The Last Sunny Days of Equestria

The flash of a blade scythed through Beatrix Belladonna's back, shredded through furred skin and muscle, washed her attacker in a gush of hot blood. Laughter erupted from Shadow Scythe, her maw drawn in a malicious grin, the dying body slumping before her as she used her power as a reaper to draw in the shimmery orb of a soul that escaped the mortally wounded flesh.

The reaper clasped the sphere to her bosom, blinked away from the beams that Sunny desperately fired her way. “It's mine,” she announced upon her reappearance above them. The warm spirit settled into her breast. In demonstration she used a hoof to draw a circle in the air, sliced a rift between realities that swirled, caught more magic lasers that hissed towards her.

“Damn it,” muttered Sunny who scrunched up her snout and blinked watery eyes. Two of her soldiers had fallen and their enemy was better off than before. “We don't have a choice! We have to retreat and return with help!”

“Think I'll let you do that?” Shadow Scythe fired off another blast that Sunny barely countered. The beams collided in a colorful explosion that shook the entire cavern and dislodged loose stones in a cloud of dust.

“D-don't open more than one portal at once,” mumbled Beatrix through half-lidded eyes, the richness fading out of her coat and leaving her monochrome while life rapidly slipped from her. “Do so, and...and this whole dimension will collapse on you...”

Shadow Scythe scoffed. “Thanks for the warning. Shame you won't be around to see how to properly use those powers!”

With a nod between them the Dazzlings stood around Flash Sentry's unconscious form in a circle and began to sing in harmony while their enemy was distracted. The serene song washed over the area, gave them all pause, even Shadow Scythe, for all the power she'd absorbed from creatures and Titans alike, unable to completely resist its seductive lure.

“Ah...bastards...” The reaper groaned, frozen in place, shaken. She willed herself to break their hold, called more and more on the Cores of Titans trapped in her, and the air itself started to violently vibrate about the quaking interior.

With a wave of her hoof and flare of her horn she wrapped her aura around the Dazzlings, snarled, and swept them up. They wailed and were unceremoniously tossed into the nexus she'd opened, which she closed with another wave.

Sunny went wide-eyed. “Where did you send them?!”

“Who knows? Maybe the same place Beatrix traveled last. Could be a hell dimension for all I know!” She cackled.

“Grr!” Without thinking Sunny leaped and tackled her. She slammed her to the rocks, and they rolled over, wrestling as she attempted to pin her down. She lashed out a hoof, smashed her across the maw, felt a bloodied spray and the crunch of bone.

“How dare you!” Another magical blast arose from Shadow Scythe and hurled her away. Sunny smacked into a wall with a crack, whimpered and shaken, the air stinking with the singe of fur. “Oh, I'm going to enjoy killing you...”

She charged her horn to the point where it quivered. Sunny hopped up, wobbled on her hoovers, and broke into a mad gallop. She dove and the reaper tracked her, snarled and loosed a thunderous blast of woven together elements, putting all the power she could store into it. Sunny dived behind the 'Coffin of Light and Darkness' as the explosion struck home.

The area went white. There was a shatter so loud a ring sounded in their ears.

When the momentarily blinded opponents were able to refocus, the 'Coffin of Light and Darkness' was a demolished ruin, Sunset Shimmer's body loosed from it...and reunited with Sunny who radiated with their combined power.

“Clever. But it won't save you. You two are still no match for me,” snapped Shadow Scythe.

Sunny's horn shined and she lanced through a wall. The caves collapsed further in, and she bored tunnels to their other scattered allies to lead them here. “There's nowhere left to run. Unless you plan to punk out into that rift, chickenshit?”

“Not a chance.” Shadow Scythe waved and closed the nexus. “You're right. Let's finish this!”

Their battle resumed in another series of thunderous, blinding magical explosions and beams. Sunny knew she had to win for many reasons. Because Equestria and all other realities were threatened. Because she wanted to save Flash Sentry and avenge Beatrix. Because without her intervention the Dazzlings might be lost forever in some random dimension.

Most of all, because Sunset Shimmer believed in her, and she couldn't bear to let her down!

*****

“We're too late!” Twilight Sparkle stormed into their enemy's lair with her remaining team and the surviving units of Royal Guards. She galloped to Flash's side, attention half-focused on the battle between Sunny and Shadow Scythe. Cradling the wounded stallion to her, she noted Beatrix's corpse with a shake of her head, and the broken 'Coffin of Light and Darkness'.

“Where the heck is Grogar?” Applejack's eyes darted about. “Don't tell me he got away!”

“No,” wheezed out Sunny who sweated and clenched her teeth, concentrating to keep up with her opponent, the light show reflecting off the cave walls. “Shadow Scythe killed him, and stole his power! Beatrix too! And she banished the Dazzlings!”

“How the-” Twilight tried to process the rapid revelations. “It doesn't matter! Fluttery, look after Flash! Let's take her down!”

“You said it!” Pinkie Pie scooped up more pebbles, made them glow, and tossed them at the reaper.

“Pests.” Shadow Scythe nonetheless was forced to divide her concentration between her assailants, who attempted to attack her from all sides. She raised barriers to deflect spells, fired her own back, forced her opponents to scatter.

The stolen Cores in her breast burned brighter and hotter, pushed to their absolute limits. Twilight and Rarity added their own woven spells to Sunny's, empowered it, helped by the unicorn Royal Guards who tried to push back Scythe's wide beam.

“Too...much...” Rarity paled, known more for her defensive spells, and even with two of them combined she struggled to keep up with the sheer display of power. Her eyes half closed, and her knees shook, barely able to stay on her hooves.

“Hold on!” Spike beat his wings above the reaper, his belly swelled with an inferno, and he unleashed a cone of flame.

Blinks erupted and Tempest Shadow arrived with the promised reinforcements, which included the Pillars and more Royal Guards. Shadow Scythe started to laugh at their pathetic attempt, only to snarl with the renewed barrage that hurled her way. She expanded her power, felt her chest throb with the stolen Cores, almost like her ribcage was ready to burst.

“Fools! All of you!” She raised her arms with a shriek, loosed a fresh explosion that tossed her attackers about. Many were thrown into the walls or skittered across the rocky terrain, bowled over by a display that rivaled Twilight's battle with Tirek.

A whimper escaped Rarity who fainted. Spike yelped and one of his wings crunched. Pinkie flipped over backwards several times and her head collided with a wall, rendered unconscious when she slumped down with a murmur.

“Whoa nelly,” cried AJ whose forehooves clung to a stalactite, muscles drawn taut. “What now?”

Sunny watched the reaper's breast glow, the Cores now visible under her ribs below the cloak that fluttered about. “I have an idea,” she whispered to Twilight. Rather than explain, she touched hooves with her, and their eyes went white. Between Sunset Shimmer and her counterpart their potential had expanded it, and with it the empathic abilities they shared.

Rapidly she passed her plan to the Princess of Friendship. After the flash ended, a nod was shared between them.