Shimmer Run 1981by Hoers IncognitoChaptersChapter 1: Powered By LoveChapter 2: Neighami's ViceChapter 3: The Eminent VisageChapter 4: The Axle's FollyChapter 6: Mare-WolfChapter 7: Unhitched ChorusChapter 5: When The Magic Hits The BoneChapter 1: Powered By LoveAs the three-thirty bell called on the weekend Sunset Shimmer burst excitedly from her seat and out into the noisy rabble of the main hallway of Canterlot High. As she approached the front doors the sounds of an upbeat 'synth rock' melody poured into the air from out of the school's band room. "Sunset Shimmer!" Vice-principal Luna's voice boomed as she intercepted Sunset Shimmer with a stern gait. Sunset Shimmer's eyes pleaded for mercy as she turned to look. "What did I tell you about parking your van in front of the school!?" Luna continued her lecture. "I guess he was just eager to see me." Sunset Shimmer chuckled nervously as she pushed through the doors and saw her purple Mitsubishi Delica van waiting on the road just down the path from the main doors. "He?" Luna scratched her head as Sunset Shimmer slipped from her grappling stare and skipped out to the van. "Flash!?" Sunset Shimmer was surprised to see Flash Sentry climbing out of the drivers seat of the van as she arrived. "Sunset!" Flash acted surprised too. He reached up and scratched the back of his neck. "Stygg just wanted to have a man-to-man before you guys set out for the weekend." He blushed as he explained. "Good luck by the way! I hope you two have fun on your road trip!" He smiled as he sauntered off. Twilight Sparkle met up with Flash, took his hand, and the two looked back at Sunset, flashing her a salvo of smiles as they wandered off gleefully toward the student parking lot. "You too!" She smiled back as she climbed into the van. "So what did you two talk about?" Sunset Shimmer teased as she pulled the door shut. "Gentlepony things." Stygian's voice sighed. "I just wish you and I could touch each other." Sunset Shimmer reached over and placed her hand over the smooth metal surface of the Alicorn Amulet which was set in an alcove in the dash board. "That's not what I meant. As a pony touching another pony." his voice sighed. "I wish I could feel your heat. Your pulse. Your breath on my skin." The red Jewels on the Amulet flashed with each syllable he spoke. "I still worry after all this time, unable to consummate our love, that you might feel compelled to-" "Stop that!" Sunset Shimmer objected. "This is the only way I've ever known you and I'm still as in love with you as I have ever been." "I owe you everything. It was you that purged my heart of the last traces of darkness. You complete me." He sighed. Sunset Shimmer pulled the amulet from it's alcove and pressed it against her forehead. Time ticked by with the long embrace before she placed it back. "Well we mustn't keep Trixie waiting." Stygian sighed. "Activate visual enhancement spell." Sunset Shimmer commanded softly as she fastened her seat-belt. A red beam of magic fired from the Alicorn Amulet at Sunset Shimmer's face. Everything she saw before her transformed into a glowing red and black wire-frame as she revved the engine and reached down, rowing the gear-lever into the "1" position. "Preparing for dimensional cross." Stygian said politely. The tires squealed loudly as sunset shimmer let off the clutch. The red tail-lights blurred behind the van as she steered it through the statue in front of the school. In a flash of white light the van reappeared in Equestria, just outside of Ponyville, transformed into Trixie's travelling caravan. In the middle of the caravan's interior stood the mirror to Canterlot High and the Alicorn Amulet hung on the mirror's frame. Sunset Shimmer, in pony form, peaked her head out the side window and saw Trixie waiting impatiently. "Who are you two to keep The Great and Powerful Trixie waiting!?" Trixie huffed indignantly. "We were supposed to leave at three-thirty sharp!" "Well then it follows that we should make haste." Stygian's voice replied. "That's easy for YOU to say when I'm the one pulling everypony around!" Trixie rolled her eyes as she spoke. "So where are we going this week?" Sunset quizzed. "This weekend The Great and Powerful Trixie will be wowing the ponies of the remote seaside city of Neighami, on the far southern shores of the Celestial Sea." Trixie explained as she hitched the caravan to herself. "I should have asked Rarity to make me a pony shaped swim suit." Sunset Shimmer teased as she trotted away from the window and gazed into the mirror. An image of Stygian materialized in the mirror and looked Sunset Shimmer over. "I would have loved to have seen that." Stygian's image smiled longingly back at Sunset Shimmer. "You know Trixie can still hear you from out here!" Trixie's muffled voice protested from the outside. Sunset Shimmer and Stygian chuckled heartily in reply. "Do you think there'll be trouble again?" Sunset Shimmer sighed as she brushed a hoof down the side of the mirror frame. "I know of Neighami. In my time it was just a small fishing village but it has grown in recent years." Stygian sighed. "And a bigger crowd brings bigger trouble." Sunset Shimmer hung her head. "And no doubt plenty of amusing tales for your friends back in Canterlot High." Stygian teased. Sunset Shimmer's horn glowed as she plucked the Alicorn Amulet from the mirror-frame and exited the Caravan to attach herself beside Trixie on the yoke. "Just thought you could use some company." Sunset Shimmer said. "You might be friends with that finger-monster impostor from the other side of the mirror but The REAL Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need friends!" Trixie huffed. "I want for nothing more than the three of us to get along." Stygian flashed as he floated beside the duo. "Shimmer, my love, may I have a word alone with Trixie?" he asked. "Sure. I haven't written to Princess Twilight in a while" She nodded. Trixie's horn glowed as Sunset Shimmer let go of the amulet with her own magic and climbed back into the caravan. "I never asked for any of this!" Trixie snapped once Sunset Shimmer was out of sight. "And yet, you should have been mine." She sighed. "Trixie, I called out to you at first because it was the only thing I could do once my soul was trapped inside this amulet. All of it's memories became mine too." Stygian explained with a sigh. "This caravan is my life. It's everything to me. When you first possessed it I finally felt like I had found my soulmate." Trixie sighed back. "But still my heart was not yet completely purged of darkness. I was a threat to you and all of Equestria for that matter. Only when my heart was cleansed by Sunset Shimmer's love was the world finally free of the amulet's sinister machinations!" "Did you ever love Trixie?" Trixie's eyes welled up with tears. "Like family. You are like a sister to me." "Trixie doesn't need a sister!" Trixie turned her head up as she trotted on. "I never should have taken that stupid mirror!" "An accident. As I recall you built a replica as a stage-prop and took off with the real one by mistake. A fortunate accident for all of Equestria. Some day you will find your special somepony and I should like to see you down the aisle." Stygian flashed confidently. "Cold words of comfort." Trixie rolled her eyes as she used her magic to pull open the door and send the amulet back inside. "Why do you love me?" Stygian asked in a meek tone as his image reappeared in the mirror. "Stygg, that's not a fair question to ambush somepony with." Sunset Shimmer hung her head. "I wish I could give you an answer that would make you feel better." "It just seems like it should be an easier question to answer." Stygian hung his head. "Well then why do you love me?" Sunset Shimmer asked defensively. "Because I did you a favor that one time?" "Nothing feels right when I'm not with you." The image of Stygian held it's hoof out toward the mirror glass. "Then that's my answer too. When I first touched you I knew we were destined to be here at each other's side making Equestria a better place. We've both seen all kinds of crazy magic and nopony can say for sure that you're stuck inside there forever." Shimmer nuzzled her face against the amulet. "And even if you were that wouldn't matter to me." She assured. The image of Stygian smiled reluctantly. They realized the day had slipped by as they felt the caravan come to a halt. Sunset Shimmer grabbed the amulet and trotted up to the window. Their gaze was met by a bright, sprawling, glowing city. "We'll make camp here for the night." Trixie said as she unhitched herself from the yoke. "Tomorrow, Neighami..." Sunset Shimmer sighed. Chapter 2: Neighami's ViceAs the heart of Neighami grew closer down the beachside road the next morning it appeared less flattering, though they were greeted by busking zebras playing a relaxing island melody on steel drums. Sunset Shimmer flipped a couple of bits to them as she trotted next to Trixie, sharing the yoke and carrying the amulet along. The ponies and zebras on the beach appeared frazzled and lethargic. A young pale orange pegasus stallion dragged himself up to the trio. "C-can you spare a few b-bits? I need it back. I n-need the magic back" He stammered. His eyes were bloodshot and his mane was a picture of disarray. "This doesn't look like the kind of crowd Trixie can make any bits off of." Trixie hung her head. "I know these symptoms..." Stygian flashed with a sigh. The trio observed a commotion forming along the water's edge. Trixie and Sunset detached from the yoke and took Stygian down the beach to investigate. A duo of unicorns in police uniforms, one blue and one beige, and a small crowd of bystanders gathered around a small boat with four zebras that had just run ashore. The blue police unicorn urged the zebras away from the boat as a taller beige one lifted a floor board on the boat revealing a stash of tightly packed bags of white powder. "Magicaine!" He shouted. Suddenly the zebras tilted their heads forward and started firing blasts of magic from their foreheads at the crowd. The blue police unicorn was struck immediately and fell to the ground bleeding. The Beige unicorn ducked for cover behind the boat as the zebras grabbed the bags of white powder and began backing towards the highway, continuing to take pot shots at the crowd. The beige unicorn fired back but missed. "We have to do something!" Sunset Shimmer shouted as she dived in front of a young foal that was trapped in the crossfire. She erected an energy shield that stopped a magical bolt from striking her. She retunred fired and struck one, knocking him to the ground. As the zebras neared the road a black carriage pulled up and the remaining three jumped in as the driver trotted off. "Please no!" The beige unicorn shook the motionless body of the blue unicorn. "He's just a colt. His first day on the beat!" He cried. Trixie and Sunset Shimmer looked at each other and nodded and in a flash of magic teleported to the caravan along with Stygian. Trixie hitched up to the yoke and Sunset Shimmer hung out the side window ready to shoot. "Activating visual enhancement." Stygian said as he fired a beam of magic into their eyes. The landscape turned into a red and black laser grid as Trixie galloped into a red and purple blur, quickly catching up . "How are they using magic!?" Trixie blurted out as the zebras fired out the windows of the black carriage at them. Trixie weaved back and forth to avoid the magic blasts. "Magicaine." Stygian sighed. "It's an illegal substance that enhances a unicorn's magical powers. Concentrated enough it can allow non-unicorns to use magic too. Potent but highly addictive." Sunset Shimmer fired a blast from her horn and destroyed one of the wheels of the black carriage, causing it to swerve uncontrollably and unhitch from the driver. The driver ran off as the carriage tipped over and burst into flames. The sound of sirens began to echo into the distance as the beige police pony came running up. A deafening boom set their ears ringing as the carriage exploded before them. "Well then I'm glad we got that dangerous stuff off the streets." Sunset Shimmer said as she pulled the amulet out of the caravan and embraced it tightly. "A drop in the ocean I'm afraid." The beige police pony shook his head. "Over a thousand years ago Starswirl and I worked side-by-side to shut down every last magicaine operation in Equestria." Stygian explained with a sigh. "A new kingpin has moved into town recently. He's importing it over from plantations set up in the Zebra Islands. It's out of mine or even Celestia's jurisdiction. All we can do is stop it as it comes in but it keeps pouring in faster than we can stop it and we only have so much manpower out here." The police pony explained. "Who is this kingpin? This sounds like a job for Shimmer Run!" Sunset Shimmer pumped a hoof in the air excitedly. "Now hold on!" Stygian interjected. "These are very dangerous ponies who don't value life. Otherwise they wouldn't peddle their poison like this. We should return to Canterlot for backup and try to get a hold of Starswirl." "And how many more ponies will die while we wait for backup?" Sunset Shimmer fumed. "We can end this today!" "I've watched magicaine destroy more lives over the centuries than you could possibly imagine!" Stygian snapped. "I'm tired of you thinking I can't take care of myself! Why can't you just trust me?" Shimmer snapped. Trixie took hold of the amulet as Shimmer stormed back into the caravan. Trixie looked down at the amulet and sighed. "I'm sorry everypony had to witness that." Stygian apologized. "A day like this, it's been hard on us all. I have to tell a young stallions family that he isn't coming home tonight." The police pony sighed. "Go to her." Trixie said softly, looking down, as she sent the amulet levitating back into the caravan. "Please, my love. Commune with me." Stygian begged as the amulet hovered beside Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer leaned her head over, touching the amulet with her horn and in a flash of light centuries of memories flashed through their minds as she found herself standing on top of a red and black laser grid beside an image of Stygian. "Stygg, I..." Sunset Shimmer hung her head down and sobbed. "You don't have to say anything. It is I who should be sorry. You are right. To spend a millennium in limbo and then be privy to such a delight. Nothing anypony can say ever seems to quell the fear that I might one day lose you." Stygian