chapter 1: nightmares on the bus

“I can’t thank you girls enough. You help us save this camp. We are in your debt.” Thanked Gloriosa Daisy once again, as the Rainbooms started packing their things on the bus to go home.

Sunset smiled and answered for what must have been the fiftieth time that day, “It’s no problem. Really. You’re not in our debt or anything like that. We are just glad that more kids will get the chance to discover themselves at this camp, and have fun while doing so.”

“Ahaha! You guys are awesome!” Gloriosa yelled smiling wildly.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward from putting her bag into the bottom of the bus and said, “You know it! And now other kids will have the chance to become just as awesome as me! Well, maybe.”

“Ugh Rainbow. Do ya really need to gloat like that?” Applejack said while rolling her eyes.

Rainbow smiled smugly and said, “Yeah. I want people to know how awesome I am.”

Applejack arched an eyebrow, “Yeah, well you can do that without shouting from the rooftops every single time you get a drink of water or have your damn period!” she retorted.

Sunset’s jaw dropped at hearing this.

“OOOOOHHHHH!!!!!” Pinkie Pie shouted from the rest of the group. “RRREEEKT!”

Sunset roared with laughter as Rainbow Dash’s smile dropped and her cheeks erupted in a blush.

“Hey! A little below the belt don’t think?” Rainbow asked, embarrassed. “I have never done that in my life!” she pouted.

Applejack looked a little guilty. A little. “Alright Rainbow ah’m sorry.” Applejack smiled again, “But still that would be pretty funny and weird image though.” She said while giggling.

Rainbow thought about it for a moment. Then she started giggling too. “Hehe you’re right AJ, that would be weird. Besides you’re the only one who would get crazy enough to do that.”

Applejack feigned hurt. “No ah wouldn’t.” Then she smiled again. “Ah get the feelin’ that Pinkie would probably do that.” She said while giggle harder.

“Hey!” Pinkie said looking up from putting her bag in the bus. Then she started laughing much to the relief of everyone.

Sunset interjected and said, “You’re right Applejack.”

Applejack had a smug look on her face. “Thank you Sunse-” She almost said but Sunset cut her off.

“You’d spend your time trying to shove apples up all are asses.” Sunset said while grinning wildly.

Everybody roared with laughter as by now this whole thing had become a big joke.

“Okay guys you get your stuff on the bus.” Sunset said after the laughter died down a little. She looked over to Twilight Sparkle and saw her staring at Timber Spruce, who appeared to be talking to some donors twenty feet away. Twilight’s bags were at her side unmoved. Sunset looked a little closer and what she saw made her giggle. Twilight’s eyes were half lidded, she appeared to be leaning a little and was twirling her right index finger with the bottom of her shirt. There was also a light blush on her face.

Sunset smirked and walked over to Twilight, who didn’t hear or notice. She banged on the side of the bus.

Nothing.

Sunset frowned. “Ahem.” She coughed, trying once to get her zoned out friend’s attention before something embarrassing happens.

Nothing.

Sunset sighed. She had one last option, but wasn’t sure it would go well. She put on a smirk again.

“Fantasizing already Twilight? You’re moving a little fast don’t ya think?” Sunset said as she placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. Sure enough her intuition once again proved correct.

“EEEEK! I wasn’t staring I was packing!” Twilight shouted as she twirled around, grabbed her bags and threw them into the bus with a loud thunk. Her face was as red as a tomato.

Sunset had to duck to avoid the flying bags. When she stood to see Twilight’s red face however she burst out laughing. “Hey Twilight, I j-just wanted to l-let you know that I-I think we are g-gonna be leaving soon.” Sunset said while giggling like crazy.

Twilight’s blush still didn’t let up. “O-okay. I’m s-sorry. I j-just-” She was about to say but Sunset cut her off.

“It’s okay Twilight. It is perfectly fine.” she said while looking directly into Twilight’s eyes, having stopped giggling. “I just don’t want you to be doing...ya know…THAT,” Sunset gestured with her hands to emphasize her point, “here ya'know it’s-”

“Yeah yeah. I got it.” Twilight said, already knowing what Sunset was trying to say.

“Yeah.” Sunset agreed.

Sunset looked over to behind the bus to see Fluttershy cuddling with and talking with a stray cat and some other wild animals.

Twilight looked at sunset with a very serious face, “Sunset, can you promise me that you won’t tell a SOUL about this?” She asked with an almost threatening tone.

