Chapters CHS was once a proud school, where many students hopes and dreams came to fruition, but that was a long time ago, now the school was overgrown, while many bodies threw themselves at the doors, some literally falling apart, but there were always more, some taking the broken away while new bodies replaced them.
one year ago
A blizzard was blowing in, causing the streets to be abandoned, and they were except for one red-headed girl clutching her jacket to herself, she kept walking as the wind picked up, then the flakes came, finally the blizzard hit full force, taking the visibility down to zero, the girl was trapped in the storm where she just kept walking, until she started glowing, and then gone, distorting the space in front of her, and then she was gone, her footsteps wiped away by the snow, masking her disappearance, or her escape, but all that mattered was that she was gone, leaving nothing but a book with her name on it.
3 days later, after winter break
CHS was in full swing, the Students happier then they had been in a while, the reason was because Anon-a-miss was gone, the account was taken down and Sunset shimmer was nowhere to be found, in fact, many of the honor roll students who knew her noticed she hadn't been to school in three days.
"Can applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and rarity please come to my office immediately." The intercom sounded.
"why did you pull us out of class," Rarity asked
"well, as you know or I think you did, that Sunset was our best student, top of her class in everything, she was the brightest student we had."
The girls rolled their eyes, they thought that with Anon-a-miss disappearing, and Sunset not showing up they were rid of her, but here they were hearing the principle talk her up.
"Look, I'm sure she had you fooled, but she really was at fault, why is this our problem, she is gone and anon-a-miss is gone with her, why are we even talking about her?" Rainbow asked acidly.
"Well, maybe this is the reason," Celestia said as she pushed a familiar journal forward, the girls leaning in too read the text.
Dear, former friends.
As you know, Someone on your side ruined The life of my friend, Sunset Shimmer.
Well, I'm less then pleased, and if I could, I would chew you out in person, but I can't, be thankful for that.
The journal that connected our worlds and the mirror were destroyed so that If something ever happens on your side, it can't bleed into my world or escape back.
Sincerely,
your former Friend T. S.
The girls stepped back in horror unable to believe that the magic princess of friendship has abandoned them to whatever fate is in store, but before they could rationalize, the book promptly burst into flames for a few seconds before turning to ash.
"so that it then, if there are any more magical beings or artifacts, we're screwed!?" Rainbow Dash cried out, now that the realization was voiced it hit them like a train.
"B-but she can't leave us, she just can't, she wouldn't leave us, her friends?" Pinkie asked before she promptly became wide-eyed and stopped, her mind shutting down for a few minutes as the girls walked around trying to come to terms.
Celestia simply looked ahead with no warmth or empathy, instead, she simply asked Luna to show them back to class, and she did, the girls were in a state of turmoil, unable to focus on any classes, or even eat lunch instead they all went through their day empty.
Meanwhile, on Innistrad, right after the jump.
A fiery-haired girl fell out of thin air glowing brightly, like she was on fire, in fact, when she opened her eyes, she found she really was on fire, which caused her to start screaming and patting herself, but no matter what she did she could not put out the flames, before long though she realized that the flames were not hurting her, in fact, they didn't even singe her clothes, for which she was grateful.
"where am I?" Sunset asked nobody in particular.
"well child, you're on Innistrad, and by the looks of the fire, you're a new planeswalker, I thought Chandra was the only pyromancer, guess I was wrong, oh well, come child, I'll teach you to use of your powers, but be warned, my teachings are not looked upon kindly around here, be ready to face indefatigable scorn and isolation." A Women with Purple tattoos on her face, with glowing purple eyes, gesturing for her to follow her.
"Well, I got nothing left to lose, show me the way," Sunset said following the women into the nearby forest, where the shadow's bent in on themselves and skittering was always heard all around her, eventually she found the women waiting in a boat made of bones, the ferryman a decaying corpse with glowing eyes, causing Sunset to jump back, but the women in the boat simply gestured for her to sit, so she steeled herself and sat across from the women who didn't shy away from Sunset's burning body.
"so Child, whats your name, it's not often a fellow walker falls out of thin air, especially one as young as you, so tell me your story." the women asked warmly.
"my name is Sunset Shimmer, I don't remember where I come from," Sunset said, lying about where her origins.
"Well, well child, you learn fast, hiding your origins from me, very well, but tell me the way you found the spark since the spark is only discovered under distressing circumstances."
Sunset eyed the women, before she took in a deep breath, and started sharing her tale.
***
SECRET STEALER!!!
YOURE NOT OUR FRIEND ANYMORE!!!!
GET OUT OF HERE YA VARMIT!!!
YEA YOUR NOT WELCOME HERE!!!
they shouted, but Sunset had an answer for them, so took out her phone with a shaking hand and in a flash, she smashes the phone across the ground, before turning and running into the human CMC.
"you win, you can have them to yourselves, I hope that your crusade was worth I really do because you girls can tell them, I'm not coming back."
with that, she turned towards the coming blizzard and walked.
***
Sunset finished her story, leaving out the suicide part, but she didn't have too, the woman across from her knew.
This is going to be easy, making her my student, a blank slate ready for my teachings. She thought.
"by the way, the name is Lillianna."
((Post Innistrad))
Three girls watched from behind the glass as Sunset tried to defend herself, but it was no use, they saw her smash her phone in a fit of rage, before turning and stalking out of the store, she made it outside before quietly turning to the three girls.