wrapped his front hooves around her and began to cry as well. "You have such a beautiful heart, Stygg. Beautiful beyond words." Sunset Shimmer sighed and then turned away. "But even when we connect like this we still can't feel each others touch. Anything we do feel is a trick of the mind. A drink that only causes thirst." Stygian spoke sadly. "And you're right." Shimmer's words pierced Stygian's heart like a knife. "It's so frustrating. We are ponies. We need to touch. It's wrong of me to avoid this issue like I have but you're right. It bothers me too. I would give anything just to be able to touch." She cried. "Some prices aren't worth paying. We both know that from experience." Stygian gently stroked his hoof through her fiery mane. "We both worry too much about what other ponies think." Sunset Shimmer sighed. "We've always done best just focusing on what's in front of us, together." She smirked. "Let us go get the run down on this kingpin." Stygian leaned towards her. "You're right. We might be in over our heads so I'll write to Twilight tonight and let her know something is up in Neighami. That way we have backup." The two kissed and in a flash of light they were back in the caravan after only seconds had passed in the outside world. Sunset Shimmer burst confidently from the caravan with the amulet in tow. "Tell us about this Kingpin." she commanded softly. "Trixie is glad you two made up." Trixie rolled her eyes jealously. "Informants on the street know him as Shadow Whorl. He's a very powerful unicorn. His boys run magicaine down the main strip here wherever, whenever- he owns this city. We have dozens of ponies dying of overdose and withdrawal every day. He's got eyes in the precinct too because every time we have a bust planned they come rolling up and shooting but I've probably said too much already." The police pony explained. "Well this shipment went up in flames. He's going to need a bigger boat next time." Stygian pondered. "You're right. I know some ponies who work in the harbor. I'm going to do some digging around tonight. Why don't you come meet up with me at the precinct tomorrow? Just ask for me, Deputy Vice. " The police pony spoke confidently. Chapter 3: The Eminent VisageThe streets were relatively empty along the main, seaside, drag of Neighami as Trixie pulled the Caravan along and Sunset Shimmer hung her head out the window, taking in the ocean spray. All of the activity was along the beach. Boats glided over the waves and ponies lay on the sand soaking in the sun. Confident young colts strutted along the water's edge with surf boards flirting with fillies along the beach- all a bright mask of lies to cover up the scars left by the illicit trade. "Wait!" Sunset Shimmer shouted. Trixie brought the caravan screeching to a halt. "What's going on?" Stygian stammered, waking from an afternoon nap. His tired image disappeared from the mirror as Sunset Shimmer grabbed the amulet and headed out. "Well it's not like Trixie has anywhere else to be!" Trixie rolled her eyes and sighed. Sunset Shimmer pointed a hoof down a nearby alleyway where beneath the shadow of a palm tree a young unicorn colt handed a bag of green plant matter to another young colt as he passed back a small bag of bits. Sunset Shimmer whispered to Trixie. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Trixie asked. "I'm tired of sitting by and doing nothing. What if Deputy Vice's digging comes up empty? We need to have our own plan!" She urged. "I hope you're not planning what I think you're planning." Stygian sighed. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie trotted confidently up to the drug deal as the two colts looked at them nervously. As though reading the authority in their steps both colts turned and began to run. Trixie set off a smoke bomb and the young dealer found himself tied to her by a chain of different colored handkerchiefs. "You know selling mare-ihuana is a class B felony." Trixie lectured. "The Great and Powerful Trixie could vanish you for a very long time. You'll be a tired old Stallion by the time you reappear." She waved her hoof for dramatic effect. "Come on, don't we have bigger fish to fry, detective Trixie?" Sunset Shimmer pleaded disingenuously. "I suppose your right." Trixie rolled her eyes. "You don't look like cops to me!" The young colt taunted. "Well you could call our bluff." Sunset Shimmer taunted back. "Or you could help us hook some 'bigger fish'." "I don't know what you're talking about." The young colt rolled his eyes. "Then watch as The Great and Powerful Trixie makes you magically reappear in a cell downtown-" "She'll do it. But I'm after bigger fish. I know you're afraid of Shadow Whorl too. So I'll make this simple. If a pony were trying to score some magicaine who would they go to?" Sunset Shimmer quizzed. "I don't know his name. But he works the corner of Main and Sea-breeze at 9 in the morning until noon." The young colt explained nervously. "But he can smell a cop from a mile away." he warned ominously. "Well it's a good thing we're not cops." Trixie winked at him as she detached the handkerchief bond. The colt ran off. "That's on our way down town." Stygian added as he fired a beam of red magic that projected a map of Neighami into the air. "But I still think we over-stepped our bounds here." he lectured. "And this is why I don't take initiative often." Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. "I just wish you would trust me on the job for once." The next morning the trio proceeded down Main Street ready for their confrontation with the magicaine dealer. Sunset Shimmer shared the yoke with Trixie with the amulet floating between them. The two stopped as they saw a band of ponies with musical instruments at the side of the road by a broken down caravan. "Hey could we like score a ride downtown?" One of the ponies asked. "We have a show at the Neigh-borhood Pub downtown." "Of course!" Trixie waved them in excitedly. "Are you sure this is wise?" Stygian asked. "We're kind of on a mission." Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. "Trixie is always willing to help out a fellow caravan pony." She explained with pride. "Do you mind if we like rehearse on the way?" The band pony popped his head out the window. "Be our guest." Trixie cocked her head up and smiled smugly as the trio resumed pulling the caravan. As they proceeded the band rehearsed a suspenseful sounding synth-pop instrumental. As the music reached a refrain the caravan came to a stop as they reached the corner of Main and Sea-breeze. Then trio detached from the yoke and quickly surrounded a gruff older brown earth pony. "Alright the gig is up." Sunset Shimmer warned. "Tell us how to find Shadow Whorl." Sunset Shimmer commanded as she began conspicuously charging her horn up. "She's crazy! She'll do it!" Trixie warned. The earth pony bucked his legs back knocking Trixie down and began running as the refrain ended and the band's song began ascending into a dark, ominous crescendo. Sunset Shimmer fired a horn blast in front of the pony, knocking him down and leaving a small crater in the ground. Trixie pulled herself back to her hooves and the duo surrounded him again. "I do think we're getting carried away." Stygian sighed. The earth pony began cowering as Sunset Shimmer began charging her horn once more. "Alright, I'll talk!" He pleaded. The band's song hit it's climax as a long black carriage pulled up along side the scene. Everypony took note as a bunch of unicorns hung their heads out the window and began unleashing a relentless salvo of horn blasts. Sunset Shimmer jumped and knocked Trixie to the ground as she erected a shield around the trio. The magicaine dealer took several horn blasts and fell motionless to the ground. "NO!" Sunset Shimmer screamed. The horn blasts stopped and one of the doors of the carriage opened. A very large and burly zebra pushed out the young colt from the other morning; the colt was battered and bruised and collapsed on the ground, alive still but taking shallow breaths. "This is what will become of you and your friend- unless your investigations come to an end." The zebra slammed the door shut and the carriage sped off. "We can't let them get away with this!" Sunset Shimmer cried. The two mares hitched up to the yoke again and sent the amulet back inside where it connected to the mirror frame. "Trixie's ready." Trixie sighed. Stygian projected a beam at the mares and the band began rehearsing an electronic chase theme as the road melted away into a red laser grid. As they got close to the black carriage two more black carriages pulled up beside the caravan. Sunset Shimmer cocked her head to the side and fired a horn blast, knocking a wheel off the carriage on her side- it careened out of control and exploded at the side of the road. The duo wove back and forth strategically, dodging horn blasts from the carriage on the other side. Trixie cast her front hoof to the side and a salvo of fireworks exploded in the eyes of the carriage driver- it swerved off to the side and bumped the curb, exploding into a bright, searing fireball. Just as they began to close the gap to the lead carriage two more black carriages pulled up at their side. "Where do they keep coming from?" Sunset Shimmer panted as one of the carriages moved in and slammed into the side of the caravan, knocking them off course slightly. "Don't ask Trixie!" Trixie tossed out another salvo of fireworks out but it exploded behind the carriage on her side. "Activating smoke screen." Stygian said as the two carriages moved closer in preparation to ram the caravan. Smoke bombs dropped from all corners of the caravan and exploded with a large puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared it was further up the road and the two black carriages smashed into each other, exploding on impact. "Styggy. We need the turbo boost!" Trixie called out. "I hate when you call me that." Stygian sighed and red lightning arced between the yoke and the mares as the caravan rocketed forward in a red and purple blur. Sunset Shimmer peered through the windows of the black carriage as they pulled up beside it. A tall unicorn in a dark cloak sat with his eyes glued forward, unconcerned as unicorn henchmen started firing out the window. The caravan weaved around, dodging. Sunset Shimmer took a shot at one of the wheels and missed. "Trixie's getting tired..." Trixie huffed. "We can do this !" Sunset Shimmer urged on. Her optimism was interrupted as a horn blast shattered one of the wheels of the caravan. It weaved precariously to a halt. Sirens approached from the distance as a small army of police ponies rolled up on the scene. "Does this mean we're not going downtown anymore?" One of the band ponies asked as he peered out of the window. Chapter 4: The Axle's FollyTwo burly police ponies lead Trixie, Sunset Shimmer and the Alicorn Amulet in hoof shackles to the central office of the police precinct. As they entered Princesses Luna and Twilight Sparkle stared with abject disapproval. The police ponies walked out and shut the door behind them. "Shimmer! Laser-run!" Luna boomed. "You do realize impersonating a police pony is a serious felony right? That magicaine dealer you got killed was set to testify against Shadow Whorl once the Neighami police reined him in!" Luna slammed her hoof down on the desk. "Not to mention the untold amounts of property damage. You're just lucky that young colt is going to make it." "I just can't believe you could be so reckless." Twilight sighed as she walked up to Sunset Shimmer. "I could imagine Trixie pulling a stunt like this, but you!?" Twilight slapped her hoof against her face. Trixie gave Twilight a dirty look while Sunset Shimmer hung her head in shame. "What were you thinking?" Twilight sighed. "I just wanted to take the lead and do something good for once. To make up for what I did all those years ago at Canterlot High." Sunset Shimmer sobbed. "Princesses, this was all my idea!" Stygian blurted. "I don't care whose idea this was!" Luna shouted. "Canterlot is taking over this case and if the three of you aren't out of Neighami by tomorrow morning I'll personally see to it that you are charged for crimes against the kingdom!" "Then we're free to go?" Sunset Shimmer asked meekly. Luna slowly crept towards Sunset Shimmer. "And to make sure you leave the three of you can spend the night in a jail cell!" Luna boomed. The two burly police ponies came back in and lead the trio to a large steel barred jail cell. After leading them in they removed the hoof shackles and slammed the door shut, walking off. "I knew this was going to happen." Stygian sighed. "I should have listened to you, right!?" Sunset Shimmer chided as she turned away to face the wall. "I should have..." She sighed. "Luna and Twilight are right. This was reckless and stupid. This whole thing. I just want to do some good in the world so that everypony isn't talking behind my back in the halls." She sobbed. "You made a mistake. We all make mistakes. But this adventure we share. This is all we have together." Stygian sighed. "Well then maybe we both would have been better off if we never met!" Sunset Shimmer cried as she turned back to Stygian. Trixie looked over in shock. "Then Trixie could have you all to herself. And I would just be that weird girl back in class." Sunset Shimmer slumped down as she sent the amulet hovering over to Trixie. "She doesn't mean that." Trixie sighed as she gave the amulet a comforting pat with her hoof. The silence was deafening as the trio sat quietly for what felt like an eternity; until they heard the unmistakable clang of the jail cell unlocking. Deputy Vice stepped in. "When I asked you to meet me at the precinct this isn't what I had in mind." Deputy Vice sighed. "I have a lead on an incoming shipment of magicaine. We have to get to the Uptown Harbor for sunset. It's union turf and Shadow Whorl owns the unions around here but with the help of you three we might be able to blow this case wide open." He explained. "But princess Luna-" Trixie started. "I talked to her already. She said you have to leave tomorrow. It's not tomorrow yet. I had my boys in the impound garage fix your wheel" Deputy Vice Winked. "Let's go, Shimmer." Trixie urged. "Let's at least finish what we started." The light of the sunset raced off of the water, bombarding the street along side the Uptown Harbor with a blinding orange glow. The four parked the caravan in a nearby alleyway out of sight. Trixie took the amulet