“Yeah yeah, sure. I will. I promise.” Sunset said, somewhat absentmindedly as she prepared to go get Fluttershy.

She walked about two steps when a purple magic aura surrounded her and yanked her back with force. In a moment, she was right in front of Twilight’s face. Sunset looked to Twilight's neck and saw her purple pendant glowing softly.

Sunset looked into Twilight's eyes. “What?” She asked, surprised by Twilight’s sudden aggression.

“Promise me.” Twilight asked, with a serious tone.

“Promise you what?” Sunset asked, completely confused.

Twilight growled. ‘Did she even pay attention? This is serious!’ She thought to herself, angry that Sunset wasn’t paying attention.

“Promise me that you won’t tell anyone about...this.” Twilight said, that last part making the blush on her face come back again, but much less profound than last time.

“Yes, yes I promise.” Sunset said, irritated that Twilight would hold her up like this. The bus is going to leave soon.

Twilight wasn’t convinced just yet. She released Sunset from her magic.

Sunset prepared to leave again but Twilight stopped her. “Don’t leave yet.”

“Okay?” Sunset said, deciding to just listen to get this over with.

“Raise your right hand.” Twilight ordered. Sunset did as she was told as Twilight did the same.

“Repeat after me.” Twilight ordered again.

‘Where is she going with this?’ Sunset thought to herself as she waited for Twilight to speak.

“I promise.” Twilight said.

“I promise.” Sunset repeated.

“To not.”

“To not.”

“Tell anyone.”

“Tell anyone.”

“That I almost masturbated in public.”

“That I almost masterbhumph-I mean you almost masturbated in public.” Sunset choked back a laugh. She prayed Twilight didn’t notice the rude action.

Twilight noticed the action, but didn’t mention it. The mistake was kind of funny. If they were twelve. Besides, she was satisfied with what had been said.

“Thank you.” Twilight said, with a slightly relieved voice.

Sunset was still slightly irritated. “Twilight what did you do that for?” she asked with a frown.

Twilight looked at Sunset with a slightly guilty face. “I’m sorry Sunset. I just wanted to make doubly sure no one would know.”

“Twilight. Do you not trust me?” Sunset asked, feeling genuinely hurt.

Twilight looked even more guilty. “Yes I trust you Sunset, but with a matter as sensitive as this I want to place an extra lock and key, figuratively speaking. I mean, wouldn’t you be a little worried, if you had to tell someone something so sensitive?” she reasoned.

Sunset thought about it. “Yeah, that makes sense I guess.” She said, the hurt leaving her body.

Twilight smiled, not feeling guilty anymore. “So, promise?” She asked.

Sunset sighed and smiled back. “Promise.” She said and they shook hands.

They pulled their hands back Sunset looked over to Fluttershy hugging the stray cat behind the bus.

“Okay. You ready to go?” Sunset asked as she looked into the storage compartment for the bus. Both Sunset and Twilight winced as they looked at the bags scattered around the compartment, while the other bags were placed neatly.

Twilight looked at Sunset with an embarrassed face. “Yes.” She said quietly.

Sunset laughed. “Okay, well I’d better get Flutters before she decides to take another stray animal home.” She said and made over way to Fluttershy.

While Sunset was walking over to Fluttershy, she heard the familiar voice of principal Celestia call out, “Okay kids! Five more minutes until we have to get on the bus and go home!”

Sunset smirked. ‘I thought she would say that soon.’ She thought to herself as she adjusted her pendant.

Flutters was cuddling with A brown and ginger colored cat and cooing in the adorableness. Sunset smiled. “Come on Fluttershy, let’s leave the animals in their OWN habitat for once. Okay?" She said.

Fluttershy pouted. “Aww, but they’re so adorable.” She said with her signature softness.

“I know.” Sunset replied. “But you have enough animals at home, and you have the animal shelter.”

Fluttershy continued to pout for a moment, then finally let up. “Okay fine.” she said, with a little bit of frustration. She stood up.

Sunset smiled. “There you go Flutters. Now, let’s your bags on the bus, it’ll be leaving soon.” She said, as she gestured to the bus.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened at that. “What! The bus is leaving!” She asked, a little louder than normal.

Sunset giggled at Flutters’ worried expression. “No, not quite yet, but it will be leaving very soon. You should get your bags to-”

“Okay! I got it!” Fluttershy cut Sunset off as she ran off with her bags.