"you win, you can have them to yourselves, I hope that your crusade was worth I really do because you girls can tell them, I'm not coming back."
this rattled the young girls, they looked at each other, before turning to Sunset who still stood there.
"We are sorry, we didn't mean for this to happen." applebloom tried to apologize.
"bullshit kiddo, I know you hated me, I knew that you would never stop hating me, but your hollow apology and empty words mean nothing, go ahead delete the account, I know that you won't be able to resist, besides by this time tomorrow, what happened here tonight won't mean anything," Sunset replied chuckling hollowly.
"Look we're trying to apologize!!!" Sweetie belle stomped.
"I don't forgive you."
"WHY NOT?!"
"I tried, I tried so hard, but in the end, none of it mattered, nor will it ever matter, so here at the end I refuse to give you closure, from now on, your just gonna have to live with the shitty thing you did."
"I uh.... totally outta the blue, but Sunset, you forgot your coat inside," Applebloom said then realization dawned on her, being a farmer she was no stranger to death, and this time it was no different, she saw that sunset had no coat, nothing to protect her from the blizzard coming.
"So I did, oh well, see you in a few decades," Sunset said, before taking off running into the night, leaving the three young girls emotional wrecks.
Destruction of the book
After Sunset left, she was still right, they couldn't face the consequences, not because they feared the punishments of Celestia, their sisters or even the fallout, no they couldn't stand to face themselves and the fact that thanks too them, someone lost their life, they had heard the stories of teens and adults unable to stand the pressure but to actually go through with it, it made them sick, so they deleted the account and buried their sins.
"hey scootaloo, How are you holding up?" Applebloom asked when they met at their tree house later.
"Honestly, I feel like I'm dying, everywhere I look, I see our sins on display, I actually forgot Sunset tutored quite a few of the younger students."
"Ah know, I also forgot that Sunset helped out here quite a lot, in fact without her around, the workload seems doubled."
"Wow, I didn't know that she was such a influence around the school." Sweetie belle chimed in.
"So, any idea's on what we should do today?"
The girls shrugged, so they simply went back to the house and spent the next few hours playing on Applebloom's old game console, trying to forget their sins and bury their regret.
Meanwhile
"IT'S FINISHED!!!!" a girl a lab coat cried, as she held up a strange device.
very good miss sparkle, very good. a deep baritone voice echoed around her, a voice no one but she could hear.
"Thanks, but why have me make this?"
You want to understand magic don't you?
"well yes, but where will we get the 'magic' as you call it"
patience, you will get it in time, for now, simply follow my instructions, and you will have a deeper understanding of magic then you can possibly wish for, but for now, I want you too look into a place called CHS, trust me. its presence in the room fading.
Meanwhile, the girl meanwhile turned to a table covered in a white bed sheet, underneath it was an ancient skeleton that she somehow got a hold of, definitely not grave robbing.
"Alright, let's see if I can get this damn thing moving like I did a few days ago!!!" she cried with glee as she started humming and concentrating, her hand glowing as the skeleton's eyes started glowing purple, soon the sound of rattling bones filled the air, soon it was standing upright, little veins of magic holding the bones together, before she touched its forehead, causing it to fall apart.
"woof" a small misty dog yipped, as it phased through the walls.
"Hello Spike, I just finished my latest experiment!!!!" she held it up to the floating dog who sniffed it, then growled.
"Yes the voice guided me in making it, but cmon, the ability to capture the magic, eventually I may be able to place you into a body, a real one, not a mechanical one."
The dog tilted his head to the side, before suddenly hearing something and runs off phasing through the wall once again, leaving his owner alone, as she opened a book and began writing down notes.
*on a distant plane*
Ahead of fiery hair shot straight up, her eyes wide, that is until she noticed bottles all around her, she held her head for a few moments, seeing if there were signs of a migraine, but none surfaced, so she got up and left a bag of gold on the counter and a quickly scrawled note.
"for Dismas and Raynolds tab"
She planeswalked away, arriving in front of a surprised blue mage, who almost walked into her.
"I felt him, I felt bolas make his move," she said.
"WHERE!?" he asked urgently.
Sunset held onto her forehead trying to pinpoint where, but so far, he had done a good job of eluding her, but what she did know is that he has yet to actually manifest on that world.
"I cant pinpoint him, but I know that he's been there, but not long enough to leave a magic trail, all I know is that he has a puppet, and he's using her for something big, really really big."
"damn, maybe next time we'll catch him, but for now, you can rest here, you look like you need it."
Sunset grinned, her fangs showing just over her bottom lips before nodding and heading into the small village, where she could find an inn, and maybe a few supplies, for her long journey.
((Innistrad, 4 days later.))
"What was that it was pathetic," Lillianna said watching sunset fail once again to blast apart what appeared to be a heavily armored zombie.
Sunset growled as she held her hands up again her hands glowing as she let loose another bolt from her hands, only this time, it caught it the chest causing it to explode outwards, in a huge fan of fire, Sunset looked warily at her mentor.
"better, but still sloppy, using that much energy for a simple zombie is a waste, try again." She said waving her hand, putting the zombie back together.
"Fine."
Sunset held up her hand, glowing brighter and brighter until- "okay stop, you're doing it wrong still, let me show you how to do this." Lillianna said, interrupting her spell she was building.
Lillianna quickly whipped out her hand-throwing a bolt of magic out, where it crashed into the zombie reducing it to a pile of dust.