in tow and the four trotted quietly toward the harbor. They found a row of bushes with a vantage point of the main gate to the harbor and hid low, observing the activity. "It looks like most of the dock workers have gone home already." Sunset Shimmer observed. "Perfect opportunity for Shadow Whorl and his boys to move in and do their dirty work." Deputy Vice added. "Somepony is coming!" Trixie pointed to a long black carriage being towed toward the gates. The guards at the gates waved the carriage in and then returned to their 'ready' posture. "This way." Trixie waved. "I hope you know what you're doing." Deputy Vice said as the group followed her around the side of the fence. A maintenance shed was positioned close to the fence. "We can use this shed for cover." Trixie explained as she began using her magic to cut a hole in the fence. The team scrambled in and ducked behind the shed. Deputy Vice looked around and spotted the black carriage parked beside on of the piers. "Over there!" he pointed. "We need to make sure we stay in cover." Stygian warned. "Without the carriage I can't grant you laser vision." "What about that?" Sunset Shimmer pointed to a large fuel tank closer to the black carriage. "We'll never make it there before we're seen." Deputy Vice sighed. "Leave that to Trixie!" Trixie threw a smoke bomb toward the guards at the gate. It exploded into a puff of smoke and the team scrambled behind the fuel tank as the guards went over to investigate. They now had a vantage point of a large yacht. A tall cloaked unicorn stood talking to a the large zebra from earlier as a small group of underlings looked through crates on the deck. "I wish we could hear what they were saying." Deputy Vice said. He motioned with his head toward the black carriage. "Let's take cover over there." The others nodded and they scrambled over behind the black carriage. "As you can see your merch is here." The large zebra said in a thick accent and then paused and sniffed the air. "But I do smell a rat is near." The groups heart pounded as they looked around for an escape route. A bunch of guards quickly flanked them and motioned for them to head to the ship. "Busted." Sunset Shimmer sighed. Trixie kept her head down and mumbled inaudibly to herself. "What's our plan B?" Deputy Vice asked. The guards walked the group up onto the deck of the yacht. They were outnumbered and surrounded. Trixie's horn glowed and the fuel tank they had hid behind earlier exploded. A searing orange fireball rose into the sky above the harbor, startling everypony. Trixie grabbed Deputy Vice and jumped for cover behind a crate and Sunset Shimmer jumped behind another. A flurry of magical bolts flew back and forth as a firefight erupted. The large zebra motioned at a pony operating a cargo crane. Sunset Shimmer seized the opportunity and popped out and fired a salvo of horn blasts, knocking some of the hencponies down. Trixie motioned to Deputy Vice and prepared to throw a smoke bomb. The cloud of smoke lit up with the light of a magical blast and as the smoke cleared Trixie lay wounded on the ground. "You traitor!" Sunset Shimmer shouted as she fired at Deputy Vice and then jumped behind a different crate. "I warned you that we owned the police force." He laughed. The boom of a loading crane swung over the deck and the large zebra jumped on as it swung him to safety. "We can't win this." Stygian sighed. As Deputy Vice and the rest of the henchponies circled around them on the deck. "I need you right now!" Shimmer said as her horn began to charge up. She levitated the amulet from Trixie's side over to herself. She touched her horn against the amulet and a blast of magic came radiating from the pair, knocking down everypony left on the dock except for the cloaked unicorn who erected a shield of energy that the blast broke against. "Well played." The unicorn fired a blast, striking the amulet and it fell to the ground. "Stygg!" Shimmer cried out as she followed him to the ground. One of the gems was cracked and energy arced out of it. "It's a shame you didn't remain with Celestia to keep honing your talents." The unicorn lectured as he stepped closer. "What do you know about me or Celestia!?" Shimmer snapped. "That voice..." Stygian strained. The unicorn tossed his cloak to the ground revealing his true identity- It was Starswirl. "I don't understand..." Stygian continued. "How could you betray Equestria!?" Sunset Shimmer cried out. She fired a powerful blast at Starswirl but his energy shield still held. "Betray? All these years blindly following codes of morality and I had never bothered to look at things with the shoe on the other hoof." He lectured calmly as he walked closer yet to Sunset Shimmer. "So many years the ponies of Equestria have been forced to make compromise after compromise to save themselves from existential threats when we all could have been so much more powerful, so much more in charge of our destiny. I only do what is best for Equestria." Sunset Shimmer hadn't noticed in the heated exchange that the crane operator had swung the boom back and positioned a cage above her head. Starswirl fired a blast at the chain holding the cage to the crane, knocking it down around Sunset Shimmer. "Starswirl, stop this madness..." Stygian pleaded. "Let her go..." Starswirl levitated the amulet up to his face. "Please don't take this too personally Stygian Laser-run, my old friend" He cast the amulet to the ground and then stomped on it. Stygian screamed in pain as more energy arced out. "Don't hurt him!" Sunset Shimmer screamed as she bucked at the bars of the cage to no effect. "It would take more than a few cracks and dents to kill him." Starswirl turned his nose up. He then delivered a swift kick that sent the amulet sliding off the deck of the boat and into the water with a splash. "But it will take an expert diving team to find him." He snickered. Starswirl signaled to the crane operator again. As the last light of dusk gave way to night the crates and the cage were loaded onto the black carriage. As the drivers galloped off into the night the docks fell still. Chapter 6: Mare-WolfStygian settled onto a rock at the bottom of the harbor's shallows facing up. At first he thought of the sunrise when the orange glow hit the water above him but he knew it was too soon. He soon felt Sunset Shimmer's beacon calling out to him. It was feint but he felt a surge of emotion and knew he had to do something. "Trixie..." A voice whispered in Trixie's head. She lay motionless on the deck of the boat. She was alive but unconscious. "Trixie..." Stygian's voice whispered again. "Ow... Styggy?" She opened her eyes and tried to stand up but she felt too weak. She looked around at the aftermath of the battle. Sirens echoed in the distance and grew closer. "Come to me..." Stygian's voice whispered once more. "We must be quick." Trixie clawed at the deck of the boat and dragged herself to the edge. She could feel Stygian calling to her from the depths as she looked down to the water. "Are you sure this is safe Styggy?" She asked out loud in a dazed tone as she took a deep breath and slumped over the edge, plunging into the water and coming to rest beside the amulet. "Wear me." Stygian ordered. Trixie shook her head as she continued holding her breath. The murky waters stung her eyes as she held them open to see. "I know you are frightened but it is our only chance." Stygian urged again. Trixie reached out and grabbed the Alicorn Amulet and fastened it around her neck. She was instantly overcome with a surge of energy. A bubble formed around the duo as they ascended to the surface and out of the water. Trixie came crashing down on her hooves the middle of the dock, splintering the boards where she landed. "We have to get back to the caravan." Stygian urged. Trixie nodded and they quietly slipped out of the harbor and into the alleyway as police and fire ponies began arriving at the scene. "I have a feeling we're going to be the ones on the wanted poster." Stygian sighed as the two climbed into the caravan. Trixie took off the battered amulet and set it on the side of the mirror frame as she began wrapping cloth bandages around her wounds. Stygian's image appeared in the mirror. "Sunset Shimmer is being held captive in the penthouse of the Neighami Trust building." Stygian explained with tears in his eyes. "One way or another he's expecting me. He will be well fortified." "But he's not expecting US." Trixie reached over and placed her hoof on the amulet. "I can't ask you to endanger your life like this." Stygian objected. "Trixie wants to see you happy. Besides, where else would she be without her great and powerful crime-fighting caravan?" She smiled over at Stygian's image in the mirror. "It's just a shame we don't have time to rest and heal before the fight. This is a suicide mission." Trixie hung her head and sighed. "We'll just have to use the dimensional inversion." "But that's never been tested!" Trixie squealed in objection. "I see no other chance. Please stand back." Stygian insisted. Trixie exited the caravan and stepped back. Electricity crackled and arced around the caravan as it exploded into a torus of purple light. As the torus faded away Sunset Shimmer's van from the Canterlot High universe stood in it's place. Trixie trotted over to the van and used her magic to open the driver's side door. "How is Trixie supposed to...?" She stared inside at the seat, clearly not meant for a pony. "We'll have to figure this out as we go along." Stygian explained. Trixie awkwardly twisted herself into the seat and placed her hooves at the side of the steering wheel. "Okay, now what?" "Do you know how to drive stick?" Stygian asked. "Stick?" "Sounds like we're going to require practice." Stygian sighed. Trixie shut the door. The van lurched forward and stalled. "Why not just let me drive?" Stygian suggested. "I think I'm figuring it out!" Trixie insisted. She pushed her hoof down hard and the engine screamed. The van went peeling off as she dumped the clutch. The police ponies at the docks took notice of the odd contraption and tried to make chase but they couldn't keep up. The feeling of tension grew along with the towering visage of the Neighami Trust building as it grew closer on the horizon. Trixie stopped the van a safe distance away. Pegasi circled the building and many unicorns and earth ponies stood guard all around the building. "That band from earlier left their demo record in here." Trixie held up a vinyl record and a red beam shot out of the Alicorn Amulet, scanning it. Dramatic electronic music began playing over the van's radio. "You're the strategist. What now?" Trixie asked. A monochrome display on the dash board lit up with a green and black wireframe display of the building. "The service entrance at the rear is gated off. So they only have two guards posted there. The service elevator can bring us straight to the penthouse. So if you can sweet talk your way past those guards we're home-free. Starswirl's office is at the opposite end of the penthouse level." Trixie nodded as she drove around to the rear service entrance. As predicted two guards greeted them at the gate. They signaled for her to roll the window down. "Special delivery..." She said nervously as the window rolled down past her face. "Miss, we're going to need to see your delivery manifest." One of the guards ordered. "Oh you don't need to see Trixie's delivery manifest." Trixie waved her hoof in their face and then pressed a button on the dash board. Two nacelles came protruding out of either side of the van, loaded with incendiary rockets wrapped with Trixie's signature 'purple and stars' pattern. "We don't need to see your delivery manifest!" the guards jumped out of the way as a rocket fired at the gate, blasting it to pieces. "Not exactly a master of subtlety." Stygian sighed. "Let me get this one." A wireframe of the service elevator door appeared on the display. The word "Hacking..." flashed on the screen. The overhead door raised and Trixie drove the van on. "Not everything requires brute force." Stygian lectured. The door closed and the elevator began it's ascent. "You know they ARE going to be waiting for us at the top of the elevator right?" Trixie rolled her eyes. "The subtle is my specialty. I'll leave that part up to you." "Why does Trixie have to do the hard part!?" She protested. As expected as the elevator doors opened at the penthouse level a legion of guards stood at the ready. Trixie pressed a button and the rest of the rockets fired. Wood and plaster flew in every direction as the rockets exploded, sending ponies and debris flying everywhere. "Piece of cake." Trixie boasted. "Not quite..." Stygian said ominously. Trixie looked forward and saw another legion of guards assembling. Trixie reached for another button on the dash board. The guards all looked down as the van projected a red and black laser grid onto the floor. "Styggy, activate the 'turbo boost'!" Trixie ordered. "That would be not be advisable indoors." He protested. "Trixie wasn't asking!" she shouted as she buried her hoof down on the accelerator pedal. The van shot forwards in a streak of red and purple. Guards dived out of the way as it crashed through the interior walls before finally becoming lodged in one. Trixie shifted into reverse and tried to accelerate but the van was stuck. "It's no use. We have to go the rest of the way on hoof." Stygian said. "The office is just through this room." Trixie grabbed the amulet out of it's alcove and jumped out of the van. It reverted back into it's Equestrian form. Ponies in white coveralls and dust masks fled the room as Trixie trotted intently toward the other side. The duo looked around. A latin sounding electric-piano riff sounded on a small radio chained to a support column in the middle of the room. "Pottery wheels?" Trixie was confused at the sight of pottery wheels next to bags of magicaine. "They must be embedding the pottery with magicaine so it can be transported around Equestria undetected." "There's just so much of it." Trixie sighed. "They're going to poison everypony in Equestria at this rate." Chapter 7: Unhitched Chorus"This is the last time I bring you out for this conversation, young mare." Starswirl once again tried to tempt Sunset Shimmer with a vial of magicaine, dangling it in front of her face. "Imagine having the power to give the pony you love a gift beyond gifts." Sunset Shimmer sighed as she stared at the vial of magicaine. She was fully aware of the