Shadows Among Everfree

Chapters

The Story of the Windigo
Conflicts
A Strange Morning
Friendship is Broken
Cold Summer
The Winter
Goodbye Everfree
The Camp Everfree
Friendship vs Winter

The Story of the Windigo

The young campers began to dismantle the entire pier. At a nearby table, Sunset’s group gathers and with Sugarcoat they talk about the construction of the new pier.

“Well, if everyone is so determined, I can’t refuse.” Says the girl with the platinum hair. “But if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right. Strong supports and a solid foundation will be needed.”

Coco Pommel sits at the table with a notebook and pencil, listening to the chatter of the older campers.

Indigo is the first to comment. “Let’s expand it out to both sides, so there’s room for the boats.”

Sunset gives the second opinion. “And we can put up a sign that says ‘Camp Everfree.’”

Sunny thinks for a second. “It could have food baskets on the sides. That would attract wildlife.”

Twilight gets an idea. “And streetlights! So that it can shine during the night.”

As she listened to all the ideas, Coco draws a design in the notebook. She shapes it, corrects it a bit, evaluates it with her eyes, and then shows the final sketch. Everyone except Sugar smiles at the image.

“It looks perfect!” exclaims Indigo Zap. “And it will look better when we have built it.”

The emerald-haired woman walks over and looks at the sketch as well. “Impresive design, but are you sure you can do it?”

Chrysalis’s voice almost sounds defiant, as does the smile she gives them.

“Not only can we, we WILL do it!” Assures our girl with googles.

Among all of them collide their palms in determination. Chrysalis can’t help but smile at the sight of them.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

A few hours had passed, and to surprise and delight, the pier was well underway in its construction.

Timber works on one of the lanterns that were going to be put up.

“Does the garden lamps run on solar energy?” Our young scientist asks when she walks over and sees that flashlight.

Timber smiles at her. “Indeed. With all the sun that gets here, the batteries charges all day and run all night.”

“Wow! Timber, you are very resourceful.”

“What can I say? I like to take care of the environment.”

Twilight smiles at him, and Timber smiles back at her.

Cadence speaks loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Attention please! Everyone has done an excellent job and we have been able to make a lot of progress. But soon it will be dark, so I propose that tomorrow we continue with the project together with the other activities of the camp.”

Gloriosa approaches and also speaks with those present.

“Everyone go clean up and get some rest, I’ll meet you at eight for a campfire, marshmallows and scary stories!”

There are no objections from anyone, soon everyone ceases construction.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

At night, the forest is covered in shadows. The moon and her star daughters extend their kingdom on high.

Sunset admires that image from her place, sitting on an old fallen log.

“Sunset. Sunset”

“Huh?” Sunset reacts to her name being called and sees Sunny Flare is speaking to her. “What… what’s wrong?”

“I said if you want marshmallows.” Sunny offers her a stick with a marshmallow out of it.

“Oh, sure. I’m sorry.” Sunset smiles a little sadly and takes the stick, placing it near the fire as the others do.

Campers gather around a bonfire, which provides light and warmth for everyone. They talk to each other, roast marshmallows and some a couple of sausages.

Lemon and Sonata had eaten so much that the candy spilled into their mouths, which they don’t seem to mind.

Sunny begins to share the view of the sky with Sunset. “It’s beautiful, in the city you can hardly see the stars. Here they shine as much as beautiful diamonds.”

“Umm… yeah, I guess it is. In a way it reminds me of… Equestria.”

The comment gains the interest of Sunny and her other close friends. Lemon asks her a question. “Sun-Shim, what is your world like?”

They all look at her, denoting their interest in the answer. Sunset is a bit surprised, so she has to think about how to respond. “Well…it’s hard to explain. It is like-“

Timber’s voice interrupts their conversation and everyone else’s.

“Allright! It’s time to have fun, who knows a good horror story?”

His voice carries a certain emotion that spreads to several around. Telling scary stories is always entertaining.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

A couple of stories are told around the fire. There are ghosts, monsters, and what you’d expect from stories like that. Each narrator does his own thing emphasizing reactions and scares.

Many have fun with the stories, there are a couple of scares but mostly it’s just plain fun. There are also those who doesn’t seem very impressed.

“Well, the stories are fine. I suppose.” Lighting Dust comments with some disdain. “But I’m waiting for something that really makes me shiver in terror. Who knows a truly scary story?”

Many seem to share the opinion, they want a scarier story.

“Sun-Shim! Tell some story!” Suddenly Lemon Zest exclaims. And Sunset, who had a marshmallow in her mouth, is a bit surprised by the green-haired girl’s request.

“Mh, hm, hm?”

“Tell us a story from your world,” Lemon announces. “Surely in your world there are interesting stories! Tell us one!”

Lightning seems to agree with that. “Yes, it sounds fine. But make it really terrifying.”

Sunset chews some and manages to swallow her marshmallow to talk.

“Umm, a story?”

“Yes! What kind of monsters are on your planet?” Lemon asks excitedly. “Perhaps giant bears! Or a corrupt goddess! Or a headless horse!”

Indigo shoots hee a reproachful look. “Lemon, that sounds stupid.”

Sunset thinks about it for a bit. “Um, well… I think I have one. I don’t know if it’s scary, but it scared me when I first heard it.”

“If it scared you, it must be really terrifying.” Indigo comments with considerable interest.

“It was when I was little, so no-“

“Drop the drama and talk at once, Shimmer.” Lighting says with some frustration at the delay.

All the campers in the place encourage Sunset to tell the story. Her friends do too and give her smiles.

“Fine, fine, I’ll tell you.”

Everyone around applauds and cheers at it. Then they shut up, and wait impatiently for the exequine to start telling her story.

“It is a very old story. It’s about the origin of an entity feared by the ancestors, 'The Windigo'.”

Sunset looks into the fire focused on remembering the story.

...

"Long ago, two youngers – brother and sister – were lost deep in a distant snowy forest.

They had been lost for days wandering aimlessly, they had survived by melting snow in their mouths to drink and eating berries as well roots of the place, but the winter was getting colder, and even it was getting harder to find food; although there was enough for them to survive, there was nothing that could calm the hunger they felt.

The cold and hunger ravaged both of them. The sister kept complaining, constantly blaming her brother for the situation. The brother tried to put up with his sister’s yelling and complaining, in order to start an argument. But he was so hungry, it was very difficult to keep calm.

Every day the cold got worse, every day they had less to eat, and every day the tension between them increased.

The sister didn’t stop screaming, insulting him, blaming him for everything, complaining about how hungry and how cold she was. The brother’s patience was slowly wearing thin.

A strong blizzard arrived, the wind and snow attacked furiously making it impossible for them to move forward. Fortunately, they managed to take refuge in a cave… but said fortune was just an illusion that didn’t last long.

Although they took shelter from the wind, the cave was so dark it only made them feel colder. They tried to light a fire to keep warm, but the wood in the forest was frozen by the snow. It became impossible.

They were separated, taking refuge in themselves, shivering with cold. The wind outside seemed like the roar of a beast who threatened to find them.

The brother was frustrated… tired… and very hungry.

His sister only made everything worse with her constant complaining and insults. She said that everything was his fault, that he was useless, she accused him and claimed they were both going to die because of him.

Each word, each complaint, was consuming the brother’s sanity. And though he tried, he couldn’t keep calm, his sister’s voice became like sandpaper scratching her ears.

He couldn’t take it anymore, he demanded that she shut up; expressed that he was also desperate and didn’t want to continue listening to her. But that only made her angrier. She came closer and started screaming, and screaming. He couldn’t take it anymore.

They began to fight, releasing all the despair they felt about each other. The wind seemed to roar, along with his cries of fury and pain.

He managed to hit her, smash her head against a wall, leaving her stunned. The brother took advantage of the moment to take a large rock from the place, and then…"

With her hands, Sunset breaks the branch she used to cook her marshmallows. The sound emphasizes the story, and everyone knows what it meant.

Sunset is still focused on the fire, she doesn’t notice the shocked look on the campers’ faces.

“…silence filled the cave. Only the wind could be heard outside; it took him a long time, before he realized what he had done…”

"Dejected, he looked at his sister lying limp on the ground.

The brother is filled with terror, panic. In a reflex he picks up the rock again repeating his action over and over and over again; an involuntary reflex, seeking to calm his anxiety and his fear.

He finally finishes it off, dropping the rock to the side. His whole body collapses, victim of exhaustion. His mind blurs, he doesn’t want to think about what he just did… but instead his stomach reminds him how hungry he is.

So… hungry.

Days without eating enough, days walking. His strength ran out long ago. He was hungry, too hungry. He needed to eat something… anything.

Looking at his sister, his stomach couldn’t take it anymore. He needs to eat."

A series of expressions make the exequine look up for the first time since she had begun to narrate the story. She could see everyone’s looks, full of astonishment… and disgust.

Sunset didn’t need to explain the story any further, they seem to have understood. So she just continues.

“The brother satisfied his hunger as much as he could, and then he could only wait…”

"He waited for the storm to end… waited… and waited.

All alone, the falling ice was all he could see, the roar of the wind was all he could hear.

The brother felt he would go crazy. In his head, hr relived everything that happened in those days being lost.

Remembering the aimless walk made him feel more and more tired, remembering the hunger only made him want to eat more, and remembering his sister, she made him more and more angry…"

Sunset keeps talking totally focused on her story. “He tortured himself with those thoughts. And as he got colder and colder, he could feel the ice covering him, and he knew… he knew he was going to freeze in that cave… to death…”

She paused to look at everyone. Each pair of eyes watched with wonder and interest, keeping a firm silence, leaving the narrator to tell the rest of the story.

“…And so it happened. He soon got so cold, the entire cave froze, covering everything inside with ice. Including him…”

"… His body was lying on the ground, covered in ice. His body, and his soul, frozen to death.

He died… but he didn’t leave.

He felt dim, but soon his body moved again…stiff as ice. He got up, part of his skin and flesh stuck to the frozen ground… but he didn’t feel anything anymore.

His body was totally made of ice, but he was able to walk, and get out of the cave.

The little consciousness he had left only made him remember his anger. His rage. His hunger.

His body no longer felt anything, it was just a shell that the strong wind tore from his being.

His mind felt only hate. There was no room for feelings or thoughts, just…hate.

His soul was now ice, consumed by that hatred, and that hunger.

He was no longer a living being. He was a spirit, a demon…or something else…"

“…The ancestors call it, 'The Windigo…'”

As if it had been planned, when naming it, a breeze was felt crossing over everyone in the place. The fire that burned intensely and warmly shook, and more than one felt a chill run through their entire body.

Sunset felt Sunny’s grip on her hand tighten, and on the other side she could see Twilight reaching out and clinging to her.

She paused, as if waiting for someone to say something, but no one speaks, so she just goes on.

“Since then, the Windigo wanders between storms and snow looking for what to feed on. It doesn’t devour meat or food, what it consumes are souls… warm souls that it freezes into ice, causing hatred and conflict.”

There is some confusion as Sunset pulls a marshmallow out of a bag and begins squeezing it in her hands.

“If you are in the forest, and you feel a cold breeze or hear a whisper that makes your blood run cold… you must remember: 'Keep in your heart love and good feelings'.”

Opening her hands, Sunset shows she shaped the marshmallow into a heart. It’s not perfect, but she hints at the shape.

“'Keep your friends, your families, your loved ones close, and always remember how much you love them and how much they mean to you. As long as hearts burn in the fire of that affection, the Windigo will have no power. If you don’t, it will sow hatred and contempt in you; and your souls… shall be consumed'.”

Sunset throws the marshmallow into the fire and the flames melt it.

“The Windigo will freeze your hearts, consume your lives, and you too will become a Windigo.”

The faint wind that was blowing dissipates. Silence is maintained throughout the place, listening only to the burning of the campfire. Nobody speaks, when Sunset looks around her, only she sees them stunned, quite surprised by what they heard.

The silence makes her a little nervous… to her surprise, Lighting Dust is the first to speak.

“And that’s it?”

“Eh, what?”

“There’s no more?”

Sunset is surprised and a little flustered at such a question. “Um… well… yes. That’s the whole story.”

Lemon blinks for a moment, snapping out of her surprise.

“… wow, good story Sun-Shim.”

“A story in the style of an urban legend.” Sunny comments with a soft smile. “Well narrated and set. Congratulations.”

“Mh mh, mh mh mh, jm mh mh mh!” That’s what Sonata says, her mouth full to bursting with marshmallows.

Lightning doesn’t seem satisfied. “Meh. I was expecting something really scary.”

“Hi guys!”

Gloriosa screams and suddenly appears behind Lightning Dust, giving her a small heart attack.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you having fun?”

Timber looks at her intrigued. “Gloriosa, what are you doing here so late?”

“Just making sure everyone enjoys camp. Well guys, I think it’s time for bed, please go back to your tents. Another day of pure fun awaits us tomorrow.”

With that warning from the camp manager, everyone prepares to head back to their tents.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

“Well, that’s how camps does looks like.” Sunset comments already dressed in her pajamas, and she fixes her pillow a bit. “They are entertaining.”

Her friend with glasses is sitting on her own bed, also dressed in pajamas, undoing her ponytail letting her hair fall.

“Have you never been to a camp?”

“To be honest, no. And you?”

“Well… not really.”

They both laugh a little.

“It’s funny,” Sunset says after laughing. “Honestly, being here reminds me a bit of Equestria.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It brings me some nostalgia so much nature around. Don’t get me wrong, the internet and electricity are great, but…well…”

Twilight doesn’t hold back another small laugh. “I understand. Sometimes it’s hard to forget who we were. ”

For a moment both have memories of what they left behind… moments of loneliness… and regret.

Sunset shakes her head, almost scolding herself. She sets her pillow aside and sits next to her friend.

“Hey, it’s okay. The past can hurt sometimes, but-“

“'The past is not today'?”

“That’s my kitty. And today we are here, we have friends, you have me and I have you.”

Twilight smiles at her friend. “Today and always.”

They smile at each other, hug each other and laugh once more. But when Twilight breaks away from her, she pokes her lightly on the arm.

“But don’t call me kitty!”

Sunset just laughs and gets up to lie down on her own bed.

“I’m going to sleep, goodnight Sparky.”

“Good night Sunset, sweet dreams.”

One more smile, the former equine gets between the sheets, lets out a yawn, and soon she seems to fall asleep.

Twilight just smiles, she sees her puppy at her feet and goes to her bed to sleep.

The scientist, for her part, also gets under the covers but instead of sleeping she decides to read a little. In complete silence she enjoys her book.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Her hooves resonate on the ground, the wind it generates blows her mane into fierce flames. The moon gives her light, lighting her way through that wild land.

She gallops fast, strong, breaking chains that she did not know oppressed her.

She makes her way through the trees, crosses the streams and rivers, climbs the mountains, nothing stops her.

A light shines in front of her, an intense light, full of heat. The light comes from a cave.

From her she enters, feels her whole body tremble. The radiance completely covers her being, and then…

The little dog’s tongue soaks her entire face.

“Mmmh! Ugh, yuck… enough, enough!”

A familiar chuckle is heard, Sunset feels the puppy being removed from her face and hears her friend’s voice.

“Okay Spike, that’s enough. He he.”

Sunset gets up and wipes her face a bit. “Ugh… I have puppy saliva all over my face…”

Twilight just laughs at her reaction. “He he. I’m sorry, but nothing woke you up. Come on Sunset, it’s almost breakfast time.”

The former equine’s only response is a big yawn and a spurt.

“…um, okay. Just give me something to clean myself with.”

Sunset’s eyes close from the sleep she still has, she soon feels something against her cheek. When she rolls her eyes, sees the scientist handing her a towel. Sunset takes it and wipes her face with it.

Twilight seems somewhat intrigued. “What were you dreaming about?”

Sunset looks up from the towel a little. “Mh, what?”

“You moved around a lot and whispered something I couldn’t understand. Were you dreaming?”

Sunset looks intrigued, then confused. “…I…uh…I don’t remember…”

Although the moment leaves them both intrigued, hearing the call from their friends announcing breakfast they both decide to drop the matter and prepare for the new day.

Author's Note

Hello again!
Thanks for following the story.
The story of the Windigo is inspired by the Until Dawn game, so if it sounds familiar to you, that's why.
I say it now so that later there are no misunderstandings.

Conflicts

A little later in the morning, our usual group and a couple of other campers are seen working and making good progress on the construction of the new dock.

Indigo Zap watches the work from the center of the group. “Oh yeah! Second day of work and we have already done half of the job. If sports don’t help me, I’ll have a future as an- Wait, what am I talking about? Of course sports work for me! I am a born athlete.”

Her smug, and a somewhat arrogant smile, fades when a hammer and a jar of nails are placed in her hands.

“If you have time to talk, you have time to hammer.” Sugarcoat comments. “It was your idea about the dock, so less talk and more work. Time is valuable.”

Without saying anything else, the platinum-haired girl leaves and with a notebook she seems to be taking notes on the pier.

Indigo looks at her with disdain. Despite this, the athlete does as she is told and heads off to set up a couple more boards.

On the side of the pier, Sunny shows Lemon and Sonata a curious box with an opening at the top and some kind of net underneath.

“What’s that Sunny?” The rocker asks.

“A fish feeder, I saw one in the aquarium a long time ago.” Explains the elegant young woman. “The food is placed up here and the net underneath prevents it from falling out. The fish comes to the surface and take bites.”

The curious box has what appear to be lugs, which hold it to the dock when Sunny places it in the water. After that she takes the bag of fish food and pours it into the box, then closes the lid.

“Hey, it works! I see some fish coming to eat.” The rocker girl exclaims again.

Sonata takes a deep breath and puts her head underwater, thus being able to meet the colorful fish of the lake. The fish themselves seem intrigued by the girl’s presence in their aquatic domain.

“Helbllowww!!” Her greeting is somewhat distorted by the water.

Sonata sticks her head out of the water, splashing a bit on her companions and giggles to herself. Lemon smiles with amusement, and although Sunny wants to be mad at the Dazzling for getting her wet, she can’t. She smiles too.

Sunset and Twilight arrive and see the construction.

“Everything looks great.”

“A strong and well-positioned structure. It will serve for boats and fishing.” The girl with glasses comments contemplating the site.

One of the campers raises his hand calling to Sunset. “Hey Sunset, can you help us out here with this rope?”

Sunset rushes over to the young men whom she helps with a rope to hold down the foundations of the pier.

Twilight stands in her place, smiling as she watches her classmates work together. She barely notices the moment Timber pulls up next to her.

“Your school is very good. Your classmates seem very close, that’s a good thing.”

Twilight smiles at her comment. “Yes, it was thanks to Sunset. I guess.”

“Mh? Why do you say that?”

“Heh, for nothing in particular. Don’t mind me.”

Timber looks intrigued, but brushes it aside and smiles again as he looks at her. “Heh, fine. Hey Twilight, I’ll organize a walk in the forest, would you like to come?”

“Of course!” The one with glasses speaks up, though she calms down when notices her quick response. “I mean, sure. Sounds like fun.”

“Super fun!” Our blue-haired Siren girl exclaims suddenly appearing between Twilight and Timber, which scares them.

“Sonata!! Don’t do that!”

Sonata doesn’t listen or ignore the violet-haired girl, instead she yells at her other friends. “Girls! Who wants to go for a walk in the woods?!”

The group on the dock hear this and turn to the Siren.

“That sound good. We can explore to see what is interesting out there.” Lemon says with an animated smile.

Sunny looks fascinated. “Oh, a ride. It sounds splendid.”

“I can take the opportunity to find the best route for a triathlon race.” Indigo says after she stops hammering. “I’m in!”

The three approach, some more excited than others.

Timber smiles a little awkwardly, but quickly regains his enthusiasm and smiles at everyone. “Heh, sure! The more, the merrier!”

Indigo turns around and calls the missing party member to him. “Come Sunset! Let’s have some fun!”

Sunset finishes helping the other campers and answers her. “I’ll catch up with you right away!”

Timber takes the floor looking at everyone. “Cool. What do you say if you prepare everything you need and see you in ten minutes?”

Said and done, each one goes to their own store to pick up some things.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

The trip through the forest is quiet. Walking along a path, the guide’s camp constantly talking about the plants of the place.

Twilight was interested, and constantly interrupting the guide giving her own explanation or details about certain plants.

Sunny Flare enjoys the landscape, and certain aromas of some flowers of the place.

Lemon and Sonata don’t pay much attention to the explanations, they spend a good part of the trip going into the trees and playing in the bushes.

Indigo for her part is drawing in a notebook the route they are traveling, whispering to herself about a run through the woods.

Sunset laughs seeing everyone so entertained in their own way.

“There’s a little creek around here,” Timber announces, pointing in one direction. “We can rest there for a bit and then we’ll do one more lap before heading back.”

The plan has no complaints, and minutes later they arrive at the aforementioned creek. A couple of local rocks and a fallen log serve for everyone to sit down and rest a bit.

Sunny in particular dares to take off her slippers and dip her feet in the water, a relaxed sigh can be heard from her mouth.

Sonata and Lemon each take out a small blanket that they use to sit on the floor, then they both take out a container with sandwiches.

“Who wants to eat?” The green-haired girl asks animatedly, offering the snacks.

Indigo doesn’t hesitate to take one of them and give a good bite.

Timber, by his own side pulls out a thermos. The lid of this one works as a cup and pours out the content, a light brown liquid.

“I brought an iced tea, made with wild herbs. Someone wants?”

While the others rest and eat, Sunset walks over to the creek, dipping her hand into the water. She almost tickled her due to the slightly low temperature.

Curious, she decides to take some in her palm and drinks it. The water was cool, she somehow felt very soft as the crystaline liquid ran down her throat. Sunset Shimmer smiles and closes her eyes, relaxing in the good atmosphere of that forest. So calm it reminded her a lot of Equestria, bringing back several memories.

Thoughts of her world fill her mind, as do images of herself in her original body, galloping through trees and plants, bathing in rivers and lakes on top of a hill with the wind playing with her mane.

“Sunset, honey?”

Sunny puts a hand on Sunset’s shoulder, the result of this is an overexcitement of the fire-haired girl that makes lose her own balance and with a scream she ends up falling into the water.

“Sunset!”

Everyone is surprised and rushes closer. Sunset is left with her face under the water and her butt up. When she gets up, spits up water and coughs a little.

“Eww… I think I swallowed a tadpole…”

Sunny and Lemon get into the water and come over to help her.

“Are you okay, honey?”

“Yeah, I already needed a bath anyway, hehe.” The former equine responds jokingly.

They both help Sunset out of the water.

After seeing that Sunset is okay and Timber giving her a towel he had stored, they all decide to continue eating lunch before continuing their walk.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

When the group returns to camp, they are shocked by what they see.

The work they had done on the dock is almost completely destroyed, a sailboat from the camp is seen embedded in it. There was definitely a clash.

Although none paid much attention to that, because what really surprises them is all the young people around were arguing with each other.

Campers were yelling, hurling insults and even shoving each other.

Cadence, and also Gloriosa, can be seen trying to break up the bickering but none of the campers pay any attention to them.

“Guys please! Stop arguing in this moment!”

“Guys! Everyone! Come on, this is not the time to argue. Camp is for fun…” Gloriosa makes an effort to stop the dispute, but to no avail.

Two students get to the point where one lunges at the other about to start punching him, but Indigo comes up behind and holding him in a semi-wrestling hold pushes the boy away.

“Woah, woah! Hang in just right there, Neon Lights! What the hell is going on?!”

The entire group gathers together and Sunset decides to slam her palms together. This manages to attract the attention of some, who seeing Sunset, stop fighting.

They eventually call each other’s attention and the arguing ceases, allowing Sunset to speak out loud.

“Alright! Who tells me what’s going on here?!”

Neon Lights, still being held by Indigo, is the one who answers by pointing accusingly at the guy who is still on the ground after he lunged at him.

“That idiot ruined our work!”

“Who are you calling an idiot?!”

The other responds and stands up. He appears to be about to face Neon, but Sunset steps between them and spreads her hands apart.

“Stop! You two!”

Cadence decides to imitate Sunset’s action and clapping her hands draws everyone’s attention.

“Enough! I don’t want any more fights. Did anyone see what exactly happened?"

One of the campers approaches the dean.

“I saw it.”

“Sunshower, please tell us what happened.” Asks the woman.

This Sunshower girl looks towards the ‘accused’ subject as she speaks. “Well, I was checking the dock boards, and I could see him who was in the sailboat on the lake without paying attention to anything; and he suddenly crashed into the pier at high speed. Some inches and he hits me too.”

The subject receives looks from many, so he defends himself.

“It wasn’t my fault!” The ‘accused’ defends himself. “I was looking for Clear Skies.”

“But the sky is clear.” Advertise Sunshower by looking at the bright blue sky of the day.

There is some confusion as a girl approaches with an animated smile.

“Hello! Clear Skies is here!”

“But the clear sky is also there.”

Sunshower tries to point to the sky, but the girl seems to think it’s the boy. And Clear Skies replies, still smiling.

“He is Open Skies!”

“The open sky is everywhere!”

“I am not everywhere, I’m here.”

Sunshower looks frustrated.

“Aurgh!! Okay, you are Open Skies, and you are Clear Skies, but then… what is that?!” Sunshower asks this time pointing directly to the sky.

“'Clear open skies'!” They both reply smiling.

“…I hate you both.”

Open Skies looks around confused. “Hey, where’s the fluffy cloud?”

“Fluffy Clouds is over there!”

Clear Skies smiles at another camper, with a really fluffy hairdo. Fluffy Clouds happily greets those who look at him.

“No, no, I’m talking about that fluffy cloud I saw on the lake while I was boating.”

Neon Lights flails at Indigo as he looks at Clear Skies. “Stop making- Could you let go off me now?!”

“Fine, but you better behave or next time I’ll give you the Indigo Suplex.” Indigo lets go of Neon and keeps looking at Open Skies.

“The point is that you crashed your sailboat into the dock! You ruined our work!”

“It wasn’t my fault! Suddenly the wind blew too hard! It literally threw the sailboat into the dock and I couldn’t control it.”

Twilight reflects for a second on what she heard. “There is no way a wind current could have dragged the sailboat with enough force to do that. Not without it being felt everywhere.”

Sunset turns to look at Gloriosa. “Was there a strong wind?”

“Um, not really,” the camp manager replies. “The day is too beautiful, there isn’t even wind.”

“But there was!” The accused youth defends himself. “And it came from that cloud. It was a very dark cloud, it seemed like it was going to rain at any moment , right below it.”

They look at each other, all very confused by that explanation.

Sunset rubs her forehead before continuing to speak. “Well, whatever. That explains the dock, but why was everyone fighting like that?

“Well, because the asshole ruined our work!” Exclaims Neon still angry.

“That would be you, asshole!”

They look at each other to the point of almost wanting to launch themselves at each other again.

“ENOUGH!! BOTH OF YOU!!”

Sunset delivers the boys a cold stare, causing them to take a step back and instantly calm their anger.

Sugarcoat decides to come over to explain the event.

“After the incident, Neon Lights and Open Skies started a dispute, which spread among other students who were working on the dock, starting accusations about defects in the joints that caused the rupture after the crash. In the same way, Sunshower argued several complaints due to the initial scare produced towards her person, which Upper Crust countered by accusing her of exaggerating. More arguments raged through the camp, ending in a general conflict.”

Sunset was a little lost, not because of the explanation, but because of how the situation had ended.

Cadence looks at the campers quite frustrated. “You should be ashamed to start arguing like this over a simple accident.”

“But it ruined our work.”

“Enough!” Sunset yells. “I don’t want any more fights. Open Skies didn’t crash into the pier on purpose.”

“Of course not! That would be stupid!”

“You didn’t get hurt, did you?” Sunset asks, looking worried now.

“Um… no. Well, I hit my wrist, but I’m fine.”

Sunset nods in understanding.

“What Dean Cadence says is true, fighting like this just because the spring broke is ridiculous! We started building it, we can do it again. Instead of fighting, you should be worrying about your teammates, who could very well get hurt because of this.”

Sunset’s voice has a scolding tone that makes everyone present look down quite embarrassed.

“Well said Sunset,” the dean congratulates her. “That’s just what I wanted to say. We came to this camp to have a good time and have fun with friends, not to start ridiculous fights.”

The dean’s scolding makes everyone mourn more.

After that, everyone present begins to apologize to each other. Neon and Open Skies shake hands as an apology. The tension in the place decreases.

“That’s better.” Sunset says, then puts on a determined look and smiles. “Now that we’re past that, come on folks! There is still a lot of dock to rebuild and a lot of camping to enjoy!”

She exclaims with a breath that doesn’t take two seconds in spread to everyone around her.

Chrysalis walks over to her friend as they both watch as the teens return to work.

“So, she is the one you told me so much about, right? The famous Sunset Shimmer.”

Cadence turns to meet the person who accompanied her on this journey. “Yes. Since she arrived, the preparatory has changed a lot.”