"see, all that building must be done quickly, but it will take years to master it, so don't be too discouraged if you fail."
"let me try again."
"what?"
"I want to try again."
"very well, knock yourself out, kid."
Lillianna raised another zombie for Sunset to practice on, leaving her alone, as much fun as it was to taunt her, she was getting tired, it wasn't often that she spent this much time in one place, but raising her new apprentice took a lot out of her, so she went to her chambers.
Six hours later
Lillianna awoke to the sounds of howling and a scream, causing her to sit bolt upright because the scream sounded just like her new apprentice, but as she made her way to the front of her Mansion, passing the lab, she made it to the door but before she opened she saw a glowing orange aura.
"Oh, you worthless pup wanna play, let us play." A demonic voice sounded, Lillianna looked outside her window seeing that her apprentice was now sporting wings, her hands filled with fire, surrounded by about 4 werewolves, all lost to the primal madness, but before they even started to leap, she brought her hands forwards releasing a beam of pure heat, blasting the wolves apart, and setting the forest behind them in flames, the battle took all but six seconds, before the demon laid down on the ground and changed back, Lillianna brought her inside shortly after, and put her on the bed that normally was for her.
"first a planeswalker, and now she's a goddamn demon, what have I got myself into, whatever, she is now even more interesting, she kinda reminds me, of me.... damn." Lillianna mused out loud, but not enough to wake the sleeping girl.
The next day Sunset confided why she was out there, apparently, Sunset went into her mentor's lab to find a potion for mana, a way to replenish her magic stores, but when she went to make it, the core ingredient in it was out, so she figured she may find a few out in the marshes, but what she didn't count on was to run into a pack of feral werewolves, which was strange, Lillianna was sure that the packs here don't travel that far into the marshes.
"Well, looks like we will have to go into town, great oh well, stay close to me and whatever you do, don't wander off, or stray too far," Lillianna said, checking that her stores of various spell components were indeed low, meaning that they would have to travel either to trade for components or scavenge.
"Why?"
"Let's just say that people here don't appreciate people like you and me, and the last thing we need is for you to fall into the fanatical hands of the Inquisition, even though you're barely an adult, that won't stop them from doing unimaginable things to you for answers."
Sunset shivered and nodded as she and Lillianna set off on the boat, traveling upstream to a small village, Lillianna had her Skeleton oarsman go up to the dock and tie it to the dock, she stood up and got out helping Sunset up, they took a moment for the oarsman to hand them their bags, which surprised her.
"What's in here?"
"Flash powder, a dagger, medical herbs, and various other things that are for just in case, because we are going to be traveling for a while."
They didn't stay in town for long, there were already a good many stares that made Sunset uncomfortable, and Lillianna knew it, so they headed for the wall encircling the village.
"Keep your magic on hand at all times, there are things out there that will give you nightmares for days if you not careful, so be ready, and above all, don't worry about me, I can take of myself, your survival is always the most important thing, no matter what," Lillianna warned
"Alright, so where is our first city?"
"Hmm, it would be here, a small coastal village, unnamed but its fishing is always plentiful, and because it resides so close to the vampire and werewolf country, there is always the stuff we need, but its a month journey by foot."
"then why don't we teleport there?"
"Teleportation takes a large amount of mana, and it draws enormous attention when your enemies know you can do it."
"what about our boat?"
"well, that passes through the Ulvenwald forest, so not gonna happen either."
"Okay, so we are journeying by foot then."
they set out from the gate that had closed with a final clang, with a look at the large countryside, but Lillianna was not a foolish woman, she stopped about thirty yards from the gate and waved her hands while concentrating, soon two skeletal horses were waiting, purple fire dancing in their eyes.
"neat, and here I thought we would be walking, by the way, I saw four major regions on there."
"Thanks, and yes there are four major regions that we may get to in time."
"what are they?"
"the biggest city is gavony, there the cowards hide behind their walls and leave the rest of the realm undefended, next there is stensia, where people like us are safe from the ruthless inquisitors and other fanatics that would love to see us stamped out, next is kessig a dangerous region filled with ruthless wolves and other things that skulk in the night, finally there is nephalia, a coastal region, the river we were on would have led straight to Ulm, but we aren't going to any major cities, yet."
"well let the adventure begin."
((future, outside of sweet apple acres.))
Sunset reached the fence, on it sat a ghostly apparition, a teenage girl, who sat twirling her fingers, the bow in her hair frayed.
"When I came back, I didn't expect this, or well I knew someone that used to be kinda close to died, but you, I'm sorry it had to be you," Sunset said to the apparition.
Applebloom sat stock straight, as she phased through the fence, before looking at Sunset, who looked at her sadly, but for Apple Bloom, if a ghost could go any paler, she would have, but the misty complexion made impossible.
"Y-YOU!?"
"Yes me, honestly I'm surprised that you died, how did that even happen?"
Apple Bloom took a deep breath and began her explanation.
Half a year ago
A long time passed, but the phrase time heals all wounds, it was a lie because no matter how much they denied it was their fault, pleading with whatever god was out there, Sunset Didn't come back.
"Ya think we should help Fluttershy again?" Apple Bloom asked her friends, as they were walking down the street, not noticing that the environment around them had transformed from the safe well-kept buildings into the ramshackle buildings of the section of canterlot that lay between the Shadow district of Crystal city and Canterlot, on the border of the two.