building's fortifications and was starting to give up hope of rescue. The large zebra burst into the office and whispered something to Starswirl. Trixie burst in shortly after with the battered amulet. "Stygg!" She cried out excitedly. "Shimmer my love! What ever he is offering you-" Stygian cried back. Sunset Shimmer turned her horn to the vial and vaporized it with a jolt of energy. "Some things just aren't worth the cost." She smiled. "You will regret this!" Starswirl shouted as he fired a blast from his horn, grazing one of Sunset Shimmer's front hooves. He dove behind his desk. The zebra started charging at Trixie. "Go to her! The great and powerful Trixie will handle this brute!" Trixie tossed the amulet over to Sunset Shimmer. "Put me on, quickly!" Stygian ordered. Sunset Shimmer clasped the amulet around her neck right as Starswirl emerged from behind the desk and fired a massive shadowy blast of energy. It broke around a shield surrounding Sunset Shimmer. The remainder of the blast destroyed the outer wall of the penthouse office. As the zebra finished making charge against Trixie she tossed a smoke bomb down and the zebra went crashing into the office door, his head pierced it and he got back up and faced Trixie wearing the door like a necklace. "You're not yourself right now, Starswirl!" Stygian shouted. Sunset Shimmer fired a horn blast at Starswirl but the effort was futile. "You're right. I'm better than myself now." Starswirl snapped in an otherwordly voice. Shadows began swirling around him. "I have given myself to the darkness. I am now Shadow Whorl!" The zebra charged at Trixie and as he neared her she pulled her hat off and dumped a load of marbles from it onto the floor. The zebra slipped and came to a skid as he tried to stop but he went sliding through the hole in the wall. He let out a fading scream as he descended to the street below. "It's never too late to turn away from the darkness!" Sunset Shimmer yelled. She charged at Starswirl. "What are you doing!?" Stygian protested. "Believe in yourself!" Sunset Shimmer urged as she grabbed onto Starswirl and the three exploded into an orb of fiery light. The trio found themselves inside Stygian's laser grid landscape. Tendrils of blinding white light held an encircling army of writhing shadows at bay in the distance. "How could you do this to me?" Stygian cried as he approached Starswirl. "Is it true that you have betrayed me to this state?" Starswirl nodded and looked down with shame. "I've lost control." he sobbed. "All these years I've served Equestria's best interests." "Well what happened?" Sunset Shimmer asked. "I used to be the one lecturing young foals on the dangers of using drugs." Starswirl sobbed. "But I found myself attending a victory party for the defeat of the Storm King. Some younger ponies were passing around mare-ihuana and of all the magics I have researched I hadn't a counter-spell for the peer pressure." Starswirl shook his head. "Don't you know that mare-ihuana is a gateway drug?" Stygian lectured. "I know that now. It just spiraled out of control so quickly. Before I knew it I had revived the magicaine trade and I knew you were the only pony that could stop me." Starswirl sighed. "Don't you know that winners don't use drugs?" Sunset Shimmer sighed. "I know that now. But now who am I to talk? I will just look like a hypocrite." Starswirl shook his head. "Young ponies look up to you Starswirl. I know I do. Your experiences only serve to reinforce the dangers of drug use." Sunset Shimmer placed her hoof on his shoulder comfortingly. "We'll ask Princess Celestia to go easy on you in exchange for helping us shut down your operations and speaking out to foals about the dangers of drug use." Stygian offered. "Even after I have taken everything from you?" Starswirl sobbed. Stygian and Sunset Shimmer took each other's hooves. "But you gave me the most important thing, love." Stygian smiled. "You gave US love" Sunset Shimmer corrected. The shadows in the distance vanished as Starswirl slumped down and began sobbing. As the three emerged from the laser grid the sound of sirens grew closer. Several police pegasi flew in and landed along with Luna, Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. "How could you do this to our kingdom, Starswirl?" Celestia shook her head as the police Pegasi lead Starswirl away. "Shimmer, Laser-run!" Luna shouted angrily. "You've caused over a million bits in damage. I have the mayor of Neighami breathing down my haunches, you two are the most disorganized, reckless, and frankly absolutely insane crime-fighting duo I have ever seen!" Sunset Shimmer trembled as Luna stared her down. "But you sure know how to get the job done." She grinned at them. Sunset Shimmer, Stygian and Trixie walked with Celestia and Twilight Sparkle in to the production room to show Celestia the pottery wheels and the magicaine that was being imbedded in it. "It's going to take a while to clean up the damage this operation has done." Celestia sighed. "I'm proud of you Sunset Shimmer." Twilight smiled and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Sunset wait..." Trixie said. She used her magic to pull the amulet from Sunset Shimmer and clasp it around her own neck. "What are you doing?" Stygian asked. "Just do it." She whispered. Trixie's eyes began to glow red as Stygian projected his mind into her body. "My love?" He asked gazing on Sunset Shimmer through a normal pair of eyes for the first time. "Stygian?" She smiled as she reached over and touched her hoof against Trixie's shoulder. "I can feel that." Trixie's body quivered with excitement. The two ponies embraced as Twilight and Celestia looked on. Police ponies poked around the room collecting evidence. One of them unchained the radio from the support column and it went crashing to the floor. The jolt slid the dial to a different station and a romantic, soulful song began to fill the room. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie started to slow-dance to the sweet melody. "What are you doing?" Twilight quizzed as she watched Princess Celestia use her magic to grab a wad of clay from one of the pottery tables and start to form it. "I was feeling inspired." Celestia smiled as she showed off the finished product. It was mostly spherical with a crevasse running down one side. "It looks like a b-" Twilight started "A beautiful heart. Yes." Princess Celestia smiled sweetly. "Yes, that's exactly what I was about to say." Twilight laughed nervously to herself. The two princesses looked over at Sunset Shimmer and Trixie. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie leaned over and began to kiss each other passionately. A police pony was walking by with a camera and Celestia grabbed him aside with her hoof. "You should document that as evidence." Celestia laughed as she winked and nudged the police pony. The radio stopped as Trixie grabbed back control of her body and pushed Sunset Shimmer away. "Now let's not make a habit of that. This is TRIXIE'S body after all." She objected. Everypony laughed. "Did you learn anything about friendship today?" Twilight Sparkle asked Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer looked over at the Alicorn Amulet and then back over at Twilight. "I did. I learned that sometimes being in a romantic relationship with another pony for a long time can be hard and the emotional challenges you face can build up over time- so it's important to keep working at it and to keep looking for opportunities to rekindle your mutual passions." Sunset Shimmer smiled as she explained. "I'm so proud of you!" Twilight beamed as she hugged Sunset Shimmer tightly. "What next?" Sunset Shimmer asked, turning back to Trixie and Stygian. "The show must go on!" Trixie exclaimed excitedly as they walked over to the other end of the room. The trio looked over the caravan to see that it was heavily damaged from the ordeal. "Perhaps some repairs are in order first." The trio laughed as an exciting synth-rock melody started playing on the radio in the middle of the room. Chapter 5: When The Magic Hits The BoneSunset Shimmer stepped out of the mirror and held her front hooves up one at a time. It had been a while since she had stepped into Equestria. She looked around expecting to see the mirror room in the castle but was instead surrounded by trunks full of magic supplies in a dark, cramped space. "Princess Twilight?" She called out. "What are YOU doing in Trixie's caravan!?" Trixie came bursting through the door, with the Alicorn Amulet hovering beside her. "It appears you have taken the wrong mirror." The red jewels on the amulet blinked with each syllable. "Well there's no room for a third pony in Trixie's show!" Trixie huffed as she turned her nose up at Sunset Shimmer. "So can you help me get back to Ponyville? I was supposed to meet Princess Twilight for tea." Sunset Shimmer carefully examined the Alicorn Amulet. "Please be cautious. The ritual to purge this vessel of it's sinister machinations was not completely successful." the amulet warned. "Let me help." Sunset Shimmer reached her hoof forward and touched the amulet. All of Stygian's memories flashed into her mind as she was pulled into his heart. She wasn't expecting such a long and powerful torrent of memories as she came crashing down onto the red and black laser grid. At the far end of the monochrome landscape stood a humble unicorn surrounded by pall of writhing shadows. "I warned you it is not safe here." He sighed as the shadows consumed his energy. "We've all made mistakes in the past." Sunset Shimmer sighed as she trotted towards the unicorn. "But that doesn't mean ponies don't forgive. That doesn't mean we can't move on." The landscape began to shake violently. "What was that!?" Sunset Shimmer asked in a panic. "You are waking up." As Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes the light was painful and blinding as she waited for her eyes to adjust. The details slowly emerged; she was in a prison cell, the cell door was open and the large zebra stood in the doorway. She jumped up onto her hooves and ran for the opening but with a mighty hoof he knocked her to the floor. "I see the prisoner is awake, so to the boss I shall take." He rhymed as he started walking and motioned for her to follow. At the end of the long hallway they emerged through a set of ornate wooden doors into a room full of windows with a birds-eye view of Neighami. Starswirl stood behind a desk with his back to the room, staring out one of the windows. "Why didn't you just kill me?" Sunset Shimmer sobbed. "My child." Starswirl sighed as he turned around and walked over to Sunset Shimmer. "It's because you are meant to serve an even greater purpose." as he continued he walked over to a different window and beckoned to Sunset Shimmer who followed and looked out the window with him. "What do you see out there?" Starswirl quizzed. "Neighami?" "No..." Starswirl shook his head. "Equestria... and for centuries I watched her grow and become more powerful than ever before, the birthplace of magic beyond wonders-" "Then why do you want to poison this world with magicaine!?" Sunset Shimmer snapped. "You and Stygg worked hard to clean up these lands." "Poison? Goodness, no." He sighed. "I acted on prejudice. I destroyed plantations and factories and sentenced many a pony to exile and not once did I ever stop to really research what I had been fighting against." Starswirl walked over to his desk, a mirror was on top. He pulled out a vial and laid down a line of white powder. "Look again, out that window. Equestria has grown stagnant." Sunset Shimmer looked across the landscape. She heard a sniffing sound and she turned back around to Starswirl and the line of powder was gone from the mirror. "I'm giving ponies what they want. I'm giving ponies what they need to continue to grow Equestria's magic, to end this stagnant dark age." Starswirl continued. "You're poisoning them. You're killing them!" Sunset Shimmer cried. She lowered her head and fired a blast at Starswirl who blocked it effortlessly with his energy shield. The zebra motioned toward Sunset Shimmer but Starswirl motioned to him and he backed off. "I need her." He explained "I need you." Starswirl looked back towards Sunset Shimmer. "Your friends look up to you in the other world, no?" "I will never help you poison my friends!" Sunset Shimmer objected. "You remind me of myself, acting purely on prejudice and dogma. Not seeing what greatness could truly be." Starswirl chuckled. "Think of what you could do with all this power." He urged. "Is there nothing you want that is out of your reach right now?" Starswirl walked up beside Sunset Shimmer, levitating a vial of magicaine. "You and Stygian seem to have developed a real special bond together." Starswirl smirked. "But there's a problem isn't there? The lack of a warm body to touch. It's truly regrettable what happened so long ago. We stumbled across the fabled Alicorn Amulet and so we conducted a ritual to purge it's evil influence from Equestria once and for all. Unfortunately his body was destroyed in the process. The only way to save him was to place his soul inside the amulet." Starswirl shook his head and sighed. "We get along just fine." Sunset Shimmer snarled. "Imagine being powerful enough to restore his body from nothing. To undo that misfortune and be able to have a normal relationship like anypony else." Starswirl taunted as he levitated the vial even closer to Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer reached out with her hoof and touched Starswirl with it. The centuries of memories flooded in like a torrent and she winced in pain as she reached desperately for relevant strands; the location of the building, locations of his operations, it all came to her. Deeper yet, she grabbed for the memory of the purging of the Alicorn Amulet and just then she felt a shocking blast knock her to the floor. "Get out of there!" Starswirl snarled. "You... You trapped him in there on purpose." Sunset Shimmer trembled as her horn began to charge with magical energy. "And what are you going to do about it?" Starswirl chuckled. "You can't get past my shield." Sunset Shimmer fired a blast through the window that exploded into the air and radiated out like a fiery beacon in the sky. Papers and other loose objects in the high up office went flying out the window in the ensuing blast of wind. "Put her back in her cell!" Starswirl snarled as he motioned to the zebra. "Tell security to be on high alert."