Sunset sighed and walked over to the front of the bus. She saw Fluttershy place her bags into the storage compartment, look around worriedly and sigh in relief as she still had time to mingle a little.

Sunset looked around Fluttershy and saw Rarity with at least six large bags. ‘Why must she need so many bags?’, Sunset thought to herself as she walked over to her fashionista friend.

“Hey Rare. You need some help?” Sunset asked as she gestured the surely heavy bags.

Rarity looked over the Sunset with a grateful expression. “Thanks for the offer darling, but I've got it.” She said. The Rarity lifted her hand in the air and she waved it over the bags. The pendant on her neck glowed softly before a diamond barrier wrapped itself around one of the bags. Rarity waved her hand in the direction of the storage compartment and the bag floated over to the opening and placed itself inside.

Sunset began to pick up bags anyway. “We need to hurry because the bus is going to leave soon.” She said as she lifted to heavy bag into the compartment. Sunset grunted. “You of all people wouldn’t want to stay here.” She said.

Rarity gasped. “Oh god no. I would never give up my daily spa trips.” She said as the last bag floated into along with the rest of the bags.

Sunset rolled her eyes at that response. She looked around and sighed. “Well that everyone’s bags.”

Sunset heard a sharp whistle before principal Celestia's voice called out. “Time to go CHS! Everybody on the bus!” She ordered.

Sunset looked over to Rarity and said “Well, you heard the woman, you get on the bus. I’ll be there in a minute. I just gotta close this.”

Sunset prepared to close to compartment door but vice principal Luna stopped her. “That won’t be necessary Sunset. But I thank you for helping putting the bags away. Now run along to your friends on the bus.” She said to Sunset.

“Are you sure VP Luna? The door looks really heavy.” Sunset asked as she examined the slidable metal plate. It indeed looked as though moving it would require more than just a little effort.

Luna feigned insult. “Hey, I’m not that old.” She said while smiling playfully. With a grunt, she pulled down the sliding door with a fairly loud clank. Then Luna walked over to each side of the storage door and did up the clasps, securing the door shut.

Sunset was slightly surprised “she’s stronger than she looks.” She muttered to herself.

Luna looked over at Sunset with a light frown. “I heard that.” She said.

Sunset blushed with her eyes wide and immediately started stammering. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t m-mean it like that.”

Luna started laughing. “I’m just messing with you Sunset. Come on. Let’s get on the bus before my sister scolds us both.” She said while leading sunset over to the bus entrance, where principal Celestia waited.

“Come on girls, the bus driver doesn’t have all day you know.” Celestia said with a smirk.

“We’re coming principal Celestia.” Sunset replied with a smiled as she got onto the bus.

Sunset walked to the back of the bus where she found a lone seat. Twilight was in the seat across from her also alone. In front of Twilight were Applejack and Rainbow Dash playing a game on their phones. Across from them were Fluttershy and Rarity looking at and discussing pictures of animals in cute tiny clothes from their phones, the occasional “aww” coming from them. Pinkie Pie sat in front of them looking and talking non-stop, much to the annoyance of Flutters and Rare.

Sunset sat down in the empty seat and placed her purse on her right side and slumped, relaxed. She looked around and sighed as principal Celestia began a head count. She had so many good friends now. ‘And to think I used to treat these people horribly. Now; they love me like a sister.’ Sunset thought happily to herself as the bus started to move. Her thoughts were cut off however as Twilight came barreling into her seat and opened the window.

Sunset was confused at first until she heard Timber Spruce's voice shout, “TWILIGHT HERE!!” She then saw Twilight’s pendant glow and in another moment a piece of paper zoomed through the window and into Twilight’s outstretched hand. Twilight unfurled the paper from her hand and Sunset understood. On the paper were the numbers 630-8952.

Sunset looked over at Twilight who had a wide grin on her face. Sunset then smiled and said, “Nice one Twilight! He’ll be staying with you for a long while.”

Twilight sighed dreamily. “I hope so.” She said, just as dreamily.

“Yeah.” Sunset replied. Then her smile turned into a teasing grin. She elbowed Twilight in the side and said “Hey, maybe that fantasy of yours will turn into a reality.” Sunset wiggled her eyebrows to emphasize her point.

Twilight blushed violently and said, “Shut the hell up.” while giggling and slapping Sunset’s arm away.

