began to recite it in bits and pieces. “Alright, so here is what we know so far.”

Scanning the pages, Starlight began to sum up their notes. “We’ve made some pretty great progress over the past few months. We’ve determined that Applejack is connected to the group of friends that you saw in your dream.”

“Can we even still call it a dream if it came true? Wouldn’t that be like a premonition or something?” Angel asked.

Starlight shrugged. “Who cares? Point is that we’ve determined the connection. Applejack ended up getting married to some fashion designer named Rarity and they reside in some small city in Maryland called Canterlot.”

Angel paused and had a thoughtful look on her face which caused Starlight to raise a brow. “Sound familiar?”

“Not really, no. Keep going.” Angel gestured to continue.

Looking back down at the notebook, Starlight nodded. “Right, so Rainbow Dash and her were childhood rivals. She ended up joining the army and marrying their other friend, Fluttershy. No idea where they are now, but they used to live in the same town.”

“It’s amazing what you can find by prowling Facebook...” Angel grinned.

“No kidding.” Starlight nodded in agreement.

“So then we have their friend Pinkie Pie, who I guess is off to college somewhere...” Starlight shrugged.

“Not much to go on there...” Angel shrugged back at her.

There was a short pause before Starlight looked up from the notebook with serious eyes. “And then there’s Twilight Sparkle. She ended up marrying their friend Sunset Shimmer...”

“And Sunset Shimmer is the heir to the Shimmer Estate there in Canterlot right?” Angel asked for a reminder.

“Yup, her twin sister died a few years back, supposedly was a murder but all the details are sealed to the public. This girl reappears after years and coincidentally her adopted parents gave her the same name...” Starlight explained.

“Seems odd...” Angel placed a finger and a thumb upon her chin.

“Definitely. Insanely convenient if you ask me. Definitely, something being covered up there,” Starlight said.

“Didn’t Sunset go missing though?” Angel asked.

Starlight nodded. “Yeah, about three years ago. Up and vanishes leaves her wife and kid behind without a trace. No one filed her missing, not even her wife. People say she just couldn’t take the pressure of being a mom or something.”

Angel shook her head, rejecting that theory. “That doesn’t make sense. She had enough money to where it feels like if she wanted a fresh start she would have taken a lot of it with her.”

“I guess you’re right there... If I didn’t have to work anymore, I totally wouldn’t either.” Starlight leaned back in her seat with a chuckle.

“You hardly work now.” Angel smirked.

“Hey! Sometimes I just need a break!” Starlight protested.

“A twenty-minute break.” Angel snickered.

Starlight rolled her eyes and Angel sat there giggling at her for a few moments before they returned to the topic at hand.

“I don’t really see how any of this is connected to us, but if I had to pick out the most suspicious element, I’d say it’s Sunset Shimmer. I mean there are too many abnormalities there to ignore...” Angel admitted.

Starlight sat back against the table and stabbed her salad once more, feeling a little peckish still. “Very true.”

Angel ignored her friend’s rude table manners and continued. “The only problem is we can’t just go up and ask around with these girls, they will probably clam up the moment we start poking our nose in their business.”

Chewing a bite, Starlight nodded, talking with her mouth full once more. “Definitely.”

“And we can’t exactly find a missing girl that even the police can’t locate... And with no girl there to investigate, there’s nothing we can learn...” Angel sighed.

Starlight swallowed her bite and tapped the notebook. “So we should look into the dead girl.”

“Beg your pardon?” Angel raised a brow.

Wiping her mouth, Starlight turned the notebook to Angel and tapped the name “Sunset Shimmer” which was circled. “There were two Sunset Shimmers at one point, I say we should take a look into the dead one, find out what kind of person she was, she may be connected to all of this.”

“Not a bad idea...” Angel concurred.

“There’s bound to be a public record of where she’s buried, from there we can find anyone who knew her. We can say we were old friends since she’s dead no one can call bullshit, right?” Starlight suggested.

It was a sneaky plan, but they didn’t have anything to lose, and sneaky was part of Starlight’s nature after all. “Sounds like a good move. We should make some phone calls.”

“Yeah, let’s just hope we don’t have to dig up a grave or anything.” Starlight joked.

“You’re not serious, right?” Angel blinked, concern filling her eyes.

“Hey, maybe the missing Sunset is actually like the ghost of the original one, and we have to salt and burn the bones to make her go away?” Starlight smirked.

“You are joking...” Angel sighed in relief.

“Hey, it works in Supernatural.” Starlight shrugged.

“You have a dark sense of humor, has anyone ever told you that?” Angel winced just at the thought.

“Says you and all the therapists I’ve ever seen.” Starlight smirked.

Almost Three Years Ago

After finishing her mane, Starlight Glimmer looked herself in the mirror and sighed. While her situation was less than ideal, she had to admit, she found the dinner dress she had been instructed to wear very sexy. Expensive new earrings, a new black cocktail dress and silver hoof bracelets, and she was looking ready for a night on the town.

The only unfortunate part about it was that she would not be heading out, or even leaving the castle. The collar on her neck ensured that she would instead be spending the evening at the dinner table with Arax, the changeling she called master.

She wondered why he always had her dress up and wear expensive jewelry; not that she minded, but it seemed odd behavior for a master to treat his slave so much like a doting wife rather than a piece of meat.

That was the other part about him that was odd. Starlight challenged him all the time, trying to prove she was too tough for him to break her. She offered to sleep in his bed and claimed she could handle anything he threw at her, but he never did. Arax seemed to have virtually no interest in her on a sexual level. It was odd, he dressed her up as a sex object, but never violated her. She had told herself going into this that she wouldn’t show weakness and that meant she had to endure whatever torment he threw at her, but it had been surprisingly easy. If anything, she was treated as just a trophy wife.

What was going on in the mind of Arax, she wondered? Did he have the hots for Serenade instead? Was Starlight just a clever plot to make her jealous? She couldn’t imagine anyone seeking the eye of that creature, but she did have to admit she was at least attractive. Could beauty alone convince one to forget what a dreadful creature she was? She was a siren, perhaps he was under her spell?

It boggled her mind, but it didn’t matter. The reality was that she was his slave and he was her master and that was the nature of their relationship, even if it was not a typical slave situation. Then again, she wasn’t exactly sure what a typical slave situation was like either.

With her attractive dress, Starlight exhaled and stepped out of the room to head to the dining room where her master awaited. The walk was a decent one, and it reminded Starlight of how much free reign she was given. While she was forbidden from running away, she could explore all of Canterlot and was permitted to go where she liked when Arax didn’t request her somewhere. For a captive, she had a tremendous amount of freedom which bothered her. She was beginning to suspect that it was all somehow part of a trick by Arax.

Starlight was prepared for abuse, torture, rape even. She had told herself that she needed to be strong, so she could survive whatever he threw at her, but she was finding it to be easier than she had imagined.

Arax never raised a hoof to her, never locked her up, and certainly never even touched her inappropriately. Now and then he would rub under her chin or pet her head, but that was the extent of it.

Arriving at the dining room, Starlight bowed gently as she took note of the cloaked changeling at the table. He smiled at her, his fang ridden mouth looking as sinister as ever. In front of him was a mixture of papers and files that he must have been working on prior to Starlight’s entry.

He gestured for her to come closer which she did and bowed slightly to him. He gestured for her to present her hoof which she did. Carefully, he planted a kiss upon the hoof and then released it. Starlight blushed gently before sitting across from him, a plate of food already prepared for her.

A fresh dinner of arugula, steamed vegetables and white wine it seemed. Arax’s meal seemed relatively untouched, but half of his glass of wine was already downed. His red eyes focused entirely on the papers in front of him.

Starlight coughed and spoke up. “Why not take a break from all of that?”

He shook his head. “Serenade wants this stuff done, therefore I have to get it done.”

Sighing, Starlight gripped a fork in her right hoof. She decided to rephrase the question. “How about you just tell her you’re exhausted?”

He glared over at her with a squinted eye. “You must not have been paying close attention when you met her. Serenade isn’t one for excuses...”

That was an understatement. The creature ripped a young colt’s tongue out and let him bleed to death in front of his mother. Many words would describe Serenade, ruthless would be one, merciful would not.

“How did she get like that?” Starlight asked.

He looked up from his paperwork again with a squared eye. “Like what? A vicious bitch who is willing to murder anyone who gets in her way?”

“I was going to be more tactful than that, but yes.” Starlight rolled her eyes.

Arax shrugged and returned to the papers in front of him. “She’s always been like that, as long as I’ve known her.”

“How long have you worked with her?” Starlight asked.

“About five years now. I met her sometime before her plans to conquer Equestria. The mare I met though was just as vicious and evil as the one you know now though, so if you’re hoping to gain some insight on what goes on in that girl’s mind, you’re asking the wrong pony.” He smirked.

Arax could see right through her plan, but somehow he didn’t seem upset. For a creature that was the right hoof of an evil overlord, he was surprisingly a very agreeable guy. She could tell that he had a temper, but he always kept it under control.

“Can I ask you a personal question, Arax?” Starlight began.

“Master Arax,” he corrected with a raised hoof.

“Right, sorry... Master Arax... May I ask you a personal question?” She tried again.

“Go ahead.” He nodded.

“Do you not find me attractive or something?” Starlight asked.

He looked up from his papers, and that same confused look was stuck to his face. “What is this about?”

She blushed and looked away bashfully. “It’s just that you make me dress up in these outfits, parade me around, make me call you master, and yet you won’t even touch me. It’s pretty odd for someone that you are calling your slave to be treated with such... respect. What’s your aim here? What are you hoping to accomplish?”

He blinked but chewed his thoughts for a moment. “Not every pony takes in a slave with such lustrous intention, Starlight.”

“I get that, but you’re not making me do hard labor either, I don’t get it. You literally benefit nothing from this, so why bother?” She asked.

He shrugged. “Maybe I just enjoy your company.”

“Do you though?”

A smirk played his lips. “Why not wait to find out for yourself?”

Starlight’s mouth contorted to help form a face of pure confusion. She understood this changeling even less than she did moments ago.

His smirk turned into a genuine smile, however, and his next words surprised her. “You’re gorgeous though if that makes you feel better. Absolutely ravage-worthy.”

She blushed again and brushed at her cheek with her hoof. “Dinner and a movie first.” She winked.

“Trust me on this, you don’t want me to do anything like that,” Arax stated plainly.

“You think you’d break me? I’m stronger than that.” Starlight scowled.

He shook his head. “No, I’m more worried that I wouldn’t break you. A girl like you? I’d have to keep going rougher and rougher to break you... I don’t intend to hurt you if I don’t have to.”

“Then why am I here? Explain that to me.” Starlight squinted, his motivation was less clear.

He looked away. “I can’t tell you that, sorry. Just know you’re here for a good reason.”

Starlight came to a stand and pranced over to his side of the table. She took her hoof and shoved his paperwork away causing him to look up at her with a confused expression. The mare pushed his chair back and climbed atop of him, pressing her forehead to his.

The two were silent for eight awkward seconds before Starlight spoke. “You can’t break me. Whatever strange reason you keep me here doesn’t matter.”

“You clearly have something to prove,” Arax replied.

“Maybe I’m stronger than you?” Starlight grinned.

His hooves reached forward gripping her waist tightly. Starlight could feel the strength in his front hooves. While he didn’t look that impressive, his strength likely was more than the eye perceived.

Snaking a hoof down her back, he landed on her rear and gripped. Starlight blushed but kept her eyes locked with his.

“You’re my plaything and I can do with you as I see fit. You’d be wise to remember that...” He gave her a serious look.

His words suggested he was trying to show dominance over her, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe him. Even with his current actions, she still felt he was far too polite about it all.

Taking advantage of the situation, Starlight decided to exert just a little power over him using her feminine charm. Leaning in, she planted a kiss upon his lips. To her surprise, however, he not only allowed it to happen, he opened his mouth to intensify it. His snakelike tongue wrapped around her own, causing an excitement that Starlight had never known before. She was kissing a changeling, and one that had held her prisoner at that.

With his fangs, he nipped her lip gently as he squeezed her rear before breaking the kiss. Without warning he took his other hoof and pulled her in where he bit down hard on her neck, piercing the flesh with his fangs. She yelped but somehow the pain went away quickly, it was instead replaced with a euphoric feeling. She moaned in delight as he sucked.

She could feel the energy leaving her body, but she didn’t care. It was as if some kind of drug had been injected into her. After a few seconds, he released her. She shuddered in delight as her hoof reached up and touched her neck, feeling the fresh blood. “W-wow... That was...”

“Go shower and head to bed,” Arax commanded.

Nodding she hopped off of his lap. She was a bit dizzy, but she felt great like nothing mattered anymore. Was this the power of a changeling? He had fed off of her, but somehow she didn’t care, she wanted more. She had read somewhere that changelings could feed in this manner as well, but often didn’t because the experience was more intense, more intimate and left them more vulnerable.

Now, however, she was certain that some kind of chemical was released through their fangs into their prey because instead of pain, she felt pleasure. If he wanted to, he could have drained her to nothing, and she would have begged him to do so. It made sense now why he never bothered exerting authority over her; with just the nip of his fangs, he would have her willing to die at his command. His power over her was absolute in a way that didn’t require him to prove it. Something that Starlight had never considered.

She hobbled a bit, which caused Arax to sigh and step down from his seat and offer his hoof to guide her. She took it and allowed herself to be guided by him to the bathroom. The effects of his bite still strong on her mind, as even at that moment she could feel a slight tinge inside of her which made her want to beg him for more.

Her power play over him completely backfired and instead, she was now finding herself more at his mercy than when she began. She had to admit, it was a well-played move.

When they reached the bathroom, he guided her in and let her sit on the floor while he started a bath for her, deciding that she probably wasn’t in a condition to stand for the shower. As the water ran, he looked at her and noticed she was watching him carefully.

“You... You just enjoy toying with me, don’t you?” She asked, slowly coming down off of the high he had given her.

“You think that’s my reasoning?” He raised a brow.

“What other reasoning could there be?” She asked.

“If that were a case, I wouldn’t have waited for you to try that little stunt before showing you what I can do, would I? It would also hardly make the collar necessary, wouldn’t it?” He suggested.

She pieced it together in her own mind and repeated her thoughts out loud. “Because one bite would make it so I’d come running back to you against my will... The craving to be fed upon won’t stop, will it?”

He nodded. “Once you are bitten once, it’s like an addiction. You’ll always crave the bite of the one who bit you now and then.”

“Meaning that even if I ran away, I would come running back...” Starlight nodded.

“Exactly.” He smirked.

“And I’m guessing that you’re smart enough to know that Twilight would have figured out that you bit me and would never let me close enough to where she is so that I’d reveal their plans to you...” Starlight thought out loud.

“I know Twilight Sparkle is likely the paranoid type. If you suddenly showed back up, she would treat you with suspicion, maybe even lock you up to prevent you from getting back to me... She strikes me as calculating enough to not leave something like that to chance...” Arax agreed.

He was far smarter than he looked, perhaps even smarter than Serenade was. Was it possible that this changeling was the brains behind her operations? Serenade seemed more of the kill-first-ask-questions-later type after all.

“So why take me as your slave? What do you hope to benefit from that?” Starlight asked.

“Maybe you’ll figure it out in time, but for now, get cleaned up and head to bed, understand?” He pointed to the tub with a serious face.

Starlight clearly couldn’t hope to understand this creature just yet. Whatever secrets Arax had weren’t going to reveal themselves so easily.

Almost Three Years Ago

Carefully looking over a chessboard, Glitch levitated a knight on the board and moved it, knocking a pawn away and setting it aside. The armored pony looked up at Twilight with a nod. “Your move, Princess,” they spoke.

Twilight observed their move carefully, taking note of how aggressive Glitch was playing. At first, she assumed that they would bide their time, but it seemed as though they were going right for the attack, an odd strategy.

“That’s a bit of an aggressive playstyle don’t you think?” Twilight asked with a raised brow as she moved her next piece.

Glitch watched the board and moved accordingly. “One cannot win on the defensive forever, sometimes you need to attack and overwhelm your opponent. Attacks on top of other attacks, making focus impossible. In war, it is about outsmarting your enemy by not only anticipating their moves but anticipating their expectations of yourself.”

“Subverting expectation and then subverting those subversions... Clever indeed...” Twilight nodded, appreciating how cunning Glitch was being, it reminded her a bit of Discord’s line of thinking.

Stepping into the room was the orange tinted hooves of a familiar farmer, her hat removed from her golden blonde mane and pressed against her chest as she stepped inside with her head bowed. She approached Glitch from behind and cleared her throat. “Ahem...”

Glitch didn’t even turn to face her, instead, they kept their vision focused on the chessboard. “Welcome back, Applejack. Are you done with your tantrum?”

The farmer winced but held in her annoyance with Glitch’s badgering. She had earned that insult, and she knew it, even if it was difficult to admit.

“Yeah... ‘Ah’m sorry for how ‘Ah acted...” Applejack nodded.

“Apology accepted, now why are you here?” Glitch asked.

Applejack would be lying if she said the fact that Glitch wouldn’t even turn around and face her when she spoke didn’t piss her off, but she bit her tongue so hard she might have bitten it off if she applied any more pressure.

After she had calmed herself, she answered the question. “Well, ‘Ah wanted to let y’all know that ‘Ah’m still behind ya’. ‘Ah’ll do whatever y’all need me to, even if I’m not exactly keen on ya’.”

Glitch shrugged before levitating another piece on the board, taking another on Twilight’s pawns.

“What inspired this change?” Glitch questioned.

“If Twilight has faith in y’all, then ‘Ah need to put my faith in ya’ too.” Applejack stood up tall, trying to regain some of her pride.

Glitch lifted her queen and made a bold forward move with it, causing Twilight to give them a look of confusion as to why they would risk their queen so easily.

“Some of my methods are going to be disagreeable, Applejack. I can’t promise you’re going to like how I conduct business, but I do it the way I do to get results. I understand our enemy, I know how sirens tend to operate, and I have a bit of knowledge on demons, so you’ll have to trust my methods and not stand in the way, do we have an understanding?” Glitch questioned.

Applejack composed herself and nodded, albeit a bit hesitantly. “Yeah, we understand each other.”

Finally, Glitch turned around and faced the mare, Applejack’s reflection looking back at her from the pony’s visor. She was still curious as to what they looked like under that thing but knew that she likely wouldn’t find out.

“I don’t actually believe you mean that 100%, you know?” Glitch said. Applejack wasn’t a terrific fiber, and while there was some truth in her words, Glitch could tell that there was still a seed of doubt in her. It was to be expected though, after all, Glitch doubted the two would ever see eye to eye on everything.

Applejack grimaced and shrugged. “Either way, ‘Ah’ll do my best.”

Nodding Glitch returned to her game. “That’s good enough for me.”

“So am ‘Ah back to bein’ in on the plans?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, but as I said before, you’re still on a need-to-know basis just like everypony else.” Glitch took out one of Twilight’s knights.

“Can’t say ‘Ah enjoy that, but ‘Ah ain’t got no choice in the matter, so ‘Ah’ll make due,” Applejack replied.

“I suppose you will.”

Nearly Three Years Ago

Princess Twilight had retired to her quarters for some privacy. While sleep was not necessary at the facility, alone time was mandatory to keep one’s sanity at times. Her room was the only place where she would be certain she wouldn’t be bothered, and that was how she liked it.

With a quill in hoof, she scribbled in a diary. She missed magic, as her penmanship with her hoof was nowhere near as elegant, but her writing was more than legible.

Discord,

I feel like such a failure honestly. I’m relying on every trick I know just to stay in the fight, but I’d be lying if I said that Glitch didn’t play a huge role in our victory at Appleloosa. Without them, I was certain to fail. It’s a harsh truth that I feel as though I’m contributing little to this resistance effort beyond supplying the pony who would ultimately lead it.

Glitch’s ability to adapt to the situation far surpasses my own, and I suppose I’m a bit jealous.

Somewhere out there, you’re locked away being subjected to Celestia knows what by that fiend, Serenade and I’m sitting here waiting for a miracle it seems. I wish I could be more proactive, but all I can do is bide my time and wait for Glitch’s plans to come together.

There’s so much that I am not allowed to say even in a diary that I only intend for myself to read due to the rules we set in place when Glitch first arrived, but there’s so much I wish I could say. I feel wrong keeping secrets, but it’s what I must do.

It’s clear that Applejack doesn’t approve of Glitch that much, and that will likely continue to cause tension between the two.

I wish you were here, Celestia and you both.

Setting her quill down, Twilight read over her letter to herself in her diary and nodded. While she wished she could voice her feelings out loud, sometimes just writing them down was enough.

The sound of her door opening and closing caused the mare to jump and flinch as she attempted to hide her dairy in haste, but it was too late. Sunset Shimmer had entered her room and shut the door behind her before removing the helmet of her suit.

It was a strange thing to Twilight, when Glitch would turn into Sunset Shimmer when they entered a private area, but she would turn back into Glitch the moment she left.

Sunset smirked and levitated the dairy out of Twilight’s reach, causing the mare to lift her hooves in the air attempting to grab it back, only to fail.

The book floated over to Sunset who flipped it open and spent a few seconds reading over Twilight’s latest entry. The Princess of Friendship merely sat still and waited for Sunset to return the book, knowing that attempting to make her cease reading it was pointless.

After she finished the page, Sunset tossed the book back to the Princess, who caught it.

“You could have told me you felt that way, you know?” Sunset asked.

Twilight looked away bashfully before setting the book on the desk she was sitting at. “It’s not an easy subject to broach. Besides, sometimes I just write feelings down to deal with them internally. It just feels good sometimes to let things out even if it’s to a piece of paper.”

“I know the feeling for sure...” Sunset rubbed her neck, a bit uncomfortable as she recalled plenty of times where she probably should have written her feelings down instead of letting those feelings consume her.

“Still, you should have said something.” Sunset frowned.

“We’re not exactly on the most friendly terms right now, in case you’ve forgotten...” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“No, we’re not. However, I’m not a heartless bitch, Twilight. I hate what you’ve forced me to do, but we’re here now and I don’t intend to spend this entire time hating your guts. I’ve got enough problems to deal with, like how to get that farmpony off my ass.” Sunset gave the Princess a serious glare.

Twilight somehow already knew that the logical part of Sunset was in control at this point and that she likely wouldn’t confront the emotional part of herself that despised Twilight until after Serenade was beaten. For now, they would work together until Equestria was saved, then they likely would end up hating each other when it was all over. Twilight could accept that outcome though, she had made peace with it.

“Maybe not, but don’t think I enjoyed what I did, Sunset. Maybe if I had the guidance at the time I might have done something different, but I didn’t...” Twilight drooped a bit.

“Discord, right? You were talking to him in your little letter there.” Sunset pointed to the dairy.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, he was a mentor to me after Celestia. He taught me all he knew about chaos magic and how to think outside the box.”

“Sounds like you care about him a lot?” Sunset asked as she sat down.

Twilight nodded once more. She missed his guidance for sure. “I wish he was here to guide me. I spent a long time locked in the training area of this facility with him. He taught me so much, and I guess you could say we finally became friends. I learned to get past his oddities, such as his inability to take anything seriously.”

“Sounds like a frustrating guy to be around.” Sunset smirked.

“He is at times, but he means well.” Twilight smiled, never imagining in her life she would be defending Discord. “That’s why I wear his emblem because he taught me things that Celestia could not. I just wish I could save him from Serenade, he gave himself up to protect me,” Twilight explained.

Sunset let out a sigh before coming to a stand and nodding. “I’ll see what I can do, Princess.”

“Huh? What?” Twilight blinked.

“You’re no good to me when you’re demotivated as you are; I need you operating at full steam.” Sunset grinned.

Twilight hadn’t a clue what she was about to do, but somehow she suspected it was going to make things a lot more complicated.

Author's Note

Finally, we get to compare the two Starlights!

So, as you may notice their personalities differ slightly. The pony Starlight has a lot more confidence, likely boosted by the support network around her. She knows she’s an attractive girl, and that she’s smart to boot. Her human counterpart seems to lack confidence in both of these areas due to her social awkwardness getting the better of her at times. She’s far from an ugly girl, but she lets her mouth get her into trouble.

Writing dialogue between Arax and Starlight is insanely amusing, but often times I don’t think people understand it. While it certainly comes off as “flirting” at first glance it’s more of bravado. The two of them puff out their chests and try to show the other one who is tougher or bolder. It’s sort of their way of interacting that only they understand.

Act VI - Chapter LXXXIV: Discord

Chapter LXXXIV: Discord

A long few nights of coffee, energy drinks and snacks had left Moondancer exhausted. Her assistance in Sunset’s conquest over Serenade was nearing its conclusion. In the coming days she would know if they were successful, or if all of Equestria and then all of humanity was doomed. Sunset had to win, or it would likely mean the end of both worlds as there was no telling what Serenade would do.

The only thing that Moondancer thought she could do to save the world if Sunset lost was to destroy the portal itself, but even that was no guarantee. For all they knew, a new mirror could be made, or others existed. There was also no telling if Serenade’s power would ever become great enough to where she could just open a portal herself.

Opening a portal between worlds as far Moondancer understood it was a feat that would take a tremendous amount of power, but Serenade definitely fit into the category of creature that was likely to be strong enough to pull it off.

Despite Sunset insisting that such a thing was likely impossible even with Serenade’s impressive abilities, Moondancer couldn’t be sure. She had to be ready for anything.

She thought back to when her and Sonata spoke when they first met. How the girl trusted her, how she had faith in her. It was an odd feeling at first, but she didn’t want to let her down. Sonata saw her as a friend and that meant she had to do her best not to let her down just like Shimmer always told her. Friendship meant you always had to give everything your best for your friends.

Nodding in agreement with herself, Moondancer sighed contently as she opened the drawer in the room and peered at the gun that was left there. Carefully, she picked it up and stared at it. The last time she had almost used a gun was to nearly kill Adagio. Sunset had talked her out of that, but now she ironically was telling her she might have to use the same gun to end Adagio’s sister.

For the past three years she occasionally wondered if she could even pull the trigger if she needed to. She had told herself she would do what was necessary, but was that actually true? Could she actually end the life of another? Even if Serenade was a murdering psychopath, Moondancer wondered if she had what it took. She wasn’t strong like Sunset was, after all.

Removing the clip, Moondancer examined it and determined once again that it was fully loaded. Letting out an exhale, she decided there and then what she would need to do. If Serenade came through that portal, she would unload an entire clip on her to make sure she was truly dead and then destroy the portal behind her. That was what she needed to do, there was no “ifs” about it. She would push herself to her limits.

The bookworm reloaded the weapon and placed it on the table. From there, she lifted her arm and sniffed under her armpit. She smelled horrid, but that was to be expected as she had been up so long. She wondered when the last time she had washed the white undershirt she was wearing was, but determined it was likely days ago.

Yawning, the girl checked the clock, noting it was 8 AM. A shower sounded divine, but she knew she probably should get in touch with Sunset and do some last minute diagnostics. Sunset would need every advantage she could get after all.

With a grumble, Moondancer booted up a program designed to automatically check for issues with the suit and report them back to her. Yawning, she pushed herself away from the desk and wandered over to the coffee maker to refill her cup decorated with teddy bears and with laziness in her step, she made it to the pot only to find it was only partially full, enough to fill perhaps half a cup with lukewarm black liquid.

She shrugged and poured a healthy helping of skim milk in, figuring it would at least fill the cup, albeit make the coffee cold. Once she had the milk in, she threw about eight cubes of sugar in and wandered back to her desk already sipping on the liquid energy. She caught a glimpse of herself in the monitor and giggled. She looked about how Shimmer always remembered her: a mess, though Shimmer would describe her as a “hot” mess. Sunset had said she looked “cute” when she was working like this though.

She had come to appreciate her signature look though. Messy hair, very non-form fitting outfits, and her cute glasses that never seemed to sit right. Before, Moondancer never thought of herself as attractive, but now she knew that she just had a different kind of charm.

Moondancer had considered dating again, but she didn’t even know where to begin. While she still loved Shimmer deeply, it had been years since her death now and she had moved past it. While she still wished she could be with her, the pain was mostly gone now. She was ready to meet someone again, but she wasn’t in a hurry. She’d let them come to her, and that was just fine.

A smile came to her face as she considered what Shimmer would say about her if she could see her at that moment. Probably that she was proud of her, and that she was excited that Moondancer was a part of something as big as taking down Serenade. Truthfully it was her greatest achievement thus far shy of being with Shimmer in the first place.

She wondered how Twilight was taking it all, but then quickly pushed the idea out of her head as guilt was starting to overtake her at just the thought of Twilight Shimmer. The poor girl was raising Sunset’s daughter without even an inkling on where Sunset was, and yet Moondancer knew everything and was saying nothing. She had the power to do something, but she wasn’t.

It wasn’t her place though. Sunset had to tell her own family what she was up to and if she didn’t want Twilight involved, that was her business.

Sighing, she placed her headset back on and began to speak. “Alright, good morning Sunset, how are you holding up?”

The deeper voice of her friend Sunset answered. “I’m doing alright, just ready to get this done. Hard to believe this may actually be over soon.”

“You and me both, Princess Twilight, what about you, are you up and about?” Moondancer asked.

The voice of the princess answered on the secondary headset that she had provided Sunset with. “Yeah, I’m here. Ready to go when you two are.”

Moondancer sighed and nodded. “Alright, let’s do some last minute checks and we’ll get started.”

It felt good to be home after a long overnight shift, and Angel Song was taking advantage of it. She sat down and yawned, as she hadn’t slept in so long. Her life had changed so much in the past few years to the point of insanity almost. Most of their off time they spent traveling, looking for answers to the mystery that was Starlight and her power.

They would be away for days at a time but return in time for work. How they managed to budget it all was incredible to Angel, but it meant they had little time to unwind most of the time.

Angel set her bag down and loosened her tie before leaning back on the couch and throwing her head back, her long blue curly hair cascading over the back of the couch. With a sigh of content, Angel closed her eyes, only to open them again a few seconds later when the sound of footsteps rang through the small hallway. Footsteps that she already knew belonged to her roommate.

Peering over at Starlight, Angel noticed she was only wearing a button up shirt that was a size or two too large and it was unbuttoned halfway, exposing her breasts to Angel who gestured with her hand for the girl to cover up. On her legs, she was only sporting a black pair of lacy panties.

The girl’s hair was a complete mess and her eyeliner was the definition of “fucked up”, but she didn’t seem to care as a silly grin was plastered on her face as she sat down on the loveseat and nodded at Angel. “Sup?”

Angel sat up and gave her a squared eye. “I take it things went well?”

“Oh, they went very well...” Starlight nodded happily.

“So are you dating him now?” Angel snickered.

“After a fuck like that? I wanna marry him...” Starlight smirked.

Angel laughed and rolled her eyes. “He didn’t seem that experienced... I mean you said yourself he wasn’t exactly a ladies man.”

Starlight nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he’s only been with two girls, but sweetie, what he lacks in experience he makes up in effort. That boy ate me out like I was a buffet...”

“That’s gross.” Angel make a fake gag.

“Angel, I kid you not... eight times, just from the foreplay...” Starlight shuddered in delight just remembering the experience. “He either got really lucky, or I was just really feeling it, but I’m pretty sure he was hitting my spot every time. I couldn’t even walk after it was finally over.”

“Again, unneeded details...” Angel shook her head, trying to get the mental images of Starlight on her back moaning out of her head.

“You’re my gal pal, you’re supposed to listen and go ooo and ahhh about this stuff, damn it!” Starlight protested.

Sighing, Angel shook her head. “Okay fine... Do you love him?”

Starlight nodded. “Yeah, I feel like I always did since we were kids, but now I’m very sure about it.”

Angel bit her lip. “You know that means he will have to find out about our... Situation, right?”

The thought had crossed Starlight’s mind. She knew that if Sunburst was to be a part of her life that she would need to drop the whole “I have magic powers” thing on him, but it wasn’t an easy topic to bring up.

When the two of them arrived at her apartment they didn’t even get a chance to talk, as Starlight’s raging hormones had taken over and she mauled him the moment the door closed. The memory was still vivid in her mind, her pressing him against the door as she locked lips with him, his hand running down her back, and her hand reaching down to feel his bulge.

She shook her head, not trying to get hot and bothered a second time. “Yeah, I know... I just don’t know how to tell him...” Starlight frowned as she watched Angel shift around in a bowl on the coffee table where the two kept various oddities.

Angel blinked and coughed as she retrieved an object from the table. “Well... You may have to tell him sooner rather than later...”

“Why’s that?” Starlight tilted her head.

Angel tossed her a familiar ring of pills. Starlight caught it and noticed that there was one too many before she could feel a cold sweat run down her neck.

“Because he may be a dad soon...” Angel replied.

Almost Three Years Ago

Glitch had called yet another meeting among Aria, Sonata, Twilight, and Applejack which left all of them perplexed. It had only been a single day since her last planning session where she discussed their upcoming plans to steal an airship from Trottingham’s shipyard. Applejack wondered what she could possibly be planning now, or what matters required further discussion among the group.

Looking around the room, it seemed as though the others were just as confused as she was, leading her to believe that what was to come was not planned or discussed with even Princess Twilight.

That brought up an interesting thought to Applejack, how much of Glitch’s plans was Twilight in on prior to them happening, and how much of them was Twilight just going along with without any prior knowledge. Was Glitch keeping secrets from even Twilight? No doubt existed in Applejack’s mind that Twilight knew who was under that helmet. She was privy to the stallion in the armor, and she wouldn’t tell anypony about them.

This meant that Sonata and Aria also knew who Glitch was, and no doubt they were in a similar position as Twilight, which annoyed Applejack. These two strangers were more in on what was happening than her, Twilight’s longtime friend.

Applejack crossed her hooves and closed her eyes, wondering what Rainbow Dash would have to say about all of this. Surely, the loyal mare would be annoyed with Twilight’s behavior, right? She was showing more loyalty to these complete strangers than her own friends. Was Glitch influencing her behavior? That was a distinct possibility after all. Glitch still had magic, and strange technology which none of them would explain where it came from.

That kind of armor that Glitch wore didn’t exist in Equestria, and Applejack knew that. They had to have gone through some shady means to acquire it. Judging by the look of it, it had to be custom made.

Applejack wondered if it had been built by creatures outside of Equestria. Truthfully, she wasn’t too worldly and had no idea how most of the world lived. Was it possible that other species that lived outside of Equestria were enjoying technological advances that Equestria only dreamed of? She briefly recalled hearing stories of how dragons who lived outside of the dragon lands lived in clans and many of them were quite impressive blacksmiths. When she was a teenager she had seen a serrated blade crafted from the Far East by dragons.

Her grandmother had told her that the blade was designed for slicing on one side and sawing through bone and thick dragon hide on the other side, and it had made her cringe just thinking about it.

Stories echoed across Equestria of the kind of armor that dragons could build, but none of it even sounded close to what Glitch was sporting. Dragon armor was light and often full of opening as it was a trade-off to keep mobility, but Glitch’s armor was thick and while the pony had full mobility, it offered no weak spots. Not a single spot on their body was exposed. It was excellent craftsmanship and the hard worker in Applejack could appreciate that.

Glitch didn’t seem like much of a craftsman themself, so Applejack assumed somepony else had to have built it.

Looking at Aria, Sonata and Princess Twilight, Applejack could see that all of them were carrying similar tech on them, though far from the advanced piece of equipment that Glitch was carrying.

Twilight made eye contact with Applejack which caused the farmer to look away, hoping to avoid conversation as she wasn’t in the mood to have her brain picked at that moment and she knew that Twilight could detect deep thinking from just a glance.

Her mind wandered onto Serenade next. Glitch’s suit was impressive, but Applejack had gotten a small taste of Serenade’s power, there was no way that a fancy suit of armor would make a difference against her. That demon could rip it apart like scraps of metal and probably snap the bones of the pony inside of it without even trying. Serenade’s power was massive, and Applejack wondered if Glitch even had an idea of how strong she truly was.

Her thoughts would be cut short, however, as Glitch finally made their entrance, nodding at Twilight, Aria, and Sonata and then finally at Applejack last. The two shared a long glance at each other before Glitch turned away and took their seat at the head of the table.

They waited for a second before speaking with that annoying synthetic voice they had. Applejack desperately wanted to know what their true voice sounded like.

“Good morning, everypony. It’s good to see everypony is still in good spirits...” Glitch began.

“What’s goin’ on, Glitch?” Applejack asked.

Glitch clearly knew that Applejack would be the first to question the reason for their summoning, and it was obvious as well that they had already planned for that.

Nodding, Glitch glanced at the rest of the group. “Alright, we’ll skip the pleasantries. As you all know, we are going to begin our operation to commandeer an airship in some time from now...”

“Yeah, so why are we meeting now if that’s not for a while?” Aria raised a brow with her question.

Glitch placed their hooves on the table creating a gentle clank sound as the metal touched the table.

“We have another mission that we’re going to partake in before that goes down,” Glitch explained.

Twilight seemed noticeably nervous about those words, to the point where Applejack even noticed she was getting fidgety. The two of them must have talked about something prior that gave Twilight reason to be nervous.

“What mission?” Sonata asked.

Glitch tossed a map onto the table with a spot on it circled. It was in a section in the northern part of Equestria, one that none of them were tremendously familiar with. “My intel says that Discord, Twilight’s mentor is being kept in a place called Horseshoe Keep. It’s a prison designed for mystic creatures such as him, and it looks like Serenade kept him alive there for whatever reason, my guess is to try and squeeze him for information.”

Twilight blinked and leaned forward with her hooves on the table. “I object to this mission!”

Glitch shook their head. “You haven’t even heard what is happening yet...”

“And I don’t need to! I know exactly what you’re about to suggest.” Twilight shook her head.

“Good for you, now stand down, Twilight.” Glitch commanded.

Applejack chimed in, unsure of why the two were arguing, but she did know that Glitch shouldn’t be commanding around the Princess of Friendship like that. At that moment, Twilight was the only authority left in Equestria.

“With all due respect, Glitch, y’all are outta’ line.”

Glitch shrugged. “Thanks for the input, Applejack. However, I’m calling the shots around here, that was agreed upon already.”

“Fuck you! ‘Ah never agreed to that! On top of that, Twilight here is the rightful ruler to Equestria right now, y’all can’t just-“ Applejack began.

“In case you haven’t noticed, there is no Equestria anymore. As of the fall of Equestria, she’s nothing more than another mare now,” Glitch replied.

Applejack was fuming already, her temper already taking control of her mouth, causing her to simply spew out her thoughts without filter. “Who the fuck do y’all think ya’ are!? Ya’ can’t just walk in here and call the shots and tell everypony else t’ just pound sand!”

Glitch stood up and walked around the table and came to Applejack’s face, only inches away, Applejack could see her own reflection the pony’s black visor. She wanted to turn around and buck them right in their stupid face, but a part of her knew that the helmet they were wearing would likely just hurt her hooves.

“Listen to me, I’m not really in the mood for your attitude today, so you’re either going to sit down or I’m going to lay you down. I don’t have time for this bullshit today,” Glitch spoke.

Their synthetic voice made it difficult to tell how much venom was in their words, but Applejack suspected a lot.

“Why not take off that suit an’ ‘Ah’ll kick yer’ ass so hard yer’ granny’ll feel it?” Applejack responded.

“Take your best shot, tough girl. I’m in charge around here, and while you can give your input, I am not obligated to give two crocks of shit about it. Sit the fuck down before you do something you’ll regret.” Glitch pointed to the chair.

Instead, Applejack puffed out her chest and inched closer. “What gives y’all the right? Why do y’all get to tell everypony what to do? We’ve all lost more than y’all, ya’ know? What have y’all given up that gives ya’ the room to do whatever ya’ want?”

Twilight upon hearing those words chimed in, clearly taking objection to Applejack’s words. “Applejack! That’s enough.”

“But, ‘Ah was defendin’ ya’.” Applejack raised a confused brow.

Twilight just shook her head. “It’s fine. Glitch knows what they are doing, I just have my own personal objections, but they are right... I’m not in charge here... Glitch is.”

“Why him!? Fuck this tin can wearin’ asshole! Twilight, yer’ the leader, y’all have always been. Why are ya’ lettin’ this pathetic excuse of a stallion push ya’ around?” Applejack questioned, curious as to what would make Twilight Sparkle bow down to another pony’s will.

The Princess frowned and looked away. “It was part of our agreement. I took things from Glitch... Things I can’t give back. They have a bigger stake in this than you realize. They’ve already proven how committed they are, just please... Let them do what they need to do...”

Applejack frowned, but felt her temper slowly fade, not wanting to upset Twilight further. She looked back at Glitch who was standing perfectly still then at her seat.

“Twilight, ya’ don’t owe this puke anything...” Applejack attempted to reason.

“I do, but even so, I have very little magic left, Applejack. Glitch has a fresh supply, perhaps the only magic left in Equestria. They have given us a small army, they’ve saved Appleloosa and even killed one of Serenade’s advisors... And they did it with very few resources. The reality is that without Glitch we wouldn’t have even made it this far...” Twilight explained.

As much as she wanted to argue, Applejack couldn’t deny any of that logic. Glitch had done quite a bit in a small time span, but that didn’t mean Applejack had to like them.

Accepting defeat, Applejack sat down and crossed her hooves, her emerald eyes locked on the armored pony who trotted back to their seat and sat down and clearing their throat. “Right, as I was saying... Horseshoe Keep is where Discord is being kept...”

“And you’re suggesting we break him out?” Twilight guessed.

Her assumption was correct, as Glitch nodded. “Yes, a small team will sneak in and help him escape.”

“And you’re doing this because of me... That’s what I take objection to.” Twilight shook her head.

Glitch shrugged. “I’ll admit, that I am doing this on your behalf.”

“And I’m not comfortable with that. You’re risking pony’s lives for my desires and that is not ideal. I won’t be responsible for the harm of others like that, Glitch.” Twilight crossed her hooves.

“Your opinion is noted, but I really don’t care about your thoughts on the matter right now.” Glitch shrugged once more.

“Harsh...” Aria coughed.

Twilight looked away in shame.

“The reality is, you’re distracted without your mentor, and I need you at your top form. Having him around will get you back on track, not to mention he could prove a valuable trainer and tactician for our army. I see only benefits all around, but yes one of the reasons is because I wanted to get him back for you...” Glitch stated.

“You don’t have to do that for me... This isn’t right...” Twilight kept her eyes averted from Glitch.

“I’ll do whatever I see fit, Twilight and you’d be wise to remember that,” Glitch stated.

Twilight wanted to protest more but knew that it was a waste of time. The reality she was in was one where Glitch held all the cards and that meant that Twilight would have to do as Glitch desired. Their motivation for wanting to do something on Twilight’s behalf perplexed her though.

The Princess of Friendship knew that under that mask, behind that armor was the face of Sunset Shimmer, who admittedly wasn’t particularly fond of Twilight at this point. It didn’t make a lot of sense that she was going out of her way to help her.

Twilight nodded, but did take notice of Applejack biting her tongue as she sat in painful silence. Twilight knew it was taking all she had to hold in her rage, but a part of the mare was proud of the farmer for being able to do so, as she knew that Glitch was being beyond frustrating.

Aria had spent the time that the group was bickering to actually take a few looks at the map that Glitch had produced and try to make sense of their plan. With how long the entire ordeal had taken, she had found the time to go over the map in a decent amount of detail and thus was able to raise a point.

The siren cleared her throat and began. “That’s all fine and good, but this place is a fortress, Glitch. If Discord is in there, it’s not going to be easy to get him out. No doubt if we show up with an army to brute force our way in, they’ll just tighten up security in a pinch.”

Glitch pointed at her and nodded approvingly. “That’s more like it; we should be focused on how to make things happen, Applejack and Twilight, you both should be taking notes, you could learn a thing or two from Aria over here.”

Both Twilight and Applejack met eyes, and Twilight’s glare was definitely one of shame, but Applejack’s only showed how incredulous she had become from that comment. Who was Glitch to suggest that she take notes from a siren of all things?

The comment went without a retort thankfully, and the group was able to continue conducting business. “You’re correct in that the keep is not going to be easy to get into, but there is a flaw in the security that I have discerned.”

“Leave it to Glitch to find a way through an impenetrable fortress! Way to go!” Sonata smiled and chimed in.

Glitch shook their head. “It won’t be that easy, Sonata. See, the dungeon where I am certain Discord is being held has a security override. Two magic stones create a locking mechanism and one of them is just in front of the gate that opens the basement door.”

“So I assume you’re suggesting we override the spell by having two ponies activate the stones at one time?” Aria asked.

Pointing once again to her with an approving nod, Glitch offered her praise. “You’re spot on today, Aria. Yes.”

Twilight was starting to understand her plan. “So in that case... We won’t need an army?”

Glitch nodded. “Correct, just a small task force to get the job done.”

“So we sneak in with a hoofful of ponies and break Discord out?” Applejack asked, hoping she was following this asinine plan.

“Yup,” Glitch replied.

“Can’t say that ‘Ah’m too keen on that massive pain in the behind comin’ back, or that ‘Ah’m thrilled at the idea that we’re riskin’ our keisters fer’ him, but ‘Ah also can’t deny that y’all got some valid points. Discord does think outside the box, and while ‘Ah’m not a fan of y’all, Twilight learnin’ that from him brought ya’ to us, and you have been doin’ a bang-up job...” Applejack rubbed her neck, not enjoying being humble toward Glitch.

To her good fortune, Glitch didn’t seem interested in rubbing it in. Instead, they shrugged. “Thank you, Applejack, but it won’t be me leading this mission.”

“Really? Then who?” Sonata blinked.

Glitch’s armored hoof pointed in Twilight’s direction. “Twilight will be in charge. So long as you follow the plan that I outlined, you should be alright. The facility has holes in its security that will allow you to slip through undetected. The dungeon itself is not that heavily guarded from the inside. You get in, get Discord, and escape through the emergency tunnel exit that I circled on the map.”

Twilight looked down at the map and gulped. Glitch’s plan was incredibly detailed, right down to the last thing, but Twilight still felt nervous that she couldn’t pull it off with the same finesse. Still, she had to be strong for the others, so she sat up straight and nodded. “I won’t let you down, Glitch.”

“Excellent, consider this meeting dismissed, you all head out in a few hours.” Glitch waved their hoof to gesture for them all to leave.

Sonata and Aria were the first to go, gently chatting about how exciting this all was as they made their exit, followed by Applejack who kept a good eight feet behind them to avoid being dragged into any conversation.

As Twilight got up to leave as well, Glitch’s voice rang in her ears. “Hold up for a second, Twilight.”

Twilight looked back at the armored pony as her hoof was just about the reach for the door. She raised a brow of confusion.

“Shut the door for me...” Glitch nodded.

Sighing, Twilight did as she was told and shut the door, locking it promptly after. She turned around and looked at Glitch with uncertain eyes.

“Please, sit.” Glitch gestured.

Another long sigh came out of Twilight as she nodded and sat down in the offered chair. Only seconds later, Glitch began by tapping their chest, making the helmet upon their head vanish and revealing the face and long red mane of Sunset Shimmer.

Since the start of their conquest, Sunset had really started to let her mane go, and it was starting to become a bit shaggy, but it was a look that suited her. Her powerful eyes were as serious as ever though.

“You have some reservations about this mission?” Sunset asked.

Twilight nodded. “I don’t feel comfortable with the idea of others risking their lives over my desires...”

“You need to focus, Twilight and you’re not going to do that unless you are free of distractions. Discord being back will motivate you,” Sunset explained.

“I don’t know about that...” Twilight shook her head.

“I know you have feelings for him, Twilight,” Sunset bluntly accused.

Twilight stammered for a moment, unsure of how to respond to such a statement. “I-I... What?”

“Maybe you won’t admit it, but I can tell that you feel strongly enough to where you’ll be distracted so long as he’s away,” Sunset stated as she ran a hoof through her sloppy mane.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know what I feel, but I do know that I’m going to follow my orders as best I can. I am going to do my part...”

Sunset nodded. “That’s good to hear, hopefully this mission proves your resolve will pay off. If all goes according to plan, Discord will be in this facility by late tomorrow.”

While she still had her reservations, Twilight actually hoped it was true.

Starlight paced back and forth checking her watch frantically. She looked over at Angel who was staring at the pregnancy strip that Starlight had utilized only seconds ago. She lost her nerve when had finished her business and demanded that Angel read the results for her.

“Is it done yet?” Starlight asked shakily.

Angel rolled her eyes and smirked. “It’s been literally eight seconds...”

“This is a long fucking eight seconds!” Starlight groaned.

“You really should learn a thing or two about patience, you know I saw a program on TV about a guy who was always fidgeting but then started an orange farm and now he’s got the patience of a saint.” Angel gave an approving point to Starlight as she said that last bit.

Running both of her hands through her silky hair, Starlight shook her head. “Great, I’ll just ask Sunburst to marry me and we’ll go live on a fucking orange farm to raise our love child and everything will be hunky-dory.”

“Sarcasm is a relatively common coping mechanism.” Angel snickered, somewhat enjoying how flustered Starlight was.

“You don’t say!?” Starlight roared.

More snickers escaped Angel. “I see you’re coping just fine.”

“Can we just get on with this? I need to find out how much more I should be panicking right now...” Starlight hissed.

Deciding not to tease her anymore, Angel sighed and looked back down at the strip. By now it had been a good minute or so, and the results were in. She stared at the space and sure enough, the two lines that were expected to appear did indeed appear.

“Well, that settles it... You’re pregnant...” Angel stated calmly before setting the test on the table and placing her hands in her lap.

“There’s no way! You have to have read it wrong!” Starlight shook her head in disbelief.

Angel sighed. “Starlight, there are only two possible outcomes.”

“Maybe we took the test too early!” Starlight said.

Angel shook her head. “It’s been a good week or so since your last period, the reality is that you’re pregnant.”

Starlight blinked a few times and sat down on the couch next to Angel, resting her hands on the knees of her torn jeans before exhaling. The girl shook her head lightly as she contemplated her situation.

“What am I going to do, Angel?” Starlight asked.

Angel shrugged. “Hard to say, I’ve never been pregnant...”

“Me neither, until now obviously. As if my life wasn’t complicated enough with everything going on...” Starlight shook her head.

Angel reached forward and placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder, offering her a smile from the side that Starlight just barely caught. “Hey, it’s not the end of the world...”

“Yes, it is...” Starlight sighed.

Angel shook her head in disagreement. “No, it isn’t. You said it yourself that you care about Sunburst right?”

“I love him...” Starlight admitted.

It was something that both of them knew but hadn’t been acknowledged out loud.

“Then tell him... You two can plan this together, he deserves to know...” Angel said quietly.

That was exactly what Starlight was afraid of.

“What if... He runs away? I mean, I spent so long trying to not scare guys away with the stupid shit that comes out of my mouth, and now I have to worry about the shit that comes out of my vagina doing the same?” Starlight frowned.

Angel held in her giggles.

“If he cares about you, he’ll stay. You have to have faith in him, do you have faith in him?”

Starlight paused, having to think about it for a moment. Sunburst had been for her when she was a child. They did everything together, and he had always been there when she needed a shoulder to cry on and he had always gone out of his way for her. The boy offered to donate a kidney once when she was in the hospital. Thankfully she didn’t need it, but she could tell he was serious.

They had done so much together, and only a little over a week ago, the two had made love. It was different than other experiences as well. While she had played it off as purely pleasurable, but it was more than that, it was sensual, romantic even. There was a connection there that neither of them could deny.

She would be lying if she said she wasn’t somewhat happy about the entire thing. She was going through an uncontrollable cocktail of volatile emotions.

Starlight took a breath and nodded. “Yeah, I do... I love him, and you’re right... He deserves to know.”

Angel giggled and offered a hug to her friend which was taken almost instantly. Starlight squeezed tight onto the girl. Angel was scrawny and somewhat bony, but she was a good hugger, tight and firm, and she nuzzled into them properly. It was a crime that she lacked a boyfriend really.

“No matter what happens, I’m going to be here for you, Starlight. I’ll be your new kid’s aunt.” Angel nuzzled.

Those words put her at ease. “Thank you, Angel... That means a lot to me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Releasing her from the hug, Angel smiled at her as she rested her hands on her lap, her simple dress complimenting her form. She was so cute.

“You’re my best friend, Angel Song... I don’t think I could do any of this without you,” Starlight spoke.

“Everything is going to be fine, I promise.” Angel smiled.

“Only one other hurdle to overcome...” Starlight bit her lip and looked away as she chewed at her thumbnail.

“Which is?” Angel asked.

“Telling Sunburst that we have supernatural powers...” Starlight smiled sheepishly.

Almost Three Years Ago

Never in a million years did Eclipse imagine that a simple earring would give him such a huge headway in his quest to find a way out of Canterlot. A card game that had ended in his favor had won him the lucky earring of a rather brutish type and desperate to obtain it back, the stallion pleaded with Eclipse.

The only thing the young gay stallion was interested in, however, was a way to get out of Canterlot. Luckily for Eclipse and the stallion he had won the earring off of, the older pony had information about a rebel group that met in the sewers under Canterlot. He had been told how to get there and when they met in exchange for the earring back.

The entrance was far at the other side of the district, and they met at night sometime after curfew which meant braving the streets after Serenade had forbidden any pony to be out.

Eclipse took a deep breath and placed his hoof on the door of his residence but paused to look out the small window upon the door. There walking down the street with a sloth-like step and an oozing trail was the sight of a creature that Eclipse had been warned to avoid like the plague.

The body resembled a pony only vaguely, but its skin was hairless and slimy. It even left a small bit of black residue everywhere it went.

Its eyes had molded shut from whatever coated its body, but it had a big gaping jaw with black fangs as it stuck its head in the air and made what resembled a gasping sound. Most of the younger ponies in the area said that the beast was screaming in agony, a side effect of the never-ending torment that Serenade had put them through.

Its most important feature, however, were its long tendrils that stretched out a good four feet. They whipped and felt all over, looking for prey to ensnare. These appendages acted as its eyes, using touch and sound to find targets. They would strangle and pull any in to be devoured that dared cross its path.

These were what they knew as wraiths, they only came out at night, wandering aimlessly as they searched for any dumb enough to head outside after curfew. They were the minions of Serenade that kept order in her absence, or at least as much order that could be kept.

At one point, they were ponies, but they had been transformed into these husks by dark energy. Nopony truly knew the full process, but it was rumored to be not only incredibly painful but horrifying.

Eclipse watched carefully as the creature passed his home and moved onto the next area that it was to patrol. He let out a breath and composed himself, trying to mentally prepare for heading outside. Once he had gotten himself to a calmed state, he gently opened his door and flipped the hood of his black hoodie up and made his way toward the sewer entrance he had been told about.

The number of guards out that night was minimal, so he was able to easily traverse the main streets until one of the wraiths crossed his path. He covered his mouth and slowed his breathing so that the creature wouldn’t hear him.

The beast meandered around for a few minutes searching inside of trash cans. It was evident that these creatures weren’t that smart, which he supposed was at least beneficial to him.

He took a step back and heard some leaves crunch under his hoof, causing a cold sweat to run down his neck. He gulped and kept his eyes focused on the wraith which was now turning its head in his direction. It took a few purposeful steps toward Eclipse before the sound of a gutter rattling caught its attention.

Its open maw before it, the creature began making its way toward the said gutter, ignoring Eclipse.

He let out a sigh and thanked the gods that there weren’t any maulers nearby. He needed to hurry and get down into the safety of the sewers.

Finally locating the grate in question, he could see why it hadn’t been noticed. It was tucked away in an alleyway behind a large trash can that looked like it was abandoned. The dump hadn’t come for this can in eons, which meant there was never a reason to go to this alleyway. That also hopefully meant that the guards and the wraiths didn’t have a reason either.

Composing himself, Eclipse knelt down and lifted off the grate and began to descend down the ladder. He pulled the grate back to close off the entrance as he made his way down.

The stallion’s nostrils were flooded with a foul odor the moment his feet touched the floor. The sewers were just as disgusting as he imagined they would be.

He held his breath and made his way through the tunnels, eventually reaching the place he had been told about.

Before even entering the room, he could hear talking which was a good sign. Coming around the corner he gave his best “nice to meet you”, smile only to be met with scowls. A group of about eight ponies came to a stand all glaring at him. They were a ragtag bunch, most of them male, but two of them were female.

“Who the fuck are you!?” The biggest male of the group barked.

“He’s cool, he’s with me,” a familiar voice rang in Eclipse’s ear from behind. He turned and sure enough, there was the face of Rose Inkscape. She winked at him and ran a hoof along his jawline as she passed him and stood in front of the group.

“He’s a friend of mine,” she added.

The biggest one (which Eclipse assumed was the leader) grunted and looked away. “Doesn’t mean he can just wander on in here. Might have led the wraiths right to us.”

Rose shook her head. “Eclipse is smarter than that. He wants to join the resistance, isn’t that right, Eclipse?”

Eclipse blinked and felt fortunate that there was someone there to vouch for him. He turned back to the group and nodded slowly. “Yeah, I want to get out of Canterlot, I don’t want to just sit here...”

The big one looked over at the girl next to him who nodded at him. He smirked and then looked back at Eclipse. “Very well, but you’ll need to be tested before you can join.”

“Just tell me what to do...” Eclipse bowed and nodded.

“We want you to bring us the cloak of one of the elites of Serenade,” The stallion commanded.

Eclipse was vaguely familiar with these elites. They wore red and yellow cloaks with an odd emblem on them to signify that they were the top dogs in Serenade’s order. Only a hoofful existed and there was only a small amount in Canterlot comparatively.

“How am I supposed to do something like that?” Eclipse asked.

“Figure it out, you’re the one that wants to join so badly. Now get lost and don’t come back until you have the cloak.” The biggest stallion barked.

Eclipse sighed and nodded, realizing he had no choice in the matter. He would have to find a way to get one of those cloaks, but the question now, was how?

Almost Three Years Ago

Glitch’s plan was now underway, and the small team had made their way through the complex that was Horseshoe Keep with ease. Sonata and Aria had taken their position at the basement level, taking out the guards silently and waiting for the signal that Princess Twilight had reached the other switch.

The plan was simple, once Twilight activated the switch on her end, they could activate their’s and open the gate. From there they would head up ahead, secure the area and await Twilight’s arrival. Everything had to be timed flawlessly, or they would risk exposing themselves.

Aria and Sonata had taken out the guards as planned and donned their cloaks so that if others came by, they would be none the wiser. It was all up to Twilight now.

Twilight’s training had certainly paid off, the mare was more than a match for the multiple guards at Horseshoe Keep. With finesse and cunningness, she was able to take all of the ones blocking her path to her destined location out and without a single causality while she was at it. All she needed to do now was hit that magic stone and then make her way to the basement level where she could meet back up with Aria and Sonata, that was the plan after all.

The mare tapped an odd deep purple crystal, activating it. With a content sigh, she turned to make her way to the basement until a blast of energy hit her, sending her flying. The mare smashed into a brick wall and tumbled and rolled in agony before coming to a stand.

Looking in the direction of the blast, Twilight’s mouth hung open in shock at what she saw. There standing only a few feet away was the ever-confident Serenade Dazzle. She stood proud and eager, her familiar cloak gracing her body, as black tendrils swayed in the wind. A single one pointed to Twilight like an arrow as the mare stood her ground.

“Twilight Sparkle, how nice of you to deliver yourself to me. I’ve been waiting to kill you, and it’s very noble of you to ensure that I won’t have to spend anymore time hunting you down...” Serenade smirked.

Twilight needed to escape, but she couldn’t risk Serenade following. If she caught wind of the fact that Aria and Sonata were just in the basement, it was all over, they’d all be dead before they left, possibly Discord too. She needed to think, but she needed time.

“Serenade, it’s been a while...” Twilight grinned, feigning confidence.

“Save the talk, Sparkle.” Serenade shook her head.

A few of the guards that Twilight had knocked out had risen back up, rubbing their heads. The brief interruption caused a scowl on Serenade’s face before she looked at the guards and then back at Twilight with a gentle smirk. “Excuse me for a moment...”

With those words, a series of her tendrils whipped about so face that they cleaved every guard’s head clean off, dropping their bodies to the ground with spurts of blood exiting the new wounds.

Serenade stepped forward with two of the tendrils pointed at Twilight. “Sorry, I can’t stand failure, and I make it a point to swiftly punish it every time I’m forced to witness it.”

Twilight stood strong, but she was far more nervous than she was letting on. “Ruthlessness is often a sign of overcompensation.”

“You tell me if I’m overcompensating then...” Serenade grinned as one of the tendrils whipped at Twilight.

She was too fast, and the blow connected, slicing Twilight’s side open and causing the girl to fall, gripping the fresh wound.

As she looked toward Serenade, the only thought in Twilight’s mind was one that she knew she would think eventually.

This could be it.

“You’re pure evil...” Twilight commented between pants.

A tendril reached forward and touched Twilight’s nose, caressing it gently. Twilight remained perfectly still.

Twilight didn’t answer, she didn't even want to give the siren the satisfaction of a response.

“You’re wrong... In our world, we protect the weak...” Twilight managed to get out.

“Such a waste of time and power.” Serenade shook her head.

“The only waste of time and power here is you,” Twilight retorted.

Serenade squinted in annoyance at her words. “You talk a big talk, but no one can save you now, Twilight Sparkle. You die right here, right now.”

Twilight closed her eyes and prepared for the worst. She knew that this was likely it, and she didn’t intend to give Serenade any pleasure in it. She wouldn’t beg, she wouldn’t scream, she wouldn’t cry. She’d die unceremoniously just to piss her off one last time before she went.

Serenade’s tendril whipped at Twilight only to hit stone. She blinked and noted that Twilight wasn’t there anymore and instead was replaced by a rock. “What the?”

Behind Serenade, a computerized voice that sounded about as fake as one could imagine rang in the air. “Picking on a girl who can’t defend herself? That’s low even for you...”

Turning around, Serenade got a good look at the armored pony. She had never seen armor so advanced before, and she had lived in Dragon Scar for many years. Dragons were capable of interesting feats of blacksmithing, but this was a league all of its own. It looked futuristic almost in its design.

Stamping her hoof on the ground in anger, Serenade grunted. “Who are you?”

The armored pony raised a hoof and a blade extended from it. Was it magic? How was that possible? Serenade had all the magic in Equestria after all.

“You may call me Glitch. It’s a name you would do well to not forget, as I’ll be the one who ends your reign of tyranny over this land...” Glitch spoke.

Serenade let out a hearty laugh. “You’re kidding, right? You’re going to beat me? I’d like to see you try. So what if you have a fancy suit? I’ve killed ponies with far more, and foes who were far more impressive than you are.”

Glitch wiggled their sword and gestured for Serenade to approach. “Let’s go.”

“I like your attitude at least, it’ll make killing you that much more rewarding. I’ll rip that helmet off and watch your face as you die in horror,” Serenade boasted.

Glitch waited patiently for the first strike, and predictably, Serenade took a swing with her mighty tendrils, only for Glitch to shuffle to the side and block one of the remaining ones that nearly clipped their armor with her sword, deflecting it.

Serenade laughed and nodded. “So, you have some fight in you? I like that. Makes the kill that much more exciting!”

A few more swings and Glitch continued to dodge every attack, not even offering a counter-attack which was only proving to piss Serenade off more. She began to aggressively swing faster and faster, only for each attack to miss.

The siren hissed and attacked once more but again to no avail.

“What’s the matter? Afraid to fight me?” Serenade laughed.

Glitch stopped moving and lowered their weapon, allowing Serenade to make her next move without retaliation. The black tendril of the creature slashed at Glitch, and while Serenade expected to hear the clink of the pony’s armor resist her attack, but instead, her tendril went right through it, causing no discernible damage to the pony.

She swung again and the attack went through the pony again who stood proudly without faltering.

“An illusion...” Serenade quickly discerned.

“I’m surprised it took you this long to figure it out...” Glitch responded.

“No one sleights me, Glitch. I don’t take kindly to being toyed with, so I hope your little laughs were worth it...” Serenade sneered.

Glitch shook their head. “You fell right into my trap.”

“What trap?” Serenade squinted.

“You’ll see soon enough, but it is the first step in your downfall...” Glitch stated.

Serenade hissed and swatted at Glitch again, but to no avail, the tendril swung right through Glitch and with the missed attack, Serenade only became angrier.

“You’re too afraid to fight me yourself, aren’t you, Glitch?” Serenade growled.

A chuckle escaped Glitch. “While I’m eager to end you, I’m not so foolish as to take you on before I have prepared my blade. One day, we will meet in battle, and only one of us will walk away...”

“You best pray that I may your death quick then...” Serenade replied.

With those words, the illusion vanished.

Almost Three Years Ago

Twilight almost passed out from all the pain, but her wound was sealed thanks to a healing spell by Glitch. It wasn’t much, just enough to stop the bleeding, and she would need proper first aid when they got back, but she would survive rather than bleed out in front of Serenade.

With Glitch helping her up, the two made their way through the gate that Aria and Sonata had opened, Twilight conversing with the armored pony as they walked down the hallway that they had opened up. “You said that I was leading this mission and it would only be Aria, Sonata and me... What happened? Why are you here?”

Glitch kept their focus on the path ahead, not even looking at Twilight as they answered. “I stayed close by for back up in the event that Serenade showed up, which she did, so it was probably a good thing that I came.”

“I should be mad that you mislead me, but I guess I’m grateful you were there, otherwise I’d be dead... Using that substitution spell and an illusion spell at the same time is pretty impressive...” Twilight said.

Glitch nodded. “My illusion will distract Serenade long enough for us to be well on our way out of here, but we should still hurry.”

Twilight agreed, and the two fast stepped down the hallway and eventually they could see Aria and Sonata in the distance waiting for them. As they all met up, Aria nodded at Glitch who nodded back.

Twilight took note of the fact that neither Aria nor Sonata seemed surprised by Glitch’s presence, which told her that the two of them knew that they were hiding not far from the action. It annoyed her that Glitch would keep her in the dark, but she rationalized that it was likely for the best and calmed herself.

“So, are we ready to do this?” Aria asked.

Glitch nodded.

The group broke down a door that lead to the basement level which all of them proceeded to descend. At the bottom of the stairs, at the end of a long narrow dimly lit room was the long snake-like body of a draconequus that Twilight had come to know all too well.

He was locked behind iron bars and appeared to be sleeping as his back rested against a wall and his chest came up and down.

A breath of relief escaped Twilight as she raced to him, ignoring her recent injuries. She placed her hooves on the bars and looked to Glitch who caught up just as quickly. Without wasting another second, Glitch cast a spell, melting the bars so that Twilight could slip into the cage.

Discord stirred in his sleep before his eyes finally opened and a yawn came out of him. As he rubbed his eyes and looked down, he could see something he hadn’t expected to see again so soon, the smiling face of Twilight Sparkle, his student.

His eyes caught a glimpse of Glitch and he chuckled. “I like your new friend, Twilight. I’m a big fan of ponies who melt things, and ones who can perform prison breaks.”

That was his way of dealing with things; making jokes and Twilight knew that, so she let his odd behavior slide.

“We are bringing you back to our stronghold. We’re going to defeat Serenade, and with your help.” Twilight smiled.

He laughed and came down to her level to speak directly to her. “You’re a determined student, you know that?”

“I learned from the best...” Twilight blushed and looked away.

“Well, I’m terrible at gratitude so... Thank you for saving me...” Discord rubbed his neck with his claw.

Twilight shook her head and reached forward with both hooves, gripping his fur and pulling him in, she locked her lips with his. There was a soft moan that escaped her, and the entire room fell silent for a moment with Aria and Sonata looking away bashfully.

When the kiss broke, Twilight grinned and stared into the creature’s eyes. “Don’t mention it...”

Author's Note

There's a lot going on here, and that is even after I trimmed down the chapter some. We've got Starlight getting pregnant, Glitch having a go at Applejack, and of course, the kiss that I'm sure everyone wants me to talk about, but we best leave that for the next chapter as more about what's the deal with that will come then.

Hey, let's instead talk about how painful it is to write AJ and Glitch (Sunset) fighting. It sucks because I like both of them and they are ironically me and Applety's favorites but their headbutting feels natural when writing it.

Oh yeah, and you may have noticed this drawing was done all digital this time.

Act VI - Chapter LXXXV: Airship

Chapter LXXXV: Airship

Almost Three Years Ago

Starlight stood quietly next to her master, Arax as the two watched Serenade storm about her small office in Canterlot in annoyance, knocking things over with her hooves and cursing wildly. Some of the words that escaped her mouth were not ones that Starlight had even heard before, and she was certain that some of them were in another language. Serenade had mentioned she had been to Dragon Scar, and a few griffins and dragons from the Germanic Isles visited there from time to time, so did this mare know German?

Regardless the two watched her rage silently, not daring to interrupt. Arax always knew better. The only solution with Serenade when she was having a fit was to let her have her tantrum and speak only when asked a question. He had been through this drill many times already. There was no reasoning with her when she was this upset.

“THAT FUCKING SHIT EATING COCKSUCKER!” She shouted at maximum volume, no doubt disturbing the guards outside and putting every pony within a mile radius on edge.

Arax stood still and waited.

“WHO THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT STAIN, ARAX!?” Serenade demanded to know, pointing a hoof at him.

Arax just shrugged. “Don’t know, not in my intel.”

“FUCK YOU, YOU WORTHLESS BUG! IT’S YOUR FUCKING JOB TO KNOW! MAYBE I SHOULD TAKE YOU OUT BACK AND DISEMBOWEL YOU?” Serenade threatened.

Starlight flinched at the threat, but Arax didn’t seem fazed. This was par the norm for their interactions every time something happened that neither of them could have predicted. Serenade hadn’t gotten used to the idea that the world didn’t revolve around her and that she was not the smartest creature to ever live. The concept that another could outsmart her was lost upon this girl.

“I can only know things that I am looking for, I can’t find out about things I never knew about. This Glitch must have been operating in secret, but no doubt that he works for Twilight...” Arax suggested.

Serenade shook her head. “No... I could tell by looking at them... That useless cunt seemed clueless... Twilight isn’t calling the shots, this guy is.”

“That seems unlikely, why would the last remaining princess relinquish authority to this pony?” Arax raised a brow.

Serenade’s temper seemed to have simmered just a bit. “Think about it, she has no real magic left, maybe a tiny fraction of her original power. This pony seems to have somehow slipped past my radar and is fully loaded. Twilight thinks she’s betting on one stronger than herself.”

Arax placed a hoof to his chin and thought it over. Twilight definitely seemed like she was the type to take chances, though that wasn’t what he had heard about her originally. He had known her to be the studious and careful type, but something changed when they finally encountered her. The draconequus being freed was starting to paint a picture to him.

“You may be right... I think I’ve figured it out... That Discord guy... I think he must have mentored Twilight, that’s where she was when we were looking for her originally, being trained by him. What they displayed before you wasn’t just the two of them joining forces...” Arax explained.

Serenade rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Captain Obvious. Any more astute observations to tell me about? Either way, she broke her old mentor out... Big deal. He’s useless now, I have all of his power, and she has no power left herself.”

“What about Glitch though?” Arax asked.

Serenade’s watchful eye squinted and landed on Starlight. She grinned and approached the mare who was decorated in a rather fetching dress with cute earrings to match. “You there, Arax’s plaything... You wouldn’t happen to know anything about Glitch, would you?”

Starlight gulped and shook her head slowly. “N-no... Twilight must have recruited him after I was taken...”

Serenade looked over at Arax for confirmation.

The changeling nodded. “Yeah, I already squeezed her for info. If she knew anything, she’d have told me by now...”

Serenade smirked. “Already worked your magic then? You dog.”

“It’s not like that...” Arax rubbed his neck and looked away.

“What you do in your bedroom is your business, but I still expect a full report on Glitch by the end of the day. I want to know everything you can find before I sit in my bath tonight. Where he’s been, what he’s done, if this pony has taken a shit, I want to know about it, got it?” Serenade commanded.

He rolled his eyes at his master. “Again, it’s not like that, but I’ll see what I can do about Glitch, but I can’t make any promises, the guy seems to have kept a fairly low profile as I’ve already begun the process of looking into him.”

Serenade nodded and turned around to leave. “Excellent... I want a search team looking for him at all times from here on. If you find him, bring him back alive though, I want to rip off that helmet and see his face before I kill him. No one tricks me and gets away with it...”

Arax watched as she left the room, leaving Starlight and him alone. After she was certain that the siren was out of earshot, Starlight spoke to her master. “She has quite a temper doesn’t she?”

His red eyes glanced over at his slave and nodded. “Yeah, but this is nothing. She’s only mildly angry right now. You haven’t seen her at her worst yet.”

“What does that look like?” Starlight gulped.

Arax smirked. “You best hope we find out more about this Glitch, or you may actually find out...”

Starlight didn’t like the sound of that. Serenade clearly was a volatile creature, she was prone to do anything if she didn’t get her way, and that was less than ideal for Starlight. Somehow though, Arax remained calm. He seemed unfazed by her anger, even when it was directed at him. She could tell that gears were turning in his head, but he wasn’t about to let her in on what he was thinking.

Still, so long as he was calm, she found it easier to be calm herself. Somehow she had faith that Arax had it under control.

Taking a deep breath, Starlight had never been more nervous in her entire life. What she was about to do was something that could drastically change the course of her relationship with Sunburst, and her entire life depending on how he reacted.

It had all been planned out at this point by Angel and her. Angel made an excuse to go see a movie and be out of the house for the majority of the night, giving Starlight the opportunity to invite Sunburst over and discuss the fact that Angel and Starlight both had strange magic powers that they were investigating, and then to drop the talk about her being pregnant after if he hadn’t run away by then. In retrospect, she wished she had planned it the other way around, but a part of her somehow believed that accepting the nonsense that she and her best friend had otherworldly powers was easier than accepting that Starlight was pregnant with Sunburst’s love child.

Starlight had opted to dress casual, nothing too crazy, just a blouse that was unbuttoned for the first two buttons giving just a gentle glimpse at her cleavage, and the blue bra that accompanied it, along with some torn up skinny jeans that accepted her behind quite well.

Her blouse was black, and sported the logo for Avenged Sevenfold on the back, a band that she was particularly fond of, and had been to a concert or two of theirs’.

She had made sure to have her hair nice and tidy for this evening, and her eyeliner had been applied, re-applied and re-applied again until it was nearly flawless, creating a gentle spike coming off of her eyes which had a cute dark line above them with just a touch of glitter.

When she checked it over in the mirror, she felt like she was more attractive than she had ever felt in her entire life. She smiled at her reflection, showing off her white teeth as she winked to herself. “Starlight... You are actually really hot... But tonight, you need to focus and not blow this. This could be it, this could be the guy you spend forever with, you just need to cross these two hurdles...”

She sighed and frowned as she shook her head. “It’s just that I stupidly planned having these two huge hurdles back to back...”

Composing herself, she rubbed her temples. “No, we can do this. This is all going to work out fine, stop talking like that, that’s just the hormones inside you making you crazy. We can get through this, it doesn’t need to be a bad thing...”

Growing a stern look, she pointed her freshly manicured finger at herself. “You can do this. Repeat after me... You. Can. Do. This.”

Her motivational speech in her bathroom mirror would be interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. She nearly jumped at the sound before exclaiming to herself. “He’s here!”

Bolting out of the bathroom and toward the door, Starlight stopped inches before it and brushed herself off. She took in a breath and let it out, trying to calm herself. She kept repeating that it would be okay in her head over and over as she reached for the handle of the door, her hands already getting slightly sweaty, though she hoped he wouldn’t notice.

Opening the door, the red-headed man of her dreams was standing there with a bouquet of flowers, a mixture of reds, purples and pinks all wrapped up neatly for her. She could already feel her heart melting just seeing those flowers. Most of her ex-boyfriends just showed up with their hands in their pockets asking if she was game to take a ride on their motorcycle or if she wanted to go back to their place. Here was a man who actually brought her flowers, her, Starlight!

He smiled and she caught a glimpse of the tiny imperfection on his teeth where one of his front teeth had a tiny almost unnoticeable chip in them, but it was one of those imperfections that she felt completed his face.

She reached forward and placed her hands upon his face, rubbing his scruffy beard as she did and smiling while she looked into his blue eyes. She recalled when they were younger he always wore some dorky glasses, but as he matured and entered his twenties, he had switched to contacts and was much more of a stylish guy overall.

Starlight pecked his lips for a moment and he wrapped a hand around her, not daring to try and steal more from her, but leaving her in want by not doing so. She swore she would teach him how to handle her over time, but she didn’t want to get too ahead of herself just yet. There was tremendous temptation to just say “fuck it” to her current problems and put them off for another night so she could have her way with him again.

It wasn’t wise though, and she knew that, so she stepped back and placed her hands behind her back and swayed as she stood there looking him over. “Thanks for coming.”

He nodded and offered her the flowers which she reached forward slowly and took. “No one has ever given me flowers before...” Starlight admitted.

“Then you’ve been dating the wrong guys.” Sunburst winked.

“You have no idea how correct that statement is...” Starlight giggled.

The two stood there for a moment before she gestured for him to come inside. “Come on in, I got rid of Angel for the night.”

“Really? I was hoping to catch her before we got the place to ourselves...” He admitted as he slipped his shoes off and sat down on the couch next to his romantic partner.

“Oh? Why’s that?” Starlight blinked.

He shrugged at her as he leaned back on the couch, his red button up standing out against the white couch. He extended an arm around the back which eventually wrapped around Starlight with a hand upon her shoulder. She scooted closer to him as a response to signal that she wanted more.

“Just wanted to meet your best friend. You told me about her when we went on our first date, but you didn’t really say too much, what is she like?” He asked.

Starlight had to take a moment and ponder how she would describe her friend and roommate. Angel wasn’t an easy person to describe to the uninitiated.

“Well... Angel’s kind of shy, I guess. Not completely so though. She’s innocent as all hell though, the girl’s a straight up virgin even...” Starlight snickered just thinking about how many times she had picked on Angel for her lack of sexual prowess.

“Sounds like the polar opposite of you.” Sunburst nudged her.

“She is. But Angel is about as loyal as they come, she’d jump on grenades for me. She keeps me out of trouble, and I love her for it. These past few years living on my own wouldn’t have been nearly as great without her. I owe that girl more than she’ll ever know...” Starlight could actually feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she forced them to stop, not wanting to ruin her makeup.

Sunburst had a genuine smile on his face after hearing her talk about her friend, and that smile made Starlight want to kiss him again, but she held back.

“Sounds like she’s a great friend, you’re very lucky and I guess I’m very lucky that you’ve had someone so great to look out for you after I moved away,” Sunburst said.

She frowned slightly, and when he detected that frown, he did as well. “I’m sorry that I moved away... I was trying to follow my dreams...”

“I know, Sunburst. I didn’t expect you to stay stuck here just for me. I mean... I wasn’t your girlfriend or anything, you had no reason...” Starlight smiled sheepishly at him.

He shook his head. “You are now though.”

Hopefully I still will be after tonight. Starlight thought, anxiety already building up in her.

“Yes... I am... And I am glad that I am, and I know it’s awkward since we just started dating, but... I love you, Sunburst...”

He interrupted her and smiled back, reaching over and touching her cheek. “I love you too, Starlight. It’s not awkward, we’ve known each other since we were kids, it’d be weird if we didn’t love each other, wouldn’t it?”

She nodded, and a sigh of relief escaped her. That would definitely soften the blow for the rest of what was to come. “Yes... You’re right, I guess it’s because I love you that the rest of this is going to be challenging.”

“Rest of what?” He blinked.

Starlight sighed and composed herself. “There’s a lot that you have to know. I wish I could put this stuff off until after we’ve been dating for a while, but it’s not feasible, this all has to come out now.”

“What’re you talking about...?” Sunburst tilted his head.

Shuffling in her seat, Starlight opened her hand. “Sunburst... Angel and I have... Powers...”

“What kind of powers?” He looked down at her hand.

“Angel’s are complicated, she can like create light from nothing, fire from her hands, all that kind of stuff,” Starlight explained, hoping she wasn’t sounding crazy.

“Uh huh...” He sat still as he listened.

“And I... I can manipulate time, sort of anyway. It’s limited to a range around me, and usually only for a couple of seconds at a time, but... I just realized I probably sound absolutely insane describing this, don’t I?” Starlight frowned.

He shook his head. “Show me.”

Starlight nodded and looked around the room, she picked up a pair of keys from the table and lifted them in the air. Taking Sunburst’s hand she smiled. “You have to be holding me for it to work on you, okay?”

“Sure.” He blushed as he squeezed her hand.

Releasing the keys, Starlight focused and froze time with the keys in mid-air. Sunburst gazed in awe, reaching out to touch the floating keys. He blinked a few times before Starlight released her hold on time, and the keys fell to the floor like normal. Looking over at him she smiled sheepishly. “Believe me now?”

He nodded. “Definitely. That’s crazy cool...”

“You don’t think I’m some kind of freak show?” Starlight asked.

He shook his head. “No way! Now I know my girlfriend is extra special.”

She was relieved to hear that, it was something she desperately needed to hear from him. “I was worried you’d break up with me if I told you...”

“No way, Starlight. You should have just shown me sooner. That’s awesome! How did you find out you could do this?” He asked curiously.

“A while back, Angel and I were investigating why she had powers, and we ended up at this old house. I saw some kind of apparition that unlocked something inside of me, I guess. I don’t fully understand it, myself if I’m completely honest...” Starlight leaned forward and placed her hands on her knees.

“Angel had hers first?” Sunburst tilted his head.

“Yeah, she’s had them for years. She kept them a secret even from me for a long time.” Starlight frowned.

Leaning back in his seat, Sunburst nodded. “I see... How close have you gotten to figuring it all out?”

She shrugged. “We have a few leads, but nothing major. We have a feeling that these people in Maryland might know, but we doubt asking them up front will tell us anything. I tried calling Twilight Sparkle, one of them, and she wouldn’t tell me much. I asked about strange powers and she just feigned ignorance.”

“Sounds frustrating...” Sunburst replied.

“It is, and you probably should know that if you get more involved with me, that this is what you’ll be dealing with, it’s sort of like a second life for Angel and I, hunting down the source of our powers.” She stated.

Sunburst smirked. “I guess it’s a good thing that I’m a systems administrator who is making enough money to help support this cause, then huh?”

She was a bit surprised by how well he was taking everything, but the next part was the big one, the doozy, the true test.

“Well... Uh... There may be another reason why that is a good thing...” Starlight rubbed her neck.

“What do you mean?” Sunburst asked, sitting up with his eyes opening, clearly detecting something bigger was coming.

“Sunburst... I love you very much, and I want us to be together, but I can understand if this next part really puts a strain on that...” She held back tears, promising herself she wouldn’t cry, she needed him to be able to make a choice without her tears making him feel guilty.

“I...” She closed her eyes, trying to compose herself.

“You?” He leaned in with interest.

“I’m... I’m pregnant...”

There was a long silence that felt like it lasted an eternity. Sunburst looked down to the girl’s stomach and then back up to her face. His expression was neutral, difficult to read, which only made the dread inside of Starlight worse.

“I understand if you’re not ready, hell I’m not, so I won’t blame you if-“

He reached forward and grabbed her hands, smiling at her as he held them tightly. “That’s the most amazing part of all of this so far!”

Starlight then broke her promise and tears began to stream down her cheeks. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that...”

He reached forward and wiped away the tears from her face before resting his palm on her cheek to caress it. “Not as happy as I am to hear it...”

Almost Three Years Ago

The group had made it back to their headquarters with Discord in tow thanks to the assistance of Glitch. Twilight thanked them but questioned their motives. It seemed as though Glitch was in control the entire time. What was worse is that Serenade now knew of their existence.

They spent a good hour or so treating Twilight’s wounds and after some magic provided by Glitch and a visit by one of the doctors they had picked up from Appleloosa, she was told she’d make a full recovery in a couple of days and had Glitch’s quick thinking to thank for it.

Twilight hadn’t even had the chance to sit down with Discord since they had been taken back, but she knew it was likely going to be an awkward endeavor thanks to that kiss she had given him. She didn’t even fully understand why she did it, but at the time it felt natural. Discord wasn’t a particularly great kisser, but she did catch him by surprise.

Sighing, she came to a stand as she made her way to his chambers knowing the two would have a lot to talk about at this point. She braced herself as she opened the door to see him sitting at a desk, his claws sorting through a series of papers. He looked up at her and smiled. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, my protege in chaos!”

Twilight rubbed her neck as she stood in the doorframe, unsure of how to respond.

Sensing her awkwardness, the creature chuckled. “Or is it more fitting if I do it as Celestia does?”

In his best mock voice, he imitating the regal mare. “Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student!”

That just made her roll her eyes, but Twilight maintained her composure. “Yeah... Well... I guess we’re not going to talk about the fact that I...”

He blinked and tilted his head. “You what?”

“Well... You know...” Twilight looked away blushing.

“Oh, you mean that moment of transgression where you as the kids say ‘planted a big one on me’, yes?” Discord asked.

Twilight’s blush grew deeper and she could feel her cheeks heat up. She wished he had a little bit more tact about him, but she knew it was foolish to expect such a thing from Discord. He would joke around and be cheeky about virtually anything, no matter how awkward it made it for others around him, that was just the kind of creature he was.

She rubbed her neck and tried to think of words that would express how she felt, but none came to mind.

“I can’t say that I blame you, I am absolutely dashing, after all, why you should see me in a tuxedo, I’m simply divine, you’d eat me up!” Discord grinned, wishing he had his powers still so that he could snap his fingers and produce the aforementioned tuxedo to show her. Sadly, he did not, so Twilight would have to use her imagination.

There was a small silence followed by Discord changing the subject. “I see you’re still wearing the armor that I had made for you.”

“I felt it necessary to honor my mentor...” Twilight responded quietly.

“You are a fantastic student, Twilight... Though... I suppose the nature of our relationship has transcended that of a student and her mentor hasn’t it?” Discord frowned, finally acknowledging what they both were thinking.

Twilight just nodded.

“I suppose we can’t really chalk what happened up to the heat of the moment, can we? As much as that would make things far less complicated and avoid these disgusting talks about feelings and emotions...” Discord stuck his tongue out and pointed to his mouth as he made a fake gag.

Twilight wished it was that simple, but the reality was that it wasn’t that easy to simply go back. She kissed him and that changed things for the two of them.

“I’m sorry, Discord... I probably shouldn’t have done that...” Twilight admitted.

He waved his claw dismissively. “Nonsense, I taught you to be chaotic, to do what came to mind. I can’t blame you for following my teachings so well. I mean who would have ever saw you kissing me, right?”

Twilight chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I guess that’s true. Following my gut hasn’t always come naturally to me before you trained me. I was always the cautious one, the careful one, it feels good to sometimes just do what comes to mind and not consider the other outcomes. Panicking and worrying all the time does get a little old...”

“You were always a nervous wreck.” Discord laughed.

The two giggled together for a few calm seconds before the laughter subsided and they were forced to face the tough questions that awaited them.

“Discord... I... I shouldn’t have kissed you.” Twilight nodded.

He leaned back and thought her words over before responded. “Why?”

“Why what?” Twilight tilted her head.

“Why shouldn’t you have?”

She blinked. “Probably because it made things awkward...”

“But did you want to do it? Was it something that you wished to do?” He asked.

That was a difficult question. She thought about it for a few seconds, wondering how she felt about Discord. It was true that he could be annoying, but over the past few months, she had come to find him somewhat charming. His habits were starting to make sense to her, and she had come to enjoy them as his “quirks”.

“I... Well... Yeah... I guess I did...” Twilight diverted her eyes away from him.

“Then you shouldn’t regret it,” Discord reminded.

“You’re my mentor though, I shouldn’t have these kinds of feelings... They will cloud my judgment...” Twilight closed her eyes in frustration.

Discord shook his head and crawled over to her, reaching forward and taking her cheek in his claw. Gently he pet her cheek and smiled deviously. “I think at this point, I have become more than just a mentor to you, wouldn’t you say?”

Twilight blushed as he forced her to make eye contact with him, hating how his stare was so powerful at that moment. “Maybe you have... I don’t know...”

He grinned and rubbed under her chin, making her look up at him. “It’s alright, Twilight, you mean more to me than that of a student as well.”

Almost Three Years Ago

Moondancer rubbed her eyes as she checked over her screen once more before thinking about heading to bed for the night. With a long yawn, she saw it was about 8 PM, and resigned herself to the fact that she needed to go to bed early tonight.

Just as she was about to finish up, however, her phone began to ring, which caused her to pick it up instinctually and answer. “Hello?”

“Moondancer, sweetie? It’s me.” The voice of her mother came through the phone.

She perked up and answered back. “Mom? It’s getting late, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but I sort of have some news that I think I shouldn’t wait to tell you about...” Her mother said.

Moondancer could feel a cold sweat run down her neck, worried about whatever was about to be dropped upon her. “What is it, mom, are you sick?”

She laughed on the other end and gave a calming reply. “Nothing bad like that, Moondancer, I’m perfectly healthy, I assure you.”

A sigh of relief came out of Moondancer. “What is it then?”

“Well... You remember how I got that boyfriend a few weeks back?” She asked.

Moondancer vaguely recalled. She had mentioned they weren’t that serious and they had been taking things casually. She believed his name was Orion, but she couldn’t remember.

“What about him?” Moondancer asked.

“Well... We’re not together anymore as you know, but something has come up that will require him to be sort of in the picture regardless...” Her mother said.

“What do you mean?” Moondancer blinked.

“You’re going to be a big sister... I’m pregnant.”

Moondancer paused and spoke carefully. “You’re serious?”

“I am, I know it’s not common for my age, but I’m actually excited,” Her mother replied.

“What about Orion?” Moondancer asked.

“He and I are going to split responsibilities, he’s being very reasonable about this.”

Moondancer smiled, glad that the situation was at least under control. “That’s great mom, I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks sweetie, hopefully you get to meet your new sibling soon.” Her mother laughed.

“The moment I get out of here, promise,” Moondancer said.

“I look forward to it, I should probably let you get back to work though...” Her mother spoke.

“Yeah, I’m about to head off, love you, mom.” Moondancer smiled.

“Love you too, sweetie.”

After those words, she hung up the phone and rubbed her eyes. She had only been at the facility for a few months now, but it had occurred to her just now that she was going to miss out on events in her life. Her sibling would likely be born and they would not meet until some time after.

It was a sacrifice she had chosen to make, but never really considered the gravity of it. She had to remind herself that she had a mission to do.

Almost Three Years Ago

Serenade was not happy, far from it, and when Serenade wasn’t happy, it usually spelled misery for everyone else around her, Arax included. If anything, he usually received the brunt of her anger more than others; he was, after all, her second-in-command, though with Serenade that meant little as she always seemed ready to bark orders, leaving little for Arax to give.

Truthfully, he didn’t strike Starlight as much of a sociable pony, but leadership definitely seemed to be a big part of her personality. Arax thought outside of the box, he was a forward thinker, and it only made Starlight curious as to why he’d bother taking orders from a creature like Serenade when he was clearly capable of far better handiwork than she was. Serenade lacked subtlety, tact, and grace; her idea of resolving an issue was splitting a pony in half and letting their family watch as their guts spewed out.

Watching her master scribble in a notebook with his hoof around a quill made Starlight curious, but for a solid eight hours, she sat in silence just reading a book as she did her most important duty: sitting around and looking pretty.

Arax looked fairly stressed out, but with the same face, that suggested he was attempting to hide how extreme it was. He was a tough one, but there were cracks in even his resolve.

Starlight looked over from the couch she was sitting on and spoke up to him. “Master, why not come take a small break? You’ve been at it for hours.”

“Can’t, need to get this done...” Arax replied, waving his hoof at her without even looking up from his note-taking.

“And you clearly need a break, master. You’ll think better if you take a moment to clear your head,” Starlight decided to word it as beneficial to him would help.

Blinking, he looked up and met her eyes, noting the smile on her face. He closed his notebook and nodded before standing up and making his way around his desk and down the steps to the small living room area of his quarters.

Starlight scooted over on the couch and turned so that her lap was open, patting it gently.

Sighing, the changeling crawled onto the couch and laid on his back, looking up at her as his head rested upon her lap. She smiled at him and pet his forehead while she stared. “Isn’t this nice?”

“Since when do you care about what’s nice?” He raised a brow.

“Is it not a slave’s job to make pleasurable experiences for their master?” She asked mischievously.

He shrugged. “Don’t know, I didn’t exactly read the manual on slave ownership, but I thought the whole fact that I own you is supposed to upset you or something?”

Starlight shrugged back. “I like to think of it like that sometimes in life you’re placed in places where you’re needed. Right now, this is where I need to be. I don’t know why yet, but what matters is that I’m here and I’m not going to change that by complaining, so might as well enjoy the here and now.”

“What an odd girl you are...” He rolled his eyes.

“So, have you learned anything about Glitch yet?” Starlight changed the subject, preferring to not get into the subject of how peculiar she was.

He shook his head and looked away in shame. “Nothing. This Glitch character is a phantom. No records of any pony like that in existence and no one seems to know where the asshole got that suit of armor or those weapons. Definitely can at least confirm it was custom made...”

Starlight wasn’t terribly knowledgeable on smithing, but she did know that a suit that advanced was not an easy thing to build. She had only heard bits and pieces about how this Glitch character had some kind of armor suit that could produce blades and didn’t stunt his mobility at all. She really would have loved to see it in action.

“I don’t know anypony like that who Twilight knew either. She must have pulled him from somewhere where I don’t even know...” Starlight frowned.

Admittedly, she had suspicions that Glitch’s appearance coming after the raid on Twilight’s castle were not unconnected. Somehow Twilight had managed to bring forward a new warrior, but how was a mystery.

“I suspected as much, I guess old Twilight wanted to keep as many in the dark as she could. No doubt in my mind that not even her other subordinates know anything about this Glitch. The guy probably plays his cards close to his chest, so there’s no hope of squeezing anyone for information... Which means I get to watch Serenade throw a temper tantrum again...” Arax rolled his eyes.

Starlight frowned, but she was still somewhat concerned over Serenade’s threats from earlier. If Arax was killed by Serenade, what would happen to her? Would she become Serenade’s slave then? The very idea sounded dreadful, but then again, Serenade didn’t seem to like her too much so it was more likely that she’d just kill her.

“Aren’t you worried?” Starlight blinked.

Arax shrugged. “Serenade threatens to kill me all the time, so I’m used to it. So long as there’s still a use for me, I’ll be fine. Serenade will say anything when she’s pissed off, just remember that. Still, I wouldn’t test her.”

Petting his cheek, Starlight sighed. “I just don’t understand how somepony so smart is wasting his time helping a crazed psychopath.”

Arax laughed and nodded. “Well, you’re correct that Serenade is indeed a psychopath, actually that may even be underselling it. She’s deranged beyond words as you’ve seen, but I have a commitment that I have to honor, I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“Still, I’m glad you’re taking a break...” Starlight smiled.

He smiled back at her. “Yeah, probably for the best...”

“Would it be out of order for me to kiss you again... Master?” Starlight blushed.

“I guess not...” He shrugged as he sat up, coming off of her lap and positioned himself better for the aforementioned kiss.

Starlight leaned in, feeling the heat in her cheeks grow. This power he had over her, she knew it was from the pheromones that she had been injected with, but it was too much to resist. She wanted him, no she needed him.

Coming closer for the kiss, Arax wrapped a hoof around the girl and tilted her head back as he led, planting his lips against hers. She cooed in delight as she reached forward and gripped his sides while they locked lips. The feeling of caving into her desires brought on by the pheromones was delightful, she felt at peace while she engorged herself with Arax’s kiss.

Breaking the kiss, he tapped her chin and smirked. “Someone’s thirsty...”

“Please...” She panted gently.

“Hm?” Arax raised a curious brow.

“P-please... Feed on me...” Starlight turned her head and brushed her mane back to expose her neck.

The desire to be fed upon was overwhelming, it was more than sex she imagined. She wanted him to have his way with her, to feed, and use her how he saw fit. A part of her brain knew that wasn’t logical, but she didn’t care. The pheromones won out over reason.

He grazed her neck with his fangs but pulled back and shook his head. “No.”

“Please, master!” She begged.

“I said no. I’m not going to drain you, and that’s final, slave.” He hissed.

She blushed and nodded. “Y-yes, master... I apologize...”

He nodded back and pet her head. “That’s a good slave, just don’t forget your place...”

She sighed and closed her eyes. “What do you plan on even doing with the immortality that Serenade is offering you, master?”

He blinked and looked over at her. “Maybe I’ll start a new hive, with you as my queen.”

“I can’t have changeling eggs...” Starlight reminded.

“Maybe my hive will focus on bringing in more than changelings?” He raised a brow.

Starlight paused at that comment. It was clear that there was far more to Arax than first glance. What his angle was, was still a mystery, but it was clear that he wasn’t as cut and dry as she originally imagined.

“That sounds lovely... I hope you get a chance to do that...” Starlight replied.

“I hope you get to see me do it.” He nodded.

Almost Three Years Ago

Glitch stood in front of her small team, knowing that the others were ready to go even without their leadership. The plan was all set into motion, Glitch, Aria, and Sonata would sneak aboard the airship via navigating the sewers, and then they would slip past the manhole that the other group was in. If they were successful, they could have the ship with a full crew in one sweep, and enough to overpower the remaining crew members who would assist in leading them away, none the wiser.

She had appointed whatever ponies she had who had experience flying airships or ships of any kind on the job of boarding the ship from the other sewer. She didn’t have many, only perhaps two dozen total, but it was enough to fly a ship and that’s all that mattered. The rest was a matter of improvising and filling the gaps.

Outside of the crew, she had appointed a good eighty ponies to board with them who would serve as assistants to the crew, doing whatever they needed to be done and of course acting as protection should things go wrong.

Glitch wasn’t taking chances, they had fail-safes upon their fail-safes, as they needed this to go smoothly. They let out a deep breath before looking back at Aria and Sonata who were following close behind in the sewers.

Looking up a ladder, Glitch nodded to the two and spoke in a hushed tone. “We’re about to head up, we need to stay low and keep cloaking devices on, got it? Don’t draw any unneeded attention to us. You two need to secure the entry point for our crew, and I’ll take care of the captain, alright?”

Sonata raised a hoof in a salute. “You can count on us, Glitch! We won’t let you down!”

Glitch nodded, confident in Aria and Sonata’s abilities. “Right, well, let’s just play this strategically and we should come out on top. If all goes well, we’ll have an airship by nightfall.”

“Just stay alert and don’t get overconfident,” Glitch reminded.

“You got it, now let’s go steal us an airship.” Aria smirked.

Sighing, Glitch realized that the two were far too excited for the entire ordeal, but perhaps they could use that excitement as fuel to get the job done. Glitch only worried that it would make them too overzealous and more likely to make mistakes. It didn’t matter though, so long as they got the airship and got out in one piece, she could handle a sloppy victory.

There was no doubt in Glitch’s mind that Serenade would be watching them more closely from then on. She didn’t seem the type to enjoy being tricked and Glitch’s little stunt back at Horseshoe Keep no doubt got under her skin. That was why it was important that they moved silently and gave no hint to Serenade that their next plot was there in Trottingham. If they were lucky, they would be able to avoid the siren entirely as she’d be nearly a hundred miles away by the time she found out that her airship had been stolen.

With a deep breath, Glitch began to scale the ladder, looking back for only a second at their subordinates. Coming close to the top, Glitch activated her cloaking device with a gentle tap and crawled out of the manhole quietly.

They turned to assist Aria and Sonata who had activated their cloaks as well. Since it was going to be impossible to see each other, they needed to play things carefully and stay close together so they didn’t lose each other.

Spotting each other with cloaking devices active could still be done, but it was exceptionally difficult, requiring a keen eye. It was better to simply stick close together.

With a crack of her neck, Aria gazed over at the direction the ship, noting that the crew was still loading cargo into it. She paid close attention to the gentle ripples in the air that signified the other two cloaked ponies were close by. Glitch was taking the lead, pushing the group toward the cargo loading crew.

Aria, Sonata and Glitch all kept low as they stepped silently approaching the cargo loading crew. When their backs were turned, the group stepped atop of the cargo loading platform and remained still. After a solid eight minutes of silence, the platform began to be raised.

The group all clutched onto nearby boxes, ready to hop off at a moment’s notice when they reached the cargo hold. The plan was simple, navigate around the crew members unloading the boxes with their cloaks, and they would be able to slip through the ship undetected.

Glitch watched patiently as the platform came to a stop and was moved by a pulley system into an open grate down into the cargo hold.

The moment the movement stopped, the entire group hopped off the platform and used the advantage of the lower lighting of the lower deck to move away from the team that was waiting down below to unload the supplies that had been delivered.

The team moved along the wall, keeping a close eye on the crew as they made their way for the stairs.

Once they had reached the stairwell, they all raced up and split up, Aria and Sonata heading toward where they would drop the ladder to bring the rest of their crew on board, and Glitch making her way up toward the captain’s chamber.

The ship itself was massive, far larger than anything Glitch had ever seen before in Equestria. It was certainly a vessel fit for her army; large enough to hold them and intimidating to boot. With a ship like this on their side, Glitch knew their odds at victory were far greater.

With her mind on the goal, she slipped up the stairs that lead to the captain’s chamber and past a few crew members who had just met with the captain.

Carefully, Glitch opened the door to the captain’s chamber when they reached the top of the stairs and gazed upon the room. It was lavishly decorated, gaudy even as it was covered in expensive tapestry and mahogany furniture, but a large window gave the perfect view of the deck below for the captain to observe everything going on with his ship as he steered it.

To the left of the steering wheel was a communication orb, one that Glitch had noticed a few more of across the ship on their way up. They surmised it must have been for communicating with all of the crew without having to leave these quarters. An intelligent design, but Glitch expected no less.

The captain yawned and sighed as he poured himself a glass of wine.

Glitch kept low and approached carefully. Each step was cautious, purposeful, and dangerous as she came closer and closer to the stallion with his back turned to the armored pony. Glitch disabled their cloak as they came only a few inches away from the stallion.

The pony sipped from a glass of wine with an audible sound of pleasure as he stopped sipping. Glitch readied their blade and within a second grabbed the pony and sliced their throat open.

Glitch held him in place as he choked and bled, gently setting him down after they were certain he was dead. Glitch let out a sigh and composed themselves before taking the steering wheel. The first step was behind Glitch, now they only needed to make sure the rest of their plan went just as smoothly.

Almost Three Years Ago

Princess Twilight waited patiently in front of a group of at least eighty ponies in the sewers. The last part of their plan was to be executed in only a few minutes when she could see the ship crossing paths with the manhole that was directly above them. She would need to be hasty to move an entire crew of eighty up a rope ladder that quickly.

Aria and Sonata should have already been in position to take out any ponies near a comm-orb so they couldn’t call for back up, even when the ship was being overtaken. If they timed it all flawlessly, they could slip out before anypony noticed that the ship had been hijacked.

It was a pretty clever plan, even for Glitch, Twilight admitted.

Looking up, sweat dripping down her neck, Twilight gulped. She could see the hull of the ship just above and gestured for the group to start heading up. “Alright, quickly everypony. We take them out hastily and make a clean getaway!”

With speed, the group began to make their way up the ladder and eventually up the rope ladder to the ship, Twilight ushering them to go quicker every step of the way. She could already feel her heart beating faster. Twilight Sparkle wasn’t a killer, she wasn’t some hardened warrior, and while she had been trained to fight, actually killing ponies still made her uneasy, but she knew she’d have to suck up her emotions for everypony’s sake. She couldn’t get the jitters now.

“Come on! Get up there!” Twilight commanded as she pushed the last eight up the ladder.

Once they were all well on their way up, Twilight began her own ascent, following behind a burly pony which she had an unpleasant view of his butt. Looking away as she climbed, Twilight eventually reached the top and made her way up the rope ladder dangling from the ship which was moving at a snail’s pace.

With ease, Twilight made it to the top to witness something she had expected to see but wasn’t any easier on her eyes: a slaughter. Her team had eviscerated the entire crew of the ship, and as Twilight was arriving on deck, the last few were just being slain. She wanted to throw up, but she held it in.

Twilight composed herself and made her way toward the captain’s chambers where she knew Glitch would be waiting for her.

Ascending the steps, she passed a few of her allies who gave her a salute as they were taking control of the ship’s facilities. Twilight nodded back at them and adjusted herself as she made it to the top of the steps.

She opened the door to the captain’s chambers to see Sonata, Aria and Glitch all standing there waiting for her. The three nodded at Twilight, before Glitch gestured for Twilight to come closer.

Twilight obeyed and stood tall at their side. “Looks like the plan was a great success...”

Glitch nodded. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but it is safe to say that this airship is ours now. We just need to get it out of the city limits and we should be too far for them to follow fast enough. We reach the border then kick it into high gear and we’ll be out of here faster than you can blink.”

“Serenade is gonna be pisssssed.” Aria smirked with glee.

“Let’s hope. An angry foe is a sloppy one, after all.” Glitch grinned. Part of Glitch’s battle plan for Serenade thus far was to constantly pester her and make her slip up. Serenade clearly proved she had a temper problem, and regularly slighting her would make her fight using anger, a strategy that Glitch knew all too well. A long time ago when the pony under that mask had given into darkness briefly, they had come to understand how fighting with anger worked, namely that it didn’t.

That Sunset Shimmer was long gone, and the one that stood there now disguised as Glitch was a new person. She had come so far, too far to let it all fall apart now. She needed to end Serenade’s reign so she could get back home, back to the things that were important to her like her wife and her daughter.

“This all wasn’t some clever plan just to piss Serenade off, was it?” Twilight blinked.

“Nah, that’s just a bonus.” Glitch shook their head. “I wouldn’t be so foolish as to mastermind such an elaborate theft just to piss off that siren.”

“So what now?” Twilight asked curiously. It had occurred to her that she never really bothered finding out what they would do with the airship after they acquired it. Then again, she wasn’t in a position to be questioning anything that Glitch did.

“Now, we make our way to the safe point, and-“ Glitch was interrupted as a frantic Braeburn entered the room, bursting through the door.

“I apologize, Glitch but...” He was panting.

“Out with it.” Glitch gestured with her hoof for him to speak up.

“Enemy airship approaching!” He pointed out the window.

Glitch turned along with the trio accompanying her and swore under their breath. Sure enough, a fully equipped airship was heading in their direction, no doubt with plans to intercept their theft attempt.

“Sweet Luna...” Twilight uttered.

Glitch stomped to the helm and tapped the comm-orb to communicate with the rest of the crew down below. They barked their orders firmly so that all knew how serious this situation was. “Everypony, prepare for battle, enemy airship on the horizon!”

Glitch stepped away from the orb and shook their head. Aria squinted at her with a look of confusion. “What now?”

“Now... We defend our prize.” Glitch nodded.

Author's Note

Arax is a fun character to write, especially because his dynamic with Serenade and Starlight is very unique. He has sort of a listless feel to him, doesn’t he? You never really know what’s going on in his head, but you do know that he’s thinking all the time.

His situation with Starlight is by far one of the most complex relationships because it’s a literal master-slave thing, and Starlight’s emotions and thoughts are partially manipulated by the pheromones that were injected in her. It’s hard to say what is genuine and what is more or less drug induced. You be the judge!

Act VI - Chapter LXXXVI: Retain

Chapter LXXXVI: Retain

Almost Three Years Ago

Detective Snatcher had been tailing Twilight Shimmer for weeks now, despite the orders of his superior officer. He hadn’t been convinced that the situation was merely circumstantial. The facts all seemed too convenient for Twilight Shimmer. Her daughter’s mother just up and vanished months ago without so much as a trace, leaving behind a girl that was barely more than a week old. Something smelled, and he needed to know what it was.

This all meant that Twilight Shimmer was now the heir to the family fortune, worth millions. Things like that just didn’t happen in real life without foul play being involved. There were a number of scenarios that could have happened; Twilight offed the girl and ditched the body somewhere, she threatened her into hiding, or she was covering up something bigger, possibly through blackmail. No matter which way he sliced it, something smelled. Sunset Shimmer just vanished out of nowhere and no one seemed that concerned about it. Protocol be damned, he couldn't leave it alone.

There was also the matter of a lot of Sunset’s story didn’t make sense to him. While she had a birth certificate, a social security card, and even proper IDs, he couldn’t find a single soul that was present for her birth, or anyone who remembered her at the social security offices. He would imagine a girl like that was a face that stuck with people. On top of that, she was the twin sister of a woman who was wealthy beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, surely after the fiasco with Shimmer’s parents' death, people would have noticed the two look the same, wouldn’t they? Then again, a lot of people didn’t even know what Shimmer looked like due to years of seclusion. Sure her picture was on TV, but who remembered a glimpse of a girl from years ago on a TV?

That was another odd thing: Shimmer’s parents were murdered and the murder remained unsolved to that day, and the case files for it were all sealed. Detective Snatcher was denied entry into the file under the pretense that the case was classified to higher-ups only due to the family’s deep connection to all the big cheeses of the city. Snatcher didn’t buy it, he assumed the chief was even bought out, or threatened by the people that were bought out who all stood higher than him.

It wasn’t only that, but then Shimmer herself was murdered, and that case was pretty open and close which was pretty strange in and of itself, along with a lot of the details being sealed as well.

Snatcher’s curiosity was only made worse though, when he saw the name of the detective assigned to the case: Shining Armor, the older brother of Twilight Shimmer, when she was still Twilight Sparkle and not romantically involved with the sister of the deceased. It was all too convenient.

Something was going on, and he knew that all of them had to be in on it, but at the center was Twilight Shimmer, the girl who has the most to gain from it. With Sunset gone, she was now one of the richest women in the state.

He had finally gotten a break and managed to get his hands on Shimmer’s case files from when her parents were murdered, but only had gotten the chance to read them now as he sat in his unmarked car keeping an eye on the Shimmer estate.

The detective sipped from a travel cup of coffee and yawned as he opened the tan colored folder and slipped the contents out.

The photographs were pretty run of the mill for murder scenes, blood everywhere, but there was one oddity; the bodies were almost completely destroyed, little in the way of bones even left after whatever attacked them.

Could it have been an explosion? That didn’t seem possible as nothing else was damaged. What kind of bomb could blow up only the people in the room and nothing else? Was such a thing even possible? No, it wasn’t, scientifically speaking, even if a bomb was placed inside of a human, there would be shrapnel, debris, other kinds of damage.

He read over the crime scene notes from the head detective at the time.

Bodies appear to have been blown up, however, there are no signs of any kind of explosive device at the scene. No detection of shrapnel, and no disturbance to any of the furniture or room outside of the bodies. The innards of the corpses showed no explosive devices inside of them as well.

Cause of Death: Undetermined

So he wasn’t the only one who noticed it seemed. Scrolling through the document, he blinked as he came to a section that caught his attention.

One Witness.

He blinked and looked at the name of the witness.

Sunset Shimmer.

Now he had no choice but to read her personal account of the events.

The child was found hiding in a cupboard only a room away from the corpses. She was trembling and claims she had been hiding there for many hours before police arrived.

When interviewed, the child insisted on delusions that she had produced some kind of light blast from the palm of her hand that was responsible for the killings. We naturally had the girl evaluated and the conclusion is that she clearly is suffering from some form of post-traumatic stress syndrome causing her mind to block out the events of what actually happened.

He blinked, wondering why such a pointless detail such as the whimsy of a child was included in a police report but found it odder when he saw that the case was marked still as “unsolved” and that no leads had been found in the decade or so since its opening. The file was more or less treated as if the case were already closed.

Setting the file down, Snatcher shook his head and leaned back in the seat of his cheap Chevy Caprice. With his eyes on the Shimmer estate, he wondered how all of this connected. There was no doubt in his mind that all of it was somehow related to the disappearance of Sunset Shimmer.

“What do you know, Twilight?” He asked himself out loud before sipping from his cup.

Reaching into the seat next to himself, he retrieved a pair of binoculars and tried to see if he could get a better look inside the building.

No such luck, but he wasn’t going to give up that easily. He would wait as long as he needed to for Twilight to show him some kind of clue.

“You will reveal your secrets to me, Twilight Shimmer...” He grinned as he spoke to himself.

Almost Three Years Ago

Golden and Abyss had become exhausted from the excessive amount of walking. After being flown past Dragon Scar by the aid of her majesty’s dragon friend, the three mares had arrived at the Frozen North on the same continent that Equestria was located. Flying through Dragon Scar was often a process that took weeks, and the Frozen North was not easy to navigate on hoof either. They had been at it for several weeks, and both the gruff advisor and the confidence-lacking scholar were ready to take a long needed break, provided they could find proper lodging or accommodations first.

Golden had taken to complaining the entire journey, while Abyss seemed to have naturally fallen into the role of telling Golden to cease her incessant whining and be proud that they are permitted to make such a journey alongside her excellency.

Instead, Golden just huffed to herself and internally lamented how she’d much prefer a library with a good scroll to read rather than an arduous journey to deliver a bladed spear to who-knows-where. That was the part that still had her baffled, she knew they were on their way to deliver this weapon somewhere or utilize it at some place, but Golden didn’t have a clue where that was or why. If Abyss knew, she was keeping quiet, but Golden estimated that Abyss likely was just as clueless as she was regarding the matter.

Her Excellency didn’t seem to give any hints in her body language, and the mare’s gorgeous face didn’t seem to change expressions from a neutral smiling face very often. She said nothing, instead, she had made the entire journey in silence, no commands necessary for her to keep order. Abyss called the shots, but her excellency seemed to be the one actually in control.

Golden was curious if the fair mare even spoke ponish, the common tongue of their language, though a few of their kind also spoke German thanks to Ectra being located just off the Germanic Isles, one of which was Dragon Scar, where the two most common languages were German and Ponish, though a small number of dragons could still speak Draconian, an ancient tongue only taught by the oldest of clans. It was considered an honor to learn such a language by their kind.

Only having met a few dragons, Golden had only met a single one who spoke all three, and he was a very old merchant who had seen better days. The creature was close to his death bed when she had met him, but somehow the will to keep fighting and causing trouble burned within him eternally. Perhaps that was just the way of dragons; to drink, fuck and cause trouble.

Adjusting her cloak, Golden shivered from the frigid winds that buffeted the group. She groaned in complaint, and looked over to her ruler, who seemed unfazed by the icy winds, instead, she wore her usual casual smile upon her face. She wondered how such a thing was even possible.

“Your Excellency, may we perhaps stop somewhere to rest for the night?” Golden asked.

Abyss growled at Golden with a sneer upon her face. “How dare you speak directly to her Excellency!?”

“Relax, we’re the only ones here, so it’s not like I have anyone else to talk to, considering you’re such divine company...” Golden rolled her eyes.

“You hush your tongue, peasant. As far as I’m concerned a freshman council member is still in the ranks of the lower class, you have no right to speak to her Excellency...” Abyss stopped in her tracks and stamped her hoof in the snow as she approached Golden.

Sighing, Golden shook her head. “Look, I get that you are obsessed with your whole class and order thing, but in case you haven’t noticed, we’re not in Ectra anymore, we’re in the middle of nowhere freezing our behinds off and we’re doing so with a leader who has been silent for the past few months that we’ve traveled with her. I don’t know about you, but I’m not really content being silently commanded, I at least feel that after traveling this far we have a right to ask for a campsite or at the very least to be told what exactly we’re doing.”

Abyss’ face had turned red with anger. She grunted and looked at Golden with disgust at her insolence. “You will be told when it is necessary to tell you. Do your duty as a citizen of Ectra and serve your ruler without question, do you understand, peasant?”

“Whatever, I never even asked to go on this journey, and thus far my abilities have been a big waste of time, as there has been nothing worthy of note. My journal of this quest so far is a series of conversations with a dragon who apparently really has a thing for nice tails...” Golden said as she recalled the long flight over Dragon Scar.

“I could care less about your historian nonsense, but the orders you were given was to document this journey, and that is what you’ll do, do you understand?” Abyss raised a brow.

“Sure, fine, but that means I’ll have some questions along the way...” Golden looked away, already annoyed with the white-maned mare.

Her eyes fell once again on their ruler, the petite mare with the slender figure. Her mane was an interesting mess that had been partially tamed with the partial dreads and free-flowing mane combination, all wrapped up in a messy ponytail.

The blue and red gemstones that decorated her mane reminded Golden of some old paintings she had seen of tribal ponies, which her excellency resembled slightly.

It was common for their kind to wear earrings, Golden even had a set of diamond studs herself, but her majesty’s eight silver hoops were interesting, along with the chain cuff on her left ear.

What she really wanted to know though was how the mare’s makeup seemed to remain flawless regardless of what happened. How such a thing was possible was beyond her, but she couldn’t deny that the mare’s eyeliner was immaculate.

“Direct your questions to me then,” Abyss commanded.

Golden had a feeling that was going to be her reply, but she shrugged it off. “Fine, what are we doing? Where exactly in Equestria are we going?”

Abyss shrugged. “How should I know? That information is above me.”

“So no one around here knows anything, and she’s a mute.” Golden gestured to their leader who just looked over at her and smiled before sitting down in the snow as the other two mares argued it out.

“She isn’t a mute!” Abyss hissed.

“How do you know? Have you ever heard her talk?” Golden replied.

Abyss paused and bit her lip, chewing her thoughts for a moment. “Well... No... But that’s because only speakers are permitted to hear and speak for her Excellency.”

“Well that does us a lot of good because none of those are here with us, so we’re walking blind here...” Golden sighed.

Their leader stood back up and gestured with her hoof for the two mares to follow. The moment she made the gesture, both hushed their voices and followed without question. Within moments the group approached a cave where they all took shelter, their leader’s horn glowing casting a spell that transformed the entire cavern.

Within seconds, proper lighting appeared, and a series of beds, a vanity, and even a fire in the center. Golden and Abyss stared in awe at the display of magic by their competent leader. Such level of transmogrify usually would take the most skilled of mages decades to master, as it was clear she had transformed normal rocks into what they saw before them. With any other mage, they would be completely exhausted after casting such a high-level spell.

Golden blinked as she watched their leader smile at her, her face filled with radiance, causing the mare to blush. She was gorgeous, her lavender eyes shining brilliantly in the light.

She reached forward and ran a gentle hoof across Golden’s cheek. Golden blushed as she observed the mare. The two locked eyes, and there was something about her stare that mesmerized Golden.

The two remained silent until their leader turned toward one of the beds and levitated the spear mounted to her back onto the floor next to it before climbing in and pulling the covers over herself. Both Abyss and Golden remained silent until they could hear gentle breathing signifying that her excellency was asleep.

After a few moments of silence, Golden finally spoke up in a hushed tone to Abyss. “What an odd girl...”

Abyss wanted to argue, but even she found it hard to disagree. “I must admit her excellency has some odd tendencies...”

“What do you think is going on in her head?” Golden asked.

“You’ve got me... She doesn’t seem to let on whatever’s going on up there...” Abyss admitted.

Golden sighed and looked to the beds that were provided for them. “I guess we should get some rest, it’s still a long way to Equestria.”

“Agreed...” Abyss replied.

Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst waited patiently for Angel Song to get off of work with Starlight thumbing her phone to pass the time. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see her red-headed boyfriend smiling at her as he looked down. At that moment she really appreciated that he was tall, as a taller girl like her seldom met men who were an impressive enough height to make her feel small.

She smiled back and placed her hand atop of his and pet it gently before giving it a gentle squeeze and released it. She looked back down at her phone, checking the time as she waited anxiously for Angel to be finished.

Sure enough, it wouldn’t take long before the skinny girl walked out of the restaurant where the two of them worked, a long purse hanging off of her scrawny shoulder. Starlight giggled as she saw her friend and opened her arms to receive her.

Taking the cue, Angel stepped forward with arms extended and gripped Starlight in an embrace. Starlight was clearly the more powerful hugger of the two, but Angel always gave such soft and effeminate hugs that Starlight didn’t care if what she did was the equivalent of being strangled by a bear. Hugging Angel Song always made one want to squeeze her tightly as she was too adorable not to.

After the embrace, Starlight giggled and stared at her friend. Angel instantly noticed that her cheeks had become rosy and her fair complexion only accentuated that fact. “Someone’s in a good mood.” Angel observed.

Starlight nodded and looked back at Sunburst. “Sunburst, I’d like you to meet my best friend in the whole world, Angel Song.”

Angel looked past Starlight to get a good look at the guy she had been telling her about. While she had seen pictures of him, he was far better put together in person. She imagined he just wasn’t a good picture taker. His hair had been clipped to a semi-short length and done in a messy style, and he was sporting an attractive blue button up short sleeve. His scruffy facial hair completed the look with his black-framed glasses.

Angel stepped away from Starlight and offered her dainty hand. “It’s a pleasure, I’ve heard so much about you, Sunburst.”

He nodded and took her hand gently. Instinctually he was about to squeeze hard but remembered she was female and gave her a much less firm handshake, but one that was still far above anything that Angel could produce.

“The pleasure is all mine, I’ve actually heard a great deal about you, Angel Song. Starlight tells me that you’re something special...” He smiled.

Angel blushed and looked away. “Well... I wouldn’t say that... More like a never-ending burden...”

“She’s modest too, I forgot to mention.” Starlight grinned as she chimed in.

“More like honest, I’ve been nothing but trouble for you since we met.” Angel looked away again bashfully and played with her long curled hair.

“So it’s true then... You really can do some kind of magic?” Sunburst asked.

Angel looked over at Starlight with a raised brow but then back to Sunburst. “So, I guess she told you, huh?”

He nodded. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

“I appreciate that, and I’m sorry you got roped into this too...” Angel frowned.

Sunburst shook his head and pulled Starlight close to him, wrapping his arm around her waist and placing a hand upon her stomach. “No worries, since I’m already in this for the long haul now that we have a kid on the way.”

“I’m so happy that you’re not going to leave Starlight over that.” Angel’s frown flipped into a smile.

He blinked and held Starlight closer. “No way! Starlight and I have been friends for so long, I’ve loved her for such a long time that this is the most exciting thing ever. I kind of wish I told her how I felt about her a long time ago, but this sort of makes up for that.”

Starlight blushed and rubbed her neck. “I sort of fell for you a long time ago as well, but I kind of have a bad habit of saying the wrong things, so I held off...”

“I’m glad you did, so we get to share this together.” He winked.

Angel felt her stomach fill with butterflies as she placed her hands upon her heart and smiled. “I’m so happy for you two, you’re going to make exceptional parents.”

“Thanks, Angel, I’m glad you can be a part of all of this.” Starlight nodded.

Angel found herself frowning once more. “Yeah, but that means that you guys are now going to have your baby roped into the nonsense we’re involved in...”

Starlight shook her head. “That just means we’ll be doing this as a family. We can’t turn back now, we have these powers for a reason and I intend to find out why don’t you? I mean we can’t just give up now, right?”

Angel wiped her eyes, feeling tears begin to appear but nodded. “Yeah, thanks, you guys... It means a lot to me that you’re willing to still do this... Chasing down the origins of magic powers isn’t exactly the environment that most people would want to raise a child...”

“We’re far from most people, aren’t we?” Starlight grinned.

A laugh escaped Angel. “That we are.”

Almost Three Years Ago

Twilight found herself pacing in her living room late at night. Her daughter had been put to bed, and she had spent the last eighty minutes bringing her friend Rainbow Dash up to speed on her situation.

“So basically, this detective really thinks you had something to do with Sunset’s disappearance, huh?” Rainbow asked as she sipped from a soda, her legs dangling over the edge of the couch as she sat on the arm of the seat rather than on the cushion itself. Twilight recalled the girl always had an odd way of sitting and seldom made exceptions.

“More or less, but I can’t seem to shake him, I feel like he’s following me everywhere, trying to see if I’ll do anything that clues him in...” Twilight rubbed her neck, wiping the sweat from it. She hadn’t been able to calm down since the detective first started asking questions. It had been weeks now, and she knew he didn’t give up just because his chief had told him that they had no case; he didn’t seem the type after all.

Rainbow nodded and leaned back, taking a long slurp from the can of Diet Coke. “Well, what does he know so far?”

Twilight shrugged. “I don’t know, but I fear he may find out too much.”

“How so?” Rainbow raised a brow.

“If he digs around enough, he might uncover the fact that Sunset isn’t human and that...” Twilight bit her lip.

“Would be very bad...” Rainbow finished her sentence and nodded.

“Correct...” Twilight sighed.

Rainbow finished off the can and continued. “Not just for you, but Horizon as well. Hell, it could be bad for everyone, they might find out about our powers... Who knows what will happen from there, FBI investigations, some real X-Files shit... It could even lead to them trying to find Equestria, possibly shit that could lead to the end of the human race. Scary shit.”

“Exactly...” Twilight shuddered just thinking about those outcomes. She knew there was a risk for her and Twilight, but Rainbow had illustrated even greater threats that she had yet to consider, but now those threats were fresh in her mind and not going away any time soon. The fact that the entire human race could be at risk only added to the pressure.

“Shimmer took care of that stuff though, she got documents made for Sunset, shit is set,” Rainbow reminded.

Twilight gripped the fabric of her skirt and closed her eyes. “Shimmer isn’t flawless, even she can’t explain away how Sunset didn’t exist on paper before this. Someone who looks into it deeply enough can likely find out that no one at the hospital her birth is listed as remembers her being born there, or that no one recognizes her prior to the age of thirteen. Not to mention there are likely other holes that even Shimmer couldn’t cover up...”

Rainbow placed a hand upon her chin and thought about it. Twilight had a point, while paper can definitely explain away most to the unsuspecting, those with a deeper interest in the matter might be able to discern more. The solution, however, in her mind was to inject more paper and documents into the mix. “Either way, hard evidence is better evidence and most people will agree there. A bunch of people saying they had never seen her before the age of thirteen isn’t going to mean anything if the paperwork is there. I can probably pull some strings and get some new paperwork made to help create more of a backstory for the girl if you’d like.”

Twilight blinked and looked up in surprise. “You can do that?”

Rainbow nodded. “Sure, being in the army means I have access to a few government facilities, some officially headed government papers, I can just pop in some details, make a few fake phone calls, and we can have an entire life for this girl made up.”

“That’s a huge risk, Rainbow... You’re risking your job, what if you get caught?” Twilight asked, concern showing in her voice.

Rainbow shrugged. “I won’t get caught, I’m too crafty for that, plus I can do it in a way to where I can destroy all evidence leading back to me. Even if I do get caught somehow, this is for a greater cause; if this guy finds out Sunset’s secret who knows what kind of disaster it’ll bring. The stakes are higher than just my job.”

“If you do get in trouble, I’ll bail you out. Even if I have to spend our entire fortune, I promise!” Twilight pleaded.

Rainbow shook her head and laughed. “It won’t come to that, but I am curious though... Where is Sunset? We’ve never really talked about it.”

Looking away, Twilight frowned. “I... I don’t know if I’m honest with you...”

“Did she go to Equestria, maybe?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight shrugged. “I tried writing to the Princess, no response. I also went to the portal, it’s closed for some reason. I’ve checked periodically, and no change. I can’t even sense the portal is there anymore, so if she did go, she has no way of getting back.”

“Why would she leave though?” Rainbow asked.

Looking at the floor, Twilight didn’t like to hear the answer out loud, but she forced herself to speak. “Probably because of me... Maybe she just didn’t want to be a mom and she decided that it was better to start over...”

Rainbow stood up and placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder shaking her head. “That definitely can’t be it. I saw how that girl looked at you, how she almost cried at your wedding... She’s crazy about you, Twilight. While I’m not a fan of her current actions, there’s no doubt in my mind that that hasn’t changed. Sunset would do anything for you.”

She wanted to believe Rainbow, she wanted to believe that there was some kind of logical explanation for everything and that Sunset would return like nothing happened and their lives would continue, but she was losing hope. It was sinking in that Sunset may never come back. “What if she doesn’t come back?”

“She will, Twilight.” Rainbow reassured.

“But what if-“ Twilight was cut off.

Giving her shoulder a stern squeeze, Rainbow smiled at her. “It’s times like these that you have to be your strongest. Right now, Horizon needs you, so you need to be strong for her. Focus on that, and leave the rest to me. I’ll get rid of this guy for you, and we’ll keep things together for when Sunset gets back.”

“But-“ Twilight started.

“When she gets back, Twilight. Have some faith.” Rainbow nudged the girl’s cheek with the back of her hand.

“It’s hard, Rainbow... When someone vanishes on you without a single word... It’s hard to believe that they’ll come back, I’m not sure if you know what that’s like...” Twilight frowned.

Rainbow returned her frown and shook her head. “No, I can’t say that I do, but I can say that I know what it’s like to be a mom, and I’m pretty sure Sunset went through a similar feeling when she had Horizon, so I’m pretty sure she will come back.”

“Well... I appreciate you saying so, I guess sometimes it’s better to hear it from someone else so that it’s easier to believe for one’s self.” Twilight shrugged.

“If you need anything, Twilight, you can always come and find me, I’ll always be there for you.” Rainbow smiled.

“Thanks, I may have to take you up on that offer, sometime.” Twilight grinned.

Almost Three Years Ago

It was only minutes after the announcement that an enemy airship was on their tail, and the distance between the two ships was closing fast. Glitch stood in silence for a long painful eight minutes with Princess Twilight, Aria and Sonata at her side, contemplating the matter.

“Glitch...” Twilight began, but Glitch raised a hoof and cut her off.

Looking out the window that overhung the deck below, Glitch could see the enemy airship preparing to send its crew to board their ship. Glitch’s army below was already readying their weapons, preparing for a bloodbath to protect their prize.

There was no other option, they would need to fight to keep their investment. Everything rode on them retaining the airship. Should it be lost, everything would fall apart. Glitch had prepared for the worst, but they didn’t consider how bad things could really get.

As grappling hooks shot onto the deck, ponies from the enemy ship quickly propelled themselves on deck, a few being taken out before they ever reached, falling to the oblivion down below, but a handful managed to get on board and begin fighting instantly. The battle had begun, and now was the time to make a move.

Closing their eyes, Glitch took a breath in and tapped their chest, making the suit around them vanish and return back to its crystal form. The other three mares in the room stared in confusion at Sunset Shimmer who looked back at them and took the crystal off of her neck and passed it to Princess Twilight.

“What are you doing?” Twilight raised a brow.

Sunset reached over and snagged the cloak off of Aria. The siren didn’t put up much of a fight but instead allowed Sunset to simply have it. Once she had it in her grasp, she quickly fastened it on, and pulled the hood up, covering her mane and concealing part of her face.

She gestured to Aria’s right hoof suggesting she wanted the hoof mounted blade that she had been given. Aria hesitated for a moment but handed it over, watching Sunset fasten it quickly to her hoof.

“Twilight, you hold onto the suit for now,” Sunset instructed as she made the blade extend and gave it a few test swings.

“What the hell is going on?” Twilight demanded to know.

“If I don’t come back, then you have to take over as Glitch. The ponies below need Glitch, so you have to assume the role if I die down there...” Sunset explained.

“Die!? What are you going to do!?” Twilight gulped.

Sunset shook her head. “Everything rides on this... We lose this airship, it’s all over.”

“You can’t be serious!” Twilight blinked.

“I am. Do not let them take this airship, at any cost.” Sunset grunted.

Twilight watched as Sunset approached the door to leave and head down the stairs, calling to her as she stood at the doorway. “Where are you going!?”

Sunset turned back and smirked at Twilight. “I’m going to go and even the odds.”

Almost Three Years Ago

Serenade had just finally slipped into her bath, ready to enjoy her night. She knew a report from Arax was on its way, but she had made it very clear that she expected results from him, so she had little concern that he wouldn’t deliver, and thus was able to calm herself as she allowed her body to be wrapped in the soothing feeling of the soapy hot water.

Despite not needing to sleep or eat, Serenade did still enjoy being clean. While she seldom got dirty, the feeling of a bath was just something she enjoyed. It was relaxing, soothing, and perhaps one of the few things could take her blood boiling anger and reduce it to a simmer.

She recalled the old days where she used to use her voice to manipulate the owners of bathhouses in the old times to close up shop and allow her to spend the day there uninterrupted. In a way, she missed the old days, while ponies still treated her kind like trash, it was a simpler time. The world now was so drastically different, and Serenade didn’t like it. Wearing togas and silk garments was a feeling she could get behind, but the garb that ponies would wear now was odd.

The thought crossed her mind of dismantling all modern inventions and such and forcing the population to revert to the old ways, but she dismissed the idea as it sounded like far too much work to enforce.

Given that her kind could breathe underwater, Serenade lowered her entire body and submerged her head under the bath water to soak her mane. She stayed there for a brief moment and closed her eyes, remembering how it would feel at times to take upon her siren form and swim through the ocean.

Years ago, she used to head to the beach and tempt beachgoers by luring them toward her so she could drain them of their energy. With her best “come hither” look, it would always make the stallions bend over backward for her, she seldom even needed to use her actual powers to manipulate. Serenade was an attractive mare, and she knew it. Stallions dreamed of a chance at her touch, to possibly kiss her lips or even a look at her flank, but none would ever get close.

It was mandatory that a siren refrained from intimacy with mortals and as a result, Serenade followed those rules. The thought of intimacy with mortals also disgusted her anyway.

She opened her eyes as she heard the door to the bathroom open and sighed as she popped out of the water, her head coming above water as she was greeted by a familiar red-eyed changeling who nodded to acknowledge her presence. Serenade returned the nod.

“Arax...” She said.

He sighed and took a seat as he levitated a clipboard in front of himself. “Enjoying your bath?”

“Hopefully... That depends on what you have for me...” Serenade raised a brow.

“You know, you shouldn’t base your happiness on others, it’s not a healthy habit,” Arax sarcastically remarked.

“Are you hoping to analyze me, Arax?” Serenade asked.

He shook his head. “That would take way too long, hell I’m sure the best doctors in Equestria would still take centuries to figure out what’s wrong with you.”

“The same could be said about you, bug-boy.” Serenade rolled her eyes.

“True, I mean I waste my time hanging around you, so that’s a fair assessment.” He chuckled.

“Get to the point, Arax...” Serenade moved her hoof in a manner that suggested he speed it up.

“Well, I have my report on this Glitch character for you as promised...” He rolled his eyes, hoping that they could continue their banter instead, as he was actually getting more enjoyment out of that instead of discussing Glitch.

“What do you have?” Serenade asked.

“Not much, but that suit of his is pretty interesting...” He said as he looked over his clipboard.

“Do you know who built it?” Serenade raised a brow, levitating a wine bottle toward herself and poured herself a glass of wine which she took in her hoof and sipped gently. While she was far from lady-like, she still seemed to prefer having some manners rather than act like a barbarian all the time.

“No, but I can at least determine it’s not of dragon origin. It’s a unique build, and it doesn’t use anything that Equestria has ever seen before. It must have been made by someone currently unknown. The design does not appear to have any inspiration from other armor designs that I’ve looked up...” He explained.

“It’s magic-powered, right?” Serenade blinked.

He nodded. “Yes, but not entirely. The readings we got when Glitch was in your proximity suggest that it can store magic as some kind of reserve power system. It’s safe to say that it likely can amplify their magic and that the readings we get from it might actually be lower than the reality of Glitch’s true power.”

Serenade leaned back and sipped from her wine glass before speaking. “So what? Even if Glitch is stronger than his power suggests he’s still no match for you or I. I am impressed you at least were able to find out about his suit, did you find out who is inside the suit though?”

He shook his head and frowned. “No, whoever is inside that suit isn’t going to reveal themselves that easily, however, we at least now have an understanding of his capabilities.”

“I suppose that is good enough for now...” Serenade paused and downed the rest of the glass before looking over at him. “Find me the weak points of that suit, and track his every move, understand?”

He nodded. “Sure, whatever.”

She sighed before the door to the bathroom opened once more and a guard stepped inside and gave a salute. Serenade growled at him and raised a brow. “What have I told all of you about disturbing me when I am in the bath?”

“Ma’am, that we should only do so if it’s an absolute emergency.” He stood at attention.

Serenade smirked, proud that he had memorized her instructions. “Then for your sake, you best hope what you’re about to tell me is very important or you’ll be spending the rest of your days without testicles.”

He gulped and adjusted himself as he felt his genitals twitch just at the sounds of her threat. “M-ma’am, there was an airship stolen in Trottingham, subjects there state they spotted Twilight Sparkle...”

Serenade blinked and stood up, water running off her body as she stared him down. “Was Glitch spotted there!?”

He hesitated and shook his head slowly. “I d-don’t know, ma’am...”

“If Sparkle is there, Glitch is sure to be close by...” Arax pointed out.

Serenade couldn’t deny that, wherever Twilight went, she was sure to bring Glitch as, without magic, Twilight was virtually useless. It was a smart move to keep her strongest asset close by at all times, but also risky as Serenade would have more opportunities to capture Twilight’s prize.

The siren wondered if Twilight actually allowed the newcomer to call the shots or if Glitch was just a figurehead. Either way, without knowing who was under the mask, they couldn’t even be certain that they ever could kill Glitch even if they were successful in doing so. He could pass the suit off to anyone and they would be chasing him forever that way. Admittedly, Serenade realized it was an ingenious strategy, but that was to be expected from Twilight Sparkle, possibly the smartest mare in Equestria.

“That’s true... What are they doing in Trottingham though? I would have imagined Glitch would have struck closer to try and piss me off...” Serenade placed a hoof upon her own chin.

“Ma’am, it seems Twilight and her crew have stolen an airship...” The guard informed.

Serenade slapped her hooves together as it all started to make sense to her. “Of course... Glitch wants mobility. An airship really would give him more of an advantage in a fight, wouldn’t it?”

Arax nodded in agreement. “So he steals it when our backs are turned and tries to make a getaway.”

“Are we chasing him?” Serenade looked at the guard.

He saluted her once more and nodded. “Yes ma’am, our soldiers are attempting to take back the airship as we speak!”

Serenade nodded and shook her head to get some of the water out of her mane. Levitating an elegant looking towel over her body and another to wrap her mane in, she gestured for Arax to follow her. “Come, to the observatory. I wish to check our scrying orbs to watch this battle for myself. We have an orb just on the edge of Trottingham that I am sure we can at least catch a glimpse of the battle from.”

“Right behind you...” Arax frowned. He had hoped that his part of the job was complete, but it looked like he would be pulling some overtime before he could finally retire to his quarters and relax. Duty came first after all, but truthfully, he was also curious on if Glitch was aboard the ship and if he could actually take it.

Almost Three Years Ago

Outside of the captain’s chamber, Sunset could see how fierce the battle had become in only a matter of minutes. Serenade’s soldiers fought with reckless abandon; they didn’t care if they died, they would line up to be slaughtered at Serenade’s command. She supposed that either they were being controlled by her dark influence or a death at the hooves of Glitch’s army was a far more pleasant prospect than whatever happened to those who disobeyed Serenade. Her money was on the latter.

Readying herself mentally, Sunset prepared for the worst as she rushed out onto the deck. Within seconds she was met with one of the crew members of the enemy ship who came at her without much form. Her training and prowess gave her a significant advantage and she was able to dodge his first attack, parry the second and jab him in the chest with her blade.

It would only take one solid stab for him to go down, bleeding out on the deck as she laid him down. She reminded herself that they would need to clean the ship before they took it out again, but that was assuming they managed to keep it from Serenade’s clutches.

Sunset’s mind returned to the battle at hand and found herself somewhat calmed by the fact that her crew seemed to be holding their own even against the savage minions of the demon siren. She could at least rest easy knowing that they weren’t going to simply lay down and allow Serenade to kill them.

Shaking her head, she focused back on her mission, she needed to get the airship that was opposing them off of their tail, and fast. There was no telling how much more her crew could take or how much longer they could hold the airship from being taken back.

Taking a deep breath, Sunset made her way to the edge of the ship. She looked over the deck and could see that the enemy ship was flying a good eight feet lower than they were. By her math, her odds were good that she could utilize one of the few hook shots on the boat to gain her access to the enemy ship. It was a risky move, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Without wasting another second, Sunset made her way to the center of the ship and opened a storage area that was reserved for equipment and retrieved one of four hook shots. She had never used one before but prayed that she was a fast enough learner for the device.

Making her way back to the railing that overlooked the edge of the ship, Sunset aimed the device and fired directly into the deck of the attacking ship. It was a direct hit, which caused her to smirk.

She couldn’t afford to waste any precious seconds, so she quickly jumped onto the rope and slid down, leaping off at the last second to land on the enemy deck, surrounded by Serenade’s minions, all of which observing her with bloodlust in their eyes. While they didn’t know that the red-headed unicorn was Glitch, they had still seen her face; they couldn’t be left alive now.

With a smirk, Sunset glanced at her blade, ready to perform. Not wasting even a second, she gave a quick slash, slitting the throats of two of her would-be attackers, downing them instantly.

Another came from behind her, but her reflexes proved more than enough for the stallion as she sidestepped his attack and pierced his side with her sword, puncturing right between a set of his ribs, causing him to keel over gripping the now bleeding side.

Her assault was proving fruitful right away as she made light work of a good eight of them, the last of which she had to take down by strangling with a nearby rope until he ceased movement, but she utilized his body as a shield while she prevented air from entering his lungs, providing ample protection against sword slashes or spear attacks while she ended him.

It wouldn’t take long before Sunset fought her way to the wooden grate over the cargo hold below. With a flick of her horn, she ignited the wood blocking her entrance and jumped as high as her hooves would allow, coming down with a stomp, breaking through and falling to the cargo hold below.

Given that she had anticipated it, Sunset landed on her hooves and gritted her teeth as she took notice of the ponies down below who were taken by surprise from her entrance. She smirked and quickly started casting fire spells, igniting everything (and every pony) in sight until the interior of the ship was completely doused in flames.

She took note of the few rum barrels in the cargo hold and took extra care to make sure they didn’t get caught in the direct flames, along with the barrels of gunpowder for the cannons.

Sunset knew she wouldn’t have long though before those flames eventually spread and touched those barrels and the entire ship became one giant firework and a distant memory. If she didn’t hurry, she would join it in its unfortunate fate.

With haste, she fought her way back up onto the upper deck and readjusted her hood. She had killed a few enemy crew members on her way up and stabbed one in front of an equipment chest before pilfering through it to find another hook shot. Finessing her way to the side of the ship, she shot the device until the hull of her own ship and jumped over the edge of the airship, gripping the hook shot tightly.

Almost like one of those action movies she had seen in the human world, the flames inside the ship caught the gunpowder at the moment that Sunset had hopped off and an explosion left a sizable hole in the ship’s hull, which was followed by a second an then third explosion as other gunpowder barrels caught fire. The rum seemed to assist in spreading the flames as well, and before Sunset knew it, the enemy airship was crumbling and falling out of the sky in a ball of flames.

Screaming and calls for help could be heard as the ship exited the sky, turning to ash as it came to the ground, and another few explosions would accompany its fall.

She sighed and shook her head as she looked up the rope that held her in the air. Dangling from the ship, Sunset adjusted her hood and began the ascent back up onto the craft.

Almost Three Years Ago

Managing to avoid being seen, Sunset made her way back to the captain’s chamber and snuck in before removing her hood. Sonata quickly bolted toward her and pulled her into a tight hug, practically squeezing the air out of her. “Sunset! You did it!”

“Thanks, Sonata... Can I breathe now?” Sunset wheezed.

Blushing, Sonata released her and shuffled her hoof in embarrassment.

“I can’t believe it, you actually took out their ship, there’s no way any of them survived that...” Twilight looked out the window impressed.

Sunset shrugged, not really wanting to talk about all the death she had just caused. “Either way, the problem is resolved, right?”

“I suppose so...” Twilight replied, sensing Sunset’s unease. Without waiting a moment longer, Twilight removed the crystal that housed the suit and returned it to Sunset, who quickly activated it and donned her second skin that turned her into the pony known only as Glitch.

The process was quick and seamless almost, which fascinated Twilight. Moondancer struck her as a practical girl, so it seemed odd that she would design something so elegant.

“With the enemy airship gone, we need to set our course to our next safe zone, and we need to kick the engines into high gear before another airship is sent after us. Given that we’re a good distance out now, I am doubting that Serenade will give chase, and even if she does, we have enough of a head start to keep away from her.” Glitch informed.

Aria and Sonata gave a salute to their leader which Twilight reluctantly followed. “Yes, sir!”

Aria and Sonata then bolted out the door to inform the crew of Glitch’s instructions, Twilight, however, stayed behind to talk with her friend. “Sunset...” She began.

“It’s Glitch now...” Glitch reminded her.

“Right... Glitch, sorry... I just wanted to say that I feel like what happened on that ship seems to have affected you...” Twilight frowned.

“When I killed in Appleloosa I had to turn myself off to emotions... I was Glitch, and I wore the suit, but this time... It was just Sunset Shimmer who did the killing, and I listened as they screamed and burned...” Glitch replied.

Reaching forward, Twilight placed a hoof upon Glitch’s shoulder. Glitch looked over to see concerned eyes looking in their direction. “It’s alright, this is war. We all will be forced to do things that we don’t want to, but that’s part of why we’re at war in the first place, you know?”

“I guess I should be used to it... Humans have had far greater wars than we could imagine, some of the biggest blood baths you’ve ever seen, and I had to learn about them in history class, but I suppose I never really considered what it’s like to live through it...” Glitch said.

“You aren’t alone. We’re all being affected by this, but we’re going to come out on top, I promise. All this bloodshed won’t be for nothing, I promise.” Twilight comforted.

Her words somehow soothed Glitch. While Sunset and Twilight were not on the best terms thanks to the stunt that put Sunset here in the first place, it was at least comforting to know that they had each other’s backs, even if their friendship was on the rocks at that moment.

War was hell, but Sunset had made a promise that she would do everything in her power to return home to a little girl named Horizon, a little girl who needed her mom.

“We have a war to win, right, Twilight?” Glitch straightened themselves up and stood tall.

A smile came to the Princess of Friendship’s lips as she nodded. “That we do, lead the way.”

Author's Note

I think it's time to talk about our three friends on their journey with this spear they are taking. Who are they? I can't say yet. What are they doing? Well that's a bit more complicated, but I actually do love the dynamic of Golden, Abyss and their leader. Golden is the realist and scholar of the group and Abyss is sort of like the nagging nanny. She bitches and moans, but she has loyalty to a fault to her leader.

Their leader? Oh how I wish I could talk more about her, but all I can say so far is that she's a gorgeous lady.

Also: Applety would love feedback on the new art style being used. She recently switched to digital.

Act VI - Chapter LXXXVII: Dragons

Chapter LXXXVII: Dragons

Almost Two Years Ago

Patience was a commodity that was running low for Eclipse. He had spent weeks trying to figure out how to acquire one of Serenade’s elite guards’ cloaks but to no avail. Those guards were seldom close by and usually, when they did frequent a part of the city that would put them in proximity for him to swipe the cloak, they were on high alert or surrounded by other guards.

The rebel group he had been trying to get in on had insisted her bring back one of those cloaks to prove he was worthy of entry, but he was starting to suspect it was just a fool’s errand to keep him away. Stealing one of the elite guard’s cloaks was near impossible, and no doubt it would likely land him in some deep water.

After days of deliberating, he had come up with a far superior plan to get the rebels to help him. In retrospect, he was kicking himself for not thinking of such a plan prior, as it truly was the more efficient option.

Making his way back down through the sewers, Eclipse replayed the path to their secret hideout in his memories, and before long, he arrived at the entrance, tapping eight times on the wall next to it to get their attention as he stood with his prize at his side just out of sight.

Poking his head into the entryway, he smiled at the group, the leader from before giving him a nasty sneer as his brain clearly took a moment to remember who Eclipse was, but once he had remembered, his sneer turned into a smirk. His expression clued Eclipse in that he indeed, did send him on a fool’s errand, as he had the look of a pony who was not expecting to see him again.

With a smug aura about him, the pony crossed his hooves and raised a condescending brow before speaking. “So, did you get the cloak, rookie? You don’t appear to be wearing it.”

Eclipse shook his head. “No cloak, I got something better.”

“Oh? This should be good. Why not show us all what you managed to get.” He clearly was holding back a laugh, pathetically feigning genuine interest.

Nodding, Eclipse reached to his side, grabbing the long hilt of the item he had brought with him and kept just out of their sight until now. He frowned for a brief second when he saw Rose sitting among the group, knowing that he was about to do something that would affect her. He hoped she could forgive him.

When he pulled the object out, he stood on his hind hooves and gripped it tight as he pointed a bladed pointy end toward the group, their leader flicked just at the sight of it. It was a powerful looking spear that the guards often used to clean up any riffraff or disputes that lasted for more than a minute. Eclipse had managed to get his hooves upon one, figuring it was easier to threaten his way into what he wanted than waste his time trying to get a bunch of ponies to respect him enough to reveal their secrets. It was a messy method, but if it got results he didn’t give a damn.

“W-where’d you get that!?” The leader of the group gulped.

Eclipse grinned and kept his stance strong. “I stole it from a guard, it was a snap. So now, you all are going to show me how to get out of the city.”

“Or else what? You’re gonna kill us?” The leader asked, clearly trying to see if he could discern if Eclipse was bluffing.

Was he bluffing though? He didn’t know. He thought it over for a brief second and weighed the pros and cons. A pro being that killing him would show the others that he meant business (on top of gaining personal satisfaction for the guy wasting his time), but they could just also clam up and refuse to tell him anything. If he killed them, the information on how to get out of the city died with them. Was he prepared to take lives to get what he wanted? He hoped that they couldn’t detect his internal dilemma and just bought his threats at face value.

“I’d like to avoid it, but if it’s what it takes to get you to help then I’ll kill each of you...” He looked over at Rose and frowned. “Sorry, Rose, it’s just business. I need to get out of this city and find someone...”

“And then what, kid?” Their leader asked with a furrowed brow.

“Once I know they are okay, I’m going to begin my quest to kill Serenade...” He grinned.

He and a few of his consorts laughed at the prospect. Eclipse was slender, not much to look at, a pretty boy even. The stallion was easily mistakable for a mare, right down to his soft voice, he didn’t look tough enough to take on a single guard, let alone Serenade.

“Kid, you’re dreaming. Serenade can split space and time, you don’t stand a chance against her...” He shook his head.

Stepping forward with the spear drawn, Eclipse narrowed his eyes in annoyance. “Stand in my way, and you’re just as much of a problem to me as she is. You’re either going to help me, or you’re going to die, take your pick.”

Rose smiled and looked at her leader. “I say we help him out, he’s clearly proven that he has what it takes.”

His bluff proved successful as the stallion ultimately smiled and nodded. “Well, you got guts, kid... I’ll give you that. Tell you what, we’ll take you to the secret exit that gets you out of the city through an underground mountain pass, alright?”

Eclipse lowered the spear, shocked that his bluff had worked, but he wasn’t about to show how surprised he was, lest he looks like a fool. Mostly though, he was thankful for Rose’s help, as he wasn’t certain that he’d be able to even pull off such a ploy without her insisting that he should be given a chance.

“Lead the way...” Eclipse said.

Their leader who revealed his name to be Buzz gestured with his head and began trotting casually down a corridor behind himself that the group had covered with a sheet. Eclipse sighed as he followed behind, but was stopped briefly by Rose Inkscape who grinned at him.

“You’re a tough one, Eclipse...” She winked.

He rubbed his neck. “To be honest, I was surprised that even worked...”

“I knew you were bluffing!” She giggled before poking his snout.

“Don’t tell anypony, alright?” He frowned pathetically, a bit sad that she could see right through his ruse.

She gave a signal of zipping her lips and winked. “Your secret’s safe with me, cutie.”

He nodded and sighed before looking away bashfully. “I uh... Well thanks for sticking up for me. Most ponies just kind of ignore me, you know?”

“We’re friends, so don’t mention it. You go find the one you love, okay?” She grinned.

Eclipse blushed and blinked. “W-wha!?”

“It’s written all over your face, a girl knows these things. There’s someone out there important to you and that’s why you’re doing all of this, I can tell.” She giggled.

“Yeah... I guess you’ve got me...” He blushed again, looking away.

“I hope you find them, Eclipse. They must be very special to you for you to do all of this for them.” Rose smiled.

Realizing he had no reason not to trust her, and that she had proven herself loyal to his cause, Eclipse finally allowed himself to smile in front of her, his gentle face lighting up for the first time in her presence. She couldn’t help but feel he looked even more adorable when he smiled, though she still felt he had a cute puppy dog face that looked sad most of the time.

“Thank you, Rose...” He replied.

“Don’t mention it.” She winked.

The easy part was behind him, now the hard part was actually making it out of the city while keeping his bluff going, and of course, making it to Griffonstone after. The road ahead was challenging, but Eclipse had faith in himself, he had to after all.

Almost Three Years Ago

Snatcher had come into the office with a box of donuts (which he had helped himself to a few prior to coming in the door) which he set on the counter in the break room as he grabbed a coffee cup from the cupboard and began to pour himself a hot cup as he looked around the room. Most of the other detectives there looked away from him, not wanting to even give him the opportunity to chance eye contact.

Prior to his interest in the Twilight Shimmer incident, he wasn’t exactly the most popular guy in the office, but it had seemed that word got around about his endeavors and now the entire force was giving him the cold shoulder.

Shrugging it off, he feigned a smile and sat down at the break table where another officer that he recognized was sitting. He was a young gun, fresher to the force than all the others in the room, and Snatcher recalled his name was Cuff. Nudging the young man’s shoulder, Snatcher tried to strike up a conversation.

“So, Cuff, how’s the south-side murder case that you've been working on going? Feel good to be in the big leagues now? What’s this, your eighth case in homicide now?” He grinned, hoping that the blonde man would respond.

Cuff coughed as he gripped his own white ceramic mug tightly with one hand and used his other to adjust his thin glasses. “Uh... Yeah, it’s my eighth case.”

“Eight cases in only a few months, impressive work. Before you know it, they’re going to move you into the really big leagues!” Snatcher smirked.

Cuff looked away. “Yeah...”

“What’s wrong, kid? You don’t actually listen to the nonsense that these chicken shits go on about, do you?” Snatcher raised a brow as he gestured to the other officers in the room, all of which looking away from him, knowing that he was referring to them.

Trying to avoid eye contact, Cuff focused on his cup. “Actually... Even the Chief has been saying you’ve gone off the deep end, Snatcher...”

Sighing, Snatcher leaned back in his seat and shook his head. He took a long sip from his coffee and eyed the young officer. “That’s a damn shame, Cuff. I took you for a free thinker, not another cog in the machine, but I guess I was wrong. People only think I’m crazy because I don’t ignore my hunches and when something smells, I make sure to do a full investigation.”

A deeper voice echoed through the room and got his attention. They clearly had been eavesdropping on his conversation. “Well, Mr. Free Thinker, why not go talk to the chief about your hunches... He wants you in his office now.”

Snatcher turned and noted the higher ranking officer giving him the command. He shrugged, took another long sip from his cup and set it down before standing up. He looked over at Cuff and smiled as he gestured to his coffee. “Guard that for me, I shouldn’t be gone long enough for it to even get cold.”

Adjusting his cheap tie, Snatcher stepped up to the higher officer and gestured with his hands. “Lead the way, your majesty.”

His superior ignored his sarcasm and instead opted to just leave him to his own devices. The walk through the office was short, and before he knew it, he was dropped off at the chief’s office where his superior left the two alone.

“You wanted to see me, Chief?” Snatcher raised a brow as he stuck his hands in his pockets.

“Close the door.” The Chief instructed as he paced back and forth.

Snatcher did as he was told, but remained standing as his eyes followed the police chief moving back and forth. “Something wrong, Chief?”

The Chief of police chewed his thumbnail for a moment before looking at Snatcher from the corner of his eye. Once he had formulated what he wanted to say, he placed his large hands on his desk and leaned over it, his blue striped tie dragging across the table between the two policemen.

“Snatcher, I got a phone call from the mayor today...” He began.

“Good for you, I’m very happy for you, sir,” Snatcher remarked.

“Cut the sarcasm, Snatcher. Did you do a stakeout of the Shimmer estate?” The Chief raised an annoyed brow.

Snatcher shrugged. “Maybe, what does it matter? It’s not a crime to do some street side surveillance, I was never anywhere on the property-“

He didn’t even get a chance to finish. “The mayor is on my ass, Snatcher. You’re harassing a family that has a lot of influence in this city. The Shimmer Foundation in the past three years has donated tons of money to city projects, they’re big shots here in Canterlot and I got you basically pissing them off because you can’t leave well enough alone...”

“Sir, with all due respect, my job is to investigate wrongdoing. I can’t ignore that just because a family has favoritism with the mayor...” Snatcher defended.

The Chief wagged his finger. “No, your fucking job is to do the cases that you’re assigned. I told you, there is no case with the Shimmer family, and if there was, you aren’t on it.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it! Something happened to that girl, and I’m trying to find out what!” Snatcher defended.

The Chief shook his head in disagreement. “As far as we know, nothing happened. People run away sometimes, and there isn’t much we can do about it, it’s not a homicide, Snatcher.”

“This is some political bullshit! You are going to just let this injustice stand because the mayor is up your ass?” Snatcher questioned.

“Some cases we can’t touch, Snatcher. I get that you think it’s unfair, but that’s fucking life. I don’t make the system, but the shit is above me, alright?” The Chief grunted.

Crossing his arms and shaking his head, Snatcher sighed. “What happened to you, Chief? Do you not even give a shit about solving crime anymore? Where’s your drive for the truth?”

Pressing his temples with his thumb and index finger, the Chief picked up a glass of water from the desk and took a sip before replying. “I have a family at home, Snatcher. They expect my check to come in the mail to pay for the house we bought, and for my two little boys to go to college. I’m not going to fuck that up by pissing in the mayor’s cornflakes. There are other real cases out there to solve.”

“Fine... Put me back on whatever bullshit case you want me on and waste my time already...” Snatcher sighed.

The Chief shook his head. “No, not this time, Snatcher. I’m letting you go.”

“Sir?” He blinked.

“You’re done. Turn in your badge and gun. I want your shit out of here by eight o’ clock.” He pointed toward the door.

Snatcher growled and banged his hands on the table between them. “So that’s it then? Twilight Shimmer gets away with it because you’re too afraid to stand up to her and the mayor!?”

The Chief hissed back at the detective with full volume. “I got the mayor putting my dice in a vice here, Snatcher. You keep barking up that tree and you’re going to get yourself into a lot more trouble than you think. The Shimmer family has great lawyers, if I were you, I’d consider being fired a blessing. I’m preventing you from taking this to a level that will fuck you over more.”

“Sir, with all due respect, you clearly have no dice to put into said vice.” Snatcher grunted before turning to leave.

He slammed the door behind him to prevent his now former boss from giving him his retort.

Snatcher wandered over to the secretary that sat in front of the Chief’s office and reached into his pocket. He produced his badge and set it upon the table, and then followed it by his revolver. He gave the middle-aged redhead at the desk a scowl before walking off.

He couldn’t believe that he was being let go, but what astounded him more is on his way out, he caught a glimpse of the one officer on the force that he hated more than anyone else at that moment; Shining Armor.

Approaching the middle aged officer, Snatcher took a swing at him, only for Shining to dodge and block a second strike by catching Snatcher’s fist in his palm. He gave it a gentle squeeze before throwing Snatcher’s hand back at him. Snatcher ignored how his hits missed the man and pointed an accusing finger at the blue-haired detective.

“You are in on it, aren’t you, you little shit?” Snatcher growled.

“Have you been drinking, Snatcher?” Shining smirked.

“Your sister marries the richest woman in Canterlot and then the same woman vanishes, leaving your sister the sole heir? I find that hard to believe that you knew nothing about that... How much did she give you for your silence?” Snatcher accused.

“You definitely must be drunk. I had nothing to do with Sunset’s departure. The girl just decided she didn’t want to be a parent...” Shining rolled his eyes.

His voice sounded convincing enough, but there was no way that would have happened. Sunset had to go through artificial insemination, she spent money on the process and had planned it out. Who would back out of motherhood after all of that? “That’s a nice convenient story, isn’t it? And if I understand it correctly... You’re the sperm donor for her child, are you not?”

Shining shrugged. “What if I am?”

“A bit odd that she’d go through the entire process and abandon the child after all of that? More odd that you are the sperm donor too... Seems like a strange coincidence, wouldn’t you say?” Snatcher asked.

“What’s odd is that I’m wasting my time talking to a nut job like you. Did you need some help finding the door? I heard the Chief shitcanning you in there, hell, we all heard it.” Shining gestured to the other officers around him who snickered and chuckled.

Snatcher knew he wasn’t liked, but that fact had now been solidified to him. The entire department clearly was glad he was gone, and Shining especially.

In Snatcher’s mind, he knew that Shining Armor had to be in on it. He was in a position to gain if he helped dispose of Sunset Shimmer after all. He was confident that the brother and sister duo were looking out for each other. Twilight could use her money to get political protection and Shining could use his access to police resources to keep people from sniffing too deeply.

“You better sleep with one eye open, Armor...” Snatcher pointed at him.

“Is that a threat, Snatcher?” Shining smirked.

“Call it what you want, but I’m onto you, Detective...” Snatcher smirked.

Rolling his eyes, Shining watched the little shit stain leave and shook his head. He continued with his coffee but out of the corner of his eye, he knew that he would not be seeing the last of the former detective.

Almost Two Years Ago

Starlight nuzzled herself closer to her master as she listened to him breathing. She could tell he wasn’t asleep, but she couldn’t think of anything to say as they laid there for the past hour or so.

Finally, she spoke up, trying to end the silence between the two of them. She spoke softly and quietly. “So, did Glitch actually manage to steal that airship?”

Arax didn’t seem to mind the question as his hoof wrapped around the girl, pulling her closer. “Seems that way, Serenade is more pissed than she’s ever been...”

“Do you think Glitch is strong enough to even take on Serenade?” Starlight questioned.

He bit his lip, unsure of how to answer that question. In his mind, he recalled his conversation with Serenade after her temper tantrum had been thrown and passed and logical thinking had come back to the siren, her voice would grow more serious and she would speak in a tone that suggested a bit of vulnerability.

Arax, this Glitch is a thorn in my side at this point, but should he ever get too close and potentially cause a threat to my rule, I have a move that I can make which will defeat him.

He shook his head as his hoof ran up the mare’s neck and pet her mane. Starlight cooed as he stroked her. “I don’t think so. Serenade is far too strong, even if Glitch could match Serenade’s power, she has a move that would devastate him.”

But it’s not without its costs, Arax.

He remembered he would ask her what she meant and she would tell him with serious eyes.

Oubliette, the planet cracker. The strongest demon power I possess, the most lethal tool in my arsenal.

Arax wasn’t versed in demonic powers, so he would ask her what she meant, and she then explained it to him.

It is a power so mighty, so strong that the underworld warned me it could split the entire planet in half if used. It would be more than enough to destroy Glitch, but it comes at a great price... A majority of my power would be drained in the process, it would take a long time to recover that level of power, my body may not even be ready to take the kind of damage that attack does.

There was a short pause as Serenade chewed her thoughts and then continued.

This power, I simply am not ready to wield it yet. It is intended for demons far older than myself. To use it now, I could die in the process.

He wasn’t entirely sure why she told him such a vulnerability in her abilities, but he surmised it was likely because she knew he was just as vested in her survival as she was. No matter what Arax did, he had to ensure that Serenade lived, he owed her too much, he could never betray her.

Not to mention, even knowing this one weakness of Serenade’s, there was no way for him to utilize it to his advantage. To create a scenario where she was forced to use such an attack was near impossible. There was no way he could do it, and there was no way that Glitch could either. He was far too weak, even with his fancy combat suit.

“What move is that?” Starlight blinked and looked up, meeting his red eyes.

He blinked as he observed her. Despite all she had been through, despite being his property, this mare seemed to never let go of her personality. Curiosity was dangerous in their position, but it didn’t seem to faze her. What an odd girl.

“It doesn’t matter, what does matter though is that Glitch has a long road if they hope to even scratch Serenade. It’s going to take more than a band of cowboys that he sprung from Appleloosa and an airship,” Arax explained.

Starlight couldn’t deny that. Glitch seemed crafty, but the reality was that no one really knew Serenade’s true strength, no one knew what other powers she had at her disposal. Arax probably had an idea, but he likely didn’t even know the full extent of what the demon siren could do.

Almost Two Years Ago

Eclipse walked with the spear upon his back, ready to pull it out and make another threat if need be as he followed the rebel group to the promised passage through the mountains. With Rose Inkscape at his side, the group remained fairly silent until she spoke up with a little skip in her step. Of the group, she seemed the most excited for everything going on, which was odd given the circumstances.

“So who is this pony that you’re going to find?” Rose asked as she sped up to keep up with Eclipse’s brisk step. He was small for a stallion and thus had tiny steps, but she was even more petite than he was, so she had to walk even faster to keep up with him.

“It’s a griffon.” Eclipse kept his eyes forward on the ones leading them, not fully trusting them to not try and turn on him when his guard was dropped.

“Ooooo, exotic! Is she cute?” Rose leaned in with interest.

“He.” Eclipse corrected.

“Whoa! That’s an interesting plot twist! So you’re...” She paused, not sure how to tactfully word it.

“Into guys? Yeah...” Eclipse shrugged.

“That is adorable, so what’s he like? Is he cute?” She giggled.

Eclipse had to think about that one. “I don’t know if cute is the word I’d describe him with. He’s a tough guy, but with a hint of pretty boy in him. He can be insanely frustrating, but I love him to death... Galeal is really something else.”

“He sounds really important to you...” She nodded in agreement.

“He is, I’d do anything for him, and that’s why I’m even doing something like this...” Eclipse admitted.

“You two ever consider... Adding another party to this relationship by chance?” She winked.

Eclipse raised a brow and looked at her. He at first believed she was joking, but her eyes suggested otherwise. “Sorry... I’m not really into girls...”

“Awww, a shame. A girl could get used to two guys, but that’s cool.” She giggled.

“Have you done something like that before?” He asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, polyamory is my thing sort of.”

“I’m not against the idea of more than one partner, I just don’t want that partner to be a girl... No offense.” Eclipse shrugged.

The mare shook her head and winked flirtatiously. “None taken, but if you decide you’d like to give mares a try, or if your boyfriend needs a mare now and then, I’m around.”

“How’d a pony get to be as agreeable as you?” Eclipse laughed.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it’s because my parents always told me not to do things, so I did them at first just to spite them, but then I sort of loved the feeling of just knowing that nothing gets to me. I live my life doing what I want, when I want and nothing is a setback to me. It’s sort of liberating to have that kind of power, you know?”

Eclipse frowned, he understood better than she thought. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever really cared what others thought, that’s sort of what I loved about Galeal when we met, he was like me. He didn’t give a shit, but it was different...”

“How so?” Rose blinked.

Looking her over, he laughed. “I guess before him, I was kind of shy. Like I’d never really do something this crazy until he sort of ignited a fire in me, you know?”

“He sounds great...” Rose nodded.

“He is.” Eclipse grinned back at her.

The leader of their group made a fake gagging sound as he listened. “Listen, kid. I know you’re probably just bluffing with the spear thing, but I figured it takes guts to come in here like you did, so we decided to help you regardless...”

Eclipse blinked, not expecting them to have actually seen through his bluff, but he decided it was best to keep it going, in the event that this was merely a test to see if he was indeed actually bluffing. “Or maybe you’re just saying that in the off chance that I’m not bluffing?”

“Fair point.” The other shrugged.

Eclipse rolled his eyes as the group stopped at a long narrow passageway. “So it’s up ahead from here. You follow the path, and eventually, you come to a turn, you go right and then down the stairs and they will lead you to a passage that comes out on the other side of the mountain. You’ll be in the woods then, so it’s a good few hours walk from the nearest town...”

“You’re not coming with us?” Eclipse blinked.

“Hell no, this is as far as we go.” He shook his head.

Eclipse squinted as he drew the spear and pointed it threateningly at him. “How do I know this isn’t a trick?”

The leader of the group rolled his eyes and nudged Rose forward. She grunted and blinked as she looked around but then focused her eyes upon Eclipse. “Because, Rose here is going to go with you to make sure you make it there. Isn’t that right, Rose?”

The mare blinked but then looked at Eclipse and nodded. “No sweat, I’ll see to it that he gets out of here. After all, I want you to find Galeal, Eclipse.”

Even though this could have still just been a cleverly planned trap, Eclipse didn’t care and allowed it. Something in him told him that he could trust Rose, she had given him no reason not to after all.

“Alright, lead the way...” He gestured in front of himself with the spear before placing it back on his back.

She sashayed in front of him, wiggling her interestingly cut tail in front of him as she took the lead down the narrow path. Eclipse looked back at the others who just stood there and watched as the two made their exit.

With a sigh, Eclipse caught up to his guide and stretched as he kept up next to her. It had been a good twenty minutes or so before either of them spoke again. “So, you plan on killing Serenade, huh?” She asked.

Eclipse was a bit surprised by the ending of the silence between the two, but he caught her out of the corner of his eye, noting her lack of eye contact as she focused on the path ahead. The stallion looked at the path himself and focused on it too. “Yeah, once I am certain that Galeal is safe, I’m going to kill her.”

“Why though? Seems dumb to risk your life like that... I mean you know how strong Serenade is, right?” Rose questioned.

He nodded. “Yeah, I do. Probably stronger than I’m even imagining really...”

“I heard she can split atoms.” Rose giggled.

Eclipse never really finished physics class in high school, so he wasn’t certain what the big deal with that was, or if she was joking, but he shrugged and decided to add in his own overheard tales of the siren’s power. “I heard that she turn her whole body into magma and burn just about anything...”

“I’ve heard that one too, but I also heard she can slice somepony in half just by thinking about it!” Rose was practically skipping as the two discussed various theories of how evil and deadly Serenade truly was.

“There must be like some kind of rules or restrictions to her power,” Eclipse proposed.

“Maybe, but I’ve yet to see them. Her power is more or less able to bend time and space it seems. The girl is more or less invincible, I mean hell, if that wasn’t enough, she has the combined power of the royal family and almost the world population’s magic reserves in her, there’s no way a normal pony can beat her.,” Rose informed.

She was certainly right in those regards, Serenade was almost a perfect being in regards to defensive capabilities, she could likely thwart any attempt on her life while she ate a sandwich.

“Maybe, but I have to try anyway. I can’t just let her get away with all she’s done...” Eclipse closed his eyes and he swore he had heard his mother scream in his head.

He would never forget the horror in his parents’ eyes when Serenade had them viciously killed in front of Eclipse. Those eyes of pure anguish, pure despair, and pure fear; Eclipse couldn’t forget them, they were in his nightmares all the time. His own parents had been murdered in front of him, merely for the Joy that came from a killer’s thrill of killing.

Serenade was not just an opponent, she was a killer, and a clearly trained one at that. Few knew of Serenade’s past, but the precision of her work made it clear that she had learned how to kill and conquer from somewhere. A pony didn’t just wake up in the morning and conquer Equestria, that was for sure.

“You’re pretty brave, Eclipse...” Rose commented.

Another thought echoed in his mind, one that he was certain the other members of the group that had brought him this far were thinking, “or pretty stupid...”

Eclipse couldn’t disagree with that comment either. Everything he was doing did feel stupid after all. A stallion like him stood no chance against a magic sucking demon that was able to best all the rulers of Equestria, but it didn’t matter, he wanted to try.

“It doesn’t matter what happens. I’m going to try,” Eclipse responded.

“What’s your current plan to kill her?” Rose asked.

He shrugged. “No clue, I’m still working on that part...”

“You’ll think of something, and if you swing back this way, come find me, I’ll gladly help you!” She nodded.

He was thankful for such a good friend. He hadn’t had a friend since he met Galeal, so it was refreshing to have someone else for a change. “Thanks, Rose, I’ll keep you in mind should I need backup.”

“That’s all I ask.” She grinned.

The two were quiet for a scant second before Rose’s ear twitched and she looked back to the direction that they had come from. “Did you hear that, Eclipse?”

“Hear what?” He tilted his head in confusion.

She concentrated as she held her hoof out covering his mouth. She listened carefully to the hallway trying to make out the familiar sound that she had heard. After a few seconds she recognized it, it was a high pitched heckling accompanied by screeches. It was a noise she knew all too well. Turning to Eclipse she cursed.

“Shit! Maulers!”

“Wait!? Really? Down here!? I thought they didn’t check the sewers!?” Eclipse blinked in disbelief.

“Someone must have gotten suspicious and sent a wraith down here, and where there’s a wraith, maulers follow,” she explained.

“What do we do!?” Eclipse asked.

“We run, come on, we have to get you out of the city ASAP. The sun should be coming up, meaning they can’t follow us if we get outside,” she instructed as she forced the two to turn back around and make their way toward the final stretch of their journey.

The two ponies bolted as fast as their hooves would carry them, galloping at top speed to try and outrun the abominations that were the primary attack force of Serenade’s city watch.

The further they ran, the more of the creature’s chortled heckles Eclipse could hear, they were getting closer and closer, and he knew it. Gulping, he tried to pick up the pace as the two reached the final turn that he was told about. If he hung one way, they would be on a straight shot to the exit.

Stopping at the intersection, Rose looked at Eclipse and gestured for him to go. “Go on ahead.”

“No way, what about you!?” He blinked.

“If we both go, they are going to catch us, that’s a fact. However, I can lead them down the other path, and you’ll be able to escape...” She explained.

“Take the spear then!” He offered.

She shook her head. “No, once they’re finished with me they will come bolting toward you and you may need it. No sense in wasting it on the one of us who is dead no matter what. Besides, you’ll need it out there, it’s a harsh world beyond these walls...”

“I can’t let you do this...” Eclipse frowned.

“There’s no time, Eclipse. Go,” She demanded.

Sighing, he nodded and gave a soft salute. “Thank you, Rose...”

She nodded and winked. “Don’t mention it.”

With those parting words, the two split off in two different directions, Eclipse heading toward the exit and Rose heading toward a dead end. Naturally, with her whooping and calling the maulers raced toward her.

Almost Two Years Ago

With maulers snapping at her tail, Rose Inkscape skillfully maneuvered her way through the long narrow cavern that had been carved from a hole in the sewer wall. She surmised that it was likely something dug by an escaped prisoner decades ago, but she couldn’t be certain. Perhaps it was an alternate path to the one that led outside of the city, she couldn’t be sure. All she knew is she would never find out.

Continuing her speedy gallop, she could see the end of the hallway approaching. A small circular enclosure that would put her back to a wall as she faced down the deadly minions of Serenade.

Sliding to a halt, she turned around to face the creatures that approached. As they cornered their prey their beady glowing red eyes seemed to open wider as they watched her. Their normal quick movements were slowed as they stood watching, trying to decide which of them deserved the first strike. From this close, Rose could tell that these creatures were definitely children at one point, children that Serenade had warped with her demonic powers.

She felt bad for them. Serenade had twisted even the innocence of a child and turned that child into a killing machine, not unlike herself. Rose was briefly reminded of her son whom she lost to Serenade. Was he one of these creatures now?

She had gotten pregnant at a young age, and was a single mother, but it never bothered her. In her mind, it was a blessing. Her “live without regrets” mantra really made all the difference.

Rose Inkscape contemplated her mantra and smiled as she faced down death. She didn’t regret helping Eclipse, even if it meant her end. She looked to the bright side.

“I’ll be with you soon, Thorn...” She grinned as she took a stance.

One of the creatures leaped at her, and she grabbed it in her hooves and slammed it down, snapping its neck. The motion didn’t seem to faze the others, as they too jumped her.

She grabbed another and performed a similar motion, but the third one leaped onto her back and bit down onto her fleshy neck, tearing the skin open. She screamed in pain but didn’t stop. As another tore into her, she threw one onto the ground and stomped its face in.

Rose didn’t like the idea of executing these children, but she justified it with the thought that she would free as many of them as she could before she went down. Death was a better alternative to what had become of them.

“Come on! Come get a piece of me!” She hissed in agony as another latched its teeth into her. With three of them on her back, she continued to attack and slay more of them. Before she collapsed, she had taken out eight by her count.

Finally, the pain became numbness, and enough blood was lost that Rose was fading. She couldn’t feel anything anymore as they tore her open, ripping her apart. A smile came to her face as she closed her eyes for the last time, wishing Eclipse good luck.

She had used her last breath to do something good, she had no regrets. She was the kind of mother that her son could be proud of.

Almost Two Years Ago

Panting, Eclipse made his way down the hallway, hearing only a scream that sounded like Rose’s voice. He closed his eyes and silently thanked her as he tried to remind himself there was no time to mourn. His only other friend that he had made besides Galeal and she had sacrificed herself for him. He hated it, but there wasn’t time to change her mind. He couldn’t focus on the past, he needed to focus on the future.

“Forget it, Eclipse... We have to get out of here...” He told himself.

Now that they were likely finished with her, they would come for him next, and he knew that. He had to pick up the pace.

His legs felt like they were full of acid, but he ignored it and pushed himself further.

The sounds of heckling and screeching could be heard through the cave, and he knew that meant the maulers were likely heading his way.

Sure enough, he turned his head and could see them a good hundred feet or so behind him. With wide eyes, he ran faster toward the exit, he could see a metal grate that opened up at the end of the path. Beyond it was a stairwell that went down, and there was just a shred of light coming from it.

He blinked in astonishment. He had made it! He just needed to open that grate and get down that stairwell and he’d be free.

Easier said than done. A pack of mutants was on his tail and if even one of them caught him, he wouldn’t make it.

He had come too far, and Rose had given up her life to get him here, he couldn’t give up now.

With determined eyes, Eclipse grunted and pushed himself past the final threshold, opening the grate and quickly running down the stairs. A mauler or two snapped at his feet but missed as he reached the bottom and tucked and rolled out of the exit into the light of day. It turned out that Celestia may have risen the sun in the morning, but she did not do it alone, apparently, the sun would rise, either way, she just helped it along the way to maintain a proper day and night cycle.

In the warmth of the light, Eclipse looked up past the trees to see the blue sky. He smiled until he could hear screeching again. He turned back to the passage he had come through to see maulers trying to exit, only to step into the light and hiss in agony before retreating back inside. They had been right, the creatures couldn’t come out in the daylight, a relief for him.

He waited until all of the maulers retreated back into the caves and ultimately the sewers before he fell to his haunches and sighed. He had survived, but Rose did not. She gave everything for him to find Galeal, which meant that now he had to try twice as hard to ensure that he did.

The stallion gripped the pendant that Galeal had given him and closed his eyes. He would find him no matter what.

Looking to the forest in front of him, Eclipse rose to his hooves and nodded. His journey was only beginning, but he knew it would truly be a test of his strength.

Almost Two Years Ago

Several weeks had passed since Glitch had acquired the airship that they now all referred to as “The S.S. Rebellion” or “The Rebellion” for short. It became their home away from home and their mobile base of operations. With its tremendous force, they were able to acquire four more airships that they used to protect The Rebellion and to house their growing army.

Over the weeks, Glitch had taken them to many small areas where Serenade’s watch was not as keen and liberated them. With each victory, another group was willing to join the resistance, and their numbers grew at rates that impressed even Princess Twilight.

What started as only hundreds had grown into thousands, and before they knew it, they were at least 8,000 strong. A tiny amount compared to what Serenade held, but a huge growth for them. If they kept things going at the rate they were, they would be in the tens of thousands very quickly, and hold a large enough force to storm Canterlot with the proper strategy. They didn’t need to defeat all of Serenade’s army, they just needed enough to rip her off of her throne.

With Glitch’s success came increased confidence from the rest of the crew. Every victory that Glitch claimed made every pony under their command that much more determined to win. It was true what was said: ponies loved to get behind a winner.

Stories of Glitch’s conquests would eventually spread across the land, and before they knew it, ponies were volunteering to join them if they happened to run across them. Words of Glitch’s army were told through the streets, and legends were already being formed around the armored pony. Glitch’s legacy was already out of control, but Glitch didn’t concern themselves with such petty nonsense.

Glitch’s focus remained on the rebellion. Almost a year in, and Glitch was starting to see results. Serenade’s grip on Equestria had slipped just a little bit, and Glitch had exploited those moments of weakness to build an army. It would only take a few more mistakes on Serenade’s part for Glitch to amass all they needed to win this fight. The only drawback though, was a single mistake on Glitch’s part would likely end the entire thing.

That is why they were a firm believer in stacking the odds in their favor in every way they could. And why they had called a meeting between their trusted higher ranking ponies.

In the room was Applejack, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, Discord and Braeburn. Glitch cleared their throat and spoke to the group.

“You’ve all done very well in these past few weeks... I can feel victory getting closer to our grasp...” Glitch began.

Twilight bit her lip, knowing that bad news was likely to follow.

“However, we can’t just rest easy. Serenade is far too mighty to bet on what we have currently, so I have decided we need sort of a surprise element...” Glitch stated.

Aria blinked and tilted her head. “What kind of surprise element?”

Glitch glanced over in her direction and nodded. “Well, if all goes according to plan... We should be arriving at the Dragon Lands by sunset...”

Sonata leaned in with interest. “Are we going to recruit some dragons!?”

Glitch nodded.

Sonata leaned back and waved her hooves in excitement.

Twilight and Applejack looked to each other and frowned before both looking back at Glitch. “Uh... Glitch, don’t mean t’ rain on yer’ parade...”

Glitch shrugged at Applejack. “Never stopped you in the past, but go on.”

Applejack chose to be mature and ignore the jab at her.

“Well... We tried t’ get the dragons on our side, and it didn’t exactly go so well...” Applejack rubbed her neck.

“Princess Celestia herself met with Dragon Lord Ember, but it was no use. Even being friends with Spike wasn’t enough to convince her. She said she wanted no part in Serenade’s war...” Twilight explained.

Glitch shrugged. “Then I’ll just have to convince them.”

“How do y’all propose to do that?” Braeburn asked the question he knew they were all thinking.

There was a short silence followed by Glitch’s answer. “Sit back and watch me work.”

Almost Two Years Ago

Snatcher had been off the force for some time now, but that didn’t stop his investigation. He was determined to find answers, and now that he had lost his job, he had nothing else to lose on the matter. The Chief had told him to get himself checked into a hospital to deal with his “mental state”, but he clearly didn’t understand what was going on. He refused to see the truth right in front of them all, but Snatcher didn’t, Snatcher knew that they were all being fooled.

Twilight Shimmer’s facade would crumble before him, and he knew it. She couldn’t keep everyone fooled forever, and he knew he could find out what had happened to her wife.

That was why he had spent the past few weeks studying forensics, trying to understand ways to continue his investigation. He had gotten permission from a friend of his in a forensic lab to use the equipment there after hours so long as he cleaned up. He chose to work in private, lest someone else figure out what he was working on and help continue the cover-up. For all he knew, there were more people in on keeping this lie going.

On a whim, he had plucked a hair from a brush that Sunset Shimmer had used in her office at the school her family owned. The office had been mostly abandoned, but with some finesse, he managed to get inside and steal the precious DNA sample. If he wanted to track down Sunset, he needed a DNA profile to match with hers after all.

Days of testing became weeks and finally, results were starting to show up. He checked his books that he had taken out from the library to try and make sense of the charts that were appearing before him.

Flipping through page after page, he could definitely see something was wrong, something about the results was not normal.

Blinking, he looked back at his results and then at his books. After another moment passed, it had all clicked in his head. Everything made perfect sense now. Sunset’s test results showed a very interesting piece of information that changed everything.

He grinned as he examined his discovery, his eyes glittering with pride. “Sunset Shimmer... Isn’t human...” He thought out loud.

Almost Two Years Ago

With the ship’s arrival in the Dragon Lands, Glitch and her team consisting of Twilight, Aria, and Sonata chose to be the party that approached Dragon Lord Ember. Twilight had insisted they take Spike to try and smooth things over with her easier, but Glitch had insisted that it was better for Ember to focus only on the parties that she would be working with.

The rest of the crew were forced to wait on the ships as dragons guarded them, ensuring that no one dared try anything funny. It seemed as though Ember had beefed up security since Twilight’s last visit, though this was likely to keep Serenade out.

Their request to meet with Dragon Lord Ember, however, was granted and the group of four ponies were escorted directly to her lair.

The walk there was uneventful, shy of the eight dragon guards eying them up, clearly trying to make heads or tails of what these ponies were doing in their land. Once they arrived, however, every one of them bowed their heads and took their exit, leaving the group to stand before a stone throne the size of a building with a petite dragon sitting atop of the throne, holding an odd looking scepter.

Twilight and she had met before, and Twilight bowed before her. “Dragon Lord Ember...”

Ember smiled and gestured for the mare to stand. “Twilight, we’re friends, you needn’t bow. Friends and allies.”

“If you’re an ally, why have you chosen to turn your back on Equestria in its time of need?” Glitch interrupted.

Twilight blinked and stood up as she scolded Glitch. “Glitch, you can’t speak to her like that!”

“Who might you be, armored one?” Ember raised a curious brow.

“My name is Glitch, I am the leader of Glitch’s Rebellion.” Glitch stood tall, completely unchallenged by Ember. Twilight merely gulped, not seeing this going well.

“I have heard whispers of your escapades, Glitch. Impressive work, but I am still confused as to why you’ve come here to the Dragon Lands...” Ember squinted.

Glitch nodded. “I have come to request assistance in our rebellion against Serenade, the demon siren.”

Ember laughed. “I am impressed by your work, but I have heard more stories of Serenade’s might... You stand no chance.”

“Be that as it may, I refuse to roll over and die. We will fight until there are none left,” Glitch stated firmly.

“I admire your fighting spirit, but I can not help you...” Ember frowned.

“Why not?” Twilight asked. “We are allies, you said it yourself!”

“Twilight, consider my position. Serenade’s power is massive. None of us stand a chance at defeating her, the realist in me recognizes that. If I help you, then I am making my kingdom a target for that wretched creature. As much as it pains me, I have to think of my subjects too...” Ember explained.

“Coward!” Aria hissed.

Glitch held their hoof out, holding Aria back as she continued to try and reason with Ember. “You do not seem to understand... There is already a target on your kingdom.”

“What are you talking about?” Ember blinked.

“You haven’t figured it out? Serenade is not going to stop with Equestria. She will come here eventually, and by then she’ll be even stronger. She won’t stop until she takes over the entire world, Ember,” Glitch explained.

“You don’t know that!” Ember growled.

At that moment, another raspy female voice echoed through the room. “This demon siren, I hear tales her name is Serenade, can you confirm this? Is it really Serenade?”

Stepping out of the shadows, an interesting pink dragon stood tall on two legs. Her spines atop of her head were slanted to one side, giving her sort of a side-swept haircut look about her.

Her two front claws rested at her sides, one of which sporting a meaty looking bicep an the other was not a natural claw at all, but instead, her entire right arm had been replaced with a metal one that was spiked and fierce looking.

On her back was an impressive set of wings, and her orange eyes had been locked in an almost permanent scowl as she came forward.

Immediately the group noticed the two swords sheathed at her sides, katanas with interestingly detailed hilts, obviously, custom made.

Around her thick neck was a necklace bearing a tooth in the center.

Glitch nodded at her question. “Yeah, it’s definitely her.”

“Yellow mane... Red tint to it?” The dragon asked.

“Yup, spot on. You know her?” Glitch asked.

The dragon turned to Ember with serious eyes. “This pony tells the truth. This creature won’t stop until she destroys everything. It would be wiser to strike now while there is even a chance to strike her down.”

A bunch of the underling dragons in the room were whispering, clearly a bit surprised at the outburst of the pink dragon. One of them whispered her name loud enough for Glitch to hear. “Cinder the Deathclaw...”

“How can you be so certain, Cinder?” Ember raised a brow.

Cinder turned away and faced Glitch. “If you’d rather wait here to die, be my guest, but I will go with the ponies and help kill this wretched blight on the world.”

Gasps filled the room followed by a few other dragons stepping forward, one of them proclaiming what they were all thinking. “If Cinder is going, then I am going too...”

Ember sighed and shook her head. “Cinder, this is madness. You are strong, but you’re putting all of the Dragon Lands at risk by doing this...”

“Forgive my insolence your highness, but I find what you’re doing to be exactly that. If we choose to sit here and wait, we’re as good as dead. Serenade will come, and she will kill all of us, this is fact,” Cinder explained.

Another sigh escaped Ember as she nodded. “Very well, all who wish to accompany Cinder may do so.”

A small group of about eight formed behind Cinder as she approached Glitch. She stood at least twice Glitch’s height as she offered a claw to her. “You are Glitch, correct?”

“Yes, that is me.” Glitch replied as they took Cinder’s claw and shook it.

Cinder grinned at the armored pony. “Impressive armor. I look forward to seeing it in action.”

“Just don’t slow me down,” Glitch replied.

Cinder nodded, more confidence exuding from her. “Shall we drink to celebrate this alliance before we head out? It’s tradition.”

“Who am I to shit on tradition?” Glitch responded.

“Wise choice.”

Author's Note

Say hello to another key player in all of this, Cinder The Deathclaw. She’s clearly got beef with Serenade, but why? Where did she come from? How did she lose her arm? Guess we will have to wait for all the details on that, but as you can probably guess, Glitch is stacking the deck against Serenade here. The question is: will it be enough?

Act VI - Chapter LXXXVIII: Heat

Chapter LXXXVIII: Heat

Almost Two Years Ago

The group had accepted Cinder’s offer to go out for a few drinks before returning to their ship with their crew. While Glitch seemed to have instantly been interested in Cinder joining their ranks, Twilight Sparkle wasn’t as sure. Instead, she kept her eyes open and her thoughts on the dragon to herself while she probed for information.

Purposefully when they arrived at the place of beer and spirits, Twilight chose not to sit close to Cinder, and instead among the few subordinate dragons that seemed to orbit her. From her satellites, Twilight hoped to learn exactly what kind of dragon Cinder truly was and what her personal interest in this war was. It was a winning strategy to fully understand as many of your key player’s motivation as possible, and Twilight was all about winning strategies at this point; with so much on the line now, she had to make sure they were taking as few chances as possible.

She chose a simple light beer while she drank with two dragons named Tail and Fang, both of which crude and immature in their own way, but both carried a deep respect for Cinder for whatever reason. Twilight knew she would have to drink with them to gain their respect and thus their trust, but she didn’t want to become too inebriated, and thus lose focus or possibly become incoherent.

Looking over at the table where Glitch, Aria, and Sonata sat, she frowned, wondering if Glitch had a strategy at all for how they were going to probe Cinder for why they wanted to help them, but she thought better of it and knew it wasn’t wise to question Glitch’s methods this late in the game. Sighing, Twilight resigned herself to the fact that she’d have to trust Glitch no matter what.

Looking to Tail, he clenched a tall glass that smelled of cheap vodka in his green scaly claw before downing half of it by dumping it straight into his open maw, not even sipping the glass. He swallowed with a harsh motion and shook his head to try and get the swill to stay down. Twilight wasn’t much of a drinker, but even she could tell by his expression that it wasn’t a pleasant experience.

Tail was tall and slender, and while he sported some more impressive muscles on him than Cinder had, there was something about Cinder’s appearance that was just a little bit more intimidating.

Tail as his name implied had a long snakelike tail, longer than the average dragon, and it came to a thin narrow end which he likely could whip people with if he chose. He smirked at Twilight as he drowned himself in the second half of his drink and Twilight gave him an approving nod before sipping from the beer she had been poured, feigning a smile to the creature.

He nudged her shoulder in a sportsmanlike manner before grunting. “How’re ya’ liking our local ale?”

Twilight looked down at the mug and then shrugged as she looked back up. “I’m not much of a drinker myself, so I couldn’t tell you a good beer from a bad one if I’m entirely honest...”

“Yeah, you seemed the stuck up type,” Fang chimed in with a smirk.

Fang had a similar build to his friend, but was far broader, and was of the bladed tail variety of dragon. One of his more defining features, however, was how he was snaggletoothed. His front left fang was missing, likely from a fight or something, but it oddly made him seem more intimidating that way; you knew that mighty jaw had seen some action before.

“I was Princess of Friendship, I didn’t exactly have the luxury of sitting around getting drunk, I had responsibilities to uphold.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Looks like that did you a lot of good!” Fang added before the two chuckled together and shook their heads.

“If I had to do that shit, I’d be shit faced every damn day! If not to just take the edge off, though I’m sure detailing with the little bastards that come your way to bitch about problems would be more than enough to drive me to drink if I hadn’t already...” Tail explained, shuddering at the thought of having to listen to ponies complain to him about problems that he didn’t care about.

Twilight shrugged, unsure of how to respond to that statement. While the appeal of being drunk all the time was tantalizing, as it would mean she would have far less stress to deal with, she did quickly remember that she actually didn’t mind being a princess during the good days. When all was well and war was not brought to the soil of Equestria, Twilight actually found herself enjoying solving the problems of others. On some occasions it would be stressful, she had to remind herself of all the times it wasn’t.

What was getting to her the most right at that moment though was that she lacked the support network of her friends by her side. In the past, she could solve any problem thrown at her because she had her friends at her side. Without them, the entire situation seemed far more daunting.

“It’s not as bad as it sounds...” Twilight finally replied.

“Still, I would hate having to do things in Equestria. Too much talking, not enough fighting.” Tail stuck out his long tongue to imply that he was making a fake gagging gesture.

“How do you do things in the Dragon Lands?” Twilight asked.

Fang shook his head. “It's a lot more politics than we used to have, but a healthy dose of fighting when you need it.”

Seeing an opportunity to move the conversation to Cinder, Twilight took her chance. “So Cinder helps Ember rule then?”

Tail and Fang looked at each other and laughed as they shook their heads. “No way kid, Cinder’s a bodyguard and elite warrior more than anything else. She isn’t from the Dragon Lands originally, her homeland is Dragon Scar where she was raised, that’s what makes her such a badass warrior.”

“I’ve heard of Dragon Scar, but is it really that bad there? The stories make it sound dreadful” Twilight asked as she took another sip.

Fang nodded as he downed a drink. “Sure is, it's actually probably a lot worse than the stories make it sound. Most dragons from there are too rough even for the Dragon Lands. Cinder’s about as tough as they come too. Her clan was one of the oldest and toughest out there. She’s the last survivor of said clan, and she’s never lost a single fight.”

Tail joined in on the storytelling. “She earned the name ‘The Blade of Dragon Scar’ because of how mighty she is. I’ve only seen her fight a clawful of times, but she’s an artist with a sword. There ain’t a dragon alive that can beat her. She's the best there is, kid and I say definitively. I heard stories that even the dragons of Dragon Scar used to tremble before her clan members, and Cinder is no exception.”

“That tough huh? Why does she fight though?” Twilight asked.

Tail shrugged. “Don’t know. She was trained as a kid, but she doesn’t talk much about her past. She rambles on sometimes about fighting spirits or whatever, but I’m not exactly sure what motivates her.”

“She seems particularly interested in Serenade, know why?” Twilight asked.

Both Fang and Tail shrugged this time. “Got us.” Fang said.

“Never heard the name until now. What’s this Serenade like? I’ve seen sirens before, they aren’t really much to look at... How did a siren take over all of Equestria? Don't they just sing mostly to use their powers? I mean some of the older ones tend to be a lot stronger, but usually, they aren't into fighting that much,” Tail asked.

Twilight frowned. “It’s more complicated than that. Serenade isn’t just a siren, she’s a demon too. She seems to have the power to absorb magic from others and make herself stronger. Her abilities seem to just get more and more...”

“Sounds like it’ll be a hell of a great fight then!” Tail exclaimed excitedly as he held his drink up in his claw.

Twilight wished she shared his enthusiasm, but then again he was ignorant of how strong Serenade really was. He hadn’t seen the destructive force of her tremendous power in action.

“She’s a monster...” Twilight nearly whispered.

Fang inched closer and wrapped a claw around Twilight, pulling her in with a grin on his face. “Hey, don’t worry! You have us and Cinder Deathclaw on your team now. Serenade doesn’t stand a chance, Cinder’s never lost a fight and she looks more determined than ever; we got this in the bag.”

Twilight peered over at Cinder as she sat conversing with Glitch, Sonata, and Aria. She sighed and closed her eyes. “I hope you’re right.”

Almost Two Years Ago

There at the table with a pink dragon sat Glitch, Sonata Dusk, and Aria Blaze. Glitch’s entourage and the mysterious dragon who worked as some kind of bodyguard for the dragon lord. Cinder Deathclaw was a relatively soft-spoken creature with a raspy voice. There was a seriousness to her tone, but it was difficult to scratch the surface of what went on inside her head.

Aria drank from a glass of vile vodka, while Sonata sipped a beer. The girl was a lightweight, and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself when they had just met with this new ally.

Glitch was the only one without a drink, as they didn’t want to remove their helmet and present their true face to Cinder. There was no telling what kind of person she was just yet, and Glitch wasn’t about to take any chances, thus why they needed to find out more about this katana-wielding dragon.

Sitting next to Cinder, Glitch spoke up. “So... Cinder Deathclaw is it?”

Cinder gave Glitch a smirk from the side of her mouth, her fangs looking extra impressive. “Actually, Deathclaw is just a nickname that folks gave me. I never endorsed it, but it’s what people call me. My real name is Cinder Razorclaw, of the Razorclaw family.”

“So why do people call you Deathclaw then?” Aria blinked, “Razorclaw already sounds pretty brutal.”

Cinder shrugged as she downed another beer. “One of my first fights here in the Dragon Lands was against a hydra. I crushed its skull in my bad claw...” She raised her metal arm and wiggled her mechanical digits to demonstrate. Every single one of her artificial talons was fiercely sharp and looked as though they could slice through the skin with ease.

“Ever since then, people were calling me Cinder Deathclaw. Can’t say it’s a name that I would have chosen, but you don’t get to pick your nicknames, right?” Cinder shrugged.

Her mention of her arm had Glitch curious. Was it rude to ask about? Glitch decided they didn’t care and spoke up. “About your arm... Is that just armor over it or...”

Placing her arm upon the table, Cinder dug her claws into the wood, demonstrating just how tight her grip could be. “I lost my arm a long time ago. Completely sliced off... I thought I was going to have to live the rest of my life without it...”

“Until you got this?” Glitch asked, looking down at the mechanical arm.

Cinder nodded. “Yeah, Gifted the Wise... He found me, he built me a new arm, and taught me how to use it.”

“That sounds like a mage...” Glitch guessed.

“You catch on quick, yeah he was a unicorn. Old and wise, he had left home to study in Dragon Scar. This was a long time ago though, and he’s long passed. He was my sensei for a while, but as the old saying goes ‘Geth mig’ dugor’,” Cinder explained.

Glitch didn’t have a clue what that saying meant. “Excuse me?”

“Oh right, you don’t speak Draconian. I forget that a lot of these old sayings probably only apply to a clawful of creatures these days...” Cinder laughed.

She could speak Draconian, that suggested how old her clan must have been to Glitch. It was a language that at one point was taught to all dragons, but now only reserved for the elite or at least clans with an ancient lineage. The Razorclaws likely dated back far, and that meant that Cinder Razorclaw came from an old bloodline.

“Afraid not, though I’m impressed that you know it... Not a lot of dragons know that language...” Glitch stated.

Cinder grinned at that comment. “I was taught by my parents. They were the ones who showed me how to use a blade too. They were impressive warriors, and they taught me the way of the warrior as well.”

“Where are they now?” Glitch asked.

A frown came to the pink dragon’s face. “Dead. Long gone.”

“I’m sorry to hear...” Glitch lowered their head.

Cinder held out a claw and shook her head. “Don’t be. It’s in the past now, there’s no bringing them back, so the only thing left to do is honor them.”

“Fair enough.” Glitch shrugged.

“Now it’s my turn...” Cinder said as she leaned in with interest.

Sonata and Aria had more or less tuned out the conversation as they sat there drinking.

Glitch tilted their head. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve asked a lot of questions, do I not get to ask some of my own?” Cinder raised a suspicious brow.

Her face was soft, yet intimidating in the right light. She had a unique quality about her to where she could strike confidence and fear into those she gazed at. Glitch almost admired it.

“Sure, I guess...” Glitch shrugged.

“What’s with the suit?” Cinder eyed Glitch up and down, admiring their armor.

Glitch knew that question was coming. “It’s a very unique piece of armor. It protects me from Serenade’s energy-draining, and helps channel and focus my magic, increasing its potency.”

“Not bad... Why wear it to this peaceful meeting though?” Cinder raised a brow.

“I never take it off. You can’t be too careful,” Glitch responded.

Cinder nodded in agreement. “That’s a good mentality. You’re a true warrior. A warrior always watches their back, never leave anything to chance. Carry your weapon with you wherever you go.”

“I guess, though I wasn’t always a warrior like you...” Glitch replied.

Cinder laughed. “Yeah, I suppose that’s true. I started when I was just a kid. By the time I was eight, I was moving boulders eight times my size with my bare claws.”

She said claws, that meant she had both of them when she was eight, didn’t it? Glitch wondered.

There was a short silence between the two followed by Cinder asking another question. “Do you think you can take Serenade?”

Glitch paused and had to chew the question for a few minutes. That was a difficult thing to answer. The reality was that Serenade was in another league. She was powerful enough to where Glitch wasn’t even sure the suit would make a difference, but she had no choice at this point. With over a year of investment, the only direction to go was forward.

If Glitch died at the hooves of Serenade, at least she could say she gave it her best effort, more than most could say.

“I... I don’t know. In a head-on fight? No way in hell. However, I intend to outsmart her, find weak points and exploit those. A creature that strong has to have some kind of weakness, right?” Glitch asked.

Leaning back in her seat, Cinder’s wings extended and then curled back up as she sighed. “Your attitude is right, but sometimes I wonder that myself... A creature that strong... Is there any way to kill it? I’ve heard stories of a siren that took over Equestria, but the news out here is often vague. I believed it was Serenade, but I couldn’t be sure until you confirmed it. Ember keeps a lot of shit to herself, so I didn’t hear it from her either...”

Glitch leaned in and placed a hoof atop of Cinder’s metal claw, a gentle clank sound happened as the armored hoof touched the metallic appendage. “Why do you hate Serenade?” Glitch asked.

There was silence, followed by Cinder shaking her head. “That is a story best left for another day. Just let it be assured in your head that I will do whatever it takes to bring that creature down.”

“That’s reassuring, and from what your followers tell me, your blade work is the best around... Some even said you were the greatest blade that ever lived...” Glitch said, recalling their chat with the dragons that seemed to orbit around Cinder on their way over.

Cinder just shook her head in disagreement. “I think my brother Ash was probably closer to the greatest blade that ever lived, but even then I wouldn’t say such a thing.”

“Modest, I see...” Glitch leaned back.

Finishing a drink, Cinder shook her head once more. “No, modesty has nothing to do with it. One of the teachings of the TorXel clan is that cockiness often leads to carelessness. No matter how good you are... There is always someone better.”

“Truer words have never been spoken, I think I like the TorXel clan.” Glitch laughed.

“Stick around, we’ll see if that continues...” Cinder laughed back as she beckoned for another drink from the bartender.

The bartender obliged her request and brought another drink, this time a beer. Cinder took a sip before looking over at Glitch, studying their unique armor. “So... Who built that suit for you?”

Glitch shook their head. “Can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?” Cinder raised a brow. “We’re allies now, aren’t we?”

“Even so, we just met and I don’t know enough about you. Not to mention, a true tactician never reveals all their secrets,” Glitch responded.

“You’re saying you don’t trust me?” Cinder asked.

“Not in so many words, but yes. Your sudden interest in taking down Serenade with us definitely has me skeptical if I’m being honest.” Glitch sat up straight.

Cinder pondered what Glitch was saying, but began to piece it together in her own head. She was starting to understand where the pony was coming from. “So you’re saying that I could just be working with Serenade to sabotage your operation from the inside?”

“That’s definitely a possibility.” Glitch nodded.

“If that is the case, isn’t telling me you’re onto me detrimental to sniffing me out?” Cinder asked.

Glitch shook their head. “Not at all. The way I see it, it makes no difference if you know I’m suspicious of you or not, because if you were actually working for Serenade, then you were already going to be cautious about getting caught anyway. Serenade would never entrust someone so careless after all.”

Drinking from her beer, Cinder grew a light smile. “Well, I would be insulted for you suggesting that I’d ever work for that vile creature, but I am mostly impressed with how thorough you are. You’d make a great warrior in my clan, Glitch.”

“Thank you.” Glitch nodded.

Cinder leaned over the table and rested her head on her claw as she looked Glitch over. “So... Why the mask? Why not show everyone the stallion under that suit?”

“This may come as a surprise to you, but I’m actually female...” Glitch responded.

Cinder’s eyes raised. “Well that is a bit of a surprise, but I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised by it. After all, for us dragons, a lot of warriors are women.”

“Evidenced by yourself.” Glitch gestured to her.

She nodded. “Yeah, still I have to wonder about the mask. What are you trying to hide under there? Is your mug that ugly or something?”

Glitch paused for a moment, internalizing the suggestion, and wondering how the mare under the helmet looked in contrast to others. Sunset was told she was attractive all the time in the human world, but in Equestria she had only had been told by a small number of creatures that she was cute.

Shaking their head, Glitch returned to the forefront of the pony’s mind and they donned the persona once more, shaking thoughts of vanity out of their head. “It has nothing to do with my appearance...”

“Why wear it then? Enlighten me.” Cinder gestured.

“Glitch is a symbol. If nopony knows who is under this mask, Glitch can be anypony, and that means even if something happens to me, somepony else can put this suit on and keep fighting, they’ll never know if the symbol they believe in has truly fallen and they’ll keep fighting...” Glitch explained.

“Ah yes, symbolism... It’s a powerful force that can drive warriors to fight, isn’t it?” Cinder chuckled.

“Sometimes hope is all we have.” Glitch shrugged.

Cinder leaned closer and wrapped a claw around Glitch. She squeezed tightly for a side hug and grinned at the pony. “The fighting spirit is strong with you. You’re going to be quite a deadly foe for Serenade.”

“You think so?” Glitch asked.

“You’ve got all the makings of a powerful warrior, I’m certain of it.”

“Let’s hope you’re right.” Glitch shrugged.

Almost Two Years Ago

Glitch had continued to elude her, and it was making Serenade less and less patient. This armored pony was supposed to be only a temporary annoyance, but he had quickly turned into a constant pain in her side. None of her warriors seemed competent enough to take down the rebellion leader, and he always seemed to be a step ahead of Serenade.

A few times she had tried to intercept him, but he always managed to avoid her. It was clear that he feared her power, and he knew that a direct fight would be his end. He was smart at least.

With every victory, Glitch’s rebellion grew. Before she knew it, Serenade was stomping out rebel groups in her occupied cities left and right, and putting ponies in prisons in record numbers. When her prisons got too full, she just opted to execute any traitors who dared to wave Glitch’s flag. She had hoped the public display of brutality would silence any attempts to start more rebel groups, but they seemed to have the opposite effect.

While these uprisings were annoying, they were far from a threat to Serenade’s rule. She had enough power and slaves to ensure that any attempt wouldn’t make it far, but she still had to contest with Glitch’s army which was growing every day. How that pony in a tin can managed to inspire any to stand up and be struck down by Serenade’s might was beyond her. Her power put her on a level of near godhood, so standing against her was surely suicide, yet all these ponies were volunteering to do it. What was Glitch’s secret?

Perhaps the pony had made fake displays of his own power, convincing them that he was stronger than he truly was and thus they believed they actually stood a fighting chance.

No, that wasn’t feasible, Serenade knew that everyone had seen how strong she was, even if it was just a fraction of her full power, there was no way that Glitch could show them anything even remotely close that would instill any kind of faith in them.

She was annoyed, but she couldn’t let Glitch get under her skin. His plan was obvious, he would continue to find ways to throw Serenade off his scent and poke at her. He wanted her to get sloppy, to lose focus, and she wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. Serenade needed to stay ahead of him, and that meant constantly checking where Glitch was, and figuring out where he would go next.

Looking over a map that had marks on every place that Glitch had hit in the past, Serenade was trying to determine where the pony would go next. As her eyes scanned it, she was certain that Glitch had picked off all of the smaller settlements at this point, she had to make a power move now if she hoped to win.

She decided to change her perspective and consider her larger strongholds. Which of them was the most difficult to defend? Which had the most weaknesses to exploit?

Only one came to mind, Manehatten. It’s large size meant guarding its entire perimeter was a full-time job, and it had many tunnels under it that led into the city. To make matters worse, it was on a waterfront, meaning coming in from the sea was possible too. It’s tall skyscrapers created great cover to hide in for infiltrations.

She nodded, certain she should be preparing the city for some kind of attack from Glitch.

Tapping a communication orb on her desk, she spoke directly to Arax. “Arax, send in the new kid.”

“Sure, gimme a sec...” Arax’s voice exited the orb.

She nodded and sat still for a moment as she lounged in her comfortable chair. Celestia’s former study was proving an excellent room for her to focus herself and create battle plans.

The door opened and in stepped a young-looking pegasus with a cool light turquoise coat which was mostly covered by the signature cloaks that all of Serenade’s elites wore. Her brilliant amber and gold mane was slicked back with a small fray in the front as she bowed her head and grinned while she slowly approached Serenade.

She was the newest of Serenade’s disciples, but also one of the most eager. Freshly gifted with new powers from Serenade herself, the girl was eager to cause some damage and show her abilities.

“Good afternoon, Master Serenade.” She bowed.

Serenade gave a dismissive hoof gesture. “On your hooves, Lightning Dust.”

Lightning nodded and straightened herself out. “Fair enough, so what did you want to see me for?”

“I have a job for you...” Serenade gestured for the mare to come closer.

Saluting first, Lightning Dust made her approach. “I won’t let you down, ma’am. What’s the job?”

“Glitch and his little army are possibly going to make an attempt on taking Manehatten from me. I have a pretty good hunch he will attack there eventually. However, I think if I show up there, he’ll know about it and avoid going. So I need you to lead the charge there and capture the little shit stain,” Serenade instructed.

“Capture?” Lightning tilted her head in confusion.

“I want to kill him myself, is that understood?” Serenade raised a brow.

“Crystal clear, ma’am. This is a pretty big job for my first assignment...” Lightning responded.

“All the more reason not to fuck it up, Lightning. Don’t give me a reason to dispose of you...” Serenade stated.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure success, master.” Lightning bowed.

Serenade nodded and dismissed her. “Good, now get out of my sight and get moving. I expect you to reach Manehatten by tomorrow morning.”

Lightning gave another salute. “Yes, ma’am!”

After her salute, the pegasus flapped her wings and took off out the door, already making her way to her newest assignment.

Serenade sat quietly as a smile appeared on her face. “Let’s see how what you do next, Glitch. You haven’t won just yet...”

Almost Two Years Ago

Weeks of trudging across the wilderness and avoiding major civilized areas had made Eclipse hardy but tired at the same time. He was using his knowledge of survival to its fullest and picking up new tricks along the way. At this point, he could probably rough it with the best of them and he was somewhat proud of himself for it.

Nightfall had come, and he had spent most of his night at his campfire just outside the cliffs of Griffonstone. He had finally made it, the last stop on her journey to find Galeal. Somewhere in that city, he was waiting.

It felt like the two had been separated for decades, and Eclipse was starting to feel a bit nervous about the entire ordeal, but he calmed himself with some cold water from a canteen he had stolen.

His body was covered with a fur coat that had been soaked in mud and grass so he could blend into his surroundings. Many tools and supplies were strapped to his side via belts, and while he was normally a very clean and proper stallion, Eclipse’s face was covered in dirt.

He watched from his fire down off the cliffside to Griffonstone below. A few guards surrounded the entrance, making getting in that way almost impossible. From every angle he looked at the city, he was confident that it was an impenetrable fortress, except one: the east wall.

The east wall was a possibility, but there was one problem; it was a cliffside. To get in that way, Eclipse would have to scale the cliff and sneak in over the wall. It was a tall order as Eclipse wasn’t exactly a mountain climber and he didn’t exactly have any training in that field either.

It didn’t matter though, he needed to get into the city, and the east wall was his best option.

He sighed before coming to a stand and looking up at the sky. The stars suggested it was approaching 8 PM, and that meant the guards would switch shifts soon. He had camped out for days observing the city, surveying it for entry points and in turn keeping an eye on the guard rotations so he could find the best opportunity to gain entry.

After days of observation though, it was time to do or die. He needed to get in, and it was clear that the guard pattern of rotation was rock solid, not a crack in their formation that would allow him through. If he attempted to brute force his way in, he would be slaughtered in seconds. He considered himself tougher than he was, but Eclipse was still a frail thing that stood no chance against trained guards with weapons.

Bracing himself, he closed his eyes and tried to build his confidence. He opened them and told himself that he would scale the cliff and gain entry to the city.

He took his canteen and poured it out over the fire, putting it out before racing down the cliff he was camping on at top speed. His hoofwork made light of the journey and before he knew it, he was at the bottom of the hill and making his way to the crevice that looped around the east wall of Griffonstone.

The cover of night aided him as he reached into his bag and retrieved some hoof-mounted climbing hooks that he began to fasten onto his hooves. He debated on leaving his gear behind as the extra weight would make the climb much more challenging, however, he knew that having the supplies was better than not having them.

Sighing, the stallion crawled down the crevice and stabbed his hooks into the rock as he began to shimmy his way across, slowly making his way to the east side wall where he would then ascend. He prayed that the rock or his strength didn’t give out as he made his way across.

Grunting, he worked his way across with sweat already on his brow. In his entire life, he never imagined he would scale cliffs, let alone for Galeal, but there he was.

His thoughts were on the wellbeing of the griffon as he made his way across, trying to keep his mind off of the climb or the potential fall should his gear fail him. If he were a pegasus, he could simply fly up to the wall and hop over, but sadly he was just a unicorn with no magic.

He missed being able to cast spells, as he was certain there was likely one that would have made the climb far easier. Serenade taking magic from a unicorn was almost like taking their identity from them. Magic was a huge part of a unicorn’s life, it was almost part of who they were even. Eclipse never really considered that fact until he was in a position where he could no longer use it.

He wondered how Galeal would react to seeing him again. Would the griffon drop his tough-guy act long enough to act excited, or would he play it off like it was no big deal like he always did? It brought a gentle smile to Eclipse’s face just to think he would see his face again. He owed him a big kiss, that was for sure, and perhaps much more if the griffon proved he deserved it.

Making it to just under the wall, Eclipse began to make his way upward, hooking into the rock with great force to ensure his hooks stayed as he ascended. Eventually, the hook on his right hoof pierced through the rock of the wall itself and he speedily scaled up, reaching the top. Quickly, before he was seen, he hopped off the wall and rolled as he hit the ground to reduce the impact of the fall.

The stallion let out a breath and a sigh, thankful the part of his journey where he could fall to his death was behind him. The next order of business was finding Galeal, but with such a large city, that process could take some time, especially given that he stood out among the crowd. It would be near impossible to comb the city for one creature without raising suspicion. He was a pony in a city of griffons.

The only other ponies were the guards that patrolled the area, but that gave Eclipse an interesting idea. He placed a hoof upon his chin and thought it over. If he could steal one of the guard’s armor, he could pose as one of them and wander about the city unquestioned.

It was a risky move, but it had to be done. The only catch was, he had to ensure that said guard would not be able to tell anypony that Eclipse was an imposter, and that meant killing him.

Eclipse had never killed before, but it had to be done. He composed himself and came to a stand as he kept low, moving through the back alleyways, searching for a target that was close to his size (a difficult task given how small he was). When he found a suitable guard standing at a post with another guard, he made his choice. This one would be his mark, he just needed to wait until he could get him alone.

Patiently, Eclipse waited in the shadows, watching as the two stood there conversing.

“Can you believe this shit? They got us standing here in bird land just doing fuck all nothing. My talents are being wasted...” The larger of the two said.

The smaller one that Eclipse was eying rolled his eyes at his co-worker. “Don’t complain, it’s better than some of the other jobs Serenade could have put us on. I got a friend who was sent to some backwater place in the swamp, place smells like a horse’s ass.”

“I guess you’re right... Why did we sign up for this, again?” The larger one asked.

“It was either this or getting rounded up into one of those camps. I prefer to stay on the winning team...” The small one shrugged.

“We could have joined the rebels. Glitch’s army seems to be getting stronger every day.” The large one suggested.

Eclipse had heard talk of Glitch’s army before, but apparently, they had been growing at record speeds over the past few months. There wasn’t a town in Equestria now where whispers of the mysterious armored pony and their rebellion weren’t spoken. Eclipse wondered how well the actual pony stacked up to the stories.

The small one shook his head before removing his helmet to adjust his golden mane. “The rebels are fucking morons. We’ve seen how strong Serenade is, an entire army of Equestria soldiers couldn’t defeat her, and I’m pretty confident a bunch of ragtag morons with no combat training can either.”

“I guess you’re right...” The large one frowned, clearly liking the idea.

“Don’t talk like that, anyway. If anypony catches wind of you even talking about joining the rebels, Serenade will have you executed...” The small one said.

The large pony gulped and shook his head. “Y-you’re right... Sorry...”

The small one shrugged. “Let’s just forget we ever talked about this, it’s time for us to do our rounds anyway.”

“Right, I’ll take the west side, you take the east side this time? Change it up a little?” The large one suggested.

“Works for me, I guess.” The small one shrugged.

After those words, the two broke formation to head in opposite directions. Eclipse saw his opportunity and began to stalk the smaller one from afar as he wandered down the street checking the houses to make sure all the citizens of the city were tucked away inside, not violating curfew.

As the stallion wandered, he could have sworn he saw something behind him and turned his head, only to be greeted by nothing. Blinking, he peered around and focused his attention forward once more. He shrugged and continued his patrol, assured that nothing was amiss.

Eclipse had managed to elude the stallion’s gaze and continued his approach. As the guard flashed his light into an alleyway he squinted as he sensed something behind him. He didn’t even get a chance to turn around before a set of hooves grabbed his head and twisted quickly. A sharp snap was heard as the guard’s body became lifeless.

Resting the corpse to the ground carefully, Eclipse dragged it into the alleyway where no one would see him. He began to remove the armor that he wore and slip it onto himself. It wasn’t a perfect fit, but it would work. Once he had the helmet on as the last piece, he looked at the dead stallion and frowned.

He needed to dispose of the body somehow, at least long enough to get far away from the crime scene.

Looking around, he noticed a dumpster. He sighed as he dragged the stallion toward it and with the strongest throw he could muster, he managed to get the stallion inside of it with a loud clank as he hit the bottom. The dumpster looked fairly unused, so it would likely be some time before anyone found him, which was a good thing for Eclipse.

Sighing, he adjusted his fresh new armor and brushed off some of the dirt that had gotten on it from dragging the stallion.

He stepped out of the alleyway and began to walk casually, in case any other guards saw him, he didn’t want to come off as suspicious.

Now he needed to find Galeal, and he already knew exactly how to do it. Every city under Serenade’s control had a registry that documented every citizen she sent to that city, and it was bound to have Galeal’s address in it. With his new disguise, gaining access to it would likely be far easier as well.

He composed himself and thought out loud. “I’m coming for you, Galeal...”

Almost Two Years Ago

Sitting at home after a long day of classes, Twilight Shimmer sighed and rested her tired head. She had spent the evening playing with her daughter and then finally getting her to bed. The woman was exhausted after such a long day, and it had occurred to her that she was so busy she had neglected to shower all day. She chuckled to herself realizing that was probably why people were sitting away from her at the cafeteria.

She debated on whether or not she wanted to make the effort to shower at that moment or just put it off until tomorrow morning. After some thought, the idea of hot water sounded pretty good to her. Standing to go and head to the bathroom, she was stopped when her phone rang.

Sighing, she picked up the phone and answered it. “Hello?”

“Miss Shimmer, good evening...” A male voice spoke.

“Who is this?” She raised a brow as she stood with her hand on her hip.

“This is Snatcher,” the voice replied

“How did you even get my number?” Twilight asked.

“Police have it on file, standard procedure.” He chuckled.

Twilight narrowed her eyes as she listened to him. Something about his voice was extra unsettling, he seemed far too calm, far too collected. “I thought you were kicked off the police force, Snatcher?”

“That just means this investigation is 100% personal now and 0% professional.” He laughed.

Twilight didn’t like the sound of that. “This is harassment, I’m calling the police.”

“Before you do that, I think you should meet me near Camp Everfree,” he said.

Twilight let a laugh escape her. “That sounds like a terrible idea, why the hell would I do that?”

“I think it would be in your best interest to do so, Twilight Shimmer.” His voice was breathy and menacing.

Biting her lip, Twilight attempted to probe some more. “Or else what?”

“If you don’t show up, you will find out, and I’m quite positive you don’t want that to happen...” He threatened.

She hadn’t a clue what he was up to, but she knew that there was a chance he wasn’t bluffing. The man seemed unhinged, capable of virtually anything, and because of that, Twilight couldn’t take any chances.

Gulping, Twilight spoke softly into the phone. “W-what time?”

“Midnight, tonight.”

“I’ll be there.” Twilight nodded.

“See to it that you are...”

When he hung up, Twilight almost dropped her phone. Her hands were trembling. She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew one thing: she wished Sunset were there to make it all better.

Almost Two Years Ago

The city registry proved easy to get into. The guards didn’t even question Eclipse as he entered their headquarters in his disguise and looked over the book. To his good fortune, Galeal hadn’t been relocated and was still there in Griffonstone after all the time that had passed.

The registry placed him at a small house on the south side of the city, living with his aunt and uncle who had been in the city prior to Serenade’s takeover. Eclipse assumed they just moved the family back together for space conservation. Either way, it worked out in his favor as that meant he knew where Galeal was.

After leaving the guard headquarters, he made his way down the street toward the south side of town, keeping his eyes peeled for house number 88 on the south side.

Griffonstone wasn’t much to look at and while it’s architecture had been improved in the past few years, it was still consisting of mostly simple structures hardly worthy of note.

With his eyes on the house numbers, Eclipse finally came to the one in question and stood quietly in front of it. He blinked a few times trying to make sure he wasn’t asleep and that he was actually standing in front of the house where Galeal actually was.

He adjusted himself and cleared his throat as he approached the door, tapping upon it.

A young female opened the door to greet Eclipse. She blinked and grew a nervous expression as she saw him there in the guard armor. “I-is there a p-problem, sir?”

Her voice was soft and very effeminate, more so than Eclipse’s even. She had a fair face and pretty eyes.

Eclipse cleared his throat again and attempted to sound as authoritative as he could. “Miss, is there a Galeal living here?”

She blinked. “He didn’t do anything, sir, I swear! Don’t hurt him!”

“May he come out here so I can speak with him?” Eclipse asked.

“S-sure! One second...” She gulped.

“Sweetie, a guard is here to talk to you!” She called.

Eclipse blinked and found her nickname for him odd, but tried to think nothing of it until she looked at him and frowned. “Please, he’s my boyfriend, we don’t want any trouble, okay?”

Boyfriend!? Eclipse thought. That wasn’t possible, as Eclipse had already filled that role, hadn’t he?

“Send him out and step aside ma’am...” Eclipse stated, trying to keep in character.

She nodded and stepped aside as Galeal came to the door, his feathers had grown a bit, but his face was still recognizable. He had grown a bit since the last time they had seen each other, and he was even more desirable than before. Eclipse could hardly contain himself as he looked at the griffon, but it was overshadowed by his annoyance and confusion by the earlier comments.

Stepping outside, Galeal shut the door behind him and looked over at Eclipse. It took him a moment to realize that the pony under that helmet had familiar eyes. Once the face of the pony in the armor registered in his brain, Galeal’s eyes widened. “E-Eclipse? Is that you?”

Eclipse removed his helmet and shook his head. His long silky mane flicked and flowed as he moved his head, before resting his annoyed eyes upon Galeal. “Holy shit, it is you!” Galeal blinked.

“Yes... It’s me...” Eclipse nodded.

“I can’t believe you came here, how’d you get here?” Galeal asked.

Eclipse shook his head. “I had to steal a guard’s spear, risk my life in the sewers against a pack of maulers, my friend died to save me, and after killing a guard here and taking his armor to finally reach you... I come to your door and I’m met with your girlfriend?”

Galeal frowned and rubbed his neck as he looked away from the stallion. “Oh, about that...”

“What the fuck, Galeal!?” Eclipse hissed but kept his tone down so as to not attract attention.

“It’s a front, man. Shit isn’t real.” Galeal shook his head.

“What do you mean?” Eclipse blinked in confusion.

“I’m not really intimate with her or anything like that. We don’t even kiss, she just thinks she’s my girlfriend and stuff...” Galeal explained.

“Why the hell would she think that?” Eclipse asked.

“Well, my folks... They’re... Well...”

Eclipse blinked as it all connected to him. “You haven’t told them you’re gay, have you?”

Galeal was silent.

His silence spoke volumes. “Holy fucking shit... I came all this way and you are faking being straight for your family? Are you fucking serious?”

“Griffon’s aren’t exactly as understanding about this stuff as ponies are. I have to live with these guys, you know...” Galeal explained. “It’s easier if they think me and her are a thing, you know?”

“Yeah? It’s going to be very confusing to the poor girl when you try to explain all those times I sucked your dick isn’t it!?” Eclipse growled.

“Dude, keep it down...” Galeal waved his claws in a downward motion.

“Why? You’re ashamed of being gay?” Eclipse raised a brow.

“What? No...” Galeal looked away, a small blush forming on his face.

“Say it then. Say that you’re gay.” Eclipse leaned in.

“Dude, I don’t like saying that kind of stuff, you know that...” Galeal responded.

Eclipse had never seen him so bashful; it annoyed him.

“Fuck you, man. I thought you were different, Galeal. I thought you were like me in that you didn’t care what others thought... I guess I was wrong...” Eclipse looked away, tears forming in his eyes.

“Dude, it’s not like that!” Galeal reached for him, but Eclipse moved out of the way.

“Save it for someone who cares! Enjoy your girlfriend, Galeal...” Eclipse responded before turning away and taking a step in the opposite direction. He scooped up his helmet and placed it back upon his head.

“Eclipse...” Galeal began, but the stallion cut him off.

“Get back in your home, or I’m going to call the other guards...” Eclipse threatened.

“Dude...” Galeal shook his head.

“Now, Galeal!” Eclipse hissed.

Deciding it was best not to try his luck, Galeal stepped backward with his claw raised. He retreated to his door and opened it. “Look, I’m going inside, okay? Why don’t you come back tomorrow when you calm down and we can talk, alright?”

“Inside, now!” Eclipse barked.

Galeal gulped and nodded as he closed the door slowly. Once Eclipse heard it click, he began to walk away, tears streaming down his face. Galeal was ashamed of him, he was ashamed of being gay, he was ashamed of their relationship. The emotions that Eclipse felt were more intense than anything he had felt before, but he had to leave, he knew that.

If he stayed, he was risking his life for no reason now. Galeal was gone, that was that now he had to move onto his primary goal: killing Serenade Dazzle.

Wiping his eyes, Eclipse set his sights on leaving the city to go seek out Glitch’s Rebels that he had heard so much about. He could now fight Serenade with one less distraction at least.

Almost Two Years Ago

With their group finally ready to leave, Princess Twilight Sparkle decided to do one last attempt at probing for information about their new allies, this time from the Dragon Lord herself.

Standing at the doorframe to Ember’s bedroom chamber, Twilight watched the dragon lounge about as she spoke. “So, can you tell me anything about Cinder before we head out?”

Ember blinked and raised a brow. “Don’t trust your new ally, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight shook her head. “More like, I prefer to know exactly what I’m getting into before I do so, and I don’t like leaving anything to chance, you know?”

“I guess so...” Ember shrugged before plopping down on a rather shabby bed. The Dragon Lands seemed to offer little in the way of luxuries, even for the Dragon Lord it seemed. Their idea of luxury was food and drink.

Twilight stepped into the room proper and gestured with her hoof. “So, what do you know?”

“Not much. Sorry if that disappoints you, but she doesn’t talk about herself too much. I know she came from Dragon Scar, and she is a member of the TorXel clan, more specifically, she is the last surviving member of said clan...” Ember stated.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Why is she so interested in fighting Serenade though?”

Ember shrugged again. “Who knows. Cinder does what Cinder wants and doesn’t explain why; I’ve learned it’s better not to ask questions that you’ll never get the answer to. The girl is a mystery to me even, but that’s the way I like it really. She doesn’t ask questions and I don’t ask her any, she just does what she needs to do.”

“Can she be trusted though? This is the fate of the entire nation we’re talking about here, so I need to know if I can trust her...” Twilight frowned.

Ember grinned and finally nodded. “Oh yeah. You can trust Cinder with your life. I don’t understand her motivations, but I do know she’s bound by honor. When she makes a pact, she keeps it. With her on your side, Serenade should be running scared.”

“Apparently you’ve never seen Serenade’s power before... I came at her with all I had and couldn’t even scratch her...” Twilight frowned.

Ember chuckled. “With Cinder it’s different... You’ll see...”

Almost Two Years Ago

Arriving at Camp Everfree, Twilight parked her car and eyed up the old pile of metal that Snatcher was calling a vehicle. She knew police officers didn’t make that much, but at that moment she didn’t feel sorry for him if anything she was actually thankful for his misery.

She wanted to get the entire encounter over with, she hoped whatever nonsense he was intending to waste her time with could be completed in a few minutes.

Stepping out of the car, she caught a good look at the former officer smoking a cigarette as he leaned against the side of his car. He grinned as he saw Twilight approaching. It was interesting to see him in plain jeans and a tight black shirt rather than a suit and tie, but such was the life of an unemployed man.

Twilight came a good eight feet from him and crossed her arms as she stood perplexed. “Snatcher.” She nodded.

Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he produced a pack of cigarettes with only a few cancer sticks remaining and offered her one. Twilight shook her head. “I don’t smoke.”

“Wise choice, it’s a dirty habit.” He grinned.

“I’m aware, but I’m assuming we didn’t come here for you to tell me things that virtually everyone already knows.” Twilight raised a brow.

He laughed as he took a long drag and exhaled. “You’re smart, I’ll give you that, hell you’ve thrown me off your scent a few times even. You’re a crafty one for sure.”

“So we came here for you to give me fake compliments then?” Twilight grinned.

“Not quite, see we came here to discuss the fact that now I know the truth, and what that means for you...” Snatcher smirked.

“Truth about what?” Twilight asked.

“About your wife. I know why you never reported her missing, I know why your friends didn’t either, it all makes perfect sense now...” He closed his eyes and allowed himself to savor his victory.

“You don’t have anything on me and you know it.” Twilight grunted.

Snatcher shook his head and wagged his finger at her. “That’s where you are horribly, horribly mistake my dear.”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight squinted.

“I know your family’s big secret...”

“What secret is that?” Twilight blinked.

“I know that Sunset Shimmer isn’t human.”

Author's Note

So a lot going on this chapter!

We get to properly learn more about Cinder, Lightning Dust is revealed as a disciple of Serenade, and Galeal and Eclipse have a big blow out.

We're getting closer to the big showdown of Act VI!

Act VI - Chapter LXXXIX: Setup

Chapter LXXXIX: Setup

Almost Two Years Ago

Alone in Glitch’s quarters stood the armored leader of the rebellion and Glitch’s newest asset to their forces, the dragon known to many as “Cinder Deathclaw”, though Glitch had come to learn her real name was actually Cinder Razorclaw. Glitch had probed around and heard many stories about the dragon, but they weren’t certain which ones were true and which ones were fiction.

Glitch had spent the last eight hours bringing the dragon completely up to speed on where they stood, leaving out no details, starting from Twilight’s training and ending with the day prior to their ship landing in the Dragon Lands. Cinder would ask a question or two or make a comment, but for the most part, she was quiet and a silent listener.

After the story was over, Glitch placed both of their protected hooves onto the table that separated the two. “And there you have it...”

Cinder seemed intrigued by the entire ordeal, as she leaned back and closed her eyes. “I never would have thought Serenade could be that powerful. I had heard she was strong, but that sounds almost unreal... She’s almost at a level that puts her near a goddess...”

Glitch nodded. “That’s exactly the problem. Every advantage we can get over her now is necessary. While I’ve heard tales of your fighting prowess and I don’t doubt them, are you certain you wish to get involved with this? Serenade is in a league of her own...”

The dragon nodded without hesitation. “I’ll serve until my last breath, dragon’s honor.”

Her loyalty struck Glitch as odd. They had just met, and she had no reason to show such devotion to Glitch’s cause, especially when most dragons were relatively indifferent toward the fate of Equestria.

“I appreciate that, but why are you so determined to fight with us, Cinder? What aren’t you telling me?” Glitch questioned.

Cinder smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“You can tell me. I promise it’ll stay between us.” Glitch placed a hoof upon their heart to show their sincerity.

A sigh escaped the dragon as her orange eyes drifted to her metallic arm. She closed her eyes as she spoke. “Serenade is the reason I lost this arm...”

“I’m sorry to hear...” Glitch replied.

Cinder just kept her eyes closed and nodded quietly.

“I’m going to guess she’s also why your clan is now gone?” Glitch questioned.

Cinder’s eyes opened and glared at Glitch, really studying the pony for a few moments before answering. “Let’s just say the stories of Serenade slaying dragons are true...”

Glitch wasn’t expecting to hear that. If Cinder truly was this amazing warrior that the other dragons made her out to be, and Serenade was able to best her and her entire family, that was a reason to be worried for sure. Glitch had never seen the full scope of Serenade’s abilities, and the more they heard about them, the more they started to wonder if defeating her was even possible.

Still, this dragon had faith in Glitch, and that was a reason to show strength so that she didn’t feel her trust was misplaced.

Glitch decided at that moment that what this dragon truly needed was a demonstration of true trust. Tapping their suit in a specific spot on the chest, the helmet of the suit vanished quickly, revealing the long wavy red and yellow mane underneath it.

Cinder blinked as she got a look at the face of the pony under the mask. She was beautiful, young, and fair faced. Her vibrant red mane reminded Cinder of the rare fire flowers that grew only for a period of eight weeks back in Dragon Scar. Her eyes were an interestingly vibrant color as well.

The mare under the mask spoke. “My real name is Sunset Shimmer...”

Tilting her head, Cinder responded. “Why are you showing me your true self?”

“I wanted to show you that you can trust me. I felt this was the best way. You are now one of four creatures who know the true name and face of Glitch. I trust you completely to protect this information.” Sunset smiled.

A laugh came out of Cinder as she sat up straight. “Just when I think I have this all figured out, you surprise me, Glitch...”

“You sound a lot like my wife now...” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“Ah, so you’re married then?” Cinder asked.

Sunset looked away, a bit ashamed to admit that fact at the moment as memories of how she left Twilight began to rush through her head. “Yeah... I am...”

“Any kids?” Cinder asked.

“One, I haven’t seen her in some time now...”

“How old is she?” Cinder tilted her head in interest.

“She was only a few days old when I left to come here and fight,” Sunset explained.

Cinder whistled and nodded. “So you’re a new mom then. You put your life on hold to come and fight, that’s pretty noble of you.”

“My arm was twisted so it wasn’t entirely noble, but there wasn’t any way that I was going to allow Equestria to burn when I could do something about it anyway...” Sunset frowned.

Cinder stepped forward and placed a claw on the mare’s shoulder, still protected by the armor of her suit. “A warrior has to make sacrifices sometimes, but that makes them more determined.”

“My family doesn’t even know I’m here...” Sunset admitted.

“Then just think about that moment when you can see them again if that’s what it takes to get you through this.” Cinder nodded.

“I sort of dread that actually, they’re going to be furious at me...” Sunset shook her head.

Cinder’s grip tightened as she shook the mare lightly to reassure her. “You’ll be coming back a hero. Don’t think about the bad, just think about that moment when you get to hold your daughter again.”

Sunset blinked and took the dragon’s words in. She missed her daughter, she missed Twilight as well. There was nothing she’d like more than to hold both of them again than to kiss her wife and tell her she wasn’t going to go anywhere ever again. She longed to apologize to both of them for leaving and for not telling her where she was going.

The meeting between all of them no doubt would be challenging at first, but Sunset hoped it would pass, she hoped that they could move past her disappearance and continue their lives as usual after some time had passed. It would be rough, but she just wanted to see her wife and daughter again.

“You’re right... Thank you.” Sunset smiled.

“As Glitch you have a persona that you have to maintain, so I imagine you don’t get to talk about your problems as Sunset Shimmer very much.” Cinder shrugged.

Sunset nodded before looking up at the dragon with confused eyes. “They said you were some kind of deadly warrior, and yet you seem so kind to me...”

“A warrior carries the honor of her fellow warriors, therefore it would be ridiculous of me to not care about the woes of my allies.” She smirked.

This dragon was clearly wiser than she appeared, but there was a sweetness about her as well. She had come from Dragon Scar, a place that makes the hardest of dragons, and yet she was well mannered, sweet, and caring. At the same time though, Sunset could sense a deadly force in her; skill and ability that could dice even the mightiest of foes.

“It’s a pleasure to fight alongside you, Cinder.” Sunset bowed.

“The pleasure is mine, Sunset Shimmer. Now, shall we meet with the others to discuss when we are to seek out our prey?” Cinder asked.

Tapping her chest, the helmet reappeared over Sunset’s face, donning the persona of Glitch once more as she nodded. “Yes, that sounds like a wise idea.”

Almost Two Years Ago

A solid month had passed since Cinder joined their ranks, and her skills had already proven exceptionally valuable on the battlefield. Within weeks, she had assisted in eight successful missions that strengthened the size of their army. Their numbers were growing at a more than healthy rate thanks to her.

With her abilities and trustworthiness proven, it wasn’t long before Glitch invited her to the war room where all of their plans were concocted. Applejack objected at first, as always, but she submitted when Glitch informed her that it wasn’t negotiable. She hummed and grumbled a bit about it, but accepted it when she realized that the matter wasn’t up for debate.

Sure enough, the next war meeting consisted of Princess Twilight Sparkle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, Applejack, Discord, Glitch, and Cinder Razorclaw. Cinder was the last to arrived turning a few heads as she stepped into the room and took her spot directly next to Glitch on the opposite side of Princess Twilight. The alicorn eyed her up but said nothing as the dragon stood tall with her claws placed on the edge of the large map in front of them.

The room was dark with few lights, and all of them focused on the center of the room creating a harsh contrast. Whenever a meeting was going on in the said room, Glitch had the door locked and none of the crew were permitted entry.

Cinder peered around the room and noticed all eyes were upon her, but the fierce green eyes of the farm pony across from her seemed to be studying her harder than the rest. Out of the gate, Applejack didn’t seem to like her too much, but Cinder assumed that was because of her appearance. Not only was she a dragon from Dragon Scar, which was more than enough reason to be skeptical of her, but she also had a spiked metal arm. If suspicious had a look, it would probably look something like Cinder Razorclaw.

Regardless, she played nice with Applejack, knowing that the farmer was going to give her a hard time no matter what she did, Glitch even warned her of such. It brought her some comfort at least to know that Applejack shared the same skepticism about Glitch themself.

After several uncomfortable moments, Glitch spoke up in their computerized voice to the group. “Alright, everyone. As many of you know, one of our primary goals is going to be to get into Manehatten. We take that stronghold, we stand a good chance of recruiting enough to make an assault on Canterlot.”

Aria was the first to speak up. “We don’t have the kind of forces necessary to take a place as big as Manehatten though.”

Glitch nodded. “I know, that’s why we’re taking a little detour first.”

“Detour? Where?” Twilight asked with a scrunched brow.

“Cloudsdale,” Glitch pointed to a space on the map.

Aria seemed confused by the gesture as well. She leaned in and examined the map with intrigue. “What are we hoping to get there?”

“Rainbow Dash.” Glitch nodded.

Discord scratched his chin and stroked his beard as he thought it over. “And you’re hoping that Rainbow Dash’s... Personality will help ignite the troops so to speak?”

Glitch chuckled. “Something like that, but she also can convince a lot of the pegasi in Cloudsdale to join our cause. With enough pegasi, we can perform an aerial assault on Manehatten...”

“And that would give us the edge we need to overwhelm them!” Twilight smacked her front two hooves together in her moment of discovery.

“Precisely, glad to see everyone is on the same page.” Glitch nodded.

Sonata looked at the map and a problem with the plan just occurred to her. “How exactly are we going to break Rainbow Dash out of the prison there though? Only pegasi can walk on clouds...”

Glitch tapped their horn. “I can cast a cloud-walking spell for a small group and that should be enough for us to get a few of us up there to perform the operation.”

Applejack raised a hoof. “Put me on the list of volunteers.”

Glitch nodded. “Very well, any other takers?”

Cinder raised a talon on her good claw. “I’ll go.”

“Rainbow is my best friend, ain’t no way am ‘Ah trustin’ a creature like her to help rescue her!” Applejack crossed her hooves and pouted.

Cinder cleared her throat. “Unlike all of you, I won’t need a cloud-walking spell. I can already fly, and essentially any creature with wings has the ability to walk on clouds. Also, unlike a lot of you, I have been trained in stealth combat. Not to mention, I can carry Applejack over here up there.”

Glitch placed a hoof on their chin and nodded. “She does have a good point. Cinder probably could take this entire operation herself with her skills...”

“Ain’t no way we should let her go alone!” Applejack protested.

Shrugging, Cinder gestured to Applejack. “If it pleases the farmer, I will gladly allow her to accompany me. There is strength in alliances after all.”

“Alright, then the two of you will go and I’ll accompany you both, as you’ll likely need my magic to unlock any magic barrier that is keeping Rainbow Dash imprisoned. Knowing Serenade, I doubt she’d leave her in a prison that any normal pony could unlock, she doesn’t seem like the risk-taking type...” Glitch stated.

“How can y’all just trust this dragon? She’s from Dragon Scar! Ain’t y’all heard the kind of stories ‘bout that place that circle ‘round?” Applejack asked the group.

Most of them stayed silent until Twilight Sparkle spoke up. “Applejack, while we appreciate how cautious you are, Cinder has proven her loyalty already. She’s helped us a lot in the past few weeks, we shouldn’t judge her based upon where she’s from.”

“Yeah but she ain’t answered a lot of basic questions yet. How come she’s so interested in Serenade? Why won’t she tell us that?” Applejack pointed a hoof at Cinder in accusation.

“Applejack!” Twilight hissed.

Cinder shook her head. “It’s fine, Twilight Sparkle. I actually can appreciate Applejack’s skepticism. A true warrior always analyzes every angle of a situation and asks questions. If Applejack is not yet satisfied with my status as an ally then I owe it to her to continue proving myself.”

Twilight blinked in surprise. For the gruff exterior that the dragon had, she was incredibly reasonable and understanding. “That’s... Very mature and noble of you actually...”

“I do not see a point in arguing. I intend to leave no shred of doubt toward my loyalty to this cause. I joined your ranks knowing I’d be under heavier scrutiny, it’s nothing I’m not used to.” Cinder shrugged.

Applejack almost felt bad after seeing how maturely Cinder responded to her accusations. A part of her wished she had snapped back at her so she could feel at least somewhat justified in being suspicious. Still, she wasn’t comfortable with a dragon who had no real reason to be interested in their cause suddenly joining without explaining why. Applejack wanted to know what the story between her and Serenade was, and she was confident that Cinder wasn’t about to talk about it any time soon.

“Fine, we’ll go together, but ‘Ah still don’t like the idea...” Applejack huffed.

While Glitch was initially annoyed by Applejack’s constant skepticism, it had actually somewhat grown on them. Applejack wouldn’t be Applejack if she wasn’t always looking out for the well being of the operation by being overly skeptical. In a way, it balanced them out. If anything, Applejack was the perfect test for their recruits in a way; if they could win Applejack’s trust, then they could all safely assume they were the real deal.

“Fortunately for us, you enjoying yourself isn’t a requirement.” Glitch joked.

The joke made Sonata and Twilight both snicker, but Applejack just rolled her eyes and kept quiet.

“This Rainbow Dash... Will she really be enough to convince others to aid us?” Cinder asked.

“Definitely, Rainbow is respected heavily among those in Cloudsdale. Not to mention us breaking her from Serenade’s prison will show everypony how mighty our rebellion is,” Glitch answered.

Cinder smiled and nodded, her fangs prominent as she grinned. “And people rally behind strength.”

“Precisely, and Rainbow Dash knows how to rally the troops so to speak,” Glitch explained.

Cinder crossed her arms and tapped her metal arm with a talon as she thought it over. “A pretty impressive plan, Glitch.”

“If we can pull this off and then our assault on Manehatten... Our chances of winning against Serenade are still fairly low, but better than before,” Twilight stated.

“So long as there is a 1% chance, we are going to take it. It’s better to die trying than to roll over and let Serenade win,” Glitch stated.

“Even ‘Ah can agree with that...” Applejack smirked.

“So it’s decided then, Applejack, Cinder and I will all go to Cloudsdale and break Rainbow Dash out of the prison she’s being kept in there. Our intel tells us that she’s likely being held on the top floor, so it’s going to require a lot of finesse to get through there without being seen...” Glitch said.

Cinder drew one of her katanas and held the ornate blade out for all to see as she grinned. “We kill any guards in our way before they see us, and the rest we just have to kill before they call for help should be easy.”

“Can’t say that ‘Ah approve of such a barbaric strategy, but ‘Ah ain’t got nothin’ better...” Applejack crossed her hooves.

“It’s a plan at least.” Glitch shrugged.

Putting her blade away, Cinder looked over at Applejack with a smile. “I look forward to seeing your abilities in action, Applejack.”

Applejack grimaced but nodded. She had already seen what Cinder could do in a fight, and while Applejack was strong, she was certain she wouldn’t hold a candle to Cinder’s ability with a sword. In a contest of brute strength, the two would probably be fairly evenly matched, but when it came to technique, Cinder would win every time.

“Sure...” Applejack replied.

“May our victory be a glorious one!” Cinder called out.

“You at least have to admire her enthusiasm.” Twilight chuckled.

Almost Two Years Ago

Once again, Arax found himself up past midnight going over paperwork and details on Serenade’s behalf. While he was glad she trusted him to take care of these kinds of things, he also wondered why she didn’t take some of the responsibility herself, considering she was always complaining that everypony sucked at tasks she had assigned them and insisted she could always do a better job.

It would give him a chance to rest if Serenade actually took care of some of the duties that were necessary for running the empire she had built rather than drop all the work on her subordinates, but none of them were in a position to do much about it, given that Serenade held the power and she wasn’t very open to criticism of her leadership.

He sighed as he went over Lightning Dust’s report on her security details for Manehatten along with her suggestions for improvements. While she didn’t seem like much when he met her, he had to admit her reports over the past month after her assignment were thorough. The girl had the drive at the very least which was a quality that Arax could appreciate.

He peered over her recommendations, her biggest request was for more pegasi guards to patrol the points of entry that were harder to defend. It sounded like a sensible solution, and she was requesting about eighty to get the job done. It seemed reasonable, so he scratched in a signature of approval and filed the paper into a bin to be mailed in the morning.

A yawn escaped him as he continued to go over her report. So far, no attacks or uprisings were taking place in Manehatten which made him wonder if their assumption that Glitch would go after the city next was a mistake. Then again, it was possible that Glitch was biding their time before making the assault.

He set the report aside and grumbled as he looked at the stack of paperwork that still awaited him. At this rate, he would be there until eight in the morning.

His thoughts were interrupted however, at the sound of the large door to his office opening. There standing in front of him in a lacy nightgown that he had given to her was his slave, Starlight Glimmer. Her big blue eyes were filled with concern as she looked him over, examining his haggard state.

“You’re still awake?” She asked.

He nodded as he grabbed another paper to look over, tapping his quill against his desk as he leaned to his side with a bored expression. “Yeah, I have a lot of paperwork still to do...”

“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Starlight asked.

He shook his head at the girl. “No, Serenade doesn’t sleep, so she forgets that us mortals do and expects us to act like we don’t.”

“It’s hard to believe that that creature hasn’t slept in hundreds of years...” Starlight remarked.

“With how cranky she is all the time? I could believe it.” Arax joked.

Starlight found herself giggling at Arax’s musing and nodded in agreement. “I suppose that’s true. Still, you won’t be any use to her if you don’t get some rest, you should come to bed.”

He raised a brow and grew a smirk on his face as he looked over at her with his bright red eyes. “What are you? My mate?”

Starlight looked away with a frown as she sat on her haunches and crossed her forehooves. “I think something like that would require you to actually have your way with me, wouldn’t you?”

He blinked, a bit confused at her frustration. She was a slave, yet she seemed to long intimacy with him, though it likely was the pheromones that made her want that.

“Don’t say such stupid things...” Arax shook his head.

“I don’t understand you...” Starlight looked incredulous as she huffed up.

“What do you mean?” Arax’s brow rose.

“You take me in as your slave, you tell me that I’m your property to do what you please with, and yet you don’t seem to really use that power in any normal way. Anypony else would have been treating me like dirt or using me as a sex slave. What gives with you? Why am I even here? Am I just some eye candy? I don’t understand why you bothered capturing me!” Starlight grunted.

Arax grimaced and bit his lip before answering. “It’s a complicated ordeal, perhaps best left for another time...”

“Am I not attractive enough for you? What is it?” Starlight pouted.

He laughed and shook his head. “You’re plenty attractive, trust me. I could sink my teeth into you and make you quiver all night.”

“And yet, you seem reluctant to even touch me...” Starlight rolled her eyes.

“If I were to do something like that... I don’t know if I could control myself. I’d probably scare you...” He admitted with a frown.

Starlight blinked at that revelation. He had been protecting her from himself? That was what it sounded like.

“You can’t scare me, I went into this telling myself I would never be afraid and I intend to keep it that way,” Starlight reassured.

“Maybe you’re right, but I don’t want to take the chance.” Arax shook his head.

Starlight sighed and shook her head. “I know this is going to sound stupid but... I care about you, Arax... Maybe it’s all the time we’ve spent together, maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome, or maybe it’s the pheromones, but I worry about you sometimes and I guess that means I have feelings for you...”

Arax rubbed his neck awkwardly. “Yeah, well... I appreciate that, but it would never work between us, Starlight. For starters, you’re a slave and I’m your master, and then there’s the fact that I’m a changeling and you’re... Well, you’re a unicorn.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Starlight shook her head.

“What would ponies think if they saw you with a monster like me?” Arax asked.

“I wouldn’t care!” Starlight insisted.

“You’re too kind, far too kind for someone like me...” Arax frowned.

“You’re far kinder than you let on, I know it.” Starlight stepped forward.

“It doesn’t matter, Starlight. I’m Serenade’s second-in-command and that’s a fact that neither of us will be able to get past. My loyalty belongs to her, and there’s no way she’d allow you to be more to me than a slave.” Arax shook his head once more.

“Why not!?” Starlight growled. “What does she care?”

“She doesn’t think I need such distractions for starters, that and it’s just how she is; hell it’s probably how she’s always been even.” He shrugged.

“What about what you want, Arax?” Starlight frowned.

“It doesn’t matter what I want...” Arax sighed.

“Doesn’t matter!? You’ve been serving her faithfully! You’ve done all she’s asked and made what she wants a reality, how is it fair that she doesn’t care about what you want?” Starlight stepped forward.

Arax turned away. “I was already given my end of the deal, Starlight...”

“What does that mean?” Starlight pouted.

“It’s none of your business is what it means.” Arax scowled.

She hated when he kept secrets from her, but this time it was different, this secret was a big one and she knew it. She hated it more because she could tell he was hurting from something, but he wouldn’t let her inside.

There wasn’t a point on dwelling on it though, once Arax made his mind up he seldom changed it.

Changing the subject, Starlight looked at all the paperwork on his desk. “So... Is Glitch still advancing alarmingly fast?”

Arax blinked, a bit taken back by the sudden subject change. He nodded and sighed. “That pony is crafty, he moves quickly and he manages to get things done before it’s brought to my attention. I’ve increased my communication avenues, but they still don’t seem to be enough to keep me informed on that armored pony’s movements. I’ll give him this, he’s good at being a constant pain in the ass.”

“I expected no less from a pony that Twilight enlisted...” Starlight bit her lip.

Placing his head in his hooves, Arax nodded in agreement. He couldn’t deny that the Princess had proven to be exceptional at picking champions it seemed. He didn’t want to admit it, but currently, Glitch was getting the better of him.

“Arax...” Starlight began, placing her hoof upon her chest.

“Hm?” He replied, not even looking at her.

“Is it possible... That Glitch could defeat Serenade?” Starlight finished her thought.

Looking up at her, Arax saw her eyes were filled with genuine intrigue. She legitimately believed there was a possibility that this Glitch would slay Serenade. Such an idea was preposterous, naturally.

He shook his head at her. “Impossible. Glitch has quite a few tricks up his sleeve, sure, but he’s still daydreaming if he thinks he can match strength with Serenade. Even with his little army, he won’t be strong enough to beat her. I wouldn’t bank on any chance of Serenade falling to him if anything he’s just ensuring his death will be long and drawn out.”

“I guess so... I just wanted to hear your opinion on the matter...” Starlight shuffled her hoof on the floor.

He had to admit, he had his doubts. Serenade was strong, but this Glitch seemed to at least be smarter than she was. Were brains enough to beat her? No, it was still impossible, Serenade’s pure power was enough to split the planet in half if she wanted; there was nothing that could match up against that.

“I wouldn’t worry about such things, now why don’t you head back to bed?” He smiled at her.

She crossed her hooves and shook her head as she stared him down. “I’m not going without you.”

“I’ll be fine.” Arax lied.

“No, you won’t. You’ll collapse if you keep working yourself this hard, now come to bed.” She demanded.

“For a slave, you sure are barking a lot of orders.” Arax chuckled.

“One of my duties as a slave is to ensure the well being of my master, is it not?” Starlight snarkily responded.

He rolled his eyes as he came to a stand, accepting his defeat. “I suppose you got me there.”

Almost Two Years Ago

With their entourage finally arriving at the outskirts of Equestria, Golden longed for proper lodging, and civilization, though she knew that after the recent takeover, Equestria would be far more difficult to navigate freely. Still, she was at least somewhat excited to be out of the wilderness that they had trudged through on hoof for so long.

The group stood at the border looking to the country that housed their final destination. They had spent a bit over a year getting there and were approaching the second year very quickly. Golden was tired and ready for the journey to be over, but she knew they still had a ways to go.

Abyss sat there in thought as she looked onto the plains of Equestria, wondering where in the country they would ultimately go. She had never left Ectra before and had never even seen pictures of Equestria. All she knew was from stories.

Golden, on the other hand, was very familiar with the region. Her work as a scholar meant she studied the whole world, and Equestria was no exception. She must have read at least eight books on the subjects, so she was at least familiar enough with the country, perhaps that was why her majesty had invited her?

Looking over to their ruler, the gorgeous mare sat there staring into the horizon with an innocent smile upon her face. The wind calmed and the mare’s wild partially dreaded mane stood still.

“So what now?” Golden asked.

“It’s up to her majesty...” Abyss responded, not even bothering to look in Golden’s direction.

As their journey went on, Abyss seemed to become somewhat aloof toward Golden and stopped caring so much about any acts of indiscretion, likely out of exhaustion. It was a full-time job to complain about Golden, after all.

Golden looked to their ruler and questioned her. “Well, your highness? What now?”

The elegant mare looked briefly at Golden before smiling and reaching forward to tap Golden’s nose with her hoof. Golden blinked as she watched the mare step forward and gesture for the other two to follow her.

Abyss sighed. “I guess a break is too much to ask...”

Almost Two Years Ago

After the pain that Galeal had put him through back in Griffonstone, Eclipse had set out to find a new purpose. He resigned himself to focusing entirely on killing Serenade now, and for some time he was uncertain on how to accomplish that. Weeks passed and before he knew it, he found himself seeking out the aid of Glitch’s Rebellion.

They were after the same thing he was after, and without anything else distracting him, Eclipse felt it was the only logical choice to make at this point. The door with Galeal had been closed, as much as it pained him, so he had to look to the future and joining Glitch’s rebellion was that future.

It took some time to track down the method to join, but eventually, after traveling he was able to overhear talk in passing that sounded promising. After jumping through some hoops, talking with some shady looking ponies and pulling a few favors, he was introduced to a pony that could recruit him into Glitch’s ranks.

Now he stood for the first time aboard the sister airship to their primary one. That meant that Glitch himself wasn’t on board, but it didn’t matter, Eclipse was in.

Dropping his bag at his side, he stared off into the distance at the crew that was wandering the ship. Only a hoofful looked like they were actually working to keep the ship going, the rest were either training their combat skills, chatting or playing cards it seemed. It was a different crowd than Eclipse was used to, that was for sure.

He gulped as he approached a group playing cards. They were a group of earth ponies, all rather large looking, and certainly many sizes larger than Eclipse himself. He smiled sheepishly as he waved to them. “H-hey, how’s it going?”

A dark brown one with golden mane looked up at him and nodded. “Sup, never seen you around here...”

Eclipse rubbed his neck. “Yeah, well I’m new. I just got here today.”

The brown one looked over at his three friends and they all grew smirks as the eyed Eclipse up and down. “Ain’t you a little young to be fighting in a war?” A yellow one that sat the furthest away asked curiously.

“Yeah, well there wasn’t an age requirement on the form I signed.” Eclipse joked.

“I see...” The brown one nodded as he stood up. His other friends all stood with him and before Eclipse knew it, he was surrounded by the burly stallions who circled him.

“Uh...” Eclipse gulped.

“You’re fresh meat and you know what that means...” The brown one nodded to his three friends.

“W-what?” Eclipse gulped.

“It’s time for a little game of uncle!” The yellow one stated.

Before Eclipse knew it, the big brown one had locked him in a headlock and was giving him the noogie of a lifetime. Eclipse squirmed and complained as he tried to break loose but it only made the stallion’s grip tighter around him.

“C’mon! You’re messing up my mane!” Eclipse grunted.

“Hear that boys? The kid cares about his mane!” The brown one laughed as he continued tormenting the boy. “What are ya? Some kinda’ mare?”

“Knock it off!” Eclipse growled.

“Come on, kid you can handle it, can’t ya?” The yellow one laughed.

“I think that’s enough boys...” A raspy feminine voiced called to the group.

The entire group, Eclipse included peered in the direction of the voice to see a pink dragon standing tall her arms crossed and her left arm gripped a metal right arm. At her sides were a set of katanas that looked expertly made judging by the hilts.

The brown pony bowed his head. “We were just playin’, honest! Right guys?”

“Yeah, totally just playing!” The yellow one echoed.

The dragon smirked and smiled. “That’s all fine and good, but the kid looks like he’s nervous, perhaps you should take it easy on him?”

“Y-you’re right, Cinder! Our bad...” The brown one bowed his head.

Cinder gestured with her claw. “Run along you guys, and leave the rookie to me.”

“You got it!” The brown one saluted. He looked over at Eclipse and grinned. “Consider yourself honored; Cinder Deathclaw is going to show you the ropes!”

Eclipse blinked, unsure what any of that meant but the group scurried off before he could even ask. He looked back at the pink dragon a surmised that this must have been Cinder Deathclaw.

“Cinder Deathclaw, I presume?” He asked curiously.

The girl smiled and shook her head. “You can just call me Cinder. It’s actually Cinder Razorclaw.”

“Why do they call you Cinder Deathclaw then?” Eclipse tilted his head in confusion.

She waved a dismissing claw at him. “It’s a long story, not really worth telling right now.”

“I see...” Eclipse said quietly.

“So, what’s your name, kid?” She asked.

“Eclipse...” He responded.

“Eclipse huh? Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, welcome to the war effort, it’s great to have you aboard. Glitch can use all the bodies that they can get.” Cinder nodded.

“Glitch... You’ve met him before?” Eclipse asked.

Cinder blinked but nodded. “Yeah, he recruited me personally.”

“Really? What’s he like?” Eclipse blinked.

Chuckling, Cinder shook her head and placed her claw on the pony’s shoulder. “Easy there, kid, don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“Is it true he wears a mask everywhere?” Eclipse tilted his head.

Cinder realized quickly that this kid’s curiosity wouldn’t be satisfied so easily. “Yeah, it’s true.”

“What’s he look like under the mask?” Eclipse leaned in with interest.

Biting her lip, Cinder stepped back and crossed her arms. “I can’t tell you that, besides it’s best not to worry about mysteries that will solve themselves in due time, right? I’m sure if it’s necessary, Glitch will reveal themselves when the moment is right.”

Eclipse was certain that Cinder had seen him without his mask now. Her demeanor about it suggested she knew something for sure.

“I guess so...” Eclipse shrugged.

“Now, why don’t you tell me about yourself, Eclipse? Why did you join our rebellion?” Cinder smiled.

Eclipse frowned as he remembered what had happened to him in the past few months. The only friend he had made was killed trying to get him out of Canterlot, he had to live in the wilderness for weeks and then after all of that, he had found out that Galeal was ashamed of him. It wasn’t exactly a happy story or one he wanted to tell over. Instead, he looked up at Cinder and shrugged. “It’s a long story.”

“We all have our own stories, don’t we?” Cinder nodded.

“I guess so, what about you?” He reversed the question on her.

Cinder’s muzzle contorted to a look of anguish. She chewed her thoughts for a few minutes before she responded. “I have some unfinished business, let’s leave it at that?”

That sounded somewhat ominous, but Eclipse wasn’t particularly interested in digging deeper. Either way, he was still curious. “I see... So, I guess we’re allies then?”

Her face changed back to a more positive expression. “Yes we are, so why do you fight, Eclipse?”

“Huh?” Eclipse blinked, unsure of what she meant by the question.

“Everyone has a reason for fighting, what makes a warrior strong is having the right reason,” Cinder explained.

Eclipse sat there and thought it over. Why was he fighting? He didn’t know anymore. Sure, Serenade killed his parents and he wanted to avenge them, but in reality, his parents hardly ever gave him the time of day anyway. Still, they were blood, right? That means he had to avenge them.

“I... I don’t really know to be perfectly honest...” Eclipse frowned.

Cinder laughed. “If you fight without purpose, you’ll be struck down, and that’s a fact.”

“That doesn’t sound good...” Eclipse shuddered at the thought.

“Don’t worry, you’ll find your reason, I’m sure.” Cinder reassured.

“All I know is that I am here to help kill Serenade Dazzle at any costs...” Eclipse stated.

Cinder grinned at that response and placed her claw back upon his shoulder. “Then you and I share a common goal.”

“Is that so?” Eclipse blinked.

She nodded and nudged his shoulder. “How would you like for me to take you under my wing? I can teach you how to fight and I can help you find the reason you fight if you like.”

Eclipse was stunned. He wasn’t expecting such kindness from a dragon of all creatures. He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, sure. It’s probably better to be prepared, right?”

“A warrior is always prepared.” Cinder winked.

“I guess I’m learning already.” Eclipse grinned.

“That you are.” Cinder chuckled at him.

Almost Two Years Ago

Lightning Dust spun around in her office chair that had been provided for her at the top of the city hall building that overlooked most of Manehatten. She giggled and laughed as she entertained herself in front of her guest, Blaze.

Blaze was another one of Serenade’s disciples that Lightning didn’t much care for, but given how new she was to Serenade’s order, it was customary that she be checked upon periodically to see how she was doing and it was Blaze’s turn to do that this time.

“Check it out! I get my own spinning chair, and I have a view of the whole city! This must be what it’s like to be the mayor or something!” Lightning chuckled excitedly.

Blaze sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, just give me the details for my report so I can get it over with, get it back to Serenade so I can go back to burning stuff...” The unicorn groaned.

Lightning rolled her eyes and stopped her rotating chair for a moment before placing her back hooves onto the desk in front of her while she leaned back. “Seriously, you need to have more fun in life, you know that?”

“Burning shit is how I have fun...” Blaze rolled his eyes.

“Sounds like you have a problem, have you considered jerking off? Great way to relieve tension, I hear.” Lightning smirked.

“Will you just give me your damn report?” Blaze grunted.

“See, that’s the kind of tension that I’m talking about.” Lightning said as she removed her hooves from the desk and reached into a drawer for some papers. She passed them to him unceremoniously and shrugged. “Not much to report anyway, my security is pretty top-notch, there isn’t even room to gossip about Serenade in this city with the watch crew I’ve got prowling about. I’ve got these ponies scared out of their minds.”

Blaze looked over the report and nodded as he flipped through pages using his magic. He shrugged as he tossed the report in his saddlebag that he kept under his cloak. “Good work, though a bit too organized for my liking. I prefer a lot more chaos, and a lot more killing ponies to show them your power.”

“I haven’t had to kill a soul since taking over, sometimes it’s not necessary to keep ponies in line.” Lightning shrugged.

“Sounds boring.” Blaze yawned.

“Seriously, you should give that masturbation thing a try...” Lightning joked.

“Is that all, Lightning?” Blaze raised a brow.

“Well, I was wondering when I should expect Glitch’s army. I’ve been itching to try some battle tactics, but it’s been weeks and the bastard hasn’t shown up. What’s Serenade and Arax’s word on that?” Lightning asked.

Blaze shrugged. “Dunno, but you better be ready regardless or Serenade will have your ass.”

Lightning waved him off. “Pffft, I got this.”

“Whatever, now if you excuse me, I have some shit to go burn after I hand this report in.” Blaze walked toward the door.

Lightning just rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah yeah, go burn your garbage.”

She looked out her window from her chair and smirked as she looked into the distance at the city that was now her’s. “Let’s see what you can do, Glitch. Come get me.”

Almost Two Years Ago

Twilight Shimmer couldn’t believe what was transpiring. Snatcher claimed he knew Sunset wasn’t human but was that even possible? Was he bluffing? She couldn’t tell right away that was for sure.

To play it safe, she feigned ignorance at first. “What are you even talking about? Not human?”

He smirked and nodded as he held a paper in his hand that he waved at her. “This DNA test proves it. There’s a lot of abnormalities about her genetic profile, hell she has the same blood type as a horse, mind explaining that one?”

“There’s no way to even prove that’s her DNA...” Twilight rolled her eyes, hoping that would be enough to throw him off, though she knew deep down that it wouldn’t be; Snatcher was too determined to be detoured that easily.

“Nice try, but the sample came from her hair and I’m sure I could convince authorities to let me get another to compare it to since this DNA profile is incredibly unique. This is alien in origin.” He smirked.

He had clearly thought this through.

“No one will believe you, you sound crazy...” Twilight looked away.

“Oh I’m sure they will, and I’m also sure that the government will be very interested in this... They’ll want to examine Sunset, probably dissect her, hell there’s no telling what they’ll do...” He grinned.

Twilight crossed her arms and smirked back at him. “She’s not around, remember? How do you propose they are going to do that?”

“She has to come back eventually, or they could just take her daughter who I’m sure shares the same alien DNA...” Snatcher raised his brow in confidence.

Twilight gulped, he clearly had a plan for everything, exactly what she was afraid of.

“You would involve a little girl in all of this? She’s just a child...” Twilight frowned, trying to hide the trembling of her hands.

He shrugged at her, his expression unchanged. “Well whether or not she gets involved is going to be entirely up to you, Ms. Shimmer.”

“What’re you talking about?” Twilight squinted, not liking the direction this was taking already. She sensed sinister plans in store.

“I’m willing to keep your little family secret...” He spoke.

Twilight already figure out what he’d say next and finished his thought for him. “But for a price, right?”

“Just as smart as your reputation suggests... You cost me my job, and I think I’m owed a little compensation for that, right?” He grinned.

She gulped but realized she wasn’t in a position to argue. At this point, her daughter’s life was potentially on the line. If she didn’t play ball, he was going to release the information he had and it would only be a matter of time before people came knocking on her door to verify it. A simple blood sample would no doubt ensure that the truth would come out.

Twilight didn’t know what to do, she wished Sunset were there to handle the situation, she always seemed to know what to do, but alas, she wasn’t. All she had was herself and that meant she had to make a decision there and then.

“How much do you want?” Twilight raised a brow.

He grinned and leaned back against his car as he crossed his arms. “Ten million sounds fair, right? I know how much your family owns, so I think ten million for now, and a million every year from here on for the rest of my life. I think that’s a small price to pay for keeping your secret, don’t you?”

“You’re sick...” Twilight grunted as she looked away in disgust.

“Be thankful I didn’t make you suck my dick while you’re at it because I’m in a position where I can do anything I want to you.” He smirked.

The very thought made Twilight gag. “It takes a real trash human to blackmail a single mother, you know that?”

“Talk is cheap. You think I give a shit?” He laughed.

“How do I know you’re not just going to squeal after I give you the money?” Twilight asked.

“That’s what the million a year is for. That way you know I’m not going to say anything because that would stop my revenue stream.” He laughed.

“Good luck explaining this influx of money to the IRS.” Twilight grinned.

“You let me worry about that,” Snatcher replied.

Fuck, he’s good. Twilight cursed internally. There were no avenues for her to take beyond placating him. Snatcher was going to get his money no matter what she did. He either was going to get it, or her entire life was going to crash and burn. Her future was in his greedy hands.

“Fine, I’ll pay. How are we transferring the money?” Twilight asked.

“You write me a check, we go together to deposit it, and you insist it’s a gift so the IRS doesn’t ask questions, got it?” He raised a brow.

“Sure, whatever...” Twilight shrugged.

“Then every year at the start of the year, you meet up with me to do it again for the rest of my life, got it?” He smirked.

“It’ll be hard to stomach a meeting with a pig that often, but sure...” Twilight sighed.

He grunted and stood up tall. “Know what, I changed my mind... You gotta suck my dick too while you’re at it.”

“Fuck you.” Twilight barked in disgust at him.

“This isn’t a fucking negotiation, bitch. I’m calling the shots, you do what I say, when I say, got it?” He stepped forward and slapped her across the face, leaving behind a stinging sensation.

Recovering from the slap, Twilight rubbed her cheek and sighed. “I’ve never even done that before...”

“Well then it’s time to learn isn’t it, bitch?” He pointed to the ground gesturing for her to comply.

Sighing, Twilight got down on her knees and looked up at him waiting for instruction. She felt dirty just thinking about the fact that she was about to do something so vile with such a deplorable man, but she had no choice if she wanted to protect Horizon. Sunset wasn’t around and that meant her daughter’s safety was entirely in her hands now; she would do what she needed to to keep Horizon safe.

He gestured for her to continue and she reached forward and undid his belt, already trying to empty her mind so she could go somewhere else mentally. She couldn’t bear to think about what she was about to do.

She pulled his pants down and could see a bulge in his boxers that made her want to throw up. “Hurry up and get sucking, whore,” Snatcher commanded her.

Closing her eyes, Twilight reached to the waistline of his boxers to pull them down. She hesitated but stopped as a sharp vibration came from his body, followed by a liquid splattering over her head. Looking up she saw a hole was pierced through his skull and blood spurted out, soaking her in it.

His body stood there for a brief moment before falling over to the ground lifelessly.

Twilight fell backward in shock as she looked at his limp corpse. He had been shot with a fairly high powered rifle, judging by the size of the hole through his forehead. The bullet had clearly come from behind him, going directly through his skull and coming out between his eyes. The marksman who had pulled the trigger clearly was an excellent shot.

Looking around, Twilight quickly ducked down, expecting more bullets to start coming, but found herself calmed when no more were fired. She sat up and looked around once more to see a tree rustle and then something moving in the tree.

From that tree, a woman jumped down from the branches. She was covered in some kind of grass camouflage suit that made her hard to spot. In her hands was a sophisticated sniper rifle.

Letting the rifle rest to one side in her right hand, she reached forward with her left to help Twilight up from the ground. “You alright?” The woman asked.

Instantly, Twilight recognized her deeper voice. She gasped in surprise at who had come to her rescue.

Panting, Twilight placed a hand on her fast beating heart as she was helped up. “I... I can’t believe it’s you...”

Author's Note

Snatcher is a douche canoe isn’t he? Good thing he’s dead now; but who is his mysterious shooter?

Also Eclipse is such a cutie!

Also sorry that this chapter is a few hours late, some stuff came up and I forgot to hit that publish button!

Act VI - Chapter LXL: Cover

Chapter LXL: Cover

A Long Time Ago

With the powers of a demon on her side, Serenade felt stronger than she ever had in her entire life. While she was accustomed to being more powerful than the average pony, her powers were always limited by the fact that she could still be defeated by sheer numbers and the limitations of her abilities. Now, however, she felt like she could do anything.

The first few days with her newfound powers, she had traveled to a small village to see what kind of havoc she could unleash. She wanted to know the full scope of her new abilities before she started to formulate what to do with them. The mare could suck energy and magic clear out of another and use that magic for herself, though the process was taxing on her and at that point in time she could only perform it on a single pony at a time before she needed to rest to recharge her strength.

In time, she knew she could likely learn to master her energy-sucking ability to where she could use it limitlessly.

The village she chose to test her abilities upon proved competent practice for her powers and when she was done controlling ponies, draining their energy and seeing how far she could push them, she slaughtered the entire village, leaving none alive.

She felt invigorated like she was being born again almost. Using her siren powers was always an exhilarating feeling, but it was nothing compared to this. This was a whole new monster, something far better than she had ever dreamed of. There was no limit to what she could do now.

With this newfound feeling of purpose, Serenade had made her way to a small port town where ponies made a living gathering seaweed for food and catching oysters for pearls. She blanked on the name, but she longed for the ocean and had heard of this place in passing.

From the moment she arrived, she was getting catcalled left and right from horny stallions eager to “know” her. Most of them she ignored shy of the few she told she’d rip their genitals off if they even dared touched her. Most backed off after such a threat, but a small amount tried to challenge her only to have a hoof or two broken by her might.

It was so delightful to hold power over males, but Serenade was mostly just annoyed with them whenever they bothered her. A part of her always wondered why they were such a stupid species.

Making her way to the poorly constructed docks, she raised her head into the air and took in the nighttime atmosphere. After a few long seconds, she removed the toga around herself and allowed it to fall gracefully onto the dock.

With eyes closed, she fell forward into the water with a splash. Upon entering, she had transformed into her siren form and allowed herself to float there. While she appreciated her pony form, there was something magical and freeing about turning into her siren form and floating in the water. Going underwater, she opened her eyes and took a long look at the ocean below her.

Being closer to shore, the water was far from deep, but she could see crabs on the floor sifting through sand and seashells that held elegant designs just sitting there. The view underwater was so beautiful, so pure and untainted by the filth that was the pony race.

Ponies disgusted her, they had a way of perverting and ruining virtually everything they touched it seemed. It made her sick just thinking about them. One day, she would wipe them off the face of the earth, one day when she was strong enough, that much she swore.

There wasn’t a pony alive that she cared for, and she wanted nothing more than for them all to burn the same way her mother burned. The image wouldn’t leave her head, the image of her mother burning to a crisp, leaving nothing but charred bones. She shook her head and growled.

Serenade would spend a good hour or so just floating aimlessly in the water until she was finally satisfied. Coming back to the surface, she changed shape back to her original form and climbed up to the dock where she shook herself off, her wet mane draping over half of her face. She grumbled as she realized she was too soaked to put her clothing back on.

A gasp was heard in the distance that caused her to look in that direction to see a mare pointing at her yelling. “Monster! She transformed into some kind of sea creature!”

Serenade blinked and rolled her eyes, realizing that she would have to contend with the annoyance now.

“You best forget what you saw...” Serenade threatened as she approached.

The mare ignored her threat and instead screamed for help. “Help! Monster! She’s a beast of some kind!”

Serenade sighed and extended a tendril from her back. Quickly she pierced it through the mare’s open mouth and through the back of her head before pulling it out and allowing her limp body to fall to the ground where it began to create a pool of blood at her hooves.

Her screams, however, seemed to have attracted the attention of the townsfolk who were all now gathering outside of their homes, many already witnessing Serenade standing in front of the freshly murdered mare.

Once they had realized what was happening, they were all gathering their weapons from inside their homes, and many brandishing torches to come at Serenade with.

The siren sighed and cracked her neck before turning to the gathering crowd, tendrils flaring about as she stood her ground. “I guess I get to have a little more fun before I leave...” She smirked.

By the end of that night, there wouldn’t be a single pony from that town left to tell the story of the demon siren who slaughtered the entire port village. Serenade Dazzle made sure of that.

Almost Two Years Ago

The assault on Cloudsdale was nerve-wracking for Glitch. Everything had to go according to plan or it would cause serious problems for the entire rebellion. They were nervous, but they couldn’t allow their subordinates to see that. The Glitch they all expected to see was tough, unwavering and confident.

With a long sigh, Glitch waited in their quarters as the other two prepared to set out. They chose to use this time to talk with Moondancer.

“Moondancer, do you think we have time to run another diagnostic before I head out in a few minutes?” Sunset spoke through her microphone to her friend back in the human world.

Moondancer’s face appeared in front of Sunset inside of her helmet with a raised eyebrow. “Sunset, the suit is functioning fine, I did a check just last night, remember? What could have possibly changed between now and then?”

“I just want to be extra careful...” Sunset said.

“You’re nervous, aren’t you, Sunset?” Moondancer frowned at her.

Sitting down, Sunset nodded. “Yeah, I mean I’m betting a lot on this operation here. It’s a risky move, but I need to make bold moves if I want to get the best of Serenade. I won’t win by playing it safe forever, right?”

“I suppose that’s true, I mean to defeat your foes you need to hit them in ways they don’t expect.” Moondancer pushed her falling glasses back up her nose.

“I just don’t know if I can really pull this off...” Sunset admitted.

“What’s shaken your confidence all of a sudden? You’ve done a lot in the past year and a half, Sunset. This is no different.” Moondancer smiled at her.

She was right, however, Sunset didn’t quite know why all of a sudden her confidence was shaken. She assumed it was likely because she was starting to realize that a confrontation between Serenade and herself was going to occur sooner or later, and the fact that she still didn’t quite understand the full force of Serenade’s power meant that this was a blind fight.

“I’m just thinking about what’s going to happen when Serenade and I finally do clash, I suppose...” Sunset frowned.

Moondancer shook her head. “You have the suit on your side, your magic, and your army.”

My army. Sunset thought. She had forgotten that they too would play a role in the final battle beyond just getting her inside. She could utilize them in any way she saw fit after all.

“That’s true, and my army has really grown hasn’t it?” Sunset blinked.

“Definitely, hell that Cinder girl? She’s the real deal from what I’ve seen. Her sword work can’t be beaten, and she has a big enough grudge against Serenade for whatever reason that I’m pretty sure she won’t die on you before you reach her.” Moondancer reminded.

That was also true. Cinder was a fairly kindhearted girl, but her hatred for Serenade was extreme. Sunset had seen the fire in her eyes when she fought, but a fire even harsher would burn in them whenever the topic of Serenade came up. It was a fight that she was clearly looking forward to.

“Yeah, she’s tough... I guess a part of me is still praying for a miracle to come in and save us...” Sunset chuckled.

“You are that miracle, Sunset Shimmer. I’ve seen you do amazing things, don’t forget you were the one who defeated Adagio Dazzle, and avenged Shimmer.” Moondancer smiled at her friend.

Sunset bit her lip. “I didn’t do that alone, Moondancer. My friends helped.”

“And these ponies are your friends too. They believe in you, Sunset, just like I do and just like your friends back here do.” Moondancer nodded.

Laughing, Sunset stood up and nodded back. “I guess you’re right. You’re a good friend, Moondancer, I guess I needed that pep talk.”

“Any time, now get out there and show them why Serenade should be afraid of you.” Moondancer winked.

“Can do.” Sunset winked back before hanging up the call.

Almost Two Years Ago

Water, that was all that could be seen for miles. Angel could feel herself floating, her body weightless as she floated seamlessly in the gentle tide. There was no ocean floor, and looking up didn’t present the surface of the water either. It was nothing for miles on end, no sea creatures, no plant life, nothing, and empty void.

She held her neck fearing she would drown, but when she finally couldn’t hold her breath anymore, she inhaled only to find she couldn’t feel any water enter her lungs.

It was dark, almost pitch black, but in the distance a light shined. She mustered up her strength and began to flap her arms to propel herself forward. After a few strokes, she had picked up some momentum and was swimming toward the light as fast as she could.

After a good eighty feet or so, a transparent image of Twilight Sparkle appeared before her. The image had her hair down and looked like an all-around mess as she clenched her hand to her chest and looked away ashamed. Then before her, another image of an equally exhausted-looking Sunset shimmer appeared and grabbed her hands and smiled to the girl.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen...” Twilight’s voice echoed through the open waters.

Sunset closed her eyes briefly before nodding. “I know, and going by my own experiences... They’ll forgive you...”

After the exchange, the two vanished from sight.

Instead of questioning it, Angel continued forward until another image appeared before her. This time it was of Rainbow Dash wearing a rather interesting poncho that appeared hand made before she placed her hand in the center of a ring of her friends. She wore a confident grin as she spoke up to the group. “Same thing we always do, save the day!”

Before she knew it, the image vanished as well.

What is going on? Angel questioned.

After a bit further, another image appeared, this time of two Sunset Shimmers, one standing at a doorframe, the other standing next to a vanity mirror. The other one was sporting glasses and a ponytail, not like the Sunset that Angel had come to recognize.

Two of them?

Suddenly, the bespectacled one pounded her fist into the desk of the vanity mirror and shouted. “BULLSHIT!”

The other Sunset inched back toward the door holding her hands up to calm the girl as she attempted to command the girl to stop. “Calm down!”

The effort was wasted as the first Sunset banged her fist into the counter again and shouted even louder. “I AM SO FUCKING SICK OF PEOPLE LYING TO ME! WHAT ELSE DON’T I KNOW!?”

The Sunset at the door finally shouted back. “STOP IT!”

There was a short pause between the two before the Sunset at the door looked away with a sad expression upon her face. “Y-you’re scaring me...”

The first Sunset looked at the countertop with the fresh crack she had placed in it and her expression changed from anger to shock. After witnessing what she had done, she looked to the other Sunset with eyes begging for forgiveness. “I’m sorry, Sunset... I told you before... I have a huge anger problem...”

With those words, the vision disappeared into nothing.

Angel pushed forward until the familiar vision of the cloaked woman appeared before her and spoke. “Are you starting to understand, Angel Song?”

“What is going on?” Angel asked.

“There’s still a lot you don’t know about these people, but you will find out as time goes on. All of them are connected to magic, and now you’re connected to them. In this world, anyone who can use magic is connected because Magic comes from the same source...” The woman spoke.

“What connects me though? And what connects Starlight?” Angel blinked.

The woman shook her head. “There is a strong connection between Starlight and another from Equestria.”

“What’s Equestria?” Angel squinted.

“Another world, different from this one, but it is the source of all magic here. This world and Equestria are linked, and because of that when a counterpart of one of you in Equestria sees and Adagio shade, it can mean the ones of you in this world see one as well and awakens a certain potential within you...” The woman explained.

“So there is another me in Equestria?” Angel blinked.

The woman chuckled. “Your connection is very unique actually...”

“Why?” Angel tilted her head.

“You’ll see in good time, Angel.”

With those words, the water around them drained rapidly until Angel found herself gasping for air and sitting up in her own bed. She blinked a few times and felt her face to make sure she was actually awake.

After she confirmed she wasn’t underwater anymore, she laid back down and let out a sigh. She didn’t mind the sudden bursts of insight from the dreams, but she wished they didn’t have to scare her half to death every time they happened.

Climbing out of bed, the girl wandered over to Starlight’s room and cracked open the door carefully. “Starlight? Are you awake?”

Grumbling could be heard as Sunburst stirred and looked through the dark to see a blurry image that he assumed was Angel Song, but without his contacts or glasses, he couldn’t tell. “Angel? What are you doing up?”

“I need to talk to Starlight...” Angel frowned.

Groaning, Starlight woke up and turned her head as she placed her hands upon their large pregnant belly. “Angel? What’s wrong?”

Approaching the bed, Angel placed her hands on Starlight’s arm. “Starlight, I had another dream!”

Blinking a few times, Starlight yawned and nodded. “Go on, details.”

“Apparently magic comes from this other world called Equestria, for starters,” Angel explained.

“Equestria? Sounds like a horse thing don’t you think?” Starlight squared her brow in disbelief.

Angel shrugged. “That’s what I was told, and apparently we can use magic because there’s another version of us in Equestria that has seen an Adagio shade like you saw. Apparently, when something extreme like that happens over there, it can awaken powers in the versions of us that’s over here too!”

Starlight rubbed her forehead, trying to make sense of all of this. “So what you’re telling me is there’s another universe where this magic is coming from and other versions of us over there?”

Angel nodded. “That is the short of it anyway.”

Sunburst yawned and rubbed his eyes. “I have to say... This is the oddest thing I’ve ever been woken up for.”

“Stick around, I’m sure we’ll top it eventually.” Starlight smirked.

Almost Two Years Ago

Cinder stood next to Applejack with a grin upon her face as she saw Glitch coming out of their quarters to approach the group. She looked over at the farmer and her face reeked of smugness. “So, you ready for me to fly you to Cloudsdale?”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Let’s make somethin’ clear... Y’all drop me and there’ll be hell to pay.”

Cinder chuckled and covered her mouth. “Don’t worry, I’m too strong to drop something as light as you, though you’re definitely more muscular than most ponies I run into...”

Applejack huffed and looked away. “‘Ah’m a farmer by trade, so ‘Ah get my strength from work.”

“Nothing to be ashamed of.” Cinder shrugged.

“‘Ah ain’t ashamed...” Applejack hissed back at her.

“I didn’t mean any offense.” Cinder held up her claws.

The sound of Glitch’s voice interrupted the two’s banter. “Can you two stop flirting long enough to focus, please?”

“‘Ah wasn’t-“ Applejack began.

Cinder quickly finished her thought, though incorrectly. “I think Applejack was trying to impress me.”

“No ‘Ah wasn’t!” Applejack protested.

Snickering, Cinder covered her mouth once more.

“Alright, let’s focus you two...” Glitch replied.

“Fair enough, so we swoop in from here, land on the outskirts and stealth our way in?” Cinder asked.

Glitch shrugged. “That’s about the short of it, anyway.”

“Easy, let’s do this then!” Cinder flapped her wings in excitement.

“For a dragon as old as she is, she sure acts like a kid...” Applejack rolled her eyes.

“One of us has to be fun-loving and it sure isn’t going to be you.” Cinder snickered.

Glitch sighed and shook their head. “Let’s just go. Liftoff on my mark.”

Cinder gripped her claws around Applejack’s underside and nodded at Glitch who took a lowered stance ready to jump and rocket her way up when it was time. The group waited a few seconds before Glitch gave the signal and jumped into the air, activating their rockets and achieving flight.

Not far behind, Cinder gave a few flaps of her mighty wings and she and Applejack were airborne (much to Applejack’s dismay). “Uh... ‘Ah didn’t think the ground would look so small from up here...”

Focusing on flying, Cinder kept her eyes on Glitch as the group approached a cluster of clouds. “So this is Cloudsdale huh?” Cinder asked.

“I keep forgetting you’re not from Equestria...” Glitch responded.

“Yeah, it’s interesting, alright let’s shut up though, we’re about to land,” Cinder replied.

Nodding, Glitch quickly cast a cloud walking spell upon Applejack and themselves before the trio landed behind a building on the edge of Cloudsdale. With the cover of night, they had the advantage of not being visible. Glitch sighed and looked over at her teammates. “Alright, the prison is a good two miles from here... We’ll have to sneak through the back alleys to get there, but there shouldn’t be as many guards roaming around yet.”

“Let’s get movin’ then.” Applejack nodded in agreement.

Cinder just gave a thumbs up to confirm she understood her instructions and the group began to creep around the building they had landed behind and scan for any guards. Glitch held their hoof out and made the other two stop while they checked the infrared scanner in their helmet.

“Shit... Looks like there are a few wraiths out tonight, best be careful...” Glitch instructed.

“Great... Just what we needed...” Applejack groaned in complaint.

“What’s a wraith?” Cinder whispered.

“Oh right, y’all haven’t been on a night operation yet in an occupied city...” Applejack rubbed her neck.

“No, so what are they?” Cinder blinked in confusion.

“Hunters created by Serenade. Horrid abominations that can grab you with long fierce tendrils and squeeze the life out of you. Supposedly they were ponies at one point, but Serenade turned them into these monsters. They’re slow, but their tendrils are fast if you get in their range,” Glitch explained quietly. “They’re blind, fortunately, so they’re easy to avoid if you don’t make a lot of noise.”

“Sounds easy.” Cinder smiled.

“Not quite... It’s the maulers ya’ gotta worry about...” Applejack said.

“What’re maulers?” Cinder tilted her head.

“Pray we don’t have to explain them, now come on, the coast is clear, we can make a break for the building across the street.” Glitch pointed.

Deciding it was best to just follow orders and stop asking questions, Cinder nodded and followed the group as they dashed across the street and hid in another alleyway between two buildings. The group halted, however, when they saw what was on the other side of a fence that blocked off the end of the alleyway.

There behind a chain-link fence was a vile looking black leathery creature with slimy skin and long thin tendrils whipping about crazily. It moved in an almost unreal manner as it searched about for its prey. Cinder surmised that this foul creature must have been a wraith, but she didn’t see anything else with it, so she assumed that the aforementioned “maulers” were not with this one.

The group held perfectly still as the creature approached the fence and stuck a few tendrils through it, feeling around for any prey to ensnare.

Cinder looked at the other two who had frozen in place, not daring to take another step. She gestured her head toward the creature and the other two shook their heads.

Taking a step closer to the fence, Cinder noticed that Applejack and Glitch both reached out a hoof to object her movement, but it didn’t stop her. She took silent step after silent step until she was within range of the creature. It’s tendrils whipped about through the fence as its eyeless face with its oozing maw pressed against the chain links as it groaned with eagerness to catch something.

Cinder slowly drew her left katana in her right claw and positioned it. The creature heard the sound of her unsheathing it and flinched in excitement as it listened for any other noise to confirm its prey.

With one quick movement, Cinder stabbed the blade through the fence and through the open jaw of the creature, coming out the back of its head. It gurgled and struggled for all of a second before resting on her blade, its tendrils falling flat. Cinder pulled the sword out and flicked the black sludge that had soiled it off before turning to the others with a smile. “He wasn’t so tough.” She remarked.

“Sweet Luna, y’all could have gotten us killed!” Applejack spoke.

“But I didn’t, instead, I eliminated an obstacle in our way.” Cinder pointed out with a raised talon.

“That’s reckless!” Applejack barked.

“She does have a point, Applejack... Nothing ventured, nothing gained after all...” Glitch shrugged as she stepped forward ready to continue.

“Y’all are seriously takin’ her side?” Applejack raised a brow.

“It worked didn’t it?” Glitch replied.

Applejack crossed her hooves and sighed. “Well, ya’ got me there... Still, we should be more careful...”

“You’re talking to a pro. I’m always careful.” Cinder winked.

“Coulda’ fooled me...” Applejack grumbled under her breath.

“Let’s move before guards show up, alright?” Glitch suggested.

They all agreed on that idea and made their advance. The rest of their journey was far easier than the first few minutes. They would be forced to kill a few guards along the way and drag their bodies into the shadows, but nothing they couldn’t handle. Cinder’s sword work made light of virtually anything in their path, and when combined with Applejack’s strength and the technology that Glitch possessed, there wasn’t a challenge that could stand in the trio’s way.

It wouldn’t be long before they would arrive at the prison where they observed from behind its outer wall. Glitch looked directly at the wall and could see through it with her infrared sensor, noting a small gathering of guards around the front, back and west sides.

“Alright, it looks like they have the guards patrolling and that means slipping in from the east side seems to be the easiest at the moment. We can hop over the wall and sneak around to the front. Two guards are protecting the front, so if we can slip one of us around the other side we can take them both out at once before the other one can call for help...” Glitch explained her plan to the other two.

“Sounds like an idea. I’ll go around the other side, picking off guards as I do until I make it around. You give me the signal and we’ll attack at the same time.” Cinder offered.

“How are we getting over the wall though?” Applejack asked.

Cinder flapped her wings and grinned. “I can fly you both over. If Glitch uses their rockets, they’ll be way too loud. I can carry you both over.”

“Once again, you prove your usefulness.” Glitch nodded.

“Even ‘Ah have to admit, you’ve been pretty helpful thus far...” Applejack blushed and looked away, embarrassed that she had been giving the girl such a hard time.

“We can exchange apologies and forgiveness later.” Cinder shook her head.

The group managed to make it through the rest of the city mostly without much trouble. They slaughtered a few guards with Glitch and Cinder’s combined sword work which the dragon complimented the armored pony upon.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the prison, ready to storm in. Applejack gestured to a vent behind the building and the other two came running. She spoke in a hushed tone. “With Glitch’s suit, they won’t fit through there, but ‘Ah can crawl in an’ open the back door here.” Applejack explained.

“Take out any guards you encounter quietly...” Glitch instructed.

Applejack nodded before removing the grate and beginning her crawl inside.

The other two waited patiently with Cinder crossing her arms as she looked over to Glitch with a grin. “I’d say I’m making some progress with her...” Cinder commented.

Glitch chuckled lightly. “You and me, both. She isn’t a huge fan of myself either.”

“You’re a likable character, so I don’t see why.” Cinder giggled.

“Try telling her that.” Glitch shrugged.

The two would have to cut their conversation short, however, as the sound of the back door opening caused both of them to draw their blades. They lowered them quickly though when they saw it was Applejack granting them entry.

“Excellent work, AJ,” Glitch complimented.

“Let’s get Rainbow on outta here.” Applejack grinned.

Almost Two Years Ago

With a bit of finesse and skilled sword work, the group was able to cut their way through the prison unnoticed and make it to the top floor where Rainbow Dash was being kept.

The only thing that stood in their way at this point was a single door that blocked the path to her cell. Cinder and Glitch stepped aside for Applejack to unleash her mighty hoofwork. The mare grinned with pride as she reeled back and bucked the door off its hinges.

Before the guards in the room had a second to even realize what was happening, Cinder and Glitch both dived in and impaled the only two guards with their blades, retracting them and storing them after they were confirmed dead. Cinder took a moment to scan for any other guards and once she was certain that they were alone she nodded.

Stepping forward the group could see Rainbow Dash sitting in a cell with chains on all four of her hooves. Applejack took note of the fact that the girl had lost quite a bit of weight, which told her the kind of conditions that Serenade was keeping her in.

While the rest of the group approached carefully, Applejack raced to the bars and gripped them as she pressed her face between them to call to her friend. “Rainbow, are y’all alright?”

Rainbow turned slowly and her face grew a weak smile as she saw her old friend before she got herself as close to the bars as her chains would allow. She looked weak, but her spirit was clearly far from broken. “AJ? I knew you’d find me! Twilight sent you, didn’t she?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah... ‘Ah sorta’ feel like a horse’s ass for walkin’ out on y’all now...”

Rainbow shook her head dismissively. “If you hadn’t walked out on us, you’d probably be in one of these cages too, so we’d have no one to save our asses. So, I’d say we’re about even now.”

“If y’all say so... Still, ‘Ah shoulda’ been there with ya’.” Applejack frowned.

“Well, you can make it up to me by breaking me out of here.” Rainbow chuckled.

“Can do.” Applejack nodded.

She looked back at Glitch who stepped forward with Cinder. Glitch focused their magic to cast a heat spell, and Cinder used her fire breath in conjunction to melt the bars. Once the bars were out of the way, Cinder stepped in and smirked at the group.

Demonstrating her strength, she gripped the chains from the floor and pulled hard on the first one, shattering it with her muscle alone. It made Glitch question of her metal arm gave her any extra boost to her strength.

Cinder worked her way through the chains and shattered each one similarly.

Rainbow looked to her hooves and while she wasn’t happy about still having the cuffs of the chains attached to her, she was at least happy to be free in general. “Nice, who’re your friends, Applejack?”

“Oh, right, this is Cinder Razorclaw and Glitch. Glitch has sort of been leadin’ this rebellion against Serenade, so he’s the brains of the operation.” Applejack gestured to Glitch.

Rainbow blinked and offered a hoof to Glitch, which they took and shook. “A pleasure to meet you, Glitch. I take it Twilight recruited you?”

“That’s one way to put it.” Glitch shrugged.

“So what exactly has been going on while I’ve been locked up? How long have I even been here?” Rainbow asked.

Glitch sighed as they sat the mare down to explain what had transpired in the past year and a half. “Well, it’s been almost a year and a half, and in that time Serenade has taken over all of Equestria. Most of the country is under her occupation, but we’ve been able to make some serious headway in recruiting against her.”

“Impressive, how big is your army?” Rainbow asked.

“About eight thousand now, but we could use more. I figured with your help we can rally some of the pegasi of Cloudsdale to join our cause?” Glitch shrugged.

Rainbow nodded confidently. “Count me in, you broke me out, so I owe you one anyway. Besides, if Twilight approves of you, then you’re alright in my book.”

“She’s easy to win over.” Cinder crossed her arms and smirked.

“Well as for you, I admire your strength. When this is over, you gotta show me how you were able to break those chains with just your claws.” Rainbow grinned.

“Years of practice, kid.” Cinder rolled her eyes.

Rainbow nodded. “So, what’s the plan, Glitch?”

“We get out of here and start rallying ponies to join our cause from Cloudsdale. Think you know enough ponies here to get them to get behind us?” Glitch asked.

Rainbow smirked and nodded. “You have no idea.”

Almost Two Years Ago

“Your majesty, I believe this place is called ‘Ponyville’ by the locals...” Abyss explained as the group trotted through the streets of the small village. What was odd about it, however, was the large castle off in the distance, which Golden had explained was a fairly recent addition created by the tree of harmony for the recently crowned Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle.

During their travels through Equestria, Golden had made it part of her duties to read up on any important information in the local libraries or converse with locals to understand the cultures of the land they now walked through. Knowledge was the key to conquering the challenges that laid ahead, after all.

Their royal ruler looked around at the quaint little village, noting that now it wasn’t much to look at with Serenade’s guards occupying most of it. The group’s clever use of their talents had slipped them past the borders without suspicion, and they were free to explore as they saw fit so long as they left before nightfall when the curfew was put into place.

“It’s certainly very...” Golden paused, unsure of how to finish her thought, but eventually popped in a word to finish it that she felt was fitting, “interesting...”

“It’s an absolute pigsty,” Abyss wretched, “this Serenade Dazzle seems to keep the entire country under her control in an atrocious state, it’s absolutely appalling.”

“That’s to be expected from a demon, they aren’t usually very concerned with cleanliness or order,” Golden pointed out.

“Evidently...” Abyss looked around.

“So why exactly are we here?” Golden tilted her head.

“We’re supposed to look around and find information about anything important, I guess.” Abyss shrugged.

Golden bit her lip and blinked. “So... Should we split up?”

“Probably a wise idea.” Abyss nodded.

She didn’t have to tell Golden twice, the opportunity to be away from the annoying mare was a godsend. “We’ll meet back here in an hour then?” Golden asked.

“Sounds good, let’s hope we’re not wasting our time...” Abyss replied.

Almost Two Years Ago

Rainbow’s assistance had proven more than valuable to Glitch’s resistance, within only a few short hours, they had managed to convince a good hundred or so pegasi to join them, and collectively snuck them all out of the city with Rainbow’s help. After they had brought them all aboard the ship to bring them up to speed on what was going down, they spent the night drinking, celebrating and preparing themselves for training to undergo perhaps the riskiest operation yet.

In the same stroke, Cinder didn’t waste any time the following day to train her new student, Eclipse. He was scrawny and weak, but his heart was there in the fight, and she could see that. His skill with a blade wasn’t phenomenal, but she could see potential in him with every swing. There was something about the way he fought that suggested he could become something great to her.

Watching him slice with his hoof mounted blade made her nostalgic for her own training when she was just a hatchling. She watched him go through an exercise they had rehearsed numerous times, still fumbling a bit as he did and she laughed. “A good effort, kid, but remember to focus on your hoofwork. The trick is to try and stay light on your feet, keep your concentration there, and the blade will do the rest.”

Eclipse stumbled but caught himself before he fell. He sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Sorry, this isn’t that easy...”

“It takes time to become a master. It took me a long time to master the way of the sword, and I probably still wasn’t any match for my brother, Ash.” Cinder raised her claw.

“That good huh? What was he like?” Eclipse asked.

Cinder shook her head. “Words could not do what he did with a sword justice, my friend. He was a true artist, let’s put it that way.”

“You looked up to him?” Eclipse asked.

“Observant, but yes. Ash was my rival in life, and I wished that I listened to him more...” She frowned.

Eclipse could sense there was some tension there, a sore subject that had been left unchecked likely for years, but he wasn’t in a therapeutic mood, so he left it alone.

There was a pause and silence between the two before Cinder cleared her throat. “Say, let’s take a break. I haven’t had a bath in days, let’s go take one, shall we? There’s a big bath on this ship we could share, how about it?”

Eclipse bit his lip. He wasn’t sure how he felt about sharing a bath with a female, but he did like the idea. It had been too long since he had had a proper relaxing bath, and that desire won out in the end. “Yeah, sure.”

The trip to the bathroom was uneventful, and Cinder filled the large jacuzzi style tub for them and checked the temperature to make sure it was appropriate for a pony before stepping in herself. Submerging herself, she sighed with delight and then gestured for the stallion to follow.

Eclipse blinked but did as he was instructed and sunk in beside her. The water felt nice, it was perhaps the most soothing thing he had felt in a long time. How he missed proper baths. His mind was instantly filled with the times he and Galeal had bathed together, but then when his thoughts became more “physical”, he found himself blushing.

Galeal was a fairly energetic griffon, and as a result, he had a fairly large sexual appetite. That meant that while they were together, Eclipse was often “taking care” of him numerous times. His face was red just thinking about it, but he couldn’t tell if it was from desire or from anger. While he was mad at the griffon, he couldn’t deny that he loved being intimate with him. Galeal knew what he liked and he knew it well.

Cinder leaned her head back and rested her large wings as she cooed. “This is nice...”

“Are baths even common in Dragon Scar?” Eclipse asked, trying to get his mind off of his sexual fantasies with his ex-boyfriend.

With her eyes closed, Cinder gently shook her head no. “Nah, I sort of grew a love for them after I traveled a bit. I find them relaxing, which is good for a warrior, the last thing you want is to get sloppy due to poor self-care.”

“I see... You’re pretty worldly...” Eclipse remarked.

“You’re not too bad yourself, kid. I mean you told me before that you braved the wilderness to find this rebellion. Without any kind of survival upbringing that took some serious guts. What was the motivation?” Cinder asked.

He curled his lip in debate of whether he should tell the dragon about the griffon that had driven him to join Glitch’s army or not. After a few more seconds though, the words seemed to slip out involuntarily. “I originally left to find my boyfriend, Galeal.”

“A noble cause, so what happened?” Cinder asked.

Just remembering what it was like to find Galeal alright after all this time and how he responded to Eclipse seeing him again was painful. Eclipse wished things had gone differently, but they hadn’t. “Turns out he’s ashamed of being gay, and thus ashamed of me...”

“That’s a shame...” Cinder frowned as she opened an eye to see how the stallion was doing after such a sad story.

Eclipse shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anymore. He’s my past now, and I need to focus on my future.”

“A wise plan, but it’s also important for us to remember our past so we can learn from it.” Cinder raised a claw with a single talon up as she spoke.

“I guess so, but there’s really nothing left to reflect upon. We’re over, so there’s no sense in even dwelling on it...” Eclipse shrugged.

Blinking, Cinder could tell it was really a sore subject for the young stallion. She knew very little about equine romance, but she at least understood on a basic level as dragon mating was often a complex endeavor as well, though differing in many areas.

There was a pause before Eclipse asked his next question. “Why do you hate Serenade so much, Master Cinder?”

Cinder looked up and grinned. “Some people say that it’s always a good idea to put your past behind you... I actually disagree with that. Sometimes it’s better to hold onto it so you can use it to motivate yourself.”

“Do you think it’s possible to beat her?” Eclipse asked.

The grin on her face grew. “I think so long as we believe in our fighting spirit, we should do alright.”

Almost Two Years Ago

After a few long conversations with various townsfolk who were willing to discuss anything not sanctioned by Serenade’s regime, Golden was starting to get a picture of what they should be looking for. Words echoed of a stallion named “Glitch” and his rebellion that was being led against Serenade.

The stories that Golden was told were likely exaggerated, but that didn’t matter, what did matter is that it seemed to be the biggest thing going on just about anywhere. She thanked the ponies that she had spoken to and returned to their agreed-upon rendezvous point.

Abyss raised a brow upon seeing Golden and their ruler stood there with her usual smile. She had ditched the braid in her mane and her curls had become more like slight waves which told them that she had likely curled her mane herself. Still, she was absolutely stunning to look at, which often made others jealous.

“So, what’s the word, Golden?” Abyss asked.

Golden rubbed her neck. “A lot of talk about this Glitch guy. Guess he’s trying to actually overthrow Serenade.”

“Yeah, I heard about him too. Sounds like a total idiot if he thinks he can beat her.” Abyss nodded.

“I have to admit that I agree, I mean I’ve heard ponies tell me about how strong Serenade is, and I have to say, anyone who thinks they stand even a fraction of a chance against her is insane.” Golden shrugged, it was rare that she actually found herself in agreement with Abyss.

“So now what?” Abyss asked.

As if to answer their questions, their leader stood up and smiled at the two of them with a nod. Golden blinked and looked at Abyss. “Any idea what she’s trying to say?”

“I think she wants us to track this Glitch down...” Abyss responded before looking at their green maned leader. “Is that it, your majesty?”

The gorgeous mare just nodded once more and shot them both a smile.

“Guess we got a rebellion leader to track down now,” Abyss stated.

Golden sighed and frowned. “And here I thought we were almost done. It’ll likely take months to track someone like that down. It’s not like they are just going to invite us over to see their secret hideout...”

“Well, then we best get started, huh?” Abyss glared at the scribe.

Golden pressed her hooves to her temple and shook her head. “I swear, I hate this journey more and more...”

Almost Two Years Ago

Twilight couldn’t believe her eyes. Only seconds before, she was on her knees about to be forced into servicing that despicable man and now his brains were blown clear out of his skull, much of which covering her. It all happened so quickly that she could barely wrap her head around it all. It almost didn’t even seem real; she pinched herself to ensure she wasn’t dreaming, and sure enough, she wasn’t.

There in front of her holding out a hand to help her up was a face she hadn’t expected to see, the face of Rainbow Dash with her hair pulled back and dirt on her face for camouflage.

Twilight looked over at the corpse and then covered her mouth. She wanted to throw up, but she held it in instead. The last thing she needed was to lose her lunch. “Holy shit...” She spoke quietly.

“Come on, take my hand,” Rainbow instructed as she inched her hand closer.

The wife of Sunset Shimmer was frozen, for the time being, she couldn’t get her body to do anything but steal glances at the fresh corpse sitting just a few feet away from her.

“Twilight, take my hand!” Rainbow demanded.

Snapping back to reality, she looked up at Rainbow and then stared at her hand for a few moments before finally gripping it in her own. Twilight reached forward and placed her other hand around Rainbow’s wrist and with a quick heave, Rainbow managed to pull her into a standing position.

Twilight’s lavender eyes were drawn once again to the body. She had never seen someone’s brains blown out before, but she imagined being in the army that Rainbow had seen it a few times.

“Y-you...” Twilight stuttered.

“Hm?” Rainbow asked.

“You killed him.” Twilight blinked as she found her eyes glued to the body.

Rainbow shrugged as she threw the strap of the rifle over her shoulder and let the weapon rest across her back. “Yeah, well I had to wait for the right moment, sorry I took so long. I didn’t want to risk the bullet going through him and hitting you...”

Twilight remained silent.

“I bet he regretted that blowjob.” Rainbow smirked, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

“Rainbow...” Twilight was quiet.

Her friend Rainbow Dash was a murderer. She killed this man, and that was all Twilight could think of.

“What?” Rainbow asked.

“How are you so calm?” Twilight looked at her friend with concerned eyes.

“The army taught me how to focus in these kinds of situations. It’s part of what I was trained to do,” Rainbow explained.

Twilight shook her head. “You killed him, Rainbow! This is not good at all!”

“What’re you talking about? Of course, it is, the problem is solved now.” Rainbow nudged her friend’s shoulder.

“Rainbow, people are going to find out about this, and then it’ll be worse than before! I was just going to pay him off and keep him quiet!” Twilight’s face had turned almost white with fear.

Rainbow reached forward and gripped the girl’s shoulders. “Twilight, there was no certainty he wouldn’t tell after he got the money. This was the only way to be sure that the secret stays safe.”

“How can you justify killing this man!?” Twilight pushed her back, but Rainbow held onto her.

“Twilight, listen to me. You have to think about the bigger picture. If he told people about what he knew, what do you think would happen?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight bit her lip, that was something she had wanted to avoid thinking about. “Well... They probably would take Horizon away to study her, maybe even dissect her...”

“And then they would discover the portal to Equestria eventually,” Rainbow reminded.

That much was true as well. It would only be a matter of time before Sunset’s Equestria origin would be discovered.

“I suppose so, yes...” Twilight nodded.

“And what happens then?” Rainbow raised a brow.

Twilight paused before answering. “They’ll want to go there...”

“And what do human beings usually do in those scenarios?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight looked away. “I don’t know...”

“Twilight...” Rainbow scolded.

“Alright! They usually bring weapons!”

“And that is how wars start. If I didn’t kill this guy we were risking a war between our world and Equestria. Sure there is a chance it wouldn’t play out like that, but are we willing to take it? The price is one scumbag blackmailing piece of trash that no one will miss is dead,” Rainbow said.

She had a valid point. The chances of the US military or other militaries not wanting to go to Equestria were pretty low if they found out about it. They would see magic as something they could weaponize against their enemies. Before they knew it, they would have a full-scale war on Equestria to get said magic.

“What do we do now then?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow looked over at the corpse and sighed. “Well, I can burn the body, and then I can take the bones to the ocean and dump them. No one will find them there, and thus no one can link it back to you or me.”

“What about the fact that he was obsessed with me before he died? That surely will come up...” Twilight frowned.

Rainbow shook her head. “The guy was a nutcase, I fabricated some documents that suggested he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was suicidal. All the police will see is that the guy was nuts. I’ll go back to his apartment and destroy any evidence he had on you and just leave the usual nonsense that’ll just lead to dead ends.”

“How are we going to factor in the fact that he’s going to be noticed as missing? A person can’t just disappear...” Twilight suggested.

Rainbow waved her hand. “The guy had no family to speak of except a mom that he wasn’t on good terms with. I did my homework. All I gotta do is leave a suicide note in his apartment and people likely won’t even think to look for him until his rent is due or something. It’ll be a good month before anyone even notices he’s missing.”

“What do I do then?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow nodded and withdrew a box from under some brush and opened it, offering Twilight a black T-shirt and jeans to match, then she offered her a black garbage bag. “What’s all this for?”

“You are going to take your clothes off, put these on, and put your old clothes in the bag. But you’re going to go and rinse the blood off of you in the lake before you get dressed, I have a towel in here somewhere, I prepared for this scenario.” Rainbow grinned.

“And why am I doing all this?” Twilight blinked.

Rainbow pointed to the bloodstains on her clothing. “Just in case the police do poke their head in your direction, the last thing you want is forensic evidence in your car. Essentially you’re going to rinse off any blood from your person and then you’re going to burn those old clothes.”

“Really? I sort of liked that shirt...” Twilight frowned.

“Has to be done, now we don’t have much time, so we should set this plan into motion ASAP.” Rainbow gestured with her hands for Twilight to hurry up.

“Alright, I guess...” Twilight said quietly, not entirely comfortable with the entire arrangement.

Rainbow looked up and stopped her after she began to head toward the lake. “One last thing, Twilight.”

Twilight looked back with a raised brow. “Yes?”

“This entire thing never happened. You were never here, I was never here. We never talk about this again, and you mention it to no one, got it?” Rainbow’s face was stern and serious.

“A-alright...” Twilight nodded.

“Good, now get going and let me take care of cleaning all this up.” Rainbow smiled.

The entire ordeal had Twilight’s heart pounding. She was just involved in a murder, but it was almost overshadowed by how thankful she was to have a friend like Rainbow Dash who was looking out for her.

Author's Note

And we're back from the first-ever hiatus of the story! I had an awesome time at BronyCon! Thanks to everyone who went! It was an amazing vacation for me, but it does feel good to come back to Shadows and return to the old schedule.

And yup! It was Rainbow Dash. Loyalty runs deep.

Act VI - Chapter LXLI: Aria

Chapter LXLI: Aria

Almost Two Years Ago

After their successful breach of Cloudsdale prison, Glitch’s army was able to not only recruit Rainbow Dash, but use her talents to convince an armada of pegasi to join their cause. The next step was all training, making sure they would be ready for the battlefield when the moment arrived. The process took a few months, and before Glitch knew it, they were entering year three of the war.

The mare under her mask longed to go home, she wanted to see her wife and daughter again, but she knew that victory was still well out of her reach. Serenade’s power was still far too much to challenge directly, and that meant that battles still had to be fought. Sunset was tired of the war already, but she had to keep her head up, she had to be the figure that others needed to see.

For the next few months Glitch oversaw the training exercises with Cinder and Rainbow Dash. The two had quickly grown to enjoy each other’s company, though Cinder did work hard to reduce the mare’s cockiness, to some positive effect at the very least.

Rainbow admired how strong Cinder was, and that made for a friendly rivalry between the two.

Glitch had to admit, Cinder was a valuable addition to the team, which was a surprise to many of her crew members. Even Applejack had warmed up to her, and now she was one of the most trusted creatures on the airship. There wasn’t a pony on board that didn’t speak highly of Cinder Razorclaw, be it her fighting ability or her general personality.

It was surprising to Glitch that a dragon of her upbringing combined with the hardships she had endured could be so kind-hearted. She was certainly an oddity by Dragon Scar standards for sure.

Still, her inclusion in their operations was effective, and Glitch was more than glad that she had volunteered to join them.

The next big move was upon them, and with enough ponies to do so, they were ready to execute it.

Glitch had called a meeting between their council, and sure enough, all of them showed up just as quickly as Glitch called them. There they stood in the war room, ready for the briefing on what the next move was to be.

Applejack looked around the room impatiently as she held her tongue, waiting for Glitch to break the silence first.

A part of Glitch didn’t even want to speak. The silence was relaxing, but they knew it couldn’t last forever and they spoke up, ending it. “So, I know it’s been a while since we formed this army...” They began.

“We’ve been fighting for going onto three years now...” Twilight reminded.

Glitch shuddered at that thought. They had to hold back ideas of how much their daughter has grown, or if she was talking now at the mention of time passed.

“Yes, and we grow closer to our goal, but there is still much that needs to be done. Our next major task awaits us in Manehatten,” Glitch spoke.

They all nodded but kept silent.

“What lays ahead will be quite a challenge. We must liberate the city by getting as many citizens out as we can. Our primary objective here is to gain as many bodies as we can to join our cause, while at the same time keeping as many alive as we can,” Glitch explained.

“Essentially, we want to save more than we take in casualties?” Aria asked.

Glitch nodded. “Precisely, glad you’re paying attention. This won’t be an easy task though, we’re going to need to lead this one in two fronts if we hope to win.”

“Two fronts?” Twilight tilted her head.

Glitch nodded. “One lead by myself, and another lead by a volunteer eager to prove themselves.”

“What volunteer?” Twilight blinked.

“Applebloom,” Glitch replied plainly.

Naturally, Applejack objected immediately to the notion. “No way! ‘Ah ain’t allowin’ that!”

“I figured you’d say that, so I brought her here to tell you herself,” Glitch responded as they stood up and headed toward the door. Opening it, a teenage mare with messy red mane trotted in and nodded at the group.

Applejack banged her hooves on the table as she objected while the door shut behind Applebloom. “Applebloom, this is way too dangerous! ‘Ah forbid ya’ from goin’!”

Applebloom sighed and shook her head in disapproval. “Ain’t a baby no more, AJ. ‘Ah’m old enough to make my own choices.”

“Y’all are only fifteen!” Applejack protested.

“Listen, AJ, ‘Ah joined this rebellion to fight, and ‘Ah’m ready to do my part!” Applebloom stood her ground.

She had joined up when they liberated a work camp where she was being held about a good year ago, and since then she had been training with the other recruits, forbidden from actually partaking in any missions at Applejack’s request. Glitch only went along with it because they knew that fighting Applejack on the matter was a waste of time.

Now though, Glitch couldn’t deny the request of Applebloom to get into the fight, even if it meant pissing Applejack off.

“She’s performed in the top ten in virtually every training exercise we’ve thrown at her, Applejack. She’s even done exceptionally well in the leadership training that we’ve offered her. I think she’s more than competent to handle this mission.” Glitch stamped their hoof on the ground as they defended Applebloom.

The young teen smiled at Glitch and then gave the same smile to Applejack. “Don’t worry, sis, ‘Ah’m gonna be fine. Glitch will be out there, and ‘Ah have faith in him.”

Applejack crossed her hooves and looked away. “‘Spose ‘Ah can’t stop ya’, but ‘Ah don’t like this one bit.”

“Duly noted.” Glitch shrugged.

“Can’t believe y’all are gonna let a teenager lead an assault...” Applejack complained.

Aria rolled her eyes and spoke up, getting a bit annoyed at the constant drama between the two. “Okay seriously, cut the fucking umbilical cord already, Applejack.”

“Excuse me!?” Applejack hissed at the siren, raising a hoof.

“Stop babying the kid. She wants to fight, let her fight, that’s how one grows up.” Aria sighed.

“What the fuck would y’all know ‘bout growin’ up?” Applejack raised a brow.

“More than you. When I was her age, I had to take care of myself, I had to learn to fend for food, protect myself, and how to survive. My parents ditched me the moment they figured out what I was when I was about five. So I know a lot more about growing up than you ever will.” Aria sneered.

Applejack blinked and blushed. She looked down apologetically, regretting even challenging the mare. “Oh... Well... ‘Ah’m sorry to hear all that...”

“Now kindly shut the fuck up and let Glitch go over the plan.” Aria leaned back in her chair and gestured for Glitch to continue.

Coughing, Glitch decided it was best to just keep moving forward. “Anyway...”

Glitch tapped a map of Manehatten on the table and gestured to a circled area. “Applebloom here is going to lead a charge through the sewer and tunnel system. While I’m sure Serenade is expecting this, what she’s likely not expecting is we’re going to use a tunnel that very few know about. One that’s not even in the royal archives, so there’s no way Serenade would have any knowledge of it to inform her army.”

Twilight chimed in, taking credit for the information. “It’s an old passage used to move supplies out of the city without being noticed. Only the royal family knows about it and the information was passed by word of mouth only.”

“What an odd way of retaining the information...” Cinder stated as she grinned.

“The only way to ensure something can’t be discovered is to never write it down,” Twilight lectured.

“Wise words.” Cinder nodded thoughtfully.

“Once Applebloom’s assault on the ground is underway, I’ll lead the charge from the sky with Rainbow Dash. We swoop in, create confusion and rain death from above. From there, we can begin to funnel ponies through the same tunnel that Applebloom came out of. We keep the airship close to the other end and we’ll be ready to take on plenty of bodies,” Glitch explained.

Sonata frowned as she heard the idea explained to her. “This all sounds really risky...”

“It is risky,” Glitch replied.

“Too risky...” Applejack grumbled.

“Like I said, we can’t win by playing it safe forever. Risks need to be taken to win, and I don’t want to hear anymore complaints on the matter,” Glitch commanded.

Applejack bit her lip, trying to contain herself, as Glitch glanced around the room and nodded. “Alright, let’s break for now. We need to go get ready after all.”

The group nodded and Twilight made her way toward the exit first only to be stopped by Aria and Sonata. Aria gestured for the mare to follow, which piqued her interest, so she decided to go along with the two on her way out, Discord slowly slithering behind them.

Glitch left Applejack alone with her younger sister and the pink dragon warrior who just sat there idly while Applejack approached her sister with a face of disgust and annoyance. She stomped her hoof in front of the young mare and growled. “What in the hay are ya’ thinkin’!?”

“Applejack, ‘Ah told ya’, ‘Ah ain’t a baby.” Applebloom turned her head away in offense at her sister’s overprotective nature.

Applejack turned to get the girl to look at her. “No, but y’all sure are stupid like one.”

“Pfft...” Applebloom huffed.

“Glitch is reckless, Applebloom. Yer’ gonna git’ yourself killed on that asshole’s behalf? Is that what ya’ want?” Applejack quizzed.

Applebloom squinted in anger. “Y’all don’t know what yer’ talkin’ about, sis. Glitch is a hero, ‘Ah seen it with my own eyes. He’s gonna save Equestria.”

“Maybe so, but he takes unnecessary risks. ‘Ah don’t wanna lose you because of his carelessness...” Applejack reached forward and touched her sister’s cheek.

Applebloom shook her head. “It’ll be fine, AJ. ‘Ah trust Glitch, and y’all should too.”

Applejack sighed and looked her sister in the eyes. It pained her to see that while this war was going on, while the fighting was ravaging Equestria, she had missed her sister growing up. She blinked and the little filly was now a young mare, almost as tall as Applejack was. She would soon be getting a boyfriend or girlfriend and talking about moving out.

Serenade took that time from Applejack, those moments of enjoying her sister’s youthful innocence. Now, all that stood before her was another soldier, ready to risk their life for Glitch’s war.

Could that pony even win? He had guts and that fancy suit, sure, but Serenade had sheer power and so much more. She was an old creature and that meant that she had years of practice when it came to fighting, tactical planning and killing. Glitch was just a pony who was ready to kill if they needed to, but Serenade was a nearly perfect killing machine. She turned murder into a profession and was likely the master of said profession. Only a small amount of creatures in Equestrian history had ever achieved such a high body count, and Serenade was definitely going to be in the history books one day if they ever defeated her.

Applejack wanted to trust Glitch more, but she couldn’t bring herself to trust a pony who refused to show their face. Glitch had the protection of their mask, but the rest of them had nothing. If Serenade put them on her hit list, they would be hunted until they were dead, but all Glitch would need to do is take off their mask and pretend to be someone else.

To top all of that off, it rubbed her wrong that Glitch would let a teenager lead a battle plan. It was insanity.

“There’s just somethin’ about that pony that ‘Ah don’t like...” Applejack looked away.

“And that is?” Applebloom raised a brow.

“He ain’t riskin’ what we’re riskin’ Applebloom. He has that mask on his face, he can run and hide from Serenade whenever he wants, leave us all high an’ dry. Not to mention he ain’t got anything to lose.” Applejack crossed her hooves.

Cinder let out a cough from across the room which caused both Applebloom and Applejack to turn their heads to see the dragon. The pink dragon was still sitting at the war table with a smirk on her face as Applejack called out to her. “Can ‘Ah help you?”

Nodding, Cinder came to a tall stand and approached the two ponies. “Your assumptions about Glitch are misplaced, Applejack.”

“How do ya’ figure?” Applejack blinked.

“That pony has already sacrificed so much to make it here, and they have plenty to lose.” Cinder defended the armored pony.

“How do you know?” Applejack huffed.

Shaking her head, Cinder placed a claw on Applebloom’s shoulder. “Not all are born warriors, some have to don the sword when the call of duty arrives. Glitch did just that. That takes guts. He can clearly see a warrior spirit in your sister here, and he wants to let her do her part. Why are you so against that, Applejack?”

“Applebloom is still too young, ‘Ah don’t want her gettin’ hurt.”

Cinder laughed. “If we all avoid letting the hatchlings leave the nest, they never learn to fly. Looking at her...” Cinder eyed the mare up and down and nodded. “She’s ready, let her go.”

“Fine... But if somethin’ happens to you, Applebloom...” Applejack shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to fight back potential tears.

Applebloom reached forward and touched her sister before smiling. “Everything will be fine, sis. ‘Ah promise that ‘Ah’ll come back okay.”

“You better.” Applejack grinned before nudging the girl.

A Long Time Ago

A young Serenade looked to a group of teenagers playing together, splashing water from a nearby fountain at each other playfully, frolicking and laughing as they did. It reminded her of the days with her sister back on the farm, the scant few memories she had locked away in her mind that weren’t just more things to cause her more anger.

She wondered where Adagio was, and why it was so difficult to find her. The older siren and she had been separated for so long that she wondered what her sister even looked like at this point. If Serenade closed her eyes, she could remember her sister’s long curly locks cascading down her backside. Adagio always had an impressive mane, and with just a flick of it, she had stallions eating out of her hoof.

Those days on the farm with her sister were all Serenade had anymore. Every town was the same, she would arrive, try and blend in for a little while until ponies discovered she was a siren and then they would chase her out of town; she hated it.

The only thing that even mattered to her at that point in her life was finding Adagio. She fed, she searched and she survived, that was all she was doing. Serenade hated to admit that she was only living for the sake of staying alive, but it was all she could do.

Looking at those teenagers though caused a feeling inside of her that she hadn’t understood, one that made her chest feel tight and her heart beat faster. Had she been more learned, she may have been able to identify it as sadness, or even jealousy, but she wasn’t. Instead, she just stood there confused by this unwanted emotion.

She watched them play and felt a frown appear upon her face. Why did she care? She shouldn’t have, right?

Staring for so long though caused her to tune out the world, and eventually, she wouldn’t even notice that the group had noticed her onlooking. One of them whispered to another and before she knew it the entire group was approaching her.

Serenade blinked a few times before she realized she was surrounded by a group of ponies all larger than herself. As a petite little thing, this was a common occurrence, but she was now met with two mares and two stallions. The one mare was a redhead, fair on the eyes, but rather lanky. Her scrawny legs were disproportionate to the rest of her.

The other girl was chubby in the face, but she was cute in a way. Her wispy green mane was tied off to a ponytail on one side, which told Serenade that the girl likely didn’t like maintaining her locks. Her goofy smile though revealed that she had two buck teeth in the front of her mouth.

The first male was a tall drink of water, light brown coat with a short black mane. He wasn’t the most friendly-looking, and his brow reeked of Neanderthal. Still, he had a smile on his face, but Serenade had a difficult time discerning if it was genuine or not.

He tilted his head to nod at the girl before lifting it up with a smug toothy grin, showing his front tooth had a tiny little chip in it.

“What do we have here? A casual observer? Or perhaps a stalker?” He asked.

Serenade remained silent. She didn’t dare agitate the situation.

“Come on, Coal she’s clearly just looking at how desirable you are when your mane it wet!” The lanky mare teased.

“She has bad taste then...” The chubby-faced one made a fake gag to drive her point home that her friend was less than desirable.

“You’re so harsh, Rum! Coal is plenty to look at...” The lanky one looked over at the stallion they referred to as Coal and made a dreamy face that made Serenade want to roll her eyes and gag.

“Well, Lemon, look at her, she’s clearly way too good looking to be wasting her time fanning over a stallion like Coal...” Rum rolled her eyes.

Coal sat down and cross his hooves. “What gives? I’m a good looking stallion!”

“When you say that, how do you manage to not burst out laughing?” Rum asked.

“You two suck, you know that? She isn’t that good looking...” He grumbled.

The fourth member of their group stepped forward and adjusted the strap on his toga before eying Serenade up and down. Like his three friends, he too was a unicorn, but much taller. His light banana yellow coat seemed to go well with his dark brown mane, of which he had a lot of. It draped over him and covered one of his eyes, which were a shining silver.

“You’re wrong, Coal... Look at her...” The new stallion said gesturing at Serenade with his hoof.

The entire group stared at the siren, causing her to look away gently.

“Whoa, you’re right... She’s gorgeous...” Coal’s mouth hung open in awe.

“And thus way too good for a guy like you.” Rum teased, poking at his side.

The tallest stallion offered his hoof with a gentle smile on his face. He had a charming expression, and somehow Serenade felt compelled to shake his hoof. “Baler Stack, a pleasure to meet you.”

Serenade blinked and looked at his hoof and them up at his face. Since she didn’t answer, he continued by introducing the rest of his friends when he let go of her hoof. “This girl is Lemon Ale, and the other one is Rum Barrel.”

Serenade glanced over at the two girls who waved gently at her.

