Shadow Evolution

Moonlight shone over the headstones of Canterlot cemetery. The cold autumn chill compounded the sense of finality: a means to the ultimate end, or perhaps, a new beginning. None knew for sure.

In the dark of the night, a man ran through the grass and concrete. What caused him to move so swiftly was fear: not of the dead, but rather, those very much still living. He was being pursued by two forces, one of which he was quite familiar with. The other is what caused him to push his body to its limits. Just before he could make his escape, a figure stepped in front of him: a figure carrying a medieval-style sword.

"Guess your luck just ran out." a feminine voice taunted.

"Who are you!?" he bellowed in a blend of terror and rage.

"The question isn't 'who am I', it's 'who are we'."

"'We'!?"

Behind the man, another silhouette appeared, butting him in the neck with a weapon of its own. The shock knocked him unconscious.

"Took you long enough." the young woman spoke.

The other figure pushed back the veil concealing it. Silver Spoon was revealed to be the man's captor. She was now the transitional age of sixteen, only two short years away from adulthood.

"Give me a break, would ya? This place is huge."

Diamond removed her own hood.

"You've really gotta work on your agility."

"You've got a whole year on me, ya know."

Police sirens wailed as they approached the graveyard's exterior.

"We should get out of here." Diamond suggested.

Silver leaned over the unconscious man's body. Her expression was one of disgust.

"Enjoy prison, scumbag."

The adolescents fled the scene.

Diamond and Silver quietly approached the Rich family mansion, careful not to wake Filthy and Spoiled. Once they were inside, they brushed themselves off.

"Rough night?" a familiar voice spoke in jest.

The teens' gazes shot forward. Mere feet away, Sunset stood shrouded by the shadows. The twenty-three-year-old stepped forward.

"Miss me, kiddo?"

Diamond dropped her sword. Tears in her eyes, she ran up to the older girl and hugged her tightly.

"Seems like you've been making a name for yourself." Sunset said with a smile.

Diamond, Silver, and Sunset went into the kitchen. They caught up over a late-night snack.

"The paper mentioned a sharp increase in arrests," Sunset told them, "I knew at least one of you had to be responsible."

"There were a bunch of abductions recently," Diamond replied, "All we had to do was follow his trail. Even if he doesn't tell the cops where the kids are, they'll find them eventually."

"When did you start trusting cops, hm?"

"Corruption is beyond my control. Putting lowlifes where they belong is a lot easier to handle."

"After tonight, you guys should lay low for a while. If anyone figures out who you are, the guys you've already caught will likely come after you."

"I agree." Silver stated.

"I guess we can hang our hats for a while." Diamond concurred.

"Anyway, how's school?" Sunset asked.

"Fine," Diamond replied, "Silver's been helping me study for exams."

"Do you know what you want to do after graduation?"

"I'm debating between criminal justice and following in Anvil's footsteps. Silver wants to be an engineer."

"So I guess your therapy's over, huh?"

"Yeah. Figured it was time to put all that shit behind me and look forward to whatever's next."

"You're already halfway to earning your reward."

"Feels like everything happened so fast, ya know?"

"That's what happens when you dictate your own future."

"Let's head upstairs. Draven'll be happy to see you."

Diamond led Silver and Sunset up to the second story of the house. She opened the door to her room. Draven practically knocked Sunset over.

"Hey, boy! It's good to see you too!" Sunset whispered in a high-pitched tone.

Diamond and Silver giggled. Sunset rose back to her feet.

"We should get some sleep." Sunset advised.

"Silver can stay in here with me. Your room's the same as you left it."

"We can talk more in the morning. Night."

"Night."

Sunset closed Diamond's door behind her, leaving Diamond, Silver, and Draven to keep each other company.

"You really love her, don't you?" Silver asked suddenly.

"She was my first guide through hell. I learned a long time ago people like her tend to hold special places in our hearts."

"So it seems."

"Plus I'm looking forward to finally getting laid. Like, you have no idea."

"You said it, not me."

"Ah, shit. I forgot my sword. I'll be right back."

"I'm gonna turn in. Night."

"Night."

Sunset stayed through Halloween before returning to school. Diamond and Silver followed their usual routine, spending time with Apple Bloom and the others. When they were alone, they would often have long conversations about life and what might come after, all to the backdrop of a heavy, melodic soundtrack. It felt like a movie scene where the formula had been drastically turned on its head. With their childhoods behind them, they prepared to enter the next phase of existence.