The Parasite

Sunset and Carnage soon settled into a suitable relationship with each other. Every weekend, and on the occasional weekday evening, they would travel to find one of Sunset's targets to kill. Sometimes they didn't actually kill anyone, instead threatening them into submission and making them swear to change their ways, and would leave them roughed up and scared but very much alive. On days like that, they would find an alternative source of food, namely deer, wild turkeys, or other game from whatever forested areas they happened to pass. Carnage described such food as suitable, but he much preferred the taste of sapient beings, whose brains produced just the right amount of chemicals to be highly nutritious for him. He likened eating solely game to a human living off mashed potatoes and water. Technically doable, but nowhere near satisfying.

In return for making sure Carnage was fed, Sunset generally didn't have to listen to him complain during the rest of the week. She could continue attending her classes and finishing assignments in peace. She hung out with her friends often too, especially Zinnia, who was getting used to Canterlot and overjoyed to have such a tight friend group to rely on. Sunset's old high school friends took to her very quickly, and Fluttershy even switched to shopping at the gardening center whenever she needed plants just to help business.

Yes, so far Sunset was keeping the two sides of her life in harmony. And her and Carnage's actions were absolutely making an impact. It wasn't long before every news station across the country and even ones abroad were buzzing about the murders and threats, reporters discussing the agenda of what was by now well known as the Red Monster or to some just Red. Every new death had them rushing to analyze the motives and try to build a fuller profile of exactly what the creature was after. Of course, they settled on the overall picture pretty quickly. It was trying to improve the world with vigilante justice. But the identity and origin of Red was what got arguments heated.

Sunset didn't usually care to watch the debates on that, more interested in researching to see if there were any significant changes to society. There was a decent decrease in crime rates even for petty crimes, as people were scared they would be targeted next. At one point, it was suggested by the media that only high profile people were in danger. Sunset and Carnage had quickly stamped out that theory by scouring a few different prisons and eating those who were proven guilty of serious crimes such as murder, rape, or child abuse. The media changed their view to the high-profile or convicted being at risk. One weekend of hunting down people who were let off or even hadn't been caught yet, and that theory disappeared as well. Now the entire public had reason to fear.

Carnage was quite happy with the steady supply of meat, and he regularly told Sunset about how strong and unstoppable they were. They were quickly molding this into the perfect world. Things were changing slowly but surely. Crime rates going down, politicians becoming more humanitarian, companies halting their unethical labor practices. And despite Sunset being pretty open with her friends about being busy on the weekends, they never seemed to suspect her. They had no reason to link one of their friends being busy to the widespread monster attacks.

But that didn't stop her friends from trying to investigate the monster's identity like everyone else. Their chatroom ended up getting a channel devoted to the subject, and Twi did most of the research, compiling links with all the photos she could find, and obsessing over the one study of the monster's genetics that was found.

Despite Carnage's earlier assurance that he wouldn't leave evidence behind, he and Sunset had gotten into a situation where their target managed to fight back. Not exactly new, but the person had sliced them with a knife so sharp that it had managed to take the smallest nick out of their skin. It hadn't hurt, and the damage was immediately repaired, but their skin nonetheless remained on the blade. Carnage had smacked the knife aside and lunged in to eat the person, and upon leaving, hadn't bothered to retrieve the knife.

It was found by investigators, who had quickly discovered the skin left on it and sent it to be analyzed. Sunset had followed that case closely, but there was no need to worry. The lab reported that the skin didn't match anything else on Earth. The cells were entirely new to science, with an alien structure and genetics, and seemed dead from the moment they started examining them. Carnage explained that he can choose to control pieces of himself that are separated from the main mass, or he could just let them die. He had chosen the latter in this case.

It wasn't solid proof from a scientific standpoint and research was ongoing, but to the public, the study was all that was needed for them to start declaring Red as an alien. Either that, or something so far removed from the rest of Earth's life that it was an enigma. Or even a demon, was another strong theory.

Twi insisted they needed to try and stop it. They've used their magic to stop countless threats and they could stop this one too. Rainbow seemed on board with that, but the others were hesitant. They pointed out how many people have already tried to stop Red only to get thrown aside, badly injured, sometimes even eaten too. Rainbow acknowledged that, but said none of those people had magic on their side. The magic of the Elements of Harmony contained within their geodes could absolutely stop the monster.

Sunset didn't know a lot about how the Elements worked personally, but she did know they've stopped several huge threats to Equestria. Even Discord, a draconequus with reality-warping powers, was frozen to stone by them. And then there was what she and her friends did to the Dazzlings a couple years ago. There was a decent chance that magic could actually stop her and Carnage. But she wasn't willing to test it. She pointed out in the chat that the attacks were so random and fast that it would likely be impossible for everyone to get in place to be able to use their magic.

Twi had stopped typing for a while when she pointed that out. But then she returned to say she was working on something for that and to stay tuned.