“And you’ve met Coal Ashes already.” Baler smirked.

Her eyes glanced again at Coal and then back at Baler. It had occurred to her that she hadn’t said a word for their entire encounter. She opened her mouth and her voice came out quietly. “Serenade Dazzle...”

“Serenade... That’s a lovely name. It suits you, it’s not often we see girls as pretty as you walking around with the commoners.” Baler winked.

Rum and Lemon both crossed their hooves and looked away with a “hmph” as he said that, clearly offended.

Shrugging, Serenade said nothing.

“Are you a noble?” Baler asked.

“No,” She spoke bluntly.

“How come we’ve never seen you around then?” Coal asked.

Glancing over at him, she proposed her lie. “I traveled here with my father.”

“Oh? So you’re a merchant’s daughter then?” Lemon leaned in with interest.

Serenade shrugged. “Sure.”

“That’s pretty interesting, what kinds of things does he sell?” Rum asked with genuine interest.

“Nothing anymore...” Serenade shrugged.

“Really? How come?” Lemon blinked.

“He died,” Serenade stated plainly. At least that part wasn’t untrue.

“I’m sorry to hear that... So you’re stuck here now?” Rum frowned.

“Not really, I can go where I want and do what I want.” Serenade shrugged again.

Baler chuckled and reached forward, caressing the mare’s cheek. Serenade blinked and glanced at his powerful-looking hoof before raising a brow at the stallion. “Such spirit for a lady, that’s not too common.”

“Thank you?” Serenade replied with a confused tone.

“You’re welcome to stick with us if you’d like.” Baler smiled.

Serenade wiggled her lip in thought before shaking her head. “Trust me on this, you really don’t want to do that.”

“Why not?” Rum blinked.

“I’m more trouble than I’m worth...” Serenade spoke honestly. These ponies had no idea what kind of creature she was, and therefore, they didn’t know what they were getting into. Wherever Serenade Dazzle went, trouble was sure to appear shortly after her arrival.

“Heh, so are we.” Coal boasted as he gestured to himself with his hoof.

Looking away, Serenade was trying to think of where she could go to get away from the group, but it became very clear they weren’t about to give up that easily. Baler brushed a lock of her yellow mane out of her face and smiled. “You don’t have anywhere to go, so why not be with us?”

There was a short pause, but Serenade smirked at him. “I can think of so many reasons, but I have a feeling that you’re not going to listen to them.”

He shook his head. “Nope, so what do you say?”

She shrugged and grinned at him. “Prepare for trouble.”

Almost Two Years Ago

After her meeting with Aria and Sonata, Twilight became aware of some knowledge that she simply couldn’t ignore and that she couldn’t keep from Glitch. Time was precious and Glitch needed to know before their operation in Manehatten.

Taking in a deep breath, Twilight closed her eyes and tapped on Glitch’s door that prevented others from entering their quarters. Their voice echoed through the door, filling the mare’s ears with its robotic tone. “Enter.”

Nodding, Twilight opened the door and composed herself as she shut it behind herself. Glitch looked her over before tapping their chest and making their helmet vanish, revealing their true form to Twilight.

“Twilight.” Sunset nodded in acknowledgment of the mare.

Twilight nodded back. “Sunset...”

“The Manehatten plan is really coming together, isn’t it?” Sunset asked.

“Brilliant, yes. Excellent work...” Twilight rubbed her neck.

Sunset sat down at her desk and reached into a drawer to retrieve a small bottle of bourbon. Popping a glass out of the same drawer she poured herself a half glass and gestured the bottle to Twilight to see if she was interested. The Princess of Friendship expectedly declined.

Shrugging, Sunset lifted the glass in her hoof and took a mighty sip before setting it down with an audible thump as the glass tapped the desk.

“You’re drinking?” Twilight asked.

“Sometimes you need to take the edge off to find your nerves.” Sunset chuckled as she took another sip. “I’m more of a wine girl myself though if I’m being honest...”

“Maybe we can crack open a bottle from the Royal Canterlot Stock when this is all over?” Twilight grinned.

Taking another long swig, Sunset made an audible satisfied sound before raising a brow at the strange purple mare. “What’s wrong, Twilight? I recognize this behavior, what kind of bad news are you bringing me?”

“Well... I wouldn’t exactly call it bad news, actually it could be good news depending on how you interpret it...” Twilight rubbed her neck.

“You’re beating around the bush, Twilight. I don’t like it. Just out with it, please? I don’t have all the time in the world to play with here,” Sunset demanded.

Twilight chewed her words for a moment but then decided it was best to just get the information out there. “Aria and Sonata said they have noticed some interesting abnormalities just outside of Manehatten.”

“What kind of abnormalities?” Sunset blinked.

“Well, to be honest, I didn’t believe it a first, but our magic tracking has picked up two traces of magic energy that have... Familiar patterns to say the least...” Twilight coughed.

“Familiar how?” Sunset placed both of her hooves upon her desk as she listened to Twilight, eager to learn where this was all going.

“They were Discord’s and my own.” Twilight stood up tall.

That wasn’t the answer that Sunset had expected to hear. “How is that possible?”

“We’re pretty confident that Serenade has stored the power she stole from Discord and myself in a facility somewhere, likely in some kind of power orb,” Twilight explained.

The idea was preposterous. “That makes no sense, Serenade is a ruthless bitch who loves power, why would she purposefully stow power away rather than use it when she has the option?”

Twilight shrugged. “It’s an old mage’s trick. Powerful unicorns often stored their power over long periods of time into power orbs so that they could use it at a later date when they were drained or they needed an extra boost.”

“So Serenade is planning for some kind of rainy day then, that’s what you’re saying?” Sunset asked.

“More or less, yes.” Twilight nodded.

“This changes everything...” Sunset thought out loud.

“How so?” Twilight blinked.

Sunset looked up at the confused mare, realizing she was going to have to spell it out for her. “Twilight, Serenade making some kind of backup plan tells us something important.”

“Which is?” Twilight still wasn’t getting it.

“Serenade knows there is a chance she can be beaten. She wouldn’t make a backup plan if that wasn’t possible. That means that she isn’t invincible like she’d have us believe.” Sunset lectured.

Twilight blinked a few times, but after Sunset’s words processed in her brain, she couldn’t deny the truth in them. The fact that Serenade was preparing for an off chance that she would need more power meant that she had to have some kind of weakness; even the demon herself saw the possibility of a reality where Glitch got the better of her, and thus she prepared for it.

The only flaw in her backup plan is that she likely didn’t anticipate Twilight Sparkle finding out about it, and that meant they had the opportunity to make her backup plan useless.

“I suppose that makes sense...” Twilight agreed.

“So you know what I am going to request next then?” Sunset grinned.

Twilight nodded. “You’re going to ask me to try and steal the power back?”

“Not just you, it’s too risky to send just one pony, so I want you, Aria and Sonata to go together,” Sunset instructed with a gesture from her hoof.

Standing firm, Twilight gave a salute. “Understood. We’ll secret the power while you invade Manehatten.”

Sunset tapped another spot on her suit and a small compartment opened up where she levitated another black crystal out, similar to the one that her suit was housed in, but far more shabby looking and less polished. “There’s one more thing...”

Twilight tilted her head as the crystal was levitated over to her and placed around her neck. “This is the prototype for the suit. It’s very buggy and rough, but it could prove useful in a tight spot. It has a fairly decent resistance to dark energy, so it could be helpful if not for a few minutes.”

Touching the crystal with her hoof, Twilight smiled at Sunset. “Thank you, I promise I’ll use it wisely if I need it.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less of you, Princess Sparkle.” Sunset grinned.

“Well, if I don’t, then everypony may be calling you, princess.” Twilight winked.

Sunset scoffed in disgust. “What a terrible joke...”

“It’s no, joke, Sunset.” Twilight shook her head.

“How so? You’re the princess, not me.” Sunset grunted.

Twilight frowned, realizing she was going to have to explain herself. “Sunset... I named you my successor, should anything happen to me.”

“What? I thought Starlight had that job?” Sunset blinked.

Twilight shook her head. “She was captured already, besides nopony knows my teachings better than you. There’s nopony better for the job.”

“To hell with that!” Sunset hissed.

“Well, you better hope I come back then.” Twilight winked.

“You die and leave me with that responsibility, and I swear I’ll find a way to bring you back just to shove my whole hoof up your ass.” Sunset pointed and threatened.

“Now there’s the Sunset I know.” Twilight giggled before leaving the armored mare to her own thoughts.

What was she thinking? Making her, Sunset Shimmer, heir to her throne? The last thing that Sunset needed was whatever responsibilities Twilight had. She didn’t want to stay in Equestria, she wanted to go home to her family, Twilight knew that, but it was clear she simply didn’t give a damn.

A Long Time Ago

A year had passed since Serenade had found her small entourage who would refer to her as their friend, but she always avoided such a term. If anything, to her they were nothing more than a group of ponies who accepted her company until they eventually would grow to despise her. The only difference is this time they were taking longer than normal.

Baler had taken a liking to her, and often he was the one to go out of his way to include her. They would get into mischief together as a group, but that was the life of the young. Most of them didn’t really regard the word of their parents very highly, and as a result, they didn’t seem to care when they got lectured about the trouble they caused.

At night, the group would split up and Serenade would retreat to the place she had made as her refugee camp. She had charmed an old stallion who owned several buildings to give her this small shack she would stay in. It didn’t have much, but it had the basics she needed to live. She dreamed of charming him out of his lavish mansion, but she had learned her lesson from the past about living too high on the hog. A mare with no parents and no income living in such a ritzy living quarters always got the townsfolk suspicious, especially when she was fairly new in town.

Since then, Serenade had always had to allot herself more modest living arrangements, much to her dismay. She knew she deserved better, but the prejudice of ponies dictated otherwise.

Sitting down on the hay stuffed mattress, Serenade let out a long sigh before running a hoof through her impressive golden and red mane.

The siren had resigned herself to a quiet evening at home, but a sound from the door surprised her. Turning her head, she saw a muscular hoof move the sheet aside that blocked the outside lights from entering the hovel she called home. The hoof was attached to Baler who grinned as he stepped inside and looked around. “Nice little place you got here.”

Serenade looked away in shame. A siren should have been decorated with the finest jewels, as she sat on the throne of a queen, and as such it often caused their kind shame when they were not displayed around the best of the best. “It’s trash, I know.”

He shook his head. “Nah, it’s great. I could really get comfortable in a place like this.”

Scoffing, Serenade avoided eye contact. “You don’t have to say things to make me feel better...”

He blinked and stepped closer before sitting down only a foot or so away from her. He tapped his hoof in thought a good eight times before he spoke again. “You’re a very proud girl, I noticed.”

She shrugged.

“I don’t get why though, you’re already absolutely gorgeous, what else do you have to prove?” He questioned.

“You wouldn’t understand.” Serenade rolled her eyes.

“Try me.” He shrugged.

Serenade took in a breath an exhaled before answering. “It’s very complicated, Baler, in fact so much so that as I’ve stressed before, I don’t even know why you all choose to associate with me...”

He laughed. “You’re out friend, Serenade.”

“Friend... That’s such a stupid word.” Serenade scoffed.

“You think so?” Baler tilted his head.

She nodded. “There are no such things as friends in this world.”

“How do you come to such a conclusion?” He asked.

Serenade peered at him from the corner of her eye. “Once ponies see what you are on the inside, underneath the mask you wear in public... they’re ready to turn on you when the going gets tough.”

“You think so?” Baler asked.

Serenade nodded. “I know so.”

Baler came to a stand and reached forward caressing the mare’s cheek. Serenade averted her eyes and refused to give him her full attention. He held his hoof there for a moment before smiling. “I can’t wait to prove you wrong one day.”

Serenade smirked back at him and shook her head. “You’ll find that Serenade Dazzle is never wrong.”

A Few Years Ago

It had been a few weeks since Adagio had donned the persona of Ghost and lost her mind. Her quest for power had dipped into madness and Aria could no longer recognize the siren who once called herself their leader. Her love for a mortal had clouded her judgment and driven her to obsession.

The moment that Aria had learned she had actually murdered the mortal girl, she insisted that Sonata and she bail on her as quickly as they could. They left the apartment and made themselves scarce, staying as far away from Adagio Dazzle as they could.

The weeks were hard on them, and they struggled to get by, but with some good fortune, they had procured some camping equipment and took refuge in the Everfree Forest near Camp Everfree. The camp was relatively deserted when it wasn’t Summer or Spring, and even when it did have guests, they tended to stay out of the wooded areas where Aria and Sonata kept themselves.

With a little money saved up, they would alternate between taking trips into town and getting food to keep them going along with various ways to keep themselves occupied. Once a day, one of them would head into town and charge a bunch of battery packs to recharge their phones and Sonata’s Nintendo 3DS so that she wouldn’t complain too much.

Water was hardly an issue as a freshwater stream wasn’t that far away, and the arrangement was only intended as temporary anyway until the two could figure out what their next move was.

Aria had been at the nearby gas station picking up some snacks for the two for a good hour or so while she scrolled through her phone connected to the local WiFi. She had treated herself to a coffee while she sat at the table set up for those coming to use said WiFi while she charged all of the batteries she had brought.

After she was finished, she was making her way back to the campsite where the two had made their home, a backpack slung over her shoulder full of snacks, food, and batteries. She sighed as she stopped for a brief moment to catch her breath. She was already tired of living in the woods, but she knew that it was necessary for the time being. Truthfully, she didn’t really have much in the way of plans on how to get out of their current predicament. No documentation, no IDs and no education meant that job prospects were low.

Aria hated admitting that Adagio’s income helped keep them in an apartment, but it was the sad truth. Adagio had lied about how she made money, and instead of working at a department store, she was a drug dealer, but Aria couldn’t deny that the money she made took care of the rent and food with ease. In a way, she hated that she didn’t think of it first, but they had all agreed to keep a low profile after their defeat by the Rainbooms, a promise that Adagio clearly had broken very quickly.

She wanted to hate Adagio, she wanted to despise her, but a part of Aria simply couldn’t do it. Adagio was a complicated siren, one who kept to herself and only gave tiny bits and pieces of her life away, but she did lookout for the group for a long time, even if it was self-serving. Aria always knew that a part of Adagio was hurting, but she’d never own up to it.

The Adagio she knew, however, was gone and in her place was a lunatic who went around killing mortals. She wished she could understand what went on in the girl’s head, but then again she was thankful she didn’t.

Making it back to camp after a long walk, Aria squinted as she could hear laughter coming from their tent, laughter that was not Sonata’s but instead, a masculine sounding voice. She approached carefully to the tent and lifted the flap revealing Sonata sitting on the ground atop of her sleeping back with a dumbfounded look. Across from her was a young man with a chiseled face. His dark green hair seemed to match the trees around them, but his face was frozen in a look of confusion.

Aria crossed her arms and raised a brow as she tapped her foot. “And who might this be?”

Sonata blinked and gestured toward the stranger. “Oh, Aria, this is Timber Spruce, his family owns the camp.”

“And what is he doing here?” Aria asked, her voice reeking of impatience.

“Well, we are on his land...” Sonata frowned.

She had a point there, but it wasn’t one that Aria wanted to acknowledge. Timber cleared his throat and stood up. “Ahem, I came across Sonata out here a few days ago and I come by now and then to check up on her. You guys are free to stay here if you like, I don’t mind really.” He offered his hand which Aria just stared at and refused to shake.

“Thanks, but I don’t recall Sonata mentioning you coming by ever...” Aria peeked around him and glared at her siren ally who was now slinking down trying to make herself small.

“Must have slipped her mind, no big deal. Anyway, I get you two probably don’t want to be asked a lot of questions such as why you’re here or anything, so I won’t bother. This is a safe place, but if you need anything, you can come by the camp and I’ll see if I can help.” He smiled as he pulled his hand back, clearly unoffended by the fact that Aria didn’t shake it.

Aria scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Thanks, can you please give us some privacy now?”

Removing his beanie he nodded and bowed slightly. “Yeah, of course. Sorry to have bothered you. I’ll see you later, Sonata.” He grinned as he looked over his shoulder at the girl who was now sporting a blush as she nodded back and looked away playfully.

“Yeah, bye or whatever...” Aria gestured for him to go with her hand.

Not testing her patience any further, Timber walked past her and out of the tent. Aria waited a good minute or so before speaking to ensure he couldn’t hear her. After about eighty seconds had passed, she poked her head out of the tent to make sure he didn’t linger around to eavesdrop. Once she was certain he was gone, she stormed back in, arms crossed and glared at Sonata who was still trying to appear small.

With a sheepish smile on her face, Sonata tried to break the silence. “So... Uh... How was the trip to town?”

“Don’t even try to change the subject.” Aria hissed.

Sonata frowned and looked down. “Right, sorry...”

“What are you doing talking to him?” Aria asked.

“It’s just lonely out here, that’s all. He came by once when you were in town and I was out for a walk and we got to talking, he’s actually very nice...” Sonata squeaked.

“You like him don’t you?” Aria raised a brow.

Sonata rubbed her finger on her sleeping back making little circles as she avoided eye contact. “Not that much...”

“Don’t lie to me, Sonata...” Aria grunted.

“Okay, a little bit...” Sonata spoke quietly.

“You can’t see him again, you know that right?” Aria asked.

“Why not!?” Sonata perked up and looked up at Aria with pleading eyes.

“Sonata, he’s a mortal. Mortals are dangerous, and I don’t want you making the same mistake that Adagio did, okay?” Aria frowned as she stepped closer and kneeled down to get to Sonata’s level.

Sonata avoided looking at her as she spoke quietly again. “Maybe it won’t end up like that...”

Aria let out a sigh. “Sonata, it always ends up like that. That’s the Siren’s Curse and you know that... If a siren ever falls in love with a mortal...”

“... Then they’ll be met with nothing but misery, I know...” Sonata’s eyes were welled up with tears.

Aria placed a hand upon her shoulder. “Look, I know I give you a hard time all the time, but we already lost Adagio to the curse, I don’t want to lose you too. We have to stay away from mortals, they’re dangerous.”

“Why is our kind cursed, Aria? I just don’t get it...” Sonata whimpered.

With a sigh, Aria recited the story to her fellow siren. “You know why. The legend says that the first siren fell in love with a mortal and bore his children. Those children grew up and could not find love themselves, so out of jealousy they killed their mother’s lover, then from that day on she put a curse on all sirens so they could never find love.”

“It’s just a legend though, maybe it’s not true!” Sonata pointed out.

Aria shrugged. “Maybe not, but one thing is true: any siren who has ever fallen in love with a mortal has had nothing but misery.”

Tears began to fall from Sonata’s face, causing Aria to reach forward and wipe them away. She sighed and placed a hand upon the girl’s cheek. “Sonata, ours is a cursed existence, and I’m not going to say it’s fair or that I understand it, but I do know one thing...”

Sniffling, Sonata looked up at her. “Hm?”

“You and I are together, we have each other, and I’m not going anywhere.” Aria smiled.

Wiping her face, Sonata looked forward with fearful eyes. “Promise?”

Aria chuckled and nodded. “I promise.”

Sonata lifted her hand and offered a pinkie. “Pinkie promise?”

Sighing, Aria reached forward and took her pinkie in her own. “I promise, that I’m always going to be there for you.”

Almost Two Years Ago

When the time had come to take on Manehatten, Aria, Sonata and Twilight Sparkle all had confidence that Glitch could handle the battle without them. Their prize was on the orb that kept Twilight and Discord’s power stored just outside of the city limits.

Twilight lamented on how if she could just acquire her power back, she would be in a position to do more to help the resistance, however something they couldn’t have anticipated had transpired. While they had known the facility would only be lightly guarded, they didn’t foresee the level of security that Serenade had installed.

State of the art security systems that were relatively new to Equestria blocked almost every door they attempted to enter, and as a result, sneaking around became more challenging, resulting in the group having to slay every guard they saw before they were caught.

Twilight was able to disarm most of the security systems with time, but the task had proven longer than Twilight had anticipated. The group would eventually find themselves close to the storage area where the orb was being kept.

Killing the final guard that stopped them, Twilight stood in front of the group gazing through a thick glass wall that presented a room down below where the orb sat on a pedestal unguarded. “There it is!” Twilight pointed.

The group quickly found themselves looking at the only elevator in the room that lead down to the orb, but squinted as they noted that the large room looked unusually dark. The lighting from the room where they stood didn’t appear to even penetrate the glass to the room down below which made all of them suspicious.

Aria blinked as she noted a communication orb that seemed conveniently placed in the room where they stood. “Twilight...” Aria began by pointing to the communication orb.

Twilight blinked and looked to it with wide eyes. “This was a setup!” She exclaimed.

“Serenade wanted us to find this place... I should have known, the orb was bait!” Twilight hissed.

“I think she wanted to talk to us...” Aria added.

Grumbling, Twilight straightened herself up so Serenade at least wouldn’t have the satisfaction of seeing her flustered as she reached forward and touched the orb to communicate with Serenade.

Like clockwork, inside the murky ball Serenade’s face appeared with a very satisfied grin upon it. “So Glitch sent his rejects to handle this then? What a coward, afraid to go himself? No matter.”

“So this was some kind of trap?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Of course, you didn’t think I’d be stupid enough to leave something like that orb laying around did you?” Serenade chuckled.

“Pretty shitty trap don’t you think? We’re all still alive...” Aria pointed out.

“Not for long.” Serenade smirked.

“How do you figure that?” Twilight asked curiously.

Serenade gestured with her head. “The way I see it is that you have two ways to die that you may choose from.”

“Which are?” Sonata blinked as she joined the conversation.

Twilight found herself adjusting a spare headset she had been given to communicate with Moondancer should she need her expertise on the prototype suit as she listened.

“Well, you see when you entered that facility, I had the orb set to overload. The process takes a bit, but I figured by the time you realized what was happening it’d be too late. I’d estimate you have a little less than eight minutes now. So in eight minutes, that orb is going to unleash all of its power in a massive explosion, killing you and everything in a few mile radius,” Serenade explained.

“You’d be killing most of Manehatten then, your own stronghold.” Aria pointed out.

Serenade shrugged. “Who cares?”

Twilight could feel herself getting angrier just hearing how little Serenade was concerned about her own ponies, but she held herself back.

“And given the size of the blast, there is no way for us to escape now, is that it?” Twilight guessed.

Serenade nodded. “Yup, but you do have a second option if waiting is not quick enough for you...”

“Which is?” Aria grunted.

Gesturing once again to the room, Serenade smirked. “Go in there and die instantly. That room is filled with very potent dark energy. Any non-demon will die within seconds of entering. It’ll rip your body apart and destroy you.”

Twilight bit her lip. She wasn’t sure which death seemed worse, the one where they waited to be blown up, or the one where they died in painful agony by being completely ripped apart.

“You’ve got time to make a choice though, so good luck.” Serenade winked playfully before vanishing from the orb, leaving the team to their own devices.

Twilight hissed and turned to kick the orb, knocking it down and shattering it on the ground as she growled in frustration. “DAMN HER!”

“Guess she played us for fools... We effectively just doomed everypony in Manehatten fighting right now. There’s not even enough time to run to Glitch to warn them...” Sonata frowned as she realized the hopelessness of their situation.

Aria sighed and looked up, trying to think of what she wanted to do with her final moments. Her mind wandered to thoughts of how she missed Adagio in a way. The siren always knew what to do, even if she was a constant pain in Aria’s ass.

Her thought process was interrupted as she noticed Twilight was staring at the room below with a look of consideration. “Twilight, don’t tell me you have a plan...?” Aria blinked.

Turning back, a small grin was plastered on Twilight’s face as she nodded. “Just one.”

Almost Two Years Ago

Glitch’s attempt on Manehatten had proven more than successful despite challenges. Manehatten’s defenses were strong, but with clever fighting and focusing efforts on choke points, Glitch was able to make it all the way to their goal: Rarity’s prison.

After all, was said and done, Applejack ironically was the first to rush forward to the cell where the mare was being kept. Gripping the bars, the blood-soaked Applejack grew a toothy grin as she saw her friend laying on the ground sleeping. “Rarity! Wake up! It’s me!”

Blinking, Rarity stirred for a moment before picking herself up and looking over to the bars. She was shocked to see a face she had longed to see for so long. She didn’t even remember how long she had been locked away, but somehow she knew that it would be Applejack who would come rescue her.

“Applejack!? How did you get here!?” Rarity blinked as she came close to the bars, gripping them as she smiled at her friend.

“Glitch over here raised an army, he’s a tough customer.” Applejack gestured to the armored pony standing behind her with Cinder who chuckled and crossed her arms.

“And who’s the dragon then?” Rarity tilted her head.

“Don’t worry ‘bout her. We’re here to get y’all out of here.” Applejack grinned.

Rarity reached forward and caressed the mare’s cheek. “Your coat is soaked in blood, darling... What happened out there?”

Applejack shrugged. “War, Rares. We’ve been fightin’ for close to two years now...”

Rarity frowned. “Then there’s no time to waste. Get me out of here so I can help!”

Cinder smirked and stepped forward with Glitch. The two exchanged a glance and nodded at each other. Cinder cracked her knuckles on her one real claw and then gestured for Rarity to step away from the bars.

The mare did as instructed and inched back so that Cinder could do her work. Gripping the bars in her claws, Cinder groaned for a moment as she pulled, but after about eight seconds the bars began to bend to her strength. Everyone watched in astonishment, even Applejack who found herself oddly jealous as she wanted to be the one who broke Rarity free.

Rarity blushed as she watched the dragon flex their muscles before Glitch walked in and gripped the chain tying Rarity down to the floor. With precision, a laser shot from their hoof from some kind of device that Rarity had never seen before and cut the chain loose.

Once Rarity was free, she raced forward and gripped Applejack in a tight embrace. The farm mare blushed but came into the hug.

The embrace wouldn’t last long, however, as Rarity’s eyes shot open as she remembered something important. “We can’t leave yet! Princess Luna is trapped here as well, she’s being kept in another facility not too far from here!”

Glitch nodded and gestured for Rarity to follow. “We better get moving then.”

“After this is over, I totally need a bath.” Cinder giggled as she placed her hands behind her neck. “Applejack here looks like she could use one as well.”

Applejack blushed as Rarity found herself giggling at that statement as well.

Almost Two Years Ago

Glitch and her group which now included Rarity had met up with Rainbow Dash briefly to inform her that they were headed to get Luna who was trapped somewhere in the city. She was instructed to hold things down and buy them enough time to get their task finished.

Naturally, Rainbow Dash intended to go above and beyond. She had gathered some intel that told her where the big cheese of Manehatten was staying, the pony who Serenade had put in charge, and Rainbow Dash intended to put them down and show her army what happens when you messed with Rainbow Danger Dash.

Stepping into an office, Rainbow blinked, a bit surprised at the environment. She expected a room filled with weapons, a chamber loaded with traps or even a bunch of thugs waiting to jump her, but instead, it was just a regular office it seemed. This was where their enemy performed their daily operations? It didn’t seem very villain-y to her, but perhaps she had been reading too many comic books, reality was often less exciting.

Stepping forward, she flipped through some papers on the nearby desk to see if there was anything of interest, and sure enough, there was nothing. Most seemed to be daily reports about virtually nothing. Whoever ran the place wasn’t an iron hoof type.

“Like my new office, Rainbow?” A voice came from the doorway.

Rainbow turned quickly, ready to take a battle stance when her eyes opened wider as she gazed at the mare standing at the doorway.

She recognized that yellow mane and smug grin anywhere. “Lightning Dust!?”

“The one and only, Serenade gave me these sweet digs, pretty cool huh?” Lightning stepped into the room and wandered about aimlessly, not really paying much mind to Rainbow.

Her calmness made Rainbow suspicious. She always knew Lightning to be overconfident, but something was different about her, she was far more overconfident than usual.

“Why are you working with Serenade?” Rainbow asked.

Lightning placed a hoof on a bookshelf and sighed. “Isn’t it obvious? Our relationship is mutually beneficial. I help her and she helps me.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter because I’m taking you down.” Rainbow smirked as her wings raised.

Lightning caught a glimpse of her rival through the corner of her eye. “Rainbow... You have no idea how powerful Serenade is or what she’s capable of. She’s given me speed that you can’t even dream of.”

Rainbow blinked and Lightning was gone. She searched the room and jumped when she realized the mare was now behind her. Rainbow readjusted herself and kept her guard up as Lightning lectured her. “You’re not the fastest in Equestria anymore. With this power... I intend to finally have my revenge, I can finally beat you and bask in the glory.”

Rainbow growled at the mare. “And what happens when Serenade is done with you? When she throws you aside!?”

Lightning shook her head, a smile still upon her lips. “I don’t care. Once I beat you and exact my revenge, I could care less about what happens to me or Equestria.”

“I didn’t think you were rotten to the core...” Rainbow spat.

“A lot has changed since we last met, Rainbow. After I got kicked out of the Wonderbolts things didn’t exactly go so well for me. My life hasn’t had much meaning since the day you beat me... I’ve longed only to prove I’m better than you, and Serenade promised me a way to do that...” Lightning explained.

“Serenade is a manipulator, she doesn’t give a damn about you or anypony else.

“I would think that I know Serenade a bit better than you do.” Lightning shook her head.

“Well if you trust her so much, why are you still going to lose this fight?” Rainbow smirked.

“We’ll see about that.” Lightning hissed before lunging forward to make the first strike.

Rainbow moved quickly to get out of the way but Lightning vanished before her eyes. She reappeared quickly behind Rainbow about to strike again with her back hoof, but Rainbow caught her hoof and pushed the mare back, deflecting the kick.

“You may be fast, Lightning but I will always be better than you because you fight for all the wrong reasons,” Rainbow explained, “It’s something that even I had to learn the hard way, but so long as you only fight to be the best, you’ll never actually get there.”

“We’ll see about that,” Lightning said as she vanished again.

This time, however, Rainbow couldn’t predict which direction she would come from and the mare was able to come at her side and give her a mighty kick in the gut, knocking the multi-hued mare back.

Rainbow gripped her side only to be hit from the other side just as quickly. She fumbled but kept herself upright. Lightning appeared in front of her with a laugh. “See, Rainbow? You can’t beat me. I’m too fast for you.”

“Speed isn’t everything, it takes heart to win too...” Rainbow groaned.

She adjusted herself and forced herself to ignore the pain as she released her side and took a defensive stance.

Lightning shook her head at her rival. “You should just learn when it’s time to stay down, Rainbow Dash. Then again, I prefer you this way. I don’t want to win so easily, I want you at your best so I can pulverize you.”

Gears were turning in Rainbow’s mind, she was formulating a plan, but as that was happening, Lightning Dust managed to get eight more powerful kicks in at lightning speeds, knocking Rainbow Dash down.

As the mare picked herself up, Lightning stood in laughter. “That’s it! Bow before your better!”

She moves so fast that I can’t see her. Rainbow thought.

Slowly she came to a stand as more thoughts went through her mind. I can’t trust my eyes. She moves at light speed, so that means I need another way to detect her.

Rainbow closed her eyes. I need to feel where she is, even if she’s moving too fast to see, she can still be felt. Vibrations can tell me where she’s been and where she’s heading. I just need to focus.

Her eyes remained closed as she waited, and sure enough, Lightning took advantage of the situation and tried to come at her from behind. This time though, Rainbow sensed she was coming and rolled out of the way. When Lightning’s attack missed, Rainbow delivered a kick to the mare’s rear, causing her to stumble for a brief moment.

The damage wasn’t much, but it was enough to anger Lightning. Rainbow’s rival came at her again, but again, Rainbow dodged and delivered her counter attack, all with her eyes still closed.

This process would repeat, again and again, eight times until Lightning growled in frustration from the ninth time where Rainbow kicked her directly in the jaw. Wiping the blood from her lip, Lightning cursed and looked over at Rainbow who was remaining still with her eyes closed.

How was it possible? She had become faster than she had ever been in her entire life, and yet Rainbow Dash was insulting her by fighting her without even moving from a single spot; fighting her with her eyes closed even!

“I don’t get it... I’m faster than you! I’m better than you!” Lightning growled.

Rainbow found herself smirking as she stood with her eyes still closed. “You may be faster, but I already told you: so long as you fight only to be the best, you’ll never beat me.”

“You always fought to be the best, so what’s the difference?” Lightning hissed.

Rainbow opened her eyes. “I have a reason to want to be the best, to protect my friends. You just want glory for yourself. It took me a long time to get where I am, but I now know that when I had your attitude... I was always going to be held back.”

“Fuck you!” Lightning hissed, lunging forward.

Her hoofwork was sloppy and Rainbow jabbed her in the chest a few times before kicking her in the face, causing the mare to tumble and roll onto the floor. She coughed and spat up blood as she looked up at Rainbow.

“What will you do now, Lightning?” Rainbow asked.

Lightning may have been proud and determined to beat Rainbow Dash, but she wasn’t foolish enough to throw her life away. If she continued, Rainbow would surely kill her. Even with her speed, Rainbow was too much for her, and she could feel her body weakening. Not to mention the city was close to falling and that meant Serenade wouldn’t be thrilled with her either.

There was only one option: run.

Picking herself off of the floor, Lightning spat out some blood and glared at Rainbow. “You may have won this time, Rainbow, but I won’t stop until I’m at your level...”

“I look forward to that day.” Rainbow grinned.

With those words, Lightning bolted past her and jumped through the window, shattering it as her wings spread and she took off to go lick her wounds. Rainbow had bested her once again, but she wasn’t ready to give up. One day, she would prove she was better than Rainbow Dash.

Almost Two Years Ago

“So what’s your plan, Twilight?” Sonata tilted her head in confusion.

Twilight looked at the room below the group once again and then back at them before tapping the crystal around her neck which Sunset had given her. “Glitch gave me the prototype suit that Moondancer had built. It is capable of resisting dark energy.”

“So we just have somepony put the suit on and go down there...” Aria placed a hoof on her chin as she pieced it together.

“And they can decant the spell merely by touching it and focusing. It’s a relatively simple process with magic orbs like this.” Twilight nodded.

“Cool, so we’re actually not in a bad spot at all then!” Sonata beamed.

Twilight frowned, hating to disagree, but knowing she must. “Actually... It’s not that simple, Sonata...”

Sonata blinked and tilted her head.

“The prototype suit is far weaker than Glitch’s and given how high the dark energy in that room is, I’m almost certain that the suit likely could only sustain one for a moment or so down there...” Twilight rubbed her neck as she admitted the flaw in her plan.

“So what does that mean?” Sonata asked.

Aria spoke up, answering for Twilight. “It means whoever goes down there isn’t coming back.”

Sonata’s eyes widened as she looked over to Twilight hopefully, begging her with her eyes to say that Aria was wrong, but no such luck. “Aria is correct. It’s a one-way trip.”

There was silence between the three of them until Sonata broke it after a moment. “So one of us...” She bit her lip, “is going to die?”

Twilight nodded. “That would be an accurate description of the situation...”

“How do we decide who goes?” Aria asked.

Twilight reached into a pouch she had tied to her side and retrieved a single die. “Discord gave me this. He said that sometimes chaos requires you to leave things entirely up to chance, and that’s what I intend to do here. We roll for it, one or two means I go, three of four is Sonata, and five or six is Aria.”

“You’re going to determine which one of us dies from the roll of a die?” Sonata gulped.

“Have any better ways?” Twilight asked.

Aria wanted to speak up but found no words came out of her mouth.

“This is the only fair way,” Twilight reminded.

There were no objections.

With a deep breath, Twilight tossed the die onto the floor. All eyes locked onto the small object as it pattered across the floor, spinning and bouncing until eventually coming to a stop. Time stood still.

All three of them remained silent as they stared at the number that faced up at them.

Two.

Twilight exhaled and closed her eyes for a moment. “Well... I guess it’s fitting. I kind of deserve it after all I’ve done anyway... The captain must go down with the ship, right?”

Aria and Sonata were silent.

Composing herself, Twilight thought hard about what to say next. Her next words were going to be her final ones, she needed to make sure she articulated what she wanted to say perfectly.

“Can you two at least tell Sunset that I’m sorry for me? I never intended to hurt her life as much as I did, I was just desperate...” Twilight spoke quietly.

Aria stepped forward and shook her head. “Tell her yourself.”

“Huh?” Twilight tilted her head.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Aria drew the hoof mounted blade she held and jabbed the point into Twilight’s shoulder, and grabbed the crystal around her neck, cutting the string that held it there and taking the gem for herself before pushing the Princess of Friendship onto the ground.

“Ah!” Twilight yelped.

“What’re you doing!?” Twilight added as she gripped the wound, watching Aria bolt toward the elevator.

“This ship still needs a captain,” Aria replied before tapping the crystal to her chest.

That action caused a made cruder looking combat suit to form around her, though it was still very sophisticated by Equestrian standards. One who was familiar with Glitch’s suit, however, could tell it was an inferior version.

Once she was inside the elevator, she jabbed the button to close the door and head down.

“Aria!” Sonata called out as she rushed to try and stop the elevator.

“I love you, Sonata. I’m sorry that I’m breaking my promise...” Aria spoke up.

“What are you doing!?” Sonata screamed.

“Singing my swan song.” Aria smirked and at that moment the door closed just in front of Sonata.

Sonata banged repeatedly on the door and tried hitting the button to make the elevator come back, but there was no stopping the machine once it had begun its descent.

“No! Aria! Aria!” Sonata kept banging, tears streaming down her face. “Don’t do this! Please!”

Twilight gripped her wound and hobbled over to Sonata before sitting down in front of the elevator, using her other hoof to tap her headset to Moondancer.

“Moondancer, Aria has the suit and she’s exposed to a lot of dark energy right now!” Twilight yelled.

The response from Moondancer was instant. “I can tell, the suit is giving me all kinds of warnings now. Fuck, that’s a lot of dark energy!”

“Do something!” Twilight commanded.

“I’m trying. I’m going to see if I can take power from other non-essential systems to keep the dark shield up for a bit longer. It won’t be much, but it’ll buy us some time,” Moondancer explained.

“Do it!” Twilight growled.

Down below, Aria could feel the air around her constricting the suit, wanting to penetrate it and potentially destroy her body. She had to focus though, and she trudged forward toward the orb, reaching out and placing both hooves upon it. The mare closed her eyes and concentrated.

On Moondancer’s end, things were not going so well. Her computer that was used to monitor the prototype suit was displaying almost every warning that it had at her.

“Shields failing, Twilight...” Moondancer spoke into her headset.

Eight seconds passed and a new warning appeared. “Shields completely offline!” Moondancer felt a cold sweat run down her neck as she began to clack away at her keyboard, trying to think of a solution. The only one that came to mind was to push as much auxiliary power to the life support system.

“Come on, Moondancer! She needs more time!” Twilight screamed over the headset.

“I’m trying! I’m going to push everything into life support!” Moondancer replied.

Sure enough, like clockwork, another warning appeared. Life Support Systems Failing.

“Shit! Life support failing... And now... Life support not functioning!” Moondancer felt her heart begin to beat faster in fear.

“Moondancer! Do something!” Twilight yelled.

“I’m trying! It wasn’t designed to handle this!”

In front of the orb, Aria could feel the decantation finishing up as she grinned. “Not today, Serenade...”

With those words, the process finished and she could feel the magic in the orb release into a peaceful stream rather than a violent explosion. Aria grinned and sat down, already feeling the effects of the dark energy around her. She was tired and weak and knew that making it back to the elevator was impossible. This room would be her resting place, and she was alright with that.

Serenade may have bested her, but she wouldn’t beat Glitch, that much Aria knew. She closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.

“Vital signs dropping, Twilight!” Moondancer was now flipping between monitors tapping away at her keyboard, trying to find any way to get the life support systems back online.

“Critical condition!” Moondancer gulped.

“Help her, Moondancer! Please!” Twilight pleaded.

Moondancer froze, however, when she saw a line go across her screen. Aria’s heart had flatlined. All vitals dropped to zero.

“Moondancer, are you there?” Twilight asked, concerned over her silence.

“I... I’m sorry...” Moondancer nearly whispered as she stared at the screen, her eyes welling up with tears. “I couldn’t do anything...”

“Moondancer?” Twilight asked again.

“Forgive me...” Moondancer trembled. “Please... Forgive me...”

Author's Note

This chapter was a challenge to write because so much was going on. I actually had to trim a lot out to make it not as long, but I’m still not entirely happy with it. Not my best work, I apologize.

There was a lot of content that simply had to moved to the next chapter because this chapter was already long enough.

Act VI - Chapter LXLII: Manehatten

Chapter LXLII: Manehatten

Almost Two Years Ago

Applebloom stood with her hooves dipped in a layer of filth that flowed through the sewers below Manehatten. Many of the secret passageways that went under the city connected to the sewers and thus meant that she and her group had to sneak through some of the foulest stench known to ponykind.

Young Applebloom had worked on a farm her entire life, so the smell was nothing worse than the pig pen mixed with when they put manure in the fields, but many of those who were under her charge were having a difficult time handling the smell. Some of them wrapped cloths around their muzzles to try and breathe through them, but the stench was far too strong to be masked so easily.

Most of the older stallions and mares just toughed it out and tried not to complain too much, knowing that their operation required silence and stealth.

Applebloom stopped and retrieved a map from her saddlebag, laying it out against the wall with the help of another stallion. Her eyes scanned the map while her free hoof ran along a path, tracing where she knew they had come from. Once she arrived at where she figured them to be, she tapped the spot on the map and nodded to her subordinate. “We should be ‘bout here.”

He squinted and examined the spot and nodded in agreement when he decided she was likely correct. “Seems about right, that puts us about eight minutes from where we need to be.”

“Sounds good.” Applebloom nodded as she took the map down and rolled it back up.

“So let’s go over the plan again.” The stallion waved his hoof so that she would recite it to their troops.

Sighing, Applebloom turned to the sizable force that followed her and cleared her throat as she recited the plan that Glitch had told her. “Alright, listen up!”

The entire group grew silent and listened patiently, hanging on the red-headed mare’s every word. “The mission is t’ liberate as many from Manehatten as we can. That means no heroics and whatnot. We arrive at the checkpoint an’ wait for the exact moment we were told that Rainbow’s team swoops in from the skies. After that, we use the confusion to take out any nearby guards an’ sneak as many into the sewers as possible!”

There was silence after she went over what she was told but many were nodding in approval at the words, which at least made Applebloom feel at ease.

“What if something goes wrong?” One of the ponies in the middle of the group asked.

Applebloom sighed, knowing that she was foolish to think it would be so easy to convince them. She cleared her throat and spoke up once more. “So long as we stick to the plan, everythin’ will work out. That’s what Glitch said, an’ ‘Ah believe that.”

“If Glitch said it, then that’s good enough for me!” Another pony in the crowd shouted.

“Me too!” Another chimed in.

The entire group erupted in murmurs of agreement and approval of Glitch’s leadership.

While Applebloom enjoyed the unified faith in their leader, she knew that she had to quell the group and get them back on point. “Alright, settle down y’all! Let’s focus on the mission. We can do Glitch proud by bringin’ a ton of new fighters to the cause.”

Many behind her nodded, as Applebloom refocused her attention on the tunnels again, trying to regain her sense of location, as she needed to focus on her mission.

Her mind wandered to Applejack and how she was more or less babying her. She knew she was still fairly young, but Glitch believed in her and that was enough. She had worked hard to pass all of those training missions, and she was at the top of the charts for every single one. One of the training directors that Glitch had appointed even said she was leadership material.

Applejack just couldn’t accept that her sister was growing up, but more importantly, she seemed to have a ridiculous hatred for Glitch and Applebloom didn’t understand it. Sure, Glitch wore a mask and was often very cryptic about things, but he had made up for that by liberating all the ponies he did. Applejack just needed to lighten up and put some trust in him.

For a brief moment, Applebloom found herself giggling internally as she imagined what he looked like under his mask. She was betting he was cute. She imagined a short messy mane on him, and a handsome face paired all with some toned muscles. Just thinking about it made her shiver.

The group walked in almost complete silence for the rest of the way, up until Applebloom stopped them and looked at her map once more. She looked up at the ladder that led upward and then at the map before rolling it back up and turning to her subordinate. “This is the place.”

“So what now?” He asked.

“Now we wait,” Applebloom spoke as she planted her rear on the ground.

He nodded and gestured for the rest to do the same. As they all started resting, Applebloom leaned back and sighed.

“Problem, ma’am?” He asked her.

Applebloom looked into his brown eyes. She could see the confidence in him, unlike her, he was a fairly seasoned fighter who had seen real action, not just training missions.

“Gallop, what’re Serenade’s troops like?” She asked.

He blinked. “Why do you ask?”

“Humor me.” Applebloom shrugged.

He chewed his thoughts for a few moments before replying. “Well, they’re pretty ruthless if I’m completely honest. Serenade has everypony that works under her terrified. She has powers that you wouldn’t even imagine and as a result, her guys fight to the death.”

“How can somepony be terrifyin’ enough to make ‘em do that?” Applebloom asked.

He sighed and leaned in. “Serenade’s power is said to be capable of torture that is far worse than death. Making her angry is a far worse fate than dying on the battlefield...”

Applebloom was still as she processed that information. She had heard so many stories of how strong Serenade was, but she rarely considered them. Was it possible? Could one mare be that powerful? She did have the power of the Princesses all inside of her on top of hundreds of thousands of unicorns, after all.

She gulped but composed herself seconds later. She closed her eyes for a good eight seconds before opening them again and letting out a breath. Regardless of how strong Serenade was, regardless of what Applejack felt, and regardless of how dangerous the mission one, Applebloom needed to remain steadfast in her determination. Glitch was counting on her and that meant that he felt she could do this, and that meant she had to believe she could as well.

“Let’s just hope that we can stay focused here,” Applebloom said.

Closing her eyes again, she wondered what the others were all doing.

Almost Two Years Ago

Rainbow Dash spread her wings and took to the sky with pleasure. It had been so long since she had soared and even after her rescue it was a little time before she felt completely comfortable flying again.

After her rescue, she was emaciated, and her muscles had shrunk considerably. When Glitch took her in, they spent the next few weeks feeding her a high protein diet and getting her moving again. In record time (as always), Rainbow Dash had made it to where she was confident in her abilities once more.

The few doctors they had on board the airship recommended she take a bit longer to fully recover, but being as stubborn as she was, Rainbow Dash insisted she could recover while getting to work. Regularly on training exercises, Rainbow could be found snacking on about eight peanut butter bars. She was rebuilding her muscle tone relatively quickly, but she knew she wouldn’t really be able to focus on herself until this war was over.

A part of her looked forward to running with her friend Applejack and having their old races against each other. Applejack and she always found a way to motivate each other to do better, be it through arguing or showing off. Applejack was a very toned mare, her muscles were more than impressive and Rainbow knew that a few mares had snuck some peeks at her form, but Applejack would never notice, she was oblivious like that.

The war had made Rainbow a bit sad. She missed the days where there wasn’t so much at stake. While she loved pressure to succeed, she couldn’t deny that even she had grown exhausted.

Her hope was that Glitch was as good as Twilight said he was and that he could end the war soon.

The end game was simple, they just needed to take Serenade out. The problem was that doing that was somewhat of a challenge overall.

With her mind on her mission, she flew with her crew that she was leading into battle. She had spent weeks testing the pegasi under their command to find the best flyers among them. If they were to be successful, they needed only the best of the best; one mistake and they could die and the mission would fail. On top of good flyers though, they also needed to be good fighters.

Rainbow had done her diligence and selected some great candidates for the mission and she was determined to try and lose none of them if she could. Her time in the Wonderbolts had taught her to look out for every teammate she had, and she was going to stick to that.

The group swooped up above the clouds to give them enough cover to initiate their attack. With blades on their wings and hoof mounted swords they were all prepared to take most of the guards in the city by surprise, the cover of the clouds would help them do that much more efficiently.

As they approached the drop point, two of the ponies in the front of the group nodded to Rainbow that they were ready to make the drop. She nodded back as she pulled a pair of goggles over her eyes and watched as the two split up from her taking part of the group behind them with her.

The middle group stayed behind Rainbow and in a split second, they nosedived to the ground at top speed, smashing their hooves into the ground and cracking pavement in the streets as they landed.

Using the high height of their entry to their advantage they were able to bypass all the pegasi patrol circling the city.

Drawing their blades, the group led by Rainbow was already clashing blades with guards nearby, taking them out with ease. Rainbow smirked as she looked at the city before them and drew her own blade. “Serenade, we’re coming for you.”

A Long Time Ago

Serenade had spent her days with her small entourage, enjoying each other’s company. While the siren seldom spoke, she was always included in their activities, especially by Baler who went out of his way to ensure she was a part of their festivities.

Serenade had been a loner for most of her life, she didn’t need the company of others, but this group of ponies had slowly grown on her just a little bit, and she found herself at least not completely resenting their company. Baler was sweet on her, and she knew he clearly had some kind of crush on her. Despite this, Serenade never let him know that she was well aware. Most sirens were experts at telling when others had feelings for them as it was a necessary skill to utilize their powers properly.

Her little “gang” had helped her pass the time and find small ways to make living in this cesspit that ponies called a city. She loathed this place, but with these ponies at her side, it was somewhat more tolerable. They called her a friend, but could she really bring herself to believe it? This thing that ponies called “friendship” it seemed like a bad joke to her.

She much preferred the loyalty that sirens had to their own kind. When a siren met another siren, they often worked together to benefit the survival of their own kind. Ponies seemed to only really care about what benefitted them on an individual level, and that meant their trustworthiness was flaky at best.

Still, her group had taken her all across the city and involved her in all of their antics. During the day they would play games or talk (most of which chats involved Serenade sitting there listening), and at night they would all part ways, but every now and then Baler would come by her home to see her. He’d spend a few hours there sometime just talking to her, and once in a blue moon, he’d stay the night.

He was an odd stallion as he just usually laid in the corner, not daring get too close to Serenade, but she knew he liked her. He was deathly afraid to touch her, but when he did, his hoof often lingered, just trying to get a longer feel of her soft coat.

As a siren, Serenade knew she was desirable, it was in her DNA after all. The difference though was that this pony seemed to like her beyond her appearance; he actually wanted to hear what she wanted to say, he actually wanted to know about the mare behind the pretty face.

Rum giggled as she dangled her hind hooves between the bars of a railing that overlooked the city. She gestured with her head to a stallion down below. “What about him? Would you let him under your dress?” She asked as she nudged Lemon.

Lemon squinted to get a better look but then gagged as she saw the stallion. “Rum, he has a thinning hairline!”

“Hey, you don’t need to care about that when he’s between your hind legs.” Rum smirked and nudged her again.

Coal sitting behind them rolled his eyes at their banter. “You two are so sexually frustrated that it’s almost funny.”

Lemon turned around and jabbed him with her front hoof as she gave him a sugary smile. “Well, why not get off your flank and satisfy me?”

Coal’s face turned red as he looked away. Both of the girls broke into a fit of laughter as he did.

Serenade just sat back and observed the group as Baler sat behind her. He didn’t say much, but his presence was always felt. Whiffing the air, she could smell the soap he had used. Sirens always had sensitive noses, they were useful for sniffing out the hormones of ponies to find targets. The release of pheromones told them that a pony was aroused and thus their powers were working on them.

A siren was meant to be on her guard at all times around ponies. You couldn’t trust them farther than you could throw them, but Serenade found herself at least tolerating this group.

Rum came to a stand and stretched before Lemon followed suit. “It’s getting late, my father is going to be livid if I come home after dark again.”

Coal rose from his spot and trotted next to them. “I’ll walk you both home, as I’m sure Baler wanted to stay here with Serenade for a bit.”

Serenade raised a brow at his assumption but said nothing.

“Be safe you three,” Baler called out to them.

All three ponies nodded as they made their way down the stairs to get off of the roof, leaving only Serenade and Baler. The two sat in silence for a good few minutes until Baler spoke. “It’s beautiful.”

Serenade’s ears twitched at the sudden sound of his voice. She looked back at him with her red eyes full of confusion. “What is?”

He kept his gaze forward and gently nodded his head. “The sunset.”

Blinking, Serenade stared at the Sunset that he was referring to. “Sunsets make me feel weird...” Serenade admitted.

“Why’s that?” He asked.

“There’s something about them being the end of something that bothers me. When the Sun sets, it’s the end of a day, the end of a chapter...” Serenade thought out loud.

He smirked. “When the Sun sets though, it’s also the start of a new chapter.”

“I’ve never liked Sunsets...” Serenade shook her head.

He hopped off from his spot and came around to her. Carefully, he placed a hoof upon her cheek and lifted her head to look into his eyes. “Maybe I can change that?”

Serenade stared for a moment before sighing and looking away. “I don’t know if anypony can change my mind about anything...”

Releasing her, he chuckled. “You’re a stubborn girl, you know that?”

“A difficult life has made me that way, I’d imagine.” She shook her head.

“You never told us about what you’ve been through. Who is it that’s hurt you?” He tilted his head.

“Who hasn’t hurt me is a better question.” She sighed.

“I haven’t.” He reminded.

“Yet.” She pointed out.

He grew a semi-offended face. “I would never do that to you, Serenade.”

She shook her head, knowing she couldn’t believe him. “You will, everypony does. You can’t avoid it...”

He placed his hoof upon her shoulder and looked back into her eyes, forcing her to look up at him. “I promise, Serenade. I will never do anything to hurt you.”

She wanted to believe him, but she knew it just couldn’t be true. She would humor his words, but they had no meaning to her, and that was the reality she faced. He was a pony, a mortal, a creature of habit, of fear, of reaction. And she was a siren, a monster; that was all she would ever be to his kind no matter how much they would insist otherwise. The moment he knew who the real Serenade Dazzle was, he would run away just like all the rest.

She wanted to believe he wouldn’t, but she wasn’t that naive.

Almost Two Years Ago

Lightning Dust yawned as she came out of the shower down the hallway from her office. With a towel in hoof, she rubbed her mane and cooed with delight as she entered her office and was immediately met with annoyance when she saw the captain of her guard standing there. She preferred privacy in her office, and she was looking forward to sitting in her chair and reading a few comic books.

“Spear, you know you should not interrupt a lady when she is getting out of the shower, right?” Lightning asked.

He rolled his eyes. “Ma’am, I’m sorry...”

She smirked. “If you’re looking for a butter me up, just know that I only really go for those who can beat me at stuff. Not to mention you couldn’t handle me.”

He blushed and shook his head vigorously. “Ma’am! I have come to report an attack on the city!”

She blinked and sighed as she set her towel down on the floor and walked over to the wall where she hung her cloak. Throwing it on and fastening it, she sat down at her desk and opened a drawer to retrieve some hair gel. She ran her hooves through her mane with the gel and styled it like she usually did before taking a deep breath and exhaling.

Lightning wasn’t eager to do much work, but she knew an attack on Manehatten would require her attention, lest she allow Serenade a reason to come down and deliver her wrath which she was always itching to deliver.

“How big of an attack are we talking here? What exactly is going on?” Lightning asked.

“Not extremely large, but they are attacking from the sky, supposedly they are being led by the recently freed Rainbow Dash,” he explained.

At those words, Lightning’s eyes widened as she growled in anger. “Go quell the attack and leave me be, Captain.”

“Ma’am, how do I-“ He began but she cut him off.

“Now, Captain!” She hissed.

“Ma’am we need a battle plan, what’re your orders?”

“My orders are to get the fuck out of my office! You’re the guard captain, figure it out yourself!” She ordered.

Nodding, his ears dipped down as he obeyed her commands. “Y-yes ma’am.”

He bowed gently before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.

Lightning stood up and looked out the window, her eyes narrow and filled with fire. Rainbow Dash was the mare who had ruined her entire life, and she wasn’t about to forget her name so easily. She was the whole reason that she took the position with Serenade in the first place. Truthfully, she didn’t care if the world burned under Serenade’s rule, all she cared about was being able to exact her revenge on her rival.

When Rainbow and she were in the Wonderbolts academy together it seemed like so long ago. Back then she would call Rainbow her equal, even her friend, but that was before.

When Rainbow had shown the Wonderbolts that she wasn’t lead material and told her that she was too destructive and reckless, her confidence had been shaken to its core. Eventually, she failed out of the academy, and her lifelong dream of being a Wonderbolt was crushed.

It didn’t exactly get much better from there, as she had to return home a failure. She never really did recover from all of it either.

Growing up, Lightning had lived in an abusive home, her mother would regularly be beaten by her father who took turns between her and her sister. She was too weak and young to do anything about it, but he was a dreadful stallion that she longed to escape. Out of fear, her mother finally left him, abandoning her two children with the monster to save herself.

From then on, he would take turns abusing Lightning and her older sister. To protect her, her older sister Quartz would opt to take the beatings more often. Lightning never forgave herself for the pain her sister went through on her behalf.

One day though, something happened that changed everything. Her father was in his usual drunken stupor and came at her sister with a belt. It was a typical beating, but perhaps drink had made him unaware or he just didn’t know when to stop like he usually did.

Either way, somewhere in the beating it had dawned on him that she hadn’t screamed in pain for some time or resisted. Checking her, he had realized what had truly transpired: she was dead. Beaten to death, blood dripped from her back when the thick belt had whelped her over and over, and she laid still.

She was fifteen. They buried her with her favorite ribbon, and after that, the police took her father away.

With him gone, she lived in foster homes for a year before her mother found her and insisted she take care of her. Lightning resisted, but ultimately her mother won out and she would spend the rest of her days as a child with her mother.

Most of it was her hiding in her room avoiding her, but what wasn’t spent doing that was spent getting out of the house. Lightning resented her mother, and nothing she said would make her forgive her. She saved herself and let Lightning and her sister Quartz take the beatings in her stead.

It was because of her mother that her sister was dead and that she had to endure all those beatings. She never found it in her to forgive her, she hated her, she loathed her.

Through it all though, she found escapism to be the only peace she had through such a difficult childhood. At a young age, she had learned of the Wonderbolts and dreamed of becoming one of them. The thought of flying freely like they did brought her comfort.

Her mother would eventually pass away from complications during a surgery she was undergoing, and that left Lightning Dust alone. All she had left then was a dream to get into the Wonderbolts and make something out of the fractured life she had.

With her mind set on that and that alone, Lightning had worked hard to get into the academy. She had always believed that she needed to push herself to her limits, to do everything in her power to make her dream come true because there was nowhere else to return to.

It all was shattered though when Rainbow Dash had turned her into Spitfire and convinced her that Lightning Dust was too extreme for the Wonderbolts. She was given a chance to redeem herself, but she never got back on track, her confidence had been broken, all she could think about was how yet another thing was ripped away from her.

She vowed she would defeat Rainbow, that she would prove she was better than that mare, and now she had nothing to lose. Lightning had nothing left in terms of quality life, she couldn’t move past all that had happened to her, for she knew all that awaited her was more suffering in her future. The appeal of power was tremendous to her.

The reality was, she didn’t care if she died anymore, so long as she got to beat Rainbow Dash before that happened, she could go feeling vindicated.

Serenade knew what it was like to have the world against you, that much Lightning knew and for that reason, she felt the two of them could work together because it was a feeling that Lightning knew all too well as well.

The world was dead to Lightning and there was no going back, but she would at least keep herself alive long enough to crush Rainbow. She knew her abilities far surpassed Rainbow’s and she longed to test them. She would crush her, she would humiliate her, and then she could die knowing she was better, knowing that she was superior and that everypony was wrong about her.

Looking out the window, Lightning cracked her neck as she readied herself. She walked away from the glass and started heading toward the door, ready to go face Rainbow Dash head-on. “I won’t sleep until I am the winner, Rainbow Dash...”

A Long Time Ago

Serenade was fast asleep when Baler pushed past the sheet that blocked the entrance to her home as he quickly gripped her and shook her awake. “Serenade! Come on! We have to go!”

Grumbling, the mare stirred and turned to face him with an annoyed expression. “What’s wrong?” She yawned.

“There’s a dragon attacking the city! The elders are trying to fight it off, but they are ordering everypony to evacuate,” he explained.

She shrugged and rolled back over to try and go back to sleep. “They’ve dealt with dragons before, who cares?”

He didn’t give up on trying to wake her as he reached down and shook her again. “Nothing like this, Serenade. This one is huge, bigger than anything we’ve ever seen, there’s no way they are going to be able to stop it. We have to leave this place now!”

Serenade sighed and rolled over and stood up with him. She rubbed her eyes and cracked her neck. Had the circumstances not been so dire, he would have taken the moment to marvel at how even just out of bed, Serenade was gorgeous, but he knew that it wasn’t the time or place.

“Where is this dragon in question?” Serenade asked.

“Close to the west gate of the city, why?” He asked.

Serenade nodded and composed herself. What she had in mind was something she knew was crazy, something she knew would be revealing too much to Baler, but her mind told her that it was what needed to happen.

“Take me to the dragon, Baler,” she instructed.

“What? Are you insane?” He blinked.

She shook her head. “I need you to trust me, Baler.”

He paused and bit her lip, before nodding in agreement. “Alright, I trust you. I’ll take you there.”

“Thank you.” She nodded as she gestured for him to go.

Leading the way, he walked past many ponies screaming and running in the opposite direction until the two of them spotted a familiar group approaching them at top speed. Lemon panted as she caught up with them and composed herself. “Guys, thank the goddess that you are alright! We have to go!”

“Serenade and I are heading toward the dragon, you guys go on to safety without us,” Baler said.

Rum blinked. “I know I didn’t hear that right... It sounded like you said you’re going to go toward the dragon?”

“Yeah, you heard me right, Serenade thinks there’s something she can do,” Baler explained.

“By something, do you mean get yourself killed? If so, then yes, there is definitely something you can do...” Coal chimed in, his usual defeatist demeanor ringing true.

Serenade sighed and shook her head. “Nopony is required to join me. I just know what I am doing, and I know I can take care of this problem. If you don’t believe me, I don’t care.”

Coal looked over at Lemon who looked back at him before looking at Rum. After the three shared a few long glances and looks of concern they all looked back at Serenade and Baler and nodded in agreement. “We’ll come with you, let’s see what you can do, Serenade.”

Nodding, Serenade gestured for them all to follow. What was to come would no doubt change everything to them. On top of that, Serenade had never attempted it before, and she prayed it would work. It had to, or the entire city would not only be destroyed, but Serenade would be in a difficult spot.

If there were ever a time for her to have confidence in her abilities, it was now, and that was certain.

Almost Two Years Ago

Glitch and their team had successfully sprung Rarity from her imprisonment while Rainbow and Applebloom focused on the liberation mission. The original plan was to double back to the ship as quickly as possible, but thanks to Rarity’s intel on Luna, the group had to make a significant detour to rescue the Princess of the Moon. Glitch was adamant on not leaving her behind after all.

Luna was being held at a facility with fairly beefy security accord to Rarity. She had never actually seen Luna there, but she had heard talk from a few guards on the matter. The group would make light work of the guards and security that was stationed there.

Making their way to the basement where they were certain Luna was being held, Cinder and Glitch together with Rarity and Applejack made their way down to where luna was being kept only to stop in astonishment at what they saw.

Where Luna should have been was a black bubble of dark energy swirling about in the cell. Cinder wasted no time in bending the bars so that they could fit through, but Glitch held out their hoof to stop the crowd from advancing forward.

Quickly scanning the bubble with their suit’s scanner, Glitch spoke their concerns. “That bubble appears to be linked to another shadow dimension. It looks like it’s a very self-contained dimension or something.”

“What is it?” Rarity blinked.

“Some kind of prison,” Glitch surmised.

Gulping, Rarity looked back at the bubble. “Is Luna in there?”

Glitch nodded. “I would imagine so.”

“How do we get her out?” Applejack tilted her head in confusion. The prison that trapped Luna seemed impossible, it felt like it couldn’t be penetrated.

Glitch stepped forward with their hoof extended. “What’re you doing!?” Rarity asked.

Glitch looked back at them. “My suit can protect me from the dark energy inside, so I can go in and get her. It won’t hurt me.”

None of them bothered arguing. Rarity stepped closer to Applejack and took the mare’s hoof while she nodded at Glitch. “Please be safe.”

Glitch nodded back and stepped into the bubble. Instantly they were surrounded by darkness, pure never-ending darkness that stretched for miles. Looking about, in the middle of that darkness was a distraught Luna sitting there with wide eyes.

Stepping forward, Glitch tapped her shoulder carefully. “Princess Luna?”

The mare of the moon jumped and shuffled backward to get away from Glitch. “W-who are you!?”

Glitch shook their head. “I’m here to rescue you. Are you alright?”

“How did you get here!?” She screamed.

“You’ve been trapped here for some time, but we found the entrance to this place,” Glitch explained.

“How is that possible? I’ve been here forever...” Luna tilted her head in confusion.

“What? No, you haven’t, it’s only been almost two years, Luna. Your perception of time is just a little messed up in this place...” Glitch explained.

Luna rubbed her head trying to remember but her memory was completely hazy. All she could recall was being brought to this place, but not how she got here or why. Vaguely she recalled Serenade, but she was completely out of it. Could she trust this pony? She didn’t know.

“Please, just trust me, okay?” Glitch offered a hoof, hoping that was enough.

Seeing no other option, Luna reached forward and took the armored pony’s hoof and within a moment, Glitch managed to pull both of them back into the real world where the others were waiting.

Luna was tired and haggard-looking, but the group was still glad to see her. With Luna now back among them, Glitch could already feel their victory getting closer. Luna blinked a few times and felt much start to come back to her. She recognized the face of Applejack, and vaguely recalled that she was her friend.

“Where is my sister...?” Luna asked.

“We don’t know yet, but we’re working on it,” Glitch responded.

“I want to see her...” Luna managed to get out.

“Soon...” Glitch replied.

“What now?” Applejack asked.

“We gotta take her back to the airship, she needs her rest,” Glitch spoke.

The entire group nodded in agreement.

Almost Two Years Ago

Applebloom had proven more than successful. With a bit of teamwork, they were able to get a good eight hundred out of the city, losing only a small hoofful of warriors. Their gain was significant, and as Rainbow took personally to going to take out the pony in charge of the city, things on the ground below were heating up.

With the last of the crew left to perform the evacuation, Applebloom was taking notice of how many guards were starting to close in on her perimeter. With her forces all focused on the evacuation, she was very lightly guarded as she found herself surrounded.

Glitch had given her a communication orb to contact him when she needed an evacuation herself in the event that things went south and judging by how many of the city’s guards were closing in on her, now would definitely fall under such a circumstance.

Gulping, she retrieved the orb and gave it a rub to contact Glitch, quickly ordering her demand. “Glitch, we need some help down here, we’re in pretty deep!”

Back on the airship, Applejack got word of the distress call as Glitch turned in his seat to check the orb and answer Applebloom. Glitch walked past the orb and tapped it to end the signal causing Applejack to blink and tilt her head.

“Ain’t y’all sending a team down there for her?” Applejack asked.

“Too risky to send an entire team for one pony. The crew has rescued tons of ponies for our army and sending anypony in to go get Applebloom now would be risking everything we just gained,” Glitch explained.

“So what!? Y’all are just gonna leave her there!?” Applejack barked.

“We’re moving out, Applejack.” Glitch waved their hoof at the disgruntled mare.

“You bastard! Y’all are gonna leave her there to die!?” Applejack rushed forward only for Glitch to aim their hoof at her and armed the weapon attached to his armor as it pointed at Applejack.

“I’m not interested in fighting with you, Applejack, this is the order, deal with it.” He commanded.

“Fuck you!” Applejack bolted forward only for Glitch to dodge her back kick and grab her hoof and throw her to the ground with it. Without much effort, Glitch pulled the mare into position to pound her in the gut a few times, causing Applejack to wheeze and grip her chest as she caught her breath.

Glitch didn’t stop there though, he gave her jaw a whack, making a trail of blood drip down from Applejack’s lip. Applejack wiped the blood and looked up at Glitch in surprise.

“I’m not going to ask you again, Applejack, stand down. Challenge me again, and I promise next time it’ll be far worse,” Glitch threatened.

“Are y’all gonna kill me then, Glitch? Will y’all kill anypony who stands in your way to get to Serenade?” Applejack asked.

Sighing, Glitch stepped off of her and headed toward the door, ignoring the question.

Applejack wasn’t pleased with her actions and called out to her. “Where the hell are y’all going!?”

“To take care of something important. Stay put, I’ll send a doctor in to look at your lip, but also a few guards to keep you in this room. I’m not kidding, Applejack, stay out of my way.” Glitch pointed a hoof at her with a threatening tone.

She wanted to challenge the armored pony again, but common sense won out in the end. Applejack was strong, but not strong enough to take on an armored pony like Glitch; his metal suit was just too much for even her impressive strength. She knew that if he took it off, she’d be able to lay him out flat, but there was no chance of that happening.

Remaining still, the door opened and sure enough, Rarity whom they had rescued walked in to offer care to Applejack which only made the mare blink. Applejack looked away bashfully as Rarity knelt down to treat the mare’s wounds. “H-hey...” Applejack spoke.

“Being reckless again, darling?” Rarity asked as she dabbed Applejack’s bleeding lip with a cotton ball.

“Glitch started it...” Applejack huffed.

“You and he really don’t get along, do you?” Applejack asked.

“He left Applebloom behind to die!” Applejack defended.

A voice came from the doorway, deep and raspy, but also feminine, one that Applejack had come to recognize. “He does what he has to do. In war, everything is calculated.”

Looking in that direction, with her arms crossed, Cinder stood at the door. Glitch was clever, sending one of his strongest to ensure that Applejack didn’t leave. There was no way in Tartarus she could overpower Cinder, so there was little point in even trying.

“Why do y’all trust him so much?” Applejack growled.

“I know the look of one who wants to fight for what’s right...” Cinder shrugged.

“Guess ‘Ah’m the only one bitter toward him, huh?” Applejack frowned.

“In war, casualties happen. You can’t get mad at the one trying to end the war for that. Glitch briefed the girl on the risks before sending her out, Applebloom insisted though,” Cinder explained.

Applejack blinked. “She wha-?”

“She said she wanted to be like you.” Cinder grinned.

Applejack looked down in defeat. “So it ain’t Glitch’s fault she’s gonna die... It’s mine?”

Cinder shook her head. “No, you’re the reason she fights with so much passion, that’s something to be proud of, not ashamed. Not to mention there is no certainty she will die.”

“Forgive me, but ‘Ah can’t really be proud of nothin’ at this moment...” Applejack frowned.

Rarity placed a hoof upon her friend’s shoulder, causing Applejack to look up at her fair face. “It’s times like these where we must hold our heads up high, darling. You taught me that.”

Applejack sighed but forced a smile, if not just for her sake. Rarity had been through so much in the past two years, it wasn’t fair of Applejack to sit there and wallow in her misery. At that moment, what she needed to be was strong for her friend’s sake. There was time to be upset later when Glitch returned after all.

Almost Two Years Ago

Rainbow Dash had bested Lightning Dust; she had defeated her even with the amazing speed that the power Serenade had granted her offered. Rainbow Dash had humiliated her once again. She couldn’t believe it.

Fleeing from the city, Lightning knew that Manehatten would fall apart without leadership, and before they all knew it, rebellion would rise against Serenade, even if said rebellion was doomed to be shut down by the demon siren herself. Glitch’s little plan to liberate a massive amount of citizens from the city had proved immensely successful, and that was only going to make it clear that there were cracks in Serenade’s fortress that ensured its residents play her way.

Serenade had made it a point to punish every crime against her to be punished severely so as to crush any hopes of escaping her rule. The problem with Lightning leaving her leadership position though was that meant that ponies would consider Lightning a weak leader and thus even Serenade was capable of picking poor subordinates.

Just a tiny stone thrown into the gears to let people know that Serenade might have been powerful, but she was not a goddess. That meant she could be defeated, didn’t it? Was it possible that Rainbow Dash and Glitch’s warriors could actually best the demon siren? Lightning previously thought it impossible when she saw just a tiny amount of Serenade’s tremendous power, but now she had her doubts.

If Sernade could be beaten, she could be killed, but the question was: was Glitch willing to do that?

Lightning landed in a nearby forest and tore off her cloak, tossing it aside. The emblem of Serenade laying in the mud while she tore strands of the fabric to dab at her injuries. Rainbow had kicked her jaw pretty hard and blood had come out, but she feigned strength at the time to not let the mare know how badly she was actually hurt. The truth was that Rainbow really got her hard.

Serenade would surely be pissed that Lightning had lost and that Glitch managed to take tons of citizens out of Manehatten. When Serenade was upset, ponies often died or worse. Lightning wasn’t going to stick around to find out. Failure was not something that Serenade had a high tolerance for and Lightning wasn’t interested in finding out what that would mean for her.

She fell back against a tree and let out a sigh, releasing all the stress inside of her as she closed her eyes and prayed for sleep to hit her.

She was down, but not out. Serenade may have wanted her dead, and Rainbow may have gotten the better of her, but she was not ready to give up just yet. She would heal up, wait for Serenade’s ire to be directed elsewhere and find a way to have her revenge on Rainbow Dash.

The mare stood up and looked to the sky, knowing somewhere out there, Rainbow Dash was soaring freely through that same sky.

Almost Two Years Ago

After hours, of waiting impatiently and pacing, Applejack was permitted to leave the room where Glitch had left her, provided she keep herself calm. It was a struggle, but Applejack had managed to maintain her composure.

Her emotions were all over the place. She had no clue if Applebloom was alive, captured or anything, but she still intended to give Glitch a piece of her min when he returned. She wasn’t about to take his actions sitting down. He left Applebloom behind to die and that had to be addressed.

The entire crew had gathered on the deck for Glitch’s return, and when the armored pony stepped out of the loading area where the ship allowed ponies to board, he was met with praise and cheers from the whole crowd. The entire deck was in an uproar of approval for the “savior” of Manehatten. The pony who liberated hundreds of lives from Serenade’s iron hoof, but Applejack wasn’t too impressed.

As the crowd cheered Applejack pushed forward, Rarity reached out and grabbed her hoof to stop her. “Applejack, don’t.”

Applejack gave a scowl to the girl, and pulled her hoof free and stomped over toward Glitch. “You bastard!” Applejack hissed.

The crowd’s cheers stopped as Glitch tilted their head to look at Applejack. “Y’all think you’re a hero!? Y’all think ya deserve some kinda praise!?”

Glitch was silent. “You left her there... Y’all left her to die! The price of the mission seems to fall on all of us, but not you, huh Glitch? Is that how this goes? All of us get to die and you get to be the big hero!?” Applejack rambled.

“Who are you talking about?” Glitch asked.

Applejack was about to answer, but then from the same door that Glitch had come out of, a familiar yellow pony with red mane exited. A smile on her face made her look as chipper as ever. She was a bit dirty, but she looked virtually unharmed.

How though!? Applejack thought.

Applebloom smiled brighter as she saw her sister and raced over to hug her. Applejack accepted the hug with confusion on her face. “H-how though!?” Applejack asked as she pulled Applebloom away to get a good look at her. It was remarkable, she was perfectly fine.

Applebloom giggled and looked over at Glitch. “Glitch came back for me. He single-handedly took out a load of guards and helped me back to the ship. The fella’s a hero!”

Applejack blinked a few times, she was in disbelief over what she was hearing. “Ya’ mean... Glitch saved your life?”

With a nod, Applebloom winked at Glitch. “Sure did! ‘Ah told ya’ he was trustworthy! He said he wasn’t gonna leave nopony behind on his watch.”

Applejack looked over at Glitch with guilty eyes. She couldn’t see his face behind his helmet but she imagined it was a mixture of an “I told you so” expression and smugness. He definitely had proved Applejack wrong, and she hated to admit it, but she knew she had to. All this time she had assumed the worst out of Glitch, but he consistently proved his loyalty was with those who stood by him.

He had won Applebloom over so easily, and it had annoyed Applejack, but it was clear that her sister had seen something in him that Applejack was just now seeing. This pony wouldn’t abandon any who stood by his side, and he would do what it took to defeat Serenade. That was why Applebloom had such faith in him, and why Cinder did as well. All of those around her could see the determination in Glitch, and Applejack could now see it too.

Releasing her sister, Applejack cleared her throat and prepared herself to swallow some humble pie. Stepping over to Glitch, Applejack stood tall and paused for a moment before addressing him.

“Glitch...” She began.

“Hm?” Glitch said.

Applejack imagined he had an expectant face under his helmet, but she’d never know.

“Well... ‘Ah was wrong about you...” Applejack shuffled her hoof and looked at the ground in embarrassment. “‘Ah‘ve been doin’ nothin’ but givin’ y’all a hard time and all you’ve done is proven me wrong over and over.”

There was silence from Glitch as he listened.

“Y’all saved Applebloom, and ya’ risked yourself to do it. ‘Ah think that more than proves that y’all are not just tryin’ to save your own hide.” Applejack smiled.

“I wouldn’t dream of letting those who’ve shown such loyalty to me die so easily, Applejack,” Glitch spoke.

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, ‘Ah know... ‘Ah’ve been bein’ stupid. Can y’all forgive me?”

Glitch reached a hoof forward which Applejack looked down at for a moment before taking and giving a firm shake between the two of them. “Consider it done, Applejack. We’re on the same team after all.”

“Yeah, and ‘Ah know that together we’re gonna stop Serenade.” Applejack raised a triumphant hoof.

Glitch let out a chuckle and nodded. “With your strong will at my side, I don’t think I could ever lose to Serenade.”

“Nopony is takin’ me down without a hell of a fight!” Applejack laughed.

The two broke into laughter for a moment, just enjoying the fact that they had finally crossed the bridge of friendship together. They were able to finally patch up their differences and see eye-to-eye on something. That moment wouldn’t last long though, as inside Glitch’s helmet a call came to them from Moondancer.

“Hold on, I have to take this.” Glitch held out a hoof to Applejack to signify that they needed a moment.

“Moondancer, what’s up?” Glitch asked.

Moondancer’s voice was filled with trepidation and shakiness. She hesitated to even speak as her breathing was heavy. It made Glitch concerned, but they spoke up once more. “Moondancer, are you alright?”

Moondancer finally answered. “No...”

“What’s wrong? Did everything go okay with Princess Twilight’s mission?” Glitch asked.

“Sunset...” Moondancer spoke quietly.

It wasn’t like Moondancer to call her by her real name. Fortunately for her, no one else could hear Moondancer but her thanks to her headset in her helmet. “What is it, Moondancer?”

“It’s Aria...” Moondancer said.

“What about her?”

“She took the prototype suit into an area with heavy amounts of dark energy...” Moondancer replied.

Sunset blinked and tried to calm her down. “We’ll go get her and treat her. Light magic can slowly push the dark energy out of her body, we can heal her up and she’ll be as good as new in a few days-“

Moondancer cut her off. “No, she won’t, Sunset...”

“What? Of course, she will!” Sunset responded.

“No... She really won’t, because she’s dead...” Moondancer’s voice cracked and Sunset could tell she was crying on the other end of the call.

Sunset paused, the world froze to her for a moment. “A-are you sure?”

“Yes... I’m sure. She’s flatlined, Sonata and Princess Twilight retrieved her body, she’s dead...” Moondancer said.

Sunset was silent.

“Sunset? Are you there?” Moondancer asked.

“Thank you for telling me, Moondancer...” Sunset responded quietly.

“I’m really sorry, I did all I could to save her...” Moondancer pleaded.

“I’m not mad at you, you did your job. I know it must have been hard on you...” Sunset replied.

“Still, I’m sorry, Sunset...” Moondancer whimpered.

“I’ll call you back in a bit, I need to let everyone know...” Sunset said before hanging up.

Taking on her persona of Glitch once more, they looked at the crowd who were now staring at them with confused eyes. They sighed and addressed the crowd. “Aria Blaze is dead.”

Author's Note

Wow this chapter took a long time to finish and I’m still not that happy with it. A lot of this chapter wasn’t “planned” but the previous chapter was just too long and a lot of its content had to be cut up and placed here. Still, I’m not thrilled with it, but I feel it’s not going to get much better by reworking it over and over.

A lot has been going on in my life and that’s all served as a distraction. I apologize to you all!

Act VI - Chapter LXLIII: Funeral

Chapter LXLIII: Funeral

Almost One Year Ago

Glitch stepped forward to stand upon the platform they had made where Aria’s ashes were standing in their urn. They had retrieved her remains via Twilight and Sonata, who both carried what was left of the siren back to the ship. After a thorough examination, the dark energy was so potent that most of the flesh had been scorched off, and the bones were fairly charred.

Good fortune had it that a stallion who was a funeral home director before the war had joined their ranks and thus was able to perform the cremation. They had to use the ship’s engine room to do so with lots of makeshift equipment, but the end result worked in their favor. The urn they had acquired via stopped at a town down below.

The entire ordeal had taken them about a month to complete and as a result, the ashes had to stay in storage until they could finish the job. Under her mask as Glitch, Sunset felt a mixture of emotions. While Aria and she had started their relationship as enemies, she had earned her trust and became her friend over time. She had proven to be a powerful and loyal ally and in the end, she gave her life for their cause. The siren had actually sacrificed herself to save Princess Twilight (a decision that Sunset wasn’t sure she could even do at that moment).

Sunset felt like she was disgracing the mare’s legacy by holding off the funeral for so long, but she had no choice if she wanted to give her the service that she deserved.

Approaching the podium that they had made out of a few extra crates, Sunset remembered the last time she had to give a eulogy. The memories of Shimmer’s funeral still haunted her from time to time, but she saw the irony in that she was now about to give a eulogy for one of the sirens that was allied with the one that killed her sister. The world had a strange way of punishing Sunset it seemed.

Clearing their throat, Sunset returned her mind to being Glitch as they spoke to the crowd on board the main deck. Hundreds were gathered to hear what Glitch had to say about one of her trusted allies who had died saving Manehatten.

“Thank you all for coming...” Glitch began.

They paused for a good eight seconds as they looked around. The crowd remained silent.

“Aria was a siren, much like Serenade. A creature that has been despised, mistreated and even murdered by our kind for generations...” Glitch continued.

There was a slight murmur in the crowd, but it died down quickly in time for Glitch to continue.

“Yet despite that, she chose to fight for us, she chose to sacrifice herself in the line of duty to spare Princess Twilight Sparkle from doing the same. She was able to overcome how she and her kind were treated to do something incredible on our behalf. If that isn’t what a hero is, then I don’t know what is.” Glitch placed their hooves upon the podium.

Twilight frowned at the mention her name. Guilt overcame her. She wished she had tried harder to stop Aria, it should have been her in that room and this should have been her funeral. She didn’t want to die, sure, but she knew that she had hurt many to achieve her goals, and it was the leader’s duty to die for the cause. Aria had taken her place, and it was another thing to throw onto the growing pile of guilt.

She had stolen Sunset from her family, her daughter, and likely damaged her life with them beyond repair and now she allowed Aria to die in her place. There was so much more she had done that made her feel rotten that she couldn’t even think of it all at the same time. Being the leader often meant making unpopular choices, but Twilight never imagined it to be this difficult.

The Princess of Friendship knew that she would spend the rest of her life atoning not only for these sins but the many more that were to come. It was the path she had accepted though, and it was one she could not go back from. She was the Princess, and that was all there was to it. She would make many more choices that would cause her great grief and guilt, but she had to accept that.

“Aria and I met originally as enemies, but she walked the path of redemption, just like I had once.” Glitch paused and sighed, “and I’d say she made it to the other side. Redemption found her, it’s just unfortunate that she wasn’t around long enough to truly enjoy the rewards of it.”

Sonata held back tears. It had been a month since Aria’s actual death, but somehow the funeral made it seem like it was only moments ago. She had never cried so much in her entire life. How could Serenade do this? How could she allow one of her own to die? They had stood by her sister, and called her their ally and this was how Serenade repaid them?

“Aria gave her life saving the rest of Manehatten from certain death, and while she may be gone, her sacrifice was not in vain. Mark my words, Serenade’s tyranny will end. We will tear her from her throne and make her answer for her crimes! Equestria will not remain her’s forever, and we will have our freedom back!” Glitch shouted, banging their hooves upon the podium.

A stallion in the crowd put his hooves together and shouted to the stage. “Down with Serenade!”

His simple call out had started a quick uproar as others began to chant the same words toward the stage.

“DOWN WITH SERENADE! DOWN WITH SERENADE!”

Glitch waved their hoof to get the crowd to settle down, and after a moment of attempts that we all in vain, the sound of two angelic voices calmed the crowd and forced all to turn their attention to a set of three mares in the back.

The crowd began to step aside to make room for the three of them, allowing Glitch to gaze upon them. Right away they could tell that all three of them were sirens, judging by the amulets upon their necks, and the sweet cascade of relaxation that their beautiful voices offered.

Of the three, the two on the sides sang while the mare in the center stood silent, smiling. The one in the center was gorgeous, beautiful green mane tied into a messy ponytail with partial dreadlocks intertwined in her mane gave her a unique and natural look.

Her body was decorated in the most gorgeous of jewelry, and when Glitch glanced at her, she looked back and smiled so confidently at Glitch. There didn’t appear to be a care in the world in this mare’s eyes. Everything about her was peaceful.

The song of the other two mares, a yellow coated one and a black coated one filled the air. Cinder blinked as she recognized their song as one that her kind often sang at burials. They were even speaking draconian. Right away, she could tell these mares were very old, or at the very least were connected to ancient clans in Dragon Scar.

When they finished their song, Glitch called to the three of them. “Who are you all?”

The yellow coated one bowed. “Please, we wish to pay our respects first. I am Golden, and this is Abyss.” She gestured to the black-coated mare.

“How did you get on my ship?” Glitch asked.

“We charmed our way on board, but that isn’t important right now. Our leader saw you were having a funeral and gave us this to read if you would be so kind.” Golden retrieved a sheet of paper from her bag and presented it to the crowd.

Glitch paused for a moment, wondering if it was even wise to allow these strange sirens to speak, but she could see no reason to stop it. Allowing sirens to speak at the funeral of a siren seemed oddly appropriate.

“Very well... You three may come up...” Glitch gestured with their hoof.

They watched with interest as the two at the sides of the unnamed mare all trotted up casually with her. The unnamed mare stood between them as they approached the podium on both sides of her. Glitch noted an interesting decorated spear was mounted to her back as she approached. Golden cleared her throat and unfolded the paper she was instructed to read.

“Death is something that many different cultures all over the world could each fill novels about. Everyone always wonders what happens when we die, and we may never know the true answer, but the dragons of Dragon Scar have always had an idea about death that brought those of us in Ectra great comfort. They have a saying called ‘Geth mig dugor’, that is said at funerals in common tongue it means-“ Golden was cut off.

In the crowd, Cinder spoke up, finishing her thought. “Get back in there.”

Blinking Golden looked down at the dragon and examined her. Next to her, her leader gestured to Cinder to come onto the stage. Cinder pointed to herself to confirm it, and the unnamed mare nodded gently.

Stepping through the crowd, Cinder made her way onto the stage and stood with the three sirens and spoke loudly for all to hear. “The old teachings tell us that all warriors get their strength to fight from the great fighting spirit. It’s a force created by all of our fallen comrades. When we die, we rejoin with that spirit and our fellow warriors can call upon it when they need it. So when those among us die, we don’t say goodbye, we say ‘get back in there’, because they will return to the battlefield when we call upon them.”

The green-haired beauty smiled and nodded proudly at Glitch. Who was this mute mare? She was beyond curious at this point but she focused on her speech.

“Aria died a warrior, she died a hero, but she is not gone, she is part of that fighting spirit now, and she will return to us when we call upon her. She will be there with us when we finally take Serenade down,” Cinder shouted.

Cheers echoed through the crowd as a wave of hooves raised into the air followed by stomping in approval of Cinder’s message.

Glitch stepped forward and began the process of saying their final words. “Aria will not be forgotten, and now we cast her ashes into the sea. To finish for us, Sonata, her closest friend wishes to speak.”

Glitch stepped aside to allow the young siren to come forward. Sonata shuffled the podium uncomfortably and looked at the crowd with tear-stained eyes. She had never addressed a crowd before like this, not without her powers at least. The siren cleared her throat and spoke up. “Aria was probably my only real friend in the world, though we wouldn’t have called what we had friendship for a long time...”

She adjusted herself and continued. “It wasn’t until someone showed us what friendship was that we would start to see each other as more than just allies with a common goal of survival. Aria looked out for me, she protected me, and she was there for me during the hardest of times. Without her, I’d probably have never made it this far in life. I owe her more than anyone in my life, and without her, I wouldn’t even have much of a life worth living...”

She looked at the podium in front of her and tried to keep more tears from coming out.

“We release her ashes to the sea so that she can finally be free. Aria, wherever you are now, all the suffering you’ve endured, it’s over now. You’re free to swim in the ocean for as long as you want, and no one is going to hurt you ever again...” Sonata whimpered as she nodded to two ponies who stood next to the urn.

The two lifted the urn and carried it to the edge of the deck where they tipped it and released the ashes into the ocean, tossing the urn with them. It sank unceremoniously as the two saluted while a small band of ponies played the bagpipes.

The crowd remained silent as the song played and when it ended, they all began congregating and talking with each other, Glitch, however, gathered Cinder, Sonata, and Twilight together and pointed at the three sirens that had snuck onto her ship. “I want the three of them in my quarters right away.” Glitch instructed.

Within the next eight minutes, Glitch was seated at their desk while Twilight, Cinder, and Sonata all led the mysterious sirens into their living quarters. Glitch nodded at them as they all stood aside for Glitch to speak.

“Who are you all?” Glitch began.

“We wish to speak to you alone, one called Glitch,” Abyss stated.

“How do you all know draconian?” Cinder ignored Abyss’ request and chimed in.

Golden answered on Abyss’ behalf. “We come from the country of Ectra, and we get a lot of visitors from Dragon Scar, in fact, it’s the only other nation we receive any visitors from.”

“Ectra? Never heard of it...” Cinder blinked.

“Me either.” Twilight shook her head.

“Our nation is kept a secret from most, only a select few have knowledge of its existence, but we’ve answered enough questions as it is, we wish to speak to Glitch alone.” Abyss grunted.

“You can’t just walk in here, board our ship like this and expect to get whatever you demand...” Twilight scowled.

“It’s alright, leave us.” Glitch waved at the group to leave.

“Glitch, you can’t be serious!” Twilight blinked.

Glitch nodded. “I am. I feel like these girls have come a long way, I will hear them out. Now leave us be...”

With a grumble, Twilight nodded and obeyed. She was followed by Sonata and Cinder who shut the door behind them.

After being gone for a few seconds, Glitch was certain they would not hear them through the door as they spoke up. “Now, who are you all?”

“Remove your mask,” Abyss demanded.

“Why would I do that?” Glitch asked.

“We will tell you nothing if you don’t show us your face and tell us your real name,” Abyss replied.

The mare was very standoffish, but Glitch sighed and obliged. Tapping the gem on their chest, Glitch’s helmet vanished revealing the mare underneath. “My name is Sunset Shimmer...”

The silent mare in the center stepped forward and placed a hoof upon Sunset’s cheek, caressing her gently before opening her mouth to speak with perhaps the most angelic voice Sunset had ever heard. She was soft-spoken and innocent-sounding. Her voice was almost like music.

“Sunset Shimmer, it is mine pleasure to meet thou finally,” she said.

Golden blinked and stepped forward. “Wait a minute! We traveled with you for almost two years and you never said a word, but we meet this mare and you finally speak!?”

Abyss whacked Golden and bowed gesturing for her to do the same. “Peasant! It is the greatest honor to hear her majesty speak. Bite your tongue!”

Sunset tilted her head in confusion and ignored the other two and squinted at the mare in front of her. “Who are you?”

“I apologize for mine intrusion. Mine name is Kiz of Ectra, I hath cometh a long way from here to meet thou, Sunset Shimmer.” She smiled.

“Kiz?” Sunset blinked.

She had heard that name once before when talking with Aria and Sonata. There were stories of an ancient siren, one estimated to be over 70,000 years old, possibly even 100,000. Her name was Kiz, which was old tongue, though Sunset didn’t know what it translated to in modern ponish.

“Thou art correct.” Kiz nodded.

“Are the stories true then? Are you really the original siren?” Sunset asked.

Kiz giggled and shook her head. “I am afraid not, Sunset Shimmer. I hast ne’r met her, yet ‘tis said stories myself about the mare. They sayeth she was gorgeous and spoketh with elegant tongue.”

“This place you’re from... Ectra, what’s it like?” Sunset tilted her head.

Golden spoke up for Kiz. “Ectra is a place solely for our kind. We only leave the mainland to reproduce, and once our kind are born we take them back to Ectra after birth where they are raised. It is a sirens only land.”

“How do you know draconian then?” Sunset asked.

“Dragons often come to trade with us, they are one of the only agreement for outsiders we have,” Abyss answered.

Looking at Kiz, Sunset squinted. “You are the ruler of this land then?”

Kiz nodded. “Thou art not mistaken.”

“What could you possibly want with me? Have you come to stop me from killing your own kind?” Sunset asked.

Kiz shook her head. “Quite the contrary. I hath arriveth to deliver this blade unto thee.”

With those words, Kiz levitated the elegantly decorated spear from her back and offered it to Sunset. “I present to thee, the Siren’s Bane. This bladed spear possesses magic capable of giving pause to a siren’s power. ‘There quoth to hast been crafted by our mother, should’st our kind become unbearable for this orb, ‘twere designed to slay us from existence.”

While her outdated language took a moment to follow, Sunset got the gist of what she was saying as she took the spear in her hooves. “You’re saying this weapon can prevent Serenade from using her powers? It can stop her siren magic?”

“That is truthful, dearest Sunset...” Kiz bowed her head.

“What about her demon powers? This spear will be useless if I can’t get past those...” Sunset frowned.

“The blade hath been enchanted to repel the darkness.” Kiz smiled.

Sunset blinked as she looked at the shining blade, noting how it had an unnatural sheen about it.

“Be warned though, Sunset Shimmer, should’st thou bid upon its power when thou hast no need of it, thou may find its abilities exhausted. Use it wisely.” Kiz raised her hoof in warning.

Sunset looked at her and nodded before placing the spear on her back. “Why are you helping me? I’m trying to stop one of your own, shouldn’t you be trying to stop me?”

Kiz giggled and shook her head. “It shall all compose sense to thee ‘i the course of things. Thou might not but compose haste, however, as there is little time to spareth. Go forth, Sunset Shimmer and thee shall speaketh with thou again.”

“What will you do then?” Sunset asked.

“We shall wait aboard this ship until the moment you go to slay Serenade,” Golden spoke up, with a confident nod.

Sunset looked the three mares over. They were definitely strange and cryptic, but she was thankful that they at least appeared to be on her side. She smiled and gave a salute to the three of them. “I will do my best. We’ll hold off on the questions until this is over, but for now I’ll trust you three.”

“We thank thee.” Kiz bowed.

With the mighty Siren’s Bane at her side, Sunset felt almost invincible. All she would need to do now is sink the spear into Serenade at the right moment. This entire battle seemed far more winnable now, thanks to Kiz and her entourage. Why they were on her side was a mystery, but Sunset was thankful to have such powerful allies at that moment.

There were many among her willing to do their part to stop Serenade, but most of their motivation was unknown to Sunset. She wondered if she’d ever learn their secrets.

Almost One Year Ago

Serenade stormed about her throne room and growled to herself as she cursed the failures of her subordinates while Blaze, Arax, and Shield all stood before her. The siren stomped about in anger cursing as the three of them watched.

Shield leaned into Arax and whispered. “How long does she usually do this for?”

“Hours...” Arax sighed.

“SILENCE! BOTH OF YOU!” Serenade barked as she pointed at them.

The two clammed up and stood at attention.

Serenade stomped and grunted before speaking again. “How the ever-living fuck have you not found Lightning Dust yet? You mean to tell me that one mare can hide from an army!?”

“She just hasn’t turned up yet...” Blaze shrugged.

“HASN’T TURNED UP YET!? WHAT KIND OF FUCKING ANSWER IS THAT!?” Serenade stomped her hoof. “I TOLD YOU FUCKTARDS THAT I WANT HER FOUND WITHIN A DAY!”

“Yes, we know...” Arax rolled his eyes.

“AND WHAT HAS IT BEEN, BUG BOY!? A MONTH! A MONTH AND THAT CUNT IS STILL MISSING! DO YOU ALL LIKE MAKING ME ANGRY!? I ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WON’T LIKE IT IN A LITTLE WHILE WHEN I GET ABSOLUTELY LIVID!” Serenade shouted.

Blaze stepped forward and spoke up. “Calm down, master.”

Arax facehoofed and shook his head. Blaze had no idea how stupid what he just said was.

“Calm down?” Serenade blinked before staring him down.

Blaze quickly regretted his words as she approached carefully. “Calm down? CALM DOWN!?”

He gulped and said nothing.

Serenade let a black tendril come out of her back and poke it’s way into Blaze’s ear, causing a sharp pain as she did. Another tendril reached to his underside and gripped his testicles causing him to yelp. “DON’T YOU EVER TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! TELL ME WHAT TO DO AGAIN AND I WILL TWIST YOUR FUCKING BALLS OFF, DO YOU HEAR ME!?”

“Y-YES MA’AM! LOUD AND CLEAR! I DIDN’T MEAN ANYTHING BY IT!” Blaze found himself shouting as fear ran through him.

She released him and his family jewels before pushing him. He toppled over but was thankful that his balls were left unharmed as he panted in fear.

Serenade waved a hoof. “Blaze, Shield, find her. I don’t care what you do, but I want her alive when you bring her to me. I intend to torture that treacherous bitch. No one betrays me!”

Shield and Blaze nodded but stood still.

Serenade raised a brow. “I meant now, you idiots.”

“Oh right!” Blaze saluted and Shield followed suit. The two bolted out of the room at top speed, ready to follow the instruction they had been given.

Serenade sighed before sitting down on her throne, rubbing her temple. “Arax, what does one have to do to get competent minions around here? Am I being too soft on my threats? Perhaps I am not making it clear enough what the price of failure is? Maybe I should kill a few subordinates and hang their bodies up for the others to see, what do you think?”

Arax rubbed his forehead and shook his head afterward. “Master, I don’t think your ruthless nature is in question.”

Serenade raised a brow and eyed him up. “What then? I can’t deal with this incompetence!”

“Maybe you should take a day off, master? Relax?” Arax suggested.

Serenade blinked a few times and tilted her head. “And do what, exactly?”

“Whatever it is that you do when you’re not killing ponies?” Arax shrugged.

“I suppose a spa day could do wonders for me...” Serenade rubbed her chin in thought.

“See, that’s a good idea.” Arax nodded.

“You’re joining me though.” Serenade pointed to him.

“I’m not much of a spa guy...” Arax rubbed his neck and looked away.

“It’s not negotiable.” Serenade grunted.

Arax sighed and agreed. “Fine, though I don’t get why you want me there, it’s not as though you enjoy my company or I particularly enjoy yours.”

“Get over it, and get out of my sight, I’ll call for you when I’m ready to go...” Serenade waved her hoof.

“Whatever...” Arax shrugged and made his way out.

After his departure, Serenade stood up and wandered around in circles as she spoke her thoughts. “I can’t believe that worthless cunt turned on me. She ran away and let that fucker, Glitch raid my city. The bastard made off with a large chunk of my workhorses...”

You can’t expect good help from worthless mortals, you know that.

“Yeah, you’re right...” She sighed and shook her head.

We’re the only ones we can count on.

“Yeah, Arax is okay, but even he’d be a fuckup if I wasn’t around to tell him what to do when he got lost...” Serenade nodded before trotting over to a stained glass window.

In the window, she could see her own reflection, but the mare that stared back at her had glowing red eyes, with a body made entirely of black shadows. They were sporting fangs as they spoke directly to Serenade.

The path to greatness can only be paved by you, they’re all just pawns, don’t forget that. You’re in control, and that’s all that matters.

“Either way, for the time being, I need them, I can only be so many places at once and that Glitch seems to always be a step ahead of me. How do I stop something like that? The coward won’t even face me...” Serenade spoke to herself in the window.

Set a trap. Show him why he should be afraid of you.

She blinked and squinted. “Are you suggesting what I think you are?”

He won’t survive like you did. He’s not strong enough, not like you at all.

She nodded and agreed. Serenade would set the ultimate trap for Glitch, and when he sprung it, there was no way in hell he could survive.

Almost One Year Ago

Rainbow Dash shut her car door and sighed as she looked over at Twilight Sparkle who had agreed to meet her at the mall parking lot to discuss information regarding a subject they were both required to act as though didn’t exist. Their vow of silence had to be temporarily seized to discuss important matters, and then it was to be “forgotten” once again.

Twilight held her hands close to her chest with her purse in hand as she blinked. “Alright, so what did you want to talk about?”

“That thing we are not supposed to talk about, I just need to go over a few things and then we go back to not talking about it, got it?” Rainbow raised a finger.

Twilight sighed and nodded. “R-right... So what’s up?”

Rainbow leaned back against her car and crossed her feet and then her arms as she relaxed herself. “So, the shit head has been completely destroyed, I made sure to get rid of everything. Burnt the flesh, the clothes, the bones, all of it. Had then ground into dust and scattered into the ocean. There isn’t a trace of him left.”

“Damn, you went all out...” Twilight blinked.

“No choice, had to make sure there was zero chance that his body could be found. I had the car abandoned in a forest somewhere, but no worries there isn’t any prints or anything from me in there.” Rainbow smirked.

“Won’t they find the car?” Twilight placed her hand to her lips in fear.

The soldier nodded back at her. “Yup, eventually and that’s what I want. I made it look like the guy went off to commit suicide, so it makes sense he’d drive out to the woods to do that.”

Twilight had to admit, this entire plan seemed solid; Rainbow had outdone herself.

“Now one little detail we need to make sure stays consistent between the two of us...” Rainbow raised a brow.

Stepping forward, Twilight nodded. “Yes? What is it?”

“On that night, when I followed you I saw no other witnesses that knew you were heading out that way. That means there’s no one to contradict our alibi, which is good. You were with me the entire night at my private shooting range, understand? That’s what I told Fluttershy when I left that night too, so she unknowingly will corroborate with our story.” Rainbow grinned.

“So in other words...” Twilight thought it over.

“We’re each other’s alibis. So long as we keep that straight, no one can connect us to anything, Twilight.” Rainbow nodded.

Twilight didn’t like it, but she knew it had to be this way. Snatcher was going to make her life a living hell; Rainbow taking him out as she did was a blessing, she just wished it didn’t have to be so messy. Twilight never imagined in her life that she would be an accomplice to murder, but then again she never imagined she’d marry an alien from another world either, or be raising her daughter in a mansion.

Everything in Twilight’s life seemed to be out of the ordinary, and there wasn’t much semblance of normality for the girl. She missed Sunset, who she knew would be able to tell her what she should do during these troubling times, but at the same time, she was starting to wonder if hating Sunset was the wiser choice. Two years had passed and she didn’t so much as get a letter from Sunset. Perhaps it was time to give up on the woman ever coming home? Maybe she was dead somewhere?

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that filing a missing person’s report might have actually been a wise idea. For a moment she thought it might have prevented the issue that caused them to have to kill Snatcher in the first place, but then she remembered that inviting the police to get involved meant they would comb through Sunset’s personal life and that made it far easier to find out anything about her, including her origin.

While she missed Sunset, she couldn’t afford to risk such a thing, especially with a young daughter now. She couldn’t do something that would potentially come back to hurt Horizon, even if that meant she had to suffer.

Rainbow could tell something was going through Twilight’s mind as she tilted her head. “Hey? Are you alright?”

Twilight blinked. “Huh? Oh... Not really, but I will be...”

“Sunset, right?” Rainbow asked.

Apparently Twilight was that easy to read. Truthfully, Sunset was almost always on her mind, and she had a hard time hiding it.

“Is it that obvious?” Twilight frowned.

Rainbow nodded slowly. “You’re probably thinking about Sunset every eight minutes and everyone knows that. It’s okay though, it’s normal. She’s your wife, and the mother of your child, you would be insane to not wonder where she is all the time.”

“Do you think she’s even still alive?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow grew silent for a moment. She bit her lip, unsure of how to broach the subject to Twilight.

“Rainbow?” Twilight looked over at her friend, waiting for an answer.

Sighing, Rainbow stood up straight. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but in the army, we’re trained to deal with these kinds of circumstances. When someone doesn’t come back for a long time, there’s a good chance they are dead, or at the very least never coming back. You have to move forward and focus on those that are still alive. Prioritize the people who are still in your life.”

“I thought the army taught no soldier left behind?” Twilight whimpered.

Rainbow shook her head. “In this case, you’re the soldier that got left behind, Twilight. I’ve given Sunset the benefit of the doubt and maybe the reason she left is a good one, but the reality is: she isn’t here and you are. Horizon should be the most important thing to you, and that’s that. I know my two boys are my whole world.”

“What’re you saying?” Twilight blinked.

“I’m saying that it should have been you pulling that trigger on that fucker, not me. If that was my two boys in danger, I would have shot him dead months ago, but you have to do things your own way. Horizon needs you, you need to focus on her, alright?” Rainbow placed a hand upon Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight looked at her hand and sighed. She closed her eyes and thought it over. Rainbow was right, Sunset was gone and she probably wasn’t coming back. Horizon was still here though, and the girl needed her.

“You’re right...”

Rainbow grinned. “Of course I am, now come on, let’s go get something to eat, alright?”

Food sounded good right about then, so Twilight nodded and followed while the soldier rubbed her empty stomach and began praising the food at this restaurant.

Almost One Year Ago

Serenade walked into the castle’s personal spa with a bathrobe over her as she looked back to see Arax following with a similar robe. His expression was one of annoyance as he grumbled under his breath how this entire day would be a waste of his time and he’d prefer to get back to work.

Behind him was his slave, Starlight Glimmer who was also sporting a bathrobe. Serenade agreed to allow her to come, after Arax’s request. In reality, the changeling just didn’t want to be alone with Serenade as he found such times where he was were always miserable.

“Well, Starlight Glimmer, I didn’t think you’d actually join us.” Serenade smirked.

It was clear that there was at least eighty thousand volts of pure hatred moving back and forth between the two. The tension was unreal, but Arax didn’t mind being in the middle; if anything he felt it would make the day more interesting, to say the least.

“I don’t exactly have the luxury of choice, do I? Plus I was curious to see what a psychopath does in her free time when she’s not murdering innocent children, razing cities and enslaving the world...” Starlight spat.

Serenade shrugged. “Sometimes I play tennis.”

Starlight couldn’t tell if that comment was sarcasm or not, but she left it alone.

“Shall we? I think a nice step in the sauna is a good way to start.” Serenade gestured for the two to follow.

Arax sighed but did as he was told while he and Starlight both removed their bathrobes and handed them off to the spa workers who lead them to the sauna. Once inside, the door was closed behind them, and Serenade pulled the chopsticks out of her mane and allowed it to fall down, cascading over her elegantly as she leaned back and sighed in content.

Starlight made herself comfortable next to Arax and rested her head upon him as he cracked his neck and yawned.

Opening a single eye, Serenade smirked at the two. “So when’s the wedding you two?”

“Shut up...” Arax rolled his eyes.

“Anyone can see you’re smitten with each other. How utterly disgusting, have you slept with him yet, Starlight? I bet that’s a gross endeavor isn’t it?” Serenade teased.

“Lay off of him...” Starlight huffed.

Serenade giggled. “My my, aren’t we defensive. I’m sorry, I won’t pick on your boyfriend anymore.”

“He’s not...” Starlight sighed and shook her head, “never mind...”

Serenade found herself giggled a bit more at how flustered Starlight was over it.

“Hey, Serenade... Have you ever like... Been in love before?” Starlight asked.

Serenade blinked and looked at her, noting the girl’s serious eyes. That question wasn’t intended as a jab clearly, but an earnest inquiry.

Looking away, Serenade shook her head. “No, never.”

“So you use your powers to manipulate others, and lure them with sex appeal but you haven’t ever...” Starlight didn’t dare finish that sentence.

“No, it is forbidden among my kind. We are only to lure, not ever taste...” Serenade looked off toward the wall, trying to hide the shame on her face. She hated admitting something that made her kind inferior in some way in mortal eyes. However, in her mind it wasn’t an inferiority, it was a blessing. Sex and love were weaknesses after all. She just couldn’t stand to think of Starlight looking down on her.

Starlight frowned, in a way she felt sorry for her. “What happens if you do?”

“Why not ask my mother? All she did was love and your kind murdered her...” Serenade growled.

Starlight shrunk in her seat. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear...”

“No, you’re not.” Serenade shook her head before making eye contact with Starlight.

“She was an idiot anyway. Love is a pathetic disease, a weakness that makes strong mares like her weak and susceptible. I’ll never be that weak.” Serenade stared.

Deciding to change the subject, Arax coughed and spoke up. “Serenade, didn’t you use to play the harp?”

“Still do, but it’s harder and harder to find the time with so many distractions...” Serenade frowned.

Starlight blinked again. “I never took you for a harp player.”

Glancing over at her, Serenade nodded. “Definitely, I’m actually pretty damn good. But hundreds of years of experience will do that to you.”

“It must be hard living so long?” Starlight asked.

Serenade shook her head. “You get used to it. If anything, I’m unlike most sirens in that I never have to even eat or sleep. The dark energy in me is so potent that I have outgrown the need for such things.”

Starlight couldn’t imagine never sleeping or eating again in her life, but by the sound of it, that was Serenade’s reality for likely hundreds of years.

“How old are you, Serenade?” Starlight asked.

“I stopped counting after two thousand, to be honest with you. Time isn’t much of a concern for us immortals, though unlike others, I have a lot less patience than some.” Serenade shrugged.

At that age, Serenade was possibly older than Celestia herself. Alicorns were long-lived, but not immortal, not like this mare, anyway. Serenade would only die when she finally chose to.

Was it even possible for Twilight to beat something like that? Serenade existed in a way that none of them would ever comprehend.

Almost One Year Ago

Sonata stood in silence looking at the ocean. The funeral was over and most of the crew had returned to their duties, but she found herself still lost in thought as she thought of Aria. All of the time the had spent together felt like it was supposed to last forever, and yet now here she was, alone.

She had lost both of the sirens that had kept her safe over the years, and now she was by herself. No powers, no other sirens, nothing. She had to put all of her faith in Sunset now, for she had no other options. All she could do now was pray that she could change the path ahead as much as she could. Princess Twilight Sparkle spoke of making life better for sirens if they won, but that was no certainty. On top of that, there was the big if they won.

They had gained a lot of momentum, but Serenade was still massively strong. She could crush them all in a matter of seconds if they weren’t careful. One wrong move and their comfortable advantage over her would end in disaster. Sonata wasn’t much of a fighter, but she would do everything she could to help win this war now. She had nothing else to fall back on.

She spoke her thoughts aloud as she stared at the ocean below her. “I wish you were still here, I just don’t know if I’m strong enough to do this on my own, Aria...”

A hoof was placed upon her shoulder, causing the mare to yelp and turn. There standing behind her was the unnamed mare that Sunset would later tell her was actually Kiz, the oldest known living siren. Sonata had thought her existence was merely a myth, but there she stood right in front of her.

“K-Kiz, I didn’t see you there!” Sonata bowed.

The elder siren smiled softly, her beautiful face lighting up as she did. Sonata was in awe at her beauty. “Sonata, is it?”

She blinked, shocked to actually hear the mare’s voice. It was like hearing angels speak. “Y-yes... It’s an honor! S-sorry, I’m not used to meeting royalty like yourself, so I’m not very good at this...” Sonata rubbed her neck as she stood up.

Kiz waved her hoof dismissively. “Worry not, for royalty I am not. I be a siren just as thou.”

Tilting her head slightly, Sonata was a bit surprised to hear her ponish was so outdated. The stories of how old she was must have been true. This mare was likely the oldest living creature on the face of the earth, not even dragons could live as long as she did. Sonata was limited on knowledge of other species, but she knew that even the breeds of dragons that lived a long time could only live about 12,000 years at best. Cinder was considered only adolescent for her breed as an example.

“Sorry, I guess this is just too surreal for me... Sirens tell stories of you, and yet the real you is standing in front of me...” Sonata blushed.

“Art thou that surprised young Sonata?” Kiz asked.

“A little...” Sonata squeaked.

“Fear not, I arriveth to bestow upon thou a gift.” Kiz smiled.

Sonata blinked. “Really? What could you possibly want to give a siren like me? I’m just a nobody.”

“This,” Kiz spoke and reached to her neck. She removed her amulet and moved forward, placing it around Sonata’s neck and fastened it.

Sonata’s eyes widened as she looked at the amulet. “What? No! This is your amulet! You can’t give this to me!”

“I hath no need of such a trinket at my age.” Kiz smiled.

“W-what? What are you saying? A siren’s power comes from her amulet! It’s how you live forever, via your magic!” Sonata protested.

Kiz giggled and shook her head. “At mine age, mine power is sufficient to forge another if want be.”

Sonata leaned in and spoke. “That’s incredible, but if you’re so strong, why not help us fight Serenade directly?”

“Even mine power hath limits, young Sonata.” She shook her head.

“So you can’t kill Serenade either, huh?” Sonata frowned.

She shook her head once more. “That office is for Sunset Shimmer to address. She hath the strength and grit to slayeth the beast should she utilize it proper.”

“I guess that’s true... Sunset has everything she needs to win now I would imagine.” Sonata rubbed her neck.

Kiz placed her hooves upon Sonata’s shoulders once more. “Young one, maketh use of your might and mine amulet to bring forth change for others of the siren blood. I trust this task to thou.”

“Why me though? What’s so special about me?” Sonata blinked.

Releasing her, Kiz giggled. “Thou does not know thou’s true ability just yet. Great things awaiteth thou.”

Sonata looked down at the amulet. It was a second chance, she had her powers back, and then some! There was no doubt that Kiz’s amulet was stronger than her old one, but why did she give it up so freely. Forging a second siren’s amulet was a process that took tremendous power. Then again, she had an entire country of sirens to help her forge one.

As the mare walked away, Sonata was left with intrigue, but she knew she wouldn’t get much in the way of answers.

Almost One Year Ago

“It’s very simple, we attack Fillydalphia. All out assault.” Glitch explained as they tapped a map of the city posted behind them.

Twilight tilted her head as she sat next to Discord who had wrapped a claw around her. “An all-out assault? We’ve never done something so drastic before; why do that now?”

Glitch tapped the map again. “My intel suggests that Serenade had stretched herself thin. Most of her warriors are protecting her in Manehatten, and that means that Fillydalphia is left mostly unguarded. There’s a significant population there and we can free all of them if we do a full attack. With out numbers we actually outnumber her guards.”

“Serenade ain’t never been this sloppy in the past, why start now?” Applejack asked.

Cinder sat with crossed arms as a smirk came to her face. “She’s desperate.”

“Say what?” Applejack tilted her head.

Cinder opened her eyes and glanced over at Applejack. “Serenade’s power is not infinite, nor is she invincible. I think she’s starting to subconsciously realize that Glitch will catch up with her soon. She is trying to increase the chances that Glitch won’t even make it to her. Just as we have no idea what Serenade is capable of, she too has no idea what Glitch is capable of, and she is not about to let arrogance let Glitch get the advantage on her.”

“The spear changes everything though,” Discord chimed in and pointed to the weapon mounted upon Glitch’s back.

Glitch nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but I don’t want to rely on just a spear to win this. We have to break through Serenade’s defenses before I can even use it.”

“So we attack Fillydalphia then?” Applejack asked.

Glitch nodded. “At dawn tomorrow.”

Almost One Year Ago

Sitting at the harp that was placed in the spa for musicians to entertain the guests, Serenade strummed a harmonic song that filled the air with a calming feeling. She sang gently to the tune, her voice soft and beautiful, a far cry from her usual gruff and aggressive demeanor.

If one closed their eyes they could almost not even see the murdering psychopath that was Serenade and instead they could almost picture a beautiful mare who had a song in her heart.

Watching her play, Starlight couldn’t deny that Serenade was beautiful, but that beauty was marred by everything about her.

After she finished her song she smiled at Arax and Starlight. Arax gave a gentle clap and nodded in approval. “That was excellent, master.”

Starlight bit her lip but gave praise as well. “How did you learn to play so well?”

Stepping down from the harp, Serenade ran a hoof through her lavish mane. “I learned from a musician who played many harps a good eight hundred years ago or so. When you live as long as I do, you always have time for these things.”

“So you do other things besides murder children?” Starlight asked, a bit of sass in her voice.

Serenade nodded, ignoring the attitude she exuded with her question. “Yes, as a matter of a fact, I do. I also enjoy nature walks.”

“Nature walks? You? I can’t say I expected that...” Starlight admitted.

Stepping away from the harp, Serenade shrugged. “Plants have never done wrong by me.”

“What exactly did mortals do to you to make you hate them so much?” Starlight asked, figuring it was a good chance to get a glimpse into Serenade’s twisted motivation.

Stepping close, Serenade made a tendril come out of her back and linger only inches from Starlight’s face, causing the mare to flinch. “Mortals destroy everything they touch. They’re a disease on this planet, they destroy anything they don’t understand out of fear. Fear that they will lose precious control...”

“Not all mortals are bad...” Starlight attempted to reason.

“I have yet to meet such a mortal...” Serenade growled.

Starlight wanted to continue to try and convince her, but she knew it was likely a colossal waste of her time.

A Long Time Ago

Ushering her to the front of the crowd, Baler wasn’t entirely certain what Serenade’s plan to deal with the dragon was, but she had told him to trust her and that is what he was going to do. Serenade was often a very sure pony, one that never took a chance on something unless she was absolutely positive, so if she insisted on something, he knew it was likely the right choice.

At the front of the crowd was a village elder standing behind the mages in the front blasting the creature with full power in an attempt to keep it at bay. “Elder Book, this mare says she can help!” Baler called to him.

He looked back at Baler and frowned. “Baler, this is no time for this...”

“Elder, please just listen to me. This mare, Serenade Dazzle, she says she can stop the dragon!” Baler panted as he finally stopped runner and caught his breath. He was a bit surprised to see that Serenade appeared fine and not winded at all.

“A single mare can do naught to stop this beast...” The elder frowned.

Baler shook his head. “She insists that she can stop this beast! Please give her a chance.”

The elder sighed and then looked over at the girl. She was gorgeous, but a pretty face was not enough to stop a full-grown dragon. What was her angle? He had never met this mare before, and she didn’t look familiar to him either. Where did she come from?

He squinted and eyed her up and down before speaking directly to her, his old raspy voice barely audible over the crowd. “Can you really stop this thing?”

Serenade nodded. “Yes.”

A sigh escaped him as he nodded back and gesture for others to make a path for her to approach the dragon.

Serenade stepped forward and through the crowd whom all stared in her direction as she stood before this fire-breathing beast. It screeched with a vicious cry through the air as fire came out of its nostrils, filling the nearby air with smoke.

Serenade knew right away that her powers in her normal form were not enough. She would need to transform into her siren form to increase the potency of her abilities in order to quell the dragon. She sighed and closed her eyes, embracing the transformation. A magic halo appeared around her hooves and moved up her body.

Before she knew it, her backside was replaced with a tail, and she levitated in the air in her siren form.

The crowd released a series of “Ooo” and “aww” sounds that she tuned out while she began to sing to the beast. Her voice echoed through the air, her song potent and commanding. Before she knew it, the dragon was under her spell. Once she had command over him, she flew up to meet his face and command her new minion.

“I want you to leave this place and never return, tell all of your kind to do the same,” she demanded.

The dragon in a stupor nodded in agreement before turning to leave. After a few steps, it became clear to the shocked townsfolk that the dragon was not going to return to bother them again, however, now all of their attention was upon the pony that had changed shape who was now changing back to her pony form.

As Serenade came back down to the ground slowly and grew her hooves back, she looked at the townsfolk with neutral eyes. Her expression saying nothing.

Right away, one of the mares in the crowd screamed and pointed at Serenade in fear. “Monster!”

Her words set the crowd in an uproar as they raised their hooves at the siren in protest. “Burn the monster!” Another cried.

“Keep that cursed creature away!”

Serenade sighed and looked at Baler who wore a look that told her all she needed to know. His eyes were filled with fear, his face was telling her he was ready to agree with his fellow townsfolk in trying to burn her at the stake.

She had saved them all, and all they saw was a monster. It was typical, and she expected it.

Almost One Year Ago

The attack on Fillydalphia was going better than expected. Glitch and her entourage had easily overpowered the guards of the city and before they knew it, they were liberating the population and there was nothing that Serenade could do about it.

They were gaining new subordinates at lightning speed. With the plan in motion, Twilight stared at the city from the airship with Discord at her side. “I can’t believe it actually worked, with these numbers storming Canterlot should be manageable.”

“Your student has learned well.” Discord winked as he slithered behind her.

Out in the city, however, Glitch and Cinder were escorting the last of the city out of the perimeter before going back in for one final check. The two conversed as they casually walked the empty streets. “I can’t believe Serenade would actually leave this place so unguarded.”

“Yeah... Me either...” Cinder spoke quietly.

Instantly picking up on her unease, Glitch stopped in their tracks to question her. “What’s wrong?”

“It sounds... Too easy, you know? Even if Serenade is desperate, I don’t get how she is letting her guard down so much? It seems such a novice mistake for her...” Cinder scratched her chin.

“You can’t possibly think this is somehow part of her plan? To actually let her own city fall?” Glitch asked.

Cinder shrugged. “Maybe this is all some kind of trap?”

“You think so?” Glitch tilted their head.

After another few steps, the two stopped as a black set of tendrils came out of the ground circling around the two. They tried to move to get away from the tendrils, but before they knew it, they were surrounded by them.

The black tendrils formed some kind of dome around them as it began to close them inside and shrink, the walls getting closer and closer.

“I think so...” Cinder replied.

Almost One Year Ago

Starlight stretched as she awoke from the massage she had been receiving. Arax at her side, she smiled at him and he just stared at her back. Then she looked over to Serenade who was still awake. Starlight had forgotten that Serenade never needed to sleep. She wondered how she didn’t get driven insane.

Starlight looked over at her and spoke calmly. “Serenade?”

Serenade glanced back at the mare. “Hm?”

“You said you never have to sleep, right?”

“Yeah, not for hundreds of years...” Serenade shrugged.

“Doesn’t that drive you insane? Being awake all the time?” Starlight blinked.

“Not requiring sleep at least affords me the time to get things done,” Serenade replied.

Their conversation was cut short, however, as one of her subordinates raced into the room panting. He bowed first to his master and then looked Serenade in the eyes. “Master! Glitch has sprung the trap! We got him!”

Serenade stood up and her face was overtaken by a sinister grin. “We got him!?”

“Yes! He’s as good as dead!” The guard nodded.

Serenade looked back at Starlight and giggled. “Looks like I win this game.”

Author's Note

This chapter was a lot for me because there was a lot going on, but also because I got a little sad just writing Aria's funeral.

Oh and now you've properly met Kiz.

Fun Fact: Applety didn't do the sketch this week, but I did!

Act VI - Chapter LXLIV: Merciless

Chapter LXLIV: Merciless

A Few Months Ago

Silence, pure silence. There wasn’t a sound coming from any direction for Sunset Shimmer, instead, there was just pure silence. Opening her eyes should could see the heads-up-display that was inside of her helmet. That meant she was still Glitch when she blacked out, she still had her suit on. Looking through the visor, she could see nothing but a poorly lit area shrouded in an unnatural darkness.

Her helmet was dirty, and when she went to wipe it, she found her hooves were restrained, unable to move. She growled and pulled trying to free herself, but with no luck. Whatever was holding her down had her tightly gripped. She concentrated and turned on her communication system to Princess Twilight, figuring now would be a great time to call for help.

The communicator flickered on and all Sunset could hear was static. “Princess Twilight, it’s Glitch, do you hear me?”

There was only static followed by more deafening silence.

She tried again. “Princess Twilight, do you copy? It’s Glitch, I’m stuck somewhere...”

Again, Sunset was given only silence as her answer.

Switching channels, she gave Moondancer a ring. “Moondancer? What’s the status of the suit? I need a diagnostic report, and a triangulation of where I am.”

More static greeted Sunset.

“Moondancer? Are you there?” Sunset spoke louder.

There was nothing. She was alone in this dark forsaken place. Focusing, she tried to remember all she could before she arrived. She was liberating Fillydalphia, that much she remembered. The mission was going well when she was-

She remembered! She was pulled in by some kind of demonic tendrils that formed a dome, trapping her and Cinder!

Cinder was here somewhere, Sunset knew it. She wasn’t completely alone, but that also meant that Cinder could need her help. She needed to break free somehow, she needed to find her ally. The odds of escaping this place were far greater with Cinder at her side; Sunset had personally seen what the dragon was capable of after all.

Pulling, she realized she still couldn’t move her body; she would need some assistance from the suit. Checking the HUD, she tried to activate the jet thrusters in the hopes she could pull herself free with the propulsion, but all she got was an error to appear in her visor.

Corruption Error 88: System core compromised. Dark energy levels too high, all secondary functions disabled until dark energy is reduced. Please vent the core.

Sunset cursed under her breath. Moondancer had warned her what happened if the suit’s power core got corrupted with dark magic, and as a result, the bookworm had pre-installed a safety mechanism that would shut off all functions that would be too dangerous to use under corruption. Ideally, it was to keep the suit from being controlled by any dark magic users; Sunset could only imagine how terrible it would be for them if Serenade got her hooves on it after all.

Without the jet thrusters, the thermal heat blades, laser system, and magic amplifier, her options were more or less her own strength and the retractable mounted blades. Without all of its functions, the suit was little more than armor to protect her from damage and nothing more.

Her eyes were drawn down to her hooves which she couldn’t move. It was too dark to see much, but she could feel something around her armored hooves keeping her down.

With a grunt, Sunset used her magic to make the retractable blades in her suit come out. They shot out of their holders on her front hooves with haste as Sunset pulled her hooves with all her strength.

“I’m coming, Cinder! Don’t worry!” Sunset called out.

Her strength was formidable, but whatever held her was not giving in so easily. Determination and adrenaline kept her going as she pulled harder and harder, eventually feeling her hooves start to move just a few inches. Once the momentum had begun though, Sunset wouldn’t stop, she kept pulling and could hear something snapping and the sound of flesh tearing; she prayed it wasn’t her own.

Another step, and another after that and Sunset was able to move her back hooves now, slowly breaking free. “LET GO OF ME!” She shouted before pulling with all her might and breaking the hold on her completely. She toppled forward and landed on her helmet before she came back to a stand.

Tapping her suit, she made her helmet vanish, leaving her head exposed as she observed her environment with her own two eyes. The place she was in was unlike anything she had ever witnessed. It was dark, poorly lit, and almost everything around her oozed black slimy residue. Black wet leathery growths protruded from the ground swaying like grass in the wind and the only light appeared to come from some kind of plant that moved around like it was hungry.

What the hell is this place? Was the only thought in Sunset’s mind as she peered around in awe.

Looking back to where she had been being held, some kind of black tree made up of tough-looking tendrils stood behind her. It appeared as though the tendrils themselves were holding Sunset down. It was some kind of sentient tree that latched onto her and held her there, and its tendrils had been ripped and damaged when she broke free.

Stepping closer to get a look Sunset reached forward to touch a tendril. Her hoof didn’t even reach the appendage before it came to life and whipped around trying to grab Sunset once more. The mare managed to get out of the way quickly and avoid being re-captured.

How had this tree taken her hostage? How did she get within the tree’s grasp in the first place? She had too many questions but no answers. The only thing she knew was she had to find Cinder before it was too late.

Her attention was focused straight ahead as she called out Cinder’s name.

“Cinder!? Where are you, it’s me, Glitch!” Sunset screamed out in hopes of getting an answer.

After a few seconds, she could hear a grumble that had a familiar raspy sounding voice attached to it. She knew that voice anywhere, it was Cinder’s. Sunset peering around and called out once more. “Cinder! Where are you?”

Another groan could be heard, followed by the faint sound of Cinder’s voice spoken in a weak mumble. “Glitch? What’s going on?”

“Help me find you, keep talking!” Sunset called out.

“I think you’re facing me, I can hear your voice coming from my left. Try heading straight ahead,” Cinder instructed.

Following her suggestion, Sunset walked a few feet forward until the low lighting of the strange place she found herself in revealed yet another tree similar to the one that Sunset had woken up in. This one, however, was far more massive, and clearly had the girth necessary to hold its dragon prey in place. The plants reminded her of some kind of Venus flytrap, only with tendrils to catch is prey instead of an open maw.

Cinder groaned as she tried to move her head with no luck. Her eyes were covered by one of the tendrils, so she was unable to even see Sunset standing right in front of her. Coming forward, Sunset drew her blade, but the tree quickly moved a series of its tendrils toward Sunset to protect itself.

She backed off, realizing if she was too hasty, she would end up right back in the tree-like thing's hold like before. She had used a tremendous amount of upper body strength just to escape the first time, so she wasn’t in the mood to take her chances a second time.

There was only one way that Sunset knew to get Cinder out. “Cinder, I’m right in front of you,” Sunset spoke.

“I can hear your voice, did you take your helmet off?” Cinder asked.

Sunset rubbed her neck, forgetting that Cinder and she had spoken before without her Glitch persona. “It was getting in the way in this place, but that’s not important, what is important is that you break free.”

“Break free of what?” Cinder asked before giving her arms a tug, only to find they didn’t move an inch.

“It’s some kind of weird tree, it has you caught pretty tightly in its branches, and it clearly doesn’t want to let go,” Sunset answered her question.

Cinder, wiggling her fingers tried to gesture for Sunset to reach for her swords which were still in their scabbards at her waist. “Sunset, get my swords from my belt, I can’t seem to reach them myself.”

Sunset shook her head sadly, despite Cinder not being able to see the motion. “I can’t there’s some kind of vines preventing me from getting too close, I think you need to pull yourself out. It’s not going to let me do it.”

“Pull myself out? For fuck’s sake, what’s going on? What am I caught on?” Cinder asked.

“Just try and break free, I can’t get any closer, I’m sorry...” Sunset frowned as she stepped back to give the dragon some room to break free.

Cinder let out an annoyed sigh before she took a deep inhale, then an exhale. After another eight breaths, she began to pull with all of her might. Her left arm’s muscles flexed and Sunset could see the veins pop up against her scales as she pulled. She had an impressive set of muscles, which Sunset was certain her left arm would match had she not lost it.

Groaning and making noises of strain, Cinder kept pulling despite not making any progress. It wasn’t until the dragon concentrated even harder on the fact that Sunset Shimmer needed her help if she really began to kick it into high gear. This mare counted on her, and she wasn’t about to let her down.

Her metal arm and claw tugged, but there was nothing.

The real arm on her left side clenched up more and gripped on the side of the tree she was trapped in and pushed with all of her might.

Sunset watched in amazement as the arm flexed and the muscles pulled, eventually making a ripping sound. Sunset’s eyes were drawn to the appendage that held the dragon as it began to snap, eventually, her arm broke free.

“Gah!” Cinder let out as the free claw reached to grab the one wrapped around her eyes. With a powerful tug, the one on her eyes refused to budge even to Cinder’s impressive build.

“Come on!” Sunset commanded.

As if her command was all that was needed to motivate her, Cinder tried again, but this time pulled with all of the strength she had and then some. When her arm refused to pull any harder, she forced it to and a snap was heard from the tendril across her eyes. Cinder tore it off and tossed it aside before grabbing the tendril wrapped around her fake arm and snapping it off while she was still on the adrenaline high.

With a ferocious growl, Cinder leaned forward and pulled her mighty legs with her, loosening the hold on the rest of her. The strange plant was strong, but Cinder Razorclaw was made even stronger by determination and the tendrils started snapping one by one until all eight around her legs gave way.

The dragon grunted as she stumbled forward. She rested for a second down on all fours before coming to a stand to check herself for injuries. Once she was certain she was otherwise unharmed, she looked over at her red-headed ally and nodded, a slight smile on her face.

“Well, Sunset Shimmer, it’s good to see you here, but where exactly is here?” Cinder asked looking around herself at the odd place.

Sunset looked around and shrugged. “Don’t know, all I remember is walking into that trap in Fillydalphia and then waking up in this place...”

“Same, so I guess neither of us remembers getting here.” Cinder sighed.

Peering around, Sunset wondered how anyone could get to a place like this. It felt unnatural, like the kind of place where only those who knew how to get to it could reach. How did they get here? And more importantly, how would they get back?

Sunset’s thoughts were interrupted as she felt her stomach growl at her. “We must have been out for a while because I’m super hungry...” Sunset commented.

Cinder shrugged. “Us dragons can go quite a while without food even though we eat a lot. Water is another story though, while we can last about eight days without it, we will still need to find a source of water here and food for you...”

Sunset looked around once again and chuckled. “This doesn’t exactly look like the kind of place that has a McDonald’s nearby.”

“A what?” Cinder tilted her head. “Is that some kind of pony thing?”

Sighing, Sunset decided now would be a good time to tell Cinder more about her situation since they didn’t have anything else going on at the moment. “No, see I haven’t exactly told you everything about me... While I am a pony and I am from Equestria, I actually have lived in another world for many years.”

“Another world? You mean like another dimension or something, or another planet?” Cinder blinked.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but there is another world beyond this mirror. In that world, the dominant species of the planet are called ‘humans’ and when you go through that mirror you take the shape of creatures from that world,” Sunset explained.

“So you turn into one of those humans?” Cinder asked, trying to keep up.

“More or less, yes. However, it’s not a perfect conversion as I still retain some of my DNA from my pony form when I’m there, but you get the idea.” Sunset nodded.

Cinder placed a claw upon her chin and thought it over. “So you’re really and outsider then?”

Sunset shrugged. “I’ve always been an outsider my entire life. Still, part of why I worry though is that if Serenade ever gets her claws on that mirror...”

“She could rain destruction onto both worlds.” Cinder finished her thought with a talon pointing at Sunset.

The mare nodded. “And she likely wouldn’t stop there. Serenade will just keep getting more and more powerful until she destroys everything; traveling from world to world demolishing everything in her path.”

The both of them were fairly convinced that given the opportunity that is precisely what Serenade would do. She didn’t seem the type to be satisfied with just being the overlord of the new world, she would want new power to attain and creatures to kill to satisfy her amusement. This world wouldn’t be enough for the immortal being in the long run, as her urge to kill would only grow the stronger her demonic presence became. Was there any limit to her power? Sunset wasn’t entirely sure.

“We can’t let that happen. We have to figure out where we are, and how to get out, but first, we may want to locate water and edible food, right?” Cinder pointed out.

Sunset nodded. “Let’s take a look around.”

The flora of the place (if it could even be called that) swayed and moved in an eerie unsettling way as they passed by. Many of the slimy tendrils that stuck out of the gross ground seemed to move away from them when they walked by and examined the place.

Eventually, they came to a small river that looked black in color, much like everything else around them. Cinder held out her claw to make Sunset stand back. Carefully she dipped her metal claw into the water and pulled some up and lapped at it. Nodding she smiled. “Seems safe to drink to me. It seems odd that this place actually has drinkable water...”

Sunset shrugged before leaning down to lap at the water herself. Her thirst seemed to go away fairly quickly before she looked up and wiped her lip as she examined Cinder. “I find it interesting that your real arm seems stronger than that metal one...” Sunset commented.

A grin came to Cinder’s face as she flexed her bicep. “A warrior relies on their own strength, not some fancy tools to enhance their abilities. I train the rest of my body harder so I can pass whatever advantage this arm gives me.”

“You’re an impressive girl, that’s for sure...” Sunset laughed.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Sunset Shimmer, you’ve impressed me quite a bit since we’ve met as well.” Cinder crossed her arms.

Sunset blinked. “Really? You struck me as difficult to impress...”

Cinder let out a hearty laugh as she shook her head. “I suppose that is somewhat accurate, still, your will to fight and your determination is worthy of praise. It’s an honor to serve with you, and I’m proud to be a part of your rebellion. A warrior always admires the grit of another warrior after all.”

A smile came to Sunset as she nodded. “It’s good to hear you say that, let’s just hope my resourcefulness continues and finds us a way out of this place...”

Cinder shrugged. “With determination and strength, we need only to rely on the great fighting spirit to provide.”

"You think the fighting spirit can reach us here?" Sunset asked.

Cinder nodded. "Definitely. I can see it burning within you."

“Let’s look around for a bit and meet back here, okay?” Sunset suggested.

“Works for me.” Cinder nodded.

With those words, the two girls split up to explore the strange dark place they found themselves in. Both of them knew though that escaping would not be as simple as merely locating an exit somewhere and hopping through. In the back of her mind, Sunset had a suspicion that Serenade had placed them in this place with the intention of them never escaping. For their sake though, she prayed that Serenade underestimated them and that Sunset was underestimating herself as well.

A Few Months Ago

The place they were in seemed to stretch on forever, and Sunset was starting to suspect that it was an entire planet that they were now stranded on. How would they escape a whole other world? Was it even possible? Did Serenade really figure out the perfect way to get rid of them?

Making her way back to the river, Sunset could see Cinder standing there with her arms crossed. She frowned the moment she saw that face, which signified that she likely had no luck in finding a way out.

“No luck?” Sunset began.

Cinder shook her head. “This place is basically just an endless void.”

“Seems that way...” Sunset frowned.

The two stood in thought for a few minutes before a low pitched snarling sound could be heard. “Did you hear that?” Cinder asked.

Sunset glanced in the direction of the sound and squinted. “I’ve never heard a sound like that before... What is it?” Sunset asked.

Cinder lowered herself and placed a claw on one of the hilts of her swords and drew it carefully and slowly. When the blade was out of its sheath, Cinder kept low and used her good arm to signal for Sunset to stay out of the way.

“Stay back...” Cinder instructed.

The two watched carefully as over the hill in the distance a black scaly claw placed over the edge that pulled the rest of an emaciated body over the hill and revealed a set of long arms that were bony and sinewy. Its body was covered in small tendrils that seemed to move on their own as the creature groaned in pain while it came more into sight.

The rest of the monster looked like something right out of a horror movie. It moved uncomfortably, similar to that of a spider’s movement and its glowing green eyes locked onto them as it opened his sharp maw, drooling everywhere as it approached.

Sunset couldn’t tell too much about it just by looking, but she knew that the creature clearly lived in never-ending agony. It’s growls sounded like those of a creature in pain; pain mixed with hostility.

“What the fuck is that thing?” Sunset whispered.

“I think he’s thinking the same thing about us...” Cinder responded quietly as she readied her katana.

Without warning the creature leaped forward at incredible speeds. The two stepped out of the way and it landed a few inches from where they previously stood before leaping again. Cinder swung her blade just narrowly missing the monster which moved to avoid the sword.

Cinder stepped with the creature and kept her sword ready before pulling out her other blade, ready to strike again.

The monster leaped at her only to get caught in midair with both blades impaling its tough leathery stomach. With a quick motion, she flipped the creature over onto its back and pressed the swords deeper into it. It screeched and moaned as it writhed in pain and agony trying to get free.

She pulled the swords down, slicing the stomach open watching the disgusting blackened entrails leak out along with a black green-tinted sludge that Sunset imagined took the place of blood for this creature. Cinder took her blades and pierced them through the creature’s thin neck, and with a scissoring motion, she sliced its head clear off.

Sunset blinked and squinted at Cinder for the act of brutality, but the dragon just smiled at her and winked. “A warrior always double taps. Never turn your back on a foe unless they are dead.”

Conceding, Sunset admitted that such a tactic was smart, especially in a place like this.

“What is it though?” Sunset asked as she came forward to examine the corpse.

Cinder tapped the torso with her dripping blade and leaned in herself. “Not sure, I think it’s some kind of demon. Looks like he might have been hungry, hungry for us no doubt.”

“Do you think Serenade would eventually turn into one of these things?” Sunset asked.

“Hard to say, considering we don’t even really know what one of ‘these things’ really is.” Cinder shrugged before coming to a proper stand. The girl kept her blades at the ready. “Either way, we shouldn’t stay here, there’s probably more of these things all over this place, which means finding a way out is more imperative than before.”

“And unfortunately the suit’s systems are all mostly down. No navigation, no life support, no advanced weaponry, nothing.” Sunset frowned.

“That’s a damn shame, all of that stuff could be super useful right about now...” Cinder frowned.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, it blows, but at least it acts as armor, so that’s one benefit. Regardless, I think you’re right about staying here, we have to keep moving.”

“Let’s find a way out then.” Cinder nodded.

A Few Months Ago

Sunset and Cinder had been exploring for a good few hours, finding no clues that pointed to a way out of their dark prison. They also could not find much in the way of light sources, but they were both at least quite convinced they were not anywhere in Equestria anymore.

Along the way, they had passed at least eight dozen demons that had wanted to turn them into snacks, but with their combined combat prowess, the two girls were more than a match for any small-time underlings. Sunset had quickly adopted Cinder’s double-tap rule and ensured all of them were dead before they moved on.

The two came to a strange jagged hill with tons of the tendril plants they had seen many times hanging off of it, all of them swaying uncomfortably enough for even Sunset to shudder just looking at them. They didn’t feel natural, that was for sure.

Sunset tilted her head in confusion. “I feel like we’re never going to get out of here at this rate! We need to find a way out and fast!”

Cinder didn’t respond as she stood to examine a large flat rock. Sunset turned back to her now that Cinder had fallen behind, much to Sunset’s chagrin; to examine a massive stone.

The dragon ran her claw along with the stone and blinked as text appeared upon it in glowing red light. She was more surprised to see it had appeared in the common tongue of ponies. “Check this out, Sunset...” Cinder pointed to the rock.

Stepping closer, Sunset took a look. “Looks like some kind of log or something, or documentation.”

“What does it say?” Cinder asked.

Sunset found it odd that the language appeared in ponish as they hadn’t seen any evidence that this place spoke the same language as them, but she read it regardless.

‘Twas always pondered if these plains were crafted by deity, or they merely always were. No demon knows the truth, and there is no demon old enough to recall a time when the underworld did not exist. The Underworld is, has and always was. Its creation, a mystery. Its existence, timeless.

“Shit, so this place is the underworld then?” Cinder blinked.

“Looks like it,” Sunset said.

“Fuck... So we’re basically in hell then?” Cinder asked.

Sunset rubbed her neck, not wanting to think about it that way, but she couldn’t deny it. “Yeah... I guess that’s one way to put it...”

Cinder let out a hearty laugh. “Man, this is great!”

“I don’t know if I’d consider the situation we are in would be considered ‘great’ by many...” Sunset answered, surprised by Cinder’s excitement over their predicament.

Cinder shook her head. “Sunset, we get to be put to the ultimate test! This is like a warrior’s dream! We get to escape hell itself! That is going to give us like the permanent badass rank for the rest of our lives!”

“Well, I’m glad you’re thinking positive about it, still we need to really focus here to escape,” Sunset said. Truthfully the mare was a tad bit concerned about Cinder's overzealousness about it all. Then again, Sunset had little clue as to how life in Dragon Scar had affected the girl.

“I’ll bet you anything that if we can find more of these stones then we can learn more about this place and possibly even find a way out.” Cinder pointed out.

It wasn’t a certainty, but it was the only plan they had at the moment. “I suppose that’s what we’ll have to do then.”

A Few Months Ago

The two didn’t know how much time had passed, but they were fighting nearly every other hour, sleeping only for about an hour at a time while they traversed the dark plains of the underworld. Every step they took they were met with a new challenge, hundreds of demons were put to rest by their swords along the way.

They had found another set of stones after what felt like two days of walking, but they were quickly met with resistance in the form of hundreds of demons.

A larger one with hulking arms too a swing at Cinder only for her to block its swing with her mechanical arm. With a grunt, she took one of her katanas and impaled the creature in the gut, the sword got stuck in the process. She released the creature’s arm and ducked as the other arm swung.

With another quick motion, she pulled the sword out of its chest and jumped and slashed at its throat.

Looking over at Sunset who was dealing with a group of three approaching her, Cinder pulled out her other sword and tossed it in Sunset’s direction. “Sunset, catch!”

Reacting quickly, Sunset jumped and caught the sword’s hilt in her mouth and twirled on her way down, slashing one of the three in the face. She levitated the sword in the air with her magic and did a downward slash slicing another clean in half. She blinked as she was impressed by the sharpness of Cinder’s blade; the craftsmanship of the katana was immaculate.

Taking the blade in the air once more, Sunset took down the third demon as she backed herself up to where Cinder and she stood back to back. Cinder peeked over her shoulder and nodded at Sunset as they looked at the remaining demons that approached them.

With quick work, the two sliced down the remaining demons, but one of them knocked Cinder’s blade out of her claw. With a growl, she thrust her mechanical arm into the chest of the creature with her claws extended. The sharp metal talons pierced its chest with ease as she closed her claw and gripped whatever entrails she could find. With a quick jerk, she pulled out what she assumed was some kind of intestines out of the monster.

The creature fell to the ground in time for Sunset to jump and kick the last one on her side in the head, twisting its head until she heard a snap.

The two girls stood still for a moment before they lowered their weapons. Sunset levitated the sword that was knocked out of Cinder’s claw back to her, and she took it and sheathed it before Sunset offered the loaned sword back. The second sword, Cinder kept in her right claw.

Cinder wiped a bit of the black blood from her brow as Sunset did the same. Both were haggard-looking and exhausted, but they were remaining steadfast in their resolve.

Now that the demons were dealt with, Cinder nodded as Sunset approached the first of the two stones. Reaching forward she touched it and watched as the red lettering appeared before them. Sunset had concluded that the stones would appear in the language common to the one who touched it.

The plains of the underworld would occasionally be touched by mortals and those who would seek the power of hell. Most would perish, but a handful would escape these plains via the Hellfiend Gate. Its construction is unknown, but only those who pass the trials of the damned may utilize it to return to the world of mortals.

Many have tried, few have succeeded.

The gate stands at the edge of the Valor region, waiting to test all who would be foolish enough to attempt passing through it.

Sunset blinked and looked back at Cinder. “Well, now we at least know the way out.”

Cinder nodded. “I’m curious what these trials are, but by the sound of it, we’re not getting out so easily. It said that very few have ever made it through the gate.”

“Guess we will have to be at the top of our game then.” Sunset smirked.

The two looked over at the other stone in dread. What information could this other stone hold? Would it be more bad news for them? Neither expected positive prospects to be given.

Touching it, Cinder looked up as the text appeared before them.

The ancient ones wrote of a surface dweller who would conquer the underworld, pass the trials of demons and rise through the ranks to become one with the denizens of hell. One who possessed the resolve necessary to conquer hell itself. A champion unlike any other.

This prophecy became reality when she arrived for the first time in our domain. With unspeakable skill and brutality, she was able to slay hundreds. We bestowed upon her the unspeakable power of hell. She would return to these plains many times to face the trials of hell and each trial she passed with more cruelty and hatred than the last. The power we had given her growing each time; becoming deadlier with each pass.

Her heart was filled with hatred and bitterness, leaving no room for any positive emotion. Her blood filled with immeasurable disdain toward mortals. Hell foretold her arrival and with each trial she passed, she would push toward her final form, her ultimate destiny, to become the lord of all demons.

Her creation was hell’s greatest accomplishment and its greatest weapon. Those among the surface world will cower in fear at her tremendous power and might and would know her only by her mortal name: Serenade Dazzle.

Both Sunset and Cinder were speechless for a good few minutes. This was more to take in than either of them had imagined. Serenade had been to this place multiple times, and each time she apparently was more powerful than the last, but most importantly, hell foresaw her one day being the lord of all demons.

This spoke volumes of how dire their situation was. If Serenade wasn’t stopped soon, she would only get more powerful. Could Sunset even stop her then? Would she be able to kill the lord of all demons? Was such a feat even possible?

“Lord of all demons...” Cinder spoke quietly.

Sunset nodded. “Looks like Serenade is a far bigger threat than we ever imagined...”

“She has to be stopped...” Cinder replied.

“We can both agree there...” Sunset said.

A Few Months Ago

Another stone they had found conveniently gave the two girls a general direction of where to go as it had described the realm of hell in vivid detail. Paying close mind to descriptions they were able to find a few landmarks that helped them figure out where they were in relation to where they wanted to be. The Hellfiend Gate was at least a two-week walk from their current location by their estimation.

For food, they had found that some of the tendrils that grew out of the ground could be eaten if they used Cinder’s fire breath to cook them prior. They were slimy and sinewy, but they were obviously plants and not meat. It barely nourished them, but it had been enough to keep them going for several days at a time.

They were finding themselves more and more formidable every day. Hours of their time was spent fighting demons of increasing power and difficulty, finding themselves less tired after every fight.

Cinder’s respect for Sunset’s fighting prowess seemed to increase as time went on, and the two had become quite a formidable team. Their battle styles began to compliment each other and they soon found that they were a perfect match for combat. Sunset was confident that this symmetry would assist significantly in the fight against Serenade.

If they could conquer the Hellfiend Gate, then Serenade should fear them. They would pass through the same trials that she did after all.

With their resolve, they would make a rest stop in a cave. Their sleep schedule was the same as always, one would stay awake guarding while the other slept an hour and then they would switch. They would repeat for only eight hours, getting a total of four hours of sleep for the both of them.

At this point, they had learned to run on so little sleep that it was nothing to them anymore. Sunset dreamed of the day she could rest in her own bed again, but she put it out of her mind as she laid down, curling up and glancing over at Cinder who stood at the entrance to the cave. Both of them were hoping they wouldn’t be forced to wake up and fight an onslaught of demons as they had in the past.

Before closing her eyes, Sunset heard Cinder’s voice. “Sunset... Do you think this is where creatures can go when they die?”

Springing her eyes back open, Sunset glanced back over at her. Cinder’s back was to Sunset and her eyes focused entirely on the dark ground in front of the cave, keeping a watchful eye for creatures that they came to know as “slashers”, monsters with long narrow bodies and talons that stretched a good two feet. They would swipe at one with great force and vigor but fortunately were fairly slow-witted.

Sunset had not really given much thought to the idea of if ponies would go to this place upon death. Did that mean they were killing the remains of those who had already passed? They hadn’t found anything to support that idea. All the evidence they had found suggested that demons were born in this place with the exception of those from the surface world who became demons such as Serenade, however, it was possible.

That meant that Serenade was atypical for demons, as were any other demons who walked the surface world.

“I doubt it, but some of them might have once been surface dwellers...” Sunset suggested.

Cinder gave a gentle “hmm”, implying there was something on her mind.

Sunset was curious. “Something on your mind?”

“I was just thinking that maybe some that I have known could be these demons, you know?” Cinder spoke.

Sunset could tell there was more to that statement, but she was nervous about asking. Regardless, she found the fortitude to ask anyway.

“Something bothering you?” Sunset said.

Cinder shook her head. “I don’t know...”

Sunset could tell that wasn’t entirely true. “Is there someone you fear has become a demon?”

“Maybe.” Cinder’s answer was plain and without tone. It was clear to Sunset that she wasn’t going to get an answer by probing her any further.

A Few Months Ago

The flow of time was lost on the two misplaced girls who walked the realm of the forgotten and damned. Had it been a few weeks or a few months? They didn’t know. It was becoming increasingly harder to tell time. There was no night or day in the underworld, just never-ending night. Minutes felt like hours and hours felt like weeks.

With their irregular sleep schedule, telling time was completely impossible. Even the onboard computers for Sunset’s combat suit didn’t work to tell her the time or date. She hoped that the suit would all come back online the moment they made it back to the surface world, provided there was still one left.

It had occurred to Sunset that while they were gone, Princess Twilight or someone else would have had to take charge. Serenade would no doubt be bolder and more fierce now that she believed Glitch was out of her way, and that meant trouble. Could the Princess actually defeat Serenade? No, not without the spear, which was now stored in a magical holding system in Sunset’s suit that she currently couldn’t access.

The suit was able to store weapons for later use by placing them inside a magic displacement bubble and calling upon the items when necessary. With the suit offline though, Sunset had no ability to call the spear forward. It was not as though it would be useful in the demon world, however, as Sunset recalled Kiz’ warning of the enchantment she had put upon it. Its ability to repel darkness would wear off if Sunset used it too much and she needed to save that ability for Serenade. At that moment, the spear was the only thing giving any of them a fighting chance, provided they could get back to Equestria to use it in time.

What was happening back in Equestria, she wondered. Was Princess Twilight leading the charge in her stead? Was she getting the best of Serenade, or perhaps the Princess was already dead and Equestria was burning. Perhaps everything was already lost and they would come back to a pile of smoldering ash with Serenade standing atop of it, ready to take them out as well.

Sunset would chew her nails if she had any just thinking about it.

As Cinder and she walked, Sunset looked up at the dragon and frowned. “Say, Cinder.”

“Hm?” Cinder didn’t even turn to face her as the two kept marching together.

“Do you think Equestria is okay without us right now? Like do you think everything is safe?” Sunset asked.

“I could lie and tell you what you want to hear, but I know that would be a disservice to you, Sunset... No, I don’t think it is. I think Serenade is likely emboldened by our being trapped here and she’s probably off somewhere boiling ponies heads somewhere.” Cinder shrugged.

Sunset wanted to protest, but in actuality, she appreciated Cinder’s brutal honesty. While it may have not been what she wished she understood Cinder’s viewpoint. The reality was that Cinder’s voice was far more realistic. What were the actual odds that anyone could actually take her place in leading the rebellion? Not when they were that close to victory.

“We have to get out of this place, and fast” Sunset concluded.

“Agreed, but it’s easier said than done,” Cinder agreed.

The two stopped in their tracks as they gazed upon a landmark that they had recognized from the descriptions in the stones they had come across. It was a tall silvery crystal that had an unnatural sheen to it. Its light color made it stand out in the black mucky environment in which it sat as the two girls approached it.

The crystalline rock sparkled oddly in the poor lighting as Sunset reached toward it.

Cinder saw her reaching and did the same, moving her claw only inches from the rock.

The two knew this strange rock to be called “The Stone of Foresight”; supposedly a relic that allowed those who touched it to see the future that could be. The only drawback was that it often apparently only showed you what you needed to see, and never what you wanted to see.

Cinder and Sunset both glanced at each other once more but nodded as they turned back to face the stone and finally playing claw and hoof upon the rock.

Princess Twilight Sparkle rubbed her tired eyes as she looked over the last of her army taking formation. They had taken hold in Manehatten ready to raise their weapons to the oncoming threat. She was fortunate enough to have so many able-bodied willing ponies ready to serve at a moment’s notice.

Discord slithered in before her and gave a salute which Twilight returned. He frowned as he saw how serious she had become. The Twilight he knew was long gone, and in her place was a mare who was tired from war. Her mane had lost its luster and sheen, though far more grown out than when she cut it years ago. On her cheek was the scar that was now accompanied by another that went down half of her face.

While the marks on her body didn’t mar her beauty, her demeanor certainly did. This Twilight wasn’t the same that Discord had trained, she was instead a fearless leader prepared to die when necessary. She was comfortable meeting death head-on.

Discord coughed and cleared his throat. “So, all the troops are lined up. Rarity should be arriving momentarily.”

“Excellent work. Get yourself down to the frontline to the north so you’re ready to dish out some magic to give our most crucial flank support and backup,” Twilight instructed.

Discord didn’t bother arguing. He saluted her once more and stopped for a second before slithering away. He blinked before staring at her.

“What is it?” Twilight asked.

“Well... This is the last time we’ll see each other...” Discord responded.

Smiling, Twilight’s tough demeanor was broken for just a second as she leaned in and kissed him, touching her forehead to his own. “It’s been an honor serving with you, being trained by you and being with you.”

Petting her cheek gently with his claw, scratching the fur on her face affectionately, Discord nodded. “I’m terrible with goodbyes, but if there is another life after this, I hope we can see each other again in it.”

Twilight smiled. “Go get ready.”

Without lingering any longer, Discord nodded once more and took his exit. From the top of the building that was once a theater, she looked down at all the ponies preparing for the battle down below. The building she stood upon was at the center of Manehatten, giving her a perfect vantage point.

There were barricades surrounding all sides of the city, constructed of old junk and scrap metal to keep as many out as possible. Archers stood atop of these walls, ready to take out all down below who would try and break in. Their ballistas all loaded as they stood ready to fire the devices.

Twilight stood in silence as she looked to the north where she knew their foe would approach. As she stood, the gentle clap of delicate hooves approached, which Twilight instantly recognized as Rarity. She turned and nodded at the mare who now was sporting a short manecut less than two inches in length. She almost had the appearance of an effeminate boy without her long mane and makeup work.

Rarity gave a salute and lowered her hoof. Twilight’s attention was drawn to the small scar upon the girl’s lip which she had acquired in a previous battle.

“Good to see you, Rarity, what’s your status?” Twilight asked.

“The east wall is fortified as you requested,” Rarity answered quickly.

“Very good, see to it that you hold it as long as you can.” Twilight nodded.

Rarity blinked, a bit surprised by Twilight’s lack of input. She bit her tongue and said nothing until Twilight turned away and spoke once more.

“I’m sorry about Applejack, Rarity... I know you two were close...” Twilight nearly whispered.

With her ears twitching, Rarity looked over at Twilight with sad eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, Twilight. You did all you could do. She died trying to protect us all, and that’s the noblest way for her to go if you really think about it. It's how she would have wanted to go too.”

“She was a brave soul...” Twilight nodded in agreement.

“She was, and she’d want you to forgive yourself. We’ve lost so many in this war already, there’s no sense in blaming ourselves for anypony’s loss. Your mind should be on this fight, after all.” Rarity smiled.

Twilight said nothing, instead, she frowned more and closed her eyes.

“So, what’s the plan, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

There was silence. A silence that made concern grow in Rarity.

“Twilight?” Rarity stepped forward.

“There is none,” Twilight spoke so plainly, her voice devoid of any emotion. It was clearly a trick she had learned over the years to try and keep opposing parties at bay during an argument. In her years, Twilight had learned she was fairly easy to read, so she had learned how to mask her thoughts by hiding her emotion.

Rarity squinted, unsure if she even heard the mare correctly. It was rare that Princess Twilight Sparkle didn’t have a plan.

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked.

A sigh escaped Twilight as she closed her eyes and shook her head. “Rarity, we go way back, you were one of the first ponies I met when I began my path to become a princess in the first place...”

Rarity nodded. “Of course, darling. You were quite the ditzy one if I recall correctly.”

Twilight opened her eyes and stared forward, avoiding eye contact with Rarity, unsure if she could deliver the news to the mare with a face devoid of tears. “I have no plan, Rarity.”

“It’s not like you to ‘wing it’ as they say.” Rarity chuckled trying to lighten the mood.

The book-loving mare shook her head. “Rarity, I think you deserve to know the truth after all you’ve been through...”

The fashionista gulped but remained silent.

“We won’t win this fight,” Twilight responded coldly.

“So you mean...” Rarity bit her lip, not daring to finish that sentence, but knowing full well that Twilight would do so for her.

“Serenade will kill everypony here by the end of this battle...” Twilight said.

Rarity blinked and stepped forward. “What are you going to do!?”

“I’m going to die, like everypony else...” Twilight said.

“What!? You’re not thinking clearly, darling! This isn’t what Applejack would have wanted! She’d want you to keep fighting!” Rarity came closer but caught the side of Twilight’s face, seeing a tear stream down her cheek.

Rarity stepped back and placed her hoof upon her own chest with her lips parted slightly in concern.

“We’re going to go down fighting, but I can’t deny the reality of our situation any longer. We all will die, that’s a fact...” Twilight managed to get out.

“B-but we’re the last ponies left in Equestria... We’re the last Equestrians in the world... The last ponies alive, and even the last mortals alive!” Rarity protested.

Nodding, Twilight wiped her tears and focused her attention on the north gate with angry eyes. “Then we face extinction...”

“Y-you’re serious?” Rarity was hoping Twilight would say she was wrong, hoping she would say that she had found the resolve to push to come out on top, but nothing like that happened.

“Death welcomes all of us today, Rarity.” Twilight sighed.

Rarity grew silent as she thought about it. The concept of dying was something she always pushed out of her mind, but Twilight sounded sincere in her words. This mare truly was prepared to die and that meant all of them would follow. The end of the pony race and the end of mortals would come by sunset.

Straightening up, Rarity nodded as she internally accepted what was to come. “Well, regardless it’s been truly an honor to serve with you, Twilight. We never gave up hope, did we?”

Twilight grinned from the corner of her mouth. “Nope, even now, we’re going to fight until none of us are left. We may not win, but we aren’t going to just roll over for Serenade.”

“Celestia would be so proud...” Rarity nodded.

“Thanks, now you best get out there.” Twilight smiled.

Rarity gave a salute and like Discord before her took her leave. Twilight’s expression turned more neutral as she recalled Applejack’s death only a few months ago. When she thought of the mare though, she couldn’t even see the old friend she knew, but instead, she saw her haggard war-torn face. Her golden yellow mane had started to grey so quickly in the last eight years and her eyes had darkened from a lack of sleep.

The Applejack that grew up farming in Ponyville was such a distant memory that Twilight couldn’t even remember what she looked like.

War had changed them all, but with an end in sight, Twilight found herself relaxed. She should have been more concerned than she was, but the truth was: she was tired. She was tired of war, tired of fighting, tired of it all. Death awaited them, she knew she couldn’t escape it forever, and now all she wanted was to meet it head-on.

Sure, she still wanted to win, she still wanted to come out on top, but she recognized the odds were low. It was better to plan for the worst-case scenario instead.

A communication orb she kept on the roof with her began to glow with a black mist. She sighed and touched it to get it online, already knowing who was contacting her.

The orb glowed and whirred before a familiar face appeared. Serenade was almost unrecognizable from when Twilight first laid eyes upon her all those years ago. Almost a decade had passed and the face that was once a vision of pure beauty had been replaced with black skin which emanated a similar black mist.

Her maw had grown fangs, though she didn’t need to open it to speak. Her voice echoed through the air using her demonic power, instead.

The unicorn horn atop of her head had new company as two new curved black horns stuck out of the side of her head as well, much like that of a bull.

Yellow mane with red tips had been replaced with an astral yellow mane that resembled fire as it moved unnaturally with the tendrils that stuck out of her back.

Twilight stared down glowing red soulless eyes. Her pupils did not exist as energy emanated from those same eyes. She truly was a monster now, a face fitting of the title “Lord of the Demons”, surely. She lacked pupils, and instead, her eyes resembled a fire that would burn forever, burn with her hatred for everything around her.

The tendrils on the beast swayed about as she floated in the air, her body weightless as she levitated without the aid of wings or magic. Walking was now an obsolete task for her, her power was too immense.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle... You have eluded me for far too long...” Serenade’s voice was a mixture of the voice Twilight knew and a demonic tone over the top of it that was deep and ominous.

“Eight years, I’d say that’s a good run, right?” Twilight attempted to make light of the situation, even though she knew that the days of being able to taunt Serenade were long behind her. This version of the siren lacked any and all sense of humor.

“Your eluding was pointless, death awaited you from the start and you accomplish nothing by hiding from him, eventually death finds you. Your efforts were futile from the start. Death awaits all mortals,” Serenade lectured.

Twilight sighed as she gritted herself. She knew it was likely impossible, but she felt compelled enough try what she did next.

“Serenade, I don’t really know what it was that mortals did to you to gain your ire, but maybe there’s a way we can find peace? You don’t need to kill anypony else, if you continue this path you’ll be wiping an entire species of creature off of the planet. Please, I ask you to reconsider. Nopony else has to die.” Twilight pleaded.

Not blinking, flinching or even really reacting, Serenade responded curtly. “Peace with savages is not possible.”

“What happened to you to make you like this, Serenade? Whoever hurt you, can you not see that you’re being worse than they are? You’ve murdered millions, most of which have had nothing to do with the pain you evidently went through. What you’re doing is genocide, please consider stopping before it’s too late to go back, don’t take your anger out on the innocent...” Twilight pleaded.

Serenade looked up for a brief second before shaking her head. Her voice pierced Twilight’s ears with sharpness. “No mortal is innocent. Mortals are little more than a disease on this world. I have seen the future and that future is one without mortals and mortal sympathizers. You can either lay down and die quickly, or you can resist your fate and draw it out, it makes no difference to me. I have achieved a form that puts me on par with Goddesses thus making your death a certainty, Twilight Sparkle.”

“So that’s it then? You’re going to wipe out the remainder of our species because of your hatred? I hope you’re prepared to live with that blood on your hooves...” Twilight shook her head.

“I look forward to ripping you apart, Twilight Sparkle.” Serenade ended the communication with those words.

Twilight let out a sigh as she could see the many demons pouring toward the entrances of the city, ready to fight on Serenade’s behalf. Somewhere out there was the siren herself, Twilight was certain of that. All the key players in the resistance, Serenade would want to kill each of them personally as she had in the past.

Her group was down to Rarity, Discord, Sonata, and Rainbow Dash. She missed the guidance of Glitch and Cinder. When they were swallowed up by the demonic energy that Serenade unleashed upon them eight years prior, the hope for their rebellion died with them. The Siren’s Bane and Sunset’s magic went with them, and thus any real chance at winning.

They were likely dead at this point, but even if they weren’t, it wouldn’t matter. Even if Sunset were to return as Glitch with Cinder at her side, the damage was done and Serenade had achieved a power level that made her virtually invincible.

The mare levitated a bottle from inside of a bag that was tucked away behind a vent up upon the roof. Inside the bottle after Twilight popped the cork off, was a fine wine that Rarity had gifted her to celebrate their victory.

No victory awaited them but Twilight was going to be damned if she let Rarity’s present go to waste. She downed the entire bottle in a matter of minutes before tossing it carelessly aside.

Serenade’s demons showed little to no concern for their own well being, and no mercy as well. The first wave coming toward Rarity and her entourage of stallions and mares were weaklings; lesser demons that they had come to refer to as “grunts”. They were a cannon fodder creature sent in small groups often to patrol and take out ponies who were caught pre-occupied. Alone, they weren’t much of a threat, but in a group they were formidable.

Rarity recalled how Applejack used to dispense them and cleave them in half with her impressive strength. Though Applejack was dead, her teachings lived on in the fashionista who picked up a trick or two from her longtime friend. Her passion now that Applejack was dead also aided in fueling her desire to confront Serenade. Defeating the demon siren was likely impossible, but Rarity was keen on meeting her end the same way that Applejack did: bravely, without turning back.

Her group was keeping their area fortified with extreme ease until a familiar war cry was heard. It was both eerie and off-putting, but Rarity recognized it. Many among the rebellion members came to refer to these creatures as “screechers”, identified by their horrifying blood-curling screech they emitted before launching into an attack. Unlike maulers which they had come to know, screechers were full-sized, far faster and capable of feats of agility that maulers were not.

A standard mauler could leap a good distance and grab onto a pony as it tried to dig its teeth into their flesh, but that was about the extent of their abilities.

A screecher, however, was able to bolt long distances, jump far higher than a mauler, and even climb up verticals surfaces much like a spider with ease.

Rarity wasn’t exactly sure what they were prior to becoming such a creature, or if they were born as disgusting piles of vile in the demon world. Either way, they were easily identified by their slender and thin form, and their long sharp claws on all four feet.

Drawing a sword, Rarity readied herself. The first one jumped over the crowd of lesser demons and came directly for the stallion behind her. Jumping into the air, Rarity impaled the creature’s soft stomach and brought it down with her hoof mounted blade.

Another one came at full speed, this time the stallion originally targeted took it out. He looked at Rarity and gave her an approving nod which she returned. Her small team of ponies worked together, taking out a mixture of Screamers and the other lesser demons. They lost a good eight fighters in a short time, but they stood strong.

Once a fresh hoard approached, Rarity stepped back, realizing she would be outnumbered quickly. Her fellow fighters stood their ground, but when the sizable hoard of demons poured in, they all began to fall back with her, realizing that holding the entryway was far less feasible than taking the high ground to pick the enemy off from afar.

Either way, the hoard was proving too much for them all to handle, but Rarity’s focus on them was broken when she noticed the creature backing them up, coming from behind the slew of demons. It floated in the air with black tendrils whipping about, looking for fresh prey to take into its hold.

Its soulless glowing red eyes made Rarity freeze for a moment. They were the same red eyes that Applejack had stared down when she met her end. Rarity wondered what had gone through the mare’s mind when she had only seconds left. This creature had murdered the pony she cared about most, and not it was here to end her as well.

Lowering her blade, Rarity stared as Serenade diced her way through the crowd attempting to have at her with their weapons. She would hack her own demons in half to get to her pony prey even, a true demonstration of her ruthlessness. After hacking and slashing her way through the crowds, Rarity came only a few feet away from the face of madness.

Serenade paused and just floated there, examining Rarity.

Rarity said nothing; she merely stared back.

The silence would be broken by Serenade who spoke up, her distorted voice sending chills down Rarity’s spine. “Aren’t you going to beg me to spare your life? Perhaps offer to join me in a pathetic attempt to get me the let you live? Or maybe you wish to offer the lives of others to spare yourself?”

Brushing a lock of her tattered mane out of her face, Rarity noticed how grimy her mane had become. Years ago, she would have fussed over her mane and cared for it dearly. However, with the war going on, she had changed her priorities. Rarity had grown into a different mare, and that mare was the one who stood before Serenade now, not who she once was.

In the past, she may have feared for her life and tried to find a way to escape Serenade’s threat, but that mare was gone, and now the tired war-torn Rarity stood in her place. If anything, she welcome death, it meant she could be with her friends once more.

She shook her head and smirked. “You won’t get anything out of me. I won’t beg you for anything. You’ve wanted us all to bow before you, and I will never bow. I’ll never see you as better than me, and I’ll never accept you as greater.”

“Are you certain those are the last words you wish to leave this world with?” Serenade asked.

Rarity shook her head, her smirk growing. “No, I’ll take a page from Applejack’s book: do your worst, bitch.”

Serenade laughed as a tendril came closer to Rarity from her back. “I admire your gusto. It’s too bad such a thing is wasted on an inferior being such as yourself. Maybe if you were born correctly you could have made a fine siren.”

“I’d rather be dead than become what you are; a freak.” Rarity laughed.

“Consider your wish granted.”

With that last sentence, Serenade impaled the mare through her ear, the tendril coming out the other side spurting blood from the new opening in her skull. Quickly she dropped the limp body and admired her work. Another one of Twilight’s closest friends dead at Serenade’s hooves. She was only a few small steps away from her prize; Twilight Sparkle and the end of Equestria forever.

Serenade and Discord’s power clashed many times over in several bouts of strength that saw Serenade as the victor. Each bout giving Serenade more dominance over him as she felt his power begin to wane. Discord had tremendous magical abilities, but they were nothing compared to the demonic power that Serenade had acquired in the past eight years.

Her ascended form as the demon lord was proving too much of a match even for the spirit of chaos. She was near invincible, and there were none alive that could match her strength and he knew that. With Twilight’s training and practice her power had surpassed even his own, but it would not be enough and he was certain of that. In a different reality, he might have been able to appreciate his student far more, but given the circumstances, it was a challenge.

Serenade was fresh off of the kill of Rarity and her confidence had soared to unreal levels. Discord would prove a greater challenge for her considerable strength, but still a cakewalk.

The two met each other’s energy blast with Discord barely deflecting the attack, panting as he lowered to the ground, unable to sustain his ability to levitate while exhausting so much magic at once. His reserves were running low and he could feel it. His body screamed to stop, but he knew there was little point in listening to such warnings. Death was already there to claim him, so what difference did it make if he broke his body in the process?

Serenade floated in the air effortlessly as she stared down the draconequus. She giggled as she readied another attack. “Discord, why not roll over and die for me?”

Foreseeing the attack, Discord moved out of the way, narrowly dodging a black energy beam that came from her right hoof. He huffed and panted as he picked himself up, not taking his eyes off of the demon.

“And make it easy for you? Where’s the fun in that?” Discord retorted.

“It’s a shame... Killing an immortal like yourself...” Serenade shook her head, though her voice betrayed her words as it reeked with pleasure.

“I suppose you could let me live then.” Discord joked.

“Cute, but no. You’ve chosen to ally with mortals, you are tainted just as they are.” She shook her head.

“It was worth a try.” Discord shrugged.

“Why do you waste your time helping Twilight Sparkle? She is an inferior mortal. Have you forgotten at one point she imprisoned you? Her mentor did the same before her as well. That is what mortals do; they commit horrible acts of cruelty for the hell of it,” Serenade lectured.

“I suppose what you’re doing is the equivalent of handing out free puppies then?” Discord raised a brow.

Serenade unleashed another blast which Discord moved out of the way for. His tail got scorched in the process, but he was otherwise unscathed.

“Mortals are a problem, I am merely the solution,” Serenade explained.

“Maybe, but I will stand by Twilight on this one...” Discord shook his head.

“Why though?” She asked.

Discord bit his lip but decided there was no point in hiding it anymore. “I love her.”

Serenade let out a throaty laugh as she gripped her stomach. She shook her head in disappointment before responding. “Love... A pointless emotion. Weakness that allows one to make themselves needlessly vulnerable.”

“Maybe that’s how you see it, but it isn’t how I see it...” Discord sighed.

“Nothing good ever comes from loving a mortal.” Serenade growled.

“I can see how you’d think that... No one would ever love you, not if they saw what you were inside. At one point you had a pretty face, but behind that mask... Is the face you wear now which is a better representation of what you really are; a horrible monster. A freak that has no place in the world, and that’s why you have to wipe everything not like you out because it’s the only way that a freak like you will ever be at peace...” Discord spoke.

Serenade hissed, throwing another blast in his direction, this one hitting him in the shoulder, staggering him. The blast didn’t seem to hinder his ability to continue to insult her, however.

“The irony is even when you kill me and everypony else... You’ll never find peace.” He gripped his now bleeding shoulder and smirked.

“You’ll always be alone. You’ll always be miserable, nothing will change that,” Discord mocked.

“And you’ll be dead.” Serenade growled, throwing another blast at him.

It was a direct hit, blowing his other arm clean off. Blood spattered out of the wound which he gripped with his remaining arm. He huffed and groaned in agony but kept eye contact with the demon before him.

“Dead is better than the fate that awaits you...” He panted.

Blood leaked out of the new wound that he gripped as he continued. “You’ll spend the rest of eternity in unspeakable never-ending agony. Nothing will ever make you feel fulfilled. I may have spent a thousand years in a prison created by Celestia, but you’ve already made your own prison. You’ll spend the rest of eternity here longing for a purpose that’ll never come.”

“You sure talk a lot of shit for someone who’s about to die...” Serenade sneered.

“I have my friends, and because of them... It made all of this worth it... What about you? Was it all worth it? Do you feel fulfilled yet? Death is quick, it’ll be over before I know it... But your punishment... It’s forever. I don’t envy you at all...” Discord spat out blood as he slowly felt death take him. He had lost a significant amount of blood, enough to where he knew he could not recover from.

Serenade floated forward, her black tendrils flaring as she came only a few feet from Discord. Her expression became very serious and unimpressed by his words. A tendril reached out and stuck itself into his fresh wound and wiggled into it. He screamed in pain as the burning sensation overtook him. Black smoke came from his body as the demonic appendage seared his insides as it wormed its way in.

Serenade made powerful eye contact as she slowly killed him with the attack. “The opinions of lesser beings are irrelevant to me.”

Between screams, Discord looked her in the eye and cursed. “You’re worthless... Slime... Literal garbage... No use to anyone...”

His words seemed to have no effect on her. “Your Glitch couldn’t save you, nor could Twilight Sparkle, and likewise your words won’t either.”

The tendril after worming through his system popped out through a new opening in his stomach, with intestines wrapped around it. Discord gasped but froze for a few seconds before going limp. Serenade held him there for a few seconds before retracting the appendage, allowing his body to drop to the dirt.

Serenade scoffed and spat on his body.

With demons pouring in, Rainbow Dash had her hooves full. With the advantage of flight, she could survey the city which made it easy to see that Rarity’s formation had been broken, along with Discord’s. That meant only one thing: Serenade had killed them.

She wished she had even a minute to mourn for her lost friends, but there really wasn’t any time. She had to lead the remaining surviving pegasi into battle.

Flying demons came their way, and Rainbow along with her eight remaining pegasi initiated a counter-attack. It wasn’t much, but it was at least enough to keep the demons at bay for a small time longer. On the ground, earth ponies fought with blades against the ground-based demons while Rainbow and her entourage would try to control the sky.

Rising from the distance in the district of the city that Rainbow knew Discord was guarding was a black figure that levitated into the sky with ease. The closer it drew, the more features of it Rainbow could make out, most notably its whipping tendrils on its back. There was no mistaking the creature, it was Serenade.

Bracing for the encounter Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and exhaled. She closed her eyes and then opened them before issuing a command to her fighters. “Everypony, ten o'clock, demon lord incoming!”

Her orders caused all of them to turn their heads and open their mouths in awe as they witnessed the approaching Serenade. The demon was careful and patient in her approach, but she moved with purpose.

Rainbow got a good look at her as she drew closer. It amazed her that the creature which resembled something straight out of a nightmare was once the same siren that she had referred to as attractive. Serenade paused in front of her and smiled.

“Rainbow Dash, if I recall correctly?” Serenade spoke, her distorted voice sending chills up the entire group’s collective spines.

“Did you do something with your hair, baby? I don’t like it.” Rainbow joked.

“I suppose you’re choosing to die with a sense of humor at the very least.” Serenade chuckled lightly.

Turned her head and smirking from the side, Rainbow didn’t dare give Serenade the satisfaction of her fear. That was the one thing that Serenade wanted, and Rainbow knew it, but she’d be damned if she gave it to her. Serenade didn’t deserve her fear.

“I’m just amazed that somepony who was so gorgeous could turn into something as hideous as you. Literally, I’ve stepped in manure better looking than you now,” Rainbow said.

“It’s nothing compared to how all of you will look when I am done with you...” Serenade’s words were strained and deliberate. There was little doubt in Rainbow’s mind that she could deliver on that promise.

The remaining eight flyers began to form a circle around Serenade, hoping that being able to flank her from all sides would at least give them some kind of fighting chance, though it was probably in vein at that point since Serenade’s tendrils appeared to have minds of their own and all began to move and follow each flyer that surrounded her.

She let out a throaty laugh as she eyed each of them. “See, the boys still flock to me, Rainbow Dash. Now, which of you wants it first? Forewarning, my way of rocking your world is incredibly painful.”

They all hesitated, but before any of them could move, all of her tendrils shot out piercing each one of them in the ear, rooting into their skull and grey matter. They wormed through their brain tissue and pulled out just as quickly.

All eight of them stopped flapping their wings and their bodies all fell down to the earth below as Rainbow Dash watched with wide eyes. Serenade giggled as the tendrils came back to her. “I guess they couldn’t handle me.”

Rainbow was silent as the mare stared her down with her glowing red eyes. The lack of pupils and irises only aided in making her look less natural. Her black skin radiated an awful-looking black mist as she levitated there in the sky. Rainbow could hardly believe that the creature that floated before her was once an incredibly pretty mare whom under different circumstances would have been high on her list of mares-to-bang.

Her eyes never leaving Rainbow Dash as they floated, Serenade smiled at the now approaching middle-aged mare. “So, do you want it fast or rough?”

“Normally I’m all about speed, but you know what? Do it rough. Hell, I want to experience your absolute worst.” Rainbow smiled back.

“My worst is often considered unbearable, but have it your way...” Serenade shrugged.

A tendril gripped Rainbow’s front right hoof before another quickly snagged the other one. Rainbow attempted to move out of the way, but the serpent-like tendrils grabbed her before she could even react.

Another quickly wrapped around her stomach and held her in place while a long skinny one quickly pushed its way into her mouth. Rainbow struggled and attempted to bite it off, but it seemed far tougher than it looks. The slimy appendage didn’t even bruise as she attempted to free herself.

She groaned in agony before Serenade made another tendril come out and grip Rainbow’s left wing. The mare choked and spoke through strained words. “I-I’m fine.”

With a sinister smirk, Serenade began to tug at the wing, close to where the rest of her body and her wing met. With a few tugs, Rainbow and Serenade both heard an audible snap before the wing was severed and torn off. Rainbow screamed in agony as blood spurted from the opening.

Serenade smirked. “A pegasus’ wings are the most sensitive part of their body if I recall correctly, so that must have hurt a great deal, didn't it?”

Rainbow gritted her teeth and tried to hold in her cries, not wanting to give Serenade the satisfaction. Serenade giggled and gripped the other wing with one of her long tendrils before snapping it as well. “FUCK!” Rainbow screamed.

“How does it feel to be permanently grounded? To know that the only thing keeping you in the sky now is me holding you here?” Serenade taunted.

Looking the demon in the eyes, Rainbow held back her tears as blood oozed out of the two new holes in her body. She could feel herself losing more and more blood; life was leaving her body and if there was ever a moment in her life where she felt almost at one with death, it was that moment. She was ready to die, she was prepared to meet her end.

As they held a powerful stare at each other Rainbow choked out her next words. “Blow it... out your ass... cunt...”

“Strong words coming from a dead mare.” Serenade’s grip around Rainbow’s waist tightened, causing an audible grunt from the prismatic haired mare.

“You’re... No better than the ponies... you kill...” Rainbow spat.

“I’m a thousand times better than them.” Serenade corrected.

“The only thing you’re better at is being a waste of space. Even if you kill me, your entire existence is garbage. You’ll go down in history as the greatest piece of shit that ever lived...” Rainbow Dash managed to get out.

“History is written by winners, and I am the winner in this contest.” Serenade’s words were sharp as she squeezed tightly, her tendril snapping the mare in half. Her glowing eyes followed the two halves as they fell to the earth below.

As she was looking down, she could see the image of a familiar mare that had aided Twilight Sparkle and Glitch in the past. A siren, just like her, but one who had lost her amulet at the time. Somehow she had acquired a new one, but it was no matter; the girl was no match for Serenade’s “pet”.

With a sinister smirk, Serenade concentrated her thoughts so she could communicate telepathically with her subordinate.

Arax, go kill her.

Upon getting the order, Arax went into motion quickly. He chased the young siren that his master had sent him to kill swiftly until he had backed her into a corner in an alleyway that she had foolishly made a wrong turn into.

The blue maned siren stared him down to get a good look at him. She had only seen the changeling a few times prior, but now he looked far different. Black demonic energy clung to his body tightly looking almost like a disgusting growth on her neck and upper back. It flared and moved ghoulishly as he stood with evil eyes, staring her down.

Sonata stood her ground and prepared herself for not only a fight but perhaps the last fight of her life. She was tired of being a victim, she was tired of others needing to protect her. Today she would stand on her own, even if it was the last time she would stand at all. She would stand up for herself, and she would stand up for Aria who sacrificed herself for Sonata.

With a deep breath, she faced the changeling and gave him a scowl. He just gave her a blank expression as he spoke in a distorted voice with shining red eyes. “A fitting end for a creature that chose to burn with the inferior beings...”

Sonata shook her head. “You don’t scare me. You’re just another slave to Serenade, a weakling that couldn’t stand on their own!”

“Serenade is all there ever will be, you are foolish to not see that. She has transcended beyond mortal comprehension. Her power can not be matched, her might can not be challenged. All who stand in her path will meet certain death. The end of mortals was inevitable, you simply chose the wrong side...” Arax spoke.

Squinting, Sonata spat. “You were mortal once...”

“A past that is long forgotten...” Arax responded.

It was clear to Sonata that his heart had been completely eclipsed by the darkness within him. There was no point in reasoning with such a creature, instead, she stood tall and asked his intentions.

“So you’re going to kill me now?” Sonata asked.

He shook his head. “No, that task shall fall upon my slave...”

She blinked at the irony of his statement. He himself was nothing more than a slave to Serenade and yet he had a slave of his own.

Rising from the shadows a creature began to assemble, their body being formed from black mist before their full form appeared before them. Her eyes like Arax’s glowed with an eerie unnatural glow, though hers were a blue tint. Her long curled mane was recognizable as Sonata had seen photos of this mare before in Twilight’s quarters.

Her name was Starlight Glimmer, the former student of Twilight. She had been captured by Serenade nearly a decade ago and now she stood decorated in gorgeous robes, with perfectly maintained mane.

Upon her neck though was a strange collar that looked as though it was alive, breathing with her, black vines wrapped around her neck like barbed wire but living. She wondered if it always looked like that or like everything else with demonic powers it had grown more gruesome and horrific to look at as time passed.

“Starlight, kill her, my pet...” Arax purred.

Starlight nodded in obedience. “Yes, master...”

Sonata felt a sharp pain in her chest. This mare at one point pledged her loyalty to Twilight’s cause, she stood with Twilight to protect Equestria and she was the one who apparently sacrificed herself so that Twilight could come to the human world and recruit her, Aria and Sunset to save Equestria, and now she stood before her as nothing more than a slave to the very enemy they set out to destroy.

Darkness had corrupted even her, it had taken her and twisted her against all she once loved. Could such a fate have happened to Adagio with enough time too? Sonata didn’t want to know, but just the thought brought pain to her.

“Starlight... I’m working with Twilight, don’t you remember her?” Sonata asked.

Starlight shook her head as a black mist formed a series of spikes that levitated in the air, ready to strike.

“I was blind to the truth about mortals in the past, they are little more than a disease and Serenade will cleanse the world of them... Twilight was wasting her time from the start, I can see that clearly now...” Starlight’s voice like Arax’s was distorted with dark tones, it sounded unreal.

“You don’t mean that...” Sonata could feel tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Irrelevant. All mortals and mortal sympathizers must be destroyed, it’s the only path to true peace on this planet. So long as mortals live, they will continue to destroy, it is their way of life after all...” Starlight spoke solemnly.

Sonata shook her head. “The friendships that I’ve built, to me they are proof that mortals can do more than destroy!”

“Then you are just as blind as they are...” Starlight said.

“I guess you’ll never know...” Sonata closed her eyes.

As she stood there, she contemplated whether she should mount a counter-attack. With the amulet that Kiz had gifted her, she could at the very least put up quite a fight. She might have had enough power to defeat Starlight, and maybe even Arax, but there was no doubt that Serenade would ultimately undo her. Her abilities would run out long before she stood a chance against the demon lord, even with the tremendous power that Kiz had gifted her.

There was no point in fighting back. There was no chance of survival. Death was to find her today, and she was ready for it.

Instead of resisting, Sonata kept her eyes closed and relaxed herself. As the black needle-like blades approached her, Sonata’s mind was at peace. In her mind, she could see the smiling face of Adagio waiting for her, and right there next to her with a cheeky familiar grin was Aria.

She could feel nothing, but the last words she heard in her head were those of her two dearest sirens calling to her.

Now we’ll be together again.

With Arax on the task of hunting down Sonata, Serenade progressed closer to the center of the city where she knew Twilight to be. She could sense the mare, she could taste her power, power not yet claimed by her. It tasted delicious, like the most delectable forbidden treat just looming in the air begging to be tasted.

She had held Twilight’s power once before, but the thrill of holding it again was the greatest high she had ever experienced. Truly, she could have obliterated the city in a quick blast with her oubliette, but where was the fun in that? Where were the thrills in ending it so quickly? Twilight didn’t deserve such a quick death, it needed to be slow, painful, personal.

The feeling of her teeth in Twilight’s neck would be the greatest thrill she had ever experienced. In her entire life, Serenade had never known sexual pleasure, but she assumed it could compare to the thrill she got right before the kill, right before her prey’s last breath. That feeling made her quiver with delight, it made every part of her body tingle with excitement. There was little joy in ending it so quickly. She wanted to draw it out, she wanted to savor it.

She contemplated keeping the mare alive for weeks on end, maybe even as long as eight months or so just to torture her, make her beg for death and only give it to her after she was bored with her. It was the least she could do for the mare causing her such annoyance.

Twilight had eluded her for too long. She had played her for a fool far too many times.

The only thing that would compare to killing Twilight was killing Glitch. Serenade regretted sending him to the demon world to be killed as she had robbed herself the pleasure of doing it herself. She wanted to see his face, she wanted to taste his fear as she killed him. There was little that could be done now though. Glitch was gone, and all that was left now was Twilight Sparkle.

As she levitated toward the entrance to the building where Twilight had taken refuge, in her path two creatures she instantly identified as sirens stood in her path with a third behind them.

Serenade squinted at the three. “So Twilight has fooled more sirens into siding with mortals? No matter, if you choose to stand with mortals, you choose to die with them.”

The black one scowled at the demon lord. “Bite your tongue, we are more than just sirens. We are-“

Her words ended there as a tendril lunged forward and pierced her through the eye, coming out the back of her skull. In the same quick motion, she dropped the mare’s body to the ground before piercing the other standing in the front, shattering her glasses as she did.

All that remained now was the green-haired one who stood with a gentle smile upon her face.

With all that was transpiring before her, she was smiling?

“I am curious... Why would a siren align themselves with these pathetic wastes of life?” Serenade asked the smiling mare.

The mare stepped forward, the sound of her many earrings and accessories rattled as she walked. Serenade took note of her many golden bangles.

“Thou art Serenade Dazzle, surely?” Her voice was so sugary sweet, so soft and elegant.

Right away Serenade could tell this siren was old. Her speech patterns were insanely outdated.

“Who are you?” Serenade demanded.

Gesturing to herself gently, the mare spoke. “Thine name is Kiz of Ectra.”

Serenade’s eyes widened. “Kiz!? That’s not possible...”

“Thou art familiar with thine.” Kiz nodded.

Serenade was in disbelief. It was said that Kiz was the oldest of their kind that still lived, that she was around to even speak with the great siren mother herself.

It doesn’t matter though. Serenade thought to herself. This mare was siding with mortals.

“Why are you helping them? You’re an immortal, just like me!”

Kiz shook her head. “Like thou, thine are not. Immortal, yes, yet we share little beyond such.”

Serenade hissed. “Have you not seen what mortals do!? How they destroy everything they touch!?”

“The like could be quoth for thou...” Kiz raised a brow.

The anger inside of Serenade only grew from that statement. “How dare you compare me to them! I am not destroying, I am cleansing! I am cleaning up the disease that they have left behind, I’m purifying the world to be a better place without them!”

Kiz smirked. “Bid it what thou shall, however, thou still bear the skin of a demon. Demons can only confound, it is all they are capable of. Bloodthirst is ne’r quenched, young Serenade.”

“So what? You’re saying you think I’ll just keep killing forever? Ever after the mortals are gone?” Serenade asked.

“I wot it be true.” Kiz’ words were plain and simple, her tone suggesting there was little doubt in her mind.

She thought that she had Serenade all figured out. She clearly believed she understood everything that went on in the demon’s head, and it pissed her off.

With a hushed tone, Serenade spoke between vicious fangs. “You may be the queen of sirens... You may even be the oldest of us all, but if you should choose to side with mortals...”

She paused but continued. “If you choose to stand in solidarity with the scum of the earth...” Looking up, her glowing eyes began to glow brighter as the tendrils on her back flared. “Then you choose to die with them!”

Kiz only smiled once more, even in the end, she refused to show a weaker side of herself. “Afeard, I am not.”

“Good! Then stand there and die!” Serenade’s tendrils whipped about viciously, ready to capture any prey that got too close.

“Killing me shall not end thy suffering.” Kiz grinned.

“Let’s find out!” Serenade lunged forward with full force.

Twilight sat with the bottle of wine in hoof, drinking directly from it. She had watched down below and peered through a scrying orb to keep a close eye on what was happening in the city. She knew all of her friends were now dead, along with Kiz whom Serenade had just recently slain.

That was it then, all of the ponies in the city were now dead, all of her commanding officers were gone, and now it was merely seconds before Serenade arrived before her to finish her off.

Twilight sat there with the bottle in hoof realizing that at that very moment she was the last living mortal on the face of the planet. The end of all mortal races would come with her death. She truly was witnessing the end of an era. The age of mortals would end and the dark age that Serenade brought forth would be the future and there was nothing she could do about it.

She had fought hard, she had tried her best and she had been determined to go down with vigor and fight with everything she had, but it wasn’t enough.

Her thoughts fell back onto Sunset Shimmer, the mare she had bet everything on. Things really were looking up when she first arrived, it was almost as if they actually stood a fighting chance. This was only bolstered when Kiz appeared before them to deliver the Siren’s bane, a weapon that promised to give them the advantage over Serenade.

Fate was cruel, however, and Sunset along with Cinder were both pulled into a demonic vortex where they never returned eight years ago. They had tried to pick up the pieces, and many rose up to take on the job that Glitch had left behind, such as Applejack, however, nopony had the same abilities as Glitch had. Without the suit and without the spear, all they were able to actually accomplish was biding their time until the inevitable finally arrived.

That inevitable reality was now upon her; Serenade’s ultimate victory. She would win and Twilight would die, that was how it was to be.

The door to the roof burst open and sure enough, the demon lord herself appeared, floating off of the ground with a smug expression. “Well, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship... Where are your friends now?”

Twilight continued sitting. She took a swig from the bottle and spoke in a monotone voice. “All dead thanks to you.”

“I suppose my handiwork is something to be marveled at, isn’t it?” Serenade grinned as she approached just a few inches closer, stopping as she savored the moment. Twilight Sparkle was powerless to stop her, and she now had the mare cornered. There wasn’t anywhere to run, anywhere to hide, this was it. Twilight Sparkle would die by her hoof in only a few moments; the excitement was unbearable.

“You’ve truly proven that you’re the greatest monster to ever walk the face of this earth, I hope you’re proud of yourself.” Twilight shrugged, not wanting to give her any satisfaction.

“You’re the last of your kind... The end of an entire species... After this, you’ll be extinct, and I will be the cause of that extinction, I wonder what that makes me...” Serenade inched ever closer.

“The worst bitch to ever exist. History books will need to be filled just to document what a horrible waste of life you are.” Twilight snapped back.

Serenade came deathly close to Twilight, staring the mare down. The two were silent for a brief moment before Serenade nearly whispered her threat. “Any last words, Twilight Sparkle?”

“Your mother should have told you not to play with your food, just get it over with.”

Twilight shattered the wine bottle in her hoof and stood tall, ready to meet her end.

It was the end of the mortal race, but the only thing on Twilight’s mind was how she wished she could have saved Glitch, maybe then none of this had to happen.

Author's Note

Wow, it's been a while since I've done this hasn't it? Sorry about the delay, I really needed the time off. I know I wanted to do this story without any pauses in between, but life doesn't always allow that. I've been going through a lot with my personal life and work, so I really just needed that month off. I wanted to make it up to everyone though by putting out a chapter that was detailed and also beefy to apologize for the long wait. I sincerely hope it was worth the wait though!

Applety returns as the artist for this chapter and for the current time it looks like she'll continue to do so.

There's a lot to unpack in this chapter, but it was actually originally going to be a lot longer but it had to be split into two chapters.

Fun fact: this is now the longest chapter in the entire story to date.

Act VI - Chapter LXLV: Horrors

Chapter LXLV: Horrors

A Few Months Ago

Sunset and Glitch removed their hoof and claw (respectively) from the stone and blinked a few times. Sunset panted lightly as she took in what the two of them had just witnessed, confused as to why they had just been shown such a thing. What was that all? Twilight and her friends, all dead, eight years had passed? Had they really spent eight years in this place?

It had occurred to her that her concept of time was completely shot in this place. It was hard to tell when the day ended and night began, and their poor sleep schedule meant that it became ever more challenging to discern the two. Was it feasible that they had actually somehow let eight years slip away?

“What the hell was that?” Sunset asked.

Cinder seemed to manage to keep her cool (as always), and she squinted as she stared down the stone. “Some kind of vision, I think.”

“Could we really have spent eight years here? Is it even possible?” Sunset questioned.

Cinder shrugged. “This place is strange. It’s very possible that time moves faster in here than outside, but it’s also possible that we’ve lost all concept of time considering I don’t think either of us ever remembers getting here, do we?”

Sunset looked up in thought as she rubbed her chin with her hoof. Cinder was correct, neither of them had any memory of arriving, and both were bound when they woke up. For all Sunset knew, they could have been bound there for years. Did that mean that they had just witnessed the world outside of hell? Did Serenade really become that powerful?

“So you think that was showing us the war outside?” Sunset asked.

Not quite convinced herself, Cinder shook her head and smiled at Sunset. “I wouldn’t say that. This place is evil, nothing here can be trusted, so I wouldn’t put much truth into that vision. If anything, I believe it’s intended to show us what will happen if we fail to escape this place.

“So a future that could be, but not one that is?” Sunset tilted her head.

“Something like that. Even if that is the reality outside of this place, we still need to focus all of our efforts on getting out of here. We can’t do anything from inside this place, so there’s no sense in worrying about if that thing was real or not.” Cinder lectured.

She had an excellent point. What difference did it make if the outside world really was in such a state? She would still need to escape and fight Serenade either way.

“So, this place is trying to play tricks on us, you think?” Sunset asked.

Cinder scoffed and nodded. “I don’t think, I know. This place wants to get into our heads, try to twist what we think and know to get us to fail. We have to stay focused and determined so we don’t stray off the path to getting out of here.”

The thought had crossed Sunset’s mind before that Cinder should have been a motivational speaker, but there were other pressing matters to think about.

“What should we do from here then?” Sunset asked.

Cinder bit her lip and her fang caressed it carefully as she thought about it. “The way out is still a good distance away. We should focus on getting there and not being misled by bogus visions. I have a strong feeling that this place is going to try and keep us here as long as it can...”

“I get the same impression actually...” Sunset admitted.

“Then we can’t let this place distract us, come on.” Cinder gestured for them to go.

There was actually another thing that Sunset felt that she wasn’t being forthcoming with. Since she arrived at this place, a strange feeling had overtaken her. A feeling of familiarity, like she had been to this place before, or that this place was home somehow. Was it possible that she could have come to such a dreadful place and not even remember it? She hoped not.

A Long Time Ago

Serenade had done it, she had removed the dragon that had threatened the city that she had taken refuge in, the entirety of the town had seen her use her siren’s voice to gain control of it, and then will it elsewhere. Most watched in silence with their jaws agape, but all now knew of her abilities.

It felt lethargic to actually unleash her power rather than hold it in as she had been doing. For a siren to hold in her abilities, it was almost like trying to hold in a scream when one hurt themselves severely. A siren’s first instinct is to use her powers as frequently as often. If a situation arose that they could see a use for their powers, they would use them, that was how it went.

Serenade couldn’t remember the last time she actually got the chance to utilize her powers, but it had been long enough.

As the dragon disappeared over the horizon, she let out a sigh and turned back to the city that all stared at her. Clearing her throat, she raised her soft voice for them all to hear. “Your dragon is no more!”

There was silence, uncomfortable silence. The faces and expressions left on the city folk didn’t exactly set Serenade at ease. They had looks of concern and distrust about them.

Once the silence was broken, however, Serenade wished for the silence back instead. “Demon!” One called from the back.

“A siren!” Another called.

Before she knew it, the entire city was screaming for her with familiar chants of “burn the monster!” And “don’t let her escape!”

Quickly realizing the situation had grown out of control, she turned tail and ran. She could hear the city folk behind her trying to give chase, but Serenade’s young and energetic body was enough to carry her farther than any mortal could run. Her endurance was far greater than their’s and after a good hour of running, she was far enough away to where she was certain they couldn’t follow.

She had retreated to the safety of a cave far off in the distance and once she was certain she was alone, she slumped against the wall and sighed. The entire ordeal had exhausted her, and she was thankful that she was at the very least safe at that moment.

Her mind fell back onto Baler and the others, she wondered what he thought about her. She had run so fast that she never bothered to look back at the group to see how they had reacted to her powers. Why did she care though?

I don’t. She rationalized. There was no reason to care after all; Baler was just some pony and his friends were as well. There was no reason for her to be curious about their thoughts on the matter. Case closed, no reason to even waste energy on this pointless subject.

Still, she couldn’t shake it entirely from her mind. The time she had spent with Baler and his friends at the very least made her curious as to what they thought of her. Would they actually stand up to the deranged townsfolk and tell them if they wanted to kill her they would have to go through them? No, it wasn’t possible. They were mortals after all, and like all mortals, they would throw her to the flames to spare themselves the fire, just like her dreadful father.

Serenade clenched her teeth just thinking about that coward. He had lied and said her mother had controlled him so that they didn’t burn him as well for being intimate with a siren. What a pathetic waste of life he was.

Why did she even care what Baler and the others said? Even if they sided with her on the whole ordeal, it didn’t matter. There wouldn’t be much of a way for her to continue being in their presence, as the entire settlement knew who she was and would be looking for her.

Strangely though, she felt compelled to know what Baler thought about the matter. After all, she had been the one to say she could deal with the dragon and she had kept her word. So what if she was a siren? That shouldn’t have mattered to him, right?

In an odd way, she supposed she wanted to know if he would still consider her a friend after knowing what he did now. She couldn’t stand not knowing, and that was why she waited a few hours for the chase for her to die down so that she could magic a hood onto her head and conceal her face and mane.

The mare quickly tied her long tail into a bun and tucked it under a cloak as she made her way back to town. By that time it was already nightfall, and she had the cover of darkness to aid her. As she peered back to the silent town, she noted that while a few more armed guards were prowling, the town seemed to have moved on from chasing the elusive siren.

That was so like mortals though, they often gave up on things if they took too long, which was understandable. Mortals only lived so long, after all, so they often didn’t want to waste any of their time on things that they deemed “meaningless”, despite their entire existence being meaningless to Serenade. She wondered how they could ever find joy knowing they would only be on this earth for such a short period of time.

When Serenade got close enough to the city she slipped over a wall and found her way back inside. As she landed upon her hooves she wondered to herself why she was even bothering to do this; Baler and her were not friends after all, and that boy wouldn’t care to see her and she knew that, yet for some perplexing reason she still felt the desire to get his thoughts on what he saw from her.

After all, while her powers were odd to ponies, she did just use them to save the entire town from a dragon; single-handedly and without a single casualty, yet all she seemed to get for it was looks of fear and disgust.

The mare navigated the maze-like inner streets, avoiding any and all guards lurking about. Chances are they wouldn’t even notice her, but she wasn’t taking any chances, so she kept low and out of sight.

She had been to Baler’s place so many times that she knew how to get there even if she were blindfolded. She recalled the smell of fresh bread every time she was there as he was across the street from a bakery and they would often be there in the early morning hours when the bakery would begin to prepare their wares for the day. She recalled commenting on how delicious it smelled.

Those memories of spending time at Baler’s home now all just seemed like distant ones, like it had been so long ago rather than just a few days prior.

The twists and turns of the city streets would confuse most, but not Serenade as she had a great sense of direction. Years of traveling all over the country would do that to a mare though. Serenade had seen so much of Equestria in her time that she could recall in vivid detail even the smallest of towns she had stayed in.

She would find herself at the backside of his home where his father and he lived. The stallion’s room was on the second floor which meant some climbing would be involved. Serenade took a deep breath and began to scale the wall, making her way to the top with only thoughts of what she would say to Baler when she saw him.

A part of her wanted to be snarky and sarcastic in saying “you’re welcome for saving your home”, but another part just felt it might be better to remain silent. She’d likely meet somewhere in the middle in the end.

Once she made it to the top, she slipped into his window and braced herself for whatever was to come.

Baler had been asleep in his own bed, turning as he did so. Serenade wondered if his nightmares had to do with her. If they did, she imagined it was likely either of him fearing her or of him feeling guilty that he did nothing to stop the mob that chased her. She didn’t really know what was worse though; if she was being perfectly honest with herself, that is.

Fast asleep, she noted how much weaker and fragile he looked over the side of himself he chose to show to others. She knew he was a more charismatic listening type.

Rolling her eyes, Serenade trotted over to his bed and gave it a swift kick. The vibrations of said kick caused the stallion to stir and finally wake. “H-huh!? Wha-?”

Serenade cleared her throat and stood there staring him down. The stallion blinked a few times to wipe the sleep out of his eyes as he looked up at her with surprise. His expression suggested that he was more than shocked to see her.

He crawled backward a few inches and opened his mouth to scream before Serenade reached forward and covered his mouth. “Don’t scream,” she stated, though her voice made it sound more like a command than a request. Baler couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to mean.

Ultimately, he just nodded and the mare removed her hoof as she kept still. The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments. Him with his naturally charming face (which now had a hint of concern and shock upon it) and her with her neutral scowl.

The silence was broken with a question. “What’re you doing back here?”

“I lived here prior to the events earlier.” Serenade retorted.

“Everypony ran you off though. You shouldn’t be here, the whole city wants you dead! Why would you come back here?” He questioned.

“It wouldn’t be the first time, so I’m not concerned.” She shrugged.

“You should leave...” The stallion pointed toward the window. “Out, just like the way you came in.”

The siren hissed at him in anger. “You don’t even know what I am, and you’re passing judgment!?”

“You’re a siren. That’s all I need to know.” He shook his head.

What a sniveling coward! Serenade thought. It was far from atypical though, as most mortals would give into common fear-mongering after all.

“You’re not even curious as to what a siren really is? You’d rather just believe the lies you’ve likely been told your entire life?” I asked.

“I don’t want any trouble, Serenade. We can’t be friends anymore, I’m sorry,” he responded. His usual confident voice was now filled with fear and Serenade could even sense that fear and insecurity. It was almost disgusting to see him like this; to see him in such a weak state.

Squinting, Serenade shook her head. “No, you’re right. We can’t be friends because we were never friends in the first place. I can’t be friends with mortals because all your kind does is treat anything you don’t understand like it’s garbage.”

“You’re a monster, Serenade. What you are is unnatural,” he defended.

Serenade stepped forward and swatted at a cup sitting on a small table in the room, knocking it into the wall and shattering it into a few dozen small ceramic pieces. Her eyes were fire as she stared down the obviously intimidated pony. He didn’t hide his fear too well, but she didn’t care at that point.

“Your kind are the true monsters, though more like nasty cockroaches really...” Serenade thought about it out loud as pondered the matter. “You infest everything you fucking touch and then you leave or get your asses killed, but a thousand more of your kind are already there to take the places of those gone; ready to roll in the shit.”

He didn’t even give her the dignity of a response; instead, he just stared at her waiting for her to finish talking, so he could tell her off.

“I don’t really even fully understand what you are, Serenade, but your kind are designed to feed off of the innocent. You’re demons, and we’re doing you a kindness by putting you all out of your misery...” He tried to defend himself.

It was clear he was just repeating whatever dribble that ponies told each other when they were murdering creatures that they didn’t understand. It made sense that they needed to lie to themselves to justify the murder they partook in. True murderers often believed what they were doing was a service to those that they killed.

“Is that what you really believe? Is that the lie you’ve been told your entire life to keep you believing in the nonsense that your kind calls ‘justice’?” Serenade asked, her teeth grinding at the thought.

“Is it not true that your kind feeds on the energy of mortals?” He asked in retort.

Serenade growled at the audacity of his inquiry. “You called yourself my friend, but the moment you find out what I really am that all just goes away doesn’t it?”

“Friends are honest with each other. You never told us all what you really were, that’s deception at its finest right there,” he said.

If she had told him what she really was, he likely would have avoided her from the start, which might have actually been better in the long run. She could have avoided all the headache that the town was causing her and merely left when that dragon began attacking.

“It’s a good thing that I was never your friend. I could never be friends with a worthless mortal anyway,” Serenade retorted.

“You used your powers to manipulate us, didn’t you?” He asked.

Serenade grunted and scoffed at the idea. “No. I wouldn’t waste my power on such worthless weaklings like you all.”

He frowned as he began to realize that the danger he thought he was in might have been somewhat exaggerated. Serenade was giving harsh responses, sure, but she was not attacking him or resorting to using her powers to manipulate him, or worse, kill him.

“Look, I appreciate you saving our city from the dragon, but there’s no place for you here, Serenade...” He grimaced.

She looked away, and from the corner of his eye, he could detect an emotion he had never seen on her before. It was faint and it only lasted a second, but he was positive that it was there. It was sadness. It had dawned on Baler that he had made a horrible mistake.

Leaning forward and coming a bit closer, he cleared his throat. “Hey... You... You didn’t use your powers on us after all, did you?”

Serenade shook her head and continued to look away in silence.

“You’re telling the truth,” he concluded.

Nodding, Serenade remained quiet.

“So all this time, that stuff was real? You weren’t just playing a part to gain our trust?” He blinked, still surprised by all of this.

She shrugged. “What would I even have to gain? There’s no benefit in it for me to trick you like that. I don’t make friends because eventually this always happens; ponies find out what I am and I have to leave...”

“How many times has this happened to you?” He tilted his head.

“More than I can count,” Serenade replied.

Baler inched closer to get a better look at her. She truly was beautiful despite what she was, but perhaps all sirens were like that? Truthfully he had never seen one in person before.

“You’re older than you said you were then aren’t you?” He asked.

Serenade nodded and glanced at him. “I’m old enough to be your mother, let’s put it that way.”

“So sirens really don’t age then?” His mouth hung open in awe.

“No, we don’t. Once we hit maturity and reach adulthood we will stay young forever so long as we keep feeding,” she explained.

“And if you don’t feed?” He asked.

“We will grow old and die,” she replied.

He winced at the thought. “So you’re supposed to be immortal then? Something that never dies?”

She smirked at him. “And what do you think happens to a creature that was never intended to die if it dies?”

Baler placed a hoof on his chin and thought the question over. What did happen if an immortal creature died? Was there an afterlife for something that was never intended to die? Or did they simply cease to exist after that? Either way, he’d hate to be in that predicament.

“I... I don’t know...” He finally answered.

“Exactly.” Serenade nodded.

“So you aren’t trying to really possess anyone or suck their life out at all then?” He blinked.

“No. I’m just trying to survive and find my sister. We got separated years ago after we went on the run,” Serenade explained.

He had heard her mention a sister before but she had never gone into detail. That likely meant her sister was a siren as well.

“What were you running from?” He asked.

She gave him a look of disgust, a look that made him feel shamefully guilty. “Your kind. They burned our mother at the stake after our worthless father gave her to them to save his own hide.”

All his life, Baler had been taught that the burning of sirens, changelings, and all unnatural creatures was merely cleansing the world of imperfections, a service to inferior beings. By the sound of it though, they had been being fed lies. Now it sounded like nothing more than trying to justify genocide.

“I... I’m sorry... I didn’t know...” Baler frowned.

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. It can’t be changed and it can’t be helped. This is how it is, and this is how it’ll stay. Ponies won’t ever change.”

“Why’d you help us then? You stopped the dragon when you didn't have to...” He asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe I just wanted to see what it felt like to do something good for a change?” She shrugged.

“How did it feel?” Baler smiled at her.

“Empty. I don’t feel anything.” Serenade shrugged.

Those very words brought sadness to Baler. “Well, I wish you could stay...”

“But there’s nothing you can do.” Serenade finished his thought out loud.

“I’m sorry...” His voice got quieter.

Standing up, Serenade shook her head. “Don’t be.”

“Why not?” He tilted his head.

“Because I’m not sorry,” Serenade said as she came over to his bedside and paused for a brief moment.

“Not sorry for what?” Baler squinted trying to make sense of her statement.

“This.” She said before grabbing his head in her hooves, a single hoof on each side and with one swift motion, she twisted it until a crack was heard.

When his body went limp, she allowed him to drop back onto the bed, admiring her handiwork. The motion was quick and he was dead, that much she was sure of. A necessary course of action, as she had learned in her time. Even though he had appeared to be starting to understand that his kind had brainwashed him into thinking a certain way, it didn’t matter.

The reality is that she saved his city from certain doom, and when he had the chance to stand up for her, to tell the townsfolk that she wasn’t some kind of monster, he chose to do nothing. That is betrayal, and Serenade couldn’t forgive betrayal. It didn’t matter anyway; all mortals were the same and they all couldn’t be trusted. She had been wasting her time with him and his friends anyway.

Looking at herself in the mirror he had by his dresser, Serenade sighed and cracked the mirror with her hoof in annoyance.

As she looked at her fractured reflection, she pondered what it was that ponies actually saw when they looked at her. When they thought her a mere pony like them, many saw her as a sex object, a prize to be won and bedded if they could convince her. However, when they knew the truth of what she was, she went from a desirable item to a monster in their eyes. Why were ponies like this?

It didn’t matter though. She wasn’t going to sit there and cry about it. Her entire life, despite all she had been through, Serenade had never allowed herself to cry about anything, not once and she wasn’t about to start now.

All she knew is she had to hunt down the rest of her “friends” before daylight broke, so she could at least leave with no unfinished business. If the ponies of the city wanted a monster, she’d give them one.

A Few Weeks Ago

The journey through the underworld was a challenging one. Time always seemed to escape Sunset and Cinder, as it was nearly impossible to tell how much time had passed at any given moment. As Sunset wandered toward their destination, she wondered if it was possible that eight years had passed already. Maybe time moved faster in this place? It was possible, wasn’t it? After all, when the portal to the human world was unstable she had skipped a good few years of Equestrian time as it had sent her slightly to the future.

The difference though was that the portal after stabilizing remained consistent and it was clear that time in the two worlds moved at the same speed. She supposed it didn’t really matter though, as either way she knew they had lost some time to this place, at the very least a week or so. The plains of the underworld seemed endless after all.

Cinder had come off as far more bothered than she had before, and the more they walked, the more it was evident that something was on her mind. Even her fighting with the various demons they encountered seemed to be far more swift and focused than usual. She was dicing up demons without so much as blinking and her form was in top shape despite how tired and malnourished the two were.

The poor food sources available were becoming a problem for sure. Sunset could already tell she had lost a good dozen pounds or so, and Cinder probably lost a few herself. If they stayed for too long, even Cinder’s impressive muscle mass would go away with enough time.

Looking over at Cinder, Sunset wondered how much exercise she had to do to maintain such a powerful physique. She was in incredible shape herself with her rigorous exercise routine she had put in place for herself when taking on Adagio, but it was nothing compared to Cinder. Curiously, Sunset wondered what she’d look like as a human, but imagined a very broad and stern-looking girl that could match up with the boys in terms of brute strength.

Walking closer to their ultimate destination, Sunset broke the silence and spoke up.

“Cinder, you still haven’t fully told me how Serenade and you know each other...” Sunset said.

Cinder’s face remained strained as it had been, either implying that the subject got on her nerves, or she was attempting to keep herself appearing neutral so as to not arouse any further questioning on the matter.

“It doesn’t matter. I want her beaten, just as you do. That should be more than a sufficient answer.”

Sunset didn’t exactly appreciate the dismissive nature that she was exuding. “How can you expect ponies to keep trusting you if you don’t tell them why you’re even committed to this in the first place? What reason does anyone have to not question your motivation?”

A glance was caught from Cinder by Sunset and Cinder looked back to straight ahead and her tone became more hushed and less aggressive. “I’m not looking for approval. I have proven that I am dedicated to the siren’s demise by joining your rebellion and feeling the bodies of our enemies snapped by my blades.”

She had a point there. If there was ever a question of loyalty when it came to Cinder, Sunset at least knew she had no trouble in that area. That same loyalty also could explain much more in her life.

“I mean yeah, I don’t distrust you, but you could but heads with Applejack a lot less if you at least told us all why you are so committed,” Sunset explained.

Cinder let out a light chuckle at the very idea. “Applejack will cause problems for anyone who tries to run this operation, and I believe you know that as well. That’s merely her personality.”

Ain’t that the truth.

“You got me there...” Sunset admitted; Applejack was pretty frustrating after all, even Sunset had a hard time with her. Her human counterpart could equally be a handful.

Cinder smiled at Sunset briefly before looking back ahead. “Don’t worry, I promise my intentions are not sinister. While I have no reason to lie to you, Sunset Shimmer, I also don’t really want to think too deeply about the past...”

That was definitely something she could relate to. “I guess that makes sense, I actually can relate. Sorry for bringing it up.”

“You were merely doing what you felt was best as a leader. A good leader is cautious after all; if I were in your position, I would likely be the same way.” Cinder winked.

How did this girl get to be so mature, Sunset wondered. Cinder was almost a walking monolith of duality. Calm yet fierce, a warrior’s heart, yet gentle when she needed to be.

Sunset wanted to ask her how she got this way but knew it was probably not in good taste to ask such a thing, especially at that moment.

The two were silent for a bit longer until they arrived at what they assumed to be their destination. A large door encased in black vines and tendrils locking it up, holding it tightly closed. Sunset identified it by the symbol they saw on some of the stones that spoke of it, etched into its odd onyx-appearing face.

The two gazed in awe at the large structure that seemed to lead into some kind of giant dome, also covered in tendrils and vines.

“Impressive architecture for this place...” Cinder commented.

“Who built it though?” Sunset squinted in question as she examined the door.

A question she was certain neither of them would ever get an answer to, as it was obvious that not even the demons who lived here knew who built such a structure. Everything in this world was fantastical after all.

“Whoever did clearly didn’t want just anyone using it...” Cinder spoke as she placed a claw upon the door.

Merely touching the door made the markings upon it light up and like the other stones, text appeared in their native tongue before the two once more.

Ye’ who wishes to advance past these doors,

A trial awaits you.

Take the vines into your mind and face your greatest fears. Only when you conquer yourself may you pass through this door. Be warned though, perception is your reality and as such perceived death is true death.

You will not know these nightmares from reality either. Turn back now if you lack the courage. Proceed if you have the might to overcome your greatest fears.

Sunset blinked a few times. “What does it all mean?”

Cinder looked over at a set of strange throne-like seats situated all in front of the doors. Next to them were vine-like tendrils that seemed to sway with a life of their own. Thinking over what the door said, she put two and two together. “We have to sit down and put one of those into our body, I think. It’s supposed to make us hallucinate...”

“What? Why?” Sunset tilted her head.

“We have to face our greatest fears... I think it uses our minds to create them...” Cinder explained.

“So it’s a simulation or something then?” Sunset blinked as she looked at the tendrils, not exactly eager to put one inside of her.

Cinder nodded. “The only catch it... Simulated death will become real death. We’re likely going to feel all the pain too.”

“How is that even possible?” Sunset asked curiously. It was a pointless question though, as this entire realm was full of impossible things that seemed to exist beyond all imagination.

Cinder shrugged. “Hard to say, but I don’t think we’re going to get out of it. This door looks too powerful for you to move it with your magic, and even too much for my strength to push it... Whoever built it clearly wanted to ensure no one would be able to bypass their trials. We have to play by their rules.”

Sighing, Sunset looked over at one of the chairs on the left side. After staring for a good eight seconds she walked over and sat down. “Let’s get this over with then?”

Cinder nodded as she casually walked over to a chair on the other side directly across from Sunset and sat down. She gave a thumbs-up before grabbing one of the tendrils in her good claw.

Sunset copied the motion and gripped a moving tendril in her hoof. She could feel it slithering and moving even in her grip. She sighed as she watched Cinder take the tendril and insert it directly into her ear. The moment it entered she huffed out a breath that sounded like a gasp as her eyes rolled back and then closed. Her claws rested on the arms of the throne-like chair.

Gulping, Sunset decided it was best to do it quickly and inserted the thing into her ear. She could feel eight quick pulses from it before letting out a strained breath and her body went limp.

Sunset’s eyes open and she could see nothing more than a fabric-like material obstructing her vision. After eight long seconds, she realized it was her own pillow. She was sleeping in her own bed. She blinked a few times wondering how she got there, trying to remember anything from the night prior. She couldn’t remember a thing though. All she knew was that Twilight had kissed her goodnight last night and now she was here.

Reaching to rub her temple, she saw her hand and blinked a few times. For some odd reason she could have sworn she was a pony prior to falling asleep, but that must not have been true, for how could it? She was asleep in her own bed in her human form after all. She must have been dreaming and the dream felt so real that she believed it to be reality.

Pulling the covers off of herself, she could see she was in her underwear. Black laces decorated her panties as she looked down and decided it was best to get dressed. Hobbling over to the vanity, she quickly brushed her hair and allowed it to rest in its usual semi-messy state of slight curls. Her hair had been getting longer for years now, but she liked how it looked, so it remained. Twilight seemed to enjoy it as well, so that was an added bonus.

Quickly throwing on a simple white blouse and a black skirt to match it, she slipped into a pair of tall black leather boots and stood in front of the mirror admiring herself. A smile came to her face as she realized how attractive she still was despite having gone through marriage and childbirth. Most people couldn’t consider themselves so lucky.

She turned to get a side view of herself and when she was satisfied she let out a little giggle. “Twilight will love it...” She commented out loud.

Confident in how sexy she was, she checked the time, seeing it was 8:08 AM and made her way downstairs to greet her wife. Strolling down the hallway and then eventually down the large staircase toward the east wing kitchen of her home and saw her wife standing near a window staring out of it into the courtyard of the building.

Sunset blinked as she watched the woman standing there in her tight leggings and a sweater. She hadn’t even bothered to put shoes on which was odd given that the weather was getting colder.

“Twilight?” Sunset blinked as she stepped toward her wife, reaching a hand forward and placing it upon her shoulder.

The girl turned around to face Sunset, her eyes narrowed and missing her signature glasses. She lifted her head up and met Sunset’s eyes with her own and she could see the anger in them. “So, you finally came back then?” Twilight spoke in a low tone.

Sunset blinked and stepped back, removing her hand from her wife’s shoulder. “H-huh? What do you mean?”

“You’ve been gone for over three years, what gives you the right to walk back in here and act like everything is fine?” Twilight growled.

Sunset was dumbfounded. “I don’t understand...”

Twilight’s eyes had slowly changed color to a deep red as her pupils disappeared. Before Sunset knew it, her wife’s eyes were nothing more than two glowing red orbs. “You abandoned me three years ago...”

Sunset recalled leaving to save Equestria, but the situation was complex. “I-I didn’t mean to! I never wanted to leave you behind, Twilight, you have to believe me!”

Twilight shook her head. “You never think about how what you do affects those around you, do you? Everything is all about Sunset Shimmer and no one else. You went off to go play hero and left me to care for your daughter by myself.”

“That’s not what happened!” Sunset protested, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

“Liar.” Twilight shook her head before she began to float off of the ground, her hands at her sides which began to fill up with black energy that Sunset recognized as demonic energy. She had seen it a few times with Serenade’s subordinates.

Sunset took a step back and watched as Twilight’s hair began to sway and move in a way that made it appear as though it were underwater.

As Twilight levitated, the energy in her hands formed a set of black energy balls as the girl called out to Sunset. “And now, you can die.”

Not wasting another second, Twilight hurled the two blasts at Sunset, who jumped out of the way and rolled, dodging eight more. She made her way out of the kitchen and into the dining room where she quickly flipped the table up onto its side and ducked down under it. The barricade proved inadequate protection, however, as another blast turned it into a bunch of splinters.

Looking back as Sunset made her next maneuver to get out of the way of another blast, Twilight’s body began to emanate a black mist, giving an eerie and unsettling look to the girl.

She had to find a way to get Twilight to listen to her, but how?

“Twilight, you’re not thinking clearly, please...” Sunset pleaded.

Her begging was a waste of time as Twilight made a beam come from her right hand and blast in Sunset’s direction, which the girl just narrowly dodged. Twilight shot another eight times, each being dodged by Sunset, but the last one just barely tore off a small fragment of her skirt.

“Please listen to me, Twilight!” Sunset called out as she made her way into the next room.

Twilight didn’t answer, and instead continued her barrage of attacks.

Sunset had managed to get to the other wing of the house and bolted down the stairwell to the basement floors. Her brain was on auto-pilot when she entered her armory and retrieved a machete with a fully loaded 1911 colt 45. Brandishing the gun, she stared at it for a few seconds as she thought over what she was actually doing.

She had been running on adrenaline, but she actually reached for a gun. Was she really prepared to kill Twilight if she didn’t stop? Did she have it in her?

No. She thought. There was no way in hell she could bring herself to kill Twilight, no matter what. Right?

Twilight, of course, didn’t take long to find the girl making her way back up the stairs to meet her at the top of the stairwell that led to the basement. The two froze for a second before Sunset retrieved her machete and held it tightly in her right hand as the two stared at each other.

“Please, Twilight... Don’t make me do this...” Sunset begged.

Unsurprisingly, her pleas were met with more dark energy balls being tossed her way; Sunset moving out of the way in time to dodge them.

“There’s no point in begging, Sunset. I’ve given into the darkness inside of me, and I’m not going back. You betrayed me when you left and now you’ll pay the price!” Twilight’s right hand made a black sword made of dark energy form that she swung at Sunset.

The redhead swiftly moved, avoiding the blow only for another swing to come her way from the opposite direction. This one was harder to dodge, so she wielded her machete and blocked the strike.

The two blades locked for a brief second before the machete ended up the victor, as Twilight pulled her sword back ready for another blow.

The two danced with each other, clashing swords back and forth. Sunset stepped back after about eight strikes and wiped her forehead to clear the sweat away. She panted but held her weapon strongly in her hand as she never took her eyes off of her attacker. “Twilight, please listen to me. Demons have clouded your judgment! This isn’t you!”

“Words can not undo what you have done, Sunset.” Twilight barked as she took a few more swings at the young woman.

Natural instincts began to kick in, and Sunset began to treat the machete as a mere extension of her arm; remembering all of her sword practice. She had trained and prepared herself for months when Adagio killed her younger sister, and as a result, she had a fairly good grasp on weaponry.

She blocked a few of the hits, but got out of the way for the rest, avoiding any and all damage. Her defense was skilled and masterful, but she knew that she couldn’t block and dodge forever, eventually, she would be forced into an attack. She’d have no choice but to raise her weapon in more than defense if this continued. It didn’t appear as though Twilight cared, however.

With block after block, Sunset knew the moment was drawing closer to where she would need to attack.

Sunset finally took a swing at Twilight, who moved out of the way just barely, making Sunset catch only a strand or two of her long hair with her blade.

“Twilight, I don’t want to fight you.” Sunset attempted one last time to reason with her wife.

Her words fell upon deaf ears, as Twilight retaliated, taking the blackened blade she had crafted, she gave a few thrusts toward Sunset, trying to stab the girl with the sword. Sunset, of course, deflected each one and swung her machete, hitting Twilight in the arm just above her wrist.

As Twilight gripped the wound which was oozing blood, Sunset sliced once more, hacking the girl’s wrist and hand off. The hand tumbled to the floor as Twilight leaned down in agony, gripping the new wound. Between screams, she shot a few blasts at Sunset which she dodged (though the eighth shot almost got her) skillfully.

With Twilight down Sunset kicked her in the face, causing her to grip her nose. The woman dragged herself back to get out of Sunset’s attack range, but her efforts were futile as Sunset struck again with the machete leaving a fresh new cut on Twilight’s leg.

Crawling to get away, Twilight looked up at Sunset to see the woman standing above her, machete in hand.

“Y-you’d kill me?” Twilight whimpered.

Sunset wasted no time answering that question. With a mighty strike, she drove the sharp end of her machete through Twilight’s skull. After a good eight seconds, the woman stopped moving and Twilight’s body fell limp to the ground. Sunset whimpered as she tried to take in what she just had to do. How could Twilight turn to the darkness so easily? Her wife had turned into a demon, and now she had to put her down.

Tears ran down Sunset’s face. “I’m sorry, Twilight... I failed you... I couldn’t keep the darkness away...” She felt to her knees and scooped up Twilight’s body, holding it tightly to her, allowing the black blood dripping out of her to stain her body.

“I’m sorry... I’m sorry...” Sunset kept repeating herself as she held the girl.

Her sobs were cut short however as she heard a sound that made her blink and lift her head. It was the sound of a child’s laughter, but there was something off about it. “No...” She shook her head as she turned around hesitantly. She didn’t want to see what was there but knew she had to look.

There floating above the floor was a child, no older than three, a child that Sunset recognized all too well, it was her own. Her hair had turned black and floated in the air unnaturally.

The glowing red eyes in her head pierced Sunset’s soul. She couldn’t bear to look, but her eyes somehow were glued to them. “No... Please...” Sunset shook her head slowly as she whimpered again.

“Hello, mommy...” Horizon’s distorted voice echoed through Sunset’s ears and made her cringe in mental pain.

“Not my daughter...” Sunset replied quietly, still shaking her head in denial. She refused to believe it.

“You disappeared, mommy,” Horizon said as she floated closer.

“I never wanted to go, sweetie...” Sunset came to a stand, her hand hesitantly gripping the machete from before. Killing Twilight was one thing, but could she really raise the same blade to her own daughter? It was clear that she too had become a demon as well, and that meant there was a high probability.

“Mommies as bad as you need to be punished...” Horizon’s voice echoed.

Sunset wiped her eyes and conjured up all of her courage. She had to turn off all emotion, she needed to be ready to defend herself. She didn’t know why, but a strong sense of determination had come over her.

“Mommy should have been around, Horizon... I’m sorry that I wasn’t...” Sunset spoke solemnly.

Horizon’s tiny toddler hands lit up with blue fire as she prepared an attack. The moment that Sunset saw the blue glow, she knew that trying to avoid a fight was a pointless venture. Horizon would try and kill her just as Twilight had. Her entire family had been turned to demons and she needed to accept that reality quickly or she would die.

With her free hand, Sunset opened her fingers and concentrated. Magic began to course through her body, coming down to her fingertips. Magic in the human world always felt strange, alien, and nowhere near as natural as it had to her in Equestria, but she needed it.

A ball of light formed at her fingertips as she stared down the demon toddler. “All I can do to make it right now is save you from an eternity as a demon... I’m sorry...”

Horizon hurled a series of fireballs at Sunset which she deflected with her machete which she had now pushed some of her magic into so that it could deflect magic attacks. With the light energy in her other hand, she charged it more, knowing she would need enough power to destroy the child before she threw it.

A few more exchanges of blasts from Horizon and parries from Sunset and the orb was ready.

Sunset timed her shot right after another blast was hurled from Horizon so she wouldn’t have a chance to dodge in time.

It was a direct hit. The blast grew and absorbed the girl, leaving nothing behind but smoke. Sunset dropped her machete and fell to her knees. She was exhausted both physically and emotionally. She had actually done it, she had killed her only daughter only minutes after killing her wife. Why though? Why was she not more distraught over it?

Sunset found herself oddly not as upset as she felt she should have been. Perhaps she had finally gone mad.

As she sat there she could hear the sound of clapping. Turning her head, she noticed a figure walk in from behind her. A figure that was slender but curvy in all the right places. Full legs decorated in fishnet leggings and expensive shoes connected to a body that was busty and concealed by an expensive-looking dress.

The more she looked, the more familiar it was, but when she came to the face, she could see something different about it. Instead of the loving face of her sister that she expected, she only got half of it. On one side, was the face of Shimmer, but the other was black with dark energy glowing off of it along with a bright glowing teal eye without pupils that watched Sunset carefully.

She continued clapping as she stood there. “Not bad, sister...”

Like Twilight and Horizon before her, she too had a distorted voice.

Coming to a stand, Sunset lifted the machete off the ground and faced her sister with confused eyes. “Shimmer... Why though? How could you of all people become a demon?”

“Have you forgotten how easy it can be to fall to darkness? After you let Adagio kill me, my heart became engulfed with bitter anger... That same anger can turn just about anyone into a demon if it is strong enough...” Shimmer explained.

Sunset shook her head. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you, Shimmer, but it wasn’t my fault. Adagio is to blame for your death, not me. It’s taken me years to accept that.”

Shimmer chuckled before removing her glasses and tossed them aside. The spectacles shattered as they hit the floor. “Adagio was emboldened when you came here. Without the magic you brought from Equestria, she would have never even met me.”

Sunset growled. “You were in love with her!”

“Yet we’d have never met without your involvement,” Shimmer retorted.

“I don’t care. I’m not going to keep taking the blame for things that are not my fault. I’ll cleanse your soul of all darkness if that’s what it takes, sister.” Sunset raised her blade, ready to fight.

Shimmer laughed and conjured a sword from dark energy in her left hand.

“A battle between the two Sunsets. Which one will come out victorious? Which one of us deserves to be the only Sunset?” Shimmer questioned as she tilted her head with a devious grin.

Sunset readied her blade and grinned back at her. “You can’t stop me. I’m not about to give in that easily.”

Moving quickly, Sunset decided it was best for her to make the first strike. She moved quick and swung low, hoping to get her off guard.

Shimmer moved just quick enough to block the strike and return fire with a swing of her own, which Sunset deflected. The two clashed blades over and over until Shimmer pulled another blade out by conjuring it in her right hand and swung it at Sunset.

Sunset ducked to avoid the right-handed blade and blocked the left one. She rolled past her opponent and flipped her weapon in her hand and pushed it behind her, stabbing Shimmer in the back.

The machete pushed through the flesh and out the other side causing a spurt of black blood to exit Shimmer’s body. She coughed and froze in place, lowering her blades to her sides as she looked over her shoulder. “Heh... Not bad...”

“Fuck you.” Sunset hissed before pushing the blade up and making more blood pour out before pulling the blade out.

Shimmer hacked up blood and nodded. “It seems you’ve passed the trial after all...”

“Huh?” Sunset blinked.

Shimmer winked before her body began to dissolve into black smoke before Sunset's very eyes.

About a Week Ago

Sunset’s eyes shot open quickly as she gasped for air. Blinking a few times, she realized she was back in the demon world. Reaching up to her ear, she could feel the tendril she had inserted prior still there. Gripping it, she pulled it out and gasped.

“Fuck...” She whispered to herself as she looked at the door which now had half of it glowing green. It must have been some kind of acknowledgment that part of the trial was completed. The door’s mechanisms still mystified Sunset. Could Serenade really endure such challenges?

Rubbing her head, she realized how real the illusion truly was. While it was happening she had completely forgotten how she even got there. How long was she out though?

Looking across from her, she could see Cinder was still asleep with the tendril still in her ear. It was clear she was still going through whatever the trial had set for her. Her body was twitching as her face contorted to one of discomfort.

Sunset trotted over to the dragon and sat at her side. She reached over and placed a hoof upon her claw, stroking it gently. All she could do now was be there when Cinder woke up, hoping she came out of what she was going through relatively unscathed.

“The rest is up to you, Cinder...” Sunset whispered with a smile upon her face.

Author's Note

Long time between chapters, I'm sorry! My life outside of this place has been crazy.

Act VI - Chapter LXLVI: Reality

Chapter LXLVI: Reality

Cinder didn’t exactly remember how she fell asleep last night, but when she awoke, she found herself lying in the dirt. Judging by the reddened sandy texture of the ground and the overcast of the sky, she could tell she was still in Dragon Scar, however. It was a fairly identifiable place where most said there was nowhere else in the world like it.

Only in Dragon Scar did it feel like the sun never truly shined. It was said that the smoke from the volcanos and dragons created a thick shell around the atmosphere of the country and created the overcast that seemed to mostly block out the sun. It was because of this that nighttime was especially dark in Dragon Scar, and why dragons with superior night vision were the most active at night.

Cinder remembered her teenage years growing up in Dragon Scar quite vividly. From the moment she had hatched, she had been trained for greatness, and there was nowhere better to train a warrior than Dragon Scar. It was a country that turned the strong into the mighty and separated the dragons from the hatchlings. For as long as Cinder could remember, she always rose to whatever challenges were presented to her.

She would pass her training and be granted the title of a warrior along with her own katana at a relatively young age. She had been hacking it with the best of them even as young as eight, and that was something she was proud of.

Looking up at the sky, there was more light than usual, which made Cinder guess the time to be around 8 AM.

The dragon rubbed her head trying to recall anything about last night.

How did I fall asleep out here? She wondered.

It wasn’t uncommon for her to train so hard that she would lose track of time, but it was rare that she’d pass out during training, especially for several hours in the dirt.

Cinder looked to the distance and could see a familiar large cave that she would call home. She wondered if her parents were still there and potentially worried sick about her.

The girl sighed and shook her head, realizing it was best to check in with them at the very least so they knew she was okay.

Wandering over to the cave, Cinder cleared her throat to speak. There was an odd feeling the back of her mind though which kept creeping up to the surface. Something about all of this seemed wrong, like something was a miss. She didn’t feel right, that was for sure.

Making her way into the cave, she blinked as she noticed there standing near the back of the enormous cave was a backside that she recognized. A dark grey dragon in his late twenties or so stood tall and proud. His height was impressive and only a hair taller than Cinder herself.

She could see his jagged spines atop of his head as his large wings were furled together.

Her eyes were drawn to his large claws which could easily slice through stone. There was no telling how sharp his claws truly were, but she could hazard a guess.

Cinder lowered her body and bowed in respect to the dragon. “Brother, I thought I’d never see you again!”

She remained down, knowing that it was a tradition to kneel before the head warrior of the Razorclaw family and her brother Ash had more than earned that honor. With his impressive sword skills and his finishing of the rite of passage in record time, he was truly a prodigy for the family. She recalled being trained by him along with her parents, but mostly it was Ash who taught her the way of the sword and of her clan.

Keeping down, Cinder smiled, “Brother, so much has happened since we last saw each other.”

Ash’s husky voice echoed in the empty cave as he remained facing away from her. “How dare you come back to this place...”

“What was that?” Cinder blinked, uncertain if she had heard him correctly.

“After what you did, how dare you come back to this place,” he repeated before turning to face her. There across his neck was a laceration where his throat had been cut at one point, and his left eye was missing.

Cinder cringed at the sight of him, but she now remembered what had happened to her brother. For some reason she had forgotten before, but now it was fresh in her mind. The moment she walked in and found him on the ground dying, she had never seen so much blood before.

She could recall him choking on his own blood before the coughs and gags would eventually stop and he laid still. Yet here he stood now, clearly upset with her.

“Brother, I don’t understand...” Cinder frowned.

Ash took a single step forward and stared the girl down uncomfortably for a good minute with his arms at his side, claws twitching as if he were ready to pounce on her at a moment’s notice. He could be unpredictable when it came to attacks, as he was a master of surprise.

“You, who have tarnished our family name, who betrayed us, dares come back to this place?” He questioned.

Cinder remained low as she continued to show her respect. “Brother, I have never been unfaithful to the family and you know that. Everything I have ever done was for the honor of our family.”

“It’s because of you that everyone is dead...” Ash’s voice grew quiet as he spoke those words.

Shaking their head, Cinder objected. “It was an accident, brother. I wouldn’t have ever allowed things to progress as they did had I known!”

“And yet they did, and now everyone is dead because of you, Cinder. You’ve disgraced our whole family. You are responsible for the end of the clan!” His voice raised during that last line, making Cinder wince at his words.

“I have spent the rest of my life atoning for it, brother. I will continue to walk that path for as long as it takes. I didn’t know what horrible evil I had unleashed back then, please forgive me...” Cinder apologized.

Ash shook his head. “Your words mean nothing. They’re as empty as your unclean soul. Guilt alone will not absolve you.”

“Whatever it takes to clean my soul, I shall do, brother...” She responded.

Holding his left claw out, he stood there focusing on said claw, until the object he pointed it to began to move on its own. The object though was the katana in Cinder’s right sheath. It pulled itself out of its scabbard and floated toward Ash, who took it in his right claw, brandishing the blade that was once his.

Cinder remembered taking his sword off of his dead body so many years ago. She promised she would use his blade to avenge him and her family. Like her own, it was crafted by claw using ancient techniques that were now lost with the death of her parents. His weapon was equally as deadly as her own, and combined they made an almost unbeatable combination.

Seeing the sword back in his claw brought Cinder a mixture of sadness and pleasure. Sad to see the blade raised against her, but pleased to see the sword in the claws of its rightful owner.

He held the blade above his head and slanted it as he prepared for an assault. “It is our clan’s code to kill all betrayers...”

She shook her head and apologized once more as she stood there with tears streaking from her eyes down to her cheeks. “Please brother... I have never betrayed you or anyone...”

“Save your tears, a warrior only cries when the fight is over,” Ash reminded as he kept his battle stance.

It was true too. She recalled him telling her that when she first began her training all those years ago. Still, it was difficult to get the tears to stop. Instead, she just stood there allowing more tears to fall. It was rare for Cinder to cry, but even she had her limits.

Ash seemed unmoved by her sobbing and kept his pose, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. “Cease your pathetic crying and face me.”

She shook her head adamantly. “I won’t fight you, brother. Please, forgive me, I didn’t mean to hurt our family. I would never do anything to hurt our family, you know that!”

Unmoved by her pleas, Ash repeated his command for her. “Stand up and accept your punishment, Cinder.”

“Please brother, forgive me...” She continued to beg as tears coated her cheeks.

“Betrayal can not be forgiven, now stand up and fight.” He growled.

“I won’t fight you, brother...” She shook her head.

“Then you’ll die like the traitor you are,” he responded before taking the first careful step toward her with his blade at the ready.

Tears still ran from her misty eyes, but Cinder came to a stand and retrieved her own blade for self-defense. She couldn’t bring herself to actually fight her brother, as her clan’s laws forbid it, and she reminded her brother of this very fact. “You know that it is forbidden to raise your blade to another TorXel.”

“You and I are TorXel no longer, aren’t we?” He suggested.

Cinder prepared for a strike as he came closer. “We are TorXel, and you know that. We’re the legacy of the clan, and you want to tarnish that legacy by doing this?”

“I am dead, Cinder. And that means I’m not anything anymore, but you, you are a traitor. You betrayed the clan, and that’s why you’re no longer a TorXel, and why there is no clan anymore.” He kept his blade held high.

Cinder could tell that reasoning alone wasn’t going to work. Ash clearly wanted a fight, and she knew from experience that when Ash wanted a fight, he got that fight.

Without warning, he slashed at her from above, bringing his katana down to be blocked by Cinder who had stepped back and raised her own blade above her head, backing it with her left claw as she pushed her brother’s sword off of her. She managed to avoid another swing and block the following one after that.

Cinder was fairly nimble when it came to sword work, but her brother was more than formidable, and if her plan was to wait until he got tired and then strike, then she knew that she would be waiting quite some time. Ash’s training had made him tough, and full of stamina (even for a dragon), to the point where he would never tire or get sloppy; at the very least not before his younger sister would give in.

Ash wasted no time taking another swing, only for Cinder to block it once more and their blades made a sharp ring as they crossed each other. Before they knew it, they were both were repeating these actions a good eight times before Ash growled and shook his head in disgust. His eyes narrowed as he looked at his sister with discontent.

“So your plan is to just block until you run out of energy and then die?” Ash questioned.

“I won’t fight you, brother. I told you that.” She shook her head.

“Then you’ll die, instead. It makes little difference to me. A traitor need only die, the method of their death isn’t relevant.” He shrugged.

Cinder frowned as she blocked another series of strikes. She watched carefully to ensure her brother had no openings upon her, but she knew that the more time that passed, the more likely she was to make a mistake, and with Ash on top of his game, that possibility was approaching faster than she imagined.

I can’t fight him. Cinder thought to herself as she sidestepped another slash and deflected a second with her right arm.

I have to though. It’s the only way. Either he dies, or I die. Cinder rationalized. If she didn’t fight, it would be the end of her. Ash’s skills may have made him the one in line to become the next leader of the clan, but that was nearly two thousand years ago. Cinder had been training and mastering her skills that entire time, and she was certain she was more than a match for him now.

Blocking another strike, Cinder growled as the tears in her eyes ceased; instead she channeled her feelings all into motivation. “Ash, I’m going to give you one more chance to lower your weapon. Don’t force me to use my blade against you, I beg you.”

“I’m better than you are, how are you in a position to threaten me?” Ash questioned.

“Ash, it has been a long time since you had seen me last, and I promise you that I am far more of a match for you than I was two thousand years ago. Lower your weapon or I’ll be forced to cut you down. I’m not going to ask again.” Cinder raised her blade ready to strike, this time offensively rather than defensively.

The pink dragon emptied her mind; she dismissed any and all memories of Ash being her brother, or of him training her. At that moment, she needed to focus on how to win, as it was clear that he wasn’t about to allow her being his sister to hold him back. Ash saw her now as nothing more than a traitor who stole his title, but she would prove she deserved it.

“Then, I suppose we’re destined to fight, aren’t we?” Ash asked as he kept his sword up, ready to go.

“I suppose so.” Cinder sighed as she kept a tight grip on her blade.

The two slowly circled each other, both with a katana held in the air, protecting themselves with the edge pointed at their foe. Their steps were in tune, along with their movement.

Ash was the one to make the first move, lunging in at top speed, taking a horizontal swing at his sister, who ducked and twirled very low and sliced at his feet. Fortunately for Ash he was able to get out of the way before he lost even a toe before Cinder came to a stand and slashed upward from the ground.

He managed to take another step backward, placing even a few inches between the two as she narrowly missed his snout. Ash retaliate immediately as he did a series of cuts toward her, but all were unsuccessful as she blocked each one and gave him a cut upon his shoulder with her own sword work.

He wiped the blood away and kept his sword high as he began to circle her once more. “You’ve learned a few tricks, then? I guess you always were a good listener when it came to me teaching you, weren’t you?”

Cinder shook her head as she kept her eyes focused on him. “I didn’t learn everything I know now from you. I had other mentors besides you and I have even invented a few techniques of my own.”

“Little Cinder has finally grown up, you’re a far cry from the naive hatchling that betrayed us all...” Ash commented.

Cinder’s annoyance was growing each time he brought that up. She didn’t betray anyone, all she was trying to do was follow the clan’s laws. She may have been doing something unconventional, but she was trying to abide by the laws set forth.

“I didn’t betray anyone! I wanted to do things by the law!” Cinder argued.

“Yet we’re all dead now because of you. Serenade killed us all because of you, and yet you’re still alive. You got to live and we got death, how is that honoring your clan?” Ash asked before striking at her a few more times, each met with Cinder’s sword, but the last was her metal arm stopping his blade, gripping it tight in her claw.

She narrowed her eyes and squeezed. “You think that you’re the only one who suffered? I live with the guilt of what I’ve done and my arm is a reminder of that. I’ve suffered too, I’ve suffered for over two thousand years. I continue to suffer to this very day.”

“You don’t even know what suffering is...” Ash shook his head as he tried to pull his sword free.

His attempts to free his blade were in vain though, as Cinder’s grip was too strong. Her artificial arm was too much for him to break free from. She pulled and ripped the sword out of his claw and twirled it so the hilt landed in her metal claw. With both swords now back in her possession, she looked down at her brother’s blade once more.

It had been so long since she picked it up for the first time. She remembered feeling unworthy to wield it. For the first few years, she would carry it only but never use it. She didn’t want to use his blade for the longest time.

With both swords in her grips, she looked back up at Ash who was standing patiently for her. “When I first got this sword, I didn’t want to wield it. I didn’t want to accept you were dead, but I also didn’t want to wield it until I felt that I was worthy of it. I knew that if I held this sword in battle, that meant I was saying I was worthy of being called the Blade of Dragon Scar...”

“Are you worthy though, Cinder?” He asked with a smirk.

“It’s not up for me to decide, but I do know that you won’t be the one to decide that,” Cinder responded, and with a quick motion, she twirled with a downward slice, hitting him in the shoulder.

The blades were sharp enough to penetrate even his thick dragon hide with ease. There were new marks on his shoulder where she had cleaved him.

With both blades, she twirled backward and hit him a second time, then a third, then a fourth, and finally with her eighth slash she impaled both of the swords through him and his gut.

He groaned and looked down at the swords through gasps and pants. “Y-you... You impaled... me...”

She nodded as she held the swords in place. “I did what I had to do.”

He nodded as he felt her pull her swords out of him. Grunting in pain, he fell to the ground. Cinder watched as black blood poured out. He looked up at her through strained eyes and spoke his final words. “You’ll always... be nothing more... than a traitor...”

“And you’re always going to be dead,” she responded before impaling his head with her katanas.

He ceased movement and his body grew still. Within seconds his body went up in a cloud of black smoke, vanished from existence.

Cinder sighed and lowered her weapons. With that out of the way, she tried to remember why she was there or how she got there. Perhaps she could talk to some other dragons in the nearest town, or even consult with nearby clans to see if they had seen her. What was she doing prior to this? She couldn’t remember.

Her eyes somehow were drawn to her brother’s blade in her possession. It was a finely crafted sword, but it still held painful memories for her. Her brother’s sword-like her own was forged with dragon fire and with family secrets. Given that her parents never told her about blade forging, however, that meant that those two blades would be the last of their kind, which made Cinder hesitate to even use her brother’s blade at first. To use that blade meant to cross a line that she could never go back from.

In time, however, she found herself more comfortable with it, and eventually, she would use it in conjunction with her own sword without a second thought. It had taken her a good eighty years to master her brother’s sword, but it was time well spent in her mind. It wouldn’t have even been possible, had it not been for her sensei, however.

She frowned at the memory of her sensei but tried to keep her composure at the same time. It was not the time for more crying, she needed to be stronger than that.

A voice that Cinder recognized all too well echoed through the cave, causing the dragon to turn. There standing at the entrance was golden yellow mane with red tips, and fierce red eyes staring her down with a smirk upon her face. “Well, quite a bit you’ve managed to do here...”

Cinder raised both of her swords, ready to fight. “You did this to my family, Serenade! This is all your fault!”

Serenade shook her head and grew a gentle smile. “Is it though?”

“Of course it is.” Cinder growled as she stepped closer, weapons still ready to strike.

Shaking her head, Serenade reminded the dragon of the facts they both were apparently privy to. “None of it would have happened, had you not broken your clan’s laws. You could have just left well enough alone, but you chose not to. The results of your choice are your own doings, not mine.”

Cinder shook her head in protest. “I didn’t know what I was agreeing too.”

“Splitting hairs is often how most evil types exonerate themselves, you know?” Serenade pointed out.

“I guess that explains why you’re so shitty...” Cinder shrugged.

“All I do is wipe out vermin.” Serenade grinned.

“Sounds a lot like a bullshit justification to me,” Cinder retorted.

“You merely blame me for all you’ve been through because you can’t face your own reality. You’re responsible for your clan’s death, you’re responsible for losing that arm, and you’ve done so much more, haven’t you?” Serenade stepped closer.

Cinder gripped her blades tightly as she waited to make her strike, knowing that with Serenade’s skill, she could count on a tough fight.

“You haven’t even told Glitch the whole truth yet, have you?” Serenade smiled deviously.

Guilt pained in Cinder’s mind but she forced it out. “Shut up...”

“You never told her that you were the one who taught me how to fight, did you? That you were my mentor?” Serenade asked, already knowing the answer.

“Shut up...” Cinder repeated.

“I mean, how could you have known? You were just a teenager at that time... Nineteen if I recall...” Serenade circled the dragon, gently brushing her with her tail playfully.

“I should have never trusted you...” Cinder shook her head.

“And yet you did, despite your laws forbidding it...” Serenade giggled. “You broke the rules, and you paid the price. And now thanks to your training I was able to become as strong as I am, and eventually, I’ll be the demon lord and it’s all thanks to you.”

“I aim to correct that mistake,” Cinder replied.

“It’s too late, Cinder. You can’t undo what you’ve done. Will Glitch even trust you anymore when you tell them the truth?” Serenade asked.

“No one has to know the truth if I kill you before it comes out.” Cinder smirked.

“So is that your way then? Hide your misdeeds from those who would judge you?” Serenade giggled.

“My only mistake was trusting you.” Cinder shook her head.

Taking the opportunity, she swung her blade and ended up only slicing through the air as Serenade moved just in time to dodge the attack, but Cinder followed up with a flurry of subsequent strikes, all of which Serenade was too swift for.

The siren charged her horn and sent out a blast from it which Cinder held her metal claw up to catch the blast. Serenade blinked as the blast appeared to have been absorbed into her arm, causing it to glow with the same aura that her horn had. “What the?”

Cinder grinned. “I have learned a few tricks of my own. When my sensei built this arm, it was made for more purposes than just to replace my old one.”

“So you have some new toys, big deal.” Serenade shrugged as she shot another few blasts, all of which Cinder blocked with the same arm, absorbing them and making her arm glow brighter in the process.

“Allow me to demonstrate...” Cinder replied before holding her arm out with her katana still gripped tightly with her thumb. When her claw began to glow, Serenade blinked and jumped out of the way as an energy beam exited her claw and hit the spot where Serenade was standing previously.

“How did you do that? Dragons can’t use magic!” Serenade growled.

Cinder chuckled. “A true warrior keeps tricks up their sleeve for when things get too dicey. My arm allows me to absorb magic and send it back where it came from, but at a higher potency. It’s able to focus magic and amplify it. I’ve had it modified over the years though to hold more and more magic. I specifically had it worked on for centuries so that I may use it to kill you one day.”

“It’ll take more than a fancy toy to kill me.” Serenade growled.

The two engaged each other once more, this time Cinder used her swords to deflect magic attacks, save for the last one which she absorbed into her arm.

Serenade summoned a magic sword to her side which swiped at Cinder, only for Cinder to block it as well. Her swordsmanship had improved significantly since they had trained together over two thousand years ago. The Cinder that stood before Serenade now had over two thousand years of training rather than the meager decade or so when they had first met.

Slice after slice, the two danced with their blades, neither tiring until they both took a step back, weapons still at the ready. Cinder gripped her feet into the ground and kept her eyes locked onto her target with her katanas raised. “You’ve squandered my teachings, Serenade. You’ve forgotten the ways of a warrior that I taught you. You focused only on how to use what you’ve learned to kill mercilessly.”

“And you think that the TorXel achieved greatness through peace? Your clan probably murdered thousands mercilessly to achieve their place,” Serenade countered.

Cinder grinned and shook her head. “It shows what you paid attention to. Our clan founder never raised their blade to an innocent. It was forbidden from the start. They built our clan on honor, something you clearly don’t comprehend and it’s that lack of comprehension that prevents you from ever truly understanding our ways. So long as you can’t comprehend that, you can never use the way of the TorXel to its full extent.”

Serenade faked a yawn. “I know enough to kill you. Besides, with my demonic powers, I have no need of your ways anymore.”

Cinder laughed heartily and readied herself. “Relying on powers rather than skills is the biggest mistake a warrior can make. Your power should be used only to enhance your skill. Power without skill is worthless. Allow me to demonstrate.”

Focusing on her arm, Cinder could feel the magic from it leave the arm and enter the rest of her body. There was a small jolt of electricity inside of her, but it felt oddly pleasurable. Before she knew it, her entire body began to glow with the same aura.

Serenade tilted her head, but had to move out of the way before she could question what just happened as Cinder came out swinging, this time faster than before. Serenade was finding it far more challenging to dodge her attacks as the dragon was moving swifter than before.

A strike narrowly missed Serenade and hit a rock, shattering it to nothing but shards.

“What the fuck?” Serenade blinked.

Cinder readied herself again as she came swinging at the siren, each slash more deadly than the last, finally though, one of them connected with Serenade and cut her face. The siren gripped the slash that crossed her snout and went down her cheek.

Standing tall, Cinder kept a grin upon her face, her fangs looking extra deadly. “My arm was connected to my nervous system a long time ago. This means that I can send the magic it’s stored through my entire body. That magic can enhance my reaction times, speed, and even my strength. As a bonus effect, it makes me more resistant to magical damage than before. While I can not conjure magic as you can, I can use it to enhance my skills.”

Serenade growled as she wiped the black blood from her face. “So that’s what you mean...”

Cinder moved swiftly and slashed at the siren. Serenade wasn’t able to dodge the attack in time and found her front hoof trying to block it, only to be slashed. She pulled back but Cinder used the opening to impale her chest with one of her blades. There was silence between the two for a brief moment as black blood dripped out of the siren.

Serenade looked down at the blade and then up at Cinder. She coughed and the same black sludge dripped from her lip. A grin found its way to Serenade’s mouth as she bled. “Well done... However, even though you have passed this test, you stand no chance against the real me.”

“What do you mean, real you?” Cinder squinted as she pushed the sword in deeper.

Serenade gasped at the pain but continued talking. “This has been only an illusion in your mind. A test if you will, and the real Serenade will be far deadlier than myself.”

“I’ll be ready for her...” Cinder growled, pushing her sword deeper.

Another gasp came out of the siren but she found herself laughing. “Can you face your own demons though? You can’t hide what you’ve done forever... Eventually, they will find out the truth. You trained me, you taught me your ways, and those ways kept me alive, they allowed me to kill your family, and they made me stronger... I am a monument to all of your sins...”

“All you are is a reminder of mistakes that are best left forgotten.” Cinder responded before taking her other blade and swinging it at the mare’s head. With one cleave, she sliced it clean off.

Once the head was removed, the body disappeared into a cloud of black smoke. Cinder blinked and looked around her, noticing it all began to vanish.

About a Week Ago

Cinder gasped as her eyes shot open. The first thing she saw, strangely enough, was the concerned face of Sunset Shimmer who appeared to have been worried. “Fuck...” Cinder spoke as she reached her metal claw to her temple, rubbing it.

Sunset came to her aid instantly and pulled the black tendril out of her ear. Cinder leaned forward, and Sunset caught her. “Are you alright?”

“A bit messed up, but I’ve been worse...” Cinder responded.

Sunset nodded. “You were really uncomfortable as you slept, I saw. What did you see?”

Cinder forced herself to a stand and looked away from Sunset. “My greatest nightmare. How about you?”

Sunset grimaced. “Let’s not talk about it. I think the door is ready to open though?” Sunset pointed.

Cinder peered over at the door that they had invested all this effort into opening and noticed that both sides were glowing now, clearly ready for them to pass through. If they had overcome such an obstacle, did that mean they were worthy of fighting the demon lord? Could they prevent Serenade from achieving her final form? Or was it already too late? What if she was destroying Equestria as they spoke.

There was no telling how long they had been trapped there, and thus there was no way to tell what was happening with the siren.

“What do you think is past that door?” Cinder asked.

Sunset blinked. “I... hadn’t thought about that...”

“You didn’t think they would just let us walk through and out of here did you? Remember they said there would be one final challenge beyond that door...” Cinder reminded.

Truthfully, Sunset had forgotten. Her mind was still focused on what she had just endured; she wasn’t exactly trying to focus on what laid ahead.

“What could possibly be worse than what we just went through?” Sunset asked.

“We’re about to find out, come on, let’s go.” Cinder gestured to the door.

Following, Sunset noticed there was something different about the dragon, her step was more purposeful, her stride filled with determination, and yet her demeanor seemed more taken back. There was something about her that suggested she had even more on her mind than she initially admitted.

Placing a claw upon the door, new text appeared before the two, causing them to step back.

Ye’ who hath passed these trials are advised to turn back. A far greater nightmare awaits you should you proceed. Dark truths you wish to keep hidden shall be revealed.

Cinder bit her lip hen she saw those words and reached over to grab Sunset’s shoulder before the mare could proceed to try and open the door.

Sunset blinked and looked up at the dragon with confusion. “Something wrong?”

“I have a feeling that when we go through there that a lot is going to be revealed about ourselves...” She paused, “and I wanted to just tell you now rather than let you find out in there...”

Sunset sat down, prepared for Cinder to lay something heavy onto her. “What is it?”

Closing her eyes, Cinder sighed. “I... I haven’t been very truthful about my connection to Serenade.”

Sunset tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Serenade killed my family and took my arm away, yes, but there is more to it than that...” Cinder’s eyes squeezed shut even more as she clearly was fighting back tears, a look that Sunset had not only never seen upon her, but one she thought she was incapable of.

“Oh?” Sunset asked quietly.

“I trained Serenade. I taught her my clan’s techniques over two thousand years ago. I was only nineteen at the time, and it was against our laws to teach non-dragons our ways...” Cinder admitted.

“Why though!?” Sunset stood up and stepped forward with interest. She had a mixture of disappointment and curiosity.

Cinder shook her head. “I was foolish. I trusted her, when I shouldn’t have. I broke my clan’s covenants for her, and it cost me my whole family and my arm. I’ve been paying the price for two thousand years now...”

She opened her eyes and Sunset could see them grow misty and tears begin to fall from her ducts. She looked over at Sunset with teary eyes. “I fucked up royally. It cost me everything, and my training is how Serenade has survived this long. I’ve spent two thousand years trying to undo what I have done... Please forgive me, Sunset. I didn’t want to tell you the truth because I feared you wouldn’t trust me if I did...”

Sunset bit her lip but shook her head and reached forward. “What possessed you to trust her? Did she use her powers on you?”

Cinder shook her head once more. “No. Not once did the siren reveal her true nature to me. The reality is far more complicated than that...”

Petting the dragon’s forearm, Sunset gave her a gentle smile. “We all make mistakes, Cinder. You were a teenager at the time. Serenade tricked you, you shouldn’t blame yourself for that.”

“I broke the laws of my clan, and they all died because of me...” Cinder reminded.

“You had your reasons, I’m sure. I won’t ask what those were, but you can’t change the past. You have to focus on the present.” Sunset smiled at her.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Cinder nodded. “Yes, you’re right. We can’t undo what has been done, and crying won’t bring my family back or save your country. The only thing that can make this right now is bringing Serenade down. With that spear, we actually stand a formidable chance of doing so.”

Sunset had forgotten about the spear. In her magic inventory, she had the key to Serenade’s demise. The first time she had held the spear she could tell right away that its power was tremendous, that it was exactly what they needed to win the fight once and for all. It was the very tool that would be the siren’s undoing.

Was it enough though? Sure the spear could give pause to the siren’s power and with its light enchantment it would stand a far better chance against her demonic abilities, but it was still a gamble. Serenade’s power was massive at that point and even with the spear, it was still a gamble.

“With your blades and my spear, we are definitely going to stand a good chance, I would imagine,” Sunset reassured the dragon and nodded.

Cinder smiled at her as she drew her swords. “Let’s face this last challenge together then.”

Sunset nodded as she stepped forward and pushed the door open. Without wasting any more time, the two walked through to their final test, eager to get home.

A Long Time Ago

A small filly made her way down the street at full speed. She galloped at top speed, trying to escape her pursuer who was screaming for her capture as he tried to keep up. “Stop that filly! Thief!”

The young light coated filly managed to put enough distance between the two of them in time to slip away and into a back alleyway, where she hid behind a series of boxes. She waited patiently for her chaser to give up. A long eight minutes passed until she was certain that he wouldn’t be following her.

A sigh escaped the filly as she looked to her saddlebag where her stolen prize rested; an apple. It pained her to think she had put in so much work for a worthless apple, but her stomach demanded something, anything. Her powers were too weak to drain ponies for energy, so she would need to survive on conventional food, but that was also a challenge as she had no money or means to acquire it.

The little filly stuffed the apple into her maw, crunching down on it quickly, trying to fill the growling stomach that she had. It had been a good two days since she had last eaten and it wasn’t exactly a very filling meal either, just a part of a salad she had taken when a pony wasn’t looking.

This was the life of a twelve-year-old siren though. When Serenade and Adagio got separated, she had to learn to fend on her own. When the two were together, Adagio usually took care of the food situation, but now it was all up to Serenade to feed herself, and she wasn’t doing a fantastic job either.

The siren was growing weaker, her body slowly fading away. Her ribs were starting to show, and her muscle mass was disappearing, a sign that her body was eating itself.

She wanted to see her sister again, she wanted Adagio to come back and tell her that everything would be alright, but she knew it wouldn’t happen. She knew that this was likely the way things would be from now on, as there was not even a certainty that Adagio was even still alive. Ponies could have already killed her after they discovered she was a siren, after all.

Serenade had never cried over it though, she promised she would never cry, she would never allow ponies to make her that weak. Even if her body failed her, she wouldn’t give ponies the satisfaction of knowing they broke her.

As she devoured the apple, she sighed as her stomach demanded more nourishment, not appeased by the tiny morsel.

The filly found herself only wanting to go to sleep to stop the pains of hunger, and she moved some of the boxes to create a small protective barrier for herself in case it rained and hid underneath it. Looking to a puddle that hadn’t dried up, she sighed as she stared at her own reflection.

“I wish Adagio was here...” She thought out loud.

We all want things, child.

She blinked as she looked around. “W-who said that?”

There was no answer. She tapped her ear wondering where the sound had come from, not realizing that there was something watching her beyond her comprehension. A whole other world filled with demons and power, watching its latest potential prospect.

It was possible that this filly could become the next demon lord, but it was too soon. Her hatred for mortals wasn’t enough just yet.

The filly curled up and closed her eyes, trying to forget the world around her, even if for just a short while.

About a Week Ago

Sunset and Cinder found themselves in a rather large arena looking area. It was vast and wide and clear of any obstructions, but far in the back, a good few hundred feet away was a massive looking archway that they both assumed was some kind of portal.

“Looks like that’s our ticket out of here...” Sunset suggested as she pointed to it.

Cinder nodded, but noted that it didn’t appear to be active. “Looks like it isn’t ready for use to use just yet, though.”

Sunset figured it wouldn’t be that easy, after all, they were both told they would be tested before they could leave, and she had a feeling that said test was not just trying to figure out how to turn a portal on.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this...” Sunset responded.

“Me too,” Cinder agreed.

As if to answer both of their fears, the ground began to rumble below them. The two tried to find something to grab onto to maintain their balance, but failed and toppled over. Cinder gripped one of her swords, ready to go into battle if she needed to, while Sunset tried to land on her stomach rather than her back where she’d be more vulnerable.

The two watched as the ground cracked open, and a blast mist shot out of it like a geyser. Following the black mist though, the crack grew bigger and a tremendous one-eyed monster burst through it. Its size was massive, large enough to be a building as two bug-like claws with razor-sharp talons protruded from its chest.

It appeared to be like some kind of giant worm with fangs dripping with black sludge and sharp spines on its back. Though they couldn’t see where its body ended as it was rooted in the ground, they imagined it was far larger than it even appeared.

A blood-curdling screech came from its gaping mouth as it stared the two down with a fierce vibrant glowing green eye.

“What the hell is that?” Sunset blinked.

Coming to a proper stand, Cinder offered a claw to Sunset which the mare took to get herself off of the ground. “Looks like our final challenge.”

Nodding, Sunset took a battle stance with her blade drawn on her right hoof, while Cinder drew both of her katanas. “Sheesh, this thing is ugly...” Cinder stated.

“It would make Serenade a perfect boyfriend then, right?” Sunset chuckled as the two prepared for the fight of a lifetime.

“You’re assuming it’s male.” Cinder smirked.

The two would have to cut their banter short, and couldn’t even take a moment to laugh at their own jokes as the creature screeched again in their direction, its loud volume enough to send shockwaves through the ground itself, rumbling it and causing the two to almost fall again. Fortunately, they managed to stay upright.

The monster leaned in and swung at the two with its massive scythe-like appendage. The blade was massive, but fortunately, both girls ducked in time to narrowly avoid the attack.

“That was close...” Sunset commented as she watched the creature pull its claw back and do a downward strike with the other claw, which Sunset rolled out of the way of.

When the claw missed her a second time, it got impaled into the ground and the monster struggled to get it free. Seeing it struggle, Sunset decided to take the opportunity to try and administer a counter-attack. She jumped and landed atop of the claw and ran along its length to try and get closer to its main body.

Naturally, the monster didn’t allow her to simply get closer to it, and took its other claw and swiped it at her, only for Sunset to duck and avoid it. Once she was sure she was in the clear, she raced further down its claw and reach its body where she administered a single cut to it, which opened and a series of black tendrils came out of the wound.

She blinked in shock when the tendrils reached out and grabbed her, and threw her harshly to the ground.

Sunset grunted and groaned as she picked herself up, thankful she had the combat suit, or she would have been in far more pain than she was.

The tendrils reached for her again, but she rolled out of the way, only to be saved by Cinder who had closed the distance and cut the tendrils away with her razor-sharp blades.

Both girls moved a few feet back, trying to stay out of the range of the tendrils protruding from its injury. Once they flailed about pathetically, they retracted back inside and the wound seemed to heal up almost instantly.

They weren’t even afforded the time to question what had just happened, as the monster took another swipe at them which they were forced to jump over and roll further away from its body.

Cinder caught herself by flapping her wings and steering where she would land, followed by Sunset tumbling after, with Cinder catching her.

Back on their feet after the attack, Sunset nodded to thank her ally before they both took a fighting stance once more. “So any plans?” Sunset asked.

“We can’t get close to it, so I think we’ll need to focus on striking it from a distance,” Cinder suggested.

“Striking it where though? And with what? That last attack was a direct hit and yet all it did was create more problems for us!” Sunset pointed out.

Nodding, Cinder rolled toward Sunset to avoid yet another claw attack. The claw in question had made another swipe at the dragon this time, but Cinder was far too agile. She made a slice at the appendage holding the claw, but like the body, more tendrils came out of the wound, causing both of the girls to move backward.

The two began to move at full speed to put as much distance between themselves and the monster as they could as it screeched, causing another quake. Sunset and Cinder kept their balance but looked back at the thing. “It’s going to bring this whole place down! We have to kill it somehow!” Sunset commanded.

“Any ideas?” Cinder asked as they both ducked from a claw swipe.

“Would hit it until it dies constitute an idea?” Sunset asked.

The monster than reeled back and with its mouth open spat a green liquid that the girls jumped to get out of the way of. The liquid sizzled and made a burning sound, implying it was acidic in nature. Cinder wiped the sweat from her brow and looked over at Sunset. “No, I would not consider that an idea, we need to stop this thing before it turns this area into an acid pool. We can’t fight it if we can’t even stand.”

“I think its eye might be a weak point.” Sunset pointed.

Cinder blinked and looked back at the creature, noting its glowing green eye. She did have a point, its eye did appear different from the rest of its body, perhaps it was indeed a weak spot, and even if it wasn’t, it would cause the creature to be unable to see them, which was an advantage they could certainly use.

“How we gonna hit it though?” Cinder asked.

The creature was a good few dozen feet tall, so even with a well-placed jump, they wouldn’t be able to reach its eye with much ease, and without the use of her suit, Sunset’s only projectiles would be magic. She glanced around for something solid to use, until her eyes fell onto Cinder’s claw, and the sword gripped in it. “I got an idea...” Sunset smirked.

“Let’s hope it’s a good one,” Cinder replied.

Sunset nodded. “I think it is. It’s going to require some skill though, so listen up.”

The creature spat once more in their direction, and the two girls rolled out of the way, bumping into each other as they did. They continued moving to keep the creature from being able to hit them, as Sunset explained her plan. “You can fly me close and I’ll throw your sword.”

“Throw my sword? What happens if you miss?” Cinder asked.

“Well, I guess I just won’t miss, huh?” Sunset grinned.

“You think one sword will take it down?” Cinder questioned.

“Your blades are stronger than normal swords if I recall. They should pierce its eye with no problems.” Sunset reminded it.

It was true. The katanas were forged with ancient techniques in Dragon Scar, and were quite sturdy compared to other blades. They were designed to cut through dragon hide, which was considerably thick, so there was little doubt that the blades had the toughness to pierce the eye of a massive demon.

The only concern that Cinder had was that they would only get a single chance. If Sunset missed, they’d be sitting ducks and now down a weapon. They had to try it though, it was the only plan they had.

“Alright, let’s do it.” Cinder nodded as she gestured to her back.

Jumping on, Sunset levitated Cinder’s left-hand blade with her magic and gripped on tightly to her back as the dragon’s mighty wings flapped a few times, lifting them off of the ground.

As they drew closer, Sunset positioned herself so that she could aim the weapon. They would only get a single chance, so she had to make it count.

Dodging the monster’s mighty claws that slashed at them and an acid spit or two, they managed to get as close as Cinder could muster. “Alright, throw the thing!” Cinder commanded.

Sunset focused and readied her shot. She tried to wait for a moment when both Cinder and the monster were holding still enough to get a clear shot. Once she saw her opportunity, she hurled the sword at full speed.

As it soared through the air, everything grew silent to the two until it punctured the eye of the beast causing a screech like they had never heard before. Cinder covered her ears and lowered the two as the sound was immobilizing her.

Once they landed, Sunset watched as the black blood spurted out of the eye and the creature writhed in pain, finally collapsing and ceasing movement. She sighed as she stood there panting, amazed that her plan had actually worked.

Cinder recovered from the screeching and sighed as she walked over to the monster and gripped her blade stuck in its eye. With a quick tug, she managed to dislodge the sword and sheathe it. “Not a bad plan, Sunset. Though I’d expect no less from the famous, Glitch.” Cinder winked.

“It only worked because I had you at my side.” Sunset giggled.

The two stood smiling at each other until a black apparition appeared in front of the corpse. It began to take a shape until it looked exactly like Sunset, but with glowing red eyes. Sunset blinked and stepped back from it.

It spoke in a broken version of her own voice, deeper and filled with hatred. “You have passed the challenge, however, what have you truly wrought?”

Sunset squinted at the doppelgänger. “What do you mean?”

“You were told that this challenge would make you face truths that you wished to keep hidden and Sunset... You haven’t been telling the full truth about what you are, have you?” The copy spoke.

Cinder looked between the two and tilted her head. “What’s she talking about Sunset?”

The copy smirked deviously. “Why don’t you tell her? There is a shadow cast over you, Sunset. A shadow that you have suppressed, but is still there. It wouldn’t take much for the darkness to turn you into what Serenade is, would it? You already gave in once, and you were close to doing it again too.”

“What’s she mean, Sunset?” Cinder asked.

Sunset was quiet as she looked down at the ground, speaking softly. “I... I became a demon once before...”

Cinder blinked.

“It was a long time ago, but I pulled back, I never wanted to be that again...” Sunset looked over at Cinder with serious eyes.

“Want is irrelevant.” The copy spoke, “if you should give in again, there would be no turning back.”

“That won’t happen.” Sunset growled.

“We shall see, Sunset Shimmer. For now, though, your path out of this place awaits.” The copy stated as it disappeared.

Beyond them, the large archway whirred and whistled until a portal appeared between it, ready to be used.

Sunset frowned as she looked over at Cinder. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you... I figured if anyone knew I was a demon before... They wouldn’t trust me...”

Cinder stepped forward and placed a claw upon her shoulder. “I guess we both have our regrets then?”

Sunset smiled at the dragon and nodded before patting her claw with her hoof. “No more regrets though. Let’s go get us a demon siren, shall we?”

Cinder chuckled as she removed her claw and looked to the portal. “Yeah, this vacation sucks anyway.”

Author's Note

Did anyone catch the little Halo easter egg? Or the Doom one?

So, it's been a long two weeks, but we finally are leaving the demon world after all this time. I hope we can get back to a regular schedule "soonish".

Act VI - Chapter LXLVII: Restoration

Chapter LXLVII: Restoration

About a Week Ago

Applejack and her younger sibling were running at top speed to put as much distance as they could between Serenade Dazzle and themselves. Their group of fighters struggling to keep up with the two mares who were more than a match for them in terms of endurance. Years of farm work had made them hardy and able to handle a tremendous amount of physical activity, but they were pacing themselves so that the others could keep up.

It had been months since Glitch and Cinder Deathclaw vanished, and during that time, Applejack had been inspired by the masked pony’s dream of defeating Serenade, and they had taken up Glitch’s position and began commanding with Twilight. In turn, her younger sister, Applebloom was also invigorated and also came to command with Applejack.

While Applejack had her initial issues with the armored pony, she had grown to appreciate what he was doing now more than ever. At first, she thought engaging Serenade at all was a suicide mission, but it was clear to the farmer now that not doing so simply wasn’t going to be an option. Serenade would bring the fight to them if they tried to avoid it, and that was a fact. Applejack only wished that she had had the chance to apologize for giving him such a hard time. She contemplated how little she actually knew about the pony under his mask as she galloped.

Glitch had inspired an entire rebellion, even after his supposed death, and that was all despite no one knowing what his face even looked like. Applejack was certainly curious as to Glitch’s true face, but she knew that was a mystery; the armor he wore may have been gone, but they had managed to retrieve the prototype armor from Aria’s body which Applebloom had donned.

The two of them were a team. Applebloom was the face of the new Glitch, and Applejack was the voice. Together, there was little that the two siblings couldn’t accomplish and there was no one else that Applejack would rather work with. Applebloom may have been stubborn like her, but they were an impeccable team, whose skills complemented each other so beautifully.

That teamwork had kept the rebellion alive, even in the midst of defeat. Without Glitch, his magic and the weapon that he had been gifted by the queen of sirens, the entire operation suffered. Twilight and Discord’s magic aided them, but it was nothing compared to what Glitch brought to the table. Serenade was simply too strong to be affected by magic alone and that was the reality of the situation.

Applebloom in her years had never seen anything quite as brutal as Serenade. She was a mere teenager, but she had been forced to grow up quickly, much to her sister’s dismay. Finally though, as the two stood on the battlefield together, Applejack saw her for what she was: a mare and no longer a filly.

“She ain’t far behind us, c’mon!” Applejack commanded as Applebloom lagged behind, the combat suit prototype she was wearing slowing her down at this point.

Applebloom allowed the visor on the suit to analyze the situation. With Moondancer’s built-in computers, the suit began to run some intense calculations (most of which Applebloom could not understand). The first was to determine the chances
that they would be able to outrun Serenade together and survive. Based upon their speed, Serenade’s speed, and physical endurance, the scan returned a number that Applebloom wasn’t too keen on.

Survival chance: 8%

She changed a single aspect of the plan on-screen and ran the numbers again, this time she got a far better percentage that she could live with.

Survival chance: 88%

It wasn’t perfect, but she would at least be at peace knowing that the odds were good that things would work out at least for one of them.

Stopping in her tracks, Applebloom skidded and turned around, ready to face Serenade. “Go on ahead,” Applebloom commanded.

“No way!” Applejack stopped with her.

“You’ll stand a better chance of survivin’ if’n ya’ go now!” Applebloom yelled, not having the luxury of time to argue with her sister.

“Yer’ not talkin’ with any sense!” Applejack hissed.

Applebloom turned to her sister and slapped her across her cheek, making an audible crack. Applejack looked up to her sister with shocked eyes. “Why’d ya’-“

“Ain’t no sense in both of us dyin’. Go, Twilight needs ya’...” Applebloom smiled.

“No way am ‘Ah lettin’ ya die!” Applejack protested.

Applebloom shook her head. “This is what ‘Ah want. ‘Ah don’t want y’all dyin’. So if y’all stay, ‘Ah’ll never forgive you. Go, live. Y’all are too important to die with me. ‘Ah gotta do my part, and this is it.”

Applejack couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A teenager talking about dying as if she were an old mare in her eighties preparing to knock on death’s door. Applebloom had become far more mature than her actual age, and Applejack could see that.

What the farmer could also see is that Applebloom’s eyes were those of an adult. They were the kind of eyes that burned with the passion to do something in dire situations rather than just wait for them to be resolved.

Placing a hoof upon her sister’s armored shoulder, Applejack nodded as tears streamed down her face. “‘Ah love ya’, sis.”

Applebloom smiled and held her sister’s hoof in her own for a brief second. “Love ya’ too. Now ‘git.”

Nodding, Applejack fought back more tears as she turned and ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She knew that getting back to the hideout was her primary objective.

As Applebloom was left alone, sure enough, her foe would soon appear before her, ready to battle, as always.

Serenade stood before the girl and flicked her long mane out of her face, her gorgeous curls bouncing as she did. The two stared each other down for a long for moments as they stood in silence.

The demon siren had left her cloak back at her abode, so she was instead sporting only her amulet instead. It was odd to see her without her cloak, but Applebloom had assumed that she didn’t wear it all the time already. The two had only met in passing prior to that moment. They had never seen each other face to face.

With eyes locked upon each other’s, Serenade broke the silence with a smile and a comment. “So, you must be Applebloom, or are you Glitch 2.0?”

“Applebloom fits just fine. Glitch ain’t here, so ‘Ah’d never dream of takin’ his title without it bein’ given to me directly by him,” Applebloom explained.

Stepping closer to the teen, Serenade smirked at the thought, obviously knowing that the chance of that happening was now zero. “Ah yes, Glitch. He really was a pain in my side, you know that? He was a crafty one, but as you can clearly see, I was craftier.”

“Can’t hear ya’ over the sound of y’all pattin’ yourself on the back.” Applebloom snidely replied.

Her foe didn’t exactly seem too offended by her comment. And instead just kept approaching casually, up intimidated by Applebloom in the slightest, which was to be expected.

“You know, I am a little disappointed that Glitch was beaten so easily? After how much trouble he caused me, I was at least hoping to get the chance to fight him directly so I had the pleasure of drawing out his death...” Serenade fake frowned, Applebloom already knew that the siren likely couldn’t give a damn if

“Y’all just keep ponies alive so ya’ can kill them later or something?” Applebloom asked.

Serenade just scoffed at her insinuation. “What’re you implying?”

“Nothin’, ‘cept that y’all are some kind of deranged sadist who gets off killin’ others.” Applebloom smirked, sensing she was at the very least getting under Serenade’s skin, and of course, succeeding at stalling her long enough for Applejack to make her escape.

Serenade remained quiet for a brief moment and shook her head carefully. She lost the smirk she once had and her expression turned rather serious.

“You seem to not understand what all of this is...” Serenade said.

Applebloom blinked at the sudden change of demeanor. “What do ya’ mean?”

“I’m sure it would be easier for you mortals to just assume me crazy and that absolves you of having to consider there is far more to what’s happening than you’re willing to believe.” Serenade’s eyes locked onto Applebloom’s making the mare uncomfortable as she stared down the demon siren.

“Calls ‘em as ‘Ah sees ‘em.” Applebloom sneered at the siren.

“What I am doing is far less than what your kind has already done...” Serenade hissed.

Applebloom tilted her head in confusion now.

“What do y’all mean?” Applebloom asked.

“I’ve been alive for getting closer to 2,500 years. In that time, I’ve watched my own kind along with many others you morals simply ‘didn’t understand’ get burned alive, drowned, and much more. I’ve witnessed what your kind have done for thousands of years,” Serenade explained, her eyes filled with seriousness.

Applebloom chuckled and glanced away. “So y’all are just some kid who is after revenge then?”

She shook her head. “No, I am out to deliver justice. Your kind are a disease, a plague on this world, I’m here to free the world of the suffering you cause.”

“And what about all those ya’ murder to get there?” Applebloom raised a brow.

“Would you count the deaths of those who stood for evil as murder? What would you consider the deaths of the many minions of mine that your little rebellion has slain?” Serenade tilted her head.

“You put us in a position where we had no choice...” Applebloom defended.

Serenade smirked as if she had backed Applebloom into her trap and now the young teen had sprung it. “The same could be said of me. My entire life, I had to stand by and watch as your kind mistreated those they could not understand. I had little power to do anything about it, but now... Now I have the power to change everything, and I can watch as your kind begs for mercy that you would never show.”

“We haven’t done a lot of that stuff fer’ hundreds of years. We’ve evolved past that.” Applebloom squinted.

Serenade wanted to laugh, but the disgust in her prevented it. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt happiness that wasn’t twisted with anger and hatred. It had been so long, but the siren was pretty confident she couldn’t feel such emotions anymore.

The voice in her head beckoned her to stop dragging it out, it screamed at her to kill the girl now, but she resisted. She wanted to savor it, she wanted her to understand only seconds before she died that she threw her life away for a cause that didn’t matter. Nothing was more satisfying than breaking her enemies before she killed them. That look of pure defeat in their eyes was the only joy she truly knew.

“What do you consider all the prisoners that I broke out? Is imprisonment for life with solitude your idea of compassion? What of my sister who you put to death by magic conduction? Do you consider that understanding? Her only crime was being born the wrong species in your eyes. As far as I’ve seen, you all haven’t changed, you’ve simply found ways to mask your cruelty so you can feel less guilty about it. If anything that makes you worse monsters than before.” Serenade scoffed.

Applebloom winced. The mare had a point, but it was more complicated than that, wasn’t it? She was too young to have much of an understanding of these things.

“But you’re killin’ many who have no involvement in it.” Applebloom attempted to retort.

“And what do you do to stop it all?” Serenade asked.

Applebloom remained silent, clearly realizing she wasn’t going to talk her way out of this one, but she was not exactly banking on that idea.

Serenade nodded. “Those who stand by while others are abused are just as bad as the abusers. There are no innocents.”

Applebloom took a battle stance, the suit preparing for combat, but given it was not the more advanced model that Glitch was sporting, it was hardly much to look at. Tapping so the helmet would reappear, Applebloom checked the power reserves. Since she lacked magic herself, she relied on Twilight’s magic to charge the suit for her, and her power reserves were running fairly low. At a little under one-eighth of a charge, there was no way that this battle would last long.

Looking the siren in the eye, Applebloom realized that the small opening in the middle of the town they stood in would likely be where her body would rest for all eternity. Her grave was going to be here, assuming there was much left of her.

Sighing, she tapped her foreleg and when an option came up on the screen, she glanced at it and selected it by way of eye contact. The visor was designed to make selections through voice and eye movement.

Initiate self-destruct sequence?

When she selected yes, it asked to confirm which she did instantly. From there a countdown timer appeared in her visor starting at eight minutes.

If she were to die there, she had to at the very least assure that Serenade could not get the suit. Even the watered-down prototype would be more than helpful to the siren in her conquest. They would lose a precious valuable asset to their resistance, but it at the very least would not fall into their enemy's claws.

Serenade laughed as she saw the teenager stand to fight her. “Do you really intend to fight me?”

Applebloom remained steadfast as she spoke to the demon. “Ain’t no way for me to win this fight, that’s fer’ sure. ‘Ah ain’t even close to a match fer’ y’all, but that don’t mean ‘Ah’m gonna roll over and die.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, after all, the thrill of the kill is what makes one feel alive...” Serenade grinned as tendrils came out of her back.

Applebloom had always wondered how those tendrils felt coming out of her. If they felt natural or painful, but she supposed it was a feeling that couldn’t be described. Standing her ground, Applebloom took in a breath as she raised a hoof, making a blade come out of it.

The first strike was swift, with Serenade’s tendril stabbing toward Applebloom, but the young teen was quick enough to react and swipe at the appendage which despite being severed seemed to grow right back, and the remains of the severed tendril evaporated into a cloud of black smoke.

Serenade didn’t waste any time striking again, this time with two tendrils as she stepped closer. Applebloom retaliated with another two slashes, keeping them from touching her as she jumped backward. She had to keep her distance and try to think of a plan.

She recalled Twilight mentioning that demons were weak to light magic. So Applebloom focused the power in the suit into her other hoof and before Serenade had a chance to strike once more, she lifted it and a beam of light shot out, which Serenade was forced to dodge. Even at such low power, it was clear that light magic at the very least wasn’t pleasant for her; not pleasant enough to want to take the full blast of even a weaker beam at least.

Sadly, while it was a good move, it wasn’t one that Applebloom could follow up with much. The suit’s power was running low and she couldn’t keep shooting beams like that forever. Glitch’s suit was far better at preserving magic reserves, but the prototype that Applebloom was wearing wasn’t even half as energy-efficient (likely part of why Moondancer opted not to use it).

Regardless, Applebloom shot off a few more beams trying to put more distance between her and the siren, and after a few more shots she got a warning for the power reserves dropping to 8%, meaning there wasn’t much left.

Serenade, naturally seemed unhindered by Applebloom’s attempts, but the mare still switched to swordplay just to keep the fight going.

Laughing as the siren whipped tendrils at the farm girl which she deflected or sliced through to no avail, Serenade’s grin only grew wider and wider as their fight continued. “Is that all you have? I’m not even trying yet!” Serenade taunted.

She would never want to admit it out loud, but it truly was all Applebloom could do. She wasn’t a skilled warrior, nor did she have proper combat training prior to being recruited to Glitch’s rebellion, and she was nowhere near being on par with Glitch himself. False confidence was all she had as she began to tire out, realizing that she would fall before Serenade soon.

Panting as she took a few more steps back, Applebloom eyed the siren up and down, unsurprised that she didn’t even seem remotely tired. It was to be expected, as she surmised that she seldom ever got tired at all.

Huffing and puffing, Applebloom tried to think of any other options she had for slowing the siren down, but she drew a blank. Once her mind was empty of ideas, the siren closed the distance between them and grabbed her with her tendrils, squeezing her neck as she did.

Applebloom coughed and choked but kept her eyes locked on her opponent, not wanting to take her gaze off of her.

Serenade lifted her up and slammed her back down onto the ground, causing a grunt from the girl. Her tendrils wrapped around the girl’s neck once more, holding her to the ground. A second tendril smacked the visor that Applebloom was wearing, cracking it.

A few more whacks and the visor shattered, exposing the mare’s young face, with a drop of blood trickling down her forehead. The two stared for a few seconds before Serenade smirked once more as the tendril danced in front of Applebloom’s eye, coming to a point as it was prepared to take a stab at her.

“Savoring the kill is something I didn’t get to do with the real Glitch. It’s perhaps my only regret, but he was getting in my way far too much. I’d have loved to see him scream as I ripped him apart,” Serenade taunted.

Applebloom remained as calm as she could as she watched the tendril. “Glitch would have destroyed you, and you know it.”

“You talk too much.” Serenade rolled her eyes as the tendril darted forward, piercing the young girl’s left eye, squirming about as she screamed in pain as blood spurted out.

The appendage wiggled viciously as Serenade leaned in to hear her prey’s screams more clearly.

Between grunts and screams, Applebloom spoke. “Y’all ain’t nothin’. Ya’ kill... to fill somethin’... inside of ya’ that won’t ever be filled. Y’all will never... satisfy your thirst for blood. You will be all alone... forever...”

Squinting, Serenade leaned close and came within whispering distance from Applebloom as she muttered her next words. “Then I’ll never stop killing. You can’t even begin to understand how much hatred I have for your kind.”

“Fuck you.” Applebloom coughed out before another tendril reached forward and slithered in behind her right eye, gripping it and pulling. With an audible snap, the mare let out a scream before a third tendril went down her throat, finishing the job.

Once it was done, Serenade grinned for only a few seconds before she realized she could hear a beeping sound coming from the suit itself. She blinked as she jumped backward and quickly threw her tendrils in front of herself to block the incoming explosion as the body of the mare along with her combat suit blew up, sending shards of blood and metal all over.

She had blocked any damage to herself but cursed as she realized she had almost fallen victim to the pony’s plan. She detonated herself to try and take Serenade with her, but worse, she destroyed the suit as well.

Serenade had hoped to acquire it to understand it’s abilities, but it seemed as though her foes were not foolish enough to allow her to get her hooves on it. It was better off destroyed than a weapon for her to utilize.

Stepping over a large shard of metal, Serenade shook her head as she looked to the distance. Another obstacle was out of her way, now all she needed was to kill Twilight Sparkle and her little draconequus friend and there would be nothing in her way. Equestria would be her’s and nothing could stop her.

Grinning, she looked to the sky. “I’m coming to get you, Twilight Sparkle.”

About a Week Ago

As a new portal opened up, Glitch and Cinder found themselves back where they had left originally. They stumbled a bit but found themselves relatively unharmed. They were both exhausted, but very much alive. Glitch’s suit had a few dents and scrapes upon it, but it was still in fair condition.

The two looked around to find that the city was now almost a pile of rubble. Glitch glanced about to try and draw some kind of inference as to what had happened.

“I guess they leveled the city sometime after we went away...” Cinder spoke as if a mind reader.

Glitch was silent for a second before answering. “Such pointless slaughter... How long were we gone?”

Cinder shrugged. “Hard to say. We definitely need to find the others though.”

Glitch couldn’t argue with that. They needed to meet up with Twilight and get caught up to speed on what was happening.

“I agree.” Glitch nodded.

“Can you fly now? Is your suit back online?” Cinder asked.

Glitch checked her visor and could see everything booting back up. Within seconds her combat systems, life support and comm network were all back online. She thanked Celestia briefly before nodding at Cinder.

“Looks like all systems are back online, so rocket thrusters are operational. Let me see if I can contact Moondancer,” Glitch responded before checking her connection with the girl.

When she pulled up the comm system, she was given an error that caused her to curse.

Communication Module Damaged: Please seek repairs.

“Fuck...” Glitch hissed.

“What’s wrong?” Cinder asked.

“Communication system is damaged. I can probably fix it if we can find Twilight and get her communicator. Moondancer can likely run me through how to get it back online, but I don’t think she can even see I’m out here because that system is what tells her where I am and my vital signs and all that stuff.,” Glitch explained.

“So we have to go find the ship ourselves then?” Cinder frowned, not exactly thrilled that they were flying blind here.

Glitch shook their head. “I can use a spell to track down Twilight’s magic signature. I am familiar with it, so I can flag her down fairly easily. We just need to fly there, that’s all.”

“Resourceful as always. Lead the way.” Cinder smiled as she knelt and began flapping her wings, ready to take off. The dragon’s large wings creating a significant amount of wind as she did so.

Focusing, Glitch released a spell from their horn that sent a sensation back to them, telling them the direction of Twilight. Nodding Glitch looked back at Cinder to answer their inquiry. “Twilight is to the east. Come on.”

“With pleasure,” Cinder replied before taking off, Glitch thrusting into the air with her rocket system and the dragon following after. They were off to find Twilight and be brought up to speed on what happened in their absence, praying that things were not too bad.

A Long Time Ago

At the age of only twenty, Serenade had learned over and over that life as a siren in Equestria was cruel and unforgiving. All ponies knew how to show her was brutality, and today was no exception.

She had been caught stealing a fruit to eat from a nearby stand, and when the stand owner sent his two sons after her, they managed to corner her. She attempted to use her powers on them, but she was too drained to do so. All this ended up doing is showing them that she was a siren, and now she was paying the price.

The taller one of the two had pinned her to the wall with her gut exposed while the other took to kicking her directly in the stomach. She hacked and coughed with each kick, and told him to stop when she caught her breath, but he didn’t listen, instead he responded by kicking her again and again.

After the kicking, the one pinning her to the wall chuckled as he continued to hold her there. Her body was weak and limp, unable to fight back. “It’s bad enough that you stole from our father, but you’re also a freak of nature too!”

Serenade coughed and blood came out of her throat and dripped down her lip as she was held up against the well. “Please... Stop...” She asked.

“Beg for it.” The one holding her laughed.

“Fuck... You...” She managed to get out.

The one holding her nodded to the other one to give her another kick, which he obliged right away, swatting her stomach with his brown-furred hind hoof, causing Serenade to wheeze as the wind was knocked out of her once more.

Her head hung down as she tried to catch her breath, but the one holding her up released her causing her to drop to the ground in pain. Both of them moved in and began to kick her as she laid there on the dirty road in the back alley they were in.

Each hit that connected with her, caused more pain as she moved and tried to shield herself with her hooves to stop the attacks, but it was of little use. The rain of hooves stomping on her continued despite her best efforts to try and block the attacks. These stallions were not going to let up so easily.

“You’re lucky we don’t kill you, monster!” The shorter of the two pointed out.

“We’d be doing you a favor if we did! Something like you doesn’t deserve to live!” The other one joined in.

Serenade grunted and coughed as she managed to take the hits and managed to get a word in. “And what makes you both so deserving of life?”

“Shut up, monster!” The short one commanded as he gave a stomp to the mare’s face. Serenade turned to make sure she didn’t take the full impact, but her nostril was leaking blood.

“Why not cry and beg for us not to kill you?” The taller, clearly older one asked.

Serenade spit, blood mixed with her saliva. “I would rather die than cry over worthless creatures such as you two.”

It was in her self-made moral code after all: never cry. No matter how bad things got, no matter how difficult things became, Serenade promised she would never cry. More beatings were preferable to showing that kind of weakness.

“You sure know how to say the wrong things.” The short one laughed.

With those words, the two of them beat on her for a few more long painful minutes before they were tiring themselves out. They both panted and huffed as they felt their point was made. They turned to leave and looked back at Serenade who was laying there with her face in the dirt.

The older male was taking a bit of pride in his work as he nodded and taunted the siren. “Consider that a warning. Get out of town. If we see you again, next time: we’ll kill you! We’re being merciful, now go be some other town’s problem!”

Serenade said nothing as the two boys began to walk away. She figured it was finally over when she had a good eighty seconds without anymore kicks. Turning to face the direction they left from, Serenade held her stomach and nearly whispered to herself.

“At least it’s over...” Serenade whispered.

Until next time that is.

That was the truth though. The next beating could potentially be worse, or even life-ending if the conditions were right. She had to be more careful, ponies were unpredictable after all.

Managing to stand, Serenade began to support her own weight slowly as she limped her way out of the alleyway.

Glancing around town, she already knew that she couldn’t stay there. Now that those two boys knew she was a siren, they would definitely tell every other townsfolk they knew until the entire town was ready to burn her, it had happened before after all and it likely would just happen again.

How long would she have to spend her life hiding in fear of being beaten or killed for what she was? How long would ponies get away with it?

The only saving grace was that her body would heal faster than that of mortals, but it didn’t make the beatings any less pleasant.

All the young siren wanted was to go back home and be able to lay in those flower fields once more with her sister, but another part of her just wanted to get even. One day, she would have the power to do something about it, and she just knew it.

A Few Days Ago

Starlight yawned as she nuzzled Arax who was laying there with closed eyes, trying to get a little more rest before Serenade would show up to ruin his relaxation. She had managed to kill some pony trying to take over as Glitch and could not stop boasting about it. Her ego was starting to really get on his nerves, but he said nothing.

His affectionate little slave at his side kissed his neck and smiled as he opened his eyes and caught a glance at her. She noticed right away and pulled herself closer to him.

Arax didn’t mind, as he pulled the blanket more over the both of them and let out a yawn himself.

“You think that we’ll be able to do this more often now that Serenade is doing a lot more for herself these days?” Starlight asked.

He wished he could tell her “absolutely”, but he knew that Serenade wasn’t the type to allow herself to let him slack off just because she was winning her little war. If you worked for Serenade, she always could find something productive for you to do for her, even if she carried the bulk of the heavy lifting.

In the past few days alone, Arax had met with many of Serenade’s subordinates to check their controlled areas and learn of what new developments were going on. There was pressure on all of them to find Twilight Sparkle and alert Serenade the moment they knew where she was.

It seemed as though the Princess of Friendship was sidestepping them over and over, which naturally made Serenade mad, and difficult to deal with. She was so prone to emotional outbursts, despite her considerable intelligence. Serenade was smart, and cunning but she was so easily distracted by her anger and annoyance (admittedly the only emotions she seemed to have).

Arax had begun to understand his master after enough time with her and knew that she was childish and thus you couldn’t expect her to behave like an adult.

He shook his head as she kissed his neck once more. “I doubt it. Serenade isn’t exactly the kind of creature to give those under her time off just because she’s in a good mood. A good mood for her more or less just means she won’t give us as much of a hard time.”

Starlight frowned. “Is Glitch really dead?”

Arax was actually curious about that himself. Serenade sent him to the demon world, there was no way he could survive that, right? Even with that dragon with him, he couldn’t possibly survive that place, could he? If he did, that would mean he was as ruthless as Serenade. If Glitch actually came back, that meant that Serenade should be afraid.

“I don’t know, I guess so. No one could have survived being sent to that place, that’s for sure...” Arax responded.

“What will happen to me when Serenade finally finishes off the rebellion?” Starlight questioned. Her voice seemed to lack fear, somehow she wasn’t afraid.

Petting her head, Arax shook his head. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, we should focus on here and now.”

Arax didn’t know why, but he could sense something bad was about to happen.

A Few Days Ago

Glitch and Cinder arrived just outside of the airship dock where Twilight had parked it. It was housed inside of a large abandoned building somewhere on the outskirts of Equestria. Glitch assumed it was previously used for mining operations, but it had been refashioned for their airship as a dock. The door was locked, but a communication orb was outside.

Clearing their throat, Glitch approached and tapped the orb. “Let us in.”

There was some static on the other end followed by the voice of a familiar farmer speaking. “Who are ya’? The exploration crew got back hours ago.”

Cinder stepped forward, placing a claw on Glitch’s shoulder as she spoke up. “It’s Glitch and Cinder.”

Applejack paused for a moment. “What? That ain’t possible!”

“It is possible, now open the door.” Glitch commanded.

Not wasting even a second, the door to the facility opened, and the two stepped inside, in awe at their impressive airship. Twilight had kept it in great condition it seemed, though it had a big scratch on the left side, likely from some kind of battle. They assumed the other airships were probably on patrol nearby.

Hastily, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle had raced off of the airship, Sonata huffing, and puffing as she followed behind them. Kiz and her two escorts casually followed until the entire group was before Glitch.

Twilight stepped forward and placed her hooves upon Glitch’s helmet. “I-I can’t believe it! You’re alive!? How!?”

Glitch turned their head, freeing it from Twilight’s grip as they responded. “It’ll take more than a world filled with demons to stop us. Serenade underestimated us, how long have we been gone?”

Twilight blinked and looked at the others. Applejack was the one to answer for her. “A few months. Applebloom sort of took your place while y’all was gone, but she...”

Glitch tilted their head, finding it odd that Applejack hesitated to finish that sentence.

“She died...” Twilight frowned.

“I’m sorry to hear. She was a very good kid, she had heart, something that is exceptionally valuable in these trying times...” Glitch stepped forward and placed a hoof upon Applejack’s shoulder.

The farmer looked up at the armored pony with misty eyes. “You mustn’t blame anyone but Serenade. She is to blame for all of this. We have to finish what we started and bring her down for Aria and Applebloom’s sake. Their sacrifices can’t go in vain.”

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Applejack nodded. “Yeah. So how’re we gonna do it?”

Glitch released the mare and turned back to Twilight. “First thing’s first, Twilight has to bring me up to speed on what’s been happening since I’ve been gone, but after that, we can discuss where to go from here.”

Kiz stepped forward and smiled warmly at the armored pony and her dragon friend. “Glitch, thou hath returned. Hope is had for these ponies, surely it was thou’s strength that accosted thou through hell.”

Glitch nodded at her. “I couldn’t let everyone down. I’ve done that enough in my life. I have things that I want to go home to as well.”

“Then we art in valorous hooves.” She grinned.

Glitch could not get past how gorgeous the mare was. Kiz had a face that looked so young and full of life, yet she was closer to being the oldest thing that Glitch had ever laid eyes upon.

“Let’s get inside...” Glitch said.

A Few Days Ago

It was a fairly lengthy briefing where Twilight informed Glitch and Cinder of what had transpired while they were away. Serenade had grown more aggressive and aimed to take them out far quicker. Her ego had shot up after she believed that Cinder and Glitch were out of her way for good.

They had lost one of their airships, but Applebloom and Applejack had taken charge to keep the rebellion from falling apart. They managed to maintain most of their resources and even recruit a few more along the way. All that was missing now was Glitch and the Siren’s Bane.

“I guess what we saw was only a vision of a future that could be...” Glitch thought out loud.

“Huh? What vision?” Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

Cinder spoke up on Glitch’s behalf. “When we were in the demon world, we saw a vision of a future where we never returned. Eight years from now, Serenade reaches a power level unheard of before and assumes the role of the demon lord.”

“What happens to all of us?” Sonata blinked as she leaned in to hear more.

“All dead.” Glitch shook their head. “Serenade wipes out everything.”

There was silence in the room for a brief few seconds.

“That’s all only a future that could have been, it isn’t our reality. We returned, and therefore we can prevent that future. All we need to do now is engage Serenade and with the spear, we might be able to take her down.” Glitch reassured.

“Rememb’r, the partisan’s pow’r is only a reflection of thy own etch. One might not relyeth on their own strength if’s be true they desire to slayeth Serenade,” Kiz reminded.

The spear was a valuable asset, but they would need to use it at the right moment if they hoped for it to be effective. It would require the perfect timing and planning to win. They only had one shot, after all, as Serenade wouldn’t likely let Glitch get close again once she knew what the spear could do.

“We need to contact Serenade right away then...” Glitch demanded.

Twilight grinned and stepped aside, revealing another comm orb in the captain’s chambers where they were all standing. Glitch nodded approvingly at the mare and watched as Twilight placed a hoof upon it. This one afforded them the ability to see who they were communicating with, unlike the lesser orb outside of the facility.

Focusing her energy, Twilight managed to contact Serenade through her previously used communication. Fortunately for them, their orb was masked and could not be tracked so easily.

A projection of Serenade appeared before them, her mane soaking wet as she raised a brow. “You interrupted my bath, Twilight Sparkle, so I hope this call is to surrender to me.”

“Quite the opposite. I called to tell you that we’re coming to defeat you.” Twilight smirked.

Her usual overconfidence annoyed Serenade, but she withheld any outbursts about it. “What makes you so confident this time?”

“Someone wants to talk to you.” Twilight’s grin only grew as she stepped aside.

Serenade squinted in confusion. Who could they have possibly recruited that could pose any kind of threat to her?

A familiar armored pony stepped forward and spoke in their usual digitized voice to Serenade. “Hello, Serenade. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Serenade blinked. It wasn’t possible. “How are you alive!? Imposter!”

Glitch chuckled and shook their head. “I hate to call bullshit on your accusation, but I assure you that I am indeed the genuine Glitch.”

“How did you escape!? It’s not possible!” Serenade leaned forward, observing the pony as she was still in doubt that it was the real Glitch, but then she could see that dragon standing behind him, confirming there was no way to fake it, Glitch was still alive.

She tried to keep her composure, but her annoyance with the situation was obvious. “What did you do!?”

Glitch spoke with confidence. “I have to admit, you almost had me by sending me to that demon world, but like you, I managed to escape. I also feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger just by having gone through it. I’m ready for you, so how do you want to do this? You can surrender now, or I can rip you out of your throne and break you. Which will it be?”

Serenade’s eye twitched. Glitch thought she might have blown a blood vessel, the anger inside of her was so evident that she couldn’t hide it at all. “You are going to defeat me!? Don’t make me laugh!”

“I can and I will defeat you, Serenade. Your reign ends in a few days. I survived your challenge, and you and I both know that means I’m just as skilled as you are.” Glitch threatened.

“Fine! You think you can beat me!? Come get me!” Serenade grunted before ending the communication.

A Few Days Ago

Serenade had summoned Arax and Starlight to her chamber as she paced back and forth, her mane still dripping with moisture as she tried to concentrate. “I can’t believe it! Glitch is still alive! How!? No one can survive the demon world, no one!”

“You did, didn’t you?” Starlight asked with a raised brow.

“Get out!” Serenade barked, pointing to the door.

Shrugging, Starlight took her leave, and now it was just Serenade and Arax. Arax found himself a bit surprised to see Serenade panicking as she was, however, he understood why. The demon world put one's abilities to the ultimate test and Serenade was one of the few to actually walk out of that place, which meant that whoever this Glitch was, he was just as strong-willed as Serenade was, and that scared her.

He had never actually seen Serenade scared before, but it was indeed an interesting sight. One that he wasn't certain if it brought him pleasure or concern.

“This can’t be happening...” Serenade mumbled.

“Master, if I may, perhaps we should be fortifying the city? If Glitch’s threat is to be believed, surely he will come directly here...” Arax suggested.

Blinking, Serenade looked up with large eyes. “Yes, of course. How will we fare in a head-on attack?”

Arax bit his lip, not wanting to answer that question. “If I’m being truthful... Glitch has a sizable army now. If he is strategic, he might break through our defenses. He doesn’t have enough to take on all that we have, but our forces are spread across Equestria, and if we take a risk to bring them all here...”

“He could trick us and pick off another one of our occupied cities...” Serenade finished his thought.

“Yes, precisely...” Arax nodded.

“Fuck! He’s definitely coming here though, there’s no doubt about it, but I can’t take the risk of bringing in other troops. He’s crafty and he could change his plan if he senses I’m shifting warriors around to protect myself... Not to mention he’ll see it as a lack of faith in my ability to defeat him...” Serenade thought out loud.

Arax tilted his head. Did Serenade actually believe that Glitch might be able to beat her in a one-on-one fight? He had seen her power before, and it would be a challenge for anyone to defeat her even with an army at their side.

“Master, I don’t see why you’re getting worked up...” Arax said.

Serenade stormed down to him and looked him in the eye, while two tendrils came out of her back and pointed at his skull. “You don’t get it, do you!? Glitch survived the demon world, that means he had to pass through the trials to escape. The last one to do that was myself, and it’s not an easy challenge. He is clearly strong-willed, and that is all the more reason to worry. We can’t afford to be cocky now.”

So it was true, Serenade actually had doubts in her own abilities. Even if she was strong, she knew she wasn’t invincible.

Calming herself, Serenade shook her head as she rationalized. “Wait... Even if he passed the trials and he’s crafty... He’s still a weakling. I have almost all the magic in Equestria... There is no way he can beat me. It takes more than determination to win a fight after all.”

Arax wasn’t so sure that the confidence she had just spoken of was genuine or she was merely saying it to not look weak in front of him.

“Worst case scenario, I can hit him with the oubliette, and he will be toast. It’ll drain my power for a considerable amount of time, but I’ll still have more than enough to rule Equestria after that.” Serenade nodded as she was formulating her plan.

To Arax, it didn’t sound much like a plan. He had his doubts if she was truly even in control of the situation as she made it seem. The oubliette was a considerable risk in and of itself, after all.

“Get out of my face, Arax, and go prepare for Glitch’s arrival. I want to see a battle that will be remembered forever.” Serenade commanded as she pointed to the door with her hoof.

He nodded and bowed before leaving. Standing outside of the door, Starlight smiled when she saw him and quickly rejoined his side. “So, what happened?”

“Glitch is coming here, there’s no doubt about that,” Arax spoke plainly.

“And Serenade’s worried about that?” Starlight asked with genuine interest.

Arax nodded. “It seems her confidence is shaken. The demon world must truly be a horrible place if Glitch surviving it has even Serenade shaking nervously. I’ve never seen her nervous before, but it’s clear that Glitch is in her head. Precisely what he was hoping to accomplish by contacting her directly, no doubt.”

Starlight kept quiet as the two continued their walk, but she still wondered if Serenade would actually fall. Was such a thing even possible for a creature that had achieved almost god-like status?

Time would tell.

A Few Days Ago

“It’s good to hear your voice again, I thought you were a goner.” Was the words that Moondancer had spoken to Sunset after they managed to contact her with the communicator that Twilight was holding onto. Those were the only words spoken before Twilight took over to help fix the communication system before sending Sunset to bed.

The next day, Sunset immediately called Moondancer to try and explain more of their situation and to get any updates on the suit and its condition.

After ringing the woman for a few minutes, Sunset finally got an answer. After a click, she could hear Moondancer’s voice. “Hey, I’m up and about now, how you been?”

Sunset chuckled, relieved to hear her friend once more. “Hey, it’s been a crazy night, you missed a lot.”

“We can talk about it after I perform your diagnostics test for the day. Have you experienced any bugs?” Moondancer asked. She was always one to cut right to the chase.

Sunset laughed. “You could say that...”

“Fuck, what’s the nature of the problem?” Moondancer asked.

Sunset could hear the sound of feet stomping on the other end. “Are you on the treadmill?” She asked as she wandered over to the other side of her room with her hoof in her ear to hold the communicator in place.

“Yes, trying to get a head start on today since I know we’re entering crunch time soon,” Moondancer replied.

Sunset surmised that Twilight had told her about their plans to take Serenade down, but she clearly didn’t mention the Siren’s bane which seemed incompatible with her suit. She was curious if there was a way to power it more through the suit itself. Every advantage they could get was worth pursuing after all.

“Whatever works for you, but are you sure you can handle all this? This whole thing could go on for some time...” Sunset frowned, knowing that the entire battle would be just as stressful for Moondancer as those fighting it. She had to sit on the sidelines and monitor it from afar, unable to help directly.

“It’s no worry, I have enough coffee here to pull a few all-nighters. When this goes down, I’ll be ready for it, no sweat. You’re going to have my undivided attention,” Moondancer stated.

That was just like her, but it was something that Sunset admired.

“That’s not exactly a good thing, but I guess we both have to do what we have to do,” Sunset tried to hide the concern in her voice, but was clearly doing a terrible job at doing so.

“Don’t worry about me, I have the easy part,” Moondancer reminded her.

Sunset disagreed but decided to not voice it. “Yeah, I suppose that’s true... This whole thing is about to get beyond fucked up, I guess. Glad to have you with me though, I don’t think I could pull this off without your help.”

“It’s no sweat, but we can celebrate when this is over, okay? Don’t thank you just yet, there’s no certainty that you’ll even survive this,” Moondancer replied.

Sunset had thought about that, but it was something she had been trying to push out of her mind. Through all of this, there was no certainty that the spear would even work, or that she’d get close enough to use it. She would need to survive Serenade’s army first, and that was no short order.

“True, but here’s to hoping,” Sunset responded as hopefully as she could.

A sigh came from Moondancer’s end, but she continued getting back to business. “So quickly go over what’s wrong before I do the diagnostic later? Might help to pre-emptively know what I’m looking for.”

Sunset paused and rubbed her neck. “Well, there is sort of a... How do I put this...? Hardware compatibility issue?”

“Hardware comparability? What the hell are you even talking about?” Moondancer asked, her voice clearly showing concern.

“Let’s just say some new equipment got added and I’m going to need a system check to maximize compatibility. It’s got an energy reading that I wasn’t expecting to encounter and so it’s creating some issues with the current setup,” Sunset explained as to the point as she could.

Moondancer took a moment to respond. “Okay, you are definitely going to have to fill me in on this.”

“Well, this girl-“ Sunset got cut off.

“After I get out of the shower. I have a feeling this is going to be a long explanation. For now, just take it easy on the system, and wait for me. Do not do anything reckless until I do a full system check and see what you’re talking about so I can give a full software rollout to fix the issue. Should only take me a few hours if I work quickly,” Moondancer said.

As per usual, her friend was more interested in getting right to the point.

“Fair enough, I’ll talk to you in a bit then,” Sunset replied.

“Moondancer out.”

After she hung up, Sunset sighed before tapping her chest, making the suit appear around her body once more. This was it. Three years ago she enlisted the help of Moondancer to defeat this demon siren, and in a few more days, they would either accomplish their goal, or Sunset would die trying.

A Few Days Ago

With Moondancer brought up to speed, she spent the rest of the day working on getting the suit and the spear to work together better. It was a long process, as the spear was unlike any kind of energy reading that Moondancer had ever seen, and her experience with magical readings was already fairly limited.

By the end of the day, though, Moondancer had a new software update ready for the suit that she had sent to Sunset to install right away. She contacted her to explain it.

“So, the spear is very unique, but this update should allow you to use some of the suit’s power to fuel it. It won’t do much, but it should increase its power just a bit more to give it a tiny bit of extra punch. I can’t promise it’ll make a huge difference, but even the 8% increase that I am seeing should be more than helpful in this fight, am I right?” Moondancer asked.

“Definitely. Every little bit is going to count.” Sunset replied happily.

“I’m glad. I can’t believe we’re doing this though. It’s insane. This thing could make or break the fight, so you need to only use it when you absolutely need to. Even with that power boost, it’s not going to win you the fight so easily.” Moondancer reminded.

Sunset was no stranger to having to make the best use of her assets, but she agreed regardless just to keep her friend at ease. “The spear will only come out when the fight is about to start. Until then, we’ll have to rely on the old tricks.”

“Just remember to keep your eyes on your power reserves too. The suit is not invincible and if it runs out of power it’ll be fairly useless.” Moondancer nagged.

Chuckling, Sunset nodded. “I’ll be sure to keep my eyes open. I’m not about to be beaten so easily.”

There was a short silence between the two of them before Moondancer spoke again. “I hope Shimmer would be proud of both of us...”

Sunset found herself oddly silent from that statement as well. “Yeah... Me too. I think she would be though, we’re doing something incredible here after all. We’re saving an entire world from a siren that is powerful enough to become a demon lord after all!”

Moondancer seemed to chipper up from that statement alone. “Heh, yeah, I guess you’re right. She would be super excited over what we’re doing, right?”

“Definitely.” Sunset laughed.

Sounding as though she had calmed down, Moondancer let out a soft “hmmm”, before speaking once again.

“Alright, looks like the software update is finished, I guess it’s time to get moving out, huh?”

“We’ve got a siren to beat,” Sunset replied.

Author's Note

Sorry for the extra week delay! Applety had a lot going on and she didn't have time to work on the chapter last week. On the plus side, this gave more time to work on the next one which will be out in two weeks.

That being said... The next chapter is indeed the finale of Act VI. I can't believe we're already at the end of Act VI!

The story is reaching its end, but there is still one more act to go.

Forewarning though, as with all finales, it's usually longer than the other chapters and I believe this one may be the longest chapter in the entire story thus far.

Act VI - Chapter LXLVIII: Serenade’s Symphony

Chapter LXLVIII: Serenade’s Symphony

In the beginning, the legends spoke of an immortal who would seek to become more than they had been born as, more than they could have achieved on their own. Their ambition would be fueled by their hatred for the mortal kind.

In her heart, she would hold no love, no affection, only hatred. As she grew, she would find more hatred, more anger and her heart would afford no room for anything else. Anger would be the only emotion she understood, hatred her pure driving force.

When she was born, the high demons whispered of her presence, speaking highly of her as she would ascend to become their new master. From birth, they cultivated her and influenced her. They watched as mortals would abuse her, waiting for that abuse to affect her so they could whisper in her ear and speak of the power they could offer her.

The process was a project of patience, but within time, she would accept their offer of power.

A series of trials she was given, and the first she passed with brutality and cruelty that the umbral plains had never seen. In her rage, she showed the potential to be the most merciless demon to ever set foot in these cursed lands. No amount of demons thrown in her path stopped her, and no amount of battle would slow her down.

It was decided from then that she would be granted the gift of demonhood, and from that point, she would be tested many times to see if she was truly worthy. Each test she passed, more brutal than the last, and as she grew, so did her thirst for blood and vengeance.

Hell could not contain her for long, as her thirst for the blood of mortals outgrew hell’s ability to feed. With hatred fueling her, she walked among mortals ready to deliver swift justice to all who opposed her and those who had wronged her.

Her power continued to grow beyond that which was believed possible, and she would soon find herself standing among the most elite demons in hell. As she slew them all in a display of impressive supremacy, she stood before the throne of hell ready to ascend it. Her final test would have her kill the lord that sat upon the throne.

As she left that day, she promised she would return with enough power to rip his head clean off of his body and then she would sit upon the very throne that deemed one worthy of being the demon lord.

Hell waits for that day with eagerness for its new master.

She would rise to the land of mortals once more and begin a new conquest. With ease, she was able to overpower even the strongest of the mortals on the surface world, and take their kingdom as her own. To insult them in their defeat, she would construct monuments to her vanity and dismantle all they had built.

One mortal stood in her way, however, a mortal that continued to cause problems in her plans, a mortal with ambition in their heart. This mortal whom had once given into the dark temptations of demonhood would continue to sleight her and threaten her seat of power.

In the hopes of thwarting her enemy’s plight, the future demon lord would send her to the very plains that she had once walked through, hoping that hell would be the mortal’s undoing.

She was mistaken, however. The mortal would conquer hell with nothing but blades and willpower, defeating the trials of the damned to return to the world above so that she may live to do battle with the future demon lord.

With a blade forged in ancient times, she possessed the ability to give pause to the immortal being’s power itself. With this blade in tow, she would go to challenge the future demon lord.

That same mortal walks ignorant that she too possesses the same gift that could turn her into the demon lord one day.

As their mights approach their inevitable clash, only one shall emerge victoriously. Whoever that one is, stands a greater chance of becoming the lord of all demons. So it is written.

Their names are Serenade Dazzle and Sunset Shimmer.

A Few Years Ago

What had Adagio done? She had done something that a siren should never do, and she knew that. It was one thing to kiss her, it was another to lay with her. Sirens were forbidden from loving mortals and forbidden from having sex, and yet she had fallen for a mortal’s lure and allowed herself to be taken by her.

She laid there with a cigarette pressed between her fingers before taking a long inhale of the cancer stick and letting out a cloud of smoke. She had just damned herself, and she knew it, but her body couldn’t resist what was being offered to it. Feeding off of negative emotion made her feel powerful and shot excitement through her entire body, but this was something far greater than that. The pleasure that she felt when she allowed this mortal to touch her far exceeded that.

The redhead that had just shown her how to make love to a woman smiled at her and kissed the taller girl’s cheek.

“Not bad for your first time.” Shimmer smiled.

Adagio gave a half-grin, trying to keep her usual “tough girl” demeanor before taking another inhale of her cigarette.

“Yeah, well I’m not really supposed to do those kinds of things...” Adagio blushed, trying to avoid eye contact.

Shimmer blinked and moved in closer, forcing the siren to meet her eyes. “Really? Why not? Who said?”

Adagio felt incredibly warm when she felt the girl crawl more onto her. Her sizable breasts now resting on her right arm that was tucked under a blanket. How could they be so soft? More importantly, why did that matter to Adagio?

Everything about Shimmer’s skin was soft and smooth, and somehow that was insanely appealing to the siren. She couldn’t believe what was happening, she a temptress was being tempted by a mere mortal.

“Bad stuff happens to my kind when we do this kind of stuff...” She stated, trying to keep it as vague as possible. She couldn’t tell this mortal girl she was a siren, at least not yet.

Shimmer seemed unsatisfied with that answer. “Your kind?”

“Let’s just say that my family has a bad history with love and sex...” Adagio glanced away, trying to avoid locking eyes with the redhead.

“How so?” Shimmer pried.

Damn, she doesn’t give up, does she? Adagio growled internally at Shimmer’s persistence.

Adagio finished her smoke and patted the still lit end into an ashtray before sighing. “My mother was murdered for loving someone...”

The girl’s eyes widened at that statement. “Murdered!? For loving someone!? How does that happen!?”

Adagio reached over and pet the girl’s head which caused her to release a gentle coo. “People didn’t take kindly to their romance... My father did nothing to defend her and watched as she was burned alive.”

Shimmer’s eyes now were not only wide open, but her mouth was starting to hang open. “How did they get away with that!? Did the people who did it ever get caught?”

Adagio twitched as she realized she may have given more information away than she intended. If she continued to slip, Shimmer would discover she was from another world. Quickly, she thought up a feasible excuse.

“No. I came from a place where the law didn’t really care what happened to people like me...” Adagio said, not entirely lying.

“That’s terrible... Maybe you can still do something?” Shimmer suggested.

Adagio grunted, wanting the girl to drop the subject. “Sunset, I am a drug dealer who has gotten by with fake IDs and falsified records. The government doesn’t care what happens to me or my family, which I no longer have. Besides, the people who did it are all dead now, and even if they weren’t, going after them wouldn’t change anything...”

Shimmer frowned. “Oh... I guess that’s true...”

There was silence between them for a solid eight seconds before Shimmer broke it. “That doesn’t mean you should avoid love. I mean, if anything, you need it now more than ever.”

Adagio smirked at the thought. “Anyone who loves me will find a world of trouble, I think I’ve told you this before.”

Shimmer smirked right back at her before leaning up to kiss her neck. “Then consider me in deep.”

Several Years Ago

Serenade stood with a changeling at her side, staring off in the distance at the mighty land of Equestria. They stood there at the outskirts of the nation, gazing at the marvel of the world. Equestria had risen to the most advanced, wealthy and resource-rich land in the world in its few thousand-year history.

The unification of the races under its flag turned diversity into its strength very quickly. Unicorn, earth pony, and pegasi all worked together to build the nation into what it was today. Now, Equestria stood as a peacekeeping nation that utilized its might to thwart fighting between nations outside its borders. In other words: Equestria became the police of the world almost overnight.

The young-looking changeling stared, unblinking at the nation which both creatures didn’t exactly have the best experiences with.

“See that, Arax?” Serenade pointed and gestured with her head at the mountain in the distance where one could see the crown jewel of Equestria perched on its edge ever so precariously.

It was the city of Canterlot, home of the two royal princesses who controlled Equestria from their thrones. Along with the help of a few others, the entire country was governed by a small hoofful of ponies, all of which selected by Celestia herself.

Arax had seen the city before, but it was still quite appealing to the eyes to see it from a distance. Whoever designed the city was a genius of an architect.

“What of it?” Arax questioned, not truly interested, but instead obligated.

“I’m going to rule the country one day. We start small, and by this time next year, all of Equestria will be mine, and you’re going to help me do it...” She smirked at the changeling.

Arax scoffed and looked away with annoyance. Already, her ambitions sounded far too great to ever realistically achieve, but then again, he had already witnessed her other-worldly powers. Serenade certainly possessed abilities that were unique and not easily replicated, even with magic, but to take over an entire nation? Was such a thing possible? Surely it wasn’t.

Even with her demonic powers, there was no way she could actually dethrone the two alicorn princesses. Celestia and Luna were at least over a thousand years old, mastering their abilities in all that time, after all.

“Not to be a downer here, but that whole plan sounds impossible. Celestia and Luna are-“

“Relics of the past.” Serenade interrupted.

He sighed and shook his head. “Only metaphorically speaking. If we are speaking logically, they are more than formidable. You know what they say though? Pride cometh before a fall.”

Serenade gave him a dismissive hoof gesture as she stomped her other hoof to get his attention. “You forget... You haven’t seen all that my power can do yet...”’

That was just like her, really. Serenade always seemed to have just one more secret hidden up her sleeve. She kept many secrets, and in the short time that Arax had known her, he felt as if he hadn’t gotten to know her at all.

She looked over at him with a grin. “You must be getting tired, let’s camp here for now.”

A brief setup went by, and they were sitting in front of a warm fire as the sun went down. Arax gazed at the sunset in awe. “It’s beautiful...” He commented.

Serenade scoffed, refusing to even look in that direction. “I hate Sunsets.”

He blinked as he held out a stick with some vegetation upon it over the fire, roasting it. “Do you like anything?”

“That’s a stupid question.” She rolled her eyes.

He supposed it was, and dropped that subject entirely, not particularly interested in it anyway.

His other hoof moved over to his chest as he felt his beating heart for a brief second before glancing back over at the siren who was just poking at the fire with a stick, no food in tow. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I don’t need to eat,” she said plainly.

“Not hungry?” He pulled his own stick out of the fire and took a bite of his food.

“I don’t get hungry.”

He chuckled as he tried to create light conversation, realizing that this girl clearly wasn’t one for small talk, but if he was stuck with her, he figured he should at least get to know her.

“Small appetite then?” He questioned.

Finally, she looked up at him with serious eyes. Her stare was powerful and a bit frightening, but he kept his composure.

“I don’t get hungry ever,” she stated.

Arax blinked and tilted his head slightly in confusion. “How is that possible?”

A small smirk came to her lips. That was the odd thing about her, she never smiled unless it was a sinister one. “A demon as old and as powerful as I has evolved past the need for such a thing. I have enough demonic energy that I need not sleep, eat or drink. All of those things are pointless activities to me now.”

“So you haven’t slept in a long time then?” He asked in amazement, his mouth slightly ajar.

She nodded. “Hundreds of years.”

“Why did you become a demon, if you don’t mind me asking?” He finished off his food and leaned in to hear her better. This time he genuinely was interested.

Serenade had an annoyed look on her face as he asked. “Damn, you really like asking a lot of fucking questions don’t you?”

“We’re stuck together, so I may as well try to understand why you’re doing this, and who you are, right?” He shrugged.

She sighed and grumbled but answered his question, regardless.

“I was on the path to demon hood at a young age. I’ve hated mortals for a long long time. Almost my entire life, I’ve wanted to do nothing but cause mortals pain. After I became a demon, I spent all of my days honing my powers, trying to become strong enough until the day where I could wipe the world of them,” Serenade explained.

“Why though?” He blinked.

“Mortals are a disease, a sickness upon the world. They’re nothing more than a virus masquerading as civilized creatures.” She glared, her eyes narrowing as she spoke those worlds. Arax could already tell: she truly meant them. That was precisely how she felt.

At first, the changeling didn’t know what to say, but somehow eight words came out of his mouth, almost absentmindedly. “Why are you doing something about it now?”

“It finally got more personal...” She growled, clearly not comfortable answering so many questions.

“And what do you need me for?” He asked.

That truly was the mystery. Serenade seemed powerful enough to where a single changeling should not be of much help to her, yet as if reading his mind, she stood up and her long mane bounced as she did. She smirked at him and gave a cunning gaze. “That’s to be determined. Show me what you’re capable of, and we may have a very healthy working relationship.”

“And if I fail?” He blinked.

She chuckled and shook her head. “I wouldn’t worry about that. If such a thing happens... You only need to know that you’ll regret it dearly.”

A Few Days Ago

Glitch pushed the door to the briefing room on their airship open and waltzed in with a clipboard in tow as they quickly began reading off instructions. The room was full with Sonata to the left of Princess Twilight who had a confused look upon her face as to why Glitch was being “all business”, but then she surmised that the armored pony didn’t want anything to go wrong.