"I don't know." Her friends replied in unison, they were busy just staring ahead, although quite a lot of time had passed, history still haunted them, Thier actions were still had lasting effects, the school where people had once been tight-knit like a family now was a hunting ground, any feigned show of interest was met with a violent push back, no one told anyone else anything for fear Sunset was hiding around the corner, ready with a phone, but the girls knew the truth, but hiding it was eating away at them.
they continued to nowhere until they heard the sound of growling, which shook them out of their haze, they had wandered too far, and they knew it because soon they were surrounded by rotting, smelly, rabid dogs, or at least the remains.
"girls, this is it, it's been good knowing you," Apple Bloom said to her friends who had put their backs to hers, trying to keep their eyes on the pack, which counted up to about 4, which circled them, the puss and foam from their mouths as they growled splashing on the ground.
"Someone will help us, I think..." Sweetie Belle said, but that hope died as the dogs got closer.
"whats the plan Bloom?" Scootaloo asked with fear layered in her voice.
"I'll distract them, and you girls run, and don't look back, and tell Applejack I'm sorry," Apple Bloom said, but before she put her plan into action, she felt a knife get pressed into her hands
"It was at Fluttershy's, I forgot I even had it, good luck," Scootaloo said.
Without looking away from what looked like the pack leader, she nodded, and then with a shout she ran forward and kicked the alpha, which caused the pack to rush her, but luckily with her upraising on the farm, she was able to run faster, with her friends running in the opposite direction, though, early on one nipped her bow and tore it off, taking a massive chunk of hair with, but she ran on, twists and turns, but it was hopeless, this district of the city was rundown, and no one worth their salt would be caught dead out here alone.
"Please let them reach safety." Apple Bloom thought as she rounded the corner, into a dead end.
"Alright ya dirty mongrels, I won't suffer at your teeth," Apple Bloom cried as she plunged the knife into her throat and brutally slashed, causing her to cough blood and then fall face first, she soon stopped feeling anything, then she slept.
Preasent day.
"And then after a while, I woke up on the farm, those bastards were gone by the time the girls found my body, but I know who sent them." applebloom finished.
"Well, I'm not getting any younger, so spill it, who is it?"
"Well, it this worlds Twilight sparkle."
"Why am I not surprised, and by extension, I can figure that it's through her that Nicol Bolas is working."
"Who?"
"Let's just say that the way I am now, he has been involved."
"Oh, but for what its worth, I'm still sorry for what I did, I never forgot."
"Well, I forgive you, it took a long time, but I forgive you."
The spirit of Apple Bloom smiled, a true smile, suddenly ghostly chains that held her to the farm disappeared, and she glowed, but she shook her head, and she stopped glowing.
"I'm going to stay, for now, I still got more work to do, besides I gotta tell Applejack, I gotta reveal the truth." Apple Bloom said as the tree's seemed to breathe, and with the sound of tearing roots and shattering rock, they uprooted.
"Well, here's your chance, because I believe we are expected."
With the farm being so close to the school it didn't take long for them to reach the school, with the ents showing the way, they made it to a hidden tunnel that led into the fortress that was once CHS, that was once her home.
The war room
Everyone waited with baited breath, they had received notice that Sunset had been escorted to one of the few tunnels that still stood, many others have been found by the dead, with them being indestructible, except those touched by sunset shimmer, they had to be caved in.
"Are ya ready to face her, after all this time?" Applejack asked.
"Darling, I've missed her terribly." Rarity said.
"We all have, now shush, I hear someone coming." Rainbow Dash said.
The sound of whistling was coming closer, until through the doors came a fiery-haired girl, they knew as Sunset shimmer, of course when they saw her, they couldn't believe their eyes, there she was wearing a high-quality light long coat, and she looks like she hasn't aged a day, in fact, she looks radiant.
"Hello, it's almost nice to see you again."
"Whats that supposed to mean?!" Rainbow Dash demanded, making the entire room groan as her ego got the best of her, seems like time hasn't cooled her temper.
"exactly as it sounds, I'm almost happy to see you again after, well a long time, but now that I think about it, I have to sing a different tune, I'm almost happy that this place is still standing, but seeing you in it is the downside of me coming back."
"You know, after deleting anon-a-miss and then disappearing, I figured that you were worth forgiving, but seeing you now, that you don't even feel bad, that you're the same arrogant bitch that you were, you aren't worth our time."
The room was pin drop silence, everyone stared at Sunset, but to there surprise she threw back her head and laughed, an insane cackle, that seemed to bounce off the walls and reverbing until the sound was a maddening cacophony.
"I'm not worth YOUR time, oh please, I learned from a reliable source that anything you idiots kill, it doesn't stay down, but me, things I slay stay dead."
Rainbow Dash glares at her as she saunters around, taking a close look at everything like she has all the time in the world, and it was pissing Dash off.
"Look, are you here to waste our time or are you gonna help?"
"why should I help you, in fact, why should I bother helping any of you, in a matter of about two weeks, I was a pariah than a messiah, then back again, you idiots can't seem to decide whether your with or against me, so why should I help any of you, and give me a damn good explanation."
"Look, I know that we've had our differences, but can't we put the past aside, and work together like before?" Rarity interjected before rainbow chased off their only chance at salvation.
"So, the rest of you are here, good, because I brought someone along who has something she wants to say to you," Sunset noted, ignoring Rarity's question.