Chapter 1: Powered By LoveAs the three-thirty bell called on the weekend Sunset Shimmer burst excitedly from her seat and out into the noisy rabble of the main hallway of Canterlot High. As she approached the front doors the sounds of an upbeat 'synth rock' melody poured into the air from out of the school's band room. "Sunset Shimmer!" Vice-principal Luna's voice boomed as she intercepted Sunset Shimmer with a stern gait. Sunset Shimmer's eyes pleaded for mercy as she turned to look. "What did I tell you about parking your van in front of the school!?" Luna continued her lecture. "I guess he was just eager to see me." Sunset Shimmer chuckled nervously as she pushed through the doors and saw her purple Mitsubishi Delica van waiting on the road just down the path from the main doors. "He?" Luna scratched her head as Sunset Shimmer slipped from her grappling stare and skipped out to the van. "Flash!?" Sunset Shimmer was surprised to see Flash Sentry climbing out of the drivers seat of the van as she arrived. "Sunset!" Flash acted surprised too. He reached up and scratched the back of his neck. "Stygg just wanted to have a man-to-man before you guys set out for the weekend." He blushed as he explained. "Good luck by the way! I hope you two have fun on your road trip!" He smiled as he sauntered off. Twilight Sparkle met up with Flash, took his hand, and the two looked back at Sunset, flashing her a salvo of smiles as they wandered off gleefully toward the student parking lot. "You too!" She smiled back as she climbed into the van. "So what did you two talk about?" Sunset Shimmer teased as she pulled the door shut. "Gentlepony things." Stygian's voice sighed. "I just wish you and I could touch each other." Sunset Shimmer reached over and placed her hand over the smooth metal surface of the Alicorn Amulet which was set in an alcove in the dash board. "That's not what I meant. As a pony touching another pony." his voice sighed. "I wish I could feel your heat. Your pulse. Your breath on my skin." The red Jewels on the Amulet flashed with each syllable he spoke. "I still worry after all this time, unable to consummate our love, that you might feel compelled to-" "Stop that!" Sunset Shimmer objected. "This is the only way I've ever known you and I'm still as in love with you as I have ever been." "I owe you everything. It was you that purged my heart of the last traces of darkness. You complete me." He sighed. Sunset Shimmer pulled the amulet from it's alcove and pressed it against her forehead. Time ticked by with the long embrace before she placed it back. "Well we mustn't keep Trixie waiting." Stygian sighed. "Activate visual enhancement spell." Sunset Shimmer commanded softly as she fastened her seat-belt. A red beam of magic fired from the Alicorn Amulet at Sunset Shimmer's face. Everything she saw before her transformed into a glowing red and black wire-frame as she revved the engine and reached down, rowing the gear-lever into the "1" position. "Preparing for dimensional cross." Stygian said politely. The tires squealed loudly as sunset shimmer let off the clutch. The red tail-lights blurred behind the van as she steered it through the statue in front of the school. In a flash of white light the van reappeared in Equestria, just outside of Ponyville, transformed into Trixie's travelling caravan. In the middle of the caravan's interior stood the mirror to Canterlot High and the Alicorn Amulet hung on the mirror's frame. Sunset Shimmer, in pony form, peaked her head out the side window and saw Trixie waiting impatiently. "Who are you two to keep The Great and Powerful Trixie waiting!?" Trixie huffed indignantly. "We were supposed to leave at three-thirty sharp!" "Well then it follows that we should make haste." Stygian's voice replied. "That's easy for YOU to say when I'm the one pulling everypony around!" Trixie rolled her eyes as she spoke. "So where are we going this week?" Sunset quizzed. "This weekend The Great and Powerful Trixie will be wowing the ponies of the remote seaside city of Neighami, on the far southern shores of the Celestial Sea." Trixie explained as she hitched the caravan to herself. "I should have asked Rarity to make me a pony shaped swim suit." Sunset Shimmer teased as she trotted away from the window and gazed into the mirror. An image of Stygian materialized in the mirror and looked Sunset Shimmer over. "I would have loved to have seen that." Stygian's image smiled longingly back at Sunset Shimmer. "You know Trixie can still hear you from out here!" Trixie's muffled voice protested from the outside. Sunset Shimmer and Stygian chuckled heartily in reply. "Do you think there'll be trouble again?" Sunset Shimmer sighed as she brushed a hoof down the side of the mirror frame. "I know of Neighami. In my time it was just a small fishing village but it has grown in recent years." Stygian sighed. "And a bigger crowd brings bigger trouble." Sunset Shimmer hung her head. "And no doubt plenty of amusing tales for your friends back in Canterlot High." Stygian teased. Sunset Shimmer's horn glowed as she plucked the Alicorn Amulet from the mirror-frame and exited the Caravan to attach herself beside Trixie on the yoke. "Just thought you could use some company." Sunset Shimmer said. "You might be friends with that finger-monster impostor from the other side of the mirror but The REAL Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need friends!" Trixie huffed. "I want for nothing more than the three of us to get along." Stygian flashed as he floated beside the duo. "Shimmer, my love, may I have a word alone with Trixie?" he asked. "Sure. I haven't written to Princess Twilight in a while" She nodded. Trixie's horn glowed as Sunset Shimmer let go of the amulet with her own magic and climbed back into the caravan. "I never asked for any of this!" Trixie snapped once Sunset Shimmer was out of sight. "And yet, you should have been mine." She sighed. "Trixie, I called out to you at first because it was the only thing I could do once my soul was trapped inside this amulet. All of it's memories became mine too." Stygian explained with a sigh. "This caravan is my life. It's everything to me. When you first possessed it I finally felt like I had found my soulmate." Trixie sighed back. "But still my heart was not yet completely purged of darkness. I was a threat to you and all of Equestria for that matter. Only when my heart was cleansed by Sunset Shimmer's love was the world finally free of the amulet's sinister machinations!" "Did you ever love Trixie?" Trixie's eyes welled up with tears. "Like family. You are like a sister to me." "Trixie doesn't need a sister!" Trixie turned her head up as she trotted on. "I never should have taken that stupid mirror!" "An accident. As I recall you built a replica as a stage-prop and took off with the real one by mistake. A fortunate accident for all of Equestria. Some day you will find your special somepony and I should like to see you down the aisle." Stygian flashed confidently. "Cold words of comfort." Trixie rolled her eyes as she used her magic to pull open the door and send the amulet back inside. "Why do you love me?" Stygian asked in a meek tone as his image reappeared in the mirror. "Stygg, that's not a fair question to ambush somepony with." Sunset Shimmer hung her head. "I wish I could give you an answer that would make you feel better." "It just seems like it should be an easier question to answer." Stygian hung his head. "Well then why do you love me?" Sunset Shimmer asked defensively. "Because I did you a favor that one time?" "Nothing feels right when I'm not with you." The image of Stygian held it's hoof out toward the mirror glass. "Then that's my answer too. When I first touched you I knew we were destined to be here at each other's side making Equestria a better place. We've both seen all kinds of crazy magic and nopony can say for sure that you're stuck inside there forever." Shimmer nuzzled her face against the amulet. "And even if you were that wouldn't matter to me." She assured. The image of Stygian smiled reluctantly. They realized the day had slipped by as they felt the caravan come to a halt. Sunset Shimmer grabbed the amulet and trotted up to the window. Their gaze was met by a bright, sprawling, glowing city. "We'll make camp here for the night." Trixie said as she unhitched herself from the yoke. "Tomorrow, Neighami..." Sunset Shimmer sighed.
Chapter 2: Neighami's ViceAs the heart of Neighami grew closer down the beachside road the next morning it appeared less flattering, though they were greeted by busking zebras playing a relaxing island melody on steel drums. Sunset Shimmer flipped a couple of bits to them as she trotted next to Trixie, sharing the yoke and carrying the amulet along. The ponies and zebras on the beach appeared frazzled and lethargic. A young pale orange pegasus stallion dragged himself up to the trio. "C-can you spare a few b-bits? I need it back. I n-need the magic back" He stammered. His eyes were bloodshot and his mane was a picture of disarray. "This doesn't look like the kind of crowd Trixie can make any bits off of." Trixie hung her head. "I know these symptoms..." Stygian flashed with a sigh. The trio observed a commotion forming along the water's edge. Trixie and Sunset detached from the yoke and took Stygian down the beach to investigate. A duo of unicorns in police uniforms, one blue and one beige, and a small crowd of bystanders gathered around a small boat with four zebras that had just run ashore. The blue police unicorn urged the zebras away from the boat as a taller beige one lifted a floor board on the boat revealing a stash of tightly packed bags of white powder. "Magicaine!" He shouted. Suddenly the zebras tilted their heads forward and started firing blasts of magic from their foreheads at the crowd. The blue police unicorn was struck immediately and fell to the ground bleeding. The Beige unicorn ducked for cover behind the boat as the zebras grabbed the bags of white powder and began backing towards the highway, continuing to take pot shots at the crowd. The beige unicorn fired back but missed. "We have to do something!" Sunset Shimmer shouted as she dived in front of a young foal that was trapped in the crossfire. She erected an energy shield that stopped a magical bolt from striking her. She retunred fired and struck one, knocking him to the ground. As the zebras neared the road a black carriage pulled up and the remaining three jumped in as the driver trotted off. "Please no!" The beige unicorn shook the motionless body of the blue unicorn. "He's just a colt. His first day on the beat!" He cried. Trixie and Sunset Shimmer looked at each other and nodded and in a flash of magic teleported to the caravan along with Stygian. Trixie hitched up to the yoke and Sunset Shimmer hung out the side window ready to shoot. "Activating visual enhancement." Stygian said as he fired a beam of magic into their eyes. The landscape turned into a red and black laser grid as Trixie galloped into a red and purple blur, quickly catching up . "How are they using magic!?" Trixie blurted out as the zebras fired out the windows of the black carriage at them. Trixie weaved back and forth to avoid the magic blasts. "Magicaine." Stygian sighed. "It's an illegal substance that enhances a unicorn's magical powers. Concentrated enough it can allow non-unicorns to use magic too. Potent but highly addictive." Sunset Shimmer fired a blast from her horn and destroyed one of the wheels of the black carriage, causing it to swerve uncontrollably and unhitch from the driver. The driver ran off as the carriage tipped over and burst into flames. The sound of sirens began to echo into the distance as the beige police pony came running up. A deafening boom set their ears ringing as the carriage exploded before them. "Well then I'm glad we got that dangerous stuff off the streets." Sunset Shimmer said as she pulled the amulet out of the caravan and embraced it tightly. "A drop in the ocean I'm afraid." The beige police pony shook his head. "Over a thousand years ago Starswirl and I worked side-by-side to shut down every last magicaine operation in Equestria." Stygian explained with a sigh. "A new kingpin has moved into town recently. He's importing it over from plantations set up in the Zebra Islands. It's out of mine or even Celestia's jurisdiction. All we can do is stop it as it comes in but it keeps pouring in faster than we can stop it and we only have so much manpower out here." The police pony explained. "Who is this kingpin? This sounds like a job for Shimmer Run!" Sunset Shimmer pumped a hoof in the air excitedly. "Now hold on!" Stygian interjected. "These are very dangerous ponies who don't value life. Otherwise they wouldn't peddle their poison like this. We should return to Canterlot for backup and try to get a hold of Starswirl." "And how many more ponies will die while we wait for backup?" Sunset Shimmer fumed. "We can end this today!" "I've watched magicaine destroy more lives over the centuries than you could possibly imagine!" Stygian snapped. "I'm tired of you thinking I can't take care of myself! Why can't you just trust me?" Shimmer snapped. Trixie took hold of the amulet as Shimmer stormed back into the caravan. Trixie looked down at the amulet and sighed. "I'm sorry everypony had to witness that." Stygian apologized. "A day like this, it's been hard on us all. I have to tell a young stallions family that he isn't coming home tonight." The police pony sighed. "Go to her." Trixie said softly, looking down, as she sent the amulet levitating back into the caravan. "Please, my love. Commune with me." Stygian begged as the amulet hovered beside Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer leaned her head over, touching the amulet with her horn and in a flash of light centuries of memories flashed through their minds as she found herself standing on top of a red and black laser grid beside an image of Stygian. "Stygg, I..." Sunset Shimmer hung her head down and sobbed. "You don't have to say anything. It is I who should be sorry. You are right. To spend a millennium in limbo and then be privy to such a delight. Nothing anypony can say ever seems to quell the fear that I might one day lose you." Stygian wrapped his front hooves around her and began to cry as well. "You have such a beautiful heart, Stygg. Beautiful beyond words." Sunset Shimmer sighed and then turned away. "But even when we connect like this we still can't feel each others touch. Anything we do feel is a trick of the mind. A drink that only causes thirst." Stygian spoke sadly. "And you're right." Shimmer's words pierced Stygian's heart like a knife. "It's so frustrating. We are ponies. We need to touch. It's wrong of me to avoid this issue like I have but you're right. It bothers me too. I would give anything just to be able to touch." She cried. "Some prices aren't worth paying. We both know that from experience." Stygian gently stroked his hoof through her fiery mane. "We both worry too much about what other ponies think." Sunset Shimmer sighed. "We've always done best just focusing on what's in front of us, together." She smirked. "Let us go get the run down on this kingpin." Stygian leaned towards her. "You're right. We might be in over our heads so I'll write to Twilight tonight and let her know something is up in Neighami. That way we have backup." The two kissed and in a flash of light they were back in the caravan after only seconds had passed in the outside world. Sunset Shimmer burst confidently from the caravan with the amulet in tow. "Tell us about this Kingpin." she commanded softly. "Trixie is glad you two made up." Trixie rolled her eyes jealously. "Informants on the street know him as Shadow Whorl. He's a very powerful unicorn. His boys run magicaine down the main strip here wherever, whenever- he owns this city. We have dozens of ponies dying of overdose and withdrawal every day. He's got eyes in the precinct too because every time we have a bust planned they come rolling up and shooting but I've probably said too much already." The police pony explained. "Well this shipment went up in flames. He's going to need a bigger boat next time." Stygian pondered. "You're right. I know some ponies who work in the harbor. I'm going to do some digging around tonight. Why don't you come meet up with me at the precinct tomorrow? Just ask for me, Deputy Vice. " The police pony spoke confidently.