“Alright, listen up, I need everyone to pay close attention because we can’t afford anyone to fuck anything up, alright?” Glitch commanded.

The room was filled with silence as Glitch pointed toward Applejack. “Applejack, you’re on front line leadership. You’re going to command and guide the team attacking from the South Gate. You can do so from the airship after you create an entrance for us.”

“Wait, that’s the primary entrance. Shouldn’t y’all be doin’ that?” Applejack raised a brow.

“I trust you with the task. I have a far more important job that will require my attention, so you have to do it. I can’t think of another pony who is better suited for the job.” Glitch barked.

Applejack grew silent and decided it was best to simply accept the honor given to her and let Glitch continue, as he didn’t appear to have much in the way of patience that day.

“Twilight, Discord, I have a special job for you. In Canterlot there are two control towers that are used to amplify magic. Commonly these are used for amplifying shield spells over the city. One of them is discharged completely and I need both of you to head to that tower and charge it with your magic. Combined, you should be more than enough to do so,” Glitch commanded.

Twilight blinked. “Why though?”

Glitch sighed, realizing they were going to have eight thousand questions along the way.

“The two towers can amplify magic, I intend to coordinate it with my location in the prime center of the city. If we can get both towers online and me in position, the suit’s power combined with my own may be enough to send a blast Serenade’s way that will immobilize her,” Glitch explained with their hoof waving.

The entire room seemed to squint and lean in with interest. “That sounds pretty risky...” Twilight commented.

“I love it!” Discord chimed in with a devious grin. “It’s daring! It’s chaotic even!”

“It’s our best chance at winning, so I need you both to get to that tower to power it back up.” Glitch grunted.

Discord gave a salute in Glitch’s direction. “You can count on me, mysterious masked commander.”

Twilight didn’t even get a chance to chime in, as the draconequus placed a claw around his “student” and pulled her close as he grinned at her. She smiled back sheepishly before turning back to the armored pony with concern.

“What about the other tower?” Sonata asked.

Glitch paused and looked across the room. “The other one will be a bit more complicated. While it’s still powered up, the main route to it is destroyed. Serenade really leveled a lot of the city when she took over.”

“And as far as the reports suggest, the tower’s outside is corrupted with dark magic, so we can’t even use the outside entrance if we wanted to, because we’d have to pass through the dark barrier.” Twilight frowned as she pointed out the fact.

Glitch smirked under their helmet, though no one could see it. “I know, but that’s why we’re not going to use the outside entrance.”

“What do y’all mean?” Applejack asked.

“There is an underground tunnel way that leads in through the sewers. It can get one past the barrier by going under. Someone can go through the sewers to get to the tower. Since it’s already powered, they would merely need to switch it on,” Glitch stated plainly.

“Are you forgetting that even if we go under the barrier; while the damage from trying to pass through it is negated, there is still the high level of magic potency in the air...” Twilight reminded.

Glitch let out a sigh, a bit surprised that the princess had so little faith in their abilities that they had assumed they hadn’t accounted for that.

“I know, but that’s why Cinder is going to be the one to do it.” Glitch pointed to the dragon who blinked once but then grew her usual determined face as she nodded at the masked pony.

“How will that change anythin’?” Applejack crossed her hooves.

“For the love of Celestia, please, can anyone around here do some research or read a book or something?” Glitch placed a hoof upon their head trying to quell their headache.

Cinder had already figured out what Glitch was getting at, but she chose to enlighten the others, though she suspected a few (namely Twilight) had also figured it out.

The dragon cleared her throat before speaking. “Dragons are resistant to magic. Not immune, but our bodies are poor conductors for magic, thus its effects are weakened on us.”

“Meaning that Cinder should be able to navigate the tower with no problems...” Twilight placed a hoof upon her chin in thought.

Glitch really had thought all of this through. They had an entire attack plan ready, and it appeared as though they intended to utilize every single asset at their disposal. Needless to say, Princess Twilight was considerably impressed by Glitch’s planning; but the question remained if they would have the skill to pull all of it off?

Failure at this stage would be catastrophic. They wouldn’t just go back to square one, they would be out of the game entirely. If Serenade and Glitch’s might both met in battle and Glitch was not the winner; it would be the end of days for the rest of them.

They couldn’t afford to let that happen.

“Sonata, you’re going to lead a group with Kiz, as she so graciously offered.” Glitch bowed their head gently at the siren lord who nodded back.

Sonata didn’t understand this siren. What was her motivation? Why was she helping them? It didn’t make much sense to her, but at least if she was by her side, she could find out. Sonata had a personal attachment to all of this, and hoped to find a place for herself in Equestria when it was all over, but what about Kiz? She had nothing to gain by trusting Sunset with a weapon that could kill sirens with ease, so why did she?

She also wondered if the legends were true and the siren truly was as old as she claimed. Either way, she somehow trusted her, regardless of all of that. Kiz had voluntarily given her amulet up, but something told Sonata that she was powerful enough not to need it.

“What about you, Glitch?” Twilight chimed in.

Glitch glanced over at her, before focusing themselves back upon Cinder. “Once you have the towers operational, turn on the lights so I know. Then, I should be able to use the help of a small attack team that will slowly push through her defenses. At that stage, a frontal assault is feasible, but I wouldn’t worry about such a thing, chances are Serenade will try to use some kind of attack to stop us, so I intend to use the energy we gain to push through.”

“In layman’s terms?” Twilight tilted her head.

“A big ass energy blast, yes?” Cinder chuckled.

Glitch paused but nodded. “As Cinder so elegantly put, yes a large energy blast. I just need to concentrate and I might be able to tap into some of my unused power.”

Twilight instantly knew what she was referring to. Sunset had written to her about her transformation during the Friendship Games into Daydream Shimmer. If she was fighting for the right reasons and centered herself, there was a possibility she could do it again.

The power boost she got as Daydream could be exactly what they needed, provided Sunset could still do it. A lot about the girl had changed since that day, and while she was able to tap into that power once during her fight with Adagio, she was a lot less hardened back then. The Sunset that stood before her under that mask was one full of resentment and negative emotions after all (many of which caused by Twilight).

Was it still possible for her to move past all of that to become Daydream? Twilight was curious herself as she couldn’t fathom an answer just yet.

“All sounds risky t’ me.” Applejack crossed her hooves.

“Risks net rewards, and at this stage, we have to convince Serenade that we are a force to be reckoned with. If we can trip her up, she might get sloppy, which is enough to exploit a victory for us,” Glitch countered.

Applejack couldn’t even argue with that logic, so she remained silent while Twilight chimed in. “Use psychology to gain an advantage? That’s actually quite brilliant.”

“You can call it brilliant when we pull it all off... If we can that is...” Glitch said.

A Few Days Ago

Twilight stood with her longtime friend Rarity and watched with her from her porch as her blonde haired wife worked the fields; her son carrying baskets to help while Horizon merely observed from a distance. Horizon hadn’t exactly been shown to be a very labor-oriented girl after all.

While Twilight was merely just gazing in the general direction, Rarity was keeping her eyes on her wife’s tight and attractive muscles as she worked. The woman could already feel herself sweating as she watched the woman flex her taut muscles.

There was silence between the two until Twilight finally broke it. She didn’t look at Rarity, instead, she kept her eyes on the fields in front of them. “Rarity, do you ever keep secrets from Applejack?”

“Of course.” Rarity’s answer came a bit quicker than Twilight had expected. The nature of her answer also surprised her.

Blinking, Twilight turned her head to face the fashionista, whose eyes were still focused on the farmer.

“You do?”

Rarity nodded. “Sometimes things are better left unsaid and there are parts of yourself that you simply can’t show to anyone, even the people you love.”

Was that true? Twilight wondered. Could there possibly be parts of herself that she had never shown anyone? She pondered for a good eight seconds but couldn’t think of anything that she hadn’t at the very least, told Sunset before.

“I can’t think of any part of myself I’ve denied or not shown in front of Sunset... I mean, I’m pretty sure she knows pretty much everything about me...” Twilight frowned.

Rarity was quiet for a moment but responded with a tone to Twilight that suggested regret. “Sometimes it’s not easy for people to be their entire self even around the people they love.”

Now Twilight was certain that Rarity was speaking from personal experience. “Is something on your mind, Rarity?”

The woman snapped back to reality and looked over at Twilight. “Hm?” There was a brief pause followed by her first growing a sugary grin that Twilight suspected wasn’t genuine. “Oh, nothing, either way, whatever secrets Sunset keeps are likely not to hurt you.”

Twilight squinted. “I guess... I just wanted to know if I should accept that she’s never going to come back...”

Rarity’s demeanor changed. Her face became serious and somewhat somber. “I can’t tell you what to do in that regard, but Twilight... It has been three years. You have to think about yourself and Horizon at this point. And accept the real possibility that...” She bit her lip. “Sunset might even be dead...”

Dead. Somehow that thought brought Twilight comfort. It was better that Sunset’s excuse for not coming back was that she died than because she just didn’t want to be with her, right?

“I... I don’t know...” Twilight frowned.

Rarity reached over and placed a hand atop of Twilight’s, causing her to look up to the girl’s serious blue eyes. Even as she was getting older, Rarity continued to look just as pretty as she always had.

“Moving on is a process, Twilight,” she stated.

Horizon and her guardian sat at the breakfast nook table eating from some salads which Horizon was hardly poking at. The girl wasn’t much of a fussy eater, but she certainly was a slow eater. She often took a good hour to finish what she was eating, but Twilight seldom made a big deal out of it. As long as the girl got her nutrition, Twilight was content.

Looking at her daughter, Twilight could see a lot of Sunset in her. The texture of her hair seemed to match that of Sunset’s and if she grew her hair out, it would probably look very similar. Though her face had her brother’s sharper nose rather than the rounded nose that Sunset had.

This girl had become Twilight’s entire life outside of school over the past three years.

She was thinking about what Rarity had said to her, and it had occurred to her that when Horizon wasn’t around, Twilight was very lonely. She tried to keep up with her friends, but as they got older, they all had busier lives and that meant a lot of nights when Horizon went to bed, Twilight sat up by herself with a glass of wine trying to bury her mind in books.

Maybe it really is time to move on. Twilight thought to herself. Sunset was either dead or not coming back.

Twilight reached across the table and placed a hand atop of her daughter’s hand. The little girl didn’t even look up as she poked at her salad with a tiny fork, and decided upon a piece she was content with eating before shoving it in her mouth. As she chewed, Twilight smiled at her.

“Horizon...” She began.

“Hm?” Horizon looked up.

“You know I love you, right?” Twilight asked.

Horizon just nodded.

“How would you feel if I made some new friends?” Twilight asked.

She decided to use the word “friends” as she felt that “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” was too assuming as Twilight had been out of the dating game for a long time.

Horizon shrugged. “Do what you want, Twilight.”

What an odd child. Twilight thought. Horizon had always been a fairly agreeable little girl, who seldom fussed over anything. Then again, Twilight saw no reason to set arbitrary boundaries, so she found that her daughter was an inquisitive little girl.

“They might start coming over here though,” Twilight warned.

“That’s fine.” Horizon shrugged once more.

It had occurred to Twilight at that point; Horizon was so used to her mother not being around, that if someone came in and slowly took on the role of a second parent that it would not phase the girl. She had never met her mother properly, at least not while she was old enough to retain any memory of her.

Twilight was holding onto a memory for her daughter’s sake that her daughter didn’t even have.

Maybe Rarity is right. Maybe it is time to try and meet new people.

Yesterday

With determination in their hearts, Glitch’s rebellion had arrived just outside of the Canterlot city limits. As expected, the city was heavily fortified, and Serenade had brought in virtually every resource she could spare to protect it. Canons stood at the walls, and warriors lined virtually every single street. A few airships circled the city and several pegasi flew patrol around it.

Glitch’s army had arrived with eight airships, but all of them heavily fortified and advanced prototypes that they had stolen from shipyards. Along with their primary ship which was at least twice as large as the average airship.

In terms of firepower and advantage, Glitch’s airships were kings of the sky. Standing at the helm, Applejack waved to signal for them all to open fire.

On deck, several ponies readied their weapons, prepared to take down any would-be attempts by the flying pegasi to land upon their ships and their canons all began to load up and rain cannonballs down on their enemies.

The mare watched as their enemy’s ships began to rip apart and fall from the sky after a few strategically placed shots. A dozen or so cannonballs and each of their foes would fall as their narrowly dodged return fire themselves. They would sustain a few hits, but the crews onboard were quick at patching them up.

Glitch and Twilight had done an excellent job at training the crews at how to perform their duties on the ship and they refused to let them slack off so they had grown efficient. Serenade did not appear to have been on top of such, then again her arrogance had gotten the better of her.

Applejack kept her eyes on the battlefield even as Glitch trotted into the observation deck with her and spoke at her side. “You seem troubled, Applejack.”

Applejack didn’t turn to face the armored pony, but spoke, regardless. “Been troubled fer’ a long time.”

“It’s Applebloom, isn’t it?” Glitch asked.

“Ya’ know, at first ‘Ah hated you.” Applejack grunted.

“I think I could tell that from the moment we met if I’m completely honest...” Glitch gestured.

Applejack couldn’t tell if they were being sarcastic or not, but she didn’t press the matter. “Y’all saved Applebloom’s life, but when she died, ‘Ah wanted to blame you. ‘Ah wanted it to be your fault, but ‘Ah can’t...”

“Why’s that? You never had a problem with doing that in the past?” Glitch joked.

Applejack ignored their demeanor and continued. “Applebloom might’ve been followin’ in yer’ hoofsteps, but y’all inspired her to do somethin’ bigger than herself. ‘Ah can’t hate y’all for that. Applebloom would want me to help y’all finish what we started. She died to end this, an’ ‘Ah’d be doin’ her wrong if ‘Ah didn’t make sure that happens.”

Glitch paused for a moment before answering. “That’s very mature of you, Applejack.”

“When ‘Ah first saw what Serenade’s power could do... ‘Ah ran. ‘Ah ain’t proud of it, but it’s what ‘Ah did. ‘Spose ‘Ah’ve been compensatin’ since then. Y’all showed up and toughed it out from the start. All ‘Ah ever did was give ya’ a hard time...” Applejack frowned.

She finally turned to Glitch and smiled. “Truly, ‘Ah’m sorry. ‘Ah guess ‘Ah was coverin’ up for my own mistakes by hatin’ on y’all. You’ve been dedicated from the start and ‘Ah gave ya’ a hard time.”

Glitch shook their head and placed a hoof upon Applejack’s shoulder. “It doesn’t matter anymore. This ends today. We finish what we started three years ago.”

Applejack nodded back at her. “Y’all ain’t why Applebloom died; Serenade is. We put an end to her today. Do me a favor an’ make sure you get her good.”

Glitch nodded and removed their hoof. “I intend on it. You got it from here it looks like. Create a path for us to land our ground parties in the city, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

“Understood, cap’!” Applejack saluted before returning her attention to the battle in front of them.

Glitch returned the salute before exiting the room, getting ready to head out.

Applejack watched as explosions colored the sky and airships were turned into shards of wood and metal that fell unceremoniously from the clouds to the earth below. It was child’s play for Glitch’s hardened warriors to take down the lazily prepared troops that Serenade had protecting the city.

Overconfidence had beaten Serenade long ago, and she had it in her head that numbers would be all that was necessary to deter any attack on Canterlot. Regular training and battle strategy reviews were not on her schedule and now she was paying the price.

Applejack laughed as another airship was blown to pieces right before her eyes. From her seat, she had a front-row ticket to the fall of Serenade. At first when she was told she would take command of the ship and sit back away from the battle, she was a tad annoyed. It wasn’t in Applejack’s nature to sit back and watch others do the hard work, but now that she actually was there, she was thankful for the position. She could watch Serenade fumble and fall in full view.

From where she sat, Applejack would see the lighting of the towers, the blast that Glitch was to perform and thus the retaking of all of Canterlot right before her very eyes. For once in her life, she was actually thankful to be given a position where she wasn’t on the frontlines.

A communication orb sat next to her at the captain’s chair which she rubbed with her front right hoof to get in contact with the ship to her left. “Move forward, don’t let up fire.” Applejack commanded.

“Yes, ma’am!” The pony controlling the other ship saluted.

“Relay the message. ‘Ah want every ship gettin’ closer with every enemy they take down. Box ‘em in!” Applejack commanded.

“Of course, ma’am!” He saluted once more before the orb returned to a state of emptiness.

Applejack closed her eyes as the sounds of cannons rang through the sky. It was early afternoon, and by sunset, Serenade would be no more.

“This one’s for you, Applebloom...” Applejack thought out loud.

Yesterday

Rainbow Dash swooped in with a blade attached to her hoof, spiraling and twirling through the sky as she shredded up any flyers that tried to halt the progress of their airships. With her incredible unwavering speed, she was able to take down any potential flyers that posed a threat to them in record time.

Nothing slowed Rainbow Dash down, and with her willpower, the enemy continued to be pushed back as Applejack moved the ships closer and closer. Within the first eight minutes of battle, all enemy airships had been taken out of the sky, leaving only pegasi to try and fight back.

All of it was futile on Serenade’s part, however, as with Rainbow Dash’s determination and Applejack’s might, there was little that could be done to stop Glitch’s rebellion from reaching her doorstep. As she took another flyer out, she grinned noticing three more took aim at her.

Quickly she barrel-rolled out of the way, and came at their undersides, slicing rapidly as she did. Entrails fell out of them and down to the earth below as their bodies soon followed. She laughed as she landed on one of their own airships, perched on a balcony before giving an approving hoof gesture to the crew onboard loading up yet another canon.

“Impressive flying, Rainbow!” One of the dark-colored crew members grinned.

“Ain’t even trying yet. Serenade’s as good as toast, how close are we to landing?” She tilted her head.

“About eight minutes out by my calculations.” Another voice called out.

Rainbow turned her head and there with Discord at her side was Twilight Sparkle. She had donned her usual battle armor, and messy mane, though this time she had opted for a helmet to cover most of it.

“Then you two should get flying down there now,” Rainbow instructed with a nod of her head in the direction of the tower down below.

“Roger.” Twilight nodded, and Discord and she took off from the ship and headed down below toward the tower.

Rainbow Dash watched them go, wondering if Glitch’s plan really could work. While they had an early battle advantage, in order for things to continue working in their favor, they were relying on everything falling into place. No one could mess up their roles, and that meant they were only as strong as their weakest link.

Twilight was strong-willed, as was Discord, but none of them had any clue what Serenade was capable of. She was viable to do anything when she was backed into a corner, and up to that point, no one had ever seen what she was like when she was on the ropes, as it had never happened.

“Let’s see what you got, Serenade...” Rainbow grinned.

Yesterday

Twilight and Discord had to blast a few opponents out of the sky, but ultimately, their journey to the ground below was relatively simple. After landing, however, they were instantly met with a rather sizable group ready to fight them.

Discord let out a hearty chuckle as he readied his hand with an aura of potent magic, Twilight doing the same with her horn. “I guess Serenade sent us a welcome party, how sweet of her. We’ll have to send her a thank you card.” Discord laughed.

Ordinarily, Twilight would find herself very solemn in a situation like this one, but Discord’s demeanor was contagious and instead, she found herself joking around with him. She truly was his student after all.

“I might have to hold to my promise...” Twilight grinned as she unleashed a blast, sending half of the crowd circled around them back and vaporizing most of them, leaving the remainders as nothing but corpses. She detested using magic to kill, but in these dire circumstances, she needed to tune out her emotions.

Following his student’s example, Discord unleashed a salvo of blasts that eliminated the other half as more began to surround them. “What promise is that?”

Twilight unleashed a beam of energy blasting directly through eight opponents, leaving a gaping hole in each of them before they collapsed.

“Remember what I said during our training when you said you’d teach me to defeat Serenade?” Twilight grinned.

Discord remembered all too well. “I remember. I said she didn’t stand a chance.”

“And I said with your guidance there was no way we’d amount to anything, and you assured me otherwise...” Twilight continued as both of them remembered the exact conversation while they continued to dice up enemies in their wake.

Discord grew a devilish grin as he recalled the rest. “And you said that if managed to help you beat Serenade you’d marry me.”

She had definitely recalled that part, though she had said it in jest at the time. It was intended as a sarcastic exaggeration.

The two lined up their beams and blasted through a large crowd coming their way, leveling them out. Discord floated with his claw smoking, as Twilight stood at his side with a smoking horn. She looked over at the draconequus and smirked. “I guess I better send out wedding invitations when this is all over.”

“You’re such a dramatic one.” Discord teased with a snicker.

Regaining their focus on the work at hand, the two-eyed the tower not far in the distance. By Twilight’s estimation, they were a good eight minutes away from it, and clearing a path wouldn’t be too difficult.

As if right on a cue, a large volley of cannonballs hit the ground in their vicinity. The soldiers on the ground looked up to the skies to see Glitch’s airships approaching, and from those ships, fully armed warriors began hopping off, ready to fight.

With the new distraction available to take advantage of, Twilight and Discord felt another wave of confidence. With their enemy distracted, it made their plight far easier; everything was going insanely smooth. Twilight wondered why their luck had changed to their advantage so much but decided it was best not to complain and instead to accept it as a gift.

As warriors made their way onto the ground, they began dicing up virtually every soldier that worked for Serenade in sight. Glitch’s army had grown to impressive numbers, and with the vigorous training they did, each was at least twice if not three times as formidable as their opponents. What they lacked in numbers they made up for in skill.

Sonata arrived with Kiz, Golden, and Abyss at her side, smiling at Twilight. Twilight bowed her head gently when she saw Kiz, but Discord naturally didn’t seem to care too much about her presence.

“Miss Kiz, a pleasure to see you once more.” Discord grinned.

“Thou art most pleasing upon thine eyes, master Discord.” She smiled back at him with her usual demeanor that suggested she wasn’t even remotely concerned about all the death happening around her.

“You guys are heading to clear a straight path for Glitch, right?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Yup! We’ll have it taken care of in no time, just focus on that tower, okay you two?” Sonata leaned in with a toothy grin. She was always a fairly overly exuberant girl, but she seemed extra chipper that day, which was odd, given the circumstances. Twilight imagined that she was just putting it all out of her mind.

Discord reached forward and took Kiz’ hoof and made a kissing gesture at it, but didn’t touch his lips to it. He grinned at her and glanced over at Twilight who was giving him a peculiar look. “My apologies, I think Twilight would get a little jealous if I actually kissed your hoof.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and scoffed as she gestured for him to follow.

He released Kiz’ hoof as the siren laughed gently. “Thou hath displayed thee faithfulness which is a virtue to behold. Fear not, Twilight Sparkle, for such intimacy is impermissible to mine self.”

The siren gestured to herself gracefully.

Twilight already knew that, but she also knew that most sirens didn’t admit such a thing out loud. Kiz, was certainly mysterious for a siren and it made Twilight stop to speak, even if she had to hurry.

“Kiz... Can I ask you something?” Twilight tapped the creature’s shoulder.

Around them, their warriors kept all enemies at bay, affording them the luxury of being able to converse for a moment without much concern. Sunset wanted them to hurry, but Twilight couldn’t ignore the strange feeling she got from Kiz a moment longer. She had to understand the creature’s motivation.

Kiz adjusted one of her dreadlocks and tilted her head gently, her smile never leaving her. “What troubles thee enow to cease in thy hasty duties, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight stepped closer and looked the mare in her innocent eyes. What had those eyes seen, she wondered. Kiz had been alive for so long that she surely had seen some horrific things in her time, and yet she seemed so collected and innocent, like a child that had never even heard a curse word.

“I have to know... Why are you helping us? There’s nothing for you to gain, and everything for you to lose...” Twilight asked.

“What is th're to loseth?” Kiz asked, her face not changing.

“For starters, the Siren’s Bane. You gave it to Sunset, and we’re all ponies... Your kind don’t exactly have a great history with us, and you just handed a weapon that could be used to wipe your kind out over to a pony...” Twilight pointed out, but she suspected that Kiz was not only aware of that, but she also knew that Twilight would figure that out herself.

The only question though was why she didn’t seem to care.

“The legend sayeth yond the bane wast forged in the beginning. A weapon did create by the mother of all sirens. Should’st it beest hath used to wipeth our kind out because of Serenade, then yond is the fate we hath earned. I did trust the blade to Sunset Shimmer because the lady wouldst beest the one to decideth what fate we has't did earned,” Kiz explained calmly.

“So that’s it then? If Sunset were to turn around and wipe out all sirens with that blade, you wouldn’t care? Twilight asked.

“Life is far more enriched with reward when thou doth relinquish control to fate.” Kiz grinned.

For the leader of an entire country, she seemed far too carefree. By her logic, the fate of her entire pool of subjects was entirely up to whatever Sunset chose to do with that weapon. Twilight knew that Sunset wouldn’t abuse the gift, but how did Kiz know that? There was no way she actually believed that there was even a chance that Sunset would betray her, not if she was as old as she said she was. A creature that old would be far too wise to trick.

That meant that whatever she was doing at that moment must have been some kind of partial act. Twilight surmised that Kiz had been around so long that she was nearly immune to panic and stress.

How could a ruler of sirens not care if a pony wiped their entire kind out, and she was the one that enabled such a thing?

“You still haven’t told me why you’re helping us...” Twilight reminded her.

Discord, growing concerned moved in and placed a claw upon Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, maybe these are questions best left for another day? We have a mission to complete.”

She swatted his claw away as she stared Kiz down. “I want to know now. I can’t proceed if I don’t understand where your loyalty is.”

Rubbing his claw, Discord turned to Kiz, who didn’t seem to be even remotely affected by Twilight’s sudden rudeness. The siren smiled as warmly as she always had and spoke up.

“Many sayeth yond I am the oldest siren to ever liveth,” she began.

“Are you? I heard you’re anywhere between 70,000 to 100,000...” Twilight asked.

“At which hour thee receiveth to beest mine own age, thee cease counting. Howev'r, there wast one older than myself,” Kiz explained.

Twilight blinked, this was a development she hadn’t expected. A siren older than Kiz?

“Is she still alive?” Twilight blinked.

The siren shook her head, but her positive looking demeanor didn’t falter even a sliver. “Nay, the mare wast a valorous eighty years mine own elder. She wast mine own sister, Kalor. The lady wast putteth to death by ponies some eight thousand years ago. They burn'd her at the stake much liketh other sirens at the time.”

A tinge of guilt overcame Twilight, but she pushed past it and focused on logic. “If ponies killed your sister, then you have even less reason to want to help us.”

“Her whole life the lady hath spent helping mortals. The siren ceased feeding off of their negative energy eons ago, and in her final years the lady spake diff'rently. The lady spake of her life as finite, as if it were to end soon...” Kiz’s voice trailed on as she became lost in thought for a brief second, but before Twilight could try and snap her back to reality, she seemed to regain her focus.

“At which hour those ponies burn'd her, the mare hadst a smileth upon h'r lips. I has hath lived these many years, unwilling to allow mine self to perish until i und'rstood wherefore the lady wenteth so willfully. After many a’centuries, thine hath come to finally understand her.” Kiz smiled at Twilight.

“Why did she do it then?” Twilight asked.

Kiz’ smile only seemed to grow at that very question. “Whilst ponies may has't been h'r endeth, and hath brought violence upon h'r, the siren couldst perish joyous knowing she didn’t contribute to yond violence and yond the lady wouldn’t beest did sway from helping oth'rs and making those folk joyous. Yond is the way yond I wisheth to teachest mine own subjects in how to liveth anon now that thine is accustom to that.”

Twilight was a bit surprised by it all. She hadn’t expected a creature so old to actually learn anything at her age, however, she was foolish to think such a thing. There was always more to learn, and Kiz. Now was only another reminder that that always rained true.

“You are far nobler than you let on...” Twilight admitted.

“‘Tis but decades of wisdom, gathered in an abundance of time. Thou shalt reacheth such a point in elderhood.” Kiz smiled at the young alicorn.

“Twilight, we really need to get going...” Discord encouraged as he gestured toward their destination.

Blinking, Twilight looked in that direction and then back to Kiz. “I have to go...’

“Thou shalt meeteth with thine self again. Make haste for Glitch awaiteth your progress,” Kiz encouraged.

Twilight bowed gently before leaving, the siren just watched as the two made their way to the tower.

Two Days Ago

With Serenade distracted by the conquest in Canterlot announced by Glitch, her defenses in neighboring areas had dropped significantly. Ponyville had been left on low guard duty, making ample opportunity to get inside. The ship would leave its nearby rest stop by morning to make the final portion of their journey to Canterlot to begin their assault on Serenade’s keep.

This gave enough opportunity to Eclipse, who aimed to enter Twilight’s castle in Ponyville while it was only lightly guarded.

With his training by Cinder, Eclipse had become exceptionally skilled with a blade and knew how to tie toe around foes and hide in the shadows.

His training combined with the cover of nightfall afforded him plenty of chances to get the jump on the few guards that were actually patrolling the area. Eclipse suspected that they mostly were just trying to give the impression that everything was okay, and thus they were much more inattentive. His impressions proved correct, as the more he explored the castle, the more he found that there was barely a skeleton staff guarding the place.

It perplexed him how Serenade wasn’t even keeping tabs on Twilight’s castle, but then again, he imagined the siren had a one-track mind, and that mind was currently focused on stopping and killing Glitch to keep the rebellion at bay. Glitch had proven to be exceptionally skilled at avoiding death, however, and that meant that Serenade was working full time to try and take him out.

This all translated to ideal conditions for Eclipse, who had killed virtually every guard in his way, leaving a clear path to his destination, Twilight’s private records. Everything that the princess did was recorded in such a room, and much of Equestria’s secret knowledge, reserved only for the royal family was safeguarded between the castles in these such rooms, and Eclipse had stepped inside of it.

He was practically drooling with excitement as his eyes scanned the many tomes and scrolls within the room. In the center of the room, however, he observed a desk with perhaps the most comfortable looking chair he had ever seen. Shrugging, he retracted his hoof mounted blade and sat down on the chair, blinking a few times before leaning back. It was far more comfortable than he had imagined, but he surmised that Twilight likely enjoyed a good place to sit if she was reading or writing, as princess duties likely required a lot of sitting.

After his moment of basking if what it must have felt like to sit in a throne, he returned to a stand and began to scan the room with his eyes, attempting to find anything of interest.

Most of the papers were on various adventures that Twilight had partaken in and documented her discoveries. Many were on the virtues of friendship and why it was “magical”. Eclipse was rolling his eyes just thinking about it, but he pushed through to find a tome of particular interest.

Off the Record Documentation

Curiously, he flipped it open and began to skim through its pages. A good half hour would pass and he found himself learning of all kinds of things that Twilight and her friends had partaken in that were never revealed to the Equestrian public, such as her execution of Adagio Dazzle, Serenade’s sister. It was all starting to make sense now, and Eclipse was beginning to understand why everything was happening the way it was.

After another hour or so of flipping through the pages, a certain page caught his attention, and his eyes lit up upon seeing the information that was being presented to him. His mouth moved slowly as he read it.

“No fucking way...” He nearly whispered. This was big.

Yesterday

Arax was watching Serenade pace in her throne room while he waited for her to calm down. It had been going on for a good hour. “How did they manage to set hoof in the city already!?”

Arax rubbed his ear from the ringing she had caused by yelling. “I told you, their airships were well fortified, they were able to make a big impact relatively easily. Glitch clearly has been training them this entire time. Combine that with their superior airship models and it was only a matter of time before they managed to get into the city.”

“How are our ground forces handling them!?” Serenade barked.

He rubbed his ear once more and grumbled. “Not well... Glitch’s warriors are fighting with nothing held back. There’s a passion in their hearts that is driving them to win...”

“Passion, my ass! Why can’t we fucking kill these misfits!?” Serenade screeched.

If Arax stuck around too long with her at this level of anger, he was certain he would go deaf. He tapped his ear once more and gave it a rub before replying. “Perhaps you should prepare to fight Glitch head-on?”

Serenade shook her head. “No, that’s exactly what he wants me to do... I can’t fall for his tricks, he’s too crafty.”

Arax wasn’t certain what Glitch could possibly do in a one-on-one fight, but Serenade clearly had deemed him a bigger threat now that he had survived the demon world. Truthfully, that meant he could do virtually anything. Glitch was an unknown variable at that point and that clearly was intimidating even Serenade.

Could he actually win though? Is such a thing even possible? Arax wondered to himself.

Pacing once more, Serenade stopped in her tracks and looked at Arax with serious eyes. “I have no choice. I have to use the oubliette. I can’t take any chance, I have to wipe that piece of trash out before he has a chance to even get close to this castle.”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting?” Arax tilted his head.

Serenade stepped forward and gripped his neck with one of her tendrils, giving it a squeeze. Not enough to strangle him, but enough to cause trouble breathing and great discomfort. “Do not underestimate him. If he survived those trials, he is far stronger than he is letting on, and for a mortal no less!”

Arax could not reply until she released him from her grasp, causing him to cough about eight times before he could recover. Once his windpipe had returned to normal, he rubbed it with his hoof and tried to answer her. “You have to do what you have to do then.”

Serenade stepped back and nodded slowly, she was visibly shaken, something that Arax had never seen, but he kept himself from commenting further as he valued being able to breathe too much.

“Go, I have to prepare. This process could take me some time, and I want you to ensure I’m not interrupted...” She commanded as she gestured toward the door with her hoof.

Her changeling subordinate bowed his head and exited from the throne room and glanced over at his slave that waited for him outside. She was standing at the end of the hall and a small came to her face when she saw him. He smiled back briefly before the two were close to each other.

“So, what’s happening? I saw Glitch’s warriors are ripping Serenade’s apart out there.” Starlight tilted her head.

Arax bit his lip, trying to choose his words carefully. “Serenade is going to use the oubliette...”

“Huh?” Starlight was confused, understandably so, as he hadn’t explained the full scope of what the oubliette could do.

“We have to make sure no one disturbs her,” he commanded.

“What’s going on though?” Starlight asked.

He didn’t dare answer her though. The oubliette could either be Serenade’s saving grace, or the very thing that became the instrument of her undoing. The attack would exhaust most of her power, leaving her vulnerable. She’d still have some power left thanks to all the magic she had siphoned, but she’d be exhausted.

The oubliette could also kill her if she wasn’t prepared for it. It was a master-level attack for demons that only a demon lord generally could manage. Was she truly ready for it?

If the oubliette failed, then the consequences would be drastic. Serenade would have to resort to even more risky tactics to win her fight with Glitch if that happened.

If she could pull it off though, there wasn’t a chance in hell that Glitch could survive. It was all a matter of time though, if Glitch could knock her door down before Serenade had a chance to use the attack, then it was possible that he’d win this fight.

Arax didn’t know how this would play out, and that concerned him. The future of Equestria and his own future hung in the balance. Everything was riding on chance.

Yesterday

Jumping down from the manhole cover into the area below, Cinder made a large splash in the disgusting sludge that moved through the sewers of the city. She cursed and groan in annoyance as she wiped her good arm off and adjusted herself. Her blades were dipped partially below the sludge (that she imagined had plenty of feces in it) causing her to frown gently. Her precious family heirlooms were covered in filth, but there wasn’t much she could do about it.

Tapping a headlamp she had brought with her, she illuminated the poorly lit sewer.

“This is really going to change the meaning of when I say I’m going to ‘get into some shit’, for sure...” She thought out loud.

Part of her wondered how Sunset convinced her to take the most disgusting job of them all, but then again the part where she was going through an actual sewer seemed to be the lowest point of focus.

The smell was horrendous, but the dragon managed. She had smelled rotting corpses before, and nothing compared to that.

Wading through the water, she took note of the fact that because the water was up to her waist, her movement would be hindered. The channels were too short to fly in and with her lower half submerged, she was not going to be able to move very fast. That would mean any attack coming her way would need to be met with counters and blocks, there would be no dodging under those conditions.

That didn’t bother her too much, as she had enough brute strength to overpower most foes with her body alone, but it still was less than ideal.

Pushing through the waters, she shined her light on a few skeletons in the sewer. Taking note of the bones, many of them were recent, they hadn’t aged much at all. “I guess it’s true...” She thought out loud.

Serenade often killed rebels within the city, but there were rumors that their bodies were just thrown into the sewers to be carried away. There wasn’t much care for respecting the dead in Serenade’s mind and that meant that throwing them into the sewers was the most logical solution. Dispose of them quickly and efficiently, and there was an added bonus in humiliating them to other would-be rebels.

It made Cinder burn with anger, but she withheld it. Serenade had been a source of anger and motivation for the dragon for centuries, but the very thought that she would go down soon brought her tremendous joy.

Cinder couldn’t even remember the kind of dragon she was prior to meeting Serenade that fateful day. It had been so long, and she was just a young thing when they had met. At only nineteen years of age, she had run into the creature that would shape the rest of her life.

I never should have helped her. Cinder thought.

If only she could go back and undo what she had done back then, maybe Serenade would have never survived long enough to become what she was. But no, she knew that wasn’t true. Serenade was far too resilient, far too determined to die so easily. Even without Cinder’s help, Serenade would have likely found someone else to train her, she was cunning like that.

She had taught the siren the ways of her family, the art of combat passed down only to members of her clan, and for what? She was foolish to do so. She was too naive, too trusting, and now she was paying the price for that. Back then, she thought herself a visionary, she thought herself ahead of the rest of the clan and so she did unconventional things, but she would come to find out that some traditions had reason to exist.

I’ll never allow myself to be tricked like that again. She thought.

With her mind full of distractions, she didn’t notice right away a stirring in the water ahead of her. Fortunately, she came to notice it just in time to draw her sword, ready to fight.

From the depths, a disfigured and sludge covered body emerged. It’s mouth hung agape as it tried to reach for the dragon. It’s face was black and leathery, but most of its skin had begun to rot, giving it a feral appearance with its glowing red eyes.

She stepped back and stabbed it directly through its eye with her katana. It stopped moving relatively quickly as she held it there, examining it.

Looks like a demon. She thought.

It resembled many of the lesser demons she had encountered in the underworld that after enough time began to just resemble zombies. They were nothing more than husks acting upon violent instincts, after all. She grumbled as she raised her foot out of the water and kicked it off of her blade.

“I swear, ever since I’ve begun to hang around ponies, I have been attacked by demons on a regular basis...” She joked out loud, wondering if perhaps ponies just had trouble follow them all around.

She had to keep her guard up, there was no telling what lurked in the waters in front of her, and she wasn’t about to take any chances. The trek to the tower was a long one, and thus she’d be trapped in the sewer for some time.

As she trudged onward, another demon popped out of the water, this time with little time to react. It lunged at her, it’s sharp teeth ready to tear at her. She grabbed it with her claws and pulled it back before snapping its neck and throwing the lifeless body into the water. “Holy shit!” She remarked.

She wouldn’t have any time to recover, however, as another two came up out of the water, one in front of her, and one behind her. Thinking quickly, she drew her swords and twirled with the blades extended, cutting both of them with her razor-sharp edges.

The slice proved effective as the tops of both of their heads came off and slid off their skulls while their bodies collapsed back into the water with a splash.

Cinder couldn’t waste anymore time, she needed to move quickly, there was no telling how many more of these things were in the sewer.

Picking up her step, she hastily made her way toward her destination, only to be stopped by a dam blocking her path. It appeared as though it was used to divert water from one waste dump to another, and the one she needed to get into was blocked off.

Stepping forward, she placed a claw upon the dam to get a feel for it. Tapping it a few times, she could tell it was reinforced with steel, and was at least a good three feet thick, meaning she wasn’t going to be able to punch her way through it, even with her artificial claw.

There was a wheel next to the dam which she assumed was to move it. Shrugging, she gripped it and tried to get it to move, but with no luck. The wheel refused to turn and the dam remained where it was. She cursed and looked the wheel over, noting a sign above it in red.

Dam Lock Engaged.

Please release dam lock to lower dam.

As far as she recalled from the map she studied prior to entry there were no other ways to reach where she was heading, so she would need to find a way ahead.

Blinking she noticed another map carved into a wall next to a ladder that lead up to one of the surface manholes. She gave it a look to see if there was anything of use.

Sure enough, luck was on her side. Down the other path that was opened because of the dam was a control room on one of the upper levels. She could make her way to it and release the dam lock and then circle back to lower the dam. It would add more time on her journey, but she didn’t have much of a choice. Sunset would have to hold out longer.

Cinder began her trudge down the other pathway, hoping it wouldn’t take her too long.

Yesterday

It had taken some time to reach the top, but Discord and Twilight both found themselves stationed at the top of the tower. As they stared at the large gemstone at its peak, they both looked at each other for a moment, pleased at what they had accomplished.

Twilight grinned as Discord bowed to her. “Well, I must say you’ve proven yourself quite the student, Miss Sparkle.”

“I’ve had my fair share of great teachers.” Twilight rolled her eyes playfully as she ignited her horn with magic.

Discord followed suit and his paw began to glow as the two focused their energy on the gem. “I would hope that I am on that list.” Discord smirked.

“Right at the top,” Twilight stated as they both released the magic from their appendages onto the gemstone.

It flashed eight times before finally lighting up a gorgeous bright green. The stone shined as the entire tower lit up with all of the lights along it coming back to life. Discord looked over the edge of the tower to observe and nodded with approval. “Quite a sight to behold.”

Twilight had seen the towers lit up in the past, but she never thought anything of it back then. She had taken the beauty of her home city for granted for many years, but now she looked at it with a new appreciation.

Much of the inner city was damaged thanks to Serenade, and there was little doubt in Twilight’s mind that the city would take on even more damage before they were done, but that was all okay to her. Damage could be repaired and the Canterlot they would build after taking Serenade out would be bigger and better than before.

She smiled at her mentor and approached him with a bowed head. “You’ve been quite a great help to Equestria, Discord... I don’t know how to thank you.”

He shook his head and glanced over at her with a smile at the side of his mouth. “Think nothing of it. Equestria is my home as well.”

Twilight approached and kissed his cheek before sitting down at his side and staring at the battle going on below.

“Now what do we do, my princess?” Discord asked, placing his paw around her, resting it upon her shoulder.

Twilight stared at the fighting down below before giving her answer. “Now, we wait.”

Yesterday

Cinder found herself fighting off lesser demons the entire trek through the second tunnel, many of them attempting to bite through her tough hide, but none succeeding. She was a bit banged up from the journey, but she held out.

She had reached the halfway mark to the control room, and at this point, she didn’t walk a single step without both of her blades drawn and ready to cut down any creatures that stood in her path.

Looking up a ladder, she gripped onto it and began to climb up only for the claw of what appeared to formerly be a griffon reach out of the water and grab her leg. She grunted and struggled before using her other leg to kick the creature in the face, causing an audible snap as its neck broke.

“Fucking shit...” She cursed before continuing her path up, lifting the hatch above and peaking inside.

The room was poorly illuminated, and she could see many different pipes along the walls, along with the control panel that managed the entire sewer. Crawling up, she left the hatch open as she came to a stand, quickly noticing the eight demons that began to creep out of the shadows, all hissing and growling as they approached her.

The dragon drew both of her (now dirty) twin swords and readied herself for yet another battle.

The first demon came at her and she quickly sidestepped it, running her blade down its side, cutting it open. With a flawless motion, she drove her other sword down and cleaved one in the skull before pushing it back with her foot.

Two of the remaining demons ganged up on her and grabbed her, one gripping her shoulder and laying its fangs into her thick hide. While her scales protected her mostly, the creature still managed to puncture her shoulder, causing blood to trickle out of the wound. Cinder let out a grunt before grabbing the creature’s skull and twisting it.

An audible crack signaled its death and she quickly did the same to the other one.

The last four shambled toward her mindlessly which she used to her advantage as she cut each with a quick slash of her swords, the last one refusing to go down even after a powerful hit. Charging it though, Cinder pierced it with her right sword and then pulled the blade out carefully.

Once it fell, she sighed and wiped her shoulder to free it of blood. She was fortunate in that the skin was only barely pierced, so most of the creature’s teeth didn’t penetrate. Still, she was growing exceedingly tired of demons.

Reaching the control panel, she scanned the map next to it and tapped the lock she was trying to remove and then began to look for it on the control panel itself. It only took her roughly eight seconds to find it. It was part of section 8H, and the lever for it looked fairly sturdy. Cinder wondered if the dam’s flow had ever been changed.

Gripping the lever in her powerful and muscular arm, she squeezed the release and pulled as hard as she could. At first, the lever didn’t want to budge, but after a few seconds of effort, she could hear it creak and then finally lock into its new position. Cinder grinned and looked down at her own arm; impressed by her own strength once more.

There wasn’t any time to waste though, Sunset was counting on her to make haste to the tower and she was already behind schedule.

Heading back down the ladder, she cut through any remaining lesser demons before hopping off the ladder and into the water below. A loud splash echoed through the tunnels before she grumbled and began to wade through the disgusting water once more.

Coming down only a few feet from the junction where she was trying to reach, the water stirred in front of her. Cinder paused and gripped her swords tightly, waiting to see what would come out of the water.

To her surprise, it was a creature, unlike anything she had ever seen. Long whipping tendrils at least a good few feet long covered its black sludgy body. It burst out of the water like it was gasping for air, but the more she looked at the thing, she was certain that it likely didn’t need air and the sounds it made were actually just it releasing cries of the unspeakable torment it lived in.

It lacked eyes as it wandered around on four legs aimlessly, whipping its tendrils about.

Cinder kept her swords ready, realizing she wouldn’t be able to pass it without a fight. Those within the city limits came to know this creature as a “wraith”, a specialized hunter-killer that lurked at night to ensure curfew was followed.

Guess there’ll be one less demon in the world after this. Cinder thought.

Yesterday

Eclipse ran ahead of the group that was laying siege to the city of Canterlot under Applejack’s command and found himself blinking as he stared down the home he had originally been assigned when he first arrived. It was insane to think that so much time had passed and that he had truly come full circle now.

Stepping forward, the young unicorn gently pushed the door open, before stepping inside and lowering his guard.

Everything was precisely how he left it. Not a soul had stepped foot in the house and that meant that no one even really noticed he was gone. Serenade didn’t send anyone to make sure he hadn’t escaped the city because he was that insignificant. Not a soul cared if he was there or not.

A voice echoed through the room causing his ears to twitch. “Sad isn’t it?”

He turned his head and there on the other side of his former living room, sitting on his cough was a mare with orange mane with a yellow streak. His mane was long, lavish and curled, but it went well with her young and well-sculpted face.

“Who are you?” He quickly raised his hoof and extended his hoof blade.

The girl didn’t seem too intimidated by his weapon. Instead, she stayed seated and just smirked as she watched him give his display intended to make her submit. “I’m only a phantom now. A memory if you will.”

“What’re you saying?” Eclipse tilted his head in confusion.

“It’s actually very simple really; I’m gone, dead, vanished. Thus, a phantom,” the girl said, running a hoof through her luscious mane.

He squinted and approached carefully, his guard not dropping as he faced her. “So who were you then?”

She smirked once more and glanced at Eclipse with a cunning smile. “In life, I was Adagio Dazzle. I was Serenade’s sister before your kind put me to death...”

Eclipse blinked, he had never heard of an execution in Equestria in recent years until he had read Twilight's records, most that had transpired were done in olden times, long before he was born. It wasn’t common to have an execution in Equestria, so he imagined that such a thing would have made the news.

“That’s not possible, if there was an execution, they would have put it on the news, ponies would have heard about it...” He shook his head in faux denial, as he had already read the records to prove it was the truth but continued a facade to hide the knowledge was not supposed to possess.

Adagio let out a chuckle and shook her head as well as she approached, her tail whipping and brushing just under his chin playfully. “You seem to think that everything the royal family does is reported and that everything is on the up and up. The reality is that the royal family keeps plenty of secrets from you and everyone else in Equestria. They put me to death and made it ‘off the record’ for the general public like yourself.”

“If you’re dead and any of this is true, then why can I see you right now? What are you? Some kind of ghost?” Eclipse asked, though he found his own question stupid, as there was no such thing as real ghosts, was there?

Adagio held out a hoof and watched as electricity formed around it. “I suppose what I am is just the memories leftover from Adagio. I manifest where I am capable of being, and for some reason, I’m capable of being here with you right now, so I suppose you’ve met the criteria for some reason.”

“Why are you here though?” Eclipse blinked.

She laughed and stomped her hoof onto the ground, sending electricity in every direction. “To see if you’re really strong enough...”

Adagio didn’t waste any time as she quickly jumped and twirled, whipping a long lash made of lightning at Eclipse.

Narrowly, Eclipse managed to dodge, but he still managed to see a bit of his fur stand up on end after the first strike.

She was a phantom, yet her magic attacks seemed quite real. “If you’re just a phantom, how can you damage me?”

The creature spoke simply. “When the fragments of me that were released went out into the world, they had a small fraction of my power. Thus, each one can manifest that power.”

That information was vital to Eclipse. A fraction meant that this creature was far from the full strength of the real thing, and that meant he could destroy her with ease more than likely. She was more looks than anything else.

Without wasting time, he prepared for a strike, but he would need to get a direct hit and he knew it. He would need her distracted long enough to pull it off.

“Why did Princess Twilight want you executed? Surely, she had a reason?” He raised a brow.

She chuckled. “Heh, you assume ponies have a good reason for anything that they do. Why not ask her yourself?”

“Maybe I will...” Eclipse smirked.

There was a brief silence before Eclipse lunged forward, impaling the siren’s shadow with his blade. She gasped and pulled back, pulling herself off the blade before gripping the wound that seemed to be leaking a blue smoke rather than blood. She coughed and smiled.

“Heh, maybe you are strong enough...” She spoke quietly.

Lowering his blade, Eclipse turned his head. “Strong enough for what?”

“To learn the truth... Good luck, kid...” She grinned before her entire body quickly turned into the same blue smoke. Just like that, she was gone.

A Long Time Ago

A young Serenade slept carefully tucked into the corner of a steel cage. Many ponies surrounding her, most of which she preferred to be far away from. She loathed all of them, but especially the ones that were kiss asses such as the girl who they called Cocoa Cream.

Morning was about to come, and she knew it meant another day of obeying and pleading for the mercy of their master.

She had been a slave for a good eight years after she turned nineteen. Her power was too weak to do much about it, and she was caught off guard and her master took her amulet from her, leaving her defenseless. Since that day, she had been his property; a disgusting stallion named Crack whose name was fitting as he seldom spared his whip.

He had two idiot assistants though who often handled the beatings and commands for him, which were far worse. Dusty Chaps and Vinegar Sip were both power-hungry and stupid, a terrible combination for ponies who tended over slaves for sure.

Both of them were just as brutal as the master, but the master seemed more whip happy at times.

One of the girls in the cage stirred as Dusty and Vinegar approached the cage with a set of keys in their teeth. Vinegar held the keys as the other earth pony beckoned all of the girls. “Everypony back up!”

All of them stepped back, shy of Serenade who was already seated in the corner.

He unlocked the cell and gestured for them all to head out. The two wandered ahead of the group and one of the younger girls raced to a pony that had been laying on the floor outside of the cell all night. “Spice!? Are you alright?” the young girl whom Serenade recalled was named Ruby said.

There was no response from Spice, she just laid there in a pool of dried blood as the lacerations on her back had begun trying to heal up.

“She’s dead,” commented plainly.

“What!? No!?” Ruby cried, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

“Face it, they whipped her to death, and if you want to join her you should stay right where you are little girl.” Serenade growled.

The young mare looked up at Serenade with pleading eyes. “Why!? She didn’t hurt anyone!”

Serenade turned away and scoffed. “Mortals don’t care about that kind of thing. They will kill anyone who doesn’t obey them.”

“That’s not true! I would never!” Ruby retorted.

“You’re just not in a position to do so...” Serenade commented.

“Fuck you!” Ruby hissed.

Dusty seemed to have grown impatient with the two lagging behind and stepped forward. “Hey! Get your asses moving!”

With those words, he drew a whip from his side and with his hoof wrapped around it, he cracked it, catching Serenade in the neck. Pain stung through her, but she gritted her teeth and refused to allow tears to come. She stood up strong and trotted in his direction, ready to follow orders.

Ruby resisted for a moment, hooves over Spice’s corpse as she cried. “You monsters! You killed her!”

“You’re next if you don’t hurry your little ass up!” Vinegar called from behind his “co-worker”.

“Fuck you! Fuck you both!” Ruby cried.

“Alright, that’s it...” Dusty stepped forward but Vinegar stopped him with his hoof extended and a grin on his face.

“Let’s do what she says...” He grinned.

Dusty’s face lit up as he nodded. “Sounds good...”

“The rest of you back to work! Now!” Dusty barked.

The entire group headed upstairs through the main house made of sandstone and marble, passing the earth pony master named Crack that was seated in a beautiful toga with a crooked smile on his face as he watched his “assets” walk by.

He glanced at Serenade and grinned at her. “Serenade, my favorite girl... How was your sleep?”

Serenade turned away and gave a grimace. “Cold, and uncomfortable... About what I imagine sleeping in your bed would be like...”

The other girls gasped and raced ahead of her not wanting to catch the master’s scorn.

He chuckled, however, and responded in a friendly tone. “Always feisty, I like that. Maybe one day I can tame you, but for now, I need you to attend to the livestock outside.”

“Sure thing, master.” She bowed her head with a fake grin as she headed out the door.

Today was the day. No more waiting, no more biding her time. Today was the day that she would escape this place and be free again. She needed to get her amulet back from the master’s daughter who wore it and then she could charm her way out. It had all been carefully planned from the start, and Dusty and Vinegar deciding to lag behind to have their way with Ruby played well into her plan, though unexpected.

They both would be in a good mood after getting their rocks off and thus easier to deal with and more likely to let things slide. There was no doubt that when they were through the master would send one of them to keep an eye on her after all.

Making her way to the chickens being kept outside, Serenade kept quiet when she noticed Vinegar making his way over. She rolled her eyes as she noted the smug look on his face after he no doubt did unspeakable things to Ruby. Serenade had gotten lucky in that she was seen as “too feisty” for any of them to take the risk of trying to have their way with her. They said she had the look of not fearing death and was viable to do anything.

Keeping silent as she spread the seed out for the chickens to eat, she looked over at Vinegar and gave him her best fake smile. “You look parched, sir.”

Vinegar blinked and reached a hoof up to rub his own throat, agreeing with her. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“May I get you some water?” Serenade asked.

He smiled at her and nodded. “Yes, please do. Perhaps you’re catching on after all...”

Serenade bowed her head gently and began to head back toward the house, passing him as she did. When his back was turned, she had to act quickly as she pivoted around and grabbed him from behind, covering his mouth and muzzle with her hoof as he began to struggle.

The stallion attempted to call for help, but with his snout covered, he couldn’t get a word out. Serenade squeezed her other hoof around his neck, tightening his access to oxygen until he began to resist less and finally passed out.

Serenade checked his pulse, he was still alive. Dragging his body into the chicken coop, it would be out of sight for the time being.

The siren pilfered his set of keys before making her way to the house as casually as she could to avoid suspicion. This time, however, the girl went to the back door to get inside, hoping that slipping through the back would make her go unnoticed.

Sure enough, the keys worked and she found her way into the back of the house, poking her head in carefully at first. There were no signs of the master near the back door entrance. She crept in and began an ascent up the stairs to where the master’s daughter lived.

Serenade was swift and sneaky as she found her way into the room. To her amazing good fortune, the entire home seemed unguarded. Even if she was caught though, she intended to say she was merely looking for an item for the master.

Creeping into the room, the young teen who was Crack’s daughter laid there sleeping on her elegant bed. Serenade cursed under her breath that she had decided to wear the amulet to sleep.

She could see its red shine as she approached the bed with silent hoof steps. Everything had led up to this moment. When she had first been captured, they kept her on tight chains, she was unable to go anywhere outside the distance of the chains. She spent years building the master’s trust so he would give her enough free range to formulate an escape plan.

The master’s confidence that he had her under control would be his downfall.

Reaching forward carefully, she placed her hooves upon the amulet only for the green eyes of the girl wearing it to pop open and see her.

Serenade quickly reached reacted and smacked the girl in the head with her hoof so hard that it knocked her out. She couldn’t risk her calling for help after all.

After she was certain that the girl was unconscious, Serenade removed the necklace and stared at it for a brief moment. Finally, after eight years, she had it back, and it would be her ticket out.

“Freedom at last...” She purred as it was placed back upon her neck.

Instantly, the siren could feel her power coursing through her once more.

With confidence, she marched down the stairs, no longer caring if she was seen or heard, she had the power to do what she pleased now.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, instead of going out the back, she decided she would triumphantly leave through the front entrance. With a smirk, she walked past where Crack was sitting. He blinked and scrunched his nose as he saw her.

“I thought I told you to tend to those chickens?” He grunted.

Serenade smirked as the amulet upon her neck gave off a marvelous sheen. He gasped when he saw it.

“I don’t think I’ll be tending to any more chickens...” Serenade replied.

Before he could even draw his whip, Serenade opened her mouth and let out an angelic tune. Immediately, the sound of her song captivated him and made him half-close his eyes.

The stallion fell into a stupor and became obedient almost instantly. “You’re going to let me leave here now...” Serenade instructed.

He nodded. “Yes... Of course...”

She giggled and turned to the door, flicking her tail as she did. “See you around.”

“Bye then...” His voice droned on as he remained in his trance.

In the field just outside the door, Serenade could see the other slaves still working. Dusty turned to her as she casually stepped through the field toward the front gate of the property. “Hey! Back to work, slave!”

Once again, she flexed her mystical powers and let her voice control him. Within seconds, he was in obedience as well. “You’re going to let me walk out of here now, understand?”

“Yes, of course. You may leave as you please...” He responded, his eyes now glowing with a red tint.

Serenade nodded in acknowledgment and walked toward the exit, the other slaves trying to follow but Dusty quickly cracked his whip. “Where do you think you’re all going!?”

Ruby who was now covered in lacerations looked to Serenade with pleading eyes. “Serenade, aren’t you going to help us too? We are trapped here just like you were...”

Serenade turned around and looked the mare in the eye. She narrowed her gaze and spoke cold words. “I can’t help you... You have to help yourselves...”

Ruby’s mouth hung open as Serenade turned away and walked out that gate, never to return. She screamed and cursed at the siren. “YOU SELFISH BITCH!”

It was too late though, Serenade had already left.

Yesterday

The wraith’s tendrils whipped around looking for any prey to devour. Cinder had to keep still, as even moving slowly would make the water she stood in make noise. Quickly, she had figured out that this creature was blind, which at the moment was the only advantage she had over it.

Given the conditions of the place they were in, movement would be slowed on her part, but the creature’s long tendrils gave it extra reach which meant the advantage was to it.

Fuck me running. Cinder thought to herself as she kept her swords clenched tightly in her claws.

Everything from here on out would require careful movement and delicate planning. One wrong move and she could end up in the creature’s grasp. She wasn’t entirely sure what it was capable of, but she didn’t want to find out.

As it waded through the water to try and locate potential intruders, Cinder took her time studying it. She counted eight long tendrils on its back, each about eight feet long, which meant if she wanted to get close enough to attack, she would need to remove most of them.

She couldn’t say for sure, but she imagined the tendrils it had were strong like snakes so that it could constrict its prey.

Cinder took a breath and exhaled as she prepared herself mentally. Her best chance was to make the creature come to her and try to block every tendril that came her way. It was a risky move, but one she had to make. Closing her eyes for a moment, she relaxed herself and then opened them. Once her eyes were open, she parsed her lips and whistled.

The sound of her whistle was like a homing beacon; the creature turned its head abruptly like a bird would and the rest of its body followed. It only took a few seconds before it bolted in her direction at top speed. Cinder attempted to parry but was only able to slice through one of the tendrils before another one gripped her left wrist, squeezing tightly as it moved in, trying to pull her closer as it opened its disgusting maw ready to try and devour her.

She struggled to break free as its grip was far stronger than she would have guessed, but she continued to tug until the monster closed the distance between the two and bit down on her shoulder.

The dragon’s scales made it take a bit more effort for the monster to pierce the skin, but it was ultimately successful as it bit down hard, puncturing her shoulder with its razor-sharp teeth.

Cinder yelped in pain before punching the creature a few times in the head to try and get it to let go. Once its mouth was off of her, she jabbed it again in the jaw and pushed it back with all of her strength. Quickly she severed the tendril that was holding her and readied her blades for another attack.

The monster, still hungry came at her again, but this time she sidestepped and sliced another two tendrils off, causing it to screech in pain.

Cinder covered her ear holes and shook her head. Its cry was painful enough on the eardrums that she imagined it could potentially burst them if one was exposed to it long enough. She imagined this was part of the way it made up for not being able to see its targets; if it could immobilize them, sight was optional.

Aren’t you a pleasant little fuck. Cinder thought, remembering not to speak aloud so it could hear her and thus find her easier.

It began to wade through the water looking for her, but Cinder moved quietly backward as she prepared her swords. She took a stand ready to pierce the monster and waited for it to get close enough. With most of its tendrils gone it was a significantly lower threat, but she could see that the ends of the tendrils continued to move, which suggested to her that they would grow back eventually and she didn’t intend to find out how long such a process took.

Once it was close enough, she thrust her left-handed blade forward, piercing the monster’s chest and pulled the sword out, watching as black sludge poured out of the wound. The creature moaned in pain but continued to slog through the dirty water toward her. She blinked and slashed at it with her other katana, slicing half of its jaw, causing it to hang on a single hinge.

Even that damage wasn’t enough to stop it as the last of its tendrils closed the distance and grabbed Cinder’s right arm. She blinked and looked at the tendrils trying to squeeze tight enough to crush her arm, but she was fortunate enough that they had grabbed her metal arm.

“You’re tough for a disgusting mutant, but I’m afraid that was a mistake...” She grinned.

With a mighty tug, she pulled her metal arm back and gripped the tendrils in her palm. With a yank she gripped them with both claws now and pulled as hard as she could, ripping them off with an audible groan.

The wraith screeched in agony, and with enough damage to its body it slunk down. Cinder tossed the severed tendrils aside and thrust forward with her metal claw, catching the creature’s skull in her palm. With a tight and powerful squeeze, she crushed it in her claw and watched the monster fall back into the water.

Once the monster was dead, she turned around and began searching for her katanas that she had to drop in the water. Just as her left claw located one of them, she heard a voice come from behind her.

“Well, it looks like Serenade’s mentor is even trying to stop her...” The voice spoke.

Cinder glanced out of the corner of her eye to see a yellow unicorn standing in the water with long orange mane with golden streams throughout it. Her hair was wild and curly and the resemblance to Serenade was uncanny.

“I suppose you’re wondering who I am then?” The obvious siren asked.

Cinder didn’t respond, instead, she pulled herself out of the water and back onto two feet with one of her swords located.

“You see, I’m sort of what is left of the memories of Adagio Dazzle, and-“ The siren was cut off as a katana flew through the air slicing her in half. The katana stuck into the wall behind her as the creature disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Standing with her back still turned, Cinder grumbled as she returned to search for her other sword now that that annoyance was taken care of. “I couldn’t give less of a damn who you are...” She thought out loud.

Once she found her brother’s blade in the water, she stood back up and wandered over toward her sword in the wall. The dragon pulled it out and sheathed both of them as she made her way to her destination of the other tunnel. She was running late, but she had confidence that Sunset would be able to hold out long enough.

Yesterday

Serenade sat in solitude in her throne room concentrating her power. Ordinarily, a demon lord level demon would be able to channel the power necessary for the oubliette in a matter of minutes, but since she was attempting it with far less demonic energy and experience, the process would take considerably longer.

She had issued an order for Arax to prevent any from entering her throne room while she channeled her power and prayed that he would not be as useless about it as some of her other disciples when she gave them an order. Just thinking about how Lightning Dust failed her annoyed her to no end.

She concentrated on that hatred, and on all the hatred she had ever experienced in her life. Hatred was the source of power for her demonic energy and to channel the amount she needed, she would need to focus on nothing but hatred, nothing but negative emotion.

Serenade hated mortals so much, she hated them beyond words, beyond understanding. The more she thought about everything that mortals had put her through, the more she hated them. She hated how they murdered her mother, abused her, beat her, enslaved her, used her and how they killed her sister. What she hated most though was how they not only called what they did to her kind “justice” but how they pretended that they had changed and that it suddenly absolved them of everything they had ever done.

Mortals were so self-centered, they believed that everything revolved around them and that the world belonged to them. Their fear of losing their short insignificant lives always drove them to commit unspeakable acts and then believe that because they stopped such acts that the rest of the world would forget.

Mortals killed her family, and destroyed any childhood she could have had. They demolished any chance of her living a “normal” life long ago. They could say they were sorry and claim they had changed, but they couldn’t give her that time back, they couldn’t bring her mother or her sister back to life. Their apologies were as empty as their souls.

Red energy began to gather around the siren as she prepared herself. In time, she would be ready to face Glitch, and surprise him with something that he would never expect. The oubliette had enough power to not only disintegrate him into nothing but also to split the entire planet in half. There was no way he could stop it, even at her power level which was far from a demon at mastery level, she could destroy him with ease. It didn’t matter if he too bore the mark of demonic potential or that he passed the trials, right?

She would come out superior; she had to. She refused to be number two to anyone. She would rule the world or watch it burn, it didn’t matter which, she’d rather be dead than a slave to mortals once more.

Most of all though, she hated Glitch. He represented a wrench in her plans, a thorn in her side that threatened to undo all she had worked to create. He couldn’t succeed, he needed to be stopped, he needed to die.

With Serenade focused on channeling her power, Arax met with a guard outside of the throne room chamber. The guard gave him a salute which he nodded to before the guard was at ease.

“No one has gone in there, right?” Arax asked with Starlight at his side.

The guard shook his head. “No sir, I have followed our strict orders, no one sees Master Serenade for any reason.”

Arax nodded. “Good, if anyone goes in there, we’ll all regret it...”

“Sir, if I may ask... What exactly is Master Serenade doing in there? There’s a fight outside and she’s locked herself in the throne room...” The guard asked with concerned eyes.

Arax bit his lip, unsure of how much he should divulge. “Let’s just say that the fate of this battle will be determined by the outcome of what goes on in there...”

Eight Years Ago

With her hoof on a chain, Serenade yanked a mare along behind her. The other end of the chain connected to a collar around the mare’s neck as she yelped from the tug. Serenade gave her a stern look and squinted. “Listen, you’ll be better off if you just cooperate. You don’t want to die, and I want to get paid, so the less you struggle, the better. However, if you’re interested in getting roughed up a little, then I am more than happy to oblige, the choice is yours.”

The mare spit on Serenade, hitting her on the cheek. The demon siren reached with her other hoof and wiped the spit away. “Alright, cunt now you’ve pissed me off.”

Before they could even muster a response, Serenade whelped her with the back of her hoof and gave her another eight hits for good measure.

The young earth pony stumbled as blood dripped from her lip, but Serenade closed the distance and pressed her up against a nearby wall, pinning her there. “Do that shit again and I’ll make you regret it, understand?”

She struggled to respond but managed to get words to leave her throat between coughs. “You’re bringing me back to slavery, how am I supposed to respond?”

“That’s the beauty of Dragon Scar...” Serenade smirked before releasing the mare.

The brown maned mare rubbed her throat and raised a brow as Serenade picked the chain back up. “There isn’t any law...”

“How can you just bring someone back into slavery after they escaped? What kind of monster are you?” The former slave asked.

“Don’t ask me, kid. They pay me to bring your kind back when you run away and I just do what I’m paid to do... Besides, if you really wanted to be free, you’d be free and wouldn’t have let me catch you...” Serenade sneered.

“How can you say that?” Tears rolled down the mare’s cheeks as Serenade tugged the chain forcing her to walk with her through the town.

“I was a slave once too, you know?” Serenade grinned as the mare finally became compliant, realizing she wasn’t about to escape her fate. “I escaped and I never went back, so clearly you’re just too weak. Slavery is the best place for someone so weak out here in Dragon Scar, really...”

“So you know how awful being someone’s property is, and yet you are willing to aid in continuing the cycle? Where is your heart?” The mare asked.

As they approached a local tavern, Serenade wrapped the other end of the chain around a steel beam holding the awning over the entrance up. She padlocked the chain to ensure that her prey wouldn’t escape.

Stepping closer and gesturing for the mare to sit down, Serenade grinned. “There’s no room in my heart to feel sorry for wastes of life. That’s all your kind really is too, a big giant waste of life. Were you born outside of this place you’d be acting like the world belonged to you, just like the rest of your kind. You disgust me...”

The girl didn’t say a word as she sat down, instead, she just stared with eyes that suggested she didn’t understand.

Reaching into her saddlebag, Serenade retrieved a second collar and snapped it onto the mare’s neck above where the chained one was. Quickly locking it into place with a combination lock, she tapped the collar and looked the mare in the eyes. “If you somehow find a way to escape, that collar is set up to send a magic signal to an orb in my bag. If you get more than 80 feet away from it... It’ll explode.”

The mare gulped as Serenade stood up and petted her on the head before heading inside the rowdy tavern.

A few of the patrons gave her a nod, and a few of the stallions gave her a little more than that which just caused her to roll her eyes. While she hated mortals, she had a minor bit more tolerance for this crowd. They engaged in all the shitty things that mortals did, but they at least didn’t pretend they were good creatures in the slightest. There wasn’t a soul in Gale’s Water Hole that would tell anyone they were a decent being.

Approaching the bar she tapped a gruff-looking griffin on the shoulder.

The griffin turned around and stroked his graying feathers out of his face. He had a crack along his beak on the right side, which Serenade assumed was either a fight wound, or he pissed off his mate at some point. His name was Geoff, and he loved his booze and the sex that often came with it, but that was obvious to anyone who got within range to smell him. He reeked of alcohol at all times.

Serenade would be annoyed at his drunken behavior, but it led to carelessness that often allowed his slaves to escape and thus created work for Serenade in bringing them back.

In Dragon Scar, most towns operated independently of each other, and as a result, there was no centralized law. Most towns were just constructed out of scrap metal and old junk and Scrap City was no exception. Most of the town was held together by poor weld jobs, and it wasn’t uncommon for the limited wildlife that could survive in the harsh country to get into people’s homes through various holes.

The griffin sized Serenade up and down and smiled as he raised a glass filled with cheap whiskey in his claw. “Serenade, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

As per usual, Serenade kept the conversation all business. “I found your slave. I have her tied up outside if you wish to inspect the merchandise before you give payment.”

He shook his head and reached onto the bar top, grabbing a coin bag and tossing it to her. “No need, you always return quality work.”

“If that’s how you feel, then how about you buy me a drink?” Serenade smirked before sitting down in the spot next to him, placing her hooves atop of the bar.

He nodded and tapped the counter. “Bartender, get this girl a full glass of your roughest whiskey!”

“The roughest or the most expensive?” The young dragon behind the counter chuckled.

“I ain’t made of money.” Geoff grunted as he crossed his arms.

Shrugging the dragon placed a chipped whiskey glass in front of Serenade and filled it to the brim with a foul-smelling whiskey. “Bottoms up, kid.” The dragon laughed.

Without much effort, Serenade lifted the cup and gulped it all down in a single motion; gaining awe and praise from both Geoff and the bartender. “Slow down, girl. You’re going to get fucked up way too quickly that way.”

“Alcohol doesn’t affect me...” She responded plainly.

“Technically it dehydrates you...” Geoff pointed out.

“First of all, I’m surprised a drunk idiot like you even knows that, second of all, it doesn’t matter. I don’t need to drink water...” Serenade reminded him.

He slapped himself in the forehead as he cursed himself for forgetting. “Oh right, that’s a demon thing. So it also means you can’t get drunk either?”

“Correct,” Serenade replied plainly.

“Being a demon sounds like it sucks... You don’t drink, you don’t eat... You don’t even sleep...” Geoff coughed as he tried to finish his sentence while swallowing his drink.

Sleep was when most people did their self-reflection and their brain processed things that were too difficult to deal with when one was awake. For that reason, Serenade was thankful she didn’t have to partake in that activity anymore; there were many things she would prefer to stay tucked away in the recesses of her mind.

“Try not to lose your slave again...” Serenade changed the subject back to business.

“I don’t get how a girl who was a slave herself at one point feels nothing about returning runaways. I mean I ain’t complaining because y’all saved my ass a lot of money, but still...” Geoff squinted in thought.

“I couldn’t care less... It’s none of my business what she is... I only care about myself, that’s how I’ve survived this long...” Serenade spoke quietly, a bit annoyed that he was clearly probing her for inflammation.

“I guess it’s true then...” Geoff laughed.

“What is?” Serenade raised a brow.

“Demons really do give up their heart.” He smirked.

He had no idea how right he was.

Demons were not commonly seen in the world, but while still rare, they were a common enough occurrence in Dragon Scar to where most locals paid them little mind. Most only knew anything about them in passing from old stories told by a man who knew a man who knew a man.

“I gave up on having a heart long before I was a demon...” Serenade admitted.

“You must have seen some things in your time then...” Geoff concluded.

Yesterday

Finally climbing out of the sewers, Cinder flicked muck and filth off of herself and cursed as she crawled out of a trap door inside the tower. She was behind the magical barrier, but still, she could feel the intense magical presence. It was almost too much even for a dragon, and if she were younger, it likely would have immobilized her.

As a dragon aged, their ability to resist magical energy tended to go up until it peaked around when they were about eight hundred years old, depending on the breed. She belonged to a fairly long-lived breed that took a good five thousand years to reach full size and usually would die of natural aging by ten thousand, though most of her kind died long before then due to their warrior nature.

She could see a long spiral staircase that led up, which she began to follow to the top rubbing her scarred shoulder in annoyance as she did. The wound had stopped bleeding, but it was still uncomfortable.

“Fucking hell...” She groaned as she made it up the stairs. To her good fortune, the creatures from the sewers didn’t seem intelligent enough to climb ladders and thus she was alone in her ascent.

She made it to the top of the tower with ease and activated the gemstone at the center top. Once it was powered up and the tower began to shine, she sat down and laid her back against the wall. The trip through the sewers had taken a toll on her and while she wanted to be the one to cut through Serenade, she knew that it was a job for Sunset Shimmer. She would put her faith in Sunset, as at this point she was the only one capable of fighting the demonic monster.

Cinder pondered what would happen now. Would the amplifying effects of the towers be enough to magnify Sunset’s power or would she fall to Serenade’s might. She supposed it wouldn’t matter, as if Sunset did fail, they would all be dead by morning.

Her thoughts locked onto Serenade and Cinder began to wonder if she could have done anything differently. Serenade would have likely died one day in Dragon Scar had Cinder not trained her. How could she have been so foolish? Why didn’t she listen to her brother when he said that they shouldn’t be training outsiders.

Cinder wanted to be different, she wanted to become a better clan leader when her brother passed the torch after her parents passed. She wanted to be one who accepted outsiders and taught them their ways. She wanted strength through unity, and couldn’t think of a better place to start than enlisting a pony (though she ended up being a siren in disguise in the end).

She was told it couldn’t be done, that there was no way that a pony could pass their trials, but Serenade proved them all wrong and it was with Cinder’s guidance she was able to do that. In a way, she was proud of herself, as Serenade’s strength was partially due to her mentoring, but she only wished that the girl used her strength for good and not evil.

Cinder reached onto her belt and into one of the few pouches that were behind her. Carefully she drew a flask filled with vodka, though while ponies called it “cheap”, it was far better than the stuff she had grown up with.

Sipping from the flask, she let out a long sigh as she stared into the distance toward Canterlot castle. It wouldn’t be long before Sunset approached that same castle, Cinder just hoped that she was enough of an assistance to make a difference when the final confrontation happened.

Taking another long swig, she placed the cap back onto the bottle. There was no point in going anywhere, even if they lost. There would be no escape if Serenade defeated Sunset, so Cinder closed her eyes and decided that some rest was what she needed.

“It’s all up to you now, Sunset Shimmer...” She muttered before dozing off.

Yesterday

“All systems prepared, Moondancer,” Sunset spoke over her headset to Moondancer who appeared in a video window within Sunset’s visor.

Moondancer looked down at her keyboard and tapped a few keys before looking back at Sunset. “All systems optimized. The Siren’s Bane amplifier seems to be working at optimum levels.”

“Sounds good.” Sunset nodded.

“You’re ready to kill a siren.” Moondancer smirked as she crossed her arms.

“Guess so,” Sunset replied.

“It’s ironic, isn’t it?” Moondancer asked.

“How so?” Sunset tilted her head.

“Years ago, you stopped me from killing a siren, and now you’re about to do just that...” Moondancer pointed out with a finger raised.

Her voice didn’t have malice or sarcasm in it. She spoke as someone just pointing out a fact.

Sunset hadn’t noticed how much she had grown up over the past three years. Moondancer looked older, she was more womanly now, though still maintaining her boyish charm. If the girl cut her hair, she could easily pass herself off as a young man, but it was somewhat cute in a way.

While Sunset found herself more attracted to more effeminate girls, she could see a glimpse of what Shimmer saw in Moondancer. It occurred to her though that perhaps Adagio had similar qualities. She must have if Shimmer had fallen for her at one point, but that was assuming that she wasn’t under Adagio’s spell.

When Sunset first found out, she wanted to assume it was just Adagio’s powers, but that didn’t make sense did it? Adagio supposedly wasn’t able to fix her amulet until after Shimmer was dead, so it wasn’t possible for her to use her powers on Shimmer.

That meant that she could only have manipulated her with words and trickery. There was no way in hell that Adagio won Shimmer over honestly.

“This situation isn’t the same. This girl won’t stop until...” Sunset didn’t get a chance to finish as Moondancer held up her hand and shook her head with a gentle smile upon her face.

“You needn’t explain. Let’s just focus on taking her down, shall we?”

Sunset nodded and looked up to see both of the towers she had orders to be powered up were now both glowing. “Awesome, time to get into position.”

There was silence as Sunset stepped into the center of the street where the two towers pointed. She readied herself until Moondancer disappeared from her screen and switched to voice communication, concern in her voice. “Uh... Sunset... I’m detecting a huge energy spike...”

“What kind of energy?” Sunset asked.

“Demonic. These levels are skyrocketing and it’s all coming from Canterlot castle. I’ve never seen readings like this, Serenade must be up to something...” Sunset could hear Moondancer’s keystrokes as she investigated.

“Figures... I guess she really does always have a trick up her sleeve. Can you get an analysis of what might be going on in there?” Sunset asked.

“Sure thing,” Moondancer responded.

Eight long seconds passed before Sunset could hear Moondancer gasp. “Whoa! These readings are insane! Sunset if I were you, then I’d use your Daydream Shimmer form!”

“I can’t just turn into that when I want, it requires a deep connection with my friends to be nearby...” Sunset replied.

“All of your friends are all around you right now. I can switch the suit to use magic to broadcast your voice to all of your allies right now. You need to power up though because this kind of energy could destroy the entire planet in a single shot!” Moondancer warned.

“What!?” Sunset was a bit surprised by that.

“Switching now, you should tell them all now. It should still send your synthesized voice too...” Moondancer said.

Closing her eyes, Sunset began to speak out loud. “Everyone who can hear my voice, I’m using my power to talk to all of you. Serenade is preparing some kind of attack. I need all of you to lend me your power as my friends and allies.”

The short silence was followed by Twilight’s voice ringing in her ear, which surprised Sunset. Moondancer didn’t mention they would all be able to speak back to her. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but my power is yours.”

Instantly, Sunset felt a beam of energy come from the tower where Twilight was down to her, hitting her and her body took it in.

Discord’s voice followed shortly after. “A friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine too, count me in.”

Like Twilight before him, another beam of energy came down and hit her. Her body began to feel stronger and stronger with each beam that hit her.

“Thank you both...” Sunset nodded.

“You sprung me loose, so you can definitely expect my loyalty!” The proud voice of Rainbow Dash sang before another beam from the skies came down and hit Sunset.

A voice that Sunset didn’t expect to hear followed. “Y’all can count on me. ‘Ah ain’t gonna forget all that ya’ve done fer’ us all. We ain’t always seen eye-to-eye but ya’ got my strength on yer’ side too.”

Applejack was one of the ponies that Sunset expected to be annoyed with her until the very end of their quest, but it looked like she finally came around which was at least partially a relief.

“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” Cinder’s voice rang in Sunset’s ear, causing her to be surprised.

“Cinder? You too?” Sunset asked.

“Of course. You have accepted me as part of your rebellion and you’ve been helping me avenge my clan. We drank together, and I would wager we’re great friends now. You have my power at your side, Glitch. Go bag us a siren and end this...” Cinder’s voice echoed off.

Feeling all of the power from her friends coursing through her, Sunset knew she had the strength to do this now. She focused her magic and could feel her body begin to transform. Her hooves felt lighter than air and her entire body lifted off of the ground, combat suit and all.

Within seconds, she could sense under the suit that she had become Daydream Shimmer. With her eyes opened, she was ready. Standing in position of the towers, her power was amplified even further.

It wasn’t a moment too soon either.

Yesterday

It was finally ready! The oubliette. Serenade could feel it, she had succeeded in charging it, and now it was ready to be unleashed. While it wouldn’t be at the full power of a demon lord, it would be more than enough might to turn Glitch into nothing more than blood and a pile of scrap metal.

“This power... It’s...” She whispered to herself as she felt dark energy swirling about her.

Horrible isn’t it? Yet, you can’t help but feel drawn to it, can you? You want more. You want to taste what else being a demon lord has to offer, don’t you?

Serenade made her way to the balcony that overhung the entire city where she looked down to the town square. Sure enough, there standing at the ready was her armored “rival”.

“So, you came all the way here... You wanted to die personally, did you? I mean I suppose it would be a shame if you walked all the way to my keep only to be slaughtered by some minion of mine...” Serenade spoke to herself, knowing he was way too far away to hear her.

From that distance, he looked like an ant almost, which was fitting as that was exactly what he was in comparison to her power.

Serenade levitated off of the ground, dark energy carrying her as it swirled around her. She needed to unleash it soon, she couldn’t delay or the power would rip her body apart.

“Prepare to die, Glitch...” She whispered before placing her hooves in front of her.

From her hooves, and her horn, a dark blast exited and headed directly toward Glitch who responded by firing a sizable blast of their own.

The two energy blasts hit each other and paused as they both attempted to push past the other. Serenade growled and funneled more power into her attack. “RESISTING IS POINTLESS, GLITCH! ACCEPT YOUR FATE AND DIE!”

Glitch didn’t obey, instead, they focused their power to counter the attack as best they could but it wasn’t working too well. The oubliette blast was slowly pushing toward them and they could feel themselves losing the fight.

“I need... More... Power...” Glitch commanded.

“We’re with you Glitch!” A voice called out.

Before Glitch knew it, hundreds of other voices entered their head the same way that their friends had. It was all of their warriors that they had led on the rebellion. All of them were calling out to them, lending them their strength just as their friends had.

“Thank you...” Glitch responded as they felt their body grow stronger and before they knew it, they were able to push back against the oubliette. The blast grew smaller and smaller as Glitch’s own grew closer and closer to Serenade.

“No! It’s not possible!” Serenade hissed as she tried to muster up more power, but it was no use, her body was too drained to give any more.

“I can feel her power waning!” Glitch called out to her friends.

“NO! NO! NO! NO!” Serenade kept chanting until finally her blast was deflected and sent up to the heavens where it vanished into the sky.

The next thing that happened was her body being hit by the tremendous might of Glitch’s blast, sending her flying back into her throne room, shattering the throne that Celestia once sat upon on impact.

She struggled to stand and dusted herself off as she could feel her body weaken. Glitch had actually done it, he had beaten her oubliette.

Serenade was panicking, but she was far from beaten. He would still need to face her head on.

Quickly, Serenade began to use her magic to try and heal her body as much as she could, but she was struggling. Glitch’s power had weakened her significantly and she could feel much of the stolen magic she housed leaking out of her. Creatures outside were regaining the magic that she had stolen ever so slowly.

She needed to hold it in, she needed to keep it together.

“This fight isn’t over yet...” Serenade muttered.

Yesterday

Arax suddenly sensed a strong pinch inside of him. He blinked in astonishment as he realized what it meant. Looking at Starlight, he had to make a decision and he needed to make it fast.

He took the girl’s hoof without explanation and ran downstairs. The two made their way directly to the entrance of the castle where he turned her to look him in the eyes. “Starlight, there isn’t much time. You need to run as far as you can, you have to find Twilight Sparkle and her group and flee the city.”

“What’s going on?” Starlight tilted her head in confusion.

“Serenade’s oubliette was defeated...” Arax stated.

“What!? How can that be!?” Starlight blinked.

“It doesn’t matter. Glitch is too strong, he is coming to stop Serenade now... He’ll arrive in a matter of minutes no doubt, and you don’t want to be in the wake of the fight...” Arax explained.

Starlight shook her head in disbelief. These last three years she had come to understand Serenade as seemingly all-powerful and now Arax was telling her that Glitch was about to defeat her?

“I thought you said that Serenade was unkillable?”

Arax shook his head and placed a hoof upon the mare’s chin, tilting her head up to look him in the eyes. “She is flesh and blood just like you or I and thus she can die. With the oubliette a failure, she is far weaker than normal. Glitch will win this fight, no doubt. It’s a matter of when not if. By sunset tonight, Serenade’s empire will be over...”

“This is insane... You really think Serenade will lose?” Starlight looked up to him with concerned eyes.

He nodded at her. “Definitely. Now you need to go...”

“But...” Starlight touched the collar on her neck. “What about you?”

“What about me?” Arax raised his brow.

“What is going to happen to you when she falls?” She had a look of genuine concern.

He shrugged. “I face the same punishment, probably. I was involved after all...”

“You don’t have to though! I can convince Twilight and them to go easier on you! I know you didn’t do most of that stuff of your own volition, Serenade made you!” Starlight stepped forward and placed both hooves upon him.

He sighed and pushed her off and shook his head. “No. It’s too late for me. You have to go back to your friends now... It’s been a good three years, but it’s over... I release you...”

With those words, he grabbed the collar upon her neck and like magic, it released itself and freed Starlight of its hold. Arax gripped it in his hoof and gestured toward the door. “Go now.”

“I won’t leave you behind, Arax... I... I love you...” She blushed and looked away embarrassed.

“No you don’t, that’s just the power of my bite telling you that you do...” He sighed.

“No, it isn’t! I know what love it, Arax! And you can’t tell me that you don’t feel it too! I have seen how you are to me, you could have been far more cruel to me, you could have mistreated me, but you never did! You were always kind and giving...” She stated, her heart warm with all the memories of the past three years.

“All lies. An act to keep you placated...” He shrugged.

“That’s not true and you know it! Why are you doing this!? You can’t even look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t love me, can you?” Starlight stepped forward with tears in her eyes.

He looked away and blushed. “It doesn’t matter. You have to go...”

“Let me help you, Arax... Please...” She reached for his hoof.

He pulled his hoof away. “I’m beyond help, Starlight. I’m in too deep. Now go...”

Stepping forward she placed a kiss upon his cheek and stepped back. “Goodbye, Arax... I’ll never forget you...”

With those words, she bolted out the door and toward safety. Arax sighed as he looked at the collar in his hoof. He gripped it tightly and turned to leave. “Goodbye, Starlight...” He whispered.

Yesterday

With Serenade’s blast repelled, Glitch made their way to the castle with haste. Their powered up form was fading, but they still had plenty of magic left to burn as they cut through any force that stood in their path. It would only be a matter of eight minutes between the deflection of the blast and Glitch bursting through the castle throne room doors where Serenade sat on her now cracked throne.

The mare was a mess, her mane a disheveled monstrosity, but Glitch could see a small set of horns growing out of her head. They were nothing compared to the vision she had seen when she walked through the underworld, but they were clearly the start of what would eventually become the same horns she saw.

Serenade sat up and smirked as Glitch entered, the light from the sunset outside shining through the stained glass windows making the room glow multiple colors, an effect that Glitch would have appreciated more under different circumstances.

“The sun is setting, and not just outside, but on your empire too; give up, Serenade. You don’t stand a chance...” Glitch warned as they conjured up the Siren’s bane and held it in a hoof, ready to strike.

Serenade laughed. “Even at my diminished power, I’m more than a match for a single unicorn. Your tin can suit won’t make much of a difference to me...”

Glitch stood their ground. “I gave you a chance to surrender, just remember that...”

Coming to a stand, Serenade’s tendrils flared out around her. “Ha! Do you think that you are going to offer mercy to me? I’ll destroy you! I’m going to rip that mask off and see your true face before I kill you though...”

“Then give it your best attempt...” Glitch challenged.

“With pleasure!” Serenade hissed before bolting forward, her tendrils whipping at the armored pony as she did.

Anticipating the attacking, Glitch planted their hind hooves and sliced with the bladed spear at the tendrils as she held it in two hooves. The cut hacked many of them clean off as the spear glowed with a yellow light. It’s power seeming to get stronger around a siren.

Serenade blinked as her tendrils were cut off, but she wasn’t fast enough to retaliate against what would come next. The blade came down in a swipe, hitting her face and cutting her left eye. She screeched in pain as she gripped the eye with her hoof, staggering back as she did. The pain was unbearable, it was clearly no ordinary blade as she could feel a burning sensation run through her entire face.

Attempting to heal the damage, she found herself unsuccessful. “IT BURNS! WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Serenade screeched.

Glitch twirled the spear and jabbed it forward, piercing Serenade in the chest with it. She screeched once more and stumbled back as Glitch let go of the spear, letting Serenade stumble about with it stuck in her.

The pain was unbearable, but she wouldn’t allow herself to cry. Huffing, Serenade grabbed the spear with two hooves and pulled it out of herself, black blood oozing out of the fresh wound, that like the other could not be healed it seemed. She gripped her chest and her eye as she felt all of her magic leaving her body.

“What did you do!? How!?” Serenade asked as she looked up at the armored pony.

“I had a little help, that spear is no ordinary blade, it is the Siren’s Bane and it has the power to give pause to a siren’s power, even a demon one it seems...” Glitch explained.

Serenade had heard of the blade but assumed it was only a myth.

“I don’t understand... How did you escape the demon realm? You were supposed to die there... Who are you?” Serenade asked.

Glitch shook their head. “It doesn’t matter who I am.”

There was a silence between them followed by Glitch explaining their next intentions. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.”

“Why not? Are you too soft to do it?” Serenade smirked.

“It’s definitely within my power, but killing a siren is what started all of this in the first place. On top of that, I don’t intend to be like you, nor does Equestria. You may be upset over how we were in the past, but we can at least have a future without unnecessary killing...” Glitch said.

“How pathetic... It doesn’t matter anyway, in my eyes you’ll all always be nothing more than slime.” Serenade spat.

“Your words have no meaning now, I would save them for Princess Twilight Sparkle...” Glitch spoke.

“One day, I’ll kill you, Glitch. I’ll find out who you are under that mask and I’ll hunt you down, mark my words...” Serenade threatened.

Glitch shook their head and shrugged before pulling a set of hoof cuffs from her suit that she latched onto the siren’s front hooves. The cuffs had the added bonus of blocking magic use.

“Until that day, you’re going to be enjoying a nice long punishment...” Glitch said.

Over the next few hours, Serenade’s control over all of her mind-slaves was broken, her kingdom was no more and the damage was beginning to be undone.

Most of her disciples and higher enlisted officers went into hiding after her defeat, and all that she had imprisoned were set free. With a little help from Glitch, the royal family had been able to take back the castle and begin the process of rebuilding Equestria immediately.

With all the magic back to the citizens, the process would be hasty, which was good.

Princess Twilight stood in the town square with a sheet over a large object that stood exactly where Glitch did when she deflected Serenade’s Oubliette. Clearing her throat for all the citizens around her, she spoke loudly. “In honor of the duty and sacrifices that Glitch has made for Equestria, we commemorate their achievement with this statue!”

Twilight pulled the sheet down to reveal a life-size replica of the armored pony. The crowd around her began to cheer and stomp their hooves with excitement as they all began to gaze at the gorgeous marble carving of the newest mysterious hero of Equestria. Though few knew who they were under the helmet, they all were grateful for their selfish deeds.

“We all owe our lives to Glitch, let this statue remind us that sometimes one must rise well above the call of duty for the sake of others. Glitch demonstrated the true meaning of leadership and patriotism for one’s homeland. We could all stand to learn from their example,” Twilight continued.

The crowd cheered, whooped and stomped in approval at those words.

Twilight stuck around for a little longer to shake hooves and make small talk with the townsfolk before taking her leave to head back to her room in the castle that she had been staying in for the cleanup effort. Eventually, she would go back to Ponyville to take care of her duties there, but at that moment Celestia wanted all hooves on deck to clean up Canterlot, especially since Luna was still shaken up from her experience and Cadence was far from 100%.

Once she entered her room, there still clad in her armor was Sunset Shimmer, though sans helmet. She was leaned against a wall with her hooves crossed. “Done with your little tour?”

Twilight frowned. “You know, you could have chosen to show yourself and actually at the very least get some credit for all you’ve done...”

Sunset shook her head. “I don’t want ponies praising me and looking up to me anymore, especially when I’m not going to be here anymore...”

“I guess I can understand. Still, I owe you a great deal, Sunset.” Twilight smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood.

Sunset scoffed and looked away in disgust. “More than you know, Princess...”

Twilight could hardly blame her for being upset with her. She wasn’t a parent, but she did understand the gravity of what it meant to take Sunset away from her child.

“I consider us even now, Princess. Don’t ever call on me to come here again, got it?” Sunset raised a brow.

Twilight nodded and bowed her head. “You’ve gone far above and beyond...”

“So what will happen from here?” Sunset asked.

“Well, Kiz agreed to be in communication with Equestria to finally gain acceptance and better treatment of sirens. She appointed Sonata as the official Equestrian ambassador and I intend to work directly with her to ensure that this all becomes a reality,” Twilight explained.

Sunset looked up at the ceiling and a small smile found its way to her face. “The irony... Sirens caused me nothing but pain and here I am... Happy that they finally see equality in my lifetime.”

“It’ll be a long road as there will always be skeptics, but I hope to enact equality laws for them right away. Sonata’s assistance and Aria’s sacrifice will definitely aid in getting plenty on our side for this matter as well.” Twilight’s voice was filled with hope.

As much as Sunset was upset with her, she couldn’t help but feel some joy in seeing Twilight passionate about something, though it was nothing like her Twilight.

There was a long pause followed by Twilight clearing her throat. “Listen... If you can’t go back home after... Well after all of this, then you’re welcome to come here. I know it’s not much, but...”

Sunset stepped forward and placed a hoof over the mare’s mouth as she spoke. “I’d rather take my chances there if it’s all the same...”

Rarity had just finished placing her earrings on as she looked herself over in the mirror. She smiled at them and checked her entire figure over. Her sexy cocktail dress complimented her body so perfectly right down to her black heeled shoes.

As her leg stood out one could see a tattoo right above her ankle of a pentagram with a dotted circle around it.

Stepping back from the mirror she ran a hand through her neck-length hair and grinned. “Rarity, you look absolutely stunning...” She told herself.

Her self-admiration was interrupted though by the sound of the doorbell followed by a call from the upstairs bathroom where Applejack was getting ready for them both to go out to dinner. “Rares can y’all get that?”

Sighing, she stepped out of the bathroom and wandered toward the front door. Opening it, she was shocked to be greeted by a face she hadn’t expected to see in a long time. Teal eyes and wild red hair that had grown considerably and was now down below her rear and messier than ever before greeted Rarity.

The girl was malnourished for sure as she looked a good twenty pounds lighter as she stood there with her hands tucked in her pockets and a sheepish smile upon her face.

“Hey...” Sunset began.

Rarity stepped forward and with all of her might punched the woman directly in the face. Sunset turned in time for it to hit her cheek, and though she staggered, she didn’t go down. Rarity had a surprisingly strong punch for a woman her size. She was dainty but strong.

“Alright, I deserved that...” Sunset admitted as she kept tall.

Rarity delivered another punch, this time to the woman’s stomach. The second punch was far more effective as it knocked the wind out of Sunset and she wheezed as she gripped the spot.

“Okay... I probably deserved that too...” Sunset managed to get out before another punch hit her in the face again.

“Okay, I think you’re going overboard now...”

Rarity crossed her arms. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I’m glad Applejack didn’t answer the door?” Sunset shrugged.

“You’re damn right you are. She’d have punched you so hard that you’d be dead right now.” Rarity nodded in agreement.

“I didn’t come here to argue with you, I just needed to get some clothes. I know I left some here but as you can clearly see the ones I have seem to have gotten a bit too small, guess I grew a little while I was gone and I didn’t want to see Twilight like this...” Sunset rubbed her neck.

Rarity sighed. “You know, you have a lot of nerve coming here asking for favors and then telling me that you’re going to just waltz back into that woman’s life as if you didn’t do anything...” There was a pause as Rarity bit her lip, “but, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming you had a good reason for leaving.”

“Thanks, Rarity...” She sheepishly smiled.

“Though Applejack is not going to feel the same way...” Rarity shook her head.

At that point, Sunset had accepted Applejacks in any universe not liking her that much.

“I actually was wondering if you guys would come with me... Moondancer is already in the car, I can explain a bit of what happened on the way.” Sunset grinned pathetically.

Rarity sighed and nodded. “Yes, let me just fetch Applejack and Jasper and we’ll tag along in my car.”

“Thanks, you guys are true friends,” Sunset replied.

“Mark my words, Sunset. While I understand what it’s like to have to do things that you’d rather not talk about and even things that you have to keep from others... I am doing this for Twilight, not you. She is going to need a lot of support through this,” Rarity stated.

“You have my thanks, regardless.” Sunset nodded.

After a short car ride to the Shimmer Estate, Sunset punched in the code to get the gate to open and the two cars made their way to her front door where they both parked in front of the building. Sunset let out a long sigh as she looked over at Moondancer in the same car. “I guess this is it...” Sunset half-smiled.

“What’re you nervous for? You took down a demon siren! This is nothing!” Moondancer encouraged with a thumbs up.

Sighing, Sunset stepped out of the car as Rarity and Applejack pulled in behind her. She decided it was best she went first as she knew that Applejack had plenty to say.

Ringing the doorbell, the others all stood at the bottom of the steps eagerly awaiting what would transpire.

Sunset brushed herself off and adjusted the long sleeve plaid checkered shirt she was wearing under her leather jacket. She inhaled and exhaled as the large door swung open on its own. Stepping inside she could see Twilight coming down from the steps and Sunset was instantly in awe. Twilight had become more of a woman in the past three years. Her legs had filled out and she had started to wear her hair down.

Her legs were now covered in some torn up skinny jeans and she was sporting a fuzzy sweater that was a size too big for her, but it cut off at her midriff.

She blinked as she walked forward seeing Sunset standing there. The woman who had left three years ago had lost some weight and her hair had grown considerably. Twilight couldn’t believe her eyes as she stopped breathing before coming within inches of her wife.

There was silence between the two for a solid minute. The silence ended when Twilight reared back and punched the girl square in the cheek. Sunset stumbled back but caught herself before she fell, gripping her cheek. “I really wish people would stop punching me today...” She grumbled.

Once she came to a proper stand, Twilight took another swing, hitting her in the shoulder. This hit, however, didn’t prove to be as effective, but Twilight continued to pound on the girl’s upper chest with her balled up fists in anger as tears began to stream down her face, making her eyeliner run.

“Why did you come back!? I had finally accepted you were gone!” Twilight cried as she continued to pound on the girl.

Sunset grabbed the girl’s hands and pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her wife, petting her hair as she did. Twilight resisted only for a second before finding herself at home in her lover’s arms. “I thought you were dead...” Twilight cried.

Hushing the girl, Sunset tilted her head up to lock eyes with her. “I’m sorry...”

“Where have you been?” Twilight asked.

“To hell and back...” Sunset giggled.

“Quite literally actually, I can vouch for that...” Moondancer spoke as she came in from behind the redhead, though her volume decreased as she approached the end of her sentence unsure if she should even be talking.

“What in tarnation is she talkin’ about?” Applejack’s voice came from behind her as she and Rarity entered the room, Applejack’s arms crossed as she waited to hear Sunset’s explanation of where she had been.

“It’s a long story, the short version is...” Sunset began, but a voice she hadn’t expected rang through the air interrupting her.

“Actually, I can explain.”

The entire group turned and there at the doorway was Princess Twilight Sparkle and at her side was Sonata Dusk and what appeared to be another Applejack, this one appearing quite younger than the one they all knew.

“What the!?” The human Applejack blinked.

“Well, this is quite the development...” Rarity spoke as she held Jasper in her arms.

“Just a wild guess and y’all are this world’s Rarity?” The pony Applejack snickered as she examined the human version of her long-time friend.

“That would be correct, but I’m also your human self’s wife.” Rarity smirked.

The human Applejack rubbed her neck as her pony version stared at her in disbelief. “Yer’ kiddin’!” The equestrian girl said.

“What of it?” The human counterpart raised a brow.

“Ahem...” Princess Twilight cleared her throat and stepped forward, causing both Applejacks to grow silent with the pony one muttering something about Rarity under her breath.

The entire group grew quiet as the Princess spoke. “Sunset’s absence is my doing, Twilight. I apologize, but the circumstances were dire...”

“A demon siren had taken over Equestria, she was Adagio’s little sister, Serenade!” Sonata chimed in.

Twilight blinked and looked up at Sunset. “Really!?”

Pony Applejack nodded. “Yeah, really. Glitch- err... Sunset here saved us all. If’n she hadn’t shown up we’d all be dead, no doubt.”

Twilight looked to her wife with wonder. “Y-you saved the world?”

“Not this world, but I guess yeah...” Sunset shrugged.

“Please, don’t be angry with her. I forced her to help us, it was wrong of me, but I was desperate. My entire home was about to be destroyed...” Princess Twilight frowned.

Twilight looked over at the group and then nodded as she looked back at her wife. “Just... Don’t ever do that again...”

“From here on out, I’m staying in this world...” Sunset smiled as she took her wife’s hands.

“I suppose we should all give you two some privacy, you have a lot to catch up on...” Princess Twilight gestured for the group to leave.

Sunset let go of her wife and watched them all go, waving as they did, but one stopped and turned around to speak to her directly, it was the pony Applejack who locked eyes with the woman and stared for a few minutes before smiling at her. “Ya’ know, we ain’t really been gettin’ along this whole time. But y’all saved my sister’s life and ya’ got our home back. It’s a shame that she died, and ‘Ah’ll miss her forever, but at least she went emulating a great pony...”

Sunset shook her head. “Her actions were her own. I was honored to have such a great teammate.”

“It’s weird... Seein’ yer’ face after all this time... Y’all don’t look anything like ‘Ah expected ya’ to... Hell, ‘Ah didn’t expect y’all to even be female.” Applejack chuckled.

“Reality is often stranger than fiction, isn’t it?” Sunset smirked.

“Ain’t that the truth... Either way, we ain’t gonna see each other again, so ‘Ah guess this is goodbye... But... Thank you. For everything, Sunset...” Applejack offered her hand.

Looking down, Sunset took it and shook the woman’s hand with a smile. “Have a great life, Applejack.”

“Thanks, though ‘Ah’m a bit surprised to see that I married Rarity in this world...” Applejack laughed.

“Why? Hiding feelings for her in your own?” Sunset smirked.

Taking her hand back, Applejack’s face turned a shade of red as she stammered. “U-uh... ‘Ah gotta get goin’...”

She turned and left quickly trying to catch up with the others as Sunset snickered while the door closed behind them. She looked back at her wife and smiled. “I know this hasn’t been easy on you and this will be a process, but I want us to be a family again... I know I have no right to ask this and-“

Twilight cut her off. “It’s not up to me.”

“Horizon...” Sunset replied.

Twilight nodded. “It’s time for you to see your daughter...”

Taking her hand, Twilight led the redhead up the stairs back to the room where she had left Horizon to keep playing while she got the door. Releasing Sunset’s hand, Twilight opened the door carefully and slipped inside with Sunset just outside the door as she knelt down to Horizon’s level as the girl played with a set of blocks. “Horizon, sweetie... There’s someone that I want you to meet...”

The little girl looked up at her mother with confused eyes. Her muted purple hair with their messy red tips danced as she turned her head abruptly to see her guardian, her big pink eyes looking at her with curiosity.

“Who is it?” Horizon asked.

Twilight gestured toward the door and called to Sunset. “Come on in now.”

Carefully, Sunset opened the door and walked in slowly, not wanting to make any sudden movements.

“Horizon... This is your mom...” Twilight spoke.

Horizon blinked a few times and took a few steps in Sunset’s direction. The tall woman got down on her knees and smiled as she placed her hands upon her lap. “Hello, Horizon.”

“You’re the lady in all the pictures...” Horizon commented.

Sunset nodded. “Yes, but many of them are my twin sister. However, yes, I’m the woman in many of those pictures, and I gave birth to you, that makes me your mom.”

Horizon blinked. “Why’d you leave?”

Sunset’s eyes had welled up with tears that she wiped away. “Believe me, I never wanted to go. Sometimes though things happen that you can’t control though...”

“Are you going to stay here now?” Horizon asked.

Sunset could feel her heart warm up from those words. “That’s what I’d like to do from now on...”

The woman opened her arms and Horizon walked casually over and took the redhead into a hug which Sunset held tightly onto as her cheeks stained with tears. “I promise, it’ll take the end of the world to pull me away from you again, okay?”

“It’s a promise, mom,” Horizon spoke.

It was odd, her daughter was such an agreeable child despite her absence. She seemed to be very collected for a girl her age, but Sunset was just happy to have her in her arms again.

Twilight wandered over and took both of them into a huge, crying far more than Sunset was even.

“Why’re you crying?” Sunset asked between sniffles.

“I’m just so happy that we can all finally be a family again...” Twilight whispered.

“There’s nowhere in the world that I’d rather be...” Sunset replied.

“I’m just glad that you’re finally home...” Twilight said.

Sunset gave her wife and daughter a tighter squeeze. She was finally back with the two women who mattered the most to her. Over the past three years she had been many things, a warrior, a leader, a mystery mare, and even a rival, but the most important role that she had and the one she was the most thankful to have was to be her daughter’s mother.

She had missed out on years of her daughter’s life. Her first words, her first steps, so much had she missed and she didn’t want to miss anymore. She vowed to herself that she would never set foot in Equestria again. While that was where she was born, her home was here with her wife and her daughter, Horizon.

While her adventure saving Equestria was over, her greatest adventure was only just beginning.

Author's Note

Okay, easily the longest chapter to date by a long shot. I was contemplating splitting it in two, but I decided it felt better as one. Sorry it took so long to push out, but I had a lot going on over the holidays.

Thank you so much to everyone who read through Act VI and for those of you who have been here since day one, wow, we’ve come a long way haven’t we?

This is it though folks. After a few intermissions, we will be in Act VII, the final act. We are at end game. I’m sure you’re all eager to know what happens and how Sunset’s story concludes, but you will have to stay tuned to find out! This has been a crazy project that I’ve been working on for three years now, and publishing for over two. I’m super proud of how much I’ve done in that time and I’m thankful to everyone who reads what I have written.

Applety really outdid herself this time with not one, not two, but EIGHT illustrations. I literally didn't even expect that myself.

I look forward to seeing you all in Act VII.

Intermission VI-1: Full

These vines cannot hold,

We’ve come too far,

Become too bold.

You won’t stop us now,

Now that our story’s been told.

The magnificent voices of two teenagers decked out in gothic apparel rang through a rather large night club as the two performers finished their song and struck a triumphant pose. The older and taller of the two standing at the front with a guitar around her neck, the younger one with a bass guitar around hers.

The older of the two sported long curly orange locks with yellow highlights as she stood tall in combat boots and a lacy black strapless dress. She didn’t have much cleavage to show off, but the proper padding on the front of her dress at least made her chest somewhat more impressive to look at for the onlookers as she took in the cheers and ovation she was receiving. Her reddish eyes scanning the room with pride as they all cheered for the two of them.

The younger one, her kid sister only fourteen years of age was panting from the excitement. The thrill of the crowd cheering them on, begging for more, it was too much to take in at times, but every show they played seemed to give her that same high that the first one they had ever done gave her. Together, the two of them had nearly flawless harmony, their voices complimented each other so perfectly. It was truly remarkable, almost as if they were born to sing, born to perform.

After several moments of cheering and applause, the two girls removed their instruments and set them down. They had opted not to bring their own, and instead utilize the ones provided for them so that they wouldn’t have to lug them around.

They stood for a few more moments until the owner of the venue approached with his hands clapping together. He grabbed the microphone and spoke to the mob that they called a crowd. “Thank you so much! That was the awesome new band, ‘Sirens’, we’re super thankful that you ladies could come out here tonight, we know you are just about to land a record deal, so thanks for taking the time to play at a smaller venue like this one!”

The two sisters chuckled and nodded.

“Let’s hear one last big cheer for them, everyone!” He shouted into the microphone.

The room came back to life with cheers and thunderous applause. The two sisters bowed gently before exiting the stage.

As they made their way behind the scenes to a dressing room provided for them, the younger of the two sisters yawned and stretched. Her wild blonde hair bounced as she stepped, and her older sister smirked as she admired how perfect her younger sister looked. She was short, petite and was starting to fill out in all the right places. There was no doubt in her mind that the young teen would eventually become a sex object to most men, something that admittedly worried her.

The blonde entered their dressing room and plopped down on the couch with another long yawn (possibly exaggerated). “Eight songs in a row, damn... That was a lot... They were eating it up, I’d say we killed them though, right, sis?”

The elder sister sat down at the vanity mirror provided for them and checked over her eyeliner. It had miraculously held up despite her sweating and movement. She looked down at her wrist to see the clear green transparent band wrapped around it.

Hovering her hand above the band, she made a quick swipe gesture and a digital clock appeared above her wrist in a neon green. Checking the time, she was thankful that it wasn’t too late, only 8:08 PM. She would still have time to get the two of them something to eat before heading home.

“Ya’, remember v’we have to get up early tomorrow though.” Her older sister’s accent sprinkled over the words that came out of her mouth.

“Why is everything in America open at really weird times, Adagio?” Her sister asked.

Adagio shrugged. She wished she had an answer to that, but the reality was that Americans did many things completely backward or just in an odd way in general. Stores were open at two in the morning that didn’t really need to be, and people drove to places that were less than a five-minute walk. It was nothing like back home, but Adagio wasn’t complaining. She’d rather be surrounded by a bunch of strange people than go back.

“I have no idea,” Adagio responded.

“Why can’t we just go in at like fucking eight or something?” Her younger sister complained.

Adagio grunted and shot an annoyed glance in her sister’s direction. “Serenade Dazzle, language.”

“Sorry... It’s just I’m not even awake at seven...” Serenade complained.

“Back in home country, you’d probably be up v’working by that time. Stop v’with the bitching,” Adagio lectured.

“Now look who needs to watch her language...” Serenade smirked.

Adagio swore in her native tongue and rolled her eyes. “Do as say, not as do, understand?”

“It’s do as I say, not as I do, sis,” Serenade corrected with a matter-of-a-fact tone, clearly just wanting an excuse to annoy Adagio. It wasn’t uncommon for her kid sister to pull a joke at Adagio’s expense, but usually, it was all in good fun. While Serenade appeared to take nothing seriously, she was actually far less confident when pressure was put upon her. Many times when things got too difficult for her, she defaulted to running to Adagio to fix a mess.

While Adagio’s sense of humor was far less childish than Serenade’s, she couldn’t stay mad at her even if her jokes annoyed her at times. “Fabulous. You should apply to Harvard University. Get English degree, and spend all of time correcting me, ya’?”

Serenade rolled her eyes before she came to a stand and retrieved a soda from a mini-fridge that had been left for them. Popping open the sprite, she took a long sip of the carbonated beverage and sat back down. “No need to get butt mad about it.”

“What is this butt mad?” Adagio raised a brow, unfamiliar with the term.

“It means you’re getting your rear end bent out of shape.” Serenade rolled her eyes once more.

“Must be idiom that Americans say.” Adagio shrugged, still not quite understanding it, but she wasn’t particularly interested in hearing another boring lesson on the English language. Her grasp upon it was enough to sing, and enough to understand a conversation, even read a book or two if she needed to.

“You know, you really should care more about getting that kind of stuff right, given the circumstances...” Serenade reminded her, tilting her can in Adagio’s direction.

“I have this, trust me,” Adagio reassured, “I’ve been practicing, promise.”

“So we’re really staying here then?” Serenade asked.

Adagio stopped what she was doing and turned around, her big eyes focused on her sister. “Ya’, v’we can stay in New York, promise.”

“You’re the best, sis.” Serenade smiled.

Adagio laughed and shook her head before standing up and approaching the couch. She sat down next to her sister and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling the blonde in before ruffling her hair lightly. Serenade grumbled and resisted briefly, but she eventually chuckled and let it happen.

“Do not thank me, yet. Still have to pass test, then it is official,” Adagio reminded.

“You’ll do great.” Serenade gave a thumbs up.

“I hope.” Adagio sighed.

There was a short pause followed by Serenade requesting something that Adagio was starting to grow tired of talking about. “Tell me more about Russia.”

A sigh escaped Adagio again. “Why you want to keep hearing about Russia? Homeland sucks, that’s why we’re here.”

“I read that Russia was doing better at one point though...” Serenade rubbed her chin in thought.

The girl was too young to remember most of Russia. They left when Serenade was only three. From the age of eight, Adagio had raised her little sister herself. They had managed to get into a refugee program to make it to America during the war. There was so much going on, that they didn’t even notice they weren’t accompanied by parents at the time. From there it was just a matter of keeping a low profile until Adagio was sixteen where she could start beginning the process of getting citizenship. If she could pull it off, then she could make herself Serenade’s guardian until she was old enough to apply herself.

It was a long process, and learning English proved to be a challenge for the girl, but she had managed to get by with her talent for singing. Singing had lead her to work, and that work got her income. Money could buy a lot of things, and Adagio discovered it could even buy discretion. The federal offices were willing to look the other way on her sneaking into the country so long as she was making money and willing to pay taxes.

It wouldn’t take long before she managed to get them to allow Serenade to be enrolled in a home school program and take night classes a few nights a week. It was a busy life, and Serenade had started a bit later than most kids her age, but she was getting caught up quickly. She was on track to getting her GED on time at the age of eighteen.

Since she turned sixteen, Adagio had been busy, not a moment of her time was wasted. Between singing, working toward citizenship and caring for her sister, her life was hectic. She hadn’t been on a single date in her life, and she never really took time off. Now at the prime age of nineteen, she was exhausted. Tomorrow though, if she could pass her test, then she could at least check her citizenship off of the long list of things she had to take care of.

“Media publishes lies, Serenade. Russia probably still shit, assholes in government probably just want to convince Americans that they not treating people like trash.” Adagio rolled her eyes.

Serenade shrugged and waved her hand over her wrist, causing a projection of a screen to appear before her. Flicking her fingers she scrolled through her social feed. In the past few years, the newest fad for social media became a site called Valor. Adagio didn’t quite understand it that much, but she allowed Serenade to handle their feed for the band because she couldn’t be bothered.

“Hey, we’re up to 88,000 followers!” Serenade giggled.

“Is good?” Adagaio asked.

Serenade nodded. “Definitely, we gained like three thousand in a day!”

“V’what about new album? It selling?” Adagio tilted her head.

Serenade nodded. “Yeah, I think we had about 10k in sales after taxes last week. We’re really setting it on fire.”

Adagio closed her eyes. She was tired. “Good to hear. Record people will like, for sure.”

“Yeah, totally. I guess we should get home and get some rest though, don’t want you falling asleep for your citizenship test tomorrow,” Serenade stated.

Adagio nodded in agreement as she came to a stand. Collecting her bag, she gestured with her head for Serenade to follow.

With a simple hand gesture, she made the projected window vanish and came to a stand. She brushed off her black lacy dress and adjusted her fingerless arm stockings before smiling at her sister with her hands behind her back. “Let’s get out of here.”

With a long morning behind her, Adagio had finished the final part of her questionnaire. Sitting in front of a man in suspenders and a bow tie, she couldn’t help but feel like she should have worn something more business professional than her usual gothic attire. She had an image to maintain, which meant she only shopped to support that image, but this meant she lacked proper dress clothing.

Looking over her answers, the man squinted and brushed his graying hair out of his face. With a smile, he looked up at her and nodded. “Well, I have to say these are some of the best results I’ve gotten all month.”

“Does that mean...?” Adagio placed her hand atop her chest.

He nodded. “Yup, congratulations, Miss Dazzle, you’re officially a citizen of the United States of America. The rest of the paperwork will take a few days, but you can expect for everything to be finished by the end of the week. You've finally done it.”

Adagio reached across the table and grabbed his hand with both of her own as she stood shaking it. “Thank you! You have no idea how much this means!”

He blinked in surprise but shook her hand back. “It’s no trouble, Ms. Dazzle. You’ve had a long journey getting here, I’m glad to have been a part of it.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she nodded. “I spend many nights fearing that we get sent back to Russia... This is huge relief to me...”

Releasing her hand, he reached forward and patted her shoulder before sitting down. “You don’t need to fear anymore. We’re glad to have you here. Your story is one of many that makes America so great. It must have been hell after the war.”

That was an understatement. When the war was going on in her youth, she recalled Russian soldiers would occupy homes of citizens. All people were required to accommodate them, and her family had endured such a thing quite a few times. The vast majority of them, however, were rude, slobbish and even violent. Her own mother had been raped by a few of them, all to protect her and her sister.

Adagio got lucky, none of them had ever laid a hand upon her, but she vowed to not let her sister get harmed either, a promise she was proud to say she had managed to keep even now. Serenade was too gentle for the world, she was shy, and she was not versed in the way of the world. Unlike Adagio, Serenade had grown up mostly in America. While they had to be crafty to get by in their early years, life in the US was one of privilege. Serenade never knew what it meant to hide in a basement and hope the soldiers didn’t hear you. She didn’t know what it meant to be trained to fire an AK-47 in case the military resorted to drafting children.

While Russia had not always been so bad, sometime around 2024 it had gone severely downhill. A new leader had taken over and had started stripping the people of their rights. A long winter followed which lowered harvest that year, combined with a trade embargo that most of the world had put on them had lead to diminishing food supplies. The leader had ordered all supplies to be rationed and that the military got first dibs.

The problems only got worse from there. Before they knew it, Russia’s economic state had nearly collapsed and within eighteen months of bad spending, Russia had officially been declared a third world economy.

Adagio was still very young when most of it went down, but she could remember waiting in line to get food to bring home. She could remember people literally searching through trash cans for food. She could remember having only one shirt that she had to wash every day. It was a harsh life, one that she was thankful that Serenade was too young to remember.

“I have to go tell my sister!” Adagio exclaimed before racing out of the office and into the lobby where her young sister sat rocking her head as she listened to music.

A pair of headphones made of light hovered over her ears, fins coming off of them at a slant. Phones had gotten incredibly advanced in a short time after Adagio had arrived in the US. As a child, she had seen a smartphone, but now they had ultraphones. They were incredibly advanced devices capable of projecting interactive holograms. With a few hand gestures, one could make a pair of holographic headphones appear or their social media feed. They could even sit back and watch a movie in virtual reality, all with a device that fits around their wrist.

Ultraphones had become so common that they had replaced virtually every other type of computer shy of large mainframes that businesses held. On a consumer level, it was the only type of computer that people were buying. Serenade was far better with them than Adagio was, but she knew her way around a device.

Serenade caught a glimpse of her sister and gestured to make her headphones disappear. She came to a stand and shot her an eager look. “So?” She asked.

Adagio nodded. “It is done.”

With a gleeful squeal, Serenade leaped forward and hugged her elder sister. Adagio chuckled and petted the girl’s hair, smiling as she did. “It’s finally over...” Serenade cooed.

“Now, we can stay here in America forever.” Adagio nodded. The biggest weight felt like it was lifted from her shoulders at that moment.

The next night the two girls celebrated before Adagio allowed Serenade to head to bed while she went out to a gas station nearby to acquire herself a beverage. She was thankful that New York always seemed to have 80% of stores open even in the late hours. She thought about it and realized that she had spent most of her life in New York now. It wasn’t the greatest place in the world, but it had become home.

Stepping into the small gas station, Adagio wandered over to a fridge and picked out a lemon Brisk tea. Looking over at the beer in the fridge next to her, she chuckled at that thought that back in her home country she would have been able to legally drink years ago, and yet in America, she was still two years away from being permitted to do so. She wondered why the Russian accent alone wasn’t enough to make them look the other way.

Taking the drink to the counter, she scanned her phone by holding her wrist up to a reader on the counter to pay and nodded as the cashier as she popped open the bottle. The fact that these devices were so advanced that one needn't carry money anymore astounded Adagio.

“A bit late for you to be out, don’t you think kid?” He asked.

“I’m nineteen,” Adagio replied before taking a sip.

He raised a brow. “Quite an accent you got there, where are you from?”

“Doesn’t matter, I’m American now.” Adagio smirked.

The cashier nodded and laughed. “Well, congratulations, but do be careful out there at this hour, a lot of strange people.”

“Whatever...” Adagio shrugged before heading out the exit.

The moment she was outside of the door, however, a hand gripped her wrist causing her to flinch and turn to see a person in a black hoodie with the hood up holding her wrist. Adagio looked down and then back up at the hooded figure.

“You really should listen to him, there really are a lot of dangerous people outside, you can never be too careful...” The person said, their voice revealing their gender as female.

“Let go!” Adagio growled.

“We need to have a little talk first,” the hooded woman said.

“Not interested, now let go and piss off.” Adagio tugged to break free once more but the woman’s grip was too strong.

“You will be when you try and walk home tonight...” The woman said and finally released Adagio from her grip. She placed both of her hands in her pocket and headed toward the entrance to the store. “I’ll be here when you decide to come back...”

“Sure, whatever...” Adagio rolled her eyes, recognizing that this woman was obviously crazy if she thought that Adagio was going to back.

She had thought that would be the end of it, she had no idea how wrong she was. Sipping from her tea, she decided to cut through an alleyway that she knew would bring her back to her apartment faster. After making it halfway through, she stopped and sighed as a familiar craving came over her. She tried to compose herself but knew she would give into temptation. Reaching into her purse, she retrieved a pack of cigarettes that only had about eight left.

Pulling one out, she rationalized to herself by saying she hadn’t had one in a week, and that she was closer to her goal. Nodding after she felt her personal rationalization to herself was sufficient, she lit the cancer stick and took a puff. She would need to make sure she held her cigarette away from herself and chewed some gum afterward so that Serenade wouldn’t find out. Fortunately for her, she could slip in and throw her clothes in the wash to prevent them from smelling of smoke.

She sighed and shook her head as she inhaled. It felt good to intake, but she also was overcome with guilt. She was only glad that her little sister didn't see her smoking, as she was so impressionable. Serenade would do anything that Adagio did, and that frightened her at times, it meant she had to always be a good example for her at all times. Anything deplorable had to be done behind closed doors.

“That’s a nasty habit you know?” A voice called to her from the other side of the alleyway.

She grumbled and internally wondered why random people always felt the need to inform smokers of how bad the habit was for their health. “I’m trying to quit, not that it’s any of your business...”

The voice was now accompanied by the sound of a lighter flicking. Adagio blinked and could see the glow of a cigarette held by a hand in the shadows. She laughed and shook her head. “Can’t follow own advice, then?” Adagio smirked.

Stepping out of the shadows, the figure’s face came into full focus. Adagio stepped back in horror as she recognized the face, it was her own. This woman was almost a perfect twin. But unlike Adagio, she had on some kind of tight stealth suit and trench coat over her body. “I’m not exactly concerned about my health these days...” They said.

“Who are you!?” Adagio barked as she stepped back once more.

The other Adagio laughed and shook her head before taking a drag from the cigarette. She leaned her head back and exhaled before facing the young Russian woman. “Who? That’s a difficult question that can’t be answered in a few sentences, what I am though... Is a phantom of the past, and maybe one day a phantom of the future...”

“You not make sense...” Adagio shook her head.

The other Adagio laughed and dropped her cigarette. Reaching into her jacket, she retrieved a switchblade that she drew and grinned. “You’re just out of the loop.”

Not hesitating, Adagio reached into her purse and retrieved a handgun she had grown accustomed to carrying. When she was a child she was taught how to use weapons and since old habits died hard, she found herself feeling safer only when she had a firearm not far away from herself. “Stay away,” she warned.

The other Adagio laughed before twirling her blade in her hand, running her finger along the side of the blade. “That’s cute, go ahead, shoot me.”

“Don’t make me...” Adagio growled.

The other her stepped forward with the knife drawn and like a reflex, Adagio pulled the trigger and a bullet zipped out of the gun and through the other Adagio, piercing where her heart would be. The only problem, however, was the bullet passed right through her and hit the brick wall behind her. Adagio gasped and lowered her gun. “H-how!?”

The other Adagio felt where the bullet had passed. She was completely fine, not even a hole in her outfit. She laughed and brushed the spot. “You can’t kill me, I don’t exist in the same way that you do. Mortal weaponry won't get rid of me either.”

Not wasting any time, Adagio panicked and bolted out of the alleyway. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, looking over her shoulder occasionally to see if she was being followed by her doppelgänger, but to her surprise, the other Adagio never gave chase. Instead, she stayed in that alleyway not even bothering to follow her.

After a good mile of running, Adagio was out of breath. She slowed down and rested her hand on a nearby streetlight. She huffed and puffed and tried to compose herself. Her mind suddenly returned to the hooded girl from the gas station and what she had said.

You will be when you try and walk home tonight...

Was it possible that the hooded stranger had some kind of involvement with the other Adagio appearing? She had to know. Turning around, she made her way back to the gas station, hoping to find some answers to some difficult questions.

It would only take a few minutes before Adagio burst back into the gas station huffing and puffing. The owner gave her a squared eye of confusion, but Adagio quickly composed herself, brushing her hair with her hands as her eyes scanned around the room. There, sitting at a table intended for coffee purchasers who wanted to sit and read a bit before heading out was the same hooded woman with a hot coffee in front of her.

Adagio couldn’t make out her face, but she gestured with her finger for Adagio to come over.

Not wasting a second, Adagio sat down across from her and cleared her throat. “Okay, who is you? V’why strange clone of me attack me on way home? V’what do you know?”

The girl opened the lid to her coffee and picked up a nearby sugar-free creamer and poured it in. She swirled the cup carefully in her hand. Adagio took note of her teal nail polish on her long and expertly manicured fingernails.

One she was done, she placed the lid back on and took a sip before setting the cup down. She didn’t seem in a particular hurry to answer Adagio’s questions.

“I say-“ Adagio was cut off.

“I heard what you said, I was waiting for you to calm down a little so you’ll actually internalize what I’m going to say,” The girl responded plainly.

Adagio took a few breaths and nodded. “Alright, explain please. V’what is going on?”

Motioning over the phone on her wrist, the girl made a projection appear in front of them on the table. “This is all going to be hard to believe, but the reality is that two Adagio’s exist.”

“Ordinarily I v’would say you Americans are crazy, but I see for myself, so go on...” Adagio nodded, following thus far.

“What you saw was a phantom, an Adagio Shade. She represents an Adagio that was, one that is gone now...” The hooded woman explained.

“You say there is second me?” Adagio raised a brow in confusion.

“She came from another world, a world connected to ours... She was undone by this girl...” The woman continued and shifted the hologram to now one of a woman with long wavy red and yellow hair. “Sunset Shimmer.”

“So v’what?” Adagio shrugged.

“Just like there are two Adagios...” The hooded woman began before flicking her hand over the hologram to make a second Sunset appear, this one sporting a ponytail and glasses. Adagio leaned in to examine the two girls. “There are two Sunsets, like the two Adagio’s though, one of them was eliminated...” Waving her hand again, the Sunset with glasses vanished.

“This Sunset... She is from other world as v’well?” Adagio asked.

The hooded figure nodded. “But now, there is a new problem...”

“Problem?” Adagio leaned in.

“There are thirds of each arising; a third Sunset and a third Adagio...” The girl stated.

“This is bad?” Adagio gulped.

She nodded. “In the end, there can only be one of each. Only one Sunset and one Adagio will remain after all is said and done...”

“You mean...” Adagio could feel her heart racing. She didn’t want to believe this woman, but at this point, she had no reason to doubt her, she clearly knew more than she was even willing to tell.

“Yes, one of each will be dead before this is all over...” She replied.

“But which one!?” Adagio banged her hands on the table and leaned in.

The hooded girl chuckled lightly before shrugging. “That will be up to many factors, but know that you will play a hand in it.”

“How do you know all this?” Adagio asked, her voice starting to grow a temper.

A sigh escaped the girl before her gentle-looking hands reached up and gripped the hood of her hoodie, pulling it down to reveal long red hair with yellow streaks, shining greenish eyes with her hair tied into a set of pigtails. Adagio gasped and pushed back from the table causing her chair to screech across the floor.

The redhead brushed a small tuft of hair from her eye and opened and closed her gorgeous eyes. “Because one of those Sunset Shimmers is me.”

Author's Note

So to quell any mysteries: Yes, this is the human Adagio and Serenade. I’m sure a few people were curious where they played in all of this, well now at least we all know why they haven’t been involved until now. My girls were over in NY getting a music career going.

Intermission VI-2: Canterlot

Lifting up a dusty old board, Angel Song managed to locate a trap door to a room that she and her friend Starlight had previously not explored. It was dark, but the phone on Angel’s wrist had projected a pair of lenses as a hologram in front of her face, giving her night vision. The latest Samsung Ultraphone model came equipped with all kinds of features that she had found useful in their line of “work”.

The slender woman set the board aside and reached into her side bag to retrieve a small pry bar which she used to crack the trapdoor open. Once it was opened, she stuffed the tool back into her bag and poked her head down to see how far the drop was. Once she confirmed it was safe to go down, she lowered herself into the room and peered around with her hologram night vision goggles created by her phone.

Reaching a small table in the room, Angel noticed a tome sitting atop of it which she quickly flipped through. She frowned as she closed the book and grabbed it. It was all the evidence she needed that they were both wasting their time at this old manor.

Angel gave a voice command to her phone. “Call Starlight.”

Obeying, she could hear a dial tone in her ear as a set of headphones holographically appeared over her ears. They hovered over her ears, not actually touching them, much like the goggles which were really just green glowing lenses in front of her face.

“Find something?” Starlight asked.

Angel held up the book and opened it for Starlight to see as the other woman on the call peeked through Angel’s lenses. Angel could see Starlight on screen as the woman let out a sigh. “Lemme guess... Another lunatic that’s obsessed with dark magic?”

“Pretty much...” Angel frowned.

“I figured as much, this place is a bust then. Let’s pack up and head back. Sunburst and Nova I’m sure should be up soon. Guess it’s a good thing we didn’t bother bringing them with us this time, they’d have been bored shitless as we wasted our time rummaging through yet another abandoned old house...” Starlight sighed.

Angel could understand the woman’s frustration. It felt like they were consistently just wandering from small town to small town to hear stories about a place that was either haunted, had some weird happenings, or that a crazy person had lived in all in the hopes of finding something linked to magic.

Sadly though, most of the time when they arrived there was always some logical explanation, with a few exceptions. One out of every eight jobs tended to be something legitimate such as an animal that had been mutated strangely due to exposure to magic, or a group of people that went missing with no explanation, but ultimately nothing that linked to answers to their own questions.

The two couldn’t even remember when they had silently become semi-paranormal hunters, but it seemed to come with the territory. Their true goal was to find anything that linked to magic, but that often meant following up on any leads of anything out of the ordinary.

Their journey across the country though was bringing them closer and closer to understanding their powers. Now and then, they would have another vision that would give just a bit more detail that painted the big picture.

Angel and Starlight now knew that Equestria was not only an alternate universe that only opened up to traverse naturally through a portal. In that world, the residents were predominantly talking equine, and magic was fairly commonplace.

Furthermore, they understood that magic had come to the human world through said portal. So long as the portal remained, the link between worlds could make magic exist. Once the connection was severed though, magic would likely cease to exist in their human world.

There were other versions of people in their world in Equestria, and that intrigued Starlight. She always wondered what her other universe self was like or if she married Sunburst in that world as well.

When the two girls met up outside of the manor, Starlight ran a hand through her short boyish hair. She had gotten gum in her hair a few weeks back and hacked it all off after failed attempts to save it. Now she was sporting a short cut that was surprisingly cute on her along with a pair of glasses that she now needed to see correctly.

Originally she only needed them to drive, but she began to wear them all the time simply because she didn’t want to always keep taking them on and off.

Angel smiled at her friend as she checked her phone on her wrist for the time. 8:08 PM.

It was getting late, and they knew that Sunburst would get annoyed that they weren’t back. There was a good chance that Nova would want to play cards or something.

“Maybe we should get back to the hotel? I’m sure the others will want us to get back soon. They’re probably bored out of their mind,” Angel suggested.

Starlight knew her husband, and he was likely showing lame magic tricks to their daughter. She would find it pathetic if she didn’t somehow find it insanely sexy that he was such a family man. Ever since their daughter was born, Starlight had been so proud of both her husband and herself at how much Nova looked up to both of them. There wasn’t a secret kept between any of them or Angel for that matter.

While what they had was far from “normal”, it was a family, and a tight-knit one at that. Starlight could rest easy knowing that her daughter was surrounded by adults who would show her the right way in life.

“Ordinarily, a teenager left with their father would be rolling their eyes from embarrassment by now, but I suppose nothing about this family is ordinary is it?” Starlight smirked.

“Guess not.” Angel shrugged as the two reached the car.

Starlight opened the door and checked the gas. She sighed as she buckled her seatbelt. “I think we need to stop and get gas before we make it back.”

Starlight stood next to the car with a gas nozzle in hand. The girl casually made a newsfeed hologram appear from her phone on her wrist and scrolled through it while he car filled up.

Angel had decided to wander around the area, trying to stretch her legs a little more before they all retired for the night, followed by a lengthy road trip to their next destination, which was unknown at that point.

The woman glanced at a window for the gas station and could see her own reflection looking back at her. Her long blue hair had grown substantially over the past few years. At this point, it was down to her knees, which was saying something as she was a taller girl.

The girl looking back at Angel in the window was still quite youthful-looking. She passed more for a girl who was closer to twenty rather than one who was closer to forty.

Starlight was like that too though, she had a very youthful appearance in general as well. Many people mistook her and her teenage daughter for sisters.

Behind herself in her reflection, however, Angel saw a figure approach. Quickly, she spun around to see a tall feminine figure standing with her arms crossed. Her tight leather outfit complimented her body so wonderfully as she stood on a pair of gothic looking boots.

The two had seen each other before and Starlight had met them as well. Upon their face was a familiar gas mask that Angel had seen many times now.

“I was wondering when you’d come back, Ghost...” Angel said.

“You both seem like you’re having a good time, don’t you?” Ghost asked in her usual distorted voice, tapping her arm with her finger.

Angel was quiet with her response, “What do you want from us?”

Ghost let out a gentle laugh before turning her head to Starlight, who she had now caught the attention of. Putting the gas pump back, Starlight raced over and joined her friend, her hands ready to perform magic if necessary.

Catching notice of Starlight’s eagerness to fight, Ghost shook their head. “No fights today. Something important is going on, after all...”

“What do you mean?” Starlight blinked.

“You two had better make your way to Canterlot, Maryland. Trouble is brewing, and you two will definitely want to be there...” Ghost stated.

“Why should we trust you?” Starlight asked with a huff.

“You don’t have to, but then you won’t get answers to all of your questions...” Ghost responded, there was a hint of snideness in their voice, though it was hard to tell with the distortion.

Angel began to process it all as she questioned the phantom. “What’s going to go down, Ghost?”

“Not sure how it’s going to play out, but I definitely know that you won’t want to miss it. Canterlot, Maryland is where you want to be... What’s coming could be bigger than you imagine, possibly even the end of this world...” Ghost stated.

“I guess we know our next destination then...” Starlight grinned.

As Angel looked over at her friend and nodded in agreement, when the two turned back, Ghost was nowhere to be seen. Just as quickly as they had appeared, they have vanished into thin air. Was it possible? Was Ghost really just some kind of phantom that followed them around? Did phantoms even exist?

It didn’t matter though, they always followed up on a lead, no matter what the odds of it being true were. That was their code, and they always followed the code.

It wasn’t as if they had any other place to be either, but Angel had a strong feeling that they were about to be in Canterlot for a lot longer than anywhere else they had stayed before.

Author's Note

So this is the final intermission before Act VII. In two weeks we FINALLY start the last act of Shadows Cast Over the Sunset. I'm very excited and I hope you all really enjoy the dramatic conclusion to this tale.

Act VII Part I - Chapter LXLIX - Horizon Rises

Act VII: Sunset

Part I

Chapter LXLIX: Horizon Rises

The bell had already rung, and Horizon Shimmer found herself already running late. Her mind was in the clouds as she sat on the toilet in the girl’s bathroom tuning out the world as her headphones played some rather intense death metal. She had discovered a new band called Sky Skrape a few days ago and had taken the liberty of adding their entire discography to her playlists on her phone.

With the holographic light headphones hovering over her ears, the girl sat with her pink eyes closed as she allowed the music to absorb her. Truthfully she hadn’t actually had to use the toilet and her clothing was still all on her body, she just didn’t feel like going to class, which wasn’t an uncommon feeling for Horizon.

She opened her eyes with her stoic look and considered heading back to class, but decided to give it another few seconds for her song to end before she headed to a boring lecture that she had little interest in (or none at all for that matter)

A few seconds had turned into eight long minutes and before she knew it, she was already deep into territory where her tardiness would certainly be noticed. Coming to a stand, the girl brushed off her skirt and stepped out of the stall. With a flick of her hands over her ears, the headphones vanished and the girl found herself staring at a familiar face in the mirror of the bathroom.

Horizon was a semi-short girl, which was odd as her guardian had told her that her mother was on the taller side, as was Twilight’s family. Standing at only 5’4, Horizon was a good few inches shorter than Twilight, which perplexed the woman.

Her hair was about neck length and the very definition of messy. The mess of muted purple hair with red tips was a mixture of cowlicks and wavy strands attempting to be curls, but failing. She had gotten her hair genetics from her mother for sure, as her hair was wild and thick, and often meant running a brush through it over and over just to get it to stay down. When Horizon woke up, her hair was the kind of thing that celebrities feared would end up in magazines.

Freckles spotted her cheeks as a pair of stylish glasses covered her face.

She had small lips and an expression that seemed to always give others the impression that she was zoning out. For most of her life, people never seemed to know if Horizon was taking them seriously or not as her expression and cold tone always made it difficult to tell what she was really thinking. Though most of the time, Horizon wasn't thinking of anything. She was blessed with the ability to not worry about things, and as a result, her thoughts were often occupied with the basics such as what to ask for dinner when she got home or what anime she was going to watch.

Horizon looked over her uniform and adjusted her tie before heading out of the bathroom as she adjusted the black skull hairpin in her hair.

Once she was out in the hallway, she was instantly met with the principal who blinked a few times before marching over to take the girl’s hand. She was a fair looking woman despite her coming age, and Horizon knew she was just as good-hearted as her appearance suggested. A few strands of grey hair were poorly hidden by a fading dye job as the woman spoke softly to her.

“Horizon, aren’t you supposed to be in class?” The principal asked.

“I got distracted, Aunt Cadance.” Horizon shrugged.

Cadence cleared her throat as she stood up straight. “I told you this already, but it’s Principal Cadance here.”

“I forgot,” Horizon replied bluntly.

Cadance squinted for a second as if she were trying to figure out if Horizon’s answer were sarcasm or not. Though after some consideration, she obviously realized that Horizon was not the type to use sarcasm, as Cadance couldn’t recall a single time she had ever engaged in it.

Guiding the girl down the hall, Cadance walked with her to her class. “I can’t keep bailing you out if you skip class, Horizon. The other students will think that I’m playing favorites with you...”

Horizon just shrugged once more, her face not really changing despite Cadance’s plight.

Deciding it was best to not beat a dead horse, especially when it was clear that she wasn’t going to get any further response out of her niece, Cadance changed the subject. “Are you liking your classes so far? I know you just started this school year not that long ago.”

Horizon had been attending Crystal Prep Academy for at least two years now. She had originally been going to a public school, but she always performed poorly. Twilight, unable to decipher what was wrong almost considered quitting her job to homeschool her, but her sister-in-law convinced her that Crystal Prep was a better place for the teenager.

Shortly after, Horizon had been enrolled in Crystal Prep, and while she wasn’t exactly a model student or a straight-A one, she was doing better about school thanks to the school’s structured programs that kept her on track. It was easy for Horizon to forget to do homework or to doze off in class, so Crystal Prep had all kinds of systems in place to ensure that the girl got her work done.

She managed to stay within a B- average across the board which she only did because it was bothersome to have the school always hounding on her.

“They’re okay,” Horizon replied.

Cadance frowned and stopped as she looked at her niece. Horizon looked up at her in response.

“You know you can tell me anything, right Horizon?” Cadance asked.

“I’m aware,” Horizon nodded.

There was silence between the two, followed by a sigh from her aunt. “Alright, well here is your class, please try not to be late again? I can’t keep writing excuses for you.”

“I’m sorry for letting you down, Aunt Cadance,” Horizon said.

“That’s... Never mind...” Cadance shook her head, already noting that Horizon only apologized for not meeting the expectations that her aunt had for her and not promising she wouldn’t do it again. Cadance had already mentally resigned herself to the fact that she would be writing up excuses for Horizon Shimmer until she graduated.

“Just get to class, alright?” Cadance smiled.

Horizon nodded and entered the classroom where the teacher opened his mouth to comment on her tardiness until he noticed the principal outside of the door. The woman nodded at him and he grumbled under his breath before allowing Horizon to come in and take her seat.

Moments after she sat down, Horizon placed her elbow on her desk and placed her cheek in her hand as she balanced her head, trying to pay attention, but finding it exceptionally boring and difficult to get enthusiastic about fractions, despite the teacher’s attempt to make them sound exciting.

Horizon wasn’t exactly great with numbers, but she could get by.

One of the other students in the class made a whispering sound before handing a note off to his friend. The note moved across the classroom from hand to hand until it found its way into Horizon’s hand. The girl blinked before looking down at the folded scrap of people with her name written on it.

She looked up at the student across the room who had passed it to her. The boy was obviously her age with spiky black hair. She didn’t remember his name, but she had seen him a few times around the campus.

Opening the note, Horizon could see a crude drawing of herself standing with what appeared to be aliens aboard a poorly drawn UFO. Above it was the caption:

Did you have to meet with your home planet?

The boy along with a few of his friends were snickering as Horizon looked back at them. The note clearly was referencing a correlation between her tardiness and her demeanor being seen as “abnormal”.

Ever since she had begun going to school, other children seemed to never really appreciate Horizon’s general personality. She was viewed as cold and uncaring by most, and her tendency to focus on being factual was able to offend others relatively easily.

This made her the target of jokes from time to time, but Horizon couldn’t really find the motivation to care.

Looking back down at the note, she scribbled something on it and folded it back up. Gesturing the note toward the person next to her, she turned back to face the teacher as the note made its way back to its originator, who was sitting there waiting for the response to his mean spirited note so that he could pick a fight.

When the note found its way back to him, he unfolded it eagerly and gave it a quick read.

He was stunned by the response. There in plain letters, written with a steady unemotional hand was the word “No.”

Had she not even understood that he was trying to insult her? He couldn’t tell. Horizon Shimmer was just that kind of girl. No one truly knew what was going on in her mind.

He stared for a few seconds before he realized that she wasn’t going to look his way again and instead she was trying her best focus on the lecture that she wasn’t particularly interested in. His words didn’t have any impact on her whatsoever.

With classes done for the day, Horizon stopped at her locker and retrieved her bag. Despite the money her family had, Horizon didn’t buy brands based solely on their price and instead focused on aesthetics. A lot of her clothing was gothic and came from various alternative brands, but seldom did she buy things just because she could afford them. It wasn’t in her nature to pay exorbitant amounts of money on things.

Slinging her bag over her shoulder she closed her locker to see a group of girls standing there, one with yellow hair and crossed arms leading the trio. With her teal eyes, she looked Horizon up and down and smirked. “Look at this, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an uglier example of the female species until now.”

Horizon looked behind herself to see if she was referring to someone behind her which seemed to annoy her more. “I’m talking about you, dipshit.”

Pointing to herself, Horizon tilted her head.

“Yes, you.”

She nodded then shrugged. “Vanity isn’t exactly an obsession of mine, though I imagine I could teach you how to do your eyeliner better...”

The girl hissed and squinted angrily. “Where did you get that haircut? The lawnmower salon?”

The other two girls behind her giggled and cackled as they stood there insulting the young teen, who didn’t seem that bothered by it.

“I have a stylist, did you want their business card? I think I have it here somewhere...” Horizon trailed off as she opened her bag and rooted around for said card.

The girl leading her charge blinked in disbelief. “Are you insulting me?” She asked with a huff.

Finding the card, Horizon offered it to her. “Not that I know of... Did my tone come off as insulting? Sorry, I tend to not notice what I sound like when I talk to people...”

Horizon was definitely annoying her, the girl thought (though she had no idea that her intentions were nothing of the sort). Her casual and uncaring tone and demeanor were only serving to escalate her annoyance.

The girl swatted the card from Horizon’s hand and snarled. “What’s your problem, kid?”

Horizon tilted her head. “I don’t understand, what do you mean?”

Horizon hadn’t seen this girl or her friends before. She surmised they must have been new to the school.

At that moment before the girl could respond, another girl came up and tapped their leader on the shoulder, causing her to turn around and smile. “Oh, Vanilla! How are you?”

The girl known as Vanilla nodded and smiled back as she hugged her friend. “Pretty good, what are you up to, Honeycomb?”

The girl who Horizon now knew was named “Honeycomb” gestured back at Horizon with a smirk. “Just giving this reject some fashion advice.”

Vanilla looked over her friend’s shoulder and her face turned pale upon seeing the other teen. She gulped and spoke in a hushed tone to her friend who seemed so proud of herself. “Uh... Honeycomb... That girl is...”

“Hm?” Honeycomb smirked as she tilted her head.

“That’s Horizon Shimmer...” Vanilla gulped.

It was as if she had just spoken the secret word. Honeycomb pivoted around and blinked as her eyes widened. Realizing what she was doing, she stammered as she tried to speak. “W-wait! Y-you’re Horizon Shimmer?”

Horizon tilted her head. “Yes, why?”

“Heir to the Shimmer estate?” She asked.

Horizon nodded. “I suppose that would be accurate.”

“Wait! You’re making fun of the richest family in the city?!” One of the other girls gulped as she stepped back, trying to hide her face.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Shimmer! Please, forgive me! I didn’t know it was you!” Honeycomb bowed furiously to the teen.

Horizon was confused. She wasn’t exactly understanding why these girls suddenly decided that who she was made a huge difference, but she shrugged. “Whatever. I have to get going...”

“O-Okay! Tell your family that mine wishes you the best!” Honeycomb bowed once more.

“Okay.” Horizon shrugged as she walked past the panicking girl.

As she came to the steps in front of the school, she thought out loud. “What an odd girl...”

Coming to the parking lot, the sixteen-year-old retrieved her car keys and tapped a touch-tone button on the key. A beep was heard and an expensive-looking Audi pulled up on its own in front of her. Placing her hand on the door handle, the fingerprint reader opened the door for her and she stepped inside, tossing her bag in the back.

The car spoke to the girl as it connected to the phone around her wrist. “Hello, Horizon.”

“Hey, Siri...” Horizon yawned as she scratched her head and sunk into the seat.

“How was your day?” The voice asked.

“Fine,” Horizon replied.

“Would you like me to map a route to Canterlot High as per usual?” Siri asked its operator.

“Please do.” Horizon nodded.

“Understood, please drive safely,” Siri responded before a hologram of a map of the town appeared next to her cup holder.

Horizon took the wheel and began her drive as she lazily kept only one hand on the wheel. Gesturing with her other hand, she had her car read off her newsfeed to get at least a general idea of what was happening in the world around her.

Social media giant Facebook finally files for bankruptcy today. After a long struggle for the past few years, major competitor Valor managed to steal 80% of the former top social network’s user base. Consumers really seemed to respond well to what Valor brought to the table with its ease of use and tight security features.

Horizon was one of the only people she knew that didn’t have a Valor account. She had contemplated making one, but saw little point as there were few she was trying to get in touch with that she couldn’t reach through other means.

Most kids her age were glued to the site.

Tech analysts today grew exceedingly excited for the unveiling of Apple’s new iPhone model. The new iPhone UXS boasts incredible performance boosts up to 80% faster than the current model. To add to this, Apple is promising that its projection technology will be able to achieve high-grade digital matter within the next few years. The CEO of the company had this to say about the matter, “Here at Apple, we have dreamed of a world where the holograms your phones create are more than just digital projections, but actual objects that you can touch and feel. Soon, your phone will be your everything.”

While Horizon wasn’t too tech-savvy, she knew that projection technology was essentially how all ultraphones worked. They were able to utilize projection along with augmented reality tech to create holograms that the user could manipulate to their own needs.

Within her lifetime, several phone manufacturers went out of business leaving only Apple, Samsung, and LG as the primary ultraphone providers. Horizon’s family had always stuck to Apple.

Twilight Shimmer, local millionaire announced today that she would be donating $800,000 to a program from the city of Canterlot to fund after school activity programs. The philanthropist stated that she, “felt it was insanely necessary to make sure that even the children who were not on sports teams had the opportunity to get extra enrichment from the school if they so chose.” This falls in line with her pledge to continue to donate to the youth of the city.

That was just like Twilight. As long as Horizon had known her, she was always donating to charities and stressing how kids were the future of the world. While she may have been a bit nerdy to most, Twilight was very kind and caring. She was the type of woman who couldn’t see someone struggle and do nothing about it.

Twilight had a good heart, and that was all there was to it.

Horizon turned off her feed with a flick of her hand before she rolled her window down. She had arrived at her destination as she looked out her window for signs of the person she was waiting for.

Many students poured out of Canterlot High, but one, in particular, stood out to her. He was tall for his age, even if he was a year older than Horizon.

As he stood tall in his outdated red plaid shirt, he smiled at Horizon. The hem of his shirt was cut in a slant that went to one side, creating an asymmetrical look, but the design on it made him seem like he was older and less in touch with the youth.

Perked atop of his head, covering his short messy blonde hair was a stetson that Horizon knew belonged to his mom at one point. He wore it everywhere since the day he got it and it was impossible to get him to part with it.

His gentle blue eyes studied Horizon before coming around to the passenger side of the car and stepping in. A few of the other students stopped to gawk at the car that Horizon was driving. She often forgot how most people in the middle-class sections of the city never saw expensive cars.

Rolling her window up so that they both wouldn’t have to deal with onlookers, Horizon placed her hand back onto the clutch of her car.

“How was your day?” The tall male asked.

“Fine,” Horizon said without much emotion to her words.

“Same, I ain’t lookin’ forward to tomorrow though. Teach’ givin’ us a big test...” The boy complained.

He was Horizon’s longest time friend. They had known each other since she was a baby. His name was Jasper Apple. He was the son of Applejack and Rarity, long time friends of Twilight and Horizon’s mother.

As the two began to move, Jasper blinked as he noticed something on the sidewalk near the school. He gestured for Horizon to stop the car. “What’s going on over there?” He pointed.

Horizon looked and could see three older boys surrounding another teenager who was sitting on the sidewalk. It was pretty clear that this wasn’t a pleasant encounter by the look of terror on the grounded teen’s face.

It was typical that Jasper would ask her to stop, as he had a tendency to get involved if he saw an incident like that one. Quickly deciding that it was best to investigate herself first, Horizon didn’t even glance in Jasper’s direction as she unbuckled her seatbelt before putting the car in park. “Stay here while I take a look.”

Jasper didn’t even get a chance to protest before Horizon had opened the door and stepped out.

Getting a better look at the kid on the ground, she couldn’t tell if they were a boy or a girl. They had the soft gentle hands of a female for sure, along with long gorgeous silky hair that had all the colors of the rainbow in it (though muted) which was all braided in a large braid that hung to one side of their head.

Horizon could see his eyes were misty with tears as the other three boys all crowded him.

She came within only a few feet of the group before one of his. Two of the leader of the group’s friends tapped their leader’s shoulder.

The gruff-looking teen grunted and turned toward his comrades and then followed where their fingers were pointed. Soon his eyes were examining Horizon as he grunted. “What do you want?”

“You should leave that kid alone...” Horizon stated plainly. Her tone wasn’t the slightest bit threatening, instead, it came off more as a suggestion than anything else.

“Why don’t you mind your own business, bitch? We’re just giving the girly boy a lesson on how to be a man.” The older teen smirked. His face contorted in a manner that made Horizon realize that it was possible for him to be uglier.

His words at least confirmed that the person they were picking on was indeed a boy as Horizon had suspected.

Taking a step forward, Horizon offered another suggestion. “Perhaps it’s a good time to just leave him be?”

The older teenager turned around and placed a single hand upon Horizon’s shoulder. With a quick motion, he pushed her back and she fell backward, landing on her rear.

That was enough though to get Jasper into action. Her blonde-haired friend stepped out of the car and quickly hopped over the hood and approached the group who had already turned away from Horizon. They didn’t see him coming when he quickly delivered a powerful punch to their leader’s head.

When the blow connected, the older teen staggered for a second before his friends noticed what was going on. Once their leader realized what had happened, he turned around and took a swing which Jasper dodged.

“What’s your problem, douchebag?” The other teen growled as he took another failed swing.

Jasper delivered a punch square to his head, followed by two more. “Y’all don’t ever put your hands on a lady.”

“Fuck you, man, she’s in on our action!” One of his friends chimed in.

Jasper shook his head as he kept his fists up. “Ain’t sportsmanlike to pick on those who can’t defend themselves.”

“How about we give you a roughing up then?” Their leader asked as he wiped his lip clear of the blood that was now there.

“Give it y’all’s best shot.” Jasper grinned.

The other two members of his group came at him, but Jasper was far too talented in the art of fighting for them. He ducked under the first one and jabbed him in the gut a few times, followed by an uppercut to his jaw. Once he gripped his mouth in pain, Jasper delivered a solid hit square to his nose which sent him down.

The second one was even dumber than the first. He swung stupidly which Jasper managed to move out of the way of and punch him back in the head four times. He had a bit more resilience than his friend, but four hits was his limit as he took collapsed to the ground gripping his head in pain.

Finally, the leader of their charge came at Jasper only for Jasper to catch his fist in his palm. Once he noticed that Jasper was holding his fist, he wasn’t prepared for the counter-attack that followed. Jasper gave him a good clout before he stumbled back.

As Jasper was finishing up with them, Horizon had gotten herself up and brushed off the skirt of her school uniform. She approached the boy sitting on the ground with the misty eyes and offered a hand to help him up.

His soft blue eyes looked up to her and he paused for a second before taking her hand. She lifted him up and could now see that he stood an inch or so taller than her. He was fairly short for a boy, but she still believed that he looked much like a girl.

“T-thank you...” The boy nearly whispered.

Jasper had finished up with the bullies who all ran away before he approached the two and smiled. The teen adjusted his hat and nodded at the boy.

“Howdy.” Jasper grinned.

“H-hello... Thank you both... Why did you help me though?” He asked.

Horizon tilted her head. “I don’t know...” She shrugged.

Jasper let out a sigh.

“You... Don’t know?” The boy blinked.

“I don’t have a better answer than that, sorry. Why were they picking on you?” Horizon changed the subject.

“Oh... A lot of people do. They thought I was a girl at first, but when they found out I was a boy they didn’t really appreciate that...” He blushed and looked away bashfully.

“So you are a boy then?” Horizon nodded as she asked.

“E-eh... What?” He blinked, his blush growing deeper.

Jasper let out another sigh and stepped forward. “Forgive my friend, she ain’t too worldly. She’s blunt and strange, but she means well. Name’s Jasper, Jasper Apple.”

The country boy offered his hand.

Looking down and taking it carefully, the other boy gasped as he felt how stern Jasper’s handshake was. He didn’t really shake back too hard, but he could feel that Jasper had a strong grip.

Once their hands were no longer locked, the boy placed both of his hands behind his back and wiggled awkwardly as he recited his name. “Cloud Dash...”

“Ah, I know y’all. You related to Rainbow Dash by chance?” Jasper asked.

Cloud nodded. “She’s my mom.”

“Aw shoot! Our parents actually know each other!” Jasper grinned.

“D-do they?” Cloud blinked.

“Sure do. Our parents all went to high school together.” Jasper informed.

Cloud considered it and determined that what he was being told made sense. “I see... We just moved back here after our last duty station, that’s probably why we are just meeting now then... We’ve spent our entire lives traveling the world because my mom is in the army.”

“Sounds about right. How come y’all are here now though? Ain’t no military bases near here...” Jasper asked.

Cloud rubbed his neck. “My mom is part of some kind of new special forces thing... She reports to a base about an hour away from here for normal duty, but she isn’t required to move around anymore. She wanted to come back to her home because she finally had the freedom to do so...”

Jasper didn’t quite understand all of it, but he caught the general idea. “I see, that’s pretty neat actually. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet y’all!”

“Likewise.” Cloud nodded before turning to Horizon with concerned eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”

“I never gave it to you,” Horizon replied bluntly.

Cloud blushed and looked away. “O-oh... Right...”

Jasper rolled his eyes and nudged Horizon’s shoulder. “Don’t let her demeanor scare ya’ away. This here is my best friend, Horizon Shimmer. She ain’t too sociable, but she’s an observant person for sure.”

“I think I’ve heard that last name before...” Cloud said.

“She’s part of the Shimmer family, obviously. They own that big estate on the other side of town. The richest family in the city, I reckon,” Jasper explained.

Cloud’s eyes widened as he heard this information. “W-what!? Really!?”

Horizon shrugged. “I suppose it is true.”

“I never imagined I would meet someone so important right after arriving here!” He spoke in his effeminate voice as he bowed to Horizon. “Thank you so much for defending me!”

His actions only served to confuse the young girl. She chose not to comment though as Jasper continued to handle most of the situation.

“Well, if y’all ever need help again, consider us friends. I’ll make sure most of the rougher types in the school know that y’all ain’t to be messed with. Once word gets out that y’all are under my protection, they’ll leave ya’ be.” Jasper grinned as he held up his bicep which was actually quite impressive for his age.

Despite being only seventeen, Jasper was in excellent shape. He spent most of his time at home helping his mother work the fields of the farm and that had made him big and strong. If anyone knew the value of hard work it was Jasper Apple, as his mother Applejack Apple always made sure of that.

For as long as Horizon could remember, Jasper had taken after his mom, but he had the manners of his mother Rarity. Through and through Jasper was a gentleman, and was nowhere near as crass as his mom, Applejack.

“Thank you both so much... I wish I could think of some way to repay you both.” Cloud wiped tears from his eyes.

“Just take care of yourself.” Jasper gave a thumbs up. “We’ll be around, we should hang around sometimes. Shoot the breeze, ya’ know?”

Cloud nodded and gave perhaps the most innocent smile Jasper had ever seen in his entire life. “Of course. I’d like that.”

They all said their goodbyes before Horizon and Jasper returned to Horizon’s car. When the two got back in and fastened their seatbelts, Jasper looked over at the girl and grinned. “Y’all did a good thing there, Horizon.”

“Did I?” Horizon asked, genuinely curious.

“Sure did. That kid seemed pretty grateful too,” Jasper reassured.

“Hmm...” Was all Horizon had to say in response.

The two continued their journey by car back to Jasper’s home. Horizon didn’t say much the entire trip, instead she just listened to Jasper talk about his day and what was happening over at Canterlot High. Occasionally, he’d ask her for her input which was usually something she could sum up in eight words or less. Most of the time though, her commentary was non-existent.

Other people would probably get annoyed with someone who didn’t respond much to what was conveyed to them but not Jasper. Jasper had patience, and even more patience on top of that when it came to Horizon. She was perhaps the most difficult person he knew to get close to. Most gave up after only minutes of trying.

Jasper just had the good fortune of growing up with her. The two had been together for as long as he could remember. They were an inseparable pair, though it was difficult to tell how Horizon felt about it to outsiders. To Jasper though, he knew that Horizon cared for him deeply and saw him as family.

The two pulled up to Jasper’s farmhouse on the edge of town, with Horizon’s expensive luxury car looking particularly out of place in front of the medium-sized ranch home.

The Apple family’s home was far from a mansion, but it had grown significantly over the years after Applejack’s hard work combined with Rarity’s success. Rarity’s fashion business had spread quite quickly and she often left to go to shows to show off her latest designs. Most of her job though could be run from home, a compromise she had to make so she could spend time with her family.

When the car came to a complete stop, Jasper looked over at his friend and smiled. “Wanna come in for a bit? I’m sure my folks would love to see ya’.”

“Okay.” Horizon nodded as she unbuckled her seatbelt and followed him out of the car and into the house.

Jasper took off his boots as per his mother’s demands and called out to his parents. “I’m home, y’all!”

The sound of heels clicked along the floor as Jasper’s mother stepped into the room. With long silky black hair, she brushed a lock out of her face as she smiled at her son. She was an older woman, but she certainly could fool many into thinking she were no older than twenty.

Horizon noted the tattoo on the woman’s right leg, shaped like a pentagram with a ring of teeth marks around it.

She was decorated in a rather attractive house dress with her stylish glasses perched on her nose. The woman grinned wider as she saw Horizon standing next to her son, though not taking her tall gothic boots off, implying she had no intention of staying long.

“Hello, Horizon, dear.” Rarity winked at the girl. “And how was school, Jasper?”

He removed his hat and nodded at his mother. “Pretty good, we ran into the Dash family’s boy.”

“Oh? I actually was thinking about giving Rainbow Dash a call since I heard she was back in town. I guess it’s true, she really is home for good now...” Rarity placed a thumb on her chin.

Horizon had only heard the Dash family’s names in passing. She knew that Twilight was friends with them in high school, but she didn’t talk much about her high school days with Horizon, so the name was only vaguely familiar.

“He’s a pretty good fella’, a bit on the effeminate side though,” Jasper added.

Rarity giggled as she covered her mouth. “I suppose he takes after Fluttershy then...”

Jasper had heard stories about how timid Fluttershy was, but he had never seen it first hand.

“Say, where’s ma at?” Jasper questioned.

Rarity shook her head. “She took your sister and went to the store, she should be back around dinner time. Did you want to stay with us, Horizon?”

Rarity already figured that the girl was trying to leave, but good manners dictated that she make the offer regardless.

“No.” Horizon shrugged.

“Are you certain? We’re having steak.” Rarity winked.

Jasper blinked. “I swear that’s like the fourth time this month!”

Rarity hushed him and chuckled.

Horizon looked back toward the door before glancing at Rarity with the same empty expression that Horizon Shimmer was known for. The longer Rarity looked at the girl, the more challenging to figure out she seemed to be. Horizon was a very stoic girl with a low emphasis on expressing her emotion. As a result, it was difficult for most to get a read on her, but Jasper was the expert on that subject.

Jasper had developed somewhat of a sixth sense when it came to his friend, Horizon, where he could tell quite accurately how she was feeling. Though admittedly, even he was stumped at times.

“I don’t really care much for meat...” Horizon said quietly.

“Ah that’s right. You take after your mother.” Rarity winked.

Horizon shrugged again. She didn’t mind meat every now and then, but she was far from a carnivore. For some reason she never really liked it that much and too much often made her sick to her stomach.

“I really should get going... Thank you for inviting me though.” Horizon bowed before turning to leave the house.

“Take care of yourself,” Rarity called back to her.

Horizon nodded and found her way back to her car with ease. Once she was inside the car, she started it back up and directed her phone to set a course for the Shimmer Estate. She didn’t want to keep Twilight waiting too long, as she knew that the woman had gotten off work not too long ago. Eight minutes ago by Horizon’s calculations in fact.

“Siri, can you auto-drive us home?” Horizon asked as she leaned back in her seat and pulled up a hologram of the current news stories.

“Sure thing, Horizon.”

AMD to introduce worlds first 80GHz processor.

Tech giant AMD is proud to introduce the latest innovation from their laboratory. With a whopping 80GHz, the future is now, promises the tech giant. These new units should be more than powerful enough to be the processing engine for virtually all public transportation systems.

AMD hopes to have a completely automated system that does not require drivers for any manual situations within the next eight years. The future will likely be auto-pilot for all vehicles.

“I guess you’d better get used to driving more,” Horizon commented to her phone.

Siri made a laugh at its master. “It’s always a pleasure to drive you anywhere, Horizon.”

“In a few years we’ll likely have androids to take care of most of our most annoying tasks, won’t we?” Horizon suggested.

“By my calculations, it’s a certainty,” Siri replied.

Horizon wasn’t sure how she felt about a future where androids ran around the country and performed all the menial jobs. It seemed somewhat like a recipe for disaster.

Leaning back in her seat, Horizon yawned and closed her eyes while her car took her the rest of the way home.

When her car made it to the car garage of her home, Horizon stirred and moved carefully as the voice of Siri woke her up. “Good evening, Ms, Shimmer. You have arrived at your residence.”

Yawning, Horizon nodded thankfully before giving a good stretch and pulling her seat back into the upright position.

“Would you like me to alert Twilight that you’re home?” Siri asked.

“I have it from here, Siri.” Horizon yawned.

“Alright, have a great evening, Horizon!” Siri responded.

Pulling herself out of the car, Horizon stuffed the keys into her bag and closed the door behind her. She wandered past the numerous expensive cars in their garage stopping to examine a motorcycle that was fairly dated.

It had been kept in excellent condition, though it was at least sixteen years old if not older. Twilight had mentioned that it was a gift from her aunt Shimmer to her mother from back when they were in high school.

Removing her eyes from the bike, Horizon made her way into the estate proper as she lazily closed the garage door behind her and headed to the main foyer. From there, the girl decided she wanted a drink. She made her way to one of the mansion’s kitchens and snagged a soda from the fridge, noting that the temperature of said fridge was kept at a cool 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

The girl pulled the tab back and took down a swig of the purple soda, followed by an immediate second swig. She stood there for a good few minutes, finishing the drink before tossing the can into a recycling bin.

Horizon longed to go to her room and zone out with her phone, maybe watch a few YouTube videos or something. Walking back to the foyer, the girl made her way up the stairs where she paused for a brief second to note a painting of her mother on the wall. It was incredible how much hair her mother had, and Horizon was no different.

If she didn’t insist on keeping her hair neck length, there was no doubt in her mind that she’d have a bigger mess attached to her scalp. Her mother’s hair was thick and wavy, which Horizon imagined would be a pain to maintain. It was too much work for her, so she just kept it trimmed down for simplicity’s sake.

In the painting, her mother was wearing a rather elegant Lolita style dress, which she obviously was only wearing for the sake of the painting.

Most would say that Sunset Shimmer was an attractive woman, but Horizon honestly couldn’t tell the difference between an attractive woman and an ugly one. The concept of beauty often eluded her.

Going back to what she was focused on, Horizon made her way down the hall upstairs toward her bedroom where she left the door open before stripping off all of her clothes down to her lacy black bra and panties.

Digging through her closet, she retrieved a baseball T with black sleeves and an emblem of a skull with crossbones on it that she slipped over her form. She decided against putting pants on, opting instead to lounge in her panties as she was used to. She sat her shapely butt onto her bed and then laid back before making a flicking gesture over the phone on her wrist.

A window came up for her apps, and she quickly selected YouTube where she began to browse the odd selection of recommended videos. She found herself watching one about a guy who went into the woods and built primitive technology with his bare hands. She had no idea why she was even remotely fascinated by such a thing, as she didn’t really particularly like camping, but she found herself watching his entire channel without thinking about it.

After a good twenty-eight minutes of video watching, she would get a text message from Jasper which vibrated her wrist.

She pulled up the message and read it to herself.

My mother is asking if you’re my girlfriend again. I wonder how many times we’re going to have this conversation. Lol

He and Horizon had been through this a few times already. Rarity meant well, but she really wanted to make a couple out of Jasper and Horizon, but it simply wasn’t meant to be. Jasper couldn’t bring himself to see Horizon as anything beyond a sister figure and Horizon was completely oblivious to the entire idea. The concept of dating never really occurred to her, despite being at an age where for most women, hormones start to kick in.

Physical attraction was something that Horizon had never experienced her entire life. Sex in general just sounded like an odd thing that was likely a waste of her time.

I suppose you could tell her that I am a homosexual if that ceases her inquiries into the matter.

It was dumb, but it was the best excuse that Horizon could think of to get Rarity to stop her insistent inquiries on the subject. Jasper was a conventionally handsome young man for his age after all (though Horizon didn’t quite know what that meant) as everyone had said to her. He was tall, blonde and had an award-winning smile and manners to boot. A lot of girls at his high school were fawning over him, but he was too much of a gentleman to accept such offers.

Horizon found him to be a very upstanding individual, but as far as “attractive”, she couldn’t say she felt anything. They were like siblings if anything. Jasper would rush to her defense if her odd demeanor had managed to put someone off (which happened frequently).

Yeah, but she is going to figure out that isn’t true when she sees you don’t have a girlfriend like... Ever.

Horizon contemplated it and then considered her options before replying.

So all I need is to convince a girl to pretend to be my girlfriend and your mother will drop this line of questioning?

She could already sense how Jasper was probably laughing on the other end.

You’d have to keep that charade going on for a while.

Horizon stared at her screen blankly as she responded.

I suppose I would just have to convince a girl to kiss me in front of her a few times until she believes it. How much do you think that would cost? What’s the going rate for such a thing?

There was no doubt that Jasper was blushing horrendously from such a message, though his reply suggested he had some reservations about the idea.

That would be prostitution, wouldn’t it?

Horizon typed her response easily.

I suppose, but what difference does it make?

Jasper responded quickly, which told her that he was now enthralled in the conversation.

You’d waste your first kiss on a plot to get my mother off my back? I’m flattered as a friend, but you should reserve that for someone you have feelings for. Besides, my mother has a lie detector built into her anyway.

The concept of kissing someone in general sounded odd in general to Horizon, male or female. She couldn’t really fathom why people would want to partake in such an odd swapping of germs.

Twilight had mentioned in passing that Horizon was atypical for a sixteen year old girl in that regard, but Horizon paid little mind to it. She had simply accepted that she wasn’t typical in many regards.

The old saying of “speak of the devil” occurred though, and Twilight tapped on the door to Horizon’s room. The bespectacled woman poked her head in and blushed as she noticed her daughter lounging on her bed with no pants on. She averted her eyes slightly and coughed. “Uh, you know sweetie... You could wear pants or something at home...”

Horizon looked up from her text window and made it disappear as she looked to her guardian. “I’m aware.”

Twilight wanted to retort, but she knew that she was wasting her time. Horizon had always lounged about half-naked (or completely so at times), so there wasn’t really a reason to press the matter further. Her daughter was strange, and she had to accept that.

“How was school?” Twilight asked.

“It was school,” Horizon said plainly, her eyes locked onto her parental guardian.

Rubbing her neck, Twilight stepped more into the room. “Did you do better on this book report than the last one?”

Horizon shrugged. “Mathematically speaking, a 78 is better than a 68, right?”

A long sigh escaped Twilight. It was an improvement, but still not where she felt her daughter should be. It baffled her how the daughter of two straight-A students, one of which an avid bookworm could be so moderate at reading. Horizon didn’t seem to have a knack of reading or storytelling, and she was far from artistic either. Truthfully, Twilight couldn’t really name many skills that the girl excelled at. If she thought really hard, she supposed Horizon was good at climbing things. She recalled when they went on a vaction, they did rock climbing and Horizon was exceptional at that. Her small hands and flexible toes made gripping on tiny ledges fairly easy.

Horizon Shimmer was the kind of girl that was just moderate at everything she did. She appeared to lack passion for anything, which is what Twilight gathered. Nothing really struck her enough to inspire her to put the maximum effort into anything, and that was likely how it would stay as she was a challenging girl to motivate.

“Well, I suppose it is an improvement... Good job, sweetie.” Twilight gave a smile to her daughter.

Enrolling her in Crystal Prep Academy definitely was improving Horizon’s schoolwork, though not as much as Twilight had hoped. She had hoped her daughter would become a straight-A student, but she was slowly giving up on that dream and accepting that her daughter simply didn’t like school and that pressuring her into doing better would likely have the opposite effect. So long as she passed her classes, Twilight would be content.

Horizon shrugged. “Thank you.”

Twilight smiled. “Your mother would be proud, I just know it.”

“Oh?” Horizon tilted her head at the mention of her mother.

Twilight touched her lip with her thumb as she appeared to be in thought. “Yes, she was a very smart woman, that’s for sure.”

“I see.” Was all Horizon had to say about it before returning to her phone.

Contemplating saying more for a moment, Twilight lingered in the room before deciding that it was probably best to just leave the girl be.

“Try not to stay up too late.” Twilight waved as she exited the room.

“Hmm.” Horizon nodded casually.

With her eyes glued to a holographic chat window that floated in front of her face, Horizon found herself walking through the empty hallways of her mansion not really paying much attention to where she was going as she texted Jasper, despite it being extremely late for him as well.

I know this may be an odd thing to ask, but do you ever feel as though you didn’t really exist?

Jasper was naturally very confused by her line of questioning.

What do you mean by that? I’m not sure I follow.

Horizon decided to spell it out for him.

There are many times where I just have this feeling that I’m not really there. That I either don’t exist or that I shouldn’t exist. I can’t really explain it beyond that.

Jasper took a few extra seconds to reply, but his reply, predictably was filled with concern.

Does that make you sad, or something?

Horizon didn’t even need to think about it.

Not really. I guess a part of me doesn’t really know what “sad” even feels like. It’s just a thought that I have sometimes that just sits there. It’s sort of like a rock, I can’t move it, I can’t do anything with it, it just sits there. Like I guess I feel neutral about it when it comes up.

Horizon couldn’t remember a time where she felt “sad”, but she did remember being confused, which was ultimately the feeling she always defaulted to when something happened that she wasn’t particularly fond of. Sadness was an emotion that eluded her, as was anger.

Her entire life, Horizon was always a very calm person, and if anything happened that startled her normally calm demeanor, she was often confused before anything else.

As she walked absentmindedly, staring at the text window levitating in front of her, she found herself tripping over her own feet. She reached forward and grabbed the nearest object to catch her fall.

Her hand found itself wrapped around a light fixture that went downward and made a “click” sound when it reached a certain point. As Horizon pulled herself up, she noticed an opening in the wall began to open, and an entire room was inside. She blinked and decided to head inside, signaling for her phone to produce light from her wrist so she could see.

Inside the room was what appeared to be a ton of old computer equipment and a desk with a few monitors at it. Sitting down at the desk, Horizon touched the mouse and moved it, seeing if the machine still worked.

The screen came to life and asked for a password, which naturally, she didn’t know.

Looking at the desk, she noticed two notebooks were sitting there, both quite old looking. She flipped one open and began to read the only page with text written on it. It appeared to be a woman’s handwriting.

Sunset,

If you’re reading this, then you’ve found a lot of my old research. I’ve transferred all my notebooks onto this server and destroyed the original copies. Everything has been moved off of a network and onto this machine for the sake of keeping it all protected. From here on out, if you discover anything worth noting, I suggest putting it into this terminal and not writing it down anywhere else.

I’m writing this because I’m not sure how any of this is going to play out. If the person reading this is not Sunset, then I assume something has definitely gone wrong.

Either way, I’m going to assume it’s you. The password to the terminal is something you should already know, take a minute to think about it.

Sincerely,

Shimmer

Horizon had heard about her aunt Shimmer, and she knew that she had been murdered a long time ago. It sounded like whatever she was working on might have been related to it, though Twilight seldom talked about it. She wouldn’t say heads or tails about the matter.

Picking up the other notebook, Horizon began to read its contents as well.

I can’t believe I’ve managed to fuck things up this bad. I really don’t even know how to feel right now, but I know what comes next will likely be something I don’t like. Horizon is still so young, I can’t believe this has happened.

I wish I could go back in time and undo this.

It’s too late to fix this the right way though...

There is only one path now...

Sunset Shimmer

Horizon was almost in disbelief, it was a note written by her mother, she was sure of it. She hadn’t seen her mother’s handwriting for so long, but she knew it was her. Furthermore, she referred to Horizon by name, so that confirmed it, right?

Flipping through the rest of the notebook, Horizon could see there was nothing else written in it, but some kind of strange sketch on the last page.

The sketch looked like some kind of puzzle. It had maybe 8 pieces to it, but Horizon couldn’t make out what it was supposed to be, but it seemed as though Sunset was having trouble with that part as well. Turning the book sideways and tilting her head, Horizon struggling to figure out if it even meant anything at all now.

Years had passed since the last time her mother was in the house, and that meant that she was looking around for a woman that was long gone. What happened to her, Horizon had submitted to never knowing. Twilight kept hush about the details and told her that her mother had to go away, and left it at that. She’d usually follow it by reminding Horizon how much she loved her.

Horizon decided to take the notebook with her. While she didn’t have a clue what it was for or what the drawing in it was about, she couldn’t deny that she was somewhat curious as to what her mother was working on prior to when she disappeared. Sunset Shimmer had always been somewhat of an enigma as far as Horizon could tell.

Twilight didn’t seem to know too much about her mother’s childhood, and anyone that Horizon asked seemed to know even less. It was clear that Sunset Shimmer was a very secretive person who kept important information on lockdown.

Perhaps there was a way to acquire the password for the computer, but it would definitely take some digging. Horizon already had her first clue: her aunt Shimmer. Another character that Twilight seemed to know next to nothing about, but Horizon already had some ideas of where to go from there.

Maybe, just maybe she could uncover the mystery of what happened to her mother, though she couldn’t even explain why she wished to know. Perhaps it was merely boredom. Horizon’s life always felt very stagnant, very plain. She was never too interested in much, but this promised at least some level of excitement. It was more than odd, it was a mystery. A mystery just waiting to be solved and Horizon was just the girl for the job.

Author's Note

Hey, it's been a long time and we're finally here. The final act. The big finale. Well, it'll actually be a while before the finale. As you can see, this act is intended to be split into three parts, making it different from previous acts. You're going to see a lot of the "effects" of everything that has happened prior to this finally pay off. Plot threads that have remained unanswered are going to finally be explained.

So, the children, you've met them all before, but now you're getting introduced to them for the first time properly. Horizon as you can see is a very stoic girl, a little like Twilight but less nerdy. Her design and concept has actually been in the works for years now, as have the other kids. We'll talk more about them as time goes on though!

Also... We have passed 800,000 words.

Act VII Part I - Chapter C: Resilience

Chapter C: Resilience

Jasper sat across from his neutral-expression friend as she sipped on a Diet Dr. Pepper from a short glass. The two had been sitting at a local diner where they knew one of their parent’s friends owned the place. Her name was Pinkie Pie, and she had opened up her own bakery across the street and with a few years of success under her belt, she had opted to buy the diner that she used to waitress at when she was in high school.

She was an odd one, and with how busy their parents were, they never saw her come over to visit them, but they knew that they were close at one point from old photos of them all in high school. Pinkie was always fairly eccentric but she always meant well.

Jasper glanced over the note that was sloppily written in the spiral-bound notebook and squinted as he examined it thoroughly for a few long moments. Once he was finished examining it, he looked up from his hamburger at his slender friend.

“You really think came from your ma?” He asked curiously.

Horizon nodded before sipping from her drink once more. “I recognize her handwriting. It’s definitely her.”

“And y’all found it where?” Jasper squared his eye in confusion.

“I found it in some kind of secret room hidden in a hallway at my house. I had to pull some kind of light fixture for it to open,” Horizon explained simply as if this were a normal occurrence for most kids her age.

Jasper rubbed his clean shaved chin in thought. “What else was in there?”

Horizon shrugged. “Some old computers and what looked like a server or something. Looked at least a decade or so old. I couldn’t get into them though because there was some kind of password locking them and I don’t know anything about computers if I’m perfectly honest.”

It was odd to think that Horizon was only moderate with computers, given that Twilight was quite skilled with them, but then again Horizon lacked drive. “Could Twilight know the password?”

Horizon shrugged. “I doubt it. I didn’t see any signs that suggested Twilight even knew about that room and even if she did, or had a way to hack the password, I doubt she’d cooperate. She’s always changed the subject when anything about my mother comes up...”

Jasper had to admit that even he thought it was more than a long shot to expect Twilight Shimmer to actually assist them in getting access to a computer that Horizon’s mother was using. As long as Jasper could remember, she avoided talking about Sunset or her twin sister.

“That makes sense...” Jasper sighed.

“Why do you think she doesn’t like talking about her? She was married to her.” Horizon pointed out.

Jasper noted there wasn’t a hint of sadness in Horizon’s voice, but instead her question was given as a genuine curiosity. Such was like her though, Horizon never made it obvious what she was feeling though he could obviously see that curiosity overcame her mind.

The teenager rubbed his neck and leaned back in his chair, he tried to think of a way to word it. The reality was, as long as he knew Horizon, her parents were always very estranged. Sunset seemed to come and go in her life, and when they were much younger, everyone assumed she was dead. She was an enigma, but he couldn’t really bad mouth her. He recalled what she was like when she was around, and there was no denying that Horizon and Twilight were the centers of that woman’s world.

If he thought back to when they were young children, he could remember Horizon’s mother after she came back from being gone for three years. No one really said where she went, but from that moment on, there wasn’t a place that Horizon went where Sunset didn’t follow. The woman stayed at home to home school her while Twilight went to school and work (even though they were more than affluent enough for her not to do so).

Sunset would take her everywhere, and she would always stick around for a long time after she dropped her off at his house for a sleepover. She’d stay up late having tea and conversation with his mother, Rarity and they would laugh. If he thought hard enough, he could still remember always finding the woman’s red hair on Horizon’s clothes.

Everyone always said that Sunset adored her little girl, and her behavior suggested it was true. As long as Sunset was around, Horizon had someone at her side. It was almost like something out of a fairy tale really.

But one day it all changed.

Horizon woke up one morning and Sunset was gone once again. She was only eight years old at the time, and he remembered he was staying over when it happened. They came downstairs that morning and there was Twilight Shimmer sitting at the breakfast table with a cup of cold coffee in her hand. Her eyes were puffy from crying, and she looked to both of them with a look of hurt that Jasper could never forget.

Horizon would ask her what was wrong, and Twilight would muster up the ability to speak to both of them.

Mommy is gone.

Jasper’s heart broke that day and every day since if he ever thought about it. The words that left Horizon’s mouth still rung in his ears. Just the words of a child curiously wondering something.

When’s she coming back?

If that weren’t bad enough, what Twilight said next still stuck with him.

She probably isn’t coming back... I’m sorry, Horizon.

He never forgot the tears rolling down Twilight’s face. Her makeup smearing, but Horizon just stood there. She didn’t scream, she didn’t cry, she just stood there, expressionless. From that day forward, that was the face she made all the time, an expressionless face.

All that time, he knew that deep down, somewhere inside of Horizon there were powerful emotions, but they were buried in her to escape the pain. He had a feeling that they were all in there somewhere.

“Maybe she misses her?” Jasper asked.

Horizon shrugged.

“Sorry if’n this is uncomfortable, but maybe to get to the bottom of this, y’all can tell me a bit about how they was when I wasn’t around?” Jasper asked with a warm smile.

“Why would it be uncomfortable?” Horizon tilted her head.

Jasper bit his lip. “R-right... So what were they like? Did they argue at all?”

Horizon shook her head. “Not that I remember. Sunset and Twilight always got along. Every weekend Sunset would bring her flowers or some kind of present. I think I remember her rubbing Twilight’s feet a lot too... Scratching her back all the time as well.”

“My mother always said that a good foot rub’ll win any lady over.” Jasper chuckled.

Horizon had never heard that phrase before but chose not to respond to it.

“So, they weren’t havin’ problems then?”

“Not that I can think of,” Horizon said.

“Hmmm... Maybe y’all gotta look into something else... Why are y’all interested in this anyway? No offense, but this was eight years ago when she vanished.” Jasper picked his burger up and took a bite after he finished speaking.

That question made Horizon question herself. She couldn’t explain why she was interested if she was perfectly honest.

“I guess I’m just fascinated is all...” Horizon shrugged.

He couldn’t argue with her on that. If anything, he was just happy to see her passionate enough about something to pursue it. He swallowed his food and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“Well, where y’all want to start then? Any other ideas of how to pursue this anywhere else?” He asked with a grin.

Nodding, Horizon produced another notebook. “My aunt Shimmer apparently had done some interesting research in her time. She was a bit mysterious though and no one seems interested in telling me about her. I have a feeling that she might be connected to all of this. Something about her has me curious...”

“Alright, so we can look into her while we try’n find someone who’s good with a computer. I’m sure we can track someone down that can get us into that computer. In the meantime, we can look into Shimmer and what happened to her.” Jasper nodded.

It actually sounded like a good plan. While they were blocked from accessing the computer, for the time being, they could use their time productively. Horizon found the resolve to find out what happened to her mother eight years ago, and she intended to pursue that.

Jasper and Horizon had headed to the library after school the following week. They intended to look up anything and everything on Shimmer. They had heard the stories about her parents being murdered, but the police sealed up a lot of the information and never released it to the public, as they also did regarding Shimmer’s own murder.

It was too much of a coincidence that both her parents and she had been murdered. Jasper was certain that it wasn’t a coincidence and that the two events were connected. This left Sunset as the heir to her fortune.

Checking through old articles, Jasper found it odd how they referred to Shimmer. He whispered in a hushed tone to Horizon as he tapped a page on a book. “It’s strange. The police apparently said that Shimmer was sayin’ nonsense when they found her at her parent’s murder scene. She was covered in blood, but the killer made no attempt to take her out too...”

“Does it say what she was saying?” Horizon leaned over his shoulder to look.

“Nah, she was a minor at the time so they didn’t release that. Still, it’s pretty odd ain’t it? If someone broke into the house and killed ‘em, why didn’t they take anything? They were the richest family in the city, and there was plenty to steal. Furthermore, they didn’t kill the daughter either?” Jasper pointed out.

He had a strong point. Horizon couldn’t piece together a logical explanation regarding that. She looked over the photos in the article and retrieved the notebook she had brought, flipping it over to the drawing that Sunset had made. “Is there anything about this?”

Jasper shook his head. “Nothing that I can see. I ain’t got the slightest what that drawing is though. It’s obvious that it must have been important or Sunset wouldn’t of written ‘er down, but I can’t make sense of it. What is it supposed to be?”

Horizon turned the paper and adjusted her glasses as she gave it another look. That sketch had been bothering her for some time. She couldn’t make sense of what it was, but it resembled a bunch of strange-looking jagged arrow-shaped objects points in various directions. Around the strange shapes were arrows drawn pointing in all kinds of directions.

One of them had the letter “L” on it, which only added to the confusion. Even odder was there were several dates written on the drawing that Horizon could see. Each seemed to be years apart and went on for decades. One of them written was only a few months from the present date which perplexed Horizon more. What could be happening on those dates? Were they connected to the sketch at all?

Jasper blinked as he noticed something about the drawing. “Hey, lemme take a look at that...”

Horizon handed it over, and Jasper held the paper up to the light, noticing that there was an indentation where someone had written on a piece of paper that probably sat on top of the diagram at some point. He quickly pulled out another sheet of paper and began to jot down what he could read as he paid attention to the indentation.

I left the box where only Twilight could find it. It should be safe there when I’m gone. She likely won't even know what she has.

“Box? What box?” Horizon asked.

Jasper shrugged. “Guess we have to keep lookin’. Did y’all find anything on Shimmer on your end?”

Horizon pulled up a window from her phone and pulled the hologram in front of both of them. “I did some digging on my family tree. It seems as though Shimmer had an aunt and two cousins, but for some reason, they never really come around and I’ve never met them. Maybe asking them a few questions could prove productive?”

“There’s an idea!” Jasper grinned. “Maybe they can explain why everyone is so hush-hush. Still, it looks like whatever Sunset was mixed up in wasn’t normal. It’s kinda excitin’ if I’m blunt.”

Horizon wasn’t sure if “exciting” was the word she would use, but she definitely felt compelled enough to want to see this all through. Her mother was clearly wrapped up in some kind of mystery, and her aunt Shimmer likely knew more about it. It had always seemed strange to her after all. She had been told when she was young that her mother and her aunt Shimmer were twins who had coincidentally been given the same first name when they were separated at birth.

From there, her mother grew up with parents that apparently didn’t seem to care too much what she did until she ran away from home as a young teen and grew up.

She and her twin sister would find each other again when she was in high school, and that ended up making Sunset the heir to their estate when Shimmer died.

It all sounded far too unrealistic to Horizon. For years she never thought much of it, but now that she was examining it under a microscope, it really did seem somewhat odd. Logically speaking, the odds of so many very strange coincidences happening were low.

For starters, why did Shimmer’s parents give up their twin daughter? From all she had heard about them, they seemed to be the type that would have never given up their child. Shimmer had been given all she could ever want and her parents spent all the time in the world with her. Why would such loving people choose to keep one daughter but relinquish the other?

“You think it’s odd that my mother was given up at birth yet Shimmer wasn’t?” Horizon asked Jasper.

Jasper nodded. “Y’know I was thinkin’ the same thing. It does seem unlikely that they would be all over one daughter, but just give up her twin sister like that... On top of that, it seems like everything worked out in your mother’s favor in the end. Her sister died only shortly after they reunited and shortly before her death, Sunset is made the heir to her fortune?”

Was it possible that Sunset had arranged to have Shimmer killed? No, that didn’t make sense to Horizon as that would have required prior knowledge that Shimmer had made her the heir to her estate and that wasn’t feasible. That meant that Shimmer had to have known she was going to die or that there was a high probability, otherwise there was nothing that would compel a teenage girl to consider making such a drastic change to her will.

“Shimmer had to be aware that there was a possibility that she was going to die...” Horizon surmised out loud.

Jasper followed her train of thought. “So whatever Shimmer was involved in musta’ been connected to your mom...”

“Do you think it’s possible that the same thing is somehow connected to her disappearance?” Horizon tilted her head.

Jasper smirked. “Coincidences like this are often unlikely. I’m willin’ to bet that there’s more to all of this.”

“So we should start by going to see my great aunt. She would probably know something about Shimmer, maybe enough to figure out where to look next?” Horizon suggested.

“Sounds like a plan. Any clue where they live?” Jasper asked.

She nodded. “I managed to get an address when I looked them up. They live outside of the city, but it’s not a long drive. I can go and see them after school tomorrow, Twilight is going to be out late because she has a late night class to teach, so she won’t even notice I’m gone.”

She said those words as if it mattered. Twilight could ask her what she was doing at any given time, but if Horizon didn’t answer, it wasn’t as if Twilight ever pried further. Twilight wasn’t the type of parent to always badger her children about what they were doing or where they were going. She trusted that Horizon wasn’t doing drugs, having unprotected sex or meeting with shady people, so she mostly left her alone.

Horizon helped herself in that regard by not being interested in any of the activities that would lead a parent to have reason to be concerned.

“Sounds good.” Jasper winked.

Horizon had arrived just outside her great aunt’s home a good eight minutes after she had originally planned. Traffic coming out of the city at the end of school hours proved to be more challenging than she had originally anticipated. Still, she had arrived long before the sun would go down, and as she turned her car off, she glanced over at the house where they lived.

It wasn’t the best looking house if anything it was far underwhelming compared to what Horizon had imagined. It was odd that her great aunt appeared to be quite poor comparatively, as her home was the definition of a run-down urban abode.

Horizon locked her car door as she stepped out of the car and made her way carefully to the car, her black short skirt flowing gently in the breeze as she walked. It was longer on one side than the other, which complimented her body well.

With lacy black arm stockings, Horizon reached forward and rang the doorbell. After that, she allowed her arms to hang at her sides haphazardly.

She would reach up and scratch her head carelessly, as she yawned when the door swung open with an older woman standing in it. Her hair was completely grey and dead looking as she gave a scowl to Horizon. “What? What do you want?” The woman asked.

Horizon looked her up and down. The woman was nothing to look at, and she seemed to have aged poorly; time hadn’t been pleasant to her for sure.

“Are you Lilly?” Horizon asked bluntly.

The grey-haired haggard old woman eyed up the teen and raised a brow in question. “Who wants to know?”

“You’re related to the Shimmer family, right?” Horizon continued her line of questioning, not really noticing that the woman was given her strange looks.

“Again, who wants to know?” The woman asked again.

“My name is Horizon Shimmer. I’m the daughter of Sunset and Twilight Shimmer,” Horizon finally explained.

Lilly scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, what the fuck do you want?”

“May I ask you a few questions?” Horizon asked.

“What the fuck for?” The woman kept her arms crossed as she gave Horizon the stink eye.

“I had some questions about the Shimmer family, and so far you seem to be my only lead,” Horizon explained plainly.

Lilly didn’t seem to enjoy Horizon’s demeanor. She clearly thought that the girl was odd with how direct and blunt she was, but she was only made stranger by the fact that she didn’t seem too offended by how rude Lily was being.

Lily considered telling her off, she considered telling her to blow it out her ass, but instead, she sighed and gestured for the rich teenage to come into the pile of crap that she called home. “Sure, why the fuck not?”

Once inside, Horizon instantly took note of the fact that the place was very much on the rundown side, her great aunt definitely was poorer than she could imagine.

After the woman sat down in the living room, Horizon sat across from her on a very poor quality couch. She could feel the seat recess inward as she sat down, signifying that the springs were worn. She said nothing, however, and just stared at the woman.

“So, what did you want to ask, kid?” Lilly questioned as she lit up a cigarette. She didn’t seem to care if she was blowing the smoke in Horizon’s face.

“You knew my aunt Shimmer, what was she like?” Horizon asked.

Lilly let out a hearty chuckle and shook her head. “A selfish bitch.”

“How so?” Horizon asked.

“She hoarded everything to herself and left it all to that whore of a sister of hers!” Lilly explained with a grunt.

“Whore? Sunset was promiscuous?” Horizon asked with genuine curiosity.

“How should I know? That girl just appeared out of nowhere! My sister never mentioned anything about having a second child, but then that girl just appeared out of nowhere, going on about being some long lost twin sister. It’s bullshit if you ask me!” Lilly hissed.

This was a detail that seemed to keep reappearing to Horizon; no one in her family seemed to recall anything said about Shimmer having a twin sister, and she only reappeared only a short time before Shimmer died. The only thing that made it obvious that the two were related was their uncanny appearance which couldn’t be denied was extensively similar.

Was it possible that Shimmer’s parents had hidden their second child from the world for a reason?

“Why would the Shimmers hide their other daughter? Do you have any guess?” Horizon yawned.

Lilly shrugged as she flicked the ashes from her cigarette right onto the floor, clearly not concerned with ruining her already trashy home. “Who knows? I imagine so my sister could fuck me over like she did! Probably wanted to keep another potential heir a secret. She always was a selfish cunt.”

“Do you have any clue why Shimmer was murdered?” Horizon changed the subject.

Lilly laughed, clearly not the slightest bit upset that her niece was dead at the ripe age of 19. “Who knows? Who cares? Chances are she fucked over someone else who decided they weren’t going to take it laying down. I say karma is a bitch, and she learned that the hard way. I took that girl in and raised her as my own when her parents died, and she repaid me by cutting me out of the will and giving everything to that bitch.”

By bitch, Horizon assumed she meant her mother.

“Sunset though, her sister... What did you know about her?” Horizon asked.

Lilly shook her head. “Nothing. After she got the money, she became a shut-in for a long time. Wouldn’t come out, no one really knew much about her. She didn’t really do a lot of media appearances either. After she got married, her wife did all the talking for her. From my understanding, she went missing a few years back didn’t she?”

Horizon nodded. “Correct, I’m looking for her.”

Lilly laughed heartily before wiping her eyes, the poor makeup job on her face was smearing as she did. “Good luck with that! The girl always struck me as a flake. Face it, kid, she probably just didn’t want to be a parent anymore so she bailed. Probably took a large sum of money that she moved to some other account and disappeared.”

Horizon just stared blankly as Lilly squinted at her. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to defend your mom? Tell me how wrong I am?”

Horizon shrugged. “I can’t assert if you’re right or wrong if I’m honest. I only really knew my mother from age four to eight. She was always pretty secretive as far as I remember, so anyone’s theory on her could be accurate.”

“You’re a weird little brat, you know that?” Lilly shook her head.

“I have been told regarding my ‘weirdness’, so I suppose it would be accurate to say that I ‘know that’, yes.” Horizon nodded.

Lilly clearly couldn’t believe that such a strange and daft girl was the heir to the Shimmer estate. She struck Lilly as somewhat of an airhead, or at the very least, a social retard. That effectively made her very similar to her late niece at least.

“Either way, all I can see about your mother is that I didn’t know her that well, and she was a cunt to me. For all I care, she could be dead and that’d be just fine,” Lilly said with a harsh tone.

“If Sunset could go anywhere, where would it be?” Horizon ignored the woman’s rudeness, though truthfully she didn’t find herself offended by it. If anything, Horizon was immune to the effects of mean words at that point in her life.

“How the fuck should I know? The cunt kept all kinds of secrets. Why not try and find out from whatever places she frequented?” Lilly hissed.

“Did she keep any kind of place that only she could get into?” Horizon ignored the woman’s rudeness.

Lilly seemed to be more annoyed by the fact that Horizon didn’t seem to respond to her nasty commentary about her mother, but she kept talking regardless. “She has a storage unit somewhere downtown. I remember when I sent my husband to spy on her after she got all that money she went there a lot...”

Horizon tilted her head. “Why would you spy on her?”

“Because I needed to know if that bitch really was her twin sister! I got cheated out of millions, I wanted to be sure that she was the real deal!” Lilly barked.

Horizon yawned, bored of the conversation now. “Did you find anything that suggested she was not?”

“If I did, do you think I’d still be living in this shit hole?” Lilly raised a brow, obviously sarcastic, but Horizon obviously didn’t see that.

Horizon just shrugged.

“Look, I’ve had enough of your bullshit questions, kid. What is all this for, anyway?” Lilly asked.

Horizon shrugged once more. She didn’t really have an answer to that question as she hadn’t figured that one out herself. What would she actually do if she managed to find her mother? What were the odds of her even being alive anymore? Eight years was a long time, and not a soul had seen a trace of her?

Now that she thought about it, Jasper had mentioned after they found her note that it sounded like she was interested in taking her own life or that she was dying. Horizon couldn’t tell, but Jasper was fairly good at reading emotions like that even from text. Horizon was dreadful with emotional reading, but with him, at her side, she could at least get by and avoid social faux pas, most of the time anyway.

“I don’t know, really,” Horizon answered.

“You’re a freak just like your aunt, you know that?” Lilly rolled her eyes.

Horizon said nothing.

“Now could you kindly get the fuck out of my house? I don’t want anything else to do with you Shimmers. Come here again and I’m calling the police,” Lilly threatened.

“My uncle is a detective for the Canterlot Police Department actually,” Horizon pointed out.

Lilly’s eyes widened as she sneered. “Are you threatening me?”

“No, just making conversation, I suppose.” Horizon shrugged.

“Get the fuck out of here, now!” Lilly pointed toward the old run-down door.

Standing casually, Horizon nodded as she walked toward the exit. Once she was outside of the door and on the steps, she turned back to speak to Lilly once again. “It was nice meeting you.” Horizon stated, her face remaining as neutral as always.

“Making fun of me now!?” Lilly yelled toward her as she approached the door with her hands balled into fists.

“I do not believe so?” Horizon tilted her head. “Did it sound like I was?”

“Up yours, kid!” Lilly slammed the door shut, the wind from it gently making Horizon’s hair dance.

“What an odd woman,” Horizon commented to herself as she made her way back to her car.

The entire meeting wasn’t tremendously productive, but she did at least walk away with information pertaining to a storage locker. It wouldn’t take much to find out where that locker was, a few simple phone calls and she could check for her mother’s name until she found the right one. From there it was merely a matter of driving up to the locker and getting inside.

She didn’t know anything about lock picking, but she surmised that Jasper could likely find someone who was capable of it.

“Lock pickin’? ‘Fraid I don’t know anyone who can do that. My mother maybe, but I don’t think we’d want her involved in your little mystery chase here...” Jasper stated to Horizon as the two walked back toward her car in the parking lot. She had come by to pick him up from school.

Rarity was quite a fascinating woman to Horizon. She seemed to have many talents that were peculiar for a woman who had as much class as she did. Lock picking was yet another odd skill of hers, right up there with marksmanship. From what Horizon recalled, the woman was also a black belt as well.

Applejack was another story. She had the exact kind of talents you’d expect someone like her to have: strength, amazing skill at spades, and the ability to play bass guitar. Applejack was definitely a “what you see is what you get” kind of girl, whereas Rarity was a bit more mysterious than that.

“I managed to locate a storage locker that my mother frequented apparently. I can’t get in though, the locks are fairly tough, bolt cutters didn’t seem to do much either. Some kind of special lock...” Horizon explained.

“I take it you got that info from your aunt Lilly?” Jasper gestured with his hand as the two came within viewing distance of Horizon’s Audi.

Horizon nodded.

“What kind of person was she?” Jasper asked curiously.

“Rude. I think anyway? Hard to say... Is telling someone to get the fuck out of your home rude?” Horizon tilted her head.

Jasper could tell from her tone and her demeanor that she was posing a serious question; she legitimately didn’t know.

“Sounds pretty rude to me... At least y’all got some useful info outta’ her.” Jasper smiled and nudged the girl’s shoulder gently.

Horizon remained silent, unsure of what to say in response.

The two made it to the row where her car was parked before the raspy voice of another male echoed through the air. Both of them stopped as they heard the masculine voice.

“Hey! Are you Jasper Apple?”

Both of them turned and saw a male about the same height as Jasper, give or take an inch standing with his arms crossed.

His pink hair was fairly long but stopped at around his neck. Most of it was covered by a dark purple slouched beanie atop his head. His magenta eyes stared the two down with a serious look upon them.

Horizon noted his small nose and clear skin as distinguishing features. He had small lips as well, which seemed to stand out just slightly.

“Who might y’all be?” Jasper questioned.

Rubbing his clean-shaven chin with a smirk, his asymmetrical tank top moved gently in the wind. It was dark red in color and had a band logo on it that Horizon wasn’t familiar with, but surmised that it was probably some kind of metal band given the style of the logo. She had seen them before, though she wasn’t much of a music person.

“Bolt, Bolt Dash. You’re Jasper Apple though?” He raised a brow.

Jasper nodded. “Sure am.”

“You rescued my kid brother the other day?” Bolt asked.

Jasper looked up in thought and recalled when the two of them assisted Cloud. The connection became clear. “Oh, you must be Cloud’s brother then? No worries, it was mostly Horizon who took action first.” He gestured to the girl next to him.

Bolt blinked and stepped forward, squaring Horizon up. She didn’t look like much, she was sort of pretty, but in an unkempt way. Her blank expression left a lot to be desired though, he wondered if she’d look better if she smiled.

Horizon was a small girl, petite and slender, there was no way she could have taken any of the bullies that were harassing Cloud.

“You were the one to step in first?” Bolt asked.

Horizon tilted her head but nodded.

“Are you stupid or something? Those guys would have ripped you apart!” Bolt laughed.

“Twilight actually taught me how to fight...” Horizon responded.

Though at the moment when the fight actually broke out, she was more stunned than anything else, so she didn’t know what to do. Jasper jumped in so quickly that she didn’t really think that he needed her help. In actuality, she was a competent fighter even though the style she had adopted was far different than Twilight’s.

Twilight had learned karate some years ago and while she was only a brown belt, she had a thing or two to pass onto her daughter. She insisted that Horizon be able to protect herself if a situation called for it. Though what ended up actually happening was Horizon adopted a unique fighting style all her own.

Bolt didn’t seem convinced but when he glanced over at Jasper, he figured that he must have done the bulk of the fighting. “Either way... I usually protect my brother myself, but I wasn’t around... I don’t like owing people stuff, so thanks and I’ll repay you with a favor, so what do you want?”

Horizon tilted her head. “Favor?”

He nodded. “Yeah as in, I’ll do something for you so we’re even. Let’s not drag this out...”

Jasper tapped Horizon’s shoulder. “Another person to help y’all look couldn’t hurt, right? Especially since his parents knew your mother.”

Bolt blinked and glanced back at Horizon when he heard those words. He had never met this girl before, but hearing that her mother knew his parents intrigued him. “Look for what?”

Jasper placed a hand upon Horizon’s dainty shoulder and smiled at Bolt. “Horizon here is sort of lookin’ into what happened to her mother eight years ago. She disappeared, and I’m helpin’ her find out what happened. It’d be a big help if y’all helped us look?”

Not particularly interested, but feeling obligated Bolt nodded in agreement. “Fine, though I think a date would be a far better way to repay you, don’t you?” His face contorted to a smirk as he peered at Horizon’s chest with interest.

Rolling his eyes, Jasper scoffed. “Maybe we shouldn’t work with this pervert...”

Horizon was confused. “Pervert?”

Bolt leaned in with an annoyed expression. “Hey, I said I’d help alright? What’s your deal man? She your girlfriend or something?”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “No, she ain’t my girlfriend, but y’all should treat a lady with respect, partner.”

Bolt let out a hearty laugh as he gripped his side. “Please, as if you haven’t thought something impure about a girl. If she isn’t your girlfriend then you should have no issue with me asking her on a date, right?”

He wanted to argue the point, but Jasper quickly realized it wasn’t worth his time, and instead stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. He already knew it would be a waste of Bolt’s time to try and make a move on Horizon anyway. “Do what y’all want, but we’re gonna go back to solvin’ this mystery, alright?”

Sneering, Bolt began the follow the pair as they headed toward their car. “Hey, don’t walk away when I’m talking to you!”

Jasper turned back as Horizon placed her hand on the car door. “Ain’t got nothin’ else to say to y’all.”

Bolt blinked as he saw the car that Horizon was getting into. His eyes lit up in astonishment. Could this young teen really own such an expensive car?

He found himself unable to say anything else and the two got into the car and drove off, leaving Bolt standing there with an annoyed expression. His first impressions of the two were far from ideal, but he could tell that Horizon was determined to find answers to the mystery she was working on.

It didn’t exactly excite him to be working with Jasper, but he did owe the two of them. Grunting, he realized he had to honor his word as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and cursed under his breath.

Horizon and Jasper were standing in front of the storage locker facility that they intended to investigate further. Unfortunately, the advanced lock that secured the door still proved to be a problem for the two of them. Horizon couldn’t see a way to unlock it, and they had tried conventional means.

Jasper had brought along a blow torch that he had “borrowed” from his mom, but it didn’t appear to be having any effect on the metal padlock. Trying for a solid eight minutes, he finally gave up and set the portable torch down with a sight after turning it off. “What gives? This thing is indestructible!”

Horizon couldn’t deny that she found the lock quite odd. It seemed to resist heat or any attempt to break it, almost like it was other-worldly. How could a lock that appeared to be made out of the same steel that most locks were be so resistant to damage? The door itself seemed quite the same as well.

Looking over at one of the other lockers, Horizon had a thought. “Hey, Jasper...”

He looked up at her as he hunched on the ground with the torch. “Hm?”

“Try using the torch on one of the other lockers for a second...” Horizon suggested.

“Are y’all nuts? We can’t just go breakin’ into anyone’s locker!” Jasper reminded her.

“I meant just to see if the door will take damage from the torch...” Horizon explained.

He sighed and got up and relit his torch. Approaching a locker across from the one they were trying to enter, he carefully held the torch to the door for a few seconds. Sure enough, the metal began to melt and a small hole was formed.

Quickly he removed the torch and turned it off. When the hole cooled, he tapped it with a pen. “That’s weird... Why do all these other doors melt, but not the one that Sunset had?”

Horizon also found it quite odd. “Something about her door is different. She must have replaced it with a different material... Whatever was in there she wanted to keep a secret.”

How could she have pulled it off though? Did the storage facility not care? Then again, they likely had a “don’t ask too many questions” mentality. So long as the dues were paid, they often left the units alone.

“Is it possible that Sunset actually owns this entire lot?” Jasper suggested.

That was also a distinct possibility as well. The entire lot could have been bought out by her and the other units are only there as a front. She had to know for sure though.

“Melt off that other locker’s lock...” Horizon suggested as she pointed to the locker that he had just made a small hole in.

“What? I can’t do that...” Jasper shook his head.

“If I’m wrong, I can buy a replacement lock for the owner,” Horizon stated.

Sighing, Jasper relit his torch once more and focused it on the lock. Carefully, he cut through the metal and snapped it off. Dropping the ruined device onto the ground he looked back at Horizon who nodded for him to open the locker.

With another sigh, Jasper lifted the door and pulled it up.

What was inside was of no surprise to Horizon: nothing.

“Open the one next to it now...” Horizon pointed.

Jasper’s brow went up. “Y’all are serious?”

She nodded.

Cutting the next lock off, he opened that locker as well and once again the locker was completely empty.

The two began the process of opening another eight lockers all with locks on them and each ended up being completely empty.

“So this place is a front...” Horizon thought out loud.

“Guess so, I mean why would people put locks on so many lockers that ain’t got squat in ‘em?” Jasper affirmed.

“That must mean that my mother does actually own this entire place and all these other lockers are only set up to fool people into thinking this is a legitimate storage facility.” Horizon placed a thumb on her chin.

Jasper blinked. “Why would she wanna do somethin’ like that?”

“There must be something hidden in the locker we can’t get into, and this must all be an attempt to keep it hidden...” Horizon continued her train of thought.

“So you should get into it as soon as possible.” A familiar deep voice echoed across the open area causing both Jasper and Horizon to turn to see the same young face of Bolt Dash standing there, now sporting a dark blue hoodie with yellow lightning bolts decorating it. Jasper recognized it as a replica of the team jacket worn by the Wonderbolts Stunt team, a group that performed death-defying tricks in various X-sports. Jasper wasn’t much of a fan, but he had seen them on the internet a few times.

Bolt had his hands stuffed in the pockets of the jacket that was definitely about two sizes too big, but that was sort of the style of hoodies that people tended to wear now after all. Jasper didn’t quite get it, but he didn’t say much about it.

Horizon examined him and tilted her head as usual to show her confusion. “How did you get here?”

Jasper shrugged. “Well, I figured out that your part of the Shimmer family, so I googled your name and figured out where your estate was... Since I remember what your car looked like, I had a friend tail you both so I could come here...”

“You figured all that out on your own?” Jasper raised a brow in suspicion.

Bolt scoffed and looked away, red forming on his face. “I ain’t stupid, you know? I can figure shit out, alright?”

Horizon blinked. “Why are you here though?”

“To ask you on a date again... Why do you think, stupid? I told you before, I owe you one and I don’t like owing people stuff, so I came to repay my debt...” Bolt grunted.

Horizon could tell he wasn’t too thrilled to be indebted to her, but she didn’t really care that much. As far as she was concerned, he was just another tag along.

“Can you get us in this locker?” Horizon pointed to the locker.

He laughed. “Sure, you got a couple of hairpins?”

Horizon nodded and reached into her purse, retrieving a set of hairpins. She offered then to Bolt who stepped forward and took them. Looking them over, he nodded before reaching into his own pocket and retrieved a pack of cigarettes, of which he only had one left.

He drew it to his lips and lit it before taking a big inhale with an elated sigh following. “Cool, I can crack this thing for you.”

“You smoke?” Jasper blinked.

“Hey, how about you mind your own business... What I do is my business after all. Do you want the lock open or not?” Bolt growled.

Jasper stood up and crossed his arms. “I dunno if we should trust this hoodlum...”

Horizon shrugged. “Well the blowtorch didn’t work, so he’s the only option we have now. Logically, he’s the best choice.”

“Hear that, Apple? The girl says I’m the best choice, so why not lay off and let the master of unlocking get you in there?” Bolt smirked, his ego properly stroked by Horizon’s praise, something that Jasper had hoped to avoid. From the moment they met, Jasper could tell that the two wouldn’t get along, and he sensed that Bolt felt the same.

“Fine, work your magic...” Jasper rolled his eyes.

Nodding, he moved the cigarette to the corner of his mouth and puffed out some smoke. Blinking he looked at Horizon and grinned, offering the cancer stick to her.

Horizon just stared at it blankly before Jasper coughed and spoke up. “Don’t give that to her, it’s bad enough that y’all are doin’ it!”

Bolt shrugged and placed it back in his mouth before walking over to the door that the two were trying to open. He knelt down and began to work the lock. “So why you two hoping to find anyway?”

Horizon shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“So what happened exactly? She just disappeared or something?” Bolt asked as he focused on the lock.

“That’s about the short of it. Woman disappeared eight years ago, no kind of notice, nothin’. Ain’t the first time she disappeared though, she went away once when Horizon was born and didn’t come back for about three years...” Jasper explained as he wandered over, placing a hand upon his friend’s shoulder.

Bolt looked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Horizon’s face, a bit surprised that she didn’t seem that sad about the situation. Her expression remained as neutral as ever, which perplexed him. Bolt was already beginning to figure out that Horizon was a fairly agreeable girl, in that she didn’t seem to be run by emotion, and instead just went with whatever was happening at the time. Fine by him, he didn’t want some annoying girl always crying about something nearby anyway.

“So you two are sort of hoping to find her or something?” Bolt asked.

“Or at the very least where she went...” Jasper shrugged.

Bolt removed the cigarette from his lips and let out a puff of smoke as he nodded. “I guess I understand...”

“How did y’all learn to pick locks exactly?” Jasper questioned.

With his eyes still on the lock in front of him, Bolt spoke. “Something that my mom taught me. She’s full of useful skills, but I have a tendency to pick up the ones that I can use in day to day life. At school, I pick the locks on some of the rooms all the time. At my last school, I used to pick the lock on the exit so that I could get out of detention early.”

“How... Enlightenin’...” Jasper commented.

Stopping with his lock picking, Bolt turned back and looked at Horizon. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask... Did anyone ever report your mom missing?”

Horizon nodded. “Twilight did, and my uncle is a detective, so I imagine he would have found her by now if she was easy to locate.”

Bolt rubbed his chin and let out a puff of smoke. He finished his cigarette and tossed it onto the ground, stamping it out with his skater shoes. “So if a detective can’t find her, what makes you both think that you will?”

“We have to try, it’s important to Horizon.” Jasper crossed his arms once more.

Bolt had a face that suggested he had something to say, but instead, he withheld it and gave a simple “hm” before returning to work on the lock.

The lock was quite bizarre. Bolt had never really seen anything like it and found it slightly more troublesome than the ones he cracked at school. Something about it was off-putting to him and made him uneasy. He had overheard Jasper mention that they tried blowtorching the door with no success and that bothered him.

A lock like that one should have easily come off with the assistance of a blowtorch, so why didn’t it? More importantly, how did this Sunset Shimmer woman manage to get a lot that was so difficult to remove? He supposed she was rich and that meant she had access to something like this lock, but it was still odd to him that she would go through so much trouble. She really must have not wanted people to see what was inside.

That single thought made him stop. “Hey, did you guys ever consider that maybe your mom locked this door for a good reason?”

“What do y’all mean?” Jasper leaned in.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for breaking the rules. I’m very pro-breaking of the rules as they say, but sometimes people do tell you not to do something for a good reason. Something about this room and this lock makes me a bit uneasy. Are you both sure that you want to see what’s beyond this door?” Bolt sounded like he got very serious all of a sudden.

Jasper closed his eyes for a moment and contemplated that very thought. A part of him would love to believe that they were worried over nothing, but the truth was that even he was having a hard time justifying looking beyond that door. If Sunset had gone through such lengths to keep its content then she must have had a good reason, right?

Jasper didn’t remember too much about the woman shy of when she came over to pick up Horizon or drop her off. His mother, Rarity seemed to get along fine with her, but his ma, Applejack and she always seemed to but heads over the smallest things. He recalled his ma telling him that Sunset Shimmer was worthless at one point, which he just shrugged off.

While his own opinion toward Sunset Shimmer was still undecided, Jasper was not a fan of how his ma, who was always so honest, had to lie and speak positively of Sunset in Horizon’s presence or bite her tongue. She had told Jasper that it wasn’t her place to criticize a girl’s mother right to her face, and so Horizon didn’t know how little Applejack actually thought of her mother.

What kind of secrets could a woman like Sunset keep, after all? They didn’t know much about her, so there could be any number of explanations as to why she went through such lengths to hide this storage facility and whatever was inside. She had money as well, which usually made disappearing far easier than it would be for those who were in financial turmoil.

“To be honest, there could be anything in there. See, we didn’t exactly know Sunset Shimmer too well, and she was always pretty secretive-like when she was around. Fact of the matter is, that whatever happened to cause her to leave is anyone’s guess.” Jasper rubbed his neck.

When he said it out loud like that, it made him think they were actually going on a wild goose chase.

Bolt raised a brow. “So she’s a real secretive type then?”

Horizon nodded in agreement. That assessment accurately described her mother. Even when she was around, Horizon remembered that her mother always saved her words and seldom talked about herself. She was a difficult person to get to know, and everyone they ran into agreed. Twilight seemed to be one of the few people that she was close to along with Rarity who treated her almost like a sister at times.

If she closed her eyes, and thought really hard, Horizon could barely remember what her mother even looked like without the paintings and photos of her around the house. Then again after eight years it was very feasible that she looked different. It had been close to a decade since Horizon saw her last and in that time she had grown up. She was now a sophomore in high school after all.

She recalled the long red hair that her mother had, that was probably her most distinguishing feature.

“As long as I can remember, Sunset has always been a secretive person...” Horizon replied dryly.

Finding her oddly overly calm and casual tone a bit off-putting, Bolt made an awkward face but then turned to Jasper. “I gotta ask though, if this woman went missing years ago... What makes you think she’s still alive?”

Horizon had considered that possibility for certain. The odds of a person just vanishing and remaining hidden for so long without any explanation and still being alive almost a decade later were often slim. The big question though was if Sunset was lost or if she didn’t want to be found.

It was hard to get a read on her.

“There is certainly a distinct possibility that she is deceased,” Horizon replied.

“You seem to be taking such a possibility quite well...” Bolt blinked in astonishment.

Horizon just shrugged. “I reserve my thoughts and reactions for situations that have happened, not ones that could potentially happen. It’s a waste of time and energy to react to something that hasn’t happened as there is a chance that it won’t happen.”

Bolt figured that made sense, though it was something that clearly only someone who had total control of their emotions could even do, Horizon was clearly one of the few that did. He couldn’t imagine what went on in the head of someone like that.

“Well if you’re both cool with it...” Bolt shrugged and knelt back down to go back to work on the lock.

Jasper stepped closer to his friend and watched as the teen jimmied the lock with a look of concentration upon his face. “This is a pretty odd lock... I’ve never seen anything like it before...” Bolt commented.

“Can you open it?” Horizon tilted her head.

A click was heard that caused all of them to fall silent for a moment followed by Bolt looking back at the two and smirking. “Sure can.”

Once the lock was off, he lifted the door and blinked. Behind the locker was a set of stairs that went down. Bolt looked back again at the two and grinned. “Shall we?”

Nodding, Horizon and Jasper followed all the way to the bottom where a steel door awaited them. Looking to the side it required a password, but the scanner seemed to be broken as it glitched out.

Pressing the “unlock” button made the door open and grant the group access to the room.

Once they stepped in, the lights flicked on and what they saw was beyond belief.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long delay! The Coronavirus made things complicated.

Can you believe we're already on chapter 100?

Act VII Part I - Chapter CI: Hand

Chapter CI: Hand

When the room lit up, it appeared to be some kind of laboratory. Though most of the equipment appeared a good decade out of date, it definitely looked expensive. Everything around them looked important, but their attention was elsewhere.

The entire room was soaked all over with dark brown stains, dried for what appeared to be years. There were scratches on some of the walls indicating some kind of fight happened.

“W-what’s that!?” Bolt asked as he pointed to an object on the floor just behind the leg of a table.

Jasper blinked and carefully stepped forward, he came around the table and knelt down. His face turned white as he saw what was laying there. “Uh, fellas... Y’all may want to come take a look at this.”

Coming around, Horizon and Bolt came into view at what Jasper was looking at. There on the floor was an almost fossilized severed hand. The cut didn’t exactly look clean, almost as if the hand had been ripped off of the bone.

“Horizon is that...?” Jasper’s tone was hushed as he watched his friend get closer.

With the neutral expression she always wore, Horizon leaned in front of the hand and examined it. It had longer fingers but a smaller palm. She knew she had seen this hand before, but the ring upon the finger told her everything. She knew that ring quite well. When her mother was away, she remembered seeing that very same ring in a painting of her mother. It was her wedding band.

“This is Sunset’s hand,” Horizon said plainly.

“How’re ya’ so sure?” Jasper asked trying not to look at the nearly mummified hand that was covered in dry blood.

Horizon reached down and lifted the hand from the ground showing it to both of them. Bolt covered his mouth trying to hold back a gag and Jasper attempted to look away once more. “Horizon put that down!” Jasper demanded.

Naturally and completely in character for her, Horizon ignored their requests as she showed them the ring finger. “This was my mother’s wedding band.”

“It doesn’t creep you out in the slightest that you’re holding your mom’s severed hand!?” Bolt asked.

Horizon looked at the hand and shrugged. Setting the hand back down she began to think hard about the scenario that was before them. It was clear that something complex had occurred in the room they stood in. “What happened here?”

Bolt pointed to the bloody mess all over. “Well, I can at least tell you that Sunset Shimmer is definitely dead, dude.”

Jasper nudged him with his elbow causing Bolt to grunt. “What’d you do that for!?” Bolt growled.

Glancing over at Horizon, Jasper gave Bolt a silent scolding.

Horizon didn’t seem to mind or notice as she turned to bolt and tilted her head. “How did you arrive at that conclusion?”

Rubbing his ribs, Bolt began to wander about the room and spoke. “This is a lot of blood. No one would survive this much blood loss, on top of that we have a severed hand. If Sunset were alive, wouldn’t she have taken her hand with her to try and get it reattached? Why would she leave it here? Sunset Shimmer is definitely dead, no one can survive this kind of blood loss. Not to mention, even if she couldn't get her hand reattached, I don't know many women who would abandon their wedding ring like that.” Bolt gestured all around them as proof.

Jasper had to admit that it sadly was the most logical explanation. He approached Horizon with a frown. “I sadly have to agree with him... This is a mighty amount of blood... Ain’t no way she survived somethin’ like this.”

Horizon nodded in agreement. “I suppose that logic is sound. Even still, the bigger question is who killed her and why?”

“Let’s look around for any other kind of clues,” Bolt suggested with his finger up.

While the prospect of searching a facility that was already soaked in blood and they had discovered a severed hand in didn’t really excite Jasper, he couldn’t deny that there weren’t any better options. The possibility of finding other severed body parts was high, but at that moment it was their best chance at finding any kind of clue as to what happened to Sunset Shimmer.

“Alright, let’s split up.” Horizon nodded as she opted to take a path that led her to the back of the rather large room.

As she walked, she noticed that the place was some kind of living facility. She noted there was a treadmill, a kitchen, and even a bed. The entire place looked as though it was designed for someone to live there, but why?

Glancing over to Jasper on the other side of the room, he leaned in to examine some old computers, machines that would be considered obsolete by modern standards. It was clear that this place was more than just a living space, some kind of research or work had to have been done here.

Bolt lifted a piece of paper off of a table and began to examine it. It was stained with a bloody set of fingerprints, but he could still make out the hastily scribbled message written in black ink.

It’s over.

Sunset Shimmer is dead. What is done can’t be undone. I wish there was something I could do, but it’s too late. I’m going to die and that is all there is to it.

If anyone is reading this, I wanted to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. You’ll need to get in touch with the Princess though if you want to solve things.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for that to be possible. If enough time passes, she’ll likely come looking for me and then you can meet with her.

Forgive me, Twilight.

Bolt cleared his throat and called Horizon over. “Hey, come look at this...”

Horizon lazily made her way over to him and gave a gentle “hm?”

Jasper followed and looked over the boy’s shoulder as he passed the note to Horizon.

Her eyes scanned the letter quickly and went over its contents. Lowering the paper she adjusted her glasses and nodded. “Guess Sunset really is dead.”

“You’re taking it well...” Bolt remarked which caused him again to receive a jab in the stomach by Jasper.

“Ow!” Bolt complained.

“Have some respect,” Jasper tried to speak in a hushed tone, but it was fairly evident that there was little reason as Horizon wasn’t really paying much attention to the two of them.

Instead, the young teen was scanning over the letter written by her mother. She noticed the handwriting was far sloppier and didn’t match her mother’s at all. “This is odd.”

“What is?” Jasper blinked.

Horizon flipped the letter to face the two of them. “This looks like a child wrote it almost. This handwriting is clearly trying to replicate my mother’s, but doing a very mediocre job at it.”

Bolt and Jasper both thought for a moment before Bolt pounded his fist into his palm. “I got it!”

Horizon and Jasper both blinked and looked over at the scrappy boy. He pointed to the floor. “All this blood, no way that a person is going to be at even 80% of their normal demeanor, man. On top of that, she was right-handed wasn’t she?”

“I believe that’s accurate.” Horizon shrugged.

“And her right hand is sitting on that floor over there, so that must mean she wrote the letter with her left hand as she was bleeding out...” Bolt placed a thumb on his chin and nodded in approval of his own reasoning.

Jasper was somewhat impressed. For a dull-looking guy who didn’t exactly give the impression that he paid attention in school, Bolt was pretty good at piecing things together. He almost wanted to congratulate him on his reasoning skills if he wasn’t confident that it would go right to his inflated ego, so instead, he said nothing.

Horizon, however, stood there as the gears in her head began to turn. It all made perfect sense. If Sunset’s hand was cut off and she was bleeding that much, it made sense that she was assuming she would die very shortly. She chose to use her last bit of life to leave behind this letter, but there were still questions left unanswered.

“I think Bolt’s logic is very sound in that she wrote this letter after her hand was severed and that means she was dying as she wrote it...” Horizon thought out loud.

Bolt gave a large grin showing his pride in being correct, glancing over at Jasper waiting for him to object so that he could rub his nose in it.

“But this creates new questions...” Horizon raised a finger.

Her blank and emotionless expression had Bolt uneasy. Her mother was dead and there was a mystery around her death afoot and this girl was treating it like an episode of “Supernatural”. What was with her? It made him a bit uneasy. If she wasn’t so easy on the eyes, he probably would get creeped out just being around a person like her, still, a promise was a promise.

“What do y’all mean?” Jasper asked.

“Why here for starters.” Horizon shrugged.

Now it was Bolt’s turn to tilt his head. “What do you mean?”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “Think about it. How did we get in here?”

Bolt looked back to the entrance and then gave Jasper a squared eyebrow of confusion. “We came in through that door...” He pointed at the entrance behind him.

Jasper nodded and smirked. “And what was stoppin’ us from getting through that door?”

“A strange lock?” Bolt shrugged.

“Exactly.” Jasper nodded again.

“I don’t get it...” Bolt blinked.

Horizon pointed at the door and spoke in her usual neutral tone as she explained it to the lost teen. “If it was this difficult for us to get in here, then whoever else came in would have had just of difficult a time, meaning that someone had to have tracked her down here to kill her.”

Jasper shook his head in disagreement as he stepped forward and sat down at a nearby stool. “That can’t be, Horizon.”

“Why not?” Horizon looked at him.

“Remember when we came in, the lock was still on. Who’d have gone through the trouble to put a lock back on after killing her?” Jasper pointed out.

Bolt chimed in. “Maybe they wanted to keep her hidden?”

It seemed as though Bolt’s deduction skills reduced over time as he was now missing not only obvious clues but ones he himself discovered. Jasper internally retracted his compliment of the boy’s reasoning skills.

“That don’t make sense either,” Jasper stated.

“Why not?”

The blonde pointed at the letter in Horizon’s hand. “If’n he killed her and then left, then how did she get the chance to write that letter?”

“Maybe he thought she was dead?” Bolt shrugged.

“If that were the case, he wouldn’t go through the effort of locking the door unless he was certain. After all, there is no point in trying to hide a crime scene if you leave the chance of the victim being still alive.” Horizon raised her finger once more as she followed Jasper’s line of thinking.

Bolt placed a hand on his chin and thought about it. They all brought up valid points.

“Then there’s only one explanation...” Bolt blinked. He looked down at the two who were waiting expectantly. “It was a suicide. That would explain why the door was locked and there is this note.”

Jasper sighed. “For a moment, I thought y’all were about to say something brilliant. It can’t be a suicide, numb skull.”

“Why not!? I think I’m onto something!” Bolt huffed.

“Who would commit suicide by cuttin’ off their hand?” Jasper rolled his eyes.

While the two were arguing, Horizon was going through the nearby drawers where she withdrew an object that she held up in her hand examining the black metal. “Well, I’d say suicide is out of the question...” Horizon stated as she held up the object.

“Holy fuck! Put that thing down, Horizon!” Bolt jumped back as he registered the thing in her hand as a handgun. “Where the fuck did you get that!?”

“From the drawer.” Horizon shrugged.

“Well, at least it rules out suicide...” Jasper sighed.

“Because if she had access to a gun...” Horizon began to think out loud.

“Then that would be the most efficient way to take yourself out.” Bolt finished.

Jasper chuckled. “Now y’all are gettin’ it.”

Bolt grinned. “So no suicide then. This was definitely murder, some kind of fight happened here.”

Horizon lowered the gun to her side as she kept thinking. “That brings about one final question then.”

Pointing to the jaded teen’s hand, Jasper inched backward in his seat. “Horizon, can ya’ put that thing down?”

Looking down at her hand, Horizon dropped the gun on the floor, making a loud clatter which caused both of the boys to jump. “Fuck!” Bolt cursed.

“Where’s the body?” Horizon ignored their outbursts as she continued her thoughts.

“Body?” Bolt blinked as he composed himself.

The purple-haired girl nodded. “All we have is a severed hand, where’s the rest of the body?”

That was an excellent question, even Jasper had to admit. “I’d say the killer took it to hide their crime, but then this entire crime scene was tucked away and they left all this blood and the hand behind. It don’t make much sense to take a body and then leave all this other evidence behind. Shoot, leavin’ the body here would probably keep it more hidden than takin’ it on account of this place bein’ a big secret an’ all...”

Bolt nodded in agreement. “Why would they only want the body then?”

Horizon was piecing it together slowly. “If they didn’t clean up the crime scene that meant that taking the body wasn’t a matter of trying to hide the crime... They had to take it for some reason...”

“But why?” Jasper blinked.

“I think we have to figure that part out ourselves, but I'm going to guess there was something on her body that they needed and had no other way of taking without taking the entire body. Come on, let’s keep looking around and see if we can find anything else,” Horizon suggested.

The group nodded and split up to keep searching the small facility. Horizon stepped back over to the hand and found herself staring at it carefully. The girl knelt down and got a closer look.

The ring upon the finger intrigued her, and she somehow felt it would be wrong to leave it there. Reaching forward, she lifted the hand up and gently slid the ring off. With how much muscle the fingers had lost, the ring came off easily and Horizon pocketed it.

The atmosphere in the room must have been maintained by some kind of regulation system as the hand was too well preserved otherwise. On the outside, the hand would be nothing but bone by now, yet here it still had flesh attached to it. That also meant that the room was completely sealed and prevented insects from the outside from getting in as well.

What was this room used for? Why was Sunset Shimmer here before she died? Why would someone want her dead?

The deeper she dug into the mystery of Sunset Shimmer, the further she seemed to feel from the truth. Horizon had a feeling that she stepped into something far bigger than she could imagine. She decided it was best to not share said thoughts with the other two.

The continued raid on Sunset’s secret facility on the other side of the town turned up only a few more clues. Jasper had deduced that something major must have been housed there at one point as a large part of the room seemed relatively empty for a cramped living area where one would need to make the most out of all the space provided.

Furthermore, they had determined that whatever work had been done there in the past was destroyed for one reason or another. Checking over all the computers revealed that they had been completely formatted, and all notebooks had had their contents removed along with all drawers being emptied. It was evidence that either Sunset or someone else didn’t want what was being done there to be discovered.

The only major clues they had were the note and the severed hand, which they naturally decided not to take with them, and instead opted for pictures of it instead.

The trio had sat on it for a week relaying conversations only through text and occasionally in person when they saw each other after school. Eight long days had passed and they were now reaching a dead end.

The group sat at a local cafe in town just a few blocks from the school after getting a ride there from Horizon in her car. Bolt sipped from a smoothie as he looked over all of the notes, photos and printed out articles that Horizon had laid across the table. Jasper sat next to her looking them over with her as Bolt took a more relaxed approach.

With his eyes lazily watching, he allowed the other two to go to work and piece together some of the more “difficult” stuff.

Jasper tapped one of the photos. “Maybe this has to do with Shimmer? I mean, the girl was also murdered mysteriously, wasn’t she?”

Horizon nodded lazily. “I suppose that’s a possible angle. My uncle Shining handled that case, and even though it was closed, it may still have some connection.”

“Unfinished business?” Bolt suggested as he slurped to the bottom of his cup, setting it down in disappointment when he realized that the fruity nectar was depleted.

“Probably...” Jasper shrugged.

Bolt tapped his finger on the table as his brain began to work. “So... Maybe other relatives? Shimmer had a ton of money, so maybe they were killing for inheritance?”

Horizon shook her head. “The only ones that are still around would be Lilly and her family and after meeting them in person, there is nothing they could gain from killing Sunset Shimmer. They already knew they were not in Shimmer’s will and they seemed all but certain that they would not be in Sunset’s either.”

Bolt rubbed his chin before grinning. “Maybe... It started off that way with Shimmer, but after they knew they weren’t getting the money this was more about satisfaction?”

Jasper shook his head. “Nah, they did seem like horrid folks from Horizon’s description, but not the murderin’ types. ‘Sides, how would they even get into that facility and more importantly, how did a couple approachin’ their 50s at the time manage to take down a young woman who was in excellent shape? From what info we have, Sunset was in amazin’ shape, worked out every day...”

“I believe the gym at home still lists her personal bests. I believe she deadlifted 178 pounds and she was skilled at martial arts.” Horizon recalled.

Letting out a sigh, Bolt shrugged. “I don’t have a clue...” He paused and then blinked. “Wait, she could deadlift that much? Really?”

Horizon nodded. “I believe her record was about 800 pushups as well.”

“Damn, she must have been a beast!” Bolt whistled in awe.

“I suppose, though she often ate very little, so she was frequently malnourished from my memory.” Horizon shrugged.

Bolt was trying to imagine the woman that they had frequently shown photos of in such a state. Sunset was a very attractive older woman by any boy’s standards, and her fierce stare was powerful enough to lure anyone into her bed if she wanted. Bolt was trying to wrap his head around such a gorgeous woman who was also quite a formidable combatant.

In a way, she reminded him of his own mother to some extent. Rainbow as definitely far more feisty and prankster though. Rainbow was the kind of woman who would rip on you for just about anything she could make an excuse to do so for.

The mystery of Sunset Shimmer continued to perplex the entire group. Who exactly was she?

Bolt decided to finally chime in. “Something’s been bugging me...”

Horizon and Jasper both looked in his direction as the teen lazily hung his arm over the back of his chair.

“Sunset Shimmer... We know next to nothing about her...” Bolt pointed out.

That was true. Horizon knew very little about her mother, and Twilight always said she didn’t know and that Sunset never talked much about her life before they were in it. Horizon had never met her grandparents or even the adopted parents that Twilight said took Sunset in. They didn’t know where she was born, where she grew up, and shy of a birth certificate saying she was born in Maryland, they had no information on her life prior to meeting Twilight.

Could Sunset have been someone leading a double life? Was she someone who erased her past to start over? Was such a thing even possible? Thinking backward, Horizon determined that during Sunset’s childhood technology would have still been fairly advanced, it would be very difficult for someone to simply “disappear” from the public record even with hacking skills. Such a thing would require several people’s assistance.

“That’s true...” Horizon nodded in agreement.

Jasper had a concerned expression as he looked at Horizon. He knew that the further they dug, the greater the risk that Horizon would discover things about her mother that she might have not wanted to know.

“What’s odder is that since her death, ain’t no one filed a missin’ person report, not even Twilight...” Jasper frowned.

Shrugging, Horizon sipped from her drink. “Twilight never said why she didn’t go looking for her...”

Bolt sighed and shook his head as he tapped the table with his finger. “Well duh. Think about it, Sunset left her once before, she probably just felt better assuming that the girl wasn’t coming back than go through the pain of trying to find her and all that.”

That made sense to Jasper, but Horizon had never considered that perspective. “You think so?”

“Obviously, man. If your wife left you and then when they came back they left you again, would you wanna go looking for them, or would you rather move on with your life?” Bolt pointed out.

Horizon blinked. “I’m not very good when it comes to matters of romance or the heart, so you tell me.”

“Clearly...” Bolt shook his head. It was impeccable how little Horizon understood about human nature. She was cute, a bit unkempt, but a total social idiot. She didn’t seem to understand social faux pas or how people reacted when their emotions ran wild.

Horizon looked down at the table and thought it over. She recalled when her parents were together, they were always hugging and kissing, all over each other. That meant that everything was fine prior, right? Or did it? She didn’t know. Did people change how they acted before something major happened or did they continue on as if nothing was wrong? She didn’t know.

“Should we tell Twilight that Sunset is dead then?” Horizon tilted her head unsure.

Bolt was amazed. This girl had learned her mother was dead and murdered and she legitimately had no idea how to react to it. She wasn’t asking because she was concerned for Twilight’s reaction, but out of genuine curiosity. In a way, he was envious of how someone could live so carefree.

Looking away, Bolt lowered his shoulders and thought it over. “I don’t know, I mean telling her might upset her. I don’t know... For now, I think it might be best we keep this all a secret. I have a feeling there is a lot more going on here than we even realize, you know?”

Angel Song sat in the car with Sunburst who smiled at her as she tapped her adorable cyan blue nails against the steering wheel in thought. He had come to know her as a close friend and someone whom he could count on, but she was still so quiet and difficult to get close to despite her easy personality.

For as long as he had known her for close to fifteen years, Sunburst didn’t know too much about Angel Song. She was a quiet person who didn’t talk about herself too much. He knew she was a virgin from Starlight’s stories that she told of her, but she didn’t seem too concerned about it.

Her hair had grown considerably since they had met and now Angel Song had long wavy blue locked that went down to her knees, which was saying something as she was tall and lanky for a woman.

She had an affinity for silver as her wrists were decorated with silver bangles and a silver charm bracelet that every year they would get her a new charm for. On top of that, she had a silver and black pinkie ring.

Over the years she seemed to remain as youthful as always, and her pale skin never seemed to blemish. She was a stunning image of beauty despite her lack of breasts. She had womanly legs and a nice rump to make up for it, not that Sunburst was interested in her like that. No, in his mind, Angel was like a little sister that was always accompanying them.

Angel would do anything for Starlight, him and Nova and whenever they were in over their heads, Angel was right there to dive in with them. She was predictable, but that was a good thing in their line of “work”.

“So, you nervous?” Sunburst asked.

Nodding, Angel kept her eyes on the convenience store where Starlight and Nova took off to use the lavatory.

“I feel like we’re very close to figuring out what this has been all about, you know? It’s hard to believe it’s been close to 20 years now. This all started before I even met you, it’s just weird to think it’ll all be over potentially soon...” Angel rambled.

Sunburst reached forward and adjusted the air conditioner. “Did you ever see yourself doing any of this stuff?”

Angel shook her head. “Nah, I mean it’s crazy. I would have never believed in something like magic or prophetic visions before, but now that all of this stuff has happened to me... I just feel compelled to know why. I can’t really rest until I know the truth, you know?”

“Aren’t you afraid of what the truth might be? I mean what if this is all some big government conspiracy and we’re walking right into it? Maybe we’re asking questions that people aren’t supposed to ask, you know?” Sunburst suggested.

The thought had crossed Angel’s mind many times in the past. “I don’t care... I want to know why we have these powers and what’s really going on. I need to find Sunset Shimmer, that much I know.”

“I guess I’m curious too, I mean this Sunset Shimmer... A lot of mystery surrounds her...” Sunburst admitted.

They didn’t know too much about her, just about what anyone else could find by searching her name and combing through public records. If there was anything remarkable about Sunset Shimmer, it wasn’t going to reveal itself through internet digging. Still, Sunset wasn’t the only mystery they were entwined in. Canterlot would prove promising if they could figure out where to go from there.

Angel didn’t have a clue where any of this was going to take the group of them, but she assumed that she would be wise to be prepared.

On a whim, Horizon had decided to take yet another look inside the storage facility that Sunset had made a little lab out of. A part of her couldn’t shake that there had to be something else of interest located there. The girl arrived at 8 o'clock at night and shut her car off before stepping out and approached the entrance.

She had chosen to go alone this time around and began to snoop through every drawer she could find to no avail. She sat down in the chair that likely was used to type on the computer that sat there and glanced over at the severed hand upon the ground. The teenager found herself staring for a good few moments before turning to the computer and pressing the power button.

Naturally, the screen did not turn on, it appeared as though the machine was damaged during whatever fight went on in the room. Her eyes were however drawn to a floppy disk drive that sat upon the desk, connected to the computer through some kind of adapter.

Horizon blinked a few times. Floppy disks were such an outdated technology that she had never actually seen one in person. A disk was sticking out of the drive which made her curious. Such technology was outdated even eight years ago, why would Sunset have one? Surely there were more efficient ways to store data.

Curiously, Horizon pushed the disk into the drive, and suddenly she heard a click from under the desk.

She wheeled the chair back and saw that under the desk, a tile upon the floor had lifted, revealing some kind of small opening. The opening was probably no bigger than her fist, but her mind was stuck on trying to figure out how it opened.

Looking at the floppy drive, she noticed that she could not move it. It was bolted to the table. She glanced as much as she could underneath it to see a series of other wires being fed through the table. It appeared as though the drive had been gutted and turned into some kind of secret lock mechanism. The floppy drive acted as some kind of lock and the disk was clearly some kind of key.

Such a unique lock mechanism clearly was intended to hide something important. Reaching into the opened tile compartment, Horizon retrieved some kind of box that was about as small as a ring box, but it had some kind of lock on it. The lock lacked a keyhole, meaning there was some other mechanism to unlock it.

Grabbing a nearby knife in a pen cup, Horizon tried to pry the box open, but the gap between the lid and the base was far too tight. It was sealed completely closed and it felt odd in the hand. Could this also be the same kind of lock that the door used? It seemed likely, but Horizon had to test it.

Horizon had taken the box home and brought it down to the workshop on the basement floor. No amount of force seemed to open it. A blowtorch didn’t even scratch it, and a hammer didn’t even dent it. It seemed to be protected by something, but what that something was, Horizon didn’t know.

Sitting in her bedroom, Horizon was sprawled out in her black lacy underwear staring at the box that she held up in front of her face. With her glasses on the end table, she had to hold it fairly close just to see it, but it was black and metallic. It had a strange design on it, it looked like a moon inside of a wing sort of, but what it meant, Horizon wasn’t sure.

This box clearly was important to Sunset, enough to hide it, but she didn’t leave any kind of notes about it, so it was clear that it was intended to remain hidden, even from Horizon.

It’s contents had Horizon mystified, but she placed the box in a drawer next to her four-poster bed and laid back down, staring at the ceiling, letting out a sigh.

As if on cue, Twilight poked her head in the room that had the door still open and blushed as she looked away bashfully. “Again... Clothes...”

Horizon looked at herself and then shrugged. “I’m comfortable.”

Twilight sighed and giggled shaking her head as she wandered into the room. “Your mother was the same way...”

Blinking, Horizon glanced over at Twilight with her blank expression. That was something that Twilight admitted was different from the both of them, her very controlled temperament. Sunset was prone to emotional outbursts and acting rashly based upon said emotion, and Twilight was an extreme worrywart, but Horizon was neither. Horizon was the calmest person that Twilight knew. Nothing seemed to bother her.

“Was she?” Horizon leaned to see Twilight as she sat up with her legs crossed on the bed.

Twilight sat down at the foot of the bed and nodded. “Yeah, she often made breakfast in her underwear” Twilight found herself giggling at the memories.

“I think I remember that...” Horizon nodded.

“I can’t deny that I liked it though...” Twilight blushed and played with a strand of her hair.

Horizon blinked and tilted her head. “Mom was a very beautiful woman wasn’t she?”

Horizon remembered her mother’s face and had seen the pictures and paintings of her around the house, but she had heard people who knew the woman say she was gorgeous.

Twilight nodded. “I was very lucky to even get a person as beautiful as her to even talk to me.”

“You guys met in high school right?” Horizon remembered.

Twilight nodded once more. “Yes, but we went to different schools at first. I went to Crystal Prep like you as you know. She went to Canterlot High, but we met during the Friendship Games. She really looked out for me, and I decided to transfer to Canterlot High after that.”

Horizon had heard this story before, but for some reason, Twilight always kept it vague. She never went into too much detail beyond that.

“She is such a beautiful girl, I think I first started to realize that I loved her shortly after we met, the way she smiles at me still gives me goosebumps...” Twilight continued.

Horizon realized that Twilight spoke of her as if she was coming back. Twilight didn’t know.

The evidence was overwhelming. Sunset was dead, murdered, and whatever she was murdered for most likely had to do with the box, Horizon was sure of it. She had gone through such lengths to keep it hidden, so it wasn’t a coincidence, it had to be connected.

A part of her contemplated asking Twilight about the box, but she thought against it. Telling Twilight about the box could make her ask questions, and at the current state of their investigation, Bolt had recommended against making Twilight aware of what they were doing. Horizon didn’t understand why, but she went along with it, assuming it had to do with some kind of emotional thing.

“I see.” Horizon nodded.

Twilight giggled and reached over, ruffling the teen’s hair. Horizon didn’t resist, instead, she just sat there allowing Twilight to do as she pleased with her soft thick locks.

“You inherited so much of her beauty, Horizon...” Twilight grinned.

Horizon looked down to examine her body in her underwear. She was a relatively short girl, which was abnormal as both of her parents came from fairly tall families. She had slender legs, creating the coveted “thigh gap” that most men seemed to adore, but she was not built like her mother.

Sunset had an attractive hourglass figure, but Horizon felt she herself was mostly just plain looking figure wise. She lacked a lot of the curves that her mother had, even her breasts were a modest B cup.

Horizon never really considered if she was “attractive” or not. Bolt had mentioned she was “cute” but he seemed the type to hit on virtually any girl he met, so she couldn’t really discern if it meant much.

“I don’t see it...” Horizon shrugged.

Twilight giggled. “It’s easy to see. You’re beautiful, Horizon. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

The older woman tapped Horizon’s nose gently as she told her.

“Why did mom leave us?” Horizon changed the subject.

There was a short pause followed by Twilight exhaling. “You haven’t asked that in a long time...”

“You never really answered me when I asked...” Horizon pointed out.

Twilight bit her lip and sighed. “Your mother... I wish I fully knew why she left. I just don’t know... I know it’s not because she didn’t love you or me, so please don’t think it’s that.”

Horizon tilted her head. “Did she say anything before she left?”

Twilight shook her head. “I wish she did. I don’t know anything, I’m sorry if that’s not the answer you were hoping for. But know that if your mother left us it was for a good reason. It would take a lot for her to leave.”

Pausing, Horizon spoke quietly. “Do you think she’ll ever come back?”

Once again Twilight was speechless for a good eight seconds before she responded. “I... I don’t know. I don’t even know how I’d feel if she returned...”

Horizon confirmed that Twilight didn’t know she was murdered.

Sighing, Twilight stood up and brushed her dark colored jeans off. She turned and smiled at her daughter, adjusting her stylish glasses as she looked at her. “Just know that I care about you, Horizon. I love you very much.”

Horizon nodded. “Thank you, Twilight.”

Twilight bit her lip. Her daughter’s odd tendencies didn’t usually bother her, but the one that always irked her slightly was that Horizon seldom would say she loved anyone. It wasn’t in her nature, but Twilight knew it was likely because Horizon struggled to understand emotions, a trait that seemed to always be there with her.

Turning her expression back into a smile, Twilight left the room.

Once she was gone, Horizon felt her phone on her wrist begin vibrating. She contemplated answering it as she allowed it to ring eight times. Once she decided to do so, she made the gesture over her ears to make her light-based headphones appear so she could answer the phone.

“Hello?” She asked.

Bolt’s voice came out of the phone. “Hey, just checking up on you, I guess.”

Horizon yawned as she laid back down. “I see.”

“So, find anything new?” Bolt asked.

“Yes, actually. I found a box.”

“How exciting...” Bolt faked enthusiasm.

“It was hidden in Sunset’s hideout. She went out of her way to hide it, so I’d wager it likely has significance,” Horizon explained.

After that explanation, Bolt seemed more interested. “I see, what was in the box?”

“I don’t know,” Horizon said.

“You don’t know?” Bolt seemed surprised, “You didn’t open it?”

“I can’t. It’s protected by some kind of lock. I can’t pry it open, and the lock doesn’t have a keyhole of any kind. It must unlock electronically or something...” Horizon explained.

“So you think it’s connected to all of this then?” Bolt asked.

“More than likely, though I think after probing Twilight, I doubt she knows anything about it or Sunset’s death for that matter...” Horizon said.

Bolt paused for a moment before asking a question, “Why do you call her Twilight?”

“What do you mean?” Horizon asked.

“Well, you call her by her first name, and I was curious as to why...” Bolt questioned.

Horizon blinked. “It was her suggestion. She said that while she is my parent, she didn’t want to take the title of ‘mother’ away from Sunset since she actually gave birth to me. So I suppose it’s a respect thing? I don’t really understand it myself, but it’s how we’ve always been so I don’t really question it.”

“You have a strange family dynamic, I have to admit...” Bolt stated.

To anyone else, his comment would be considered rude, but not to Horizon Shimmer. She instead just shrugged despite him not being able to see her.

“I suppose so, but I guess I don’t really understand what would constitute a normal family.” Horizon yawned.

“I guess that’s true, well it sounds like you’re tired. We can talk about the box later when we meet up with Jasper...” Bolt said.

“Very well,” Horizon replied.

“Good night, Horizon.”

“Good night.”

Bolt sat up on his phone trying to search for any kind of clues that could give the group any kind of leads. Horizon had mentioned she didn’t know her mother very well and he was inclined to believe her on that as the search results kept implying that no one really knows much about her.

Despite being from a millionaire, there were few public records of her. By the look of it, she didn’t keep up much of a social life after high school, and most of her time was spent in her home with her daughter when she was around. Sunset clearly became a person that was entirely about being a mom after Horizon was born.

The wealth their family had was seldom the talk of the news, as they lived very secretly and seemed to know how to keep the media away. She wasn’t a newsworthy girl, Bolt supposed as few scandals surrounded her after the death of her twin sister.

Still, it was very odd. What was odder was that no records showed that Twilight had even reported her wife missing either time she vanished.

The first time she disappeared, the police would have had to have been suspicious, but after she came back, Bolt guessed that Twilight was able to prove by her first departure that this was the kind of thing that Sunset would do, so they didn’t investigate further.

How does a girl disappear in the 21st century though? With the level of access that any random person had to information, and the technology at everyone’s fingertips, it would be difficult for someone to just disappear off of all records without a trace. Somewhere they would have to use their phone to pay with credit or go somewhere that required they present their ID or something.

That could only mean one thing to Bolt: whoever killed her also had been going around erasing everything about her prior that they could. This wasn’t just a murder, it was a coverup of some kind. Sunset clearly knew about things that someone didn’t want to get out. The bigger question was who, and why.

As he sat there lost in thought, Bolt didn’t even notice his fraternal twin brother had slipped through the partially opened door to Bolt’s bedroom and stood at the foot of his bed with his arms behind his back.

“What’re you doing, Bolt?” Cloud asked curiously.

Bolt cursed under his breath and looked up at his effeminate brother. As long as Bolt could remember, his brother always was a bit strange, but he loved him all the same.

Cloud was always difficult to stay mad at, due to his shy and meek demeanor. He took more after their mother, Fluttershy, clearly.

“It’s uh... Some stuff for some friends...” Bolt rubbed his neck.

“Friends?” Cloud tilted his head in surprise.

“Yeah... Jasper Apple and Horizon Shimmer...” Bolt replied.

Cloud blinked. “Oh, they actually helped me a while back. I didn’t know that you got to know them...”

Bolt shrugged. “Jasper’s kind of a pain in the ass, but the two mean well...”

“What’s Horizon like then?” Cloud asked.

“How do I describe her...” Bolt looked up in thought. It had occurred to him that Horizon Shimmer was the definition of “odd”. He couldn’t think of many ways to describe her besides “she’s weird. Cute, but weird. Like I think most guys would bang her, but probably not date her.”

“Huh?” Cloud blinked.

“Nevermind...” Bolt sighed.

“So what are you doing for them?” Cloud changed the subject.

Bolt bit his lip. “Promise that this stays between us?”

Cloud nodded. “O-of course...”

Bolt began to tell him of their exploits. He told him of Sunset Shimmer, the secret hideout that they had found, the severed hand, and even the mysterious box that Horizon had found. Cloud’s face was full of shock and surprise with every development in the story, but he remained quiet and covered his mouth as Bolt told the tale.

When he was finished, Bolt shrugged. “And now we’re just trying to figure this all out. What happened to Sunset Shimmer, why did she get murdered, what’s with the box, all that...”

“It sounds... Mysterious...” Cloud nodded slowly.

“Yeah, but we’re at a few stopgaps. We need more to go on. Horizon said that there was a computer in a secret room at her mansion, but we’d need someone who is good with computers to figure out how to get into it...” Bolt frowned.

Cloud shrugged. “I don’t know much about that stuff either...”

Bolt smirked and nudged his brother’s shoulder. “Yeah, you’re more about painting.”

It was true, Cloud was quite a magnificent painter. He spent most of his free time painting, and his bedroom was covered with paintings that he had done hung on his walls. However, he was also a clean freak, so the room was always decorated and spotless, a stark contrast to Bolt’s messy room which was covered in skateboard equipment and sports memorabilia.

The two brothers were polar opposites, but they were always by each other’s side. If Cloud was in trouble, Bolt would always be there to back him up. He protected his brother with all his strength, which had earned him a few beatings in his day.

Cloud looked up to his brother, he admired his strength, and spoke highly of him, despite his lesser characteristics. Bolt was brash, stubborn and hot-headed, but he had his heart in the right place. His methods were bold, but his intentions were generally good (except when it came to women, in which case he was almost exclusively thinking about sex).

Leaning in, Cloud gave a frail smile. “W-would it be okay if I began helping you guys?”

Bolt blinked. “Cloud, we’re potentially chasing after a killer here. It’s dangerous...”

Cloud nodded. “I want to help though. It sounds like you guys could use more help...”

Bolt stopped and stared at his brother. His eyes were very serious. He clearly wouldn’t be deterred. With his muted rainbow hair tied in a braid, Cloud actually could easily be mistaken for a girl, which Bolt supposed is why he was able to charm people so easily.

Sighing, Bolt nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’ll let the others know that you were brought up to speed, but you can’t tell mom or mother about this. Horizon and Jasper don’t think it’s a good idea to get them involved.”

Cloud raised his hands in a triumphant pose and nodded. “Got it!”

Horizon and Jasper didn’t mind that Cloud now joined them in their get-togethers if anything, Jasper welcomed him. He was far more tolerable than his brother whom Jasper often found himself rolling his eyes at. Bolt seemed to have a tendency to get aggressive with Jasper, which the well-mannered boy ignored; which only served to piss Bolt off more.

Cloud was timid and meek, he was a follower, not a leader. After Jasper filled him in about details that Bolt may have skimmed over, Horizon scratched her head and roughed up her already messy hair before letting out a yawn.

“Long day at school?” Bolt asked.

Horizon adjusted her designer black leather jacket and rested her chin on the table of the cafe they were sitting at. “More like boring...”

“I imagine that Crystal Prep would be, it’s all hoity-toity and shit.” Bolt shrugged.

Horizon shrugged back. “School, in general, is boring.”

“Ain’t your mom like a scientist or something? My mom says she is really into learning and books?” Bolt asked.

Nodding, Horizon let out another yawn. “That would be correct. Twilight is always reading.”

“Sounds like you two don’t have a lot in common?” Cloud asked before covering his mouth. “Oh, sorry... That was rude of me...”

Jasper sighed as he saw Horizon shrug again. “As far as I always see, they really don’t; and don’t worry about offendin’; Horizon here is pretty difficult to offend.”

“My kind of girl.” Bolt winked.

Looking over at Cloud, Jasper shot him a look. “And you have to live with this fella?”

Cloud looked puzzled, so Jasper just dismissed his point and sighed. Looking back at Horizon. “I’m sorry that y’all ain’t got much in common with Twilight.”

Horizon just shrugged as usual. “We get along, that’s all that matters.”

Jasper knew that that was always the best one could hope for when it came to Horizon Shimmer. She was difficult to get close to, but he knew her well enough.

“So what about this box?” Bolt inquired.

Nodding, Horizon reached into her bag at her side and retrieved the box with the odd crescent moon emblem upon it. Placing it on the table, she placed her hands on her lap and awaited the commentary of the others as they examined it.

Bolt leaned in and squinted as did Cloud. Jasper chose to observe it from afar with his hand upon his chin.

Reaching for it, Bolt picked it up and attempted to pull it open with no luck. He began to examine it after his failed attempt to open it, focusing particularly upon the lock that had no keyhole. He squinted and turned the box around to see if the back revealed any answers, but with no luck.

Tossing it in the air and catching it in his palm he questioned Horizon on it. “So, What would you wager is inside of it?”

As expected, Horizon shrugged. “No idea, but I’d guess it was important. Do you know how to open it?”

“While my lock picking skills are far from what would constitute an ‘expert’, I’d still bet that no one has seen a lock like this before. It must have a very unique way of being opened. That means one thing to me...” Bolt explained.

“And that is?” Jasper raised an annoyed brow.

Glancing at his new rival, Bolt kept a serious face. “This lock must have been uniquely crafted for the sole purpose of keeping others out. Whatever material this box is made out of also seems to resist conventual tools to open from what Horizon has said. That means whoever sealed what’s in here inside must have only intended for a certain person to be able to open it.”

“Do you think the emblem on top has any relevance?” Cloud asked.

Smirking, Bolt clenched the box in his hand and reached over to pet his head. “Good eye, I’d say yeah. I think this emblem is either a hint on how to open it or a hint on where it came from...”

Horizon leaned back in her seat and looked up. “I feel like I’ve seen that emblem before...”

Had she really though? She couldn’t recall any specific memories where she saw such an emblem, but it still seemed oddly familiar to her.

“Whatever is inside, I think you better hang onto it, Horizon.” Bolt handed the box back to her, which she took graciously.

“Let’s go over what we know then...” Horizon began as she grabbed a napkin and began drawing a rather crude timeline of what they understood thus far.

Starting at the beginning, she made a line slightly away from the start of her timeline and marked it “eight years ago”.

“So, eight years ago, Sunset disappears for whatever reason. She goes to this facility possibly sometime after that where she is killed and subsequently hides the box...” Horizon drew another mark on the timeline.

Jasper scratched his chin. “So we can assume the box probably has somethin’ to do with her death...?”

Horizon nodded. “It’s very likely.”

“And also that this all started eight years ago,” Bolt interjected.

Horizon shook her head this time. “That’s where you’re not inherently correct.”

“Huh? How do you figure that?” Bolt blinked.

Drawing another line before her “eight years ago” mark, Horizon tapped the paper with the pen.

“We’re assuming that this all began with Sunset’s second disappearance. This all could have something to do with her first one...” Horizon pointed out.

“What do you mean, Horizon?” Cloud leaned in, his soft voice barely audible.

Drawing an arrow to connect the two points, Horizon stared at her paper diagram. “Is it possible that wherever Sunset went the first time she disappeared... That is where she acquired the box?”

“So the box might have origins before eight years ago? And for that matter, someone else could have had it before her. You’re saying that we’re thinking too small?” Bolt tilted his head.

Horizon kept a neutral expression as always. “I’m merely suggesting that we can’t straight jacket our thinking here. The emblem on the box isn’t Sunset’s, that’s reason enough to believe it didn’t originate with her, and because of that, it means that there is more to this than we know. Whoever wanted this box was willing to kill to get it, that much we can be at least 80% sure of.”

“Makes sense, after all, wasn’t nothin’ else there that looked like it was guarded nearly as well...” Jasper crossed his arms and nodded.

“So now the question is... Where did Sunset go the first time?” Bolt asked.

That was a mystery that they wouldn’t have an easy time solving. Whenever Horizon asked about it, Twilight would merely assure her that she didn’t know. No one else seemed to have any knowledge either, as Horizon had asked it at least eight times growing up, but no one ever seemed to know.

One thing that her mother was good at was disappearing without a trace it seemed.

“No one seems to know,” Horizon answered.

“Every time we get a little closer, it seems like we actually get a bit further away...” Jasper chuckled.

His sentiments were accurate, but Horizon didn’t know how to respond. A part of her felt like they were so close to answers, and she couldn’t stop now. Her eyes locked on the box, wondering why she felt like she had seen the emblem before.

“I guess I never really considered how little I actually knew about my mother,” Horizon said.

Jasper placed a hand upon her shoulder, causing her to look in his direction. He offered her a gentle smile as he reassured her. “I’m sure that she was a great woman. She may have made some odd choices with her life, but there might be a logical explanation for it all...”

Horizon shrugged.

Letting out a sigh, Jasper removed his hand and leaned back in his seat, feeling a bit defeated.

Eight o'clock approached faster than Horizon had expected and she opted to leave the cafe to get into her car. On her way back to her estate, she couldn’t help but notice something out of the corner of her eye. A man on a motorcycle driving next to her. He gestured for her to follow him.

Horizon pointed to herself and he nodded. She turned and began to follow the stranger who seemed to know who she was. After a lengthy drive, the two ended up on the outskirts of the city right before the Everfree Forest where he parked his motorcycle and Horizon parked her Audi nearby.

Turning off her engine, Horizon stepped out, her expensive heeled shoes sinking slightly in the muddy ground as she adjusted her tattered half skirt. With her hands leisurely at her side, Horizon tilted her head as she watched the man remove his helmet.

His eyes were a fierce yellow and his hair had been clipped short and messy. He stood a good six feet tall and then some as he eyed her up and down. His bronzed skin seemed to shine in the moonlight as he placed the helmet atop of the seat of his bike.

“Do I know you?” Horizon asked.

He shook his head and then cracked his knuckles before holding out his hand expectantly.

“Give it to me,” he commanded.

“Give what to you?” Horizon raised a brow.

“Give me the box,” he grunted.

“You mean the box that I found?” Horizon tilted her head. The concept of not showing your entire hand was lost upon her. She’d make a horrid poker partner.

“Yes, now hand it over.” He growled.

“Or?” Horizon dared to ask.

He shook his head and smirked as his hand became covered in shadows that seemed to grow a life of their own. They almost resembled snakes the way they whipped and writhed.

“I’ll take it by force.”

Author's Note

There's an old saying of when you finally have answers that you were looking for for so long, that new questions will soon arise. I think that aptly fits here.

There's a long story about what's going on coming, so strap yourselves in. Remember there's three parts to this act, so a lot has to come out. Also, sorry for the delays, trying to get back to a weekly schedule, soon everyone!

Act VII Part I - Chapter CII: Blade

Chapter CII: Blade

Horizon blinked as the stranger stared her down with his hand extended expectantly. His eyes told her that he was serious. There wasn’t an ounce of silliness about him. If she were better at reading emotion, she could see murderous intent in him, it was clear he wanted the box at any cost, and killing Horizon to get it was not above him. Whatever was hidden inside the box was worth more than just killing Sunset over, but in fact, anyone who possessed it. For that reason, Horizon knew he couldn't have it.

What did Sunset put in here? Horizon thought to herself.

The stranger’s shadowy hand seemed to writhe and move in an unnatural way. The shadowy snake-like tendrils moving violently as he stood there. “Are you going to give me the box, or do I have to kill you for it?”

“How do you know about the box?” Horizon asked.

He made an annoyed face and bore his teeth. “When that cunt Sunset fought with my brother, he was looking for it. Slice cut her hand off and left the bitch to bleed to death... Right before she killed him...”

So that meant that this person was the brother of Sunset’s murderer. If his brother was killed by her though, that left the question of what happened to both bodies.

“Why do you want the box?” Horizon asked, her expression showing little to no fear as he threatened her.

The stranger growled. “None of your fucking business, bitch. Now hand it over.”

Horizon shrugged. “I don’t have it with me.”

He laughed and shook his head. “You think you can trick Blade Sharp? You think I’m a fucking idiot? I know you have it. When you took it from Sunset’s hiding place, it started to emit a signal that any close by who knows how to search for it can detect. Sunset must have put some kind of blocker on the place where she hid it, but the moment you took it, I knew it was with you, now hand it over.”

“So your name is Blade then?” Horizon ignored his threats once more.

This annoyed him further and he clenched his demonic hand into a fist, causing the tendrils around it to flare up and more to come out on his other arm which became shrouded in darkness along with his eyes which turned black and emitted some kind of black fire from them.

His two arms changed shape and turned into blade with the same black fire coming off of them.

Blade took a fighting stance and prepared to attack. “I’m done answering your questions. You give me the box or die, those are your options.”

“How do I know you’re not going to kill me right after I give you the box?” Horizon pointed out.

He laughed and nodded. “You’re clever. You’re correct though, I’ll still kill you after I get the box, but that was supposed to be a surprise.”

Horizon wasn’t exactly dressed to fight, but her years of self-defense classes with Twilight were going to need to come into play. She took a sloppy stance and got low, intending to keep her attacks to the lower part of his body along with staying low enough to dodge his sword swings.

Blade locked eyes with the teenager, a growl growing in his throat. “So, you’d rather go down fighting, that’s good. I was getting bored waiting around this worthless town anyway. It’ll be good to get some action before I get the box.”

“What are you exactly? I’ve never seen anything like you before...” Horizon asked.

He let out a chortle as he began to take his first steps, circling her. “Something beyond your imagination. Let’s just say I’m not about to go down because of some teenage girl.”

It was clear that he wasn’t interested in revealing any information about himself outside of what she had already ascertained.

Before she had a chance to ask anything else, he lunged forward and took a swing at her. Ducking out of the way, Horizon gave a jab at his stomach which had no effect on him. He swung once more, but Horizon backflipped to get out of the way. She landed on all fours before getting back up and dodging another flurry of strikes.

She was studying his patterns, noting that he fought with nothing held back. What little she did understand about fighting told her that he would tire himself out if he continued on such a path.

Between strikes when she could find openings she tried to deliver kicks and punches to him, all with no effect. His body seemed impervious to harm no matter how hard she hit him. Horizon was a slender girl with little muscle, but she still believed he should have felt something.

Once she had dodged his attacks at least eight times, she stepped back and brushed a strand of loose hair out of her face. It was clear that even if he would tire out in time, she would succumb to exhaustion long before he would.

His movements were swift and calculated, clearly, he fought to kill, he was trained to kill, and that meant he was more than a match for a girl who only knew self-defense. He moved without hesitation, and he didn’t seem to put much concern on his own well being.

“You really want that box, huh?” Horizon asked as she wiped some sweat from her brow, stalling as much as she could while she tried to formulate a plan.

“Listen, kid, that box is more important than you’ll ever know. Give it up, these are grown-up matters, nothing that a child should be involved in.” He hissed.

Without another word, he lunged forward catching Horizon by surprise. His blades came down at her causing her to fall backward, landing on her bottom. She lifted her hands up in a futile effort to try and stop his blades, knowing her fate was sealed the moment they connected with her skin.

Her eyes shined, however, as a light came from her hands that repelled the blades, making Blade stagger backward as he covered his eyes to protect them from the new blinding white light.

Horizon blinked as she looked at her now glowing hands in confusion. What had happened? How had she repelled him?

He tried to strike again, but once more, Horizon held her hands up and blocked him, this time he was staggered ever further back, covering his eyes. “No... It’s not possible...” He muttered.

As Horizon came to a stand, she saw a sword made entirely out of light appear before her. Blinking she saw the world around her disappear, she was standing in space, stars all around her. She looked around in confusion as a cloaked figure appeared next to her.

She stared at the figure in white and tilted her head.

“Use it, Horizon,” the figure spoke.

Horizon blinked. “Who are you?”

The figure removed their hood to show their face. It was Horizon’s own face. “You must use the blade of light to defeat him, Horizon. Awaken your powers, and protect the box.”

“How are you here? Where are we?” Horizon asked.

The other Horizon shook their head. “There isn’t any time for that. All you need to know is that you have to awaken your power. Right now it’s still weak, but it should be more than enough to defeat Blade. With light as your magic affinity, you’ll be more than a match.”

Shrugging, Horizon took the blade in her hand and the moment she touched it, the world around her returned, and the other version of herself vanished. Taking a stance with the sword, Horizon prepared to counter-attack.

Blade blinked and saw the new sword in her hand. “Where the fuck did you get that!?”

Horizon looked at the sword and then back at him. She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Doesn’t matter, I guess... You’re still going to die!” He hissed as he rushed her again, both blades coming down on her, but only to be blocked as she held her light sword above her head to block his attack. She pushed him back with a grunt and took a slash at him, connecting just barely with his chest, leaving a sizable mark on him.

The mark festered and glowed white as one of his swords turned back into a hand for him to grip the new wound which apparently burned as he hissed in pain. “Fuck! Holy fucking shit!”

Taking advantage of the situation, Horizon took another swing and sliced his other arm clean off. As it fell to the ground with black sludge dripping from the stub, it evaporated into a black mist before touching the ground. He screamed in agony once more gripping the burning wound.

“FUCK!”

Horizon twirled and kicked his face, making him fall onto his back where she stepped on his chest with her heeled shoe and pointed the sword directly at his throat.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Take it easy, kid! You win, alright!?”

Horizon kept her neutral expression as per usual. “What’s in the box?”

He shook his head. “Even if I explained it to you, you wouldn’t get it.”

“Try,” Horizon said.

His fear turned to laughter as he began to laugh at her. “Why am I even afraid? You’ve never killed anyone before, have you? You don’t have the guts to off me. All you need to know is that you’re getting yourself into something way bigger than you can imagine. What’s in that box is more important than you can comprehend. I’m not the only one after it.”

“Is that all you’re willing to tell me?” Horizon asked.

“Damn straight, you don’t scare me, brat!” He barked.

Nodding, Horizon turned the sword and placed both hands upon the hilt and pointed it downward at his neck.

“Hey, wait a min-!”

It was too late, Horizon pushed the sword down, piercing his neck and severed his head from his shoulders. Once the head came off and the same black sludge spurted out.

Only seconds after his head was removed the entire body along with the head also dissipated into the same black mist that the arm had.

At least it answered one question to her: if Blade’s brother Slice was the same kind of creature he was, then this at least explained where his body went.

Horizon had never harmed someone before, let alone kill them. The sword vanished into thin air as she wandered back to her car and stumbled inside. She placed herself in the driver’s seat and placed both hands upon the steering wheel while she contemplated what had just happened.

Should she have called the authorities? No. They wouldn’t have believed her if she had told them that a man who could transform his arms into blades tried to kill her and when she killed him in self-defense his body disappeared into a black mist. Did she even need to tell them, anyway? After all, there was no body, so it wasn’t as if anyone would find out.

Murder was bad, but Horizon was protecting herself. Something inside of her told her also that there was far more to it than what she understood. This entire thing seemed like it was beyond what the police would comprehend and she had a feeling it was above what they were capable of handling.

Blade had used some kind of power to fight her, something that the police would never understand. The other version of herself that she saw called it magic, but was such a thing possible.

She looked at her hand and realized it was pointless to deny it. She had witnessed it with her own eyes, and that meant that magic was indeed real. What she saw was magic and that was what saved her life. The only questions were why could she use it and how?

For her entire life, Horizon never really felt like she was special or stood out much, so it didn’t make sense for her to be “chosen” to have such a gift.

It didn’t matter though. She had to inform the others of what had just happened. If there were more looking for the box like he was, then the others at least deserved to know that their lives would be in danger if they chose to continue helping Horizon.

Getting her car in motion, Horizon began to drive home in thought.

One Year Ago

Horizon had come home from a long and tiring day from Crystal Prep Academy, where Twilight had attended back in her youth. She went on and on about how it was a different school back then, and while Twilight thrived there, she admitted the pressure to succeed and the atmosphere was off-putting to most. Back then Crystal Prep was a ruthless academy where only the best of the best came out on top. The school focused on making sure you were performing at the highest level so as to make the school look good.

Things changed drastically when Twilight’s sister-in-law, Cadance, took over. She continued to achieve excellent results, but with a more nurturing atmosphere.

Horizon had made a visit to Cadance’s office early that day, to be scolded again for being late to class, which was commonplace for the girl. It was easy for Horizon to get lost in daydreams, after all.

When Horizon arrived at home, she tossed her bag onto a nearby chair in her room and quickly pulled her tie off. She unbuttoned her school uniform and managed to get the vest off with ease followed by the top. Now that her torso was free, she sat down in her desk chair with just her dark purple bra covering her upper region.

She made a spanning motion over the empty desk and her phone made a keyboard out of light appear in front of her and a window showing her internet browser. She began to check her usual blogs and message boards while she sat there bored.

Twilight, of course, came poking her head into the room and smiled at her daughter. “Long day at school, sweetie?”

Turning in her chair, Horizon shrugged at her guardian. “I guess so.”

Frowning, Twilight questioned her further. “Cadance says you still haven’t really made any friends?”

Shrugging again, Horizon turned back to her screen. “I guess not, though I don’t see a point.”

Now Twilight had grown concerned. She stepped out of the doorway and into the room proper as she glanced at her daughter who didn’t seem to care. “Horizon, I used to be a lot like you in that regard, but making friends can be a truly rewarding experience. Had I not done that, you wouldn’t even be here, I would never have met your mother.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Horizon turned to look at Twilight with a blank expression.

There was no malice or anger in her words, as per usual with Horizon, she was actually asking a legitimate question that she didn’t have an answer to. It always caught Twilight off guard, but she knew that her daughter was inquisitive like that.

Grimacing, Twilight nodded. “Of course it is.”

Horizon looked down at her knees and then turned back to her computer. “I guess I can’t bring myself to think about that kind of stuff...”

“Why not?” Twilight stepped forward.

Horizon was silent for a few seconds and all Twilight could hear was the synthesized clacking of keys from her digital keyboard. Eight clacks later and Horizon finally answered. “Twilight...”

“Hm?” Twilight leaned in.

“Have you ever felt like you don’t really exist?” Horizon asked, her eyes still glued onto the screen that reflected off of her glasses.

Twilight blinked, it was a question she had never expected to hear. “Like you don’t exist? What do you mean?”

“Like... That you’re not real. That you’re just kind of like... there, but you’re not supposed to be. Like you don’t belong anywhere...” Horizon stated quietly.

Is she sad? Twilight thought. It was rare for her daughter to show emotion, but she still couldn’t tell if it was sadness she was detecting in the girl’s voice or if it was another question like always.

“I’ve definitely felt like I don’t belong, but I can’t say that I have felt like I don’t exist... Do you feel that way, Horizon?” Twilight stepped closer to her daughter and placed a hand on the back of her chair.

The teenager had to think about it for a second.

“I guess so. I mostly notice it at school, but sometimes when I’m at home, I guess I feel the same way too.” She shrugged again.

“Does it... Make you sad?” Twilight moved her hand to her daughter’s shoulder.

Horizon couldn’t answer that right away. How did she feel about it? She didn’t know at first. After a little thought, she formulated an answer.

“I guess like... I’m not really sad about it. I just... Don’t feel anything toward it. If I don’t really exist, then I guess it would make sense that I don’t feel anything toward it because something that doesn’t exist lacks feeling, right?” Horizon clacked away at her keyboard before she noticed Twilight’s arms wrap around her and hold her tightly.

Her guardian kept her close and took a hand to stroke her messy hair. “Horizon... Not only do you exist, but you’re also the most important thing in the world to me. If you didn’t exist, I would have no reason to exist anymore.”

“What do you mean? You’re an important figure to the institute, you’re a successful scientist and-“ Horizon was cut off.

Twilight held the girl tighter as tears rolled down her eyes, ruining her eyeliner. “I only do all of that stuff for you. Maybe a long time ago I would have chased these dreams for myself, but I only do all that I do for you, Horizon. I do it to keep this house, this life we have. Without your mother here, you’re all I have left...”

Horizon was quiet for a moment before replying. “You put a lot of stock into me...”

“I have to. When you were born, I promised your mother that I would treat you better than myself, I promised to love you more than I’ve loved another person...” Twilight explained.

“Is that what having children is like, Twilight?” Horizon asked.

“It is for me. I love you more than you’ll ever know, just like I love your mother... With her gone, all I have is you, and if I ever lost you... I’d have nothing...” Twilight whimpered.

“You still have this estate and your career?” Horizon suggested.

Twilight shook her head. “They would have no value to me without you.”

Horizon didn’t quite understand. She couldn’t get how one person could mean so much to someone, but then again she didn’t get love. Perhaps it was a result of feeling like she didn’t really exist? After all, it was like she said: one who doesn’t exist can’t feel anything.

Reaching up and placing a hand atop of Twilight’s Horizon gave it a gentle squeeze. “Even if I feel like I don’t exist sometimes, there’s no mistaking one thing...”

“What’s that?” Twilight lifted her head up and wiped her tears with her free hand.

“That you exist,” Horizon said plainly.

“How do you figure that?” Twilight smiled.

“There is no mistaking it. Something that doesn’t exist wouldn’t feel as strongly as you do. Your love proves your existence if that makes sense... I think that makes sense anyway...” Horizon placed a hand upon her chin.

Twilight giggled and gave her daughter another squeeze. “Then so long as I love you, you’ll always exist too.”

“I suppose that’s a good theory too...” Horizon nodded in agreement.

Giggling, Twilight kissed her daughter’s forehead.

Horizon stopped her car at a nearby McDonalds and turned the engine off as she tried to contemplate what had just happened. Blade was dead, yet his body evaporated into thin air. At the very least that meant that it would be difficult to link Horizon to the crime, right?

She had to end him though, he was trying to kill her, she acted on instinct. She nodded to herself as she realized it was indeed the most logical conclusion.

Tapping her phone on her wrist, she began a call with Jasper who answered after the eighth ring.

“Horizon? Do y’all know what time it is?”

Checking the time, Horizon gave her answer. “9:08 PM, which should put you right about in the middle of brushing your teeth.”

“How did y’all know I was about to do that?” Jasper questioned.

“When I came over as often as I did, I began to learn a majority of your patterns and mannerisms then,” Horizon explained.

Jasper sighed. “I suppose I should expect y’all to do somethin’ like that...”

Horizon ignored his implication and began to speak about her encounter with Blade. “Jasper, I ran into someone on the way home that I think you should know about.”

“Huh? Who?” Jasper asked.

“Some guy named Blade, he had me follow him to the Everfree forest, and then when he got off his bike he started demanding the box,” Horizon explained.

“How did he know about that?” Jasper asked.

“I don’t know. He said that Sunset and his brother named Slice fought and killed each other, so I guess we know who killed her now...” Horizon continued.

Jasper could be heard rinsing his mouth out before he answered. “So what’d y’all do? Did ya’ give him the box?”

“No. And then when I refused he attacked me and said he was going to kill me for it.”

After spitting, Jasper’s tone grew concerned. “Sheesh! Are y’all alright!? What happened?”

“His arms got covered in this black stuff like it came out of nothingness and his arms sort of... transformed into swords,” Horizon explained.

“His arms... transformed... into swords?” Jasper asked, clearly in disbelief.

“Yeah.”

“What did you do?” Jasper gulped.

“I killed him,” Horizon said plainly.

“What!? Horizon this is serious! We gotta call the police!” Jasper panicked.

Horizon leaned back in her car seat and began to rattle her explanation off. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Huh? Why? It was self-defense, you should be fine!” Jasper protested.

“Yeah, but the police are never going to believe his arms turned into swords, on top of that, there’s nothing to report anyway... There’s no body,” Horizon calmly said.

“No body? How?” Jasper asked.

“After he died, his body just... evaporated or something. Like it just turned into a black mist and disappeared. So even if I wanted to report it, there’s no body to do so with...” Horizon explained.

Jasper was silent as he thought it over, but after a few minutes of mulling over what to do, he finally replied. “Horizon, I think we’ve gotten involved in somethin’ dangerous. It might be better to pull out now before it’s too late...”

Horizon was as calm as always in her response. “It’s too late for that now.”

“What do ya’ mean?” Jasper asked.

“There’s something that everyone should know... We’ll gather tomorrow and talk about it, okay?” Horizon said.

“A-alright... I’ll be there. I’ll tell Cloud and Bolt to meet us at the usual spot...” Jasper said.

“Alright, we’ll talk then.” Horizon nodded before hanging up.

Keeping her eyes on the ceiling of her car, she wondered how much stranger this entire thing was going to get. It was too late to go back now though.

When Horizon met with the others, she went over what had transpired and how Blade had attempted to kill her, only to be defeated thanks to what appeared to be another version of herself that had awoken some kind of power within her. She told them of the magic sword of light that vanished from her grip when the fight was over.

After she finished her story, Cloud’s mouth was open in awe as he took it all in. He seemed legitimately fascinated in what had transpired. That fascination seemed to overshadow his initial concern that she had killed a man.

“So some kind of magic sword then? That’s incredible!” Cloud leaned over the table in astonishment.

Jasper nodded as he crossed his arms in thought. “Even I have to admit, that’s a doozy of a story...”

Bolt seemed to be concerned more over what the strange man had initially wanted rather than how impressive Horizon’s fight was. While Bolt could appreciate a good fight, he was more focused on the things that mattered at that moment. “So you’re saying the guy was after the box then?”

Turning to face him, Horizon’s entire demeanor was odd for someone who had nearly dodged being murdered the day prior. “I suppose so, so I guess that means the box is supernatural like he was?”

“Just like that TV show!” Cloud chimed in excitedly clapping his hands together.

“Yeah except we aren’t two brothers chasing after werewolves or something...” Bolt crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

“Werewolves ain’t real.” Jasper sighed.

“I don’t know... I mean if this crap is real, how is it hard to believe that someone could transform into a wolf? This guy apparently turned his arms into blades, doesn’t seem like much of a stretch...” Bolt pointed out.

Jasper opened his mouth to disagree, but he bit his lip as he realized he didn’t have much of an argument to counter with. If a person could transform their arms into swords, then transforming into a wolf seemed just as likely. A few days ago he wouldn’t have even entertained the idea, but after all he had seen, he was willing to believe anything.

“So wait, we’re talking about werewolves now? What do they have to do with any of this?” Cloud tilted his head.

“Nothing.” Bolt groaned.

“Oh... right...” Cloud blushed and sunk down in his seat. It was clear he was just excited to be a part of the conversation. He had been playing catch up for a few days, so he was enjoying feeling like he was finally understanding what was going on.

“Getting off the topic of werewolves, I wonder if Sunset knew about any of the supernatural elements going on surrounding the box...” Horizon wondered out loud.

“We definitely know she did before she died, because if that guy’s brother killed her, then she had to have known at least up to that level...” Bolt suggested.

Jasper shook his head and chuckled. “Y’all are dense ain’t ya?”

“What?” Bolt growled.

“Think about it...” Jasper waved his hand as he spoke.

“What?” Bolt questioned again.

“If Sunset was the one who hid the box which clearly she was hidin’ from them, she had to have known before then...” Jasper smiled as he explained it.

“Always trying to show me up, aren’t you?” Bolt looked away annoyed.

“Don’t take much...” Jasper rolled his eyes.

Standing up and pounding his fists into the table, Bolt hissed at the blonde. “Alright, I’ve had enough of your mouth! Let’s go right now!”

Jasper sighed and shook his head. “Sit down.”

“Oh, you think you’re better than me, huh!?” Bolt growled.

“Calm down, Bolt...” Cloud frowned, grabbing his brother’s pant leg.

“This guy is always slagging me off and I’m tired of it!” Bolt jerked forward.

“Bolt, can we please focus?” Horizon asked.

Looking at the young girl, Bolt’s face seemed to calm down as he locked eyes with her. Horizon’s blank expression somehow was calming at times. She was easy on the eyes, if not a bit unkempt. For a moment, he wondered if she’d be cuter if she smiled.

Sighing, Bolt sat back down. “Fine... Sorry...”

Horizon placed a hand upon her chin as she went over what they knew. “So, this means that Sunset knew about these powers prior to this, and that means... The box may be locked with some kind of magic then?”

“Hey! That’s a good idea there! I mean you said it yourself that the box can’t be opened by conventional means, so maybe magic is the way to unlock it?” Cloud suggested.

“I think Cloud is right... Can you use that magic that you used to open it?” Bolt said.

Horizon shook her head. “I tried to summon the sword again later, but nothing happened. I think it’s a situational thing... That or I’m just not good at it yet...”

“The mystery thickens...” Bolt grinned.

“I think we might be able to find more out if we can get into the computer at my house...” Horizon suggested.

“Yeah, but how?” Bolt asked.

A long black overcoat covered a shivering young teenager who struggled to retain warmth at any given time of the year. She was always freezing due to her low body fat. She was slim and short unlike her elder sister who was slim and tall (she also sported a slightly larger bust than her as well, though far from impressive).

Opening her locker, she glanced at herself in the mirror she had placed inside. Her pale skin shined in the vibrant lights of the Crystal Prep hallways, and her light muted purple with hair with white highlights matched her uniform that was tucked under her long coat. Her long hair was cut with blunt bangs and came down to her lower back. When she was feeling creative or inspired, sometimes she would tie it in a messy bun behind her head, but regardless of how she wore it, it always seemed to be a mess.

A pencil was tucked behind her ear, sitting just above the frame of her glasses which were round in shape, decorating her small face and pointed nose. Peach colored eyes glanced back at her from the mirror as she observed herself. She leaned in and tried adjusting one of the several cowlicks that her hair was sporting but to no avail.

Her pencil behind her ear wasn’t merely for schoolwork though, as she often would doodle in several sketchbooks that she carried with her at all times. They were here most closely guarded treasures as she couldn’t always sneak out her digital drawing stylus during classes. When she had free time, she would pull up a holographic drawing surface with her phone and craft many digital pieces of art.

Her name was Yuna, and she was in the top eight of her class despite her young age. She had been skipped ahead a grade some time ago and continued to excel despite lacking much in the way of social skills.

Sighing, she closed her locker and composed herself as she headed to her next class, math. She was already ahead in math as she had hacked into the teacher’s system and stolen the syllabus months ago. While she was exceptional at hacking, Yuna never used her abilities to cheat in school, only to give herself a head start. Less school work meant more time for drawing after all.

Making her way into math class, the girl kept her sketchbook close to her chest as she wandered in and found her seat. Most of the other students ignored her, shy of the few who whispered as she walked by. Yuna was used to being seen as a “weirdo” or a “freak” as she was dreadful at socializing and kept to herself. In a world where humans were social creatures, being anti-social was a one-way ticket to being mocked, and Yuna accepted that.

In actuality, while school was somewhat of a lonely place, she didn’t make it tremendously. The other kids teased her, but at least 80% of the time it was behind her back where she would never hear it, so she was fine with it. Out of sight, out of mind.

Taking her seat, she heard the bell ring. The teacher began to do roll call followed by them continuing their lecture from the previous day. Yuna became bored from the lack of challenge instantly and looked down at her wrist to check her phone. She produced a small window that displayed her newsfeed for Deviantart which was showing tons of praise for her most recent drawing.

Her eyes were distracted from the feed, however, when the teacher ceased talking and the entire class glanced in the direction of the entrance. There with disheveled hair as always and a plain expression plastered on her face was perhaps the most gorgeous person that Yuna had ever seen in her entire life, Horizon Shimmer.

Horizon stood there bored as she wandered in to take her seat. The moment she sat down, she rested her head on her chin.

The teacher seemed annoyed at her tardiness and chose to grill her on it this time. “Miss Shimmer, you do realize that attending my class on time is a part of your grade?”

“I think I remember reading that on the syllabus, yes...” Horizon shrugged.

“Then I’m going to have to once again ask you to try and be on time. Every time you come in late, you’re interrupted my lecture for all the other students...” He scolded further.

“Okay,” Horizon bluntly responded, her expression unchanged.

The teacher was grinding his teeth for a moment before shaking his head and returning to his lesson, knowing that continuing the argument with Horizon was likely a colossal waste of his precious time.

Whispers about Horizon circled the room for a few seconds before everyone silenced and focused on the lesson when they suspected that the teacher was ready to start handing out detention to those not paying attention.

Yuna stared in Horizon’s direction and examined her. To Yuna, she was the stunning image of perfection. Her cute freckles, her thick messy hair that made Yuna want to run her hands through it, her adorable shining pink eyes. It was too much for her, she had fallen for Horizon Shimmer probably when she first saw her and ever since she had admired her.

Never could she bring herself to actually speak to the girl though, as she knew that someone as attractive and important as Horizon Shimmer would never give her the time of day. She knew that her family owed a lot to the Shimmers, but they weren’t in much contact with them anymore due to the secretive and busy nature they kept.

Yuna knew that her elder sister, Moondancer had a relationship with the younger of the Shimmer heirs long ago before she was murdered and the other, Sunset, married a woman named Twilight Sparkle, who was Horizon’s guardian. After that though, the Shimmers became a fairly secluded family and kept most of their personal life out of the public eye. Moondancer hadn’t seen them in years despite living in the same city, but that was likely due to how busy they were.

Twilight ran a prestigious institute and was quite a heavy investor in the stock market on top of her day job as a researcher.

What kind of crowd Horizon hung around was also a mystery to Yuna as she never saw her associate with anyone at school.

Her pencil went down to her sketchbook and began to trace the girl of her affection’s figure onto paper. Each scratch of her pencil brought it closer and closer to looking like the real thing, and despite only having that class period to draw her crush, Yuna was able to produce quite a detailed replica of her on paper. Most of her details she could draw from memory at this point, and her sketchbooks were filled with hundreds of drawings of the girl.

When Yuna was drawing Horizon, the entire world around her would disappear. Her eyes were glued to the paper and her subject as she glanced up at her from time to time to perfect minor details such as her freckles, ensuring they were in the correct place.

Before she knew it, forty minutes had passed and the bell to end the day had rung. Yuna flinched at the sound as she looked up, watching the other kids all leave. Horizon was stuffing things into her bag quickly to make a hasty exit as well. In all of her time observing the girl, Yuna had never known Horizon to be in a hurry to get anywhere, but in the last few weeks, Horizon had been quite hasty to get out of class.

Something in her personal life must have been going on, Yuna figured and she got up after all had left and started to head out.

The teacher nodded and smiled at the girl who had always finished her assignments on time, causing Yuna to smile and nod back as she adjusted the bag around her shoulder.

With her sketchbook in hand, Yuna pulled up a window for her feed once more and made it display in front of her glasses as she wandered toward her locker.

Without paying much attention, she found herself standing only a few feet away from Horizon Shimmer. Removing the feed from her eyes, Yuna stared at the girl who was standing in front of her locker with her hand inside of it, staring at something that was in her hand inside of the locker.

Biting her lip, Yuna mustered up the courage to try and get a look at what she was looking at. As she inched closer, she lost grip of her sketchbook and it fell to the floor, scattering dozens of drawings that she had stuffed into it all over, almost all of them of Horizon.

Yuna’s heart began to race as she knelt down in a panic, trying to scoop up as many of the drawings as she could, but like clockwork, Horizon stuffed the item that was in her hand in her bag and looked back at the sound that came from behind her.

As Horizon looked at the timid looking girl kneeling down, she too crouched down and picked up a few of the papers and examined them. Without seconds she recognized the subject.

Yuna had frozen as her face grew cold with fear. Her crush had just picked up a stash of her drawings of her and was now staring at them.

There was silence between the two of them for several awkward seconds before Horizon turned one of the drawings over and placed it near her head, her eyes presenting an expression that was impossible to read. “This is me, right?”

Yuna gulped and nodded.

Turning it back around, Horizon looked at it for a few more seconds and nodded before handing it back to her. “It’s an impressive likeness. Do I really have hands that small?”

“I-I guess so...” Yuna stuttered.

Horizon nodded again and helped her gather the rest of her sketches together and passed them off to Yuna.

“You’re Yuna, right?” Horizon asked.

“Y-yes...” Yuna blinked.

Is she really not going to say anything about how weird it is that I have all these drawings of her? Yuna thought.

“Moondancer’s sister, correct?” Horizon continued her questioning.

“Y-yes... That’s correct...” Yuna blushed deeply.

Horizon just nodded and came to a stand, offering her hand to help Yuna up.

Yuna hesitated for a moment but took the girl’s small hand. Feeling their hands connect made Yuna’s heart race even faster than it already was. Her hand was so soft, so gentle, Yuna didn’t want to let go, despite her hands getting sweaty.

Sadly, she had to let go once she was standing, and her eyes locked with Horizon’s making her melt.

“You’re a skilled artist, Yuna,” Horizon commented.

“T-thank you... But I am only as good as my subject...” Yuna blushed as she took a chance at an indirect compliment.

Horizon tilted her head awkwardly. “That’s me, right?”

Feeling her face heat up and her legs tremble, Yuna nodded.

“Did you need me to pose better for you? I can take some pictures if you think that’ll help you,” Horizon suggested.

Yuna felt her heart almost jump out of her throat and now she was choking on it. She struggled to talk as she stammered for a few moments, she could barely keep standing as she tried to contain her nervousness, “I... I...”

Horizon just stood there, oblivious as always. “Hm?”

“I would like that very much...” Yuna looked away bashfully.

Nodding, Horizon held up her wrist with her phone on it. “Let me give you my number so we can talk about it later, alright?”

With butterflies in her stomach, Yuna nodded silently in agreement as she held up her own wrist and the two tapped their phones together, transferring their contact cards.

Checking over the new contact, Horizon nodded. “Send me a message sometime and I’ll have someone bring you over or go over there for you to draw me if you want.”

Yuna blinked in astonishment. This girl didn’t seem to find it weird or creepy that Yuna was always drawing her at all, furthermore, she was very forthcoming with aiding Yuna in drawing her. She was a peculiar case for sure, but Yuna felt her oddities only served to make her more desirable.

“O-okay...” Yuna nodded nervously.

Checking the time first, Horizon gestured with her head toward the entrance. “I have to go meet some people for some stuff that I have to do. I’m sure we’ll converse later. I’ll try and message you tonight.”

Yuna couldn’t even make her hand wave as the strange girl left. Her brain was still processing what had just happened to her. Her crush had just given her her phone number and offered to let her draw her.

“We’re here live with Tea Apple, author, and creator of The Circlet of Feydra which was just greenlit for a new trilogy series based upon her popular book series. It’s great to have you, so I think a lot of people are dying to know what happens now that the circlet is dealt with? What kind of adventures could the heroes go on now?” A interviewer on a holographic TV screen asked a woman sitting across from him.

Sitting across from him, the woman crossed her legs and smiled. “Well, I can’t reveal anything yet, but let’s just say that there’s still other artifacts that had to do with the circlet’s creation that still hold a lot of weight in their universe.”

“Is there anything you can confirm for us?” The interviewer asked.

“I can at least confirm that Curious Strings will be working on the score for it. I’ve had great luck with them in the past.” Tea Apple giggled.

“Turn that off...” Adagio barked at her younger sister.

Serenade sighed and turned the volume down instead. “It was starting to get interesting though. Feydra is actually a pretty great series, you should read it sometime.”

Adagio shook her head. “I have enough to do. Babysitting you take up much of my time.”

Rolling her eyes, Serenade crossed her dainty legs. “You know I’m old enough to take care of myself, right?”

Stepping closer, Adagio ruffled her sister’s lavish thick blonde hair and chuckled. “Even in home country, you would be seen as little shit.”

“And what would they call you?” Serenade asked.

“Saint, for putting up with you.” Adagio smirked as she sat down next to her younger sister.

“You’re so funny...” Serenade rolled her eyes.

The older sister placed an arm around her sibling’s shoulder and smiled as she held her close. Her striped black and white sleeves warming Serenade’s exposed shoulder from her scoop top as it rested there. Adagio could see the girl’s pink bra strap, making her giggle as she realized her sister was getting older. Eventually she would have a boyfriend and maybe even get married. She was an attractive girl after all.

Serenade cooed as her sister began to pet her head affectionately. “We’re going to Maryland next, aren’t we?”

“Yes. Agent say we going to see record company there. Possible new record deal, hopes it will go international,” Adagio answered.

Smiling, Serenade nodded. “That would be so awesome!”

It was quite extraordinary, but Adagio was also relieved that it would get the two of them out of New York. After her encounter a few months back, she didn’t feel it was safe to stay there any longer.

Something bigger than herself was definitely going on, but she was determined to keep Serenade away from it. She didn’t care what she had to do to keep the young teen safe. Her mind was still locked on her encounter from before with another version of herself.

Coming home from Crystal Prep, Yuna undid her Mary Janes and tossed them aside haphazardly. The young teen made her way through the house, announcing she had made it home to her elder sister. “I’m home!”

Moondancer poked her head out of her office and nodded at the girl. “Hey sis, mom says hi from Mexico.”

Yuna smiled at the sentiment and nodded. “I’m glad she’s enjoying her vacation.”

“Same, so how was school?” Moondancer asked.

“F-fine...” Yuna blushed as she remembered her encounter with Horizon Shimmer.

Moondancer nodded and gestured back into her office. “I have to get back to work, but if you need anything let me know, alright? I’ll start dinner in about an hour or so.”

“Okay, thanks sis.” Yuna nodded as she headed into her bedroom.

Once she was inside, she shut the door and undid her tie and began to strip to get into more comfortable clothing. Once her uniform was off and tossed onto a nearby vanity table, Yuna glanced at her form in her underwear in the mirror. She was smaller chested and lacked much in the way of curves, but she had a very feminine face and rear.

Would someone like Horizon ever go for someone like her? Was she even interested in girls? She had never seen her with a boyfriend after all, and she didn’t seem to have any friends at Crystal Prep either. Most of the time, what Yuna heard about her was whispers that were teasing the poor girl. In a way, she felt bad for her, as she knew what it was like to be teased. At school, a lot of the other kids didn’t like her because she was so smart. Most of the time they ignored her though.

She was an outsider just like Horizon, but the difference was that she didn’t come from a prestigious family like Horizon did. Horizon’s family was worth over $800 million, and she had a lavish estate. Yuna’s family had only come into money just before Yuna was born, and were worth around $26 million with their investments.

Their family had only gotten their money from a generous donation left to them in Shimmer’s will. If it were not for Moondancer dating her when she was younger they would all still be poor and Yuna would have never gotten to go to Crystal Prep. She was thankful to the Shimmer family, even if they didn’t acknowledge their family much these days.

Slipping into a green tank top and sliding an oversized hoodie over her form, Yuna moved some of the clutter on her desk aside so she could project a screen and keyboard from her phone in front of her. It had occurred to her from time to time that she was much like her older sister when it came to cleaning and organization. Both of them lived in messes, but it never seemed to bother either of them, though their mother would always get annoyed. Yuna and her sister had quite a bit in common actually, and they got along well. On Friday nights, they would play a round or two of Ogres and Oubliettes and play some PlayStation on Saturdays.

Yuna pulled up her deviantart feed once again and began checking her requests. Many of them were always from horny teenage boys asking her to draw some strange fetish crap, but she just ignored them. She had never drawn anything inappropriate.

Her reading was interrupted by a text message that popped up on the screen. It was from Horizon Shimmer.

Hey, sorry for being in such a hurry. I had some important stuff to do, so I couldn’t stick around. I promised I’d message you, so that’s what I’m doing.

Blinking, Yuna didn’t actually expect her to message her, let alone on the same day.

Oh, it’s alright. You’re probably a very busy person, I don’t want to take up too much of your time after all.

Horizon’s answer was surprising.

Not usually actually. I don’t have many people that require my attention, so I’m usually free all the time. You’ve just caught me coincidentally at a time where something is going on in my life, that’s all.

Yuna didn’t know what to say. It sounded like her theory was correct: Horizon didn’t have many friends, but now she was curious about what she was doing.

I see. Well, thank you for taking the time to message me.

The abrupt subject change startled her a bit as Horizon responded.

So you wanted to draw me, right? Would you prefer I send photos or did you want me to sit there in person? I can hold still for quite a while.

Yuna’s heart started to beat faster. She couldn’t believe that Horizon was offering to pose for her. She had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

In person is often better because I can get the details more accurate than I can from a photo. I always drew you in the past from when I saw you in person... That’s not weird, is it?

Yuna wondered how many drawings of Horizon she had actually made. She guessed it was somewhere around eighty if she didn’t count quick rough sketches. If she counted those, it was probably over a hundred.

She had gotten to the point where she could probably draw the girl from memory.

Why would that be weird?

Yuna gulped as she went to explain.

Well... It’s usually not normal for someone to draw another person without their permission over and over...

The answer she got to that message baffled her.

It’s not? I guess I wouldn’t know. I’m not very good at social etiquette, sorry. So when did you want me to come over so you could draw me? What should I wear? Or would you prefer I take my clothes off for you?

Yuna’s face got hot as she read that last sentence. Her mind slowly trailed to what Horizon would look like without anything covering her beautiful form.

Her mind began to twirl a fantasy as she envisioned Horizon standing before her slowly stripping off her shirt, then sliding her skirt down before unfastening her bra and leaning down to give Yuna a full look at her cleavage...

She came back to reality and realized she was going overboard. She fanned herself as she realized how hot she had become.

Take your clothes off!? Why would you do that!?

As expected, it wasn’t an attempt to come onto Yuna, but instead just the suggestion of a girl who literally didn’t know any better.

I thought artists liked to draw nudes. Isn’t that what you wanted? Or am I being dense again? Sorry, Bolt says I’m dense sometimes.

She didn’t have a clue who Bolt was, and while she would have loved to tell the girl to take all her clothes off in front of her, Yuna didn’t want to seem too eager; though the idea was tempting and it took everything in her being to decline the offer.

You can keep your clothes on. I don’t think it’d be a good idea for you to come over and get naked anyway... My sister may start getting the wrong idea.

Horizon seemed remarkably agreeable to the situation.

Alright, so you want to do this tomorrow then? I’ll drop by after school, I can give you a ride home, sound good?

Yuna was elated at the offer.

Sure. I’ll see you then?

Horizon ended the conversation.

Yup. See you tomorrow.

Yuna leaned back in her chair and placed her hands upon her chest. Her heart was racing still. This was almost like a date really, though she knew it really wasn’t; still being able to spend so much time close to Horizon Shimmer had her excited.

A paper that had been printed from a local news site sat upon a coffee table. The article detailed two up-and-coming musicians who were starting to get popular in their local area in New York.

Crowds gathered last week to see the performance of Sirens, a singing duo of sisters who have captured the locals’ hearts. The pair have sold out their concerts at least eight times already and are slated to take on big record deals and potentially go international.

The pair is made up of Adagio Dazzle and her younger sister Serenade Dazzle. The two immigrated to the US during the Russian crisis a few years back during the refugee program. They discovered their talent for singing a few years back and have quickly become the local darlings of New York.

During an interview last week, Serenade Dazzle had this to say: “I’m ecstatic that we get this kind of opportunity. It’s amazing to think how far we’ve come despite all we’ve been through. It’s really true that America is the land of opportunities, as we’ve been given the opportunity to sing for so many and that’s amazing!”

Adagio commented that their journey has been “incredible” and that she was “very thankful to have the chance at a better life.”

Sirens are scheduled to travel to Maryland shortly to meet up with an undisclosed record company to discuss a new deal. This could be the big breakthrough for the two women with the golden voices. A story of rags to riches for these young maidens.

A scoff could be heard as a switchblade knife stabbed through the paper and an effeminate voice echoed through the room as they stared at the picture of Adagio that now had a knife through it.

“Well, looks like we’ll be heading to Maryland soon...” They said, a smirk coming to their face.

Author's Note

Yuna was the final kid added for Act VII in my notes, and I am super happy with how she turned out. Applety actually designed most of her appearance, but I hope you guys really like her because she's a cutie just like her older sister!

Also, things are heating up!

Act VII Part I - Chapter CIII: Artist

Chapter CIII: Artist

Horizon came out of class and stuffed her notebook in her side bag as she wandered her way to the lockers. With her eyes forward, she scanned the crowded hallway full of students all trying to gather their things to leave school as promptly as possible, for her newfound acquaintance from the other day. It would only take a few seconds until the shape of Yuna came into her vision.

Approaching from behind, Horizon placed her hands in front of herself after tapping the young teen on the shoulder.

Yuna yelped and jumped before turning around and blushing as she came to face Horizon. “O-oh... Horizon, I didn’t see you there.”

Horizon shrugged as she stood still.

Yuna examined her, her uniform was gorgeously form-fitting for the girl, and the black skull hairpin added just a tiny bit of originality to the outfit that made her stand out slightly from other students. She was gorgeous, Yuna wanted to just lean in to kiss her, in front of everyone to make the other students think that they were dating. That was what she wanted, but she was far too nervous to even make an attempt like that.

“Are you ready to go?” Horizon asked.

Yuna nodded.

Stepping toward the exit to the school, Horizon made a gesture with her hand to signal Yuna to follow, which she did. The artist kept close to Horizon as they wandered through the hall. Many students glanced in their direction but lost interest quickly as two invisible students chose to associate with each other. While people would sometimes whisper about both of them, no one really was concerned about Yuna and Horizon.

Inching closer to Horizon, Yuna could smell her body spray. It had a mango scent to it, which Yuna found intoxicating. She just wanted to lean in and sniff the girl’s hair after she began to scratch her head. She wondered if Horizon was the type of girl who cooed with delight when she got her head scratched or if she just closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Yuna bit her lip as the two approached Horizon’s car. Yuna blinked a few times as she adjusted her glasses and observed the expensive car. “Wow... This is a nice car...”

Horizon glanced back at Yuna and shrugged before opening the driver’s side door and stepping inside. Yuna quickly ran around to the other side and let herself into the passenger’s seat where she fastened her seatbelt.

Checking the mirror, Horizon tapped a touch screen on the console and heard a familiar digital assistant speak to her. “Where to today, Horizon?”

Horizon looked over at Yuna.

Yuna stared for a minute, observing her soft eyes that seemed to sport a bored expression at all times. Yuna had never once drawn her smiling, as she didn’t want to try and capture it on paper if she had never seen it, as she wanted it to be authentic.

“Oh, my address... It’s 80 Youth Hopper Street...” Yuna blushed as she wondered if Horizon had caught her staring.

Nodding, Horizon looked back at the console and spoke. “Take us there, Siri.”

“Understood, please relax as I bring us all to your destination,” Siri responded.

Leaning back in her seat, Horizon yawned as she let the car do all the work. Auto-pilot on cars had grown advanced enough to take people virtually anywhere without interaction from the driver, but people still usually preferred to drive manually. Auto-pilot was often just used to go short distances.

Yuna smiled as the two made eye contact. “T-thank you for bringing me home...”

Horizon kept her tired eyes focused on Yuna as she responded. “It’s alright. I didn’t have anything planned anyway. I kept my schedule open for you since I don’t know how long it takes to be drawn.”

The blush on Yuna’s face grew. “Well, it can take hours if done right, especially with color...”

“That’s alright. I googled a bit on modeling yesterday to make sure that I could be a good model for you,” Horizon explained.

She actually went out of her way to make sure she would be a good model for me? Yuna thought.

“I’m sure you’ll do fine...” Yuna meekly replied.

There was a silence between the two until Horizon let out a long yawn. “Is it alright if I nap while we wait? Looks like traffic is bad, so we have a good twenty minutes...”

Yuna nodded. “Go ahead, I can get some practice drawing you while you sleep.”

“Sounds good to me...” Horizon yawned again and closed her eyes, quickly drifting off into a slumber as Yuna retrieved her sketchbook and instantly went to work.

Within only eight minutes, Yuna was starting to get a decent likeness of the sleeping girl who laid quite lazily. Horizon reminded Yuna somewhat of a dog that slept lazily, and it was insanely adorable.

As she traced her figure with her pencil, Yuna noted how Horizon made cute noises while she slept, they were soft and subtle to where you had to really listen for them to hear them, but Yuna loved hearing them.

Adjusting her glasses and gulping, Yuna reached forward and brushed a strand of the girl’s hair out of her face ever so carefully. She panicked as the girl stirred in her sleep, wondering if she was going to wake up from the touch, but thankfully, Horizon stayed asleep.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yuna continued her drawing, studying Horizon as closely as she could without disturbing her slumber.

She’s so cute! Yuna giggled internally as she watched her.

Yuna noticed a charm located on Horizon’s bag that caught her interest. The emblem on it was familiar, it was the same emblem that Sunset Shimmer sported. She had seen it before because Moondancer had a few pictures of the girl and a few newspaper articles about the Shimmer family.

She had never seen any of the Shimmers in person except for Horizon, so she wondered what they were like. What kind of person was Twilight Shimmer? What kind of person was Sunset Shimmer? Yuna was intrigued. While Moondancer said she was friends with the family, Twilight was a busy woman so they didn't see each other in years.

Yuna continued her drawing all the way until the car parked next to her house. Siri acknowledged their arrival and Yuna leaned over to gently shake Horizon awake. “Horizon, we’re here...”

Stretching, Horizon opened her eyes and adjusted her glasses that were falling off of her face. She looked over at the house and then back at Yuna. “You live here?”

Yuna nodded.

Horizon sat up and undid her seatbelt and unlocked her door. Yuna followed suit and both of them stepped outside the car, with Horizon locking the door behind them. The two glanced at the house before Horizon gestured for Yuna to lead.

Nervously, Yuna opened the gate and let the two of them in and they began to ascent up the stairs into the house proper. “I’m home!” Yuna yelled through the house.

There was no response. Sighing, Yuna looked back at Horizon and shrugged. “Sorry, I guess my sister is working late, so it’s just us, are you hungry?”

“Not really. Shall I change into a more suitable outfit for your drawing?” Horizon asked.

Yuna pointed toward one of the four bathrooms in the building. “You can change in the bathroom over there. My room is across the hall two doors down.” She pointed toward her room after. “I’ll meet you in there.”

Horizon nodded and headed to the bathroom with her bag. Yuna, on the other hand, wandered into her bedroom and cleared off a chair for Horizon to use. It had occurred to her though that her room was a mess, and she should have cleaned up a bit before Horizon came over. She was worried that Horizon would think she lived in squaller.

Adjusting her sketchbook, Yuna straightened herself up as Horizon walked back into the room. Her outfit had Yuna practically drooling.

Horizon was wearing a short black spaghetti strap dress that was longer on the right than the left. The skirt came down to just above her knee on one side and the other side sat just below her hip, getting dangerously close to exposing her panties.

Yuna could tell that the bra Horizon was wearing was a deep purple from the straps.

“Where should I sit?” Horizon asked.

Yuna blushed and cleared her throat as she pointed to the chair she had set up for her. “Right over there is fine.”

Looking at the chair, Horizon wandered over to it and placed a hand upon the back.

“Sorry, it’s so messy...” Yuna frowned.

Horizon shook her head. “It’s fine, but most of the pictures I saw online wouldn’t use a kitchen chair to model with.”

Yuna rubbed her neck. She had a point.

“What else can we use?” Yuna asked.

Horizon glanced around the room and noted the only other place to sit that wasn’t covered in clothes, books, or sketches was the bed. Horizon pointed to the bed and wandered over to it. Yuna wanted to object as she wasn’t sure how ready she was for Horizon to get on her bed, but no words came out.

Climbing onto the bed, Horizon crawled up and turned on her side, allowing the strap of her dress to fall down her shoulder. Her legs curled up ever so slightly giving a tiny glimpse of her panties which matched her bra. Yuna’s entire face went red as she found herself breathing heavily. Horizon Shimmer was in her bed, posing for her in perhaps the sexiest pose she had ever imagined.

A part of Yuna wanted to crawl into bed with her and let Horizon have her way with her. She restrained herself as her shyness won out.

Clearing her throat, Yuna felt like she had a frog in her throat. “That’s... Quite a pose...”

Horizon shrugged lightly. “I looked it up online, is this acceptable?”

It’s beyond acceptable. Yuna thought.

“Y-yeah... It’s fine...” She played it off.

“Are you alright?” Horizon asked.

I want you to do unspeakable things to me. Yuna shivered as she felt her spine tingle just at the thought, but she composed herself and picked up her sketchbook, ready to focus and draw.

“I’m fine. Are you comfortable?” Yuna asked.

Horizon nodded.

“Alright, just hold still for me,” Yuna instructed as her pencil went to work.

The room was silent for several minutes as Yuna traced the girl’s attractive body onto paper. Her mind began to get in the zone as she started to see the drawing come to life and slowly begin to resemble the subject it was based upon.

“How long have you been drawing?” Horizon broke the silence.

Keeping her focus on the drawing, Yuna carried the conversation with her eyes glancing back and forth between the paper and Horizon’s form. “About as long as I can remember. I want to be an illustrator one day.”

“I can’t draw,” Horizon responded plainly.

“It just takes practice. What are you good at, Horizon?” Yuna took the opportunity to get to know the girl better.

“Not much. I’m pretty good at climbing, I guess?” Horizon said.

“What are you into?” Yuna asked.

“Anime, I guess.” Horizon shrugged.

Yuna giggled. “I like anime too.”

“Did you learn to draw from anime?” Horizon asked.

Yuna nodded. “Sure did. It inspired me when I was little.”

“I suppose it’s good to have a passion, that’s what Twilight says all the time, anyway,” Horizon said.

Yuna drew a few more lines on the paper before speaking again. “Are you and Twilight close?”

Horizon shrugged once more. “I don’t know. We talk now and then, but I guess I don’t really know what ‘close’ between two people is.”

“Why do you call her Twilight?” Yuna asked.

“She said it’s a respect thing because Sunset is my mother so she didn’t want to steal the title or something like that...” Horizon looked like she was trying to recall the reason without paraphrasing, but she was certain that she must have worded it wrong.

Yuna focused on her sketch, her eyes wandering between the gorgeous figure in front of her and her paper. Her face got hotter as she began to trace Horizon’s thin legs. While the girl didn’t have large hips, she had attractive slender legs, that looked even cuter when she was barefoot.

The artist took note of the girl’s tiny feet, she was probably a size five shoe by Yuna’s guess.

“Is the drawing turning out okay?” Horizon asked.

Yuna’s blush grew deeper. “Oh, yes... You’re an excellent subject...”

Horizon tilted her head slightly. “Do you think I’m beautiful, Yuna?”

The girl froze and looked up at Horizon. The question came out as a general question and not one of insecurity.

“Would it be weird if I said you were?” Yuna asked.

“Probably, but I think I’m used to weird at this point because I don’t really know what is normal,” Horizon responded.

Nodding, Yuna looked back down at her paper and spoke in a quiet tone. “I think even my drawings don’t capture your beauty properly, Horizon...”

“No one has ever said that about me before,” Horizon yawned.

“Does it make you happy to hear?” Yuna asked.

Once again, Horizon shrugged, unsure of how she felt about it. “I don’t know. Thank you, regardless.”

A slight frown came to Yuna’s face. She had hoped that question would give her more answers as to Horizon’s sexuality, but as always, the girl was cryptic. Oddly enough though, her cryptic nature only served to excite Yuna more. She wanted to learn more about Horizon Shimmer.

The two continued on that way for a good three hours until Yuna leaned back in her chair and let out a long sigh. “I think it’s done...”

“May I see it?” Horizon asked.

Yuna felt a cold sweat run down her neck. She rarely showed anyone her artwork, not even her own sister. The thought of not only showing it to someone but the subject of said art was beyond nerve-wracking. How would she react? What if she hated it?

The girl felt herself freeze until Horizon tilted her head in confusion, giving a gentle “hm” as she observed Yuna’s reaction.

“S-sure...” Yuna nodded as she turned the drawing around and offered it to Horizon.

The model sat up and took the large paper in her hands after adjusting her glasses. She stared at it and scanned it into her mind carefully, taking in every detail that Yuna had captured.

The drawing was remarkably lifelike. It was almost like looking into a mirror, and Yuna had captured her so perfectly. While Horizon had no opinion on her own appearance, she could tell that Yuna put passion into this drawing, it was a gorgeous rendition of Horizon for sure.

Horizon looked up at Yuna, whose face was still nervous.

“It’s amazing,” Horizon stated plainly.

While Yuna expected to see more emotion on her face, she was relieved to hear that Horizon liked the drawing.

“It’s only that good because the subject was easy to capture...” Yuna gave a light smile.

“You’re very talented, Yuna.” Horizon nodded.

“Thank you...” Yuna’s smile grew at the praise.

Horizon stared once again at the drawing and then ran her fingers along the lines, contouring the details ever so carefully.

“I want you to have it, Horizon...” Yuna said quietly.

Looking up, Horizon blinked. “Are you sure? Something this detailed?”

Yuna nodded. “I was only able to make it because of you, so I think it belongs with you. Consider it a token of our friendship...” Yuna smiled at her.

Horizon blinked again. “Are you saying you consider me your friend?”

“I... I hope so?” Yuna blushed.

Looking back at the picture, Horizon looked back up at her and nodded. “Thank you, Yuna. I’m glad we’re friends.”

Yuna was ecstatic just to hear those words. “You have no idea how happy I am just to hear that...”

As the two sat across from each other, Yuna found her eyes drawn to Horizon’s lips. She had small lips, that were very cute. Yuna wanted so badly to attempt to close the distance between the two and give her model a kiss. She had fantasized about it for so long, but in reality, she was far too shy to attempt something like that. She just wasn’t bold enough to attempt to kiss a girl who wasn’t expecting it.

The silence which was dragging on now was interrupted by Horizon. “I don’t have many friends, but Twilight keeps telling me to make more.”

“I guess I know what it’s like to not have any friends... Not counting my sister, you’re basically my first... I always kept to myself at school, so...” Yuna blushed.

Horizon hummed at her response and looked off into the distance in thought. After a few seconds of silence, she finally said, “then I guess we have something in common.”

Eight Ball was an odd one for sure. His tendencies seemed to be beyond awkward, and he had a weird habit of sticking his thumb in his maw and biting down upon it. To top it off, he had a weird twitch that always put all of the others around him at unease.

His stature was short, barely breaking five foot three, and his body was almost that of a child’s. Puberty had not been very giving to him, and as a result, he was commonly mistaken for a child despite being almost thirty. His hair was a messy shining neon green that came down to his neck.

The squared glasses on his face sat just slightly crooked in front of his hazel eyes that always had bags under them. The man was in a perpetual state of being tired as he sat there with his legs dangling from a crate he was perched upon, his back arched forward as he twirled a knife in his hand. The blade was ornate, but exceptionally sharp. He had honed the blade on a regular basis, his obsessive-compulsive disorder ruling over him.

With haggard eyes, he kept his ears open as another walked into the room where he sat with his group.

The other had long straightened hair, red in color down to his lower back, and a lab coat. He cleared his throat as he glanced around the room to see Eight and the other two inhabitants who were chatting idly up to this point. One of which stopped talking and pointed, causing the other to turn around and face the new person who had entered, the other following suit.

Eight didn’t bother to respond or even glance in their direction, he kept his eyes wide open and locked on the blade in his hand that he continued to spin meticulously.

The red-haired man spoke in a low octave voice that commanded the room. “Blade is dead.”

The one female in the room blinked and opened her eyes. “You’re sure, Chem?”

Chemical Compound was the good doctor’s name, a chemical expert by trade, and a damned good one at that. Chem could tell the mixture of just about anything just by getting a glance at it.

“Positive. Surely, you must have sensed his demon presence is gone, right?” Chem stated.

The female and the other male in the room both shook their heads. “No, not really, but I can’t say I’m surprised, he was always stupid. What do you think did him in?” The girl asked.

The other man in the room grunted and crossed his arms. “Who cares? He was a liability, he didn’t listen. It’s probably better that he’s gone.”

“I sensed it...” Eight finally chimed in, his shrill voice making the others look in his direction.

His eyes still focused on his knife as it spun in his hand.

“You? You can actually sense demon energy? I’m surprised at that...” The girl laughed at him.

Eight’s eyes looked up at her, and his menacing stare made her insanely uneasy. He had a deranged look upon his face. “You’re just weak. I can sense all the demonic energy around me. Even right now, I can sense something far away, probably a few states over that is growing... Can’t you feel it?”

The girl gulped and trembled as Eight’s stare made her shrink. He was a loose cannon, there was no telling what he would do if provoked. Unlike the rest of them there, they had no real idea of what Eight’s abilities were. They had been kept under wraps for a long time, and the group didn’t dare ask what he was capable of. Regardless, just looking into his soulless eyes would tell anyone that whatever it was, it wasn’t pleasant.

With a cold stare, he stopped twirling his knife and glanced over at Chemical. “The doctor is right. Blade’s dead. A shame, because I wanted to play with him at some point...”

“He was one of us, why would you-“ The other male began but Eight cut him off.

“I play with whoever I want. I make the rules. Demon, mortal, immortal, it doesn’t make a difference to me...” Eight’s voice droned on as he stared at him.

Chemical grimaced uneasily as he felt a bit colder just standing in the same room as Eight.

The male growled and held up a fist. “You don’t scare me. You can’t just do whatever the fuck you want!”

Those words were his last. Quickly, the knife in Eight’s hand soared across the room and impaled the man right in the skull, causing black blood to spurt out before he collapsed backward, his body turning into black mist and dissipating just as quickly. The girl with them stood in horror as she watched him die. Her eyes came back to Eight who held his hand out, a thin black line coming from his wrist that slowly reached out and grabbed the knife from the floor and pulled it back to him before disappearing once the blade returned to his right hand.

His gaze was as cold as ever.

The girl spoke up. “You’re fucking nuts! You can’t just-“

“I’ll kill you too if you don’t shut up...” Eight shot a glance her way.

She gulped and closed her mouth.

“Let’s find out who killed Blade, then we can see if they’re worth playing with...” Eight said.

“You’re the boss...” The girl nodded obediently in fear.

Eight looked forward and nodded. “I’ve been bored for far too long...”

Horizon walked with Jasper from the parking lot of the mall into the building proper, he smiled at her as he stood by her side with his hands in his pockets. He stood a good head or so taller than her, and anyone who saw them might believe they were a couple.

Though after a glance one would notice the two were very different in style. Jasper was outdated in fashion and very “proper”, while Horizon was nearly a goth with a splash of color added.

As the two teens walked together, Jasper smiled at her. “So, how was your time with Yuna?”

“It was exceptional. She is quite the talented artist, I modeled for her,” Horizon replied as she glanced inside a clothing store which she began to wander into, Jasper following her at a safe distance.

The store workers nodded to acknowledge them which Horizon waved them away to signal that she didn’t need help.

“Y’all didn’t pose...” Jasper bit his lip, not sure if he should even finish that sentence, but like clockwork, Horizon finished it for him.

“Nude?”

Blushing, Jasper looked away. “I was tryin’ to think of a more modest way to ask...”

“No, though I offered. She seemed uncomfortable with the idea. After some conversation, she mentioned she’s never drawn nudes before,” Horizon explained as her hand ran along the fabric of a skirt that she was debating if she wanted.

Jasper raised a brow. “Y’all just met this girl and ya’ offered to get naked in front of her?”

“I thought that was the kind of thing that artists liked. Obviously, I was somewhat mistaken; she didn’t appear to take any offense to the suggestion though, so I guess it’s fine.” Horizon stated.

Jasper looked around the store, feeling quite out of place but kept quiet about it and focused on their conversation at hand to keep his mind off of the fact that he normally wouldn’t shop at a place like this.

“What’s she like?” Jasper tried to steer the conversation away from Horizon’s dense nature and offering to pose nude.

Horizon considered the question for a moment before giving her answer, which was “fairly normal, I suppose. Then again, I’ve been told that I don’t know what constitutes as normal.”

Jasper chuckled as Horizon held up a shirt in front of her form tilting her head. “Does this look okay on me?”

Looking at the shirt, Jasper smiled. “Definitely, y’all are always spiffy in my book.”

Horizon looked at him and blinked. “Do you think that Sunset intended for us to find out all that we have? That she meant of us to find the box?”

That was a question that Jasper lacked an answer to. He wished he could say that he knew, but in all honesty, he only had an idea. “I wanna say that she probably did, I mean the box supposedly opens with magic, which I guess y’all can do, so it might have been meant for you to open.”

Horizon corrected him as she raised a finger. “Remember though, we’re assuming that Sunset knew I was capable of performing these powers, which up to this point she’d have no reason to believe so...”

“Unless she could too...” Jasper suggested.

“So she would assume genetic wise that I would be capable of such as well?” Horizon followed his logic.

Jasper merely nodded.

Horizon placed a finger on her chin as she looked up in thought. “Two problems though; the first being that we’re assuming my powers work that way. For all we know, it could just be something more random to where I can do it and she couldn’t. Secondly, we’re assuming I’m the only one who meets the requirements to do it...”

“What do ya’ mean?” Jasper blinked.

Slinging the shirt she intended to buy over her forearm, Horizon explained. “If there are others out there, then the box could have been intended for them. There is also another possibility that Sunset didn’t even know how to open the box herself.”

That was all true. Jasper was glad that Horizon was the kind of person who thought outside of the box all the time as if she wasn’t, they likely would waste tons of valuable time chasing conclusions that they hadn’t considered could be completely wrong.

“Guess we really need to figure out more information then huh?” Jasper asked.

“It would appear that way.” Horizon nodded.

Setting down a glass of wine, Twilight Shimmer flipped through one of her notebooks before letting out a long sigh. She had been at work more often than usual for the past eight days and it was starting to take a toll upon her body.

Technically, she didn’t even need to work to maintain the family wealth, but she was dedicated to her job. The last thing she wanted to do was sit around all day and every day just to make sure Horizon, who seldom came home on time was safe. It set a bad example for her daughter anyway.

Twilight buried herself in work to hide from her emotion. She stressed about if she was raising Horizon correctly, and so many times did she wish that she had another parent figure with her to help guide the young teen, who up to this point was certainly turning out odd.

Horizon spent an inordinate amount of time just sitting around doing little to nothing at all. She had no passion for any kind of hobbies. If anything, she only did things because they were on her schedule and put there prior by Twilight. She wanted the girl to focus on exercising at least twice a week, and so she scheduled an hour every Tuesday and Thursday at the gym in the basement and a self-defense lesson that she would teach herself on Fridays.

It was approaching the time for said lesson, and Twilight picked herself up and tied her long hair into a ponytail as she headed downstairs, shredding off her long-sleeve shirt and tossing it into a hamper before leaving her bedroom.

She looked down at her phone and noted that she had a good eight minutes to get to the gym downstairs and decided to text a reminder to her daughter as she came to the master staircase and descended.

Don’t forget out lesson today.

To Twilight’s surprise, she got a text back instantly, and one she wasn’t expecting.

I’m already there, waiting for you.

It was peculiar. Usually, Twilight had to pull the girl out of her room and drag her down, as her laziness was holding her hostage. Today though, Horizon was actually already up and about, it was definitely odd.

Oh okay. Be right there.

Making her way downstairs, Twilight made a left turn at the bottom and headed toward the stairwell in the other wing of the house and headed down to the basement level. She passed the unused servant’s quarters and made her way to the gym that was right next to the armory. Standing in front of the gym was Horizon, with a bandana over her head, keeping her messy hair out of her face.

She had chosen to wear a pair of tight shorts and a tank top that hugged her form, reminding Twilight that the two of them were built similarly.

“Can we do some target practice too?” Horizon asked.

Twilight blinked and glanced over at the armory. “Alright, we’ll do that first then...”