“I can see that.” Coments Chrysalis to see how the camp calms down. “It’s intriguing. Does that girl have some kind of magic power?”

Cadence laughs a little at her. “Magic? Heh, you could say that.”

Cadence goes with a group of campers, apparently they want to untangle the ropes of the sailboat stuck in the dock.

Chrysalis stays in her place. When she takes a step to leave feels like she stepped on something. Looking down, she sees something that looks like dust on the ground. She leans down, and takes a bit between her fingers, examines it.

“Frost?”

~Shadows Among Everfree~

There were no more incidents in the camp, the day passed between activities and games.

Once Sunset comes, all the campers gathered to make floating paper lanterns. Gloriosa calls everyone to the dock, much of it newly rebuilt, to light their lanterns.

The campers draw closer and with the help of Cadence and Chrysalis they begin to turn on the lanterns.

Twilight also advances, although on the way she meets Timber who greets her.

“Hey, nice lantern.”

“Thank you, I tried to form some constellations. Sure, the constellations aren’t that close to each other, but it’s fun. Here is the Ursa Minor, the Pegasus, and Orion; he musn’t be confused because he has THREE stars in his belt, not four.”

Timber smiles somewhat lost but maintains his composure.

“Yeah, heh heh. Um, mine is my face!” He announces in an almost joking tone as he places the lantern in front of his head showing, in effect, a not-so-good yet cartoonishly funny painting of himself.

After being shocked for a moment, Twilight lets out a laugh. “Haha! Oh Timber, you are so eloquent.”

“Haha, yes! I am quite eloquent… um, and eloquent is good?”

“Ha ha, well, I like you. I MEAN!! I… you are a good guy.”

They both look at each other smiling, Twilight can’t help but blush and look away. Timber seems about to say something, but is interrupted when Sunny Flare appears and with a friendly smile grabs Twilight by her wrist.

“Come on Twilight, they’re waiting for us.”

“Ah, Sunny Flare wait!”

The scientist says in semi complaint as the purple haired girl pulls her towards the rest of the group, leaving Timber alone and bewildered.

When all the campers finish lighting their lanterns they gather on the shore and smile at each other, just before releasing their lanterns, letting them float over the lake lighting up the night with their brightness and colors.

Sunset, in particular, sighs relaxedly at the sight of the lanterns, almost as if they were stars slowly drifting away to join her sisters in the endless night sky.

Her eyes can’t help but stare at her own lantern, taking interest in her own painting. And as if turning gently, it achieves what she expected: the image of a steed galloping through the sky. Sunset is entranced by that image.

The lanterns gradually fade into the night, soon merging with the stars themselves.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

A distinctive sound gently shakes Twilight from her dream.

Opening her eyes, her tired look, the darkness of the night and her lack of glasses makes it impossible for her to distinguish more than a few blurs. She still makes out that sound, a soft puppy cry. From her puppy.

Turning slightly, she notices the blur sitting on her bed. Twilight doesn’t need her glasses, she knows is her little dog, so getting up and guessing his location a bit, she pats him with both hands.

“Spike? What’s happening?” The girl asks as she reaches over to grab her glasses from the nightstand.

When she puts them on, Twilight can see her puppy looking at her with concern. The dog points to the other bed in the tent and she notices that it is empty.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Soon after, the five friends are awake and walking through the woods, relying on the little pup’s sense of smell as he tracks down Sunset’s scent.

“I still think we should have told Gloriosa about this.” Twilight comments as she holds a Sunset t-shirt in her arm.

Indigo turns slightly to answer her. “We would have wasted a lot of time if everyone woke up and made a search plan and that stuff.”

“What I don’t get is what Sunset is doing awake.” Sunny Flare comments looking very intrigued. “And where did she go?”

“Sun-Shim has been acting weird.” Lemon Zest comments. “I mean, more than usual. Duskie, you who know her best, do you have any ideas?”

Sonata looks at the lime-haired girl when she names her, but just shakes her head in response. Contrary to her lively demeanor, she now seems quite serious and worried.

Spike’s guide leads them through the forest, always staying close together and vigilant using a pair of flashlights to light the way, following the canine as he follows his nose.

Finally, the little dog gives a couple of barks and rushes forward. His owner calls out to him as he follows, and the rest of the girls follow as well.

Spike runs to a place with a couple of large rocks surrounding the entrance.

The five friends enter, following the little dog, and are amazed at what they see inside.

A huge cave, created naturally. Every curve and detail on the walls and ceiling is left to shine, but what is really amazing is that the whole place is dotted with tiny crystals that sparkle in a very eye-catching way.

“This place is…” Twilight begins to speak.

“Beautiful!” Sunny exclaims, almost finishing the first sentence.

Sonata smiles upon seeing the site. “Look at all the pretty lights!”

Slightly, the sight helped calm any nerves they may have had, and in silence admire the shape and brilliance of the cave.

It’s Spike’s bark that brings them back, and looking in the direction the pup is looking they see Sunset standing in the middle of the cave.

“Sunset!”

“Sunsite!”

“Sun Shim!”

The Sunset's friends all exclaim in unison and run towards the fire-haired girl.

When they arrive the girls try to talk to her, but there is no response from Sunset. When they see her from the front notices that her gaze is lost, her eyes don’t have that characteristic emerald shine, her face doesn’t reflect any emotion.

“Sunset?... ” Twilight touches Sunset’s shoulder but she doesn’t react.

“Honey? You hear us? Please say something.” Sunny Flare asks worriedly.

“Hello, sunset!” Indigo snaps her fingers at her. “Are you dead again?”

“Sun-Shim, Sun-Shim, this is Lemon. Do you read me?” Lemon says imitating with her hand the pose of using a communicator.

Sonata looks worriedly at Sunset, though her gaze soon shifts to the cave.

Suddenly, the blue Siren begins to feel a warmth in her body. Sonata takes a couple of steps, her eyes focuses on the crystals and she shines. For some reason, her mind fills with distant memories… memories of her past life.

She can see the waters, the bottom of the sea, the currents in which she swam with her sisters.

“DUSKIE!”

“WHAT?!”

Lemon Zest’s scream snaps Sonata out of her thoughts.

Her friends look at her puzzled and Sonata is just as confused as they are.

“Are you okay Sonata?” Twilight asks with concern.

“Yeah. What happened?” Our Dazzling girl asks.

“You just stared blankly with a goofy face… you were really scary.” Lemon responds without much tact.

Sunny walks over and puts her hand on the blue-haired girl’s shoulder. “Are you okay, honey?”

Sonata still seems lost. “I’m fine, I just… for some reason, I kept thinking about when I was a Siren…”

Indigo decides to get serious. “Alright, as beautiful as the place is, this is already scaring me. Let’s wake up Sunset and get out of here.”

They all seem to agree. Turning to their redheaded friend, the SunSix try to make her react.

They call out to her, shake her, try to get her attention, but that vacant lost look remains no matter what they do.

Spike, seeing this, decides to follow his animal instinct and bites the girl’s leg.

“YEOW!”

Sunset exclaims in pain lifting her leg to grab it, she loses her balance and almost falls; luckily the five girls supports her.

Sunset reacts and looking up she sees her friends.

“Girls? What happened?!”

Everyone smiles at her reaction, a group hug soon ensues, Spike perks up too and joins in the hug. The action only baffles the former equine more.

“Sunsite, you’re back!”

“…um, yeah…I came back…where did I go?”

Sunset notices the cave everyone is in. She sits up with the help of her friends, and then she was just as confused as the others.

“Girls… where are we?”

“You tell us.” Indigo replies somewhat serious. “You weren’t in your bed, we went looking for you and we found you here with a zombie face.”

Sunset is puzzled. Twilight walks over to her concerned. “Sunset, what happened?”

Sunset watches the cave in silence. She takes a moment to figure out what to answer.

“I don’t know. I just remember… that I was dreaming.”

The memory of her dream comes to Sunset’s mind. She sees herself as a pony, galloping through the forest in complete freedom.

A Strange Morning

Sunset wakes up, sits up on her bed, exhaustion preventing her from opening her eyes. With a soft moan she sits on the edge of her bed and stands up… Actually, Sunset ends up falling almost a meter and crashes to the ground.

“Ouch!”

Complaining about the hard hit her body took from hitting the ground, Sunset rolls onto her back and sits rubbing her head to make sure she hasn’t taken any damage. She looks to where her bed should be; she sees it… but floating in the air, surrounded by a purple glow.

Sunset had no idea what to think, though the shock did take away any trace of sleep she might have. As if that wasn’t enough, not only her bed, but every object in the tent was floating, including her purple friend’s bed.

“Twilight?!”

Almost with a jump Sunset gets up shocked by everything she sees.

Twilight, by her side, hearing Sunset’s scream waking her up sits on the bed and rubs a little sleep from her eyes. She holds out her hand, seems to search for the nightstand, but couldn’t find it; Twilight decides to stand up, which ends in – you've guessed - her falling.

She lets out a scream, luckily Sunset reacts quickly and manages to catch her before she crashes.

“Sunset? Is that you?”

“Yeah…Twi…what…” Sunset wasn’t sure what to say. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. But what happened?” Asks the girl with purple hair. “Did I fall into a hole next to my bed, or what?”

Without her glasses, Twilight can’t make out anything around her. Sunset, still cannot finding her voice, out of the corner of her eye sees the girl’s glasses floating. She, with some caution, takes the item and gives them to their owner.

“Twi, please don’t panic…”

“Huh?” Twilight feels her glasses in her hand but she is intrigued. “Panic? Why?”

Her response only takes as long as it takes for her to put on her glasses, instantly her eyes widen. She would have screamed in fear if not because Sunset covered her mouth.

They look at each other, neither able to understand what they are seeing. When her mouth is released, the scientist resumes speaking.

“Sunset! What’s going on?!”

“I have no idea. I woke up and fell out of bed and now…”

None can assimilate what they see.

Meanwhile, without anyone noticing, the little dog that shares the tent with them also wakes up; he stretches a bit and then jumps off his bed causing himself to fall onto the floor.

The sight and the little puppy ‘scream’ that exhales when hits the ground scares both girls, especially its owner who immediately exclaims his name and runs to help him.

Carrying him in her arms, Twilight watches with deep concern.

“Spike, are you okay?”

The little dog seems dizzy, but looks at her owner before answering. “… Oww… I think so.”

The puppy looks at his owner and she at him, they both smile. Until…

“AAAH!!” Twilight screams in fear.

“AAAH!!” Spike yells back.

Startled, Twilight almost knocks her dog to the ground and runs up behind Sunset.

Spike shakes off the shock and looks at his owner in confusion.

“Twilight, why did you do that?”

Instead of answering him, the scientist looks almost terrified at her dog and talks to her friend.

“S-Sunset… Spike is…”

“Spike… are you talking?” Sunset almost unconsciously finishes her friend’s question.

Sunset was just as confused as Twilight, but instead of freaking out, her surprise made her freeze in place. Her eyes wide.

Spike looks at himself for a moment, raising his little paw slightly, and then answers. “I think so.”

There is a moment of silence, both the scientist and the exequine cannot process what is happening.

When Twilight gets over her initial shock, her ‘maternal instinct’ makes her reach out and lean over to see and pick up her dog.

“Spike, are you okay? What happened? How are you talking?!”

The puppy licks Twilight’s nose causing her to drop him and wipe her face with her doll.

“Hey, calm down, this is new to me too.” Spike says with a bit of confusion.

“What happened to you Spike?” Sunset finally asks more calmly after getting over her own conmotion.

“Well, I don’t know.” Start the puppy. “I only know that last night we went to find Sunset, then we came back, I went to sleep and now I woke up and I’m talking. I honestly don’t know why I couldn’t earlier. It’s easy.”

Unlike the two teenagers, Spike’s puppy mentality didn’t see this as something strange, so he doesn’t seem concerned about it.

Before either of the girls could think about anything else on the matter, a sharp scream is heard from outside, alerting the three of them.

Twilight and Sunset recognize the voice.

“Was that Sunny Flare?” Twilight asks to be sure.

Sunset doesn’t reply and instead runs for the exit, Twilight and Spike right behind her.

As they leaves the tent they can see several other campers, just visibly awake, also coming out to see what’s going on.

No problem figuring out the source of the ruckus, one of the local tents was exhaling deep black smoke. There were also small flames on top.

A terrified Sunny Flare runs out of that tent. Sugarcoat is also seen running after her, although her gaze only shows her already characteristic neutral expression.

Sunny falls to the ground and turns around to see the tent she was sleeping in start to burn.

All the campers come to see the situation, including Sunset and Twilight, who instantly go to her friend to see what happened. Timber makes his way through the campers, bringing a fire extinguisher with him.

“Step aside! Please move!” He doesn’t hesitate for a second to open it and spray its contents on the tent trying to put out the flames.

Gloriosa arrives shortly after, terrified and worried, first aid kit in hand.

“Don’t panic! What happened?! Is someone hurt?!” The woman’s voice reflects the same concern as her eyes.

It is also then that Indigo Zap, entangled in her sheets, is seen leaving her tent.

“What’s happening?! Is everyone al-Ooof!!” Indigo groans as she trips over the sheet and falls to the floor.

Lightning Dust can’t help but laugh with a certain mockery at the mishap of her partner.

“Haha! Beaten by a sheet, this is epic.”

With her phone, she takes a picture of Indigo on the floor, who is still trying to get the sheet off of her. But no matter how much she moves and kicks, the sheet seems to be stuck to the girl.

“Cut the nonsense and help me with this damn thing!” The other athlete demands.

As the whole situation unfolds, Timber had already managed to extinguish the fire.

Sunset looks at Sunny Flare and holds out a hand.

“Sunny Flare, are you okay?”

“Yes, I think I’m fine…”

Sunny shakes hands with Sunset and she gives a little yank to get her up, but the equestrian almost instantly lets out a scream and drops of Sunny, causing her to fall back to her starting position.

“OUCH!” Sunny yells as she hits the ground. “Sunset, what are you doing?!”

Sunset looks at her hand and sees it redden slightly. “I-I’m sorry! It’s just… you’re hot…”

“My, thank you Sunset.” Sunny says a little embarrassed. “And I still haven’t put on makeup yet.”

Sunset shakes her head and seems to blush a little. “No, no… not like that. I mean, you literally almost burned my hand.”

Confusion covers Sunny’s face. Hearing that, Gloriosa walks over, and after glancing at Sunset’s hand she instantly pulls out a moisturizer from her medicine cabinet.

The moment leaves everyone baffled, but especially Sunset and her friends.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Later, when things at camp calmed down, Sunset and the others gathered at the Sapphire Tent, where everything had been thrown into disarray by the floating object event.

Sunset and Twilight had to explain to the others what had happened to their tent, and doubts immediately began to arise.

Indigo is the one who gets thoughtful. “Hmm… Things floating, a tent that catches fire. Should we worry?”

Peering a bit at her feet, Indigo notices how some socks and a t-shirt had stuck to her leg. She takes the clothes in her hands to take them off, but to her surprise they stick to her hands.

“What’s in this, glue?!”

Sunny walks over and grabs her clothes, ‘stripping’ them off her.

“There’s nothing, it’s just clothes.” Sunny comments.

However, as Sunny holds the garments in her hand, they begin to emit smoke. And suddenly, flames appear.

This, of course, alarms everyone. Sunny lets go of the clothing in horror, and reflexively, Indigo begins to step on it to extinguish the flames.

Sunny Flare looks at her hands with fear. “What… What’s happening to me?...”

“Sunny! Are you okay?”

Sunset walks over and tries to take Sunny Flare’s hands. But she pushes her away.

“NO! Sunset…don’t touch me. You said I burned your hands and now…”

Sunny looks at the burnt clothes, then her palms.

“… I think… that what I touch is… burned…”

“Sunny! Sunny, calm down…” Asks Sunset when she sees her friend’s fear.

Indigo growls quite frustrated. “Something strange is happening. The cave last night, things floating around, Sunny almost caught fire, are there any other weird things we should know about?”

Spike seems to think about it for a moment. “Umm, no, I guess that’s it.”

Everyone turns to see the canine. There is a deep silence…

“… What?”

Sunny only gets more scared and reflexively grabs Sunset’s shoulders. “The dog spoke!!”

Sunset begins to feel burning in her shoulders. “Burn! Burn!! BURN!!!”

Sunny sees what’s going on and immediately backs off. “GAAH!! Sorry!”

The shoulders of Sunset’s shirt turned black, burned.

With a slight cry of pain, Sunset takes off her shirt, leaving only her black bra, and fans her hands in an attempt to calm the burning.

Twilight, hurried and worried, goes to her bag and pulls out a bottle of mineral water. She opens it and spills it on the fiery haired girl’s shoulders, she manages to relieve her.

“Ahh… thanks.”

“Sunset, forgive me! I didn’t want to-“

“Don’t worry Sunny, it wasn’t your fault.” SAys Sunset mean

Shortly after, having calmed down a bit and after putting a little order in the tent, Sunset had put on another camp shirt and all those gathered continue thinking about the event.

Sunny in particular, sitting on Sunset’s bed, keeps looking down at her palms with deep concern.

Indigo, sitting in Twilight’s, thinks with a hand on her chin.

“Okay. Things that float, Sunny incendiaris, a talking dog.” She glances slightly at Spike who was scratching himself, but stops when they see him.

“And all in the same morning.” Lemon says looking quite cheerful. “This camp got crazy…I love it.”

Twilight takes the floor. “Let’s focus, there must be an explanation for all this that is happening.”

Sonata answers in an obvious tone. “DUH! That’s simple! Is Magic!”

Everyone looks curiously at the blue-haired girl.

“A few months ago I would have say you were crazy,” Indigo replies. “Which is still true, but after this months with you and Sunset, I can’t say it’s anything else.”

“Normally I’d like to find a logical explanation,” admits Twilight. “But you’re right. Magic is, ironically, the most logical answer.”

Lemon approaches Sunset surprising her. “Sooooo… Sun Shim! You’re magical, what’s going on?”

Her question is too direct, but Sunset doesn’t seem to notice, although she does earn everyone’s gaze waiting for an answer.

“… I don’t know.”

The answer makes everyone hang their heads and sigh. Sunset for her part seems to still be thinking.

“But… I think it may have to do with…” She stops her sentence, the others wait with some anxiety for what she wants to say.

Unfortunately, they sees Lightning Dust slightly penetrating the interior of the tent.

“Hey Zap! Whatever you’re doing, drop it. People are waiting for you to follow up on the dock, and Sugarcoat is getting impatient… I guess; it’s hard to tell by the look on her face. Anyways, come now.”

Without another word, Lighting leaves the tent. The SunSix look at each other for a moment.

Sunset rubs her face and speaks. “Alright. Listen girls, weird things are happening but we are camping, we should try to enjoy it.”

“And what are we supposed to do?” Indigo asks standing up, noting how the sheet is stuck to her butt. She instantly removes it and waves her hand to detach it as well.

“Let’s try to continue as if nothing had happened. We have to finish the dock and enjoy the ride.” Sunset Shimmer answers. “Also, let’s not freak out the others. Everyone wants to have a good time.”

“That’s fine, but…” Twilight looks very hesitant.

“Look girls, I’ll try to see what happens,” Sunset tells her friends. “Until then, just try to take it easy, okay?”

Neither seems convinced.

“Trust me.” Sunset smiles confidently.

After what seems like an internal thought on the part of the group, they agree and begin to leave the store. Except for Sunny, who stands up and keeps looking at her palms.

“How am I supposed to enjoy camp if I can’t touch anything?”

It’s a good question, and makes Sunset think again. Luckily, Twilight seems to have something on her mind. The girl with glasses goes through Sunset’s bag and takes the sunscreen out of it.

“Maybe with this.”

Sunset raises an eyebrow. “Sunscreen?”

“What do you want me to do? Tan me?” Sunny asks sarcastically.

“Sunscreen prevents the skin from being damaged by the sun,” explains the scientist. “Maybe it works the other way around…”

Twilight comments even though doesn’t seem too sure. Still, the girl with glasses moves forward, and Sunny lets her put some lotion on her hands.

Sunny rubs her palms together, orders a second dose, and rubs her fingers together. She makes sure that her hands are completely covered by the blocker.

Then the three look at the hands of the lilac-haired girl. Sunset looks around, finding the shirt that was already burned. She decides to use it to test the theory and gives it to Sunny.

Sunny Flare holds the shirt in her hands, but it doesn’t light up or get hot.

“It works!” Twilight exclaims animated.

Sunny sets the shirt aside and looks down at her hands, lightly rubbing her fingers together.

“Ugh…hands full of sunscreen, not a feeling I enjoy. Well, I guess as long as I don’t set anything on fire…again.”

Sunset puts her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll find out what’s going on and help you.”

“Thank you Sunset, I know I can trust you.”

Sunset smiles. “Well, go have fun. I’ll take a look at the problem and see how to solve it.”

Neither Sunny nor Twilight is convinced, but they heed the cue and leave the store.

“Don’t worry! I’ll figure it out, I assure you!” Sunset smiles as she watches them go. Being alone, the fiery haired girl erases her smile and sits on her bed with a groan.

“Aurgh… Why do these things happen to me?”

Spike, still standing there, sees her and walks over and rubs against her leg a bit.

“Cheer up, you can solve it.”

“I hope so, Spike. I hope so…” Sunset speaks and pets the puppy, who is pleased with the gesture.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Due to the accidente from the day before, the dock had to be dismantled of the most part in order to be repaired again. Among some campers they began to remove, by force, several wooden boards that had been broken.

Sugarcoat was checking on the progress, as if she was the project’s foreman.

At one point she walks up to Indigo Zap, who is using a power drill to put a couple of holes in some boards.

“Neat! New wood, ready to work.” The young woman with googles announces looking satisfied.

Sugarcoat, for her part, looks at the tool in the hands of her partner and then speaks to Indigo.

“Excuse me, Indigo Zap.”

“Yes, Sug?”

Sugar doesn’t respond, but grabs the drill cable and lifts it up a bit to show that it’s not connected.

Indigo is somewhat stunned. She picks up the drill, presses the button, and it turns on. There is silence as they both watch this rare occurrence.

It is Indigo who finally speaks up in surprise. “Wow! I didn’t know this thing had batteries!”

Indigo smiles at such an apparent discovery. Sugar, for her part, just raises an eyebrow; despite her stoic face she seems to hesitate.

Meanwhile, Sonata and Lemon walk and talk on the shore of the lake, picking up very small pieces of wood, leftovers from the previous day’s accident that had fallen into the water.

“So Flarie burns things and TwiTwi floats things.” Sonata comments, looking thoughtful.

“And the dog says things.” Completes Lemon, who seems to be cheerful. “This camp is having a great time.”

Sonata looks shocked. “Should we worry?”

Lemon doesn’t seem to mind the matter. “Why? I mean, sure, Sunny started a little fire, but no one was hurt.”

“It still looks dangerous. I just hope she’s okay.”

Lemon looks at her partner curiously. “You’re weird, Duskie.”

Sonata looks perplexed at the rocker. “Weird?”

“You’re very…” Lemon thinks for a moment what word to use. “Serious. You don’t look like yourself.”

Sonata takes a moment to reply. “I’m worried about the others.”

“Come on! Sunset said she would take care of it.” Lemon says in the same spirit. “Now that I mention it, I wonder if I can do something like that.”

“Something like that?”

“Some strange magical thing! If Sunny’s hands are hot, maybe I’m cold!”

Without asking or saying anything, she puts her hands on Sonata’s cheeks and squeezes them a bit.

“You feel cold?”

The blue Siren just shakes her head at her, so Lemon lets her go.

“Hmm… maybe I can turn invisible.”

With that thought, the green-haired girl straightened up and trembled a bit as if she was straining to do something.

“Do you still see me?”

“Eeyup.”

Lemon thinks about it for a moment longer.

“Oh! Maybe laser vision!”

Lemon widens her eyes intensely looking in some direction. But again nothing happens.

Sonata just looks at her friend. Although she sighs, the Siren still looks worried.

Not far away, Sunny is still looking down at her hands, constantly rubbing her fingers together with a look of doubt and some distaste.

Twilight walks over to her to talk to her.

“Hi Sunny Flare. Are you okay?”

Sunny gives a small sigh. “Yes, I’m okay. I can’t help but feel worried. I don’t want to burn more things…”

Twilight tries to smile in order to cheer her up. “Don’t worry, Sunset will be able to fix it. She knows a lot about these magical things.”

“I know, I know. I don’t distrust Sunset…” Sunny thinks about her words for a moment. “I was hoping this would be a smooth ride, you know?”

Twilight wipes the smile from her, it looks like she’s about to speak until Timber walks up holding a lantern from the dock.

“Hi Twilight. Excuse me, could you help me?”

Twilight turns her attention away from Sunny to see the young camp manager.

“What’s wrong, Timber?”

“I was testing the lamps, but this one won’t turn on,” Timber explains. “I think it has battery problems. I tried to fix it but it doesn’t work."

“Let me see it.”

They both sit at a nearby table. Twilight takes a screwdriver that Timber had brought and uses it to take the object apart a bit.

Sunny puts the problem with her hands aside for a moment and watches them attentively, noticing how Timber gets quite close to the scientist.

After a few minutes, Twilight connects a couple of wires and the lamp lights up, though it flickers a few times.

“Have you fixed it?” Timber Spruce asks.

“I think so,” Twilight replies. “But it needs to charge a bit more to check.”

“I’ll put it where there’s sun so it can charge.” Timber says and then smiles at Twilight. “Thank you Twilight. I’m surprised you knew how to fix it.”

“Oh, I’ve always worked with computers and machines like that,” our bespectacled girl says almost casually. “And I often had to repair them. I’m a quick learner.”

They both look at each other smiling, a small blush covers the scientist. Timber smiles and seems to want to talk, but Sunny Flare walks over and hands him the lamp, almost giving Timber a shove.

“Yes, our Twilight is amazing, we all know that. Now, you’d better get on with your work; the dock should be ready before we leave.”

Sunny says this quickly and nearly pushes the green-haired man off the table, much to Timber and Twilight’s bewilderment.

“Um… very well. I think I’ll see you later, Twilight.”

“Yeah, okay…”

With that, the camp manager leaves. They both see it, suddenly Twilight stands up and looks somewhat annoyed at the lilac-haired girl.

“Sunny Flare! What are you doing?!” Twilight recriminates. “That was rude.”

“I protect my friend! That’s what I do!” Sunny responds angrily. “Seriously Twilight, how am I supposed to tell you to stay away from that guy?!”

“He wanted me to help him with that lamp!”

“Yeah, and then he took the opportunity to flirt with you.” Sunny accuses.

Twilight’s face turns red, but unlike before, it’s clear that she is upset and not ashamed.

“And if he’s flirting with me, WHAT’S THE MATTER?!” Twilight asks very upset. “He seems to like me! And you know what? I like him too!”

The frustration is too clear in the violet hair, to the point she shows no doubt or shame in that sentence.

“He’s cute, he’s kind, he’s also smart and very nice! I don’t understand what’s wrong with you!” The scientist crosses her arms in annoyance.

Sunny rolls her eyes and mimics the gesture as well, crossing her arms. “Twilight, no offense honey, but you have no experience with boys. You don’t know what they’re like.”

Twilight clenches her arms in frustration, but she calms down and speaks. “Yeah, right, I forgot you were the expert. And you don’t even have a boyfriend.”

Twilight said the last thing in a low voice and looking away. Still, Sunny listens to her and frowns, but she tries to control herself and continues talking.

“Twilight, I tell you this because I care for you. Don’t go near Timber, he’s dangerous.”

“Why do you say that?! You don’t even know him!” Twilight accuses and drops her arms to clench her fists in frustration. “You haven’t talked to him since we got here, you just called him a bad person for no reason!”

“I don’t need to talk to him! I can tell just by looking at it.” Sunny fights back. “A young man in his twenties, pretending to a high school girl. I would stick my neck out that he does it every year with every school that comes here.”

Twilight is shocked to hear that, then gets even angrier.

“Sunny Flare! How dare you say something like that?! Timber Sprunce is a good person! Not just with me, but with everyone in the camp!”

“That’s what he wants you to believe, but he doesn’t fool me. I know how to distinguish a liar.”

Twilight grows increasingly frustrated.

“Yeah, sure,” Twilight says, getting the sarcasm back from her. “After all, you are an expert in that field.”

“Beg your pardon?!”

“You accuse Timber of lying about who he is, but you are no better at taking advantage of others and wanting the best for yourself.”

“Taking advantage of others?! If wanting to have a good influence and a promising future is a crime, then I plead guilty!” Sunny is really mad now. “Of course I look for the best, it is what we all do for our own good.”

“You know what? I’m starting to think you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?! ME?! From what exactly?”

“From the fact Timber has noticed me, instead of you!”

“Please! I didn’t think someone as smart as you could say something as stupid as that!”

“Of course! It’s the same as with Sunset, you want to take her away from me!”