Chapter 3: The Eminent VisageThe streets were relatively empty along the main, seaside, drag of Neighami as Trixie pulled the Caravan along and Sunset Shimmer hung her head out the window, taking in the ocean spray. All of the activity was along the beach. Boats glided over the waves and ponies lay on the sand soaking in the sun. Confident young colts strutted along the water's edge with surf boards flirting with fillies along the beach- all a bright mask of lies to cover up the scars left by the illicit trade. "Wait!" Sunset Shimmer shouted. Trixie brought the caravan screeching to a halt. "What's going on?" Stygian stammered, waking from an afternoon nap. His tired image disappeared from the mirror as Sunset Shimmer grabbed the amulet and headed out. "Well it's not like Trixie has anywhere else to be!" Trixie rolled her eyes and sighed. Sunset Shimmer pointed a hoof down a nearby alleyway where beneath the shadow of a palm tree a young unicorn colt handed a bag of green plant matter to another young colt as he passed back a small bag of bits. Sunset Shimmer whispered to Trixie. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Trixie asked. "I'm tired of sitting by and doing nothing. What if Deputy Vice's digging comes up empty? We need to have our own plan!" She urged. "I hope you're not planning what I think you're planning." Stygian sighed. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie trotted confidently up to the drug deal as the two colts looked at them nervously. As though reading the authority in their steps both colts turned and began to run. Trixie set off a smoke bomb and the young dealer found himself tied to her by a chain of different colored handkerchiefs. "You know selling mare-ihuana is a class B felony." Trixie lectured. "The Great and Powerful Trixie could vanish you for a very long time. You'll be a tired old Stallion by the time you reappear." She waved her hoof for dramatic effect. "Come on, don't we have bigger fish to fry, detective Trixie?" Sunset Shimmer pleaded disingenuously. "I suppose your right." Trixie rolled her eyes. "You don't look like cops to me!" The young colt taunted. "Well you could call our bluff." Sunset Shimmer taunted back. "Or you could help us hook some 'bigger fish'." "I don't know what you're talking about." The young colt rolled his eyes. "Then watch as The Great and Powerful Trixie makes you magically reappear in a cell downtown-" "She'll do it. But I'm after bigger fish. I know you're afraid of Shadow Whorl too. So I'll make this simple. If a pony were trying to score some magicaine who would they go to?" Sunset Shimmer quizzed. "I don't know his name. But he works the corner of Main and Sea-breeze at 9 in the morning until noon." The young colt explained nervously. "But he can smell a cop from a mile away." he warned ominously. "Well it's a good thing we're not cops." Trixie winked at him as she detached the handkerchief bond. The colt ran off. "That's on our way down town." Stygian added as he fired a beam of red magic that projected a map of Neighami into the air. "But I still think we over-stepped our bounds here." he lectured. "And this is why I don't take initiative often." Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. "I just wish you would trust me on the job for once." The next morning the trio proceeded down Main Street ready for their confrontation with the magicaine dealer. Sunset Shimmer shared the yoke with Trixie with the amulet floating between them. The two stopped as they saw a band of ponies with musical instruments at the side of the road by a broken down caravan. "Hey could we like score a ride downtown?" One of the ponies asked. "We have a show at the Neigh-borhood Pub downtown." "Of course!" Trixie waved them in excitedly. "Are you sure this is wise?" Stygian asked. "We're kind of on a mission." Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. "Trixie is always willing to help out a fellow caravan pony." She explained with pride. "Do you mind if we like rehearse on the way?" The band pony popped his head out the window. "Be our guest." Trixie cocked her head up and smiled smugly as the trio resumed pulling the caravan. As they proceeded the band rehearsed a suspenseful sounding synth-pop instrumental. As the music reached a refrain the caravan came to a stop as they reached the corner of Main and Sea-breeze. Then trio detached from the yoke and quickly surrounded a gruff older brown earth pony. "Alright the gig is up." Sunset Shimmer warned. "Tell us how to find Shadow Whorl." Sunset Shimmer commanded as she began conspicuously charging her horn up. "She's crazy! She'll do it!" Trixie warned. The earth pony bucked his legs back knocking Trixie down and began running as the refrain ended and the band's song began ascending into a dark, ominous crescendo. Sunset Shimmer fired a horn blast in front of the pony, knocking him down and leaving a small crater in the ground. Trixie pulled herself back to her hooves and the duo surrounded him again. "I do think we're getting carried away." Stygian sighed. The earth pony began cowering as Sunset Shimmer began charging her horn once more. "Alright, I'll talk!" He pleaded. The band's song hit it's climax as a long black carriage pulled up along side the scene. Everypony took note as a bunch of unicorns hung their heads out the window and began unleashing a relentless salvo of horn blasts. Sunset Shimmer jumped and knocked Trixie to the ground as she erected a shield around the trio. The magicaine dealer took several horn blasts and fell motionless to the ground. "NO!" Sunset Shimmer screamed. The horn blasts stopped and one of the doors of the carriage opened. A very large and burly zebra pushed out the young colt from the other morning; the colt was battered and bruised and collapsed on the ground, alive still but taking shallow breaths. "This is what will become of you and your friend- unless your investigations come to an end." The zebra slammed the door shut and the carriage sped off. "We can't let them get away with this!" Sunset Shimmer cried. The two mares hitched up to the yoke again and sent the amulet back inside where it connected to the mirror frame. "Trixie's ready." Trixie sighed. Stygian projected a beam at the mares and the band began rehearsing an electronic chase theme as the road melted away into a red laser grid. As they got close to the black carriage two more black carriages pulled up beside the caravan. Sunset Shimmer cocked her head to the side and fired a horn blast, knocking a wheel off the carriage on her side- it careened out of control and exploded at the side of the road. The duo wove back and forth strategically, dodging horn blasts from the carriage on the other side. Trixie cast her front hoof to the side and a salvo of fireworks exploded in the eyes of the carriage driver- it swerved off to the side and bumped the curb, exploding into a bright, searing fireball. Just as they began to close the gap to the lead carriage two more black carriages pulled up at their side. "Where do they keep coming from?" Sunset Shimmer panted as one of the carriages moved in and slammed into the side of the caravan, knocking them off course slightly. "Don't ask Trixie!" Trixie tossed out another salvo of fireworks out but it exploded behind the carriage on her side. "Activating smoke screen." Stygian said as the two carriages moved closer in preparation to ram the caravan. Smoke bombs dropped from all corners of the caravan and exploded with a large puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared it was further up the road and the two black carriages smashed into each other, exploding on impact. "Styggy. We need the turbo boost!" Trixie called out. "I hate when you call me that." Stygian sighed and red lightning arced between the yoke and the mares as the caravan rocketed forward in a red and purple blur. Sunset Shimmer peered through the windows of the black carriage as they pulled up beside it. A tall unicorn in a dark cloak sat with his eyes glued forward, unconcerned as unicorn henchmen started firing out the window. The caravan weaved around, dodging. Sunset Shimmer took a shot at one of the wheels and missed. "Trixie's getting tired..." Trixie huffed. "We can do this !" Sunset Shimmer urged on. Her optimism was interrupted as a horn blast shattered one of the wheels of the caravan. It weaved precariously to a halt. Sirens approached from the distance as a small army of police ponies rolled up on the scene. "Does this mean we're not going downtown anymore?" One of the band ponies asked as he peered out of the window.