Sunset giggled as well as she watched Twilight sit back in her seat and pull out a book, blush still flaring away on her cheeks. She sat back in her seat and looked out the window. ‘I love this new life I have. I hope it never changes.’ Sunset thought to herself as she was pulled into a pleasant sleep.

It was cold and dark as the man stumbled through the alleyway, pain radiating from the massive burn marks in the shape of claw marks in his side. Blood was leaking from many other wounds on his body. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He looked to his left and gasped in fear, ducking to avoid another fireball aimed straight at his face. The man started running again, his footfalls very loud as he splashed through the puddles on the concrete. His eyes widened as heard the footfalls of his pursuer getting closer.

Sunset awoke to a hot sensation in her hand. When she opened her eyes what she saw terrified her. Her right hand was completely ablaze. Sunset also noticed she was walking in an alleyway steadily. She looked into a puddle on the ground and her heart skipped a beat. Staring up at her was herself, but she had demonic red eyes and orange pupils. The she-demon from the Fall Formal had nothing on this. Sunset looked at her left hand and saw, instead of five fingers, five claws as long as bananas adorned her palm. Blood was dripping off of them in a steady stream. She thought for a second and knew it was the blood from the person she was chasing. She didn’t know how she was chasing somebody, she just knew.

Sunset continued down into the alleyway, down it’s twists and turns, of which the alleyway had many for some strange reason. She looked down on the ground and saw a trail of red on the ground. She knew what to do. Sunset followed the blood trail down the alleyway. As she was walking, she tried to think of why she chasing this man. As if something read her mind, a memory made itself known in her mind.

As Sunset walked through the door to her home she was immediately blasted with a wave of copper smell. Sunset gagged. She walked a little ways into her living room and gasped, her eyes watering.

Her friends.

All of them.

Dead.

Mutilated.

Sunset cried as she observed the corpses of her friends. Each of them with limbs scattered around the room. there was blood, splattered all around as well. The couches, the coffee table, even the TV had blood on it. The stench of the room very nearly made Sunset throw up. She walked into the dining room and she froze. There was a man standing there, ready to escape out the back door, a wicked smile on is his face. After a moment of the two staring at each other the man's face went from smug to fearful. At first Sunset was a little confused, but then she caught on as she realized she clenching her teeth. Hard. She also noticed that both her hands were balled into fists and they were shaking a lot. White hot embers were also dissipating from them. Sunset barely noticed that she was growling softly under her breath. Quivering in fear, the man ran outside into the rainy night.

Sunset wanted to hurt this man. She wanted to kill him. She was going kill him. No one was going to stop her. She had no one left.

Sunset looked around for a moment then found what she was looking for. Princess Twilight’s crown lay on the next two a chair that had Applejack's ripped off arm on it. Sunset walked over to the chair and stared at the crown. She was going to make him suffer.

Sunset picked up the crown and looked at the star gem in the middle. She saw her reflection and what she saw made her curious. She wasn’t clenching her teeth anymore. Her face was almost completely blank; but Sunset knew better. In behind her eyes was a grief and rage that even the greatest monsters from Equestria would cower before.

The eyes of someone with absolutely nothing left to lose.

Sunset placed the crown on her head and felt a surge of power swarm through her. She took a steady breath, and set out to find and destroy the man that destroyed everything she held dear; and anything that stood in her way of achieving this goal.

Sunset blinked and she was back in the alleyway. She looked at a puddle on the ground and, sure enough, Princess Twilight’s crown lay on her head; but the star gem had a crack with glowing embers floating out of it. Sunset turned her gaze over to the alleyway and saw the man she was chasing. He had collapsed, most likely from pain. Sunset approached him and he looked up weakly at her. There was absolute terror in his eyes.

Sunset’s right hand lit on fire again and she picked up the man by the neck. Only then did she realized that she was much taller than he was. She towered over him. Sunset could feel her fingers burning into his neck as her left hand extended into claws again. She lifted her left hand and pressed her claws into the man’s stomach. Her claws slowly sunk into his abdomen and an extremely ragged, strangled and coughed, whimper sounded from him as fresh blood and guts poured onto sunset hand.

“Sunset.”

That voice. The voice of her friends. Now beginning to haunt Sunset’s mind. It only fueled Sunset’s rage and grief further as she dragged her claws up the man’s abdomen and towards his chest, completely disemboweling him. Sunset’s right hand began to burn hotter and the man’s flesh began to turn to crisp.

“Sunset!”