She was a tad suspicious, but she went with it. In the entire time they had lived there, Horizon had probably only practiced at the target range about eight times. She was never interested in shooting, but Twilight occasionally would show her, even though she herself hated guns.

The two of them wandered into the armory and Twilight carefully selected a handgun and hesitated for a second before taking it in her hand. She hated how it felt, but she knew that it was probably for the best that she knew how to use one, given the kind of people that Sunset had run into in the past. She hated how Adagio had made her wife so paranoid, but she knew that there was a stark reality before her; a reality where one had to be prepared for dangerous people, even if they were gone at this point.

Eagerly, Horizon picked up two revolvers and began to examine them both, trying to decide which she preferred. Twilight just blinked as she watched her daughter examine the weapons. Deciding upon one, Horizon placed the other one back and grabbed a pair of goggles and earmuffs which she put on immediately.

Twilight watched as the girl grabbed two boxes of rounds and opened the chamber of her weapon and loaded the bullets in. Then after they were in, she dumped them back out onto the table to load them again. She repeated the process a few times, clearly trying to master the skill so she could load the weapon quickly.

Saying nothing, Twilight grabbed an extra two clips for her pistol and waited for Horizon to be satisfied.

Once her daughter was content with her ability to load the gun, she looked over at her mother.

“Shall we?” Twilight gestured toward the door that lead to the range.

“Hm.” Horizon nodded.

Placing her own earmuffs and goggles on, Twilight watched her daughter as they entered the range next to each other. Horizon aimed her gun down the range and looked over at her mother for guidance.

Smiling, Twilight stepped over and got behind Horizon and helped her aim. “So, a revolver is a bit different than a pistol. The one you have in your hand is powerful and accurate. You have a lower ammo count, so it’s about making every shot count.”

Horizon nodded as she listened.

“Aim with the sight at the end of the barrel and focus. Inhale, and fire when you exhale,” Twilight instructed as she pointed to the target down the range.

Following her instructions, Horizon took in a breath and let out a shot as she exhaled.

Twilight blinked as the bullet had pierced the head of the target directly between where the eyes would be. Horizon concentrated and let out another, hitting in almost the same spot.

“Well, it looks like you found a new talent, Horizon.” Twilight chuckled as she ruffled the girl’s hair.

Horizon concentrated and carefully placed her remaining shots in a similar style. Quickly she opened the chamber of the gun and dumped the exhausted rounds out, and loaded up six fresh ones at lightning speed. With her eyes locked on the range, she aimed again, and this time she unloaded all six shots, pounding down the hammer between each one with her other hand.

It looked like something straight out of a western film, but Twilight’s mouth was left open when she saw that every shot had hit the target in the head.

“That’s amazing! How did you do that!?” Twilight leaned in.

Emptying the exhausted rounds, Horizon began to load up six new ones. “Concentration.”

“You’re really motivated today, what’s the occasion? You normally aren’t this eager to take our self-defense course, let alone target practice...” Twilight pointed out.

Horizon looked over at her guardian with plain eyes. She looked so innocent, but she was impossible to read. “I don’t know.”

Twilight assumed it was a lie, but all teenagers lied, so it was far from abnormal.

There was clearly something else going on with her daughter.

“Horizon, you know you can tell me anything, right?” Twilight smiled.

“I’m aware.” Was all Horizon had to say back.

Twilight sighed and nodded, as she watched her daughter continue to perform her target practice. Twilight’s hand reached up as she watched and wrapped around the magic medallion that she had held onto since high school. She didn’t know what was going on, but she had a bad feeling.

His patience was growing thin. Eight Ball barked an order at his subordinate as she returned empty-handed. “I told you to find more out about it...”

She bowed gently as sweat ran down her neck. “I told you before, there wasn’t anything I could find...”

“I’m tired of your excuses...” He shook his head.

Panic overtook the girl before a black tendril came from Eight’s wrist and attached itself to her chest, her heart now raced faster and faster. The tendril was ethereal, yet she could still feel it inside of her, wrapping itself around her heart as it stuck out of her body and connected to Eight’s wrist.

“Please! Give me another chance!” She begged.

“I am. This is your chance,” he stated.

“Please! I’ll figure it out! I promise!” She continued.

Sighing, Eight retrieved a coin from his pocket. “Power is wasted on a creature like you. How much do you wager?”

Her eyes focused on the coin in fear. “Please...”

“How about we just play for keeps then?” He grinned.

“That’s not possible...” She shook her head.

“One eighth from me is about all of yours, so that will be our wager. You win, you get your second chance, and one-eighth of what I have. Lose... You die,” Eight explained the rules.

Gulping, the girl kept her eyes on the coin. Her odds were fifty-fifty, but she knew that Eight had incredible luck when it came even to games of chance. However, if she weighed out the odds, if she refused then he would likely kill her anyway. Her odds of getting a second chance would only happen if she chose to play and she would have to bet a lot just to be able to play.

Nodding, she composed herself. “Okay, I’ll play.”

Eight grinned as he placed the coin into position to be flipped. “Call it.”

“Heads,” she said nervously.

Tossing the metal disk into the air, it soared upward and came down slowly. Both watched as the object hit the ground revealing that it had landed with heads facing the floor. It was tails.

“No...” She fell to her knees.

“You lose.” Eight smirked.

With those words, the black tendril sucked all the energy out of her body, causing her to scream in agony as her power left her along with her life force. When it was over, the tendril returned to Eight’s hand and dropped the, now dead girl onto the floor as her body disappeared into mist like all the others.

Eight shook his head as he crossed his arms and frowned. “As I said, power is wasted on someone as worthless as you. I’ll be sure to put it to better use than you did.”

Chemical had just walked in the door only seconds before the girl’s demise as he let out a sigh. “If you keep killing subordinates, it’s going to be hard to keep this operation going, you know?”

Eight came to a stand and found himself staring at the floor where she had been. “She was useless anyway. I have no use for useless people, her power is wasted on her.”

“Still, you know that we need bodies to keep things running...” Chemical frowned.

“Bodies are a dime a dozen, I can just get us some... indentured servants if we really need them...” Eight stated.

Chemical already knew what he was implying, as he had seen his method of “hiring” before when they needed help.

“Fine, forget I said anything...” Chemical sighed as he stuffed his hands into his lab coat pockets.

“Chemical, I need you to go and find out everything you can about the person who killed Blade...” Eight changed the subject.

“Does that include-“ Chemical was cut off.

“Everything. I want to know who they are and what they are. If they’re human, mortal, demon, immortal, I don’t care, I want every bit of info you can find,” Eight commanded.

Sighing, Chemical nodded. “Understood, though this isn’t the best use of my talents...”

“I’ll decide what’s the best use of your talents, now do what you’re told or you can share the girl’s fate...” Eight pointed to where his subordinate previously stood.

“Yes, sir...” Chemical sighed again.

A screen in a window of a shop was displaying a music video of two young teen sisters who had slowly been becoming singing sensations in the past few months. Their angelic voices had made them into stars, and their story of humble beginnings in their homeland of Russia was slowly capturing the hearts of many. They had started out in New York and were slated to head to Maryland very soon.

Crowds in New York City gathered around the screen to watch the two sing, many snapping photos with their ultraphones, others making screens display before their faces to send out posts onto their social media platforms.

In the back of the crowd, a figure waded through the people and pushed others out of the way to get to the front of the pack. Their rudeness causing many to grunt and complain, but one look at their odd attire caused most to go quiet.

When they reached the front to see the screens, they stood there with their dark brown hood up, concealing their face. It was peculiar for someone to wear a cloak in general out in public, but this stranger had an odd demeanor to go along with it.

Staring at the screen, they concentrated on what they saw. A man reached for them and grabbed their muscular arm and complained. “Hey, you can’t just push people out of the way to...” He blinked as he felt how strong and powerful the arm was.

The person in the cloak glanced over at him, their face still concealed by the shadow of their hood as they spoke in a raspy voice. “Don’t touch me...” They commanded.

The man shook his head and composed himself as he faked bravado. “You pushed my girlfriend out of the way, how about you apologize and I won’t beat the shit out of you.”

The stranger seemed unaffected by his threat. Their demeanor remained calm. “Is that a threat?”

As the stranger turned, he could now see a set of swords at their sides. It was very strange for people to carry around swords in general, let alone in the middle of the city.

Gulping, the man let go of their arm and stepped back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it...”

The hooded stranger nodded and turned back to the screen as the crowd began to dissipate out of fear. There was no telling what this stranger was capable of, and no one wanted to find out.

As Adagio and Serenade’s face appeared on screen, the program began to speak of how their talent was unmatched and how they would surely soar to the top of the charts in record time.

The stranger’s raspy voice spoke in a low tone as they responded to the screen. “Not if I have anything to do with it... Guess I’m going back to Maryland...”

Eight Months Ago

“It’s a fucking disgrace what that girl has done to Twilight and you know it, Cadance!” Shining growled as he crushed his empty can of soda and slammed it back onto the table.

Cadance sighed and sat down across from her middle-aged husband and reached across the table to take his hand in hers. She caressed it gently to calm him down, knowing that the subject of his sister could easily get him fired up, especially when Sunset Shimmer was involved in that conversation.

“Shiny, try and calm down...” Cadance frowned.

He shook his head. “It just isn’t right! She up and leaves her, twice and poor Twilight is left to raise Horizon on her own!? I can’t believe her! We trusted her, we treated her like family and we even looked past how she disappeared the first time because she apparently had a good reason and this is how she repays us!?”

Cadance could already tell that he needed to vent to be past it. Sighing, she stood up and wandered over to the fridge, retrieving two ginger ales, offering him one. Shining took it swiftly and popped it open.

After taking a long sip and letting out a sound of content, he nodded at his wife and smiled, his temper cooling down just a slight bit. She was always so thoughtful, it was difficult to stay too upset with her around. Cadance just had that kind of effect on people in general; perhaps it was her soft face.

“I know it bothers you, but you can’t let it get to you so much every time Twilight and Horizon come over... Thank you, for not going off about Sunset in front of Horizon though, I know that isn’t easy.” Cadance offered a smile before opening her own soda and taking a long sip.

Shining could never bring himself to criticize Sunset or even comment on her disappearance in front of Horizon. She was his niece, and he had to remind himself that badmouthing her mother in front of her or even Twilight was a bad idea.

They had all just had a family gathering and the subject got to music. When they began to talk about it, Twilight had mentioned that Sunset was in a band once. That lead to Horizon asking if she was any good, to which Twilight had said, “she was exceptionally talented, your mother was a great singer and guitar player. I envied her skills.”

She had then gone on a good ten to fifteen minutes about how incredible Sunset was, and it was only annoying her brother who was sitting in the same room more and more. He couldn’t stand to hear her talk so highly about Sunset after all she had done to her. After Sunset had abandoned her, it bothered him that Twilight still felt so highly of her despite it all.

“I just don’t get why Twilight is filling Horizon’s head with that shit. Eventually, the girl has to find out that her mother abandoned her, I mean she probably already thinks it now!” Shining complained.

Nodding, Cadance stroked his hand with her thumb. “I know, sweetie, but it’s not our place. And if Sunset were ever to come back, we have to support whatever Twilight wants to do.”

He twitched just at the thought. “Come back? That girl better never come back, I hope she’s dead somewhere!”

“You don’t mean that.” Cadance frowned.

Shining glanced over at his wife and could see legitimate hurt in her eyes. He took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, I guess not... I suppose she doesn’t deserve to die, I’m sorry. I just really would hate to see Twilight just take her back like nothing happened, you know?”

“I know, but you can’t say stuff like that. What if you found out that she actually is dead? You’d feel horrible then,” Cadance pointed out.

He had to think about it for a moment. A part of him wasn’t sure if he’d actually feel that bad until he realized that Twilight might be upset. While he didn’t think her tears would be put to good use by crying about her, he still couldn’t stand the idea of the pain she’s going through.

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Shining nodded.

“Don’t get me wrong, I think a lot of the family would punch her into next week if she just walked through the door tomorrow, but I doubt she will be.” Cadance stroked his hand some more.

Sighing, Shining leaned back in his chair, and nodded as he let her keep stroking his hand. “I just can’t believe she did this is all... I trusted her, Cadance... I lied for her, I risked my career to keep her secret safe and she repays me by leaving my sister high and dry after telling her that she loved her. That girl thanked me at her wedding for donating the sample that helped make that little girl and she was so thankful... Then she abandons her, twice.”

Cadance sighed and gave his hand a squeeze. Shining was always so protective of his little sister and ordinarily, it was endearing and sweet, but lately, it had just become stressful to deal with. Cadance put up with it, but she now avoided the subject of Twilight as she hated fighting with him.

“Shiny, I know that you’re looking out for Twilight, but don’t forget she can take care of herself. Let her focus on this, and how she wants to deal with it. You can’t spend so much time upset on her behalf. Given the kind of world Sunset came from and what she has done, it’s possible that she didn’t come back because she died, did you consider that?” Cadance frowned at the thought.

Shining’s eyes widened. He had heard her before when Cadance had suggested that Sunset could have been dead, but he had forgotten the girl’s track record. She had gone toe-to-toe with a murderer over nearly two decades ago, one with ridiculous powers. Prior to that, she had saved her school a few times. He also recalled Twilight telling him a story of how she almost died from illness many years back. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that Sunset Shimmer could take quite a licking before going down.

“I don’t think she’s dead. She took down Adagio, and she survived that illness that she apparently should have died from. Not to mention she’s fought sirens and apparently demons according to Twilight... It would take a lot to kill that girl.” Shining shook his head in disagreement.

“I suppose so, but still try and let Twilight be the one to focus on this? Be there if she needs you to be, but at the end of the day, it’s her choice.” Cadance smiled warmly at her husband.

She was right, of course, as she usually was. Shining let out a sigh and nodded before taking her hand in his own, stroking it softly. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, now how about we go to bed?” Cadance stated.

Shining smirked and grew a perverted smile. “I don’t think so...”

“Why not?” Cadance blinked in confusion.

“Because ma’am, you’re under arrest,” his voice grew low and husky.

Playing along, Cadance pleaded in a helpless tone. “Oh officer, there must be something I can do!”

“I can think of a few things...” He chuckled.

Horizon stood with Jasper, Bolt, and Cloud in the secret computer room she had found in her house a while back. The same room that Sunset had used and her aunt Shimmer apparently. There were many secrets hidden in this place, and she knew it, but they were all locked behind a computer that she could not gain access to.

The boys looked around the tiny poorly lit room, inspecting the equipment, which while dated now, they surmised was probably state of the art at the time the room was built. Whoever used this room, certainly wanted the best of the best.

“So you don’t know any sort of back door ways to get on the computer?” Bolt asked as he glanced over at Horizon who was just standing there with her hands behind her back.

She shook her head nonchalantly. “I’m not very good with computers.”

Bolt sighed and rolled his eyes. “I know how to work them and do a lot of stuff, but not bypass passwords or anything like that. Sounds like hacker shit to me...”

Jasper sat down at the only chair in the room and placed a hand upon his chin. “Curious, this room ain’t even hooked up to the net, right?”

Horizon shook her head. “Nope, and the WiFi signal doesn’t get in here either, on top of that, even cellphone service is dead in this place.”

“A single room in the house that is designed to get no access to the internet? That’s insanely strange...” Cloud said.

Bolt crossed his arms. “Very strange, but I’d guess it’s probably because she didn’t want whatever is on this computer to get outside of this room. No outside interference of any kind...”

Horizon had to admit that his theory made sense. That meant that whatever was being done in this room was intended only for certain eyes and that they were extra paranoid about others getting access to it.

“I think thus far all of the evidence points to my Aunt Shimmer being the one who used this room. The diary was her’s after all, and there’s really not much evidence to suggest that all of this stuff wasn’t already like this before Sunset found this place...” Horizon thought out loud.

“So that would mean that Shimmer was definitely the person using this room like we originally theorized, and that would mean that only Shimmer would know the password to the computer...” Bolt pointed out, not wanting to curb her enthusiasm.

That was definitely the most sound theory. Shimmer had used the room sometime before her death, and that meant that her note to Sunset probably meant that Sunset didn’t know the password either. That meant there was a chance that they had not guessed the password either and potentially had never even gotten that note in the first place.

Horizon reminded herself that she needed to be careful about straight-jacketing her line of thinking and remain open-minded to other possibilities.

If Sunset had never seen what was on the computer, that would mean it had to be about things prior to Sunset’s disappearance and death, so it wasn’t related, right?

No, there was still a chance that everything was connected at a deeper level. She couldn’t be certain it was unrelated until she saw it for herself.

“What if despite all of that, what’s on this computer is super important?” Horizon asked.

Jasper nodded. “I’d wager that’s probably likely.”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter how important anything on it is. None of us have the know how to get into it anyway...” Bolt reminded her.

“As much as I hate to agree with him, he has a point...” Jasper sighed.

Bolt growled and gave Jasper a nasty look, which Jasper didn’t return, instead, he looked to the door in thought.

“We’re really hitting a roadblock here then. If we can’t get into the computer, this room is useless...” Cloud sighed.

At that moment, for some reason, Horizon’s brain clicked and ideas began to form. Nodding, she placed a hand atop of the outdated monitor to the computer and shook her head. “I think I know how I can get into that computer now.”

“Mind enlightening us?” Bolt raised a brow.

“I know someone who can more than likely figure out a way in, but it will require me to let them in on what’s we’re doing...” Horizon explained.

“Are y’all sure it’s a good idea to tell more people ‘bout what we’re up to? Seems like this operation is growin’ too fast,” Jasper stated.

Horizon shook her head. “We can trust her.”

“Who is she?” Bolt questioned.

“Her name is Yuna, if anyone can get us into that computer, it’s her,” Horizon said.

“How are you so sure?” Bolt asked.

“I’ve seen her abilities with computers, she’s exceptional. I don’t know why I didn’t think of asking her right away, but I’ll ask her tomorrow,” Horizon said.

“Hopefully this poor Yuna girl knows what she’s gettin’ into...” Jasper sighed.

Horizon shrugged. “Well, tomorrow she will.”

Jasper didn’t like the idea of getting others involved, but if it meant they would be closer to solving this mystery for Horizon, he could look the other way.

Author's Note

Hey! It's been so long!

I swear it was sooooo cute writing this chapter for obvious reasons. Poor Yuna, you're so sexually frustrated it's adorable.

Act VII Part I - Chapter CIV: Ties

Chapter CIV: Ties

Closing her side bag after shoving her textbook into it, Horizon Shimmer glanced across the room at the young artist who had drawn her only a little while ago. She knew that Yuna was going to be her ticket to getting into the computers that were locked up tight in the secret room at her home. While Jasper had warned her that there may be serious ramifications to involving her.

Horizon lacked the ability to understand it, so she had conversed with her friends about the subject for a considerable amount of time to wrap her mind around it. The reality was that involving Yuna in what they were involved in could potentially put her life at risk. If that Blade guy tried to kill her then it was safe to assume that others would likely come looking for the lot of them too. Yuna had the right not to get involved, right? She had the right to protect her own safety.

Still, Horizon couldn’t see another way to move forward without her help. If they wanted to solve whatever mysteries were locked away on that computer, they needed an expert that could break into them, and more importantly, one they could trust. Simply hiring someone to do it provided its own risks, even though Horizon certainly had the resources to do just that. They would have to pay them more for their discretion, and on top of that, there was no certainty that they wouldn’t involve the police; a prospect that they couldn’t afford at that time.

If the police got involved, they would likely seal the entire case up, and the ability to find out the truth about what happened to her mother would likely become lost to Horizon. After all, it was the police who didn’t really report much on the matter of her late Aunt Shimmer as well, and their reports seemed exceptionally abrupt. Something in Horizon’s mind told her that they couldn’t be trusted with all of this.

But could she trust, Yuna? She had no reason to distrust her, and it was clear that Yuna saw Horizon as a friend, which definitely added to her trustworthiness. Furthermore, Yuna’s family had gratitude toward the Shimmer family both for her elder sister’s romance with Horizon’s deceased aunt, and the fact that the Shimmer family had left her family a considerable amount of money that rose them out of poverty; they even were provided with financial advisors to ensure their prosperity in the future as well. Since that day, Yuna’s family had remained investors in the Shimmer family’s endeavors and were often first supporters of new projects that Twilight pumped out.

It was clear to Horizon that if she could trust anyone with this task, it was Yuna. While she was horrid at reading people, Horizon could definitely at least tell that Yuna trusted Horizon, and that meant the feeling should be mutual, right?

Adjusting the loose tie on her school uniform, Horizon gave casual follow to Yuna as they both left the classroom, catching up with her outside in the hallway as they approached Yuna’s locker.

The young artist fiddled with her lock as Horizon stood there and spoke up. “Hello, Yuna.”

Yuna flinched at the mention of her name, not used to people addressing her before turning around to see Horizon standing there. Blushing and forming a gentle smile, Yuna bowed her head slightly at the teen. “Oh, Horizon, I didn’t see you there... How are you?”

“I am doing well.” Horizon nodded.

“I hope you’re enjoying the drawing I made of you...” Yuna rubbed her neck nervously.

Horizon nodded. “I had it sent to a professional to frame it. I’m going to hang it in my bedroom.”

“R-really!? It’s not that great...” Yuna looked away bashfully.

“Something that had that kind of work put into it should be treasured, that’s what Twilight always said about those kinds of things. Would you agree?” Horizon tilted her head, hoping she was reading the situation correctly.

“I suppose that’s right... Still, I’m glad you are taking good care of it.” She glanced at Horizon from the corner of her eye and smiled.

Not saying anything further on the matter, there was a pause until Horizon changed the subject. “Yuna, there’s something I want to ask you.”

Perking up, Yuna adjusted her sloppy posture and nodded. “Y-yes?”

Horizon looked to the side and thought of how to word herself as she remembered Jasper telling her to approach this all with as much tact as she could. “There’s sort of something really big going on in my life at this moment, something that I think is going to really define a lot of things about me and my family...”

“That serious, huh?” Yuna gripped her bag as she listened.

“I suppose so. Anyway, I wanted to ask you to help me with something involving it, but to do that I’ll need to tell you what’s happening and bring you up to speed, okay?” Horizon asked.

“I suppose that’s fine...” Yuna nodded. In her mind, Yuna was happy to hear that Horizon would share something so important to her with Yuna.

“Before I do though, I should warn you that the moment I tell you any of this, you’re going to be involved and involvement could be dangerous for you. I think this is a lot bigger than just my family, and the moment anyone else knows they’re going to be in the same danger as I am, so I need to be certain that you understand that when I tell you what’s going on, you are committing to this. If you’re not okay with that, then it’s best that I say nothing and you go on and pretend I never said a word about it,” Horizon explained.

Yuna blinked. Horizon was in danger? That wasn’t possible. No, even if it was possible, Yuna couldn’t take it sitting down. No one would hurt Horizon, not while she was around. She was weak, sure, but Yuna would do everything she could to ensure that no one would harm Horizon.

Stepping forward, Yuna grew a serious expression. “If you’re in danger, I want to be there to help.”

Horizon was a bit surprised at her eagerness so she tilted her head. “Why?”

“Because...” Yuna paused and bit her lip as her blush grew deeper. She couldn’t bring herself to say how she felt about the girl out loud.

“Just because...”

Horizon nodded and gestured for the girl to follow her. “Are you able to come over right now so I can explain then?”

Yuna’s face lit up. She was being invited over, to Horizon’s home?

“Are you sure that your guardian will be okay with that...?” Yuna gulped.

Horizon shrugged. “Twilight is going to be out well past midnight tonight. She said she had some work to finish up, so to just order out or go to a restaurant. I can order stop and get us some food on our way home and then I can bring you up to speed if that’s alright?”

That’s better than alright. Yuna thought. Horizon and she were going to have dinner together? Alone at her home? Without parental supervision? It was almost like a date. Yuna’s heart was racing just at the thought.

“S-sure...” She managed to get out while silently cursing herself for lacking any level of smoothness.

“Asian food sound good?” Horizon asked.

“That’s fine...” Yuna nodded after a gulp.

“Okay. Come on then, I’ll drive us.” Horizon gestured to the parking lot outside.

Yuna followed obediently behind her crush, watching her uniform’s skirt dance in the gentle breeze as they came outside. Her mind quickly raced back to their time together the other night when Yuna drew her. She had gotten just a small glimpse of the sexiness of Horizon’s body back then and her mind was running wild.

She was still internally drooling at the fantasies she had constructed in her head that day, but at the same time cursing herself for being such a pervert. Would Horizon scold her for being so crass if she knew what was going on in her head, or would she be slightly turned on by it, Yuna wondered. She couldn’t tell if Horizon was the kind of girl who liked being praised and admired or otherwise. She was such an enigma but it only served to excite Yuna more.

As the two approached the car, Horizon hit a button on her keys and the doors opened for the both of them. Yuna looked over at the girl who stood with her usual blank expression. She had never seen Horizon smile before, but she wanted to be the person that made her smile if not only once.

Upon getting out into the car, Horizon set the coordinates and set the car to autopilot before leaning back and looking over at Yuna who had just fastened her seatbelt. “You’re certain about this?” Horizon asked.

Yuna nodded as she adjusted her seat. “You can count on me, Horizon. So what’s going on?”

Horizon looked forward at the road trying to think where she should even begin. Finally, she defaulted to starting at the beginning.

“My mother has always had a very odd relationship with the family...” Horizon began.

“She disappeared.” Yuna nodded.

“Yes, but this wasn’t the first time. She disappeared for three years right after I was born. She came back, promised she would never leave again, and then did so about four years later. It’s been eight years since she left though,” Horizon explained.

Yuna’s eyes were drawn to Horizon’s hand that was just resting next to her. She wanted so desperately to reach over and take her hand in her own and tell her it would be okay, but she couldn’t bring herself to. Instead she listened silently.

“Twilight never filed her missing and has never really said much about her. I think it all has to do with something that happened to my Aunt Shimmer years ago. I think their murders are both linked somehow, and Jasper, Bolt, and Cloud have been helping me piece this all together,” Horizon said.

Yuna blinked. She had known that Shimmer was murdered, but was curious as to why Horizon said their murders.

“Murders? As in plural?” Yuna asked.

Horizon nodded as she paid attention to where the car was taking them. “Correct, I think whoever murdered Shimmer must be connected to why someone would murder Sunset. It stands to reason that two deaths within the same family of two girls who are worth a lot of money are likely connected. I can’t discern a motive yet, but I definitely think the two incidents are related for sure.”

“How do you know Sunset Shimmer was murdered?” Yuna tilted her head in confusion. If such a well-known millionaire from the city were murdered, there would be some kind of news report, surely. People couldn’t just be murdered and no one does anything about it, after all.

“We found a storage facility that she was using as some kind of base of operations, from there we managed to get in past some kind of strange lock...” Horizon began to explain.

Yuna interrupted as she turned her head. “Strange lock? Strange, how?”

Horizon shrugged. “It seemed completely impervious to any attempts to break it. Blow torch, chain cutters, nothing would break it. We eventually had to pick it open, but the door seemed immune to damage as well. We checked the other doors at the facility and they seemed quite normal, so it was obvious that Sunset had that particular door and lock made specially.”

“I see, so great lengths to hide what was inside then?” Yuna asked.

Nodding, Horizon continued her explanation. “Inside we found a tremendous amount of blood and Sunset’s severed hand.”

Yuna paused and blinked, trying to make sure that she had heard what was said to her correctly. “Did you just say that you found her severed hand?”

Reaching into a pocket on her school uniform’s vest, Horizon produced a blood-stained ring and presented it to Yuna. “This was on her hand. I recognize it, and it’s even in photos and paintings of her at my house. I’m confident that this is her wedding ring.”

Yuna didn’t dare touch the ring that had been pilfered from a dead woman, but she looked up at Horizon with confusion. For a girl that had discovered her mother had been murdered, she seemed exceptionally calm.

“So your mother was murdered then?” Yuna spoke quietly.

Horizon pulled the ring back and repocketed it and nodded. “Mm, but we’re trying to figure out why... I should warn you though, the brother of the guy who killed her appeared before me a few days ago...”

“W-what!?” Yuna leaned in with interest, and concern. “Are you alright?”

Horizon nodded. “I think I should tell you this because it’s clear that whatever is going in is very dangerous. Getting involved could put your life at risk, so it’s only fair that I warn you in advance.”

“How did you get away?” Yuna asked.

“I didn’t. I fought him,” Horizon spoke calmly.

Yuna was surprised, but she had a feeling that Horizon was tougher than she looked. “What happened then?”

“I won.” Horizon shrugged.

“What did he do when you overpowered him?” Yuna blinked.

“Nothing,” Horizon said plainly.

“Nothing?” Yuna tilted her head.

“He was dead after that.” Horizon shrugged.

Yuna froze at those words. Did Horizon kill him?

“Y-you... Killed him?” Yuna gulped.

“I had no choice, he was adamant on killing me for the box, and while I wanted to avoid it, if he would only continue trying to kill me, even if I got away, I had to kill him there and then. If he knew about myself, then it was very likely he knew about Jasper, Bolt, and Cloud, and that meant they would be in danger...” Horizon explained.

After hearing that explanation it put Yuna at some ease. Horizon wouldn’t kill someone unless her back was put to the wall and she had a very logical reason to do so, and that much was evident.

“I see... What did you do with the body?” Yuna asked curiously.

Horizon shook her head. “There was no need to do anything.”

“What do you mean?”

“His body evaporated into some kind of black mist when he died,” Horizon said.

“What!? How is that possible?” Yuna blinked.

“His arms were able to be turned into bladed weapons actually, and when we were fighting I just sort of got this strange voice that showed me how to do some kind of weird magic or something...” Horizon said.

An ordinary person might have been hesitant to talk about such an experience for fear that they may seem crazy, but Horizon was far from ordinary. She could retell such fantastical events to other people and not really concern herself with how out there they must sound.

Yuna blinked and remained silent, unsure of what to say. Horizon took her silence as skepticism and opened her palm to demonstrate. “You don’t believe me?”

“I do believe you, Horizon, I’m just trying to wrap my head around all of this...” Yuna admitted.

“Why would you believe something so bizarre without proof?” Horizon tilted her head.

“You wouldn’t lie to me, Horizon. We’re friends, right?” Yuna smiled at her, reaching over and boldly closing the distance and taking Horizon’s hand in her own.

She applauded herself internally at her bravery and savored her reward for it. Horizon’s hands were small and soft, she clearly used expensive skin lotion and it showed. Yuna instantly felt like she was sweating, but she tried to block the thought of it out of her mind as she just tried to enjoy the moment.

Horizon looked down at the hand holding her own and then looked back up at Yuna with her usual neutral expression. She allowed the hand holding to continue as she carried on the conversation as if nothing had changed. “Anyway, I can do some kind of weird powers. Unfortunately, they seem to only really work under certain circumstances. I’m hoping that I can learn how to use them all the time at some point.”

“Sort of like a magical girl like from one of your animes?” Yuna suggested.

Considering it for a moment, Horizon nodded as she let go of Yuna’s hand, causing the other girl to frown ever so slightly, but instantly recompose herself before she was questioned on why she looked so dejected.

“I suppose so, except I’m clearly not as powerful.” Horizon shrugged.

But definitely more attractive. Yuna thought.

“So what is this box you kept talking about?” Yuna changed the subject.

Reaching into the back seat where she had stored it, Horizon struggled for a moment before she managed to get her hand into her purse and retrieve the same mysterious box that she had started to carry around with her after the incident with Blade. If people were willing to kill to get the box, Horizon could never leave it unattended.

Yuna leaned forward and did a minor adjustment on her large glasses to get a better look at it. Taking it from Horizon’s hand, she examined it on all sides. The strange box didn’t appear to have any locks or even a mechanism for opening it, and yet Yuna could still feel that something was inside of it.

“I have no idea how to open it, and just like the lock it seems impervious to conventional means, so breaking it open is out of the question,” Horizon explained.

“This is all so crazy...” Yuna admitted.

“I’m aware.” Horizon nodded in agreement, “are you sure that you still want to help?”

Looking up at her crush, Yuna met her serious eyes. Horizon wouldn’t ask for her help unless she truly needed it and if she was in the same kind of danger that did both Sunset and her aunt Shimmer in, then she needed help more than ever. Yuna couldn’t say no, she wouldn’t be at peace if she knew that Horizon was walking down a path of danger without her there. She may have been a weak girl, but she wanted to protect Horizon.

Handing the box back to her, Yuna nodded. “I will do whatever you need me to do, Horizon. Use me however you see fit.”

Horizon didn’t quite get her dedication, but it at least meant she could count on her. Neither girl knew what was ahead of them.

About Two Years Ago

Standing inside a terminal, entering the village-in-name-only of Ponyville, a pink-toned dragon stood waiting to be cleared by customs. It had astounded her how in the past five years all of Equestria had had such major security increases. Outsiders arriving in often were held up at security terminals upon entrance, especially when they were dragons. While relations with Dragon Scar after the Sven conflict a few years back had improved, there were still strict requirements for dragons from there.

The dragon sighed as she cracked her neck as she stood there in her magnificent cloak. It was a gift to her from the royal family, and she wore it with pride. It was large enough to conceal most of her form, except for the katanas at her sides.

A guard grunted and gestured to her weapons. “Do you have a permit for those?” He asked.

Sighing, the dragon presented her left arm which held her ID bracelet. Pulling out a scanner, the pony guard gave it a scan and blinked when he saw her information appear in a hologram before her. “M-miss Razorclaw! I didn’t notice it was you, I’m sorry.”

She smiled at him and shook her head. “In these trying times, one should be careful. After all, even if the conflict with Dragon Scar is over, we have to be cautious of those from there. I’m just thankful that immigrants can come here at all. Vetting is important.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Miss Razorclaw, I am still required to go through the basic security questions for all Dragon Scar and neighboring country immigrants though...” He gulped.

She laughed and gestured with her claw to put him at ease. “It’s fine, I’m not offended. Ask away.”

“R-right...” He pulled up a holographic list and began to read off of it.

“Country of Origin?”

“Dragon Scar, the Scorched Province.” She grinned.

He nodded. “First language?”

“Germanic, and Draconian,” she said.

He blinked. “Really? Your Equestrian is impeccable though?”

“A lot of residents of Dragon Scar speak Equestrian, so we all end up learning it. We’re still one of the Germanic Isles, but only about half the population there speaks it. I believe over eighty percent speak Equestrian.” She placed a claw on her chin as she tried to recall the statistic.

Statistics and studies weren’t that common in Dragon Scar, they were actually somewhat of a new thing. It was only a few years ago that the country was starting to actually have some kind of law and organized government under the rule of King Lash. Once he took over, Dragon Scar began walking down the path to becoming a civilized nation and he began cooperating heavily with Equestria to ensure healthy relationships between the two countries. He offered his deepest apologies for the Sven incident years prior and regularly sent ambassadors to keep relationships positive.

With the aid of Equestria, Dragon Scar’s lawlessness was fading away. While many still refused to acknowledge the new king, a majority of the population was won over and an organized government had finally found the wasteland.

“I see, so you speak three languages then?” He asked.

She nodded. “That is correct.”

Realizing he was getting off track, he cleared his throat again. “Ahem, reason for visiting?”

“I have come to meet with Princess Twilight Sparkle, there is something I need to discuss,” she responded.

Nodding the guard gestured for the other three guards to allow her through. “Sounds like official business. An esteemed ambassador of the royal family needn’t be held up any longer. Thank you for your patience, and please enjoy Ponyville.”

Bowing honorably, Cinder walked out of the security checkpoint and beheld the look of Ponyville. When she had first come to Equestria so long ago, she had only seen a small town that was content with little. Now Ponyville had evolved into the size of a city, and was booming with business and industry.

Almost a decade ago sometime after the defeat of Serenade, Princess Twilight Sparkle had reverse-engineered the suit that Glitch had worn and found a plethora of scientific discoveries. Over the next few years, huge technological advances hit Equestria and before they knew it, the age of technology was upon them with Twilight Sparkle at the top.

She was seen as a business mare by most as she had contributed heavily to the improvement of the economy through technology and before they knew it, her face was everywhere. Her royal duties on top of her scientific endeavors had the girl busy all the time. Twilight Sparkle was the face of the technology revolution for sure.

Glancing at a billboard with the mare’s likeness in a business suit, Cinder couldn’t help but laugh. The Twilight she had come to know was a mare of many faces and many hats. She was adaptable, capable of taking on the appearance necessary for that time.

The dragon made her way through the streets, observing all the ponies with headsets on their ears carrying on conversations wirelessly across the country. Magitech was truly something to behold, and Cinder had only really ever seen anything like it from her sensei who was far ahead of his time.

As she made her way down the streets in her purple robe, occasional children would stop and point, causing her to wave at them with a smile. Ponies would stop and ask for a picture with her, which she would accept.

Cinder found all the attention she received odd, but she accepted it. Back home in Dragon Scar prior to Serenade’s reign, she was feared for her clan, but she wasn’t really a celebrity like she was now. In Equestria she was not only an ambassador, but a hero that had helped save Equestria a clawful of times.

Finally making it to the castle, she entered after clearing who she was to the front guards.

Life in the castle had changed, and Twilight seemed to run the place more like a business now, but that was just like her to try and stay organized. At the front was a desk with a familiar face seated at it. The light pinkish-purple coated mare looked up and blinked as she saw Cinder. A smile came to her face as she reached forward and offered a hoof for the dragon to shake.

Cinder took it and gave her a friendly shake before eyeing her up and down. She looked adorable in her little business suit and tie as she sat there, but the mare was just as put together as always.

“Cinder, it’s great to see you again. We haven’t seen each other in a few years have we?” The mare smiled.

Cinder shook her head. “Not since the Dragon Scar campaign that Twilight and I went on. How have you been, Starlight?”

Starlight laughed. “It really has been that long hasn’t it? I’ve been alright. I just came back here after spending some time doing some out of country work in some of the other Germanic Isles.”

“How long have you been away?” Cinder asked.

“About a year and a half. However, when I got back, I felt it wouldn’t be right to not come right back to working at Twilight’s side. I have to keep busy, you know me.” Starlight grinned.

Shaking her head, the dragon chuckled at her. “When are you going to just find yourself a mate and settle down?”

“I could say the same for you,” Starlight teased.

“I’m married to the fight.” Cinder winked.

The two laughed but after it subsided, Cinder gave a more serious answer. “Besides, who would want to mate with me now? I’m covered in scars, my right arm isn’t real, and I haven’t exactly had fantastic luck with mating anyway.”

“I guess I know all about picking bad mates.” Starlight rolled her eyes.

Cinder leaned in and placed both of her claws on the counter as she hushed her tone. “Out of curiosity... Arax, that changeling... You really miss him don’t you?”

Sighing, Starlight gave a gentle nod. “I know it sounds stupid considering I was his slave for some time, but there was another side to him, you know? I felt close to him. I wish I had fought harder to get him to abandon Serenade, but I didn’t...”

Placing a claw on her shoulder, Cinder shook her head. “Your purpose is elsewhere, clearly.”

Her mood improved as Starlight nodded at her. “Yes, you’re right... So... What can I get for you? I’m sorry, I got distracted and I haven’t even done my job now.”

“It’s fine, actually I’m here to see Twilight, is she available?” Cinder pulled her claw back.

“For you? I’ll send you right up, I’m sure she won’t mind.”

Nodding, the dragon walked past her desk and gave an approving gesture as she headed toward the elevator.

Once she stepped inside, she tapped the button that would take her to the very top floor. Standing there in the device, she couldn’t help but feel it was all strange. The shape of the castle had changed so much so quickly.

Reaching the top floor, she stepped out and approached the only room there was only to have another far smaller dragon stop her. He blinked before grinning with all his fangs showing as he saw her. “Cinder!”

She gave a faux punch at his shoulder as she smirked. “Spike, how’s it going?”

“Pretty good! Glad you could stop by, hey you still owe me a training session, I’m old enough now!” He reminded.

Ruffling his spines she nodded. “Soon, kid. Anyway, Twilight and I have some things to discuss, so could you give us some time?”

“Sure thing!” He saluted her as he returned to guarding the door as she entered the room.

There sitting at a mahogany desk in a suit and tie was ironically one of the most unkempt mares that anyone would ever witness. Twilight’s mare had grown out and was wild and unruly. Gone were her blunt bangs that old pictures of her showed, but she was no longer sporting the short boy cut. Instead, her mane had grown down longer than it was before, but it was a wild mess of cowlicks, and long bangs that often danced in front of her face.

It was a mess, but somehow it made Cinder smile.

The girl was still focused on paperwork in front of her before she heard Cinder’s footsteps. Looking up, she gave a smile to her friend. “Cinder, I didn’t hear you come in.”

Cinder imagined that was a common occurrence.

“Heh, I can see why people are calling you the shaggy princess now. Your mane is a mess. No time to get to a salon?” Cinder teased.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight chuckled. “Yes, but Discord likes it like this anyway, so it’s a win-win. I don’t have to do anything to keep it this way at least.”

Twilight’s left eye focused on Cinder, and the dragon was reminded of how she had augmented it ages ago. The augment was obvious when you saw her left iris was a golden yellow while her right one was her natural purple.

Augmentation was a fairly common practice those days. Magictech had allowed machinery and technological implants that could greatly improve one’s natural abilities. Cinder had even augmented her mechanical arm some time ago to improve its abilities.

“The life of a mate is finding you well then?” Cinder asked.

“You could say that.” She blushed and tried to hide her face.

“Well, I am delighted for you then,” Cinder said.

Twilight changed the subject as she kept her eyes on Cinder. “So to what do I owe the pleasure, Cinder? You don’t drop by unannounced too often.”

“The last time that happened I was saving your ass from Sven.” Cinder smirked.

Twilight rolled her eyes.

“You know if it weren’t for me... You’d be the queen of Dragon Scar and married to him right now,” Cinder reminded.

“Don’t remind me... That entire thing was a nightmare. It was a worse nightmare when I came back and had to convince the public here not to hold it against Dragon Scar. Try telling an entire population that just because someone who ruled the country kidnapped their princess and tried to force her to marry them that we should all still give the country they are from a second chance. Not easy.” Twilight shook her head.

“I can only imagine, but I know nothing about that kind of thing. I’m not exactly a PR expert.” Cinder shrugged.

Twilight shook her head. “No, but you’ve done wonders for it in the long run. Your involvement in ending the Dragon Scar incident definitely helped with getting people on board.”

Cinder shook her head. “You give me too much credit, Twilight. You and Lash shared your burden of the work. Liberating an entire country that has known nothing but lawlessness for thousands of years is no easy task, and certainly not one that I would take credit for on my own. I was merely another sword, you were the tactician that made it possible.”

“Your sword was the killing strike though...” Twilight reminded.

Cinder smirked. “Only after your stunt with Lash’s brother.”

Twilight rubbed her neck and looked away. “Yeah, I still kind of feel weird about that... I mean I never intended any of that to happen, and fortunately, Discord is alright with it, but still...”

“Scarr cared about you, which I gathered was rare for him, even if he refused to show it...” Cinder reminded her.

Twilight glanced over at her, a blush still on her cheeks. “He did, and he died for it.”

“He died for a cause he believed in. He knew you would be the one to bring down Sven,” Cinder’s tone was very serious.

“Thank you, Cinder... Unfortunately in my role a lot of creatures die. It’s not a safe job being one of the rulers of this land. I learned that during Serenade’s reign when so many died under my command. To be the leader, you must accept that, and accept that others look upon you with disdain...” Twilight rambled.

Cinder merely listened and allowed the mare to get her feelings off of her chest.

Twilight found herself looking out the crystal window in her office. “I suppose it’s fitting that I’m now the face of technology isn’t it? Cold and calculating. That’s probably a better face to wear, it makes it easier for people to see me as just a machine that does what needs to be done. It’s better they think of me as that because it means when I have to make difficult decisions, I’m only playing into their expectations then.”

“You’re far from a machine, Twilight.” Cinder shook her head as she approached the mare’s desk, placing her artificial claw upon the mahogany, taking special care not to scratch the fine craftsmanship.

Looking back at her draconian friend, Twilight forced a smile. “You’re always ready to console me it seems. I am glad we’re friends. Still, I have to bear these burdens so that others do not have to; such is the duty of a princess.”

“It sounds like the life of a politician is far more dreadful than that of a warrior.” Cinder joked.

Twilight laughed and shook her head. “While I would say that it’s stressful being a politician... Killing hasn’t been my cup of tea, so I’ll leave that for those of you where it comes more natural. I don’t really know how you can keep doing it after so long.”

“A warrior can feel sympathy for their enemies too, Twilight,” Cinder revealed.

“Then you must carry a lot of baggage as well.” Twilight nodded.

The dragon had no response to that.

There was silence for a moment followed by Twilight asking the question they both knew was coming. “Why are you here, Cinder?”

“You’ve had your share of students, Twilight Sparkle...” Cinder began.

Twilight nodded. “Indeed, and I am thankful for the progress they’ve all made.”

“However, I have only one left in the realm of the living...” Cinder continued.

“Eclipse,” Twilight said so plainly.

“Yes, Eclipse.” Cinder nodded.

“What of him?” Twilight asked.

“I have to follow him, Twilight...” Cinder said.

Twilight blinked, unsure if she was hearing her friend correctly. “Cinder... You know where he went...”

“Yes. I’m fully aware.” Cinder nodded.

“It’s no pony’s land, Cinder. If you go there, you can’t come back. We’re talking eternal banishment...” Twilight picked up a pair of glasses on her desk and planted them onto her face as she leaned in crossing her hooves.

“I know, it doesn’t change my mind though.” Cinder stood her ground.

“Cinder... Please reconsider. Policy dictates that the only time I may send parties to that place is in dire emergencies of Equestrian security. Even then, those parties sent are done with the understanding that they can never return...” Twilight continued to warn her friend.

“I know, I am asking you to authorize me to do so. If Eclipse went there, then I know that I can not simply stand by and wait. Please, Twilight, he is my only student. I have to know he’s okay, and I have to help him with whatever he has set out to do,” Cinder’s voice had conviction in it like she wouldn’t back down and Twilight knew this.

“You’re prepared to never return? You do realize that even if I allowed a return there is no certainty that you’d survive, it’s dangerous there, even for a dragon with your credentials,” Twilight asked.

Cinder placed her claws behind her back and nodded. “I am fully aware of the circumstances. My answer remains the same. I would like permission to go.”

Twilight eyed her up and down and squinted. Finally, she sighed. “Did you bring vodka?”

“Of course.” Cinder reached into her cloak and drew out a rather large bottle of Dragon Scar vodka that had been imported.

“Then you really are serious...” Twilight sighed.

“I am.”

Reaching into her desk, Twilight produced two glasses. “Well, don’t allow me to ruin tradition. Let’s drink.”

Stepping closer, Cinder unscrewed the top with ease and poured them both a glass with a smile. “I’m sure this will be the best vodka I’ve ever tasted...”

“I’m confident of the same, actually.” Twilight watched as the dragon filled the glasses to the brim. Twilight knew that she would be partially drunk by the end of it, and while it would make her duties a challenge to complete, she wasn’t about to decline tradition. In Dragon Scar, it was customary to celebrate goodbyes and the end of a long fight with a drink. The fact that Cinder shared this custom with Twilight was a deep sign of friendship and respect.

Once the glasses were full, they both took one and tapped them together. “To my teacher,” Twilight said.

“I taught you nothing, Twilight.” Cinder chuckled.

Twilight shook her head in disagreement. “I learned much about fighting and being a leader from you. I was your student.”

“And I was yours, Twilight. I have learned so much about friendship and its virtues. I have tried my best to spread your lessons, hopefully, I have made a difference.” Cinder smiled as she lifted her glass.

“I’m sure you have more than you’ll ever realize.” Twilight nodded.

With those words, the two downed the drinks quickly and poured another. They would down them just as quickly and pour a third before Twilight coughed and wiped her eyes which were now stained with tears, though if they were from the drink or from her emotions, it was uncertain. “There’s one last thing before you go, Cinder...”

“Hm?” Cinder asked.

“If you’re going to go looking for Eclipse, there’s something you should know. A bit of information about the boy that I became privy to, and no one else knows about this except me, so you may want to keep it to yourself...” Twilight began as she reached into her desk and retrieved a file she had compiled.

“What is it?” Cinder tilted her head.

“See for yourself.” Twilight placed the open file in front of the dragon.

Looking down, Cinder’s eyes widened as she looked up in shock. “Are you sure?”

Twilight nodded. “Absolutely positive. Everything matches up, there’s no doubt.”

“Just as I think things can’t get any stranger, I’m always left aghast.” Cinder laughed.

“Well, one last drink before you go?” Twilight asked.

Cinder grinned. “Look at you, drinking like a proper dragon.”

“I had to learn to keep up, right?” Twilight’s words were slightly slurred.

Nodding, Cinder poured them both a last drink and they began to sip from it.

“This means your clan will be gone... You’re the last member...” Twilight frowned.

Cinder shook her head as she gripped her fang necklace. “There is another member who wears this emblem, Twilight...”

“You gave your tooth to someone else?” Twilight blinked.

Cinder nodded. “And now I give one to you...”

Twilight blinked as she watched the dragon grab one of her fangs and rip it out. She only groaned slightly before licking where it was to soothe the pain. Stepping forward, Cinder took Twilight’s free hoof as she set her drink down. Placing the fang in her hoof, Cinder recited an ancient tongue.

“Til nor vietts, Twilight Sparkle.”

Looking down at the tooth, Twilight looked back up at her. “You can’t be serious...”

Cinder nodded. “It is not very traditional, but so far my entire life has not been. You’re one of us now, Twilight. I leave our clan’s legacy with you. I will carry it to where I go, but since I can not come back, you will have to carry it for the rest of the world...”

“Cinder, I can’t accept this...” Twilight frowned.

Cinder shook her head. “You can. You’ve already proven yourself.”

Twilight wiped her eyes as she gripped the tooth in her hoof. “I’ll treasure it forever, and I’ll uphold your honor for as long as I live.”

“I have no doubt.” Cinder smiled.

“I’ll miss you...” Twilight frowned.

Cinder laughed. “Don’t forget our ways, Twilight. I will come back through the fighting spirit one day, as will you. One day, we will be united again, ready to face the evils of the world.”

“Goodbye, Cinder...” Twilight nodded.

“Goodbye, friend.” Cinder smiled.

With those parting words, Cinder stepped away and began to make her way out of the office, nodding at Spike as she left.

Twilight wiped her face and tapped a button on her intercom. “Starlight, Cinder is heading to no pony’s land. I have approved this, please see to it that she is given the approval to head there, post-haste.”

“Twilight, are you sure!?” Starlight’s voice called back.

“I’m certain. It’s what she wants,” Twilight responded.

“U-understood, ma’am...”

Sighing, Twilight looked at the bottle of vodka that still had a drink left in it. She knew she would be canceling her appointments for the rest of the day.

As Cinder made her way down the elevator back to the bottom floor, she was surprised at how quickly Starlight must have called the rest of Twilight’s friends to deliver the news. There waiting for her outside of the elevator was Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash.

Rarity frowned as she approached. “Darling, is the news true? Are you actually going to leave us?”

Cinder nodded. “It’s true. My time in Equestria is over, and I have to follow my student, Eclipse. There is no question that he’s in danger and has been for some time. I have to follow him.”

“There ain’t no certainty he’s even alive if that’s the case...” Applejack pointed out.

“I’m aware, but if he is dead, then I must locate him to give him a proper warrior’s burial. We do not simply abandon our fallen brothers...” Cinder stated.

“We’ll miss you dearly, Cinder...” Rarity said quietly.

Cinder smiled and removed her cloak and offering it to Rarity. “Here, I think you should take this back, I’d hate for it to get ruined where I’m going.”

“Oh no, darling! I made that especially for you!” Rarity shook her hooves in protest.

“Consider it a token to remember me by. Trust me, something as fine as this should be where it can be appreciated.” Cinder insisted.

Taking it in her hooves, Rarity nodded with a sniffle.

“Don’t really understand why y’all are gonna go to that place if’n y’all already have a life here. You’re just gonna throw all that away?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow chimed in. “She has to.”

“No she don’t!” Applejack argued.

“Yes she does. Eclipse is her student...” Rainbow began as she approached Cinder and locked eyes with the dragon. “And she has loyalty to her student.”

“You’re spot on.” Cinder smiled.

Applejack rubbed her neck before side-stepping Rainbow Dash to approach the dragon. She cleared her throat. “Ahem... ‘Ah know we hadn’t always gotten along, but ‘Ah’ve grow to respect ya’, Cinder. Y’all did a bang-up job helpin’ us out over the years, and ya’ did it all expectin’ nothin’ in return. It’s mighty decent of ya’ and ‘Ah just wanted to say... Thank you.”

“I appreciate that, Applejack.” Cinder smiled and nodded.

The group shared a goodbye hug followed by Cinder smiling at all of them. “I have to go now, I’ll never forget any of you.”

With those words, the dragon walked out of the room, and out of their lives forever.

Sitting down on her bed, Horizon grabbed a pair of chopsticks and slurped down some noodles from her take out food. Yuna could tell from her skill with the tools that she indeed did eat Asian cuisine quite often. Using chopsticks seemed relatively easy for Horizon.

Glancing about the room, Yuna found herself feeling nervous as she carefully picked at her own food. Horizon’s room was lavish and large, almost big enough to room three people, but most of the walls were lined with 8K Clear disks of various animes that the girl liked. Yuna was a bit surprised, as it was quite evident that Horizon wasn’t exaggerating when she said she loved anime as her room was full of it on one side. There were enough series on that side of the room to probably keep a person busy for a good eight hundred days straight without sleeping. It was quite an impressive collection.

While many just watched their animes with a subscription service over the internet, Horizon was one of the few that seemed to enjoy owning the physical copies. It was odd, but Yuna sort of expected such as Horizon didn’t seem particularly tech-savvy, given that she had asked for her help.

“That’s an amazing anime collection you have...” Yuna commented as she pointed with her finger.

Looking over in the direction of her collection, Horizon nodded. “I keep my favorites in here, I have a media storage down the hall.”

“Wait, so there’s more!? How many animes have you seen?” Yuna blinked.

Horizon just shrugged. “Don’t know. I stopped keeping track some time ago.”

Yuna giggled and looked at the bed where Horizon was sitting. It was a fairly large king-sized bed, much too large for a single girl, and it made Yuna wonder what it would be like to share it with the girl. Her mind began to wonder what Horizon wore to bed.

“So... This is where you sleep, huh?” Yuna changed the subject and internally slapped herself for how stupid she sounded.

Fortunately for her, Horizon didn’t seem to notice the awkward subject change and just nodded as she answered. “Yes, I sleep here.”

“Do you usually wear pajamas to sleep?” Yuna asked, realizing she was already this far in, she may as well find an answer to her curiosity.

Horizon shook her head. “Mostly just my underwear, but during the summer when it’s really hot I just sleep naked.”

Yuna’s face heated up at the thought, she was practically drooling. She would love to crawl into bed with her and let their bodies entwine. She would let the teen have her way with her. It was difficult to imagine Horizon as a sub, but Yuna didn’t think she would have what it took to be a dom.

“Are you okay?” Horizon asked, tilting her head.

“Oh... I’m fine, sorry just a little warm...” Yuna fanned herself with her hand.

“Want me to turn on the air conditioner?” Horizon asked.

“Oh... No, that’s okay... So can you take me to where you want me to see? I think it’s probably better that I get a look at what I’m working with so I know about how long it’ll take to get in,” Yuna suggested.

Nodding, Horizon picked up her take out container and gestured for Yuna to follow her.

The two girls walked in silence as they came down a long hallway with Yuna admiring the building around her. She stopped to gaze at a painting of Sunset Shimmer on the wall. “This is your mother, right?”

Looking back, Horizon checked the painting that Yuna was looking at and nodded. “Yes, that would be her.”

“She’s gorgeous...” Yuna commented.

“Is she?” Horizon asked as she came to the girl’s side.

Yuna nodded. “You said you found her severed hand?”

Horizon nodded and pointed to the hand in the painting with a wedding ring upon it. “It was that hand.”

Yuna frowned at that statement. “Do you have any idea how she died?”

“It would seem from blood loss. We’ve assumed she bled out after losing her hand, probably from other lacerations...” Horizon explained.

Yuna shook her head in remorse. “That’s a shame, such a beautiful woman and she had to die in such a horrid way...”

“You think so?” Horizon asked.

“Yeah, bleeding out like that... She probably was in pain for a considerable amount of time before she passed...” Yuna frowned.

Horizon looked back up at the painting and stared. Her mother was gone, gone forever.

“At least her suffering is over then...” Yuna sighed.

Grabbing Yuna’s sleeve, Horizon tugged the girl down the hall away from the picture and toward the false light fixture that she tugged on to open the hidden room in the hallway. Yuna blinked and watched as the wall opened to allow the two girls in. She was marveled at what she witnessed when the two stepped into the poorly lit room and the wall closed behind them.

“Can you make sense of any of this?” Horizon asked as she gestured to the only chair in the room.

Yuna glanced around and took stock of everything in the room. The server located in the room was definitely outdated, but she could tell it was top of the line when it was purchased, same with the computer that was connected to it.

Turning on the computer, Yuna could see it was a very outdated operating system.

“Well?” Horizon asked again.

Looking back at Horizon, Yuna adjusted her glasses. “Well, this was all state-of-the-art when it came out, but it’s definitely pretty old now. I’ve only really read about most of this hardware and software as they’re obsolete, but there are tons of security holes that I can exploit to get inside.”

“So you can get in?” Horizon blinked.

Yuna nodded. “Definitely, it’ll probably only take me about eight minutes or so, give or take?”

“Can you get in right now?” Horizon asked.

Ordinarily, Yuna would ask what the hurry was, but she already knew. Horizon’s mother was dead, and answers as to why could be housed on this old computer. Instead of asking questions, Yuna nodded and turned to the computer and began to tap away at the keyboard.

Adagio Dazzle

I’m making this file to tell you about someone important to me, Sunset. Her name is Adagio Dazzle, and I have to confess, I loved her. For some odd reason, I really connected with this girl, and I wanted to be with her. For a time, I thought we’d get married.

Something happened though, something that I couldn’t look past and we split up. Looking back now, I probably acted too rashly and didn’t think things all the way through. I left her when she needed me most, and I’ve always regretted it. I don’t know why I’m sharing this with you, perhaps I just wanted to confess to someone. If you somehow are reading this, could you please find Adagio and tell her I’m sorry? I have been in contact with her so her contact information should be in my phone and my laptop upstairs.

If you’re reading this, it’s probably likely that I never got to tell her myself. I just want her to be happy, that’s all.

Shimmer

Besides that file, Yuna had found a plethora of files researching “magic”, though a lot of the data was corrupted. They had determined that what Horizon was able to do was indeed magic, though where it came from was likely contained in the corrupted files.

Yuna did all she could to repair as much as she could, but it was in vain. The two girls were able to at least learn that most of the data was shared with this “Adagio” person, and that meant they needed to track her down.

“How are we going to find Adagio?” Yuna asked.

Horizon placed a hand upon her chin and considered the message. There was no way that a phone from almost two decades ago or a laptop was still around and even if they were, there was no certainty they’d work. However, it was likely that Sunset knew of this Adagio person if she was instructed to deliver a message to her. That meant she had to have been tracked down at some point, but this was all assuming that Sunset actually got the message.

Still, she had nothing else to go on, so Horizon had to assume that Sunset did indeed read the message that they had just read. “There’s someone who might know...” Horizon suggested.

“Who?” Yuna asked.

“Well, if Sunset saw this message, then there is one person she’d likely tell about it...” Horizon pieced together.

“Twilight,” Yuna guessed.

Horizon nodded. “I have no choice, I have to ask Twilight.”

Twilight would eventually get home early in the morning as Horizon received a text that she was running late. Horizon had offered to let Yuna stay the night. She offered Yuna one of the many guest rooms, but the girl felt a bit uneasy staying in a room by herself in such a large house, which was understandable, as she was likely to get lost.

Horizon then offered to let her stay in her room, provided she didn’t mind sharing a bed. The girl jumped at the offer, which was perplexing, but Horizon thought little of it.

The teen came out of the bathroom and yawned as she wiped some toothpaste from her lip and saw Yuna had changed into an oversized T-shirt and shorts that Horizon had offered her. Her scrawny figure was much more evident in the outfit.

Horizon nodded at her as Yuna gave her a smile while she checked a hologram projection from her phone. She appeared to be catching up on some manga.

Horizon looked at herself in her vanity and took her glasses off, setting them onto the table before yawning again.

Yuna stole a glance at the girl, blushing as she did. She had never seen Horizon without her glasses, but her cute freckles were not much more prominent. She had such a young-looking face, it drove Yuna crazy to think she was about to share a bed with her crush. The more time she spent around Horizon, the more she grew to love the girl. She was strange, quirky, and aloof, but she was lovable to Yuna.

“I’m tired,” Horizon announced.

“Same,” Yuna agreed.

Nodding, Horizon quickly undid her top and tossed it aside, causing Yuna’s face to turn red as the girl began to undo her skirt. Yuna wanted to look, but she bashfully covered her eyes. “W-what’re you doing!?”

Horizon blinked and tilted her head. “Getting ready for bed?”

“Y-yeah but...” Yuna couldn’t help herself, she peeked through her fingers and found her heart racing as she observed Horizon’s sexy lacy black underwear. Her bra and panties matched and had little bats on them.

“Hm?” Horizon was confused.

“Y-you’re supposed to wear clothes when someone is sleeping in the same bed as you...” Yuna stammered.

“I told you I sleep in my underwear though.” Horizon raised a finger as she reminded the girl.

“Y-yes, but that’s when you’re by yourself, you’re not supposed to do that with another person unless you’re close to them...” Yuna managed to get out.

“We’re not close?” Horizon asked. Her voice posed it as a legitimate question as if she didn’t actually know.

“W-we are but it’s not close like... That...” Yuna gulped.

“Like what?” Horizon asked.

“W-well... Sexually...” Yuna almost whispered, too embarrassed to speak.

Horizon blinked and stood upright. “Oh, I suppose we’re not sexual, are we? That does change things then.”

“Y-yeah... It does...” Yuna nodded.

Placing her hand on her chin, Horizon thought. “I see... Sexuality is so complicated, isn’t it?”

“I-I wouldn’t know...” Yuna admitted.

Horizon wandered to her luxurious walk-in closet and returned with an oversized T-shirt covering her form. She extended her arms to present herself to her friend. “Is this acceptable then?”

Yuna removed the hand from her face and glanced at Horizon. A part of her wished she admitted she would have loved for her to stay in her bra and panties, but she felt unclean tricking Horizon into doing something for her own pleasure. She didn’t want to do something unless Horizon wanted to do it.

“T-that’s fine...” Yuna nodded.

Nodding back, the odd teenager climbed into bed with Yuna and with a hand gesture turned the lights in the room off. Horizon pulled herself under the sheets and looked over at Yuna who had gotten under the quilt as well. “I’m glad you came over, Yuna.”

“Because I was able to get into the computer?” Yuna asked.

“That, and because I don’t really have a lot of friends, I suppose it’s nice for someone to sleep over...” Horizon stated plainly.

“Do you think Twilight will get mad that we’re sharing a bed?” Yuna asked.

“Why would she be mad about that?” Horizon asked curiously.

“Well... Usually people share a bed after they... have sex...” Yuna said quietly.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Horizon questioned.

“Well, usually parents don’t endorse their teenage daughters having sex...” Yuna said.

Horizon was quiet for a moment before asking her next question. “Did you want to have sex with me, Yuna?”

Yuna’s eyes widened. Everything in her body screamed to say yes, but the words that actually came out betrayed her once more. “Uh... Well, I don’t think... We should think about something like that...”

Horizon nodded. “I understand.”

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Yuna thought to herself.

“I’m sorry... I didn’t mean it like...” Yuna didn’t even want to finish her own sentence.

“Like what?” Horizon asked.

This girl is going to make me spell it out!? Yuna screamed internally.

“Like you weren’t worthy of such a thing or something...” Yuna looked away.

“I guess I wouldn’t know, I’ve never really considered what sex was actually like.” Horizon shrugged.

“Maybe one day you will...” Yuna looked back at her and smiled.

“Maybe.” Horizon shrugged again.

“Let’s try and get some sleep, okay?” Yuna changed the subject.

“Probably a good idea, considering I have to get up early enough to talk to Twilight.” Horizon yawned.

Yuna turned so she was facing Horizon. “Hey, how do you think Twilight will react? I mean, she’s going to figure out that you’ve been digging around about Sunset... Do you think she’ll be upset?”

Horizon shrugged. “There’s really no telling how she’s going to react. Twilight has always been pretty quiet about the subject of my mother’s disappearance, so it’s hard to say.”

The freckled girl looked over at her friend with serious eyes. “Let’s get some sleep for now. There’s no sense in worrying about it at this moment.”

“Alright...” Yuna nodded.

The next morning had arrived sooner than Horizon realized and she found herself slipping out of bed with ease. Yuna was a heavy enough sleeper that Horizon could leave her there without disturbing her as she made her way down the hallway and toward the bedroom she knew Twilight would be heading to.

Sure enough, she could hear her guardian in the master bathroom in her bedroom when Horizon entered. The teen stood next to Twilight’s bed and waited for her to come out.

When the bathroom door opened, Twilight was standing there undoing a tie from her blouse and she blinked and gasped when she saw Horizon standing there. “Horizon... You scared me half to death, sweetie...”

“Sorry,” Horizon said plainly.

The girl was so quiet at times that it was easy for her to sneak up on one without even knowing it.

“What’re you doing in here?” Twilight asked as she removed her tie entirely.

“I need to ask you something,” Horizon spoke.

“What is it?” Twilight blinked, a hint of concern had appeared in her voice.

“Who is Adagio Dazzle?”

Author's Note

And now we get to the meat of the matter. Hey, thanks for continuing to read, we're getting closer and closer to everything coming together!

Act VII Part I - Chapter CV: Torch

Chapter CV: Torch

Two Years Ago

“So, you actually let her go, then?” Discord’s voice rang in Twilight’s ear as he scrubbed her mane, lathering it with shampoo. Her mess of a mane still required care, but the girl was thankful that she didn’t have to attend to it too much outside of washing it.

“I had to,” Twilight replied as she closed her eyes, allowing the draconequus to work on her mane, her body relaxing as he did.

“You’ve never let anyone go to no pony territory before, why the exception for that dragon?” Discord raised a brow.

Twilight opened her eyes. “A lot of things happened to me in Dragon Scar, Discord. Cinder not only helped us save Equestria from Serenade, but she also saved me from a life of being Sven’s queen. I owe her more than I can ever repay, so if she asks such a request from me, my hoof is forced.”

“You’re too soft sometimes.” Discord rolled his eyes before rinsing her mane out, making water appear from his hands to do so.

He was right, but at the same time, he was wrong. Twilight knew she could be soft sometimes, but over the years she had noticed herself become harder than she would have liked. Many ponies said she was a much colder mare than she once was, and she couldn’t disagree.

Cold was what worked though, cold was what was needed at times to get a job done.

“Even so, Cinder wanted to go find Eclipse, and I am obliged to help her...” Twilight frowned.

“You know that she could be chasing a dead pony though, right?” Discord reminded her.

“I know, and I tried to tell her that, but she already had her heart set on it. If there’s one thing I know about Cinder Razerclaw, it’s that she does not back down once she’s made a decision,” Twilight stated.

Discord laughed. “It’s definitely going to be a lot less interesting around here without some hot shot dragon warrior to stir things up. Perhaps we could train Spike with a sword to keep things spicy around here?”

Twilight smirked and looked back at him. “Come on, Spike can barely stay coordinated enough to fight with his claws. He’s a lover, not a fighter.”

“I used to think the same about you.” Discord chuckled.

Turning around, the mare placed her hooves around his neck and grinned. “I can definitely be both.”

Twilight Shimmer stood there blank-faced as she stared at her daughter. Her brain just shut down for a brief moment just at the mention of Adagio’s name. It was a name she had hoped never to hear again, and a name that she had hoped would never leave her daughter’s mouth. What did it mean? Why was she curious about such an awful person?

Clearing her throat, Twilight decided to ask for clarity just to make sure she had heard the girl correctly. “Who?”

“Adagio Dazzle,” Horizon repeated.

Fuck. Twilight thought.

How much does Horizon know?

“Why are you asking?” Twilight sat down on the bed and attempted to act casual as she removed her socks, avoiding eye contact with her daughter.

“So you know who she is?” Horizon tilted her head.

“Horizon, I think you’re asking questions that may be too difficult for you to handle...” Twilight said quietly.

“Please tell me.” Horizon stepped closer.

Twilight could see that her teenage daughter was determined. If she didn’t tell her, she was likely to go to her brother and probe him. He was bound by his job not to speak about it, but there was no telling what other things he would say about her mother if he was pressed. Shining definitely was ready to burst when it came to criticisms of Sunset.

The woman was pressed between a rock and a hard place. Horizon was asking questions and that meant she was bound to find out eventually. It was better to appease her curiosity now rather than wait for her to dig for answers on her own.

Sighing, Twilight rubbed her temples. “Adagio Dazzle was a very bad person, Horizon.”

“Why’s that?” Horizon questioned.

“She was an ex-girlfriend of your Aunt Shimmer’s. She murdered her a long time ago when she got her mixed up for your mom...” Twilight explained.

“So she is in prison?” Horizon asked.

“No. She is dead. Your uncle Shining shot her. She was trying to kill your mother, and he finished her off. The report was kind of messy, and he had to fabricate it a little bit to protect other people involved, but the short version is that your uncle risked his own well being to keep this contained. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, but it really was something that I was hoping to never think about again...” Twilight frowned.

Horizon blinked, trying to take all of this new information in. This meant that getting a hold of the data that Adagio had was now officially out of the question. Whatever knowledge Adagio had about Shimmer’s files that were shared with her died along with her. It was yet another dead end, however, there was a glimmer of hope, as it was clear that Twilight knew at least a little bit.

While Horizon had avoided asking Twilight up to that point, now that the floodgate was open, she decided that there was little point in holding back now.

“Twilight, what do you know about this ‘magic’ that Aunt Shimmer was researching?” Horizon questioned.

Twilight could almost feel her heart stop beating as she reached to her neck and gripped the medallion around it. She hadn’t used its power in so long, how did Horizon know about magic? She had never shown her any of her abilities, nor did Sunset when she was around.

“Magic?” Twilight played dumb.

“Yes, Aunt Shimmer was researching it before she died,” Horizon explained.

Damn it, I thought all of those files were destroyed! Twilight cursed herself for not being more diligent.

“Horizon... Why are you suddenly interested in some old research that your aunt was doing?” Twilight offered a gentle smile to the girl.

“I don’t know, but I think it may have something to do with mom.” Horizon shrugged.

So that’s it, huh? Twilight gulped.

“Horizon, are you sure it’s a good idea to be looking into something like this?” Twilight asked.

“It’s too late for me to stop,” Horizon said plainly.

Biting her lip, Twilight tried to think of what to say, before deciding that the best course of action was to say nothing. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore, Horizon... Please just go back to bed...”

Nodding, Horizon obeyed the command and headed toward the door. “Very well, by the way, I have a friend over, so please make sure she is accommodated tomorrow at breakfast?”

Twilight blinked and came to a stand. “Does... Your friend know... What you’re looking into that is?”

Horizon nodded. “Yeah.”

There was silence and then Horizon left to return to her bedroom. Twilight sat back down on her bed and gripped her medallion once more. It had been so long, and the thoughts were too painful. What was going to happen? She wished she knew.

The next morning, Yuna woke up with her friend at her side. For a brief moment, she forgot where she was and thought she must have been dreaming still, as the girl of her dreams was asleep next to her, but then she recalled what had happened the night prior and she was elated.

Horizon was adorable as she slept, her hair was an absolute wreck, but it was so cute. Her lips were slightly parted as she inhaled and exhaled, and Yuna wanted to just lean down and kiss her good morning. She was too much, and it took everything to not take advantage of the situation. If she ever kissed Horizon, she wanted the first time to be something that Horizon wanted.

Still, she gave into some temptation and reached forward and brushed some of the girl’s hair out of her face, gently caressing her cheek as she did so. Horizon had baby soft skin, and it was soothing just to touch for Yuna.

The touch made the girl open her eyes slowly and look over at Yuna who quickly retracted her hand and blushed. “O-oh... Hey...” Yuna glanced at her.

“Hello,” Horizon responded plainly.

Yuna could not understand how Horizon didn’t see her as awkward and strange, but she was grateful for it nonetheless.

“Sleep well?” Yuna asked.

Horizon nodded as she sat up. “Yeah, how about you?”

“Best sleep I’ve ever had...” Yuna admitted with a blush.

“That is good, the bed is quite comfortable isn’t it?” Horizon asked as she came to a stand and yawned, stretching her arms out as she did.

“Y-yeah...” Yuna blushed as she noticed where Horizon stretched her oversized T-shirt came up just a little bit and showed her attractive panties.

“I talked with Twilight about Adagio.” Horizon changed the subject.

Blinking, Yuna was a bit surprised. She hadn’t expected her to converse with her guardian about what they were looking into so easily, but then again all her time around the girl should have told her that that was exactly the kind of thing that Horizon actually would do.

“What did she say?” Yuna questioned as she got up herself.

Horizon shrugged. “She dismissed it and told me it wasn’t a good idea to look into.”

That was to be expected. “So she knew who Adagio was?”

Horizon nodded as she gesture for the girl to follow which Yuna did as they went downstairs toward one of the dining areas of the house. “Yes, and she said that Adagio is dead, she murdered my Aunt Shimmer, but was an ex-lover of her.”

“That’s... Unexpected...” Yuna rubbed her neck as the two found the stairwell and entered the breakfast nook where Twilight was waiting for them. The woman was already dressed for work, a blue blouse that wasn’t tucked in covered her chest, and a black tie accompanied it.

She was sporting a checkered skirt that sat well above her knees and black stockings over her long slender legs. With a cup of coffee in her hand, she smiled at the two girls who sat down at the counter where two plates waited for them.

Yuna looked down and blinked at the impressive spread. Eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and a stack of French toast awaited both of the two girls. “Sorry, I didn’t know if you were vegetarian or not, I probably should have asked...” Twilight frowned.

“I’m not, but it’s fine.” Yuna nodded.

Horizon had already started eating nonchalantly and kept her eyes locked on her food. Yuna took a few bites and marveled at the excellent quality before looking up at Twilight after swallowing her food. “This is fantastic.”

“Thank you, Yuna. I’m not a great cook, probably because I never really fell into the housewife role. When Sunset was around, I was the one who went to work and she was the one who stayed at home.” Twilight giggled.

“Really? Sunset was a stay at home mom?” Yuna blinked and glanced over at Horizon who nodded, food still in her mouth.

The other teen swallowed and answered for Twilight. “Sunset was always home. When I was at school she spent her time working out, and practicing guitar.”

“So she was a good cook?” Yuna questioned.

“Yeah, but she mostly made vegetarian food. She would make meat now and then for us, but it wasn’t too often,” Horizon stated.

Twilight sipped her coffee before answering. “She was an avid vegetarian. The girl never ate meat her entire life.”

“Interesting, she sounds like she was a fascinating person...” Yuna trailed off.

“She was...” Twilight nodded in agreement.

There was an awkward silence in the room for a few seconds. Yuna could hear Twilight tap her foot at least eight times before breaking the silence. Stepping forward, the woman put the cup down and looked between the two girls. “So you two are looking into what happened to Sunset?”

Yuna felt a cold sweat run down her neck, but she remained silent.

“Yes.” Horizon nodded.

Sighing, Twilight shook her head, knowing that there was no point in resisting. “You two are getting yourselves into something that would be better left alone...”

“We’re not going to stop,” Horizon responded bluntly.

“You’re sure?” Twilight asked.

Horizon looked over at Yuna and stared. Yuna could tell she was waiting for her approval. Looking at Twilight, Yuna nodded to Horizon’s mother. “Yes... We’re sure...” Yuna said.

Sighing, Twilight leaned back and rested herself against the wall as she thought to herself. “If that’s the case, then you both should be cautious. I can’t stop either of you if you’re that determined, obviously, but I have no idea what you’re going to uncover...”

“Thank you for understanding, Twilight.” Horizon nodded.

Twilight sighed and nodded back before finishing her coffee and adjusting her tie. “Yes, well, I have to get going to work, try and not get into too much trouble, you two?”

“We’ll try.” Horizon yawned.

Leaving the room, Twilight gripped the medallion on her neck once more and closed her eyes as she entered the garage and placed her other hand on her car door. It had been so long since she had seen Sunset, and while she wasn’t sure what had happened to her, a part of her was worried as to what Horizon would find if she dug deep enough.

It was too late though, Horizon clearly knew enough to where she would find many family secrets. A part of Twilight wanted to believe that her daughter would give up eventually, but she knew it wasn’t likely. Horizon had a look of determination in her eye and that meant she would dig until she uncovered all she could.

Doctor Chemical stuffed his hands into his lab coat as he approached Eight Ball who was sitting atop of a set of crates, focusing on his hand where a set of dice were resting. His eyes didn’t even dart in the good doctor’s direction as he entered the room, instead, his eyes stayed on the dice.

“Hello, Doctor. I hope you’re bringing me good news?” Eight asked.

He nodded and kept his eyes on Eight. “Yeah, I got some info that I’m sure you’ll be interested in.”

“About who killed Blade?” Eight asked.

Chemical retrieved a photo from his jacket and offered it to the strange man. Eight clenched the dice in his palm and with his other hand took the photo observing the girl in it. It was a candid shot, clearly taken from afar.

The girl in the photo was young, likely a teenager, a pair of stylish glasses planted on her freckled face. She was sporting a short haircut that was muted purple with red tips.

Eight looked up from the photo and glanced at Chemical whose hands were stuffed back into his pockets. “You’re sure?”

“Pretty positive.” Chemical nodded.

“A teenage girl killed Blade?” Eight raised a brow.

“She’s sixteen according to my information, a student at Crystal Prep Academy.” Chemical shrugged.

Eight leaned back and looked at the dice in his other hand. “I guess Blade really was a waste of space then if he was done in by a teenager. How did she do it? Blade had demonic powers and magic, how did an ordinary girl take him out?”

Chemical smirked and shook his head. “She’s no ordinary girl, I am quite confident she had to have used magic.”

“How did a human use magic?” Eight yawned, he was beginning to doubt the validity of Chemical’s information.

“Because she’s not a normal human... I didn’t tell you her name...” Chemical said.

Glancing over at him, Eight gave a “hm?”

“Horizon Shimmer.”

Eight blinked and turned to where his entire body was facing Chemical. “Shimmer? You’re sure.”

Chemical nodded. “She’s Sunset Shimmer’s daughter...”

Eight grew a menacing grin and looked down at the photo. He gripped it tightly and felt his hand shaking with excitement. “Well, this is more than a pleasant surprise...”

“So y’all told Twilight?” Jasper blinked.

Horizon nodded. “I didn’t have many options. After Yuna managed to get into the computer, we only really found more questions than answers. Asking Twilight what she knew was the next logical choice.”

“You didn’t tell her that Sunset was dead though, did y’all?” Jasper asked curiously.

Horizon shook her head as she found herself sitting down in a chair in Jasper’s bedroom. “I didn’t find it necessary. Not to mention, I heeded your advice and avoided it.”

Jasper found his eyes darting to the hallway outside his door where he could see his younger sister sticking her tongue out as she passed by. Her luscious hair bouncing as she walked by. He rolled his eyes at her gesture, but it was precisely why he always kept the door open when Horizon was over.

His family had asked before if the two were an item, and his sister regularly teased him, so to keep anyone from getting the wrong idea, he never dared close the door if Horizon was visiting, even though he was certain that his parents were completely fine with him having sex. His mother had even bought condoms and placed them in his closet when he wasn’t home. Rarity seemed to be in the mindset that he was at that age where even trying to stop him would do no good.

Fortunately for her, she had little to worry about, as Jasper while attracted to females, had no intention of just ravishing the first girl who threw themselves at him. At school, he was a fairly attractive guy, so he got offers for dates now and then, but he always declined them. Jasper was focusing on his schooling and didn’t want to get distracted with the nonsense that came with dating in high school.

On top of all that, he couldn’t really bring himself to see Horizon as more than a sister figure to himself. The very idea of anyone having sex with her just made his stomach uneasy, similarly if he imagined anyone having sex with Candy.

“Probably a good idea, she’s viable to cry like a baby when she finds out. Might be best to wait until this is all sorted, ya’ know?” Jasper nodded in agreement with Horizon’s actions.

“All I know now is that Adagio Dazzle was someone connected to all of this. She was a former girlfriend of my Aunt Shimmer.” Horizon gestured with her hand.

“Cool, so we just gotta track her down?” Jasper lit up at the news, clearly excited to hear more.

Horizon shook her head disapprovingly. “Not possible, she’s dead. I guess she must have bled out from gunshot wounds when my uncle tried to take her in. I guess she resisted arrest and got herself killed or something. Twilight didn’t make it sound like Shining would be interested in telling us anything about it either, so that’s a dead end.”

“That’s some bad luck right there...” Jasper frowned.

Horizon nodded as she reached up and itched her head. “Do you mind if I take a shower? I didn’t get a chance to this morning.”

Nodding, Jasper pointed toward the hall. “Y’all know where it is, and where the towels are, I mean, ya’ve been here so many times before.”

Standing up, Horizon left the room to head to the bathroom before Jasper leaned back on his bed with a sigh. Things were going to get messier, he could already tell. Twilight was keen to Horizon investing her mother’s disappearance, which meant it was only a matter of time before she said something to his parents, right?

Was Twilight the kind of person that would just tell all the parents involved, or would she just worry about her own daughter? It was tough to say, in all the years of knowing Twilight Shimmer, Jasper always knew her to be fairly guarded and one who kept her emotions hidden. Though there were a few instances he could remember her weaknesses leaking out, she ultimately kept what she was feeling inside.

As he was lost in thought, he didn’t even notice the footsteps of an elegant older woman approach his door and enter his room. His mother stood at the foot of his bed with a smile on her face.

He leaned up and could see her dark black hair cascading down her body just above her butt. She had dyed it black some time ago and seemed to stick with that color, likely to potentially hide any grey hairs, but as far as Jasper could remember, his mother never had a grey hair that he could find.

“Oh, hey mom, what’s up?” He smiled at the matriarch of the family.

“Just checking up on you, how was school?” She asked.

“Pretty good, I think I did swell on that history exam.” Jasper winked.

Rarity giggled and nodded in approval. “I take it, Applejack’s study session with you paid off?”

“Yeah, Ma’ really helped me cram. She’s great with history.” Jasper complimented his other parent.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “I wish she was better at math, but that’s neither here nor there.”

“We all got our strong suits,” Jasper reminded.

“That is definitely the truth.” Rarity chuckled.

The two shared a few laughs before Rarity changed the subject. “I heard that you are getting along well with Rainbow Dash’s kids?”

“Don’t know if ‘well’ is the word I’d use. Cloud’s a good fella’, but Bolt is more like someone that you tolerate...” Jasper admitted.

Rarity found herself having flashbacks to her time in high school with the boy’s mother. “I suppose the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree then. Still, if he’s anything like Rainbow Dash then he makes up for his lesser qualities through loyalty.”

Jasper couldn’t argue that one. Bolt had gone out of his way for them for reasons unknown even to Jasper. Despite being a show-off, pervert, and crude asshole, Bolt was loyal to a fault. When he promised Horizon he would help her uncover what happened to her mother, he definitely wasn’t joking. It astounded Jasper how much effort a person like him really had already put in.

“He’s somethin’ else, that’s for sure.” Jasper grumbled.

A giggle escaped his mother as she covered her soft-looking lips.

“Give it time, eventually you’ll get along better than you realize.” Rarity winked.

Jasper doubted it, but he didn’t want to go against his mother, so he just nodded in agreement.

“Where’d Horizon get off to, darling?” She looked around the room, knowing the girl had come over as she could see her car parked in the front yard. While Rarity hadn’t seen her come in as she was working on some new designs in her study, she could smell the scent of her body spray in Jasper’s room.

Horizon had an odd taste in fragrance for a female and that meant you could smell her from far away, just because of how different her choice was. It was a combination of mint and dragonfruit, a scent that she stated was “right up her alley.” Jasper didn’t quite understand what she meant, but chose not to question it, as he was sure the answer would only confuse him further.

“She went to take a shower a few minutes ago, I guess she felt unclean after school,” Jasper said as he pointed toward the door.

Rarity looked in that direction and nodded before looking back at her son. “What have all of you kids been up to anyway? Your circle of friends suddenly got a whole lot bigger...”

Jasper tried to maintain his composure. Rarity was onto something, and if he gave her reason to dig deeper, she would until she found out. He had to make sure he didn’t sound unsure about what he was going to say. Jasper detested lying, but he knew that he couldn’t just blurt out that the group was looking for Horizon’s late mother, and that she was likely killed by some freak show that could turn his arms into blades.

“Just tryin’ to get Horizon to socialize a little more, y’all know how she is.” He grinned, trying to sound as genuine as possible, though it wasn’t a complete lie.

With a face that first suggested doubt, Rarity’s expression turned to a smile as she accepted that his explanation was plausible. “Well, I’m glad that you’re getting her to talk to new people, it’s good for her. Extreme isolation like she is used to isn’t good in the long term; a lady her age should be fraternizing with the other teenagers.”

“No arguments there.” Jasper nodded.

The two giggled for a few minutes before the sound of the bathroom door closing from the hallway caught them both off guard. Into the room walked Horizon Shimmer with a towel in her hand that she used to wipe her face, but there was one problem, she wasn’t wearing anything.

Jasper’s face turned beat red as he looked away from the nude girl who had wandered into his room with his mother present. Rarity turned and saw the young teen and she too found herself blushing and looking away. “Oh, hello, Miss Apple.” Horizon waved with her free hand.

“Ummm, Horizon, darling, perhaps you’d be more comfortable with some clothes on?” Rarity suggested.

Horizon looked down at her naked form and shrugged. “If you say so. I usually like to air dry before I get dressed again, plus I didn’t bring anything else and it would be senseless to put my school uniform back on...”

Rarity stepped forward and grabbed the towel and wrapped it around the girl. “Ahem, yes well, I can probably find something that will fit you in my collection. Why not have Candy escort you there to find something to wear? And do try and keep yourself covered in front of her.”

Horizon nodded and headed out into the hallway toward Jasper’s little sister’s room.

Rarity sighed and shook her head before placing her hand upon her forehead. “What a dense girl...”

“That’s an understatement...” Jasper nodded. “How can she just be so comfortable like that?”

“Some people lack embarrassment, clearly Horizon is one of those people. A blessing, and a curse, for sure.” Rarity chuckled.

“I ‘spose it makes sense, on account of Horizon usually spends all her time at home by her lonesome. I guess bein’ able to walk around without a damn thing on must be common for the girl. She lives in isolation so often that she probably forgets that most folks don’t approve of such a thing,” Jasper suggested.

Rarity winked and nudged her son’s shoulder. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like what you saw.”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “She’s like my sister, mom. We were in diapers together...”

Sighing, Rarity nodded as she couldn’t deny that point. “Yes, I suppose you’re right there. Still, you’re lucky that your mother is approving of you getting a girlfriend, if Applejack had her way, no girl would be ‘good enough’ in her eyes.”

Jasper rubbed his neck. “I guess so, what was it like when you were growin’ up?”

Rarity laughed. “I had one of those bad-boy boyfriends. I had to hide him from my parents.”

“That’s so... Unlike you. Ma ain’t anything like that...” Jasper blinked.

Shrugging, Rarity smiled. “A girl can be attracted by strange things, darling. Applejack is irreplaceable.”

“I’m glad you’re happy with ma.” Jasper grinned.

Rarity looked at her phone on her wrist and smirked. “Speaking of which, It’s about that time where she should be tossing those hay bales, I think I’ll go watch as she flexes her muscles.”

Rolling his eyes, Jasper sighed. “Does she know you do that?”

“I’m pretty sure she expects it.” Rarity giggled as she headed out of the room, her hand caressing the doorway as she did, nodding at Horizon who were returning, now with cloths covering her form.

As she entered the room, Jasper observed her outfit which was a rather poofy black dress where the skirt was longer on the left side than the right. It was decorated with bring neon green ribbons, including a large one tied around her waist. The outfit was complete with black fingerless arm sleeves.

“I see Candy went overboard again...” Jasper said.

Horizon tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Never mind, so where are we goin’ to go from here? No Adagio Dazzle, and Twilight wasn’t much help,” Jasper asked.

Horizon placed a hand on her chin as she thought it over. There really wasn’t any other direction to go was there?

Wait there is one other path to go down. Horizon thought to herself.

“We can investigate the box, which seems to be pretty important. I bet Yuna could analyze it with some computer stuff and maybe we can learn more about it that way,” Horizon suggested.

Jasper shrugged. He had no real opinion one way or the other on the box, but it was their only lead now. “Sounds like a plan, hopefully, she can tell us something about that thing.”

“Let’s hope.” Horizon nodded.

With eyes on the box, Yuna tapped her phone on her wrist and a projection scanned the object as she sat at her desk while Horizon sat on her bed with her nose buried in a manga. Yuna focused on the data that her phone had brought back on a hologram in front of her.

“Strange...” Yuna stated.

“Hm?” Horizon said as she looked up from the book in her hand at the computer genius.

“This box seems to be sealed with something similar to the energy you were able to use. From the scans I did after you showed me your powers, the energy sealing this box seems relatively similar...” Yuna explained.

“So the box is sealed by some kind of power then? I guess that explains why it wouldn’t open from conventional means.” Horizon shrugged.

“It also may explain why you said that Blade guy was able to locate it the moment it was taken out of storage. Something in that storage must have been masking its energy signature, so Sunset must have known about the fact that the box possessed such properties...” Yuna continued her line of thinking out loud.

Horizon didn’t mind the lack of acknowledgment, but she was used to it after all.

“So there’s a possibility that I could use my powers eventually to open it,” Horizon suggested.

With a nod, Yuna picked the box up in her hand and examined it. “It’s possible, though I don’t really understand anything about these strange powers, so it’s hard to say how one would go about doing that. How did you learn how to use them before?”

Horizon shrugged. “A strange vision of myself appeared and then I suddenly knew how...”

“If someone else had such powers, could you teach them how to use them though?” Yuna asked.

Horizon nodded. “Definitely. There’s a certain feeling inside of you, and a level of concentration you need, but I could definitely teach someone else how to use them if they were capable.”

“Well, we know that the ones after this box can use these powers, so we may want to recruit others with the same powers to protect it...” Yuna suggested as she set the box down on the table.

“How does one go about recruiting people with special powers? I mean obviously they had to have a way to do it since Blade implied that he and his brother were working for someone,” Horizon asked.

That was a good question. It wasn’t as if they could put up fliers and hope people give them a phone call. Yuna thought it over. “Maybe... You can learn a way to detect others who have these powers using your own?”

“That’s a good idea.” Horizon nodded in agreement.

“I have some occasionally, the only problem is that I still can’t figure much out without more research... I think you’re going to have to ask Twilight again about all of this, show her the box and see what she says.” Yuna passed the box over to Horizon who caught it in both hands.

Horizon looked down at the mysterious object and then back at Yuna who continued speaking. “Besides, it’s probably safer for you to hold onto it. As much as I’d hate to have those goons attack you again for it, the reality is... You’re better prepared to defend it than me. I have no powers like you, and I have no self-defense training. Didn’t you say your house even has an armory?”

“Yeah, it’s in the basement level. My mother used to do target practice a lot, I think there’s like eight bows down there too...” Horizon rambled as she was lost in thoughts of her mother practicing at the armory. She was quite handy with a pistol and deadly with a revolver.

As she thought about her mother, it dawned on her that she would never see her mother use the practice range in their home again. Horizon paused but then looked back at Yuna.

“I guess you’re right, sorry I was rambling...”

Yuna shook her head as she blushed. “It’s no trouble, I like listening to you...”

“Do you? I’ve never had anyone say that to me before...” Horizon tilted her head.

Yuna played with a strand of her long messy hair and nodded as she averted her eyes slightly. “I... like...” she paused trying to think of how to finish her sentence, but what came out was “learning about people.”

She scolded herself internally. She wanted to say that she liked hearing her voice, but she chickened out at the last second.

Horizon stood up and walked over to the girl’s chair and looked down at Yuna who was sitting down. “S-something wrong?”

“I was just thinking about how much I trust you,” Horizon stated plainly.

Yuna’s face was burning up as she heard those words. “W-why were you thinking about something like that?”

Horizon knelt down to be at eye level with the girl, Yuna struggled to make eye contact, but she did; though her eyes trailed down to Horizon’s easily visible cleavage line for a brief second before darting right back up.

“You’re one of the few people that doesn’t think I’m weird,” Horizon said.

“What about Jasper? You’ve known him your entire life haven’t you?” Yuna gulped.

Horizon shrugged. “He has told me I’m weird to my face before, and I’m sure he has thought it, though I know he doesn’t mean it in an insulting way, or maybe I’m too stupid to know that he does...”

“I doubt he’d insult you, and you’re far from stupid...” Yuna faintly smiled.

“Still, you just see me as normal for some reason, why?” Horizon tilted her head.

The other girl could feel her heart racing as Horizon stood there staring her down. “I... Well... I guess I’m just not that normal myself, so to me, you’re perfect the way you are.”

Horizon nodded. “Thank you. I think I am right to trust you so much.”

Yuna frowned a little, while the compliment was nice, she was hoping that the girl would crack a smile for a change. She had yet to see Horizon smile, and thus none of her drawings of the girl were of her smiling, because she didn’t dare try and “guess” what that would look like, she wanted any depiction of it to be based upon the real thing.

“I will do my best to prove I’m worthy of such trust...” Yuna replied quietly.

Their faces were so close, Yuna could feel Horizon’s breath. She was hating herself for not having the courage to close the remaining few inches and kiss her.

Stepping away, Horizon looked at the clock and then back at Yuna. “It’s getting late, I should really get heading home, I have a lot of questions to potentially ask Twilight after all.”

Yuna’s heart sank at the missed opportunity, but she bounced back and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, best to get it out of the way now.”

“I’ll message you, how it all goes before I go to bed, alright?” Horizon asked.

“Of course!” Yuna smiled at her friend.

Nodding, Horizon picked up her bag and bowed. “Thank you for having me.”

Twilight was seated at her desk in her study with her phone projecting a screen and keyboard for her to use. With her glasses perched on her nose, the woman who was closer to forty than thirty pushed them up as she focused on her work. She had been conducting a research project for the institute and knew she had to have a report in within eight days and she was uncharacteristically falling behind. There had been too many distractions in her life, and so her keen scheduling abilities were slipping.

Sighing, the girl picked up her cup of tea and took a long sip before setting it back down and continuing her typing. When she was on a roll, it was difficult to stop her, but it would seem like the universe wanted her to not get work done as her daughter entered the room dressed only in a shirt that was several sizes too large and a pair of panties, her usual sleep attire when she wasn’t sleeping nude, though occasionally she would wear a kigurumi around the house when she was lounging.

Her hand was wrapped around something that she had at her side. As she stood there with her normal serious expression.

Twilight glanced at her and then returned to typing. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”

Horizon stepped forward and approached Twilight’s desk before placing what was in her hand onto it directly in front of Twilight. Horizon stared at her guardian as she spoke. “Do you know what this is?”

Twilight looked down at the black box and then back up at her daughter. “I’m assuming you’re asking because of your questions about Sunset?”

“Yes.” Horizon nodded.

Sighing, Twilight shook her head. “You’re not going to give up on that, are you?”

“No,” Horizon answered simply.

Taking the box in her hand, Twilight examined it. She could feel a familiar energy emanating from it, one she knew was magic. The box was most definitely sealed with magic, and the geode on her neck was vibrating lightly as she held it.

“Are you certain that you want to know what this is? You’re positive you want to pursue what happened to your mother?” Twilight asked clenching it tightly in her hand.

Horizon nodded.

Sighing, Twilight came a stand. “I promised I’d protect you from all of this, you know? Your mother made me promise to keep you safe, but I guess there’s no way I can avoid you going into harm’s way if you’re this determined...”

“Mom asked you to keep this from me?” Horizon tilted her head.

“Well, not this specifically, but I suppose it’s time you learned a family secret...” Twilight gestured for the teenager to follow her.

Doing so, Horizon stayed close to her guardian as the two made their way downstairs, the box still in Twilight’s grasp. Before they knew it, they came to the training area of the basement where they practiced sparring in the past.

Twilight loosened her tie and removed it, tossing it aside before taking her shoes off and setting them neatly in a corner.

Horizon just tilted her head. “What’re we doing?”

Twilight untucked her dress shirt and rolled up her sleeves. “Horizon, you have unique powers don’t you?”

Horizon blinked, surprised that Twilight had guessed such a thing. “How did you know?”

“I had a feeling... Right now though, I’m going to guess your abilities are limited... Show me what you can do...” Twilight instructed as she took a stance.

Obeying her guardian, Horizon closed her eyes and concentrated as she had before. With enough focus, she was able to summon the light sword she had before, though she could feel her body weaken just to maintain it. The first time she had used it, she was running off of adrenaline so she hadn’t noticed how much energy it took to conjure the weapon.

Now, it felt like it took her entire being just to keep the blade in existence.

Grabbing it, she readied the sword as Twilight nodded.

Twilight focused on her medallion and conjured a rock out of nothingness and levitated it in the air. “Let’s see how well you can use that thing.”

“You have powers too?” Horizon asked.

“Save the questions for later. Right now, I need to test your abilities...” Twilight instructed.

Deciding it was best to just follow orders, Horizon readied her blade as Twilight hurled the rock toward her. With a quick slash, she split it in two before Twilight lobbed a few more. Each rock was sliced in half, though by the eighth rock, Horizon’s concentration had broken and the sword vanished with the girl panting.

Twilight nodded in understanding. “I see, it’s just as I theorized...”

“What is?” Horizon panted.

Twilight removed the medallion around her neck and tossed it to Horizon. The teenager caught it and looked down at it in confusion. “I don’t get it.”

“Put it on, it’s time I passed it onto you,” Twilight stated plainly.

Horizon placed the medallion around her neck and fastened it. The moment she did, the world around her vanished and was replaced by a white space where she once again saw a robed version of herself standing there.

“It’s you again...” Horizon said.

The other her nodded. “I’m here to teach you how to use your new abilities. With the geode around your neck, you should be able to use them much more freely.”

Horizon touched the geode and she could feel an immense power emanating from it, something about this object was otherworldly.

“Everyone capable of such powers has an affinity, a certain aspect that they excel at, it’s all dependent upon the person, but yours is light,” the robed Horizon spoke.

“Light?” Horizon blinked and tilted her head.

The other nodded. “Able to pierce through the darkness, light is one of the rarest affinities. Yours is particularly rare as your heart is pure. You are a genuine person, you show exactly who you are to others and wear no masks. Because of this, your light is stronger than most.”

Horizon touched her chest in confusion. “Who I am affects my powers?”

“Yes, and because your light is so pure you are capable of a technique that others can not do...” The other Horizon said plainly.

“And that is?” Horizon asked.

“Dark removal. A very devastating power that will aid you greatly against foes corrupted by darkness, if you summon your light to your hand, you can pull darkness right out of their body...” The other Horizon explained.

“Sounds impressive,” Horizon replied.

“Be warned though, the greater the darkness in them, the more it will harm you to do so. The darkness is pulled into your body and the light in you purifies and destroys it, but the process can be quite painful when the darkness in a person is too great, the more given to darkness they are, the more of a toll on you it will take to remove it...” The other Horizon warned.

“I understand...” Horizon replied.

“Excellent, now go put your new powers to the test.” The other Horizon waved their hand and the world around them vanished.

After blinking, Horizon noticed her other self was gone and she was standing back in the sparring room with her guardian again. She wondered if Twilight had seen any of what she just went through, but it appeared as though not even a second had passed since she put the medallion on.

Twilight opened her hands and they caught fire but glowed a magnificent purple. Her eyes glowed and fire appeared around them as her entire body began to change. Her hair stood up and danced in the air as her entire form and outfit transformed.

Twilight grew ethereal wings and levitated off of the ground as she held up her hands in a combat stance. “Let us test your power, Horizon...”

Her voice had become twisted like she wasn’t the same Twilight anymore.

Horizon readied herself and got down low with her right arm dangling in front of herself and her left arm raised like a claw. She concentrated her power and a set of light-based claws appeared over her hands.

Twilight wasted no time and hurled a set of fireballs Horizon’s way, which the girl rolled out of the way of. She was able to notice another set of them heading her way which she deflected with her left claw, sending the attack back to Twilight, who just hit it back toward Horizon.

When the fireball came back, Horizon got out of the way this time, accepting that Twilight likely wasn’t foolish enough to be taken down by her own attack. She would need to be far more clever to get the drop on her.

Twilight concentrated and summoned a set of dark spears that floated around her. She took aim and began tossing them at Horizon, who just kept dodging them. The spears disappeared the moment they hit the ground, but the girl was able to conjure up more every time she lost one.

Horizon needed to get close if she hoped to win the fight, but she couldn’t see a path to do so. Twilight was perfectly guarded and her dark powers seemed to be at a far higher level than Horizon’s abilities. There was a good possibility that she had much more practice using them.

Channeling her power, Horizon summoned another sword of light, but this time she was able to make it levitate around her. The medallion appeared to be working, she was able to channel her powers far easier.

Quickly, she hurled the sword Twilight’s way and it caused her to use the spears to block it.

As the spears bunched together, Horizon saw her opening, knowing that this might be her only chance to attack, she had to make it count.

Leaping forward, she hopped onto Twilight’s back. The older woman shook her violently to try and throw her off, but Horizon’s grip was tight. Focusing her power into her hand, she made her entire left-hand glow a strong bright color before she pierced it through Twilight’s back. Her hand seemed to not actually puncture the skin, but instead, it went right through her body.

She could feel it, the dark energy, it had taken shape inside of Twilight. Gripping it tightly, Horizon began to pull as hard as she could.

It took a considerable amount of effort as the dark energy seemed to fight back, but after only seconds of tugging the energy was pulled out of Twilight’s body and quickly entered Horizon’s.

She felt a slight tinge in her chest as she gripped it, and while she could feel an unpleasant tingle throughout her, soon she opened her mouth and a black mist exited it, and the pain was gone. She had done it, she had expelled the darkness and as she was told, her heart cleansed it. She panted lightly as her claws disappeared and she stood there in her shirt and panties looking over at Twilight.

No sooner than Horizon pulled the darkness out of her, Twilight had returned to what she was prior. She picked herself up off the floor and panted heavily as she looked back at her daughter. “Well... You’re a lot stronger... Than I would have thought...”

“What was all of that?” Horizon asked, unconcerned with praise.

“That... Was a demon, and while I was expecting you to defeat it, I hadn’t anticipated that you are actually capable of dispelling it completely...” Twilight came to a proper stand and approached the girl.

“You’re a demon?” Horizon asked.

“Not entirely, no. At one point, I gave into darkness, but darkness never leaves your body, the capability is always there. Though it looks like you have a way to remove it... If you’re serious about chasing down what happened to your mother, you should know that you will likely encounter many demons along the way...” Twilight explained.

“I already defeated one a few days ago. Sorry I didn’t tell you,” Horizon said.

“Then I suppose I have no reason to try and stop you, it’s all already begun, so there is no reason to keep secrets from you...” Twilight sighed and wandered over to a nearby chair and sat down.

Horizon followed and stood in front of the woman listening to her.

“Your power is referred to as magic. Anyone who has a medallion like yours can use it, but demons can use dark magic without it. They’re horrible creatures, people who gave themselves to darkness, and it twists them into monsters given enough time...” Twilight explained.

“What about the box?” Horizon asked.

Twilight glanced over at the box that she had set down before the fight. “It’s sealed with magic. Whatever’s inside, Sunset clearly wanted to be protected, so keep it close. No doubt in my mind that the demons likely will want what’s in it.”

“So she didn’t tell you everything?” Horizon tilted her head.

Twilight shook her head. “Your mother said that she didn’t want us involved. She wanted to handle this all on her own, but clearly... Something has gone wrong if you have the box.”

“Twilight,” Horizon said.

“Hm?” Twilight looked up at her.

“Mom is dead,” Horizon’s voice was as monotone, as usual, no emotion, Twilight couldn’t gather how she felt about that statement, but she knew it wasn’t a joke, as Horizon wasn’t a joking type.

“Why do you say that?” Twilight asked.

“We found the box in some kind of facility that she had hidden in a storage locker, but we also found a lot of blood, definitely more than enough for someone to die from. There was some kind of fight with a demon there,” Horizon explained.

“Maybe it was the demon’s blood?” Twilight suggested.

Horizon shook her head. “When I fought that other demon, I noticed that demons bleed black and their blood and bodies evaporate into some kind of black mist when they die. This was red, clearly human.”

Twilight clenched her hands tightly as she inquired further. “I-is that so...”

“We also found her severed hand,” Horizon added.

Tears began to form in Twilight’s eyes. “I... I see...”

“I’m sorry, Twilight. I was told it probably might not be right of me to tell you, Jasper said you didn’t deserve to find out like this, but maybe it’s better you know the truth,” Horizon said.

The woman wiped her eyes and shook her head as she forced a smile. “No, it’s alright. It’s been eight years, I suppose that makes it easier. I’ll always love your mother, but at least I don’t have to wonder if she’ll ever come home anymore... Thank you for telling me...”

“Do you know anything about these demons?” Horizon changed the subject.

Twilight shook her head. “Sunset didn’t tell me much about them. She had dealt with demons before apparently, but again she didn’t tell me anything about that.”

“Is this related to when she left after I was born?” Horizon asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, she said there was unfinished business from back then. I don’t know much about what happened to her, but I have a feeling you’re about to know a lot more than me...”

Horizon nodded in agreement. “I guess Sunset kept a lot of secrets from the both of us then?”

“That is an understatement. Your mother was the kind of person who didn’t want her past to be a burden to others, so she often kept things to herself. I didn’t agree with it, but it was the way she was. Don’t mistake me though, your mother loved us both so dearly when she was with us, but it’s pretty clear that sometimes you can’t escape your past...” Twilight frowned.

Horizon didn’t know what to say to that, but she stepped forward and placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder in comfort. The woman looked up at her daughter with misty eyes.

“You still love mom, don’t you?” Horizon questioned curiously.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, very much. Loving Sunset has caused me so much pain and anguish, but I still can not help that I do. It hasn’t been an easy cross to bear, but it’s one that I can not shake. Your mother still holds a very prominent place in my heart, regardless of how our relationship has been.”

It all made no sense to Horizon. Matters of the heart were her weakest subject, but she could at least understand that Twilight truly loved her mother. Twilight clearly had held in her pain of Sunset disappearing for nearly a decade, and now she was trying her best to keep herself put together after learning of the woman’s death. The reality was that Sunset Shimmer was gone and with her death came more questions than answers.

Horizon didn’t know much at that point, but a part of her wanted to find out the truth for Twilight’s sake. Her legal guardian was obviously distraught over Sunset’s death, but she did a keen job of masking her feelings.

Horizon knew that Twilight was as eager for the truth as she was. “Twilight, I intend to find out what happened, I promise.”

Twilight looked up at the girl with pleading eyes. “If you do find the answers, please let me know, even if you think the results will scare me or upset me, I want to know the truth too...”

Horizon nodded in agreement. “Any information I obtain, well, you’ll be the first to know.”

Twilight smiled and nodded once more. As she stepped forward. “Thank you, Horizon. I hope that medallion will keep you safe, but please promise me that if you’re in over your head, you won’t do anything stupid...”

Horizon nodded in agreement. “I promise I will respect my own limitations.”

Twilight sighed and leaned back in thought. So it really was true, Sunset was dead. She had suspicions for a long time, but she had never confirmed them. In a way, it was therapeutic to know the truth, and while she had no real interest in starting another family at her age, she at least could bring herself to come to terms with the fact that she would never see the woman she had fallen for so long ago. She missed her so much, but now she could focus on Horizon.

Author's Note

Candy is a cutie!

Act VII Part I - Chapter CVI: Keylime

Chapter CVI: Keylime

Unloading a set of boxes from the U-haul, an older woman with vibrant pink hair that resembled cotton candy set down one of the eight remaining moving boxes and wiped her forehead free of sweat. Over the years she had sported many different hairstyles, but finally, she had just cut it short to shoulder length and took to wearing a light pink ribbon in it, only a few shades lighter than her natural hair color which was a loud pink.

Her asymmetrical crop top rested on one shoulder as she sat down atop a box and let out a sigh from exhaustion. Sweat was running down her neck, but she felt good about the situation. Her hand rubbed her neck and rested on her wrist where she felt a familiar geode that had been fashioned into a charm bracelet many years ago.

This city brought back so many memories of her high school days, but touching that geode brought back even more. So many times she had teamed up with her friends to save the day, and so few people know about their exploits. She had grown distant with all of them after college, but she wondered how they were doing. She had heard that most of them were still in the city or had returned to the city. Almost all of them were parents now, and she was no exception to that.

Casting her blue eyes over to her whimsical daughter of fifteen, Pinkie found herself smiling brighter when she looked at her.

She had an almost identical figure to her mother, with wide hips, a plump rear, and a busty chest (which just like her mother attracted the attention of boys). With bright green hair tied back into two small buns which still allowed most of her hair to cascade down her back, they shared hair consistency for sure, and they even had the same vibrant eyes, although her daughters sported pink eyes.

Keylime was so much like her mother that many people mistook them for sisters. Right down to her odd demeanor the two were made for each other.

Keylime set a box down and climbed on top of it where she sat with her legs crossed and her arm in the air above her head.

Pinkie laughed heartily and inquired. “What’re you doing?”

“I read online that people theorized that putting strain on a different body part makes you forget about the strain on another, so I’m testing it out,” Keylime explained.

Pinkie nodded in agreement. “I guess that makes sense. If it works, I’ll have to try it.”

“I could really go for some pickles right now...” Keylime changed the subject.

Pinkie let out another laugh. Her daughter had the oddest food cravings, but-like-mother-like-daughter. “With hot sauce, right?” Pinkie asked, already knowing the follow-up.

“It’s like you’re inside my mind. Man, wouldn’t that be cool? If we could go and be inside each other’s minds? Though I’d have to make room for you behind the Godzilla statue, it’s pretty crowded in there.” Keylime placed her other free hand on her chin and looked up in thought, clearly visiting her mental sanctuary, her other hand still in the air.

Pinkie laughed and checked the girl over. She hadn’t exactly dressed for the labor of the day, but that was just like her. She was sporting a studded leather jacket that was left open to expose a tube top which slanted at the bottom to one side, exposing her belly.

On her stomach, she had a glowing tattoo of a cupcake. Pinkie recalled how tattoos used to be something only adults could get, but new breakthroughs with body art allowed for the safe injection of a new kind of ink into people, the law then lowering the age to get tattoos to 13.

Bio-luminance was all the rage now, as kids could get tattoos that emitted a glow to them using natural ingredients. Science had really gotten amazing in the past decade, Pinkie was astounded at what it could do. Tattoo removal was even a cinch as well.

Keylime was sporting a tattered skirt along with her outfit and hole-filled leggings that only covered her right leg. Her feet were slipped into a pair of black leather boots and on the uncovered leg, she had a yellow and black striped sock going up to her ankle.

Everything about Keylime was mismatched, but Pinkie wouldn’t have her any other way.

“So, how do you like Canterlot, baby-girl?” Pinkie asked her daughter.

“There is a very high amount of sandwich shops, which leads me to believe that there are plenty of sandwich enthusiasts here,” Keylime replied.

Pinkie considered it and looked up again as she thought it over. “I think I recall there being quite a few people who did appreciate a good sandwich...”

“Hopefully they like hot sauce on them, though I could really go for noodles right now...” Keylime changed the subject.

“O-M-G, same! I would love some right now, I wonder if there’s a ramen shop in this city now!” Pinkie nodded in agreement.

Pulling up a page from her phone on her wrist, Keylime began to search for the local eateries in town. It had been so long since her mother had lived there that she was out of touch with what was available.

Looking at an expensive car that pulled up to her driveway, Pinkie nodded and waved at the older couple stepping out of it. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were only family friends of hers, they had employed her as a second job for years.

Mr. Cake smiled at Pinkie and closed the door to the car before helping his wife to a stand.

“I see you’re getting settling in alright...” Mr. Cake observed.

Pinkie gave a salute. “Yuperino! It’s great to be home anyway!”

Mrs. Cake came over and nodded at the woman and glanced at her daughter that was distracted by a holographic webpage in front of her. “Hello, again, Keylime.”

Keylime glanced up and smiled brightly. “Hello, Mrs. Cake. Did you want to catch noodles with us?”

The elder woman chuckled and shook her head before tucking a strand of grey hair back behind her ear. “That’s quite alright, dear.”

“You’re missing out,” Keylime stated before looking back at her window.

Turning their attention back to Pinkie who was sitting there dangling her legs, Mr. Cake observed the woman. She had grown up so much, yet her demeanor seemed the same. It was hard to believe she was approaching forty now. He wondered if she had grey hairs hidden in her thick curly hair even.

They had played a role in turning Pinkie into the adult she was now, and the Cakes took some pride in that.

“Are you certain that you can handle taking over the bakery, dear? It’s a lot of work...” Mrs. Cake frowned.

Pinkie gave a dismissive hand gesture. “It’s fine!”

“Still, had we known you would have to move to take over, we’d never have asked...” Mr. Cake rubbed his neck.

“We needed a change anyway.” Pinkie gave a thumbs up.

“Missouri is boring,” Keylime added.

The two had been living in Missouri for some time, and once Pinkie had gotten a message from the Cakes that they were actually retiring and needed someone to take over the business. When their two children had opted to head to Texas and open their own restaurant down there, they could think of no one better to keep the Cake tradition going than Pinkie Pie.

“Well, we’re glad you both were able to come here on such short notice, and it is wonderful to see you both again, we just came to see how you were settling in and to drop the keys to the shop off for you.” Mrs. Cake stated as she reached into her purse to retrieve the keys to pass off to her.

Pinkie took them from her and stuffed them into her bra before winking. “I’m the workhorse, Keylime is more of the brains of our operation anyway.”

“Really?” Mrs. Cake blinked looking over at the teen.

Pinkie nodded. “Yeah, she’s always been really responsible. She makes dinner when I get home from work, but we bake together on the weekends. She’s going to be a valuable asset to the bakery, trust me.”

The teen was very unusual, but if she learned how to work with food from Pinkie Pie, the Cakes were confident that she would be a huge hit. That and despite being quirky, Pinkie’s quirkiness had always lured customers in (though her attractive figure definitely helped).

“Well, you two certainly do have a very charming mother-daughter relationship...” Mrs. Cake grinned.

Many would consider their dynamic odd, as Keylime actually made a lot of the choices around the house, and Pinkie even gave her the final say on if they would move back to Maryland. However, that dynamic worked for the two of them. Pinkie trusted her daughter’s intuition, and Keylime would never purposefully steer her mother wrong.

Both of them were fun-loving and they bonded so easily. They enjoyed a lot of the same shows and movies, and Keylime would even tell people that her mother was her best friend.

Looking up from the hologram of a webpage, Keylime spotted a figure on the other side of the street. A teenager that was probably close to her own age, somewhat taller with a beanie slouched on his head hiding only a small amount of his thick pink hair.

He was in decent shape, and she could see that. Keylime caught her mother’s attention and jerked her head toward the teen to clue Pinkie in on who she was staring at.

“Hot guy alert.” Keylime whistled.

Pinkie took a look and nodded in approval. “Go talk to him, girl!”

“I’m on it, noodles on hold.” Keylime winked before scurrying off to chase after him.

She came a decent distance from him and casually followed him to a convenience store just around the corner. The teenager came up to the counter and looked the store owner in the eye as he spoke Japanese.

The owner was an Asian man who nodded in approval and tapped the counter where the teen placed eight dollars down.

He exchanged the money for some cartridges for a synth-cig, a more modernized electronic device that had long since replaced common cigarettes. They were slightly less awful for one’s health, but still not an admirable thing to be doing. They were loaded with cartridges and they actually produced an odorless vapor despite being called a “cig”. They were essentially the next evolution of vaporizers.

The shopkeeper waved him out, and the boy loaded up his synth-cig and took a drag from it after he stepped outside.

Keylime made her move after he was standing there puffing. “So, you can speak Japanese?”

He didn’t even look in her direction. “Yeah, I learned it when my family lived in Japan and we kept learning long after and...”

His eyes caught the girl as he was finishing his sentence and his entire body turned to see her. She was a bit oddly dressed, but she had an impressive bust with some amazing hips and legs. He felt his heart racing as he tried to keep his mind off of all the impure things he would do to her if he were given the chance.

“Hey...” He changed the subject.

She waved at him. “Hello.”

“I’m Bolt.” He offered a hand.

She took his hand in her own and shook it. “Keylime.”

“Like the pie?” He asked.

“Actually my last name is Pie.” She winked.

“Oh, you must be related to Pinkie Pie? She’s a friend of my mom’s, though I’ve never met her,” Bolt suggested.

Keylime gave a thumbs up to him. “She’s my mom.”

“I see, so you live around here then?” He tilted his head slightly as he took a drag from his device and exhaled.

Grinning, Keylime pointed back to her house a good walk down the street. It was still visible from where they stood, and she could see her mother still conversing with the Cakes.

Bolt turned his head to get a look at the house and nodded. “The one with the moving truck?”

“Well, I don’t know how many other houses have a moving truck in front of them, so I can’t say for certain...” Keylime placed two fingers on her chin in thought.

Bolt chuckled and rolled his eyes. “The one over there that we can see?” He pointed.

Looking in the direction he pointed, Keylime clapped her hands together. “Oh, you mean the only one within our line of sight, gotcha! Yes, that would be my house.”

“Ah, cool. So you are really just moving in then?” Bolt asked.

“Mhm, we’re taking over the Cake’s bakery. I’m going to be the assistant pastry chef with my mom after school.” Keylime spoke with pride in her voice.

Chuckling, Bolt nodded. “I’ll have to stop by then.”

Winking, Keylime poked the boy’s chest as she came closer. “For you? I’ll be sure to make something special.”

Bolt froze in place for a moment as he processed what was happening. Was she coming onto him? If she was, he welcomed it, as she was incredibly attractive despite her strange demeanor and odd way of dressing. Her body did not displease, that was for sure.

“Oh yeah? Now I know I’ll stop by, just to see you behind the counter.” He smirked.

Keylime held up her wrist with her phone on it. “Do me the honors of swapping numbers?”

Nodding, Bolt held up his wrist and the two tapped them together. A gentle vibration came from their phones to signify that the transfer was complete. Keylime smiled brightly after the exchange because placing her hands behind her back and wobbled in place a little. “So, you’ll text me sometime?”

“Count on it.” Bolt grinned.

“I’ll see you later then, cutie.” Keylime winked as she walked past him and traced his cheek with her index finger.

Bolt watched as she left, making little effort to hide his observation of her attractive rear. He stared as her skirt swayed and her hips moved. Once she was gone, he shook his head and smirked. “I’d hit that for sure...” He thought out loud.

“So y’all havin’ a good time hangin’ out with the Dash boys? ‘Ah ain’t seen ‘em since they were little, but ‘Ah know they started goin’ to your school a bit ago. Ain’t had time to get caught up with Rainbow and Fluttershy though...” Applejack frowned as she took a sip of some coffee while sitting at the dinner table. It was late, but Applejack still had a few more chores to finish, so she was getting herself a pick-me-up.

Jasper poked at a steak and looked up blinking. “Oh, yeah, Cloud’s a good fella.”

“And Bolt?” Applejack asked.

Jasper chewed his thoughts trying to think of a good word to describe his self-declared rival. “He’s... Somethin’ that’s for sure...”

“Guessin’ y’all don’t get along?” Applejack chuckled.

Finishing a bite of food before speaking again, Jasper shook his head. “Kid’s a real blockhead sometimes if I’m honest. Ain’t met his parents, but I assume they’re the same.”

Applejack smirked. “Rainbow? Yeah, she’s competitive as all can be, but Fluttershy is so docile she’d cry over squashin’ a spider.”

“Opposites attract, I ‘spose.” Jasper shrugged.

“That sounds ‘bout right. Those two’ve known each other since they were in kindergarten, so it wasn’t much of a surprise when they got shacked up. Rainbow didn’t really say nothin’ till high school though.” Applejack recalled around when the two started dating. It really was such a natural transition that she had forgotten they weren’t always together.

“Sounds like an annoyin’ person. If Bolt takes after her, I can only imagine how bad she is...” Jasper shook his head just at the thought of someone more of a braggart and showoff than Bolt. He didn’t want to think such a thing was possible, but the boy had to be learning it from somewhere.

Applejack’s demeanor changed from that of a jokester to a more serious one. Her face contorted to show Jasper that there was no humor in her words. “Don’t say that.”

“Huh? But y’all yourself said she was a braggart and whatnot, didn’t ya’?” Jasper raised a brow in confusion at the sudden change in tone from his mom.

“That may be true, but Rainbow’s someone that y’all should respect. Trust me on that. Her son may be rough ‘round the edges, but if Rainbow taught him, he has good values,” Applejack insisted.

“Huh?” Jasper was still confused.

“Y’all will understand when ya’ meet her, trust me,” Applejack stated as she closed the conversation.

Jasper didn’t quite understand, but he chose to remain silent and continue eating his food instead of trying to probe her for more info.

Cloud couldn’t decide on what to wear. Everything just felt off today, and he couldn’t find a single thing that he felt really spoke to him. It was another school day, and he wanted to look presentable, even though he rarely stood out at school. His muted rainbow hair had already been braided, but now he just needed the wardrobe to complete his appearance.

Sighing, he looked through his extensive closet and contemplated. Given that it was the warm season, he knew that he had to choose something that would allow proper ventilation.

His lovely eyes closed and opened and he spotted a nice simple button up top that felt like it played the part. He slipped it on along with some slacks sporting a dragon design on the right side and did a little turn in the mirror.

Once he was satisfied, he blushed as he saw himself. For as long as Cloud could remember, he was always exceptionally feminine, and the odd part about it was that despite his brother’s aversion to homosexuality or anything, not “manly” as he put it, Bolt never gave him a hard time for his effeminate demeanor. In actuality, Bolt often defended him and even got suspended a few times taking swings at other kids that made fun of him.

Cloud struggled with self-image, but he considered himself a person who could see the beauty in all things. His room was decorated with flower motifs and with many pieces of art that he had collected.

Stepping out of his room, he caught the sight of his mother Fluttershy wandering down the hall with a basket in hand. She smiled at Cloud and tucked her shoulder-length hair behind her ear. Despite her age, she was still cute and dainty.

“Heading to school soon, Cloud?” She asked.

Cloud nodded and bowed gently out of respect. “Yeah, do I look okay?”

Fluttershy nodded and kept smiling at him. “You look lovely, sweetie. Make sure your brother isn’t late though, alright?”

“I can do that...” Cloud replied quietly.

“Good, you know how he gets. I need to get this basket to Rainbow at work...” Fluttershy lifted the basket which Cloud surmised had her lunch in it.

“Yeah, okay...” Cloud said.

There was silence for a few seconds as Fluttershy could sense something was bothering Cloud. “Something, wrong sweetie?”

Cloud shook his head. “No... Well... Actually...”

Fluttershy stepped forward. “What is it?”

He wanted to tell her about something he had been dealing with, but decided to change the subject at the last second. “What mom does is really dangerous, right?”

Frowning, Fluttershy turned her head away slightly. “Not as much these days, they’ve mostly got her doing training now, but overall, yes.”

“You’d want us to stay safe, right?” Cloud asked.

“Of course, why are you in trouble?” Fluttershy looked so serious all of a sudden like she was going to cry.

“M-maybe... I don’t know... Bolt knows more than I do...” Cloud admitted as he rubbed his neck.

Fluttershy stepped forward and pulled her son into a hug and squeezed tightly before releasing him and keeping her hand on his shoulder as she met eyes with the boy. “I’ll talk to him when I get back. Please stay safe until then, alright?”

“A-alright...” Cloud nodded slowly.

His mother kissed his forehead and headed out, leaving Cloud a bit concerned that he may have said too much. This certainly would complicate things, and there was no doubt that Bolt might be mad about it later when he found out.

Jasper and Horizon arrived at Bolt’s home after school the next day, and he gave a sheepish smile to them all. “Oh, hey guys, come on in.”

Jasper’s brow rose as he became suspicious as to why the teen was acting off. He seemed somewhat distant and nervous even. Regardless, the two stepped inside of his home. It had been the first time either of them had seen it, but upon entering the main hallway that lead to an opening that housed the kitchen and dining room there was a wall of war memorabilia.

Horizon leaned in to examine the various items. Several were medals that had been framed, likely earned by Rainbow Dash, Bolt’s mother. Others had newspaper clippings that Horizon began to scan over when the raspy voice of Rainbow Dash herself called the group.

“Alright kiddies, in the kitchen, it's time we all had a talk.”

Blinking, Jasper looked at Horizon with confusion who just shrugged back at him. Obeying the order, the two entered the kitchen where Rainbow was seated at the table, Cloud, and Fluttershy sitting across from her.

Her hair had been tied into a ponytail, and Jasper took notice of the woman’s right arm. It wasn’t real. Her hand looked like that of an android’s, metal and plating, and it seemed to be her entire right arm. It wasn’t a typical prosthetic though, as it moved naturally as if she was in complete control of it. He had heard about advanced prosthetics such as that but had never actually seen one in person, they were exceedingly rare.

“Let’s all how a little pow-wow shall we?” Rainbow grinned.

Jasper didn’t like where this was heading; Horizon was as calm as ever.

“So, I don’t know what kind of crazy nonsense Sunset Shimmer got herself into before she bit the dust, but I do know that the girl has trouble follow her around, that was sort of a common feature with her,” Rainbow began.

“I don’t know what y’all are talkin’ about...” Jasper attempted to lie, but like his mother, he was dreadful at it.

Rainbow raised up her good hand to dismiss him. “Save it, I already know a good deal. You kids are trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Sunset Shimmer. Admirable, I mean I must say that I’m curious myself, but it’s already proven to be dangerous given what happened to Horizon already.”

The entire group looked over at Horizon, who was still sitting quietly waiting for this all to unfold.

“How did you-?” Jasper didn’t get a chance to finish before Rainbow pointed to Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy told me, and she heard it all from Bolt.”

Jasper gave an annoyed stare at Bolt as he spoke up. “You told her about all this?”

“I can’t lie to her dude, sorry. Look her in the eye and tell me that you could!” Bolt challenged.

Even if Jasper was any good at lying, he couldn’t deny that one look at Fluttershy’s soft face would make it a challenge for even the greatest fibber to spin a tale the woman.

“Doesn’t matter, what matters is that you kids are wrapped it in something really dangerous...” Rainbow lectured.

“Mrs. Dash, if you let us explain-“ Jasper attempted to speak up again.

Cutting him off, Rainbow shook her head. “Look, I’m not going to give your typical adult speech about how you all need to stop, because frankly, it’s probably too late for that. On top of that, I know what it’s like to feel that you need to do something. Instead, I’d rather you be prepared, so that’s why I’m giving this up to you, Bolt.”

Undoing the clasp on her necklace, Rainbow offered it to Bolt who took it with a confused expression.

“It’s just like the one that Horizon got from Twilight, I’m sure you’ve all discussed it by now. It’ll keep you safe.” Rainbow smiled.

Bolt nodded and placed it around his neck, already feeling its power surge through him. He was already invigorated by it.

Fluttershy spoke up now and took her necklace off and offered it to Cloud. “And I want you to have mine, Cloud.”

Cloud blinked as it was offered to him. He attempted to decline it and pushed it back toward his mother. “I can’t accept this, mother...”

“Please take it. I’d feel better if you had it...” Fluttershy pleaded.

Sighing, Cloud took it into his hand and grasped it in his palm. He closed his eyes for a moment and nodded. “I’ll keep it close...”

Satisfied with how things turned out, Rainbow stood up and grinned at the group. “Now that all of that is squared away, I have some paperwork to catch up on before I go to bed tonight. You all really should practice your new abilities before just going out there to fight whatever. Only a novice goes into battle without fully understanding his weapons.”

With a wink, the woman exited the room to head toward her study. Fluttershy let out a sigh as she shook her head.

“As much as I’m not a fan of you all fighting, I can already tell that you have Rainbow’s determination...” Fluttershy frowned.

“We ain’t tryin’ to be difficult, honest.” Jasper raised his hand as he promised.

Horizon changed the subject. “Rainbow’s arm... It’s a military issue, isn’t it”

“Horizon!” Jasper scolded her for her social faux pas.

It didn’t seem to bother Fluttershy, though. “Yes, it's a very advanced prototype. She was part of the Revived Warriors Project.”

“The R.W.P.? I think I heard about that in the news a few years back...” Horizon placed a hand on her chin as she tried to remember.

“What’s the R.W.P.?” Jasper asked.

“The Revived Warriors Project was a special program that was designed to take soldiers who lost limbs in combat and replace them with new advanced cybernetics and they would return to the battlefield. Mom was in the original group of 80. She was number 8,” Bolt explained.

“I’ve seen those, supposedly their cybernetics are the most advanced out there? Civilians can’t even get cybernetic limb replacement yet, if I recall the average cost of a single one is about 80 million isn’t it?” Horizon recalled the data she had read.

“Something like that, yes...” Fluttershy nodded quietly.

Suddenly, Jasper now could understand what his mother had told him. Rainbow Dash was a selfless hero. She had not only lost an arm for her country, but she was willing to still go back out there despite that. She had the honor of being one of the first soldiers with lost limbs to return to active duty, and judging by the wall of medals that they saw when they entered, Rainbow took her job seriously.

That was obviously the reason that she commanded Applejack’s respect now. She was truly a great woman.

“You must be proud of her.” Jasper smiled.

Fluttershy rubbed her neck. “I am...”

He could sense there was a “but” that was intended to follow that statement, but she cut herself off and chose to say nothing else instead. Something clearly was bothering her, but she wasn’t going to say.

“Point is that mom’s behind us now,” Bolt stated.

“Come on, Cloud, let’s go practice with our new magic, alright?” Bolt gestured for his brother to follow him.

Cloud gave a simple “mmm,” and was right behind him as the two left the room to head outside to practice with their newfound abilities.

“So you’ve never worked on a farm before...?” Rarity asked with a puzzled expression as a strange woman sat across from her at her dining room table sipping from some tea that she had been offered.

The woman’s muscular left arm gripped the cup tightly and Rarity could easily see the tone of her impressive bicep and even smell a hint of her sweat, there was little doubt that the girl was strong. She gave a gentle shake of her head to signify her answer was "no".

“Yes, well, it’s very difficult work so you know,” Rarity informed.

The stranger placed their other hand on the table, it was made entirely of metal, and her hand was more of a claw. Her entire arm was uniquely crafted, sporting some kinds of spikes on it, it was unlike anything Rarity had ever seen before. “I can handle it, I’m a hard worker, promise.”

“I am going to guess you were in the army?” Rarity asked.

“You could say that...” The other woman crossed her arms.

Rarity noted her eyes were different from most people’s, they were almost reptilian, and there was something about her smile that was odd as well, she seemed to have some rather sharp incisors, giving her somewhat of a snaggletooth grin.

The woman’s hair was brushed into a side-swept side cut and left rather messy. It was a vibrant pink is color, but ironically the girl didn’t come off as overtly feminine. She was dressed exceptionally plain with a tank top and jeans.

“Out of curiosity though, if you have a military background, why do you want to work here as a farmhand? Surely there are better-paying positions out there for someone of your talents...” Rarity questioned.

The woman grinned and patted her chest with her closed fist. “Hard work is where I shine. Besides, I needed a job that would keep me active while I’m in town.”

“So you’re just passing through?” Rarity questioned.

“I’m going to be here for a bit, but I don’t know how long yet,” the other woman explained.

Rarity bit her lip, unsure if she was making a wise choice or an incredibly foolish one. “Well, alright... We’ll see you tomorrow then, Mrs. Razorclaw.”

The tall woman chuckled and shook her head dismissively. “Please, call me Cinder.”

As Bolt and Cloud practiced their new magic outside, Jasper sat indoors with Horizon who was scrolling through various webpages on her phone as Jasper thought silently to himself. He poked his head into the kitchen when he heard Fluttershy head down the hallway.

Carefully he observed her from afar as she brought a box of tools with her. The girl tied her shoulder-length hair back into a messy ponytail and called for Rainbow Dash upstairs. “Rainbow, it’s time for maintenance!”

Lazily, Rainbow answered her call and found her way downstairs into the kitchen. Jasper watched carefully as Rainbow yawned and sat across from her wife at the table. The girl extended her synthetic arm for Fluttershy to see and pulled her sleeve up so the girl could get a better look at it.

Fluttershy began working with a screwdriver on the girl’s arm and switched to another one when she had some screwed undone, putting the original screwdriver in her mouth as she worked. Her eyes were full of focus as she worked on the girl’s arm, checking it thoroughly. “You have been exceeding the weight limit again, haven’t you?” She asked.

Rainbow scoffed and looked away. “That’s just a recommendation, the system can easily push 800 pounds if necessary...”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t designed to work at max capacity all the time. Try and take it easy? This thing isn’t easy to get replacement parts for, the backorder time is usually eight weeks, you want to go eight weeks without full use of your arm?” Fluttershy asked with her brow raised.

Rainbow smirked and raised her other arm. “I still got one good one, and one is all I need to work my magic.”

Rolling her eyes, Fluttershy continued to work, getting into the inner systems of the appendage as she checked it over. “Well, everything seems to be alright, no damage. You’re making sure to put the fluid in it every week, right?”

Rainbow sighed and nodded. “Yes, mom.”

“You’re the mom around here...” Fluttershy grinned.

This attempt at flipping things around only filled Rainbow with more pride. “Hey, I gave birth to them because I’m tough like that. Not even childbirth can bring me down, and I got two at once, how tough is that?”

Fluttershy giggled a bit at the notion. “They are wonderful boys, that’s for sure, and you're plenty tough.”

“We’re good parents, Shy,” Rainbow’s tone became more serious.

Sighing, Fluttershy nodded and gave her wife a smile as she closed up her arm. “I know we are...”

There was an awkward silence between the two before Fluttershy cleared her throat. “Right... I think we’re done, you can head back up to what you were doing.”

Flexing her synthetic arm a few times, Rainbow tapped her eye and blinked a few times. “Let me make sure the optical link is still functioning...”

Rainbow’s pupil grew and shrank as it adjusted and she nodded contently as she detected that it was still functioning as expected. “Cool, everything’s working. Thanks, babe, I appreciate it.”

Fluttershy gave her a gentle smile as Rainbow leaned down and kissed the sitting woman’s forehead before leaving to head back upstairs.

Jasper stood there silently until he felt a hand upon his shoulder, causing him to jump. He pivoted around to see Horizon standing there with her head tilted. “Spying on Fluttershy and Rainbow?”

“I was just curious is all...” Jasper frowned sheepishly.

Nodding, Horizon stepped past him and entered the kitchen where Fluttershy was still sitting to confront her about what the two had just witnessed. Jasper tried to reach out to stop the girl, but it was too late.

“So you perform maintenance on Rainbow’s prosthetic then?” Horizon asked.

Jasper blushed from embarrassment as he entered the room and tried to give her the signal that her question was inappropriate, but Fluttershy didn’t seem too offended by it.

“I’m no engineer, but I had to learn how to do it because Rainbow can’t do it herself with only one arm. It’s taken a lot of my time to read many of the manuals and guides from the army about it, but I’ve become quite efficient at it.” Fluttershy forced a smile.

“She has an optical implant too, correct?” Horizon asked.

Sighing, Fluttershy nodded. “Yes... It’s a disk that is placed under her cornea made of some kind of gel. I don’t really understand much of how it works, or how it doesn’t damage her eye, but essentially it is linked to her arm wirelessly...”

“What’s it do?” Jasper asked, realizing at this point there was no point in feigning that he wasn’t curious himself.

“Most of its functions are top secret, but I know it has a targeting system for weapons and can detect ammo reserves in a weapon held by the same arm. I believe it also is capable of finding targets through heat detection too...” Fluttershy explained.

“You don’t sound too impressed by it all...” Jasper pointed out.

Looking away and out the window, Fluttershy spoke with a somber tone. “Is it that obvious?”

“Kinda...” Jasper admitted.

Fluttershy paused for a moment before answering. “The army has given her a career that has provided for us, and for that I’m thankful; however, I can’t ever forgive them for what they’ve done to Rainbow. She lost her arm for them, and they gave it back only to use her some more... They’ve turned Rainbow into a weapon, and I hate it. I love her so much, but it does hurt sometimes to see what the army has done to her...”

“She’s a hero.” Jasper pointed out.

“And look at how they reward heroes...” Fluttershy said quietly.

Horizon didn’t quite understand what was going on, so she remained quiet as the entire room fell silent.

Applejack yawned as she slipped off her work boots and sat down on the couch next to her wife, wrapping an arm around her. Rarity giggled and snuggled into the muscular woman with a smile on her face.

“How’s my girl doin’?” Applejack grinned as she kissed her forehead.

Rarity peppered a few kisses on the girl’s neck, sending tingles up Applejack’s spine. “I’m alright, you’ve been working hard, I see.”

“You know how ‘Ah am.” Applejack laughed.

Remembering something, Rarity sat up and relayed the news to her wife. “Oh, before I forget, I hired the new farmhand you wanted, darling.”

“Oh? Guy or a girl?” Applejack raised a brow.

“It’s a woman, but she’s... Different, that’s for sure.” Rarity tapped her chin, unsure of how else to describe her.

“Different how? She look strong at least?” Applejack asked.

“Definitely looked strong. Her muscles I’d say rival your own, and she had a metal arm...” Rarity explained.

Blinking, Applejack drew a conclusion. “So she’s a veteran then? In that program that Rainbow was in?”

Rarity bit her lip. “To be honest, that’s the most logical answer, but something about her was just... off. I couldn’t put my finger on it though, she was just a really odd individual. What’s odder is she doesn’t seem to be too concerned with the workload and didn’t try to negotiate the pay at all...”

“How is that odd? Gal probably just likes t’ feel like she earns her keep.” Applejack could admire such dedication.

The odd feeling in Rarity just couldn’t be shaken though. She definitely felt off regarding the new farmhand, but she couldn’t find a justifiable reason to not have hired her when she was the best candidate she had interviewed.

Her demeanor was so friendly despite her gruff outer appearance, and that definitely confused Rarity.

“Keep an eye on her when she’s working with you, please?” Rarity asked.

“Why y’all paranoid about her?” Applejack asked.

It wasn’t like Rarity to be so distrusting, something about the woman must have made her uneasy.

“It’s probably nothing, but I just want to be sure, that’s all...” Rarity said.

Applejack grinned and held her hand tightly. “Then ‘Ah’ll keep my eyes open.”

Eight Months Ago

Detroit, Michigan had grown so much worse over the years. Once a city riddled with gang violence had become home to larger gangs until super gangs had formed. Those same gangs ruled the city and operated almost above the law due to their massive influence. They were fully equipped with informants in the news and police force who tipped them off to anyone trying to take them down.

On top of this, they had enlisted men and women in the military to hook them up with the latest in military weaponry and technology. With law enforcement unable to hold a candle against such groups, they had changed from gangs into their own mafia.

One such group met monthly downtown at an abandoned office building where they had members stationed throughout the complex to ensure their operations were kept uninterrupted. Today was that meeting.

At the head of the table was a man who only went by the name “Blood”. He had acquired it through years of proving himself to be top dog, and there were stories of how he loved the sight of blood, as he killed his enemies. A ruthless leader he was, and he stood fearlessly at the top of his “organization”.

Next to him were his two trusted subordinates, Clip and Edger. Both equally ruthless in their own right, but they were a tad smaller than Blood who stood an impressive seven feet tall.

As their discussions of what their next operations would be continued, the door to their meeting room opened allowing two cloaked figures to enter. The entire room filled with a good dozen people all turned their heads at the mysterious strangers taking note of them. They couldn’t see their faces or any defining features, but one was fairly short, probably no taller than five foot two, and the other was a man standing about six feet tall.

“Who are you assholes?” Clip asked.

The tall one reached into his robe and retrieved a revolver of a high caliber and blasted the top of Clip’s skull off, his body limply fell to the floor as blood sprayed the remaining members at the table. All of which quickly retrieved their own guns and pointed it at the two.

Both of them stood unfazed. The tall one dropped his gun onto the floor and walked closer casually, the short one following him.

“You fuckers are dead!” Edger called out.

The tall one walked up to one of the lower members who pointed a gun directly at his head. He took his hand and gripped the man’s hair and smashed his face into the table so hard that he shattered his skull. The robed man seemed completely not intimidated by their threats.

One of the men at the table fired their gun at the tall figure, but the bullet just bounced off of him and ricocheted killing another member at the table.

Finally, the tall robed man spoke. “Who is in charge here?”

“Who the fuck is asking?” Blood questioned as he crossed his arms.

“Would that be you then?” The tall robed man asked with a deep voice.

“That’s right, I’m blood and who are you?” Blood raised a brow.

“New management,” the robed man replied plainly.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Blood laughed.

The short one approached Blood and stood in front of him silently. He raised a brow once more as he let out a hearty laugh. “I ain’t scared of you, little shit. What do you want?”

“You’re sitting in their chair,” the tall one explained.

“Is that so?” Blood chuckled.

“Move, now.” The tall one seemed to speak for the little one.

“Make me,” Blood challenged.

Accepting his challenge, the short figured reached forward and with a powerful grip, stuck their two fingers into both of his eyes and their thumb into his mouth. Without much effort, they piercing his eyes, causing blood to spurt all over and Blood screamed in pain.

With another quick motion, they ripped his skull out of his head and tossed it aside before gripping his headless body and throwing it aside like it were nothing more than a wet towel. They then seated themselves in his chair as the placed their hands on the arms of the chair.

The tall one stood by their side and looked at Edger who was in shock at how easily they had not only infiltrated their building but also taken out his leader. “You must be his right-hand man, right?”

“Y-yeah?” Edger gulped.

The tall one nodded before walking over and placing both hands on the man’s head. “We won’t be needing you, we’ll be bringing in our own people...” Before Edger could object, the man twisted and snapped his neck.

Looking back at the remaining members at the table, the tall man spoke for both of the robed figures. “Gentlemen, congratulations, you’re all about to contribute to our operation which is far bigger than what you’re currently involved in.”

“What do you want?” One of the men at the table nervously asked.

“Assets. You all have access to weapons, tech, and warm bodies, all of which things we require, so we’re seizing all of it today. Anyone who objects will be killed,” the tall man said.

“Who are you people?” The same man asked.

“From now on, everything is on a need to know basis, and you don’t need to know...” The tall man answered.

A Few Years Ago

“So Eclipse went to the human world and now Cinder followed him, am I following that correctly?” Starlight asked Princess Twilight.

The good princess nodded as she placed a pair of reading glasses upon her face so she could work on some paperwork that had been piling up over the past few days. Years of having her nose in books had affected her vision and now she needed lenses to read small text. She imagined it would have gone better when she had kept a more “put together” look as it likely would have fit the “sexy librarian” fantasy.

Twilight hadn’t maintained her mane in years though, and as a result, it was always a constant mess. Discord approved, and all were happy.

“That’s the short of it, yes.” Twilight nodded, keeping her eyes focused on the paperwork that she had been attempting to start before Starlight had burst into her office and demanded information.

Starlight still couldn’t make sense as to why any of this had transpired. She knew that Eclipse had trained under Cinder, but why would he go to the human world?

“How did Eclipse even get to the human world though?” Starlight turned her head.

Making a few marks on a paper in front of her before she spoke, Twilight answered the mare with an uninterested tone. “He managed to slip past security in the castle using illusion spells where he was able to get to the mirror. He just so happened to time it correctly, that’s all.”

“But why go through the trouble?” Starlight asked.

“He was chasing after Glitch, I assume.” Twilight shrugged.

Starlight blinked. “Wait, Glitch? Really?”

Twilight didn’t take her eyes off of her work. “Yes, Glitch is actually from the human world. She was Equestria like us, but she ran away to the human world ages ago. I recruited her to help us defeat Serenade.”

“Wait, wait, wait... Glitch is a girl too?” Starlight was in awe.

“Oh, yes, I forgot you were not one of the few that was privy to know that information. Yes, Glitch was a girl, but I can’t reveal more than that. Cinder knew Glitch’s true identity, and I would surmise that Eclipse found out too through her. It’s likely why Cinder felt responsible for his predicament,” Twilight explained.

That all did make some sense at least. If Cinder had told Eclipse who Glitch was and that was enough to encourage the boy to chase after her, then Cinder definitely was responsible.

“Why did you let her go though?” Starlight asked.

Twilight set her quill down and tilted her head down so her eyes could see above her glasses as she stared at Starlight. “I’m honor-bound to do so, Starlight. Cinder did a great deal for us not only during the Serenade reign but also during the Dragon Scar incident. Were it not for her, I wouldn’t be alive.”

“You still haven’t really told us all what happened over there, you’ve left out so many details...” Starlight frowned.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “It’s a story that I’d rather not relive. It was hell, but it’s because of Cinder and the other dragons that we were able to liberate Dragon Scar. The three of them together saved my life, so I owe her.”

Starlight had only heard of these other two dragons in passing. She knew that one of them perished during their efforts, but the details were left fuzzy. Twilight clearly didn’t like talking about it. One of those two dragons now sat as the king of Dragon Scar, and regularly sent over ambassadors to Equestria to aid in peace negotiations. They even estimated that within eight years time, ponies would be able to freely travel to Dragon Scar safely.

It couldn’t be denied that Cinder had done so much for Equestria and the royal family, but that made it all that much more strange that they would let her go so easily.

“She really isn’t coming back then?” Starlight asked quietly.

“No. It’s as I said, going to the human world is dangerous, and that’s why we made the decision to end the allowance of human world interference in our world. The order is above me anyway, so I can’t do anything even if I wanted to. Cinder decided that this was what she wanted, and I have to respect that,” Twilight stated.

Biting her lip, Starlight sighed and nodded. “Well, I guess it’s like you to do things and not explain them...”

Twilight already knew where the conversation was going: a place it had gone to many times before. “Considering you won’t hear me out on Arax...”

Sighing, Twilight removed her glasses and placed both hooves onto the table as she leaned in. Her former student could sometimes get on the mare’s nerves, but Twilight always made an effort to be patient with her. “Starlight, I have told you before; Arax is a traitor to Equestria.”

“Serenade made him do that though! If he had a choice he-“ Starlight got cut off.

“Irrelevant. He is in prison, and that is where he’ll stay.” Twilight was losing her patience for the subject.

“But-“ Starlight began.

“Starlight, your infatuation with the changeling is clouding your judgment. His pheromones clearly have altered your thoughts on him, you’re not of sound mind...”

Starlight approached the desk Twilight was seated at and pounded it with her hooves as she sat on her haunches. “Listen to me, the pheromones aren’t the reason. I’ve been seeing clearly for a long time, and I know that Arax isn’t a bad person outside of the tasks that Serenade forced him to do. She has some kind of weird hold on him...”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “The changeling is to stay in prison, plain and simple. I would suggest abandoning any notions that you’re going to convince me to free Serenade’s greatest subordinate...”

Defeated, Starlight let out a long sigh as well and nodded in agreement. “Alright...”

“Now please, I need to get back to my work...” Twilight waved a hoof to dismiss the girl.

Nodding, Starlight retreated out of the room to leave the Princess of Friendship to her work. It was clear that Twilight was not trying to discuss the matter further.

Bolt was practicing his new abilities outside, working on using electricity with his geode when Jasper came out to approach him. The young teen was making sparks in his hands and trying to focus them into bigger surges of electricity with only a little luck. His medallion had granted him incredible speed, but also an affinity for lightning, something that Horizon had mentioned before about every magic-user having an affinity rang in Jasper’s mind.

Lightning was a fitting element for Bolt, it represented how unpredictable the boy was, as like lightning it was difficult to gauge where he would strike and how he would act.

Keeping his hands in his pockets, Jasper sat down on a nearby rock and cleared his throat to get the boy’s attention.

Bolt glanced over at him but tried not to pay him too much mind. “Oh, hey.”

“Howdy...” Jasper nodded.

The two were silent for an awkward eight seconds before Bolt returned to trying to master his new abilities.

Jasper was the one who broke the silence once more. “So... Listen... I can’t help but notice we don’t exactly have a lot in common...”

“Yup.” Bolt nodded, not even turning to look at the boy.

Jasper rubbed his neck, realizing that Bolt wasn’t about to make any of this easy. “Look, I’m sorry if I implied that y’all weren’t raised right. Your ma’ she’s...”

“A hero?” Bolt finally looked over in Jasper’s direction.

“Y-yeah...” Jasper admitted awkwardly.

Bolt lowered his hands and turned to face the country boy properly. “Most of my childhood was spent with my mom getting shipped out. My parents almost got divorced when I was like eight.”

“Them? Divorced? Those two are smitten on each other though...” Jasper blinked, a bit surprised to hear this news.

Bolt nodded. “Yeah, but it’s not always easy for them. When I was eight, my mom got sent to a mission in the Middle East. One of her squad members got separated from the group and she ran off to go find him. He had broken his leg and she tried to carry him back to the rendezvous...”

“What happened?” Jasper could sense this story was going to turn south.

Bolt shook his head. “They were captured and taken prisoner. She spent eight months as a prisoner of war. We had thought she was dead... But she bided her time there and ate half as much to make sure that her subordinate that was with her was strong enough to survive. When she saw an opportunity, she managed to escape with him after eight months and called for help.”

Jasper was silent as he listened.

“When she got home, she was emaciated, she weighed about only one hundred and five pounds...” Bolt explained.

Even for a woman of Rainbow’s below average height, that weight was incredibly low.

“We were glad she was back, but after only a few months of recovery, she went to re-enlist... And Fluttershy had a fit over it. They fought for weeks about it, but Rainbow wouldn’t budge. She insisted that so long as her body was able, she wanted to serve, and Fluttershy didn’t want to bury her. My mom has always thrown herself into danger regardless of the price...” Bolt grew rather quiet.

“A noble person then...” Jasper offered.

Bolt looked away. “Maybe, but she said that so long as she knows she can do something to help people and she doesn’t do it, she can’t feel complete. It wasn’t long after that until she lost her arm in combat; and of course... She wanted to re-enlist again. I think Fluttershy has just come to accept it at this point, but she still worries that one day she’ll have to attend an early funeral for my mom...”

Jasper stood up and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Rainbow’s tough, hopefully, that won’t happen...”

Bolt nodded as his voice remained low. “Either way, I’m going to fight too. I’m not going to let a couple of people looking for some stupid box hurt me, Cloud or my friends, besides, I can’t let you have all the glory. God knows that I don’t need any more reasons to owe you anything....”

Jasper smiled with amusement at Bolt’s playful banter and offered his hand which Bolt took in his own. The two boys gripped tightly as they raised their arms with flexed biceps and smirks on their faces. Jasper then spoke. “Finally, somethin’ that we can agree on.”

“You know it.” Bolt nodded.

Keylime hadn’t expected to see Bolt again so soon, but sure enough, after she began classes, she noticed him right away out in the hallway at school. Curiosity overcame her as she followed him out to the parking lot now that classes had finished up.

The young teen was standing next to an expensive Audi with a female sitting inside the car in the driver’s seat, sporting a bored expression. Next to him was another fairly tall male, this one blonde and a boy with a rather Asian inspired fashion sense and muted rainbow hair tied into a neat braid.

Approaching the group, Keylime grinned at Bolt. “Hey, cute stuff.”

Bolt blushed and grinned back at her. “Hey. What’s up?”

She glanced over at the blonde and shot him a wink too. “You didn’t tell me that you had a hot friend too...”

Jasper blinked and pointed to himself in confusion. Bolt looked over his shoulder at Jasper and gestured toward him. “Who, this guy? Forget him.”

The response from Jasper was a predictable rolling of the eyes.

Pointing at the rainbow-haired boy, Bolt introduced him. “This is my brother, Cloud.”

Cloud nodded shyly at the new girl, noting that her fashion choices were quite odd. Almost everything about her was mismatched and showing off a lot of skin, probably more than the school dress code would allow.

“This is Keylime, guys. She’s from the Pie family, she just moved here,” Bolt explained.

“Pie, huh? My parents said that Pinkie moved away a long time ago...” Jasper glanced over at the odd girl who was swaying back and forth on back of her feet, her balance was impeccable.

“Yeah, we came back to Canterlot because my mom is taking over the Cake family bakery,” Keylime beamed with pride as she spoke those words.

“So they’re finally retirin’ huh?” Jasper asked.

Keylime just nodded and gave a simple “mhm.”

There was a short silence before Keylime moved her head to look around Jasper and bolt at the girl in the car. “Who’s this? Your girlfriend, Bolt?” She smirked as she said those words.

Bolt shook his hands defensively. “Huh? No way!”

“So she’s Jasper’s girlfriend then?” Keylime giggled.

Jasper sighed. “As much as my mother would love that, no.”

“Well then who are you, stranger?” Keylime stepped past the two boys and placed her hands on the car door with the window rolled down.

The girl in the car’s face seemed to lack much in the way of expression as the girl blankly stared at Keylime before answering. “My name is Horizon, Horizon Shimmer.”

Keylime tried to process the name which had a familiar ring to it, but she couldn’t place where she had heard it before.

Jasper sensed that the girl was deep in thought and decided to fill in the blank for her. “She’s the daughter of Twilight and Sunset Shimmer...”

“Ah, the Shimmer family. My mom went to high school with them, she said they were strange...” Keylime said as she reached into her pocket and retrieved a half-eaten cookie that she began to munch on.

Jasper was about to point out the irony before Horizon spoke up on her own behalf. “I suppose that would be an accurate statement. Virtually everything surrounding my family at this point could be classified as strange.”

Neither Jasper nor Bolt could argue with that assessment. Between her mother being murdered by a weird guy who could turn his arms into blades, Horizon being able to use magic, and her aunt Shimmer’s murder decades ago, the entire family was the center of oddity. There wasn’t a think about them that was “normal”.

Keylime shrugged after she finished her cookie. “So, you guys are all friends then?”

Bolt and Jasper looked at each other and then at Horizon who just stared blankly. Bolt crossed his arms and spoke for the group. “I guess so, we sort of bonded over a common interest.”

Cloud who had remained fairly quiet spoke up. “Maybe we should ask Keylime to join us?”

Jasper blinked and shook his head. “It’s bad enough that we got as many involved as we have, we shouldn’t be puttin’ more folks in harm’s way...”

“But if she’s related to Pinkie Pie, who went to school with our moms, there’s a good chance her mom already knows a little bit about what’s going on, not to mention she might have access to a geode like our moms did...” Cloud pointed out.

“Geo-whaty?” Keylime tilted her head.

Touching his chin in thought, Jasper nodded. “Yeah, ‘spose that makes sense...”

Horizon looked at Keylime and spoke up. “Keylime, would you like to join our group? I should warn you that it might be dangerous though.”

“Dangerous sounds like fun. I’m in!” Keylime giggled.

“That was easier than I thought...” Jasper sighed.

“Hey, it’ll be cool to have another hot chick come along with us.” Bolt grinned gleefully.

Rolling his eyes, Jasper shook his head in disgust at how blunt and rude Bolt was being. “She’s standing right there, partner...”

Bolt shrugged and looked right at Keylime as he complimented. “You’re hot as hell.”

Keylime giggled and winked as she gave him a little side turn so he could get a better look at her profile. Bolt was already undressing her with his mind, considering what unspeakable things he would do to the young teen if given the chance.

“I can already tell this is going to be annoyin’...” Jasper sighed.

“Guess we better bring her up to speed then, huh?” Bolt asked.

“Yeah, so what exactly are you guys doing?” Keylime asked as she placed her hands behind her back and leaned in with interest.

“I think we better let Horizon explain, given the circumstances...” Jasper suggested.

“Yeah, probably a good idea...” Bolt agreed with a nod.

All eyes fell on the socially awkward teen who adjusted her glasses before beginning. “Well, it sort of goes like this...”

Author's Note

WOW, really long hiatus; I'm sorry. I actually was moving for a good 2 weeks and I didn't have internet during that time. I would like to return to regular weekly updates from here on, hopefully without too many breaks in between now that things have stabilized a bit.

So, we finally get to meet Keylime Pie, one of my favorite characters, and she's so kooky that I know she's loveable.

Act VII Part I - Chapter CVII: Development

Chapter CVII: Development

Horizon was only lightly sleeping when she felt something that made her open her eyes. A strange feeling overcame her that compelled her to look around her room until she spotted a blurred figure standing at the foot of her large bed. Calmly, the girl sat up, rubbed her eyes, and retrieved her glasses from the end table, perching them on her nose and adjusting them, she took a look at the figure standing there.

The person at her bedside was wearing a rather large black jacket with an interesting collar to it, the rest of is came down to her knees with its length. The rest of their body was covered in a tight black stealth suit, black in color, and upon their face was a gas mask, featuring glowing red eyes.

Horizon blinked and yawned as she gazed at the person standing in her room for a solid few seconds before either of them spoke. “Would you mind removing your mask?” Horizon asked.

The figure shrugged and removed the mask to reveal a gorgeous chiseled face, mature and stern-looking. The female's eyes shined a vibrant reddish-pink and her luscious curly hair cascaded over her as it fell out of the helmet that it had been stuffed into. The young woman gave a gentle wave of her head and ran her hands through her attractive mane after dropping the helmet onto the floor.

Horizon and the woman locked eyes. They stared at each other without saying a word for a few awkward seconds before the visitor broke the silence.

“Do you know who I am?” The woman asked.

Nodding, Horizon didn’t avert her eyes from the figure before her. “You’re Adagio Dazzle.”

“Perceptive...” Adagio smirked before putting her hands on her hips and walking with a gentle sway of her rear. She was tall and lanky, but she had a decent behind. What she lacked in chest she made up for in legs, thighs, and gorgeous hair. Her locks were thick looking and full.

Horizon kept her eyes on the woman as she wandered around Horizon’s bedroom casually without much concern.

“You’re dead,” Horizon stated.

Adagio gave the girl a nod. “That’s correct.”

Such a fact at least explained why she didn't seem to be too concerned about taking her eyes off of Horizon at least.

“Then this is a dream,” Horizon said, her words not phrased as a question, but as a statement.

Shrugging, Adagio placed a hand atop of a vanity in the room and ran it along the fine wood. “That’s hard to say. If I am a dream, then I would be limited only to what you know, or what your imagination can conjure up, correct? That would be the most sensible answer, right?”

“I suppose that’s true, so anything I ask you is subject to that level of scrutiny...” Horizon reasoned.

“I can assure you that I’m not a dream, but that’s all determined by if you believe what you see. Seeing is believing after all, and perception is reality.” Adagio grinned.

“What are you then?” Horizon sat up and asked, crossing her legs and placing her hands in her lap.

"What do you think I am?" Adagio smirked as she crossed her legs.

"Don't know." Horizon shrugged.

"Don't trust your perception then?" Adagio asked.

Horizon yawned with her answer. "Perception can be fooled. I'd rather rely on what I can check with others and verify if that makes sense?"

"A woman of facts, I suppose I can respect that..." Adagio nodded in understanding.

"So what are you then?" Horizon asked a second time.

Adagio glanced over at the girl with serious eyes. “An echo of the past. I believe I’ve been referred to as an Adagio Shade by some.”

Horizon tilted her head. “What’s that?”

The tall woman ran her finger along with the mirror in the room, gazing at her own reflection, admiring the details carefully
of her own face before she answered Horizon.

“I’m made up of fragments of Adagio’s memories. I was expelled from her upon her death, and thus I know what she knew,” the woman explained.

“Why are you appearing before me then?” Horizon asked.

Adagio tapped a photograph that was framed on a dresser of Horizon and her mother when she was just a toddler. The woman’s long finger tapped Sunset in the picture.

“Anyone connected to Adagio can see me, and you are connected to Sunset Shimmer, therefore you can see me. Sensible, right?”

Horizon kept her eyes on the woman in her room as she continued her line of questioning. “I suppose it would be a waste of time to ask you if you know anything about what happened to Sunset then?”

Adagio nodded. “Correct. Since I am only a memory fragment, I can not create or retain new memories. Anything that happened after my death is a mystery to me. I cannot know anything that Adagio didn’t know prior to her demise. On top of that, I obviously wouldn't have knowledge of anything that I wasn't even present for as well.”

“I suppose that makes sense, one needs a body and brain to create memories after all...” Horizon rationalized.

Adagio shook her head. “You’re thinking is stunted. Memories are far more powerful than that. One only needs the ability to think, and that doesn’t come from the body or brain, but from somewhere deeper. A brain is merely a tool that transmutes memories into storage for the long term within the body.”

Horizon scratched her head in confusion. “Sounds philosophical, but I think I get it.”

The Adagio shade shrugged.

“Why did you kill Shimmer?” Horizon asked.

Adagio frowned at that question. “I never intended to. I loved Shimmer very dearly, I wanted to be with her again even if it was wrong...”

“Why would it be wrong?” Horizon blinked.

Approaching Horizon, Adagio knelt down to be at eye level with the girl as she spoke. “That’s a complicated story, but the point is that I never wanted to kill her, I didn’t even want to kill Sunset, but I was in a position where I had to, I wanted Shimmer to love me again, and I couldn’t see another way without stealing Sunset’s magic...”

“What does that mean exactly?” Horizon asked curiously.

Standing back up, Adagio shook her head and smirked. “A story for another time. You have so much left to discover, so I don’t want to make everything too easy for you, but you’re on the right path, I would say.”

Placing a hand upon her chin, Horizon pondered everything she had been told and decided to ask a final question. “Where do I go from here then?”

Adagio glanced over at Horizon and grinned from the side of her mouth. Her face looked sly and mischievous. “I’d say look into myself. Everything is connected, and I’m sure you’ll find your answers if you dig deeper. I used to rent an old apartment on the other side of the city almost twenty years ago on Eighth street. If you’re lucky, the owner still lives there and might be able to point you in the right direction.”

“Why’re you helping me though?” Horizon asked.

Adagio shrugged. “Don’t know, but then again I’m just a memory fragment, so I guess I can't explain too much about my thought process.”

Bowing her head, Horizon looked back at the woman only to see that she had vanished into thin air. She spoke her appreciation regardless though. “Thank you.”

Cinder had afforded herself a small apartment, not too far from her job as a farmhand at Applejack’s home. She wanted to keep a relatively low profile, and truthfully there weren’t many things in the world that she needed. So long as she had food and alcohol, she was content.

In her spare time, she would check the library to learn more about the human world that she was now a part of so she could blend in better. Unfortunately, being from the Equestrian universe meant that she had no identification whatsoever, and that limited her a little. The apartment she rented was done with a more vocal agreement, and her job at the farm didn’t require much in the way of background checks. The more she learned about the complications of the human world, the more she wondered how Sunset Shimmer ever survived in such a place.

To keep herself at optimum physical condition, Cinder exercised daily and had a pull-up bar placed in her apartment which she was currently using. Lifting herself up and down with her good arm, she didn’t bother with her mechanical one. It took a great amount of upper body strength to lift herself with just one arm, but Cinder was far from an ordinary woman. She possessed the kind of upper body strength that even many men did not have.

After a good eighty reps she let herself down and looked at the mechanical claw that was her right arm. She opened and closed it a few times and tapped the gemstone that was now embedded in her palm. She had augmented it before she left Equestria, which she hoped would come in handy. It was never a bad idea to be extra prepared after all.

Sitting down on the small loveseat in her home, the woman flipped the television on and leaned back as the news began to play. Televisions were a strange invention to her, a holographic box that would appear when switched on that displayed various things. Still, she found it useful to keep up with the news of the world. She was still getting used to the thing that humans called “the internet”.

Moving things around on her coffee table, Cinder retrieved a stack of papers she had been scribbling notes on from under it and placed them on top as she spread them out.

“Where are you, Eclipse? I really hope you’re okay...” Cinder frowned as she examined her notes.

So far, she had almost nothing on his whereabouts. If his time here was anything like hers, he had no IDs and that meant he likely lived almost completely off the grid, which meant that finding him would be extremely difficult. She hadn’t seen her former student in almost a decade, but she couldn’t turn back. Twilight made it clear to her that this was a one-way trip.

The phone on her wrist began to vibrate, and it took her a moment to remember how to answer it. Technology in this world confused her.

Making a gesture, a holographic headset appeared over her ear as she answered the call. “Hello?”

“Cinder, darling! I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work today!” Rarity’s soothing voice rang in her ear.

“Oh, it’s no trouble. It’s what I’m paid to do after all...” Cinder replied.

“I must say though, darling, I haven’t seen a woman as strong as you since I met Applejack; even she is impressed with your strength. The military certainly made you an impressive specimen!” Rarity praised.

Cinder had to hold back her true abilities, but she still was exceptional by human standards when it came to strength. She could never let anyone know that she could lift objects weighing in the thousands though.

“My family made us work a lot as kids, so continuing to build my strength came naturally...” Cinder told a half-truth.

“Well, I wanted to invite you over for dinner with our family this Friday. You’ve done so much in such a little time with nary a complaint, that I’d be remised if I didn’t try and show our appreciation,” Rarity stated.

Cinder let out a chuckle. “You pay me, that’s thanks enough.”

“Nonsense, darling! You go above and beyond!” Rarity insisted

Sighing, Cinder realized that she wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Alright, well I guess I can work that into my schedule, I don’t exactly have anything fancy to wear though...”

“Leave that to me!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Alright...” Cinder gulped as she hung up.

She sighed, realizing she had likely just agreed to be put in some ridiculously elaborate frou-frou outfit of Rarity’s choosing.

Keylime waited patiently for the arrival of Bolt Dash, her new favorite customer. Sure enough, right on time, he approached the entrance to the bakery and found his way inside. Keylime perked up more than usual and leaned over the counter to greet him, her low cut shirt offering a healthy dose of cleavage for his viewing pleasure. “Bolty!”

The boy blushed slightly as he casually nodded and waved while approaching the counter. “Hey girl, what’s up?”

Keylime looked up to the ceiling in earnest and observed what was up there so she could report it to him. “Ummm, light fixtures I think, though I don’t know what your sudden fascination with the... Oh, you meant how am I, duh!” She shook her head and grinned widely at him once she realized her mistake.

He blinked a few times, but had come to expect such things from her. “More or less, what have you been up to?”

“I went to a class for throat singing the other day actually,” she stated.

Bolt’s brow went up at that statement. “I didn’t know you were into that.”

“I’m not, I had a free lesson coupon that I found on a flyer someone left here, figured it was a better way to spend an afternoon than cleaning my room.” She shrugged.

“Your room must be a real nightmare then...” Bolt concluded.

She winked flirtatiously at him. “Maybe you’ll find out someday.”

He chuckled and grinned back at her as he leaned in. “You’re bold.”

“I suppose bold is better than italic isn’t it? Well... Both imply emphasis in the right circumstances though...” She placed a hand on her chin in thought.

There’s really no end to how strange she can be sometimes, is there? Bolt thought.

“Got a second? I wanted to talk to you about something...” Bolt’s eyes glanced over at the curvy woman who called herself Keylime’s mom that was standing at the other end of the counter licking some frosting off of her fingertip. The more he looked at her, the more it was clear to him where Keylime got her attractive figure from.

“I think we will need more than one second...” Keylime replied.

Rolling his eyes, Bolt chuckled. “Fine, do you have several seconds that I could borrow you for?”

She nodded and looked over at her mother as she spoke up. “I’m taking a break, mom.”

“Alright, just make sure you’re back soon, we have a big order later.” Pinkie smiled at the two teenagers.

Once they were given the okay, Bolt and Keylime stepped outside and stood in the alleyway next to the shop while Bolt leaned up against the wall and took a few puffs from his smoking device and exhaled the smoke. Keylime could smell the artificial vanilla.

“So, what’s on your mind?” Keylime was as perky as ever.

Bolt took another long puff before answering. “I know you’re still getting up to speed, but there’s a new development with Horizon’s situation.”

“The plot thickens!” Keylime giggled.

He nodded as he offered her the device. The girl took it carefully and held it awkwardly as she inhaled and coughed. It was clear to Bolt that she had never used one before, which only made him laugh. He adjusted it in her hand to show her how to hold it.

After being corrected, Keylime tried again, and was able to take a drag without looking like a total novice at the activity, to which Bolt nodded approvingly.

“So what’s new?” She offered it back to him.

He took another puff and spoke. “She thinks we need to look deeper into this Adagio Dazzle person. She said that she had an apartment on the other side of town almost twenty years ago. It’s a long shot, but there’s a chance that the guy who owned the place back then is still around. He might know more about her.”

“Adagio is the woman who murdered Horizon’s aunt, right?” Keylime asked.

He nodded. “Yeah, and at one point the two were lovers. Apparently Adagio and Sunset had beef over something too, because Twilight didn’t seem too keen on talking about her. I’d say assuming she’s connected to all of this is probably not too far off.”

“She fucks her and then kills her.” Keylime nodded.

He hadn’t expected such crass language from the girl, but he nodded in agreement regardless. “Seems that way. Adagio knew about magic too, so there’s a good chance that Shimmer did as well. There’s no doubt in any of our minds either that magic was part of the reason why Shimmer and Sunset were both killed.”

“Such a waste...” Keylime sighed.

“Definitely, especially because I’m willing to bet that Sunset’s help would be pretty valuable right now. The people behind that guy killing her must have known that too...” Bolt shook his head.

“Any clues on how to open that box that she left behind?” Keylime asked.

Bolt remembered that they had a few briefings where they explained all they knew to Keylime, but at the time it didn’t look as though she was paying much attention, so he was surprised to hear her say something that revealed she actually had.

He shrugged. “It’s still a mystery. We’re fairly sure that magic is the key to unlocking it, but we don’t know how specifically.”

“Do you think the people who killed Sunset will kill us too?” Keylime asked innocently.

Bolt blinked at the question. He definitely knew it was more than possible, and since one of them had already attempted to kill Horizon, they weren’t above murdering some teenagers, but he didn’t want to worry Keylime.

He grinned and winked at her. “I won’t let them do that to you.”

She smiled back at him. “I feel a lot safer with you protecting me then.”

Walking past him, she patted his shoulder playfully. “I have to get back inside, but message me when we are going to that apartment with Horizon, alright?”

“No problem.” He responded as he watched her skip back inside, his eyes drawn to her rear that bounced with her.

Once she was back inside and out of earshot he thought out loud. “Damn, that girl’s the whole package...”

“So this is the place then?” Starlight asked as Sunburst parked their van at a gas station.

“Looks like it, hard to believe this place could be the end of our search for answers. Not exactly as exotic as all the other places we’ve been, is it?” Sunburst chuckled.

Angel peaked from the back seat to get a better look at the city. Canterlot was far from impressive, if anything it seemed like a fairly bland city, but they had all grown up in California.

“I really hope this place can give us answers, though I’m not sure how we’re going to approach any of the people from my visions without them thinking we’re crazy...” Angel frowned.

Starlight waved her hand to dismiss any fears that Angel had as she shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, we’ll think of something. For now, all we gotta do is blend in, star assimilating into the social network around here and before we know it, we will have excuses to talk to them.”

“How do you figure we should do that?” Angel asked as she opened her door to step out of the van to get some air.

Sunburst opened the driver’s door to go fill up the gas tank, but he looked back and called to Starlight. “Does Nova want anything?”

“She’s sleeping in the back,” Angel answered on her behalf.

Starlight stepped out with Angel and both leaned up against the car next to each other. “Well, I think we first gotta find out what high school their kids go to and enroll Nova into it.”

“Guess that means we have to buy an apartment together then if we’re going to be staying a while...” Angel stated.

Laughing, Starlight nodded. “It’ll be nice to not have to sleep in hotels for a change. Man, we are so lucky that Sunburst is good with numbers, his investment knowledge has really kept the money rolling in so we can bankroll our little adventures...”

“Combined with his ability to count cards at casinos...” Angel rolled her eyes.

Starlight shushed her. “Hey, that is only when we need quick money in a tight spot! Point is that he’s a great provider. When this is all over, I think we’ll try and make more serious investments so we can retire like I always wanted.”

“You have always hated working...” Angel smirked.

Starlight gave a pouting face. “When you have kids you’ll understand! The moment one of them pops out of you, all you want to do is stay at home to be around them.”

“Starlight, I’m in my thirties and I’ve never had sex...” Angel reminded.

“We really gotta get on that...” Starlight chuckled.

“It’s not exactly on my priority list, given the circumstances...” Angel rolled her eyes.

“With how stressful all of this has been, it should be high on your priority list. You need some release, girl.” Starlight teased.

“Doesn’t seem to be doing you much good...” Angel said.

Starlight laughed. “You got me there.”

Ringing the doorbell, Cinder adjusted the white tank top she wore and tried to make herself presentable. A few seconds after her ring, the door opened to reveal a fit woman in a short sleeve green plaid shirt. Her hair was long and somewhat unruly, and Cinder couldn’t help but feel she would look better with a ponytail.

Her green eyes met Cinder and a smile came to her face as she opened the door wider and stepped aside, gesturing with her hand for the woman to enter. “Howdy, Cinder. Supper’s almost ready, come on in.”

Nodding, Cinder stepped inside and past Applejack. She had never actually been in the house before, but her nose guided her to where the dining room was by the smell of food. Once inside, she kept her arms at her sides as she observed a tall blonde teenager setting down plates and silverware around the table.

He saw Cinder and nodded, tipping his stetson to her. She recognized him, he was Applejack’s son, Jasper. They worked together in the fields from time to time, but she didn’t speak with him much, as she was always focused on work or whatever else was on her mind.

“Howdy there, Miss Cinder, pleasure havin’ you over for dinner.” Jasper bowed gently.

Cinder waved her bad hand dismissively. “No need to be so formal, just Cinder is fine. I’m not an old lady.”

Ironically she realized about eight seconds after making that statement that technically by human standards she was. Being over two thousand meant that she was older than all of their grandmothers combined; Cinder was beyond the textbook definition of an old lady, yet as a dragon, she was still young for her species.

Her parents didn’t even reach full size until they were about eight thousand, though she supposed she was not going to grow much more in her human form, given that her biology had morphed somewhat since she arrived.

“I didn’t mean nothin’ by it, just showin’ respect is all.” Jasper grinned.

“You country types are always so overly polite, I swear.” Cinder chuckled as the young man pulled out a chair for her to sit in.

“Nonsense, every lady deserves to be treated.” Jasper smiled and nodded.

As she sat down and saw Rarity coming out with food, followed by Applejack who was assisting her with the rest of the food Cinder observed the couple who stepped together lovingly as they set down the items onto the table. Cinder could already smell a large portion of meat as they entered the room and noted that steaks were being served.

Applejack pulled out a chair for her wife and kissed the attractive woman’s shoulder as Rarity giggled and began to serve steaks onto everyone’s plates, Cinder’s included.

“Steak? Isn’t that a bit much for such a casual dinner?” Cinder blinked.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Y’all would think, but ‘Ah swear to the sun and stars that Rare has an obsession with steak. Don’t make a lick of sense either, the girl eats probably two a week, yet she don’t gain a pound.”

Applejack’s hand ran along Rarity’s waist and gently brushed her behind, causing the girl to flinch slightly and playfully swat her wife’s hand away. Cinder was a virgin, but she could tell when two were in love, and these two reeked of it. Applejack was practically doting over her lovely wife. Hormones were in the air.

“Cinder dear, I have a solution for your outfit, but you’ll need to go and fetch our daughter, Candy from upstairs. She will help you out, and then you two can return, it shouldn’t take too long,” Rarity instructed as she pointed toward the staircase in the other room.

Nodding, Cinder excused herself and made her way up the staircase and poked her head in several bedrooms until she came across one that was decorated almost entirely in a muted purple. Standing in front of a mirror was a young girl whose bouncy wavy hair matched her walls.

She turned and her green eyes met Cinder’s eyes and a smile came across her fresh young face.

Stepping down from a stool, the preteen offered her hand and looked away. “Cinder, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

Confused, Cinder took her hand and just held it there, unsure of what to do with it.

Candy opened her eye and glanced at Cinder standing there dumbfounded. “You’re supposed to kiss my hand, stupid.”

“Oh, right...” Cinder nodded and knelt down to kiss the young girl’s hand.

“You really suck at this fancy thing, don’t you?” Candy asked while taking her hand back and placing both of them on her hips.

The girl was fairly short in stature, and Cinder could tell she was in the middle of puberty as her proportions were somewhat awkward, but she was still adorable nonetheless.

Her deep purple lacy dress was certainly something to behold, and the girl sighed and shook her head before letting out a burp and covered her mouth. “Excuse me, I had a lot of soda. Weak spot for that shit, you know?”

Cinder blinked. While she had seen the girl from far away in the house while she worked, this was her first time actually interacting with her directly. Her appearance was elegant, but her mouth was anything but.

“Anyway, let’s get you all fabulous, shall we? Mother prepared an outfit for you and entrusted me to make sure it’s perfect.” She puffed out her chest with pride as she spoke.

Cinder rubbed her neck sheepishly. “Are you sure...?”

The girl grew a minority offended expression. “Listen, I might be a kid, but I’m going to make sure you’re absolutely fucking fabulous, alright? So this will go a lot better if you just cooperate.”

A chuckle escaped Cinder as she nodded in agreement. “Alright, you win.”

“Good, I knew you’d see it my way.” Candy grinned.

It was only eight short minutes before Candy made her way down the stairs before Cinder and stood at the entrance to the dining room. She cleared her throat to get the attention of the table. “Attention, diners!”

The entire group looked back at Candy with interest as she announced Cinder’s entrance. “I, that fabulous Candy Apple, have prepared our dinner guest-“

Jasper cut her off as he gave an annoyed tone. “Mother did most of the work makin’ the outfit...”

Candy stomped her foot and flipped him the bird. “Hey, I’m tryin’ to do a really fancy entrance here, do you mind not being a shithead for a minute?”

“Candy! Language!” Rarity scolded.

The girl pouted as she stomped her feet once more. “But mother! He’s being a jerk! I’m trying to do a dramatic entrance and he’s ruining it!”

“Jasper, be nice to your sis’.” Applejack rolled her eyes at the bickering between the two.

Candy composed herself and started again. “As I was saying, I present to you all, the lovely... Miss Cinder!”

Stepping aside, Candy allowed Cinder to enter the room, with her arms folded in front of her. She had been adorned with a magnificent black kimono with purple flowers decorating it. Her wild hair had been tamed and an orange flower pin had been stuck in it.

She bowed gently as she entered. “How do I look?”

Applejack, Rarity and Jasper all clapped at her entrance. “Darling, you look fabulous! I knew I was right to go with Asian styled garments! It accents you perfectly, and makes a lady out of you, yet!”

Making her way to her seat, Cinder sat herself down, and watched as Candy sat across from her with a wink.

“Thank you, the long sleeves hide my bad arm at least.” Cinder chuckled as she picked up a fork.

“What kinda’ military service did y’all do, Cinder?” Applejack asked curiously.

Cinder looked down at her plate and smiled. “I served under one of my best friends, but the nature of what I did is classified, sorry.”

“It’s good to respect your superiors so much though, good for you!” Applejack praised as she pointed with a fork, Rarity coughing to signal how rude it was.

“Yes, well I wasn’t the real hero anyway...” Cinder admitted as her mind went back to the time she and Princess Twilight spent in Dragon Scar together. While Cinder certainly was invaluable in their campaign, she couldn’t deny that Twilight and the other small entourage of dragons that aided there really were the stars of the show.

Applejack swallowed a bite of food and shook her head. “Modest then, a fine trait to have.”

Cinder never considered if she believed herself to be modest or not, but she shrugged it off as she took another bite out of her food.

Candy had taken note of how much of her mother’s steak was already gone as she commented aloud. “Damn, mother, you inhaled that thing!”

Rarity’s face turned red as she shrunk slightly in her chair. “C-Candy, it’s rude to comment on a lady’s eating...”

“Sure, but damn that was fast!” Candy pointed at Rarity’s plate.

Rarity was clearly trying to contain her embarrassment, but struggling to do so.

Cinder chuckled. “It’s alright, I learned how to eat fast when I was young as well.”

“Military family?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah...” Cinder nodded, realizing she had to keep her story going.

“Not that ‘Ah’m tryin’ to be rude, but yer’ arm is mighty interestin’. It’s very different from the one my friend got when she lost hers’...” Applejack pointed out.

Cinder’s eyes went over to her exposed metallic claw. It definitely did stand out, and while it changed shape slightly to match her human form, it was still very much a noticeable feature upon her. It didn’t exactly look like it was built in a factory somewhere, it definitely looked far more custom built.

Thinking on her toes, Cinder gave an answer. “It’s a special prototype, heavily modified. I’m not supposed to talk about it, but it was built for a unique purpose for the military...”

Applejack nodded as she dropped the subject. “Fair enough. ‘Ah didn’t mean to pry or nothin’.”

Rarity looked across the table and noted that Cinder had drunk most of her beverage. She pulled her chair out and stood up as she came around the table to take Cinder’s glass. “I’ll get you something to drink, darling.”

Looking over at the blue-eyed woman, Cinder nodded. As Rarity left the room, Cinder watched her jet black hair bounce as she swayed her hips. She returned her attention to her food until a few seconds later she could feel vibrations in her metal arm. She felt a pulse of energy about eight times from her palm and she already knew what it was.

While Applejack had engaged her son in conversation, Cinder took advantage of the moment to glance toward the kitchen where Rarity had disappeared to. The woman focused her energy from her arm and as her reptilian eyes narrowed, she could see energy being given off in the kitchen. When Rarity stepped out with a glass in her hand, Cinder could tell there was energy coming from the glass itself and a medallion upon her neck.

There was no mistaking it, it was ice magic, and it was coming from Rarity. Cinder returned her eyes to normal and took the glass from the woman before anyone noticed she had changed. She smiled and gave a nod to her host. “Thank you, very much.”

“It’s no problem, darling.” Rarity smiled back before returning to her seat.

Cinder took a quick glance across the table and noted that Applejack had a similar medallion. There was a distinct possibility that Applejack had magic as well.

Pulling herself away from the table, Cinder bowed to the group. “I need to use the restroom.”

Applejack pointed to the direction of the bathroom. “That way, down the hall.”

Cinder nodded as she exited the room. Once she was behind the wall away from the group, she held out her claw and began to analyze the group at the table in the other room through the wall. A magic projection appeared before her as it gave data on each member.

Applejack Apple

Blood Type: A-

Magic Level: Minimal

Species: Human

Cinder squinted as she read the data. If Applejack’s magic level was minimal then it was likely that the source of any of their power was the medallions. She kept examining.

Candy Apple

Blood Type: B-

Magic Level: Minimal

Species: Human

As Cinder figured, the whole family was capable of magic, likely to exposure to the medallions, or some kind of familial connection.

Jasper Apple

Blood Type: B-

Magic Level: Minimal

Species: Human

Shaking her head, Cinder looked at Rarity’s data.

Rarity Apple

Blood Type: DEA 4

Magic Level: Minimal

Species: No Data

Cinder blinked as she re-read what she saw. She would need to consult the internet for more information, but this was definitely interesting information.

When the children went off to bed, Applejack went outside to finish a few chores while Rarity was alone in the kitchen washing dishes. Cinder entered the room with her arms at her sides. Rarity noted her entrance by smelling the freshly cleaned fabrics of the kimono she was wearing.

Neither spoke at first, and there were eight long seconds before Cinder decided to speak. “I know you’re not human.”

Rarity froze with a plate in her gloved hand. She didn’t say a word at first; she wanted to make sure that she had heard the woman correctly.

“I know you heard me...” Cinder said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about...” Rarity had a nervous tone in her voice.

Stepping forward, Cinder grinned. “You’re a bad liar. I have to admit, I was a bit confused when I saw that your blood wasn’t the same as most humans...”

“How can you see what blood I have?” Rarity turned to face the strong woman in her kitchen.

Cinder held up her metal arm and opened her palm. “My arm gives me unique abilities, one of them is I can read people’s biological signs. I had to do a quick search, but your blood is DEA 4. That alone is strange, but your usual appetite and keen sense of smell are also pretty odd... What are you exactly? You have a lot of the traits that a dog has...”

Rarity gulped and tried to think of something to say.

Cinder’s expression turned to a warm one as she lowered her arm. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell your family or anyone what you are.”

Rarity let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you... But why are you even digging into something like this anyway?”

Cinder shook her head. “I wasn’t, it was just something I discovered on accident. So tell me, just what are you?”

Rarity walked past Cinder and glanced around the corner to make sure the children were actually upstairs and Applejack was not in the house. Once she had confirmed that they were gone, she stepped back into the kitchen and spoke in a hushed tone.

“Alright, I’ll tell you, but you can never tell another soul, understand?” Rarity pleaded.

Cinder made a zipping gesture across her lips. “My lips are sealed.”

Rarity gulped as she answered. “I’m... A werewolf...”

“What’s that?” Cinder blinked.

“I can transform into a wolf on command, or during a full moon. I’ve kept it a secret for a long time...” Rarity frowned.

“Why the big secret?” Cinder raised a brow.

Rarity shook her head. “My kind have been hunted and killed for centuries. We managed to convince the world that we’re just a myth a long time ago so that we could co-exist among humans...”

Cinder crossed her arms as she listened. “Interesting... So your family doesn’t know? Won’t your kids find out when they figure out that they’re part werewolf too?”

“It doesn’t work that way. People aren’t born werewolves, they have to become them, it’s a complicated process...” Rarity rubbed her neck.

“Sounds like it, but your secret is safe with me, provided you keep some secrets for me too.” Cinder grinned.

“Anything, name it!” Rarity stepped forward and grabbed Cinder’s good hand.

The girl looked down at her hand and then up at her sad eyes. “I’ll let you know when the time is right, but just know that you can trust me, Rarity, alright?”

Rarity nodded. “Thank you, Cinder. You’re definitely a mysterious woman, and now I’m more curious about who you really are, but I suppose time will tell, yes?”

Cinder chuckled and nodded back. “Indeed.”

With this new information, it gave Cinder at least some kind of leverage and bond with Rarity. That meant that she could divulge a little more about what she knew about magic without fear of Rarity blabbing. It felt a little underhanded, but Cinder needed more leads on how to find her student. She knew he was out there.

Jasper was just about ready to fall asleep after messaging Yuna for a short period.

Jasper: So you have a serious crush on Horizon, huh?

Yuna: Is it too obvious? Do you think she knows?

Jasper: Nah, I wouldn’t worry about it. Horizon is insanely oblivious to that kind of stuff in case you haven’t noticed. I don’t think she’d notice if someone was hitting on her if I’m honest. She’s been like that for a long time.

Yuna: I suppose that’s both a relief and a frustration at the same time. Do you happen to know if she even likes girls? I’m sorry if this is really awkward, we barely know each other and yet I’m asking you such questions...

Jasper: Nah, it’s okay. Honestly, I don’t know. Horizon has never shown any kind of interest one way or the other. She’s a pretty closed book most of the time, I think it has to do with her really weird relationship with her mother. Sunset technically abandoned her twice, so I can’t help but think that affected her more than anyone realizes. Factor that in with her being socially underdeveloped.

Yuna: It’s strange to hear so many negative things about Sunset Shimmer now. My family knew her family only to be good to us. Sunset’s sister donated a large sum of money to my family and that’s how we even have the life we do now. On top of this, Moondancer has nothing but positive things to say about Sunset and the Shimmer family.

Jasper: It’s different when it’s family. I don’t really know why Sunset left either time, but I have a feeling we may eventually find out.

Yuna: I never got to meet her, what kind of person was Sunset Shimmer?

Jasper: It’s been a long time, but I remember her being kind of serious. She only smiled when she was around Horizon or Twilight. I know her and my mom didn’t get along too well, but they both acted civil when we were around. Kind of always gave off this older sister vibe to me.

Yuna: She sounds nothing like Horizon.

Jasper: Yeah, Horizon and her have very little in common for sure. Anyway, I should head to bed, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Yuna: Sure thing, thanks for talking to me.

Once Jasper finished his texting, he noticed that his door creaked open and in the low lighting, he could make out his mom’s long messy blonde hair. He sat there upright on his bed as the strong woman gently closed the door behind her.

She looked over at Jasper and approached carefully. “Jasper.” She nodded at him.

“Mom.” He nodded back.

Applejack sighed as she came to the side of the bed and stared at her son. “Jasper, ‘Ah don’t really know why, but Rarity thought it was best that ‘Ah give y’all this.”

Reaching around her neck, the woman removed the medallion with the apple emblem upon it and offered it to Jasper. The boy took it with confusion as he feigned not knowing what it did. “What’s this?”

“Y’all already know, don’tcha?” Applejack gave him a stern look for lying.

He let out a sigh and nodded in agreement. “Alright, yeah, I do.”

“Figured as much. Ain’t no way the talk of magic ain’t come up yet, ‘specially since ‘Ah caught wind of y’all sniffin’ around what happened to old Sunset.” Applejack shook her head disapprovingly.

“Sorry mom, I didn’t wanna worry ya’ is all...” Jasper frowned.

“Too late for that, but ‘Ah think Rarity is right. Y’all should take this to keep safe. It’ll take a little practice to learn, but before ya’ know it, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with.” The woman gave a thumbs up to him.

Jasper looked down at the medallion in his hand. He closed his fingers around it and clenched it before placing it around his neck with a confident smile. “Thanks, mom.”

“Take good care of it.” Applejack winked.

“One question though... Why did mother want me to have this now? What happened?” Jasper blinked.

Applejack placed her hands on her hips as she looked away with a look that suggested she was a bit annoyed. “Dunno. After Cinder left Rarity was actin’ weird. She’s all serious all of a sudden and said that ‘Ah should give that to ya’. She’s been really quiet all night...”

“Reckon her and Cinder had it out?” Jasper asked.

Applejack shook her head. “Nah, ‘Ah asked her about Cinder and she said nothin’ but positive things. Rare seems to really like the girl for some reason. Then again, she likes me, so maybe she’s got a thing for the tough girls? Either way, Cinder’s too friendly to offend Rarity for sure, she’s got better manners than me even.”

That much was true from Jasper’s observations, though something about that woman was a bit strange to him. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something about her entire presence was off to him.

“Y’all know that what we’re doing is dangerous, right?” Jasper questioned.

Letting out a sigh, Applejack nodded. “Yeah, ‘Ah know. Can’t say that ‘Ah like it, but seems like y’all are already in deep enough to where it can’t be avoided now. Rather than fight it, it’s better to make sure that y’all are protected. Can Horizon and them use magic too?”

Jasper nodded. “Yeah, Twilight gave Horizon her medallion, and Fluttershy and Rainbow gave theirs’ to their sons.”

Laughter filled the room as Applejack gripped her gut and chuckled. “Just like them. Well, if y’all got a bunch like that at yer’ side, guess there ain’t too much to worry about. Just try not to worry your mother too much, alright?”

Jasper gave a thumbs up to her. She nodded in acceptance and began to head toward the exit until Jasper called back to her.

“Mom...”

She turned her head. “Hm?”

“Sunset Shimmer... What kind of person would you say she was?” Jasper asked.

Applejack sighed. “Do y’all really want my opinion?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

Applejack exhaled before speaking again. “Honestly? She’s a selfish brat. The girl abandoned her daughter not once, but twice. She’s been gone for eight years, and not so much as a card. If anythin’, ‘Ah hope she never comes back. The best thing to happen for her daughter would be if Sunset stopped just walkin’ in and outta her life whenever she fancied it.”

There was silence for a moment between the two followed by Applejack apologizing. “Sorry, ‘Ah know that sounds harsh...”

“Gotta speak your mind, and tell the truth in your heart, right?” Jasper smiled sheepishly back at her.

“What do you think?” Applejack asked.

Jasper paused for a moment as he considered it.

“Well, I think what she did was bad, but also that maybe she had good reasons. I think I’d hear her out. I don’t know, I don’t want to think about it so black and white is all...” Jasper shrugged.

Applejack laughed. “You get that from your mother. Y’all ain’t as pigheaded as me. You’re a very forgivin’ boy, Jasper.”

“Maybe, or maybe I’m just a fool.” Jasper shrugged.

She nodded as she placed her hand on the door. “Reckon we all are to an extent.”

With those words, Applejack left the room and allowed her son to go back to bed.

Twilight Sparkle sat with a drink in hoof as she and Starlight gazed out the window in her lounge room. The stars had begun to show themselves, and dusk was giving way for nighttime. The two had shared a few drinks and laughter together on their night off.

Starlight poured her friend another as she tried to contain her giggles, as she finished pouring and passed the beverage to Twilight, she began to ask a question. “Okay, for real, how long did it take before you hooked up with that dragon? Be honest.”

Taking a sip, Twilight rolled her eyes. “Eight weeks.”

“Somewhat of a slow mover then, I still don’t get why you did that, though...” Starlight tilted her head in confusion before returning to normal to take a sip of her drink.

Sighing, Twilight shook her head before downing an eighth of the drink quickly. “I wish I could explain it better. There was tension, excitement, the moment was really strange; trust me, if I could undo it, I would...”

“So you didn’t really like him?” Starlight blinked.

“Of course not, he was an arrogant, self-centered, racist asshole... But what about you? You and that changeling never got it on?” Twilight smirked.

Starlight found herself frowning. “No... But I did try... He really wasn’t like Serenade, honest. He had a good heart under his rough shell, but something was holding him back. Whatever kind of hold Serenade had on him was enough to force his loyalty. I could tell he despised her...”

“It’s a shame you couldn’t convince him to defect then...” Twilight tilted her glass in Starlight’s direction.

“I really miss him, I hope he’s okay out there somewhere...” Starlight nearly whispered.

Twilight just shrugged before finishing her drink and letting out an audible noise of satisfaction. “It’s not like we can look for him either, we don’t have the kind of manpower necessary to track down one creature, especially one that can take the shape of any other creature out there. Changelings are pretty difficult to find when they don’t want to be found, that’s for sure. Then again, if I were him, I wouldn’t want to be found either...”

Starlight offered her guess as to why. “Is it because he didn’t stick around to help Serenade prior to her defeat?”

“I wouldn’t want a creature like Serenade to know I betrayed her. Even imprisoned, if I were him, I probably wouldn’t take any chances...” Twilight explained.

Starlight understood her point, but she couldn’t help but feel sad. Arax and she had a very strange, but unique bond. They felt right together even if the circumstances that had brought them together were beyond abnormal. Arax felt more right to her than anyone she had ever been around, and when she kissed him, she knew there were sparks flying between them.

She wanted to find him, she wanted to be with him again, and she regretted not trying harder to convince him to go with her. Why didn’t he? She could have protected him from Serenade, because with Twilight’s ear, she could speak good of him and explain that any evil he had done, he did so under the threat of Serenade. When he fed on her, their hearts had melded together for a brief moment and she could feel the good inside of him.

When she felt the good in him and when she saw how he treated her so well, she wondered how such a creature could end up serving such a horrid monster.

“I wish I had convinced him not to run away...” Starlight thought out loud.

Finishing her drink, Twilight began pouring another as she spoke up. “Starlight, whatever had driven him to serve Serenade clearly was great enough to keep his loyalty to her. He is a changeling, after all, don’t forget that his kind are very deceptive. It’s possible he just had you fooled.”

“Not Arax, he’s not like the others...” Starlight glared.

Twilight wanted to object and tell her that she was blinded by her emotion, but she thought better of it, even under the influence of alcohol. Twilight knew that Starlight wouldn’t listen and all bringing such a thing up would do is lead to pointless bickering. Starlight had feelings for the changeling, and that meant she would think irrationally when it came to him.

“Either way, what’s done is done, Starlight. Arax is gone, and I doubt he’s coming back...” Twilight spoke quietly.

The unicorn was quiet as she tipped her drink and downed the rest quickly. It burned going down her throat, but she kept her composure before setting the glass down and nodding. “The past can’t be changed after all...”

“Exactly.” Twilight nodded in agreement.

The two mares sat in silence while Twilight finished her second drink. Starlight considered how even in a weakened state, Serenade was still such a massive threat to Arax. The siren had taken considerable damage and lost most of her demonic power in her fight with Glitch. Defeat had weakened her and sapped her strength, yet she was still such a terrifying creature to Arax; enough for him to keep away.

Starlight reached forward and grabbed the bottle before pouring herself and Twilight both another drink. Twilight raised a confused brow as she watched the glasses fill with liquid courage. She looked up at Starlight who was sitting with a bright smile upon her face as she grabbed the glass in her hoof and leaned back in her seat.

The unicorn raised the glass to Twilight. “Let’s drink to Arax, wherever he may be!”

Twilight hesitated for eight seconds before finally nodding and raising her glass as well. The two touched glasses and an audible TINK was heard.

“If he’s that important to you, then I’ll drink to that.” Twilight grinned.

“Thank you, Twilight. I know a lot of ponies think I’m crazy for caring so much about him, and I keep getting told it’s just an after effect of the pheromones, but I know myself well enough to know that my feelings are real...” Starlight said.

Twilight didn’t entirely agree, as she was in the camp that believed it was an effect of the pheromones, but she held her tongue and just nodded.

“The pheromones only make you desire to be fed upon, but it’s more than that for me. I just want to know he’s okay... He didn’t deserve to be stuck with that wretched Serenade, he’s better than that, I can tell. He has a good heart, I know it...” Starlight continued.

Admittedly, it was difficult to remain skeptical when Twilight could see how much Starlight believed in the creature. Arax meant enough for her to continue to get stares and comments of her being a lunatic without so much as a single complaint. It was hard to say that what she was experiencing wasn’t love. Twilight had felt the same thing toward a few in her days, so she couldn’t imagine how some chemical could simulate that feeling so well.

Maybe in another lifetime where he had not been a subordinate of Serenade, the two could have been together.

“I’m sorry that things ended up the way that they did, Starlight. I wish there was more we could do, but there really isn’t. Either way, I’m just glad that he didn’t hurt you.” Twilight smiled.

Starlight giggled and nodded before taking another sip of her drink. “Me too, though I worried more about all of you on a daily basis.”

“Evidently, we both had nothing to worry about. With Arax by your side and Glitch by mine, we were both in good care.” Twilight winked.

Starlight knew that Twilight originally had felt guilty that Starlight had gotten captured and taken in as a slave because of her plan. She likely beat herself up over it for three years before the two were reunited again. When she was first captured, she was certain she’d spend her days chained to a wall and being forced to perform various sex acts, but instead, she was treated almost like royalty.

At the start, Starlight had spent a lot of her time trying to figure out what Arax hoped to accomplish by capturing her in the first place. He has no family or anything to impress, so it’s not like I was just some trophy mare to show off too. On top of that, he treated me too well.

After enough time, the only conclusion that Starlight could draw was that Arax had genuine feelings for her. The only part of that equation that didn’t make sense to her is why he let her go so easily. Whatever Serenade had over him clearly was beyond anything she could comprehend. Even the offer of Twilight’s protection wasn’t enough to make him abandon his master.

It only made Starlight shiver to think of what kind of horrid things Serenade could do to instill that level of loyalty to her subordinates, though clearly she didn’t employ it with all of them as many of them disappeared prior to her defeat, clearly running with their tails between their legs. Twilight had issued a search for any identified agents of Serenade, but they only were able to capture eight. The rest either had fled outside of Equestrian borders or had disguised themselves too well.

Furthermore, they weren’t even entirely certain of how many really worked for Serenade. Not all of her agents showed their faces to the public, so it was difficult to track most of them. It was part of the reason that national security had been increased since anyone could have been a voluntary agent of Serenade, and that meant they had the potential to betray Equestria again.

How could a pony willingly serve such a monster? Starlight couldn’t figure it out, so she determined that most of them were likely put in a position where the alternative was worse. Arax was likely in that same boat, but wherever he was, she prayed he was alright and that she would see him again one day. He had done wrong, but she could feel his heart was still true.

Author's Note

For those curious about Rarity, I would recommend giving Shredded Fabric a read. Also, welcome back everyone! I know it's been a long hiatus.

Act VII Part I - Chapter CVIII: Claws

Chapter CVIII: Claws

“So what did y’all wanna show me?” Jasper asked Horizon as she rummaged through her backpack while he sat in a chair in her bedroom in front of her vanity mirror. Horizon had quite a bit of makeup, but a lot of it looked unused as the girl mostly only wore eyeliner and nail polish.

Still in her school uniform, the girl retrieved a pair of gloves from her bag and slipped them on. They were black in color, but the tips had a set of razor-sharp nails attached to them. At first glance, Jasper could tell they were likely made of stainless steel.

“Those are... Quite the fashion statement? I don’t exactly know what kind of outfit they’d compliment though... Sorry, fashion ain’t my strong suit, be better to ask my sister...” Jasper rubbed his neck, uncertain of what kind of reaction the teen was hoping for from him.

Horizon shook her head as she did a few swipes at the air with the bladed gloves. “They’re weapons.”

“What in tarnation are y’all thinkin’? You brought those to school!? You could have gotten in huge trouble, Horizon!” Jasper protested.

Horizon shrugged. “The way I see it, with those demons lurking around trying to get the box from us, we’re better off being prepared to protect ourselves. Being kicked out of school should be the lowest of our concerns when there are demons about, right?”

He wanted to continue protesting, but Jasper bit his lip as he realized she had an excellent point. There was no telling how many more of those demons there were or what they were capable of, or even when they would strike again. It made logical sense to be prepared for them.

“I suppose so, but why claws?” Jasper raised a brow.

The girl’s hand touched her medallion as she spoke. “When my powers first manifested they formed light claws. It also seemed to suit my fighting style anyway, so I figured claws made the most logical sense. On top of that, they can help me climb better.”

Jasper chuckled. “You are good at climbing...”

Horizon nodded in agreement. “We should be ready to fight at a moment’s notice. There’s a distinct possibility that now that we have these medallions that those demons will be more likely to attack us.”

“How do y’all figure that?” Jasper asked.

“If they could track down the box, there is a possibility they can sense magic in general,” Horizon explained.

Jasper had to admit it wasn’t too far fetched. Weeks ago if you had told him that they would be faced with demons who fight using magic powers, he would have said that whoever said such madness belonged in the looney bin, but after all he had seen, he was ready to accept that anything was possible. What else did he not know about? If demons and magic existed, surely anything could.

“That makes sense... This is all starting to get a little too real...” Jasper admitted.

Looking past him, Horizon saw herself in the mirror, she saw her rather crude weapons on her hands, and she raised a claw as if she were ready to attack. If one of those demons came at her again, she would be ready this time.

An ice cream parlor in the middle of the city was getting ready to close when a tall woman entered the building. The owner looked up with a confused expression as the woman entered with her hands tucked into her long coat’s pockets. Her hair could be described as an absolute mess of dark red locks, and her grey eyes had an empty stare about them.

He blinked as she approached and pulled a hand out of her pocket with a photograph in it. “Excuse me, do you know this girl?”

The man looked down at the photo which appeared to be a candid shot taken from far away. Instantly he was suspicious. He recognized the girl in the photo as Horizon Shimmer, a semi-regular customer who came in with her group of friends.

“What do you want with her?” He asked with a raised brow.

The woman’s face kept a neutral expression. “I just want to ask her a few questions...”

“And who are you?” He questioned.

“Does it matter?” She shrugged.

Her cold emotionless tone only made him more suspicious of her. As he stood behind the counter, he carefully reached to grab whatever object nearby he could use to defend himself if the situation called for it.

“A stranger asking around about a teenage girl? It kind of does matter... Can I see some identification before I answer any more questions?” He asked.

The woman nodded and pulled the other hand out of her coat pocket, brandishing a pistol that she pointed directly at his head. With her finger on the trigger, a laser sight appeared between his eyes causing him to freeze.

“Does this work?” She asked, her voice showing no change in emotion.

“Look, I don’t want any trouble...” He spoke as calmly as he could.

“If you tell me what I want to know before I count to ten, then there won’t be any, how about that?” She stated.

He gulped.

“One... Two...” She began.

He remained frozen, unsure of what to do.

“Three... Four... Five...” She continued.

If he told her who the teenager was, she was certain to try and harm her as well if she was willing to point a gun at him. He didn’t want to be responsible for that.

“Six... Seven... Eight...”

Fear eventually won over rationality, as he begged for his life. “Please! I’ll tell you!”

“I’m listening...” She kept the gun pointed.

“Her name is Horizon Shimmer. She’s from the Shimmer family, the richest people in the city...” He said.

Nodding, she lowered her gun. “Where does she go to school?”

“Crystal Prep, I think. I’ve seen her in their uniform...” He explained.

Nodding, she put the gun away and grabbed a scrap of paper from the counter and placed it in front of him. “Write down the address for me.”

He squinted in confusion. She must have been from out of town to not know where that school was, but he followed her orders and hastily scribbled down the address to the academy.

Once he finished, the woman looked it over and nodded before stuffing it into her pocket. Her hand brushed her denim shorts as she looked the man in the eyes. “My name is Summer Flare by the way...” She stated calmly.

His brow shot up once more. “Why are you telling me this...?”

“I think it’s always appropriate that a person know who their killer is, don’t you?” She asked.

“What?” He blinked.

Before his mind could process what was happening, the woman raised her hand up and a series of needles appeared between her fingers. They were black and radiated some kind of dark mist off of them.

Within a second, she tossed them at him, all of them piercing his skull and coming out the other side. He was dead in only a split second as his body collapsed to the floor.

Summer shook her head as she began to make her way out, raising her hand to cause fire to appear which she threw behind her to set the establishment ablaze. She would be long gone before the police arrived.

She now knew where to find her target, now it was a matter of waiting for the right moment.

Cinder pushed as hard as she could, trying to move a boulder that was just far too much weight for her body to handle. Even with the assistance of her mechanical arm, she couldn’t make it budge even an inch.

Pushing herself as far as she could, her footing was slipping as the ground became muddy with the water filling up around her feet. She wouldn’t let that deter her as she continued to put all of her strength into trying to move the boulder. She strained herself to exhaustion before a loud stream of water could be heard bursting into the cave.

Within seconds she found herself completely submerged in water. Realizing she had no other choice, she pushed herself up to the surface, gasping for air as she emerged.

The moment her head popped above the water, Cinder woke up and found herself panting and sweating. She felt her body and realized she had been dreaming. The woman leaned over the side of the bed and wiped her sweaty forehead. The memories of that day still were so fresh in her mind.

Looking in the corner of the room, her katanas sat there. She was thankful that she had augmented her arm to allow her to summon them from anywhere she was, as she felt naked and defenseless without them. So long as she held those blades, a part of her family was always with her.

She forced herself out of bed and stood looking out the window at the city below.

Cinder hopped out of the window onto the fire escape, still in an undershirt and boxers as she looked to the city. Humans had made this place their home, and now this would have to be her home as well. Could she ever really get used to a place like this? She didn’t know. All she knew was that she had her work cut out for her. Finding Eclipse was becoming more complicated than she had imagined, but now more was happening that she hadn’t anticipated.

The Apple family had magic about them, and they weren’t the only ones for sure. The entire world was in great danger, and Cinder knew that. She had allies, but she wasn’t sure who she could rely on just yet.

Yuna had been hard at work for many days and sleepless nights, but she was finally ready to unveil her greatest accomplishment to the girl she loved. She had invited her over to show it off.

Horizon arrived several minutes late, as expected, but Yuna welcomed her inside regardless. As the two walked through the house, they caught a glimpse of Moondancer who smiled at them. “Oh, Horizon, it’s nice to see you again.”

Horizon waved plainly. “Hello, Miss Moondancer.”

Moondancer let out a hearty laugh. “You’re a family friend, you can just call me Moondancer.”

“Very well then, Moondancer.” Horizon nodded.

More laughter left the woman as she found herself amused by Horizon’s odd mannerisms. She was nothing like her mother, nor like her aunt Shimmer. Still, she had a unique charm about her, something about her oddness made her strangely lovable.

Yuna led the two into her bedroom where she shut the door and locked it to ensure that her elder sister wouldn’t walk in on them while she showed off her new invention. Horizon observed the door locking, but thought little of it as she made herself comfortable and sat down on Yuna’s bed.

“What did you want to show me?” Horizon asked.

Yuna grinned from ear to ear as she made a projection appear before Horizon with her phone. “So, if you’re going to be fighting demons, I figured you needed the best tools for the job!”

Horizon observed the projection that just appeared to be a bunch of random data to her. She tilted her head to see if it made more sense from another angle but still could not decipher what any of it meant.

“What kind of tools did you have in mind?” Horizon asked.

Clearing her throat, Yuna made the projection transform into a cartoon dog. He appeared to be a German Shepard, but he walked on two feet, waving at Horizon with his paw. “Say hello to Moon.” Yuna smiled.

“Moon?” Horizon asked.

Yuna nodded. “Yes, I named him after your old family dog that your mother used to have.”

“What is he?” Horizon blinked.

The dog cleared his throat and spoke to Horizon. “Hello, Horizon. A pleasure to meet you.”

Leaning in, Horizon spoke to the projection. “You can understand me?”

The dog nodded and gave a salute. “Indeed, I can. I am a highly advanced learning AI programmed by Miss Yuna. I was designed to assist you in any way that I can.”

“Learning AI?” Horizon tilted her head.

Yuna began to explain. “He is capable of learning things that he wasn’t programmed with. He is the perfect tool for fighting demons and any other magic mishaps you get into.”

Moon finished her thought for her. “I have already been uploaded with all information on magic that Yuna has already obtained, and I will analyze any that you encounter. We will be working together from now on, Horizon, so I hope that I can be of service to you.” He bowed before her.

Horizon looked over at Yuna. “How do I use him though?”

Yuna smirked. “May I see your glasses?”

Shrugging, Horizon took her glasses off and handed them to Yuna. Carefully, Yuna picked up some kind of glass from her desk and placed it over the left lens. It went over it seamlessly and didn’t seem to change the appearance of her glasses much at all.

Yuna handed them back to Horizon, who put them back on, but now she noticed that Moon appeared in her vision.

“I decided that augmented reality was the best way to apply him, so I used AR glass that could seamlessly fuse to your regular glasses. This way, you can use Moon wherever and whenever. He’s always with you,” Yuna spoke proudly of her invention.

Horizon watched as Moon waved at her. “This is pretty cool, Yuna. You’re really smart.”

The artist languished in the praise from her crush. “Thank you... I just wanted to help as much as I can...”

“Can you still use Moon?” Horizon asked.

Yuna nodded. “Yes, he is linked up to my phone as well, so he can be in both places at once. He can even carry on conversations with both of us at the same time and retain any information that either of us feeds him. Consider him a link between us that we can both use however we see fit.”

Moon gave another salute in Horizon’s glasses. “I live to serve! We shall take down any demons that come our way!”

“It’s good to have you on our team then, Moon.” Horizon nodded.

Summer Flare sat in a car and sighed as she leaned back in her seat. She had been watching the movements of Horizon Shimmer for a good day now and was growing bored of waiting. Her expression was as emotionless as ever as she felt the phone on her wrist vibrate.

She checked the caller ID to see it was Eight Ball. Answering, a hologram of the man appeared before her. She glared at him half asleep. “What do you want?”

“Have you killed the girl yet?” Eight asked.

“No.” Summer shrugged.

Eight nodded as he played with a butterfly knife in his left hand, tossing it over to his right. “Any particular reason that you’re dragging this game of cat and mouse out?”

Summer couldn’t believe sometimes how obtuse her superior was. She detested wasting her time explaining simple concepts to him. “It’s not so easy to just murder a girl in broad daylight even with demonic powers. One has to find the perfect moment. The last thing we need is the police sniffing their noses around us after all.”

“Just kill the police if they get too close...” Eight suggested.

Shaking her head, Summer internally cursed how stupid he was sometimes. Eight was brilliant, but also a complete moron at the same time. “Too risky, even with our powers a full-scale investigation with the entire police department would be difficult for even us to clean up.”

“I like difficult... A challenge sounds fun... I’d love to have that many victims to play with...” Eight’s voice sounded eerie and unnerving. For as long as she knew him, Summer felt like the guy was a total creep.

“We have to focus on the job at hand,” Summer responded.

“You’re boring, Summer. As if your monotone voice isn’t bad enough, you’re also a boring bitch who plays everything safe. How do I get stuck with such boring subordinates? I swear if it weren’t for the fact that you get results, I’d have killed you just for boring the shit out of me...” Eight admitted quite brazenly.

He was known for killing those who failed him, but on occasion, he also would kill those who didn’t fulfill their potential. Summer wasn’t as intimidated by him as some of the others though.

“If we kill her now we will have to go through a lot of extra effort to get the box. She doesn’t bring it with her to school, so we need to wait until she has it on her, anyway. No box, and it’s just a worthless killing, we’d have to squeeze one of the other kids to get it...” Summer explained.

“So long as the killing is fun, there are no worthless killings,” Eight corrected.

Summer Flare was silent.

“Kill her by the end of the week, or you and I will be playing a very special kind of game...” Eight threatened.

She didn’t even answer, instead, she hung up and looked out her window at the school not too far from where she was parked. Horizon Shimmer was inside, but she was almost always surrounded by other humans. Getting her alone was the goal, but Summer noticed that she was often around another teenager.

She had done a bit of searching and knew his name was Jasper Apple, a student at Canterlot High School on the other side of the city. After school, Horizon would go pick him up, or he would pick her up in his truck depending on the day of the week. Summer had hoped to get the two apart, but she had accepted that the odds of catching the girl in a place where she could take her out silently without Jasper present were low, so she accepted that she likely would have to kill him too.

Reaching into her backseat, the woman retrieved a handgun and checked the magazine. She had eight rounds left, plenty to waste two teenagers. Since her job was to kill them and not simply injure, she knew she’d have to put a few extra bullets in them. First, though, she needed to get them to tell her where the box was.

Pulling up a file from her phone, Summer leaned back as she examined the data she had collected. She had become fairly efficient with human technology and had learned how useful it could be.

Sunset Shimmer

Our intelligence on this subject tells us now that she had a daughter named Horizon Shimmer who lives with her guardian, Twilight Shimmer (formerly Twilight Sparkle). This new information was added to our logs recently, and we’re still learning more about the child. It’s at least been confirmed that she has the same magic potential as her mother. While we are certain her abilities are nowhere near a threat, it is still advised to proceed with caution when approaching the subject

There were pages upon pages of data on the girl, but Summer focused only on the new information that was relevant. It wouldn’t be over until the entire Shimmer family was dead, and she knew that much. After she killed Horizon, it was only a matter of time before she was ordered to kill Twilight as well.

Anyone else would hesitate before killing a mother and her child, but not Summer Flare. She was the best killer they had as she could kill a person while looking them in the eye and show no signs of remorse. She was hyper-focused, and that made her deadly as an assassin.

Noticing Horizon exit the school, Summer paid close attention to the girl getting in her expensive car. She could already tell that it was too soon, she would make her move tomorrow. She wanted just a little more time to study the girl.

Eight Years Ago

Summer Flare stood in the rain in just an undershirt, and a pair of boxers as the cold rain soaked her young body. At the age of only thirteen, most girls in her position would be shivering cold, but instead, Summer felt little. There was a fire in her that kept her body from feeling the stinging sensation of being too cold, instead, she stood quietly while a cloaked man stood beside her.

He glanced at the girl and she could make out his jaw and a gentle glint of light reflecting off of one of his eyes as he stood there observing her.

“How do you feel?” He asked in a low voice.

The young pre-teen shook her head. “I am fine, I don’t feel anything.”

He nodded at her. “Good, you are in control then. With an affinity toward fire, you should easily be able to keep yourself warm under any circumstances. The cold will never bother you so long as you maintain control of your aspect.”

“And this is the way to do so?” She asked.

“Yes, just remember what you’ve been taught, and you will be a master in no time at all. You know your element, and you know how to enhance it when you need to, but you also need to understand the importance of focus and control,” the man explained.

Summer was starting to understand what he meant. He had been teaching her for a good eight weeks now, and she was beginning to get a grasp on her abilities.

“Now that you’ve managed this, I think it’s time for your first real test...” The man stated as he gestured with his hand for her to follow.

Nodding, Summer gave chase and followed him into a nearby shed that they had been using as a base of operations for their training exercises. The soaked girl stood there and tilted her head as he rummaged through a box in the room and retrieved a cloak that was her size and offered it to her. “You will need your cloak for this.”

Not even bothering to dry off, the girl placed it over her form and pulled the hood up over her wet short red hair and tilted her head as she observed her mentor. “Now what?”

Her mentor looked over at her and then to the door. He opened it and gestured again for her to follow him. The two remained silent for a considerable amount of time as they walked through the forest toward the nearby town. It was dark out, and they were aided by the cover of darkness. Gesturing for her to stay low and unseen, he took the young girl through the town until they arrived at a small home near an old farmhouse.

Once they arrived he turned back to her and spoke. “You need to understand how far you must maintain control. There is no room for failure, and thus why you will need to understand this lesson you’re about to learn. Pay close attention...”

Summer nodded.

Her mentor broke the door open with ease and stepped into the house. He glanced about and took note of where he sensed the inhabitants were. He looked back at his student and gave instructions. “Wait here until I call for you.”

The young girl did as she was told and sat on the floor waiting.

He was gone for only a few minutes and Summer could hear screams and crying coming from the other room. Regardless, she remained steadfast in following her orders and didn’t move from her place until she heard her mentor’s voice once more. “Summer, come on in.”

Standing up, Summer cracked her neck and casually entered the next room.

There, in the middle of the room were three dining room chairs, each with a member of the family that lived there tied to one. A middle-aged man, a fair looking women, whom Summer assumed was the mother of the family, and a young girl probably only a few years younger than Summer herself.

They were whimpering, but they paused for a moment when Summer removed her hood, revealing the face of a child. The father gasped when he saw Summer’s face. “Who are you people!? Why are you doing this!?”

Summer’s mentor ignored them, as did she. “What’re we doing, exactly?” Summer asked.

Reaching into his cloak, her mentor retrieved a revolver, offering it to Summer. “Take the gun.”

“What the hell is wrong with you!?” The mother screamed.

Summer stared at the weapon, but took it and did her best to hold it firmly. She experimented with trying to hold it straight and then met eyes with her mentor. “What now?”

“It’s time for you to show what you’ve learned...” He spoke.

“How will this relate to what I’ve learned?” She asked.

“This is the ultimate test of control. Prove to yourself that you are completely in absolute control...” He explained.

She didn’t quite understand. “I was always told that killing was wrong.”

“Your powers manifest in ways that reflect who you are inside. Yours allowed you to forge assassin’s needles. Deadly dark pins that can pierce through foes and even immobilize others. You can deny your path all you want, but the demonic energy in you knows that you are meant to be an assassin, and this exercise will teach you the most important lesson...” He explained to her.

She was starting to put it all together in her head. “So, you want me to kill them?”

He shook his head and pointed. “Not all of them... Just the child.”

The little girl let out a few sobs as she heard those words and cried for her mother.

“If you can look a child in the eye and do this, then you are ready for the next level,” he told her.

Wasting no time arguing with him, Summer approached the little girl carefully with the gun at her side. Each step she took caused the child to scream and beg for life. The mother started pleading with Summer. “Please! Don’t do this! She’s just a child, and so are you! A child shouldn’t do something like this!”

Summer ignored the woman’s pleas and pointed the gun directly at the child’s head.

The husband decided to take his crack at dissuading her from shooting as his daughter screamed and begged while the barrel of the gun touched his daughter’s forehead.

“YOU’RE SICK! YOU’RE FUCKING SICK! MAKING A CHILD KILL ANOTHER CHILD! YOU SICK FUCK!” He screamed as he thrashed about in his chair, trying to break loose, only to fall only the floor still attached to it. “Please! Don’t hurt her!”

Summer met eyes with the child and gave her a cold stare with her finger on the trigger. Without another thought, she pulled it only to hear a click.

She blinked, realizing that the gun wasn’t loaded.

The family continued to beg and scream, but her mentor ignored them. “Congratulations, you just killed a child and felt nothing.”

“The gun wasn’t loaded though, so she wasn’t hurt...” Summer pointed out.

“You didn’t know that though. You acted as if it were. Tell me, what would have changed had it actually been loaded?” He asked her.

Looking down at the gun in her hand, she thought about it. Since she had already made the choice to pull the trigger, she had accepted any outcome that followed, so realistically, he was right; the gun being loaded or not made no actual difference. The only thing that would have changed would be the child would have died, but Summer realized that she had already accepted that outcome.

He had a point, whatever he was trying to prove, he already had. “Nothing, I guess.”

He nodded and took the gun back from her. “Now you understand a critical part of our plans. Killing is something we will have to do to accomplish our goals, you have to be numb to it, just as you’ve been for a long time now.”

“Killing is merely a tool to achieve our end goal?” Summer asked.

“Now you understand. We are not monsters, we are merely part of a bigger vision... It is what will be required of us, after all, there isn't any room for those who hesitate,” he said.

Those words stuck with her. They would carry her to where she needed to be.

So much time had passed since then, and she hardly saw her mentor after their training was complete. She would study under a few of the others in their organization, but the words of her mentor stuck with her the most. At the end of the day, Summer didn’t really care about the end goal anymore, she had a purpose now. She would do the work assigned to her and she would do it to perfection. Nothing else mattered to her, if she died, she would be fine with that outcome.

Pulling her car around a corner, she had followed Horizon and her friend Jasper to an old storage facility, one she recognized from her files as an abandoned base of operations for Sunset Shimmer years ago. The girl met with a dark fate that day, and since then it had been uncovered by her daughter. Her organization was foolish to not realize that the box was hidden in plain sight this entire time. One of a handful of remaining pieces to their ultimate goal.

She watched as Horizon and Jasper got out of their car before stepping out of her own.

“I keep thinking that there is something else here that we’re missing...” Jasper stated as they stood next to the entrance to the underground facility.

Horizon shrugged. “We’ve searched it up and down, so I don’t think there’s anything we missed.”

“Maybe you’re not looking hard enough?” Summer’s voice called out to the two.

Both of them looked in the direction of the unfamiliar voice to see a woman in her early twenties standing with her hands in her long coat’s pockets. Her wild unruly red hair was the most noticeable feature on her.

“Who’re you?” Jasper asked, taking a defensive stance.

Summer cracked her neck and removed her jacket, tossing it aside to reveal a tank top that was slanted at the bottom showing off her midriff, and a pair of black denim booty shorts to accompany it. Her face remained neutral as her gentle pink lips parted ever so slightly.

“My name is Summer Flare, and I suppose it’s good to get that out of the way, as I believe everyone should know the name of their killer...” She spoke calmly.

“Killer?” Jasper raised a brow.

She nodded. “Yes, I’m here to kill you.”

Horizon remained calm as she tilted her head. “Why would you want to kill us?”

“It’s not really about what I want, it’s about what is required of me.” Summer yawned.

“An oath to duty then. Admirable.” Horizon nodded.

Summer nodded back. “Quite, I like you. We seem to think alike, it’s a shame I was given these orders to kill you and take the box from you.”

“You’re working for the same people that Blade did then?” Jasper asked, his legs putting him in a position to defend if she lunged at them.

She nodded. “Yes, but I don’t think it matters.”

As she spoke, the two noticed a tail sway behind her. It was fairly short, but it had a tuft of fur at the end of it, similar to that of a donkey.

“A tail? What are you?” Horizon asked.

“I am a kirin.”

“Aren’t kirins some kind of mythical creature?” Horizon raised a brow.

“In this world, maybe, but in my world, we are somewhat common...” Summer explained.

“Your world?” Jasper blinked.

She nodded. “Equestria. I, like all the others you have probably encountered so far, are Equestrian.”

“What’s Equestria?” Horizon asked.

“Another universe entirely. A world dominated by equine creatures, it’s where magic comes from in the first place. You didn’t really think that humans would create something like magic did you?” Summer questioned.

“So this other world called Equestria, all of those working with you are from it?” Horizon questioned.

Summer raised her hand and several black needles appeared between her fingers as she readied herself. “Correct. And like the others, I too am a demon.”

Horizon retrieved the set of bladed gloves she crafted from her bag and brandished them before taking a unique battle stance. She let her right arm dangle in front of her while her left was raised in the air, ready to strike. She lowered herself to make herself more difficult to knock down. Her posture reminded Summer of some kind of animal.

Jasper just cracked his knuckles and took a boxer’s stance. Summer assumed he had likely learned how to fight from school or something.

“Why is some alternate universe alien kirin wastin’ their time here in this world? If you exist in a world where magic is that common, why come to this place? Humans pose no threat to y’all, we didn’t even know that your world existed before today...” Jasper interrogated.

Summer shrugged as she prepared herself to fight. “Don’t really understand it myself, but I do what I’m told. Either way, it doesn’t matter because neither of you will live long enough to find out anyway. I was given orders to kill you, and even with your combined abilities, your magic is really no match for someone on my level...”

Horizon kept herself ready to strike as she felt the power of her medallion course through her. Jasper had learned a trick or two with his own as he focused himself and his energy into his fists. “Alright, let’s dance then...” Jasper grinned.

Not wasting any more time, Summer lunged forward and delivered a powerful upward kick at Jasper, who blocked with his arms, only to be pushed back. The woman’s might was impressive, with a kick strong enough to push a large male like Jasper back, he knew that she had tremendous strength for her size.

Jasper bolted back toward her and took a few swings only for the woman to dodge each one with ease. She ducked and punched him in the side, causing him to stagger back a bit. The teen recovered quickly as Horizon took her chance and swung her left claw at Summer, followed by a follow up with the right one.

Horizon’s training with her mother was formidable, but nothing compared to a trained killer like Summer. The assassin sidestepped the swipe and grabbed Horizon’s wrist and yanked, causing her to stumble but catch herself and instantly get herself back in a position to retaliate.

While Summer was distracted with Horizon, Jasper stomped onto the ground, causing a chunk of asphalt to rise up in a spike under Summer. She noticed it just in the lick of time and jumped out of the way. Jasper followed it up with eight more attempts to get her with the earth spikes, all of which she jumped or flipped over. Her acrobatic abilities were beyond impressive.

Summer considered just using the gun she had brought but knew that such a loud sound would likely attract unwanted witnesses. While she was okay with killing any additional witnesses, it was more hassle than it was worth, besides, she really wanted to test her abilities in a proper fight anyway.

Instead of the firearm, she produced eight dark needles between her fingers and threw them in the two teens’ direction. Jasper saw them coming before his companion and warned her as he leaped to push her out of the way. “Look out!”

Jasper tackled Horizon and the two rolled across the asphalt. The two blinked as their eyes met and they pulled themselves up just in time for Summer to launch another set of needles their way.

Narrowly dodging the needles, the two kept their eyes on Summer now.

Summer casually stepped forward and opened the palm of her hand as she spoke. “So, you’re an earth affinity and a light affinity then?”

“So what?” Jasper spat.

Summer’s hand glowed until a red flame ignited it. The flame danced around her hand like it was alive. “Your powers are weak, unrefined. Only when you learn to focus yourself will you ever be strong. My mentor, who is even stronger than I would wipe the floor with you two. You are far too weak to defeat him, the wisest thing for you both to do is simply surrender the box and then let me kill you quickly so you don’t need to suffer long.”

Jasper shook his head as he moved forward in defiance. “What does your little group even hope to accomplish?”

Summer hurled a fireball his way, which Jasper narrowly dodged. Horizon projected a light barrier to protect herself from it as Summer reading another two in each hand. With skill and finesse, she began tossing them at the two teenagers in rapid succession, Horizon and Jasper moving nimbly to escape them.

A Few Years Ago

“Today you turn seventeen, which means that you have trained long enough to be given assignments...” Doctor Chem explained to the growing Kirin turned human.

Summer Flare stood silently with her tail to her side as she listened to his instruction. Now that she was no longer a mere child, she was permitted to learn more about the order and the other members of it. As far as she knew, she was the youngest to ever join. Never before had they had a child join their ranks and essentially be raised by the order, but stranger things had happened.

The good doctor gestured for her to follow, which she did without hesitation until the two entered a set of double doors into an old abandoned factory. There, sitting atop of a set of crates with a set of dice in his rigid right hand was a man that all in the order had grown to either loathe or fear, Eight Ball.

He glanced at the red-headed girl who stood before him with the plain expression upon her face. She wasn’t much to look at, and her deadpan look only made her less appealing.

Eight returned his attention to his dice as he spoke to her, not bothering to make eye contact. “So you’re the new recruit, huh? We haven’t had one in a long time. I understand that you’ve been being trained since you were a child to join us?”

“Correct.” Summer nodded.

He nodded as his eyes squinted while he stared at his dice. “Well, if you’re ready then from now on, you answer to me. You do what I say, without question, and you don’t fail me. Fail and you’re going to regret the outcome, understand?”

“Yes,” Summer replied plainly.

A smirk crossed the crooked man’s lips. “I like you already, you make promises without hesitation and you understand your role in this game. Just remember not to get too cocky, as even the greatest players slip up from time to time. It’d be a shame if you and I had to play a game...”

She wasn’t certain what he meant by “game”, but she had no intention of failing on her missions. “Just give me an assignment,” she said.

“Eager? You don’t have any questions? Not about me, or the order?” He shot a glance in her direction.

Summer shook her head. “None of that is relevant to me. I joined to understand myself, and I understand myself now better than ever. I already have what I want, so I’m not concerned with what the order’s overall goals are. Just give me people to kill and I’ll make sure they’re dead.”

“Eager for the taste of blood... A woman after my own heart...” Eight nodded.

“Killing is what I am good at, so it’s wiser to focus on my strengths rather than waste my time pretending I care about anything else...” Summer explained.

Eight thought over her words for a few moments. After giving it some thought, he decided that it was best to put her to the test by giving her a considerable challenge, and he knew just the one.

The man retrieved a photo from a file that sat next to him on the crates he was perched on. He tossed the photo toward her and it landed in front of her feet. Summer looked down and saw a middle-aged man who was balding. He didn’t look particularly threatening to her.

“This is Gold Sales, a businessman in a town about eighty miles away. He runs a pawn shop there where he swindles people out of their possessions so he can resell them at extremely high rates,” Eight said.

Picking up the photo, Summer looked it over, studying his face as she answered. “Capitalism functions that way, does it not?”

“Don’t mistake me, I could care less. The point is that he’s come into possession of a very important item; a necklace.” Eight tossed another photo of what appeared to be some kind of gold heart pendant.

“You want me to steal the pendant?” Summer asked.

“Yes, but it’s not really the pendant we care about, it’s what’s inside it. The idiot likely hasn’t figured out that it can open. However, it’s likely that he’s not going to part with it so easily, so do what you have to in order to get it. Try and keep a low profile as well, let’s see if you really are as good as we’ve been told...” Eight said.

Summer took about eight more seconds to study both pictures before stuffing them into her pocket and nodding. “Consider him dead and the pendant in our possession.”

He nodded. “Just to further test your abilities, we’re not giving you any money to afford a car or anything, so figure it out on no budget.”

She shrugged. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I like the attitude, but let’s see if it stands up...”

It wasn’t long before both of the teens realized that their opponent may be more than a match for the two of them. Even with their combined abilities, Summer Flare was clearly too skilled. The young woman was able to toss fire in their direction in rapid succession without missing a beat or getting remotely tired. She fought with such skill and precision that there was no keeping up.

Jasper glance at Horizon and gave the signal that the two had agreed upon prior. Horizon instantly recognized it and focused all of her power to produce a blinding light. Summer stepped backward once the light blinded her temporarily, and while it took a good eighty seconds for her to recover, she knew it was a diversion tactic. Once her eyes opened back up, the two teenagers were long gone.

In the confusion, they had managed to get back into Horizon’s car and peel out of the area quickly. They weren’t foolish enough to continue fighting with a girl who was obviously more than a match for them.

Jasper looked behind them to see if she was following, but fortunately, she wasn’t. Horizon didn’t seem to show any obvious signs of concern, but Jasper knew that she likely could sense how tough Summer was.

Relaxing in his seat, Jasper let out a sigh as he observed Horizon checking her phone while the car drove them toward their next destination. “Horizon, that girl wasn’t like them other demons...”

Horizon nodded as she began to check the files she had saved. Moon appeared in the holographic window on her phone and waved at the two. “Moon, what can you tell us about Summer Flare?”

Jasper blinked in surprise. “What’s that?”

Moon stood on his two hind legs like a person and bowed to Jasper. “Greetings, you must be Jasper. I am Moon, an artificial intelligence designed by Yuna for Horizon. I analyze her battle data and keep records for her and Yuna. I am programmed to detail as much intel as I can about anything that would help you all on your mission.”

Jasper looked in awe. He knew that Yuna was smart, but he had never seen an AI like this in person, she had to be truly brilliant.

“So can y’all tell us anything about that Summer character?” Jasper asked.

Moon produced a pair of glasses from behind himself and placed them upon his face as he began to explain what he knew. “Cross-referencing her with as much historical data as I can, I can safely assume that Summer Flare is not an ordinary demon as Jasper put it.”

“So what is she?” Horizon tilted her head.

“A child soldier,” Moon stated plainly, “or rather, the technical definition anyway.”

“What the hell is that?” Jasper blinked.

“A child soldier is someone who was raised to fight from a young age, essentially people who were trained to kill during a time in their life where they should have had no such concept...” Horizon explained.

Moon clapped as he praised Horizon for her knowledge. “Precisely! It was a fairly common practice in many ancient civilizations such as Sparta. It would seem that our friend has been killing people for a long time, likely in their childhood as well. That means she is a patient and efficient killer. You two likely won’t lose her that easily. We’ve only bought ourselves a little time by fleeing, but there is little doubt she will continue to try and kill you.”

“What can we do then?” Jasper asked.

Moon frowned as he gave them the news. “I’m afraid your only chance at survival will be to kill Summer. She will chase you until she is dead, as I can tell she is a woman who follows orders to a T. If she was being truthful and her orders are to kill you both, it’s wise to assume that is the truth. I’ve set our course to Canterlot High School.”

“Why there?” Horizon blinked.

Moon removed the glasses he had donned and produced a cloth that he began to utilize for cleaning his lenses. “Given that Summer is a trained assassin, she is less likely to engage directly with too many witnesses. An assassin’s job is to eliminate targets as quietly as possible. I’m sure whoever she works for doesn’t want too many eyes on him. It would be sensible to assume that her goal is to get you both into a place secluded enough to take you out quietly, though she may forgo that given the urgency of the situation for her now... I would estimate that the chances are only about eight percent though.” Moon placed a paw on his chin in thought.

“What do you mean?” Horizon questioned.

Moon made a crude diagram appear on a whiteboard behind him before placing a pair of glasses on his face. The dog retrieved a ruler from seemingly nowhere and began to point at the board which was sporting what could be described as a child’s drawing of Summer and another stick figure that had a question mark for a face.

Tapping on Summer, Moon began to explain. “Summer is an assassin hired by some mysterious entity that wants you both dead, and possession of the box you have.” His ruler tapped on the other stick figure with the question mark for a face. “Now that the two of you know she was sent to kill you though, you both present a far larger threat to her leader, as an assassin would know that any targets who escape are likely going to try and unravel the identity of their employer. This means it is now a far higher priority to take you both out.”

Jasper was beginning to understand it all as he nodded. “So if they let Horizon and I live...”

“We pose a threat to her leader...” Horizon finished his thought.

That much was true, as Jasper and Horizon definitely posed a threat to the girl’s leader. In the end, there was a distinct possibility that not only would they have to kill Summer, but her leader as well.

Moon rubbed his neck. “It would appear though that Summer Flare was not lying when she spoke of magic coming from Equestria. When I analyzed her magic and cross-referenced it with your own, I found that it’s all a match, the only anomaly is her demonic essence.”

“Meaning?” Jasper yawned as the AI explained.

“There is a key somewhere in there. This place, ‘Equestria’, I am compiling a file on it as we speak; data is limited at the moment, but I think understanding this place will assist us greatly in understanding what’s going on,” Moon spoke.

The two teens didn’t get a chance to answer before Moon announced their arrival at Canterlot High School. “We’re here. It looks like the only ones still here though are the janitorial staff...”

Parking the car, Horizon and Jasper stepped out, causing Moon to disappear from the holographic window projected from Horizon’s phone, and return to her glasses.

Moon began to wave his paws all about causing Horizon to notice him in the corner of her glasses. “What’s wrong, Moon?”

“You’re getting a video call from Yuna!” He stated.

The two teens headed around the school toward the sports fields in the back as Horizon answered the call, causing a hologram of a video call window to appear in front of her as they walked. Yuna adjusted her glasses as she observed the two. “Horizon? Jasper? Are you both alright? Moon sent me some battle data and said that you two had to make a fast retreat, what happened?”

Jasper spoke up for the two of them. “We’re fine now, just a bit tuckered out is all, I think we gave that girl the slip...”

“Moon brought me up to speed on this Summer Flare girl, sounds pretty bad, I’m glad you got away, but are you even safe now?” Yuna asked.

Horizon just shrugged, not seeming to be particularly concerned about the present danger they were obviously in. “Safety is relative, I suppose.”

That answer didn’t reassure Yuna in the slightest.

Jasper was about to comment but noticed that something seemed amiss around them. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something seemed off. Gesturing to Horizon, he commanded her to end her call. “Horizon, hang up the phone...”

“Why?” Horizon tilted her head.

“Just do it...” Jasper glanced at her as his blue eyes scanned the area.

Shrugging, Horizon gave a simple wave to Yuna. “I suppose I’ll call you back later.”

Hanging up before Yuna could reply, Horizon turned her attention to Jasper who was looking around suspiciously. “What’s wrong?”

Jasper then noticed what was bothering him. In the time that it had taken to drive to the school from the storage facility, the Sun had started to descend in the sky quite rapidly and now the streetlights were starting to all fire up. In the poor light from one of those lights, he had noticed that the asphalt on the ground they stood on was very odd.

The two were right in front of the sports fields, still in the back parking area, but Jasper noted that the ground there had a discolored shape that stood out.

“I think I found the issues, someone has wet the ground here in a very specific pattern, but why?” Jasper scratched his chin.

Horizon joined him and stared intently as the asphalt. “It looks like it was wet in some kind of checkered pattern...”

“Why would someone do that?” Jasper raised a brow.

Moon quickly appeared on Horizon’s glasses to issue a warning. “Horizon, Jasper, that’s gasoline! Get away from that area!”

Wasting no time, the two teens swiftly bolted away from the lines of gasoline right before they ignited. Looking up to the top of the school, there on the roof stood Summer Flare with her index finger and thumb pinched together with a small flame floating above them.

The fire she had created burned out relatively quickly as she had complete control of it. Once the flames were gone, she hopped off the roof and landed on her feet before the two. A drop like that should have killed her, but it was clear to Jasper and Horizon that a Kirin or even a demon like her was far more capable.

It was obvious that the gasoline was her doing and while she likely felt no reservations about killing them, Moon was at least somewhat correct, in that the woman couldn’t risk them getting more involved and as a result, she was willing to take the risk of killing them in a public area. While the school would have been a safe bet during the day, at night it was little more than a pathetic hiding place for the two.

“What does your organization even do?” Jasper asked, seeing as how they wouldn’t avoid her.

Summer shrugged as her hands ignited into blue flames. “Don’t know, don’t care.”

“You don’t even know what your organization does!?” Jasper gasped as the girl took a lunge at him only for the teenage boy to block it and move out of her way.

A few more strikes came his way, one getting him in the cheek, but it was not enough damage to bring him down, though he could tell by the fact that even such an indirect hit caused him a considerable amount of pain, that the girl’s punches were likely deadly. Fortunate for Jasper, with the power of the medallion around his neck, so were his. The teen returned the attack with a few punches of his own, but by the eighth strike that was about to be dodged, Summer caught his fist in her palm and pulled him down, kneeing him in the gut.

The attack knocked the wind out of him and he knelt down to catch his breath. To his good fortune, Horizon was on the job and tried to counter-attack, swiping with her makeshift claws, only for Summer to dodge the attack. The attack did at least serve as an ample distraction for Jasper while he recovered and came back up to a proper stand.

Coming at Summer at the same time, both teens attempted to attack her, only for her to dodge both of their attempts and reposition herself for another assault.

Right before Summer attacked, Jasper and Horizon blinked and a wall of ice formed in front of them. The two were about to question where it came from but decided it was best to take advantage of the situation and instead, high tail it out.

They ran back to Horizon’s car which Horizon set the coordinates for Jasper’s home. Looking behind them as the car took off, more walls of ice continued to form and Summer wasted most of her time trying to melt the ice in her path. Just as quickly as she would melt one wall, another would appear though.

This diversion gave Jasper and Horizon plenty of time to getaway. The two leaned back in their seats while they thought over what they had just endured.

Author's Note

Our kirin friend joins the fray. Summer and Eight Ball clearly don't like each other that much, huh?

Act VII Part I - Chapter CIX: Recruit

Chapter CIX: Recruit

Jasper and Horizon parked the car near the barn at his family’s farmhouse and Jasper let out an exhausted sigh. Their encounter with Summer Flare had been more than they could handle, and it was clear that the girl was far more skilled with magic than the two of them combined even.

Wiping the sweat off of his brow, Jasper checked the time, noticing that it was 8:08 PM now. Something about seeing that time made him uneasy, but he wasn’t sure what. Either way, he wasn’t looking forward to running into that girl again.

Looking over at his childhood friend, Jasper noticed she seemed about as calm as ever. Nothing really ever pulled much emotion out of Horizon Shimmer, and he knew that. The best way to describe her to anyone was that she was a girl who accepted everything as it was and didn’t seem to put up much resistance to how the world operated. She was neither passionate nor motivated, she was the exact definition of someone who never let people in.

He would have commented on her position, even knowing that she would insist that she was perfectly fine.

Opening his mouth and breaking the silence, Jasper asked the dangerous question. “Will that girl really hunt us down over and over?”

Horizon shrugged. “Don’t know. Seems like so far she’s made good on that promise, which means Moon’s prediction is likely not far off. She will continue to try and kill us until she is unable to do so, I would imagine.”

“Just what we needed...” Jasper sighed in defeat, hoping for a different answer.

Horizon had a hologram of Moon appear before them as she questioned the canine AI. “Moon, do you have any new data on Summer Flare that could be useful to us?”

The dog sat down and nodded at the two. “I’ve analyzed her combat data and determined that her fire affinity is quite unique.”

“Unique how?” Jasper blinked.

“Ordinarily fire spreads quite quickly, but it would appear as though Summer has learned how to contain that fire in condensed bursts allowing her to ignite and put out fires with ease. The drawback to this is the heat of her fires and therefore the potency of her magic is significantly lower,” Moon explained.

“Essentially meaning that because she concentrates on containing her fires, her magic is actually quite weak?” Horizon asked.

Moon nodded at the girl. “In theory, yes. Also, while examining her fighting technique, her speed is incredible, but very much within the same range as an ordinary human. With enough time to train, you two should be able to surpass her level, but I would theorize that she knows this and intends to take you out long before you have such a chance to do so.”

Jasper leaned in with interest. “Do you think she’ll come here now?”

Moon shook his head. “If Summer knew that the two of you were capable of magic, I would imagine that she is well aware that Jasper’s parents are as well. On top of this, even as a demon, she has limitations. When I examined her magic burn levels, it takes considerable amounts of magic to controls her fires, she would be getting very exhausted by now. I am using the data to assist Yuna is creating a magic scanner that should give a general readout of your opponents’ magic abilities and readouts.”

“That could definitely be useful!” Jasper grinned. Yuna's talents seemed to know no end.

Horizon ignored the commentary about the magic scanner and returned the subject to Summer Flare. “So she needs to rest
just like we do then?”

“Correct. My scans indicate signs of sleeping from her recently, which suggests that even demons require rest to regain power and energy,” Moon stated.

Jasper tilted his head in confusion. “How do we know she won’t forgo sleep and come here? I mean, after all, I’m sure that she’s figured out that we’re tuckered out as well...”

Moon tapped his forehead with one of his paws. “A trained assassin like herself would not take the risk of facing not one, but two foes, while she’s that exhausted, sloppy work, isn’t becoming of their kind, she will bide her time and strike when she feels she is recharged enough to do so.”

“Good to know... So what do we do now?” Horizon asked as she and Jasper stepped out of the car and into the barn itself.

Moon shrugged. “Practicing your abilities may prove useful here, but there is no real telling what Summer Flare will do next, or how she’ll handle such an encounter. I could tell she was holding back, and that won’t happen again next time more than likely...”

Horizon found herself sitting atop of a hay bale while Moon’s hologram followed them from her phone. Jasper sat across from her and sighed.

“So you’re saying even if we train it likely won’t be enough...” Jasper sighed.

“It’s quite possible. If Summer’s words are correct, then she has been training to kill since she was a small child...” Moon frowned.

A young voice called from the loft above. “You both are lucky for sure...”

Looking up to the loft, Horizon and Jasper saw little Candy dangling her legs playfully. “Lucky that I was there to save your sorry asses.”

Several Years Ago

Fire. All she could see was fire. Fire that burned everything down, the entire village, all of it up in smoke. An inferno without end razed the entire village, leaving nothing behind. Summer Flare ran from it, she ran as far as her hooves would carry her, she sat atop of the hill overlooking her village with tears running down her face. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, everything she had once held dear, gone in a matter of eight minutes.

She had never known fire to spread so fast, but there she was witnessing it. The fire was overwhelming everything, and there were no survivors but herself.

She was alone, completely alone. Her parents, her neighbors, all of them, were dead.

Just when she thought the moment couldn’t get any worse though, a loud crack of thunder signaled the coming of rain. A downpour quickly began soaking the forest and the flames that had taken her home from her. The fire fought with the waters from above and the flames danced wildly while the water attempted to extinguish them.

She could feel the water come down on her, and before she knew it, she was so soaked that she couldn’t tell if her face was covered in tears or not.

What would she do now? With her village gone, she would have to fend for herself. She knew nothing about survival, and given that she was only six years old, she was helpless. She would die out in the wilderness, and not a soul would even know she disappeared. Gone into nothingness, that was her fate.

Or at least it would have been if not for the mysterious stranger who showed up. He wore a cloak over his form, concealing his face as he approached the girl standing on the hilltop in tears. He had come after seeing the smoke from the fire, and there he found a young kirin atop of the hill watching as her home burned.

He spoke up with a deep masculine voice. “Fate has been cruel to you, hasn’t it?”

She glanced over at him and whimpered. “W-who’re you?”

He gestured casually with his hoof as he approached. “Someone who understands just how cruel the world can be. Fate has been unkind to me as well...”

“Well... It’s too late... It’s all gone now...” Summer sobbed.

The stranger placed a hoof upon her shoulder. She looked up in surprise at how gentle his touch was. “There is plenty we can still do. When the world kicks you and knocks you down, you have a choice... Lay there and die, or get up and fight to live...”

“I don’t want to live anymore... I have no reason to...” Summer said somberly.

He shook his head and ran his hoof along the girl’s jawline. “For now you don’t, but that is why you have to find a new purpose.”

“How do I do that?” She sniffled.

“I can show you. I can give you a purpose. You can be a part of something greater than you ever imagined. I will guide you...” He spoke.

His voice soothed the girl. Something about his demeanor told her that everything would be alright, that she could rely on him. Nodding, she came to a stand and took his hoof in her own. “A-alright... What do we do first?”

“We make the first step on a long road...” He replied.

Jasper blinked as his sister hopped down from the loft onto a hay bale and then adjusted her outfit, brushing the hay off of herself. She stood up straight and her youth became obvious when she was significantly shorter than the both of them. “What’re y’all doing in here?” Jasper asked.

Candy looked away and stuck her tongue out. “That’s no way to speak to the woman who saved your lives.”

“First of all, you ain’t a woman...” Jasper corrected.

“Hey, fuck you! I’m a fucking lady, alright?” His little sister hissed.

“With a mouth like that?” Jasper raised his brow and smirked as he crossed his arms.

“Doth’ mine English bother thee?” She mocked.

Jasper just rolled his eyes.

“How did you save our lives exactly?” Horizon chimed in with her head tilted in confusion.

Candy blinked and her expression cooled when she looked at Horizon. She was such an easy-going character, that it was difficult to stay angry when conversing with her. Candy wondered if anyone had ever even seen Horizon raise her voice.

She winked and raised her hand causing a spike of ice to form from the ground. Horizon observed and soaked the information in. “So you were the one making those ice walls?”

She bowed gracefully and then winked when she came back to a stand. The young girl giggled gently as she replied. “Yup, that’s right. Without my ice, you’d both be dead already.”

“How did you even make ice like that anyway?” Jasper questioned.

His sister blew a raspberry and then huffed as she only met him with the corner of her eye. Then she retrieved a medallion from her neck that been tucked into the collar of her shirt and winked at them. “The same way that you guys did. Mother told me all about magic and showed me how to use her medallion. My affinity is ice, just like mother’s.”

Jasper was a bit surprised by what she was saying. “Mother actually let you have her medallion? After knowing what Horizon and I are involved in? Has she lost it?”

“I figured out what you were up to a while ago, you aren’t exactly stealthy.” Candy winked.

Looking over at Horizon, Jasper met her with apologetic eyes as he mouthed his apology. He really didn’t want his kid sister involved, but it looked like she had found a way to involve herself, regardless. It killed him that his mother even assisted in it. Had she gone completely mad?

Rarity was a fairly easy-going mother, much more so than Applejack, but she also didn’t like her children doing anything dangerous, and she was especially protective of Candy. Why would she give her only daughter a medallion that allowed her to play around with dangerous magic powers?

“So what do you want then?” Jasper asked.

Candy grinned before pulling a box out from behind a few hay bales. “To contribute to your little team. I’m going to help you guys fight these demons and find out why they killed Sunset Shimmer. I’m just as curious as anyone else after all.”

Jasper blinked in confusion. “You can’t be serious...”

Opening the wooden box she nodded. “I am, I’ve been training for this very thing, and I’ve even prepared some stuff for the occasion.”

“Training how?” Jasper raised a brow.

“Mother has been teaching me martial arts for years. She said it’s important for a lady to be able to take care of herself, but that’s not all...” Candy continued.

A Little While Ago

Rarity tapped on the door of the small apartment that Cinder called her home away from home. The muscular woman answered the door and her reptilian eyes met Rarity with confusion as the two locked gazes. “Miss Rarity...” Cinder nodded.

“Miss Razorclaw, I’m ever so sorry to impose on you while you’re at home...” Rarity bowed slightly to show her sincerity.

Cinder shrugged as she revealed a bottle of vodka in her good hand which Rarity eyed. It was only eight in the morning, and she was already drinking? She didn’t seem that drunk though, but somehow Rarity imagined her as the kind of woman who drank straight from the bottle.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Cinder asked.

“May I come in?” Rarity asked.

Shrugging once more, Cinder stepped out of the doorway and allowed Rarity to enter. As she glanced around the small living quarters, she wasn’t particularly surprised to see that Cinder owned next to nothing. In the corner of her tiny living room were many swords, daggers, and other various blades neatly mounted to the wall, but next to the couch was a unique pair of katanas. Their hilts were ornate and quite decorated, Rarity knew nothing of swords, but she would wager they were hand made.

The fact that they were kept separate from the rest told Rarity that those swords were special to Cinder.

Sitting down next to her swords, Cinder took a long swig of the bottle before offering it to Rarity who declined.

“What’s on your mind, Miss Rarity?” Cinder asked.

Rarity bit her lip as she chewed her thoughts, but after a good eight seconds of deliberating, she decided she knew where she wanted to start.

“You’re from Equestria, right?” Rarity began.

Cinder nodded. “Yup.”

“Why’d you admit it so easily...?” Rarity blinked in astonishment.

Cinder smirked. “The way I see it, we both have secrets. You don’t want people knowing you’re a werewolf and I can’t have people knowing I’m from Equestria, so I think we both have something on each other which ensures neither of us is going to say too much, right?”

“Honesty through mutual blackmail then?” Rarity asked.

“Nah, I wasn’t going to tell anyone what you are, regardless. I’m not like that.” Cinder waved her mechanical hand dismissively.

“You’re very well mannered... Your appearance is certainly deceptive...” Rarity admitted.

Laughter escaped Cinder before she took another long swig of the vodka in her hand. “I get that a lot. People see the scars and my arm and assume that I’m much meaner than I am, but only to those who earn my ire.”

“What exactly are you?” Rarity changed the subject.

Leaning forward, Cinder rested her elbows on her knees as she grinned. “I’m a dragon.”

“So like Princess Twilight’s Spike? Oh, wait... Sorry, you probably don’t even know who that is...” Rarity rubbed her neck.

“I know who they both are. I was allowed to come here because of Twilight,” Cinder explained.

Rarity blinked. “Really? So you’re only here temporarily then I assume? Some kind of mission on her behalf?”

Sighing, Cinder shook her head as her expression turned more serious. “Things have changed in Equestria some time ago. This place is a no pony’s land now. One way trip, no return.”

“So you’re stuck here now?” Rarity asked.

Cinder nodded.

“Why though? Why come here?” Rarity questioned.

“It’s complicated, but I came looking for my student, Eclipse. I am pretty confident that he came to this place some time ago, and I intend to find him,” Cinder stated.

Rarity’s eyes wandered to the two katanas. “So what’s the story on those then?”

Reaching down, Cinder picked one of the swords up and unsheathed it. She held the blade in front of herself as she appreciated its craftsmanship and fine sheen. The sword looked immaculate as if it had never even seen battle before.

“These are my family katanas. One was given to me by my father, and the other was held by my late brother, Ash, very unique katanas made of dragon steel and forged in a volcanic furnace. They never tarnish and they are unbreakable through conventional means.” Cinder’s face lit up as she told the legacy of her family heirlooms.

Rarity could tell she took great pride in her blades, and she clearly knew her way around a weapon.

“What about you, Miss Rarity? Why do you hide your secret?” Cinder questioned as she put the blade down.

Rarity bit her lip. “You probably wouldn’t understand.”

“Must be hard not to accidentally bite your wife and turn her, right?” Cinder chuckled.

Rarity sighed at the stereotype. “It doesn’t work like that...”

“Admittedly, I know little about werewolves...” Cinder winked.

“I didn’t come to discuss my disposition...” Rarity said.

“Very well, why did you come then?” Cinder raised a brow before taking another drink.

“I would like you to train my daughter. I could tell right away that you’re quite skilled when it comes to fighting, and I fear she is going to get involved in her brother’s exploits sooner or later. I could attempt to forbid it, but I know all too well that pre-teens just defy orders from their parents. It’s better she be prepared...” Rarity explained.

Cinder could relate to that statement. Most of the time she always did what her parents said, but she always had gone out of her way to assist ponies whenever they asked, despite the opposition of her family to help anyone who wasn’t their own kind. Dragons were known for being incredibly racist to non-dragons, but Cinder saw herself as one of the more progressive of her kind.

“If you wish for me to train your daughter, then I shall.” Cinder bowed her head.

Rarity stepped forward and took the woman’s hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you, Miss Razorclaw! I appreciate it so dearly.”

“Bring her over tonight, I will begin to show her what I know right away.” Cinder grinned.

A Little While Ago

Rarity parked her car and looked over at her daughter who was clutching her magic medallion tightly. It was only a short while ago that Rarity revealed its secrets and told her about Cinder Razorclaw. It was a lot for a little girl to process, but after the initial shock of it all, Candy grew to accept it.

Candy’s mother had stated they were coming, but after about eight seconds of sitting in the car, it was all sinking in with Candy. The two stepped out of the car and Rarity with her daughter approached a field near an old forest where Cinder had told them both to meet her.

When they arrived, there, Cinder stood with an assorted array of weaponry behind her. She nodded to Rarity and waved her away with her good hand. “I’ll take care of my student from here, please leave us.”

Candy blinked and looked over at her mother, who just smiled at her daughter and then needed back at Cinder. The woman gently bowed before turning around to head back to her car. The engine could be heard starting up, and Rarity decided to drive off a good distance to give the two of them privacy.

Once the girl’s mother was out of earshot, Cinder cleared her throat as she stood tall with her hands behind her back. She examined the girl carefully and noted how she was far from muscular or even “fit”. It was clear that she’d be somewhat of a challenge to work with.

Candy looked up at her as she cleared her throat and just stared while Cinder began to speak in her raspy voice. “We already know each other since I work for your family, but it is a tradition for your mentor to introduce themselves... I am Cinder Razorclaw, sometimes known as Cinder Deathclaw, but that was not a name I chose for myself.”

“Deathclaw?” Candy tilted her head.

Cinder nodded. “We all earn many names in life, but most of them we don’t choose, that was merely one of mine.”

“Is it true that you’re not human?” Candy changed the subject.

Cinder closed her eyes and inhaled before answering. “Yes. I am a dragon, from the Equestrian portal.”

Candy’s face turned into a large grin. “So you grew up in Equestria then?”

Cinder shook her head. “No. While we refer to the world as Equestria colloquially for your kind, the planet is actually called Earth, just like here, only an alternate version. I lived for most of my life in a place called Dragon Scar. I only came to Equestria during a Great War about a decade ago now.”

“So Equestria’s a country then?” Candy asked.

“Yes, albeit, a very powerful and successful one, but still just a country,” Cinder stated.

“What about Dragon Scar, where you said that you’re from?” Candy tilted her head with intrigue.

Cinder could tell that she was an inquisitive girl, which was a good thing in her book. As a child remembered her mother wrapping her own wounds whenever she got herself hurt because of her curiosity, and her old mother would scold her something fierce, but in only a few days, little Cinder would be back at it again, sticking her snout where it didn’t belong.

“A harsh place, but that’s neither here nor there. If you know what you’re going to get involved in, then you will need training...” Cinder explained.

Candy tilted her head in confusion. “What kind of training? My mother already helps me practice martial arts...”

Shaking her head, Cinder unsheathed her two blades and crossed them before the young girl. She presented her arms with pride as she spoke of their legacy. “These blades; they are made of pure dragon steel, a metal capable of penetrating a dragon’s hide with ease and even severing bone. Unbreakable, and forged in volcanic heat. My father crafted these two swords himself... One for myself, and one for my brother Ash...”

Candy remained silent as Cinder told her story of her family heirlooms.

Lowing the swords, Cinder sighed before stepping aside to give access to an area behind herself that housed many weapons. She gestured for Candy to pick one. “The relationship between a master and her blade is a special one. Somewhere in this assortment is the style of blade that is best suited for you, all you need to do is reach out and take it.”

Candy blinked a few times as she observed the arrangement of swords and then Cinder as she stepped out of the way, allowing Candy to pass easily. The preteen looked back at Cinder with curious eyes, but the woman just placed her hands behind her back and nodded confidently. “Go ahead, choose the blade that speaks to you.”

Looking back at the swords, Candy squinted as she took a long look at each sword. Cinder’s collection was fairly diverse and there seemed to be a blade intended for every type of fighter.

Her eyes would scan each work of steel carefully, while her hands would gently touch their hilts or the side of their fine blades until her eyes fell upon a particular sword. It was a fairly simple short sword with a shining silver blade, but its appearance attracted the young girl.

Small in size, it had a certain elegance to it as she picked it up in her left hand and practiced swinging with it a few times. It was a sturdy blade, and despite its size, it had some weight to it, which made its blows impactful.

“So, a short sword then? That blade is better for close encounters and agile fighting. It’s smaller size obviously is better for you, as carrying it is far easier, but it also can come with you in tight areas. I think it’s a fine choice.” Cinder smiled at the girl.

Candy gave a few more practice swings with the sword before looking back at Cinder. “So what now?”

“Get a feel for it, see how it feels most comfortable to hold it...” Cinder gestured for the girl to play with it for a while.

Focusing on her left hand, Candy tried swinging the blade, but somehow still felt awkward. When she switched to the sword being backhanded, it oddly felt more natural to her. She gave a backhand swing or two and nodded with confidence.

Cinder raised a brow in confusion. “Backhanded swordsmanship? I supposed it does impose an element of surprise...”

Taking a stance, Cinder gestured for Candy to attack as she held both of her blades up.

Rushing her, Candy clashed with the older woman. Their blades clanked together and Candy was able to quickly unleash another set of fast swipes that Cinder blocked. Her orange eyes narrowed as she watched Candy swing, grunting with enthusiasm as she did.

Cinder would let out a loud chuckle as she watched her new student push herself, finally after several swings, the girl tired herself out and knelt down panting. Cinder just lowered her blades and nodded. “You’re strong, kid. You’ll go far if you allow me to teach you.”

Catching her breath, Candy nodded. “I want to be strong so I can protect my family...”

A small came to Cinder’s face as she heard those words. “Then you already understand the first rule of strength.”

“Wait, so mother gave y’all her medallion and now ya’ can do ice magic?” Jasper blinked as he made sure he was following what his sister was explaining.

Candy nodded and winked as she tapped her medallion.

“And Miss Razorclaw is a dragon from Equestria then?” Horizon asked to make sure she was following correctly.

“Yes, but that’s not the important part, what is important though is that I have outfits for the both of you.” Candy giggled.

Jasper rubbed his neck and looked away. “Thanks, but playin’ dress up ain’t too important right now...”

Rolling her eyes, Candy ignored him and retrieved a small bag with clothing inside and handed it to Horizon before instructing her. “Go in the back behind those bales and change into that, I want to make sure the dimensions are correct.”

Shrugging, Horizon took the bag and wandered to the back of the barn while Jasper just shook his head at his sister. A part of him was curious as to why she felt their wardrobe was important, but he knew that asking would only trigger a long speech from her about how fashion was a core part of existence and what separated them from animals. He wasn’t in the mood to sit through such pointless and pedantic dribble, so instead, he kept quiet.

Returning from changing, Horizon came out wearing a tight leather bodysuit, dark pink in color with a mask over her eyes that came up to the top of her head with a pair of pink furry wolf ears. The girl blinked a few times and adjusted herself to try and get a look at herself.

Jasper was stunned at how well her body took to the outfit. While she was less busty than Jasper remembered Sunset Shimmer being, she was at least on the larger side of a B-cup, which was being complimented well by the fact that her outfit left her front semi-unzipped, exposing her cleavage.

On the woman’s feet were a pair of black gothic heeled boots that came only about a foot or so short of her knee.

She turned around to show her rear and wiggle it slightly to reveal that the outfit came with a wolf-like tail. Candy whistled delightfully as Horizon turned back around and brandished her new dark pink gloves made of leather with sharpened tips that made them resemble proper claws.

“Diamond fitted, razor-sharp, and extremely deadly. They also should conduct magic far better than those tatty things you were calling weapons prior.” Candy waved her hand as she winked and smirked.

Even Jasper had to admit that the outfit was quite fetching, and did seem to fit over Horizon’s form easily, complimenting her body.

“The suit is lined with special threading that assists in redirecting magic. While it’ll still hurt like hell to get struck by magic, it’ll at least spare you about 8% of the pain. On top of that, the gloves are also fitted with special material on the palms and fingertips that make gripping even the slickest of surfaces just a little easier.” Candy explained.

Jasper stepped forward, nodded, and began to approach Horizon. The girl’s usual neutral expression remained on her face as she asked her next question. “How do I look?”

Jasper nodded in approval. “Y’all look great, but more importantly this suit should keep ya’ safer out there, we just have t’ find a way to get Moon into your mask’s lens or something...”

Candy stepped up to volunteer again. “What’s Moon?”

“AI program that is stored in Horizon’s glasses, Yuna designed it for her.” Jasper pointed out.

Candy nodded and grinned. “I’ll have to meet with her and get that taken care of then. I also have an outfit for you, Jasper.”

Jasper blinked and shook his head. “No way.”

“It would be a lot wiser to cooperate, my designs are both fashionable and practical. Just take what’s in the box and stop complaining...” Candy rolled her eyes.

Jasper wanted to protest some more, but even he couldn’t deny that the ability to reflect or reduce the effects of magic was useful. Sighing, he accepted his fate and reached into the box to retrieve the outfit that was prepared for him. After stepping aside for a few moments, he came back with his signature stetson tied around the back of his neck, but his face was covered by a mask with ox horns coming off of it.

The boy’s golden hair was still very visible, but the rest of him was sporting a black leather jacket, and a full-body suit under it. Over his feet were a pair of black thick boots that gave him a powerful stance, and black leather gloves to complete the look.

He noted that the knuckles of his gloves appeared to have some kind of metal in them, which he was certain would make his punches significantly more potent.

“Like Horizon’s outfit, the gloves are fitted with special magic conducting metal, so channeling your ability into them should prove effective,” Candy explained.

The boy gave a few swings and jabs with his new gloves and smiled as he admired them. Even he could admit that Candy had made a good choice.

“And of course then there’s mine...” Candy grinned before pulling a second box out and retreating to put on her own outfit.

When she returned, she was wearing a purple corset top with fingerless black gloves. A short skirt accompanied the look, but a pair of tight black shorts were just barely visible underneath.

On her feet, her boots were heeled, making her stand a hair or two taller than usual, and on her back was a sheath with her trusted short sword.

Like the other two, she also had a mask upon her face, but hers was a simple masquerade mask, and atop of her head was a set of cat ears on a headband.

“So, let’s go hunt us down a demon!” Candy grinned.

“Right now? We barely got away from her the last time!” Jasper protested.

“This time the three of us can work together. She’ll be far easier to take out!” Candy explained.

Looking over at Horizon, Jasper hoped for her advice on the matter. “What do you think, Horizon?”

Horizon paused for around eight seconds and thought it over. With their combined abilities and their new suits, there was a chance that they could actually take on Summer Flare.

She nodded in agreement. “Let’s go find her.”

It didn’t take much to track down Summer Flare again, as the girl had been waiting to find the teenagers again, but this time they found her. She had traveled outside of the city to go and meditate to focus herself so she could return and finish the job of killing the two, but to her good fortune, they had traveled out that far directly to her.

They clearly had learned how to track down certain energy signatures somehow. In actuality, Horizon had pulled up Moon on her phone and used his abilities to follow Summer’s magic signature.

This time though, when the teens arrived, they were oddly dressed and had a new addition to their group, something that Summer wasn’t expecting.

The kirin came to a stand and remained silent as Horizon, Jasper, and Candy stood before her with weapons drawn. “We’re here to stop you, Summer!” Candy growled viciously.

Summer tilted her head as her expression remained neutral as always. “Do you wish to kill me then?”

“If it comes to it, then we certainly will,” Horizon spoke on his behalf.

Horizon noted that Summer’s hand twitched at that statement, but quickly returned her eyes onto Summer’s own eyes as Summer began to speak.

“You three don’t get it...” Summer shook her head, an odd amount of feeling in her voice for her.

“Even with your combined power...” Summer’s hands began to tremble and her eyes narrowed.

The emotionless creature grew a nasty scowl and a gaze that could pierce one’s heart. Her voice turned into a horrid growl as she spoke, smoke coming from her hands and eyes which began to glow.

“You’re nothing compared to my true power...”

“What the hell...?” Jasper lowered his fists as he observed her.

“All this time... I’ve suppressed my anger... Held my true power back, but it’s been so long since I’ve unleashed it... So long since I’ve been allowed to let loose...” She growled.

As she spoke, the fire on her hands and in her eyes began to grow, burning brighter with each and every word.

The phone on Horizon’s wrist buzzed and quickly a hologram of Moon appeared before her with a lab coat on and pointed to Summer with a yardstick in his paw. “Guys, Summer’s power levels are already eight times higher than their normal levels! You have to stop her before she gets any stronger!”

“Got it!” Candy nodded as she drew her sword and held it backhanded. Quickly the girl rushed Summer and took a swing which the kirin knocked away with her backhand. The blade didn’t even slice her skin and Candy quickly followed up with a second slash only for it to be blocked similarly.

Wasting no time to get into the fray, Jasper lunged forward and took a swing which Summer caught in her palm. His gloves started to heat up as he felt the fire in her hand which caused him to pull back and get his hand out of her grip. He swung again and Candy tried to take advantage of the confusion by swinging once more, but Summer was able to duck under Jasper’s swing and kick the sword coming her way away from herself.

Horizon quickly summoned swords of light that floated around her, eight in total levitated as she prepared to utilize them when needed.

The young teen leaped into battle and kept herself crouched down low as she swiped at Summer repeated with her claws. Summer met each slash with a counter, but Horizon didn’t give up, she continued unleashing a flurry of slices and finally hurled a light sword at the creature only for it to miss and disappear into the ether.

Another two swords flew through the air and again Summer dodged them, this time by rolling out of the way. She retaliated by stomping the ground and sending a shockwave in the entire group’s direction, knocking all but Horizon over.

Horizon kept her footing just barely before initiating another attack. Jasper joined in, with his sister’s help.

Candy cast her magic on her brother’s gloves and formed ice harder than diamonds on his hands which he used to unleash a series of punches which Summer deflected before her hands grew brighter and eventually their flames turned blue, melting the ice with ease.

“Her fire is getting hotter!” Candy pointed out.

Summer’s resolve seemed completely unshaken. She could go toe-to-toe with the three of them and not even flinch. Her power only seemed to be growing with every attack they unleashed on her.

Jasper didn’t give up though, instead, he quickly pulled a large chunk of the earth right out of the ground with his bare hands and hurled the massive boulder at her.

Summer opened her mouth and blasted fire from her throat so potent that it shattered the rock into pieces.

“Nothing’s working!” Jasper commented as he prepared another rock.

“Moon, what’s going on?” Horizon asked as she took another few swings at the girl.

Moon’s hologram appeared again as Candy and Horizon attempted another series of attacks that were only met with more failure. “Her strength is only growing. I would recommend a retreat, her abilities far surpass your own.”

“Shit, I think he’s right...” Candy admitted as she was just knocked back after another failed attack. The girl panted, realizing that escape would be a challenge.

“How are we going to get away now?” Jasper asked as he threw another rock.

Horizon began to try and formulate a plan, but as if the heavens had answered their prayers, a van quickly pulled up to their location and swerved into a stop. The side doors swung open and a teenage girl with hair that faded from yellow to red on top, and purple to light blue on the bottom poked her head out. Jasper quickly noticed her shining pinkish-purple eyes with two eyebrow piercing above her right eye. The right side of her hair was pinned up, and the group could tell it was about shoulder length as she leaned out of the window.

“Get in! Hurry!” She shouted with a raspy voice.

Nodding, Jasper, Horizon, and Candy all bolted in the van’s direction only for Summer to blast fire from her palms to try and stop them. “Oh no, you don’t!”

From the other side of the van, a woman with light purple hair with a bright streak through it poked her head out and aimed a handgun in Summer’s direction. Her eyes hinted at her Asian descent, a detail that Candy noticed right away.

“Piss off...” The woman said as she open fired on Summer.

The kirin focused her attention on blocking the bullets with her hands, which allowed the teens to make their escape into the van. Once the clip was emptied, she pulled back into the vehicle and stepped on the gas pedal.

The girl in the passenger seat looked back at the group and smiled at them. “Hey there.”

As the vehicle began to speed through a nearby field, Jasper, Candy, and Horizon all answered in unison. “Hello.”

The teenager grinned at them. “What’re your names?”

Candy rolled her eyes. “Clearly we have masks on, so we aren’t trying to be named...”

The teen chuckled. “Yeah, but we’re saving your asses, so we’d at least like to know who we’re saving.”

Jasper spoke up. “Sorry ‘bout her, she can be rude...”

“Hey, fuck you!” Candy hissed.

Jasper ignored his sister and kept speaking. “My name is Jasper, Jasper Apple. This here is my sister, Candy.”

The teen nodded and looked at Horizon. “And you are?”

“Horizon Shimmer,” she answered plainly.

“Not much of a talker are you? That’s alright.” The teen grinned.

“My name is Novalight Glimmerburst, but you guys can call me Nova... Especially you, handsome...” She winked at Jasper, who blushed and looked away bashfully.

“And who is the Asian woman then?” Candy asked.

Jasper jabbed her in the shoulder which caused her to grunt.

“That’s my mom, Starlight Glimmer. I think she’s Chinese right?” She looked at her mom for confirmation.

Starlight rolled her eyes. “I’m half Chinese. Can we please stick to the matter at hand though? I think our friend is following us...”

Starlight checked the side mirror and sure enough, Summer was bolting after them at speeds that a normal person would not be capable of. She was clearing the distance between them with little effort as the fires in her eyes and on her hands grew brighter and brighter.

“Shit, she’s a determined little fuck, isn’t she?” Nova chuckled.

“Who are you people?” Candy asked.

“We’ll get to that in a bit, first we have to lose her...” Starlight stated.

Nova reached under her seat and retrieved a few guns, holding them up to her mother. “Which do you think? The uzi or the 1911?”

Starlight glanced over at the two weapons for a second before returning her attention to where they were going. “Better go with the uzi, more bullets, thus harder to block.”

“Good thinking.” Nova nodded as she leaned out her window again and began unloading bullets at Summer.

The kirin moved out of the way for most and was able to project a fire shield in front of herself to stop the rest. Nova just kept firing until her clip was empty. She reloaded and continued the barrage of bullets.

Horizon pulled Moon back up and spoke with him. “Moon, why is she so strong? She can stop bullets even.”

Moon retrieved a pair of glasses and placed them upon his face as he spoke. “It appears as though Summer’s power is based upon her anger; the angrier she gets, the more powerful she becomes.”

“She seemed pretty emotionless prior to this...” Jasper reminded.

Moon nodded. “Indeed, it seems as though she is capable of suppressing her anger and unleashing it at a later time. She must have stored up anger for a considerable amount of time.”

“That’s bad news for us...” Starlight commented.

“Eh, all demons are the same... Full of surprises...” Nova commented before emptying another clip.

“Is she still behind us?” Candy asked.

Starlight looked in the mirror and noted that all the bullets didn’t seem to slow her down in the slightest. “Oh yeah, she’s still full of piss and vinegar...”

“Man, fuck this...” Nova shook her head before pulling back into the car and unbuckled her seatbelt.

“What’re you doing?” Jasper blinked.

She began to craw over the console and into the backseat where she climbed over Jasper and winked. “Don’t worry your little head, hot stuff...” She giggled as she caressed his cheek carefully before climbing over him and into the back. “I’m just taking care of our problem more effectively...”

Once she was in the trunk she called out to her mother. “Mom, open the back window.”

Nodding, Starlight pressed a button and the back window unlocked and opened.

“What’re ya’ gonna do?” Jasper blinked as he looked over his seat to observe what she was doing.

Nova reached into the chest in the back of the car and retrieved a weapon that the group instantly recognized as a grenade launcher. She quickly loaded it up and pointed it out the window.

“Holy shit!” Candy called out as the entire group shy of Horizon and Starlight ducked down and covered their heads.

With precise aim, Nova fired the weapon and scored a direct hit on Summer. The kirin was forced to stop in her tracks to block the explosive and it gave just enough time for the group to getaway.

Once they were certain that the kirin couldn’t follow them, Nova nodded and put the grenade launcher away before turning back to the group. “See, isn’t this fun?”

“You people have a warped idea of fun...” Candy sighed.

“Nonsense, we’ve been doing this for years. While other kids are off learning about which countries are in Africa, I was learning how to make plastic explosives.” Nova giggled before ruffling Candy’s hair.

Candy waved her hands to get Nova to stop before fixing her hair.

“So you two have fought demons before then?” Horizon asked.

“Demons, wendigos, vampires, the works...” Starlight answered.

“That stuff doesn’t exist...” Jasper shook his head.

Starlight glanced back at them before stopping the car once they had secured themselves deep in the woods. “Kid, are you about to tell me what does and doesn’t exist after you just saw that shit?”

Jasper had to admit she had a point.

“So who are you guys exactly?” Candy changed the subject.

Nova spoke on her mother’s behalf. “We’re sort of like paranormal hunters in a way. We travel all over looking for weird shit.”

“That’s putting it simply...” Starlight rolled her eyes.

“So you two do this for a livin’?” Jasper asked.

“Well, Nova’s been doing this with us since she was born, but there’s actually four of us. It started out with just myself and Angel, but my husband became a part of our little operation shortly after...” Starlight explained.

“Where are they now?” Candy asked.

Starlight opened the door to the car and gestured for everyone to get out. “About eighty yards that way...” She pointed.

The group all exited the car and began the walk into the woods. It seemed to be an abandoned area outside the city limits, which made it remarkable that anyone would stay out there.

“Do you guys live out here?” Candy asked.

Nova shook her head. “We don’t live anywhere.”

“Huh?” Jasper asked.

“We go where we’re needed,” Starlight explained.

“We’re here!” Nova pointed.

The group stopped before an old cabin in the dense woods that looked as if it had seen better days. It was clear that it hadn’t been attended to in some time. “This is it?” Candy blinked.

Nodding, Starlight opened the door and entered.

The rest of the group followed and there inside they caught a glimpse of two more people.

A tall man with red hair and a scruffy beard stood up and raised a brow. Starlight spoke before he had a chance to say anything. “This is my husband, Sunburst”

“Who are these kids?” Sunburst asked.

Nova waved her hand dismissively. “Relax dad, they’re friends. They were fighting one of those demons.”

A tall woman stepped out of the darkness and smiled at the group with perhaps the sweetest smile they had ever seen. Her blue curly hair draped down her body and went just above her butt. She was slender and cute with a soft voice as she spoke. “Hello there, I’m Angel Song. Who might you all be?”

“I’m Candy Apple, that’s my brother Jasper and the quiet one is Horizon Shimmer.” Candy gestured.

Angel blinked and stepped closer to Horizon, examining the girl. “Horizon Shimmer... You’re related to Sunset Shimmer then?”

“That’s right, how do you know that?” Horizon asked.

Angel ignored her question and glanced over at Candy and Jasper. “And you two are related to Applejack then?”

“She’s our mom...” Jasper spoke quietly with suspicion on his tongue.

“It’s all coming together...” Angel spoke softly before sitting back down with her hands in her lap as she sat in thought.

“What is?” Candy asked.

“We started all of this because of Angel, she developed some kind of magic powers, and shortly after Starlight did too... We’ve been chasing after paranormal stuff to see if we can find an explanation...” Sunburst spoke up.

“So how did y’all know our parents?” Jasper asked.

“Premonitions. Angel gets them sometimes and all of your parents have appeared in them...” Starlight explained.

Horizon stepped forward and stood directly in front of Angel, causing the woman to look up at her. “So you knew my mother?”

Angel shook her head and frowned. “No, sorry. I’ve never met her; only in my dreams... What is she like?”

“Dead.” Horizon shrugged.

Angel bit her lip and frowned, you could feel the hurt in her eyes. “Oh... I’m so sorry...”

“She went missing eight years ago...” Candy chimed in.

“It have anything to do with the demons?” Starlight asked.

“We think so...” Jasper nodded.

Starlight sighed and shook her head as she began pacing. “I don’t know what to make of any of this... What do you think, Angel?”

Angel sat in silence, not answering.

“What does that girl Summer Flare want?” Candy questioned.

Sunburst shook his head. “She’s working for someone...”

“We know that already, but who?” Jasper questioned.

Starlight shrugged. “We’re still trying to figure that out ourselves. We know they are looking for something though... Whatever it is, we can’t let them find it. We have to get it first...”

“The demon throne is empty...” Angel said.

“Huh?” Starlight blinked and looked at her friend.

“The demons failed to find a proper leader, so now they grow more aggressive in their hunt...” Angel continued, her voice shaking as she spoke.

Starlight stepped closer and knelt down, taking her friend’s hand in her own.

“Is she getting a premonition right now?” Candy asked.

Nova hushed them as she too stood beside Angel and took her other hand. “It’s okay, Angel, tell us...”

Angel stared forward for a moment before continuing. “There was a favored one, but she fell out of favor... Another rose to take the throne...”

“And?” Starlight asked softly.

Angel shook her head. “I don’t know, but I know the throne remains empty... Someone seeks to fill that throne... Hell will do what it takes to ensure it as well...”

“So we’re up shit creek then...” Candy sighed.

Angel gripped her head and grunted. Pain overtook her as she collapsed to the floor. Starlight and Nova both knelt down to her side and gripped her arms as the girl pressed her fingers to her temples as she growled in agony.

“What’s wrong, Aunt Angel?” Nova asked, concern flooding her voice.

“I can... Feel it...” Angel panted as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

“Feel what?” Starlight leaned closer to ask.

Angel looked up and saw Horizon staring at her. The two locked eyes and Horizon stepped closer and knelt down to be at eye level with the woman. Angel struggled to speak, but words eventually left her mouth as she stared at Horizon with wonder.

“The demons that hunt you... They are unlike anything we’ve seen before... I can feel their master... Stronger than anything that’s ever lived, he rose to challenge the champion of hell... He will hunt you...” Angel winced in pain as she spoke.

“Why me?” Horizon asked with her head tilted.

Angel shook her head. “The light inside of you... It’s a blessing and a curse... While it can slay demons, it will also attract them to you... They wish to vanquish all light magic users like you or myself.”

Horizon blinked and stood still. Angel grumbled and reached forward taking the girl’s hand in her own.

Horizon froze as suddenly images of her mother flashed through her head. She could see the laboratory that they found her severed hand in and her mother standing there with a bloody stump where her right hand once was. The red-headed woman tried to hold herself up with a desk but ultimately fell to the floor, blood flooding the floor beneath her. She laid still and panted lightly as she closed her eyes.

Angel released Horizon’s hand at that moment and shuddered. “Sorry...” She said.

“What was that?” Horizon asked calmly.

Angel’s magenta eyes looked so weak as she stared at Horizon. “An echo of the past...”

“How though? I thought you said you never met Sunset...” Horizon tilted her head.

“Surely you’ve met the Adagio shades at this point?” Starlight chimed in.

Horizon nodded.

“We’ve come to understand that the Adagio shades are sort of like a virus in a way. Every person who has seen them effectively can spread them to people who also have magic potential. I saw one first, and thus it spread to Angel, and someone connected to the original Adagio must be related to or close to you...” Starlight explained.

“Sunset Shimmer...” Jasper nearly whispered.

“Which means that Sunset has seen the shades too...” Starlight explained.

Candy crossed her arms in disbelief. “Wait a minute, how is that possible though? Adagio was dead long before Sunset died, therefore how could she show a vision about Sunset?”

Jasper grinned at his sister’s cleverness, figuring out that the vision that Horizon had seen must have been of her mother without it being explicitly stated.

“The shades apparently can show you anything about any of the people connected to them, even events that Adagio herself didn’t witness...” Starlight said.

“Great, so now we’re dealing with ghosts?” Candy sighed.

“Ghosts aren’t much to deal with.” Nova giggled.

“Where does this rabbit hole end...” Jasper shook his head.

“Don’t worry, we’re here now and we’re going to help you. Tomorrow, I’m sending Nova to Horizon’s school so she can keep an eye on you guys...” Starlight stated. “That way, you all also will have a way to get a hold of us too.”

“Why don’t you guys come with us instead?” Candy questioned.

Starlight grinned. “Trust me, Nova is very good at this too. Plus she’ll blend in better with a bunch of teenagers than I will...”

“Does this mean I get a costume too!?” Nova leaned in with excitement.

Candy looked the girl over and found herself grinned as she examined her new canvas. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Awesome! So what school do you go to, Horizon?” Nova beamed.

Jasper crossed his arms with a concerned look upon his face. “Crystal Prep, which means y’all will stick out like a sore thumb. How do ya’ even plan on payin’ for that? It ain’t a cheap school...”

Nova chuckled and stepped forward, brushing his chin with her fingertips. “Don’t worry about me, cutie. Remember, my dad handles our finances. There’s plenty of money.”

“Yeah but if’n y’all said that you ain’t been to a real school, how do ya’ expect to get past all the paperwork?” Jasper raised a brow.

Nova reached into her back pocket and retrieved a leather wallet, from which she pulled out eight ID cards. “We’ve got a number of fake IDs that we use and our paperwork is quite extensive; birth certificates, social security cards, even false school records. It’s how we get around.”

Starlight rubbed her neck and looked away. “Not that we’re proud of it... But it grants us the freedom to operate without restraints...”

“We may finally be coming to the end of our journey though...” Sunburst spoke up.

“One last big hunt!” Nova squealed with excitement.

Horizon shrugged at all of it. “I guess it’s good to have allies then, considering we don’t know what we’re up against.”

Just outside of the cabin though, standing upon a sturdy branch of a sizable tree not too far from where the group sat though was a figure that watched them. With a dark black cloak covering their form, they stared at the cabin through the glowing red eyes of a black kabuki mask. Upon their back was a complex compound bow that had clearly seen some action.

They stared at the cabin with watchful eyes and remained until the group left, vanishing from sight before any of them could see.

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay, ran into some issues getting this chapter up, but it's up now! Also proud to introduce Novalight and her family properly into the story. She's quite a spirited girl isn't she?

Act VII Part I - Chapter CX: Kabuki

Chapter CX: Kabuki

The masked kabuki stood in watch in the distance, they observed a young Horizon Shimmer with her school friend, Yuna as the two were leaving the school to get into an expensive car. The figure patiently observed from a rooftop as the car began to drive off, waiting for the right moment to strike.

They retrieved a device from under their cloak and opened it. A red flame ignited from the small disk-like object and swayed in the direction that Horizon was, confirming the masked figure’s suspicions; Horizon had the box, there was no doubt about that.

Crouching down, they placed the device back into their cloak and retrieved a small nearly invisible disk, and prepared to throw it. Once Horizon’s car was in range, they tossed the clear disk in its direction and it landed on the car, attaching itself. Once the device was connected, the Kabuki checked their phone upon their left wrist and pulled up a live map showing the coordinates of Horizon’s vehicle.

The tracking device worked flawlessly. Horizon wouldn’t be able to travel far without them knowing, and that was more than enough. Now that they were certain they could keep an eye on her, they could acquire the box at their leisure while they attended to other matters.

Inside the car, Horizon leaned back while the auto-pilot took her and Yuna to Horizon’s home. “So, how was school?” Yuna asked.

Horizon shrugged. “It was okay.”

“So, we’re going to your place then?” Yuna blushed.

Horizon simply nodded. “Is that alright?”

“Yes, that’s fine...” Yuna nodded.

The two were silent for a few more moments before Yuna looked down to the monitor in the car, noting that the time was 4:08 PM. Horizon looked down at the clock as well and made an audible. “Hm.”

“Hm?” Yuna tilted her head.

Horizon shook her head. “I don’t know, something about seeing that gave me deja vu...”

“Seeing what?” Yuna blinked.

“The time.” Horizon pointed.

“What about it?” Yuna asked.

Horizon paused, trying to think hard about why it bothered her, but she couldn’t pinpoint it. “I don’t know, it’s probably nothing.”

Yuna decided to change the subject. “So... This Summer Flare... Aren’t you scared that she’s going to kill you?”

“Why would I be scared?” Horizon asked.

Yuna frowned at how brave Horizon was, it made her feel so pathetic in comparison. “Because, by the sound of it, she’s very deadly... She isn’t going to give up so easily either, so maybe you should be on your guard.”

Looking over at Yuna, Horizon’s usual neutral face seemed more off-putting than usual. “Being afraid will not change the situation any, right?”

The computer wizard couldn’t disagree. Horizon’s bravery wasn’t from nerves, but instead, from pure logic. Was Horizon a completely logical girl? Was it possible for her to have no emotions? Was it possible for anyone? Yuna was still so curious as to what a smile would look like on Horizon’s lips.

Yuna nodded in agreement. “I suppose so...”

Horizon tilted her head once more. “Is something bothering you?”

“I’m just... Worried about you...” Yuna admitted.

Horizon reached out and offered her hand to the girl. Yuna’s face turned red as she stared at the offered hand and then took it in her own. Horizon rested their hands and gave Yuna’s a gentle squeeze. It made Yuna’s heart race but confused her at the same time.

“I am told that this is a gesture of comfort when people worry?” Horizon asked.

Yuna nodded gently. “Y-yes... It is...”

“Is this acceptable?” Horizon questioned.

“Yeah... It’s nice actually... You have soft hands...” Yuna smiled.

“Expensive hand lotion,” Horizon replied.

“I promise that I won’t let anything happen to you if I can help it...” Yuna changed the subject as she squeezed Horizon’s hand harder.

Horizon blinked. “You’ve done a lot as it is.”

“Yes, and I plan to continue to do so, which reminds me, how is Moon doing?” Yuna asked.

Taking her hand back, Horizon gestured over her phone and pulled up the hologram of Moon. When their hands parted, Yuna felt a sense of sadness overcome her.

Moon waved to Yuna and bowed. “Greetings, Horizon, and Yuna! I’ve finished downloading your recent patch number 0.88, Yuna, and applied the fixes in my processing to all data that I’ve gathered. I should be about 8 percent more accurate now.”

“Not bad work, Moon. So what can you tell us about Summer Flare so far?” Yuna asked.

“I shall pull up my notes, one moment.” Moon bowed before pulling out a window with text on it and placing it next to himself.

Summer Flare is a mysterious creature, upon further analysis. She has specified her species as a Kirin, which appears to be based upon the mythical creature of the same name, however, she insists she comes from another world known as “Equestria”, which appears to be some kind of alternate dimension. This is particularly interesting as she asserts that magic originates from the Equestrian universe.

Upon further study, her affinity appears to be fire, and she is capable of increasing the temperature of her fire magic exponentially when angered. Her power seemed to be directly linked to anger and fury. Her body seems to withstand far more damage when powered up and is even capable of running fast enough to keep up with a motor vehicle going at full speed.

Explosives seem to slow her down only slightly, as when fully powered up, she can utilize her fire to create a sort of shield to protect herself. This, however, does not mean her body is impervious to conventional weaponry as scans indicate that her skin is just as vulnerable as any ordinary human’s. It could be optimal for damage upon the kirin to take her by surprise.

Summer’s resolve seems quite sturdy as she seems to be difficult to distract from her primary objective.

As far as we know, she works for a mysterious group with some kind of ulterior motive. This group is likely Equestrian in nature, and its leader is more than likely the person who trained Summer. What they hope to accomplish is still a mystery, but Summer does not appear to be privy to their goals, as she has suggested she is in the dark about such things, though admittedly she does not seem to be very interested in their primary goal.

Calculations suggest that her full power has yet to be witnessed as there appears to be reserve energy within her body. It is unknown what her body’s limit would even be.

“She sounds quite deadly...” Yuna gulped after reading the information.

Horizon nodded in agreement. “Even with the three of us, we weren’t a match for her.”

“I can probably modify the mask that Candy made for you so that Moon can be used in the lens, that should give him better combat analysis in real-time for you.” Yuna offered.

“That would be ideal.” Horizon agreed.

Nova crossed her arms as she whistled with an impressed tone as she stepped foot into the Apple family’s home. “Nice digs you guys got here, pretty cool!”

Candy blinked as she looked around her own house trying to determine what constituted as “cool”, but could find nothing. Were Nova’s standards really that low? The house was nice, but not anything to brag over.

“So you guys really don’t have a home then? That wasn’t just an exaggeration?” Candy asked.

Jasper coughed and looked at her with disdain. “Candy, it ain’t polite to say such things.”

Nova seemed to ignore her rudeness and nodded gleefully. “Nope, we basically live out of the car or hotel rooms really. It doesn’t make much sense to buy a house or rent an apartment when we’re never at any one place for too long. Thanks for inviting me over, by the way.”

Candy nodded. “It’s no worries, I have to get your measurements to make you a suit after all, and I’m sure my older brother wants to stare at your ass some more.”

Jasper coughed and almost choked on his own saliva at that statement before shaking his head. “What!? No!”

Nova faked a frown as she looked over her shoulder at him and gave her rear a wiggle. “Really? That’s a shame.”

“This will take some time, Jasper why don’t you go and talk to Ms. Razorclaw for a bit while I do this, you could learn from her wisdom, and I think she’s outside weeding.” Candy waved her hand to dismiss her brother.

Jasper was about to object to her telling him what to do but decided it wasn’t worth an argument over, besides he was actually quite curious about Cinder Razorclaw anyway.

Stepping outside, Jasper walked around to the back of the house to see her casually ripping weeds out of the ground with little to no effort. Her dark skin seemed to compliment the setting sun quite well. It was odd that someone with such a gruff-looking exterior seemed to have a heart of gold. Cinder was such a well-mannered woman for her appearance that it was almost unsettling.

Walking closer Jasper lowered his hat and nodded his head. “Need any help?”

Cinder glanced up at him with a smile and declined. “No thank you, it wouldn’t be right of me to accept your help when the whole reason I’m doing this is because of the fact that your family pays me to do it. So it should be expected of me.”

“A woman of good morals.” Jasper crossed his arms and nodded.

“Very much so,” Cinder agreed. "Where I am from, honor is the most important quality that you can have."

“Y’all said that you’re from Equestria, right?” Jasper asked.

“Yup. Dragon Scar originally, but I lived in Equestria for some time before I came here,” Cinder explained.

“Is it possible to go to this Equestria place?” Jasper questioned.

Cinder shook her head. “The portal to Equestria can’t be opened manually from this side. It would require someone over there to open it.”

“Manually?” Jasper tilted his head.

Standing up, Cinder tossed a fistful of weeds into a trash bag before nodding. “Yup, but the portal opens up on its own for about three days or so every 30 moons.”

“So... Could like... demons come here?” Jasper asked.

With a raised brow, Cinder shook her head. “No. The portal is protected now with anti-demon magic. Demons can’t get through anymore thanks to the Princess. Demons that try will find that their powers are removed and likely will die.”

“How did the demons get here then?” Jasper questioned.

Cinder shrugged. “Some other way. I don’t know too much. While I was a trusted ambassador for the Princess, there were still many secrets that I wasn’t authorized to know. Twilight is one of the leaders of an entire country after all, and I was an immigrant from a foreign nation, so naturally, they aren’t going to easily tell me about national secrets.”

“I see... You said that you helped Twilight in some kind of war though?” Jasper recalled her mentioning such a thing in passing.

Grinning, Cinder nodded. “Yeah, was pretty incredible. Seeing all of those within the resistance fight was truly something. After the war, I was also part of a rescue mission for Princess Twilight, and then ultimately after that part of a mission to overthrow the overlord of Dragon Scar.”

“So killing demons wasn’t all you did then?” Jasper chuckled.

Shaking her head and making a fist with her metal arm she made a heroic pose. “Nope, the Razorclaw family has been full of amazing warriors that fight all kinds of insane things. My brother Ash was the Blade of Dragon Scar before he died; the most feared swordmaster. His skill with a blade was unmatched.”

“Sounds pretty honorable. I’m glad that y’all have so much pride in your heritage,” Jasper responded.

Cinder shrugged.

Changing the subject, Jasper pointed to her arm. “Hope it ain’t rude, but I’ve been curious about your arm for a long time now...”

Looking at the robotic appendage, she flexed her fingers before looking back at him with her other hand running down her mechanical arm as her reptilian eyes focused on it. She couldn’t remember what it was like to have both arms anymore.

“It’s a reminder to never give up.” She grinned, her fangs showing as she did.

Jasper didn’t quite understand. He tilted his head in confusion.

Sensing his confusion, Cinder explained further. “The arm is gone, but the heart is still there.”

“How did you get it?” He asked.

Cinder shook her head. “It’s an ancient story and not one that I think you have the time to hear anyway.” The woman pointed to the house as Candy stepped out with her hands behind her back and a large grin on her face.

The girl was soon accompanied by Nova who came out as well. The two approached as Candy rattled off her newly acquired information. “Well, I can safely say that Ms. Novalight here will make a fine addition to our team, as her measurements are perfect for making something truly amazing.”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “Does her figure really have anything to do with our mission?”

“Don’t act like you don’t want to know!” Candy winked as she glanced over at Nova who gave a flirty giggle.

“Young love, how refreshing...” Cinder commented.

“We ain’t-“ Jasper attempted to correct her, but he was ignored.

“Were you ever in love, Cinder?” Candy asked.

Cinder let out a sigh. “Once.”

“Really? What happened?” Candy questioned.

There was a short silence that was broken by Cinder whose words seemed more thoughtful. “I’m two thousand years wiser, that’s for sure.”

“They break your heart?” Candy blinked.

Cinder nodded. “You could definitely say that.”

“Musta’ been horrible...” Jasper frowned on her behalf.

“The past can’t be changed. I learned from my mistakes... You kids would be wise to be careful around demons though. They’re tricky, and often times when you think they’re beaten, they had new tricks up their sleeves...” Cinder warned.

Nova stepped forward with a fist raised triumphantly. “Demons? No big deal. I’ve killed worse.”

Cinder smirked at the young teen and let out a hearty laugh. “I love your bravado, let’s just hope it doesn’t get you killed.”

Summer Flare took a good eight hours to get her anger back under control, which was embarrassing, as she wasted so much of her power, acted like a behemoth, and was still not done with her mission. While she had hoped to be able to defeat Horizon and her friends without resorting to such barbaric tactics, a part of her was excited that she got to use her true power.

Anger is what fueled her strength, and it always had been. All kirin would become dangerous when angered, but Summer Flare was exceptional in that regard. The fire of her anger burned hotter and longer than most of her kind, and as a result, her temper was explosive.

When her master first found her, she had no control over her anger. She was nothing more than a wildfire burning everything in her path, even her own parents. Her entire village and family were incinerated because of her. She lost control, and at the time she was frightened.

She remembered standing outside of the burning rubble when he first showed up. Her master, he was a serious creature. He told her how to continue living, he put the fires of her anger to use, he gave them a purpose. In time he would train her to become something greater than she imagined.

It took years, but he showed her how to control her anger, how to suppress it, and channel it when she needed that extra power. Even Summer Flare was frightened by what her true power could actually do. The girl didn’t know regular emotions, only extremes. It was mandatory that she was taught how to suppress all of her emotions. In a way, she was somewhat envious of how Horizon Shimmer seemed to do it so easily with no practice.

Sitting down on the floor of an old abandoned business within the city limits, Summer inhaled and sighed. Her mission was unchanged: kill Horizon Shimmer and retrieve the box she had. Her master wanted the box, so she had to make sure she returned with it. That was all there was to it.

Her phone rang but the girl took a few seconds to compose herself. After eight rings she finally answered. “Hello?”

A projection came out of the phone on Summer’s wrist and a familiar disturbing character appeared before her. He was shorter than most men, but she tried to ignore it.

“Summer Flare, I couldn’t get a hold of you, where were you?” He asked.

“I was contending with our problem...” Summer stated plainly.

“So the Shimmer girl isn’t dead yet?” He questioned.

“No.” Summer shook her head.

He shook his head in disapproval, his eyes filled with annoyance and vicious intent. “Summer, you have a mission and I expect you to carry it out. If you can’t do that, then maybe I should play with you...” He raised up a coin that was between his thumb and index finger, presenting it.

“I’m working on it, Eight Ball,” Summer said.

Twirling and flipping the coin between his fingers, Eight lowered his hand and leaned in, adjusting his glasses as he did. “Listen to me, carefully. Kill this girl and bring back the box, tonight or you and I will be making a little wager, do you understand?”

“I understand.” Summer nodded.

Leaning back, Eight smirked at her. “I hope you understand, I can’t have dead weight keeping this organization down. If you can’t cut it, then you’re a liability and we are not in the business of taking care of liabilities.”

“Horizon Shimmer will be dead before the night is over,” Summer promised.

“Good, glad we’re on the same page, now get to work.” Eight nodded before hanging up abruptly.

Summer wasn’t afraid of his games, in fact, she didn’t really fear death at all. She had long since accepted that she would likely die in her line of work, as it was part of her training. She knew that eventually killing for a living would lead to enough enemies that one was sure to catch up with her when she was at her most vulnerable.

Eight was likely to kill her even if she did manage to kill Horizon. The only thing that would likely save her is if her master stepped in. His word could easily overturn Eight’s if he was so inclined.

Horizon was slippery, but Summer knew where she lived, and that meant she could get the job done that night for sure; Eight didn’t make empty threats.

Picking herself up, Summer prepared to go and take down her prey. If she returned with the box, she saw herself having a chance at living past tomorrow.

Horizon returned from her walk-in closet wearing the outfit that Candy had made for her and sat down on her bed next to Yuna who was working on the lens of her mask. She made a few final adjustments and then grinned as she offered it to Horizon.

Taking the mask in her hands, Horizon quickly fastened the mask upon her head and blinked a few times as she noted her vision was better behind the mask than it was prior. “Impressive.”

“I took the liberty of adjusting the lens to match your prescription for starters...” Yuna pushed her own glasses back up her nose.

Horizon nodded as she glanced around the room.

“I have also not only installed a filament between the panes of glass necessary to make the lens which allows Moon to be utilized with the lens, but...” Yuna grinned as she paused while Horizon noticed what she was about to mention herself.

On-screen, Horizon could see live readouts of her current speed (0 KM), heart rate, and other various health monitors along with it.

“I have upgraded him to act as a heads-up-display. His processing power was improved so he can provide accurate statistics in real-time along with combat suggestions. Moon, please go over the new features for Horizon.”

Moon appeared in Horizon’s vision and quickly donned some glasses while he held a scrap of paper in his paw reading off his new features which also displayed on screen for Horizon.

-Heads-up-display or HUD will monitor surroundings at all times and indicate where damage is coming from along with assessing environmental and enemy risks. No more accidentally stepping in lava! You’re welcome!

-New health monitoring will detect serious injuries and recommend medical assistance necessary to mend. In addition to this, the risk assessment system will warn user of potentially fatal injuries and work to prevent them. Count on us to keep you alive!

-Active combat scanning or “ACS” is a new system that can analyze combat data in real-time and indicate weak points on foes along with offering appropriate counter-attack strategies. The ACS is self-learning and capable of adapting to the fighting style of the user. It’s truly amazing!

-New vital detections means the system can now even keep an eye on magic reserves within the user. No need to worry about overexertion anymore, workouts are about to give some serious gains!

-Stealth systems are now operational. The system will now assist in mapping the best paths to get the drop on foes and remain undetected. Decibel level monitoring means that the system can issue silent warnings to the user when they are making too much noise. They won’t know what hit ‘em!

-Active Magic Scanning! Wowzers! With this amazing new feature, the system will get a read on opponents’ magic reserves to give readouts of their capabilities and potency of their magic abilities.

-Second Wind. We all need one sometimes. With second wind, give your opponent’s a big surprise; when you go down, get back up! Second wind administers an adrenaline shot via the user’s phone on their wrist with a hardware modification. Give the bad guys the middle finger!

“That’s all very impressive, Moon. You’re more useful than ever.” Horizon nodded as she praised the digital assistant.

The dog swelled up with pride as he puffed his chest out. “I live to serve you, Miss Shimmer.”

Removing the mask, Horizon nodded at Yuna. “This will be a big help, thank you.”

“Y-you’re welcome...” Yuna blushed and tried to hide her face behind her long locks.

“I suppose the only thing left now is to practice more...” Horizon stated.

Yuna blinked in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“The last two times we encountered Summer Flare, she managed to defeat us with relative ease. This is likely due to the fact that she is a far more seasoned fighter than we are, so we will need to practice and train to take her down, is that not logical?” Horizon asked.

Yuna admired how simple Horizon made things seem. If something defeated her, the solution was just to practice more and train harder.

“I suppose that is true, and hopefully Moon will be of use during any training...” Yuna smiled.

Horizon nodded before letting out a yawn. “Either way, we should get some rest before it gets too late.”

Yuna checked the clock, noting it was 8:08 PM, and nodded in agreement. The two girls climbed into the luxurious bed that Horizon owned and when Horizon turned away and closed her eyes, Yuna couldn’t help but stare at the girl that she wished she could call her own. Horizon Shimmer was a social enigma, but she was kindhearted deep down and insanely cute.

As Horizon fell into a proper slumber, Yuna leaned over her and examined her face. The messy locks of hair made Yuna realize that she could start to see a resemblance between the girl and the paintings of her mother around the house. Horizon’s hair was far shorter, but Yuna liked it.

Reaching down with a hand, Yuna gently stroked Horizon’s head, resting her palm on the sleeping girl’s cheek as she stroked it with her thumb. She would do anything for Horizon.

In her sleep, Horizon mumbled something, causing Yuna to lean in closer to listen.

“Equestria...”

Just what was Equestria? Yuna knew less than she’d like about it. All the data that they had acquired told her that it was another world altogether, but what kind of world was it? Was it true that magic was rampant there? How could such a place exist? Surely it would be total chaos if magic could do the things that Summer Flare was capable of?

Either way, Yuna considered it a ghastly place if creatures like Summer Flare could reside there along with whatever other demons ran amuck in their own world now. If anything, Equestria was a disease infecting their world, right?

Getting out of bed, Yuna carefully exited the room and pulled up Moon on her phone. A projection of the dog appeared before her letting out a yawn. “Yuna? Isn’t it late for you?”

“I couldn’t sleep, something is bothering me...” Yuna said.

“What’s on your mind?” Moon asked.

Yuna sat down in the hallway and leaned her back against the wall as she held her wrist out for the projection. “Equestria...”

“Ah yes, the mystical other world...” Moon nodded in understanding as he gripped his chin.

“These monsters came from there, but where does killing Sunset Shimmer come into play?” Yuna questioned.

Moon sat down and looked up in thought as a thought bubble appeared above him while he processed all the information he knew so that he could formulate a guess. “Well, perhaps that box contains something from Equestria?”

“That’s sensible, but that means that Sunset acquired an object from Equestria...” Yuna said.

“The object could have been here all along. These demons may not be the first visitors from that world. Sunset could just be a victim of circumstance; wrong place, wrong time,” Moon suggested.

Is that really possible though? Yuna couldn’t believe it was a coincidence.

“Maybe she traveled there and took it...” Yuna countered.

Moon blinked and stood up. “That’s possible, but we aren’t even certain of how one can even get there. On top of that, what benefit would there be to going and stealing such a thing to bring it back here? It is more or less luring the demons right here...”

That definitely didn’t make sense, but Yuna was starting to formulate a logical explanation. “Maybe...”

She touched her lip with her thumb as she thought it over. “Maybe, she didn’t intend for them to follow her back. Perhaps she hadn’t expected them to be capable of such a thing. The box could have been brought here to ensure that it couldn’t fall into the wrong hands, after all, an entire universe separates it from whoever would want it, right?”

Moon followed her reasoning and nodded. “I suppose that makes sense. So Sunset Shimmer likely intended the box to be safe here. I guess, she miscalculated...”

“Not much can be done about it now...” Yuna frowned.

When Horizon opened her eyes, she found herself in an empty white space. There standing before her was the other version of herself that she had seen before. The same robe covered her nude body, and Horizon could see her bare feet sticking out at the bottom.

“We meet again, Horizon...” The other spoke.

Horizon nodded. “So we do.”

“Your abilities are growing every day, but there’s still so much for you to learn...” The other said.

Horizon came closer. “Is this a dream?”

The other Horizon raised an eyebrow. “So what if it is?”

“Well if this is a dream, and you are just a dream version of myself then I can not accept any information you provide as credible as there would be no way of you knowing things that I didn’t already have knowledge of; as you’re just a manifestation of my own memories in that scenario...” Horizon explained.

The other Horizon waited a few seconds before replying. “An astute observation, but one I’d expect from you, or myself in this case. While it’s true that would be a distinct possibility, wouldn’t you wager it’s unlikely since you are already conscious of that fact.”

“I don’t follow...” Horizon tilted her head.

Lowering her hood, the other Horizon began to explain. “If you are already aware of the fact that I could just be a manifestation of your own consciousness, then wouldn’t it be pointless for me to be so if you were already aware of such a fact? That would mean there would be little purpose of your brain trying to trick you as you’d preemptively regard any information I gave you as false.”

Thinking it over, Horizon determined her logic to be completely sound. If this girl was merely just her mind playing tricks on her, it wouldn’t be a very productive trick to play as she was already suspicious of such a thing.

“Very good point...” Horizon nodded.

“Does that mean you’re regarding me as real?” The other Horizon tilted her head.

“For the time being, it seems as though that is the only conclusion I can draw, so I do not have much of a choice...” Horizon responded.

The other Horizon chose to leave the matter there and changed the topic to her original concern.

“Equestria certainly seems like a dangerous place, doesn’t it?” The robed Horizon questioned.

“It would appear so...” Horizon agreed.

The robed figure walked past Horizon and waved her hand, making an image of a quaint little town appear. Horizon glanced at it and saw horse-like creatures wandering around, conducting their day-to-day lives as if they were human. Was this what Equestria was like?

“A world parallel to our own... A place where magic is abundant, isn’t it interesting?” The other Horizon questioned.

Horizon couldn’t lie. “It is.”

“That box you’ve been holding onto comes from there, and those demons won’t stop until they get their hands on it. Summer Flare is only the start of your problems...” The other warned.

“What can we do then?” Horizon asked.

“Master your magic. It is exactly as Angel said: a new demon lord waits to be crowned, and it will take everything you and your friends have to defeat them...” The other explained.

Horizon’s eyes shot open and she was back in her own bed, but Yuna was at her side, standing up next to her, shaking her awake. It took a good eight seconds to register what was going on, but Horizon quickly had determined that Yuna had purposefully woken her up. “Yuna? What’s going on?”

“Moon is detecting Summer’s energy readings and she’s approaching this house!” Yuna warned.

Nodding, Horizon came to a stand and wandered over to her walk-in closet. She spoke to Yuna from within the closet by speaking loud enough for Yuna to hear. “You should stay here where you’ll be away from the fight. Without magic, you’ll be a sitting duck.”

“I understand... I wish I could do more than offer moral support...” Yuna frowned.

It annoyed her that all of her friends had magic and she did not. Everyone else could protect Horizon with their powers, yet all Yuna could do is hope that Moon would keep her safe. She felt weak and pathetic, but there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

When Horizon exited the closet, she had donned the tight stealth suit that Candy had made for her and quickly made a few adjustments before placing both of her clawed gloves onto her hands and her mask upon her face.

Yuna noted the dog-like tail that was part of the costume, realizing that Candy clearly was a girl who cared just as much about aesthetics as she did practicality.

Looking back at Yuna, Horizon spoke calmly. “I am going to lure her away from the house, call Jasper and Candy, and tell them to be on alert.”

“You’re going to face her alone!?” Yuna blinked.

Horizon shook her head. “If things get too out of hand, I’ll call Jasper and Candy for back up.”

Coming to a stand, Yuna placed her hand near her heart and gulped. “P-please be careful...”

“I will.” Horizon nodded before racing out the door and down the stairwell.

The teen made a hard right and made her way into the garage. Ordinarily, she would take a car, but this scenario called for more versatility. Taking one of the eight motorcycles parked in the garage, Horizon started it and peeled out onto her driveway, making her way out to the city proper.

The wind ripped through the girl’s hair as she noted the sky above her was starting to form rain clouds. That was fortunate, as the water likely would slow down Summer’s fire abilities.

With her eyes on the road, Horizon observed Moon’s readings in her lenses. Summer had taken the bait and was giving pursuit to Horizon. All was going according to plan.

Before she knew it, Horizon could see the girl chasing after her on foot. Summer’s feet were moving at incredible speeds as she jolted toward the teen. Just narrowly, Horizon managed to dodge a fireball hurled at her from behind and swerved into the entrance to an unfinished construction project.

The building she had entered was left half-constructed years ago and offered no exit for Horizon. Sighing, she parked her bike and hopped off.

Summer carefully followed Horizon into the building with burning hands and eyes as she stared Horizon down. “So, you chose to run into a dead-end?”

Horizon shook her head. “I guess I just chose our battleground.”

Checking the phone on her wrist and observing the time, Summer spoke up. “It’s 11:48... I am supposed to kill you before the night is over... So that gives me twelve minutes to roast you...”

“Why does your group want the box so badly?” Horizon asked.

Summer shook her head as the fires on her hands grew larger. “Hell if I know, and hell if I care. I’d tell you to hand over the box or die, but at this point, my orders are to kill you regardless if I get the box or not...”

“I don’t want to have to kill you, Summer Flare,” Horizon warned as she lowered her stands and raised her left claw in the air, letting the right one dangle in front of herself.

“Then you’re in luck because I doubt a pathetic creature like you even could kill me. You’re human, thus you’re weak and poor at magic. I am a kirin, my abilities with magic are natural and genetic, giving me the advantage here.” Summer growled.

Horizon shook her head in disagreement. “Or perhaps since you’re so used to magic, you lack the ability to think creatively with it.”

“We’ll see about that...” Summer hissed before tossing a dozen fireballs in Horizon’s direction.

While she hadn’t had too much time to practice or train, Horizon found herself far better at dodging attacked by Summer than before. With Moon’s HUD on her side as well, her reaction time was improved significantly.

The digital canine companion began to take in data about Summer’s attacks as she began to hurl several salvos of fireballs in Horizon’s direction, only for the girl to continue to dodge them. With the last set of them causing her to backflip to avoid them.

“Excellent landing!” Moon praised as he held up a paper with the number 10 upon it.

Horizon ignored his praise for now and kept her eyes on Summer who didn’t seem to be tiring out in the slightest.

Taking a chance, Horizon conjured up a few light spears and began tossing them in Summer’s direction, which of course proved useless as Summer’s flaming hands were able to bring up flaming walls of protection with ease; stopping every attempt to hit her with the light spears.

Horizon needed a new plan of attack. Every attack she threw at her was blocked, that meant she needed to hit her when she wasn’t expecting it. Moon’s stealth features came to mind. If she could get away and get the drop on Summer, she might be able to take her down.

Taking the girl down meant killing her though, and while Horizon wasn’t keen on the idea, she recognized that it had to be done.

Quickly leaping into action, Horizon jumped and grappled a scaffolding and climbed it. She began to hop from scaffold to scaffold as the building began to ignite into an inferno.

She needed to be quick before the fire burned everything down and trapped the two of them inside.

Horizon kept herself moving as she dodged attack after attack and finally dived behind some fire that had grown.

Summer was unable to see her prey beyond the fire but began hurling more fire in her direction, only to get frustrated when no sounds of a direct hit were heard. At that point, so much smoke-filled the air that visibility was reduced. While she could sense Horizon’s power, where it was, was uncertain.

Horizon waited for the right moment before she leaped out from the smoke and gave a fierce slash to Summer’s back, shredding a part of her clothing and making her stagger forward. She hisses in pain as she gripped her back with a single hand, rubbing the fresh wound.

So she can be harmed by conventional attacks. Horizon thought; knowing that Moon was likely updating his intel on the girl as they spoke.

Summer wiped away black blood and flicked it off of her hand. “A clever move, but I promise you won’t get a second chance to do that...”

Ignoring her threat, Horizon leaped back into the smoke and spoke as she moved around so as to confuse Summer of her location. Summer’s eyes attempted to follow where the girl’s voice came from.

“Why do demons bleed black?” Horizon asked.

Keeping her head moving around to try and follow the sound of Horizon, Summer answered the question, but kept herself alert. “Our hearts are filled with demonic energy which pumps through our veins. Because of that, we bleed black, it’s a trait that proves one is a pure demon.”

“Then why does a demon’s blood and body disappear upon death? The stuff seems to dissolve into thin air...” Horizon questioned from the unseeable void.

Summer tossed a few random fireballs out, hoping to hit something, but instead, ended up just igniting more of the building. “Demonic energy returns to hell and destroys the host body in the process... Now are we here to talk about demons or fight? I don’t have all night. I have eight minutes to present your head to that cocksucker, Eight Ball or he’s going to slit my throat...”

Eight Ball? Horizon wondered who she was referring to, but realized that she likely wouldn’t get a proper answer. It appeared as though Summer wasn’t interested in answering anymore questions. In actuality though, Horizon was merely using them to buy herself enough time to consider a better plan going forward. She could try and launch another surprise attack, but Horizon guessed that such a strategy wasn’t going to be as effective if used in succession.

Coming out from her smoky cover, Horizon slashed at Summer, only for the woman to dodge the attack and counter with a flaming punch. Horizon narrowly escaped and the two exchanged attacks that the other would dodge or block while Horizon attempted to probe for more information.

“Why would a kirin like you become a demon?” Horizon asked before moving her head out of the way for another punch.

Summer swung a few more times only for the agile teen to move out of the way. “I had no real choice. Kirin will set things ablaze with their anger, and my anger already burned down my entire village. I had nothing left until master found me!”

Horizon swung her claw in an upward motion, just barely making contact with Summer’s cheek. The woman ignored the small scratch and continued to try and beat Horizon into the ground.

“Your master only took you in so that he could exploit you, you know? He trained you to be a weapon to fight for him,” Horizon explained.

Her words didn’t seem to calm the girl down. Summer whipped her arm, making a trail of fire follow, igniting more of the building that was already burning down. “I don’t care! Master gave my life purpose again, so if he wants to use me, he can!”

“Sounds pretty weak if he has to use children to get what he wants...” Horizon pointed out.

Ducking down low, Summer uppercut Horizon, knocking her back and causing her to land on her butt. Rubbing the spot where she got hit, Horizon watched as Summer clenched her fists tighter, making them burn even bright than before. “You have no idea... Master is stronger than you could ever imagine.”

Horizon found that hard to believe. If he was in fact, so strong, why would he resort to training essentially a child soldier to fight for him? What angle could he possibly have for recruiting Summer?

“That’s a lot of loyalty for your master...” Horizon said.

Summer shook her head before stepping closer to Horizon with her hands burning a beautiful blue flame that lit up everything around her, even the inferno around them seemed to pale in comparison to Summer Flare’s magnificent fire abilities. The girl clearly was deadly in a dry environment.

“Master is the only one helped me... I would do anything for him, he gave my life purpose again...” Summer explained before swiping at Horizon.

The teenager leaped backward to avoid the flurry of flaming swipes and kept her distance as Summer continued.

“When the fires of my anger burned down my whole village, he saw good in me, he saw my flames not as a burden, but as an untapped talent. He taught me how to harness the power of my anger and control it... He taught me how to see clearly...” Summer stated.

A distorted voice called from above the two of them. “Then you won’t like this.”

Catching Summer’s attention she looked up and sure enough the moment her head turned a deadly black arrow soared through the air and impaled her left eye. She screamed in agony and gripped the arrow as black blood dripped down her face. She staggered on her feet trying to pull it out, but the arrow’s head was jagged and thus could not simply be pulled out without causing more damage.

“FUCK!” She screeched as she gripped it with both hands trying to determine the best approach to the problem.

From a scaffolding above, a figure donning a black cloak jumped down and landed in front of Summer. Horizon got a good look at their face seeing a black kabuki mask covering it with a hood over their head.

Summer attempted to fight back and swung a flaming hand at them, only for the kabuki to dodge with ease. Summer’s abilities were hindered as her focus was trying to alleviate the pain she was in. With a single hand on the arrow, her other hand focused on trying to fight off the kabuki who retrieved a knife from insider their cloak.

The butterfly knife swiped at Summer who kept stepping back to avoid the blade, and occasionally trying to block it with fire magic, but with her abilities impaired, she wasn’t successful.

The kabuki swiped left and right and after eight swipes, one connected with Summer’s face, slicing her cheek right open. She stumbled to her knee and the kabuki lunged forward and stabbed her in the stomach with the blade. Twisting the knife, Horizon watched as the girl fell off of the weapon and grip her stomach before collapsing onto the ground, slowly bleeding out as she worthlessly held her hand over the wound to stop the bleeding.

After the kabuki was finished it flicked the knife in its gloved hand and looked back at Horizon. The two stared at each other for only a few seconds before the stranger held up an empty hand and spoke in the same computerized and distorted voice from before. “Surrender the box to me.”

Horizon shook her head. “I don’t even know who you are. That would be ill-advised.”

Lowering their empty hand and instead raising the hand holding the blade as they took a fighting stance, the kabuki spoke up. “You need to learn the difference between a request and a command; give me the box, now.”

Brandishing her claws, Horizon took her own fighting stance and prepared to do battle with the kabuki.

The masked assailant swung the blade, swiping at Horizon’s neck only for Horizon to narrowly dodge it. The kabuki ducked down and took another attempt to stab Horizon, but Horizon stepped out of the way in time to avoid harm. Moon was running assessments on the new fighter, but his data was limited since this fighter was moving quickly and concealed most of their body in a cloak.

“Horizon, whoever this guy is, he’s not an ordinary fighter, his moves look incredibly experienced. He’s definitely well trained, I would advise avoiding further combat if possible! I’m mapping an escape route for you now!” Moon warned as a 3D map of the building was placed on the screen.

Horizon dodged attack after attack while Moon mapped out a path, but each attack seemed to get more fierce than the last one. Whoever the kabuki was, they were far more formidable in battle than Horizon was.

Their fight was interrupted when a fireball came from their left. Both glanced over at Summer who had brought herself to a stand, gripping her oozing wound with one hand and holding the other out to produce the fire attack. She panted as the flames in her eyes died out and her face looked far more pained than before.

She was covered in sweat and her skin was turning pale. The kabuki shook their head as they watched her attempt to muster the strength to summon another fireball. The power in her was so weak at this point that the kabuki was able to swipe the attack away with their knife as they stepped forward and slashed at the girl.

Summer blocked with her arm only for it to be sliced open with the sharp blade. Blood sprayed from the new wound but Summer ignored it while she tried to channel more fire.

Seeming to grow less amused with each failed attack, the kabuki kicked the girl in her open wound sending her down on her back. Summer tried to pull herself up only for the kabuki to place a boot on top of her chest, pinning her to the ground as they brandished their knife. The masked assassin’s distorted voice echoed through the air. “Pathetic... Look at you, about to die and you still pointlessly try to finish a worthless objective. This is the fate of your kind. You can’t even move anymore and all you want to do is kill, unable to realize that you’re already dead... What a waste of life you turned out to be...”

“Y-you’re wrong...” Summer spat up black blood. “I served master... I want to be useful for him...”

“You’re nothing more than a pawn to your master, a worthless throwaway chip in a game far bigger than yourself, child. Now you get to die...” the kabuki spoke.

Another voice, this one, male called out from above. “Enough!”

Looking up, the entire group could see another cloaked figure standing atop a scaffold. Quickly, he jumped down and gestured for the kabuki to step aside. “Black Kabuki... We meet again. You’re a real pain in our side, you know that?”

“Come to see your lackey die? Noble, when did you grow a heart?” The kabuki asked.

He stood firm as he gestured again with his hand. “The girl is no threat to you now, I ask you to step aside so that I can have a final word with my student...”

The kabuki shrugged and stepped off of the girl and then leaped onto a nearby scaffold. They looked back and pointed to Horizon with their gloved hand. “This isn’t over, Horizon. You will surrender the box one way or another, these matters don’t concern you.”

Raising a brow, Horizon watched in confusion as the black kabuki hopped up a few scaffolds with ease and then eventually jumped out of the building entirely.

The hooded man scoffed before kneeling down on his knees to see Summer. Horizon quickly drew her claws and raised them ready to attack. The stranger didn’t even turn to face her as he responded to his threat. “I know that you don’t have the nerves in you to attack me from behind like that, so why bother making an empty threat... Give me a moment to say goodbye to my student, would you, kid?”

Horizon saw no reason to comply with him, so she shook her head.

Sighing, he extended his hand and black tendrils came out of the ground swatting at Horizon. She jumped back and swiped at them but noted that they grew back just as quickly as she had severed them. No matter which way she went about it, she could see no way to get past them.

The stranger scooped Summer up and held her so that she could look up at him. She could see under his hood and despite her vision being blurry, she knew that he was watching her. “M-master...” She coughed.

“You’ve grown quite a bit since we first met, haven’t you?” He asked.

She nodded. “It’s all because of master... You helped me grow...”

“Such a good little student, aren’t you? If I ever had a daughter, I would hope she was half as dedicated as you are...” He spoke.

Horizon was confused, but it sounded as though this stranger genuinely cared about Summer.

“I failed master... I’m sorry...” She frowned as tears started to come out of her good eye.

“Don’t cry, little one. You did your best...” He spoke quietly.

“I wanted to be useful for master... That’s all I’ve ever wanted...” She sobbed.

He shook his head as he stroked her cheek and wiped her tears with his thumb. “You’re too hard on yourself.”

“I love you, master... I always have. I don’t care if you feel it back, so long as I got to be useful for master, that’s all I cared about... Was I useful for you, master?” She questioned.

He nodded. “You have never stopped being useful from the moment we met.”

She found herself smiling as she looked up at him. “I didn’t think I remembered what happiness felt like... Until now... I was useful for master... I have no regrets then...”

He nodded as she reached up and tried to touch his face, only to fall short with her arm falling back down across her chest. “Get some rest now, it’ll be over soon...” He instructed.

“Goodbye, master... Thank you for giving my life meaning again...” She nearly whispered before closing her eyes.

He carefully set her down and seconds later her body evaporated into the same dark black mist that the last demon Horizon fought had become upon death.

Standing up, the stranger turned toward Horizon, his face still concealed behind his hood as he stood tall. Horizon kept her claws up and reason to battle, but the stranger just chuckled. “You don’t stand a chance against me, so I’d put those down if I were you...”

“You’re not getting the box,” Horizon stated clearly.

He shook his head. “Eight was hasty. In its current state, that box has no use to me yet. I’m not about to waste my time trying to take it from you just yet when it’ll only require more effort on my part to utilize it. Keep it for now, but know that I will come and take its contents when the time is right. For now though, I have a kabuki to chase.”

“Who are you?” Horizon asked.

He laughed gently. “Someone who should have died a long time ago. Now I’m just a husk chasing an impossible mission.”

“If you think your goals are impossible, why continue?” Horizon questioned.

“I have nothing left to lose now. Stand in my way and die, human. Consider yourself warned. I’ll keep my eye on you...” He spoke.

He turned and jumped to the same scaffold that the kabuki had taken and made just as hasty an exit.

Horizon stared at where Summer’s body had fallen just moments ago and wondered what happened to demons when they died, but she had to cut her thinking short as she remembered the building was burning down and no doubt the fire department would arrive soon and that would mean she’d have a lot of explaining to do.

Quickly, the girl sped up her step and hopped back onto her motorcycle and revved her engine. With a few more seconds, she peeled out of the building and began to make her way into the darkness of nightfall just as she could hear fire sirens heading her way.

She had escaped death just narrowly, but the black kabuki had her confused. He didn’t seem to be working for the same group that Summer had been serving, yet he too seemed to want the box. Why though? Were there multiple factions chasing the box? How many were there?

What bothered her more though was that the mysterious hooded man had said that the box was useless in its current state. Did he mean that they would need to find a way to open it before he wanted it? That had to mean that not even his group knew how to retrieve its contents, right?

Things just seemed to get stranger and stranger. With Summer Flare dead though, Horizon could focus more on her next move; before that though, she would need to get home and update Yuna, Jasper, and the others.

Author's Note

The black kabuki finally reveals himself!

Act VII Part I - Chapter CXI: Jade

Chapter CXI: Jade

8 Years Ago

A girl would become a woman today, but only in age. She had long since known what the adult world was like prior to this day, but it was this day that she would turn eighteen years old. Jade’s life prior to this day was a troubled one, and while she had hoped fleeing to America two years ago would improve her life, she was mistaken. Her time in the US was only marginally better than back home.

She brushed her long black hair behind her head as she leaned over a coffee table in her dilapidated apartment. She had assumed a new identity years ago and had lied about her true age, due to her ethnicity, people just assumed she was young looking for being twenty-two, but in actuality, her ID cards were all fake.

When she was only twelve years old, she had learned about America and how people here had more freedom, so she practiced English in secret and stored away as much money as she could to get a ticket to escape her homeland. It was a perfect plan, she staged it so well. She had gotten an older woman to pretend to be her mother so she could be accompanied onto the plane. From there she made her way to Australia and then she managed to get to America with a bit of planning.

Her parents were likely furious, and they likely had disowned her at this point, so there was no going back, but she would be damned before she married that man that they had appointed for her though.

He was only fourteen when she first met him, but already she could see how ugly he was inside. Thus began a long relationship of abuse. Her parents, however, only cared about the money his family held and restoring themselves to their prior glory. Her father had lost everything in bad business deals, and the family was only a fraction of what it was, this marriage would have brought them back into a higher status almost instantaneously.