“EXCUSE ME?!!!”

“You’ve always been jealous that Sunset likes me more! Ever since you met her you’ve been after her! You want to steal it from me!”

“Sunset Shimmer is not yours!”

“She is MY best friend! And you want to be even more to separate her from me!”

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE! You’ve lost your mind!”

“I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE RIGHT AS NOW! You are a lying traitor!”

Sunny grits her teeth and there is a growl in her throat. But she tries to calm you down. “Twilight, I’ve tried to protect you because we’re friends-“

“I DON’T NEED YOU TO PROTECT ME!” Twilight interrupts her. “And if this is how you treat a friend, THEN I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!”

“FINE!! Go away! Do whatever you want with that guy! But don’t come crying to me later!”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to do it!!”

Twilight turns and walks off with an annoyed stride without looking at Sunny. On her part, Sunny snorts in frustration, and holding back a groan, she crosses her arms.

“One tries to protect her friends and that’s how they repay me. Friendship is Magic, rubbish!!”

With that comment, Sunny decides to go her own way.

There is no one left around to witness the movement of the waters, the white reflection that moves on them, and the soft frost that remains on the shore.

Friendship is Broken

Author's Note

Hello!
... Is anyone... still around?
Does anyone remember that this story exists?

... Yes, sorry for the delay. I have no excuse.

But I will resume the story until I finish it, the final chapters will come soon.

I thank my friend Arthor for the editing and grammar correction. This story is thanks to you, my friend.

I'm sorry again. I hope all you like what's coming.

Friendship is Broken

After a moment alone to clear her head and think about what just happened, Sunset leaves her tent followed by the now talkative pup.

“Well, somehow the girls got magical abilities.“ Sunset speaks loudly. “This… reminds me a bit of Rainboom's magic.”

“The girls from the other school?” The puppy asks.

“Yeah. They could generate magic when they played music.” Sunset explains. “Actually, it has happened to Twilight, Sonata, Lemon and me too; however, this is… different.”

“But they weren’t playing music. As far as I know we were all asleep.” Add the puppy. “And I have a good ear, I would have listened if there had been music.”

“I know, I know. There must be something that affected them; something that made them… well… magical.”

“Is it related with what you did last night?”

Sunset thinks about it for a moment. “Umm, I don’t know. Although… you’re right! I ended up waking up in that cave last night. What led me there?”

“Maybe the cave has something magical in there.”

“Maybe.”

Sunset is silent for a moment as she thinks. Then she speaks again.

“You know Spike, I’m glad you can talk. I can speak about these things without it seeming weird to you.”

“I’ve lived with Twilight since I was five weeks old, so few things can make me feel weird.”

Sunset can’t help but laugh at such a comment. However it doesn’t last long, and she returns to her more serious face.

“In any case, the cave probably had something to do with all of this. I must find out what is that place.”

“Are you going there again?”

“Perhaps. But maybe there is an easier way.”

~Shadows Among Everfree~

A knock on the door is answered by Gloriosa’s jubilant voice.

“~Come in!~”

Sunset opens the door and walks in to see the woman sitting at her desk, who’s looking at some documents. When Gloriosa sees Sunset, she smiles brightly.

“Hi! How can I help you?” Asks the camp manager with joy and interest.

Sunset hesitates for just a second, before starting to speak. “Gloriosa, I want to ask you a question. You see, yesterday… um… exploring, I found a cave, and it was full of crystals that glowed…”

Sunset hesitated for a moment, almost regretfully as she didn’t know if it was safe to explain in detail. Gloriosa, for her part, wipes her smile away, changing it to a look of surprise followed by a nervous smile.

“Um… Uh… a cave, you say?”

“Yes, a cave. Filled with sparkling crystals, I…had never seen anything like it.”

Gloriosa begins to speak with a nervous voice that appears to be cheerful. “Oh, uh, I see. And… what did you do there?”

Although she tries to smile, Gloriosa’s eyes show nervousness. Sunset also begins to get very nervous, not knowing how to explain herself.

“Umm… nothing in particular. I just saw the place, but I didn’t stay long.”

Gloriosa lets out a laugh in an attempt to calm her nervousness. “Oh! Alright. And… what exactly do you want to know?”

“Well, I’ve never seen shiny crystals before. I was wondering if you knew anything about that place.”

Gloriosa stands up suddenly and walks around her desk giggling a little.

“~Oh, ho ho!~ These young people today.” The woman speaks, almost imitating another adult attitude. “Calm down, honey. That cave you say – well – it was a secret, but I guess I’ll have to tell you. That cave is a place I’m preparing for… a party!”

Sunset arches an eyebrow. “A party?”

“~A party for all the campers!~” Gloriosa exclaimed recovering her good attitude. “The crystals are just decoration! ~They are fake and have lights inside to shine!~”

“… Really?”

“~Of course!~ But I’m going to ask you to keep it a secret, okay? ~I want it to be a surprise party for everyone!~”

Sunset doesn’t seem convinced, but she decides not to question the matter further.

“Um… okay, if you say so…”

“Perfect! Now, do you need anything else?”

“Mmm, no. I think… I’ll continue with my way” Our girl says and starts backing towards the door.

"Very well! If you have any problems or want something to have fun, give me a call! ~I've got this!~” Gloriosa said the last thing in an almost singsong voice.

Sunset can't help but feel a little flustered by so much joy, she backs up a bit more and finally leaves the office.

Gloriosa sees her go, keeps her smile for a moment; and making sure she won't come back, sighs with relief.

"… That was close."

~Shadows Among Everfree~

After leaving and closing the door, Sunset returns to her thoughts. The puppy who accompanies her, seeing her get out of it, asks the girl.

“Did you find out anything, Sunset?"

Sunset puts a hand on her chin. “I’m not sure. Gloriosa says the cave is a place for a party.”

“Oh! Well, that sounds good.” Says the puppy. “No need to worry then.”

Sunset almost rolls her eyes, until she remembers that Twilight’s dog is still a pup and oblivious to adverse circumstances. “Yeah, but… I think she was lying.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because of the way she acted. Gloriosa seemed nervous, as if she had hidden something in that cave.” Our girl answers while she is still thoughtful. “And call me crazy, but those crystals over there didn’t just look like decoration. I think Gloriosa is hiding something…”

After reasoning out loud, Sunset falls silent again and thinks. Spike, who doesn’t seem to fully understand the situation, doesn’t do anything to help her or want to interrupt her.

But the moment is broken by a series of screams that can be heard from the other side of the camp. Both, puppy and girl, are static at such a sound and the manager of the camp rushes out of her office, very alarmed.

“What was that?! What happened?!” The woman asks, annoying Sunset a bit.

“I-I don’t know! Suddenly someone yelled!”

Gloriosa doesn’t wait any longer and runs to the place where the scream was heard. Sunset and Spike soon follow her.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Back at the dock, the situation had become very strange, various tools and boards were floating in the air as well spinning like gears. So is a camper doing it.

“Aaahhh! Somebody get me down!” Fleur de Lis demands, annoyed and terrified in equal measure, as she floats down to the lake.

All the campers, including those who were not there at the time, rushed to the scene to see the whole situation, and no one could understand what they saw.

In the center of it is a terrified Twilight who is looking at all the shiny things, and trying to shrink so she can notice how her hands shine, the same brightness that surrounds the floating objects.

One of the campers notices Twilight’s hands and talks to her.

“Sparkle! Are you doing this?!”

“N-NO! I mean…yes!” Twilight responds, alarmed and confused. “But I…I…it’s not my-“

“SPARKLE!” Fleur screams, still upset and still floating headfirst over the lake. “You better put me down now or I swear I’ll make you regret it!”

“S-Sorry Fleur de Lis. It’s just… I just don’t know how-“

“Sparkle! GET ME DOWN, NOW!!”

Twilight’s nerves seem to increase and that causes the floating things to start flapping and flying in various directions. Some campers almost get hit, but manage to evade the tools and boards.

“I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! I DON’T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL IT!”

Indigo dodges a hammer that nearly hits her on the head.

“Wow! Okay, this stopped being weird and it’s starting to get dangerous.”

Sonata and Lemon look around the place. The first grabs the second and ducks them both to avoid a hoverboard.

“This isn’t right, we have to help Twilight.” Says sonata

Lemon, smiling, has an idea. “Hey Twilight!”

Twilight looks at the green haired girl.

“Whatever you’re doing, stop doing it!”

Sonata looks surprised at the rocker girl. “…Really, Lemon?”

“What? It’s a good idea.”

Twilight is still terrified. “I do not know what I’m doing! THAT’S THE PROBLEM!”

Twilight’s hands glow brighter and some kind of magical current comes out of her, soon all the campers find themselves floating a couple of inches off the ground.

“HELP! SUNSET!”

Almost as if it were a summoning, Sunset and Gloriosa – also Spike – arrive at the place and are amazed at what they see. The second more than the first.

“Wha…what…what’s going on?!”

The camp’s manager is frightened by such a vision.

Gloriosa Daisy is frightened by such a vision. Sunset, next to her, sees her bespectacled friend in her own panic and runs towards her.

“Twilight!”

“Sunset! Help me!”

Sunset catches up to Twilight and grabs her by the shoulders.

“Twilight, listen! Magic depends on your emotions! If you get scared, it will be stronger! You have to calm down!”

“I’m too scared!”

“Don’t think about fear! Think of something, something nice! Something that makes you feel better.”

Twilight still looks scared, surprisingly she hugs Sunset tightly and although she is surprised, Sunset responds to her gesture and holds her friend firmly.

Little by little Twilight’s fear is lost, she calms down. The glow in her hands is fading and the tools, wood, and campers are descending to the ground.

Fleur, who is also going down, realices she is going towards the water.

“Aaah! No! Wait! Wait! These clothes are dry clean!”

Her complaint is useless and when everything and everyone is released from her magical aura, she ends up in the water. Except for Fleur, everyone is relieved to be on solid ground, though that doesn’t take away their doubts.

For her part, Sunset continues to hug Twilight. As they break their embrace, she looks worriedly at her friend.

“Are you okay?”

The scientist nods, looking sadly at the ground.

“Twilight, what happened?”

“I-I... I Don’t know. It just…everything started to float…”

Sunset looks very insecure. “What were you doing?”

Twilight looks concerned as she answers. “Nothing! I just…walked…”

Sunset isn’t convinced by the statement. “Something must have activated your magic. What happened?”

“Well, I… argued with Sunny Flare…”

Sunset is now in shock. “What? Why?”

“Because I’m fed up! Sunny Flare always wants to steal everything I want! Timber! You! She is… Aurgh!”

“Woah, woah! Hold it right there, Twi. Sunny doesn’t-“

“Twi-Spark!”

Lemon and Sonata approach both of them, thus interrupting the apparent conversation.

“Twilight, Sunset, what happened?”

“I think Twilight’s magic was activated by her emotions,” Sunset explains. “After she argued with Sunny Flare.”

“Huh? Why did you guys argued?” Sonata ask.

“Meh, I don’t blame her.” Lemon answers. “Sunny can be very annoying, personally I’ve always wanted to tell her-“

“Lemon, please!” Sonata speaks in a vindictive tone. “We have to focus on Twilight.”

Lemon is a bit surprised by the Siren’s scolding.

Indifferent to the group, Indigo goes to the pier to help Fleur who had swum there.

“Come on Lis, let me help you.”

“Thank you Indigo Zap.”

Indigo reaches out her hand and takes Fleur’s ready to lift her up. However, at the moment they both touch each other, they are passed through by an electric current that, although it is not strong, does cause a loud cry from the young women and separatas them.

The scream of both catches everyone’s attention as they turn around to see.

Indigo looks closely at her hand, noticing a couple of sparks of electricity. Fleur, ignoring the google girl’s bewilderment, gives her an angry look.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

In a reflex of anger, the pale girl throws water at the athlete. Everything seems to be in slow motion, but when the water touches Indigo’s body, a current of electrical waves passes through her. Indigo screams in pain and falls to the ground, currents of electricity visible in her body.

Sunny Flare sees that and rushes to get closer, kneels next to her and is about to touch Zap but the electric currents prevent her from doing so.

Timber walks over and helps Fleur out of the water. Fleur looks annoyed, as she looks at Indigo and the rest of the approaching group.

Sunny Flare continues to look at Indigo with great concern.

“Indigo, can you talk?”

“I-I…can’t…move…”

Gloriosa rushes over. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to the infirmary. Just let me…”

She tries to grab Indigo and carry her, but the electricity jumps out at Gloriosa, causing her to flinch. The rest of the group arrives and reunites.

“Wow Zap, can’t you handle a little bath? He he.”

“Lemon, this is not the time for jokes!”

Lemon’s laughter dies and she is replaced by an annoyed look at Sonata’s scolding.

Chrysalis approaches carrying a thick blanket.

“Step aside, please.”

The woman wraps Indigo with that cover, and since it is made of waterproof material, it manages to retain the secretions. Then Chrysalis picks her up.

“I’ll take her to the infirmary to get checked out.”

Said and done, the green-eyed woman walks carrying Indigo who groans a little for the annoyance. Timber steps forward too surprised.

“Can someone explain to me what’s going on here?!”

“It’s Sparkle and her dumb friends’ fault.” Accuses Fleur de Lis. “They always cause trouble like that.”

“Calm down girl,” Lemon Zest claims. “It’s not our fault.”

“The four-eyed moron threw me into the lake!”

“It was an accident!” The purple girl defends herself.

“You are an accident!”

“Please, enough!” Says Gloriosa almost in a scream. “There’s no reason to fight.”

Sunset holds back a sigh and a groan trying to calm down to think. On the other hand, Sonata addresses the group.

“We should go see if Indigo is alright.”

“She will be alright. That’s nothing compared to the hangovers she gets every Saturday.” Lemon speaks in a mocking tone.

“Lemon, can you take this seriously?!” The blue Dazzling exclaims once more.

“I’m serious! Indigo is the best athlete in the school, a little water and a few shocks won’t hurt her.”

“You should still worry about her a bit!”

Sonata’s almost aggressive attitude ends up bothering the rock ero. “What the hell is wrong with you?! You’ve been scolding me for a while!”

“Girls, please-“ Gloriosa tries to speak but is interrupted.

“And you do nothing but making dumb jokes!” Claim Sonata. “Can’t you understand this situation is serious?! Something strange is going on and if it continues like this, someone will get hurt!”

“I’m just trying to ease the tension! God! You’re not funny anymore.”

“THIS ISN’T FUNNY!” Sonata is getting more and more upset, out of her character. “Can you take something seriously for once in your life?!”

“Urgh! When did you get so grumpy?” Lemon asks crossing her arms and with an ironic tone.

“The moment I saw my friends might be in trouble?” Responds Sonata lowering her voice but keeps it just as serious as her current state. “You should worry if we’re supposed to be friends! Or is this all a joke to you? Are we a joke to you?!”

“Of course not!!”

They both look serious and upset in their discussion. Others around start to worry. And campers oblivious to the matter but attentive to it have different thoughts.

“Then stops goofing around and try to think of a way to help!”

“Now you say I can’t help?!”

“Not if you’re still acting like a douchebag!”

“Douchebag?!”

“That’s right!”

Lemon growls and her anger increases, Sonata just looks at her seriously. Twilight looks worried. Gloriosa tries to say something but she just stutters. Is Sunset who is most concerned.

Lemon begins to tremble in anger and then responds. “You… you! … SCREW YOU!”

Lemon’s scream comes out in the form of a sound wave that pushes everyone away and makes them fall. Far away campers fall to the ground. Likewise Gloriosa and Sunset with Twilight, who although they hold up, end up falling. Timber manages to catch up with Fleur, but Sunny and also Sonata end up falling into the water.

Lemon, the instant she screamed, covers her mouth in surprise at what just happened. With eyes wide open and her hands over her mouth she looks around her noticing everyone is watching her in surprise, and some in fear. She looks towards the water, Sonata and Sunny also look at her just as surprised. She frees her mouth and smiles nervously.

“I’M SORRY.”

The rocker covers her mouth again. It wasn’t a scream, but still her voice came out resounding as if her mouth were a speaker. Her pupils dilate because of her growing nervousness. And she is not the only one.

Murmurs begin to be heard and quite conflicting looks are noticed directed towards the Sunset Among Shadows by the campers.

Gloriosa tries to swallow her nerves, almost literally, and talk to those present.

“Alright, alright. Please everyone stay calm.”

While the camp’s manager tries to do her job, both Sonata and Sunny go up to the pier.

“Urgh! That’s it, I’m fed up!” The lilac-haired girl complains. “What else can happen to me today?!”

Almost at the end of her sentence, she notices a bit of smoke under her. Looking down, she can see how flames form around her hands and begin to consume the wood of the pier. Sunny instantly screams and pulls her hands away realizing that she has no blocker.

“Ga-aah! Sunscreen is not waterproof!”

Before anyone knew it, the wood on the pier began to be consumed by fire. Instantly everyone on top runs to the shore away from the fire.

The expression on the campers was indescribable as they watched their hard and dedicated work being destroyed once again…and this time completely.

“Our work… they destroyed our work!” Exclaims one of the campers in a furious and accusatory manner, and it doesn’t take long for him to be followed and supported by many others who instantly become furious with our group.

“You burned the pier!!”

“I-It was an accident!...” Sunny tries to defend herself.

“You also burned down your tent, didn’t you? What are you, arsonist?!”

“N-No, I-I…”

Gloriosa keeps trying to take control. “Please guys, please calm down… ”

Fleur complains again. “Calm down?! We cannot calm down with these loose threats!”

“They ruined the camp!”

Sunset tries to speak. “Hey, hey, wait a minute buster. This is only-“

“Shut up Shimmer! Surely this is your fault!”

“Wh… what?”

“Everything has been a disaster since you came to Crystal Prep!”

“EVERYONE, QUIET!”

The Dean orders with strong authority, something rarely seen in her attitude.

“This dispute is over. I want everyone to go back to your activities and forget about all this.”

The stern look Cadence gives makes every single one of them comply, albeit grudgingly. Waiting for the crowd to disperse, Cadence changes her face to a softer one turning back to our group.

“Girls, are you alright?”

Sunset tries to answer. “We are… we are fine. It's just.. “

“Is anyone hurt?”

“Not hurt.” Answers Fleur de Lis still angry. “But I demand a hot shower before-“ She speaks, but is suddenly cut off. “Ah-Choo!”

Fleur sneezes and rubs her nose a little. Timber decides to approach and take her by her shoulders.

“Come on, I’ll get you a towel. You also come to clean and dry yourself.” Timber heads off with Sunny and Sonata, while he holds Fleur and leads her away.

Sunset rubs her face trying to calm down. She then looks at her green haired friend.

“Lemon, are you okay?”

The rocker seems unsure of the answer. Fearful, she removes her hands from her mouth and, after thinking twice, she speaks.

“I THINK-“

Instantly Lemon covers her mouth again and holds it tight to stifle the scream that escapes her.

Cadence decides to take the floor and speak to the entire group.

“Sunset, you’d better continue your camping activities.” The woman says in a tone that tries to denote calm. “I’ll take Lemon to the infirmary.”

“What?! B-but Dean-“

“Sunset, go.”

Though Dean Cadence’s voice is calm, that’s an order she doesn’t expect to protest. She takes Lemon by her shoulders and leads her away, but before leaving Cadence looks at Twilight.

“Twilight, I think you should come too.”

Twilight seems to want to object, but the woman’s serious look silences her. Sunset can only watch as all of her friends distance themselves, worried.

Gloriosa Daisy approaches her with a consternation all too visible on her face.

“Hey… you, uh… are you… alright?”

Sunset doesn’t respond at the moment, she sighs and lowers her head with some regret.

“… I don’t think so.”

Overwhelmed but unable to do anything, Sunset walks away from the scene.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

“THIS IS UNFAIR!!” Indigo yells at the dark-skinned, jade-haired woman who is looking at her nonchalantly.

Chrysalis is standing in front of the camp’s dining table, where Indigo, Sunny, and Lemon are sitting. The three of them looking at her with surprise and indignation.

“It’s for the good of the camp, and yourselves.”

“Miss Chrysalis, excuse me for saying so, but this isn’t reasonable.” Sunny whines trying to stay calm.

“Mh hm mm hmm mm mh hm!” Lemon wants to speak but as she forces herself to keep their lips pressed against each other. She only makes unintelligible sounds.

“Sorry girls, but Sunny Flare’s body temperature isn’t even reasonable.” Explain Chrysalis. “Indigo Zap’s body has an intense static charge. And I have no idea what’s happening to Lemon.” The woman finishes explaining. “In other words, your conditions are not just abnormal, are dangerous as well.”

Indigo is still very angry. “You can’t just lock us up! We aren’t animals!”

Chrysalis remains composed. “I’m sorry, but for your sake and the sake of others, you must stay here until we make a decision regarding your conditions.”

Although the girls protest the woman doesn’t listen to them, she turns around and heads towards the exit. Chrysalis turns once more and speaks seriously.

“You are strictly prohibited from leaving the dining room until further notice. If I see any of you outside, I will retaliate severely.” The woman’s voice is stern, but before leaving she speaks in a sad tone. “… I’m sorry.”

After that, Chrysalis just walks away from them and closes the door. Chrysalis walks with a pensive face, she finds Cadence who looks at her serenely, altough a little worried.

“Chrysalis, how are they?”

“Angry, more than anything. They don’t look like they’re hurt or sick though.”

Cadence looks a little more relieved, yet she’s still very worried. “… Chrysie, are you sure that’s what’s best for them? Lock them up?”

“I don’t like the idea either, Cadence. However, from what you told me and what I have been able to see, it’s better to keep those girls away until we figure out what to do.”

“And what are we going to do?” Cadence asks, rushed and a little upset. “Call their parents? Police? NASA? What are we supposed to do in a case like this?!”

“Cadence, please calm down.” Chrysalis demands in a soft but stern tone. “Getting upset won’t help us.”

“That’s easy to say! I… I just wanted to take the guys to a fun camp…but…”

“Cadence…”

“…Crystal had become a better place. I thought the students would have fun and make good memories. And now… what is supposed to happen?!”

Chrysalis takes Cadence by the shoulders and looks into her eyes. They don’t say anything, tough it seems like their thoughts are transmitted. Finally, Chrysalis takes Cadence by the hand and they both walk to a quieter place where they can think and decide.

When both are out of sight, Sunset, Twilight and Sonata take the opportunity to approach the cabin.

“Did they lock them up?” Twilight is the first to talk about the situation. “But that’s…”

Sunset bites her lip and decides to get closer, not before turning back at the girls.

“You two, wait for me here.”

“We want to go with you.” Sonata asks.

“No, it will be troublesome if someone sees us here.” Sunset answers. “Let me check them out and if anyone approaches, let me know and I’ll leave.”

Sunset says no more, she walks into the dining room. Both Twilight and Sonata look at her with concern, and then they share that look with the other.

Inside the diner, Sunset sees her friends sitting around and complaining.

“Grrr… But what does that woman think? What’s this, the freaking jail? They treat us like criminals!” Indigo yells extremely angrily.

“I’ve been preparing for this camp for so long, and now I’m locked up here!” Sunny Flare comments critically as she squirts more sunscreen onto her hands.

“Mhmhm!” Lemon complains, still not daring to open his mouth.

“Urgh! Who invited that witch?!” Indigo speaks up in frustration. Hitting the table with the palms of her hands stands up and begins to walk.

“When I get out of here she'll see what awaits her, and I will beat her so hard her bastard children will be born brain damaged.”

“Honestly Indigo, I understand your annoyance, but you should better consider your actions.” Sunny speaks in a stern tone. “Going against the Superintendent of the Ministry of Education doesn’t seem sensible.”

“I DON’T GIVE A FUCK!” The athlete screams. “She locked us up, like animals!”

“Well, that doesn’t mean you have to behave like one.”

The comment earns an extremely angry nod from the girl on googles.

“You better quit talking! It’s your fault we’re here!”

“Excuse me?!”

“You burned the pier!”

“It… It was an accident!”

“I don’t give a damn! You and your silly burning hands! I would have locked you up myself and then we wouldn’t be here.”

Faced with the serious accusation, Sunny stands up and faces the girl.

“Look Indigo, I woke up in the middle of my bed covered in fire. I tried to help a former friend who was just criticizing me, and now I’m locked up instead of enjoying camp. I don’t feel like listening to your stupid complaints!”

They both look at each other intensely, Lemon stands between them and separates them. With a grimace, she makes closed-mouth sounds as if she’s scolding them both, then Lemon Zest points to herself and her mouth.

“Stop acting like that! You look like a weirdo!” Indigo tells Lemon.

“Big deal, that’s what she always seemed like.” Adds Sunny. Lemon looks annoyed and intensely at Sunny. Before their discussion could continue, Sunset approaches.

“Girls! Please stop!”

“Sunset?!” Indigo and Sunny says at the same time.

“Mhhm?!” Lemon exclaims in her own way.

“What are you doing here?” Asks Sunny Flare.

“Did that rascal lock you up too?” Now asks Indigo.

“No, I came to see you.”

Sunny approaches almost desperately. “Oh Sunset! Please tell me you found a way to fix this.”

The three look expectantly at the former equine. Sunset Shimmer bites her lip, not sure how to respond.

“N-No… I don’t have anything…”

A groan of indignation is heard from the three girls.

“B-But I’ll figure it out on my own-“

“A week of camp. That was all I asked for!” Speaks Indigo cutting the pony girl. “Sleep in warm layers, a sporty triathlon! But no! Some magical stupid thing had to happen and now I’m stuck here with these two!” She complains pointing at her classmates.

“Being with you is not a pleasant thing for me either, for your information.” Sunny responds indignantly.

“G-girls… listen…”

“Listen what?! If you don’t have a way to get us out of this, we have nothing to talk about.”

“I… I just…”

“Urgh, I should have stayed home!” Sunny protests, sits back down and crosses her arms.

“I could have gone shopping, to the spa, or anywhere! But not! I had to come here to spend time with these barbarians with no manners!”

“I could have stayed in the gym working out, or even gone to get my eyebrows plucked! Anything would have been more fun than hanging up with you guys!”

“Mh hm hmm mmh hm mh!” Lemon Zest claims just like Indigo.

“GIRLS!”

Sunset yells to get everyone’s attention. She succeeds, but gets angry looks. “Hey, I know this is making you all nervous, but there’s no reason to fight. We are friends.”

“Friends?! Being your friends is what got us into this!”

“Wh… What…???”

“If it wasn’t for you and your stupid magic, we wouldn’t be in this mess!!”

“Indigo, I-“

“It’s true! Ever since you came, our lives have been nothing but trouble.”

“Su-Sunny…”

Lemon moans and seems to contain the desire and the need to say something.

“I wish I hadn’t met you!” The girl with googles suddenly screams. “I’d be so much better off without you!”

“…Girls, please, we are friends-”

“We are not friends!” Sunny yells at her. “You are a threat! Get out of my sight and out of my life forever, Sunset Shimmer!”

“Sunny…girls… please…”

Finally after holding back for a minute, Lemon breaks out and screams with all her might.

“GO AWAY!”

Her scream is so intense, that she sends Sunset flying straight towards the door and knocks her out of the place, throwing her to the ground with a strong blow.

Both Sonata and Twilight see this and run to help her.

Sunset complains of pain from the impact. Looking up, she only sees Sunny, Indigo, and Lemon glare at her, then slam the door shut.

Twilight is shocked by such a scene. “Sunset, what happened?!”

Sonata is just as confused. They both look at the former equine, but she just ducks her head. After a few seconds of grief, Sunset looks up; a serious gesture is glimpsed in her eyes. She stands up, and begins to walk.

“Sunset, wait! Where are you going?” Twilight asked puzzled.

Sunset takes a few seconds to respond. “… I’m not sure…”

“But what happened?!” Sonata asks.

“…The girls…they…said that they are not my friends anymore.”

Such a thing leaves both teenagers speechless.

“Wh-what?! That… that is…! I don’t-WHY??!”

Sunset doesn’t answer, she takes a moment in silence. Without turning around, she speaks again.

“Twilight, Sonata, I need you to do me a favor.”

None of them respond, but they do pay all their attention to the girl with flamed hair.

“I think there is something hidden in the camp. This magical awakening, or whatever it was, is not a random situation. There must be something causing it.” This is what Sunset seriously explains. “I need you to watch the place, and the others. See if you can find anything.”

Saying that, the former student of Princess Celestia walks again.

“Sunset, wait! Where are you going?!” Sonata asks once more.

“Looking for answers.” It’s the only answer she gives. Sunset follows her firm and somewhat accelerated path.

Neither Twilight nor Sonata know what to think.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

The talkative pup sniffs the air a bit and moves on. Sunset Shimmer stays next to him.

“Yes, I’m sure this is the way.”

“Thanks for bringing me, Spike.”

“No problem. But tell me, why do you want to go back to the cave?”

“It all started after we found that cave, I want to go and see if I can find something that will help others.”