The voice is getting louder now. Teasing her. Torturing her with its existence. Nearly the man’s entire body was nothing but black crust. Using her magic, Sunset forced the man’s eyes to open, function and look directly into her glowing eyes. She wanted him to look her in the eye as she destroyed him. Her hand squeezed harder and that man face began to crumble from the bottom up.

“Sunset!!!”

The voice is extremely loud now. Hot, angry tears poured down Sunset’s face as her hand continued to squeeze harder and harder. The man’s face was unrecognizable.

“Suunsseeeet!!!”

The voice was getting unbearable. It rampages through her mind. Making her even more angry. Just a little more and the man would be nothing but a pile of ash.

“SSSSUUUUNNNNSSSEEET!!!!!!!”

With a massive shriek, Sunset awoke inside the bus.

“Come on ya’ll, give her some space.” A voice said.

Sunset gasped, she knew that southern accent anywhere. She looked over to her right to Applejack’s face filled with concern, but a little far away.

“Are ya alright Sunset?” Applejack asked.

Happy tears began to pour down sunset’s face. “Y-y-you’re alive.” She whispered.

Applejack arched an eyebrow. “Uh. Yeah, we’re ali - oof!” she was about to say but Sunset cut her off.

Sunset leaped into applejack’s arms and sobbed. “You’re alive. O-oh god, y-you’re alive.” She continued to sob.

“Hey, I think she had a nightmare.” Pinkie’s voice sounded out from the distance.

Applejack looked at Pinkie for a moment. Then back to Sunset, still crying in her arms. “Hey. Hey. You’re alright. We’re not dead. You had a nightmare.”

Sunset looked up to Applejack and sniffled, tears pouring down her cheeks. “A n-n-nightmare?”

AJ nodded her head and smiled down at her friend. “Uhuh. A nightmare. That’s all. It wasn’t real. We’re still a-alive.” Applejack stuttered that last part, only now taking in the implications of all those “you’re alive”s. She gave Sunset a firm hug until Sunset stopped crying.

It took a few minutes for Sunset to stop crying and calm down. When Applejack stopped feeling broken breaths on her left shoulder she made Sunset lift her head to face her. “Are ya okay now?” Applejack asked.

Sunset sniffled and nodded her head.

Applejack smiled at this. She rubbed Sunset’s shoulder soothingly and said, “Alright. Now why not ya tell us all about this nightmare of yours. From the sound of things it seemed quite...interesting.”

“O-okay.” Sunset said as her friends her gave some space.

“It started like this.” Sunset said after a few deep breaths.

While Sunset was retelling the nightmare, her friends faces took on a number of emotions. Fear, shock, sympathy, just to name a few. More than once Sunset burst into tears while retelling what had happened in the nightmare. Her friends had to calm her down every time.

“And then I woke and you guys were right here, completely unharmed.” Sunset finally said.

All of Sunset’s friends gasped. “That must’ve felt awful.”

“Terrible.”

“Frightening to say the least.”

“I feel so bad.”

“I hope it never happens again.”

“Oh my god.”

They all said in near unison.

“Rarity, get my bag!” Fluttershy suddenly ordered in a very unusually firm tone. Rarity did as she was told as it was not smart to disobey the usually shy girl when she used a tone like that. She handed Fluttershy the bag. Then Fluttershy opened it up, reached inside and, a moment later, pulled out a her pet bunny named Angel.

Fluttershy looked to Sunset and handed her the bunny. “Here.” She said. “You need him.”

Sunset hesitated for a moment then took the bunny. “Uh...okay?” She said with uncertainty.

Sunset felt a smile crawl on her lips as Angel looked at Sunset with a bored expression. She gave the bunny a squeeze and looked to Fluttershy. “Thanks Flutters. That really helped.” Sunset said as she handed Angel back to his owner.

Fluttershy smiled. “Any time Sunset.” She said, back in her soft tone as she placed Angel back in her bag. She let the bag rest on her lap before zipping the bag back up most of the way, so that Angel can breathe.

Sunset looked around and finally started to take in the details of her surroundings. What she saw surprised her. There were burn marks everywhere. She looked over herself and gasped. Her entire bus seat was nearly burnt to a crisp. Sunset looked at her own clothes and blushed as the front of her shirt was slightly burnt as well, revealing a little more cleavage than she’d like. Sunset quickly grabbed the front of her shirt and lifted it up a little bit, covering herself up more.

Sunset looked at her friends with a curious face. “Uh...what happened guys?” She asked, nervous about what her friend’s response might be.