Sunset gestured too the open door, but there was no one there until a breath of wind came in, and then an orb of white that glowed brighter until, a small girl with a bow stood there, her skin deathly pale.
"Hello, girls," Applebloom said while waving.
"BU- BUT YOU'RE DEAD, I KNOW YOU ARE." Applejack shouted, unable to believe that Applebloom was here.
"I am, but I guess my guilt kept me shackled to this world, and now I am gonna set things right, Ah was Anon-a-miss, with the help of sweetie bell and Scootaloo, by the way, where are they?"
Author's Note
sorry for the really long delay, it took a long time to hit my stride again, I was dealing with things that you probably aren't interested in, but now I'm better and ready to update as regularly as I can.
Player two joins.
((Past))
The holidays came and passed, and with it, Anon-a-miss disappeared, and all thoughts of Sunset Shimmer disappeared, though it didn't stop the stupid and the moronic from trying to discern what happened, rumors circulated that with the loss of her job and home, they would find her on a corner waiting for her next client, and they would be all too happy to show her some fun but unfortunately for them, Sunset was on no street corner, instead she fought for the fate of millions that don't and won't ever know her, on a sunbaked plain.
That being said, we're not gonna focus on them, instead, we'll focus on the five that unknowingly just tipped the scales of a war that soon will eclipse all they hold dear.
"Hey Pinkie does this seem a little too coincidental to you," Fluttershy asked Pinkie, the rest of the girls had fallen very ill, some kind of flu.
"What do you mean shy," Pinkie asks.
"Just before we start winter break Sunset goes missing, and with her everything to do with anon-a-miss is just gone, and then after that nothing, not hide nor peep from Sunset over our phones, or even in the news, something about this isn't right."
"That's because Sunset isn't dead, I know it seems that way, but my pinkie sense is telling me that something big is coming, that we made a terrible mistake, and now we're defenseless."
"Should we tell the others?"
"Shy, I love them, but they will not listen, you and I have known dashie for a long, long time and you know how she is, I doubt her or applejack will listen, as for rarity well I doubt she cares too much."
In silent agreement they both nodded, agreeing in silence to trust this feeling, and if anything changes, to go with it but for now they have the rest of the day to take their minds off of pinkie's near-prophetic feelings, they have seldom been wrong.
Meanwhile, miles away a certain pink-skinned woman was poking around a cave, she couldn't place it but something inside it was calling her, a powerful pull led her towards the very back, where seven little stones glinted on a natural plaque.
"GLORIOSA, what are you doing here," A young man asked, his green hair disheveled, looking like he ran a marathon.
"They call to me, I can hear them call out, they are telling me that I will need their guidance, now if you don't mind, I'll be seeing you later," Gloriosa said as she grabbed the stones, and in a bright flash, She was gone, the only thing left was her shirt and shoes, everything else was gone, Timber simply grabbed the stuff, sighing that his sister had once again left the entire camp to him again.
Gloriosa felt a warm breath move across her skin, which let her know that her upper body is very bare, except for the little bit of fabric that left her modest, but that was wiped from her mind when she opened her eyes and saw the largest dinosaur in her life, its teeth were like razor-sharp buildings, miles high and wide, but they were dwarfed by the rest of it, thousands of miles of muscle and skin, but little did she know it was not alone, because soon an ear-shattering shriek above her let her notice that the clouds above her were, in fact, massive wings to another massive dinosaur pale white but no less threatening.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE," Gloriosa cried and the forest obliged, a thick green vine pulled on her wrist without hurting her, working on instinct she reached out with her other hand and another vine, soon she was speeding through the forest at breakneck speed, with the massive titans behind her, she found that the breakneck speed is exhilarating, forcing out a massive whoop, her cry echoing across the vast forest.
However, it did not go unnoticed miles away on the coast, a group of pirates heard the echoing cry, mistaking it for the sounds of the damned, but a hideous creature with snakes for her hair was not phased, unlike her dim-witted crew, she could sense the power behind the sound, and in her always scheming mind saw much potential, little did she know that she was about to be pitted against a foe that mastered the art of working behind the scenes, still she set out to find this powerful potential ally.
meanwhile, in canterlot, the girls had gotten over the sickness that had been ailing them for a couple of days, when they returned to school, they found that the old rumor mill was indeed indestructible and that now instead of secrets of each other, thousands of little needling rumors about the one in question's whereabouts were running wild, anything from dying a painful death to running off with an unnamed boy from the tech club, or working the dark corners of the streets, they were endless, and none of the girls cared anything for them, they were just glad that they were no longer the center of attention.
Nicol Bolas, on the other hand, was making great progress with his disciple, had he known her potential sooner, he would not have misstepped on Amonkhet, he would have been able to split apart that blasted gate-watch, but he did not account for the girl, her mastery of magic that is on par with his was a wildcard, nor did he account for the fact that the old hag Lillianna had cared enough to become invested, but now he had a disciple, she is naive, malleable, and best of all eager to learn all he knows, and whether she knows it or not, little by little she is helping him slip into this world, but he can't do it too soon, otherwise that blasted girl will find him too soon, instead he needs slaves, since his armies were bested on, Amonkhet.
((Innistrad))
The skeletal horses were making good time, apparently, these horse skeletons were an excellent breed while alive, because death did nothing to stunt their vigor, however, trouble would soon be coming from all directions, as the Sun dipped below the horizon, Sunset started looking pale and frantic like something was coming from all sides, next was the road ahead as Lillianna swore she saw a platoon of lights coming her way.