The pup continues to sniff and walk, followed by the adolescent.

“I find it curious, you said that they don’t want to be your friends anymore.”

Sunset lowers her head, her eyes trembling slightly.

“… Yeah.”

“But you still want to help them. Why?”

Sunset takes a moment to answer, but she does.

“Because I don’t forget what happened the last time I quit helping those who stopped being my friends.” Sunset Shimmer steps forward, peering through some bushes and can see the cave in the distance.

“Maybe they are not my friends anymore… but I am friends with them.”

With that sentence, Sunset speeds up her steps a little to get to the cave.

Once inside it, Sunset can’t help but marvel at the sight of those crystals shining around the place. As she moves in, feels her skin tingle, her body engulfed in heat. Images of a horse riding fill her mind, and she suddenly feels lost in that image…

Spike, noticing Sunset’s attitude, rushes to gently bite her leg and pull it to get her attention.

“Sunset!”

Her cry and the soft bite of the puppy make her react.

“Spike…”

“Sunset! Be careful, you were getting weird like last night.”

Sunset looks surprised, looking up at the cave and then down at her hands. She gently touching her skin the note bristly, and something warm.

“Is it… Magic?”

“Magic?” The puppy seems curious.

“There is magic… in this cave.”

“Magic from your magical world?” The puppy asks.

“I… I don’t know… it’s… it’s the same but… different. This makes no sense.”

Spike doesn’t seem fully aware of what Sunset is saying, though neither is she herself.

Suddenly the puppy turns its head in one direction, frowns, and begins to growl. Then he starts barking. This gets the attention of her human friend.

“Spike?”

“Grrr, evil!”

“Evil?”

“There’s someone there, and it’s evil! Grrr!”

Sunset looks in the direction of the pup, frowns, and speaks loudly.

“Who’s there?! Don’t hide!”

For a moment nothing is seen or heard except the pup’s growl. But soon a laugh can be heard, followed by footsteps. A silhouette appears from between some rocky pillars of the place.

Sunset tries to see who was it, but she can’t make it out in the shadows.

“Who are you? Show yourself!”

The person finally gets close enough for the light to see them. A young man, with a complexion as white as snow, and his hair just as white. Interestingly, he wears the Crystal Prep Academy uniform, although it looks much darker.

Sunset is surprised to see him.

“We meet again, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset is surprised to see that boy. “… You…”

The pale young man smiles, a smug air and a certain mischief emanating from his countenance. Spike growls at the sight and Sunset is speechless, too surprised. She then blinks in confusion.

“… Who are you?”

Cold Summer

The boy dressed in the academy’s uniform started to tremble. His eyes and fists closed tightly, clenching his teeth he tries to hold back his snarl.

Sunset, from her part, is still puzzled and she looks at him doubtfully. Her concern was temporarily put aside, now too curious about the young man’s presence.

Finally, after growling and grinding his teeth, he speaks.

“Who I am? WHO AM I?! I am White Winter the Third! Eldest of the Winter family!”

Sunset doesn’t respond, just blinks.

“We met at Crystal Prep Academy.”

Another blink from the fire-haired girl.

“I CREATED THAT BLOG TO DEFAMATE YOU IN THE SCHOOL!”

Sunset opens her mouth, she seems to be about to speak, but no. She closes it and just blinks.

Winter growls and whispers unintelligible things.

“… You dumb bitch…”

Winter’s eyes twinkle as he raises his fist. Suddenly, Sunset’s head fills with images, memories.

She remembers how she came to Twilight’s rescue when Winter and another boy jumped her. Then when she talked to him in the halls. Finally, when Suri Polamare brought him before her and the girls where it was revealed that he had been the one behind the blog against Sunset; and eventually the time when he left Crystal Prep due to expulsion.

Sunset, after contemplating all that sequence of images in her mind, is stunned but then smiles.

“Waiiiit…. Yeah! Now I remember! Nice to see you again, how have you been?

Winter looks frustrated before speaking. “Are you being funny?”

“Yes,” Sunset replies somewhat uncertainly. “It’s more or less how my brain fights against a very akward situation.”

“Well, you’ll stop being funny when I make you pay for what you did to me!”

“And what did I do?”

“You know perfectly well! Not only did you make me fail my exams, but I got expelled from the academy because of you!”

“Uhh… nope. You did that to yourself; You could have studied and stop acting like a jerk, but no.”

“Sneer if you want, Shimmer! But this time, I won’t mince words.”

Saying that, Winter’s eyes shine with a whitish light. From the suddenly, Sunset feels her whole body immobile and, although she tries, can’t move.

“This… Is this… magic?”

“If that’s what you want to call it.” Is Winter’s almost mocking response. “It’s a small gift my new allies gave me.”

Sunset is puzzled. “Allies?”

Winter smiles, opening his arms. “Sunset Shimmer, I present to you the Windigos.”

Immediately, an icy wind hits the cave. Sunset – unable to move – can only watch how the walls, the floor, the ceiling and everything in the cave gets covered by a thin layer of ice. She hears a whisper, almost a howl, and feels her blood run cold.

Winter remains smiling, while around him begin to accumulate white shadows that slide by the wind. Little by little they take shape, moving through the air or dangling and menacingly climbing up walls.

“Windigos…”

Sunset feels her entire body freeze at the sight of these creatures, their barely human silhouettes formed by ice and wind. Their sinister smiles, their loud cackles, send shivers down her spine.

“What’s the matter, Sunset Shimmer? Did you stay cold by the impression? Ha ha ha!” The white-haired boy laughs at his own joke.

Sunset feels her body tremble from the cold. “Brrr… how?... what are you doing with creatures like these?”

“It’s a curious story.” Winter says with some sarcasm, to later remember and narrate his apparent tale.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Snow falls that dark night… The wind blows quite strongly…

Winter walks aimlessly, looking down. His teeth clenched tightly, and a constant growl in his throat…

“Sunset Shimmer… you will pay for this! I assure you… no one… no one shames Winter White Third!... One day!... Soon!... Cold revenge will be mine!”

Suddenly, a strange and cold voice is heard in the air.

“~Cold revenge?~ ~I like the way you think~.”

Winter is surprised and looks in all directions, but he only sees darkness and snow.

“Who said that?!”

“~Just a friend~. ~A lonely spirit looking for someone to trust~.”

“Who are you?! If you think you scare me, you’re wrong!” The boy says, although his expression contradicts his statement. “Show yourself!”

“~No need to fear, we came here to help you~.”

“…We?”

Winter is unable to answer, a strong wind blows with such intensity that the snowfall turns into a blizzard.

Winter takes cover, and looking ahead he sees a silhouette. Maybe… a person?

“~Cold Revenge~… ~Do you want to know… what cold really is…?~”

The surrounding snow spirals like the eye of a hurricane. Winter begins to panic when he feels ice creep up his legs…

… A horrible scream is heard in the void…

~Shadows Among Everfree~

“Perhaps Crystal Prep Academy left me, but they found me.” Winter speaks as she points out the spirits in the cave.

“You see Sunset, the Windigos and I have something in common: a deep hatred towards you.”

Sunset looking serious, just as confused, she decides to speak up.

“Towards me? Why? I mean, you’re crazy, I get it, but I didn’t even know these things were here. What have I to do with them?”

A soft but cold voice speaks from behind Sunset as she feels a pair of hands take her shoulders, freezing her back.

“~I can answer that~.”

The equestrian girl turns around.

Over her shoulder she sees the ghostly face of one of the Windigos, though it looks different. Her aura seemed brighter and whiter than the others. From her ‘body’, something similar to ties that flutter in a non-existent wind is detached. And on her arms, as well as her chest area, are almost spiral-shaped blue markings. The voice that is heard from her mouth and the line of what would be her face also have a feminine essence.

Tough what impressed our redhead the most was…

“You can talk?”

The Windigo gives a soft laugh. “~I have spent a lot of time observing your kind, I learned their language~.”

Spike begins to bark at the ghost holding Sunset, but she just frowns at him. With a wave of her hand, creates a current of air which pushes the cub to the other side of the cave.

“SPIKE!”

The purple dog fell unconscious to the ground. Seeing that, Sunset growls and turns to the being who has her trapped.

“… Who are you?!” Both her voice and her body begin to shake. Maybe fear, or maybe cold… maybe both…

“~In your language, my name would be ‘Hyberna’~. ~I wanted to meet you for a long time, Sunset Shimmer~.”

“W-You wanted to me-meet me?... W-why?...”

Sunset asks with her voice still shaking. Hyberna lightly squeezes Sunset’s shoulders with her hands, which makes the girl tremble more.

“~My people have been suffering from famine for many ages~. ~It’s hard for us to get a good meal~. ~Makind is no longer a good source of food~.”

Sunset was still trembling with cold, Windigo’s hands cling to her shoulders. Through her country shirt she could feel the sharp nails that the spirit possesses.

Sunset is surprised by the fact she was able to feel this ghost’s touch. Even with all this, she is attentive to what ‘she’, Hyberna, is going to do to her.

“~For a long time we were looking for a place where we could eat, and we finally found you and that place you call Canterlot High School~.”

“C-Canterlot… W-What’s w-with that…?”

“~Our species feeds on conflict, the energy produced by the souls of beings when they fight and hate each other~. ~In the past, humans lived from war, looking for reasons to hate and fight~. ~The hatred that all of them produced was so delicious~.”

The ghost licks its lips, and Sunset can feel the icy air escaping from her as she speaks.

“~But their race changed, and now wars are not so frequent~. ~The humans went from holding grudges to just complaining, and the conflicts didn’t have the same flavor~. ~Despite that, we had you~.”

Sunset felt her entire body freeze as Hyberna’s arms completely encircle her, pinning the ghost to her back. Sunset felt like she was stuck to an ice floe.

“~You had unconditional hatred. So great, so…delicious~.”

A growl escapes from the former unicorn as she feels the ghost’s mouth brush against her neck.

“~It was a feeling of hate that, personally, I hadn’t experienced for a long time~. ~A very long time~.”

Sunset grits her teeth, her eyes tremble a little, recognizing what the ghost means. She was reminding her of that dark period in her life.

“~Alas, one person wasn’t enough~. ~Still, you caught our attention~.”

“Stop talking so much!” Orders Sunset with annoyance, although with some fear. Ignoring the tremor in her voice, she tries to look that cold creature straight in the eyes of her. “Why don’t you tell me what you want at once?”

“~Patience~. ~The hate you’re giving off right now is so delicious, I want to enjoy it a little more~.”

Sunset feels the icy touch of the Windigo’s hand on her cheek and neck, while the grip of her arms tightens, preventing her from moving.

“Argh… you disgust me.”

“~And that’s good, for me~.” The Windigo laughs with some grace.

It wasn’t just Hyberna. Sunset could see the other Windigos in the place smiling and they seemed to sigh as if they felt a lot of pleasure.

Could it be they were feeding on her?

“~Your hatred didn’t last as long as we would have liked~.” Hiberna continues with her explanation. “~At some point, you changed and started to be like other humans~.”

Sunset’s mind drifted to the precise moment when the princess had rescued her from her own ambition, and then to memories of her and her friends in Canterlot.

“~But you ended up being too interesting as a food source, so I decided to keep an eye on you. And boy was it worth it~.”

A laugh shared by all the Windigos in the place is heard. The air in the cave begins to grow heavier, and colder.

“~It was there, when the school started to hate you, that we could feel for the first time in a long time we were really eating~.”

Sunset’s eyes widen with surprise, shock, and a certain sadness.

“…Anon-a-Miss…”

“~The hatred of all those humans, not only towards you, but towards each other was like an endless feast~.”

“You are a disgusting being.”

Hyberna laughs again at the young woman’s comment. “~Am I? But Sunset, I only dedicated myself to eating. You fed me.~”

Snarling in rage, Sunset tries to break free of Hyberna’s grasp, but the cold was such that her entire body was numb and she held on tight.

“~Until you had to mess everything up~.”

The mocking tone the ghost had was quickly replaced by frustration. That, and the phrase said, catch Sunset’s attention.

“~I don’t know what you did, Sunset, but after the hate came sadness, and finally nothing!~ ~The banquet ended as if nothing had happened~. ~Humans stopped hating, stopped crying and went back to being nothing~.”

“And it’s supposed to be my fault?” Sunset asks almost sarcastically.

“~You are the one who causes changes in everyone around you~!” Exclaims the Windigo. “~Hate, sadness, even love~. ~Sunset Shimmer, who exactly are you?~ ~Why do you have that power?~”

Sunset is still very angry. “Now I can tell that you are nuts.”

“~You ruined our celebration!~” Hyberna accuses. “~But now that we have you here, we can feed again~.”

“I don’t understand anything.” Sunset says before heading towards the other human in the cave. “And where is the albino supposed to fit into all of this?”

Winter responds with a mocking tone. “You see Sunset, after the Windigos ran out of food, they needed someone to help them keep an eye on you.”

Hyberna follows the explanation. “~We needed someone~. ~A human who felt unconditional hatred for you, to help us keep our strength stable and wait~. ~Wait for the right moment to catch you~.”

Sunset shifts her eyes between Hyberna and Winter, both smiling. Gritting her teeth, her mind works to figure out some link. Then she discovers a detail that leaves her stunned.

“You… you were in Canterlot High School, that’s why it was so cold!”

Hyberna only laughs evily. “~Feeding on humans and causing them even more pain is like our version of ‘cooking’~.”

“And… my friends… the camp…”

The Windigo’s laugh is all the answer Sunset needs.

“Damn you. I hate you! I HATE YOU ALL!!”

“~Yes, THAT’S IT!~ ~Hate me, Sunset!~ ~HATE ME WITH ALL YOUR BEING!~ ~Your hate is so delicious!~”

As if she was dealing with a vampire, Sunset could feel the Windigo’s bite on her neck. The ice seemed to get into her blood, her whole body remains motionless and cold.

“Grrr… what now? Are you going to keep me in this cave and use me as your snack permanently?”

Hyberna touches Sunset’s body with her finger almost playfully. “~Tempting, very tempting~.”

Sunset can feel her feet start to freeze. When she looks down, she sees that it’s true: her legs are starting to get covered in ice.

“~Unfortunately, if I did, I would have to share you with my brothers and sisters~. And I don’t really like that idea~. ~Fortunately, we have another plan~.”

As she listens to Hyberna speak, Sunset tries to move her legs so she can free herself from her. However, she can’t.

“~Thanks to you, we Windigos gained enough power to provoke new conflicts~. ~Let’s return this world to what it was, an endless feast of food~.”

Sunset’s entire body trembles from the cold she feels because the ice has already covered half of her body.

“W-What-are-you-doing-with-me?”

The Windigo takes a second before responding. “~Well, to make sure you don’t ruin our dinner, we’ll leave you here~. ~Buried in an ice tomb, from which we can continue to use your hate to feed ourselves~.”

The ice had already reached Sunset’s neck, she craned her head in a reflex attempt to get away from that fate.

Hyberna just smiles, and mockingly touches Sunset’s cheek with her lips as if it were a kiss of death, making ice begin to spread all over Sunset’s face.

“~Goodbye, Sunset Shimmer~.”

Sunset’s terrified gaze is frozen, as is her entire body completely covered in ice.

Hyberna walks away from her, looks at the young woman as she looks at her newly made work. Winter White approaches and with an eager smile looks at Sunset as he speaks.

“HAHAHA! There you have it, Sunset Shimmer! This is my revenge for getting in my way. And now that I’m done with you, I can get on with the rest.”

Hyberna rises slightly and lets out a kind of howl that echoes throughout the cave. The other Windigos respond by making the same sound, and within seconds, they are flying towards the exit.

Winter looks back at the frozen Sunset. “Everyone will pay me back! You, Crystal Prep, and the world will be sorry for left me behind! Say goodbye to everything, Sunset! To hell with the family inheritance! I have been reborn to claim this planet as my reward!”

Saying this, and giving a last smile to the frozen girl, Winter White turns and walks towards the exit.

Hyberna takes a moment, returning to Sunset, she smiles at him with some mockery.

“~Don’t worry, you still have sight and hearing~. ~I will come often to tell you how things are outside~. ~The more you hate me, the tastier you will become~.”

The Windigo’s leader seems to lick her lips at the thought. She then flies away with a cold, mischievous laugh.

Therefore, Sunset is left alone and frozen inside the cave. Except for the little cub who slowly regains consciousness.

When Spike opens his eyes, he stands up and shakes his head.

“Oww, my head… it’s spinning. I haven’t felt like this since Twilight’s mom put me in the dryer by mistake.”

When he comes to his senses, looks at the cave completely covered in ice, the cold inside makes him shiver. He then manages to make out Sunset’s silhouette and runs towards her.

“Sunset!” Spike lowers his ears when he sees the frozen teen, gives a puppy cry and tries to break the ice with his paws. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of there! Resist!”

The pup claws hard, trying to break the ice, but he doesn’t budge. Even so, he doesn’t give up and continues with his attempt, resting every few seconds before repeating his action.

“Sunset! Sunset!”

The purple dog’s action seems pointless, but he refuses to budge. He only stops doing it when he notices how drops of water start to slide down the ice.

He steps back a bit and watches as the ice covering Sunset melts, and it takes only a few minutes for the girl to break free. Sunset takes a breath and relaxes her entire body, breathing hard as she grabs onto her own knees to keep from falling.

“SUNSET!”

The puppy jumps into the arms of the young woman who catches it.

“Are you okay?”

Sunset gives Spike a serious look before reciting, “'Keep your loved ones close, remember how much you love them. As long as the fire of that affection burns, the Windigo will have no power.'”

The dog is a bit surprised by the sentence, but he smiles and wags his tail.

“Come on Spike, we have to save the others.”

Spike gives a couple of encouraging barks and they both run out of the cave to go back to camp.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Sunset, closely followed by Spike, run through the woods. None of them hide their surprise at seeing how everything in the place is now covered in layers of snow and ice. But they don’t stop to admire it, they are focused on getting to the camp.

When they finally manage to arrive, everything was already a devastated site.

Snow. Ice. A cold wind hits Camp Everfree. Several campers run from one side to another, frightened by the presence of those ghostly creatures who seem to have fun at the expense of their fear.

Sunset can only clench her teeth and fists. Spike looks pretty down and worried.

“Sunset… what are we going to do?”

Princess Celestia’s former student fixes her gaze on a certain structure from which she was thrown earlier. “We need the girls.”

~Shadows Among Everfree~

From inside the structure Sunny Flare, Indigo Zap and Lemon Zest watch how the glass of the cabin froze, and they could see their companions running away as well as those spectral beings that surrounded the place.

“Somebody tell me WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING!” Exclaims Indigo Zap.

A Windigo suddenly appears in front of the glass, scaring the three of them tremendously. The specter laughs and then walks away.

“Ghosts! That’s all we needed!” Claim Sunny Flare in sarcasm.

“Mh hm mh mh hm!” It’s what Lemon Zest can ‘say’.

“Lemon, shut up already! Gosh! Why do these shit happen to us?” Indigo asks frustrated.

Suddenly a loud creak is heard from the door, the teenagers are scared by such a sound. Something hits the door hard, the steady thump making the wood shake. The three girls hug each other in fear.

Finally the door is flung open. Cold air and snow blow in, making the three teens shiver, but what really makes them tremble is the silhouette of a person holding a large axe in its hands.

The Shadowbolts scream in terror as the silhouette raises its weapon high. However, the person drops the axe sticking it into the wooden floor; when it gets closer and the snow stops hiding it, they realice it’s Sunset who needs to catch her breath.

“Hah… the ice froze the door… and I had to force it… urgh…”

“Sunset?!” The three girls exclaim.

Lemon is a bit surprised to realice something. “Hey! I can talk normally again!”

After the miraculous revelation, the three of them still hold each other until they are quickly separated. Indigo then approaches the Equestrian girl.

“Sunset Shimmer! You must know what is going on!”

Sunset tries to catch her breath, but she still answers. “Ugh… yeah. They are windigos."

“Windigos?!” The phrase surprises Indigo.

“The ugly monsters in your story?” Remember Lemon.

Sunset manages to catch her breath and straightens up. “The same. Apparently they allied with Winter White to get back at me.”

Lemon raises an eyebrow. “White who now?”

“I knew it!” The girl with googles suddenly exclaims. “All this mess can only be a product of yours.”

Sunny also joins the claim. “What did you do now?”

Sunset seems a bit lost. “I’m still not entirely sure. But that doesn’t matter now! Girls, you have to go stop them!”

Indigo is puzzled. “We?!” Do you expect us to face those things?!”

Sunset stands her ground as she watches them. “Yeah! You guys have somehow developed magic! You can use it against them!”

“No way!” Denies the one with lime hair. “I don’t want to sound like a speaker again. It would be great at parties and concerts, but that’s it! I refuse to be a walking megaphone!”

Sunny seconded. “And I refuse to have to sleep with a fire extinguisher next to my bed!”

Indigo gets even more frustrated. “What are you complaining about?! I can’t even take off my clothes!”

To prove it, she tries to remove her shirt but it sticks to her torso. And although Indigo manages to take it off, her garment ends up sticking to her arm.

Her complaints escalate to the three girls arguing over who has the ‘worst power of all’, such an argument only adding to Sunset’s already intense frustration.

“You three, STOP!” The angry equestrian yells at everyone to stop their fight.

“Solve your personal problems later! Now you must go out and stop those ghosts from freezing the world!”

Sunny looks outraged. “Pardon?! Who do you think you are to order us around? You are not my-“

“LISTEN HERE, YOU LITTLE SHIT, WHEN SOMEONE SPEAKS TO YOU, YOU SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH AND PAY ATTENTION! AND IF YOU KEEP ACTING LIKE A HYSTERICAL BITCH, I’M GOING TO BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF YOU! SAME GOES TO YOU TWO!!”

Sunset yells with a look of anger right on Sunny’s face, causing the elegant young woman to shut up, her eyes widening, and she backs away. She’s not the only one, Indigo and Lemon are also shocked and back off.

Sunset points a finger at Sunny, who freaks out and throws up her hands defensively.

“Sunny Flare! You were never afraid to be who you are, you never cared what people thought of you because you have always been proud of the person you are and want to be!”

Sunny is shocked by those words.

“If those hands, and that heat, are a problem, what does it matter! Because they are YOUR hands! Your magic! They are a part of you, and you should be proud of it!”

Sunny’s eyes sparkle with excitement as she looks down from her to her hands, clenching them tight and determined.

Sunset turns a little to look at the rocker girl, who jumps scared.

“Lemon Zest, you always wanted to share your tastes with others, express yourself and feel free. Nothing ever stopped you, not even school rules!”

Zest tries to speak but only stutters unable to form a word.

“Now are you telling me you’re going to shut up?! And stop having fun? You are not like that! You never have been, and I don’t think you want to start today!”

Lemon remains silent, though she seems to be pondering that thought.

Sunset looks at the last one. Indigo goes rigid and still, a little sweat trickling down her forehead.

“Indigo Zap, you give everything for others and yourself! You were always strong and you motivate everyone to be, that is your best quality. But now you are here hidden and full of insecurity!”

Indigo’s shoulders relax, but her gaze remains one of wonder.

“If you claim to be what you profess to be, you will be strong, you will be brave, and you will face all challenges to push others and yourself to be better.”

Indigo doesn’t react, but she narrows her eyes and nods determinedly.

“There are ghosts turning our friends and classmates into popsicles, and you are the only one who can stop them! If you’re half the girls you say you are, you’re going to come out, fight them, AND SHOW THEM WHAT THEY’RE MADE OF! UNDERSTOOD?!”

“MA’AM, YES MA’AM!!” All three scream at the same time.

“Then GET OUT THERE AND KICK SOME ICE ASS!!”

The girls make an almost military gesture and rush to run for the door, but stop. Just before leaving, turns around doubtfully.

Indigo is the first to speak. “But… tell us… how are we going to…?”

Sunny follows her. “We can’t…control this.”

Sunny Flare opens her hands slightly. And Lemon Zest tries to make her voice sound like a rumble, but it doesn’t work.

Sunset looks at them for a moment, however she smiles confidently. She answers them with a soft and friendly voice.

“You will make it, because your feelings are strong. Just believe and feel with your whole being. Your magic is part of you.”

Finishing her sentence, Sunset continues to smile at the three. Though they hesitate for a moment longer, the three Shadowbolts smile again and finally enter that ghostly snowfall.

Sunset stands there for a moment, smiling. The sooner she seems to almost deflate, and she slumps down on the bench next to the table leaning lightly on it.

“…It was more difficult than I expected.”

The puppy suddenly appears and smiles at her.

“That was amazing! I didn’t know you could be so aggressive, Sunset.”

“I don’t like to be aggressive, but sometimes you have to teach things the hard way.”

“I see. Well, what now?"

Sunset has too many doubts about it. She eventually decides to get up and leave the cabin.

Outside, the camp is still completely surrounded by that snowfall, the blowing wind and the shouts of various campers, as well as the howls and apparent laughter of the Windigos.

Sunset’s serious look returns.

She can hear several footsteps heading towards her position. Turning around, Sunset sees Twilight and Sonata running where she is, both smiling and the scientist waving a piece of paper in her hand.

“Sunset!” The girl with glasses calls. “We already figured it out. The one who caused this was-¡”

“I know, it was Winter White the Third.” Sunset Shimmer interrupts.

Both Twilight and Sonata fall silent, their smiles fading. The scientist looks at the paper that she has in her hand, ‘Royal Pin’ is what is written on it.

Twilight puts on a rather nervous smile. “Umm…Yeah, sure! That is precisely what we were going to say…”

The scientist crumples the paper, gently steps on Sonata Dusk’s foot and the Siren -by reflex- opens her mouth like a trash can. The bespectacled girl places the crumpled paper in the blue Siren’s mouth and, removing her foot, closes it. Sonata ends up swallowing the paper, then licks her lips.

Twilight is stunned by such an act.

“But he’s not alone,” Sunset continues. “He has allied himself with the Windigos.”

"Windigos?"

“What?! The Windigos?! How did they get from Equestria to this world?!” Asks a surprised Sonata.

“I’m not sure, and I don’t even know if they really come from Equestria, but that doesn’t matter. Twilight, Sonata, we must help the girls. We have to see how to confront and stop these creatures before it’s too late. Can I count on you?”

Both young women, scientist and Dazzling, smile. The pony girl smiles in kind and they rush to save the camp.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

After leaving the dining Hut Sunny Flare , Indigo Zap and Lemon Zest walk around the camp for a bit, assessing the situation. Needless to say how worried and scared they were.

“So… does anyone have a plan?” Indigo asks the others.

“Besides trembling with fear?” Sunny replies, doing just that.

Lemon opens her mouth and lets out a scream. “WAAAAaaaa… huh? Is not working. Why can’t I just shout like a loudspeaker now?! It’s like when I have to take a test! I have all the answers in my head, and when I have the page in front of me, I go blank!”

“Focus Lemon!” Indigo exclaims. “You too, Sunny! We have… we must figure out how to use these powers to take down the Windigos.”

Saying that, Indigo starts rubbing her body, arms and legs.

Sunny asks her, “What are you doing?”

Indigo continues her act. “No clue. I’m supposed to have some kind of static on my skin. If I hoard it, I might attract those things.”

“That doesn’t sound logical.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

Lemon suddenly exclaims. “Watch out!!”

The green haired girl’s scream makes the other two turn, they manage to see how a pair of Windigos fly towards them.

The teenagers scream and throw themselves to the sides avoiding them. The Windigos only laugh meeting others in the air; the spectral beings begin to surround them in a threatening way.

The Shadowbolts come together with their backs to each other.

Indigo is the first to speak. “Someone think of something before they realice they can beat us.”

“I think they already know…” That answer is what Lemon Zest provides.

A laugh is shared among all the Windigos. Soon the three girls feel, and see, how their feet begin to freeze.

Sunny Flare, after biting her lip in fear, gives a resigned sigh and stops shaking.

“Girls… I-… I want to apologize. I’m sorry for everything I told you before.”

Indigo also opens up to the girls. “I’m sorry too. You are my friends and… always will be.”

Lemon sighs as well. “Well, if we’re going to get cheesy, then I’ll say it once: if I do freeze to death from ghosts, I’m glad it’s next to you girls.”

Indigo rolls her eyes humorously. “Damn Lemon, that was too cheesy.”

The three laugh and smile at each other.

Sunny soon wipes the smile off her. “I also regret the things I said to Sunset. She is my friend… the best friend I could have ever had.”

Indigo and Lemon get depressed because of that, they both think of the fire-haired girl as well in the way they behaved with her.

One of the Windigos lets out an ominous howl and lunges at Sunny Flare. When she notices it, the lilac-haired one freaks out.

Indigo takes in the scene, her gaze filling with anger.

A current of electricity runs through her, and upon reaching her legs, she breaks the ice that imprisons her. Without waiting for a second, she moves between Sunny and the ghost.