It was months since Sunset began her mission. Spring break was approaching and she planned to make good use of the time. She had already told her friends and classmates she was going to take a vacation out of state, as she wanted some time to herself. They understood and were fine with it, as they all had their own plans. Most of them were going to visit family.

It was a few days before the break when Twi invited her friends over to her room, saying she had something big to show them.

“I've been working on this ever since that lab got a sample of Red's DNA,” she said, taking a device out of her backpack. It was shaped like a ping pong paddle, the handle in her hand and a round screen at the other end. There was an assortment of buttons along the handle in easy reach of her thumb. She gave everyone a bright smile. “It's a tracking device.”

They were impressed, but Carnage gave a distinct jolt under Sunset's skin and she felt his apprehension. He thought to her that it likely wouldn't work, but if it did, this was a huge problem. Sunset agreed but kept a politely interested look on her face as Twi explained the device.

“It's similar to when I designed that magic capturing amulet,” Twi said. “In fact, it uses magic itself. I programmed it with the genetic sequence of Red, whose DNA contains base pairs of chemicals that nothing else on Earth uses. This detects those chemicals and gives me a range. I'll tell you, getting Equestrian magic to interact with chemicals like that and report back was quite a challenge but I think I've finally done it!”

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Rainbow asked excitedly. “Turn it on!”

Twi flipped the switch to on. She aimed it down toward the ground. “It's collecting background information, hold on...” She waited, then lifted it back up. “Okay, it should be ready to start searching. Here we go...” She began moving in a slow circle, aiming it around the room. Sunset grew nervous as it passed her, but nothing seemed to happen, Twi continuing to spin. Once she had made a full pass of the area, she consulted the screen. “Hm. Alright, let me just... bring up the sensitivity a bit. But hey, this magic does have a limit. If Red is outside of about a fifty mile radius it won't pick up on it. I'm mostly just testing that it is functioning, and since it is reporting back on other instances of those chemicals, it seems to be working.” She gave the room another sweep, and this time when she went past Sunset, she paused.

Sunset froze too and felt Carnage coil with anticipation. Twi tilted her head, then looked up and walked forward. Sunset prepared to come up with an explanation, but Twi gently gestured for her to move aside and went to that part of the room, staring at the wall as she muttered to herself about which direction that was. Twi looked at the screen again, then grew confused. “Wait, it disappeared?” She turned and moved the device. Again it picked up a match from Sunset's direction.

“Hm.” Twi approached her, this time holding the screen end right up to Sunset herself. The device dinged. She looked up. “Sunset?”

“Yeah, something tells me it isn't working right,” Sunset replied calmly.

“Weird, I could have sworn I programmed it correctly...” Twi tried waving the device against herself, and then another friend. Nothing happened until she pointed it back to Sunset. “It's definitely picking up something. But it's probably a false positive.”

“Probably? Come on, Twi, look at me,” Sunset laughed, gesturing at herself. “Do I look anything like that big red alien thing? And killing people? Come on.”

Twi nodded. “I know. That's ridiculous, you'd never do anything like that. Maybe there's just... something to your magic that's throwing it off, or maybe it's just... from the way they manufactured your clothes? I don't know, I'll have to look at the coding again. Because it's definitely busted.” She turned it off, and when she walked away, Sunset sighed with relief.

Carnage didn't settle, though. We have to get rid of that thing.

No. Don't you think it'd be suspicious if her tracker goes missing right after she showed it to us? She doesn't suspect me now, but if we did that, she will. Twi is smart. Maybe she'll just... give up on the tracker if it keeps going off near me.

Or she'll figure out that the device is working. We have to do something.

Just relax. It'll be fine.

Twi put the tracker on her desk and turned back to the others. “I'll tinker with it later. So, how are you all doing?”

They wound up hanging out for a while. It was a little crowded with all of them in Twi's dorm, but they made do. They were good friends after all, and had no problem snuggling in close on the couch or on the floor as they watched TV. Sunset was especially pleased when Twi curled up next to her on the couch, leaning against her and seeming very content. Sunset debated with herself before reaching an arm around her shoulders. Twi didn't pull away, instead cuddling closer and yawning.

“You look tired,” Sunset said quietly to her.

“I am. I've been doing so much work lately. Classes are getting intense, I'm going to have so many exams after the break.”

“You'll do well on them. You always do.”

“I hope so, I've been studying every day but there's a lot to remember.”

“You've got this.”

Twi gave her a thankful smile, and Sunset smiled back, slowly stroking down her shoulder and arm. Twi rested her head down and closed her eyes, her arms draping around Sunset's middle. Sunset held her as they watched TV, but after only a few minutes it became apparent that Twi had fallen asleep.

“Oh dear, we should go,” Rarity commented when she noticed. “She works herself so hard...”

“I don't want to move, she might wake up,” Sunset said.

“Oh my gosh, I can never move when one of my animal friends falls asleep on me,” Fluttershy said. “If it was one of you? I'd be trapped forever.”

“That gal can definitely use the nap,” Applejack said, picking up the remote to turn the TV down a bit.