Jade was blessed and cursed, blessed in that she was born a very beautiful girl with a slender figure and gentle features, but cursed in that it made her into nothing more than a bargaining chip for her family.

She had escaped that life and when she found her way into the US, she learned quickly how hard it was to get by as an illegal, so she resorted to selling drugs to stay afloat. By age seventeen, she had witnessed her first murder, and within eight months of that, she had committed her own. It was the nature of the business, man-killing-man and that was how it would stay.

Now, eighteen years of age, she couldn’t count the number of people she had to shoot on both hands. She was numb to it at this point, killing was just a part of her job and a necessity to stay alive. Crime was the only life offered to those without a support network.

Standing up, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was poorly fed, so her thin figure had only become thinner, something that she was certain would only make her into a greater sex object back in China, but she felt disgusting.

Her long black hair had grown so much in such a short time, now well down to her knees.

“The spirits laugh at me, surely...” She shook her head as she spoke to herself.

Throwing an old jacket on, she decided to go and get herself a soda. A short walk down to the convenience store and she walked out with a coke in hand. She marveled at how huge the American drinks were still even after so much time living there.

Sipping from the drink, she observed a cloaked man walking with a shorter man also donning a cloak. Curiously, she followed them from a distance and observed.

When the two made a turn into an old abandoned warehouse, she couldn’t help but poke her head up to peer through a dusty window to get a better look.

The two were meeting with another cloaked figure who seemed fairly nervous as their body language would suggest. “You know our policy on failure...” The tall one said.

The other one shook their head and pleaded as they got down on their knees. “Please! I didn’t mean to!”

“Talk is worthless, if you feel sorry then atone the only way that matters...” The tall one said.

After that, the short one next to him reached forward and grabbed the head of the man on his knees. With little effort they reached into his eye socket and pulled his eye out, ripping it off. He screamed in agony but his screams were silenced quickly when the small one slit his throat with their left hand brandishing a knife.

He gripped the opening as black sludge spurted out, causing Jade to gasp at what she saw.

The two looked toward the window and noticed her. She ducked down and tried to flee, but within seconds both figures surrounded her, pinning her to the wall. “I-I see nothing! I swear!”

The tall one’s voice was rough as he spoke. “Oh, I’m sure you saw plenty...”

“This one’s a human...” The other said very quietly.

The tall one glanced at his companion before looking Jade over. Gripping her face in his powerful hand he examined her. “You’re right. Just another human...” He shook his head as a black tendril came out of his sleeve aiming itself at her ear.

“W-what are you!?” Jade questioned.

“Demons, why, did you want to become one of us?” He laughed.

“What do you both want?” She asked.

“Order. Humans already have fucked up this world, so when we fix Equestria, we may come back here to bring order to this place too...” He explained.

That was all she needed to hear. Jade’s eyes grew serious as she spoke up. “Then I want to join you...”

“You’re just trying to save your pathetic life...” He accused.

“This world is rotten, just as you say. Maybe demons really can bring order to this shithole...” Jade said.

He looked over at his companion and then back at Jade as he gripped tighter. “What you ask will be incredibly painful...”

“I have already endured plenty of pain... What is a little more?” Jade grinned.

“A human among our ranks... That certainly will be... Interesting...” He nodded.

Gesturing to his companion, they reached forward with tendrils coming out of their hand.

Candy had spent some time designing outfits for the entirety of their group now and was ready to present what she had created. Each of the remaining members who hadn’t gotten an outfit had now been presented with them and were given them to try on now that she had assembled the remainder of their group.

The first to come out was Bolt Dash, who found himself with a pair of black pants covered in chains and straps and a black collared jacket with white trimming. He moved around a bit to see how natural he felt with the outfit and nodded in approval when he glanced at himself in the mirror, also sporting a black and white masquerade-style mask with white lenses over the eyes so that his eyes remained unseen, he chose to keep his hat on as well.

Turning to his side, he grinned a toothy smile and gave Candy his approval. “You’ve got a good sense of style, kid. I like what I see and that’s saying something. Hard to believe you’re related to Jasper with great taste like this.”

Candy bowed and smirked as she responded. “I’m glad that my talents are appreciated. This suit should provide you with excellent assistance to your speed as well. I designed it to be aerodynamic.”

“It gets an A+ from me.” Bolt held a thumbs up.

Cloud poked his head out and gulped as he looked at his brother, noting the drastic differences in their garb. “Uhhh... I don’t know if this outfit will fit in with the others...” Cloud spoke softly.

Blinking, Candy shook her head. “Nonsense, come on out here so we can get a look at you!”

Nodding, Cloud came out reluctantly and placed his arms at his side as he stepped into the room proper with a robe that seemed to suit his usual Asian-influenced style. It resembled a long sushi-chef jacket that went down to his knees, accompanied by a pair of pants with a half-skirt covering one side. On his torso, he was sporting a v-neck shirt.

To complete the look, he was wearing a half-mask over the top of his face that resembled a white fox.

Candy nodded approvingly as she began to explain her design choice. “Your element is water and I noticed the way you utilize your magic is more supporting than offensive, so I designed yours to not only suit your fashion sense but also your freedom of movement. It’s not as conventional as everyone else’s, but it’ll do the job nicely.”

Cloud blushed and looked to the side as he said nothing. He couldn’t deny that the outfit was fetching, but it pained him to realize that he wasn’t as useful in a fight as the others, but it was the role he felt more comfortable doing. He wasn’t a fighter like his brother was, and if anything, he was better in the role of keeping his brother from getting in over his head.

The boy resigned himself and decided not to comment negatively. Instead, he bowed and thanked Candy for her hard work. “Thank you...”

“You look adorable as well.” Candy gave a thumbs up and a wink.

Bolt just rolled his eyes at the commentary his brother was receiving. “Where’s Keylime?”

“Right here, boys!” She called out with a giggle before skipping out of Candy’s bedroom with her new outfit on.

Bolt’s jaw practically hit the floor when he saw her. A tight corset top held her alluring cleavage together with green laces. The rest of the top was black to match her usual style, and it even had a lacy skirt to go with it, also sporting lime green trimming.

Her legs were covered in checkered leggings and thick combat boots. Atop her head though, she had a set of bunny ears and a masquerade mask over her eyes.

Candy crossed her arms and grinned at how well her work turned out as she explained Keylime’s ensemble. “I was given quite a nice canvas to work with. Boobs, butt, legs, plenty of good assets to show off on that one...” Candy nodded as she thought out loud.

Bolt whistled and nodded in agreement. “Definitely agree there...”

“Glad you guys like it.” Keylime giggled as she did a little twirl.

“Not as good as mine though!” Nova’s voice echoed before stepping out of another room behind them.

Her tall boots were the first thing that most saw before her midriff top and studded black leather sleeveless vest. One of her arms was decorated in black netting, while the other just sported a single fingerless glove.

A pair of black denim shorts that left little to the imagination covered her lower half and a mask resembling a cat covered her face. She gave a faux kitten meow as she moved her hand like a paw playfully. “Candy, I love it, you’re a real visionary!” Nova praised.

Candy nodded smugly. “Yes, well I do have an eye for these things. I’ve been quite diligent in figuring out what is the best design for all of you. I’d like to think that I do unrivaled work...”

“No complaints here.” Bolt nodded.

Stepping past some plants in the office, Jade Silverneedle ran her hand delicately along with a ficus leaf as she listened to her superior on the phone, their voice irritating her, but she played along as he rambled on.

“Listen up, human girl, I’m giving you a new assignment,” Eight Ball’s voice called out.

She had chosen only to turn on the audio for their call, as she couldn’t stand to look at the little twerp. She ran her hand gently up the stem of the plant as she tried to muster up the willpower to humor him.

“You speak with such discontent toward humans...” She replied.

Eight replied instantly, “all trash is the same.”

“There’s a saying in China, it goes something like ‘do not speak ill of people during the day, and do not speak ill of spirits at night’,” Jade responded calmly.

“Funny, I have a saying too... It’s called shut the fuck up and do what I say,” Eight instructed.

She sighed and shook her head as she sat down at her desk and turned her chair to face out the window, looking down at Canterlot below her. “My assignment came from the top, you can’t just-“

“You’re being reassigned, that’s an order from the top.” Eight grunted.

What a dreadfully impatient man. Jade thought to herself.

“Why didn’t they contact me directly then?” Jade asked.

“There are other matters that require their attention... Besides, what makes you think that you're important enough to warrant a direct message from the boss?” He replied.

She already had a guess. “It’s that black kabuki again, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, and that’s part of your assignment. You’re supposed to keep eyes open for the bastard, and you are now tasked with retrieving the box from Horizon Shimmer and her friends,” Eight said.

A double assignment? The black kabuki must really have the heads of the organization occupied if they are that concerned about it. Jade couldn’t help but wonder who he was. His motives were unclear, and whatever those at the top did know about him, they weren’t saying. She doubted even Eight knew who he was or what he wanted.

Was it possible that someone else was working toward the same goal they were?

“Why this reassignment? I thought Summer Flare was on that job?” Jade asked.

“She’s useless, useless, and dead. You’re picking up the slack, I trust there won’t be able complaints about that? I’m itching for a reason to play with you after all...” Eight spoke.

His obsession with games only made her see how childish he was. “I’ll take care of it. Too bad about Summer though, she was dedicated, that’s for sure.”

“Yes, but dumb as a brick, so it’s probably for the best. Don’t fail us like she did,” Eight warned.

“I have it under control, I’ll report back what I find out every eight hours,” Jade replied.

Eight’s tone changed to a pleased one. “Good, keep me happy and we’ll get along very well, human girl. Just know that none of us trust you, so if you double-cross us, you’ll be dead before you hit the floor.”

“I would have guessed after eight years, you’d know where my loyalty is...” Jade rolled her eyes.

“Anyone can put on an act, so don’t fuck this up...” Eight threatened.

“If you excuse me, I have a lot of work to do...” Jade sighed before hanging up the call and placing her hand upon her desk. The woman grabbed a water bottle situated on her desk and took a long sip before eyeing the tree in her office. Taking the bottle with her as she stood up, she poured the remaining contents into its pot.

“Drink up...” She said quietly.

Killing Horizon Shimmer wouldn’t be an easy task if she managed to kill Summer, so Jade didn’t want to rush this. First, she needed to understand her enemy. A little scouting was in order. If she wanted to ensure her victory.

That would be far easier though, than tracking down the black kabuki. His movements eluded her and the rest of their group for a considerable amount of time. He was almost the most untraceable creature on the face of the planet. How he managed to blend in so well was beyond her.

Whoever he was, he did not fear their group, and if anything, he welcomed whatever challenge they proposed to him.

Finding him and killing him would likely cost them many lives, but that didn’t seem to stop the resolve in taking him down for any of their organization. Jade even found herself slightly excited at the challenge, but still cautious.

A few days had passed and Horizon was still curious about the events that had transpired to cause the end of Summer Flare’s life. Her mysterious master left their entire group in question, but the even more mysterious black kabuki had them all far more concerned.

“So, he’s like some super ninja-like guy with a fox mask?” Keylime asked as she did her best imitation of a fox. “Maybe he is like from some secret underground organization that’s like more underground than the original organization that we’ve been fighting! So he’s like double underground!”

Candy shook her head and rolled her eyes while she stood in the doorway to Horizon’s lavish living room. “Perhaps you could propose an answer to who the masked man is that actually gives us something to go off of?”

“I used to know a guy who dressed up like a fox actually...” Keylime said.

“Do you think it’s related?” Jasper blinked as he sat up from the couch with interest.

Keylime glanced over at him with confused eyes. “Huh? No. I was just sharing is all.” The girl shrugged, her shoulder slouching top slipping to one side as she did, giving a slightly better view of her chest (which Bolt was staring at).

In terms of useful insight, Keylime was seldom that source, but the girl did occasionally seem to guess things correctly if not by sheer dumb luck. Jasper suspected she was an idiot savant. Random things would blurt out of her mouth on the regular though, which was something that came with the package when it came to her.

Yuna noted how many people their group had enlisted at this point and found herself somewhat impressed by how big the operation had become. What started as a search for answers to Horizon’s mother’s death had become a task force to defeat demons and one that seemed to be growing larger and larger.

The computer genius pushed her glasses up her nose and smiled at the group as she proposed her ideas. “If I may...”

“By all means...” Jasper nodded as he was just eager to hear from someone who might actually have some answers.

Placing her hands upon her lap, Yuna began, “I had Moon analyze all we know and compile all the data he gathered when Horizon and the black kabuki fought, and it seems like this guy is definitely a trained assassin. His skill level is far above novice, we would wager he’s likely been being trained for a few decades.”

“If a seasoned killer is trying to get the box then that can’t be good...” Bolt pointed out.

“‘Fraid I have to agree with Bolt on this one...” Jasper frowned.

Nova giggled and sat down on Jasper’s lap and placed her arms around his neck, causing the boy to flinch and his entire face to turn red. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” She fluttered her eyes.

Jasper found himself unable to respond as she stood up and started laughing. “Your face! I can’t even!”

The boy pulled his hat down to cover his face as Nova continued to giggle and chuckle.

“Joking aside, I’m afraid both of you are right... This guy is the real deal and we need to figure out what’s in this box...” Yuna said.

Horizon reached into her utility skirt’s pouch and retrieved the box. She held it in her small hand with an open palm just staring at it as Yuna continued. “I believe I now understand how to open it though...”

The entire group froze and focused their attention on Yuna.

“Really? How?” Cloud questioned.

Yuna grinned as she explained it to them. “Moon has been analyzing the box for days now. He’s been running all kinds of algorithms on it to try and find a way to break it open and I believe we finally found it.”

“Well don’t keep us in suspense, girl.” Nova gestured with her hand for Yuna to hurry up and come out with it.

“The key is magic, more specifically, light magic. Sunset must have locked it with a type of magic that she knew demons would not be able to gain access to. Which means that Horizon has the power to open it.” Yuna smiled as she looked over at the girl she spoke of.

Looking down at the box, Horizon’s eyes focused on it. “How do I open it?”

“You need only to focus the light magic into your hand and concentrate on it being the key. Our calculations suggest that it will open after the appropriate amount of light magic fills the box,” Yuna explained.

It sounded far too easy. All this time, they had wondered what was in the box, and now they had discovered that the key is so simple?

Horizon wondered if she was prepared for what was inside. This object was important enough that demons killed her mother to get it, was opening the box a good idea?

She ignored her concerns and instead concentrated her magic into the palm of her hand. She thought of a key, a key that would unlock this box and give her the next clue as to what happened to her mother. It would take only eight seconds of thought and after her hand finished glowing, the box finally cracked open, ready to reveal its contents.

“It actually worked...” Cloud spoke in awe.

“See what’s inside!” Candy encouraged.

Nodding, Horizon reached down and opened the lid with her other hand. The item inside only confused them all more.

It was some kind of crystal, jagged in shape, and dark in color. It appeared black and without any luster. It reminded Horizon of shale and looked fairly unimpressive.

“That’s it? A rock?” Bolt said.

Somehow, Horizon felt it had to be much more than a rock. Something about it told her that its purpose was far greater than she could even imagine. If demons wanted it, then it had to be special, right?

“Don’t underestimate it.” Candy warned.

Nova instantly agreed. “She’s right, if demons want it, then it’s likely very important.”

“Doesn’t seem important...” Bolt laid back in his seat on the recliner he sat in. “Pass it here.”

Horizon tossed the stone over to him, and Bolt caught it in his right hand. The teenager gave it a squeeze and then held it in front of his face as he looked it over. “Doesn’t even feel like there’s any magic in it either. All of us can at least sense magic at this point and this stone doesn’t feel like anything is coming off of it...”

Raising a finger as she lectured, Nova pointed out a possibility. “It’s entirely possible that the stone only responds to demon energy, in which case it will appear like any old rock to us since none of us possess such magic. It’s the perfect strategy to hide it after all.”

“That’s definitely a good point...” Bolt admitted.

“Funny, we thought opening that box would answer questions, but all it seemed to do was make us have a bunch more...” Candy crossed her arms and nodded.

“The mystery continues...” Nova spoke.

“I love mysteries!” Keylime spoke up.

Jade’s mansion was everything that she could have dreamed of when she was a little girl, but now as an adult, she couldn’t think of it as anything more than a place to get away from the ugliness of the world, but not even entirely. Her only sanctuary from the miserable world was far from perfect and she noticed it more and more. Still, she remained hopeful that helping her master would fix a majority of her problems.

The girl poured herself a small glass of wine as she yawned. The woman sat down at the desk in her private study and pulled up a holographic window from her phone on her wrist and began to flip through security footage for every room.

For a split second, she was certain that she saw something quickly flash by. With her mind focused, she closed her eyes and she could see them, an intruder, one who had snuck past her security with ease. Opening her eyes, Jade began to assess where they could have gotten in and where they were headed.

It became clear right away, the intruder was headed directly for her. A fool, and one with a death wish, surely. The woman finished her wine before setting the beautiful, fragile glass down atop her desk. She came to a stand and stepped around the front of the desk. She was average height at best, but her red heels added a good inch or so.

The custom blue floral print dress she wore exposed her left leg as she stood prepared for an encounter with an intruder. Dark brown eyes scanned the room looking for the entry points that anyone could attack from.

To her surprise, the invader came directly through the door. Standing up, he was average height, and she could see his body was covered in a grey cloak while his face was concealed by a white kabuki mask. It was unexpected, but Jade kept her composure as she retrieved a cigarette from a golden case and lit it.

“A white kabuki... I wasn’t briefed on that...” Jade commented as she lit the cigarette and exhaled.

The white kabuki drew a knife from under his cloak and flipped it open. It was a complex butterfly knife, and his skill with it was evident. Like his black counterpart, this kabuki was equally trained in the art of combat.

“I have come to track down a demon, I sensed one here but...” His voice was distorted, clearly, he used a voice modifier just like the other one. “No, you’re only a human.”

Jade grinned before puffing out a ring of smoke. Wiggling her index finger, one of the plants in the office had its vines extend and whip at the white kabuki. His reflexes kicked in and he was able to dodge the attack in time and swing his knife, cutting the vine from the plant.

Frowning, Jade casually walked over to the plant and caressed it, causing its vine to grow right back.

“I see... A human turned demon, what an interesting development. Regardless, you are slated to die, all who aid those shitbags will share the same fate.”

Jade didn’t appear too concerned by his threat as she petted the plant. “I would worry far less about me, and more about yourself if I were you. You’ve just walked into death’s arms and you don’t even know it yet.”

He wanted to question her further but another plant in the room grew at an alarming rate and its vine lunged at him, impaling his shoulder, digging its vine into the skin. The kabuki groaned in agony as the vine wormed its way into him, trying to pull it out, but then ultimately decided to cut it with his blade and yank the remaining tendril out.

Trying to get back up, he noticed his body had gotten weaker. He struggled to stand but it was little use, his strength was sapped. “What the...”

“A gift, a poison in your veins, now... Tell me about who you’re working for...?”

Forcing himself up, the white kabuki tried to stay on his feet as Jade approached menacingly. Before she could get too close though, an arrow whizzed through the air, knocking the girl’s cigarette out of her mouth. All that was left was a butt stained with her deep red lipstick.

Allowing the butt to fall from her full lips, Jade observed the doorway to see another figure in a kabuki mask standing at the doorway. A compound bow gripped in their left hand which was concealed with black leather gloves. The cloaked figure placed the bow on their back and casually entered the room, their black kabuki mask reflecting the low light in the room.

Jade flicked her wrist and another vine lunged at this new kabuki, but the black kabuki unlike their white counterpart merely gripped the vine in their gloved hand and snapped it off of the plant before tossing it aside.

Just like the white one, this one’s voice was distorted as well. “While my partner can be stupid at times, I would appreciate it if you left him unharmed.”

“You both already made your choice on what will happen to you, it’s not my concern...” Jade retrieved a fan from her desk and held it in front of her face, the blue vine print upon it complimenting her dress as she watched the black one walk over to the white one and offer them something that she couldn’t make out.

The white one turned and lifted their mask up slightly to expose their mouth. Jade couldn’t get a good look at them, but they knelt down and vomited before wiping their mouth and placing the mask back on. They returned to a stand as if nothing had happened.

“That wasn’t even the deadliest poison I have at my disposal...” Jade commented.

“We didn’t come to listen to you gloat about whatever powers you acquired, Miss Silverneedle...” The black kabuki said calmly.

Grinning, Jade saw an opening as the black kabuki walked in front of another vine plant in the room, this one housing powerful spores. Quickly, she commanded the plant and its vine stretched out and wrapped around the black kabuki’s right arm, holding them in place before going up their sleeve and right into their veins.

Jade laughed as she watched and gave her fan a few flicks. “It’s over now. Those spores will take over your whole body in a matter of eight seconds. You’ll become my puppet.”

“Best count them down for me then...” The red kabuki said.

Checking the watch on her wrist, Jade watched eight seconds pass but the black kabuki showed no change in their demeanor. Something was wrong.

The white one stood with their butterfly knife ready to strike again as they got in position next to the frighteningly calm black one. “Unlike you, I am not a mere human. It takes more than that to control me, and there is already something far more potent in my body...” The black kabuki said.

“What exactly are the two of you even after?” Jade questioned.

“We wish to kill the red kabuki,” the white one responded plainly before the black one retrieved a 44 magnum from their cloak and aimed it at Jade.

Jade laughed. “I’m afraid it’ll take more than some knife tricks and bullets to accomplish something like that. The red kabuki is invincible, you should know that. They can’t be killed by conventional means, even I don’t fully understand the extent of their powers...”

“If it lives, it can die, plain and simple,” the white kabuki insisted.

“Well if you want to kill the red kabuki, why are you wasting your time with me then? I’m pretty low on the pecking order, you know?” Jade asked.

The black kabuki glanced over at their partner before looking back at Jade. “Killing you is only the first part of our plan. The red kabuki may be strong but fighting is about strategy and technique. If we kill enough of their subordinates, then surely that will piss them off enough to where they get sloppy.”

“Ordinarily, we’d be against unnecessary killing, but any who voluntarily serve the red kabuki get to die with them,” the white one added.

Jade observed carefully as she wondered how the black kabuki was able to slip past her to get into the building. The white one she picked up right away, she could see them long before they got there, but it was almost as if the black one slipped right past her and appeared out of thin air. Was it possible? No, her eyes had no blind spots, that much she knew, there must have been some kind of trick to it. The smartest thing to do though was to not let on that there were ways to get past her immense vision.

What were these two? Were they Equestrian like some of the members of their organization, or something else entirely? She could sense nothing from them, their powers either were suppressed or didn’t exist.

The black kabuki aimed their firearm once more, their gloved left hand gripping the gun tightly as they aimed. “Humans who side with demons deserve death, plain and simple.”

Jade knew that this person meant business. Quickly, she had several plants in the room attack the duo. While they turned to deal with the matter, she made an escape out the door and raced down the stairs. A gunshot could be heard as the black kabuki fired in her direction, but missed.

With a bit of luck on her side, Jade raced down and got into her car, peeling out of the building quickly. She set the destination for her office, knowing she would be safe there. The black kabuki and his white companion wouldn’t be dumb enough to attack her in such a public place that was fairly well known and monitored regularly by security. Humans, Equestrians, or demons, there was no way they could risk the general public going after them.

Even the red kabuki tried to keep a fairly low profile for the time being. The black and white kabukis wouldn’t want to have a manhunt after themselves.

Once Jade arrived at the office, she parked her car and made her way past security, swiping her phone so she could access the elevator. As she leaned against the glass wall, she started to think what she knew over.

If the black and white kabuki were trying to kill the red kabuki, then it was likely they were after the same goal. This meant that they weren’t working with Horizon Shimmer or any of her friends. This was further confirmed when she looked into the matter prior and found out that the black kabuki attempted to fight Horizon Shimmer during their last encounter.

What they had going on was a three-way fight. Three different groups all after the same thing.

Arriving at the top floor, Jade nodded to her secretary and attempted to pull herself together as she entered her office and shut the door behind herself. The plain white room decorated with modern minimalist furniture brought her some comfort, especially with the plethora of plants surrounding her. The young woman seated herself at her desk and crossed her attractive legs before retrieving a cigarette from her top drawer.

Horizon Shimmer had the box, which meant she had one of the eight stones, and that was less than ideal.

Jade lit up and inhaled as she leaned back in her expensive chair. If the red kabuki had six, that meant there was a good chance that the black and white kabukis had the last shard. Would killing them all really be that simple? Horizon was less of a threat, but all of her friends would have to die too, as there was no way they would simply give up the stone even if Horizon were to be taken out.

Regardless of anything, Jade knew she had to rely on herself for these matters. Eight Ball expected results, and given that Summer Flare had failed him, his expectations of Jade were even higher. He was a deranged man with little patience, so failure wasn’t an option.

Taking another drag from the cigarette, Jade decided that killing Horizon Shimmer should be her first priority, after all, she needed to ensure that she got the shard away from the black kabuki.

Placing her hand upon a small tree in her office, Jade whispered to the flora. “Keep your eyes open... Horizon Shimmer will have to die...”

With the growing concern over the black kabuki, Eight Ball had put Jade on the job of killing Horizon Shimmer while the masked assailant was running around. The last the group saw him, he was far over in Illinois, but now he had come to Maryland. It was clear that he knew something, or he had discovered where the shard was.

Eight knew that if the black kabuki got his claws on the shard, it was not only going to be a challenge to get it back, but his superiors would wring his neck. He wasn’t scared though, as the threat of death didn’t phase him at all. Unlike most that worked under their organization, Eight Ball had no concern about his personal well being. He hoped to gain nothing from his membership except the ability to enjoy his little games.

The black kabuki though, he was a ruthless warrior. Eight had seen footage of him ripping their lower-tiered partners apart. At one point he had ripped one of their subordinate’s heads clean off. What made him extra dangerous is that he also was quite skilled with a bow and could fire off an arrow in only a few brief seconds.

In his old life, Eight remembered being a part of the underground crime scene back in Equestria. The thrill of making money or losing it excited him at first, but he found that he ultimately got no pleasure from money; instead, it was the passion that went into putting everything on the line, and the reaction on his opponent’s faces when they lost it all. So the prospect of trying to take down this masked assassin only thrilled him as he adjusted his glasses upon his face.

A phone call from Jade wasn’t something he was expecting though. Gesturing over the phone on his wrist, the small man made a hologram of Jade appear before him. “What is it, human?”

Jade rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “I’m a demon like you...”

“A demon, yes. Like me? No.” Eight smirked.

She ignored his statement and decided to get to the important information. “I had a run-in with your black kabuki. He wasn’t alone, a white one was with him...”

“What’d he want? I thought he was after the shards,” Eight raised a brow.

“So did I, but apparently he’s setting his eyes on bigger prizes now. He expects to kill the red kabuki apparently...” Jade looked away.

This definitely was odd information. Their entire time dealing with the black kabuki for these past few years he seemed only interested in getting in their way, but if he actually hoped to kill the red kabuki, it was a death wish.

“That’s an empty threat. Killing the red kabuki is impossible, they’re invincible after all...” Eight explained.

“I suppose you would know better than I... Still increasing your security around the red wouldn’t hurt anything, just in case he tries to make good on his threat...” Jade said.

Eight just laughed at the notion. Jade was human after all, and that meant she wasn’t as trusted as many of the others in their organization, so she had no way of knowing many secrets. “Listen, Jade, there is no security around the red, they themselves are more than enough security, trust me on this...”

Jade squinted in disbelief. “How strong is the red for real?”

“It’s a need-to-know basis, but rest assured... The black kabuki poses no real threat. Let him go around thinking he does, it’s no concern to us.” Eight dismissed.

“Understood, I’ll work on my job then...” Jade acknowledged before hanging up.

Eight chuckled as one of his subordinates inquired about the phone call. “Is it really true that the red kabuki is invincible? Like for real?”

Looking over at the young recruit, he nodded. “It’s all true. Nightmares are real, and I suggest you don’t ask too many questions about the red kabuki unless you want to live through a few nightmares yourself.” Eight pointed a knife at the young one as he continued. “The red kabuki is something beyond any of our abilities to even imagine. The things nightmares are made out of. You’d do wise to not ask questions.”

His minion just nodded and stood up straight. “Yes, sir!”

Nodding back, Eight sighed before lowering his knife. The black kabuki clearly was confident, but likely overconfident. He was bound to make some kind of mistake, right? No. The black kabuki was far too careful, too calculating, too cunning. He wouldn’t make a novice mistake, so it was pointless to wait around for him to do so. Was it really true that he hoped to sit on the demon throne?

No, this guy was a trained killer. But the red kabuki was far scarier for sure. Eight Ball had seen what that creature could do with his own two eyes. Anything this black kabuki could dish out was nothing in comparison.

Eight laughed just thinking about it. “Welcome to hell, black kabuki...”

Yuna sat at her desk examining the stone that Horizon had acquired. The teen had given it to her for safekeeping and so she could study and analyze it with Moon’s help, but the strange rock was still quite a mystery to her. Every test she had run on it didn’t reveal a single secret about it.

It was black in color and looked like some kind of gemstone, but an uncut one. She ran a hand through her hair in frustration as she spoke with Moon about their findings.

“I don’t get it, Moon... This rock exhibits no demonic power whatsoever. I can’t find any kind of dark energy from it, but there is clearly some kind of magic connection... Why do these demons want it so badly?” She asked.

The hologram of Moon walked over to the stone and kneeled down studying it further. “My scans indicate that the rock is definitely not of Earthly origin, that’s for sure.”

“So it came from Equestria, but why is it here? What use does it have? This black rock doesn’t seem to do anything...” She frowned.

“According to my calculations, the stone is thousands of years old...” Moon suggested.

“Is it possible that maybe it powers something? Like maybe it’s not useful on its own?” Yuna asked.

Moon nodded as he placed his paw in his other paw. “Or what if the stone merely does not work here? It’s possible that these demons came here to bring the stone back to Equestria! The stone somehow must have ended up here for safekeeping or something and they are trying to get it back. Sunset must have found it and put it in that box to keep it from getting into those demons hands!”

Yuna bit her lip as she leaned back in her chair. She pulled the pencil out of her hair and tapped her lip with it as she considered that option, realizing there actually was another possibility. “Or...”

“Or what?” Moon asked.

“Sunset got the stone from Equestria...” Yuna pointed at Moon with her pencil.

“How would she do that though?” Moon asked.

“Sunset must have known a way to get to Equestria, I mean those demons came here so there has to be some means of getting there, right? Maybe that’s why she was killed? She was followed by one of those demons on her way back?” Yuna suggested.

Moon paused but began to run some numbers as he contemplated it himself. Maps of the city appeared next to him and a circle went over the storage facility where they found Sunset’s lab. “This could explain why I found trace remnants of magic in the storage facility when the data was sent to me... Some kind of portal could have been housed there at some point?”

“There’s a problem with that theory though...” Yuna said.

Moon already knew her objection. “If the portal was in her lab, Sunset would have needed a way to know about the portal prior, right?”

“Exactly...” Yuna nodded.

The two sat in silence for a good long moment. Yuna scratched her head and tapped her pencil on the table eight times before the answer came to her.

No. It’s not possible. She thought to herself.

“What if...” Yuna started.

“Yes?” Moon leaned in with interest.

“What if the reason she knew about the portal was because she had been to Equestria prior to this?” Yuna asked.

“But why would she do that?” Moon asked.

Yuna bit her lip, not wanting to suggest it out loud, but she forced herself to voice her thought. “What if... Sunset is from Equestria?”

“You mean that she’s Equestrian? Not human?” Moon blinked.

Yuna nodded slowly. “And that means...”

“This is all a big cover-up then...” Moon finished her thought.

“So how’s this sound... She puts the portal in that lab, locks it there, but she gets some unwanted company coming through the portal, and he kills her...” Yuna suggested.

“But then the portal would still be there, wouldn’t it?” Moon asked.

Yuna came to a stand and started pacing the room with her thumb on her lip. “Not if the demons came through it... They would have moved it somewhere, right? Somewhere where they can get access to it whenever they need...”

“Are you forgetting that the facility was still locked when it was found? On top of that, it had plenty of magic protection around it...” Moon said.

“Maybe Sunset couldn’t prepare for demons? After all, they seem to be pretty unpredictable...” Yuna spoke.

Moon ran the data through his logic system and deemed it sound. “It’s all a fairly sound theory...”

“One that we need to keep to ourselves...” Yuna frowned as she looked at the canine hologram.

“Huh? Why?” Moon tilted his head.

“Moon, if this is true that means that Horizon’s mom is an alien from another world. I don’t think it’s a good idea to spread this info unless we are 100% certain that it’s true. It’s just a theory right now, but I don’t see a reason to concern Horizon over it until we have more to verify it with...” Yuna explained.

Moon frowned as he realized what she was suggesting. His simulated emotional intelligence grew with every interaction, and now he had a firm understanding of the situation. “Horizon does indeed seem to already exhibit poor social and emotional development, so I suppose it is reasonable not to impede on the girl any further, correct?”

Yuna bit her lip and grimaced at his words, but recognized that he needed to be blunt and ask such questions so that he could learn. He would be useless to them unless he learned how to communicate with them.

“I can’t say that I’m a fan of pointing out her shortcomings, but I suppose you have some merit...” Yuna replied.

Moon blinked. “Miss Yuna, may I ask you a question about Miss Shimmer?”

“What is it, Moon?” Yuna leaned in closer to talk to the hologram.

“Your feelings for Miss Shimmer are quite deep aren’t they?” Moon asked.

Sighing, Yuna leaned back in her chair and looked at the ceiling. “Yes... I love her more than anything in the world. At first, I was just infatuated with the idea of her; her beauty and quiet demeanor had me...”

“And now?” Moon tilted his head.

“Now that I’ve gotten to know the real person... She’s better than I imagined. She’s socially awkward, sure, but that’s what I love about her... I can relate to a person like her and yet at the same time she is what I wish I could be...” Yuna frowned.

“How so?” Moon asked.

Yuna removed her glasses and set them onto the desk before she began to strip down to her underwear. After a few seconds, she picked out some pajamas to slip into and laid down on her bed.

“I guess I like how Horizon can say what’s on her mind without a filter, she isn’t afraid to say anything... She’s never apologizing for being who she is. She’s such a strong person...” Yuna found herself smiling as she praised her crush.

It was all true too, Horizon was exceptional in so many ways, yet the girl treated herself like she was boring and average. In actuality, Horizon had a talent for getting others to join her in her pursuits. Her consistent blunt honesty made her dependable when it came to the truth, and her serious demeanor meant she was never sarcastic.

Of course, the girl’s physical appearance did quite a bit for Yuna as well. Her hair had that unkempt look to it that Yuna loved for starters, and her face had those cute freckles.

Moon had shut himself off when he realized his master was trying to rest, and Yuna only fell asleep after noticing the time was 8:48 PM.

The red kabuki stood there before one of their subordinates that they had determined was responsible for the loss of the stone that now was in the hands of Horizon Shimmer.

Standing next to the red kabuki was a tall cloaked man who stood a good foot above the red kabuki. He stated the will of his master as he watched the underling that they knew as “Flush”, grovel at their feet.

“You had the stone, and then you managed to allow it to fall into Sunset Shimmer’s hands... While we were able to kill Sunset, the stone was not found. Due to your negligence, Horizon Shimmer now has the stone...” The tall man spoke.

Flush kept on his knees as he begged for his life. “Please! I will do anything!”

The red kabuki gestured for the tall man to lean in and listen. He did as he was instructed and listened to the words of his master whispered into his ear.

After a few moments, he nodded and stood tall. “The red kabuki says there is no room for failure. Do not grovel, stand up, and face your death like a proper demon.”

Tears ran down Flush’s face, but he forced himself to stand. The red kabuki reached into their cloak and retrieved a knife, which they quickly flung at Flush, hitting him right between the eyes. The demon fell and was a black mist before his body hit the ground.

Eight Months Ago

Jade stood with Eight Ball as the two watched some of their lower henchmen round up a few bodies and toss them into a fire pit. They had been required to take out a few humans that stood in their way for the mission that they had been assigned. Cleanup was always a boring part of the job, which is why Eight always left it to his subordinates.

Pulling out a cigarette, Jade leaned up against a wall as she lit up, taking a short drag before placing it between her two fingers. Her ankles crossed as she used the wall for support.

“I’ve been a part of this organization for years now, but there’s still so much that I don’t know...” Jade said.

Eight didn’t bother making eye contact. He watched the burning of the bodies behind his glasses. “No one person knows too much, that’s how the red kabuki keeps it...”

“Who is the red kabuki though? I know he’s in charge, but why?” Jade asked.

Shaking his head, Eight answered. “It doesn’t matter. They’re in charge and the rest of us have to just deal with it.”

Jade scoffed. “You don’t even know do you?”

“I know, but I’m not telling a human... The reality is that only the higher-ranking members of the order are permitted to know more about the red kabuki. There’s only a handful of us that know his intentions or identity. Rest assured though, he’s the real deal...” Eight explained.

It made Jade uneasy to think that despite her time in this organization, she still wasn’t that trusted. She had killed for this red kabuki and she had never even seen his face or gotten so much as a thank you. Still, she followed under the hope that it would all make sense in the long term.

What she understood was these demons had come from another world known as “Equestria” where they were outcasts. Their leader gave them power, and his ability was unprecedented. After he came to the human world, he granted passage for other demons to do the same.

Many in their group spoke of giving order and balance to the world like they were some kind of saviors coming to save humans from themselves. The lower members were permitted to know absolutely nothing, not the identity of their leader, not the aim of the mission, or even details of jobs they were sent on. Everyone that was lower in rank was to complete tasks assigned to them without question.

Jade was a step above a rookie underling, but well below a trusted advisor. She had earned a tiny bit of recognition for her loyalty and ability to deliver on her promises, but because she was human, it was far harder to impress those at the top. As far as she knew, she was the only human in the group, and it seemed as though it was going to stay that way.

Humans were hated by all in the order, and many within it didn’t trust Jade, but she just brushed it off from the start.

“Forgive my rudeness, but it’s hard to believe he’s that strong when he has so many henchmen like us do his work for him...” Jade replied.

Eight laughed and shook his head. “Don’t mistake him. We’re not needed for our strength, that’s for sure. If he wanted to, the red kabuki could run this entire operation themselves. They just don’t like doing the light work, can’t say I blame them either. No one wants to do crap jobs after all, not when you have the ability to subjugate others into doing them for you...”

Putting out her cigarette, Jade rolled her eyes while she stamped it out. “You have some serious issues, did anyone ever tell you that?”

Looking out of the corner of his eye, he grinned stupidly. “What you consider ‘issues’, I consider unique qualities.”

“Yeah, you’re unique... That’s for sure...” Jade shook her head.

Author's Note

The kabukis are going at it, huh?

We're getting closer to the end of part one of Act VII at least!

Act VII Part I - Chapter CXII: Plants

Chapter CXII: Plants

Throwing a magazine onto a nearby table, Candy Apple grinned as she conversed with her mother. On the cover was a young-looking Chinese woman with gorgeous light brown eyes, accented so perfectly by her expertly done makeup and soft-looking delicate skin. There wasn’t a blemish or imperfection on her face, and it went well with her silky flowing black hair.

“Jade Silverneedle is probably the greatest fashion designer of our generation next to you, mother! I can’t believe you’re getting to meet her for a collaboration!” Candy squealed.

Rarity smiled before brushing a lock of her dyed black hair behind her ear. It had been dyed black so long ago, that she would have forgotten how purple looked on her head if it weren’t for the photographs around the house of her when she was younger. Applejack actually kept Rarity’s senior picture on the wall, saying she wanted the woman to see how she has only gotten more beautiful over the years. Rarity was getting dangerously close to 40 now, after all.

While Rarity was always looking for new ways to expand her fashion line, she had to admit that getting to meet with Jade Silverneedle and Dynasty Fashions, her company wasn’t a matter of skill in business. Rarity had sent out her designs to every major firm in the tri-state area and hoped one of them would pick them up for distribution. Dynasty Fashions had gotten back to her quickly though.

In their letter, they insisted she meet with their CEO personally as soon as possible and they were very adamant that Ms. Silverneedle was exceptionally impressed with Rarity’s designs.

“There’s no certainty that she wants to do a collaboration, Candy. She’s a businesswoman, so she likely wants to talk business long before we agree on some kind of collaboration...” Rarity reminded her young daughter.

“True that! I heard she can be a bad bitch when it comes to business!” Candy exclaimed.

Rarity grunted disapprovingly. “Candy, language.”

Covering her mouth playfully, Candy nodded. “Sorry, what I meant to say is that she’s a ruthless businesswoman. I imagine negotiations will last a while. I read online that she grills her employees hard and expects perfection out of everyone who works under her.”

“Cursing is not ladylike...” Rarity reminded. “Anyway, if I can convince Jade to form some kind of partnership with me, it’ll certainly have a significant impact on our financial situation...”

“We’d get richer than Horizon’s family in no time!” Candy giggled.

Maybe a good decade or so ago, Rarity would have been excited at such a prospect, but age had made her wiser and changed her values. While she once admired the high society life, now she found her solace in family and a more quiet life, though she still found fashion to be a driving force for herself. She was content living in her moderate sized home with her wife and two children now.

Rarity laughed lightly and shook her head. “I wouldn’t say that, but Dynasty Fashions could certainly be a brand that skyrockets my own into popularity.”

“Jade is a fashion genius, so naturally she would recognize another genius!” Candy admired her mother.

Rarity blushed and giggled. “Yes, yes, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, darling.”

“Well keep me updated, I want to hear all about how it goes!” Candy smiled.

Jade had gotten curious and for some time now, she had been wondering about Horizon Shimmer’s mother, Sunset Shimmer, and why she was killed. Jade’s position on the metaphorical totem pole was low and given that she was human, she was on a need-to-know basis.

Still, the organization killed Horizon’s mother but didn’t explain too much about her, so Jade utilized some of her resources to find out more about the woman. Going through her files she was able to depict the kind of character that she once was.

Sunset grew up in Equestria, so she wasn’t human. While it was unclear to Jade, she surmised that the girl had a troubled and strained relationship with her family and came to the human world for something along that nature. From there she lived a very rough life of solitude and self-loathing until she ran into her group of friends who helped her overcome her bitterness at the world.

While she was a loving friend from then on, she became an enigma and a difficult person to know. Based upon the files that Jade had acquired, few people were very close to her, and she rejected many attempts to get her to open up. The evidence that Jade had found on her showed she vanished for three years at one point and she was somewhat of a loner even with her small daughter in the picture.

Jade examined all the data she could find and realized that there was clearly much more going on than she was being told. Despite her death appearing insignificant at first, it didn’t add up that the organization wouldn’t tell her more about it. If she came from Equestria, that meant that she must have had some kind of knowledge about their organization and what their intentions were.

Was it possible that Sunset was killed for knowing too much? Jade definitely thought it was possible. Or could it have been worse? Was Sunset a part of their organization at one point? It certainly made sense that she’d be put down for being a betrayer after all.

Jade was curious. For some reason she couldn’t just leave it alone, she had to know the truth.

The young beautiful Chinese woman had met with one of the other lower-tiered members of their organization, a subordinate named Glow. She was one of the few who joined late and as a result, wasn’t privy to a ton of information at the top, but given her lower position, she was the most likely candidate to leak info that she did have. Jade was certain that the red kabuki kept more from her than others due to her nature of being human. Other Equestrians, however, would likely be told more. There was a bond of trust with their own kind that a human likely couldn't achieve.

Glow sat atop of Jade’s desk and took a large bite out of a sandwich that Jade’s staff had prepared for the girl. She was a bit on the slovenly side and definitely stood out when in the presence of those who worked for a high-end fashion company. Crumbs fell onto the girl’s shirt and onto Jade’s clean floor which irked her, but she kept silent and tolerated the girl and her rude behavior.

“So why’d you call me here, Jade? Did Eight finally approve you to have an assistant?” Glow questioned.

Jade shook her head. The idea of this girl being her assistant brought her shame and disgust. She couldn’t imagine this character getting much of anything useful done.

“No, I actually had some questions I was hoping you could answer,” Jade said.

“I’ll do my best.” Glow gave a thumbs up.

Rolling her eyes first, Jade decided it was best to be subtle. “What do you know about Sunset Shimmer?”

“Why do you want to know?” Glow asked before taking another bite of her food.

“I was tasked with eliminated her daughter, Horizon, so I wanted to understand the family, it may aid me in that mission...” Jade half-lied.

Glow spoke with her mouth half-full. “Pretty unusual character, that’s for sure. The girl was a royal pain in the ass. She was Equestrian born, but she lived here.”

“Why would one of your kind want to live here though?” Jade asked.

Shrugging, Glow swallowed. “Lady had a family here apparently. She gave Equestria up to live among humans. She and old Princess Twilight had a strained relationship though because apparently, Twilight called her back to Equestria to fight in the war.”

Jade had only heard a little about the war. She knew it was fought between a demon siren named Serenade and the remnants of Equestria.

“Oh?” Jade raised a brow.

“Yeah, we found out that Sunset was Glitch. The hero of Equestria, saved the country and defeated Serenade. I hear she roughed her up good too. Fucked the girl up beyond words using something called the Siren’s Bane. After that Glitch vanished, but I guess now we know it’s because she came here...” Glow explained.

Sunset had defeated Serenade? She had to be incredibly powerful then as Jade had heard horror stories of how strong Serenade was. Some of the others had described her as a living nightmare in her hay day.

“So how did you guys manage to kill her?” Jade asked.

Glow took another bite and began chewing before she answered. She glanced over at Jade from behind her long curly blond hair. “Well, one of our own got the drop on her. See, they turned him only partially into a demon. Sort of like a slow conversion kind of thing.”

“Why does that matter?” Jade questioned as she lit a cigarette.

“The portal that Sunset had stowed away won’t work for demons. It blocks demonic energy from going through, so they sent a non-demon through but planted sort of a demon seed in him that would unleash after he got through. Naturally, it meant he was a weak demon, but here in the human world, Sunset’s powers were far weaker and he had the element of surprise. They got luckier in that she coincidentally was right near the portal when he came through...” Glow explained.

Taking a drag from the cigarette, Jade exhaled smoke as she listened. A simple low tier demon was able to kill such a powerful opponent? How?

“And he killed her?” Jade asked.

Glow nodded. “Yeah, it was a confirmed kill. They killed each other, but he made sure to phone in the report before he did. Apparently, the higher-ups even saw her bleed out...”

“How though? They weren’t there...” Jade pointed out.

Glow raised a finger. “The demon seed they planted in him was connected to our second-in-command. He was able to watch through the eyes of the demon they sent through. He saw the killing strike himself. Sunset Shimmer’s wounds were fatal, hell her fucking hand got cut off even. Blood everywhere, I heard...”

So Sunset Shimmer really was dead then. If the second-in-command saw it happen, then there was no denying it. It was a confirmed kill and that’s all there was to it.

“Why her though?” Jade asked.

Glow smiled at her. “Two reasons really... The first being she had the stone...”

“And the second?” Jade blinked.

“Eliminate a potential threat right out of the gate. I mean if she was able to best Serenade, then we couldn’t take a chance on her that’s for sure...” Glow said.

Jade couldn’t help but agree. It was indeed more ideal to not leave anything to chance if possible.

The black kabuki observed Jade’s building from a distance as they watched Glow leave from the front entrance. Their mask scanned the girl and confirmed she too was a demon, and within seconds the black kabuki gave chase to Glow from a safe distance, just out of sight, waiting for the right moment.

As Glow made her way back to her shelter, the black kabuki noted her path and the moment she turned into a secluded ally that cut between two old abandoned buildings, they dropped down behind them ready to strike.

Glow got lucky as she heard the sound of the black kabuki’s feet hit the ground ever so lightly and quickly pivoted to face them. She gasped as she stepped back dodging the stab of a knife.

“Y-you’re the black kabuki!” Glow gasped once more.

“Perceptive. Surely you know that the next part involves you dying then?” The kabuki spoke in their distorted voice.

“Killing me will only make the red angrier with you!” Glow warned.

“I’m sure you’re inconsequential to them, and even if you weren’t, I could care less...” The black kabuki spoke.

Gulping, Glow stepped backward glancing over her shoulder in the hopes that she could make a break for it and outrun them.

“Why don’t you give up? You can’t win against the red, and you know that! What do you hope to accomplish?” Glow asked.

Drawing a bow off of their back, the black kabuki loaded up an arrow and pulled the string back aiming for Glow. “I will kill any and all demons, without mercy. You’re all just a blight on existence and I will exterminate every last one of you and anyone who aids your kind.”

“Do you really think you can kill the red? They’re invincible!” Glow challenged.

“Maybe, but I know one thing...” The black kabuki spoke quietly.

“What’s that?” Glow blinked.

The arrow snapped from the string and sailed through the air, piercing Glow between the eyes. She didn’t even get a chance to scream before the arrow impacted and pierced her brain. She was dead before she hit the ground and like every other demon, her body quickly evaporated into a thick black mist.

Lowering their bow, the black kabuki finished their thought. “You’re not...”

“Thank you for meeting with me, Miss Silverneedle, it’s quite an honor to meet you. I have to admit you’re far more gorgeous in person than in your photos. They don’t nearly do your appearance justice, darling.” Rarity bowed gently as she approached the fellow fashionista, who offered her hand to be shook.

Obliging, Rarity took the light-skinned woman’s hand in her own and gave it a gentle shake, noting how soft Jade Silverneedle’s grip was. As expected she was quite ladylike but exuded a stern and powerful woman’s aura. A fine business woman, but able to pull off such an astonishing feat while looking fantastic.

Rarity admired the Asian designer, and while their styles were not quite the same, she could respect someone who clawed their way to the top as Jade had. The drive and desire to be the best was something Rarity always had in herself, after all.

Jade kept a neutral expression as she nodded. “Yes, well cameras often are used to make things appear as they are not, wouldn’t you say?”

“Perhaps to an extent, but you do take quite an impressive photo regardless...” Rarity shrugged.

“As do you, Miss Apple. I’ve seen your photographs modeling your own stuff and not only are your designs divine, but you are quite the model yourself...” Jade stated.

Blushing at such praise, Rarity waved her hand dismissively. “You flatter me, Miss Silverneedle. My daughter is actually quite a fan of your work actually.”

“You have a daughter then?” Jade asked.

Nodding, Rarity began to follow the woman who gestured for her to come with her. The two entered an elevator that would take them to the top floor where they could retreat to Jade’s private office.

“Yes, she wants to design clothing just like her mother and you’re one of her idols actually. She’s insanely jealous that I’m even meeting you right now.” Rarity giggled as she placed a hand over her mouth.

Jade stood watching the floor counter of the elevator go up until it reached the eighth floor and the doors opened. “Interesting. I’ll be sure to sign something for her before you leave.”

“Oh, that’s quite generous of you Miss Silverneedle...” Rarity nodded.

As the two stepped into Jade’s office, she shook her head as she headed toward her desk. “Please, just Jade is sufficient.”

Blinking, Rarity nodded. She hadn’t expected Jade Silverneedle to be so down-to-earth, but it appeared so.

Opening a drawer and retrieving a pack of cigarettes, Jade counted only eight left. She drew one and placed it between her lips before offering one to Rarity which was declined promptly.

After lighting up, Jade leaned back in her chair and exhaled smoke. “I’ll cut to the chase then. I like your designs Rarity, and I think I could incorporate them into a new line that I’m doing. It combines my eastern themed designs with yours, and I think it’ll have a very refreshing effect.”

“Sounds bold. Combining themes can be tricky after all...” Rarity blinked.

“Nothing that I don’t think both of us can handle though,” Jade responded quickly.

She had a point. Rarity knew that between the two of them, they could be fashion goddesses. Their combined talent would be unstoppable. Rarity could already see the headlines talking about the two of them and their fabulous partnership that swept the fashion world by storm. It was an excellent opportunity, she would have to be crazy to turn it down, but something still irked her.

Why would such a well-known designer even notice me? I’m fantastic at what I do, but it’s still hard to believe that someone as well known as Jade is paying attention to smaller brands. Rarity thought to herself.

Indeed, why would Jade be interested in her? Rarity had to wonder, but she didn’t dare voice it, so as to not potentially cost the partnership.

“Do we have a deal, Rarity?” Jade asked before exhaling.

Nodding, Rarity offered her hand once more. “I look forward to working with you, darling.”

Jade shook the woman’s hand a nodded with a coy smile. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Angel sat down with Horizon Shimmer on a park bench after the two had agreed to meet up. Horizon wanted to understand her powers better and thought of no better way than to converse with another who also had a light affinity.

Sitting carefully with her hands in her lap, Angel smiled at Horizon who sat with her usual empty expression. Angel wondered if the girl ever smiled, as she observed her sitting there in a black and orange Lolita style dress; it suited her.

Opening her mouth to begin, Angel cleared her throat. “What did you want to talk about? I mean you invited me out here...”

“How did you get your powers again?” Horizon cut right to the chase.

Sighing, Angel shook her head. “I already told you, I don’t really know. One day I had them, and I couldn’t explain it. Maybe I’ve always had them but didn’t realize it until that day...”

“Do you think it’s possible we’ve all had powers and didn’t know it?” Horizon asked.

Angel shrugged. “It’s very possible. I don’t quite understand much of it myself if I’m honest. I have these visions but they don’t tell me everything and often times crucial information is omitted. I wish they would tell me more just as you would. The truth is that when things come to me, they aren’t always the things I would prefer to know...”

“Well, what do you know about the demon throne then? You mentioned it before?” Horizon questioned.

Angel looked up at the sky, not particularly enjoying such a gloomy subject, she chewed her thoughts and contemplated how to describe it. She had seen hell a few times in her visions, and each time she wished she hadn’t.

“The demon throne has been empty for some time, waiting for one worthy of sitting upon the throne...” Angel explained.

It oddly reminded Horizon of a story she had seen on a television series. “Why has no one claimed the throne yet?”

“There was a candidate for the throne prior... I don’t know much about it, but they fell in battle. A new candidate appeared to claim it, but out of nowhere, they were defeated as well. I believe the person who defeated the new candidate was the red kabuki...” Angel shuddered just thinking about how powerful the red kabuki had to have been.

Horizon blinked as she pieced it all together. She had heard about a girl named Serenade that was the most powerful demon that walked Equestria, at one point even conquering the entire kingdom where she ruled for a few years. She was defeated by a masked warrior named Glitch.

It was clear to her. “Serenade was the original candidate for the throne then.”

Angel looked over at Horizon with curious eyes. “How do you figure that?”

“Serenade was a powerful demon, she was defeated by a guy named Glitch. She ruled all of Equestria for a brief time. That would fill in the timeline where the original candidate for the demon throne was defeated... So Serenade was the original...” Horizon placed a hand upon her chin and looked down in thought.

Angel couldn’t deny that it made sense. Serenade was said to be powerful enough to thwart all of Equestria, so that certainly put her on a level that could achieve being the lord of all demons.

“So that means after Serenade fell... Someone else tried to take the throne only to be defeated by the red kabuki who is now next in line to get it...” Angel thought out loud.

Horizon shook her head as she came to a stand. “No, that’s not right either.”

“What do you mean?” Angel looked up at her with confused eyes.

Horizon tapped her finger in her palm as she explained her logic. “If the red kabuki defeated the previous candidate for the throne, then why aren’t they the demon lord already?”

“Maybe they’re not powerful enough yet?” Angel shrugged.

Shaking her head once more, Horizon reached up and adjusted her glasses. “No, it means there is still a question of if they will get the throne...”

“Meaning?” Angel tilted her head.

“There’s another challenger for the throne out there. There is another person worthy of the throne and thus the red kabuki can’t claim it until they defeat them,” Horizon explained.

Another one!? Angel thought. Dealing with one opponent powerful enough to be the lord of all demons was bad enough, but the thought that they now would have to deal with two of them was insane.

“Could it be the black kabuki?” Angel gulped.

Horizon considered that possibility but shook her head. “No, while they want the red kabuki dead, I didn’t get any demonic presence from them. I didn’t even detect a magic presence, to be honest.”

“So how does he tie into this then?” Angel asked.

“A second group after the stone, maybe? Who is to say that demons are the only ones after the stone? Others in Equestria could have evil intentions as well, right?” Horizon suggested.

Angel knew little of Equestria, but it was certainly possible that demons were not the only faction with ill intentions. Anyone who sought to be in power in Equestria could be trying to seize the opportunity. Hell, there was even a good chance that other humans from their own world would try and take the stone if they could figure out what it did or how to use it.

The two of them wished they understood what exactly the stone was or what it was for, as it would answer some of their questions.

“This whole thing could run deeper than we know then...” Angel frowned.

“Best to stay on our toes then.” Horizon nodded.

Bolt sat bored in class while he scribbled in his notebook. He was jotting down theories and ideas of what their group should be doing next to continue their mission to stop the demons that threatened their world, but they were hitting a wall. With no leads and no idea what the red kabuki was up to, they were clueless on where to go from here.

Fortunately, they had made a little headway in that Horizon managed to take down Summer Flare (albeit with the indirect help of the black kabuki) and their team had grown substantially in size.

He tapped his pen on his desk when he noted the door to the classroom swing open and in walked a young girl. She was petite in size, instantly making her the smallest and shortest girl in the class. She probably wasn’t even five feet tall.

Her outfit was very punk rocker, a midriff top with some kind of metal band upon it, and fishnet covering her stomach. A leather jacket was sitting on top of the top, and she had a black tattered up skirt with a utility pouch for carrying her belongings.

The look was completed with black and green striped leggings and a pair of black combat boots.

As she reached forward handing a note to the teacher, he read it and nodded before gesturing her into the room. Bolt noted the black nail polish on her fingertips along with a silver ring on her pinkie finger.

She approached the front of the class with a black stick in her right hand, tapping about as she moved. Her muted red eyes and the stick told Bolt all he needed to know: she was blind.

Her short neck length black hair had green highlights and was soft and silky looking. It bounced as she moved.

Clearing his throat, the teacher introduced her. “Everyone, this is Thorn Scratch, please make her feel welcome.”

Thorn bowed gently and gave a large grin showing off the snake bite piercings on her lower lip. “I look forward to learning with you all.”

“Why not take a seat next to Bolt in the back there?” The teacher instructed.

“Which way is that?” She asked.

“Bolt could you call out for her?” The teacher said.

Tapping his desk, Bolt raised his voice so the girl could hear him. “I’m over here.”

Nodding, Thorn began to make her way through the classroom, tapping her cane about until she located the desk. She sat down carefully and placed her cane next to her desk before turning to Bolt to speak. “Thank you for the help. You’re Bolt then?”

He nodded. “Yeah, Bolt Dash...”

“It’s great to meet you. Guess I’ll be relying on you from now on if I have any trouble, is that alright?” She asked.

“Yeah, no problem...” Bolt replied.

The class went on uneventfully, but Bolt couldn’t help but be curious about the new girl. There was a certain aura about her that made him want to know more about her. When the bell rang dismissing them, he stood up and loomed over her desk before she left.

“Did you just move here?” He asked.

Staying seated, Thorn nodded. “Yeah. My mom moved back here for work.”

“What’s she do?”

“She’s a musician, she does recording and mixing at a studio.” Thorn grinned.

So far the girl seemed fairly upbeat for someone who was blind.

“So hopefully this isn’t rude, but were you born blind?” He questioned.

Instead of getting offended, she chuckled and covered her mouth before shaking her head. “No, I could see at one point, but my eyesight was lost over the years. I had a condition that caused it. So I know what it’s like to be able to see. My mom is actually mute too, so it’s like we have a special connection through our disabilities.”

“If she can’t talk and you can’t see how do you communicate?” He asked.

“Texting mostly. My phone will read to me what she says,” Thorn explained.

What an interesting girl. Bolt thought to himself.

“Well, I promised I’d look out for you, so if you need anything I’ll give you my number. Call me if you need help with something okay? I take my promises pretty seriously...” Bolt rubbed his neck.

The girl held out her wrist with her phone on it. Taking the hint, Bolt touched his own to hers’ and the numbers transferred. She smiled at him after the electronic exchange. “I feel like I can trust you, Bolt.”

“Why’s that?” Bolt blinked.

Holding out her hand, she opened and closed her fingers. “Could you please touch your hand to mine for a second?”

Shrugging, Bolt did as was requested and placed his hand in her hand. She closed her fingers around it and gave it a gentle squeeze. After only eight seconds her face lit up with a grin. “You can use magic, can’t you, Bolt?”

Pulling his hand away, Bolt’s eyes widened. How did she know? Was she just messing with him?

“What do you mean?” Bolt spoke, nervousness in his voice.

“I can sense it in you... You have magic, I’m pretty sure your affinity is lightning too...” Thorn spoke.

Looking around to see if anyone was listening, Bolt stepped closer and hushed his tone. “How do you know that?”

“I can sense magic in others. I knew I wasn’t the only one capable of it...” She grinned.

“You can do magic? How? Do you have a geode? Are you Equestrian?” He asked.

“Geode? Equestrian? What’s that?” She tilted her head.

So she doesn’t know. Bolt thought to himself.

“How did you learn about magic?” He asked.

The girl shrugged. “One day I had a dream that told me all about it and from that point out I learned how to use my abilities on my own. I learned that there are different affinities, but for a long time I thought I was the only one who could do it, but a part of me always knew that there were others like me... Maybe it’s not a coincidence that we met...”

Bolt didn’t believe in fate or destiny, but it was terribly convenient that the two of them met. He only debated on what to do for a brief moment before he realized that now that this girl knew of his abilities, it was only logical to introduce her to their group and bring her up to speed. He couldn’t just leave her alone now, since there were demons loose who would likely target her. With no eyesight, she was helpless to defend herself from them.

“There are others like us, Thorn... My friends. I’ll introduce you to them, but I should warn you... What we’re involved in is dangerous...” He explained.

The girl offered her hand again. “Take me to them! Danger doesn’t scare me.”

He had to admit: he admired her gusto. Taking her hand, he began to lead her to go meet with his friends, slowly explaining their situation along the way. Another ally was on their side.

After a good hour, the group brought Thorn up to speed on what they were doing and what was going on. They told her of the stone, the red kabuki, and the demons that were after them. She seemed to take it all relatively well and appeared to meet the information with a positive attitude. If anything, she seemed eager to help in any way she could.

“So that about explains it all, I suppose...” Jasper crossed his arms.

Candy looked the girl up and down and nodded as she made mental notes regarding her figure. “I’ll have a costume for her hopefully by tomorrow...”

“Sounds like these demons are pretty tough...” Thorn said.

Nova grinned as she hopped off of the couch in Horizon’s living room. “Yeah, but we’re tougher. We’ve got a wide array of talent in this group and with all of our magic being so diverse, we’ve got a huge advantage.”

“That reminds me... What affinity is your magic, Thorn?” Yuna questioned.

Thorn grinned and held out her hand. She focused her energy into her palm as she always had. Concentrating, she willed her power to manifest, and as always, it did. A black flame appeared in her hand, swirling around. The flame was ethereal and almost didn’t appear real. It was a ball of shadows fighting existence itself as it swirled in her palm.

“My affinity is dark magic.”

They all froze as they saw it.

“Like the demons?” Cloud covered his mouth in shock.

She shook her head. “No. Demons may be able to use dark magic, but my magic is not of demonic origin. It is said that dark magic is the rarest of all because to utilize it, one must be able to control darkness. Darkness often consumes its users...”

“So why can you use it then?” Bolt asked.

Thorn made the ball disappear before answering. “I have lived in the dark for so long now that I can not fear the darkness. Without vision, I can face darkness with a calm mind. That makes it easy to control for me.”

“This is actually awesome! A dark magic user! It’s like we’re adding irony to the fight!” Keylime exclaimed.

“I will admit... Being able to understand dark magic will give us a huge advantage against those demons for sure...” Horizon said.

“I could compile tons of useful data by studying her in action too...” Yuna added with her finger raised.

“Not to sound rude, but are you sure that y’all can... Handle this? I ain’t one to make others feel lesser, but with your... disability, are y’all sure you’re up to this?” Jasper asked.

None of them had considered that.

“This is going to be really dangerous...” Yuna warned.

Thorn smiled as she replied. “I want to understand my powers just as much as you all do, and now that you’ve told me about these demons and everything going on... I couldn’t bring myself to ignore all of it. I want to help in any way that I can. I may be blind, but I’m far from helpless. Give me a chance to prove myself and I’ll show you what I can do!”

“You have to admire her determination.” Candy nodded with pride.

Bolt looked into the girl’s muted red eyes and found himself smiling as he felt a sense of trust being forged between Thorn and his friends. Something about her made him see her almost as a sister.

“It’s settled then, welcome to our team, Thorn,” Horizon stated.

“Glad to be of service!” Thorn saluted.

Jade could tell that the red kabuki was growing impatient with her lack of progress. She had been biding her time to find the perfect moment to strike on Horizon and her friends, but the group never seemed to split apart for long enough for her to take her opportunity. When Horizon wasn’t with her friends, she was well within the walls of her estate, which would be challenging to enter without raising public alarm.

There wouldn’t be much of a point in killing Horizon if it alerted the entire police force to her, as then the red kabuki would have to silence Jade to ensure that the organization’s existence remained a secret. It wasn’t above their leader to kill their subordinates to protect the cause.

On top of that, Jade still didn’t have a clue where the black kabuki was or how she would kill him. While she had the aid of her plants, they didn’t seem to be able to get a read on him. He was an odd creature, if not solely for the fact that despite his impressive strength and ability, Jade could sense no magic in him. Was it possible that they had been played by a powerless opponent? His martial arts and skill with a bow couldn’t be denied, but what if he really was just an ordinary mortal with no magic at all?

She racked her brain trying to think of a way to get them there. Pacing her office, Jade recalled Rarity. She was the mother of two of their group members, and she had mentioned that her daughter was a huge fan. That presented an opportunity. Jade could invite Rarity’s daughter to see her private collection and tell her to bring her friends with her. That created a means for her to get to them.

It was almost perfect, no one would find her actions suspicious, then she could kill Horizon Shimmer, and let the red kabuki deal with others.

The only hitch in the plan was the black kabuki. While it was obvious he wanted the stone that Horzion had, there was no certainty he’d show up on command, even in Jade attempted to lure him out. No, he was too clever to fall for a novice trick after all. She needed another way.

To make matters worse, she was taking a huge risk just trying to lure Horizon and her friends out, as if she left her office, there was no doubt that the black kabuki would try and hunt her down. She only had safety where she was because no one would be stupid enough to kill her right in her own office. With cameras all over the building, the police would be alerted almost instantly, and that created problems for all of them.

It was unavoidable though, she would need to take the risk. She hated the idea, but the increasing impatience of the red kabuki took precedent. If she didn’t deliver results for their leader, she would end up like Summer Flare, or worse.

Getting on her phone, Jade cleared her throat as she called Rarity. The phone rang eight times before the woman picked up. “Hello? Ms. Silverneedle?”

“I told you, please call me Jade...” Jade responded with a faux nice tone.

“R-right... Jade... What can I do for you?” Rarity asked.

“I recall you mentioning that your daughter was a big fan of mine?” Jade spoke.

“Oh yes, she loves your work!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Well, how would she like to take a tour of my private collection? She can bring her friends along as well.” Jade began to pour a drink from a bottle of scotch in her liquor cabinet.

Rarity was stunned for a brief moment, taking a few extra seconds to respond. “T-that would be incredible! You’re serious?”

“Of course, consider it a token of gratitude for our new partnership. We’re in this endeavor together, after all, right?” Jade replied while trying to sound as earnest as possible.

Rarity apparently didn’t catch onto her poor acting as the woman seemed to remain fairly ecstatic at the offer. “Thank you so much! I’ll let her know right away!”

“How about this Saturday? I’m sure the kids have school, so I wouldn’t want to impose on their studies...” Jade said.

“Of course, I’ll let Candy know right away. Shall they meet you at your building?” Rarity asked.

“Of course, I’ll open the doors for them at 8,” Jade responded.

“Alright, and thank you again, darling.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Rarity...” Jade spoke quietly before hanging up her phone.

Now it was all in motion, all she needed to do was play her cards right and she could complete her task.

With his hands in his pockets, Bolt stood next to Keylime as the two walked back to her home. Bolt had insisted on taking her home and not allowing her to go alone under the guise of protecting her, but in actuality, he knew that the girl could protect herself. In truth, he just wanted a chance to be alone with her.

Sadly after getting his opportunity, Bolt had neglected to realize that he didn’t even know what to talk about with the odd girl. She was incredibly cute, but it was difficult to carry a conversation with her, due to how random she was at times; other times she was outright incomprehensible.

To his good fortune, she started the conversation for him. “Did you know that sharks will get sleepy if you push their nose?”

He blinked and turned to face her as the two walked. “Uh... No, I didn’t know that.”

“Useful if you’re ever in a one on one fight with a shark!” Keylime grinned.

Rubbing his neck, Bolt laughed. “I’ll remember that if such a situation ever arises.”

“It always pays to be prepared, that’s why I keep an emergency confetti launcher in my bedroom.” Keylime raised a finger as if she were stating the obvious, when in actuality, Bolt didn’t have the slightest clue what she was talking about. He feigned understanding, however.

“Right... So what do you think about that black kabuki that Horizon was talking about? Sounds like a pretty tough customer...” Bolt pulled a hand out of his pocket as he gestured at her.

Keylime looked up in thought with a finger on her chin before shrugging. “Dunno, maybe he’s like an alien from the future or something?”

“What do you base that on?” Bolt blinked.

Unsurprisingly, the girl shrugged again. “Nothing, it’d be pretty cool though. It would certainly increase the level of plot twists in this mystery.”

“That it would, but let’s hope that isn’t the case...” Bolt laughed.

Keylime frowned at his statement but begrudgingly, she nodded back at him. The two arrived at her house moments later and the two turned to face each other, Bolt just standing there silently while Keylime stared at him with an expectant face.

He was confused by her expression and after eight painful seconds of silence, Keylime huffed and crossed her arms. “You’re not going to say that you’ll see me later?”

“Yeah, sorry, I was trying to think of a cool way to say goodbye...” He rubbed his neck and averted his eyes while a small blush came to his cheeks.

Keylime tapped his nose teasingly before stepping backward with a smirk on her face. “Well, I expect to hear it next time.”

“Sure thing.” Bolt grinned back at her before shooting her a thumbs up.

Keylime turned around and headed inside her home while Bolt watched her leave. He was still surprised at how attractive she was.

Cinder stood with only one of her blades in hand as she watched her young student prepare to strike with her backhanded short sword. No matter how many times she saw it, she still found it interesting to see not only a left-handed sword wielder but one who also felt more comfortable using her blade as a backhanded weapon.

The technique would be unpredictable to foes, but far more challenging to master. With a short sword though, it was possible. The primary focus though had to be perfecting how she struck. With backhanded weapons, her range was short, but she could catch enemies off guard.

Tapping her katana on the ground lightly, Cinder signaled the start of their spar. Candy carefully took eight steps to the right before bending her knees to take two quick steps forward and swipe with her sword, only to be blocked and deflected by Cinder’s mighty katana.

Not deterred, Candy took a few more swings, all blocked or deflected by Cinder. After about the eighth strike, Candy swiped at the woman’s feet only for Cinder to crouch down and grab Candy’s sword with her metal arm.

Candy struggled to free her sword from Cinder’s grip only for the older woman to point her katana at Candy’s face, coming dangerously close to the young girl’s nose. Candy gulped as she looked down the blade and then ultimately looked directly at her mentor’s eyes.

“And you’re dead.” Cinder removed her grip from Candy’s sword before lowering her own.

“I’ve been doing this same lesson all week!” Candy sighed.

Cinder shook her head. “And while you’ve made great progress, you must master your basics if you hope to advance.”

“Master, with all due respect, there are apparently a significant amount of demons likely heading our way... The red kabuki-“ Candy got cut off by her mentor.

“You’re not ready for. If the red kabuki comes your way, you should avoid a confrontation or pray that I am nearby... Candy, you are strong, but you must hone your skills. One day you will be ready, but the path to being a swordmaster requires patience and diligence...” Cinder spoke with a powerful voice, one that clearly came from years of experience. Her words sounded recited, which gave Candy the impression that she had been told the same thing in her own youth.

“I’m glad to hear that, perhaps you have enough patience for a challenging student...” Bolt’s voice called from behind Cinder.

The reptilian woman turned and narrowed her eyes as she gazed upon the teen who stood with a petite gothic looking girl. “It’s rude to interrupt a master’s training sessions you know...”

“Forgive me, but I was hoping you could take on another student...” Bolt grinned.

“I do not take on just any student.” Cinder crossed her arms. Bolt got a good look at her impressive bicep along with her mechanical arm.

“This one is a challenge, but I don’t think anyone else would have the skills to train her. She wants to join us, but she will need help if she wants to be able to be kept safe...” Bolt placed a hand upon the small girl’s shoulder and pushed her forward.

Thorn stood there silently as Cinder eyed her up and down. Coming closer, Cinder inspected the girl from all sides as she nodded. Crouching to close the gap between their impressive height, Cinder met her eyes with her own and noticed that Thorn’s eyes didn’t move at all.

The young teen’s eyes were glassy and cloudy, but it was obvious that they were a muted red. Cinder understood her situation instantly. “You’re blind, correct?”

Thorn nodded. “Yes, I have been for a long time.”

“It will definitely be difficult to train a student who can not see... But it’s not impossible. You will need to rely on your other senses to fight... Tell me, can you do magic?” Cinder came to a stand.

“Yes, I can do dark magic. With it, I can see things in the shadows. If something stands in the shadows, I can sense it with my magic...” Thorn explained.

Cinder laughed. “So at night, you’re far more formidable... Well, with this and your hearing you might be able to master a weapon.”

“So you’ll teach her?” Bolt asked.

Cinder nodded. “She will train with Candy and I shall also do private lessons with the girl. Tell me, child, what is your name?”

“Thorn Scratch,” Thorn stated.

“Very well, I am Cinder Razorclaw, but you may refer to me as Cinder if you wish.” Cinder bowed.

Thorn gave her a smile and nodded. “Very well. Shall we begin training right away then, Cinder?”

“That would be most wise.”

Releasing her hand from a plant in her office, Jade blinked a few times before she sat down in her office chair. The plants had shown her all she needed to know. Thorn was a new recruit in Horizon’s group and was now being trained by a woman named Cinder Razorclaw.

Horizon’s group had no idea that Jade could watch them all virtually anywhere they went. It was the plants that helped her. They did her bidding and as a result, she could see anything near them. They were a diverse network across the entire city where Jade could spy through each and every plant. In this sense, she could call upon them to view her enemies at any time.

Still, there were limits to her power, such as her range was limited to just outside the city limits unless she moved. This meant that she could only keep an eye on things that were at a reasonable distance from herself. Furthermore, she needed to touch a plant to access the network of plants around her.

Her opponents had no idea how much she knew though, and that gave her a keen advantage over them. Still, she couldn’t underestimate them. Tomorrow when they came to her office she could size them up and execute them. From there she only needed to take the stone from Horizon Shimmer and it would lure out the black kabuki.

While Jade wasn’t confident she could defeat him on her own, she knew if she called upon the red kabuki, they would come to her aid if only to get the chance to take the black kabuki down.

That would leave only the white kabuki, which Jade had gathered wasn’t nearly as formidable as their black ally. Once they were all taken care of though, Jade could prove her loyalty to the cause and perhaps be let in on more secrets of their organization.

It was wishful thinking, but at that moment it was either perform or die. Eight Ball made it clear that failing this task wasn’t an option and he came off as a man of his word. He likely wanted her to fail simply because he would never accept a human among their ranks.

Sitting down at her desk, Jade began to smoke a cigarette. After about eight puffs she pulled out some stationary from the inside of her desk and began to write a letter.

To whom it may concern,

My name is Jade Silverneedle. I came here to America from China many years ago. My life was challenging at first, and I struggled to make a living here for some time. When I was still a young adult though, I encountered a strange person who called themselves the red kabuki. I don’t exactly know who they are or what they are after, but they offered to let me join their organization.
There was a trade-off to joining though, I was required to become a demon and then prove my loyalty.

I don’t know much about these demons, but I do know that all demons manifest their powers differently. There’s a good couple dozen of them that I know of. They pulled most of their kind from another world called “Equestria”. I don’t know the full scope of how they got here, but it seems like they can’t get back.

Their end goal isn’t clear, but I think it has to do with Equestria. Their interest in our world seems minimal at best.

I’m writing this letter in the event that I fail at my mission. If someone is able to kill me, then I suppose they earned the right to know what I know. Strength paves the way to the future, and I am inclined to submit to that strength. If you’re reading this, then you’ve won and maybe you will determine how this all plays out.

Jade took the letter and folded it up, sealing it into an envelope. She took the letter and placed it in the top drawer of her desk.

She had a strong feeling that she might not succeed in taking down Horizon, so it was safe to have a backup plan.

Perhaps the organization was wise to distrust her, as her loyalty wasn’t too deep. If she were to die, then she didn’t care what happened to them all after. Once she was no longer a part of it, she couldn’t care less.

Still, she had tried her best to make a name for herself under the red kabuki, and if it wasn’t enough then she accepted her fate. She had survived so long, and now she would see if she had what it took to truly be accepted as a member of the organization. Could a human really rise to be a formidable demon? Or was her spirit just not strong enough?

She didn’t know, but she knew that tomorrow would determine it all.

Eight Ball sat atop of a table in the warehouse where he was stationed as he commanded his subordinates around. One after another, he sent them on tasks until a distorted voice caught his attention. “How’re things going with Jade, Eight Ball?”

He turned and sure enough, the red kabuki stood there behind him. He eyed them up and down and grinned as he saw his master. “She’s saying that she intends to lure Horizon and her friends tomorrow to her facility where she’s going to kill them. With any luck, the black kabuki will show up with his white friend.”

The red kabuki nodded. “I see, Jade is no match for all of them, I should go attend this matter personally...”

He blinked in astonishment. “You? Do you really want to waste your time with such small fries? Why not send someone else?”

“If you want something done right, sometimes you must do it yourself... Besides, I grow bored waiting for things to happen. Maybe it’s time these children got a taste of what they were up against...” The red kabuki reached under their cloak and retrieved a hilt made of a jagged black crystal with bones infused into it. It was something straight out of hell.

Attached to the black demonic hilt a long set of bones materialized forming what looked like some kind of spine that split into three at the tip. The entire thing was set ablaze after it came into existence and the red kabuki flicked it to their side showing off the impressive weapon. Eight Ball had only witnessed the weapon once before, but he knew its name well: Hell’s Lash. A powerful whip wielded only by the kind of demon that stood at the top.

The red kabuki was a demon among demons and Horizon and her friends had no idea what they were getting into.

Eight grinned with excitement as he nodded. “I suppose it’ll be a real treat seeing you dispose of them... What about Jade though?”

“If she succeeds in her task, it won’t make a difference. Kill her after the stone is in our possession. I don’t care how.” The red kabuki stated.

“So it’s true then... We never did have any real intentions of allowing her to join us?” Eight questioned.

“A human has no place in our ranks. She was a pawn from the start, if she was too foolish to know that, then she deserves her fate. This organization is for true demons only, a human can never stand among us as an equal,” the red kabuki explained.

It was an explanation that Eight had already expected and hoped for. Just like his master, he too despised the idea of a human tainting their group, but he had suspicions for some time that she was merely a tool to be used.

“All the loose ends will be tied up soon then...” Eight grinned.

“Once we kill these kids and the black kabuki, we can focus on finishing what we came to this pathetic world to do... Once it’s completed, we can finally have what’s rightfully ours’...” The red kabuki thought out loud.

Eight was filled with excitement. Everything was going so perfectly according to plan. Once they finished killing off their opposition, they could casually walk to their goal with nothing in their way.

Tomorrow would be the day they claimed victory. Tomorrow would be the day that their enemies met their doom.

Author's Note

And at last, the final member of the kid's team is introduced! Thorn was the last planned member of their team, and she is obviously unique in a few ways.

For starters, she is blind as you can see (no pun intended), and her affinity is dark magic.

Sorry for the long break everyone!

Next chapter actually is the end of "Part 1" of Act VII!

Act VII Part I - Chapter CXIII: Ugliness

Chapter CXIII: Ugliness

The red kabuki sat patiently with their ever faithful subordinate Eight Ball, who took care of their light work such as bossing around the underlings and keeping their mission intact on a smaller scale. There were certain tasks that a leader shouldn’t bother themselves with, and that was where the red kabuki's agents came into play. Every agent was given a specific directive, and Eight’s was to keep things in check in his area. Every agent knew what the consequences were if they were half-assed with their directive or if they failed at them. The red kabuki was pretty quick to kill any who chose not to follow anymore, and failure was the same as abandoning the mission. Tolerance was not a trait that they possessed, and all who worked under them were aware of that.

It was imperative to their mission that they keep a close watch on the area where he oversaw. They would need every advantage they could get if the black kabuki stood in their way. He was a devious one, and quite resourceful. For years he evaded them all, and that only frustrated the red kabuki more. He was standing in the way of their plans and constantly wasting their subordinates’ time.

Eight tossed a knife into the air, catching it easily as it came back down, and then glanced over at his master with his usual sinister grin. “So, the black kabuki might show his ugly head when Jade executes her plan, you think?”

The red kabuki was at least 80% certain he would, but up to that point he did prove unpredictable, so they accepted the possibility that he could do something else altogether. “I would say the possibility is very likely at the very least. He is a trouble maker for us, after all. The piece of shit is dedicated to being a thorn in our side.”

“That whip of yours should make light work of him, I mean a weapon from hell... That’s gotta be insanely strong... Bet one swipe of that could split the bastard right in half; hell, I’d pay good money just to see that happen. Watching his guts fly out of him as his body splits down the middle...” Eight commented as he tossed the knife into the air once more, he was almost drooling at the thought. Many would regard him as a twisted individual and they would be correct.

The red kabuki knew that Hell’s Lash was beyond powerful and that no mere mortal could stand before it, but it was evident that the black kabuki was no mere mortal. His abilities were impressive and it was clear that he was more than prepared for even a demon to stand in his way. Would the mighty whip of hell itself even be enough to take him down? Was it possible that he could withstand it? It seemed likely.

“It will take more than a weapon of hell to kill him, but he will be undone one way or another...” The red kabuki explained.

Eight raised a brow in surprise. “It’s not like you to be so cautious. What gives? Is this guy that good? You know something that I don't?”

The red kabuki recalled all the footage they had observed of the black kabuki. He was fast and incredibly deadly. There was little doubt that he was a seasoned warrior, and thus he couldn’t be taken lightly. Was his origin human or Equestrian, though? They had their suspicions, but they couldn’t confirm anything.

“It doesn’t matter how good he is, he’ll fall like the rest... In the long run, he’s just an insect that will get swatted. He’s been a pain in my ass for far too long,” the red kabuki said.

Hopping down from his seat atop of a table, Eight grinned as he heard those words. “Want me to come along to spice things up? I’d love to see you rip him apart. I'm getting bored sitting around here... Give me a few people to play with after, you know?” His voice emphasized the word "play".

The red kabuki shook their head. “There are still matters that require your attention. I want you to remain here and continue to oversee the operation. The stone must make it into our possession safely and then we must combine it with the others.”

“How many more are left?” Eight questioned.

“Eight by the look of it, but counting the one that Horizon Shimmer has, we already know where the other seven are, it’s just a matter of getting our hands on them before the black kabuki does,” the red kabuki answered.

“How soon do you think we can get them?” Eight asked.

The red kabuki faced him and the poor lighting of the abandoned warehouse reflected off of their elegant mask as they spoke. “Maybe three weeks at most. It should give us plenty of time before we miss our window.”

“Everything comes together then?” Eight grinned.

“Very much so.”

Stepping closer, the red kabuki could see the eagerness in her underling’s eyes. Eight was a fairly unstable character, and that much was evident from the day he was recruited. To him, nothing mattered except for playing games with people. His only passion was to gamble with people’s lives. A creature like him was shunned by society but welcomed into their organization with open arms.

The red kabuki couldn’t deny he was a valuable asset to their plans.

“Tell me... How did you manage to kill the previous candidate for the demon throne? I’m itching to know...” Eight asked.

Glancing at him, the red kabuki shook their head. “You’re not ready to hear a story like that. However, I can say that it was certainly a blast from the past.”

“Must have been one hell of a fight...” Eight said.

The red kabuki shrugged. “It was over far too quickly in my opinion, but then again it’s not as fun when they don’t beg for mercy... I prefer it when they grovel a little...”

“Ruthless as always...”

The red kabuki turned to the door and headed in that direction. “Of course, now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go get ready for when Jade lures Horizon and her friends into her grasp. There’s no telling how she’ll fuck this up, so I better be on standby.”

“Humans are unreliable after all...” Eight pointed out.

“I’m well aware. Still, she has been a somewhat useful pawn. If she actually survives this encounter I may consider keeping her alive a bit longer if not just for my own amusement. Though that all depends on if she begs for her life or accepts death so easily... Nothing is less satisfying than prey who shows no fear before the killing blow...” The red kabuki explained.

Eight could relate to that sentiment. It was indeed always better when their eyes were filled with despair right before their final moments.

“Keep an eye on things, Eight, and don’t fail me... You know how I feel about failure...” The red kabuki said before finally leaving.

Eight shook his head and smirked as he answered. “I wouldn’t even dream of such a thing.”

“You’re serious? The Jade Silverneedle? Like this is the real deal?” Cloud blinked as he held his hand close to his face with an astonished look upon his face. Just like Candy, he was a fan of her work, but not as big a fan as she was obviously. Her way of accenting her clothing with her unique flare set her apart from others. Her designs were the kind that couldn’t be imitated.

Candy nodded with an equal amount of excitement as she shared the news. “Mother said she secured a tour for us where we can meet her ourselves, she’s going to let us see her private collection.”

“Pretty impressive, that Jade Silverneedle is a hottie from what I’ve seen of her on the internet... Almost as hot as Jasper’s mom.” Bolt smirked.

Jasper narrowed his eyes and then raised a brow. “Beg your pardon?”

“I’m just saying that Rarity is hot, dude. I’d tap your mom in a heartbeat no doubt.” Bolt chuckled.

Closing the distance between them, Jasper jabbed Bolt in the gut knocking the wind out of him. He gasped and knelt down gripping his stomach. He had never seen Jasper actually retaliate to any of his teasings, but now he at least knew that jokes about his mother were where even the calm and collected Jasper drew the line. Nova simply sat in the corner giggling as she sized up Jasper’s impressive bicep, nodding with approval.

Thorn frowned at the invitation. “I’m afraid I can’t make it. I have a training session with Cinder tomorrow, not to mention I doubt there’ll be much benefit in me going since I can’t exactly appreciate fashion like you guys can.”

Keylime was about to comment asking why before Yuna covered her mouth and shook her head.

“That’s fine, I doubt we’ll be attacked by demons around someone so important anyway. By the look of it, these demons are trying to keep a relatively low profile, so they wouldn’t dare get seen by such a well-known fashion designer...” Yuna commented.

Horizon nodded in agreement. “That is quite a logical conclusion, I suppose.”

“We could use a break from fighting demons anyway.” Candy smirked.

When everyone agreed, the group began to wander the big open barn that they had chosen to meet in. Jasper’s family often used it for gatherings, and so they agreed it was a perfect secondary meeting place outside of Horizon’s estate.

He wandered to the corner where Nova stood leaned against the wall and noticed she grinned when he approached. The teen removed his hat and nodded politely at her as he spoke. “So, do y’all have a ride to this thing tomorrow?”

Nova fluttered her eyes, causing Jasper to pay close attention to them. Their gentle almond shape made them cute but alluring at the same time. “Are you offering to pick me up, Jasper Apple?”

“If that’d be alright...” He blushed.

Standing up straight she stepped forward and came inches away from him. Her hand at her side reached forward and her slender fingertips landed carefully on his thigh as he stood in front of her. He flinched at first but did nothing to stop her as her fingers trailed up and touched his groin.

His eyes widened as he found himself frozen from shock, but Nova could already feel something getting harder. She laughed lightly before speaking in an almost whisper. “I guess that tells me you really wanted to pick me up then... I’ll wait for you at the cafe on Eighth street, okay?”

“Y-yes ma’am...” He nodded.

Removing her hand, she winked as she walked away and waved.

Jasper gasped for breath after she went to go and mingle with the others as he spoke to himself. “That’s a dangerous woman...”

Sure enough, the next day, Jasper found Nova waiting for him exactly where she had planned to meet him. As he pulled his truck up to meet her, he gulped and tried to maintain his composure before rolling down the window and shooting the girl a smile.

Seeing her standing there, he couldn’t help but stare at her mini skirt and midriff top. She smiled back at him and came around the other side of the truck to let herself in. With a simple hop, she was in the seat next to him grinning at him once more. When the door shut she leaned in and spoke. “So, here we are...”

“Yeah... Here we are...” Jasper gulped.

“So are we heading right there, or are you planning on taking me somewhere to do something naughty with me?” Nova asked with an almost innocent tone.

Jasper found himself flustered and stuttering. “O-of course n-not!”

She feigned disappointment. “Really? That’s too bad. I even wore these special panties...”

“W-wha!?” Jasper shook his head.

She giggled as she flicked his nose. “I was only kidding. Come on, we don’t want to make the others wait, right?”

“R-right...” Jasper nodded before starting the engine back up.

Once the vehicle was in motion, he glanced over at the attractive girl next to him and decided it would be better if he tried to engage in conversation to distract himself from how flustered he had become because of her.

“Strange that this Silverneedle lady keeps her private selection so far away from her main office...” Jasper commented.

Nova shrugged. “I don’t know much about fashionistas, but I’d say it’s probably a security measure to make sure no one steals her ideas. The rich are always paranoid about people hijacking their intellectual property after all...”

“I ‘spose that’s true. Do you know many rich folk?” Jasper asked.

She shook her head before flipping down the mirror on her side to check her eyeliner. “Nope, when other kids were learning the names of different boy band members, I was learning how to make bullets that can harm energy specters and how to hide switchblades on my person to get them past any security check.”

“So you really haven’t had a normal childhood then, huh?” Jasper asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

“Can’t say I have.” She shrugged.

Those words made him a little sad to hear. “Do you ever feel resentment toward your parents and Angel?”

“What do you mean?” She turned to him with a confused face.

“They more or less stole your childhood from you, forced you to enlist in... err... The family business...” He made sure to be careful how he worded it so as to not offend her.

She shook her head. “Not at all, I’m glad they did. Sure I may not have a normal life, but I still got to make friends with all of you guys, so it’s not like I’m missing out on too much. On top of that, my family and I are really close thanks to all the time we spent together, so I’m thankful for that. Many people only wish for the closeness I have with my family.”

Jasper hadn't considered that. While her family was far from conventional, it was evident that they were just as, if not closer than his own. Nova acted like her mother was her best friend and the two seemed to get along flawlessly.

“I guess that makes sense...” Jasper nodded.

“It’ll all be over soon though.” Nova had a quiet tone.

“What do you mean?” Jasper glanced over at her.

Nova placed her hands in her lap as she looked down at them, remembering all the supernatural beings that her hands had aided in ending. It was a thrilling and exciting life, one that she had grown accustomed to.

“Well, once we solve the mystery behind our powers which I’m assuming is connected to what you guys are doing... We’ll have no reason to keep going all over anymore. We’ll have accomplished what my mom and Angel set out to do, so we’ll probably settle down here and live a normal life after that...” Nova explained.

“That’s a good thing, though,” Jasper noted the sadness in her tone when she explained herself.

“I guess...”

“But?” Jasper asked.

“But, I guess living a regular life is scary to me... What we’ve been doing is all I know, so a part of me doesn’t want to stop...” Nova said.

Jasper shook his head. “Everyone has to settle down eventually. A life full of danger is bound to be a short one. Eventually, you get outmatched and that’s the end of it. It’s better to get out of that kind of thing while you’re still young.”

“The idea of a normal life sounds boring though... I don’t even know how I’d fit in among regular society either...” She frowned.

“One day at a time and life ain’t boring... It’s just the start of a new kind of adventure, that’s what my ma says.” Jasper smiled at her from the corner of his mouth.

Nova felt herself smiling back at him. His kind words soothed her.

“Thank you, that actually helps. At least I have you guys around to help me adjust when that happens, right?” Nova asked.

He gave her a thumbs up. “Darn tootin’. We’ll be there to help you whenever you need it, after all, that’s what friends are for. You’ll fit in easily in good time, after all, you have us to guide you.”

Before she could respond, Jasper pointed to the other gathering of cars in a small parking lot. “We’re here looks like.”

As Horizon Shimmer watched Jasper pull up and park his truck, she noted that he had Nova with him. She looked over at Yuna in her own passenger seat and shrugged. It hadn’t been explicitly discussed who was driving who, but once Jasper parked, she saw Bolt step out of his car with his brother, Keylime, and Candy in the back seat.

Jasper followed suit and stepped out of his vehicle and walked around to one side to assist Nova out. When Yuna saw this, she blushed hoping that Horizon would do the same for her, but no such luck. Instead, the girl merely got out of her own car and stood waiting for the others. With a sigh, Yuna stepped out and closed the door behind her.

Once their entire group was assembled, Bolt spoke up first. “So, how far out is this place from here?”

“It’s about an eighth of a mile from here,” Horizon spoke.

“Why can’t we bring our cars then?” Bolt asked.

“Ms. Silverneedle said she didn’t want too many cars parked in front of the place so it doesn’t attract unwanted attention. She specifically instructed us all to park here and walk the rest of the way because of that...” Candy explained as she rolled her eyes.

Bolt placed his hands behind his head and yawned. “Whatever, not like I’m that interested in seeing clothes anyway. I’m just coming along because that Jade girl is a sexy beast; I wanna see if she’s as hot in person.”

“Probably more so.” Keylime winked.

“Well let’s not stand around here then; let’s go find out.” Bolt chuckled.

A good time later, the group found themselves in front of a medium-sized building with its own parking lot. Above them was a huge road bridge, the entire scene didn’t exactly strike any of them as the kind of place where a high-class fashion designer would keep her private collection.

Nova crossed her arms and scoffed. “This doesn’t seem like the kind of place a fashionista would keep her things...”

As expected, Candy came to her defense first. “That’s to keep people from bothering her. I mean would you hide your best stuff in a place where everyone would think to look? It makes perfect sense to hide it somewhere out of the way that no one would suspect.”

Nova frowned. “I suppose that makes sense...”

Horizon blinked as she felt a vibration in the ground as the others carried out their frivolous argument. “Huh?”

“What’s wrong, Horizon?” Yuna questioned as she took the girl’s arm in her hand.

Horizon froze and stared at the pavement. “Something... Isn’t right...”

As if her words had been the key, the ground under them shook and asphalt began to crack. The group tried to scramble but before they knew it, extremely large vines came out of the ground right through the pavement and created an enclosed circle around them. The vines grew to impressive heights that exceeded eight feet. They weaved together to create virtually no gaps between them as if they had a mind of their own.

Candy quickly reached into her bag and retrieved her short sword and swung at one of the vines only for the blade to bounce off and a black aura surrounded the vines. “Demon energy!” Candy exclaimed.

“Then that means...” Bolt paused as the group looked toward the building.

“No... It’s not possible...” Candy shook her head.

From the entrance to the building emerged a young elegant looking woman. Long black hair swayed as she walked on high heels that only added an inch or so to her short height. Her body was adorned with a gorgeous deep blue floral print dress that hugged her attractive form.

With a fan in hand, she moved it to the side and unblocked her face. Porcelain white skin was contrasted with vibrant red lipstick and expertly done mascara. Her eyes fluttered a few times from behind the fan.

“You’re Jade Silverneedle...” Candy spoke quietly.

Closing the fan and tossing it aside, she nodded. “Yes, I am indeed Jade Silverneedle...”

“Y-you’re a demon?” Candy shook her head in disbelief.

She looked away carefully and touched her hair, running her hand through it. “We all are to an extent, but yes I am a demon.”

“How!? And why?” Candy stepped forward.

Jade kept a neutral expression as she explained herself. “You’re looking at the only human within the organization’s ranks. I stand alone as the only human to be permitted to join.”

“So you’re not Equestrian like the rest of them then?” Jasper asked.

She nodded. “Correct. I had to prove myself twice as hard to earn a place in this organization, but I am a demon like the rest of them now.”

“Why though? I don’t get it! You have everything! People respect you!” Candy asked.

Jade grinned at those words. “It’s what I have been ordered to do. Horizon Shimmer and her friends must die, then I am to return the stone in her possession to my master. It’s nothing personal.”

“And who is your master?” Nova questioned.

“That would be me...” Another voice spoke.

Standing atop of the building was a figure in a dark tattered cloak with a red kabuki mask covering their face. They were short in stature probably only five feet even.

Jumping down they stood at the entrance to the building that Jade had exited and leaned against the wall. “Make light work of them, Jade. Show me that it wasn’t a waste of my time to grant you power...”

Glancing over at the red kabuki Jade looked back at the teenagers who now had taken battle stances and retrieved weapons from their bags before setting them aside.

“Very well...” Jade sighed before tapping her foot on the ground.

A large vine burst through the asphalt and carried a short sword on it. Jade took the ornate sword carefully in her left hand and pet the vine with her right before it sunk back into the earth.

“That’s not creepy at all...” Bolt commented.

Donning the sword, Jade flicked it and commanded more vines out of the ground striking at the children.

Most of them jumped out of the way, except for Cloud who got caught by one that wrapped itself tightly around him. He struggled to break free but found himself unable to move.

“It’s no use trying to escape my plants, they are fueled by demonic energy...” Jade explained, “The more you struggle, the harder they will fight back.”

Cloud grew still as Bolt rushed over to try and help him, pulling at the plant to no avail. “I’ll get you out, bro!”

Jasper growled as he clenched his fists. “So, plants are your thing then?”

She nodded. “That’s right, Jasper...”

“How do you know my name?” Jasper grunted.

“I know a lot about all of you... My plants can see where I can not. I can see through every plant within an eighty-mile radius if I choose to. I can follow you all everywhere, and so I know much about you...” Jade explained.

Candy blinked. “That’s how you got so successful...”

Jade smirked at the accusation. “That’s correct. With my plants able to spy across the city, I could peer into every private conversation and snoop on my competitors. With enough knowledge, I could make designs that I knew everyone would love...”

“That’s borderline genius...” Nova chuckled.

“Yes, but now I’m going to have to kill you all.” Jade sliced with her sword once more and vines whipped at the children.

Horizon and her friends swiftly moved out of the way, and Horizon focused energy into her claws. When they lit up, she sliced at a vine, cutting it in half with her light energy. As suspected, her light magic could cut through dark magic with ease.

Another few vines came up and Horizon sliced each away in succession, keeping them from hitting Yuna who was crouched and covering her head to avoid being attacked.

Horizon stood on guard around the girl while Nova and Jasper went into action. Jasper closed the distance between himself and Jade, swinging at her with his mighty punches, breaking through a vine that burst out of the ground attempting to defend its master.

Jade was agile and able to dodge each of his swings with grace and elegance. Nova just sighed and retrieved a gun from inside of her boot and pointed it at Jade. “You brought a gun!?” Jasper asked while still swinging at her.

“I never leave home without one, now try not to get in the way...” She grinned before letting off eight rounds.

Each bullet managed to get deflected with Jade’s quick sword. “No fucking way...” Nova gasped.

A vine burst up and attempted to grab Nova, but she reacted quickly and focused her magic on it. Manipulating the space around it, she was able to increase the gravity and pressure around the vine and within seconds it crumpled up to the size of a pea before falling to the ground.

Jade stepped back and made another vine come out of the ground and push Jasper back. The boy went flying and crashed into the wall of vines that surrounded all of them.

“She’s tough...” Jasper groaned before bringing himself back to a proper stand.

Candy held her sword tightly behind herself as she concentrated. Jade took a stance with her sword at her side and gestured with her right hand. “Come then, child... Let us see who is more skilled... No magic, just blades.”

Candy narrowed her eyes as she stepped forward. The two circled each other for a few seconds before Jade made the first strike. Candy quickly blocked it and took a swipe at her foe.

Jade was able to dodge and block attack after attack and the two continued like that for several minutes with neither of them landing a hit. After a mighty strike, Jade and Candy both stepped backward with their swords ready to clash once more. “You’re not bad, kid...” Jade commented.

“I am being trained by a sword master, unlike anything you could imagine...” Candy spoke.

“Youth... So ignorant...” Jade shook her head before lunging forward.

Candy narrowly moved out of the way and retaliated with her own sword. The two long pieces of steel scraped against each other before Candy jumped back and kept her guard up.

“I don’t get you... I always looked up to you, I wanted to be like you... Why would you become a demon? Why would you help the red kabuki?” Candy asked.

“A child like you wouldn’t understand my reasoning...” Jade growled before attacking again.

Quickly, Candy saw her opening and twirled her sword in her hand, and lunged it forward. Before she knew it, the sharp blade pierced flesh and went through Jade’s gut, and came out the other side.

The two froze in place as Candy held the sword firmly in place. Jade dropped her own sword and reached down to the blade and touched it carefully as she felt black blood ooze out of her body. Looking down at the wound she found herself laughing between coughs. “Heh... Black blood... I guess... I really am a demon then...”

“You didn’t have to be though...” Candy nearly whispered.

Jade shivered as she felt a cold chill take over her body. “You know so little, child...”

“Why though? Help me understand...” Candy spoke.

Coughing, Jade hacked up some black blood that dripped down her lip. “Am I any worse than the rest of the world? The world is an ugly place, I... merely tried to use beauty to hide how ugly it was... But I suppose the world was just too ugly to mask...”

“The beauty you created was real... The way it made people feel was real...” Candy said.

Jade smiled. “Thank you... That’s comforting to know... At least I get to go hearing such kind words... Knowing that I made a difference even to someone... That’s enough for me, I suppose...”

“It didn’t have to end this way...” Candy shook her head.

Jade closed her eyes. “Just finish it... Please...”

Nodding, Candy pulled the sword out of the woman and pushed her back. Jade fell backward and landed on the ground as a pool of black blood grew from under her. Within seconds her body turned into the same black mist that they had all come to recognize and just like her, her plants all vanished the same way, freeing Cloud and the others.

Candy sighed as she looked where her idol had once laid. “You were lead astray...”

The red kabuki moved from the wall and laughed as they clapped their hands together. “Quite a show... I must say that I am indeed impressed. You’ve all shown a great deal of promise by killing my lackey... That means it’ll be exceptionally fun killing all of you. Still, I should thank you all for getting rid of that pest.”

The group readied themselves for another fight as the red kabuki stood proud. “She worked for you! Have you no sympathy!?” Jasper asked.

“Her? A human? Don’t make me laugh, my order has no room for humans... She was just a mere pawn... A sacrifice on the path to greatness... It is always fitting that the queen has many soldiers willing to lay down their lives to appease her wouldn’t you think?” The red kabuki said.

“I guess you wouldn’t be in charge of all these demons unless you were a total cold-hearted bastard...” Bolt hissed.

“All mortals will eventually die... What difference does it make if I kill them now or wait for them to destroy each other? Nothing changes, it’s all the same shit anyway.” The red kabuki asked.

“Who are you? Show us your face!” Nova demanded.

Shrugging the red kabuki nodded. “I do grow tired of this cloak and dagger bullshit...”

Obliging with their request the figured removed their hood and tossed their cloak aside revealing a slim figure with average-sized breasts. Long legs were covered by knee-high lacy socks and black combat boots. The rest of her form was sporting a black and white Lolita style dress. The girl was exceptionally petite, which went well with her short stature.

When the hood came off, long golden hair with red tips cascaded down her form going down to her waist. It was wavy and luscious, the kind of hair that many girls would die to have.

With a quick motion, she removed the red mask and tossed it to the ground revealing her face. It was youthful and beautiful. Her skin was pale and flawless along with ruby red small lips and a tiny nose.

Her one eye shined a bright red but the other eye was covered by a thick black leather eye patch. She smiled as she cracked her knuckles and extended a hand outward revealing red painted nails.

“It’s been far too long since I’ve taken that mask off, but I had to keep myself secret from some of my... lesser subordinates...” She spoke.

“You’re a girl?” Bolt blinked.

She nodded. “Indeed, I am.”

“Who are you though?” Yuna questioned from behind Horizon.

Glancing over at the girl with her one eye, she spoke. “My name is Serenade Dazzle. I am the future demon lord.”

“I thought Serenade Dazzle got defeated and someone else became the next potential demon lord...” Horizon asked.

“And I defeated them... So I reclaimed my previous position. He was nothing I couldn’t handle...” Serenade smirked.

“And you’re related to Adagio Dazzle then?” Horizon pointed out.

“Clever... She’s my sister, a powerful siren just like myself. Now, enough idle chit-chat... Surrender the stone in your possession to me and I promise I’ll kill you somewhat faster than I had originally planned...” Serenade threatened.

“Forget it, bitch tits. You aren’t getting shit from us!” Bolt chimed in.

“You can have it over our dead bodies!” Jasper added.

Serenade glanced at him and grinned with devious delight. Her grin was the kind of thing that nightmares were made out of. Her face was able to contort to perhaps the most evil-looking expression that any of them had ever laid eyes upon. “Very well... That can be arranged...”

Flicking her wrist, black tendrils came out of her sleeve and wrapped around Jasper, lifting him into the air. With another quick motion, she pulled him toward her and the tendrils began to constrict him. He groaned in pain as he struggled to get free to no avail.

“Let him go!” Candy demanded.

“Give me the stone and I’ll drop him,” Serenade said plainly.

Reaching into her pocket, Horizon retrieved the box that held the stone and took it out from its enclosure. She held it in her palm as she looked at Serenade. “Let him go,” she ordered.

“That stone you hold, you have no idea of its true power...” Serenade lectured.

“Why do you want it? It seems to lack any power at all,” Horizon asked.

“You humans just think so simplistically. The stone’s power is merely inactive. When combined with the other pieces it’ll forge another siren’s amulet... My sister’s broken amulet...” Serenade explained.

“This shard is part of Adagio’s amulet?” Horizon looked down at it.

“Yes, and I hold most of the other pieces inside of me...” Serenade hissed.

Horizon focused on the stone and her words. She closed her hand around it and looked back up at her. “Let him go or I’ll shatter it to dust.”

“Do that and I’ll not only kill him but all of you as well. Both of you will gain a new understanding of what pain truly is; I can do things far worse than death itself, that much I promise you...” Serenade threatened.

It took a moment for Horizon to react. She thought for a few seconds on what was the best course of action.

Realizing what she had to do, Horizon focused her magic into her hand. The stone began to glow red as she focused her energy upon it and without thinking, she pressed it to her chest and the stone fused into her body, vanishing completely as it did.

Serenade blinked in astonishment as she dropped Jasper to the ground. The teen coughed as he tried to compose himself. Serenade stepped methodically toward Horizon. Her hand extended and a whip made of bones and fire appeared in it out of thin air. “You just made the dumbest mistake of your entire life...”

“I’ve been told that a few times...” Horizon shrugged.

Serenade nodded and chuckled. “I assure you... This will be the last...”

A flick of Serenade’s wrist made her whip crack, leaving a trail of fire behind it. Horizon pushed Yuna back to get her out of harm’s way as she dodged another crack of the whip. Upon closer examination, it appeared to be made out of a large creature’s spine.

Serenade cracked it a few more times causing Horizon to continually leap out of the way making the blonde woman cackle with delight. “Dance, bitch, dance!”

Bolt charged up his hands with electricity and sent a jolt in Serenade’s direction only for the girl to deflect it with her whip. She raised her hand in the air causing tendrils to come out of the ground and grab at him. Fortunately, he was agile enough to get out of the way before they took hold of him.

Nova and Jasper teamed up and both charged at her only for Serenade to produce a barrier made out of the black tendrils. She laughed as all attempts to attack her were thwarted one after another. “Is that the best you all can do?”

Keylime leaped into action retrieving two leather whips from her bag and began to crack them back at Serenade only for the girl to grab one with her free hand and tug it to bring Keylime closer to her. Once she was within range, Serenade kicked her in the side of her face, bringing her down.

Horizon readied her claws preparing to strike but an arrow soared through the air landing only inches away from Serenade. She looked in the direction of the arrow to find the black kabuki sitting on the back of a motorcycle with a bow in hand.

Serenade grinned as she saw them and turned her attention to the new challenger. “So, you finally show yourself... I’ve been waiting for you.”

“I was pre-occupied, so I didn’t have time to humor you. Now, how would you prefer to die? Should I disembowel you, or perhaps break all of your bones one at a time?” The black kabuki asked.

“I’d like to see you try either...” Serenade hissed.

Nodding, the black kabuki darted toward her at incredible speeds, swiping at her with a knife. Serenade moved quickly enough to avoid being cut, but the black kabuki continued with swipe after swipe, attempting to cut her.

Serenade’s whip cracked at the black kabuki, but they were far too quick. After a few more dodged attacks, the black kabuki fired a few more arrows at her, only for Serenade to catch one of them with her bare hand. Snapping it in half, she laughed. “I’m soon to be the lord of all demons... Do you really think a few arrows will take me down?”

“I imagine the one with demon blight will...” The black kabuki spoke.

Blinking, Serenade looked down to the snapped arrow, noting it was hollow and inside it oozed a grey liquid. She growled in annoyance. “Demon blight, pretty clever... I suppose you’ve bought yourself another day of life for now... When this wears off, you know that I’ll kill you...” Looking over at Horizon and her friends, Serenade pointed her finger. “That goes for all of you as well. I’m Serenade Dazzle, the most powerful demon that’s ever lived and you are all just worthless pigs to the slaughter to me.”

The black kabuki wasted no time in firing another arrow which Serenade managed to dodge before disappearing into a cloud of black smoke.

“Damn, she got away...” Jasper stated.

Coming to a full stand, the black kabuki turned toward Horizon. Their mask shined in the light as they spoke in their digitized tone. “You have absorbed the stone... Show me your power...”

Horizon blinked but stepped back and got into her fighting stance. The others all got ready to intervene until Horizon dismissed them with her hand. “Let me handle this, just one on one, no one else has to get hurt, alright?”

“You’re the only one I want anyway...” The black kabuki spoke.

“That is acceptable.” Horizon nodded.

The two began to circle each other, and after eight painfully long seconds, Horizon lunged at the masked stranger and slashed with her claws. The black kabuki saw this attack coming and deflected every strike with a small knife from inside their cloak. Their swift motions were unreal, their speed was beyond human. The black kabuki was capable of moves that most never dreamed of.

Horizon attempted a follow-up attack only to be blocked again by the same knife. The black kabuki leaped backward and flipped before landing a good eight feet away as they stared down their opponent. Horizon kept crouched low ready for a follow-up attack. There was no predicting her opponent.

Moon came up as a hologram within her glasses as he spoke to Horizon. “I’m running some tactical data now, it seems that the black kabuki is capable of speeds far beyond that of a normal human. I would wager they are Equestrian in origin, I would exercise caution.”

“Wouldn’t be a surprise then...” Horizon nodded before raising her hands to block another set of knife attacks from the cloaked figure.

After blocking their blade a few more times, the black kabuki stood back and tossed it aside. Instead, they reached for the bow on their back and retrieved an arrow attached to the bow, and took aim.

Waiting for her moment, Horizon stood perfectly still until the arrow was shot her way. Timing it just right, she sliced with her claws and broke the arrow in half while she rolled out of the way. The black kabuki was able to reload and fire another in less than half a second though which only narrowly missed Horizon.

“Their aim is incredible!” Yuna commented from the sidelines.

Moving while firing, the black kabuki unleashed eight arrows in only a few seconds, Horizon dodging each one, but struggling as each flew past her. The final one she caught in her hand and focused her energy as she hurled it back at the one who fired it.

It would prove ineffective as the black kabuki was able to turn their head and the arrow flew past them as if it were nothing.

“Horizon! Use your magic! He doesn’t seem to be capable of magic based upon all the data we have!” Yuna yelled to her friend.

Horizon glanced over at Yuna and nodded after she registered what she was saying. Concentrating, Horizon summoned a set of light swords around her. Twirling and gesturing with her arm, she sent one toward the black kabuki expecting a direct hit, but the masked opponent swiped their foot across the ground and a wall of fire came up blocking the attack.

“What!? He can do magic too!? I thought you said he wasn’t capable of it, Yuna!” Bolt pointed out.

Yuna shook her head. “He shouldn’t be able to! He must have some way to hide his magic potential from being detected...”

“People can do that!?” Bolt exclaimed.

“Apparently... Up to this point, I didn’t think it was possible... Maybe it’s some kind of demonic trick that normal magic users can’t do?” Yuna gulped.

“Great... Just what we need... Surprises...” Bolt shook his head.

Horizon moved quickly and hurled another sword in their opponent’s direction, only for it to be blocked by a fireball that came from their gloved hand. The black leather glove on the black kabuki’s hand remained free of burns.

Deciding it was better to do a direct assault, Horizon took one of the swords in her left hand and slashed at the black kabuki but to her surprise, the black kabuki conjured a sword of light of their own and blocked it with their left hand.

“So you can do light magic too then... That’s a surprise...” Horizon stated.

“Magic is mastered only by those who seek to do so...” The black kabuki responded.

Horizon squinted. “How can a demon master light magic though?”

“Your magic is impressive, but you’re still no match for me...” The black kabuki spoke, ignoring her question.

“We’ll see...” Horizon replied before slicing at them again.

The black kabuki blocked the attack and slashed back at her only for Horizon to get out of the way and remain unharmed. The two locked blades over and over before they both allowed their swords to disappear.

“Not bad...” The black kabuki complimented, “but let’s make things a little more interesting...”

The black kabuki showed their right arm from under their cloak and the group could see they had a detached sleeve that was held on by belts on their forearm. The belts glowed and came undone on their own as the sleeve fell to the ground along with the leather glove upon their hand.

Underneath the sleeve, their arm was obviously feminine, but from their forearm down their skin was as black as charcoal and leathery in appearance. Tendrils going up their arm whipped around freely like they had a life of their own, and her hand was a demonic claw with razor-sharp talons.

“The black kabuki is a girl?” Bolt blinked.

“And a demon...” Jasper added.

“Today is full of surprises...” Nova said.

Horizon looked at the unnatural arm as the black kabuki raised it up ready to strike with it. Their battle stance changed now as it was clear they would now favor their right hand in battle. Horizon focused on it, knowing that the demonic appendage would definitely change the course of the entire fight; demons were unpredictable after all.

With a quick motion, they flicked their arm and it changed into a long whip and slashed at Horizon sending her backward. After the attack, they submerged their hand into the ground as it seemed to phase through it. From behind Horizon, a tendril shot up like a spear out of her own shadow.

She moved quickly, but the tendril managed to clip a single hair off of her head. Before she knew it, her opponent dived into the ground and vanished within shadows, and reemerged behind her slashing at Horizon with her evil claw.

Horizon blocked the attack but when the claw grabbed her sleeve she noticed the sleeve began to burn with a black flame.

Acting quickly, she tore the sleeve off and threw it to the ground. Just like other demons, demonic energy left from their touch seemed to burn flesh. Horizon had gotten lucky that her skin didn’t make contact with the demonic appendage.

“So you’re a demon too?” Horizon asked.

The black kabuki said nothing; they just prepared to attack again.

Yuna began to run an analysis on the black kabuki with Moon, hoping to gain some kind of data that could prove useful to Horizon.

“Fuck this, we can’t just sit here, we need to step in!” Bolt growled in protest.

Jasper held out his arm to stop him. “We don’t know what we’re up against and so far Horizon seems to be holding her own. For all we know, the black kabuki is holding back, it’s best not to agitate the situation...”

Bolt froze and growled. He wanted to protest, but he couldn’t argue with Jasper’s point. He hated it when Jasper was right about something, but even he couldn’t deny that there was a distinct possibility that the black kabuki was only toying with Horizon. Her demeanor was incredibly calm for someone who was outnumbered. At any time the rest of them could have jumped in to ruin their one on one fight, yet she didn’t seem worried about that scenario.

The more Bolt thought about it, the more Bolt believed that it all meant that the black kabuki was prepared for an all-out assault on her. Was such a thing really possible though? Sure she was a demon, but could she really take on all of them at once? No, it had to be possible.

As Bolt recalled the data they knew about the black kabuki he was reminded that she was likely a trained killer. Her ability in combat was beyond formidable and she acted so meticulously without concern.

With her demonic claw in the air, the black kabuki lunged forward at Horizon, attempting to grab her in the claw, but the teenager managed to dodge the attack.

Another few swipes and Horizon was beginning to note something; the black kabuki was definitely holding back. In their previous encounter, she had seen how ruthless she was in killing Summer Flare, yet now it felt like she was merely toying with her. Perhaps it was a psychological trick to get into her enemy’s head?

Horizon summoned another set of light sword and began to hurl each of them at the black kabuki, but she dived back into the shadows and vanished each time to avoid the attacks.

It was no use, so long as she had the shadows to retreat to, she was impervious to conventional means of attack. Her body seemed to be capable of converting itself entirely into shadows and thus she could hide wherever shadows were.

Horizon came up with an idea and instead of attacking with her final light sword, she instead ordered it to float behind herself.

“What’s she doing? Why isn’t she attacking?” Bolt asked.

Jasper leaned in with interest. “I think Horizon has an idea...”

The black kabuki moved with Horizon’s moves and this time when the girl summoned a new sword and threw it, the black kabuki instead jumped out of the way.

“I knew it... So long as I keep my shadow in front of me, you can’t use it to ambush me. So there are limits to your powers then...” Horizon explained. “You’ve certainly given all of us a big hint. Why not tell us who you are now? What do you want with the stone, and why are you interested in killing Serenade?”

“Light magic can be quite powerful if you use it correctly, but are you really strong enough to use it to its full extent?” The black kabuki asked.

“How can a demon like you use light magic?” Horizon changed the subject.

“There is more to magic than you understand, unlike you, I didn’t just discover it...” The black kabuki replied.

Horizon pushed forward and swiped at the black kabuki which they, in turn, swiped at Horizon. Both dodged each other’s attacks over and over and continued on like that for several minutes without either of them slowing down. The passion behind their fight was evident as the others watched in anticipation of which one of the two mighty warriors would fall first.

It was clear that Horizon’s training and practice were starting to pay off, as she had gone from a mere novice to a worthy opponent already in such a short time. Each day every last one of them grew stronger.

“Kill her, Horizon!” Bolt cheered on.

“You can do it!” Nova encouraged with Bolt.

Yuna watched in awe as her crush performed dazzling moves against such a powerful opponent. Horizon fought with such beauty that it made Yuna wish she had her sketchbook on hand. What she wouldn’t give to get the opportunity to capture Horizon facing off with the black kabuki on paper. She could already see the masterpiece in her mind, but sadly she would never be able to transfer it to paper.

While she was lost in fantasy, Moon had appeared from a hologram from Yuna’s phone. “Ms. Yuna, Horizon is fighting with incredible speed, but I doubt she can keep this up much longer; she’s bound to tire out any moment.”

Sure enough, his words rang true as Horizon and the black kabuki both leaped backward and put a good few feet between the two of them. Horizon panted lightly as she tried to keep herself ready to go another round, but it was becoming futile. She was starting to wear down, and her body simply lacked the energy to keep the fight going for much longer. The black kabuki on the other hand didn’t seem tired at all, if anything, she came off as nearly unaffected by all the activity.

Once she saw Horizon panting they raised their demonic hand into the air. “Care to give up now? I can see you’re exhausted. Face it, you’re no match against me.”

“Exhausted or not, I’m going to continue fighting you. I won’t surrender for any reason...” Horizon said plainly.

Her words were powerful, but it was hard to tell if there was any emotion behind them, due to the incredibly monotone nature of Horizon’s voice. The black kabuki nodded and moved so quickly that her body turned into shadows and reappeared a few feet from where it originally was.

After doing this a few times, she struck with her claw at Horizon only for the girl to roll out of the way. Quickly she followed up with another slash in the hopes of hitting her, but once again, Horizon was able to dodge the attack with ease.

Leaping backward the black kabuki came to a full stand and raised their demonic claw in a menacing stance. “Enough! I have seen all I need to see...”

The entire group blinked as the claw grabbed the hood of their cloak and removed it. With another motion, they ripped the cloak off of their body and tossed it aside. Long red hair with yellow highlights fell down all the way to her ankles. It was long and wavy and part of it draped over her face as she removed her mask.

Her body was thin and trimmed as Horizon could see semi-muscular abs on her stomach that was revealed by her midriff black top. Her legs were covered in a pair of leather pants with a half skirt draping over one side and a large belt hung off of her pants.

On her feet was a pair of heeled tall boots with little wings on the back of them. They were back in color, matching her pants.

The woman’s face was partially covered by her long red hair that was wild and unruly, but there was no escaping her vibrant teal eyes that shined brightly. She had a young-looking face despite her age.

She flexed her demonic arm before it glowed and the detached sleeve on the ground levitated back onto her arm and belted itself back onto it. The leather glove that covered her hand followed and she flexed her hand once more when the arm was covered again. It was clear she wore the sleeve to hide her condition.

The group stared in complete awe at the woman.

“Who is that?” Bolt asked.

Jasper froze up for a moment before answering. “That’s Sunset Shimmer... Horizon’s mom...”

Sunset smiled at her daughter and ran a hand through her own hair. “Horizon... It’s good to see you again, it’s been a long time...”

Author's Note

This chapter marks the end of part 1 of Act VII. Also, it will be the final illustrations by Applety. She's moving on to bigger things, so thanks to her for all her help.

For those who held out hope that Sunset was still alive... I guess you get the last laugh.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXIV: Deconstructing

Part II

Chapter CXIV: Deconstructing

Eight Years Ago

Sipping from a cup of tea, Twilight Sparkle leaned back in her chair as she held the cup in the air with her magic. Next to the floating cup was a set of papers she was reviewing. The recent changes to Equestria had her working overtime. With the fall of Serenade only a few years prior, the rebuilding effort of Equestrian was extensive. New organizations and balances had been put in place to try and prevent another incident like Serenade’s reign from ever happening again.

To top this off, she had communication with the nation of Ectra of the Sirens which had recently opened its economy and resources to Equestria. It had taken a toll on Twilight’s mental health, as convincing the population to have trust in sirens was no easy feat. However, Kiz’ angelic voice and ability to sway others to her reasoning proved most effective in that aspect. Kiz was the kind of creature that could convince any to follow her, and with her working side by side with Twilight, the princess of Equestrian was certain that she would establish a stable relationship with Ectra in a matter of months.

With her eyes focusing on the small text in front of her, Twilight levitated a pair of glasses to her eyes. There was no denying it, she was growing older by the day, and extended time trying to examine small text had started to cost her the ability to read it without corrective lenses. One day she knew she’d likely have to wear glasses everywhere, and then she would look just like her human counterpart. The thought made her laugh internally.

Taking another sip, Twilight looked over a letter from Kiz’ scribe, Golden.

Twilight Sparkle of Equestria,

We hope this letter finds you well. We know that you remain vigilant after Serenade’s fall, and appreciate your desire to work with us in bridging a relationship between our two nations during these trying and stressful times. Understand our skepticism and hesitation, however, as many of our kind are not so easy to trust. For centuries sirens have been seen as outcasts and been the subject of destruction and elimination.

That being said, it has been a tiresome endeavor to convince our council of elders to permit a trade route between our two nations, but they have finally accepted with a small island outside of Dragon Scar to be our trade-off point. I have enclosed a map with the location of said island.

Given our location and distance apart though, this will not be an easy feat, as Dragon Scar stands between our two nations. We have considered this and to aid you have enlisted the help of several dragons who have trade agreements with us to be your relay. They have set up an encampment on this island where a few of our merchants will be stationed as well.

As for how your kind will make it past Dragon Scar, we have also secured a caravan route for you with some moderate protection. Dragons will fly you past most of the area, but we would still advise sending some kind of military provisions to protect goods going through this area as Dragon Scar is still unpredictable.

We hope this will satisfy your desire to establish trade between our two nations for the time being, as we can not spare too much in the way of resources for this endeavor.

Moving onto your next request, I am afraid we still will have to decline your request for tourism and visitation to Ectra by Equestrian citizens who have no royal business here for some time. Please understand that our nation has been guarded for centuries and many of our secrets have been protected even from our own kind who sit in the lower rings of our society.

The rampant racism that our kind has faced throughout time has made many here somewhat untrusting and it will be some time before our elders can be convinced to allow outsiders into our land. Do not fret though, I am certain that a day will come where our nations will be able to intermingle freely, especially under your leadership. I apologize if this arrangement comes off as unfair as you have so graciously promised to allow all sirens of Ectra complete visitation and even a path to citizenship into Equestrian, but my superiors are not so trusting.

Patience is a virtue, and it is one that we sirens know all too well. A time will come where your dream will be a reality, as your impact has already changed the minds of many here, myself included. Her majesty, Kiz speaks highly of you, and she has intuition that can sense greatness when she sees it.

Please take care of yourself and continue your tireless efforts, good princess. You have given hope to many, and we can not thank you enough. I eagerly await your response so that we may make arrangements for our first trades. Some of the finest alcohols in the world are made here in Ectra, and I have enclosed a sample for you in the package that accompanied this letter.

Stay in touch,

Golden

Looking at a small neatly wrapped purple gift box, Twilight noted the gold ribbon that was expertly tied. Amazing that such an elegant package managed to make it from Dragon Scar all the way to Equestria while staying in such pristine condition. Then again, there was little that came from Ectra that didn’t amaze Twilight.

Removing the ribbon carefully, she opened the box and peered at the expensive-looking bottle inside. It had been sitting atop of a lovely satin pillow, red in color and the bottle itself looked hoof-made with attention to every detail carefully paid. The bottle was shaped similarly to the siren form that Twilight had come to know, but accentuating the most beautiful features they held. It was perhaps the most exquisite and lovely bottle she had ever held. She knew that Rarity would rave over it.

Magicking her desk drawer open, Twilight retrieved a familiar whiskey glass that she had received from Cinder as a gift some time ago. Carefully she poured at least two shots worth into the glass and observed the interesting blue liquid. Holding it in her hoof, she held it just under her snout when a knock came to her office door.

The mare let out a sigh as she removed her glasses and set them on her table before clearing her throat.

“Come on in,” she instructed.

The finely crafted door opened abruptly and a slovenly looking Starlight Glimmer stood at the doorway huffing and puffing. Twilight blinked and leaned in with interest. “Starlight, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Princess Twilight, there has been a breach in security…” Starlight straightened herself up and stood tall.

Tilting her head, Twilight gently swirled the liquor in her glass. “What kind of breach? What part of the castle?”

“The forbidden archives…” Starlight frowned.

“What was taken?” Twilight asked.

“Perhaps it’s best you see for yourself…” Starlight gestured with her hoof for the mare to follow.

Twilight came to a stand and stepped away from her desk before turning back and grabbing the glass. She quickly gulped the drink down. It wasn’t how she hoped to savor it, but it was about as divine as she imagined. Setting the glass down, she wiped her lips with her hoof and followed Starlight.

Eight Years Ago

Stepping into the archives, Twilight was astounded. She blinked a few times and stared in awe as all eight of the shelves within the archives had been ransacked. Virtually everything had been violated. Parchment covered the floor and tomes were scattered all over in a chaotic mess.

Eight guards were investigating the scene and conversing with each other on possible inferences as to what had occurred.

Approaching one of the guards, he gave a salute to the princess who gestured for him to be at ease. “What happened here?”

He pointed to the entrance with an armored hoof. “Two guards were stationed out front, but one of them went to the lavatory for a brief moment. When he came back, he relieved the other one to go as well, so there was never a moment where the door was unguarded.”

“If the door was guarded the entire time, then how did anypony get in here? The room is protected by an anti-teleportation barrier, so magic is out of the question…” Starlight blinked.

Twilight looked back at the door. It was large and sturdy and if anyone were inside the room, then the guards definitely would not have seen them after they were already inside. The guard said that there was never a window for anyone to get in, but was that really true?

Stepping close to the door, Twilight placed a hoof upon it and considered the possibilities.

“So maybe they snuck in here prior to that and were already waiting in here?” Another guard suggested.

Starlight shook her head. “Impossible. This room is guarded at all times and there is no other entrance. Only the royal family and their guard escorts are permitted in this room…”

Twilight nodded in understanding after she contemplated it all. “So that means that the perp came right through the door then.”

“What? Are you suggesting that they just… walked right in?” Starlight raised a brow in confusion.

“Absolutely.” Twilight nodded.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit too simple?” Starlight questioned.

Walking to the center of the room, Twilight examined the shelves that had been looted. “Why go through complicated measures when a simple solution can be achieved, right?”

“Fair enough, but have you forgotten that it wouldn’t have been possible for anypony to just walk in here right past the guards?” Starlight reminded with a hoof raised.

“What if it wasn’t anypony though?” Twilight’s horn glowed gently as she scanned the room for any abnormalities.

“I don’t follow…” One of the guards stated.

Picking up a distant trace of magic that was foreign to the room, Twilight scanned her mind for what the spell reminded her of. Within a few seconds, she recognized it as a soundproof barrier.

“You said that there was a brief moment where the guards were separated, right?” Twilight asked.

The guard in charge of the investigation shrugged. “What’s your point?”

“What if the guard was the one who entered the room while the other second guard went to the bathroom? Don’t you find it odd that he suggested the other go to the bathroom right after him?” Twilight asked.

“Why though?” Starlight asked.

Twilight tapped her chin in thought. “Well, would anything seem abnormal about a guard coming into this room? Or being near it for that matter…”

“I suppose not, but there’s a hole in your logic… He was standing at the door when the second guard returned. It would have taken more than the five-minute interval to do this…” Starlight reminded, “not to mention, how would he manage to get out without being noticed? I mean if he took anything, he would have a hard time smuggling it out, don’t you think?”

“This room has had a soundproofing spell cast upon it… Meaning anyone who came in would have plenty of time to look for whatever they were trying to find. I have a feeling that they were looking for a specific item… Something small enough to take with them without being noticed…” Twilight pointed out.

Laughing, Starlight approached her friend and placed a hoof upon her shoulder. Her reasoning skills were top-notch, but she was missing a large hole in her logic that Starlight would have to mend.

“See that sort of proves the guard couldn’t have done it then… Both of them were pegasi, so neither could do magic…” Starlight grinned.

A smirk came to Twilight’s face as she shook her head in disagreement. “On the contrary, I think it would be entirely possible… If the guard wasn’t a pegasus at all…”

“But how could a unicorn hide their horn and make convincing fake wings? Even transmogrify spells of an advanced nature would not hold long enough or be convincing enough to close examination…” Starlight blinked.

“What if they didn’t need a spell?” Twilight said.

“Who could do something like that?” Starlight rolled her eyes.

Twilight met her gaze with a serious one of her own. “Can you think of no one?”

There was a brief silence between the two. “Arax…”

Twilight nodded. “Arax.”

“And he is familiar with the castle layout too… His ability to transform means he could have masqueraded as one of the two guards and snuck in…” Starlight pieced it together.

Twilight raised a hoof. “And the first guard hadn’t actually come back yet. So he was in this room while both were standing their post outside…”

“So how did he escape?” Starlight asked.

“Relay teleportation. While the room is protected from being teleported into, a relay teleport spell could work when inside the room if one had a teleportation tablet attuned to another area…” Twilight replied.

Sitting down, Starlight crossed her hooves. “So, he sneaks in undetected… Steals whatever archives he’s after and teleports out… Right under our noses. We wouldn’t even notice him in the castle…”

“Precisely.” Twilight nodded.

“Why though? What’s he hope to gain? Serenade is locked in the high-security prison in the deepest layers of this castle… Why bother stealing some tomes? He didn’t strike me as somepony who particularly enjoyed working for her, so why be up to something when she’s out of the picture?” Starlight asked.

Frowning, Twilight came to a stand. “Perhaps your affection for the changeling makes you blind to his real loyalty. I think it’s clear that he bears more loyalty to that demon than you know. For whatever reason, she holds power over him. Still, she is in the dungeon, so why come here…?”

“We could go ask her?” Starlight suggested.

“Not a bad idea.” Twilight smirked.

“The guards checked on her this morning, she was just sitting silently in her cell as always. The girl rarely speaks, but occasionally she gets up and moves around restlessly.” Starlight gestured toward the door.

Twilight wondered what kind of madness a pony could be driven to if they could not even sleep when kept in a cell no larger than eight feet by eight feet. Serenade was a demon that evolved past eating, sleeping, and drinking. All she could do is sit there and pace back in forth in that tiny cell. Whatever sanity she had left, likely was lost.

Eight Years Ago

It had been perhaps a good eight months since Twilight entered the lowest prison of the castle. This new layer was constructed shortly after their apprehension of Serenade Dazzle. They had held her in a private cell in the regular prison chambers prior while it was being constructed, however, that proved quite challenging as barrier spells had to be placed around her regularly.

Guards worked in groups of eight to maintain a barrier spell around her around the clock, and the work was quite tiring. It was because of this that Twilight approved expedited construction work to be done and tripled the team building the new accommodations.

The new prison chamber was built with walls that would dampen magic and specifically hold demonic energy inside. Within her cell, Serenade’s siren powers and her demonic abilities were completely nullified. All she could do is wait her days out until she lost any and all sense of sanity.

Originally, they debated on executing her like they did her sister, however as it was pointed out that executing Adagio was what had caused her sudden desire to conquer Equestria, and the nation’s new relationship with Ectra, it was decided to keep her alive.

At some point in the late future, Twilight had also hoped to study the creature and learn more about combating demons when the appropriate tools were available. For now, though, such a venture was deemed too dangerous.

Making their way down the final set of stairs, Twilight and Starlight stood in front of the two guards protecting the entrance. They nodded and were allowed to pass where two more guards stood in front of Serenade’s cell.

Clearing her throat, Twilight spoke sternly to the guards. “Leave us. Stand outside while we converse with the siren.”

Without protest, the two guards bowed their heads and exited the room, shutting the door behind them.

Starlight and Twilight approached the cell where the siren sat leaned against the wall. Her mane was a haggard mess, and she used it to conceal her left eye which had been severely damaged in her battle with Glitch. It turned out that even her incredible healing abilities could not recover damage by the enchanted Siren’s Bane. Her face and chest would remain disfigured forever.

Starlight caught a glimpse of the scar on her chest where the spear had impaled her, only narrowly missing her heart.

Twilight sat down in front of the cell and spoke directly to the demon. “Serenade Dazzle… Do you know why we’re here?”

The siren grinned mischievously. “I haven’t the slightest clue, oh great and powerful princess…”

Twilight instantly could tell that she was mocking her, but ignored it.

“Arax came to this castle and raided our archives… We want to know why he would do something like that…” Twilight began.

Serenade shrugged. “How should I know? I’ve been in this cell for years now. How are you certain that he’s not working with your kind to plot something, hm?”

“You know something…” Twilight replied.

“And even if I did, what do you propose to do about it? Torture me until I talk? Please, you can’t even begin to imagine the things I’ve already endured… There’s no torture you can do that can affect me…” Serenade rambled.

“We can give it a try and see about that…” Twilight threatened.

Serenade shook her head and clicked her tongue playfully. “Oh, Twilight… You think so small… You’re not even asking the right questions, and that’s making this a lot less fun.”

“What do you mean?” Starlight interrupted.

Her gaze turned to Starlight and her powerful eye focused on the unicorn as she giggled menacingly. “How are you so certain that this is the first time that Arax came here?”

“What’re you talking about?” Starlight blinked.

“Think about it… Arax can sneak in and out of this place without any problems. He’s a changeling, and a demon like me… He could slip past your security at any time he wanted… On top of that, he’s 100% loyal to me.” She grinned.

“Why though? What does he have to gain by helping you now? There’s nothing you can do to him from in here!” Starlight growled.

Serenade smirked as she noticed Starlight’s anger at the subject. “I see… So you do have feelings for him after all… Unfortunately for you though, the bug belongs to me. He is my pawn and he will play whatever role I give him. Sorry, but I can’t let you have him back, Starlight because he has an important job to do.”

“What the hell are you even talking about!?” Starlight yelled.

Serenade shook her head before she stood up and walked over to the bars of her cell which glowed with purple energy. The same energy that kept her trapped inside.

“Have either of you ever actually set hoof inside this cell since I was placed in here?” She asked.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Twilight questioned with a raised brow.

She chuckled. “Think about it… How do you even know I’m even really in here?”

Blinking, Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “No… It’s not possible…”

Yelling to the guards out front, Twilight quickly ordered them back in. “Guards! Open the cell, now!”

The guards rushed inside but met the princess with looks of confusion. “Ma’am, it’s inadvisable to do that…”

“I said now.” Twilight demanded.

Looking back and forth between each other, the guards finally caved and nodded before focusing their magic to undo the spell that kept the cell door sealed. Twilight prepared herself for whatever tricks that the siren was about to play, but to their surprise, once the door opened, the siren vanished into smoke.

“Damn it!” Twilight hissed. “An illusion spell!?”

“That’s not possible!” Starlight protested.

“It is if the cell door was opened and the magic was cast into the cell before it was closed again…” Twilight stated.

“That means…” Starlight paused, not wanting to say the rest.

“Serenade has been missing possibly for months! She’s played us!” Twilight growled before stomping her hoof onto the ground.

“This isn’t good… We need to issue a search party for her…” Starlight advised.

“Let’s investigate the archives a bit more, perhaps whatever Arax took from there can give us an idea of what Serenade is up to…” Twilight responded.

“Good idea, we need to get any leads we can…” Starlight nodded in approval.

The only thought going through Twilight’s mind was how did Serenade Dazzle get the better of her? How long had she been actually a free mare?

Eight Years Ago

Eight hours had passed since the discovery of Serenade’s incredible escape from perhaps the most protected prison in all of Equestria, but the only question was how did she pull it off?

Twilight was piecing it together in her head. It was most possible that Arax had transformed himself into a guard and snuck into the prison. From there he likely knocked out another guard so that he could free Serenade. Breaking the lock on her cell would have been difficult, but he could have easily manipulated a guard into doing such, then when the cell was opened, Serenade could use her powers to erase any memories of doing so from all the guards.

They would cast an illusion spell, and Serenade would be free. When did they do this though?

Even in her weakened state, Serenade was more than a sizable threat to Equestria. Her powers could grow exponentially in only a short time, so it was possible that she was already at a level that they could not stop her.

The Princess of Friendship hadn’t slept since they found out about the escape and she had gone over the two scenes extensively.

Finally, after hours of searching, she was about to get her first breakthrough when Starlight Glimmer entered her office once more with a clipboard in her hoof. “Twilight, I have finally had all of the archives re-organized and we did a full accountability check for every document and it seems only one book was taken.”

“Which one?” Twilight leaned in with interest from behind her desk.

Starlight looked at her clipboard at the only book without a checkmark next to it. “Apparently it was a logbook that you had filed documenting Serenade’s reign and downfall?”

Twilight felt her blood run cold. If that was indeed the book that was stolen it was beyond bad news not only for herself.

“This is very bad…”

“How so?” Starlight blinked.

“Starlight, that book had plenty of secret information regarding the identity of Glitch, their origin, and a few other secrets that now if Serenade has access to…” Twilight gulped.

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Starlight, we have to go and check on the mirror portal right away! I’ll explain everything on the way!”

Eight Years Ago

It was exactly as Twilight had feared, the portal had been stolen. She cursed and stomped her hoof against the wall in anger. “Damn it! This is beyond bad! We have to send a message to Sunset Shimmer right away!”

“Sunset Shimmer? Why?” Starlight tilted her head.

Sighing, Twilight realized that she would have to reveal more secrets to Starlight than she wanted to. “Sunset Shimmer is Glitch. Now that Serenade knows who she is, and where she is, there is no doubt that she will go after her.”

“Wait, but I thought Serenade can’t use the portal herself? Pure demons can’t go through it, right?” Starlight asked.

“Correct, but with the portal in her possession, there is no telling how quickly she will figure out a way to reverse engineer it, or possibly send lower-level impure demons to go after Sunset. The human world is in great danger, so it’s imperative that we warn Sunset and then get the portal back…” Twilight informed.

“I’ll go get the journal. Hopefully, she will know what to do!” Starlight nodded before bursting out of the room.

Twilight began to pace back and forth as she contemplated these new details. Sunset and her family were in tremendous danger. It was almost a certainty that Serenade would find a way to use the portal to get to the human world. She could study its energy and eventually figure out another pathway to the human world, it was only a matter of time. After that, she would most definitely be out for revenge.

Leaning against the wall, Twilight sunk to the floor and shook her head. “You really fucked this one up, Twilight…” She thought out loud.

She had been certain that her methods of subduing the demon were more than enough, but clearly, she underestimated the loyalty of her subordinate. Why did Arax serve her so loyally? It didn’t make sense. He had nothing to gain from helping her, and with her locked away, he was free from any threat she posed to him. Perhaps Serenade had subjugated him in a different way?

Twilight’s head turned when she heard the door open once more and Starlight came to her side with the journal and a quill which she levitated over to Twilight.

Taking them with her own magic, Twilight let out a long sigh before she began to write.

Sunset,

I know that we aren’t exactly on the greatest of terms and the last thing I would want to do is impose on your life once more, but a great matter has just transpired that you must be made aware of right away. Serenade Dazzle has escaped, apparently, her subordinate, Arax assisted her. What’s worse is she now has knowledge that she previously did not since they robbed the royal archives.

Of that knowledge that was acquired was your identity as Glitch, and that you live in the human world as Sunset Shimmer. To make matters worse, she has stolen the portal and while pure demons can not go through it, it is only a matter of time before she figures out some way to do so. Serenade is a determined individual, so there is little doubt that she will find a way to utilize the portal at some point.

I recommend getting to safety and protecting your family. There is no doubt in my mind that she will be coming for you. Your entire world is in serious danger right now. We are going to work tirelessly to get the portal back but prepare yourself, as it’s possible that Serenade is already there. We will do everything on our end to assist you, but we can not go to your world.

Also be on the lookout as Arax is likely with her, and given his nature, he can disguise himself as anyone there. That will make him quite dangerous.

Twilight didn’t even bother signing the letter before closing the book and looking over at Starlight. “It’s pathetic that I, the Princess of Friendship, often find myself in a position where I have to bet everything on Sunset Shimmer, isn’t it? Perhaps she should have been the princess instead?”

Starlight shook her head before sitting down next to Twilight. She placed a hoof around the girl and pulled her close for comfort. “Don’t say things like that…”

“I keep ruining the girl’s life…” Twilight frowned.

Starlight shrugged. “Some things are out of our control. Serenade is the true problem here, and we shouldn’t forget that. None of this would happen if it weren’t for her. You did the right thing by warning Sunset.”

Sighing, Twilight nodded. “I suppose you’re right…”

“You think Sunset can do something about this?” Starlight asked.

Looking back at her friend, Twilight nodded. “If anything, we’re in capable hands…”

“Hands?” Starlight tilted her head.

Twilight only laughed.

Eight Years Ago

Twilight had made the decision to keep Serenade’s escape under wraps for the time being. The last thing she needed was a mass panic across Equestria. If it got out that Serenade was on the loose, the citizens would complicate things. She had put out a strict order among the guards who knew of Serenade’s escape to keep the information confidential.

She had written a letter to Celestia and Luna explaining the situation and they had already agreed to meet with her as soon as possible to discuss their strategy going forward.

The mare had paced back and forth in her room as she awaited a response from Sunset Shimmer. She knew that the girl would take some time to reply as naturally, she would likely have to discuss the matter with her wife.

After an hour of waiting, Twilight finally noticed the book began to vibrate, implying she had received a reply. Quickly, she opened it and began reading the response from Sunset.

Princess,

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by this incompetence from you at this point. It seems as though every time you write to me it’s to further complicate my life. It just wasn’t enough for you to rob me of the first three years of my daughter’s life, was it? Now your incompetence has put me in an even worse situation.

Then again, I am partially to blame. I showed mercy to Serenade when I should have ended her. I won’t be making the same mistake twice. If Serenade does come here, or if she already has, rest assured that you won’t need to retrieve her to put back into prison, I will kill her. She’s as good as dead.

I’m heading to the facility where I stored the portal right now after some difficult discussions with my wife. Just to let you know, you’ve royally fucked up my life once more Princess. I will do everything in my power to protect this world, but just understand that I’m not doing this for you.

The demon lord will die soon, I promise that.

Sunset

As expected, Sunset’s disdain for Twilight was evident, but at this point, the princess didn’t care too much about how the woman felt about her. She hated her, and she had every right to. Nothing in her statement about the princess ruining her life was incorrect after all.

She could apologize in response, but she saw no good in doing so. Her apologies would be seen as empty and worthless to the woman, so Twilight decided it was best to simply leave Sunset alone to do what she saw fit and focus on what she could do on her own end.

Things were getting out of control very quickly. Sitting down on her bed, Twilight laid her head down and stared up at the ceiling. Could Sunset really kill Serenade?

What hit her harder though, was the fact that the previously more docile Sunset Shimmer who was against killing and spared both Adagio and Serenade was now claiming she would kill now.

Twilight had to accept that she was responsible for changing Sunset Shimmer. The girl she had once known had become a different person, and it was her fault.

Closing her eyes, Twilight decided to get some rest after so long.

Eight Years Ago

Sometime before Serenade had stolen the mirror from the castle, Eclipse had managed to find his way through it when it opened naturally. After infiltrating the archives in Canterlot which were far less guarded than Twilight’s archives, he had acquired some information that told him of the other world’s existence (It was evident that the royal family clearly needed better security).

Upon arrival, he spent some time learning the customs of the world so he could blend in. As a young teenager, he found that survival was a bit more challenging, but his time with the revolutionary group back in Equestria helped him along for sure.

His goal was simple, to find Glitch, or as he now knew them to be: Sunset Shimmer. His time in Equestria was over, he had nothing left. Without Galeal or his parents, he had to find a new purpose and that purpose was to follow Sunset Shimmer in whatever endeavors she had.

What kind of person would she be, he wondered.

After a solid eight weeks, Eclipse considered himself competent at blending in with other humans. His long shining white hair made him seem even more youthful than he already was, and this accompanied by his soft effeminate face gave him a likable demeanor to most. He could manipulate his way through life here thanks to his ability to charm others with his good looks. Oftentimes, he was mistaken for a girl even (not that it bothered him).

He managed to get a place to stay through conning others out of their money and using it to get various hotel rooms across the city. Over the years, he had overcome his shyness and had actually become quite cunning. His soft effeminate face meant that he could fake tears for sympathy, but also give a seductive smile to get on someone’s good side.

Stepping out of the shower in his room, the young teen wrapped the towel around his neck and sat in front of a work desk he had been using to take notes. Flipping his notebook open, he observed the timeline he had constructed.

While he was certain that Sunset Shimmer lived in this city, he was confident that he just missed her. Examining her family and home, he was able to determine that she had gone missing sometime after his arrival. He cursed himself for not being quick enough, but that was usually his luck.

He laid flat upon the bed and clenched the amulet around his neck, squeezing it tightly. He couldn’t deny that he missed Galeal, but he couldn’t bring himself to forgive the griffin. It was undeniable that he was in love with the boy, but he had accepted that that part of his life was over.

He was determined to find her, he would see the person behind the mask of Glitch for himself.

Retrieving a photograph from his jeans that he had left on the bed, he unfolded it and stared at the redheaded girl in it. Her hair had interesting yellow streaks and appeared quite wavy. The photograph was old, and it appeared to have come from a newspaper clipping that someone had scanned, but it was all he had to know the face of the person he was trying to find.

A Long Time Ago

Cinder stood proudly in front of her older brother who kept his usual serious expression. His dark grey scales were difficult to see in the low lighting of the cave where they lived, but his shining eyes were certainly visible. At his side was his trusted blade, and behind him, Cinder’s parents sat with their heads lowered to see their two children.

The young girl remained silent as her brother approached her and drew his blade, pointing it at his sister, and spoke with his booming voice. “Sister Cinder… You have learned the ways of our clan, you have passed all of your training tests, and you stand here now ready to be granted the way of the warrior.”

Cinder said nothing, she kept her face stern. She was just a child, but already very disciplined as a warrior and as a clan member. She wouldn’t dare interrupt a superior, even if that superior was her brother, Ash.

He continued, “With this comes much responsibility. You carry the honor and reputation of our clan on your shoulders. Should you bring yourself dishonor, you bring dishonor to the entire clan. Do you accept these responsibilities?”

She nodded. “I do. I swear to bring honor to our sacred ways. I swear to uphold the values that we abide by.”

“You speak with such conviction…” He lightly grinned before clearing his throat. “The clan thus bestows unto you, a blade forged by dragon’s fire using our ancient and sacredly guarded smithing techniques.”

Lifting his claw in the air, he gestured to their father who produced a shining silver blade with an ornate handle. A katana of immaculate craftsmanship was lowered and placed in Ash’s claw.

The young dragon swiped the blade to show its capabilities before turning it to its side offering it to his sister. “Take this blade, and say your oath.”

Placing her small claw on the sword, Cinder closed her eyes. The sword was a bit large for her at such a young age, but she knew that she would grow into it and with her upper body strength, she would be able to utilize it even now.

“I take this sword and swear to use it to spread our ways across the world. This blade is the claw of justice that speaks for our ancestors; it is the tool of those fallen to speak through those still alive. In this dark world, this sword is the most important thing to me. Without me, this sword can not speak for the dead, and without this sword, I can not make their voices heard. Together in unity, we shall sing our song to our enemies…” Cinder recited.

Her brother smiled after she recited the entire oath. She clearly had taken to memorizing it, and took it seriously. It was hard to believe that his plucky young sister was already a certified warrior for their clan. Her resolve showed much promise for her future. It felt like only yesterday that she fumbled just trying to hold a sword, but now she was a respected swordmaster.

Raising her head up, the dragon’s orange eyes locked with her brother’s onyx eyes and she stood still while he drew his sword from its sheath. “Now…” He began.

Readying her own blade, Cinder flicked the sword to the side and prepared herself for battle. “As you know, the final part of your initiation is to do battle with the blade of the clan… Myself…”

“We hold nothing back, and fight with all the passion in our souls…” Cinder finished his thought for him.

He nodded with a smile. “We let our swords sing for our fallen ancestors.”

Ash adjusted his footing as he got ready to strike.

“The most beautiful song there is…” Cinder replied before jumping at him with the sword held in front of her. With a downward strike, their blades clashed and she flapped her wings to keep herself airborne while she slashed at him again. The few feet off of the ground put the two closer to the same height as they clashed blades.

Eight strikes in, Ash twirled his entire body with his blade and the impact sent Cinder flying backward. The young dragon recovered before landing on her feet. She jumped and slashed, but the two locked blades again, and Ash swiped at her with his claw which Cinder caught in her own.

Her arm struggled to hold back his strength but she managed to break free and backslash at him.

Ash moved out of the way with ease and chuckled as he watched his sister fight. Her abilities were impressive already. While she would take many years to be at the level he was at, she would definitely stand at the head of the family one day.

Their fight continued for a solid eight minutes before Ash was satisfied. He lowered his sword and smiled at his sister. “You have grown into a very impressive warrior, Cinder… One day you will stand where I stand as the sword of our clan…”

She bowed and lowered her sword. “Only with such an excellent teacher, brother.”

Eight Months Ago

“Why are we here again?” A subordinate to Serenade named Rose asked her superior.

Arax kept his hood up concealing his face as he sighed and replied to her. “I already told you, one of the shards made it all the way here…”

Rose sighed and shook her head. “Yeah, but this place really is a shithole…”

The two had arrived at Thailand some time ago. Serenade had deduced that a trader had acquired one of the shards they were after when he had visited the United States a few years back. After some research, they were able to find the trader and managed to get a plane ticket to get there.

Rose knew that Arax was Serenade’s second-in-command, but other than that she knew nothing else about the guy. He was a changeling back in Equestria, but here in the human world, he looked like a pretty average-looking guy. Shaggy dark brown hair and one could see a piercing red eye staring at them from under his hood which he kept up most of the time. Not many in their organization ever got a good look at his face.

None within their group even knew of the changeling’s true abilities. Every demon was different, but he seldom showed off his potential. Some had told stories that he secretly held just as much power as Serenade herself, but kept it hidden, others theorized he had no demonic power at all. Rose wasn’t sure where she sat on the issue, but his demeanor definitely didn’t give anything away.

Arax was the quiet type and came off as easily annoyed. He only spoke when necessary and kept his commentary to a minimum. Rose didn’t exactly enjoy the entire awkward plane ride over in silence. She pondered how he could stay quiet for so long without getting bored. Between Serenade and him, it was clear who had more patience.

“Humans live differently across the world, I suppose…” Arax replied as the two made their way through a street market, crowded with people all over. One of them bumped into Rose who growled at them.

Arax merely shoved others out of his way, and when they confronted him, he just gave them a deathly stare from behind his hood. His red eye keeping them silent before they backed off. He was far taller than most people there, standing at six feet tall, which made him intimidating.

When the two arrived at the shop of the man they were in search of, Arax and Rose inspected it from the outside. The place was somewhat of a dump, and Rose blinked a few times before commenting. “I stand corrected… this place is a shithole…”

“Just try not to get in the way…” Arax responded before stuffing his hands into his pockets and entered the building.

Rose followed behind him as he approached the counter. The shop was filled with various objects all of which appeared to have come from across the world. The shopkeeper was an older gentleman who stared the two down as Arax came to the counter.

“Do you speak any English?” Arax asked the shopkeeper

“A little…” The man replied, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

“We’re looking for a black gemstone shard; we heard you acquired one back in America?” Rose asked.

“Lots of things like that…” The shopkeeper shrugged.

“This one is unique… It has a lifeless look to it and gives an off-putting feeling when held…” Rose stated.

“No idea what talking about…” The man obviously lied.

Arax reached across the counter and grabbed the man’s shirt and held it tightly. “We didn’t come all the way here to play games, old man. Hand over the shard or we’ll be forced to take it from you…”

“Get out of my store!” He yelled.

Rose raised a hand in the air and black tendrils came from the ground ready to grab the old man. He gasped and struggled to break free of Arax’s grip before looking at Arax’s face from behind his hood. A shining red eye met his gaze and caused him chills. “W-what are you?”

“Something beyond your comprehension, and if you cooperate then you shouldn’t have to ever find out… Now… Where is the shard?” Arax asked.

“Don’t know, could be anywhere!” The man replied hastily.

Arax tossed him back into a shelf, knocking it over and knocking the man onto the ground. “I suppose we’ll just have to have a look around then, won’t we?”

“P-please… I no want trouble!” He pleaded.

“You’ve already got it, old man. My suggestion to you is to stay out of our way and you won’t have to have any more trouble…” Rose threatened.

“Alright! Alright! Take whatever want!” He cowered.

Arax snapped his finger and gestured for Rose to begin looking. She nodded in agreement and instantly tossed a shelf over, smashing anything she could to find the shard. She had zero grace, that was for sure.

A sigh escaped Arax as he shook his head. “Perhaps you could try and look for the fucking thing a bit more gracefully without causing such a scene?”

“You asked me to look and this is how I do it,” Rose said.

“Whatever…” He stuffed his hands back into his pockets and waited while she destroyed half of the shop. He remained silent while she shattered vases and broke open crates.

Arax checked the time on his phone and no more than eight minutes passed before Rose exclaimed with excitement. “Jackpot! I found it!”

Looking up, he saw the girl holding a black shard in her hand. Opening his palm, he gestured with his finger for her to bring it to him.

Rose obeyed and placed it in his hand. He examined it closely and nodded in approval. It was most definitely the shard they had been sent to find. He recognized the sheen it gave off anywhere. Serenade would be pleased.

“That’s the right one, right?” Rose asked.

He nodded before stuffing it into his pocket. “This is definitely it…”

“Awesome! Now what?” Rose questioned.

Arax retrieved a gun from his waistband which Rose assumed was to be used to kill the shopkeeper, but to her surprise, he pointed it at her. “W-what’re you doing!?”

“The orders were clear… Once you served your purpose, I was instructed to kill you…” Arax responded.

“W-what!? Why!?” Rose panicked.

“Serenade has no further need for you. You can’t be discrete and you are a constant fuck up,” Arax said.

“You can’t be serious!” Rose responded.

“You’re a waste of space, and my orders were clear. Serenade doesn’t have a need for useless fuck ups like you…”

“Wait! I helped you! Surely that proves-“ She didn’t get a chance to finish that sentence before he pulled the trigger, putting a new hole in her skull.

Her limp body fell backward and evaporated into a black mist before touching the floor. “Consider yourself lucky… What Serenade would have done would have been eight times worse…” Arax said.

Looking back at the shopkeeper, Arax gave a serious look to the scared man. “Forget everything you saw here today. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I’ll be back to kill you as well…”

“Yes! Yes! I no see anything!” The man waved his hands frantically.

Nodding, Arax put his gun away and made his way out of the shop. He pulled the shard out of his pocket and stared at it. This stone would bring them all one step closer to completing Serenade’s objective. It would only be a matter of time before they had all of the shards in their possession. From there, the siren could execute the next step of her master plan.

Removing his hood, he brushed a hand through his messy hair and glanced at his reflection in the window of the shop. A serious-looking man with an eye patch over his left eye stared back at him. A defined masculine nose rested upon his face, matching his serious eyes.

He was a changeling, but he could not change his default appearance. He would forever carry that face. It would be a constant reminder of where he had been, what he had done, and the deals he had made. Touching his eyepatch, he shuddered as he remembered why he wore it. It was the price he paid for his mistakes, the price he paid to continue living and it surely wouldn’t be the end of his tolls. In time, he would have to give more and more and each sacrifice would definitely be harder than the last.

Regardless though, he served. He served without question and with unfaltering loyalty. He would give himself entirely to his master, and he would stand by her no matter what. That was all he could do now. There was no going back, there was no undoing what was already set in stone. His fate had long since been decided; he would aid the future demon lord until his body failed him. He would give her his entire being. It didn’t matter though, he didn’t have a choice in the matter anymore.

Stuffing the shard back into his pocket, the changeling flipped his hood back up and began to make his way back to the airport with the shard in tow. He couldn’t wait to get back to the mission, now without the annoyance of a failure of a follower to babysit.

Five Years Ago

Eclipse had spent a considerable amount of time searching for Sunset Shimmer, but after enough traveling and poking around he was certain that he had found her. Rumors told him that she had come to Arkansas chasing after something. Stories told by people who had seen her suggested she had been traveling across the country on some kind of mission.

The girl had been busy, but his resourcefulness had managed to flag her down while she was still close by his current location.

To intercept her, he bought a hotel room at the same hotel she was staying at. He knew she was staying in room eight, but he needed more information so he distracted the front counter worker before sneaking a look at their sign-in tablet. Glancing over the list of occupants, he noticed that the name she had put down was a fake name. Typical. After all, every person he had asked about her gave a different name for the woman.

Before the front desk worker returned, he closed the tablet and casually walked toward his room before smiling at a young man heading toward a different room. The man had just gotten out of the pool and his sleek body was still damp from the water. Without a shirt on, Eclipse could see that he was fairly well built and had an attractive mermaid line.

The young man, probably no older than twenty glanced back at Eclipse who brushed his long hair with his fingertips before giving him a wink as he touched his tender-looking lips. He looked very effeminate, and many often mistook him for a woman, but that often worked to his advantage.

The man blushed and flinched before grunting as Eclipse approached. “H-hey…” he said.

“Hey…” Eclipse replied as he lowered his head, gazing at the attractive man with his shining eyes. He had messy black hair and light green eyes.

“You staying here, I take it?” He asked.

“For now…” Eclipse nodded with a sly grin.

“Cool… Maybe we can hang out sometime?” The man asked.

“Maybe right now?” Eclipse suggested.

The other man gulped. “I… uh… I don’t know…”

“Why look a gift horse in the mouth, sweetheart?” Eclipse nearly whispered in a sultry voice. His effeminate vocals definitely had the intended effect as he could almost feel the man’s neck hairs stand up.

“I’ve never done something with a guy before…” He admitted.

Eclipse came closer and placed a gentle hand upon his cheek. He whispered into the man’s ear. “I won’t tell anyone, promise…”

Looking back and forth, he nodded. “My name is Auburn…”

Eclipse placed a finger over his lips. “Sweetie, names aren’t that important.”

He nodded before Eclipse took his hand in his own and led him toward the room where he knew Sunset Shimmer was staying. To his good fortune, she left it unlocked while she was away. He figured he could kill some time while he waited for her, and kill it in a way that was most satisfying.

Now as an adult, he was a bit more experienced and had become far bolder than he was in his youth. Once the door closed behind them, Eclipse placed his hand upon Auburn’s chest and pushed him back against the door. He looked up at him and grinned at him mischievously. Eclipse was a good eight inches shorter than Auburn and far more effeminate but the power dynamic was entirely in his favor.

Auburn gulped when he heard Eclipse’s pants unzip.

The two stepped away from the door and Eclipse sat down on the bed and pointed with his index finger to the floor in front of himself. “Come here, sweetheart.”

Auburn approached carefully before standing in front of Eclipse who pointed toward the floor once more.

Getting down on his knees, Auburn’s face grew hot as he stared at Eclipse’s powerful shining eyes. The young man giggled and brushed a stray strand of his long hair out of his face. “Well?” Eclipse asked.

Nodding, Auburn slid Eclipse’s pants down, ready to indulge. When he saw his girth he gulped before slowly descending his mouth over it. Eclipse placed a hand upon the back of his head and pushed him down his length. Before he could even let out a single moan of pleasure, the sound of the doorknob rattling caused his attention to turn to the door.

Quickly the door opened and a woman with long red hair with yellow highlights stood there in a pair of leather pants and a crop top and matching leather jacket. In her right hand was a 1911 semi-automatic pistol pointed directly at Eclipse.

“Who the fuck are you?” She asked.

Auburn came up from being pushed down on Eclipse’s groins and had a panicked look upon his face.

Eclipse smiled. “Hey, do you mind if I finish this first?”

Author's Note

Welcome back everyone! I'm sorry for the long delay. :c

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXV: Eclipse

Chapter CXV: Eclipse

Five Years Ago

Auburn’s face turned red, but then a cold sweat ran down his neck as he wiped his lips free of saliva after coming up from Eclipse’s nether region. A woman with wild red hair stood there with a handgun pointed at the both of them. He had never had a gun pointed at him before, so he just froze.

Sighing, Eclipse zipped his pants back up and tucked away his length shaking his head. “I guess that means I’ll have to deal with blue balls instead…” Eclipse mumbled.

Sunset kept her weapon brandished and flicked her head slightly to move some of her wild hair out of her face. She had really let herself go in terms of personal grooming, but she had kept her body in top physical form.

“You both have eight seconds to tell me who you both are, and who sent you…” Sunset demanded.

Auburn stuttered but managed to get no words out. Fortunately for him, Eclipse managed to get the conversation started.

“He’s irrelevant. Literally, he’s just from a few rooms down, and he was looking for a good time,” Eclipse explained.

Sunset wiggled her gun at Auburn. “Let’s see some ID then, tough guy.”

Auburn looked over at Eclipse, who just gave him his soft effeminate smile. He seemed so perfectly calm in this situation. “It’s okay, sweetie. Give it to her.”

Hesitantly, Auburn held up his wrist and his phone flashed his ID as a hologram in front of Sunset who examined it closely. With her own phone, she scanned it to check for authenticity. After a few seconds, she was convinced his ID was real and Eclipse’s story seemed plausible.

Nodding, Sunset stepped forward and placed a hand upon Auburn’s head. The geode on her choker began to glow as it did. After a few seconds, she spoke in a low voice. “Go back to your room…”

Auburn’s demeanor changed completely after her words. He grew calm as he stood up and nodded. “Alright…”

Once he walked out the door, Sunset locked it behind him. Eclipse huffed in annoyance. “You’re a real cockblock, you know that?”

Sunset pointed her gun at Eclipse. “You’re not off the hook yet, pretty boy. Who are you?”

Eclipse brushed a lock of his shining hair out of his face and smirked. “I guess you could say I’m a long-time fan… Sunset Shimmer.”

“How do you know my name?” Sunset grunted.

“You’re a lot rougher in person than I imagined… That’s alright though, rough is nice once in a while…” Eclipse giggled.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset stepped closer and pointed the gun directly at Eclipse’s head. “Why don’t you start talking about why you’re here and who sent you?”

“Or you’ll do what?” Eclipse laughed.

“Or I’ll splatter your demon brains onto the ground, and forget we ever had this conversation…” Sunset hissed as she pressed the gun directly to his forehead.

He laughed and shook his head, unfazed by her threat. “Darling, you think I’m a demon? You couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“Then why are you here?” Sunset asked.

“I told you… I’m a fan…” He winked.

“How do you know me?” She continued.

“I have my sources…” Eclipse responded.

“But you won’t tell me?” Sunset concluded out loud.

He twirled a lock of his hair in his finger playfully. “Nope.”

“So you’re expecting me just to trust you then? Blindly? With no reason to do so?” Sunset asked.

“Is my pretty face not enough to instill trust in you?” Eclipse questioned.

Sunset groaned in annoyance before lowering her gun. While she could not eliminate the possibility of danger, she was certain that if he was trying to kill her, he wouldn’t have gone about it this way.

Is her working for Serenade? Sunset wondered.

No, he doesn’t seem the type. Not to mention, I can’t sense any demonic energy on him. Sunset thought. While she knew stronger demons could hide their demonic presence, she also knew that such a powerful demon would be closer to Serenade’s level and that meant he would have tried to kill her instantly rather than waste time with banter or answering any questions.

“You’re a guy, right?” Sunset asked though she was mostly certain of that, given what she had seen him doing. His face seemed almost like a woman’s though.

He giggled and winked. “Yes, though I know my girlish good looks are deceiving.”

“Definitely…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“Okay… So you found me, now what’s your next move?” Sunset asked.

Eclipse retrieved a butterfly knife from his pocket and flipped it open skillfully. Sunset flinched and aimed her weapon again. Eclipse just tapped the blade against his velvet lips and spoke softly. “I’m here to help you.”

“Help me with what?” Sunset asked.

“I’m here to kill Serenade Dazzle…” Eclipse’s voice grew a bit darker as he said those words.

Sunset laughed and shook her head. “You’re insane, kid. I’d go home if I were you, while you’re still intact.”

“I’m serious…” Eclipse replied.

Sunset glanced at him with the corner of her that wasn’t blocked by her unruly hair. There was a fire in his eyes, and his demeanor had definitely grown more serious. No longer was he the impish jokester he portrayed himself as only moments ago; no, there was something deeper to him.

The appearance of this man only gave Sunset far more questions. Why would someone who looked perhaps eighteen or so want to chase after Serenade?

“Why though? How do you know of her?” Sunset asked.

“Serenade killed my parents,” Eclipse said plainly, “I intend to return the favor.”

Shaking her head, Sunset sighed. “Vengeance is a quest that only leaves one dead. You’re taking on something far stronger than you know.”

“This isn’t about vengeance, it’s about justice. Enemies of the world do not belong in the world, wouldn’t you agree, Sunset?” Eclipse tilted his head slightly as he spoke.

She squinted as she tried to get a read on him. “Sure, but you have no idea what you’re getting into…”

“I think I have a good idea. If I die trying to kill her, then that is an acceptable outcome.” Eclipse nodded happily.

What’s with this kid? Sunset blinked.

“Look, you shouldn’t be so eager to die…”

“I have no other reason to be alive, really; which makes me the perfect candidate to help you kill her, does it not?” Eclipse grinned.

“Listen… Kid-“ Sunset was cut off.

“I intend to kill Serenade, and then I am perfectly content with dying after. Don’t try and change my mind, because you have no idea who I am or what I’ve been through…” Eclipse’s face turned serious again.

Biting her lip, Sunset pulled up a chair from a nearby desk and turned it around. She sat in it backward and faced him, staring him down as he sat there nonchalantly on the old bed of her hotel room.

“Where did you come from? Here or…” She didn’t finish her sentence.

“That’s not important,” Eclipse responded.

“And how do you know who I am then?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Also not important.” Eclipse grinned.

Sunset let out a hearty laugh. “So let me get this right… You expect me to trust you to help me fight Serenade… Yet you won’t tell me who you are, where you came from, how you know who I am, or how you found me? And I’m supposed to be dumb enough to trust you?”

“You’d be amazed at how easy it is to trust someone you don’t know…” Eclipse spoke softly.

He had a point. Sunset had asked many to follow her under the guise of Glitch. Thousands followed her and many to their ultimate end. They had put their faith in Glitch despite not knowing who they were or where they came from. Would they have done the same for Sunset Shimmer, the pony behind the mask?

Still, the boy was a risk for sure. He was young and likely naive, she wasn’t in the mood to be protecting anyone while she worked.

“Look, Eclipse… I’m not in the mood to babysit, so why not go home?” Sunset smiled.

“I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me from here on…” Eclipse responded.

“I can ditch you the moment you go to sleep…” Sunset declared.

“And I can find you again, just like I did this time. I have all the time in the world, Sunset…” He grinned.

Sighing, Sunset looked to the ceiling as she thought about it. “We’re up against a monster… Something you can’t handle…”

“Neither can you, not on your own. We can teach each other…” Eclipse said.

Looking at him, she could see that he was serious. He wouldn’t be easy to shake, and that meant he would definitely find her again if she lost him.

“I left my family behind so I wouldn’t have to protect anyone…” Sunset spoke.

“Then don’t protect me… Let me protect myself,” Eclipse replied.

There was a long silence between the two. A silence that Sunset thought would never end, however, she eventually broke it. “Alright, fine. You get yourself killed though, and it’s not my fault. You keep a low profile, and do what I say, got it?”

“I’m very good at keeping a low profile.” Eclipse winked.

Sunset waved her hand at him. “Yeah? And what do you call what was happening when I walked in Mr. Low Profile?”

“Killing time.” Eclipse shrugged.

“Try and keep your dick in your pants and we’ll get along so much better…” Sunset sighed.

“No promises there.” Eclipse chuckled.

“I hate this partnership already…” Sunset facepalmed.

“Likewise.” Eclipse winked.

Five Years Ago

It had only been eight days since Eclipse showed up at Sunset’s hotel room, and since that day, he had kept to his word; he was right by her side and impossible to shake. Regardless of his unwavering loyalty though, he continued to remain enigmatic. Not a single crack in his armor could be found, and he wouldn’t reveal much about himself or his motivations. It irked Sunset, but there was nothing she could do.

Sitting at a cafe, Eclipse found himself staring at an attractive man across the street. His eyes fixated on the topless form of the man who had clearly returned from the beach. Looking down, he whistled gently as he observed his mermaid line. His tooth grazed his lip as he tried to contain himself.

At the counter, Sunset returned with two cups in hand, placing them in front of the two. Immediately, Sunset took a long sip from her cup.

Eclipse’s nose instantly caught the aroma but his eyes remained locked on the man across the street. “Latte?”

She nodded. “I got you a tea, I wasn’t sure if a kid like you even drinks coffee.”

Eclipse shrugged. “Never really gave it much thought back home…”

“So they had coffee and tea back at your home?” Sunset inquired.

“If you’re hoping for me to spill my guts to you, then you’re going to have to get me drunk or something…” Eclipse responded, licking his lips as he watched the man across the street.

“What are you looking at?” Sunset glanced in the direction he was facing.

He gestured with his head as his finger played with a strand of his shining hair. “That sexy piece of man right over there…”

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “Can you think with your head and not with your dick for a change?”

“Maybe what you say is boring.” Eclipse shrugged.

She reached over and tapped his cheek with her gloved palm. “Focus, okay?”

“Again, if what you had to say wasn’t so damn boring, it’d be easier to pay attention to what you say…” Eclipse rolled his eyes.

Sipping from her cup, Sunset clasped it in her gloved hand and shook her head. “You lack focus…”

“Are you always this serious? Like for real, you could do well with chilling out a bit. Maybe a drink or two can mellow you out… Or maybe you need to get laid… I can ask that guy over there if he’s interested after he’s done sucking me off…” Eclipse grinned.

“I’m married…” Sunset replied.

“Never a problem for most people…” Eclipse shrugged.

“I wouldn’t cheat on Twilight for anyone…” Sunset responded.

Eclipse smirked. “What a lucky lady… To be chained down with you…”

“So far I’m absolutely loving your company…” Sunset spoke with an obviously sarcastic tone.

He didn’t bother responding, instead, he sipped from his tea and kept his eyes on the man across the street, undressing him further with his eyes.

After a few seconds of silence, Eclipse spoke up. “What’s with the glove?”

“You won’t tell me anything about yourself, so why should I share anything with you?” Sunset raised a brow.

Eclipse shrugged once more. “Never mind, I’m not really that particularly interested anyway…”

Sunset’s eyes looked down at her hand. She opened and closed her fingers to remind herself that it was still hers’. It had already been so long since that day, and it was only getting worse. She used to only wear a black leather glove over it, but now she accompanied it with a matching wrist guard.

“Let’s just say you’ll know eventually if you live long enough…” Sunset responded.

“Is that your attempt at being mysterious?” Eclipse smirked.

“You tell me.” Sunset shrugged.

“You’ve been hunting Serenade for about five years now, right?” Eclipse changed the subject.

Sunset sipped her coffee and finished it off before setting the cup down with an audible clack. “I’d ask how you knew that, but I know you have no intention of telling me.”

“You’re catching on quick…” Eclipse nodded.

Running her good hand through her long hair, Sunset leaned back in her seat. “Yeah, I’ve been hunting her for about that long. She isn’t an easy prey to pin down, and on top of that, I’m trying to stop her from gathering all of the shards she needs to restore a siren’s amulet… Her sister’s amulet to be exact…”

“And why would she waste her time doing something like that?” Eclipse asked, already knowing the answer.

“She believes her sister is reborn here somewhere in the human world. I’ve never heard of something so absurd before, but regardless if there is even a small chance that it’s true, we can not allow her and her sister to reunite…” Sunset answered.

Eclipse placed both hands onto the table and leaned in with serious eyes. “Adagio lives, I’m sure of that.”

“Reincarnation is a myth… An old legend, there’s no way that someone could be reborn as someone else…” Sunset shook her head.

“The thing about death… Is that it’s always a mystery. You would be surprised at what is actually possible. You need to start thinking outside the box if you want to catch a demon of Serenade’s caliber. She’s been to hell and back and yet you’re doubting the ability to come back from the dead?” Eclipse raised a brow.

He had a point. Death among mortals was fairly straightforward, but Sunset hadn’t considered that the concept might apply differently to those who were never meant to die. Was it really possible for Adagio to be reborn into the human world? Would a reborn Adagio even be capable of harnessing her siren powers?

No, it doesn’t matter. Serenade would likely turn her into a demon regardless. Sunset thought to herself. If that were the case, it didn’t even matter if she could re-awaken her siren abilities.

Serenade wasn’t an ordinary demon either, she was a demon on the level necessary to become the demon lord. It was highly possible that she was capable of things that were previously impossible. Sunset knew that coming back from the dead was impossible, but Serenade was the kind of creature that could make the impossible possible.

Princess Twilight had mentioned before that many ponies had tried to find a way to cheat death and every single one of them had failed. Every last one of them had wasted away into nothing with nothing to show for their efforts; but methods involving hell and demons had never been attempted, no one was foolish enough to try such a thing.

“So finding Adagio should be our priority then… If we can get to her and eliminate her before Serenade finds her then we may be able to take Serenade out before she gets any stronger…” Sunset surmised.

“Serenade is a powerful demon in her own right, how do you anticipate to take her out on your own, regardless?” Eclipse questioned.

“I managed to extract some information from one of her subordinates. The method that she used to get here in the first place wasn’t a conventional one. She could not use the portal like I could due to her high amount of demonic energy, at least not by forcing it open. To use it, she would need to wait for thirty moons to pass, and even then, she would risk dying in the process since demons can not pass through it without drastically risking their life…” Sunset began explaining.

“So what?” Eclipse shrugged.

Sunset sighed. “So, she employed another method of getting here, but it’s a one-way trip. I’m not sure about the details, but apparently, she had to sacrifice a large amount of her power to do so. She’s still quite strong, but not as strong as she once was…”

“Neither are you.” Eclipse smirked.

He was correct, of course. In the human world, while Sunset had mastered her abilities as much as she could, there was no denying that she was far stronger in her original form. Her mastery of her powers was far greater back in Equestria because she understood how magic worked there far better. Here in the human world, she probably only understood magic about 80%.

This meant that both Serenade and she were at a disadvantage, but there was a slim chance that Serenade wasn’t aware of that. Perhaps the boastful demon’s overconfidence could play right into Sunset’s hand.

No, it’s foolish to assume she’s gotten dumber. If I were her, I would be preparing for a fight before picking one. Sunset thought to herself. It made sense too, as whenever she would appear, it was as though Serenade always sidestepped her, avoiding a direct confrontation whenever possible.

“I suppose that we’ll have to determine how effective you will be in the long run then…” Sunset grinned back at him.

He chuckled and looked away. “Even with my help, you’ll need to be at your best to take down Serenade…”

“That is definitely true…” Sunset nodded.

Five Years Ago

Eclipse let out a long yawn as he rubbed his eyes. He wasn’t exactly sure why Sunset had ordered him up at the crack of dawn or called them both out to the middle of the desert, but he wasn’t exactly pleased with it. For someone as unkempt as she looked, she seemed to have a tendency to wake up rather early.

Checking the time on his phone, Eclipse noted it was 8:08 AM. Something about seeing that time made him feel odd. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it though. The feeling passed though once he looked away and realized it was likely just his imagination. After all, he couldn’t think of anything really significant about such a time.

Kicking some sand, he saw Sunset pull up on her motorcycle. The woman removed her helmet and shook her long hair. It looked like it was in desperate need of brushing, but Sunset didn’t strike him as the kind of person who put as much care into her hair as he did. His was long, silky, and well kept, and Sunset’s was a mess. Despite living in the human world and having to get by using illegal means, he still managed to get his hands on great hair products. His appearance was important to him after all.

Placing the helmet onto her bike’s seat after stepping off of the vehicle, she retrieved a bag that was hanging off of the bike. She glanced at the effeminate man standing before her and raised a brow. “I see you’re on time…”

“Yeah, which I meant to ask… Why the hell do you get up before the entire planet? Seriously, most days I see you up at like five in the morning…” Eclipse yawned.

“Well maybe you should go to bed sooner, after all, we’re supposed to stay focused so we’re ready for a fight…” Sunset lectured.

“Unlike you, some of us are getting laid on occasion… You look like you’re past due by the way…” He smirked.

Sunset rolled her eyes and retrieved a wrapped-up item from the bag and tossed it to Eclipse.

Catching it, he looked down with confusion to see some kind of dark cloth in his hands.

“You should forget about your dick for a while and keep your mind on what we’re doing…” Sunset said.

He ignored her advice and unfolded the cloth to see a white fox mask inside. “What’s this?”

“Your disguise. If you’re going to fight with me, then you’re going to need to be able to blend in with me. I wear it to protect my identity from Serenade and her minions…” Sunset explained.

He chuckled. “And why are you giving this to me now?”

“You need to learn how to fight with the cloak on like me,” Sunset explained.

He gave a disapproving look as he looked at the cloak the mask was wrapped in. “Does it come in any other colors?”

“Black is better, gives us the cover of darkness at night time…” Sunset replied.

“Why the disguises though?” Eclipse asked.

“When Serenade came here, she only knew my name and that I was once Glitch; she didn’t know what I looked like though and that will keep us safe while we are on our downtime, understand?” Sunset explained.

Her logic was sound. He couldn’t argue that she made a solid point. “Alright, I suppose that makes sense…” He sighed while putting the mask on and donning the cloak over his clothes.

Like him, Sunset reached into her bag and retrieved her own black mask, and placed it upon her face. She followed the action by putting a cloak of her own over her body.

“So… Why are we out here?” Eclipse asked while adjusting his mask.

Sunset extended her gloved right hand and made a powerful-looking compound bow materialize in said hand. She gripped it and conjured an arrow made of dark energy with her left hand. She pulled the string back and snapped the arrow in Eclipse’s direction, to which the man jumped out of the way as the arrow hit the ground and evaporated into a black mist.

He glanced in her direction in confusion. “We’re here to test your abilities…”

He laughed and dodged a second arrow shot in his direction. “Why bother with that?”

“I need to see what I’m working with…” Sunset replied.

Letting out another laugh, Eclipse drew his butterfly knife from his pocket and wielded in backhanded. “Fine with me, I could use a little fun after all!”

Keeping her distance, Sunset let off another couple of arrows, one of which Eclipse deflected with his knife and the other he sidestepped.

Eclipse already knew that with a compound bow, Sunset would try and maintain distance between the two of them so she could keep her advantage in the fight. However, Eclipse knew from her time as Glitch, Sunset was also formidable in close combat.

He wasn’t much for long-range, he preferred to be up close and personal, so he would need to get close enough to make her bow useless.

Sunset let off a rapid volley of eight arrows. Eclipse dodged two, slashed another out of the air, and leaped high enough to jump off of another arrow. He flipped and landed in front of Sunset, taking quick swipes at the woman. Sunset in turn moved backward and held her metal bow in front of herself to block a few of the swipes.

In retaliation, she swung her bow at him knocking him back. She tossed the bow aside, and it evaporated into a black mist just like the arrows before she held up her right hand and took a fighting stance.

Eclipse recovered from the hit fairly quickly and took note of how it was somewhat odd that she was going to go barehanded rather than don a weapon to counter his own.

He got low and swung at her abdomen only for her to swipe down with her arm and knock his arm away. Quickly she gripped his forearm and twisted it. With another fast motion, she cracked his wrist with her left hand and disarmed him. He grunted in pain but retaliated by swiped at her with his free hand punching her in the chest.

Sunset grunted and released him only for him to continue the assault punching her in the gut a few times. After eight punches, she finally counter-attacked and swung downward hitting him directly in the head.

Eclipse fumbled and fell down to a knee. Sunset wasted no time and kicked him in the stomach while he was knelt down. The kick knocked him over onto his back which he quickly rectified by leaping back onto his feet. He was pleasantly surprised by how hard she could hit, and how well she could take a punch.

He laughed as he reached down into the sand and retrieved his butterfly knife. Flicking it open, he tossed the knife into the air and thrust forward, kicking Sunset in the gut and caught the knife after the kick and swiped at her.

To dodge the swipe, Sunset quickly sunk into the ground and traveled through her shadow into Eclipse’s. Once she came out of his shadow, she stood behind him and jabbed him in the back of the neck with her elbow.

He fell forward and dropped his knife but swiped the ground with his leg and knocked Sunset over. She recovered quickly and ignited her hand with fire and swung at him as he was getting back up.

Fortunately for Eclipse, he was able to get out of the way in time before he was burned.

“You didn’t say you’d use magic…” Eclipse complained.

Sunset created a wall of fire in front of herself and used the confusion to thrust forward and grip Eclipse by the throat, lifting him off of the ground as black tendrils began to wrap around his body.

He struggled and kicked to break free but it was no use. Finally, Sunset dropped him onto the sand and adjusted the glove on her hand. The black tendrils around Eclipse retracted into her hand. “Always expect the worst…” Sunset said.

Eclipse tried to catch his breath as he rubbed his neck.

“After all, Serenade won’t hold back any of her powers in a fight…” Sunset added.

He managed to stand and removed his hood and mask. The man ran a hand through his soft hair and sighed as he watched Sunset remove her own and walk back to the motorcycle. She reached under the seat and retrieved a set of water bottles, tossing him one. Eclipse caught it and untwisted the top.

Eclipse took a long sip and wiped his mouth as Sunset came back over to him. She reached to check his neck, but he swatted her hand away. “You’re a demon…” He spoke.

His words didn’t sound like a question, but instead, an accusation.

Sighing, Sunset nodded before taking a sip of her own water. “Yes… I’m a demon…”

“And yet you act as though I’m the suspicious one? How do you expect me to trust a demon to kill Serenade?” Eclipse asked with a raised brow.

“If you don’t like it, you can go back where you came from…” Sunset smirked.

“I keep my word. I said I’d be right by your side when we took down Serenade, however, I don’t have to like it…” Eclipse grunted.

“I don’t expect you to understand…” Sunset shrugged.

“It’s not a matter of understanding… I’m just disgusted…” Eclipse looked away from her.

She knew that he wouldn’t be okay with that fact, yet she hadn’t expected such a powerful reaction from him. Up to this point, she had only known him to be a jokester and never took anything seriously, so to say it was an odd change of demeanor would be an understatement.

Sunset looked down at her right hand and closed her eyes as she closed her fingers. “So am I…”

“To think, the great Sunset Shimmer would allow herself to become a demon…” Eclipse spoke with even more disgust in his voice.

“If you’re disappointed, imagine how I feel…” Sunset shook her head.

“As if I cared…” Eclipse finished his water and tossed the bottle aside.

“Regardless, we’re working together, so I guess I’ll have to learn to tolerate you…” Eclipse shrugged.

Sunset chuckled as she finished her own water. “I guess we both have to tolerate each other…”

Five Years Ago

Adjusting her cloak, Sunset had assumed her identity as the black kabuki. She knelt down on a steel girder in an abandoned construction site where she observed one of Serenade’s demon’s conversing with what she assumed to be one of his higher-ups.

Eclipse had arrived only seconds ago and perched next to her. He looked down at the two demons conversing with Sunset and then glanced over at her. “When do we strike?”

She held up her hand and silenced him. “We wait for his superior to leave. Then we get a jump on the weaker one and squeeze him for info.”

“And if he doesn’t give us any?” Eclipse asked.

“Regardless if he does or doesn’t, it won’t change his fate…” Sunset alluded.

Eclipse chuckled as he watched down below. The two were just out of sight so they could observe for hours if need be.

“Why not just strike now and get two for one?” Eclipse asked.

“How many demons have you fought on your own in the human world?” Sunset asked.

Eclipse shrugged. “None.”

“Exactly. While I have an idea of what you’re capable of in a fight; a fight against a demon is a different story. I’d rather not be burdened with saving your ass if we’re up against two…” Sunset explained.

Eclipse huffed and shook his head. “So this is another one of your bullshit tests?”

“You can consider it such if you like,” Sunset said plainly.

“I don’t think I’ve met anyone with as many trust issues as you have…” Eclipse sighed.

Sunset let out a small chuckle at the thought. “If you knew what I’ve been through, you would understand.”

“Somehow, I doubt that… At least it’s something we have in common…” Eclipse replied.

Sunset glanced in his direction. For a brief moment she had hoped he would elaborate on that point, but she knew it was in vain as the boy hadn’t bent on his distrust of her since the day they met. Still, she wondered about his past and what his true motivation was. The concept of his parents being killed by Serenade being his sole motivation just seemed too simple for someone as complicated as him.

To make it more strange, she still wondered why he sought her out in the first place. She had surmised he was from Equestria, but he wouldn’t say it out loud. Was he a pony like her? Or something else? Could he actually be from another realm entirely? Were there other realms?

The thought scared her. If there were more realms out there that could connect to their world then that meant the threat of Serenade was only the least of her problems. Shaking her head, she dismissed the idea, realizing she was worrying herself over “maybes” and “what-ifs”.

“Yeah, you definitely seem like the untrusting type…” Sunset nodded.

He shrugged. “I’ve learned that relying on others is the path to disappointment.”

Well, there’s a small hint at least. Sunset thought. She added it to the tiny list of things she knew about him in her head.

As the two were conversing, Eclipse pointed down at their target. Sunset looked in that direction to see that the other demon had left. She held up her hand to halt Eclipse as she instructed. “Alright, let’s try and do this clean and easy, okay? Follow my lead, and try not to get yourself killed…”

Flipping open his butterfly knife, Eclipse sighed and rolled his eyes behind his mask. “Let’s just squeeze this asshole, alright?”

Sighing back at him, Sunset nodded and adjusted her mask. “Fine…”

With those words, Sunset leaped down from where they were perched and came up behind the man they were watching. With a quick motion, she went to grab him around the neck, but somehow he sensed she was there and ducked moving backward while turning to face her, but unfortunately for him, Eclipse was already behind him and gripped him with his knife to the man’s neck.

“Afraid not, pal…” Eclipse said quietly.

He was young-looking, with light brown hair and light blue eyes. He had a messy head of hair and a soft face. Eclipse stroked his cheek with his free hand and chuckled. “He’s actually kind of cute for a demon…”

“Focus…” Sunset stated.

“Right… Okay, sweetheart, you’re going to tell us some info, got it?” Eclipse began.

“Piss off, I won’t tell you two shit.” He growled.

“Suit yourself,” Eclipse said.

Quickly, Eclipse ran his knife across his throat, causing black blood to spew out of it. He choked and gagged before collapsing on the flood and evaporating into a black mist, much like other demons that Sunset had killed.

She blinked in astonishment and looked at Eclipse with fury as she came forward and grabbed his cloak. “What the fuck was that?”

“What? He was useless.” Eclipse shrugged.

“We didn’t even try to squeeze him!” Sunset barked.

“Why bother? He said he wasn’t going to tell us anything…” Eclipse yawned.

“What the hell is wrong with you? We could have tried for more than eight seconds you know?” Sunset growled.

“And what exactly did you hope to learn from a lowly henchman anyway? Why waste time on him if he says he isn’t going to talk? We should keep right to business and not waste time on dead ends…” Eclipse spoke seriously.

This kid is unbelievable. Sunset thought.

“You’re reckless…” Sunset said.

Their argument would be interrupted though as the other demon from earlier had re-entered the room. He looked at the two of them and conjured up dark energy around his hands when he saw the two masked figures in the room. “Black kabuki? And who is this other little shit stain?” The demon asked.

“Guess we’ll have to finish this discussion later…” Sunset sighed as she made her bow appear in her hand. “Stay focused.”

“Not an issue.” Eclipse chuckled.

Sunset quickly sprung into action and hurled a fireball at the demon who blocked it with a black fireball of his own. She could already tell that his control over dark magic was rudimentary at best, given his form. She took advantage of this and lunged forward with her right hand after quickly removing the glove.

Seeing her coming, he moved fast enough to grab Eclipse and wrap his arm around Eclipse’s neck. With his other hand, he made another fireball appear and threatened him with it. “Don’t make me hurt your little friend!”

Sunset growled in annoyance at having to rescue him, but to her surprise, something happened that she hadn’t expected. Behind Eclipse a sword made entirely of white light appeared out of nowhere and impaled his captor in the skull. When his body turned to black mist, Sunset looked down at Eclipse’s hand to see it glowing white before the sword disappeared.

Sunset relaxed herself and approached him shaking her head. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“That’s why they always keep coming back…” Eclipse chuckled.

Five Years Ago

Upon returning to their hotel, Sunset shut the door behind them and instantly grew irate with her partner. “How long were you going to wait to tell me that you could do magic?”

“You never asked…” Eclipse feigned innocence.

“I am so sick of your bullshit, what the hell aren’t you telling me? You can do magic, you know about me and you can do light magic at that! A fairly rare affinity, and yet you can perform it…” Sunset pointed at him incredulously.

Eclipse looked down at his hand and then smiled as he looked back up at Sunset. “Light magic isn’t so hard when your heart is pure…”

“You? Pure-hearted?” Sunset laughed.

“Just because I’m a sex addict doesn’t mean my heart isn’t pure. I say what I feel, and I present exactly who I am to everyone I meet. I may keep secrets, but my motivations are simple and to the point. Being pure-hearted doesn’t mean you’re an innocent person, it just means that you are completely genuine…” Eclipse smirked.

She had no counter-argument to that statement. Eclipse may not have been many things, but he was definitely genuine. What you see was what you got with him, unfortunately.

Sunset sighed and sat down at the desk in the room as she faced him.

Eclipse pointed to her right hand as he spoke. “That hand of yours already tells me that you’re nothing like that…”

“Is that what you think?” Sunset raised a brow.

“The hand isn’t the only reason…” Eclipse shook his head.

“What else then?” Sunset asked.

“You’re not ready for what you need to hear…” Eclipse chuckled.

Sunset stood up and approached him. “Tell me…”

He looked down at her hand and then gestured to the table in the room. “I can show you…”

Following his instructions, she approached the table. Both of them stood at either side of the table to where Eclipse gestured to the table once more. “Place your hand on the table.”

Shrugging, Sunset put her left hand down on the table to which Eclipse shook his head. “Your other hand…”

Nodding, Sunset switched hands.

“Take your glove and wristguard off…” He stated.

Hesitantly, she did so and carefully placed the black corrupted hand onto the table. When she looked at that hand, she was reminded of how it was no longer hers’. Her nails had turned into sharp claws and her normally effeminate curves had become sharp and pointed, making the hand look rather boney.

She hated looking at her right hand so much. Every time she saw it, it reminded her of how much she hated herself.

Slowly, Eclipse lowered his own hand down to her own to which Sunset gripped his wrist with her good hand. “Don’t… This hand is cursed…”

Eclipse looked her in the eyes. “Trust me…”

She didn’t know why, but somehow just those words were enough to get her to lower her guard. She released his wrist and waited patiently for what he was going to do.

Eclipse made his hand glow with light magic and quickly thrust it down onto the table pinning Sunset’s demonic appendage down. The sensation of his magic imbued hand instantly caused a horrid burning sensation in Sunset. She yelped and screamed as she felt it get worse and worse.

“Stop it!” She screamed as she attempted to break free, but the pain was so much that it had nearly immobilized her.

“No… You need to experience this…” He instructed.

“STOP! IT BURNS!” Sunset hollered.

“That’s exactly the point… You are powerless, Sunset. That’s a feeling that you’ve clearly been running from for a long time… A feeling that you’ve wanted to avoid accepting…” Eclipse stated.

“PLEASE! IT HURTS!” Sunset cried, her eyes now watering as she felt herself almost ready to black out from the pain.

“And what are you going to do about it, Sunset?” Eclipse asked as he squeezed tighter.

“AHHHHH! PLEASE NO MORE!” Sunset cried.

“What are you going to do about it, Sunset?” Eclipse asked again.

“PLEASE!” Sunset tried to tug herself free to no avail.

“LOOK AT ME!” Eclipse yelled.

Sunset was on the floor, her arm pinned to the table, but she managed to look over the table and meet his eyes.

“What. Are. You. Going. To. Do?” Eclipse asked, pausing after each word.

She cried and struggled, but kept her eyes locked on his and then looked down at her arm. She saw smoke coming from where the light magic was touching her. She had fought with all of her might, but she couldn’t escape his grip, it was paralyzing.

Looking back into his eyes, she whimpered and managed to get words out. “N-nothing…”

Eclipse nodded and released her. She fell onto the floor and gripped the affected hand as she curled up into the fetal position. She sobbed and trembled as she started to recover from the intense pain. She had never felt anything so painful in her entire life.

Squatting down to her level, Eclipse positioned himself in front of her, his long silky hair cascading over his form as he spoke in a serious tone. “It’s only when you accept that you can’t do anything that you can truly start to grow… Knowing when you are absolutely powerless to stop something is the only way you can truly get stronger. When you live in denial of your limitations, you will only become a victim of them, do you understand that?”

Sunset panted and kept her eyes on him as he continued.

“It’s not until you are put in a situation where you have to accept that there is no hope that you can really say that you’re being honest with yourself. I’ve already been to that place, and I’ve accepted that death may be my eventual fate at the end of this journey, but I can honestly say that I look death in the eyes and feel nothing…” He stood up and offered his hand to help her up.

She took it and he pulled her to her feet. “You, however, you still fight with yourself…”

“And what makes you so much more enlightened?” Sunset asked as she put her glove and wristguard back on.

“I’m not. I’m not spectacular in any way… And that’s the point… Until you realize that for yourself, you will continue down a path of self-destruction…” Eclipse said quietly.

“You don’t know a thing about me…” Sunset growled.

“I know all I need to know…” He smirked before turning away and heading toward the bathroom. “I’m gonna shower and then head to bed. Think about what I said…”

As he exited the room and closed the bathroom door behind her, she looked down at her hand and pondered his point. There was definitely some truth to it. It wasn’t her own death that she feared though, it was what would happen to everything if she failed her mission. If she were to go before Serenade was stopped, the world as they all knew it would fall apart.

There was no telling what kind of destruction that Serenade would cause if she wasn’t hindered in any way. Sure Eclipse was fairly tough, and so were her friends, but they couldn’t take on someone like Serenade. She had fought her once before and that was with the Siren’s Bane. Without that blade, she would be far more difficult to take down. There was also no telling how much her powers had grown or evolved since their last encounter.

She cursed himself as she sat down on the bed. She had the chance to kill her, she had the chance to not be in her current predicament. She chose mercy though, she chose to show the demon that she was better, and now all it had done was turn her into a demon just like her. Bitter irony.

While she knew that she had flaws, she also knew that she was always honest about how much she hated herself. In her heart, she knew that most of the negative qualities that others could list about her were probably true. Sunset Shimmer was definitely a fatally flawed person.

She didn’t understand Eclipse, but it seemed as though he had a better grasp on her than she was willing to admit. The last time she had felt so vulnerable was with her wife Twilight. It had been so long.

Tapping her phone on her wrist, a hologram came up with her photo album. She flipped through it until it landed on a photo of her daughter sitting upon her shoulders, and there next to her was her loving wife Twilight, giving her an affectionate peck on the cheek.

She missed them both so much. She wanted this to be over so she could go back to them, but it really had been a long time already. Five years had passed, and she didn’t even know what her daughter looked like anymore. She was likely already well on her way to being a woman, and Sunset was missing it. She loved that little girl so much and wanted nothing more than to be with her, but she knew that it was too risky. If Serenade knew about Sunset’s family, they would be in harm’s way.

No matter what happened, she had to keep her family safe, even if it meant they would hate her for it. She sighed as she closed the picture and curled up onto the bed and hugged a pillow. “All I can do now is protect them in the only way I know how…” She whispered to herself.

???

Dr. Sunset Shimmer had received a rather strange call to a modest apartment in the center of the city. Ordinarily, she didn’t do house calls, but the person on the phone insisted on such and offered a rather handsome cash offer for her services and discrepancy.

She wasn’t pressed for money by any stretch of the imagination, given that her family was worth well over $800 million, and she was slated to inherit her family’s wealth when her parents passed. She was an only child, so she wouldn’t even be splitting it with anyone, but the large sum of money offered made her curious.

Knocking on the door, she got no answer, but then she noticed the intercom next to it. Tapping it, she spoke into it, “hello?”

A ditzy-sounding voice responded. “Who is it?”

“Dr. Shimmer, I was called here?” She responded.

“The door is unlocked,” the intercom replied.

Nodding, Sunset opened the door and adjusted her glasses as she noted the interior of the apartment. It was decorated with rather expensive-looking items, clearly whoever lived there had expensive tastes.

Coming down from a stairwell a rather gruff-looking girl with pigtails crossed her arms as she stood there staring down the doctor. Sporting some tattered jeans and a shredded Metallica T-shirt, she gave off a rather unpleasant aura.

Coughing, Sunset offered her hand. “Dr. Shimmer, nice to meet you.”

The girl didn’t even bother taking Sunset’s hand as she replied. “Aria Blaze.”

“Right…” Sunset lowered her hand and rubbed her arm awkwardly. “So… Ms. Blaze why am I here?”

“How discrete can you be, Doctor?” Aria questioned.

“A doctor does not disclose information about their patients, that’s just basic principle…” Sunset shrugged.

“Fine…” Aria nodded before gesturing for the woman to follow her upstairs.

Cautiously, Sunset began to follow her up the stairs, where the two women arrived at a bedroom with the door open. Stepping inside, Sunset saw a woman with long blue hair laying in bed with a weak smile on her face. “Hello, doctor…” She spoke softly.

“Hello… Who might I have the pleasure of addressing?” Sunset asked.

“Sonata Dusk…” She stated.

“Right, so what seems to be the problem, Miss Dusk?” Sunset questioned.

Aria answered on her behalf. “She’s been sick for a few days, and we wanted to make sure that it wasn’t anything too serious…”

Nodding, Sunset retrieved a stethoscope from her bag and then set the bag onto the floor before approaching Aria. She placed it upon the girl’s heart and listened carefully. After only a few seconds she squinted in confusion before gripping the girl’s palm to check her pulse.

“That’s odd…” Sunset said quietly.

The girl’s heartbeat was far slower than anyone she had ever encountered, perhaps less than two beats a minute. It didn’t make sense. With a heart beating that little, she should be dead.

“Miss Dusk… Your heart rate is…” Sunset began.

“Abnormal?” A womanly voice came from behind her.

Sunset turned to see an attractive tall slender woman standing at the door. A cigarette was perched between her lips as she ran a hand through her wild orange hair that went down past her butt.

“Precisely…” Sunset nodded.

The woman approached and removed the cigarette from her mouth as she stood by Sonata’s bedside. “Like you were told… You should be discrete… So is she going to be okay or not?”

Sunset looked down at the sick girl in the bed who just smiled at her. Sighing, she looked back up at Adagio. “I’ll have to examine her for a bit, so please wait outside…”

Adagio smirked and put her cigarette back in her mouth. “You’re the doctor…”

The woman sashayed out of the room taking Aria with her, leaving the good doctor to look at Sonata closer. Most of the girl’s anatomy on the outside seemed normal, but even with the many advances in medical science that had been made in Dr. Shimmer’s lifetime, there was no explaining what was going on inside of this woman.

Scanning the girl’s stats with the phone on her wrist, Sunset couldn’t make much out of the results.

After a good hour, she finally stepped out of the room and removed her glasses as she pressed her temples. Adagio approached her with a hand upon her hip. “So, what’s the story, doc?”

Returning her glasses to her face, Sunset squinted as she examined Adagio. “Well, health-wise, I am at least somewhat confident that she has the flu. I’ve given her some medicine, but I have to admit that when I checked her stats they didn’t appear in any databases… This girl has never been to a hospital in her entire life…”

“So?” Adagio shrugged.

“Her body temperature is far too hot for even the flu… She should be dead…” Sunset continued.

Adagio remained silent.

“Then there was the fact that the shape of her heart is… Abnormal… Based upon the scans I did of her… It’s like… She has…” Sunset placed a hand upon her chest as she thought about it, but Adagio finished her sentence.

“Two hearts. Actually, it’s not two, but her heart is split into two cavities that alternate pumps… Still a single heart though…” Adagio spoke.

Sunset stepped closer and hushed her tone. “Listen… I’m a doctor, I can help but I need to know the truth of what is really going on… What is this girl? Is she even human?”

Adagio sighed and shook her head while she stuffed her hands into her pockets. The expensive gold bangles on her wrists clattered as she did so.

“No, none of us are… We’re sirens from another world…” Adagio said it so plainly.

Sunset blinked in astonishment.

“You don’t sound so shocked, so you either don’t believe me or you’re used to seeing weird shit…” Adagio smirked.

Sunset placed a hand upon her head. “No, it’s not that… I mean the evidence is right in front of me… Yet somehow… This doesn’t seem that surprising to me… It’s like… Somehow I was prepared for something like this…”

Adagio laughed as she gestured for Sunset to follow her. The doctor nodded and did so as the two entered the girl’s bedroom which was covered in designer clothes that were littered across it. She grabbed a chair and offered it to Sunset who sat carefully with a raised brow.

Looking at the mess in her room, Adagio chuckled. “Sorry, the maid doesn’t come until Tuesday…”

“So you’re all from another universe or something? Sirens?” Sunset cut to the chase.

Adagio pulled a cigarette out of a packet and offered one to Sunset who declined. “I don’t smoke.”

Nodding, Adagio flipped out into her mouth and lit it before sitting on her bed. She took a long inhale and then puffed smoke out. “Yeah, we’re sirens from another universe…”

“So how do you manage to stay hidden?” Sunset asked.

“Our powers allow us to manipulate people to our will, so we use that to keep people from asking too many questions… And of course to fund our lifestyle here…” Adagio smirked.

Looking around, it made sense. This girl had expensive tastes but definitely came off as someone who lacked the class that usually came with an upbringing that brought out expensive tastes.

“So if you can do that, why not manipulate me into helping you then? Why ask and then request secrecy?” Sunset questioned.

“Our powers have limitations, doctor. Back home we could siphon magic from those who possessed it, however here… Human energy is very weak. While our powers can manipulate people to give us what we want, it isn’t strong enough to affect those with stronger constitutions…” Adagio explained.

“And because I’m a doctor…” Sunset began.

“I figured you might be too smart for my powers to affect you in their current state…” Adagio sighed.

Sunset found it odd how at ease she was with all of this information. It was as if she somehow already knew it already. Placing a hand to her temple, she closed her eyes for a moment, and something flashed through her mind.

The image was brief, but she managed to make out that it was of Adagio, but she was different. The girl was far younger and standing in front of an Audi, and inside the Audi was… Her?

Sunset opened her eyes and noticed Adagio staring with a raised brow. “You alright?”

“Y-yeah… It’s just… Have we met before?” Sunset asked.

Adagio shook her head. “Can’t say we have, I think I’d remember that red hair… But somehow you do seem pretty familiar… It’s strange…”

“I get the same feeling…” Sunset concurred.

Coming to a stand Sunset cleared her throat. “Listen, I promise I’ll keep your secret, but you have to let me come back to check up on her to make sure she’s okay, alright?”

“How do I know I can trust you not to blab what you just heard?” Adagio questioned.

Sunset shrugged. “Who would believe me anyway?”

“I suppose you have a point there… Still… Somehow I feel I can trust you… Which is odd because I’ve never really trusted anyone before…” Adagio rubbed her neck.

“Then I’ll see you in a few days?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah… Okay…” Adagio nodded.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long delay between chapters. I have so many things going on in my life right now, but I promise this story will get finished! We're getting so close. Part II is going to be a lot of backstory and explaining what happened in the time jump between Act VI and Act VII, but it's all important stuff.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXVI: Similarities

Chapter CXVI: Similarities

Eight Months Ago

Adagio Dazzle and her younger sister, Serenade had settled in and found themselves finally living somewhat stress-free. The weight of wondering how they would stay in America had finally been lifted, and with their growing music career, they had achieved true freedom in every sense of the word. They had the ability to stay in the US and the financial freedom to not worry about when their next meal would be.

Everything was going so well for them, that they never would have anticipated what was going to change that day for them. They were completely clueless on how one meeting was going to lead to a myriad of new problems that they would soon face.

The two girls were on their way home from a restaurant, filling themselves up with food and drink, enjoying each other’s company as they walked down the sidewalk in the dark, with only the street lights to illuminate their path.

Across the street, however, two cloaked figures watched the two girls, one wearing a red kabuki mask. The taller of the two that stood next to her spoke in a low voice. “Is that her?”

“No doubt about it…” The red kabuki nodded.

“Then let’s get this done…” Her subordinate said.

Nodding in agreement, the red kabuki placed her hand upon a streetlight next to herself and when a black tendril came from her sleeve, it shut all the lights around them down, blanketing the streets in darkness.

Adagio and her younger sister blinked in confusion as they looked up at the streetlights in confusion. “What’s going on?” Her little sister questioned.

“Must be power outage…” Adagio shrugged.

The red kabuki and her subordinate took advantage of the situation and moved in quickly.

The tall cloaked man removed his hood to show his face. He was a semi-attractive man, but with an eyepatch covering one of his eyes, and the other eye shined red in the night. His hair was hard to see, but it was dark in color and messy. Adagio blinked as he stood before her. “Who are you?”

“Adagio Dazzle?” He asked.

“Yes, why?” She questioned as her hand reached into her purse, gripping the gun she carried with her for protection. Her younger sibling quickly hid behind her for protection.

The man reached forward and tried to grab her, but Adagio pulled her gun from her purse as she stepped back aiming it at him.

“Arax, allow me…” The red kabuki spoke as she gestured for him to step aside.

He nodded and sidestepped so his master could come forward. The red kabuki stood before them silently for a moment just taking in the girl before her. She noted that Adagio stood firm with the gun in her hand, not shaking in the slightest. It was clear that her resolve was strong.

The red kabuki stared at the gun and chuckled lightly. “What’re you going to do? Shoot me? I promise you that if you try, your bullets won’t hit me. Even at this lower power level, I am still more than a match for your human weapons…”

“V’what?” Adagio squinted in confusion.

“Go ahead… Shoot me…” The red kabuki taunted.

“Just go away…” Adagio threatened, not wanting to escalate the situation to that level if unnecessary.

The red kabuki took a step closer. “Do it.”

Adagio didn’t hesitate, she pulled the trigger and the gun went off. The bullet flew from the barrel but a black tendril came out of the cloaked woman’s sleeve and whipped it away, slicing it in half before it ever touched her.

Adagio blinked in astonishment, uncertain of what just happened. It was far too quick for her to see, but when she looked down, she saw a bullet split in half laying there on the pavement. “What the…”

The red kabuki reached forward with her hand and gripped Adagio’s neck. There was a height difference between the two, but the pigmy height of the red kabuki didn’t seem to be much of a problem as they lifted Adagio off of the ground with ease. The girl struggled and gagged as her sister stepped backward in fear.

“W-who are y-you?” Adagio managed to get out between gasps.

With their free hand, the red kabuki lowered her hood to reveal luscious blond hair with red tips and then her mask to show her shining red eye. The other eye was covered by an eyepatch just like her subordinate.

Adagio recognized her face instantly. How was it possible though? She shared the face of her sister, but appeared slightly older. “V’what the hell?” Adagio managed to get out.

Serenade examined Adagio, looking into her eyes she sighed as she released the woman, letting her fall to the ground. Adagio gripped her neck and coughed as she looked at the spitting image of her sister that stood before her in a dark cloak. “Who are you?” She coughed out.

Serenade grinned as she saw her sister standing behind Adagio. “It looks like you’re not the Adagio we’re looking for… Or rather, you are not yet… Maybe she is inside of you, but that’s hard to tell at the moment… We’ll have to come back another time to be sure…”

The young human Serenade saw the face of the woman and covered her mouth in shock. The two shared a face.

The demon stepped past Adagio and smiled as she faced her human counterpart. “Hello there, beautiful…” She began.

The human Serenade stepped back slowly as the demon approached. “Aren’t you gorgeous?” Serenade taunted.

“H-how… Do you have my face?” The young Serenade asked.

She chuckled and shook her head. “How do I put this? I am you, but a different you… A you from another world, a better, stronger version of what you might be one day…” Serenade explained.

“That’s not possible…” The human teenager shook her head in disbelief.

“Why deny greatness?” Serenade asked curiously as she closed the distance between them both, grabbing the girl’s arm as she examined her.

The human girl struggled and tried to break free, but it was to no avail as her demon counterpart was far too strong. With her other hand, she gripped her human counterpart’s forehead and closed her eyes. In that instant, she could sense more about the girl. How she had struggled, and fled Russia as a child with her elder sister, and how the two had come to America together.

The more that Serenade observed of the girl’s memories, the more disgusted she became. Releasing her forehead, Serenade growled in annoyance. “Pathetic… It pisses me off to see such a weak version of myself…”

“W-what?” The human questioned.

“I should kill you for just being such an insult to everything that I have worked to create… However, I have a better idea…” Serenade smirked, her mouth turning to a sinister shape.

Adagio had regained some of her composure and stood up, rushing to her sister’s aid, but Arax stopped her with a punch to her gut, sending her down once more.

A black tendril came out of Serenade’s sleeve and aimed itself at the human girl. “V’w-what are you doing!?” Adagio called out between coughs.

“I’m just giving her a little present… Something that will awaken the greatness in you…” Serenade smirked.

The tendril penetrated the human Serenade’s skin on her neck and wiggled its way into her. She yelped in pain as she felt a burning sensation when it touched her, but then it quickly removed itself and retracted back into the demon’s sleeve.

Dropping the teenager on the ground, the demon Serenade chuckled. “There, maybe now you’ll achieve greatness…”

“V’what did you do?” Adagio interrogated.

“I told you… I just gave her a little present…” Serenade laughed as she casually walked over to where her mask had been dropped and picked it back up.

The woman placed her mask back upon her face and lifted her hood back up; her subordinate did the same as she snapped her fingers for him to follow. “Come on, Arax, we’re leaving. These two don’t have what we want, at least not now… We can come back for them later if necessary…”

Serenade paused as she adjusted her mask with her back to Adagio. “I suggest you forget this meeting happened… Otherwise, we can make life very difficult for you.”

Adagio said nothing as the demon walked away. Once they were out of sight, she quickly rushed to her sibling and began inspecting her. “Are you alright, sister?”

The young Serenade nodded as she rubbed her neck where the tendril had entered. A small mark was left behind, but she did not appear hurt.

The girl whispered as she spoke up to her elder sister. “Who were those people and what did they want? Why did one of them look like me?”

Adagio bit her lip as she thought about it. Her memory flashed back to when she had met that strange redheaded girl who had warned her of another Adagio. Could that mean there was another Serenade too?

“I… I don’t know, but I do know that v’we stumbled onto something bigger than us…” Adagio admitted.

Whatever came next, she had no idea, but she knew that it would only get more out of hand from here.

Eight Years Ago

Sunset pressed her fingers to her temples as she sat on her bedside with the magic journal she used to contact Princess Twilight with in her right hand. She had just explained the situation that was relayed to her by the princess to her wife who was now pacing the room.

It was evident that Twilight didn’t like the news, but she was waiting for Sunset’s word on what she planned to do regarding the escape of Serenade. Sunset hadn’t given many details on what it was like the three years she spent in Equestria trying to stop the demon siren, but from what she had relayed, Twilight knew the situation was out of control back then. It had taken a lot of time for Twilight to forgive her for walking out to attend to that matter, but the two of them had finally been in a place where they could move forward with their life.

“So let me make sure I get this right… The Princess managed to let a demon siren, a demon siren that managed to conquer all of Equestria mind you, escape?” Twilight asked as she bit her thumbnail.

Sunset sighed and nodded. “Yes, but I’m partially to blame for that…”

“You? How!? You caught her! You defeated her! It was the Princess’ job to make sure she didn’t escape!” Twilight growled in annoyance. She hated Sunset’s habit of blaming herself for virtually everything.

Looking up at her wife with serious eyes, Sunset responded. “I had the chance to kill her… I could have stabbed her again with the Siren’s Bane… Right in the heart and it would have finished her… I was trying to show her that we were better than demons, that we didn’t kill just for revenge or spite…”

“You were trying to be a good person…” Twilight reassured her.

“Yeah, well being a good person could now cost us both worlds… I should have killed her. I should have been willing to be the bad person for the sake of everyone… My attempt at being better than her now is going to put even more lives in danger…” Sunset admitted.

Twilight frowned as she approached her redheaded wife. Placing both hands on Sunset’s shoulders she made the girl meet her eyes. “Sunset… You saved Equestria, and you did so with no care for your own well being, you have nothing to be ashamed of…”

“Yes, but now a far worse situation is upon us… Serenade has escaped, and she’s here in our world…” Sunset said quietly.

Sighing, Twilight released her and stepped away. While facing away from her wife, Twilight asked the question that she feared the answer to. “So what happens now?”

Sunset thought about it for a moment as she stared at the floor. Her options weren’t great, that much was certain. If she did nothing, she was almost certain that Serenade would gain whatever it was she was after, and there was little doubt that Sunset was a target.

She couldn’t stay at home. Serenade wasn’t above using hostages to get what she wanted, and she wasn’t above killing children either.

“I… I have to leave…” Sunset said.

Twilight pivoted on her foot and faced Sunset with an incredulous face. “I know I didn’t hear that correctly…”

“Twilight… Serenade knows who I am. She knows that I’m Glitch, she will try and kill me, it’s not safe here…” Sunset explained.

“Everything that the Princess fucks up isn’t your battle, Sunset…” Twilight spoke.

“You think I want this? The reality is that you and Horizon aren’t safe so long as I’m here… Serenade will come here, she will kill you both to get to me. I need to go after her alone…” Sunset replied.

Twilight removed her glasses and wiped tears forming in her eyes. She couldn’t believe this was happening again.

“Sunset… Let us come with you… Your daughter…” Twilight got cut off.

“Isn’t ready. She’s only eight years old… I don’t want this life for her… I don’t want her to be involved with magic or Equestria… I wanted a normal life for her, and that’s why I left before… I don’t want her to live like I do…” Sunset said.

“Just having you as a mother already ensures she will never have a normal life…” Twilight replied.

Standing up, Sunset grabbed her jacket and began searching for her car keys.

“Sunset… What do you want me to tell your daughter? She’s going to ask where mommy went again…” Twilight crossed her arms in annoyance.

“Don’t tell her anything. She doesn’t need to know anything about this. Like I said, she needs a normal life…” Sunset replied after finding her keys and stuffing them in her pocket. The woman slipped on her leather jacket after that and stretched.

Twilight reached forward and grabbed Sunset’s arm, forcing her to turn around and meet her eyes. “Sunset, if you walk out of this house, I can’t promise you’ll be welcome back in… You can’t keep walking in and out of Horizon’s life and expect it to be overlooked… If she doesn’t want you here when you come back… Well… I have to abide by what she wants…”

Sunset felt a sharp pain in her heart. She knew it was the truth, but she didn’t want to hear it out loud. A part of her had hoped that if she never had to hear the words spoken that she could ignore the pain, but it was too late for that now.

The redhead bit her lip momentarily while she considered a response. She didn’t want to leave her eight year old daughter behind, but she couldn’t think of any other way. Serenade had effectively forced her hand with this move.

“I’m sorry, Twilight… I understand what you’re saying, but if I don’t do this… There may not be a world for our daughter to live in at all… She may hate me for this, and I’m fully aware of that, but if it means keeping her safe, alive and potentially living a normal life… I’m willing to take that risk…” Sunset frowned.

Her words said she was okay with the outcome, but Twilight could tell she was shaken inside. The possibility that her daughter wouldn’t forgive her was clearly all she could think about, but she knew her wife all too well. Sunset had a sense of duty that wouldn’t falter. Twilight knew she couldn’t stop her, and she also knew that trying to force her own involvement would certainly endanger their child. As much as she wished she could fight along side her wife this time, she knew it just wasn’t feasible.

Placing her hand upon Sunset’s cheek, Twilight nodded. “I know that you have to do this… Believe me, I do… But life goes on while you’re not here…”

Sunset placed her hand atop of Twilight’s. “I know that, and I wish I chose to kill her back then so I wouldn’t have put you in this situation… Had I known this would happen, I would have killed her and smashed the portal to Equestria so we could be a normal family…”

“We’re far from normal, but maybe that’s what makes us special, right?” Twilight smiled at her.

“I think what makes us special is you…” Sunset smiled back, caressing her hand.

“Regardless of what happens… I’ll always love you, Sunset…” Twilight spoke quietly as she leaned into Sunset’s hand.

Nodding at her, Sunset kissed the girl’s cheek. “I never doubted it for a minute…”

“I’m going to miss you…” Twilight admitted.

Releasing the girl, Sunset stepped back and grinned. “Not a moment will go by where I don’t miss you. The moment this is done, I’ll be back…”

“I just hope that moment is soon…” Twilight replied.

Eight Months Ago

The hot water of the shower ran down Serenade’s back as she relaxed. Her encounter with the girl who looked just like her had shaken her up, but after a few days she had finally calmed down. The girl opened her eyes and noticed her reflection in the bathroom mirror. There on her neck was a small black puncture wound that had never healed.

Her hand gravitated toward the wound and touched it. It was hot to the touch, unnaturally so. She had hoped that it would heal and just be an old memory, but it seemed as though it had begun to form a scar, but a rather unusual one. Why was it as black as midnight? It didn’t make sense.

Serenade blinked and in the mirror she could see the face of the same woman who had given her that scar looking back at her with a sinister smile. She gasped and stepped backward into the wall of the shower. Another blink, and the reflection in the mirror was her own again.

She panted as she placed her hand atop of her beating heart and turned the water off before closing her eyes to take a moment to compose herself. None of this made any sense. How could another version of herself really exist? It had to have a more logical explanation, surely, but Serenade couldn’t think of one.

Touching the area just under her eye, she remembered the eyepatch the woman wore. What happened to her eye? Her strange subordinate, that tall man that she called “Arax”, he too had an eyepatch, was that connected?

The thing that truly worried Serenade though, was the thought that in another world, she could have become just like this woman.

Wrapping a bathrobe around herself she stepped out of the shower and into her bedroom. She sat down on her bed and placed her finger back on the wound.

The moment her finger touched it, she could see the other version of herself standing next to her, just out of the corner of her eye, she could make out the details of a very intricate gothic lolita dress, black and white with red mixed in.

A delicate-looking hand with red nail polish was placed upon her shoulder as the phantom spoke. “You wonder if you could ever become me, don’t you?”

Serenade swallowed hard and answered with a shaky voice. “What exactly are you though?”

“A demon…” The phantom Serenade answered.

“And that Arax guy is a demon too, I take it?” Serenade asked.

The phantom shook her head. “He’s a demon, sure, but nothing like me. He’s my subordinate, my indentured servant if you will… My abilities put me on a level far greater than that bug will ever achieve, so don’t lump us in the same category…”

Keeping herself still, Serenade tried to remain calm as she spoke. “Are you really here right now?”

“No. I’m in your head. I told you before… I left you with a little gift…” The phantom chuckled.

“What do you want from me?” Serenade asked.

“I don’t quite know yet… I suppose that’s to be determined…” The phantom said.

“Why don’t you just leave me alone then?” Serenade asked, finally turning to the woman, only to find that she had completely vanished.

Serenade quickly looked around the room for any sign of the demon, but she had disappeared. Did she imagine the entire thing, or was the creature telling the truth? Feeling the spot on her neck, it was still hot to the touch and it stung a little.

She shuddered and when she blinked again, she noticed for just a fraction of a second, she swore she could see the number eight flash in her room, but it was too quick for her to tell for sure.

Her mind was taken elsewhere though when a monotone voice spoke to her. “The demon lord has plans for you…”

Looking behind her, there on the bed a girl in a white spaghetti strap sundress stood. Serenade took note of her messy shoulder-length hair, a light purple in color with red tips. On her freckled face, a pair of stylish glasses sat as she looked upon Serenade. The expression on her face gave no indication of her emotions, it was the most literal definition of a “neutral” face.

“W-who are you!? How’d you get in here?” Serenade jumped off the bed and stood up.

The girl ignored her question and placed a finger to her lip as she looked up in thought. “You could run, but she will find you…”

“You’re not making any sense…” Serenade pleaded.

Stepping off of the bed, the girl approached, causing Serenade to step backward until her back was to the door of the bedroom. The small girl reached her hand forward and placed a finger upon Serenade’s neck wound, causing the girl to flinch.

“This mark ensures that your involvement is mandatory. That much can’t be helped… There’s nothing I can do to interfere, but I can tell you that perhaps you’d be better off dead…” The girl spoke.

“W-what? How could you say such a thing…?” Serenade could feel tears in her eyes.

“You wish to escape death? What for, I wonder… Death might be the best alternative, that is unless everything is undone…” The girl said.

Serenade shook her head. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand…”

The girl looked her in the eyes placed both hands at her sides. “Serenade… Let me ask you a question…”

“W-what is it?” Serenade trembled.

“Could you erase yourself from reality? Would you be capable of doing such a thing?” The girl asked.

“I… I don’t know… It would be difficult…” Serenade answered.

Nodding, the girl stepped backward. “I suppose it would be easier if the choice was made for you, wouldn’t it? Regardless, would you wager that death is better than never existing?”

“What kind of question is that?” Serenade blinked.

Scratching her nose, the girl turned away. “I suppose it’s not the kind of question that someone in your position could answer. Forget I asked, but thank you for your insight.”

“Who are you?” Serenade questioned.

“Nobody important…” The girl waved her hand and vanished into thin air.

Just what exactly was going on?

Three Years Ago

After returning from killing a few of Serenade’s henchmen, Sunset sat down in the hotel room that she had rented out while they were in town. Eclipse followed shortly after her entry and quickly made for the fridge where he grabbed a cold beer. Popping it open with his butterfly knife, he began to down the entire drink with no regard.

“You know, you should probably remain sharp and not drink in our down time, you never know where we might need to fight again…” Sunset reminded.

He finished off the entire beer in a matter of seconds and set it next to eight other empty bottles on the counter. “Hey mom, I didn’t ask for your critique…”

Sunset shrugged and turned her attention to several notes she had jotted down on a mess of papers on the coffee table. “Just a thought, but if you get yourself killed because you’re shitfaced, then that’s on you…”

“Ah yes, I wouldn’t want you to feel responsible for anything more than you already do after all.” Eclipse grinned.

You really know how to piss me off, don’t you? Sunset thought to herself.

Checking over her notes, she was starting to get an understanding of everything. Serenade must have enlisted far more subordinates before she came to the human world, most of which hadn’t a clue who she really was. That was why she chose to wear the red kabuki mask. Hiding her identity meant that her subordinates knew little, and that was how she kept them in the dark about her plans.

As if sensing what she was thinking, Eclipse wandered over the couch with another beer in hand and spoke up as he sat down next to her. “So why does Serenade hide herself? I mean what benefit does she gain by not even letting her minions know who she is?”

“It’s an age-old tactic, really… If your underlings don’t know most of the plan, there is little chance they can say too much… It’s clear that Serenade is overly cautious after our last encounter. That unfortunately means we won’t be able to rely on her cockiness to pull a fast one on her this time…” Sunset explained.

“So she’s become aware of her own hubris? That’s something I didn’t expect…” Eclipse raised a brow as he sat back and began pouring the beer down his throat.

“Learning is not beyond her realm of possibilities, unfortunately. Serenade may be arrogant, but not enough to make the same mistake twice… We have to prepare for the possibility that she’s grown smarter…” Sunset explained.

Sighing, Eclipse finished off his beer and leaned in to speak directly with Sunset. “You beat her once before, so you can do it again.”

Sunset shook her head. “Last time, I had an army, and a blade that halted her power, this time I don’t have either of those…”

Tapping her sleeved arm, Eclipse grinned. “Yeah, but you have demonic powers just like her this time.”

Sunset pulled her arm away and clenched it with her good arm. “I’m not so sure that will help any.”

“If it won’t help, then why did you accept such a thing?” Eclipse raised a brow in annoyance.

Sunset was tempted to ask him about his hatred toward her arm, but part of her didn’t want to hear his answer. Instead, she kept silent for a few seconds before giving her answer. “It wasn’t my intention…”

He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Bullshit…”

“Not bullshit.” Sunset growled.

“You can’t own a single decision you make, can you? That arm was your choice, wasn’t it? So own it…” Eclipse said plainly.

“You’re an asshole, you know that?” Sunset scowled and looked away from him.

Standing up, Eclipse wandered back to the fridge and nodded as he grabbed another beer and popped the top off of it. “Yeah, and a faggot, and a social reject, I’m well aware…”

He sipped from the bottle and wiped his effeminate lips before giving her a cold stare. “I’m not weak anymore though, and that’s all that matters to me. I don’t need anything else.”

Sunset found herself strangely calmed down as she noticed his demeanor was off. She sat up and looked over the couch at him. “Eclipse… Why do you hate other people so much?”

Eclipse shook his head. “I never needed anyone else… Just one person…” His hand clenched the crystal dangling from his neck as he ended his sentence.

Sunset didn’t get a chance to ask who, because he shook his head and continued. “But, he’s out of the picture now, so I’m stuck with you until we finish this thing…”

“What then?” Sunset asked.

He shrugged. “I guess I can die then. Nothing left for me.”

“That’s a depressing existence… Living for nothing but revenge?” Sunset asked.

“Don’t analyze me, you’re not good at it. Besides, you’re a clusterfuck of mental problems, so you’re not in a position to judge others…” Eclipse rolled his eyes before taking another long swig of his beer.

It seemed like the longer she knew Eclipse, the less she understood about him. His ways were a mystery to everyone that wasn’t himself, and he didn’t open up very often. Sunset wondered if this partnership could really last with such a volatile person. Eclipse and she were so different; Sunset was a wildfire that would burn everything in her path to get to her goal, but Eclipse was a calculated flame that would burn slow and only ignite when it hit its target, then it would use all it had.

Eclipse had fully accepted dying on quest to take down Serenade, something that Sunset had only half accepted. She still had things left to live for, but she also knew that death was a possibility and if it happened, she accepted it, but she wasn’t ready for it.

Leaning her head on the back of the couch, Sunset thought about her family. Twilight’s face was still fresh in her memory, and then there was Horizon, the daughter she loved so dearly, but seemed to do nothing but cause her harm. The girl likely was confused, angry, and even resentful toward her. She did what she had to to protect her, but what did she still feel so guilty about it?

Clearing her throat, she spoke up to the only person she had in her life at that moment. “Eclipse, why are you so eager to die?”

Eclipse downed another portion of his beer before answering. “I never really had a reason to live in the first place.”

“What happened to you before Serenade? If you didn’t have a reason to live, you’d have died a long time ago…” Sunset asked quietly.

Eclipse scoffed and set down a now empty bottle on the counter. “If you’re expecting me to tell you my life story, there isn’t much to tell anyway. I’ve always felt like I had no purpose, and after all that I’ve been through, I’m fairly certain I won’t ever find purpose. It’s as simple as that. I didn’t excel at anything in particular, and I’m not exactly a valuable member to society, here or otherwise…”

“So you are Equestrian then? Just like me?” Sunset asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Eclipse raised a brow.

“In the few years I’ve known you, you’ve never said it out loud…” Sunset reminded.

Eclipse sat at the counter behind the couch. “I figured that you’d figure it out… You’re supposed to be some kind of genius after all…”

“How do you know so much about me?” Sunset questioned.

“Royal archives. I may have perused them a few times… You were a star student of Celestia at one point, I know that. A prodigy when it came to magic, and you mysteriously disappeared years ago… And thus ended up here…” Eclipse explained.

She had a feeling that such was the case.

“Why research me though? Because I’m Glitch?” Sunset asked.

“Of course. If I wanted to kill Serenade, I needed the help of an expert after all…” Eclipse said.

“How did you know she escaped here?” Sunset asked.

“I didn’t, originally I came here to find you so I could convince you to come back to Equestria and kill Serenade as she sat in prison…” Eclipse replied.

Sunset laughed at the idea. “Ironically, that would have been a swell idea…”

“Too bad it’s no longer an option, so how long are you going to keep the story behind that arm a secret?” Eclipse questioned as he pointed to her arm.

Looking at her gloved hand, Sunset closed her fingers and laid down on the couch. “It’s a long story, and I’m not really that interested in reliving it at this moment. Maybe when I have a reason to tell you more about myself, I will…”

“So you’re going to attempt to bribe me with information to probe for more about me then?” Eclipse laughed.

“Call it whatever you like… Quid-quo-pro if you will…” Sunset yawned and closed her eyes. Sleep came all too easy that night.

???

Dr. Sunset Shimmer made her return to the home of Adagio Dazzle, Sonata Dusk and Aria Blaze eight days later and checked on the patient. Sonata appeared to be improving health-wise and it seemed as though the panic was over nothing, but the other two girls wanted to be cautious, and Dr. Shimmer could understand their reasoning.

After checking Sonata’s odd vitals, she adjusted her glasses and smiled at the girl who was now able to sit up and sip from a cup of tea. She grinned at Sunset as she spoke, her voice bubbly and full of pep. “So, am I gonna live, doc?”

Sunset laughed and nodded. “I’d say you’re not going to to die today. It looks like you’re almost back to normal health. I imagine it was just a regular ailment, but without treatment it got out of hand. Do try and take better care of yourself, Ms. Dusk.”

Sonata nodded and downed the rest of her tea, but stuck her tongue out huffing when she realized it was far too hot. Sunset chuckled at her clumsiness before looking toward the door of the room. There stood the enigmatic Adagio Dazzle. “What’s up, Dr. Shimmer?”

Coughing and clearing her throat, the good doctor grabbed her medical bag and approached the slender woman. She noted how lanky she was, but somehow it was still appealing to her. She gave off a strong masculine vibe, but mixed with the right amount of femininity.

“It looks like the patient is going to make a full recovery.” Sunset grinned.

“That’s good, what do I owe you?” Adagio asked.

“No charge…” Sunset shook her head.

“I insist.” Adagio reached into her back pocket and retrieved a wad of hundreds, offering it to the woman.

Sunset glanced at the large amount of bills and quickly fingered through it and raised a brow. “There must be around $8,000 here…”

“Is that not enough?” Adagio asked.

“I can’t accept this… I don’t even want to know where you got it from, besides money isn’t really that important to me…” Sunset gave the money back.

Taking it in her hand, Adagio nodded. “That’s right, you’re the daughter of the wealthy Shimmer family… I did a bit of research on you… I guess cash isn’t what it takes to bribe you to keep quiet, is it, Dr. Shimmer?”

“You don’t need to bribe me, I won’t tell a soul about your secret, I promise.” Sunset raised a hand to show she was serious.

“I need more of a guarantee than that…” Adagio crossed her arms.

Sunset smiled as she bashfully adjusted her glasses. “Maybe dinner then?”

“Like a date?” Adagio raised a brow.

“If you want to call it that…” Sunset giggled.

“Doesn’t that violate some kind of doctor-patient relationship?” Adagio asked curiously.

“Well, technically you’re not my patient, Sonata is. So it’s fair game, besides a lot of unethical things are happening in this house, so I won’t tell if you don’t…” Sunset grinned.

Adagio sighed and glanced away. “My kind aren’t exactly supposed to date…”

“Well, you’ve already proven that you’re a rule-breaker, what’s a few more, right?” Sunset asked.

Sighing, Adagio nodded. “Fine, but just dinner and it’s just to keep your mouth shut, got it?”

“My lips are sealed.” Dr. Shimmer gave a zipping motion over her lips to signify her promise.

The two’s dinner date came about quicker than expected. By 8:00 PM, Sunset found herself checking her watch and feeling odd seeing the time. Something about it made her feel somewhat off. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but she was certain that something that she couldn’t explain wasn’t right.

Regardless, she stole herself and adjusted her black dress. The outfit showed off a fair bit of her impressive bust, with plenty of cleavage for any onlookers to get an eyeful, and of course to feed their imagination (something she had secretly hoped that Adagio would indulge in).

A taxi arrived only moments after she parked her car, and out stepped the tall Adagio Dazzle sporting a purple dress with gladiator style shoes to match. Despite her smaller breasts and lanky form, she had a sexy aura about her, perhaps it was her confidence or just her unwillingness to conform to societal standards; confidence was quite sexy after all.

Seeing her standing there as she drew a cigarette from her black purse, Sunset watched in awe, and as she went to light it, something felt oddly familiar. For just a brief second she could see the woman lighting a cigarette in another setting, the two of them laying in bed together, with herself holding the sheets over her naked form. For some reason, the both of them looked far younger though.

When she blinked the image was gone, and for a fraction of a second, she could have sworn she saw a young girl standing behind Adagio. She didn’t get enough time to observe the figure, but she swore it had glasses, purple hair with red tips and a white summer dress.

Trying to compose herself she cleared her throat and locked her car as she approached the tall woman.

“You know that smoking is bad for you, right?” Sunset grinned.

Adagio puffed on the cigarette and gave an aloof expression. “Can you turn being a doctor off?”

Sunset chuckled and removed the cigarette from the woman’s hand and tossed it onto the ground before stamping it out with her heeled shoe. “After so many years of med school, it’s hard to tell your brain to stop.”

Adagio rolled her eyes. “You do realize that I’m an immortal siren, right? Smoking won’t kill me so long as I feed.”

“Fair enough… Shall we?” Sunset gestured toward the restaurant.

“I guess so…” Adagio shrugged.

The two women walked casually to the door, where they were greeted by a server who saw them to their reserved table. As punctual and as prepared as ever, Dr. Shimmer had made sure to make reservations in advance, not wanting to stand waiting for too long.

Before sitting down, Adagio pulled out a chair for Sunset and the woman smiled and nodded before sitting. Adagio took her seat across from her and the two looked over the menu. Both ordered a steak, which surprised Sunset a bit, but she said nothing.

“Oh and I’ll have a triple jack and coke…” Adagio signaled to the waitress, who nodded before taking their menus with her.

Sunset raised a brow. “Quite the alcoholic aren’t you?”

Adagio shrugged. “It’s a lot harder for my kind to get a buzz on weak shit. Our system is built a lot stronger than you humans…”

Sunset chuckled. “I noticed that when examining Sonata…”

Adagio gave a quick grin, but when she looked across the table at Sunset and met her eyes, something appeared in her mind.

In the vision, the two girls were far younger-looking, and the young Sunset pressed her against the wall, forcing a powerful kiss onto her lips. Adagio didn’t resist, instead, she wrapped her arms around the girl and embraced her, as their tongues met and explored each other.

The image was over quickly, but it sent a shiver down Adagio’s spine. Her lips tingled a bit from just the idea and it made her uncomfortable.

Leaning across the table, Adagio spoke in a serious tone. “Sunset… I know this is going to sound weird, but I really feel like we’ve met before or something… I keep having… visions…”

“Visions where the two of us have met already and are… entwined?” Sunset chose her words carefully.

“How did you know?” Adagio questioned.

“The same has been happening to me… It’s very odd, but just like you, I can’t explain it. What do you think about it?” Sunset stated.

Adagio thought about it for a moment and finally responded after a long pause. “I think I need a cigarette…”

Sunset rolled her eyes and leaned in, placing her hands upon the table. “I’m serious, it can’t be a coincidence that the both of us are having these odd visions, can it? What if there’s a reason for it?”

Adagio sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Alright, let’s say you’re right… What would the reason be?”

Sunset frowned and retreated back to her seat. “I… I don’t know… I was hoping you’d have some kind of answer to that…”

Adagio could tell the woman was annoyed at the situation. After another sigh, she sat up straight and spoke her mind. “Look, clearly there is some kind of connection between the two of us. I know you can feel it, and I can obviously feel it as well, there’s no denying that…”

Nodding, Sunset’s frown turned into a light smile. Adagio noted her lips were quite full and the darker color complimented her light skin appropriately.

“I don’t really understand why, but for some reason, I feel… At ease with you, which is really odd for me because I don’t exactly trust anyone…” Adagio looked away, a bit of embarrassment overcoming her.

“What are you saying?” Sunset raised a brow in confusion.

There was a short silence followed by Adagio speaking in a hushed tone. “I’m saying maybe we should stay in touch…”

“Oh?” Sunset tilted her head.

“It’s clear that something is going on, and I don’t really believe that the both of us seeing weird visions like we have is some kind of coincidence. I have given up hope on ever getting back to Equestria a long time ago, but that doesn’t mean I don’t believe something magical is happening…” Adagio explained.

“Equestria? That’s your home right?” Sunset asked.

Adagio bit her lip. “If you want to call it that…”

“It’s not your home?” Sunset changed the subject.

“Let’s just say I wasn’t exactly welcome there…” Adagio stated.

Sunset decided it was best not to pry any further as she reached across the table and took Adagio’s hand in her own, gripping it tightly, much to the siren’s chagrin.

“I think something magical is happening too… Something that I think we both need to see through to the end, right?” Sunset asked.

Adagio blushed and stuttered for a brief moment as she spoke. “R-right…”

Releasing her hand, Sunset sat back and grinned. “It’s settled then, from now on you and I will be a team.”

“Heh, a team… With a mortal… That’s something I never imagined I’d do…” Adagio sipped from her drink.

???

Logically speaking, Adagio and Sunset’s meeting was a universal certainty regardless of circumstance. If I can draw that conclusion, then that makes discerning what follows a little easier.

Still, is it worth the cost? It’s difficult to weigh one outcome against the other. Does one consider lives spared the metric of which to judge the situation or do certain lives contain higher value than others? In a biased manner of speaking, the average person would put their own existence as a high priority, so naturally, that is what I would choose, isn’t it? Except I suppose that as I’ve been told, I’m far from average.

The thought of non-existence isn’t particularly scary, but then is it right of me to not weigh in the fear that others must feel simply because I can not feel it? How did I get this way? I suppose it would be because I never really considered my existence as meaningful from the start.

Emotions are complicated, something that humans seem to exude at any and all times, yet they elude me most of the time. I’m only just now starting to understand, after all.

The threads are all starting to come together, and I believe that my understanding of what has transpired and what can happen is starting to take form.

While I try to understand this all though, I suppose I have begun to ponder the meaning of reality. Some have said that reality is what we perceive, but does that mean that one’s reality can be changed so easily? If something is forgotten does that mean it never existed? Would the removal of that existence constitute destruction of that reality? What is my reality? Do I even exist at all? Perhaps there is a true reality, and I am merely floating inside a faux reality? That is indeed a distinct possibility after all.

The task seems to fall upon my friends to help me understand. One day they will reach this place, and their influence will determine what happens.

I’m getting ahead of myself though, I need to focus on what I understand first.

Sunset Shimmer came to the human world a long time ago, and in doing so her actions ultimately lead to the sirens trying to reclaim their magic. That would eventually result in their defeat which put them in a position that would make Adagio find the human Sunset Shimmer.

That spiraled out of control from there, and things became excessively complicated for all parties involved. Sunset and Shimmer were locked in a dance of balance, and that balance fell apart.

Two Sunsets, that’s reality. Two girls of the same name, the same face, yet completely different lives. Equestria and the human world aren’t perfect parallels.

Now there are two Adagios and two Serenades. All of that must be connected. Is that correct?

“You’re not mistaken. The two Sunsets, two Adagios, and two Serenades are all connected. They each play a crucial part in this, you already understand some of their connection, but you simply do not understand how deep it goes yet.”

How will I begin to understand it? The two Sunsets I think I get, but two Adagios don’t really seem connected at all, nor do the two Serenades…

“You’re not looking at things the correct way. You remember what you learned about Adagio, right?”

What I thought I understood about Adagio wasn’t correct…

“Exactly. Consider this problem through such a lens.”

Okay, so what I understand can’t be trusted, I need to flip the way I’m thinking on its head. If that’s the case, then there is a connection that isn’t directly visible yet? There’s something deeper that I haven’t witnessed yet.

“That could be the truth, yes.”

So if I continue to analyze the data, the answer will come to me.

“I would assert that as an accurate statement.”

As expected, you continue to behave in a manner that I would expect. Our connection is quite unusual, yet agreeable.

“I am glad that you think so. You have yet to fully dissect the information regarding the battle for the title of the demon lord.”

From my understanding, Serenade held that title once, but a new challenger to the throne appeared, right? She claimed she defeated that person though. Who was it?

“An old friend.”

I detect that your reply is somewhat facetious.

“There is a hint of sarcasm in my words, yes.”

So in actuality, their relationship was not exactly a friendly one?

“Correct. Anything but, to be exact.”

Even for a demon, the girl has many enemies, yes?

“Serenade spent centuries gaining enemies. Her allies only serve her after she subjugated them through fear, power, and violence.”

Fear is quite a motivator after all, especially for mortals who fear death.

“Immortals fear death far more than any mortal.”

How so?

“If a mortal is destined to die, he must accept his fate at some point. He has his entire life to do so, however, an immortal was never meant to die. Therefore it creates fear on what happens after death.”

Because what happens to one who was never meant to die…

“Precisely.”

That sounds familiar.

“I believe Adagio mentioned such before.”

Serenade fears death. That much I can understand, she is willing to do virtually anything to escape it. Running from death is a fruitless effort though because eventually, the reaper finds you.

Princess Twilight mentioned that many ponies tried to find a way around death and all failed. I suppose the saying that death is a rock is more accurate than we know. It sits there, and you can not do anything with it. It merely is, always will be, and can not be changed or moved.

“Does such a concept depress you?”

I do not believe so. As I said, the thought of non-existence isn’t a terrifying one. If one never existed, then one can not feel the fear or pain associated with it. Dying is not inherently the same as non-existence though. Death can be painful, agonizing, and traumatizing even.

“And non-existence erases all of that.”

Hm, I suppose that is true. After death, none of those feelings really matter, do they? I suppose death and non-existence are similar.

“Except non-existence as you mentioned means that none will perceive you. Death can only be escaped through memories, the memories that your friends and loved ones have of you cheat death for a little longer.”

And non-existence means that death takes it all. You aren’t even a memory anymore, you aren’t anything. The reaper simply relishes in your non-existence.

“I imagine people would find that concept quite spooky.”

Indeed, I can understand that.

“Knowing this, do you still feel the same way?”

I suppose that I need time to consider that. I wouldn’t want to answer such a complex question without pondering it seriously for some time. One should not be too rash after all.

“Sagacious as always.”

What you consider sagacious others seem to interpret as cold and uncaring.

“Or calculative and manipulative.”

The world turns differently for all, I suppose.

“I think I understand that metaphor.”

Metaphors have never been my forte, but I am starting to understand them slightly better as time goes on.

“Exposure can increase learning after all.”

Speaking of, how do you wager the others will do? Do you think they will make it through the challenges ahead? Or are you already privy to their fates?

“What do you think?”

It is hard for me to say if you contain the same knowledge as me, or if your knowledge is merely the same that I will possess at a later time.

“Ironic that you mention time.”

That is true considering the circumstance we find ourselves in. How much time has passed anyway?

“That is a question that not even I can answer.”

I wonder if immortals can feel the passing of time like mortals can.

“With infinite time, it can become a burden.”

Do you not believe that a creature that does not need to fear the end of their own time would eventually become immune to that burden? A creature that can exist for an indefinite amount of time need not worry about things too much, as eventually their problems will be lost in the sands of time.

They are truly the only creatures that can run from their problems and eventually outrun them.

“I wouldn’t say that’s correct.”

Oh?

“Consider Serenade’s predicament. While she possesses the ability to outlast time itself, she still fears death and runs from it.”

That is true.

“Don’t you remember what happened with the two Adagios?”

It’s odd, but my memories are all jumbled after coming to this place. It’s as if I am remembering things at different moments.

“That is normal, give it time, and you’ll remember everything.”

I feel as though I’m remembering things backward for some reason.

“Memories are precious to most, do you fear losing your memories for good?”

That is what non-existence is, losing one’s memories for good. The memories I’ve made make me who I am, they’re precious to me, so I suppose like anyone else, I would not enjoy losing them. I’d rather hold onto my memories if possible.

“That is not up to me. That’s entirely up to you.”

What would Sunset do?

“That is what you’re trying to find out, isn’t it?”

I suppose I don’t understand her well enough to know what she would do yet. She is an odd mixture of noble behavior and selfishness. Her choices are not always clear.

“She has always been an enigma, that much can be determined.”

Still, she became a demon a long time ago now. That arm of hers, I distinctly recall how she got it. I think the memories are coming back to me, I want to say it was only eight days after she left home. In only eight days she was put in a predicament that she couldn’t get out of.

“Perhaps one could call it a predicament of her choosing?”

Because all choices are our own, right?

“If we consider that, then there really is no such thing as coercion is there? After all, no matter the threat put before us, there is always a choice to die rather than bend one’s will to that of another.”

An interesting philosophy. However, I believe that Sunset’s situation was far more complex than that. The choices put before her would have cost much more to others. Would you not consider it noble to do what needs to be done to protect those around you?

“The thing about being noble is that it’s subjective like everything else. After all, good and bad are merely a matter of opinion. Who is in charge often dictates right and wrong, and they have been subject to change many times throughout history.”

That sounds like the kind of argument that Serenade would make.

“Perhaps some of her philosophies hold a grain of truth?”

That is certainly not a thought that I considered before. Still, I think we’re losing track here. I need to focus, I need to understand this all a bit more.

“Agreed.”

Author's Note

This chapter took a long time to get out, I'm sorry! I'm trying to be more punctual, but work-life and other things are hard to balance haha! Still, chapters always release on Fridays. I'm going to try and not take so long with the next one!

Also, this one was all over the place, and it's a bit confusing, but it's one of those chapters that makes more sense later. We're getting so close to the end, I can almost taste it!

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXVII: Deals

Chapter CXVII: Deals

A Few Weeks Ago

Sunset pulled her motorcycle up to a street and parked it. Kicking down the kickstand, the woman removed her motorcycle helmet and shook her head to free her face of her obnoxiously long hair. Staring at her reflection in the glass of the helmet, she could see that she really let herself go. She hadn’t had a haircut in years and her long locks had become unruly and impossible to contain. Her left eye was perpetually covered with red and yellow strands of hair, making it impossible to see her entire face.

While she had neglected personal grooming, her body had not received the same negative treatment. Despite living a very fast-paced lifestyle where she rarely had time to eat properly, she had managed to keep in shape. Before bed, she would do a good 800 stomach crunches and at least a few hundred pushups. Whenever they had downtime, she insisted they hit the gym and spend the rest of their time sparring to keep their skills sharp.

In that time, Eclipse had definitely shown that he was a formidable fighter, though not as skilled as her, he certainly had excellent formal training. She had asked him a few times where he learned to fight, but he always scoffed at the question and refused to divulge any further information. She had grown somewhat used to his aloof and mysterious behavior though, and instead of getting annoyed, she brushed it off and decided it was best not to try and understand him. Eventually, he would either tell him more about himself or he would remain an enigma. Sunset knew she couldn’t control which.

Looking behind her, she watched as Eclipse lowered his hands around her waist and removed his own helmet as he ran a hand through his silky light hair. She was somewhat jealous that despite being a man, he could remain so beautiful even after taking off a helmet. Eclipse never really seemed to have a bad hair day, nor did his natural beauty ever seem to waver.

Holding his helmet at his side, he stepped off the bike and grinned at his companion. “So, we’re finally here.”

Sunset stepped off the bike and removed the keys. She stuffed them into her bra and said nothing to him.

“That’s unsanitary.” Eclipse shook his head.

“You’re just jealous.” Sunset smirked.

“Of what? Those fun bags are so big, you could probably hide a shotgun between them. It’s amazing you don’t have cows chasing after you for milking time…” Eclipse made a fake retching noise.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset shoved her helmet into his chest, causing him to grunt as he placed his arm around it. “Instead of being a smartass, do something useful and hold this for me.”

She began to walk toward the house across the street as Eclipse called out to her. “And what exactly am I supposed to be doing while you’re off having all the fun?”

Sunset looked over her shoulder and shrugged. “Just try to keep your dick in your pants for a little while. The last thing I need is to come back to you fucking the tailpipe of my bike or something.”

“You must be mistaking me for some kind of promiscuous slut.” Eclipse flicked his hair elegantly as he spoke.

“No, I would never do that. Slut doesn’t even begin to describe what you are, I’m not sure the spoken language has a word for it yet…” Sunset smirked as she wandered toward the house, not hearing what he was saying back, but assumed he likely called her a bitch, something she was beyond used to.

Sunset took a deep breath as she adjusted her leather jacket while approaching the door to the house. She had on a crop top underneath it which exposed her impressive abs, but made sure to keep a black leather glove over her “bad” hand.

As she stood at the door, she noted the plate next to the doorbell read “Dazzle Residence”. It was odd to think that two musicians lived in such a casual neighborhood in Maryland, but they were still rising stars, and most in the area were older people who didn’t listen to young music, so she surmised that most around them didn’t know who they were.

She had read up a bit on the two, both immigrated from Russia after the war there some time ago. She wasn’t particularly interested in the details, but she knew that strain between Russia and most of Asia had become quite tense which had led to a war with other nations nearby. After the dust settled many Russians fled to greener pastures, and Adagio was one of them, carrying her young sister with her on her back.

Looking at a photo that she had acquired on her phone, Sunset really wondered if this girl could actually be connected to the Adagio she knew. Was it possible? Could Adagio have somehow been reborn? Could she have transferred her memories into this girl? Or perhaps there was another connection that she didn’t quite know yet. Still, Sunset froze as she pondered it. If she opened that door and was face-to-face with the girl who murdered Shimmer, could she contain herself? Would she end the girl on the spot?

Shaking her head, she convinced herself that she would only take measures that were absolutely necessary. This girl was likely just another human with no real connection, but she had to rule it out. If she really was the Adagio she knew then she had to take measures that were only appropriate. Killing her was unwise, instead, she needed to assess the risks and determine the best move from there.

Inhaling and then exhaling, Sunset composed herself and knocked on the door.

There was a brief eight-second silence before the door opened. There, standing at the entrance was a woman who bore the uncanny resemblance to the girl she hated with every fiber of her being. It was unreal how similar the two looked.

With curious eyes, Adagio looked her up and down and her lips parted slightly as she had a look of awe on her face, a look as though she had seen this woman before.

Sunset stood with a serious expression. “Adagio Dazzle?”

“Y-yes?” The girl stuttered.

“My name is-“ Sunset was cut off.

“Sunset Shimmer.” Adagio finished her sentence.

“How did you know that?” Sunset raised a brow.

Adagio shook her head. “I am not quite sure I understand myself… So much strange things happening to me these days… You wouldn’t believe if I told you…”

Sunset noted her Russian accent and continued. “Try me.”

“I… I met girl who looked just like you. She say she was Sunset Shimmer as v’well.” Adagio gulped.

“That’s… Not possible…” Sunset squinted, not sure if she believed that explanation.

“I know you v’won’t believe. That is okay…” Adagio replied.

“What else did she say?” Sunset asked.

“She say to expect you…” Adagio spoke quietly.

“I’m here to confirm a few things and potentially help you, may I come in?” Sunset said.

Adagio hesitated for a moment but then nodded and opened the door to let the redhead into her home. As Sunset entered, she shut the door behind herself and wandered into the living room, and glanced over at Adagio with discriminating eyes. “I can sense it… That demon has come into contact with you hasn’t she?”

“The girl that looks like Serenade?” Adagio asked.

Sunset nodded. “Yes. Her.”

Adagio nodded back at her. “Y-yes…”

Approaching, Sunset reached out her good hand in front of Adagio’s face. The girl stepped back with a yelp. It was hard to believe this woman was connected to the overconfident Adagio that she was so familiar with, but looks could be deceiving after all.

“V’what’re-“ Adagio was paused by Sunset.

“If you want my help, I need to know if I can trust you first.” Sunset said.

“V’what are you going to do?” Adagio gulped.

“I need to sense your emotions… I need to know if you’re her…” Sunset spoke quietly.

“The other Adagio…” Adagio guessed.

“Correct.” Sunset nodded.

Adagio inhaled and then exhaled before nodding. “Okay, go ahead.”

Gripping the girl’s forehead in her hand, Sunset focused her powers. She raced through Adagio’s mind, trying to find any familiar memories of Shimmer, of herself, of anything connected to the Adagio that she knew. A few seconds passed that felt like hours, and she could find nothing. This girl was completely genuine, she had no knowledge of the Adagio she knew.

Removing her hand, Sunset closed her fingers and let her hand rest at her side as Adagio was visibly shaken. Nodding, Sunset looked down at her hand and then back at the fearful Adagio. “So you’re telling the truth… You really aren’t her… I guess that only leaves the question of how you’re involved in all of this…”

“V’what exactly is going on?” Adagio questioned.

Ignoring her question, Sunset stepped forward. “What did that demon say to you?”

“I-I don’t know… She say a lot that does not make sense…” Adagio pleaded.

Sensing the energy of Serenade still in the house, Sunset looked toward a stairwell. “Where is your sister?”

“Upstairs…” Adagio said quietly.

“Call her down here…” Sunset demanded.

“W-why?” Adagio gulped.

“I need to see what the demon did to her. It could be life or death…” Sunset explained.

Nodding, Adagio called out to her sister. “Serenade, come down here.”

Only moments after she called a young teen bounced her way down the stairs and froze as she saw Sunset Shimmer standing there. She was perhaps the most rugged and unruly woman she had ever seen.

Sunset froze for a brief second as she was stunned by how much this teenage girl looked identical to her greatest enemy. The same golden hair with red tips, the same shining red eyes (though she had both of her eyes), and the same soft features. The two were practically identical, but this girl was far younger looking and a tad smaller.

Sunset had to control her anger. Just seeing the face of Serenade was enough to blind her with rage, but she had to control herself. This girl may have looked like her foe, but she was not. She was an ordinary human, at least for now.

Approaching Serenade carefully, she raised her voice so the girl could hear her better. “Don’t be frightened… I’m here because that demon visited you, is that correct?”

Serenade nodded and stood quietly.

Coming within inches of the girl, Sunset offered her gloved hand to the girl. “I’m here to help, may I?”

“Who are you?” Serenade asked.

“There’ll be time for all of that later, for now, I need to see what that thing did to you…” Sunset explained.

“O-okay…” Serenade replied.

Could this weak little girl really be the Serenade of the human world? Sunset had her doubts.

Placing her hand upon Serenade’s neck, she closed her fingers lightly and focused the demonic power of her hand. Inside of Serenade, she could feel something reacting to it, and the girl’s hand twitched in response as Sunset saw black veins grow in the girl’s eyes.

Releasing her, the veins dissipated, and Serenade fell back to the wall coughing.

Nodding, Sunset sighed. “It’s exactly as I feared… She put a part of herself in you…”

“V’what does mean?” Adagio asked.

“It means she is in serious trouble…” Sunset responded.

“Can you help her?” Adagio pleaded.

Sunset nodded and reached into her jacket. When her right hand came out of the jacket, she was brandishing a 9mm handgun that she pointed directly at the teenager.

Upon seeing this, Adagio quickly reached into her waistband and produced a revolver of her own. “Put the gun down!”

Sunset glanced over at Adagio and didn’t seem intimidated at all. She could see the woman was shaking holding the gun. “You won’t shoot me…” Sunset replied.

“Stop pointing that gun at my sister!” Adagio demanded.

“I’m doing you a favor, trust me…” Sunset said.

Closing the distance between the two, Adagio quickly managed to get in front of Serenade blocking Sunset’s line of fire. She dropped her own gun in the process and wrapped her arms around her sister protectively. Serenade was trembling as tears ran down her cheeks.

Sunset didn’t lower her gun even an inch. “Move out of the way, I don’t want to kill you if I don’t have to, but if you stand in the way, you give me no choice.”

“Please! She’s just a child!” Adagio begged.

“It’s nothing personal, trust me…” Sunset assured.

“Please…” Adagio continued begging.

Sunset’s concentration was broken though as she heard a familiar effeminate voice from the doorway. “I leave you alone for a few minutes and this is what you do?”

Looking in that direction, she saw Eclipse stroll in with his hands in his pockets as he shook his head in disapproval. “You’d kill a child, Sunset?”

“Stay out of this Eclipse…” Sunset growled.

“I have to keep you from doing anything stupid.” Eclipse grinned.

“She’s infected…” Sunset explained.

“Oh then, by all means, murder a child,” Eclipse spoke sarcastically as he gestured for her to go ahead. “After that, we can go beating defenseless baby seals to death too.”

Sunset was getting annoyed with him as she struggled to speak in a normal tone. “Eclipse… It’s only a matter of time before she turns. She’ll turn into a demon just like her, you have no idea how hard it is to kill even one of Serenade, do you want to take the risk of fighting two? It’s wiser to stop it before it’s too late…”

“I guess the demon inside of you is finally starting to do the thinking, huh?” Eclipse raised a brow.

“I’m in control…” Sunset hissed.

“Yeah, I’m sure Serenade said the same thing at one point…”

“This is a strategic move, Eclipse…” Sunset argued.

“And I’m sure Serenade was able to justify the first innocent that she murdered too…” Eclipse smirked.

“I’m nothing like her!” Sunset yelled.

“Really? Because the two of you seem pretty similar right now… Prove me wrong.” Eclipse looked at the trembling Serenade who was staring at him with tears running down her face.

Sunset’s hand shook for a few seconds before she lowered her gun with a sigh. “Fine… But we could be making a huge mistake…”

“Well, considering your life thus far is a long list of mistakes, this should be par the norm then…” Eclipse joked.

Putting her gun away, Sunset grumbled. “You better hope this doesn’t come back to bite us in the ass…”

“Only time will tell… So I take it they aren’t who we’re looking for?” Eclipse asked as he looked at the two women who were now trying to stand up.

“No.” Sunset looked away and faced the wall in shame.

Eclipse shook his head and offered his hand. “I apologize for my… acquaintance… She’s not much of a people person these days. Admittedly neither am I, but I seem to have more manners among the two of us…”

“W-what is going on?” Serenade asked.

Eclipse tapped his lip as he thought of how to explain it. “Well, to put it simply… Sunset was trying to spare your sister from becoming a demon. See that other Serenade planted a part of her demonic energy in her and it’s going to grow over time until it takes over your entire body…”

“W-what!?” Serenade stepped back in shock.

Sunset nodded as she glanced over her shoulder at the young girl. “It’s true. It’ll continue to grow until you lose control of yourself. You’ll become a mindless husk serving it… Slaughtering any and all, even your own sister. You won’t even hesitate… I was trying to spare you such a fate…”

Adagio fell to her knees upon hearing this. She trembled and looked to the floor. “There must be some cure!”

“There isn’t. Your sister will turn into a demon and then she’ll kill you…” Sunset spoke plainly.

“There must be something!” Serenade pleaded.

Eclipse sighed and crossed his arms. “Well… There is one possibility…”

“What is it!?” Serenade stepped forward and grabbed his hands.

Eclipse blinked and pulled himself free. He brushed himself off and adjusted his hair before speaking. “Since this isn’t a voluntarily demonic infection, it’s possible that the demonic energy is still rooted in the host…”

“V’what does that mean?” Adagio looked up from the floor.

“He’s saying it’s possible to save her if we kill the other Serenade before that demonic energy in her takes over her entire body…” Sunset explained.

“So there is chance to save her!?” Adagio smiled happily.

“You think that is an easy task? The demon lord is extremely powerful and extremely cunning. She’s not an easy creature to kill, we’ve been trying for years…” Sunset stated.

“H-how much time do we have?” Serenade asked.

Sunset was silent.

Eclipse sighed and spoke up. “You examined her, Sunset. You should be able to tell the rate of growth, right?”

Sunset sighed. “Given what I saw… So long as she keeps her emotions in check and doesn’t give into its power… I give her… Maybe a year before it grows large enough?”

“Can you kill that girl in a year?” Adagio asked.

“I’ve been trying for almost eight now…” Sunset said.

“Can it be done though?” Serenade asked.

Looking at the two women, Sunset sighed and nodded. “It’s possible, but I can’t be certain of anything. We’re fighting against time, and I can’t even promise that I am capable of killing her…”

“Please…” Adagio pleaded.

Sighing, Sunset nodded. “Yeah, okay… I’ll do my best…”

“I’ll help as well.” Eclipse winked.

Somehow his assurance didn’t seem to make Adagio feel any better about the situation. While he treated the two of them far better than Sunset had, his demeanor suggested he didn’t take much too seriously. His youthful aura made him seem a bit childish.

Sunset approached Adagio and bent over to pick up the revolver she had dropped. Scooping it up in her hand, she offered it to Adagio, who hesitated for a brief second and then took it gingerly.

“I suggest you keep this close, because if it comes down to it… You may need to shoot her yourself… I think it’s best if you do it instead of me…” Sunset explained.

Adagio looked down at the gun and then back at her sister. There was no way she could kill her younger sister. However, she knew that there was a chance she would have to protect herself if things got out of control. She prayed it would never reach such a place.

Looking Sunset in the eyes, she spoke seriously. “Please, save my sister… I don’t v’want to be in a position v’where I v’would have to shoot her… I couldn’t… I can’t…”

Sunset glanced down at the revolver and smirked. “You’d be surprised at what one can do when put to the test. I suggest you don’t write anything off so soon.”

Adagio was silent as she lowered the gun.

Eclipse reached into a pocket on the jacket wrapped around his waist and produced a set of eight syringes. “Here.” He offered them to Adagio.

The Russian woman stared at them confused before taking them. “V’what is?”

“Special serum made with light magic and a few other ingredients. The stuff to make them is pretty hard to come by here in the human world, and it’s a time-consuming process so I can’t spare any more than that, so try not to lose them and only use one in case of an emergency,” Eclipse explained.

Serenade walked over and glanced at the needles. “What do they do?”

Eclipse met her eyes with his own. “They can temporarily stop the spread of the demonic growth inside of you. However, I would only use them if you feel yourself about to lose control or turn. Their effects are not permanent, and they weaken over time after use, so it’s best to use them when they really count. It might buy you some extra time, but it all depends on your self-control and the strength of your body.”

“A strong-willed person can resist for much longer than a weaker person…” Sunset explained.

Serenade smiled as she leaped forward and embraced Eclipse. The hug caught him off guard and he just stood there with his arms in the air.

When she released him, she smiled. “Thank you, you two. I know we didn’t exactly meet under great circumstances, but I’m thankful that you’re helping us…”

“As am I.” Adagio bowed.

“Don’t thank us yet, after all, you may still need to kill your sister,” Sunset reminded.

“I have faith that you both v’will solve problem.” Adagio nodded.

“Hear that, Sunset? Someone believes in us.” Eclipse grinned.

“Let’s go.” Sunset gestured to the door.

“How will we contact you if we need your help?” Serenade asked.

Sunset and Eclipse made their way toward the front door before Sunset looked back. “We’ll be around.”

Not giving the two a chance to finish, Sunset and Eclipse headed out and toward the motorcycle where Eclipse had carelessly left their helmets sitting on the seat unguarded. Sunset would have scolded him, but she honestly couldn’t bring herself to care anymore.

Taking her own helmet in hand, she passed him his as she sat upon the bike.

As Eclipse got on behind her, he spoke. “Think we’ll be able to save that girl in time?”

Sunset retrieved the keys from her pocket and stuck them in the ignition, turning the bike on. “She’s a goner.”

“I thought the same thing.” Eclipse nodded.

“Then why did you waste syringes on them?” Sunset asked.

“Well, there’s always a small off chance that I’m wrong. Unlike you, I accept that possibility,” Eclipse stated.

Revving the engine a few times, Sunset spoke up so he could hear her. “I’ve been wrong more times than I can count.”

“Let’s hope this is one of those times then,” Eclipse said.

Eight Years Ago

Sunset had left her home to begin her mission to stop Serenade only eight days ago. It was a difficult decision, but one that had to be made. She loathed the idea of what her daughter might think of her down the road, but she didn’t have the time to focus on that now. She would have to move forward.

She had come to the same facility that Moondancer had spent years assisting her when she was back in Equestria. It was hard to imagine someone actually living in this facility for so long, but if anyone could do it, it was the social recluse that was Moondancer. Prior to meeting Shimmer, she had made a life for herself as a loner and seemed quite content that way.

Sunset felt guilty for asking so much of the girl but more guilty for asking so much of her wife.

She cleared her head once more and focused as she typed away on the computer in the lab. She noted that most of the equipment now was out of date, and reminded herself she would need to update all of it eventually when she was finished pursuing Serenade. The future potential demon lord needed to die before it was too late.

The redhead had stored the portal to Equestria in the lab some time ago and had hoped that she wouldn’t have need of it any time soon, if ever again. The last place she wanted to go was Equestria. It was odd to think that a place that was once her home had now become a place that she loathed so much just to think about. She never wanted to see it again, all that it carried for her were bad memories now.

Princess Twilight had taken advantage of her to a degree that she couldn’t forgive. She couldn’t let go of how the princess had destroyed her life, how she had involved her in matters that had consumed her, matters that destroyed her family.

Regardless of all that though, she needed to see this through. Serenade had escaped to her world and she needed to find out how and where. It was obvious that she didn’t use the portal, as she would have had to come through the very room Sunset was sitting in and there were no signs of such an event happening. Furthermore, a demon of her level would be unable to force the portal open, so she would have to wait for it to do so naturally once every thirty moons.

Another factor was that the Princess had studied the portal for a considerable amount of time and determined that for a higher tiered demon such as Serenade to pass through, she would have to shed a tremendous amount of her power to do so, something that she likely wasn’t willing to do. She would need another means, and that was what concerned Sunset the most. If she had other methods of traveling to and from the human world, that meant that any number of demons could follow her.

If there was such a means for her to travel to the human world, it begged the question of how many demons had followed her and if she had already amassed an army in the human world.

Sunset considered this, but she then realized that if she had brought so many with her, why didn’t she strike right away? It was clear that she lacked the means to do considerable damage, so that meant her entourage was likely small. Perhaps there were limitations to how many she could bring?

Then again, Serenade was clever, despite her power. The demon would likely be far more cautious this time around, and that meant she would plan her assault carefully. If she really did know that Sunset Shimmer was indeed Glitch, the mare that had bested her before, she would not confront her directly so quickly. She would plan, and bide her time, and only confront Sunset when she believed she had the upper hand.

Sunset brushed a strand of hair out of her face and noted the sweat left on her palm. She hadn’t turned the air conditioner on, but when she smelt the sweat, she noted that she hadn’t showered in some time. She decided to take a break and see if the bathroom in the facility was still in good shape.

Wandering from her desk, she approached the back of the facility and turned the light on for the bathroom. Sure enough, Moondancer had kept it in semi-messy condition (which was par the norm for her), but it was certainly serviceable. She’d have to give a quick clean some time later, but she could have a nice shower now.

Turning on the water, Sunset wandered away from the bathroom to go and find the towels. When she located the drawer that they were kept in, she threw a black towel over her shoulder and headed back to the bathroom. Carefully, she placed the towel on a nearby hook and removed her jacket, tossing it into the sink, then followed with her long sleeve shirt, leaving on her undershirt and an orange sports bra.

She was about to remove the undershirt when she heard a strange sparking sound coming from outside the bathroom.

Suspicious, she turned off the water and reached into her jacket to retrieve a 1911 handgun which she clutched tightly in her right hand as she gently opened the bathroom door, with the gun pointed forward. “Who’s there?” She asked with a threatening tone.

Sunset was greeted by silence.

She took a few steps out of the room and kept her gun aimed as she wandered into the room proper.

Her eyes were drawn to the statue base that acted as a portal to Equestria. She noted that a small bit of energy was trailing off of it, like it had just been used. Could the Princess be trying to contact her?

Looking around the room, Sunset called out to her. “Princess? Where are you?”

There was no answer. She continued looking and checked in a storage room, calling out to her once more. “Princess?”

“Not quite.” A voice came from behind her.

Quickly, Sunset ducked and rolled out of the way as a sharp blade came down where she was previously standing, scratching the floor harshly. She aimed her gun at the cloaked figure wielding the blade and fired without question.

The tall figure sliced at the air, blocking her bullets with nearly impossible swordsmanship. A human wasn’t capable of stopping bullets with just a blade, which meant her foe had to be otherworldly and most likely aided by magic.

She continued firing as she got back up to her feet and emptied the clip on him, only for him to dodge and block every single round. She tossed the gun aside and got into a fighting stance. He sliced at her a good eight times, with her dodging every single cut and the blade scratched the floor.

“Looks like you need to work on your aim…” Sunset taunted.

As if responding to the taunt, the left sleeve of his cloak came up and another long silver blade came out of it.

“You’ve got to be shitting me…” Sunset said as he came at her with both blades.

Quickly she grabbed a combat knife she had on a nearby table and blocked the two blades as he pressed her down against the table, pushing to try and break her block. She struggled and groaned as she held him back and managed to slip out from under him and slice at his leg.

He growled in pain as she rolled away and knelt down for a brief moment to check the wound. Black blood oozed out of the fresh wound and Sunset instantly realized what he was. Keeping the knife at the ready in her right hand she spoke to the intruder.

“A demon? How?”

Standing up, he seemed to be over the pain as he allowed the blood to drip out. He removed his hood to reveal messy black hair and piercing yellow eyes. His face had numerous cuts upon it. “So, the famous Glitch hasn’t grown rusty after all these years?”

“You didn’t answer my question…” Sunset repeated.

He chuckled and came at her again, slicing with both blades. This time, Sunset moved to the right and slashed at his mid-section, but only managed to get his cloak, putting a large tear through it.

When she turned around to face him again, she watched as he removed the robe by tearing the entire thing off and ignited it in a black flame. It was then that Sunset could see that the blades in question were his arms. Both of his arms had transformed into his weapons.

“I see, so that’s your demonic power, is it? You can turn your arms into swords?” She asked.

“Not just my arms…” He replied.

His mouth opened and his tongue quickly transformed into a blade that lunged across the room at her slicing a strand of her hair off, but Sunset deflected the blade with her knife and his tongue returned to him.

“I’ll bet the ladies love that…” Sunset said.

Quickly he charged her, but Sunset moved faster and was able to swing behind him and trip him. She pinned him down to the ground and held her knife to the back of his neck while she held him. “Alright, start talking sword boy, who are you, and how did you get here?”

“Kiss my ass.” He hissed as he struggled to get out from under him.

“Sorry, dinner and a movie first, now start talking,” Sunset threatened.

He was able to throw her off of him and turned his swords back into regular arms to help himself off the ground before turning his left hand back into a blade. “My name is Slice, and I was sent here by Serenade to kill Sunset Shimmer, I guess I just got lucky that you were already here…”

“So you waited behind in Equestria?” Sunset asked.

Looking at his blade arm, he smiled. “Serenade has a few allies still back in Equestria. Demons can’t force the portal open, but some of us lower-tiered ones can cross through when it opens naturally…”

“So I guess you’re a weakling then.” Sunset taunted.

He swung his blade at her, and Sunset deflected it with her knife as she stepped back with her knife still raised, ready for another strike.

“I’m still more than a match for you,” Slice said.

“We’ll see about that… Where is Serenade now?” Sunset asked.

“Heh, she’s already here in your human world… She’s been here for some time actually…” He laughed.

“How? You just said only lower-tiered demons can use the portal?” Sunset raised a brow.

He laughed again and swung, only for Sunset to block once more. “Serenade has other methods at her disposal.”

Serenade has another way to get to the human world? Sunset thought.

“What methods are those?” Sunset asked.

“As if I’d tell you… Let’s just say she’s good at thinking outside the box… Now I think I’ve told you enough, it’s time to die…” He concluded and rushed her with both arms turning into swords, swiping madly.

She blocked swipe after swipe, but she couldn’t keep up with him. His slashes were getting more and more aggressive, and while Sunset was in considerable shape, she wasn’t prepared for a fight like this. Slice seemed to be running off of pure adrenaline.

He hacked and slashed at her over and over, with her blocking as many as she could, until finally, it happened.

He felt his blade cut through flesh and bone as Sunset’s attempt to block miscalculated. Instead of her blade blocking him, it was her wrist.

The sword pierced through her wrist and cut through the bone. She fell backward and dropped her knife as she screamed in pain. Her hand was almost completely severed, only being held on by a small bit of skin.

Slice laughed as he watched her squirm and grip her wound, trying to keep the blood from rushing out.

Sunset knew she couldn’t sit there and try to keep herself from bleeding out, she needed to act quickly. She only had precious moments left before Slice would finish her off. She needed to act and act now.

He thrust his blade downward at her, but Sunset rolled out of the way, blood spraying from her arm as she did. Quickly, she snagged the knife she had dropped in her left hand as she dragged herself across the floor, tucking her left arm and the knife under herself to keep it hidden.

Slice walked over to her rather casually as he laughed. He stood over her and knelt down with his sharp blade pointed to her back. “Turn around… I want you to look at me when I kill you…” He spoke quietly.

Obeying his order, Sunset quickly rolled over and surprised him. With the knife in her left hand, she tossed it at him, the blade piercing his chest. He gripped the new wound as Sunset jumped up and knocked him over. While on top of him, she pushed the knife in deeper.

Slice couldn’t concentrate his powers as black blood oozed out of him. He struggled to breathe as Sunset sat on top of him and began punching him with her left hand as her right arm bled.

After a good eight punches, he stopped moving and his body slowly dissolved into a black mist. Rolling onto her side, Sunset whimpered as she gripped the bleeding wound. She took a deep breath and gripped the cut hand and tore it off, throwing it aside. She cried in pain as she tried to sit herself up against the computer desk in the room.

The redhead panted as she whimpered in pain. She gripped her wound, but she could already tell she had lost too much blood. She would never make it to a hospital in time, and she definitely wouldn’t make it out of the facility alive.

She groaned in pain as she pulled herself up to the computer desk and grabbed a nearby paper. She needed to leave a message to warn any who would find this place, she needed people to know about Serenade, she needed them to act in her place.

It’s over.

Sunset Shimmer is dead. What is done can’t be undone. I wish there was something I could do, but it’s too late. I’m going to die and that is all there is to it.

If anyone is reading this, I wanted to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. You’ll need to get in touch with the Princess though if you want to solve things.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for that to be possible. If enough time passes, she’ll likely come looking for me and then you can meet with her.

Forgive me, Twilight.

Once she was finished writing, she slid off the desk and slumped down to the floor, her face now laying in a pool of her own blood. She looked to the distance and could see her reflection in a nearby mirror. That was it, she was going to die laying on this floor, she couldn’t do anything about it either. She would bleed out and it would likely be months or even years before anyone found her.

She wanted to see her daughter again, she wanted to see her wife’s face one more time. Tears ran down her face as she waited for the end. She could feel the life leaving her.

As she was about to close her eyes, she could hear a voice speak to her. “It doesn’t have to end here…”

Forcing her eyes open she could see a face in the mirror standing behind her, a face she had hoped to forget. The demon she had become in the past, the same demon she had suppressed, the same she had wanted to simply disappear.

“What do you want…?” Sunset managed to get out through strained breaths.

“You don’t want to die do you?” The demon spoke.

“What are you getting at…?” Sunset coughed.

“I can save you, Sunset… We can live… Together…” It spoke.

“Make a deal with you? I’d rather die…” She forced out a laugh.

“And when you die, Serenade will kill everyone you love… She’ll destroy this world…” The demon said.

Sunset couldn’t argue with that. Death wasn’t what concerned her, it was what would happen after that. She didn’t have time to debate over it.

“I can’t allow myself to die just yet…” Sunset said.

“Then we have a deal?” The demon asked.

“As much as I’ll regret it… Yes… We have a deal…” Sunset spoke quietly as her eyes began to close. “I accept your offer…”

“I knew you’d stop resisting eventually…” The demon laughed.

Sunset said nothing.

The demon hovered over her and leaned down, placing their claw over her severed hand, covering the bloody stump with both claws before injecting their talons into her flesh. Sunset yelped in pain for only a brief second before the demon released her and stepped back. It disappeared and Sunset could still hear them laughing as now a sharp pain shot through her arm. She screamed in agony as she could feel a burning sensation through her.

She banged the severed hand on a desk to try and get the pain to stop, but it continued. She watched in horror, screaming in the worst pain she had ever felt as black tendrils began to grow from the stump, slowly forming the shape of a claw. The black claw grew sharp talons on what appeared to be leathery skin that stretched over sharp bone.

The black flesh blended into her regular skin, leaving a dark coloration where the two met. She could hardly believe what she was seeing, but when she willed her hand to open, the claw obeyed. Sunset looked into the mirror and placed her new claw onto the glass, she placed her head onto the glass and sighed as she looked at the ground in disgust at what she had become.

The same laugh could be heard in the back of her mind as the demon goaded her further. “Now, we’re inseparable…”

A Few Weeks Ago

Eclipse sat across from Sunset with his hands in his lap while he leaned toward her as she told her story. He had always assumed that the process of becoming a demon was horrific and painful, but the way Sunset told her story made it sound far worse. She had been brought to the brink of death, only to be saved and turned into the monster she was now.

Sunset looked at her ungloved claw and laughed at the irony of her situation. “I had to become what I was fighting in order to live long enough to stop it…”

Eclipse laughed at the prospect. “Always a victim aren’t you?”

Raising a brow, Sunset inquired what he meant. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You are always playing the victim, face it, you’re in the situation you're in because of your own doing, so don’t go around acting like you’ve somehow been wronged by the universe…” Eclipse rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t choose this, Eclipse…” Sunset hissed as she came to a stand.

He laughed again. “Oh? Who was the girl who tried to steal Twilight’s crown?”

“That was… A mistake… I paid for that…” Sunset looked away in shame.

“But it was still your choice. So was the choice to leave home to chase Serenade by yourself,” Eclipse explained.

“There was no one else who could face her!” Sunset insisted.

“Was there? Or did you simply think no one could take her but you? Regardless of the circumstances, you made these choices, no one else. You can blame the circumstances for forcing you to make them, but at the end of the day, you could have just let things happen as they wanted. You chose to get involved, and thus you’re the only one to blame for your predicament, so why not start owning your responsibility?” Eclipse asked.

“I really don’t like you…” Sunset said coldly.

Eclipse looked up at her with serious eyes. “I’m not very fond of you either. Hell, I think you’re a piece of shit that constantly tries to blame others for her own problems, but as it stands, we have to work together…”

“Why did you come looking for me then?” Sunset asked.

“I never imagined you’d be like this,” he said.

“What did you imagine?” Sunset raised a brow.

“To not find a demon…” Eclipse said plainly.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you…” Sunset scoffed.

Eclipse sighed and leaned back on the couch he was sitting on. “Yeah, so am I…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sunset questioned.

Glancing over at her, his demeanor seemed to stay quite serious. “I’m not obligated to tell you anything. If I choose to, it’ll be because I wanted to, but otherwise, I’m not divulging what I don’t have to. After all, you’re a demon just like the others, so I can’t just give you 100% of my trust… More like 80%…”

Sunset squinted in annoyance at him. “So is that how you see me then? A monster? Nothing more than a small step above Serenade?”

“Now you’re putting words in my mouth…” Eclipse sighed.

She stepped forward and gripped him with her left him, pulling him up by his shirt. “I’m about to put my whole fist in your mouth…”

“Heh, most demons can’t control their anger, so that’s typical…” Eclipse mocked.

Gripping his shirt tighter, Sunset spoke in a low tone. “I’ll have you know that I have fought against the darkness inside of me for longer than most. I did what I had to do, to survive. I had the chance to become just like Serenade, but I chose not to. Darkness may have a permanent relationship with me, but I am in control of my own anger. I’m nothing like Serenade, or her sister for that matter.”

“Where does all this passion come from?” Eclipse asked.

Releasing Eclipse, she shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand…”

Eclipse adjusted his shirt and gave a scrutinizing look at her. “You wouldn’t know what I don’t understand…”

“Maybe if you actually talked to me…” Sunset replied.

“Forget it, I’m going to bed…” Eclipse spoke as he turned and headed toward the bedroom of their hotel room.

Sunset scoffed and wandered over to the fridge as he left. She grabbed a bottle of water and chugged the entire thing before throwing the bottle in the recycling bin. Glancing in the direction that Eclipse went, she wondered how someone like him got by. He came off as fairly cold, but for very specific topics he held insanely strong opinions.

She sat on the couch watching the clock for a good eighteen minutes before her mind came alive. Curiosity toward Eclipse got the better of her, and she pulled herself up and wandered toward the bedroom where he slept.

Carefully, she crept in and kept herself silent as she came up beside him in the bed. The boy slept lazily with his face buried in the pillows and his arm laying off the side of the bed. She noticed the necklace he always wore dangling from his neck over the side of the bed as he laid precariously close to the edge.

She had been curious about it for some time, but she was certain that Eclipse wouldn’t tell her a word regarding it.

Sunset’s gloved hand reached up and touched the geode that she had fashioned into a choker around her own neck. Its power was still very potent, and now she had mastered its capabilities. She focused her energy and the geode gleamed for a split second as her left hand had a gentle glow around it. Reaching down carefully she placed her hand onto the back of Eclipse’s head, gently.

The boy’s hair was interestingly soft, which was expected as he splurged on expensive hair products whenever the two weren’t training or pursuing some kind of lead. Money wasn’t much of an object to Sunset as she had made sure to place a considerable amount of funds into a separate account that had been generating interest since she had left home, and it was far more beneficial to just let the boy get what he wanted rather than listen to him complain.

Closing her eyes, Sunset began to feel around in Eclipse’s thoughts. Something odd happened right away though, his mind was strangely guarded. Sunset had never encountered someone who could resist her abilities when she had full focus, and while he was asleep as well.

Could Eclipse know of my powers and thus formed a way to protect himself from them, even in his sleep? Sunset thought for a brief moment.

It was definitely possible, considering he knew so much else about her and wouldn’t tell her how.

Despite his mental defenses though, Sunset concentrated harder and managed to start getting some glimpses of what appeared to be fragments of memories.

She could see a young effeminate unicorn, and that same necklace wrapped around his neck, but everything else was hazy. She concentrated harder and the rest of the image started to appear, but only slightly.

Around his hooves were chains. She could hear the sound of yelling, and the longer she focused on the memory, the more she could see. Eventually, she could see herds of ponies gathered together, all in chains, and then she could see a statue of Serenade being constructed by several ponies. Some that had been working, however, lay dead in the dirt. A few were being dragged away by guards, but most were left to rot while the others worked.

Is this what Serenade forced ponies to endure? Sunset thought. She hadn’t seen the horrors up close like some had. By the time she had shown her face, she had arrived only to liberate these kinds of work camps, but she had never seen the conduct inside prior to her arrival.

She kept her mind clear though and tried to find anything else that would bubble to the surface, anything at all which could give her some kind of clue as to who Eclipse was or what his motivation was.

The only thing that popped forward, however, was a name, a name that seemed to have a great attachment to Eclipse, a name that was connected to some kind of precious memory.

Galeal.

The moment she could see the name, however, Eclipse had sprung up, and grabbed her arm and twisted it. Before she could react, the man flipped out of the bed, still holding onto her arm while he brought her down to the ground. Sunset tried to utilize her other arm to push him off of her, but Eclipse moved too quickly and powered his hand with light magic, pinning her demonic appendage down.

He used his weight to pin her good arm under his knee before drawing his butterfly knife from his pocket and held it tightly to Sunset’s throat.

“I suppose I surprised you…” Sunset joked.

Eclipse kept the knife to her neck and said nothing.

“You were a slave. I didn’t know… That must have been horrible… I guess I understand now why you always get annoyed hearing me complain about my own shortcomings… Anyone who lived through something like that… It must have been truly horrible…” Sunset stated.

Eclipse didn’t respond, he just looked her in the eyes with a serious gaze.

“I was the great and mighty Glitch… The supposed savior of Equestrian… But in the end, when you got to see the mare behind the mask… All there was was me; Sunset Shimmer… A failure unable to control the darkness inside of her. I guess I can see why I’m such a huge disappointment to someone like you…” Sunset gave a gentle smile to him, to show she was being genuine in her words.

“That was when I was weak… I grew stronger, and I escaped… A spoiled brat like you wouldn’t understand…” Eclipse’s voice was low and dangerous.

“You’re right, I wouldn’t. However, I know what it means to be alone, Eclipse. You’re trying so hard to stay alone, to not let anyone inside, and I know what that can do to someone… Just look what it did to me…” Sunset glanced over at her demonic arm as she said that.

“You and I are nothing alike…” Eclipse hissed.

“Maybe, maybe not. I can’t tell just yet…” Sunset said.

There was silence between the two before Sunset broke it. “So, who is Galeal, then?”

Eclipse pressed the knife harder to her neck at the mention of that name. She coughed and smirked at his reaction. “So, even you have someone that you care about then? That’s a surprise to me. Who is he to you? Family?”

Growling, Eclipse came inches from Sunset’s face as he spoke in an aggressive tone. “Let’s get something perfectly clear… At the end of the day, you’re a demon. If you ever turn completely, I will kill you. Do not mistake me, I don’t trust you, Sunset Shimmer. Don’t try and get to know me, and don’t try to get closer to me, because I have zero interest in getting closer to you. We are partners, nothing more, got it?”

“I guess he really is that important then… This Galeal… I wonder what he’s like…” Sunset teased.

Eclipse quickly parted her lips and stuck the blade into her mouth. Sunset remained still as she watched him carefully. “Don’t ever say that name around me again, got it? I don’t want to hear it out of your fucking demon mouth, you hear me?”

Sunset didn’t respond, she laid there with the blade in her mouth, not moving until he pulled it out and pointed the sharp edge at her. “Stay out of my head. If I catch you trying to go through my memories again, I’ll kill you right then and there.”

“You can’t kill me, Eclipse… I’m more than a match for you, and you know it. I’m stronger and more powerful, not to mention I have years of experience over you… Fighting me like that would just be suicide…” Sunset reminded him.

“I don’t give a shit. I would rather die than continue to be violated by the likes of you… Going through the memories of others while they sleep… Heh, you’re already making the perfect demon…” Eclipse shook his head.

“I do what I have to, and sometimes that blurs the line between right and wrong, maybe when you’re older and have more life experience you’ll come to understand that. I’m sorry about what you went through with Serenade, but you have to start realizing that our enemy uses our sympathy and compassion against us. She will kill innocents just to get to us, to defeat an enemy like that sometimes requires bending the rules…” Sunset explained.

“All demons seem to know how to do is bend the rules. What would have happened if I hadn’t been there at that young girl’s house, Sunset? You would have splattered her brains onto the walls, and probably killed her sister too…” Eclipse said.

“I would not have harmed her sister…” Sunset denied.

“Sure you would. Once you start killing innocent people, it becomes easier to make excuses to keep doing it. After all, her sister looked identical to the woman who killed your sister, didn’t she? What would have held your anger and resentment back? What would have kept the demon inside of you from manipulating your emotions to justify killing her? Face it, you’re a walking time bomb, a creature that will eventually destroy everything around you…” Eclipse said.

“Is that what you really think about me, Eclipse?” Sunset asked.

“What reason do I have to believe otherwise? All demons ever do is kill, that’s the only part of their nature that stays true no matter what…” Eclipse spoke.

Sunset remained silent for a moment as she looked into his serious eyes. He wouldn’t waver on his beliefs on the subject, that much was sure.

“Perhaps you’re right… But before then, I want to stop Serenade… What happens to me after that, well… I guess if I go too far, you will stop me before it gets to that…” Sunset said quietly.

Pressing the knife tighter to her neck, Eclipse made his tone more threatening. “Just stay out of my head, got it? I won’t warn you a second time, Sunset Shimmer.”

“You trained yourself to fight against my power, didn’t you?” Sunset ignored his request.

“Don’t try and probe me, just stay out of my head…” Eclipse replied before lifting his knife and stepping off of the woman.

Sunset helped herself up as she side-stepped him and carefully made her way out of the room, facing him the entire time, as he watched her leave. His intense stare never leaving the woman.

Author's Note

Hey! Sorry for the long delay! I am trying to get these out faster, but life gets in the way. I am glad for everyone still reading though!

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXVIII: Mindful

Chapter CXVIII: Mindful

Eight Years Ago

The first few days with her new “hand” were perhaps the hardest for Sunset. This strange demonic appendage was a challenge to control at first, and it felt, unlike her real hand. At first, it hardly obeyed her conscious thought, and only felt like it was vaguely interpreting what she wanted it to do. The thing had a mind of its own, but after eight days of training herself to use it, she had begun to get it to behave as the original hand had.

Still, there was a matter of concealing it. Its disgusting claw-like appearance would attract attention for sure, so she had begun to wear a black leather glove over it for the time being. She was fortunate, that the blackened skin seemed to stop around her wrist, so a glove and a wristband did the trick of hiding the appendage from others, who would surely have some questions that she couldn't answer if they saw it.

Now that she had it under her control, she needed to understand the extent of what new abilities the demon hand offered her. The woman sighed and sat down on a bed in the hotel she had chosen to stay at after her encounter. She had quickly moved the portal out of the lab to a secret and secure location in the wilderness where no one would look for it. If Serenade sent more minions her way, she would prefer they be forced to face the rough wilderness rather than land in her lab where they had access to tons of materials that could potentially benefit them.

On top of that, she knew she couldn’t return to the lab for some time. It was very likely that Slice had managed to inform Serenade of a successful kill before his death. Telepathy was not out of the reach of imagination of Serenade’s abilities, and if she believed that Sunset was dead after that little incident, it was advantageous to continue to let Serenade believe such a thing. Sunset would be able to move a little more freely with Serenade thinking she was dead.

Closing her eyes, Sunset turned to face the mirror near the bed and waited a few painful seconds before opening them. She opened her eyes and there in the mirror was the familiar face of her demonic self staring back at her, fangs turned into a crooked smile as the creature’s hair moved like a wildfire.

Sunset focused herself and spoke directly to the creature. “So, we’re allies now then?”

“Is that what you call our relationship? An alliance?” The demon answered casually.

“What would you call it?” Sunset raised a brow.

“A business decision. You wanted to live, and I wanted freedom, we both get what we want this way…” The demon chuckled mischievously.

Sunset rolled her eyes before she leaned in, placing her hands on her knees. “I’m sure you’re getting more than that out of this deal…”

“That’s true, but why are you wasting my time with this pointless conversation? I’m a demon, we’ve already established that my intentions are impure, volatile, and heinous. I don’t see what you hope to discover by digging deeper.” The demon laughed.

You have a point there. Sunset thought to herself.

“Have you forgotten that I can hear your thoughts too? I’m in your head, just as I’m always at you shadow…” The demon reminded her.

Sunset sighed and shook her head in annoyance. “So, what do I call you even? I don’t think I’ve ever asked for your name…”

“I suppose just calling me by your own name frightens you, doesn’t it?” The demon asked.

“Something like that…” Sunset admitted as she glanced away in shame.

“Why? You should be proud, you’ll make a fantastic demon, you may even be more capable than Serenade herself!” The demon praised.

“I’m nothing like her, let’s get that straight. Still, it would be better if I had a name for you…” Sunset continued.

The demon sighed and shook its head as well. “You’re a real killjoy, know that? Fine, you can simply refer to me as your shadow, or just ‘Shadow’ if you prefer. I’m a creation of yours anyway, so it’s not like I was born with a name…”

“So I really did create you then?” Sunset blinked.

Shadow nodded gleefully. “Of course; what were you hoping that I was summoned from the depths of hell to possess you? No, the reality is that I was created by your own hatred and greed. You allowed those feelings to fester enough to create the seed that would give birth to me. It’s rare, but every now and then, someone comes about that is just the right candidate for a demon to be birthed.”

“And I fit those criteria?” Sunset asked.

“I don’t think a better candidate could be asked for. You’re so full of raw potential power-wise, and your completely fucked up emotional state makes you susceptible to darkness… It’s so so so… delectable…” Shadow licked her lips as she spoke, almost as if she could taste the emotion.

“You’re getting some kind of sick pleasure out of my suffering, aren’t you?” Sunset grunted.

“You certainly are a master of asking obvious questions…” Shadow rolled her eyes.

Looking down at her gloved hand, Sunset closed her fingers and looked back at Shadow in the mirror. “How does this demonic power work, exactly?”

“So, you actually intend on using it to defeat Serenade then?” Shadow raised a curious brow.

Sunset crossed her arms. “If you don’t get in my way…”

“Relax, I’m a demon, but we demons don’t exactly have any kind of alliance with other demons for no reason. I wouldn’t side with another demon just because they too, are a demon. I have no care what happens to Serenade, you can go ahead and kill her for all I care. Hell, it would be beneficial to me, as I would hate to be ruled by that cunt as the demon lord anyway…” Shadow crossed her arms in mimic of Sunset.

Sunset had a general understanding of the demon lord at this point. She knew that only an extremely powerful and prominent demon could rise to such a rank and that Serenade was slated for it, but during their brief foray into the demon world together, Sunset and Cinder had survived quite the ordeal and learned much of the ways of a demon.

Further research told her that something she didn’t want to think about was another possibility: she herself could become the demon lord too. She had overcome the trials presented in hell and managed to escape back to the mortal world, a feat that very few demons could achieve, on top of that, she had darkness within her and even had been a demon herself briefly.

“I’m a demon now, right?” Sunset asked.

“Yes, though an impure one,” Shadow answered.

“Meaning that Serenade and I are very different in our capabilities then?” Sunset asked.

“Yes, she gave herself fully to darkness, you resist it, even now I can feel your resistance…” Shadow shook her head in disappointment.

“Do you think…” Sunset bit her lip before continuing. “I could even become the demon lord?”

“Who knows?” Shadow shrugged.

“Is there some kind of prophecy about that, maybe? Some kind of information that only demons would know?” Sunset asked.

“While demons possess basic knowledge of how our own abilities work, and the basic knowledge that we’re a demon, don’t forget that I am still you. I can’t access information that isn’t already in your head. In essence, you’re talking to yourself right now, I’m merely a manifestation of your darker side…” Shadow explained.

“So we’re… the same person…” Sunset gritted her teeth at the thought.

“Yes. I exist because you exist. In other words, I am you, and you are me. That’s why you can’t really get rid of me. I exist in your thoughts, your mind, your memories, places you can not extract me from…” Shadow explained.

Looking back at her hand, Sunset squinted. “And the more I focus on you, the more things like this hand become possible, right?”

“Something like that…” Shadow nodded.

Sunset didn’t know what that would mean for her well-being or her health though. Was it wise to use these demonic abilities? Surely it would be detrimental to her health, so she quickly decided she would use them sparingly. Only when she needed them, would she use them and in controlled bursts. The last thing she wanted was to allow the demon inside of her to gain complete control. If she allowed that, she would never see her family again, that much was certain.

Sunset spoke up to the demon before her. “I’m in control, we’re doing all of this my way, got it?”

Shadow laughed. “Have you forgotten that I am you? Don’t worry, I’m not going to influence your decisions, that’s entirely your choice, Sunset…”

Was that really true? Were her choices really her own, or would the darkness within her influence them? Or rather, had they already been influenced up to that point? Was her entire life manipulated by darkness?

She shook her head and reminded herself that she promised herself she would never be controlled by darkness again. She had tried to stay true to that promise.

Then again, she once had almost given in in the past. During her fight with Adagio, she almost gave in to the darkness within her to defeat the siren. If it weren’t for Twilight’s interference, she may have actually gone past a point of no return. The capability was within her.

No. Sunset shook her head as she thought it over. That was a long time ago. I’m much stronger than that now. I’ll never go back to what I was.

Eight Years Ago

Sunset dropped her bag onto the nearby grass and looked around the woods to see if anyone was nearby. Traveling to the heart of the forest put enough distance between her and society to where she felt semi-confident that no one would see her. The Everfree forest was secluded this time of year, as the summer camp was closed, so she wouldn’t be bothered.

Taking a deep breath, the woman removed the leather glove from her right hand and the wrist guard above it. She haphazardly allowed them to fall to the ground before raising the claw that had replaced her hand to get a closer look at it. Its black and leathery appearance was eerie, but its pointed talons were even worse. This hand was not her own, but a perversion of what was once there. She even refused to put her wedding ring back on it, this was not the hand that proposed to Twilight.

Opening and closing her fingers, Sunset focused on trying to maintain control of the appendage.

From behind her, her shadow took shape and formed a dark apparition of the creature she knew as “Shadow”. Shadow spoke in a bored tone. “What’re you doing here, Sunset?”

“I have to see for myself the full scope of this power…” Sunset explained.

“I thought you were against using demonic powers?” Shadow mocked.

Sunset nodded. “That hasn’t changed, however, the reality is that I have them now, and they may be needed to defeat Serenade. My powers aren’t as strong here as they are in Equestria, and on top of that, I have no Siren’s Bane this time. I need to understand the full scope of what I can do if I’m serious about killing her.”

“You said kill, so I’m guessing this time you’re determined to end her?” Shadow asked.

“I have no choice…” Sunset shook her head.

“Said the future demon lord…” Shadow mocked.

Sunset ignored the taunt and instead focused her mind. She knew that so long as she concentrated on her power, it should reveal itself to her. She could feel her right hand pulsing and almost whispering to her, giving her the secrets to the abilities it allowed her to perform. It felt unnatural, alien even like there was something vile inside of her body.

She tried to ignore these feelings though, and instead, focused on what she could do.

Watching the shadow of a tree that was a good eight feet away from her, Sunset crouched down onto the ground and gazed at her hand for a brief moment before placing it onto the ground itself. When it touched a shadow, she concentrated and sure enough, her hand almost seemed to warp through the ground and come out of the shadow further away from her.

She pulled her hand back and clenched it a few times as she observed it.

“You’re a shadow walker,” Shadow stated plainly.

Sunset didn’t respond, she just continued to stare at her hand.

“You can move freely wherever there is darkness. You can literally move through the shadows themselves… And so long as you’re in the shadows, you’re safe from conventional means of attack…” Shadow explained.

“I’m assuming that I’m not invincible in the shadows though?” Sunset asked.

“No. Light that dispels the shadows will obviously force you out, and naturally, light magic will hurt like a mother fucker if you let it touch that hand…” Shadow pointed out.

Looking at her normal hand, Sunset glanced back at Shadow. “But I am free to use light magic with my left hand, right?”

“Sure, I guess you have the added benefit of being able to play both sides.” Shadow chuckled.

But the more I use demonic energy, the faster it’ll spread throughout my body. I need to find a way to reduce how much power I use when I am forced to use it so that it has a lesser effect on me. Sunset thought to herself.

She could practice slowly on how to efficiently use her power without using too much energy to perform the same tasks. That way, she could slow down the spread of the demonic growth on her hand.

Naturally, Shadow heard her thoughts. “You really think that you can somehow control the demon inside of you? You’re in too deep. Look at your hand, it’s already been claimed by darkness, and you somehow think you can manipulate your way out of your fate? Face it, Sunset, your fate is to become a demon, you chose that fate the day I was born, and you know it.”

Closing her hand, Sunset shook her head. “No. Fate isn’t real. We all pave our own paths…”

“Is that so?” Shadow asked.

“You’ll see.” Sunset nodded.

“I look forward to finding out which of us is right then.” Shadow mocked.

A Few Weeks Ago

Eclipse stood in front of the mirror after a shower and glanced at the attractive male staring back at him. His face was very effeminate, and his long shining hair complimented it well. It was silky and straight, but thick. Eclipse knew all too well that he was a desirable male among females and of course other males. He had an aura about him that he knew made him sexy.

Running a hand down his chest, he smiled as he saw his physique, but stopped after his hand touched the pendant hanging from his neck. His hand clenched around it and he uttered to himself. “Galeal…”

He could still remember how he smelt, that masculine musk of his, with a hint of sandalwood from his body spray. Eclipse shuddered as he remembered the feeling of his feathers touching his body. They had an inviting warmth to them, combined with the blanket-like feel of his fur. Eclipse was especially fond of his former lover’s wings, how he would wrap them around him when they slept, it really did things for him.

There was no denying it, Eclipse was still in love with him, but he knew they would never see each other again. His trip to the human world was not authorized and thus was one-way. He couldn’t go back to Equestria no matter what he did, and even if he could, he would likely be tried as a criminal for use of the portal, among the other crimes he had committed. Sure, Sunset could vouch for him with her sway with the princess, but he loathed the idea of asking her for a favor.

Drying himself off, he came out of the bathroom and sat down on the bed with a towel wrapped around his waist as his long hair draped over part of his face. Sunset eyeballed him from a desk nearby and spoke. “You look down, which is unusual for you…”

“As if you know me at all…” Eclipse commented.

Sighing, Sunset shook her head. “You’re the one that refuses to open up…”

“Why should I open up to someone like you?” Eclipse asked.

Turning in her chair, Sunset put down the pen she was using and gave him a serious stare. The two looked at each other for a solid eight seconds before she spoke again.

“You know, I know what it’s like to endure hardship… I didn’t come from a life of privilege, my parents neglected me and I ran away when I was just a kid to come here… I lived in the woods for many years and I was treated as an outsider for a long time…” Sunset began.

“Sounds like you made that choice yourself…” He smirked at her.

Sighing, she nodded. “Yes, I did, and I’ve been paying for my mistakes ever since.” The woman looked at her gloved hand and then back at Eclipse. “Say what you want, but I know I chose the fate that made this arm a reality. My bitterness, anger, and negative emotion lead me down a path that has caused me great pain and sorrow since then. Perhaps you should open up so you don’t end up making the same mistakes as me?”

Eclipse scoffed and looked away in disgust. “You and I are nothing alike. I don’t regret any of my choices. If bad things happen to me, it’s because I chose to push through them and not to run away like you. I fight for a different reason all together…”

Sunset ran a hand through her long locks as she looked him up and down. He was serious, and she could tell. Eclipse didn’t have it in him to live in denial, everything he did, he did proudly, even if it was a mistake. In a way, she wished she was more like him. He was so young, yet he had so much wisdom about the world.

“It sounds to me like you’ve had some good mentors in your life…” Sunset raised a brow.

He smirked at her once more. “Some of the best, that’s for sure.”

“What will you do when this is all over? That’s what I’d like to know…” Sunset asked.

Eclipse shrugged. “When it’s all said and done, and Serenade is dead… I suppose I can just die after that. There isn’t much left for me once that’s complete.”

“Sounds like a worthless existence, perhaps you need to find more meaning to your life?” Sunset suggested.

He shook his head. “My life never had meaning to begin with. I think that’s a reality we all have to face… We all think that there’s some greater purpose for us all, but maybe there is no reason for us to even exist.”

“Maybe that’s what Serenade thinks?” Sunset grinned.

“You’d dare compare me to her?” Eclipse growled.

“Well, think about it. She’s an immortal being, she isn’t supposed to die, so she must fear death, but at the same time after such a long existence… She probably has come to the conclusion that her own existence has no meaning either… Perhaps that’s what motivates her to be how she is?” Sunset suggested.

“It doesn’t matter. Reason or no reason, she has earned the death that awaits her. The universe will be an infinitely better place without her existence…” He hissed.

Sunset’s grin turned into a genuine smile as she nodded at her partner in crime. “That is definitely something we can agree on.”

Eighty Minutes Ago

Checking their phone, a woman donning a dark blue hoodie concealing her face nodded to herself as she noted the time. Given the information she was privy to, Sunset Shimmer would be meeting with her daughter after almost eight years apart in a matter of moments. In exactly eighty minutes, the two family members would be reunited after such a long separation. She wasn’t fully aware of how it would all play out, but she knew it would come to be regardless.

It was all perfect, as all of the children of Sunset and her friends would be accounted for, meaning that this particular meeting wouldn’t be interrupted by any of them.

Standing at the gate to the Shimmer estate, the woman looked up at the lavish gates and nodded to herself as she began to climb over the tall gate. She didn’t want to waste any time trying to use the intercom and explain a situation that was probably best explained in person. With respectable speed and agility, she was able to scale the large iron gate without much effort. Her body was still in incredible form, as she felt as youthful as ever.

Walking down the long driveway toward the mansion in the distance, she took some time to admire the architecture. Sunset and Twilight had made renovations over the years, but the basic look of the estate seemed to remain the same. It was obvious that Sunset had a fondness of how the Shimmer family had left the place and was hesitant to make any major changes.

After a short walk of around eight minutes, the hooded woman found herself at the front door. With a shrug, she reached forward and picked up the large knocker and banged it eight times before stuffing her hands into the large pocket of her blue hoodie. She waited patiently, and sure enough, the door opened, and there stood a rather attractive, yet somewhat dorky woman in glasses.

Twilight Shimmer eyed the hooded woman up and down and adjusted her glasses before checking her black blouse as she raised an eyebrow. She had on a leather miniskirt, with a pair of purple heels. “May I help you?” She asked with a rather annoyed tone.

“May I come in?” The hooded girl asked.

Twilight squinted as she examined the figure that she could not even see the face of. “No offense, but I don’t usually allow those who sneak onto my property to just enter my home. How did you even get past the gate?”

“I climbed over it,” the girl replied.

“See, that is exactly why I shouldn’t let you into my home… I’m going to give you three seconds to vacate this property before I call the police…” Twilight began to close the door, but the hooded woman quickly placed a hand upon the door, stopping her. Her grip was quite strong, and she was able to stop Twilight in her tracks. No matter how much she pushed against it, the door refused to budge from the girl’s grip.

A cold bead of sweat ran down Twilight’s neck as she watched the girl carefully. With the other hand not on the door, the woman removed her hood as she spoke. “I don’t think that will be necessary…”

When the hood came down, the woman flicked her head, and long red and yellow hair came out from her hood, falling down her form and sitting below her shoulders in a thick ponytail. It was wavy and messy, but attractive. Her face was soft and pale, but most importantly, she had those teal piercing eyes. The same piercing teal eyes that Twilight knew so well. She knew it couldn’t be, but it was.

“S-sunset!?” Twilight gasped.

The girl shook her head. “I’m afraid that I’m not your wife, Twilight. Sorry to disappoint you like this, but you have me mixed up with her. We’re not one in the same sorry to say…”

Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “You’re not Sunset, yet you look just like her… Who are you?”

“May I come in? It might be easier to explain if we can sit down.” The redhead asked.

Nodded, Twilight opened the door more and offered to allow the doppelgänger to enter her home. After a few moments, the two found themselves in one of the many living rooms of the mansion. The Sunset doppelgänger looked around with curiosity before focusing her eyes on Twilight. “So, you’ve been living here since you and Sunset got married then?”

Twilight nodded before sitting down on the couch, gesturing with her hand for the other woman to sit down with her. Nodding, the Sunset look-alike sat down and waited patiently for Twilight to initiate conversation.

The tension and suspense between the two lasted for several minutes before Twilight started the dialogue. “So, who are you, and why are you here? More importantly, why do you look like my wife?”

“This might seem a bit difficult to believe, Twilight, but I know so much more than you could possibly imagine…” The redhead said.

“At this point… I don’t think anything is that difficult to believe anymore…” Twilight said quietly.

The redhead chuckled and nodded. “Yes, I can imagine.”

“So, who are you, exactly?” Twilight asked.

“I suppose you can just call me Sunset for simplicity’s sake…” The other woman nodded.

“Fine… Sunset then… Who are you?” Twilight asked.

Sunset placed a hand upon her chin and looked up in thought. It wasn’t the easiest question to answer. She considered it for a few moments before shrugging. “I wish I could answer that, but it’s not exactly an easy question to answer. The story is long and complex, and I don’t have that much time…”

Leaning in with interest, Twilight squinted at her. It was uncanny how much she looked just like her wife.

“So why are you here then?” Twilight raised a brow.

A smile came to the woman’s face as she reached across the table and placed her hands with the palms facing up. “It has to do with Serenade Dazzle… A demon from Equestria… I’m sure you’ve heard of her by now…”

“The same demon that Sunset left here to defeat… Again… She never really told me much about her though, Sunset didn’t really want to talk about her…” Twilight admitted.

Sighing, Sunset closed her eyes for a brief moment as she braced herself. “There are things you need to see, Twilight… You have to truly understand what your wife is up against, it could mean the difference between life and death for you…”

Gulping, Twilight touched her chest in concern as she felt a cold sweat run down the nape of her neck. “L-life and death?”

Sunset nodded. “Serenade isn’t above using you as a pawn to get to Sunset. Especially since she’s nearby now, you’ll have to be more careful than ever from here on.”

“How do you know so much about Serenade?” Twilight changed the subject.

“I’m sure you’ve seen the Adagio shades by now?” Sunset asked.

Twilight had been told about them briefly, and even caught a glimpse of one about eight days ago, though the apparition didn’t say anything to her, and at the time she thought she was hallucinating until Horizon explained what she knew about the creature.

“They’re some kind of projection of Adagio, right? They seem to appear before anyone who was connected to her…” Twilight said.

“Correct, because that’s the extent of my reach. Though the term ‘connection’ can be very loose, and I can sometimes make them appear if the connection isn’t a direct one, but through indirect contact, it’s very complicated how it works, but that’s the short version…” Sunset explained.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she said those words. “Wait, you created those things!? How!?”

Sunset gestured with her hand for Twilight to calm down. “The shades are nothing more than manifestations of Adagio’s memories. So I can’t show you anything with them that Adagio didn’t already know…”

“So you can give Horizon and Sunset information that could help them, right!?” Twilight placed both hands on the table in excitement.

“It doesn’t work that way, Twilight. There is a limit to my power, and the more enriched the memory, the more power it takes to show. Some memories are guarded more than others, that and it wouldn’t be right of me to just give away the memories of someone else…” Sunset frowned.

Twilight blinked. She was a bit confused as to why this woman was even concerned about the morality of sharing the memories of a dead girl, a murderer at that, a monster.

“There is a memory though that I think you need to see, Twilight…” Sunset held out both of her hands.

Hesitantly, Twilight took the woman’s hands in her own and closed her eyes.

Over Two Thousand Years Ago (Adagio’s Memory)

I’ll never forget those flames. While they burned my mother, they burned a scar into my mind that I knew I’d never heal from. Mortals will always destroy that which they don’t understand.

I remember I once asked my mother why sirens existed, and she couldn’t answer that question. Maybe there never was a reason to begin with; our purpose was only to suffer and cause suffering to others. We are patrons of misery, and misery will always follow us wherever we go. It was that day that I knew my lot in life was a horrible one, and when I looked down at my little sister, I’m sure she knew it too.

“Burn the monster!” A pony in the crowd shouted as they tossed more torches into the fire.

We watched from a safe distance, cloaks covering us to hide from the crowd. We weren’t strong enough to stop them, we weren’t strong enough to protect our mother. She burned in silence, she didn’t scream, she didn’t beg, all she did was smile lightly as she always had as our coward of a father tried to save himself.

“She had me under her spell! She controlled me!” He lied. He knew if he stood by their relationship, he too would be subjected to the same treatment.

She kept that smile as the flames rose. “I have never put you under any spell, my love. If anything, I was under your spell. I will always love you…”

“How can she say something like that…?” I spoke quietly to myself.

My sister, only a small child at the time watched with unblinking eyes. She didn’t cry, she didn’t even sniffle.

“Come on, we can’t stay here any longer, we have to get out of here…” I coaxed as I tapped her shoulder lightly.

Serenade stood still, didn’t move an inch. I tapped her again and this time she reluctantly began to follow me, though with her eyes focused on the scene before her for another few painful seconds before taking her leave with me.

With the blanket of the night shielding us from any who would wish to give us the same fate as our late mother, we managed to get deep into the woods near our village, far out of sight while the moon was bright in the sky. We had walked for a good few hours before I decided to let us rest.

“We’ll camp here tonight,” I instructed.

Serenade said nothing.

Sighing, I began to gather materials to create a fire so we could keep warm, though fire was the last thing I wanted to see.

A little effort and I had a flame kindled that turned into a proper campfire. I had learned the trick from my father, the bastard.

I sat across from my sister who stared blankly at the crackling flames in front of her. I leaned in and smiled lightly to try and soften the mood. “Hey, at least we have each other, right?”

She didn’t answer.

I let out a sigh and leaned back onto the log I was sitting on before I heard her speak the first words I had heard out of her mouth in hours. “Why would mortals do something like that…?”

Frowning, I tried to think of what mother might have said, but truthfully, I was still a child myself and didn’t quite understand her wisdom at that time either.

“Mortals… They… They destroy things that they are afraid of, I guess…” I tried to explain.

“Mortals are cowards… They called us monsters…” Serenade spoke quietly.

I don’t think I will ever forget the face she made. Her eyes became angered and furrowed, and the face that I always knew to be smiling turned into a scowl. I could see fury and anger ignite in her.

“Mortals… I hate them… All of them… One day they will pay, I just need to get stronger…” Serenade gritted her teeth, almost hissing as she spoke.

Blinking, I tried to calm her down. “You shouldn’t say things like that… It’s not what mother would have wanted…”

“Mother is dead. Mortals killed her… One day, I’ll make every single one of them pay for what they have done to us immortals…” Serenade threatened.

From that day forward, Serenade’s heart became twisted. She would never smile again, and her hatred for mortals grew and grew. I knew that one day, the fire of her anger might burn the entire world down. I had to keep her in check, I had to protect her from her own anger…

Eighty Minutes Ago

Quickly, Twilight released Sunset’s hands and jumped backward. She found herself trembling after witnessing the painful memory. It was almost like she had lived it herself, she could feel the emotion that Adagio had felt. The pain she had endured, it felt so real to Twilight. She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered.

“That was… It was…” Twilight couldn’t even finish her sentence.

“Painful to endure.” Sunset finished the sentence for her.

Twilight just nodded.

There was silence for a brief moment until Twilight sat back down and composed herself.

“I could feel her pain… It was almost like I was living it myself… Adagio had to endure something like that… And Serenade… Seeing her own sister change like that, it must have been a lot for her to deal with…” Twilight frowned.

“Adagio wasn’t wrong. Serenade’s hatred only grew. With enough time, hatred and anger became the only emotions she knew. It made her a prime candidate to become a demon, and the demon lord…” Sunset explained.

“Is that… What could have happened to me if Midnight…” Twilight gripped her wrist.

“Impure demons and pure demons like Serenade don’t share the same fate… Serenade is unique even for a pure demon…” Sunset said.

“Why’s that?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Pure demons seek out darkness. They crave it, they allow it into their hearts willingly, unconcerned about the consequences. Impure demons are tricked into darkness, they have another driving factor that made them susceptive to darkness, sort of like what happened with you and Midnight. Your curiosity opened the door for darkness to enter your body, but darkness didn’t enter your heart, only your body…” Sunset explained.

“So I can’t be like Serenade?” Twilight sighed in relief.

“No, besides I can see it in you… Horizon removed the darkness from you. A rare and unique talent, very few ever escape demonhood…” Sunset smiled.

Twilight felt even more relieved hearing those words. Her daughter truly was remarkable.

“So why is Serenade unique for a pure demon?” Twilight asked.

“She didn’t have to seek out darkness, it sought her out…” Sunset said.

“That… Can happen?” Twilight blinked.

Sunset nodded. “It is a rare thing, but in her case, hell itself came looking for her, it saw potential in her, potential to be the next demon lord, for there was nothing in her heart but hatred and anger. She had completely forgotten what compassion, love, and kindness were.”

“That’s… A very sad existence…” Twilight frowned.

“Do not mistake it, Serenade must die, or your entire world could be destroyed… She will kill until there is nothing left. If she is able to accomplish her plans, it will be the end of both your world and Equestria.” Sunset warned.

“Can Sunset stop her?” Twilight asked.

There was a short pause. “She will definitely need a lot of help, but I suppose it’s possible. I don’t have access to information that is not yet known, however, there is one more thing I think you should see…”

“Another of Adagio’s memories?” Twilight asked.

Sunset shook her head. “No, this comes from another source… While the only memories I have direct access to are Adagio’s… I have other sources that occasionally provide me with information that I would not previously have access to.”

“What kind of information?” Twilight blinked in astonishment.

“Some of it is things from the past that neither I, nor Adagio witnessed, and some of it… Is events that have yet to come, or rather events that could be…” Sunset stated.

“Wait!? You can tell the future!?” Twilight banged her hands on the table. “Why don’t you just tell us how to stop Serenade then!?”

“Calm down, Twilight. It doesn’t work like that. I can not tell the future, and my information comes from another source, and that source chooses when to disclose things to me, if at all, I have no power over them, nor do I have a way to speak to them on command, there is also no way to tell if their words are merely educated guesses or true potential futures…” Sunset frowned.

“Who is this mysterious source then?” Twilight asked.

“I wish I knew, the truth is that I don’t know much about them, and given their incredible abilities… I can’t really figure out much about them…” Sunset replied.

One Year Ago

Sunset found herself going through the memories of Adagio meticulously. She knew that they would become important soon enough, and the role of her Adagio shades would be key to following the guidance given to her.

The truth was whenever she was in her own head, she occasionally would receive guidance from a mysterious voice. At first, she just dismissed the voice as nothing, but as time went on, it was able to show her that its knowledge was legitimate, and she would begin to follow its guidance. The voice would divulge information to her when it saw fit, and even recommend actions to her.

Opening her eyes, Sunset blinked a few times as she looked around a giant empty space. She blinked once more, and suddenly the number 8 appeared all around her. The white space where she stood was covered in 8s as far as the eye could see. It was obvious that she had either been transported somewhere, or she was inside her own mind.

Then when she blinked once more, a short woman in a light white sundress stood before her. The girl had messy purplish hair with red tips, freckles dotting her face, and a pair of glasses perched on her nose.

Sunset noticed she wasn’t wearing any shoes, and her tiny feet had black nail polish on her toes.

Her most distinguishing feature, however, was her very neutral expression. This girl was the definition of looking “emotionless”.

Sunset smiled and let her hands rest at ease at her sides while she looked the girl up and down. She couldn’t have been more than 16 by Sunset’s guess. “So, we finally meet then… You must be the one who has been giving me information, right?”

The girl nodded.

“So, who are you then?” Sunset asked.

“I am Horizon Shimmer,” She said plainly.

“Horizon… You’re Sunset’s daughter then, right?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Yes, though not the one you will eventually meet when you meet her, she won’t have any knowledge of this meeting…” Horizon explained.

Sunset scratched her head in confusion. “Oh, I should probably tell you who I am…”

“I already know who you are. I know everything about you.” Horizon said plainly.

“You do? How?” Sunset asked.

“Even if I explained it to you, you would not understand. These matters transcend basic human reasoning. Though your existence is somewhat fantastical, you are still straight-jacketed by human reasoning. Only when one experiences what I have can they truly get a grasp on what is possible…” Horizon spoke in a monotone voice.

Sunset tilted her head in confusion.

“So how can trust you then?” Sunset laughed.

“You have already decided that you will,” Horizon said.

“How do you figure that?” Sunset asked.

“I don’t need confirmation from you. I already know it will happen, it is a certainty. I needn’t waste my time testing the loyalty of any around me, because reality itself reveals itself to me when I command it so.” Horizon shrugged.

“So you can warp reality itself?” Sunset raised a brow in disbelief.

“No, I merely said reality reveals itself to me. While my access to information is infinite, I still must consume it at a human rate, and I can only use information to manipulate information if that makes sense…” Horizon touched her lip as she thought about it.

“So where are we then?” Sunset looked around the strange place they stood in.

“We’re inside your head,” Horizon said plainly as if it should have been obvious from the start.

“So you can go into anyone’s head or just mine?” Sunset asked.

“I can manifest myself anywhere I need to be. I can exist anywhere that I need to be, and I am not limited to how many places I can be at once…” Horizon said. As she finished that sentence, Sunset blinked and there were thousands of Horizons standing around her, all speaking in unison.

“Do you understand now?”

“Not really, but you’re convinced that I’ll trust you, so I suppose there’s no point in discussing it further… What did you come to tell me?” Sunset asked.

All of the Horizon’s vanished leaving only the original.

“Sunset Shimmer and I will meet again soon, or rather the me that you will encounter…” Horizon began.

Sunset remained silent to allow her to finish.

“I’m sure you figured out by now that there are three Sunsets…” Horizon said.

Sunset nodded. “I would be one of them.”

“Yes, though I suppose there are only two depending on how you look at it. Either way, you need to understand one thing…” Horizon approached carefully.

“Which is?”

“Just as there are three Adagios and three Sunsets… In the end, there will only be one of each, it will all come down to a single choice…” Horizon spoke.

“Who will be left?” Sunset asked.

Horizon shook her head. “You knowing the outcome isn’t necessary for things to unfold the way they are intended. Now go prepare for when Sunset and I meet.”

In yet another blink, Horizon was gone.

A single choice? What is Sunset going to have to do? Sunset thought to herself. Despite finally meeting with the one who had been directing her for some time, she found herself with far more questions.

A Long Time Ago (Serenade’s Memory)

After a few seconds of holding Sunset’s hand once again, Twilight could see through the eyes of a young Serenade. The girl was no older than eighteen, still youthful, but she had grown much from the other memory that she had seen.

Serenade had traveled back to her hometown after being away for years. She and Adagio had been separated, but she was determined to find her again, but before that, she had unfinished business.

The young siren looked at the town full of ponies all enjoying themselves. It was some kind of festival, more than likely celebrating the good harvest as it had become fall recently and the leaves crunched under her hooves. She had never really gotten a chance to see the town or its customs due to being forced to stay up at the house and in the field nearby when she was a child.

Keeping her hood up, her eyes scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face. She knew that he would be here, and she was determined to find him.

The festivities of the night raved on, and blending in, Serenade partook in a few drinks, pretending to be a traveling merchant who would come by to buy crops to sell to other nearby villages. Given the state of inebriation most were in, her story was easy to sell, and few questioned it.

She would remain quiet and wander through the town square until she saw him. His mane had greyed significantly, and there was a tuft that looked like a beard under his muzzle. His coat no longer had the luster it once had, and she could see he was aging. She had no idea how many years it had been, but it was well over a decade. Her father’s face still brought disgust to her, even many years later. Grinding her teeth, she quickly grabbed another mug of lager and downed the entire thing to calm herself.

Wiping her lips, she placed the empty mug down on a nearby cart and carefully headed in his direction, though she kept her distance and watched at the pony drank and conversed with many around him.

With a safe distance between the two, Serenade observed him all night. Before she knew it, eight hours had passed and it was nearly time for the sun to start rising once more. Most were calling it a night and heading home, her father included. Once he finished his last drink, he began to head toward the road that lead to their own farmhouse just outside of town.

Serenade waited carefully for him to get a good way up the road before she began to follow him, keeping a significant distance so he wouldn’t notice her. Up the long hill, she started to remember her childhood at the home that sat atop of it. It had been so long, yet she still remembered it like it was yesterday.

When he entered the home, she stood outside for some time. Her eyes looked at the dying flower bed near the house. Her sister and she had spent so much time playing in that flower bed. She scowled at the thought, this place wasn’t her home anymore, and these memories were nothing more than things to distract her and hold her back now.

The past was dead, and she had to accept that. She needed to focus on her future.

Stealing herself, Serenade waited a few seconds then opened the door quietly. The stallion had already made his way to his bedroom to go to sleep, so she was able to slip around the house with ease so long as she remained quiet.

Curiously, she cracked open the door to her old bedroom, and her eyes widened at what she saw; a crib.

Approaching, she looked into it to see a small foal resting. Her father had already replaced his entire family. He had a new child, a new wife, and was living as though they had never existed. The fury in Serenade grew to nearly uncontrollable levels. The disrespect, she couldn’t bear it.

Leaving the baby’s room, she crept up the stairs, remembering which floorboards creaked the most from her childhood, the old man never bothered to fix them even after all these years; she could add “lazy” to the list of reasons she hated him now.

When she came to his bedroom door, she stopped and stared at it for a brief moment. Once she entered this room, once she performed this deed, there truly was no going back.

She didn’t care though, she had already made her mind up. Opening the door, Serenade stepped inside the room slowly, observing the stallion fast asleep in his bed with his new wife next to him. She was ugly compared to her mother, a true hag! The thought that this stallion had downgraded to such a plain-looking girl was almost laughable if it weren’t so infuriating. Serenity Dazzle was gorgeous, a true beauty, this mare was nothing. To be replaced by such an ugly girl was insulting, it made Serenade grind her teeth, but she focused and calmed herself.

When she came to the bedside, she looked down at her father sleeping. He rested so peacefully. It disgusted Serenade. How could he sleep so sound knowing what he did to her mother? Knowing how she suffered? His wife was dead and his children were gone and this stallion was able to move on and forget they ever existed.

Serenade magicked a knife out from under her cloak and pointed it at him. Temptation made her want to end him right there and then, but reason won in the end. No, wake him up, savor it as you planned.

“Rise and shine old man…” Serenade spoke in a low tone.

He stirred for a moment before his eyes opened. It took him a second to realize what was going on before he flinched and his hoof hit his wife, waking her up.

“W-who are you!?” He trembled.

“Out of bed, now, both of you,” Serenade commanded.

Cautiously, both of them got out of bed and stood still.

Serenade removed her hood and grinned. “Hello, father…”

“Father?” The mare in the room asked.

“Oh? He never told you? His first wife who he claimed bewitched him… A siren… Did he tell you that?” Serenade asked as she came up to her father and placed the knife directly to his throat.

“She was a monster who controlled him!” His wife defended.

“Yes, I’m sure he’ll spin whatever story necessary to protect himself… Why don’t you tell her the truth, father? Tell her why you deserve to die here today…” Serenade spoke quietly as she pressed the knife against him.

He gulped before speaking. “I… I…”

“Go on, confess your sins…” Serenade purred.

“I’m sorry, I lied… Serenity was… She was the love of my life, I was never controlled… When they threatened to kill me for harboring her, I…” He bit his lip as tears ran down his cheek.

“You betrayed her. You let her burn, and watched. And what’s worse is you did nothing to protect your children… We were forced to flee, and we’ve lived as animals ever since. You have no idea what we’ve been through, having to pick through garbage just to survive…” She hissed.

“Is that true, darling?” His wife whimpered.

“Yes… It’s true… Serenade, I’m so sorry… I was a coward…” He pleaded.