“Listen here, you bastard: Nobody. Touches. MY FRIENDS!!”

As if on reflex, Indigo Zap raises her arm. Instantly a wave of electricity runs through her body to the palm of her hand, which breaks down into small lightning bolts.

It takes a fraction of a second for the lightning bolts to hit the Windigo, who howls in pain. At the same time, the other Windigos are also hit while the rest flail about in an attempt to avoid being hit.

Those bolts, though short-lived, are enough to hit and injure several Windigos, some of which end up falling to the ground with another volley.

Indigo smiles, looking at her palm and showing a big smile.

“Indigo! How?... “

“Zap-zap! That was awesome! How did you do it?!”

“I don’t know!” Indigo answers although she doesn’t erase his triumphant smile. “I just thought about giving my best for my teammates. Wow! It is just as Sunset said.”

Lemon smiles broadly full of emotion, Sunny instead looks at her hands and is lost in her thoughts.

“Sunset said I’m never ashamed of who I am… and it’s the truth!”

All the Windigos around them narrow their eyes and charge at the girls at the same time.

Sunny clenches her fists with a determined look.

“I have always been myself, no matter what. And this magic… is mine! MY own magic!”

Sunny’s hands glow, and in just a second they are covered in bright pink flames. She doesn’t even allow herself to be surprised, she simply extends her hands throwing fireballs towards the Windigos, who upon seeing that stop attacking her and dodge them.

Sunny spins and shoots fireballs at the Windigos. The ghostly beings manage to dodge it, but her surprise is quite remarkable.

Sunny clenches her fists, contracting her arms, and as she extends them, unleashes a torrent of fire at the Windigos, who scramble to dodge the flames. Sunny waves her arms to force them to disperse.

With a smile, and even a laugh, Sunny parries her attack and watches her hands with excitement.

“IT WAS…. IT WAS…!” Sunny begins to scream with excitement, until she stops and takes a breath before continuing. “…stimulating.” She ends in good spirits.

The three girls hear screams from the Windigos. Those who fly glare at them, and those who were on the ground rush to get up again. Instead of attacking the girls, the Windigos begin to circle over them, forming a kind of encirclement.

Lemon stands in front of her friends full of confidence. “Leave them to me, guys. I suggest you cover your eardrums.”

With a lot of courage, Lemon stands in the middle of that snowfall. Sunny and Indigo also gain confidence and take the advice, covering their ears.

As the Windigos snarl and fly rapidly making their strongest snowfall, Lemon stomps the ground as if she wants to stay on her feet. She takes a breath of air and, looking directly at the sky, lets out a thunderous scream creating sound waves that shake the ground and stop the air; in this way she stops the flight of the Windigos and shakes them. Some of them are thrown into the distance.

The thunderous cry is heard even in the distance.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Winter White was wandering around the place with a smile, but he erases it when he hears the scream. Turning around can see the Windigos being shot into the air like missiles.

“What’s that?!”

Hyberna, as well as the group of Windigos that were freezing and terrifying every camper they found in their path, stops when she contemplates such agitation.

Even Sunset, Twilight and Sonata – including Spike himself, who accompanies them – hear the cry in the distance and are surprised, although the former unicorn soon smiles.

“What was that?!”

The bewildered teen with glasses exclaims. Sunset keeps her smile.

“It was the girls.”

The Winter

Those ghosts created from the wind and the ice move over the camp.

The hot summer atmosphere fades away, the gloomy clouds cover the whole place. Snow and icy wind surround the entire forest. The whisper of the wind and the howl of the specters are what is heard, accompanying the screams of several campers trying to hide.

But the real threat is the feeling of conflict among the local teens.

Clashing into each other while running away leads to an argument. Looking for a hiding place makes them fight among themselves in order to stay safe. More than a few yelling ends in unreasonable accusations, dedicated to one’s guilt or irresponsibility towards the other.

And that only makes the spectral beings stronger.

The silhouettes of the Windigos little by little lose their translucent aspect, becoming more opaque, more real. Their howls ceased to be whispers, being heard as if they were remarkable laughter that echoed along with their wind.

All of this it’s what Chrysalis can see, standing in front of one of the camp cabins.

“Chrysi! Come on!”

Candence calls from inside the cabin. Chrysalis seems to hesitate for a moment, but she finally runs inside. Cadence rushes to close the door. Both women see the campers who managed to take refuge inside, all clearly scared.

“Dean Cadence, what are we going to do…?” Asks one of the campers, showing his fear.

“Easy,” Cadence says almost reflexively. “We must remain calm. Everything will be fine, it’s just-“

“Fine?! FINE?!” Exclaims an annoyed Sour Sweet. “There are ghosts outside freezing the summer! This can’t be fine!”

Neon is the next one to speak. “We have to get out of here, find a way to get back to the city-“

“Oh ho ho~ and how are you going to do it~?” Sour asks in a soft voice wich soon changes to an aggressive character. “Those ghosts are outside, and the city is tens of kilometers from here!”

Cadence approaches and tries to control the situation. “Guys, don’t argue please. You have to-“

Neon responds to the freckled girl. “And what do you expect we should do?! Stay here and freeze to death?!”

Sunshower takes the floor. “If we go out, we will die anyways. We haven't salvation.”

“We aren't going to die!” The Dean yells. “Please-“

“You can stay and die if you want!” Replies Neon Light. “I still have a lot to do!”

This is how a new discussion begins among the young people.

Chrysalis doesn’t say anything, but she turns to see how the windows of the place begin to freeze, and the breath of the wind outside the cabin is heard with more force. Even the silhouettes of these beings can be seen hanging around outdoors.

A soft sob snaps her out of her thoughts. When she turns around, she can see Cadence shaking. A couple of tears falling to the hardwood floor.

“Cadence…”

“…Forgive me…”

The Dean begins to sob, covers her face with both hands, and wails. Seeing the dean sob manages to calm down the fight between the campers, changing their anger to pity.

“Forgive me… It’s my fault…. I brought you all here… I just… I just wanted the school to have a good trip…”

Chrysalis sees Cadence, then the young people, and her attention is diverted to the windows where she can see the ice slowly melt away. This surprises her, Chrysalis allows herself to think for a few seconds.

“Cadence, this is not your fault. You wanted the best for the students, and for Crystal Prep.”

“…And now we are here. Trapped… in fear…”

“You couldn’t know something like this was going to happen.” The dark-skinned woman comments. “No one here could know.”

Cadence wipes her face and Chrysalis turns to look at her.

“Cadence, you did the right thing. You wanted to keep the wonderful feeling that has been growing at the academy , and you still can.”

Both women look at each other. One impassive, yet determined; the other doubtful and still sad.

“There are still a lot of young people out there,” says Chrysalis. “I’ll go see if I can help them.”

Dean Cadence is surprised to hear her. “What… what can you do…?”

“I don’t know, but I will. I need you to stay here. You have to keep the guys together.”

“How… how can I do that…?”

The emerald-haired woman takes the colorful-haired woman by her shoulders.

“You can. Your heart is beautiful and pure like crystal, and you can spread love to everyone around you. With you here, those creatures can’t do anything.”

“…Chrysie.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Saying nothing more, and in a hurry, Chrysalis breaks away from Cadence and heads for the door. Cadence can only watch her go.

Chrysalis takes one more look around, then leaves. The teenagers approach the Dean, all of them doubting and fearful of the situation.

“Dean Cadence…”

The tricolor haired woman takes a deep breath, forcing herself to swallow her insecurity and puts on a determined look. Taking Neon and Sunshower’s hands, she looks at the campers.

“We will be fine. As long as we stay together.”

The students/campers look at each other. Following the Dean’s lead, Neon and Sunshower also extend their hands to a partner’s; in turn, they follow the chain of union joining hands, staying close to each other.

Sour Sweet stands back from them, serious and with her arms crossed, but when a hand is extended invitingly, she sighs through her nose and accepts, joining the others.

The cabin remains silent, but from the outside it is noticeable how slightly the weather around is softening.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Instead of attacking the girls, the Windigos begin to circle over them, forming a kind of encirclement.

Lemon stands in front of her friends full of confidence. “Leave them to me, guys. I suggest you cover your eardrums.”

With a lot of courage, Lemon stands in the middle of that snowfall. Sunny and Indigo also gain confidence and take the advice, covering their ears.

The thunderous cry is heard even in the distance.

Winter White was wandering around the place with a smile, but he erases it when he hears the scream. Turning around can see the Windigos being shot into the air like missiles.

“What’s that?!”

Hyberna, as well as the group of Windigos that were freezing and terrifying every camper they found in their path, stops when she contemplates such agitation.

Even Sunset, Twilight and Sonata – including Spike himself, who accompanies them – hear the cry in the distance and are surprised, although the former unicorn soon smiles.

“What was that?!”

The bewildered teen with glasses exclaims. Sunset keeps her smile.

“It was the girls.”

Lemon’s scream shakes the Windigos to such an extent they end up running away. Running out of air Lemon stops her screaming, and although she gets a little dizzy Indigo and Sunny hold her up and help her stay on her feet.

“That…was…so... BADASS!” Lemon Zest yells in high spirits. “I take back what I said! Being a walking speaker is the best!”

Indigo seems to support the situation. “Sunset was right, we really can do this!”

The athlete announces by bringing her palms closer, seeing the electrical currents that form between them. Likewise, Sunny turns her hands on and off by clenching her fists.

“After this we have to buy her a few drinks.” Comment Lemon Zest. “To celebrate and apologize.”

“You got it, girl. But first… ” Indigo Zap prepares to fight. “Let’s kick some transparent butts with the Power of Friendship! Because friendship is shocking!”

The google’s girl exclaims with waves of electricity moving through her body.

“Because it’s warming.”

Sunny announces with a snap of her finger, producing flames that soar.

“And it’s LOUD!!”

Lemon takes a breath, her friends proceed to cover their ears and the rocker lets out her scream.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Suri Polomare and Coco Pommel embrace each other, trembling with cold and fear due the three Windigos surrounding them. The feet of both begin to freeze.

“Coco, I know I’ve always treated you badly… but I want you to know you’ve been my best friend ever…” Suri confesses, about to cry.

“I used your clarinet to unclog my toilet.” Answers Coco in the same state.

Suri’s fear turns to surprise. “You WHAT?!”

Coco just smiles nervously.

Sunset, Twilight, and Sonata manage to see both girls being threatened by the Windigos who begin to freeze them.

Instantly the three Shadowbolts and Spike the puppy run towards them.

The howl of the Windigos causes both girls to scream in terror. To the three ghosts’ surprise, a voice calls out for them.

“Leave those girls alone!”

The three spirits and the two teenagers manage to see Chrysalis stand firmly a few feet away.

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”

The Windigos smile with a certain grace. One of them walks away from the girls and flies towards the woman.

A cold wind hits Chrysalis and the Windigo surrounds her. Even so, the woman doesn’t react; her impassive gaze, her body motionless, she doesn’t try to run away or bother to stop it.

Although the cold wind surrounds the woman, she doesn’t seem to feel anything. Her body doesn’t tremble. The Windigo is surprised to see there isn’t ice forming on her. A growl is heard, its movement ceases and the ghost quickly approaches menacingly.

Surprisingly, Chrysalis reaches out with her right arm and grabs the ice spirit by the neck. Looking at him seriously, and with a cold voice, she speaks to the Windigo.

“I’m sorry, I think my heart is too cold for you.”

Chrysalis raises her left arm and delivers a strong blow directly to the wraith’s face, sending him flying into the air and onto the ground.

The other Windigos are very astonished. Not only them, our trio who watched the scene do the same.

The two Windigos snarl and lunge at Chrysalis, she turns to face them but a shrill sound shakes the air. It pushes the spirits, the other girls, the puppy and the woman forces themselves to cover their ears.

Soon everyone sees the rest of our group running.

“Girls!”

“Sun-Shim! Twi-Park! Duskie!”

The Sunset Among Shadows come together in a hug, an especially strong one bestowed on the fire-haired girl.

“Girls! Are you alright?” Sunset asks.

Indigo is the one who answers first. “Better than alright! Look what I can do!”

High-fiving her hands and rubbing them together, the girl with googles creates an electric current throughout her body. Everyone present can feel their clothes and hair are slightly attracted to her.

Sunny Flare also does a demo. “You were right Sunset. This magic we possess, we can control it.” She says as she lights and extinguishes the flames in her hands.

Lemon joins them. “Sure we can! Do you want to hear my scream?!”

Excitedly, the rocker takes a breath and gets ready. But she stops when everyone answers her with a big…

“NO!”

Sunset can only laugh with some grace. She then walks over to the two younger teens, who still have frozen legs.

“Suri, Coco. Don’t worry, stay together and think about the good times.”

Sunset takes the two girls by the shoulders and gives them a friendly smile. The teens lock eyes, and as they think, they both feel the other’s embrace tighten a little more. Within seconds, the ice on their legs melts and breaks, allowing them to move.

“Miss Shimmer!”

Suri, now free, jumps up and hugs Sunset tightly. Coco does the same, although with less force.

Sunset hugs them back and pats them on the head.

Everyone present is allowed a moment of calm and smiles, unfortunately it ends when a cold voice full of anger is heard.

“~SUNSET SHIMMER!!~”

The teenagers, the talking dog and Chrysalis turn their eyes towards the sky to see the origin of that voice.

It’s Hyberna, who is above all. Her eyes glow blank, with a look of fury on her face.

“Hyberna.” Sunset says quietly.

“~How are you here?!~ ~You should be frozen!~”

“You can freeze my body, but never my heart!” Sunset says sternly, though afterwards she seems almost apologetic. “As cheesy as that sounds!”

“It’s also contradictory,” Twilight adds. “Since the heart is a muscle of the body. And if the body freezes, therefore also the-“

Indigo Zap interrupts her. “Twilight, this is not the time to be an egghead.”

Lemon Zest seconded. “And it’s not like there’s really a time to be.”

“Sunsite, aren’t you going to introduce us to your semi-transparent friend?” Sonata asks. Even if she was joking, the siren’s face still has a serious expression.

“~You’re not going to ruin our meal again, Sunset Shimmer!~”

Hyberna yells, raising her arm creates a strong wind that whips everyone around. The girls, Spike and Chrysalis protect themselves by hugging each other to resist it.

Indigo covers herself, but joining her palms together she begins to rub them together creating a current and then throws it off like lightning. Hyberna notices it, but she doesn’t manage to react before the electricity hits her.

The wind disappears and Sunny Flare takes the opportunity to join her hands, create a large ball of blue fire and throw it at the Windigo. The electrical discharge leaves Hyberna unable to move, so the fireball impacts her, causing her to fall to the ground.

Indigo and Sunny high-fived each other. Coco and Suri are surprised but smile. Same Sunset who looks at them.

Chrysalis approaches, her face still stern.

“Cadence told me you were a special group, but I didn’t imagine something like this to be honest.”

All friends smile. However they turn their attention to Hyberna when she wakes up. The funny thing is that the marks on her body start to glow and the ground below her freezes.

“~… You are not going to deprive us of our food… we have waited… CENTURIES… for this…~”

The ground freezes and the air around Hyberna becomes so cold that she turns black.

“~YOU WILL NOT TAKE OUR FOOD FROM US!~”

The leader of the Windigos screams in fury letting out a howl that echoes throughout the camp. In just a few seconds, the sky becomes much darker as all the Windigos gather and their presence begins to freeze the entire environment.

The cabins are covered with ice, the trees almost seem to suffer, losing their leaves in the wind and filling with frost and snow. The lake freezes over completely. A heavy snowfall covers the entire site.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

In the cabin where Cadence is, all the campers gather, feeling terror as they contemplate how the ice covers the structure. The Dean is also afraid, tough when she sees the students scared, she sees the need to overcome such emotion. Cadence holds as many students as her arms will allow and pulls them to her protectively.

The teens feel the act, get as close to the woman as they can, and forcefully take their classmates. Among all of them form something similar to a giant hug.

Mi Amore Cadenza forces her body to calm down as she focuses on taking care of the others, holding them tight.

That feeling is shared by those present, making the groupal hug warmer. Although the ice manages to enter the cabin, freezing the entire interior in its path, it fails to affect them. They are surrounded by an aura of warmth.

Unfortunately, it can't be said the same for the young people out there because they don’t have that chance, neither that luck.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

The campers who haven’t managed to take refuge in a cabin are practically crushed by snow and wind.

Fleur de Lis is among them. She tries to take shelter behind a big tree. This protects her from the wind, but the cold environment makes her shiver.

A kind of laughter is heard, when she looks up the young woman with pink hair can see a Windigo clinging to the tree’s trunk.

Fleur screams in fear and tries to run, but her legs get tangled up and she ends up falling. The Windigo lunges at her, Fleur screams and covers herself with her arms. Something strikes and knocks the wraith away, Fleur looks up to see Timber with an axe in his hands, grinding his teeth as he stares at the Windigo.

The ghost stands up and snarls, lunging at the boy, but Timber swings the axe and hits him again. Despite being hit with the edge of the axe, it doesn’t seem to do any harm to the Windigo, just hits and knocks him to the ground.

Timber takes advantage of the situation and swings the axe. It looks like an attempt to nail it, but just like before, instead of digging in, the axe only manages to hit the Windigo on the head, stunning him. Still Timber wastes no time and runs to Fleur.

“Let’s go!” He holds out her hand, she doesn’t hesitate to take it. He picks her up and they both run back to camp.

Timber takes Fleur’s hand tightly and she responds in kind. Both go to the cabin where Gloriosa has her office, and upon entering they find the camp’s manager along with other young campers.

Gloriosa Daisy delivers blankets to those under her care as they tremble with cold and fear.

“Gloriosa!”

“Timber! Are you okey?!”

The woman runs to her brother and examines him a bit.

“I’m fine,” is his reply. “But those things are everywhere! This axe doesn’t do anything to them, I have no idea what they are! Gloriosa, were you able to contact someone?”

Gloriosa shakes her head. “The storm cut off all communications. Even cell phones don’t work.”

“Damnit!”

Timber feels a squeeze on his hand, causing him to turn around and see Fleur’s worried face.

“Are you fine?”

“Yes, thanks for saving me.” Fleur answers.

“Don’t worry.”

Gloriosa looks at the girl. “Are you all right dear? Did they hurt you?”

“No, thanks to Timber.”

She smiles at the young man, and he smiles back. Although soon Fleur takes him from her arms trembling a little, feeling cold again. Gloriosa rushes to give her a blanket to cover herself.

“Gloriosa, stay here and take care of everyone.” Timber speaks in a very serious tone.

“Are you going out again?” Gloriosa looks surprised but also scared.

“There are still campers out there, with those things attacking them. I must do it.”

Despite being worried, Gloriosa doesn’t try to stop him. Timber Sprunce looks at his sister once more and, with a firm grip on his axe, he heads out again.

Fleur also watches him as the green-haired guy leaves. “…He’s so brave.”

Although extremely concerned, Gloriosa continues to attend the teens inside. Fleur also remains concerned, looking out the window at the falling snow.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Back at the storm’s epicenter, Sunset Shimmer’s group does their best to weather the snow and wind.

Hyberna floats above ground level, her angry gaze fixing on the group being subdued by the snow.

“~You idiots~. ~You’re just humans~. ~No matter how many abilities any of you possess, you are nothing but food for our species!~”

Sunset looks resentfully at the Windigo, and the Windigo stares back at her. Hyberna floats, approaching until she is in front of the fire-haired girl.

“~And you, Sunset Shimmer~.”

The Windigo reaches out with her arm to grab the young ex equine by her neck, squeezing her and lifting her off the ground.

“Sunset!” All of her friends scream when they see that.

Hyberna levitates carrying Sunset with her, holding her by the neck.

“~I wanted to let you live~. ~May you serve as food~.” The ice ghost speaks to the girl she’s holding in her hand. “~But I can tell you are very dangerous~.”

Sunset’s neck begins to wrap in ice.

“~This time, I’ll freeze you to the last drop of life you have!~”

Ice emerges, forming spikes that grow up Sunset’s neck and shoulders.

The girls can only watch from the ground. Indigo, Sunny, and Lemon try to use magic on her, but the wind and snow repel the electricity, put out the fire, and disperse the sound, preventing them from helping the girl.

Sunset’s body is still encased in such ice. Her friends get desperate and call out Sunset’s name, they feel helpless not being able to aid the former unicorn.

Hyberna allows herself to smile as she sees and feels Sunset’s strength diminish as the ice reaches her torso.

Sonata also sees her friend from Equestria, unable to rescue her.

“…Sunsite…”

The Dazzling’s mind begins to fill with memories…

She can remember meeting Sunset again at Crystal Prep after many months, and how they started to talk…

“…Sunset…”

She remembers when they formed the band. When Sunset protected her from the Canterlot High’s girls…

…And the first time when she called her friend.

A tear falls from the Siren and it freezes instantly, but she continues to look at her compatriot. All the good memories, the happy moments with Sunset, come to her mind. Sonata Dusk’s hands tremble and she closes them into fists.

“SUNSET!!!”

Sonata’s scream echoes, even above the heavy blizzard, and before anyone can notice it, her entire body is enveloped in a brilliant blue aura.

All those present see how that aura grows and rises, slowly it’s gaining shape. That radiance takes on a long, slender, beautiful and elegant form: a being that could only be described as a hybrid of horse and fish, with a mermaid’s tail, equine legs and dorsal fin. It elongated face shows a pair of bright eyes.

On the ground, that light separates from Sonata and she falls to the ground; the girls manage to catch her, but she is knocked unconscious. Everyone turns their attention to the being, even the Windigos.

Hyberna looks at that creature, and this creature seems to look at her as well.

The creature’s eyes narrow angrily.

“~Uh oh…~”

It is the only thing the female ghost manages to say before that aural being opens its mouth exhaling a harmonious cry - as if it were a melody - but it’s so powerful that it shakes the air and pushes the Windigo, making it release the former unicorn.

Sunset falls to the ground, still covered in ice, yet the aural being moves through the air. It slams its paws into the ice, breaking it, and then moves so that Sunset lands on its back.

The fire-haired girl slowly opens her eyes. Sunset Shimmer notices she is floating on something. Looking up, she meets the face of that being.

Silence falls as Sunset looks at that creature.

“…Sonata?”

The being rubs its head on Sunset’s cheek, which makes her smile.

On the ground, the other girls are still shocked, looking between the aural being and the now oblivious blue-haired friend of hers.

“Is that… Duskie?” Ask Lemon Zest.

Breaking the silence, Indigo Zap begins to say, “That… that’s… so… ”

“AWESOME!!!”

They all yell in unison. They can see how that being, Sonata, moves quickly through the air immune to the blizzard and begins to attack the Windigos, ramming them. The ice spirits rush to attack. Sonata dodges them, hitting them with her paws and tail.

Sunset, sitting on the back of the aura Siren, smiles tough she can’t help but ask a question.

“How did you do this?!” She asks, smiling as she clings to her friend’s neck.

Sonata just lets out a melody as she keeps moving attacking the Windigos.

After a couple of turns, Sonata heads straight for Hyberna, who is still shocked that she can’t react; the aura’s siren catches her with the tail, taking the ghost with her. Descending at high speed, she slams Hyberna into the ground.

Sonata flies the teen over to the group, circles them in the air a few times, then stops allowing Sunset to get off her back. The girls look at her blue friend smiling.

The aural siren appears to close its eyes, then rises a bit and then goes down toward her unconscious body. The aura disappears, entering into Sonata. Just a second later, the blue girl’s eyes widen.

All of her friends come to her to see if she is okay.

“Wow… girls… did you… did you see that?” Sonata Dusk asks, getting excited and up in spirit.

Every girl’s smile keeps growing. Although Indigo’s comment is soon heard.

“And here I thought mine was great.”

“It’s not fair. Duskie got the best superpower.” Lemon complains, albeit in a joking tone.

Sunset smiles and approaches her Equestrian friend.

“Sonata, thank you for saving me.”

The Dazzling just smiles and engulfs the pony girl in a tight hug.

“You are my friend! I love you Sunsite!”

“Heh heh, I love you too Sonata.”

The happy atmosphere is interrupted by a moan. It is Hyberna who stands up again.

“~…How…how did you do that…?~ ~YOU ARE NOTHING BUT SIMPLE HUMANS!!~”

Like her, all the Windigos around her are enraged. Especially those who were attacked.

Indigo stands defiant to Hyberna. “Do you want more, iceberg head? Better give up! We are too much for you.”

The Windigo growls, trembles with rage. She is ready to charge once more, until…

“Hyberna!”

A voice stops her, they all see Winter White approaching with a serious look.

“Sunset Shimmer. It seems like you are going to keep meddling with my plans.”

“Winter! This has to stop!” Claim Sunset. “If you have a grudge against me, fine. Let’s fix them, but what’s the deal with attacking the camp and wanting to conquer the world? You have gone completely mad!”

“If taking what I deserve is mad, then yes! I’m mad!” Winter responds indignantly. “Mad for finishing you off.”

Sunset exchanges glances with him, the others look at him too. Chrysalis, protectively holding the younger teens, stands aloof but watchful.

“Hyberna.”

The white-haired boy calls out and looks at the Windigo, and the Windigo seems to understand what he is saying.

Hyberna rises above Winter, then descends on him, merging with his body. Everyone is amazed, even more so when Winter starts to scream; his body gives off an icy air.

Winter’s clothing is torn, revealing Hyberna’s markings appear on his torso. His skin turns even whiter, and his hair stands on end. His eyes turn completely white, then get a cover with a blue glow.

He stops screamimg, and so does the wind. The markings on Winter’s body glow for a second.

“~I agree on something, Sunset~. ~You and I must solve our problem~. ~You will answer for your audacity… to The Winter!~”

Sunset can’t say anything, just frowns with great concern.

Goodbye Everfree

Multiple machines move around the place transporting logs, wooden planks, glass, among others.

Various people, construction workers scattered throughout the camp, repair damaged cabins and replenish tables as well the tents. Essentially they are in charge of restoring the camp to its glory.

Cadence watches everything with a smile, although she is curious.

“Chrysie- I mean, Chrysalis, how did you manage to pull this off?”

“Actually it was Mr. White.” The emerald-haired woman answers. “When he found out his son hired a gang to raid the camp, he immediately promised to pay for all the reconstruction.”

The dean blinks in confusion. “A gang?”

Chrysalis averts her gaze slightly. “No one will believe this was caused by ice ghosts. Still, Winter White the Third sided with those spirits and attacked the camp.” The woman smiles smugly as she walks over to her friend. “Technically we aren’t lying, we are just omitting certain details.”

Cadence gives a small laugh. “Well, is very kind of Mr. White for rebuilding the place.”

“It’s either that or he was afraid of a lawsuit. We may never know.”

They both hear a scream and groans. The two of them turn to see Winter, dressed in presumably borrowed camping gear, being led by police officers into a patrol car.

“And what will happen to him?” Asks the dean.

“I’m afraid that doesn’t concern us anymore,” replies the superintendent. “He was missing for a long time, and then he reappears causing vandalism and aggression towards other people. It is up to the law to take charge, and to his parents.”

Winter gets into the car and is soon taken out of the camp.

“Poor boy.”

“It’s what he gets for making stupid decisions. Hopefully he’ll grown up after this.”

“Miss Chrysalis!”

Another voice is heard, and both women see the camp’s manager approaching.

“Chrysalis, I thank you very much for all of this.” Gloriosa says gratefully.

“As I was explaining to Cadence right now, it’s not thanks to me. Winter’s father has offered to pay for the entire rebuild.”

“Still, I… I was afraid that we would have to close the camp. Summer isn’t over yet and another school is coming in a few days, and I-“

“Gloriosa, please don’t keep worrying like this. The danger is over and the camp will be as good as new in no time. You can relax.”

The manager seems to understand the superintendent’s words, she takes a deep breath and relaxes her shoulders.

“Yeah, you’re right. Still, I must thank both of you for all your support, and your students as well. Speaking of wich, where are they?"

Dean Cadence is the one who answers. “They said there was still one last thing they needed to fix.”

~Shadows Among Everfree~

In another place, specifically at the lake, several campers are gathered as well as the workers repair the camp. At the same time, they repair something else.

Indigo hammers a board into the ground and wipes her forehead.

“Oh yeah! The new pier is almost complete! And this time, it will remain in that way.”

Suri approaches and hands her a can of soda wich the indigo-haired girl doesn’t hesitate to drink the whole thing.

“Miss Zap, I don’t mean to be rude, but why don’t we let the workers do the dock like everything else?”

“That’s obvious Suri, because we said we would do it, and with it we would leave our mark on the camp! To let future campers know that Crystal Prep is the best!”

The explanation seems to convince both the youngest student and everyone who is working on the site.

Nearby, Sunny, Sonata and Sunset are seen carrying potted flowers in their hands, behind is Twilight bringing four in her magical aura.

“That’s incredibly unfair coming from you, Twiley.”

“It’s not my fault I have psychokinesis, Sonata. It’s just what I got.”