"We'll stop here, I think I saw soldiers coming and you don't look so well," Lillianna said as she got off her skeletal horse, and fearing that they were seen, returned her horse to dust, before turning to her student, who had gone even paler and was shaking.
Lilianna had to act quickly and if those bobbing lights were human soldiers, then she would need to protect both her self and her now sick apprentice, so she pulled Sunset off her horse before laying her down on the ground and putting a light sleeping spell on Sunset, before turning to the road, she had been right it was a platoon of holy soldiers, so she put the sleeping sunset off a little ways from the path as they had seen them.
"HALT, WHAT'S YOUR NAME AND PROVINCE," the captain roared while his small platoon stood at attention behind him.
"I'm just a traveler, there is no need to waste your time with little old me," Lilliana smiled, while she could just kill them and be on her way, it would catch the attention of the angels, and that's the last thing she needs.
"Captain, there is a girl over here, and by the looks of it, a traveling companion," a younger soldier called out, apparently they had been encircling her the entire time, and the captain had pulled out a pair of magic sealing handcuffs.
Things were getting out of hand and quickly, but as Lillianna considered a long-range teleport, a curtain of darkness closed in on them, with the only moonlight being the circle of soldiers, but the most light came from Sunset whose skin had started glowing silver and gold before her skin turned an ashen grey.
"Uh, Sunset what are you doing?"
Sunset said nothing instead her brow furrowed before relaxing, before her eyes snapped open with solid black eyes, she sat up looking around, before standing up and letting loose an awful scream of pain while tentacles burst from her back.
'WHAT THE FUCK, ME-," the captain shouted before Sunset was on top of him, she ripped his head off his shoulders in a rain of blood and gore, before jumping to the next victim, in a matter of seconds the entire platoon was dead, before turning to Lillianna, causing her to gasp, her teeth were now needled with a lashing serpentine tongue.
"Sunset, what happened to you," Lillianna whisper, backing away from the monstrous form of Sunset.
"Whispers at first, then something tried to change me, but my Element resisted the change long enough to keep my mind and soul together, but this body doesn't listen, Rip and tear is all it wants to do." Sunset said telepathically.
"Well, we can't go anywhere with the way you are now, besides you might eat me."
I'm gonna regret this, but I know where we can go to fix this."
"Oh do tell, where could something like you not get skewered on sight."
"Home"
"You mean where you were betrayed, how can those pathetic traitors help you?"
"no, my true home."
Lillianna knew she had been hiding something, but right now an interrogation would not help, instead, she was gonna ask where exactly her home plane, until she saw Sunset raise her hand covered in magic and slash downward, tearing a hole in reality, though when she walked through the screams that followed promised that she was about to walk into trouble.
Celestia was unbearably bored, and poor Luna was no better, today the damned nobles had pulled both of them into a ridiculous court, who and what it included Celestia honestly couldn't care less, with Twilight's ascension to Alicorn status, most of the new proposals were how Marrying off her former student would benefit the hierarchy of Equestria.
Who did they think Celestia was, certainly not her mother plus Celestia was sure that none of Twilights friends would let her go through with an arranged marriage with these nobles anyways, not that they would get the chance, Night Light and Twilight Velvet would have her head, after all, Twilight Velvet was the most accomplished battle mage Celestia had seen.
thankfully Celestia's bored musing was cut short as the sound of tearing fabric was echoed through the hall which caused the noble in front of her to turn and when he saw what was on the other side, screamed and ran for the door, because a being unlike she had ever seen come through the portal.
Before Celestia could ask this being her name, the court hall completely lost its cool, shrieks and wails echoed throughout the hall, though with a single look, her guards stayed to the sides, lest they intervene and make it worst, Luna however looked on with fascination, before long the court was empty.
"Well, Well Sunset what have you gotten yourself into," an unfamiliar voice said from beyond the portal, though Celestia could not believe her ears, this creature in front of her could not be her student, Luna sensed her sister's dismay.
Suddenly the voice had a face and it was human, or at least looked human, the glowing lines and eyes made it hard to figure out what kind of race this creature actually was.
"Not the way I wanted to come back, but here I am, and hello Luna and Celestia long time no see." Sunsets voice telepathically echoed in her mind.
"Sunset what happened to you and who is this woman," Celestia asked, guessing that this creature was a human woman.
"A lot has happened, I can't tell you right now though, and this woman is my teacher, her name is Lillianna."
"When did you find this woman to be your teacher, and what has she been teaching you causing you to end up like this?"
"She is training me as a planeswalker, apparently, there is a vast multiverse beyond just the portal, I'll have to wait till you write Twilight to tell you how I discovered I was a planeswalker, much happened and I don't want to have to repeat the story.
"But how did you end up like this?"
"It's not my teacher's fault, there is something big going down on Innistrad, I met this creature in the between as we call it, it called me there with its whispers, and I made the mistake of going to it, and it saw me as a powerful minion, but the element protected me and dragged me from the between.
"What was the creatures name, things from that place are often exceptionally powerful and evil being, not to mention destructive should they actually enter a plane," Lillianna interjected.
"Its name, was Emrakul."
((Future))
Everyone in the war room waited with bated breath, looking between the girls in the war room and Sunset, the air was thick with tension, eventually, Gloriosa took control of the conversation and answered applebloom's question.