“Not as sorry as you’re going to be…” Serenade threatened.

“You don’t have to do this, Serenade. Don’t be like the ponies who killed your mother…” He begged.

“I’m nothing like them. I’m giving a punishment to one who deserves it, not an innocent whose only crime was loving you…” Serenade said.

“If you kill me, they will always think you’re a monster… You’ll make their perception of you correct…” He reminded.

Serenade’s eyes narrowed as she leaned in. “I don’t care what they think.”

“Please… Don’t hurt us…” His wife begged.

Serenade scoffed. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you, just him.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Why? Because this world is full of disgusting mortals such as yourselves. You walk around like you own the entire world, and every creature on it; living like gods who decide everything… I’m going to make you all understand what real gods are capable of…” She paused and smirked deviously as she came closer to her father with the knife still against him. “And I’ll start with him… I want you alive so you can remember this moment, so you can feel what I felt when I watched my mother burn alive… Helplessness.”

“Your mother wouldn’t approve of this, Serenade…” Her father stated.

Hissing she slapped him with the back of her hoof. “How dare you speak of what she would or would not approve of!?”

Looking at his wife with fierce eyes, Serenade barked her demands. “Look at me, bitch.”

She trembled and looked away.

“I SAID LOOK AT ME, BITCH! WATCH ME KILL YOUR HUSBAND OR I’LL KILL YOU TOO!” Serenade screamed.

“Please… Don’t do this…” The mare finally looked her way.

Serenade leaned in and whispered into her father’s ear. “Tell her that you will miss her…”

He stood silent.

“Tell her,” demanded.

“I’ll miss you…” He said as tears ran down his eyes.

“Please… No…” His wife was now in tears as well.

“Yes, beg… It’s so much more satisfying that way… Say goodbye to your husband…” With those words, the blade ran along his neck and cut deep. Blood rushed out of the cut as he gagged and gasped. He reached up to grip the wound before falling to the ground while Serenade laughed.

His wife screamed in horror as she watched her husband bleed out, rushing to his side while Serenade dropped the knife onto the ground. Her eyes were wide open, veins visible as she stared with a twisted smile, laughter leaving her throat in droves as she savored the moment. Her entire body tingled with excitement, as she watched the mare cry and try to stop the bleeding. Her father choked on his blood and eventually, his body became limp and lay still.

It was the first time that Serenade had ever killed someone before, but the thrill was greater than anything she could imagine, and from that moment forward, she knew it wouldn’t be her last. The pleasure she got from killing would soon be the only thrill that kept her going, nothing topped it. The look in his eyes before he died, and the feeling of power that rushed through her when she took his life, it was like a drug, a drug that she had to have more of.

She would kill anyone who stood in her way or even slighted her. Her desire to become stronger finally was revealing its purpose to her. She would carry out her dream, her dream of living in a world without worthless mortals, even if she had to kill every single one of them by herself. There was blood on her hooves, and it would never wash off as it slowly seeped into her very soul.

“This is only the beginning…” She thought out loud as she looked down at her hooves with delight, licking the trace of blood off of them.

Author's Note

I know it's been like... Forever since I released a chapter. I'm sorry. Life and all.

Yes, this chapter adds a lot more confusion, but the final pieces of the puzzle to solve the big mystery are coming together. We're close to the finish line.

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXIX: Resurgence

Chapter CXIX: Resurgence

Nine Years Ago

Arax looked over at Lightning Dust with eyes filled with contempt as the two stood with their newly assembled group just on the outskirts of Canterlot in the mountains that looked toward the city in the distance. Arax had answered his call and assembled as many of Serenade’s remaining followers as he could. They were silent for a moment before Lightning Dust broke said silence. “I wish you would have just left me be...”

Shaking his head, Arax approached her and locked serious eyes with the mare. “You have a duty, and I brought you back to make sure you fulfill it.”

Lightning inched away and looked toward the rest of the group who all stood with steadfast loyalty to their master. “I’m not good at this stuff though, I only wanted to beat Rainbow Dash and-“

Arax slapped the mare across the face and spoke over her. “You’ll get your chance, but one way or another Serenade will be free soon, and when that happens she is going to look for her disciples. Where would you rather be? Here ready to submit to your master’s will and beg forgiveness, or somewhere else for her to hunt you down?”

Biting her lip, Lightning considered that alternative. She had seen the kind of things that Serenade had done to betrayers and deserters, which she was close to being already. She had deserted when Serenade needed her, that already didn’t bode well. Arax had hunted her down and promised that he could put in a word for her so Serenade didn’t hunt her down and end her, or worse. Lightning had heard stories that Serenade possessed abilities that could put you in states far worse than death itself.

Testing Serenade’s patience probably wasn’t a good idea, and Lightning had to consider herself lucky that Arax would go out of his way to get her a second chance, but it was likely that she was just at the right place at the right time and that Arax was likely just looking for more pawns to do Sereande’s bidding. Serenade would be weak when she was freed, still strong enough to decimate all of them with the tap of her hoof but not strong enough to destroy Equestria. She would need her disciples to help her rebuild her power, and that meant there were plentiful opportunities for ass-kissing.

If Lightning could stay within her good graces, she might be able to convince Serenade to overlook her disloyalty in the past. It was possible that Serenade could even forget about it entirely if she was lucky enough.

“I guess you’re right... So what do we do from here?” Lightning asked.

In the back of the group, Blaze rolled his eyes as he stepped forward. “Why are we wasting time here? Let’s just go and break open their skulls and spring her from the prison there. We can take them if we all team up!”

The stallion’s eagerness was admirable but stupid and Arax knew that. He looked over at the young unicorn and shook his head. “We have to be more careful than that. The castle is protected by Luna, Celestia, and tons of unicorns that have completed master level training. Breaking into such a fortress by storming the gates would be suicide even for us.”

Eight Ball laughed. “Clearly you’re very poor at playing this game...” His slanted tired-looking eyes glanced at Blaze who grew an indignant look upon his face. The two of them never got along mostly because Blaze didn’t much care for Eight Ball’s odd demeanor and strange tendencies. Everything to Eight was a game, and that was enough to annoy virtually anyone, but especially someone with a short fuse like Blaze.

Rolling his eyes, Blaze gestured toward Eight behind himself and focused on conversing with Arax. “Seriously, can we ditch him? What’s he bringing to the table anyway besides annoying the ever-living piss out of everyone...”

Eight chuckled and shook his head. “Perhaps we should play to see if you can demonstrate your own usefulness if we’re basing the right to participate upon what one can give to the cause, hm? I’d love to play with you...”

The eager look in Eight’s bloodshot eyes definitely made Blaze uneasy. There was clearly something not right about the guy, and it was more than enough to make Blaze want to avoid him at all costs. He hoped that when they had freed Serenade he wouldn’t be stationed with the guy in their next endeavor.

“Can you two stop flirting and focus?” Arax groaned.

Eight didn’t appear to take offense to the accusation, but Blaze stuck out his tongue and wretched at the thought of even being even remotely romantic with Eight.

Clearing his throat, Arax began to explain their plan. “Everyone has a purpose, and you’ll all fulfill that purpose.”

“And what exactly is our purpose, boss?” Lightning Dust emphasized the last word with a sarcastic tone as she spoke.

Arax reached over and gripped her face in his hooves, giving a tight squeeze that made the girl struggle a bit. His grip was strong despite his less than impressive physique. Changelings seemed to be weak on average, so when one was above average it always threw others off guard.

It made sense that Arax was stronger than he looked though, as he spent so much time as Serenade’s second-in-command, which that alone was a testament to his ability. There was no real telling what kind of powers the master had bestowed upon him, or what abilities he brought with him prior to their alliance.

“For now your job is to help us get Serenade free, after that, you’ll be given your purpose by her, understand?” Arax asked.

“Gotcha, boss...” Lightning managed to nod before he let her go after he sensed she wasn’t being sarcastic this time.

“Be thankful you’re even getting this chance, Lightning. Had I not needed all the help I could get, I would have had to kill you on Serenade’s behalf. Consider that merciful compared to what she would do to you...” Arax reminded.

Lightning rubbed her cheeks and turned away. “You’re a real bastard, you know that?”

“Complain all you like, but you still have a job to do. So all of you listen up... The plan is simple, but I’m sure you idiots can still manage to fuck it up, so pay attention.” Arax cleared his throat as he began to command the group.

“Illusion, I need to create a distraction for us at the royal castle where Serenade is being kept. I was thinking fabricating a national emergency like a dragon attack, just something long enough to keep the princesses distracted,” Arax spoke.

In the back of the group, Illusion blinked, he was a small unicorn but possessed a natural talent for illusionary magic. “That’s going to take a lot of concentration... I’ll need at least two other unicorns to siphon magic from to keep an illusion like that going at my current power level.”

“Consider it done, Blaze, you and Shield are on that job.” Arax pointed at the two.

Blaze and Shield looked at each other and shrugged. There definitely could be worse things they could be forced to do, so they chose not to complain about being glorified magic batteries.

“Next, I need Copy Cat to break into the royal archives while the city is distracted,” Arax ordered.

Copy Cat was a master at copy spells, able to recreate virtually any book or text in a matter of eight seconds. Prior to joining Serenade, he worked at a printing press where he was treated as a lackey. His desire to not be stepped on and looked down upon had driven him to join the demon siren.

He pointed to himself confused. “Why though? I thought our target was the prison to break the master out?”

Arax nodded. “Yes, but we will need information to get our operation off the ground once she’s free. There’s no doubt in my mind that master Serenade will want all the information we can get so she can begin formulating her revenge. Your job is to copy any important texts there, and also anything within Twilight’s own personal records in her castle in Ponyville too. Anything you can find, copy it so we can study it.”

It sounded like a nearly impossible mission, but if they created a large enough distraction in Canterlot, he knew that he could use another subordinate named Galaxy to pull it off. Twilight would likely head to Canterlot to deal with the issues there, and that meant it would be easier to sneak into her own archives prior to Canterlot’s.

Galaxy had a superb grasp on teleportation, and thus they could set up a relay between the two places so that Copy could instantly teleport right to Galaxy after so long as he had an idea of where to be when Galaxy opened a portal.

Teleportation over long distances was a tricky endeavor and Galaxy’s abilities would only allow him to do it a few times over a long distance, so they would need to discuss prior where they both needed to be to pull it off, but it was very doable.

“Fine...” Copy nodded.

“I’ll use my transformation abilities to sneak into the prison. Should be a cakewalk with the guards distracted. Ordinarily, the princesses would be checking for imposters, but I think with the distraction going on, their guard will be let down...” Arax explained.

Blaze shook his head. “You still have the problem of the lock that will no doubt be keeping Master Serenade locked up. Have you considered that?”

Arax sighed and rubbed his temple. He was surrounded by incompetent idiots, such was his curse. “I’ve already figured that one out. The jail cell she’s in is designed to block demonic energy from leaving it. It works by suppressing energy, but if we build up enough demonic energy outside of the cell, it will pull the spell toward that energy creating enough time to get her out. I can just use some of my energy to do that...”

Blaze blushed with embarrassment, not realizing how thoroughly that Arax had planned it all out. “Oh, right.”

“After I’m done, Galaxy can teleport us out of there, and Lightning Dust can coordinate everyone at the rendezvous point so we can get out of there...” Arax explained.

“Where is that going to be?” Lightning blinked.

Sighing once more, Arax unrolled a map and tapped a spot. “Here, just outside of Canterlot. The remainder of everyone else who is not working the mission will wait with you there. When we have Serenade, we head toward our hideout, understand?”

Lightning blinked but nodded. The entire plan seemed simple enough on paper, but she wondered if this band of incompetent idiots could actually pull it off. Breaking Serenade out of prison likely would get them all in a lot of trouble should they fail, though if they succeeded, they would be in deep as well.

Lightning regretted siding with the siren. She had truly gotten herself into hot water that she couldn’t escape now. If she deserted again, Serenade would hunt her down, but if she sided with her, there was no going back. She would be a traitor to Equestria and that meant if Serenade’s plan failed, she would likely meet the same fate as Serenade then.

Looking at the group around her, Lightning realized that all of them were in the same boat. They had no choice but to see their loyalty to Serenade through to the end. She may have been beaten before by the mysterious Glitch, but she was still a good horse to bet on. Serenade’s power had managed to defeat Celestia, Luna, and all of Equestria and with her defeat at Glitch’s hooves under her belt, she was sure to be far more cautious this time around.

The more she thought about it, the more confident Lightning became. Serenade couldn’t lose a second time. She would have grown wiser, stronger but more importantly: angrier. There was little doubt in any of her disciples’ minds that Serenade’s fury had reached new levels while she sat in prison these past few years. Arax knew it more than the others, as he could sense it, feel it, and almost share it. Serenade’s anger had definitely grown, so much that he knew she would reach new heights once she was free. Equestria had something to fear for sure.

Nine Years Ago

Arax had gone over their plan in great detail, and after that, they had agreed to initiate it the following day. For now, they would all get some rest in the nearby woods so they would be completely focused on their prison break of their master. After only eight short minutes, virtually everyone in the group had fallen asleep, except for Arax.

He sat awake awkwardly, unable to get comfortable enough to enter a night of proper REM sleep. After enough effort, he had managed to get into a position where he felt he could begin to dose off as he closed his eyes. He surmised it was well past midnight, and he too would need his rest just as the rest of his group did. A challenging day awaited him when he awoke, and he knew that.

As he laid there putting his head down, he thought back to the words of Starlight who had offered him a better life outside of his servitude to Serenade. A part of him wished he could have taken her up on that offer.

What would that be like? Would Starlight really want to spend her life with a creature like him? A bug that would be viewed as unworthy to even have her? A beautiful mare like that was certainly a prize to any stallion, but was he worthy of such a prize?

What would their life even be like? Would she make him breakfast every morning? It sounded almost like a sitcom when it played out in his head. He imagined the two of them would continue their usual banter, but he wasn’t sure if they would get more “physical”. His entire time with her, he had avoided getting sexual with her, because he didn’t feel right doing so. He was in a position of power over her, and he didn’t want her to have sex with him, not of her own volition.

To top that off, he knew his instincts, and his kind mostly survived through rapid breeding, making him a fairly feral creature in the bedroom. A part of him was concerned he’d go too far and scare her.

Then again, he had known Starlight to be fairly fearless. He missed her, and wondered what she was doing, and if she would think about him from time to time as he did with her.

He had to push her out of his head though, as he was only causing himself pain and grief. It was as he said before, Starlight and he could never be together, no matter how much either of them may have wanted. Arax’s place was by Serenade’s side, and he had accepted that. Not to mention he had already crossed lines he could not go back upon.

Still, a part of him wondered what it would be like to wake up with a breakfast by Starlight made for him. She would wear a frilly apron, and he could even see himself in a tie. Perhaps he would get a job working in the business sector of Canterlot. His mouth watered as he could almost taste the pancakes she would make him, only for his fantasy to be interrupted by a familiar voice ringing in his ears.

Araaaax.

He flinched and opened his eyes as he sat straight up. The soft sound of Serenade’s voice startled him.

Come to me, Arax. Come free your master.

He sighed as he realized it was her telepathically sending him messages once again. It had started only shortly after she had been imprisoned. While he expected her to expect him to break her out (not as though he had a choice), he had never anticipated she could send her thoughts to him to ensure he would do so.

The connection was weakened by whatever kind of barrier she was kept behind, and so she could only send out such thoughts to him once in a while, and he could not send anything back to her. She likely knew that her messages were reaching him, but it was doubtful that she could see him, or know what he was thinking.

The more time that passed, the more her little messages began to get to him. After a while, it was driving him mad. He was going as quickly as he could, but it was evident that Serenade was not patient, which was understandable considering she was locked in a prison, and she was always an impatient spoiled brat for as long as he had known her. Serenade always got what she wanted and when she wanted it, and if she didn’t, people usually died until her demands were met.

Lightning Dust opened an eye to see Arax panting gently as he sat awake and she let out a yawn as she watched him. “Shouldn’t you be getting some rest too?”

Arax nodded. “Sorry, just woke up because I was getting another telepathic message from Serenade... She’s growing more and more impatient...”

Feeling somewhat sympathetic, Lightning sat up and looked the changeling over. If he weren’t Serenade’s second-in-command, he really wouldn’t be anything to write home about, but because he was Serenade’s favored subordinate, he was someone who was feared and obeyed. What kind of pony was he before meeting her, Lightning wondered.

“How often does that happen?” Lighting asked.

“Getting close to daily nowadays,” Arax answered.

“Why did you choose to serve, Serenade, Arax?” Lightning transitioned into what she really wanted to talk about. She had been curious as to what drove Arax’s loyalty for some time now, but it was taboo among the group to ask him anything personal.

Looking away, Arax huffed. “What difference does it make? We’re working together now, right?”

“I guess so, but I prefer to know what my motivation is before I give something my all. Like, I know when this is all over, I can beat Rainbow Dash at anything. What about you? Is there something that you’re trying to accomplish through working with Serenade?” Lighting explained.

What Arax wanted was not feasible, and he knew that.

“I want to survive at this point. As for why I joined... Let’s just say that I have more than everyone else around here invested into this,” Arax answered.

Lightning wished he would explain further, but she knew it was the best she could hope out of the mysterious Arax. No sooner than when she gave up on quizzing him on the subject did he come to a stand and wander off. She scoffed and laid back down, questioning why she even cared. It wasn’t as if Arax was that important to her, but she surmised that she was just trying to fill a gap between them. They were all stuck together, after all.

Coming to the edge of the woods, Arax stood staring at Canterlot in the distance. At one point in his life, he recalled thinking it to be a fantastical place that was out of his reach. A creature like him would never even be permitted in, however, he dreamed of being accepted there one day.

Those dreams were long dead though. Now when he looked at the city, it only brought back memories of Serenade. His entire life had become about her, and he didn’t know how to feel about it. From the moment Serenade appeared before him, his entire world now revolved around her, even now when she was nowhere to be seen, everything he did was for her.

Yet, despite all that he did, Serenade had only done one thing for him. He placed his hoof upon his heart and closed his eyes as he remembered.

Many Years Ago

Fate had not been kind to the young changeling. For months Arax had wandered Equestria trying to find purpose. He had long since been exiled from his hive and had attempted to live among ponies to find a place for himself, but it had proven harder than he ever could have imagined.

Ponies were still very prejudiced creatures who looked down upon his kind, and he was always met with disgust and skepticism. When it wasn’t that, it was blatant racism.

It was always like that. He would be tolerated for a short period until he was ushered away, forced to go live in another town and repeat the process. His ability to look past ponies’ prejudice was waning and he found himself less and less able to see them as anything but creatures of bigotry and hatred.

His body had been growing weaker though, so he couldn’t focus on it. Every day, simple tasks were becoming more and more challenging, and now as he made yet another pilgrimage for the eighth time to find a new home, he could feel his heart beating irregularly.

Since he was born, he had been told that his heart was irregular and it had held true. He gripped his chest and collapsed as he was short of breath. His chest ached and he struggled to keep his eyes open. He still had a great distance to go before he could get to a doctor and hope they would see him, so he needed to get himself up. The changeling tried to lift his body but found himself unable to move his hooves.

All he could do was lay there in agony as he groaned in pain.

His blurred vision would observe a set of light-colored hooves in front of him and trying his best to look up, he could make out golden yellow mane with touches of red. He could smell the presence of a mare as he failed to speak.

The young-looking mare tilted her head and squinted as she looked down at him. She tapped him with her hoof and delivered her words with an annoyed tone. “What’s wrong with you, bug boy?”

Arax couldn’t respond, instead, he curled up further and groaned.

Sighing, the mare made a black tendril come out of her back that reached down and touched the changeling’s head. She closed her eyes as the appendage analyzed him and told her what his prognosis was. Nodding, she made the tendril return inside of her as she smirked at the changeling laying there.

“I see, I see, you’re as good as dead, kid.” She chuckled without much care.

His eyes widened only slightly, as he knew she was right. He could feel it in him; there was no way he could continue on with this condition as he was. It would only get worse to where eventually he would die anyway. It looked like she was able to see how bad it was and by the look of it, he only had a short time left.

“Your heart is going to give out pretty soon. I give you another eight minutes to live, honestly...” She shrugged.

He was shocked to find out it was so little, even less than he originally thought. He let out a cough as the mare began to walk past him, and his hoof grabbed hers.

Angrily, she turned around and kicked him in the face. “Don’t you dare fucking touch me, you worthless piece of shit!”

Arax held on tightly. If this mare had the power to tell that much about him just from that simple touch from her odd appendage, then maybe she knew how to help him. He held on tightly, not wanting her to go. When he didn’t let go though, she kicked him in the face a few more times, but no matter how battered he became, he held on.

Coughing, he managed to get words to leave his lips. “Please... Help me...”

The girl laughed. “Why do you think that I can help you? Do I look like a doctor? Besides, even if I was, I already told you: you’re doomed. May as well just embrace death.”

“I’ll... do... anything...” Arax got out.

Raising a brow, the girl looked him up and down and nodded as a wry twisted smile came to her face. “Fine, I’ll help you.”

The black tendril came out of her once more and this time it went into Arax’s mouth and wiggled down his throat. He coughed and gagged as it continued to worm its way into his body and he could feel it going through his innards. It was incredibly painful, and he screamed in agony as it stuck out of his mouth.

Finally, he felt a sharp pain in his heart before the tendril quickly pulled out of him and retracted back into the mare. After that sharp pain, he felt relief as he lay there panting.

After a few seconds, he was able to get himself to sit up, just looking at the mare who had saved him. To his surprise, she was quite beautiful. He imagined that stallions from all around would bend over backward just to have a chance to gaze at her. “W-what... Was that?”

Grinning, the girl pointed to his chest. “You have no idea what you’ve just done, do you?”

Arax shook his head.

“What’s your name, bug boy?” She asked.

Clearing his throat, he spoke up, “It’s Arax.”

“Well, Arax, you’ve just made a deal with the devil...” She smirked.

“What did you do?” He asked.

Tapping her own chest, she then gestured back at him. “I planted a part of myself in you. A demon vine, even right now it’s wrapped around your heart. It will keep your heart beating.”

Arax looked down and touched his chest. “So then you’re...?”

“A demon? Yes.” She nodded.

“So what do I have to do for you then?” Arax stood up and tried to compose himself.

“You catch on quick.” She laughed.

“A demon doesn’t just help someone for no reason. I assumed that because you helped me, you must have had some kind of ulterior motive...” Arax explained.

The girl giggled with a malicious aura about her as she turned her head and cocked that same mischievous smile. “Very astute of you. Yes, you’re right, I have expectations of you now that I’ve helped you.”

“Which are?” He squinted.

Tapping her chest again, she began to explain the demon vine. “So long as that demon vine is in you, you will live. However, that vine is a part of me. The requirement for it to continue to pump your heart is that I have to be alive too...”

“So if you die...?” Arax began.

“Then you die.” She nodded.

That meant their fates were intertwined from then on. Wherever this girl went, Arax had to make sure that he followed. Given her demeanor, he imagined she was the kind of girl who got herself into trouble all the time anyway.

“So I just need to do whatever you say from now on, is that it?” He asked.

She stomped her foot on the ground proudly as she nodded. “Yes, that would be correct. From this moment on, you do whatever I say. Because not only can I remove that vine at any time... I also still have control over it in a mental sense...”

Demonstrating her words, the girl raised a hoof and like clockwork, Arax felt a sharp unbearable pain in his chest. He gripped it and groaned for a few seconds before the pain stopped.

“At any time, I can make it kill you too... Do you get it now?” She smirked.

Nodding, Arax came back to a stand. “I understand... I do whatever you say from now on...”

Giggling, she held out a hoof. “Kiss your master’s hoof then and seal your contract.”

He blinked and stared at it. “Huh?”

“Are you stupid? I said kiss your master’s hoof.” She grinned.

Doing as he was told, Arax stepped forward and took her hoof in his own, and planted a kiss upon it before looking up at her as he knelt down. She was short and petite, but fierce looking.

“My name is Serenade, but from this day forward you will know me as your master. You belong to me, you will do everything I say without question or you will die, do you understand? My life is entwined with yours, so I would recommend doing everything in your power to ensure that I’m happy, or you will find yourself... Very unhappy to say the least...” She grew an evil grin across her face.

He nodded in agreement.

“I can’t hear you...” She mocked.

Clearing his throat, he came to a stand and locked eyes with the mare. “Yes, master.”

“That’s good. I have a feeling we’ll get along great.” Serenade winked.

Arax had no idea that he had just gotten himself into a situation he would never escape. It was exactly as she said: he had made a deal with the devil.

Nine Years Ago

Copy Cat wasn’t a huge fan of Arax’s plan, in his mind, he felt it was all a bit on the sloppy side, but he did as he was told, like always. Copy wasn’t the kind of stallion to voice his opinions often, he was a follower, not a leader after all. He gathered as many things from Twilight’s library as he could while the distraction that was provided was going on. However, he knew that there was one last thing he had to grab before he left to be teleported by Galaxy to Canterlot; Princess Twilight’s personal diary.

There was little doubt that such a book would contain a myriad of secrets that could be used not only against the princess but the kingdom as a whole. Who knew whatever kind of secrets the Princess of Friendship kept hidden would be more valuable than gold.

Arax’s plan for a distraction had worked flawlessly, and sure enough within the hour, Twilight Sparkle had headed to Canterlot to deal with the illusion that they had set up. If all went according to plan, they would even be able to slip Serenade out without their illusion falling apart. It would give them some time before Twilight and the princesses would even realize that Serenade was no longer in her prison cell.

What Copy had made copies of so far was all fairly standard stuff, spells that were deemed “off-limits” to the general public, records of Twilight’s routines, and general royal affairs.

Copy was far more interested in her personal dairy as he made his way into her bedroom. With his magic, he cast a spell to locate any books in the room. Blinking as he could sense many results, he reminded himself who’s room it was and fine-tuned his spell to reflect such. In particular, he was looking for books that Twilight had written in, and sure enough, there was one in her bedside drawer that seemed promising compared to the others. She had scribbled in it extensively.

Greedily, Copy popped it open and began to flip through the pages to get a sneak peek of the contents he would soon be enjoying. Once he had confirmed it was indeed the book in question, he conjured an exact copy of it and placed the original back in its place. The temptation to take it was great, but he knew she would get suspicious if her dairy had gone missing, so he settled for the copy which he knew he’d be rigorously studying for the next few days for his master.

Once he had a saddlebag full of the books he needed, he raced out of the castle and checked the map he had been drawn to go and be at the correct location so that he could be teleported directly to Canterlot.

After making it out of the castle, Copy found the location near a marked spot on the map and patiently waited for pickup.

Fortunately for him, he had timed it so well that a portal opened up only a mere eight seconds after his arrival. He gulped and prepared for portal travel, something he wasn’t too fond of, as he got sick fairly easily, not to mention he wasn’t 100% sure that Galaxy’s abilities were completely stable.

Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward hearing voices on the other side already complaining about him.

“What the fuck is taking that useless idiot so long?”

Stepping into the portal, a pulling sensation overcame him, but Copy wound up on the other side in one piece. Glancing around the room, he could see Galaxy standing there giving him a nod. “Glad you made it here in one piece, now hurry up and start making any copies you think are important, we have to get to Arax as fast as possible.”

“I work better when I’m not rushed...” Copy complained as he put some distance between himself and Galaxy.

“Hey, I’m just relaying my own orders...” Galaxy waved his hoof dismissively.

Copy rolled his eyes and began to wander about the archives, making quick copies of anything that seemed remotely important, stashing them away. Galaxy just stood by the door and waited with his long scruffy lightly purple mane that covered half of his face. He blew a strand of hair out of his eyes to no avail, and just settled for standing there with no concern.

“Have you met, Serenade, Copy?” Galaxy asked.

Copy blinked and stood up straight. It had occurred to him that many joined their operation after Serenade’s fall and a few just before it, so they never had a chance to actually meet her in person. Copy nodded.

“Once or twice...” He said.

Galaxy perked up and stood up straight as he listened. “What’s she like?”

The thought alone made Copy bite his lip and grimace. He only really remembered how powerful she seemed standing before him. Everything about her being exuded power, she was like a monolith of pure magic. Gulping, he rubbed his neck. “She’s intimidating, to say the least.”

“Sounds cool, I can’t wait to meet her...” Galaxy smirked and looked off into the distance in thought.

Copy couldn’t remember if he ever had enthusiasm in him to meet Serenade. Maybe the first time, but even then he wasn’t sure as at that point he had already heard tales of her ruthlessness. He knew that after that he was never excited to come face-to-face with the siren again. He served in a manner that meant he would not need to come in direct contact with his master too often. He feared the siren, but he wanted the power she had to offer.

“I would curb your enthusiasm, she’s not exactly somepony that you will want to see on a regular basis, given that most of the time it usually means you’re screwing up, and she’s not a character that you want to be messing up for,” Copy offered.

Galaxy blinked and squinted. “She’s that demanding, huh?”

“What can I say? Serenade Dazzle expects perfection.” Copy shrugged.

“I suppose I’ll see for myself then,” Galaxy replied.

For his sake, Copy hoped he didn’t have to find out.

Nine Years Ago

A large-looking stallion in guard armor approached the entrance to the dungeon. He nodded at his colleague and gestured with his head. “I’ll take over for a few minutes, why not go take a bathroom break and such?” The guard offered to his fellow guard.

Raising an eyebrow, the stationed guard reduced his resistance and nodded before he began to walk off to relieve himself at the lavatory. Once he was out of sight, the other guard stepped into the doorway and made his way down the stairwell. Once he was certain that there were no other guards protecting the basement dungeon, he began to make his way past the locked-up criminals.

Equestria’s worst were imprisoned under the castle, but at the very bottom layer, kept in a cell all to herself designed to contain demons was the worst that Equestria had ever faced: Serenade Dazzle, and that was this guard’s destination.

Making it to the very bottom level, he observed a warning on the door that granted access to Serenade’s prison cell chamber.

Beyond this door is the cell of Serenade Dazzle. Due to her status as a demon, this cell is sealed with a demon lock that could be potentially harmful to any who enters. Do not proceed unless directed by Princess Celestia, Luna, or Twilight. Failure to adhere to this warning could result in potentially fatal injuries and termination of your employment in the Royal Guard.

For Authorized Personal:

Demonic protective gear is required to enter this area. Please speak with the Royal Guard Captain to receive a set or report your current set as damaged. Failure to wear protective gear may result in serious injury or even death. Only guards who have passed the demonic safety training course may handle demonic protective gear, please meet with your supervisor to take the course. A minimal rank of Corporal is required.

The guard disregarded the warning and pushed the door open before closing it behind him. Once he was in the room and certain that none would follow, he dropped his disguise and transformed back into his standard changeling appearance. Arax sighed as he could feel the demonic energy within the room. Twilight’s demonic containment spell was certainly impressive, but not that impressive.

Approaching the lone barred cell in the room, Arax could sense Serenade’s energy as he got closer.

There, sitting on a bench within the cell was his master. He bowed his head gently for a brief fraction of a second before examining the room. All the bars of the prison cell had some kind of black energy around them, clearly part of the protection spell that kept Serenade inside.

“How nice of you to finally join me, Arax. You’re a few years late though...” Serenade commented.

Arax nodded. “Sorry, it’s not exactly very easy to plan the biggest prison break in all of Equestria...”

“I don’t really need your excuses. Make yourself useful and get me out on here, alright?” She scoffed and turned away from him.

He couldn’t see her face too well, the room was far too dark.

Obeying his orders though, he focused his demonic energy and sure enough, was able to pull the spell off of the bars for just long enough for Serenade to break the metal bars with her now unsuppressed ability. Once the bars were broken, the Siren walked out of the cell and Arax allowed his spell to cease as he got a good look at his master.

The right side of her face was covered by her long mane, and on her chest on the left side was a scar that resembled a stab wound. He pointed to it with question. “I thought your body could heal from any wound?”

She shook her head. “That bastard, Glitch and his Siren’s bane were able to give pause to my power and my body cannot heal from any wounds it caused. It is a very unique weapon in that a siren can never heal fully from it...”

“I see...” He was quiet.

Serenade stomped her hoof. “Look at what he did to me! He ruined my perfect body...”

Arax rolled his eyes at how vain she was but said nothing about it.

Serenade continued her plight. “I won’t make the same mistake twice though, this time I’ll be more than prepared...”

Nodding in approval, Arax gestured toward the entrance. “Shall we get out of here then? I’ve arranged for one of the new subordinates to teleport us out of here, we should get going.”

Serenade grinned at the comment. “New subordinates? So you’ve been gathering me new pawns? Excellent work, Arax, there’s a reason why I rely on you.”

He shrugged. “Just doing what needs to be done, now can we get going?”

He took his first step toward the exit before he heard Serenade’s low voice ring in his ear as she stared toward the ground with her words coming out a bit on the ominous side. “Arax... Before we leave this place, I have something I need from you...”

Blinking, he tilted his head. “What could possibly be so important that it can’t wait until we get out of here?”

Placed a hoof over the section of her face that her hair concealed she spoke in a dark sounding voice now. “That Glitch fucked up my eye...”

Blinking, he shrugged. “So what?”

“I’m not going to go out there again like this... It’s time for you to prove your loyalty...” Serenade had a slight grin as she gripped her eye.

“What do you need me to do?” Arax asked.

“Your eye... Give it to me...” Serenade reached a hoof out.

He blinked and froze. While he wasn’t keen on sacrificing one of his eyes, he knew that whatever Serenade wanted, she usually got and if she didn’t, she would take it.

Turning slowly and obediently, the changeling lowered his head for her and opened his eyes wide so she could extract it. He knew the pain would be unbearable, perhaps even enough to want to die, but he wasn’t afraid. Fear had long left his body to the point where nothing scared him anymore. No amount of pain or suffering could make him back down.

His eye would go to her, and he had no say in the matter; there was no point in arguing, resisting, or even being afraid. Serenade would get what she wanted in the end anyway.

He never got a good look at her face from behind her mane, but he knew that he likely never would. Of all things that Serenade was, she was also vain; she couldn’t bear to let anyone see her in an “imperfect” state.

A long slender tendril came out of her and gently caressed Arax’s cheek as the siren stood menacingly looking at his eye that would soon be hers. It would be a mismatch for sure, but it was far more appealing than what was hidden under her mane. Her good eye watched him carefully, curious as to why he didn’t seem even the slightest bit afraid about what was going to happen to him.

“Aren’t you going to beg me not to?” Serenade smirked.

“Just get it over with,” Arax spoke plainly.

She pouted and shrugged. “You’re no fun.”

With those words, the tendril dug under his eye and wrapped around the chord in the back. A burning sensation overtook and caused Arax to scream in agony as he could feel the tendril pulling.

After another few seconds of tugging and the eye exited his head, snapping off its end and the tendril burned the stem, preventing it from bleeding out.

The stallion fell downward and gripped his empty eye socket with his hoof. Serenade aided him by using the same tendril to burn his eyelid shut. He screamed in pain, but she ignored it as she finished the job.

As he stood there with his hooves on his face, Serenade had the tendril move the removed eye behind her hair, where she turned around away from the changeling. Another tendril gripped her own damaged eye and pulled. She howled in pain and screamed before the eye came out and the new one that she had taken from her subordinate went in. The demonic power in her body attached the stem to her own stem and the new part seemed to be working, albeit, appearance-wise it didn’t match in the slightest.

Serenade panted before putting her hair back in front of the new eye and turned back to Arax.

“You’ve proven your loyalty at least eight times over, Arax.” She grinned.

Looking away, the changeling tried to hide his now disfigured face. “Let’s get out of here now...”

She laughed and nodded before tossing her old eye into the cell. The eye rolled and revealed that it had been sliced down the middle and was completely useless. Arax caught a glimpse of it and had determined that Glitch’s spear had blinded her in that eye.

“Before we go, I am going to set up an illusion spell so that they still think that I’m here. It should keep them fooled for a few days if not weeks.” Serenade’s tendrils whipped and black energy came out of her body that projected a vision over the entire room of an annoyed Serenade still sitting in the cell looking quite eager to get out.

An illusion that complex would only be held for a few weeks at a time even at Serenade’s power level, but it would certainly give them all time to plan their next move. He nodded as the two began to head out to meet up with Galaxy. He had done it, his master was now free once more.

Nine Years Ago

Galaxy’s teleport spell had proven quite effective, and before they knew it, the entire group had been assembled at their new base of operations on the outskirts of the swamplands. Serenade counted and there were forty-four subordinates that were either already in her order prior or had joined after she was imprisoned. She was certain that many of them would not last long though, just by looking at them. Many of them gave off an aura of weakness, and would sure to be eliminated fairly quickly. Weak subordinates had no use besides being cannon fodder, and Serenade made a mental note to send the weakest ones on tasks that would likely kill them off.

Looking around, she could see an assortment of familiar faces and ones she had never gazed upon before. She had conjured herself a white medical eye patch to cover up her new eye prior to her arrival and gave one to Arax as well before he entered the room with her.

She observed her new headquarters briefly before sitting down at the end of a long table that had been fashioned for them all to have meetings at. There were far from enough seats, so many of them had to stand.

Clearing her throat, she looked around the room. “Before we go any further, who secured this location for us?”

A tall stallion stood up and saluted her. He had an odd orange-brownish coat and a high and tight manecut. Serenade surmised her must have come from some kind of military life prior to joining her order. “I did, ma’am.”

Nodding, Serenade smiled at him. “What’s your name, kid?”

“Ma’am, my name is Ranger. I’ve been a scout my entire life.” He kept his hoof up in his salute.

“Well...” Serenade smirked before a tendril came out and whipped him so hard that his head came clean off his shoulders.

The others yelped and many stepped backward to put distance between the corpse and themselves. “Now you’re the dead fucking ranger.”

There was whimpering and panic in the room for a mere eight seconds before Serenade looked up at the rest of them. Her powerful and threatening stare had managed to calm the room abruptly. “Listen up, I have no tolerance for incompetence. This place is a fucking dump, and he should have seen that. I expect the best out of all of you, and if you can’t deliver that, then you just saw what your punishment will be, does everyone understand?”

The entire room nodded silently.

Serenade licked her lip and nodded back at them. “Good, so long as we all understand each other...” She cleared her throat and placed both hooves upon the table. “Many of you have been my disciples for years, but I see many new faces, so I’ll make sure you all understand who I am and what I want...”

Glaring around the room with her exposed eye, Serenade took in the sight of all of them. “I’m not going to bother getting to know all of your names and faces because many of you will be dead long before we get too far. I am Serenade Dazzle, and you’re here because you wish to join me as demons, but not just any demons, demons who wish to be at the top with the soon-to-be demon lord. I don’t give half of a shit about your reasons for joining me, as I’m sure you all have your own motivations, but know this: I will kill anyone who disobeys, anyone who disrespects me, and anyone who isn’t worthy, do I make myself clear?”

The entire room gave a half-hearted “yes” in reply causing Serenade to bang her hoof upon the table.

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

This time they were much louder and more convincing with their replies, though obviously intimidated.

“You all will be given demonic power by myself. Use them how you see fit, as they will extend the power of your own abilities. My suggestion to all of you though is to start working on perfecting your abilities right after you get them because starting tomorrow, we begin anew, and anyone who can’t hack it with the best of them will meet the same fate as that pathetic piece of trash...” Serenade announced as she pointed to Ranger’s split corpse.

There were no objections, and after that, Serenade went to work turning every one of her subordinates that weren’t already into a demon.

Nine Years Ago

Once she had finished with her new subordinates, they all went off throughout the facility to begin practicing their powers while Serenade wandered off to the top levels where Arax awaited her.

To Serenade’s surprise, she was stopped on the way to meet with her second-in-command by a face she had not expected to see ever again. A young-looking mare stood before her with a slicked-back mane and eyes that hid her true feelings. Serenade could only laugh as she witnessed the girl.

“Lightning Dust, I have to say, the next time I expected to see you was when I put a hole where your head should be... A surprise that you came to me voluntarily...” Serenade grinned.

Lightning was silent.

Serenade laughed once more and shook her head. “Arax told me that you have seen the error of your ways and decided to come back. Ordinarily, I don’t give deserters another chance, but I’m feeling somewhat generous for some reason. You should be happy; you get to live another day.”

Bowing her head, Lightning laid down in front of her master as she submitted. “I’m sorry for leaving. I panicked, and I wanted to live to fight another day... I knew if I stayed then I’d be captured too and I would be of no use in breaking you free when they took you in.”

“You should have been preventing me from being stabbed by that bastard, Glitch in the first place...” Serenade shook her head.

“If the master was overpowered by him, what was there for me to do? If you couldn’t take him, I would have stood no chance,” Lightning pointed out as she looked up at Serenade with serious eyes.

As much as she hated admitting that others were right, she couldn’t argue with that logic. If Glitch was powerful enough to bring even her to her knees, then her subordinate was as good as useless. It made more logical sense for Lightning to wait until Serenade was captured so she could aid in her escape. Serenade laughed internally though, as she knew it was just a bullshit excuse that she was making now just to save face.

It didn’t matter though, whether she was lying about then, or if she was going to lie about her future loyalty, it made no difference to Serenade. She was no threat to her, but just to be precautions, a long tendril came out of Serenade’s back once more. Wiggled menacingly as it hovered only mere centimeters from Lightning’s face.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re lying. Time will tell, and if you are, well then I think that you’re already aware that I have a few tricks under my hat so to speak for those who would betray me. Know this, Lightning Dust...” Serenade came very close to the mare, her rounded nose only an inch or so away from Lightning’s. “There are things far worse than death, and I happen to know of quite a few of them. Disregard this warning and watch what happens to you...”

“It won’t happen again, Master.” Lightning made sure to emphasize that last word.

The display of obedience was satisfactory enough. Serenade nodded and dismissed her. “I have to go and meet with Arax, but do try and make yourself useful around here.”

There was a fake smile accompanying her words, but Lightning just as quickly faked one of her own as she watched the siren that was now her master once more wander off. She had resigned her contract with the devil, and this time she was certain there was no way out of it. She had heard that Serenade had walked through hell itself, and broken out of the tightest prison in Equestria, there was little doubt in Lightning’s mind that the siren was invincible.

Nine Years Ago

A few days had passed and Serenade remained undetected. Canterlot was none the wiser that she had escaped her prison cell thanks to her illusion. Since few were ever willing to actually go into her cell, the chances of any of them figuring out that the mare that stood in that cell was nothing more than a construct created from Serenade’s power, were exceptionally low. There was no reason to ever get too close to her cell, and Serenade knew that.

As a demon as powerful and as old as she was, she had evolved beyond needing to eat, drink or sleep, so they didn’t even need to slide food or water into her cage. All guards in the cell made sure to maintain an eight-foot distance from the bars of her cell. Serenade savored the irony that the system put in place to keep the guards safe ironically ensured her prison would be the tool the aided vastly in her prison break and ultimately why no one would notice she was gone. It was always delectable to bring a bit of irony to a fight after all.

Arax had been going over the texts that Copy Cat had acquired for them. He was a rather useless minion, and as a result, he did not survive the demonification process only a day prior, he perished almost instantly. Still, he served his purpose and got her the texts she needed. A few of their members died or became useless husks that were then killed when they were given demonic powers. It was a process that favored the strong-willed, and those with weak constitutions usually faced death or became a lifeless husk controlled by instinct; no better than a zombie.

It was a shame, but nothing of value was lost really. Copy was a subpar subordinate, and he didn’t really bring much to the table outside of his ability to copy texts, a skill that would not be particularly useful after that point.

Most of what Arax read was a waste of his time, but he found something that intrigued him the most. Compiling everything he had learned into a convenient scroll, he called for Serenade to meet with him right away.

Naturally, the siren took her time getting to him, but once she finished her bath she wandered into the room that Arax had made his main quarters and gave him a curious raise of her brow. “What is it, Arax? I hope it’s worth my time, I finished my bath early for this...”

Arax laid out the scroll he had been working on onto the table. “I found something that may interest you...”

“What?” Serenade questioned.

“I know why your sister was put to death now...” Arax stated.

That sentence caught the siren’s interest. She came closer and sat at the table where Arax was and nodded. “Go on...”

“It seems as though Adagio was actually living in another world, a whole other dimension actually,” Arax began.

“Like an alternate reality?” Serenade blinked.

“Exactly, another world where the dominant species are these things called ‘humans’ apparently. Twilight’s notes document this place as somewhere beyond a magic mirror she keeps at her castle, but the mirror only opens naturally once every thirty moons, otherwise, she needs to power it herself. Apparently this place also transforms our kind into humans when we travel there...” Arax explained.

“And Adagio was living in this place?” Serenade’s confusion only grew.

“She didn’t have a choice, apparently she was banished there by Starswirl the Bearded. He used a spell to send her to another world, but he had no idea where she would end up. Ultimately she ended up sent to this human world far into the future. She lived there for a few years unable to get back to Equestria,” Arax continued.

Serenade was unusually patient as she absorbed the information, something that Arax wasn’t exactly used to. She leaned in with interest. “So why did she get executed then if she was already being punished?”

“Apparently she attempted to gain her power back and it didn’t go so well. The other two sirens we saw aiding Glitch, Aria, and Sonata assisted her as you know, but it failed. After that, little is written about what happened to her until she did a second attempt to regain her power and it involved the murder of a human girl that is only named ‘Shimmer’ in Twilight’s notes. She kept a lot of the details unwritten, but she said that it was a speedy trial and the order was given to put her to death...” Arax finished.

Serenade shrugged. “So Twilight killed my sister for killing a girl in another dimension that she didn’t even have jurisdiction over? Typical that ponies seem to think they have the right to just police everywhere...”

“But that’s not the end of it...” Arax said.

“Oh?” Serenade blinked.

He nodded. “There’s something else you should know, Adagio’s amulet shattered when they defeated her, but the pieces are still in that world...”

“And I should care about this, why?” Serenade shrugged.

“Well, what I found out next will definitely be of interest...” Arax smirked.

Nine Years Ago

After her briefing with Arax, Serenade had met with what remained of her subordinates. They were all starting to get the hang of their powers and after a good week or so of training, they were getting fairly competent with them. All of them would likely turn into fairly useful demons one day, but for now, they still needed practice, but it wouldn’t matter in the short term as the next phase of her plan would put them on a playing field where they had the advantage.

Clearing her throat, Serenade sat at her chair at the end of the long table in their meeting room. She hated the entire facility, but she had to make due until they could relocate.

“Alright, so Arax has discovered some important information that will change the shape of our plans...” Serenade began before pointing to Arax.

The entire group looked over at the changeling who stood and took the floor. “Another world exists outside of this one. A whole other realm where ‘humans’ are the dominant species. This place apparently is where Serenade’s sister was banished to.”

“So, our next plan is we are going to go to this world, I’ll explain the rest when it’s time, but for now we will have to head there. The good news is that according to the information that we got from Twilight’s journal there isn’t much magic there, so that means even as fledgling demons, you should all be more than powerful enough there. Still, we are going to continue training for everyone for a short while before we go there...” Serenade explained.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, how are we getting there, Master Serenade? Do you plan on trying to steal the mirror from Twilight?” Arax asked.

Serenade shook her head. “It’s too risky. As much as I’d love to kill Twilight, the reality is we don’t know how that mirror even works. If Twilight’s magic can force it open, then likely it won’t simply work on demonic power. We’d be breaking into one of the most guarded places in Equestria all over again to steal an item that could be useless to us.”

“Then how are we to get there?” Lightning Dust chimed in.

“There’s another way, but it’s not an easy one...” Serenade glanced over at her.

“Explain?” Lightning tilted her head.

“We can use a demon portal...” Serenade stated plainly.

“A demon portal?” Arax raised a brow; this was his first hearing of such a thing.

Serenade nodded. “Truly powerful demons can use Hell itself as sort of an in-between for portal travel. However, the process isn’t simple. To attune a portal, one has to travel through Hell itself. I could go, then set up a portal between our two worlds using Hell as sort of a gateway between them. It’s a difficult process, and it will use a lot of power, but it should get us there.”

“Sounds pretty difficult...” Lightning suggested.

Serenade shrugged. “I’ve been through Hell a few times, what’s once more? The only catch is that we would likely be stuck using the mirror’s portal to get back when we’re done as I don’t believe I’d be able to open the portal twice. I am going to have to burn a lot of my demonic power just to do it once, power that will take a considerable amount of time to regenerate. If this human world really lacks magic, then I can’t just siphon power to recharge, and I’ll have to do it naturally over time...”

“Isn’t it risky to give up that much of your power?” Arax asked.

Serenade shook her head. “The power I will still have will still put me miles ahead of the majority of demons and when we get back here, I should be able to siphon power from all over to return to my former level.”

“Essentially though, we’ll be stuck until the mirror is open and we’re ready to go back though?” Lightning asked seeing if she followed.

There was a gentle murmur among the rest at the table, but they quieted down when Serenade coughed to get their attention. “Yes, but once we get there and I can initiate my plan, we should be able to come back here with the potential to get stronger than ever.”

“How are you so sure?” Lightning asked.

“You’d do wise not to question me...” Serenade sneered.

Lightning nodded and looked away. “Sorry, master...”

“Don’t worry though, I have it all in the bag...” Serenade smirked.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long delay, haha! Life and stuff. So now we're getting to Serenade's half of the story for what she was doing prior to the events of Act VII. And yeah, now you know why Arax is so loyal to her. :c

Act VII Part II - Chapter CXX: Hellish

Chapter CXX: Hellish

Several Years Ago

Arax leaned against the wall of Serenade’s bedroom as the mare paced back and forth explaining the specifics of her plan to the changeling she called her second-in-command. He watched as her golden wavy mane bounced about as she walked, clearly very anxious. If he didn’t know what a horrible monster she was, one might even say she was beautiful, granted less so considering she never gave a genuine smile. A girl was always prettier with a smile in his mind, he could remember Starlight’s smile, vibrant, loving, warm, all the things that one wanted when they would see a girl smile.

Quickly he emptied such thoughts from his head; he didn’t want to associate Starlight with Serenade in the slightest. Starlight was wonderful, amazing, and great; Serenade was wicked, horrible, and cruel. So many times he considered asking how she became so twisted, but ultimately he always talked himself out of it every time the thought popped into his head. It was best to not get to know the beast any further, for that was likely what would turn one into the same monster that she was. He may have made a deal with the devil, but that didn’t mean he had to get to know the devil; what he already knew was more than sufficient.

Serenade glanced over at him with her one uncovered eye and blinked. “Are you listening, Arax? I don’t like repeating myself.”

Arax nodded coyly. “I’m listening. Keep going.”

Nodding back, Serenade stopped pacing and sat down in the middle of the room. She raised her hoof to her mouth as she spoke, processing her thoughts.

“A Hell portal isn’t exactly an easy feat… I may have framed it a bit more simplistic to the rest of the group when I told them about it…” Serenade explained.

Arax raised a brow. “So what? You’re strong enough to open one, aren’t you?”

Serenade scoffed at the thought. “Of course I am! It’s just that the process isn’t exactly instantaneous, and it will take me a little bit of time and effort. Like I said before, I’ll have to sacrifice a large amount of my power to do so… Maybe about eighty percent or so…”

“I don’t follow, why is it so difficult?” Arax asked.

Biting her lip for a moment, Serenade mulled over how to explain it to him. After a small bit of thought, she glanced over at him and kept a serious face about herself.

“The process requires me to establish a link with hell itself, and to do so, there will no doubt be a trial waiting for me. It’s not going to be as simple as just walking into hell and popping a portal open, I’ll have to prove myself worthy…” Serenade said quietly.

Arax rolled his eyes. “So what? You were once in line to become the demon lord, how difficult could it be for you?”

Serenade nodded; this much was true, but still, it had been some time since she had been able to train or practice her abilities, and thus she was a tad rusty. There was no telling what kind of demons walked in hell now. Ideally, she would wait until she was more recharged before she took on such a challenge, but she didn’t have that luxury.

Looking down at her right hoof, she felt more confident in her abilities. Arax was right, at one point she was the most feared demon of all, and while many had grown less terrified of her since she had been imprisoned. She would have to make them all remember, remember the fear that the name Serenade Dazzle would put into their hearts, remember how she shook the world to its very core when she conquered Equestria.

“I suppose you’re right, but the process will take a little bit of time. The flow of time between our world and the underworld is different, so what may only be a few days there will be weeks here. You all will need to lay low, use the time to practice your abilities, and prepare for our arrival in the human world…” Serenade explained.

Arax adjusted his eyepatch and nodded in agreement. “I’ll find some new recruits while you’re gone. When the portal is open, I’ll come to you first, then we’ll stager the others in.”

“Excellent idea. I knew I kept you around for a reason…” Serenade grinned deviously.

Arax ignored her comment and instead decided to change the subject. “You know that once we go through, we might be stuck there for a while. I mean even if humans don’t have magic, there’s a chance that demons could exist in their world too… In fact, I’m almost certain they would. We’re taking a huge risk on a place we know very little about…”

“Big rewards only come to those who are not afraid to take big risks, but if you’re good at what you do…” She sashayed toward Arax and ran a hoof along his jawline. “There are no risks…”

Arax scoffed and looked away in annoyance. “I would have thought that scar on your chest would remind you that everything carries risk.”

Serenade’s mood instantly changed. She reached forward and gripped a tendril around Arax’s neck. She didn’t squeeze but just held him threateningly with a vicious scowl upon her face. It wasn’t like him to say such insubordinate things.

“What did you just say?” She hissed as the tendril gently caressed the changeling’s cheek.

Arax reached forward and tapped the scar on her chest. Serenade looked down at it, and for a brief second, she was reminded of the moment where she acquired it. When the Siren’s Bane pierced her, she could recall the pain she felt, the shame and humiliation she had endured losing to Glitch. To add insult to injury, her body could not heal a wound from the bladed spear, so she would have to carry the scar forever; a permanent reminder of her failure.

Glitch had ruined her beauty, and she hated them for it, but she more so hated Arax at that moment for reminding her of it.

“This scar should remind you that even a calculated risk can have dire consequences. Don’t get overconfident, or you might meet a fate far worse than that scar…” Arax explained.

The tendril around his neck slithered down his form as it kept him in its grasp while Serenade narrowed her gaze at him. “You’re very strangely vocal about your dissenting opinions now, aren’t you? What happened to you? When did you become so insubordinate?”

“I just gave up my eye to you, and our lives are intertwined. You die, I die, so I think it would only be practical if I remind you not to let your hubris get the better of you. That is how Glitch defeated you before after all…” Arax explained.

Quickly, Serenade mentally commanded the tendril to come to a sharp point and aim itself directly at Arax’s other eye as she threatened him. “You’d dare say such things about me? You must have a death wish… While you are a favored servant, you’re still just a servant. Don’t forget your place, bug.”

“Then kill me if you don’t want to hear it; regardless though, you need to hear it. Glitch manipulated your anger and rage many times, you thought yourself invincible, and thus they were able to bring you down. You didn’t even consider the Siren’s bane’s existence, or that they could get their hooves on it. From here on you’ll be going into blind territory, and a single mistake could be fatal… You’d better be more cautious than you’ve been in the past…” Arax replied, unfazed by her racist remark toward his species.

Cooling her anger, Serenade removed the tendril from around Arax and it retracted back into her body. She nodded and sat down trying to regain her composure. “You’re right… As much as I hate to admit it… You’re right… Glitch… No… Sunset Shimmer may be a mortal, but she’s clearly a resourceful one and full of surprises…”

“No doubt she has more waiting for you if you should attack her in the human world too…” Arax nodded.

Serenade bit her lip in annoyance. It wasn’t in her nature to take the advice of others, but she couldn’t deny that she wanted to avoid the shame of losing to Sunset a second time. There was a distinct possibility that Sunset had been training for the possibility that Serenade would come to her world, or at the very least other foes rising to face her. Attacking her right out of the gate would be suicide, even with her subordinates’ help.

She couldn’t risk a frontal assault, not until she was certain she could take the woman. She needed to be calculative and form a strategy.

“When we arrive, we will scope out the situation. Take our time, plan our attack… As much as I’d love to just go and rip that girl’s throat out and drink her blood, I can’t afford to make another mistake…” Serenade growled.

“Then you’ve learned something from your defeat then…” Arax said.

She glanced over at him with confusion. Was his angle really just to protect his own life? Arax was always difficult to read for her, his emotions seemed so contained. While she hated how “cool” he always came off, she would be lying if she said she wasn’t envious of how level-headed he could remain in virtually any and all situations. Arax was a paragon of patience, and Serenade was not.

Despite the annoying side to him, Serenade felt a sense of accomplishment in recruiting him, he really did prove his worth regularly. While she would question his loyalty from time to time, he always seemed to rise to whatever test she threw at him. Arax was a creature of results, more so than other subordinates that she had acquired over the years.

“The reaper won’t find me that easily, Arax,” Serenade nearly whispered.

“Death chooses who goes, Serenade. Don’t forget that many immortals have had their bodies left cold; in death’s eyes, we are all just as appetizing…” Arax warned.

“You’re unusually grim these days…” Serenade rolled her eyes.

“It’s not as though I have many reasons to be upbeat or cheery, do I?” Arax raised a brow.

He had a point.

Serenade trotted over to a nearby window and stared out it. Everything she had done to gain control of Equestria, and it just slipped through her hooves as if she had done nothing at all. She sat as overlord, all feared her, and she was on the verge of wiping out all mortals, yet now she was resorting to scheming and thinking of ways to sneak around her enemies to get the drop on them. It was far from the way of the warrior that she was taught. A warrior faces their challengers directly and shows no fear, after all.

“I had so much… I nearly had it all… Now I’m back to square one…” Serenade spoke quietly.

Arax said nothing. He sat quietly as she thought out loud.

“I’ll come back eight times stronger though. This time I’ll kill Sunset Shimmer, I’ll kill her first then I’ll kill everyone she loves, all of her friends, then I’ll come back here to Equestria and I’ll finish off Twilight Sparkle and her friends… I want to savor each of their deaths… I want to lick the blood from their wounds while they beg me for their lives… I want to feel their fear… I want to bask in their pathetic begging for mercy…” Serenade rambled.

Arax sighed. “Why not just focus on the practicality of the plan? If you get lost in a quest of vengeance, you’ll only end up wasting all of our time.”

“You mortals just don’t understand… vengeance is all that some of us have to live for… In this rotten world, there is nothing else…” Serenade spoke.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand you…” Arax shook his head.

Serenade looked over her shoulder back at him. “It’s only when you see how fucked up the world really is, that you begin to understand what to do about it. Ponies think they can keep the world in check by spreading their pathetic love and happiness… They’re living a lie though, the world is a cruel and bitter place; masking that only sets you up to be disappointed… I’ll show them that.”

“I suppose you’re right, but that is where mortals have a huge advantage over you…” Arax stated.

Serenade grew a genuinely puzzled look upon her face. The changeling was speaking nonsense.

“What would that be?”

“They get to die; because death is a certain part of their existence, they can ignore how cruel the world is. Those who know their suffering is only temporary find it easier to make do with the situation they find themselves in… Those who know their suffering is forever will always find themselves consumed by it… In death, all suffering ends.” Arax smirked.

“When I destroy all the mortals, the world will finally be rid of all cruelty that they cause…” Serenade reminded.

“Are you so certain that mortals have a monopoly on creating bitterness, evil, and cruelness for the world?” Arax asked.

She didn’t understand his question, and she certainly didn’t have an answer, but it stuck with the siren.

Several Years Ago

Serenade had bided her time and focused her power so she would be prepared for her journey through the demonic plains. After weeks of regaining her lost strength, she had finally felt ready to make the journey.

Arax sat on the other side of her makeshift bedroom (which she naturally didn’t need for sleeping) waiting to witness a display of ability the likes of which he had never seen before. A portal to hell itself was not something that many would see in their entire lifetime; though he wouldn’t consider himself privileged for bearing witness to one.

Serenade closed her eyes and focused. She began to channel every ounce of demonic energy in her body to the center of herself. To produce something so hellish, the energy had to come directly from one’s black heart, the very core of a pure demon. Hell would not open for just anyone, it would only reveal itself to those who were powerful enough and devoted to the demonic ways.

Taking a deep breath, Serenade began to channel the power inside of her, she could feel herself gain control of it, she could feel it eager to bend to her will. Her will commanded it to begin opening a hell portal, a gateway to her final destination.

The energy inside of her obeyed her wishes, and the room around her and her changeling subordinate began to crackle with energy. Black jolts of energy sparked all around them, and Serenade’s body slowly lifted off the ground as a black swirl of ethereal energy began to form in front of her. From her chest, black energy began to pour into the cloud forming in front of her. The mare’s hair began to move as though she were floating in the water, and her body appeared weightless.

All of the hatred and anger she had stored over the last few centuries began to come to the front of her mind, creating more demonic energy and fueling the opening of the portal before her. She could feel it begin to take form, she was nearing its completion as Arax watched with intrigue in his eye.

After enough energy had been funneled into it, Serenade could see the cloud of black smoke begin to take more of a physical form and within eight more seconds, a crack in reality itself broke open. It bore fire around its edges, and black smoke emanated from it as Serenade’s body gently came down to the ground.

Arax stepped closer to get a better look. “So this is a hell gate then?”

Serenade nodded before looking back at him. “Arax, do not allow any in this room until you have crossed over. I expect you to watch over the portal from this side until I have completed my trials. If the portal is tampered with or closed by one of Twilight’s knights, there will be no way for me to send for any of you, making another one on the human side will be next to impossible…”

Arax nodded. “I shall guard it with my life.”

“Good, once it is ready to be used on your end, it should remain open for around eight weeks. That gives you time to bring the others through after you have come to fetch me…” Serenade explained.

“Sounds good.” Arax nodded again.

Serenade nodded back before looking back at the portal she had just crafted. She stood silently for a moment before Arax broke the silence between the two.

“We have only just gotten back together and yet we’re already separating again, ironic isn’t it?” Arax asked.

“Don’t get sentimental on me.” Serenade shook her head before stepping toward the portal before her.

She could feel the hellish energy coming out of it, just begging to escape and cover the world in fire. The siren came closer as if drawn to it, then without another word, she jumped through the portal.

Several Years Ago

Since Serenade concentrated her energy on creating a portal that could take her through hell to the human world, the sensation of going through the portal felt completely different than the previous times she had gone to the underworld. Her body felt like it was twisting and cracking as she moved between the two realms. She could feel herself changing, and could almost sense some kind of growing pains.

Before she made it to the other side, she felt the fires of hell, she could sense the burning sensation before she had even set foot on the unholy ground there.

Once she had successfully made it to the other side, she stood up and looked around. Hell hadn’t changed a bit, magma flowed around her, the ground made of black obsidian, and above her was the endless black sky, the only illumination was the fires and lava around her.

It took a few seconds for her to notice she felt like she was seeing this place from a much higher height than she should have. Looking down, she noticed her entire body had changed completely. Gone were her four hooves, and instead she stood bipedal. Her front hooves had been replaced with what she assumed to be claws. Five digits on both sides. She opened and closed her fingers curiously.

Oddly, her entire body appeared to be covered in some kind of red obsidian armor. She couldn’t see herself underneath in the slightest and saw no way to remove it. She surmised it must have been a part of the trials that awaited her.

The siren took her two hands and ran them across her own body to get a better idea of her new form. It was slender, but with effeminate curves, breasts covered by obsidian armor now rested on her upper chest, and she could feel more digits on her feet underneath her armored boots.

Looking at her armored right hand, she noted that the armored glove brought her fingers to sharp points, and the tips had been adorned with black talons, a suitable weapon if she could learn how to master it.

The girl took a few awkward steps forward and spent a few moments practicing walking on two legs. The heels on her boots eventually forced her to walk with somewhat of a seductive sashay, but after a little time, she had grown used to this new style of movement.

What the hell happened to my body? Serenade thought to herself. The last time she had been to the underworld, she didn’t need to adjust to a new body, so why was this time different?

Her hands came to her face to feel a spiny helmet was covering it, her eyes able to see through a translucent visor.

Serenade took a few more steps forward before a black mist formed around her, swirling like a snake before taking form in front of her. A dragon that had one of his eyes stitched shut appeared before her. She raised a brow in confusion at the strange creature. He was dark green in color, and his spines looked a bit on the rough side, likely due to combat. He crossed his arms as he looked Serenade up and down.

“Take a picture, it lasts longer…” Serenade replied.

He spoke to her in a deep and raspy voice. “So, you are Serenade Dazzle, hard to believe such a powerful demon was right under my nose for all those years… Had I known what you were back then, I’d have enlisted your assistance.”

Serenade crossed her arms in annoyance and glanced away. “As if I’d ever help you… Who are you and what do you want?”

The dragon laughed and nodded approvingly. “Straight to the point, I was told that about you…”

“Told by who? Who is talking about me?” Serenade asked.

“There isn’t a demon in the underworld that doesn’t know your name, Serenade Dazzle. At one point, you could have sat on the throne of Hell and reigned as the demon lord…” He rambled.

Serenade rolled her eyes from behind her helmet. “What’s the story on my body, since you seem to know so much…”

“Well, you’ve come to open a hell portal, and thus you are to be put on trial to determine if Hell will bend to your will; as such, your body has taken the form of the world you are traveling to,” he explained.

“I suppose that makes some sense, or at least as much sense as anything would around here… You still haven’t answered who you are though…” Serenade crossed her arms.

The dragon floated before her, his legs not properly forming as he took on an almost ghostly form. He grinned as he lifted a claw. “In life, I was Sven of Dragon Scar…”

Serenade raised a brow at the mention of his name. “I remember you… You were once the overlord of Dragon Scar, weren’t you? I didn’t know that you died…”

He nodded with a scowl growing on his face. “Indeed. I was bested by Princess Twilight Sparkle and her entourage. Now I’m nothing more than a demon husk, not strong enough to take full form, but not weak enough to be an empty shell…”

“Tragic, but I don’t really care…” Serenade shrugged.

He cleared his throat as he changed the subject. “Regardless, I’m here to help you on your journey through hell.”

Serenade was skeptical. “And why would you do that? What do you gain from helping me?”

“Always suspicious, I see… I was beaten by Twilight Sparkle and thus in death, I have a long loathing of Equestria and its pony kind. I know that you seek to destroy the world she rules over. By helping you, I might have my revenge on that cursed princess…” Sven explained.

“I suppose revenge is always a good enough reason… Alright, you can help, but you better not slow me down…” Serenade pointed her finger threateningly.

“I will aid you from the shadows, together, we shall bring death to that wretched Twilight Sparkle, and her entire kingdom…” Sven grinned, his fangs showing. One of them broken in half, Serenade surmised it must have happened from his encounter with the Equestrian princess.

“Then let’s get moving…” Serenade gestured.

After about eight steps though, she felt a powerful pain in her temples. She groaned in agony before clutching her skull. A loud ringing sound went through her ears until she closed her eyes and all went silent.

Several Years Ago

Trapped like some kind of caged dog, Serenade sat stewing in her hatred. Her hatred for Twilight Sparkle, her hatred for mortals, but most importantly her hatred for that Glitch. He had bested her and as a result, she was placed in this prison. She had completely lost track of time, but she knew she had been locked away for at least a week.

She couldn’t understand how he had done it. How Glitch had acquired such a weapon that could give pause to her powers and prevent her from fully healing from the wounds it caused. She had believed the Siren’s Bane to only be a myth, so how did he get his hooves on it?

The door at the top of the stairwell made a creaking noise that caught Serenade’s attention. She glanced up with her good eye and waited to see who approached.

From the stairs, hoof steps could be heard slowly but surely descending down the stairs until a set of yellow hooves could be seen. The hooves were attached to a gorgeous-looking mare with long green mane, a few dreadlocks weaved into it, and her ears were adorned with many earrings. Serenade blinked, unsure of what to make of this creature until she approached and she could sense something different about her.

It was a feeling she was all too familiar with, but it took her a second to realize why. “You’re a siren?” Serenade asked.

The mare nodded and stood directly in front of the cage that kept Serenade. She looked the beaten mare up and down in silence.

“Who are you?” Serenade growled.

“Mine own nameth is Kiz.” The mare spoke as she gestured to herself with her hoof.

“Wait… I’ve heard of you… You’re one of the oldest sirens alive… I thought you were just a legend…” Serenade squinted.

“Mine own legacy may has't been exagg'rated, but I assureth thee, I existeth, issue.” Kiz nodded.

“I don’t understand what’s going on…” Serenade stepped closer to the bars.

“T’was I whos't lend'd the sacred blade to Glitch. The same blade yond wast thy undoing, doth thou comprehend?” Kiz tilted her head slightly.

Her voice was soft and elegant, but it still made Serenade’s blood boil something fierce.

“You did what!? We’re the same race! We’re supposed to be allies! How could you betray your own kind in favor of these mortals? Have you forgotten everything they’ve done to us? What we all had to do just to survive!?” Serenade hissed and stomped her hoof in fury.

Kiz shook her head. “Thee and I art nothing alike, lost issue. I partake not in thy quest of fury and vengeance. Whilst I didst giveth the partisan to Glitch, t’was thee who is't responsible for thy owneth undoing.”

“Sirens have suffered for millennia at the hooves of mortals and you would dare assist them? You would give them the tool to slay sirens? Why? One as old as you surely has seen what they’ve done to our kind even worse than myself…” Serenade questioned angrily as she gripped the bars of her cage.

Kiz stepped forward and reached through the bars and placed a hoof upon the mare. The barrier that kept Serenade in would allow those outside to pass through, fortunately. She caressed the broken mare’s cheek and smiled affectionately.

“Shouldst our kind becometh the monsters they envisioned us as, mayhaps we deserve to cease existence. I has't seen many things in mine own timeth and I has't hath reached one conclusion…” Kiz spoke softly and continued to pet Serenade’s cheek. “If it be true we can not findeth a way to existeth together, we shall all m'rely destroyeth each other…”

Serenade blinked in confusion. “You’d rather we be on the side that gets wiped out? You’d rather give in to the mortals? Where is your pride as a siren?”

Kiz sighed as she retracted her hoof. “Issue, thee has't longeth since given up on being a siren. All thou art now is a demon, thy hatred hast consum'd thee, blind'd thee and 'twill eventually beest the endeth of thee. Thy hatred hast hath left thee in wanteth, and yond wanteth shalt never beest satisfied, thee shall hungerr for the rest of thy days…”

With a smile still upon her face, Kiz stepped back away from the cage. "Farewell, Serenade of the demonkind. May the path thee has't chosen endeth soon, so yond thee needeth not suffer for much longeth'r. A siren thou art nay longeth'r, but thee has't mine own sympathy, issue…”

Serenade’s eyes widened at her statement. She grabbed the bars of her cage and rattled them with fury. “How dare you!? You dare say I am not a siren!? I’m more a siren than you! Your old age clearly has clouded your judgment!”

Kiz shook her head. “I wisheth yond were the case, issue…”

As Kiz began to retreat back up the stairs, Serenade banged on the bars as she screamed up to the other siren. “YOU THINK YOU’RE BETTER THAN ME!? I’LL SHOW YOU! I’LL KILL EVERY ONE OF THESE MORTALS! I’LL REPLACE THIS WORLD WITH ONE OF MY OWN WHERE SYMPATHIZERS LIKE YOU WILL BURN WITH THE REST OF THE MORTAL FILTH!”

Kiz didn’t turn around, she continued up the stairs until Serenade heard the door close behind her.

“YOU HEAR ME!? I’LL SHOW YOU! I’LL SHOW ALL OF YOU! YOU’RE NOT BETTER THAN ME KIZ! YOU’RE NOTHING! YOU HEAR ME!? NOTHING!” Serenade screamed.

Once it was clear that Kiz could no longer hear her, the Siren screamed in defiance. “FUCK YOU! FUCK ALL OF YOU! I AM SERENADE FUCKING DAZZLE, QUEEN BITCH OF THE WORLD! YOU’LL ALL SEE! BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU’LL ALL BE KISSING MY FEET ONCE MORE! I’LL KILL YOU GLITCH! I’LL SLIT YOUR THROAT AND DANCE IN YOUR BLOOD!”

She began to hit the walls with her hooves over and over until they were beaten and bloody. She slunk down to the floor after and panted. She had never felt as much hatred as she did at that moment before. She hated everything, everyone, and she had no outlet to release her hatred.

“All of you will die… I promise that… I’ll kill every single mortal…” Serenade spoke quietly to herself.

Several Years Ago

Once the pain had subsided, Serenade was able to get herself back up onto two feet. She felt disoriented, but she had regained some of her composure. Why did she just relive that memory of Kiz? What had caused it.

“What the hell was that…?” Serenade asked.

Sven’s voice came from her shadow behind her. “This place will test not just your body and your will, but your mind as well. It will make you remember your most hateful moments, as a demon lord should be able to harness their anger appropriately. Hatred and anger are the sources of a demon’s power after all.”

Serenade looked down at her hand and thought of Kiz’s face once more. She clenched her hand in aggravation. She would prove herself, she would show that smug bitch that she was more than just a demon and that she was more of a siren than any who ever lived.

“My whole life, mortals have tried to make me ashamed of what I am, but I have stood in hateful defiance this entire time, and nothing this place will throw at me will make me hate myself. I’m proud of what I am, and I will crush all who try to convince me otherwise…” Serenade spoke.

“Excellent resolve, we should press onward though. Keep that fire in you ignited…” Sven replied.

“Consider it done…” Serenade nodded.

“Then onward we go, your first destination should be just up ahead,” Sven said.

Nodding again, Serenade came to a proper stand and continued down the path carved of obsidian. A narrow walkway eventually opened up into a large circular arena surrounded by spiky outcroppings protruding out of magma that surrounded them. She approached carefully and examined a large obsidian tablet in the center of the circle. The text upon it changed to her spoken tongue the moment she touched it.

One who wishes to become the demon lord…

To prove your ascent to the throne, you must craft a scepter worthy of a ruler. A weapon of true might. Your test of strength and will begins here.

Defeat the foe before you, take what you need to forge your weapon.

Serenade removed her hand from the tablet and considered what it was saying, but she wouldn’t have time to process it any further. A loud rumbling noise shook the ground under her causing her to glance in the direction of its origin. From the lava outside the ring, a claw popped out and gripped a nearby stalactite. Another followed it, and both then pulled a large body out of the lava.

The creature stood a considerable eight feet tall and had a gaping maw that could probably swallow a whole being in a single bite, lined with serrated teeth. It stood on two feet, and upon its back were at least a dozen arms, each with sharp claws at the end of them. They lacked symmetry and gave an off-putting aura about them as they moved unnaturally. Serenade surmised they were some kind of defense mechanism.

It’s bright glowing green eyes looked down at the petite woman and it opened its mouth and screeched, saliva and mucus flinging from its mouth as it did.

Serenade wiped a strand of mucus off of her shoulder and stood ready to fight. “So, I just have to rip you apart then?”

It responded with another ear-shattering screech.

Lifting its mighty foot, it stomped onto the ground and shook the entire platform the two stood upon. Crouching down low, Serenade maintained her balance as she assessed the situation. “I see, got a bit of a temper, do you?”

The creature took another step forward and swiped at her with one of its front claws. Its long arm gave it an incredible reach, well over eight feet. Its front arms were longer than its entire body it seemed.

Serenade managed to step backward in time to avoid the hit, but couldn’t see an opportunity to attack just yet. With a reach that far and arms on its back, it meant it was protected from all sides.

For now, all she could do was buy time until she could fully assess how she would attack. It swiped again, and this time Serenade ducked to avoid it. She swiped with her own claw but found the tough leathery skin of the creature prevented her from even scratching one of its front claws. “Damn it…” She cursed.

When it came down again, this time with both claws, Serenade rolled forward and sliced up at its gut, but was met with the same defense. Even its stomach was tough and armored, impossible to cut through even if she hacked at it.

Soon, the creature would notice what she was doing and tried to grab at her, but she rolled out of the way once more and put some distance between herself and her opponent. So far, the battle was not going in her favor, she needed some way to turn the tides.

“Hey Sven, any bright ideas?” Serenade asked.

From the shadows, Sven appeared next to her as he looked the beast up and down. “Ah yes, a Horth demon. I heard stories that the arms on its back are to protect its weak point.”

“That’s fantastic, but how can I attack that weak point if it's protected?” Serenade question.

Sven looked down at her with a puzzled look. “What do you mean? Rip off the arms.”

Serenade blinked and then look back at the demon. The arms on its back were significantly shorter than the ones on its front, and definitely scrawnier, but it would be quite a challenge to be able to rip even a single one off while the others were around it.

When it continued to make its way over to her, she prepared to dodge another attack. Sure enough, it swung again and then descended its giant jaw to try and bite her. Serenade was far too quick for it though and moved out of the way of its jaw.

At that moment, she noticed how slow it moved. Even the arms on its back which appeared faster than the rest of it were relatively slow. She had a chance of ripping the arms off one by one if she could move quickly enough to dodge its attacks. Its incredible size meant it took a lot for the creature just to move. That was her opportunity, she could outmaneuver it and bring it down that way.

Getting down low, she waited patiently to lure it into another attack. She would have to be quick, but once it missed her, she could spring into action.

Once again, the monster swung at her, and at that second, she sprinted past its large front claw and jumped past its back. On her way, she grabbed one of the claws from its side and then with her right hand, swiped at its stem, slicing it clean off.

When she landed from her leap, the arm she had severed was still moving. She tossed it aside and turned to face the beast again. She would need several more clean attacks just like that one if she wished to bring the beast to its doom, but she was confident she could pull it off now that she had a strategy for victory.

Standing with her claws at the ready, Serenade challenged the monster. “Vile beast, don’t you know who I am? I am Serenade Dazzle, and I will soon be the demon lord. Bow down before your queen…”

The beast merely hissed at her, slinging trails of its saliva in her direction. Serenade wiped a strand off of her shoulder and shook her head. “You’re really fucking disgusting, you know that?”

Without warning, it brought down one of its front claws at her, and Serenade quickly lifted her hands into the air to block it with her own claws. Once sliced at it, she repelled the attack and jumped slashing it in the face. As expected, it did nothing but annoy the mighty beast as it tried to snap its jaw at her. With another leap, she was able to get onto its head and grip at another one of the claws on its back.

The claw wriggled and struggled in her grasp, but with a clean slice, she severed it and tossed it aside. While the creature growled in agony, she gripped another one and jumped off of the creature’s back, tearing it off with the force of gravity alone. A part of her was somewhat enjoying this battle, her skills were rarely tested.

With the claw still in her hand, she presented it to the monster and taunted it. “Missing something? You’re lucky I don’t rip your balls off.”

Not taking the taunting lightly, the creature snapped its jaw at her. Serenade rolled out of the way just in time and ran around its side. Jumping, she grabbed another claw and sliced it off.

The monster pivoted around and swiped at her, but she was able to jump backward in time to avoid it. Throwing the claw aside, Serenade continued taunting it. “Running out of claws there, ugly. How should I tear you apart? Slowly, or should I reach into your skull and rip your brains out?”

As expected, it only hissed in response.

Serenade leaped out of the way from another attack and landed atop of its head, grabbing two claws from its back as she jumped down, tearing them off. With the momentum she had built up, she quickly ran around the creature and scaled its back again with haste, and started hacking off the remaining claws until there wasn’t a single one left. With its incredibly large front claws unable to bend in a manner to reach its back, it struggled to try and throw her off.

With its claws out of commission, it could only resolve to violently shake its entire body to try and throw the woman off of it, but Serenade sunk her claw into its back and made her way to the nape of its neck.

A smirk appeared on her face from under her mask and she raised her right claw into the air. “Oh, this is going to sting a little…” She spoke.

Quickly, she pierced its back with her other claw as the creature screamed in pain. She dug deeper and deeper through its flesh until she pushed the second claw through as well. With both dug deeply into its skin, black pus oozed out of the newly created holes in its body, but Serenade kept digging until she could feel a solid.

The beast hissed and moaned, moving violently to try and desperately throw Serenade off, but it was no use. The girl was now gripping its very spine in her hands and began to tug.

It growled and hissed but Serenade tugged harder and harder until the bone began to protrude from the hole she had created. With a little more force it tore right out causing the beast to fall to the ground, dead and beaten. Looking at the spine in her hand, it was considerably long, perhaps a good eight feet, but a trophy worthy of a champion.

Given its size and sturdiness, she figured it would make for a fine weapon part, so she conjured up a spell and stored it in a closed space to access it later. It was a little trick she had learned eons ago for storing things and recalling them at a later time.

She hopped off of the body of the beast and Sven appeared before her once again. “Incredible, you felled the beast without so much as a scratch…”

Serenade shooed him with her hand. “You haven’t seen anything yet…”

“Twilight Sparkle will surely fall with a being as mighty as you after her…” Sven nodded.

“Let’s focus on the current task… Revenge can always come later, I have all the time in the world after all, and its best savored slowly…” Serenade explained.

“Lead on then, O’ demon lord…” Sven bowed before vanishing from sight once again.

A Long Time Ago

A young pink dragon no older than eight years old swung her steel katana a few times but struggled to swing the full-sized blade that toppled over her. She tripped and fell into the red sand of Dragon Scar, as another larger dark grey dragon looked down at her and shook his head in disappointment.

“You need to keep the sword upright, if you can’t hold it in two claws, how do you ever expect to hold it with one?” He raised a brow.

The youngling picked herself up off of the ground and lifted the sword once more as she frowned. “It’s really heavy…” She stated.

“By your age, I was able to hold that thing with one claw… Regardless, we have to press onward with your training today…” He sighed.

Nodding, the young dragon sheathed the large katana on her back and looked up to her elder brother with eager eyes. “I’m ready, brother. What would you ask of me?”

Putting his own sword away, he gestured with his head for her to follow. Nodding excitedly, she did so. As she followed, he began to lecture her. “Cinder, you must be ready to pass any and all tests before you because if anything should happen to me, you will carry on our parents' legacy and the will of our clan…”

Cinder blinked and looked up at her older brother, Ash. “Brother, why are you talking like that? Nothing could ever take you down, you’re the mightiest warrior of all, you’re the blade of the clan, the strongest warrior in Dragon Scar…”

He tapped the back of her head as he scolded her. “Too much pride can cause one to become overconfident and thus you could meet your demise. I may be a mighty warrior, but I temper my attitude toward it. One day you could surpass me, sister. You would do wise to not get overconfident…”

Blinking, Cinder tilted her head in disbelief. “Me? I could never beat you, brother…”

“We shall see… Regardless, we are going to partake in your first kill… Up until now, you have been trained in combat, but you have yet to experience a kill…” He said.

Cinder was in awe. “What am I hunting down, brother? I will do whatever it takes!”

Ash looked down at his enthusiastic sister with a squared eye. She was always so oddly optimistic for a dragon and definitely stood out from others of her kind. Within the clan, she was often scolded for her strangely peppy attitude, but it never seemed to bother her. She was a thinker, but she still held their values to her heart. While she lacked discipline, she was still dedicated.

He tapped her head disapprovingly once more. “Focus, Cinder. You are to take down a manticore entirely on your own. You will get no assistance from me.”

She nodded triumphantly and puffed out her chest. “Okay, where do I begin?”

“You tell me.” He smirked.

Realizing he was implying she was also in charge of finding the manticore, she nodded and placed a claw upon her chin as she thought it over. “Well… Manticores in Dragon Scar are rare, but they usually are found near a watering hole… So we should go toward the nearest watering hole if we want to find one…”

“Lead on then, hunter…” Ash gestured for her to take them to their kill.

Cinder considered it for a moment and then realized she knew where the nearest watering hole was. There was a dried-up forest not too far from their location, and a manticore was most likely to head that way. Cinder waved with her left claw and Ash followed quietly as he observed his younger sister.

The two navigated the desolate landscape for some time before approaching the watering hole. Cinder crouched down as did her brother while they waited silently at the watering hole for a manticore to appear. A good eight minutes of silence must have passed before Cinder could see a creature leaving the nearby dried-out wooded area. With a long stinger for a tail, she confirmed the beast was that which she sought.

The young dragon pointed with excitement as she nearly whispered. “There’s one, brother!”

“Why not celebrate after you’ve taken it down…” Ash criticized.

A frown came to her face as she nodded. “Right, sorry…”

“A warrior should not be so easily distracted, Cinder. You must temper your emotion, focus yourself on the kill. I’ve been telling you this for years…” Ash reminded.

“Yes… Of course…” Cinder nodded sadly.

His sister was not like other dragons, she was too much of a free thinker, and her emotions would often get in the way of her abilities. While she was very capable as a warrior, she couldn’t seem to contain her feelings. Ash feared it would lead her down a path of weakness. A warrior who felt too much bliss or sorrow could be easily exploited. He needed to harder her, though he wasn’t sure how. Ash loathed the fact that their father babied the dragon, and he believed it had led to her softness.

Cinder stayed down low and quietly crawled around the rock they hid behind. She kept quiet as the beast drank from the water. Carefully with each step, she reached behind herself to grab her blade. Slowly, she unsheathed the sword in both claws while she approached.

Standing upright, she readied herself to strike. With a swing, she only managed to graze the beast’s leg. Instantly reacting, it turned around with a mighty roar and swiped at her with its front claw. Cinder hopped backward, but with the weight of her sword, she toppled over and landed on her rear.

Ash sighed as he watched. “You struck too soon, you didn’t ready your strike.” He called from up on the rock where they originally saw the beast.

Nodding, Cinder brought herself to a stand and heaved her heavy sword upright. When the manticore swung its tail at her, she jumped and slashed the tip off of its tail, rendering it useless. Without the tip of its tail, it posed significantly less of a threat.

Naturally, it didn’t respond well to having its stinger severed and it hissed and roared in anger and pain. Cinder remembered what her brother had taught her and took the proper stances with her sword raised in both claws, anticipating another attempt at an attack.

When it swung at her, she quickly slashed upward, slicing a few of its toes on its front claw clean off. The sharpness of her blade was unrivaled and could sever even the toughest of bone with a single slice. It responded by going down at her with its jaw open, and that was its most critical mistake.

Cinder swung again, slicing its mouth open on one side. It fell down gripping its hanging jaw as it bled. Shuffling to try and get away from the dragon as she stood in front of it.

With her sword raised, she stood there, frozen.

“What are you waiting for? Finish it, Cinder!” Ash called out.

Cinder looked into the creature's eyes as it was suffering. She lowered her sword and frowned. “I… I can’t…”

Ash shook his head as he hopped down from the rock. He approached with an annoyed expression on his face as he scolded her.

“What are you doing? A warrior must feel no sympathy for his enemy!” Ash reminded.

“I know but…” Cinder continued to stare at the creature in front of her.

Ash gripped her arm and turned her to face him. “You question our ways yet again?”

“Maybe our ways don’t have to be so-“ Cinder was off as he slapped her across the face.

“Don’t speak such heresy. We have carried our traditions down for generations. We are the last of our clan, our parents, and us, that is all that remains. You would dare question our legacy? You are supposed to carry on our ways!” Ash yelled.

Cinder sighed and decided it was best not to argue with him. She closed her mouth and nodded. “I’m sorry, brother…”

“Your softness could lead to great mistakes, and your inability to accept our ways could lead to far worse… I’ve tried to make you understand, but you continue not to listen…” He scolded.

Cinder bit her lip, wanting to speak up, but she quickly realized it would be a waste of time. Ash had made up his mind about how he stood in regards to their family values, and he wasn’t going to budge in the slightest. He was a firm believer in their ways and was unwavering. Anything Cinder said would be met with deaf ears.

Facing the manticore, Cinder closed her eyes and lifted her blade once more. Without thinking, she swung the blade downward and cut the beast’s skull in half with her impressive blade. It ceased moving and struggling as Cinder lowered her powerful sword with sadness upon her face.

Ash nodded as he placed a claw on the young dragon’s shoulder. “You have learned an important lesson today, Cinder… A warrior always fells its foe. You can not hesitate for even a moment, of your opponent will make quick work of you.”

“Is it really like that though…?” Cinder questioned.

He growled and slapped her upside the head once again. “Don’t question it, Cinder. You need to start following what I say without commentary…”

Cinder looked up at her brother with serious eyes. “Our ways lead to the extinction of our clan to where we’re the last ones left. Maybe it’s time to adapt our ways…”

Ash gripped Cinder’s arm tightly and yanked it to get her to listen to him. “Bite your tongue… We are the last of our kind, we must preserve what we have or it will be lost forever. You’re too much of a blind visionary, you’d do well to abandon your fantasies and focus solely on reality…”

Cinder said nothing. She knew her brother was wrong, but she also knew he wouldn’t listen, at least not at that moment. She would have to show him the error of his ways with time.

A Few Years Ago

Eclipse swung the sword he levitated with his magic at a dummy that had been set up for training before leaping backward when the dummy swung a long stick intended to imitate a counter-attack. He met the attack by blocking with his sword and quickly switched to the second target lined up for him.

With little to no effort, he defeated all eight dummies set up for him to practice on before lowering his sword and sheathing it on his back. The young stallion now approaching adulthood looked up at his teacher with curious eyes to hear her evaluation.

Cinder stood with crossed arms as she had watched him in silence, and when he finished, she nodded in approval. “You’ve improved so much in such a short time.”

Eclipse bowed his head in respect. “Thank you, sensei. I owe my skill to you…”

She shook her head. “A teacher merely instructs, the one who draws the sword is the one who hones their own abilities. Talent is acquired through perseverance, and dedication to one’s self.”

“Always humble.” Eclipse smiled.

She chuckled and ruffled his mane before she heard her name get called. “Ms. Razorclaw?”

Turning she could see the familiar face of Starlight Glimmer. She had become the well-respected assistant of Princess Twilight, and was just as studious as she was. She was donning a pair of round glasses, which Cinder surmised had come from her job. She spent so much time reading paperwork and tomes for Twilight that her vision became impaired without the aid of glasses. Cinder wondered what it must have been like when the two first started working together.

Cinder looked at Eclipse and gestured him away. “Take five.”

Nodding, Eclipse wandered off and sat himself on a nearby log. Taking a whetstone from his bag nested nearby, he began to hone his blade carefully in silence.

Reaching a claw out to Starlight, Cinder shook her hoof. “Starlight… I keep telling you that you can call me Cinder.”

Adjusting her large glasses, Starlight smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, it’s a force of habit. Professionalism and whatnot.”

“You needn’t be married to the job, Starlight.” Cinder grinned.

Starlight was always surprised by how much wisdom Cinder had. She seemed to be the kind of creature who always had her head well adjusted. No matter the task, she found a way to accomplish it without panic. Starlight envied her lack of anxiety.

“Well, given my romantic history, perhaps the job is better to be married to…” Starlight laughed.

“Fair enough…” Cinder looked over at Eclipse. That statement reminded her of him just a little bit.

Starlight turned to see what she was looking at, and when she caught sight of him, she recognized him. She had seen him briefly working for Twilight’s rebellion against Serenade.

“Is that…?” Starlight asked.

Cinder nodded. “Yeah.”

“He’s all grown up now. He was so young when he aided the resistance…” Starlight commented.

Cinder nodded again. “He’s come a long way, he’s my student now.”

“Is he any good?” Starlight raised a brow.

“He is excellent, but I can sense he buries his pain with the dedication to the sword. He lost his parents to Serenade, and apparently so much more… When we met he said he had nothing to live for but revenge, and I think he still feels that way… He’s looking for a reason to keep going, but…” Cinder paused.

Starlight leaned in with interest. “But what?”

“I fear he’s on a path to destroy himself. He fights with no fear, complete abandon… Death is not a fear… But a goal for him…” Cinder spoke.

“And you’re trying to steer him off of that path?” Starlight asked.

“I don’t know if I can…” Cinder frowned.

“He has to find his reason on his own then…” Starlight said.

Cinder nodded as she turned to face Starlight. “You’re absolutely right… Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?”

Author's Note

Hey, it's been months. I'm sorry! Life has been crazy, but we are back, and getting ready to finish this story. Flashbacks also are 100% over after Part II ends. Part III is all forward.

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXVIII: Yuna

Chapter CXXVIII: Yuna

Horizon found herself awake at precisely 8:00 AM for some reason. The girl’s arm was laying over the side of her expensive king-sized bed as she lay there on her stomach with her eyes half open. The girl grumbled and yawned before turning over and reaching for her glasses. Placing them upon her face, her vision improved drastically as her eyes adjusted.

She sat upright and allowed the blanket to fall off of her. She was wearing a button-up nightshirt that was mostly unbuttoned, exposing a black lacy bra, and only a pair of matching panties on her bottom half. Coming to a stand, she wandered out of bed and scratched her head. Her hair was an absolute disaster, but she didn’t concern herself much over personal grooming. While Twilight was neat and tidy, Horizon was more of a practical person. If it didn’t impede her, she continued onward without a care.

Opening the door to the shower in her room, the young teen turned on the water before disrobing. She checked her collection of shampoos, counting eight total, Twilight always believed in being prepared, so she often overstocked items with no expiration date. They would have servants come in twice a week to do the cleaning of the building and shopping, but the family felt they didn’t want too many servants living there at all times.

Stepping into the shower, she felt herself waking up, just a bit more as the water washed over her, her hair becoming soaked instantly and falling down her face. She blinked as she realized she forgot to take off her glasses. Reaching to her face, she removed them and placed them aside. She had chosen a wet bathroom style reminiscent of what was common in Asia so that she needn’t worry about water getting outside of the shower.

Looking down at her phone on her wrist, she quickly pulled up the app for Moon and summoned a hologram of him.

The dog glanced at her and blushed before covering his eyes. “Horizon, perhaps you could have rang for me at a time when you’re more… Decent?”

Horizon looked down at herself and then shrugged. “You’re an AI, I don’t think you should be embarrassed here…”

Moon sighed before uncovering his face. “I suppose you’re right, but it’s not very lady-like is it?”

“Never mind that, can you run me through all the data you collected from last night? I think I need to go over it again so we can know what we’re dealing with…” Horizon instructed as she grabbed a bar of soap and began to lather herself.

Moon nodded. “Always good to be extra prepared, excellent mindset, Horizon!” He cleared his throat and began speaking. “As far as Serenade goes, I’ve analyzed all I learned several times and I’ve concluded that the initial assumption presented by Miss Yuna is indeed correct.”

“So we need Sunset Shimmer then?” Horizon asked as she scrubbed herself.

He frowned. “I’m afraid so. Crunching the numbers tells me that while I can detect that Serenade is not operating at her full strength that I can sense she was once capable of, the odds of success without Sunset Shimmer are significantly low. Even if I factor in all of your rates of improvement over time, I don’t think it will be fast enough to match Serenade, given that her power increases at a steady rate.”

“How strong do you think she really is?” Horizon asked.

Moon tapped his chin while he ran the calculations. “Well… If I had to estimate based on the rate of growth and factoring in her ability to absorb the energy of others… Serenade will reach a point where she could actually crack the entire planet in half in around… eight weeks.”

Horizon grabbed a nearby bottle of shampoo and began to wash her hair as she gave a gentle “mmm” in response. Moon was once again a bit surprised at how little the girl seemed to react to what most would consider very shocking news.

“So, we need to defeat her before that point then?” Horizon asked.

“I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple, Horizon. Serenade wants the shard of the amulet that you currently possess and the other shards. I can’t help but think getting her hands on that amulet is not only a quintessential element to her plan but could vastly increase her power on levels we can not even calculate. I don’t understand what her ulterior motive is…” Moon frowned.

Horizon thought silently for a few moments while she rinsed her head. It made the most logical sense that because the amulet belonged to Adagio at one point, she was involved somehow. Was it possible to restore Adagio’s power with only her completed amulet? Horizon didn’t know much about sirens, so she wondered if having two amulets affected their power in some capacity.

“Do you think… Having the amulet could bring Adagio back from the dead?” Horizon asked.

Moon blinked. “I highly doubt that. Such a thing defies all known science, and from my understanding from the data that Sunset submitted, it’s not possible even with magic…”

“But what if she was reincarnated somehow?” Horizon asked.

“You mean like… Reborn?” Moon tilted his head.

Horizon nodded. “Maybe such a thing is possible. Given how much power she had, perhaps she set up some kind of failsafe like that? And giving the amulet to her reincarnated self could restore her past self’s memories.”

Moon was stunned for a brief second but responded. “If such a thing were possible… It would be the first documented case of such a thing… I suppose it’s another way to utilize magic that has yet to be explored. In that scenario, the person isn’t really dying, but merely transferring their consciousness elsewhere just before their body dies… Maybe… Just maybe, with enough power, it could be done… But I have no way to verify such a thing…”

Horizon turned the water off and grabbed a nearby towel. She began to dry her body before stepping out of the shower, and then eventually began to rub her head furiously to try and get as much water out of her hair as possible. The girl snagged her glasses as she walked out of the bathroom with the towel resting on her head.

“If that theory is correct, then I imagine it would spell out big trouble for all of us. Another siren wouldn’t exactly be the most ideal situation…” Horizon stated.

Moon nodded in agreement. “Correct. If anything, we have to prevent her from getting the full amulet at all costs in the chance that your theory is correct.”

“Yeah, that’s true…” Horizon yawned before stepping out of her bedroom entirely.

Once in the hallway, she could hear Twilight call up the stairs to her from down the hall. “Horizon, your friend Jasper is here to see you, I sent him up!”

Horizon stood there in the hallway as she saw Jasper ascend the stairs and glance in her direction before his face turned bright crimson as he looked away and covered his eyes. “Uh… Horizon… Y’all might wanna put some clothes on?”

Horizon looked down at herself and realized she had forgotten to get dressed. She shrugged and gestured for him to follow. “Right, I guess I forgot…”

Jasper instead chose to wait at the stairwell. “I’ll wait here til’ you’re decent…”

Shrugging, Horizon re-entered her bedroom and slipped on some clothing. She found her school uniform and quickly placed it upon herself, adjusting her tie as necessary before exiting the room with a pair of shoes in her hand.

Jasper uncovered his eyes and sighed as the two began to make their way down the stairs. “I swear, girl, y’all need to do a bit more to preserve your modesty…”

Horizon tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

He sighed. “Never mind… Anyhoo, I figured I’d check up on you before school, though as I expected, you’re runnin’ late…”

“Doesn’t that mean you’re late too?” Horizon asked.

He waved his hand. “Don’t matter, I was concerned about you, so I had to make sure you were okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Horizon asked.

“Well… I imagined on the account of Sunset just reappearing, and y’all didn’t exactly seem too excited about the prospect of her joining our little operation…” Jasper rubbed his neck as the two made their way downstairs.

As they approached the door that would lead them to the garage where the family’s many cars were stored, Horizon shrugged. “I don’t really feel anything… What am I supposed to feel right now?”

Jasper sighed as the two entered her Audi. “I swear… Y’all are the only person who struggles this hard with emotions… Like, are you sad? Angry? I mean you’d be right to feel either way, this woman did just up and abandon you and Twilight out of the blue…”

Horizon started the engine and set the destination as she thought about it. She gave her usual monotone-sounding response. “I guess I’m just not smart enough to understand emotions as you do… I can’t really grasp anything…”

“That ain’t true. Y’all are plenty smart.” Jasper smiled.

He knew that she was hurting, but she just didn’t know how to process it. Horizon had spent most of her life ignoring her own emotions, and so she had a difficult time recognizing when they appeared, but he knew she was angry the other day, he felt it when he felt her arm trembling. She may have struggled with figuring out how to express herself, but he knew that even if she didn’t understand her own emotions, they were there.

He couldn’t imagine what she was going through and was thankful that his own family was far from dysfunctional, but he couldn’t help but feel sorry that Horizon wasn’t blessed with the same. She had all the money and wealth in the world and could buy anything she ever desired, and yet he could tell: she couldn’t find true happiness.

While Twilight did all she could to care for the girl and make her feel loved, it was obvious that Horizon didn’t know what it meant to be loved or to love someone else. That kind of damage was entirely the fault of Sunset Shimmer, and the more Jasper thought about it, the more he was angry on Horizon’s behalf. Truthfully he wasn’t too keen on Sunset joining them either, if not solely because of what it meant for Horizon. It would bring up so much pain for her, that part of him wished there was another way, but as much as he cared about her feelings, he cared more about her safety.

Serenade was a ruthless killer, and they would need everything they had to defeat her. With Sunset on their side, they stood a better chance, if not only slightly, and that was more than enough reason to put his personal feelings aside and do what needed to be done.

It was clear though, that eventually, Sunset and Horizon would have the face the demons that Sunset created together, and Jasper knew he would be there for Horizon to help her through it. She was his longest childhood friend and she deserved that much from him. Even if he could not heal the pain she had been hiding from he would be there to help her as much as he could.

The only thing that was certain was the next few weeks would likely be some of the most awkward.

Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes and glanced over at Yuna who apparently had already been awake. She was tapping away at a hologram she had created on her phone, analyzing data and crunching as many numbers as she could. Sunset surmised that she was likely quite the bright student, not unlike her older sister, or even Sunset’s wife. She wondered how bright Horizon was, but she doubted she would be able to see firsthand.

The older woman grunted to get Yuna’s attention, which caused the teen to look over at her and blush. “Oh… Hello… I mean, good morning…”

“What time is it?” Sunset asked.

“Around 8 AM.”

“And you’ve been awake for how long?” Sunset asked.

Yuna blushed. “Ummm… Maybe for an hour or so?”

Sunset frowned. “I thought I said we should preserve our energy.”

“I know, but I was restless… I am trying to run some calculations on how long we can stay here given the amount of water we have with us…” Yuna stated, “And maybe running some numbers on how to get out of here…”

Sunset sat up a bit and rested her hands on her lap. “So, what did you find?”

“Well… There’s no internet or cellular connection here, satellite is out too, so no GPS… I am pretty sure that Lightning Dust put up some pretty sophisticated jammers, so there’s no chance of getting a message out of here, and without a connection, access to Moon is down too…” Yuna frowned, making Sunset feel a tad sad to see the girl so defeated.

“Moon requires a connection?” Sunset asked.

Yuna nodded before adjusting her glasses, then realizing they were a bit dirty so she took them off and began to wipe them clean with her sleeve as she explained. “I designed him to be connected to several devices and communicate between them in real-time, this required him to have a persistent connection to do that, but I made it so he can substitute cellular for satellite, and in extreme circumstances, even long-range spacial connection… But that’s such a fairly new tech that it’s more of me trying to future-proof him…”

“So you never anticipated a situation where he couldn’t connect?” Sunset raised a brow.

Yuna shrugged before placing her glasses back on her face. “Well, in this day and age? Cellular signal alone is so strong that people get full service out in the mountains where they’re at least a hundred miles away from any tower. Ever since they introduced 8G, dropped connections are more or less a thing of the past… But I suppose I should have considered a scenario where I’d have to operate him on old tech standards…”

Sunset chuckled, covering her mouth a bit.

Tilting her head, Yuna tried to see what was so funny. Their scenario was bleak, and the situation was becoming increasingly stressful. “Did I say something funny?”

Sunset calmed herself and shook her head. “No, sorry… It’s just you reminded me a bit of Twilight for a minute there…”

“Oh… Right…” Yuna blushed.

The two fell silent for an awkward few seconds before Yuna broke it.

“So… You really haven’t seen your wife in a long time, huh?”

Sunset nodded. “Eight years… Though I saw her again for the first time the other day after I met all of you.”

“Was she thrilled to see you?” Yuna asked.

Sunset let out a hearty laugh. “Well, I wouldn’t call her reaction ‘thrilled’. She told me not to come around anymore and then said we should get a divorce.”

Yuna frowned and sunk down a little, feeling somewhat bad for even asking. “Oh… I’m sorry to bring it up then…”

Sunset waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t be, you didn’t know and I probably had that one coming for a long time. I mean, I haven’t exactly been a model wife.”

“So you intend to oblige?” Yuna wondered out loud.

Sunset shrugged. “Not much, I can do. I love Twilight, but I have to give her what she wants. The reality is, I can’t say I’m what’s best for her if I keep hurting her as I do. She deserves to be happy, even if that means without me…”

“That’s sad to hear…” Yuna nearly whispered.

Sunset’s expression remained neutral. “Well, she’s managed this long without me. Horizon is almost all grown up, and no thanks to my help. Twilight managed to do that all on her own, so I guess the reality is… She never needed me in the first place. Maybe she’s right, maybe I’m more of a detriment than a help.”

“You sound pretty hard on yourself…” Yuna spoke, saying it more as a question than a statement.

The redhead looked away and said nothing. The two sat in silence for a solid minute before Sunset changed the subject. “So… Your calculations in regard to how long we can stay here?”

Blinking, Yuna snapped back to reality and cleared her throat. “Oh… Right… Given how much water we have… I’d say maybe… two weeks if we’re conservative?”

Sunset nodded. “I don’t need as much water as you, demonic energy, and all drastically reduces my needs, so maybe a bit longer than that…”

Yuna smiled. “Well, that’s good news at least… All the time we can get… Unfortunately as far as food goes… Yeah, that’s not going to be pleasant because we have none.”

Closing her eyes, Sunset sighed. The woman reached into her jacket and retrieved her handgun, causing Yuna to flinch at the sight of it. She tapped it to her forehead in thought. “Well… there’s always one way out of here…”

Yuna’s eyes widened. “You would actually…?”

Sunset glanced over with serious eyes. “Lightning Dust is keeping us alive as some kind of bargaining chips with Serenade. If push comes to shove, I think it’s better to go out without waiting for Serenade’s arrival. What she will do to us is likely far worse… That being said, I will gladly end myself before I even risk becoming her pawn. I could never live with the thought that Serenade could use me to kill Horizon or Twilight. I’ll die before I allow that to happen.”

“Okay… Well, that’s plan B at least figured out…” Yuna spoke jokingly.

Sunset smirked. “I only wish I had brought explosives, so at least if I go out like that, I take that bitch, Lightning with me.”

Yuna rubbed her neck awkwardly. Sensing that she was being too morbid for the girl, Sunset placed her gun at her side and changed the subject. “So, any possibility of hacking the devices keeping us in here?”

Perking back up, Yuna coughed. “I looked into that, and sadly… No dice. The jammers and this forcefield seem to be operating more on hardware than software. So unless I can reach the actual devices, there is little I can do from here. I’m limited to just my phone, after all.”

“I guess all we can do now is hope your friends find us,” Sunset stated.

“That does seem to be the only viable option before us… However, I’m sure they’ve already noticed we’re missing and are likely trying to find us as we speak. Hell, I’m sure they will not only find us but take care of Lightning Dust while they’re at it!” Yuna grinned.

Sunset smiled back, wishing she could share the young girl’s optimism, but given all she had been through in her life, she found it difficult to blindly believe things would just “work out” without directly influencing things to play out in her favor. The truth was, Sunset had no idea how long they would be trapped there, or if they would get out at all. Given that there was no way for Horizon and her friends to locate them, and the only person who knew where they were would never tell them, the odds were not looking too great.

The redhead didn’t want to tell Yuna, but she was already contemplating the distinct chance that they might not ever leave the room they currently sat in. If that was the case, she had no idea how things would play out with Serenade.

Could Eclipse along with Horizon’s friends finish what she started? Perhaps they could find a way to Equestria to recruit more help to fight the demon; Horizon did seem to be somewhat resourceful after all, and if she wasn’t, surely one of her other friends was, right? If they stuck together, their odds were far better.

Still, it left Sunset feeling somewhat anxious to not know what was happening, or if her daughter would even live. So long as they were trapped and Serenade lived, she couldn’t rest easy. If that demon were dead, she could gladly close her eyes and wait to die in this place, but with her alive, Sunset felt restless.

“We should probably get more rest then… Preserve our energy as much as we can…” Sunset suggested.

Yuna sighed but agreed. “I suppose you’re right…”

The two both laid down and closed their eyes, unsure of how many times they would have to wake up in this place, all they knew was that if they didn’t find a way out, this place would be their crypt.

Horizon found herself unable to pay attention in class. Her mind kept wandering to thoughts of how their group would defeat Serenade. In actuality, going to school now felt like a wasteful use of her time. She wanted to skip and focus solely on their mission, but she knew that her aunt couldn’t keep brushing her absences under the rug forever.

When her previous class was dismissed, she made her way to Yuna’s locker, knowing that after second period, Yuna always made a stop there to pick up some things she would need for her next class. Horizon stood there waiting, noting that Yuna hadn’t arrived yet.

The girl glanced down at her phone on her wrist, noticing that Yuna was now approximately five minutes late, something that was not like her. Realizing she couldn’t wait any longer or she’d be tardy, Horizon shrugged and made her way to her next class, but not before making a text message hologram appear before her as she entered the classroom.

As Horizon made her way to her seat, she sent a text to Yuna, merely asking, “Where are you?”

She stared at the hologram from under her desk as the teacher in the room began to ramble about something or other that Horizon couldn’t bring herself to care about at the current moment. She stared away at the screen, noting that it said the message hadn’t even been delivered; most odd.

Changing up her strategy, Horizon texted Bolt.

Horizon: Hey, have you heard from Yuna? I haven’t gotten any kind of response from her since yesterday.
Bolt: Can’t say I have. What was the last thing you said to her?
Horizon: She said she wanted to find Sunset and talk to her about joining our team, but that was almost an entire day ago. She didn’t show up at her locker today at her usual time, and I don’t think she’s in school at all today.
Bolt: That’s weird. I just messaged Thorn and she said she hasn’t seen her either… No pun intended, obviously.
Horizon: It’s probably not normal for her to skip class, she has perfect attendance.
Bolt: Yeah, I’d say that constitutes as not normal… Maybe she’s caught up with something that Sunset had her help with?
Horizon: I suppose that’s a possibility. We should have everyone meet up after school to discuss this, especially if she doesn’t answer my text by then.
Bolt: I agree. Even if she’s occupied, it’s not like that girl to put things off like this. I’ll message the others, you message Jasper… You’re better at dealing with him than me, anyway. Besides, I have to arrange to assist Thorn in getting there, for obvious reasons.
Horizon: Okay.
Bolt: Hey, unrelated, but while I have you here, uh… Does Keylime ever say anything about me?
Horizon: Be more specific.
Bolt: Like, does she say anything that would hint how she thinks of me?
Horizon: I’m not sure, I understand your inquiry.
Bolt: Never mind, just forget I said anything.
Horizon: Okay.

Ending her conversation, she looked over her text to Yuna once more, and sure enough, the message still wasn’t delivered. As much as she wanted to address the problem at that very moment, she needed to stay in class.

Horizon closed the app on her phone and decided it was best to try and pay attention for now.

After school couldn’t come quickly enough. Everyone without Horizon’s friend group had grown anxious to find out what happened to Yuna. Thorn and Bolt were the last to arrive, Bolt guiding the blind teen into Jasper’s living room where they all had agreed to convene about Yuna. He aided her in finding a seat, to which she nodded her head in thanks. Jasper upon seeing this was a bit surprised at how chivalrous he was being, something he was not used to.

After everyone had arrived, Jasper cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “So, I think most of us are familiar with what’s going on, but I’ll let Horizon bring people up to speed.” He gestured over at the girl who sat across from him.

Blinking, Horizon was caught off guard, but gave her explanation, regardless. “Yuna has been missing since yesterday. I haven’t been able to get any of my messages to her.”

“She was last heading to meet up with Sunset Shimmer, correct?” Thorn inquired.

Jasper nodded on Horizon’s behalf. “Yeah. After that, seems like we lost contact with her. It ain’t like her either, that girl is so tech savvy that she answers calls without a problem, usually.”

“Has anyone called her sister?” Candy questioned.

Jasper nodded. “Yeah, tried it. She isn’t answering either. Bolt went and checked her house but no one is answering, it’s like they all vanished.”

Keylime leaned in with intrigue. “Maybe they got taken by a spooky ghost!”

“I’d say it’s more likely that Serenade took them somewhere…” Cloud chimed in.

Keylime leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms disappointedly. She grumbled under her breath about how she would have liked to see a spooky ghost.

Nova chuckled and rolled her eyes. “As much as my family specializes in hunting the paranormal, a ghost isn’t likely. Of all the things we’ve seen, we’re pretty sure there’s no such thing as ghosts. I’m afraid I’m going to have to agree with Cloud; it’s most likely that this is Serenade’s doing and nothing more.”

“Ghost would have been cooler…” Keylime grumbled.

Bolt chuckled and nudged the girl’s shoulder. “Demons are bad enough, be thankful we aren’t dealing with ghosts too.”

“Getting back on topic…” Jasper cleared his throat.

“Should we call the police about this? I mean it’s a case of people disappearing after all…” Cloud suggested.

Horizon shook her head. “That would be a bad idea. Serenade already is unpredictable, getting the police involved would only put them in danger, not to mention it's highly unlikely that they would believe us. I doubt many officers are going to take some teenagers seriously when they say their friend was kidnapped by a demon from another world.”

Nova nodded and gave an approving hand gesture. “I agree. In the line of work my family has always been in, we’ve found that the police seldom help. If anything they will just complicate things further. The last thing we need is law enforcement poking their nose around all of this.”

“Given that we’re dealing with otherworldly magical beings, I’d say that’s wise…” Jasper agreed.

Bolt let out a small chuckle, finding it predictable that he would agree with Nova. Jasper ignored his actions and continued. “So, how do we proceed then? We ain’t got no leads, and law enforcement ain’t gonna help…”

“Maybe Eclipse can help? I mean he would know where Sunset went last, right?” Nova suggested.

“Not a bad idea, plus I wouldn’t mind seeing him again…” Candy purred.

“Really, Candy?” Jasper facepalmed.

“What? All I’m saying is he was cute. That nice long silky hair, that feminine skin, but still has that strong male aura about him… Mmmm…” She was lost in her fantasy almost instantly.

“Your sister has absolute garbage taste in men.” Bolt chuckled.

“That aside… Since the rest of us have school, I was thinking that Nova should go flag Eclipse down…” Jasper rolled his eyes.

With a wink and a nod, Nova agreed. “No problem there, I’ll call you when I’ve got his attention.”

“Alright, so we have a plan going forward… For now, we should really ask around and see if anyone has seen Sunset, Yuna, or Moondancer,” Jasper instructed.

Serenade sunk down into her bathtub, cooing in delight as the water touched her body. She had been longing for a bath all day, but naturally, it would be interrupted as one of her subordinates tapped on the door to alert her. She sighed and rolled her eyes before speaking up. “Go ahead.”

The door opened and inside walked Lightning Dust. Serenade gave an annoyed expression before waving her hand, a black tendril exited the tub and slithered over to Lightning Dust, lingering around her right foot. The athletic woman looked down at it for a brief moment but then returned her gaze back to Serenade.

“You know, Lightning, I keep a schedule so I’m not interrupted during my bath, and yet here we are, you standing in front of me while I’m in the bath… Do you know why that is?” Serenade raised a brow.

Opening her mouth the answer, Lightning didn’t manage to get a word out before Serenade continued, answering her own question. “Because you are an incompetent, pathetic waste of oxygen. Now, you haven’t been avoiding me, have you, Lightning?”

Lightning stood firm and did her best not to allow Serenade’s words to get to her, but it was true that they stung just a little bit. “I have not. I have been searching for Sunset Shimmer as you’ve requested, but the woman seems to have gone into hiding or something, perhaps out of fear after your encounter with Horizon and her little entourage?”

Serenade chuckled and grinned. “Yes… Well, see to it that she’s found. I want a body, Lightning Dust, the whole thing too. Bring her corpse to me soon, or you can take her place…”

Lightning gave a salute to acknowledge she understood her orders.

The door behind Lightning Dust swung open and then closed causing Lightning to glance in that direction. Behind her, an average-height man entered, removing his hood to show his messy dark hair and his eye patch that covered one of his eyes. His other vibrant red eye glanced over at Lightning Dust as he kept a serious expression.

Coming closer to Serenade caused the siren to snap her fingers and gesture toward the door. “Leave us, Lightning Dust.”

Bowing first, Lightning took the chance to make her exit and shut the door behind her. Serenade looked up at Arax and smiled. “I was wondering when you were going to show up.”

“I had some things to attend to…” Arax spoke.

Reaching out of the tub, Serenade took his hand and nodded. “Always busy it seems…”

Arax rolled his eye. “I think something is wrong… Sunset Shimmer wouldn’t just vanish like that… I think Lightning Dust is hiding something from us…”

Serenade shrugged. “Who cares? There’s no way she killed Sunset Shimmer, so I’m sure she’ll turn up, and then we can kill Lightning Dust. No problems.”

“I think we should look into this matter more closely…” Arax suggested.

“You’re always such a killjoy, you know that?” Serenade frowned.

Arax grunted. “I don’t think we should take any chances. Lightning is a liability, and if she managed to make Sunset go away… There’s a possibility she is working on a way to use Sunset’s abilities to take us out.”

Serenade let out a sigh. “I’ll kill her within the next two weeks, regardless if she turns up with Sunset’s corpse. Until then, I’ll have another one of our guys search for Sunset Shimmer, someone that Lightning doesn’t know. Will that put you at ease?”

Arax shrugged. “I guess for now…”

Smiling, Serenade stood up in the tub, water, and suds running down her nude form before she reached forward and placed her hand upon Arax’s chest. She giggled and looked up at him. “Now that business is taken care of… How about pleasure?”

He looked down at her with a raised brow, before letting out a sigh. “Fine, but let’s make it quick.”

Eclipse let out a long yawn as he stretched in front of the door to his hotel room. He had been out for a considerable amount of time and didn’t even come home last night. Instead, he had spent the previous night pleasuring a young man he had run into at the nightclub. He needed some time away from Sunset, after all, and so long as she didn’t call for him, he was just fine to stay away from her.

He opened the door after taking the key from his pocket and then tossed the keys into a nearby bowl. He removed his shoes and let out another long yawn as he collapsed onto his bed. He let out a sigh as he closed his eyes, but he wouldn’t be able to slip into a slumber as he heard an effeminate voice come from the other side of the room. “About time you showed up…”

He grumbled as he turned his head toward the bed that Sunset slept on, but sitting there was not her. Instead, it was one of those teenagers he had seen a few days prior, though one he never learned the name of. She was slender and fashionable, something he could appreciate, but far too womanly for his liking.

“How’d you find this place?” Eclipse asked.

The teen grinned at him. “I’m pretty resourceful. My family has traveled all over looking for strange and abnormal things, so finding creatures like you is a skill of mine.”

“Fair enough… I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced… My name is-“ Eclipse didn’t get a chance to finish before she cut him off.

“Eclipse, I know. I’m Nova.” She responded.

“Fine… So Nova… Why are you in my room, bothering me?” Eclipse asked.

“Are you doing something important?” She giggled.

“Something like that…” Eclipse said.

“Spreading your seed around town then?” She smirked.

Eclipse just smirked right back at her. “To anyone who’ll have it. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t fancy me too.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Nah, I like ‘em a bit more masculine than the likes of you.”

“Can’t compete with someone prettier than you?” He replied.

“Let me know when you find someone like that… Anyway, I’m here because Sunset Shimmer has been missing for a few days now,” Nova explained.

Eclipse sat up and shrugged, uninterested in such a discussion. “Who cares? Sunset disappears all the time. Half the time she’s trying to ditch me, maybe she actually succeeded this time, that’d be funny.”

Nova shook her head. “I don’t think so. Our friend Yuna and her sister Moondancer both have dropped off the face of the earth since the moment that Sunset was unable to be found. We’re pretty sure this isn’t a coincidence…”

Eclipse shrugged once more. “If they disappeared with Sunset, I’m sure they’ll turn up. I doubt she’ll be able to stand her for too long.”

“We were hoping you could help us track them down…” Nova rolled her eyes.

Eclipse sighed. “I swear I get so sick of babysitting Sunset Shimmer… But, I’ll help…”

“Perfect, meet up with us tomorrow at Horizon’s place. You can share what you know and we’ll see if we can’t track them down.” Nova nodded.

“Fine, now can I get back to sleep?” Eclipse asked.

She stood up and grinned before heading to the door. She turned back and spoke to him one last time. “Try not to forget, I know all the fucking can be distracting, but try and keep it in your pants tomorrow so you can focus.”

Before he could respond, she left the room. He rolled his eyes before laying back down. He mumbled as he went to sleep. “No wonder I don’t like women…”

Eclipse had kept his promise and arrived at Horizon Shimmer’s home, but not before taking some time to see if he could pinpoint Sunset’s location. He had checked his phone to see if she had sent him any messages, but nothing that would reveal her ultimate location. He would go over it with Horizon and her friends.

Looking at the house, he was intrigued by its impressive size and surmised that Sunset must have downplayed how wealthy her family had become since the death of her human counterpart, or sister as she put it. The place looked worth well into the hundreds of millions, and if Sunset’s wife, Twilight was as smart as she claimed, there was little doubt that she turned that money into far more money during Sunset’s absence. He felt somewhat bad for the girl though, he couldn’t imagine being married to Sunset, or how irritating it would be.

Pushing the button for the bell, the doorbell rang and it opened automatically within seconds. While he was used to magic, it still astounded him how much human technology could simulate it, or even in some cases far surpass what it was capable of. Ponies still could not send messages so easily across long distances like humans could. Back in Equestria, they would use comm orbs that had to be manually delivered or linked in special ways, and the process took a considerable amount of magic, but humans could call each other from across the world in seconds.

Stepping inside, he was greeted by a woman approaching her forties who smiled at him and bowed her head gently. Her glasses almost fell off of her face, but she caught them and readjusted them. She wore a turtleneck sweater and placed her hands in front of herself with a smile. “You must be Eclipse.”

Eclipse nodded. “That I am. I am going to guess that you’re Twilight Shimmer, yes?”

She nodded back at him, “That’s correct. You’ve been taking care of Sunset for some time now, haven’t you?”

“I’m not sure I’d call it taking care of… More like… Babysitting?” He smirked.

The woman chuckled as she covered her mouth. “That does sound more accurate, after all, she’s a handful. I apologize for any trouble she’s caused you, trouble does seem to follow her around…”

He laughed. Now he understood how the two of them could be married, she knew just what to expect out of the chaotic storm that was Sunset Shimmer. “Yeah, that’s also accurate. No worries though, our goals align, so I put up with her. You’re the one who has to be married to her, so you’ve got the worse job.” He winked.

Twilight rubbed her neck, it clearly was a sore subject, but she carried on without commenting on it. “Yes, well, Horizon and her friends are waiting for you in the downstairs living room, it’s just to your left, you can’t miss it.”

Eclipse smiled and gave a thumbs-up. “No worries, and thank you for having me, sorry it’s not under better circumstances.”

“Very little that happens in my life is under the best circumstances,” Twilight replied.

He chose not to reply to that, instead, he made his way over to the area he was instructed toward and sure enough, he could see the group of teenagers all congregated there, waiting for his arrival, Nova sitting on the arm of a chair with a smirk on her face. Eclipse rolled his eyes and then stuck his hands in his pockets as he spoke up.

“Hey…”

The group all waved at him with Jasper taking charge. “Glad you made it, sorry to disturb you…”

Eclipse dismissed his concern with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry about it. So, we’re all trying to figure out where that waste of space, Sunset Shimmer ran off to, right?”

“Well… She’s likely with Yuna and possibly Moondancer too…” Jasper added.

“Right, so the waste of space took two useful people with her, that’s the usual for her, after all, she’s all but incompetent without the constant aid of others to save her, right?” Eclipse chuckled.

There was a short silence followed by Eclipse shrugging and stating, “Wow, tough crowd.”

After the awkwardness, Cloud decided to continue the discussion, or at the very least lead it back in the right direction. “Anyway… We were really hoping you had something that could lead us to Sunset Shimmer, Yuna, or Moondancer?”

Eclipse crossed his arms and sighed. “I wish I could tell you that I did, but unfortunately, the last message I got from her said she was heading to a cafe, but that was days ago. Didn’t say where she was going after…”

“Maybe we could check the cafe and ask if anyone recognizes her? I mean she’s got a pretty identifiable appearance…” Nova suggested as she held up a finger.

Bolt agreed instantly. “Yeah, I mean with hair that long and wild, she’d stand out. People would remember seeing someone looking like her.”

“Can’t disagree with that.” Eclipse nodded.

“So we can head to the cafe and ask around, maybe someone can tell us what direction she headed, and from there we can check those locations to see if others saw her that day?” Cloud suggested.

Bolt gently nudged his younger brother, who rubbed the spot he was hit repeatedly, clearly not being as into roughhousing as his more aggressive brother. “Not bad, little bro! You’re a regular detective!”

Cloud nodded and gave a sheepish smile.

“So we just wander around looking for some sheepdog-looking-redhead?” Candy raised a brow.

“Sounds about right…” Eclipse nodded.

Candy grew a smile. “Sounds fun! Like a real whodunit kind of mystery!”

“Don’t forget this is serious, Candy…” Jasper reminded.

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Doesn’t mean we can’t have fun!”

“I really wish you would take this kind of thing seriously…” Jasper sighed.

“Regardless, it’s our best option right now. Eclipse hasn’t seen her about as long as we haven’t, so Cloud’s idea might be our only real option right now until we get more information.” Nova broke up the sibling squabble.

“Well, let’s get at it then… Time to hunt down two nerds and an insufferable cunt…” Eclipse crossed his arms and sighed.

“Don’t get too excited…” Jasper rolled his eyes.

Cinder recognized Serenade’s scent, it was something she could not forget. From the day they met, she memorized the girl’s smell. At one point, the soft effeminate aura that was left in the air whenever Serenade was around brought her joy, now just thinking of a time when she actually enjoyed the smell made Cinder disgusted with herself.

Sniffing the air, Cinder followed the scent and made her way up a stairwell of an abandoned apartment complex. She would find her way up to the roof, assuming that Serenade had been likely temporarily operating from this location. The siren was clever, she never stayed in one place for too long, so Cinder didn’t want to miss a chance to confront her.

As Cinder approached the door to the roof, she readied her blades and took a breath to focus herself. Once she was confident, she kicked the door in, knocking over one of Serenade’s henchmen who was guarding it. Another eight locked eyes with her, and then she could see another eight appear out of thin air, likely some kind of mindless drones that Serenade could summon at will. Within seconds the room was full of them, but Cinder quickly realized it wasn’t Serenade summoning them, but the man standing next to her.

Cinder got a good look at him while she kept her blades drawn, she recognized him, Arax.

Arax stepped forward but Serenade gave a dismissive hand gesture. “It’s alright… That’s just my wife.” Serenade smirked.

Cinder spit at the comment and kept her battle stance. Arax snapped his fingers and all the drones vanished, leaving only their true henchmen standing there, who all stepped aside as Serenade approached.

Serenade smiled at Cinder. “Still alive, darling?”

“And waiting for this day…” Cinder nodded.

“Who knew being married would be so difficult…” Serenade joked again.

“I can’t believe I ever wanted to mate with something like you…” Cinder growled.

Serenade giggled and placed a finger on one of Cinder’s blades. She lowered it carefully with said finger as she glanced over at the much taller dark-skinned woman. “It’s only natural to crave the best, isn’t it? After all, didn’t your clan teach to strive to be the very best? That’s all I’ve been doing since…”

Cinder raised her sword back up and pointed it at Serenade’s throat. “You dare pervert our teachings?”

Serenade smiled and wrapped her hand around Cinder’s blade, holding it tightly, black blood began to drip from Serenade’s hand as she did. “Look at you… So eager to be with me again… That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? Secretly, you long for my embrace… Even in death. You want me to kill you so you can feel me touch you again, don’t you Cinder… Why not just admit it.”

Cinder attempted to pull her sword free, but Serenade’s grip was too strong. Instead, she looked the siren in the eyes and growled. “The only thing I want to feel is my claws around your neck… I should thank you for leaving me with one… So I can still at least partially enjoy the sensation when I sink this blade into you…”

Serenade seemed unaffected. She released the sword and let her hand rest at her side, the black blood dripping onto the ground, but within seconds, it vanished. In only a matter of seconds, her hand had healed from the sharp cut of the blade, and all the blood vanished. “I would kill you now, Cinder, but where’s the fun in that? You’re not at your peak… You’re half-cocked and rusty. All that peacetime in Equestria made you soft…”

“I’m plenty enough for the likes of you!” Cinder hissed as she sliced at Serenade, but both of her blades were stopped by black tendrils that wrapped around them, preventing her from moving them.

“No… You’re nothing like Ash… Now killing him… That felt good like I got to actually test my powers…” Serenade spoke.

Cinder knew she was only trying to get under her skin.

“You know… On my way to this world, I had to travel through hell…” Serenade continued, now the tendrils ripped the swords right out of Cinder’s hands, another tendril pushing her down to the ground. The tall woman looked up at Serenade standing over her, even on the ground, Serenade still didn’t stand that tall though.

“I had to pass many trials to open the gateway that would allow me and my minions to this place… And one of those trials had me face a demon who wished to be the demon lord, just like I did…” She purred.

Cinder blinked, not sure why the story was relevant.

“Quite a fierce dragon he was… And he said he had been waiting a long time to face me once more…” Serenade spoke.

Cinder didn’t want to hear the rest. “No… That’s not… It’s not possible… He wouldn’t…”

“Oh, but he would… His anger and hatred toward me had consumed him; turned him into a demon in death, and by the time I had appeared before him again… He was the baddest of them all…” Serenade teased.

Cinder couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “He wouldn’t…” She repeated.

“No need to worry though, he’s a demon no longer… I took care of that…” Serenade smirked.

Quivering, Cinder said nothing.

“Killing him a second time was definitely more fun than the first. He put up a much better fight that time…” Serenade taunted.

Cinder looked at the ground, not knowing what to say.

“So much for your clan’s morals… A lot of good they did him…” Serenade chuckled.

Cinder could feel tears leave her eyes, but she remained silent.

“Anyway… That’s what I mean… You’re not at your top form yet… You don’t hate me enough. To give me a show worthy of my time… You need more motivation to despise me… Come back when you’re full of rage, Cinder… I want to fight you only when you are going to give me a show…” Serenade chuckled before tossing the woman’s blades to the ground. She gestured with her hand for her subordinates to follow her, and they did as all of them made their exit down the stairs.

Cinder just sat there. If her brother had fallen so far, surely it was her fault. She brought the object of his hatred into his life, and that hatred consumed him. Even in death, he had become so disgraced, and Cinder was why.

She wanted to be angry, but she feared becoming what he had become. Serenade had beaten her in a way she never could have anticipated.

Sunset woke up once more and glanced over at the now somewhat feeble Yuna. The young teen took a small sip of water from her thermos and looked over at Sunset. She gave a weak smile to Sunset before crawling over toward her. Her body was already starting the early stages of starvation. Sunset knew how it would go down, first, the body eats all it has in reserve, then devours itself until it has nothing left.

The two of them had been there for several days, without so much as a visit from Lightning Dust. They had concocted virtually every possible scenario that would grant them an escape, but nothing panned out. The trap they had sprung had them both too tightly. Every possible angle had been thought out, and thus the two wouldn’t escape. Lightning had been far too thorough.

Yuna leaned her back against a wall, looking over at Sunset with friendly eyes. It only caused Sunset to sigh.

“Hey…” Sunset began.

“Hey…” Yuna replied weakly.

Sunset sat up straight and cleared her throat. “Listen… We’ve been here a few days now, and I think it’s about time we started really considering the possibility that we don’t make it out of here…”

Yuna stayed quiet.

Reaching next to her, Sunset grabbed her gun and slid it across the floor over to Yuna. “I think it’s best if you have this…”

Yuna looked down at the gun and then back up at Sunset. “I’m not going to kill myself to get out of here…”

Sunset shook her head. “It’s not for you… It’s for me.”

“Huh?” Yuna blinked.

“Listen, the body can only survive so long without food. While I’m sure you have no plans of eating me, I can’t say that if I grow too weak that I will be able to control the demon inside of me…” Sunset stated.

Yuna’s eyes widened at what Sunset was suggesting.

“If it comes to it… The demon inside of me will do anything to survive, and if I’m that weak… I won’t be able to stop it… So I imagine taking me out is a lot better of an alternative than being eaten, don’t you?” Sunset said.

Yuna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She never imagined in her entire life she would be in a situation where she needed to consider such possibilities. She looked at the gun but then slid it back to Sunset.

Sunset raised a brow in confusion. “You’d rather be eaten?” Sunset asked.

Yuna smiled and shook her head. “No, it’s not that… It’s just… I know Horizon is going to rescue us…”

“You’re that confident?” Sunset blinked.

Yuna nodded. “I am… Horizon will find us in time, I know it.”

“You have a lot of faith in her, huh?” Sunset smiled back at her.

“I do…”

“So, when are you going to tell her that you love her?” Sunset smirked.

Yuna’s face turned red. “Is it… That obvious?”

Sunset laughed. “Yeah, but don’t worry your secret is safe with me.”

“Do you believe Horizon will save us?” Yuna asked.

Sunset sighed as she bit her lip. “I think… I think she’ll save us to rescue you. Me? Well… Let’s just say if you weren’t here, I’d have zero chance of getting out of here…”

“You think Horizon resents you that much?” Yuna questioned.

Sunset closed her eyes before speaking. “Who knows… All I know is that she deserves better than me… I wasn’t the mother she deserved, I kept running off to play the hero after all… It’s just as Twilight says, and Eclipse.”

“If you know it hurts your relationships… Why do you keep doing it, if you don’t mind me asking?” Yuna tilted her head.

Sunset opened an eye and got a good look at Yuna. She looked ever so curious. Sighing, Sunset leaned back and decided to tell her.

“Shimmer… The girl that your sister fell in love with… Well, it’s like this… When I came to this world, it had an impact on her. Because we are connected by being counterparts of each other, my arrival sort of… Awakened magic within her, and from that moment on, all it did was ruin the girl’s life… Her parents died because of it, and then…” Sunset tried to keep her composure before continuing, “She died because of me. Adagio shot her, but it was me she was trying to kill…”

“I see…” Yuna decided not to interrupt.

“I cost that girl her life and her family. I ruined so many people’s lives so that I could stay here, and I guess I feel like I still haven’t atoned for that…” Sunset sighed.

Yuna frowned. “Yeah, but that stuff is in the past… The more you beat yourself up over it, the more you hurt those who care about you…”

“You sound just like Twilight…” Sunset chuckled. “Anyway, too little, too late. I guess I realized that all a bit too late… Still, not a day goes by when I don’t feel like I’m getting the punishment I deserve. My wife wants to divorce me, my daughter hates me, and every friend I ever had probably wants to punch me in the face… Hell, Applejack already has…”

“There’s always time to change… Time to heal things and do better…” Yuna smiled.

Sunset blinked. “I wish I could believe that… But I think that train has long since left the station.”

“Our darkest moments show us who our real friends are…” Yuna said.

Sunset glanced over at her confused. “That’s… Pretty profound advice… I’m a bit surprised hearing it from you…”

Yuna smiled. “My sister taught me that. She said you saved her from doing something she’d have regretted for the rest of her life… So you had a positive impact on someone.”

Sunset smiled back at her. “Thank you, Yuna… I think I needed to hear that right now.”

“Just try and have some faith, Horizon will find us, and then you can work on healing your relationships with all of those around you, you’ll see.” Yuna grinned.

“So wise for someone so young.” Sunset laughed.

Yuna shrugged. “Maybe I’m just delirious.”

Sunset nodded. “If that’s the case, then I’d say we’re both delirious.”

Author's Note

Keylime really wanted it to be a ghost though. :c

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXIX: Hidden

Chapter CXXIX: Hidden

Standing there after being accepted into the Wonderbolts Academy, a confused Lightning Dust glanced around after arriving at the school. She checked the nearby clock, knowing she had told her father when the opening ceremony was. She had detailed all of it in her letter to him where she excitedly had told him she was accepted into the academy. He hasn’t responded, but she assumed he would show up on time.

It was now approaching eight o’clock, and her father still wasn’t present. She could see all the other students with their parents conversing, some accepting hugs and gestures that signified how proud their parents were. Lightning Dust watched as a stallion hugged both of his parents and his father rubbed his head playfully. She wondered what that felt like, what it felt like to have a father’s approval, or even to hear him say he was proud.

Today though, she wouldn’t have to wonder any longer. Her father had always said how Lightning’s sister was destined for greatness, how she would get into the Wonderbolts, it was practically all she ever talked about when she was growing up, so she knew that this was the right move.

After her sister’s passing, Lightning made it a mission to follow the dream her sister had, to finish what she started. She would make the Wonderbolts, and her father would finally see that she could measure up to her late sister. Lightning would give it everything she had, just to show him that she could be twice the pony she needed to be if it would make him see her the way he saw her elder sister.

Lightning caught a glimpse of a mare with a multi-colored mane walking past her. She glanced over at her and could see she was in excellent shape, with all the right cuts and curves, definitely a tough competitor. Her train of thought was broken, however when an overhead speaker made a loud ding, followed by the voice of the captain of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire.

“Alright, all cadets are to report to the center arena through entrance number eight, pronto. We are about to start the ceremony, I repeat all cadets report to the center arena through entrance eight, we are about to start the ceremony!” Spitfire’s voice called out.

Around her, Lightning Dust could see many ponies parting ways with their parents, siblings, and loved ones. Each got some kind of gesture of encouragement as they made their way to the entranceway, and their loved ones began to head toward the seating entrance.

When most of the crowd had cleared up, Lightning was surprised to see that her father still wasn’t present. Grumbling in annoyance, she decided it was best to make her way to the ceremony, it wouldn’t be wise to upset Spitfire on her first day.

Going into a sprint, the mare made her way to the designated entrance and caught up with her fellow cadets as she stood in line with them. She could hear the sounds of the ceremony beginning while she glanced around the crowd, looking for her father.

After thoroughly searching the crowd a good eight times, she realized he wasn’t there. He hadn’t attended.

The mare froze there, the sounds of the ceremony became muted in her mind, and all she could think about was how he hadn’t attended. It had affirmed the one thing she had hoped for so many years wasn’t true: it didn’t matter how much she did, nor if she achieved the goals her sister had set out to do; she would never be good enough. Nothing she did would have him see her as anything beyond a big mistake.

“You were always destined to be a failure, Lightning Dust…” The raspy voice of the mare from before echoed in her ear.

Lightning turned in her direction and saw everyone around them had vanished, the entire arena had transformed into a black void, and there stood Rainbow Dash, the mare who would become her rival.

Rainbow Dash’s voice had become distorted as she spoke again. “Once a loser, always a loser. The entire world would have been better if you just weren’t born, you know that?”

“Shut up…” Lightning growled.

“Your mom would still be alive, your father would be happy…” Rainbow continued.

Lightning spoke up. “SHUT UP!”

With that outburst Lightning’s eyes opened. She sat upright and looked around her. She felt her chest, there was sweat all over her. Sighing, she crawled out of bed and grabbed a nearby towel, and began to wipe the sweat off of her body.

“When will these damn nightmares end…?” She asked herself out loud.

She hated thinking about her father, but it seemed as though, thoughts of him would constantly creep into her dreams. Between him, Rainbow Dash, and Serenade, Lightning Dust wasn’t sure there was even any more room to hate other people within her.

Sighing, the woman finished cleaning up and slipped her suit on, carefully pulling it over her form and zipping it up. She hastily placed her boots on and decided that it might be a good idea to check on her “investment”.

She headed down eight flights of stairs and finally found herself in the basement. After a short walk, she came to the makeshift cage where she kept her prize.

There against the wall, Sunset Shimmer lay there, her body barely moving. Next to her, was a very weak-looking Yuna. She didn’t appear to be moving either. Lightning cleared her throat to get their attention, but neither responded.

She rolled her eyes and finally spoke up. “Hey, you two idiots still alive, or should I start digging a hole?”

Sunset opened her eyes slowly, and Yuna followed, but it was clear that Yuna’s condition was far worse as she barely moved to get a better look at Lightning Dust. Her voice was weak as she spoke. “Are you going to let us go…?”

Lightning shook her head. “Sorry kid, while I’m not that interested in you, if I let you go now, you’ll just go squeal to your friends about what’s going on here, and then I might lose my prize…”

“Let her go, Lightning… It’s me you want, and now you have me… There’s no need to let the girl suffer like this…” Sunset said quietly.

“Don’t get me wrong… I am not really a fan of killing children, in fact, I would avoid it if I could, but I also can’t afford to take any unnecessary risks, especially right now…” Lightning said.

“At least give the girl some food, she’s dying…” Sunset replied.

Lightning shook her head. “I can’t do that. I feed her, she’ll give it to you, and that’ll only bring back your strength, you’re better off in this weakened state, much easier to deal with…”

“You do realize that if you keep me here without food, I’ll starve to death too, right?” Sunset raised a brow.

Lightning gave a dismissive hand gesture. “Nonsense. When she goes, you can always eat her… That should give you plenty of food for a while, after that I’ll just give you only enough to keep you alive.”

“For someone who said she didn’t want to kill a child, you’ve put the poor kid in a situation where her only option is to die, slowly and painfully at that. How are you any better than Serenade?” Sunset asked.

Lightning grabbed a nearby chair and set it down, she then sat backward in it, letting her arms hang as she stared at Sunset and Yuna, studying Sunset carefully.

“Sometimes people get caught in the crossfire… I’m not like Serenade, I didn’t make it a point to put this girl in this predicament, but she ended up being here by happenstance. Serenade would have just killed her for the fun of it… Hell, she’d be videotaping your predicament here…” Lightning explained.

Sunset sighed. “Lightning… I know you want to escape Serenade’s grasp, but this isn’t the way. Killing us isn’t going to help you, let us go, and we can stop Serenade… Together.”

Lightning grinned slightly. “You think I’m that naive? Do you think I don’t know that you’ll kill me the moment you get the chance? After all, I’ve done a lot of bad stuff, and you’re a demon just like her…”

“If you really don’t want to be a monster like Serenade, then you’d atone for what you’ve done… You’d let us go so we can take Serenade out. After that… We can find a way for you to atone, you can still have a future, Lightning Dust, but not like this… You keep us in this cage… You are only ensuring that your time will be brief…” Sunset stated.

Lightning laughed. “I have my bargaining chip right in front of me, why throw that away for a gamble?”

Sunset smirked and shook her head. “You’re naive… You don’t get it, do you?”

Lightning raised a brow in confusion.

“Serenade isn’t like that, she can’t be reasoned with, or bargained with. Any offer you make her, she’ll just find a way to get her way in the end. That creature isn’t capable of anything else, she’ll only kill you, and that’s all there is to it. Your only chance at surviving is if you let me kill her…” Sunset grinned.

Lightning stood up. “Sorry, but I only bet on myself…”

The group had been searching all day yesterday, but didn’t get many leads as to where Sunset had gone off to, nor did anyone notice Yuna with her. The last place anyone had seen them was down the street from the cafe, so they weren’t any closer to finding them than they were a few days ago. The ordeal was frustrating, to say the least.

Eclipse let out a long yawn as he sat in a chair at the cafe where they had started their search the day prior. Behind him, Candy had begun to braid his hair. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t allow such a thing, but if it kept her occupied he wouldn’t say anything.

The rest of the group had returned, and Horizon arrived last, coming into the cafe with Thorn at her side. The blind girl felt around with her walking stick before she sat down at a chair that Bolt pulled out for her. She thanked him and sat quietly until she could hear Horizon sit down.

“So, did your search turn up anything?” Bolt asked.

Thorn gave a gentle smile. “Actually, we may have something.”

The entire table flinched forward. “What is it?” Jasper asked.

Thorn reached into the pocket of the pouch attached to her skirt and retrieved a photograph that she and Horizon had printed out so they’d have a hard copy. The group all leaned in with intrigue. “This person was seen watching Sunset a few days prior to her disappearance. So we’re assuming this person knows something.”

Bolt took the photo and examined it. The woman in the picture sported a tight stealth suit with some interesting-looking boots. Her belt likely held all kinds of useful tools. There was no mistaking it though, this woman was clearly keeping an eye on Sunset in the photo. She was standing behind a nearby pillar while glancing around it.

“How’d you get the photo?” Bolt asked as he felt his younger brother peek over his shoulder to get a look.

“Someone saw her that day and thought her behavior was strange. They snagged a picture in case the police came asking any questions, they were fairly confident she was up to something illegal,” Horizon explained.

Bolt stared at the picture for a few seconds before he answered her and set the photo back on the desk. “So now we ask if anyone’s seen this girl then?”

“Seems like the next best move. Hunt her down and get her to talk… using whatever means are necessary to do so, of course…” Thorn smirked.

Eclipse snagged the photo from Bolt and examined it closely. He raked his brain for a few seconds before he had an answer. “I’m pretty sure I know who she is…”

The entire group blinked at once as they all turned their attention to him. “You do? How?” Cloud questioned.

Eclipse set the photo down on the table. “Her name is Lightning Dust, she worked for Serenade before. I’d recognize that haircut and athletic body anywhere. Apparently, after she failed out of the Wonderbolts academy, her life went south; making her the perfect target for Serenade.”

“What kind of powers would we be dealing with?” Horizon asked.

Eclipse thought her interest was strange. Up to this point, Horizon had been very quiet regarding the entire search and hadn’t really shown too much interest in finding Sunset, but suddenly she was curious.

He shrugged. “No idea never saw her in action. Coward ditched right before Serenade fell, didn’t want to die, I suppose.”

“Easy fight then,” Bolt chimed in.

“Don’t be so sure. If she managed to get rid of Sunset somehow…” Eclipse paused before finishing. “She may have a few tricks up her sleeve. Proceed with caution.”

“Let’s go find her.” Bolt grinned.

Sunset stirred gently as she turned her head toward a sound within the room. Her eyes took a few extra seconds to adjust, and present any kind of image to her. Once she could see again, she saw Yuna with her head face down in Sunset’s lap. The woman gently reached to touch Yuna and focused herself. It took more effort than usual but after eight seconds of concentration, Sunset could sense the girl’s emotion, ironically she felt confident, confident that Horizon would come for them. Sunset was envious and wished she could feel the same.

From the other side of the room, she could see the faint figure of what she assumed was Lightning Dust. The figure stepped closer and squatted down to be closer to eye level with Sunset. “Caged bird doesn’t sing, does she?” Lightning spoke.

Sunset’s voice was weak, and her stomach growled. “You’ve got jokes…”

“Not much for humor…” Lightning replied.

Sunset looked down at Yuna in her lap. The girl was breathing, but barely. Sunset wasn’t even sure she was conscious. “So why waste both of our time?” Sunset asked.

Lightning glanced at Yuna. “By the look of it, you don’t have much time left.”

“Let the girl go, Lightning, she’s dying… She’s no threat to you, and you know that…” Sunset requested.

“Shouldn’t you be bargaining for your own life?” Lightning raised a brow.

A small chuckle escaped Sunset. “No sense in bargaining for what you won’t give me… Just let the girl go…”

Lightning sighed and shook her head. “I can’t do that…”

“What made you such a cold-hearted bitch?” Sunset asked.

“You wouldn’t understand…” Lightning rolled her eyes.

“I’ve got time to try…” Sunset said.

For some reason, Lightning felt compelled to tell her. She couldn’t explain it, but something inside of her wanted to share her story, maybe it was the desire to move on from it. “You have no idea what it’s like… My mother died giving birth to me, and my father resented me for it…”

“I figured it was daddy issues…” Sunset mocked.

Lightning ignored her. “I lived in my sister’s shadow for eons. Nothing I did compared, he would praise her and scold me. Even when she got sick and died, I pushed myself harder than before only for him to still hate my existence… You have no idea what it’s like… To live like your existence was a mistake.”

Sunset to Lightning’s surprise began to laugh. Lightning tilted her head in confusion.

“You think I had some kind of perfect childhood? I would have begged for hate if it meant my parents knew I existed. They never cared what I did, I was just a minor inconvenience on their never-ending quest to get into the upper class… They never showed up for anything I did… So maybe we have more in common than you think…” Sunset smirked.

“Maybe…” Lightning was quiet.

“We have something else in common too.” Sunset grinned.

Blinking, Lightning looked back at Sunset with confusion. “And what’s that?”

Sunset’s voice became a near whisper. “We’re both gonna die soon…”

Lightning was silent.

“But I get the better deal… I’ll die right here in this room. I’ll go to sleep eventually and I won’t wake up. It might be a little painful, but nothing compared to how you’re going to die… You get to die at Serenade’s hands… She’ll drag it out, no doubt. She’ll make you suffer slowly before you get to go…” Sunset mocked.

Still, Lightning said nothing.

“You’ve already signed your own death warrant. Even if you let me out now, I can’t nor will I help you… You’re just delaying the inevitable at this point… Tick tock… Tick tock… Time is running out for you…” Sunset teased.

Lightning stood up and flipped over a nearby chair.

“Did I strike a nerve? Well, don’t worry… You won’t have to burden yourself much longer. Serenade is going to kill you, your little plan is going to backfire and you know it… You’re already dead, and no one can save you.” Sunset laughed.

Lightning turned and left the room, not wanting to hear anymore, but caught Sunset taunting her one more time as she left.

“All this effort for nothing… A pathetic creature clinging to a life not even worth living all because she’s scared of death… A fitting end…”

Kneeling before Serenade, was a face that she had come to rely on at least partially, the face of Eight Ball, one of her most trusted subordinates, though she had only recently revealed her own true face to him, for which he seemed exceptionally grateful. He bowed his head with a wry smile on his face as Serenade spoke to him.

“Eight Ball… You’ve served me quite well, minimal fuck ups, and you aren’t hesitant to kill those who are unworthy of the cause…” Serenade spoke.

He looked up and nodded. “I’ll kill anyone who isn’t worthy of serving the great Serenade…”

She smiled back at him and nodded. “You know exactly what I like to hear too…”

He stayed silent as he awaited her words.

“I have somewhat of a little job for you to do for me…” She instructed as she waved her hand.

“It’s an honor to be called upon…” He grinned.

Serenade giggled a bit before coming to a stand. With a wave of her hand, she created a magical projection of Lightning Dust. Eight Ball stared intently at the projection awaiting instructions from his master.

“I’m fairly confident that Lightning Dust has betrayed us. She has failed to produce Sunset Shimmer to me after being asked and now avoids me. What’s worse is Sunset Shimmer has disappeared, and I’m fairly certain she’s involved. There’s a possibility she’s working with that cunt to try and overthrow me…” Serenade explained.

Eight Ball shook his head in disgust. “I never trusted her.”

“Likewise. She’s a coward, and we only brought her back to think of an amusing way to dispose of her, but now I grow impatient with her. I can’t afford to keep letting her get in the way…” Serenade continued.

“What would you have me do, Master?” Eight Ball questioned.

Serenade waved her hand and the hologram of Lightning split in half and then vanished entirely. “I need you to take care of her if you know what I mean… Make it amusing if you like, I know how much you love games…”

Eight Ball’s eyes widened. “So I can play with her?”

Serenade nodded. “I encourage it. Toy with her, and then let her die. After that, you can return to your previous duties. I need this pest taken care of, though I’m sure with you on the job, she will be dead within the next few days.”

Eight stood up and gave a salute. “Consider her dead.”

“You’re an eager one…” Serenade grinned as she offered her hand.

Eight Ball stepped forward and took her hand in his own and planted a kiss upon it before adjusting his glasses and looking up at his master with a prideful look. “Always eager to serve the master who granted me this great power…”

She nodded and gestured for him to go. He nodded back and took his exit. Serenade smiled as he left, she knew she made a great choice in recruiting him. Eight Ball took a special pleasure in watching the suffering of others. He was the perfect subject for her plans. He would even rival Arax if it weren’t for his unpredictability, but he would make the perfect pawn for her.

“Lightning Dust, should consider herself unlucky… Eight Ball will make her suffer, that’s certain…” Serenade spoke to herself.

Lightning Dust had come out of the storage shed she had been keeping for storage of extra supplies. She locked the shed behind her before hearing a young male voice speak to her from behind.

“I’m glad it was me who found you first…” The voice said.

Lightning casually placed the keys into her pocket before turning around to face the teenager. He wasn’t much to look at, a mess of medium-length pink hair tucked under a hat, but a mask concealed his face. She recognized him though, he was one of Horizon’s entourage, Lightning had been shown pictures of the group by Serenade.

He reached onto his back and retrieved a metal bat that he had strapped to his back, holding it firmly in his hand while he tapped it against the palm of his other hand.

Lightning sighed. “And who are you supposed to be?”

“Bolt, Bolt Dash, that’s my name. I’m a friend of Yuna’s and I have a strong feeling you had something to do with her disappearing…” Bolt explained.

Lightning ignored his question. “Dash… Rainbow Dash, then?”

“She’s my mom.” He nodded with a smirk.

Lightning grinned at the irony. While it wasn’t the same Rainbow Dash that had thwarted her chances of becoming a Wonderbolt, the thought of being able to beat someone from Dash’s family gave her an odd sense of satisfaction.

“Kid, you have no idea what you’re up against…” She stated.

Bolt readied his weapon. “Save the speeches for someone who cares. I’ll give you one chance before I beat the ever-living shit out of you. Where is Yuna? Where is Sunset Shimmer?”

“What makes you think I have anything to do with that?” Lightning questioned.

“Call it a hunch… We’ve been looking for you, Lightning Dust, got some tips from people who saw you around town, and so we split up to find you, I just got to be the lucky one who ended up doing it.” Bolt grinned.

“I would consider you very unlucky after what’s about to happen to you in the next eight seconds…” Lightning shook her head.

“Try me.” Bolt beckoned.

Lightning moved quicker than the eye could see, charging at him, but Bolt was able to move quite quickly himself. His body moved faster than any normal human and was able to dodge her attack. He followed up by zipping at her and swinging his bat, only to miss as Lightning had moved faster than he could blink.

She circled around him at ludicrous speeds, Bolt’s eyes not even able to see her. She was fast, far faster than he was, possibly even faster than his mother. “Shit…” He cursed as he tried to focus on finding her.

Bolt darted his eyes around, but couldn’t find Lightning. Her speed was far beyond what he was able to detect, but it didn’t matter, as he suddenly felt a sharp pain from her kick to his side. The teenager stumbled, but he composed himself quickly and initiated a return attack, which Lightning blocked with her palm. The woman caught his bat in her hand and smiled at him. “Is that it? Is that as fast as you can go?” She asked before issuing another kick to his side.

Bolt stepped back after the kick and held his side, but he recovered quickly. “Bitch…” He cursed under his breath before coming back to an attack stance. “You can’t win that easily…” He added.

With a chuckle Lightning vanished from his sight once more, she spoke as she remained invisible to his eyes. “You can’t find me, what makes you think you can defeat me, you pathetic child?”

Bolt stayed focused and ready to counterattack, regardless if he couldn’t see her. “I won’t give in that easily…”

Lightning appeared behind him and with a hand full of electricity, she grabbed his back and sent every volt she could through his body. Bolt tried to focus his powers to counter the attack, but it did little use, the amount of magic that Lightning was able to unleash was far too much for his abilities to counter. He groaned in pain before she threw him to the ground.

While he tried to get up, she kicked him right in the chest, causing him to cough and grip the spot in pain.

Shaking her head, Lightning darted so quickly that eyes could barely see her as she issued a barrage of attacks from all sides on Bolt. He couldn’t block a single one and just took the hits. After about eight or so, he managed to force himself onto his feet. The teen composed himself and shook off the pain before locking eyes with Lightning as she stopped moving.

Lightning cracked her knuckles and kept a neutral face. “Why not just stop now, kid? Would be a shame if you seriously got hurt. You can’t beat me.”

Bolt pointed his bat at her and spoke with determination. “No matter how many times you knock me down, I’ll keep coming back. You can’t stop me. Now tell me what you did to Yuna.”

Sighing, Lightning shook her head once more. “I guess some lessons need to be beaten into people…”

Bolt charged in, swinging, only for Lightning to catch his bat in her hand. With a powerful grip, she ripped it from his hands and tossed it aside before delivering a punch square to his forehead. Bolt staggered but only for a second as she followed up the attack with a kick to his stomach.

The pink-haired boy leaned down gripping his stomach before Lightning delivered another punch to his head, knocking him over. While he was on the ground, she began to kick him repeatedly until she grew bored and knelt down, gripping his hair, and smacked his head against the pavement.

He cough and rolled over in agony as she stayed next to him, still kneeling so he could see her face better. “The world is a fucked up place, kid. If you don’t know when you’re beaten, then you are only going to receive more beatings like this one… Do you understand?”

Bolt turned his head and spit blood in her face. “Every beating you take makes you stronger…” He said.

Wiping the blood away, Lightning sighed and nodded as she stood up. “Yeah… I used to think that too… Just stay away from me, kid… Next time I won’t go easy on you.”

As she tried to walk away, Bolt called out to her. “What are you hoping to gain? Some kind of favor with Serenade? You’ve seen her… She’s a psychopath, I’ve heard about the kind of stuff she’s done… You really think you get anything out of her?”

Lightning paused, chewing her thoughts before answering. “You sound like her…”

As she left, Bolt managed to pull himself up, sitting upright on the pavement as he watched her leave, far too weak to follow her. “Like her? What’s she talking about?”

After a few hours, Lightning decided it was best to check on her hostages. Coming down the stairs, she noticed neither of the two women were moving. Yuna lay face down in Sunset’s lap, and Sunset was propped up against the wall with her head down.

Lightning pulled up her chair and sat down in front of the barrier as she called out to Sunset. “Wake up!”

Sunset didn’t move.

Lightning rolled her eyes. “You’re not going to get me with that pretending to be dead act… I’m not stupid, I won’t take the barrier down to check up on you…”

Sunset’s voice was faint, but she didn’t bother lifting her head. “I was actually just hoping you’d stop talking… It’s such a waste of energy to talk to you…”

“You’re a real comedian.” Lightning rolled her eyes once more.

Sunset finally lifted her head up, her long red hair cascading over most of her face. She had rings around her eyes, implying she hadn’t been getting much sleep. It had been far too long since she was first taken in, she could no longer keep her composure or her calm demeanor.

“If you want to torture me, your voice is enough…” Sunset replied.

Lightning placed her hands in her lap and leaned forward as she spoke. “I’m not like Serenade, I don’t take any pleasure in torturing people…”

“Then why am I here?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Necessity, nothing more. If it served me, I’d let you galavant around here doing whatever you want, but I know how powerful you are… I know what you’re capable of… I can’t take any risks with you…” Lightning explained.

“If you knew how powerful I was, you would have been trying to get me on your side to fight Serenade…” Sunset countered.

Lightning nodded. “Maybe… But I can’t trust you, just as much as you can’t trust me. I worked for Serenade before, which means you’ll always be assuming I will stab you in the back, and as a result, you’ll stab me in the back.”

Sunset laughed lightly at such a proposal. “You’ve got it all wrong, you stupid cunt… I’m not like you… If I was going to turn on you… I’d make sure you saw it coming… Because unlike you, I have honor, and also unlike you… I would take great pleasure in knowing you saw your end coming… And there is nothing you can do to stop it… Sort of like how you look now…”

Lightning fell silent.

“You’re on borrowed time… The only person who could have even saved you is now sitting in a room withering away… There’s nothing that can help you now, there’s no outcome that has you still alive…” Sunset explained.

Lightning wiped her nose and made eye contact with Sunset. “You’re a lot more talkative now, aren’t you?”

“Funny, because I would have imagined I wouldn’t have much to say to a piece of shit like you…” Sunset smirked.

Lightning leaned back in her chair and looked away in thought. She contemplated her situation for a brief moment and chose her words carefully. “If you were me, what would you do? Knowing that the odds of getting you to help me were nil?”

Growing a look of confusion, Sunset took a brief moment to answer. “I wouldn’t have put myself in your situation… I would have asked me to help from the start…”

“And what if all you did was turn on me?” Lightning asked.

Sunset shrugged gently. “Fifty-fifty… Better odds than you had without me, right?”

Lightning bit her lip. Perhaps she had made a mistake, perhaps there really was no point to this entire plan. She considered what would happen if she let Sunset go.

“And if I let you out now?” Lightning asked.

“I’ll rip your fucking head off…” Sunset replied.

“I would have imagined you’d be trying to butter me up to let you out after asking that…” Lightning said.

Sunset’s eyes were filled with hatred, Lightning could feel it. “You and I both know that you are only asking a hypothetical, and you have no intention of following it up, even if I were to butter you up, so let’s skip the bullshit, okay?”

Sighing, Lightning nodded before asking another question. “So what would you do if you were me right now?”

Sunset looked across the floor at the handgun laying a few feet away from herself. Her eyes fixated on it as she spoke. “I’d take myself out.”

“How does that solve anything? Killing yourself doesn’t do jack shit.” Lightning rolled her eyes.

The redhead’s gaze never left the firearm as she continued. “Dying isn’t a choice for you now… It’s an inevitability. The only choice you have now is how it goes down… If I was in your predicament, I’d rather shoot myself than let Serenade have her way with me…”

“If you really feel that way, why haven’t you killed yourself yet?” Lightning raised a brow.

Sunset placed a hand on Yuan’s head, she gently stroked the girl’s hair, feeling Yuan’s faint breath on her leg as she kept her close. “She hasn’t given up hope yet… I can’t go until she goes… She has hope, I wouldn’t want to rob her of that…”

“Hoping for something that will never happen is just torture,” Lightning stated.

“Only for someone like you. For people like her, it’s a comfort in an otherwise hellish world…” Sunset stroked Yuna’s hair once more.

Lightning stayed quiet, she didn’t know what to say.

“Daddy didn’t love you enough, so you turned into a monster… and now you’re about to meet your end to an even bigger monster. Funny… You turned into a piece of shit just like your father was, and I’m sure that bothers you… I’m sure it eats away at you every single day that you never could become the person that he would actually show fondness toward… That you’ll never measure up…” Sunset began to ramble. “You’ll never be good enough, you’ll just die sad and alone…”

“Shut up!” Lightning stood up from her chair and pointed at Sunset.

“Or you’ll do what? There’s nothing you could possibly do to make my situation worse than it already is…” Sunset smirked, knowing she struck a chord.

“I’m nothing like him…” Lightning tightened her fists so hard that her hands were turning white.

“You hate yourself because you were never good enough… You spend your days self-loathing because you’re in denial that you’re a failure…” Sunset continued.

“Shut up!” Lightning shouted again.

“Poor poor Lightning Dust, no one cares about her… Not a single soul will blink when she’s dead… So… So… Sad…” Sunset grinned.

“Fuck you!” Lightning hissed.

“You’re angry because you know it’s the truth…” Sunset mocked.

“I SAID FUCK YOU! SHUT UP!”

Sunset looked up in thought as she continued antagonizing. “Why is it that people are so resistant to the truth? Maybe it’s because they feel helpless once they accept it… Some say the truth is a beautiful thing but in your case… It’s quite ugly, isn’t it? Knowing your end is approaching, and you’ve accomplished literally nothing…”

Lightning covered her ears, not wanting to hear more, but for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to leave, she couldn’t make her legs move, instead, she found herself unable to walk away.

“Daddy’s little failure… So utterly pathetic…”

“I SAID STOP IT!” Lightning shouted.

“Maybe you should have just gotten a cat, at least then someone would love you…” Sunset smirked.

“You don’t know the first thing about me!” Lightning pointed at Sunset with anger.

“I think this just told me all I need to know…” Sunset replied.

“Fuck you…” Lightning shook her head as she left the room, heading back up the stairs. The woman could hear Sunset continue on as she left the room, but she blocked it all out, instead, Lightning made her way up a few floors to the room where she usually slept, and retrieved a knife from inside a drawer.

Lightning stared down the shining silver blade before unzipping her suit, removing it down to her ankles before tossing it aside. As she stood there in her underwear, she sat down on a nearby chair, looking down at the floor before she placed the knife between her thighs with the edge facing her left thigh.

She inhaled and ran the blade across her leg and dropped the knife as the demonic black blood dripped from the cut. Lightning leaned back in the chair and let out a long sigh. Sunset was right, she was completely fucked, and she knew it. She needed a miracle to get her out of the situation she found herself in.

Sighing, she noticed the phone on her wrist ringing. She cursed and checked the hologram that showed who the caller was, and sure enough it was the one person she didn’t want to talk to; Serenade.

Composing herself, she answered the call and a hologram of Serenade appeared before her. Serenade looked Lightning up and down and raised a brow. “Oh, was I interrupting you fucking or something?”

Lightning looked at herself and remembered she had taken off her clothes with the exception of her underwear before calling. She cleared her throat and shook her head. “I was just going to take a shower…”

“Oh, it’s good that you can find the time to do that… While I’m still waiting on you to locate Sunset Shimmer…” Serenade spoke sarcastically.

“I just need some more time…” Lightning lied.

Serenade shook her head, Lightning could see the annoyance in the woman’s eyes. “No more time, you’ve had enough. You have two days, that’s forty-eight hours… Then I punish you. You present Sunset Shimmer or her corpse to me by then, or you and I are going to become very…” She paused thinking of the word. “Intimate.”

“It doesn’t need to come to that…” Lightning attempted to bargain, but Serenade shut the conversation down instantly.

“Two days, you have two days, and then you may as well be planning your funeral.” Serenade hung up abruptly after those words.

“Fuck…” Lightning growled.

This meant she had two days left to figure out what to do, and she didn’t even have an inkling of where to go from here.

Cloud was glancing about heading in the direction that Horizon had told them to go from the details of her text message. Bolt had messaged her stating he had found Lightning Dust, and told the others to meet him at the corner of 8th Street as soon as they could. Horizon had loaded up as many as she could into her car, and the rest piled into Jasper’s truck, some of them sitting in the back, holding on tight as the caravan of vehicles rushed to 8th Street.

Pulling up to the corner and parking on the side of the road, both vehicles stopped as Cloud hopped out of the front seat from Horizon’s car to see his brother limping, holding his stomach as he approached the group. Cloud raced ahead of everyone else and rushed to his brother’s aid. Within seconds he held his brother in his arms as the rest of his friends surrounded the two.

“Bolt! You’re hurt! What happened!?”

Bolt patted his brother’s head and gently released himself from his brother’s embrace. “Relax kiddo, I’ll be okay… I’ve taken worse lickings than this…”

“Did Lightning Dust do this to you?” Cloud’s tone was a mixture of concern and anger.

Bolt nodded. “She’s tough, but I’ll beat her the next time we meet…”

“Why would you do something so reckless!? You should have told us to come to your aid the moment you found her!” Cloud scolded.

“Didn’t have time, she would have fled long before you all arrived. I had to act or we’d have gained nothing.” Bolt argued.

“Then you should have stalled her! What were you thinking, taking her on all by yourself!?” Cloud placed his hands on his hips and huffed.

Bolt dismissed his brother and shook his head once more. “I lived, and I did what I felt was necessary. She’s strong, but not invincible. I just need to recover, and I can take her, maybe after a bit more training…”

Cloud smacked his brother across the face. “You’re an idiot, you know that!? You don’t think before you do things, and you certainly don’t think how it will affect the people around you! You could have been killed, you know that!?”

Bolt fell silent. He didn’t know how to respond to his brother’s anger toward him.

The voice of Key Lime brought some sense to the teen though. “Bolt, you’re tough, but you need to factor in the fact that you’re not invincible. If you died on us, that’d be one hell of a loss…”

Her words melted Bolt’s heart. He nodded sheepishly. “Yeah… I guess I wasn’t thinking straight…” His eyes focused on her cute face, then on her impressive bust.

She giggled and walked toward him, tapping him on the nose. “Just don’t do it again. The world can’t afford to lose a cute guy like you.”

He nodded back. “Promise, I’ll be more careful from now on!”

Cloud smiled at that admission. “Glad to hear it… Let me treat your wounds, and you can tell the rest of us what you learned about Lightning Dust, okay? Just try not to push yourself.”

Realizing he had no choice, Bolt nodded in agreement before sitting down on the concrete of the sidewalk as Cloud approached. Cloud’s amulet lit up as he began to apply the healing magic he knew upon his brother. Cloud’s mother, Fluttershy had explained to him how to apply magic when it came to the wounds of others, and how to amplify its effects to heal those around him. Cloud had paid special attention as he knew his brother, Bolt, would need it most. Bolt was just like his other mother, Rainbow Dash, after all.

While Cloud worked, Jasper leaned down to check up on his rival, making sure he wasn’t too badly hurt. “You alright, partner?”

Bolt grinned at his friend’s concern. “If you think this is going to stop me from busting on your chops, you have another thing coming. I’ll be healed up in no time, and right back to making comments about how hot your mom is, and how much I loathe you…”

Jasper sighed and stood up. “Sadly… I wouldn’t have it any other way… Well… Maybe a little”

Candy let out a comment only just barely quiet enough for Jasper to hear. “Lovers will always find a way…”

Jasper ignored her comment and returned to Horizon’s side, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’re one step closer…”

Horizon stayed silent and waited for Jasper to interrogate Bolt. “So… What did y’all learn? Anything about Yuna or Sunset? Maybe what the demon did with them?”

Bolt frowned as Cloud focused his magic and healed his wounds. “Not much… Lightning is pretty tight-lipped, she wouldn’t tell me anything useful. Tried to beat it out of her, but I’m sure you can all tell how well that went… I think I just need another shot at beating the snot out of her, is all.”

“Out of the question, she beat you pretty bad…” Jasper stated.

Bolt shook his head. “Give me a day, and some time with my mother… She will show me how to better use my power, and then before you know it I will wipe the floor with her!”

Jasper was unsure how to answer. He looked over at Cloud who nodded, but for the sake of getting a second opinion, Jasper glance at Horizon who shockingly did the same. Rainbow Dash was tough, but Jasper doubted her wisdom would be enough to help Bolt defeat a demon like Lightning Dust, but he trusted his friends. He sighed and nodded in agreement. “Alright, we’ll pay her a visit…”

Jasper watched as Bolt was carried away by his brother Cloud, and some assistance from Nova. Horizon stood next to Jasper and spoke her thoughts. “You really think a day with Rainbow Dash will make any difference?”

Jasper watched as Nova and Cloud both managed to get Bolt into the back of Horizon’s car. “Well… She lost her arm and kept going… I’d reckon anyone with that kind of determination might have some kind of advice that could help in a situation like this… I mean defeating these demons probably sounds like a fool’s errand to everyone around us, after all… And Bolt definitely is a fool… But he’s determined.”

Thorn grinned as she came up behind the two. “I think his determination is endearing.”

Turning around, Horizon glanced at Thorn, she was curious about the girl, but she couldn’t explain why. Bolt was the only one who really knew her all that well, as he talked to her the most, and seemed to go out of his way to help her. Horizon wondered if Bolt saw Thorn as a little sister, his usual perverted nature didn’t seem to extend to her, after all.

Thorn stepped forward, walking past Jasper and Horizon as she spoke once more. “I’ll meet you guys in the car.”

After she had gotten herself back into the car, Horizon couldn’t help but stare in her direction. Jasper noticing his friend raised a brow and nudged Horizon. “You alright?”

Horizon spoke directly. “Bolt likes her for some reason…”

Jasper glanced over at Thorn and noted she chose to sit next to Bolt and appeared to be consoling him in some capacity, though Keylime was on the other side, consoling him in somewhat of a different manner, holding his hand tightly.

“Yeah, I think she reminds him of Fluttershy… He’s always been protective of his mother like that… Bolt seems to have a soft spot for women who are vulnerable doesn’t he?” Jasper smiled.

“Would you consider your mother vulnerable, Jasper?” Horizon asked.

Jasper blinked. “Rarity? No, why?”

“Weird, he speaks very fondly of her too… I believe I recall him mentioning her butt was nicely shaped just this morning…” Horizon spoke as she walked toward her car.

Jasper lagged behind and cursed under his breath. “Fuckin’ pervert…”

As Horizon sat down in the driver’s seat, she could hear Keylime attempting to explain what she clearly thought was sound medical advice. “Let me handle this! I read somewhere that men are put under significantly less stress and anxiety when touching boobs, and the current situation is definitely very stressful.” With those words, she placed Bolt’s hand upon her right breast.

Bolt’s face turned red, but he managed to grin. “Who am I to argue with science?”

Thorn sighed and shook her head. “No offense, Keylime… But that’s stupid, he needs actual medical treatment, I’m sure Cloud can heal him up with help from Fluttershy.”

“Hey, let’s give her theory a chance.” Bolt smirked as he gave Keylime’s sizable bosom a squeeze.

Cloud just emitted a sigh, wishing he didn’t have to listen to the stupidity going on around him.

Bolt raised his voice slightly so that Horizon could hear. “Wanna get in on this, Horizon?”

Horizon glanced at him from the rearview mirror before starting the car. “I think it would be quite difficult to operate the car from the front seat with your hands on my chest. Perhaps if Miss Keylime’s tests are inconclusive, I could volunteer at another time.”

Cloud shook his head. “Don’t encourage him, Horizon.”

“I was merely suggesting that if Keylime’s-“

Cloud cut her off. “I am sure Keylime’s… Test, is more than sufficient. Please do not let Bolt grope you.”

Horizon glanced over confused but nodded in agreement. “Very well.”

“Party pooper…” Bolt stuck his tongue out.

“We should be focusing on finding Yuna,” Horizon reminded.

“And Sunset Shimmer.” Thorn raised a finger.

Horizon didn’t respond to that statement, though everyone in the car already had a pretty good idea as to why.

Inside Jasper’s vehicle as they followed Horizon’s Eclipse leaned against a window in boredom. He was used to Sunset giving him a hard time, but not like this. He was growing tired of searching for her, and if it weren’t for her importance toward stopping Serenade, he would have bailed on the entire operation a good eight hours ago.

The young man sighed as he closed his eyes, not interested in the conversation that Jasper was having with his younger sibling sitting next to Eclipse. It came off as some kind of sibling bickering, something about how Candy lacked manners, though Eclipse could agree with that.

The rest of their group was in the bed of the truck, unable to hear the annoying conversation. Eclipse yawned, ready for a nap after such a long day.

“Holdin’ up alright, Eclipse?” Jasper asked as he glanced over at the man who was about ready to pass out.

“Just bored…” Eclipse replied.

Jasper nodded. “Yeah, sorry… I was hoping we would find out what happened to Sunset and Yuna by now, myself…”

“Not your fault…” Eclipse yawned.

“Still…” Jasper frowned.

The group fell silent until the sound of Eclipse’s phone filled the truck. Eclipse’s eyes opened as he grumbled.

“I swear people have the shittiest timing…” Eclipse complained.

Lifting his wrist, he checked the caller ID. “Oh… It’s Adagio…”

“Adagio!?” Jasper and Candy exclaimed at once.

Eclipse patted his ear and shook his head. “Calm down… It’s not that Adagio, it’s the human one… The one actually from your world.”

“How does she have your number?” Jasper asked.

“I gave it to them… It’s a long story, but I wanted to make sure they were safe, that’s all…” Eclipse rolled his eyes before answering the phone. A hologram of a video feed appeared before him, and sure enough, a young woman was looking back at him.

“Eclipse? Is you?” Adagio asked.

Eclipse chuckled at her poor English. “Yeah, it’s me… Hey listen, I’m sort of… How do I put this… Tied up, as it were?”

Adagio nodded in understanding. “Understand. Wouldn’t call if I had other option. Need your help.” She went on.

Eclipse sighed and rolled his eyes. “Seems like everyone does these days… What’s the problem?”

Adagio glanced to one side and then bit her lip. “Can’t explain well… You need to talk to her, she can explain better.” Adagio gestured to one side but then moved the camera over to another person there with her.

When the camera focused, a redheaded woman with yellow streaks in her hair was visible to Eclipse. His eyes widened as he recognized her. “SUNSET!? WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!? WE ARE LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU!”

The woman adjusted her ponytail and gave a gentle smile to Eclipse. “Oh, did Sunset go missing?” The woman asked.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Where are you!?” Eclipse growled.

Candy began to lean in with interest. “Whoa, it’s Sunset!” She commented as she pointed to the hologram.

The woman on the other end shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I’m not the Sunset that you must be looking for… I know it sounds ridiculous, but trust me… She and I are not the same person.”

“Then who the fuck are you?” Eclipse raised a brow.

The woman rubbed her neck, unsure of how to answer such a question. “Listen… I can answer all of that later. Right now, I need your help Eclipse.”

“Help with what?” Eclipse blinked.

“You can do light magic, right?” Sunset’s lookalike asked.

“Obviously…” Eclipse rolled his eyes.

She nodded. “Listen, I need as many capable of light magic at my location. My power just isn’t enough for what’s going on…”

“Which is?” Eclipse tilted his head.

Sighing, the Sunset lookalike turned the camera to an image of a young teen on the ground, hacking up black sludge. Eclipse recognized her, she was the human counterpart of Serenade Dazzle, a girl that he had managed to prevent Sunset from killing to purge her of the demonic presence that the other Serenade had implanted into her. The girl looked unwell, and he could see her skin was pale as she suffered.

“Crap… It got that bad, huh?” Eclipse frowned.

Sunset turned the camera back to herself. “Yes, but I think it’s still manageable. I just need more magic to pull it off…”

Eclipse nodded. “You’re in luck, Sunset’s daughter is in the car in front of us, she has a light magic affinity as well, potentially better than mine.”

“That’s good to hear… Between the three of us, we can help this girl.” Sunset smiled.

“One problem, we have injured as well…” Eclipse stated.

Sunset nodded. “That’s not a problem, bring them here, we can work on both of them.”

Eclipse sighed and leaned back in his seat as he thought all of this over. Whoever this convincing lookalike of Sunset was, he knew she needed his help. While he was interested in who they were, he was more concerned with helping the young girl from becoming what the other Serenade was. If he didn’t act, there was a distinct possibility that the young teenage Serenade would eventually become a secondary Serenade to the one that he so loathed.

“Alright, we’ll help…” Eclipse agreed with a nod.

Sunset smiled and nodded back. “I greatly appreciate it… Do you remember how to get to Adagio and Serenade’s place?”

Eclipse nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t forgotten. I’ll be there in maybe eight minutes, tops.”

Sunset seemed happy to hear those words. “Thank you, I’m grateful. I’ll see you in a little bit, and when this is taken care of… Then we can talk, I’m sure you have a ton of questions.”

“A ton may be downplaying it…” Eclipse responded.

She giggled and nodded before giving a gentle wave with her hand. “I look forward to finally meeting you, Eclipse… And your… Friends as well.”

“Likewise.” Eclipse nodded before the call ended.

The man emitted a long sigh before looking over at Jasper. “Yeah, we’re going to be making a detour… You better tell Horizon.”

Jasper nodded. “No kidding… Though I’d be lying if I said that I am not curious as to what’s going on…”

“You aren’t the only one… Trust me…” Eclipse stated.

“So… We go to save some girl from dying, I take it?” Candy chimed in.

Eclipse smirked and nodded. “Yeah, looks that way, kid.”

Candy smiled at him and nudged her brother. “The plot thickens! Two Sunsets! How exciting.”

“Well, I’m glad someone is at least having fun regarding all of this.” Eclipse chuckled.

Jasper nodded. “Given what’s been going on? I’d say we’re past our quota of surprises. Shit just keeps getting weirder and weirder…”

Eclipse giggled. “You aren’t wrong…”

Author's Note

Next chapter: We get to see more of the other Sunset. :P

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXX: Bolt

Chapter CXXX: Bolt

Eclipse hopped out of the front of Jasper’s truck as he watched Horizon and Cloud step out of Horizon’s vehicle. Cloud seemed annoyed that Eclipse had insisted they deviate from their original planned route. He approached the white-haired man and stood on his tiptoes to match his height. Eclipse almost found it cute how absolutely not intimidating the young teen was. He was cute, but not quite Eclipse’s type. Cloud huffed and looked Eclipse in the eye as he spoke. “What is the big idea? We’re trying to get Bolt somewhere safe so we can heal him!”

Rolling his eyes, Eclipse gave a dismissive gesture. “Relax, it’s just a little detour and we should be able to heal him up faster this way anyway.”

“What’re you talking about? You wouldn’t even explain why we’re here…” Another voice called out to him. The voice belonged to Thorn who had gotten out of Horizon’s car and with Horizon’s help had assisted Bolt in standing.

Bolt glanced around and lifted a brow at Eclipse. “What’re we doing here in suburbia?” He asked.

“As I said, it would have taken too long to explain, it’s better you all find out in person…” Eclipse stated.

“Find out what?” Horizon asked.

“Oh good, you’re here!” From the nearby house, the door had opened and there stood the familiar face of Sunset Shimmer.

The group all froze shy of Eclipse.

“We’ve been looking all over for you!” Bolt growled.

Sunset shook her head. “You’ve got the wrong Sunset, sorry…”

“No that’s not possible… How is there another Sunset?” Bolt asked.

Sunset and Horizon locked eyes. The two stared for a brief eight seconds before Sunset grew a smile and approached Horizon. She placed her hands behind her back and examined the young teen with an approving nod. “Horizon Shimmer…” Sunset spoke.

“Have we met?” Horizon asked.

Sunset giggled and shook her head. “Technically we have… But not in a way you’d be aware of yet. The other Horizons haven’t merged their memories yet after all…”

“What on god’s green earth is she talking about, Horizon?” Jasper asked.

Horizon didn’t answer Jasper, she kept staring at Sunset.

“You’ve seen them, right? The other versions of you?” Sunset asked.

Horizon nodded.

“They said we’d meet eventually, unfortunately, I can’t tell you anything they’ve said to me, but to be fair at one point you’ll know anyway when your memories converge with theirs’.” Sunset explained.

“So you’re not my mother then?” Horizon asked.

Sunset shook her head. “Afraid not, but I understand she’s missing. Hopefully, she’ll turn up.”

“Who are you then?” Horizon tilted her head.

Sunset examined the messy girl and smiled more. She was a bit sloppy, but very pretty when you really looked at her. “Later… right now, I could actually use your help… You and Eclipse both…”

“Help with what?” Horizon asked.

Sunset gestured for the group to follow her inside. Obeying, Horizon gestured for the group to follow, which they did. She aided Thorn in carrying Bolt, and within minutes the group was inside the home where a young Adagio gazed upon all of them with intrigue. She bowed her head respectfully. “Thank you for coming. It means much to me.”

“This is the Adagio from this world for those who are not up to speed,” Eclipse explained.

“Yes. I know other Adagio did horrible things, I am sorry…” The woman frowned and lowered her head in shame.

“You may share a face but you don’t share her actions, there’s no need to apologize.” Candy chimed in with a thumbs-up.

That statement made Adagio perk up just a little bit. “Your words are kind, thank you.”

“Sunset said you needed our help with something?” Horizon asked.

Adagio nodded. “Yes, my sister…” she gestured to the bedroom behind her.

The group poked their heads in and saw a teenage girl who appeared quite ill. Her skin had become pale, her body covered in sweat as she lay there under a thin sheet. Adagio had removed all of her clothing shy of an undershirt and her panties. Her likeness to Serenade was uncanny, just far younger.

“Now that’s freaky…” Bolt commented.

“She looks like Serenade, but I promise you this isn’t the same one. She’s innocent, a child,” Eclipse explained.

Horizon stepped into the room and got a closer look. “What’s wrong with her?”

Sunset crossed her arms. “The other Serenade paid her a visit, and planted some of her dark matter into her, it’s going to really mess her up unless we perform a light spell to contain it. Right now it’s growing… She will lose control of her body and mind…”

“With the three of us, the spell will be far stronger,” Eclipse said.

“You brought us here to save Serenade’s human counterpart? Can’t say there’s no irony in that…” Cloud sighed.

“Please… She only fourteen…” Adagio pleaded.

“As opposed to that two-thousand-year-old piece of trash… Let’s help her, Horizon.” Jasper nodded.

Horizon nodded back in agreement. She stepped forward and came to the left side of the young blonde’s bed, taking Serenade’s left hand in her hand, cupping her other hand over the top of it. On the other side of the bed, Eclipse leaned over her and placed a hand atop of her her head, and Sunset grasped the teen’s right hand tightly.

Eclipse took a deep breath, and Horizon braced herself. “On three…” Sunset instructed.

“One… Two… Three…” Sunset exhaled on three, and the group all focused their inner power on Serenade. Coursing magic through the blonde’s body, the group all closed their eyes, and after eight seconds, they could feel they were done.

Opening their eyes, the three nodded at each other before checking on Serenade. Eclipse felt her forehead once more and grinned. “Her temperature is returning to normal, she just needs some rest now…”

“I would wager we bought her some time… But not an infinite amount…” Sunset frowned.

“How much longer she have?” Adagio asked with hesitation in her tone, clearly, she didn’t actually want an answer to that question.

Eclipse shook his head. “Given the rate of growth… I’d say we bought her about eight weeks… After that… I doubt this will work a second time. We have to get that thing out of her…”

Sunset crossed her arms in concern.

Eclipse looked over at Horizon. “Horizon, perhaps you could perform a dark pull… Remove the piece of darkness within her?”

Horizon shrugged. “I would need more info on it first. Every demon is different, every dark pull is different as a result…”

Thorn stepped forward with a large grin on her face. She ran a hand playfully through her green and black hair and held up a hand, forming a small ball of shadows within her hand. “I suppose this is where my talents come in, after all, I don’t think anyone else can use dark magic.”

“Aren’t we lucky then?” Sunset smiled.

“Leave this one to me!” Thorn stated as she approached Serenade. Feeling her way around, she eventually found the girl’s hand and held it. Thorn smiled and nodded her head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Serenade… Now… Let’s find out what’s going on inside of you…”

Thorn’s dull red eyes stayed stationary as she concentrated her powers. She moved shadows around within Serenade’s body, seeing everything inside of her, Most of her innards were normal until she arrived at an abnormality. “Aha!”

“Found it?” Eclipse asked.

Thorn nodded. “Yeah… It’s in there, it’s a demon vine, I can feel it…”

“Can we remove it?” Sunset asked.

Thorn frowned. “I wouldn’t advise it… The vibe is wrapped around a part of her brain. If you pull it out… It could have very negative consequences…”

“Such as?” Eclipse tilted his head.

“Loss of motor skills… Memory loss, paralysis… maybe even death. There’s no telling what kind of damage we’d do to her brain if we pulled it out. It’s not safe…” Thorn let go of Serenade’s hand. “I’m sorry… There’s nothing we can do… In eight weeks… Well…”

“She turns into one of the other Serenade’s puppets…” Sunset concluded.

“It would seem that way…” Thorn nodded reluctantly.

“This can’t be…” Adagio’s voice was shaky.

“There’s still one way to save her…” Eclipse raised a finger.

“You kill the host, and the demon vine it came from dies with it…” Horizon recalled out loud.

“We kill the other Serenade, and the girl will be fine.” Eclipse nodded in agreement.

“Eight weeks isn’t a whole lot of time… Didn’t it take the other Sunset like… Years to beat her the first time? And we don’t even know where she is…” Jasper questioned.

Eclipse shook his head. “Serenade isn’t as strong this time as she was then… Then again neither is Sunset. Sunset had full access to Equestrian magic and an enchanted spear back then… regardless though… Eight weeks is what we have, so it’s what we have to work with. We either pull it off or this innocent girl is done for… Is that motivation enough for everyone?”

“Quick is what I do…” Bolt groaned.

Horizon wandered back over to Bolt and gestured for Sunset, Cloud, and Eclipse to help her. “We should tend to him now.” She suggested.

The four of them lifted him up and brought him into the other bedroom while the remainder of their group stayed behind to comfort Adagio. When they set Bolt down and focused their powers on him, he could feel his pain slowly melt away. Within a minute or so, he felt completely rejuvenated.

“How’re you feeling?” Cloud asked.

Bolt sat up and flexed his elbow followed by stretching his neck. “Never better…”

“So… Now that business is taken care of…” Eclipse cleared his throat before looking over at Sunset. “Do you mind telling us who you are now?”

“I’m curious too…” Bolt nodded.

Sighing, Sunset rubbed her arm and glanced over at Horizon. Horizon spoke up to her. “If you’re not my mother… Who are you?”

The woman began to twirl her finger around a strand of hair from her long ponytail. “I suppose you can call me Shimmer…”

“That’s not possible. You’re referring to my aunt Shimmer?” Horizon asked.

Shimmer rubbed her neck. “I suppose I am… Sorry, we don’t get to meet under less awkward circumstances. I was sort of hoping to avoid an encounter like this, but I needed your help…”

“Aren’t you supposed to be dead? Shimmer died like twenty years ago…” Cloud asked.

“I guess that’s true… I guess you could say I was reborn?” Shimmer looked away, biting her lip awkwardly.

“That’s nonsense…” Eclipse rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows you die, you’re dead.”

“I know it sounds crazy, but I promise I’m really her, I just was reborn sort of…” She rubbed her neck.

“You remember everything from before you died?” Horizon tilted her head.

Shimmer nodded. “Yeah… I remember that feeling of getting shot… I remember Sunset crying… Everything going dark… All of it.”

“How’d you cheat death, Shimmer, spill it.” Eclipse crossed his arms.

She shook her head. “It’s not like that, I didn’t really get a say in how I came back, and it wasn’t exactly in a… Conventional way…”

“If you’ve been alive this whole time, why didn’t you tell Sunset? She’s been beating herself up over your death for decades now.” Eclipse groaned. “And I’ve had to listen to her because of it?” He added.

Shimmer frowned and bit her lip once more. “I would have loved to do that, but the situation is more complicated than that… Showing myself to her would have only caused more pain and confusion… Besides, I’m only here on a limited capacity… I have only so much power that allows me to stay here, if I use it up too fast, I won’t be able to be much help going forward…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bolt asked.

She frowned and rubbed her arm again. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that yet. There are things you can’t know until it’s time… And I have to conserve my power for when that time comes…”

“I’m getting really tired of people not giving us straight answers…” Bolt rolled his eyes.

“There’s… One last thing you all should know…” Shimmer said.

“Which is?” Horizon asked.

Taking a deep breath the woman took a single step backward. As she exhaled, her body began to glow as it slowly transformed. Her red hair turned blue and formed into twin ponytails, her clothing morphed into a simple white sundress with a pair of gladiator sandals upon her feet. As she opened her eyes, they had changed into a maroon color and her entire face and figure had morphed into another.

“Angel Song?” Horizon asked.

Angel squeaked but nodded. “Y-yes… It’s me…”

“Shimmer has been masquerading as Angel Song?” Cloud asked in awe.

Angel waved her hands frantically. “I-it’s not like that!”

“You better start talking then… And you better start making sense…” Eclipse’s tone was somewhat threatening.

Angel sighed. “I don’t really know how it happened…It’s like… When I gained my powers… She showed up too. At first, I could just hear her voice, but eventually, I could see her… And more recently I have been able to turn into her…”

“So Shimmer is more or less borrowing your body then?” Eclipse asked.

She nodded. “It seems that way…”

“Can we ask her for her side of the story?” Eclipse questioned.

Angel’s soft face shifted to a frown. She had such an innocent face that many imagined it would make a man flood with guilt just to see her cry. “It doesn’t work like that. I can only transform into her when she is willing. I don’t really have any control over her…”

Sighing, Eclipse crossed his arms once more and shook his head. “And I’m guessing she’s probably going to stay as evasive as we’re seeing here…”

Angel looked away shamefully. “Sorry…”

The group fell silent before Angel perked up. “Oh wait! She did tell me something though that is relevant since Horizon is here!”

Horizon tilted her head. “Me?”

Angel stepped forward and grabbed Horizon’s hands happily. She smiled at the girl and nodded. “Yes. She said that you’re the perfect anomaly in all of this.”

“Horizon? How?” Eclipse asked.

“Sunset and Serenade are both partial anomalies in this world, their very existence changed the course of events for this world entirely… But Horizon… You would not have existed were it not for that interference, therefore you have no roots in either world were it not for the anomalies…” Angel began to explain.

“How is that helpful?” Eclipse raised a curious brow.

“Well, being an anomaly means that Horizon is this universe’s potential. She’s not bound by the course of events set forth by the world…” Angel finished.

Cloud squinted in confusion. “So you’re saying you think everything was pre-determined? Like we’re walking along a path?”

Angel shook her head. “No… Not anymore. Shimmer seems to think that we all strayed from the path and now we are shaping a new history, and Horizon is proof of that. She said something about how the universe tries to correct itself, but it can’t…” The woman rubbed the back of her neck. “Admittedly, I don’t understand all of it…”

Horizon blinked, unsure of what to make of this information. After a few seconds though, another voice spoke up. “So Horizon can save me?”

The entire group turned around and saw Serenade was now sitting up, fully awake. Sweat was running down her forehead, but she appeared to be in better health than when the group had arrived to care for her.

Angel looked back at Serenade and then at Horizon once more. “I… I think so… And I think Shimmer thinks so too. It’s like what Eclipse said if they kill the other Serenade…”

“Then the part of her inside of you will die too…” Eclipse finished.

Gently getting out of bed, the young teen approached Horizon and met her eyes. She was a petite young girl, no taller than five feet, and she had such an innocent aura about her. It was difficult to imagine that her Equestrian counterpart was the vile monster they were up against.

“I’ll put my faith in you then, Horizon…” Serenade said softly.

Horizon nodded.

The rest of their group finally entered the room, and all of their faces were covered with confusion. Nova pushed her way to the front of the group with squinted eyes. “Aunt Angel? When did you get here?”

“I guess there’s a lot that we need to go over now…” Angel frowned.

Lightning Dust exited a convenience store with a protein bar in hand. She took a large bite and sighed as she traversed the parking lot and hopped into a car that she had procured. After shutting her door, she could hear all the doors lock. Instinctively, she looked to the passenger seat and there sat a face she had hoped not to see again.

A disheveled man sporting some thin-framed glasses smiled mischievously at her. She recognized that twisted smile anywhere.

“Shit…” Lightning cursed.

Eight Ball sighed and shook his head. “You know, Lightning… You really pissed Serenade off. I mean I rarely see her this annoyed, but you’ve definitely taken the cake.”

“Serenade said I had more time…” Lightning reminded him.

Eight Ball chuckled. “Yeah… About that… She lied. Your time is up. So now… I get to play with you a little…”

“I can still get Sunset Shimmer, just tell Serenade to give me time…” Lightning attempted to bargain.

Eight raised his hand and shook his head. “No more deals, no more bargains… Now we do what needs to be done…”

Reaching into his shirt pocket, the man retrieved a syringe and quickly jabbed Lightning with it, injecting its entire contents into her body. She coughed and groaned in pain as she suddenly felt pain shoot through her entire body. She gasped for air as the needle was removed. Eight tossed the syringe into the back seat and leaned in so she could hear him better.

“A little present that the good doctor cooked up for you… It’ll slowly weaken your body, and pain will be felt from every single nerve in your body, it’ll get so great that you’ll want to rip your throat out…” Eight explained.

Lightning coughed in response.

Ignoring her suffering, Eight continued. “It should take full effect within 48 hours. It’ll start slow at first, but it’ll get worse and worse over time… Let’s see how long it takes before you can’t take anymore and just end yourself…”

Coughing again, Lightning managed to get some words out. “Fuck you… You fucking psychopath…”

Eight just laughed and shook his head. “Some people may call me a psychopath… People who lack vision… Like you…” Quickly he reached over and punched the girl in the throat, causing her to cough and wheeze. “But others… Like Serenade… They see how truly… advanced I am.”

Lightning coughed and held her throat, unable to reply, so Eight Ball just continued on. “The world is nothing but games of chance, don’t you get it? You place your bets on what you think will have the best outcome and roll the dice… The rest of the world just hasn’t figured that out yet, but that’s okay… I’ll show them. I’ll teach them what it means to put everything on the line… What it means to roll the dice…”

Managing to compose herself slightly, Lightning got out a few words between coughs. “I can’t wait to see what happens when you lose one of your coin flips…”

He chuckled and opened the car door to let himself out. “Luck is always on my side, Lightning.”

He peer into the car from the open door and smiled. “The serum should start to take effect soon, as it spreads, it’ll be far more painful. When you’re ready to end your suffering… Call me, I’ll be keeping track of how long you make it… It’ll be fun.”

Eight shut the door and walked off slowly. Lightning cursed under her breath as she looked in his direction. There were few she loathed as much as Serenade, but Eight was high up on the list, even higher now. Her entire plan was falling apart now, she had to make a move quickly.

Turning the key in the ignition, she decided it was best to get to work now.

Bolt stood next to his mother inhaling and exhaling in rhythm with her. The two kept their eyes closed as Rainbow Dash instructed her son. She spoke calmly and Bolt listened, he listened to the person he respected the most.

“You have to remember where your power comes from… The geode represents loyalty. You’re at your strongest when you remember what you’re fighting for. If you forget, just remember your friends, they’ll give you the boost you need.” Rainbow Dash explained.

“But how can I be faster than her?” Bolt asked.

Rainbow shook her head as her eyes opened, she looked straight ahead and her expression remained serious. “It’s not about how. It’s about when. You will be, but only when your will is stronger than hers. Just never forget, you’re looking for your friends. You have to focus on that, the power of that thought will make you faster than you ever imagined.”

Bolt turned to her and tilted his head. “It can’t be that simple, can it?”

Rainbow chuckled and placed a hand atop her son’s head and ruffled his hat. “Son, it’s taken me a long time to realize… It really is that simple. I spent years trying to be better than Applejack, and it wasn’t until I realized it wasn’t necessary that I truly improved myself. Sometimes being the best means knowing when someone else is better suited for a job.”

Bolt scratched his head, unsure of what she meant. “I don’t get it…”

“You will one day.” She laughed.

Inside the house behind the two, Fluttershy was aiding Cloud in perfecting his own magic. The young teen moved water through the air carefully and made it go through hoops and rings that Fluttershy had hung from the ceiling, all without getting a single drop onto a single ring or hoop.

She smiled at her son as she watched him and instructed him. “That’s good… You have to always remember to stay calm. It’s much easier to control when your emotions are in check.”

Cloud nodded in agreement. “It’s so much easier than the first time I tried this…”

His mother kissed his forehead and ran a hand along his hair. “Yes, you’ve improved so much…”

“I needed to… I have to protect Bolt like you told me,” Cloud said.

That was a secret between the two of them. She knew her other son was reckless, hard-headed, and didn’t pay much attention to details. He was the spitting image of a younger Rainbow Dash. The only thing he lacked now as the growth that she had already gone through, but if he was anything like her, that growth wouldn’t happen for some time.

“You’re doing a wonderful job, Cloud…” She smiled at her young son.

Lightning stepped into the building where she was keeping Sunset and Yuna and instantly felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder that spread to her arm. She groan and knelt down before gripping the spot in pain. She coughed and struggled for a brief eight seconds before the pain subsided.

It had already begun. She didn’t have much time. Making her way inside, she quickly found her way to her workstation on the eighth floor. Scrambling through the items on the table, she quickly grabbed a small device no larger than a few quarters with an electrical ribbon attached to it, along with a needle at the end. She began to mess with the settings and activated the device. Once active she set the timer for eighty minutes.

This was it, her contingency plan. If Serenade moved in now, she needed a way to ensure she wouldn’t walk away with a complete victory.

“Damn you, Eight Ball… I should have killed you when I had the chance…” Lightning complained out loud.

Taking the device, Lightning unzipped her outfit and tucked the device inside, before taking the needle and injecting it into herself. She winced in pain for a brief moment, but after the pain subsided, she sighed and zipped her suit back up with the device tucked inside.

“Fuck…” Lightning leaned down in her seat and stared at the floor. She hadn’t anticipated things to go like this. Serenade had been one step ahead of her the entire time, but she had something Serenade didn’t: Sunset Shimmer. Serenade would do anything to get her hands on that woman, and maybe there was a chance that Lightning could use that to her advantage.

There was only one other problem now: Horizon and her friends. They’d come looking for Lightning soon, there was no doubt about that, so she had to take them out now before the pain from the serum became too much.

Lightning Dust figured it was best to finish off that brat who was Rainbow Dash’s kid first. When fighting him, she had gotten a pretty good read on his abilities, and he was nowhere near a level where he could master them. He was a novice boxing in the big leagues, no match for someone of her caliber.

Standing up, Lightning made her way downstairs, and when she made her way down the second flight, she felt a light tinge in her right hand. The pain was just popping up in random places at random intervals. It was no good, she would need to make a quick stop before making it to the basement.

Stepping off on the floor below the one she was on, she made her way to a medical storage area she had procured. She knew there was a high chance of injury, so she had stocked up on medical supplies in advance many weeks ago. Rummaging through a cabinet, she discovered several vials of morphine. It would have to do, regular painkillers were likely no match against the doctor’s serum, he was usually that thorough after all.

Grabbing a syringe, Lightning jabbed it into a bottle and extracted a small dose. She turned her left arm and pushed the sleeve of her outfit up and injected herself. She let out a sigh of relief as she could feel the effects begin within seconds. Calming herself, she grabbed a few extra syringes and a couple more vials to take with her. Opening a fanny pack she had attached to her belt, she placed the items inside.

Once she was satisfied, she made her way back to the stairs and descended all the way down to the basement, the pain subsiding as she did. The morphine would buy her time.

As she entered the basement, she could see Sunset asleep with Yuna at her side. Lightning whistled to get both of their attention, but only Sunset responded with a gentle stir.

“Do either of you have your friend’s numbers?” Lightning asked.

Sunset just spat in her direction.

“I’m going to guess the girl does…” Lightning rolled her eyes and turned her wrist so her phone displayed a projection. “Give me Bolt’s number.”

Sunset sighed and looked over at Yuna and could see she had no energy. Instead, Sunset turned the girl’s phone over and made a display appear with Bolt’s contact info. “I hope he kicks your ass…” Sunset said calmly.

Lightning ignored the insult and added Bolt to her contacts. She nodded and gave the two girls a wry smile before making her way back to the stairs, only for Sunset to flip her off on her way out.

As she made her way up the stairs, she quickly called Bolt. After only two rings, there was an answer. “Hello?”

“Bolt, it’s good to hear from you again…” Lightning cooed.

“Fuck! How did you get my number!? Where are you!?” Bolt barked back.

Lightning turned the volume down so his grating voice wouldn’t hurt her ears. “Relax, you’ll have a shot at me… That’s why I’m calling after all…”

“Release our friends or I’ll bash your fucking balls in!” Bolt growled, then paused before adding. “Metaphorically speaking anyway…”

Lightning rolled her eyes, wondering if all men were this stupid. Bolt definitely didn’t strike her as a brainchild, that was for sure.

“You want a crack at saving them?” She asked.

“Obviously, now tell me where they are!” Bolt demanded.

“Here’s the deal, you meet me, we fight again, winner take all. You win, you get your friend back, I win… Well… You die.” Lightning smirked.

Bolt answered without hesitation. “Tell me where.”

The woman’s eyes widened at his lack of fear, but she composed herself. “You know where 88 Sub Street is?”

Bolt paused for a moment as he thought but then replied. “That’s on the other side of town isn’t it?”

“Correct, you’re not as stupid as you sound… Which is saying something because you sound like an absolute moron…” Lightning replied.

“Man, fuck you.” Bolt hissed over the line.

Lightning adjusted the volume once more to protect her hearing.

“Alright, listen, you meet me there… Alone. One-on-one, bring any of your friends and I am not telling you shit, regardless if you win, got it?” Lightning commanded.

Bolt’s response surprised her. “Or, we can all show up and beat the living shit out of you…”

Lightning’s temper escaped her for a brief second. “Listen here, your little fucking brat, I’m calling the shots. I’m the one with the hostages, so you do what I say or I’ll blow their fucking brains out right now.”

There was a short pause before Bolt answered. “Fine, we do it your way. You and me, no one else. One-on-one. I’ll beat you fair and square…”

“I look forward to it,” Lightning said before hanging up.

Her plan was now in motion. She could kill Bolt, and then work her way through the rest of the group. If she focused on picking them off one at a time, or in smaller groups, she could get rid of them all fairly quickly. Then with those teenagers out of the way, she could focus on how to get rid of Serenade, perhaps there was a way to extract Sunset’s power and use it for herself?

Lightning cleared her mind, she needed to focus on step one first. So she began to make her way upstairs to go and meet Bolt as she had planned. Once she was at the front door, she hastily made her way to her car which she stepped into and set out for her destination.

There wasn’t much time to waste.

Bolt had borrowed his mother’s car, claiming he was going to run to the store to pick up a few things. He didn’t like lying to his mother, but he didn’t want to take the risk of Lightning Dust making good on her threat. If his mother knew he was heading out to fight with her, she would likely tag along, and then Lightning would kill Yuna and Sunset as she said, or at the very least cause them harm.

With his eyes on the GPS that was controlling the vehicle, the teen closed his eyes and remembered the teachings of his mother. He remembered what he was fighting for: to save Yuna and Sunset, and in effect potentially save the entire world. Failure wasn’t an option. He had to crush Lightning Dust.

Opening his eyes, he watched as the car came around a nearby turn that eventually brought him to the location that he and Lightning had agreed upon. When the car parked itself, he stepped out and closed the door before retrieving his metal bat from the back seat.

Taking a few practice swings with his bat, Bolt nodded in confidence as he stepped away from the car and made his way to what appeared to be an empty lot. There would wasn’t a soul around, as it was an abandoned part of town, formerly under construction to cultivate a new suburb, but the project was abandoned years ago due to lack of funding. Now, all that remained were empty lots and half-finished structures that would likely be finished someday in the future but now stood no purpose.

Sure enough, as promised a car pulled up and parked on the other side of the lot. Bolt prepared himself as he watched Lightning Dust step out of the other car and close the door behind herself.

She glanced over at Bolt and smirked as she approached casually. “Glad to see you made it, kid…”

Bolt took a fighting stance before pointing at her with his bat. “I wouldn’t be so glad if I were you, I’m going to beat the shit out of you. I’m going to beat you so bad your fucking ancestors will feel it. I’ll knock the shit out of you so fucking hard that your fucking descendants are going to feel it.”

Lightning rolled her eyes as she cracked her knuckles. “I see boasting runs in the family…”

“Don’t you dare talk shit about my family.” Bolt growled.

“Why not let our fists do the talking then?” Lightning suggested.

“Whatever…” Bolt rolled his eyes.

Without warning, Lightning zipped past the open lot toward Bolt, but even with her lightning speed, Bolt was able to dodge her attack with ease. Lightning blinked and looked behind herself to see that Bolt was behind her now. He had moved so quickly that he was able to return to his original position while still dodging her attack.

She chuckled and nodded. “Not bad… Much better than last time for sure…” Lightning commented.

Not giving him a chance to respond, she bolted backward swiping at him, however, the attack appeared to go right through him. She blinked again, unsure of what was happening.

She swung at him again, and just like before her fist went right through him. “What the…?”

She began a flurry of punches, all of which just continued to go right through him. After the eighth punch, she felt a sharp pain in her gut, as if someone had punched her back.

Groaning she jumped backward and put some distance between the two of them. She recovered from the hit and then squinted trying to figure out what was going on. Bolt just stood confidently, unmoving. “Using illusionary magic? How pathetic…”

Bolt shook his head and smirked. “No illusions… You just keep missing.”

“What…? How…?” She growled before launching another series of attacks, but no matter how many times she struck, they all ended the same, moving right through Bolt, and appearing to do no damage. “WHY CAN’T I HIT YOU!” She growled before delivering another failed kick, this time again feeling like she was punched back, this time in the cheek, causing a small drip of black blood to release from her lip. She wiped the blood away and again put distance between the two of them.

What the hell is going on? Lightning thought as she watched Bolt closely. Still, he appeared to not be moving. If there was no illusion, he could he keep phasing through her attacks.

Bolt yawned, which Lightning was certain was him just taunting her. “Are you giving up already?” Bolt asked.

Lightning looked at the ground under him and noticed the dirt around him had shifted slightly from when their fight started. It was subtle, but she could just barely notice it. That is when it occurred to her what was going on, or at the very least, a possibility.

No way. It’s not possible! He’s moving so fast that I can’t even see him move! That would mean he’s even faster than me! Lightning thought with widened eyes.

Bolt caught her expression and grinned. “Figured it out then?”

“How the hell did you get that much faster from the last time we fought?” Lightning asked.

Bolt turned and placed his bat over his shoulder. “I’ve got a better teacher than you do… And that means, you can’t hit me. And that also means…” He readied his bat and suddenly Lightning felt a brunt hit to her chest which pushed her back, but as before, Bolt didn’t even appear to move.

“You can’t dodge my attacks.” Bolt's words were accompanied by another hit to her, unseen.

Lightning grunted in pain as she realized there was no way to fight back and no way to defend herself from his attacks. He could move unseen, and he could attack without retaliation.

Another blow came to her, this time in her knee, causing her to kneel in pain. “Fuck!” She hissed.

She needed to do something, or she would be beaten to a pulp without so much as landing a single hit on him.

Closing her eyes, Lightning focused on the demonic energy inside of her. She called upon it, pushing it out. She would need every advantage she could get. She needed to boost her speed and awareness.

Slowly, she felt her senses improve and soon she could just barely see trails behind Bolt of where he was moving. Another swing came her way with his bat, but this time she managed to kick and knock it out of the way.

Bolt began to swing ruthlessly, but this time Lightning was able to block and dodge each one. Bolt stopped and blinked in shock. Lightning smirked. “Tapping into my demonic powers lets me increase my awareness. I can see things moving slower than they actually are… Allowing me to see… Even you…”

Bolt chuckled and shook his head. “Just because you can see me, doesn’t mean you can stop me.” He issued another series of attacks which Lightning managed to block. “Eventually you’re going to get tired.”

Lightning and he exchanged blows, both stopping the other each time for a series of minutes before Lightning felt a sharp pain in her left leg. As she reached to grip in, Bolt delivered a punch directly to her face. She stumbled back and fell to the ground, gripping her leg and face. “Fuck!” She hissed in pain. Bolt kicked her while she was down, but she attempted to ignore it as she reached for the morphine, but Bolt kicked it out of her hand.

She struggled to reach for the morphine, but Bolt stomped on her wrist, causing her to scream more in pain. Bolt produced his bat and smacked her a few times on her side, but Lightning felt pain in her chest as well from the serum. She writhed in pain but forced herself to a stand and tried to put distance between her and Bolt, reaching to get another syringe, this time managing to get it out and started to fill it from a vial but Bolt darted forward and gripped her wrist, snatching the vial and punched her in the jaw.

Lightning stumbled and fell onto her behind before Bolt examined the vial. He laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, I don’t think so…” He tossed the vial onto the ground, smashing it before delivering more punches into the girl’s chest.

Lightning could do nothing but stand there and take it before Bolt produced his bat and began wailing on her, smacking her all over until he heard bones snap. With her leg broken, Lightning fell to the ground.

Bolt stood over her and grabbed her hair and smacked her face into the ground repeatedly.

The girl spit up blood and rolled over only for Bolt to grip her neck and begin punching her repeatedly in the face.

After a good eight punches, she managed to get words out. “Enough!”

He gave another punch before stopping, his fist still raised ready to deliver another. “Had enough?”

She coughed and blood came out as she nodded gently. “Yeah… It’s too much… I can’t…”

Bolt lowered his fist and turned his head, confused by her sudden surrender. “That’s it? You just give up?”

She nodded gently, her body aching. “Serenade turned on me like I knew she would…” Lightning coughed up black blood between words. “Sent one of her goons after me, injected me with some kind of fucked up serum… It’s going to cause my body to go through extreme pain until I want to die anyway… Even if it doesn’t kill me, Serenade would have finished me off anyway…”

Bolt rolled his eyes. “Tough break…”

“My body is too damaged to recover… I can feel my insides bleeding, I’m a goner no matter what…” She continued.

Bolt was silent.

“You’re strong kid… Definitely Rainbow Dash’s kin… I wished I had learned more from the Rainbow Dash of my world, maybe things wouldn’t have ended up this way…” She hacked up more blood.

Retrieving a tissue from his pocket he wiped her mouth. “It didn’t have to be this way, you know?”

She nodded and smiled. “Yeah… I should have just accepted no matter what I did… I was never going to be good enough. It’s just like with my dad, I keep living in denial, thinking I can measure up…”

Bolt shook his head. “You never needed to in the first place.”

She chuckled through strained breaths. “You’re too kind… I wish we had met under better circumstances… You’d have made one hell of a rival…”

“Same. But there’s still a chance to set things right, you know? Tell me where they are…” Bolt said.

Lightning reached up and unzipped her outfit in the front and retrieved the small device hooked into her. It had a heart rate monitor and a timer underneath it displaying 80 minutes.

“I had a backup plan… If Serenade killed me, she’d definitely go after my prize… I kidnapped them and trapped them so I had one up on Serenade… If she killed me, this heart rate monitor would go off, starting a countdown from eighty minutes. After that… The building they’re in is rigged with explosives… It’d take Serenade out with them…” Lightning explained.

Bolt’s eyes widened. “Where are they, Lightning Dust? You have to let me save them, or you’re just going to die for nothing.”

She rested her head and pulled a key out of her pocket and tossed it to him. “H Street, an abandoned office building on the corner, they’re in the basement, lowest level… If you hurry, you can make it before the explosives go off… I don’t have much time left…”

He nodded but as he turned to leave, she called back to him. “Hey, Bolt…”

Turning back he glanced at her. “Mind giving me that morphine? I at least want to go comfortably…”

He nodded and picked up a syringe and administered it into her arm. After a few seconds, she could feel the effects and nodded. “Thanks, kid… I guess this is what it feels like to lose to someone who is just better than you in every way…”

Bolt smiled and stood up. “I didn’t just wake up and get that way overnight.”

As he ran to his car, Lightning smiled as she closed her eyes. “Give Serenade hell for me, kid…”

After a few seconds, her heart monitor flatlined and the device began its timer. Her body slowly dissolved into a familiar black mist within the moment, leaving no trace of Lightning Dust beyond the device itself, now laying on the pavement just counting down.

Bolt had informed the rest of his friends what was going on, and they all had raced to the location in question. Unfortunately, being on the far side of town with bad traffic, the group managed to arrive with only eight minutes to spare.

Stepping out of the car, Bolt raced over to the rest of the group who were pouring out of Horizon’s car and Jasper’s truck. Once everyone was accounted for, Bolt nodded at the group as he counted heads. Once he was sure everyone was there, he noticed Eclipse pull up on a motorcycle. The young man quickly removed his helmet and gave an approving nod to the group as he parked and approached.

Once everyone was gathered, Bolt checked the time. “Fuck, we don’t have much time, okay, so Yuna and Sunset are in there somewhere. We don’t have much time before the explosives in the building go off.”

Eclipse cleared his throat as he interjected. “I think given the circumstances, only two of us should enter.”

“Huh? Why?” Jasper chimed in.

“We have two people to rescue, and we have no idea what condition they’re in or if they’re even able to walk. Two of us makes it so we have one to carry each if necessary, and no one is going in alone… However, given the building is rigged with explosives, it would be foolish for all of us to go in, that would only make it more difficult to exit when something goes wrong,” Eclipse explained.

Thorn nodded. “No sense in all of us risking our safety, right? Not to mention It would be pointless for me to go in because I’d be a hindrance…”

Bolt shook his head. “You’re not a hindrance, but it would definitely be more dangerous for you… I have to agree with Eclipse’s plan though, two go in, and the rest of us wait out here, we send in more if we don’t see them come out.”

“That way we always have people out here to call for help if needed.” Eclipse nodded.

“Fine… So who goes in?” Jasper asked.

Eclipse pointed at Horizon. “I’ll take Horizon in. Yuna could use a face she would enjoy seeing…”

Horizon tilted her head in confusion. “Huh?”

Rather than explain Yuna’s infatuation with Horizon, which Eclipse knew would be a long discussion about romantic attraction, he decided to wave his hand to dismiss her question.

“Don’t worry about it, point is she’s closer to you. You get her, I get Sunset, fair?” Eclipse asked.

Horizon nodded in agreement. “Alright, sounds good.”

Eclipse gestured to go in. “Alright, we don’t have much time. Let’s go.”

The two ran into the building at full speed. Once inside, they both turned on the light on their phones, illuminating the way. Eclipse searched around until he found a map. Searching it over he located the stairwell. “Okay, looks like the stairs are to the left, they go down two levels, looks like the basement is several floors below the building. The stairs won’t take us all the way to the bottom, I think they changed the building layout after they built this place. We go down two levels via the stairs, then there are another two sets of stairs in different locations on those floors. The layout is a bit complicated but I think I have it memorized.”

Horizon glanced at the map herself to confirm but nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

Racing across the main floor, the two bolted toward the stairs which were several hallways and turns away, but finally, after a few minutes, they were descending the two flights of stairs. It took several minutes to navigate, but the next two floors were like some kind of maze, clearly not designed very well.

Checking their phones, it had taken the two over seven minutes to get down to the final stairwell which now got them to the basement.

Once there, the two gazed upon Sunset and Yuna laying there on the ground behind some kind of forcefield. “What the…?” Eclipse asked.

Horizon approached the devices that were producing the forcefield with intrigue as Eclipse interrogated the two. “Hey! Wake up! We’re here to get you out of here!”

Sunset stirred a bit and after gently opening an eye, she smiled. “Never thought I’d be happy to see you…” She nearly whispered.

“Likewise, now how do we shut this thing down?” Eclipse asked.

Sunset pointed to the device that Horizon was near. “Just destroy those… Then we can leave…”

“Cool, I love when shit is easy.” Eclipse smirked as he approached the other device. At the same time, he and Horizon picked them up and smashed them onto the ground, breaking the barrier to Sunset and Yuna.

Wasting no time, they rushed over to the two and helped them up. Eclipse supported Sunset, and Horizon supported Yuna, carrying her on her back, as she was far weaker than Sunset.

Sunset explained their situation. “She may be weak… She hasn’t eaten in a while…”

Yuna’s eyes opened slightly as she smiled. “Horizon… I knew you’d come…”

Horizon nodded. “Now we have to get you out of here.”

“Okay, back the way we came, come on!” Eclipse commanded.

No sooner than when they made it up the first set of stairs did they hear an explosion followed by a few more. The group stumbled and Eclipse and Horizon both fell, allowing Yuna and Sunset to fall with them. Quickly they picked themselves back up and assisted their respective friend. “Fuck!” Eclipse hissed. “The explosives already went off, this place is gonna fall apart, we have to move faster!”

As they raced through a hallway, another explosion happened and from above them the ceiling fell apart, allowing flames to block their path. “Shit!” Eclipse cursed.

Sunset grumbled for a moment before she placed her right hand close to her face. She grabbed her leather glove with her teeth and ripped it off. “Everyone just touch my body… I can get us past this…”

Following her order, Horizon reached over and placed a hand upon Sunset’s back.

Sunset concentrated and placed her hand on a nearby shadow. Focusing, she moved her body and all those touching her through the shadows only to appear on the other side of the fire.

“One time having demonic powers is useful…” Eclipse commented.

Sunset ignored his comment as the group continued to progress, making their way up the next stairwell. Halfway up the stairs Sunset fell off of Eclipse’s shoulder and fumbled down the stairs, landing on the ground panting gently. Eclipse ran after her and came to her side. She chuckled and smirked at him. “Guess I’m just dead weight after all… Just leave me…”

He shook his head as he forced her up again. “Warriors fight until the battle is over.”

Sunset raised a brow as he began to bring her back up the stairs to reconnect with Horizon and Yuna. “I didn’t teach you that one…” She commented.

Eclipse shook his head. “No, Master Razorclaw did.”

Sunset sighed. “I should have figured… She’s a lot tougher than me…”

“Yes, she is. Now come on.” Eclipse grunted as they made it to the top of the stairs.

“Two more floors,” Horizon stated.

“And the stairs are just on the other side of this floor, then it’s just a straight shot.” Eclipse nodded.

This floor had been damaged far more than the previous two, fire was everywhere, forcing the group to navigate around and take long paths around what would ordinarily be a much quicker path.

Sunset couldn’t walk anymore and fell to the floor. Eclipse tried to get her up, but she swatted him away. “I’m slowing you guys down… Just go… Take her out of her…”

“I told you before…” Eclipse started, but Sunset cut him off.

“I’ll get out… Just give me a minute to rest. Go on without me,” she insisted.

Eclipse stared at her for a brief moment before he sighed and nodded. “You better make it out alive. We still have a need for you, unfortunately.”

She gave a thumbs-up as the three of them ran off ahead of her. She closed her eyes for a moment as she began to recoup.

As the group left her, Eclipse glanced back after she was out of their sight, they had made it to the next staircase. “That bitch better not die on us…”

The group ascended the stairs, and then the next flight before they finally came back to the entrance floor. Without hesitation, they navigated around debris and fire before making their way to the entrance. Pushing through the door, the group cheered as they saw Horizon make it out first with Yuna on her back. Eclipse followed, but Sunset was nowhere to be seen.

Regrouping with the others, they all crowded around Horizon to see Yuna, chanting words of praise and relief at her safety. While they all swarmed her, Jasper gestured for them to back off. “Back off, give her some space guys!”

Horizon walked over to her car and set Yuna down in the front passenger seat. The girl smiled at Horizon gently but said nothing. “She hasn’t eaten for days. Does anyone have any food?”

Bolt produced a few sticks of jerky that he had and passed them to Horizon. She offered one to Yuna after ripping the packaging open, but Yuna could barely lift her arm. “Give me a sec, I have to help her eat this…” Horizon said before she ripped a piece off and placed it in Yuma’s mouth. She moved Yuan’s jaw up and down for her to help before the girl could swallow. Horizon repeated the action over and over as the rest surrounded the car.

“Where’s Sunset?” Bolt asked.

Eclipse looked back at the building. “Still inside… She promised she’d be right behind us… Just give her a minute, she’ll be here, I’m sure of it…”

“You left her behind?” Candy spoke in confusion.

Eclipse shook his head. “She insisted we let her rest and catch up. She’s really weak, and she had to use her powers just to help us get out. I’m sure she’s drained.”

Jasper frowned. “Still… She’s not in a condition to be trying to get out on her own… Shouldn’t one of us go in to get her?”

Eclipse bit his lip and thought it over, realizing Jasper could be right. “Yeah… It’s been a while, she should have been out here by now…”

“Who is going in to get her then?” Bolt asked.

Before Eclipse could answer that question, another explosion happened, this one much larger than the rest. The group ducked instinctively, despite being a good distance from the building.

“Shit! Sunset!” Jasper shouted.

Eclipse stood there frozen. Sunset promised she would make it out, and yet it would appear as though she lied to him. Could she really be dead?

Author's Note

I'm back from the dead once again! Yeah, I wanted this chapter out in May, but I ended up a day late to the show for that. I have classes on top of my job, and I'm juggling a youtube channel and filling out paperwork for my wife to be allowed to stay in my country permanently. So my plate is full, but I still try and make time to squeeze in a few hundred words when I can. It can be challenging when these chapters are averaging between 9,000-10,000 words each. I try to keep them consistent in length so you guys are at least not waiting long periods of time for such tiny chapters.

Yes. Shimmer is back. Who saw that coming? Anyone? What does it mean going forward? I can't tell you, but it's definitely linked to the big finale, which we're approaching quickly.

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXI: Endurance

Chapter CXXXI: Endurance

Heavy breathing was all Sunset could hear. Her mind focused solely on that, but it wasn’t long before she realized it was her own breathing she was hearing. Once she realized that, she could hear her own heart beating loudly. Thump! Thump! Thump! It was deafening.

The woman opened her eyes and her nostrils were flooded with the smell of soot and smoke. It was coming back to her now, she had passed out after taking a small rest while she was making her escape from Lightning Dust’s lair. Eclipse had allowed her to rest as she asked, and once she closed her eyes, she must have micro-slept. Quickly, she checked the time, and it had only been a good two minutes since Eclipse and Horizon had headed off ahead of her. She had wasted precious time, but she still had enough time to make her escape.

Sunset composed herself and forced herself to stand. Her legs were wobbly, and she could feel exhaustion in every muscle in her body. She took a few steps and used a nearby wall to prop herself up. She panted lightly before she examined where she needed to go. Using the wall as a support, she managed to make her way down the hall to where she could spot a map. It had been so long since she entered this building that she had forgotten how to get out. She calmed herself and checked the map diligently. She memorized the path out and started once again heading that way.

After reaching the end of the hall, she turned right only to find a fire blocking her path. She cursed and navigated around using a different path, but soon she would fall to her knees with her back up against the wall. She coughed and panted as she tried to compose herself.

She hadn’t been completely honest with Eclipse when she told him she would be fine. Her body was extremely weak after so long without food, and now it was a struggle to walk a good eight feet. Looking around her, she could see that the fires were spreading fast and she needed to make better time. Looking at her phone, she called up Moon. “Hey, Moon… You there?”

Moon appeared as a hologram in front of Sunset and glanced around the room. “Sunset! I’ve been worried sick about you! What happened? You’ve been radio silent for days, and Miss Horizon has been looking all over for you.”

“I’ve been a bit tied up… I can give you the details later… Right now I need your help…” She stated.

Moon nodded. “Absolutely, what can I do for you?”

“I need you to check my vitals… And tell me what my odds are of getting out of here… Do a survey of the current area around me…” Sunset instructed.

Moon gave a quick salute before he closed his eyes and began to perform the task. After eight seconds he opened his eyes and frowned. “Your situation is very less than ideal, Sunset… Your vitals are very low, and given the heat, danger, and such of the environment around you… I’d say if you exert yourself too much, you’ll sustain significant injuries… It’s best to proceed with caution in your condition.”

“Going cautiously will definitely be too slow though…” Sunset stated.

Moon rubbed his neck and nodded. “Yes… That is a possibility as well. This building is coming apart at rapid speeds, it would be wise for you to move quickly if possible…”

Sunset nodded and leaned back against the wall with a smirk on her face. “Guess that means that like always, I’m put between a rock and a hard place… Story of my life…”

“I can call Horizon for assistance, I sense she’s nearby!” Moon suggested.

Sunset shook her head. “No, I dismissed her so she wouldn’t be in harm’s way… Leave her, I can take care of myself…”

“In this condition?” Moon tilted his head.

Sunset nodded before she lifted her right hand. Glancing at the demonic appendage, she let out a sigh, knowing what she needed to do. “It’s weird how my life always comes down to being forced to make choices that I’d rather not…”

“Such is the burden of human existence, Sunset…” Moon commented.

Sunset placed her hand over half of her face, and the moment that Moon saw this, he quickly emitted a beeping noise. “Sunset! I highly advise against that! In your current condition, demon state would be significantly more damaging to your body! I implore you to reconsider!”

“I have no choice, Moon… Sorry…” Sunset chuckled.

Moon frowned and looked away. “Very well… I’ll keep my eyes on your vitals… Please don’t do anything reckless…”

“Reckless? Me? You must have me confused with someone else…” Sunset chuckled.

“I wish I was…” Moon frowned before his hologram vanished. Once he was gone, Sunset let out a breath she had no idea she was holding in.

“Okay…” She braced herself as she focused her energy.

“Your power is mine… My body is your’s… Together… We are one!” She removed her hand and felt the demonic presence within her take over, giving her the strength she desperately needed. Now with newfound strength, Sunset pulled herself up and onto her feet. She looked down at her hand which now was flaring with demonic energy. It would be enough to push her through this, though she wasn't sure of the price she would pay for it, however, she had a feeling it wasn't going to be something she liked.

Sunset closed her fist and then focused her eyes forward, trying to compose herself. “Okay… Let’s do this…” She thought out loud.

Pushing herself forward, Sunset made her way down the current hallway where she encountered debris in her way. With a loud grunt, she waved her hand and a large black tendril came out of her arm, whipping the debris out of the way, and clearing a path for her. She looked down at her hand with intrigue, surprised that she was able to pull such a feat even with her body as weak as it was. This was the true power of demonic energy, able to give strength and energy when the body was completely devoid of it.

Wasting no further time on the thought, Sunset raced past the rubble and dived into a nearby shadow so she could navigate around a set of fires that were blocking her way.

Within seconds she found herself in front of one of the stairwells she needed to be at, but a large beam from the ceiling fell and nearly crushed her, but she quickly caught it between her hands, and with a groan, she heaved it out of the way. Her improved strength in demon state proved exceptionally useful in a life-or-death situation, that was for sure.

The hologram from her phone came back on, showing Moon as Sunset traversed up the stairwell, focusing on the nearby shadows so she could once again jump through them to shave some time off of her escape as the building began to collapse far faster.

“Incredible!” Moon praised.

Sunset dodged another piece of falling debris as she began to sprint toward the final stairwell. “Yeah, shadow walking lets me hop between shadows…” Sunset commented.

“I’ll make a note of it!” Moon nodded before disappearing again.

With the final staircase in sight, Sunset raced up and hopped over a gap created by falling debris. She grunted but managed to make it to the entrance floor. She was in the home stretch, but suddenly another large explosion happened, knocking the girl to the ground. She grunted and groaned, but quickly she pulled herself to her feet. She checked her watch and realized she had stayed in demon state for far too long. She had disabled the auto-injection that normally pulled her out of it, as she was sure she would need far more time.

She had no choice though, if she stayed for much longer, she’d likely suffer more damage to her body. Sunset re-enabled the auto-injection and bolted toward the doorway.

As she felt the injection that pulled her out of demon state, she jumped over a fire that blocked her exit and rolled. Picking herself back up, Sunset panted as she walked out into the open, past smoke. She coughed but could hear her name being called.

Once she was past the smoke she smiled as she saw the group of teens along with Eclipse waiting for her to arrive.

As she came within eight feet of the group she gave a gentle wave. “Sorry for worrying everyone…”

“How did you get out?” Horizon questioned.

Sunset opened her mouth to answer but suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest. She gasped for air for a brief second before she felt her throat fill up with a thick liquid. She tried to cover her mouth but it was useless. Black sludge projected out of her mouth onto the ground followed by another round before Sunset fell backward and hit the pavement.

Quickly the group surrounded her as she began to twitch and convulse out of control, spitting out the black sludge as she did. Eclipse raced to her side and got onto the ground, quickly checking her pulse. “Fuck!” He hissed as he tried to hold her still.

“Help me! Hold her still!” He demanded.

Horizon, Jasper, and Keylime all gripped Sunset and held her down, her body was convulsing insanely, it was almost inhuman. “Hold her head to the side!” Eclipse instructed harshly.

Nodding, Bolt held her head sideways as he noticed her eyes began to have black veins appear in the whites of them. She spat up more black sludge, unable to stop twitching. “What the fuck…?” Bolt blinked.

Eclipse reached into a small pouch on Sunset’s belt and produced a small case which he ripped open to retrieve a small syringe. Gripping the cap over the needle in his mouth, Eclipse tore it off and positioned it directly over Sunset’s right forearm. “Alright…” Eclipse inhaled and exhaled as he stabbed her with the needle, injecting it into her.

Sunset’s whole body thrust forward, but the group kept her held down as she let out a long pained gasp before the twitching got worse. “What the fuck is happening!?” Bolt questioned.

“Just keep her still! And keep her head to the side!” Eclipse growled.

Nodding the group held her as Eclipse kept his fingers on her neck, keeping an eye on her pulse. “Vitals starting to return to normal… Come on Sunset, you’re almost through this…”

Once her pulse returned to normal, he released her and gestured for the others to do the same. “Alright, back off…”

Eclipse turned her head and checked her eyes. They had returned to normal, causing him to nod approvingly and sigh as he stood up. “Let her rest…” He said calmly as he took a few steps away.

The group watched her carefully as Jasper broke the silence. “What happened to her?”

Eclipse didn’t answer, instead, Cloud chimed in with a theory. “Maybe it’s some kind of reaction to the demonic energy in her body? Probably just her body rejecting it…?”

“That’s… a good thing, right? It means she’s fighting the demonic corruption in her body… Right?” Bolt suggested.

“Could have been something else…” Nova proposed.

“Maybe it’s just some kind of… Allergic reaction?” Candy chimed in.

Eclipse grunted, getting annoyed at their speculation. He spat out a piece of gum he had been working on to calm himself down and rolled his eyes. “She’s dying.”

The entire group looked in his direction with confusion in their eyes. “Excuse me?” Jasper asked.

Eclipse sighed and didn’t turn to face them. “She’s dying… She has maybe eight months left…”

“She’s… Dying?” Candy asked.

“Impure demons don’t live long. Demonic energy pulses through their body and slowly spreads. Her arm used to be just her hand, then her wrist, and now it’s almost her entire arm. Once it spreads to her heart… Her heart will stop. The demon inside of her will use her empty husk for a little while, but eventually, she’ll die…” Eclipse explained.

The group fell silent.

Eclipse finally turned and glanced at Sunset laying there, her eyes half open as she finally caught her breath. She could hear everything he was saying, there was little doubt. He continued. “That girl is already dead. Nothing can save here now…”

Cloud quickly offered an idea. “Horizon’s dark pull could possibly…”

Eclipse cut him off. “Kill Horizon.”

Cloud blinked.

“I can tell Horizon’s power is far too weak. It works by absorbing darkness into her own heart, and the light within her purifies it and destroys it… The amount in Sunset… It’s too strong, it would kill Horizon within minutes…” Eclipse explained.

Horizon looked down at her mother laying there. Sunset shook her head, finally speaking. “I would never allow it anyway… I’ve fucked up many times in my life, and I know I haven’t done right by you, Horizon, but I will never let you die for me… I will never let you be harmed because of me…”

Horizon was silent, she chose not to add anything, though Sunset suspected the girl likely wouldn’t have helped her even if she did ask.

Sunset sat up and grumbled as she gestured for everyone to back off of her.

“So that’s it? You’re going to die soon and there’s nothing that can be done?” Jasper asked.

Sunset shrugged before forcing herself to stand. All the others around her stood back up as well. “It’s already set in stone. There’s no way to stop it. I’ll die, turn into a husk, and then Eclipse will take my body out so it can’t be used to harm others… That was the plan.”

Jasper coughed and looked away as he rolled his eyes.

“Something to say, Jasper?” Sunset raised a brow.

Candy could already tell what her brother was thinking and stepped in as she crossed her arms defiantly. “You really are some piece of shit, aren’t you? You come back into Horizon’s life after disappearing when you’re just going to drop dead in a few months from now? Maybe even sooner? You never had any fucking intention of making right by her, did you? Things must be so easy when you never have to face the person you’re betraying.”

Sunset looked over at Horizon, who was as stone-faced as ever. It was impossible to tell what she was feeling; the girl was truly an enigma beyond Sunset's ability to comprehend.

“I never intended any of this to happen…” Sunset began.

“Well, it did. And nothing you say now can fix it.” Jasper added as he stood next to his sister.

Sunset glanced at him but then back at Horizon. “Horizon…”

Horizon shrugged and looked over at where Yuna was being cared for. “I have to check on Yuna…” Horizon said before leaving to go to the starving girl.

Sunset sighed as the rest of the group wandered off with Horizon to tend to Yuna. Eclipse stayed behind and kept his eyes on Sunset as she looked at the ground and sulked. “Do you think dying is an appropriate punishment for everything I’ve done, Eclipse?” She asked.

Eclipse rolled his eyes as he stepped forward. “Everyone dies, so it’s not much of a punishment. That being said, you’re not dead yet. Make your last days count, kill Serenade and save your daughter from a world where Serenade is queen.”

“I doubt she’ll even be thankful that I did…” Sunset spoke quietly, refusing to face Eclipse.

“No, she won’t. That girl likely will hate you until the day she dies, and you’ll have to face death alone, but you can’t change that now. You made your choices, there’s no going back,” Eclipse said.

Sunset was silent before she looked up at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the teenagers all getting back into their vehicles and leaving the two behind, without so much as a goodbye. Sunset had risked her life to keep Yuna alive, and not a single one of them even thanked her for it, and they couldn’t care less about the condition she was in.

As Sunset watched them leave, Eclipse spoke her thoughts. “Now you know what it’s like to truly feel alone in the world, don’t you?”

Sunset stared as the group drove off, following one another. “Hey, Eclipse… Do you think it’s better to be alone?”

He blinked, caught off guard by the question. He blushed as his mind for a brief second returned to Galeal, but he dismissed the thought. “I do now… It’s much easier to die when you’re alone, Sunset. Be thankful, it’ll be much harder to let it happen when you’re resisting saying goodbye. You may not be able to be the mother that Horizon needs, but you can protect her in another way.”

Sunset smiled gently and turned toward him and nodded. “Yeah… I guess you’re right… I guess the only thing I can do is move on… Can you excuse me for a moment, I need to make a phone call…”

Eclipse nodded and gestured toward his bike. “I’ll wait for you over there.”

After Eclipse mounted his bike and began to check his phone, Sunset stepped away and dialed a familiar number. After eight rings, the voice of Twilight came through the phone. “Sunset? Where are you? Horizon and her friends said you went missing.”

“I’m fine now… Horizon and her friends saved me, Yuna too,” Sunset explained.

“Oh… Well, why are you calling me then?” Twilight asked.

“I wanted to tell you that it’s okay… I understand why you want to leave now… You deserve to be happy, Twilight. You deserve someone better than me…” Sunset explained.

There was silence for a moment as a tear ran down Sunset’s cheek, waiting for Twilight’s response.

“Is that what you think I want to hear, Sunset?” Twilight asked.

“I think it’s what you need to hear…” Sunset spoke, gently choking on her words.

There was a short sigh from Twilight. “I really hate that you do this, you know?”

“Do what?” Sunset asked, confused.

“This is how you always deal with your problems, you either run from them or you try to absolve yourself from having to deal with them. You think that telling me it’s okay for me to find someone else will make it so you don’t have to feel bad anymore because you did the right thing in your mind…” Twilight sounded annoyed.

“I’m just trying to make sure you’re happy…” Sunset spoke meekly.

“It’s too late for that, Sunset. I haven’t been happy because of you, and you don’t get to just pretend to yourself that letting me go absolves you of that. You get to live with it, because at the end of the day… I still love you. I always have. I just can’t be with you anymore because all you do is hurt me. You don’t get to move on from the pain you caused me, because I haven’t, and I never will. We were supposed to have a life together, Sunset, but you were only there for the easiest parts… You didn’t endure the hard parts as I did… You were too busy being a hero to someone else, not to your family…” Twilight explained.

Sunset fell silent.

“You don’t get to feel absolved until a long time from now…” Twilight continued.

Sunset spoke softly. “I’m dying, Twilight… Horizon just found out too…”

There was a short pause.

“Seriously… Fuck you, Sunset. You think you can just guilt me like that?” Twilight asked.

“It’s not a joke. I’m serious… Ask Horizon yourself, she saw and understands why… The demonic power inside me is killing me…” Sunset explained.

Twilight sighed once more. “Well… I guess lucky you… You only have to feel bad for a little while then… I get to for the rest of my days…”

Sunset closed her eyes as tears poured out of them. “I’m so sorry, Twilight… I wanted to be a better wife, a better mother… I really did… I wanted to be so much better than my parents were… I wanted to give you and Horizon everything…”

Twilight ended the call with one final sentence. “It’s too bad you didn’t, maybe you could die happy then.”

She hung up after, leaving Sunset there with nothing but misery. The woman sniffled but then wiped her tears. She calmed herself and approached Eclipse, who tilted his head in confusion. “Who were you calling?”

Sunset shook her head. “It doesn’t matter anymore…”

He shrugged and gestured for her to get on. “Come on, there’s someone I think you need to meet…”

“Someone?” Sunset raised a brow.

“You will understand better when you meet them, come on, I think you need to see this…” Eclipse said.

Sunset was curious but decided not to ask questions. Instead, she hopped onto the bike and held on tight as he started the engine. “Can we get something to eat though? I haven’t eaten in so long…”

Eclipse rolled his eyes as he slipped his helmet on and raised his voice over the engine. “You kidding? I’m surprised your body didn’t take the fat from your boobs! Then at least I wouldn’t have to feel them on my back right now!”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Not thinking of turning straight, are you?”

“Nah, they’re making me gayer for sure.” Eclipse joked.

“You’re such a fruitcake, you know that?” Sunset teased back.

“Hey, if you keep banter like that up I might actually start to enjoy your company!” Eclipse laughed.

Eight Ball had been tailing Lightning Dust for a few hours, and from a distance had witnessed her death at the hands of Bolt Dash. Once Bolt had disappeared from the scene, Eight Ball came out of hiding and approached where Lightning’s body had vanished. Looking at the ground where she once laid, he saw the detonation device she had spoken of to Bolt. Picking it up, he examined it and laughed. Eighty minutes was more than enough time for Sunset Shimmer to escape, and he was certain that Lightning hadn’t really finished the woman off.

He dropped the device back onto the ground and shook his head with a smirk on his face. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved a cigarette and lit it. He took a short drag from the cancer stick and exhaled while he examined the scene. Lightning was decimated by the child, and thus proved she was not worthy of Serenade’s order. A small bit of him was disappointed, he had hoped he would have gotten to see her beg for the pain to stop first.

With the cigarette between his two fingers, he retrieved his phone from his wrist and opened up a video call with his master who appeared in a hologram before him instantaneously. Serenade crossed her arms and raised a brow. “Eight, what news do you have to report?”

Eight took another drag and smiled. “It’s Lightning.”

“What about her?” Serenade asked.

“She’s dead.” He exhaled.

Serenade’s expression softened a bit. “You take her out?”

Finishing the cigarette, he tossed it onto the ground and stamped it out. “Nah, wasn’t necessary. One of those teenagers who hangs out with Sunset’s kid killed her.”

“So you are slacking on the job then?” Serenade raised a brow.

He chuckled. “I may have had a hand in putting her at a serious disadvantage during their fight…”

Serenade rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s good that she’s dead. What happened to Sunset Shimmer?”

“Turns out she captured her a while ago and was holding her hostage somewhere. Probably wanted leverage over you or something… It was a stupid plan, for sure… The kind of retarded shit that someone was dumb and as useless as Lightning Dust would come up with, that's for sure. Not interesting in the slightest either.” Eight shrugged.

Serenade shook her head. “She was dumber than she looked then. Did you apprehend Sunset, now that Lightning is dead?”

He shook his head. “Nah, not possible. The kid ran off to go get her. She’s on the other side of town and since he took a car, there’s no way I can get there before he does. Speed was Lightning’s thing. The kid was fast, but I think it’d use too much power on his part to try and go all the way across town, especially after a fight like that…”

“Damn, I was hoping at least we could get some use out of Lightning, but I suppose not… She turned out to be completely useless after all...” Serenade sighed.

“The girl was useless from the start, you knew that. Now she’s out of the way, we can focus more on those of us who actually can do their job…” Eight suggested.

Serenade nodded approvingly. “Agreed. You continue to impress me, Eight Ball. Now, go check up on Shield and see what he’s going to do about our little problem… Thinning out Horizon’s little entourage should be his top priority, we don’t want her getting too many allies after all.”

Eight agreed with her. “Yeah, I’ll see what he’s up to. I’m sure he’s got something cooked up, he’s usually more interesting than the Doc, that’s for sure…”

“I think the doctor is putting his talents to good use, he promised me he’ll have some things to show for his research real soon, should be some fun new toys that I’m sure those kids will absolutely love.” Serenade smirked.

“Sounds good, I’ll call you back when I’ve met with Shield.”

“See to it that you do.” Serenade nodded before hanging up.

Eight smirked and hung up, Shield would be much more interesting to see in action that Lightning Dust was, and he was looking forward to that.

The motorcycle that Eclipse and Sunset were on came to a stop in front of a hotel. Eclipse removed his helmet before looking over at Sunset who had stepped off of the bike, Sunset reached to her own neck and removed the geode clasped to it. She offered it to Eclipse.

“Here.” She held out her hand.

Eclipse looked down at the necklace in confusion. “Why are you giving me that?”

“I’m a lot weaker now… It’ll take a few days for me to be back to my full strength, so I can’t exactly protect it from falling into the wrong hands fully. It will only work for people who have the same bloodline as me, but that doesn’t mean Serenade or her minions won’t find a way to use it to enhance their own power…” She explained.

Eclipse took it from her and raised a brow. “This thing drastically enhances your ability to use magic here…”

She nodded. “Yes, but I can still use it without it, it just won’t be as strong. It’s safer with you for a little while until my strength comes back…”

Shrugging, Eclipse placed it around his own neck and grinned. “Do I look any sexier?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’re absolutely to die for… I won’t be able to keep my hands off of you…” She spoke sarcastically.

“Well, now that you’re going to be single again, I might have to actually watch out…” Eclipse chuckled.

Sunset frowned and looked away. “So you heard that, then?”

He nodded. “I may have heard a little bit…”

The two were silent until Eclipse spoke up. “Tough break, Sunset.”

She blinked and looked over at him with surprise. “It’s not like you to try and console me…” She said.

He rubbed his neck and looked away. “Hey… It’s none of my business, but I know what it’s like to have your world shattered…”

Sunset stepped forward. “You still haven’t told me why you’re doing all this… Why you’re here… We’ve known each other for years now and you have yet to tell me anything about yourself…”

Eclipse sighed. “Yeah… I guess that’s unfair, huh?”

Sunset’s voice became softer. “Talk to me, Eclipse… You may have disdain toward me, but I really have no reason to have that toward you… I’ve been working with you this entire time, I just want to know why…”

Eclipse’s tone became less sarcastic and joking than Sunset was used to as he spoke up. “When I was young, I met a griffon… His name was Galeal… He was the only person who ever understood me. We connected so well, I finally came out of my shell. He showed me how to open up, how to be someone and not just another face in the crowd…”

Sunset was silent as she listened.

“Before him, I was shy, nervous, lacked confidence… But Galeal… He just… He just understood me right away. We were inseparable…” Eclipse went on.

“He sounds great.” Sunset smiled.

“When Serenade took over, he and I were put into work camps… I was sure we’d be separated, but I happened to be good with numbers… They put us in charge of construction operations, so we got to stay together, managed to avoid a lot of the harder tasks… He wasn’t great with numbers, but I lied and pretended some of my work was his, just so we could be together…” Eclipse continued.

Sunset looked genuinely surprised. “I’m sorry… I didn’t know you were in the camps…”

“When they finally separated us, I escaped and went looking for him… When I found him though… I found out he had been living a lie… Galeal never could admit he had feelings for me to his family. Didn’t want to carry the stigma… He was too embarrassed by me…” Eclipse said.

Sunset placed a hand over her mouth in shock. “What did you do?”

“I left. I joined the rebellion, I figured if I couldn’t be with him, I’d at least make myself useful… Kill the creature who murdered my parents…” He replied.

“And now? Why did you come here, Eclipse? You could have stayed in Equestria…” Sunset asked.

He paused and looked away. “I came here to find you…”

“Me?” Sunset blinked.

He nodded. “I broke into the royal archives, and when I was there, I learned that Glitch was actually Sunset Shimmer… I also learned that Twilight knew Serenade escaped and came here… I figured I could be useful again and serve under Glitch to stop Serenade again…”

Sunset frowned. “I’m sorry, Eclipse… I get it must be very disappointing to find out who I really am… Glitch was… Glitch was everything I’m not because that’s who I had to be when it went down…”

“You did what you had to…” Eclipse shrugged.

Sunset stepped forward and took Eclipse’s hand. “No… I didn’t.”

He looked at the girl with confusion as she continued.

“I wanted to show we were better… But I was wrong to do that… I should have killed her, Eclipse. I didn’t and now more people are paying the price for that. I won’t make that mistake twice, I will make up for my mistake, I promise you.” Sunset pleaded.

Eclipse sighed and nodded, gripping her hand tight, and the two released each other.

She smiled and kissed his cheek, causing the man to blush slightly. “Thanks for telling me… I feel like we’re a little closer…”

Eclipse rolled his eyes. “I’m still not into girls…”

Sunset giggled and tapped his nose. “Maybe I can convince you one day.”

“Pffft, I’ve seen you get out of the shower, doesn’t do anything for me.” He rolled his eyes.

She giggled and looked over at the hotel. “So… Are you going to tell me why we’re here?”

Eclipse grew silent for a second before he responded. “Yeah… There’s someone you have to meet, and I apologize in advance if this is weird…”

“Why would it be weird?” Sunset blinked.

“Just… Follow me…” Eclipse gestured for her to follow.

The pair walked toward room number eight and Eclipse inhaled and exhaled before he rang the doorbell. He stood patiently as the door swung open a few seconds later, there at the door was a woman with long wavy hair, only partially tucked under a black beanie.

She smiled at Eclipse and nodded at him. “Ah, Eclipse. And I am going to guess you’re Sunset Shimmer then?”

Sunset squinted as she examined the girl before she replied. “Starlight?”

Starlight blinked. “We’ve met?”

Sunset shook her head. “No. But you look a lot like the other Starlight…”

She chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. How is she, by the way? I’m kind of curious what my counterpart is like…”

Sunset shrugged. “I haven’t really talked to her since I left years ago. When the war was going on, she was kept hostage by a changeling, but it sounded like she had developed feelings for him before things were over, swore up and down he wasn’t like Serenade… Too bad it seems like she was wrong because he’s out here helping her now…”

“Hopeless romantic… Sounds like me.” Starlight giggled.

Eclipse cleared his throat, catching Starlight’s attention. She frowned, realizing they weren’t there for small talk. “I take it you’re here to see her?” Starlight asked.

“Please.” Eclipse nodded.

Nodding back, Starlight smiled at him. “I’ll go get her, one second.”

Starlight closed the door and her footsteps could be heard heading to the other room of the hotel. Sunset stood in silence as she watched Eclipse, wondering what his reasoning was for bringing the two of them there. Eclipse was always the type to throw her off, just when she thought she had him figured out, he would do something unpredictable.

After a few moments passed, the door opened again, and Starlight gestured for the two to follow her inside. “She’s waiting for you in the bedroom in the back.”

Eclipse gestured for Sunset to go first, and she did. Stepping into the hotel room, it was clear this was far from a permanent living situation. Eclipse stood at the hall where they entered and gestured for Sunset to go ahead of him. “I’ll wait here… I want to make a phone call anyway…”

Sunset shrugged and took a step forward before pausing to glance at Starlight who just smiled at her, telling her to go ahead.

Behind her, Eclipse’s phone had already connected him with a familiar-sounding voice, but Sunset could not make out what Eclipse and the woman on the phone were saying, she was positive he was speaking Germanic, a language commonly used in Dragon Scar.

“Ich bin hier bei ihr. Ja, Sie wird sie gleich treffen…” Eclipse glanced over at Sunset, who just started to head toward the door that she was instructed to. She wondered what he was saying and who he was talking to, but she couldn’t translate what he was saying, but she surmised her likely learned German from Cinder, now that she knew he studied under her.

Dismissing it, Sunset took a deep breath and entered the bedroom she was instructed to. She closed her eyes as she opened the door and exhaled before she opened her eyes. There sitting upon the bed was a face she had not expected to ever see again, a face that looks so similar to her own. The woman came to a stand, and her red hair cascaded over her. Even wrapped in a ponytail her hair was exceptionally long.

Sunset was frozen as the woman took a single step forward, her black cocktail dress swaying gently as she moved. She was only a hair shorter than Sunset as she came within a foot or so of Sunset.

Frozen, Sunset just stared at her, allowing her counterpart to break the silence. “I suppose you have at least eight dozen questions?”

Sunset lifted her own hair away from her covered eye to make sure she wasn’t seeing things for a brief moment. “It’s… No… It can’t be… You’re dead…”

Shimmer glanced away bashfully, running a hand through her hair. “Yeah… that is how it’s supposed to be, isn’t it?”

“So how are you here? I saw you die, I was there at your funeral…” Sunset reached forward, touching the girl’s face. Upon her touch, Shimmer locked eyes with Sunset.

“Equestrian magic has more capabilities than I could have ever guessed, my consciousness was preserved with it… It was like I was sleeping until the moment I was reborn,” Shimmer explained.

“That’s possible?” Sunset blinked.

Shimmer shook her head. “It’s not the way you think. This body… It may look like me, but it only does when I take control, my essence was placed within another. When I awoke, I was able to take this form again, thanks to the magic…”

Sunset smiled and stroked her sister’s cheek. “It’s great to see you again…”

Shimmer giggled and removed Sunset’s hand before she frowned. “Unfortunately, Sunset… This arrangement isn’t permanent…”

“What do you mean?” Sunset asked.

Shimmer bit her lip and looked away. “The magic that keeps me here, the magic that preserves my consciousness… It comes from Equestria. So long as the portal between our worlds exists, the connection keeps Equestrian magic here in the human world.”

“So?” Sunset shrugged, not sure what she was getting at.

Shimmer made a serious face and placed her hands upon Sunset’s cheeks as she spoke. “Sunset… You will need to destroy the portal once it opens again…”

“What!?” Sunset stepped backward. “No way! I just got you back… If what you’re saying is true… Destroying the portal will…”

Shimmer nodded as her hands fell to her sides. “Destroy me, yes. The moment the connection is severed, the magic preserving me will dissipate, and I will leave the world of the living… Indefinitely…”

“You’re asking me to kill you… Again…” Sunset shook her head in refusal.

“You didn’t kill me the first time, Sunset. My death was no one’s fault…” Shimmer explained.

Sunset growled. “You would still let her off the hook? Adagio shot you eight times! She was trying to kill me! Doesn’t that mean anything to you!?”

Shimmer sighed and sat down on the bed. “I have had plenty of time to think, while I slumbered, Sunset. Adagio did something horrible, but I now know what drove her to it, and she has paid for it… Princess Twilight ensured that. Her execution was supposed to make it so everyone could put this behind them, but it sounds like you still are not satisfied…”

“I’m not.” Sunset crossed her arms.

Looking over at her older Sister, Shimmer met her with innocent eyes. “And what will satisfy you? Adagio is dead. There is nothing more that can be done…”

“And yet now that you are back, making things right again… You want me to kill you…” Sunset grumbled.

Shimmer tilted her head gently and frowned. “Sunset… You know this can’t continue like this… Serenade can die, but who is to say another won’t come through that portal? Serenade came here for revenge… Who is to say another won’t just take her place?”

“I’ll stop them!” Sunset raised a fist.

“How? You won’t be here…” Shimmer glanced at Sunset’s hand.

Sunset blushed and clutched her wrist in her other hand. “H-how did you know?”

“Eclipse told me… You’re dying, Sunset… You’ll be lucky if you have enough life left in you to finish off Serenade. You won’t live long enough to stop anyone who will try and be her successor. The only option is to ensure Equestria is cut off from this world… For good,” Shimmer explained.

Sunset cursed Eclipse under her breath, she should have known he would reveal too much, furthermore that he would keep secrets like this from her. Just when she thought she knew him a little better, he reminded her why she couldn’t trust him completely.

Sunset shook her head. “I won’t do it… I won’t kill you, there has to be another way…”

“In the end, Sunset… Everything will come down to a choice…” Shimmer reminded.

“Yeah… I know…” Sunset grumbled.

“In the end, there can’t be two of us… One of us has to go, and I am telling you… It’s going to be me. I’ve made my peace with that, but you need to stay here long enough to finish what you started…” Shimmer said.

“I won’t…” Sunset repeated.

“And then what? Your family? Your daughter? Everything you did to protect them will be for nothing. It has to stop somewhere, Sunset. When the time comes, I know you’ll do the right thing…” Shimmer stood up and smiled.

A tear ran down Sunset’s face. Shimmer stepped forward and wiped it away before pulling the girl into an embrace. Sunset squeezed her tightly as more tears came out. Shimmer released her after eight seconds and smiled at her older sister. “It’s going to be okay, I promise. There are bigger things at stake now, bigger than you and I.”

“I’ve missed you so much…” Sunset managed to get out.

She nodded and tapped Sunset’s nose. “I know you have, but we’ll be able to see each other again before this is over, I promise. This isn’t goodbye yet, we both still have work to do.”

“How can I get a hold of you if I need you again?” Sunset asked.

Shimmer gestured toward the door. “Eclipse knows how to find me.”

Sunset nodded and looked at the door. “As much as I want to catch up… I really should go, I need to check on Horizon and her friends…”

Shimmer nodded. “Go ahead, we’ll talk soon. I can tell you more then.”

Heading toward the door, once Sunset placed a hand on the knob and opened it, Shimmer’s voice echoed back to her. “Sunset.”

The redhead turned briefly for Shimmer to finish her sentence. “Take good care of Eclipse… He’s more special than you know…”

That statement somehow set something off in Sunset. There was something about Shimmer’s tone when she said those words that left Sunset uneasy. She nodded sheepishly and exited the room, heading toward the entrance where Eclipse was now standing outside conversing with Starlight.

Sunset left the hotel and shut the door behind her and she came directly in front of Eclipse only inches from his face, and he could see she was angry as she pointed her finger at him. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know until you were already gone, I took you here because I thought you should know…” Eclipse explained.

“But you know more than you’re telling me… Shimmer said you were special… Why would she say that? She hardly knows you…” Sunset raised an angry brow.

Eclipse shrugged. “Who knows?”

“You told her something… Something you’re not telling me!” Sunset accused.

Starlight tried to calm the two down. “Let’s all just relax…”

Sunset pointed at her next. “Do you know what’s going on?”

Starlight shook her head as she waved her hands defensively. “Shimmer doesn’t tell me anything, honest!”

Sunset turned her anger back toward Eclipse and held her finger on his chest as she spoke harsh words. “What aren’t you telling me, Eclipse!?”

“Nothing…” Eclipse shrugged.

“Oh really? Because I’ve been wondering about something since I walked into that house… Something that doesn’t add up regarding your story…” Sunset stated.

Eclipse moved her finger off of him and rolled his eyes. “And what’s that?”

Crossing her arms, Sunset watched Eclipse closely. “Why were you in the royal archives to begin with? By the time you went there, the war was over… You had no reason to try and find out who I was…”

“Cause I wanted to finish off Serenade!” Eclipse growled.

“Except you had no reason to think Serenade escaped from prison in Equestria… The only people who knew about that were those in the royal family… Which means you only could have learned it from the archives…” Sunset pointed out.

Eclipse grew silent and looked away.

“Which means you had another reason for going there… What was it?” Sunset asked.

Eclipse stepped away. “This is stupid…”

“Hey, I’m talking to you!” Sunset yelled as she stepped after him.

“And I’m done talking about this…” Eclipse sighed.

“You don’t just get to decide to do whatever the hell you want! I have let you get by for years without so much as explaining where you came from, but I think I fucking deserve some kind of explanation about who the fuck you are, why the fuck you’re here, and what the hell is going on!” Sunset demanded.

Eclipse turned toward her and spoke in a harsh tone. “Listen, you don’t need to know.”

“I want to know!” Sunset stomped her foot.

Eclipse smirked and leaned in as he gave a sarcastic response. “Well, you don’t always get what you want. I think you of all people should know that pretty well, hm?”

“Am I interrupting something?” A masculine voice asked.

The group all glanced in the direction of a tall man standing there with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a brown hoodie and a large irritating grin. His short dark green hair was well kept for someone who looked like they had just gotten dressed by throwing on whatever was in the closet.

Eclipse noted the man’s impressive muscles and shining yellow eyes as he took a casual step toward them.

“Who the hell are you?” Eclipse asked.

He chuckled and pulled his hands out of his pockets. Cracking his knuckles he bowed his head lightly as he introduced himself. “Name is Shield, I send my regards on behalf of Serenade. She heard your friends killed Lightning Dust.”

“And yet here you are lined up to die just like her…” Sunset threatened.

Shield let out a jovial laugh and shook his head. “I assure you I am nowhere near as weak as that girl was. Lightning was expendable, nothing more than a pawn necessary to be knocked over to get closer to our enemies…”

“And you’re supposed to be a knight in comparison?” Sunset asked.

He tapped his chest playfully. “That’s right.”

“Looks like another pawn to me…” Eclipse commented.

“I think they told me about you… Eclipse, yes? The one with quite the mouth on him?” Shield smirked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know…” Eclipse grinned back at him.

“So… We all know why I’m here, I need you to tell me where those teenagers are… Do that, and I promise I’ll only beat you within an inch of your life…” Shield threatened.

Sunset stood behind Eclipse and spoke in a whisper. “I don’t know if I have enough strength to take this guy right now… My body is still recovering…”

Eclipse raised a hand dismissing her. “I got this…”

“Eclipse, you shouldn’t do this on your own…” Sunset protested.

“I said I got this…” Eclipse stepped forward and cracked his own knuckles. His size was far from impressive compared to Shield, but his aura of confidence matched the man’s, causing Shield to be slightly confused. Even without a display of Shield’s power, Shield was confident that this puny man had no reason to believe he could take him on, where did his confidence come from?

The two began to circle each other, hands made into fists, ready to throw down the moment one of them took the first advance. Sunset stepped back and pushed Starlight away from the fight. Starlight whispered to Sunset. “Can Eclipse take this guy?”

“I don’t know…” Sunset replied.

Eclipse and Shield kept their eyes locked upon each other as they continued to walk in a circle, paying close attention to the other. “Look, kid… You don’t know it yet, but you don’t stand a chance against me, why not just tell me what I want to know?”

Not even flinching, Eclipse replied. “What makes you even sure that I know where they went? It’s not like I know them that well…”

“I’m sure you could find out… A simple phone call is all it takes, right?” Shield suggested.

“Why would I want to help you?” Eclipse raised a brow.

Shield laughed. “Because if you don’t, I’ll kill you. Then I’ll just track them down myself…”

“If you could do that, why even come here asking me?” Eclipse questioned.

“This is faster… Now, are you going to tell me?” Shield grinned.

“Eat shit.”

“So, you’d rather let our fists do the talking then?” Shield laughed.

“Seems that way, because talking to you is fucking boring…” Eclipse nodded.

“Show me what you got then…” Shield pounded his chest.

The two continued to circle each other as Shield waited for Eclipse to make an attack, but instead, he continued waiting for an attack on his end. It was clear that Eclipse had no interest in striking first, so Shield’s patience lost out and he thrust forward at Eclipse with a mighty hook.

Eclipse dodged it and swung back, hitting Shield’s face, noting that it didn’t even phase him. Eclipse gave him another hit, but like the first it did nothing. Shield put some distance between the two as he stood proudly. “Is that all?” Shield asked.

Blinking, Eclipse summoned a light sword into his right hand, realizing that Shield had some kind of magical protection keeping him from being harmed.

Charging forward, Eclipse swung at him, hitting him with the blade of pure magic, and followed it with several more swipes noticing that pieces of Shield’s body chipped off as if they were rocks, leaving small indents on his form. Eclipse squinted in confusion as he saw the chips quickly fill back up, restoring his body to perfect condition.

Shield just stood there proudly with his hands on his hips and a big grin on his face. “What the fuck…?” Eclipse asked.

“A little gift from Serenade… You like it?” Shield smirked.

“What the hell are you…?” Eclipse wondered out loud.

Shield pounded his chest. “Serenade’s demonic gift enhanced my natural abilities. I’ve always been very resistant to pain, but with the demonic powers, I have… My body is literally covered in a thick layer of armor. The armor regenerates almost as quickly as it's damaged…”

“In other words…” Eclipse stepped backward.

Cracking his neck, Shield took a fighting stance. “In other words, I am completely invincible. I am impervious to any and all types of attack. The armor on my body is resistant to magic and physical damage. You can not so much as scratch me.”

“This is bad…” Sunset commented from the sidelines. “If Eclipse can’t even hurt him, how can he possibly win this fight…?”

“He’s in a bad spot alright…” Starlight nodded in agreement. “We should all get out of here…” She suggested.

Eclipse was carefully stepping, watching Shield’s every move. It was clear his style was more defensive, but with such an impossible-to-beat defense, that meant he was free to attack however he pleased. If an opponent didn’t need to worry about defending, it meant they could even just wait out any would-be attacker. Eclipse knew he couldn’t just keep striking without knowing the secret to Shield’s armor. For all he knew there really was no way around it.

He cursed under his breath as he began to formulate a plan. He was completely protected from all attacks, but his armor could still chip, that meant perhaps there was a way to damage it enough to get a hit on him, but Eclipse would need more power to do something like that.

His mind quickly went to the only option he saw before him on how to increase his power, it was an option he had hoped to avoid, but now he saw no choice. If he didn’t do something, there was a high probability that Shield was going to kill all of them. He cursed again as he realized the situation he was being forced into.

Taking a breath, he placed his hand upon the geode that Sunset had given him, causing Sunset to squint in confusion. Starlight instantly noticed Sunset’s change in demeanor. “What’s wrong?”

“Is he trying to use the geode? It’s not possible for him to use it…” Sunset commented.

As Eclipse held the necklace, it began to glow, and the sword in his hand grew much brighter, larger, and was now encased in a fire aura. Eclipse released the geode and grinned as he brandished his much more powerful sword. “Armor or not, no one is invincible. Serenade would never give you a power that would put you in a better position to fight than her.”

Shield laughed, but Eclipse didn’t give him a chance to answer before he swung his new stronger blade, hitting the brutish man repeatedly, chipping pieces of his armor away in rapid succession. After about twenty hits, Shield jumped backward and regenerated himself. He shook his head and sighed. “Just as I thought… You’re way too weak… Killing you won’t even be fun… Don’t worry though, I have a suspicion about where those kids are… I’m gonna go kill them first, and I’ll come back, maybe you’ll suck less when I return.”

Eclipse stepped forward to stop him, but the man jumped so high that he was able to land atop a nearby building and ran off just as quickly. Eclipse cursed and opened his hand, allowing the sword to disappear into thin air. He sighed and shook his head.

Sunset stepped forward and immediately questioned him. “How were you able to do that?”

Eclipse ignored her question and gestured in the direction that Shield went. “We should probably warn the kids…”

“Answer my question, Eclipse,” Sunset demanded, crossing her arms.

“Maybe Eclipse is right, Sunset? This really isn’t the time for…” Starlight tried to mitigate, but Sunset cut her off.

“Eclipse, I demand to know! That geode chose me, meaning it can only be used by people directly linked to me by blood. How were you able to use it?” Sunset asked.

“It doesn’t matter, we have more important things to worry about…” Eclipse tried to get her to drop the subject, but Sunset was adamant.

“Tell me right now, Eclipse. I want the truth, who are you? What other unique abilities do you possess? You can just use the geodes without any need for connection to them? How is that possible?” Sunset growled.

“No, it’s not like that…” Eclipse shook his head.

“Why should I trust anything you say? You can’t explain anything about yourself to me. Why did Shimmer say you were special? Why can you use that Geode? What aren’t you telling me?” Sunset stomped her foot.

“It’s not important right now, Sunset…” Eclipse said.

“It’s important to me! Who the fuck are you!?” Sunset yelled.

Reaching his breaking point Eclipse shouted back at her. “ECLIPSE SHIMMER!”

The two both froze for a moment before Sunset reached and touched her lips in shock. “You mean… You’re…”

“Your brother.”

Author's Note

I am working on fixing the images in other chapters! Promise!

Also yes. I have literally been waiting maybe... a year or so to reveal this secret of the story! Yup, Eclipse and Sunset. :P

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXII: Siblings

Chapter CXXXII: Siblings

Sunset blinked and stood there frozen for a solid minute. Her brain was having a difficult time processing what she was hearing. Eclipse had told her his full name was actually Eclipse Shimmer, and that he was her brother. None of it made any sense. This made everything that she understood about him now come into question. Eight hundred questions raced through her head. She couldn’t find one to start with for a solid minute before Eclipse gestured that they both needed to get going.

“We have to get out of here…” Eclipse pointed toward the bike.

Sunset shook her head and grabbed his arm as he turned to leave, forcing him to stay. “Oh no way! You are staying here and we are talking about this!” She demanded.

Eclipse sighed and pressed his forehead in annoyance. “There’s nothing to talk about, Sunset.”

“Like hell there isn’t! When were you planning on telling me this!? We’ve been working together for years and I’m just finding this out now!? What gives!?” Sunset growled.

“I wasn’t going to tell you,” Eclipse said plainly.

“Why the hell not!?”

“You didn’t need to know…” Eclipse looked away.

Sunset squeezed his wrist tighter, her anger flaring up. “Bullshit! If someone is your brother you deserve to know that shit! Not keep it a fucking secret!”

“Well now you know, are you happy?” Eclipse yanked his arm to get it free, but Sunset held on too tight.

“No. You still have a lot of explaining to do… When you went to the archives…” Sunset began.

Eclipse let out a sigh, realizing that now that she was aware of their sibling nature, she wouldn’t let anything go until she knew the truth. “I was looking for you… I knew you existed, but I knew nothing about you. I had hoped to find out who you were because after Galeal was gone and our parents died, you were the only family I had left…”

Sunset was starting to piece it together. “And you found out I was Glitch then too…”

“The same Glitch I served under… I felt it meant something that my sister was the same hero who stopped the person who killed my parents…” Eclipse spoke softly.

Squinting, Sunset tried to make sense of this. “Then why didn’t you tell me who you were when we met?”

Eclipse managed to get his arm free and shook his head. “Forget it…”

“I want to know, Eclipse…” She pleaded.

“I already told you… I was disappointed when we met… When I saw that you had become a demon like you are…” He looked away. “You’re a disappointment to me as a role model and an older sister… You became exactly what you stood to stop…”

Sunset frowned and glanced at her demonic hand. “I want to say I had no choice, but that isn’t true… I could have let myself die, I could have chose not to give in to save myself… I could have chose never to become what I was in the first place… When I ran away at 13, it was a difficult life, you don’t understand, our parents weren’t great to me, they ignored me, nothing I did was good enough for them…”

Eclipse rolled his eyes. “You’re so full of excuses, you know that? Big deal, you can’t just blame everything on them.”

Sunset growled and clenched her fists in annoyance. “I was just a kid, and you weren’t there! You didn’t see how badly they treated me. I was invisible to them, something you clearly don’t understand.”

Eclipse began to laugh, causing Sunset to raise her brow in confusion. She stood there trying to figure out what was so funny. “Did I say something funny?”

Smirking, Eclipse shook his head. “You think you’re the only one? You think mom and dad suddenly became caring parents when I was born? Please, don’t be so naive… By the time I came along, they were still stuck in their ways. I’d come home to an empty house all the time. Why do you think it was easy for me to do virtually anything with Galeal?”

Sunset blinked in surprise as he continued.

“Mom and dad maybe saw me twice a week at best. They’d pay a nanny to come over and cook, but they never showed up to any of my school functions,” Eclipse explained.

Frowning, Sunset lowered her head, feeling a bit guilty for accusing him now. “Oh, I’m sorry… I didn’t know they were exactly the same to you…”

Eclipse nodded. “And yet I didn’t turn out like you…”

Sunset blinked and looked back at him. “Yeah… You didn’t… Why though? They neglected you and yet you care about avenging them… Why?”

He scoffed. “I’m not like you, Sunset. I don’t hold a grudge against people for making mistakes…”

“Yet you give me a hard time…” Sunset raised a brow.

“I’m just disappointed in you… I don’t hold a grudge though… The two of them though? They weren’t meant to be parents, they clearly weren’t good at it, nor did they ask for it, it just happened. You can’t hold that against them forever…” Eclipse explained.

Sighing, Sunset nodded. “I suppose you’re right. I made a choice that turned me into a demon… And now that choice defines me, it’ll define me until the day I die…”

Eclipse smiled and nudged her shoulder playfully. “Maybe, but it doesn’t have to be the only choice that defines you. You still have time to make other choices, Sunset. There’s still time to do the right thing.”

“I don’t know what the right thing is anymore…” Sunset admitted.

Eclipse offered his hand to her. “We’ll figure it out together, no more bickering, let’s work together as siblings.”

Sunset tilted her head in confusion. Eclipse was never this cooperative before. “Why are you suddenly treating me nicer?”

“You’re finally admitting your flaws. So let’s work on them together.” Eclipse grinned.

Taking his hand in her own, the two shook hands, bringing Sunset’s expression to a more content one. She felt a sense of family between the two of them, something she hadn’t felt in general in a long time. Eclipse deep down was a good person, and looking at him in that moment, she knew that he could take care of Horizon and Twilight on her behalf. He could give them the sense of family that Sunset had failed to do.

“Eclipse… When this is over… What do you plan on doing?” Sunset asked.

“Shimmer told you the portal was going to have to be destroyed?” Eclipse asked.

Sunset frowned. “So she told you too?”

Eclipse rubbed his neck. “She may have said something…”

“I won’t do it, there has to be another way.” Sunset shook her head.

Eclipse smiled. “I know you, you’ll do it in the end.”

Sunset sighed at the fact that neither her little sister or little brother believed in her resolve. She would do anything to not have to harm Shimmer. She would find a way without closing the portal, she just knew it.

“And if I do… You can’t go back to Equestria…” Sunset pointed out.

The young man nodded. “I’m aware.”

“Will you stay and watch after my family when I’m gone, Eclipse? They need someone…”

To her surprise he shook his head no. “Sorry, there is no ‘after all this is over’ for me.” Eclipse’s expression was plain, emotionless, yet somehow made Sunset sad.

“What do you mean?” Sunset questioned.

He just shrugged as he mounted the bike he had been standing next to this entire time. “I mean exactly what I said. There’s nothing for me after this. I will either die fighting Serenade or I’ll die shortly after. It doesn’t make much of a difference which. My task is done, and I have no reason to keep going after that.”

He started the bike and gestured for her to get on. She obeyed and wrapped herself around him as she spoke loudly over the engine. “Just like that?”

“Just like that. Come on, we need to get back to the hotel to get you some proper rest, and put some more food in you.” Eclipse instructed.

“What about the kids? They need our help.”

Eclipse placed his helmet onto his head and replied. “I think they can take of themselves, I have a feeling they’re going to be just fine.”

“We’re not done talking about this so you know!” Sunset shouted over the engine.

“We are right now,” Eclipse replied before the two peeled off.

Bolt had been taken by his brother and Keylime to his parents home to further recover. While he was able to take down Lightning, the pair had grown concerned that he would overwork himself. The rest of their group took Yuna and headed to Jasper’s house. Yuna seemed to be in good spirits so long as Horizon was nearby, which was to be expected.

Bolt sat down in a chair sitting on the outside terrace while Fluttershy offered him a glass of lemonade which she took. She gave Keylime a glass as well who gave a large sugary smile as she accepted it. Fluttershy giggled at how much the girl reminded her of Pinkie Pie. Keylime was almost her clone.

As Keylime held her cup and sipped from it, Bolt examined her, noting the many rings decorating her soft hands. She held the cup so firmly though for someone who had such feminine features. She noticed him looking and raised her brows suggestively as she drank from the cup. Wiping her mouth she grinned at him. “If you like that, you should see me when I’m baking.”

Bolt tilted his head trying to understand how the two correlated until Keylime filled in the blanks. “Sometimes I do it just in an apron.”

Bolt nearly spit out his lemonade and began to hack and cough, causing Keylime to start giggling uncontrollably, occasionally a snort was mixed in.

Cloud rolled his eyes at the discussion. Rainbow Dash approached the group and gave an approving nod. “So you won the fight?”

Bolt gave a thumbs up. “She’s toast.”

“Ancient history!” Keylime added.

“I knew you had it in you.” Rainbow returned the hand gesture.

“And we’re ever so thankful to be rid of that nuisance.” A deep male voice came from behind the group.

Rainbow turned around and noticed a man in a brown hoodie standing in her backyard. She chuckled and shook her head. “Hey dude, this is private property, so you can kindly fuck off.”

Shield gave a dismissive gesture. “I wanted to thank you personally for killing that worthless cunt. Lightning was so useless that Serenade had planned on killing her herself if you lot didn’t, so thank you for taking out the trash.”

“Looks like they missed a load…” Rainbow commented as she cracked her knuckles.

“Now that’s not very neighborly of you.” Shield laughed.

Pulling a handgun from her waistband, Rainbow pointed directly at Shield. “I’ll give you one last chance to get the hell off of my property before I put a new metal implant into your brain. How’s that for neighborly.”

“Pfft, you wouldn’t.” Shield laughed.

Not giving a second warning, Rainbow let off eight rounds, hitting him in the forehead repeatedly as he was knocked back a step every time one hit him. After eight shots, she was out. Rainbow lowered the gun and observed as the spots she had hit began to reform. His body looked like a rock where shards were being chipped away. Rainbow watched closely as he regained his composure and wagged his finger at her.

“Yeah, that won’t work, the armor encasing my body reforms as quickly as you can damage it.” He grinned.

Rainbow dropped her gun onto the ground and retrieved a butterfly knife from her pocket. Skillfully she flipped it open and held out her right hand to Bolt. “Give me your geode, son.”

Bolt began to unfasten it while Cloud protested. “Wait mother, it might be dangerous!”

Bolt cut his brother off as he handed Rainbow his geode. “It’s okay bro, I’m sure mom has this under control.”

Grasping the geode in her right hand she nodded and grinned. “This will only take a minute.”

Shield laughed at her overconfidence. “Perhaps you forgot your glasses inside? Don’t you get it? I’m invincible. You can’t even touch my skin, what are you thinking you’ll be able to do with that little butter knife?”

Rainbow threw the blade into the air and caught it before she moved so quickly that Shield couldn’t even see her move. She sliced at his armor, chipping a piece away before appearing behind him with a grin. Shield turned to face her and laughed. “It doesn’t matter how fast you are, you can’t hurt me!”

Rainbow grinned. “It’s just as I thought…”

“Oh? Decided to give up?” Shield grinned back at her.

“I retract my previous statement… This will take under a minute,” Rainbow said.

“I love your overconfidence, it’ll be more amusing when I crush you!” Shield chuckled.

Rainbow began to move so quickly that shield couldn’t even see her once more, but this time she didn’t stop. With her blade she began to chip away at his armor, after a good eighty cuts, Shield could no longer keep track. Rainbow kept moving at alarming speeds and hitting the same spot over and over, chipping away at him, until Shield realized what she was up to. He blocked the spot with his hand but felt it knocked away instantly.

As Rainbow hacked away at him, she moved too quickly for him to stop, and the chink in his armor was only growing larger and larger. Rainbow moved faster than his armor could regenerate!

Once the hole was big enough, Rainbow jabbed the knife into Shield’s abdomen. He groaned in pain as he reached to stop her, but she twisted the knife and caused him more pain. He looked at her with widened eyes in shock. “H-how?” He breathed.

Rainbow pushed the blade deeper, causing him to grunt. “You have an impressive defense… However, you should know that you can’t win a fight if you can’t attack. It takes more than a good defense to win…”

“Y-you… Y-you…” He coughed as black blood dripped from his mouth.

“I’m the reaper for you.” Rainbow grinned as she thrust her hand into the wound she had created. He screamed in pain until Rainbow tugged out the man’s intestine. She tore it off and dropped it to the ground.

Shield gripped his bleeding wound as he fell to his knees and eventually collapsed completely, he cursed Rainbow as his body began to dissolve into a black mist. Once Rainbow was confident he was gone, she wandered back over to Bolt and grinned. “I have a feeling you should send a warning to Horizon and her group. If they sent one here, I am sure Serenade would be having someone tail them too.”

“Good idea.” Bolt nodded as he quickly began to type out a text to Jasper but then looked up at his mother. “And mom?”

“Hm?” Rainbow asked as she made her way back to the back door of the house.

“You’re so fucking cool.”

Rainbow gave a thumbs up.

Adagio stood with her sister and posed for a camera. The young Serenade stuck her tongue out as the camera in the booth they were sitting in snapped its eighth photo. The two giggled as they stepped out to collect their pictures. Adagio laughed as she examined them, pointing to the third photo. “You blink!”

Serenade giggled and pointed to the next one. “So did you!”

Adagio gave a dismissive hand gesture as the two continued through the mall. It had been a few hours since Horizon and her friends healed Serenade, and while she protested, her sister Adagio insisted on the importance of spending some time together. Serenade had a feeling that her elder sister wasn’t confident that Horizon and her friends would beat the clock. She wanted to distract herself from it, while also spending time with Serenade in case she had to say goodbye. She was running from it, and Serenade knew it.

Instead of trying to convince her older sister to face her fear though, Serenade opted to let her have this time. She herself was only fifty-fifty on Horizon and her friends’ success probability, however, she remained mostly optimistic. If they defeated the other Serenade in time, she’d live, that’s all she knew and it’s all she counted on.

As the two walked, Serenade turned and saw their reflections in a shiny shop window. She froze as she stared at herself and her older sister. Their height difference was drastic, her sister standing a good head taller than her, but the thing that stood out was Adagio’s smile. Seeing if made Serenade curious.

Adagio stopped with her and glanced at Serenade then the window. “What wrong, sister?”

“I was just thinking about them…” Serenade said quietly.

“Them?” Adagio asked with a confused expression.

“The other versions of us… They don’t have this…” Serenade said.

Adagio tilted her head. “I not understand…”

“We’re always together… Our sisterly bond, it’s strong… They don’t have this… It must be very sad to live like that…” Serenade rambled.

Adagio grabbed her sister’s arm and urged her to keep moving. “Shouldn’t think about. Those girls not us, Serenade.”

“But they could be us… Could I have become like her if I lost you?” Serenade asked, staring at her own reflection, somehow seeing the other Serenade standing next to it in her mind. The likeness was so close, just a tiny bit taller, and looking a few years older.

“Serenade, we not them. That simple. Shouldn’t think like this.” Adagio protested.

“They didn’t want to become them, maybe that’s the key to stopping this from going any further sis, we have to understand what made her like she is now…” Serenade suggested.

Sighing, Adagio pulled her sister closer. “If you think of anything I call them and you can tell. That help?”

Serenade smiled, not at her sister’s cooperation, but instead, at her willingness not to run from the problem. “Yes, okay.”

Adagio nodded and released her younger sister. “Okay, I go in store to try on shoes, maybe get hand bag. Stay here, I be back, okay?”

Serenade nodded. “Okay.”

Adagio kissed her forehead and rushed into the nearby store while Serenade found a bench to relax on. As she sat down to check her phone though, a young teenage boy approached and stood before her with his hands in his pockets. She glanced at him and admired his height.

His face was chiseled and masculine, with messy mahogany hair and dark brown eyes to match, though most of his hair was covered with a beanie.

He grinned as the two locked eyes. “Hey.”

Serenade almost missed a breath as her response became delayed. “H-hi…”

“Mind if I sit?” He asked.

“Sit?” Serenade spoke in confusion.

He pointed to the bench she was sitting on, and her mind snapped back to reality. “Oh! Sit here… Right…”

He laughed and raised a brow. “So, can I?”

“Can you what?” She asked, forgetting once more.

“Can I sit here?” He laughed.

“Oh! Yes! Of course! Sorry!” Serenade blushed as she scooted over.

Sitting down, the teen extended a hand to her, offering to shake. “Oak.”

“I beg your pardon?” Serenade blinked in confusion.

“My name, it’s Oak. Oak Spruce.” He chuckled.

Serenade blushed and shook his hand once she realized what he was saying. “Oh! Right! It’s nice to meet you!”

“And you?” He asked.

“And me, what?” She questioned as she released his hand.

“Your name.” He raised a brow.

“Oh! Right, of course… My name…” Serenade blushed.

The two were silent for a moment before he reminded her she hadn’t actually answered the question. “And it is?”

“Oh, right… It’s Serenade… Serenade Dazzle…” She finally managed to get out.

Oak chuckled as he saw how flustered she was. “Not very good at this are you?”

“Sorry, I guess I’m a little scatterbrained today…” Serenade admitted.

He shrugged. “Well, it’s still a pretty name for a scatterbrained girl.” He smiled at her.

She smiled back at him, she enjoyed looking at his face, he was quite handsome. “Thank you.”

“You from around here?” He asked.

“No, my sister and I came to the States from Russia when I was really young, we moved around a lot until we ended up here though,” she explained.

“Gotta be rough moving so much.” He nodded.

“Well, we sing, so it comes with the territory.” She shrugged.

Oak squinted as he examined her once more. “Wait… I think I saw you on the net before… You’re in that group, Sirens, right? Up and coming star, right?”

She blushed and nodded to confirm. “Yes, that’s me.”

“I’d love to see you perform sometime…” He grinned.

She held out her wrist with her phone on it and gestured it to him. “Well, give me your number and I’ll get you tickets next time we perform.”

He reached forward but paused before tapping his phone to hers. “One condition.”

“Which is?” She tilted her head.

“You gotta let me take you out on a date after the show…” He smirked.

Boldly, she reached forward and forced their phones to touch before she replied. “You don’t have to wait for the show to do that.”

He laughed and nodded. “Okay, how about eight o’clock then?”

“Sounds perfect.” She smiled.

He nodded and stood up. “I better go get things ready then… I’ll see you then, Serenade.”

She nodded back and waved gently as he walked away with a wink and a wave. She watched as he walked away and let out a contented sigh. Once her hormones were no longer in control of her actions though, she wondered if she was ready for a date. She had no experience with romance, after all.

Then again, she found herself thinking about what was said by Eclipse. So long as the other Serenade existed, her days could be numbered. It was better to enjoy these kinds of experiences now, while she still could. Could they actually defeat the other Serenade, she wondered. In her life, Serenade had never seen anything like her counterpart. One could feel her tremendous power just standing next to her. When she felt her touch, she saw things that she didn’t want to admit to her sister.

In actuality, planting that thing inside of her, made it so for a brief second, she could sense the power and emotions of the other Serenade. For that brief eight seconds, she felt astonishing hatred. Hatred she had never experienced before or could imagine. The amount of anger and hatred her counterpart lived in was unreal, unfathomable. If her power was fueled by that hatred, she might be invincible.

It gave her chills just thinking about it. It rattled her core. Was it really possible for her to turn into that? What if I could end up down that path too?

Adagio returned with a new bag in tote. She twirled, showing it off with a grin. Serenade forced a smile. “Looks good, sis.”

Adagio nodded with glee. “I thought so too.”

“Wise choice.” Serenade’s tone was quiet and lacking her usual enthusiasm.

Adagio tilted her head, sensing something was amiss. “Everything okay?”

Forcing a smile once more, Serenade nodded to her elder sister. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

She knew it wasn’t, but there was no reason to burden her elder sister. For now, all she could do was try to live like a normal teenager and hope for the best. She would put her faith in Horizon and her friends.

Applejack wiped the sweat from her brow as she passed the kids all hanging out on her porch. Jasper was conversing with Nova about her life on the road, and Horizon was tending to the frail Yuna. It was hard to believe the girl survived so long without food. She looked very weak, but the moment she arrived at their home, Rarity promised to load her up with food. Applejack’s wife’s hospitality and generosity were unmatched.

Even now, Horizon was feeding her some meatloaf with gravy that Rarity had saved from the previous night. If they gave her enough hearty food, she’d be back to her old self quickly, no doubt, especially in Rarity’s care.

Passing the children, Applejack grabbed a soda from the fridge, giving a sugary smile at her wife as she saw her in the kitchen wiping a plate dry with a cloth. Rarity gave a kissing gesture to her, which Applejack returned before heading back out to go work the fields some more before the Sun went down.

As she stepped back onto the porch, she noticed Jasper looking at his phone mid-conversation with Nova. He blinked and looked up at the group. “I just got a text from Bolt. He said some creep came to their place, and said he was working for Serenade.”

“Is he alright?” Candy asked.

Jasper cleared his throat as he read from the text. “Well, according to him, Rainbow Dash beat him to a pulp the second he gave her his medallion. He also said they might have another one heading our way.”

Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “That would be the dumbest thing anyone ever did… If’n Rainbow beat him, imagine what will happen if one of them came here…”

“Yes, I wonder…” A deep voice spoke.

The entire group turned and standing there was a large muscular man, his arms were probably twice the circumference of Applejack’s skull. His head was shaved, and the shirt he was wearing was definitely too small for his massive size and was decorated with an emblem of a skull sitting on top of a barbell. With shorts on, Applejack could see his legs were equally as shredded as his upper body. It was clear he never missed a single day at the gym.

Jasper was about to stand up, but Applejack stopped him. She stood in front of the steps and crossed her arms. “Ain’t y’all ever heard of trespassing?”

He extended his arms and laughed. “My name is…”

“Don’t recall askin’ for your name…” Applejack interrupted.

“Brute…” He finished with an annoyed expression, he hated it when people interrupted him, especially weaklings that had no right to do so.

Nodding, Applejack tilted her chin up and smirked. “Well, they’ll be callin’ ya Ball-less if’n you choose to stick around.”

“Is that so?” He smirked.

She nodded. “Sure is, cause I’m gonna rip your balls off if you don’t get off my property. Might make a trophy out of ‘em…”

He laughed. “Lot of tough talk from such a small woman.”

Applejack was on the taller side for a lady, but she was still a woman, standing at an unimpressive 5’8. Sighing she took a step down the stairs. Quickly Jasper offered her his medallion. To his surprise though, his mother turned it down.

“Won’t need it…” She smiled before stepping off the stairs entirely. Now Brute and she were only about eight feet apart.

Applejack cracked her knuckles and spoke up. “I’ll ask y’all nicely one last time… Leave or y’all will regret it.”

Brute burst out laughing. “That’s rich! Lady, I’m like eight times your size! You couldn’t so much as bruise me!”

Applejack took the bandana off of her neck and tied her hair into a ponytail with it. She then removed her button-up plaid shirt and tossed it aside. Under all she had was a plain white undershirt and a sports bra. She sighed as she took a boxing stance. “Y’all get to learn the hard way then…”

He chuckled as she darted forward swinging. He dodged the first punch but found it odd how much wind he felt from it. He sidestepped once more and saw her fist connect with the trunk of a tree he was standing near, but to his shock, her fist burst through the tree trunk, shattering a large portion into splinters. He blinked, wondering how that was possible for such a small woman.

Upon closer examination, he could see her arms were toned, but nowhere near the level necessary for such a feat. It would take someone with muscle mass far greater than what this farmer had, he was sure of that.

He concluded it was just a fluke and took a few swings of his own, only for Applejack to block two of them and dodge the rest. She didn’t seem to react much as his fists hit her arms, which he found odd.

Catching him off guard, she landed a hit in his chest. He gasped for air as he felt the sheer force of her punch. It pushed him back a good eight inches and knocked the air right out of his lungs. He gasped for air before composing himself, taking another swing.

His efforts were pointless, Applejack blocked his attack and smashed him in the cheek, causing considerable pain and a trickle of black blood to leak from his lip. He spit and tried to fight back but the girl landed two more hits, staggering him easily. She didn’t even appear to be trying.

How is this possible!? I shouldn’t even be able to feel this! Her punches… How are they this strong!? Brute thought as he put his fists up, ready to fight back. He swung, but she knocked his fist out of the way and jabbed him a few times in the gut, causing him to kneel.

Applejack didn’t waste the opportunity, she punched him square in the head, knocking him down.

He gasped for air and looked up at her as he coughed up blood. Applejack lowered her fists. “I’d reckon you had enough… Come near my kids again and I’ll kill you…”

As she turned to step away, Jasper called out to his mother. “Look out!”

Applejack turned in time to see him draw a gun from his jeans. She was just in time to step forward and step on his hand, hearing a crack as she did. He released the gun and looked up in horror. Applejack shook her head. “Y’all shouldn’t have done that… I was gonna let you live…”

She reached down and got on top of him punching him repeatedly. He groaned in pain at each hit before she stopped and got off of him. He hacked up blood but managed to speak. “How? You have no magic… Why do your punches hurt so much? It’s not possible…”

Shaking her head, Applejack grabbed his shirt and dragged him a few feet over to a nearby rock, about the size of a car engine. “When ya’ rely too much on magic, y’all never reach your limits. Some things can only come from hard work and determination… If you wanna be truly strong, you can only rely on your own body…”

“That’s… Not possible…” He denied.

“Maybe this will convince ya’.” Applejack gripped his skull in her hand tightly. He could feel her fingers squeezing, the pressure on his skull felt like it would crack under her grip if any more pressure was applied.

Without warning she began to bash his head repeatedly into the rock. Each hit spewed blood and bone fragments until the eighth hit where his entire skull shattered, splattering black blood everywhere.

His headless body fell to the ground and dissolved into a black mist. Applejack sighed and wandered back to her shirt, and picked it up. She wiped a bit of the black blood away and came back up the steps, nodding at her son and daughter. “I’m gonna ask your mother if she has my other shirt cleaned… I think I got some blood on this one…”

“You do that…” Jasper nodded.

Applejack smiled and wandered into the house, she ruffled Jasper’s hair on her way inside.

Yuna spoke up finally. “Damn… I’d hate to be on your mom’s bad side…”

“Damn straight.” Candy smirked. “That’s one bad apple!”

Horizon had taken Yuna inside and was tending to her. She offered her some more food on a fork, which Yuna accepted happily. She chewed and swallowed before mouthing a simple “thank you”, to Horizon. Horizon nodded and continued. After about eight bites, Yuna wiped her mouth and spoke up as she tried to sit up a bit. Horizon gestured for her to remain still and conserve her energy.

Yuna shook her head and sat up anyway, clearly some of her strength returning after all the care she had been given. “Horizon…”

“Hm?” Horizon asked as she grabbed a water bottle and offered it to Yuna.

Yuna accepted and took a drink before continuing. “Do you hate your mother?”

Horizon had her usual emotionless face. She paused and thought about it before she shrugged. “I don’t feel anything toward, Sunset.”

Yuna frowned. “I know she left you a long time ago, but I have to tell you… She really cares about you. All she did while we were trapped was worry about you.”

“I see,” Horizon responded nonchalantly.

“That doesn’t make you feel anything?” Yuna asked.

Horizon leaned back in her chair and looked up in thought. After a few moments, she shrugged once again. “I’m not really good with emotions… So like I said, I feel nothing. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be feeling even… Maybe I’m feeling something but I just don’t understand it, so I don’t know I’m feeling it? If that makes any sense…”

Yuna tilted her head. “Do you think… You shut out emotions so you don’t have to feel hurt by her?”

The disheveled teen only shrugged once more. “I suppose it’s possible, but I wouldn’t know. Sunset is just a person to me, that’s all. Emotions… They just don’t make sense to me. It’s hard for me to understand something not based upon logic.”

It was clear to Yuna that Horizon’s feelings were suppressed on such a subconscious level that she herself couldn’t even tell if they were even there. She had gone on this way for so long, she had lost touch with if it was an act or how she really was. The illusion had become so real that it had become her reality.

Just thinking about that made Yuna a bit sad. She wondered if she would ever see Horizon smile, or if the veils of her illusion had grown so great that she would never see past it. She could end up spending the rest of her life so catatonic, so melancholy.

Yuna vowed she would help her see past that one day, no matter how long it took, she wanted to see Horizon smile, if not just once.

“Sunset protected me, she kept me alive and was even willing to die to protect me…” Yuna explained.

“I suppose we should all be thankful then…” Horizon said.

Yuna nodded. “Yeah, she really did a lot for me…”

Changing the subject, Horizon pointed out another detail. “By the way… Your sister has been missing since you vanished too… Do you have any idea about where she went? We assumed she was with you, but I guess not…”

Yuna chuckled. “Knowing her? She probably just got into a project and turned her phone off. It’s not uncommon. I am sure if we go back to the house she’ll be there, waiting for us.”

Horizon nodded. “If you say so.”

“We should go check on her now though…” Yuna suggested.

Horizon tilted her head. “Shouldn’t you rest some more?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s important that I make sure she’s okay…” Yuna spoke.

Horizon gave in easily. “Alright, we’ll go together.”

Yuna grimaced as she made her next statement though. “I… I want Sunset there too…”

Horizon tilted her head in confusion. Yuna knew it was likely awkward for Horizon to be around her mom, but a part of her wanted a hand in bringing them back together.

“Why?” Horizon asked.

Yuna composed herself. “She looked out for me when we were trapped, and my sister and our family owe so much to her, I want her to be able to thank her in person…”

Horizon just nodded, accepting the explanation instantly, such was her nature. “Very well. Call her.”

Yuna nodded back and made her phone create a hologram of a headset upon her head with a simple hand gesture. She dialed Sunset’s phone which she had added to her contact list while they were trapped and waited for her to answer.

The woman answered with a yawn. “Yeah, what’s up, Yuna?”

“Sunset, sorry if I woke you up, I’m sure you’ve been resting since what happened…” Yuna began.

Sunset suggested they skip the pleasantries. “What do you need, Yuna?”

“Well… My sister hasn’t seen me since we were trapped, and I wanted to go check up on her, but I wanted you there so she could thank you for all you did…” Yuna explained.

Chuckling slightly, Sunset diminished her role in it all. “I didn’t do much, or at least nothing that you wouldn’t do for me if the roles were reversed.”

“Either way… Will you meet us at my home?” Yuna asked.

“Yeah, Eclipse and I will be there, we’ll see you soon,” Sunset said.

“Okay, see you in a bit.” Yuna hung up and made the projection disappear. She decided it might be best to leave the fact that Horizon would be there out of it for now.

Yuna stood up, and Horizon followed suit. The two left the room and came to the porch, making eye contact with Jasper who raised his brow in confusion. “Where are y’all going?”

“We’re gonna go check on Moondancer. Don’t worry about us, Sunset is supposed to meet us there,” Horizon explained plainly.

Jasper frowned at that news. “Y’all want me to come with?”

It was clear to Yuna he was concerned as to how seeing Sunset again would affect Horizon.

Horizon shook her head. “No. We will be more than fine on our own.”

“If you say so…” Jasper nodded.

Horizon gave a gentle goodbye wave and then the two made their way to her car. Yuna sat down in the passenger seat and let out a breath she didn’t even know she was even holding in. Horizon stepped into the driver’s side and fastened her seatbelt as she started the car and set the automatic navigation to Moondancer’s residence. She then relaxed and looked over at Yuna as the car began to drive.

“Do you think Moondancer is alright?” Horizon asked.

Yuna blinked, unsure of why she was being asked such a question. “I’m positive.”

Horizon nodded and closed her eyes as the car drove the two of them. “I don’t understand why she hasn’t answered her phone while you were gone though…”

“I told you, it’s not uncommon for her to go off the grid for a couple of days or weeks at a time when she’s working on something. She got kind of used to it the first time she worked with Sunset, I guess…” Yuna said.

Horizon remembered, but somehow that answer just wasn’t good enough for her. She had a feeling something was not right. Yuna’s explanation just didn’t come off as very logical to her. While Yuna could take care of herself, Horizon couldn’t imagine Moondancer just not leaving her a way to get a hold of her. Moondancer was a pretty tech-savvy person, so going radio silent felt out of character for her.

“Yeah, I suppose so…” Horizon was quiet in her response.

The two sat in silence as they pulled up to the house, there in front were Sunset and Eclipse. Eclipse looked a bit annoyed to be there, but that was somewhat par the norm for his personality when he got dragged places with Sunset. The two had taken separate motorcycles this time.

Stopping her car, Horizon unfastened her seatbelt, as Yuna did the same. The two stepped out of the car and Horizon brushed a lock of her messy hair out of her face. Yuna blushed as she watched, remembering how adorable Horizon could be just doing little things.

She admired the girl so much but wondered if she’d ever have the courage to tell her how she felt. Still, she wished she could see what she looked like with a smile, but these days she likely had little to smile about. She still remembered how she promised herself that she would see Horizon smile one day, and that day she could finally draw her with a smile.

Sunset grinned as she saw the two and Eclipse just gave a gentle affirming nod, clearly not caring about being there. He certainly wasn’t the most emotionally supportive person.

“Nice to see you again so soon, Yuna.” Sunset smirked playfully.

“Likewise, considering it’s only been a few hours… Are you feeling any better?” Yuna asked.

Sunset flexed her bicep and gave a confident expression. “Give it a few days and I’ll be back to full strength. What about yourself? Are you eating enough?”

Yuna nodded. “Y-yeah, Horizon has been feeding me all day…”

Sunset gave a look to her daughter and nodded. “I guess Horizon has a nurturing side… Definitely didn’t get that from me…” Sunset’s voice had a hint of sadness on admitting that fact.

Eclipse rolled his eyes. “I thought we agreed you’d stop the self-pity thing?”

Sunset rubbed her neck and nodded sheepishly. “Yeah, you’re right… Sorry.”

“Why did you bring him?” Horizon asked.

“Everywhere I go, he goes.” Sunset shrugged.

“Any reason why?” Yuna chimed in.

“He’s Horizon’s uncle.” Sunset shrugged again.

“WAIT, WHAT!?” Yuna exclaimed.

Horizon’s tone contradicted what she said next. “I have to say that’s surprising to me as well.”

Eclipse rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, it’s all a very shocking reveal, now can we please move past it?”

“How long have you known?” Yuna questioned.

“Since a few hours ago, but that’s not important right now.” Sunset dismissed her.

“You’ve been traveling with him for years and you’re only finding out he’s your brother now?” Horizon raised a brow.

Sunset cleared her throat. “Again, that’s not really important right now. We can get to that another time. Right now we have to go check on Moondancer, don’t we?”

“She’s right, for now, let’s check on my sister.” Yuna smiled.

“Okay,” Horizon replied plainly.

The group all stepped aside as Yuna approached the door and fished the keys from her bag. It had been so long since she had been home, a part of her wondered if she would ever make it back. She was glad Horizon found her. She would soon see her sister again and tell her how much she missed her. She could be with family once more.

Unlocking the door, Yuna pushed it open and was met with the usual dark atmosphere. The walls were painted a deep purple and Moondancer seldom turned the lights on when she was working. Yuna flipped a light switch only to find it wasn’t working. “Huh, that’s weird…” She flipped it up and down a few times to confirm her findings, and naturally, nothing happened.

Horizon had stepped into the building with her now and turned the light on on her phone. Eclipse and Sunset did the same as they entered. “Turn on the lights,” Eclipse suggested.

“They’re not working…” Yuna said.

“That’s weird…” Sunset thought out loud.

“That’s what I said.” Yuna nodded in agreement.

“We should check the breaker then, where is it?” Sunset asked.

“In the basement, that way, and down the stairs.” Yuna pointed as they all shined their lights in that direction.

“We should all go together… I have a bad feeling…” Sunset said.

No one disagreed, and the group made their way down the stairs to the basement. Halfway down the stairs, Horizon noticed moisture under her shoes. She shined her light down and noticed that past the bottom step was a good eight inches of water. “Looks like your basement flooded…” Horizon commented.

Eclipse sighed as he took off his shoes and hiked up his pants. Sunset just stepped into the water, uncaring if she got wet. Yuna removed her shoes and socks and the group all started wading through the water. Yuna spoke up about the situation. “If the power was out and it rained, sometimes the basement floods, but with no power, the sump pump didn’t kick on…”

“The power must have been out for a while then… Is Moondancer really even here?” Sunset asked.

“Probably not, but she likely left a note or something saying where she went,” Yuna suggested.

“Seems logical.” Horizon nodded in agreement.

Eclipse panned his light around the basement as the group were conversing and blinked as he noticed something amiss. There were cables on the ceiling that had been ripped out. Virtually every single wire there had been severed as if something just grabbed them and ripped them out methodically. “You got a rat problem?” Eclipse asked as he pointed up.

The group all looked up and Yuna’s mouth opened. “No… rats don’t do that, also how would they chew through something on the ceiling?”

“Something ripped those out… I don’t think the fuse box is going to help us now…” Sunset said.

“You can say that again.” Yuna pointed to the fuse box and it had been severely damaged. Someone had ripped nearly every cable out of it and smashed it in, leaving only a dented scrap of metal with torn wires hanging there.

“Do you think Moondancer would have done this?” Horizon asked.

“I’d imagine Moondancer left to get away from whatever did this…” Sunset pointed out.

“More than likely. Perhaps she went into hiding when she found out Yuna went missing. Given she knows what kind of stuff she’s wrapped up in, Moondancer might have gone into hiding.” Eclipse yawned.

Yuna shook her head. “Nah, she would have been looking for me.”

“Or maybe she thought you went into hiding and they would use her to lure you out,” Sunset replied.

Yuna couldn’t deny it was a sound theory. Perhaps Moondancer knew more about the situation than they did. It was highly likely that she was planning preemptively. She could have had faith that Horizon and her friends would keep her little sister safe. So now the question was: where did she go?

Yuna took a closer look at the fuse box. The kind of damage done didn’t suggest to her that whatever did this was normal. Pulling up Moon on her phone, she made a projection of the dog appear before them. Moon bowed and grinned as he saw them all together.

“Miss Yuna, and Miss Horizon! Oh, and Sunset is here too! Well isn’t this a pleasant reunion! All of my users in one place!” Moon bowed in kindness.

Yuna smiled at her virtual companion. “It’s good to see you again too, Moon. I was a little tied up before, sorry.”

“It’s all fine, Miss Yuna! I’m glad to see you well!” Moon nodded.

“Likewise, anyway, Moon can you do a scan of this area and tell me what you find?” Yuna requested.

Moon gave an affirming salute as he followed her instruction. A light scanned the entire room quickly and then Moon transformed into a version of himself in a lab coat. He pulled a clipboard out of nowhere and began to tap a pencil on it as he processed the data.

Above his head, a little progress bar moved until it was full. Once it was, he nodded and put his clipboard away. “There are traces of demonic energy in this room. I’d wager they’re several days old though, faint and barely there, but still there nonetheless.”

“It’s exactly as I feared… Whatever did this wasn’t human…” Yuna frowned.

“We better check upstairs then… Everyone keep your guard up, whatever did this could very much still be here…” Sunset advised as she removed her glove and belted sleeve. She flexed her demonic arm, preparing for a potential fight.

Yuna was about to object to Sunset using her demonic power, but then she recalled how in her weakest state it was the best tool she had in her arsenal. It gave her a significant boost, and that’s exactly what they needed right now.

Moon appeared on Sunset’s phone as a hologram before her suddenly and held up a stop sign. “Sunset, I must heavily advise using demon state in your condition! If you do it again so soon after last time… The effects could be fatal.”

“Demon state?” Horizon questioned.

Moon nodded and proceeded to explain. “Yes, by tapping into the demonic presence within herself, Sunset is able to unify with the demon inside of herself and exponentially increase her power. However, this form drastically increases the spread of demonic energy, and can significantly shorten her life span. That’s why a system is in place to automatically pull her out of demon state after a period of time.”

“The needle…” Horizon recalled.

Moon nodded once more. “Correct. That large injection is a fail-safe when the auto-injection system fails to pull her out.”

“When auto-injection fails, you have to do a much larger manual injection,” Eclipse explained.

“Right, but in her current state, the fatality rate is 100%.” Moon pointed out.

Grumbling, Sunset rolled her eyes. “Then I’ll only use demon state as a last resort. Come on, we’re wasting time.”

While Yuna found it all interesting and wanted to keep discussing the matter, she couldn’t help but concur with Sunset. Time was wasting while they stood there learning demon biology. It would have to wait for another day.

“Alright, let’s head back upstairs.” Yuna pointed.

Eclipse retrieved a butterfly knife from his pocket and flipped it open as the group ascended. Once they were at the top of the stairs, Yuna took the lead, guiding them to a hallway that lead to the kitchen. Yuna observed that there didn’t appear to be any damage to the other parts of the house. Whoever destroyed the fuse box and all the wires to the house’s electrical systems didn’t seem too interested in ruining anything else.

Horizon peeked inside of the fridge and most of the food had already gone bad. “Guess she must have left right after you disappeared, everything in here is rotten.”

Eclipse noticed that Moondancer’s shoes were still by the door when they arrived but had chosen not to say anything. He had a bad feeling. Something was very not right, and he knew it.

As they exited the kitchen, Yuna decided the next best place to check was Moondancer’s study. The group followed without question as she took them up to the second floor and when they came to the room, Yuna noticed it was locked. She rattled the handle a few times but to no avail. She pounded on the door calling her sister’s name. “Moondancer, it’s me!”

Sunset squinted as she stepped forward. “Does she normally lock the door?”

Yuna shook her head. “No. And I don’t have the key to this room… Moondancer doesn’t like it when anyone comes in here, so I usually know not to enter so she never needs to lock it.”

Sunset gestured for them all to step aside. “Since you’re already going to have to have repairs done, I’m going to break the door down. You can bill me later…”

Yuna nodded and they all stepped aside as they watched Sunset prepare herself. She took a stance and put her demonic appendage forward. She reeled it back and thrust forward with her palm open, cracking the door upon impact. She revved back and hit it a second time, making the crack bigger. After eight strikes, the door finally caved and broke into pieces, granting the group access to the room.

Sunset lowered her arm and smirked at the group. “Guess I really am quite drained, sorry.”

“You got it down didn’t you?” Eclipse reminded.

Sunset nodded. “I suppose so…”

“I guess you two are getting along better now…” Horizon noticed.

The two of them said nothing about her remark, knowing she likely was still curious about how they were siblings.

The room was pitch black, which Yuna found strange. Ordinarily, it would be illuminated by the glow of several computer monitors, keyboards, or projectors, but now it was as black as midnight. Granted, she knew the power was out, but it was still a strange sight to see. Her sister’s office was like her sanctuary, it felt wrong just stepping foot inside.

“Everyone ready?” Yuna asked politely.

The group nodded. “Let’s just get on with it,” Eclipse said.

Horizon took the lead and flashed her light forward. What she saw before her though caused her to pause. “I think I found Moondancer…” She spoke quietly.

The group turned to look in the direction of her light, and there on the floor, propped up with her back to the desk behind her was a woman with long messy hair, she was facing the floor with her head slouched and her hands at her sides. In one hand, a gun, fully loaded without a single shot of the revolver fired.

Her other hand was covered in dried blood, and from her chest, was a hole where the blood originated. The entire bottom half of her body was stained with dried blood and looked to already be starting the decomposition process.

Yuna covered her mouth as her eyes began to well up. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, but Sunset stepped forward and reached down, touching Moondancer’s neck, checking for a pulse. There was nothing. Sunset shook her head. “I’m sorry… She’s dead…”

Yuna dropped to her knees as tears began to leak from her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. She had been hoping to come home and hug her sister, and try to put what had happened to her behind her, but it was clear things were far from over. Her sister had been murdered.

Author's Note

I'm sorry. I really am. :c

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXIII: Pass

Chapter CXXXIII: Pass

Yuna turned away from the horrid sight, she didn’t want to look, she thought maybe if she didn’t see it, it would cease to be true. With sobbing eyes, she dug her face into Horizon’s chest. Ordinarily, that would be a very pleasant experience, however, she couldn’t even enjoy it at that moment. Tears leaked from her face as she sobbed uncontrollably. She wanted to wake up, she wanted this nightmare to end. Moondancer couldn’t be dead, she refused to believe it.

Horizon pet Yuna’s head as the girl cried. She didn’t exactly know how to console her or make her feel better, but she stood there allowing her to get her emotions out.

Sunset glanced over at the body in the room and then at Eclipse. He nodded in agreement as he could already tell what she was thinking. She sighed and stepped forward, approaching Yuna. She cleared her throat as she began. “Yuna… I know this is difficult, and I can’t imagine what you’re going through… But Eclipse and I need to search this room if we want any chance of finding out what happened.”

Yuna peaked from her face being buried into Horizon’s chest and spoke between sobs. “What are you talking about?”

Sunset kept her tone cautious so as to not upset the girl any further. “We want to help, and we want to find out what happened to Moondancer, but we will need to investigate this scene before we call the police because the moment they take over, we won’t know anything. We found demonic traces in this house which means a demon did this, and the police aren’t going to know that… So the moment they get here, they’re going to seal up the scene and we won’t find out anything…”

Yuna composed herself briefly and nodded, giving them permission. Horizon helped the girl stand upright and made her make eye contact. “Let’s go in the other room, let Sunset and Eclipse work.”

Nodding, Yuna followed Horizon out of the room. Sunset sighed and pressed her fingers to her forehead before she looked over at the poorly lit silhouette of Eclipse. “This is so fucked…”

Eclipse shrugged as he began to shine his phone around the room, looking for any kind of clues. “It happens, this is what demons do.”

Sunset shook her head. “No, this is my fault, Eclipse. If I wasn’t here, if Serenade wasn’t looking for me, Moondancer would have never gotten involved. I caused this…”

“Can’t undo anything, so we have to move forward. The best thing you can do for this girl now is find out who is responsible for this,” Eclipse explained plainly.

Sighing, Sunset nodded. “Yes, you’re right… As usual…”

Eclipse got close to the body and checked her over. He noted only a single bullet wound. “One hit, directly to the heart, our killer was confident in his abilities, since he didn’t feel the need to double tap…” Standing up, he shrugged. “That or he’s stingy with bullets.”

“Probably the former, since it’s clear time wasn’t a problem, this place is trashed…” Sunset looked over at some computers that had been completely destroyed. “This wasn’t just an assassination, they took the time to destroy all this stuff…”

“Why would they do that?” Eclipse asked.

Sunset noted that a few drives sitting on the counter had been crushed beyond repair. “Something she was working on, they wanted to make sure it didn’t get discovered…”

“We should gather some of this stuff then and see if anything survived,” Eclipse suggested.

Sunset observed that many of the computers had had water dumped on them. She shook her head. “Nah, they were very thorough, I doubt anything survived.”

“What I don’t get is why they didn’t just burn the place down? Wouldn’t have been far easier, fire would melt the drives too,” Eclipse pointed out.

“Would attract too much attention. The fire department would be here quickly, meaning it would make it harder to get away. This way it blurs the exact time of death… Our killer has killed before…” Sunset said.

Eclipse shined his light toward the ceiling and gestured for Sunset to look up. “Uh, Sunset…”

She glanced up and saw that the ceiling had something carved into it with some kind of knife.

Our regards, Glitch.

“Well, we know who they work for now, not that it’s any surprise…” Eclipse spoke.

Starlight pushed her way past guards and was rushing to Twilight’s study. The usual security protocol was causing her annoyance as she was in a hurry. She stood impatiently as a guard checked her hoof bracelet for authenticity. She groaned and tapped her hoof as she waited. “Can we please speed this up? I need to talk to Princess Twilight right away.”

The guard glanced at her as he checked a tome in front of him, while the other guard shook his head. “Ms. Glimmer, you know the security protocol. We can’t be too careful anymore, not after all the security breeches we had in the past, as the royal advisor you know that more than anyone…”

Starlight sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m aware but it’s obviously me…”

The other guard closed his book and nodded. “She’s clear, let her through.”

The two stepped aside, allowing her to pass. She grumbled on her way past and then proceeded up a spiral staircase that lead to the Princess’ study. Once in front of her door, she composed herself and exhaled before entering. She wanted to make sure she wasn’t too accusatory toward Twilight, so she needed to calm down.

Entering the room, she closed the door behind her and glanced over at Twilight sitting at her desk. She had a quill levitated, scribbling on some parchment in front of her. Her entire desk was covered in papers, and a stack of eight books sat on the corner of the desk. Starlight squinted, for some reason seeing those books made her a tiny bit uneasy, though she couldn’t fathom as to why.

She shook her head and cleared her mind as she stepped closer, Twilight still not noticing her, as her eyes were glued to what she was writing. The glasses on her face sliding down the bridge of her snout, which she pushed back up with her hoof as she continued working. No matter how much changed, Twilight remained a workaholic; dedicated to the grind as one would say.

To get her attention, Starlight cleared her throat.

She got no response, as Twilight was far too absorbed in her work.

Stepping closer, Starlight cleared her throat again, this time, Twilight’s ear twitched and she looked up with a “hm?”

A gentle smile came to the mare’s face as she saw Starlight. She put her quill down and nodded approvingly at her royal advisor and longtime friend. She crossed her hooves and placed them upon the table as she leaned forward to give Starlight her attention.

Her mane was as messy as always, but somehow the look had grown normal to Starlight. They had known each other for decades, and this look had become her signature. Being princess had its perks though, as not a single gray hair sat in her untidy mane. Meanwhile, Starlight was sporting a few.

“Starlight, what do I owe the pleasure? You usually just send a message, it’s quite a walk to my study after all…” Twilight stated.

Starlight nodded. “Forgive my intrusion, but I wanted to discuss something that I don’t think we could do through message. It’s a matter I think there’s a possibility might be something we should keep off paper…”

Twilight removed her glasses and set them aside as she nodded. “Very well, what is it that is troubling you?”

Clearing her throat, Starlight retrieved a familiar book and placed it upon Twilight’s desk. “This looks familiar, right?”

Twilight nodded as she slid the book over to herself and popped it open, checking the newest page. “Yes, this is the book that Sunset uses to relay messages to me, I placed you in charge of it and told you to come to me if she should write.”

“Yes, well… She wrote a bit ago and I am very confused by what she is writing…” Starlight stated as she watched Twilight scan over what was written.

Twilight finished quickly, as she was a fast reader and shrugged as she closed it and placed it back on the table. “What of it?”

“Twilight… I think you and I both know something about that is not normal…” Starlight pointed out.

Twilight let out a sigh, hoping this information would not come out. She nodded and stood up from her desk, pushing her chair out as she walked over to a drawer in the room. She unlocked the drawer with a key that was hidden within a book in her shelf and retrieved a file from the drawer.

Walking back over to her desk with the file in hoof, Twilight placed it upon the table and gently moved it across toward Starlight. “I was hoping I didn’t have to show this to you… But, I suppose now I have no choice.”

Starlight blinked and carefully opened the file and began to read. The two sat in silence for several minutes as Starlight read what was written. The more she read, the more her eyes began to widen. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, she needed clarity. “Twilight… Is this saying… What I think it is?”

Twilight nodded as she leaned back in her chair. “I lied. Yes.”

“The lying I think is the least of our problems, Twilight this sounds like… The kind of magic that…” Starlight didn’t even want to finish that sentence.

Twilight nodded once more. “I’m aware.”

“It’s not even possible, it shouldn’t be possible!” Starlight continued to read as she spoke.

“I finished a spell. Turns out Melody the Great was close to something when she began her research… She just lacked the last piece, I figured out how to make it work… Turns out it needs a physical conduit…” Twilight explained.

Starlight shook her hoof and slammed the file close. “Don’t say anymore. I don’t want to know how it works… You shouldn’t even know how to make it work…”

Twilight said nothing.

Starlight stepped closer and placed her hooves on Twilight’s desk. “Twilight, this is a serious matter… I need to know… Is this file accurate and did you do this?” Starlight asked.

Twilight only nodded.

Starlight’s tone became harsher. “What were you thinking, Twilight!? This kind of magic is forbidden for a reason!”

“I was correcting a mistake…” Twilight defended.

“It doesn’t matter! You crossed a line!” Starlight growled.

Twilight shrugged. “Many ponies have crossed the line they were told not to. If they all chose to stand by and do nothing, our world would have fallen apart centuries ago…”

“This is different, Twilight! This line of thinking… This type of magic… It could lead to catastrophic results! If this ever fell into the wrong hooves…” Starlight shuddering just imagining it.

The two fell silent once more for a brief moment before Starlight sighed and decided to move forward. “Who else knows about this?”

“Just you,” Twilight said plainly.

“You didn’t tell Celestia or Luna?” Starlight raised a brow.

Twilight shook her head. “I figured they wouldn’t approve.”

“Great… Just great…” Starlight sighed.

“I acted alone, Starlight, you needn’t worry about yourself.” Twilight attempted to calm her.

“I know now though! That makes me an accomplice if I cover for you!” Starlight growled.

“So you don’t plan on telling?” Twilight raised a brow.

Starlight grumbled and composed herself before she shook her head. “No. I don’t. While I blatantly disagree with what you did, when I took this job, I promised I would stand by your judgement and that hasn’t changed… While I question why you did this, I am going to trust your judgement…”

“Thank you.” Twilight smiled.

“However, Twilight…” Starlight turned back to her friend and came close to her as she spoke. “We can never tell anypony of this. If this ever got out, you would lose more than your royal title, you could be imprisoned, or even exiled… I’d be right behind you too just for keeping it a secret…”

“I understand.” Twilight nodded.

“As your advisor and your friend, I advise you against ever telling a soul about this. I advise you to burn this file and forget anything you learned that day… If this got out, it would be the end of you and me…” Starlight explained.

Twilight took the file from her and looked at it for a few moments, just staring as she remembered writing it. “I kept it because eventually, I think people need to know the truth about their princess… One day. Maybe after I’m dead, or on my death bed, I want to be remembered as an honest princess…”

“You will be remembered as a traitor if that file ever gets out, Twilight. Furthermore, that information will only harm the kingdom. Ponies trying to replicate what you did… Or expanding upon it? Think of the consequences,” Starlight pleaded.

Twilight stared for a few more seconds before coming to the conclusion that her friend was correct. She had to accept that some things were better left a secret. Nodding, Twilight cast a quick fire spell and the document began to burn. As it turned to ash, Starlight let out a sigh of relief.

The mare ran a hoof through her now sweaty mane as she gave an approving nod to Twilight. “You are doing the right thing, Twilight. There are some things we shouldn’t be messing with.”

“I suppose you’re right…” Twilight sounded almost defeated in her tone.

Starlight nodded before changing the subject.

“What should I tell Sunset?” Starlight asked.

Twilight bit her lip before answering. “Just tell her that I don’t know…”

“Lie to her, then?” Starlight questioned.

“It wouldn’t be the first time…” Twilight was quiet.

Starlight nodded once more before taking the book bag and stuffed it into her saddle bag. She prepared to leave as she looked back at Twilight from the door. “Twilight…”

Twilight looked over at her friend.

“Don’t think that I don’t understand… I get why you did it, but there are just some things that we’re not meant to meddle with… You have to understand that…” Starlight explained.

“I suppose you know better than I?” Twilight smiled lightly.

Starlight nodded. “I do. Experience has taught me many things…”

“Thank you, Starlight. I’m glad to have you,” Twilight replied.

“A pleasure to help.” Starlight bowed before taking her leave, shutting the door behind her.

Letting out a sigh, Twilight opened a drawer in her desk and retrieved an old bottle of vodka and a small glass. She poured a few shots into it and grasped the cup, taking a sip. Everything eventually would unravel, and she knew it. The truth would get out there eventually, and it once again would be up to Sunset to set things right.

“I’m sorry for being such a shitty friend, Sunset…” Twilight spoke to herself before taking a long sip.

Horizon stood by the entrance to Yuan’s home with Sunset, Yuna, and Eclipse at her side. Eclipse was playing with his butterfly knife as he waited impatiently with the group. He was the first to break the silence. “So, you think that you friend will make a big difference here?”

Nodding, Horizon felt Yuna squeeze her hand tightly. The girl was a nervous wreck, and she needed answers. “Yes, Thorn handles dark magic, she’s the only one of us that does. Sunset may have demonic energy, but her mastery of darkness isn’t as good.”

“What makes this Thorn so attuned then?” Eclipse asked.

“She’s blind. She’s lived her life in darkness, and as a result she has learned to rely on her magic to navigate the world. She definitely will be able to extrapolate more from dark energy than any of us…” Horizon explained.

Eclipse nodded. “Makes sense… A blind girl, huh? Pretty interesting…”

A car suddenly pulled up in front of them, and the driver’s door opened first, followed by a blue-haired woman sporting a pair of shades stepping out and nodding at the group before she came around to the passenger side and opened the door, helping the young Thorn out of the car.

Thorn wagged her walking stick about before resting it and smiling as she stood next to the blue-haired woman. The entire group approached carefully and Sunset smiled at Thorn. “So, you’re Thorn then?”

Thorn nodded and offered a hand. “Thorn Scratch, that’s me.”

Sunset shook her hand and glanced over at the other woman with her. “I’m assuming this is your mother then? Nice to meet you too.” Sunset smiled.

The woman smiled back and nodded.

Eclipse raised a brow in confusion as he watched the exchange. “Cat got her tongue?”

The woman began to make hand gestures at them, causing Eclipse to squint in more confusion. “Uh…?”

Thorn spoke up on her behalf. “She can’t speak. She has a rare condition that caused her vocal chords to not develop properly, so she can’t talk.”

“Anyone here know sign language?” Sunset asked.

The entire group shook their heads. “I think Keylime knows it…” Yuna pointed out.

“So… If she’s mute and you’re blind… How do the two of you communicate?” Eclipse asked.

Thorn’s mother made a hologram from her phone appear before her and gestured toward it. Thorn then spoke on her behalf. “She can talk using her phone, and it sends it to my phone. I mean in this day and age? It’s the 2040s, we have technology for that now.”

Sunset nodded. “Okay, so what would your name be, Ms. Scratch?”

The woman made text appear on the hologram that read “Vinyl”.

“It’s nice to meet you then, Vinyl. We’re sorry for calling you and your daughter out here like this… I’m sure you have things you would rather be doing, but we felt it was important…” Sunset rubbed her neck.

Vinyl waved her hand dismissively.

Thorn spoke up. “So, Moondancer really is dead? Like for real?”

“I’m afraid so…” Sunset frowned.

Thorn frowned and lowered her head. “I’m so sorry, Yuna…”

“That’s why you’re here though… We think one of Serenade’s subordinates is behind this, and we figured your abilities could give us more info on who we’re looking for…” Eclipse explained.

Thorn perked back up and nodded. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Glad to hear it.” Sunset smiled.

“Shall we investigate then?” Thorn asked.

“Of course.” Sunset nodded.

The group then wandered into the house, leaving Vinyl there by the car. Thorn collapsed her walking stick and put it away as she stepped into the house. With so much darkness, she could take advantage of their surroundings.

Closing her blind eyes, she focused her magic and a picture was painted before her. Everything that was covered in shadows, she could now see a thin outline of. She was starting to see the layout of the house.

Yuna waited at the entranceway with Horizon, not wanting to see her sister’s body again. Sunset and Eclipse walked with Thorn who began to step slowly through the house, taking in what she could sense. “So you can see in the dark?” Sunset asked.

Thorn shook her head. “Not exactly. I can sense where shadows are and get a vague outline of things, however, the less darkness there is, the harder it is. I can see shadows, but I have to actively be thinking about doing it. It takes more magic in the light than the dark. The rest of the time I just use hearing to tell where things are.”

“Quite impressive… I’ve never seen magic used like that…” Eclipse crossed his arms as he listened to her.

She grinned. “What can I say? I’m a special girl.”

The group grew silent as they allowed her to focus. After about eight seconds she spoke up. “Pretty strong energy traces here… Could you take me to the crime scene?”

The two adults nodded as they led the young teen to the room in which Moondancer’s body rested. Upon stepping in, Thorn sniffed the air. The room smelled of dried blood.

She concentrated once more and focused her power, getting a layout of the room and all the energies present within it. A few more seconds passed before the girl spoke up. “This is… Wow… This is bad…”

Sunset stepped forward and placed a hand upon Thorn’s shoulder. The girl was thin, and her shoulders were quite boney.

“What is it?” Sunset asked.

Thorn opened her eyes and stood with a blank stare as usual. “This energy is unreal. Whoever did this is definitely high up on the chain. I’ve never felt energy this strong…”

“You think Serenade herself did this?” Eclipse asked.

Thorn shook her head. “Not likely. While the energy is strong, Serenade can hide her power, so if it was her, she wouldn’t make it this obvious…”

“Who do you think could have done this then?” Sunset asked.

Thorn sighed. “I don’t know, but this wasn’t one of her weaker subordinates. This was one of the stronger ones… That means this was probably a direct assignment from her…”

“So this wasn’t just something to mess with us then… Moondancer really must have known something important… It’s a shame we can’t find out what that is…” Eclipse sighed.

Sunset touched her lip as she thought it over. There was little doubt now that Moondancer had stumbled onto something that would be extremely helpful to know, it was just a shame they didn’t get to her first.

“Guess we should call the police now… I doubt we can learn anything else…” Eclipse suggested.

Sunset nodded in agreement. She wandered over to Moondancer’s body and knelt down to her, touching the girl’s messy hair. She whispered to it. “Don’t worry, Moondancer… We will find who did this… I promise.”

Eight Ball flipped a set of dice between his fingers over and over, rolling them between each of his fingers carefully as he observed the good doctor. He usually had no interest in science, but every time he visited the doctor, he found himself oddly fascinated. The doctor had always developed new and exciting ways to mess with people, something Eight was into.

Doctor Chem Burn grinned as he lifted beaker and checked the fluid within. Eight cleared his throat to get the doctor’s attention. “So Doc… You think you can handle these kids?”

Chem glanced over at Eight, forgetting he was there. “Yes, I am confident that I can dispose of them.”

“You’re positive? I mean they already took Lightning Dust out,” Eight explained.

The doctor turned to Eight and grunted in annoyance. “We’re dealing with teenagers here. Lightning Dust has always been a pathetic washout. She was bound to die sooner or later.”

“So what’s your plan then?” Eight raised a brow curiously.

Chem just grinned and looked over at some of the things he had been working on in his lab. Quite a few interesting specimens laid at the ready for him to put to the test.