Sunset just laughs.

Sunny Flare asks a question. “That reminds me. Sunset, honey, have you figured out why we have these powers?”

The fire-haired girl is surprised by the question. “Eh? Oh! No, sorry… with all the fuss about the Windigos I didn’t think of it anymore.”

Sunny lets out a small sigh.

“Well, at least I’m not burning anything anymore.” She says lifting the pot up a bit to confirm it isn’t catching on fire.

The four arrive near the dock where there are already some flowers planted. Grabbing a pair of garden shovels, they begin to dig.

Sonata Dusk suddenly speaks a bit seriously. “I’ve been thinking about it, maybe it has to do with the cave where we found Sunset. When I was there I felt weird, like a desire to be a Siren again and swim in the ocean.”

Sunset Shimmer thinks so. “I didn’t want to bring it up but… honestly, I also felt weird. Like whishing to gallop through the forest like a free steed who goes where it wants.”

While digging small holes the girls continue the conversation.

“Was that why you were inside the cave in some kind of trance?” Twilight asks.

Sunset takes a second to respond. “…Maybe…I really couldn’t say for sure.”

“How are you feeling now, honey?” Sunny asks. The Equestrian takes her pot and looks at the plant.

“Well… I feel fine… I guess?”

For some reason Sunset seems to take a great interest in the flower, and she licks her lip.

“Honestly, I’d like to go back to the cave and do some research.” Comments Twilight. “Perhaps the crystals have reactive components wich links to you in some way.”

Sonata speaks casually. “I didn’t understand a thing.”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, honey,” Sunny Flare apologizes, “but I’d rather we all forget about any magical stuff and get down to the camp, which is what we came here to begin with.”

The young scientist can only smile. “I suppose you are right. Besides, I guess there’s nothing to worry about anymore, right, Sunset?”

Asking that, and finishing planting her flower, Twilight turns to her fire-haired friend, surprised to see she’s chewing on something. She takes a closer look and sees that the flower in the pot is gone, leaving a petal peeking between the former equine’s lips.

Sunset notices the gaze of the others, sees her pot without her flower and smiles nervously swallowing what she has in her mouth.

“Heh heh… um, uhh… did you want… some?”

She says it jokingly, but clearly flustered and embarrassed. The fire-haired teen lets out a small burp and hastily covers her mouth.

There is a silence broken by Sonata who begins to laugh out loud, then Twilight laughs too, although she covers her mouth a bit. Sunny chooses to imitate them, and in the end Sunset can only do the same, taking some of the shame out of her.

“Hey Sunset!” Indigo’s voice is heard. “We’re almost done! Come here!”

Setting the pot aside and wiping her mouth on her wrist, Sunset walks up to the pier with the others.

“What do you need?”

“Actually we’re almost done, just need to hammer one more nail.”

Indigo points to a nail half sticking out of one of the floorboards. She extends a hammer to the former unicorn.

“Would you do us the honor?”

Our fire-haired girl smiles, takes the tool and, to the attentive smiles of everyone around her, leans over to give the last blow sinking the nail into the board. Instantly everyone cheers and claps, watching the play.

Gloriosa also walks over and looks at the new pier. Pillars to the sides support graceful arches from which solar lanterns hang. The pier extends to the front and sides, giving space to anchor boats and sailboats. Trunks where life jackets, oars, and swimming as well fishing equipment stored were also positioned. The most striking thing is a large sign with the name of the camp, decorated and colorful with two lamps that would illuminate it at night.

“This is wonderful! Boys. Girls. The pier is wonderful! I couldn’t have done better!!”

Again there is celebration on the part of all gathered, campers and workers alike.

“I have to thank you especially, Sunset. You and your friends saved my camp, thank you very much.”

The woman can’t resist the urge to hug the girl, which saddens Sunset but she doesn’t complain about it.

“It’s no big deal. Stopping magical disasters is like a talent.”

“And provoke them! Let’s not forget that most of them have been partly your fault.” Our blue Siren innocently says.

Sunset puts on a smile with a twitch of her eye, then holds up a nearby flower pot.

“Hey Sonny, guess who’s eating the next flower.”

The Dazzling’s scream is heard as she is chased by the ex equine.

“Come here Sonny!!”

“No Sunsite! Forgive me!!”

“Haven’t you heard about eating fruits and vegetables?! They are good for your health, so get back here and eat your plant!!”

Everyone present laughs as both Equestrian girls continue their chase.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Night falls, yet the camp continues to glow with lights and music. A party is held throughout the establishment and no one is left out of it.

The campers dance and chat, enjoy snacks as well.

A song courtesy of the Sunset Among Shadows could not be missing, and as it couldn’t be otherwise it’s acclaimed by all being recorded for posterity.

At the end of his song, the shouts and applause doesn’t wait.

“WOOOO!! Have you seen it?! I told you bringing our instruments was a good idea.” Lemon Zest goes with her companions. The girls smile and giggle a bit as they continue to receive everyone’s applause.

The camp’s manager takes the stage, wearing an elegant yet colorful dress, and is immediately handed the microphone.

“That was awesome girls!” The woman congratulates the young musicians and then addresses those present. “And thanks to all of you! I hope you are enjoying this party. Tomorrow we will have to say goodbye, so I propose that this party be kept alive until dawn!”

The response comes in the form of overly animated cheers and applause.

“I want to thank everyone. Despite the problems, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a school as united and warm as this one. Even in the cold, with you it will always be summer!”

The teenagers doesn’t get tired of clapping and cheering. The party, as said, doesn’t give up, always staying alive.

Gloriosa Daisy herself enjoys the atmosphere of the celebration, at one point she sees her brother approaching.

“Hi Gloriosa.”

“Timber, everything okay?”

“Yeah, a big party. And a good speech there.”

“Thanks, I’ve been practicing a bit. He he.”

Gloriosa laughs and looks animated, although her brother looks a little uncomfortable.

“If it is too good. I’m glad the party took place, you know. It’s also good that… we were able to repair the camp.”

“I know. There really is something magical about that school.”

“Yeah. Although, you know, I feel a little sorry. A new camp that-“

“NO!” Gloriosa cuts her brother suddenly changing her jovial character to an angry one. “Don’t you dare talk about it.”

Timber remains silent but seems concerned. “Gloriosa-“

“No, no, no and NO!!” The woman talks quite annoyed. “Tonight is just for fun, and we still have to prepare to host another school in a few days. I don’t want to hear any more about it.”

Without giving her brother a chance to respond, she steps away from him, then stops and turns around.

“Sorry Timb, I just want to enjoy with the guys tonight. I’m sorry…”

She doesn’t say more, she just goes to another part of the party.

Timber Sprunce just looks at her, lets out a sigh and before doing anything, he feels a touch on his shoulder. Turning around, he sees Fleur de Lis, dressed in an elegant dress with pink sparkles.

“Hello Timber.”

“Oh, hello.” The green-haired guy greets, although then he seems to doubt. “Flour de Lis, right?”

“’Fleur,’” she corrects him softly. “It’s Prench. Are you and your sister okay? You seemed to have problems.”

Timber hesitates a bit before answering. “Uh…yes. It’s just… with everything that’s happened, it’s a bit stressful.”

“I understand. And that reminds me: Timber, can I talk to you for a moment, in private?”

“Uh, sure, no problem.”

Fleur takes the young man’s hand and, with some haste, leads him away.

Not far from there, the Sunset Among Shadows discuss their recent act as Twilight sees Timber and Fleur enter the woods out of the corner of her eye.

She is intrigued. After looking at her friends for a moment concentrating on their own conversation, she decides to follow them.

Her dress makes it a bit difficult for her to cross the forest, but the scientist girl advances and with her eyes tries to find Timber and Fleur.

She manages to locate and remains hidden behind a tree. Timber and Fleur stand under a small opening in the trees letting the moon shine down on them.

Fleur de Lis is the first to speak.

“I wanted to thank you for saving me at that time.”

Timber Sprunce seems to hesitate for a moment, then smiles. “Heh, you don’t need to thank me. It’s my job to take care of the campers.”

“You are very brave and strong.” She speaks in a slightly provocative voice.

“Thanks. Well, one has to be when guarding a camp.” He responds by looking somewhat smug. “There may be wild animals lurking around.”

“Oh! Could there be one nearby?” Fleur asks and puts her hands on the boy’s shoulders as she pretends to look around her.

“Maybe, but don’t worry,” he replies in a soft tone as he places his hands on her waist. “If any appear, I will protect you.”

Fleur glances at the dark-haired boy and smiles flirtatiously. “I know. You are my hero.”

“Heh, me a hero? Nah. I’m just me.” Despite making this clarification, there is a touch of arrogance in his voice.

“Being you, it’s perfect.”

Without hesitation, Fleur wraps her arms around the young man’s neck. He responds by wrapping his around the girl’s waist.

Twilight Sparkle opens her eyes and freezes when she sees Fleur approaching, kissing Timber on his lips, an action to which he instantly responds.

Tears fall from her violet eyes, in a kind of self-torture Twilight watches that scene, until she can finally force her body to move away from the place.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Twilight’s desperation to run away from them is such that she doesn’t bother to surround the party and just runs into the middle of it, which doesn’t go unnoticed by her group of friends.

They doesn’t hesitate for a second to follow her and although they call her, Twilight doesn’t listen, limiting herself to running towards her camping tent.

The group arrives at the site and they look inside the tent, but no one enters for the moment.

Sunset is the first to enter, and sees her scientist friend sitting on her bed. Twilight had removed her glasses because of the noise, and though she tries, she can’t wipe away her tears or silence her sobs.

The fire-haired girl approaches cautiously, almost scared, but before she can speak it’s the little cub who runs up.

“Twilight!” The purple dog screams as he jumps on the bed and reaches over until his paws touch his owner’s leg. “Twilight!... What’s wrong?”

The pup rubs his owner’s lap in an attempt to comfort her.

Twilight looks up, and even without her glasses, her glassy eyes stare at her dog. She takes him in her arms and hugs him. With a puppy cry, Spike licks her cheek, tastes the salty taste of her tears and continues, trying to cheer her up. She just hugs him tight.

Finally her friends approach Twilight, surround her with a hug and try to comfort her as best they can.

Cuddling her puppy, while her friends hug and support her, Twilight lets her pain out of her.

It takes her a while to calm down enough to tell what she saw. Immediately the Shadowbolts are shocked, outraged, and upset, but most of all they grieve for her friend.

“Twilight, please don’t cry anymore…” The puppy was also very sad to see his owner in that state.

*Sniff* “Sorry… it’s just…”

“Cheer up Twi-Twi, there are plenty of fish in the sea.” The Siren girl says with a smile. “If you want, we can catch some and roast them on the coals. Mmm… grilled fish.”

Lemon rolls her eyes slightly. “What Duskie means is you shouldn’t feel bad for that guy. He’s not worth of it.”

Twilight forces herself to silence a sob. *Sniff* “… It’s just no boy had ever treated me with such kindness as Timber did before. I… I thought he…”

Indigo is quiet, but she quickly balls her fists and grits her teeth. “That idiot, I’ll show him!”

With a really upset face, the girl with googles goes towards the exit.

“Indigo, wait. What are you going to do?” Asks Sunset Shimmer.

“What do you think?” The athlete responds with a certain derogatory tone. “I’m going to break his face, and maybe other things to that spinach-haired jerk!”

“Indigo, that won’t fix anything.” Reproaches the Equestrian girl.

“Of course it will! It will teach that asshole not to mess with my friends, and that he should never play with a woman's feelings!!”

“Please Indigo… I don’t want you to get in trouble.” Says Twilight managing to calm her crying.

“We’re leaving tomorrow.” Sunset speaks again. “Let’s not start a fight to say goodbye.”

Indigo seems to want to answer, until finally she just moans in frustration. “Urgh! Fine, but I still feel like going to punch him in the face… several times.”

“I know it sounds harsh…” Sunny says seriously, tough from the tone of her voice she’s still worried, “…but it’s good you’ve finally find it out, Twilight. That way you won’t hang out with a pedantic and womanizing guy like him again. You deserve someone better.”

Twilight remains silent before lowering her head in embarrassment. *Sniff* “… you were right, Sunny… Timber is… he… he’s not who I thought…”

Sunny Flare is saddened by such an answer. “Oh Twilight…”

“I was foolish to think… that some guy would notice me…” *Sniff*

“Hey, hold it right there.” Sunny says, reaching over to put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Twilight, Timber wasn’t what you expected but that’s his problem. There’s nothing wrong with you.”

The one with glasses looks at her but she suddenly starts crying again.

“… and on top of that I said I didn’t want to be your friend anymore… I’m so sorry!!” Twilight exclaims and covers her face from crying again.

“Oh Twiley…” Sunny takes the scientist’s hands and makes her stand up, they both give each other a big hug.

“Forgive me Sunny!”

“It’s okay, Twiley. I will always be there to help you.”

Sunny lets Twilight vent on her shoulder for a moment, then pulls her away to look at her.

“Twilight, listen. You are a sweet and intelligent girl, you are also pretty and adorable. You will find someone who can see everything of it about you and makes you happy. Someone so much better than that mangy wolf.”

Twilight giggles a bit and then they both resume their hug although they are surprised when Sonata hugs them both.

“YEAH! I want a hug too!”

There is a shared laugh, then a hug shared by all. Even the puppy is animated and rubs his owner’s leg.

The girls part. Sunset gives the glasses to her friend who, after wiping away the remains of her tears, puts them on.

“Thank you girls, you are the best.”

They all share the comforting hug again. Once the penalty is over, the six girls and the talking dog rejoin the celebration; they could not afford to miss the celebration for any reason.

They danced, sang and shared funny and happy moments in the company of their other friends and classmates, including Superintendent Chrysalis who stayed at the party by request of Dean Cadence.

As promised, all of Crystal Prep celebrated throughout the night, celebrating not only the fact the camp was saved – as well the entire world – but also to celebrate the bonds of friendship that after the experience were strengthened like never before.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

The night passes, with the arrival of the sun the party ends. Campers use the few hours they have left to clean up, pack their belongings, and prepare for the trip to home.

While waiting for their transports to arrive, our group gets together and begin to discuss a particular topic.

“So now we have super powers.” Indigo Zap comments as she watches herself generate a small current between her thumb and forefinger. “That’s super! Sorry for the redundancy.”

Twilight thinks about it. “Should we worry?”

“Why?” Sonata asks smiling. “I think it’s great.”

Twilight responds to the siren. “Yes, it is, but we had several problems at the beginning.”

Lemon downplays the matter. “It doesn’t matter anymore. We are superheroines now! Hey, we need a cool name!”

Sonata raises her hand. “Oh! Oh! I know one: ‘The Dazzlings’!”

Twilight looks at the blue girl curiously. “Isn't that the name of your and your sisters band?”

“Sure! Adagio says it’s the perfect name.”

Indigo smiles with some amusement. “I guess it’s fine for you three, but we need something different, something like…’Team Dynamite’!”

“Or perhaps ‘Team Super Cool’!” Says Lemon Zest.

Sunny decides to join the conversation. “Well, I think ‘Team Awesome’ sounds better.”

Spike also decides to talk. “How about ‘Alpha Wolf Squad’?”

Sonata speaks again. “I know! I know! What do you think about ‘Super Awesome Cool Dynamite Wolf Squad Alpha Team’!

There’s a silence for a while before the six teens start giggling.

“I think you can think about that later.” Sunset comments after laughing.

Indigo finishes laughing and asks. “What about you, Sunset? Any ideas?”

The fire-haired girl laughs again at the question yet she thinks about it.

“Heh, I don’t know. Maybe ‘The Fantastic Five’? Ha ha.” Sunset says it in a somewhat joking tone. Although instead of laughing, everyone looks at her strangely.

“…um, was it really bad?”

“Five? Why five?” Indigo Zap asks.

Sunset is surprised by the question. “Well…because there are five of you.”

Sonata begins to count with her fingers, adding one then the other and changing to two of the other hand and goes up and down several fingers, then lifts one foot for a moment to count a little but lowers it and joins her hands crossing her fingers until they get tangled up in each other, so she have to pull her arms in opposite directions to separate them. And after doing all this sequence the Dazzling stands still for a moment, then she smiles.

“Six! We are six! I’ve count it all by myself! Yay!”

Sunset was a bit confused, until… “…Oh! Of course! Spike, I almost forgot you! It was so obvious, I guess that’s six then. It could be ‘The Fantastic Five and the Wonder Pup’ Heh heh.”

Again, her apparent joke earns nothing more than confused and somewhat surprised looks.

“Sunset, it’s the six of us.” Explains Indigo. “You, me, Twi, Sunny, Lemon and Sonata. Well, the puppy is part of the group too.”

Sunset looks confused. “Me? Why me? The ones with superpowers are the five of you.”

Indigo blinks once. “… and YOU.”

“Just because I come from another dimension doesn’t mean I have magic like that.”

“But you got it!” Claims Zest. “We saw you!”

The Equestrian blinks. “You saw… what?”

“When you fought the Windigos.” Answer Indigo Zap.

“I only managed to get my face smashed in.”

“No Sun-Shim, the other thing! When you made a face like this,” Lemon says with an imitation of a serious expression. “And you started kicking all the ghosts’ butts!”

She imitates Sunset’s face and tries to make strange moves, altough she narrowly ends up falling.

Sunset doesn’t answer, she’s still confused.

“When your eyes went blank.” Says the athlete girl.

Sunset just blinks.

Indigo also blinks. “…Don’t you remember?!”

“Remember what?” Sunset looks confused.

Sunny Flare decides to speak to calm the moment. “Sunset, in the middle of the battle against the Windigos after you were knocked unconscious, you got up and started fighting.”

Sunset blinks again. “…did I do that?”

Twilight is the one who takes the floor. “You really don’t remember, Sunset?”

“Umm… nope. I just remember Winter was hitting me, then I guess I passed out and when I realized it we were all together in front of the giant Windigo monster.”

That puzzles the five girls. Twilight Sparkle is the first to speak again. “Can’t you remember? You not only faced Winter, but ALL the Windigos.”

“Exactly!” The Crystal Prep athlete adds. “You were dodging each of their attacks and at the same time you were beating the crap out of them.”

Sunset just shakes her head. “Well… I don’t think I remember any of that.”

“You really don’t remember? Not a bit? Not even a little bit?” Sonata Dusk insists on the topic.

“No Sonata, as I already said, I only remember being punched by Winter and when I woke up we had already defeated him.”

The girls are silent for a while, Spike on the other hand doesn’t seem to pay attention to the conversation. Then Indigo takes up the floor.

“Damn, that’s too bad. I was going to ask you to show me how to perform those moves.”

Sunset is intrigued. “What moves were they?”

Twilight adjusts her glasses almost thoughtful. “It’s hard to say. You were moving your whole body, bending and twisting in weird ways.”

“Yeah, it was very random. As if your body moved by itself.” Seconded Indigo Zap.

Sunset seems to think so. “Perhaps my power is to be a sleepwalker. I was already sleepwalking when you found me in the cave.”

“Well, whatever was that about, it was badass!” Exclaims the lime-haired girl. “You must do it again.”

“Heh, I can’t even remember doing it. I doubt something like this will happen again.”

While our group has their talk, a few other campers are enjoying some final activities. One of them is Sour Sweet and Suri Polomare, the youngest being the one holding a bow and arrow and the oldest giving her some instructions.

“As you can see it’s not too difficult. Just keep your arm straight, breathe a little if you’re nervous and let go when you have the target located.”

Suri follows the cue, shoots the arrow back at arm’s length, takes a deep breath, and…

“Suri, I found your phone charger!” Coco Pommel suddenly screams as she approaches.

The sudden shout breaks Suri’s calm causing her to release the arrow which flies at high speed towards the target in front of her, but instead of hitting the target, misses it. It bounces off a hanging cabin bell, then the camp decoration totem pole plus an empty glass soda bottle—which also breaks—and keeps flying, heading straight to Sunset Shimmer.

“WACHT OUT!!!”

“MISS SHIMMER!!!”

Sour and Suri’s screams fail to reach the ears of Princess Celestia’s former student. The arrow speeds to the side of her head and…stops.

Being inches away from touching Sunset, the arrow remains motionless; that’s because Sunset caught it in her hand just before it reaches her.

Her friends are surprised and somewhat terrified by what they saw. Unable to speak, they just stare at the former unicorn.

Sunset looks at them intrigued. “…Why do you see me like this?”

There is no verbal response, except for Lemon pointing to the side of her head.

Sunset raises an eyebrow, rolling her eyes to the side for a second, and it takes another half second for her to react. She turns her head completely and pulling her neck and arm in opposite directions in order to get her head away from the arrow in her hand.

Nobody says anything for a while.

“Sunsite, that was great! Do it again!” The younger Dazzling exclaims excitedly.

“Miss Shimmer!” Suri rushes to where Sunset is followed by Sour Sweet and Coco. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t… I didn’t mean to harm you!”

The fire-haired girl forces herself to swallow her embarrassment in order to comfort Suri. “Nothing happened, really.”

The youngest seems to be about to cry, then she star es at Coco Pommel with a frown.

“Coco!! Thanks to you I almost killed Miss Shimmer!!”

“I-I didn’t want-“

“You always mess everything up!! Can’t you do anything right?!!”

“Enough!” Sunset reproaches Suri, next calms down and then makes her look into the eyes. “Don’t fight please. No one is to blame, no one got hurt. Everything’s alright.”

Being calmer, and checking the green-eyed teen is unharmed, the young Polomare looks back at her classmate who has her head lowered.

“I’m sorry for being so useless.” Coco comments sadly.

Now is Suri who feels guilty and ashamed of herself. She places a hand on her companion’s shoulder, causing Coco Pommel to look at her in surprise.

“No Coco, that’s not true. The only useless one here is me, for being such a bad friend to you… can you forgive me?”

After a few seconds of silence, Coco wraps Suri in a hug in response to her plea, to which she reciprocates by hugging her. The Equestrian congratulates the reconciliation by patting the heads of both.

Sour Sweet takes the opportunity to surprise Sunset by taking the arrow. “They are rubber arrows, they don’t have a real tip. It would never have hurt you, altough it would had given you a severe headache. By the way, how the hell did you do that?”

“… I have no idea…”

The conversation could have continued, until the sound and sight of the Crystal Prep buses pulling up to the venue halts all action from the campers.

Everyone leaves what they are doing and taking their respective luggage they approach the vehicles.

The instant Twilight is doing exactly that, Timber walks over with her.

“Hi Twilight.”

The scientist hears him and turns her head to see the boy, but she doesn’t speak to him.

“I guess you’re leaving now, it was nice meeting you.”

Twilight looks at him once more, then minds her own business by pulling away her bag. Timber Sprunce is somewhat taken aback, despite this he speaks to her again.

“Listen, I was wondering if you would give me your number or your email. The truth is I would really like to see you again.”

The one with glasses finishes her task, remains silent and without looking at the boy heads to the bus door.

“Hey, Twilight! Wait!”

Timber rushes over and is about to grab her shoulder when someone grabs him first, pulling him back a bit.

“Yo Timber!” Indigo exclaims as she beams excitedly. “Camp was fun! We’ll see each other at some point, GOOD LUCK, PAL!”

She nudges his arm, but Timber gasps as he feels a current run up his arm.

“Whoops! My bad,” the girl apologizes, tough she seems pleased nonetheless. “I don’t think I’ve mastered this ‘Zap’ thing yet, ha ha! Anyway, see ya!”

She pats the boy on his shoulder to say goodbye to him, which again makes him yell.

Timber rubs himself but before recovering a sound wave shakes his body and almost knocks him to the ground.

“Tim-Tim!!” Lemon Zest exclaims with her magical ability. “Sorry! That was too much.” She apologizes in her normal voice. “I just wanted to say goodbye, GOODBYE"

The rocker girl approaches Timber to the right ear and delivers him another sound wave.

“Until next time, Tim-Tim!”

He doesn’t answer her, still in a daze, and Lemon Zest gets on the bus. Just when Timber is recovering from so much ‘violence’, Sonata shows up catching the boy in a hug.

“Bye Timmy! I'm going to miss you so much.”

Sonata hugs the green-haired boy so tightly that she leaves him breathless, and she again squeezes him even more, virtually crushing him completely. The Siren lets go Timber, causing him to fall over and start coughing and breathing desperately. Sonata Dusk continues to smile and, jumping, leaves.

Timber has to lean on the bus to get up, but he’s still short of breath.

Sunny Flare sees him from behind. Scowling, saying nothing or letting him know she’s there, points her finger and shoots a small fireball at the young man’s pants.

The camp’s co-manager doesn’t notice at first, then smells burning and smoke, next realices his pants are on fire. He screams desperately and runs off, circling the camp for a while, until he runs down the dock and jumps into the water in order to put out the fire.

The whole scene of him running desperate generates several laughs from the campers. Some try to cover them up, others don’t even bother trying.

On their part, our group looks at her lilac-haired friend from the bus windows, and she herself just blows on her index finger like it’s the barrel of a gun. They all laugh.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

The six friends and Spike the not so-regular dog take the last seats on the bus, allowing them to see Camp Everfree as they drive away.

“Goodbye Camp Everfree!” Lemon exclaims. “It was fun! Even the winter apocalypse part!”

After everyone gets settled, Twilight looks at the fire-haired girl. “Sunset, do you really think it was okay to let the Windigos go?”

“Windigos feed on hate. Holding a grudge will only make them stronger,” Sunset explains. “It’s better to forget about them.”

Indigo Zap decides to ask. “Say Sunset, are there more monsters from your world that could have come to ours?”

Sunset begins to think. “To tell the truth, I’m not sure if they’re from Equestria. Hyberna said they have been in this world for centuries, maybe… over a millennia.”

Sunny Flare asks another question. “So, are they from here? From our world?"

The Equestrian girl seems insecure. “I don’t know. I think I should talk to Princess Twilight about it.”

There is silence for a moment. Until the google girl speaks again.

“Well, it doesn’t matter! If more monsters, specters, or magical phenomena appear, the SunSix will be there to stop them!”

“The Sun… what?” Sunset asks.

“'SunSix’! I kept thinking of a name for the team, and I came up with that one! What do you think?”

The answer wins everyone’s gaze, but in the end they laugh.

Sunset stops laughing and turns her head once more, watching as the camp name sign fades out of sight.

“Are you alright, Sunset?” Twilight asks.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I just kept thinking; the Windigos were a fluke, though I think Camp Everfree still holds some secrets.”

With a slightly serious look, Sunset looks outside, losing sight of the camp on the horizon as the bus heads back to Canterlot City.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Timber Sprunce goes to his sister’s office breaking in unannounced.

“Gloriosa, are you there?”

“Here I am Timber.” She responds by arranging some documents on her desk. “What is it?”

Timber looks quite shocked as he approaches. “I recieved a call from…” he pauses, hesitant. “…well, you know who.”

Gloriosa Daisy lets out a groan and rolls her eyes.

“Gloriosa, hey, can we talk about-“

“Timber, please.” She interrupts him. “We’ve already discussed it.”

“Discussed? We haven’t even talked about it, you just kept denying everything!”

“Because there is nothing to talk about. Now, are the tents ready?”

“Yes sis.” The boy responds suspiciously, turning his gaze.

“And the dining room? Did you watch the trails? What about the pier?”

“Everything perfect, especially the pier.” The younger brother answers again. “Gloriosa, can we-“

“No! The campers will be arriving any minute and I don’t want any trouble before then.”

The green haired one seems to want to talk, but he doesn’t.

“… And what are we going to do?”

“Please, Timber trust me. I’ll take care of everything.”

Saying so, the woman leaves her papers on the desk and retreats to the back of the office, closing the door.

Her brother looks at her for a moment, then snorts with some annoyance. He finally makes a dismissive gesture and leaves without saying anything.

Meanwhile, Gloriosa decides to fix herself up. Looking in her mirror, she touches up her eyelashes and brushes her hair.

After that she looks towards a dresser drawer, opens it and takes out a necklace adorned with a couple of colored stones. She looks at the necklace for a moment and puts it on.

“Gloriosa! The bus has arrived!” Her brother’s voice is heard from outside, to which she responds by raising her voice.

“I’m coming!”

Gloriosa looks at her necklace in her reflection and smiles to herself.

She leaves her office looking more excited than she was a few moments ago. Just in time to greet the new arrivals.

“Hello Canterlot High School, and welcome to Camp Everfree!”

~ The End ~

…

Principal Abacus Cinch sits at her desk with a pen in hand and an apparent document in front of her. However, far from looking serious and severe as she usually is, the woman’s expression seems puzzled.

“…My apologies, I think I forgot what I was saying.”

“You were about to sign my application to study at your school, Ma’am.” A Teenage girl speaks, soft-voiced but confident, sitting on the bench across from the principal.

“Really? I mean, of course! That’s… what I was going to do.”

The woman doesn’t seem sure of her words, although the girl sitting in front of her doesn’t seem concerned.

