The Parasite

Sunset was lost in thought for the rest of the day, doing her best to distance herself from what Carnage was doing with their body. She said nothing as he went about his usual indiscriminate killing, traveling far from Canterlot on foot and only returning to the dorm mere hours before her first class started.

She spoke up just to criticize this poor planning. There's no way we'll be able to get enough sleep before class. You're going to have to deal with my body being exhausted.

He snorted. I'll be fine. I have more than enough of my own energy to keep this meat sack awake. Have you already stopped paying attention to your body? Does it feel tired to you?

Sunset allowed herself to focus back on her body, feeling the heartbeat, checking to see if any muscles were sore. Her heart was going its normal speed and nothing ached. Her eyes were wide open, not feeling heavy at all. And yet, somehow she still felt tired.

You're mentally tired, Carnage said. Physically, your body is fine. He rummaged through various things in the dorm, checking inside Sunset's backpack and gathering up everything necessary for the upcoming day's classes. He wanted to keep Sunset's friends and acquaintances from becoming suspicious for as long as possible, so he would keep up the woman's normal schedule. But once he had a suitable plan for taking down the various other Elements and absorbing their power for himself, he would abandon this dull routine.

He could sense his host's mental fatigue as he prepared for the day. The stress of the past week has taken its toll on her and he could tell her mind has been working hard ever since he seized control. He didn't care to look to see what all she was thinking about. It didn't matter. He just didn't want to hear her complain about being tired.

Out loud, he said, “You'll get nowhere with all that thinking you've been doing. You might as well rest. I won't interfere with your dreams so you'll have those to yourself.”

Wow, so generous of you, Sunset said dryly. But I doubt I'd be able to sleep with you still up and moving around.

“You'd be surprised. Give it a try.” With nothing left to do for the next few hours, Carnage took to idly pacing as he explored the contents of Sunset's phone, reading through past conversations with her friends and looking at photos. Sunset again let herself disconnect from her senses, focusing inward and trying to sleep despite her body's eyes still being open.

To her surprise, she found herself drifting off. Her vision faded and her surroundings grew quiet. It was bizarre, part of her was struggling to stay aware of what was going around her, but the rest of her just wanted to pass out. She nervously checked what Carnage was doing one last time. He was still wasting time going through her phone. She knew he planned to keep up her schedule for now. There was no need for her to stay awake to watch him, and even if she did, it wasn't like she could control him. So she finally let herself drift off, everything blacking out as sleep claimed her.

When Sunset came to, it was rather sudden. One moment she was dreaming, wielding an unnecessarily large, flaming sword as she battled an indistinct monster in what would be a nightmare to most but was thrilling to her. And suddenly it was over and she was being snapped back to reality, Carnage blinking a couple times and her vision shifting to show her the inside of a lecture hall.

Wha... what just happened, where's the... oh. Her thoughts were confused for a bit before she focused and realized she was now awake, the prior battle just a dream. It had felt so real, but then she always was a vivid dreamer. She scanned their surroundings the best she could. This is my literature class.

Yes, Carnage thought to her, sounding bored. Sunset noticed that he had the notebook for this class on the desk in front of him but it was shut, and though he was looking vaguely in the direction of the professor, he was barely paying attention.

Sunset knew she must have been asleep for several hours, considering what class they were in now. It was nearly noon. She instinctively tried to move to stretch or pick up a pencil, but couldn't. Carnage gave a little huff of annoyance and she quickly apologized. Sorry, it just feels like we've been sitting still for a while and I tend to fidget in this class.

I'm aware. This is horribly boring. I've been amusing myself thinking about who in here might taste the best. That professor is old and scrawny, hardly a morsel, but there's a few students who would make excellent treats... Carnage looked around the room and Sunset felt their stomach growl.

Do you think about anything other than food?

What else is there?

Sunset was about to respond, but while Carnage was checking out the other students, their gaze passed Twi, who sat right next to them. Sunset would have gasped if she could. This was one of the few classes she shared with the other and she couldn't ignore how her friend was staring intensely at her. Oh man. Twi. Has Twi said anything to us today?

When I got here she hugged me and asked about the vacation. I told it was fun and she told me about her time with her family. She has been mostly quiet since then, just taking notes on the class. And staring at us. I do not trust her. She has been suspicious of us for a while now.

You should be taking notes and following along in the textbook, that's what I would be doing right now. No wonder she's suspicious.

I don't care to learn anything further about your messy, barely fathomable language and its authors.

But you're still trying to pass yourself off as me. Twi knows me. She knows how studious I am. You sitting here staring into space is going to make her think something's wrong. So open the damn textbook.

Carnage used a harsh slap of the hand to toss open the textbook, flipping aggressively through the pages until he reached the appropriate one. He glanced at it and then back up, uninterested. Out of the corner of their eye, Sunset saw Twi frown. Oh no.

Twi began writing something in her notebook, then stared at the page for a few moments while chewing on the end of her pencil. Then she slid the notebook over and Carnage looked down at it.

'Are you feeling okay? You seem tense.'

Just tell her I'm disappointed to be back in class after how fun spring break was, Sunset said.

Carnage wrote the requested explanation and pushed the notebook back over. Twi read it and didn't seem convinced, but she dropped the subject, returning her attention to the lecture. But she still kept shooting them worried looks.