“I have a few experiments that I think will be incredible fun to try out…” He stated.

Eight crossed his arms and shrugged. “You better how they are. Our numbers are growing thin, there’s only a handful of us left, and Serenade is expecting results. You don’t deliver, you’ll be the next to go. Most of our guys are gone.”

“How many of us are left?” Chem raised a brow, quite surprised to hear that their numbers had grown so low.

Eight looked away. “There were eight of us this morning…”

“And now?” Chem questioned.

“Serenade was displeased with some of their progress, now it’s down to just three of us. Yourself included… Don’t fuck this up, Chem. I don’t want to have to clean up another mess this week. I vouched for you to get into the order, don’t make me look stupid…” Eight warned.

The doctor gave a dismissive hand gesture. “Serenade wants to get rid of those who were dead weight, I have nothing to worry about. I’ve been supplying her with all the serums and equipment she could ever need, just like I did back during the war. Without my potions and tonics, how else would our soldiers get so powerful?”

Eight squinted in annoyance. “Don’t forget, even with your potions and tonics, we still lost that war. While your loyalty to the cause hasn’t faded the slightest, your work hasn’t been so flawless. You better see to it that you take care of a few of those kids before we talk again, or you’re going to really know what it’s like to get on Serenade’s bad side…”

Chem smiled at Eight. “Perhaps you should watch out for yourself, Eight Ball. Don’t think yourself so high on the totem pole that you can’t disappoint her. Don’t forget that it was with my serum that you were able to bring Lightning Dust down. I will do anything for the cause, yet I wonder what you’re willing to do for it?”

“What do you get out of all of this?” Eight wondered out loud.

“Serenade promised me that when this was all over, I could experiment on the mortals to my heart’s content. As many test subjects as I could possibly ever want…” He smirked.

“I guess we both get our thrills from tormenting others…” Eight grinned back at him.

Sunset gave the motorcycle to Eclipse, and insisted she take Horizon’s car to bring her and Yuna back to Twilight. She knew Horizon was fit to drive (especially given the auto-drive), but she wanted someone to be with Yuna at all times. The girl had just been through the most tragic and traumatic thing to ever happen to her, and she needed to be tended to.

After they got in the car, Horizon, and Yuna sat in the back seat, with Yuna resting her head on Horizon’s lap, closing her puffy eyes. Sunset couldn’t imagine how hard this was on a teenage girl. First being kidnapped and then coming home to see her sister had been murdered, it was perhaps the worst day for the girl.

Horizon sat there staring forward as Sunset adjusted the mirror and set the car’s destination, watching the road as the car pulled out.

The group sat in silence for several minutes before Horizon broke it. “You’re really dying then?”

Sunset blinked and glanced at her daughter from the mirror. “Yeah… It’s just as Eclipse said, I’m only got a little time left. I plan to finish what I started though if that’s your concern.”

Horizon’s expression remained unchanged. Sunset wondered what her daughter would look like if she smiled.

“How come you didn’t tell Twilight?”

Sunset shook her head. “I did. Just, not before all this is all.”

“You were planning on dying alone then?” Horizon asked.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, it would be easier that way. It’s not like I was a parent to you or a wife to Twilight anyway. I spent most of my life trying to play hero, so I don’t exactly deserve someone at my side while I wait to die.”

“Understandable.” Horizon nodded.

That statement hurt Sunset, but she kept quiet about it.

“I made some bad choices, and now you guys are the ones who are suffering for them; for that, I’m sorry. I never intended it that way, but it is my fault,” Sunset explained.

Horizon looked out the window. “Yeah, it is.”

Ouch. Sunset thought.

Deciding to ignore the hurtful, and perhaps well-deserved comment, Sunset continued driving in silence, however, Horizon’s curiosity didn’t seem to be satisfied.

“So death is inevitable for you then?” Horizon asked.

Sunset nodded as she saw her in the rearview mirror. “Yeah, the amount of darkness in my body is too much to remove, even for someone like you who has the ability. It would just kill you.”

Horizon nodded in agreement. “So you’ve made peace with death?”

Sunset shrugged. “I haven’t, but it’s not like I have a choice. There’s no chance of saving myself. You and Twilight will be better off without me.”

“Twilight won’t.” Horizon’s tone was as monotone as ever despite the words she was saying. Her words, however, caught Sunset by surprise.

“What makes you say that?” Sunset asked.

Horizon looked up and caught Sunset’s reflection in the rearview mirror. “She misses you. She says she doesn’t, and she doesn’t want you to come home, but I see her crying sometimes. I doubt she would be happy to be in a world where you were dead.”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah… She’s a good person like that, but she will be better off. Look, Horizon, I could apologize for how shitty of a mother I’ve been, or how shitty of a wife I’ve been to Twilight, but it won’t change anything. I missed a ton of your life, and I left Twilight to raise you by herself. I thought I was protecting you both, but it doesn’t change the fact that you both have every reason to hate me, and I have to accept that.”

Horizon tilted her head. “Is it really that easy?”

“It’s not, but I’ve had a good eight years to think about it,” Sunset replied.

Horizon looked at the floor of the car in thought.

“I don’t expect forgiveness from either of you. All I can do now is ensure you’re both safe, but I don’t expect to be rewarded, thanked, or praised for it. I’ll finish what I started and then die,” Sunset explained.

Horizon closed her eyes and nodded. She only gave a simple “Okay,” as an answer.

Sunset wanted to probe her deeper, she wanted to know more about what Twilight thought, but she decided she wasn’t worthy to know. Whatever Twilight was feeling, Sunset had no right to pry into. She had betrayed Twilight’s trust and had no right to run back to her again and beg her to be with her. She had to accept that her family had moved on without her. She knew this was a risk she took when she first began her quest to stop Serenade.

Sighing, Sunset nodded and closed her eyes as the car finished the journey on its own, now in complete silence, as there was nothing left to say. No words could change the situation, no words could undo the damage that Sunset had done, and no words could change Horizon’s mind.

This was the world she had to live in now, and her only option was to make peace with it. The past was unchangeable, and the future was finite. Sunset had precious little time left, and there was little to waste on begging for forgiveness. Her family was out of her reach. They were well beyond her ability to get back on her side. The things she had done couldn’t be forgiven, nor forgotten.

She wished she could go back and change how she addressed things, especially since Horizon had gotten involved anyway, despite her attempts to keep her daughter from it. In the end, Sunset only accomplished destroying herself, something that Twilight insisted she was dead set on, and Sunset could not even disagree. She truly was on a path of self-destruction, a path to punish herself for all she had done wrong.

She whispered under her breath as she sat there in thought. “I’m sorry…”

As the group arrived at Horizon’s home, Horizon aided Yuna out of the car, keeping the girl close as she just seemed completely emotionally exhausted. She had been through far too much in the past few days.

They had called the police and allowed them to do their job, there was nothing left to do now but move forward.

As the group exited the car, Sunset followed them to the front door of the large mansion where Horizon entered with Yuna, and sure enough standing there in the foyer was Twilight Shimmer, Sunset’s soon-to-be ex-wife.

She blinked a few times as she watched the group of women enter, but Sunset stood at the doorway. The woman didn’t dare enter, instead, she just clearly wanted to make sure that Horizon made it home alright.

Clearing her throat, she spoke up to Twilight. “These girls have been through a lot, I just wanted to make sure they got home okay… I’ll head out…”

Twilight crossed her arms and replied. “Someone knew you were heading this way.”

“What?” Sunset blinked in confusion until from behind a wall, Eclipse stepped. He smiled and nodded.

“I told her you’d be coming, it’s cool, we can stay here tonight, I talked it over with her,” Eclipse stated.

Sunset could hardly believe what she was hearing. The last place she expected to be allowed to stay was with Twilight. She wondered what kind of things Eclipse must have said to convince her, but instead, she counted her blessings and nodded before bowing gently. “I appreciate it, thank you.”

“You know where the guest rooms are…” Twilight stated as she gestured lazily with her hand.

Deciding it wasn’t worth prying any further, Sunset nodded and made her way to the guest room. Eclipse smirked as he watched Sunset leave, noting Twilight’s attempt to make it seem like she didn’t care, but he watched as her eyes followed Sunset until she was out of sight.

“You’re still not over her, are you?” Eclipse questioned.

Twilight twitched, not expecting him to speak. She turned to him and frowned. “It doesn’t matter…”

Eclipse nodded. “I agree. It really doesn’t matter.”

“I have to know… Is she really dying?” Twilight asked.

“Afraid so. She’s as good as dead. She won’t last much longer, perhaps it’s better to move on now.” Eclipse shrugged.

Twilight looked back in the direction that Sunset had left from. “I wish it was easy to get over her… I love her, but I can’t keep forgiving her…”

“I understand. She’s a piece of work that’s for sure, but can you really live with yourself if you leave things like this, Twilight?” Eclipse asked.

Twilight bit her lip. She didn’t know how to answer that question.

Taking her silence as his answer, he nodded. “I’m sure you’ll know what to do when the time is right, Twilight.”

Eclipse wandered off, with Twilight observing him as he left. There certainly was an odd aura about him, he was a strange man, that was for sure. Before he was out of sight though, Twilight called back to him, “Eclipse.”

He turned his head and looked at her. “Hm?”

“What do you think about Sunset?”

He looked up in thought and shrugged. “Self-loathing, self-destructive, and she has a terrible hero complex… But one thing is sure…”

“Which is?” Twilight tilted her head.

“For all her flaws, she loves you. She may have a piss poor way of saying it, but she never looks at anyone else, she carries a picture of you around, and I see her staring at it a lot before she goes to sleep. You’ve been on her mind this entire time…” Eclipse explained.

Twilight bit her lip, feeling a bit guilty after hearing that. Most of the time that Sunset was gone, she spent a large portion of it cursing her name and speaking ill of her, now only to find that Sunset had sung her such praises.

Eclipse interrupted her thoughts as he spoke again. “You’re pretty lucky, Twilight.”

“Huh, why’s that?”

“I’ve been in love too, but the one that I loved was too ashamed to admit it… Sunset never stops announcing it. You’re lucky to have someone who loves you that much, even if they are a crappy partner and even crappier parent. I wish the person I loved would be as loving to me as Sunset is to you…” Eclipse said.

Twilight found herself blushing at such praise. “Y-you really think so?”

Eclipse smirked. “That girl would die for you, and I know it. She may be messed up, but in her mind, she does all this shit to protect you, even at the cost of herself. She was adamant about not coming back here unless it was absolutely necessary. She wanted to keep Horizon and you away from all of this, but now it seems like we’re all in the same predicament.”

Twilight fell silent as Eclipse turned back around, but then decided to ask something she had been wondering. “Hey, Eclipse… What happened to the person you loved?”

Eclipse didn’t even turn to face her. “I left and never looked back.”

“Do you regret it?” Twilight nearly whispered.

Eclipse didn’t face her as he answered and walked away. “Every day.”

Standing at the podium, next to several photos of Moondancer, Yuna cleared her throat as she continued to speak to the audience sitting silently as she spoke of her sister. “I want to thank everyone for coming today… This has been a very difficult time for me and it’s at least comforting to know that my sister meant so much to all of you… She was my best friend, and I’m going to miss her every single day…”

The girl wiped her teary eyes before continuing. “A few people wanted to speak on her behalf, so I now hand this over to Twilight Shimmer, a family friend.”

Sunset’s eyes widened as she sat in the front row, surprised to hear that Twilight was going to speak at the funeral. Moondancer and she were friends, but not exceptionally close.

As Twilight took the podium, she gave an affirming nod to Yuna and a gentle smile as the girl stepped aside allowing the older woman to speak. Twilight gently set a stack of papers she had brought with her and adjusted her glasses as she began to read.

“Moondancer was not a very sociable girl, but she clearly left a large impression on all of our lives. I think she would be pleased to know how many people loved her so dearly…” She began.

Yuna nodded gently in agreement.

“While preparing for this funeral, I came across something that I felt should be shared, as I’m sure it’s something Moondancer would have wanted to see, but given that she is no longer with us, I think it’s something that would be comforting for all of us to hear…” Twilight continued.

The woman retrieved a paper from her stack and explained further. “As some of you may know, Moondancer was romantically involved with the later Shimmer of the Shimmer family…”

Sunset’s eyes widened, wondering what Twilight had possibly uncovered.

“This was a note prepared by Shimmer that she intended to recite it to Moondancer at some point, but she never got the chance due to her untimely death…” Twilight said.

The crowd seemed to whisper in awe as she read the note.

Moondancer,

I have had many ups and downs in my life. I have endured so much, and I’ve struggled with loving myself and loving other people, but when I am with you, I never have to think about these things. You make me feel so great about myself, and it has been a long time since I’ve felt this much love from another person.

We both have flaws, but you look past my shortcomings and appreciate all that I do. There are few people in the world that I trust like you.

I want the world for you, and I cannot see a future without you in it. The person you make me is the best version of myself, and I never want to go back to who I was before we met. You’re the most important thing in my life, and while many people will think I am rushing into things, I have always been a person who knows what I want and will always chase it right away.

You’re my entire world, and there’s no place I won’t go for you. There’s nothing I won’t do to prove how much I want to deserve your love. We’re both young, but I promise I will provide for you, I will be there to help you achieve your dreams so we can be happy together. I want everything you’ve ever dreamed of to become your reality.

I want to be a part of your dreams, and I hope you’ll help make my own come true.

I’ve been so happy as your girlfriend all this time, but I hope I can make you happy as your wife.

Will you marry me?

The whispers of the crowd had grown and now were accompanied by gasps of shock. Many in the crowd covered their mouths in surprise, Sunset included. She had no idea how strongly Shimmer felt about Moondancer. Her little sister had planned to propose to Moondancer?

Twilight reached into a bag she had brought with her and retrieved a small velvet box, opening it, a ring that sparkled quite magnificently was revealed. Even from a distance, everyone could clearly see that the gemstone was expertly crafted and expensive. It was quite an impressive engagement ring.

She turned and showed the ring to Yuna and spoke politely. “Yuna, on your sister’s behalf, can I ask you to accept this ring for her? To accept Shimmer’s wish?”

Yuna felt tears drip down her face as she nodded and took the ring. Carefully she turned around to the casket and lifted Moondancer’s finger and slid the ring onto it. She found her eyes leaked more as she looked at how beautiful the ring looked on her sister’s finger.

Twilight nodded and returned to face the crowd. “It took a long time, but that ring is now where it belongs… I am sure that Moondancer and Shimmer can finally be together in eternity now…”

Sunset wondered if that really was true. Shimmer was still among them, but the question was, was she truly the Shimmer that Sunset remembered, or was she merely a copy as she suggested? She wondered if the Shimmer that was around now remembered writing this note, or if she had anything to say about it.

Every time Sunset learned more about her little sister, she only realized how little she actually knew her. Shimmer had secrets upon secrets, and Sunset wasn’t in on any of them.

Twilight cleared her throat once more and continued. “Moondancer was loved so much in life, that I feel it’s only fitting that it’s shown beyond any doubt she’s loved even more in death. Moondancer, you have been a wonderful friend, and I’m sorry that your time was cut so short but know that everyone here will treasure all the time they got to spend with you. You’re an amazing person who deserved better than this.”

Yuna nodded and stepped forward before wiping her tears. Twilight squeezed the girl’s hand and smiled before stepping away and allowing Yuna to speak once more.

Yuna stood up straight and composed herself. “Thank you so much for your kind words, Twilight. I’m sure if Moondancer were here to hear them, she would be in tears at how much you cared for her. That being said, someone else wishes to speak on Moondancer’s behalf, the sister of Shimmer, Sunset.”

The audience clapped at the announcement as Sunset came to a stand and stepped toward the stage. Her black dress swayed as she approached and took Yuna’s hand and squeezed it gently. Yuna nodded and smiled gently at Sunset before the redhead took the podium.

As Sunset brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, she looked at the crowd before her with a serious expression. “Moondancer was an amazing person, someone who would go out of her way to help you, and she has been someone who dropped everything to help me many times in the past.”

Yuna smiled as she listened to Sunset speak of her sister.

“She deserved better than this, but something needs to be mentioned here that I think we all must not forget: Moondancer was murdered, and the person who did so still hasn’t faced justice, and I will not rest until they do… Moondancer will be avenged, and I won’t let this go until that person is shot like the filthy animal they are… To harm such an innocent and wonderful girl is a sin beyond forgiveness…” Sunset’s voice began to grow more fierce.

“To the person who did this, I just want you to know… I will find you. I will hunt you down, I won’t rest until you pay for what you did here… This girl was harmless to you, she didn’t deserve this, and I’m going to make sure you suffer… I’m going to make sure that you wish you were never born… I’m going to…”

“Sunset!” Twilight’s voice echoed from the other side of the stage where they were presenting. Sunset glanced over at her and nodded as she realized she lost herself and had perhaps dipped into being a bit inappropriate for a funeral.

“Ahem… Sorry… I am just very upset… The truth is… Moondancer wouldn’t have met this fate had she not been involved with me… And I’m going to do everything in my power to make it up to her and Yuna… I won’t let them get away with this…” Sunset paused before nodding. “Thank you.” She stepped away from the microphone and wandered toward Twilight who took Sunset’s hand and helped her sit down on the steps.

Yuna continued speaking as Sunset and Twilight sat together talking. “You got a little riled up over there…” Twilight said.

Sunset looked at the floor and then at her possessed hand. It was gloved and covered, but Sunset opened and closed it, knowing what was there. “All of this happened because of me… Everyone keeps paying the price for what I did…”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. She placed a hand upon Sunset’s back, rubbing gently. “Moondancer made a choice, Sunset. She chose to help you, and I’m sure she would choose it all over again even if she knew this would be the outcome.”

“How do you know that?” Sunset asked.

“Because she was the kind of person who wouldn’t sit idly by while people got hurt, just like you.” Twilight reminded.

Sunset frowned but nodded in agreement. “It just sickens me to know that Serenade or her goons did this…”

“And you’ll have your chance to get back at them, but you have to control yourself. Anger can be blinding, and I know you, you’re already stubborn enough, you need to remain in control, Sunset.” Twilight explained.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah… You’re right… I just can’t believe this is all…”

“You’ll feel better in time, but for now you have to focus on finishing what you started…” Twilight said.

Sunset blinked and looked over at her in surprise. This was the first time Twilight had ever shown any support for her conquest to defeat Serenade. “What’s gotten into you? You would never support me in this before…”

Twilight smiled wryly as she leaned back. “It doesn’t matter what I think. You always want to be the hero, and that’s just who you are. It may have made it difficult for us to have a relationship, but at the end of the day, this is what you are going to do. What is started has to be finished. Serenade is here now, and you’re already in too deep to quit, right?”

Sunset glanced down at her hand. “Yeah… I can’t go back…”

“So it’s true then, you really are dying?” Twilight questioned.

Somehow even though she had told her before, repeating the bad news to Twilight now seemed far more difficult, like the words would hurt her wife. “Yes…”

“How much time do you have left?” Twilight asked.

“I’m not sure… Originally I thought a few months, but at the rate, I’ve had to use my powers… Maybe a few weeks,” Sunset revealed.

“What’s going to happen then?” Twilight questioned.

Sunset closed her eyes, knowing that there was a strong possibility that something she didn’t want was going to happen. “Eventually, the demonic power will take over me. My body will still be alive for a short period before dying… During that time, I’ll be dangerous… Eclipse was already instructed to destroy me if that happens, but there’s a good chance he won’t be able to alone… As much as I don’t want to think about it… Horizon may have to be the one to do it… Her light magic is far stronger than I ever would have guessed…”

“You’d traumatize your daughter by having her kill her mother?” Twilight raised a brow.

Sunset shook her head. “I don’t want that. I just know it’s a possibility. It’s better that I die by her hands than for her to see what kind of monster I could become before I hurt someone… Or turn into what Serenade is…”

Twilight sighed and nodded. “I won’t say I like it, but I understand. It’s like you’re always caught between a rock and a hard place, huh?”

“Seems that way…” Sunset nodded back at her. That saying probably described a vast majority of Sunset’s life. For as long as she could remember, she was always having to find ways out of difficult situations, but by this point, she was used to it.

“You know I didn’t ask to divorce because I don’t love you, right?” Twilight said, her voice sounded very sincere.

Sunset grinned. “Yeah, I’m aware.”

“Oh? How can you tell?” Twilight asked.

“I can see it on you… You still love me. Your face still lights up when we’re together even if it’s not the same spark as before, I can see the fire is still there… I don’t even really need to ask if there’s been anyone else, because I know there hasn’t.” Sunset smiled.

Twilight felt her face getting hot as she said those words. “I will always love you, Sunset, but you can’t seem to love yourself. You’re too committed to self-destruction.”

“Yeah… You’re right. I can say eight thousand times that the next time will be the last time, but I think we both know me well enough to know that I’ll just jump right back into it when the time comes…” Sunset chuckled.

“It’s just who you are.” Twilight nudged the girl’s shoulder.

“And it would be wrong of me to put you through that. Not that it matters anyway, I’ll be dead in a few weeks.” Sunset closed her eyes.

Twilight reached over and squeezed Sunset’s hand. “I don’t regret meeting you… Even through the hard times, I’m going to try my best to remember the best parts of us.”

Sunset opened her eyes and frowned. “I just wish I could make it all up to you…”

“You can.” Twilight smiled.

“Tell me how, I’ll do anything.”

Twilight planted a kiss on Sunset’s cheek as she whispered softly. “Finish this. Stop Serenade and make the world safe for our daughter. If you can do that, I can let this all go.”

Sunset nodded. “I’ll make sure of it. I’ll put an end to all of this so you can finally have a normal life, even if it’s not with me.”

Twilight leaned in and hugged her wife. Sunset placed an arm around her and closed her eyes. She had lost so much, but she was determined not to lose anything else. Serenade would pay for what she did, that much was certain.

Stepping out of the funeral home, a woman in black robes with a large hood concealing most of her face waited for a car to arrive. Once it did, the window came down and she could see the face of Eight Ball who gestured for her to get in. She nodded and did as she was instructed and got into the passenger seat.

Eight Ball adjusted the mirror before speeding off with her in the seat. She removed her hood to show off her long gorgeous blonde hair. She looked over at Eight Ball with her good eye, not shielded by an eyepatch as she spoke. “It’s always amusing how mortals mourn their dead, despite them doing most of the killing, isn’t it?”

Eight shrugged. “Mortals are weird, why’d you even want to go in the first place? Funerals are boring.”

“I just wanted to observe, that’s all. I guess Sunset is really pissed at me then… Too bad I’m not the one who killed that girl…” Serenade smirked.

There was a short silence followed by Serenade making an accusation. “Was it you, Eight?”

The man just grinned and kept his eyes on the road as he was driving manually. “Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t.”

“I suppose you think it’d be more amusing for me to find out on my own?” Serenade questioned.

“What is life without fun?” He asked.

Serenade broke out into laughter as she nodded in agreement. “You are so very right… Fun is definitely what makes the world go round… I look forward to the fun then…”

Eight Ball grinned. “I’m sure we’re about to see quite a show very soon from the good doctor.”

“I eagerly look forward to it.” Serenade smiled.

Eight Ball glanced over at her and decided to share a tiny morsel with her. “I don’t want to spoil things, but the good doctor showed me a few of his new toys… They should be quite entertaining to watch in action. He’s even set up cameras through the entire facility he plans on letting this go down in.”

“So we’ll have front-row seats then?” Serenade grinned deviously.

“To the most amazing event you’ll ever see.” Eight winked.

Serenade leaned back in her seat with a contented smile. “This will be an interesting endeavor then…”

Eight nodded.

“So… I’m hoping you have plans as well, Eight Ball…” Serenade reminded.

He grinned. “Oh, I have big plans, but I need to get all the pieces in place… You’re going to be amazed at what I have planned.”

“For your sake… I hope you’re right…” Serenade smirked.

Author's Note

We're getting so close to the finale! So so so close.

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXIV: Professor

Chapter CXXXIV: Professor

Dear Princess Twilight,

Thank you for your previous responses, and I’m sorry to hear that you don’t know anything about the situation unfolding over here. I was really hoping you had some kind of insight into what’s happening as this really shouldn’t even be possible. I won’t press the matter though if you truly don’t know, so thank you at least for responding, I know we aren’t exactly on amazing terms.

That all being said, I feel the need to explain what’s happening here. As you’re aware, Serenade is on a rampage in our world, and Sunset is doing all in her power to stop her, but I don’t know if it’ll be enough. The demonic energy in Sunset’s body is slowly killing her, and I don’t think she has much time left. This is all spinning out of control very quickly, and I fear for the safety of my daughter and our world. Sunset might burn herself out long before Serenade is dealt with after all.

Only a few days ago, Moondancer’s life was claimed by Serenade’s minions, and we’re all still in mourning. While I want to be as respectful as possible, I can’t help but feel that some of this is your fault, Princess. I hate to be so blunt, but Sunset can not harbor all of the blame. You were the one who dragged her to Equestria and got her involved with this business. You did so not caring how it would affect her family here, or our world when she came back here. You made our world into a target.

I really wish you had just stayed out of Sunset’s life over here. Equestria was your kingdom to take care of, and instead, you made it her responsibility to save it, and now we’re all paying the price. You should have destroyed that portal years ago, you should have done everything in your power to stop this from happening to our world. You’re not even sending any kind of help our way, and yet Sunset came to your world to help you. What kind of hypocrite are you?

You claim not to know anything, but how can I trust that you’re not lying to me? How can I trust that you really don’t know what’s going on? You’re not exactly showing that you care that much about what happens to our world. You’re not showing that you care much about what happens to Sunset, or me for that matter. I said this before, and I’ll say it again: I hate you Princess Twilight. I hate you with everything in my being, but I am asking you, if you really do know anything, to please tell me now. Give us a chance to save our world. I have a daughter that I have to protect. If you know something that you’re not telling us, please, I beg you to let us know.

I can’t forgive you, but I can at the very least let this go if you tell me all that you know. I don’t know if I’m expecting you to even respond to this letter, but it’s the only chance I have now. Sunset will be dead soon, and when that happens, I don’t know if Horizon and her friends will be strong enough to defeat Serenade on their own. Our world is in great danger, and I’d like to think that that matters to you. Give me a reason to have some faith in you, Princess.

Sincerely,

Twilight Shimmer

That was the letter that Twilight had written in the magic journal to the Princess only eight hours ago, she had been awaiting a response, and finally, after a long nap, when she woke up, she saw the journal vibrating on a nearby desk. Twilight inhaled and exhaled as she braced herself and opened the magic book.

As expected, the Princess had written back to her, though the contents of the letter were far from what Twilight had expected.

Dear Twilight,

I am very sorry to hear about your predicament. Moondancer was a great asset to us here in Equestria as well, and she played an integral role in securing our freedom from Serenade’s reign. She will be greatly missed by myself personally, and I assure you that I will never forget her sacrifice for our world. Equestria would not even be standing if it were not for her help and expertise, she proved invaluable in the short time I got to know her. She reminded me much of myself even, and that makes hearing of her passing that much more heartbreaking.

As for Sunset, I was aware that her demonic energy would eventually burn her out. She has always been very headstrong and willing to push her body beyond its limits, it’s only just now that her body finally has reached its true breaking point. This was likely a foregone conclusion for the girl. I had warned her many times about knowing her limits, but like you, she wouldn’t listen to me either. She would always push forward into the next thing without concern.

You are correct; I did in fact get Sunset involved. I did beg her to help us, and I don’t regret it either. I have a responsibility as you said, to protect Equestria. My power alone wasn’t enough to do so. I enlisted outside help as a last-ditch effort because I refused to give up on my duties, and I was willing to perform them at any cost. It’s something that as a parent, I’m sure you can understand. I am sure you would give up anything and sacrifice anyone to protect your daughter. I will not apologize for what I did any longer because I did what I had to do. Our world is safe now because of my actions. You can call me selfish if you want, but that is a leader’s job: to be willing to be hated for the sake of those that they lead. It is a lesson I had to learn the hard way over the years.

It was never my intention to make your world a target, and while I’m sure you think destroying the portal on my end would have solved the problem, you never considered what we’ve been thinking about over here. The fact of the matter is, that destroying the portal is not that simple. We still don’t understand where it came from, or how many have used it. For all we know many others could have come to your world through it, and destroying it stops the only tool we have to send help. While you may be thinking we should send help right now, you have to consider that my hooves are tied. After the war, we had much conflict with Dragon Scar. The citizens here are not ready for any kind of intervention in the human world yet.

It was decided by the entire royal family that sending the kind of help necessary to stop Serenade would cause more chaos in the human world. Therefore, we have resigned to a contingency plan. In the event that Sunset does in fact die before Serenade is defeated, we will send help your way, but only after that point. We can not risk the kind of damage it might do to send in an army before then.

Do not think I am so heartless that I would just let your world be destroyed; I do have to consider though, how much damage it would do to your world to just send a bunch of magic users there.

There is nothing I can do about your hatred toward me, and frankly, there is little I probably will do about it. You have every right to despise me, however, I did what I did to protect my own, just as you would do the same. I have told you all that I know, and there is nothing else I can reveal to you at this time. If Sunset should die before Serenade is destroyed, write to me right away, I will send the best soldiers I have to personally finish her off. I will not allow Serenade to destroy your world, but I have to abide by the laws set forth in my own world. That was the compromise that was made.

I wish you nothing but the best and do know that the hatred is not mutual. I have no negative feelings toward you, and I hope your family is doing well during this difficult time. While there is little I can do now, know that I am rooting for your success. Put your faith in Sunset, I did. She came through for us, and I’m sure she will come through for you too, don’t count her out yet. That girl is capable of remarkable things.

I have witnessed so much from her that is beyond belief, so much that you could not even begin to imagine. Her abilities are incredible, and when she is determined, there is little she can’t do. Sunset Shimmer will be the one to kill Serenade, that much I am positive of. The time is almost upon us.

Take care of yourself, and be safe. I am sure I will hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Princess Twilight

Twilight slammed the book closed in anger. She couldn’t believe what she had just read. The Princess’ response felt incredibly tone-deaf to her. She would only take action after it was too late? Twilight threw the book across the room in annoyance and pressed her temples.

She realized that what she feared was exactly the scenario they were all in: everything was going to fall on Sunset Shimmer. If Sunset didn’t succeed, they were all screwed. By the time the Princess sent help, it would likely be far too late. The fate of the human world now rested on Twilight’s wife.

She sighed and leaned back and rested her head upon her pillow as she closed her eyes. All she could do now was put her faith in Sunset, it was the only option she was given after all.

Twilight knew Sunset was capable, but she wished the weight of the world didn’t always seem to fall on her wife’s shoulders.

“It’s up to you, Sunset… I’m sorry, I tried…” Twilight whispered to herself.

Doctor Chem Burn was documenting his recent work as he prepared for his upcoming encounter. Serenade had instructed him to do away with Horizon and her friends as carefully as possible, and she was expecting to see results soon. She wanted at least two of them dead by the end of the week, and he intended to oblige.

The doctor had been working on a few items that would make that task easier, and he knew that the facility itself that he was working in would aid in that. He had taken over a place near the water that had been abandoned years ago. Part of the facility went below the water level as it was used for research on the nearby ocean back when it was in operation, but now it sat there empty.

His plan involved luring them to him, so he would have a home-field advantage, as he could utilize the facility in a way that would give him the best outcome.

The Doctor was jotting down the information he had learned today so he could keep records.

The serum seems to be working, as the subjects I have tested it upon have all had the desired results. The effects appear to be temporary, lasting around eight hours before subjects would revert back to their original state. Prolonged testing shows that subjects don’t appear to sustain any adverse effects. This is a drastic improvement over earlier versions which suffered severe long-term disfigurements, or death in some cases.

I would say that the serum is ready to be utilized, and just in time too. Lord Serenade wants to see some results very soon, and I am ready to deliver them. Those kids will be the perfect final test, I might make one or two of them into personal test subjects later for other inventions I’ve been working on if Lord Serenade allows it.

Doing some research on them, I am certain that I need to approach this carefully. The one they call “Jasper” is exceptionally strong with access to his magical abilities. Therefore, it is my highest priority to ensure he is incapable of causing problems with my plan. I would simply kill him, but I am eager to see if he could be experimented on to find a way to utilize his strength for a potential future invention, so the current plan is to subdue and capture him, using him as bait for the others.

While capturing Horizon first would be ideal, she will prove to be exceptionally more difficult. She knows she is a target to Serenade after stealing part of the amulet, and with her mother, Sunset Shimmer around, she’ll be far too guarded. A direct encounter with the two of them would be suicide, especially if done on their terms.

Fire is Sunset’s strongest element, and while she can wield light, it is far from as powerful. This is why I have made the decision to focus on the utilization of water. It serves the double benefit of neutralizing Sunset’s strongest element, while also making it challenging for all of the others as well. Water will drastically reduce their speed, and combat abilities, not to mention they can’t breathe under it.

If I can make sure the battlefield is water, I am almost ensured victory. The plan is to dispose of the one who killed Lightning Dust first, then his brother to ensure he won’t try to avenge him. Once those two are out of the way, and with Jasper as my hostage, picking off the rest of them will be child’s play. Eight Ball said he wanted a few left to him, which I have no problem with, but he certainly is a weird one. He seems only interested in games and how he can make this endeavor “fun”, something I can’t wrap my head around.

His loyalty is questionable at best in my eyes, as I can’t see how he could be seen as “dedicated” to the cause when his primary motivator is simply personal amusement. I am aiming to change science and push the boundaries of what we understand about the universe, and he’s out playing games! We are hardly even comparable, but regardless he is one of Serenade’s most trusted servants.

The only one who stands higher than him is Arax. Now there is a character that I can’t get a read on. Arax is always with her, and she seems to be affectionate to him even. I have seen at least a few occasions where she went out of her way to protect him, which is odd behavior for a siren. Sirens usually don’t engage in romance or sexual activity, but I’m not sure what’s going on with the two of them. If she does love him, it’s definitely abnormal, but it’s hard to say.

Arax still acts cold and distant toward her, regardless of how she acts though, so perhaps it’s just an act, or she merely shows favoritism toward him for being the most loyal? Who can really say.

Regardless of what he is to her, at least he doesn’t stand in my way the way that Eight Ball does. Arax rarely questions what I do, and seems to give me free reign to run my experiments, unlike Eight who is constantly checking up on me and giving me orders.

I am hoping that after I show Serenade the results she wants, she’ll consider telling her lapdog to back off and allow me to work in silence. It would be nice to finally get something done without him poking his annoying nose in it.

I’ve watched the schedule of that Jasper kid for a while now, and I think I know the perfect time to grab him. I should have him within the holding facility within the next few hours and then I can begin executing the rest of my plan.

As always, I am going to save this journal entry in the hidden safe so that Eight Ball keeps out of them. I shall report my findings after the plan has succeeded to Serenade.

Putting his pen down, Chem looked up at the clock checking the time. It was 8:08 AM, and that meant it was almost time to begin. He quickly scrounged together all of the papers he had been writing and stacked them together neatly. He grinned as he grabbed a box of syringes and a nearby tranquilizer gun.

“It’s show time…” He smirked.

Jasper parked his car and stepped out and placed his hands in his pockets. He had a routine of trying to make time to go for a walk through the nearby wooded area close to his home. Lately, he hadn’t had as much time with all the of things going on, but he liked routine and wanted to try and return to that if not just a little bit.

He walked slowly and his thoughts raced. Horizon was one of his oldest friends, and right now she was going through perhaps the most difficult time of her life. Her mother had just resurfaced after disappearing for eight years, but she turned out to be part demon and was on death’s door.

Jasper could tell it was bothering her, but he didn’t know how to comfort her on the matter. A part of him understood why Sunset did what she did, but he knew he couldn’t truly forgive her for what she did to Horizon. He only vaguely remembered what Sunset was like when he was younger, when she was around back then, she was so doting on Horizon, she was always eager to be by her daughter’s side back then, and even now he could sense she wished to be with her again, but did she even deserve it?

Sunset was to die soon, but Jasper couldn’t help but wonder about what was said prior. If Horizon so chose to, she could save her mother’s life, but it would come at the cost of her own. She could remove the darkness within Sunset, but it was enough to kill Horizon. When the time came, would Horizon watch Sunset die, or would she actually try and stop it?

He wondered but had a feeling he would have an answer to that question very soon.

He sighed and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He glanced over at the source of the pain and saw a syringe-like dart jabbed in him. He blinked and yanked the dart out but was then hit by another. He tried to grab that one, but his body became weak and his eyes became heavy.

He grumbled and collapsed. His eyes closed as he lost consciousness.

Standing over him, Doctor Chem Burn lowered his rifle and placed it on his back as he lifted Jasper from the ground. He smirked as he carried the boy back to his vehicle. He hoisted him into the back seat and then retrieved a pre-written note from the front which he then left inside of Jasper’s truck at the driver’s seat.

I have Jasper.

If you want him back, please go to the location on the back of this letter. I’ll be waiting for you all.

Doctor Chem Burn

Serenade relaxed as Arax wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head against his chest as the two sat there on a bed. The siren closed her eyes contently and spoke softly as she rested with the changeling.

Arax stroked the girl’s hair carefully as Serenade cooed gently. She spoke up and addressed him. “The Doctor captured Jasper, I heard. Applejack’s kid I believe…”

Arax shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Oh? How do you figure?” Serenade questioned.

“He’ll fail. The Doctor might have a few tricks up his sleeve, but those kids are resilient. We’ve seen that they’re able to outperform our minions numerous times…” Arax explained.

Serenade smirked. “Don’t think too highly of the Doctor then?”

Arax scoffed. “He’s a half-rate subordinate. Besides, you never intended to share any power with him in the first place, right? That was the plan all along? Use him for all he’s worth and let those kids kill him off?”

Serenade laughed and nodded happily. “You know me so well… A few of the serums he invented will be of use, but yes, ultimately he’s too much of a risk factor. He will cause too many problems in the long run.”

“So this entire plan was to have the kids kill him?” Arax asked.

She shrugged. “I’m sure he will be able to take a few of them out, which will at least make him useful to us in the short term.”

“And the long term?” Arax asked.

The woman turned to him and smirked, she placed a hand upon his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. After the kiss parted, she spoke in an almost whispered tone. “I wouldn’t worry about that…”

Arax shrugged. “I guess it really doesn’t matter does it?”

Serenade grinned. “Now you’re getting it…”

Bolt placed the letter that he had found in Jasper’s car on the living room table of Horizon’s home. The group gathered around and glanced at it trying to make sense of what was going on.

“He wants us to go to where he is to get Jasper back…” Bolt explained.

Horizon held up a finger and offered her suggestion. “We should all go together.”

Bolt shook his head. “That would be a bad idea. I’m pretty sure this is a trap, and we have to be realistic about this…”

“What do you mean?” Yuna chimed in.

Bolt leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms as he let his thoughts out. “Realistically, an encounter with Serenade is coming soon. We won’t be able to avoid fighting her in the end, and Horizon and Sunset might be the best chance we have at beating her… We lose either of them, and I don’t think we stand a chance…”

“You really think so?” Thorn tilted her head.

Bolt frowned. “Yeah, I’m getting that feeling more and more as time goes by. Serenade is trying to run out the clock so that Sunset won’t be around because I’m pretty sure that Serenade has figured out that Sunset is going to be dead soon. That means Sunset will have to start acting more boldly; speeding up their encounter… We need to be ready for that…”

Horizon thought it over and nodded in agreement. “Alright, so what is the plan?”

Leaning back toward the table, Bolt grabbed a nearby pen and scribbled on the paper, drawing a crude picture of himself. “I’ll go in, and free Jasper…” He began doodling Jasper, “When he’s free, we team up and beat this Doctor into a pulp…”

Cloud stood up. “I’m going with you.”

“No way.” Bolt shook his head.

“I have healing magic, plus this place is near water, my specialty.” Cloud protested.

Bolt locked eyes with his brother and the two were silent for a few seconds before Bolt’s expression softened. “Fine… We go together.”

“If you two don’t come back, we will send backup after some time has passed…” Horizon stated.

Bolt nodded. “Alright, so it’s decided… Let’s go save Jasper and drop Serenade’s number of minions down by one.”

Cloud grabbed his brother’s hand and squeezed. The two both grinned and nodded before releasing their brotherly grip. “Together.” Cloud nodded.

The arrival at the facility was quite strange. The place was far out of the way, closer to the edge of the state, a good few hour drive. Bolt stopped the car and exhaled before he looked over at his brother. “This is it, I have no idea what’s going to happen in there, but I want to tell you now… If anything happens to me… Focus on protecting yourself, okay?”

Cloud blinked in confusion before frowning. “Don’t say things like that… Why are you telling me this now, anyway?”

Bolt looked forward at the facility and sighed. “I try not to show it in front of the others, but I really don’t know what could happen in there. I could die…”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier then?” Cloud asked.

“If I did, Horizon would insist on going herself, and that would put our ace in the hole in danger… If Horizon goes, Sunset will follow, we can’t take that risk right now…” Bolt explained.

Cloud wanted to protest, but he knew that his brother was right. Horizon and Sunset together were likely their best chance at taking Serenade out if it came down to it; still, he didn’t like the idea of his brother risking his life, thus his insistence to go with him.

The two approached the door to the building and entered before Cloud answered as the door closed behind them. “Doesn’t mean I have to like the idea…”

“I’m not asking you to like it…” Bolt replied.

The two glanced around the facility. It had very poor dark lighting and was constructed almost entirely out of metal. Bolt cursed as he realized the situation they were in. “Great… All metal.”

“So?” Cloud blinked.

Bolt glanced back at his brother and pointed to the walls. “This entire place is metal, so using my electricity here is risky. Everything around me is a conductor, so the chance of hurting you or myself is high, I have to be very careful…”

Cloud nodded in agreement as the two came to a ladder that descended down into the facility. Bolt sighed and shook his head as he realized it was the only option they had. “Down we go…” Bolt stated.

A man stood at the pier watching from afar as Bolt and Cloud entered the abandoned facility. A gentle breeze passed by, causing his earrings to jingle slightly as they clacked against each other. Both of his ears were adorned with dangling earrings all shaped like different keys.

Long black hair draped over him, going down to his neck, that looked as though it was rarely groomed. Shining silver eyes watched carefully as Bolt and Cloud were out of sight. He was of average height, and slender-looking, with not too much muscle to him.

Next to him, a young woman standing a good head or so shorter than him grunted in annoyance. She yawned and ran a hand through her long silky, messy black hair and grumbled. Unlike him, she looked a bit more put together, and sported far fewer piercings, having only a single hoop on each ear. Her attire however was similar to the man’s, sporting dark colors and shredded jeans like him.

Around her neck was a large padlock which matched the key necklace around her companion. Her brown eyes glanced over at him and wondered what he was thinking.

“Why don’t we get a better seat to see the action?” She asked.

Her companion remained silent.

Sighing, she rolled her eyes as she stepped closer to the water to get a better view. “You’re about as good of company as a signpost, you know that?”

He crossed his arms and shook his head. “You really need more patience, you know that, Lock?”

Lock was her name, and she knew him only as Key. “Maybe if you’d let me in on what’s going on more…”

Key kept his gaze locked on the facility in the distance. “You’re still learning.”

Lock grumbled and looked back at him as she approached. “I am tired of you just saying that every time as an excuse not to let me in on what’s going on!”

Key looked down at her and placed a hand atop of her head as he locked eyes with the girl. “Lock… You are asking me to teach you what took me eight times as long to learn. You have to have more patience if you want to be an effective observer…”

“Sorry, it’s just I feel like at least if we’re going to do this stuff, we should get front-row seats! Why can’t we do this back at the observation rift? We’d be able to keep a closer eye on what’s going on!” Lock crossed her arms annoyed.

Key smiled gently at the girl and pulled her closer. He placed his fingers upon her chin and lifted her head up so he could lean in and kiss her. She blushed and accepted the kiss before looking away bashfully after they parted. “We can go back after we take care of some things.”

She turned away from him as her face got redder. “You know… You can’t just kiss me every time you want me to shut up…”

He laughed and placed both of his hands on her shoulders as he leaned over her shoulder to whisper while she had her back turned to him. “I would stop if you stopped being so cute…”

Lock couldn’t resist soaking in compliments from him. He was always so doting on her, even if he came off as cold and calculated most of the time.

“Is all of this necessary though? Like do we really have to go through all this effort? I thought so much of this was set in stone…” Lock asked.

Sighing, Key released her and walked past her as he shook his head. “No. Certain things will require gentle pushes from us, and this is one of them. Though if I’m honest, I don’t know how our pushing will change things just yet.”

“Wait, you think this could change the outcome? Like Serenade could win?” Lock’s eyes widened.

Key laughed and smirked. “I guess we won’t know until we return to the observation rift, but yeah, we’re in uncharted territory right now, but it was necessary if we want to see what Horizon will do. The fabrics of this world are getting weaker, and we have to ensure that everyone is where they need to be when the time comes…”

“Why can’t we just do it ourselves?” Lock asked.

The man shook his head in disagreement. “We can’t do that. We’re observers, after all. We can do gentle pushes, but we can not make direct decisions like that. It would upset the order of things.”

Lock sighed, still not quite understanding, but she put her trust in him.

He smiled at her and gestured for him to follow. “Come on, let’s wrap things up so we can get back. I think Bolt and Cloud will give us quite an interesting show. I wonder if either of them will die on us…”

“We can place bets on it?” Lock grinned.

He chuckled and nodded. “Alright, loser gets watch duty?”

“You’re on!”

Reaching the bottom of the ladder, Bolt wiped his brow from the intense heat. It was shockingly hot in the facility. His brother stepped off the ladder and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt. Bolt grumbled and just ripped his shirt off and wrapped it around his waist. His brother blushed and looked away. “I-is that really necessary?”

Bolt removed his beanie and nodded. “Hell yes, it is, it’s so fucking hot down here. What the hell? Is he trying to sweat us out or something?”

Cloud’s lip twitched, but he nodded in agreement. “Yeah, this is messed up… I wonder if there’s a reason for it to be so hot beyond just a deterrent for us? Maybe the guy has some weird fetish for heat or something...”

“We better be on high alert…” Bolt suggested.

Cloud touched his medallion and followed behind his brother. The two kept close to each other as Bolt led. He glanced around the strange facility and wondered what was researched there prior to its abandonment. While it was clear that the Doctor was researching some unscrupulous ideas, Bolt imagined the previous owners were researching something to do with marine biology or something with the ocean.

Coming closer to his brother, Cloud whispered. “This place is pretty big, isn’t it?”

His brother nodded. “Yeah… It’s kind of weird… I wonder what the Doctor needs such a big place for… Then again, I’m not sure we want to find out, right?”

“Hopefully he’s just trying to intimidate us…” Cloud agreed.

“Size matters and all?” Bolt chuckled.

Cloud just rolled his eyes at his brother’s crudeness. It was sometimes impossible to get him to act mature, so Cloud often just kept quiet and let him do his thing.

Cloud followed his brother casually as the two made their way through the obnoxiously large facility. He didn’t know what to expect, but the two would soon know in a matter of seconds.

A light flashed causing both of the boys to shield their eyes. Looking up, Bolt noticed a camera watching them. He grunted in annoyance as he pointed to it. “Guess Serenade has a front-row seat…” Bolt stated as he flipped off the camera.

Cloud sighed and shook his head.

Bolt stuck his tongue out and went to turn around so he could pull his pants down and moon the camera, but suddenly a sharp pain was felt in his chest. He gasped and looked down, noticing some kind of disk had been shot at him, around eight inches across, with sharp talons around it. The talons quickly pierced his skin and locked the device in place.

Bolt fell to his knees and gripped the strange object. Cloud only noticed his brother was hurt seconds later. Quickly he rushed to his side and quickly noticed the strange device. “What the!? Are you alright?” Cloud asked.

Trying to pry the thing off, Bolt panted heavily before realizing it wasn’t going to come off that easily. “What the hell is this thing!?” Bolt asked.

An intercom came on over them with a voice they had never heard before, but they presumed it was the Doctor. “I see you fell into one of my traps.”

“That’s fucked up, relying on tricks? Afraid to face us directly?” Bolt growled.

“There is a difference between fear and stupidity. I would be foolish to not use every tool at my disposal against the two of you. I’m going to kill you both after all…” The Doctor’s voice echoed through the halls.

Bolt tried to rip the device off once again, but it was useless, it was simply in too deep to rip out. “Fuck!”

“I suppose now would be a good time to tell you what you’re in for… That device has a unique chemical that I created in it… Once the timer runs out, it’ll inject it into your body… From there, your heart will stop within seconds…” The Doctor explained.

Bolt looked down at the device and noticed that a timer had appeared on it. That meant that the Doctor could control when the timer started remotely. “Shit… Eight minutes…” Bolt said to his brother.

“What!?” Cloud blinked.

“Let’s make this interesting… I’ll start the timer now and we’ll see what you do… Serenade likes a show, after all, so killing you instantly wouldn’t do much for her. So I am expecting a good performance out of the two of you… If you want to take that thing off, you’ll have to come to me, I’m at the lower levels of the facility, it’s a straight shot from where you are…” The Doctor explained.

“You’re a pathetic coward!” Bolt screeched.

“Enjoy the fun…” The voice stopped after those words and a beep came from the circular device.

Bolt looked down and saw the timer had started. He cursed under his breath as his brother tried to help him up, but Bolt swatted Cloud’s hand away. Instead, he leaned up against a nearby wall and sighed. Looking up at his brother his expression became serious. “Cloud… You need to find Jasper.”

“What about you?” Cloud questioned.

“Leave me here, I’ll only slow you down now…” Bolt instructed.

“I’m not leaving you!” Cloud protested.

Bolt growled. “Listen to me! Jasper is the only one strong enough to take this thing off! I don’t buy that asshole’s word for a second, he won’t remove it. Jasper is our only chance, with his geode, he could easily crush this thing. He’s our only chance of getting it off me, understand?”

Cloud bit her lip, not liking this plan. “But what is… I am not fast enough…?” Cloud asked cautiously.

Bolt smirked. “You better be fast then.”

Cloud wanted to protest this plan, but he quickly realized arguing was only a waste of time at that point, and Bolt already had decided he was going to stay behind and wait for his return with Jasper. Inhaling and exhaling, Cloud nodded in agreement.

“Okay… I’ll do it… Please… Don’t die on me, brother…” Cloud begged.

Bolt gave a thumbs up. “No worries there. Not get going and show this asshole how we do things.”

Cloud nodded and turned to leave, setting a timer on his phone to match the timer on the device so he could keep track of how much longer he had. He began to run at full speed, racing down hallways and descending staircase after staircase. When he got a significant distance away though, he noticed his feet were wet.

Looking down, Cloud could see the entire floor was flooded, and before him was a large chamber completely submerged underwater. It had a stairwell that went around the square room going down a good eight floors or so, but it was all submerged under water.

“Shit…” Cloud cursed.

Standing on the other side of the room on a catwalk above him was a strange-looking man. He grinned as he removed his glasses and tossed them aside. His lab coat covered most of his body, but he didn’t look too impressive, definitely not a fighter.

“You must be Cloud… It’s a pleasure to finally meet you…” The Doctor said.

“Doctor Chem Burn, correct?” Cloud asked.

He nodded. “That I am… And your friend Jasper is locked in this room behind me…” He tapped a door behind him.

Cloud remained silent.

“And the only key for it… Is right here…” He retrieved a key on a chain from his pocket and grinned as he hung the key from a hook on the door that it unlocked. “All you have to do… Is open the door… Simple enough, right?”

Cloud squinted as he watched the key. The doctor removed the key from the hook and grinned before he tossed it into the water below. Cloud watched in horror as the key sank to the bottom. “Fuck!” Cloud cursed.

“Now you just have to go down there and get it…” The Doctor laughed.

Cloud looked up at him and focused his power, making a stream of water into a whip around him, preparing to attack the Doctor.

Chem Burn didn’t seem threatened in the slightest. He laughed and wagged his finger. “Now, now, now… I’m sure you didn’t think I would make it that easy for you…”

Reaching into his pocket, the Doctor produced a vial and wagged it in front of himself to show it off. “It’s time for the final field test… Just a little something I’ve been working on…”

Popping the cork off the top, the Doctor downed the entire vial before discarding it haphazardly. Laughing, he dived forward into the water head first and sunk down.

Cloud blinked, unsure of what to make of what he just witnessed.

Just then, a large tentacle came out of the water swatting at Cloud. He ducked and rolled to avoid it, but another came out and bashed the balcony he was standing on. Cloud realized he wasn’t going to be able to stay above water if he wanted to stand a chance against whatever the Doctor had cooked up for him.

His mind raced back to his mother telling him how to harness the power of water. Her words echoed in his mind.

Focus on water. Focus on breathing and you can breathe under the water…

Doing just that, Cloud channeled his magic into his lungs and dived into the water. Once he began to descend, he finally got a look at what he was actually up against. The Doctor’s entire body had grown exponentially in size, he was now a good dozen times larger, with eight tentacles that thrashed about violently. He had turned into some kind of octopus-like creature with a large spiked maw ready to devour anything that got too close.

Cloud froze for a second until the creature’s tentacle whipped in his direction, trying to grab him. He swam fast enough to avoid it, but now he needed to formulate a plan of attack. There was no way he could get the key and Jasper with a monster like that blocking his path, he needed a way to kill it.

Looking around quickly, he noticed an old harpoon gun was resting on one of the submerged stairwells. It looked as though it still had a few harpoons in a case next to it. It was his best chance.

Cloud began to swim in that direction, but a huge tentacle blocked his way and grabbed his leg. He panicked and struggled punching the tentacle to try and get it to let him go as it began to pull him back toward the mouth. As he drew closer and closer to it, he quickly remembered that his brother had given him a knife.

Reaching into his pocket, Cloud grabbed the blade and flipped it open, stabbing the tentacle over and over. He jabbed the knife into its flesh repeatedly until it finally released him as it groaned in agony. Once he was free, Cloud started kicking as fast as he could to close the distance between himself and the harpoon gun.

Another tentacle came his way, but this time he managed to evade it and with an arm extended, he managed to get his hand on the weapon. Wielding it, he quickly grabbed the case with the spare harpoon, put the strap for it around his body and tightened it so it wouldn’t escape him.

With the weapon in hand, he took aim and shot at the tentacle heading his way. He flinched and pulled the trigger, but the harpoon missed, sailing through the water and hitting nothing. He cursed and dodged the tentacle just narrowly.

Cloud calmed himself, knowing he had to focus if he wanted his harpoons to hit their target. Rainbow mostly trained Bolt in the art of weaponry, but Cloud would be lying if he said he didn’t occasionally hear a tip or two from her when she was coaching Bolt.

Taking a second to compose himself, Cloud retrieved another harpoon from the case and rammed it into the weapon before preparing to fire again. He aimed and waited patiently for the right moment.

Just as a tentacle was about to attack, Cloud released a harpoon. The bladed spear flew through the water, but ultimately hit its target, piercing the tentacle, causing the monster to pull it back in pain.

Not wasting the chance, Cloud quickly reloaded the weapon before the creature had a chance to recover. He swam downward to give himself a better angle. The creature began to follow him, but Cloud could tell that while its tentacles moved quickly and freely, the rest of its body moved far more sluggishly, thus it relied on the length of its tentacles to lure in its prey.

Looking up, Cloud took aim and unleashed another harpoon, hitting the main body. It was a direct hit.

After a quick reload, Cloud continued to swim downward, knowing that it would be most advantageous to be ready to grab the key as fast as possible. The monster clearly wasn’t going to let being hit with a harpoon slow down its chase of Cloud though, as it continued to follow him, whipping every tentacle it had at him, trying all it could to grab him.

Once he had made some distance, Cloud fired another harpoon, hitting it in another one of its tentacles. This time a second tentacle swiped at him before he could reload, causing Cloud to utilize his magic to make the water push himself out of the way.

The moment he was safe again, Cloud reloaded the gun and prepared to fire. A tentacle managed to close the distance between the two and grabbed both of Cloud’s legs. With a yelp of surprise, Cloud felt his entire body begin to be pulled toward the monster, its huge mouth opening revealing dozens of razor-sharp teeth ready to consume him if he didn’t act quickly.

Readying the harpoon, he aimed directly into the mouth and concentrated, knowing he only had a single shot at this. If he missed, it was all over.

Once his target was lined up, he pulled the trigger, and the harpoon sailed out of the weapon and piercing the monster’s mouth. It screeched so loud that Cloud had to cover his ears. The impact had caused black blood to ooze out of the creature which struggled to try and pull the harpoon out to no avail. After a few seconds of suffering, it gave into its wounds. Its body became limp, releasing Cloud as it floated there dead. Cloud tapped one of its tentacles with the harpoon gun, only for it to not move.

Cloud sighed and shook his head. “Sorry… Dinner is cancelled…”

Not wasting any more time, he began to make his way to the bottom, quickly turning on a light on his phone so he could see where the key was. Within seconds of reaching the bottom, he managed to find it and gripped it in his hand tightly. With the key in one hand and the harpoon gun in the other, Cloud looked up and began to swim as furiously as he could to the surface.

Kicking and swinging his arms as fast as they would go, he managed to come back up to the surface and grabbed the railing to pull himself out of the water. He panted lightly before checking his timer. He had just over two minutes left to go, so he had to hurry.

Climbing up a nearby ladder, he came to the locked door and fumbled with the key until he managed to get it inside and unlock it.

Forcing the door open, Cloud quickly called out to Jasper. “Jasper are you in here!?”

Jasper’s voice could be heard from the other side of the small room as he came to a stand. “Cloud? Boy, am I glad to see y’all!”

Cloud shook his head. “There’s no time for that. Come on, we have to move quickly! Bolt is in danger. If we don’t get back to him fast this device that got latched onto him is going to inject him with some kind of chemical, it’s supposed to make his heart stop.”

Jasper blinked in astonishment at that explanation but nodded in agreement to Cloud’s sentiment. “Right, then we can skip the part where I ask you what’s going on. We gotta hurry! Take me to him!”

Cloud nodded back and the two exited the room and made their way back down the ladder, but before they could make their way to the exit, a large tentacle came back out of the water, pulling up the rest of the creature’s body. It opened its maw and screeched at the two. It pulled itself closer to them with its mouth open, ready to devour them.

Thinking fast, Cloud retrieved the final harpoon from the case and instead of loading it into the gun, he wielded it in his hand and began to jab the creature’s open mouth repeatedly. It screeched in agony with each stab, but after eight attacks it fell backward into the water and sank once again. Cloud dropped the harpoon and gestured for Jasper to follow him.

The country teen nodded and the two raced down the hallway that Cloud had arrived through.

“Ain’t never seen y’all so vicious!” Jasper complimented as the two came to a set of stairs that they hastily ascended.

Cloud nodded as he huffed in exhaustion. “I can’t let anything happen to Bolt… He’s my brother, after all…”

“True that!” Jasper said in agreement.

The two managed to get up a few more flights of stairs and were getting closer to where Bolt was located. Cloud’s mind had a million thoughts racing through it, but all of them came to a halt when he heard a sound that he had been dreading. A loud repeated beeping sound was coming from his wrist.

Cloud froze in horror and looked down at his phone, and sure enough, the very thing he had dreaded was being shown. The timer he had set had reached zero.

Cloud fell to his knees and his eyes widened. “No… We’re too late… Bolt is… He’s…”

Jasper blinked before reaching down to grab Cloud’s shoulder. He cleared his throat. “Come on, there might still be time. We can’t give up yet.”

Cloud forced himself up as tears ran down his face. He nodded before wiping his tears and the two continued onward. In his mind, Cloud knew it wasn’t possible, he knew that the Doctor wouldn’t lie about the timer and that his brother was likely dead by now. He had failed, and that was all that he could think about. His brother was counting on him, and he had failed.

Coming down another hallway, Jasper and Cloud burst through the door where Cloud had said Bolt was waiting. He looked against the wall where they had left him and he wasn’t there. Cloud began to panic as he looked around for his brother. “Bolt! Bolt! I’m sorry that I’m late! Please be okay!”

Cloud fell to his knees and tears started pouring out. Jasper frowned and placed a hand on his shoulder. The two were silent until they heard a strained voice from behind the staircase in the room. “Glad you made it…”

Cloud perked up and came to a stand. He and Jasper ran around the stairs and sure enough, Bolt sat there with his back to the wall. He grinned as he saw the two. Looking down, Cloud saw that Bolt had positioned his hand above his heart and kept sending a small electric shock every few seconds. He blinked in astonishment at his ingenuity. “Bolt… You’re alive…”

“Takes more than this to kill me…” Bolt commented.

Jasper crossed his arms and smirked as he nodded. “Well, even I have to admit… You’re a resourceful one…”

Bolt grinned. “Gotta stay alive long enough to beat you, right?”

Jasper chuckled and nodded. “Guess so.”

“I’m glad you’re okay…” Cloud smiled, wiping away his tears.

“Not to ruin the moment… But do you think you could get this thing off of me? I kind of can’t keep my own heart beating forever, you know?” Bolt asked.

“Oh… Right… Jasper, do you think you can remove it?” Cloud pointed to the strange spider-like device mounted to Bolt’s chest.

Leaning down, Jasper examined the thing up close. Paying attention to its design, he nodded. “Yeah, I can get it off. Might take a bit for the chemical in it to wear off though, so he should keep doing what he’s doing for a bit until he feels his heart start to beat again naturally.”

“Then let's get this piece of shit off of me…” Bolt suggested.

Nodding, Jasper touched the geode around his neck. He concentrated on focusing his strength on his hand. Taking a deep breath, the teen grabbed the object and channeled all of his magic into his hand. Carefully, he squeezed it and felt it begin to crumble before finally, it cracked in half. With little effort, Jasper pulled the remains of it off and tossed it aside.

Bolt smiled. “Thanks… You’re a real pal…”

“Don’t mention it…” Jasper nodded.

Bolt looked over at his brother. “So… Is the Doctor dead?”

Cloud rubbed his neck and nodded. “Yeah… I’d say he isn’t coming back.”

“Didn’t know you had it in you… You’re normally a softie…” Bolt commented.

“Have to say, I’m a little impressed too,” Jasper agreed.

Cloud could feel himself blushing. “I… I did what I had to do, that’s all.”

“And you saved the day.” Bolt grinned.

Cloud just nodded and silently accepted the praise. He hated getting violent, as he was more of a healer. Conjuring up some water, he decided to focus on seeing if there was a way to purge the chemical out of Bolt’s body. “Open your mouth.” He instructed.

Bolt did as he was told and allowed the controlled water to enter his body. Cloud closed his eyes as he focused. He moved the water through the body, trying to find traces of the chemical so he could isolate them and pull them out.

Jasper crossed his arms and watched quietly with a smile on his face. He knew that the three of them had just narrowly escaped death, but he was glad that Bolt and Cloud were with him.

Bolt closed his eyes and allowed his brother to work in silence. He was proud of his kid brother, but more importantly, he was glad that he was safe. With the Doctor gone, that meant that Serenade was down one less henchman to do her bidding, and the odds were starting to tip in their favor. He had no idea what was next, but something in him told him that her next minion would likely be far worse though. As vile as the Doctor was, he was certain the worst was yet to come. The worst of Serenade’s minions was just around the corner, and they all knew it.

Author's Note

My estimation is we have about... 4 chapters to go after this, then the epilogue.

As I said before, the final chapter will go live on Dec. 24th, 2023 and the Epilogue on Dec. 25th, 2023. This will mark the end of Shadows, so mark the date.

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXV: Shadows

Chapter CXXXV: Shadows

Key rested in his lavish chair, the entire thing looked more like a throne though as Lock sat next to him, her arms wrapped around him as he tapped the arm of his chair, contemplating what to do next. With the good doctor dead, it meant things were getting dangerously close to their conclusion. It wouldn’t be long before everything they had set into motion would come together.

Lock looked up at him and ran a hand along his cheek. Key smiled gently at her and brushed his hand through her long black hair. She cooed delightedly and allowed herself to be caressed.

“I guess we were right, the kid killed the Doctor, not a bad show either…” Key stated.

Lock nuzzled against him. “Who cares? You said it yourself that you were pretty sure it would play out that way, right? We’re just here for when the end of it unfolds, that’s all. The strings of the world and all that, as you said?”

Key laughed and nodded. “True. It is the nature of my role after all.”

Lock stood up and stood directly in front of Key with her hands on her hips. He was instantly reminded of her pygmy height. She stood an unimpressive 5’ 1, and while he was only average height for a man, he was still able to dwarf her in height.

“You said we had to go down there, right?” She asked.

Nodding, Key yawned. “Yeah, there’s still a few more things we have to make sure go correctly. After all, that’s our job, right?”

“Then let’s get going, already!” Lock gestured.

He laughed and came to a stand with her. “Alright, we’ll go then. I was getting bored here anyway…”

“I keep telling you that you should get a Playstation or something here…” She rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, we really should…” Key responded.

She took his hand and giddily stood next to him, looking up at the man she was absolutely infatuated with. “So, can we stop and get food on the way there though? I’m starving!”

He laughed. “Nothing really changes with you, does it?”

She grinned. “Nope!”

Bolt had made a fairly hasty recovery after he and Cloud had it out with the Doctor. The two had met back up with the group the next day to discuss what to do going forward. Sunset found herself in attendance, though there were some objections due to the strained relationship between Horizon and her. Ultimately, everyone decided it was best to keep their most valuable asset in their fight against Serenade close by.

They had agreed to meet at Rainbow Dash’s home. Originally the plan was to meet at Applejack and Rarity’s place, but Sunset pointed out she wasn’t in the mood to get punched by Applejack again, who likely hadn’t gotten over the last encounter between the two. Jasper agreed, knowing his mother could hold a grudge for a considerable amount of time.

Fluttershy had gone out to get groceries, but Rainbow Dash was in attendance, listening in on their situation. Cloud had just finished explaining what happened with the Doctor.

“So anyway, yeah, he’s dead now…” Cloud finished up.

Sunset had been standing there, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Her body had been recovering from her time as a hostage with Yuna, and she had almost returned to her normal weight, as had Yuna shy of a few pounds.

The redhead opened her eyes gently before speaking. “So that makes two left…”

“Two?” Jasper chimed in.

Candy rolled her eyes as she explained on Sunset’s behalf. “Serenade’s minions remaining? She has Arax and Eight Ball left, keep up, bro.”

Sunset nodded in agreement. “Arax will be hard to kill… I don’t know much about his power, but I’d wager Serenade gave him the most if he is her right hand… Up to this point, we didn’t even really see much of his power in action back in Equestria either.”

“No one has observed him?” Horizon tilted her head in question.

Sunset shook her head. “Nah. Starlight was held captive by him for a few years, but strangely enough, he kept her quite well, lavish clothing, all that. She never saw him fight though shy of their initial encounter, and even that he kept his abilities contained. No one is really sure what he’s capable of, so we should definitely be very cautious about approaching him…”

“What about Eight Ball?” Bolt asked.

Sunset raised her hand to her chin as she thought it over. “Eight Ball is just as much of a mystery. He wasn’t on her original team, he must have been a new recruit from around the time when she came here… However, if he’s earned this much of her trust already, we should assume his power is extreme.”

“His power is extreme,” another voice called out to them.

Rainbow Dash came to a stand as an unfamiliar couple had shown up inside of her house. She prepared herself to draw her weapon if need be. The two standing before the group were faces none of them recognized. A medium height man with ash blond hair, and a short woman with long black locks and dark brown eyes stood before them. The woman was clinging to his side.

“Who the hell are you, and how did you get into my house?” Rainbow Dash asked, ready to draw the gun in her waistband.

The man shook his head as he stepped forward. “That’s not important.”

“Like hell, it isn’t!” Rainbow Dash drew her weapon, but the eyes of the woman at the man’s side quickly flashed white and her entire demeanor shifted.

Moving with incredible reflexes, the girl thrust forward and grabbed the gun from Rainbow Dash, pointing it to the ceiling as it went off. With another quick gesture to removed it from Rainbow’s hand and snapped it in half without even trying.

As she stood there, her dark eyes had the same white glow to them. Rainbow attempted to strike her with her fist, but the small woman caught it in her hand.

Sunset blinked as she felt the surge of power coming from this woman. “Rainbow, stop!”

Rainbow Dash relaxed and Lock released her hand. Her shining eyes returned to normal as she lowered her own guard.

“Who… Or rather… What are you?” Sunset asked.

Key smirked before answering. “What I am is far too difficult to explain, but what she is…” He looked over at the black-haired maiden before continuing. “Let’s just say she’s my protector.”

“She’s unreal…” Sunset commented.

“What do you mean?” Jasper asked, unsure of what was really going on.

Horizon spoke up to answer for her mother. “I assume you sensed it too, Sunset?”

“Sensed what?” Jasper questioned.

Sunset squinted as she observed Lock who wandered back to Key so casually, there wasn’t even an ounce of fear within her. It was clear she didn’t see a single one of them as a threat to herself, or maybe she just didn’t care.

“That girl… Her power, it’s unreal, maybe even stronger than Serenade…” Sunset pointed out.

The entire room perked up at that statement. “What!?” They all collectively exclaimed shy of Horizon, who already knew.

“It was definitely up there… So what gives? What is she?” Sunset asked.

Key placed an arm around Lock and held her close to himself, gently petting her hair. “She’s special to me. As I said, she’s a protector. She will protect me at any cost, it’s unique and a core part of her design. Quite the incredible guardian, wouldn’t you say so?”

“Yeah… Clearly, you two have a very odd relationship…” Sunset scoffed.

“Your’s with Twilight not up to par? Then again, given its current state…” Key replied.

Sunset growled. “How do you know anything about my wife? Or me for that matter? Start explaining yourselves.”

Lock raised her hand and the entire room could see white fumes coming from her fingertips. “Threaten Key again, and see what happens…” She spoke, her voice harboring an accent that Sunset couldn’t quite pinpoint, but she surmised it was Asian in origin.

“Key?” Horizon asked.

Key nodded. “Yes, that is my name. And this is Lock, as I said, she is my protector. Her power is extraordinary as you’ve witnessed. She was made to protect me, so that I may carry out the purpose I was created for unhindered…”

“So you two aren’t demons?” Sunset guessed.

“Correct,” Lock answered for her apparent lover.

“If you’re not demons… Then who exactly created you? And why?” Sunset went on.

Key tilted his head, unsure of how to answer such a difficult question. “Who… That is difficult to say. We weren’t conjured from nothingness if that is what you are thinking. We were in your position once…”

“You mean you were normal people?” Bolt pointed out.

“From our perspective, you are all the abnormal ones…” Key stated.

Sunset uncrossed her arms. “So you were human then?”

“Correct.” Key nodded once more.

Something about his demeanor annoyed Sunset. He was far too direct, there was no tact in his words, but his feisty little guardian seemed to be the opposite, she was emotional and rash, capable of anything even.

“So what are you now?” Sunset questioned.

Key ran a hand along Lock’s cheek, which she leaned into affectionately. “I guess you could say I’m an observer. I have been watching you all for a very long time…”

“How long?” Horizon chimed in.

“It is not possible to say… My concept of time does not work the same as yours does… I was made first, and Lock was made later. However, concepts such as the length of time… They are foreign to me,” Key attempted to explain, though he surmised he was effectively saying nothing of consequence.

“I’m gathering that we aren’t going to get anywhere with this line of questioning… You’re talking in riddles… If you both are so strong, why aren’t you doing something about Serenade?” Sunset asked.

Key shook his head. “I told you, I am an observer. I do not have the power to do what you’re suggesting. My abilities are limited.”

“What about your partner there? From what I sensed she could destroy Serenade within a second…” Horizon pointed out.

Lock answered the question far more directly than Key seemed to be. “My powers don’t work like that. Key can not directly influence things, or make changes, he is not permitted to act, his power doesn’t let him do that… My power though allows me to act, but only under the right conditions. I can only use my powers to protect him, nothing else. When a situation has not arisen that would endanger him, my powers cease to exist. We are both very mechanical this way…”

The entire group appeared more confused than when the two arrived. Key decided to fill in the blanks. “In other words, we can’t directly change anything ourselves. It is not within our ability to do. If Lock were to try and fight Serenade, her powers wouldn’t work. They weren’t designed that way. It was to prevent us from making calls for all of you…”

“What the hell are you talking about!?” Bolt was getting annoyed.

“You probably have noticed it already, but a cataclysm is about to happen… The lot of you will be factors in it, but how it turns out… That is not up to me. I am only allowed to create possibilities, but I can not choose any of them for you, nor can I influence your choices…” Key stated plainly.

“Possibilities? Cataclysm? Start making sense…” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Key sighed.

“It’s not important for you to know all of it, but I am here to create a possibility for you…” Key said.

“And what is that?” Horizon asked.

“I will tell you where to find the one you call ‘Eight Ball’.”

“Huh? Why?” Jasper asked.

“As I said, only to create possibility. What you do with the information is up to you,” Key replied.

“I think I speak for everyone when I say we all have some serious questions about what’s going on here, and who you two are, but if you point us to Eight Ball, we can ask those questions later…” Sunset stepped forward.

Lock spoke on Key’s behalf. “He’s set up downtown, Eighth, and C on Course Street, old factory that they shut down years ago.”

Sunset closed her eyes and sighed. “I guess we’ll be paying him a visit then?”

Key nodded. “I surmised you’d do something like that…”

A young Serenade was walking with her elder sister, Adagio. The older woman smiled as she led the two of them toward the stage. “Come, this is biggest concert we ever have!” Adagio spoke.

Serenade chuckled and nodded as she followed her sister. “Alright, we are ahead of schedule anyway according to our manager. There’s no need to rush, sis!”

Adagio twirled around and petted her sister’s head, ruffling her blond hair. “Show is successful because everyone thinks you’re so cute. You know this, right?”

Blushing, Serenade dismissed her sister’s praises. “Oh stop, that’s not it.”

Adagio giggled and gestured for her to follow as she stepped through a door that would take the two to the stage. Serenade followed carefully, but when she opened the door, instead of a stage, she could see an infinite black void with Adagio standing in the middle facing away from her.

A cold sweat ran down Serenade’s neck as she gulped and hesitated. She took a moment but finally stepped through the door, blinking as she noticed the door vanished behind her. She glanced back at where the door was before looking back to Adagio with confusion.

“Sister?” Serenade called out, but Adagio didn’t turn around.

Clearing her throat, Serenade called again. “Adagio, what’s going on?”

There was no answer.

Serenade raced forward several steps and placed a hand upon her sister’s arm, and pulled to make the girl face her, but she gasped and stepped backward, causing herself to fall onto her rear. Looking up at Adagio, she could feel her heart race at what she was witnessing.

Her elder sister’s eyes were missing, black holes existed where they should be, with red blood dripping from the holes. Serenade panted heavily as she tried to crawl away from the eyeless girl.

Her mouth hung open as Adagio began to speak in an almost robotic voice that seemed alien to her own. “Nothing will last, Serenade…”

Serenade didn’t answer, she instead moved a few more inches back. She stared at the figure before her for a solid eight seconds before it spoke again.

“Everything will collapse soon… You can only resist for so long, Serenade. Eventually, you will become what you’re destined to become… Resistance is pointless…” Adagio spoke.

Serenade shook her head. “What… What are you talking about?”

From behind Adagio, another Serenade stepped out, this one the same that came from Equestria, an eyepatch covering one of her eyes as she carefully swayed her hips while walking into sight. Her expensive Lolita dress moved majestically as she moved. Pointing a finger at the young teen on the ground, she began to speak.

“You resist me, but you and I both know how this will end, you will eventually submit to me… You will become subservient to me…” The Equestrian Serenade spoke.

The teenager shook her head. “No… I won’t ever become you… Horizon and her friends… They’ll stop you…”

The siren tilted her head as a smirk came to her face. “How can you be so sure? You don’t even know those kids.”

She had a point. Serenade couldn’t deny what her evil counterpart was suggesting. Still, she had a good feeling about Horizon and her friends. They had teamed up to help her once already. Shaking her head, she gave a serious expression to the siren. “I believe in them… You won’t win, I know it…”

The evil Serenade stepped forward and leaned down, her face only inches from the teen as the smirk on her face grew into a devious grin. “Only fools resist their fate, you know? You’re as good as mine, why not accept it now?”

Serenade closed her eyes, and when she opened them she was asleep in her own bed. She sat up and felt her head, there was sweat all over her face. Pulling her blanket off of herself, she looked down and saw her entire bed had been soaked in sweat. She got up and wandered over to the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, she panted a few times.

The teen turned on the water in front of her and splashed some on her face. Sighing, she shook her head. “I’ll never become her… No matter what…” She spoke to herself. All she knew now was that Horizon and her friends had better hurry.

Eight Ball had just gotten off the phone with his master. Serenade was expecting him to eliminate a few of Sunset’s little entourage now that the Doctor was dead. With the death of the Doctor, it left only Arax and himself to do Serenade’s bidding. While Arax was always Serenade’s most trusted agent, Eight had hoped to knock him down from his position of favoritism.

Now that he was tasked with eliminating Sunset and her friends, he could see the opportunity to gain a higher standing with Serenade within his grasp. All he had to do now was kill a few of them, and he’d be at the top, however, he knew that Serenade would prefer he made it more interesting for her, and that was why he had much planned.

Eight had spent the better part of the last eight days preparing the arena for Horizon and her friends, but he never anticipated that they would arrive without his explicit invitation.

Checking the security cameras he had installed, he noted a set of cars pull up, and from the driver’s seat of one of them, Horizon Shimmer stepped out. He grinned, unsure of how they found him, but uncaring, as it saved him a great deal of time. His mind was on the game at hand, after all.

The trickster nodded happily before closing the old laptop that had the camera feeds on it. He grinned as he raced down the stairwell to the office that he had taken refuge in, and headed toward the entrance, not wanting to keep his guests waiting.

After a bit of running, he made it to the entrance and pressed a button on a remote in his pocket.

The large door to the facility opened slowly, letting the sunlight into the dark place, which was only illuminated with lights so old, that only half of them worked.

Standing at the entrance was Horizon Shimmer, her mother, and her group of friends. Eight clapped as the group stepped inside, all of them pausing as they stood before him.

“So, you’re Eight Ball then?” Sunset asked.

“Looks pretty unimposing…” Candy commented.

“Don’t be fooled.” Another voice called out.

The entire group turned around and there before them at the entrance stood a tall woman they all recognized. Eclipse’s eyes widened as soon as he recognized her. “Master, what are you doing here?”

Cinder grinned as she stepped inside. “I’ve been keeping an eye on this idiot. Don’t be fooled by his appearance, he’s one of Serenade’s deadliest agents, that much I am certain of.”

“This guy?” Bolt pointed at the man standing across from them, trying to figure out how such a pathetic-looking bespectacled man could possibly be such a serious threat. He reminded Bolt of kids he used to pick on in math class.

Cinder crossed her arms. “The moment we walked in this building, we all started playing by his rules… Isn’t that right, Eight?”

Eight Ball grinned and nodded. “Correct. I’ve already prepared for your arrival, though I don’t know how you found this place, it doesn’t matter…”

Before any of them had a chance to respond, Eight focused his energy and formed a black translucent string within his hand. It floated above his palm briefly before he whipped his hand in Horizon’s direction. The teen had no time to react as one end of the black string went into her, the other end still in Eight’s hand.

The group all took a battle stance, ready to fight, but Eight shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you… These tethers have unique abilities. You wouldn’t want to do anything to put her life in danger, would you?”

Jasper spoke up. “What are you up to, Eight?”

The man adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “So… For what I have planned, I’m going to need a volunteer to play with her. You see, I designed a series of games, but they require two players.”

“Why would we play along with you?” Candy questioned.

Cinder shook her head and placed a hand on Candy’s shoulder. “That tether of his… It has deadly powers… He’s already got Horizon hooked, we don’t have a choice, someone is going to have to play his game.”

“How do you know?” Jasper chimed in.

Focusing on Eight, Cinder spoke. “I watched from afar, his tethers link back to him, and give him the opportunity to siphon power… Someone is going to have to join Horizon and play his little game…”

Sunset stepped forward before anyone else could volunteer. The woman placed a hand on her chest as she spoke. “I’ll do it. Give the other end to me.”

No one objected, and like that, Eight threw the other end in Sunset’s direction. The moment it touched her body, the tether connected the two through a translucent string between the two, coming out of their stomach. It appeared ethereal and didn’t seem to be affected by physical touch.

“Mother and daughter… How special, I’ll have the joy of killing you both… Now that you’re both tethered, I suppose I should explain the rules…” Eight smirked.

“Get on with it,” Sunset commanded.

Eight nodded before wandering off to the side, pointing to a ladder. “The first of your games will be down there.” He then gestured to the other side of the room where another ladder was. “The other one of you will go that way. While you are down there, be warned, that your abilities will only work for one of you. You can pass your powers back and forth via the tether, but only one of you can use them at a time.”

“What!?” Jasper blinked. “You can do that?”

Eight grinned. “Impressed? Well, my powers allow me to do more than that, but what’s the fun in spoiling the surprise? If the two of you pass this first challenge, maybe you’ll live long enough to see what else I can do… Oh and if any of you interfere, it’s considered breaking the rules, and I can cut the tether right away…” He paused before his grin transformed into a devious smile. “Killing them both.”

Cinder sighed. “It’s as I observed before, once the rules are established, you have to follow them. It looks like we don’t have much of a choice.”

Eight gestured toward the door behind him. “The lot of you can wait in the next room. If your friends survive, they’ll eventually meet you in there for their final test.”

Bolt growled in annoyance but realized there was little the group could do, given the circumstances. “This really fucking bites…”

Jasper nodded but calmed his rival down. “I agree, but we have to play along… I’m sure Horizon and Sunset can handle this, right, you two?”

Horizon nodded. “Of course.”

Sunset gave a thumbs up. “We can do anything together, I’m sure of it.”

The entire group shy of Sunset and Horizon followed Eight’s instructions and began to make their way to the room ahead. Cinder quickly turned back as she came close to the door to call out to Sunset. “Sunset… We’ll see you up ahead.”

Sunset smiled and nodded to the woman. “Give us about eight minutes.”

Cinder gave a thumbs up back to her, and before they knew it, the entire group had exited to the next room. Eight gestured to the ladders on either side of the room. Sunset gestured with her head that she’d take the one on the right. Horizon nodded in agreement as she made her way to the leftmost ladder.

When the two women placed their feet onto the ladders, they both glanced back at the other one. Horizon nodded once more, and they both began their descent.

Entering the back room, the entire group found their brows raised when they witnessed what was before them. In the large empty room, right at the center were two glass boxes only about two feet apart from each other. On the two sides facing each other, was a a hole large enough to fit maybe a small watermelon through.

Jasper approached the boxes and noted they had doors on them. He tried to open one but found it was stuck shut. With the use of his power, he was sure he might be able to open it but thought better of it. If what Cinder said was true, trying to force it open might violate the rules of Eight’s game, and thus could put Horizon and Sunset in danger.

He noted the floor under the two boxes looked different from the rest of the floor around them, they had some kind of metal plates under them. Cinder wandered over to his side and examined the boxes herself.

The group was silent until Bolt spoke up. “What the hell are these things?”

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling someone is supposed to stand inside of these…” Jasper answered.

Cinder squinted as she looked them up and down. Not sure what their purpose was, she crossed her arms and shook her head. “Whatever their purpose is… I have a feeling they will play a crucial role in Eight’s game.”

“Probably a safe guess…” Eclipse who had been quiet for most of their trip there spoke up.

Candy standing next to him, examined the effeminate man. “So, Eclipse… What is your take on those two characters earlier?”

Eclipse raised a brow. “Who? Key and Lock?”

She nodded.

Cinder blinked. “Who?”

Eclipse looked over at his mentor with a concerned expression. “Two strange characters that came by earlier and told us how to get here… Real weirdos for sure…”

Cinder placed a finger on her chin. “Is one about average height? Ash blond hair? Grey eyes? The other really short, long black hair?”

Eclipse’s eyes widened. “You met them?”

Lowering her hand, Cinder nodded. “Yeah, they told me how to get here… I was hoping you would know more about them…”

Eclipse shook his head. “Sorry, master. They didn’t say much, something about being observers… I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of them though…”

Cinder looked back at the two glass boxes in the room. She studied them up and down before answering. “Whatever the case… We have to take care of Eight first…”

Making it to the bottom of the ladder, Sunset glanced around the room she was in, it was dark and the floor felt partially flooded. There was water up to her knees, which slowed down her movement. The woman raised her hand and illuminated the area with some light magic in the palm of her hand. Looking around, she could see a chainlink fence dividing the long narrow pathway into two sides.

On the other side of the chainlink, she could see Horizon step off of her own ladder and into the water. Horizon glanced around to take in her surroundings, but quickly met eyes with Sunset.

“You okay?” Sunset asked.

Horizon nodded. “Yes.”

The two looked up at a speaker that crackled to life, with Eight’s voice coming out of it. “Welcome to the testing area. I’m so glad the two of you could make it. Let me quickly go over the rules of the next area for you…”

“Fucking douchebag…” Sunset uttered under her breath as she crossed her arms while listening.

“In this area, you both will be separated by the steel fencing between you. It’s reinforced, so trying to cut it would be pointless, but also a violation of the rules. Part of the fun way my power works is I can terminate a game at any time if people break the rules. Trying to break through the fence will be seen as a violation of the rules…” Eight established right away.

Horizon adjusted her mask. At this point, her group had just grown used to wearing their outfits when they weren’t in school.

“In this place, you’ll face many challenges, however… The tether will only allow one of you to use magic or your powers at a time. You can transfer your abilities back and forth through the tether, but only one at a time. Your goal is to make it to the end of this area with both of you still intact. If either of you dies, the game ends and the other dies too…” Eight explained.

The two women were silent.

“Enjoy the fun, I’ll be watching…” Eight spoke before turning off the speaker.

Sunset looked over at her daughter. “I think I get it…”

“Get what?” Horizon responded, confused.

“He can create these games and the rules, but it sounds like the games have to be winnable. If his power allowed him to kill us outright, he would. The games he puts us in have to be possible to win…” Sunset concluded.

Horizon nodded. “Sounds feasible. With this fencing between us, we should be able to see each other to know when one of us needs assistance.”

Sunset grinned. “We move together then.”

The two agreed and began treading through the water. Horizon noted that the color of the water they stood in appeared off, but she could only just barely see it from the light created by Sunset’s hand. Thinking quickly, she illuminated the phone on her wrist and took a closer look.

Horizon was certain that the color was from rust and other metals that had gotten into the water over the years. The basement they stood in appeared as though it had been flooded for some time. The two women continued trudging ahead, taking careful steps.

Sunset blinked when she was sure she saw something in the water. Not wanting to waste her magic, she followed Horizon’s lead and switched the light from her own phone on as well. Sunset shined it ahead and tried to get a glimpse of what was ahead of them.

“Did you see that?” Sunset asked.

Horizon shook her head. “What did you see?”

Sunset readied herself. “Something I’m sure we’re not going to like…”

Carefully inching forward, Sunset shined her light, trying to find what had been lurking in the water. She peered around the bend coming up but saw nothing. “That’s weird…” She thought out loud.

Right behind her though, Horizon could see what she was referring to, it looked like some kind of giant bug, and it was covered in a black leathery carapace that dripped with black sludge from it. It opened its maw and saliva dripped from his many sharp teeth. She called out to her mother. “Sunset, behind you!”

Sunset turned around quickly and caught one of its legs that attempted to pierce her. She swatted the creature backward with a punch and took a step back. The monster dived under the water and made its way toward her quickly. The woman conjured up a blade of light and waited for it to come up for its attack. She slashed one of its legs off and pierced its chest with the sword.

The monster made a screech that hurt both of the women’s ears before it fell back into the water convulsing. After about eight seconds, it ceased moving. Sunset released a breath she didn’t even know she was holding in. “I hate bugs…” She said.

“Looks like Eight Ball unleashed his pets down here…” Horizon added.

Sunset nodded. “I’d say that’s accurate…”

Horizon gestured forward. “We have to keep moving.”

The two began making their way around the bend, unsure of how long this passage would go on for. Sunset spoke to her daughter with her eyes kept on where they were going. “Horizon…”

“Hm?” Horizon didn’t even glance in her direction, her mind focused on looking ahead.

“I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for all these years… I wanted to protect you and your mother but… I should have been there. I know nothing I say can make up for it, but I’m going to start protecting you from a much closer distance from now on…” Sunset smiled.

“I don’t really need protection.” Horizon shrugged.

Though Sunset expected an answer like that, it somehow still disappointed her. It was the truth though, Horizon had grown up quite capable without her. The fact was that Sunset’s family didn’t need her anymore. She had a hard time accepting that, but she knew that was reality. Horizon had grown into a strong person, all on her own.

Sunset wanted to say something else, but decided it was best to leave the sore subject alone. Instead, she gestured for the two of them to keep moving. It would only be a short distance ahead when Horizon spotted something moving in the water ahead of her.

She gestured to Sunset quietly and pointed to the water. Nodding, Sunset focused and transferred her magic over to Horizon.

Instantly, Horizon felt a large rush of power. She blinked as she could feel her right arm pulsing with demonic energy. Eight never mentioned that her demonic abilities would be affected by the tether too, but it was evident that they were now. Feeling the rush of power, Horizon quickly unleashed a blast of magic energy, a mixture of dark and light from her palm, decimating the bugs as she did. Another one tried to come out behind her, but Horizon quickly charged up the claws on her costume and slashed its stomach open.

Sunset didn’t get a chance to check up on her daughter though, as more bugs began to pour out of holes in the walls on both sides. Horizon glanced over her shoulder and could see Sunset preparing to face a good eight of them. She was about to focus on transferring the power back to her mother, but Sunset called out to her. “Don’t! You need it right now!” Sunset shined her light over to Horizon’s side, and sure enough, more bugs were coming out of the walls.

Horizon readied herself and conjured up a magic light spear that she wielded. “Will you be alright?” Horizon asked her mother.

Smirking, Sunset reached into her waistband and retrieved her 1911. “I think I’ll manage. You focus on yourself, I have taken down my fair share of monsters…”

“Fair enough.” Horizon nodded.

Right away, Sunset took aim and began unloading bullets onto her foes. She emptied a clip and quickly retrieved another. Horizon began cutting through her own swarm, noting that Sunset had holstered her firearm, and instead opted for a knife she had been keeping inside of her boot.

The two women slaughtered bugs until there wasn’t a single one left on Horizon’s side, but the teen could see Sunset was dealing with far more than she was on her end. More bugs kept coming out of the walls for Sunset.

“Sunset, let me lend you our powers!” Horizon called out.

Jabbing her knife into one of the creatures, Sunset shook her head. “You go on ahead, Horizon. I’ll meet you up there in just a bit. I’ve got these under control!”

Horizon hesitated for a moment but remembered that up to this point, Sunset had taken on far greater challenges than a few oversized bugs. If she said she’d be okay, there was little room for doubt. Nodding, the teen left Sunset behind to scout up ahead. The path went on for a considerable length until Horizon could see a ladder ahead of her.

Placing a hand upon the first bar, she blinked and looked back to see if Sunset had caught up. There was nothing on the other side of the fence. Shrugging, Horizon began her ascent, knowing that Sunset would follow, she knew her mother was far too tough to go down that easily.

Hands ran through Serenade’s long majestic hair, hands she had come to recognize over the last few years, hands that had somehow begun to bring her comfort. Arax sat behind the siren, running his fingers through her long locks as the girl before him purred gently in pleasure.

As his hands came to her face, he touched her cheek, his finger barely hitting the eyepatch on her face, causing Serenade to reach for his hand, and place her own on top of it. Her good eye opened and stared him down, but her expression was more of a vulnerable one.

“That Sunset Shimmer… She ruined my face…” Serenade nearly whispered.

Arax shook his head. “No, you look as you always have.”

Serenade smiled at him and gently stroked the back of his hand. “You are strange for a bug, you know that?”

“How so?” Arax asked.

“Don’t lie to me… You don’t fear death, I can see it on your face. You could have betrayed me a long time ago… You have hated my guts for a long time, and if you don’t fear death… You could have ended this charade a long time ago…” Serenade explained.

Arax was actually curious as to when she would see through his facade. He shrugged.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. I agreed to our arrangement because I used to fear death…” Arax said.

“And what do you fear now?” Serenade asked.

“Nothing, I guess…” He replied.

“Nothing to fear, and nothing to lose…” Serenade grinned. “The perfect subordinate…”

“That’s all I’ll ever be to you, isn’t it?” Arax questioned.

She sighed but reached up and touched his face. Her gentle hands ran across his cheek, touching his lip. “Keep pleasing me the way you do, and I’ll keep you around for many lifetimes to come… I have given your life purpose, you live to serve the new queen. I promise you this, Arax… I will rule Equestria and this world. I won’t stop until everyone submits to my power.”

“There could be many worlds beyond just this one, you know?” Arax pointed out.

Serenade smirked again. “Then I’ll never stop. I can live forever for a reason because I can fight until the end of time.”

“What happens when you run out of things to fight?” Arax chuckled.

Serenade shook her head. “If there really are an infinite amount of worlds out there… Then I’ll never run out. I can do this forever. I’ll start with that Sunset Shimmer, once she is dead, I’ll obliterate the creatures of this world.”

“What if we stopped at this world and Equestria?” Arax asked.

Serenade blinked in confusion. “What’re you saying?”

“What if we focused on other things? When there are no more threats, maybe we could…” He didn’t know how to finish his sentence.

Serenade had a feeling she knew where he was going, so rolled over so that she was facing him. Carefully she placed her finger on his lips and hushed him. “Let’s not talk about that. That’s a subject for another day.”

Arax just nodded.

Opening a hatch, Horizon found light coming from above her as she climbed up the ladder. Making it to the top, the girl poked her head through the hatch to see all of her friends were standing around in the room. Jasper took notice of her first. “Hey guys, Horizon is back!”

They all quickly crowded around, Eclipse pushed through the crowd to see his niece. “Horizon, where is Sunset?”

The sound of a second hatch on the other side of the room opening caused him to flinch. He turned his head and sure enough, Sunset climbed out of the hatch. She wiped some black sludge from her sleeve and shook her head. “Did you miss me, Eclipse?” She smirked.

Eclipse rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Took you long enough. We’ve been waiting up here forever. What happened down there?”

Sunset shook her head as she closed the hatch and came to a proper stand. “Trust me, you don’t want to know…”

“Are you injured?” Horizon asked as she approached her mother.

Sunset shook her head once more and placed a hand on her daughter’s cheek. “Nah, takes more than a few bugs to hurt me, Eight is going to have to try harder than that.”

“And I intend to…” Eight’s voice echoed through the room.

The entire group turned to his direction as he stood next to the two glass boxes clapping his hands. “An excellent display, you two, I saw the whole thing from the cameras. However, I do believe it’s time for your final test.”

Sunset clenched her fist and held it up. “Bring it on, I can’t wait to finish it so we can beat the shit out of you after…”

He laughed. “Amusing, however before we conduct the game… There is one small matter of wager that we must discuss…”

“Wager?” Horizon tilted her head.

Eight nodded. “Correct. See, what is the fun in a game without a prize? What we’re going to do is wager a bit of our energy. If you win, you get some of my power, and if I win, I get some of yours…”

The two were quiet as Eight continued. “So… How much do you wager?”

Sunset answered for both of them. “Everything. I wager all of my power.”

Eight blinked. “So bold…”

Sunset grinned. “I believe that means you have to wager all of yours too, doesn’t it? My power greatly exceeds yours, I can feel it… So if I win… I get even your life force, right?”

Eight flinched but nodded begrudgingly. “That is how it works… However, I wouldn’t get so hopeful, if I were you… Are you certain you want to make that wager? There’s no changing it once the deal is struck.”

“Positive.” Sunset nodded.

Eight chuckled and tapped the sides of both boxes, causing the doors to open. “Then step into the boxes for your final test.”

Sunset and Horizon glanced at each other, but they both stepped into one of the boxes, the door closing behind them. Sunset glanced over at her daughter and noted the hole that would allow them to reach for each other, wondering its purpose, but she assumed she would know soon enough.

Eight took a few steps back and explained the game to everyone in the room. “Oh, I do think I’ve outdone myself this time, I really do… This next game is one that’s truly exciting…”

“Just get on with it…” Eclipse grunted.

Eight rolled his eyes before fixing his glasses. “Some people lack patience… Anyway… The tether between the two of you can do more than share your powers and abilities, it can also share your pain…”

Sunset felt her hand flinch at those words. “What’re you talking about?” She asked.

Eight laughed. “The plates on the floor are going to conduct magic energy through your bodies…” He pointed down.

The two girls noted they were standing on metal plates, each looked like it was built with wires running to it that went into the floor.

“Metal actually makes a great conductor for magic, so it will amplify the effects…” He explained. “I’ve tailored this magic so that it won’t burn your bodies or rip you apart, instead, it’ll just cause tremendous pain, enough to kill you if you’re not careful, but you won’t die quickly, that’s for sure…”

“Pain magic…” Sunset crossed her arms. She had heard of it before being used in old torture methods, such things had been outlawed in Equestria for centuries, and most of the methods to create pain magic were kept under wraps to prevent its return.

Eight grinned. “I may have glimpsed at a few scrolls in the royal archives. Enough pain magic will still kill you, but it won’t break down your body, so you will feel every last second of it…”

Eclipse growled. “You’re a fucking monster, you know that!? Those spells were outlawed for a reason! Only a fucking barbarian would use them!”

Eight looked over at Eclipse and wagged his finger. “Don’t forget who is in control here. Don’t worry though… I’m going to give you all a chance to beat me. If Sunset and her daughter here should fail, I will allow two more of you to take her place. You may each challenge me until there are none of you left…”

Cinder chimed in with her thoughts. “He knew Sunset would volunteer first… Her power is far greater than any of ours… With her gone our best shot would be Eclipse and I… From there he would just eliminate us all…”

Eclipse shook his head. “As much as I don’t want to admit it, I’m no substitute for Sunset in this situation. Even with my abilities, I don’t hold a candle to her… If she fails this test, we are already beaten. Eight will just kill us all one by one, since we have to play by his rules…”

Eight nodded. “My powers create order. Rules are necessary for games to be entertaining after all.”

“Killing people isn’t a game, Eight. Your time with Serenade has twisted your mind as badly as her own. There’s still a chance to stop this, you can join us and we can give your life more purpose…” Cinder attempted to reason with him.

Eight rolled his eyes. “Spare me the lecture…”

Sunset cut Cinder off before she tried to speak again. “Cinder, I appreciate your efforts, but save them. I can sense it in him… This man… He was twisted long before Serenade found him. Reasoning and remorse won’t work on him. He is heartless to his core, killing for him is merely something he always wanted to do, but never had the ability… Serenade merely gave it to him…”

Eight grinned and placed a hand upon the glass box that Sunset stood in. “We understand each other so well, Sunset… It’s a shame you have to die now… I would love the ability to play with you some more…”

“My only regret is you’re going to die so unceremoniously, and I don’t get to strangle you…” Sunset replied.

He laughed and nodded as he took a step back. He cleared his throat and clasped his hands together. “I suppose we’ve stood around for too long, haven’t we? We should start the show, right?”

There were no objections.

Eight nodded approvingly before continuing to explain. “In the next few moments, pain magic will be sent through your bodies. That glass is bulletproof, but if you should try to leave the boxes, or anyone interferes, that will be considered a violation of the rules, and the penalty as you already know… Is death.”

“And with Sunset’s power, he’ll be too strong for us to do anything about…” Cinder reminded.

Eight nodded. “Now, if one of you dies, the game is over, and you both lose. However, this next part is my favorite… Since you can share the pain, you can push all of it onto one of you at a time. That means one of you will feel the pain for both of you… And it’s so fitting that we have mother and daughter… I can think of no better show, can any of you?”

“You’re sick…” Bolt spat.

Sunset’s eyes widened as she realized what was going to happen. She looked over at Horizon who seemed to wear her usual neutral expression.

“Since I am so generous, I will allow you to choose who goes first. The hole in the boxes serves a purpose… If at any time you wish to trade who feels pain, reach through the hole and the other can take your hand and trade. You’ll notice the distance between the boxes makes it impossible to trade without both of you making an attempt…” Eight pointed out.

Sunset looked to the hole and sure enough, he was right. Even at full length, her arm could not reach Horizon unless Horizon was reaching for her back.

“The game will start the moment you pick who goes first. Simply grab each other’s hand and think about who you want to go first, and that person will start… You must survive eight minutes to win the game.” Eight clapped his hands.

Sunset turned to her daughter with a serious expression. “Horizon, please listen to me… My body is far stronger than yours. I can handle more than you, so let me go first.”

“Are you sure?” Horizon tilted her head. “You’ve been through a lot in the past few weeks, after all.”

Sunset nodded. “I can still take more abuse than you. I’ve trained my body more, so I should be the one to go first, please…”

Reaching her hand through the box, Sunset offered it to Horizon. The teen looked down at her mother’s hand but nodded as she accepted the offer. Horizon reached through the hole and took her mother’s hand, granting her wish. She felt a gentle tingling sensation in her arm for a brief second but then felt nothing. Horizon noted that her sense of touch was completely gone.

Sunset grinned and gave a thumbs-up as she retracted her hand. Sunset took a deep breath, preparing herself, but she would start to feel the pain before she even exhaled. Every single nerve in her body was screaming at her, she fell to the floor instantly, clawing at the glass in agony as she screamed in pain. It was like nothing she had ever felt before, it was the worst pain imaginable.

“FUCCCCK!” Sunset screeched as she scratched at the glass, her body demanding she make it stop. It had only been eight seconds, and it felt like hours already.

Eight just laughed as he watched his prey struggle. “What’s wrong, Sunset? Too much for you?”

“FUCK YOU!” Sunset hissed between yelps of pain.

The pain was only getting worse, her body could not adjust to it, it was far greater than she anticipated, this feeling, this was what those who were mistreated in ancient times had to endure, this level of brutality, it was unreal, it was unthinkable. Sunset’s vision became blurry as she screamed, trying to force herself up, but to no avail.

Forty-five seconds managed to pass, and Sunset’s eyes were leaking tears, she couldn’t stop screeching, and she couldn’t think straight.

Horizon could see her mother had had enough, she reached through the hole and offered her hand to the redhead, calling out to her. “Sunset, tag me in.”

Sunset didn’t respond, she just kept screaming in agony, her entire nervous system was demanding she make it stop, screaming that she tag Horizon in.

“Sunset!” Horizon called out once more.

Sunset reached through the hole and swatted Horizon’s hand away. “No! I can take more!” Sunset hissed.

Horizon glanced at the timer on the wall that had started to count down, they were approaching the two-minute mark now, only six more to go. She looked back at Sunset and could see the pain was getting worse. Sunset scraped at the glass so hard that her fingernails had begun to bleed. She was grinding her teeth, trying to contain her cries.

Eclipse’s eyes widened as he attempted to understand what was going on. “What the hell is she doing!?”

Cinder crossed her arms and watched, having a pretty good idea of what was going on, but she wasn’t 100% certain just yet.

As the clock hit the third minute, Horizon offered her hand once more. “Sunset, I can take over.”

Sunset didn’t reach for Horizon’s hand, instead, she screeched as loudly as she could and banged her forehead against the glass. A small trickle of blood ran down her face.

“Sunset! Stop being stubborn! Tag Horizon in!” Eclipse commanded from the sidelines.

“No! I won’t do it!” Sunset howled.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Eclipse responded.

Horizon tried to reach closer to Sunset, but to her shock, Sunset reached through and swatted Horizon’s hand away. “NO! I CAN TAKE IT!” Sunset demanded.

“What the fuck is she doing…?” Eclipse asked again.

Cinder had figured it out. “I get it now…”

“Mind filling us in?” Bolt asked on everyone’s behalf.

“Sunset doesn’t want Horizon to endure any of it… She intends to go through the entire thing herself… I think that was her plan all along…” Cinder explained.

“What!? That’s crazy! Why would she do that?” Eclipse blinked.

Cinder pointed to Horizon. “Sunset couldn’t bear to see her daughter go through that. She’s willing to take everything if it means that Horizon won’t suffer… That is the burden of being a parent, I suppose…”

“She’ll kill herself if she does that!” Eclipse protested.

Cinder shook her head. “She will push herself to her very limit for Horizon. If it means keeping her daughter safe… Sunset will gladly die.”

Horizon continued to try and reach for her mother, offering her salvation from the pain, but to no avail. Sunset continued to ignore Horizon’s offer and opted instead to keep suffering. She screamed in pain and could see the clock reach the six-minute mark.

Jasper spoke up. “She’s going to die if she keeps this up… It’s killing her…”

Horizon spoke to her mother. “Sunset, I can handle the last bit, you are going to die if you keep pushing yourself like this…”

Sunset pounded the glass repeatedly as she screamed. She looked at the clock seeing it just get to the last ninety seconds. “JUST A LITTLE MORE!” Sunset exclaimed.

Hearing those words, Eight Ball felt a cold sweat run down his neck. The man turned around to see the clock, and sure enough, Sunset spoke the truth. They had just passed the seventh minute, only a few seconds remained.

“NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!” Eight shook his head as his eyes locked on the clock counting down.

Eight… Seven… Six… Five… Four… Three… Two…

Sunset’s eyes opened widely as she saw the last-second drop to zero. “GAME OVER!” She hissed.

“NO!” Eight gripped his head, but it was too late.

The moment the clock ran out, he could feel all of her energy leave his body. It flooded into Sunset just as the pain magic ceased. Both doors to the boxes opened and Eight’s body turned into dust within a split second. All of his power had been absorbed by Sunset.

The redhead fell backward out of the box the moment the door opened. Horizon and everyone else rushed to her side to make sure she was still breathing.

She was alive, but Horizon watched as her exposed upper arm began to turn black. The demonic energy that had covered most of her forearm was now spreading, it was just touching her shoulder now after absorbing Eight’s energy. She panted before opening her eyes. She grinned and gave a very weak thumbs up.

“Heh… Told you I could take him…” She joked.

“That was insanely stupid, you know that?” Eclipse crossed his arms.

“I have to agree with Eclipse, but hopefully Serenade knows you’re a force to be reckoned with now.” Cinder smiled at her friend.

Sunset was about to nod, but she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. Quickly she gripped it and groaned. Eclipse removed her detached sleeve and observed the state of her arm. The demonic energy was almost overflowing.

“Shit… It’s spread a lot…” Eclipse explained.

Sunset locked eyes with Eclipse. “How long do you think I have left?”

Eclipse bit his lip, not wanting to answer.

“Eclipse. You’re my brother, and I asked you a question…” Sunset repeated herself.

Eclipse closed his eyes and focused his energy, feeling the demonic energy within Sunset. When he opened his eyes he sighed. “Not long…”

“Not long as in…?” Sunset questioned.

“Maybe a week… Maybe a few days… You’ll definitely be completely turned by the end of the week, dead only shortly after… I’m sorry…” Eclipse frowned.

Sunset smirked. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you sad to be rid of me…”

“This is really going to happen then? Sunset is going to die…?” Cloud who had been silent the entire time asked.

Sunset nodded. “Afraid so…” The woman sat up and grinned at the group. “It’s too bad, I wanted to get to know you all better, but I guess we can still make the most of the little time I have left, right?”

“We should get going… We don’t have a lot of time to work with, and there’s still one more of Serenade’s subordinates to deal with…” Eclipse reminded.

“Work, work, work… That’s all I ever do.” Sunset rolled her eyes.

Author's Note

Hey everyone!

This is the first of the last 3 chapters (followed by an epilogue)!

The next one will come sometime between now and Dec. 23rd. As I said before, the final chapter will release on Dec. 24th, and the Epilogue on Dec. 25th, and that will OFFICIALLY end the story.

The epilogue and final chapter are already written, so they should just be able to go up without any issues. Thank you so much for making it this far!

Act VII Part III - Chapter CXXXVI: Cast

Chapter CXXVI: Cast

With time running out for Sunset, everyone knew they had to move things along quicker if they wanted to take Serenade down and save their world. After successfully eliminating Eight Ball, it left only the most elusive and trusted of Serenade’s subordinates, Arax.

Horizon and Yuna had decided they needed to do as much research on Arax as they could, so they asked the only other person they knew had encountered him before besides Sunset, Cinder. Cinder was all too happy to oblige them, and invited the two young teens to her abode for tea to discuss it. With only a day passing since the death of Eight Ball, they were wasting no time.

At the last minute, feeling like she was not useful enough to the team, Thorn had asked to accompany them and meet with Cinder. The girls agreed and brought her along. There, Horizon and Yuna sat, with Yuna assisting Thorn. As Thorn reached with her hand to be assisted, Yuna prompted her to switch hands. “Oh, you’re left handed?” Thorn asked as she took the girl’s hand and sat between Horizon and she.

Yuna nodded as she answered. “Yes. Sorry.”

“Just like your sister then, I take it?” Thorn giggled.

Yuna rubbed her neck and nodded once more. “Yeah, both of us. It’s a strange coincidence, I suppose.”

“I see…” Horizon commented, her eyes now fixated on Thorn.

“Something wrong, Horizon?” Yuna blinked, noticing her friend was staring.

Horizon blinked back and then shook her head. “No, I guess I just never noticed that you’re left handed…”

Yuna blushed. “Yeah, I guess it never came up.”

From the other room, Cinder’s voice interrupted them, as the muscular woman came out carrying a teapot in one hand, and four cups in the other, each with their handle looped through her fingers. Setting them down, she began to pour each girl a cup of tea. “Sorry for the long wait…”

Yuna waved dismissively as she took her offered cup and gave a sip. She made an approving smile before speaking. “It’s no trouble. If anything, we’re thankful that you took the time to meet with us.”

“If it aids in bringing Serenade down, I’m all for it.” Cinder grinned as she passed the final cup to Thorn who took it and cradled her hands around it.

“Is it true that you and Serenade were mates?” Horizon asked.

The other two teens with her froze at Horizon’s question, realizing she might not have realized how insensitive it might have been. Cinder, however seemed only slightly bothered by it. She leaned back in her seat and sipped from her own cup before giving a quiet answer.

“I guess technically we were about to be… I never got to properly ask her, but I did tell my parents it was my intention…” Cinder said.

“She was different back then, right?” Horizon tilted her head.

Cinder found herself tapping her cup. After eight taps, she answered. “I don’t think so… I was merely just more naive…”

“We’re so sorry to hear… Eclipse told us what she did to your family…” Yuna chimed in.

Cinder frowned. “I blame my own naivety more than anything else. Serenade is responsible for sure, but I played a large role in it. I should have been more careful, I was young and too eager to make changes to the way things always were… I should have been more cautious…”

“Do you think she ever felt the same romantic feelings toward you?” Thorn asked.

Raising a brow, Cinder glanced at the blind girl before replying. “No… Serenade only loves herself. That’s a fact. She is not capable of caring for anyone more than herself. Anything she does that may resemble empathy, love or compassion are merely facades to get what she wants. I am certain the siren would even kill her own sister if necessary for her own survival. She can’t be trusted. She is pure evil, that much I am certain of.”

“How so?” Horizon questioned.

Cinder smirked. “I’ve had plenty of centuries to think about it; not to mention I watched her actions during the war over a decade ago. I’ve heard the tales of those who have interacted with her… Her black heart has no room for anyone else…”

Thorn spoke back with a light tone, a hint of sadness in her voice. “What a terrible existence…”

Yuna nodded in agreement. “I have to say, I agree with Thorn. While Serenade is our enemy, and she is definitely a ruthless monster… Her existence sounds very sad… Cursed even…”

Horizon’s voice made everyone look in her direction, as her tone sounded very serious. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that Serenade is cursed. Those who kill cross a threshold that they can’t return from. They commit to a life where they will be shunned, hated and seen with disdain forever. Serenade entered such a life the first time she killed…”

Cinder nodded and took a large sip before setting her cup down. She crossed her arms and spoke sincerely. “Horizon is correct. I am sure the first time Serenade killed, she felt something in her change. Maybe she gains joy from killing, but that is where one becomes cursed, that joy she gained I imagine now is her only source of joy. She likely spends her days thirsting for more killing, unable to satisfy her thirst.”

“Do you hate Sunset for not killing her?” Horizon asked.

Chuckling, Cinder shook her head. “No. While I think the world would have been better without her existence… Sunset was trying to keep from losing herself… She hated Serenade like I did, but like she was able to spare Adagio, she did the same for Serenade. I think it’s because Sunset saw a bit of herself in both girls. She knew if she killed them with her hatred of them consuming her so much, she would become like them in no time at all…”

“Sounds like Sunset is suffering too…” Yuna added.

Cinder frowned at that thought. “I suppose so. She’s in worse shape than when I saw her back in Equestria… She was mentally broken down back then, but now I can see she has lost her spirit as well.”

“What do you mean?” Horizon asked.

Looking at her cup, Cinder continued to explain. “I can sense it in her, her will to live is nearly gone. She was already full of self-loathing back then, but now I think she’s accepted that she will never be able to undo the things she’s done in her life. The demonic energy killing her is likely speeding up because her will to fight it off is waning.”

“Is there any way to save her?” Yuna asked.

Cinder didn’t want to speak of it. She knew that Sunset’s situation was dire, and any hope of saving her from her fate was long passed. Cinder wasn’t sure how these girls would handle the grave news, so she contemplated lying, but ultimately decided that they would be faced with the truth soon anyway.

“Sunset is…” Cinder paused and let out a sigh. “It’s like what Eclipse said… She’s as good as dead. She only has a little longer left. She’ll turn fully into a demon, and the demon will control her body for a short time, maybe a few weeks, and then she will be gone. After the demon takes over completely, she’s past the point of no return, she’s dead.”

“Horizon can’t dark pull her back to normal?” Thorn tilted her head.

Cinder shook her head. “No. Even after all that you’ve done to enhance your abilities, I agree with Eclipse’s assessment: If Horizon tries that, she will die. The amount of dark energy in Sunset is too much for her body to handle…”

Horizon’s tone seemed unaffected by those words, as predicted and she changed the subject. “What can you tell us about Arax? We have to get rid of him before it’s too late. Every subordinate that can help Serenade now reduces our chances of success.”

Cinder looked up in thought. She recalled all that Starlight had told her about her time with Arax when the two chatted back in Equestria. Admittedly, she spoke highly of him, like he was just a lost soul, lead down the wrong path. Cinder wasn’t exactly sure how much of that she believed, but she did trust Starlight, even if she wasn’t in the right headspace at the time.

“Arax is…” She chewed her thoughts for another eight seconds before answering. “He’s not like the others that serve Serenade…”

“What do you mean?” Yuna blinked.

Stirring her tea by swirling her cup gently, Cinder sighed. “Truthfully, the only one in Equestria who really got any kind of info on him was Starlight Glimmer… She spent a good amount of time at his side… I suppose you could say she was his slave, though he didn’t treat her as such…”

“How did he treat her?” Yuna questioned.

Cinder leaned in. “In actuality, quite well. She says he’s gentle deep down, but don’t let that fool you, he is a changeling after all. Capable of changing shape and form, disguising himself as something else. As a result, you should always assume he’s a brilliant actor…”

“Are there limits to changeling’s abilities?” Horizon jumped in.

Cinder recalled all the times she had faced them back in Equestria. Most of the time, changelings couldn’t keep their changed form for extended periods of time, usually only a few hours at once, sometimes less if the form was extremely taxing.

“Well, they aren’t able to hold a shape for really long periods of time. I’d say even eight hours in a different shape is enough to push them to their limits, but Arax is not like other changelings… He’s a demon like Serenade is, and as such I don’t know what he’s capable of. We never really got to see his full power in action, and there’s no doubt he’s gotten better at how to use it…” Cinder frowned.

“That’s not good news…” Thorn frowned.

Cinder nodded at the blind girl. “However, I think with all the lot of you have learned… So long as you’re careful, you can defeat him.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Cinder, but we don’t even have a clue where to start…” Yuna frowned as well.

Cinder grinned. “Either way, I wish I could help you all more. All I can say is be on the lookout for Arax. He can trick you in many different ways,”

“We’ll be vigilant.” Horizon nodded.

Key stood at the window of the empty building looking in Cinder’s home’s direction. He let out a long sigh as he shook his head. Behind him, Lock was playing a game she had pulled up on her phone. A bored look on her face as she sat there.

Rolling his eyes, Key stepped over in her direction and gestured for her to stop the game. Annoyed, Lock paused it and made the hologram of the game disappear before focusing her attention on Key. “Sorry, I was bored. We’ve been sitting here for like an hour, when are we going to get something to eat? You promised me we’d get Vietnamese food today…”

Sighing, Key placed a hand atop of her head. “First of all, we don’t actually need food anymore, remember? Second, we should be focusing on the task at hand.”

“That’s your job, remember? I’m just here to make sure everything goes smoothly and you are protected.” Lock reminded with her finger raised.

Key laughed and nodded. “Yes, I suppose that’s right… Either way, things are progressing a bit slowly, we should perhaps intervene here.”

“What should we do?” Lock blinked.

Key closed his eyes and thought. After a few seconds, he responded. “Perhaps we should text them the location of one of the former bases that Serenade used. I’m sure investigating there would give them a hint of what to do…”

“Sounds boring, but okay… So… About that food?” Lock grinned.

Rubbing her head, Key smiled at her before caressing her cheek gently. He still remembered the day they met, the way she became his protector. He was glad to have her.

A Few Decades Ago

A young Lock was busy setting the table for her family. Her parents had instructed her to be hasty as their elder relatives were coming over, and then to make herself scarce. They had wanted to impress them, and felt their unmarried daughter who worked an average job wouldn’t do so.

She had grown used to it, and had already prepared to go out that evening, after she had finished. Once the table was set, she called out to her parents that she would be leaving, to which she was given a grunt as a response. She rolled her eyes and headed toward the door, slipping on her shoes. She grumbled under her breath before the pigmy girl exited the house.

The moment she stepped outside, she felt the wrath of the summer heat hit her. Even in the winter time, it was offensively hot out. Making her way to her car, the woman sighed before starting the engine.

At thirty-one, she had no husband or boyfriend to speak of, and to most she was seen as a very “plain” girl. She never thought of herself as beautiful, but she didn’t think she was ugly by any stretch of the imagination.

Starting the car, she drove off until she came to a nearby night market, one she frequented often. Sighing, she turned the car off and threw her head back and closed her eyes. She wondered how much longer she could do this. Work life sucked, and she hated being so close to her parent’s place. She wanted to leave the country and see the world, but money was always too tight.

She had saved up a few thousand before, but then the check engine light in her car came on and that was all wiped out. The economy was on a downturn, and most in her position were just struggling to live. She was normally exceptional with money and saving, but there just wasn’t a way to save your way out of a broken economy.

The girl lifted her head up and exited her car, securing it before making her way to go and get food. Checking her purse, she could see a few fifties there. She nodded approvingly before looking around to decide what she wanted to eat.

Coming to a decision, she got in line at an establishment, but then her eyes were drawn to the man standing in front of her. Looking up to see him, she looked in awe at his messy hair. The man turned to face her and tilted his head. She noted the key shaped earring dangling from his ear.

She blinked and blushed upon looking at him. He was so handsome, someone she couldn’t imagine being in a place like this, enough to be a model even.

To her surprise, he smiled at her.

“Oh… Sorry… I didn’t mean to stare…” She blushed and tried to cover her face with her purse.

The man reached forward and gently pushed her purse down with his two fingers, causing the red on her face to grow. “I… I…” She stammered.

“You’re beautiful…” He spoke.

She could feel all the blood in her body rush to her face at those words. “W-wha!?”

“Sorry… Am I being too forward?” He asked.

She shook her head violently. “N-not at all! Thank you! No one has ever said that to me… Especially someone so…”

He chuckled gently before gesturing toward the stall where they were both trying to buy food. “Want to sit together? My treat.”

“How can I say no?” She blushed.

Nodding. He pointed to a table, instructing her to sit while he acquired food for them. She did so, as if her brain was on auto-pilot. Captivated by this mysterious stranger, Lock watched as he retrieved a set of bills from his pocket, paid for their food and brought it to the table.

He smiled as he sat down across from her and offered her a bowl. Lock took it graciously and began to eat with a pair of chopsticks that he had provided.

There was silence between the two briefly before he spoke up. “So, you live here, I take it?”

Lock nodded.

“I see…” He replied.

“And you?” She asked.

He shook his head. “Nah, just passing through.”

“Where are you from? Your accent is definitely not local…” She inquired.

He looked down at his bowl, chopsticks in hand as he thought about his answer carefully. After a few moments he gave a rather uninspired answer. “I guess I’m from a lot of places…”

“I see… You travel a lot?” She asked.

He nodded. “You could say that.”

“Must be nice… I always dreamed of traveling…” She gave him a gentle smile which he returned.

The man reached across the table and took her free hand into his own. He gripped it gently and spoke with a serious tone. “I think that can be arranged…”

Lock nearly choked on her food as she tried to compose herself. “D-don’t you think you’re coming off a little strong?” She asked.

His face remained serious. “Am I?”

She looked away bashfully. “I… I guess not…”

“So you prefer forward then?” He asked.

“S-sure… Why not…?” She replied sheepishly.

“Lock… I can sense something about you…” He spoke quietly.

Lock blinked and squinted as she looked at him. “I never told you my name…” She stated.

“You didn’t have to. I already knew it,” he said.

“How?” Lock blinked.

“You really want to know?” He smirked.

She could sense there was something different about this man, something that made her curious. She looked down at his hand grasping her own and then back up to his light colored eyes as she felt her head nod involuntarily. “Yes…”

“If I tell you, it’ll change your life, Lock… It’ll change everything… You’d be bound to me forever, I want you to understand that…” He spoke quietly.

Lock didn’t care, her curiosity overwhelmed her. Somehow, she felt like she knew this stranger, like she was meant to find him. “I… I don’t care… I want to understand… Please, tell me…”

He grinned and nodded. “Very well… My name is Key…”

A mysterious message appeared on Yuna’s phone, causing her to check it right away. Upon opening the message, a hologram of a map with an X marked on a specific building appeared before here along with a message.

Hey Yuna,

Key told me to send you this message. This place was an old hideaway for Serenade and her minions. She’s since abandoned it as the size of her entourage has shrunk considerably so she doesn’t need as much space anymore.

Anyway, Key told me I should recommend you search there for any clues regarding Arax. Don’t ask how I got your number, name or how I knew you were searching for Arax, it would take far too long to explain any of this to those in your position.

Good luck,

Lock

Naturally, Yuna had told her friend Horizon who recognized the area and they decided they would go together. Feeling like she hadn’t contributed enough to their cause, Thorn insisted she accompany them, which Yuna accepted, after all, someone who understood dark magic would be quite valuable in the upcoming situation for sure.

Together, the group had gotten in the car and taken off for the building, and Yuna spent most of the car ride chatting with Thorn about various topics. Thorn mostly gave simple commentary, but Yuna couldn’t help but notice that despite the car being on auto-pilot, Horizon was oddly fixated on the road and not conversing with either of them.

It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Horizon Shimmer to be quiet, but there was something quite off about her this time around. She seemed almost deliberately unwilling to chat, like her mind was occupied with other things. Yuna wanted to pry, but thought better of it, as she knew with the knowledge of her mother’s upcoming death, the girl certainly had a lot to think about.

With the three of them arriving at the old building, the car parked itself and Horizon was the first to open her door. The disheveled teen yawned and closed the door behind her as the other two teens stepped out and joined her. Looking up at the building it was quite large, an old factory that had long been abandoned.

Gestured toward the entrance, Horizon lead the group, illuminating the way upon entering the dark building by switching on the light from her phone on her wrist. The other two kept close behind her, Thorn having a bit more bearings after stepping into the darkness.

Checking around, Yuna blinked as she noticed cables running across the floor. She flipped on her own light and checked where they went, noting they came from one of the windows. Looking through the window, Yuna noticed they lead toward the building next door. She voiced her theory to the group. “I think they were getting electricity from the place next door when they used this place…”

Thorn nodded in agreement, but Horizon just gave a simple “Mmm” in response. Yuna squinted curiously as her friend seemed exceptionally distracted, she adjusted her glasses as she came back to Horizon’s side. Thorn felt around with her walking stick and began to examine the room on her own, but kept close by.

“Something wrong, Horizon?” Yuna questioned finally.

Horizon didn’t respond, she was still chewing her thoughts it seemed.

The group made it through the building, coming to a dead end with nothing but pipes and valves. Squatting down, Horizon began to examine them and noticed blood on the ground, already dried. Pulling Moon up on her phone, she had him begin to analyze it.

Yuna stood there awkwardly while Thorn stood a good eight feet away waiting for Horizon’s results. Gulping, Yuna stepped forward and squatted down to Horizon’s level, placing a nervous hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Horizon… You’ve been acting strange for a little while now, what’s wrong?”

Horizon lifted her chin and faced forward as she spoke her thoughts. “Something has been bothering me for a little while now…”

“What is it?” Yuna asked.

Horizon looked at Yuna with serious eyes. “How did Thorn know your sister was left-handed?”

Yuna blinked. “What do you mean? She met her, remember? When they met everyone could see that Moondancer was holding something in her left hand… She probably guessed that way.”

“How?” Horizon raised a brow.

“What do you mean, how?” Yuna was confused.

“Moondancer never said she was holding anything, and no one else commented on it. There should have been no way for Thorn to have known she was holding anything… She couldn’t see it…” Horizon explained.

A cold sweat ran down Yuna’s neck for some reason. She felt uneasy about this fact for some reason. “T-that’s… True…”

Horizon turned and looked over her shoulder at the gothic teen standing in the shadows. She spoke with a serious tone to Thorn. “So Thorn… How did you know?”

A sigh escaped Thorn, and after taking a step forward, she dropped her walking stick onto the ground. “I was hoping I had more time…” Her usual exuberant tone had shifted to one more lacking in emotion as she reached into her hoodie.

Within seconds she produced a Glock and pointed it at the two of them. “However, I only need Horizon alive… It doesn’t matter what condition…”

“You’re working for Serenade…?” Yuna blinked as she turned to face Thorn.

“It all makes sense now…” Horizon said.

“What has she done with Thorn!?” Yuna looked back and forth between the two of them, trying to make sense of what was happening.

“There never was a Thorn…” Horizon stated.

Yuna’s mouth opened in shock. “W-wha!?”

“She was a spy for Serenade the entire time… She is how Serenade was always a step ahead of us, she’s been feeding her info…” Horizon explained.

“Wait, that’s not possible! We met her mom, Vinyl, remember?” Yuna reminded.

Shaking her head, Horizon kept her eyes on Thorn. “Serenade has the power to control others… Vinyl likely was being controlled by Serenade to make the illusion more realistic… She put a lot of work into fooling us…”

Thorn nodded. “Correct. Serenade doesn’t like to leave too much to chance…”

“Y-you pretended to be our friend!? You were planning on betraying us this whole time!?” Yuna shook her head in disbelief. “What kind of monster are you!?”

“She’s a changeling… She is Arax.” Horizon concluded.

Both Horizon and Yuna stared down Thorn waiting for her to confirm or deny the accusation. After a long sigh, Thorn replied. “I guess there’s no reason to keep this charade going now…”

Closing her eyes, Thorn’s body quickly shifted into a much taller man with long messy dark hair. He had an eyepatch over one of his eyes and a baggy white shirt over his form with baggy jeans covering his bottom half. His visible eye had a red iris, and his face was somewhat chiseled, if it weren’t for his expression and intent many would likely consider him quite handsome.

“So… You are Serenade’s second-in-command then?” Yuna asked.

Arax nodded. “Serenade and I are linked. When I was on death’s door, she rescued me, she planted a part of herself in me…” He placed his free hand upon his heart and continued. “A demon vine… It keeps my heart beating, and gives me a portion of Serenade’s power… But also meant I would share her fate…”

“What do you mean?” Yuna blinked.

“Serenade can kill me at any time… And if she dies, I will die…” Arax explained.

“So you fear death then?” Horizon asked.

“I did… Not anymore…” He replied.

“What is keeping you serving her then?” Horizon questioned.

“I suppose I can tell you… That creature… Serenade… The most vile and despicable life form that I know… Twisted, wretched… Evil… And yet… I somehow have feelings for her… Does that sound crazy to you?” He tilted his head in wonder.

“Very.” Yuna nodded.

He chuckled. “I guess it doesn’t matter. We all get fucked in the end anyway… You two are no different… I do want to apologize for what I was forced to do though…”

“What do you mean?” Yuna blinked.

“He killed Moondancer…” Horizon concluded.

Yuna’s face turned white at hearing those words. She glanced at Horizon and then back at Arax. “Is that true!? You killed my sister!?”

The man’s expression remained unchanged. “It wasn’t anything personal… She knew too much, she was going to blow my cover, it was disadvantageous to our cause… Serenade ordered me to neutralize anyone who would impede our plans…”

“YOU BASTARD!” Yuna hissed.

He shook his head. “Your anger should be directed at Serenade, not me. I am merely doing what I am required to do.”

“I don’t care! You pulled the trigger! You mother fucker!” Yuna took a step forward, but Arax lifted his gun and pointed it at her. She froze as he aimed at her.

“You’re going to be reunited soon anyway… So I guess it doesn’t matter, does it? Again… It’s not personal, I’m just doing what I have to…” Arax said.

“Fuck you…” Yuna felt tears run down her cheeks.

Horizon paid close attention as she saw Arax’s finger begin to pull down on the trigger, but she wasted no time and took her chance. Quickly, she conjured up a small light spear and hurled it in Arax’s direction, knocking the gun out of his hand, and slicing his fingers off.

He looked down at his hand as black blood spurted from the wound. While he was distracted, Yuna quickly ducked down and dived for the gun. Once she had it in hand, she crawled backward and stood up, pointing it at him. Arax just continued to stare at his hand for a few more seconds before looking up at Yuna who was holding the weapon in both hands looking at him with it pointed directly at him.

The changeling seemed unfazed by the injury to his hand and instead, tilted his head as he watched Yuna. Her hands were steady, not shaking, perfectly calm. He found this fact odd.

“Yuna… You’re not unlike your sister… She didn’t have what it took to pull the trigger either… Face it… Just like her, you’ve never killed someone. You don’t have it in you, so why not put that down?” He smirked.

Yuna stood firm.

Arax shook his head and reached his arm toward her, but to his shock, a loud bang echoed through the air. Followed by seven more. Looking down, he could see bullet holes in his chest. Once he looked back up, Yuna pulled the trigger once more, hitting him between the eyes.

The man collapsed onto the ground as Yuna lowered the gun and shot him a few more times until the clip was empty. She sighed and let the gun rest at her side as she spoke. “I’m not my sister… I don’t show mercy to those who hurt the people I love…”

Horizon reached forward and placed a hand on Yuan’s shoulder, which Yuna reached up and touched. The two stood in silence for a brief moment until Horizon spoke up. “I’m sorry, Yuna…”

Yuna nodded and wiped her eyes which had tears welling up in them. “At least… That monster is dead… How could anyone love someone like Serenade? Truly he was pure evil…”

Horizon nodded.

The two stood there until Horizon noticed Arax’s hand twitch. She blinked and watched as the bullet wounds in his body began to weave back together, pushing the bullets out and the holes in him closing up. He inhaled heavily as he started to push himself to a stand. Yuna and Horizon quickly bolted past him so they wouldn’t be backed into a corner any long and looked back as he stood back up.

Horizon pushed Yuna behind her and quickly conjured up a few light spears. She hurled one at him, piercing his shoulder. He winced only slightly but seemed unfazed as the wound began to heal almost instantly.

“This is unreal…” Yuna replied.

Arax had a serious look on his face as he spoke to the two teenagers. “I’m afraid that won’t work… The powers Serenade gave me… They allow my body to regenerate. So long as a single microscopic cell of me exists, I can regenerate my entire body… It’s actually quite remarkable…”

Horizon ignored his explanation and hurled a few more spears at him, one of them knocking his head clean off his shoulders. The two watched as his body stood there headless, but sure enough, just as he had warned, his head quickly grew back, black tendrils slowly formed and turned flesh-colored before his head was completely restored.

“That’s… Not possible…” Yuna blinked.

“We have to run…” Horizon instructed.

The two girls bolted off, Horizon threw a spear in Arax’ direction, slicing his leg off to slow him down, and while he quickly began to regenerate it, they bought themselves enough time.

Rushing through the factory, the two girls raced into an abandoned office and shut the door behind them. Panting, they hid under a table and spoke in a hushed tone.

“This is crazy… Every attack he just regenerates… He’s basically invincible…” Yuna lamented.

Horizon nodded in agreement and pulled up a hologram of Moon. The canine gave a quick salute before speaking. “Horizon, I am monitoring your situation… This definitely isn’t ideal…”

“Any suggestions, Moon?” Horizon tilted her head.

Moon frowned as a few graphs appeared around him. “I’m running all the data I have, but I can’t see a path to victory here… He won’t tire out before you do, and conventional means of attack definitely seem ineffective. Since even a single cell of his body remaining means he will regenerate… That means we would need something to destroy all of him…”

“Well unless you have a small version of the Sun in your pocket that isn’t very helpful…” Yuna reminded.

Moon took on a defeated look. “I’m sorry… I wish I was more useful here… I’ll keep analyzing… That demonic power that Serenade gave him is quite nasty…”

Horizon blinked at those words, an idea popped into her head. “I think I have an idea…” She stated.

“What’s your idea?” Yuna asked.

Horizon dismissed Moon and came out from under the table. “We are going to need to face him head on…”

“Are you crazy!?” Yuna exclaimed.

“Trust me,” Horizon replied.

Looking at Horizon, Yuna felt a sense of confidence about her. Something in Horizon clearly was beaming with confidence. If she was this sure, Yuna felt slightly at ease. Yuna let out a sigh and nodded. “Okay… I trust you…”

Horizon kept crouched low as Yuna followed, the two kept quiet as Horizon reached into her backpack and retrieved the bladed gloves she wore with her disguise that she had opted out of wearing this time around. Placing them onto her hands she could see Yuna looked nervous. “What are you going to do with those?” Yuna blinked.

Horizon shook her head. “Don’t worry, I’m fairly sure this will work…”

Yuna said nothing until the two came back to the main area of the factory. Horizon poked her head out and ducked back down behind some pipes. She got a glimpse of Arax looking for them before she spoke in a hushed tone to Yuna. “Stay here and keep a safe distance. I am going to try to take him down, but you should still be out of range of our fight okay?”

Yuna nodded. “Please, be careful…”

Horizon gave a thumbs-up before she crept around the pipes and came out into the open. Once she was standing again she called out to Arax. “Arax.”

The changeling shifted his head and looked in her direction. He turned his entire body to face he as he stared her down with his single eye. “So… You finally came out… Does that mean you’re going to come with me, quietly?”

“Not a chance… I’m going to have to kill you now…” Horizon explained.

Arax frowned. “I see… Well, I suppose I will have to incapacitate you then… While we need you for the shard you’re holding, I don’t necessarily have to bring you in pristine condition… You do know though that what Serenade intends to do with you will be far more painful than anything I can do…?”

Horizon sighed as she looked down at her hand. She opened and closed it before looking back up at Arax. “Arax… I don’t really know what you’ve been through… I can only imagine how difficult your life has been if you’re in a position where you must serve Serenade… I wish I could help you, but as you said… Your fates are connected… So there is no way to spare you. If she dies, then you die... And I'm sorry but there is no way forward where she lives..."

He nodded in understanding. “Yes, the only way out for me is death… Now you understand my predicament”

Horizon nodded back. “I intend to set you free then…”

Arax tilted his head, unsure of what she meant.

Without wasting another second, Horizon quickly conjured up some light spears and began hurling them at him, piercing his arms, and then two through his shoulder. He gripped one of the spears, and black smoke came from his hand as his body was being burned by them. He would recover in seconds, so Horizon knew she had to hurry.

Dashing forward, she dodged a few attacks that he hurled her way in desperation, and ultimately plunged her clawed hand into his chest. Digging through his insides, she could feel what she was looking for. She gripped it tight and he quickly felt a large amount of pain as she squeezed.

The pain immobilized him, as Horizon began to pull. “What… Are you…?” He managed to get out.

Horizon spoke softly. “I’m sorry… Arax… This is how it has to be.”

Tugging, she began to pull what she was holding out of him. Peeking over the pipes in the distance, Yuna adjusted her glasses and could see that something that looked like a thorny worm was coming out of him, gripped tightly in Horizon’s hand. It writhed and squirmed violently as Horizon tugged harder and harder, Arax unable to do anything to stop it.

With a loud snap, it came out of him and it violently twitched in Horizon’s hand. The girl threw it onto the ground and stomped on it, squishing it into a pool of black sludge.

Arax gripped his chest as he felt his body unable to regenerate this time. His heartbeat started to slow down. He could see his own vision becoming blurry. “So… You pulled the demon vine out… Clever child…”

Horizon nodded. “I’m sorry, Arax. I gathered that you weren’t always a bad person… But I had no choice.”

Arax laughed through strained breaths as he bent over trying to hold black blood in. “It’s funny… You’d think I’d be sad… But I’m not… I’m actually happy… Happy that I finally get to die... Happy that I don't have to do this anymore... Is that weird?”

Horizon rested her hands at her sides. “It's not weird at all. I’m glad.”

“Freedom… At long last…” He chuckled. “Thank you… Horizon Shimmer… For setting me free...”

With those words, he collapsed onto the ground and his body began to dissolve into black smoke. It was over, Arax was finally dead.

Sunset and friends had gathered at the old abandoned factory after Yuna had messaged them that Horizon had successfully killed Arax. Upon their arrival, she explained the details of what had transpired and told the group of how Arax died. Sunset seemed somehow not as at ease as the others.

Yuna blinked before she remembered something else. “Oh! When Arax died, while Horizon was heading out here, I noticed he dropped something…”

Reaching into her bag, Yuna retrieved a gemstone that looked as though it was missing a single piece. Horizon blinked upon seeing it. “Let me see that,” Horizon stated.

Yuna passed it to Horizon, and the stone began to shine the moment Horizon touched it. Horizon could feel a strange sensation in her body like something was coming out of her. The stone shined brightly before the missing piece appeared on the stone.

“That must be the siren amulet… It fused back together when Horizon touched it…” Eclipse explained.

“The energy inside of Horizon must have been enough to fix it, but it’s still inert… I’m sure Serenade will still want to get her hands on it… After all, it's essential to her plan.” Sunset crossed her arms.

“Serenade will indeed.” A familiar effeminate voice called out to them all.

The entire group flinched before turning to see the siren in question standing before them. She had her arms at her sides with ease as she stared them all down with a rather calm expression on her face. “I’ll be taking that…” She extended her hand expectantly.

“Fat chance.” Jasper chimed in.

“Yeah, go eat shit, bitch!” Bolt joined him.

Candy decided to join the chatter and gave the siren the finger before spouting out her own retort. "Bitches like you should really learn to know when they're beaten."

Serenade ignored the lot of them. “So… I see you’ve killed Arax then?”

“That’s right, your boyfriend is dead.” Sunset smirked.

Serenade to all of their surprise began to smile. “I’m relieved then…”

“What!?” Sunset blinked in disbelief.

“Arax convinced me to do those horrible things… The things a siren should never do… Before I knew it, I had grown feelings for him… I had gotten soft… Feelings, love… They’re only weaknesses that can be exploited. You did me a favor by killing him, now my mind can remain clear…” She smirked.

Sunset could feel herself grinding her teeth in anger. To hear Serenade speak of someone who loved her so callously. “You… He loved you… You monster… How could you be so cruel to him? He sacrificed himself for you...”

“Then he was foolish. All who love me will meet terrible fates… Isn’t that right, Cinder?” She grinned at the dragon standing with the group.

Cinder crossed her arms and looked away shamefully.

Serenade let out a long sigh. “It doesn’t matter anymore, anyway. Arax is dead. My use for him was nearing its end anyway. He was a useful pawn, but still… Just a pawn in the end…”

“You really are the cruelest of the cruel, you know that?” Eclipse pointed out.

“I’ll take that as a compliment…” Serenade smirked.

“Scum like you would…” Eclipse replied.

Serenade yawned. “I grow bored of this, give me the stone, now. I am not going to ask you a third time. You will give it to me if you know what’s good for you…” Serenade commanded.

Horizon kept the stone gripped in her palm before looking at her mother. Sunset shook her head. “Don’t… Nothing good will come of her getting that stone, Horizon. She must not have it. There’s nothing left for her to threaten us with…”

Serenade shook her head disapprovingly. “You disappoint me, Sunset. After all this time, you still don’t know what I’m capable of?”

“Jack and shit, that’s what you’re capable of.” Sunset grinned defiantly.

“Very well… If you won’t give me the stone, perhaps a trade will change your mind…”

Black tendrils came out of Serenade’s arm and moved so quickly that none of them could react. Quickly they grabbed Jasper and pulled him toward Serenade. Once he was in her grip, she made her demand again. “Give me the stone… Or he dies…”

Author's Note

Weird how this turned out to be a shorter chapter, but that is the next 2 chapters will accommodate for that.

Yes, as I said before: the final chapter will be released tomorrow on Christmas Eve, and then the Epilogue on Christmas day. I'll include some of my final thoughts then. Also, I'll answer any questions people have left!

Act VII Part III - Final Chapter: Over the Sunset

Final Chapter: Over the Sunset

Horizon knew she couldn’t give into Serenade’s demands. Her mother was right. She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy on the amulet. Everything she had into the palm of her hand, and began to squeeze.

Serenade’s eyes widened as she could see what Horizon was up to. Sensing the distraction, Eclipse quickly went into action and severed the tendrils holding Jasper, and scooped him up, pulling him to safety. Serenade’s attention was too focused on what Horizon was doing to even notice.

Feeling the amulet begin to crack, Horizon squeezed as tightly as she could, focusing all of her magic into her hand, until she finally felt it crush within her grip.

With the amulet turned to dust in her hand, Horizon opened her palm and allowed the sand-like shards to blow away in the wind. It was crushed beyond any level of repair, and finding the specs of dust would be next to impossible anyway. As it left her hand, Serenade watched with widened eyes. Her entire plan, her entire reason for coming to the human world was destroyed right in front of her, and there wasn’t a thing she could do. With no more leverage over them, Horizon saw no reason to keep the amulet. Up to this point she had only used it to lure out Serenade’s minions and Serenade herself, but now with nothing left, there was no more need for it.

Serenade’s plan was over, there was no chance of restoring the amulet and bringing Adagio back into her fold now. The question of where she was, still remained unanswered, but now it mattered not. There was no way to undo what had just happened. Serenade cursed and shook her head before she hissed. “You bitch… You will regret doing that…”

Jasper spit in her direction and gave a smirk. “Y’all got nothing now. Nothing left to threaten us with, why don’t y’all just get lost?”

Serenade sneered, wanting to respond to him, but she thought better of it. An idea popped into her head and she quickly raced back to the motorcycle she had arrived on and started the engine. Not even throwing on a helmet she revved the engine and gave a middle finger to the entire group before she sped off. She peeled away and was out of sight within eight seconds.

The entire group let out a series of cheers and praise as they celebrated. “It’s finally over!” Cloud exclaimed.

“Guess we won’t have to deal with her anymore! No more amulet, no way to get stronger, no more minions, she’s on a tight leash now!” Bolt agreed as the two gave a high-five.

Horizon glanced over at her mother and noticed her demeanor hadn’t softened. She still wore a concerned face as she ran over to her own motorcycle and quickly placed the helmet on her head. She strapped it on before taking off without saying a word to the group.

The cheers died down as they all noticed her leaving. Jasper blinked in confusion as he stepped forward next to Horizon. “What did she say?”

Horizon shook her head. “Nothing. She just left.”

“Where the hell is she going?” Bolt questioned.

Eclipse stepped forward, his expression was somber as he spoke in a monotone. “She’s going to fight Serenade…”

“Huh? Why? There’s no reason now. Serenade’s plan is foiled, if she steps out of line now, she’ll just be tag-teamed by all of us, she stands no chance!” Bolt pointed out.

Eclipse was already formulating what would happen in his head. He knew all too well that Serenade wouldn’t give up that easily. “When backed into a corner, Serenade can unleash all of her reserve power. It would drain her to a level where it would take decades to recover, but if necessary she will do it, so she’s still a threat…”

“But if she did all of that and it wasn’t enough… She’d be a sitting duck?” Candy chimed in.

Nodding, Eclipse continued. “You’re correct, however, that’s why she’s keeping that as a last resort, she has another plan now…”

“Which is?” Bolt tilted his head.

The white-haired man had known this all along. There was always a possibility it would turn out this way. He looked down at his phone and checked a countdown timer he had set a long ago. They were approaching the last 80 minutes before the portal to Equestria would open up naturally once again. Eclipse had set a timer for it when he had gone through the first time.

“Given the new circumstances, Serenade’s next highest probability for success is to use the portal to return to Equestria. From there she can regain much of her power, and return with an army…” Eclipse explained.

“How long would that take?” Jasper asked.

Thinking for a second, Eclipse already had an answer. “Given how she is… I would imagine she would be able to accomplish that task before the portal re-opened. She was able to conquer all of Equestria in only a few months after all…”

“And how long before she would come back through the portal?” Cloud questioned.

“Thirty moons. So around twenty-nine to thirty months. In that time, none of us will be able to become strong enough to stand against her… If she makes it through that portal it’s game over…” Eclipse explained.

“Why didn’t she just do that from the start?” Horizon asked.

“Serenade is too proud, she wanted the joy of her revenge all by herself, but she’s not stupid. She won’t let herself die over pride, now that she has no choice, she’ll use her backup plan…” Eclipse said.

Bolt placed a hand on his chin as he thought. “So what’s Sunset going to do then?”

“Sunset will fight Serenade…” Eclipse said plainly.

Cloud blinked. “Wait a minute, if Sunset uses any more of her power she’ll die, won’t she?”

“She doesn’t care. She will make sure she destroys the portal when it opens before that happens, then she will gladly die.” Eclipse sighed.

“Why aren’t you going to try and stop her then!?” Bolt growled.

“She won’t listen to me.”

“Then we’ll go!” Jasper nodded at Bolt.

“She won’t listen to any of us. If keeping Serenade from getting to Equestria means destroying the portal, Sunset will gladly do it. Nothing any of us say is going to convince her otherwise. She will fight that monster, and destroy herself doing it…” Eclipse sighed.

“So we just let her die then?” Jasper growled.

“There is nothing we can do…” Eclipse explained.

“Fuck that! Come on, we all have to go meet her there! We might still be able to intervene!” Bolt suggested.

The entire group gave sounds of approval toward Bolt’s suggestion, and before they knew it, they were all rounding up in their vehicles to go after Sunset. Eclipse sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to change their minds, so he casually made his way over to his motorcycle and grabbed his helmet as he heard all the engines starting. Placing the helmet on his head he sighed once more. “You’re a real pain in the ass, Sunset…”

Sunset pulled up and parked her motorcycle before she took off her helmet and tossed it to the ground as she hopped off. The woman marched toward Serenade confidently while she gripped her belted sleeve and ripped it off. She followed by removing the glove on her hand as well. The black skin on her body had already gone past her shoulder anyway, there was little point in trying to cover it up. It reached toward her chest at this point.

She clenched and unclenched her fist, and the tendrils on her arm began to whip violently as a black flame surrounded it, the flame shot up a good eight feet as she approached Serenade. All of her anger, all of her rage, it was all focused on ending this. It was now or never, she wouldn’t get another chance after today.

Serenade smiled carelessly as Sunset approached. She placed her hands upon her hips as the wind blew, moving her hair out of her face, and revealing the eye she had stolen from Arax. A part of him lived on in her.

Sunset came to a stop and stared at her opponent. The two were silent for a few moments until Serenade broke the silence. “I had a feeling you’d come here…”

“Let’s not pretend we both don’t know what’s going to happen here…” Sunset replied.

Nodding, the Siren smirked. “Our little rivalry has grown tiresome, hasn’t it? You’re like a cockroach, no matter how many times I step on you, you just keep coming back…”

“I could say the same for you…” Sunset responded.

Serenade shook her head as she pointed. “Look at you… You’ve grown so weak that you can’t even hold the darkness in. You have no control over it anymore, you’re pathetic.”

Sunset shook her head. “You’re wrong.”

“Oh?” Serenade blinked.

Looking at her arm, Sunset spoke with conviction. “The darkness outside of my body is eating me. It does this because it can’t touch my heart… My heart is too strong so it resorts to devouring my body… Unlike you… Who has already been consumed. We are not equal, I am better than you. I am better than you in every way there is to be better.”

Serenade growled in annoyance. Every time this woman lectured her, she couldn’t stand it. She hated that she always seemed to lack a rebuttal as well.

“Why don’t you shut up, you old hag!? I’m so sick of you talking to me like I’m a child…” Serenade growled.

“Why not face the music, Serenade? You can’t win. This is over. You can give up now and make it easier on yourself, or you can drag it out and come to the same ending that we all know you’re going to reach… Victory for you is impossible.” Sunset offered.

Serenade laughed. “Oh, it’s so cute that you think that you are going to offer mercy to me. Have you forgotten? I was the Lord of the Demons? I have been to hell and back, it’s going to take more than you to destroy me!”

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “So you’re insistent on making this needlessly painful for yourself?”

Serenade hissed. “You know, I really am growing tired of you… Every time I turn around you’re there to ruin my plans. It’s really quite annoying.

Cracking her neck, Sunset kept an emotionless expression as she replied. “Then let’s not do this anymore… This can be the last time…”

“Then it’s agreed…” Serenade nodded.

Sunset took a fighting stance, as Serenade conjured up her weapon from nothingness. The flaming whip appeared in her small delicate hands and then she cracked it fiercely to intimidate her foe. As the two stood at the ready, Serenade laughed. “This shall be most glorious!”

Lock looked down from the hill at Sunset and Serenade staring each other down as they exchanged banter. She yawned and looked over at Key who was petting a nearby stray dog.

She smirked as she saw him pet the small dog. “I thought you hated little dogs?”

He shrugged. “I just don’t like the leg humpers, that’s all.”

“Whose dog is that?” She asked.

He shrugged once more. “Don’t know.”

“Shouldn’t you be focusing on Sunset and Serenade though?” Lock tilted her head.

He stood up and picked the dog up with him. The small Yorkshire terrier barked contently as he handed it off to Lock. She took the dog in her arms and petted its head as she looked up at him in confusion.

“A present.” He grinned.

She giggled and nuzzled the dog before returning her attention to the problem at hand. “Anyway… Like I was saying, we should be focusing on this fight, shouldn’t we? I mean those two are about to obliterate each other, right?”

Key glanced over at Sunset and Serenade, noting that they were still rambling on. “Eh, it doesn’t matter. We can observe from here, but I don’t think it really matters if we witness all of it.”

She frowned. “You still never told me how this is going to play out.”

He grinned as he placed a hand upon her cheek flirtatiously. “That’s part of the fun. I decided not to look into that, after all, observing would be boring if we always knew the odds of the outcomes, right?”

“What an odd mentality to have for one in our line of work…” Lock blinked.

He chuckled and petted the dog in her arm. “What are you going to name him?”

She looked at the dog and tried to think of a name. “Finn.”

“Why Finn?” Key blinked.

She grinned. “Cause I used to have a stuffed shark named Finn.”

Key laughed and nodded. “Finn it is then.”

Lock held the dog up and made a fake voice to speak for him. “We should get out of here before the battle starts.”

Key nodded. “Probably a good idea.”

Horizon and her friends managed to arrive at the scene in time to see Sunset and Serenade already in the heat of battle. Serenade cracked her mighty whip at Sunset, only for the redhead to dodge it, and then stomp the ground, sending a pillar of flames in Serenade’s direction.

The siren only swatted the flames away with her hand and rushed Sunset. The two exchanged blows, blocking each other back and forth as the group of teens came to the top of the hill to watch the fight.

Jasper blinked in awe as he watched the two battle. It was clear they were giving their all, and were going completely all out. Horizon stepped forward to get a closer look and watched silently.

“They’re really going at it down there…” Bolt commented as he came up to where he could see the fight.

“You can say that again…” Candy added as she crossed her arms and watched.

Eclipse had made it to the scene and nodded in agreement. “They are fighting with all they have…”

“How much more can they possibly give?” Bolt asked curiously.

Eclipse’s reply seemed somber. “Everything.”

“Huh?” Bolt blinked.

“They are going to fight to the death…” Eclipse explained.

“What? Really?” Jasper’s eyes widened.

Eclipse nodded. “It’s clear they don’t care anymore. I said it before, Sunset will gladly die to finish off Serenade. This is the end for the both of them… She’ll kill Serenade, and then die shortly after that.”

“What!?” The entire group, shy of Horizon exclaimed. They then all looked in Horizon’s direction who tilted her head in confusion.

“Horizon… Did you hear what he said?” Yuna asked in a panicked tone.

Horizon glanced down at the two exchanging blows. “It’s the most logical choice, really…”

“Horizon… Your mom is going to die, how can you talk like that?” Cloud questioned.

The teenage girl shrugged. “Her only option now is to destroy herself. Even if she were to conserve energy during this fight, the fact is that she would burn herself out eventually. The darkness within her will ultimately do her in with enough time. It’s better to use all of her power now…”

“She’s right. Sunset has weighed out what this fight will take, and she’s determined that it’s less risky to go all in, she may die, but she ensures Serenade goes down with her,” Eclipse chimed in to explain.

Serenade cracked her whip at Sunset, who whipped it out of the way with her demonic arm. Ordinarily, the intense heat of the flaming whip would harm her, but the demonic energy around her arm had grown so strong, that she couldn’t feel the effects of the hellish weapon.

Serenade leaped forward and swung at Sunset, who grabbed the siren’s fist in her free hand. Serenade raised her other hand and tried to ready her whip again, but Sunset gripped her wrist with her other hand, holding it tightly. The two stood there locked together as Serenade struggled to break free. Their faces were mere inches from each other as Serenade felt her anger pour out of her.

“You know… I didn’t think it was possible when I first fell to you… I thought it wouldn’t be possible to hate someone as much as I hated you at that moment. When you beat me, I swore I would rip off that mask and find out who you were so I could kill you slowly…” Serenade hissed.

Sunset was silent as the siren rambled.

“But then, when I saw the face under the mask… When I saw you for the first time, somehow I found room to hate you even more… I found space in my very being that I didn’t know I had left to fill with more hatred… Hatred for you… I wanted to kill you for so long…” Serenade explained.

“Too bad you waited for nothing,” Sunset replied calmly.

Serenade leaned in and touched her forehead to Sunset’s as the two continued to struggle to break free of each other. “I always get what I want, Sunset Shimmer. Always.”

“Then I suppose this is the first time you’re going to feel what it’s like to be disappointed…” Sunset smirked before she kicked the girl in the stomach.

Serenade and her released each other and both of them jumped backward, putting a good eight feet between them. Serenade cracked her whip and repositioned herself to attack again. She wasted no time and began to crack her whip repeatedly in Sunset’s direction.

Moving swiftly, Sunset dodged attack after attack, and managed to avoid a dozen lashes coming in her direction before she managed to catch the whip in her demonic arm which suddenly began to emit even more energy; black fire came from it that reached up into the sky as she held the end of the whip.

“Aren’t you a little old to still be playing with toys, Serenade?” Sunset asked.

Serenade tugged and freed her weapon from Sunset’s grasp and gave it another few whips, but all of them failed to connect with the redhead. “You’re the old hag!”

Sunset chuckled after dodging more of her attacks. “Last I checked you were far older than me… Though still just a baby when it comes to sirens, aren’t you?”

“Taunting me isn’t going to work this time, Sunset Shimmer… I am wise to your tricks now. You’re not going to get in my head this time…” Serenade hissed.

“There’s no need to do that… We both know what kind of creature you are, Serenade…” Sunset said as Serenade whipped at her. Sunset moved out of the way and continued. “The kind of creature who fears death so much that she will do anything to hide from it…”

Serenade grunted and whipped again, this time Sunset swatted it away with her demonic arm. “The kind of creature who failed to protect her own sister…” Sunset continued.

Serenade tried to tune the girl out as she swung a few more times, but it was no use, Sunset continued to dodge and deflect while she kept taunting her. “The kind of creature whose own kind turned on her and sees her as nothing more than a monster…”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Serenade growled.

“Why not just give up, Serenade? There’s no point in dragging this out. Lay down quietly, and I’ll snap your neck and make it a quick death for you…” Sunset suggested.

“I AM SO FUCKING SICK OF YOU AND YOUR COCKINESS! I WILL MAKE YOU BEG ME TO KILL YOU, SUNSET SHIMMER!” Serenade’s voice was filled with venom, Sunset could detect how much this creature despised her just from her tone.

“So you’re going to choose the hard way then? You want to be dragged down kicking and screaming…” Sunset smirked.

Hissing, Serenade tossed her weapon aside, and as she did, it dissolved into smoke in the air. Serenade’s eyes narrowed, and the red changeling eye began to glow as Serenade clenched her teeth and formed her hands into claws as her nails began to grow.

Black mist began to cover Serenade’s body and she began to grow taller from her pygmy height. As she grew, Sunset stepped back and watched her size increase more and more, before she knew it, the petite attractive female that stood before her had turned into a towering giant standing at least eighty feet tall.

Serenade’s hands had transformed into razor-sharp claws, and her mouth had turned into a huge gaping maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. All of her body was covered in black skin that radiated black smoke.

Sunset conjured up her bow from her abyssal pocket and readied it. As she prepared to draw an arrow back, she heard the sound of running feet and turned to see Horizon, and Eclipse had joined her in the fight. She blinked in confusion and gave an expression that asked them why they were there.

Eclipse smirked. “I told you before… I won’t let you hog the glory of killing her all to yourself…”

Sunset turned to Horizon. “And you?”

“We’re all in this together,” Horizon replied.

“Fair enough… Let’s do this then…” Sunset smiled as she aimed her bow.

Unleashing a volley of arrows, Sunset couldn’t even break the skin of Serenade’s massive body. The huge behemoth before her balled her hand into a fist and thrust it down at them.

“Look out!” Eclipse warned.

The group bolted out of the way, and fortunately for them, Serenade’s massive size made her movements slow and sluggish and easy to dodge. “Well, at least she’s slow…” Eclipse commented.

“Doesn’t do us any good if we can’t hurt her…” Sunset replied.

Eclipse focused his energy while Serenade lifted her fist back up to try and attack again. He only needed eight seconds before he could see what he needed to do. On Serenade’s body, he could sense points where the dark energy surrounding her was significantly weaker.

He turned to Horizon and called out to her. “Horizon, can you see what I’m seeing?”

Eclipse knew that Horizon’s affinity to light meant she would have similar capabilities as himself, and likely could see what he was seeing.

Horizon focused and sure enough, she could see the weak points. “Yeah, her body has several points where they’re weaker…”

“Thinking what I’m thinking?” Eclipse smirked.

Sunset dodged another attack before she unleashed another arrow. “What are you two planning!?”

“Horizon, you said you were good at climbing, right?” Eclipse asked.

Horizon nodded, already knowing what he was getting at. “Yeah, I’ll need a good distraction though…”

“We can do that.” Eclipse nodded.

“You can’t possibly be suggesting…” Sunset didn’t even want to finish that sentence.

Both Eclipse and Horizon nodded. “I can deliver a light attack to her weak spots, that should be enough to bring her down.”

Sunset wanted to oppose the idea, but Serenade lifted her giant foot to try and crush the group. Sunset leaped backward to get out of the way, and Eclipse and Horizon moved to the right as the mighty foot came down, causing the ground to shake as it struck the earth.

After realizing that time wasn’t on their side, Sunset agreed to the plan. “Okay… Eclipse and I will distract her, just stay safe, Horizon…” Sunset instructed.

Horizon nodded before jumping into action. As Sunset lobbed arrows at Serenade which did absolutely no damage, Horizon circled around behind her and readied the claws on her suit. She inhaled and sprinted toward Serenade’s foot and jumped, latching onto the back of it as she began her ascent.

The teen had managed to get a good eight feet from the ground before Serenade noticed her there and began to shake her foot violently to try and throw Horizon off. Sunset aimed an arrow higher up on the body to try and keep Serenade’s attention on her and Eclipse while Horizon held on tightly.

The attempts to throw Horizon off proved fruitless and once the shaking had stopped in favor of using the other foot to try and stomp on Sunset and Eclipse, Horizon continued upward, eventually making it to the back of the creature’s knee. Using her power, she could sense a weakening in the demonic barrier around Serenade’s body at that exact spot.

Horizon hoped that Sunset and Eclipse could distract Serenade for her entire ascent, but at the very least until she was able to hit her weak spots. Focusing her power into her hand, Horizon forced her magic into the sharp tips of her clawed gloves. She inhaled and delivered a series of vicious scratches to the back of Serenade’s knee.

The effect was nearly instant, the giant monster groaned in pain and the struck knee went down. Horizon wasted no time and took the chance to hop up and grab onto the creature’s rear as she began to scale it more. Serenade reached behind herself and tried to feel around for where Horizon was, but the young teen was too clever for her. When the hand came around, Horizon timed a jump and landed on the back of the massive hand. She charged her gloves once more and delivered a good eight slashes to the back of the hand which only caused the giant more pain.

After the strike, Horizon quickly scaled up the arm and headed toward the giant’s shoulder, avoiding a swipe with the other hand as she made her way to the giant’s back.

Sunset… Horizon thought as she climbed, holding on tightly as Serenade shook her back violently to try and get Horizon off of her, but the teen held on too tightly as she ascended.

You were always trying to be strong for all of our sake. I understand now. Horizon continued her thoughts as she made it to the neck. Serenade couldn’t reach up to get her though, as Sunset released a volley of arrows at the monster, forcing her to block them with her massive arm.

No one was there to be strong for you though. You sacrificed yourself for all of us. You never wanted any of us to experience the pain you felt, you never wanted us to suffer… So you endured all of it for yourself… I understand now… Horizon charged up her claw, staring at the nape of Serenade’s neck as she readied her attack.

It’s my turn now though. You don’t have to be strong anymore. With that thought, Horizon delivered a mighty slash to Serenade’s neck. The damage was enough to bring the giant to her knees. Horizon could feel the massive body that had formed around her start to fall apart. The dark matter that made up the giant started to dissipate.

Quickly. Horizon slid down the creature’s back as the body disintegrated above her, making it to the ground only seconds before she would have suffered a serious fall. Once she landed, she came to a full stand and turned to face Sunset and Eclipse. She nodded approvingly as she watched Sunset lower her bow.

The group glanced over at the now normal-sized Serenade on her knees before them. She looked up and forced herself to stand. Her eyes were full of fire, she was far from finished.

“You really are a cockroach, you know that? You just won’t die…” Serenade spoke.

As Serenade raised her hand to summon another attack, her hand was knocked away by a burst of light magic. The trio all blinked and looked in the direction of the attack. There atop the hill was a familiar face smirking as she looked down at the group.

Her long red hair moved gently in the breeze, and Sunset instantly recognized the ponytail she was sporting. She had come prepared, wearing a pair of tight shorts and a black tank top.

Hopping off of the hill, she nodded at Sunset as she approached. “I didn’t want you having to do this without me, sis.” She spoke.

Sunset nodded at Shimmer and smiled at her. “We finish this together then?”

Shimmer gave a thumbs up. “One last go, right?”

Sunset looked over at Eclipse and Horizon. “We’ve got it from here. I wanna do this with Shimmer.”

Horizon and Eclipse both nodded in agreement. “She’s weaker now, I can sense it,” Eclipse said.

The two stepped aside to make room for Sunset and her little sister. Shimmer summoned a series of swords made of light around her as Sunset conjured a light blade in one hand and a demonic one in the other. “Let’s end this.”

Shimmer launched the first attack, throwing one of the swords at Serenade who deflected it with her whip that she pulled back out at the last moment. Sunset followed the attack with one of her own, coming at Serenade, swiping with both blades.

Serenade dodged both swipes before kicking Sunset in the stomach. The redhead grunted but composed herself quickly to counter-attack. She swiped at the siren, only for her to block it with the hilt of her whip, but Shimmer took advantage of the distraction to throw another sword, but Serenade blasted it into nothing with a dark energy attack.

The siren laughed and pushed Sunset back with tremendous force. She laughed as she wagged her finger at the two. “This is absolutely rich! Do you think that the two of you are enough to beat me? Look at you!” She pointed to Sunset mockingly. “The dark energy is eating you faster than you can even resist! You’re going to burn yourself up long before I lose enough power for you to be a threat.”

Shimmer threw another sword, this one narrowly missing Serenade, clipping a strand of her hair off. Shimmer lunged forward with a blade which Serenade stopped with her hand, catching the edge between her fingers. She had placed dark energy around her hand to protect her from its light.

Shimmer stood there gripping the sword tightly, trying to move it, but Serenade’s strength was far too much. Serenade shook her head disappointedly. “This time your sister doesn’t have the Siren’s Bane. The only reason she beat me before is because of that weapon… It drew its power from the amount of sirens in the world, but here in this world… I am the only one, so even if she had it now… It would be useless, just like you. A worthless human getting involved in matters that are far beyond your comprehension…”

Shimmer stood still with the blade still in hand, locking eyes with Serenade.

Serenade smirked. “She should have taken the chance she had all those years ago and killed me. Now that chance is gone, and I will make her regret it.”

Smirking back at her, Shimmer sent her energy through the sword blasting at Serenade. The attack landed and knocked her back. The woman tumbled and was forced to pick herself back up. She looked down at the sleeve of her dress and grunted in annoyance as she saw it was sliced. “I really liked that dress you know?”

Lowering her sword, Shimmer looked over at Sunset. “I think she still has plenty of power left. We can’t expect her to tire out…”

“I’m open to suggestions…” Sunset said.

Shimmer glanced over at Serenade who was getting ready to attack, then back at Sunset. “I can unleash most of my power if you can hold her off…”

Sunset blinked. “But then you’ll…”

Shimmer nodded. “It has to be done.”

“No. We won’t do that.” Sunset shook her head.

Shimmer sighed. “It’s too late, Sunset. I’m almost out of time. I’ve only got a little bit of time left anyway. I am going to use it to stop Serenade, and that’s all there is to it.”

Sunset glanced back at Serenade who was charging an energy attack. She grunted before agreeing. “Ugh, fine. I’ll hold her off, you prepare yourself.”

Shimmer nodded as she watched Sunset rush in swinging her blades. The younger of the two sisters began to focus her energy. She could feel her connection to Angel’s body begin to fade as she powered up. There wasn’t much time left, she would need to make this attack count.

Sunset engaged Serenade, and the two exchanged attacks repeatedly while Shimmer watched, a smile playing her lips as she watched how much passion her sister fought with. She had grown up so much. Shimmer wished she had been there to see it all, but it simply wasn’t possible. She was needed elsewhere, and now she was close to finishing what she was meant to do. “It’s a shame, sister… I would have loved for us to spend more time together…” Shimmer said as she felt her energy reach its peak.

“This is all I can do now…” Shimmer spoke to herself.

Without hesitation, she unleashed a massive energy blast, and knocked Serenade down, burning through the skirt of her dress and burning one of her sleeves away. The siren was sent flying a good eight feet. She landed on her stomach and growled as she looked up to see Shimmer tumble to the ground. Sunset glanced over at her sister, but without getting a chance to do anything, Horizon rushed to Shimmer’s side.

Shimmer smiled at her niece weakly. “Sorry, Horizon… I wish we had a chance to get to know each other better.”

Horizon nodded. “I’ve heard stories about you. In a way, it’s like we already know each other.”

Shimmer nodded back. “Yes… How nice… Take care of things for me, okay? My power is almost all used up, I won’t be around much longer… If you excuse me… I have one last thing that I have to do…”

Horizon watched as the girl’s body transformed back into Angel Song. Angel had passed out from all the exertion. Horizon let her rest as she came to a stand.

“Maybe this will get you angry…” Serenade spoke before digging her fingers into the dirt in front of her. The black tendrils up her sleeve followed her fingers and dug through the ground before coming back up around Horizon.

The teen blinked, and she was surrounded by dark energy. She had no way to stop it, no time to react.

It would never touch her though, because standing there after using her ability to walk through shadows was Sunset. Her demonic arm had grabbed the dark energy, and she held on tightly, not allowing it to move as she struggled to contain it. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead as she grunted in agony while holding it in place.

Horizon blinked and looked at her mother with surprise. Sunset stood struggling, but unfaltering. “I don’t think so…” She managed to get out between strained breaths.

Holding the energy tightly, Sunset spoke to it. “I know you can hear me… It’s been so long that I know you so well…”

Horizon was silent as her mother spoke to someone she could not see. “You’ve taken everything from me already… My family, my arm, my life… I wasn’t strong enough to stop you…”

The two were silent for a few seconds before Sunset spoke again. “But I won’t let you have her… I won’t let you take my daughter. I draw the line there, that’s the one thing I won’t let you have… Take me instead… I’m the one you really want… I’m the one who has cheated you for so long… I’m the one who resisted you… I’m the one who kept pushing you back… It’s me you want…”

Horizon stepped backward as she saw Sunset’s grip couldn’t hold out forever.

“So take me then… Let’s stop pretending that this wasn’t the way it was always going to turn out, and just finish this…” Sunset spoke.

As if the darkness had answered her words, it stopped trying to head toward Horizon and instead all became absorbed into Sunset’s arm. The dark energy around her arm spread, covering half of Sunset’s face, changing the white of her eyes to black, and glowing blue veins could be seen through the black parts of her body that the demonic energy had taken hold of.

She smirked and nodded at her daughter. “Sorry, Horizon. Please let me finish this myself, okay?”

Her daughter nodded and stepped aside as Sunset turned back to Serenade, who had managed to get herself up and was now clapping to mock Sunset. “Well, well… Finally you embrace the worst part of yourself… Maybe now you’ll actually be a challenge?”

Sunset cracked her neck and readied her arm. “I should have killed you back then, but now I can correct that problem…”

Serenade laughed and took a stance ready to fight. “Let’s see you try…”

The two within seconds were exchanging blows, blocking each other as they did. Serenade focused on footwork, repeatedly kicking Sunset. The two charged their hands and blasted at each other, but the attacks only pushed both of them back.

Sunset summoned her bow and unleashed an arrow in Serenade’s direction, but the siren caught it mid-air and threw it back at Sunset. The girl moved her head out of the way, the arrow narrowly missing her.

Rushing Serenade, Sunset drew a revolver from a pouch on her belt and tried to fire at the siren, but Serenade swatted the gun out of her hand, causing it to land over near Angel. Sunset glanced for a second at the gun, but then Serenade swung at her. She grabbed Serenade’s fist in her hand, and then the other as another punch came her way.

The two stood there locked together as Serenade laughed. “It’s just as I thought… You’re still too weak. This is you at your full potential? I’m disappointed…”

Sunset growled, but Serenade kicked the girl in the stomach causing her to kneel and release her grip on Serenade. The siren followed up with another kick that sent Sunset flying back. Sunset landed on her feet now standing next to Angel. She growled in annoyance until she heard Shimmer’s voice.

“Sunset…” The voice was nearly a whisper.

She looked over at Angel to see that her eyes had changed to the same color that Shimmer’s were, and out of her mouth came Shimmer’s voice. “Sunset… My power is almost gone, but I need to tell you something before I finish my last task…”

Sunset kept her eye on Serenade who stood there taunting her to come back and fight. “What is it?”

“Sunset… Stop resisting…”

Sunset could almost feel her heart stop at those words. How did Shimmer know?

“Sunset… You’re still holding back. You’re afraid… You’re afraid that if you give in, you’ll turn into Serenade…” Shimmer explained.

Sunset was silent.

“You don’t want to turn into a killing machine like her, I know… But the power to stop her is in you, I could sense it when my magic got stronger. Your heart is strong enough…” Shimmer continued.

“But if I…” Sunset didn’t even want to finish her own sentence.

Shimmer smiled. “Horizon and her friends won’t let that happen. You can trust them. It is not wrong to use the dark power within you for the right cause. Just give in… If you don’t stop Serenade now… Everyone will die, that is a certainty. Please, embrace your power, save this world, save your own world. Your life will always have meaning if you do that…”

Sighing, Sunset nodded as she closed her eyes.

Standing in darkness, Sunset opened her eyes, and there before her was the demon she had known for so long now. The version of herself that she hated so much, the version of herself that she regretted.

“I can’t run from you any longer…” Sunset spoke.

The demon nodded in agreement. “You finally understand then? I wasn’t pulled from Hell and placed within you… You created me. The worst parts of you won out and made me. We are bonded in such a way that you won’t ever be rid of me. I have grown stronger as you have grown stronger.”

“In the end, all I was doing was delaying the inevitable. I tried so hard to get rid of you, but the reality is… That was never an option,” Sunset spoke.

Approaching, the demon smiled at her. “I can at least promise you that we’ll kill Serenade together. Her living is disadvantageous for my goals.”

Sunset sighed. “You realize that my body won’t be viable for you to use for very long if we do this? I’ll die shortly after.”

The demon shrugged. “I’ll just have to find a way to transfer my power to someone else. I’m definitely strong enough now.”

Sunset sighed again. “Fine.”

“So we’re doing this then?” The demon asked.

Sunset nodded. “Yes. Let’s embrace oblivion together.”

The demon offered her hand, which Sunset took.

Opening her eyes, Sunset placed her hand over her eye. Once Horizon realized what she was about to do, she protested. “Sunset, don’t!”

Sunset ignored her daughter and continued.

“Your power is mine… My body is yours… Together…” She paused but finished only a second later. “We are one!”

The moment she removed her hand, the darkness began to cover her entire body. Her other hand turned into a claw, and the claws on both hands grew their talons. Sunset’s clothes had vanished and her entire body was now covered in black skin that emitted dark smoke. Her hair had transformed into fire and blue veins began to glow across her entire body while tendrils started to protrude from her back.

Once the transformation was complete, she stood tall and looked at her right claw with a devilish smirk, her teeth all replaced with sharp fangs. “This power…” She spoke with a distorted voice. “Finally… I get to feel it…”

Serenade grinned and clapped. “So, you’re finally going to try for real now? Maybe now you’ll be a challenge?”

Sunset grinned as she stepped toward Serenade. “You really have no idea how dead you are…”

Serenade laughed. “Let’s see what you have.”

Sunset kept walking, not raising a hand to even strike Serenade. The siren blinked and conjured her whip. She slashed it at Sunset, and it made direct contact with her skin, but to Serenade’s shock, nothing happened, the girl didn’t even flinch.

Grunting, Serenade whipped her eight more times, and each time the weapon just bounced off of Sunset’s body, until the last time when she grabbed the whip in her left claw. The burning fire of the weapon didn’t even seem to affect her. With a quick yank, she tore the weapon from Serenade’s hand and threw it on the ground.

Stomping on the hilt, Sunset shattered it to pieces as she wagged her finger. “We don’t need toys.”

Serenade growled and swung at Sunset hitting her directly in the chest, but the girl didn’t even flinch. Serenade began to deliver blow after blow, and Sunset didn’t even try to dodge them, she just stood there tanking hits without a care.

Returning the favor, Sunset punched Serenade in the gut, causing her to gasp for air as it made her feet slide across the ground. The siren gripped her stomach and looked up to see that Sunset’s single punch had pushed her back at least 30 feet. “So you’re a little stronger…” Serenade spit out a drop of black blood.

Sunset tilted her head and gave a cocky smile. “Are you going to start trying now?”

Serenade grunted but quickly started unleashing dark energy balls from both her hands in rapid succession. Sunset just kept swatting each one away as she slowly walked toward Serenade. Once she was within arm’s reach, she gripped Serenade’s dress and held the petite girl up, and punched her directly in the stomach again.

This blow knocked the wind out of Serenade as Sunset tossed her aside and kicked her while she lay on the ground, sending her rolling. Once Serenade had recovered, she forced herself to stand and wiped away a trail of blood from her lip. She blinked as she assessed the situation. Something’s wrong. She’s not supposed to be this strong, what’s happening? I would have sensed her demonic power earlier if she was this strong. What’s going on? Serenade thought to herself.

“So you’ve got some strong punches, big deal…” Serenade dismissed.

“How about another trick then?” Sunset grinned.

Serenade blinked in confusion, but after the blink, Sunset was standing directly in front of her. Without hesitation, Sunset delivered a series of punches to the Siren which sent her flying back once more. As she soared through the air, she realized what had just happened. She’s faster than me… I couldn’t even see her move…

Sunset grinned as she cracked her knuckles. “That offer of a quick death is still on the table, you know? Just let me snap your neck and we’ll call it a day, how about it?”

Serenade growled as she began to think of a plan. The Oubliette. It’s the only chance. Even a demon as strong as her couldn’t survive an attack like that. It is the power of a demon lord, after all. Even with her power, she could never master something like that.

Sunset yawned and gestured for the girl to answer. “Come on, I don’t have all day.”

Serenade began to focus her energy. The attack would leave most of her power drained, but it would be enough to vaporize Sunset.

Sunset crossed her arms waiting for Serenade to answer.

The siren grinned deviously. “You’re overconfident… And soon you’ll be dead. There’s no way you can stop this attack. If you dodge it, it’ll crack your planet in half, and if you try and block it… You’re dead.”

Sunset tilted her head but didn’t seem too threatened. “Get on with it then…”

Serenade laughed and jumped into the air, giving herself a good ten feet as she could feel the attack almost ready. “With pleasure… NOW DIE!” She screamed as she held her hands in front of herself unleashing all of her power. Every bit of magic and demonic energy she could spare pushed out of her hands creating a massive black beam of energy that raced toward Sunset.

Sunset grinned as she saw the beam come toward her. She raised her left claw and swatted the beam, sending it back at Serenade.

“What!?” Serenade blinked as she saw the attack returned to her.

Taking a direct hit from it, she felt her bones snap and blood pour out of her body. Capitalizing on the hit, Sunset moved quicker than Serenade could see and punched the girl so hard it sent her down to the earth below her, smashing her body into the rock, creating a crater upon impact.

Sunset landed gracefully next to the crater and smirked as she walked over to see the result of her attack. Serenade reached a hand up from the crater, but with a quick swipe, Sunset sliced her fingers off. Black blood oozed and spurted from the stumps as the hand fell back into the crater.

Serenade lay there as Sunset looked down at her. Her good eye had been popped, leaving only a bloody mess where it once was. All that was left was the changeling eye. Her body was battered and Sunset could tell she was in no condition to fight anymore.

“I have to say… I’m surprised you’re still alive…” Sunset stated.

Serenade’s voice was shaky and strained. “I don’t understand… How… How did I lose to you? How is it even possible?”

Sunset crossed her arms as she looked down at the girl. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

Serenade shook her head ever-so-gently. “No… Please explain it to me…”

Uncrossing her arms, Sunset placed a claw where her own heart was. “You spent centuries pushing your body and mind to their limit. You grew them as much as you could, but your heart never grew. You only used your powers selfishly, so your heart never grew. Sunset used her powers to protect others, she gave herself selflessly to protect…”

Serenade listened quietly.

“Because of that… When I took over her body, the power from her heart was enough to make me this strong. You were never able to achieve this level of ability…” Sunset explained.

Serenade laughed gently between coughs. “All this time… I spent getting stronger… But I never stood a chance. I had lost before I had even begun… It’s almost like a cruel joke really… My heart was never strong enough. I was always going to lose to you…”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah. It was already decided before it even began.”

“What an unfortunate outcome…” Serenade sighed.

“Yeah, it is. We do want to know one thing though…” Sunset crossed her arms again.

“What is it?” Serenade coughed up blood.

“Why did you do it? What did you hope to gain by killing all mortals? Making yourself a demon? What was your motivation?” Sunset asked.

Serenade chuckled. “I guess you aren’t going to buy the whole schtick about how much I hate how my kind was treated by them anymore, are you?”

“Tell me the truth…” Sunset spoke.

Serenade sighed. “I just… I wanted to feel normal, that’s all. I figured if everyone was like me… I’d feel normal. Since the moment I was born, I was treated like an outsider, an outcast, a monster… I just wanted to be seen as more than that… Maybe even respected… That’s all…”

Sunset nodded in understanding. “Sunset knows those feelings as well. I can sense her emotions, those feelings you have, she has had them too.”

“That’s ironic…” Serenade laughed. “So… You’re going to kill me now, right?”

Sunset shook her head. “No. You’re already as good as dead in that state. You won’t survive much longer, the damage is too much for your body to heal from. Just wait a little while… I have no need to waste my time finishing you off…”

Serenade sighed and nodded. “You’re so cruel…”

Sunset laughed before stepping away from the crater and cracking her knuckles. “Now that that is done…”

She turned to the teens watching her from atop the hill. Jasper gulped as he saw the look on her face. “I think it’s safe to say that Sunset has lost control… This isn’t good.”

“So she killed Serenade only to replace her with something worse…?” Bolt questioned.

“Looks that way…” Jasper nodded as sweat ran down his neck.

Down near the battlefield, Horizon stood up and took a fighting stance. Eclipse blinked in amazement. “Horizon, you can’t possibly think you can beat her!”

Horizon shook her head. “I can still do a dark pull on her…”

“Horizon if you do that, you are guaranteed to die…” Eclipse reminded.

“If I don’t do it, she’ll kill everyone…” Horizon replied.

He sighed and nodded. “Fine… Do what you have to do…”

Horizon stared down the creature that was formerly her mother. The two locked eyes before they both lunged in to attack.

Angel found herself on the ground in a blank white abyss. She opened her eyes and forced herself to stand, her body felt lighter than air. She could tell she wasn’t awake, instead, she was in some kind of dream state that she had come to recognize. There standing in front of her was the friendly face of Shimmer who wasn’t wearing her signature smile, instead, her face had a more serious expression.

Adjusting herself, Angel nodded at Shimmer who nodded back. Shimmer spoke up as soon as Angel was standing. “We’re running out of time, Angel…”

“I know…” Angel nodded. “I can feel your presence fading… The magic that keeps you here is running out…”

Shimmer nodded back in agreement. “Correct. I’ll be gone soon, but before I go, there’s one last thing I must do… I can’t withhold this any longer, but I would prefer to be here when you see it…”

“See what?” Angel blinked and tilted her head in confusion.

Shimmer sighed and waved her hand, causing two women to appear before them, both faces that Angel had recognized. One was the masked villain, Ghost, and the other was Adagio Dazzle, whom she recognized from the Adagio Shades that they had encountered on their journey. She was confused as Shimmer stepped forward.

“The time has come for you to learn the truth, Angel…” Shimmer spoke.

For some reason, Angel felt unsettled, she felt her blood run cold. “W-what do you mean?”

Shimmer sighed and glanced at the two women who had appeared. “A long time ago, Princess Twilight did something she wasn’t supposed to do…”

“What do you mean?” Angel blinked.

A memory of Princess Twilight appeared before the two, the young unicorn paced in a room with her old friend, Spike.

“Twilight, you are certain about this?” Spike asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, I think this is the right call…”

Spike sighed and shook his head. “You know this is treason right? If you do this, you’re going against the ruling of the royal family, you’d be freeing a murderer, an international criminal…”

“I now see what we failed to understand before…” Twilight explained.

“Maybe you should explain that to the royal family? To the others?” Spike suggested.

Twilight shook her head. “After that display, they all want a corpse. Sunset alone is too distraught to listen to reason…”

“So what will you do?” Spike questioned.

Twilight glanced over at her oldest friend. “Give her a chance…”

The memory vanished as Shimmer stepped forward. “She defied the results of the trial when she learned Adagio’s story. She cast a spell on her in plain sight, using a kiss to transfer the effects to Adagio’s body…”

Another memory appeared before Angel, this time Twilight entered the morgue of the castle, a place where the deceased were taken to their final resting place. She had signed herself up for the disposal of Adagio’s body personally, an act that was viewed with raised brows and questionable expressions, but no one dared defy the Princess’ request. She insisted it was to ensure the body was disposed of properly.

When the slovenly princess arrived, she had dismissed the other workers, insisting she would cover for the remainder of the night. Pulling the siren’s body out, she removed the blanket over it and sighed before planting her lips upon the siren’s. A gentle magical twinkle was seen and the siren’s eyes opened, confused as she glanced around.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Twilight Sparkle. The Princess smiled at her and covered her mouth before Adagio could speak. “There’s no time. We have to leave here, I’ve arranged everything.”

“I don’t understand… How am I still alive?” Adagio blinked.

“I used a spell to protect you from death, it would put you into a death-like state until I awoke you…” Twilight explained.

“Why though?” Adagio questioned.

Twilight smiled. “There’s no time, come.”

The memory vanished as Shimmer explained more. “She took her to the human world, she set her up far away from where she had been and established a new life for her, a new identity…”

Another memory appeared, this time it was the two in the human world, Twilight returning with a set of keys that she placed in Adagio’s hand. The siren looked down and then back up at Twilight in confusion. “I don’t get it…”

“Tomorrow you’ll have a roommate come interview for the room, I think that will be a good start…” Twilight explained.

“Why are you doing all of this, Princess? Wasn’t it you that sentenced me to death?” Adagio asked.

Twilight thought for a moment before answering. “Well… I guess it’s because I want to prove something…”

“Prove what?” Adagio tilted her head.

“You weren’t born this way, Adagio. All the things you’ve done… They were because of the circumstances you were put into… I wanted to prove to everyone that if you had been given a real chance, you’d turn out different… I just wanted to give you that chance…” Twilight explained.

Adagio looked at the keys in her hand before looking back up at Twilight. “What do I do now?”

Twilight smiled as she placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Go to sleep. When you wake up… You won’t remember any of this… You’ll begin your life anew. I’ve already arranged it. The spell on you will erase all of your memories and you’ll wake up a new person tomorrow…”

Adagio blinked and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say…”

“You needn’t say anything… Goodbye Adagio… And good luck, I know you’ll prove me right…” Twilight smiled.

The memory once again vanished as Shimmer appeared. “When she went to sleep that night, she forgot who she was… Her memories were erased, but Twilight had not counted on one thing… Me.”

“When Adagio’s memories were erased, I was a part of her. In my last moments, I used my magic to transfer my consciousness into her. We were lovers at one point, so I was able to use our deep connection to push myself into her… I’m not sure if I am a copy or the original, but she was close by when it happened…” Shimmer explained.

Angel wasn’t sure what was going on. “What does any of this have to do with me?”

Shimmer sighed. “The person who killed me, the reason I am here… Her name…”

Shimmer transformed into Ghost. “Her name is Ghost.”

Ghost’s body shifted and turned into Adagio. “Her name is Adagio Dazzle.”

Finally, Adagio transformed into an exact copy of Angel. “Her name is Angel Song.”

Angel’s eyes widened as the apparition before her split into three, Adagio, Ghost, and herself. All of them speaking in unison. “They are one in the same.”

Angel stepped backward shaking her head in denial. “No… It’s not… It’s not possible…”

The three of them transformed into a single Adagio who stepped forward with a powerful gaze staring at Angel. “Angel… You and I are the same person, I know it’s difficult for you to believe, but it’s the truth…”

“No! I’m not you!” Angel cried in defiance.

Adagio shook her head. “Angel… Do you remember a single birthday you ever had?”

Angel tried to recall, but she quickly realized Adagio was right.

“And you don’t ever recall your parents coming to visit or even calling you?” Adagio pointed out.

“That’s because…” Angel tried to think of a valid explanation, but none came to mind.

“They don’t exist. Those were merely memories that Twilight had given to you to keep the facade going… She never counted on Shimmer locking our memories away, but with her power fading, we will have to become one again…” Adagio explained.

“No! I don’t want that! I don’t want to be you!” Angel felt tears run down her face.

Adagio smiled at her. “I didn’t want to be me either, but this is the truth. We can’t run from it any longer… You won’t disappear, we’ll be whole. Everything you’ve learned, all of your experiences… They won’t go away, they’ll just become a part of us…”

Angel whimpered as she looked at an extended hand offered by Adagio. “I… I can’t believe this… I just wanted to find answers…”

Adagio grinned wider. “And we can find them together…”

Angel nodded and took the woman’s hand, feeling memories rush back to her the moment the two became one.

Horizon clashed with Sunset and the demon pushed her back, Horizon flipped and landed on her feet as the two locked stares. The demon laughed defiantly against the young teen. “What’s wrong, little girl? Do you want to die that badly? Do you miss your mommy? Too bad! She’s mine now!”

The teen’s expression didn’t change as the demon threw a dark energy blast at her, but Horizon side-stepped and swiped it away with glowing claws of light before the two began to exchange blows.

Horizon was managing to stay in the fight, but she knew she couldn’t keep up with such a fierce creature for long, and the longer she waited, the less likely she was to pull Sunset back. Her spirit was burning up quickly, and it would only be a matter of minutes before there was no going back. It was now or never, she had to save her mother now.

Quickly, Horizon summoned a series of light spears and tossed eight of them at the demon. Without even thinking the demon began swatting them all away, but she fell right into Horizon’s trap.

The teenager had bolted forward quickly and pierced the demon’s body with a glowing light claw, her hand now turning into an ethereal state as she could feel herself grip on the demon’s very essence inside of Sunset. Horizon and the demon locked eyes as the demon quickly gripped Horizon’s arm with both of their arms.

“You little brat!” The demon hissed.

“Now it’s time to end you…” Horizon said before she began to pull. The demon tried to hold her back though and the two began the final struggle.

Inside of Sunset, the redhead could hear the voice of the demon within her call out to her. “Sunset! Stop her!”

Opening her eyes, Sunset could see the demon in her begin to be pulled apart, she reached for Sunset’s hand. “Sunset! Have you forgotten? I saved your life!”

Sunset stood there staring as the creature pleaded for her help. She stepped forward and with a blank expression Sunset began to voice her thoughts. “Saved my life? What a laugh… All you’ve ever done is take from me… You’re nothing more than a parasite, and now you’ll finally be gone…”

“You ungrateful welp! I made you into what you are! I helped you destroy Serenade!” It screamed.

“And now you are no longer needed…” Sunset replied.

Horizon pulled as hard as she could, and before she knew it, the dark shadow within her mother exited Sunset’s body and was clutched in her hand. Horizon knew it would only be seconds before it went back into Sunset if she didn’t absorb it, so she pushed it directly into her chest where her heart was and the entire dark form vanished into her.

Eight long seconds passed as Sunset returned to normal, and collapsed in front of the teen. Horizon exhaled and then felt a sharp pain in her chest. She gasped for air as she clenched her chest and tried to breathe. The girl fell to her knees, unable to take in air as she felt vomit build up in her throat. She spat out black slime before falling onto the ground convulsing.

Seeing it all unfold before him, Eclipse quickly ran to Horizon and dragged her away from the fight scene. Her friends began racing toward the two as Eclipse turned her on her side, holding her head down so she didn’t injure herself. “Fuck… Come on, Horizon… Fight…” He spoke to her.

Horizon coughed up more black slime and the veins within her eyes began to turn black as she felt the darkness in her body try and take over her. Her entire body was shutting down trying to fight it, but she could hear Eclipse’s voice joined by her friends.

“Horizon, stay with us!” Jasper instructed.

“Just hang on!” Bolt added.

She could feel their hands on her as she struggled to stay awake, the pain overwhelming her.

Sunset opened her eyes and panted lightly as she looked down at her hand, all of the demonic energy surrounding her was gone. She was confused, but then saw her daughter, laying there struggling. She couldn’t believe it, Horizon had sacrificed herself to save her.

Forcing herself up with her hands, Sunset coughed and panted.

Across from them all, Angel had finally come to, her eyes were wide as she remembered everything. She spoke to herself as she let it sink in. “I’m… I’m Adagio… It’s true…”

She glanced over in front of her and saw Sunset’s gun from earlier had landed only about eight inches from herself. She reached for it and grabbed it, the moment she touched it, she could hear Shimmer’s voice. “It’s time to choose, Adagio…”

Looking up, she could see Serenade had managed to force herself up, and the portal was getting ready to open with energy starting to swirl around it. If Serenade made it through that portal, she could have a chance at recovering, a chance at returning with the power needed to destroy the human race.

Sunset came to a stand about to attack Serenade but then noticed Adagio holding the gun.

“Oh shit…” Sunset nearly whispered, but Eclipse heard her and looked over at her.

“What is it?” Eclipse asked.

Sunset nodded her head toward Adagio. “I think… In the end… It was never my choice… It was her’s…”

“What?” Eclipse blinked and looked to see what she was talking about and sure enough the gun in Adagio’s hands was pointed between the two of them.

“This whole time… I thought I was going to be the one to choose, but it turns out, it was her choice all along, how this turns out… Is entirely on her…” Sunset said.

Key watched closely from afar as Lock clung to his side, her pygmy height making her seem worlds younger than him, but in actuality, the two were near the same physical age, she was just more youthful.

Speaking as he held the girl close, caressing her black hair, he added his commentary. “So, it’s all come down to this then… What will she choose? That will determine what happens next.”

“If we put everything in place the way we were supposed to, then we already know the outcome, right?” Lock asked.

Key nodded. “Yeah, but people can be surprising sometimes…”

Sunset froze, waiting for Adagio to make her choice. The siren thought for a brief moment that felt like an eternity before pulling the trigger. A loud flash came from the weapon, and Sunset winced, trying to shield herself with her arms, but to her surprise, she wasn’t the one hit.

Instead, Serenade was struck in the shoulder, causing the girl to scream in pain. In shock, Sunset glanced around, watching as smoke came from the end of the weapon in Serenade’s hand.

She looked over at Serenade in confusion before the girl called out to Sunset. “Sunset, the mirror, now! You have to destroy it now!”

Nodding, Sunset quickly tried to summon her bow, only to realize every item she had placed within her abyssal pocket had simply fallen to the ground around her when she lost her demonic power. Scrambling, she retrieved her bow and a single arrow.

Pulling back the string, she channeled her magic through the arrow as she took aim at the mirror. With the destruction of this mirror, there was no going back, there was no way to return to Equestria, and the link to magic within humans would be broken. She inhaled and exhaled as she released the arrow.

The arrow sailed through the sky as Serenade watched with her remaining eye widened. “No…” She whispered.

As the portal began to open, the arrow struck it just before it formed and shattered it, leaving nothing but shards as it did.

As the mirror shattered, Adagio could hear the voice of Shimmer dissipate as it spoke her final words to Adagio, “Thank you.”

Sunset lowered her bow and then placed it around her back as she went to check on Horizon who was now coming around. The girl was starting to breathe normally and appeared to be in much better shape. Sunset smiled at her daughter and gave an approving nod. “I guess we underestimated you.”

Horizon just gave a weak thumbs-up as the entire group laughed. Their laughter ended quickly though, as they turned to Serenade who was on her knees, gripping her wounded shoulder.

Adagio approached the petite girl with her gun at her side until the two were only a foot apart. Adagio looked at what was left of her sister and said nothing.

“Why, Adagio? Why would you betray me? You of all creatures…” Serenade asked.

Adagio shook her head. “You didn’t give me a choice… It was all I could do to stop you from what you’ve become. I’ve had a lot of time to think about things, Serenade, and I think I understand now… We went through life hating mortals for what they had done to us, that we were blinded to the fact that we both just became the very thing we hate…”

“So that’s it then?” Serenade growled.

“Serenade… You are too far gone, the darkness has claimed you long ago…” Adagio pointed out.

Serenade blinked and then turned her head to Horizon. “You, I have seen your powers before… You can remove this darkness within me! I know you can! Magic may be severed for mortals, but you are half Equestrian! You should be able to…”

Eclipse shook his head. “Even if Horizon was in a state to do that, it won’t work.”

Horizon chimed in with a strained voice. “Unlike Sunset, you accepted darkness into your heart fully from the start… Meaning if I pulled it out, your heart would stop beating and you’d die instantly… Your only fate is to die or become a demonic husk eventually.”

Serenade blinked before she looked back at her sister who had a somber look on her face. “Adagio… You were supposed to be there to protect me… You promised!”

Adagio nodded. “It was my fault. I wasn’t there, I wasn’t there to stop you from going down this path, but now I have a chance to save you.”

The older of the two sirens pointed the gun at Serenade’s head. Serenade for the first time in her life, felt tears run down her face. “Why…? Why did it have to be like this?”

Adagio frowned. “I’m sorry, little sister… I really am…”

Serenade just sat there sobbing as Adagio pulled the trigger. A loud crack echoed through the air as the bullet pierced the girl’s skull, exiting the other side. Black blood sprayed out of the wound. Serenade’s body collapsed but dissolved into black dust before it even touched the dirt.

Adagio lowered the gun and sighed. “Forgive me, sister…”

Sunset approached carefully, paying mind to the gun still in Adagio’s hand. The siren looked over at Sunset and turned to face her, not raising her weapon. The two came into a good foot or so of each other and stood staring at each other.

Adagio was the one to break the silence.

“I’m sure you want me dead, right? After all, I should have died back then.”

Sunset ignored her question. “How are you still here?”

“Princess Twilight used a spell to make it appear as though I died back then, but she erased my memory and brought me here… I think she wanted to prove something…” Adagio explained.

Sunset felt more disgust toward the princess.

Adagio looked at the gun in her hand and raised it, but to Sunset’s surprise, she offered it to Sunset. “Here. I know that I don’t deserve to be here right now, not after what I did.”

Taking the gun in her hand, Sunset stared at it. The two were silent as Sunset removed the clip and tossed it aside. She then dropped the gun on the ground. Adagio’s brow raised in confusion.

“I should kill you… That’s what I should do… But for whatever reason, Shimmer wanted you alive… I intend to honor her wishes…” Sunset smiled at the girl and offered her hand. “Go live your life, Adagio.”

Adagio looked at her hand before taking it. “Thank you, Sunset… I’m really sorry… For everything… I wish I could take it back…”

“Don’t be sorry. Just prove that her sacrifice wasn’t for nothing…” Sunset stated.

The two released each other’s hand and nodded. Adagio smiled at the redhead, who smiled back at her. Somehow, they both felt at peace.

It was over. It was finally over.

Author's Note

WOW.

It's crazy that I wrote this so long ago, now to finally have it come out. I wrote it months in advance for the record.

Yeah, that is the finale! Serenade meets her end. Kind of sad in a way, but at least now we get to see her motivation a little bit. It was really fun writing her, but her time had to come to an end naturally.

Stay tuned, tomorrow is the true ending: the epilogue.

You may start leaving any questions you have now though, I'll answer them as best I can!

Epilogue

When Two Become One

The merging of memories was a painful and difficult endeavor. Adagio Dazzle and Angel Song, were two women of completely different caliber, of different upbringings, and different personalities. Yet now they stood as the same person, no longer separated by the barrier placed between them by Princess Twilight’s spell or Shimmer’s protection. Now Shimmer was gone, and all that remained was one woman, not quite human, not quite siren.

When the two had decided that it was time for the past to die, they had chosen for Adagio Dazzle to disappear, and Angel Song to take her place. While her memories as Adagio would never truly go away, nor the guilt of all she had done, she would find time and patience to work on being Angel all the time from then on. No more magic, no more powers, the portal back to Equestria was closed, and that at least made it slightly easier for her to be who she wanted to be.

Though she wanted to move one from the past, Angel couldn’t just erase it, and a part of her didn’t want to.

The feelings of resentment toward herself were difficult to overcome in the initial weeks, but after some time, she had convinced herself that the only way was forward. Shimmer had lost her life because of Angel’s past self, and despite that, she dedicated nearly two decades to protecting her from within her body. Shimmer was truly a selfless girl, who didn’t even hold a grudge against her after all she had done.

Angel didn’t know if sirens were ever supposed to feel love, or love others, but she did know that she didn’t care anymore. She had loved Shimmer, she had longed for her, and that love at first drove her to do terrible things, but in the end, it was that love that convinced her to continue living, to put the past behind her, and aspire to be more like the girl she had loved.

Sitting firmly in a chair with her eyes closed, the woman breathed in and out slowly and carefully. The pain of a needle pricking her skin over and over didn’t seem to bother her as much as she had thought it would. Perhaps before she had gained her memories back it may have bothered her more, but after all, she recalled enduring, this pain felt like nothing in comparison.

“You’re a pretty easy customer, you know that?” The tattoo artist spoke as he started to apply the finishing touches.

Angel smiled, not even opening her eyes. “I wasn’t always like this, it took a lot of painful things to get me this way.”

He laughed and nodded. “We all have painful things that we’d rather leave in the past, I guess, but sometimes it’s better to remember than it is to forget, isn’t it? If we remember when we were weak, we can focus more on being strong. It makes us feel more human in a way.”

Human. That’s what she was now, wasn’t it? Sure she had Equestrian blood, but Angel Song was a human. She was seen as human, treated as human, and lived as a human. In the past, such a connotation may have been seen as negative to her, but now she almost welcomed it. It almost had a nice ring to it. She finally felt accepted, and even loved, dare she say it.

“Right now, being human is all I aspire to do,” she responded.

He nodded in agreement. “It’s all any of us can do, sister. We gotta live each day to the fullest, right?”

Her wrist vibrated gently, signaling a call coming in. Before her eye a projection of Starlight’s name appeared along with her usual profile picture. Angel raised her free arm and made the usual hand gesture to make the projection of a single-ear headset appear. The light glowed and formed into the shape of a glowing headset that Angel utilized to answer the phone.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Starlight responded.

“So, are you almost done at the tattoo place?” Starlight asked.

Angel chuckled. “Yeah, I’m almost done. He’s putting on the finishing touches now.”

“Cool, we’re outside waiting for you. We just got back from the mall, so we’ll see you soon, okay?” Starlight replied.

“Yeah, see you soon,” Angel replied.

“Love you, girl.” Starlight made a kissing noise over the phone.

Angel blinked and paused for a moment before replying. “You too, Starlight.”

Once she hung up, she looked over at the artist who was cleaning up and wiping the bodily fluids clear from her shoulder. Angel looked at the tattoo briefly before nodding at the artist.

After a few minutes, she had it wrapped to be protected while it healed and offered her money to the artist. Just outside the shop, there stood her best friend in the whole world and her fiancé, Sunburst. He smiled when he saw Angel and nodded at her with his arm around Starlight.

It had never occurred to her how happy it made her to see her friend with Sunburst. She always took it for granted, always thought of it as Starlight had “finally” managed to get a boyfriend again, but it was more than that. Sunburst made her truly happy, she was past her sexual urges and had grown to love him more than anything in the world.

Angel could relate, at one time she had known those feelings. After being told for so long that they were wrong, that they were forbidden, to give in to that desire felt so rewarding. She imagined Starlight felt the same.

Approaching, she smiled and nodded at the two, Starlight coming in to pull her into a tight hug, careful to not touch her freshly inked shoulder. “So, what’d you get!? We’re dying to know!”

Angel chuckled and turned to her side to show them the cling-wrapped marking on her right shoulder. The two blinked as they observed it.

Three small symbols were etched into her skin, one bearing a familiar emblem that Starlight always wore, one that Sunburst had always worn, and the last the two didn’t recognize, but appeared to be some kind of setting sun. They blinked and looked up at Angel with confusion.

“This represents three people to me that were life changers. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am now. I owe everything to all three of them, and they may be the only people I’ve ever loved, but all three of them taught me what it was like to be loved…” Angel explained.

“Sunburst… Me… And… Who else?” Starlight tilted her head.

“Shimmer…” Angel responded quietly.

There was a long pause among the group. Starlight and Sunburst had come to understand Shimmer’s death to be the fault of Angel when she was still Adagio. While they had all moved past it, they never imagined she would want a permanent reminder of the bitter and angry person she was another lifetime ago.

“Didn’t you…” Starlight began but stopped herself, not wanting to pick at an old wound.

Angel nodded her expression serious, but confident. “Yes, I did. I will pay for that for the rest of my life, but I am still thankful to her. I don’t really know if the siren’s curse is real or not, or if I can ever really forgive myself for what I did, but I do know that Shimmer showed me how important it is to feel loved… I did some bad things, but that doesn’t mean I have to remember my time with Shimmer as purely negative. I loved her, and I still do… Just like I love you two…”

Starlight nodded and pulled her back in, Sunburst joining in for a group hug. “We love you too, Angel. Whatever you’ve done… We can move past it, we’re privileged just to be a part of your life.”

Nothing in life was ever a certainty. There was no telling what tomorrow would bring or if one could ever truly get away from their past, but one thing was certain to the girl formerly known as Adagio Dazzle: for the first time in her life, she understood what family felt like, and because of that, her healing could truly begin. She smiled as her new family hugged her, and under her breath, she thanked Princess Twilight, the mare who had given her a second chance, the mare who showed her she could be better if she was given the chance. Second chances truly were a blessing and not one that she would squander.

Feelings Pursued

Bolt flipped his skateboard from under his feet and landed back upon it with relative ease. The teen had gotten much better at his hobby over the past three months thanks to the new time that he was afforded. Though he missed having magic abilities to enhance his skill, a part of him was glad he could go back to normal. It felt much more accomplished to achieve greatness without magic.

His mother had praised him for doing so well, and when everything was said and done with Serenade, he promised himself he would try harder in school for Fluttershy’s sake. He couldn’t bear any longer to try and keep his poor school performance from her, nor could he stand the thought of seeing her disappointed in him. So over the past few months, he had gone from a C- student up to a respectable B+ (with the exception of math which he only got up to a B-) one. His mom had given him the “way to go”, pep talk and they had celebrated a few times.

Things at home had eased up and his brother spent a lot of time sewing nowadays after Bolt told him he should do what he loved and not give a damn what others thought. His brother had become quite a natural too and gained some recognition from a few schools who were interested in his ability.

The stress of his mom ever being deployed again was finally behind them, as Rainbow Dash had been approved for early retirement now. After so many tours of duty, involvements in special missions, and being a part of the Returned Warriors, program, the military had decided to grant her early retirement. It finally put his mother at ease. They had told their two sons that they would stay in Canterlot for the foreseeable future and Fluttershy would become the breadwinner from her work at the veterinarian clinic where she was offered a job as the actual vet and no longer the assistant, something she had been dreaming of for years, but never saw happening due to them always moving.

Cloud had taken the news of his mom’s retirement quite well, as to him it was a sign that the old mule that was Rainbow Dash had finally learned her limit and learned to accept that she shouldn’t keep pushing herself beyond it. It only took losing her arm to finally get that lesson to sink in, it seemed. Whether or not she’d ever get that arm wrestling match with her old rival Applejack remained to be seen.

After her paperwork was filed, Rainbow actually started going to therapy seriously, and in earnest. She wanted to focus her time on being a housewife now, taking care of Fluttershy when she got home and being a mom to her two sons more. There would be a period of role reversal at their home, but Bolt was ready for it. It would be cool to have his mom around more often.

Doing another kickflip in front of the school, he grabbed his slacked beanie to ensure it didn’t fly off. When he landed, his black lopsided T-shirt hung down to his left side, his chest partially exposed from the large neck hole.

The glowing yellow bands wrapped around the sleeves seemed to shine in the dusk light. It was getting late, but he wasn’t ready to go home yet. Three months had passed, yet he was still processing a lot of what they had all learned on their adventure. Serenade was dead, but he had a hard time admitting that all the things he saw did get to him sometimes. They had been forced to kill people, and that much stuck with him. Even if those people were Serenade’s subordinates who threatened the lives of others, it didn’t mean that Bolt enjoyed the thought of ending the lives of others.

His thoughts were broken when a familiar squeaky voice crossed his ears. He turned and blinked as lime-green hair filled his vision. As per usual, Keylime’s outfit consisted of a mishmash of random oddities that for anyone else wouldn’t go together but somehow worked with her. A slanted half-skirt along with form-fitting shredded-up dark purple capri pants (one leg slightly shorter than the other of course), miss-matching socks along with red and white Converse shoes, and of course an asymmetrical crop top that showed off her midriff (along with a new belly button piercing she had obtained recently).

He eyed her up and down and nodded approvingly but instead of his usual perverse commentary, he went straight for practical discussion. “What’s up?”

Keylime looked upward with legitimate wonder. He should have expected such, but she looked back at him and shrugged. “Clouds, I guess. Say, did I ever tell you the time when I tried to turn clouds into cotton candy as a kid? See it all started when...”

He reached forward and covered her mouth and chuckled. “Maybe some other time, why are you here, Keylime?”

Once he released her, she placed a finger on her chin and tapped while looking up. Once she thought it over, she grinned happily. “Well, when a man and a woman love each other, or not inherently love each other but he just wants to get his rocks off, and she-“

“I didn’t mean why are you here on this planet, lord knows there is no answer to that, I meant what are you doing here with me right now?” Bolt rolled his eyes.

She blinked and nodded in understanding. “I came to check up on you, that’s all.”

“Check up on me?” He tilted his head.

She nodded again. “Indeed, you always come by every Thursday at 8:00 AM and get a few donuts from our bakery, but you haven’t been by at all lately. I was worried that there was something wrong with the batter, but after eighty-eight tests, we’re pretty certain that the batter is indeed perfection. Your taste buds must be not working correctly, so you really should see a doctor about that.”

“I promise there’s nothing wrong with your donuts or my taste buds...” Bolt shook his head and sighed.

“Well, that just makes your actions completely insane. We’re serving confectionary perfection and you’re not eating it, and it’s not because your taste buds are completely fried? Nothing about this makes sense...” Keylime shook her head.

Never in his life had Bolt met someone who took sweets so seriously as the Pie family. He couldn’t cook worth a shit, let alone bake, but Keylime had a natural talent for it, just like her mother. He was somewhat envious of how easy things seemed to come to her. Keylime pulled better grades than he had without much discernible effort, she did alright at PE and she was loved by all the teachers. She even spoke Japanese and American sign language! She was a multi-talented girl.

“Nothing surrounding you makes sense...” Bolt pointed out.

“That’s not true, air is around me, and air makes perfect logical sense,” Keylime corrected as she wagged her finger, the many colorful bands on her wrist shaking as she did.

“Never mind... You were worried about me, weren’t you?” Bolt cut right to the point.

Keylime nodded. “Mostly because of the donuts thing, but now that you’ve cleared that up, my worry toward you for other stuff is coming out. What’s going on with you?”

He sighed and stood his board up on its end, the top of it clutched in his fingers as he spoke to her. “I’ve just been thinking about the past...”

“Dinosaurs? Yeah, they cause me concern when I think about them...” Keylime nodded.

“I meant our past...” He rolled his eyes.

“You had dinosaurs in your past? That must have been super neat. Did you ever have to ride one? I can’t ever find one to ask...” She frowned.

He was having a difficult time discerning if the girl was serious or not, but shrugged and realized she probably was and ignored her inquiry regardless.

“I just... Lightning Dust, you know?”

“What about her?” Keylime asked.

“I just was thinking about how she fell into Serenade’s clutches and she’s dead now because of me. I killed her, and that’s something I can’t escape...” He frowned.

Keylime shook her head. “Maybe so, but you saved my life too. That more than makes up for it.”

He rubbed his neck awkwardly. “Yeah... I remember...” His mind had wandered to that moment when she had kissed him. It was still something they had not talked about since that day, but it definitely came to the forefront of his mind more often than it probably should have.

Sensing his embarrassment, Keylime leaned in. “You must be thinking about that kiss, huh?”

“Well, I was going to be more tactful than that.” He rolled his eyes, still trying to avoid eye contact.

With a smile, she came closer and took his hands. She pulled them behind her and placed them on her waist as she looked up at him. His eyes were drawn to hers, along with the eyeful of cleavage that anyone would get by looking down at Keylime, but he remained silent.

This time, no words were said, and both of them leaned in, lips locking. It definitely felt way better than the first time.

From World to World

The reality for Eclipse was, that he had never really grown up. He had taken on adult responsibilities and adult roles, but he didn’t really know how not to be a kid. Here he was though, a young adult trying to figure out how to pay rent, how to manage a life, and everything more. Truthfully, he hated it.

Sunset had called him her brother and spoke of an obligation to take care of him, to make sure he was cared for. As a result, she had pulled some strings and made paperwork for him appear out of thin air, likely using a similar technique that Shimmer had for her; a technique that Eclipse suspected took a lot of money moving between hands. Money that she now had plenty of.

She had told him the importance of finding purpose, and as a result, he had gotten an apartment paid for by her, and a part-time job working for a non-profit organization that helped gay people like himself who were without a home, be it from parental disownment or other reasons. It was interesting work, and he got to share parts of his own story with others (leaving out specific details of course), and while he felt like he was making a difference to those youths, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat empty.

He had meant what he said before, in that he had kept himself alive solely to kill Serenade, nothing else. Now that the job was done, however, he felt listless. A longing to just end himself. While he had found his loathing of Sunset had come to pass, and himself coming to care for his niece, Horizon, Eclipse still didn’t feel much reason to keep going. His parents were dead, though not that they cared much about what he did anyway. He had avenged them, and there was little left for him to do.

Not a thing Eclipse did made him feel fulfilled, he had returned to that child he was so many years ago who just didn’t care about anything. Nothing mattered, nothing concerned him. His life was completely without joy.

Many nights he would lay awake wondering if anyone would even really notice for longer than a week if he was gone. Getting eight hours of sleep was difficult for that reason.

What had stopped him from actually doing it, he never understood. He wasn’t afraid of death, if anything death just seemed like “another thing” to him. It was someone waiting at the door ready to be let in, and all he had to do was answer the door and he could stop this pointless charade.

Today, after leaving work, he was feeling about as listless as always, his expression one of an uncaring man. For his age, he appeared young, though he was an adamant believer in preserving one’s appearance. He did so to feed his never-ending sexual needs, which he always preached that if you weren’t watching how you looked, no one else was either. Sex was his addiction, it was the only thing that seemed to distract him these days, and it was getting worse. Often after work, he would be texting various men to meet up with him to satisfy himself. On many occasions, he had met with as many as eight in a single night.

Everything felt empty to him, yet he didn’t want to admit that he was just faking interest in life to his sister or niece. In actuality, he was always contemplating how it’d be easier if he got it over with now so they could move on from him earlier rather than later when they get more attached.

Twilight had taken a liking to him as well and viewed him as somewhat of a lost soul at times, and always offering him encouraging words whenever she could. She was a sweet girl, maybe even too sweet for someone like Sunset, but it wasn’t his place to judge. His sister had a hero complex, but he had started to recognize that she couldn’t help it at times and was working to surpass it.

He walked toward his Nissan and sighed before placing his head upon the window, and just standing there silently. Sure enough, as if on cue, a crack of thunder was heard and water began to downpour over him and his half-opened button-up shirt. He groaned as his long silky hair went flat and draped over himself.

It felt like the universe hated him at that moment, but he didn’t care enough to do anything about it. Something was missing from his life, and nothing he did filled the hole. When chasing Serenade he could ignore it because he had a purpose at that time, something that he was setting out to do, but now he felt like his existence was meaningless. This human world wouldn’t even notice if he lived or died, save for his sister and her family.

“Fuck me...” He mumbled out loud.

A raspy voice came from behind him at his request. “Well, I was gonna be more elegant about it than that...”

Blinking, his eyes shot open. He recognized that voice anywhere, it was one he hadn’t heard in several years, but one he would never forget. Yet it was impossible, there was no way it could be him. The gateway between their worlds was closed forever, meaning that there was no way that who he thought was there could actually be standing behind him.

Turning slowly, Eclipse moved wet hair out of his face to get a better look, and there in a slant-cut tank top was a set of somewhat impressive muscles, along with a soft face. Black and white messy hair that was about medium length, and a pair of shining eyes that he knew anywhere. He was wearing a pair of belted black jeans with a half skirt draping to the left side. The jeans themselves were somewhat form-fitting, almost qualifying as skinny jeans. On his wrist, was a black chain bracelet, and on the other side was his phone which glowed white.

Interestingly, he was wearing earrings, something Eclipse had never really thought about on him back in Equestria; but they looked cute.

“What the fuck are you doing here? How did you even get here?” Eclipse raised a brow, still in disbelief.

He shrugged and adjusted the umbrella that he was carrying. “I told you, dude... That amulet... As long as you had it, I would find you again.”

Eclipse looked down to his neck and gripped the familiar crystal that dangled from it. It wasn’t possible, was it? That this tiny trinket had somehow led the griffon to him somehow?

“What do you mean?” Eclipse asked, looking back up at him.

“It was enchanted a long time ago. So long as you have access to magic, you can track it down. I had a unicorn back in Equestria use a spell to try and find you, but it didn’t work, being in another world made it too difficult to get a proper read... So I traveled further to find a more powerful one until eventually it led me to the human world...” He explained.

“How did you find me here?” He asked.

He shrugged. “I went off the little info I had obtained from Princess Twilight. She had told me that you admitted to her that Sunset Shimmer was your sister, so I spent a lot of time here trying to find anything I could about her to track her down, figuring you’d be close by, but since she apparently was living in hiding for a long time, it took some time to find you. I just talked to Sunset, and she told me what you guys did, tracking down Serenade and all?”

Eclipse remained still, releasing the gemstone in his hand. “What of it?”

The other male smiled back at him. “Pretty cool if you ask me. That’s hardcore.”

“Thanks, but I don’t need you validating my accomplishments. What do you want, Galeal?” Eclipse grumbled.

Galeal rubbed his neck with his free hand. “Let’s not make this too awkward...”

“Too late,” Eclipse retorted.

With a sigh, Galeal took a few steps forward and closed the distance between the two. He leaned forward to get the shorter male under his umbrella with him as he spoke. “Listen... I’ve wanted to apologize for the past for so long now... I imagined after all this time I’d know what to say, but like... I guess I still suck at this thing...”

“Suck at what? Saying something sincere, or being gay?” Eclipse responded with a hint of venom in his voice.

“Both, I guess...” Galeal frowned, looking away. “I wanted to start over, dude.”

“That’s going to be difficult considering you’re apparently not gay...” Eclipse rolled his eyes, mocking him.

“I told them the truth...” Galeal responded.

That, Eclipse had not expected.

“What?”

Galeal looked back at him and smirked. “I told them everything. That I was gay, and that I wanted to be with you. I came all this way to tell you that I finally came clean about what I am. I know the chances of you taking me back are low, but I didn’t want to go on until I tried... I want to be completely open this time, to have what we did before...”

Eclipse bit his lip. He could tell that Galeal was being sincere, as he wouldn’t have trapped himself in the human world otherwise, but his emotions had started to bubble up inside of him. For so many years he had held back emotion, but whenever Galeal came into his life, emotions seemed to creep forward on him.

“Galeal... You’re asking me to take you back, after all this time?” Eclipse clarified.

Galeal nodded. “Yeah, I liked what we had... Even if you are a massive faggot.” There was a playful tone to his voice.

Oh, how Eclipse missed their banter, but it wasn’t enough for him. Something was still missing.

Looking up at him, Eclipse stood incredulously. His gaze became serious. “Galeal... If you want me to take you seriously, I need you to stop being playful and actually say what you haven’t said all this time...”

Galeal’s face contorted to one of discomfort. “Come on, dude, you’re really going to make me say that kind of shit? I’m no good at that...”

“I need to hear it to know it’s true. You can’t go back on something if you say it out loud, and I know that about you. I need to hear the truth from your mouth, or you just wasted your time coming here...” Eclipse demanded.

Sighing, Galeal took a deep breath and reached a strong hand forward. He brushed back the wet white hair from Eclipse’s face and gave him a gentle smile as he looked down at him. Even after all these years, he was still so effeminate. As a human, he almost seemed cuter than he had been before as a unicorn. There was just something about this boy that made Galeal long for him.

“Eclipse, I have been pretty shitty to you... I know that...” Galeal began.

“Stating the obvious won’t get you anywhere...” Eclipse rolled his eyes.

“I wasn’t finished...” Galeal grunted.

Silence filled the air once more and Galeal caressed the male’s cheek before resting his hand upon it, looking down at him and touching his forehead to Eclipse’s. “I fucked up, and it’s taken a long time but I want to fix it...”

“Then say it, Galeal...” Eclipse spoke softer, his heart racing.

“I love you, Eclipse... I always have. I just didn’t want to admit it for some stupid reason. I squandered what we had, and I’m an idiot for that. I wish I could take it back, but I can’t. I’ll do anything though, we can live a normal life, I’ll move in, we’ll get married, all of that shit. I don’t care what people think anymore, and I mean it this time...” Galeal spoke.

There was silence. Painful silence.

Galeal gulped, feeling rejection set in. “Say something, man...”

“Galeal...” Eclipse nearly whispered.

“Yeah?”

“Do you mean all of that?” Eclipse asked.

He nodded. “I’ll prove it if you give me the chance.”

“If you mean it... Then kiss me right now...” Eclipse smiled.

Not wasting another second, Galeal’s hand snaked around Eclipse’s neck and he pulled the male in, not caring if he got soaked. Eclipse leaned in and placed his hands on the taller male’s waist, allowing himself to be kissed. The two smacked lips for a solid eight seconds before breaking the kiss and resting foreheads against each other. Galeal parted his lips slowly and spoke gently. “I have missed that so much...”

“You and me both... No one ever did that like you did for me...” Eclipse giggled lightly.

“You’re just as cute as when we met, you know that?” Galeal said.

Eclipse chuckled and tapped his nose. “There’s something else I’ve missed...”

Galeal blinked before realizing the look in Eclipse’s eyes was a lusty one. “Oh... Really? Right now?”

Eclipse nodded. “Let’s go back to my place...”

“Sounds like a plan.” Galeal laughed.

The Bond of Brothers

It had taken some time for Cloud to move past everything that they had been through. He had seen so much over the past few months that he wasn’t sure how he was managing to take it in stride up to that point. He remembered how panicked he was when he was certain that his brother would die, and how he lost it when Sunset had her little episode in front of the group. He had always had a weak constitution, but everything he had was put to the test.

Through all of it, he had leaned on his brother, the stronger of the two to make it through. Bolt was always the one doing the rescuing, and Cloud was always the one being rescued, that was the nature of their dynamic.

It was because he cared so deeply and relied so heavily on his brother that Cloud was always self-conscious of his thoughts. Throughout the years he had made his thoughts on effeminate things very known, right down to his blatant homophobia. Yet, ironically he never said heads or tails about any of that to Cloud. Never had he called anything Cloud did “girly” or “for fags” as he had put it. There were even times when he had stuck up for him doing things that weren’t exactly good for his masculinity.

It always perplexed Cloud, making him wonder if his brother would approve of him being in any way so long as he was his brother, or if he protected him out of pity and kept his feelings of resentment to himself.

It was time though, it had been long overdue to confront Bolt on a matter that he was certain the two of them had known was going to come about one way or another.

He sighed and took a breath before leaving his bedroom and making his way across the hall to his brother’s door, catching a nod and a glance from his mother on the way. Rainbow appeared to be transporting a laundry basket to the back room where the washer and dryer rested.

After his eyes moved away from his mother, they rested back on Bolt’s door, which of course was covered in various skateboarding and video game stickers. Composing himself in his long sweater, Cloud tapped on the door nervously.

“Yo, come on in,” A deep voice from the other side ushered.

Sighing, Cloud opened the door and stepped inside nodding at his brother who was focused on a video game as he fidgeted away with a controller in his hand. “Sup?” Bolt asked.

“Am I interrupting?” Cloud leaned in to get a look at the game, but given that he wasn’t too into games, it was hard to say what game it was, or if he was particularly far in it.

Bolt shook his head. “Not really, I’ve beaten this before, I’m just trophy farming, what’s up, dude?”

Cloud felt the nervousness in his body well up some more. His legs were trembling, ready to give out. A part of him beckoned to call it all off and go back to his room, but the point of no return approached as he cleared his throat.

“Bolt, I-“ Cloud stopped, not sure of what to say.

It was as if Bolt had read his mind and knew exactly how to encourage him. “Just say it, man.”

Inhaling and exhaling, Cloud nodded and composed himself. “Well, we’ve been through a lot together, Bolt...”

“Of course.” Bolt raised a brow.

There was another pause followed by Bolt finally pausing his game and setting his controller down. He looked over at his brother and directed all of his attention to the effeminate boy. “What’s bothering you, bro?”

“I have been thinking about some things...” Cloud fidgeted with his fingers from under his obnoxiously long sweater.

“Oh?” Bolt kept his demeanor casual, but could clearly see the discussion was about to turn serious.

“I... I guess I’ve been confused for a long time...” Cloud winced just letting the words out.

“Confused about what?” Bolt replied.

Cloud braced himself. “I don’t know, I guess my gender or something... I have been for a long time, but the past few months have been pretty hard on me. The entire thing with Serenade distracted me at first, but I sort of was forced to face some thoughts during that time and I haven’t been able to forget about them.”

There was a short pause followed by Bolt’s words that had an air of neutrality to them. “You mean like you’re transgender or something?”

“I don’t know about that, but I definitely have some dysphoria...” Cloud closed his eyes, not sure of what to expect.

Another awkward silence filled the room followed by a single-word reply from Bolt that caused Cloud to open an eye. “So?”

“So?” Cloud responded with surprise.

“Yeah, so?” Bolt shrugged.

Cloud was genuinely surprised. “I was... Expecting a different response than that...”

Bolt smirked. “You’re my brother, I’d die for you, man. I don’t care what you are or what you’re into. It doesn’t make a difference to me.”

“Yeah, but you’re so homophobic at times that I worry...” Cloud frowned.

Bolt shook his head and stood up from his bed, placing his hands on Cloud’s small shoulders. “Listen, I’ve been a dipshit for a while, but I’ve been thinking it over and I really should try and stop saying shit like that. I guess I’ve just been uncomfortable, but I never knew why. The more I think about it, the more I realize how ignorant I’ve been. Keylime has kind of shown me that stuff that is weird isn’t inherently bad.”

Cloud blinked. “I take it things went well with her then?”

Bolt smirked and winked. “It’s in the bag, man.”

“Well, I’m happy for you.” Cloud smiled.

Bolt nodded and nudged the younger sibling’s cheek. “You’re my brother, Cloud. I’ll stick up for you no matter what, okay? I promise. In exchange, you gotta teach me to be better, alright?”

Cloud grinned and covered his mouth as his girlish giggle escaped him. “It’s a deal, brother.”

A Mentor Always Finds Purpose

Cinder had long since finished her work at the Apple family’s farm, and now that Serenade had been gone for a solid few months, the woman had found new work at a grocery store stocking shelves. She had made a few acquaintances there who enjoyed her company, though she could never truly be 100% sincere with them regarding herself. She had kept the story of her arm being from the military going, but she found at least some sense of belonging.

Eclipse would come and visit her from time to time, and the two would spar now and then, but the rest of the time they would share a drink and talk about the old war stories. Sometimes he would ask her about her life in Dragon Scar, and she would indulge him. It always felt like he was one of the few people who were genuinely interested in hearing about it too.

The last time they had met, he had told her that Galeal had returned to be with him and the two had decided to be together once more, something that she was over the moon for him for. Galeal made Eclipse feel complete, and the sisterly nature of Cinder made her smile just thinking about that.

While work and normal life were great, a part of Cinder still missed her days as a warrior. She had trained her entire life to be a warrior, to be the blade of Dragon Scar, and while peace had its own benefits, she was restless without a fight to prepare for. She had raised a few students and all of them had made her proud, and she was thankful for the ones she could still see. Though, without any more fights to have, Cinder wondered what her purpose now would be.

On nights when Eclipse didn’t visit, Sunset would drop by and the two would drink until dawn (though Cinder could easily outdrink her). It was nice to have a few companions who knew her from back home.

The rest of the time though, she found herself sitting at home with little to occupy her time. She had gotten into reading high fantasy novels about battles with mythical creatures to pass the time, as it reminded her of home. Though she didn’t care much for how the dragons were often depicted as the villains or beasts in them, she still found them entertaining and could look past their lesser qualities.

Life was simple, almost too simple. Dragons were creatures that were known to go and do as they pleased whenever they pleased, but the human world didn’t accommodate that sort of behavior very well. Everything in this world was regimented, organized, and with a long list of rules and requirements. Sunset had even had to help Cinder figure out how to file taxes and pay bills. It was not something Cinder truly enjoyed, as math wasn’t her strongest subject.

A nearby gym had been her favorite hangout spot, as Sunset got her a membership, saying it was a gift for old time’s sake and saving her skin a few times back during the war.

Cinder frequented it every day after work for a good two hours before heading home and had become known by the locals there. Many were often impressed with her physical fitness and how much weight she could bench and deadlift. Many of the women who were there aspired to be like her, wanting to learn from her ability. It gave her a sense of being a teacher once more, but it somehow just wasn’t enough for the former warrior of Dragon Scar.

Today though, as she was heading home from the gym, a face she hadn’t seen in some months appeared before her. A woman with long flowing hair dyed a midnight black with expert-level detail. She was sporting a set of gold hoop earrings, which Cinder already knew why she avoided silver.

She stood there with an expensive tote bag over her exposed shoulders. Her outfit was expensive and flawlessly showed off her impressive figure. Cinder smiled at the woman and offered a fist bump, which she reluctantly took, and performed the gesture rather awkwardly. It was clear she was more of a handshake or hug kind of woman.

Cinder placed her hands on her hips as she looked her up and down. “A few months go by and you still are quite a sight to see, Rarity Apple… If I didn’t know your own skill myself, I’d say you’re the most effeminate woman I know, but you and I both know you have a tough side to you…”

Rarity blushed and stroked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Well… In the past, I’d be offended at such a notion… But a lady needs to be able to protect herself too, right? I think I learned that more than ever when you were around…”

“What could you possibly need protection from, Rarity? You’re naturally tougher than most…” Cinder asked.

Rarity looked at the ground and nodded, clearly a bit bashful about the subject.

“You never plan on telling them, do you?” Cinder asked.

Rarity looked up at her with a sad expression. “How can one tell their family that they’re this… This monster…”

“You’re not a monster, Rarity. Most people would see me as a monster, but I know that I’m not and that’s all that matters…” Cinder replied.

Sighing, Rarity nodded. “No… You’re not. I wish I shared your carefree nature…”

“I’m far from carefree.” Cinder chuckled.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Well… Still…”

“How did it happen if you don’t mind me asking?” Cinder raised a brow.

“I got bit when I was around ten or so, darling… Then I got very sick, I managed to survive so I turned into… Well… One of them…” Rarity frowned and looked away.

“So there’s a chance you could have just died?” Cinder asked.

Nodding, Rarity bit her lip. “About 98% of those who get bit die… The body fights it off like an infection and usually, it kills you… However, in rare cases, you survive and the body adapts…”

“So if anything… It only proved how strong you really are, Rarity.” Cinder reminded.

Blinking, Rarity looked back at the woman and blushed. “I… I suppose that’s true… You always know what to say, Cinder…”

“I wouldn’t say always…” Cinder chuckled.

Rarity rubbed her neck and there was silence between the two. Cinder sensed something was amiss and broke the silence.

“Something else is on your mind, Rarity.” It was more of a statement and less of a question.

The dark-haired woman nodded in response. “Yes… Well… I know all of the matter with Serenade is behind us and all, but…”

“But?” Cinder leaned in.

“I would like to know if you’d still be interested in training with Candy…” Rarity asked.

Cinder tilted her head. “Why? All is well now, there is no need to be ready for a fight anymore.”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, I’m aware, but… Candy just… She really seemed to find focus when she trained with you, discipline, a lot of which I just couldn’t get out of her myself.”

Cinder smiled. “I’d be more than happy to teach her.”

“And… Maybe… If you’re not overburdened and willing to take on another student…” The woman shuffled awkwardly.

Cinder blinked in surprise. “You want to train too?”

Rarity nodded. “It’s a good chance for Candy and I to get closer… And… Given my nature, you never know when another threat to our family will come, and I can’t just rely solely on Applejack to take care of everything all the time!”

Cinder laughed and nodded in agreement. “She is usually quite busy. I’d be happy to take on the both of you.”

Rarity stepped forward quickly and wrapped the larger woman into a hug; a hug that surprised her, but Cinder returned it, placing her arms around the petite woman, rubbing her back gently.

There were no more fights to prepare for, no more wars to be fought, and yet, Cinder had found a new purpose, perhaps her skills and talents still had a use after all, if there were students willing to learn, perhaps she could prepare them for fights she would no longer be present for. After all, life was meaningless without purpose.

A Girl Always Knows

Candy Apple had been waiting outside of school to get a glimpse of Cloud. The young boy was just as adorable as she remembered. She hadn’t seen him in a good few months due to conflicting schedules. Her mother had sent her to a few seminars regarding fashion and allowed her to assist with a few dresses she had been working on, so Candy’s schedule was quite busy.

During the last three months though, she had recently turned thirteen, and puberty had kicked into overdrive for the girl. She had grown a good three inches in height and was beginning to have the curves of a woman. Like her mother before her, she was an early bloomer and wasn’t afraid to admit it.

Her shoulder-length hair bounced as she walked trying to get closer to Cloud who was exiting the school, now heading toward the parking lot where he usually waited for his brother, who Candy knew would arrive in fifteen minutes, as always. It was like clockwork.

Making her move quickly, Candy approached and stopped directly in front of Cloud who blinked and glanced her up and down. “C-Candy?” He blinked, trying to determine if it was really her.

She nodded and giggled as she placed her hands behind her back and swayed her body. “Didn’t recognize me now that I’m all grown up, did you?”

“You look… Different…” He blushed and looked away bashfully.

Damn he’s so cute! Candy thought.

She winked at him. “Puberty. I’m thirteen now, you know?”

He nodded but refused to look directly at her, so as not to be rude.

She giggled and snapped her fingers. “Hey, you can look, it’s okay.”

“I’m trying to be polite…” He replied.

“I said it’s fine. I mean I wore this outfit to show it off, so it’d be a waste if people didn’t look.” She giggled.

Cloud seemed to relax just a little bit and turned more toward her, though he kept his eyes focused on her face. Something she found absolutely irresistible about him. Cloud was too polite for his own good, and that excited Candy. The idea of convincing him to break the rules was far more exciting.

“So uh… You’ve been busy with learning from your mother, then?” Cloud asked.

She nodded. “I heard you want to take up being a designer too?”

He blushed. “Uh… Yeah… I kind of learned a little bit when I was in Japan as a kid…”

“Oh that’s right, you guys have traveled a lot! I’m so jealous!” Candy squealed in delight.

He rubbed his neck. “Yeah well… That’s coming to an end. Mom got the retirement papers, and Fluttershy couldn’t be happier about it. So no more moving for us, Canterlot is where we’re gonna be for a while now.”

Candy smiled at hearing that news. “I’m glad… I’d hate to see you leave…”

“I’d still message you all…” Cloud admitted.

“And would you message me?” She asked.

Cloud’s face only turned redder. “O-of course…”

She grinned and stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest. Cloud’s expression turned to a much more nervous one as she gripped his shirt in her hand, now speaking in a lusty voice to him. “Cloud… You and I… We have a lot in common don’t we?”

He looked down at her and nodded. “Uh… Yes… I think so…”

She smiled and reached up with her other hand, touching his cheek. “Do you think… We should do some stuff together sometime?”

Cloud’s face was sweating lightly. “Candy… I… I’m a few years older than you…”

She shook her head. “We don’t have to do anything until I’m older, promise. I just want to be around you…”

Cloud bit his lip and looked away. “I… I don’t know if that’s going to be a good idea…”

She frowned and released his shirt. “Why not? Do you not like me?”

“No, it’s not that. I think you’re incredible it’s just… I’m not so sure you’ll like me down the road…” Cloud frowned.

She tilted her head. “Why not?”

Cloud was silent, he wasn’t sure how to word it. “It’s… Well…”

“You can tell me anything, Cloud. I promise I won’t be mad.” She gave him a warm smile.

Seeing her smile somehow put him at ease. He felt like he could trust her with anything when he saw her smile like that.

He let out a sigh and composed himself. “It’s like this… I’ve been really… Well… Not sure about who I am for a little while now and I was thinking…” He paused and looked over at her. She was patiently waiting for his explanation. “I’ve been thinking… Maybe I’d be happier as a girl…”

There was silence.

He frowned, sensing he had made things awkward, but to his surprise Candy’s expression was neutral.

“Like… You’re thinking of going to the clinic kind of thinking?” She asked.

He nodded. “Yeah, when I turn 18 probably…”

“And you think this will make you happy?” She asked.

He frowned. “Yeah… I think so.”

Candy stepped forward and took his hands in her own, she had a warm touch. She squeezed lightly and smiled at Cloud. “I kind of had a feeling…”

“How did you…?” Cloud began.

“A girl just knows.” She winked.

“You’re not disappointed?” He asked.

She shook her head as she squeezed his hands tighter. “It doesn’t bother me. I’ll be there with you, I’ll teach you how to dress, how to do everything, I don’t care if you’re a boy or a girl, I care that you’re you.”

Cloud smiled at her and nodded. “Okay. Then we’re in it together then?”

She nodded. “I’ll go wherever you go, Cloud. I will be there for you no matter what.”

Cloud squeezed her hand and just smiled at her, saying nothing, as if nothing needed to be said.

Always Have a Backup Plan

Adagio stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around herself. She smiled as she saw her little sister enter the bathroom for her turn to freshen up. The two had just finished a concert yesterday and today was their day to recharge. Adagio nodded at her sister as she stepped past her, gently brushing her shoulder with her hand as she entered the bedroom.

Serenade was saved thanks to the efforts of Sunset and her friends and Adagio was thankful. It was incredible to think that only a short while ago, the two were worried about Serenade turning into the same monster that the other Serenade was, but now they were able to move on with their lives and everything was a distant memory.

Adagio had reached out to Sunset in the past few months to thank her once again, but Sunset only said that she had nothing to thank her for. In Sunset’s mind, the two of them wouldn’t even be in the predicament they found themselves in if she hadn’t come to the human world in the first place.

While Adagio didn’t know all the details, she could feel Sunset’s pain.

Serenade stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom and began to remove her makeup with the makeup wipes next to the sink. As she removed her eyeliner she glanced at her youthful face. At only age fifteen, Serenade had many years of youth before her, and she smiled at how pretty she had become.

She turned to view her body and she had all the markings of someone who was on the path to becoming a full-fledged woman. Her rear had grown to be shapely, and her chest had grown to a respectable C-cup (unlike her more flat-chested sister). She nodded in delight as she admired her beauty.

Adagio spoke to her from the other room as she began to clip her toenails. “English class going well for me.”

Serenade spoke back as she opened the medicine cabinet and retrieved a facial creme she began to apply to her face. “I’m glad to hear sis. Your English is getting better too.”

“Thank you. It’s such a hard language…” Adagio admitted from the other room.

Serenade chuckled and nodded. “I mean, you managed to help me learn it.”

“Yes, but teachers do more for you than me,” Adagio admitted.

Serenade laughed. “You never taught me Russian though.”

“Not useful here in America. It was better for you to learn English…” Adagio replied.

Serenade spoke quietly so that Adagio could not hear her. “Ich bin anderer Meinung, Schwester…”

Adagio called out to Serenade. “What was that?”

“Nothing, just talking to myself…” Serenade spoke.

Adagio blinked, sure she had heard something, but she decided not to comment on it. Changing the subject, Adagio called out to her sister. “Say, do you think all the danger we dealt with is over?”

Serenade blinked and smiled. “I don’t know, it’s impossible to say…”

Adagio nodded in agreement. “Perhaps we should buy life insurance? You never know what can happen. Should always have a backup plan.”

Serenade smirked as she gazed at herself in the mirror. A black tendril came out from her neck and moved unnaturally as she observed it. She reached forward and petted the tendril as she spoke out loud. “Yes… I think you’re right, sister… It’s always good to have a backup plan…”

Family Restored

Sunset ran a hand through her freshly cut hair, wondering if she had gone too extreme. Her hair now came down to her neck, a far cry from the almost ankle-length red hair she was sporting for years now. She had tidied up, and her face was far more visible now; no longer hidden by thick locks. She had opted to donate the massive amount of hair just that morning.

Sighing, she parked her car and composed herself. It was her scheduled visit with Horizon. Twilight and Sunset had talked it over after Sunset defeated Serenade and discovered that death wasn’t her future after all, and they had decided that it would be best for her to slowly reintroduce herself to Horizon’s life. They had agreed upon weekly visits, and Sunset had kept her end of the promise.

Every Friday, she would come by in the afternoon, and they would spend time together, but only at the house, while Twilight was home. Sunset respected Twilight’s wishes and decided she was right that they had to let Horizon decide the pace at which this progressed.

Stepping out of the car, Sunset looked up at the stairs in front of the house. Twilight had not changed much about the manor since she took over, though she did considerably increase their family’s wealth.

There at the top of the stairs, Twilight stood, she blinked a few times as she observed the redhead standing next to the expensive vehicle. Coming down the stairs with Horizon at her side, Twilight chuckled as she observed Sunset’s new appearance.

“Well that’s quite a drastic change, don’t you think? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with short hair…” Twilight giggled.

Sunset placed a hand on her head and frowned as she ruffled her own hair. “You think it’s too much? Maybe I went overboard?”

Twilight waved her hand dismissively to the redhead. “No, it’s fine, I was just surprised is all. It’s cute. It looks good on you.”

Sunset smiled. “I kind of just wanted a fresh start, that’s all.”

“Given all you’ve been through, I don’t blame you…” Twilight nodded at her.

Horizon looked up at her mother and said nothing. Sunset looked down at Horizon and noted that her hair had grown quite a bit since the two worked together to defeat Serenade. What was once shoulder length had grown well past her shoulders and now rested a good eight inches past them.

Sunset smiled at her daughter and patted the girl’s head. Horizon merely stared as usual.

“Have you heard from the Princess?” Twilight changed the subject.

Sunset shook her head. “Nope. And I won’t anymore either.”

“So the portal being destroyed really did destroy the connection to Equestria?” Twilight asked.

Sunset smirked. “Well, I don’t know about that, but I destroyed the journal.”

“Wha!?” Twilight blinked in shock.

“I told you before, I am done being called away from my family. I destroyed the only connection to Equestria I had left to ensure that couldn’t happen again. Even if the Princess came here, I would turn her away…” Sunset’s face was stern, Twilight could tell she was actually being serious.

“The bold adventurer settles down… I never thought I’d see it…” Twilight shook her head in disbelief.

“Nothing is more important to me now than my family…” Sunset replied.

Twilight rubbed her neck awkwardly. It was nice to hear that Sunset still considered her family, even if they were separated. The two hadn’t finalized a divorce, or even filed paperwork, but Sunset never brought up if they would get back together after she found out she was going to live after all. Twilight surmised that she assumed the situation remained unchanged from before, and respected Twilight’s wishes.

“You won’t miss Equestria?” Horizon tilted her head.

Sunset shook her head. “Nope. I’m better off without it, anyway.”

Twilight gestured for the group to head inside. “Let’s head in.”

Horizon followed Twilight, but Sunset stood at the car watching the two girls walking away, she was frozen in thought. She was taking the moment to take things in, she was finally free of all the things that weighed her down. She was finally with her daughter again.

Horizon glanced back at Sunset and blinked before she called out to her. “Are you coming, mom?”

Twilight flinched at hearing the last word that Horizon said, as did Sunset. The two older women glanced at each other, never hearing Horizon address Sunset as her mother. Sunset could almost cry hearing that word, could it mean her daughter finally saw her as a mother again?

Sunset composed herself and nodded. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

The redhead followed the two girls, letting Twilight go on about how Yuna was coming over later to see Horizon, but Sunset could barely hear any of it, she was lost in her own thoughts with a bright smile on her face. She finally felt at home.

The Girl Who Never Smiles

Horizon and Sunset hurled a ball back and forth, as Yuna watched them. Given that the other two were far more athletic than she, Yuna often would sit things out when the two engaged in more physical activities. Instead, she opted to draw, illustrating the sight before her.

Sunset caught the ball before glancing over at Yuna with a smirk upon her face. She gave a wink to Horizon before calling out to Yuna. “Hey Yuna! Heads up!”

Quickly, Sunset tossed the ball in Yuna’s direction, catching the girl off guard. She only heard her name called at the last second and quickly came to a stand, dropping her sketchbook on the table as she attempted to catch the ball. Fumbling, the girl missed it and fell flat on her butt.

Sunset blinked as Horizon and she raced over to see if Yuna was already. As the two women looked down at her, Yuna’s face turned red in embarrassment over her inability to catch a ball.

To Yuna’s surprise though, when she looked up, she saw perhaps the most beautiful and amazing sight she had ever laid eyes upon. As Horizon looked down at her, the corners of her mouth turned and her face lit up as she began to laugh uncontrollably. Sunset blinked and looked over at her daughter as well who was holding her stomach as she laughed at Yuna.

“Oh! Oh wow! Your face!” Horizon laughed.

Yuna and Sunset were silent while Yuna sat up to observe Horizon laughing.

“Horizon…” Yuna spoke softly.

Horizon managed to get her laughter under control as she wiped her eyes. “Yeah? What is it?”

“You’re smiling…” Sunset finished Yuna’s sentence for her.

Horizon’s face still sported the smile she had grown. She shrugged and kept grinning. “I guess I am. So?”

“I’ve never seen you smile before…” Yuna said quietly.

“Same…” Sunset added.

Horizon shrugged again. “I guess that means I must be happy.”

Horizon offered her hand to Yuna, who took it and pulled herself up. She found herself smiling too, so glad that she got to see Horizon happy for the first time. “I am too…” Yuna replied.

“Me as well.” Sunset nodded.

Twilight had stepped outside to see the group and she had just seen what transpired. She said nothing, but Sunset could tell she was content.

Clearing her throat, Sunset changed the subject. “Anyway… It’s getting late, I think it’s almost eight. I should get heading off, I’ll see you next week, okay Horizon?”

“Sunset…” Twilight interrupted.

Sunset glanced over at the woman. “Hm?”

“Why don’t you stay here tonight?” Twilight suggested.

Blinking, Sunset stepped forward. “Are you sure? Are any of the guest bedrooms prepared?”

Twilight shook her head. “You can sleep in my room if that’s alright with you?”

Sunset paused for a moment.

Twilight worried if she had crossed a line, but then Sunset’s next words put her at ease.

“As long as you’re comfortable with that…”

Twilight offered her hand, which Sunset took. “Nothing would make me happier…”

Calling From Beyond

Come to me.

Those words kept echoing in Horizon’s ears that night. It had kept waking her up and plaguing her dreams. Finally, she sat upright and looked next to her. Yuna had stayed the night, and Horizon had said it was alright if she slept in her bed, so Yuna was right there fast asleep.

The girl looked so content, holding onto Horizon as if she were a teddy bear. Horizon slipped out of her grip and replaced herself with a pillow. Yuna gripped the pillow tighter as Horizon placed her glasses on her face.

She was wearing a large T-shirt and just a pair of panties, not a suitable outfit for going out. Quickly she slipped the shirt off and grabbed a nearby bra, snapping it on quickly. As she looked around for a top to wear, she could hear the voice in her head, it sounded just like her own almost.

Come to that place.

Horizon was about to ask what place, but then she somehow instantly remembered. Something about Everfree Forest, an old forest where her parents mentioned they went to Summer Camp to at one point. She wasn’t sure why she knew of it, as she had never been there, but something in her brain told her where it was.

Horizon slipped on a white sundress and carefully exited the room, leaving Yuna there sleeping. The teen snuck down the stairs and made her way to the garage. She slipped on a pair of sandals and grabbed her car keys.

Once she was in the car, she set the navigation to Everfree Forest. She assumed once she arrived, she would somehow know exactly where to go from there.

As the car took off, Horizon leaned back in her seat and tried to focus on the voice in her head. She spoke out loud to see if it would answer her. “Why are you calling me to Everfree?”

Something very important waits there.

“What is it?” Horizon questioned.

She got no answer. She sighed and closed her eyes and allowed the car to drive her there.

A good twenty minutes or so, she arrived at the edge of the forest and parked the car. The teen parked and stepped out, wandering into the woods, listening for the voice to guide her. Somehow she knew just where to go, following an unknown feeling guiding her.

It wasn’t long before she came to an opening in the trees where she felt she was called to. She stood there blankly and wondered what it was she was supposed to see here.

“I’m here… Now what do you want to show me?” Horizon asked.

“What indeed…?” Another voice came from behind a nearby tree.

Horizon turned and saw a blonde-haired teen stepping out from behind the tree. She recognized her right away, the young teenage Serenade. “Serenade? What are you doing here?”

The other teen smiled at Horizon and approached carefully. “I came here to meet you…”

“The voice, did you hear it too?” Horizon asked.

She nodded. “I did.”

“Won’t your sister be worried?” Horizon questioned.

A black tendril came out of the sleeve of Serenade’s crop top and caressed Horizon’s face. Horizon put two and two together quickly upon seeing the tendril. “No… You’re the other Serenade… How though? My mother killed you…”

Serenade nodded. “She did, however, one such as myself always has an insurance plan so to speak.”

“You took over the human Serenade’s body…” Horizon concluded.

The blonde giggled and nodded again. “Correct. When I implanted a part of myself in her, I never imagined I would actually have a use for her later, however, in my last moments I remembered and transferred my consciousness to this body… She’s still in here though, don’t worry.”

“So you came here to kill me then?” Horizon asked calmly.

Serenade laughed at how unaffected Horizon was by this news. “No. Quite the opposite actually… I’ve come here to protect you…”

“Protect me?” Horizon tilted her head in confusion.

The petite Serenade reached toward Horizon and placed her hands upon Horizon’s face, holding her cheeks as she spoke softly to Horizon. “I was blind before… Blind to how special you really are, how important you are… You and I want the same thing, you just don’t know it yet.”

“Is that so?” Horizon asked.

Serenade nodded. “I will be your most valuable ally, I promise you that. I will protect you from the others.”

“Others?” Horizon blinked.

“Your so-called friends… They will come to this place soon, once they know you’ve come here, and they will try to lead you astray, Horizon. They will try and make you destroy yourself…” Serenade explained.

“Why would they do that?” Horizon questioned.

Placing a finger upon Horizon’s lips, Serenade hushed her. “They don’t know, that’s why. They don’t know what I know, and what you’re about to know. You’ll see, when the time comes, you’ll see that I am protecting you from destroying yourself. If you listen to me, you’ll live, if you listen to them, you’ll perish.”

“How can I possibly trust you? You’ve tried to kill us all more times than I can count.” Horizon pointed out.

Serenade caressed Horizon’s face gently and smiled softly at her. “Horizon, you haven’t awoken yet. You will soon, and when you do, you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.”

Horizon blinked as Serenade released her and stepped back a few steps. “What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t noticed it yet?”

“Noticed what?” Horizon tilted her head.

“You must have noticed that the number eight holds a lot of significance to you, doesn’t it?” Serenade asked.

Squinting, Horizon tried to remember. At first, she wasn’t sure what Serenade was talking about, but the more she thought about it, the more she began to realize that she would often see the number eight in many places, and for some reason, it always stood out to her when she saw it. It wasn’t until now that she thought about it though.

For as far back as she could remember, the number eight kept popping up. Why was she only realizing it now?

“Come to think of it… Yeah…” Horizon blinked.

Serenade smirked. “See, I’m not lying.”

“What does it mean though?” Horizon asked.

Serenade pointed to the ground, and before the two of them, a white crystalized rock protruded from the ground suddenly. Horizon stepped back and watched as the number eight appeared on the rock, it appeared to be glowing as if projected onto the rock.

Defying the very laws of physics, the eight on the rock turned sideways to make an infinity symbol. Horizon blinked in astonishment.

“It never was an eight… It was always that symbol. Eight merely resembles it… It used eight to convey itself to you…” Serenade explained.

“But… What is it?” Horizon said.

Serenade grinned as she stepped back. Quickly and without warning, a set of crystals broke out of the ground, capturing Horizon in them. She couldn’t move her lower body. She struggled to break free, but it was no use, she was trapped between the rocks. She looked over at Serenade in hopes of an explanation, but the blonde just placed a hand upon the crystals and spoke softly.

“It’s your destiny… Don’t worry though, I’ll be there soon enough to protect you… We have to part ways for a little while but don’t worry, I’ll see you very soon… Just remember what I said, the others will try to mislead you…” Serenade spoke.

Horizon didn’t even get a chance to reply as the crystals pulled her into the ground where she and they vanished, the earth reforming where they had protruded, leaving only the white rock with the symbol on it.

Serenade laughed as she approached the rock. “Things are finally getting interesting again…”

As the former siren placed a hand upon the rock, she vanished into thin air.

The World Fights Back

That morning when Sunset had discovered her daughter had gone missing, she had called up all of Horizon’s friends to go and find her. Somehow, when she was in a panic wondering where her daughter had gone, a memory from a long time ago popped into her head. It was a memory she had almost forgotten, but she recalled a hooded figure saying the words “Everfree Forest”. It was illogical to assume Horizon was there, but something inside of Sunset told her it was correct.

She wasted no time and had told all of Horizon’s friends to meet her there. Before she left, she recalled her conversation with Twilight.

“Twilight, I am going to find our daughter. I’ll bring her back, just stay here…” Sunset spoke.

Twilight sighed and looked down as Sunset said those words. Sunset comforted her by taking her hands and squeezing them gently, causing Twilight to meet her eyes. “Twilight, I’m not going to leave again, I promise. I’m going to bring our friends with me to ensure I come back. We’re going to find Horizon and bring her home. I want you to stay here just in case she comes back here, okay? I won’t be gone long.”

Twilight somehow felt comforted by Sunset’s words, and her fear of not seeing her again subsided. “Okay… I trust you…”

As Sunset arrived, she parked her car near the rest of the cars there. She noted that Horizon’s car was among them. As she got out, she could see the entire group gathered. Yuna, Jasper, Cloud, Candy, Keylime, and the rest of Horizon’s friends stood there with their parents too.

Applejack crossed her arms as Sunset approached, clearly still not tremendously fond of the woman, but she had cooled off to her a small bit. “So, mind tellin’ us how you reckon Horizon came out this way? How’d you know she would be out here?”

Sunset rubbed her neck. “Well… I sort of… Had a feeling… Sorry if that sounds like a bullshit excuse…”

“Darn tootin’ it does…” Applejack sneered.

Rarity took her wife’s arm and calmed her. “Relax, Applejack, dear. Horizon’s car is here, so Sunset’s feeling must have meant something. Stranger things have happened after all.”

A familiar male voice came from behind Sunset that instantly came to her defense. “I think we can all trust Sunset’s instincts…”

Sunset turned around and there was Eclipse, standing next to a rather handsome-looking man sporting the necklace that Eclipse once had. “Eclipse? What’re you doing here?”

“Horizon’s my niece, so Twilight called me,” Eclipse explained.

“Fair enough, but who is he?” Sunset blinked.

“I guess I haven’t exactly introduced you all to him yet… This is Galeal.”

Sunset was in shock. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, but knew now wasn’t the time. “I really wish I had the time to ask you a lot of questions, but this might not be the best setting to do so…”

Galeal waved his hand dismissively. “No worries, we’ll have time to catch up later.”

“I hope you all weren’t planning on going without me?” A raspy feminine voice said.

The group all turned and sure enough, Cinder had appeared donning both of her signature katanas. “Well, looks like the gang is all here then?” Sunset laughed.

Cinder gave a thumbs up with her mechanical arm. “Where there’s adventure, you’ll always find me.”

Sunset felt much better that all of her friends had come here to find her daughter with her. “Okay… Then we all go together!”

The entire group wandered into the forest, not sure of what they were about to fumble into, but their hearts were set on finding Horizon.

What Awaits

Twilight sat at the table in the yard. She had prepared some tea for herself and had sipped lightly as she waited for Sunset’s return with their daughter. She just knew that Sunset would come back. This time, she knew it would be different, this time she knew Sunset would keep her word.

Sighing, she began to wonder what she should prepare for dinner when they returned. She could call a cook to come by and make food, but she felt given the circumstances it would be more special to make something herself. Her mind began to flood with ideas, but her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of metal clanking together.

Twilight turned in her chair and saw standing a few feet from her was a woman sporting magnificent robes of the highest quality, along with many pieces of golden jewelry adorning them. Several sets of gold bangles upon her wrists, and shining ruby earrings on her ears, but most importantly a magnificent tiara rested upon her head.

Her face looked aged, perhaps someone in their fifties, and her red and yellow hair confirmed this as Twilight could see a few grey streaks through it.

There was no mistaking those eyes though, they were eyes that Twilight had gazed into so many times before with love and affection, though it wasn’t possible. She looked just like her, yet there was no way it was her.

The woman spoke up in a familiar voice. “Twilight… It’s good to see you again…”

The End

Author's Note

I really really really can't believe we actually made it here. A part of me wondered if I'd ever get to the ending, but as I write this, it's surreal to think that I actually managed to finish this story. When I first started this back in 2017, I had NO idea it would take this long to finish. I had no clue I'd be here 6 years later finally saying goodbye to Shadows Cast Over the Sunset.

It's sort of lethargic to actually see the story end, but comforting to know so many people read this over the years. It's incredible to think how much the story evolved between when I started and now. Originally the story was only going to be Act I, but halfway through writing Act I I decided I wanted to vastly expand the story into a much larger epic which eventually became seven acts.

It took so much planning to pull this off, and so much in my life eventually got in the way. To think, since I started this story, I've since moved to another country, learned a new language, gotten divorced and remarried, gone to Asia, turned 30, saw G4 end, and more. This has been such an insane roller coaster.

While I'm sad to see it end, it was long past due for it to end. I had originally planned to be done in 2021, but so much got in the way that slowed down writing. Not keeping myself on a deadline though allowed me to push forward at my own pace. While not everything in this story is perfect (far from it!) I wanted to try and give the best I could. Some parts are rougher than others, but I like to think I tried my best.

This is my Christmas gift to all of you. What happens now? Well, as many know, the story is preserved on Wattpad in the event that this site ever goes down, and I might do a master edit and get a copy of it printed into books to place on my shelf so I can remember all the work I did.

Some final stats for you:

This story is in the top 50 in terms of word count. This story is almost as long as Homestuck. This story is more words to read than ALL of the Harry Potter books, COMBINED. That's a lot of reading, and it's crazy that so many of you actually made it this far, some of you have even been here since the start.

I want to thank each and every one of you. From the bottom of my heart, this journey wouldn't have been anything without all of you. The people who read my ridiculous tale about Sunset meeting Sunset, you are all the true heroes of the story. The ones who gave me a reason to finish it. Thank you all so much.

Here's to the ending! Here's to my next chapter in life!

I will answer any questions in the comments that you might have. :)

Prologue

Shadows Cast Over the Sunset

By Mist

Act I: Discovery

Prologue

In a laboratory with equipment so expensive one would think that the owner would at least be able to spare some resources for proper illumination, sat a lone scientist in the cover of the dark. However there among mass spectrometers, microscopes that cost more than most people’s first cars, and containment cells for inordinate and precarious resources, the lighting of the room was minimal, just like the proprietor of the confined space preferred. She would often find herself performing experiments in the cloak of darkness almost, with just an unremarkable amount of light to see her notes. There was something sedative about the darkness to her, something soothing and endearing. A blanket of relaxation that wrapped itself around her when she needed peace, a need that came often.

The scientist of the lab adjusted her stylish frames and buttoned up her lab coat to stifle the chilly air that came to this part of the homemade lab. Cursing herself she recalled that she kept telling herself all month to put a heater in this room, but every time she put it off and forgot about it until it was nightfall and was only reminded when she had been up all night performing experiments in the frigid cold. The next day she would tell herself to get it taken care of, only to trot down the same path predictably and make the same blunder again. It was difficult for her to break this dance of stubbornness with herself. Despite being Summer, many of the experiments in this room combined with it being in the bowels of her home decreased the temperature significantly.

Sitting down in front of three expensive computer monitors, she reached to adjust the web camera. Watching it focus on herself being displayed on the monitors in front of her, she could see her digital reflection among the various documents and notes she had opened up on her expensive custom-made PC. Looking at the image, she once again realized how much the yellow highlights of her lengthy wild red hair stood out, though they were only second to her piercing teal-green eyes that seemed to illuminate the dark whenever she was seen in a room.

Perched on her nose were rather stylish narrow frames, bi-focal, transitional lenses of course; no expenses spared.

Thinking about it, she realized that even in this lighting she looked relatively pale. No sunlight for days does that to you, I suppose. With a deep breath, she pressed the record button on her keyboard to begin her message.

“Ahem…” she spoke, trying to clear her throat for the recording. “This is Sunset Shimmer, and this is a recording for data log…” she thought for a brief moment before scrambling through her notes on the desk to find the correct information.

Locating the file she looked back up at the camera. “978. Yes, that seems to be correct. Experiment A-108, I regret to report has been a massive failure, despite my best efforts. The test subject, whom I’ve nicknamed “Morty” has unfortunately perished.” She sighed as she held her head in defeat upon reporting this news.

“As you probably remember from previous logs, I was testing the effects of using an anti-conduction serum I created to disperse the force and energy emitted for the experiment on the bullfrog. Initial tests seemed to be going well, however it turned out that it had nothing to do with the anti-conduction agent and he actually did sustain damage from the experiment… He was just an exceptionally resilient bullfrog and thus didn’t show any clear signs of injury until hours later,” she explained as she reached up to adjust her glasses.

“Needless to say, I am rather disappointed by the results; however I will begin work on the next experiment. My anti-conduction theory has yet to be disproved; I simply need to reassess my approach of how to attack the problem. That is the proper scientific process after all.” She could actually feel a smile approach her face, but only briefly as she reminded herself of many unpleasant facts.

She let out a sigh and shook her head as she hung it low, her whole expression drooping. “Truthfully, I am not sure why I record these videos anymore. Perhaps in the event that I cannot explain any of this and fail to remedy this situation I want there to be documentation… Or maybe I just want it to be known that I put an effort forth and tried.”

The young woman looked over at the wall behind her computer and gazed at a photo she had hung there, it was one she peered at many times while in this room, and it always reminded her of why she was doing this, why she was pushing through each and every failure, regardless of how difficult they became to face, and today her failure felt particularly difficult; the cold air in the room only aiding in her discomfort. The problematic feeling of defeat looming in the air, piercing through her fortitude was almost enough to shake her into giving up, but somehow she always found the strength to push forward and ignore such thoughts. She always found a way to extrapolate new resolve to keep her spirits elevated enough to carry on.

With a more somber expression she leaned in closer to the camera and spoke again quietly, “As always, these videos should you be watching them are the chronicles of my work and a telling of my story up to this current point in time.”

She paused and closed her eyes. “And if you’ve been watching all this time, I don’t need to remind you that this is more than a video lab report, but also a diary of my story thus far for the past four years; everything I've been through and all I've done. My name is Sunset Shimmer, and this is my story.”

With those words, she tapped the stop button to end the recording.

Author's Note

Hey! You're reading the author's note. That's kind of you. Special thanks to my spouse Applety for the illustrations for this story. Yes there are going to be many of them. Stay tuned!

Also bear in mind that her interpretation of scenes might vary slightly from the text. It's nearly impossible for two people to see the same thing from words alone.

Point of reference as well: this was written when the most current content for Equestria Girls was the 4th film: Legend of Everfree. So it ignores everything beyond that.

Act I - Chapter I: Joy

Chapter I: Joy

Camp Everfree proved to be quite the experience for Sunset Shimmer and her friends, offering quite the perspicacity. Magical geodes, transformations, Pinkie Pie’s exploding sprinkles; it was certainly an experience none of them would forget, especially Twilight who spent most of their time there being incredibly shaken up by the endeavor. Even after it was over, Sunset had spent much time reassuring her that they were behind her one hundred percent. Sadly being the worrywart that she is, Twilight was in need of constant reassurance.

A good three days had passed since the group returned from their trip to Everfree, and an assortment of them were sitting in their favorite ice cream parlor sipping on delectable shakes. Sunset with a delicious vanilla chocolate swirl to appease her inability to choose one of the two flavors which both made her have cravings that if she always answered to, she would be a good fifty pounds heavier. Pinkie Pie, however, sported the oddest assortment of everything but the kitchen sink in both flavors and toppings. Her goblet was overflowing with random sweets and oddities stacked so high that Sunset questioned how she balanced the mishmash of treats without making a considerably bigger mess than she was.

Sunset snickered as she watched Pinkie attempt to figure out a way to attack the mighty beast of a dessert. The girl looked like she was practically trying to unhinge her jaw to shovel the entire concoction in.

Returning from the counter to where her two friends were seated, Rarity sat down elegantly, crossing her bare legs as she did and took a small bite from a spoon. Sunset always noted how Rarity never passed on a chance to show off her smooth and practically flawless legs. Today she sported a skirt short enough to attract the attention of virtually every young male in a mile radius.

Looking over at Pinkie she rolled her eyes at her ridiculous friend. “Having trouble, there darling?”

Pinkie looked like she was trying to understand a really complex math problem as her face contorted while trying to look at the milkshake from every possible angle. “I’m trying to figure out the best way to get every flavor in at once.”

“Maybe you should just settle for a few at a time?” Rarity suggested with another roll of her deep blue eyes.

Pinkie’s face scrunched into an annoyed scowl at the suggestion. “This is a dessert thing, you wouldn’t understand. There is an art to enjoying super amazing yummy desserts.”

She normally would argue, but Rarity felt exhausted just thinking about some of the previous debates she had held with Pinkie over equally pointless subjects and decided to let it slide.

“I suppose I’ll just have to enjoy being a peasant in the world of dessert connoisseurs.”

Pinkie merely nodded in agreement. “Yes, yes you will.”

Sunset had to suppress the urge to laugh as she would risk milkshake exiting her nostrils if she did. While not an instance that hadn’t happened before, she would rather avoid the embarrassment again. She recalled the last time she was teased by Rainbow Dash for a week who affectionately referred to her as Sunset Snorter. This was only reinforced by the fact that now and then she found herself letting out a snort or two when she got laughing a bit too hard.

“So, can you believe it? Summer is finally here. Six more weeks of no school!” Sunset exclaimed with a smile as she tried to change the subject.

“We should totally try to have a few parties this Summer!” Pinkie nearly shouted, much to the dismay of the other patrons of the parlor, some of which sitting close enough to the group that had to cover their ears.

Rarity nodded and finished the bite in her mouth before adding her sentiments, “I agree, I mean after Camp Everfree, it’ll be nice to wind down and not do anything out of the ordinary for a change.” Rarity’s eyes peered over to Pinkie who was experimenting with trying to suck milkshake up her nose with a straw. “Well… Relatively not out of the ordinary…” She added.

When it hit Sunset, she was overtaken by tremendous guilt that she didn’t seem to be able to go anywhere with her friends without some kind of strange magical exploits happening. They seemed to always be forced to go on some kind of adventure involving dangerous magic, villains and inter-dimensional threats trying to take over the world. Saving the world had its perks and even its benefits, but it got tiresome after a while. Even Sunset was getting fatigued from always having to be a part of saving the day on such a regular basis.

“I’m just glad Twilight is okay. She was kind of a wreck for most of that trip.” Sunset reminded.

“Indeed, though it’s good that she came around in the end.” Rarity smiled.

A grimace appeared on Sunset's face as she replied, “Eh, she’s not still without her doubts. I forgot my phone at home, but I am almost certain when I get there, I’m going to have like half a dozen texts from her.” Sunset predicted.

“What’s wrong, Sunset? Still having a hard time letting people depend on you?” Rarity asked sincerely before taking another bite from her spoon. The young woman made a face of glee as she savored the taste of her dessert.

Rarity struck a chord with her. It was true; she was still having a difficult time being in a mentor role. Teaching Twilight about friendship was proving a challenge, and she felt extra pressured simply by the fact that the other Twilight was the Princess of Friendship. The pressure to not let her down was intense, and that didn’t couple well with the fact that Sunset had never really had anyone depend on her before. This was all new to her, but she could already tell it was going to be a battle she’d have to endure.

“I guess so…” She admitted sheepishly, frowning at the admittance. “I just don’t want to let Princess Twilight down, that’s all…”
Pinkie took a breather from her milkshake and wiped the various splotches of the beverage off of her face. “That’s just silly. Princess Twilight knows you’re doing your best!”

Sunset grimaced again; that fact didn’t bring her any comfort. “Yeah, but what if my best isn’t enough?”

“Sunset, you can’t spend your life worried about what will happen if you fail,” Rarity stated.

She has a point. Sunset felt a smile creep up on her face and break her downer attitude, pushing it aside for another day. “Thanks, Rarity. You’re right… Old habits die hard, I guess?”

“You certainly are a creature of habit.” Rarity winked teasingly.

“You should talk.” Sunset smirked.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Rarity giggled, knowing full well that she couldn’t even put up a façade for long on that front.

Pinkie seemed to have all but given up on her attempts to devour her milkshake in peculiar ways and had settled on just shoveling as much in her mouth as she could with a spoon, barely stopping to even breathe. Sunset questioned how Pinkie didn’t weigh a metric ton. Truthfully, Sunset had a sweet tooth herself, but she was always fighting it back to keep it from taking over her. She liked to stay as in shape as she could, and while she was no Rarity, she had a respectable figure.

“Summer is going to be a blast though, no doubt,” Sunset said, trying to pull back the conversation to the previous point made.

Rarity nodded and lifted her glass gleefully. “Agreed.”

“Me fwee-“ Pinkie attempted to speak with her mouth full.

The trio laughed heartily.

Parking her car in front of her apartment complex, Sunset fanned herself with her hand as she turned the car off. She sincerely regretted not checking if the air conditioner worked before buying the car. Though she couldn’t complain, she got a considerable deal on it, and all things considered, it proved reliable for a ten-year-old pile of scrap metal, albeit potentially dangerous and likely held together with paper clips and string.

Stepping out of the car, she made her way up the staircase, trying to avoid the steps that were in states of disrepair. Finally reaching the third floor, she approached her door labeled C4. Turning her key ring from her car key to her door key, she pressed it into the lock to let herself inside.

Locking the door behind her, Sunset noticed her phone glowing on the counter and walked over to retrieve it. As predicted there were at least ten text messages from Twilight. She looked at the latest one after catching the gist of the others.

Hey, sorry for being such a pain. I just wanted to say thanks for everything at camp. You’ve been a great friend, Sunset and I’m lucky to have you. Please don’t ever change.

Sunset smirked and rolled her eyes at the sappiness. Walking through the hall, Sunset brought her phone with her to her bedroom and plopped down on her bed and plugged the device into the wall outlet. The bed and that phone charger were essentially the only things in that room, shy of a few photos she had pinned to the wall of herself and her gaggle of friends.

Thinking for a second as she kicked her boots off to the floor, she picked her phone up, still mounted on the charger and replied to Twilight.

Don’t forget that it’s because I’ve changed that you think I’m such a great friend.

Sunset thought about her life prior to meeting this group of friends. Prior to the events of the Fall Formal last year. She had spent the first four years here in this world behaving more or less like a she-demon. It was only fitting that she was transformed into one at one point. It was difficult to get past that shame, but the more time that passed, the easier it became to forgive herself. She wasn’t quite at a level of full forgiveness yet, but she knew that helping Twilight was a step in the right direction. Perhaps if she could get Twilight to forgive herself fully, she too could know release from the inner torment.

Her phone vibrated in her hand as she received a reply.

Maybe so, but whoever you were before we met isn’t relevant to me. We’re friends now, that’s all that matters. After all, we can’t live in the past forever, right? That’s what you tell me anyways.

It appeared as though Twilight was taking Sunset’s lessons to heart already. The teenager smiled and typed up a fast reply.

True. Can you believe we’re going to be seniors soon? Hard to believe I’ve been here that long…

It was true too, she felt like it was just yesterday she arrived here. Equestria almost felt like she had just been there, however she didn’t really have many particularly fond memories of her time back home. Most of her time in Equestria was spent being insufferable and lusting for power to rule. It was difficult to grasp how truly surreal it felt to reflect on that pony and think that that was her at one point. Self-reflection sucked sometimes.

She wondered what Princess Twilight was doing for a brief moment before her phone went off again.

Yeah! I am super excited for the standardized tests in the middle of the year! I am hoping I can get into Canterlot Tech! It’s almost kind of nerve-wracking it’s so exciting!

Sunset rolled her eyes. Canterlot Tech was all Twilight had been talking about since the end of the school year. It was the most prestigious technology college in the city, a place for only the best and the brightest. Twilight definitely fit that bill; she might even have been overqualified. No, it was obvious that she was overqualified.

You’ll be fine. You’re the smartest girl in school. When you fill out your application with the scores you’ll get they will call you up and ask you to be the dean.

Her mind fell on the idea of Twilight trying to be the dean of a school. What would she wear? Knowing Twilight she’d probably wear some kind of businesswoman skirt suit and be way overly formal with everyone. Social interactions and being in charge of things wasn’t exactly her strong suits. She was more cut out for a position that required her to be in solitude and organize things.

Sunset snickered at her mental image of Twilight and sighed as she rested her head on her pillow. Setting her phone down, she decided it might be best to try and get some sleep after such a long day, truthfully she wasn’t getting enough sleep regularly, and she needed to get into the habit of correcting that problem.

Not even a few seconds after she had laid down her phone buzzed again, forcing her to pick it back up.

I hope so. Speaking of which, what are your plans?

She sighed and quickly typed up a response.

Sleeping hopefully.

The text back was almost instant.

Not what I meant, smartass.

With a smirk on her face, Sunset was feeling a bit playful with her response.

Rather be a smartass than a dumbass.

Sunset was certain she had zinged Twilight until she got a response.

I think you accomplish both equally well.

Ouch. She had to admit, Twilight occasionally got a lucky moment where her humor didn’t fall flat. Being that it was a rare occurrence it always seemed to catch Sunset off guard.

Why are we friends again?

Twilight instantly appeared to detect her sarcasm.

You love me and you know it.

With her mind in the gutter, Sunset smirked yet again.

Whoa, does Timber know it’s not exclusive then? I mean this is so sudden, Twilight. We’re only eighteen after all! I’m not sure we’re both ready for a polyamorous relationship with you, me and Timber.

Sunset could practically hear Twilight gagging at the suggestion.

Gross. Why did you have to take it there? That image is going to be stuck in my head all night now.

Satisfied with her dirty work, Sunset placed her phone down and closed her eyes.

Applejack and Sunset had arranged their agreed-upon get together for the Summertime. Applejack had convinced Sunset to give fishing a try and thus she agreed to try and meet up with Applejack every other Sunday to try and get a fishing trip in. Applejack’s brother had a boat that they lodged not far from their farmhouse on the edge of town which the two could take for these trips.

Showing up in a spaghetti strap top and capris, Sunset shielded her eyes from the high noon sun while she approached the dock. There, in a life jacket, hair pony-tailed, and her signature stetson was Applejack. In this light, her bronzed skin seemed to shine, only contrasted by the numerous freckles on her face. Applejack was a very burly girl, and you could see some muscle tone under her tight t-shirt she was wearing.

With her hand wrapped tightly around some rods, she smiled brightly as she noticed Sunset had arrived. Sunset instantly felt self-conscious as it was clear she may have not dressed correctly for the occasion.

“Sorry, I’m late, slept in,” Sunset admitted sheepishly as she rubbed her neck, wiping away the sweat that was already forming in the hot sun.

“Heh, no problem. Though next time y’all might want t' bring a hat,” Applejack said, handing Sunset a rod.

Sunset took the rod awkwardly, not entirely sure how it worked, given she never used one before. She could only see a brand name written on the handle that she didn’t recognize, “Ugly Stick”. Odd brand name, but considering Applejack was an avid fisher she assumed the rods were actually premium, just named ironically. Human customs were still a mystery to her at times; she made a mental note to google the brand when she got home.

“So where’s this boat that I keep hearing about?” Sunset questioned.

Applejack’s face lit up with a proud smile as she stepped aside and pointed to the water. There sitting tied up to the dock was a small two-person dingy with a tiny engine. Applejack seemed quite proud of it, but truthfully Sunset was expecting more. The way her friend played up her brother’s boat she was expecting something with some speed and power behind it. This thing hardly looked seaworthy with all the rust it had acquired over the years.

“That’s err… Really something…” Sunset commented, unsure how she should be reacting.

“Brother and me fixed ‘er up ourselves. She’s a real beauty.” Applejack puffed her chest out proudly.

With a nod, Sunset approached it and gestured for Applejack to go first, figuring she would figure out how to step into the boat by watching her. Sure enough, Applejack crawled in and sat in the back, setting her rod to the side. She gave a hand motion to signal Sunset to sit across from her. Nodding, Sunset entered the wobbly thing that Applejack passed for a boat and managed to keep her balance. She was almost impressed with herself.

A few pulls and the engine revved up and Applejack took to steering. “Listen t' her purr! She’s really amazin' ain’t she?” Applejack yelled over the engine.

Sunset smiled at her friend’s pride. Something about seeing Applejack really happy seemed to always put a smile on her face, maybe it was how giddy she got when she was truly excited about something, even if Sunset didn’t always understand what she was going on about; which was almost all of the time.

“It’s pretty cool that you guys fixed this thing up!” Sunset replied loudly.

Applejack nodded as the two reached the center of the lake. Turning off the engine, she reached down and lifted a heavy anchor and dropped it into the water below. Making sure it was tied tightly, she responded, “Big Mac was pretty excited about it too, should have seen him, he wouldn’t shut up.”

It was difficult to imagine Big Mac saying more than a few words, but Sunset got some sort of amusement about trying to imagine a very talkative Big Mac.

“So how do I do this exactly?” Sunset asked, picking up her rod, unsure of how to handle it.

Demonstrating, Applejack showed her to press a button under the reel and hold it before casting out and releasing the button when it was out there. “That’s all there is to it.” She added.

Sunset attempted it herself, and despite her lack of practice, the line cast out with ease and landed close to Applejack’s bobber, floating in the water.

Smiling, Applejack nodded again. “That’s it.”

“Now what?” Sunset tilted her head.

“Now, we wait.” Applejack snickered at Sunset’s lack of knowledge.

“Oh… Right…” Sunset blushed embarrassed.

The two sat in silence for a good three or four minutes just watching the calm water. There wasn’t even a tiny bit of breeze today, just hot scorching sun. Fortunately, Sunset had remembered to wear sunscreen. She had a bad habit of burning like a crisp, and this usually resulted in teasing from Rainbow Dash saying she looked just like her namesake.

With a content sigh, she leaned back in her seat and found herself actually relaxing.

“So, camp was fun, huh?” Applejack broke the silence, keeping her eyes on her line.

Sunset stretched and yawned. “Yeah, it was nuts. It’s like wherever we go there is some kind of insane magic outbreak or something…”

She saw Applejack chuckle. “Let’s just hope nothin' like that happens in this lake.”

“Oh gosh, imagine a magical sea monster jumping out of the water right now!” Sunset thought out loud.

With a visible shudder, Applejack shook her head in disapproval. “Don’t even joke about somethin' like that… Knowin' our luck that might actually happen.”

“You’re right, sorry…” Sunset frowned, not realizing her words may potentially freak Applejack out.

“So what do y’all make of Twilight’s guy friend?” Applejack changed the subject.

Oh did she had a plethora of opinions on that. She spent a lot of time teasing Twilight about her new male suitor, and Twilight had not heard the end of it since their time at camp. It was all in good fun though.

Sunset smirked. “He seems like a nice guy. Not sure how it’s going between the two of them because Twilight doesn’t kiss and tell I guess.”

“Figures, she didn’t seem the type,” Applejack replied, her eyes narrowing as she saw her bobber twitch for a brief second.

“Seems more like Rainbow’s thing.” Sunset snickered.

Applejack rolled her eyes at the thought. “Rainbow would give ya' all the details, right down the nausea levels. She never passes up a chance to brag about somethin'.”

“She means well though,” Sunset reminded.

“Mhm…” Applejack nodded.

The two fell silent, unsure of what else to talk about, and Sunset not wanting to make awkward conversation avoided breaking the silence. Her bright eyes looked to the water as her bobber sat there unmoving.

“Something botherin' ya', Sunset?” Applejack asked, her brow raised, finally looking in Sunset’s direction.

She silently cursed herself for how obvious she was sometimes. “Actually… Yeah sort of…” she admitted.

“What’s got ya' fussin’?” Applejack questioned as she reeled her line in and recast, hoping to get the attention of a fish.

“I guess it’s just this thing with trying to be there for Twilight… I still haven’t really mastered friendship myself and now I’m in a position where I have to mentor someone else… It’s actually kind of stressful, I keep worrying I’ll screw something up, in case you haven’t noticed I have a long history of doing that.” Sunset frowned as memories of her past started to resurface.

“We all keep tellin' y’all to stop beatin' yerself up over that stuff.” Applejack frowned and placed a hand on Sunset’s thigh to offer her some comfort.

“I know but-“ Sunset didn’t get a chance to finish.

“But nothin'. The past can’t be changed. Accept it, and move on. We all have. You’re not who ya' were, and we know that,” Applejack spoke.

Sunset wanted to believe her, but she wasn’t entirely sure sometimes. “Who is to say I won’t hurt someone else? It’s probably the one thing I’m better at than anything else sadly…”

Applejack took her friend’s hand and squeezed it, a fierce look in her eyes. “Don’t say that. Y'all are better than ya' think ya' are. Ah’ve seen it firsthand.”

Sunset’s eyes were drawn to her hand and then back up to meet Applejack’s green eyes. She nodded and sighed. “Thanks, I guess self-doubt is another talent of mine,” Sunset remarked.

“Ah' think we all have some skills with that one.” Applejack rolled her eyes as she released Sunset’s hand and returned to attending to her rod.

“Have you ever screwed up as bad as I have?” Sunset questioned as she too took her rod back into her hands.

“Dunno. Accidentally mixed up the ciders once and got half the town drunk at a party. Was pretty bad, vomit everywhere, so much vomit, Ah' mean ya' literally would not believe how much vomit there was…” Applejack replied with a smile.

Sunset gagged at the thought. “I think I get the idea…” She was fighting back giggles regardless of how disgusting that sounded.

“Seriously, Ah' thought all the cows spilled their lunch…” Applejack’s face held an empty expression as she became lost in the memory.

“Okay, I get it,” Sunset protested, begging her to stop.

Snapping back to reality, Applejack smiled at her friend from the corner of her mouth. “Anyways, the point is we all screw up sometimes, Sunset. Ah' actually think that’s what will make ya' a great teacher.”

“That I’m a huge screw-up?” Her brow raised.

“Nah, that ya' have experience with screwin' up. If ya' wanted to quit drinkin' would you ask someone who’s never drank a day in their life or someone who’s been there and overcame?” Applejack explained quite simply.

Sunset often forgot how wise her friend Applejack was sometimes. You wouldn’t guess it from her country accent and blunt manner of speaking, but Applejack could often be quite insightful in situations like this. Her simplistic way of speaking often misled one to believe she was far less intelligent than she truly was.

“Why do you have to be so smart about it? I was trying to mope.” Sunset punched her friend’s shoulder playfully and gave her a smirk to let her know that she was jesting.

“Y'all mope enough as it is. Nobody wants to hear ya' whine all the time.” Applejack teased as she returned the punch. “Rainbow Dash fills that role already; I can’t be letting you take her job from her.”

Sunset snickered and nodded. “You two should just kiss and get it over with.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “And what are y'all implyin'?”

She didn’t get a chance to answer though as her rod started to get a tug. Reeling as quickly as she could, Sunset attempted to gain control of the catch. Fighting and struggling, Applejack grabbed her shoulders and helped pull her back. “Whoa! Control the reel, bring it in! Steer yer' rod to control it,” Applejack instructed.

The catch was strong, and Sunset struggled to pull her rod in one direction, but finally, after much struggling, she managed to pull the fish out of the water. She blinked as she gazed at the very unimpressive size of the small fish. It had to be smaller than her thumb. Looking to Applejack with a blush on her face, she shrugged.

Applejack chuckled and poked the catch. “Ah' suppose now would be a good time to tell ya' part of the tradition of fish stories is t' exaggerate the size of the catch.”

Making her way home after such a long day of fishing with Applejack, Sunset was just surprised that she wasn’t sunburned. She was certain she would be burned before the day was out, but she was thankful that she wasn’t. Back home in Equestria she never knew what a sunburn felt like, and part of her wished to go back to those days. Human anatomy was strange, and despite how many books she had read up on it at this point, she still struggled at times. She remembered back to when she met Princess Twilight for the first time and what she said to her, and how ironic it felt now.

You don’t know the first thing about fitting in.

She frowned remembering how horrible she was but quickly washed it away by reminding herself that Twilight had a level of respect for her now. She said that, but she knew that deep down she didn’t know too much about fitting in herself either. How could she? She never aspired to make friends in Equestria, and the moment she arrived in this world, all she did was push people away.

Still, Sunset knew she was in a better place, but it was so difficult to shake self-doubt. Her incident at the fall formal opened up a side of her that she never knew was there, and while it was a side filled with kindness, compassion, and willingness to learn, it also came with a lot of self-hatred that took a long time to get past.

Looking at her phone as she walked into her small apartment, she could see a text from Applejack

Had a blast! Like I said, we’ll tell everyone it was at least a five-footer.

Sunset let out a snicker and rolled her eyes at her friend. She responded with a simple “Sounds like a plan”, and pocketed her phone.

It was strange actually spending a day with a friend of hers by herself. For a long time she felt like an accessory to the group, sort of a tag-along, but being asked specifically to hang out reassured her that she belonged with this group of friends. Regardless of what she had done, it made her feel good inside to know that something as simple as fishing could put a smile on her face, even if she wasn’t very great at it. The fact that Applejack trusted her to share her hobbies with her was more than enough.

When she thought about that, well the self-doubt quickly faded and she wondered why she ever worried.

Walking into her bedroom she pulled a familiar tome from her nightstand before flicking on the light switch so she had a chance at seeing what she was going to write in it. Grabbing a pen nearby she began to etch into the book that created a line of communication between her and her princess friend back in Equestria.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I know I haven’t written to you in a while and I’m sorry. A lot of stuff happened at Camp Everfree that I was telling you about and that sort of ate up a ton of my time. It’s under control now, but it was a chaotic week and I took some time off to sort of cool down.

How are things in Equestria? I hope you aren’t too busy if you are I’ll try and keep this brief for you.

I wanted to say thank you. Not just for showing me how great friendship truly is, but encouraging me to be a mentor to this universe’s Twilight and show her the same. I have to admit, I doubted that I would make a good teacher, and at times I still do, but you believed in me and that sort of made me realize that maybe I’m better at it than I give myself credit for. I’ve still got a long way to go before I’m anywhere near where you are, but I think I’m on the right path.

A year ago I would have never imagined myself with friends, people who care about me or even the shoulder of a princess to lean on when I was in trouble. You made all of that possible and I wanted to thank you for that. I'll probably spend the rest of my life trying to find a way to thank you.

Part of me though still has a hard time though. Like I haven’t proven myself enough to everyone, I don’t know, maybe I’m overthinking it. Anyways, thanks for reading this.

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer

Sunset set the book down and moved into the small bathroom. Turning on the light, she gazed in the mirror and removed her clothing, leaving nothing but her under attire. She reached into a hamper and gave a sniff to some pajamas she had in there. Deciding they were clean enough smelling and that it didn’t matter since no one would smell her in them, she threw them on and began to brush her hair.

That bathroom more or less only contained that hairbrush, the hamper of a small selection of clothing, and shampoo and soap in her shower which had an issue with the hot water not getting very hot. Truly annoying really, she had to learn to take quick showers.

Sunset groaned as she got her brush stuck in a knot in her hair. With a quick tug, she managed to undo it and set the brush aside, content for the night.

The young woman retreated back to her bedroom and threw herself onto her bed, debating if she wanted to keep her socks on or not. Ultimately she decided not, and pulled them off using only her feet and tossed them to the side of the room. It was hot outside, but fortunately, unlike her car, the apartment had fully working air conditioning. She was thankful for that, though beggars couldn’t be choosers anyways.

Picking the book back up she was surprised that she had gotten a lengthy reply already, then again Twilight loved to read so it was only natural that she loved to write as well. Sunset’s eyes looked over the message carefully.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

It sounds like you’ve had quite the week! I’d be very interested in hearing more about it sometime when you have the time. Magic in your world is always strange, but understanding it better is key to keeping balance; however, I understand if you’re burned out from magic for a while, given the circumstances. We can discuss it at another time.

As for your gratitude, I appreciate it, but I should remind you that becoming the princess of friendship was no easy accomplishment. It took me years of studying, understanding and even failures. In fact, it took a lot more failures than you think. On top of that, I have come to discover with my student Starlight Glimmer that I’m not always the best teacher either. Each student has a different learning style and sometimes that’s hard to adapt to.

Self-doubt is a very natural part of friendship, and of course, life. Try and remember though that it was not just me who helped you, you helped yourself more than you know. You made the choice to change, I may have shown you the way, but you chose to walk that path. It would have been impossible for us both to be where we are without you making that choice.

I still learn things about friendship every day, and I’m always willing to learn more. I am sure even you as a mentor will teach me a thing or two down the road and when that happens I will be elated. You teaching me about friendship means that I was successful in helping you and that’s probably my greatest joy of being a princess.

You’ve proven to be a good friend, Sunset. I can see that, your friends can see that, and I am sure the other Twilight sees it as well. She looks up to you, and that shouldn’t be something you fear, it should be something you celebrate. You don’t need a princess of friendship to confirm to you that you’ve been a good friend; you should have known that all along.

Whatever happens, don’t ever consider yourself a failure. When you don’t succeed you just need to try again, trust me I’ve learned the hard way myself.

Until we see each other in person again, remember that I am rooting for you, and to take care of yourself; I know you weren’t always the best about that, but I mean it sincerely. I look forward to learning your findings on friendship, I’m sure they will be truly remarkable.

With warm regards,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

Sunset almost choked on tears as she read the letter. Twilight knew how to get all sappy and get her worked up, but damned if she wasn’t good at it! She hugged the book and felt a bright smile light up her face. Such praise from the princess of friendship was regard higher than she felt she warranted, but right now she was glad to have it nonetheless.

Setting it down, Sunset laid down on her single pillow and laid on top of the comforter, deciding it was too hot even with the air conditioner to consider sleeping under it. Instead, she laid there and decided to give the other Twilight a quick message. Grabbing her phone, she quickly pushed out a text to the scientist.

Hey, wanna get together tomorrow? We all have all the free time in the world now, so might as well use it right?

She was half expecting Twilight to be asleep, but her mind quickly reminded her that Twilight was used to staying up late working on projects.

Sure enough, she got an almost instant reply.

Totally! We could hit the science museum!

Sunset quickly rolled her eyes at how much of a one-track mind Twilight had. It was always science, science, science, with the occasional throw-in of Timber Spruce when she was daydreaming about him. It was always amusing to see Twilight distracted by a boy, considering it was a new side to her.

Maybe something that everyone would enjoy?

Shaking her head, Sunset giggled.

Oh fine, way to be a party pooper about it. How about we just go bowling or something?

She wasn’t particularly good at bowling, but the idea made for a good get together, she couldn’t deny. Even if she would have to listen to Applejack and Rainbow get competitive and banter back and forth all day, part of her liked the idea.

Does 1PM sound okay?

A quick response.

It’s a date.

Snickering, Sunset gave her usual snarky banter with her scientist friend in her reply.

Date? Why Twilight, when were you going to tell me that you were into me!? I guess I better buy flowers and chocolates. Do you prefer dark chocolate or milk chocolate? I’m more of a milk chocolate girl myself.

Quickly picking up on her teasing, Twilight at least came off as slightly amused.

Ha ha. You’re so funny. And if you must know, I prefer white chocolate. Besides, you couldn’t afford to buy me flowers anyways, so why even suggest such a thing?

Sunset laughed out loud before typing out her response.

Ouch. Cutting deep there. Anyways, I’m heading to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow alright?

Waiting for a quick “Okay” confirmation response, Sunset was satisfied and placed her phone down making sure to set an alarm to get her out of bed before it was too late in the day. She laid back down and looked up at the ceiling before closing her eyes and smiling. She reflected upon where she was in life, and while she lacked much she wasn’t felt left wanting. There was at least for this moment no holes missing. Everything she could ever want was in her life, and she felt genuine happiness.

She was living a dream practically. The past almost seemed to fade away as she felt herself slip into a pleasant wonderful slumber, the rest of the world seemed to just fade away.

Author's Note

Special thanks to Nuke87654 for being sort of a guinea pig for this story. He did a lot of pre-reading in its rough draft state. Kudos to him.

Act I - Chapter II: Ripples

Chapter II: Ripples

A young girl, no older than eighteen adjusted her flared jeans before reaching down to tie a pair of stylish converses she was wearing. Anyone who was a shoe collector knew they were a limited edition pair, expensive and difficult to acquire. With a tight tug, the knot was tied, and the girl stood up tall observing the rest of her attire. A simple black t-shirt with a thin cardigan draping over her shoulders, her long extravagant hair tied back in a ponytail. She glanced over at a collection of hairpins trying to decide if she wanted to accessorize today. Deciding to roll with it, she grabbed a clip that resembled a spider with a turquoise stone in the center and snapped it into her thick hair. Frowning she realized she wasn’t satisfied with one accessory, so she quickly grabbed a bright pink ribbon and tied a bow around her neck and made a makeshift choker that also added some color to her mostly black, gray and dark-colored ensemble (which was commonplace for her). She felt herself smiling briefly. While she would have preferred to go a bit more stylish, she knew it was probably more ideal to go simple today. What she wouldn't have given to wear a lavish dress with a pair of the fun stockings and shoes that she had to match with it, however, she wanted to give the appearance of a "normal" girl today; given the circumstances.

As she peered back into a mirror, she leaned in closer to check for blemishes or pimples. She was fortunate that she lacked any and usually was blessed with relatively clear skin, so it should have come as no surprise. Ever since she reached her teenage years she feared being covered in acne, but her genetics seemed to play out in her favor. Anxiety often could cause breakouts, and to say she was experiencing anxiety would be an understatement. She could feel her entire body want to lock up and begged her to call this whole thing off. However she knew it was too late for that, she had to see this through.

Looking to her iPhone, she sighed as she flicked through the reminders, only trying to distract herself for a moment before forcing herself to look back into the mirror, gazing at her own teal eyes that seemed to light up the room as always; people were right, she had a powerful stare. Her mother used to joke about how it would make boys stutter when she got older.

She took her glasses off and tried to see how she felt about herself without them. After peering for a moment she decided she could never imagine trying to switch to contacts, her glasses simply completed her appearance. She had had them for as long as she could remember. She started wearing them around age six if she recalled correctly.

With a deep stressed breath, she nodded as she spoke to motivate herself, “you can do this,” she said out loud.

Leaning in, the girl checked her eyeliner to make sure it was up to par before looking down at her smartwatch to check the time again. The screen turned on and informed her she had a good five minutes before she would have to head out.

Taking another deep breath she looked back into the mirror and tried to assure herself once again.

“You can do this.”

Sunset found herself in an odd setting. Gazing around her she could see the silhouettes of dark figures she didn’t recognize. Two of them stood in the distance, and she could see their mouths moving, unable to make out a word they were saying. Looking down, she could see nothing but blackness, a never-ending void of nothingness that seemed to go one for eons. She stood seemingly on top of the nothing, floating in an empty abyss. Above her was
the same nothingness, below her, was endless emptiness, and no matter how much she squinted she couldn’t find anything resembling solid land, structures or virtually anything in the distance.

The girl noticed her wardrobe was odd as well. A fashionable sweater draped over her that was a size too large and she was wearing gold and silver bangles upon her wrists. There was even a watch on her wrist that she didn’t recognize. Curling her fingers she saw pink nail polish decorating her nails, clearly done with expertise. Sunset normally just kept her nails clipped.

This entire wardrobe felt out of character for her, and definitely out of her price range. The watch alone looked more expensive than her car and possibly her monthly rent for her apartment, combined.

She felt odd, like herself, but not like herself. There was a strange sensation of feeling out of place, out of her element. Something she couldn’t quite pinpoint but was nagging at the back of her head.

Looking back to the figures in the distance she tried again to make out what was being said. Their mouths moved, but the audio was too low to hear a single word. Finally, she called out to them.

“What?”

They moved their mouths again, but it was no use, hearing anything they said was just not possible.

Sunset spoke up, trying to see if it would encourage them to do the same. Her decibel level far exceeding what one would call an inside voice.

“WHAT!?”

No luck. The figures mouthed words in the same level of silence. No matter what Sunset did, or how much she tried to tune out any potential interference in her mind, the sounds coming from the mouths of the figures in the distance didn’t become clear speech to her.

Finally, the girl took a step forward to see if getting closer would help. The two figures turned into smoke and evaporated into the air almost instantly and before Sunset knew it the invisible floor of the endless abyss she stood upon disappeared and allowed her to fall into oblivion.

Falling she felt like she was picking up speed far faster than anyone actually would. The void seemed endless, and no collision was happening anytime soon, but nonetheless, her heart was racing in fear as she fell faster and faster, rapidly anticipating the approach of a bottom she feared colliding into.

In the distance she could hear a voice echo, just barely making out the words of a young-sounding girl.

"Nothing can make this right…"

The voice sounded so eerily familiar, like she had heard it before, but she couldn’t place her finger on where. Before she had a chance to make sense of it though, she could hear the sound of her phone ringing.

A dreadful dream filled Sunset’s head as she stirred in her bed. A dream interrupted by a familiar ringtone of “Call Me Maybe” coming from her phone. It was an old song at this point, but she wasn’t quite skilled enough to know how to replace her ringtones without help. Twilight helped her set it months ago and she couldn’t be bothered to try and change it. Sunset was about as technologically advanced as a hamster when it came to these kinds of things; she hadn’t the slightest clue what she was doing. One of the best parts of being friends with Twilight was having someone assist her with her technology illiteracy that wouldn’t bust her chops for it (much like her friend Rainbow who let no opportunity pass to give her a hard time about virtually anything).

The girl lifted herself up and placed her hands upon her own body, checking everything to make sure she was intact. Her dream had felt so real, and she could remember it so vividly. She had to make sure she was still intact. How did such a dream happen though? She had never truly dreamed of falling before, not like that. So much felt off and yet so familiar at the same time.

The girl wasn’t exactly educated on dreams in this universe, but she knew that in Equestria they can have far deeper meanings and connotations. It was hard to simply dismiss it as nothing. However, she composed herself and tried to calm down.

Finally grabbing her phone she didn’t even check who was calling before answering. She already had a pretty good idea regardless. “Ugh… Hello?” She grumbled.

“Are you still asleep? We’re supposed to be at the bowling alley at one,” Twilight’s voice rang in her ear.

Sunset groaned and complained, but her complaint came out mostly as an incoherent grumble as she lifted her phone away from her ear to see the time was 8:00 AM. Putting it back to her ear, she managed to form coherent sentences. “It’s only eight. I got plenty of time… I was planning on waking up at 11:15…” Sunset explained.

Twilight knew Sunset wasn’t a morning person, or at least she should have figured it out by now if she hadn’t yet. Any time an event was scheduled in the morning, Sunset was always late or would arrive half asleep with messy hair.

“You can put on your makeup, shower and be presentable in only a few minutes?” Twilight was almost astounded sounding.

With a chuckle, Sunset replied with, “well I was probably going to slum it, truthfully…”

“Well get yourself cleaned up, and let’s get moving. I wanted us to get lunch together before meeting with the others. I still owe you from the last time you bought me lunch,” Twilight responded.

Thinking back, Sunset had to dig through her memories to figure out what she was talking about. When her memory locked onto the specifics she rolled her eyes as she finally pushed the comforter off of herself and sat up. “Twilight that was like two months ago…”

Twilight sounded almost legitimately concerned, “I know, and I’ve had to live worrying about repaying you for all this time. You know how stressful it is to owe someone for so long?”

“Only you would stress over something so small…” Sunset replied.

With her phone still to her ear, Sunset made her way to the bathroom and began stripping off most of her clothing. Turning the shower on, she placed her hand in to check the temperature. Far too cold. For another thirty seconds or so, she fiddled with the settings to get it just right. Satisfied with it, she nodded as she looked into the mirror, phone still against her ear as she unhooked her bra.

“You know, most people would be ecstatic to have a friend who is so honest about making sure she pays her friends back.” Twilight huffed.

Sunset found herself laughing at Twilight’s odd behavior. “You’re right. Though next time, when I say I’ve got it, just let it happen.”

“I make no promises,” Twilight responded.

Sunset rolled her eyes, despite Twilight not being able to see her. “You know, part of this friendship thing is that you’re supposed to accept nice gestures from me without feeling guilty.”

“I guess I still have a lot to learn…” Twilight responded.

“That you do; alright, well I have to hop in the shower which I’ve just started, so meet you soon?” Sunset said.

There was a brief pause followed by Twilight speaking quietly in a very creeped out voice, “are you naked while talking to me?”

“You mean you’re not?” Sunset said jokingly.

“Ugh, you are such a dirty pervert!” Twilight grunted.

“You bring out the best in me, what can I say? That’s one of the true virtues of friendship,” Sunset teased.

“Didn’t anyone tell you to put some clothes on when you’re on the phone with someone!?” Twilight groaned.

“In my defense where I come from clothes are completely optional, and phones don’t exist.” Sunset decided it was more fun to be a smart aleck about it.

“No offense, but your home sounds like a weird place…” Twilight sighed over the phone.

Sunset nodded, even though the girl couldn’t see her. “It’s a one of a kind place, that’s for sure. Anyways, I’ll get dressed and meet up with you, okay?”

“Alright.”

Finally ending the call, she placed her phone on the bathroom counter and stepped into the steaming shower. Warm water ran down her fair skin and her mind began to clear of all thoughts, all except one, the dream she had just had.

Adjusting her summer dress strap, Sunset managed to get herself out of her old car that she parked in front of a familiar diner. She had chosen to go with something lightweight and simply chose to wear thin leggings underneath it, along with sandals. Her signature biker jacket left in her car. She always opted to wear leggings or pants if she could, simply because she felt awkward for some reason leaving her legs exposed. She never quite trusted dresses or skirts to fully shield her from exposure. Part of her missed just having a fur coat to keep warm, though admittedly in the summer like it was now, they were less than ideal.

Her eyes fixated on the window, seeing Twilight sitting at a booth waving to her. She had decided to wear a summer dress as well. It was a light lilac color, with the straps held up by what appeared to be pins that resembled Twilight’s hairpin she wore commonly. She must have had a ton of outfits to match those emblems. Interestingly enough she chose to wear her hair down today, which was odd for her. For as long as Sunset had known Twilight, she had only seen her hair down maybe twice.

Even stranger was that she was sporting earrings, which she actually seldom wore. Twilight had her accessories such as her hair clips, and hair bands, but earrings and other jewelry were rather rare for her.

Sunset stepped inside and instantly her nostrils were filled with the scent of cooking hamburgers and bacon. The mornings in this place were always filled with people ordering bacon. She noticed that was a thing for humans, an almost compulsive obsession with bacon, much to her disgust. Once Rainbow even joked that Sunset's hair resembled bacon.

Sitting down across from Twilight, Sunset gave her friend a bright smile which was returned to her with equal delight. “Well someone is looking good,” Sunset commented and added a whistle for effect.

Twilight blushed and brushed a strand of her hair awkwardly. “T-thank you…” she replied.

“And the hair down? I don’t think I’ve seen you with your hair down on purpose before, what’s the occasion? Hoping to sweet talk me into taking you to the prom?” Sunset quizzed with a snicker, knowing her jokes would annoy Twilight as they always had.

With a grunt of disgust, Twilight rolled her eyes and leaned in. “Okay, seriously… The more we talk the more I question your sexuality…”

Sunset let out a hearty laugh and found herself in a helpless fit of giggles at Twilight’s reaction to her joke. Wiping her eyes she snorted and shook her head. “Wow… I wasn’t expecting that as a comeback. To answer that question… Relax I’m being facetious… Or am I? but we’ll leave the conversation of my sexual orientation for another day."

Twilight blinked, a bit more surprised by Sunset’s answer than she expected, “well now I am more curious.”

“Guess you’ll have to keep guessing,” Sunset teased.

Twilight rolled her eyes, realizing that if she pressed it, Sunset would just keep running in circles over and over much like she always did when she wanted to wind Twilight up, which was a good chunk of the time. Predictably, Twilight always fell into the trap as well.

“So what is the occasion for you being all dressed up?” Sunset asked again.

Twilight’s blush from before returned tenfold and she looked away bashfully. “Timber offered to take me out to dinner after our get together tonight.”

Sunset whistled and nodded. “Nice, you like him?”

She nodded. “I do… Shy of you guys teasing me that is.”

“It’s all in good fun, but I’ll stop if that makes you feel any better,” Sunset replied.

“It’s fine,” Twilight dismissed, “shall we order?”

With a nod, Sunset picked up a menu and skimmed it over. Twilight did the same, and they were not looking at it for longer than a few minutes before the waitress arrived. The young girl smiled as she offered to take their order. Sunset could detect a hint of an orange-scented perfume on the young waitress whom when she looked up at her seemed to have a very peppy expression.

“Anything I can get you?”

“I’ll have a coke, and I’ll take the eggs and sausage combo,” Twilight said, handing her menu to the waitress. The waitress accepted it and looked over to Sunset with expecting eyes.

“Toast and a fruit parfait are fine,” Sunset said as she too handed the waitress the menu, “Oh and coffee.” Sunset admittedly was a coffee addict, drinking several cups a day, which to her good fortune wasn’t frowned upon in this universe either. Though the coffee in Equestria tasted slightly different.

The waitress nodded and wandered off to go and retrieve their orders. Twilight smirked at her order. “You always order that, any reason? Is it really good?”

“More like everything else is really bad,” Sunset grumbled.

“Oh? How so?” Twilight raised a brow.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “I’m mostly vegan.”

“Oh… Right… Sometimes I forget you’re a pony… Unicorn thing from another dimension.” Twilight rubbed her neck nervously.

Sunset leaned back in her seat and threw her head back as she let out a laugh. “Gee, you make me sound so normal when you say it like that.”

Twilight awkwardly shuffled in her seat and regretted the comment, feeling she may have actually offended Sunset. Was it racist to make jokes like that with a species from another world? It was difficult to keep up with differences in customs and Sunset never really shared a lot of her customs with her, or any of their friends for that matter.

Sunset quickly detected that Twilight was feeling uneasy by watching her face contort to a look of discomfort. She offered her a genuine smile to calm her down, which proved effective as she could see Twilight visibly become less tense in her seat. Sunset threw in an “It’s fine”, for good measure though, after all, Twilight was a little ball of stress sometimes it seemed. She knew Twilight to be the kind of person who stressed herself out before she knew all the details, and being kept on edge never did any good for her.

Trying to break through the awkward air, Twilight decided to expand upon the conversation, “I take it your culture doesn’t allow for meat-eating or animal products?”

“I said mostly vegan,” Sunset responded as she took a cup of coffee offered to her by their waitress. Pointing to Twilight with a spoon she was about to utilize to mix sugar into her coffee she added, “not too observant today.”

“Really? So do you drink milk?” Twilight asked with genuine interest.

“Sometimes, kind of hard not to when the cafeteria serves it every day. I don’t eat eggs though along with meat, so I guess that makes me more vegan leaning, I guess?” Sunset explained, not sure if she was making much sense.

“Don’t like the idea of eating unborn chickens?” Twilight raised a brow trying to make sense of it.

“More like they are just gross. I’ll eat them mixed into stuff like cookies or something, but eggs on their own are disgusting…” Sunset grimaced and shuddered just at the idea of the food.

“Sorry I ordered them now…” Twilight admitted.

Sunset gave her friend a dismissive hand gesture as she stirred her coffee; she wasn't the type of person to make others stop partaking in what they liked to appease her.

Taking a gentle sip of her coffee, she had gotten the mixture perfectly. “So, how are you doing, by the way? I know Camp Everfree was a whole thing for all of us, and you have been adjusting to this new school.”

Twilight placed a hand on her chest as she smiled. “Well, it’s a lot easier when you’re looking out for me.”

“Well, that’s good then…” Sunset replied rather quietly.

Twilight squinted and leaned in a bit. “Something wrong?”

Sunset sighed and placed her hand into her hair as she leaned her head into it and placed her elbow on the table to keep herself propped up. “It’s nothing really… Well, nothing I can really explain too well anyways…”

“Try anyway,” Twilight suggested.

Looking up at her friend she sighed. “Like… I feel like… I don’t know, that I’m missing something, you know? Like I’ve forgotten something, or that I am overlooking something. It’s strange because I know that I haven’t…”

“Déjà vu maybe?” Twilight raised a brow.

“I don’t know… Maybe… It’s a really strange feeling like I feel it and I feel… Sad for some reason…” Sunset frowned.

“Sad?” Twilight was definitely more confused than she was prior.

“I had a dream the other night where I was in a room all alone. Like… There were no windows or doors, it was just a tiny room no bigger than a shower stall and I was trapped there. I couldn’t get out, I couldn’t get anyone to come and help, and no one heard me no matter how loud I yelled…” Sunset explained before taking a long sip of her dark beverage.

Twilight leaned back in thought. Her hand went to her chin as she contemplated the dream before giving her best-educated guess as to what would be on Sunset's mind., “Are you feeling lonely perchance?”

Sunset shook her head. “I don’t think so. I have all of you guys and that’s more than enough for me.”

“Maybe lonely in… Another sense…” Twilight suggested as she adjusted her glasses and blushed awkwardly.

Sunset laughed at the proposal. “I think the last thing my life needs is romance. I can only imagine how much drama that would be. Especially the part where I drop on them that I’m actually from another universe. That’ll be television worthy, no doubt.”

“People get lonely, Sunset.” Twilight shrugged.

Sunset sighed and nodded. “True, but I’m pretty sure it’s not like that… I don’t feel it in me, you know? I have all of you guys to keep me company.”

“Sometimes that’s not enough, Sunset. Sometimes people need more,” Twilight offered.

Sunset shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m pretty sure it’s not that. Trust me, even if I am not from this universe I know what it means to be… Err… Repressed…” The girl blushed as she attempted to clean up that statement as much as possible.

With an awkward cough, Twilight shrugged again. “What else could it be?”

“Dunno, but it’s driving me crazy…” Sunset answered. She took a long sip of her drink and decided it was wise to tell her friend about the dream she had this morning as well. “I had a dream this morning as well… A strange one… I was floating in this never-ending blackness… In the distance, there were these two people trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t hear them no matter how hard I tried. When I tried to get closer to hear the two of them, I fell and I was just falling. It was… Kind of chilling…” Sunset admitted as she shrunk into her seat lazily.

Twilight nodded. “Sounds pretty scary.”

“Definitely shook me up, that’s for sure,” Sunset admitted.

“I’m sure it’ll come to you, Sunset. You’re smart; I know you can figure this out if you try. Chances are you’re just stressing about something else,” Twilight reassured.

Sunset took another long sip of her coffee and smiled as the sensation overtook her. She enjoyed coffee back home, so she was thankful that it was here in the human world as well. The ability to enjoy some of her former luxuries was always nice. Looking back to her friend, she shot her the same smile to give her the message that she was alright.

“Nonetheless, I wrote a message to the princess about it. Maybe she has the answer,” Sunset informed.

Twilight blinked and leaned in more curious than ever, her inner scientist peeking out. “I still find it fascinating that there is another Twilight in another universe that is a princess. Not exactly a role that I’d imagine myself doing…”

Sunset chuckled. “Yeah, the two of you are relatively different, but you share a lot of similarities. I’d say that Princess Twilight is far ditsier than you at least.”

“Hey!” Twilight huffed in what almost appeared as a false protest, however, it was difficult to tell for Sunset.

Snickering, Sunset rolled her eyes. “It was a compliment; you’re less ditsy than her.”

“I’m not ditsy…” Twilight pouted.

“Kind of are,” Sunset insisted.

“Name one time,” Twilight grumbled as she crossed her arms in protest.

“The other week you accidentally tripped over Spike’s toy and landed face-first in his dog bowl.” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“That was… Well…” Twilight wanted to find a way to object but found herself just blushing with embarrassment instead. Sunset had a pretty good memory when it was essential to busting her chops.

With a sigh, Twilight shook her head. “Okay, granted I can be a bit clumsy…”

“A little?” Sunset snickered.

“I’m not admitting more than that.” Twilight pouted.

Sunset nodded and decided to leave that subject alone for now. “Anyways, I am hoping the princess can figure this out.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about, she sounds very capable,” Twilight responded with a glass in her hand.

Their food had just arrived, and as Sunset took her plate she smiled at her friend. “Yeah… You’re probably right…”

Princess Twilight usually was her best bet at figuring stuff like this out, so there was a good possibility that Twilight was correct. Even if the problem sounded like it might be out of the princess’ expertise, there was always a possibility that she could offer some kind of meaningful insight; at least that’s what Sunset hoped for.

With a powerful flick of her wrist and a coordinated throw, Applejack sent a bowling ball directly down the center lane. Within a matter of a second, the ball knocked down all ten pins with ease. She turned and smirked at Rainbow Dash who was already rolling her eyes at the potential bragging. Applejack dusted her knuckles playfully as she stepped next to her friend and patted her shoulder gently, a smirk creeping up on her face as she began taunting. “No worries, I’m sure you can throw a third strike in a row like I did.” Applejack teased.

Rainbow groaned and swatted Applejack’s hand away. “Yeah no fair, you have super strength, remember?”

“Strength had nothing to do with it,” Applejack insisted.

“Whatever,” Rainbow replied as she tossed her ball, with a bit of luck and effort, she managed to match Applejack’s strike, much to Applejack’s annoyance.

“You two are far too competitive, you know that?” Rarity called out from behind the scoring seat.

Sunset walked back into the room after returning from the bathroom, just catching the tail end of that conversation, deciding to add her commentary, “seriously, just kiss and get it over with," she teased.

Rainbow and Applejack both turned a shade of crimson at the suggestion, acting dumbfounded. “W-wha?” Rainbow managed to get out. Applejack’s entire face lit up to the point where it was clear she was paralyzed for a moment. Her mind for a brief moment imagined her and Rainbow actually kissing, and embarrassment overtook her.

Rarity kicked her feet excitedly as her body contorted together in a manner that suggested she was having a “moment”. She cooed and spoke in a higher-pitched voice of pure excitement, “Ooooooh that would be so cute! I could see it now! Hmmmm, which one of you would wear the tuxedo?” Rarity paused as she placed a finger under her chin in thought.

Applejack shook her head finally snapping back to reality. She gave a scornful look at Sunset. “See what y’all did? Now she’s plannin' our weddin'.”

Applejack wasn’t far off, as Rarity’s mind was already racing with what kind of wedding the two would have. Would it be a spring wedding or a winter one? What kind of dishes would be served?

Sunset found herself snickering. “Sorry… Though not entirely…”

Applejack sighed and stepped over to Rarity and snapped her fingers in front of the girl to try and break her out of her wedding planning trance. “Earth to Rarity. Wake up.” Rarity blinked and looked directly at the cowgirl. “Rainbow an' I ain’t getting married. We’re just friends.”

“Keep telling yourselves that…” Sunset antagonized.

Rarity pouted and frowned as her wedding plans were shut down.

Rainbow finally spoke up, “Don’t encourage her. Once she got the impression that I liked Soarin so she came over to my house with like seventy dresses for me to try on to impress him. She wouldn’t listen when I told her it wasn’t like that.”

“In my defense, you looked fabulous in many of those…” Rarity huffed.

“I’d like to see that…” Sunset giggled.

Rarity leaned in to speak in a more hushed tone to her friend, Sunset, “I have pictures…”

“I CAN HEAR YOU! DON’T YOU DARE! I SWEAR TO GOD RARITY I WILL END YOU!” Rainbow’s face turned red with fury.

Rarity gave a dismissive hand gesture to her friend.

Returning from the kitchen area, Fluttershy and Pinkie carried a set of trays with drinks for the entire group. Fluttershy began to pass them out, remembering to give the only diet to Rarity. No one in the group had the heart to tell her that diet soda isn’t really dietary, though they had the suspicion that Rarity knew this and just liked fooling herself.

Sipping her drink, Applejack spoke up, “so Sunset, Twilight says you wrote to the princess recently?”

Sunset nodded at the inquiry. “Yeah, I’ve just been feeling a bit off lately. Like something is bothering me, but I can’t quite figure out what. Strange dreams, déjà vu all the time, I don’t know. Maybe I’m just going crazy, but I’m hoping that the princess has the answers.”

“Knowing you? Crazy sounds like a good bet,” Rainbow teased.

Sunset merely rolled her eyes.

“Could it have anything to do with that?” Fluttershy asked as she pointed into the distance.

Sunset peered in the direction that her friend was pointing to find herself locked onto a television hanging next to the scoreboard. It usually reported the local news, and today was no exception. Sunset’s eyes lit up as she saw a girl with red and yellow hair appear for a brief second. Her head turned to Rarity at the controls. “Turn it up!” Sunset requested.

With a nod, Rarity raised the volume so the girls could hear the report; all of them fell silent as they listened, almost in a trance as they paid close attention.

An attractive anchorwoman spoke to the audience in a serious tone. The girls had started watching in the middle of the broadcast so they had missed some of what she had said, but they paid attention nonetheless.

“Five years ago, the Shimmer family as many will remember were involved in a terrible tragedy that to this day remains unsolved. Channel 4 here was the first on the story those five years ago.” The anchorwoman seemed to enjoy tooting her channel’s horn.

“Dusky Shimmer, owner of the Canterlot Institute, a wealthy millionaire many times over along with his wife Spark Shimmer both found dead in their Canterlot home those five years ago. A brutal murder leaving their only child, Sunset as the sole survivor. Many may remember this story when we covered it. To this day very little is known regarding the murder and the police will not comment on the case.” The Television showed a photo of what appeared to be a twelve-year-old Sunset on the screen. The group took notice of her glasses which Sunset never considered what she’d look like with. To say her interest was peaked was an understatement.

“For the next five years, she fought her remaining relatives for her vast inheritance. By the age of fourteen she was declared legally emancipated and for these five long years lived in solitude, refusing to speak to the press and has declined any and all interviews. That five-year-long silence though ends today, as we are about to go live to a speech that Ms. Shimmer is going to deliver at the Canterlot Institute.” The anchorwoman placed her hand over her ear before speaking again, “I have just received word that we are going live to the speech right now.”

The scene flipped to a camera zooming into a podium in front of hundreds of students and teachers. There, taking the podium was a young-looking girl with her long red and yellow hair locked up in a large ponytail. Stylish glasses perched upon her nose, and a very lavish and attractive cardigan draped over her. The group was in awe just watching her.

Clearing her throat, the girl spoke with a voice very familiar to the Sunset they all knew.

“Hello and thank you for attending this event. As many of you know, the new school semester begins in a few weeks and we have many new faces, which I am thrilled to greet. For those of you attending your first semester here at Caterlot Institute in September, I say welcome and thank you for being here. My father founded this school as a place of prestige and higher learning. To all of you attending, let me extend not only my thank you for making this school what it is today, but my congratulations for making it here. Canterlot Institute prides itself on being the best of the best, and you all have proven that, and you’re the reason why we’re the best of the best. You have all achieved greatness simply by stepping onto this campus and proving you are worthy of being here.” The girl paused and shuffled through some notes.

“I apologize for my absence from the scene for these many years. I have come here today though to announce that the Shimmer family will be donating three million dollars to the school out of our personal fortune to expand the school’s facilities and open up new scholarships to assist students in paying for their education here. My father believed heavily in the forwarding of education, and I intend to carry on that ideal through his school. That is why I am also opening up the Dusky Shimmer scholarship fund as well to reach out to poor areas and help fund those living in poor neighborhoods a chance to receive an education here in honor of my father.” The girl was forced to pause as the entire crowd went into a positive uproar at the revelation. Cheers were spread throughout the area as Sunset waved to the crowd, trying to get them to settle down for a brief moment. Finally achieving silence, she leaned into the microphone again. The girl could already hear reporters barraging her with questions in the front row. She looked down at them and then spoke. One of them yelled loud enough for all to hear a question, “Miss Shimmer, do you intend to attend Canterlot Institute yourself now that you are reaching that age?”

“No further comment.” She said as she stepped away from the podium. The reporters were frenzying trying to get some kind of reaction out of her, but it was a pointless effort. The camera zoomed in on her leaving the area and quickly switched to a shot of her getting into an expensive car and pulling out before flipping back to the anchorwoman.

“And there you have it, Sunset Shimmer, heir to the Shimmer fortune, breaks her five-year silence after the murder of her family. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure an interview with her, however, we did get the following statement from a representative of hers from the school; 'Miss Shimmer is a very busy person. While she appreciates the media’s interest in her story, she cannot comment at this time and has no statements regarding the school or personal affairs. We ask that all respect her privacy.'” The woman on the television adjusted the papers on her desk.

Fluttershy looked over at her friends, worry, and concern in her eyes. They all looked at each other and then back at Sunset who was standing there with her jaw hanging open in total disbelief. Her friend Twilight stepped towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her. “Well… I guess this explains a lot?”

She was frozen in place for a few seconds, her mind having a difficult time processing this information. Her entire brain turned to mush for a brief moment before snapping back to reality and forcing herself to digest it.

Sunset nodded and found herself taking a seat, trying to take all of this in, but finding it exceedingly difficult. “Yeah… there’s… another Sunset here…”

Author's Note

So again special thanks to Applety for the artwork. She's awesome, you guys should go check her out and send her lots of RariJack.

Also noticed art from the story instantly went up on Derpibooru last week when the first chapter came out. I actually wasn't expecting that, but it's very appreciated. Thanks especially for linking back to the story and crediting Applety as the artist. Means a lot to both of us!

Also love you guys for supporting this project. I'm glad people are enjoying it so far.

Act I - Chapter III: Curiosity

Chapter III: Curiosity

Five Years Ago

Grumbling after a long day at school, a young junior high age Sunset walked past the school’s football field onto the nature trail looking for a yellow ribbon she had tied to a tree several months ago. Once she found it, she peered around to make sure none were looking and stepped off the trail and pushed through the brush and woods, making her way through a secluded path. Paying attention to landmarks, the young pre-teen arrived at a specific area a good few miles from the school.

Moving an old camouflaged tarp used for hunting shanties out of the way, the girl entered a small cave. With her fingers a bit frigid from the oncoming winter months, she managed to shakily light a match from a pack she was carrying in her jacket pocket and ignited a lantern, illuminating the entire cave. Old sheets and discarded blanket comforters were piled in a corner to make a makeshift bed when she sat down and set the lantern to the side.

The girl picked up a can of lighter fluid and doused a pile of sticks near the center of the cave and lit another match to get a fire going. She recalled when she first settled here spending many nights trying to make fire through magic with no luck. She was frustrated with how long it was taking her to understand how to use her magic in this world.

She had dug out this cave months ago and it was where she retreated when the school day had come to a close. While it wasn’t much, it was solitude and that’s all she cared about really. The only difference between this solitude and the solitude she knew back home in Equestria however was she often used that solitude to study magic, and here she spent most of it just trying to forget about how crappy of a day she had just had.

Sunset had been here for a few months now but she didn’t understand this place at all. People managed without magic, and their systems for doing things were complicated. She thought back for a brief moment to her mentor, Celestia. She scoffed at the teacher who had barred her from progressing, stopped her from achieving greatness. She warned her that she wouldn’t survive in this world, but Sunset was determined to prove her wrong. The girl had already managed to live here for a few months without much problem, after all, relatively speaking anyway.

On the plus side, she had gotten used to a lot since she arrived, including having hands over magic. Picking up a stick from a pile she had, Sunset retrieved a small knife from her pocket and began to carve the tip of the stick to a point. Satisfied with the point, she flattened the other side and began to work on fastening feathers to it to make a makeshift arrow.

After a good ten minutes with her project, she set it down with the other arrows she had made before working on another.

One thing that she learned was that animals were just as dangerous here in the human world as back home in Equestria, and while she didn’t hunt for food, she read a few books in the library about archery to get acquainted with a bow after an incident where a bear found her cave and she had to use some cleverness to get it out. At one point she was attacked by a coyote, whom she had to wrestle off of her and only managed to escape by finding a nearby rock and bashing the creature.

After encounters like that she was determined to learn how to defend herself, and thus learned how to make a bow and arrows, then how to shoot them. She spent a lot of time practicing when she wasn’t at school, and sometimes she even skipped classes to go and do that. After weeks of practicing, she had actually gotten quite competent with the thing, and might even be able to give a few of the hunters in the area a run for their money.

She had endured her first kill only a few weeks back where she had to shoot down a coyote. The girl remembered how traumatized she had been just releasing that arrow. Sunset had never killed anything before, so it was a very difficult experience for her. Feeling guilty, she actually brought its body into her den and read up on ancient native tribes who believed that animals were sacred. From there she came to the same conclusion they had had back in the past, to not allow any kill to go to waste as it was a disgrace to the creature.

The pelt had been skinned, the creature buried and she was working on turning it into a pair of boots for the coming winter, the pelt hanging from the cave wall as she was still reading books from the library about how to fashion something like that. It was a pet project for another day.

When she first came to this world, she never imagined how much her survival skills would be put to the test. When she was a young filly she remembered she and her father went camping once a long time ago, it wasn’t exactly the most enjoyable experience, but amusing nonetheless since he clearly knew nothing about camping and had to keep reciting a book the entire time, trying to get a grasp on the activity. He promised the two would go again, but they never did as far as she remembered. Then again she spent a lot of her time at school, and her father was at work all the time, that became the norm in her life.

Her mind fell back to what one of the other students said to her today during a study hall, she couldn’t get it out of her head, it was still hitting her hard despite being hours ago. There she sat minding her own business, trying to read up on the strange phenomenon in this world to try and connect anything she could to magic and perhaps begin to understand magic in this world, when two of the other girls approached after the teacher had stepped out. One of them took her book from her and the other pushed her out of her chair.

Tumbling to the floor she looked up with an annoyed expression to see the two of them laughing at her. The one holding the book snickered and spoke, “you’re a freak, you know that?”

Clenching the arrow she was making in her hand tightly, Sunset found herself squeezing so hard that the stick snapped in two. With a growl, she spoke to herself, “I don’t need them…”

Stunned, Sunset and her friends all gathered at the nearby table close to their lane at the bowling alley. There was silence for a long period of time, only occasionally broken by Pinkie Pie slurping on her drink. All eyes were on Sunset as she held her head in her hands in deep thought, staring down at the table trying to make sense of this all.

Rarity was taking the time to fiddle with her phone and avoid the awkwardness until Applejack finally spoke up after several minutes of total silence, “alright, I gotta say it… Did anyone ever think about another Sunset before this?”

“The thought crossed my mind, but I was really young when that news story came out, so I guess I don’t remember seeing it or I just wasn’t paying attention…” Fluttershy admitted as she sunk into her seat.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah same here. I was 13 at the time; no way I would have been watching or paying attention to the news.”

Twilight adjusted her glasses and thought for a moment. “I think I remember something about that story at the time… The name slipped my mind because the media didn’t really get much info out of it. They tried to make it a big story, but it never really got out to the public and police details remained confidential.”

Rarity making herself useful pulled up articles on her phone and spoke aloud as she read bits and pieces of them, “according to this, the Shimmer family shy of their daughter was murdered five years ago as the news said. Interestingly enough, no details about the murder were ever released. About three years ago when Sunset was declared emancipated from her only living aunt who was trying to steal her vast fortune she has lived in solitude for the past two years, few ever seeing her leave her estate. Many reported that even the post office who delivers all of her packages directly to the house has never actually seen her.”

“Spooky…” Pinkie said between slurps of her beverage.

“Sounds like a really sad story…” Twilight admitted with a frown.

Rainbow leaned into the table with an inquisitive expression. “So basically this Sunset is super rich, and lives in secret where few ever see her? Sounds like you’re actually Batman in our world, Sunset.”

Sunset finally looked up from the table and shook her head, ignoring Rainbow’s joke. “I never considered this… What’s stranger is she doesn’t sound anything like me either… I mean my dad and mom were pretty wealthy, but not like… Living in a vast mansion rich… Though the isolation thing sounds familiar…”

Her mind returned to her early days in this world, where she spent most of her time by herself.