Chapter 4: The Axle's FollyTwo burly police ponies lead Trixie, Sunset Shimmer and the Alicorn Amulet in hoof shackles to the central office of the police precinct. As they entered Princesses Luna and Twilight Sparkle stared with abject disapproval. The police ponies walked out and shut the door behind them. "Shimmer! Laser-run!" Luna boomed. "You do realize impersonating a police pony is a serious felony right? That magicaine dealer you got killed was set to testify against Shadow Whorl once the Neighami police reined him in!" Luna slammed her hoof down on the desk. "Not to mention the untold amounts of property damage. You're just lucky that young colt is going to make it." "I just can't believe you could be so reckless." Twilight sighed as she walked up to Sunset Shimmer. "I could imagine Trixie pulling a stunt like this, but you!?" Twilight slapped her hoof against her face. Trixie gave Twilight a dirty look while Sunset Shimmer hung her head in shame. "What were you thinking?" Twilight sighed. "I just wanted to take the lead and do something good for once. To make up for what I did all those years ago at Canterlot High." Sunset Shimmer sobbed. "Princesses, this was all my idea!" Stygian blurted. "I don't care whose idea this was!" Luna shouted. "Canterlot is taking over this case and if the three of you aren't out of Neighami by tomorrow morning I'll personally see to it that you are charged for crimes against the kingdom!" "Then we're free to go?" Sunset Shimmer asked meekly. Luna slowly crept towards Sunset Shimmer. "And to make sure you leave the three of you can spend the night in a jail cell!" Luna boomed. The two burly police ponies came back in and lead the trio to a large steel barred jail cell. After leading them in they removed the hoof shackles and slammed the door shut, walking off. "I knew this was going to happen." Stygian sighed. "I should have listened to you, right!?" Sunset Shimmer chided as she turned away to face the wall. "I should have..." She sighed. "Luna and Twilight are right. This was reckless and stupid. This whole thing. I just want to do some good in the world so that everypony isn't talking behind my back in the halls." She sobbed. "You made a mistake. We all make mistakes. But this adventure we share. This is all we have together." Stygian sighed. "Well then maybe we both would have been better off if we never met!" Sunset Shimmer cried as she turned back to Stygian. Trixie looked over in shock. "Then Trixie could have you all to herself. And I would just be that weird girl back in class." Sunset Shimmer slumped down as she sent the amulet hovering over to Trixie. "She doesn't mean that." Trixie sighed as she gave the amulet a comforting pat with her hoof. The silence was deafening as the trio sat quietly for what felt like an eternity; until they heard the unmistakable clang of the jail cell unlocking. Deputy Vice stepped in. "When I asked you to meet me at the precinct this isn't what I had in mind." Deputy Vice sighed. "I have a lead on an incoming shipment of magicaine. We have to get to the Uptown Harbor for sunset. It's union turf and Shadow Whorl owns the unions around here but with the help of you three we might be able to blow this case wide open." He explained. "But princess Luna-" Trixie started. "I talked to her already. She said you have to leave tomorrow. It's not tomorrow yet. I had my boys in the impound garage fix your wheel" Deputy Vice Winked. "Let's go, Shimmer." Trixie urged. "Let's at least finish what we started." The light of the sunset raced off of the water, bombarding the street along side the Uptown Harbor with a blinding orange glow. The four parked the caravan in a nearby alleyway out of sight. Trixie took the amulet in tow and the four trotted quietly toward the harbor. They found a row of bushes with a vantage point of the main gate to the harbor and hid low, observing the activity. "It looks like most of the dock workers have gone home already." Sunset Shimmer observed. "Perfect opportunity for Shadow Whorl and his boys to move in and do their dirty work." Deputy Vice added. "Somepony is coming!" Trixie pointed to a long black carriage being towed toward the gates. The guards at the gates waved the carriage in and then returned to their 'ready' posture. "This way." Trixie waved. "I hope you know what you're doing." Deputy Vice said as the group followed her around the side of the fence. A maintenance shed was positioned close to the fence. "We can use this shed for cover." Trixie explained as she began using her magic to cut a hole in the fence. The team scrambled in and ducked behind the shed. Deputy Vice looked around and spotted the black carriage parked beside on of the piers. "Over there!" he pointed. "We need to make sure we stay in cover." Stygian warned. "Without the carriage I can't grant you laser vision." "What about that?" Sunset Shimmer pointed to a large fuel tank closer to the black carriage. "We'll never make it there before we're seen." Deputy Vice sighed. "Leave that to Trixie!" Trixie threw a smoke bomb toward the guards at the gate. It exploded into a puff of smoke and the team scrambled behind the fuel tank as the guards went over to investigate. They now had a vantage point of a large yacht. A tall cloaked unicorn stood talking to a the large zebra from earlier as a small group of underlings looked through crates on the deck. "I wish we could hear what they were saying." Deputy Vice said. He motioned with his head toward the black carriage. "Let's take cover over there." The others nodded and they scrambled over behind the black carriage. "As you can see your merch is here." The large zebra said in a thick accent and then paused and sniffed the air. "But I do smell a rat is near." The groups heart pounded as they looked around for an escape route. A bunch of guards quickly flanked them and motioned for them to head to the ship. "Busted." Sunset Shimmer sighed. Trixie kept her head down and mumbled inaudibly to herself. "What's our plan B?" Deputy Vice asked. The guards walked the group up onto the deck of the yacht. They were outnumbered and surrounded. Trixie's horn glowed and the fuel tank they had hid behind earlier exploded. A searing orange fireball rose into the sky above the harbor, startling everypony. Trixie grabbed Deputy Vice and jumped for cover behind a crate and Sunset Shimmer jumped behind another. A flurry of magical bolts flew back and forth as a firefight erupted. The large zebra motioned at a pony operating a cargo crane. Sunset Shimmer seized the opportunity and popped out and fired a salvo of horn blasts, knocking some of the hencponies down. Trixie motioned to Deputy Vice and prepared to throw a smoke bomb. The cloud of smoke lit up with the light of a magical blast and as the smoke cleared Trixie lay wounded on the ground. "You traitor!" Sunset Shimmer shouted as she fired at Deputy Vice and then jumped behind a different crate. "I warned you that we owned the police force." He laughed. The boom of a loading crane swung over the deck and the large zebra jumped on as it swung him to safety. "We can't win this." Stygian sighed. As Deputy Vice and the rest of the henchponies circled around them on the deck. "I need you right now!" Shimmer said as her horn began to charge up. She levitated the amulet from Trixie's side over to herself. She touched her horn against the amulet and a blast of magic came radiating from the pair, knocking down everypony left on the dock except for the cloaked unicorn who erected a shield of energy that the blast broke against. "Well played." The unicorn fired a blast, striking the amulet and it fell to the ground. "Stygg!" Shimmer cried out as she followed him to the ground. One of the gems was cracked and energy arced out of it. "It's a shame you didn't remain with Celestia to keep honing your talents." The unicorn lectured as he stepped closer. "What do you know about me or Celestia!?" Shimmer snapped. "That voice..." Stygian strained. The unicorn tossed his cloak to the ground revealing his true identity- It was Starswirl. "I don't understand..." Stygian continued. "How could you betray Equestria!?" Sunset Shimmer cried out. She fired a powerful blast at Starswirl but his energy shield still held. "Betray? All these years blindly following codes of morality and I had never bothered to look at things with the shoe on the other hoof." He lectured calmly as he walked closer yet to Sunset Shimmer. "So many years the ponies of Equestria have been forced to make compromise after compromise to save themselves from existential threats when we all could have been so much more powerful, so much more in charge of our destiny. I only do what is best for Equestria." Sunset Shimmer hadn't noticed in the heated exchange that the crane operator had swung the boom back and positioned a cage above her head. Starswirl fired a blast at the chain holding the cage to the crane, knocking it down around Sunset Shimmer. "Starswirl, stop this madness..." Stygian pleaded. "Let her go..." Starswirl levitated the amulet up to his face. "Please don't take this too personally Stygian Laser-run, my old friend" He cast the amulet to the ground and then stomped on it. Stygian screamed in pain as more energy arced out. "Don't hurt him!" Sunset Shimmer screamed as she bucked at the bars of the cage to no effect. "It would take more than a few cracks and dents to kill him." Starswirl turned his nose up. He then delivered a swift kick that sent the amulet sliding off the deck of the boat and into the water with a splash. "But it will take an expert diving team to find him." He snickered. Starswirl signaled to the crane operator again. As the last light of dusk gave way to night the crates and the cage were loaded onto the black carriage. As the drivers galloped off into the night the docks fell still.
Chapter 6: Mare-WolfStygian settled onto a rock at the bottom of the harbor's shallows facing up. At first he thought of the sunrise when the orange glow hit the water above him but he knew it was too soon. He soon felt Sunset Shimmer's beacon calling out to him. It was feint but he felt a surge of emotion and knew he had to do something. "Trixie..." A voice whispered in Trixie's head. She lay motionless on the deck of the boat. She was alive but unconscious. "Trixie..." Stygian's voice whispered again. "Ow... Styggy?" She opened her eyes and tried to stand up but she felt too weak. She looked around at the aftermath of the battle. Sirens echoed in the distance and grew closer. "Come to me..." Stygian's voice whispered once more. "We must be quick." Trixie clawed at the deck of the boat and dragged herself to the edge. She could feel Stygian calling to her from the depths as she looked down to the water. "Are you sure this is safe Styggy?" She asked out loud in a dazed tone as she took a deep breath and slumped over the edge, plunging into the water and coming to rest beside the amulet. "Wear me." Stygian ordered. Trixie shook her head as she continued holding her breath. The murky waters stung her eyes as she held them open to see. "I know you are frightened but it is our only chance." Stygian urged again. Trixie reached out and grabbed the Alicorn Amulet and fastened it around her neck. She was instantly overcome with a surge of energy. A bubble formed around the duo as they ascended to the surface and out of the water. Trixie came crashing down on her hooves the middle of the dock, splintering the boards where she landed. "We have to get back to the caravan." Stygian urged. Trixie nodded and they quietly slipped out of the harbor and into the alleyway as police and fire ponies began arriving at the scene. "I have a feeling we're going to be the ones on the wanted poster." Stygian sighed as the two climbed into the caravan. Trixie took off the battered amulet and set it on the side of the mirror frame as she began wrapping cloth bandages around her wounds. Stygian's image appeared in the mirror. "Sunset Shimmer is being held captive in the penthouse of the Neighami Trust building." Stygian explained with tears in his eyes. "One way or another he's expecting me. He will be well fortified." "But he's not expecting US." Trixie reached over and placed her hoof on the amulet. "I can't ask you to endanger your life like this." Stygian objected. "Trixie wants to see you happy. Besides, where else would she be without her great and powerful crime-fighting caravan?" She smiled over at Stygian's image in the mirror. "It's just a shame we don't have time to rest and heal before the fight. This is a suicide mission." Trixie hung her head and sighed. "We'll just have to use the dimensional inversion." "But that's never been tested!" Trixie squealed in objection. "I see no other chance. Please stand back." Stygian insisted. Trixie exited the caravan and stepped back. Electricity crackled and arced around the caravan as it exploded into a torus of purple light. As the torus faded away Sunset Shimmer's van from the Canterlot High universe stood in it's place. Trixie trotted over to the van and used her magic to open the driver's side door. "How is Trixie supposed to...?" She stared inside at the seat, clearly not meant for a pony. "We'll have to figure this out as we go along." Stygian explained. Trixie awkwardly twisted herself into the seat and placed her hooves at the side of the steering wheel. "Okay, now what?" "Do you know how to drive stick?" Stygian asked. "Stick?" "Sounds like we're going to require practice." Stygian sighed. Trixie shut the door. The van lurched forward and stalled. "Why not just let me drive?" Stygian suggested. "I think I'm figuring it out!" Trixie insisted. She pushed her hoof down hard and the engine screamed. The van went peeling off as she dumped the clutch. The police ponies at the docks took notice of the odd contraption and tried to make chase but they couldn't keep up. The feeling of tension grew along with the towering visage of the Neighami Trust building as it grew closer on the horizon. Trixie stopped the van a safe distance away. Pegasi circled the building and many unicorns and earth ponies stood guard all around the building. "That band from earlier left their demo record in here." Trixie held up a vinyl record and a red beam shot out of the Alicorn Amulet, scanning it. Dramatic electronic music began playing over the van's radio. "You're the strategist. What now?" Trixie asked. A monochrome display on the dash board lit up with a green and black wireframe display of the building. "The service entrance at the rear is gated off. So they only have two guards posted there. The service elevator can bring us straight to the penthouse. So if you can sweet talk your way past those guards we're home-free. Starswirl's office is at the opposite end of the penthouse level." Trixie nodded as she drove around to the rear service entrance. As predicted two guards greeted them at the gate. They signaled for her to roll the window down. "Special delivery..." She said nervously as the window rolled down past her face. "Miss, we're going to need to see your delivery manifest." One of the guards ordered. "Oh you don't need to see Trixie's delivery manifest." Trixie waved her hoof in their face and then pressed a button on the dash board. Two nacelles came protruding out of either side of the van, loaded with incendiary rockets wrapped with Trixie's signature 'purple and stars' pattern. "We don't need to see your delivery manifest!" the guards jumped out of the way as a rocket fired at the gate, blasting it to pieces. "Not exactly a master of subtlety." Stygian sighed. "Let me get this one." A wireframe of the service elevator door appeared on the display. The word "Hacking..." flashed on the screen. The overhead door raised and Trixie drove the van on. "Not everything requires brute force." Stygian lectured. The door closed and the elevator began it's ascent. "You know they ARE going to be waiting for us at the top of the elevator right?" Trixie rolled her eyes. "The subtle is my specialty. I'll leave that part up to you." "Why does Trixie have to do the hard part!?" She protested. As expected as the elevator doors opened at the penthouse level a legion of guards stood at the ready. Trixie pressed a button and the rest of the rockets fired. Wood and plaster flew in every direction as the rockets exploded, sending ponies and debris flying everywhere. "Piece of cake." Trixie boasted. "Not quite..." Stygian said ominously. Trixie looked forward and saw another legion of guards assembling. Trixie reached for another button on the dash board. The guards all looked down as the van projected a red and black laser grid onto the floor. "Styggy, activate the 'turbo boost'!" Trixie ordered. "That would be not be advisable indoors." He protested. "Trixie wasn't asking!" she shouted as she buried her hoof down on the accelerator pedal. The van shot forwards in a streak of red and purple. Guards dived out of the way as it crashed through the interior walls before finally becoming lodged in one. Trixie shifted into reverse and tried to accelerate but the van was stuck. "It's no use. We have to go the rest of the way on hoof." Stygian said. "The office is just through this room." Trixie grabbed the amulet out of it's alcove and jumped out of the van. It reverted back into it's Equestrian form. Ponies in white coveralls and dust masks fled the room as Trixie trotted intently toward the other side. The duo looked around. A latin sounding electric-piano riff sounded on a small radio chained to a support column in the middle of the room. "Pottery wheels?" Trixie was confused at the sight of pottery wheels next to bags of magicaine. "They must be embedding the pottery with magicaine so it can be transported around Equestria undetected." "There's just so much of it." Trixie sighed. "They're going to poison everypony in Equestria at this rate."