Cinch clears her throat, sits up, and takes the document in front of her for a moment. After thinking about it, she decides to sign it.

“Well, it’s done. I welcome you to Crystal Prep Academy, miss…uh…excuse me, can you repeat your name for me one more time?”

The young woman in front of Principal Cinch doesn’t respond immediately. Her long moss green hair covers her eyes for a moment, but it can be seen cracking a smile.

She straightens up. Pushing her hair back from her face to answer the question, she gazes at the older woman with her own eyes as brown as the color of a tree bark.

“Wallflower. Wallflower Blush.”

Author's Note

Thanks for reading this story!
It took me too long to have the decency to finish it, but it was fun. Being able to give myself a lot of freedom when writing the story.
As always, I thank Arthor for his help editing and proofreading the chapters, if you liked his work, go to his profile and give him a 'thank you'!

For my part that's all, now I'll try to focus on my next project. Read ya later!

The Camp Everfree

It begins to dawn. The golden light of the sun dissipates the shadows that cover the sleeping city in its path, until it runs into an apartment building.

Upon making contact with a window, is stopped by its curtains. Only a few small rays manage to pass through the small openings, just enough to dimly illuminate the interior of the room.

The sheet, and even the pillow, had ended up on the floor, leaving only a sleeping girl on the bed spread out across her mattress with one leg dangling off the edge. Her fiery hair, completely tousled, spreads out in the same way; soft snores, and a trail of already dried saliva, escape from her wide open mouth.

Her snoring is the only thing that accompanies the enduring shadow of the place, at least until the cell phone sitting on the nightstand starts to ring. Even so, it takes a few seconds for her eyes to open, revealing an almost emerald green color dulled by the sleep that still dominates her.

With an expression wich could only be classified as one of a ‘living dead’, she extends her arm hitting her nightstand in search of the annoying device. To her misfortune, she ends up knocking it to the ground. She moans like an ‘undead’ before turning on herself; for her pain, ends up falling to the ground as well. Moaning again in frustration, hears the sound of the infernal device right in front of her. Guessing the location a bit, she taps it a few times with her finger until she finally manages to shut it down.

There is silence in the room…until a voice is heard on the other end of the set.

“Sunset?”

“… gmmmh…” A tired moan is the only response from the girl on the ground.

“Don’t tell me you’re still asleep.” The voice on the other end of the phone speaks.

“…hmmm…”

“Come on girl, up!”

“…gmmhhh…”

“Oh, come on!” The person exclaims behind the call. “Don’t tell me you forgot what day it is!”

“…hmm hmm?... ”

A sigh is heard from the other end.

“Look, we’re outside. At least open the door for us.”

“…mmm…”

“No complaints. Either you open us the door, or I pick the lock.”

“…gmm mmh gmmmmmmmh…”

“Again, yes. So open up.”

“…mmmgh…”

The call is cut off and after a few seconds – plus another moan mixed with a sigh – the fiery-haired girl makes an exaggerated effort… to stand up.

Arms firmly drooping, back hunched, and head so drooped that her neck seemed about to snap, she walks. Rather, she leaves the room dragging her feet. She crosses her small living room, literally bumping into the door to her apartment.

The fright only makes her take a step back and open her eyes, wide enough to see her key in the lock. Fails twice in her attempt to take it, but she succeeds and turns it off the safety catch; she also removes the small chain that serves as extra security and opens the door.

What she gets is a curious sight: her friends are standing outside.

Indigo Zap, Twilight Sparkle, Sunny Flare, Sonata Dusk, Lemon Zest and Suri Polomare, accompanied by her partner Coco Pommel. Curiously, they all wear similar shirts with a particular logo in the center.

The teens look at Sunset with curiosity and some surprise. Sunset just stays quiet, and after covering a big yawn with her hand she looks at them again.

“…gmh…?”

Indigo Zap rolls her eyes and doesn’t even ask permission to enter. She walks past Sunset, who seems to be falling asleep standing there.

“Seriously, Sunset! I can’t believe you forgot what day it is today!”

“ghh…”

“Good heavens Sunset!” Sunny exclaims as she walks past the owner of the place. “You look horrible!”

“Hmm…”

“Hello Sun Shim! Cute style. It’s so rock!” Lemon congratulates her with some amusement.

“Hmm…”

Indigo walks over and uses a hand to pry Sunset’s eyelids open.

“Hey Sunset! Are you there? My God. Girl, you look more dead than alive.”

Instead of a moan, there is now something very much like a snore from the fire-haired girl.

Twilight looks a little worried at her friend. “Mh, Sunset has never been good in the mornings.”

“Urgh, oh well.” Indigo groans and then looks at everyone. “Sunny, Suri, take her to the shower. Make sure she’s clean.”

Both named girls nod, the younger one in a very animated way.

“Twilight, go pack her bags for her. Don’t miss anything,” Indigo tells the girl with glasses and then heads towards the Siren. “Sonata, help her.”

“Aye sir!”

“Lemon, Coco, prepare breakfast. Today she is going to need energy.”

Both girls nod.

Indigo takes her cell phone and starts playing it. “I’ll call the dean to tell her we’ll be there soon.”

Lemon and Coco Pommel were already on their way to the kitchen.

“Don’t forget her coffee!” The girl with glasses exclaims to those who go to the kitchen. “Sunset can’t start the day without her morning coffee.”

Twilight says this as she almost gets pulled by the blue haired Siren, they both go to the former equine’s room. Sunny and Suri, on their side, take the ‘living dead’ to the bathroom. Indigo is left alone in the room and takes out her cell phone.

While she waits to be attended, Indigo listens her roommates in the house.

“GAH, IT’S COLD! GAH, IT’S HOT NOW! GAH!... Now that’s better.”

The athlete rolls her eyes at the screams of the apartment’s owner in the bathroom.

About ten minutes later, the owner of the place and her two friends come out of the bathroom. Suri looks dizzy and very flushed, but very smiling.

Sunset, now dressed in her light blue robe, towels her hair dry and then straightens her body.

“hmmm… Ok, now I’m awake. What’s up girls?”

“It’s thanks to you we’re late!” Indigo states with some frustration.

“Um, late for what?” Sunset Shimmer asks curiously.

Sunny is the one who answers her. “Sunset honey, do you really don’t remember what day it is?”

“… Wednesday?”

“Actually, today is Friday.” The messy green-haired girl corrects as she puts a plate of toast on the living room’s table. In turn, Coco Pommel gives the former equine a cup of coffee. She earns a grateful smile from the freshly cleaned girl.

“Okay, I don’t know what day it is.” Sunset leans against the wall. “What’s so special about it?”

Sonata appears with a backpack in her hands.

“Sunsite! Silly! We are going camping today!” She exclaims happily handing the backpack to the owner. Behind her appears Twilight carrying, with great difficulty, a large bag.

Sunset raises an eyebrow. “Camping?”

“Yes, camping!” Indigo Zap claims again. “We’re going on a trip today, to spend a week at Camp Everfree!”

Sunset seemed still intrigued and confused, she takes a sip of coffee while keep looking at everyone.

* ~ * ~ *

Shadows Among Everfree

* ~ * ~ *

Not long after, dressed in her own T-shirt with the same camp symbol and shorts, Sunset reunites with all of her friends and together they head to school.

Back at Crystal Preparatory, Dean Cadence puts all the students on the buses. Sunset’s group arrives, they get on with the others and in a few minutes everyone leave for the city’s outskirt.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

The ride was quite spirited for Sunset, sitting in the back of the bus with Twilight and Sonata to her left while Sunny and Lemon were to her right. Indigo is a little far talking with Lightning Dust, Suri and Coco were together near the rest of the students.

Sunset overheard everyone talking about camp activities, they seemed to expect a lot of fun. Twilight was cheerful too, but she didn’t talk as much; Sunset for her part only made supportive comments. She agreed that it would be fun.

Through the windows Sunset could see how the landscape changed from the city to the countryside, filling up with green decorated with so many bright summer colors.

The fiery haired girl laughs at the occurrences of her friends while she thought about what it would be like to be camping, she couldn’t help noticing a whitish flash in the window but when she paid attention only saw trees. She was surprised, however the good mood of her friends instantly infected again on her.

After a long trip that felt quite short, the dean stands up and takes the floor making all the young people fall silent.

“Alright, we’re almost there.” Announces Cadence gaining everyone’s attention. “A good friend recommended me to come to this place, in order to celebrate the good year we have had. Let me just say our school has changed quite a bit in the last few months, and I think it’s for the better. I hope everyone has a good time and we can have a lot of fun.”

No response except good smiles from everyone.

Cadence picks up the word, showing even more spirit. “Well, who’s ready for Camp Everfree?”

The energic question receives equal or more energic answers.

Sunset and her friends smile along with everyone else.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Finally both buses stop in the center of the camp.

Cadence descends and is nearly run over by the youths as they rush out of the vehicle.

The impact of the boys makes her lose her balance, and although she tries to wave her arms to push herself off, she ends up falling on her back. Luckily for Cadance, instead of the ground, she feels a pair of arms grab her. She looks up, meeting a pair of green eyes and a slightly amused smile.

“For things like this I told you not to wear heels.” A woman with dark skin and long greenish hair speaks to her. Cadence is a bit embarrassed but she smiles.

“Thank you Chrysie. I mean!... Superintendent. I mean!... Chrysalis.”

Chrysalis is still smiling. She wears a white sleeveless shirt and very dark green mid-calf pants.

“No problem. Just be careful, in summer the youngsters become very energetic."

Both women see how the young people, after getting off the buses, look for their things and walk around observing the facilities.

“It’s the first time I see this school so lively.” The emerald-eyed woman comments.

“I know, a lot of things have changed since a few months ago.” Cadence speaks in an almost wistful voice. “Hey, thanks for coming to help me with this.”

“It’s a pleasure. Cinch is not a fan of wildlife, so you needed help. Besides, a vacation will do me good. Let the kids have fun and we can do the same.”

Cadence nods looking very happy at that idea.

Finally all the students, now campers, get off the bus as does Sunset and the others.

Indigo jumps out of the vehicle onto the ground. “Finally! That trip seemed like an eternity to me, I already needed to stretch my legs.”

Says our girl in googles as she begins some stretches. Lightning gives an almost mocking smile. “You look like a child. You kept kicking and screaming all the way to get here soon.”

“I wasn’t kicking! I only moved my legs because they were falling asleep.” Our sporty girl exclaims at her blonde friend.

Both athletes continue with their conversation, while the others go for their things.

“I’ve never been camping, are they fun?” Sonata asks excitedly and eager for an answer.

Lemon is the one who answers her. “Are you kidding?! Camps are great! You can crawl in the bush, fill yourself with dirt and eat until you are indigestible and vomit! And no one stops you! It’s like a paradise where there aren’t rules and insanity reigns!”

“I like insanity!”

They both smile excitedly.

Sunny Flare, already carrying her luggage, walks over and joins in the conversation.

“Although I don’t share Lemon’s enthusiasm for the activities mentioned, a camp is certainly an enriching experience. The exploration and walks through the forest, the contact with nature, is entertaining and educational in equal parts. In addition to feeling the breeze, perceiving the aroma of nature and being able to see the stars at night. They are wonders that make you bring out your interior.”

“Let’s go skinny dipping in the lake!” Suddenly Lemon Zest yells.

“Yay!” Celebrate Sonata.

“No! We won’t do that.” Sunny Flare exclaims.

“Owww…”

Sunset did nothing but laugh as she saw and heard her friends. Accompanied by Twilight, they took her things.

Indigo and Lightning are seen saying their goodbyes, and soon the whole group is reunited.

“This will be the best week of our lives!” Assures our Crystal’s athlete. “We'll go hiking, climb the mountain! Swimming and target shooting contests! It will be great!”

Twilight hesitates for a moment. “Um, I’m not sure the camp has all of that.”

Indigo shrugs. “We’ll do it anyway.”

Sunny Flare takes the floor. “Personally, I want to relax. This year has been pretty crazy, honestly.”

“Tell me about it!” Lemon suddenly exclaims. “Since Sun-Shim arrived, super crazy and fabulous things have happened!”

That last one makes Sunset wipe the smile from her face. “Err, I…”

Sunny puts a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, don’t worry honey. We are glad you are with us.”

Indigo supports her. “Exactly! The school is so much more fun since we met you.”

“Sunsite, we love you!” Sonata exclaims giving Sunset a big hug. The dimensional girl can’t help but smile, touched by their words.

“Thank you girls.”

They all share smiles.

Suri and Coco had also arrived carrying their bags. And that’s when a voice comes over the camp’s loudspeaker.

“Attention campers, gather in the central area of the camp! It’s time to start the best week of camping in history!”

A jubilant female voice is heard, immediately all the teenagers gather in the center of the camp where there is a curious kiosk. In it, two people - a woman and a very young man – taking a look at them.

“Welcome everyone!” The woman speaks in the same jubilant voice through a microphone.

“My name is Gloriosa Daisy. I’ll be your camp manager! Consider me your friendly nature guide. And this is my brother, Timber Spruce.”

She introduces the young man next to her, who instantly grabs the microphone to speak.

“Consider me the awesome guy that should be invited to the Fun.”

Gloriosa shakes her head a little amused by his attitude.

Lemon gives her friend with googles a little hit. “Wow Zap, that guy’s ego is almost as big as yours.”

“Yeah… HEY!”

All the friends laugh at the comment.

Gloriosa begins to ask and listen to requests from various camping activities.

“Sports competition! No! A triathlon!” Shouts our athlete.

“A rock concert!” Exclaims our rocker girl.

“Uh-uh! Karaoke, karaoke!” Says our happy Dazzling.

Coco Pommel speaks quietly but enthusiastically. “Can we, um, do crafts?”

Sunset had no particular idea, so she was just silently watching her friends and other campers place orders. However, she did notice the way her bespectacled friend had been looking at that Timber boy. The strong blush on her cheeks made the former equine laugh.

“I’ll be listening to your requests throughout the day,” says Gloriosa after listening to a few more suggestions. “So don’t hesitate to ask me whatever you want.”

Timber then pulls out a small leather bag. “Well, I think it’s time to do some fun stuff. Time to assign them their shops! I’ll assign the girls, so come-“

Timber tries to move forward but his sister grabs him by the collar of the shirt and stops him.

“Oh no, you won’t.” She somewhat roughly pulls Timber and pushes him to the opposite side. “Girls, come with me! Boys, with Timber.”

The camper girls approach the camp manager, Timber looks frustrated but doesn’t say anything as he rejoins the boys.

Sunset seems curious about the scene, but doesn’t say anything as she is soon almost pushed by the others towards Gloriosa.

From the small Gloriosa and Timber’s bags each camper takes out a small card containing a picture of a gem.

Lemon opens hers and almost jumps at the sight of it. “Check this out! I have the emerald!”

Sonata sees hers and jumps likewise . “Hey! Me too!”

Both surround each other with an arm, happily to be partners.

Indigo shows her card for all to see. “I have the aquamarine.”

“Look who else has it.” Lightning says showing her own card. They both applaud with good humor.

Coco looks curiously and smiles. “I got turquoise, it’s my favorite stone!”

Suri next to her sees her card. “Um, I have the amethyst.”

Sour stops and listens. “Well, guess who you’ll be with.”

The girl with freckles smiles softly as she walks over showing her card. Suri is surprised but she smiles.

Sunny takes her card, but before she sees it looks at her red and golden haired classmate.

“What stone do you have, Sunset?”

The aforementioned looks at her own card. “Sapphire.”

Sunny sees her own card and frowns a little. “Mh, bad luck.”

“I have the sapphire too!” Our purple-haired scientist exclaims excitedly, earning a smile from both of them.

“You win this time Sparkle, but we will meet again.”

“Well, I guess it is. I mean, sapphires aren’t just blue; they can be pink, purple, yellow.”

“But they are mostly blue.” Timber suddenly comments as he approaches them.

Twilight can’t help but get a little flustered when she sees him.

“That’s why his name comes from the Latin, ‘Sapphirus’.”

Twilight looks at him amused. He whispers to her. “It means ‘Blue’.”

“I know!” Twilight also exclaims in a whisper. “But did you know that sapphires are just rubies with no chrome?”

“No! But did you know the sapphire tent is the best in the camp?” The green haired boy asks as he takes the card, brushing his hand with the girl’s making her blush.

“I didn’t know…why?”

“Because you’re in it.”

Twilight looks at him amused. Sunset also smiles at the sight of them, though her smile fades at Sunny’s frown.

Twilight and Timber’s talk ends as he goes to escort some of the boys. Twilight by her part watches him go with a blush. As she turns around, sees the sour look Sunny Flare gives her.

“W-what?!”

“Twilight honey, be very careful with that guy.”

“Why is that?”

“Didn’t you notice? He was flirting with you.”

“What?! No! He was just…playing, hehe…”

Although Sunset seems uncomfortable, she decides to join in on the apparent conversation. “Um, what if he flirts with her, is that a bad thing?”

Before the conversation can continue, a hiss is heard. It’s Gloriosa Daisy.

“Allright guys! Go get settled. We’ll meet at the dock in fifteen minutes to give you the camp’s safety rules.”

Said and done, the rest of the campers go to their respective tents to accommodate their belongings.

Sunset does the same, but stops when she feels a breeze that sends chills down her spine. She wonders about it, but as soon as the feeling wears off she forgets about it and keeps walking.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Sunset and Twilight had already arranged most of their things, even the puppy Spike had his bed in the corner.

“Well, I guess we’ll be here for a week.” Comments Sunset to start a conversation.

Twilight thinks about it for a second and answers. “Technically, it will be six days and five nights. But yeah, I guess you could say a week.”

Surprisingly, she is caught in a hug from the fire-haired girl.

“You’re so adorable when you get nerdy like that.”

Her voice is warm but teasing, Twilight makes an annoyed moan but she can’t help but smile.

“Who’s a cute kitty?”

That makes the scientist take her friend away from her.

“Don’t call me kitty!”

The former equine just laughs at her reaction. They both continue to order their things, when Sunset puts on a knowing smile.

“It will be fun to be here. Gloriosa seems to know how to run a camp.”

“I guess so, she seems to have a good experience.” Twilight answers by getting her belongings in order.

“Yeah, and Timber seems like a nice guy. He’s really cute too, right?”

Our equestrian girl’s smile only widens when she sees her friend stunned for a moment, who then smiles trying to hide her blush.

“He’s fine, I suppose.”

“Oww, I think someone is crushing.” Says Sunset jokingly.

“Wh-Wha-what?! No! Of course not. I mean, he’s cute and friendly-“

“And you like him.”

“No! I mean… I… I like him, he seems like a nice guy.”

“Owww, my Twiley is growing up.” Says Sunset in a voice meant to be sad. “I’m…so proud…sniff.”

Sunset makes an exaggerated gesture as if she’s wiping away a tear. Twilight just looks at her in frustration.

“Sunset.”

“It seems like just yesterday you were running around the garden in your underwear…”

That earns her a balled-up t-shirt projectile aimed at the face.

“Sometimes I don’t know why I’m your friend!” Twilight coments in a tone somewhere between annoying and amused.

“Because if you weren’t, I’d call the princess to give me some affection.” Sunset answers with a certain joking tone.

“No princesses! You’re my best friend!” The girl with glasses exclaims and then hugs the fire-haired girl possessively.

“The princess can find another friend. I won’t leave you.”

“Neither do I to you, Twiley.” Our girl from Equestria smiles and responds to the scientist’s hug. They both hold that hug for a moment before separating.

“Seriously, Sparky, it seems you and he like each other. You should talk to him and see if you can meet him.”

Twilight averts her eyes a bit biting her lip.

“I…I don’t know…I couldn’t…I’ve never talked to a boy before…except, well, Flash but…that’s just because you were there.”

“Come on Twiley, you can do it. You two already talked a bit earlier. You just have to show yourself as you are.”

“I don’t know…”

The conversation ends when they hear the voice of their Siren friend from outside.

“Sunsite! Twi-Twi! Come on, we are waiting for you!”

“Here we go!” Sunset answers loud enough for her to hear. “I just hope I don’t get sunburned.”

Twilight opens the pocket on the side of Sunset’s bag and takes out some sunscreen.

“I can always count on you Sparky.”

Both put together a new hug.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Soon after, everyone in the camp gathers at the lake.

“Water activities are available until sunset,” the camp manager announces. “If you want to practice canoeing, sailing, swinsport or swimming, just let me know.”

Our known group watch the water with some attention.

“The water is so clear and clean.” Sunny comments smiling as she looks at the lake. “It looks like a beautiful jewel that shines in the sun.”

“And the lake is perfect for a swimming contest!” Indigo says animatedly. “Perfect for a triathlon.”

Sonata looks at the water smiling. “Will there be fish?! Fish grilled over an open fire, sure to taste delicious!”

Our blue Dazzling smacks her lips at the thought.

Twilight stood apart from the group. With an oar in hand, she seemed to be going to practice some canoeing, when suddenly the pier’s wood breaks and makes her fall. To her luck, Timber catches her.

“Woah. Hey, I know I’m charming, but you don’t have to go down like that.”

He helps Twilight to put back on her feet and earns a playful poke from the girl.

“Don’t feel so special, although thanks for catching me…” She comments with a small blush. Timber just smiles at her.

“It’s a pleasure. If it happens again, I will be there for you again.”

Twilight blushes a little more. To her surprise, Sunny Flare appears and grabs Twilight’s shoulders to gently pull her away from him.

“What a charmer. Excuse us Timber, we need to talk.”

“Ah yeah, sure.“ It’s the only thing the young man can answer as he watches her carry the purple haired girl past the pier.

Twilight is very surprised as Sunny almost drags her away from the place. They both meet Sunset.

“Twilight! What did I tell you?!” Sunny berates her friend with glasses.

“What?! What did I do?!”

“I've told you. Be careful with that guy, he’s dangerous.”

“What are you talking about?”

Sunset is just as confused as Twilight. She then decides to ask.

“Why do you think Timber is dangerous?”

“Please Sunset, Timber is trying to take advantage of our little Twilight.”

“Take advantage?”

“Little?”

Sunny doesn’t care about their apparent bewilderment, but instead she keeps talking. “I’ve seen guys like him. They are like wolves that always goes after the most susceptible sheep. Don’t trust him little Twilight, he’ll only hurt you.”

Sunset scratches the back of her neck. “Um, I think you’re exaggerating Sunny Flare.”

“’Little Twilight’?”

“I’m not exaggerating Sunset, I’ve met boys of such kind more than once. They think they can attract anyone with their looks and smiles; not on MY guard.”

Sunset is still puzzled. “Uh, I don’t think so. He seems like a good guy to me.”

Suri comes out of nowhere and appears between them. “I agree with Miss Flare!”

The three girls let out a faint cry from the sudden fright.

“I also think he isn’t trustworthy. People like him are experts at pretending to be what they’re not. They are attentive, sweet, kind and polite. And they hide their true self: someone petty, sinister and Machiavellian.”

Sour Sweet, who was passing by, makes a funny comment as she looks at the younger girl.

“Sure. You know a lot about that, don’t you kiddo?”

Sour doesn’t stick around to talk and just walks away from the rest. Sunset still isn’t sure. “I think you are both exaggerating.”

“Yeah, you don’t even know Timber.” Twilight, who now looks upset, reassures them firmly.

“Oh, and you do?” asks the youngest newcomer.

“Um… well… maybe not, but-“

“I still think he’s a good guy.” Says Sunset Shimmer. “Seems nice.”

Both Sunny and Suri let out a sigh.

“Miss Shimmer is too lenient.”

“I love that quality about you honey, but seriously, you need to be less trusting. And you Twilight, I’m telling this because I appreciate you, keep that boy away from you.”

Cyan and Amethyst exchange glances, both insecure due to the attitude of their acquaintances.

While on the dock, the dean’s prep and her emerald-haired chaperone had gone to check out the damage with Gloriosa.

“I’m afraid this pier appears to be in poor condition.” Chrysalis says. “It’s not safe. It’s better to close it down for the rest of the camp.”

The protest of several campers doesn’t take long in coming. Gloriosa smiles for everyone.

“Oh ho ho! I’m sure it won’t be necessary to close it down the entire camp. It just needs a few tweaks and updates here and there, and it’ll be good as new. ~I've got this!~” She exclaims in an almost singsong voice.

Indigo seems to think of something.

“Mmh… or maybe we take care of that! I know a lot about carpentry.” Suddenly, Indigo grabs Sugacoat by her shoulders and pulls her close. “And Sugarcoat knows architecture! We can make a new dock in seconds.”

“Don’t integrate me into your ideas without my consent, Indigo Zap.” It’s the response of the young platinum haired girl while she look the situation with indifference.

Indigo ignores her complaint. “We can make it bigger and better! Perfect for the sport triathlon starting line!”

Timber approaches unsure. “I’m not so sure about that. Building a whole new dock sounds like a lot of effort, I wouldn’t want you wasting your fun time on something like that.”

“Pfff, we are Shadowbolts!” Indigo says confidently. “We can do anything! We’ll have a new dock ready before any can say ‘ready, set, go!’” After saying that, she looks at Sunset. “Sunset, what do you say?”

Sunset is a little surprised to find herself included in the conversation. “Mh? Oh well-“

Indigo interrupts to get everyone’s attention. “Let’s hear what the Shadowbolt Queen has to say!”

Sunset just rolls her eyes in amusement at the title. Soon all her eyes are on her.

“I think it’s a great idea. A new dock will serve us all and future campers as well. It will be like leaving our mark on this place.” She smiles at everyone, and the campers seem convinced by her words.

Indigo only gets more excited. “You heard the Queen! Let’s go, Shadowbolts!!”

Cheers full of encouragement fill the place. Cadence can’t fight the smile that spreads across her face, Chrysalis smiles at her and everyone too. Gloriosa is as animated as everyone; Timber is calm, although he seems a little worried.

Sunset on her part receives smiles from several students, the good humor was contagious. She still can’t help but feel a chill from a sudden breeze.

Looking around she only sees her classmates still excited by the idea. Indigo had already gone with Sugarcoat, apparently to discuss the project.

The feeling was only a second, and as soon as Sunset gets a couple of surprise hugs from her friends she forgets about the matter.

Friendship vs Winter

Our sextet - accompanied by Suri Polomare, Coco Pommel and Superintendent Chrysalis - had different emotions but mostly they all showed astonishment at seeing that being.

Winter now shows completely white skin, indistinguishable from the snow itself. The almost spiral-shaped marks that run through his body are displayed.

His eyes are just a semi-crystalline blue glow, and his face only shows coldness and anger.

For a minute, none of the presents says anything. It’s Indigo Zap who makes the first comment.

“Well, the albino fused with the ice lady… how unoriginal.”

“Who cares?!” Lemon Zest exclaims and jumps ahead of the rest. “Hey Wint! Special delivery for you!”

Anticipating what is coming, all the ladies rush to cover their ears, and it only takes a breath of air for Lemon to let out a scream.

Although the now Windigo-human hybrid greets her, he only covers himself by grunting a bit. Pointing his fingers like a gun shoots a white beam right into Lemon’s open mouth.

The next thing seen is the green-haired girl kneeling on the ground, holding her throat with both hands.

The Sunset Among Shadows shout her name as they approach her. Lemon takes a breath, squeezes her neck and coughs, but it’s a dry, dull cough. Her voice is so low that it isn’t even a whisper.

“… my throat…”

Rough and cold, that’s how she sounds. Lemon can’t say anything else.

Those present are scared and worried, altough Indigo is furious. The athlete teen stands up, moving ahead of the group.

“I won’t go around with any more jokes. Now I’m serious!”

She puts her palms together and rubs them together furiously. Immediately her body is covered in electricity, even her hair stands on end. Just by moving her arms back, electricity reaches her fists and then stretches out her arms shooting various bolts. Small but numerous lightning bolts rush towards Winter, tough are stopped by a sort of ice shield, formed from the wrist of the transformed boy in the form of thorns.

Upon hitting the shield, the lightning bolts completely shatter it. However, Winter manages to block them all before his defense completely falls apart.

Indigo growls, and is about to attack again by high-fiving him.

The hybrid leans slightly and blows. This forms a torrent of light wind that produces a mist filled with moisture.

As soon as the mist hits the girl, her body gets wet from it causing her electricity to go haywire and damage herself.

Indigo Zap lets out a cry of pain before falling to the ground. Her friends call out her name with concern.

Twilight and Sonata stay with Lemon while Sunset and Sunny go with the one with googles.

Now it’s Sunny Flare who gets angry. Standing, back straight, her hands ignite with her magenta fire.

“Enough of delicacies!”

In a gesture contrary to her refined demeanor Sunny snarls, she clenches her teeth and fists. The flames in her hands grow beyond her arms until they cross her back increasing in intensity.

She wastes no time and unleashes an intense blast of fire at the hybrid.

On his part, Winter imitates the girl by covering his arms in cold air, and after extending them sends his own blast of cold that hits the flames.