Fluttershy suddenly looked very nervous. “Uh...u-umm...well.” She looked over to Rarity. “Uh...R-Rare?” She asked her friend.

Rarity shook her head. “uh...AJ” She asked.

Applejack shook her head as well. She glanced at twilight. Twilight’s went wide. “Hell no. I’m not telling her.”

Sunset was getting irritated and scared. “Will somebody please tell me what hell happened when I was asleep!” She shouted suddenly.

“I’ll tell her.” Pinkie Pie said while rising up out of her seat.

Sunset looked concerned her friend. She was afraid Pinkie would get hurt standing up on a moving bus.

Applejack, noticing Sunset’s expression placed a hand her shoulder. “I’ll just say, what happened while you were asleep had caused the bus to have to stop.”

Sunset gulped.

Pinkie Pie looked to Applejack for permission to start talking. Nodding her head, Applejack whispered “slowly.” to her hyperactive friend.

Pinkie nodded back, took a deep breath and started talking; making sure she was slow so that Sunset could take it all in.

“So, first things first, you were just asleep. Then you started to breathe really heavy and squirming in your seat.” Pinkie told her friend.

Sunset was starting to squirm herself now. She was scared. She already didn’t like where this was heading.

Pinkie Pie continued her explanation. “I didn’t really pay attention at first. I just thought you were dreaming about Flash Sentry.”

Sunset blushed after hearing this.

“I started to pay attention when it didn’t look like you were having a good dream. You were really fidgeting a lot. You were flinging your arms around like this.” Pinkie yanked her left arm forward as if she were firing a kind of laser from her hands. Her right arm was, for some reason, hidden by Fluttershy’s and Rarity’s seat.

“I was a little worried as your hands looked weird. They were glowing, but not like you were using your magic, more like a fiery glow. Then your pendant started to glow bright like you were using magic. On top of that, it was starting to get hot on the bus. Like really hot.” Pinkie continued to say as she fidgeted with her right arm, and winced almost as if she was in pain.

Sunset noticed this and grew worried. ‘Did I hurt Pinkie?’ She thought to herself as she listened to Pinkie explain what happened.

“Like I said, I was worried, so I moved toward you to get your attention. Your hands were glowing with magic and the bus was getting really hot. They had to be connected.” Pinkie was starting to look worried herself. Her right arm was moving a lot now, still hidden behind the seat next to her.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay so…” Pinkie Pie paused to take a breath. She appeared to be having difficulty talking.

‘Oh my god.’ Sunset thought to herself. ‘Pinkie Pie never has trouble talking.’ Sunset dreaded what was going to be told next.

“W-when I went t-t-tap on your shoulder...you...you.” Pinkie’s stuttered as her eyes began to water.

Applejack had seen enough. “Ya opened your eyes and grabbed her arm.” She said angrily. Then she went over to the now crying Pinkie Pie, sat her down in Fluttershy’s and Rarity’s sea and began to shush her.

Sunset was slightly confused. ‘Grabbed her arm? How could just grabbing her arm make her cry like this? She’s not that sensitive.’ She thought to herself.

“Is that what’s making Pinkie cry like this?” Sunset asked Applejack, who had calmed Pinkie down.

Applejack looked over to Sunset and shook her head. “Not even close.” She then looked to the now sniffling Pinkie and asked, “Can ya show her?”

Pinkie sniffled once more and wiped her nose with the outside of her left arm. She then nodded her head and stood up. Then she slowly brought her right arm out into view. Sunset gasped for what must have been the tenth time today.

Pinkie Pie’s entire forearm was covered in gauze and bandages. It was almost as if her arm had been cut open. Sunset let out a shuddering breath and prayed that wasn’t what had been done. Applejack reached for Pinkie’s arm but stopped before touching it, looking to Pinkie for approval. After receiving a nod from the injured girl, Applejack as gently as she could, grabbed the tip of the bandage began to peel off the gauze. All the while Pinkie muttering “ouch ouch ouch” the whole time.

It took a full minute but all the gauze and bandages was finally taken off. What was revealed shocked Sunset for the fifth time today. There, on Pinkie Pie’s arm was a burn mark; but not just any old burn mark, no; this burn mark was in the exact shape of Sunset Shimmer’s hand print.

“T-that?” Sunset asked pointing to the wound with a shaky finger.

Applejack just nodded.