"They are alive at my fortress, now for the matter of who's anon-a-miss, does that really matter right now?" Gloriosa asked.
"Honestly, I don't really care, I stopped caring almost one hundred years ago, but whos counting," Sunset said nonchalantly.
"I didn't even spend that much time outside this plane, how did you?"
"I could tell you the story but that'd take too long, instead ill give you the cliff notes, I'm sure as hell not human anymore thank celestia, I could try and explain but its complicated instead ill simply call what I am an abomination class monster."
Everyone look around at each other confused, Sunset had just unloaded a lot of new information on them, enough to even cause the hot tempered dash to back down and think, before all this Sunset was just a jerk teenager, but now she comes back and claims she rejected her humanity like some edgy cartoon villain, none of the onlookers were buying it, and rainbow once again took the initiative.
"Go on then, if your an abomination, show us what you really are," rainbow dash goaded, right before she saw Sunsets serpentine tongue and needle like teeth, covered in dark ichor.
"well, well, well I was wondering when I was gonna get to do this, but now the provocation has been declared and I must answer." Sunset said, though none saw her mouth move, instead her voice echoed in the minds of those assembled.
what they saw would scar them for the rest of the their lives, as Sunset's skin became greyish purple, but that wasn't even the worst of it, from her back splintered bone and tentacles swirled creating some kind of bastardized Pegasus wings, while her arms morphed into a mass of tentacles and lined with mouths that dripped with black ichor, everyone including Applebloom's ghost stepped back from the creature, when Sunset raised her face too them for where her eyes used to be full of light, they were soulless black orbs devoid of anything that resembled Humanity, nothing but dark void.
"What happened to you, what the fuck happened that made you?"
"Innistrad wasn't kind too me, luckily I knew beings far better at magic then even my dear teacher, turns out forbidden medical magic does have its uses, especially when crossed with advanced Vampirism from another plane, I told you I am an abomination, Like it?" Sunset asked with a wicked grin, she knew that they horrified, but it didn't stop her from being petty.
The air was so thick if one could cut it, it'd easily create a singularity, but before anyone could say anything, a roar echoed from outside and the walls shook, Gloriosa Looked up in terror as the plants that strengthened and fortified the walls informed her that their adversary had sent something bigger and stronger then a mere rot beast or undead amalgamation, a draconic Lich, their only saving grace was that its a poor imitation of the real thing, but still brutal and destructive.
"Begin evacuations, we'll retreat too the forest strong hold, I don't know if we can beat it or if our newest acquaintance feels up too testing herself against the beast, so I'm not taking any chances-," Gloriosa started giving instructions when Sunsets echoing voices answered her.
"Bolas tried to take my teacher from me, and then ran when he lost on Amonkhet, this little war he's waging her is personal, I care little for saving the plane or beating Bolas' planes walker but I own him a death long overdue, and ill stay and help till one of us is dead, now sit down and watch me work."
Gloriosa looked around at the surrounding audience who looked back to her waiting for instruction, she took a breath and nodded at sunset who once again flashed an evil grin before taking off running, faster then then thought in her monster form, she dashed through the over grown halls, and up the stairs too the roof, where she saw just what was causing the ruckus.
The draconic lich was clearly a new creation, its bones looked poorly fused and the organs that were used to compensate for its deadly rot breath looked many times recycled, clearly bolas had his apprentice send it as her test, and a poor one at that due to the fact the poison had no effect on the ivy, nightshade and other poisonous flowers that had sprung to the walls defense, and were simply gorging themselves on the deadly magic breath.
The dragon was also dumber then the wall it was fruitlessly clawing at, it hadn't noticed her yet, nor will it, because With her change Sunset gain much knowledge and power, and she will not waste magic on a simple beat stick with less durability then drift wood.
Sunset got into position and jumped onto the beasts spine, the bones barely taking her condensed weight, the dragon had now noticed her but its magic programming was far too simple to figure out how too throw her from its back, not that it could, the claws were too small, its neck too short for it to rear back and bite her, instead she reached down with her tentacles and started to change the nature of the spell.
Bolas maybe a great dragon, and a planes walker, but he lacked something that she, Luna, Celestia and Twilight had, they all had wielded a god-slaying weapon, despite the fact that the elements had never really killed anyone, they were still extremely powerful god-slayers.
The inherent knowledge that she gained when she tapped into her planes walker powers and returned to Equestria enabled her to understand the intricate magic of both the planes, and the magic that coursed through Equestria, it had spoken out to her and like a guiding hand showed her the secrets that most unicorn mages had been trying to unravel since before the unification of the tribes.
The knowledge was freely given, all she had to do was ask and it was hers, but out of respect for her homeland and the love she still held for it, she only asked as needed, but if she ever needs to know more she always welcome back.
This was one such spell, she had worked on while both in Equestria and on her solo journey, the ability to change the nature and parameters of hostile and neutral spells, so far it works fine on anything where the caster has basic understanding of spell craft, but she has yet to best the Ancestor or Emrakul in terms of spell weaving, their brand is far too dark and asks far too much.
The spell was done, and the dragon was hers, but with a few improvements, no longer was it simple fused bone and weak placid organs, she had sacrificed flesh and blood to strengthen the bones and fortify the flesh, thankfully being an Eldrazi-vampire enabled her to feed on the dark magic that permeated the air.
another lucky break is that it had a simple command matrix but wasn't directly tied to either the apprentice nor bolas, it was simply created and set loose, which means there will be a scouting party to check too see if its worth making another, Sunset doubts this will stop him from commanding another one, but better designed.