Chapter 7: Unhitched Chorus"This is the last time I bring you out for this conversation, young mare." Starswirl once again tried to tempt Sunset Shimmer with a vial of magicaine, dangling it in front of her face. "Imagine having the power to give the pony you love a gift beyond gifts." Sunset Shimmer sighed as she stared at the vial of magicaine. She was fully aware of the building's fortifications and was starting to give up hope of rescue. The large zebra burst into the office and whispered something to Starswirl. Trixie burst in shortly after with the battered amulet. "Stygg!" She cried out excitedly. "Shimmer my love! What ever he is offering you-" Stygian cried back. Sunset Shimmer turned her horn to the vial and vaporized it with a jolt of energy. "Some things just aren't worth the cost." She smiled. "You will regret this!" Starswirl shouted as he fired a blast from his horn, grazing one of Sunset Shimmer's front hooves. He dove behind his desk. The zebra started charging at Trixie. "Go to her! The great and powerful Trixie will handle this brute!" Trixie tossed the amulet over to Sunset Shimmer. "Put me on, quickly!" Stygian ordered. Sunset Shimmer clasped the amulet around her neck right as Starswirl emerged from behind the desk and fired a massive shadowy blast of energy. It broke around a shield surrounding Sunset Shimmer. The remainder of the blast destroyed the outer wall of the penthouse office. As the zebra finished making charge against Trixie she tossed a smoke bomb down and the zebra went crashing into the office door, his head pierced it and he got back up and faced Trixie wearing the door like a necklace. "You're not yourself right now, Starswirl!" Stygian shouted. Sunset Shimmer fired a horn blast at Starswirl but the effort was futile. "You're right. I'm better than myself now." Starswirl snapped in an otherwordly voice. Shadows began swirling around him. "I have given myself to the darkness. I am now Shadow Whorl!" The zebra charged at Trixie and as he neared her she pulled her hat off and dumped a load of marbles from it onto the floor. The zebra slipped and came to a skid as he tried to stop but he went sliding through the hole in the wall. He let out a fading scream as he descended to the street below. "It's never too late to turn away from the darkness!" Sunset Shimmer yelled. She charged at Starswirl. "What are you doing!?" Stygian protested. "Believe in yourself!" Sunset Shimmer urged as she grabbed onto Starswirl and the three exploded into an orb of fiery light. The trio found themselves inside Stygian's laser grid landscape. Tendrils of blinding white light held an encircling army of writhing shadows at bay in the distance. "How could you do this to me?" Stygian cried as he approached Starswirl. "Is it true that you have betrayed me to this state?" Starswirl nodded and looked down with shame. "I've lost control." he sobbed. "All these years I've served Equestria's best interests." "Well what happened?" Sunset Shimmer asked. "I used to be the one lecturing young foals on the dangers of using drugs." Starswirl sobbed. "But I found myself attending a victory party for the defeat of the Storm King. Some younger ponies were passing around mare-ihuana and of all the magics I have researched I hadn't a counter-spell for the peer pressure." Starswirl shook his head. "Don't you know that mare-ihuana is a gateway drug?" Stygian lectured. "I know that now. It just spiraled out of control so quickly. Before I knew it I had revived the magicaine trade and I knew you were the only pony that could stop me." Starswirl sighed. "Don't you know that winners don't use drugs?" Sunset Shimmer sighed. "I know that now. But now who am I to talk? I will just look like a hypocrite." Starswirl shook his head. "Young ponies look up to you Starswirl. I know I do. Your experiences only serve to reinforce the dangers of drug use." Sunset Shimmer placed her hoof on his shoulder comfortingly. "We'll ask Princess Celestia to go easy on you in exchange for helping us shut down your operations and speaking out to foals about the dangers of drug use." Stygian offered. "Even after I have taken everything from you?" Starswirl sobbed. Stygian and Sunset Shimmer took each other's hooves. "But you gave me the most important thing, love." Stygian smiled. "You gave US love" Sunset Shimmer corrected. The shadows in the distance vanished as Starswirl slumped down and began sobbing. As the three emerged from the laser grid the sound of sirens grew closer. Several police pegasi flew in and landed along with Luna, Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. "How could you do this to our kingdom, Starswirl?" Celestia shook her head as the police Pegasi lead Starswirl away. "Shimmer, Laser-run!" Luna shouted angrily. "You've caused over a million bits in damage. I have the mayor of Neighami breathing down my haunches, you two are the most disorganized, reckless, and frankly absolutely insane crime-fighting duo I have ever seen!" Sunset Shimmer trembled as Luna stared her down. "But you sure know how to get the job done." She grinned at them. Sunset Shimmer, Stygian and Trixie walked with Celestia and Twilight Sparkle in to the production room to show Celestia the pottery wheels and the magicaine that was being imbedded in it. "It's going to take a while to clean up the damage this operation has done." Celestia sighed. "I'm proud of you Sunset Shimmer." Twilight smiled and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Sunset wait..." Trixie said. She used her magic to pull the amulet from Sunset Shimmer and clasp it around her own neck. "What are you doing?" Stygian asked. "Just do it." She whispered. Trixie's eyes began to glow red as Stygian projected his mind into her body. "My love?" He asked gazing on Sunset Shimmer through a normal pair of eyes for the first time. "Stygian?" She smiled as she reached over and touched her hoof against Trixie's shoulder. "I can feel that." Trixie's body quivered with excitement. The two ponies embraced as Twilight and Celestia looked on. Police ponies poked around the room collecting evidence. One of them unchained the radio from the support column and it went crashing to the floor. The jolt slid the dial to a different station and a romantic, soulful song began to fill the room. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie started to slow-dance to the sweet melody. "What are you doing?" Twilight quizzed as she watched Princess Celestia use her magic to grab a wad of clay from one of the pottery tables and start to form it. "I was feeling inspired." Celestia smiled as she showed off the finished product. It was mostly spherical with a crevasse running down one side. "It looks like a b-" Twilight started "A beautiful heart. Yes." Princess Celestia smiled sweetly. "Yes, that's exactly what I was about to say." Twilight laughed nervously to herself. The two princesses looked over at Sunset Shimmer and Trixie. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie leaned over and began to kiss each other passionately. A police pony was walking by with a camera and Celestia grabbed him aside with her hoof. "You should document that as evidence." Celestia laughed as she winked and nudged the police pony. The radio stopped as Trixie grabbed back control of her body and pushed Sunset Shimmer away. "Now let's not make a habit of that. This is TRIXIE'S body after all." She objected. Everypony laughed. "Did you learn anything about friendship today?" Twilight Sparkle asked Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer looked over at the Alicorn Amulet and then back over at Twilight. "I did. I learned that sometimes being in a romantic relationship with another pony for a long time can be hard and the emotional challenges you face can build up over time- so it's important to keep working at it and to keep looking for opportunities to rekindle your mutual passions." Sunset Shimmer smiled as she explained. "I'm so proud of you!" Twilight beamed as she hugged Sunset Shimmer tightly. "What next?" Sunset Shimmer asked, turning back to Trixie and Stygian. "The show must go on!" Trixie exclaimed excitedly as they walked over to the other end of the room. The trio looked over the caravan to see that it was heavily damaged from the ordeal. "Perhaps some repairs are in order first." The trio laughed as an exciting synth-rock melody started playing on the radio in the middle of the room.
Chapter 5: When The Magic Hits The BoneSunset Shimmer stepped out of the mirror and held her front hooves up one at a time. It had been a while since she had stepped into Equestria. She looked around expecting to see the mirror room in the castle but was instead surrounded by trunks full of magic supplies in a dark, cramped space. "Princess Twilight?" She called out. "What are YOU doing in Trixie's caravan!?" Trixie came bursting through the door, with the Alicorn Amulet hovering beside her. "It appears you have taken the wrong mirror." The red jewels on the amulet blinked with each syllable. "Well there's no room for a third pony in Trixie's show!" Trixie huffed as she turned her nose up at Sunset Shimmer. "So can you help me get back to Ponyville? I was supposed to meet Princess Twilight for tea." Sunset Shimmer carefully examined the Alicorn Amulet. "Please be cautious. The ritual to purge this vessel of it's sinister machinations was not completely successful." the amulet warned. "Let me help." Sunset Shimmer reached her hoof forward and touched the amulet. All of Stygian's memories flashed into her mind as she was pulled into his heart. She wasn't expecting such a long and powerful torrent of memories as she came crashing down onto the red and black laser grid. At the far end of the monochrome landscape stood a humble unicorn surrounded by pall of writhing shadows. "I warned you it is not safe here." He sighed as the shadows consumed his energy. "We've all made mistakes in the past." Sunset Shimmer sighed as she trotted towards the unicorn. "But that doesn't mean ponies don't forgive. That doesn't mean we can't move on." The landscape began to shake violently. "What was that!?" Sunset Shimmer asked in a panic. "You are waking up." As Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes the light was painful and blinding as she waited for her eyes to adjust. The details slowly emerged; she was in a prison cell, the cell door was open and the large zebra stood in the doorway. She jumped up onto her hooves and ran for the opening but with a mighty hoof he knocked her to the floor. "I see the prisoner is awake, so to the boss I shall take." He rhymed as he started walking and motioned for her to follow. At the end of the long hallway they emerged through a set of ornate wooden doors into a room full of windows with a birds-eye view of Neighami. Starswirl stood behind a desk with his back to the room, staring out one of the windows. "Why didn't you just kill me?" Sunset Shimmer sobbed. "My child." Starswirl sighed as he turned around and walked over to Sunset Shimmer. "It's because you are meant to serve an even greater purpose." as he continued he walked over to a different window and beckoned to Sunset Shimmer who followed and looked out the window with him. "What do you see out there?" Starswirl quizzed. "Neighami?" "No..." Starswirl shook his head. "Equestria... and for centuries I watched her grow and become more powerful than ever before, the birthplace of magic beyond wonders-" "Then why do you want to poison this world with magicaine!?" Sunset Shimmer snapped. "You and Stygg worked hard to clean up these lands." "Poison? Goodness, no." He sighed. "I acted on prejudice. I destroyed plantations and factories and sentenced many a pony to exile and not once did I ever stop to really research what I had been fighting against." Starswirl walked over to his desk, a mirror was on top. He pulled out a vial and laid down a line of white powder. "Look again, out that window. Equestria has grown stagnant." Sunset Shimmer looked across the landscape. She heard a sniffing sound and she turned back around to Starswirl and the line of powder was gone from the mirror. "I'm giving ponies what they want. I'm giving ponies what they need to continue to grow Equestria's magic, to end this stagnant dark age." Starswirl continued. "You're poisoning them. You're killing them!" Sunset Shimmer cried. She lowered her head and fired a blast at Starswirl who blocked it effortlessly with his energy shield. The zebra motioned toward Sunset Shimmer but Starswirl motioned to him and he backed off. "I need her." He explained "I need you." Starswirl looked back towards Sunset Shimmer. "Your friends look up to you in the other world, no?" "I will never help you poison my friends!" Sunset Shimmer objected. "You remind me of myself, acting purely on prejudice and dogma. Not seeing what greatness could truly be." Starswirl chuckled. "Think of what you could do with all this power." He urged. "Is there nothing you want that is out of your reach right now?" Starswirl walked up beside Sunset Shimmer, levitating a vial of magicaine. "You and Stygian seem to have developed a real special bond together." Starswirl smirked. "But there's a problem isn't there? The lack of a warm body to touch. It's truly regrettable what happened so long ago. We stumbled across the fabled Alicorn Amulet and so we conducted a ritual to purge it's evil influence from Equestria once and for all. Unfortunately his body was destroyed in the process. The only way to save him was to place his soul inside the amulet." Starswirl shook his head and sighed. "We get along just fine." Sunset Shimmer snarled. "Imagine being powerful enough to restore his body from nothing. To undo that misfortune and be able to have a normal relationship like anypony else." Starswirl taunted as he levitated the vial even closer to Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer reached out with her hoof and touched Starswirl with it. The centuries of memories flooded in like a torrent and she winced in pain as she reached desperately for relevant strands; the location of the building, locations of his operations, it all came to her. Deeper yet, she grabbed for the memory of the purging of the Alicorn Amulet and just then she felt a shocking blast knock her to the floor. "Get out of there!" Starswirl snarled. "You... You trapped him in there on purpose." Sunset Shimmer trembled as her horn began to charge with magical energy. "And what are you going to do about it?" Starswirl chuckled. "You can't get past my shield." Sunset Shimmer fired a blast through the window that exploded into the air and radiated out like a fiery beacon in the sky. Papers and other loose objects in the high up office went flying out the window in the ensuing blast of wind. "Put her back in her cell!" Starswirl snarled as he motioned to the zebra. "Tell security to be on high alert."