Sunset looked like she was about to faint at this point. “What else did I do?” She asked, guilt searing through her form.

“Relax, you didn’t hurt anyone else. Well aside from giving us all a good scare anyway. Principal Celestia tripped when you grabbed onto Pinkie, but vice principal Luna broke her fall. Celestia Hit her funny bone, and Luna fell on her ass, but aside from that, none of them are injured.” Applejack reassured.

Sunset breathed a sigh of relief. She still felt extremely guilty about hurting Pinkie; but if Sunset remembered her dream correctly there was one thing she needed to know. “Uh. Applejack, when I opened my eyes and I grabbed Pinkie, what did my eyes look like?” She asked.

Just like that, the tension that had dissipated rose up again. Applejack was visibly nervous when she gave her answer. “Now Sunset, don’t be alarmed when ah tell ya. Okay?” she asked Sunset.

Sunset steeled herself and prepared to hear the news.

Applejack took a deep breath and said “When you opened your eyes, they looked like the ones ya had from the Fall Formal.”

The silence that had made itself known in the bus was overwhelming.

‘That is even worse!’ Sunset thought to herself fearfully. This was more scary because this was actually real. Not in the dream world.

Applejack caught onto to Sunset’s fearful expression, but before she was able to try and comfort Sunset, Twilight was already there.

“Hey.” Twilight said to her frightened friend.

Sunset looked over to Twilight after hearing her voice.

“Nothing is going to happen Sunset.” Twilight said firmly.

Sunset didn’t look entirely convinced.

Twilight also noticed this. “You said it yourself Sunset. ‘Embrace the magic.’ Like we did.” She said to her friend.

“But your guy’s magic isn’t FIRE. It could really hurt you. It already has. I-I don’t want to become a monster again.” Sunset tried to argue, gesturing Pinkie Pie’s arm, but Twilight didn’t let her finish. Fresh tears were beginning to well up in Sunset’s eyes.

Twilight made Sunset look her right in the eye and said, “Now Sunset you listen to me. You are not. A bad. Person. You will not turn into a monster.”

“How do you know? You weren’t there.” Sunset argued again. Turning her head away from Twilight’s gaze.

Twilight knew exactly what to say. “I know you won’t turn into a monster. We won’t let you.”

Sunset looked around and saw all her friends giving confident smiles. That confidence was contagious as she felt a smile tug on her lips before finally forming on her mouth.

“Thanks guys. That means a lot to me.” Sunset said, now smiling happily.

Applejack dipped her hat. “Hey. We’re your friends Sunset. We’re not gonna let you down. Not now. Not ever.” She said.

Rainbow Dash was next to give her piece. “Yeah! We’re not gonna let something like this keep you down!” She said with utmost confidence.

They all smiled for a moment before principal Celestia’s voice broke the silence. “Well, if this situation is all over then I think it would best if we got going.” She said with a smile of her own.

Sunset looked to her principal standing behind everyone. Sunset instantly got up and went over to Celestia, apologizing all the way.

Throughout all this not a single person noticed the crack that had formed in Sunset's pendant, which was now glowing softly.

“I told you I’m fine Sunset. Neither one of us could have had any idea what was going to happen.” Principal Celestia said to Sunset again.

“Are you absolutely sure?” Sunset asked, still worried for her principal’s well-being.

After receiving a nod, Sunset finally relented.

Celestia sighed. “Can we please go home now?” she asked, almost sounding like she was begging.

Sunset sat back in her seat. “Uhuh. I’m okay now.” she said.

Celestia breathed relief. “Thank you.” she said as she nodded to the bus driver. A few moments later, the bus was moving and they were on the road home again.

Author's Note

Hello everypony! My name is 'Sunset is the assassin' and this is the first chapter for this story! I apologize for any grammar mistakes. I have edited them out as best as I can, but if you find any more then feel free, my dear reader(s), to show them to me in comments! I wish to make this a great reading experience that you can enjoy, so constructive criticism is also encouraged. I only ask that you not be (too) mean.

One last thing! For those who wish to know this is a story which is directly based off of the Assassin's Creed and My Little Pony crossover, called 'Leap of Faith' which was written by 'a bag of plums', in partnership with 'cinders of war'. For those whom are concerned that I copied their story, let it be known that I received permission from 'cinders of war' to write this version of their story. He said he was interested in seeing what I had to show. If you don't believe me, I'm sure I can a find way to prove that I have permission.

Anyway...That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy reading! BYEEEE!