Sunset wonders if the next version will come with frost breath next time supported by a death knight, maybe he'll even have a sword that steals souls and freezes, she shakes her head clearing the ludicrous thought chuckling, before turning to the shocked onlookers who had gathered on the roof, wanting to see if they were truly safe or if they had too make peace with whatever god was still watching.
Author's Note
heres the chapter layouts from now on.
(future)
(past)
(innistrad)
perdition
((The future.))
As zombie's battered the walls of CHS, a small group of survivors looked down on the horde, the horde going at the vine-covered doors with reckless abandon, or it would be if a higher power wasn't controlling them.
"there seems to be more every day, oh I wish that things could go back to the way things were before," Fluttershy said.
the other survivors nodded, leaving Fluttershy on watch, not that it mattered, the vines have never been breached by the ravenous dead, but they knew that outside of here, there were twisted aberrations, and acts against nature that would make a god cry, but that was of little consequence, they never traveled inwards, not since the old portal was drained of its residual magic, a long time ago.
The survivors made their way into the stronghold, and down into the twisting halls of leaf and vine, towards the center, the nervous center of the green fortress, and a war room for those old enough to fight.
"Flutters is on watch, Gloriosa, and the dead are no closer to getting in then they were a week ago." Rainbow Dash said, looking at the women clad in leaves and vines, her eyes a brilliant solid green.
"very good, but be wary, the dead are restless, and I hear from the trees, and the grass that the dead are stirring even more than usual, their mistress senses something here, her more vile machinations are coming inward, they sense power where there was none." She intoned as she cocked her head to the side listening.
"What kind of vile machinations?" Pinkie asked, sneaking up everyone but Gloriosa
"Rot beasts and twisted aberrations."
"will they send us back to fort everfree?"
"I do not know, but I sense a coming power, someone, that can change the tide, for better or worst."
"who has that kind of power, you and whoever keeps remaking the dead have magic, who has the kind that can change the tide?"
"that is unclear, but the plants tell me that the person was a friend to nature, but she disappeared a long time ago, the oldest tree says that when she left, this world's balance was thrown out of alignment, and a prophecy born of the trees was undermined."
The girls looked around confused, they honestly had no idea who she was talking about, except one, she knew deep down who this mysterious person was, but she dared not to hope.
A couple of miles outside Canterlot
The air shimmered and folded, until a tall teenager was standing in an empty square, her long light coat swished gently as she took stock of the surrounding buildings, making sure her hat was adjusted so that it blocked her eyes, ruined shells she noted in her mind, as she held up a gloved hand, with a small ethereal fire inside her fingers, looking at the desiccated buildings, she said nothing as she explored, learning long ago that silence was her ally and her worst enemy.
She made it to the top of a ruined clothing store, its mannequins now destroyed and the cloths no better then desiccated bandages, which when she found ones that were still in good repair and didn't stink of mildew, she set about making them into usable bandages, before climbing higher, she soon she was at the top and found what she was looking for, in the distance, seen only by her, was a hue of green light.
however, unbeknownst to her, the seemingly dead vines crept closer, trying to get a feel of her magic, and if she was friend or foe, but before they could taste her magic, she was gone, they only found the stale, colorless magic of transport runes, but it was still something.
When word got back to Gloriosa, she called in the immediate emergency meeting in the auditorium, and for one of the first times since she created the fortress, she removed herself from the green, and made her way to the meeting hall, on foot, surprising everyone who answered the call.
"GLORIOSA, your not with the core." Celestia cried when she saw her enter.
"Indeed not, because I have important news for everyone."
"what is it?"
"a new player has entered our little game of chess."
"does this new player have a name?"
Gloriosa closed her eyes and called out to the plants, vines, trees, even plants small as window sill ornaments, she called out to them and asked if they knew this new traveler, all but a small group answered her, when she asked why they ignored her question they simply answered that their caretaker has returned, so she asked them what they knew, they obliged and gave a name, Sunset Shimmer.
"I have a name, but its one I haven't heard before, does anyone know someone called Sunset Shimmer?"
This shocked many into silence, they were before whispering who they thought it was, most thought that Twilight had changed her mind and came back to help them, but when this name was dropped, they were shell-shocked that she had made a reappearance, forgetting that they were the instrument in her disappearance.
"She disappeared over a little over a year ago, we had no idea where she went."
"well, boon or bane, she has returned, my plants say she is skilled with whatever magic she wields, I just got word she has been sighted by the tree's at Sweet Apple Acres, they don't know what she is wielding, but they say that the bone's touched by her magic, they stay dead, none of the others will touch the remains that she creates."
"Well, what are we waiting for, let's go recruit her before whatever created those zombies bends her to its will!!!" Rainbow dash said courageously, getting nods and sounds of agreement from the crowd.
"Darling, that's all well and good but," Rarity said to rainbow before turning to the crowd, "A year is a long time for feelings to stew, and if I'm sure, then I know Sunset will very unlikely come to our aid, in fact, I doubt that she is even here for us at all, given what happened last year."
"rares, that was a long time ago, we got over it, and I'm sure Sunset has too, now that she came back from where ever she had gone." Applejack said, putting a hand on her shoulder, but even as she said it, deep down she didn't believe it.