Sunny and Winter’s powers collide, but soon the cold air overcomes the flames. Sunny is horrified to see the wind and ice closing in, finally engulfing her.

The flames die down, her skin pales, her clothes are covered in frost. Sunny trembles, falls to her knees hugging herself shivering with cold.

“Sunny Flare!!”

Sunset wants to get up. She hesitates for a moment looking at Indigo, but decides to run towards Sunny.

“Sunny! Are you…?”

Sunny looks at her pale, trembling hands. She closes them and small embers are seen coming out of her palms, although there are no flames.

“…I’m cold…” Sunny hugs herself again, curling up into a ball trying to keep her warm.

“~It seems your friends can’t take the cold, Sunset Shimmer.~”

Winter speaks in a mocking tone forming a smile. Distraught, Sunset sees how Superintendent Chrysalis had approached Twilight to help Lemon Zest while Sonata, Suri and Coco help Indigo – who appears to be suffering from cramps – to stay on her feet.

The Equestrian looks at Sunny Flare, holding her tight. She finally looks up at Winter with an angry glare.

“Winter, you bastard!!” She exclaims out loud.

“~It’s their fault for getting in my way,~” the hybrid Windigo replies. “~Just like you did.~”

He says this last sentence in an extremely cold voice, making Sunset even angrier and getting up. But before she can take another step, an arm reaches out in front of her, stopping Sunset.

It’s Sonata Dusk, who contrary to her normal personality, her face reflects a deep seriousness.

Sunset is surprised to see such an expression on her. Sonata just looks at Winter, who looks back with a confident smile.

The Siren gets angry, her expression shows it, and with a scream of anger her whole body lights up. That aureal creature from a few moments ago becomes present again coming out of Sonata. Her body relaxes and falls, but Sunset manages to catch her and gently lower her to the ground. She then looks up to see her friend, now a disembodied creature, floating near her.

The Aural Siren looks at her fiery-haired friend, sings a soft tune, then turns to face the enemy.

Winter erases his smile, waving his hand inviting the Siren to attack. Sonata doesn’t disappoint him; With a fierce countenance and a chant that simulates an apparent roar, she rushes towards him.

The albino being jumps moving through the air, the Dazzling follows him and ‘roars’ shaking the air. Winter blasts balls of icy energy at the Aural Siren, who dodges with agility and speed.

Chrysalis and Twilight help Lemon while Suri and Coco allow Indigo to lean on them to walk. They approach Sunny and Sunset to see their Siren friend going after her opponent.

As Sonata Dusk chases the now hybrid creature, the other Windigos are quickly seen flying behind her.

“Sonata, watch out!” Sunset screams.

Hearing the warning, Sonata turns her head noticing how the Windigos are approaching from behind her. She snarls at them as they howl, creating an icy torrent that hits the Siren. The attack affects her, but she resists it, shaking off and flying out of the torrent. A harmonious as well as powerful song that serves as its roar shakes the Windigos out of its way.

However, Winter takes advantage of the distraction by standing right behind her. He clasps his hands together and throws a bolt of ice at Sonata.

The girls scream her name, even Lemon tries to find her voice wanting to say Sonata’s name. The Siren is thrown and crashes to the ground, the frozen beam still impacting her.

Soon the group of Windigos come together to throw their energies at the Siren.

A cluster of ice pillars forms on the spot, which soon break apart in a sort of explosion. A cloud of mist and frost rises, the ladies must take cover before a slight shock wave. The next thing they see is a large crater in the ground, covered in thin ice, and the Aural Siren lying in the center.

They all shout the name of the Dazzling. Sunset goes with her and slides a little on the ice of the crater to where her friend is.

“Sonata…Sonata!”

The Siren lets out a sound, her tiredness is noticeable.

Sunset looks at her in horror and despair before realizing Winter towers over them, his glowing hand raised ready to strike. Instantly the fire-haired teen is on her feet, extending her arms to her sides protectively.

“~Hahahaha! Are you going to protect her? Do you really think you can do it?~”

“If you want to hurt my friends, you’ll have to do it over my dead body.” Sunset’s voice shows no fear, only determination. Winter just smiles.

“~I like the offer.~”

The energy in his hand glows brighter.

The others are terrified. Indigo tries to run, but her leg gives out. Lemon wants to go until Crysalis stops her and although Sunny tries to get up, her body is too cold to move.

Sunset panics yet she won’t give up; she will use her body to defend her friend if necessary. Sonata, seeing her, tries to get up to help Sunset without any success.

The frost ghosts begin to laugh. Their teasing creates a small echo in the surroundings.

Winter still has his hand up. However, and for the surprise of all present, he lowers it turning off the glow of his magic.

“~On second thought, freezing yourself won’t be enough. No. I want you to pay for everything you’ve done to us~.”

For a fraction of seconds, in the last part of the sentence, Hyberna’s voice could be heard next to Winter’s.

The hybrid descends at high speed sending a punch with his fist. Sunset notices it and covers herself with her arms, but the attack sends her backwards, tripping over Sonata and falling to the ground. The ice makes her slide.

Sonata trembles and tries to get up, although she collapses again.

Winter lunges once more, grabbing Sunset by her shirt and punching her across the face, repeating the action several times backing up at the same time. Finally Winter gives her another blow to get her out of that crater and onto the ground.

Her friends, still reeling from what happened earlier, can’t get close to her.

Chrysalis looks at everything with a serious and calm face, however in her hands and legs a tremor is noticeable with each blow that Sunset is dealt.

Suri is on the verge of tears and Coco doesn’t look better. Both are terrified by the appalling spectacle.

Twilight is the most affected of the group seeing how her best friend is attacked, and seeing her other friends hurt and desperate. That scenario terrifies her, it hurts her chest. At her feet, the ice begins to form on its own.

“Twilight!”

The purple haired girl is surprised. Turning her head, she sees her puppy running towards her.

“Spike!”

“Twilight! I’ve seen everything! We must help Sunset!”

“…We can’t…the Windigos…Winter…”

The evil spirits can be seen flying over the area, enjoying the merciless beat down of seeing the Equestrian girl get beaten up by their remarkable leader.

“But Twilight…they’re massacring her! Sunset needs help!”

“…but…everyone is injured…”

“Then you must go! Do that levitating thing!”

“What?! No! I can’t…! I don’t know how to do that…”

Spike looks almost desperately at his owner, then he frowns. “Then I’ll go!”

Looking at Winter, the pup crouches and growls before leaping forward.

“Hey you! Leave her alone or else I’ll bite off your face!”

“Spike, NO!”

Twilight catches her puppy holding him in her arms. The little dog barks and trembles, wanting to break free.

“Spike, he’s too strong! You can’t do anything!”

“I’m don’t care! Sunset is my friend!”

While the dog barks and squirms, Twilight watches as Winter continues to hurt her best friend. Tears fall from her eyes…

“Twilight! Let me go!”

“…Spike…it’s too much for you…and you’re just a pup…”

“It doesn’t matter! I want to help her!...”

Tears also escapes from the puppy’s eyes as he watches Sunset, who is now lying on the ground looking knocked out.

“I love Sunset… I love you all! You are my friends!”

The puppy’s words reach Twilight and cause her to meditate.

… I love you all!… I love you all!…

Twilight’s hug tightens, her tears fall but she holds them back, narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth.

Back in the fight, Sunset lies unconscious on the ground, Winter only limits himself to watching her with a mocking smile.

The hybrid Windigo looks at his foe. “~Pathetic! You don’t look strong or confident anymore.~”

Sunset’s eyes widen, they are dull green orbs. She doesn’t seem really aware.

“~You gave us a lot of trouble, but now you look so insignificant. We almost feel like you’re not worth killing…~”

Despite his words, the hybrid raises his hand in preparation to attack.

“…~Still, we won’t risk letting you alive.~”

About to deliver the coup de grace he hears a loud sound from behind. Turning around Winter White Third sees what appears to be a log flying towards him.

The hybrid narrowly dodges the ‘projectile’; looking in the distance, he finds out it was a frozen piece of firewood. Winter spins around again and notices more logs flying towards him.

He creates two ‘shields’ made of ice on his arms to stop the logs, though the force eventually breaks the ice.

Peering closer, Winter finds Twilight with her arms raised and several logs wrapped in a purple aura around her.

The girl with glasses takes a moment, observing the being. She breathes a little hard, and frowning, she moves her arms forward throwing all the logs.

The hybrid snarls, raising his hands into a wall of ice in front of it. The logs collide, falling apart due the impact, though they succeed by breaking through the ice shield.

Winter gets angry, destroy what’s left of the wall by himself and sends an ice beam at Twilight. She detects it in time; she hastily looks to her side, noticing a camp table. Her aura envelops the object and carries it in front of her, serving as protection. The table ends up freezing, breaking a bit, and finally falls to the ground.

Indigo smiles as she watches her friend. “Wow Sparks! That was awesome, for an egghead.”

All of her friends smiles at Indigo, which makes Twilight smile and gain confidence. She picks up that table again, even though she seems to be having a hard time, and immediately throws it at Winter.

The Windigo boy sees the projectile fly towards him, gets mad and shoots another beam freezing the table to practically ice, causing it to break.

“~KILL HER!!~”

Some Windigos obey the order by flying towards the scientific one. Twilight looks for something to protect herself with, but she can’t make out anything.

However, being very close to her, a silhouette appears in front of the scientist that throws accurate kicks to each ghost. The force of its blows sends the specters flying several meters.

“Sparkle, if you’re not going to hit at least move!”

“Lightning Dust?”

The blonde athlete stands in front of Twilight without taking her glare out from the Windigos.

Winter shakes off in anger. “~How many fucking humans are going to come try to stop us?!~”

Lightning is more than ready for combat, however her eyes show insecurity. “If anyone has a plan, I’m all ears.”

Indigo manages to stabilize herself and looks down at her arms, charged with electricity.

“I’m not dry, but I can act.”

Sunny looks at her hands, she manages to produce flames in her palms even though they are very small.

“…I s-still…a-am cold…I c-can’t…”

Lemon sees Sunny and approaches her.

“…Sunny…my throat…”

Her voice is still scratchy and weak. Despite that, Sunny understands what she is saying; she puts her hands around the rocker’s neck trying to warm her palms.

“…Just don’t cover me in flames…” Lemon allowed herself a small joke.

Sunny just smiles at her. “… I’ll try…”

Winter explodes with rage when he sees them. “~Kill them! Kill them!! KILL THEM ALL!!!~”

The Windigos go on the attack. Indigo charges her arms with electricity, grimaces and grunts in pain, but resists and fires the beam at them. On her part, Lightning runs, punches, and kicks those who come near her.

Lemon Zest feels her throat improve, she removes her hands from Sunny and stands up.

“I’m better now, try to rest.” Her voice is clearer, though still soft. Still she stands up, takes a breath and exhales her cry.

The scream is weaker, though it is enough to slow the ghosts’ advance and prevent them from crowding in.

Lemon needs to stop, take a breath, come back up for air, and scream.

Indigo begins to feel pain. Little by little the electricity is leaving her body, revealing cuts on the arms from which threads of blood come out.

“Twilight!” Shouts Indigo. “Take Sonata away, make her return to her body or whatever!”

The scientist doesn’t object, nods and focuses on the inert body of the blue-haired young woman who is surrounded by her purple aura and levitates her.

Chrysalis takes the younger girls and talks to them. “We have to go, don’t get separated!”

The woman orders and everyone obeys. Indigo and Lemon fight to keep the Windigos away, the ones that manage to advance are stopped by Lightning and Superintendent Chrysalis.

Winter watches everything from a distance, hovering near Sunset, still lying on the ground.

“~Grrr… humans, they are so stubborn!~”

Sunset’s face is turned in that direction, her still opaque eyes dimly reflecting the image of her friends being attacked.

In the crater, the Aural Siren manages to get up, hears her name being called and sees her friends at the edge of the crater. She goes towards them, returning to her human body taking a deep breath when she wakes up.

“Girls!!... Wow, I’m floating.”

She turns around and shakes a little, seeing herself not touching the ground. Twilight lowers her and they all reunite.

Indigo Zap and Lemon Zest are already very tired, they both have to stop and catch their breath. Sunny Flare stops shaking, but her flames are still not strong enough to counterattack or defend.

Sonata closes her eyes, compresses herself, and makes an effort to transform.

“Gah! I can no longer become a flying Siren…”

Lightning Dust takes the floor. “Okay, does anyone else have a plan that doesn’t involve freezing to death?”

The Windigos approach menacingly but stops, instead making way for their leader.

“~If you had stayed on the sidelines, you would have lived to be food for us.~” The voice duo of Winter and Hyberna speak. “~But you all turned out to be a real nuisance.~”

Not only him, the Windigos around also prepare ice beams to shoot at them.

Among all the teenagers, the emotions they feel at this moment are mixed. Fear, anger, despair and decision.

Sticking together, they join hands and get as close as they can.

All this is what is reflected in Sunset’s opaque eyes, while she is still on the ground. A part of her mind seems to react, looking at her friends.

Twilight… Sunny… Lemon… Indigo… Sonata…

“~Pray everything you know, because you are leaving here as corpses!~”

With Winter about to fire, and his Windigos ready to imitate him, suddenly something happens. Something crosses through the camp.

Like a wave, a strange yet comfortable sensation runs through the ground and air.

Our group sense it too. That feeling spreads throughout the camp, and even through the forest.

~Shadows Among Everfree~

Sunset Shimmer stands hunched forward with her arms drooping along with her head. Her hair completely covers her face.

Winter turns his head to see her. “~Can you still get up?...You’re worse than a hernia.~”

Sunset doesn’t speak or move, she just stays in that position.

“~I see you’re anxious for me to get rid of you~”

Closing his fist, he covers them with ice forming spikes. Sunset continues without any reaction.

“~Very well then. I will fulfill your wish.~”

With his fist raised, Winter flies towards Sunset, extending his arm. The fist goes straight towards the girl, about to hit her, but to Winter’s surprise, Sunset’s head tilts to one side, thus dodging his blow which grazed her just inches from her cheek.

As if in slow motion, Winter misses the attack, Sunset’s head moves, her hair flutters from the movement, and quickly as suddenly Sunset’s arm rises, bending her elbow in an almost mechanical manner, landing a blow to the hybrid’s face.

Winter recoils from the impact, destabilizes, but Sunset doesn’t let him fall. Quickly spinning on herself, she sends a kick straight to the hybrid’chests with a force that makes Winter move back a few meters, making him fall back even more.

As Winter recovers, Sunset’s friends stand still in surprise at her moves. The Windigos are equally amazed.

When the hybrid leader looks up sees the young Equestrian standing with an upright posture, only her head lowered while her hair covering her eyes. But when she raises her face, he sees that Sunset’s eyes had turned almost pale to silver.

“~What… but… WHAT?!!~”

That platinum look is on the winter being, without noticing how a group of Windigos attacks from behind.

Hardly anyone notices when Sunset raises and crosses her arms, thus catching two Windigo’s arms and wrist them in each hand. With a single movement of her arms, flings the ghosts to opposite sides, using them to slam those further back.

Winter stands up, too surprised. More Windigos approach, ready to launch their lightning bolts and shoot, however Sunset doesn’t flinch. Instead, she starts walking towards the leader; the icy energy of the Windigos impact behind Sunset without touching her.

One of the bolts seems to be about to hit her, but Sunset raises her hand, stopping it.

Winter gets angry. He lunges at Sunset to attack her, but again she steps back, moves to the side, avoids his blow and with a quick spin, lands one of her own against him. She punches Winter in the area just below the ribs immobilizing him long enough for her to land another blow, this time to his face. From there she starts to send more blows and kicks to his face, chest, stomach; and every time Winter tries to counterattack, Sunset hits his wrists and knees, thus stopping all his movements.

At some point in the match she fiercely grabs Winter by the face, picking him up and then slamming the Windigo hybrid to the ground. Such an impact renders him immobile, Sunset entwines her fingers, ready to hit Winter with both hands. He barely manages to get away from the danger avoiding said attack.

Sunset’s eyes don’t leave his. Winter rises back into the air, surprised and angry, looking at the teenager.

“~KILL HER…KILL HER!...KILL HER!!~” The hybrid Windigo commanded, echoing the voices of his two inner selves.

A huge white curtain moves across the sky. It’s the Windigos who launches at the same time against the Equestrian girl.

From a distance, her friends watch Sunset Shimmer dodge the constant attacks of the ice creatures. She jumps, moves, she even hits several of them.

“What… what is happening…?” Twilight asks when she sees her.

“Sun-Shim is… is winning…” Lemon Zest says in disbelief. “…Sun-Shim is winning!!” She exclaims with great emotion.

Lightning is as surprised as she is intrigued. “When did she learn to do all that?”

None seem to have an answer.

In addition to blows, the Windigos attack with their ice bolts, but none hit. A beam comes from behind; Sunset lifts her arm moving slightly, dodges it, then jumps leaning to the opposite side, dodging two Windigos head on. She throws her head back, avoids one from the side, and after that she spins around. Stretching out her leg, raising her fist, and swinging her other arm like a pendulum she delivers multiple strikes on several Windigos at once.

Indigo watches the fight seriously. “…I’ve already seen it…”

They all turn to look at her when she speaks.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asks.

“I’ve seen it… back then, when Sunset hit Lightning.”

Lightning rolls her eyes in annoyance. “Urgh! Did you have to take that out now?”

“Sunset told me at that moment she didn’t wanted to hit Lightning, her body reacted in own defense without doing it. It’s something you learn when you have to fight a lot.”

They pause as they watch Sunset keep battling, avoiding and blocking blows as well ice bolts.

“And now, it’s like Sunset’s body is reacting out of sheer inertia.”

The girls, as well as the adult woman and the small dog, are still in awe watching Sunset in battle.

The Windigos get tired of the direct attack, instead they decide to fly in circles at high speed to create a kind of ice vortex. The ground where Sunset stands begins to freeze, yet she remains motionless, unperturbed by wind or cold. The ice stops around Sunset, without touching her no matter how cold it gets.

Winter realices this. He snarls, his fists tremble, and grits his teeth in anger.

“~How?…Sunset Shimmer…how can you resist our power?!~”

Spike begins to wag his tail happily.

“It’s what she did before!” The pup exclaims in joy, wagging his tail as he watches her. Of course he wins all the girls’ interest.

“What are you talking about, Spike?” Asks his owner.

“Like in the cave!” Explains the puppy. “When she was frozen, Sunset said she remembered her loved ones and that took away their power from her.”

Such a thing makes the Shadowbolts remember the night of the campfire stories, how Sunset had taught them that.

“… ‘Keep your friends, your families, your loved ones close’…” Twilight begins to recite.

Sunny follows her. “…’ And always remember how much you love them and how much they mean to you…’”

Sonata continues. “… ’As long as hearts burn in the fire of that affection…’”

“…’the Windigo will have no power!’” Lemon finishes it. “It’s like her story!”

The leader of the Windigos is exceeding the limits of his rage.

“~ENOUGH!! WE WAIT CENTURIES FOR THIS… YOU WON’T STOP US NOW!!!~” He exclaims extremely angry and desperate.

The marks on his body and eyes glow with intensity. An icy aura covers him just as the air around him.

The eyes of all the Windigos gleam, their bodies glow, and soon they turn into lightning bolts heading towards their leader.

Winter’s and Hyberna’s screams are heard, along with a resounding Windigo howl. The storm stops, allowing everyone to see towards the light that had formed.

Hyberna’s image overlaps Winter’s, growing and transforming, becoming much more monstrous.

A gigantic, almost non-human creature made of ice, with no legs, hovers over the camp.

On the ground, Sunset leads her impassive gaze towards that being.

A ferocious roar echoes over the camp. Cadence, Gloriosa and all the campers see it clearly.

Our group fears for Sunset. They are attentive, still remembering the words their friend spoke to them.

The ice being releases a icy breath of snow, frost, and cold directly at the exequine.

Sunset remains impassive, she sees the icy gale heading straight for her, yet she doesn’t move. Sunset remains in her place, the image of her friends from Crystal Prep is reflected in her head. Her breath freezes right in front of her, her eyes lose the silver shine back to her original cyan tone.

Arms crossed, Sunset holds on with some help. Twilight, Sunny, Sonata, Indigo, and Lemon stay behind Sunset, hugging her and each other, forming an invisible bubble that protects them from the cold.

The icy being forces it’s attack, but the teenagers don’t give up. Each one keeps in their minds all the memories lived together since they became friends. Sunset Shimmer steps forward and extends both hands. Sunny Flare and Twilight Sparkle put theirs on top of hers; Indigo Zap, Sonata Dusk, and Lemon Zest do the same with the other hand.

A glow arises in front of all of them. With a shared cry, they create an explosion of light forming a large heart that bursts into flames.

Before anyone could know it, the ice being is pushed away by another: an energy creature in the form of a winged horse, with a mane and wings of flame that glow red and gold. The horn on the horse’s forehead burrows into the chest of the ice beast emitting a burst of fire-like light, which grows and drags the monstrous Windigo upwards.

The winter beast dissolves until only the pale boy remains, who is separated from the Windigo and both are engulfed in those flames.

The burst of light hits the dark clouds. A spectacular explosion of light occurs… and then… silence…

~Shadows Among Everfree~

The sun shines… blue reigns high in the sky. All the ice melts, the forest recovers its green color. Camp Everfree gets its heat back.

For a moment all is silent. Only the breathing of the six girls can be heard. All of them catch their breath with their eyes still up where they had seen that ghostly being.

The fire haired girl lowers her arms, bends her legs a little, holds on to her knees so as not to fall. Her classmates don’t look much better than her since they look too tired.

Lemon is the first to ask the million dollar question. “…We-… we won?…”

The girls can’t answer immediately.

When the ice in the cabins melts, the other campers can come out and see the calm of the place. There is no snow, there is no wind, there is no ice… it is a genuine summer day.

Soon the place is filled with smiles, then laughter, followed by shouts and even applause. The next thing they see is pretty much the entire camp running towards our girls.

“I think… I think we won…. WE WON!!” Indigo exclaims triumphantly.

They smile among themselves, and laugh even more when they are reached and lifted up by all the campers, celebrating them.

As the group is greeted with chants, Chrysalis smiles and finally allows herself to relax.

“Chrysie!!!”

The prep’s dean runs up to her emerald-haired acquaintance and wasted no time in wrapping her in a big hug.

“…Chrysie!”

Chrysalis can’t help but smile as she hugs her back. “…Hi Cadence.”

“I was scared… I thought… I thought something would happen to you… that something would happen to everyone…”

“Hey, it’s alright. I’m… we’re fine.”

They both hold that hug for a moment, before breaking it. They look at each other smiling, and then at the teens who continue to celebrate.

Finally the girls come down, who continue to smile, and after looking at each other, they give each other a group hug.

Spike also joins in the celebration. “Those are my girls! Woo-hoo!”

Neon Lights turns around in surprise. “Did that dog just talk? Whoa. Weird.”

“Seriously? The talking dog is a weird thing about all this?” ‘The talking dog’ says ironically.

The head of the camp makes her way through everyone, with a look of astonishment and raising her hands.

“Calm now! Relax! Is everyone alright?!” Gloriosa Daisy asks. “Wow… that was all… I… I don’t even know what that was all about!”

“Gloriosa, are you alright?” Sunset asks.

“Yes I’m fine. Are you- GA-AH!! You’re bleeding!” Gloriosa screams when she sees Indigo’s arm.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I think I got a few cuts. It’s not a big deal.”

“Oh dear… all that… I don’t… you don’t know how sorry I am…” The camp’s head offered her apology.

The superintendent takes the floor. “It wasn’t your fault, Gloriosa. I believe Camp Everfree suffered an unprecedented threat.”

“…Which is my fault.” Says Sunset looking down. “…the Windigos came here for me…I put everyone in danger. I’m so sorry.”

Sonata hugs Sunset and smiles.

“Sunsite, it’s not your fault!”

“Well, actually it was…” Lemon Zest replies, then immediately backs down as she sees the reproachful glances of her friends cast on her. “…but you fought to save us! And that is what counts.”

A new group hug is established, which allows the former unicorn to smile.

The puppy wags its tail, however he wipes his smile away as he looks up at the sky.

“Look! Up there!”

Everyone present raises their eyes. For a moment there is nothing, but soon they can see small white dots adorning the blue color. A few seconds later, these dots are better distinguished. It’s the Windigos, and they’re taking a nosedive!

The young people of the place move, avoiding the ice ghosts falling on them. The Windigos fall and crash on the ground, or on top of the cabins, and basically everywhere. Luckily they don’t cause damage, nothing breaks under them, tough the hit affects them.

One more dot is seen to fall. This is Winter, who is unconscious and with his clothes quite damaged, leaving only his torn pants covering him. He is about to fall to the ground, but Twilight’s purple aura stops him, saving the boy from crashing.

Sunset smiles at her friend and the scientist smiles back.

For a moment all is silent. Everyone looks at the Windigos nearby, they are motionless on the ground.

Clear Sky speaks suddenly. “Are they dead?”

Sunshower asks another question. “Can a ghost die?”

The answer comes after a few seconds when the specters of Equestria begin to move. Some get up, albeit with difficulty.

The campers get scared and move as far away as they can.

Our group is no exception, although soon they all frown. They seem ready to defend themselves.

Sunset, in particular, looks around her and manages to find what she’s looking for: a pair of blue splotches on a white body.

Hyberna reacts, struggles to straighten up. She sees someone stop in front of her. Looking up meets Sunset, who looks at her seriously, almost coldly.

The Windigo growls, though she can’t get up. Sunset continues to look at her, and Hyberna realices her peers are in the same condition as her.

Other windigos are also confronted by the rest of the girls, and without being able to do anything else, many stands up wanting to get away from the place.

Hyberna and Sunset exchange glances, one serious, the other frustrated. In the end, Hyberna also rushes away from the camp.

“Where do you think you’re going, you damn walking snow cones?”

The googled athlete prepares to charge her electricity, but…

“Leave them.” Sunset declares.

Shocked, the Shadowbolts look at Sunset who only watches the Windigos leave. On the other hand, the Windigos that move away lose their opaque appearance. Gradually they become translucent.

“But why?” Asks Sunny Flare.

“They feed on hate,” Sunset explains. “We musn’t feed them.”

The receding Windigos begin to fade, disappearing. Hyberna turns around, with a look full of annoyance she looks at Sunset.

“They’re just ghosts now.”

The female Windigo growls, however she does nothing more except turn and walk away, vanishing into thin air. With this, all the Windigos disappear and the entire environment falls silent once more.

That is until Winter wakes up realizing he is face down and floating inches off the ground.

“Hey!... But what?!”

The awakening causes everyone to see him and approach him. On his part, Winter is agitated and tries to free himself from the energy that sustains him.

“Put me down! I DEMAND YOU PUT ME DOWN!”

The aura disappears, he looks up which from his perspective is on the ground, and trembles again.

“I take back what I said!!”

Winter White falls and hits his head with his whole body falling to the ground. When he manages to react to the crash, sees the girls surrounding him with serious looks. That makes him nervous and terrified.

“Hyberna… Hyberna!…Guys?…Anyone…?”

“You’re not so tough anymore being alone, right albino?” The athlete scoffs.

“LYNCH HIM!!”

Sonata is the first to follow the indication by throwing herself on the boy, then Lemon goes and Indigo is not left with the desire. The three give a punishment to Winter and apprehend him. Cadence and Chrysalis get closer.

“Winter White the Third!” Dean Cadence exclaims in an authoritative voice. “So you are the one responsible for this! You’ve been missing for months. Your parents have been looking for you! And now you come and try to hurt your classmates and destroy the camp?!”

Winter, trapped by the girls, looks defeated though defiant. “Urgh…it’s Shimmer’s fault! Hers and her miserable bootlickers she calls friends!”

Chrysalis decides to speak. “Well, I’m sure your father and the authorities will be delighted to know that we found you, and that you carried out an attack on the camp.”

“Grrr… I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for those meddling girls!”

“Whoof!”

“Oh, right… and that stupid dog too!”

The superintendent takes Winter White by the arm and leads him away.

“Gloriosa, please come with me. We will have plenty to discuss with the authorities.”

Gloriosa Daisy looks a bit surprised, but she agrees. “Huh? Yes, of course! Um… Timber! Please take care of the guys.”

“Roger.” Her brother agrees.

The two women take the young man away. As they walk, they talk lightly about what they will tell the police. Timber then approaches the girls.

“Well, that was something unique. Twilight, you and your friends are awesome!”

“Heh heh. Yeah, I have the best friends in the world!”

Cadence joins the conversation. “And me, the best school I could wish for. I am proud of all of them! From EVERYONE!”

There is more celebration and applause. Especially dedicated to the six friends.

Lemon Zest lifts her arm up happily. “YEAH! We saved the camp!”

Although the whole place can be seen, there’s also the damage caused by the winter and the battle. A flag from one of the cabins falls down.

“… Well, almost.”