“Aw, what a sleepyhead,” Pinkie cooed from the computer chair, getting up and sneaking over closer to gently take Twi's glasses off and set them aside. “We should let her sleep.”

“What do you think?” Applejack asked Sunset. “Reckon we should wait for her to get up, or head out?”

Sunset gave her shoulder an experimental twitch. Twi slipped down from it and instead sprawled in her lap, still sleeping. “Yeah she's down for the count. You guys can go, I'll stay here with her.”

They agreed and exchanged goodbyes before leaving. Sunset kept holding her friend, idly petting her hair as she leaned her head back and looked up at the ceiling. This was nice. This was very nice, and her heart ached as she considered just telling Twi how she felt about her. She wanted to be able to hold her all the time, and play with her hair, and sleep next to her...

She's a threat to us, Carnage hissed, interrupting her pleasant daydreaming. She's too clever for her own good and we need to keep her away.

I'm not pushing away one of my friends like that, Sunset snapped. We'll be fine. Take your own advice, stop being paranoid.

I'll defer to your judgment but if she comes close to discovering our secret, I'm going to do what has to be done.

Sunset glared off into space, wishing she could look him in the eyes as she did. You aren't going to hurt her. Ever.

He didn't answer. Sunset stayed with Twi for the next several minutes, waiting patiently for her to get up. By the time she did, Sunset had turned off the TV and was just sitting in the dark with her, lost in thought. Spike had curled up at Sunset's other side in the meantime and was patiently waiting too, not really talking except to tell Sunset that Twi tended to pass out on the couch all the time.

“Still, it's nice that she has you here this time,” he said. “You always cheer her up.”

Sunset blushed. Then she felt movement, and Twi was lifting her head, looking around. “Wha? Where'd everyone go?”

“You fell asleep,” Sunset replied. “They went home, but I stayed since you uh, fell asleep on me.”

“I did? Oh!” Twi sat up, blushing. “Sorry!”

“It's okay. What are friends for, huh?”

Twi fixed her hair and felt her face, then looked for her glasses. Sunset pointed out where they were and offered to get them, but Twi just shook her head and casually waved her hand toward them. They floated up and into her fingers easily, and she put them on.

“Oh, right.” Sunset awkwardly moved over, and Spike clambered over her lap and went to cuddle with Twi, licking her face.

She laughed and petted him. Then she looked back at Sunset. “Thanks for hanging out.”

“No problem. I hardly get to see you anymore, so this was nice.”

“Yeah, it was. I wish we could spend spring break together, but my parents and I planned to get together with Shining Armor, we haven't seen him in a while since he's stationed so far from here.”

“Oh! That'll be nice, tell him I said hi.”

“Can do.” Twi got up, straightening out her clothes and going to turn the lights back on. “I think I'm gonna start troubleshooting the tracker. I really want to stop Red.”

“Do you think we should?” Sunset asked. “I mean, it's so strong that it fought past SWAT. It's fought off army soldiers. What if the Elements aren't enough and it kills us?”

Twi sighed, rubbing her arm as she paced. “I still want to do something. I at least want to help track it down and see if we can get more data on what exactly it is. This could be the planet's first alien contact, and it's obsessed with killing criminals and anyone else it considers bad? It could be helping us with scientific research. Helping us find the cure for cancer, or a clean sustainable alternative energy... but instead it's running around causing panic and fear. Maybe it thinks it's doing the right thing. But it's not.”

“Things have gotten better though,” Sunset pointed out. “Crime's down, for one.”

“Yeah but I don't think one person should serve as the moral standard for the whole world. It's not going to work out in the long run. What happens when it runs out of targets? What if it starts lowering its standards? What if we all have to fear for our lives because a small mistake could set its sights on us?”

Sunset swallowed. “There's a lot of people in the world, I don't think that'd happen, and maybe it'd just... leave at that point...”

“But we don't know that! We don't know anything about what Red is or why it's doing this to us and that's the most frustrating thing about this!” Twi sighed, sinking into her computer chair and pulling over the tracker to fiddle with. “I'm going to keep trying to learn about the monster. And if there's a way to stop it, I want to find it. Before it puts all of us in danger.”

“I understand.” Sunset stood, rubbing her face. “I think I'm uh. I'm gonna head back to my dorm. I wanna get some stuff wrapped up before, ya know. Before the break.”

“Oh. Okay, sounds good. Sorry for getting so heated, it's just... you know, if someone wants to make the world better, there are better ways to do it than what Red is doing, you know?”

“Of course. I get what you're saying. Still, I should let you work on your tracker. I hope you figure out what went wrong.”

“Alright. See you. Maybe we can hang out one more time before we go on vacation.”

“Sure, that'd be great.” Sunset waved goodbye and walked out. Once she was out the door, she went a little ways down the hall before finding a wall to slump against and sigh. You may be right. We might have to keep an eye on her.

Just as I said.

But we still won't hurt her. We can't. She's-

Your best friend and you're in love with her. I know. If she doesn't interfere, she'll be fine.

Sunset really hoped she didn't figure out the truth.