She's very perceptive, she knows something's up, Sunset said nervously.

She better keep it to herself. I'll destroy her if I have to.

Sunset had to get her plea for help to Twi as soon as possible. She could use her power to explain what happened and ask her to contact Princess Twilight, and then lay low in the meantime so Carnage doesn't target her. After thinking over the technique for the past few days, Sunset was confident she would be able to communicate telepathically with her friend. She just needed Carnage to touch her...

The rest of the class seemed to pass incredibly slowly, but finally it was over. Carnage carelessly flung everything into the backpack and shouldered it, standing. Twi quickly got up too. “So, uh, you caught that assignment, right?”

“Mm?” Carnage replied.

“The five page analysis he wants us to have to him by Friday? Just wanted to make sure you caught that, I don't think you wrote it down in your planner so...”

“I don't need to use my planner, I can remember it,” Carnage snapped, turning to go.

“Sunset,” Twi said softly. “Please, is something wrong? You've seemed so... different since coming back.”

“Different how?” Carnage began making his way out of the room, Twi hurrying along behind him.

“I'm not sure how to explain it, you just seem... distracted. Not quite yourself. Did something happen during your vacation?”

“Nothing. It was relaxing and I just wish it were longer.” Carnage was still imitating Sunset's tone of voice fairly accurately, but Sunset could sense an underlying strain to it, as Carnage resisted the urge to start growling at the other. He was becoming frustrated.

“I get that, I wish I was still hanging out with Shining and my parents, but it is what it is. I'm just concerned, are you starting to get burnt out? It's okay if you are, I just want to help you through the rest of the semester, and before you know it your freshman year will be over!”

“I don't need help right now. I need to get to my next class. Excuse me.” Carnage turned and walked briskly away. Twi seemed to follow for a few steps, then sighed and walked in another direction.

Oh no, poor Twilight, she just wants to help me... she thinks I'm stressing out about school and getting burnt out, on top of suspecting that I'm Red... what are we going to do about this?

We should kill her.

No! All my friends suspect me and if you kill her now that will probably just confirm it to them!

So what? I can kill them too! They may have magic but it's nothing compared to my might!

You can't kill them!

And why not? They're a threat! If I take them out nothing left on this planet will be able to stand in my way!

Sunset didn't know what else to say. She was terrified for her friends. She wanted to keep Carnage from targeting them for as long as she could but she was powerless to stop him now. She began mentally struggling again to take control of her body, any control, to move a finger or even just blink. Briefly unprepared, Carnage's control slipped long enough that Sunset managed to half turn them around back toward where Twi had gone. Then, with an audible snarl, he locked down Sunset's motor control and spun them in the other direction, nearly stomping as he headed outside.

Stop fighting me! he roared in their mind, so loud that Sunset mentally flinched away from his thoughts. You are mine and you will never be free of me! Fight back again and I will make sure all your friends suffer greatly at my hands! Especially that meddling little bitch Twilight!

There was nothing else Sunset could do but whisper that she was sorry and retreat further back into her mind. She didn't want to resist anymore. She couldn't risk her friends' lives.

Carnage seemed to wait for her to keep talking, but when she was silent, he gave a satisfied growl and turned his attention to where he was going, thinking about the next class with disdain and then planning out what he was going to do that afternoon. Sunset just kept to her own thoughts, not wanting to provoke him. She wanted so badly to cry and being unable to do so was almost physically painful.

Eventually they got through the last class of the day, and to Sunset's surprise, Carnage took her phone out to send Twi a text asking if they could briefly meet up.

She's still got more classes... Sunset pointed out, but she was quiet and respectful about it.

I know. It will only be for a moment.

That was worrisome. What was he planning? Sunset tried to look but the other's thoughts were shielded from her.

Twi agreed to a quick meeting and said she'll be outside the science department. Carnage headed that way. Sunset was on high alert as he approached Twi, dreading what he was going to do. This was a very public area, lots of other students were going to classes and hanging out with friends, surely Carnage wasn't planning anything violent, right?

“I want to apologize for earlier, I guess I am just getting burnt out,” he said once he was close to Twi. He had gone back to perfectly capturing Sunset's tone, sounding apologetic. “I just didn't want you to worry about me since I know how much you have going on.”

Twi smiled in understanding. “It's okay, it gets rough at the end of a semester, huh? But we're friends and it's natural for me to worry about you. Look, I'm sorry too. Me and the others keep questioning you about this Red thing and that was wrong of us, I can only imagine how much that's stressing you out too. I don't think you're a murderer. You would never do what that monster has been doing and I have to admit that the patterns I noticed... well, they have to be coincidental. It can't be you.”

Carnage nodded and Sunset felt his glee. “Of course not. That's not who I am. I totally get why you would be suspicious but I promise I have nothing to do with it.”

Twi brushed some of her hair back behind her ear and shifted her weight around, then said, “Yeah. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, but this whole thing has me so scared and I just wanted to do something to try and stop it. I hate not knowing what to do.”

“Well, you should know one thing.” Carnage drifted a hand along Twi's arm and Sunset felt their heart speed up. That was a reaction she would have had if she was in control. What was he doing?

Twi glanced over and then blushed as Carnage reached her face, stroking her cheek. “What's that?” she asked.

He smirked and leaned in, lowering his eyelids. “I love you.” He tilted his head and pressed their lips together.