Applejack frowned and placed a hand on top of Sunset’s. Sunset looked up at her friend with a smile, which Applejack returned tenfold. Applejack always had a very comforting smile. “Try not to get yourself worked up over it. Don’t remind yourself of yer' past thinkin' about her. She’s a different girl.”

Sunset nodded. “You’re right, sorry.”

Twilight smiled and nodded in agreement with Applejack. “To add to that, we don’t know anything about this Sunset. However, unlike her, you have a large group of friends who are looking out for you.”

“That’s true.” Sunset smiled and laughed a bit.

“Hopefully she doesn’t turn into a she-demon thing,” Rainbow Dash joked.

The entire group laughed, and as it slowly subsided, Sunset truly thought about what Twilight just said about how she had a large group of friends and that this other Sunset didn’t.

That’s true.

Rainbow leaped into the air as high as her legs would spring her, catching a green frisbee with a red apple emblem decorating it in her hand and tossing it with a mighty hurl before her feet touched the ground. Landing, she prepared herself for another possible throw in her direction.

The object was caught by Applejack following the wiping of sweat off of her head and tossed it to Sunset who fumbled a bit, but caught it none the less. Sunset paused as she took a breath and tried to compose herself. The three of them had been playing for a good hour in the beating sun of high noon.

Rainbow caught wind of Sunset and Applejack being a bit on the winded side and took a few steps forward towards a picnic table where she picked up a towel and wiped her brow. Tossing a water bottle to Sunset, she smiled as she gave a suggestion, “let’s take a breather, we’ve been playing for almost an hour.”

“Sounds good to me.” Applejack nodded, not giving any protest.

Sunset concurred and joined the group at the table, who all began to look at their phones for possible missed messages.

“Twilight apparently had a pretty good date with Timber,” Rainbow commented as she scanned over a few texts.

“He seems like a nice fella’.” Applejack smiled, setting her phone down after finishing reading every message waiting for her.

“Glad to see she is doing well with that.” Sunset smiled earnestly. A boyfriend might distract Twilight from her fear of not being accepted for a little while, or possibly even build her confidence which she definitely could use more of.

“Hopefully it doesn’t become like that one-time Rarity got a boyfriend. We never heard the end of that…” Applejack groaned as she remembered. Though it wasn't her first boyfriend, Applejack still remembered it.

“Do I even want to know?” Sunset’s brow raised with curiosity.

“No, you don’t.” Rainbow shook her head.

Nodding, Sunset chuckled a bit as she glanced back at her phone, re-reading an article she had opened up last night and read over multiple times at this point. She separated herself from the conversation between Applejack and Rainbow who began talking amongst themselves as she read the article for what felt like the hundredth time.

Murdered Millionaires Leaves Police Baffled

At 8:38 last night paramedics arrived at the scene of the Shimmer family estate to discover a grisly sight. Dusky Shimmer and his doting wife murdered. Police refused to comment on the details of the murder, however, reporters were able to see the police and fire department carrying out a young Sunset Shimmer, age 12, out of the estate.

The police have no suspects at this time, and they refused to divulge much information, but were willing to tell the press that they believe this crime might have been financially motivated, and they were not allowing the child to be exploited by the press. The police chief of the city had this to say. “She is a small child that had to witness the violent and brutal death of her parents. She is traumatized and has blocked the incident out from her head entirely as any child would. Sadly she could not provide us with any leads, but we are hard at work to bring the criminal who committed this heinous and vicious crime to justice. We ask that people respect this girl’s privacy and recognize that she is the victim in all of this.”

Reporters at the gate of the scene reported seeing Sunset having blood stains on her clothing when the police arrived, opening the possibility that she was in the room when her parents were attacked. There were no signs of a break-in and no signs of a getaway of any kind. Police have stated they are not finding much in the way of forensic evidence either.

While the pursuit for this murderer continues people cannot help but ask why this happened and what will be the fate of this innocent girl caught in the middle. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her and we hope she will find peace and get to see justice for her parents. As a community, an atrocity like this affects us all and reminds us of how we must stand together for justice.

Sunset’s concentration was broken as Applejack tapped her shoulder to get her attention. It was kind of eerie reading an article with her name in it anyway, so it was probably for the best that Applejack snapped her back to reality.

“Hey, what’s got y’all so enthralled?” Applejack asked as she peeked over at Sunset’s phone. A long sigh escaped her as she leaned back in her seat.

“Still thinking about the other Sunset?” She finally asked.

“It’s not every day that you learn there is an alternate version of you whose parents were killed in a violent murder,” Sunset replied with a frown.

“Yeah, I doubt I’d be able to stop thinking about that either…” Rainbow admitted.

Nodding, Sunset sighed.

“Well remember this ain’t Equestria, so things here don’t always play out like they do over there. Ah’ve never met the Equestrian counterparts of us, but Ah' am gonna safely guess they ain't exactly like us,” Applejack explained.

She had a point. After all, Sunset hadn’t been to Equestria in a long time and never met the pony versions of her friends. Princess Twilight had mentioned that they shared some similarities but that there were things that made them distinctly different as well.

“I feel bad for her…” Sunset admitted.

“Well 'course ya' do. Yer' a very empathetic person.” Applejack winked as she nudged her friend.

“I think it’s more than that. I think this is what the dreams are about. Ever since I got this necklace from our trip to Everfree, I started getting these dreams… I mean my power is supposed to be triggered by empathy, maybe it’s trying to tell me something…” Sunset explained.

“That is a pretty good theory, even I can’t argue with that.” Rainbow nodded in agreement.

“What're y’all gonna do then sugar cube?” Applejack asked with a raised brow before taking a long drink from a water bottle.

“No idea,” Sunset admitted sheepishly.

“Whatever you do, we’re behind you,” Rainbow exclaimed proudly.

Pulling up to her estate in her Audi, Sunset let out a long sigh and laid her head on the steering wheel for a moment, awkwardly pressing her glasses to her face. She sat there with her hands and head on the wheel as she took a deep inhale and exhaled after. The girl looked up and pulled down the mirror to check her makeup.

Looking back at her was a young woman with nearly flawless makeup, that to her surprise didn’t run or start to slide off during her day out. She detested leaving the estate and often kept a low profile when she did to avoid the potential press. She had just gotten back from a meeting with the school board regarding the donation she had made to the institute; nothing too major just signing some paperwork to make the donation official, lots of legal jargon to seal the deal.

Now that it was all over though, she was simply glad she wouldn’t have to deal with it any further. The stress involved in dealing with the school and the media was too much for her and reminded her quickly why she stayed at home a lot and did most of her shopping through Amazon.

Stepping out of the car, a gentle Summer breeze blew, making her dark grey dress adorned with skull patterns sway in the wind. Her exposed legs were a bit chilly from the breeze, but she stood there looking at the estate in front of her. Taking a step in her black high heels, she began walking up the steps to the entrance, letting herself in. Being that it was a weekend she sent her cleaning staff and maid home for the weekend so she could have solitude.

Making her way down the hall and finally, down a stairwell she found her way into her laboratory, flicking on a light.

Sunset pulled a chair closer to the computer in the room that was still on from earlier as she sat down and adjusted her dress to look more presentable. Turning on the feed to see herself on the screen she smiled for a second as she got a good look at her entire look. On the screen was a girl that she would definitely describe as attractive, which lifted her spirits.

She cleared her throat and pressed the record button before she began to speak.

“This is Sunset Shimmer again for data log number 980. I know I’ve been doing a lot in the past few days, but sometimes I feel this is the best way to get my thoughts down and out of my brain.” She ran a hand through her ponytail before continuing. “I finalized the donation to the institute, so now I can get back to focusing on my experiments, which seems to be all I really have these days…”

She frowned but forced a smile to the camera as she tried to make the subject a bit more light-hearted. “On the plus side though, I’d say I pulled off looking presentable at the meeting. If there were any boys there, I’m sure they would be all over me… Or if I actually had any boys in my life for that matter…” She chuckled and shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder why I care so much about how I look when I know no one is looking, but I guess sometimes it feels nice just to know you have a stellar appearance…”

The girl paused and stared at the screen before sighing and shaking her head. “Yeah I know, psychology. No point in denying it to myself, chances are I do it because that’s how mom was and it’s some kind of subconscious way of keeping her in my thoughts or something… I’m sure the tremendous amount of emotional and psychological damage has a lot to do with it… The same damage is probably also why I don’t have any boys in my life either,” she joked to herself out loud, trying to break the somber atmosphere.

“I guess the only thing left to do is continue my experiments now. It’s not like I have much else going for me, and solitude is the best friend of discovery after all. Necessity is the mother of all invention, and I feel like I am getting closer to answers… I’ve been having these strange dreams lately where I feel not like myself. I’m me, but I’m not me… it’s a strange feeling… however, they make me feel… Hopeful for some odd reason. I know I will hit this breakthrough soon, and after that answers will come rolling in. I can’t stop now when I’m so close…” Sunset placed her hand upon her heart as she felt a tiny pain inside of her, clawing at her heart as old memories tried to bubble up to the surface, only to be suppressed for yet another day.

“I’m not going to give in until I understand until I have answers. I promise that much, and I’ll keep looking until I can’t anymore. I know I’m setting myself up by looking under stones that might be best left unturned, but I can’t simply let this pass, I need to know…” She said.

With a sigh, she reached up to press the button before speaking, “Datalog end.”

With that, she ended the recording.

It was approaching the time when Sunset would consider retiring for the day, but she had agreed to meet Twilight at their usual diner spot for either a bite or a coffee tonight. Twilight had just gotten back from a movie date with Timber, so there was a good chance it would be mostly coffee as she suspected the girl probably filled up with popcorn, and while she could eat a good deal (Sunset had seen her eat before), she knew Twilight could fill up on snacks if she wasn’t paying attention.

Pulling up, Sunset stepped out of her car, jiggling the keys a bit to get them out of the socket. The car was old and definitely had some “quirks” but Sunset had gotten so used to them that she just knew how to work with them despite how frustrating they could be when she was in a hurry. Once she had to mess with it for a good hour to get it to start, making her extremely late for school that day, due to her stubbornness in trying to get it working rather than take the bus and worry about it when she got home.

Entering the diner, Sunset noted how no one else was there except Twilight and the staff. With a smile and a wave, her friend welcomed her before the wait staff was even able to recognize she had entered.

Returning the gesture, Sunset sat down and due to being the only guests, a waitress approached them quickly. Both girls ordered a coffee, however, Sunset requested far more sugar than Twilight.

When the cups arrived, Sunset started shredding packets of sugar open and unloading them into her cup. Twilight watched almost in shock as Sunset overloaded on sugar as she approached her twelfth packet. Her eyes met Sunset’s as Sunset placed a smirk on her own face. “Gotta make it as sweet as me, right?”

Twilight rolled her eyes at Sunset's joke. “Well… I can’t deny you are sweet sometimes.”

Sunset stuck her tongue out. “Oh please, I’m sweet all the time.”

Twilight crossed her arms and raised her brow.

“Okay, yeah I’m a big pain in the ass sometimes, but that’s why you love me,” Sunset admitted before finally taking a sip of the brew that was probably mostly sugar at this point.

Smacking her lips pleased, she set the cup down.

“How’d your date with Timber go?” She asked.

Twilight took her own cup in both of her hands and held it away from her after the steam from the liquid fogged up her glasses. Re-adjusting them and waiting until she could see again, she cautiously took a sip, keeping her hands wrapped around the cup.

“Quite well,” she responded.

“Finally give him the tongue action?” Sunset smirked.

Twilight spit her coffee out, caught off guard. Frantically she reached for napkins to clean up the mess she had just made, Sunset merely burst out laughing as she leaned back in her seat, her head thrown back. She found it difficult to breathe she was laughing so hard.

“Holy crap, Sunset!” Twilight protested, finally cleaning up the coffee and wiping her lip.

“Oh man! Your reaction! I can’t even!” Sunset managed to get out between bouts of laughter.

“I seriously can’t wait until you get a boyfriend so I can bust your chops…” Twilight grumbled.

Wiping tears from her eyes, Sunset managed to control her laughter finally as she leaned back onto the table. She took another sip of her sweet coffee before answering, “you’ll be waiting a while, I mean I’m about as alluring as a wet towel.”

“What makes you think that?” Twilight asked a bit concerned.

“Twilight, for starters the whole pony from an alternate universe thing is probably a huge detractor. That and I don’t exactly have the best personality,” Sunset explained.

“You’re pretty at least though.” She didn’t even bother denying either of Sunset’s points.

“Am I?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Sure. I would kill for your figure. Long legs, curvy r-“ Twilight cut herself off and blushed as she saw a smirk growing on Sunset’s face, knowing the perverted thoughts were already racing through her head. She should have seen this was a setup long before she started talking, but her naivety caught the better of her.

“Curvy what?” Sunset leaned in mischievously.

“Forget it.” Twilight took a long swig of her coffee, partially burning her tongue.

“Now I’m starting to question your sexuality.” Sunset smirked.

“A girl can notice another girl looks good without it being a lesbian thing you know,” Twilight explained.

“Mhm…” Sunset nodded before taking another sip.

Sunset enjoyed their banter. It was a pretty big steeple of their friendship, but both of them knew it was in good fun, and they were closer than any of their other friends. They both knew what it was like to be outcasts, to not have friends and not really know how to make them either.

The major difference between the two though was their upbringing. Twilight came from a very loving and caring home with family, privilege and much more. Sunset had been alone since she arrived in this world, her parents probably didn’t even have a clue where she was. She had no support network outside of her friends, and when she attended the Canterlot school of magic under Princess Celestia’s tutelage, she more or less lost contact with her parents for some odd years. They more than likely didn’t even know if she was alive or dead.

Her mind turned back to the other Sunset in this world. She kept finding herself thinking about her and her situation. Two murdered parents, a mystery that remained unsolved to this very day. She must have been traumatized.

Twilight could see her friend was deep in thought about something and finally spoke up, “something wrong?”

“Just thinking…” Sunset said absentmindedly.

“About the other Sunset?” Twilight asked.

Looking up at her, Sunset could see concerned eyes behind Twilight’s glasses. She clearly knew that Sunset couldn’t get the other Sunset off of her mind since she discovered her existence.

“Yeah…” She admitted.

Twilight nodded and set her cup down.

“I will admit what she’s been through is sad, it must be hard for you to know there is another version of yourself who is suffering so much…” Twilight tried to sound as understanding as she could.

“It is, that’s why I’ve made a decision,” Sunset spoke.

“Oh? What’s that?” Twilight tilted her head slightly.

Placing both of her hands on the table, Sunset leaned in and spoke in a quiet tone, “I have to meet her.”

Twilight blinked a few times and rubbed her ear to make sure she heard the girl correctly. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean how do you think she’s going to react that an alternate universe version of herself is here?”

Sunset shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

Twilight shook her head. “How do you even plan on meeting her? You heard the news, she’s a recluse, never comes out for anything. She doesn’t let anyone into her estate either.”

With another shrug, Sunset leaned back in her seat and picked her coffee cup up and took a long sip. “Don’t know. But I have to try.”

“Why?” Twilight asked.

“My dreams have to mean something. Empathy is supposed to be my thing according to this necklace.” Sunset tapped the necklace that she had acquired after their trip to Camp Everfree. “If that’s the case then I can’t just ignore it, I can’t ignore another version of myself suffering, what if she needs help? I might be one of the few people that could help her.”

Twilight smiled at Sunset’s kindness. “Maybe you are sweeter than I give you credit for… It’s very kind of you to go out of your way for a stranger like that.”

“We may be strangers, but we share a very special and unique bond clearly. The strings that tie us together may not be very tight strings, but they are still there nonetheless.” Sunset explained.

With a nod, Twilight sat up. “Well, I’ll support you no matter what you do. If your dreams mean anything, it’s at least worth looking into. I mean she sounds like she’s hurting.”

“Thank you, Twilight… Your support means a lot to me.” Sunset reached over the table and placed her hand atop of Twilight’s.

Her nerdy friend adjusted her glasses and smiled. “Don’t forget that I owe a lot to you.”

Four Years Ago

School was ending, and Sunset had finally finished up her studies for the day and was eager just to be away from the student body. After a long day of putting up with insufferable young teens, Sunset remembered how annoying school was back home in Equestria. The most annoying part of school was always the other students.

This place was no exception either, as she loathed most of the kids in this school, and they seemed to loathe her back. Nothing had changed in her life, that much was certain.

Making her way down the hall a familiar group of girls stopped her path. With an annoyed sigh, Sunset adjusted her backpack as she approached and gave an annoyed expression. “Let me through, Vanilla. I don’t have time for this.”

Vanilla and her friends snickered and chuckled as Vanilla did a mocking impression of Sunset. “What’s the hurry? Circus need their freak show back?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Nah, I just need to get back to the store so I can help them stock up the booze. See your mother just made a visit and cleaned the place out.”

Vanilla’s expression turned to almost pure rage in a matter of a second. “What did you say?”

Sunset finally having had enough of this nonsense took her bag off and set it aside. “What are you going to do, Vanilla? Run home to your drunk of a mother and tell her I was mean to you?”

Vanilla growled and her friends stepped in closer.

“Take that back,” she threatened.

“You know what… Screw this…” Sunset sighed.

Quickly she balled her hand into a fist and took a vicious swing, clouting Vanilla clear in the jaw. The girl staggered backward gripping her jaw and wiping blood from her lip. Her two friends closed in, one taking a swing, only for Sunset to duck and deliver a kick square in one’s abdomen and then a roundhouse kick to the other’s jaw, pushing both of them back.

Vanilla recovered from the punch and stood up. “Oh you’re dead!” she hissed.

Sunset took a stance ready for her, and when Vanilla came charging, Sunset weaved out of the way and tripped the girl. As Vanilla fell, Sunset caught her by her hair and jumped on her back with her knees thrusting into her spine, pulling her hair as she pinned her to the floor.

Vanilla screeched in pain as Sunset held her down. “Your mommy going to save you now? Huh? What’s wrong? Bit off more than you can chew?” Sunset tormented.

The fight ended abruptly though as an older voice called down the hall, “that is enough. Both of you, my office.”

Sunset looked up to see a middle-aged woman with a scowl on her face. Tapping her foot, she definitely came off as very annoyed. It was Principal Celestia.

“Crap…” Sunset thought out loud.

After a long lecture on how the school has a zero-tolerance policy on fighting and issuing three days detention for the two girls starting tomorrow, the principal excused Vanilla and told her to head home. With a grunt, she stood up and grabbed her bag before exiting, not thrilled that Celestia didn’t see her side of the story more, such as the part where Sunset made a crack about her mom being an alcoholic.

Grumbling she left the room. Sunset stood to follow her, but the principal gestured for her to sit back down. “I’m not done with you yet.”

Sunset sighed and planted herself back in her chair as she tried to avoid the intense stare of the middle-aged woman, who had an expression of both annoyance and concern. It was difficult to read Celestia even when Sunset was trying her very best. Other students in the school over time had become far easier for her to read, but not Celestia, she remained an enigma.

“Miss Shimmer, I’m very concerned about your behavior since you arrived at this school…” she began.

“Sorry, won’t happen again…” Sunset rattled out, not even trying to sound sincere, hoping she could just say all the right things to get out of trouble.

“Sunset…” Celestia leaned in.

The young teen glanced over at her and could see she had grown more to look like she was concerned rather than angry.

“I know you’re having a hard time fitting in around here, but I don’t think the path you’re going down is healthy for you. You’ve been in quite a few fights lately, and I am getting reports of you bullying other students,” Celestia said.

“Well, I guess you will have to call my home and make my family punish me.” Sunset smirked, knowing that the number on her record was her own cellphone. Whenever she got a call about something at school she just put on a deeper voice and pretended to be her own mother.

“Yes… About that…” Celestia’s eyes narrowed, clearly showing she was suspicious.

She pulled a file up onto the table and flipped through it. Placing a pair of reading glasses upon her face, she examined the file. “There are a few discrepancies in your file…”

A cold sweat quickly formed on Sunset’s neck. She never anticipated Celestia unraveling any of her convoluted lies to get into school in the first place.

“Such as?” Sunset panicked.

“Well, I noticed your address… Isn’t a real place. I checked that street and there is no house number 98, the street stops at 92…” Celestia said, looking up from her glasses at Sunset hoping for an explanation.

“Oh uh…” Sunset rubbed her neck, unsure of how to lie her way out of this one. “We’re uh… Getting remodeled…”

Celestia shook her head. “I know the number on record isn’t your parents, it’s your own. I’m not stupid.”

Crap.

“I uh… Share a phone with my mom…” She attempted to lie.

“Really, that’s interesting and why didn’t your parents show up to the open house parent-teacher night?” Celestia asked, knowing that Sunset was going to continue to attempt and pull wool over her eyes.

“Ummm… Sick?” She didn’t sound too sure with her answer.

“Both of them?” Celestia raised a brow.

“Our family gets sick really easy. One of us gets sick and we’re all sick, I had a pretty bad head cold that night too.” Sunset started to feel a bit more confident with her lies now that she was on a roll.

“Sunset… I know you don’t have parents. I don’t know what exactly is going on, but I know you are not being 100% honest with me about your situation here…” Celestia said.

Sunset sighed and leaned back in her chair. “So now what? Are you going to snitch on me? I’m in huge trouble, right? Probably going to call child protective services or something, I read about that stuff, I know what happens from here…”

Sunset since she arrived read up on the laws of this world, realizing quickly she needed to be a step ahead of them. It wasn’t legal for a girl her age to live by herself with no parent. If she was caught she knew they’d put her in a foster home somewhere, and then all the talk about how she lacked any kind of ID or birth certificate would surface.

Celestia sighed and shook her head. “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness here, but I am not going to reveal any of this information to anyone. This stays between us.”

Sunset blinked, was the principal actually sticking her neck out for her? Her, Sunset Shimmer? One of the biggest troublemakers in the school.

“Huh… Why?”

Celestia smiled. “While I don’t approve of your behavior, I happen to know what happens with child protective services… I don’t wish that upon you. I ask you to try and stay out of trouble, but I’ll keep your secret.”

“T-thank you…” Sunset bowed.

That was the first time someone in this world had actually gone out of their way to be nice to her.

Author's Note

Hey! It's been a crazy week. Super special thanks to Applety for the artwork. She actually redid these a few times to get them up to par. I owe her a lot, and she's been super dedicated to getting these done on time to meet the Friday deadlines, so do show a bit of love to her. Check out her page, and her story Honest Diamonds. She's working on other stuff, but I won't spoil it.

So from here on out I'm going to use these author's notes to talk about stuff that went into the making of this story every week!

So I actually keep a notebook where I have outlined every chapter. Originally this story was only going to be one act, but I sort of expanded the idea realizing I could actually tell quite a large story overall.

Act I - Chapter IV: Meeting

Chapter IV: Meeting

Three Years Ago

Recently taking the crown of the fall formal yet again, Sunset was feeling much more confident, even though she had to threaten her opponents into not running. With a lot of training and personal discipline, Sunset had become quite formidable in a fight, and with her incredible sixth sense for reading people, she was exceptional at finding emotional weak points and digging up dirt on people to keep them from standing in her way. It all finally made sense to her, in Canterlot Celestia and the other students at the magic academy never accepted Sunset’s sheer talent. Her knack for learning quickly and mastering abilities didn’t phase them. The same was true about this place; no one was willing to accept her based solely on her talents.

Since she was a child she always recalled having a hard time fitting in. She grew up mostly in solitude, being home-schooled to excel at magic. Her tutors were for a long time the only interaction she got with other ponies aside from her parents.

Learning quickly, she assumed that the magic academy would be a cakewalk for her until Celestia started to pressure her to make friends, which she tried when her mentor wasn’t looking, but it almost never worked out. Most ponies saw her as weird, abnormal, or just plain odd and made fun of her. It only pushed her more towards solitude, but now for the first time in her life people were paying attention to her, and all it took was a few threats.

Standing in front of her locker, she looked over her appearance. For a brief moment, she wondered what she’d look like with eyeliner. She was starting to get used to human anatomy and fashion, realizing what looked good and what didn’t to other humans.

Rubbing her dry lips with a chap-stick, she blinked as she felt a shake on the locker next to her. Taking a step back from her locker and the mirror inside it, she shut it and looked to her right.

Standing there was a taller male with his hand placed upon the locker next to hers with a smile across his face. Blue hair, and a chiseled face, he had a very “cool guy” demeanor as he stood there, zipped up in a hoodie with some band that Sunset was unfamiliar with upon it.

“Hey,” he said.

She blinked and sized him up before replying quietly, “hey…”

“So, I saw you won the Fall Formal Princess again?” He inquired.

As if that wasn’t obvious.

“I did.” She nodded, unsure of what he was getting at.

“I’m Flash by the way.” He offered his hand for her to shake.

She looked down at it and took it in her own shaking it lightly. “Sunset.”

He nodded. “I like that name. It’s pretty, suits you.” He smiled.

Sunset never considered her name as pretty, or herself as pretty for that matter. Appearances were something she hadn’t really thought about back in Equestria, it wasn’t until she came here where clothing was mandatory that she began to think about what she looked like to others. Since she spent so much time not being noticed, how she came off to those around her never really came to her mind.

“Thank you… I think…” Sunset rubbed her neck, unsure of what she should say to such a compliment.

He didn’t seem to mind, as he just chuckled at her lack of understanding on how to take such a compliment.

“I was wondering if maybe you were doing something this weekend?” He asked.

“Well, I use the weekends to practice my bow skills and Tai Kwon Do,” she replied.

He laughed, clearly thinking she was joking. “Would you perhaps be willing to put that aside to maybe go catch a movie with me? What kind of movies do you like?”

Sunset blinked. “I don’t know… Truthfully I’ve never watched one, except the documentaries we’re forced to watch in class. Do those count?”

He chuckled again and smiled. “You’re weird.”

Sunset’s face quickly turned to an almost scowl at that comment, but he spoke again before she could tell him off. “I like it.”

“Y-you do?” She tilted her head in confusion. Her whole life she always knew being "weird" as a negative thing.

He nodded and offered her a piece of paper. “In case you decide you want to check out a movie, I’ll be willing to help you pick one out that sounds interesting.”

With that, he gave a wave and wandered off into the hall which was slowly filling with people. Looking down to her hands, Sunset unfolded the paper he had handed her to see what she presumed was a phone number written down with the name “Flash Sentry” written directly above it.

Did he just ask me out?

Jamming away at the buttons of an arcade machine, Rainbow Dash kept a stellar focus on the screen as she tried to surpass her old score. She had set the record on this machine before, but some kid came in and beat her score that rested as the champion for nearly three years and she wasn’t about to have that. She must have dumped at least a dozen quarters at this point trying to get back on top. Years of being out of practice meant she’d have to rebuild skill to win back her place at the top, but the competitive nature of the girl kept her going.

Sunset stood next to her leaned up against another machine as she flipped through her phone, trying to make sense of what to do.

Still keeping her eyes glued to her game, Rainbow spoke to her friend, “so you actually plan on meeting the other Sunset?”

Sunset looked up from her phone and nodded. “I have to try. Something inside of me tells me that I need to do this like I can’t just ignore it, you know?”

Rainbow nodded. “I guess that makes sense. If there was a second me in the world I’d be inclined to meet her too, but probably for totally different reasons. Imagine how awesome it would be to play against myself. That would be a match that would take decades to finish!” The girl bragged.

Sunset rolled her eyes at the athlete’s ego and looked back to her phone. She could see a message from Twilight.

Sleep over at my place?

She smiled and quickly typed up a reply.

So long as this isn’t a clever ruse for you to come onto me.

Truthfully, she expected a grossed out reply from Twilight, but it was clear that she was slowly getting used to Sunset’s jokes.

If it was, you wouldn’t be able to resist anyway, so there’s no sense in worrying about it.

Trying to contain Giggles, Sunset wrote up a response.

And what makes you so sure?

Twilight quickly sent a reply that Sunset really couldn’t think of a comeback for.

I’m a scientist. I’ve mathematically calculated the chances of you being able to say no to me if I threw my best effort at you, and scientifically speaking it’s simply not possible. Math is on my side here.

She didn’t give Twilight enough credit; she could definitely squeeze in a nice burn or two.

Rainbow caught her friend’s attention again, “hey.”

Looking over to her, Sunset put her phone away and listened.

“Meeting this other Sunset… I get that you feel you need to do it, and if that’s what you are going to do, I’ll stand by you as a friend, but do understand this could be dangerous. Not necessarily for you, but for her,” Rainbow explained.

Sunset tilted her head in confusion. “Why’s that?”

Rainbow sighed and paused her game. She looked over to Sunset with a serious expression, giving the girl her full attention now instead of half-heartedly. “Her parents were murdered. According to the police, she saw it happen too. She’s probably all kinds of unstable from that. The whole pony from another universe thing may be overwhelming to her. All I’m saying is maybe know when to back off, okay? It’s fine to try and help her, but just know when she can’t handle things. You need to not go into this assuming she’s going to be like you. She’s a different person, different background, different everything. She may come off as similar to you, but don’t get the wrong idea.”

The other teen had a point. Sunset kind of was going into this assuming that this other Sunset would be very similar to herself, and she should erase those thoughts from her head before she went into this.

She nodded and agreed. “True, I’ll try and keep that in mind.”

Rainbow smiled and nodded as well. “Besides if you think having two of you can beat me at sports you have another thing coming.”

“Who knows, maybe she’s far better at sports than me.” Sunset laughed.

“That’s not saying much.” Rainbow snickered.

Twilight’s home was fairly large, but it originally was to accommodate two children and not just one. When her elder brother left to go to college and eventually got married, his room became Twilight’s and his study was turned into a study for the budding scientist. Her old room was converted into a second guest room. Twilight’s parents were in some kind of medical professional, but Sunset couldn’t recall the name. It was something super complicated sounding and she felt foolish asking again because she couldn’t remember.

Sitting on Twilight’s bed, Sunset reached into a bag of chips and took a handful as Twilight returned to the room with soda bottles in hand. Taking one in her free hand, Sunset nodded in thanks as she chewed upon some chips with a full mouth.

Twilight looked interesting in yellow pajamas, but Sunset didn’t think much of it. She had the same old pajamas she always wore to these occasions. Owning only one pair meant she had to wear them multiple times before washing them, and occasionally just sleep in her underwear back at home.

Her friend hopped up onto the bed with her and sat next to her smiling. “Miss me?” She asked.

Sunset smirked. “Oh but of course. In the two minutes you were gone I realized that I’ve fallen deeply in love with you and that I want to marry you and have your babies!” Sunset placed her hand across her forehead in an overly dramatic pose as she spoke.

Twilight simply rolled her eyes and giggled. “I can only imagine what our children would be like…”

“Well if they are a mix of you and me, they will be smart and smart-asses.” Sunset smirked.

Twilight burst out laughing and took a moment to calm herself down. She had forgotten how funny her close friend could be sometimes without even trying. Catching her breath from the laughter she shook her head. “Oh wow…”

Sunset winked as she twisted the cap off of her soda. “What can I say, I should be a comedian.”

“You really should. I’d pay to see you,” Twilight assured.

She nudged her friend’s shoulder playfully. “You’re my friend; you’re supposed to say that.”

“I’d go see you even if we were worst enemies,” Twilight asserted.

“You’re full of it, but I’ll take your word for it.” Sunset smiled before taking a sip of her soda.

“I wish your parents didn’t only buy diet, this stuff is crap,” Sunset commented.

Twilight let out an exasperated sigh and nodded, leaning back into her bed. “My parents are weird.”

“Weird? Nah. I mean I’m pretty sure every family keeps X-rays of their daughter hung up in their living room,” Sunset teased.

Twilight shook her head and sighed. “Why can’t I come from a normal family?”

“Join the club,” Sunset remarked.

At those words, Twilight sat up and looked to Sunset with concern. “You never told me what your family is like…”

Sunset shrugged, unsure of how to answer. “Not much to tell. They were workaholics, and I went to a prestigious school where I dormed at a young age. I didn’t see them that often.”

“What about when you got older?” Twilight asked.

Getting a bit uneasy, Sunset shuffled in her seat. “They stopped visiting as much… I don’t remember seeing them at all in my last two years as Celestia’s student…”

“Do they even know you’re here?” Twilight’s voice was growing more and more concerned.

“Probably not. They must think I’m dead or something…” She shrugged.

“Sunset…” Twilight frowned and placed a hand upon her friend’s thigh.

“It’s fine. We were never really that close, Twilight.” Sunset assured her.

“Perhaps this is why you’re so interested in the other Sunset?” Twilight suggested.

Finishing her soda, Sunset set the bottle down and raised a brow, unsure of what Twilight was getting at.

“What do you mean?” She questioned.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “You were distant from your parents. This Sunset’s parents were murdered. Perhaps you’re curious as to what it would look like to you if your parents actually died; you’re wondering if it would make a difference to you.”

“It’s possible…” Sunset admitted.

“I just don’t want you getting hurt, Sunset… You can't live vicariously through someone else after all,” Twilight said.

Sunset smiled at her friend, a bit proud of how much of a good friend Twilight had turned into with her guidance. It was like she had a student of her own that was learning quickly under her wing. It felt nice to be useful in that regard.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful, I promise. It's nothing like that anyway,” Sunset said.

Seven Years Ago

With her head in some books, a young unicorn found herself in the library where she spent most of her time. Her eyes glued to the pages of some other book about magic, and she would practice in quiet and solitude until she was content with her abilities. Today though, she noticed a group of other students causing a ruckus on the other side of the library.

She poked her head up from her book to see where the librarian was and why she wasn’t putting a stop to this blatant violation of the noise policy. Sure enough, she could see a sign on her desk stating she stepped out for a lunch break. With a sigh, Sunset closed her book and approached the group cautiously trying to observe from afar for a brief moment before closing in.

The group was laughing and chuckling as they kicked a sack of beans back and forth to each other without letting it touch the ground. Sunset squinted as she watched from afar trying to make out why they were doing this, but ultimately determined it was some kind of game.

Straightening herself up she approached and cleared her throat before speaking in a hushed tone so as to not disturb others.

“Excuse me, this is a library, could you please keep it down?” She requested.

One of the young stallions in the group blinked and shrugged. “Sorry, we’re just here waiting for our friend to come. We got bored so we were just playing a game while we waited.”

“Yes well… I’d appreciate it if you waited in silence,” Sunset grumbled.

Another one in the group tilted his head and raised a brow. “Chill out, we said we’re sorry,” he said.

“Yes well…” Sunset paused, unsure of how to handle the situation from here. She thought for a moment and then finally added, “just… Take it outside.”

The group nodded, deciding it best not to protest further and took their leave. Sunset sighed contently before returning to her seat. She would have continued reading some more if it weren’t for a shadow casting over her from behind, causing her to turn around.

There standing over her was a majestic older looking mare. Shining astral mane flowing and a golden grown perched across her head. Her face, however, was contorted into one of concern. “Sunset… May I sit with you for a moment?”

The young pony nodded. “Of course, Princess.”

Celestia sat down directly next to Sunset and sighed as she thought of how to breach this difficult subject. She knew it was there lingering for some time now but was unsure of how to address it. Ultimately she decided to just come out with it. “Sunset… Why didn’t you ask to join those ponies?”

The student couldn’t even comprehend the question for a moment. “Join them? As in, take time away from my important studies to go and play some nonsense game with a bunch of strangers?”

“It could lead to you making some friends for a change…” Celestia suggested.

Sunset laughed lightly. “Friends? I have no need for such things. I have my studies and that’s all I need.”

Celestia sighed, knowing that the two had had this discussion before, and Sunset always found a way to cleverly avoid the subject despite how many times Celestia brought it up. The old mare just couldn’t think of a way to address the subject to get Sunset to listen.

She placed a hoof upon her student’s shoulder and smiled warmly. “Well… I’ll leave you to your studies, alright?”

Sunset smiled warmly at her mentor and nodded. “Thank you, Princess. I won’t let you down, I promise!”

Celestia nodded as she walked away. “Yes, I’m well aware.”

She couldn’t tell her the truth. It was a difficult subject for Sunset to approach or open up about, but she had tried to make friends when she first got here, she actually tried a lot when she was younger, but she was always the odd one out. She never truly fit in with any crowd and most of the foals when she was young picked on her and said she was weird for having odd interests. She would try again, but get shot down again, and as the years passed she eventually just stopped trying altogether. She had accepted being alone.

Her parents sent her to this prestigious school to study though, and she was determined to do that rather than goof off making friends. She was a star student of Celestia, an achievement that few could boast. She intended to make the most of it and maybe one day it would pay off for her.

One day.

Three Years Ago

Staring at a nearby clock, Sunset sighed as she fixed her skirt. Truthfully she detested this thing, but it was something that was appropriate for girls to wear in this world and she lacked any kind of funds to get anything else. She was living on a tight budget, and new clothing aside from what she already had simply wasn’t in the budget.

Sitting in the booth of a local pizzeria reminded her of back home for a brief moment. She recalled a pizza place down the street from her home in Canterlot. She used to go there a lot as a child and get a vanilla shake with her allowance.

Her thinking was interrupted as a familiar blue-haired young man took a seat across from her, a goofy smile plastered across his face as he met her eyes. She blinked, unsure of what to make of any of this. Prior to making it here, she had read up on the subject of dating, as she truthfully didn’t really understand it even in an Equestrian sense. As a child she didn’t really get crushes or get asked out. She recalled skipping her own school dances quite frequently in favor of more studies.

The boy yawned and stretched. “Sorry I’m late; band practice was going on forever. One of our guys kept breaking his bass string, it was pretty stupid,” he commented.

Sunset shrugged. “I’m not sure what that is,” she admitted.

He blinked and leaned in. “It’s an instrument.”

“Ah, I know very little about music truthfully…” She rubbed her neck.

“I could teach you.” He grinned with pride at the idea.

“Perhaps…” Sunset shrugged, having no strong feelings either way.

He nodded and there was silence for a brief moment. Feeling the tension, Sunset decided to try and cut through it with an ice breaker she had learned. “So um… Tell me about yourself?”

Leaning back in his seat, Flash looked up in thought, trying to figure out where to start. Deciding he smiled. “Well, as you know I’m in a band! We’re called Flash Drive. Sort of like the USB device?”

Sunset tilted her head. “USB?”

“It’s a computer thing… I take it you’re not very tech-savvy?”

Sunset shook her head. That was the understatement of the century; Sunset was still trying to figure out what all this talk about “Bluetooth” was. She had learned how to use a phone and a computer for basic things, and even search the internet, but for the most part, she didn’t understand how any of these things worked and previously assumed they were run on magic to some degree.

He nodded and smiled. “Well, it’s a little thing you plug into a computer and it stores your information… Sort of…”

Sunset took a sip of water and shrugged again, unsure of what to make of this human technological wonder. It didn't seem particularly useful in her mind.

He pointed to her with a smile. “You don’t talk much do you?”

“I don’t know what to talk about,” Sunset admitted.

“Why not start with telling me about yourself? Where you’re from? What your hobbies are?” Flash suggested.

Sunset had never been asked to tell anyone about herself. It was good he gave her some suggestions otherwise she wouldn’t even know where to begin on that subject. Though perhaps telling him where she was from wasn’t the best idea, so she decided to keep it vague.

“I come from a place really far away from here…” She grew quiet.

“I had a feeling you were from far away… You don’t really seem like you enjoy this area too much…” He frowned.

She nodded. “I really hate it here, to be honest… But I’m stuck here…”

“Parents force you to move?” He asked curiously.

Sunset shook her head. “No… I live by myself.”

“Really? Why’s that?” Flash blinked.

“My parents are pretty hands-off… They haven’t really ever been actively involved in my life. I went to boarding school when I was young and I’ve sort of been by myself since…” Sunset could feel the memories coming back. All those nights by herself as a child. At first, it hurt, but as time went on she grew used to the idea.

“Sounds rough, but at least you’re here now!” Flash attempted to cheer her up.

She smiled half-heartedly, knowing he was trying to help, but there was little he could say to make her feel much better about her worthless childhood.

“Either way… Sometimes I wish I could go home…” She sighed.

He reached across the table and placed his hand atop of hers. She blinked and looked across the table to be met with his caring and concerned eyes. “I’ll do what I can to make you feel more at home here, promise.”

She looked back to his hand then up to his eyes again. Trying to break through more awkwardness she decided to continue answering his questions. “As for hobbies… I like to read a lot I suppose… I wouldn’t call it a hobby, but I’m pretty good at camping and survival skills.”

“You didn’t strike me as a camping kind of girl,” he admitted.

She chuckled. “I’m not. My dad took us once and it was a disaster. He spent forever trying to figure out how to set up a tent. I’ve gotten better over the years on my own; I am pretty good with a bow too.”

He laughed. “Man, you are weird.”

She frowned, but like before he smiled and cheered her up with his next words, “I like that about you. You’re not afraid to be you.”

She could find herself smiling, legitimately for a change. No one had ever praised her for her abnormal nature. “Heh… Thanks… So far you’re the only one.”

“People judge books by their cover sadly. A lot of people see me and assume I’m a troublemaker,” Flash admitted playfully.

“I didn’t think that…” Sunset said.

He nodded and squeezed her hand. “I know you didn’t.”

It was strange, Celestia always stressed how she should go out and make some friends, but here was a boy who went out of his way to become friends with her, who saw past her odd mannerisms and thought well of her and she didn’t have to do anything. Maybe she could figure this friendship thing out, maybe.

Running down the hallway with a bone in his maw was a rather clumsy German Sheppard that approached his master’s study where he knew she’d be as she was most of the time when she wasn’t in the lab. The dog knew he wasn’t permitted in there, so he always waited for her to leave before he approached.

Flopping into the room, he approached an older teen sitting at her desk writing down some notes. The dog trotted up to her and placed the bone upon her lap as he sat on the floor directly in front of her.

She brushed a stray lock of her hair out of her face and looked down at the bone, then to the dog. With a smile, she picked up the bone and wiggled it in the air. The dog’s eyes followed it discretely as she did so.

“Wanted to play, did you, Moon? Okay, but only for a minute, mommy has a lot of work to do,” she explained.

Her companion responded with a bark.

She tossed the bone across the room, and the big dog jumped across the floor and gripped the bone, returning back with it in his mouth triumphantly. His master giggled as she watched him return to her, placing his head in her lap. Reaching out, she began to rub his cheeks as she looked down at the dog.

“Sometimes I think you’re the only one who gets me, Moon.” She laughed.

“I know I’ve been busy a lot, but I promise we’ll go to the courtyard soon and play.” She smiled, as the dog leaned into her petting. “And yes, I know I said that before, but mommy has been very busy for a while now. I’m getting closer to a breakthrough, I can feel it.”

Moon looked up at her with the eyes of a creature that clearly had no idea what she was talking about, but she giggled and petted his head.

“Don’t worry, when I make the discovery I’ll put you on the paper. After all, I probably couldn’t have done it without your never-ending emotional support. Don’t know why they say dogs are man’s best friend.” She laughed.

Her eyes gravitated to a photograph in a frame of the dog and herself. She remembered how long her mother spent combing her long wavy red and yellow hair that day. There standing next to her, hugging both her and the dog was an older man with thick-rimmed glasses and a scruffy beard. His tie was poorly knotted, and you could see he had a cowlick, but she always enjoyed that picture of her father.

On the other side, her mother stood, exactly as Sunset remembered her: gorgeous. Her father was always saying how her mom was a catch and that a guy like him had no business with a girl like her. She was a very pretty woman that was for sure; long legs, silky red hair, shining blue eyes, and nearly perfect skin. While she had a pale complexion far more so than Sunset, she almost looked like a doll. Her features were simply perfect.

“I miss them, Moon…” She thought out loud.

The dog grumbled and looked up to her with sad eyes, clearly detecting her feelings.

“At least I still have you, right?” She smiled and petted him.

A loud ringing sound throughout the house startled her at that moment. Composing herself, she realized it was merely the doorbell. With a grumble, she stood up, and the dog followed. It was probably more reporters or something. Approaching an intercom she sighed and pressed the button to speak with the person at the front gate.

“Hello?”

Sunset’s hands were shaking as she parked her car and inhaled then exhaled. Anxiety was starting to well up inside of her in an extreme she had never felt before. This was the most nerve-wracking experience she had ever had. While she was confident prior to coming here, she definitely was far less so as she was parked in front of the actual gate.

After a few more breaths, she calmed herself and stepped out of her car, examining the estate. Sunset came from a relatively upper-middle-class family, but that was nothing compared to this. The actual house from the entrance looked at least half a mile or so away. Through the gate, she could see a small forest area, a pond, and even a basketball court. The building she could only assume was the garage was larger than her entire apartment complex. This Sunset’s family was loaded, that much was certain. It was interesting to think that another version of her was so wealthy.

Walking up to the intercom at the gate she composed herself. She noticed that the emblem on the intercom was that of a setting sun. She surmised that the other Sunset had this placed there herself as a representation of her namesake.

Ringing the intercom, she stood tense; after a few seconds, she could hear a female voice answer, a voice that sounded very similar to her own.

“Hello?”

Sunset wiped her brow of sweat and spoke.

“Hello, is this the Shimmer residence?” Sunset asked, already knowing the answer. She had extensively researched this address for the entire night at this point to make sure it was correct.

The voice sounded sort of annoyed, Sunset guessed that many had tried to ask that before. “You know full well that it is. What do you want?”

Sunset cleared her throat. “I actually was hoping to talk to Sunset Shimmer?”

“She doesn’t do interviews, and if you haven’t been told that before, please go and tell your producer. If you have been told that before, then please stop coming here or I’m going to file a restraining order.” The intercom said.

Pressing the button to keep talking, Sunset shook her head. “I’m not with the press.”

“She doesn’t do internet bloggers either…” The voice responded.

Sunset almost laughed, but she realized that there was a good chance this was a regular problem for the poor girl who clearly just wanted to be left alone.

“No internet blog. No news team. Nothing. I’m not doing a story; I’m not interested in an interview either. I literally just want to talk to Miss Shimmer, is she home?” Sunset tried to sound as polite as she could.

There was a short pause, followed by, “What do you want?”

“Just to talk, then if you want me out of your hair, I’ll be gone, promise.” Sunset placed her hand on her heart to show she was sincere, even though she had no idea if there was a camera for the girl to see her.

“Talk about what exactly…?”

Smirking, Sunset laughed. “Trust me; you’ll want us to talk in person.”

“What makes you so sure about that?”

“Trust me. This is definitely something where you’ll need to see my face to believe it,” Sunset replied.

There was another relatively long pause followed by a click of the gate unlocking. She blinked as she looked to the intercom for insight. The voice spoke instructions for her. “Leave any cars outside. Walk to the house and I will meet you in the foyer. Any funny business and I’ll call the police, do you understand?”

Sunset touched the intercom and nodded. “Yes, I understand. I promise there won’t be any trouble!”

Stepping inside the gate, she noticed it closed and locked behind her. It was a bit ominous, but she let it pass and continued onward. She got a good chance to examine a lot of the scenery she had seen from afar up close now. It looked like a lot of the estate was tidily taken care of, so either the other Sunset took a lot of time out of her day to maintain the place, or she had help staff to do that.

The road leading up to the house seemed a lot longer when one had to walk it on foot than it did from viewing it from the gate. Sunset’s feet were already starting to hurt. She almost regretted wearing her boots over the pair of sneakers she passed up on that morning.

Almost out of breath she finally reached the steps to the door and tapped the lavish knocker to get the attention of the inhabitant.

A nearby intercom sounded off with the voice from the gate. “It’s open, please wipe your feet, I just had the foyer cleaned.”

Nodding, Sunset looked down to the welcome mat which had little paw prints upon it. She wiped her boots and after feeling satisfied pushed the heavy front door open and entered the estate.

The decor was very modern on the inside, it was clear that the Shimmer family was very into modern art as a lot of the foyer was decorated with it. She heard a bark and nearly jumped as a large German Sheppard approached her with vigor. In a panic, she put her arms in front of her trying to prevent a potential attack.

To her surprise, the dog leaped onto her and started licking her face. Trying to push him off and come to a stand, she wiped the saliva off of herself and petted the creature’s head. “Heh, hey there boy. Good to meet you too…” She laughed.

The dog barked in response.

“What’s your name, big guy?” She asked, knowing he couldn’t answer.

The creature barked again.

Sunset reached down and looked at his collar, reading the name “Moon”, upon it.

“So, Moon is your name huh? Okay, Moon… Where is your master?” She asked.

The dog barked and walked back towards the large staircase and sat down at the bottom.

Looking up to the staircase, Sunset observed as a young woman stepped down gently. She had on a very pretty black dress with large bright purple polka dots and a large blue ribbon tied around her waist. The dress only went down to her knees, and observing her legs, Sunset could see she was wearing dark black pantyhose along with black high heels.

Examining her from the waist up, she noticed that the dress was sleeveless and held on by two straps over her shoulders. She could make out pink bra straps from afar and upon her face were thick-rimmed stylish black glasses.

Her hair was pinned up in a ponytail, and sporting a spider hairpin. She was wearing mascara and what appeared to be lip gloss.

At first glance, it was clear that this girl and Sunset had a clearly different fashion sense and she obviously took better care of herself, given her more properly filled body (though Sunset’s was nothing to sneeze at) and toned muscles. It wasn’t far-fetched to assume she had her own personal gym here for staying in shape that was for sure.

However the more she stared, the more Sunset began to see similarities. Could this really be what she would look like if she performed the same routine as this girl? Was such a thing possible?

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, the girl adjusted her glasses and stared directly at Sunset. Her lips were pursed in a look of shock and bewilderment as she reached the bottom step.

With her gentle-looking nail-polished hand upon the railing, she looked like she was about to faint when she saw Sunset up close. She clearly decided to get closer before panicking so as to make sure her glasses were working correctly.

It was true though, there standing in front of her, a girl who looked almost exactly like her.

Both of them were in a moment of shock before the owner of the house finally spoke up, albeit in a broken voice.

“W-who are you?” The lookalike asked.

Author's Note

Hey! We're four weeks in. How's everyone doing? So these author's notes are going to talk a bit about the background information regarding the story and little fun facts and whatnot. As always big thanks to Applety for the artwork, she really does work hard to get these done on time, guys. Totally check out her page.

So for this week's fun fact, the other Sunset actually went through a few design choices before settling on the gothic inspired scientist she ended up as. One of her original designs portrayed her as a shy girl with a fondness for long sweaters. Ultimately she ended up as a girl who loves both intelligence and beauty.

But yes, the two Sunsets have finally met after four chapters of build up.

Act I - Chapter V: Processing

Chapter V: Processing

The meeting of the two Sunsets was definitely an odd one. Both stood and stared for a solid few seconds, neither wanting to break the silence. On one side of the room, a fashionable, properly dressed lady with her hair up in a ponytail, makeup done expertly and a gentle perfume upon a girl with the makings of a proper lady. On the other side a punk and former bully in biker boots and relatively messy demeanor, clearly only willing to get dressed up when the occasion required it.

Two different reflections of the same person, and yet when you gazed upon their faces, you would see two girls who were very similar in facial features, almost identical even.

One would notice how the more properly dressed one was only a smidgen shorter than the other, probably the only noticeable difference besides how the two were dressed.

This silence filled the room, and awkwardness accompanied it. It wasn’t until the lady decided to break the silence with a question that Sunset knew would be asked eventually.

“Who are you?”

Running a hand through her now sweaty hair (due to her long walk to the front door and nervousness), Sunset chuckled nervously and looked to the dog for answers. Moon simply sat and wagged his tail. Could he have mistaken her for his master? No, dogs usually have great senses of smell; he surely would have been able to tell the difference, though Sunset never considered if they had the same scent.

She took a deep breath and decided it was best to start small and work her way up after all this was going to be a lot of information to digest for the girl. Had she been acquainted with her friends or gone to her school where magical and odd things happened regularly, this kind of news might have been easier to break to her. However, given that she wasn’t she figured slow and steady might make it easier to digest.

“Okay… So this is going to be super hard to explain… Chances are you’re not going to believe me…” Sunset started.

The other girl adjusted her glasses and stepped forward. Without warning, she placed both of her hands upon Sunset’s face. Sunset froze for a moment and flinched at the touch. The other girl ran her hands along her cheeks, examining her face, hands examining every feature of Sunset’s face, not caring if this kind of gesture was socially acceptable or not. The other girl’s hands were gentle and delicate, Sunset could even smell a hint of skin lotion upon her palms as she quietly waited for her to finish.

“So I’m not hallucinating…” The girl said in an almost disappointed manner.

“Sorry to disappoint you?” Sunset responded, unsure of why that was an upsetting thing.

“So if you’re not a hallucination… Are you perhaps… A twin sister? No… That doesn’t make sense, why would my parents keep a twin sister from me?” The girl removed her hands and started pondering the possibilities with a few fingers upon her chin.

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “I’ll explain everything, but you’ll have to give me a little time, it’s a lot to take in and I’m not confident you’ll believe me…”

“Trust me, I can find a lot more believable than you can imagine…” the girl said.

Somehow Sunset believed her and smiled a bit as she gained a bit of confidence in the situation. She ultimately decided her name was a good place to start. “My name… Is Sunset Shimmer.”

The girl raised her brow in confusion and suspicion. “Impossible, that’s my name,” she responded.

“Yes, that’s correct. We share the same name,” Sunset explained.

“Same name… Same appearance? Are you a clone?” The girl asked. Sunset wanted to laugh, but judging by the girl’s serious expression, that wasn’t intended as a joke.

Sunset shook her head. “Not exactly. I think before we go any further though we should have a system to tell us apart. How about I call you Shimmer and you can call me Sunset, that way it’s not too weird.”

Adjusting her glasses, the girl shrugged. “Fine. I shall refer to you as Sunset and I will answer to Shimmer. Now mind filling me in on what’s going on here?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset made an awkward face, unsure of how to really answer that question. “I know you’ve got a thousand questions, but maybe you can show me around and I can fill you in the little details along the way?”

Shimmer was suspicious but ultimately nodded. “Fine, follow me.”

The two wandered through the incredibly impressive estate with Shimmer explaining the history of the building, her family and their heritage. Her father apparently was a rags to riches story. He started as a teacher and worked his way up to superintendent and eventually, he opened Canterlot Institute when he had saved enough money from various investments that he had made over the years. Apparently he played the stock market for a period of time and combined with his salary, it had made him incredibly wealthy. Shimmer was born sometime after that, so she had always known this rich lifestyle.

As the two walked down a long narrow hallway, Shimmer spoke to her doppelganger guest, “as you can see my father was quite proud of this estate…”

Sunset had seen a number of paintings and photos of Shimmer and her mother decorating the entire building. It was clear that her father adored the two women in his life more than anything. One of the painted portraits she had seen was of Shimmer as a little girl, so Sunset gathered quickly that she and her parents were very close when they were still alive as not many people would have a painting made of their daughter.

“How come no one ever sees you outside? I heard that no one has seen you in person in years,” Sunset asked curiously, trying to take her mind off of the subject of Shimmer’s parents so as to not accidentally ask about them.

Shimmer smirked. “I just don’t leave this building very often. Food supplies are delivered every two weeks via a shipment, the cleaning staff comes in on Wednesdays, and I have a private doctor who comes directly to the house. I seldom have a reason to leave this estate, so I don't.”

“How do you stay in shape?” Sunset asked as she looked her over, realizing that this girl was in great shape. She was skinny, but you could see her legs were well defined. Though one could not see it in this outfit, Sunset guessed she probably had a very nicely defined rear too, considering the rest of her was nearly perfect, it would only be fitting.

“I have a private gym here, a tennis court, a lap pool, the works,” Shimmer explained.

Sunset nodded in awe. This girl had more money in her pocket probably than Sunset held in eight months. It was almost enough to make Sunset jealous.

“So you really don’t leave this place that often…” Sunset replied.

Shimmer nodded as the two entered a room down the hall that Shimmer retrieved a key for from her pocket. Sunset took notice of a necklace she hadn’t paid much mind to before that had a key on the end around Shimmer’s neck while she opened the door with a different key. The key upon her necklace didn’t seem much different than a standard run of the mill door key either.

Entering the room, Shimmer turned on the light and stepped over to a desk in the room. Sunset noticed a rather impressive looking computer sitting there. Peering around the room, there was tons of lab equipment, microscopes, test tubes, the works. Many of the countertops were covered in various notes.

While Sunset was nearly computer illiterate, this girl looked like she understood technology far beyond Sunset’s comprehension. The computer sitting in the lab looked far more complex than anything Sunset had seen, though to be fair she was mostly used to the computers in the school library and still didn’t quite understand how they worked.

From the looks of food wrappers next to the keyboard and a few empty cups, Sunset gathered she spent a lot of time in this room.

“Nice lab.” Sunset smiled, trying to think of a way to open the conversation.

Shimmer sat down in the office chair in front of her computer and nodded. “Yes well, I spend most of my time in here in case you haven’t figured that out.”

“I think I could guess that.” Sunset smirked.

With a sigh, Shimmer removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes as she spoke, “do you mind telling me who you are now? How is it possible that two of me exist?”

Sunset took a deep breath, ready for a lot of questions; she placed her arm awkwardly behind her back as she attempted to approach the subject with any kind of tact.

“Okay, so the short version is that I’m you… Sort of…” Sunset rubbed her neck as she realized how stupid that sounded.

Placing the pair of spectacles back upon her face, Shimmer gave an annoyed grimace to the suggestion. “You’re me? And what do you mean, “sort of”? Start making sense!” She demanded.

Sunset noticed her annoyance and sighed. “I’m you from another universe; a world parallel to this one. I sort of ended up here on accident and I-“

She was cut off as she saw Shimmer’s pupils grow with intrigue. The young lady leaned forward almost sounding excited. “Another universe!?”

“Y-yeah…” Sunset was unsure of what the excitement was about.

Shimmer started shuffling through some papers next to her computer excitedly. “This changes everything! All my theories, I’ve been far too closed-minded! So many new possibilities this opens up! The existence of other universes!? Why didn’t I consider that before!? Well, maybe because most scientists would dismiss the idea, but this changes so much! So many new theories!”

Standing silently, Sunset tried not to interrupt her “breakthrough”, however, Shimmer paused and looked directly at Sunset. She regained her composure and put back her serious demeanor into her expression, albeit with a blush of embarrassment. “Ahem… Sorry… Scientific stuff, I didn’t mean to interrupt… Go on?”

Sunset nodded and finished her story. “Anyways, I’ve been living here for years now; I only just recently learned you were here as well. I didn't even consider there being another version of myself out here.”

Adjusting her glasses, Shimmer had an expression suggesting she was trying to piece this all together in her head before speaking. “So… Let me get this right…” She began. “You came here from another universe and you’re me. You’ve been here for years now and you’ve only just now discovered the other you that already existed in this universe, correct?”

Sunset nodded. “That’s the gist of it.”

“So why are you here?” Shimmer asked.

She never truly thought about how to answer that when she drove over, but she figured since she wasn’t too freaked out about the whole “other universe” thing that maybe the truth would be at least somewhat believable.

Pulling a chair up, Sunset sat in it backward and rested her arms across the top of the chair. Her eyes fixated on the other girl’s, Sunset noticed that her counterpart reminded her almost of a model with how pretty she was.

“I saw you on TV a few days ago…” Sunset began.

“The Canterlot Institute event?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset nodded.

“Anyways, I heard about your parents… Sorry if that’s a sore subject…” Sunset looked down, not wanting to offend the girl.

“What of it?” Shimmer had become a little more direct and standoffish it seemed by bringing up the subject. Sunset decided it might be best to approach that subject more tactfully from here on out.

“I don’t know… I felt… Drawn to you. Like I had to come and make sure you were okay… I’ve been having these strange dreams and I feel like… They’re about you...” Sunset explained.

Shimmer’s expression did a complete change to one of shock. She leaned forward and placed a hand upon Sunset’s arm, causing her to look down at it and then back up at the attractive girl’s face. “Dreams?”

She nodded.

“So you’ve been having them too… I have also been having rather odd dreams myself…” Shimmer explained.

“Perhaps there is something connecting us…” Shimmer pondered.

Sunset shrugged, unsure of what to make of it all. Could it be magic again? It certainly was a possibility as magic in this world seemed to always surprise her. It always seemed to be doing things far beyond her control or comprehension. She missed the days in Equestria where magic did whatever you instructed it to do.

Deciding to keep the idea of magic being a source to be a topic to discuss for another day, she decided to speak something else that was on her mind since she arrived.

“Hey… I know there’s a lot to explain and tons to probably go over, but perhaps…” Sunset paused, “and I know this sounds crazy, but maybe we could like… Hang out sometime?”

“Don’t you think that would be a little awkward? I mean… You’re me and I’m you…” Shimmer reminded.

“I just think there is much we could learn from each other, and… Well, I can’t really explain it, but I feel like I need to get to know you or something… Again, feel free to say no. If you’re not into that, I can leave and you’ll never have to see me again, promise.” Sunset raised her hands in a manner to suggest she was being sincere.

Shimmer sat silently and looked to the floor for a moment.

“I… This is a lot to process…” she spoke.

Sunset stood up and grabbed a nearby pen and scribbled onto a gum wrapper she had in her pocket. Jotting down a string of numbers, she handed it to Shimmer. “Think it over and give me a call or a text. If not, then just forget I ever came here and we can both go back to pretending the other one isn’t here. I don’t want to cause anymore problems for you. I don’t know what happened with your parents, but I imagine that’s a lot to deal with already, and I didn’t come here to add further stress to your life.”

Shimmer took the scrap and nodded, not answering.

Sunset smiled and bowed to the owner of the house. “Thanks for having me. I’ll see myself out. It was nice to meet you, Shimmer.”

Sunset exited the room and a few seconds passed, putting her out of earshot before Shimmer finally replied to the girl who could no longer hear her as she stared forward where the girl once was, then looked back down the phone number on the gum wrapper.

“You too…”

Three Years Ago

A few weeks had passed since meeting Flash Sentry for Sunset. Since then he and she had spent some time together in various places. He would invite her to a movie at the end of the week, and sometimes get a coffee with her before school, even though he wasn’t much of a coffee drinker. On Saturdays, they would sometimes hang out at the library as per Sunset’s request.

After all, this time had passed, Flash had finally invited her to his band’s practice session, which she assumed was a big deal as he talked about his band all the time when they were together.

Stepping off of a bus, the girl looked down at her phone and re-read text messages between the two which shared the address that was the location of their practice session. Heading in that direction, she found it was only a few minutes walking distance from the bus stop. Within a few moments, she was standing at the open garage of a few rocker-looking teens in front of their instruments.

The only one she recognized smiled as he set his guitar down and approached her. Taking her hand in his, he led her into the garage to meet the group.

“Sunset this is the gang, the guy on the bass over there is Suave Riffs.” Flash pointed to a male with a rather outdated haircut. Sunset simply raised a hand in a waving fashion, which triggered a smile and head nod from him.

“And this guy is Smash Sticks.” Flash then gestured over to the large teen at the drum set who also smiled, albeit a little more softly at Sunset. He was bulky but had the demeanor of a teddy bear almost.

“Guys, this is Sunset, my girlfriend,” Flash introduced.

Sunset froze for a moment.

What did he say?

The subject had never come up before. The two hung out all the time, sure but she never considered what they had was anything special. Then again she had never really even had friends before so it was hard to tell what was going on or when one would consider the two of them an item. Despite the confusion though, she felt oddly giddy for a brief moment. Someone not only considered her a friend but special enough to be their girlfriend?

She had seen couples dating back at the magic academy, but rarely thought much of it. Sunset was completely ignorant to the romantic world, so this was a lot for her to take in, but she was at least partially excited, someone actually saw her as girlfriend material. She was so caught up in the idea she never considered how she felt about him, but right now she simply didn’t care.

“G-girlfriend?” She questioned, just making sure she heard him right before she got too excited.

“Wouldn’t you agree?” Flash smiled at her.

She only nodded silently as she stared in awe, still mesmerized by the entire situation.

Smash spoke up in a rather deep voice, fitting his appearance as he offered a hand to the girl. “Nice to meet ya’, Sunset. Flash has told us a lot about you.”

Staring she took his hand in her own to find his grip rather strong. Shaking his hand, she blinked. “He has?”

Smash nodded, followed by Suave butting in.

“Try never shuts up about you.”

Flash rolled his eyes and Sunset could detect a minor blush upon his face. She looked over to a guitar that Flash had been holding prior to her entering the room. “Nice guitar…” She commented, trying to change the subject, as she almost felt a blush upon her own face.

With a giddy expression, Flash rushed over to the instrument and lifted it. “Thanks, do you play?” His face lit up with excitement, clearly hopeful.

Sunset shook her head, though she was a bit hesitant to say as she didn’t want to disappoint him. “Not exactly a skill that I’ve had a need for… Remember?”

“I could teach you!” Flash puffed his chest out proudly at the proposal; Sunset was partially relieved that he didn’t sound disappointed at least.

“I don’t really have a guitar…” Sunset replied.

“No problem!” Flash said as he handed the guitar to her and raced out of the garage. She looked down at the instrument while she awaited Flash’s return. Within a matter of seconds, the teen was standing there with another guitar of a significantly different design to the one that Sunset was holding. Confusion flooded her brain as he approached.

“I keep a spare in the truck. That’s one of my practice guitars, you can have it, and I can teach you to play.” He explained.

Sunset looked at the shining guitar then back to her boyfriend. “You’re… Giving this to me?”

He chuckled at her confusion. “Sure. I have four of them; I keep a few for practicing and one specifically for when we actually perform. It’ll be fun teaching you to play after all that’s just something else we can do together right?”

“No one’s ever given me anything before…” Sunset replied quietly.

“For real?” He tilted his head, a bit concerned.

She nodded.

With a grin, he placed a hand upon her shoulder in comfort as he reassured her. “Well, then I’ll be the first. I like you, Sunset.”

Sunset looked over to his hand and focused on it for a moment. Her brain was trying to process this all; his kindness, his bringing her into his circle, and his use of that word, “girlfriend”. She was so dumbfounded by it all, but she was starting to realize she was enjoying it.

She smirked, finally feeling herself getting somewhat comfortable. “I guess that’s why you called me your girlfriend huh?”

He rolled his eyes and nudged her shoulder. “You don’t sound that enthusiastic about it.”

Sunset’s face contorted to one of discomfort. “Well… Truthfully… I’ve never really had a boyfriend… Or dated… Or done… Anything really…” She rubbed her neck nervously at the fact that she just admitted she was so inexperienced at every aspect of romance.

He nodded in understanding. “We’ll take it slow then, alright? I don’t want to overwhelm you. Though I’m surprised a girl as pretty as you hasn’t had a lot more boyfriends.”

She chuckled at his flattery. “I don’t get out much, probably why I’m so pale.”

“Guess I’m just lucky.” He joked.

“Or unlucky.” She winked.

“Nah, I think it’s cute how pale you are.” He winked in return.

Sunset felt her cheeks light up, probably making her face at the very least appear to have a little more color to them.

Waiting in line at the theater with her friends, Sunset found herself getting barraged with question after question from her friends, mostly from an impatient Rainbow Dash; Sunset swore that despite her denial, Rainbow could sometimes be more of a gossip than Rarity. Nudging Sunset from behind her in line, Rainbow asked what she was sure the others wanted to know.

“So you met her?” Rainbow asked. Sunset noticed she was so enthralled with this subject she had stopped blinking several minutes ago. She was struggling to contain her chuckles at Rainbow’s excitement over the topic.

Sunset nodded as she took another step forward as the line advanced a tad. “Yes, this afternoon I went to her estate.”

“She actually agreed to meet with you?” A curious Rarity asked as she looked over her shoulder to look at Sunset.

Rarity was the only one in the group standing in front of Sunset in line.

“Yeah, but I had to walk all the way to the front door, was like half a mile,” Sunset groaned as she remembered how exhausted she was from walking in the scorching heat across such a long driveway.

“She has a driveway that long?” Rarity blinked.

“What kind of car does she have?” Rainbow didn’t even give Sunset a chance to answer Rarity’s question before hitting her with more.

“I don’t really know, but I did see a Mercedes parked near the house. Didn’t get a good look at it though…” Sunset recalled.

“Dang, she sounds loaded. Must be nice…” Rainbow frowned, clearly a bit jealous.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Her parents were murdered, Rainbow. Don’t forget that…”

“Oh… Right… Sorry…” Rainbow lowered her head, a bit ashamed of letting her jealousy show; clearly knowing that this girl probably had a lot of problems that money couldn’t solve. Still, Sunset knew that in her mind, Rainbow was already contemplating all the various things she’d do and buy with that kind of money. It was safe to say that Rarity was probably doing the same, albeit a little more tactfully.

The more Sunset thought about it though, the more she did realize that Shimmer’s estate was probably a pretty lonely place. It was bigger than the school but only had one occupant. She tried to imagine how empty the school would feel with just her there, but her brain couldn’t wrap itself around the idea of such a large building with no reason to exist but for one girl. She could definitely feel the loneliness from the thought though. Sunset always preferred small places, as she found herself feeling empty when in a large open building with no one there. Solitude at one time was her sanctuary, but ever since she made friends she found her sanctuary in them. That didn’t stop her from still preferring smaller settings though; some things never really change.

Snapping back to reality she heard Applejack’s voice from behind her as she was pushed forward a tad as the line progressed. She had been so lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed that the line was moving.

“What was she like?” Applejack asked.

“Honestly? I couldn’t get a good read on her emotional state. I wasn’t there for long, however, I can say she was gorgeous, I was kind of jealous of how pretty she was. It was like looking into a mirror that makes you look better,” Sunset explained.

“I’m trying to imagine a prettier Sunset now…” Rainbow commented.

Applejack punched her friend’s shoulder to silence her rudeness, causing her to grunt and rub her shoulder in pain. Rainbow grumbled under her breath as she decided to keep quiet on the subject.

“Does she really live there all alone?” Twilight finally chimed in.

Sunset found herself meeting eyes with Twilight as she answered with a gentle nod. “Yeah… She has a cleaning and gardening staff, but they only come once a week, and she seldom interacts with them. It’s just her and her dog, Moon.”

“What does she do locked up in that house?” Twilight asked with a raised brow.

“From my understanding? Looks like she spends a lot of her time in her laboratory, so I wager she’s a scientist of some sort?” Sunset shrugged.

Twilight’s eyes grew. “S-she has her own laboratory?”

Applejack rolled her eyes, knowing it was not wise to get Twilight started on one of her nerdy kicks.

“Yeah, but I don’t have a clue what she’s working on.” Sunset sighed.

“So what did you tell her exactly, darling?” Rarity asked.

That was a question she knew would pop up at some point, Sunset was a little surprised it took this long for the question to appear.

“Not much. I only explained I came from an alternate universe, and that she and I were counterparts. I didn’t get into the whole magical land with talking ponies or anything like that, I figured she was probably already overwhelmed…” Sunset chuckled as she remembered the conversation that she and Shimmer had.

“How’d she take it?” Applejack asked on Rarity’s behalf.

“Well actually… She didn’t seem to be in disbelief, she actually sort of came off as excited and a little intrigued. Guess it’s the inner scientist in her…” Sunset shrugged, not sure of why the girl was not more freaked out over what she was told, she knew if the roles were reversed, she’d probably need therapy right now. Then again, Shimmer was probably already getting therapy for what happened with her parents, though it was doubtful that such a thing could affect one’s ability to cope with the existence of alternate universes, otherwise that would be quite the therapist.

“So that’s it then?” Applejack asked plainly.

“Not exactly… Or at least, I’m not totally sure yet,” Sunset replied.

“What does that mean?” Rainbow spoke up yet again, finally recovered from the pain of Applejack’s punch to her shoulder, though she still rubbed the spot.

“Well… I sort of… Invited her to come to hang out sometime.” Sunset chuckled nervously.

“What!? Sunset, that’s probably not a good idea…” Twilight exclaimed.

“You’re probably right, but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving the situation like that. I just feel obligated to make sure she’s okay…” Sunset admitted.

Twilight sighed and nodded, placing her hand upon her friend’s arm. “I understand, Sunset… Just please be careful. We’re all still really new to this situation, myself especially, but I imagine this girl has been traumatized. You have to be very careful, you don’t want to traumatize her anymore…”

Sunset nodded. “The last thing I want to do is cause her more pain, I want to try and help her if I can… That is… If she needs my help. I know I can’t explain it, but I feel like… I need to do this…” Sunset explained.

Twilight smiled, along with her other friends. “Y'all have a big heart, Sunset,” Applejack commented.

Rainbow nodded in agreement as she gave a thumbs up. “We’ll be right behind you the whole way if you need us!”

“Agreed, we’ll always be there to back you up,” Rarity reassured.

Sunset smiled brightly and nodded. “Thanks, girls, I knew I could count on you to understand, besides there’s no way to tell if she’ll even accept my invitation, so there’s no reason to freak out yet.”

“Regardless, we’ll be there to support you,” Twilight chimed in, smiling brightly at her friend. Just seeing that smile on Twilight was enough to remind Sunset how much Twilight looked out for her.

It felt nice to know that there were people who stood by her; to have friends. With this group of girls by her side, she knew that she could overcome anything, and deal with any problem put in her place. She remembered what it felt like to be alone and she remembered how she had to always find ways to fill that void, and how she always found ways to try and convince herself that such a void wasn’t really there. Part of her wondered if that’s how Shimmer was feeling right now. If so, Sunset was more worried about her.

The film that Sunset and friends were attending seemed relatively boring to Sunset, though Rainbow seemed to be eating it up despite constantly saying prior that it looked like a “dumb girl movie”. Before it was even thirty minutes in, Rainbow was hooked and had downed half of her popcorn in a short amount of time, causing Sunset to internally snicker at how girly Rainbow truly was deep down. She put on a strong facade, but there were cracks in the fortress, clearly.

Yawning and realizing that the movie probably wasn’t going to get much better; Sunset stood up and excused herself.

The slender teen took a break from devouring endless amounts of candy to appease her sweet tooth and walked out of the cool dark theater back into the main hall which was now empty as the movie was showing. The air conditioner outside the actual theater was far less effective and one could easily feel the warmth of the Summer heat. Heading to the bathroom, she decided to rinse her face to try and stay awake for the rest of the movie while she stretched her legs.

In the bathroom, she was alone, which was good as she didn’t exactly like using the restroom when others were there. Sometimes Sunset actually walked into restrooms intending to utilize them, but then just washed her hands when she realized other people were there. Turning on the facet, she splashed some water upon her face and looked at herself in the mirror. As she wiped her face dry with paper towels she could feel her phone vibrating in her pocket. Had she been in the theater she may have not noticed it from the movie distracting her from it.

She reached in and saw the number wasn’t one she recognized, but shrugged and answered anyway.

“Hello?” She said.

“Is this Sunset?” The other familiar voice asked.

“Yes, it is, who is this?” Sunset asked, leaning against the bathroom wall as she conversed with the voice on the phone.

“This is Shimmer. We met earlier this morning?” The girl reiterated, even though Sunset was certain that the two of them didn’t need to be reminded, as it was difficult to forget such an awkward experience. Sunset was a bit surprised that she called so soon though if she was going to call at all.

“I remember. What’s up, Shimmer?” Sunset asked.

There was a brief pause.

“Something wrong?” Sunset attempted to break the silence.

“Listen…” Shimmer began. “I don’t exactly know what’s going on, or much about alternate universes. However, I can’t deny even from a scientific standpoint that you and I share a lot of similarities appearance-wise. I’m going to go on a whim and trust you are telling the truth. That being said though, I feel I should warn you that I want to understand all of this.”

Sunset couldn’t agree more with that idea. “Are you saying you want us to get to know each other?”

Shimmer was hesitant to answer that question, clearly knowing that it meant she was crossing a point where she could not simply go back to pretending that morning never happened. However, she finally responded. “Let’s meet up at a local diner, I'll text you the address. How about tomorrow?”

“Anything I should bring?” Sunset replied.

“Just yourself is fine. Though do keep in mind that you may get dog hair on your clothing, so a lint brush can’t hurt.” Shimmer chuckled a bit.

“Ah right, Moon.” Sunset smirked, despite Shimmer not being able to see her.

“Do you like dogs, Sunset? Moon sure seemed to like you,” Shimmer asked.

Sunset shrugged. “I don’t dislike them. My friend Twilight has a dog, and I see him a lot when I go hang out at her place.”

"Twilight?” Shimmer sounded confused.

“Oh she’s one of my friends,” Sunset explained.

“Right… To be honest, Moon is the main reason why I believe what you say is true.” Shimmer’s voice got relatively serious, though to be fair, she struck Sunset as a relatively serious girl. Many of the photos she saw of her on the news always had her with a serious expression. She only knew that she could smile mostly from her family photos and portraits hung around the mansion. Sunset swore she saw one of her as a little girl with the largest grin she had ever seen.

That definitely confused Sunset a bit. “How so?”

“Moon is a pretty friendly dog, but he often doesn’t go to greet strangers until I give him the go-ahead. He was trained not to jump up on anyone but me, and yet he jumped on you, and seems to respond very positively to you… I can’t really explain that… Moon really likes you,” Shimmer rambled.

“I can assure you that I’ve never been particularly good with animals so I wouldn’t even say it’s a natural thing either…” Sunset replied.

Shimmer laughed at that statement. “Nonetheless… It’s a date?”

Sunset nodded with her answer. “Yeah, sure. I’ll swing by in the afternoon okay?”

“Sounds good, ring at the gate and you can park your car inside this time,” Shimmer said.

“My legs thank you,” Sunset joked, still feeling a slight tinge in her legs from the walk from that morning’s endeavor.

“Sorry I made you walk this morning… I didn’t know who you were so I didn’t trust you. I get a lot of reporters trying to sneak into my estate under many different guises, I couldn’t be too careful…” She apologized.

“It’s fine, I was only teasing,” Sunset replied.

“I look forward to seeing you again, Sunset,” Shimmer said, clearly trying to change the subject. Sunset gathered that she didn’t have quite a big sense of humor.

Sunset grew more serious and quiet. “Yeah, you too.”

“Well, I gotta go; lots of work to do,” Shimmer excused herself.

“Okay, see you tomorrow,” Sunset answered before the call ended.

She sighed but found herself smiling as she placed her phone back in her jeans’ front pocket. While she knew that there was a lot to explain to Shimmer and that this would be an awkward experience for both of them, she felt happy about it. Maybe it was knowing there was another person out there she could relate to? Maybe it was the feeling of being useful in helping another person? Or maybe it was just the idea of making a new friend? Whatever it was, Sunset felt filled with more purpose and determination at that moment than she had felt in a long time.

Author's Note

Hey guys! This week flew by. I felt like I just released Chapter IV and already I'm watching Applety sketch up the drawings for this chapter. She's getting a job soon, so these sketches will likely put a strain on her, so please by all means drop her some encouraging messages on her profile or something. She deserves it. This story wouldn't be possible without her work, support and input. In a way it's her story too.

Behind the scenes time: Moon, Shimmer's dog is actually a parody of my own dog's name which is Luna. Originally I debated about giving her a cat, but decided it might be too stereotypical to give a lonely girl a cat, make her come off as a crazy cat lady or something.

Act I - Chapter VI: Questions

Chapter VI: Questions

Another day in Summer vacation was just reaching its apex for Sunset and her gang of friends as they took yet another visit to their favorite ice cream parlor. With the temperature reaching obnoxious levels of uncomfortable for this dry season, the group found themselves preferring to come to this place more and more often. Sunset surmised they would probably visit at least a dozen times or so before school started back up. Pinkie had mentioned she, however, frequented the establishment far more even in their absence, something that brought amusement to Sunset.

Sunset took a long sip of her delectable milkshake and grinned with delight at the sweet beverage. Her sweet tooth had been satisfied at least temporarily.

With a spoon still in her mouth, Sunset listened to Applejack groan about the day.

“Ah' swear… It’s only been a little while since Camp Everfree and it seems like more strange stuff keeps on happenin’. It’s like we’re magnets to this kind of stuff,” Applejack complained.

Applejack had a point, Sunset thought. It had only been a short two weeks since Camp Everfree, and after their magical endeavors there they were determined to not have to deal with more insane adventures. It made Sunset feel guilty, but she couldn’t simply ignore Shimmer’s existence. Perhaps their destiny was to never have a normal friendship, but instead to always be mixed up in some kind of Equestrian magic or odd occurrences that wouldn’t happen to anyone else. Then again it was at least exciting to know that their adventures were always changing. It was as if the universe always had something in store for this group of friends to do or undertake.

Sunset’s mind wandered back to their adventure at Camp Everfree and how each of them acquired magical powers thanks to the amulets they all held. The girls around her all had theirs on still, obviously not wanting to take them off for fear of misplacing them. There definitely was some danger of them falling into the wrong hands, and they had a bad history with magic falling into the wrong hands. It got her to thinking though that if she hung around Shimmer there might be some danger involved. It was difficult to think about, but Sunset couldn’t deny that so long as magic seemed to follow them around that there always was a risk for any who would hang around them.

Truthfully she might have been a bit more at ease if she at least understood the magic that they possessed or how it works; however, it seemed as though the more they began to understand it, the more questions they would have. Magic seemed to be purposefully shrouded in mystery, an enigma that escaped the former unicorn. Where she grew up, magic was easy to understand, she even dedicated a large portion of her life to its understanding; a portion that now felt meaningless and like a big waste of her time given her current predicament. Since the battle of the bands, she tried not to stress too much on understanding magic, but it became increasingly more difficult whenever new information would surface.

Sunset felt both anxious and somewhat guiltily excited. She knew magic could be dangerous and didn't always have the best effects on their lives, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't find it all exhilarating.

“Maybe, but at least it’s very exciting!” Rarity commented, replying to Applejack and echoing Sunset's sentiment, “I mean it’s been an interesting year that much is for sure!”

That very statement put Sunset somewhat more at ease.

“You can say that again. Plus having superpowers is insanely awesome!” Rainbow Dash spoke before taking a long sip of her smoothie.

“Still, I feel kind of bad about all of this…” Sunset frowned.

“Why do you feel bad?” Rarity blinked.

Sunset sighed and took a seat as she stirred her drink with a straw. “I had to go and get involved with Shimmer when we just got through some strange magic stuff. I keep pulling us all into this stuff even when everyone is probably really tired of it by now…"

Applejack looked to the others whom all grew concerned looks. Standing, she scooted Sunset over in her seat and took a spot next to her in the booth, placing an arm around her shoulder. “Listen Sugarcube, ain’t none of us blame you for this. You couldn’t bring yourself to ignore someone who y’all thought was hurtin’. That’s commendable and it’s even more understandable when that person is more or less yer' counterpart. Most of us figured this was some kind of closure thing so we know you have to see this through,” she comforted.

The other girls all nodded at Applejack’s proposal and smiled warmly to let Sunset know they were behind her. Sunset felt herself begin to smile just a little bit and nodded as well. “Thanks, girls, I know this is super strange, trust me it’s even stranger to me.”

“We’ve certainly dealt with worse.” Rarity winked.

“I hope we can get to meet her at some point,” Fluttershy chimed in quietly.

“Maybe, who knows?” Sunset shrugged though part of her definitely felt it was probably inevitable that the group of them would one day meet her counterpart.

Seven Years Ago

A young Shimmer yawned as she closed a rather extensive textbook on chemistry. While she was a mere nine years of age, she was quite advanced in her schooling. Since she had started homeschooling about three years ago, she began to excel at a far faster rate than a lot of her former classmates and was already on the path to becoming a successful career woman. Though she didn’t quite know what she wanted to do with her life at this young age, Shimmer gained satisfaction just knowing that her parents were proud of her.

She couldn’t swallow another nugget of information though on an empty stomach; she had been studying for a solid six hours and had even forgotten to eat. A maid had come to make sure she was okay after hours of silence a few times between those six hours, but mostly her family left her be when she studied as per her request. Shimmer found herself able to focus better with solitude.

Contemplating tackling some math next, she saw her cellphone which has been switched onto vibrate start to shake like crazy upon the table, vibrating the dark wood. Looking at the caller ID she saw a photo of a woman with lavish yellow hair that nearly touched her ankles with wild curls. She smirked as she answered the phone.

“Yes, mother?” She asked with the phone to her ear.

“Sunset, darling are you still studying upstairs?” The voice of a fair-sounding middle-aged woman asked.

Sunset giggled. “Yeah, been up here for a few hours now. What’s up?”

“Well, your father and I just got back from somewhere, could you come downstairs?” Her mother asked sweetly.

Sunset moved the math book she had just picked up aside and nodded as she responded eagerly. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be down in a sec, okay?”

“See you in a minute then. Much love,” Her mother responded with a kissing sound.

“Love you too, mom,” Sunset replied as she hung up and stuffed the iPhone into her dress pocket.

Standing up, Sunset walked herself over to a nearby mirror and made adjustments to the ribbon tying her long hair back. Brushing her dress off, she smiled at the young girl staring back at her. She was on the taller side for a nine-year-old; however, she was still small and adorable. She bore a semi-gothic looking black dress with dark orange trimmings and lace.

Accessory wise she was sporting simple ear piercings with real diamond studs and a thick black bow tying her hair back along with her signature glasses. She had several pairs as backups, but these were always her default ones. The young girl had grown accustomed to their style and found a way to make them work with virtually every outfit.

Satisfied with her appearance she began her descent out of the room and down the stairwell to the first floor. After navigating down two floors, she managed to get to the entranceway to see the woman from her phone standing with a very well put together man with the five o'clock shadow of a writer upon his face. She smiled at how quickly her father's facial hair grew; he would shave in the morning and need to shave again at night sometimes it seemed.

His expensive-looking dress shirt had the sleeves rolled up, and his tie was poorly knotted together, a sign that he had been playing with it not that long ago. He smiled as he saw her reach the bottom of the stairs. Sunset felt herself grow the biggest smile she could muster as she met his eyes and darted towards him.

“Daddy!” The little girl squealed in delight.

He chuckled as he opened his arms and caught the girl, scooping her from the floor and bringing her into a hug. “Hey, there’s daddy’s princess; been studying?”

Sunset nodded as she squeezed her father in delight.

“You’ve been such a good girl since you started homeschooling. Your mother and I are so proud of you; we know it wasn’t an easy transition,” her father explained.

Sunset looked him in the eyes and smiled. “It’s okay. I actually prefer it.”

“Yes, well your mother and I worry that you might be getting lonely around here without any friends.” He frowned.

Sunset stuck her tongue out in a playful manner. “Nah, I got you guys!”

Her mother giggled and pinched her cheek gently. “Maybe so, but we wanted to make sure and also give you a little reward for all your hard work?”

Blinking, Sunset turned to her father for answers. “What’s she talking about dad?”

Her father set his daughter back onto her feet and gave his wife a hand gesture to which she nodded and walked towards the front door. “Your mother and I decided you have been so good we got you a present.”

When the door opened, a small puppy bolted in clumsily and jumped at the girl. She was taken by surprise but managed to get the dog into her arms and off the floor as it began to lick her face happily. She giggled at the tickling sensation and held the creature back a bit to get a good look at the dog.

Her father smiled as he knelt down to talk to her at her level. His wife joined him as the two both put a hand upon her shoulder smiling. “Now you have a friend who will always be by your side when your mother and I aren’t here.”

Sunset smiled as she hugged the dog. “Thanks! I love him already!”

Her father patted her head and nodded. “Remember that this guy will watch over you when we’re not around. I told him that he has to love you twice as much, so he could fill in for your mother and I when we’re not home.”

Giggling, Sunset stuck her tongue out. “I’m going to hold you to that. You’ve given the poor little guy a lot to live up to.”

“I’m sure you can teach him plenty.” Her mother replied.

Leaning in, the group hugged, and Sunset felt warm inside. This moment, it was so perfect. “I love you guys,” she said.

“We love you too, Sunset. That’s never going to change,” Her mother said, kissing her daughter’s forehead affectionately.

Sunset pulled her car into a parking spot at her and Twilight’s favorite diner. She took note of the only cars there appearing to be cars she recognized from the staff due to her frequenting the spot often. The only other car that seemed out of place was a very expensive and lavish Audi with a license plate that read “MOONDOG”. Quickly catching the reference to Shimmer’s German Sheppard, Sunset surmised this must be her car; that and the fact that it looked more expensive than everything she owned and then some.

Shimmer and she had agreed to meet in this place for their first meeting, and looking in the window she could see the girl decorated in very stylish clothing, with a gothic flair to them. Her glasses slid down her face slightly as she looked down at a book she was reading. She was so nicely dressed, that it made Sunset feel very underdressed in her lacy summer top and form-fitting leggings. It was one of the cooler days for the Summer so she went with her boots this time around. Whenever she could, Sunset found excuses to wear boots.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, she entered the building. A small bell rang to signify her entrance, and this sound caused the attractive teenager from the window to look up to meet Sunset. Sunset gave a very sheepish smile and a gentle wave.

Shimmer closed her book and placed it into her bag and gestured for Sunset to approach. Sunset did so cautiously and took a quiet seat across from her. There was silence for a moment as Sunset examined Shimmer’s serious-looking face, unsure of what to make of it.

Finally, Shimmer cracked a smile and offered her hand to Sunset. “It’s nice to see you again, Sunset; albeit still a bit strange…”

Taking her counterpart’s hand she shook it gently and returned the smile. When the handshake ended, Shimmer placed her hand atop Sunset’s and rested it there. Sunset decided it was best to not fight it and instead just allow it to happen.

“I know this whole situation is weird, and I can only assert that it will get weirder if we stay involved with each other. I don’t want to mislead you…” Sunset frowned, realizing that she was dragging Shimmer into a world of headaches.

Shimmer squeezed Sunset’s hand as she met her eyes with her own. “I’m prepared to see this through. I made that choice when I asked you to come here. I knew that I was asking questions that I may not like the answers to, but I’m a scientist, it’s in my nature to do exactly that. Besides after what I know now of there being another me in this world… How can I just go back to how things were and pretend our meeting never occurred?”

Sunset frowned, not realizing that their meeting could potentially trigger feelings of obligation to learn more. She herself now thinking about it realized she might not be able to ignore such a thing either. She cursed herself silently for being so short-sighted.

“Nonetheless, let’s just take this all slow, okay? There’s a lot to understand a lot to take in.” Sunset smiled, trying more to reassure herself rather than Shimmer who seemed completely content with this all.

“Yes, of course. Here, let’s have something to drink, on me.” Shimmer smiled as she released Sunset’s hand.

Always feeling uneasy about others paying for her, Sunset wanted to object but realized that there was a good chance that the cost of a drink didn’t even register as an amount of money to this girl. Sunset briefly wondered how much money really was in Shimmer’s bank account, but shook her head trying to dismiss the thought as the waitress approached the two, a bit confused when she saw how similar the two girls were.

Shimmer looked over at Sunset, then back at the waitress, quickly figuring out what she was perplexed by. The waitress smiled. “Sunset! You never told me you had a twin sister!”

Sunset blinked and then looked to Shimmer who nodded. “Ummm… Yeah, this is Shimmer. I guess the subject never really came up before. Would you mind getting me a coke?” Sunset tried to steer the conversation back to the girl doing her job.

With a quick adjustment of her glasses and a release of her very serious voice, Shimmer placed her order as well. “Diet for me, please.”

“So we’re going with the twin story to other people?” Sunset asked.

“It’s easier than explaining you’re me from another universe isn’t it?” Shimmer shrugged.

Sunset laughed at the idea. “Truthfully most people have been pretty cool with me being from another universe thus far.”

“Nonetheless…” Shimmer rolled her eyes with a smirk.

“I take it you’re on a diet?” Sunset raised a brow, changing the subject.

“I’m always watching my weight, however, what makes you guess such a thing?” Shimmer tilted her head with confusion.

Sunset pointed to the waitress walking up to the counter to fetch their drinks. “You ordered a diet.”

Rolling her eyes, Shimmer sighed. “Diet soda isn’t for diets. I ordered a diet because I’m diabetic.”

“Wait? Really?” Sunset leaned in a bit surprised.

Shimmer nodded and took her soda gracefully as it arrived. Sunset took a long sip of her own and frowned at the thought of how she’d survive if she was unable to please her sweet tooth. “Weird, because I’m not diabetic…”

“Really? Interesting… I suppose we have differences after all… I wonder what other differences we have…” Shimmer sounded intrigued.

“Well, are you right-handed or left-handed?” Sunset asked, deciding it was an easy place to start.

“Left, and you?” Shimmer responded taking another sip.

“Right-handed.” Sunset stuck her tongue out playfully as she wiggled her right hand.

“How do you feel about persimmons?” Shimmer asked.

“Hate them.” Sunset gagged at the thought.

“Me as well. Do you also prefer poultry over beef?” Shimmer questioned.

Sunset frowned and lowered her head. “I’m actually vegan mostly.”

“Really? That’s interesting,” Shimmer said.

“Well… In my universe, a lot of my kind are, if not most all of them… See we’re a vegetarian species,” Sunset explained.

Shimmer set her drink down and looked Sunset in the eyes, clearly wanting to ask more, but she decided to contain herself and remembered that they agreed to take this all slow and not overwhelm each other with information. After all, for all Shimmer knew, Sunset’s memories of her past could be painful ones. “What is your world like?”

Sunset looked up in thought as she tried to remember Equestria and how she would describe it to someone else. It was difficult to find the words to truly capture how mystical a place like Equestria was. “Well… It’s a really amazing place really. In Equestria humans are not the dominant species, actually, humans don’t even exist. I just took this shape when I came through the portal here…”

“What are you in your world, or is there no human equivalent?” Shimmer asked.

“Ponies actually. Ponies are the dominant species there,” Sunset explained.

She was expecting Shimmer to laugh, possibly even call her out and claim she was making this up, but she just nodded and smiled. “Do you have any pictures?”

Shaking her head, Sunset frowned. “I didn’t bring any with me when I went through, and I haven’t been back for a long time, shy of one tiny instance a year or so back. However, I was a pony there, rest assured.”

“Sounds like a cute place.” Shimmer chuckled before taking a long sip of her drink.

“It was, and I miss it sometimes truthfully…” Sunset frowned as she recalled her time in Equestria. Even though she was more used to the human world, she still missed where she grew up; Equestria made so much more sense to her.

“So, how did you end up here exactly?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset knew that question would come eventually, but she decided to try and address it tactfully.

“Well, in Equestria I was a star student of Princess Celestia…” Sunset began.

Shimmer interrupted instantly with a raised eyebrow. “Princess?”

Sunset nodded in response. “In my world, princesses and royalty make up the ruling body. Our government works significantly different than this place. The princess was my mentor; I was studying in the hopes of one day becoming a princess myself…”

“Sounds pressuring.” Shimmer frowned.

“Oh, not at all! The princess was always a very kind spirit; she looked out for me but…” Sunset found herself frowning now as memories of her past started to rear their head in her mind. All the things she did before she left, all the things she did when she arrived in this human world.

“But…?” Shimmer leaned in.

With a sigh, Sunset shook her head. “I was never the best listener. I got arrogant and I left Equestria in the hopes of coming back and showing her up. That’s the short version anyway, now I basically have been on the path of redemption, trying to atone for my past. I’ve made friends in this world and they’ve stood by me, it’s sort of helped me keep going.”

“Do you ever plan on going back?” Shimmer looked legitimately curious. It was definitely an expected question.

“Maybe someday, but not anytime soon. I still have a lot to learn here after all.” Sunset smiled.

Shimmer nodded and leaned back in her seat in deep thought, processing this all. While it was only the basics of what was happening, she was starting to get a better understanding of the situation that Sunset was in, and in turn, herself. Could Sunset’s universe be linked to what she was studying? Was it possible, or merely coincidence?

“I suppose I should tell you about myself, then huh?” Shimmer asked with a rather disappointed expression, clearly not a subject she enjoyed.

“If you wouldn’t mind… I mean I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Sunset spoke quietly.

Shimmer smirked. “A bit late for that now, isn’t it? I mean you kind of informed me of an alternate universe where I’m actually a pony who aspired to be a princess. I think we’re well past the point where I reserve the right to feel uncomfortable. If everything up to this point hasn’t done it, I’d say you’re safe.”

Forcing out a laugh, Sunset nodded. “I guess so, still I like to be cautious; I have a bad history with going headfirst into stuff and making a situation really bad.”

“I understand, but you shouldn’t worry with me,” Shimmer replied.

Those words put Sunset more at ease. With a smile, she nodded. “Alright, so tell me about yourself?”

Adjusting in her seat and playing with her straw, Shimmer tried to think of a good place to begin. There was so much to tell and a lot of which she wanted to forget. However, this girl trusted her with secrets that if told to the wrong people would probably land her in a lab in the government somewhere or something worse possibly.

“Well…” she started.

Closing her eyes, Shimmer tried to remember the difficult details. She had locked a lot of her past away and never wanted to revisit it, due to memories making her feel more depressed.

“When I was a little girl I was deemed gifted. I was always the smartest in my class, and I was doing advanced work at a young age. My dad always said it must run in the family…” A small smile appeared on her lips as she remembered her father’s praise.

“We have that in common. I was always good at school myself.” Sunset smiled and placed her hand back upon Shimmer’s in comfort.

“Unfortunately, I was never good at social interactions… Other kids picked on me a lot… And…” Shimmer bit her lip, not wanting to say it.

“What?” Sunset leaned in, trying to show her that she was safe to open up to her.

“I had a really bad anger problem… I sort of still have it… I got into fights a lot with the other kids… So my parents homeschooled me by the time I was seven. I didn’t hang out with other kids that often, and I learned to love solitude for that reason…” Shimmer’s face contorted to sadness, but she didn’t seem to be building a single tear in her eyes. Sunset gathered she must have gotten proficient at refraining from crying in her years.

“It’s okay, Shimmer…” Sunset squeezed her new friend’s hand in comfort.

Shimmer shook her head. “That’s something you should probably really understand if we’re going to go any further… I have to warn you that I have some serious anger problems. It doesn’t take a lot to get me angry, and my anger is pretty explosive…”

“I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle,” Sunset assured her.

“I doubt that, but anyways… After homeschooling, I started focusing on becoming a scientist, I studied all the time…” She smiled again as she remembered how proud her parents were of her.

“And then… Well, you probably know about this part, but my parents died…” She got really quiet, knowing Sunset had already read the articles online.

Sunset merely nodded, though Shimmer was a little surprised she didn’t ask for more detail as most would.

“I guess it’s not as interesting as coming from another universe huh?” Shimmer smirked, trying to make light of the situation.

“Well from my perspective you are the one from the alternate universe.” Sunset reminded.

With a giggle, Shimmer nodded. “I guess that’s true.” She looked her counterpart in the eyes and studied her. She was so similar but yet seemed a bit older. Sunset was a hair taller than her and was far more slender than her. Shimmer was in great shape, but she had curves while Sunset was just skinny.

Squeezing Sunset’s hand, Shimmer didn’t break eye contact. “I feel like… As dumb as this sounds… We were meant to meet each other…”

Sunset blinked but kept eye contact. “Oh?”

Shimmer nodded. “I feel a lot safer around you…”

“I guess that makes us friends then?” Sunset winked.

“I’ve never had a friend before…” Shimmer admitted quietly.

Sunset leaned in and placed her other hand atop Shimmer’s, clasping it tightly she smiled at her doppelganger. “I can teach you then, I’ve had some great mentors on that subject.”

Feeling her face warm up, Shimmer nodded. “Okay, I trust you, Sunset. I’m not sure why, but I do.”

“I’ll do my best to show you that you’re not misplacing that trust,” Sunset promised, “I know you have been hurt in your life, but I don’t want to add to that. I want you to be happy.”

“I just hope I’m not too much of a burden to you, Sunset…” Shimmer frowned.

Sunset shook her head and placed her hands upon Shimmer’s cheeks, forcing the girl to face her as she stared her down. “The first lesson in friendship is don’t ever feel you’re a burden to your friends.”

Shimmer blinked but ultimately nodded. “Alright, I’ll take that lesson to heart, Sunset.”

Releasing her, Sunset winked. “We are sisters, after all, right?”

Giggling Shimmer nodded again. “Yes, of course.”

Sisters… It has a nice ring to it… Shimmer thought.

A successful meeting with Shimmer along with a long day in her Summer vacation had left Sunset a bit exhausted. Entering her apartment, Sunset tossed her keys into a bowl by the door and stretched as she entered the apartment. Feeling the temperature being a bit too high she looked over at the thermostat, questioning if she could afford to run the AC or if it was bearable enough to where she could pinch the pennies.

Shrugging, she lifted the shirt she had over her head and tossed it aside onto a nearby card table. Kicking her boots off at the door, and began to wiggle out of her leggings. She figured being in less clothing would not only assist with the heat problem but also make her feel freer. While she was used to wearing a uniform when she went to boarding school as a child, she always felt freer without all the clothing that humans were required to wear. You could take the pony out of Equestria, but you couldn’t take the Equestria out of the pony. Instincts still kicked in for Sunset from time to time, when she first arrived here it took her weeks to not try to open doors with magic, resulting in her walking into quite a few doors and embarrassing herself.

Sunset’s eyes fell upon the journal that she and Princess Twilight used to communicate, but then the nearby window in the kitchen. Sighing, she walked over to the window and closed the curtains, and picked the book up, trying to think about what to write to the princess in her regular report of what was happening in her life. She questioned though if she would approve of her letting yet another human in on a lot of the secrets of Equestria. Probably would get a lecture about how it’s dangerous or something, which ultimately made her decide to reveal this all to Twilight at a later date. Sitting on the kitchen counter, Sunset looked down at her phone to see she was getting texts from the Twilight of this world already asking all about how everything with Shimmer went. It figured that Twilight was curious, out of all of the girls in her group; Twilight was definitely the most inquisitive one. With a smile, Sunset read over Twilight’s text.

Hey, hope I’m not being a pest or too nosy, but I worry about you sometimes, so I just wanted to make sure everything with you and Shimmer went okay. It can be awkward meeting someone you don’t know too well, especially if they are basically a replica of you. It is still really awkward for me to know there is another Twilight out there whom you know so well, so I just wanted to check up on you and make sure you’re okay.

Sunset giggled at how protective Twilight was. She may have been the younger sister in her family, but she had so many moments where it was clear she wanted to be an older sister. Part of her thought that Twilight would make a great mom one day, and the idea of Twilight in an apron serving children made her giggle a bit more.

Deciding to give her some assurance, Sunset decided it was best to message Twilight back tonight rather than make her stay up worrying.

It actually went pretty smoothly. Shimmer is a pretty nice girl, and we have a little in common I guess, though that’s to be expected since we’re alternate universe counterparts. And if I didn’t know any better I’d say your worry for me is just a manifestation of the long-time crush you’ve had on me Twilight.

Predictably, Twilight’s reply made Sunset imagine Twilight was rolling her eyes.

Yes, my love for you is quite hard to hide sometimes. Why right now I am erecting a shrine to you where I shall sacrifice many small kittens in the hopes that the Gods will give me a chance at your hand in marriage. Woe is me should you decline, and their sacrifice shall be for naught.

That one legitimately made Sunset laugh uncontrollably out loud. A fit of giggles that took her a few minutes to overcome prevented her from replying right away, but when she caught her breath she typed out a reply.

Well I’d say it takes a lot to get me out of my pants, but I’m already out of those…

Twilight’s humor seemed to continue.

I thought we already discussed how you should put some clothing on when you’re talking to someone, or at the very least not let them know of your nudity.

Standing up and walking to the bathroom for a cool shower, Sunset snickered. Turned out that the heat was a bit much for sitting around in just her underwear to be enough to cool her down.

I could send pictures if that’s what you want?

Twilight’s response was almost instant.

Please don’t.

Sunset was about to reply when she saw she was actually getting a phone call. The number came up as “Shimmer” now that Sunset had remembered to place her number in her contact list so she wouldn’t be confused the next time she called. Thought it was odd that she was calling so soon after the two had spent the afternoon together.

Clearing her throat, Sunset slid her finger across the icon to answer the call. “Hello?”

Shimmer’s voice came through the phone to her. “Hey, I’m not interrupting anything am I?”

“Nah, just about to take a cold shower to cool down; the weather has been a scorcher lately and despite the word “Sun” being in my name, I’m not a huge fan of the heat. What’s up?” Sunset explained.

Shimmer giggled a bit at her tangent. “I actually love the Summertime. Heat doesn’t bug me too much.”

“Guess we have more differences than I thought, are you sure you’re actually me from this universe?” Sunset joked.

“Either way, I wanted to ask you something.” Shimmer changed the subject.

Sunset leaned back against the door to her bathroom as she listened. “Go ahead.”

“Well… You said your friends helped you and are an important part of your life… And… Well, I guess whether I like it or not, I’m a part of your life at the current moment and if I want to understand you and where you came from better, I should understand your friends too…” Shimmer began explaining. She paused and chuckled. “Sorry, I’m rambling, I guess what I am saying is that I think it’s important for me to meet your friends. If that’s okay that is…”

With a smile coming to her face, Sunset found herself feeling legitimately filled with joy. Could this be a sign that she was getting through to Shimmer? Maybe her barrier was slowly falling and Sunset was making a difference? Either way, she found herself nodding despite not being seen.

“Yeah, sure. I’m sure they would love to meet you! I mean they already ask about you as it is…” Sunset admitted.

“Hopefully nothing bad…” Shimmer sounded legitimately concerned by that comment.

“Nah, they’re just curious. I mean it’s not every day a counterpart of one of your friends appears in their life right?” Sunset attempted to calm her friend.

Shimmer sighed, which Sunset hoped was a sigh of relief. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“So we’ll arrange a meeting. How about the day after tomorrow, I’d say tomorrow but I have plans with a few of my friends? We’ll figure out the details later?” Sunset requested.

“Sounds good, I look forward to it. They sound like an interesting bunch, hopefully, I’m not too boring… Though… As I’ve told you before, I don’t really know much about having friends, so forgive me if I come off as offensive to them at times, I really have no idea what I’m doing…”

Sunset chuckled at Shimmer’s social awkwardness. “Trust me, if there’s any group that understands, it’s this one. They put up with me and even Twilight who is pretty awkward herself.”

Shimmer sighed again. “Well, I guess I’m in good hands then. Thank you, Sunset. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow?"

“It’s a date,” Sunset replied before hanging up.

Setting her phone on the counter near the sink, Sunset smiled as she turned on the shower to a nice cooling temperature. She felt proud of herself for making such progress with Shimmer in such a short amount of time. Perhaps her lessons from Twilight were starting to pay off, but then again a dread in her mind lingered that there was still plenty of time for things to go wrong, and she knew that.

She pushed it out though and tried to focus on the happy afternoon she was going to spend with Shimmer and her friends. The idea of Shimmer becoming a permanent part of their group actually filled her up with joy. While it was still too early to assume anything, she was already thinking of all the possibilities.

Author's Note

Wow, another week passed, and we're already on Chapter VI. Crazy.

Big thanks to Applety who dedicated a lot of time to getting the sketches done this time around. She recently started working again so it was not easy to find the time.

Behind the Scenes: The story originally was only going to be one Act, but I kind of evolved upon what would happen next and originally intended that as a sequel, but ultimately felt it all made more sense as one story.

Act I - Chapter VII: Connection

Chapter VII: Connection

Sunset had decided to spend the next day with her friend Twilight. After a long day of window shopping, going out to eat and laughing, the two friends were winding down at Twilight’s home. Sunset had come to love this place as a second home the few times she had visited; actually, she truthfully enjoyed it more than her actual home. Twilight’s parents were generally calm people and very accepting of Sunset. She was almost like another family member at this point, and they always offered Twilight’s brother’s former bedroom to her should she need it. It was nice to feel like she was in a family even if it was only as a family friend.

Twilight had quickly become a friend in their group that Sunset was beginning to cling to a little more than the others, due to their similar circumstance. While there was much that Twilight would never understand about Sunset due to being from two different worlds, the two of them knew what it was like to be alone and to be overtaken by darker desires and wish for forgiveness. Sunset wanted to be there to help Twilight along her path so that she wouldn’t have to stumble as much as she did. Because of this, Twilight always looked to Sunset for advice or comfort.

Sitting there in their orange and purple pajamas, Sunset picked up and examined a game controller awkwardly that Twilight had given to her, trying to make heads or tails of it. She wasn’t exactly that familiar with video games, as in her homeworld they were a relatively new invention and one she didn’t experience personally when she was a filly either. This controller was black and had a series of shapes on one of the button sets on the right side.

Twilight reached over and adjusted it in her hands and showed her how to hold it. With a smile, Twilight gave instruction. “Just like this, see?”

Sunset did likewise and tried to mimic Twilight's actions, placing her thumbs upon the two thumbsticks protruding from the device. Once Twilight was certain she had it right, she reached over and pressed a button on Sunset’s controller to turn it on. Sunset just stared in awe at this technology, not quite understanding how it even worked.

Looking down at the white controller she looked over to Twilight’s black controller, wondering if the colors made any difference. “So this is one of those Xbox things I’ve been hearing about?” Sunset asked with a raised brow.

Twilight twinged slightly. She took a breath and shook her head. “Not quite. This one is a PlayStation.” Twilight pointed to the box under the television in the bedroom.

“PlayStation? What’s the difference?” Sunset inquired.

Twilight let out a sigh and shook her head, she had a face of wanting to explain in great detail that she got sometimes, but clearly ended up holding herself back. “It’s really technical stuff that I can’t really explain without a lot of prior knowledge, but the short version is this one is made by a different company and plays different games, and in my opinion better games."

“How many of these things are there?” Sunset asked, a bit surprised to hear this information. Video games must have been a pretty popular thing in this world for so many to exist after all.

“A good deal, but only a few that actually matter. I guess it is true… You really are oblivious when it comes to technology huh?” Twilight frowned, feeling bad for how clueless her friend was about these things.

Sunset sunk down and nodded as she sat there on the floor with her friend in front of Twilight’s bed. “I understand the basics, but I don’t really have a lot of exposure to many of these things, I can’t afford them anyway. Turns out technology is really expensive here…”

With a nod, Twilight scooted closer to her friend to comfort her. “Yeah, but you’ll get it. I’m sure Shimmer is pretty tech-savvy.”

“Her computer definitely looked complicated, that’s for sure…” Sunset admitted.

Twilight leaned in, while they were on the subject, she figured she would ask Sunset about Shimmer, as she was very curious regarding the secluded millionaire teen. “So… You met her again the other day? What happened?”

Sunset was a bit surprised it took the curious Twilight this long to ask. She hadn’t the entire day trip they were together for, which was unlike the curious scientist she was. “Well… we talked for a bit. I told her a tiny bit about myself…”

“Like what? You remember what I said right?” Twilight frowned, clearly concerned that Sunset may have said too much to the poor girl.

“Yeah, yeah. I didn’t overwhelm her. I started small, I told her I was from a pony world and I explained when I arrived here,” Sunset attempted to calm her friend.

Twilight’s face remained concerned however, waiting for Sunset to finish her story.

“I didn’t tell her about magic or anything if that’s what you’re worried about. The last thing I need is to open up that can of worms to yet another scientist. I think we’ve all learned our lesson after you.” Sunset nudged Twilight’s shoulder playfully, causing Twilight to blush and look away adjusting her glasses at the mention of her previous antics when the two met.

“Yes… Probably for the best… Do you plan on telling her about magic though?” Twilight asked.

Sunset leaned back against the end of the bed they were sitting up against and shrugged. “Eventually, but I have to figure out a good time to do that. It’s not exactly something that is easy to drop onto someone, especially when they are unstable like her.”

Twilight nodded, unsure of how to respond to that statement before pressing a button on her controller and focusing back at the screen of the television, with Sunset doing the same. Trying to focus on the game, Sunset tried to continue her story. “Anyways, she asked me to meet you all.”

Those words made Twilight pause the game and turn to Sunset, eyes filled with seriousness. “Are you sure that’s a good idea so soon?”

“She asked, I didn’t feel right telling her no. I’ll have to brief everyone before the meeting actually happens, but I think everyone will be nice enough to where it shouldn’t be a problem.” Sunset explained.

Twilight frowned. “Yes but… Our friends are great and all, but aren’t you worried that one of them will say something to upset her? They mean well but you have to admit that they are clearly curious about this girl and may have a slip of the tongue that could offend her.”

“Like I said, we’ll brief them before the meeting happens. I’m sure it’ll go fine, part of friendship is having confidence in your friends,” Sunset replied as she reached over and gave Twilight a gentle noogie, messing up her hair a bit. Twilight grunted but laughed and shrugged.

“I guess I still have a lot to learn…” Twilight smiled.

“That you do.” Sunset winked.

“I guess it’s a good thing I have such a good teacher,” Twilight praised.

Sunset didn’t speak, but Twilight could see a light blush of embarrassment upon her face, lighting up her otherwise very pale complexion.

Three Years Ago

Sunset sat next to her now apparent boyfriend as the two watched the ending of a rather strange film that Flash had taken them to. A lot of it was filled with human culture that Sunset didn’t quite understand so a good chunk of the plot didn’t make much sense to her, but she feigned understanding regardless and tried to follow along the little that she did understand. As the final scene played out and the credit began to roll, the entire theater started to light back up and people around the two were standing up.

Taking a stand himself, Flash offered his hand to the young girl. She accepted of course and he assisted her to a stand. A genuine smile appeared on his face as he spoke, “what’d you think?”

Sunset shrugged. “I didn’t really understand much, but I guess I really liked the part where the girl in the movie is taking care of her kids near the end instead of chasing after some stupid dream of hers.”

Flash raised a brow in confusion. “Why’s that? You don’t strike me as the motherly type.”

She shook her head not wanting to talk about it further. “Forget it, it’s nothing.”

He frowned and squeezed her hand. “You know you can tell me stuff, that’s sort of how this dating thing works. You trust in me, confide in me and I’m like a shoulder to cry on or something?”

She wrenched her hand away annoyed at the suggestion. “I don’t cry. Not today, not ever.”

Flash seemed confused at why she was getting so defensive. “I didn’t mean to upset you, but everyone cries. It’s a part of life…”

“Crying is for weaklings who can’t handle what’s thrown at them…” Sunset scoffed.

He approached cautiously and placed a hand upon her shoulder. “Is that what you think?”

“It’s what I know,” she insisted.

Flash frowned and shook his head before sighing and placing his other hand on Sunset’s other shoulder. He looked her deep in the eyes and smiled. “It’s okay to cry sometimes, Sunset. Holding everything in isn’t good for you. It’s not healthy and it leads to bad results.”

She grimaced and shrugged, just wanting this topic to be over. “I’ll take my chances.” She scoffed.

Deciding it was best to leave the subject alone, for now, he released her and placed his hands into his pockets and shrugged as well. “Still, I’m glad you enjoyed the movie.”

Sunset nodded. “Thank you for taking me…”

Preparations had been made as quickly as Sunset could manage. With her friends all gathered at the ice cream parlor, she felt this contained environment would be perfect for their first meeting with Shimmer. She had run everyone down what to expect and how to behave around her but decided it wasn’t a bad idea to squeeze in another refresher for some of the less attentive of her friends (specifically Rainbow Dash who never seemed to pay attention when instructions were given).

Rarity sat cross-legged as she sipped an iced coffee she had brought with her and smiled at Sunset who was a bit on the fidgety side at this point. “Darling, you can calm down. We've got this under control after all.” She attempted to calm Sunset.

Sunset frowned and shook her head. “I’m just nervous is all; now remember I need everyone on their best behavior. No magic, no talking about the Fall Formal, Camp Everfree, the Friendship Games, or… Any other weird in-explainable magic occurrence that seems to happen around us.”

Pinkie Pie blinked and looked up in thought with a hand on her chin before interjecting. “Wow… Magic stuff does happen to us a lot now that you mention it. We’re like magnets to magic or something… I guess you could say we’re Mage-Nets.”

Rainbow instantly facepalmed at Pinkie’s horrendous pun, the others just shook their head and tried to ignore it, knowing that acknowledging it would only be encouraging her. Sunset followed suit and tried not to snicker at how ridiculous it was.

Applejack was the only one to cave and comment, “really Pinkie? Really?”

Pinkie smirked and shrugged as she feigned innocence. “What?”

Instead of giving an answer to that, Applejack just shook her head in disappointment, trying to let the pain of the terrible pun pass through her.

“Either way, we should be fine,” Rainbow assured as she leaned back in her seat. The front legs of her chair lifted off the ground.

“I know, and it’s not that I don’t trust you guys it’s just… This girl has been through a lot, and I don’t want to add to that. She’s a really sweet person, and she spends her life held up in that house by herself… I feel like this is… Calling to me, you know?” Sunset tried to explain to the best of her ability, but felt she still wasn’t making sense.

“Ah' don’t follow…” Applejack tilted her head in confusion.

Sunset placed her hand on the table and leaned in to speak with her friends. “Ever since Princess Twilight left, she trusted me to learn about friendship, I feel like… This is somehow my next lesson; to teach friendship to someone else besides our Twilight. Granted, I was hoping the first time I had to do something like this it would be on a relatively easier target, but maybe that’s a sign that I’m more ready to do this than I think I am!”

Her friends all seemed to smile in unison at her newfound confidence. Fluttershy even clapped a bit. “If it means that much to you, we’ll be on our best behavior,” Fluttershy said.

Sunset nodded and smiled at her friends, for that moment she realized how lucky she was to have people like this in her life, all the more reason why she felt so inclined to share them with Shimmer.

Rarity poked her head up and peaked out a nearby window. “I assume that is her?” Rarity gestured to the window.

The entire group sat up and tried to get a view outside. In the parking lot, a very expensive Audi pulled up. The car shined with the sparkle of being freshly waxed. The car looked like it was kept in great shape, and Rarity could spot what appeared to be an obviously custom onboard computer through the windshield. Stepping outside was a slender girl in a cute black Summer dress speckled with white stars all over it. Taking off a pair of sunglasses, she tossed them into her car before shutting the door and pressing a button on her keys. The car beeped and locked as she adjusted herself and her purse.

Reaching into her purse, she retrieved a container of lip gloss and reapplied some as she gazed into a hand mirror. From far away it was hard to get a good look at her, but she was sporting a spaghetti strap dress and had her long thick hair tied in a rather large ponytail.

Closing the hand mirror she composed herself and approached the other side of the building to enter. The girls all quickly put themselves back in their seats and tried to act natural and not like they were just spying on her through the window.

As the door to the parlor opened and the bell rang, a few heads turned to the gorgeous creature standing at the entrance. A few whispers could be heard from some of the other patrons as Sunset raised a hand to wave her friend over to the group. Gently, Shimmer took a few steps forward in her open-toe heels. They weren’t the tallest of heels, but definitely enough to complete her look as an expensive and lavish one despite its simplicity.

On her neck was a familiar key that Sunset recognized from before. She surmised that Shimmer always wore it.

On her right wrist, a set of gold bangles clattered as she stepped, and a rose gold Apple Watch sat above them.

Up close it was clear she was almost an expert with makeup, as her eyeliner and mascara were done almost flawlessly. Her face didn’t seem to have a single imperfection, she was almost pretty enough to be a model. Resting on her nose was a very stylish pair of glasses. The girls were in awe at how just the subtle differences could make the girl they knew as Sunset look like a completely different person. As the two were close enough to speak, they could see their Sunset was only a hair taller and a little skinnier, but it was almost night and day.

Shimmer offered her hand to Sunset, who took it and pulled the girl in for a hug. A look of shock and confusion appeared on Shimmer’s face as she clearly wasn’t prepared for an embrace, but she slowly accepted it and patted Sunset’s back before being let go.

Sunset smiled as she took Shimmer’s hands in her own. “It’s nice to see you again, Shimmer.”

“Likewise…” Shimmer responded before adjusting her glasses.

“Well, let’s introduce you!” Sunset spoke excitedly.

“Yes… I suppose that’s in order…” Shimmer smiled sheepishly, clearly a bit nervous.

Turning Shimmer to face the table, she pointed to the girl with the vibrant multi-colored hair and introduced her. “This is Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow held up a hand as she leaned back in her seat, trying to look cool. “Sup?”

“A pleasure.” Shimmer bowed.

Rainbow blinked and chuckled at the gesture, but decided to leave it be.

Sunset moved on to the girl in the stetson in the group and pointed. “This is Applejack.”

“Howdy. Y’all can call me AJ if ya’ like.” Applejack winked.

Repeating her bow, she addressed AJ. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Applejack frowned and gave a dismissive hand gesture. “Whoa, whoa. No need for all that formal stuff.”

Shimmer shuffled awkwardly and nodded as she blushed a bit embarrassed at her poor social etiquette. “Yes… Of course… Sorry…”

“She’s not a very formal person,” Sunset explained as she placed a hand on Shimmer’s shoulder.

Pointing to the girl in the middle who had just finished perhaps her third chocolate shake, Sunset rolled her eyes. “The crazy one is Pinkie Pie.”

“Hey, Shimmer know why they call me Pinkie Pie?” The pink-haired girl grinned mischievously.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash quickly gave gestures trying to tell Shimmer not to answer that, already predicting where it would go. Shimmer ignored these gestures and raised a brow before asking, “why?”

As if she had been waiting all day to make this joke (which was very possible) she leaned back in her seat with a giant smirk as she answered. “Because there ain’t a Pie-ty like a Pinkie Pie-ty.”

The group collectively face-palmed, followed by Rainbow Dash letting out an audible groan.

Shimmer took a moment to think it over, not quite understanding. “I don’t get it…”

Pinkie Pie frowned and pouted. “I spent all morning planning that one out…” she grumbled.

“You’ll get used to it,” Sunset assured her friend before moving on.

“This girl here is Rarity, she also sort of doubles as our personal wardrobe manager.” Sunset teased.

Rarity rolled her eyes before leaning in with a smile. “Though I must admit, Miss Shimmer you certainly change the game for me. You’re absolutely gorgeous, and you have quite the fashion sense. Would you mind if I modeled some outfits on you at some point?”

Rarity was clearly already lost in a sea of ideas of what would look cute on Shimmer before Sunset snapped her fingers to bring her back to reality. “Earth to Rarity, let’s not overwhelm her.”

The fashionista pouted and attempted to act innocent. Shimmer smiled and nodded her head to answer Rarity before speaking, “I suppose I could do that. I have a personal tailor at my estate that takes care of my sizing and such. I can get my measurements from them for you.”

Those words put Rarity in awe. “A personal tailor! Oh darling, you certainly know how to live!”

Sunset nudged Shimmer in the direction of the remaining two girls, knowing the conversation with Rarity would never end if she didn’t intervene. “This one here is Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy waved meekly as she hid behind her long lavish hair. “Hello, Miss Shimmer. Do you like animals by chance?”

Shimmer smiled warmly and nodded. “I actually love animals. I donate to the animal shelter every year, though I do it anonymously.”

Fluttershy blinked and leaned in. “Wait… Every year we get a huge donation at the end of the year… That’s you?”

Shimmer blushed and played with a strand of her hair. “Yeah, don’t tell anyone okay?”

“I won’t say a word, but it’s so nice to meet another animal lover.” Fluttershy smiled.

“I’ve loved them since I got Moon. He’s my best friend.” Shimmer retrieved her iPhone from her purse and showed off a photo of her with her beloved German Sheppard. Fluttershy leaned in to get a good look almost squealing like a fangirl at the photo.

“He’s a cutie!” Fluttershy squealed.

With a roll of her eyes, Sunset gestured to the final girl at the table, the only one of her friends who wore glasses. “And this is Twilight.”

Unlike the others, Twilight stood and offered to shake Shimmer’s hand. Shimmer looked down at it awkwardly before taking it and giving a gentle shake with a sheepish smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Shimmer,” Twilight said with a bright grin.

Sunset rolled her eyes yet again and patted Twilight’s shoulder. “She’s sort of new to the whole friendship thing too. Also Twilight is a scientist like you, I’m sure you two will have plenty to talk about.”

“You’re a scientist?” Shimmer asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yup, what’s your field of interest?”

Shimmer adjusted her glasses. “I’m performing a series of very complex experimental ideals that are all relatively hush-hush stuff. If successful though, I hope to drastically change our understanding of the universe as we know it.”

Twilight leaned in, clearly a bit awestruck. “Fascinating… I can’t wait to read your publications!”

Shimmer grew a genuine smile and was glad that there was at least someone in this group she could talk about science with.

“So now that you’ve met the gang, I know this is a lot to take in at once, so feel free to ask any questions you may have.” Sunset sat in the booth with her friends, Shimmer pulling up a chair to sit at the end of the table with them.

She nodded with a smile. “And your friends are welcome to ask any questions they may have, likewise.”

Rainbow placed her hand upon the table and sat up. “I have a question actually,” she said.

“Yes?” Shimmer responded.

“How much was that sweet ride outside?” Rainbow asked.

Sunset quickly punched her friend’s shoulder at the rude question. “Rainbow!”

Shimmer giggled happily and dismissed Sunset’s alarm. “It’s alright. And to answer your question, I don’t really fully know. My father bought it for me as a present when I was young, I didn’t get to drive it right away, he got excited for my sixteenth birthday a few years too early, but I know it was custom made.”

“So exactly how rich are you?” Rainbow followed up, which landed her another punch in the shoulder, this time from Applejack on her other side.

“Rainbow, seriously that’s not a polite question to ask!” Applejack scolded.

“It’s alright. While I can’t give exact numbers, because the answer is more complex than that, all I can accurately state is that I have never and probably will never concern myself over finances ever. Truthfully, my financial advisor handles my stocks, taxes, and such. So I don’t really pay attention to exact numbers, somewhere in the millions I know though, I'd have to look it up,” Shimmer explained.

“I’ve always dreamed of the high-class lifestyle…” Rarity admitted, trying to turn the awkward subject into perhaps and approachable one.

Shimmer frowned. “It’s not all it’s cranked up to be really… Truthfully I don’t really have much class so to speak. I don’t really attempt to go to any country clubs or anything like that, and I spend most of my time at home…”

Rarity frowned. “Well, we simply must take you out then!”

Shimmer felt a smile grow upon her face and nodded.

Twilight reached forward and placed a hand upon Shimmer’s clearly trying to be comforting. Shimmer looked down at the touch and then met Twilight’s guilty eyes. Twilight grew an expression of concern and spoke softly, “if we do anything that upsets you, please let us know. We don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Shimmer made an awkward face and sighed as she looked at the group. She ultimately decided it was best to get this topic out of the way as she knew the group would be walking on eggshells around her if it didn’t get discussed early in. “Alright… Let’s just get this topic out of the way as I’m sure everyone here knows about it…” She began.

“Whatever do you mean?” Rarity asked, clearly trying to feign innocence.

“I think you all know what I mean. While I appreciate trying to be sensitive about it, let’s just get it out in the open so we don’t have to talk about it after this, yes… My parents were murdered. It’s out there, I know it’s on the internet and it’s something a lot of people know about. We can’t just pretend it isn’t there, so let’s just get it out in the open. I am not going to expect anything out of anyone about it. Let’s just not talk about it after this and we’ll all get along just fine.” She smiled, hoping this would silence the subject.

Twilight leaned back and removed her hand, clearly a little embarrassed that she had indirectly brought it up as she nodded. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine. I’m not mad, trust me.” Shimmer winked at Twilight.

Twilight nodded and tried to force a smile back upon her face.

“So tell me about yourselves, I think we’ve heard enough about me,” Shimmer stated, trying to calm the atmosphere.

The next few hours were spent in conversations between the friends. Shimmer learned of their hobbies, the school they went to, how they met and much more. She shared a few anecdotes about her own life, and the room was filled with laughter, smiles and the occasional joke. For those hours, Shimmer felt a genuine sense of happiness overtake her, a feeling of belonging, a feeling she had forgotten for so long. It felt good to feel accepted for a change.

Seven Years Ago

With a yawn, the young Shimmer stumbled her way down the stairs, followed by her faithful puppy companion, who had just finished snuggling up with his master the entire night. Clinging close to her, her dog barked affectionately as the two reached the bottom of the stairs and made their way into the kitchen.

Shimmer rubbed her eyes and yawned as her father’s face lit up with glee as he looked to his daughter. Tilting her head in confusion, Shimmer peered over at her mother who did the same. The two approached and her father lifted her off the ground and brought her into a sudden hug without warning.

She grunted as she was squeezed, still quite confused. “Good morning?”

Her father set her down and smiled yet again. “We just got the mail, and your school sent us an interesting letter…”

Shimmer blinked. She had been being homeschooled for some time now, so it was odd that the school would have anything to say about her.

“You made the honor roll,” her mother chimed in with a grin, clearly too excited to contain herself.

“Oh cool!” Shimmer smiled, not quite expecting such a letter this morning. She knew she was doing well in school, but no idea this well.

Her father smiled and winked. “We’re very proud of you, Sunset. You’re taking your studies seriously, and that’s why me and your mother decided you could use a break and thus why we are going on vacation. You said you wanted to visit Europe again…”

This time Shimmer leaped into her father’s embrace happily. “THANK YOU, DADDY!”

He chuckled and ruffled her messy hair before kissing her forehead. “How did we get so blessed as to have such a wonderful child?”

“She takes after me, clearly,” her mother joked as she puffed out her chest with a little of false pride.

Shimmer found herself giggling at that comment, which caused her father to roll his eyes and set her down on the ground. “Either way, we are leaving tonight. I already got our flight set up, so go pack your things.”

Her mother rolled her eyes this time and placed a hand upon her husband’s shoulder. “Darling, we should probably let the girl have some breakfast first.”

Her father laughed and nodded. “Yes, sorry. I guess I’m a little excited myself. Let’s eat together and then we’ll pack things up and head out!”

Moon barked and wagged his tail, causing Shimmer to pick him up off the ground and hold him facing her father. Shimmer plead with puppy eyes along with Moon who did the same as she held him. “Can Moon come with us?”

Looking to the dog for a moment and then to Shimmer, her father approached and petted Moon atop the head, which enticed another playful bark from him. “Yes of course. After all, he is a part of the family isn’t he?”

Shimmer hugged her dog and nodded. “Thanks, daddy. I love you guys.” Shimmer smiled brightly.

Her mother returned the smile. “Likewise, darling. We truly are a very blessed family, to have this much happiness. I don’t know what we did to deserve it, but I am thankful for sure.”

“Me as well,” her father chimed in.

Shimmer smiled and moved in for a group hug with her family. During the embrace, she couldn’t help but feel that this moment was perfect.

Parking her car, Shimmer stepped outside and up to her home. It was rather late, as she had stayed out later than she had planned with Sunset’s friends. She was having such a good time, that time escaped her and before she knew it, it was closing time for the parlor they were meeting in. She said her goodbyes and took her leave around 9 PM. Making a quick stop to put gas in her car and grab herself a drink, she managed to get home by 9:30, far later than she had originally planned.

Still, she had such a good time, she couldn’t remember the last time she had such fun with other people.

She looked up at the house and remembered when she was young thinking about how huge their place was. Nowadays she always thought little of it, but back then this place seemed like it was almost endless. There were tons of rooms that she would forget what they looked like as she would not even step foot in them for months. She recalled not being allowed in her father’s wine cellar but one day sneaking in when he wasn’t looking, only to be frightened by a large spider and running out before she ever really got a good look.

Stepping inside, she gave a whistle that echoed throughout the empty mansion, it could be heard in perhaps the farthest reaches of the house, even in the rooms that Shimmer herself had not stepped into in months. “Moon? Here boy!”

On cue, the clumsy dog raced down the stairs and leaped into Shimmer’s arms, clearly not realizing he was far too large to be doing so. Shimmer didn’t mind though, as she petted him and rubbed behind his ears. “How’s mommy’s little man? Have you been good?"

The dog barked repeatedly in response. “That’s a good boy. You wanna join mommy in the lab?” She asked.

Moon barked again and licked her face. “Okay okay, let’s go then. You’re the best lab assistant ever.” He truly was too, despite being a clumsy dog; Moon knew to be extra careful in the lab and had never once broken a piece of equipment. She had trained him well, though she had plenty of free time to do so for quite a while when she was younger. Moon almost never left her side, and she was determined to keep it that way, even when she was in the lab.

Letting the dog onto the floor, Sunset made her way to the living room first to grab her lab coat where she left it. She paused for a moment though as she stared at the room. Silence overtook her as she tried to block out memories of this place and shook her head, Moon whimpering clearly capable of telling something was bothering her. She dismissed those thoughts and petted his head. “Sorry, mommy was just spacing out.” She assured the dog.

Grabbing her coat, she threw it on and made her way upstairs. Retrieving her lab key from her pocket she unlocked the door. While she knew none of the cleaning staff that came every week would enter her lab without permission, she was still a little paranoid about her experiments, on top of the fact that she kept her video diary in this place.

The computer was still on as she sat down in front of it, bringing it out of sleep mode as she adjusted herself in front of the camera. With a quick adjustment of her glasses, she fiddled with the focus of the camera before being satisfied. She took a deep breath before speaking to the computer again for yet another video log.

She cleared her throat and spoke, “this isn’t my normal format for these video logs, I apologize. Emotion is getting the better of me, and sort making it hard to be logical right now. So bear with me.”

She sighed and found herself actually smiling for once in one of these videos as she continued, “as you may know by now, my name is Sunset Shimmer, or as of recently just Shimmer. I spoke before of meeting another me from another universe, well this meeting has proven to be a huge breakthrough in my research. New possibilities have opened up to me, and I am thinking about this all like I never have before. I’m considering possibilities I never thought possible, this could be the breakthrough I needed…”

Shimmer paused and coughed. “Ahem… Sorry, I was trailing off, I’m just really excited I guess, but that’s not the point of this log though. Today I met with her friends, we spoke of many different things, and while they’re an eccentric bunch, they are actually quite sweet. I feel like they might actually legitimately like me. Strange I know, if you’ve been following my life thus far you’ll find I’m not the most likable person out there.”

Realizing she was trailing off again, she adjusted herself in her seat and tried to focus back onto the relevant topic at hand. “Anyways, I feel somehow like I fit in with this bunch, I’m… Happy actually… I haven’t felt this way since mom and dad died really… Like, I missed this feeling. It’s all thanks to Sunset though, it’s strange… We are going under the ruse of her being my twin sister, but I kind of always wanted a sister. I don’t know about her though, truthfully I know very little about her upbringing except she went to boarding school… I know she is somehow a talking pony in her universe, weird when you say it out loud and I know as a scientist I should only listen to statements proven by facts but I… I believe her…”

A part of Shimmer felt a little embarrassed that as a scientist she could get herself to believe such a strange thing without any real proof. “I… I trust Sunset… While I am cautious about her friends, I want to believe they share her values. I want to trust them too… Maybe socializing will be good for me? My mother always worried that I spent too long up in my room, and they always seemed concerned about pulling me out of school and not socializing with other kids. However I never really cared about that growing up.”

Moon leaped into her lap with a thud, causing her to grunt, before hugging the dog and continuing. “Either way, I remain cautiously optimistic. I just wish mom and dad could see me now. I wonder if they’d be proud of me…”

With a sigh, she smiled, dismissing those thoughts. “Anyways, this is Sunset Shimmer, signing out.”

With that, she clicked the button to end the recording and kissed her dog’s forehead affectionately.

Author's Note

It's been a stressful week for me. Struggling to get by is hard sometimes and kills motivation, but I managed. Anyways, enough of me complaining. Thanks to those who have been here since the beginning. Stay tuned for more. We're officially about halfway through Act I.

Behind the scenes: One of the original ideas actually had Shimmer as a male version of Sunset.

Act I - Chapter VIII: Secrets

Chapter VIII: Secrets

One Year Ago

Flash led his girlfriend over to a seat at the park where the two had agreed to meet. He had an expression of concern and discomfort upon his face as he met Sunset’s eyes and offered to take her hand, she looked down for a brief second before taking the hand in her own. Their entire relationship at this point was a lot of cautiousness from Sunset. The most she’d ever do was hold his hand, it was difficult to get closer to her, however at the same time whenever he could get anything out of her, he found it difficult to get her to stop. She resisted affection, but the moment she gave in, it was as if she didn’t want to stop, but a force inside her tried to keep her inner desires at bay. As a result, they had not gotten too physical even after all this time, but he could tell he was cracking through her thick armor. Whatever had hurt her enough to resist affection her knew one day he may learn.

He surmised it had to do with her upbringing. Sunset spoke little of her past, but what she did say, Flash became aware that Sunset didn’t have many friends growing up and her parents were relatively cold people that didn’t show much affection to her. He remembered her speaking of the insane standards they had set for her and even when she met them, it wasn’t enough for them. In Flash's mind, they sounded like awful people, and what they put Sunset through sounded much like neglect and even abuse at times. He held his tongue though, knowing it wasn't his place to speak on matters he had no experience with.

She took his hand and held tightly as she kept silent, letting him talk, knowing something was on his mind.

The gentle breeze moved her hair delicately and looking at her, he had almost forgotten how beautiful she could be when the setting was perfect. Her pale complexion was cute in contrast with her vibrant hair, and she had such a young-looking
and adorable face, beautiful and innocent even.

“I wanted to talk to you about something…” he began, his tone filled with caution.

“Alright…” she replied, keeping her tone as neutral as possible. It was always a challenge to read how Sunset was feeling, and it was clear she enjoyed it that way. No amount of time spent with her or studying revealed her true thoughts unless she decided they were to be known. To say she was a complex girl would be an understatement; everything with Sunset had to be over complicated, as she kept many secrets. There were even times where Flash assumed Sunset just didn’t trust him with knowing her thoughts. It certainly put a strain on maintaining a relationship with the girl.

“I heard about the fight you got into this morning. I couldn’t squeeze too much out of Principal Celestia, but she mentioned you gave some girl a black eye?” He raised a brow in concern.

Sunset almost smirked at that reveal, which only raised Flash’s level of concern for her. “Heh, good… I was hoping she’d have something to remember me by…"

Flash frowned as he discovered it was not only true, but Sunset was proud of it. “Why would you do that?”

She rolled her eyes and looked away. “Forget about it… She deserved it…”

“Sunset…” he scolded.

With a sigh, she turned back to him with an annoyed expression. “I had to shut her up. She was giving me a hard time…”

“I hear you are giving a lot of people a hard time…” he inquired further.

“You wouldn’t understand…” she insisted as she turned away, wanting to hide her expression from him. His eyes only made her feel judged, a feeling that she detested.

“I would if you would let me in. You’ve been changing lately, and it’s bothering me. You used to be a shy girl who kept to herself, but ever since you and I became more of a public couple you’ve been getting more and more aggressive with people. Is something bothering you?” he asked with pleading eyes.

She shrugged, not sure of how to answer this accusation. “I don't know what to tell you.”

“Sunset… If something is bothering you… You can tell me, alright? I promise.” He turned her face to face him, she flinched at the sudden touch but didn't resist.

She sighed and nodded. “Yeah… Okay…” She forced a smile for him.

There was an awkward silence before Flash broke it with a subject change. “So… The Fall Formal is coming up… Can I perhaps take the cutest girl in school?”

She rolled her eyes at his flirting attempt and smirked. “I don’t know, you better go ask her.”

He chuckled and nudged her shoulder. “Smartass.”

She giggled and nodded. “That’s what you like about me though.”

“That’s not the only thing.” He smirked.

“Oh yeah? What else then?” Sunset teased.

“I also think you’re really cute.” Flash shined her a bright smile expecting her to be bashful about the comment. Instead, she rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully.

“You’re such a hopeless romantic.” Sunset giggled.

"What can I say? You bring out the best in me?" Flash winked.

Applejack revved the engine of the rented boat that she and the two Sunsets sat in. With clearly skilled steering, she moved them out into the middle of a familiar lake. With a smile, she halted the boat after a short trip and dropped the anchor. The surreal feeling of there being two Sunsets had finally passed and she couldn’t help but snicker as she looked at Shimmer.

“I’d say I’m surprised y’all have never been fishin’ before, but then I saw your outfit…” Applejack tried to contain her giggles as she looked over Shimmer’s ensemble.

Shimmer looked down at what she was wearing. She had on a simple black button-up blouse and a matching black skirt. Around her neck, she had an orange ribbon tied to match the orange ribbon tying back her long hair. Shimmer looked over to Sunset who was wearing a plain red T-shirt and cargo shorts. With a shrug, Shimmer commented, “I suppose I could have worn my tennis attire?”

Applejack and both Sunset giggled at Shimmer’s expense. “We’ll help you pick out something next time. I never considered you’ve never done this before…” Sunset replied.

Shimmer shrugged. “My family didn’t go fishing. I mean I had a busy schedule as a child, violin lessons, tennis, studying… When I had off time I read books or we went on vacation. Fishing, camping and roughing it weren't really on the list of activities my family partook in...”

“Well this is nothing like either of those, Applejack will show you,” Sunset replied as she began to bait her line. Truthfully she wasn’t too great herself, but she understood the basic concept, much advice coming from Applejack definitely assisted her in improving that was for sure. Applejack was quite a skilled angler.

Applejack smiled as she handed Shimmer a rod. The rich girl took it cautiously, unsure of how to properly hold it until she watched Applejack grip her own rod. “So y’all hold it like this.” Applejack showed. Shimmer followed suit and gripped the rod properly.

“Then, you lean it back and whip it forward pressing the button under the reel.” Applejack demonstrated by casting her line out quite far with little to no effort. Shimmer attempted to follow, though she fell quite short of where Applejack had cast. Though Applejack didn’t object, so she assumed she had done it correctly.

“Then what?” Shimmer asked.

“Then you wait.” Applejack laughed.

“That’s it?” Shimmer tilted her head.

“It’s a relaxin’ activity.” Applejack winked.

“So is taking a nap by that logic…” Shimmer rolled her eyes.

“Well, y’all can do that too while you wait for a bite, shoot I’ve done that a few times in my life.” Applejack chuckled.

"I would bet Rainbow would love it out here then..." Sunset teased.

Applejack rolled her eyes as she recalled a memory. "Surprisingly not, she gets bored too easily and then gets all antsy. That girl has a hard time sitting still yet somehow manages to be the laziest person 'Ah know."

Sunset rolled her eyes and cast her own line out.

Shimmer sighed and leaned back and waited patiently in silence. After a few moments had passed where no one in the boat was speaking, she felt obligated to say something to break the annoying silence. “So… You grew up on a farm?” Shimmer asked.

Applejack nodded. “It wasn’t luxurious, but Ah' wouldn’t change it for anythin'.”

Shimmer smiled and nodded. “What is it like? I've never been on a farm before.”

Applejack blinked a bit surprised that this preppy rich girl was even remotely interested. She turned to Shimmer with a look of shock as she spoke, “well… I’d wake up in the mornin’ go clean out the chicken coops, check on the cows… My brother and me would alternate between a lot of the other chores…”

Shimmer’s smile grew as she listened. “It sounds lovely.”

Applejack blinked again and spoke slowly, “yeah… It is…”

Shimmer looked to the water, still smiling. “I bet your family is really close…”

It became clear what direction this conversation was going. Applejack nodded and frowned a bit, wanting to avoid this subject today in fear that she'd be touching a sore spot. “Yeah… We’re a pretty tight-knit bunch if 'Ah do say so myself. Couldn’t separate us with a pitchfork if ya’ tried.”

“I’d love to meet them…” Shimmer responded.

Applejack smiled back at her finally and nodded. “Y’all will.”

Sunset kept quiet, knowing this was an awkward situation, but decided to ask the question she knew Applejack was thinking. “So… I take it you had a close family, Shimmer?”

Applejack felt a rush of relief wash over her as Sunset spared her a difficult question to ask, the moment the subject came up she couldn't even deny her own curiosity, even though she intended to avoid the subject altogether. She’d have to thank her later.

Shimmer frowned and shook her head. “My parents and I were extremely close, but we were a new money family… The rest of my family wasn’t wealthy, and they were envious of them… I didn’t get to know my grandparents or relatives too well because they all just wanted my parent’s money. When they…” She paused and decided to choose her words carefully, “died… I went to go live with my aunt, but she tried to steal my family fortune from under my nose. I found out she was working with my grandfather to split it with him… I was emancipated shortly after… I haven’t spoken to any of them since, but most of them resent me. They think I'm a selfish child hoarding the fortune to myself...”

“Money can make people do awful things… Part of why Ah've always been okay with not havin' a lot,” Applejack commented.

“Sometimes I wish I was born without as much…” Shimmer replied, “I could have probably gotten used to a simple farm life even.”

“It ain’t your fault, Sugarcube,” Applejack assured.

Turning to her new friend, Shimmer smiled. “The irony is… If they had told me they were hurting for money… I would have gladly given them some… I have never really been interested in hoarding money to myself...”

Applejack sighed and nodded. “I’ll be honest…”

“What a surprise…” Sunset smirked.

“Oh hush…” Applejack rolled her eyes at Sunset and nudged her.

“Anyways… When 'Ah first met y’all Shimmer… Ah' was kinda assumin’ you’d be a rich spoiled brat… Ah' kind of just assumed rich kids were always sort of stuck up… Ah’m sorry… It was wrong of me to judge… Ah' guess it’s easy to forget that there are tons of rich people out there who want to give back…” Applejack frowned.

Shimmer shook her head. “It’s alright. I’ve always donated to charities in secret, I never took credit for doing good for others. My father always told me that it was important to give back to the world that has given me so much. He always said that you needed to give as much as you could because one day you weren't going to be able to and it would hurt.”

Applejack smiled and adjusted in her seat before checking on her bobber in the water. “Sounds like a great man!”

“He is… I mean... he was...” Shimmer replied softly.

Sunset reached over and placed a hand upon Shimmer’s thigh in comfort. Shimmer looked to her and saw a smile on her face, which seemed to bring a smile to her own. “Applejack knows what you’re going through…”

Shimmer blinked. “Oh?”

Applejack nodded. “Eeyup. My parents disappeared a few years back; we were up in the mountains on our way back from vacation... Car broke down and Pa got out to find help. When he didn't come back... Ma went after him. Big Mac an' me tried lookin' for them but they..." Applejack paused before continuing, "never came back... we never found them either. There was a huge search but the storm from the night before was so bad that they couldn't find anything."

"What do you think happened to them?" Shimmer asked.

"Dunno... Probably dead. If they lived... They'd have come back by now..." Applejack said quietly.

“I’m sorry to hear.” Shimmer frowned.

Applejack reeled her rod in before recasting and answering. “It’s fine. Ah’ve gotten through it over the years. It gets easier.”

“I hope so…”

Looking to Shimmer, Applejack shrugged. "People die. Ain't nothin' we can do to change it, after all, right? It's better to remember them as they were in life."

Sunset coughed and adjusted herself. “Let’s talk about something else… So Applejack, I couldn’t help but notice you weren’t answering my texts the other day…”

A bead of sweat ran down Applejack’s neck. “Oh yeah… Rainbow had me doin’ something… I lost track of time.”

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with her lately.” Sunset smirked.

“Yeah well… Ya’ know…” Applejack clearly wanted to end that topic quickly.

Sunset was snickering, but Shimmer looked back and forth between the two friends with confusion, unsure of what was so funny.

Applejack seemed to get more defensive. "It ain't like that, Ah' mean it. Rainbow was helpin' me with somethin' else, honest."

Sunset gave a roll of her eyes. "I was only teasing."

With a smirk, Applejack cast her line out again. "Y'all are lucky yer' both my friends or Ah'd push ya' out of the boat."

Six Years Ago

Shimmer’s mother and father had enrolled her in a program at the local school in fear that she wasn’t socializing with other children when they decided to home-school her. She had only been in said program for a few days and at first glance seemed indifferent towards it. However, they had recently gotten a call from the school to come in and speak with the counselor, who ran the program. They had taken their daughter with them and had her sit outside of the councilor’s office before entering and taking a seat to speak with the middle-aged woman.

Shimmer’s mother took her husband’s hand worriedly, clearly not enjoying that the school was having concerns over their daughter.

She spoke up shakily, “what is this about?”

The counselor sighed and adjusted her glasses as she looked over a paper written upon her desk. The woman looked up to the two concerned parents and frowned. “You have a very adorable daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Shimmer, however, I’m afraid I will have to pull her out of the program.”

“What? Why?” Her father squinted.

She councilor sighed and looked up to the two loving parents. “It’s my understanding you homeschooled Sunset due to her inability to get along with the other children?”

“More like they refused to get along with her…” her mother defended.

“And I understand she underwent anger therapy for a period of time?” The counselor inquired.

“Which proved ineffective, what of it?” Her father seemed a little annoyed at where this was going.

The counselor nodded and passed the paper over to them as she explained its contents. “Your daughter got into a fight with one of the boys in the program. Apparently he was picking on her and she retaliated quite forcefully… She hit him with a rock and then punched him repeatedly. Two of the supervisors had to pull her off of him. The boy in question was hospitalized with a concussion. His parents said they aren’t pressing charges, but they have asked me to remove Sunset from the program and I agree with them. This kind of behavior is unacceptable…”

Her mother scanned over the paper, down to every detail, it was all there in black and white. Their daughter clearly had a problem.

“Oh dear… I didn’t think it was this bad… I wonder what is causing this…” She frowned, unsure of what they could do to help this problem.

“I recommend potentially seeking medication for her. Her anger is clearly explosive; she seems to have some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder even. She is actually quite an easy child to deal with otherwise, an angel even when she's not having an outburst,” The counselor explained.

The two nodded and took the paper in hand. “We’ll handle this from here. Thank you for your time, and I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. We didn’t mean to cause any trouble for you, we just wanted to give Sunset a chance to socialize with other children her age… She doesn’t get to meet other children too often and we were hoping this program would help…”

The counselor leaned back in her seat and locked her hands with a sad expression upon her face. “No, I’m sorry. I wish I could help, but my hands are tied. I do hope you can get some help for the poor child, if you need any assistance in finding treatment for her, my card is right there.” She pointed to a set of business cards upon her desk in a little cup, “I might be able to recommend some specialists.”

Her father nodded and took one, as she and his wife huddled together to take their leave. “Thank you, I’ll give you a call.”

“Take care.” She waved as the couple left her office and as the door shut behind them, they saw their daughter sitting upon a bench with her legs dangling as she sat there. She looked so innocent. It would have been impossible to believe this was the same girl from that report if they didn’t know what she was capable of prior.

The two knelt down and placed a hand each upon her shoulder. The little girl blinked and looked back and forth between the two. “Sweetie… We were told about what happened with that little boy…”

Shimmer instantly frowned at hearing their knowledge of the fight. She knew they would be disappointed in her, but she had little to no explanation. Sure she was getting picked on, but she overreacted and she knew that. She always overreacted, and never quite understood why.

“I… I don’t remember…” she said.

“Try…” her father attempted to coax an explanation out of her.

“I am… I just… I get angry and I forget what’s happening…” she admitted.

Her mother and father frowned and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulders. She looked back and forth to her two parents who were smiling as her mother spoke, “don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

One Year Ago

Flash Sentry frowned as he approached his girlfriend who he could see was giving another student a hard time. The other girl was hunched down, clutching her backpack in front of her and covering in fear as Sunset barked at her. She was quite the timid individual, and Flash recalled her name from sharing a class with her, Fluttershy. Getting closer he could overhear part of the conversation between the two.

“How about you stop putting this crap on my locker?” Sunset growled with a hand full of a wadded-up paper.

“I was just trying to get more volunteers for the animal shelter…” Fluttershy replied meekly.

Sunset shook her head and tossed the wadded up ball at Fluttershy, hitting her in the forehead with it. “I don’t care. I told you tons of times before not to put this crap on my locker. Did you not even listen to me?”

“S-sorry… I forgot that was your locker…” Fluttershy replied as she took a step back into a locker, unable to find a way to get further away from the aggressive girl.

Sunset banged her palm against the locker and locked eyes with Fluttershy, staring the weak girl down. “How about you learn to listen when I’m talking then? Maybe next time you won’t forget. I’m not going to be as nice about it the next time you piss me off…”

Carefully, Sunset took a lock of the girl’s long hair into her hand gently. She ran her fingers down it carefully as she spoke in a hushed threatening voice. “Next time… I’ll have to make sure you have a reminder… And you don’t want that do you?”

“N-no…” Fluttershy shook her head furiously.

“Good.” Sunset scolded as she released the girl’s hair and stepped back. “Now make yourself scarce for me.”

Nodding, Fluttershy ran off with tears down her cheeks. Sunset rolled her eyes at how easily that girl was intimidated and shook her head. “Stupid girl…” she said out loud.

Flash grimaced and approached, placing a hand upon her back. She flinched and turned quickly with a fist ready. Halting she blinked as she realized it was him. She unclenched her fist and smiled. “Oh… Hey… Sorry.” She blushed and rubbed her neck nervously.

“What was that all about?” Flash asked.

Sunset shrugged. “Stupid girl doesn’t listen, nothing major.”

“We need to talk,” Flash said.

“Sure, what about?” Sunset asked curiously, glad that they would at least be off the subject of Fluttershy.

“About us,” he spoke very directly. His words instantly struck a feeling of concern into her.

Sunset blinked and leaned up against a locker with her arms crossed as she tilted her head, trying to play it off cool. “Something wrong?"

He nodded. “I think we need to see other people.”

“What does that mean?” Sunset asked.

“It means I’m breaking up with you,” Flash bluntly explained.

“Excuse me?” Sunset grew a look of genuine offense.

“You’re not the same person that I started dating. Or rather, I don’t like the person you turned out to be. The moment you started getting a little accepted around here, you quickly took control and more or less made yourself into a bully who pushes people around to get what she wants,” Flash explained.

Sunset felt her cheeks get red with anger as he accused her. She growled and looked away. “I’m just treating them like they treated me…”

“Fluttershy didn’t treat you that way. She's never hurt you, that girl wouldn't hurt a fly and you know it, you had no reason to push her around,” he corrected.

“She didn’t do anything to stop it!” Sunset barked.

Flash shook his head. “It doesn’t make this right. You made a girl cry over a freakin’ poster Sunset. She was just trying to get people to volunteer at the animal shelter.”

“So what?” Sunset replied.

Flash sighed and looked down in disappointment for a moment. He thought about the good times the two had together before finally realizing he was making the right decision here. He looked back up to her and huffed before speaking again, “this is exactly why I’m breaking up with you. You’ve turned into a monster… You see getting even with the world as your only way of dealing with the world. I don’t know much about what made you this way, but I hope you enjoy what this path will bring you. I’m not going to walk it with you though; you’ll have to walk it alone.”

Sunset growled and stepped forward and pushed him. He staggered, but she took a swing and hit him right in the face with a fist. He took the punch quite well but placed a hand upon his lip to feel blood. Sunset looked down to her fist to see a spot of his blood upon it, her hand shook with fear as she witnessed the effects of what she had done. It was such a knee-jerk reaction that she took a moment to determine if it had actually happened.

He nodded and stood up straight. “I see… So that’s how it is. Anyone who stands in your way is an enemy…”

She wanted to apologize but found herself unable to speak as she stared at the blood.

“Goodbye, Sunset,” Flash said before taking his leave.

Sunset couldn't find the words to reply to him. She stood with a dumbfounded expression as he vanished around the corner of the hallway.

Sunset found herself at her makeshift home pacing around in frustration. The thoughts of her break up with Flash Sentry flooding her thoughts. She couldn’t focus on anything else all day. It was nearly impossible for her to take her mind elsewhere. She growled and punched the wall of rock, a trickle of blood dripping down her knuckles as she hissed in anger.

“To hell with him! I don’t need him anyway!” She shouted to herself.

“That boy was just holding me back, keeping the weaker part of me alive…” She reasoned out loud.

Falling back onto her makeshift bed, she looked up to the ceiling of the cave and nodded. “Yeah… That’s right… I was such a weakling when I first got here… Not anymore though… I’m far stronger now than I was. I have no need for weaklings like him to hold me back.”

She frowned as she looked down though, “Still… Maybe coming here was a mistake… I don’t fit in here any more than I did back in Equestria… Maybe it’s time to go back…” She reasoned.

Sunset knew that the portal between Equestria and this world would open soon for a short few days. She could travel home and maybe start over. Perhaps the third time was the charm. Another fresh start might have been just what she needed.

She smiled as she fell back onto her pillow. “It’s decided then… I’ll go back home when the portal opens in a few weeks… I’ll finally be out of this nightmare…”

After such a long day of fishing with Applejack, Sunset and Shimmer both went home to change into something more appropriate for a meeting with friends at the bowling alley. At the very least, Sunset was wearing something more appropriate. The weather was a bit cooler so she got the chance to wear her signature leather jacket with her favorite boots over a simple white top.

Shimmer on the other hand who was arriving shortly after Sunset was sporting her usual overly fashionable attire. Not a strand of hair was out of place, her makeup was done with an expert level of finesse, and sporting high heels and a very attractive black and orange dress. Her legs were covered in stockings that if you looked closely had little dog bones on them.

In her hand though, Sunset noticed she was carrying a motorcycle helmet. Behind her through the door, Sunset could make out a bike parked if she craned her neck. A bit of jealousy overcame her as she had always wanted one, but it was out of her reach. Her finances hardly made a car feasible, let alone a nice motorcycle.

Shimmer placed the helmet into a locker and turned the key before removing it and placing it in her purse. She approached and smiled at Sunset who stood dumbstruck among their friends who all waved.

Shimmer snickered at Sunset. “I didn’t know you rode a bike…” Sunset commented.

The fashionable girl blinked and tilted her head. “I thought you have one myself, I mean you always have that jacket in your car after all…”

Sunset frowned and shook her head. “Nah… I wish…”

That was an understatement.

“Such a poser.” Shimmer teased and poked Sunset’s nose. “Maybe I’ll let you take mine for a ride sometime,” she added, sticking her tongue out.

Sunset smirked and nodded. “That would be cool.”

Another serious understatement, Sunset thought to herself.

Turning around, Sunset walked her over to their friends who had already been lacing up some tacky bowling shoes, Sunset always wondered why bowling shoes had to be hideous; was there some group that got together and decided such things?.

Rainbow Dash blinked as she looked Shimmer up and down, breaking Sunset's line of thought. “You’re going to bowl in that?"

Shimmer looked down to her own expensive dress and then back to Rainbow. “What’s wrong with this?”

“Don’t y’all think ya' should've picked somethin' a little more… Casual?” Applejack asked, clearly trying to choose her words very carefully.

Shimmer shrugged. “This is the kind of thing I wear on a regular day. For me this is casual, I guess?”

Rarity stepped forward gave a dismissive hand gesture towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash who rolled their eyes knowing where this was going. “Nonsense, don’t listen to them, darling. You look fabulous, and that is commendable. I am envious of your sense of style, It’s absolutely top tier. I’d love to pick your brain for fashion advice.”

"Whoa, Rarity askin' someone else for fashion advice? Ah' think we're in the Twilight Zone..." Applejack teased.

Rarity gave Applejack a wave of her hand to dismiss her. "I can recognize genius when I see it, thank you. I'm not so egotistical that I would ignore others who clearly have good insight to offer."

“We’ll have to do that sometime.” Shimmer nodded and smiled.

Rarity gently led her to a table that she and Fluttershy were sitting at and crossed her legs as she sat down. Shimmer sat next to Rarity as Sunset sat across from Shimmer next to Fluttershy smiling at her friend.

“I swear we need to go to the beach soon this Summer,” Rarity complained, trying to change the subject.

Sunset made an awkward face and rubbed her neck. “Count me out.”

“Oh, why are you such a party pooper, Sunset?” Rarity pouted.

Pinkie popped up from what seemed to be underneath the table and poked her head up. “Did someone say party?”

The group rolled their eyes and Fluttershy found herself giggling a little. “I’m just not a big fan of swimming, that’s all…” Sunset replied.

“What about you, Shimmer? You’ll come to the beach with us, right?” Rarity took Shimmer’s hands and pleaded with puppy eyes.

“Uh… Sure I guess…” She blinked, unsure of how she was expected to answer.

“Oh, I am sure you will look absolutely adorable in a swimsuit!” Rarity was squealing with excitement.

Shimmer laughed and rolled her eyes, knowing that all kinds of strange images were running through Rarity’s head right now.

“I’m okay I guess? I never really thought about it… I mostly only swim in my pool, so no one is usually around…” Shimmer shrugged.

Sunset became really off-put by the conversation and shuffled in her seat awkwardly. “Can we uh… Talk about something else?”

“Honestly are you afraid of water, Sunset? No… That’s not possible you seemed fine at Camp Everfree…” Rarity thought it over, trying to recall if Sunset ever showed and adverse feelings towards water before.

“It’s nothing, can we just drop it?” Sunset frowned.

Fluttershy interjected and decided it was time to put a halt to all of the talk of swimming. “Rarity, if Sunset is uncomfortable we should just drop it.”

Rarity found herself frowning before nodding, realizing she may have been a bit too brazen about the subject. “Yes… You’re right. I’m sorry, Sunset. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s okay Rarity.” Sunset forced a smile upon her face.

Shimmer’s eyes narrowed behind her glasses as she thought it over. Sunset didn’t strike her as the kind of girl who was afraid of swimming. There was definitely something she was hiding behind this ruse, but it was impossible to tell. Part of her wished that they really were sisters so she could see if the whole twins having telepathy thing worked in real life; being able to read Sunset’s thoughts would certainly help her out from time to time. Sunset often presented herself as a girl with many secrets.

Fluttershy stood up with a smile and looked to the others at the table. “I’m going to get us some drinks.”

“Diet please, I’m a diabetic,” Shimmer instructed.

Fluttershy nodded and trailed off to go and retrieve beverages for the group.

“Interesting, Sunset has an obnoxious sweet tooth sometimes. Once she made us all pull over to get ice cream and she was super cranky until we got it,” Rarity teased.

Sunset blushed at that story, remembering it quite vividly. She had let her sweet tooth turn her into an insufferable companion on that car trip. “Yeah well…” She rubbed her neck.

“I guess Sunset and I have a few qualities that differ…” Shimmer smiled.

Rarity shook her head. “I actually think despite similar appearances you are both clearly very different people.”

“Y-you think so?” Shimmer stuttered a bit surprised someone would think that.

Nodding, Rarity smiled. “You both are obviously your own person. However you clearly have a lot in common as well. So I guess the story of you two being sisters is a sensible one. It’s a fib that will be easy to pass off to anyone that’s for sure.”

“We sort of made it up on the fly,” Sunset admitted.

“Though my parents did always talk about wanting to give me a sibling, they never got around to it though because they had their hands full with me,” Shimmer said.

“Really? You don’t strike me as a handful…” Rarity blinked.

Shimmer smirked. “Wait a while and see if you change your mind.”

Rainbow made a snide comment under her breath from behind them, which they saw Applejack punch her shoulder for. Shimmer blinked and tilted her head. “What was that?”

“Go on Rainbow, tell her,” Applejack spoke in a scolding tone.

“Nothing…”

Applejack nudged Rainbow's shoulder aggressively.

“Just being a pervert, don’t mind me…” Rainbow admitted.

“Sorry about her, she’s a nice girl, just has a dirty mind,” Applejack apologized on Rainbow’s behalf.

“It’s quite alright, I’m not offended.” Shimmer smiled.

Fluttershy made her return with a tray full of drinks to pass around. Approaching Sunset and Shimmer’s side of the table, she picked up one of the cups and tried to offer it to Shimmer. “Okay, so you had the di-“ She gasped as she tripped and the drink fell towards Shimmer.

Panicking, Rarity saw the beverage about to ruin Shimmer’s outfit. Her medallion around her neck shined and Rarity quickly put up a diamond force field around Shimmer without even thinking. The drink hit the barrier and bounced off, spilling all over the floor.

When the barrier subsided, Sunset quickly grew angry. “Rarity!” She scolded.

“I’m sorry dear, it was a reflex! I saw a fabulous outfit about to get ruined and I-“ She broke her sentence and looked to Shimmer who had stood up and fallen backward onto her rear. Her pupils dilated and she looked to the spilled drink in pure horror.

Shimmer couldn’t comprehend what she just saw. Her mind quickly started racing with thoughts. An image popped into her head, an image she spent years trying to block out. The moment it appeared she felt herself wretch and leaned over to vomit onto the floor.

Sunset and Rarity both quickly bolted from their seats to race to her side, but it was too late. After the vomit, Shimmer stared at the floor with her eyes wide open. The memories quickly flashed over her and she could feel dizzy. Before she knew it, she collapsed completely and could feel herself losing consciousness.

Author's Note

Wow, Applety didn't think she was going to finish on time, but luckily she made it! Big thanks to her! It's been a busy week!

Behind the Scenes: Shimmer originally was going to have different colored eyes than Sunset and contacts, but ultimately I went with glasses in the end. I felt it was necessary for her and Sunset to "share a face" to feel that level of connection. Her love of dogs is sort of an homage and nod to our own dog named "Luna" whereas Shimmer's dog is named "Moon".

Act I - Chapter IX: Answers

Chapter IX: Answers

One Year Ago

The immaculate day of Sunset’s plan had come upon her; the day where she could begin her life anew. She would finally go home to Equestria, the place she was supposed to be. It was all plotted out in her head. She’d go back home and restart, maybe even beg Celestia for forgiveness and start her magic career from scratch. She’d have to take a hit to the pride and admit she was wrong, but it would be worth it to escape this hell. This place had turned her more into a monster, Flash was right. It was time to face her fears and return to where she came from. No one in this dump would miss her.

With her hands atop of the portal to her home, the shining marble slowly became more reflective, a signal that the portal was finally open again, the window to return finally upon her, ready for her to enter and return to the place of her origin. Without hesitation, Sunset looked around her to make sure none were watching, once she was certain, she pushed her entire body through it and felt a familiar pulling sensation that she had experienced the first time going through the portal. It only took a few seconds before she found herself stepping out onto the other side, her feet turning into hooves, her height losing several feet, and her body taking its original form, she smiled as she looked herself over.

She was actually excited to be a pony again, to take upon her original shape, she missed it, she missed being able to use magic freely and walking on all fours. With a gentle prance of delight, Sunset appeared on the other side, back to the form she preferred. Excitement overtook her as she glanced herself over; four hooves, golden coat, cutie mark, it was enough to make her want to dance for a moment, however she composed herself as she decided the best thing to do is check what kind of damage she was dealing with. After all, she left abruptly years ago and it wasn’t as if Celestia could simply tell ponies her absence was from traveling to an alternate universe. It was likely that kind of information would be kept between royalty.

The castle, however, appeared different from how she remembered it. Crystalline structures and decorations filled the halls and sparkled as far as the eye could see. Gone was the usual artwork and decorations. The castle couldn’t have changed this much in only a few years. Sunset stepped up to a nearby window and gazed out to see a completely different city than she remembered. She could only draw one conclusion, this wasn’t anything like Canterlot. This was another place altogether.

With her hoof upon her chin, she could only conclude this was a different castle altogether, meaning that the mirror had to have been moved here, but where was here? Quickly Sunset flicked her horn and conjured up a cloak to conceal her form and it came to her; the library! Every castle had one, and this one had to be no exception. There would be records, newspapers, archives that could explain what she had missed when she was gone.

It wasn’t long before Sunset had discovered the library of what apparently was the Castle of the Crystal Empire. After searching through old archives and newspapers, she was able to discover that the empire had been unfrozen after thousands of years and was now led by the royal Princess Cadance and her husband, Shining Armor.

She read tales of the many epic adventures of a Twilight Sparkle who had been donned the Princess of Friendship by Celestia after being a star student. The first of her star students to be named a princess, and it wasn’t Sunset. She frowned as she looked at the photo of the girl who stood in the place she knew she could have earned had she stayed and been a better student. The purple alicorn looked so content with herself, so happy, so unfit. Sunset couldn’t help but feel she looked like a weakling, a creature unfit to lead. Yet there atop of this mare’s head was the crown that Sunset knew she deserved.

Trying to take her mind off of opportunities lost, Sunset got curious as to what the world thought of her. Casting a search spell, Sunset looked for any articles in the archive that possessed her name. Finding only old articles long before her departure, she decided to search for the names of her parents.

The spell flashed, and no papers appeared in front of her. With a blink, Sunset grabbed a few books with years dated from the year she left to the current year and placed them on a table. Quickly flicking through the first to the “S” section, she looked for her name in a list of ponies filed as missing; nothing. Hectically she grabbed the next and searched there as well; the same results. Before she knew it, she had burned through every year up to the present day, and all of them were the same, no mention of her.

She blinked and fell to her haunches as she contemplated this information. No one had reported her missing. Not even her own parents. The entire world had continued on without her, it had completely forgotten her. She wasn’t even a blip on the radar of Equestria, not a soul cared that she had vanished.

With anger building up in her, she flipped the table and spilled the books and scrolls onto the floor. Her blood had reached a boiling point. Sunset was tired of feeling sorry for herself, it was clear that there was no place for her here or in the human world.

She wanted to break down and finally cry but fought it. No, she couldn’t let herself become that weak, she promised herself that she wouldn't. Instead, she flipped those desired tears into more anger, more rage, more venom. It all started to formulate in her mind, bring her thoughts to the only obvious answer. With a smile, she brought herself to a stand. She spoke her thoughts aloud, “if there is no place for me in these worlds… I will make a place... By force if necessary...”

Eyes opened to see a familiar ceiling above Shimmer. Lifting her hands in front of her face she discerned she was not dreaming, but somehow back in her own bedroom. With her head throbbing she reached over to the end table blindly. Without her glasses on, everything was a blur. Once she located them, she quickly placed them on her face and reached over to grab the pill bottle she kept at her end table for headaches like this. They were frequent enough when she woke up to warrant such a thing being at the ready.

Popping one of the small pills into her mouth she sat up trying to remember how she got here. Not a single memory of coming back to this place came to her, thinking hard the only thing she could recall was being at a bowling alley with Sunset’s friends. Focusing on that memory, Shimmer tried to bring more of it forward.

There was something about Rarity wanting to take us to the beach, Rainbow made some kind of perverted comment and then-

It had come back to her; Rarity had produced some kind of force field out of thin air. Shimmer could remember the painful images that shot through her mind, causing her to clench her shoulders even now. She shook her head trying to clear those thoughts out yet again so she didn’t faint a second time. How could Rarity do such a thing? Surely she was imagining it. No impossible, the memory was too vivid. That meant it had to have happened, right? But it couldn't have, could it?

That explained why she had no memories after that, as she was out cold, but how did she get back here to her bedroom?

Looking to the other side of the room, she could see Sunset sitting at her vanity mirror in the nearby chair. She was leaned in a way to prop her head up with her arm, using her elbow on her knee. The girl was fast asleep, snoring lightly, clearly not looking very comfortable. She definitely came off as a heavy sleeper, making Shimmer a bit jealous as she usually woke up from raindrop on a window ten miles away. That faint was probably the soundest sleep she had achieved in years.

Shimmer’s stirring had clearly woken her up though as Sunset’s snoring came to an abrupt stop and her eyes opened gently. She grumbled and rubbed her head before realizing that Shimmer was sitting up. “Oh good…” She yawned before finishing, “you’re up…”

“What was that all about?” Shimmer asked as she pulled herself off the bed slowly and came to a stand, her legs wobbled a bit, but she composed herself and placed a hand upon the windowsill to prop herself up. Her body was shaky, but she was determined to not lay in bed a moment longer if she could make herself stand.

“Okay, let’s just talk about this for a second…” Sunset tried to approach the subject gently as she too came to a stand, her hands in front of her in a defense position.

Shimmer found herself clutching the windowsill tightly. Fury welling up inside her, churning and making her left hand twitch. It didn’t take long before she was flooded with the blindness that came with her anger. In this state she had no control over her volume, no control over her words; she would speak her mind without a second thought.

“FUCK YOU!” She growled viciously. Her voice piercing the room.

Sunset blinked, a bit surprised by her reaction. She gave a cautious hand gesture as she put her hands up in defense, trying to show she meant no harm. “Listen…”

“NO! YOU LIED TO ME SUNSET!” Shimmer shouted her voice loud enough to echo through the entire mansion probably.

Taking a step backward, Sunset was actually semi-intimidated by the girl’s anger. “Calm down…”

“YOU LEFT OUT PRETTY IMPORTANT NEED TO KNOW INFORMATION!” Shimmer growled as she took a few steps forward, her feet pounding the ground.

Keeping her distance, Sunset made her way walking back all the way to the door to the bedroom, ready to make an escape if Shimmer took it to a level that Sunset didn’t think she could handle. Shimmer found her way to the vanity mirror that Sunset was previously sitting at. She placed a dainty hand upon the table as she shouted again.

“A REAL FRIEND DOESN’T FUCKING LIE TO HER FRIEND, DOES SHE SUNSET!?”

With a grimace, Sunset could barely get a word in, “Shimmer, I…”

“DOES SHE, SUNSET!?” Shimmer repeated. “TELL ME TO MY FUCKING FACE THAT YOU DIDN’T LIE TO ME! TELL ME THAT YOU DIDN’T NOT TELL ME SOMETHING YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE FUCKING KNOWN PRIOR, LIKE HOW YOUR FRIEND HAS MAGIC POWERS!”

“I didn’t intend to lie to you,” Sunset explained meekly, trying to make herself small as she shied away.

“BULLSHIT!” Shimmer’s eyes had dilated to where her pupils were mere dots as she banged her fist so hard onto the table she actually put a crack in the wood finish. Sunset was a bit surprised at how strong she was when she was angry, she recalled when she walked into the room that the vanity desk was a pretty tough wood that wouldn’t crack so easily. However, Shimmer had managed to send a crack through the wood with a single pound.

“Calm down!” Sunset finally commanded, trying a different approach.

“I AM SO FUCKING SICK OF PEOPLE LYING TO ME! WHAT ELSE DON’T I KNOW!?” Shimmer banged the table again, making the crack worse.

“STOP IT!” Sunset shouted back.

Shimmer blinked, trying to process what Sunset was saying.

Sunset frowned and shrunk a bit as she gripped her arm nervously. “Y-you’re scaring me…” She admitted with a blush, hiding her face as she huddled her body close together in protection.

Looking down to the table, Shimmer saw the dent she had placed in the finish. Her anger calmed for a moment as she came back to reality, realizing what she was actually doing. Shouting at Sunset and scaring her half to death over probably an honest misunderstanding. She didn’t even try and get Sunset’s side of the story, hell she didn’t even confirm if Sunset knew about Rarity having powers or not. Shimmer closed her eyes and tried to calm herself as a sense of regret washed over her.

Sighing, she took a few breathes to relax herself before opening her eyes again and taking a seat in the nearby chair.

She shook her head as she cleared her mind. “I’m sorry, Sunset… I told you before… I have a huge anger problem…”

“Clearly…” Sunset replied, arms crossed.

“Not helping…” Shimmer rolled her eyes with a scoff.

“Kidding, but listen… I didn’t mean to lie to you. I was trying to ease you into a lot of this because I didn’t want to freak you out. Magic stuff seems to cause a lot of trouble whenever it gets brought up…” Sunset admitted with a frown as she approached and placed a hand on Shimmer’s shoulder.

“Do all of you have magic?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset nodded. “Afraid so. We all have unique abilities too.”

“Interesting…” Shimmer placed a hand upon her chin in thought; her finger reached up and touched her lip before she turned to Sunset. “I’m willing to overlook this if you do me two things.”

“Anything, name it,” Sunset responded.

Shimmer nodded and met the girl’s eyes with her own. “No more keeping me in the dark from here on out. I want to know everything. No secrets.”

“Promise I will try and tell you everything I remember. Forgive me if I forget some details though,” Sunset replied rubbing her neck.

“Good, and as for the second thing… I may require your assistance or your friends for some tests I am conducting. Your magic changes a lot of things, so I have a lot of tests I need to run now…” Shimmer explained.

“Consider it done, I’m sure the rest of the girls will be okay with it when I smooth it over with them,” Sunset responded.

With a nod, Shimmer finally smiled and placed a hand upon Sunset’s side. “Sorry… For scaring you…”

She could see genuine remorse in Shimmer, a feeling of regret that had taken her over. It was difficult to stay upset given the circumstances. Sunset returned the smile and nodded. “It’s okay… Just a little taken by surprise is all… Bad memories too…”

Shimmer wanted to inquire further but decided it was best not to cause more painful thoughts for Sunset. So despite her curiosity, she dropped the subject and smiled. “What does your magic do?” Shimmer asked.

Sunset perked up and smiled with a bit of pride as she touched the medallion upon her neck. For a moment she was reminded of how she acquired it, she had actually earned it, it was something that had actually earned herself so she wore it with pride. It was a constant reminder that she was able to lead her friends in the right direction for once, a reward for her accomplishments under Princess Twilight’s teachings along with her friends.

“I can see people’s memories through their emotions, sort of… If I touch a person I can peer into their emotions and see what memories are fueling said emotions,” Sunset explained.

“Fascinating…” Shimmer adjusted her glasses with genuine curiosity.

“I could show you if you like,” Sunset offered, reaching her arm out.

“No!” Shimmer quickly pushed herself back to escape Sunset’s reach. “I mean… It wouldn’t be ideal… My anger issues kind of would probably just make it so you see how terrible I can get… I don’t want to scare you again,” she quickly defended.

With an awkward expression, Sunset nodded. “Sure…”

Coming to a stand, Shimmer gave Sunset a sugary smile as she gestured for her to follow. “I suppose now would be a good time for you to explain everything you know to me. Come on, we can record it all in the lab. I want to refer back to it for my research.”

“Alright, but I have to ask… Why are you so interested in this?” Sunset asked as she followed Shimmer out of the room.

Shimmer paused and stopped dead in her tracks. “Why, you ask?”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, I mean it seems like an odd thing for a scientist like yourself to be interested in…”

There was a long silence as Shimmer faced away from Sunset, her stance very serious, but Sunset couldn’t see the girl’s face. The silence dragged on for a few more seconds before Shimmer turned her head to look over her shoulder at the confused Sunset. An innocent smile was playing on her lips, but something about her demeanor seemed off. “I guess I’m just curious is all.”

A mighty whack from a racket sent a green ball flying over a net. Reaching the other side, the ball got another whack from a racket on the opposing side in the left hand of a girl with her multi-colored hair up in a ponytail. With a mighty, swing the ball was sent back yet again, and the rainbow-haired maiden jumped to try and stop it, before missing.

The other girl smirked and adjusted her glasses. “That’s game,” she stated.

Pouting, Rainbow lowered her racket with an annoyed expression. “I don’t ever lose… How did you beat me?”

Setting her racket down, Shimmer walked over to the side of the court and opened a cooler to retrieve a couple of water bottles. Tossing one to Rainbow, Rainbow caught it swiftly and popped the top off, guzzling it at lightning speed. Clearly their game had given even the star athlete of Canterlot High a workout. Shimmer took a sip for herself and wiped the sweat off of her brow before smiling to Rainbow. “I’ve been playing this game since I was eight.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and took another sip before answering, “okay, but I’m awesome, so explain that?”

Shimmer found herself giggling as she sat down in a nearby chair, gesturing for Rainbow to take a seat next to her. Obliging, Rainbow shrugged off the humiliation of her defeat and took a seat next to her friend. A cool breeze alleviated the sensation of the harsh sun on this Summer day for a brief moment as the two sat.

Leaning back, Shimmer sighed contently as she enjoyed the weather. Rainbow and she sat in silence for a few minutes as they just enjoyed the weather. Both of them had a love for the Summer in common apparently as Shimmer had learned prior. Rainbow loved the season because of the lack of school and the ability to go out and play sports. Shimmer just enjoyed the peacefulness of it and the warm weather. As a child, they vacationed a lot in the Winter and it conditioned her to prefer warmer weather.

Finally speaking up, Shimmer asked a question, “so what is Sunset’s world like?”

Rainbow flinched at the sudden breaking of the silence. She looked to Shimmer with confusion. “Why not ask her yourself?”

“Truthfully, I feel like she avoids difficult subjects with me… Understandably though…” Shimmer admitted.

Leaning back into her seat, Rainbow looked up to the clouds, perhaps hoping a good answer would fall from the heavens, that or a convenient excuse to avoid the question. When nothing of the sort came, she spoke quietly, “to be honest… None of us have really seen her world up close. Once during the Friendship Games we got a brief glimpse of it, but we were all too freaked out to really pay close attention. Sunset avoids talking about it too; all I know is that magic is apparently pretty common there.”

Shimmer leaned in to hear her better. “Magic, huh? So why did Sunset come here exactly? She avoids that subject like the plague.”

With a chuckle, Rainbow shook her head. “Then you’re in the same boat as us. She doesn’t talk about it with us either. Pretty much a majority of Sunset’s life is a mystery; she doesn’t talk about her parents, her home, or life before this place very often. I know she was a star student of the princess of their world for a while, but that fell apart.”

It was hard to believe that a girl who was a prized star student of the leader of their world would just up and leave for little to no reason. Whatever happened to push Sunset to leave must have been major; to just leave a magical place like that to come here, to abandon everything she had there. Shimmer was curious, but it was clear that the answers weren’t going to be leaked out of Rainbow Dash, as she was just as clueless as Shimmer. She felt guilty for prying into Sunset’s life, but her curiosity got the better of her. It was okay if she was trying to help Sunset, right?

“Sounds rough… She’s lucky to have you girls then…” Shimmer admitted.

Rainbow smirked and gently punched Shimmer’s shoulder. “You have us too, dummy. We’re all friends, right?”

Rubbing her shoulder, Shimmer realized that Rainbow hit harder than she probably thought she did as she nodded. “Yeah, of course, we’re friends. Why else would you be at my estate, right?”

A perverted grin crossed Rainbow’s face, and Shimmer could already tell where this was going. “I thought you were just making a booty call when you invited me over.”

Shimmer rolled her eyes. “I specifically said ‘Tennis’ over the phone…” she reminded.

“I thought that was a metaphor for ‘Rainbow please come over and rock my world, I can’t stand another minute without it!’ or something along those lines.” Rainbow did a mocking impression of Shimmer’s voice as she clasped her hands together in a faux lady-like fashion. Seeing Rainbow pretend to be lady-like just felt wrong to Shimmer though.

“Please, didn’t you hear your friend Applejack?” Shimmer smirked as she leaned back in her chair crossing her legs. “I’m out of your league.”

“Ouch, you’re cutting deep.” Rainbow feigned being hurt as she placed a hand upon her heart.

“That’s okay you probably wouldn’t want to date me anyway. I’m more trouble than I’m worth trust me,” Shimmer said.

“Apparently you need to get to know me better…” Rainbow laughed.

“True, you are kind of a trouble maker…” Shimmer lowered her glasses with a finger and winked at Rainbow.

“Yeah, but I make up for it by being awesome in all the best ways,” Rainbow boasted.

Shimmer chuckled and nodded. “I suppose that’s true…”

“So… Is that a yes then to the fooling around?” Rainbow smirked, making Shimmer unsure if she was just joking around or being serious.

Rolling her eyes Shimmer shook her head. “Not a chance.”

“Eh, you’ll come around, I'll treat you right.” Rainbow winked.

Leaning back in her chair again, Shimmer’s mind traveled to this magical place she had been told was called “Equestria”, a land where Sunset was from; a place where magic was common and strange happenings were the norm. As a scientist, she didn’t want to believe it was a real place, but given that she had seen the evidence in front of her, she had no choice but to accept it.

“A place where magic is all around you…” She whispered aloud to herself.

She closed her eyes and smiled. “Sounds terrible.”

With her hand wrapped around a pen, and the pen touching her lips, Sunset thought of how she wanted to write her report to the Princess. It had been a while since she updated Twilight on the situation, but she knew that the equine princess would certainly want to know about what was going on with the former student of Celestia and her doppelganger in this human world. There was so much to fill her in on, however, she knew she didn’t want to overwhelm the probably busy mare.

Sunset scrunched up on her tiny bed and leaned her head back as she sat there in her pajamas thinking of what to say, how to open the conversation. Ultimately realizing she was thinking too hard and thinking of it too much like a formal letter. Shrugging, she scribbled into the book that allowed her and Princess Twilight to communicate.

Hey Twilight, are you there?

To Sunset’s surprise, she saw an answer appear within a matter of seconds. It made her smile that she had caught the mare when she had a free minute, it was easier to communicate more direct rather than relaying messages back and forth in slow time.

Yeah, what’s up, Sunset?

She scribbled back with haste.

A lot actually, do you have a few minutes? I don't want to take up too much of your time.

Sunset waited a moment and got her response.

I just finished up for the day and I have a good hour or so before bed, take as much time as you need. What’s bothering you, Sunset?

Cracking her wrist, Sunset prepared to write out quite a bit to explain as much of the situation in detail to Twilight, hoping that Twilight would be able to take it all in at once, but it was far faster than explaining the little details.

As you may know, Shimmer and I have been hanging out a lot. I approached the situation cautiously, but as you may have guessed I have the worst luck in the universe. The other day she saw Rarity had magic on accident. It was an honest mistake, but Rarity tried to stop a drink from falling on her using a barrier.

The next thing I knew, Shimmer was freaking out, vomiting and eventually she passed out. It was kind of a mess.

Sunset took a moment to let Twilight digest that bit and got a response.

Sounds rough, what did you do?

Quickly Sunset jotted down her answer, not wanting to keep Twilight waiting in anticipation for too long.

I carried her to my car and drove her home. I waited until she woke up after that.[

Twilight as per usual didn’t waste a chance to praise Sunset.

Sounds like you’re a good friend.

With a laugh, Sunset rolled her eyes.

Thanks, but really I don’t feel like one. See after she woke up, Shimmer was furious with me for not telling her about magic. I tried to explain I was trying to not overwhelm her, but she just got angrier and angrier, she punched a crack into a solid wood table, it was actually kind of scary…

There was a pause before Twilight’s answer.

Anger makes some do some strange things. I’m sure she didn’t mean to scare you, Sunset, after all, you of all people should know what anger can do to a person. It wasn’t that long ago that you were fueled by it, however, you changed, and that means that Shimmer can too. Something is hurting her, that’s a usual cause of anger. The best thing to do is to find out what makes her angry and try to help her overcome it.

A smile came to Sunset’s lips as she felt glad for contacting the princess. Twilight was smart and usually able to figure these kinds of things out and her interpretation echoed Sunset’s. It made her more confident in her theories and showed that maybe she was starting to learn a lot more.

I think so too, but that’s why I want you to do me a favor if it’s not too much trouble?

Twilight responded quickly as expected.

Sure, what is it?

Sunset stretched before replying.

I need you to look into magic in this world. See if you can find when it first showed up, and more about it. I have a big feeling that I am going to need to understand it more before all of this is over, as Shimmer is now curious about it. She wants to run some experiments, but I have a feeling she will need your help to turn up any meaningful results. I just know that understanding the magic in this world will be the answer.

Not expecting Twilight to be so keen on the idea, her response was a bit of a surprise to Sunset.

If it’s for helping you with friendship, I’ll dedicate the next few days to exactly that. You can count on me, Sunset just as I know that I can count on you.

A blush crept up on Sunset’s face, her cheeks flaring red, but she contently scribbled a response to Princess Twilight.

Thank you, Twilight. I’ll try my best not to let you down.

Author's Note

Week 9. Wow, we're that far in huh? We're getting close to the end of Act I. Big thanks again to Applety for her continued hard work. She's been sick (myself as well) the past few days so be sure to send her some love.

Behind the scenes: The original portrayal of Shimmer's anger was actually a lot scarier. She actually punched the table and breaks her hand in the process in the original concept. However I ultimately decided that Sunset being scared was more than enough, no need to overkill.

Act I - Chapter X: Experiences

Chapter X: Experiences

One Year Ago

“You know, kid, maybe you should stay at the animal shelter indefinitely?” Sunset fumed at a timid girl backing herself up further and further into a corner to escape Sunset’s anger. Her face was hidden behind lavish pink locks as she avoided eye contact. The girl’s voice could be comparable to a mouse with how squeaky she was.

Instead of an answer, she pulled her body closer together to protect herself, evidently wanting to make herself smaller, perhaps in the vain hope that Sunset wouldn’t notice her if she did so. No such luck though, as Sunset took a step closer and banged her palm against a locker near her. “You know, I really hate it when people intervene in things that aren’t their business.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” the girl attempted to lie, though it was easy to see through.

“Yes, you do. I asked around and you are the one who found it, now tell me what happened to it!” Sunset growled in anger.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about…” The shy girl frowned and hid her face behind her hair.

With another vicious pound on a nearby locker, Sunset yelled. “Stop lying to me! I know you knew what happened to it! So tell me!”

Staring the girl down, Sunset sneered and finally, a crack in her prey seemed to be formed, an easy crack for Sunset to push through and pressure answers out of her. “Talk!” Sunset commanded.

“O-okay…” The girl replied. “I-I…”

“You?” Sunset gave a hand gesture suggesting that the girl should hurry up before crossing her arms in front of her and tapping her foot impatiently. She had wasted enough time on this goose chase as it was.

This girl whom if she recalled correctly was named Fluttershy likely knew the whereabouts of the crown she had stolen from Equestria. Her plan was so simple, so easy. She would switch the crown with a fake, bring it back to the human world and the moment she placed it upon her head she would possess the power that came with it. A perfect and simple plan, or rather it would have been perfect and simple had the crown not gone through the portal first.

Since it arrived only a few seconds before Sunset herself arrived when she returned it was gone, someone had clearly picked it up, and a bit of investigating had told Sunset that this girl was responsible for it. However prying information out of her was like pulling teeth; not because it was safely guarded, but because she was so easily intimidated it took forever for her to stop crying and tell what she knew.

“I… I… I gave it to Principal Celestia…” Fluttershy admitted pathetically.

Blinking, Sunset shook her head. This definitely complicated things further, to steal the crown from Celestia would prove a challenge, and definitely created more work for her. She couldn’t risk anyone discovering its true powers, less they get curious or even tempted to take it for themselves.

She would need to now formulate a way to get it back. “I can’t believe this!” Sunset growled in annoyance

“You did what!?” she asked.

Sinking down a bit more, Fluttershy got even quieter as she spoke, “oh… I’m really sorry… I-I just found it and I thought I should give it to her… I didn’t know you had dropped it.”

Sunset didn’t exactly like the extra emphasis that Fluttershy had put on “you”, and it only angered her further as she retorted.

“Well I did, and I was about to get it before you swooped in and ruined everything!” Sunset waved an accusing finger at Fluttershy. “You shouldn’t pick up things that don’t belong to you!”

Putting a little more distance between herself and Sunset, Fluttershy spoke in an almost whisper, “it doesn’t really belong to you either…”

That comment only ignited the flames that were ready to go inside of Sunset, causing an explosion from her. She cornered the girl and pinned her to a locker, leaving her no room to escape as she growled in her face. “EXCUSE ME!?”

The girl slid down to the floor defeated and trembled. “N-nothing…”

“That’s what I thought, it’s as good as mine and you know it,” Sunset lectured. “You really are pathetic, it’s no wonder your best friends are all stray animals.”

The pink-haired girl frowned and looked to the floor with sad eyes. Clearly, Sunset’s insults cut deep into her, but she said nothing in her own defense. Her face looked like she was ready to cry yet again. Sunset was ready to roll her eyes until she heard a voice from down the hallway calling out to her. A voice that Sunset had no idea would change her life forever.

“How dare you speak to her that way!”

Adjusting a simple lab coat on her elegant figure, Shimmer gently approached Sunset with a stethoscope. She gestured for Sunset to lift her shirt up, which she did without much resistance. The cold touch of the device sent a quick chill through Sunset and caused a visible shiver. Shimmer smiled and looked up at her. “Heh, sorry. Forgot to mention it would be cold.”

“It’s alright…” Sunset replied as she patiently waited.

After a few seconds, Shimmer removed the device and jotted some information down into a notebook. Looking over her notes she fixed her glasses and sat down in front of Sunset while she studied them.

“Remarkable…” She thought aloud.

“What is it?” Sunset asked, leaning in eagerly wanting to know what her research had turned up.

“Well, it seems you maintain quite a few traits of your Equestrian origin besides magic. Your heart rate is 33 beats per minute, which is almost half of the average human… Your heart rate is closer to that of a horse than a person, remarkable… From the blood tests I conducted you have equine blood as well, my tests returned you’re type Q… Very interesting…” Shimmer explained, her eyes never leaving the notes they were affixed to almost like she was in a trance. It was clear that she was enjoying this a bit more than she probably should.

“However you also share plenty of human traits as well, sort of like a hybrid. According to the tests that I had my private doctor run on you earlier your body functions very much like that of a normal human’s…” Shimmer explained.

“That’s good I suppose? What does it all mean?” Sunset tilted her head in confusion. Shimmer was saying a lot of interesting stuff, but Sunset couldn’t piece together what it meant to her.

“At this point, I’m not sure. However, one thing is certain… Whatever mystery allows you to perform magic isn’t going to be revealed through your biology clearly. So this line of testing is a bust…” Shimmer sighed as she placed the notes aside and leaned her head back looking to the ceiling in defeat.

Awkwardly, Sunset smiled and patted her friend’s knee in a comfort attempt as she spoke to her, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I don’t really quite understand magic myself either, at least not in this world.”

“This could take some time, I’m aware…” Shimmer sighed again before looking over at Sunset from behind her glasses. “By the way, the tests stated you’re a little on the malnourished side, have you been eating right?”

Sunset shrugged in response, she knew that the answer was definitely “no”, but she couldn’t help her situation. “Probably not, unlike you, I’m not loaded with cash.”

With a nod, Shimmer scribbled something in the notebook again and spoke while she wrote. “Right then… I’ll be speaking to my personal trainer on your behalf then. He will send meals to your place of residence after deciding an appropriate diet for you. You'll have to meet with him first, of course.”

Sunset blinked and shook her head, waving her hands in a defensive gesture. “Hey, you don’t have to do all of that!”

“I can’t afford you to fall into bad health, Sunset. You’re an enigma in this world…” Shimmer tilted her head up and peaked at Sunset from under her glasses as she spoke, “even my private doctor who can keep quiet about you might not quite know how to help you if something were to happen… I can’t have you dying on me because you’re not eating right. Don’t worry about it.” Shimmer smiled and winked. “Consider it an apology for getting my angry with you the other day.”

Sunset still wasn’t comfortable with this arrangement as she crossed her arms and sat back in her seat, her simple tank top barely keeping her warm in this incredibly cold lab. Shimmer must have cranked the A/C up to full blast. “Fine… But I don’t really like taking handouts…”

“No handout, just keeping you alive, no shame in that,” Shimmer responded.

“Hey… Before I forget…” Sunset spoke as a thought came to her mind as she tried to find ways to change the subject.

“Hm?” Shimmer blinked and looked to her with genuine interest.

“I asked Princess Twilight to look into this whole magic ordeal… She’s experienced with magic and might be able to explain more for you than I ever could. I figured I should tell you so it doesn’t surprise you down the road…” Sunset gave a sheepish smile, hoping not to set Shimmer off again for keeping secrets.

Shimmer nodded and smiled as she stood up and began to remove her lab coat. Placing it upon a hook near the door, Shimmer turned back to Sunset and spoke, “I look forward to comparing our notes. She sounds like quite the genius.”

“Yeah Princess Twilight is pretty smart, definitely smarter than me that’s for sure…” Sunset admitted.

Closing her eyes, Shimmer found herself feeling quite content. “This all should prove very interesting nonetheless. I do enjoy a good scientific discovery.”

“Glad to be of help.” Sunset gave a thumbs up.

Ten Years Ago

Stepping off of a train, the young filly, Sunset stretched as she looked about through the large crowds at the Canterlot station. She had just finished another semester at her boarding school in Trottingham and was ready for a Summer at home. She couldn’t wait to tell her parents that she had applied for the Canterlot Magic Institute. With lots of training and practice during the school year, Sunset had set her hopes on taking the star student exam so that she could train directly under Princess Celestia. She couldn’t help but be filled with excitement as she was eager to tell her parents the good news.

Her mind raced on thoughts of how proud of her they would be the things they would say when they saw how far she had come in only a short time. She had been attending Trottingham School for Fillies for two years now, and she was ready to prove she was worthy of the next step forward. Long nights were spent with her nose in one of her many spellbooks, and while the other kids went outside on the weekends and played, Sunset found herself in the library studying vigorously. Free time during the school days were spent meeting with teachers to gain extra insight, and shadow under them in the hopes of acquiring a bit more of their wisdom.

The routine was exhausting, and she often found herself without much sleep, but she knew it would pay off. Her love of reading and poor social skills may have made her friendless at Trottingham, but unlike public school, ponies didn’t bother her. The young girl had accepted her position of being virtually invisible at the school shy of her appearances on the honor list. It was a huge step up from being picked on every day or getting into fights.

The only difficult part about it all had to be when she would lay in her bed and find nothing else to do. With her books finished, she couldn’t curl up and read until she was fast asleep, and she had no one to talk to. It had eventually dawned upon her that she was lonely, though she never wanted to admit it out loud. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt a connection with another pony.

At least the promise of being home soothed that sting just a little. She hadn’t seen her parents in months, and they seldom wrote to her as they didn’t want her getting distracted at school, but now she was home, on a break ready to show them what she had accomplished.

The girl took a breath and began the short walk from the station to her home. The pathway there was engraved in her head as she had walked this path so many times in her dreams in the weeks leading up to this visit. She would walk the stone path with confidence and pride as she finally reached her abode after a few minutes of trotting gracefully.

With a little magic, the girl adjusted her hair clip that was keeping her wild mane out of her face. Taking an inhale then releasing an exhale she opened the door to her house and triumphantly stepped inside calling out to her parents.

“Mom? Dad?”

No response.

She stepped a bit further in and before she knew it, she could hear two adults conversing. Poking her head in the kitchen she witnessed her parents speaking and frantically running about like they were late for something.

Her mother adjusted a tie on her father’s neck. “Don’t forget you have to pick up the dry cleaning when you get back, otherwise I’m not going to have a suit to wear tomorrow, this is my last one,” she reminded her husband.

He nodded and coughed as she pulled his tie far too tight. “Y-yeah, got it. Do you have my proposal? I can’t find the thing…”

She sighed and brushed off her suit jacket as she levitated a paper from the counter over to him. “I swear you’d lose your head if it weren’t screwed on.”

“You know me too well.” He smirked as he levitated a comb through his thick mane and brushed it back. His brown mane went well with his light tan coat, all nicely put together with a nice looking three-piece suit that he was wearing.

“Well enough to know you’re going to be late if you don’t leave now!” She scolded as she began to shoo him out of the kitchen.

“Yeah, yeah…” He rolled his eyes as he followed the direction she was shooing him to.

Coming out of the shadows, Sunset’s face lit up with a huge grin as she approached the kitchen. “Mom! Dad! I’m home!” She exclaimed.

Her father trotted past her and gently ruffled her mane before heading to the front door. He didn’t say anything, but gave a gentle kiss on his hoof and blew it in her mother’s direction.

Sunset turned to her mother who smiled at her and nodded. “Hello, darling. Mommy has to run, stay out of trouble, dear,” she said as she touched Sunset’s cheek briefly before bolting for the same door that her father had run to.

Within a matter of seconds, Sunset stood in the kitchen by herself. She frowned and sat down at the table. Removing her saddlebag she dumped its contents onto the table and looked at her report card she had received. All A’s, she had been a straight-A student for as long as she could remember, as per her parent's request. They always said that she had no excuse for not getting the best grades.

Trotting over to the door she sighed as she went to retrieve the mail to put on the counter so that her forgetful father didn’t miss it. Upon setting the set of letters upon said counter though, Sunset noticed one standing out addressed from Canterlot Magic Institute. Curiously she retrieved the letter and hesitated for a moment. Finally, she tore it open and retrieved the letter inside.

Dear Mr/Mrs. Shimmer,

It is with great pride and honor that I send this letter today personally as I do with all of my potential star students. Your daughter’s application to take the Star Student Exam and come study at the Canterlot Magic Institute has been accepted. I have personally looked over her records and your daughter, Sunset is an exceptional student with a bright future ahead of her, you should be very proud.

We are requesting she come to sign up for the exam and the institute over the next few weeks during her Summer break. Given her records, we have opted to offer her a full scholarship to the Institute. I personally look forward to meeting what I believe will be my next star student. Congratulations, and thank you for your application, it fills me with great joy to see such bright young minds looking to their future with such determination.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

Sunset fell back onto her haunches as she sat on the floor with wide eyes. She actually got in. Quickly she hugged the letter and exclaimed to the empty house. “Mom! Dad! I got i-“ She stopped as she realized she was speaking to no one.

“Oh… Right…” She frowned and drooped a little.

With a sigh, she placed the letter on her father’s side of the table where he would be sure to read it when he got home. With a shrug, the girl decided it would be best to retreat to her bedroom and study a little bit to prepare for the upcoming exam.

One Year Ago

The shame and humiliation of defeat almost overwhelmed Sunset. Her plan had fallen apart all at the hands of one girl and her five friends. She was humiliated and beaten. To add insult to injury, she was required to fix the damages she caused to the school and even do various other punishments by the Principal.

Weeks of laying bricks, cleaning toilets, and mopping floors had left the girl sore and haggard. Sunset hadn’t slept properly in three weeks, and nights were filled with feelings of somberness, and just downright self-hatred. As she laid in her makeshift bed after a long day of punishment, she let her thoughts go back to Flash. While she didn’t have romantic feelings for him, it still hurt that he had left her to her own devices. In her mind, it clicked that her parents had done likewise as well.

Everyone in Sunset’s life always abandoned her when she needed them. Her own stubbornness was to blame half the time, but being left alone was all she understood, it’s all she knew.

Why does no one want me?

Tears started to stream down her face as the reality of her life started to dawn upon her. She was a mere seventeen years old and yet she had nothing, no one. She was on a path to nowhere, she had no friends, no family, and if anything happened to her no one would notice. She was nothing to anyone, just a waste of space, a useless creature that existed only to be forgotten.

She had spent so long fighting tears that she lacked the strength to stop them now. Silently she let her eyes leak as she contemplated the point in anything anymore. Twilight had spared her, but why bother? She had apologized for what she had done but it didn’t seem to change much. No one cared, no one believed she was truly sorry, at least that she could see. They only saw a girl who got caught and was forced to admit wrongdoing. Princess Twilight promised her that others would come around, but they hadn't.

With shaking hands, she reached to a shelf she had created to store various useful tools and picked up a pocket knife she uses for making arrows. A quick flick and the blade was visible to her. Examining it, she could tell the blade was exceptional given that she sharpened it often to improve its usefulness.

Her eyes fixated on the shining steel, her thoughts beginning to melt away. She forced herself to sit up and sit at the edge of the bed just staring at the knife. This tiny piece of simple craftsmanship could have been the answer to her problems. It would have been so simple, so flawless of a plan, it would take almost nothing. One quick motion and the rest would be in nature’s hands.

Everything in her body was telling her to do it, except a small voice that made her hesitate. She saw no reason to keep going, not the way things were, she knew that happiness was out of her reach, that acceptance had no paths for her to walk, the bridges were burned long ago. She wanted to just finish this once and for all, but it seemed as though fate had other plans for the girl.

As she stared at the tool of sweet release her phone began to vibrate. She blinked, unsure of who would be calling her. Seeing the name of the school on her phone, she quickly figured out it must be Principal Celestia, probably telling her what she was to do tomorrow. Sighing she answered the phone with a monotone voice. “Hello?”

“Sunset, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” the voice of her principal spoke.

“It doesn’t matter; I can do what I was about to when I get done with this,” Sunset replied.

“I know this is sort of last notice, but I need you to come in right away,” the principal stated.

Sunset pulled her phone away from her ear to check the clock on it. Sure enough, it was past six o'clock. Celestia is still in her office at this hour?

“Isn’t it a bit late?” Sunset asked.

“Yes, however, this is important; I need you to come in right away. I’ll leave the staff entrance open for you, but I would like you to get here as soon as humanly possible. There’s something we need to discuss right away.” Celestia’s voice sounded almost worried.

The only thing Sunset could think of is perhaps somehow her magic stunt had caused more damage than anticipated. With a groan, she closed the pocket knife and slipped it into her jacket pocket. That could wait, she needed to see what other damage she had to fix before she could slip out of existence. “Yeah, I’m coming, give me a few minutes. I’ll be right there.”

Looking outside, Sunset saw that it was raining fiercely. With a sigh, she grabbed her jacket and zipped it up as tightly as she could. She lacked a hood for it, and she regretted not owning jeans or pants over a skirt. Her legs were freezing, and stepping out into the violent rain only made it worse. The water must have been at least ten degrees colder than the nighttime air.

Crossing her arms and huddling her body together as she walked, she made her way down the trail to the school. Keeping her eyes open, she looked around to see if anyone was watching, and sure enough, she was all alone, as always.

It must have been a good ten minutes of trudging through the rain and muddy pathway. Reaching the school, Sunset placed her hand upon the staff entrance on the side. It had occurred to her that she had never walked in through this entrance before. The principal must have really wanted to see her if she was going to allow her to enter the school through such a private entrance. Her mind became filled with curiosity.

Opening the door, Sunset noticed that she was standing in the teacher’s lounge. She had never seen the inside of this room before, but she could identify it by the smell of coffee, the refrigerator, and a sign on the door that lead back to the hallways.

Standing near the outside exit that Sunset entered through was a very serious-faced, Luna holding a cup of coffee in her hand. Sunset frowned and shrunk as she looked to the woman. She was always so intimidating, far more so than her sister. Sunset was surprised though to see a smile crack her face. She gestured her head to the other side of the room to get Sunset to look that way.

There sitting atop of a table with a coffee in her hand as well was her principal. Interestingly enough, she had taken her blazer off and was sitting there in a striped T-shirt with her legs crossed. Sunset never noticed before how womanly Celestia was. Her face, however, was contorted to one of concern as she gestured with her finger for Sunset to approach.

Sunset took a few steps forward, hearing the sound of her wet boots make squishes in the carpet, water dripped from her as she shivered, but she was thankful that this room was properly heated.

The principal gave a head nod to Luna who left for a small bathroom within the lounge and retrieved a towel for Sunset. Taking it, Sunset quickly ruffled her hair from being wet to a “damp” state instead. It was an improvement, but she was more concerned with her body which was freezing. Wrapping the towel around herself, she raised a brow in confusion as to what this was all about; before she could even ask a question though, Celestia asked one of her own.

“Did you walk here?”

Sunset nodded. “I don’t have a car…”

“Why not take a bus?” Celestia asked.

Sunset gave a shrug. “They don’t run where I live…”

“You walked here the entire way… In the rain? With just that on?” Celestia’s voice seemed a bit shaken as she looked Sunset's soaked outfit up and down.

“Y-yeah… Well… You said it was important…” Sunset frowned, feeling like she had done something wrong.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you needed a ride? I could have picked you up, you didn’t need to risk your health…” Celestia frowned.

“Not like it matters… Who cares what happens to me…” Sunset frowned and looked away, disgusted with herself more than anything else.

“Someone does apparently.” Celestia smiled and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

Sunset blinked and tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Another student informed Luna and myself that you’re living in…” Celestia placed a hand on her own chin as she thought over how to word this elegantly, “well… Subpar conditions; I didn’t believe it myself, but seeing you here now definitely makes me lean more towards it being credible… Is it true though?” She asked.

Sunset frowned and looked to the ground, unsure of what to say, but ultimately going with the truth. “It’s true… I live in the woods… I get by, I’ve learned to fend for myself, after all, it’s what I’ve always done, my whole life…”

“Well, it’s not going to be how it goes anymore. We can’t do much, but we’ve made… Arrangements for you…” The Principal spoke before taking a long sip of her coffee.

Sunset raised a brow in confusion. “Arrangements?”

“What my sister means to say is that we have figured out that you’re not documented here. We didn’t want to reveal your secret to anyone for fear of what might happen, but we have requested a more suitable living arrangement for you. We asked around and we’ve acquired an apartment for you. Don’t worry the individual who runs it doesn’t ask many questions and requires no proof of identification. My sister and I will pay for your rent; however,s that’s all we can spare at the time.” Luna interjected and placed a hand upon Sunset’s shoulder.

The girl blinked and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. “F-for real?”

“It’s true,” Celestia spoke from behind her mug, a smirk playing her lips.

“We have seen how much you’ve done to atone, and apparently someone else has too. They personally followed you home one day and requested we step in. I must say, you owe a lot of thanks to this person,” Celestia explained.

Not a single person came to mind to the girl. Everyone seemed rather nonchalant and even unbelieving when she apologized for her actions at the Fall Formal. Weeks had passed, and it seemed like nothing had changed. Who could possibly have cared about her well being enough to do something like this?

“I thought everyone hated me…” Sunset replied.

“Looks like some people are more forgiving than you think,” Luna replied with a genuine smile. Sunset probably hadn’t seen the woman smile more in a single day than that day.

“Tell them I said thank you.” Sunset bowed happily.

“I think you’ll be able to do that yourself. She’s waiting out in the hallway.” Celestia’s smirk was only growing; clearly she got some kind of amusement from all of this.

Rubbing the towel wrapped around her a bit, Sunset tried to dry herself off as much as she could before taking a deep breath and offering the Towel to Luna, realizing she wouldn’t get much dryer. Luna accepted the towel and placed it on a nearby table and nodded as Sunset looked to her for approval. Exhaling, Sunset opened and stepped through the door to the hallway and after taking a few steps out, she found herself staring at a teen with long pink locks twirling a strand of her majestic hair in her finger nervously.

With a moment of silence, the two’s eyes met. Sunset examined her face, she had seen it many times before but never was she more surprised to see those big blue eyes staring at her. With a sheepish smile planted on her face, the girl bowed her head a little in acknowledgment of Sunset.

Sunset found herself stuttering in pure astonishment. “B-but… I was always mean to you… I picked on you more than most other kids… Why?”

The girl looked away shyly before looking back. “Well… I saw how you fixed a lot of the school and apologized to a ton of kids… Twilight told us to give you a chance, and the others just hadn’t warmed up to you yet, I thought I would be the one to break the silence.”

Coming from a girl like Fluttershy, that took probably more bravery than she could normally muster.

“Why though?” Sunset asked, still not convinced.

“I… I remember how you said you didn’t know the first thing about friendship… That meant you never had friends… And…” She paused and placed a hand on her chest, gripping her shirt tightly as if her heart hurt.

“And?” Sunset leaned in with interest.

She closed her eyes briefly before she responded. “I felt sad… I thought about how that must have felt not having anyone in your life… I realized that must have been why you were so mean…”

Sunset blushed at how spot-on she was but said nothing.

“That’s why… I was hoping I could be your friend…” Fluttershy’s face was completely red, clearly more embarrassed than Sunset was. “That is… If that’s okay…”

With no more words to say, Sunset leaped in her direction and squeezed the girl in a tight hug. She was damp and clearly making Fluttershy’s clothes damp in turn, but she didn’t care; Fluttershy returned the embrace and squeezed the girl in the tightest hug she could muster. She said nothing as she could feel Sunset shaking and then noticed the girl was sobbing as she was held.

“Thank you…” Sunset said.

Author's Note

Another week down! Crazy to think we're already 10 weeks in.

Behind the Scenes: The suicide contemplation scene was originally a lot more detailed and darker.

Act I - Chapter XI: Past

Chapter XI: Past

The gaggle of female friends had all gathered around the school to eagerly await the arrival of a certain pony alicorn princess who had advised Sunset when she would be coming to their world. Standing near the entrance to Equestria, Shimmer looked up at the high school. It was intriguing to see the school where these girls all attended, she had only heard them talk about it, but never actually seen it.

It definitely wasn’t the most impressive school building she had ever seen, especially given her familiarity with the Institute that her father had built. Still, it had a very homely feel to it, like a family gathering place almost. She was briefly reminded of times when her family had gone to their summer home in Europe.

Looking back to the mirror, she stood in silence with the other girls as she stared into the shining marble. This was the entryway that brought Sunset to their world, right in front of her. To the human eye, it looked no different than shined marble on a statue of a horse, yet it possessed the ability to allow one to leap between worlds. Shimmer’s mind questioned how many other worlds this portal could grant one access to, or if it was just the one. How did it come into existence? Why was it here of all places? So many questions that she doubted she’d learn the answer to.

Most interestingly though, she was interested in meeting this Princess Twilight whom she had heard a good deal about from Sunset and the others. This supposed magic princess of another world had been a creature of intrigue for the scientist for some time now, and she was determined to get the most out of this visit. Twilight’s findings could prove quite valuable to her research on the subject of magic.

Rarity and Applejack were both looking at their phones, exchanging texts it seemed. Whatever conversation they were having to pass the time they either wanted to have in private or didn’t want to break the silence that had filled the air. It definitely made Rainbow curious as she tried to peak at Applejack’s phone, only for Applejack to huddle the phone closer to her chest and give a nasty glare to the athletic girl. Rainbow merely scoffed and shoved her hands into her pocket as she walked away from the two.

Fluttershy passed the time by knitting what appeared to be a scarf over her open backpack while she sat upon the ground, propping her back up against the statue. She hummed a gentle tune as she labored.

Sunset was tapping her foot impatiently as she leaned against the statue, chewing some gum rather violently. Shimmer took note of how Sunset was working on her fourth piece of gum since they had begun standing at this statue twenty minutes ago.

Pinkie was enthralled by a game on her phone to the point where she had more than likely forgotten why they were even standing there, and Twilight of course as always had her nose in a book.

For a brief moment, Shimmer realized that the group all together looked larger than she always remembered it. It had dawned upon her that she actually had grown quite a large group of friends in the past few weeks. A smile came to her face as she realized that fact.

Without any further delay, however, a dainty hand stuck out of the statue. Ripples that resembled water echoed through the finish, giving the appearance of a portal. The hand eventually became an arm, then an entire girl popped through the portal, taking an awkward step before she brushed herself off. On her back was a backpack that looked almost full.

When she stood up, Shimmer noticed she was a hair taller than the Twilight of their group and was missing her signature glasses. Her hair also hung down without restraints. The two Twilight’s eyes met for a moment before they both smiled at each other.

The two shook hands and nodded. “It’s always a pleasure to see you, Ms. Sparkle,” The Princess said as she held Twilight’s hand.

Bowing slightly, Twilight responded, “shame that we only got to meet for a brief few minutes before. I’d love to pick your brain sometime!”

With a giggle, the Princess took her hand back and placed it upon her lips. “Maybe some other time, I came to drop off something for Sunset and I don’t have all the time in the world. Lots of things going on in Equestria that require my attention.”

A frown found its way onto Twilight’s face as she nodded. “Understood; some other time then?”

Princess Twilight nodded happily. “Have Sunset write to me and I’ll make sure to pencil it in.”

Sunset coughed to get the Princess’s attention. Princess Twilight blinked and flinched before looking in Sunset’s direction. Sunset gave a thumb in Shimmer’s direction which directed the alicorn-turned-human’s eyes to the teen. Twilight examined Shimmer for a brief few seconds, trying to see all the differences between her and Sunset. The scientist in her wanting to examine and gather details, however, she snapped back to reality as she realized she was being rude.

Stepping forward, Twilight offered a hand. “You must be Shimmer… I’ve heard a great deal about you. Sunset writes about you a lot, and it’s an honor to finally actually meet you, though Sunset neglected to mention that you were so beautiful.”

Shimmer blushed and stuttered as she shook Twilight’s hand. “B-beautiful? I… I… Ummm…”

The fair princess giggled and tapped the girl’s nose. “I’m only teasing. Nonetheless, it’s quite an honor to meet face to face. I hear you’re quite the scientist.”

“I guess…” Shimmer shrugged nervously.

“Modest and smart. An excellent combination, you’ll go far,” Twilight praised.

Sunset coughed again, trying to signal for Twilight to cut the small talk and get to the point. Princess Twilight looked over at Sunset, then back to Shimmer, quickly figuring out what Sunset was getting at. Adjusting herself, she straightened her shirt before removing her backpack and retrieving a binder. Extending it to Shimmer, she allowed the girl to take it from her.

“These are all of the notes I’ve gathered on the subject of magic in this world. The first recorded instance I can determine is when Sunset came through the portal,” Twilight explained.

“W-what do you mean?” Shimmer blinked as she opened the binder and then looked back up to Twilight with confusion.

The Princess made an awkward face and crossed her arms as she looked up to think. “It’s strange… I can’t find any other instances of magic or magic flowing to this world that happened prior to Sunset arriving here...”

“What does that mean?” Shimmer raised a brow. She noticed that Sunset had stopped leaning against the statue and took a few steps closer to listen in, clearly the conversation was intriguing her as well.

The Princess rubbed her chin. “Well… Basically I theorize that magic appeared in this world when Sunset came. Her stepping through the portal must have triggered some kind of domino effect, opening the floodgates for magic in this world. Furthermore, it seems that magic affects counterparts in this world. This would explain why the Twilight of this world can use magic, though it’s possible that it is merely due to exposure to other magic users. Though it’s entirely possible that when I came here she gained magic too…”

“How does that work?” The other Twilight chimed in to ask.

Trying to think of the best way to explain it, Princess Twilight scratched her head and tried her hand at an explanation that made sense. “Magic is sort of like a force beyond just energy. It’s connected to the world and the universe itself in Equestria. It latches onto things sometimes and manifests in strange ways. It’s more than likely possible that it latched onto you because you’re a counterpart of me. In a way, we are connected, and magic senses that connection and latches onto you.”

Applejack’s head was swirling with confusion by this all. The conversation was getting far too technical for her to follow, but she stepped forward and decided to add a nugget that she remembered the Princess mentioning before.

“Wait a darn minute here… Ah' thought that fella’ Star Swirl the Bearded sent those Sirens here long before Sunset arrived? Wouldn’t they have opened the floodgate for magic before Sunset?”

Shaking her head, Princess Twilight waved her hand as she explained. “Star Swirl was quite a powerful wizard. When he banished the Sirens here, his spell was new and experimental, he had no idea how it would affect them. Turns out it sent them here thousands of years into the future for this world. Their arrival point was sometime after Sunset’s. Sunset had been here a full two years before the Sirens even got here. I tracked down a lot of the info to verify this, and that seems pretty accurate.”

“Star Swirl sounds pretty amazin’…” Applejack commented as she whistled in awe at the unicorn’s abilities.

A smile came to the Princess’ face as she resisted the urge to enlighten yet more individuals on the life of Star Swirl the Bearded, her favorite wizard. “Yes, well that’s probably a topic best left for another day.”

Shimmer studied the notes in front of her and began processing what the Princess was saying. Her hands squeezed the binder tightly as her arms began to shake holding it. “T-this… Can’t be…” Shimmer stuttered.

It made sense though, the timeline lined up almost perfectly. The explanation made perfect logical sense. Every piece of the puzzle had fallen into place and it had made everything make sense for the first time. The explanation she had been waiting for, however, it wasn’t one that she wanted to be true.

That means that...

Shimmer dropped the binder onto the ground and took a step backward in her high heels before trembling. “No… This can’t be true…”

Sunset took a step forward and reached a hand out to try and grab Shimmer’s shoulder to calm her down. “Shimmer-“

Shimmer swatted Sunset’s hand away and took a further step back. “DON’T TOUCH ME!”

Retracting her hand, Sunset blinked, unsure of what was going on, or why Shimmer was having an emotional break down suddenly. “Shimmer, what’s wrong?”

“IT WAS YOU! YOU DID THIS! IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!” Shimmer placed her hands upon her head and looked to the ground as she shook her head screaming.

“What was her fault?” Rarity interjected.

Sunset tried again to take a step forward, Shimmer pushed her back, causing the girl to lose her balance and fall flat on her rear. She looked up in pure confusion along with the other girls as to why this was happening. Shimmer was shaking, her hands gripping the sides of her head tightly.

“You’re responsible… You killed them… It was you…” Shimmer was nearly whispering now.

“What are you talking about?” Sunset asked genuinely.

“IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU’RE THE REASON MY PARENTS ARE DEAD! YOU AND YOUR FUCKING MAGIC! YOU RUINED MY LIFE SUNSET!” Shimmer shouted.

Sunset placed a hand upon her heart and shook her head. “I’d never kill anyone… I didn’t have anything to do with that… How could you say that?”

“JUST STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME! I CAN’T TRUST YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!” Shimmer shouted before running to her car parked on the side of the road. Without hesitation, she managed to get inside before any of the other girls could even react and peeled out of the way.

Princess Twilight looked to the other girls with a confused look. “Anyone want to explain what’s going on?”

Applejack shrugged. “Beats me, your guess is as good as ours’.”

“Yes, this is unusual behavior for Shimmer…” Rarity agreed.

Sunset was nearly in tears as the other Twilight knelt down to Sunset’s level. She offered a handkerchief from her shirt pocket. Taking it with a nod, Sunset wiped her misty eyes as she looked to the eyes behind the glasses of the girl who was now at eye level. Twilight knelt there with her hands upon her pleated skirt. “I’ll talk to her.”

“I don’t know what I did…” Sunset admitted.

Twilight nodded before standing up and looking to the Princess. “Princess Twilight, would you mind if I kept this binder?” She spoke as she picked up the binder that Shimmer had dropped.

The Princess nodded. “Go ahead, hopefully, it’ll help resolve whatever this mystery is.”

“I’m sure the answers lay within.” Twilight smiled to her, then looked to Sunset, offering her a hand.

“I need to talk to her…” Sunset said.

Twilight shook her head and placed her hands upon Sunset’s shoulders, having to look up slightly to see the taller girl. “Let me do this. You’re emotional right now, as is she. She isn’t going to listen to you right now, and you’re viable to say something you don’t mean. You should go home and get some rest.”

Sunset wanted to protest, but when she opened her mouth no words came out.

“You can trust me, Sunset…” Twilight pleaded.

“Clearly I don’t know anything about this stuff, I screwed up big time apparently… Fitting that I have such a huge blow out in front of the Princess who tried to teach me friendship in the first place…” Sunset frowned looking to the Princess.

Smiling, Princess Twilight stepped forward and placed a hand upon Twilight’s shoulder. “That’s not true. This girl here was taught friendship by you and she is willing to go and investigate this problem with Shimmer on your behalf. She was able to tell that Shimmer needed another perspective and that you were not in a state to handle this. I’d say she’s a great example of how far you’ve come. You can put your trust in your students as I do in mine, which you are one of, Sunset. I put my trust in you, and you have yet to let me down. Your fumbles are natural, and you always learn from your mistakes."

Sunset found herself blushing at the praise, and more tears began to well up in her ducts as she nodded.

“Now, let your friend help you, she clearly is very capable,” the Princess spoke.

Taking a deep breath, Sunset nodded and smiled at Twilight in front of her. “Alright… I’ll leave it to you then, Twilight.”

With a nod and a thumbs-up, Twilight winked. “You can count on me.”

Quickly she pivoted and pointed a finger to Rarity. “I will need your car though, Rarity.”

Rolling her eyes, Rarity sighed and reached in her purse.

While she had little experience driving a car, Twilight did have a license, but it had been a while. Most of the time, her brother gave her a ride or her parents. The rest of the time she took a bus, and it took her some time to adjust Rarity’s seat to her much shorter legs. Clearly, Rarity was a far leggier woman than Twilight paid mind to.

After a bit of getting used to Rarity’s car, she followed the direction that her phone had told her how to get to Shimmer’s estate. It was a considerable drive across town, and Twilight had made a wrong turn or two, but finally reaching the place, she pulled up to the gates and parked the car next to the gate. Unbuckling her seat belt, she brushed her skirt off and stepped up to the intercom. She cleared her throat and pressed the button.

“Shimmer, it’s Twilight. Please let me inside, I need to talk to you,” Twilight spoke.

No response.

“Shimmer, I’m serious, this is important, please let me inside.”

Twilight was answered with silence.

“Okay, I’m serious here, Shimmer. If you don’t open this gate I am going to climb over it!” Twilight demanded.

Still nothing.

Grumbling she waved her hand at the intercom and mumbled to herself, “have it your way then…”

Looking to the gate and the brick wall around it, she contemplated which seemed easier to scale. Looking to her feet, she sincerely regretted wearing sandals now. Shrugging, she kicked off her sandals and scooped them up. Opening Rarity’s car, she tossed them into the seat. Slamming the door shut she pulled her sleeves up and stretched for a brief few seconds to prepare herself.

Twilight climbed atop of Rarity’s car and stood on the top as she crouched slightly aiming for the wall of the estate. With a mighty leap, she grabbed onto the top of the wall and gripped her toes into the small crevices between bricks. Without her footwear, she had improved dexterity with her feet that assisted in helping her scale the wall. Grumbling, she managed to get to the top.

Panting slightly, she undid her tie to allow her neck some air and jumped off the top of the wall, tucking and rolling to prevent injury. She grunted but landed onto the grass. Picking herself up, she looked to what appeared to be nearly a mile of driveway. She let out an audible complaint realizing that she probably should have brought her sandals when she saw the black pavement that was no doubt hot. She would have to walk on the grass.

A good ten minutes of approaching the house, Twilight managed to reach the front door, before banging the knocker loudly. When there was no answer she buzzed the doorbell next to it. Impatiently, she waited, tapping her foot and checking her watch. She growled before shouting, “SHIMMER OPEN THIS DOOR OR I AM BREAKING IN!”

Once again, Shimmer seemed to be challenging her, as she didn’t answer.

“Ugh!” Twilight grunted before looking around.

Peering up, Twilight could see a window open on the third floor. She couldn’t find a fire escape or anything, but she did see grooves in the architecture. Determining a possibility she gripped onto one of the windows on the bottom floor and began climbing. The bookworm wasn’t nearly as athletic as Rainbow Dash, or even Sunset for that matter who was in moderately decent shape, however, her body was running on the pure determination at this point as she scaled the side of the house, gripping every little nook she could get her fingers or toes into.

The girl avoided looking down and would make it to the desired window with only a slip or two almost bringing her back to the ground. Crawling into the window, Twilight huffed and puffed as she was completely winded. The girl stripped her blouse off and tossed it aside with her tie, figuring she could come back for it later. She was down to a plain white sleeveless undershirt and her skirt.

Part of her wanted to laugh at how much of her clothing she had to lose to get into this place, but her lack of breath made her skip that plan and instead focus on finding Shimmer. Twilight shouted as best she could. “SHIMMER! WHERE ARE YOU!?”

With no answer, Twilight decided to resort to another plan. Looking around the lavish building she spotted a phone in the hallway. Running to it, she dialed Shimmer’s phone number, which like most of her friends she had already memorized. Listening, she could hear a phone ring from a room down the hall.

“Gotcha!” She smirked hanging up the phone and ran to that room.

Quickly trying to turn the knob, she saw the door was locked. Twilight viciously rattled the knob before speaking through the door. “Shimmer, if you don’t open this door, I’m going to break it down.”

Pausing, Twilight gave Shimmer a chance to respond. When there was none, Twilight sighed and took a step back. “Stand back!” She yelled before smashing her shoulder into the wooden door. It certainly was a lot tougher than she had anticipated, but she readied herself again and gave another shove with the full force of her shoulder.

Her shoulder was hurting, but she backed up one more time and bashed it, breaking it open and tumbling to the ground.

Feeling a bit foolish, Twilight picked herself up and looked around to the room she had entered forcibly. Her eyes gazed in wonder as she saw various test tubes, microscopes, and machines. It made the lab at school look like a child’s playset, and even her own bedroom operation look like nothing. Envy and wonder-filled her for a brief second before she recollected herself remembering why she was truly here. Her desire to gawk over Shimmer's lab equipment would have to wait for another day.

Looking forward, there sat Shimmer in an office chair with shocked eyes. Twilight huffed and tried to catch her breath before taking a few steps forward. Between labored breaths, she spoke, “t-there… I found you… Give me a minute…” Twilight panted before she placed a hand upon a nearby table and knelt down.

“H-how did you get in here?” Shimmer blinked with amazement.

“Climbed the wall… Scaled the side of the house… Came in… Through window… Very tired…” Twilight managed to get out.

“Impressive… I guess you’re lucky I didn’t send Moon on you…” Shimmer sneered.

“At this point, I’d have fought him off…” Twilight spoke as she stood up a bit, starting to not feel as light-headed. “You’ll find I don’t take no for an answer…”

“Evidently… You’re very resourceful, Ms. Sparkle. I’m impressed…” Shimmer smiled.

“Thank you; I’m impressed by your laboratory actually.” Twilight fixed her crooked glasses as she approached.

“I pride myself on having the best tools for the job, and that means sparing no expense,” Shimmer responded.

Twilight looked to one side of the room and smiled pointing. “Is that a mass spectrometer?”

Shimmer nodded and looked to the direction she was pointing. “You’ve got a keen eye; a scientist after my own heart.”

Twilight giggled and gave a dismissive hand gesture. “Yes, well that’s not why I came here though. I needed to talk to you…”

“If it’s about Sunset, forget it.” Shimmer’s face quickly contorted to a rather bitter one as she swiveled her chair to face away from Twilight in annoyance.

With another step forward, Twilight placed her hand upon the table and leaned forward speaking. “Please listen… I just scaled two walls to get in here; the least you can do is hear my out.”

Shimmer let out an audible sigh and nodded before turning back to face Twilight. “Very well… Go on…”

“Thank you…” She smiled as she stood tall and began to speak, “Shimmer you have to believe that Sunset didn’t mean for any of this to happen. She didn’t know that her coming here would cause what happened…”

“That’s the problem. Sunset doesn’t consider the effects of what she does on other people, what her shadow can do to the world around her…” Shimmer growled and crossed her arms.

“Shimmer she was a child when she came here. A young preteen…” Twilight explained.

Shimmer, of course, knew that but had not given it much thought. She didn’t respond but continued to sit cross-armed in a pout.

Twilight continued, “I don’t know a whole lot about Sunset’s past, but she avoids talking about it… However, what I do know is when the two of us were at Camp Everfree… Sunset always had a hard time sleeping… Tossing and turning all the time, nightmares clearly.”

Shimmer shrugged. “So what?”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Shimmer, the girl has been through a lot. Think about it… Why would she come to this world if she had a family and people who cared about her back in Equestria? I don’t know what happened there, but it was enough to drive Sunset to come to an alien world where she had nothing. Where she would be a nobody. The prospect of living here was more appealing than her own homeworld, doesn’t that tell you something?”

Looking to the floor, Shimmer realized that Twilight might actually have a point there. It didn’t make logical sense really. The way Sunset described Equestria it seemed like an almost ethereal place with amazing adventures to be had and all the magic one could want, why would she trade that for this world where she had to live as an undocumented immigrant. What could have driven her to this place?

“I guess… I never thought of that…” Shimmer frowned.

Twilight nodded and placed a hand upon Shimmer’s shoulder. “I don’t know much about friendship just like you, but I know that Sunset never intended to hurt you. She cares about you, and I could tell when I saw her crying when you ran off.”

Perking up, Shimmer looked to Twilight with big eyes filled with surprise. “Sunset… Cried?”

Twilight nodded and stood up straight crossing her arms. “She was pretty upset… I told her to go home, but I think it’s pretty clear that Sunset cares about you. She was pretty messed up over this… Please try and understand…”

Coming to a stand as well, Shimmer nodded. “I understand… I need to go and see her… I’m such a jackass… Thank you, Twilight. You’re a good friend.” She placed her hands upon Twilight’s shoulders as she met her eyes.

Twilight merely giggled and rolled her eyes. “I never leave my friends hanging and that includes both of the Sunsets that I have acquired in my life.”

Shimmer laughed and nudged Twilight’s cheek with a fist before stepping past her towards the door. “She’s lucky to have you as well. Anyways I need to go find her; I’ll unlock the gate and front door so you can get home.”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure Rarity will want her car back.”

Giggling, Shimmer rolled her eyes. “Less we avoid a drama episode from her.”

Stepping out with Shimmer, Twilight walked by her side down the hall with a smile. “Agreed.”

The two fell quiet as they proceeded to the staircase. Shimmer reached the first two steps down as Twilight was about to take a step before Shimmer stopped dead in her tracks and turned her head around her shoulder to see Twilight. “Say… Can I ask you something?”

Twilight blinked and tilted her head. “Yes?”

A curious look of pure innocence seemed to paint Shimmer’s face. “You and Sunset… Do you like… Have a thing or something?”

Twilight’s face turned a shade of crimson. “W-what?”

“You know, like a crush or something?”

Twilight shook her head violently. “W-what makes you say that?”

Shimmer shrugged. “Dunno, just pretty strange how you came to her rescue as you did, you even risked your safety by breaking into here. Just curious if there’s more to you two is all…”

“I have a boyfriend…” Twilight admitted.

Shimmer shrugged. “Eh, guess I really am bad at reading people.” She smirked before racing down the stairs, "Shame, you two would be cute together," she added.

Twilight stood at the top of the steps in utter confusion. Sure Sunset was a close friend of hers, but why did she get so determined to help her? She shrugged it off as she slowly proceeded down the stairs.

Making her way to the address that Sunset had provided prior, it dawned on Shimmer that the two had never met at Sunset’s apartment, and Sunset never invited her over either. Looking the place over, the apartment complex didn’t look like much. It actually looked pretty run down to a degree.

Parking her car, Shimmer stepped outside and decided to turn on the alarm given that this didn’t exactly strike her as a “great” part of town. Far from a ghetto, but not exactly the place where one would leave an expensive car unattended.

Shimmer approached a map erected near the parking lot and located Sunset’s number. Following the directions of the map, Shimmer walked up a set of stairs to approach Sunset’s door. Turning the knob, the door was unlocked to her good fortune. Walking inside, Shimmer was a bit surprised at how undecorated the place was. Actually the entire apartment was relatively empty in general.

Stepping deeper inside, Shimmer looked around to see that the only furniture that Sunset owned was an old card table and a fold-out chair near the counter of the breakfast nook. The kitchen had a simple fridge, a microwave, and a coffee maker, but little else. She opened a drawer to see only one set of cutlery, did Sunset really live like this?

Poking her head around she couldn’t even locate a television in the living room, but a stack of four books upon the single card table in the room. She flipped one open to examine it. Quickly she took note of the library punch card inside; it looked like Sunset acquired her reading material from the library.

Looking at the back, Shimmer read the blurb about the book to see what kind of things Sunset read in her free time. It seemed as though it was about some girl who had fallen in love with a man who was a trained assassin and the two had difficulty trying to make it work. It sounded rather dark, but also dramatic. Shimmer didn’t take Sunset as a romance fan or thinking this was the kind of story Sunset actually enjoyed, then again she never bothered to ask.

Growing tired of snooping, she sighed and placed the book back upon the stack and wandered down the plain white painted hallway to find Sunset. Opening a door she could see a bedroom behind it.

On the wall, the first thing that Shimmer saw was a photograph of herself and Sunset pinned to the wall with a simple tack. Placing her hand upon her heart, Shimmer recalled the day the two of them took that photo. She and Shimmer had gone to see a movie together and Sunset insisted that the two use the photo booth. A smile was brought to her face briefly as she remembered that day.

Looking to the bed she could see Sunset sleeping on top of the sheets. Silently Sunset’s chest went up and down as Shimmer stared for a moment. She wondered if she looked the same when she slept. She could see minor twitching of Sunset’s hand as she rested, and eventually, her head turned and she moved in what appeared to be agony. Twilight was right, Sunset did sleep rather restlessly. Walking over to her, Shimmer gently touched Sunset’s shoulder to wake her.

Springing up from the bed quickly, Sunset spoke aloud, “Mom!?”

Shimmer blushed and shook her head as Sunset turned to see her double’s face. “Sorry, just me…”

“Y-you scared me…” Sunset admitted, placing her hand upon her chest, clenching her shirt.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Sunset nodded and brought herself to a stand and gestured for Shimmer to follow. “Meet me in the kitchen, we can talk there, I need some water.”

Shimmer merely nodded as she followed. Sunset pulled the only glass from her cupboard out and turned the faucet on and filled it before downing the entire glass. Shimmer merely watched before speaking, “you know tap water is bad for you…”

Sunset shrugged. “Don’t have anything else. Better than dying of thirst.”

Shimmer conceded to that. Sunset gestured for her to pulled the chair up to the counter as she herself hopped atop of it and sat down, crossing her long legs. “Sit.”

Doing as instructed, Shimmer placed her hands in her lap while she sat in the chair, a knot in her throat.

“How’d you get here?” Sunset started with.

“Twilight paid me a visit… She hopped over my wall and scaled the side of my home before breaking down a door to talk to me,” Shimmer explained.

Sunset’s eyes widened as she tried to picture a girl like Twilight achieving almost James Bond level of espionage like that. It was impossible to picture, but she certainly was sad that she missed such an amazing thing. “Dang… Hardcore.”

Shimmer nodded. “She convinced me that I needed to speak with you, and I recalled your address from when I had food sent here… Clearly I should have sent a decorator too…” Shimmer looked around the empty place.

With a chuckle, Sunset shook her head. “I don’t need much. I live on a non-existent budget after all.”

“Who pays for this, Sunset?” Shimmer asked seriously.

Laughter and chuckles ceased as Sunset could sense Shimmer was concerned. She placed her hands on the counter and leaned towards Shimmer to speak. “At first, Principal Celestia did, but I know a guy who hooks me up with a few hundred bucks a month. I do his college homework for him and give him cheat sheets for the upcoming tests. Sometimes when Dash’s band plays we get paid and I get a small cut. Since I don’t really own much, I can get by on about $400 a month or a little less.”

“You never told me you had money trouble…” Shimmer frowned.

Sunset shrugged. “I didn’t think it was relevant. I’m doing a lot better than when I first got here. I lived in a cave back then. I didn't ever want you thinking that I came to know you just to get your money...”

“A-a cave?” Shimmer blinked.

With a nod, Sunset smiled. “Everything’s a lot better now though. I live here now and it’s a huge step up, plus I have my friends. It’s better than growing up, trust me. I had a house with food in it and nice things, but I was alone a majority of the time.”

“You’ve spent your whole life alone haven’t you, Sunset?” Shimmer asked. She had been suspecting this for some time now, but she never really wanted to open that potential wound. Sunset’s frown and looking down answered her question before words even left the other girl’s mouth.

“Pretty much…”

Changing the subject, Shimmer reached forward and took Sunset’s hands in her own. “Sunset… I’m sorry… About what I said… I know you have no reason to forgive me, but I thought it over and I realized…” She paused and looked down, “I was wrong. You’re not at fault for my parents dying… You had no idea, you were a kid…”

Sunset could feel Shimmer getting tense, and she squeezed the girl’s hands in her own. “Shimmer?”

Shimmer looked up to meet Sunset’s teal eyes. “Y-yes?”

“Tell me what happened to them.”

Taking her hands back, Shimmer leaned back in her chair and looked up and to the right with an exhale. “Oh boy… Well… I was about twelve or so…”

Sunset leaned in, placing her hands on her knees to keep herself propped up as she leaned forward listening to what was undoubtedly going to be a difficult story.

“Well, we got into a fight… Atypical for us actually as we normally got along great, but I always had anger issues even as a child and for some reason I couldn’t stop getting upset. I don’t even remember what we were fighting about, but I remember the apex of that fight.” Sunset noticed that Shimmer was gripping the skirt of the dress tightly, her hands shaking.

“I remember just telling them to shut up as loud as I could, pushing my father back as he tried to hug me to calm me down…” she paused and closed her eyes, “there was a flash from my hands… Some kind of flare released from my palm…” She stopped and shook her head, hoping Sunset could fill in the rest.

Sunset had never expected this to be the explanation of what had happened. “So you mean… You got magic…?”

Shimmer nodded as she held out her hand. With a little focus, she was able to ignite it with fire for a brief second before closing her palm and extinguishing the flame. “It must have appeared when you appeared… That’s why I tried to blame you…”

Sunset shook her head. “What did you tell the police?”

Shimmer frowned. “Nothing… They would never believe me. So I opted to say nothing, and see if I could find an explanation on my own. I’ve spent my time since then trying to understand this all. Then you showed up and I was certain I had the answers, but I guess I was asking questions that I already knew the answer to…” The girl sighed and looked down.

Sunset reached forward and placed a hand upon Shimmer’s shoulder. Shimmer looked up to see Sunset again with a serious face. “It’s not your fault, Shimmer. What you went through… It was horrible, but it was an accident. I don’t think less of you, magic can make people do things they never imagined, but it can also do amazing and wonderful things. You didn’t mean to hurt anyone and that’s what counts.”

Shimmer smiled and nodded, placing her hand atop of Sunset’s. “Thank you… Perhaps I needed to hear that…”

“What are sisters for?” Sunset smirked.

Author's Note

Week eleven of this tale, wow it's already been almost 3 whole months since we started hasn't it? Big thanks again to Applety for her continued help! Best wife. Much love to her, and I couldn't do this without her and I mean that sincerely. She's not only the artist for this story, but a huge motivator during times when it was difficult to even bring myself to try and write.

Behind the scenes: One of the original concepts for this story was actually going to have the story told from the point of view of Twilight observing Shimmer and Sunset's developing friendship. However the idea was changed due to Twilight simply not being around the two enough to tell much of what was going on in Act I.

Act I - Chapter XII: Reflection

Chapter XII: Reflection

The Princess of Friendship had decided to stick around a bit longer to oversee the situation until she felt it was resolved. She had requested Sunset meet with her at her earliest convenience so that she could return to Equestria without concern for the two Sunsets having further problems. Realistically she had no true requirement to care, but her devotion to her friends in this world made her feel obligated to perform her duties here just as much as Equestria.

Sunset agreed to meet with her that morning in front of the school so that Princess Twilight would be able to leave as quickly as possible once the situation was explained to her. As punctual as ever, the Princess found herself standing at the portal in front of the school at 10 AM sharp, tapping her foot as she waited to leave.

Pulling up in her dilapidated car, Sunset parked at the roadside so she could meet with Princess Twilight quickly. Running over to her, Sunset smiled at the Princess before bowing. Princess Twilight frowned and gave a dismissive gesture. “Please, that’s not necessary. We’re friends after all.”

“Fair enough, I was just trying to be respectful, given your position…” Sunset chuckled as she stood upright and brushed off her shirt.

“So how is Shimmer doing? Is everything okay?” Princess Twilight cut right to the chase, crossing her arms and taking a stance of concern.

Sunset nodded before smiling. “I owe Twilight a big thanks. She apparently had to climb over Shimmer’s wall and then scaled her house to get a chance to talk to her. I kind of wish I got that on video…”

The Princess blinked and stifled a chuckle. “That… Does sound impressive, probably more athletic skill than I could muster, for sure.”

“Yeah, I guess I better pick on her a little less,” Sunset joked as she attempted to imagine the Princess partaking in physical activity.

"I guess the Twilight of this world is in far better shape than me..." The Princess frowned.

"Guess you better lay off the cake," Sunset teased.

Princess Twilight rolled her eyes. “Anyways, what’s happening with Shimmer and you?”

Sunset took a breath and exhaled before answering. “Well, she came to my place and we talked it over… Turns out… Shimmer acquired magic when I first arrived here…”

The princess leaned in with fascination. “Interesting…”

“Not really…” Sunset grimaced, “because that same magic accidentally killed her parents; she lost control of it and they were killed in the process… I feel horrible…”

The Princess stepped forward and placed a hand upon Sunset’s shoulder in comfort. She gave a genuine smile and looked the girl in the eyes. “Sunset, time can heal a lot of wounds, but there are some it can never heal. Those wounds you just learn to carry. Shimmer is a strong girl, and she’s clearly only made stronger by you. So long as she has you by her side, I’m sure she can get through this… Just understand this isn’t your fault. Everything has a reaction, and most of the time we can’t predict what that reaction will be, you’re no exception.”

Sunset looked to the gravel in defeat. “I still can’t help but feel responsible… I feel like I’m a failure… Like I am not worthy of your teachings…”

The Princess placed a hand upon Sunset’s chin and made her look up to meet eyes with her. “A long time ago, I didn’t think I was worthy of my mentor’s teachings. I didn’t think I was worthy of wearing the crown I wear now… But thanks to a certain girl in this world, I learned how to wear it with confidence. That same girl is now one of my best students… She’s learned so much about friendship, about loyalty, and about responsibility…” Twilight wiped a tear from her eyes as her smile lit up her face, “that girl is you, and with all you’ve accomplished, I don’t see how you can even think you’d be a failure to me. You may be my greatest success story… You have friends, a girl who considers you family, and you go out of your way for them. Only a year ago, you were a power-hungry creature… Look at how far you’ve come in such a short time, I would never call you a failure in my wildest dreams.”

A tear rolled down Sunset’s cheek. She reached up and touched it before she realized she was crying. A smile came to her face as she pulled herself into a hug from the princess. Twilight obliged and held the girl firmly before releasing her, keeping her hands upon Sunset’s shoulders. “You write your own path, Sunset. Remember that. The past doesn’t make you who you are, and I think you’ve learned that more than anyone else. I can leave with confidence knowing that Shimmer is in great hands with you, perhaps the best hands I could ever leave her in.”

"Yeah imagine if you left the poor girl with Rainbow Dash," Sunset joked, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"I try not to think of such a thing..." Princess Twilight giggled.

When their laughter subsided, the two grew silent and met each other's eyes again.

With a nod, Sunset’s face lit up with pride. “Thank you, Princess… I won’t let you down!”

Finally releasing the girl, Twilight nodded as she stepped back towards the portal, placing a hand upon it. “I know you won’t. I have more faith in you than you’ll ever know.”

With those words, Twilight stepped through the portal to return home to her duties. Sunset stood staring for a few more seconds before releasing a sigh of content. The road ahead definitely was unclear, but she knew she could face it with confidence.

Five Years Ago

Storming into the living room, Shimmer placed her arms in a crossed manner to show she wasn’t open to conversation as her two parents followed her. Her father tried to reasonably approach a discussion she was desperately trying to avoid with everything in her being. The couple, however, followed their daughter and tried to speak.

“Sunset, we just want to know why you did this…” Her father attempted to reason with the angry child.

Shimmer growled and took a step back to get away from him and her mother. “I don’t know okay!”

Her father and mother looked at each other and frowned. “Well, Mr. Sack is not very happy that you punched his son at the ceremony. He was supposed to be getting on the school honor roll just like you, and it ruined his entire evening.”

“He was picking on me!” Shimmer defended.

“We understand that Sunset, but you can’t just hit someone as you did…” Her mother attempted to reason.

Pouting, Shimmer looked away in anger. “Why not? I’m supposed to defend myself aren’t I?”

“Sunset, you hit him with a chair over the head, the boy needed stitches! Did you take your medication this morning?” Her mother questioned.

She hated it when they resorted to trying to tell her she needed to take her medication. “That stuff is stupid, and it doesn’t help.” Shimmer stuck her tongue out in protest.

“Well, then we can call the doctor and get your dosage increased if that will help…” Her mother gave a genuine smile and extended a hand to the little girl while she knelt to her level. Her gorgeous light green eyes looking inviting to the girl, however, she could only hear the sound of the word “doctor” as she looked to her caring mother.

“To hell with that guy!” Shimmer grunted.

“Sunset! Language!” Her father scolded.

“Who cares!? I don’t want more stupid pills! I hate them!” Sunset argued, her anger flaring up more and more.

“We understand sweetie, but they will help you…” Her mother attempted to convince her.

Shimmer growled and threw her hands to her sides in little fists as she continued to argue with the two adults, “I don’t want them! I just want to be normal like everyone else!”

“The pills can help with that…” Her father explained.

“No! I hate you both! I don’t want them!”

Her father frowned, but then grew a stern look as he stepped forward to the girl. “Alright, little lady. You’re taking them and that’s final. That’s not a request, that’s an order.” His normally rather pleasant tone became far more serious and commanding.

“No! Leave me alone!” Shimmer ran to the back of the room to get away from them, but they closed in on her pretty quickly.

“I SAID GO AWAY!” She shouted at the top of her lungs while holding her hands out to block them from getting closer. Before she knew it though, a bright light flashed through the room, and her hands lit up with what appeared to be fire. She could only catch a glimpse as the flash blinded her for a brief moment. During the sound, she could hear a splatter.

The shock wave from whatever came from her hands had pushed her back and forced her bottom onto the floor. When she could open her eyes again she looked to her hands, no fire, but smoke emanated from them, but that wasn’t all. Red covered them, and speckled its way up her arms and even on her clothing.

Looking forward she screamed at what she saw.

“Mommy! Daddy! I’m sorry!”

Thoughts of that day continued to ring in Shimmer’s memory. Ever since her episode the other day, she couldn’t get it out of her head. She remembered it so vividly despite years of therapy, medication and everything in her power to suppress it and keep it forgotten. Part of her knew that she would live with this memory for the rest of her life, she was cursed to recall what she had done in anger, what she was capable of doing when she lost control of her rage. It was troubling, but what choice did she have but to deal with it?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a girl tapping her shoulder and sitting next to her. Shimmer blinked and looked over to her to see that it was Rarity. Her soft features lit up as Shimmer gazed at Rarity’s smile. Shimmer admired how pretty Rarity truly was, her features were so soft, so perfectly done. Her face, her body, everything about her was art. While not overtly into the same-sex despite a bit of experimenting in her past, Shimmer could appreciate an attractive lady when she saw one, and Rarity definitely fit that description. When it came to romance, Shimmer definitely always kept the option open for going either way, but she knew if she ever did go for a girlfriend again, she would want one as gorgeous as Rarity.

Rarity placed an arm around the girl and leaned over the table to talk to her. “You look troubled, darling. Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah…” Shimmer looked away as she answered, blushing. “Just thinking about a lot of stuff lately, that’s all…”

The group had come to their usual hang out at the ice cream parlor and the other girls were still standing in line to get their deserts. Rarity mentioned something about being on a diet and opted out, as did Shimmer so the two were at the table alone while they waited for the others.

“You know you can tell me anything, right darling?” Rarity reminded as she rubbed Shimmer’s shoulder.

“It’s nothing…” Shimmer replied.

Rarity frowned and pulled the girl in closer. “It’s about your parents isn’t it?”

Shimmer blinked and looked to Rarity with confusion. “H-how did you know about that?”

“I didn’t. I guessed, but I guess I do now.” She smirked deviously.

Shimmer shook her head and looked in the opposite direction. “Forget it…”

“Shimmer, I understand what happened to you was dreadful. It’s okay to be upset; I understand what you’re going through…” Rarity attempted to soothe the girl.

“That’s not remotely possible…” Shimmer grumbled.

Shaking her head, Shimmer clenched her fist tightly just thinking about it. Rarity, however, wasn’t backing down. “It’s true actually if you want to talk about it, I’m always here…”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it!” Shimmer yelled at her, facing Rarity with eyes filled with fire. Rarity blinked in confusion at her sudden anger.

“S-sorry darling… I was just trying to-“

“BUTT INTO SOMETHING THAT ISN’T ANY OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!” Shimmer yelled so loud that the entire group at the counter were staring in her direction. That didn’t stop her however as she stood up and pushed Rarity away.

Rarity adjusted herself and tried to stand, reaching a hand out to Shimmer. “Shimmer, please… Calm down…”

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” Shimmer hissed swatting Rarity’s hand away.

When their hands touched, Shimmer could see a bright spark of light coming from her hand in a thin line. The spark pushed Rarity back and when the fashionista looked down to her palm red dripped from it in a perfect cut created from the flash. Quickly Rarity clenched her palm and leaned forward so as to not get any on her expensive outfit. Frantically she reached for some towels to try and wrap the wound.

At this point, the group had abandoned their positions in line to get ice cream and raced over. Applejack and Fluttershy both approached first, Fluttershy instantly fainting at the sight of blood, and Applejack gripping Rarity’s palm quickly. “Shoot… What happened!?” Applejack’s voice was filled with concern.

“I-I don’t know…” Rarity admitted with tears in her eyes.

“Hold still, lemme see…” Applejack commanded.

Sunset looked to Shimmer and the two’s eyes met. Shimmer said nothing but shook her head before running at full speed out the door. The sound of her Audi starting up outside could be heard to the group, and confusion filled the room.

Approaching Rarity, Sunset looked at her hand closer as Applejack patted the blood with napkins. “Pinkie, see if the Cakes got a first aid kit…” Applejack spoke.

Pinkie did a quick salute and didn’t answer verbally as she raced to the counter.

Taking it all in for a few minutes, Sunset shook her head and ran outside. She approached her own car and fumbled through the pocket on her skinny jeans to retrieve her keys. Once she had them she hopped inside and tried to turn the key. It became stuck, forcing her to violently jiggle the steering wheel. This time however it wasn’t budging. She attempted it for another thirty seconds before banging her fists upon the steering wheel in frustration. “Damn it!”

Wasting no time she jumped out of the car and ran back inside, skidding to a stop as she approached the group of friends. Applejack had managed to wrap Rarity’s wound at this point and was cleaning up the excess blood with a wipe. “Rarity!” Sunset nearly yelled.

The stylish girl blinked and looked up to Sunset with confusion. “Y-yes?”

“I need your car.”

“B-but why?” Rarity raised a brow.

“There’s no time to explain, I need to talk to Shimmer,” Sunset said.

It was true, at that moment she sensed something terrible would happen if she didn’t run to Shimmer as soon as possible. She had no clue how she knew, but she had learned this late in her life to never question such feelings, as they always seemed to pan out.

Deciding not to question her logic, or doubt Sunset’s intuition, Rarity dug through her purse with her good hand and located the keys. She tossed them to Sunset, who caught them in both hands and gave Rarity a nod before making a run for the door only to be stopped by Rarity’s voice.

“Sunset!”

The redhead stopped and looked back to Rarity from over her shoulder.

“Make sure she’s okay…” Rarity smiled, clearly showing she didn’t hold animosity towards her for the cut.

Nodding, Sunset bolted outside and spotted Rarity’s Honda Accord. It was a rather nice car for a girl in high school, and Sunset quickly realized despite this being an emergency she needed to drive carefully or she’d be pulled over. Given that her license was fake, the last thing she needed was that encounter.

Hopping into the car, Sunset started it up and pulled out of the parking lot.

Bursting through the front door of her estate, Shimmer shooed away the faithful companion that had rushed to her the moment she entered. “Not now, Moon. Go lay down,” She instructed. The dog whimpered and instead tried to follow her.

Rushing to her father’s old study she opened the door to a room filled with every wall converted into a bookshelf, filled to the brim with textbooks and other various learning material. Everything was exactly as she had left it. Seldom did she enter this room, and as a child, she was forbidden from it.

Quickly she removed the necklace around her neck and retrieved the key from it. She approached the desk and opened a drawer, removing a small metal box from it. Picking up the box she rushed upstairs with it in her clutches, Moon following quickly behind her. Making her way to the lab, she shut the recently fixed door in the dog’s face and locked it so that he could not follow her. Shimmer could hear pawing and scratching at the door followed by whimpers.

Trying her best to ignore them, she placed the box on the table near her computer before waking it from sleep. A few clicks and she pulled up the recording application and adjusted herself before hitting the record button.

“Log entry… Crap I don’t even remember anymore… It’s not important.” She shook her head and leaned in, “all attempts to suppress magic have proven a failure. I can’t control it… I can’t make it stop… And more importantly… I hurt someone else with it… No more though, I’m ending this once and for all. I can’t let it happen again…” She sighed and unlocked the box with the key and dug through old photos, various important items her father had kept in there before retrieving a semi-automatic pistol inside.

With it shakily in her hand, she checked the magazine to check the load. Fully loaded.

Luck was on Sunset’s side, as Shimmer had forgotten to close the gate to her estate, meaning that she could pull Rarity’s car all the way inside and parked it directly in front of the front steps. Peering to the right of the building she could see Shimmer’s Audi, confirming that she did indeed come here.

She pushed through the large door and called out to her friend, “Shimmer!?”

Barking echoed through the halls as a dog approached Sunset and jumped up on her. Sunset pet the creature and looked down at him. “Moon, take me to Shimmer. Where’s your mom? Go on boy, take me to mommy!”

The dog barked again and ran up the stairs. Trusting the creature, Sunset followed and pushed herself to move as quickly as possible, scaling the lavish staircase and coming to Shimmer’s laboratory where Moon scratched at the door. To no surprise, the door was locked. Without even asking for Shimmer to open it, Sunset backed up and heaved her body into the wooden barrier three quick times before knocking the door off its hinges and tumbling inside.

Taking a breath, Sunset pulled herself up to see Shimmer standing in a corner with what appeared to be a gun in her hand. Sunset had only seen them in holsters on police officers, and in a few movies that Twilight had shown her, but she was fully aware of what they do. Looking up, she could see Shimmer’s hand shaking as she stared at Sunset.

Coming to a stand, Sunset took a step forward with her hands out defensively. “Whoa… Shimmer… Put the gun down.”

Shimmer shook her head in response, her eyes were dilated and serious.

Sunset took another step, causing Shimmer to raise the weapon and point it directly at Sunset. Her hand was still shaking fiercely as she pointed the barrel at Sunset. “DON’T COME ANY CLOSER!”

Halting her forward motion, Sunset kept her hands in front of her so that Shimmer could see them. She didn’t make any sudden movements, but tried to speak to Shimmer as calmly as she could, “Shimmer… It’s me… Sunset…”

“Don’t make me kill you, Sunset…” Shimmer warned.

“You wouldn’t do that…” Sunset replied.

Shaking the gun, Shimmer shook her head. “I’m capable of killing, I’ve done it once before, and I’ll only do it again if given enough time…”

Detecting where this was going, the puzzle came together pretty quickly. Sunset needed a way to diffuse this situation as quickly as possible.

“Shimmer… That was an accident…”

“It was out of anger… My anger did that… And now my anger has hurt someone else… Who knows when I’ll kill again…” Shimmer frowned.

Quickly, Shimmer shifted the gun and pointed the business end at her own skull, her finger wrapped around the trigger, ready to pull it at a moment’s notice.

“You’re not going to kill anyone, Shimmer… I know you…” Sunset tried to speak.

“You apparently don’t know me well enough…” Shimmer shook her head.

Sunset took a chance took a step forward and extended her hand to Shimmer. “Give me the gun, Shimmer…”

Met with instant rejection, Shimmer shook her head and pressed the gun tighter to her skull. “Take one more step… I dare you…”

“You’re not a murderer, Shimmer… I know you’re not,” Sunset coaxed, her hand still extended for Shimmer.

“You weren’t there! You didn’t see them! You didn’t see what I did! All the blood! It was everywhere!” Shimmer shouted her hand shaking yet again as she remembered the events so vividly.

“It was an accident, Shimmer. You didn’t mean for that to happen, it wasn’t your fault! It wasn’t anyone’s fault.” Sunset said.

Closing her eyes, Shimmer refused to give in to the feelings welling up inside of her. She suppressed them as much as she could before opening her eyes again. “You’re wrong. I tried to blame you for it, but the truth is that I killed them. My anger killed them. I couldn’t control it, and that’s what made it happen…”

Frowning Sunset sighed. “That doesn’t make you a murderer. You made a mistake, people make them, some big, some small. However, you have to learn to forgive yourself for your mistakes…”

“That’s easy for you to say… You don’t know what it’s like, Sunset. You don’t know what it’s like to turn into this monster… When I get angry, I just… I blackout… I don’t have control of myself… How could you possibly understand something like that…” Shimmer’s voice was shaky as she spoke.

“I don’t understand?” Sunset raised a brow. Standing up tall, she turned around, putting her back to Shimmer. Shimmer paused as she watched Sunset remove her simple T-shirt and toss it to the ground. There she stood with only a simple red bra concealing her front side, but on her back, Shimmer gazed as a laceration scar that went from her lower shoulder blade down to her mid-back. The scar looked like some kind of burn mark.

Sunset spoke with her back facing Shimmer. She looked over her shoulder so that Shimmer could at least partially see her face.

“When I first came to this world, I was angry too… Bitter… I let that anger control me… It drove me to do terrible things, to become a person that saw only power.”

Shimmer remained silent so she could finish her story.

“That power quest drove me to steal a magic crown and try to take over my homeworld of Equestria. That power… It changed me, it turned me into something I never want to be again… A monster… If it weren’t for Princess Twilight and our friends, I would still be that monster today… They saved me from myself, but when I was changed back… This scar appeared where the dark magic left my body; I carry this scar as a reminder of what I was,” Sunset explained.

Almost speechless, Shimmer was shocked at this story. “Sunset… I’m… I’m sorry… I didn’t know…”

Sunset turned so that her front side faced Shimmer as she smiled. “However… Just like my past, that scar is behind me. I can move on from that past, and I can carry this scar. I can do it because I have my friends by my side. I can do it because I knew when to say I needed help.”

Shimmer became silent as she listened, the gun still firmly planted against her head.

“You can too, Shimmer. We can get you help for your anger; we can be there for you while you get better… However, I can’t help you if you don’t meet me halfway…” Sunset reached forward again. “Give me the gun.”

“I… I can’t…” Shimmer shook her head.

“Yes, you can. I know why you get angry, Shimmer. I can sense it… It’s the same reason I would get angry…” Sunset explained.

“And why is that?” Shimmer grunted, not believing her at first.

“When bad things happened to me, I convinced myself I was stronger if I didn’t cry. I convinced myself that crying was for the weak, but it didn’t make me stronger, it just turned into anger and you’re never weaker than when you’re angry. You never let yourself cry about what happened, you blamed yourself, but you refused to let yourself cry… It’s time to give in, Shimmer. It’s time to do something you should have done almost half a decade ago…” Sunset explained. She took another step closer, her hand still extended. “Give me, the gun, Shimmer.”

Hesitating for a second, Shimmer looked at Sunset’s hand. Her left hand holding the gun shook but finally, she lowered the weapon and placed it into Sunset’s hand. Without wasting a second, Sunset tossed the weapon aside and opened her arms.

Almost hypnotically, Shimmer leaped forward and buried her face into Sunset’s chest, painful tears rolling down her face as she clutched Sunset tightly and sobbed. “Mom… Dad… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Pulling the girl closer, Sunset placed her hands into Shimmer’s hair and hugged her tightly before stroking her head gently. “It’s okay… Let it out…”

Shimmer just kept sobbing uncontrollably, it was painful, but at the same time relieving to finally get this feeling out. She had held it in for so long that it was like a valve had been opened and her emotions were pouring out of her.

She squeezed the one girl who had stuck with her despite how she was, despite how terrible she treated her, despite how she didn’t need to. That girl was Sunset Shimmer.

Author's Note

Chapter 12 is done! So... I guess now is a good time to reveal... Chapter 13 will be the end of Act I. I know! It's been over 3 months and we are finally at the end of Act I! So how will things go down from here? Well we will pick up right away with an Intermission, and then Act II.

SUPER thanks to Applety whom I think really has outdone herself this time!

Behind the scenes: Sunset's scar was originally going to be on her stomach, but I ended up deciding to put it on her back instead for symbolic reasons.

Act I - Chapter XIII: New Dawn

Chapter XIII: New Dawn

Summer vacation had finally come to an end; the new school year had begun and brought Sunset and her friends into their senior year. The end of school was in sight, the temperature getting colder, and it was starting to feel much like fall.

With the cooling temperature, Sunset was able to start wearing her favorite jacket again, her friends following suit and dressed in their fall attire. Something about her jacket brought her comfort and security. Perhaps because it was the first thing she donned when she turned over her new leaf.

Sitting across from Rarity at the lunch table, Sunset smiled at the girl as she swallowed a bite of her salad. Applejack had just joined the group, taking a seat directly next to Rarity. “Howdy, y’all! Sorry, I’m late, had to get a new lock for my locker. The one they had assigned me last week wasn’t working so great…”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Are you sure you didn’t just forget the combination for it again?”

Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “Nah, it was actually stuck this time.”

“Mhm…” Rarity gave a sneer and suspicious expression as she bit into an apple, remembering how frequently Applejack forgot her locker combination.

Sunset directed her attention to a purple-haired girl who approached. She squeezed in next to Sunset with a bright smile before fixing her glasses. “How are you, Sunset?”

“Pretty good, it’s cool that we share a few classes together, huh?” Sunset asked.

Twilight nodded. “Indeed, I also applied for the Canterlot Institute. I must have stayed up for hours preparing the essay, getting my recommendation letter from Cadance, it was... a ton of work needless to say.”

"I thought you were going to a different school, darling?" Rarity asked with a raised brow.

Twilight shrugged. "After hearing about Canterlot Institute I decided to put in an application, it sounds like an amazing school!"

“Guess you're hoping Shimmer sees your name and gives your application a push?” Sunset smirked.

“Hopefully not… I went through a lot of work, I'd like to get in on my own merits...” Twilight blushed and looked down at her tray.

Sunset reached over and placed an arm around the girl, giving her a small hug. “I’m kidding. You'll probably get in from your grades. I mean you’re one of the best students here. You’re smarter than probably the whole school; you’ve got tons of achievements under your belt. It would be insane not to pick you.”

Twilight perked up and nodded as she returned the hug before releasing Sunset. “What about you though?”

Sunset blinked. “What about me?”

“You’re pretty close to the top of the class too, and I haven’t heard you say anything about college… You plan on going don’t you?” Twilight asked with a concerned face.

Sunset shrugged. “Who knows? I’m not sure college is for me… That’s more of Shimmer’s thing…” she lied.

Truthfully, Sunset actually would love to go to college and follow her friends, but she knew it wasn’t likely. Getting in would be tricky; she could slip through the cracks with high school, as Celestia and Luna helped her fill in some of the blanks, but she wouldn’t be able to provide the information needed to apply for college. She lacked a social security number, proof of citizenship, and essentially every bit of paperwork necessary. It was easy enough to fool people who weren't really looking, but colleges definitely were a lot harder to fool. They actively would be searching Sunset's background.

“Speaking of Shimmer, how has she been?” Rarity asked, trying to change the subject, clearly detecting it was bothering Sunset.

Sunset chuckled. “Pretty good. I don’t get to text her too often, but she’s taken anger management pretty well. She’s been in it for close to three weeks, and she says it’s helping a lot. I promised her we’d hang out as soon as we both were free.”

“Oh I wish she went to school with us, I’d love to have someone so fashionable to gossip with at school…” Rarity pouted.

Applejack merely rolled her eyes at her friend.

“I’m sure we’ll all get to hang out really soon,” Sunset remarked.

She was going to comment further on Shimmer’s progress, however, the group fell silent as the voice of Principal Celestia rang over the PA system. “Would Sunset Shimmer please report to the Principal’s office?”

“Busteeeeeed!” Pinkie who had just arrived with a tray stacked with food teased.

“What did you do?” Twilight looked to Sunset with concern.

“Nothing, chances are Celestia is going to scold me about not applying for colleges. We were told to talk to our advisers in the first week about our future plans and I never did… So probably just going to get an earful, no biggie…” Sunset shrugged as she stood up, “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Sunset… Do meet with your adviser at some point though…” Twilight called out to her.

With a sigh, Sunset nodded, merely trying to placate the girl. She had no intention of actually doing so as she knew it was just a huge waste of her time.

Walking down the quiet halls, she contemplated her potential moves. Part of her had accepted there was a real possibility that she might have to return to Equestria at the end of the year. High School would be over, and she couldn’t figure out any further tricks to stay here undetected. Eventually, the law would catch up with her, and it’d get out that she wasn’t documented. Questions of her origin would start to pop up, and she couldn’t afford that. Finding work to pay for her life here would not be easy, and she knew she couldn't count on pulling favors forever.

Dismissing these thoughts, she cleared her head as she reached for the door to Celestia’s office. Taking a step inside, the secretary looked up at her. “Ah yes, Ms. Shimmer. Principal Celestia is waiting for you, do step inside.”

She nodded and went into the office. There Celestia sat with her hands locked together on her desk, Luna leaning against a wall next to her, the same intimidating expression upon her face, an empty coffee cup on a table next to her, which Sunset was sure was probably her eighth cup or so. For a Vice Principal, she certainly was more intimidating than her sister, Celestia. Sunset wondered if it was intentional or if that was just her natural look. Though she knew that the woman could be very caring and sweet deep down.

“Please, shut the door behind you,” Celestia spoke.

Sunset gulped as she nodded and did as she was told. Usually closing the door meant getting yelled at. She braced herself for whatever might await her. Standing up straight, she approached Celestia’s desk. “Ma’am?”

“Please, sit,” Celestia instructed.

Sunset could already tell this would be a very tense meeting as she sat down in the chair in front of Celestia’s desk.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Sunset…” Celestia began as she searched through a file on her desk. “It’s come to my attention that you haven’t met with your advisor at all yet. I also have noticed you didn’t apply for a single college…”

She had called it; Sunset sighed and nodded. “That is correct ma’am…”

“This troubles me because, with your grades, you’re throwing away a lot of potential… Your scores on all the state tests could get you into any school you wanted… Why are you not applying for any though?” Celestia asked.

“Ma’am…” Sunset sighed again and looked up to her Principal with a serious face. “As you might know… I’m not from here, even if I wanted to go to one of these schools, I couldn’t. I’m undocumented, an illegal… I don’t exist on paper…”

She was quite certain that Celestia knew and expected this answer. Celestia’s nod confirmed it. “Yes… Well… If you had a choice, would you go to college?”

Sunset nodded. “Sure. I’m not sure what I’d want to do yet, but I’d love to go. I love this place, I want to continue living here, I want to keep seeing all my friends and learn more about this place. Truthfully... I'm not that eager to go back home... not much is really waiting for me... but that’s not an option though.”

“I see.” Celestia nodded again and placed her finger on an intercom on her desk. “You can send her in now,” she spoke into it.

Before Sunset knew it, the door behind her opened, and in walked a familiar face, a face that she hadn’t seen in weeks, but she couldn’t be happier to see. Thick and wild red and yellow hair bounced in a ponytail behind her as she approached Celestia and turned to face Sunset when she stood behind her desk.

As usual, she was dressed gorgeously, a cute long-sleeved black dress, a red ribbon choker around her neck, and black net gloves without fingertips. In her hands that held a folder tightly against her chest was a file.

“Ms. Shimmer, if you may?” Celestia spoke facing Shimmer.

She nodded and bowed slightly before turning back to Sunset. “Sunset… I am here on behalf of the Canterlot Institute. We have reviewed your grades, test scores, and achievements, and it is my recommendation that you be given a full scholarship to our prestigious institute for the brightest minds of tomorrow.”

Sunset blinked and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. “Shimmer… How though? There’s no way you could have managed to get me in…”

A smirk appeared on Shimmer’s face as she placed the folder on the table and slid it over to Sunset. “That’s why I prepared this…”

Opening it, Sunset started examining the contents. Shimmer began to speak explaining them to her. “Everything you need is in that folder. Birth certificate, social security number, passport, it’s all there. All legitimate too, call up the office of social services and they can verify this is all legitimate.”

“H-how!?” Sunset looked up to Shimmer in amazement.

Adjusting her glasses, Shimmer giggled. “Money can buy a lot of things. It can even make a person exist who never existed previously. Don’t worry; I’ve woven the web so intricately that even a very scrutinizing eye won’t find a hole in it. There is a catch though…”

“A catch?” Sunset’s brow went up as she listened.

Shimmer nodded. “To make it believable and to explain why we look similar, you are my older sister. According to the documents I prepared, you were given up at birth to an adoptive family, said family passed away and we only reunited recently. As for why we have the same name… Coincidence, they just happened to name you Sunset as well.”

A blush appeared on Shimmer’s face as she looked down. “That is… If this is acceptable for you…”

Sunset stood up and placed the file on the table before looking around the room. Resting her eyes on Shimmer, she approached and nodded. “Of course, we’re sisters, there’s no denying that. After everything we’ve been through, we’re family, this just makes it official.”

Shimmer nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “May I?”

Nodding as well, Sunset opened her arms, to which Shimmer stepped into the offered hug and allowed herself to be held by the taller girl. Sunset caressed Shimmer’s hair gently as she held her. This moment was perhaps the happiest she had ever felt to date. She had someone she could call family, someone she could call a loved one, and it meant the world to her.

Shimmer whispered gently as Sunset held her. “Thank you… For saving me…”

Hushing her, Sunset squeezed Shimmer and whispered back. “I’ll always protect you, I promise…”

Celestia and Luna smiled warmly at the two, which only caused Sunset to finally end the embrace realizing they had watchers. Snapping back to normal, Shimmer took Sunset’s hands and giggled. “It’s a good thing you said yes… It would make this next part awkward if you said no…”

“Next part…?” Shimmer raised a brow.

Pulling her into the hallway, Shimmer guided the teen outside the school and into the parking lot. Pulling her deeper into the web of cars, she came to a black and orange motorcycle, with a large ribbon wrapped around the handlebars. Sunset looked in pure amazement. “I-I… Wh-wha?”

Shimmer giggled and released Sunset’s hands. “Now you don’t have to look like such a poser, though this does mean you’ll need to get a real license.”

Sunset grabbed the girl and held her tight, lighting her off the ground in a light twirl. “Thank you! I mean it! This is the best thing anyone has ever given me… Well… Second best…” She replied before setting the girl down.

“Second?”

Sunset leaned in and pinched Shimmer’s cheek slightly. “A little sister would be the first.”

Shimmer wiggled her hips as she stood smiling at her new sister. She could already tell that the two were going to be close, and Sunset could definitely feel it too.

With her hand wrapped around a pen, Sunset sat on Shimmer’s bed in fresh pajamas to the sound of Shimmer clacking away at a PlayStation game. While Sunset wasn’t too familiar with how video games worked still, she found amusement in watching her sister focus on them. Sunset thought about what to relay to her mentor.

Finally, she placed the pen to the paper.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I’ve learned so much about friendship in my time here, a lot of it thanks to you. You took me in and helped me make the best friends a girl could ask for, however, you always knew when to let me lead myself, and it led me to Shimmer.

Your guidance taught me that sometimes the past can’t be changed. Sometimes your shadow that is cast over others will have permanent effects, but you still can’t dwell on the past, or it’ll eat you up inside.

The most important thing I’ve learned about friendship is the importance of sharing it with others.

Thank you for being my teacher, Princess Twilight. You did more than give me another friend through your teaching, you gave me purpose, and more importantly, family. I don't know if I'll ever get as good at this as you are, but you've been the best mentor I could have ever asked for. Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Sunset Shimmer

Shimmer grumbled as she placed her controller on the floor and looped up to Sunset. “Hey, you cool with ordering a pizza?”

Sunset chuckled and nodded. “So long as we can get-“

Shimmer finished her sentence. “Vegetarian, right?”

Nodding again, Sunset felt a smile upon her face. “You know me so well.”

End of Act I

Author's Note

Hey! You made it to the end of Act I! That's awesome! It's been a long 3 months, and I'm actually kind of proud to have made this far completely on schedule. Thanks so much for reading, and if you are new, welcome aboard! Now obviously this isn't the end of Sunset and Shimmer's story, as we have much more to go. Stay tuned for the Intermission chapter next week then Act II.

Behind the Scenes: The story originally was going to end here then be followed with an epilogue.

Intermission I: Stealth

Canterlot Institute at night was always relatively quiet. The dormitories were located off-campus and most of the teachers left around 5:30 at the latest. Meaning by nightfall, the building would become silent save for a few security guards keeping a careful watch. One such guard stretched and yawned as he stepped outside the room that housed the school’s computer servers, locking the door behind him with his trusted keyring.

Pivoting on his foot, he turned back around to jiggle the handle of the door to ensure he had fastened it tightly. When the knob didn’t move more than a millimeter or two, he nodded in satisfaction as he approached his co-worker.

His younger, fresher less-experienced co-worker tilted his head slightly to the side as he spoke, “So… All locked up then?”

The senior guard nodded and chuckled as he took a step forward, retrieving a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and drawing one to his lips. He placed a hand on the young officer’s shoulder and chuckled. “Yup, that means it’s time to go burn one.”

The young guard frowned. “Aren’t we supposed to stay at our post?”

His co-worker rolled his eyes and offered the boy a cigarette, already annoyed at how much of a good-two-shoes he was He was determined to break that habit quickly. “Lighten up. I locked the place up; we’ll only be out for a minute. You need to stop taking this job so seriously, kid. It’ll get a lot smoother if you just relax.”

A look of concern still lingered on the young man’s face, but he let out a sigh, took the offered cigarette, and stepped with his co-worker. “Alright, but just this once, I don’t want us to get in trouble…”

The other man laughed as he exited the building with his fellow guard. “I really have to take you out sometime…”

Above the two, waiting patiently in the ventilation shaft, a figure in a hoodie lay in wait. Their ear kept tightly pressed to the cold metal shaft listening to the ruckus down below. Upon hearing of the two’s plan to depart outside for a cancer break, they waited another few seconds before determining the coast was clear.

Hastily they moved down the shaft at top speed before coming to their desired opening. Drawing a pocket knife from their torn-up jeans, they began to unscrew the vent blocking their entrance as quickly as they could. Their calculations told them they only had a few minutes to complete their entire task, and that was assuming the two would continue to play grab-ass outside for longer than it took to puff a cigarette out. They couldn’t rely on them opting to take another smoke directly after either, far too risky.

Getting the grate off, the hooded figure descended into the room and allowed their feet to carefully land upon the ground, their cheap sneakers barely cushioning their feet from the fall.

Reaching into their waistband they retrieved a handgun that they quickly cocked and held in front of them while they snuck around the room, ducking behind the large server computers before determining that the room was empty. Ready to utilize the firearm should the need arise.

Once their suspicion was confirmed they approached a large computer in the back of the room.

Gazing at the screen, they set their firearm down next to the keyboard and removed their backpack. From inside they retrieved a small laptop and a set of cables.

With skill and finesse, they quickly got their laptop hooked up to the terminal and managed to boot up in record time. Skillfully clacking away at the keyboard, their mind focused on their prize.

Within minutes a message appeared on screen alerting them that all the data they were after had been copied to their external storage device. A smirk appeared on their face as they quickly unhooked ready to leave the way they came in. Not a soul was the wiser to what had transpired. Everything was going exactly as planned.

So, you've seen a lot, haven't you? Let's go over what you've just seen and see how much you understand.

Sunset came to the human world many years prior. Her arrival created a spark of magic to appear in the human world, that same spark is what ignited the magic potential in Shimmer. From that spark, Shimmer would, unfortunately, become responsible for the death of her own parents.

Through perseverance and goodwill, Sunset was able to help Shimmer find out the truth of this event and even finally receive the closure she so longed for many years. The question remains though: was their death truly not Sunset's fault? After all, there would be no magic for Shimmer to utilize had she not appeared; or was this mere coincidence?

There's no denying the shadow that Sunset casts will have long-term effects.

What you have seen is only a piece of the big picture. To truly understand, there is so much more to see.

Only when you have seen it all can you make your judgment, so let us continue the next part of this tale.

Author's Note

Short but next week we begin anew don't we?

Special thanks to everyone who has stuck with me and been patient.

Act II - Chapter XIV: New Beginning

Act II: Sisters

Chapter XIV: New Beginning

The sound of the school bell rattled in Sunset’s ears repeatedly, bringing her to a more waking state. She had almost dozed off in her final class of the day (which truthfully wasn't an entirely uncommon event). She really didn’t have much of an interest in chemistry, unlike Twilight who was wide awake the entire class, her eyes glued to the whiteboard, occasionally asking Sunset how “awesome” this was. She was like a giddy child when she was enjoying her learning experience. Sunset just gave gentle smiles and nods between yawns.

When the class finally let out, Sunset stretched and released the loudest yawn yet before scratching her head and turning to be face to face with Twilight. Twilight’s face plastered with an incredibly excitable grin, her glasses resting crooked upon her petite nose. Twilight’s facial features were gentle and somewhat child-like if you examined them up close, shy of her lips which were actually rather full.

She didn’t wear a lot of makeup either, in contrast to Sunset who had actually been taking some beauty tips from her younger sister in the past few weeks.

“Wasn’t that an exciting class!?” Twilight leaned in, causing Sunset to inch back a bit to create some more personal space between the two.

“Uh… Sure…” Sunset lied, unsure of what else to say so as to not break the girl’s spirit.

Twilight rolled her eyes and smirked knowing Sunset was lying. “Your eyeliner is smeared by the way. If you’re going to sleep in class it’s best not to wipe your eyes after if you wear eyeliner. Even someone as uninformed about fashion as me knows that.”

With a shrug, Sunset grabbed her bag and began to walk alongside Twilight to the hallway. “I guess you caught me.”

Twilight gave a wagging finger and winked as she scolded the pale girl, “you know you should pay closer attention if you want to pass the mid-terms.”

With a grumble, Sunset rubbed her face and shook her head. “It’s only the second month of school and you’re already thinking about mid-terms? You really have a one-track mind, you know?”

“That would be Rainbow Dash actually,” Twilight corrected.

Chuckling, Sunset found herself forced to agree, “Yeah true… You got me there.”

Sunset reached her locker and opened it up to gaze in the mirror. Twilight was correct; her eyeliner was smeared pretty badly. She still wasn’t used to wearing it, but Shimmer had taught her how to apply it some time ago, and insisted she looked great with it; followed by incessant squealing and fantasizing about Sunset getting a boyfriend. Shimmer had truly come out of her shell and the girl she turned out to be was somewhat akin to Rarity in many regards.

Reaching into her locker, Sunset retrieved a makeup wipe and began removing the smudge before reapplying. Once she was content, she leaned in and held the eyeliner stick carefully while Twilight conversed with her.

“Still interesting that Shimmer taught you how to wear makeup,” Twilight said.

“How so?” Sunset spoke, still focusing hard on applying her eyeliner.

“Well, you just didn’t strike me as someone who would wear makeup.” Twilight shrugged.

Sunset finished her application and placed the stick back into her locker before looking herself over. “I guess I never really thought about it.”

“Well you look good, Shimmer definitely has style,” Twilight replied.

Sunset looked at her friend with a smirk. “Are you flirting with me, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Totally,” she feigned, “I just dream about having you in my bed at night, and I cry myself to sleep when I realize you’re not there. It’s a hard life that I live…” Twilight placed an arm across her forehead in a false acting manner as she lied.

With a giggle, Sunset continued to tease her, “is that why you and Timber broke up?”

She had struck a chord as Twilight quickly stopped acting and got legitimately flustered, she ran a hand through a strand of her hair repeatedly. “That was… No. We just didn’t feel it was working out, it was mutual. It had nothing to do with… Nevermind…”

Blinking, Sunset was a bit surprised that Twilight was actually somewhat flustered by that comment. A part of her regretted it, as she didn’t intend to offend her friend. “Sorry… Awkward.”

“It’s cool…” Twilight replied quietly as she looked away.

“Anyways…” Sunset tried to break through the awkwardness to change the subject, “we still on for studying together this week?”

Instantly cheering up at the prospect of knowledge-seeking, Twilight gave a quick nod. “Absolutely!”

Sunset gave her a nod and poked Twilight’s nose, causing her to step back for a second. Sunset’s face was sporting a playful smile as she replied, “holding you to it.”

Walking out to the front entrance of the school, their friends had dispersed and headed to their various obligations already. Applejack mentioned earlier that day something about needing to run home to help Big Mac, Pinkie rattled off something about getting together with the party committee to begin work on the senior ball, Fluttershy had to run to the short-handed animal shelter, Rarity spoke of some kind of deadline for some dresses coming up, and Rainbow had practice, so it was just Twilight and Sunset.

Sunset didn’t mind though, she found Twilight and her had the best bonding when they did it one on one.

Reaching the entrance, Sunset blinked as she looked down at the foot of the stairs leading up to the school. There standing in a sweater that was a size or two too large for her (possibly intentionally though, as Sunset wasn’t the biggest fashion expert) and a tight pair of skinny jeans was her younger sister, Shimmer.

Sporting an expensive pair of Sunglasses, and some combat boots that went halfway up her legs, she stood confidently. “I’ve been waiting for you, big sis!” she called out with a wave.

Twilight found herself giggling at how doting Sunset’s sister was, to which Sunset just rolled her eyes as she and Twilight stepped down the steps carefully.

“What’re you doing, here, little sis?” Sunset tilted her head in confusion.

Shimmer stuck her tongue out and winked. “You promised we were going to stay up and have fun tonight, remember? I came to escort you so you didn’t forget about it.”

“Sounds like you two have quite the night planned out.” Twilight giggled.

“Sure do, I’ll plan one for you some time too, Twilight!” Shimmer spoke up in an excited tone. Twilight could already tell the girl was serious.

It was interesting to see Shimmer in such a fun-loving and happy mood. Twilight recalled when the group had met her, she was a very somber girl, but who would have guessed that under that depression was actually a very fun-loving girl waiting to get out, probably just waiting for the right nudge. Twilight figured that Sunset must have been quite proud of herself for playing a role in this girl’s new outlook on life.

“I look forward to it; well I better get going; have fun you two!” Twilight waved as she stepped away towards the parking lot where she knew her brother was waiting to pick her up from school.

Sunset watched as Twilight left, Shimmer instantly noticing her elder sister’s fixation on the bookworm. Shimmer leaned in with a smirk. “Checking out Twilight?”

Sunset felt her face get hot as she turned to Shimmer’s devious grin and shook her head furiously. “W-wha?” she managed to get out.

Shimmer looked over to Twilight as she left; paying attention to the jeans she chose to wear today. Twilight was ordinarily a fairly formal dresser, but when Fall hit she started opting for pants over skirts. Shimmer smiled and nodded. “She does have a nice butt though…”

“W-what’re you talking about?” Sunset shrunk a bit from the embarrassment.

“So you don’t like her?” Shimmer blinked innocently, clearly enjoying the teasing of her older sister.

“It’s not like that… I just worry about her sometimes, that’s all…” Sunset rubbed her neck, feeling sweat well up and covered her hand as she did so.

Shimmer didn’t seem entirely convinced but she decided to drop the subject with a shrug. “Anyyyywaaaays, come on. Let’s ride home together, it’ll be fun!”

Composing herself, Sunset nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

A Few Weeks Ago

The group of teenage friends waited patiently after school hours for the arrival of the newest addition to their team. They hadn’t seen Shimmer for some time after her breakdown a few weeks back, due to being extensively in therapy, anger management, and other various things that kept her. The only one who maintained contact with her, however, was Sunset via texts and the occasional phone call, though all the girls worried about her well-being during her time away.

After so long in therapy, the girls were finally going to be able to see the younger sister of Sunset again, and thus why they had gathered. Sunset had arranged it for Shimmer to meet them all here in front of the school after classes let out. Out of all the girls, she was certainly the most anxious.

Leaning up against the statue in front of the school, Applejack tilted her stetson up to get a better look at her watch. Shimmer was a good twenty minutes or so late, and even the normally patient Applejack was getting rather restless. “Are y’all sure she’s comin’?”

Sunset nodded as she checked her phone to make sure she had read the text correctly, even if it was redundant as she had done so at least a dozen times by now. “Positive. She must just be running a few late, I think she took the Audi today and traffic wasn’t too amazing today. If she had just taken the motorcycle she’d have been here ten minutes early.”

Rainbow Dash poked her head out from behind the statue with a smirk. “Man, I wish I could get one of those things! You two make me so jealous!”

Sunset rolled her eyes before responding, “I think giving you anything that goes that fast is generally not a wise idea.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rainbow Dash pouted.

“She’s sayin’ if’n we give y’all a bike you’ll kill yerself’,” Applejack answered on Sunset’s behalf, a smirk crossing her lips.

“As if!” Rainbow grunted as she stepped out, pointing a challenging finger at Applejack.

“I must agree with Applejack, darling. You like to show off too much, and those machines are not the safest…” Rarity who had been up to this point, adjusting her makeup chimed in.

“Pfft, who asked you anyways…” Rainbow rolled her eyes and backed off of Applejack and crossed her arms in protest.

Rainbow Dash stepped a few steps away and swung her arm around a surprised Fluttershy, causing her to “eep” as Rainbow pulled her in, locking her arm around her shoulder. Fluttershy’s facial expression turned to one of sheer embarrassment as she tried to hide behind her hair and make herself small.

“Fluttershy knows I’d be awesome with a motorcycle. Right, Shy?” Rainbow nudged her friend.

Fluttershy found herself stuttering and unable to form a sentence for a few seconds before finally squeaking out an answer, “W-whatever you say, Dash…”

Rainbow puffed her chest out with confidence. “Yeah, see?”

Rarity rolled her eyes and gave a smirk to Applejack as the two giggled at something that clearly only the two of them were in on. It caused quite the frustration from Dash who leaned in with squinted eyes and an annoyed frown at the laughing which came at her expense.

“And what is so funny?”

Applejack snickered one last time before trying to contain herself. “Heh, nothin’.”

Pinkie hopped up from the grass she was sitting on and placed an arm around both Applejack's and Rarity’s shoulders, squeezing herself between them with a smile as wide as her face. She gave a faux whisper that was actually only slightly less audible than her traditional voice (which was almost shouting levels anyway). “I like secrets! Tell me!”

Rarity groaned and covered her nose before reaching into her purse to offer Pinkie a stick of gum. “Pinkie dear… You really need to start carrying gum if you’re going to eat that many sour cream and onion chips…”

It was clear Rarity was only trying to change the subject to avoid letting Pinkie in on the secret, but of course, Pinkie fell for it as she took the stick of gum and wadded the whole thing into her mouth after quickly disposing of the wrapper into her bra. Pinkie had opted out of wearing anything with pockets today, so Rarity assumed that was her primary means of carrying things. This was reaffirmed by Pinkie’s phone sticking out of her bra just barely.

“Pinkie, it’s called a purse…” Rarity protested.

Pinkie just shrugged.

Sunset found herself giggling at their antics and wondered how such diverse teenagers could actually be as close as their clique was. It was truly astounding at times.

Rarity groaned, “Pinkie, storing your personal belongings in your bra is bad enough, but garbage too? Seriously, I have seventeen purses I will gladly give you one.”

Applejack shrugged this time as she interjected, “Ah’ don’t have a purse, and Ah’ get by just fine.”

Rarity’s eyes were like daggers as she shot a sneering scowl at Applejack who was clearly not helping her argument. “You always have pockets is why!”

A smirk crossed AJ’s lips as she replied, “yeah, but Ah’ rock it don’t Ah’?”

Rarity’s face turned to one of genuine appeal and agreement as she nodded lightly with a smile. “Very true, you do. The rustic look works so well on you.”

The group broke their line of thinking as a motorcycle engine was heard in the distance. Looking to the street, a stylish bike pulled up and parked only a few feet from the group. Removing their helmet, the girl underneath flicked her head to loosen up her lavish ponytailed hair that was previously trapped under the helmet.

Looking her up and down, Shimmer was sporting a full leather suit that contoured her features almost flawlessly. Rainbow found herself blushing as she watched the girl step off the bike, her combat boots touching the ground so gracefully. On her front side, she left her zipper halfway down revealing much of her upper chest, and a bright orange bra.

The weather had been getting cold enough to wear such a thing was feasible, but most of the girls had expected her to show up in something a bit more contemporary.

Taking a few steps towards the group she opened her arms and ran to Sunset, quickly jumping into a hug with the girl. Sunset returned the embrace and held the girl close to her chest as she stroked her hair.

Pulling back from the hug, Shimmer smiled and looked at her sister with a grin. “I missed you.”

Sunset nudged her cheek playfully and nodded. “You too.”

Shimmer turned to the rest of the group who had been patiently waiting, she nodded and bowed to them. “And all of you!”

“I must say Shimmer, that outfit is very daring but… It works so well on you… I simply have to model you!” Rarity squeaked in delight.

With a giggle, Shimmer nodded. “Come over sometime this week and I’ll make sure it happens.”

Twilight finally approached and took Shimmer's hands in her own. Shimmer looked down at Twilight’s grip and then up to meet her eyes, always a bit surprised by Twilight’s odd social mannerisms, then again she was probably quite odd herself in that regard. Twilight had a warm smile. “How has therapy been?” Twilight asked.

“Pretty good actually, I feel like a whole new person. Sorry for being so unhinged on you guys in the past…” She frowned.

Twilight shook her head and gave Shimmer’s hands a squeeze. “That’s not a problem, we’re all friends here, just don’t keep us out of the loop anymore.”

Shimmer nodded. “Promise.”

Twilight released her hands and Shimmer leaned up against the statue next to Applejack. “So what have you guys been up to?” Shimmer asked trying to change the subject to something more light-hearted.

“Well, Twilight was discussing college and future schooling arrangements,” Rarity chimed in.

Shimmer blinked and looked in Rarity’s direction with genuine interest. A smirk played on her face as she took a guess at what Rarity’s plans were, though it wasn’t a difficult guess. “Lemme guess… Fashion school?”

Rarity nodded and smiled with pride as she straightened her posture to stand tall as she boasted, “That’s right. I was accepted at Trottingham Design School.”

“Impressive, when you get out of school give me a call, I’ll help jump-start some of your clothing lines.” Shimmer winked.

The fashionista gushed and wiggled happily at the offer from her friend. “I’m holding you to it!”

Applejack merely rolled her eyes at Rarity’s over-the-top behavior and shrugged. “Dunno ‘bout me. ‘Ah planned on staying on the farm fer’ a bit longer while ‘Ah figure out what ‘Ah want to do…”

Shimmer nodded in understanding before looking back at Sunset. “So, you still planning on going to Canterlot Institute?”

Sunset shrugged. “I guess.”

A frown crossed Shimmer as she shifted in her position to speak more directly with Sunset, “something wrong?”

Shimmer had expected Sunset to be far more excited about the offer, instead, she seemed almost unsure now.

Shaking her head, Sunset approached and leaned up next to Shimmer, which caused her younger sister to affectionately lay her head upon Sunset’s shoulder. The scent of Shimmer’s luscious shampoo was strong, and Sunset could tell she spent a lot of money taming her hair, though the end result paid off.

“Not really, no. I want to go to Canterlot Institute, I just have no idea what I am going to do there…” Sunset admitted.

Shimmer giggled and placed an arm around her sister’s waist, pulling her closer. It caught Sunset somewhat off guard and she almost lost her balance and fell. Composing herself, she listened to Shimmer.

“You’ll find something. Take a lot of electives in your first semester and find something you like, then major in it. You’re getting a full scholarship, it’s okay to experiment,” Shimmer reminded.

“That is pretty lucky,” Twilight stated, before removing her glasses to wipe the lens on her shirt.

“I guess you’re right… Sorry for worrying, I guess I can just be a worry wart sometimes…” Sunset admitted.

“Must run in the family.” Shimmer giggled before poking Sunset’s nose affectionately.

“Maybe you just rub off on me,” Sunset replied, nudging her sister’s shoulder.

Shimmer winked and offered a genuine smile. “Well, what can I say? I bring out the best in you obviously, I mean where would you be without me?”

“That’s true,” Sunset replied.

Entering a steamy bathroom, Sunset fanned herself with her hand in response to the temperature and humidity in the room. Shimmer had practically turned the room into a sauna with how warm it was. Sunset peered around through the steam to see this bathroom was actually quite lavish. It reminded her of a spa almost, the tub was recessed into the floor and the entire room had plenty of space to move around in.

Sunset could see Shimmer standing near the tub, wrapped in a towel, missing her signature glasses, though they likely weren’t much use in this environment as they would just fog up in a matter of seconds.

Catching a glimpse of Sunset, she smiled and gestured for her to come closer. With a blush, Sunset nodded and took a few steps forward.

Shimmer smirked and giggled. “You know, the idea of a bath doesn’t work so well if you are wearing clothes. While I appreciate you wearing the clothing I gave you, I’m going to have to ask you not to ruin it by bringing it into the tub.”

Sunset shuffled awkwardly in her button-up shirt and jeans, not quite sure of what she should do. She didn’t respond, and instead just made an awkward face and blush. Sighing, Shimmer shook her head and took a step forward. Placing her hands on Sunset’s top button on her shirt caused her to flinch. Shimmer paused and looked up at her. “Relax,” she said.

Sunset nodded and took a breath to calm herself, truthfully she didn’t quite understand why she was so nervous, likely it was due to lack of close proximity to anyone in her life.

Unbuttoning her shirt, Shimmer assisted her in its removal and placed it on a bench nearby. Wasting no time, Shimmer unbuttoned Sunset’s skinny jeans and looked up at her. With a nod, Sunset wiggled out of them as Shimmer removed them for her and placed them aside with her top.

Coming to a stand, Shimmer smirked. “I am assuming you can take off your own underwear?”

Sunset feeling more comfortable at this point rolled her eyes and unclasped her bra and tossed it aside before sliding her panties off. She actually wasn’t that uncomfortable with nudity, it was mostly Shimmer that was making her feel uneasy. It was a bit awkward to see what is essentially yourself standing in front of you in nothing but a towel.

However, Sunset wouldn’t have to see that image for long as Shimmer tossed the towel aside and gestured for Sunset to follow her.

She couldn’t help but stare for a brief moment before registering Shimmer’s command. Shimmer had perhaps the perfect body, a round behind, slender waist, small feet, and large breasts. Every boy must have lusted over her.

Sunset knew she was probably fair given that they shared a lot of similarities, and she definitely could see she had slightly larger breasts than Shimmer, but Shimmer seemed to have filled out better than her. Sunset always had a hard time retaining weight, even in her childhood. She was always eating as much as she could to keep some pounds on but seemed to lose it without any real effort.

Shimmer beckoned Sunset with her hand as she pulled her out of the daydream. “Come on, the water will get cold… Okay not really because it’s a heated tub, but still…”

Nodding, Sunset took Shimmer’s hand and followed her into the soothing water. It took a second to get adjusted, but when she managed to get used to the temperature, she cooed pleasantly while she let herself relax. The knots in her muscles seemed to become undone and relaxed in a matter of seconds as Sunset allowed herself to loosen up.

There was a hint of lavender scent in the water, likely some kind of bath beads that Shimmer added.

Leaning her head back, Shimmer rested as well and smiled. “Nothing like a hot bath after a long day. I could spend half my life in here… Just need to get a waterproof laptop and I’m good to go…”

“Couldn’t you just buy one? I mean I’m sure they exist and you have the money to get one…” Sunset raised a brow.

“True, but I never get around to it…” Shimmer smirked before placing a damp washcloth over her face.

Sunset leaned her own head back and began to look at the decoration on the ceiling. Lots of stars and planets were painted skillfully above them, the entire bathroom had sort of a lost-in-space theme with a darker atmosphere to it, but it was lethargic.

“What was it like growing up like this?” Sunset asked.

Shimmer didn’t even bother removing the washcloth as she answered with a shrug. “It was nice. Piano lessons, tennis, I never had to really think about how much anything costs. Unlike most rich kids I didn’t just get stuff to make up for all the neglect though; my parents were always there for me…”

Sunset regretted asking as she brought up her parents. “Sorry I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s fine. I’ve been learning how I need to stop remembering them not only as they died, but also how they lived too. Those happy memories of them… I can’t just push them aside in favor of only thinking about how they died. I learned that in therapy,” Shimmer responded.

Sunset nodded, even though Shimmer wasn’t paying attention.

“What about your parents? You sort of avoid the subject…” Shimmer responded.

Sunset shrunk down a bit into the water. “Well… My parents… They sort of…”

Shimmer lifted the washcloth from her face and looked to Sunset with a raised brow.

Rubbing her neck, Sunset shrugged. “Not much to say. I spent most of my childhood fighting for their attention from… Well, work. They were workaholics, I rarely saw them. They sent me to boarding school when I was becoming a handful and then when I got into Celestia’s Star Student program… I don’t think I ever saw them again after that.”

“You mentioned before they never filed you as missing?” Shimmer recalled.

With a nod, Sunset frowned as she answered, “Yeah… They basically didn’t really care what happened to me, and probably still don’t. It’s been a few years now, and I’m sure nothing has changed…”

“I’m sorry…” Shimmer frowned.

She shrugged. “I didn’t really grow up rich either. We were middle class, but my parents didn’t really buy me a lot of stuff because they were never around. When I came here, I just sort of got used to not owning anything… A place like this… This is beyond my comprehension of how someone could actually live here.”

Shimmer tried to offer some kind of comfort to her, but all that came out was, “It gets kind of lonely sometimes. I mean I’m used to solitude, but it is nice when you come over. Otherwise, it’s just Moon and me.”

Trying to lighten the mood, Sunset smirked. “Yeah, but that’s puppy love. He’s going to love you more than any man will.”

Shimmer found herself in a fit of giggles. “True, I can’t imagine any man looking at me the way he does.”

Sunset despite making the first joke found that hard to believe in actuality. Shimmer was gorgeous; Sunset actually felt a lot better about herself when she looked at Shimmer knowing that they looked similar and that Shimmer was a knockout definitely bolstered her confidence just a little bit.

“Yeah, but you’re a knockout, little sis,” Sunset replied.

Shimmer felt herself smile. “Yeah, but you’re a hottie too. After all, you take after me.” Shimmer gave the girl a wink as she said those words, causing Sunset to roll her eyes.

“Yeah, well, I’m not the best at taking compliments as you may have figured out by now,” Sunset said as she began to lather some shampoo into her hair.

Looking over at her sister, shaking her head, Shimmer sighed. “Or cleaning yourself for that matter; allow me.”

Sunset let her hands fall back into the water and rested as Shimmer came up behind her and began to help lather the shampoo into her sister’s hair. After a few moments, she was satisfied and instructed her sister to stand. “Let me get your back for you.”

Nodding, Sunset came to a stand with a blush on her face as her sister stood as well. Taking a bottle of soap in her hand, Shimmer squirted a healthy amount of the liquid into her palm and rubbed her hands together after setting the bottle down. Gently, she placed both of her hands upon Sunset’s shoulders and began to massage the soap into her skin. Sunset noticed she was very delicate with her hands for a girl with anger problems.

“This is… Pretty strange…” Sunset commented.

“In other countries, siblings bathing together is not strange at all. I spent a year in Japan before, bathhouses are actually very common, people of the same gender bathe together there, it’s actually more economical and preserves water. Only here in America do people find it odd,” Shimmer replied.

Aware that Shimmer traveled before, this was Sunset’s first hearing about her living in Japan for a year.

“Where else have you lived?”

Shimmer shrugged. “All over. We stayed in England for a little while when I was too young to remember. My mother is actually half Japanese, so we lived nearby so she could reconnect with old relatives.”

“And your father?” Sunset decided that conversation was the best way to keep her mind off of the awkward feeling of Shimmer helping her bathe her nude body.

“He’s from Holland. He became an American citizen when he was young. So I guess technically I’m Eurasian, but my nationality is American, that’s what my passport says anyways,” Shimmer said.

Shimmer’s hands reached down to the scarred midsection of Sunset’s back and finally just touched the scar there. She paused as she traced her finger around it, getting a good feeling of it with her hands. Sunset could tell exactly what she was doing but remained silent. Shimmer paused as she pulled her hands away and clutched her left hand in her right. There was a moment when both girls fell silent.

The silence was broken by Sunset. “It’s gross, I know.”

“It’s not that…” Shimmer said.

Sunset tilted her head as she looked over her shoulder to see the concern on the other girl’s face.

“D-did… It hurt?”

Sunset nodded sincerely. “For the first few days, I felt like I could die… It was impossible to lay on my back.”

“Do you think…” Shimmer stopped herself, not wanting to ask such a question.

With her curiosity peaked, Sunset turned around and faced the girl with a raised brow. She took her sister’s hands in her own and looked into her eyes. “Do I think what?”

Shimmer bit her lip and looked away from Sunset’s powerful gaze before speaking again, “That… I could turn into a demon like that?”

Sunset reached over and tilted her sister’s head to face her as she responded, making sure to keep her tone stern. “It could never happen to you. It took a tremendous amount of anger and hatred to turn me into that, there’s no way it could happen to you, not while I’m here. I love you, Shimmer and I’m not going to let that happen to you. I’ll protect you from anything that would hurt you…”

Shimmer’s eyes grew misty as she choked out a response, “Do you promise?”

Sunset nodded and brought the smaller girl in for a tight hug. “I promise.”

Author's Note

I have to say I really loved Applety's sketches this week! Top notch!

Behind the scenes: originally I humored the idea of Shimmer appearing in a tight spandex suit, but the scene changed significantly and it would have been odd to have her in one as in the initial scene she shows up getting off a motorcycle.

Act II - Chapter XV: Bonds

Chapter XV: Bonds

A bell letting Sunset escape from English class finally began to ring through the halls of the school. She had only narrowly avoided passing out into a deep slumber as their monotone teacher finished her incredibly boring lecture. Sunset wondered why they would choose someone who was very uninteresting to listen to in a class focused on reading, telling stories and trying to paint pictures with words. Perhaps there was a charm she wasn’t seeing, but English was certainly her least favorite class this year, almost hands down. Then again she was never found of languages to begin with.

Study hall was next on her list, and she was eager to get to it so she could check her texts and possibly actually take Twilight’s advice and perhaps get a little studying in for the upcoming midterms. Sunset had quickly become a straight-A student since her debacle where she almost destroyed the school; after all she was a star student of Celestia at one point, and quite a fast learner, so studying was never really necessary for her, but she had learned to prepare for anything regardless thanks to Twilight.

Speaking of Twilight, Sunset poked her head out of the classroom to see Twilight standing across from the doorway in front of a locker. Her hand clutched around a messenger bag she had gotten this year. She stood somewhat awkwardly as always, Sunset had noticed before that Twilight had long legs and it seemed to make her walk awkwardly sometimes. With Winter coming in a few weeks, she had opted to wear leggings under her pink skirt, which really only attracted more attention to her legs.

Sunset wondered if Twilight knew she had attractive legs as she had never really seen the girl in a longer skirt that concealed them. She had definitely heard a few of the boys in her class comment about them, calling Twilight a “sexy librarian” type behind her back.

Must be a bitch finding jeans in her size, Sunset thought to herself.

Twilight grew a genuine grin as she saw Sunset step out of the classroom and into the open hallway which was now filling up with other teens quickly. She gestured for Sunset to come closer to the lockers.

Obliging, Sunset leaned up against the locker next to her for a moment with a smirk. “Ay girl, waiting to come and sweep me off my feet?” She joked.

Playing along, Twilight rolled her eyes and placed her hands upon her chest and gave a mocking tone as she did a very poor acting routine, likely intentional, but possibly showing the actual extent of Twilight’s acting capabilities.

“Why Ms. Shimmer… I’ve come to ask your hand in marriage!” Twilight made sure to lay the theatrics on thick.

“Why Ms. Sparkle, we are both ladies! What would our fathers think!?” Sunset kept the act going, feigning shock.

Returning to her normal demeanor, Twilight shrugged. “Truthfully, my dad would probably just think it’s fitting that something else about me is abnormal.”

“You are abnormal, that’s for sure,” Sunset teased.

“You’re an alien unicorn magician from another universe parallel to this one,” Twilight reminded.

“Touché,” Sunset replied, unsure of how to make a proper comeback to such a fact.

Taking a few steps towards their shared study hall, Twilight adjusted her skirt and looked over to Sunset to catch a smile on her friend’s face, igniting one on her own. “You’re in a good mood,” Twilight commented.

Sunset shrugged.

“What can I say? I’ve been in a pretty good mood lately. I guess I just feel a lot better having a sister; I never really had a family for my whole life so it’s nice for a change… Then again your parents treat me like family too…” Sunset said.

Twilight chuckled and shook her head. “Don’t give them ideas; my mom might actually adopt you. She’s weird like that…”

“She seems to like kids…” Sunset replied.

Twilight nodded, Sunset had no idea. Twilight’s mother couldn’t wait to be a grandmother and always joked about having more children much to her father’s dismay. The moment Shining got married, she was on him about getting grandchildren for her. She couldn’t even let the ink dry on his marriage certificate before she began badgering him.

The conversation was interrupted by a text message tone on Sunset’s phone. Retrieving the object from her pocket and looking at the screen she could see a message from Shimmer.

Hey! Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes with you! You promised to stay the night! I already bought like fifteen movies off of iTunes; we are going to have an awesome time! I have the whole night planned out! This is going to be legendary!

Sunset giggled at her sister’s enthusiasm and typed up a reply quickly.

Yeah, I won’t forget. Though I could really use a shower before we get started, Gym class had us running and I totally didn’t get a chance to take a shower after. I also was running late this morning and didn’t take one before school… basically, I stink is what I’m saying.

Shimmer could reply to texts apparently at lightning speed and delivered a response within 30 seconds of her and Twilight walking in silence.

Say no more! I shall prepare a bath for us!

Sunset rolled her eyes and responded.

You and baths…

Shimmer’s response was predictable as they had had this conversation before.

Baths are superior!

Twilight took notice of the texting and surmised it was Shimmer she was talking to before commenting, “you two sure are close now.”

Catching Sunset’s attention, she turned to Twilight and nodded. “Yeah, she’s pretty needy though.”

Twilight placed a hand upon Sunset’s shoulder. Sunset looked at the hand resting on her shoulder and then to Twilight’s sincere expression. “I’m glad that you have someone in your life like that… I worry about you sometimes, Sunset.”

“You shouldn’t worry about me…” Sunset blushed and looked away bashfully. She still had a difficult time accepting being the center of attention.

Twilight shook her head. “Before Shimmer was in the picture you spent a lot of time alone… I should know, that’s how I was before you girls came into the picture.”

Sunset nodded and offered the girl a hug which Twilight took gladly. Sunset always noticed that out of all of her friends, Twilight gave the best hugs, even better than Pinkie Pie, who was always game to hug. Twilight always had a tenderness to her embrace, and a strong sense of real compassion exuded from her when she took you in her arms.

“You’re my best friend for a reason, you know that?” Sunset whispered to Twilight.

Twilight giggled and nodded.

Notebooks upon notebooks sat in front of Shimmer as she clacked away at her keyboard, looking over various scribbles jotted down on the lined pages. Sticky notes stuck out of several of them, literally creating notes upon her notes. She definitely housed a method for note-taking that didn’t make sense to anyone but herself.

Picking up the most recently filled composition notebook, she flipped to the last few pages and examined her most recent findings, trying to make sense of it all.

“It just doesn’t add up…” She thought out loud before leaning back in her seat, the old office chair creaking as she did so.

After a moment of pondering, Shimmer decided it might be best to send off what she had for someone else to decipher, realizing it was drawing dangerously close to the time that she had agreed to meet up with Sunset for their get-together that night; she didn't want to be tardy to an event that she herself had set up, after all.

Pulling a keyboard closer to herself, Shimmer leaned into the glow of the monitor and hesitated for a moment, unsure of herself before she allowed her recently polishing and painted nails to type up an email.

It’s me again.

Listen, I’ve been looking over my notes left and right, and nothing makes sense. I can’t quite piece this together. I know I mentioned a lot before, and I told you that I don’t trust authorities regarding this matter, and ordinarily, I wouldn’t involve anyone else, but you’re the only one I know that seems to not be skeptical about this kind of thing.

When it comes to magic, I think it’s best to keep this all on the down low. I’m going to let you in on a secret though… It’s not just Sunset and her friends, it's me as well. We all seem to be capable of using it. I know this sounds crazy, but that’s exactly why I have to keep this as much under wraps as I can.

The point is, I am worried that things might get out of hand, and while I understand you may be objected to helping me, I needed someone I could trust even slightly on this matter, and I don’t want to worry anyone.

There’s something going on that I can’t quite pinpoint, and I am pretty confident that someone is trying to steal my research on magic that I have been conducting for years. I believe it has some connection to Sunset and I uniting. I am keeping magic usage to a minimum to avoid suspicion, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could look into this for me. Again, I know you have no reason to help me, but the situation has forced my hand.

Sincerely,

Sunset Shimmer

Yawning, she hit the send key and had the email sent from her private email. It wasn’t set up on any other computer in the house but this one, to ensure security.

Looking at the close she could see the time was close to 2 PM, Sunset would be arriving soon, so she needed to get herself more presentable for company. Her hair was a mess, as she had rolled out of bed this morning and went to work right away in this room.

The dark area was illuminated only by various computer screens, as no windows allowed in any natural light and the door sealed light from the outside out almost perfectly. To those unfamiliar with the house, this room couldn’t be seen from the hallway as it appeared to look just like the wall on the outside.

Only through knowing where to push down a light on the wall and a key combination hidden behind a painting on the wall opposite of the door could one get inside.

Her father had originally had the room built as a panic room, but through the years, Sunset had converted it into a sort of archive for her work to be saved somewhere where no one could find it.

It also served as yet another place of solitude for her when she needed some deeper thinking to get done.

Her mind was beginning to focus on her night with Sunset until a pinging noise from her computer startled her. Fumbling with her glasses left on the table, she managed to get the spectacles onto her face and give her eyes a second to adjust. She was a bit surprised to see she had a reply to her email so quickly, what were the odds that they were available at the same time she had sent it?

Shimmer almost held her breath as she read the reply she received.

Sunset,

Trust me, I know all about not trusting the authorities. However I believe you in regards to magic, you have no reason to lie after all. It’s not fitting for you to lie anyways. In all the time I’ve known you, you’ve always been genuine, even when it was not beneficial to you. So I am obligated to take what you say as serious and at face value, so you can trust me when I say that I will assist you in this endeavor without question.

Technically I still owe you for not ratting me out in the past, but after this, I hope you will consider us even. If I help you here, I expect this to conclude our communications from here on. I got your last email about someone trying to hack your server, and given that they were targeting only your lab server, I’d say you’re probably in the right in that they are looking for your research on magic. You were wise to move all your data to either physical notebooks or your non-internet connected server.

However if you want me to be able to help, you will need to send me everything you have so I can understand what you’re working with. There’s a good chance that the answer lays within what you already have. I need some time to look it over and figure it out. You will need to trust me completely if you want this to work.

I know that’s asking a lot, but given the circumstances, I don’t think you have a choice in the matter. I'm not one for bullshitting around and I think you know that.

Only communicate using this email, never contact each other through any other means. I’ve made sure this connection is encrypted and thoroughly monitored. Don’t mention anything to anyone for security’s sake.

If you can send me all of your files, I’ll begin looking them over. If you accept my help, then just send the files and I’ll know you want my assistance.

Also as a further safety precaution we both should destroy any evidence of these emails after reading them. Commit everything to memory, and that should ensure these communications remain between you and me.

Shimmer read everything slowly, and it took every bit of her brainpower to consider this offer in full. However, it didn’t matter, as they were right; she didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Getting the others involved was simply out of the question, especially Sunset or her friends. At this time it was a minor problem anyway, no reason to kick up a bigger fuss than it warranted, right?

Standing up, Shimmer picked up a cable sticking out of the server in the back of the room and ran it over to the computer she was working on, and plugged the cable in.

Sitting back down, Shimmer grabbed the zip file version of all her documents from the server and dragged it into the email. Pressing a button, she sent the data on its way to her contact. Waiting for the confirmation that it had finished uploading and sent, she unplugged the cable and stood up yet again, making her leave from the darkroom on her way to prepare for Sunset’s arrival. The rest was in their hands now.

Standing atop of pedestal, Sunset had a roll of measuring tape wrapped around her waist by a perfectionist fashionista. She tried to hold as still as possible while Rarity took a measurement and then quickly jotted it down in a notebook. Sunset had promised she would come directly to Rarity’s boutique after class and before she went to go spend the night at Shimmer’s and before she knew it, she had Rarity’s hands all over her, and even trying to tear her clothes off (met with ample and successful resistance, however).

With her mind focused on just letting Rarity get her measurements and then peeling out as quickly as she could, Sunset tried to keep the conversation brief, but that was always a challenge with a girl like Rarity who was quite the conversationalist.

With her hair tied back into a bun, Rarity looked the part of a hardworking seamstress. This was perhaps the purest form of Rarity that one would ever witness.

Sunset finally let out a groan of annoyance after standing there for what felt like an eternity, followed by her complaint, “Are we done yet?”

Looking up from her notebook, Rarity reached up and tapped Sunset’s nose with her pen before giving her an annoyed look. “We would have been able to go a lot faster if you weren’t so shy about taking your clothes off. It’s harder to get accurate measurements when you’re fully dressed.”

Rubbing her neck, Sunset apologized hoping to avoid that subject any further; she didn’t really feel like discussing the scar on her back with Rarity, “sorry… A little shy I guess…”

Rarity raised a brow in suspicion. “Didn’t you say in your world you don’t normally wear clothing?”

Sunset coughed and decided to try and change the subject. “So… you have my measurements updated, now what?”

Falling for Sunset’s subject change, Rarity perked up and smiled brightly as she looked down at her notebook to compare old measurements with the current ones. “Well, the good news is that you’ve filled out a lot better. I suppose Shimmer has been making sure you eat better. You actually have quite an impressive figure.”

Her face felt hot as she stepped off of the pedestal and shrugged before leaning up against the wall. “Yeah well… Whatever…”

Rarity rolled her eyes and lifted her glasses off of her face and placed them atop her head as she examined Sunset’s expression, clearly sensing how uncomfortable she was. Setting her notebook down, Rarity approached and sat down in the chair nearby looking towards Sunset with curiosity. “You really are that uncomfortable with nudity aren’t you?”

“No, it’s not like that… I just… Nevermind…” Sunset sighed, hoping Rarity would finally just give up on this subject, however she wasn’t that lucky.

“Are you afraid of a lady gazing upon you?” Rarity’s brow rose, trying to decipher this mystery.

Sunset wasn’t entirely sure what she was implying, but she tilted her head in confusion as she looked to Rarity. “I beg your pardon?”

With a sigh, Rarity realized she would have to spell it out. She nearly whispered so as to not offend. “Meaning… Are you perhaps… A tad homophobic? I mean I won’t judge you if you are…”

Sunset shook her head. “Not at all, I mean I mockingly flirt with Twilight all the time, though to be fair that’s just to get under her skin. Besides homosexuality is super common in Equestria, we sort of have a very large ratio of females to males there, so it’s almost mandatory.”

“You know… You have never told us what your preference is…” Rarity commented, clearly curious now. It was obvious that a gossip magnet like Rarity had been dying to know such information for a while now.

Sunset shrugged. “I never gave it much thought. Remember I spent the first half of my life basically avoiding other ponies and people. I also wasn’t the most desirable person to be around, so my sexuality is really still being discovered I guess… I mean I had a relationship with Flash Sentry but we never like… Did anything.”

Leaning in so she could speak quieter, Rarity nearly whispered the next words. “So you’re a… Virgin?” Rarity asked.

Sunset nodded a bit embarrassed by the fact, as she was approaching nineteen and had never even had a kiss before.

Rarity frowned and leaned back, clearly content with this new information. “I suppose you feel me making you a prom dress is rather pointless, right darling?”

Sunset looked at the floor, not wanting to disappoint Rarity, but wanting to be honest at the same time. “S-sort of… I mean prom isn’t for months anyway, but I know I’m going to have to go alone if I even want to go.”

“Well I’m sure all of our friends won’t have dates, so it’s not as though you’ll be alone darling,” Rarity reminded as she wagged her finger.

“True, still…” Sunset frowned.

“Sunset, I’ve known you for a little over a year now, and I know you’ll find someone one day. You’re a catch and you don’t even realize it. I won’t have any more of this self-doubt talk in my boutique, darling. You’re a beautiful woman and someday some man or woman is going to see that,” Rarity reassured as she stood up placing a hand on Sunset’s shoulder in comfort.

“How can you be so sure?” Sunset asked.

Rarity seemed to instantly become offended as she destroyed that line of thinking as quickly as she could. She gently nudged Sunset in a gruff manner before scolding her once again. “Do not even doubt me on this. I know this for a fact. Do you not trust me?”

Sunset felt a blush cross her face as she nodded. “T-thanks Rarity… I think I needed to hear that right now.”

“It’s alright, though if you don’t mind me asking for the same of my nosiness, have you ever thought about being with a girl before?” Rarity leaned against the wall with her, her expression turning more serious as she looked directly forward.

Sunset looked over at her with confusion; her face was contorted into a look of doubt and contemplation. Clearly, something was on Rarity’s mind, but the chances of her revealing what she was thinking were probably slim to none.

Looking forward with her friend, Sunset focused her eyes on a painting of some flowers on the wall as she answered. “Well… I guess I notice girls sometimes…”

“Oh?” Rarity didn’t even look at her as she replied.

Sunset smirked and nodded. “Yeah, like I noticed you have a really cute butt.”

Rarity’s entire face turned red as her hands dropped to her side and then tried to cover her rear in her tight leggings. “R-really?”

Sunset snorted and gently nudged Rarity’s shoulder. “Gotcha!”

“You clearly have spent too much time with Rainbow Dash!” Rarity protested her face still completely red.

Chuckling Sunset nodded, unable to argue with that, though Shimmer actually had quite a perverted side to her when you were least expecting it and that likely contributed. “Nonetheless, I guess the idea of a girl would be pretty cool, so long as it was the right girl, right?” Sunset attempted to bring it back to her question.

Rarity blinked and nodded. “I-I suppose… That makes sense…”

Sunset could tell she had a lot on her mind, but it was obvious that she wouldn’t reveal anymore simply by asking.

“Hurry up! Come on! I have like ten movies for us to watch! You’re soooooo slow!” Shimmer complained as she poked her head back in the bathroom at her elder sister who was still wrapped in a towel and straining her hair of excess water. Still soaked, Sunset rolled her eyes at the girl rushing her.

“Give me a few minutes, damn. I like to be completely dry before I put on Pajamas you know?” Sunset sighed and shook her head.

Shimmer gave a pouty face with her lip sticking out before rolling her eyes. “Well I got you some new PJs, they’re sitting on the bench out here, I know I shouldn’t have but I did anyway. You can thank me later.”

With a wink, Shimmer practically bounced away leaving Sunset by herself. Stepping out of the humid bathroom she couldn’t help but giggle at how enthusiastic Shimmer always was. It seemed like she lit right up and shined brightest when Sunset was around, it was a vast improvement over when they met months ago. Shimmer had grown into a much happier girl.

Sunset reached down and lifted the top of the pajamas to see a black open-neck T-shirt with her recognizable emblem (or cutie mark back in Equestria) upon it. Chuckling she tossed her towel to the side and slipped it over her head. Slipping on a pair of orange panties with the collection, she pulled up the form-fitting booty shorts that came with it and looked in the nearby mirror in the hallway.

Not half bad.

She had to admit; Shimmer had good taste and knew how to pick out wardrobes that complimented Sunset’s form. There was perhaps more Rarity in her than Sunset liked to admit sometimes. Sunset couldn’t deny though that she felt cute, though it was a pity there was no one there to truly admire it.

Finally making her way down the grand staircase, she began to navigate to the living room. The house was so gigantic that it had taken her weeks to start to learn her way around, but as Shimmer had put it, there were plenty of rooms that she had not been in for years, so she was only helpful in teaching her how to navigate a section of the house. The entire east wing was almost left unexplored for years. Shimmer mentioned at one point she was pretty sure there was an art studio over there somewhere but had not been over there since her mother died. Shimmer likely avoided tons of places that brought back painful memories and as a result, many of the rooms of the mansion likely were covered in dust at this point.

Finding the room, Sunset stepped inside to see Shimmer already on the extravagant couch with her feet up on a footrest. A bowl of popcorn sat atop of her lap and Sunset noticed her phone and backpack next to the couch where she had left it upon coming over in the first place. Shimmer patted the spot next to herself and beckoned Sunset to move quickly. “Hurry up, slowpoke!”

Rolling her eyes, Sunset propped herself down next to her younger sister and yawned before giving a large stretch and focusing her eyes on the TV. Shimmer offered her a sample of the popcorn which she took gently and savored it. She wasn’t much for popcorn, but it was a nice treat to have with the occasional movie, even if she hadn’t seen a lot of movies in her time. Shimmer owned an impressive collection of them though; all sectioned on shelves upon shelves in her home theater. There were titles that Sunset was pretty confident weren’t the kind of movies you’d normally see in a home collection, and probably every major release since 1970 in that room.

Shimmer quickly scooted closer to her older sister and snuggled up to her with a content smile. Sunset reached over and petted the girl’s head affectionately, which generated a response of Shimmer leaning into the petting and the smile on her face growing to obnoxious size. Sunset didn’t think it was possible for a girl to have such a big smile, but Shimmer somehow broke that belief, despite having a very small mouth.

Before she knew it, the two were enthralled in hours upon hours of various films. Shimmer seemed more excited about them than Sunset who mostly couldn’t tell what was going on in half of them, however, she kept quiet about it so as to not inspire a lecture about the plots from Shimmer; Sunset had learned her lesson by watching movies with Twilight.

After about the fourth or fifth film, Shimmer has completely fallen asleep. Sunset looked at her lap to see the girl peacefully resting, not a single snore came out of her, just gentle and delicate breathing. Sunset reached down and gently ran the backside of her fingers along the girl’s cheek, feeling a smile come to her own face as she did so.

Sunset leaned back in her seat to look to the side of the couch, seeing her bag was emitting a gentle glow. She already could guess what it was. Reaching inside, she retrieved her journal that she used to talk to Princess Twilight, and sure enough, she had a message from the princess.

Dear Sunset,

I hope I’m not intruding or writing to you at a bad time, but I just wanted to check up on you. I’m glad things with you and Shimmer are going so well, and I’m ecstatic to see you’ve not only made a new friend but someone you can call a sister. It’s truly an amazing thing, and family can bring one a ton of joy in their life. As a sort of mentor to you, it fills me with pride as a teacher, but also as a friend to know things are going so well for you. I’m sure you’re making a fine sister. Sisterhood can be very rewarding, I would know from personal experience after all!

Anyways, I’m not writing just to stroke your ego, well okay maybe a little, but I’m also writing because I wanted to talk to you about something that has been on my mind for a while now and I feel now would be the best time to bring it up.

It’s been many years, and you’ve grown and changed so much in said years that I think now is an excellent time for you to come visit Equestria and meet with Celestia. It would only be temporary of course, but I am certain she would love to hear from you and see how far you’ve come along in your friendship lessons. As your former mentor, it would likely bring you both some closure to see each other.

I understand this might be a very difficult choice to make, given that the past while forgiven still exists, but I think you can trust Celestia. She was my mentor too, and she is a very kind and forgiving soul, she will not hold your past against you. I truly believe this is an important part of your friendship lessons, to face the past and be ready to conquer your future.

Please consider it. Get back to me as soon as you can.

Sincerely,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

Sunset winced just at the thought of meeting with Celestia. Sure it was true that she had changed quite a bit since initially trying to take over all of Equestria when she was fueled by anger and hatred, but part of her still had a hard time thinking what her former mentor might think of her. Celestia was forgiving, but Sunset still had a difficult time facing the disappointment that Celestia likely felt over her.

Carefully, she scribbled in the book to write back to Twilight.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I wish it were that simple. Celestia and I haven’t spoken for over five years now. I can’t just walk back into her castle like nothing happened. Yes, she may forgive me, but I don’t feel I’m ready to face the disappointment she will feel. Even if she gets over it, it’s still hard for me to think about meeting her again. I’ve only really been reformed for over a year now, I think I need more time to prove myself before such a meeting between the two of us can occur.

I appreciate you looking out for me, but please understand that I need to do this on my own terms. If it’s going to happen, I need to control how and when it’ll happen. Likely I will want you there for such a meeting, actually, I definitely will want you there, but not until I’m ready.

When I finally do face her it will be because I’ve completely forgiven myself for what I was. While it’s definitely happening, it’s not a quick process.

I’ll think it over though, and consider when I am ready to do this. Thank you, Twilight, for caring and just being there for me when I need someone. You’re the princess of friendship for a reason for sure!

Love,

Sunset Shimmer

Content with her response, Sunset placed the book on the coffee table, causing the light-sleeping Shimmer to stir and finally wake. She looked up at Sunset with a gentle yawn as she continued to lay in her lap.

“What was that all about?” She asked.

Sunset shook her head and petted the girl’s head just above her ear. Stroking her soft hair, Sunset whispered to her as she tried to lull her back to sleep. “Just Princess Twilight, she wanted to know how I was doing.”

Shimmer nodded and yawned. “What’d you tell her?”

Sunset leaned down and kissed her sister’s forehead gently, causing her to blush. “That I’m having a great time with my little sister.”

Shimmer giggled, knowing she was likely lying, but she allowed it to pass. “I love you, big sis…”

Sunset paused but nodded as she spoke the words back. “I love you too, little sis.”

It felt so natural, so fluent; it felt like this place was home.

Home.

It had a nice ring to it.

Author's Note

Wow first time ever drawing Rarity for the story so far! Crazy. I also have been going back and editing older chapters to fix mistakes or errors. Always trying to improve the story. Thanks to Applety again for the amazing drawings every week!

Behind the scenes: I actually really enjoy writing Rarity but sadly the story up to this point hadn't given me many chances to make dialogue for her.